My "Wake-Up Call ": (From THE LORD ! )
By : Pastor MIke

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ , as I write this , the date is September 7th , 2008 . I wish to share the events of the past 5-weeks with you , in the hopes that none of you will make the same mistakes I made .

Many of you who have read my Bio and Testimony here on this site , already know that I had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes , in addition to coronary artery disease , and hypertension . HOWEVER . . .since I had been feeling pretty good for the past year and a half or so , I was not taking my prescribed medications . Additionally , I was not exercising , I ate fried foods , junk food , regular soft drinks , cakes , donuts , etc . . like there was no tomorrow . I also covered most of my food with LOTS of salt , and used regular sugar in my coffee . I NEVER checked my blood sugar , even though I had the meter , and as I said , I had stopped refilling my Metformin , as well as ALL my other meds. Oh Yeah , I also smoked a pack and a half of cigarettes a day . ( I "justified" my smoking by saying that nothing in the Bible talks against smoking .) I had also been asking God to please "do whatever it takes " to help me stop smoking .

On Sunday morning ,  July 27th , 2008 , I had been experiencing numbness in my left arm , as well as feeling very fatigued . It continued all day , so that night I had called in sick for work , as I figured maybe it was some type of "bug" or something , that would go away in a day or two .

Well , Monday morning , July 28th , I was still experiencing the same symptoms - so I decided to have my wife drive me to the ER at the hospital where I worked . We got there around 11 a.m. or so , and I was triaged , and of course , my blood pressure was elevated ( I believe it was something like 190/101 ) . They took me back to a room in the ER and checked my blood sugar , and it was 330 !! They also did the standard blood tests , and eventually admitted me to the telemetry unit for more tests .

Well , about 3:30 that afternoon , I left my room and went outside in front of the ER entrance to smoke a cigarette (actually TWO ) . I returned to my room without incident , and after dinner , about 5:30 pm , I did the same thing . . BUT . . . This time as I was walking to enter the hospital and return to my room , without warning , my left arm suddenly and uncontrollably began raising up , and at the same time my head , uncontrollably , began turning to the left , and the next thing I knew I had fallen to the concrete ground , splitting the inside of my lip and chipping off part of my front tooth from the impact . I also could not move , and had trouble breathing . A fellow security guard who I work with just happened to be outside when this happened , and immediately called a "code " .

The next thing I knew I was being lifted onto a stretcher and taken into the ER . I recall trying to tell the attendants that I could not breath , they obviously heard me , as I recall an oxygen mask being placed over my face and one of the nurses asked if I wanted them to call my wife (as she and my kids had left a few hours earlier ) . I said , "Yes’ , and then I must have passed out , as I recall little to nothing the rest of that day , and most of the next day . I was taken to the ICU floor , where my wife said I had gone into another seizure when she was there (although I DO NOT recall that one).

On Wednesday , July 30th my boss had come to see me and he told me that when I was in the ER after I seized up , the ER doctor told him that my face was almost entirely blue , and my vital signs were so low that they didn’t think I would "make it."

I was later told that an MRI revealed I had suffered TWO STROKES !! And , it was "amazing" that I was not left permanently paralyzed on one side or the other of my body , as is the case of most stroke victims .

I was in the ICU for four days , and I also want to say right here and now , that I Thank-GOD for the love of family and friends who visited me and called me on the phone to wish me a speedy recovery . I want especially to Thank my ’brother’ in Christ , and fellow pastor , Pastor Bob Heise , for his long-distance calls to me , as well as my two biological brothers , Phil and Jerry , my Mom and Dad , "brother’ Pete , for holding my hand when I first came to the ICU and praying for me , and last but NOT least - my loving and caring wife , Gerri , and my loving son , Dylan , and my daughter ,Ciara . On Friday , August 1st , I was transferred to the "step-down" unit , and was released from the hospital the next day , Saturday August 2nd.

In the weeks that followed , I had numerous follow up appointments with my primary care physician , cardiologist , and neurologist , as well as taking several medications , one of which is Dilantin - an anti-seizure med . My primary doctor initially told me he would NOT let me return to work .

After coming home , I began talking to God and was really confused . I mean , I am a Christian , a pastor , ministering the Word of God and witnessing to all those The Lord brings across my path . Now , the doc tells me I won’t be able to return to work . Sure , I could go on disability - but how do I support my family and pay the rent , and other bills for the next six months to year and a half it would take to go through ? I want to work ,and eventually become a FULL - TIME pastor with a ‘brick and mortar ‘ church - if it be God’s will .

Anyway , I was still asking God why this was happening to me - after all , I was doing all the "right" things . . OR , SO I THOUGHT !!

I obviously FORGOT that our bodies, which are the members of Christ, and temples of the Holy Ghost, must not be defiled ( as I was doing to MY body ) with all the junk food , smoking , etc . . I’m ashamed to say , that as a pastor , I did not recall what it says in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ; " What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."

What did Paul mean when he said that our bodies belong to God ? Many people say they have the "right" to do whatever they want with their own bodies . Although they think this is freedom , they are really enslaved by their own desires . You see , what I forgot to realize is , when we become Christians , the Holy Spirit comes to live in us . Therefore , we no longer own our bodies . That we have been "bought with a price" refers to slaves purchased at auction . Christ’s death freed us from sin , but also obligates us to His service .After all , if we live in a building owned by someone else , we try not to violate the building’s rules . So , as I NOW realize , because our bodies belong to God , we must not violate His standards for living . Our bodies have been redeemed from deserved condemnation and hopeless slavery by the atoning sacrifice of Christ. We are to be clean, as vessels fitted for our Master's use. Being united to Christ as one spirit, and bought with a price of unspeakable value, as believers we should consider ourselves as wholly the Lord's, by the strongest ties. We should make it our business, to the latest day and hour of our lives, to glorify God with our bodies, and with our spirits which are His !!

Now , PRIOR to my strokes , I had , for several months been experiencing dizziness , light-headedness , numbness and tingling in one or both arms ,as well as one side of my face or the other - but really paid no attention to it .What I realize NOW . . But didn’t then , was , I had left God’s path , and He was telling me - via these symptoms - to correct my habits concerning my health. Yet , I did not follow His "voice". In Isaiah 30:21 it says ; " And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee , saying , This is the way , walk ye in it , when ye turn to the right hand , and when ye turn to the left ."

You see , just as when the people of Jerusalem left God’s path , He would correct them . He did the same for me , when I was not willing to follow His voice of correction after hearing it . You see , God corrects those He loves ( Hebrews 12 : 5-11 ) . After all , who loves his child more - the father who allows his child to do what will harm him , or the one who corrects , trains , and even punishes the child to help him learn what is right ? It is never pleasant to be corrected and disciplined by God , but his discipline ( " chastening " ) is a sign of His deep love for us . When God corrects us , we should see it as a sign of His love .

During the four days in ICU , I had plenty of time to reflect on what happened , and read and study my Bible (that my wife had brought to me ) , and as I stared at the IV lines in me , I would sometimes feel pain - both physical and emotional - and was reminded that the Lord comforts us when we suffer ; " Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ." ( 2 Cor. 1: 3-5 .)

Now , many think that when God comforts us , our hardships should go away . But if that were always so , people would turn to God only to be relieved of pain and not out of love for Him . We must understand that comfort can also mean receiving strength , encouragement , and hope to deal with our hardships .The more we suffer , the more comfort God gives us . I truly believe that every trial we endure will help us comfort other people who are suffering similar hardships .

I also learned to place all my burdens in God’s hands and trust Him to carry them . Another thing I forgot and had to be reminded of  , is ,  that God wants to carry our burdens , but often we continue to bear them ourselves even when we say we are trusting Him . Psalm 55:22 tells us ; " Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. " So , in every trial let us call upon the Lord, and he will save us. He shall hear us, and not blame us for coming too often; the oftener the more welcome.

So , in conclusion - my friends , I have LITERALLY learned to be CONTENT in whatever state I’m in , as Paul said in Philippians 4:11 ; " Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." Paul was content because he could see life from God’s point of view . He knew how to be content whether he had much or little . The secret was drawing upon Christ’s power for strength . I have learned that God will supply all our needs , but in a way that He knows is best for us .

As I write this , I have quit smoking ( with God’s help ) , have started exercising , have drastically changed my dietary habits , and am taking ALL my prescribed medications as directed . I’m still not where I should be - but I’m sure not where I USED to be . And I’m ‘cleaning’ up the "Temple " of The Lord , one step at a time .

My friends , I write this in the hopes that if ANYONE who reads it - is "defiling " their "Temple" , as I did , to PLEASE , correct it NOW !! Listen to The voice of The Lord - and FOLLOW IT !!

I returned to work on September 11th , albeit against doctor's orders, and have been back in the hospital twice since returning to work . 

My neurologist set me up this past Wed. for a TCD test , which is a Trans-Cranial Doppler test which measures brain artery blood flow , and also a Nerve Conduction Velocity (N.C.V.) test which I went for last thursday , and he said the results should be back by this wed. or thurs. I will keep you all posted .

I obviously don’t know what The Lord has planned for me in the future , but by Him putting me through this experience , I have gained a much better understanding and appreciation for the things He wants me to accomplish while I’m still here on earth . My faith has increased as well as my passion to minister His Word and witness to all He brings acoss my path.

I Thank and give ALL honor , praise and glory to my Lord and Savior , JESUS CHRIST !!

May HE Bless and keep You ALL - ALWAYS . .

Your Brother in Christ ;

Pastor Mike