In Part I of The Light Across My Path I presented my suicidal “attempt” when it appeared that I would not be able to continue school and become the nurse that I had desired to be since I was three years old. God gave me tremendous miracles during that deliverance but there is an equally great story that I call the Scene behind the Scene. I graduated from the UT School of Nursing with a BSN in 1967; I got married, had a child and had tremendous work opportunities throughout the country and in Germany. I received a Master of Science in Nursing with a Clinical Nurse Specialist focus in 1974 and in 1975 I was saved, sanctified and filled with the Holy Ghost at Full Gospel Holy Temple in Dallas, TX. My life was full of true joy. But there was always the question lingering in my mind about the mysterious scholarship from Galveston that allowed me to become a nurse. It was during a conversation with my Mother around twenty years after my graduation from the UT School of Nursing that she finally explained to me what happened when I sent the suicide letter to my family.
When my Mother read my letter it triggered a major Asthma attack. My family knew that I was headstrong and believed that if I returned to Galveston without becoming a nurse that I would do what I promised to do – to kill myself. My Mother was hospitalized with the Asthma attack and the doctors had a very difficult time getting it under control. They called in a Psychiatrist to try to get to the bottom of the issue. They were even able to arrange a phone call from my brother who was in Viet Nam because they thought that her worry about him was the cause of the unrelenting Asthma. Mama was overjoyed at being able to talk to my brother but the Asthma issue continued. The Psychiatrist went through the lives of each of her children, but when they asked her about my life her Asthma worsened. She broke down and told them about my situation. When they were able to identify the source of the Asthma the doctors went into action. My mother’s Asthma was finally able to be controlled and she was able to go home from the hospital.
The Residents rallied their wives who held fundraisers and gathered donations for a scholarship for me. I had been full of anger and unforgiveness about some of the experiences that I had suffered at the hands of members of their race, but instantly God delivered me from racial prejudice. Here was a group of people who did not know me at all but who cared enough about my life, my success and my Mother’s health to do such a thing for me. Residents did not make much money back then and many had wives who did not work because they had young children. And yet they did this for me. Even now I cry out to God in gratitude for the people who loved me unconditionally. And though I may never be able to say, “Thank You” to any of them personally, it is my prayer that each and every one will be blessed. I also pray that every individual involved will be blessed with salvation and the infilling of the Holy Ghost. I would love to be able to hug them and say, “ Thank You” to each of them when we all reach Heaven.
This Thanksgiving I also say, “Thank You Jesus” for my salvation. John 15:13 says Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends. And I thank you Lord for continuing to be the Light Across My Path.
