The Testimony of Rich Donovan
''And you will seek Me and find Me, when
you search for Me with all your heart.'' - Jeremiah 29:13
In 8th grade, I got high blood pressure from having my kidney's bleed due to a kindney infection.
I had to stay in the hospital for 1 month.
The doctor told me that I had high blood pressure and it would stay with me for the rest of my life. I had to take medication to keep my blood pressure down.
I was the one to always get beat up or picked on. Every time I went to school I was either hit or pushed.
You know what bullies are like.
They had to prove that they are the bosses.
This continued all the way to the 11th grade.
I have had some very good friends, however, Craig was my
best friend. We used to hang out
almost all the time. We listen
to rock and roll and eventually started a
band but that didn't go very far.
Van Halen is one band that I will
always remember and laugh when
I hear their
name. Eventually, Craig and
I started lifting weights and I
started to put on a lot of muscle.
When I got out of school, I quit
taking my medication because I thought I
was indestructible. I
met Blaine and we became best
of friends. We did all kinds of
things and we began to drink a
lot because that was what people did
on the weekends. Eventually,
I not only drank on the weekends but
every day of the week. I got in
lots of fights because of my
drinking.
When I was 21
years old, I was going to bars with all
my friends. I couldn't pay my
bills because alcohol became a part of
me. I would go to the bars shortly
after leaving work and drink until the
bar closed which left me with
approximately 3 to 4 hours of
sleep. And, on my days off, I
was in the bar from opening until
closing. I was spending over 200.00
a week just trying keep my habit.
This continued until I was 30 years
old.
When I was 30
years old, big changes began to take
place in my life. On Christmas
Eve, the night before the day that
people celebrate Jesus' birthday, I had
my stroke. I was doing some last
minute shopping when I felt the beginning
of the stroke. I ran out of the
store. As I was coming out of the
store, I began to lose my
memory. I got to my car and I tried to
start it up but my mind wouldn’t let
me. It’s a good thing that the
car didn’t start because I
don’t know what would happened if it
had. I could have hurt someone. I started
to cry because I thought I was going to
die. I sat down by my rear tire because
my mind wouldn't remember how to do
anything. I started to pass out. I
remember a women tapping on my
shoulder and asking me “Are you all
right''. I shook my head
''No''. The last thing that I
remember was all kinds of sirens. They
put me in the ambulance and rushed me to
the hospital. I passed out about
half way there.
The next thing
that I remember after waking up was Mom
and my sister Mel asking me how I felt. I
started to say ''all right'' but
it didn’t come out the same. I
thought ''oh no'' what has happen
to me. Mom told me that the doctor had
told her that if they had found me 10
minutes later and I wouldn’t have
lived. I couldn’t walk, talk, or do
anything except lay there. I
couldn’t move my hand or leg on the
right side. The doctor told my Mom that I
wouldn’t be able to walk and that I
would be in a wheel chair for the rest of
my life. I was in the hospital for about
3 weeks, and then I moved to
the rehabilitation
hospital. I told my Mom I
will walk in 3 months and I did. I was
able to walk, not well, but I walked. I
was in rehabilitation for about 5 months.
My Mom, Mel, Uncle Fred,
Aunt Evelyn, cousin Shannon, Blaine
and Rhonda, and my dear friend Craig all
came to visit me while I was in rehab.
When I returned to my hometown, I felt
like I was starting completely over again
with a brand new attitude. Craig
introduced me to Al and Sue who became my
bible study teachers and good friends.
It’s been 4 years since I began to
learn about God's truth. I have
finally taken that step to baptism and
married my wonderful wife Cindy.
There was a
change in my life. Now, I believe in
Christ and praise him because He
went to the cross and died for me.
Let God use me anyway he wants to in
accomplishing everything that needs to be
done. My love goes to everyone for being
there for me even Christ. Now it's
up to me to bring people to the cross and
tell them that they can do it.
Jesus can do it for you. He
already has and He wants you to do it
with Him. I know the Lord has something
for me to do. I often remember
this:
''I can do all things though Christ who strengthens me'' - Philippians 4:13
There are many people I wish to thank for helping me on
my spiritual journey in Christ. These
people include:
- The Lord
Jesus Christ, first and foremost
- Cindy my
wife
- My
Mom
- Mel my
sister and her family
- Blaine and Rhonda
- Craig and
his family
- Al and
Sue
- Three
pastors - Pastor Steve
Dayen, Doug Batchelor and
Dwight Nelson
People have ask at times if I wished that I hadn't had a
stroke. I tell them no because if
it were not for the stroke, I would never
have met the Lord.
Always remember that scripture that says:
''And
we know that all things work together for
the good to them that love God, to them
who are the called according to his
purpose.'' -Romans 8:28
Amen !
|
