My Story--the Early Years

Opening

Throughout this week we have been talking about stories—Bible stories of people used by God. They weren’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination. Yet God took that imperfect person and fashioned them into someone that could be used by Him in an amazing, and mighty way. That’s one of the things that I really love about the Bible—the fact that God uses ordinary men and women that are flawed to do amazing things for Him.

Remember back to Monday night with Lance? We asked you three questions.

1. Who is Jesus to you?

2. What or who’s voice are you listening to?

3. If are working to make Jesus your Lord, what drowns out God’s voice in your life?

Then on during Dan’s talk on Tuesday night we talked about failure. Again, we asked you a couple of questions.

1. How have you failed? And we talked about, the fact that if you have failed you need to experience the forgiveness of God.

2. Who or what has failed you? At that point you need to forgive—not for their sake, but for your sake.

Then with Greg we there were four questions:

1. What are you running from?

2. How deep does God need to take your get your attention?

3. What are you running to?

4. What is God doing to get your trust?

Then last night and today with Ken we asked:

1. What questions are you wrestling with that keep you from God?

2. What burdens keep you from trusting God.

3. Have you had an encounter with Jesus that makes you want to tell everyone, come meet the man that told me everything I ever did?

I hope that you are seeing that your story is powerful. In fact, I would tell you that your story is the most powerful thing you available to you when you are sharing the good news (the Gospel) of Jesus is your story! So, for this session, and the next session I want to share my story. Now before we start, this is my story, you need to know that it is the story of a normal, flawed, imperfect person who struggles with those deep imperfections every day. It is my story, and there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t ask God why He chose to use me. And I want to clear up some misconceptions.

Misconceptions

Misconception number 1—Contrary to popular thought, I do not lead camps every week during the summer. In fact, while I live here, I do not work for Jan-Kay Ranch. I actually have three jobs. For two of them I get paid. Those are, I’m the Senior Pastor of Mt Olive Baptist Church. The second job is that I’m a senior partner/owner of Paris Counseling Center. And finally, my volunteer joy is that I’m the Fire Chief for Detroit, Texas.

Misconception number 2—I own Jan-Kay Ranch. While I am part of the founding family, and am on the board of directors, I do not own it.

Misconception number 3—I was a perfect child! No, I wasn’t. I got in more trouble than my sister. I’ve struggled all my life with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

I guess, I really want you to understand is as I tell my story, I in no way want to glorify me or discourage you. I remember when I was younger and sat where you are sitting. I would hear the stories (or as we called them “testimonies”) of people that had some kind of huge problem from which God rescued them. I would sit and listen, thinking, “Well, God can’t use me because I don’t have one of those dramatic, great testimonies.” Then I discovered something. My story is just that—my story! And it becomes a powerful testimony of how God can work on someone’s life.

So, as we talk today about my story, I want to challenge you to begin thinking about your story! How can God use the events of your life—whether good or bad—to help others see Jesus? In fact, later tonight during your Cabin Time you are going to be asked about Your Story!

Scientific Verses Supernatural

As we start, I want to ask you a question. Are you a scientific person, or a supernatural person? Let me explain what I mean by the question. Do you look and put your faith/trust in scientific data and information? Or do you believe, depend, or put your faith/trust in the supernatural? One thing I know is that most of your school curriculum emphasize the scientific. In our society, SCIENCE is the god of this age. So, I can assume that in a group this size, there are many who have a core foundation rooted in the scientific. Thus, your underlying premise is that everything must be proved and/or verified by scientific data.

I can also assume that there are those in the group that believe in the supernatural. Some of you in this group seek the paranormal and the excitement that seems to surround it. Others will only seek the supernatural in the context of Scripture—the Bible’s supernatural. For those who believe in or even chase after anything that is paranormal are people who, at their core foundation, hold to an underlying premises that believes in and seeks to understand how the paranormal or supernatural works.

Finally, there is a group of you that are scientifically based but enjoy the paranormal as entertainment. You love shows like “Lucifer,” “Evil,” “Manifest,” or even something like “The Good Witch.” You see nothing wrong with watching ghost stories, or TV shows or Movies that deal with the paranormal—after all it is just entertainment! Even this view has a core foundation. That foundation says that the paranormal is entertaining, but not “real.”

As I grew up, I learned that the Bible is filled with the supernatural. After all, God is Supernatural—that is He is outside of the natural realm. I even memorized passages like Ephesians 6 that talks about the supernatural battle that rages in a realm that we do not see. For example, Ephesians 6:12 says:

Ephesians 6:12 NIV84

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

I really like this passage in the New Living Translation (NLT).

Ephesians 6:12 NLT

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

I grew up, saying I believed this verse! But honestly, I did not live my life like I believed it. Much of the time, my focus was on the battle I could see. That meant I would fight with the people around me. I saw most conflict in this world as human conflict and lived my life fighting human battles and forgetting the battle was not a human battle but a supernatural battle. So here is the first part of my story!

I do believe in the supernatural creation. Psalm 139:14 says,

Psalm 139:14–16 NIV84

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

My Story—The Earlier Years

I was born in 1959. So, you don’t have to do the math, I will go ahead and tell you, I will be 62 on my Birthday in September. My parents were on church staff, where my dad served for most of growing up years as a Youth Pastor. I had one older sister who was 5 ½ years older than me, and she died of cancer a little over 15 years ago. My parents were excited when I was born because I was a boy! Since my mom had the Mumps while she was pregnant, she was worried about birth defects, so she was elated to discover that I had all my arms, legs, fingers, and toes. But there was a problem. The doctor’s told my parents that I was a “Blue Baby.” My condition was called this because the lips, nailbeds, and other parts of my body often had a bluish tent because of a lack of oxygen in the blood stream. Later the doctors said they believed I was born with a condition that is called Tetralogy of Fallot. Not understanding the gravity of the situation, my mom thought, “Oh that’s not bad, at least he has all his fingers and toes!” You see she had no idea what the survival statistics were for my condition. You see, the statistics for my survival if my condition was left untreated (and they did not have the ability to fully correct my condition) was bleak. 31% of infants born with my condition died within the first year. By the age of 3, that percentage increased to 51%. Only 49% of the children with my condition were expected to make it to 3 years of age. If the condition was left untreated 76% of children with Tetralogy of Fallot would die by age 10. So, this was a serious condition to say the least.

My First Procedure

My first procedure was done when I was six months old, and it confirmed the gravity of my condition. I exhibited all four of the issues of Tetralogy of Fallot. For you, scientific geeks, there four serious issues: a Ventricular Septal Defect (or VSD) which is a hole in the wall between the left and right ventricle. There was a thickening of the right ventricle wall. The aorta is misaligned because during development the aorta attempts to line up with the hole in the ventricle. And there is pulmonary stenosis—or a narrowing of the pulmonary valve.

What all of that means is that my blood didn’t get enough oxygen. So what happened was this: the unoxygenated blood comes into the right side of the heart, and instead of going through the process of being sent to the lungs for oxygen, much of the blood goes through the VSD hole and goes back out to the body without receiving an infusion of oxygen.

Because of my heart condition, I was always small for my age. Okay I know you can’t tell that now! But I was a small kid. I also was keenly aware that life was fragile and tentative. That awareness encouraged me to accept the Lord at the young age of 3. I was sick one Sunday, and my father stayed home with me and led me to a saving knowledge of Jesus, because I knew when I died, I wanted to spend eternity with Jesus!

Blalock-Tussig Shunt

Physically, was a different story. Quite simply, the lack of oxygen in the blood was affecting my growth. Seeing this the doctors decided that something had to be done. So, when I was 3 ½ years old I was hospitalized, and they performed what is known as a Blalock Shunt—now the Blalock-Taussig shunt. This procedure was first performed in 1944, and by the early 1960’s it was the primary corrective surgery for Tetralogy of Fallot. They took the main artery out of my right arm and bypassed it to the lungs where the blood would receive oxygen. That newly oxygenated blood could return to the heart and go through the hole in the ventricle wall and be circulated to the body with a higher oxygen content.

While the surgery was a huge success, the doctors warned that it was only a temporary fix. As I continued to grow, my body would once again become oxygen deprived and that would most likely lead to premature death. Well, I did grow and develop, but I remained small for my age, and was often the butt of jokes, and was often bullied in school. Trust me, I know what it is like to be the last kid chosen to be on the kickball team! I was ALWAYS the unwanted teammate! So, I became two things: the class clown, and a know-it-all! Thankfully, it was before the days of google so no one knew I was faking my knowledge. You see, I was convincing!

“Open Heart Surgery”

As I grew, my condition deteriorated faster than they had expected. By my seventh birthday, I was once again becoming oxygen deficient. That is when my parents began to learn about a new procedure to completely correct the VSD. The repair surgery was first done in 1955. And there were very few places in the country that could perform the surgery. Nevertheless, the decision was made that I was to undergo the surgery in the summer of 1967—just 12 years after the first full VSD repair was performed. So just a couple of weeks after I finished the third grade, I was taken to the University of California Los Angeles Medical Center where I would undergo the long grueling 11 plus hour surgery to repair the VSD. I spent most of that summer in the hospital and undergoing follow-ups with the various doctors. It was a huge success and for the first time in my life, my body was receiving all the oxygenated blood it needed.

Be Warmed and Filled—Go Live a Happy Life

Throughout my years, growing up there were yearly follow-up appointments, and follow-up angiograms to make sure everything was staying repaired. Finally, when I was 18, and about to go off to my second year of college, I had my last appointment with my pediatric cardiologist. What I heard, my good Jewish Dr. Singer say, was everything is great! Go live a happy normal life, and that is exactly what I did. No more follow-ups with a cardiologist. No more worries about my heart! I was fixed, I was normal—NO MORE PROBLEMS!

In the Blink-of-an-Eye

No more problems, that is, until May 1, 2019. Up until that day, I went to college, got married, had for sons, 10 grandchildren, have been an avid scuba diver, and mountain biker. I lived a “normal” live up until May 1, 2019. That was the day that my life really changed! We have all heard stories of how someone’s life changed “in a blink of an eye.” The death of a loved one, a horrible accident, or any other form of tragedy are all ways that our lives can change in the blink of an eye. On May 1, 2019, my life, and the life of my family was changed in the blink of an eye.

That fateful day began like any other day. At 6:20 A.M. my fire pager went off and we were dispatched to a motor vehicle collision. It ended up not begin much of anything, so I made a quick run to the auto parts store to pick up some windshield wiper blades, then off to the office for a day full of seeing clients. Just a normal Wednesday!

Suddenly, without any warning, I went into Spontaneous Ventricular Fibrillation or V-fib, and suffered what doctors refer to as “Sudden Cardiac Death.” This happened in the middle of what was supposed to be a normal but busy day. Now I know that God is in control of everything in my life, and honestly I was seeking to live my life under God’s direction. But God decided to interrupt what I thought He was doing and do something totally different.

So, what happened? Allow me to give a quick rundown of the events of that fate filled Wednesday in May 2019. Honestly, as I said, it began as a normal day. At least it was normal until about 11:30 in the morning. After that, everything changed!

While, I was seeing a client, my heart, for no apparent reason, went into V-fib. No functional heartbeat, no respirations. I was clinically dead! In a panic, my client ran out of the office calling for help. That is when my partners and secretary sprang into action! They pulled me out of my office chair and began lifesaving CPR (if you don’t know how to administer CPR I would suggest taking a class, because CPR SAVED MY LIFE), 911 was called and within minutes paramedics from Paris EMS arrived on scene. They brought three ambulances carrying a total of 6 paramedics. The Paris Fire Department was also dispatched to the scene with a crew of two more EMT’s to help. If you are keeping count that is at least 8 people crammed in my tiny office working on me. They shocked my heart back into a normal sinus rhythm and intubated me (I would stay intubated for the next 13 ½ days). I was rushed to Paris Regional Medical Center where I was taken directly into the cath lab. There the Cardiologist discovered 3 major blockages. Armed with this information, the decision was made to transfer me to Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas. The cardiologist working on me in Paris, told my family, “If he makes it to Dallas he has a chance.”At this point, the doctors were not sure I would survive the flight to Dallas. The staff of Paris EMS, Paris Fire Department, and PRMC should be praised for the incredible work they did to get my condition “stable.”

Wednesday Night — Saturday

Upon arrival Wednesday evening, I was placed into ICU where I would remain for the next 13 days. On Thursday, doctors successfully preformed a seemingly “normal” triple bypass surgery on my heart. While the surgery went well, my recovery did not progress as expect. Friday, May 3, was spent watching and waiting. The heart still did not seem to be pumping as strongly as the doctors would have liked, and I began to retain fluids. On Saturday, May 4, my kidney output continued to decline. So much fluid was being retained that my wife wrote in her journal, “You look like a puffy, yellow pin cushion, laying there completely sedated. I’m very worried now.” The retention of fluid was putting a terrific strain on the heart. The medical staff told my family that it appeared my organs were shutting down, and my heart simply could not handle the increased stress.

Black Sunday

So, on Sunday, May 5 (the day we call “Black Sunday”) the doctors worried I would not survive. The doctors decided something had to be done. They made the decision to put at least one impella device inside the heart to help ease the amount of work the heart had to do. This small device would help the heart pump and allow it time to heal. The plan was for it to remain in the heart for several days. The implantation of the impella device was successful, and indeed provide my heart the rest it needed to begin the healing process. My family was told that it was imperative that I did not move, and that the hospital staff would keep me sedated as long as the tiny pump was in place.

Wednesday, May 8th

On Wednesday, May 8th the small pump was finally removed. The next step was to wait and evaluate my condition. If my condition improved, they would slowly bring me out of sedation. This would take place over the next couple days.

Thursday, May 9th

Thursday, May 9th my wife, Deann, and I had planned to celebrate our 38th Wedding Anniversary. But I was still sedated so I do not remember anything about that day, even though my wife sat and sang love songs to me all morning. How I wish I could remember her singing. My boys and good friends tried to make the day special for my sweet wife. On the good side, the doctors were pleased with my improvement. I continued to gain my strength.

Friday, May 10th

On Friday, May 10th the decision was made to begin the process of bringing me out of sedation.

Waking up was strange. More than once I would open my eyes, and see my wife standing either by my side or at the foot of the bed. And each time confusion, and fear would flood my mind. I could not comprehend where I was or what had happened to me. It was all so different from what I experienced.

By late Friday, I was somewhat awake, but still intubated. This made it impossible for me to talk. On Saturday, I tried to communicate with my family through a game of charades, but quickly discovered I was horrible at giving clues and my family was horrible a figuring out their meaning. So, I tried writing only to realize I was simply too weak. Moving the pen to make letters proved to be far too difficult. Discouraged, confused, and bewildered I stopped trying even though I had so many questions. What had happened to me? Had my family seen what I had seen? Was my experience real or simply a dream? Why couldn’t I move? Why couldn’t I talk? What were all the tubs and wires coming out of me? And why were the tubes and wires there? So many questions floating through my head. Questions I was unable to ask. At the same time, I wanted to share with my family what I had experienced. I wanted to know if they had seen and experienced what I had seen and experienced. Honestly, looking around and laying in the hospital bed in ICU, I began to think I might actually be crazy!

Saturday, May 11th

By Saturday, I was so frustrated because I could not talk. I had so much I wanted to know, and I had so much I wanted to tell my family. Yet I was simply too weak to effectively communicate. So, another day would be spent, listening, looking, and laying still trying to put all the pieces together, trying to figure out what I had missed and where I had been.

Sunday, May 12th

By Sunday, May 12th I was stronger. I could finally begin to write where people could read what I was writing. It continued to be a slow, excruciating process. My writings were confusing (and I think a bit concerning) to my family. Now I realize what I was trying to share with my family made no sense to them. Still, they did a great job of reading my ramblings, asking questions, and trying to understand.

Monday, May 13th

Monday, May 13th was a happy day! After 11 days of sedation, and being intubated 13 days, the staff made plans to remove the big tube going down my throat! For the first time in 13 days, I was able to say words. The hospital staff also began to make plans to move me out of ICU.

Thursday, May 16th

Because I experienced “Sudden Cardiac Death Syndrome” from spontaneous V-Fib they implanted a defibrillator in my chest.

Friday, May 17th

To all of our surprise, on Friday May 17th the decision by the medical staff was made to release me from the hospital. Honestly, I was scared to death to go home. I had all kinds of opposition—but I was ready to go home! I was ready, even though I did not know I was ready to go home.

Now, that was what was going on physically. But really, a lot more happened. You see there was what my family saw and went through, and there was what I was going through, and I will share that in our next session tonight. I just wanted to give a sense of how my life changed in the blink of an eye. I never believed I could be out of my office for two or three weeks. Now I would find myself out of the office for more than six weeks. For the first time in my life, I truly began to understand life truly can change in the blink of an eye.

And I want you to understand the truth of Psalm 91:11-12,

Psalm 91:11–12 NIV84

For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

Nothing happens to me without passing through God’s hands first! My experience was vastly different from the experience of my family! My experience has to do with the first part of your Bonus Verse.

Luke 22:31–34 NIV84

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”

Tonight, you’ll hear the rest of the story! Let’s pray!