It’s been quite some time since I’ve made an entry in my blog.  If the truth be known, I would much rather forget about the last six months than to reflect on them.  But, after much thought, I realize that I have a ton to say, and right now, I’m itching to say it.

I entered the hospital early on June 16^th.  Near 9:30 that morning, I was wheel into surgery for a kidney transplant and didn’t wake up until 7:00 that evening.  The surgery went well, and my new kidney began functioning immediately, right on the operating table.

I had talked with the surgeon a few weeks prior to surgery and told him of the medication that I had been prescribed by my pcp to help me sleep.  I specifically asked if I would be able to continue on the medication while in the hospital.  He assured me that I would be able to but failed to tell me that only be giving me ¼ of the prescribed dosage.  Unfortunately, that was far short of what was required for me to sleep, and for the next two weeks, I received very little sleep.  On some nights, I was able to sleep for a couple of hours.  But there were many nights during which I received no sleep at all.  The sleep deprivation wrecked havoc with my cerebral palsy and landed me in a wheelchair for the next three months, unable to walk.

Before I continue, let me give an update.  I am currently walking, regaining my strength, and will resuming preaching shortly after the first of year.  I now see my kidney specialist once a month and have blood work done every two weeks. I’m in good shape.

You might wonder, after all that I’ve been through, if I’m angry.  You bet I am!  All of this could have been avoided if I had just been given what I needed to sleep.  Instead of being home with family as I should have been, I lived at a nursing home for two and a half months relearning how to walk.  Believe me; I have on more than one occasion thought about litigation.  But my heart isn’t in spending the next few years focused on a lawsuit.  It’s in evangelism.

During the months in the nursing home, I had plenty of time to think.  I want to just one of the convictions that I have which has strongly reinforced due to recent events.  Simply put:  Everything that I am, everything that I have, and everything that I hope to become belongs to Jesus Christ for him to use in any way that he sees fit.  It’s only when someone embraces the totality of God’s sovereignty on his or hers life does cerebral palsy, kidney disease, or anything else begin to make sense.  I hated being in the nursing, not being able to walk or even feed myself.  I did not know whether or not I’d ever be able to walk again.  But as much as I wanted to walk and regain my independence, that’s not where I placed my hope.  My hope was in Jesus Christ!  NOT in health and certainly NOT in prosperity!  But in Jesus Christ, the son of the Living God!