The Fall – One Year Later

I’ve been thinking about how I would start today’s blog regarding my fall off of a roof 1 year ago today, Feb 11. Just finished a perfect lay up for today’s writing.

Last year when I fell off of a roof doing hurricane relief work, I incurred18 fractures, mostly ribs and rotator cuff damage. You can read this story here- https://pastorgregonline.com/2025/02/21/lve-fallen-and-many-helped-me-up/

With a host of prayer and God’s kindness, I resumed driving a city school bus three weeks after the accident. Today, on Feb 11, I escorted kids for a field trip from a Tech school to the nursing college building at UA. Two nursing teachers accompanied them. I thought, “I year later, I am with nurses and the medical community again.” I asked them if they wanted to hear a story that incorporated nurses? They said yes.

So, I grabbed the intercom microphone and shared the miracle of 18 fractures with no major breaks or internal damage. The kids asked for another story on the way back. One nurse replied, “I’ve never heard of a doctor that did not want to do rotator cuff surgery right away – you’re lucky.” Another said, “I love the little God inklin of orchestrating the field trip on my anniversary of the accident.

I feel a little like the man who Jesus delivered of demons in the land of Gadarenes. After Jesus healed him, the people came and saw the man in his right mind. He wanted to go wherever Jesus was going next. Jesus told him to go back to family and friends and tell of the goodness of God in his life. He went away joyfully to share all that God had done.  How did he do this? Scripture does not record, but I think it may have some of the following elements.

Some who heard did not believe it was a bad as he was telling them. Why? Because he looked normal and acted sane. Those who knew him in his former state understood the change. He kept telling them the change was because of JESUS. He added nothing to his healing…not by might, not by power, but by God’s Spirit. What does this have to do with my miracle or your story? Jesus wants, invites, us to share with others the great things He has done.

Since gratefulness is the predominant emotion I feel today,I want to thank several who helped me. 

• Thanks Kevin, my brother-in-love, for praying over me at the moment I fell. We will not know how those prayers were specifically answered until we get to heaven, but you were faithful to stand in the gap for me. 
• Thanks to my son Micah, who stood in for my other children, for driving mom to come to help and staying with me through the first few days of healing. You have a tender heart.
• Thank you Pam, my wife. I was healing, but you were the one who walked with a hurt husband and tried to make it better every step of the way. You adjusted pillows, bathed me, provided food, lost sleep and loved me.
• Thanks Billy, long time son in the faith. For helping the first couple of nights at my house.
• Thanks to my kids for the purchase of a lift recliner. It slept well and was great to help me strengthen my legs to stand up.
• Thanks to my parents who helped with food, cleaning and company while Pam had to go back to work.
• Finally, this is for the rest of you, Thanks for the prayers for my healing. I am humbled to have been the focus of so many praying. Some of you I have met and been able to physically thank. Others are special in that we will celebrate the Lord’s lovingkindness expressed in our lives, when we get to heaven. I can’t wait to hear your story – you do know if you are a child of God, you have a story to tell. Seriously thank you for the prayers.

During the months after falling, so many had this comment. “You are a miracle. You know why you were saved from extreme harm, don’t you? God has something special for you.” I agree. But what is it? That uncertainty led me to much prayer and seeking God for answers.

Today, I am 95% healed, the last 5% is old age. I can tell when the weather is changing -IYKYK. I can’t throw the football with the grandkids as strong as I would like, damage to the rotator cuff. But, I can do almost anything that I want to do.

After shaking all my thoughts together about my calling and what’s next, I moved back to the foundation – How has God uniquely gifted me and then am I busy using that gifting to be about my Father’s business?  For me, I am an encourager based on the 7 gifts mentioned in Romans 12. Paul tells us, if you have the gift of encouragement, then be encouraging. With this thought in mind, it is my goal to make sure that I intentionally seek out someone every day and encourage them.

• Please pray that I can put my writings into books…so others may be encouraged.
• Pray for Pam and I to continue to share our stories in digital format – so others may be encouraged
• Pray for me to number my days aright and redeem the time in seeing people saved and free.
• Pray that Pam and I will align our activities to make room for more and more ministry opportunities…that’s another blog discussion.

So with a grateful heart I close and purpose to do as the man that Jesus delivered.  So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him. Luke 8:39b. Will you join me in telling others all of the great things he has done?

Blessings, Love y’all