"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." - (Rom. 8:28).
August 20, 1999 is a date that will live in infamy for the rest of my life. It was on that date that I was enjoying my favorite pastime and disaster struck. I mentioned to you a while back that my hobby is football officiating, and that's what I was doing on the evening of August 20 when a player was blocked into my right knee. The damage was about as extensive as it could possibly be: a complete tear of the ACL, which required reconstructive surgery; and partial tears of both the MCL and LCL. I had surgery on September 3, underwent extensive rehabilitation and now am doing fine. But I missed the entire 1999-football season of on field officiating.
But on August 23, 1999 my fortunes changed when I met a great surgeon and wonderful man: Dr. William Hayes. He was my surgeon and became my friend almost immediately. Dr. Hayes is a deeply spiritual man, a lover of God, a believer in prayer and a devoted Bible student. As we say in this part of the country, we "hit it off" right away. I was not only impressed with his love for Christ but also with his humility. He gave all the credit for the success of my surgery to God. It's good to see people in the medical profession who, like Bill Hayes, see themselves only as tools in the hand of an omnipotent God and use their talent to His glory. If you need a good orthopedic surgeon with a sparkling personality, I can recommend Dr. Hayes, a man who is a blessing to my life.
So, out of my misfortune came good, for it's highly unlikely that I would have met Dr. Hayes if I hadn't had that knee injury, and my life wouldn't have been blessed by his presence. Yes, Romans 8:28 is true, and I can attest to it.
Lonnie Ritchie