Wednesday, October 2, 2013

30 Years of Triumph-Justin & Hope Shackelford



I've been going to Triumph my whole life, and my husband, Justin, started coming with me when we started dating.  Justin has been diagnosed with a condition called ARVD.  It's a condition where his heart goes into an arrhythmia making his heart beat really fast.  Long story short, he has a defibrillator that will shock him if his heart rate gets too high.

On June 27th, I got the call that I have always dreaded to receive from Justin's dad.  He informed me that an ambulance was taking him to Baptist Orange because his defibrillator had been shocking him.  When I got there his cardiologist wanted him at Baptist Beaumont because he was too critical to be there.  They checked his defibrillator when we got to Beaumont and found out that he had been shocked 20 times in less than two hours!  The Doctors were all astonished and couldn't believe that he was still with us, but I could; because I know of the great God we serve.  My mother, Wendy Pierce, was immediately on the phone talking with Pastors Randon and Lindsay, and we were all in agreement that God would protect him and keep him here with us.  Justin was life flighted to Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston within an hour of us being at Baptist.

Now, two heart procedures (14 hours of surgeries within a week) later I'm so thankful to say that Justin is still here with us, and we give God all the glory.  Our Triumph family has been such a blessing to us through all of us.  We even found out several days later that God sent a long time family friend from Nederland Campus, Brian Beard, to pray with and help take care of Justin.  Brian was on the incident crew at the plant that was with Justin and sent him to the closest hospital.  Even before we knew anything was wrong with Justin, Brian was with him and praying for Justin and our family.  At the time Brian didn't even know Justin was a part of our family!  God is so good!

There wasn't a day that went by that someone from Triumph didn't call, text, or send someone to pray with us.  For that, we are forever grateful!  When we went for our follow-up appointment the Doctor was telling us what a miracle Justin was to be standing here today with us and that God must have some big plans for him.  We are standing and believing that, and we thank God every day for answered prayers, His miracle healing power, our Triumph Church family, Christian Doctors, nurses and medical team!

Thank you again Triumph (especially Pastors Randon and Lindsay) for all of your love, prayers, and genuine thoughtfulness you have showed my family and me.  We love y'all and can't wait to spend another 30 years at Triumph!

Hope & Justin Shackelford
Beaumont campus

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