David Espinoza and his wife Toni lived on the southern border of Texas, in the city of McAllen, five hours south of Houston.
As Christmas approached, they received the worst news.
Doctors in Houston told David Espinoza that his heart was only working at 10% capacity.
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If he didn’t get a heart transplant quickly, he wouldn’t see his family at Christmas.
Worse, he was told it could take nine months or longer to find a perfect donor.
Just before Christmas, a woman wondered if she and many others were praying for someone to die so that her husband could live. (iStock)
Toni Espinoza, known as a prayer warrior, organized everyone she knew – and hundreds she didn’t know – to pray for her husband to find a heart donor.
But within days she felt conflicted.
She decided to change her strategy.
It seemed like they were praying for someone to die so that their husband could live.
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She decided to change her strategy.
She began to pray fervently that God would miraculously heal her husband completely.
For added comfort, the woman asked God to confirm her answered prayer by making it snow in McAllen, Texas, on Christmas Day. (iStock)
And for added comfort, she asked God to confirm her answered prayer by making it snow in McAllen, Texas, on Christmas Day.
She shared her private decision to pray for these miracles with a trusted childhood friend named Crawford.
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“Toni, have you ever seen snow?” her friend asked her.
“It hasn’t snowed here in 109 years! And never at Christmas.”
She shook her head.
She had lived in McAllen, Texas her entire life.
The average winter temperature on the border was about 75 degrees.
Her friend continued, “The reason you’ve never seen snow is because it hasn’t snowed here in 109 years!” And never at Christmas.”
“I knowledge God will answer my prayers. (Anastasia Krivenok via Getty Images)
Toni Espinoza shrugged, smiled and gave her friend a determined look.
“I knowledge God will answer my prayers.
It was almost midnight on Christmas Eve when one of the Espinoza daughters, home for the holidays, looked into the backyard — and screamed.
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“Mom, it’s snowing!”
Without a coat, Toni Espinoza stormed into the backyard, delighted to see the snow covering her fully bloomed rose bushes.
The best Christmas present of all came three weeks later.
She looked up at the night sky, white snowflakes dotting her dark hair, and whispered, “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
The next morning, children from all over McAllen ran outside bundled up, rolled in the snow, fanned angels and built snowmen for the first time in their lives.
The dramatic story of the Espinozas appears in the bestselling Godwink Christmas Stories by SQuire Rushnell and Louise DuArt. (Amazon)
A headline in the McAllen newspaper proclaimed the “First White Christmas Ever!”
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But the best Christmas present of all came three weeks later.
David Espinoza’s doctor in Houston looked at the medical records.
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He shook his head and said, “David, I don’t understand how this happened… but you’re going to live a long time. Your heart is completely healed.”
The couple tearfully hugged each other – and praised God for the best Christmas present ever.
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The couple’s story appears in the bestselling Godwink Christmas Stories by SQuire Rushnell and Louise DuArt, from which this article is excerpted. Copyright © SQuire Rushnell and Louise DuArt. For more information, see www.godwinks.com.