“Be joyful always,

Pray continually;

Give thanks in

all circumstances…”

(1 Thess. 5:16-18a NIV)

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Five L-o-n-g Minutes

by Debbie Allen

Listening to the soft sounds of deep sleep still wafting over from my husband’s side of the bed; I raised my sleepy eyes up into the skylight above us. I began to pray silently for the day. Having long understood that every new day offers me an opportunity to go a little deeper with God, I asked Him to teach me more about His Heart, His Ways, and His Character… so I might become a better reflection of His Love to others. Though this wasn’t the first time I’d ever asked God for these things…it was the first time I remember ending my prayer with this request: “Lord…draw my eyes to Your Presence today… and please help me not to miss anything You have for me.”  After a soft ‘amen’ and a smile in God’s direction, I jumped up to get ready; totally unaware of the impact those last few words I prayed would have on me and my husband before the day was over.

Every Wednesday morning, Jim and I meet family for breakfast at a favorite Denny’s Restaurant. The waitresses greet us with a smile, and have a cup of coffee ready and waiting for us by the time we reach the table they’ve already set up for us.  We are so regular as customers here; they don’t offer us menus anymore because our waitress has memorized what all six of us order each time!  Even if we forget, they remember. Talk about predictable! However, about halfway through our breakfast this day, anything labeled predictable disappeared from sight.

After our waitress refilled my coffee, I heard my husband, Jim, sigh so I turned towards him.  He was looking back at me but, after speaking just two words, his eyes closed and his head dropped down until his chin came to rest on his chest. It was almost like someone just unplugged him. Though still in a sitting position, he was out cold.  Nothing could’ve prepared me for that! He’d hardly been sick a day in his entire life. My heart raced at the thought of it.  Holding his limp hand in mine, I slipped my other hand around the back of his neck; lifting his head up while trying to talk to him. I continued looking for signs of a stroke or heart attack, while my sister-in-law frantically called 911. For five l-o-n-g minutes, I spoke into Jim’s glazed, brown eyes, praying the sounds of my voice might stir him back to consciousness. He remained nonresponsive. I felt totally helpless. I couldn’t help but wonder what parts of our life together were about to change…maybe forever.

By the time the paramedics arrived, Jim was stirring once more and insisting, “I’m ok…I feel fine.” After a barrage of questions, the paramedics reluctantly, allowed him to walk over to the gurney waiting for him at Denny’s front doors, and then they loaded him into the back of their vehicle and closed the doors.

As I stood alone in the shadow of the rescue truck that morning, my hands were trembling and my heart still pounding. One “what if?” after another marched, uninvited, into the chaos of my swirling thoughts.  That’s when I looked up to see a young, pregnant, woman walking through the parking lot and heading straight for me.  Though she was a complete stranger, she stopped and wrapped her arm around my shoulder asking, “Are you alright?” Her kind eyes looking into mine, she listened intently while I recounted the morning’s unexpected events.  To my surprise, she grasped my hands in hers and began to pray for both Jim and me. By the time she uttered her sweet ‘amen’, my hands were again steady and my heart much calmer.  Calm enough to drive myself to the hospital where the paramedics took Jim for a second opinion and a more thorough examination. 

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“Lord…You are Peace in my turmoil, Light in my shadows, and the Arm around my shoulders when

my world is spinning.”

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 Long story short, Jim and I left the hospital later that evening with more than thankful hearts.  Though we found it impossible to believe, he received a clean bill of health and was told that this health crisis ‘may or may not ever happen again in his lifetime.’ Jim, who isn’t fond of doctors or hospitals, was perfectly, satisfied with that definite-maybe diagnosis, but my own heart, though grateful, felt compelled to look deeper behind the scenes.

You see, I began that morning with a very specific prayer, asking the Lord to ‘teach me more about Himself, to draw my eyes to His Presence’ and ‘… not let me miss anything He had for me in this day.’  Through the unexpected and chaotic events that followed, I believe God, in His own lavish way, was answering those prayers…and then some.

 I felt the Lord’s Strength in those first few moments I sat holding the limp hand of the one who’d always held mine. I felt His Courage wash over me as I looked into Jim’s empty eyes; eyes that only a few seconds earlier reflected both light and love back to me. I sensed my Lord standing beside me in the shadows of that morning. I felt His Presence in the warmth of a stranger’s arm wrapped tight around my shoulders…and experienced His Peace in the beautiful words that flowed from the prayer this kind stranger prayed for Jim and I.

It wouldn’t be an understatement for me to say that those ‘five l-o-n-g minutes’ in my life that day taught me something I hope I never forget.  Even while standing in the middle of all our life’s troubles; we are able to hang-on to the Goodness and Love of the Lord; acknowledging the Truth that it is only “because of the LORD’s great Love we are not consumed” (Lamentations 3:22). Every step we walk in the direction of whatever God is pointing us towards, draws us closer to His Great Heart; deepening us and helping us to understand a little more of who we are and who we can be, when we find ourselves standing in the Light of His Presence and Love.

“The blessings are sweetest that are won with prayer and worn with thanks.”

–Thomas Goodwin–

Lord and Father in Heaven, remind our hearts in this season of Thanksgiving, that it is the Gift of Your Presence walking alongside us in life that should be the greatest THANKYOU of our life!  Your unfailing Love and awe-inspiring deeds continually leave us breathless. Teach us how we can “let every detail in our lives—words, actions, whatever— be done in the name of Jesus, thanking You, God the Father, every step of the way” (Col. 3:17 msg). Whatever the circumstances, open our eyes to the intrinsic value of being able to choose to walk in the Shadow of Your Presence and Love all the days of our lives!  Thankyou that even in our hardest times, You offer us Compassion and bring us unspeakable Joy.  Thankyou! Thankyou! Thankyou!

In Jesus’ Name We Pray…AMEN