How I Got Over!

Rampaging through the nightstand in my bedroom, I shook my head in disbelief. “How in the world did I collect so much junk?” I asked out loud. Recently, I decided upon a mission to de-clutter my apartment, one small section at a time. Mind set and determined I yanked out the bottom drawer. What I saw inside made me gasp in surprise. My hands trembled as I pulled out a large plastic bag full of various sized medicine bottles.  Two of the medications included a powerful steroid and an inhaler.

Now sitting Indian style on the carpeted floor, my mind drifted back to a time when I desperately had to keep these items with me.  They were either on the nightstand by my bed at night or in my purse during the day.  At that time, I thought I would be dependent upon them for the rest of my life. My mind floated back to September 23, 2014, the clock had just struck 3:00 am. That’s when a simple cough to clear my throat, caused something to loosen up and get lodged into my windpipe. No matter how much I tried to clear my throat, I could not shift it out of my airway.

All alone in my apartment, I began to claw at my neck in desperation as tears began to stream down my eyes.   As the room began to grow dim, I knew I was on the verge of passing out.  Dressed only in my gown, I tore out of the apartment to my neighbor’s door, directly across from me.   Suffice to say, after three visits to the Emergency Room within a five-day period, numerous blood and urine tests, I was finally diagnosed as being severely anemic. It was also discovered that I have GERD, or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease.   It is a digestive disorder that occurs when stomach acid or stomach content, flows back into your food pipe (esophagus).  The backwash (reflux) irritates the lining of your esophagus and causes GERD.  When left untreated, it could potentially lead to Esophageal Cancer, or in some cases, death.

After a three month battle and thirty-four pound weight lost, I started speaking healing over myself.  I had to adopt a ‘Ministry of Words’ that affirmed restoration over my weakened body.  Proverbs 18:21 NIV promises us, “ The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Once I began to speak healing and life, the Holy Creator brought those words into existence. Sure, I still occasionally wake up in the middle of night grasping for air but the Great I Am has mercy on me and unclogs my windpipe each and EVERY time! Thank You, Jesus!  Now, when I look at those dusty, bottle of pills, I shake my head in amazement of God.  For only He could turn what I thought were my only ‘lifelines’ to breathing into long forgotten objects of clutter in my drawer.

Is there something you need to speak life to today? Is it an illness that doctors are calling incurable?  What about a job that you not only enjoy but will pay all your bills?  How about a business that allows you to utilize your God-given talent?  Maybe it’s that college tuition that you have no idea on how you are going to pay?  Whatever it is, take a moment and remind yourself how many times God has already gotten you over in the past.

One of my favorite gospel songs is “How I Got Over” by Aretha Franklin.  Part of the wording is listed below:

Thank You Jesus, thank You Lord

You brought me

You taught me Lord

You kept me

And You never left me

Thank You Jesus

Thank You Lord

How I got over, how I got over

How I got over, how I got over

My soul looks back and wonders how I got over

My friend, no matter how big the obstacle is that’s currently standing in your way.   We must never forget that the same great God who got us over in the past, is the same one who will be a ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ and bring us over once again!