The Weekly Word: A Message of Hope
The Lord Delivered Me
Thank you to Carolyn Neal for sharing these words of inspiration to us all.
“It was February, on a cold Sunday afternoon when my power went out. After an hour I saw workers behind my house inspecting a tree limb that had been blown onto the power line from the strong gusts coming throughout the day. More hours passed and I was now wearing my winter coat inside from the temperature dropping. The wind howled again, this time threatening to take my trash can down the street. I went out and retrieved it in the last bit of daylight there was left.
I returned my hat to the closet and turned to go down the hall but I could not see fully where I was stepping in the darkness of my home. Suddenly I was on the floor, unable to move and registering a sharp pain from my leg. I had fallen hard on my left hip and knew immediately that I could not stand. My mind calmed enough for me to call out: ‘Lord, You’re going to have to help me. I can’t do this by myself!’ Taking in a new breath from the cold harsh air filling my house now, I began to move myself towards the kitchen. Inch by inch, with new resolve and hope, I was able to bring my body below the table and knock the phone off. My heart fell as I realized it was not working. Neither was my lifeline alert. The workers had not yet restored power from the tree limb’s damage.
Laying in that cold darkness and fumbling for a way out of this situation, I began to feel fear creep in me. I was worried and time seemed to slow but I fought hard to keep hope in my God. In that same moment, my faith was rewarded:
‘Carolyn? Are you all right?’ it was my neighbor from across the street, Jed.
‘No! I am on the kitchen floor and I can’t get up!’ I responded quickly.
I heard his boot steps coming closer and the brightness of his flashlight startled me at first but then warmed me as I realized everything was going to be fine. He was calling the rescue squad and soon the ambulance was there, taking me to the hospital. The next couple days went quick and blurred together as my hip was repaired.
In this time I found myself asking why Jed had coming looking for me. How could he have known to be there, right then, in my moment of most need? It wasn’t until later that I was told how it all happened. Another neighbor, from my side of the street, had called Jed’s wife Sarah to ask if she had power. Sarah did not have any clue because she was in Colorado at the time but was following up with Jed right away. Sarah learned that her side of the street did have power. Jed and Sarah were then trying to phone me to make sure I was okay. After no answer, Jed came to check on me and that is how he found me. I was only on the ground for 45 minutes. It could have been much longer or much worse.
After sharing this story with my pastor, it inspired the following Sunday’s message: God is there, even when you do not see him. He is working even when we do not know and He is helping us even when we feel helpless. The light from my Lord was right around the corner, just like the power was still lighting the other side of my street. When I was laying in the darkness, in pain and in need, I could not see this light that was so close but I remained faithful. I praise the Lord every day for how His works came to life through Jed. I truly am blessed and want others to realize that they are too, all they need to have is faith!”
"The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them from all their troubles." - Psalm 34:17