Years ago, the Shriners had schools for disabled kids. By now, most of you have seen the cute kids in the ads for Shriners Hospital. Those are the kids I grew up with until the eleventh grade. When I was 21, I woke up and was paralyzed from the chest down because of damage from Polio. I went on to build a good size company with the ability to do large projects, sometimes employing as much as 30 people. When I was 50, with no advance notice, I awoke to be paralyzed from the chest down. Because of scar tissue from earlier operation, three different doctors gave me only 10% chance that I would not be paralyzed from the neck down if they operated. I lay in the bed for almost a year, just staring at the ceiling. The feeling had returned, and the nerve pain was almost unbearable, as all of my discs had either ruptured or were destroyed. I was unable to get out of bed because the pain impulses were so intense that my brain impulses to walk would not work. By now I had lost everything, was existing on credit cards and was living in a tiny old trailer that the wind blew thru so much we would almost freeze, and when it rained, it leaked so much it would have been a waste of time to put buckets in all the leaky places. I have seldom ever asked God for anything. I know He is kind and loving, but with so many people asking Him for “things”, I always felt I should do everything I could on my own, before asking Him. One day, I asked for help, but instead of asking Him to do it for me, I said please either tell me what to do, or if there is nothing that can be done, teach me how to be happy with the life I have being paralyzed. When I woke the next morning, I felt exceptionally happy. My wife immediately noticed. She asked why I was suddenly so happy, and I told her I realized that somehow I could get a wheelchair and some ramps built (had no idea how, but knew I could) I felt like my life was not over, and felt hopeful for a new beginning. A couple of days went by and a recurring voice came to me and said, get in the water, get in the water. My first thought was “should I get someone to take me to the lake”. By now I had often had thoughts of ending it all. If someone took me to the lake and dropped me in, at least the end would be quick and the pain would stop. That afternoon a newspaper was left in my driveway even though I did not subscribe to it. I opened the newspaper, and an ad leaped out at me. It was an ad for an indoor pool at Baylorworx (a local clinic). I mentally dismissed this because I could not walk, but this voice kept nagging me.”get in the water, get in the water”. So I called Baylorworx and they said they had classes, but I explained my situation and asked if I could get in the water between classes. They said that if I could get help to get in the pool then yes, if I got a letter from the doctor. Long story short, within 3 months I could run in the pool as fast as on land. The doctor and physical therapist said there was no explanation of how I could even walk as nothing had changed. MRI revealed all discs still ruptured or destroyed. I know now the voice was from God. Soon I was able to return to work doing engineering consulting. I had never made a great deal of money doing this, but it was not long before a very large successful company hired me for a job. They were so satisfied, they kept me busy until I retired making more than any time before. God not only healed my body, but my finances, my life. It seems so amazing how God took a disaster. Living in a shack, with no one to help but my wife. No food stamps, unemployment, relatives, or disability checks. Living on credit cards for a year. Ending up in credit card debt so much I thought it was impossible to pay it off, and God turned it into a situation I could never have dreamed. Through the years, I’ve continued NOT to ask God for “things”. Instead, I have given Him thanks for ALL things in my life, no matter how small. Even without my asking, He has continuously showered me with much more than I could have dreamed of. Did this happen because I was so good. No. I am no different from every other sinner in the world. I know there are many more people much better than me. God has the same amount of love for all people, no matter what they’ve done, and He wants to bless all that want to accept Him and love Him. Looking back, for some time, I wondered what was the key to God rebuilding my life so wonderfully. Then one day it came to me. When I was down to the bottom, nothing left, in pain and destitute, like a child, I turned to God and laid it at His feet, KNOWING and believing that He would help. I had TRUE faith in Him, faith that I had probably never had before. The same blind faith of a child. I also think that he has continued to bless me because I do not ask Him for THINGS. Instead I continually thank him for all that he does for me, no matter how small. At 77, I continue to be blessed each day, and wish the same for all others. PRAISE THE LORD ! My True Testimonial Bill Mauldin

REV - Pg. 10