That Time Tom Had Ebola

"Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Lord, save us, we’re going to drown!”He replied, “You of little faith! Why are you so afraid?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm."   --- Matthew 8:24-26





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So remember when, at the end of January, Tom was hospitalized for a kidney infection, pneumonia and more? 

Well, at home one night three weeks later during a tv commercial, he calmly said, "Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you. When I was in the hospital, a nurse told me I had Ebola."

"You had WHAT?!" I replied, sitting up suddenly from the couch.

"Ebola. They did tests and found it."

"Oh. My. Goodness. And you're just now telling me? Didn't it shock you when she said that?"

"Not really. I felt so weak and they kept listing sicknesses I had so I was more like, 'Sure. Why not?'"

ジ

Gracious! Well, the next day I researched Ebola and yeah, he'd had quite a few symptoms. But you know? For years God has only allowed my heart to race (and me to worry) at a very low level. Too high, and He firmly reminds me to calm down, lest doubt creep in.

See, He's invested 50 years into me so by now? If I fell apart whenever bad news, trouble arrived? I'd consider that a tragedy. Trust and self-control reflect Jesus and that's my desire--to represent Him and His ability to change a heart.

Anyway, Tom arrived home, I mentioned my research and said, "Well, they say once you've had Ebola you're immune to it for 10 years. So let's just rejoice about that part, ok?" He agreed and we went on with our lives.

But then, get this. 

Two weeks later Tom comes home from a doctor visit and says, "Oh and I didn't have Ebola after all. It was e coli. I got the word wrong, but hey remember, I was quite sick at the time."

Seriously. Men, right? ツ

But oh, to have a history with God! To know Him as Friend over decades, to have seen His might by allowing Him to powerfully change us inside.

To believe He'll calm each inner storm so that we may, with experience, ride with assurance the lessened waves---and not freak out at all. 

"A real relationship with Jesus Christ means a rebirth.... When you accept Jesus as your savior, He transforms you, changes how you look at things, and just as importantly, He changes how you act. That is a testimony to God’s transformative grace. In other words, your life is evidence of God’s grace."     --- C.S. Lewis

Oh, and I'm not a fan of the late night shows, per se, but I do enjoy Jimmy Fallon's Hashtag Segments on YouTube. Here's one to get you started. There are many more available. (Okay, okay. Here's one more. heh.)



"Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.  He humbled you..."   … Deuteronomy 8:2,3


"You can trust God and enjoy life while He solves your problems. A refusal to worry is proof that we trust God and it releases Him to go to work on our behalf."   --- Joyce Meyer


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"If you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15