Eleven days ago, I nearly lost my dad when his heart ceased to work.<\/p>\n
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.<\/em>\u00a0 –Jeremiah 29:11<\/p>\n How I would share this story (it is too good not to share) has been ruminating in my mind as I’ve sat in the hospital, as I’ve clicked away miles in my car, as I’ve edited photos, and as I’ve beckoned sleep.\u00a0 I’ll start from the moment my life nearly took the most unexpected turn…It all happened so, so very quickly.\u00a0 Quickly, as in around 40 minutes from beginning to end.\u00a0 At 11:05, my parents left their card playing loving friends because my dad was experiencing this strange, heartburn feeling in his chest.\u00a0 I was falling asleep on the couch.<\/p>\n He thought he could just go home, rest, and the heartburn feeling would go away…but it didn’t.\u00a0 He wouldn’t let Mom call 911, but he agreed to go to the ER.\u00a0 As they left for the hospital – Mom behind the wheel, Dad in the back – they called my sister.\u00a0 It had stormed earlier that evening, and my sister and niece had come to stay at my house due to a power outage. \u00a0 I woke up to my sister telling me that Mom is taking Dad to the ER because he’s having chest pains.\u00a0 Chest pains?\u00a0 What?\u00a0 My dad is never sick or ill?\u00a0 He’s healthy as a bird!\u00a0 This is not good…<\/em><\/p>\n My sister and I decide that my husband and I should meet my parents at the hospital, and she’ll stay with her daughter at our house.\u00a0 It’s really difficult to not go into Worst-Case-Scenario mode.\u00a0 When my husband turn on the ignition, these are the first two words I heard speaking to me from the radio – Strong Enough<\/a>.\u00a0 I immediately went into lockdown prayer mode.\u00a0 I knew God was speaking to me through that song – that He would be strong enough for me when I had no strength.\u00a0 That was my prayer for the 420 seconds it took to get to the hospital.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n