On August 11th, 2020, an incident occurred that will forever change my life. I was working on a project for a friend when as I was cutting a small piece of wood diagonally on a sliding compound miter saw. The blade caught, sending it sliding toward me and over my left hand. Since I was putting downward pressure on the saw blade, it incidentally just about cut through my hand, tearing bone and tendon. Shaun rushed me to the ER. As the ride was about 45 minutes from the hospital, the closer we got the more intense the pain. I had been holding my cut hand with my good hand. When we got to the ER, the first thing they started to do was to separate my hands, stuck together with dry blood. I asked if they could first give me something for the pain which they promptly did. After that, there was a whirlwind of events that took place. I could probably write a small book about the things that have happened since then, but I will try to just focus on a couple of highlights.
The Importance of the Hand
Our business, as you all know, is related to making things by hand. So our hands are very important to our livelihood. During the months that followed, I realized how frustrating it can be not to have full function of those “tools” we use on a daily basis.
From the moment the incident occurred, I felt an incredible peace and had such clarity to recognize this was no accident. It was a clear orchestration of God to bring about His purpose in my life.
When you so clearly experience the blessings from the Lord on a daily basis, as we do, one can easily take so much for granted and not recognize how valuable those blessings are. This has clearly increased my sensitivity to this.
As the days and weeks passed, there were so many encounters and communication with people that I could see clearly orchestrated to bring God glory.
The path was certainly not all smooth, but it was clear. For months I could not do anything as my hand was healing. It provided more time to be in the Word and increase intimacy with my Savior and Lord. During this time, it helped me dig deeper into subjects of spiritual importance. Helping me grasp the Word of God in new ways. Allowing me time to test some of my beliefs as to their validity and genuineness. I have come to recognize that it is not hard to accept things that one has been taught. Yet it can be more challenging and even more important to verify for oneself, through diligent study of God’s Word, that which we believe is true. Like the Bereans did as they listened to Paul’s teaching.
The Importance of the Gospel Message
One of the things that has been growing in my understanding is the importance of the Gospel message for life. We can believe what the Bible says about so many things. We can teach and emphasize those things as we work in the workplace, have time with our family, or fellowship with other like-minded people in the church. But the most important thing is to be able to help others around us hear and understand the message of the Gospel.
I’m not an evangelist, as such, but I recognize that all believers have a responsibility to proclaim that message. I have not been as active in this arena as I should be. This time has made me more aware of that and has helped me see the importance of it.
It is easy to do any work I like and talk about things that interest me. Yet I realize that helping people see that they are sinners, going to be eternally judged and punished, in need of saving, is the most important thing I can talk about with anyone.
During this past year-plus, I have, in spite of the challenging times, seen God’s hand at work in my life. He has continued to bless in so many ways. Providing for our financial needs, our physical needs, and spiritual needs.
The Impact On My Hand
Just this week I had an additional procedure done to remove a suture that was still under the skin. It had remained infected and created a large knot of scar tissue that was painful when bumped or pressed. When using my splints, it was a constant pressure of pain. Because it took so long for the basic healing to take place, the splints have had minimal impact on improving the functionality. I realize that I only have between 50%-75% of the functionality in my hand. My MCP joints are basically frozen and the PIP and DIP joints have a minimal range of motion. Even my wrist has retained much less range of motion than I had hoped for. I am, with some difficulty, able to touch my fingers together, but with very little strength to hold things, especially smaller objects. I am still extremely thankful that I have a hand and that, for the most part, I have feeling and sensitivity where I need it: in the palm of my hand and in my fingers and tips.
How does it impact my work? I am able to use it. Just the other day, I put in shelving in our pantry, with some help from the family and with minimal frustration. However, it does make me more dependent on those around me to help with things that were easy for me to do before, but which cost me more effort now or leave me with an inability to do without help. I am finding other ways of accomplishing certain things and utilizing other means.
The Important Takeaways For Me
The most important relationship that anyone can have, is an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.
Spend time cultivating that relationship!
Don’t take ANYONE in life for granted! I’m alive and well, but things could have been different.
Spend quality time with your family!
Don’t take ANYTHING in life for granted! Things can permanently change in a fraction of a second.
Live as if every second counts… BECAUSE IT DOES!
I will continue to seek to do everything in my life to bring Glory to God. That is why we called our business For God’s Glory Designs.
I am thankful for the impact that this is having on my life, even though it has brought about many challenges. I would not change it for anything. Without question, I know that God is in control of all things and that this will be used to bring about His purpose in my life. To maximize the glory He will receive from my life, my family, and our business!
The most important thing you could take away from this is: if you don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, recognize that you need that relationship.
Please take the time to read the following key points of the Gospel Message.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ
Source: Salvation ABC’s by JD Farag
Today is the day of Salvation: Why would anyone put off the most important decision they could ever make concerning eternal life? If you die today, are you going to Heaven or hell?
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 – The apostle Paul tells us what the gospel is: “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”
Gospel means “good news.” Your debt has been paid, the death penalty has been paid, you are free
Here’s the Gospel of Jesus Christ: That Christ died for our sins, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures
Jesus brought in a little child as a living object lesson to show who enters the Kingdom of Heaven.
Matthew 18:3 – Jesus said: “Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” This is how to be saved, it is simply childlike, as simple as ABC:
A Admit that you are a sinner. This is where Godly sorrow leads to genuine repentance for sinning against a righteous God and there is a change of heart, we change our mind and God changes our hearts and regenerates us from the inside out.
Romans 3:10 – “As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one.”
Romans 3:23 – “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (We are all born sinners which is why we must be born spiritually in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.)
Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” The bad news is that the wages of sin is death, in other words our sin means that we have been given a death sentence, we have the death penalty hanging over our heads, that’s the bad news. But here’s the good news,
The good news is that the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Ephesians 2:8-9 – “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
B Believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Jesus from the dead. (This is trusting with all your heart that Jesus Christ is who he said he was.)
Romans 10:9-10 – “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
C Call upon the name of the Lord. (Every single person who ever lived since Adam will bend their knee and confess with their mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Lord of lords and the King of kings.)
Romans 14:11 – “For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.”
Romans 10:13 – “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Don’t wait until later – do this now!
