I would like to address this blog post to all the prayer warriors who have prayed for me this past week. Sometimes when called to pray one can wonder if it really does any good but let me explain.
During the last 2 months leading up to my serious surgery I would often have times where I would shudder at the thought of the whole surgery…even times where I felt almost as it were paralyzed and unable to work or think because of the overwhelming nature of it all.
All this began to change as we starting telling people what we were facing culminating this past weekend when our dear former congregation as well as our current church family began praying in earnest. I can only describe the feeling as being wrapped in bubble wrap. Layer after layer began to be wrapped around me. And so when an inconsiderate comment would be made or Satan would attack it could only pop a bubble or two but not penetrate to me. Your prayers along with the Lord’s everlasting arms created a calm in my heart that was unrealistic while facing such a serious trial. And the calm only continued to grow more and more as surgery came closer. On Monday and Tuesday I found myself often contentedly humming and I never lost one minute of sleep from worrying.
When I awoke shortly after 5 on Wednesday morning only to see that already people were awake and praying I was so humbled. While showering I realized that I was singing as if preparing to go on a picnic rather than facing a serious surgery.
Once in the hospital while getting prepped for surgery the calm never left. As I lay on the operating table the anesthesiologist struggled to find a vein for my IV as I was already getting dehydrated. My thoughts weren’t on the poking needle but meditating on the fact that when I awoke (which I would) it would be either here on earth with my family or in glory. Unbeknown to me my surgeon observed this “calm” and especially told my husband when she gave him the post op report how I seemed so unusually calm. Several hours later as I was coming out of anesthesia my first thoughts were… am I on earth or in glory.
Typically, a patient receives narcotics during surgery for when they awake but as I cannot have any narcotics none were administered. As I regained consciousness (unaware of the fact that I had a good 100 stitches inside of me) the most incredible pain I have ever felt was searing through my body and I cried out, “Why Lord?” Immediately my mind was drawn to Christ and His sufferings and my mouth was stopped, and as I lay moaning my dear precious Savior became even more precious to me. And so until the Tylenol and Advil started working I could quietly moan as I listened to the hospital staff and my surgeon’s assistant agonizing over the fact that there was nothing more they could give to me. And yet even in the face of this incredible pain there was a calmness that resulted from many prayers. The Lord didn’t say we wouldn't experience great difficulties but He did promise to carry us through them.
The next day when my surgeon came to see me I felt compelled to explain to her as well as the others who were in the room why she saw in me this “strange, unusual” calmness. The result of your prayers enabled me to spread Christ to this Indian Dr. And so dear friend, while it’s hard for me to find a comfortable position to be able to type this, I felt so humbled and thankful for each and every one of you. When you are on your knees beseeching the Lord on behalf of a needy friend know of a certainty that our dear Father in heaven hears your prayers and answers. Be not weary in well doing. Let us now raise our voices in thanks to Him.
