A Big Thank YOU from Pastor Paul/RD2

Greetings Brothers and Sisters in the Name of Our Lord Jesus, the Son of God....

It is good to be feeling good again, and I owe it to so many wonderful, faithful brothers and sisters on this Board.

On May 31, I was admitted to ICU in critical condition with hypertensive crisis. In fact I was so sick for the first 48 hours, I would have been thankful to God for taking me home. But, as you can clearly see, HE had a different plan for my life.

If you read my second book, "Thorn Daze" you'd agree with me that God's plan for me was just one more painful thorn for my flesh.

A lot has transpired since that night, and to be truthful, I have been tested to the maximum, as has my wife...Whenever we're stretched, we either break, or snap back, and while it's true that a handful of thorns were stuck in my side that night, the majority of those thorns have been removed straight-a-way!

I went from Chronic Kidney failure, to acute Kidney failure, and was within 2 GFR/creatinine points away from dialysis. From Here God did the greatest miracle since He healed my in-grown toe-nail [again, you must read Thorn Daze for this story]. I am no longer in acute renal failure, in fact the truth is , my kidneys have been healed and the lab numbers continue to defy the doctors expectations.

As you know, the renal failure was the result of a complete shutdown of the bladder, due to an extremely large prostrate. After my discharge from the hospital on June 9, I was scheduled for prostrate reduction surgery, but excessive blood pressure only served to get the surgery postponed.

I finally had the surgery on July 17, high blood pressure and all. Since than, the devil continued to test my faith and resolve with on going bleeding from the surgery.

But the best news I received this week was that the biopsy of the bladder was non-eventful, with no cancer found. Of course, the bladder was badly bruised when they tried 4 times to catheterize me in ICU. It was the 5th time that was the charm, but, the damage was done, and the bleeding current bleeding is from a traumatized bladder, and the prostrate surgery.

As for the bllod pressure, it is SLOWLY, but surely going down, and should be back to normal in a few more weeks.

I won't lie to you....I went through my share of "pity parties" while in the hospital, but, I've since been able to see the light beyond the "haze" and while I spent the past few months suffering, I can only tell you that there are many people in a whole lot worse condition than me.

I still have several painful, annoying thorns, but, God has used these thorns to help me see beyond the "haze" of pain and suffering. In fact, my eyesight is so clear, I can't do anything less than Praise His name for this trial. I've rediscovered a truth that I had some how taken for granted: He had chosen me a long time ago, and He is not finished with me yet.:godisgood:

The enemy hates to hear us repeat such thoughts and truths, because it causes him to lose his grip on the trial he holds over us...and flee. True, for a day or too, he [the devil] nearly had me ready to run, but, He stepped in and pointed out that my life was merely being tested, and greater things for the Kingdom were yet to come forth.:thumbs:

I know I could have never reached these conclusions without the faithful prayers of my wife, pastor, church, and all of your wonderful folks out there in cyber-land. Let's never forget the POWER we have, not only in His blood, but, in prayer.

Thank you for your faithfulness.:1_grouphug:

Pastor Paul:type:
Author of Prodigal Daze
and Thorn Daze