"The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step" is an ancient Chinese saying. My journey of a thousand miles began with a single step of faith… and a prayer of repentance. And it was close to a literal 1,000 mile journey , one way, to be obedient to the Lord.
I had my vasectomy operation just a few months after Simon, our fourth child, was born in 2000. It wasn’t long after that when I began to think that having a vasectomy was a mistake. It is hard to put my finger on it, but I just did not feel at peace with it early on. Another year or so went by before the Lord began convicting me that it was actually a sin. I had no right to tell God to get out of my business concerning our family size. That was what we were ultimately saying by having the vasectomy in the first place, even though it never crossed my mind like that consciously.
I also began to be seriously convicted about my responsibility to the Lord to raise up my children to be used for His cause. As the Bible says in Psalms 127:3-5, "Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that has his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate."
A serious time of repentance was in order. As part of my repentance, the Lord led me to learn about the possibilities of having a vasectomy reversed. I began checking into reversal surgeries, and it was strange to me that none of the hospitals or doctors around here could give me a final price. They could tell me what their fee would be, but could not tell me how much the other various fees incurred would be. How could I count up the cost with such a run-around? The best estimation I could come up with was between $6,000 and $10,000 if I went with the traditional route that my eastern Kentucky doctors were recommending.
I then began exploring the doctors listed on the Blessed Arrows website who supposedly did such surgeries at a reduced price for ministry reasons. After much prayer and investigation, we felt the Lord leading us to try one of the doctors in the Chicago area in the fall of 2004. We made the appointment even though our van broke down on the way. Thankfully it was not a major break down. To make a long story short, we were not overly happy with that visit at the time and discovered later in 2005 that the reversal surgery was not successful. We had tried to put everything back into God’s hands, but I was still sterile.
Perhaps it was God’s will that we have no more children. I had repented of the sterilization surgery and even acted on it in faith. We were certainly overjoyed with the 4 children the Lord had given to us, and maybe we had done enough to try to fix the situation my sin had put us in.
We went through a time of more prayer and searching.
Then we found a new doctor on the list; a Doctor Wilson in Muskogee Oklahoma. We were pleased that the total price tag was only $1,500. The one we went to in Chicago was $2,000 and, he was raising the price. After talking with Dr. Wilson on the phone and much more prayer, the Lord led us to try another reversal surgery. We would go on the 900 plus mile journey to Oklahoma by faith. It was a longer drive than we wanted, and we did not have so much faith in our old van, which had broken down on the way to Chicago the last time. This trip we decided to borrow a nice RV from a friend so we could go in comfort and style and not have to worry about breaking down.
So, our journey of a thousand miles began with a single step of faith. The surgery was performed on July 19th, 2006 even though the RV did break down before we got to the office! We made it to a campground about 30 miles away from our destination, but the RV was dead. It seemed clear that Satan did not want us to have this surgery! We borrowed a truck from a maintenance worker there at the campground (a total stranger) and made it to the appointment. God does provide when we put our trust in Him! After the 6 hour surgery, a tow truck, a rental car, 5 nights in a hotel waiting on the RV to be repaired, and a $4,200 new motor for the RV, we were ready to go back toward home! (As you can tell, that was really the short, short version.)
By the way, Dr. Wilson was ever so professional and Christian. It was a blessing just being with him and his good wife. In my opinion, they are the real deal. They are truly living a Christian life and providing this reversal surgery service for the glory of the Lord. I cannot recommend him highly enough to any one contemplating a vasectomy reversal.
A year after the 2nd surgery, and still no baby on the way. We were beginning to believe that God was not going to give us any more arrows for our quiver, and that was going to be fine with us. God’s will be done.
And then… on July 28th, 2007…
a positive home pregnancy test!
The health department has since confirmed the positive test and we have a due date of March 28, 2008!
God had richly blessed us with a new baby now growing in Lisa’s womb! We were told it was almost 6 weeks old already! (That means that we were pregnant before the one year date of the surgery, but we did not know it at the time! Thanks to the Lord and to Dr. Wilson!)
To God be all praise and glory!
So, a journey of a thousand miles really does begin with a single step… of faith. Please keep us in your prayers. Especially for the new little one and the mother.
11 comments
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Debi on August 3, 2007 at 1:03 pm
Congratulations!!!!!
God is so awesome. I am so excited for you and your family.
Blessings,
Debi
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gokings13 on August 3, 2007 at 1:34 pm
May God richly bless your obedience!!
What a beautiful story.
Laura
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harmonyhomestead on August 3, 2007 at 2:16 pm
Congratulations!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ashley on August 3, 2007 at 2:17 pm
For sharing your testimony!
and . . .
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!
I hope that your wife has a very healthy 8-ish more months.
Ashley
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Staci on August 3, 2007 at 5:51 pm
How wonderful! What a blessing for you! Congratulations!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HSB Front Porch on August 3, 2007 at 7:21 pm
Thank you so much for sharing your story. So many people need to hear it and it may even help some folks find a good doctor!
~Nancy
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
~Melissa on August 3, 2007 at 10:14 pm
It was very interesting to read your story. My dh also had a reversal in Jan of 2004. We also joined Blessed Arrows for support, not financially, but emotionally. We had our reversal done in Indianna (near Chicago, possibly the same one?) It was successful, we had our first Mar. of 2005. No more on the way. *sigh* Anyways, congratulations. I'm glad your experience was a blessed one!
Warmly, ~Melissa
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LittleHouse on August 4, 2007 at 7:36 am
I hope you know this was not a surprise to me. I believe God blesses the faithful and you all are that. We can't wait to meet your new little blessing's:) I am sure there will be many more to come:)
Tell Lisa she will be in our prayers.
Love to you all,
Ma
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HandsNHearts on August 4, 2007 at 1:32 pm
Congratulations! What a great blessing, and an awesome testimony to share with everyone!
Deanna
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
sheryl on August 7, 2007 at 8:51 pm
I am so happy for you all. March 28 would be a great day to have a baby. That is my oldest daughters birthday. I wish you all the best. sheryl
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Henry on August 16, 2007 at 8:45 pm
What a blessing, my brother! My the Lord continue to bless the Mrs. and you. I heard a lady years ago say something that really impacted me. She asked, "What is the difference in the women who gets an abortion and us who cut off God's blessing by having an operation. Did she not do it because she felt children were a bother? How is our attitude as Christians any different?†The lady had had her tubes tied and the Lord convicted her husband and her to have a reversal. He blessed them with a third child some yeasr later. Your testimony was a blessing to read.
I had my vasectomy operation just a few months after Simon, our fourth child, was born in 2000. It wasn’t long after that when I began to think that having a vasectomy was a mistake. It is hard to put my finger on it, but I just did not feel at peace with it early on. Another year or so went by before the Lord began convicting me that it was actually a sin. I had no right to tell God to get out of my business concerning our family size. That was what we were ultimately saying by having the vasectomy in the first place, even though it never crossed my mind like that consciously.
I also began to be seriously convicted about my responsibility to the Lord to raise up my children to be used for His cause. As the Bible says in Psalms 127:3-5, "Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that has his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate."
A serious time of repentance was in order. As part of my repentance, the Lord led me to learn about the possibilities of having a vasectomy reversed. I began checking into reversal surgeries, and it was strange to me that none of the hospitals or doctors around here could give me a final price. They could tell me what their fee would be, but could not tell me how much the other various fees incurred would be. How could I count up the cost with such a run-around? The best estimation I could come up with was between $6,000 and $10,000 if I went with the traditional route that my eastern Kentucky doctors were recommending.
I then began exploring the doctors listed on the Blessed Arrows website who supposedly did such surgeries at a reduced price for ministry reasons. After much prayer and investigation, we felt the Lord leading us to try one of the doctors in the Chicago area in the fall of 2004. We made the appointment even though our van broke down on the way. Thankfully it was not a major break down. To make a long story short, we were not overly happy with that visit at the time and discovered later in 2005 that the reversal surgery was not successful. We had tried to put everything back into God’s hands, but I was still sterile.
Perhaps it was God’s will that we have no more children. I had repented of the sterilization surgery and even acted on it in faith. We were certainly overjoyed with the 4 children the Lord had given to us, and maybe we had done enough to try to fix the situation my sin had put us in.
We went through a time of more prayer and searching.
Then we found a new doctor on the list; a Doctor Wilson in Muskogee Oklahoma. We were pleased that the total price tag was only $1,500. The one we went to in Chicago was $2,000 and, he was raising the price. After talking with Dr. Wilson on the phone and much more prayer, the Lord led us to try another reversal surgery. We would go on the 900 plus mile journey to Oklahoma by faith. It was a longer drive than we wanted, and we did not have so much faith in our old van, which had broken down on the way to Chicago the last time. This trip we decided to borrow a nice RV from a friend so we could go in comfort and style and not have to worry about breaking down.
So, our journey of a thousand miles began with a single step of faith. The surgery was performed on July 19th, 2006 even though the RV did break down before we got to the office! We made it to a campground about 30 miles away from our destination, but the RV was dead. It seemed clear that Satan did not want us to have this surgery! We borrowed a truck from a maintenance worker there at the campground (a total stranger) and made it to the appointment. God does provide when we put our trust in Him! After the 6 hour surgery, a tow truck, a rental car, 5 nights in a hotel waiting on the RV to be repaired, and a $4,200 new motor for the RV, we were ready to go back toward home! (As you can tell, that was really the short, short version.)
By the way, Dr. Wilson was ever so professional and Christian. It was a blessing just being with him and his good wife. In my opinion, they are the real deal. They are truly living a Christian life and providing this reversal surgery service for the glory of the Lord. I cannot recommend him highly enough to any one contemplating a vasectomy reversal.
A year after the 2nd surgery, and still no baby on the way. We were beginning to believe that God was not going to give us any more arrows for our quiver, and that was going to be fine with us. God’s will be done.
And then… on July 28th, 2007…
a positive home pregnancy test!
The health department has since confirmed the positive test and we have a due date of March 28, 2008!
God had richly blessed us with a new baby now growing in Lisa’s womb! We were told it was almost 6 weeks old already! (That means that we were pregnant before the one year date of the surgery, but we did not know it at the time! Thanks to the Lord and to Dr. Wilson!)
To God be all praise and glory!
So, a journey of a thousand miles really does begin with a single step… of faith. Please keep us in your prayers. Especially for the new little one and the mother.
11 comments
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Debi on August 3, 2007 at 1:03 pm
Congratulations!!!!!
God is so awesome. I am so excited for you and your family.
Blessings,
Debi
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
gokings13 on August 3, 2007 at 1:34 pm
May God richly bless your obedience!!
What a beautiful story.
Laura
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
harmonyhomestead on August 3, 2007 at 2:16 pm
Congratulations!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ashley on August 3, 2007 at 2:17 pm
For sharing your testimony!
and . . .
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!
I hope that your wife has a very healthy 8-ish more months.
Ashley
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Staci on August 3, 2007 at 5:51 pm
How wonderful! What a blessing for you! Congratulations!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HSB Front Porch on August 3, 2007 at 7:21 pm
Thank you so much for sharing your story. So many people need to hear it and it may even help some folks find a good doctor!
~Nancy
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
~Melissa on August 3, 2007 at 10:14 pm
It was very interesting to read your story. My dh also had a reversal in Jan of 2004. We also joined Blessed Arrows for support, not financially, but emotionally. We had our reversal done in Indianna (near Chicago, possibly the same one?) It was successful, we had our first Mar. of 2005. No more on the way. *sigh* Anyways, congratulations. I'm glad your experience was a blessed one!
Warmly, ~Melissa
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LittleHouse on August 4, 2007 at 7:36 am
I hope you know this was not a surprise to me. I believe God blesses the faithful and you all are that. We can't wait to meet your new little blessing's:) I am sure there will be many more to come:)
Tell Lisa she will be in our prayers.
Love to you all,
Ma
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HandsNHearts on August 4, 2007 at 1:32 pm
Congratulations! What a great blessing, and an awesome testimony to share with everyone!
Deanna
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
sheryl on August 7, 2007 at 8:51 pm
I am so happy for you all. March 28 would be a great day to have a baby. That is my oldest daughters birthday. I wish you all the best. sheryl
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Henry on August 16, 2007 at 8:45 pm
What a blessing, my brother! My the Lord continue to bless the Mrs. and you. I heard a lady years ago say something that really impacted me. She asked, "What is the difference in the women who gets an abortion and us who cut off God's blessing by having an operation. Did she not do it because she felt children were a bother? How is our attitude as Christians any different?†The lady had had her tubes tied and the Lord convicted her husband and her to have a reversal. He blessed them with a third child some yeasr later. Your testimony was a blessing to read.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
****FOLLOW-UP NOTE****
Our baby boy was born on March 12th, 2008. We enjoyed celebrating his first birthday and many more of his accomplishments as time quickly marches on.
He is healthy and doing very well. Praise be to God!
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