Jeff’s Story

If you know my husband, you know two things about him. Number one, he cares about people more than anything else and number two, he is a goofball. Yes, I married the class clown. He can pull me out of any bad mood, make me smile when I’m crying and keep our marriage fun after 35 years. 

On the way to my first day back at church after 7 months of cancer treatment, of course he was joking around. He said, you know you prayed me out of heaven, don’t you? As usual, I said, Give me a break. He continued, Well, that’s like me praying you out of Disney World but worse! I gave him the look, which is what he wanted, and a slap to his arm, which he expected. However, I’m still thinking about that conversation because what he said was true. Jeff had 100% blockage of blood going into his heart when he had a massive widow-maker heart attack three months ago and I kind of did pray him out of heaven. 

-That was a week before Christmas.

-That was six weeks before our daughter’s wedding. 

-That was the week after my 6 months of chemotherapy had ended. 

We had some things going on!

Jeff should have died, which I will explain, but he did not. God was not done with him yet. We prayed him out of heaven but ONLY because that was God’s will. 

Eradicate is not truly the best title for Jeff’s story because instead of eradicating something, God gave Jeff back something:-his life. God is famous for giving people back their lives. We saw Him give Hezekiah, Elijah, Epaphroditus, and Paul back their lives when they almost died. We read of Jarius’ daughter and Peter’s mother-in-law, imagine how many more Jesus healed when they were within an inch of their life that we don’t hear about in the Bible. 

Jeff was having his last premarital session with a couple by zZoom. He came downstairs and called to me, not wanting anyone else to be alarmed. My sister had come for Christmas and our daughter, Virginia, was home from college. I go to see him and he is in severe pain. I have seen my husband in pain many times as he has chronic pain issues. Nothing prepared me for this. He was writhing on his knees against the bed. He could not stay still, he could not breath well and I had no idea what was going on. Within 5 minutes it got significantly worse and I called 911. I was in shock really as I told my family what was going on. Thankfully, within 10 minutes the firemen were there; as God used them to save his life. 

The firemen took over as the EMTs were still 12 minutes out. They hustled Virginia and I out of the room and into the kitchen. There we prayed to the Father of the Universe, to the Great I AM, to the One WHO is in control of all things. All the while I felt two things: -I felt I was in God’s courts, pleading for God’s mercy to let Jeff live;. I also felt like King David as he was praying for the son he had with Bathsheba. (2 Samuel 12)

-David knew who was in control. 

-David knew to whom he needed to pray. 

-David knew he would pray for his son as long as his son was alive. 

As I was praying, I heard them shock Jeff. After a few minutes I heard Jeff speak and I knew that God had decided to keep him here. Which is when I felt absolute peace:

-The ambulance was still not there and the EMTs said they were another 12 minutes out, but I felt peace.

– one of the firemen came out to the kitchen and would not make eye contact, as he was calling a code blue, but I felt peace.

– some sort of head honcho came in the front door absolutely furious because the EMTs were not there, but I felt peace. 

(Philippians 4:7) This is the peace that Jesus said He would give his people. Peace that surpasses all understanding, meaning it just doesn’t make any sense. I was waiting for rescue to get Jeff into the ambulance before I let my tension go,  but I knew for a fact that while I was in God’s courts, He ruled in my favor. My husband was fine not because of the rescue team but because my God is big and my God is powerful. The one true living God who controls life and death decided He was not done with Jeff yet. 

My husband should have died because:

1. Only 12% of people live after a widow maker if they are outside of a hospital. 
2. There is a protein in the blood called Troponin. When it measures high, you are likely having a cardiac event or will soon. Doctors are concerned when it reads over 100. When admitted to the hospital, Jeff’s was 24,000 which is the top of the scale.  
3. It took 27 minutes for EMTs to come when we have 3 rescue units within 10 minutes of our house. 
4. With every minute of blockage, damage to your heart occurs. It took ONE HOUR to get Jeff to the hospital.       
5. Doctors and nurses have said that with the issues listed above, Jeff’s likelihood of living was less than 1%. God loves statistics like that because they bring Him all the glory.                                  

For hours we waited with friends, family and many pastors for Jeff to be able to receive visitors after surgery. He could not see us all but the ones who saw him saw a man ready to go home, a man joking with the nurses and a man loved by many, but especially loved by God. Jeff should not have been alive then, nor should he be alive now but miraculously he is here. There are many people who God loves that die young or that die during middle age. No one knows why, and I do not know exactly why,  God spared Jeff’s life at this time.  I do know God will be using Jeff for His kingdom work here for at least a little while longer. Praise be to God the Father, to Jesus our Savior, and to the blessed Holy Spirit. In the following passage, Paul talks of Epaphroditus who was sent to Paul to be a comfort. 

Philippians 2

25 But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus…..

27 Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.

Yes, I prayed my husband out of heaven but only temporarily. That was God’s will for Jeff, not mine. I have no power to save anybody but I can pray. We can all pray knowing God may say yes or He may say no, but He never leaves us to go through this life alone. Jesus is always with His people and He loves each and every one of us.

Parting Thoughts:

1.  Do you have the assurance that God will never leave you alone, especially through our troubles? If not, please message me or talk with someone about Jesus being the Savior of the world. 
2. Do you have peace in your situation? All of God’s people can have the peace which passes all understanding as I experienced while my husband’s life hung in the balance. 

May God bless you,

Laura