Believe In The Master Of Miracles

*Around 8:30, they stopped to eat some sausage they cooked. Papaw got sick right after that. Wesley could tell something was wrong when his papaw stood up in the duck blind. Breard told them he felt uncomfortable, and sat back down on the bench.

*About a minute later they thought he was snoring, but when Doyle nudged him, Papaw didn't respond. They laid him down and started CPR, while Wesley called 911. Within about 20 seconds they got him back to breathing. Wesley was giving 911 directions on how to get to the duck blind. It's close to the Prairion boat ramp, about 25-30 minutes from St. Francis Hospital.

*To save time, they decided to get Papaw out of the duck blind and back to the gate, and they never could have done it without those two extra buddies there that day. They had to lower Breard down the hatch hole, 7 feet down into the boat.

*By God's grace it had just rained that week, so they were able to pull the boat right up to the bank. It took about 15 minutes to get Papaw to the gate, and about five minutes later the ambulance showed up. Dr. Keith White told the family it was a miracle Breard even made it to the hospital.

*Breard had an aneurysm. His aorta artery had stretched out from about an inch in diameter to the size of an eggplant. He also lost 6 units of blood. Dr. White said only 2% of people in his condition even make it to the hospital.

*But for years the family had been praying for Papaw. They were so concerned about his salvation. They often tried to talk to him about it, but Breard refused. The one time Papaw talked to our Katie, he said, "I just can't believe in something I can't see."

*He only had a 50-50 chance of making it in surgery, but God brought him through. I can't describe how concerned the family was about Breard's salvation. A couple of days later, Katie called, and she prayed the most passionate, tearful prayer I have ever heard anyone pray for someone to be saved.

*Breard slowly began to improve, but it was hard to talk to him, because he was in and out so much. He could only stay alert for a couple of minutes before dropping back off to sleep. But I could tell there was something different about him.

*On December 13th, I briefly talked to Breard about how God had blessed him with a miracle. Of course, he knew that already. Then I talked to him about Jesus, His love, and the cross. I knew Breard didn't have the strength to pray on his own. So I told Him if he wanted to trust in Jesus, I would say the words for him and he could pray in his heart.

*He firmly said, "Whatever," but not in the negative way people sometimes do today. Papaw's "whatever" was whatever he could do to trust in Jesus, and he did! Before I left, we prayed again, and as strongly as he could, Papaw said, "Amen!"

*He has slowly continued to improve since then. Papaw actually wanted to be dedicated to the Lord when our grandson John Luke was on December 18th! And one day soon he is hoping to be baptized at his wife's church.