Tuesday (8/13/19) was going to be an enjoyable day. We planned to go out to a late lunch. I had a doctor’s appointment for a simple blood test. Just as the nurse was ready to put the needle in my arm, I received a text from my husband. “Babe, I fell down and I think I broke something.” I jumped out of the seat and headed for my car. I was about 5 minutes from home. When I started the car, I called 911. I got home before help arrived.
My hubby, who is 82 years young (ordained minister 60 years), was sitting on the floor in front of his electric recliner. His left hip had been replaced in 2007. He had been telling me that he felt he did not have strength in the leg for about two weeks – there was no pain. He was returning to his chair and felt he was losing control of his left leg – he fell on his left hip before he could be seated.
His cell phone was on the arm of his chair. Normally, he has it on the backside of the round end table next to his chair. He could reach his phone and texted me. I arrived home before the fire department arrived, the ambulance and then a policeman. They realized his left hip/leg had major internal injuries. In about 40 minutes, he was going out the front door on a gurney.
This was completely unexpected! My daughter, Joe’l, joined me. I gathered his health info and medicines and we headed to the hospital. I said, “God knew this was going to happen. Now He will have to help us.”
In July of 2018, my hubby had a jaw tooth pulled and under doctor’s order went off of his blood thinner for two days before his tooth was pulled. All went well. We started his blood thinner the day after the pulled tooth. Within two days, I realized he was not acting right showing signs of a stroke. I gave him an aspirin. Called my SIL, Paul Povolni, and we took him to the hospital.
This ‘unexpected’ was God’s revealing to us there was a more serious problem. An ultrasound test on his neck revealed his right main artery was 98% blocked. They checked his heart and all of the veins were clear – including the 4-bypass he had in 1995 – that was great to know.
On our 48th wedding anniversary, he had his right neck artery sliced open and cleaned out. His stroke symptoms started clearing up. It has been a year of recovering strength then this ‘unexpected’ happened 13 days after our 49th wedding anniversary!
Why do painful things happen? We both received the Holy Ghost in 1955. We have remained faithful to God and in ministry all of our lives. Painful events happen (unexpected sicknesses, accidents, deaths, betrayal of others, all types of abuse, etc.) because we are part of the human race. We received the curse of pain and death because of the sinful choice to disobey God’s one ‘do not’ command by Adam and Eve. We are all born sinners falling short of the glory of God. We live in Satan’s territory. Thankfully God, who is our Creator, made plans to come to the earth in flesh to become our Redeemer!
Even though we may be saved by obeying Acts 2:38, salvation does not erase the fact that we are not in our glorified bodies yet. From the time we are born, we are on our journey to physical death. The most important issue in this journey of life is that we have our soul salvation. When our spiritual heart is right with God, God will give us the strength to endure all suffering that might come into our lives.
We have suffered the loss of family and friends through death, adversity from Satan, hubby’s heart issues, now the replacement of this left hip for the second time and rebuilding of his leg bone. I have cried many tears throughout the years because I’m human. My tears have flowed even though I have hope in God’s mercy, strength, and provision.
I decided to write our story because I am a counselor (providing nationwide counseling (read ‘about ministry’ page @ www.carolclemans) who has been encouraging others with God’s truth for 27 years. I’ve been teaching God’s Word over 50 years. I am 73 years young. Many times I have had to encourage myself in the Lord as David of old.
Jesus told us while he was still on the earth, “Ye shall have tribulation (trouble) but be of good courage I have overcome the world.” Before He overcame the world, He had to go through the death on the cross. With His death, there came a resurrection that gives us all hope!
All of the apostles suffered and died because of their belief in Jesus Christ except John the revelator. God knows the ‘unexpected’ that will happen to us. We are surprised but God is not. This is where trusting God comes to a real test.
The comfort for me is that God remembers we are made from dust. We can ask God the hard questions. It is OK to be real with God! Jesus cried out on the cross, “My God why have you forsaken me?” His humanity was in pain and the Spirit God in him understood the God/man’s human pain!
God knows our birthday and our death day. We do not die before our time as far as God is concerned. Read Psalm 139 and understand that God knows our thoughts before we think them. God loves us unconditionally. His love for us is not based on our performance. We have God-worth because He is our Creator and then died on a cross to become our Savior.
God will never leave us or forsake us. This is His truth. It is not based on how we feel. The devil delights in dropping toxic thoughts into our minds to try and destroy us spiritually and emotionally. Replace the toxic thoughts with God’s truth. I may feel like I’m alone and I’m hurting emotionally and physically, but God’s truth is that I am not alone!
Toxic thoughts create a blackness in the physical brain. God’s truth makes the physical brain light up and produces new connectors. The physical brain controls our body. I want to be healthy, so I choose daily to pray to God, pray His Word and replace toxic thoughts with God’s truth! This is a spiritual discipline.
When I come home alone from the hospital at night, I pray and talk to God and speak His truth. I’m refusing to live in tomorrow. The surgeons have told us that my hubby will walk out of this hospital. The surgery is not until Monday, 8/19/19. It is a severe splintering of his left hip bone. They had to order special parts for his hip replacement. I’m praying and trusting God to bless the team of surgeons.
This has interrupted my ability to counsel by phone nationwide – I have had to put all on hold until we get through the surgery and then see how rehab happens. I still must do all to make life happen daily. God must provide and sustain both of us through this time. I am thankful to know God in the power of His indwelling Spirit.
When tough times happen, it reveals our true relationship with God. The greatest faith is when you cannot see the answer for what you are praying and yet you choose to trust in God. I do not know what the future holds, but I do know who holds the future. I am not saying all of this is easy. It is not easy, but it is a choice to trust even though tears may flow!
I choose to be thankful in all things in obedience to God. To God be the glory!
We appreciate your prayers. I will write an update soon trusting God in all things!
www.carolclemans.org – 500+ articles, book: God’s Design for Marriage. Join my teaching site: www.patreon.com/carolclemans