Jerusha: I’m delighted to welcome Christian romance writer Rebekah Millet to the FW Blog today! Rebekah is offering a $20 Amazon gift card to one of you! To enter the giveaway, simply follow the link below to subscribe to Rebekah’s newsletter, and you’ll be entered in the random drawing. And don’t forget to join the conversation in the comments below.
By Rebekah Millet
In the middle of the night I woke to the sound of footsteps rustling in my dark bedroom, and a solid weight settling on the corner of the bed. I blinked my eyes open, clearing the blurriness of sleep.
My husband (thirty-eight at the time and seemingly healthy), sat hunched over, a hand pressed to his heart. “It feels like an elephant’s sitting on my chest.” One thing to know about my husband—he never complains.
I shot up. “Do you want me to call an ambulance?”
When he didn’t answer with an immediate no, I knew it was serious. I dialed 911 for the first time in my life, fear weaving its way through my veins.
My husband’s heart attack came out of nowhere. For him, it came down to genetics. And it came down to God’s grace in saving him that terrifying night.
As you can imagine, I was a mess. Here I was, in my thirties, with two small kids, and the rock of our family was heading into a serious surgery. But that entire time, God was with us. I literally cried out to Him, and He heard. He healed. He comforted. Never had King David’s pleas to the Lord felt truer to me.
Out of that dark night, and the weeks following, fear was a daily snare for me. Every morning I’d hold it together until I’d dropped the kids off at school, and then I would ugly-cry to God, all the way home.
Between the sobs I spoke to Him, poured out my anxieties. And every single day, He comforted me. I actually began looking forward to that time with Jesus, when I didn’t have to hold it together in front of the kids and my husband. I could release it all to God.
As time wore on, and we returned to a “new normal,” I began seeing the good that came from my husband’s health scare. Because of that trial, we all drew closer to God. We reexamined our priorities.
For years before this, I had been praying his job would be less stressful, and that the Lord would lead him to become openly dedicated to Christ. A job opportunity arose for him, one that only the good Lord could have provided. Had my husband not gone through what he did, I don’t think he would have taken it. The new position was a total shift from the corporate ladder he’d been climbing his entire career.
This new job was and continues to be a miracle. Gone are the late hours and working weekends. Gone is the stress that plagued him.
A year later, we were at an outdoor baptism ceremony for our oldest son. God spoke to my husband in an undeniably awesome way (and boy, is that a Fear Warrior testimony to share another time). That day he went forward and publicly declared his allegiance to Jesus.
Besides those two major blessings, this trial has also helped in my writing as a Christian romance author. It’s opened my eyes to showing more of God’s grace and mercy in my stories, and how instrumental He is. It’s brought an authenticity to my characters’ relationships with each other, and God.
There are still health issues plaguing my husband. But the positives that sprouted, and continue flourishing because of God’s grace and love, outweigh the negatives.
God is good, my friends. And ever faithful.
Have you faced a health scare and fought the fear? Have you seen God bring good out of hard times? Please share!
Rebekah Millet is an award-winning author of contemporary Christian romance novels. Although she considers herself a plot-driven writer, her characters have a tendency to hijack her plans.
A New Orleans native, she loves injecting her colorful culture into her stories. You can find Rebekah on all social media platforms where she frequently interacts with followers and fangirls over her own favorite authors.
Visit Rebekah at her website and connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Get her updates by signing up for her newsletter (see giveaway chance below, included with sign-ups this week).
GIVEAWAY
Rebekah is generously offering a giveaway of a $20 Amazon gift card to Fear Warrior Blog readers! For your chance to win, simply follow this newsletter link to sign up for Rebekah’s newsletter! (Please mention in the comments below if you entered the giveaway by subscribing to Rebecaa’s newsletter. Winner randomly selected May 28, 2018.)
Comments 25
Ten years ago last January my beloved husband hit black ice on his way to work- driving up the mountain- flipped his jeep, after shearing off a tree and broke his neck in 2 places with a displacement…every surgeon that handled him told us he should have been a paraplegic- oh but the grace of our loving God!! He held us all…in every way! Blessings to you all
Becky, thank you so much for sharing that! What a scary time it must have been for you and your husband. Isn’t our God amazing?!
Awesome testimony. There have been so many times God has come through for me. While I don’t want to go through another trial, I love the comfort I get in those trials when I’m wrapped in God’s cocoon of love.
Thank you, Patricia. And Amen! God’s hold is so secure and mighty!
We would never ask for these times, but we would never have a do-over without them for all God does through them and all He teaches us in them.
So true, Sharon! So very true! Thank you stopping by and commenting. 🙂
It’s amazing what God does when we’re facing difficult times. Thank you for sharing your story, Rebekah!
Hey Kelsey! It really is amazing what He does for us, and what He continues to do! 🙂
Great post. Thanks for sharing God’s work in your life and the encouragement of seeing Him in action.
Aw! Thank you, Anne. And thank you for stopping by today. Hope you have a blessed week. 🙂
What a moving post, Rebekah! I’m amazed at how tangible our God is during rough times! He is SO faithful! Thank you for sharing.
Hey Rach! Thanks for stopping by and for sharing this post on your site. YES! Our God is faithful! It’s humbling all the blessings He bestows.
I subscribed to your newsletter.
Thank you, Martha! Hope you have a blessed week. Best of luck with the drawing. 🙂
Author
Congratulations, Martha! You’re the randomly selected winner of Rebekah Millet’s gift card giveaway! You’ll be contacted via email with more details. Thanks for entering!
I loved hearing more about this, Rebekah. I know in my life it’s the trials that have grown me the fastest. When I really got James 1:2 Consider it all joy… Still. It’s so hard when your in the midst of it. Thanks for sharing.
Hey Robyn! *waves* You are so right. When you’re in the midst of it, it’s hard to see the good, and remember God’s promises. Thank goodness He never forgets.
Thanks for sharing your story with us! Very edifying.
Hi MJ! I’m so glad you enjoyed hearing one of my testimonies. Thank you for reading and commenting! 🙂
Thank you for sharing your heart. In the midst of one trial many years ago, God said to me, “You have two choices. Walk with me or walk away from me.” And that has helped me stay the course against the fear of the unknown and the weight of despair again and again when trials stand in my road.
Hey Tina! What a powerful moment that must have been for you! And what a blessing to call up that memory whenever fear has tried to sneak in. Thank you for sharing.
I never realized until you just said that, what a blessing that is. Thank YOUUUUU!
God works in amazing ways! Have a great day! 🙂
signed up to your newsletter. I had a health scare a few years ago. I had a blood clot and mystery infection that i was hospitalized for a week, it was pretty scary not knowing what was going on. All is well now though. Thank you for sharing your story
Hi Amanda! Thank you for signing up for my newsletter and for sharing your story. I’m so sorry you had to go through that scare. Not knowing what’s going on is one of the worst feelings. So glad you’re all better now. 🙂