Week of October 25
During a routine physical examination my family doctor found a growth in my throat. He sent me to a specialist who determined it was a five cm tumor that was in such a difficult area of the throat that he recommended another specialist to do the operation. The encouraging news was that the doctor felt it was likely benign.
My position on a local hospital board lead me to see another qualified surgeon but he would not do the surgery but referred me to a surgeon in Texas who he said was considered the best in the nation for this type of operation.
I became very nervous by these developments and my 23 years of working in hospital administration did nothing but increase my anxiety. In short, I became a nervous wreck. This heightened the concern of my adult children who had not seen their dad in such a state.
My online research revealed the potential after effects could be permanent numbness of the tongue, paralyzed facial muscles, speech impediments and vocal cord damage. Now I was a babbling fool worrying about all these possibilities over which I had no control. My research about the hospital and the surgeon gave me some peace of mind but they were both in Texas and I was in Florida. My adult children wanted me to have to operation closer to them so they could be with me.
For the next five months I delayed the inevitable and this was taking a toll on me. I was waking up in the middle of the night in fear of dying. I even rationalized not having the operation if the rate of growth of the tumor was slow enough I could avoid having to remove it. However, reality set in when it became clear that the tumor was blocking my nasal passages and affecting my breathing when I was in certain positions. I was my own worst enemy.
I could see the Lord was trying to help me though other people but I was trying to stay in control. One night I woke up struggling to breath. I got out of bed and fell on my knees and cried out; "Lord I can't do this on my own. I am lost without you. Lord please take control."
During the next week my son David who is a pastor of a church in Massachusetts and who was not expected to make the trip to Texas was able to rearrange his schedule and said he would be able to fly to Houston and be with me. Shortly after this my other son Robert told me he would be with me when David had to leave. I knew this was the Lord showing me that he was in control and working things out.
I flew to Texas for pre-op testing. My confidence in the surgeon was very high. However, he said from the Cat Scan he could see no clear method of removal without the need to split my jaw to gain access to the tumor. He further stated that a group of other surgeons he meets with for pre-op review were all in agreement. The operation was scheduled in two weeks. I was devastated.
I returned home mad about his findings and determined to find another surgeon who would do it my way and remove the tumor without breaking my jaw. I was playing doctor again and trying to take control.This time being a little more aware of the negative effect of my taking control, I called my Pastor Brian and asked for another prayer session with the church elders.
We arranged the meeting and I tried intensely to convince everyone that I needed their support to find another way. One of the elders, responding with love and compassion sent me to yet another ENT specialist. He refused to do the operation but did offer to pursue other surgeons at Moffit Hospital (in Florida) and Massachusetts General (near my sons).
After making those appointments I woke up one night with and even worst breathing attack. Once again I was back on my knees.I had tried to take control again and I failed again.
I arose the next day in obedience to the Lord and called my son and asked him to meet me in Houston for the operation. The morning I left, my daughter gave me some helpful scriptures for reassurance. (Psalm 34:11-18 and Psalm 55:22)(1Peter 5:6-7) and (Colossians 3:15).
I returned to the surgeon who had scared me out of my wit but I was confident the Lord would answer my prayers and guide this surgeon to remove the tumor without breaking my jaw.
The night before the operation I met the surgeon for the final briefing. He again emphasized that I should be prepared for the jaw splitting. He did not want me to wake up in recovery and be shocked by my condition. Knowing the Lord was in control and would answer my prayers, I looked the doctor in the eye and said; "I know you must do what you think you must do but I believe God will show you another way!" He smiled but said nothing.
I prayed that night along with my son. There were hundreds of people praying for me in three different churches. The operation was performed the next day and I woke up hours later in Intensive Cara... without having a split jaw. The operation was successfully completed by the Great Physician guiding the hands of my Texas surgeon.
What I didn't know was that my surgeon was also a believer and he was willing to be guided by our Lord. When he went to operate he noticed a slight opening and he was able to massage the tumor with a finger into a position where he could remove it.
When I was discharged the surgeon said to me, "prayer does get answered."
I can testify to that. Praise the Lord
Robert Polimeni
Sarasota, FL
Incredible true stories that touch the heart and tug at the soul. Are they chance or destiny, coincidence or fate? Do you have your own Go Figure story? Want to share it? E-mail us at gofigureamerica@yahoo.com
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Sherry's Wheelchair Story
Week of October 18, 2009
Here is the true story.
On a Monday, on my lunch hour, I had an appointment to see a doctor at the hospital.
I was bleeding and worried. All alonge and trying to be strong, I ventured to the hospital and before I entered I picked up my bible that I always carry in the car and I read a scripture.
As I walked into the hospital I heard God say to me, "Go speak to the man, he is an angel."
I looked up and saw a man sitting in a wheelchair. His arm was propped up in a brace, and his leg was emaciated but stabilized with a series of halos around it.
As I approached him his kind eyes looked into my soul and they took me backwards as he really saw into me. I said hello and he replied hello. I asked if would walk again and he said yes. Then I asked if he knew Jesus could heal hil. He enthusiastically said Yes as it letting me know that I understood and was good to point that out. I extended my hand and said, "My name is Sherry."
He paused, took my hand and said, "I"m Angel."
Then I went upstairs to my doctor and learned all would be OK. When I was walking out I noticed Angel was still there. I went back and let him know that God told me to talk with him, and that he was an Angel. All he said was "Oh." Yet he never denied it.
Curiosity got the best of me and (refering to his injuries) I asked how this happened, to which he said simply, "an accident." I said nice to meet you and God bless you Angel.
The footnote to this story is years later I was meeting with the Hospital Administrator on business and told him this story. He said it was peculiar as the entrance where he sat was an outpatient entrance and the staff never let anyone sit there for very long. Angel he been there for more than a half hour.
Sherry Sargent
Lido Key, Fl.
Here is the true story.
On a Monday, on my lunch hour, I had an appointment to see a doctor at the hospital.
I was bleeding and worried. All alonge and trying to be strong, I ventured to the hospital and before I entered I picked up my bible that I always carry in the car and I read a scripture.
As I walked into the hospital I heard God say to me, "Go speak to the man, he is an angel."
I looked up and saw a man sitting in a wheelchair. His arm was propped up in a brace, and his leg was emaciated but stabilized with a series of halos around it.
As I approached him his kind eyes looked into my soul and they took me backwards as he really saw into me. I said hello and he replied hello. I asked if would walk again and he said yes. Then I asked if he knew Jesus could heal hil. He enthusiastically said Yes as it letting me know that I understood and was good to point that out. I extended my hand and said, "My name is Sherry."
He paused, took my hand and said, "I"m Angel."
Then I went upstairs to my doctor and learned all would be OK. When I was walking out I noticed Angel was still there. I went back and let him know that God told me to talk with him, and that he was an Angel. All he said was "Oh." Yet he never denied it.
Curiosity got the best of me and (refering to his injuries) I asked how this happened, to which he said simply, "an accident." I said nice to meet you and God bless you Angel.
The footnote to this story is years later I was meeting with the Hospital Administrator on business and told him this story. He said it was peculiar as the entrance where he sat was an outpatient entrance and the staff never let anyone sit there for very long. Angel he been there for more than a half hour.
Sherry Sargent
Lido Key, Fl.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
It's a Small World
Week of October 11
In September '97 Hallett Prison Ministries held its sixth annual banquet and celebration. We invited a number of former inmates to minister in music and share their testimony. One of our guest speakers was Audrey.
The first time we ministered to Audrey was at Florida Correctional in Lowell Florida. Audrey was one of many women for whom we provided spiritual guidance and encouragement through message and song. At one of our services she made a recommitment to God. She began taking our correspondence Bible study.
Audrey completed her sentence and was released from prison. It was two years after her release, around the time we were getting ready to have our banquet, that she wrote me a letter to thank us for our ministry to her in prison. I responded and invited her to speak at the banquet. While at the banquet Audrey informed us that she had relatives in Tampa and that she was hoping to put in a transfer and relocate from her present job to Tampa. We all offered prayer for her transfer. Some time later, Audrey called us and told us that they offered her a position in Sarasota and she wanted to know what I thought about it. Well, I told her to take it as a stepping stone to Tampa. And so she did.
Audrey became involved with our church and we offered council and assistance where ever we could. She found a room for rent and began her new job. At this point, Audrey did not have a car so she used either a bus or a cab to get to and from work. However, whenever Mitch, my assistant, and I would go out of town, we would leave the ministry car that Mitch drove with Audrey and we would pick it up upon our return.
One time when Mitch went to get the car, he found Audrey sleeping in the back seat. After talking with Audrey, we discovered that her landlady had been locking her out periodically and Audrey was afraid to say anything for fear of causing trouble, so, she just slept in the car. I talked with my wife, Jill, and we decided that we would help Audrey get her own place. We invited Audrey to our home to stay until she raised enough money for her own apartment.
Making a decision to bring Audrey into our home was a big step of faith and obedience for Jill and me as we had done this before and things hadn’t work out as we had hoped. In fact, we said, "We will never do this again." But, "never say never" when you're controlled by a merciful God. All we knew is that Audrey needed help and we had the resources.
So, we gave unconditionally as Christ has given to us. Consequently, we continued to seek God for a sign that we did the right thing
After getting to know Audrey better we learned more about her. Audrey had been married to a professional football player for 17 years. They had two sons. During a very difficult divorce her sons, age 16 and 13 both committed suicide. At the time that we had met Audrey she was recovering from the loss of her sons and was finishing a 14 month prison term instigated by her husband who charged her with "grand theft auto" of their own car.
One day while out on a road trip, Jill called to say Audrey's mother died in Tampa and that Audrey was going to join her father and other family at the funeral. Audrey's father and mother were divorced. He was remarried and lived in Washington State.
When I returned home Audrey told me that her father, James, thought he knew me. In fact, he referred to me as a "world traveler." I thought that was funny. However, I couldn't remember ever meeting him. Audrey said that her father told her he met me in Washington D.C. - My immediate response was, "the last time I remember living in Washington D.C. was about 15 years ago,” (and I truly hoped he did not know me then.) However, she said he had just recently met me. Well, as I searched my memory banks, it dawned on me that my last visit to Washington D.C. was in October '97 at the Promise Keeper Stand-in-the-Gap Rally.
But surely, in the midst of more than a million men, I could not have met her father.
Well, as the Spirit began to give me more memory. I recalled that there was an occasion when one of the speakers asked us men to turn to someone around us and get in groups to pray for reconciliation among ethnic groups. Consequently, Mitch and I turned to two gentlemen (one Caucasian and one Black) in back of us and began praying. We prayed for everything from ethnic reconciliation to family protection and good health. I never thought much of that moment except that I felt the power of God very strong in our prayers. The Caucasian gentlemen asked if we could take a picture to remember this time. I said, "sure, as long as you will mail me one." I had recently received that picture and it was still in the envelope on my desk.
I went to my desk and opened the envelope, then brought the picture to Audrey and said, "this is a picture of the people I met in Washington D.C."
As she looked at the picture her eyes open very wide as she pointed to the black gentleman and shouted, "that's my dad! that's my dad!" Well, the
hairs remaining on the top of my head were standing straight up. With tears in our eyes we knew that, "It's a small world after all, but we serve a great big God."
For Jill and me, this development was our conformation that Audrey was suppose to be at our home. For Audrey, her faith was increased and she knew that God was working in her life through the prayers of her earthly father. Since that moment, we have had some good times of prayer, fellowship and counseling sessions. Audrey became financially ready and she moved into her own apartment.
God has been faithful and He miraculously demonstrated his love for Audrey, He will do the same for each of us. I pray that this testimony will encourage you that God really cares for you and that He is interested in every facet of your life. Whatever you are going through right now, remember that God loves you and He is always in control. Nothing can happen in your life that God is not aware of and God will always work evil for our good, and good for our better. The key is to pray without ceasing and stay focused through the reading and application of His Word. Put all of your hope and trust in Jesus and He will never fail you.
“The Lord is Good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and He knows those that trust in Him.” (Nahum 1:7)
Rev. Art Hallett,
Hallett Prison Ministries
Southwest Florida
In September '97 Hallett Prison Ministries held its sixth annual banquet and celebration. We invited a number of former inmates to minister in music and share their testimony. One of our guest speakers was Audrey.
The first time we ministered to Audrey was at Florida Correctional in Lowell Florida. Audrey was one of many women for whom we provided spiritual guidance and encouragement through message and song. At one of our services she made a recommitment to God. She began taking our correspondence Bible study.
Audrey completed her sentence and was released from prison. It was two years after her release, around the time we were getting ready to have our banquet, that she wrote me a letter to thank us for our ministry to her in prison. I responded and invited her to speak at the banquet. While at the banquet Audrey informed us that she had relatives in Tampa and that she was hoping to put in a transfer and relocate from her present job to Tampa. We all offered prayer for her transfer. Some time later, Audrey called us and told us that they offered her a position in Sarasota and she wanted to know what I thought about it. Well, I told her to take it as a stepping stone to Tampa. And so she did.
Audrey became involved with our church and we offered council and assistance where ever we could. She found a room for rent and began her new job. At this point, Audrey did not have a car so she used either a bus or a cab to get to and from work. However, whenever Mitch, my assistant, and I would go out of town, we would leave the ministry car that Mitch drove with Audrey and we would pick it up upon our return.
One time when Mitch went to get the car, he found Audrey sleeping in the back seat. After talking with Audrey, we discovered that her landlady had been locking her out periodically and Audrey was afraid to say anything for fear of causing trouble, so, she just slept in the car. I talked with my wife, Jill, and we decided that we would help Audrey get her own place. We invited Audrey to our home to stay until she raised enough money for her own apartment.
Making a decision to bring Audrey into our home was a big step of faith and obedience for Jill and me as we had done this before and things hadn’t work out as we had hoped. In fact, we said, "We will never do this again." But, "never say never" when you're controlled by a merciful God. All we knew is that Audrey needed help and we had the resources.
So, we gave unconditionally as Christ has given to us. Consequently, we continued to seek God for a sign that we did the right thing
After getting to know Audrey better we learned more about her. Audrey had been married to a professional football player for 17 years. They had two sons. During a very difficult divorce her sons, age 16 and 13 both committed suicide. At the time that we had met Audrey she was recovering from the loss of her sons and was finishing a 14 month prison term instigated by her husband who charged her with "grand theft auto" of their own car.
One day while out on a road trip, Jill called to say Audrey's mother died in Tampa and that Audrey was going to join her father and other family at the funeral. Audrey's father and mother were divorced. He was remarried and lived in Washington State.
When I returned home Audrey told me that her father, James, thought he knew me. In fact, he referred to me as a "world traveler." I thought that was funny. However, I couldn't remember ever meeting him. Audrey said that her father told her he met me in Washington D.C. - My immediate response was, "the last time I remember living in Washington D.C. was about 15 years ago,” (and I truly hoped he did not know me then.) However, she said he had just recently met me. Well, as I searched my memory banks, it dawned on me that my last visit to Washington D.C. was in October '97 at the Promise Keeper Stand-in-the-Gap Rally.
But surely, in the midst of more than a million men, I could not have met her father.
Well, as the Spirit began to give me more memory. I recalled that there was an occasion when one of the speakers asked us men to turn to someone around us and get in groups to pray for reconciliation among ethnic groups. Consequently, Mitch and I turned to two gentlemen (one Caucasian and one Black) in back of us and began praying. We prayed for everything from ethnic reconciliation to family protection and good health. I never thought much of that moment except that I felt the power of God very strong in our prayers. The Caucasian gentlemen asked if we could take a picture to remember this time. I said, "sure, as long as you will mail me one." I had recently received that picture and it was still in the envelope on my desk.
I went to my desk and opened the envelope, then brought the picture to Audrey and said, "this is a picture of the people I met in Washington D.C."
As she looked at the picture her eyes open very wide as she pointed to the black gentleman and shouted, "that's my dad! that's my dad!" Well, the
hairs remaining on the top of my head were standing straight up. With tears in our eyes we knew that, "It's a small world after all, but we serve a great big God."
For Jill and me, this development was our conformation that Audrey was suppose to be at our home. For Audrey, her faith was increased and she knew that God was working in her life through the prayers of her earthly father. Since that moment, we have had some good times of prayer, fellowship and counseling sessions. Audrey became financially ready and she moved into her own apartment.
God has been faithful and He miraculously demonstrated his love for Audrey, He will do the same for each of us. I pray that this testimony will encourage you that God really cares for you and that He is interested in every facet of your life. Whatever you are going through right now, remember that God loves you and He is always in control. Nothing can happen in your life that God is not aware of and God will always work evil for our good, and good for our better. The key is to pray without ceasing and stay focused through the reading and application of His Word. Put all of your hope and trust in Jesus and He will never fail you.
“The Lord is Good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and He knows those that trust in Him.” (Nahum 1:7)
Rev. Art Hallett,
Hallett Prison Ministries
Southwest Florida
Monday, October 5, 2009
A Wheelchair Story
Week of October 4
My flight to Sarasota is canceled because of bad weather in the Northeast. I call my wife and tell her the bad news.
“Well, do God’s work,” she says, “look around and see who you can help.”
As she says this I notice a man in a wheelchair staring at his flight ticket. I ask him if I can be of help. He nods explaining his flight has been canceled and he needs to be rebooked. We make our way through the concourse to the appropriate counter and stop behind a line of disgruntled travelers.
The agent looks up and notices my friend in the wheelchair and waves us forward. I wheel Earl forward(we are on a first name basis now.) The agent takes his ticket, taps rapidly on a keyboard for a minute or so, and hands him a new ticket.
“You are on the next flight to Philadelphia with a connection to Dayton. It should be boarding in about forty minutes.”
He then asked for my ticket. “Oh we are not together, I’m trying to get home to Sarasota.”
He looks at my ticket and returns to the computer. There is more incessant tapping on a keyboard. Finally he says, staring at the computer, “I can’t get you to Sarasota today but I can get you to Tampa, would that help?”
My wife drives the 45 miles from our home to Tampa International and we have dinner together that evening because I took her wise suggestion and helped someone in need. By serving others we our served.
Mal Salter
Sarasota, Fl.
My flight to Sarasota is canceled because of bad weather in the Northeast. I call my wife and tell her the bad news.
“Well, do God’s work,” she says, “look around and see who you can help.”
As she says this I notice a man in a wheelchair staring at his flight ticket. I ask him if I can be of help. He nods explaining his flight has been canceled and he needs to be rebooked. We make our way through the concourse to the appropriate counter and stop behind a line of disgruntled travelers.
The agent looks up and notices my friend in the wheelchair and waves us forward. I wheel Earl forward(we are on a first name basis now.) The agent takes his ticket, taps rapidly on a keyboard for a minute or so, and hands him a new ticket.
“You are on the next flight to Philadelphia with a connection to Dayton. It should be boarding in about forty minutes.”
He then asked for my ticket. “Oh we are not together, I’m trying to get home to Sarasota.”
He looks at my ticket and returns to the computer. There is more incessant tapping on a keyboard. Finally he says, staring at the computer, “I can’t get you to Sarasota today but I can get you to Tampa, would that help?”
My wife drives the 45 miles from our home to Tampa International and we have dinner together that evening because I took her wise suggestion and helped someone in need. By serving others we our served.
Mal Salter
Sarasota, Fl.