Hello ,
Once in a while, someone
impacts your life in such a profound way, that you recognize how (almost everything) that you love and cherish would have been different if it wasn't for them.
The man in this picture is the Temple family's hero. 27 years ago today this man (Bob Seidel), listened to the voice of God speaking to him. He was a meter-reader in Central NY State who heard a voice telling
him to go to a certain address on a cold, rainy morning.
It happened on a day when he wasn't supposed to be out (because of the bad weather), and the voice told him to go to a place that wasn't even on his route.
Bob attempted to discount the commanding voice at first, confused as to why it seemed so strong and emphatic. He finally relented, put on his raincoat, got into his truck, and made his way to the address where he was told to go.
When he arrived at the home and began
making his way towards the electrical meter, he heard (what he now describes), as the sound of a small animal whimpering or crying. He followed the sound to a roadside embankment, and now says that he was not prepared for what he would see.
There, clinging to life and to a fallen tree trunk was my wife, Roberta.The bottom half of her body was
submerged in the swift current of a swollen creek. She was barely alive. Bob ran to her, wrapped his coat around her shoulders, and promised to return after he went to his company truck to make a phone call for help. He ran back to his pickup and frantically summoned the emergency squad.
After phoning, Bob made his way back down to the scene of the totaled, upside-down Grand Prix; waded into the cold water, stood beside my wife, and waited with her for the rescue crews to arrive. He spoke
words of encouragement to her, and did whatever he could to help her to emotionally hang on for the rescue crews that would eventually bring her to safety.Roberta had been in the water for 4 hours. Her temperature had plummeted to dangerous levels, and we were later told that she would have perished within a few more minutes had she not been rescued.
Roberta was told that she couldn't and wouldn't, but she did!
After the 10 hour surgery, the months of physical rehabilitation, and the traumatic journey of learning to live with paraplegia, Roberta has defied amazing odds, worked hard, and accomplished things that her doctors told her would never happen.
She was told that she would
never have children. She was told that she would never walk again. She was told that she would have to accept the physical "norms" of living life as a wheelchair person. She has chosen to find those "norms" as unacceptable. She has had 3 children, and she has learned to walk with assistance.
We owe a debt of gratitude that we
can never repay!
My family owes a debt that we can never repay to Bob Seidel. On this day every year, I stop what I'm doing, and I reflect on what an amazing gift that Mr. Seidel gave to us by choosing to listen to the voice of God.
I cannot adequately express my profound gratitude to this kind, decent, caring human being. I can only say "thank-you," and hope that he understands what an absolute HERO he is in my eyes. God's
incredible gift still amazes me!
Every day, God uses people just like Bob to reach out to His other children who are hurting, alone, or in extreme danger. How might God be wanting to use YOU today, to carry His love to another person who desperately needs to feel His love?
YOU are special to the kingdom of God. Yes you! God has a work for you to accomplish, and He may
have plans to use you in amazing ways to fulfill His purposes.
May I challenge you to give your will into God's loving care and keeping today?
Warmest Regards,
P.S. Please feel free to share this amazing experience that my family went through with anyone that you feel would benefit. The story is real, it's true, and it
convinces me that God can do amazing things with people who listen to His voice and follow!
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