Granted a New Lease on Life

I live alone, and with that comes the responsibility of taking care of many chores, one of which is mowing my lawn. I do it joyfully and consider it a part of my exercise regimen. It takes approximately two to three hours, including trimming the hedges around the fence. One hot, sunny afternoon in the middle of June, I embarked on my regular mowing. I finished the front yard and had completed half of the back portion when I felt tired and drained. Wearing socks, a sun hat, and gloves, I was drenched in sweat but felt determined to push myself to finish. Suddenly an unusual uneasiness and dizziness overwhelmed me.

All alone, with no one to call for help, I staggered toward the back porch and held on to a wooden bar for support. Gasping for breath, I whispered, “Jesus, please help me. Jesus, please help me,” over and over. That is all I remember until I fainted.

When I came around, I found myself face down on the grass beside the lawnmower. I had no idea what had happened and had likely been out in the heat of the sun for at least fifteen to twenty minutes, unconscious and oblivious to my surroundings.

I injured my shoulder blade but did not feel it until hours later. In my weakened condition I dragged myself into the house and crashed on the couch.

Shortly after, the phone rang. God put it on my son’s heart to call me. He was shocked to hear my incoherent speech and scared that I was still out of breath and experiencing such low energy. He prayed for me over the phone. It was clear my life’s chapter on earth could have ended at that moment. But the Lord sent His angel to wake me up.

He heard my prayer. He touched me and lifted me up. He alerted my son to call and support me at just the right time. Thank You, dear God, for restoring my soul and giving me a new lease on life for a reason. Dear friends, in times like these we all need the touch of Jesus. Life is fragile. Tomorrow is not guaranteed, but the Lord promises to restore our souls and give us a new lease on life for as long as He keeps us here.

May we all feel God’s touch and experience the new life He longs to grant us in our time of need. Amen.

Ekele P. Ukegbu-Nwankwo