"My Story" Tuesday

About 40 years ago, a friend of mine--the one who led me to Christ--shared with me something God had done for her.

Nancy suffered from chronic depression. She became convinced that God couldn't (or wouldn't) help her and that her family would be better off without her. She made the decision to take her own life and began making preparations.

She complained to her doctor that she couldn't sleep. He gave her a prescription for sleeping pills. She filled the prescription, then went to a liquor store and bought a bottle of wine. She took all the pills and drank the entire bottle of wine, just to make sure.

She began thinking about her mother. She didn't want her mother to feel responsible, so she called her. "I just want you to know, Mom, it's not your fault."

"What's not my fault?" her mother asked.

"Oh, nothing. Gotta go now, Mom."

Her mother stewed over this pronouncement for a few minutes, then called Nancy's pastor. Her pastor tried to call Nancy, but no one answered. He called her husband and they went to the house and found her. They called 911.

Her pastor drove to the hospital, praying all the way. "God, if you will spare her, I promise I won't let her go until she is Yours."

She lived. When Nancy awoke, her first reaction was anger. She wasn't dead. She railed at the pastor, at the doctors, at the nurses, at her husband, at her mother. At anyone within reach.

But her pastor persevered. He prayed for her, talked to her, and prayed some more.

It worked. Her whole life turned around forever. I still know this woman, and she is still following the Lord, and she is still leading others to the Lord and the blessings of His love.

The Lord never gives up on us. Prayer works.