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Hello, Praying Saints,

I am writing to give you an update on my personal health journey. I wanted to express my personal thanks for your prayers. Prayer was given for my health from around the world, and I am living testimony that it works.

Several months ago, I was diagnosed with Congested Heart Failure (CHF) and as a result, I lost my job and my supplemental income.  As things developed, I was swelling (edema) and things were not improving. On July 3rd, I was taking care of a "bathroom" need and all I can figure is I momentarily lost consciousness and fell, hitting my head on the sink. The result was a 5-stitch gash that bled profusely and unless the Lord had helped me regain consciousness, I could have bled out. As it were, I was able to awaken (thank you, Jesus) and after several attempts, I was able to slow down and then stop the bleeding.

My wife was out of town. I called my son, Rob, who is a Physician Assistant, but he didn't answer.  With the Lord's help, I made it to a chair in the family room and texted my daughter, Sharon. Understand, this was all between 1:00 AM and 3:00 AM. She didn't respond either. I think that I must have fallen asleep and at 7:00 AM, my daughter came to the house when she found my text message. She cleaned me up some and took me to an urgent care center close by.  They couldn't help with what they feared was a concussion, so they sent me to Mercy Gilbert (AZ) Hospital. I was immediately admitted and they sent me to ICU.

A male nurse came and stitched my cut and they put me in a room.  I got worse. For the next four days, I hardly slept and didn't eat.  They were feeding me interveineously. On that fourth day, my blood pressure registered 46/16 so they  ordered a Pace Maker to see if they could stabalize my heart. They sent at least 12 consulting doctors to see if they could figure out why I was getting worse and not better.  At that point one cardiologist suggested that they might just send me home, with my family instructed to "make me as comfortable as possible." Having been a pastor for over 50 years, I had heard families told that when their loved one was terminal and they couldn't help him/her any more.

My pastor (Apostle Robby Culbreath, New Vessels Ministries) came in and asked me a simple question, "Are you going to believe man's report or will you believe God's Word?"  I said I chose to believe God's Word. He prayed, massaged my legs, and said to me, "you will walk out of here." He encouraged me to hold on to my faith in God's Word, regardless of what medical authority might say.  Needless to say, I was in the battle for my life.  Since they couldn't figure what was wrong, my cardiologist ordered my transfer to Mayo Clinic Hospital in Scottsdale, AZ.

I was transferred by ambulance and put in the Critical Care Unit.  Then more specialists came in, from heart, to kidney, to stomach, to lungs, etc. Pastor Robby Culbreath (pastor where I am a member now) called to remind me to hold on to the Word.  The MCH was able to reduce the edema, help me to start eating some solid food, and to recover some of my energy. A week later, I walked out of Mayo (well, almost - they took me to the door in a wheel chair and I walked to the car). Today, I am gaining energy, some weight (from the edema, I dropped from 185 pounds to 148 pounds), and I have walked into our church to the praise and welcoming rejoicing of the saints.

I continue holding on to the Word. My cardiologist is surprised, my renal specialist is surprised, my family is rejoicing (4 kids and their spouses, 12 grandchildren, and 7 great grandchildren), and I am writing this to encourage others. Doctors are only practicing medicine; sometime God allows us to get on our backs so we have to look up. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward (in heaven and on earth).

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.  Soul-winning is every Christian's responsibility and you even get blessed for it!