My wife and I were hit with the Covid Virus, late July. I was sick at home for a few days waiting for it to pass but I was getting worse, in spite of our prayers. Our friends, Jasmine & Charles, happen to call to wish my wife Patty a happy birthday and ask how I was doing; they were in their car, so their phone was on speaker. My wife said, “listen to his breathing” and she put the phone close to me. When they heard my raspy breathing, they began to cry and said, “call 911 now, CALL NOW”! My wife panicked and totally forgot how to dial 911. She was about to dial 411 to get the number for 911. In the midst of her panic, she heard the Holy Spirit speak loudly and clearly the numbers… 9  1  1 . When my wife got through, the operator said our friends were on the other line and the ambulance had already been dispatched.

     Charles asked his wife, Jasmine, how she knew my address, she said she didn’t know how she knew; she just knew! 

     Moments later, when EMT’s arrived, my temperature was 104 and oxygen level was down to 3%. I was dying! I was not aware of what transpired but my wife said that I was on the couch, and it took 4 EMT’s to lift me and put me on the gurney. I began fighting them, arms and legs flailing. One EMT began to laugh and then apologized to Patty. He said, “forgive me for laughing but as sick as this man is, he’s as strong as an ox, and this is going to work on his behalf!” In the meantime, Jasmine had already called a friend for Patty. She asked Karen to take my wife to the hospital and to be with her until she heard further news. 

     They were there for 5 hrs. Karen gave her this scripture while they waited “But you have made me as strong as a wild ox. You have anointed me with the finest oil.” Psalm 92:10. That was confirmation for Patty. (evidence) Hope! My wife made one Facebook post that started an avalanche of prayer for me and help for my wife from friends in churches we attended over the years. Life was not meant to be done alone. If you are not in a church or small group with people that are growing in faith, you are not getting all that God has for you.

     Jasmine wanted to help Patty and did grocery shopping and drove 50 minutes in Orlando traffic to deliver food to my wife, for weeks to come. Karen became her chauffur because Patty was too sick to drive. 

     Bill, a friend from my Dream Builders Men’s group, moved to North Carolina months before. He read Patty’s post about me and immediately called. He could tell from her voice how sick she was, too. He had her order a nebulizer from Amazon and proceeded to walk her through how to get an E-doc that sent prescriptions, which Karen took Patty to get. Bill had already planned on coming to Orlando for a meeting the following week, timing on all this was so perfectly planned by God. Patty had the nebulizer but was too sick to understand how to even use it, she was in a “brain fog”. 

    Bill came to our house right from the airport, he stayed outside, it was drizzling out and he stood under the small overhang, getting wet, just to show my wife how to use the nebulizer. He also had all that she needed to put in it. His wife, Pam ordered vitamins for her, and they had already been delivered, as well. Five days later, my wife recovered completely. The only thing better than getting your prayers answered, is God putting you in a position to be the answer to someone else’s prayer! 

     Speaking of being the answer to someone else’s prayer: sometime later my wife heard a lawnmower, it was our neighbor Nina cutting our grass without asking. Some people ask if you need anything others see what is needed and just do it. 

     Beware of the Nay Sayers: When I arrived at the hospital, I was immediately put on a ventilator. The following day, hardly 24 hours later, a doctor called my wife and told her she would have to decide that day or the following morning, to unplug me from the ventilator and call hospice. Not knowing what that meant, Patty joyfully exclaimed, “Unplug him!”  The doctor coldly replied, “He will pass”. She cried, “Are you telling me that my husband is dying?” He replied, “He’s critical”. She cried, “Can you offer me no hope?”  Again, the doctor said, “He’s critical!” My wife called her prayer partners, and they prayed the prayer of agreement. They prayed that I would not be removed from the ventilator, but that this doctor would be removed from my case. Patty never heard from him again. 

     She called our church, and the prayer team began praying, nonstop! She also called her friend, Madelyn from church, who is head of nursing in another hospital. She advised her to make no decision and she became our health advocate. She translated what the doctors were saying to my wife and sat in on all calls. At a local church there are people that care about you from every walk of life. 

     After a few days, my wife was being informed of what being on the ventilator really meant, even if I lived. Going down to 3% oxygen, my mind could be wiped, I could be blind, partially crippled or in a vegetative state. Bleak times awaited me! 

     Patty knew I wouldn’t want to live without quality of life and that I had no fear of death. So, she released me to God. This was something we experienced when my own Mother was dying. The doctor said she would pass anytime. The family was at the hospital as the days went by. We couldn’t understand why she was hanging on. My father told the family that he was begging God to give him five more years with her. On the morning that my mother passed, my father was at home releasing her to God. So, my wife not knowing what to expect, cried out to God for His will to be done in my life; to have mercy on me and give me the ultimate healing by taking me home to be with Him. Knowing we don’t die; we pass from life to life. Then she heard God say, “I am healing him, I am raising him up from the sickbed and he will be Fully Restored!” 

     As the days dragged on the doctors’ reports grew worse telling her I had a stroke. She continued to cry out to God, reminding Him of His Promise over me. She would often say, “God, I hear Your voice so clearly for others, but I struggle when Your word is for me! Am I really hearing You?” And God would reply “My sheep hear my voice, and you’re my sheep”. 

     As more time passed, she struggled with what the flesh was telling her. She told a friend that at times she felt divided inside, half of her standing firm and truly believing God and the other half filled with uncertainty for what the future held for both of us. Yet, while in prayer she would hear God speak so softly, “Why do you doubt me?” One day, while in the kitchen, she was crying out, begging God to speak loudly and confirm His word again, so she would know for sure. And God did just that! He spoke these words so clearly to Patty, “Whose report will you believe?” She cried back, “I shall believe the report of the Lord!”!!! She said she began to sing that song and danced alone in the kitchen. It was the day that she finally shut out the voices of the Nay-Sayers! Doubt never rose in her again!

    I was 26 days on the ventilator. During that time, Patty was told that I would need an oxygen tank for the rest of my life. That I would need a tracheotomy as well. That I most likely would be blind, at least in one eye. Patty held firm to God’s words. Patty had virtual visits with me during that entire time that I was on the ventilator. She was not allowed in ICU because of Covid restrictions. So, she would spend 45 minutes every day reading scripture, praying, and then going through the names of all our friends that were helping and praying for us both. The nurses would assure her that I was hearing her, they said that my foot would kick when I heard the names of our children and all our church friends. 

    The day they removed me from the ventilator, they also removed the feeding tube from my throat and replaced it with an IV.  I couldn’t talk but I was fully aware of everything now. I had lost almost 50 pounds; But I was in my right mind, and I could see clearly!!! My wife called for her usual 45-minute virtual visit, and I winked at her so she would know that I could see her. I was so excited that the nurses had to shorten our virtual visit down to 5 minutes, they said that I was having anxiety and it wasn’t good for my heart. They didn’t realize that my heart was leaping for JOY!! 

     I spent one more week in ICU and then sent to PCU, which is Progressive Care Unit. My wife was allowed to visit after the first week. I had to begin the process of training my throat muscles so that food or liquid would not enter my lungs. Patty fed me every meal as I couldn’t raise my arms. I remained in PCU for several weeks. I was finally discharged and then sent to a rehab facility, to get my motor skills back. 

   My lung capacity was greatly diminished, and my energy drained quickly. While in rehab, my speech therapist made an appointment a week in advance, to look down my throat with a camera. (evidence) 

    During the coming days, I began having great difficulty breathing. On the day of the appointment to insert the camera down my throat, I was given a colored liquid to drink so the Specialist could follow it. As soon as she put the camera in my mouth, she called 911 immediately. She said my vocal cords and throat were closing, quickly. I had a minute with my wife before the ambulance arrived. I stared at her and in my mind, I was saying goodbye. I couldn’t breathe and thought this was it. She had no idea that I felt this way. I managed to ask her if she knew the pin/password to my computer. She must have thought what an odd thing to ask at this time. I was losing breath but able to say how much I loved her – what she didn’t know, was that I was saying good-by! My faith was shaken! 

    While at the rehab, I was never allowed to lay flat in bed, strict instructions from the Lung Specialist. However, when the EMT’s tossed me on the gurney, I was flat on my back and being bounced around in the ambulance moving in ways I wasn’t able to move in rehab enroute to the ER. (evidence) 

    When the ambulance arrived at the hospital, two hardened plugs that were stuck in my lungs had dislodged! It opened my airways enough that I was able to take shallow breaths. (evidence) The Emergency room was full – we were informed that I was going to be transported to a hospital in downtown Orlando. My wife started praying, she called several friends to pray as well. The nurse came in an hour later and said a patient had been downgraded from ICU, making room for me in the ICU. (evidence) I was there for 3 days. I had edema, something in my throat had swelled and was pressing against my vocal cords. They gave me a steroid shot to relieve the swelling. They were talking about a tracheotomy and possibly going on the ventilator again. Suddenly I began coughing and more hardened plugs were loosened. 

    I didn’t need the tracheotomy! I didn’t need the ventilator!! (evidence) The Lung Specialist said I was to be admitted to the hospital, but once again, there wasn’t a bed for me there and I would be sent to Downtown Orlando. Once again, Patty reached out to friends, and they began praying. Within the hour, we were told that someone was being discharged from the 4^th floor and I would have his room. (evidence) 

     While in the room a doctor came in because he wanted to meet me. He said with tears in his eyes, that I gave him hope because very few come off the ventilator alive. He said they tell us 6% but we haven’t seen it here, and certainly no one 75 years old after 26 days. I didn’t know any of that until that moment. (evidence) 

    While in the hospital, I asked God not to let me lose any of the progress that I made while in rehab. At the hospital they worked on my breathing and I was able to progress more during the 4 days in the hospital, then the previous 14 days in rehab because my lung capacity had increased. (evidence)        “God works all things together for good to those that love Him, not just the good things, but ALL things!” I was transferred back to the rehab. On Oct 26^th, I was released to come home. Since then, it has been a whirlwind of visiting nurses, visiting physical therapists, all while going for follow up Dr. visits and constant lab work and cat scans. But I was HOME and recovering quickly! 

    When I could finally walk back into church, I went up forward for prayer. I told the encourager that God said I would be fully restored so I wanted him to agree with me in prayer that God to do a quick restoration. I was hoping for the instant healing like the lame man at the temple gate. That didn’t happen. 

    The next day I got a call to do some small jobs for a client, I was apprehensive but agreed. This would be my first job in months. I had frozen shoulders with very limited motion, with my lung capacity very low, and I couldn’t stand for long. I had “drop foot” and Patty had to drive and help carry everything. It turned out to be much more difficult than I thought. It was such a struggle I began to question my future ability to work my repair business. To me it wasn’t just a business it was my passion. I got to meet people and help solve their problems, I got to plant seeds about God’s good news and pray for them. 

   Then more small jobs were coming in and I began to notice that when the client was there everything went smoothly. When the client wasn’t there everything was a struggle and took 3-4 times longer than normal. Up and down 3 flights of stairs 4 times, up and down the latter 9 times, things that may have even been cuss worthy. But I held my tongue as much as I could and was grateful that my repair business might come back. 

    Then I realized I was moving and stretching in ways I never would have moved in physical therapy. Then the voice inside said: you asked for quick restoration. My restoration went into high gear because God works all things together for good. Not just the good things. And I am being “Fully Restored”!

    Three weeks ago I was in a wheel chair, the other day I walked 8 ½ miles and was able to ride the Hulk at Universal Studios again.  Update: I’m telling you this because it’s about trusting God’s process no matter what it looks like or what we are going through or how bad things seem. I have now gained all the weight back with very little fat and I noticed that things that were getting heavier to lift before I got sick i.e. power washer and my 16’ collapsible latter were now a lot lighter. The knee, elbow, and shoulder issues I had before I got sick were also gone. It has been my experience that sometimes we don’t realize our prayer was answered until weeks later. 

    How about years later, I remembered two years prior to getting sick reading Isaiah 40:31 – But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint. I asked God to renew my strength at that time because the my physical issues I was developing, were starting to slow me down. 

    God didn’t cause me to catch covid, but He was able to work all thing together for good even covid. I wasn’t fanatical about my recovery; I just did the next thing without complaining. 

    The insight of all that happened came to me when I was reading where James and John asked Jesus to let them sit at his right and left hand when He came into His Glory. He answered, are you able to drink from the cup that I drink. They replied yes, without knowing Crucifixion was in the cup. Jesus said that’s not mine to give but you will drink the cup. The other disciples were indigent, probably saying to themselves; I’m able to drink the cup and almost all of them were martyred. 

    I realized that I drank from the cup of recovery without even knowing it. God gave me a wife that did everything for me. She fed, dressed me when I couldn’t move or talk. When I couldn’t raise my arms to lift anything. She was a constant source of encouragement. When the time came, she came to work with me, drove, carried my tools and so much more. 

   God had someone in place to help me so I wouldn’t stop drinking from the cup before I was fully restored. I could have stopped at any time and settled for partial recovery. So, when we ask God for something we must be willing to drink from the cup of the process and trust Him. God will put people in our lives that encourage us to move forward. Listen to them and not the nay-sayer. So, why did God heal me. I’m certainly not special, and I was good either way it went.

   When Jesus healed the man borne blind His disciples ask; who sinned, this man or his parents? Jesus replied neither, but for the Glory of God. Jesus healed him to bring glory to God so it would increase the faith in the people who saw it. Not only would they realize that God is their answer, but would tell others and increase their faith. Jesus healed me because He loves us, healing me to brought glory to God increased the faith of the people that witnessed it and the people that know me. I am telling you so that your faith will increase and your love and trust for God will grow.  

    Thank you God, may this testimony encourage others to drink from the cup and not give up.