Impact

Renewed, Refreshed, Refocused

 

On January 29th of this year I fell down some stairs and fractured my skull, caused a concussion, and spent eighty days recovering from significant brain damage. Now I am virtually well and I have much to rejoice about. I invite you to join with me in thanksgiving to God for His grace and faithfulness.

 

It was probably five or six weeks after I fell before I could begin to think about what happened and what was going to come of it. Even though I could not write or communicate consistently, I could pray and think about what the Lord was doing. I knew Lynna and my family were with me and that I could count on them, but I did not know what I could do in the future. I prayed constantly and even in my least coherent moments God gave me the grace to pray clearly and truly to Him. Gradually I concluded that my ministry was not over, that the Lord would enable me to teach His truth again. About two or three days after I realized the Lord would use me again, Lynna was sitting next to my bed in my recovery room and said to me, “The Lord is not finished with you yet. You will speak again.” I had not said anything to her about that; it just came from the Lord through her praying. And it has come true. I teach 30-35 men every week and will be teaching pastors three hours every evening from September 26-29 in San Jose, Costa Rica. This comes by the grace of God and tells me three realities that are true about me as I am virtually recovered from my fall.

 

I am Renewed.

 

I have my pre-fall strength and energy restored. I can work full days, use the elliptical machine pretty much as I did before I fell, walk normal distances though not as fast as I’d like, think and write, teach the Wednesday Morning Men some of whom say I’m better than I was before I fell, create a blog like this, edit a book, and write new material as I have in the past.

 

I am Refreshed.

 

I find myself thinking of new approaches, renewing old friendships, and seeking to establish new relationships. I have new ideas, but I also need to develop new approaches to old habits so I can be fresh and effective in ways I have never been before. I know my days are limited, though I have no idea what that limit is, but I want to use my time in the most effective way possible to honor the God who has refreshed me so greatly.

 

I am Refocused.

 

I am refocused on the Lord Himself as I seek to know Him better than ever before. I am more committed than ever to Lynna who took care of me and saved my life on one occasion. She made a huge difference. I am refocused on my three sons who came to be with me and stood by me in my most difficult times. I am refocused on my three daughters-in-laws who sacrificed themselves to release their husbands to support Lynna and me. And I am refocused on my grandchildren who are more precious than ever to both Lynna and me as we realize how wonderful they are, each in a unique way.

 

Renewed, refreshed, refocused—what great ways to recover from a devastating fall.

 

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Bill Lawrence is the President of Leader Formation International, Senior Professor Emeritus of Pastoral Ministries and Adjunct Professor of DMin Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary where he served full-time for twenty-four years (1981-2005). During this time he also was the Executive Director of the Center for Christian Leadership for twelve years.