The Awakening

On April 10, 2004 Mike had an experience that would change his life forever. While walking by a stack of hay Mike was unaware that someone was about to begin unloading the hay from the opposite before making sure everyone was out of the way. Mike looked up just in time to see the entire upper row of hay falling towards him. Knowing that there was not enough time to get out of the way, Mike turned and shoved his dad out of the way protecting him. The result was Mike taking the full impact of the hay while turned sideways. When the hay hit Mike, it slammed him to the ground, completely covering him.

Mike never lost consciousness as he was covered by the hay. When the hay was removed off him, Mike was hit with the worst fear he had ever known. While lying on the ground Mike was not able to breathe, could not feel anything, and could not move. He knew in his heart that if he died at that moment he would go to hell. Mike had turned his back on the Father and had lived most of his life completely opposite of what the Father directed. He had not wanted anything to do with the Word or going to church since he had left home. Mike did not know what to do other that to ask someone to pray for him. When prayer was spoken it was spoken out loud so Mike could hear what was being said. As soon as the prayer was finished he felt a hand on his right shoulder followed by a voice that said “you called on me and I am here. Everything is going to be okay.”

At that point the overwhelming fear was replaced by a peace that cannot be described. Mike was immediately able to breathe again and was able to move, although he was told not to by the nurses who were on the scene rendering aide. When the ambulance arrived, Mike’s dad was told that he would likely not make it. Little did they know that the Father was with Mike, was protecting him. He was transferred to a helicopter from the ambulance due to the severity of his injuries.

When arriving at the hospital Mike was still awake. The physician let Mike know that the hospital would have to send him somewhere else more equipped to deal with extensive trauma due to the hospital’s inability to deal with such injuries. The decision was made to send Mike to a larger hospital, to a training hospital due to the C1 fractures and severe abdominal injury.

When the helicopter took off and headed to its destination the unexpected happened. The helicopter encountered a storm just as it reached its destination, a storm that it could not land in. The decision had to be made to turn back to the original hospital and transfer Mike to a plane that could navigate through and land in the storm. The plane was finally able to get Mike to the hospital that could provide the care that he needed.

The doctors were amazed that the turbulence resulted in the vertebrae in Mike’s neck shifting back into their correct place removing the need for emergency surgery. It was also explained that had the shift went the other direction the result would have been death and there would have not been anything that anyone could have done to prevent it.  It was explained to Mike that 80% of people with the type of C1 fracture Mike had were paralyzed, and that was out of the 15% that survived. After several days in the hospital Mike was released as abdominal surgery would have to wait until his neck was healed. The next several months would be challenging due to limited ability to care for himself and inability to work.

The next year and a half were filled with days of pain and discomfort relying on his wife to basically care for his every need. Mike struggled with depression during this time from not being able to do anything for himself and his wife having to do everything for him while also caring for a baby and expecting another. When Mike expressed this to her one day her response made a lasting impression. She stated, “I do this because I love you. We made a vow to stand together for better or worse and in sickness and in health. You would do the same for me.” Mike was truly blessed by the Father with the perfect wife for him, someone that supported him and loved him back.

During the next three to four years Mike was unable to work, which resulted in much financial struggle. Mike took this time to return to college to learn a new career, something he could do to support his family.  In 2008 Mike graduated college and embarked on his new career. This was possible due to many blessings from the Father and the support from Mikes wife.

What had started out as being a date was the most terrible turned into a date that was also most memorable in good ways as well. The result was being able to spend more time with family, embarking on a journey that would turn into a much better and higher paying career, and the beginning of a turn back to the Father that is even more intensified today.

There are many terrible events that may be experienced as we go through the journey called life. These events do not define who we are. The reactions that we have to these events dictate who we are and the type of life that we live. We have the choice to be happy or to be sad, to be friendly or to be distant, to be successful or to allow events to hold us back. It is amazing how quickly things can change in your life just by turning to the Father and changing the way that you think.