Test Of Faith
Almost 3 years ago, January 7, 1990, I went into an auditorium for a church service. I had been to other services like this in the past, and thought it was great when people accepted Jesus as their savior at one of those services, and later when the altar call was given, I found myself at the front with others. I accepted the Lord that day, a new person was created. It was the most joyful day of my life.
Fourteen months later my faith was put to a test in an auto accident on March 19, 1991. My car went off the road and hit a large oak tree. It took the rescue workers one and a half hours to get me out, the local hospital was about 15 miles away and they tried to stabilize my condition.
My chest was smashed and my lungs were so bruised that I required help to breathe. From the waist down, almost every bone in my body was broken, both hips, pelvis, both legs and both feet, the left ankle was crushed , as was the left heel.
The doctors tried to stabilize my condition but were unable to as it continued to deteriorate. They decided to send me to the trauma center in Little Rock, about an hour ride by helicopter. They told my Pastor not to get his hopes too high as I had about a 10% chance of even being alive when I got there, (I need to tell you that all these things are just as I was told, as I have not memories for a period of about 10 days prior to the accident and until after I came out of Intensive Care 41 days later) I was still alive however, and over the next three days I had two sessions of surgery, one 14 hours long and one 8 hours.
After 2-3 weeks my condition continued to fail My mother has been at the hospital for several days and had gone home. My kidneys had failed and I was on dialysis. My liver was also failing, and there is nothing like dialysis that can be done for failure of the liver. I was still on a respirator also. The doctors told my family that if they wanted to see me while I was still alive they should come to see me then. Two of my children came to see me and shortly after, my mom came again.
About a week later, for no apparent reason, I just started to get better. The doctors did not know why. I do! There were people all over this country praying for me. Quite a few were right here in this church. Isn't it wonderful to know that we worship a God who hears all of these prayers. I want you to know that God can do miracles. You are looking at one. My lungs work. My kidneys work. My liver works and after a bone transplant in my right knee my body works too. Well enough that I can walk with a cane and even without it! Praise the Lord!
Ted Koester