Lois A Cox

Caregiving with God Lois A Cox

My life before my husband's stroke was a whirlwind of activity. I worked multiple jobs at times, pursued and completed three advanced degrees, and finished my teaching career. During the move we completed to Oklahoma City in July 2014, I was writing my doctoral dissertation and teaching an online graduate education class. I hoped for an encore career in Oklahoma City. On February 24, 2016, Jerry was unable to wake up. After spending the day in the Emergency Room, a doctor came in to give the diagnosis and prognosis. Jerry suffered a rare and serious bilateral thalamic stroke and probably would not leave the hospital alive. He told me the kindest thing I could do was to withhold food and let Jerry go. At the same time, God told me to "Be still, stop striving, and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10) For the first time in my life, I was forced to stop everything I was doing and focus on my God and the strength I now desperately needed to move forward. Over the next 22 amazing months of Jerry's life, God worked with me, Jesus held my hand, and the Holy Spirit gave me inner strength. The lessons I learned through these days are shared in my book. My prayer life became a lifeline. My quiet time became a necessary start to the day. My relationship with my Lord grew during those 22 months more than it had in the previous 70 years of my life.