When God Wants to Slow You Down – He Slows You Down!

I have always known this to be true, but a couple months ago, the reality of this truth hit hard.

It was a typical Saturday morning, and I was making my run through Thabong picking up my guys that attend The Brotherhood at our home. I had just picked up the last guy when I noticed the stiffness in my back suddenly move to my chest. As I evaluated what I was feeling, I decided that it was best to make a plan.

Seeing as I had six guys with me, I decided to inform Johnny, the only guy that knew how to drive. Gotta love those farm boys. “Hey Johnny, I am in a situation you need to be ready for. I am pretty sure I am having a heart attack!” My only option was to drive straight to the hospital as fast as possible, but could I make it? Twenty minutes later I pulled up to the ER door, jumped out, threw the keys to Johnny, and rushed through the doors, yelling, “I am having severe chest pains.!” I threw my phone to Lebo, my right hand, and said, “call Kim and let her know what is going on.”

I don’t know how long I was in the ER before they moved me to the ICU, but let’s just say it was not a joy ride. Many things happened, but none compared to meeting Dr Colyn. While still in the ER, he approached me and said, “Jim, I am Dr Colyn. I know what you do here in SA, and I think it is a wonderful ministry. God needs more like you, so don’t think He will take you home now. I know paying for this is a challenge, but I will do my best to make it easier on you.”

That was my first clear sign that I could see God’s plan in everything happening. Two days later, they took me via ambulance to a hospital in Bloemfontein, 2 hours away, did an Angiogram later that week, placing two stints in my heart, and released me a couple of days after. Diet and exercise are the main focus of my recovery, which has been much more difficult than I expected, but God will get me through this. He has shown me the next chapter of my life. All of what he pointed out to me was it is all about the guys that I have been discipling. Here are a few bullets:

• Hlalefang prayed with a family in the ICU who was at the bedside of a woman who was in a severe accident.
• Nurses regularly commented about the young men visiting me and how impressed they were with their manners and attention to Kim and me.
• The night before they took me to the other hospital, the head nurse of the ICU allowed all 6 of them who were in the waiting room to come and gather around my bed to pray. The visitor limit was two people, and we were way past visiting hours.

Well, that is the story, but it has just begun. God does not indicate that He desires us to return to America. Welkom is where God has called us, and we have much to do. I envision expanding The Brotherhood, but we need to take care of the ones we already have.