“Thank God for my broken toe.” It is a funny statement, but as I was dwelling on my broken toe I began to realize how much it has taught me.
I firmly believe in healings because almost every member of my extended family (myself included) have received miraculous healing from neck injuries, back injuries and cancer (and, in my case, a knee). I also sensed that there were some people saddened in my church because my toe wasn’t instantly healed, even though we have witnessed numerous healings recently here in Creston in the past number of months.
I would like to assure everyone that I do believe God is allowing me to learn from my broken toe. As I reflected on my broken toe I began to be very thankful that this injury is not as bad as what it could have been or as bad as many of my injuries from the past – that I don’t have to go up and down stairs in my home, that I am not on crutches or in a cast, that I have a relaxed pace of life... and many other things. And I began to count my blessings for the things that this injury has been teaching me (and others around me).
I am overwhelmed with the love and support from my family and close friends throughout this time. I love watching my kids leap into action and express their love and sensitivity by stepping up and helping more with the household responsibilities and jumping up to grab things for me. My wife has expressed her love for me in countless ways; she sacrificed her movie night with her friends to race and keep me company in the hospital; she has taken up chauffeuring me around, meeting my every need and forcing me to stay off of my feet. Others have helped out with tasks that I would normally do myself – help fix a wall that they didn’t even break (part of what happened when I broke my toe) and help drive me around because my wife wouldn’t let me drive. So to everyone I say a huge thank you.
After breaking my toe, my kids have stepped up in responsibilities, my wife has increased her expressions of love for me in countless ways, for my friends and congregants have also looked out for opportunities to leap into action and do things that they normally wouldn’t have done for me.
I believe my broken toe has strengthened my relationships, taught others around me to be more sensitive towards others, and has taught me that God truly does work all things for His glory.