Happy New Year and welcome to 2020! This is the day that the Lord has made and I‘m going to rejoice and be glad in it!
As many of you know, my family and I just went through a scary situation. My husband, Art, had a massive heart attack on December 10. Every doctor and nurse spoke the same words to us, “You were in the right place for this to happen!”
Prior to this, Art had three appointment changes for an esophagus procedure. After driving three hours to his appointment at the VA Hospital in Palo Alto, Art began to complain about not feeling well. He started having chest pains and sweating. When they called his name, he told them how he was feeling. Immediately they rushed him to the ER on another floor and phoned me to meet them there. They began testing and questioning him and learned he was having a heart attack! The doctors said,” If he had been in another building, he would not have made it.”
What if we had still been on the road? What if his appointment had not been moved up? After an hour, the doctor came out and said everything went well. They placed two stents on his right main artery. There were several things that showed us that God had other plans for Art’s life, and we are so thankful to our Heavenly Father for his mercy.
After a few days of returning home the enemy began to attack our minds with fear.
The trauma we encountered began to have an effect on both of us. Even though we prayed and reached out to our church family for prayer, the battle was intense! My body was assaulted through this and I ended up in the ER, too.
This next passage of scripture became so real to us!
Ephesians 6:10–18 TPT
Now my beloved ones, I have saved these most important truths for last: Be supernaturally infused with strength through your life-union with the Lord Jesus. Stand victorious with the force of his explosive power flowing in and through you. Put on God’s complete set of armor provided for us, so that you will be protected as you fight against the evil strategies of the accuser! Your hand-to-hand combat is not with human beings, but with the highest principalities and authorities operating in rebellion under the heavenly realms. For they are a powerful class of demon-gods and evil spirits that hold this dark world in bondage. Because of this, you must wear all the armor that God provides so you’re protected as you confront the slanderer, for you are destined for all things and will rise victorious. Put on truth as a belt to strengthen you to stand in triumph. Put on holiness as the protective armor that covers your heart. Stand on your feet alert, then you’ll always be ready to share the blessings of peace. In every battle, take faith as your wrap-around shield, for it is able to extinguish the blazing arrows coming at you from the Evil One! Embrace the power of salvation’s full deliverance, like a helmet to protect your thoughts from lies. And take the mighty razor-sharp Spirit-sword of the spoken Word of God.
Many things in this life can rock your world, but when you are founded and grounded in the Word of God, the assurance that He is with you through it all can make all the difference. We always come out winners!
Malachi 3:6 “For I am the Lord, I do not change.”
Both Art and I are fine. God has given us the VICTORY! We are celebrating 40 years of service here in Stockton, and God is good!
My word of encouragement to you is to give God your best and serve Him with all your heart. Step out and believe God for even greater things in 2020!
Blessings!