ann kiemel

in 48 hours, i will be
walking through the doors
to begin rehab. my clothes and necessities and
Bible are packed. ready to load.

health care today is an entirely
different fork in the road. there
we stood:  my sponsor, adela. the
initial intake guy...and the very
top facilitator re: who will be
accepted into the rehabilitation
program, and financially, reliable
enough to enroll.

four of us.
and Jesus.
the pin-point center
of my soul was as quiet
and still as fog that has suddenly
rolled in, and the possibility of
my acceptance looked dismal.

as if i was jumping out of an
airplane 10,000 feet up. if Jesus
didn't catch me, i would splatter
dead center at the bottom of the
grand canyon.

or, God could swoop His massive
arms under me, and save me.

"16 years ago," i began to share, "i
promised Jesus
that if He would deliver me
from my addictions, there was
nothing i wouldn't do for Him
the rest of my life. addictions to
performance and praise were
at the top of my list; pain pills
followed. Jesus kept His end of
the bargain. so did i. until.....

"after almost a year, and four
major surgeries on my feet,
and wild, crazy pain, i have
once again found myself
starving for freedom. pleading
for the sweet taste of deliverance
again. there is almost nothing
worse than being enslaved.
nothing. "

suddenly....almost sounded..
almost ...as if a robe was blowing
in the wind, we all sensed someone
had entered the room. i saw
that the one who carried the
power among us, grabbed tissues,
and began blowing her nose. then,
we all had  tissue. we all began to
weep.

"ann, it has come to me that
if you could pay the half up front,
$3,850.00, and the rest at the
end of 30 days, we'd make you
the exception. and continue to
get medicare, and your supplement insurance to pay their part."

"Yes!!"

i have enough savings for the
first half. and God's arm is never
too short. it will take all i have,
but Jesus poured out all He had.

when Jesus enters a  room,
and no one can deny it,
"who am i that i should
choose my way? the LORD
shall choose for me.
tis better far i know...so let
HIM bid me go or stay."

i plan to blog to you
every day. i long for your
prayers. a journey i can only
make if Jesus runs this course...
and sustains me. for each of us
entrapped in addiction, it takes
a Power greater than ourselves
to be set free.

unhinge the gates.
make the path smooth.
running from glory to glory.
flow, River, flow.

thank you.
thank you so.....for every
post of encouragement.
for every dollar given.
please forgive me for not
being better at showing
gratitude. for now, please
just know.

colben