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Tomorrow is my fourth anniversary of open-heart surgery. OK, recovery was a little harder and longer that I was given to expect, but today I feel great, and I feel like the anniversary is something to mark. Thanks to some great doctors and lots of prayer, I’m alive. Hallelujah!
Here’s how I’m going to celebrate: I’m going to run to work. It’s almost nine miles from our place in upper Manhattan to our Guideposts offices. That’s doable. I assure you, I won’t go fast. My gym’s a block away from the office, so I can shower there (don’t want to work in sweaty, smelly running clothes all day!).
In the pre-dawn darkness I’ll jog down under the George Washington Bridge; past the Little Red Lighthouse; past Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital, where I had my surgery; past Grant’s Tomb; past the Intrepid, moored at 42nd Street. The sun should be up by then, even if behind some clouds. Then I’ll turn on 34th and head for the Empire State Building, half a block away from Guideposts.
Open-heart surgery is no picnic, and one thing I feel called to do is talk, write or pray for anyone who’s facing it or done it. Know someone who’s going through surgery or recovering from it, any surgery? Tell me about it. I would love to pray for them. You can post a prayer request right here at the bottom of this column.
Praying for others is part of the fuel that keeps me going. On a run when I start thinking, “I can’t go one more block!” I put my mind to a list of people I pray for and the challenges I’m facing start diminishing. I don’t mean that the big hill disappears—or that my worries or anxieties vanish. But they shrink into perspective. The less I think about myself and the more I think about others ... well, you know how good that feels.
I look forward to celebrating your good health, your recovery. Four years ago I didn’t think I’d be running eight or nine miles on a December day. Truth to tell, I’m a little worried about doing it. But I’m sure I can. As long as I think about and pray for the people on that list.
And you!
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Rick Hamlin is the executive editor of Guideposts magazine. His regular prayer habit is a psalm a day and some meditation on his commute to work, which happens to be a New York subway train.
Your Comments
Hi Sharon thanks for think of my family and I.I am still wate for help for my family and I,and I did get a little rest on lay night known that someone care about my family and our situation and we are still hope someone will come in faith with help,but we are keeping on pary for God to send help to us if it his will be done cause hope is all we have now I have tryed with everything in me to get help so now we will let God do the rest in jesus name we give him all the praise amen.Dianne
Pray for my friend, Jane, who has been told that her heart is "very bad".
May Jane find the peace and comfort and reassurance she needs. She is lucky to have a friend like you, June.
Dear God I come to you tonight in pray for June friend Jane that you will giving her strength to be strong and give her frien June strength to be their for her friend.I pray that you will come to my family and I and give us strength to be strong about our financial situation that we need help for rent,lights,water,and food bills in jesus name we pray,Amen.
I had a new heart valve put in this past August. Its been good for the most part but what I struggle the most with is thoughts of things not getting any better.
I can dismiss the thoughts rather quickly but sometimes it is a bit overwhelming.
Dear Billyg,
I know that feeing of fear you face but it's only been a few months and my experience was that it took about six months after surgery for my body and soul to heal. The doctors don't usually say that, but valve replace is traumatic surgery -- I had a valve replaced -- and both your head and heart need recovering. Prayers for you, Billyg. Every day will get a little better and better. best,rick
I hope you are feeling alright sometime our though get's the best of us and I know that at time my thought get the best of me knowing that we are very poor and want have anything for christmas and my only income is ssi benefit and it never enough cause your rent,light,water and food bills change every month and it just hard on me.I pray that God will give me a break from all this worries and send help our way in faith cause without hope and faith I don't have anything and I put all my truth in God that something good will happen for my family and I,and I wish you all the good health in jesus name we pary,Amen
Dear Pink 50
I lead the Prayer Fellowship here at Guideposts magazine and will lift you and your family up for prayer at our next meeting.
I was wondering if you have a subscription to Guideposts magazine? if not, I can set you up for a complimentary subscription to both Guideposts and Angels on Earth.
Let me know if this is something that you'd like.
Sharon Azar
Assistant to the Editorial Staff
Guideposts Magazine
16 E. 34th St.
NYC 10016
212 251 8109
Here is my email spectaculargirl_2007@yahoo.com Dianne.
Hi Sharon thank for the lovely gift you have made me and my family feel a little better known that someone out there care about our situation love to here from you in jesus name we give him all the praise amen.Dianne
Hi Sharon thank you for reply to my post,you have touch my heart with love from God I am so happy for that and I am sad cause my landlord call and told me that I would be eviction from my home where I have live for 20 years and if I can't paid the $582 for rent and my hold heart drop and I am so worrie we don't have any place to go and every where I have try for help no one help telling me they don't have the fund cause it is the end of the year and all the fund have been paid to other.I never though I would be in this bad of shape where I don't have one dollar to my name,and the only income we get is my ssi benefit every month and with everything going up we don't have enough to go around like for my water bill,light bill,food billl an etc for household.I have trys all I know how to get help for my family and I and nothing I do seem to be working,it is hard on me as a mother who can't help her family and we want have anything for christmas and I need help with the rent so bad.You don't know me,but God do and he know I am telling the truth.
That was a good story and I kown you was very careful on your run not to over do youself,could you pray for my family and I on your nexet run that we will have a great christmas and that if it God will someone would come to our recuse with a financial faith bless to help a poor family in jesus name we paryer that we will get help,Amen.
Dear Dianne,
I tried to call you but one of your phone number is not working and the other is constantly busy.
Please let me know how you are.
Sharon
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