Every summer my grandma spends time at her cabin, located about 20 miles outside of Ely, Minnesota. My family goes up each year to visit her, and to fish, ski, and just have fun in the water. This year was a little different. On June 30, the first full day we were there, I had a seizure and blacked out for more than 45 minutes.

Since we do not have cell phone service at the cabin, my grandma used a land line phone at a friend's house across the lake. My dad and brother carried me to the car, and they raced to meet the ambulance coming from town. I woke up immediately when I heard the ambulance. I didn't know what was going on, so I just followed the paramedics' instructions.

They did some tests at the hospital, and I was released about two hours later. The physicians were not sure why I had the seizure. We returned to the cabin and I rested.

On the Fourth of July, I was feeling really bad, so we all went back to the hospital. The doctor did a spinal tap on me, and I was admitted overnight. Again, none of the tests were conclusive.

On July 6, I decided to go home with my parents. My brother and sister planned to stay another week. We left late in the afternoon and stopped at a hotel in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. That night I was tense, and I couldn't really move. It took about an hour for my parents to get me relaxed.

Morning came, and I felt better. However, the spinal tap I had earlier made me sick when I stood up for a long time. So I got dressed and laid down. A couple minutes later, my muscles tensed up. I yelled something out, and then I blacked out again—another seizure.

The rescue firemen came, and it took six firemen to get me out of the hotel room and into the rescue truck. Luckily, the hospital was across the street.

Three days went by before I woke up. My parents told me about a lot of tests the physicians had ordered. I didn't know what to think. I wanted to know that I was safe, and that I wouldn't have another seizure. The doctors performed many tests on my nervous system and brain. They finally made a diagnosis of Viral Encephalitis, which they found in the left frontal area of my brain.

I was released from the hospital on July 10, after three days in the Intensive Care Unit. We left for my uncle's house in Green Bay to stay the night. My parents told me people were praying for me all across the country. I was still weak, but I knew those prayers would help me. It gave me more faith in the power of prayer.

As a result of all of this, I'm on an anti-seizure medicine for awhile. The most important thing, though, is a closer relationship with God, and a stronger belief in the power of prayer. I am thankful for all the people who were part of the prayer chain for me.

Logan Steely, of Battle Creek, Michigan, is a freshman at Andrews University. He will receive a $100 scholarship since his article was selected for publication.