By Pastor Charity Wyatt
October 7, 2023, is a day I will never forget, even though there are parts of that day I cannot remember. On that day, I suffered a life threatening brain rupture and a stroke. I was airlifted from Natchitoches to Baton Rouge while still unconscious as medical professionals worked to save my life. What started as an ordinary day became the beginning of a journey I never imagined I would have to face.
I spent fourteen days in the Intensive Care Unit. I do not remember much about the moment my life almost ended, but I remember realizing that I was still here. God had given me another opportunity to live. I did not know what recovery would look like or what challenges were ahead of me. There were so many questions I could not answer, but I knew I needed God more than ever. Over the next three years, I underwent eight surgeries, with my final brain surgery taking place on September 16, 2026. Every surgery brought its own challenges, and every recovery required patience and strength. Some days were easier than others, but there were also days when I wondered how much more I could endure.
Anyone who knows me knows that I have always been determined to keep going. Even during this journey, I continued to fulfill my responsibilities, show up for others, and preach the Word of God. There were times when I stood behind the pulpit encouraging people to trust God while I was dealing with pain and exhaustion myself.
People saw me smiling, preaching, and going about my day, but they did not always see what it took for me to do those things. There were days when my body was hurting, my mind was tired, and I wanted nothing more than to rest. I kept pushing because I did not want this experience to take away the things I loved doing. But I eventually learned that being able to keep going did not mean I was not hurting.
One of the most difficult parts of this journey was the emotional battle. There were times when I struggled with depression. I was grateful to be alive, but I was also trying to process everything that had happened to me. I was learning how to live with changes I never asked for while trying to understand why my life had taken such an unexpected turn.
There were days when I felt overwhelmed, discouraged, and emotionally drained. I was tired of appointments, tired of procedures, tired of being in pain, and tired of wondering what would come next. I loved God, trusted God, and believed in His healing power, but I was still human. I had moments when I cried, moments when I was afraid, and moments when I did not have the words to explain what I was feeling.
I had spent years encouraging other people to keep their faith, but now I was the one who needed encouragement. I learned that having faith does not mean pretending everything is okay. I could love God deeply and still have difficult days. I could stand behind the pulpit and preach about His goodness while still needing Him to strengthen me when I got home. So I gave it all to God. I gave Him my fears, my frustrations, my sadness, and the questions I could not answer. Sometimes my prayers were not long or filled with beautiful words. Sometimes all I could say was, “Lord, I need You to help me through this.” And He did.
When I look back over these past three years, one thing I know for certain is that God kept me.
He kept me through the brain rupture and the stroke. He kept me through fourteen days in intensive care and eight surgeries. He kept me through the pain, the exhaustion, the uncertainty, and the moments when I was struggling emotionally. There were days when I was doing everything I knew to do just to keep going, but I realize now that it was never my strength alone that carried me. It was God’s grace.
God did not always remove the pain immediately, but He gave me strength to endure it. He did not always give me answers to every question, but He gave me peace when I needed it most.
Psalm 121:7 and 8 reminds us that the Lord preserves our lives and watches over our coming and going. I can look back over my journey and see His keeping power. Even when I was unconscious and could not pray for myself, God was still God. Even when I was struggling with depression and did not know how to put my feelings into words, He had not abandoned me. Even when I was exhausted from trying to be strong, His grace was sufficient for me. Throughout this experience, I came to know God in a deeper and more personal way as Jehovah Rapha, the Lord who heals.
Exodus 15:26 says, “For I am the LORD that healeth thee.” I had read that Scripture before. I had preached about God’s healing power before. But this time, I was experiencing His faithfulness in my own life.
I learned that healing is not always immediate. Sometimes it is a process that requires patience, perseverance, and faith. I needed physical healing, but I also needed God to help me emotionally and mentally. I needed peace when my thoughts became overwhelming, strength when my body felt weak, and hope when I was discouraged.
Through it all, God continued to meet me right where I was.I am grateful for the doctors, nurses, and medical professionals who cared for me throughout this journey. Their dedication, knowledge, and compassion made a difference in my life. I am equally grateful for every prayer, every encouraging word, and every person who stood with me. I truly believe God used those people to help carry me through some of my most difficult days.
Then, after three long years, came a moment I had prayed for. On October 7, 2026, exactly three years after the day my life changed, I received the news that I was finally cleared. My doctor confirmed that I would not need any more brain surgeries.
No more surgeries.
I cannot fully explain what it felt like to hear those words. For three years, surgeries, appointments, medical procedures, and uncertainty had been part of my life. Even when I was doing well, there was always the thought of what might come next. What made that moment even more meaningful was the date. October 7 was the day this journey began, and three years later, on that very same date, I received the news that this chapter was finally coming to a close.
I thought about everything I had endured. I thought about the fourteen days in intensive care, the eight surgeries, the pain, the exhaustion, the tears, and the moments when I had to fight to keep my hope alive. I thought about the times I preached while hurting and the days when simply getting through my responsibilities required so much of me. And all I could do was thank God.
I know the prayers I prayed. I know the tears I cried. I know the days when I had to encourage myself to keep going. Most importantly, I know the God who sustained me through it all. Today, I see life differently. I appreciate the small things that once seemed ordinary. I am more intentional about how I spend my time, how I love people, and how I fulfill the purpose God has given me. I have learned to be more patient with myself, more compassionate toward others, and more willing to rest when my body needs it.
I have also learned that you never really know what someone else is carrying. A person can be smiling, working, serving, preaching, and showing up for everyone else while silently dealing with pain, sadness, or exhaustion. That is why we should always extend grace to one another. Sometimes the person who appears to be the strongest is the one who needs encouragement the most.
If there is one thing I want someone to understand about my testimony, it is this: God did not just bring me through the battle. He kept me while I was in it.
I did not have to have everything figured out for Him to be faithful. I did not have to be strong every moment for Him to love me. He was present through every part of the journey, including the parts that were difficult to talk about. To the person reading this who may be facing a difficult season, I want to encourage you from my heart.
I do not know what you are going through. Maybe you are dealing with sickness, depression, grief, disappointment, or a situation that seems to have no end. Maybe you are the person who keeps showing up for everybody else while silently wondering how you are going to make it through your own struggles. Please do not mistake your exhaustion for defeat. Do not believe that because you are struggling, you have somehow lost your faith. Sometimes holding on to God while you are hurting is one of the greatest expressions of faith you can have.
You do not have to pretend to be strong every day. It is okay to admit that you are tired. It is okay to cry. It is okay to ask for help. And it is okay to acknowledge that you are struggling while still holding on to your faith.
Psalm 34:18 reminds us, “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”
Whatever you are facing, do not lose hope. Keep trusting God, take care of yourself, accept the help you need, and give yourself grace throughout the process. Your journey does not have to look like mine for God to be faithful to you. His love is not measured by how quickly your circumstances change.
I am not sharing my story because I had every answer or because I was strong every day. I am sharing it because I know what it feels like to be tired, afraid, and uncertain about tomorrow. I also know what it means to experience God’s faithfulness in the middle of it all. Three years ago, I was fighting for my life. Three years later, I am celebrating the end of a long journey of brain surgeries. In between those two moments, God kept me. And if there is one thing I hope you remember from my testimony, it is this: You do not have to have it all together to be held together by God’s grace.
I am still here, not because the journey was easy, but because God was faithful. Jehovah Rapha healed me. His grace sustained me. His mercy kept me. And my life will forever be a testimony of His goodness. To God be all the glory.