‘God has been beside me the whole time’

Butch Mills
Published: February 9, 2008

Many people hurt because of broken relationships, deaths, disease, accidents, hunger, homelessness, war, addicions, etc.
No matter how cautious we are, we all encounter suffering.  We have hope in God as believers.  Without God how can we deal with suffering-

As Christians, we believe in Christ through the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit teaches us and gives us wisdom. 

As Christians, we ask God into our hearts; we build a relationship with him through his word and prayer every day.  The Holy Spirit and God's people are our support.

My accident was Aug. 30. I e-mailed my pastor that day and said "may the Lord bless your every breath today."  I also left my wife a message that day, which could have been the last time I spoke to her.

I had repaired a pipe and was ready to exit up a ladder when the dirt caved in behind me.  I was crushed and could hardly breathe.  An inner voice told me I'd be all right, just listen to my rescuers.  The rescuers coached my breathing for several hours.

My rescuers couldn't reach me; I had to connect myself in a harness.  I had a crushed shoulder, another broken shoulder, three fractured vertebrae, a broken sternum, all ribs broken but one, and other injuries, and was not able to breathe normally.

I was conscious throughout the entire rescue until I got to ground level. Many people prayed the entire time of my rescue.

I was flown to U.Va., in a coma, with pneumonia for two weeks. My lungs were not working.

A prayer vigil was held to pray for my lungs to start working on Sept. 11 at the Floyd Binns Middle School.  Approximately 300 people attended.  Adults and children of all ages prayed; this would become a part of my healing. The next day my "too busy to talk" thoracic surgeon showed my wife and sister a computer image of my lungs beginning to work the evening before. 

He was amazed because they had prepped me for an extensive hospital stay and even a lung operation, which became unnecessary. 

Twenty-five days after entering the hospital I was moved to a rehab center, in a wheelchair. Eight days later I walked up and down a flight of stairs. 

On the tenth day I went home. I received prayers from all over the world.  A friend of mine contacted a prophet in Texas who said God told him I would be shaken but I would walk and fully recover.  I have held on to this ever since.

I see what helped me through this tragedy - God working through his people, their prayers and their testimonies. In my healing every day God sends someone in some way to amaze me. I believe these miracles have very little to do with me. God healed me intentionally to be a witness to others of what he can and will do.

I rejoice in my sufferings.  God has been beside me the whole time. 

I also see him in my doctors, family, friends, church family, and community.  He is in their hands, hearts, words and actions.

You are not alone, either, if you just let the Lord into your life as you go down your own roads of suffering.

Butch Mills is a resident of Culpeper. This is an excerpt for a testimony he gave last Sunday at Culpeper United Methodist Church.