Dear friends:

Some old friends in Texas sent me this letter received from a man, a previous stranger, they helped during the hurricane evacuation.  His story is remarkable.  The nail-scarred hand described really touched my heart.    Be blessed.

Jim
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February 3, 2007

Dear Bob and Barbara,

    I’m sorry it’s been so long since I have written to you. I hope you are still at your address. I have just been so caught up in living that I have gotten out of touch with a lot of folks, but I have had something happen to me that I had to write and tell you about. It’s something I would never have dreamed of having happen to me and I had to talk to Brother Robert (my pastor) before I knew what to do. But he told me to please share it with people.

    On December 1, 2006 I was in front of a doctor’s office at ______________ Hospital here in _____________ when I had a seizure and went into cardiac arrest. The doctor called for ICU immediately, but by the time I got there I was flat-lined - I didn’t have a heart beat, brain waves, or respiration. The doctors worked over me for 13 minutes without any success at reviving me. Brother Robert was there and saw them about to give up and pull the plug. But then, I saw something that has changed me forever. Brother Robert saw my vital signs return from being flat-lined. But I saw and felt the Lord’s hand touch me.

    I saw a beautiful man’s hand, and his wrist and part of a white, loose sleeve. But the hand had nail scars in it. He laid His hand very gently and lovingly on my chest over my heart. And it was then that He gave me the life that am living now. This life is not my own – it is the life that He gave me. I have been dead and have come back from the dead by His touch. And, His hand was as firm and as solid as yours or mine.

    I know that still have a lot of carnality and sin in me to be cleansed, and I pray every day that He will wash my heart of its wickedness. I know He can, because of what He has already done for me. According to my neurologist, should have had very severe brain damage, but the brain damage I suffered was almost non-existent, it was so minimal.

    They have implanted a defibrillator (Pacemaker) in me and I am still a little weak from the operation, but I am regaining my strength a little at a time, and I know I’ll be all right after a while. I am having to give up some of my prison work, but I’ll be able to continue some of it. What I’m giving up is because the chaplain is afraid of an emergency situation. But I know that the Lord still has a purpose for me – He wouldn’t have raised me from the dead and let me see what I saw if He hadn’t had that purpose for me. It is so awesome to know rather than to just believe that He exists. It’s an amazing thing. Now I’ll be singing a hymn and just start crying from the knowledge. And when I think a lot about His hand and that tender, loving touch it just overwhelms me. Our Lord is so wonderful.

    I just had to write to you to let you know about this. If you want to, please share this letter with your church. It’s so great a testimony it cries out to be shared. May God bless you both and thank you for having been so good to me during the evacuation.

Much love,

Stephen