Page 61 - RiseUpWarrior

Chapter 26 60 I am going to be honest with you. It startled me. For be pain ahead, but to be honest I didn’t expect as much one, I had not asked for His healing, because I assumed pain as it was. This hurt real bad. that all I had was a normal fu virus! So I started think- But back when God asked, I had no choice. I said ing, “Why would God promise to be with me through YES. this? Through all of what?” To be honest, I didn’t know He was going to give me an- The only answer I could come up with was that it was other health issue. I thought it would be work-related. going to be a hard trial, and He was warning me ahead of time. But then I caught something that seemed like the fu, only it hung on longer than normal. I had some other I hope you don’t close your ears to what I am saying weird symptoms like shaking hands, weak legs, and I here. I know that God can heal us, and does heal us was losing weight. all the time. On this particular occasion, God told me before I even knew that I was really sick, that He was I lost a whole month of work, hoping to get better be- NOT going to heal me. fore we went to the doctor to fgure out what I had. It took another week for the tests to come back; I had The only explanation I have is that God allows the en- hyperthyroidism. A random urinary tract infection had emy to do things against us from time to time, when He triggered my thyroid into over-drive, and it was caus- knows that it will be in our best interest in the long run. ing too many symptoms to ignore, like tackicardia, and God needed to strengthen Dwight and me for the work things that could really do damage to me. He had planned in our future for us to do. I believe he used the appendix bursting and consequent drug fasco And so, we got all set up on the medication and start- and fnancial burden to do just that. ed in on month-one of what the doctors’ said will be a multi-year process of getting my thyroid back to nor- But that was not the end of my health problems. Having mal. After just one month, my tests showed that the my intestines all jumbled made for a weak stomach, so doctors frst guess was right on track and I just needed I ended up getting sick often when we would eat out at to stay taking the pills at this level for a while, and then restaurants. slowly back them off. But that was not the end of my health problems. The only problem was that I was left with some nue- Then came living in the Sonoran desert. I lived there ro-muscular weakness. This had me barely able to walk, for 6 full years with my parents, as well as an additional and lasted for about 6 weeks. I used the motorized carts 7 years of multiple trips a year. This was followed by at Wal-Mart and a cane for getting from the car to the living in the same desert with my husband for 6 more store. It was like “dejavue”, learning to walk again, and years. The area is primarily agricultural, and apparently being very limited in what I could do each day. My there are chemicals they use in the felds that are not so mind wasn’t clear enough to do anything with it, so I healthy. In time, I burnt my lungs to the point that I can was stuck with a fuzzy mind and a weak body. hardly visit the area without hacking till I’m blue in the There I was stuck at home, watching movies or taking face. We tried all kinds of doctors, but I was basically up new hobbies that don’t require much energy. I started on multiple allergy medications a day. painting like a regular artist. Then the migraines started. They started slowly, but After too many weeks had gone by, we decided some- then built up to a minimum of at least 2 a month. We thing had to be done at the shop if the curriculum was don’t know yet why I have them, although I suspect it going to get done. Now we had this great new staff in was my daily diet coke habit. I gave up my diet coke, the creative team, and we needed to make some chang- but we haven’t yet been able to kick the migraines yet. es. They couldn’t continue to wait on me while I lay Then one day this fall, God says to me, “Are you around sick at home. ready for some more?” I immediately wanted to say So we placed my brother Jon Kangas as the interim Nooooooooooooooooooo! head of my team, and gave him the assignment of get- But then I remembered that sticky commitment to nev- ting the new materials done in time for the new release. er say no to God. I struggled all day. God wanted me Unfortunately for him, by this time our ministry had to submit to Him for another challenge. Oh, and I had grown to the point that there are thousands of churches learned that HIS challenges were not easy at all! More waiting for the new material, and anxious for its release. pain ahead. I recall that I actually assumed there would Also unfortunately for Jon, he was left the hard part of