“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28 (NIV)

It was the holidays and we didn't want to stay home alone at Christmas. Even with the COVID thing going on, we decided to go to Virginia to be with our 18-month-old granddaughter and her parents. However, this would turn out to be more than just a holiday vacation; it would become a life-changing event, at least for me.

Sunday morning found me in church, celebrating our Lord Jesus ... a time of rejoicing in His birth. But not me. I was in pain. It's difficult to sing and praise God when your chest feels like you've just swallowed a whole cracker sideways. Nothing brought relief. Not water. Not the peppermint Lifesaver. Definitely not coffee. I HURT.

It was during the sermon when I caved. While everyone else was looking up Scriptures on their phones, I was looking for med centers. I leaned over and told my wife that I needed help. She told our daughter-in-law. The dominoes fell.

Shortly after church, we arrived at the local MedExpress center. My daughter-in-law called them from the car, as — to be safe — the pandemic has turned parking lots into waiting rooms. I didn't wait long. A nurse came and got me. After several minutes of tests and questions, it was decided that an ambulance ride would be next for me.

Life in a hospital emergency room can be interesting at times. If I was having a heart attack, it didn't show. I spent hours in the hallway just watching doctors and nurses go about their routines, as if they were in slow motion. I'm not saying that the care given to patients was sub-par ... just not the same “high level” as seen on TV. My nurse did manage to siphon several vials of blood from me throughout the afternoon. And, I did get to have my own room by evening ... must have been so that the doctor could have me stay overnight for observation. By this time, the pain had diminished. While I could leave, it was agreed that there was an answer waiting to be found.

They tell me there's no rest for the wicked, so I must be bad. Every two hours, the nurses would empty my arms and then squeeze them until my eyes would want to pop. This went on all night.

Morning finally came and I got a visit from one of the doctors. They sent the intern to talk to me, Dr. Luke. The young doctor could be a double for Chris Hemsworth, of “Thor” fame. Dr. Luke explained the procedure they were going to perform on me and that I could rest assured that I was in good hands. Then he asked if I had all my affairs in order. My answer must have shocked him because he repeated the question. I said that I would be fine. I have been through worse …

Twelve year ago, through a routine blood test, I was diagnosed with Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura. ITP is an immune disorder that could have caused me to bleed to death from a simple cut or bruise. At the same time, I also had lesions that were considered a precursor to skin cancer. Many people had given up hope for me, but prayer and a good doctor have brought me to this point today. I wasn't about to give up now!

Dr. Luke then turned me over to the nurses to be prepped for the procedure. The entire thing was to last about two hours at the most. I looked at the clock when I left my room for surgery, and it was ten o'clock ... it was two-thirty when I returned. Yeah, they found an arterial blockage of 95% and fixed it. I can't say it was painless ... it was probably the worst I've ever had, but, praise God, I didn't die! Not this time, Satan!

You know, there's a great feeling that comes over you when you're lying in a hospital bed so far from home and you hear that your church family and friends are praying for you! And, it's pretty amazing that so many of the messages in this “Hope” series feel targeted directly toward you. Nice collaboration between our Lord and Pastor Mark!

I am still going through cardio therapy and trying to recover. I don't know what the future holds but if God's involved, it's gotta be great!

There is a great song of hope that I was able to listen to on my phone while I waited, and waited, in that emergency room. It's called “Ghost”, by MercyMe. “ ... Lead me through the darkness, lead me through the unknown, Oh, lead me, Holy Ghost.” So glad for His ever-presence!

Read the submitted stories of hope where God has been faithful to deliver encouragement, healing or freedom in these individuals lives through our HOPE message series!

Read submitted stories of Hope

This post was written by a group of volunteer writers who strive to share God's truth through an online platform, but may not reflect the views of The Vineyard Church as a whole. To learn how you can get involved, email us at  .

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