Rescue 12 Responding, page 25
Slowly, Joey rose from his bed and followed him into the hallway. The nurses walked by without noticing them. Joey stood in the hallway for a moment watching the people who were rushing in and out of hospital rooms. Here was the simple proof that all of this was real. He was at peace. The cacophony of his own tormenting needs had been replaced with quietness and rest. As the freedom of this peace filled him, he found that he was no longer in the hospital. A warm, bright light instantly covered him, and he was gone.
Joey found himself standing on a long road in a large country meadow. He could see the green fields filled with small multicolored flowers and roads stretching out as far as his eyes could see. Michael walked beside him and pointed ahead. Joey began to walk down the road as he started on his journey home. Every step changed him. Slowly, he began to forget the hurts of his earthly father's rejection. Another step, he began to forgive himself for the things he had done wrong. Another step, he felt safe and secure. He paused and looked again at this countryside. What was changing him? He knew he was about to discover real love and would find someone at the end of the path; this heavenly Father that Michael had spoken of. He walked with eager anticipation.
From a long way off, Joey could see someone running up to him. As soon as Joey was within grasp, He took Joey in his arms and hugged him. Tears flowed from the eyes of the One Joey knew to be his Heavenly Father, and with great joy declared, "My son has come home."
Joey cried, "I don't deserve to be your son. Please just let me be your servant. I have done much that is evil, and I'm ashamed."
Through tears, the Father said, "You are my son." And, He called for His servants to bring royal clothes for the boy and a ring of authority for his hand. With joy, He declared, "My son who was lost is now found. He was dead but is now alive."
At those words, every word of rejection and loneliness fled from Joey's memory. Love replaced every hurt, every fear, and failure. The boy fell on the neck of God and cried. He had come home.
A Careflight helicopter landed at Tampa General. Immediately, it was on its way back to St. Joseph's after a bandaged paramedic jumped out of the passenger side door and waved to the pilot as it lifted off. David raced into the ER and found Dr. Mintz. They knew each other well.
"How is Jonathan?"
"David, how did you get here so fast? I heard you went to St. Joseph's. How is your arm?"
David held up his right arm. "Look, I'm OK. This splint is fine, I'm in no pain. But, I have to know, how is Jonathan?"
Dr. Mintz led David to the physician's private room where they could speak alone. "He is still in surgery. They found a fractured spleen. They are removing it now. When they isolated it, he was able to retain some of the blood we were pouring into him. His back and neck look fine. We found no broken bones. The cerebral swelling is within a normal range considering the large hematoma on his forehead. We don't think that is the reason for his unconsciousness. It probably is a result of the gross blood loss. He has good neurological responses in all extremities."
David exhaled. "How long was he coded? I know I started on him immediately after impact."
"That's what I heard. I bet it was tough working a code on a friend. How are you doing?"
"I'll do better when I know my friend is OK."
Over the intercom, they heard, "Dr. Mintz, you have a call from OR."
Dr. Mintz smiled at David as he picked up the phone, "So, he's in recovery. OK, I'll get the word out." Dr. Mintz turned around just in time to see the ER door swing shut and David was out of sight.
David ran to the recovery waiting room. The nurses refused to let David into the room with Jonathan. "Wait, until his blood pressure stabilizes, then we will let you in. We promise." The nurse's words held a deeper meaning. David knew that Jonathan's life was still in the balance.
David waited in the staff lounge and cried as he kept reliving the last conversation he had with Jonathan in the unit when he said, "I know I'm not ready. I know I'm not ready to face God." And now Jonathan was dying. He didn't care who saw him cry as the reality of Jonathan’s probable death hit him hard. David had always worked to fight death, but, it was way out there. He didn't know the people that had died in his care. Jonathan was his friend, and he sat there waiting, knowing he could not do anything to help him. Nurses would stop by to sit with him from time to time, and their hearts broke as they shared in his sorrow.
David looked at his hands and saw some remaining blood under his fingernails. He looked with detachment thinking, Whose blood is this? Is it Debra's, the baby's, Joshua's, Robert's or … Jonathan's? Blood had become so common to him. The sight of it didn't nauseate him like he knew it did others. He stared at the dark crimson stain on his fingers. The presence of enough blood within Jonathan would mean Jonathan could live. The absence, and Jonathan would die soon. Blood, that which was so common, now was so sacred. David rose to go to the restroom. He needed to cleanse himself of this blood. The door shut behind him. He was alone. He turned the water on, and it ran over his hand. The comfort of the warm water settled him. He took a deep breath and relaxed. Suddenly a great light appeared behind David, and he turned from the mirror and looked into the face of Light.
Light spoke, "David, do not be afraid. The Father has chosen you. You have been called to be a warrior, to fight and bring down mighty strongholds, and bring every thought that exalts itself against the knowledge of God into captivity. There is a Spiritual war within the minds of men; there are battles of choices that determine life and death, faith and fear, grace and law. Every human is given the right to choose, but the consequences are by eternal design. That which is invisible creates what is visible. The kingdom of God has come and is within your grasp.”
“But how? What will I fight with? I know so little.” David was overwhelmed by the vision before him, but that very vision gave him strength beyond his own.
"You have been given two weapons, by these you shall overcome. One is the perfect blood of the Lamb. It is the key to the promises of the Contract. It is the strength that heals. By it, you will always have access to God. The second weapon is your mouth. Life and Death are in the power of your tongue. Only the wise learn of this weapon. Most people use it against themselves. But, the wise bridle its great strength. By it, you have access to all good things! Only speak of the things of the kingdom of God that you personally have seen or heard. This is your testimony. And I'll confirm my word in you, with signs that all men might see your good works and glorify your Heavenly Father. The choice is yours. Will you stand in His authority?"
David bowed his head before the one that stood in linen and whose face was filled with Light, and his mind settled in clarity of thought, and the supernatural peace confirmed the reality of this One before him. David looked up in amazement and said, “Yes, I will.”
The angel pulled from his breast a red coal the size of a fist. The fire danced within the red-hot embers. His eyes filled with that same fire as he slowly reached forward and touched David's lips with the coal. A soft gasp escaped David's lips as the air in his lungs pressed out the breath of his old life, and as he breathed in, tasting the heat and coal, he knew he was breathing in the beginning of his new life. The cleansing fire touched David's body, mind, and spirit. The pain in David's body from the accident slowly flowed into the force within the coal. The heat released the tension of fears and cleansed his heart of all the pain of the past. David closed his eyes as the warmth began to touch his mind and opened it up to a flood of knowledge and wisdom that was flowing from this Being of Light.
Suddenly, David was again alone with only his image in the mirror. He glanced around for any evidence of the Being that had touched him. Slowly, he looked again. His face glowed, his eyes were no longer swollen and red. He could see them sparkle with new life. He turned off the water and walked out of the restroom, knowing he had never felt or been so clean.
He walked past the waiting area toward the recovery room. The sensation that the angel was somehow still with him did not surprise him, nor did the knowledge of Jonathan’s condition. Just as he reached the door, it swung open with an urgency. "David, David, I have something to tell you." She grabbed his arm and pulled him into the recovery room, leaving the door to bounce back and forth behind them.
David followed her into Jonathan's room. Just before they entered, she stopped and faced him, her voice was calm to hide her surprise. "Jonathan woke up. He woke up for a second, then went back to sleep. He wanted me to tell you something." She stopped speaking and looked down at the ground, then looked up into David's eyes. She drew strength from him and then continued, "The interesting thing is that as soon as he went back to sleep, his heart rate slowed and his blood pressure rose." Again, she hesitated, “His vital signs are stable.”
David leaned in. "What did he say?"
"I hope you understand. He said, 'Tell David, I am ready. I am ready for battle. It's time to take a stand.''' She looked into this paramedic's eyes for an answer. "Do you know what he means?"
David took her hand. "Yes, I do. He's going to be fine." David entered the room of his friend and began to laugh. His laughter carried down the walkway. Those in the waiting room heard and knew that only life could bring that joy. They hugged each other, and an earnest laugh rose from them as they shared in this victorious celebration. Watchers, full of strength, raised their voices in unison with their human warrior and their laughter rolled down the halls of the hospital. Joy strengthened Health, Peace strengthened Hope as Life walked through these halls bringing healing as His reward. Throughout the hospital, Fear and Sickness ran in horror at the sounds of Life triumphant, and Faith restored.
David bent forward and took the hand of his partner and friend and said, "Jonathan, wake up."
Jonathan's eyes opened and focused, responding immediately to the light. "I am clean. I saw Him. He said He accepted me. . . Just as I am! Just as he created me to be. He said we were called to war, to bring life, and hope, and light into the darkness. He said...” Jonathan's eyes filled with tears of joy. "He said, 'Welcome Home, Son.'"
The nurse walked over to her patient and asked, "What happened to you?” Then she softly whispered in awe, “What did you see?"
David watched as his friend spoke of the vision he had seen. His mind filled with the memory of being in the ambulance with his patient, Terri, when she had told him of her vision. He remembered the simple prayer that changed his life. Suddenly, his mind focused on the conversation of his partner with this nurse. He recognized the prayer.
Jonathan took the hand of the nurse, and said, "We'll pray this prayer together. You can repeat these words after me, Dear Father ... I know I am a sinner ... Please forgive me..."
Salvation and Life overcame Death again.
Just as I am
by Charlotte Elliott, 1835
Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidst me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot,
To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, though tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt,
Fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
Sight, riches, healing of the mind,
Yea, all I need in Thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, Thy love unknown
Hath broken every barrier down;
Now, to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
About the Author:
Faye Hamilton was a paramedic for almost 20 years working in the Tampa Florida region. 25 years ago, while working as a paramedic assigned at the Gibsonton fire station, she wrote the novel, Rescue 12 Responding.
Once she left the fire department, she returned to school, finished her bachelor's degree with a major in Religion and then graduate school. For the last 12+ years, she has worked as a Physician Assistant in an emergency department in Phoenix Arizona.
Faye has been a conference speaker for many years, sharing the life lessons that she has learned from the raw, real-life stories of those she has cared for. She has served in many capacities within local Christian ministries.
She is the mother of two awesome children, Tiffany and Matthew and one grandchild, Darien. A little over a year ago, she became a widow and, in that loss, began to explore what really matters. Matthew told her, shortly after her husband’s death that it was time for the world to see who Faye Hamilton really is. And, in that reveal, came the knowledge that the time had come to dust off the book written so long ago and publish it. And, in its release, the process to write the next in the series can begin.
May I ask you a favor?
If you have enjoyed this book, would you mind going online to Amazon.com and writing a review (even a short one)? Many people determine from book reviews whether a story is worth their time. Your review will mean A LOT to me and may help someone else make the decision to read this story.
I also invite you to come to my website: Rescue12responding.com There will be a link to my Blog and places where you can share your thoughts or questions about the story. I look forward to sharing with you and hearing your feedback.
Faye Hamilton, Rescue 12 Responding
