God's Ultimate Plan-Whether You Like it...or Not

Today has been a day of God's ultimate plan for us to continue to be revealed. The reasons we are here unfold over and over again. Before I get to that, I began to use this blog long before all of this ever started to bring hope to others through Jesus Christ and the random acts of kindness that go untold on a regular basis. The support system we have is too long to list at this point, but the amazing friends and family we have has left us thankful and humbled. From the nurse's aide named John that went down and bought me coffee on Friday to our friends Heather and Terri who are keeping Landon so occupied he doesn't get quite as homesick for us! Many cards and gifts keep coming, and we cannot thank all of you enough.

Today....I wanted pizza. Not just any pizza. Domino's has flooded the television market with it's new and improved pizza every five minutes, so I HAD to try it out. The delivery guy called and asked if I could come to the security desk five floors down to meet him. I was a little miffed and was contemplating asking him to tip ME, but decided to tip him well instead. On the elevator I met a woman whose husband is a new C-6 quad (Tim is C-5) and by the time we hit the ground floor I was able to encourage her and help her begin coping with their situation. Hold that thought...

Several weeks ago in Anderson, a teenager at Hannah High had an unexpected stroke. It did some serious damage. Tim was on pastoral care staff for the weekend and went to the hospital to speak to his mother who was completely, of course, distraught. We knew they were transferred here to Shepherd several weeks ago, but I had been unable to locate them up to this point. As I stood in the hallway speaking to the woman I met in the elevator, another woman that obviously knew her came up and they began talking. A strange feeling swept over me. And before I even knew what hit me, I asked her if she was from Anderson. Her face froze as she answered, "yes," and I fought back tears as I said,"I've been trying to find you." I told her I was Tim Evatt's wife, and she wept...right there in the hallway. I explained why we were here and we had been trying to find out about her son and meet up with her. Boldness came over her as she explained to the other woman what an amazing man Tim is...and that you don't even see that wheelchair. I looked at her and said..."God has brought you from a level of brokenness to encouraging and lifting up others around you." She cried again and said, "I never imagined being able to do that. Even before this happened."
We are planning on all three meeting daily for encouragement.

Lastnight I also met a man whose son was struck by a bullet and paralyzed from the waist down. I brought him to our room where we all held hands and prayed with him.

We also received some interesting news yesterday. It's been a mystery to all how we ended up on the OR schedule for Thursday. None of the doctors knew why, so we decided God had that one worked out too. We were originally set for Friday. One of the nurses told us that there were two or three skin surgeries scheduled for Friday and when they got them to the OR they were told their surgery could not be done, and they would have to come back in a couple of weeks. Tim was the last skin surgery that was done. I know. You are as speechless as we were. This gets crazier by the day. The chaplain came in today and spoke to Tim. He will be wheeled down IN HIS BED in two weeks to preach on Sunday to all of the patients and their families FROM HIS BED!!! Like I said....this gets crazier by the day!!!!

Acts 4:29-31 says, "Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus. After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly."

Good Night, and God Bless...
Rhonda