How Much Do You Really Trust God?

HOW MUCH DO YOU REALLY TRUST GOD?

These very words kept echoing in my head all last week...

The night before I heard the news about possible open heart surgery for my dad, I was in service at my church. At this point my family had only heard the news of the “stent” operation.

I was worried...and could not think!!! What would my mom do if my dad died, would she be okay? Was it God’s plan to take him home this week? Worship started...I was completely broken...crying, reaching out my hands and on my knees. I then received a vision as I was singing.

I saw a clear picture of the arteries that were blocked...and my vocal chords...singing “Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, our God reigns!” Every time I sang, the power of the sound was literally breaking the blockage apart. As I was singing I could taste the salt of my own tears...God told me to keep singing it...LOUD...and I did!

Was this a message from God?

I then received more bad news the next day...the news of the possible OPEN HEART SURGERY.

My dad, faced with the fact that he might be dealing with possible death, just to survive...and that he would have to get “sawed” open to reach his heart to stop the blockage--was scared. He told my mom that if he had to have heart surgery, he would rather die.

I did not want to hear that! My dad’s fearful thought and request left me in a panic---but mostly FEAR.

The doctor’s report was not good, the blockage was bigger than they had originally thought, and he was being prepped for the worst. There was a strong spirit of gloom and anxiety....worry....but mostly real sadness.

I was sad because the time that I wanted to spend with my dad might not happen like I had thought it would. Those special talks, and things that I needed to say, I might not have a chance to EVER express to him. If the operation did not go well, or if he could not recover from it (it was a very high chance) I would possibly lose him on this physical earth forever.

I was not ready for that! It just did not seem fair!!! (Oh come on, like you haven’t thought this in your life ever)

You are saying to me...“Annie where was your faith?”

I DO have faith! But the problem was the saying “goodbye” part. Sometimes we just do not want to let go, even though we know we will see our friends or loved ones again someday.

But I had something really good going for me. The vision that God gave me the night before. This gave me a revelation. I needed to TRUST God! After all, He had already showed me the outcome!

So I decided to believe all the way...and not let FEAR have a root in my thought. I decided to trust God--no matter what it “looked” like! I just KNEW God would pull through. I recited scripture to myself and reminded God of the promise He had given me...if He could give King Hezekiah an additional 15 years on his life, I was POSITIVE that he could do the same for my dad!

I then proceeded to tell the story of the King to my dad, and how King Hezekiah REMINDED God of the good deeds he had done, and how God gave him a longer life. My dad was very quiet. I told him that he was just like King Hezekiah...that it didn’t matter what mistakes he had made in his life, if he believed in Jesus and reminded God of the change he had made in his life, God would grant a longer life it to him!

After praying for him and telling him how much I loved him (in tears) I knew that I needed to line up my faith by my actions, so I contacted my church, my dad’s church, my spiritual mom, wrote a blog on my space (prayer chain) and started interceding ALL day for my dad.

This was crucial! The docs were getting ready to make their decision--but there was one last test that they decided to perform...in the very last minute!

We all waited around the phone, anxious to hear the results! The docs put a camera inside my dad’s main artery to look at the blockages to find out what direction they would take in “open heart surgery”

Was it a coincidence that they decided to check one last time? Hmmm.

Do you want to know how good our GOD is???

The doctors said, “We don’t understand, it is MUCH smaller than we thought--we can put two stents in after all—WITH NO OPEN HEART SURGERY.”

WOW. Talk about a victory dance!!! I was so happy, my family...EVERYONE that knows my dad! I then told my dad that I had everyone praying for him. He started to cry...he even said that I shouldn’t have done it. That it wasn’t necessary!

Oh, BUT IT WAS!

Because look what God did! And how He showed off to me, my family, but mostly to my dad!

God showed up...made a miracle happen...through PRAYER.

TRUST! I want you all to get something--The love of Christ and the power of prayer should never be under rated! I truly believe that my dad had a complete miracle because we were all praying for him with true hearts!!!

So I ask you...how much do YOU trust God?

If you were faced with similar circumstances...worse or better...what would you do? Would you REALLY trust God and not waiver in your faith--one bit?

I thought I trusted God before this happened. But when it came right down to it...I was questioning Him. How you ask? I gave into fear and panic for a short time...and even though the outcome was good...I should still have never gave the devil an inch. Because the night before the surgery...I did not sleep!

What have I learned from all of this???

To put my faith and trust in ACTION...by choosing to believe EVEN when the odds are against me in the natural!

Also, that death is nearer to us than we think...that our loved ones, WE are mortal, and we will ALL die physically one day. Yes we will see each other again if all believe in Jesus...but it might not be for a very long time!

I think that we forget this. I think we take for granted just how special our gift of life is on the earth...and we tend to go about life as if we will never have to face heartache and pain of losing someone close to us. My sister died at 31 when I was 27. Her death was tragic...because I never had the chance to say good bye.

Make sure that you tell the people in your life just how much they mean to you!!!

Also make sure when you are facing a “storm” in your life, trust that God is willing and able to rescue you out of it through the power of prayer and singing!!!

I want to dedicate this blog to all the people that interceded and prayed for my dad. I am going to print out all the prayers for him, and give it to him--I told him and my mom about how many my space prayers went up for him and they couldn’t believe it!

Thank you all so much for your prayers! Thank you for reading my blog and request...but mostly THANK YOU for all of your love! You were all part of a miracle of extended life in my dad to keep living!

How is my dad doing? He is HAPPY to say the least! He has been given a “second chance” !

He is doing great and is finally at home recovering from the operation of “stents”. He will be part of a new exercise and eating program from the facility that my mom works at to help heal his heart. Please keep praying for continued healing and also a re-newed strength in belief in God and what He can do if he just believes.

ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD!

“The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Deliverer; my God, my keen and firm Strength in Whom I trust and take refuge, my Shield, and the Horn of my salvation, my High Tower. I call upon the Lord, Who is to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.” Psalm 18:2-3

Please understand that I have received an overwhelming response in my emails about my dad...and that as much as I want to, at this time I physically cannot answer all of them. Please understand...I do really appreciate you so much!!!

God bless you...I LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Annie