Dear Friends, This heart pillow is a souvenir from my unexpected stay last month at BroMenn Hospital. I had gone to the Emergency Room on March 3rd with some strong chest pains and three days later was having open heart surgery and a quadruple bypass! My surgeon signed my pillow with a Sharpie and drew on it the four bypasses he had put in my heart.
I'm at home now recovering, doing well in many ways but still needing your prayers in others, mainly, that the doctors would be able to diagnosis and treat some shortness of breath I've been having ever since the surgery. It's affecting my ability to sit, stand, walk, talk, eat, sleep... just about every aspect of my life!
I'm very thankful I had a "warning shot," as my surgeon calls my heart attack, as I had no other symptoms to indicate that my heart needed this major repair. I know not everyone gets such a warning, so I'm thankful for it and for those who have been able to help me get through this—including you, if you could keep me in your prayers.
I have 2 more updates for you below that I hope you'll find encouraging, so please read on!
Podcast Interview
I was recently interviewed by my good friend Kent Sanders for his innovative podcast called "Born to Create." We talked about "Taking Control of Your Destiny" and how to fulfill God's call on your life in whatever situation you find yourself.
I was able to share some deeply personal stories of how God has walked with me, talked with me, and encouraged me to fulfill the calling He has had on my life. The podcast was just released about 10 days ago, but has already started touching people in profound ways, for which I'm thankful.
I hope you'll listen, too. Here are a few comments from others who have heard it:
"I listened to your podcast this morning titled “Taking Control of Your Destiny” and loved it! I honestly have to say that this podcast is now one of my all-time favorite podcasts of any podcast I have listened to! It spoke to me in so many ways, being as I’m also in full-time ministry and also an entrepreneur. I will for sure come back and listen to this one over again." Keith
"Loved your conversations with Eric Elder. Great combination of practicality and passion. Tugged at the heart strings. Thanks for the posts." Jim
Here's the link where you can listen:
Taking Control of Your Destiny
"Jesus: Lessons In Love"
Devotional Now Online!
I've also just put another of my 30-day devotionals online, this one based on the book of Matthew and called "Jesus: Lessons In Love."
I love Matthew’s stories about Jesus for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that I put my faith in Christ over 30 years ago while reading about Him in the stories Matthew recorded for us.
If you'd like to learn how to love God, love others and love yourself more, I think you'll really really benefit from this devotional. Jesus is, after all, the greatest "lover" of all time, and Matthew gives us example after example of how we can be better lovers as well.
You'll get this devotional automatically if you're already signed up for "365 Daily Devotions with Eric" (after the Exodus series). But if you're not signed up for that, you can sign up separately to get this new devotional delivered by email every day for the next 30 days at this link:
Click here to start receiving "Jesus: Lessons In Love" today!
(And if you haven't signed up for my "365 Daily Devotions with Eric," and would like to start receiving them from the beginning, you can do that instead by clicking here! You'll get "Jesus: Lessons In Love" along the way. The daily devotions are free and a great way to grow stronger in your faith every day.)
Thanks for everything, especially your prayers as I continue to recover in the upcoming weeks!
