Gilbert Thurston

Random Thoughts About Life, Ministry and Whatever Else Happens to be on my Mind

  • About
  • About

Up-date on Friday’s Near Death Experience

January 27, 2014 by Gilbert 2 Comments

Let me begin by thanking the hundreds of you who have taken time out of your busy schedules to call, text, e-mail, Facebook, etc your support after the events of this past Friday.  I am humbled to have such a large network of support and prayers during this tough time.

At this point the biggest hurdle is overcoming the emotional aspects of what happened.  Twice now in the past few days loud and unexpected noises have sent my heart racing.  One was a gunshot on TV and the other is funny now that I think back on it.  Yesterday as we were setting up for church, I was bent over hooking up a light when our drummer decided to begin his warm up.  He started with just a single hit on the snare drum and that set off somewhat of a panic attack.  I had to leave the theater we meet in and walk around the lobby areas to calm down.  So thankful that Chad was there to talk me through it and pray with me.

I really wasn’t planning on talking about the incident much in yesterday’s message but when I got up to speak I was a complete mess.  I was crying harder than a 14 year old girl at a One Direction concert.  Finally I was able to compose myself and preach what I know is something God really wanted everyone to hear.

I have decided though that this week as we wrap-up our “Don’t Waste Your Life” series that I’m going to scrap what was planned and instead talk in more detail about the events on Friday and some of the spiritual lessons that can be learned from it.  I think it will be therapeutic for me and my prayer is that people can learn from my experience without having to go through it yourself.

In the meantime, keep praying for all involved.  From what I understand the 2 shooting victims will be fine.  Keep praying for our police who are greatly under-staffed. And I do appreciate your continued prayers for me as I continue, with Jesus help, processing all that happened.  Last night I finally got a good night’s sleep…in fact I slept 10+ hours…that felt good.  Also, I’ve been praying a lot and from having done so much counseling myself I can see the symptoms in myself like, PTSD, irrational fear, etc, so I’m going to call a counselor friend of mine to see how we might speed up the emotional healing.

Hope to see you on Sunday as I share more.  Paraphrasing the words of Joseph in the Old Testament, “I want to take what Satan meant for evil and turn it around and use it for good!”

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Comments

  1. George Spangler says

    January 27, 2014 at 1:25 pm

    thanks for sharing this Gilbert. I appreciate your honesty and transparency

    Reply
  2. levans999 says

    January 27, 2014 at 5:48 pm

    Melissa just noted that you’re personally experiencing a degree of PSTD you’ll be a much BETTER counselor to others. While not the same thing, she said she has much more compassion for single mothers due to the 3 yrs she was one. It reminded me of the Sermon Illustration:
    MOLDING A MAN
    When God wants to drill a man,
    And thrill a man, And skill a man,
    When God wants to mold a man
    To play the noblest part;
    When He yearns with all His heart.
    To create so great and bold a man
    That all the world shall be amazed,
    Watch His methods, watch His ways!

    How He ruthlessly perfects
    Whom He royally elects!
    How He hammers him and hurts him,
    And with mighty blows converts him
    Into trial shapes of clay which
    Only God understands;
    While his tortured heart is crying
    And he lifts beseeching hands!

    How He bends but never breaks
    When his good He undertakes;
    How He uses whom He chooses,
    And with every purpose fuses him;
    By every act induces him
    To try His splendor out—
    God knows what He’s about!

    Source unknown

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Posts

  • Things I’m Thankful For (2018 Edition)
  • Things I’m Thankful For (2017 edition)
  • Annual Things I’m Thankful For (2016 Edition)
  • The Power of Mini Habits
  • Annual Things I’m Thankful For (2015 Edition)

Archives

  • November 2018
  • November 2017
  • November 2016
  • January 2016
  • November 2015
  • November 2014
  • August 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • July 2013
  • November 2012
  • July 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • October 2008
  • September 2008
  • August 2008
  • July 2008
  • June 2008
  • May 2008
  • April 2008
  • March 2008
  • February 2008
  • January 2008
  • December 2007
  • November 2007
  • October 2007
  • About

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Copyright © 2021 · Genesis Sample on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in