"BILL GABBARD'S TESTIMONY"

On Saturday 11/18/95, I left my home in Augusta, Georgia to spend the Thanksgiving holidays with my parents, Mr. And Mrs. Arlo Harris of East Bernstadt, Kentucky. On the way through London, Ky. that Saturday night, I stopped at Marymount Hospital to see my dear grandmother, Mrs. Thomas Helton. Little did I know at that time that I would never see her again. I left and went on to my parents house. I awoke at about 6:00 the next morning not feeling good. I started feeling a numbness run through my whole body. I yelled out for my nephew who was sleeping in the room next to me upstairs (he normally doesn't sleep upstairs) to go get his grandmother, I needed her. Both parents came upstairs and I told them to call 911 because something was terribly wrong with me. Well the ambulance arrived and I remember telling my brother to contact my wife and kids in Georgia. You see, they were coming up on Wednesday due to having to work. I was taken to Marymount Hospital and due to seriousness of my condition, was airlifted to hospital in Lexington, Ky. In the meantime my family and in-laws were driving to meet me at hospital in London. Thank God for their safe trip and since my wife had a car phone, my family was able to keep them apprised of my situation. The hospital put me on life support on which I stayed until Thanksgiving day 11/23/95. I was then flown back home where I remained in hospital until 1/3/96.

My grandmother that I had spoke of earlier, left this world on 12/9/95 to be with our God. It's so wonderful to know I'll see her and all my other saved loved ones again in eternity with God. Even though I was allowed to go home, I was like a baby. My wonderful wife (she has a bad back and isn't supposed to lift anything) was able to manhandle me in and out of wheelchair , bed, car, and, bathtub with no problems. God gave her the strength and patience to take care of me. Through God's healing power and intensive therapy sessions, I've been able to learn to do some things on my own and use a walker instead of a wheelchair. Praise God for these miracles. It's been over 6 years since I had my stroke and I honestly believe God was giving me a wake-up call, not to mention a second chance when I had this stroke.

The doctors say I will never work again, but I believe God will soon have me doing something. We have found a wonderful local New Testament church and are learning so much about God that we never realized before. I have now been given the time to learn his word. Psalms 119, verse 71 says it best; "it is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes" (KJV). The doctors also said I wouldn't live and if I did, I would be a vegetable the rest of my life. I'm so glad there is a heavenly doctor that knows more. I was a Christian in a backslidden condition and out of God's will, until he pulled in the reins on me on 11/19/95. However, while lying in ICU that year in Lexington, Kentucky, I asked God to forgive me and I re-dedicated my life to Him. God is a forgiving God and merciful. I thought I would lose everything these past years, but through my faith in God and the prayers of friends and family, I have lived another few years and will spend Thanksgiving at home again, Lord willing, with my family instead of 30,000 feet in the air being flown back to my home. As a matter of fact, I've never been happier, closer to God, my wife, no more financially secure than what I am now. I've turned all control over to God and don't worry about anything because He makes sure I get what I need. It has and continues to take a strong faith in God, a loving family, friends, and a belief in prayer to make it through this valley. But I will make it to the hilltop and will rejoice with my LORD. Just remember, God will never forsake you or forget you as long as you have accepted Him as your personal savior and been washed in the blood of the lamb.

I love everyone with the love of God and if you ever want to write me, my e-mail address is "wcg-djg@mis.net". May God bless you all as he has me.

In his service, Bill and Donna Gabbard
"Talk with Prayer"
Worry, troubles and heartache, they come to us all just when we think we can stand, one of them makes us fall... We don't understand why, these trials the LORD will send- but HE has a purpose, so on "HIM", we will depend... It seems that when, everything is going our way- that we don't talk to the LORD as often, because we don't have as much to say... But when we are hurting, and feel we are in sinking sand-we always cry out to "HIM", and reach for HIS outstretched hand... We find it easy, to talk about the problems we share- and we plead for strength, to help with the burdens we bear... "HE", is with us, no matter what we face and we can make it, for HE has given us sweet grace... So remember on days, when everything goes wrong and for the sleepless nights, that are so very long... That GOD will keep you, in his loving care. HE just wants to talk with you, in a special prayer

Written by Julie Jones of Evans, Ga. on 11/27/96.