I couldn’t believe it! Here I was a vegetarian, maintained a proper weight, followed what I thought was a healthy diet, drank no caffeine, didn’t snack, took lots of vitamins and probiotics, and yet I had just been diagnosed with COVID double pneumonia and was told to go to the ER immediately. I was having difficulty breathing; and from the sound of the doctor’s voice, I was in trouble. I prayed, “Jesus, please help me; You know I belong to You.”
Since I live alone, I called my granddaughter, who drove three and a half hours to accompany me to the nearest ER. Because of my condition and the fact that I was contagious, they took me in pretty quickly. After taking my vital signs, they began the regimen: blood work, X-rays, EKG, breathing treatments, IVs, etc.
My mind was in a whirl. Where did I get COVID? I was so careful to sanitize, wear a mask, and stay away from crowds. I knew of no one whom I had seen or been around experiencing COVID. But here I was, with a thousand thoughts going through my head of things left undone and responsibilities unfulfilled.
Markers for Blood Clots Off the Charts
They soon placed me in a private room on a floor for those with contagious diseases, and by this time I was completely exhausted—not only from the disease, but from all the tests. I just wanted to rest. By morning the results of the tests came in, and the hospital doctor visited my room with the grave results: The markers for blood clots in the lungs and heart were “off the chart.” One was over 4,000, where it should have been 4, and the second one was over 300 where it should have been 0.4.
What about my Bible class? I was scheduled to start a “New Believer’s” Bible class in less than two weeks. Who could take my place? The materials for the class were those I had compiled from multiple sources, and I was the only one with the outlines. Not only that, who would be willing to take my place on such short notice? Again, I called on the Lord for answers. The Lord reminded me, “You’re not indispensable; you are blessed, and I will never leave you or forsake you.”
Experimental Drug?
The next morning the hospital infectious disease doctor came in and wanted to begin administering an experimental drug for Covid. I refused due to significant known concerns with this particular treatment, instead depending on God to supply all my needs. This did not please the doctor, and he called my granddaughter out into the hallway to explain that I could die and pressured her to agree to these drugs. She politely declined. He was not happy, to say the least.
As I pondered my situation, which at this point I knew was life-and-death, it was time for some deep intercessory prayer with the Father. My prayer went something like this. “Father, I know how offensive sin is to You, and I am a sinner and have no right to approach Your throne. So, I don’t come in my name, but in the name of Your dear Son, whose atoning blood allows me to come boldly. I don’t know what is going on; and if this is Your judgment and something I need to learn, I am fine with whatever Your will is. But if this is Satan’s attack on me because he does not want me to teach that new class, I am claiming Jesus’ promise in John 14:13, 14 that says if I ask ANYTHING in His name that will glorify the Father, He WILL do it—not MIGHT, or PERHAPS, or He will think about it. He says HE WILL DO IT. Lord, I want to bring glory to Your name. I am claiming this promise right now. Amen.”
Even though I was extremely weak, I then took out the oxygen tubes and sat up with a determination that I was going to teach that class in ten days. The nurse came in and asked me what I was doing. I told her I wanted to see if I could breathe on my own without the oxygen. She just said: “Okay, but we will be monitoring you, and if it drops you will have to put it back on.”
My oxygen never dropped, and I never put the oxygen back on again. Also, my lab markers started dropping significantly, getting close to normal levels. Two days later, the doctor came in and explained that since my oxygen levels had not dropped and I was breathing on my own, I could go home if someone was there with me. He further explained that he was very hesitant to send me home without oxygen. My insurance, however, would not pay for home oxygen because for two days I had been breathing on my own.
I told him I would be just fine. I knew my prayer had been answered, and I was anxious to go home and start getting my strength back. So, they prepared the discharge papers. Eight days later I walked into church and began my New Believer’s class that is still progressing, with victories being won each week.
Call to Action: Pray With the Power of God's Promises
Does God answer prayer in modern times? I can testify that He does.
Prayer is the power of indispensable intervention over which Satan has no control! Praise God!!
