Miracles Continue

When unexpected nice things happen, it really makes me smile:) So many things have happened as a result of our “life storm” with Brewer in January. I just don’t know where to begin to write at times. Blows my mind how something so terrible can be followed by so much good, no, GREAT!

It’s kind of like experiencing one of the recent REAL STORMS in Columbia and the next day…all the darkness, strong winds, thunder, and sideways rain…all gone. Instead, the sun is shining bright…the birds are chirping…big, white puffy clouds…and all the colors in nature are just so vivid. This is just how life has shaken out since Brewer’s stroke. The storm passed and, I might add, he is doing well physically, considering where he was. But he is doing even better spiritually which is a huge praise and a very direct answer to my BOLD prayers.

One thing I would like to share is that his stroke gave me much to journal. I gained hourly visuals of God at work. A true testimony of looking for God in the storm and seeing HIS MIGHTY HAND. Recording a wide gamut of emotions from……paralyzing fright, to being dumbfounded, to trembling, to sheer joy. All of which I have shared and will continue to share. Miracle after miracle…..from literally locked doors opening without explanation to Brewer vomiting up the ventilator which they said was IMPOSSIBLE.

Brewer saw his new internist in Greenville for the first time this week. He told Brewer, “I had to stay up and do my homework on your medical history and the recent events and, WOW! Brewer, you are a true MIRACLE!” God is faithful to keep reminding Brewer of the miracle we all got to experience as well as the subplot of miracles that are still happening and He is not allowing Satan to try and convince Brewer differently.

In case you don’t know or have never experienced when God shows up and shows out, Satan will come in and try to make you believe differently in the most subtle ways. Thankfully, through wise counsel, God enables me to effectively banish the enemy away. He is like a boomerang. He keeps coming back but God is faithful to give me the eyes to see the attacks for what they are and faithful to remind me to use scripture to shield myself and others.

In the midst of the OUTPOURING of love and encouragement from so many people, one of the tremendous blessings has been reconnecting with people who never were gone but maybe a good word was “dormant’ in our lives and Brewer’s. He for sure was overcome by the people who CARED and reached out. HE really never realized how many people cared and loved him. That is yet another “sub-miracle” that I didn’t even know would so encourage Brewer in his young life.

For me, I don’t even know where to begin to share ALL ALMIGHTY GOD IS DOING. If you have ever read anything I have written, you know I place a high value on relationships. That is something money can t buy and death can’t take away. Through this life storm, God, in His perfect way, ”woke up” and “renewed” a relationship from long ago.

I’m gonna do my best to share…this blog/journal could get long…but I promise it won’t be boring….so here goes….

About ten days after we got Brewer out of the hospital and back to our home in Columbia to recover, I began to get my feet back under me. I went to bed on the 2nd Saturday at around 8 p.m. leaving everyone else watching TV. This is my normal routine. I was reading through texts on my phone trying to respond to so many who I just had not had the opportunity to respond back to before that point. While I was doing that, my dear friend Frances texted me.

Frances is a friend whom I met through church years ago. They were in our Sunday School class. Both she and her husband are physicians. We have much great history as friends, but today Frances lives in Anderson, not Columbia. She visited us while Brewer was in the hospital and it was so great to catch up. She is the kind of friend I can go without talking to for months then call and find that we never missed a beat:)

Anyway, I read Frances’ text. She was sharing that her son Daniel, a student at the University of Tennessee, had a life change due to reading my blogs and Brewer’s journey. She was making sure I had seen Daniel’s inbox on Facebook. I stopped to open my laptop to find and read it but I did not see one from Daniel so I just called Frances. She explained that since Daniel and I weren’t friends on Facebook, I would have to look in the other folder to find his message. (I never check this folder.) She directed me there while we were on the phone. Once I got there I told her I would call her when I found it.

I was a little, no, a lot overwhelmed to find over 500 inboxes there! Unread ones. I scrolled and scrolled to find Daniel’s which I found and read and posted. It was so encouraging to me. While I was scrolling, I ran across a name that caught my eye. It was from a childhood friend who is now very famous. At first I didn’t think it was the REAL Todd but as I read his message, I knew it was him. He wrote things only the real Todd would know because we went to Westminster High School together.

I responded and let him know that his message about Brewer and my journaling was so kind as were their prayers for us. Oddly, and shockingly, he immediately responded back. Todd lives in California part-time. His message was 2 weeks old and for him to be online at the exact time I messaged him back was ALL GOD. We chatted online that night for about an hour, just basically catching up on years and Brewer. He sent me his cell number and we decided we would get together this summer when I was in Nashville. He is extremely busy so I plugged his number in and decided I would contact him the first of June. As God would have it, about two weeks later I texted him to ask a question and he responded with an update on all that had transpired in his life since we talked last. One thing he told me was that he and his beautiful daughter were presenting at the CMA awards so I made sure I watched. They were fabulous by the way.

The next day, after my quiet time and just getting home from working out, God just placed it on my heart to text him what I thought about the awards show. I told him they did a fabulous job and that Savannah was beautiful. I also told him that I loved Julie’s new haircut, his wife. Within minutes, he Facetimed me. I thought he probably had butt dialed me by mistake but I answered and there he was. It was so funny. I said, “What are you doing Facetiming me?”

He turned the phone around and said, “Do you know these people?” It was friends of mine from Columbia along with their daughter. They had walked up to Todd to have a picture made with him. He graciously asked where they were from. When they said Columbia, he said, “Wow! I just got a text from my friend Sherry in Columbia.” So he decided to FaceTime me.

Can you see God’s timing? I had texted him right at the time friends, who I had no idea where they were or what they were doing, had walked up to him, a stranger, to get a picture. Tell me GOD doesn’t have all of time in His hands and I will tell you that you are CRAZY. No coincidence at all.

Todd hung up, paid the bill at the restaurant, and then called me back. We talked for an hour. He continued to share with me all that God was doing in his life. He is so down to earth and just a GOOD man, not to mention a good friend. He took the time to listen to all God was doing in my life. I told him about my new book and asked him for an endorsement. With that he said, “Of course, but who is publishing it?” I told him I didn’t have one yet but that I was going to market it to publishers. He then said, “Oh, I will help you.” He even said, Sherry I have been a fan of yours my entire life…… He recounted watching me in the Miss America pageant years ago.

People, I didn’t know what to do. Cry? Throw the phone? I thought, “Am I dreaming?” Of course, once I hung up the phone Satan was in my ear saying, “He didn’t mean it. Don’t take advantage.” He called me a name like “free-loader”. I had to rebuke the enemy as I have learned to do. And you know what? He not only departed, but Todd called back inviting me to LA giving me dates of options to come and I asked could I bring Collins and Marcia, my sister, since she was a childhood friend as well. I mentioned to him that Collins had just recently ask me to go to LA on a mini vacation. He said sure, his wife Julie even texted me to ask what was Collins’ bucket list for L.A. If it wasn’t in a text, I would have really thought I had imagined the question. When I told Collins and Marcia they were in…….

Honestly, I don’t know what God has for my future. I work hard at not running ahead of Him. I do know writing and speaking are HIS call on my life for the Back 9. I have always written for the “one” it might help and encourage to turn to Jesus. Never in a million years did I imagine all that God has been doing. Of course I know that God can do ANYTHING, but all I can say at this point is that God does do more than all we can ask or imagine. HE has to find us faithful in the little things before He can bring bigger things.

Please pray for me to remain a faithful and trustworthy servant to the King of Kings and walk through any door that He may open. Trust me…IT WILL BE God who opens them. Yes, I am in Los Angeles. A leap of faith and a chance to catch up with a childhood friend and meet his incredible family. The Chrisley’s are incredible people and fame has not polluted them one bit:) They are still down home and very gracious. I can’t wait to watch their continued success and see them put to work all their gifts. God is not just GREAT…He is faithful and HE still performs MIRACLES today. I am still living one… Ephesians 3:20,”Now to Him whois able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.”

Point of post… the goodness of God and HIs mighty power that will be displayed in anyone who desires to follow Him and be obedient to HIs call on their lives and 2nd know God is in the storm and it can be a “hurricane,” but if we keep our eyes on Him, He is faithful to comfort, provide and bring something good from something bad. We just don’t get to say what or when. I give God all the glory, honor and praise for working all things for good to those who love Him and are called according to his purpose.
“True friendship is seen through the heart, not the eyes.” I am grateful for heart friends:)

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