Читать книгу Choose LIFE! - Peggy Scarborough - Страница 2

There are so many whom I would like to thank for their contributions in making this story possible. I am so sorry that I could not place all the thousands of names in this manuscript who prayed, gave personally for the enormous extra expenses, and said special words that gave me and my family strength to go on fighting.

I would like to say thank you to my precious husband and covenant life partner who was always there, as he always is, giving me courage, reassurance of his love for me and faith that I would make it. This was a long, hard road--not only for me, but for a precious family. When Neigel had to be away from me the last two days at Duke to take care of things at home, I wept for the longest time. He is my constant rock of support, by my side not just this time; but as well in another season years ago when death tried its best to shorten my time on earth. He didn't give up on me! He's been an incredible husband, father to our Sherri, pastor and spiritual covering for me. He brings out the best in my ministry giftings, celebrates and supports what God has called me to do in tandem with his own calling. The man you see in public is the same man I see at home--genuine, strong, compassionate, and good. There is no duplicity in him and I respect him for the righteous companion he truly is. God surely gave me a soul mate and best friend when He placed Neigel in my life. It's been a wonderful journey, our years together. I love that guy with all my heart.

My daughter fought like a tiger for me. Sherri was there constantly building my faith. She guarded me and my room. Even doctors knew not to say anything negative to me. When they did, she quickly told them that our minds were made up. I would live and not die. She saw that my every need was met. She spent hours and hours making me look great for even nurses, and for the many who would see me on video sharing my faith in our healing Jesus. Something rose up within her and she became a mighty warrior. I'd also like to commend her for the many things she did behind the scenes that made this book so much better--you won't see her in many pictures here just because she was the one behind the camera in so many of them. The vast majority of the incidents in this book, as well as timelines and dates for each milestone, I could retrace only because she chronicled it all so well on social media. Going through her posts, I'm amazed at the detail with which she preserved every miraculous step forward. She was and is my tireless cheerleader, always injecting humor and encouragement and recognizing every little nudge forward in my recovery. Sherri, you could easily be co-author of this book; because if not for you, I might not have a story to tell!

I could never tell the ones who drove miles to pray for me while I was at Duke how much I appreciated it: Darrell Davis (who is an armorbearer in so many ways to Neigel, Sherri, and me. What a faithful friend.), Richard and Marilyn Dial, Marvin, Shelley, and Melissa Tennant, Bishop Tom Gillum, Dorothy and Don Thomas, and Pam Brewer. Our youth pastor, Freda Browning, and her husband Nolan were there before and during surgery, again at Waccamaw, and after I got home as well. She was with me in those hours like with the surgeon at Duke who wanted to do surgery again and I said “No.”

Special appreciation to all the wonderful members and friends of Socastee Church of God for all their love, prayers, meals, and visits while I was at Waccamaw Rehab in Murrells Inlet. My precious friend who is now with the Lord, Virginia Hucks, was there almost every day, bringing me something to eat that she knew I liked, along with her husband David. There were so many like Gene Johnson, Robert and Caroline Dudley, Amanda and Scott Bennett, Beth and Waye Jordan and their family, Tracy and Joel Enzor, Barbara and Curtis Reid, Azile Allen, Dessie Causey and so many others.

I have to say a special thank you to Louann Hardy who was with me in so many tough situations, taking me to the dentist while at Rehab, taking me to the eye specialist in Charleston, taking me to get Christmas gifts for family, taking me to deliver special gifts to people in meetings in Pee Dee and Myrtle Beach, taking me out so I could just talk, preparing a birthday party for me for Healing School in her home and so many other thoughtful things.

Special love to the Myrtle Beach area intercessors (among them were Anita Walzer, Nancy Kendrick, Jetta Hanna, Linda Harper, Barbara Moore, Jane Green, Bonnie Floyd), and South Carolina intercessors from so many prayer teams such as Judy Jackson "Ox #1" (a delightful story behind this moniker we've hung on one another! Ox 1 and Ox 2!), Dr. Edward Johnson, Rick Lindsay, and hundreds more. Also Kathy Sandlin, a tremendous Cry Out America county prayer leader for Greenville, SC as well as International Cathedral of Prayer Founder, President and Pastor. Thanks to Susan Nesbitt Gibbs, a thoughtful friend who prayed for me, visited in rehab, and cheered me with her kindness and gifts.

To Dr. Marion Spellman, my beautiful, gracious Proverbs 31 sister-friend who called so many times and sent gifts so many times. I don't believe there was a day that went by when she wasn't reaching out in some form--call, card, gift, and especially prayer. We've walked together for many years. I love and trust her so much--and though it's always a given, at this time when I needed it most, I felt that love full-force coming right back at me. She is truly an inspiration in all that she does, and what an amazing work she (President and CEO) and husband Bishop Harold Spellman (Founding and Senior Pastor) do at Peniel Residential Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center in Johnstown, PA.

This book would not be possible without the help of my very close friend from West Virginia, Lisa Crum. She organized prayer conference calls across the nation for me while I was in danger at Duke. She came to visit me at her expense while I was in the hospital at Grand Strand in Myrtle Beach. She cooked for me and my family when I got home, cried with me and prayed with me, took care of my dog and my family. She is one of those prayer partners whom I can call day or night to say, “I need your prayers.” Then she pushed me to write this book and helped me with the editing, inspiration, prepared the cover and gave me many ideas. I could not have done it without her. This is our fourth writing project together in less than four years' time; and I thank her for making it so easy for me to just keep writing and writing as God gives the inspiration. I hope the future holds many more opportunities for us to write and minister together, to chat late nights on the phone and the Internet and pray together on intercessory calls, to be encouragers to one another, and to just have fun. We have a lot of fun and share much laughter together!

Special appreciation to National Prayer Presidents: Doug Small, Kay Horner, Tom Walker and Sara Ballenger for sending their intercessors to the front line to do battle in this war of a life time. I appreciate their allowing me to serve in key positions in this great army of the Lord and for loving me and believing in me. Thanks as well to Doug and his wife Barbara for responding so quickly to the alert that I was in dire straits...that immediate call he made to the hospital to pray and speak peace and healing over the phone line was so timely and instrumental in strengthening my family.

To my special doctors, nurses and staff at the hospitals... To my special family doctor, Dr. William Epperson, who has always cared for our family and encouraged us all the way, always positive and giving me hope. To Dr. Todd Kiefer at Duke University Hospital, who supervised my medical care and was most encouraging to me and my family, never giving up on me. And to Dr. Dana Pournaras, the lovely doctor at Advanced Wound Care at Myrtle Beach, who actually got my bleeding surgical wound healed up. What a Godsend she and her whole staff were.

For the many others my computer just could not remember, please forgive me and know I love you dearly.