I got this email from Jason Phillips, a CrossBridger, who survived a night time boating accident when his boat ran aground and he was hurled out of it. He gave me permission to share it.
Good morning Pastor Kirk:
Your message last Sunday stirred so many emotions from my accident. As you were going through the part about building your house on a foundation of Christ vs the 6 P’s….I was taken back to the night of the crash….after being taken to the ER….laying in that trauma room….staring up at those warm bright lights….I can tell you with absolute certainty that the 6P’s meant NOTHING!
I hope you’ve never experienced anything like this and never do….Once you are placed on the treatment gurney, they take your wallet, your phone, ALL of your worldly possessions. They cut your clothes off and you are deprived of everything you know and love, totally vulnerable to the caregivers. In my case, I didn’t even have family available as I was far from home. It was abundantly clear to me that none of the status symbols that our world holds so dear meant a thing at that point. My 401K balance, my house value, my net worth, my title at work, my toys….all meaningless. I won’t say I was ever fearing for my life…but it was a concern. After all, I had a broken jaw, facial lacerations…and I couldn’t feel any pain….what else was I NOT feeling??? After a while in the ER, I got to experience the CT Scan tube….basically they put you on a board, strap you down and tell you NOT to move as they insert you in to this “tube”. Again, total isolation and no movement allowed.
In those moments….I was focused intently on my faith, my family, and to keep myself relaxed, I concentrated on my next breath. As long as I could draw air in, I’d be OK…as crazy as that may sound. Those 6P’s didn’t survive the heat….they melted and wilted very quickly when confronted by a severe storm. Your message was spot on…as usual. I just pray, as I know you do, it doesn’t take a serious life event (like mine) to allow people to hear the truth! It’s sad that sometimes the good Lord has to hit us upside the head with a bass boat to get our attention!
On the adventure with you,
Kirk Freeman