My Spiritual Journey Research Paper

I woke up absolutely scared to death. I knew the dream was from God, and I was freaked out about whatever was headed toward my house. Of course, I thought it was going to be about Miranda, but Miranda was not in the dream. I was.

I went to church in the morning and was told by a friend about a woman I had prayed for seven years prior was pregnant. I had seen a vision where this woman held a baby girl. I knew she would have a little girl. When, I heard the word she was pregnant, I began to cry, not because she was getting her promise, but because I was scared to death about my dream. I struggled for two weeks and then settled it with God. I decided I would handle whatever this storm was like Jesus had handled storms. Jesus slept during the storm. I told God I would trust him totally and simply rest in whatever was coming my way.

(Donna weeks before the car accident)
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I must interject here in my worst nightmares I could not have imagined what lay ahead for my family and me.

December 23, 2004, I went to the post office to check on the ministry mail and we had received some financial gifts. I was so thankful. I was thanking God for all He had done in such a short period of time. I was overwhelmed with how fast He had begun and built the ministry and brought such faithful people along side of me to carry the gospel. I was in amazement. I pulled out from the post office to go to the grocery store. It was two days before Christmas and I needed to get groceries for the big breakfast we do at our house Christmas morning with our family. I was sitting at a red light in the far right lane. In Tennessee, right on red is okay, so I was looking to see if any cars were coming. My neck was twisted as far to the left as it would go. Suddenly, horrid pain rushed through my neck and shoulders all the way down to my hands. I did not know what had happened. I began to cry and instantly I knew to go to the hospital. At that point, a very nice man approached my window and said, “Are you

okay?”
I was still crying and feeling horrible pain in my neck. I asked what had happened and he said he had rear-ended my car. He was so kind and very apologetic. I got out of the car and looked at the back. There were only a couple of scratches on my bumper. His car had more damage to the front, but not too severe. A police officer saw the accident and had us pull into an empty parking lot. By this point my neck was beginning to feel numb. Even though I had felt such horrible pain, I decided to not go to the hospital. I wanted to get the groceries. All I could think about was Christmas for my kids. The officer took our information and we left the scene. I did not listen to God and go to the hospital. I should have, but I thought I needed to go and get the groceries. This decision would prove to be – dead wrong!
As the day progressed, I became worse by the hour. I had unbelievable pain and my hands were going numb. I still refused to pay attention to my body even though it clearly needed help. I went on to bed and when I got up on Christmas Eve, I prayed in the shower and asked God to please not let today be about my neck. I wanted my children to enjoy Christmas Eve. I was unable to turn my head, but managed to sit through Christmas Eve morning at my parents and endure Christmas Eve night at Kevin’s parents. By the time we got home, I was scared. It was becoming increasingly more difficult for me to breathe. I felt like I suffocating. I called “Ask A Nurse” and she said to go directly to the emergency room. So, Kevin took the kids to his parents and we went to the hospital. They ran several tests and found no broken bones. The doctor did say she thought I had bulging discs. She sent us home with a pain drug and muscle relaxer. We did not get home until late. Kevin got the kids and put them to bed. Christmas morning was difficult. I was in a great deal of pain even on the drugs. Just the beginning of the nightmare! It is difficult to even recall the year 2005 for me. Words simply will not be able to infuse into anyone how horrible, excruciatingly painful and scary it was. I hope as I write you will grasp the depth of the nightmare and intense horror of the walk.

Donna’s pain is evident days after the accident.
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Within days of the wreck it was evident I was not okay. The pain levels continued to elevate and my hands were numb more often than not. My doctor ordered a CAT scan to see if anything else would show up and it did not. So, he told me to take the pain medication and muscle relaxers. He thought with time I would simply heal. Whiplash is painful but will heal. The pain grew worse and I went back to my doctor within a couple of days. I told him I could not feel my hands and the pain was getting worse. He told me it was probably an emotional response because I had been through a trauma. Boy! That made me mad! It was not an emotional response. I could not feel my hands. I argued with him and he ordered an MRI and an EMG. I left the office frustrated and angry. I was so tired of doctors thinking things were in my head! I had trusted my doctor for years. He is great man and proved to be my advocate all year, but he hit a painful place in my heart when he suggested my hands going numb were from an emotional reaction. I knew I could not feel my hands. I had been accused so many times with my children this time it was the straw which broke the camel’s back. I prayed over my doctor and asked God to show him it was not emotional. God clearly spoke to me, “I will.”

I had a wonderful doctor! He is an internist, who had been my primary doctor for five years when the car wreck happened. So, he knew me and the situation concerning my children. He is a Christian and proved to take great care of me through the entire nightmare! No human could have known what my body was about to do. My doctor was led of God at every turn no matter how horrible or impossible the situation. He was a blessing.
While we were waiting on the MRI dates, my doctor sent me to a physical therapist. I went to a chiropractor too. The physical therapist knew something was bad wrong with me and he expressed it every time I went in to see him. The chiropractor was a Christian and he told me something I would keep in my heart throughout the entire journey. He said healing took, “God, time, and patience!”