Originally posted by Cow Poke
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I thought I'd share the letter I got to read to the Church this morning.....
Jim and I would like to somehow convey to all of you just how much your prayers, support, and countless acts of kindness have changed our lives. Without your love and prayers I would not have had the strength to see him through this past year. Without your financial blessings he would not even have had the opportunity to be at Methodist Hospital receiving the best possible care. But most importantly, without God answering prayers we would not be here today.
I was literally watching my husband’s life slip away a little more each day. The doctors in the ICU told me that without a transplant he in all likelihood was only a few days away from dying. His kidneys had shut down, his liver had ceased to function, and he was in danger of bleeding to death as his blood could no longer clot. On the night of July 12th I was leaving the ICU, totally exhausted and feeling drained of hope. For so long I had prayed for God to heal my husband. But this time I prayed, Father if it is your will to take Jim home to be with you I just ask it is soon because he is a good man and loves you and I can’t bear to see him suffer any longer. But if it is your will to heal him please also help him soon. I believe it was that moment of complete, genuine, and total surrender to God’s will in which our prayers were answered.
The next sound I heard was someone running behind me. I turned and looked back and saw Jim’s nurse from ICU running towards me. My heart sunk and I said “what happened, what happened?” She said “hurry, come with me. It’s good, it’s good!” The surgeon met me at the entrance to the ICU and said the words I had almost given up on hearing, Mrs. Odermann, we have a donor!!
Since the transplant surgery, Jim’s recovery has been nothing short of miraculous. The doctors and nurses are astounded by his recovery and progress. But Jim is not surprised. He says, “God did not bring me through this for nothing, I have a testimony he wants me to share.” As soon as he was able to speak again he told them all he needed to get out and go to Church to thank everyone and then he would come back and do whatever they wanted him to do to get better. They did not let him, but not for a lack of him trying to convince them!
We had several different chaplains come visit us while we were at the hospital. We shared with each of them our story of how our church family at _________ Baptist Church stepped in to help two people they had never met, who were in desperate need, and lifted us up and prayed us through this past year. They all said the same thing as they were leaving. “I came to encourage you, but instead your story has restored and strengthened my faith.”
When we moved to Brenham we were looking for a church, but it turned out the church found us. It is because God touched your hearts that what we thought was the worst year of our lives instead was truly our most blessed year. The saying “There is no place like home” isn’t just about a house after all. We are home here, at ________ Baptist. You are all forever in our hearts and our prayers.
Jim & Diane
Jim and I would like to somehow convey to all of you just how much your prayers, support, and countless acts of kindness have changed our lives. Without your love and prayers I would not have had the strength to see him through this past year. Without your financial blessings he would not even have had the opportunity to be at Methodist Hospital receiving the best possible care. But most importantly, without God answering prayers we would not be here today.
I was literally watching my husband’s life slip away a little more each day. The doctors in the ICU told me that without a transplant he in all likelihood was only a few days away from dying. His kidneys had shut down, his liver had ceased to function, and he was in danger of bleeding to death as his blood could no longer clot. On the night of July 12th I was leaving the ICU, totally exhausted and feeling drained of hope. For so long I had prayed for God to heal my husband. But this time I prayed, Father if it is your will to take Jim home to be with you I just ask it is soon because he is a good man and loves you and I can’t bear to see him suffer any longer. But if it is your will to heal him please also help him soon. I believe it was that moment of complete, genuine, and total surrender to God’s will in which our prayers were answered.
The next sound I heard was someone running behind me. I turned and looked back and saw Jim’s nurse from ICU running towards me. My heart sunk and I said “what happened, what happened?” She said “hurry, come with me. It’s good, it’s good!” The surgeon met me at the entrance to the ICU and said the words I had almost given up on hearing, Mrs. Odermann, we have a donor!!
Since the transplant surgery, Jim’s recovery has been nothing short of miraculous. The doctors and nurses are astounded by his recovery and progress. But Jim is not surprised. He says, “God did not bring me through this for nothing, I have a testimony he wants me to share.” As soon as he was able to speak again he told them all he needed to get out and go to Church to thank everyone and then he would come back and do whatever they wanted him to do to get better. They did not let him, but not for a lack of him trying to convince them!
We had several different chaplains come visit us while we were at the hospital. We shared with each of them our story of how our church family at _________ Baptist Church stepped in to help two people they had never met, who were in desperate need, and lifted us up and prayed us through this past year. They all said the same thing as they were leaving. “I came to encourage you, but instead your story has restored and strengthened my faith.”
When we moved to Brenham we were looking for a church, but it turned out the church found us. It is because God touched your hearts that what we thought was the worst year of our lives instead was truly our most blessed year. The saying “There is no place like home” isn’t just about a house after all. We are home here, at ________ Baptist. You are all forever in our hearts and our prayers.
Jim & Diane
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