One of Those Time Periods

As a Unity minister I have the privilege to be privy to a lot of confidential prayer work and sharing by congregants with what is happening in their lives.  Lately I have been seeing a lot more problems going on with congregants.

I think we go through time periods when several people go through things that are serious at the same time.  I have seen people experiencing situations that are overwhelming with relationships, health, finances, etc.  At these times it feels like nothing is ever going to feel good again.

Coincidentally at the same time I  have been going through old files.  I came across a newsletter from 1998 when I was a spiritual leader at Unity of Ft. Smith, Arkansas.  I included Part 1 about my late husband, Dean Davis', fight to survive.  Several well known people in the Unity movement followed this account so I thought I would share what I wrote in hopes that it may give inspiration to those who are struggling right now.

Dean and His Aneurysm

In the Fall of 1994 at Branson West, Missouri, Dean was overcome by fumes from a truck at his worksite and fell.  As a result of the fall, a basal aneurysm burst in his brain.  It self-healed (a few seconds more of bleeding and he would have died).  After a catscan the doctor gave a very grim prognosis.  Dean had a very rare aneurysm located at the worst possible location in the brain close to the brain stem.  One third of the people die when the aneurysm bursts.  Those who survive have 1/3rd  chance to live until surgery.  1/2 of those who live to surgery die and the half that live usually end up with some type of paralysis.

Discouraged at the grim prognosis, I went to the hospital to pray and think.  As I sat down to pray, I was surprised to hear a black lady call my name.  I was very surprised anyone knew me by name as I had not talked to anyone in the waiting room.

She said I had done the right thing by coming to the chapel to pray and she told me that God was in charge.  She told me to take a red pen out of my purse and to write word for word on blank paper the 23rd Psalms and Psalm 91.  Then she left.  I did as she "suggested" and found that I had shifted my attention from the problem to God.

From the moment that I heard that Dean had fallen and was unconscious, I began to appreciate the small events that began to occur.  Gloria Dixon (Licensed Unity Teacher from Unity Christ Church in Branson) came 30 minutes early to teach a class down the hall from the bookstore that I owned and was there to pray with me the moment that I received the news that Dean was unconscious.  Another friend showed up and helped me arrange help for the bookstore.  And the "angel in the hospital"  helped me to think about God instead of the problem. 

I will continue this story tomorrow.