My husband’s good friend from High School, Josh Hulen, sent him this insightful and powerful story of his real life crash that brought his already “saved” soul to a new awakening. He agreed to let us share his story with you, as well.

Cory,

I really enjoyed Julie's message. I think it is so key to really remove yourself from the pomp and circumstance of the church, and really remember what the relationship is about. Sometimes it takes a very real situation to bring you to that point. At least it did for me.

Last June, I was in Austin for work and was driving late at night and got into a head-on collision with an 18-wheeler. Fortunately, I was in a suburban. My whole truck was crushed except for where I was sitting. They had to extract me with the jaws of life and fly me to Brackenridge, where I was in emergency surgery for 5 hours. Broke 13 ribs, dislocated shoulder, broken collarbone, broken hand, dislocated hip, blown apart knee, compound fractured femur, compound fractured ankle, broken tibia and 2 collapsed lungs. NO head injuries. I was in the hospital for 6 weeks. It happened on June 27th 2009. 

I was very close to death about 4 times during the ordeal (collision, chopper ride, on the table and a pulmonary embolism 3 days later). Doctors thought I would never walk again. I am now walking on my own with a slight gangsta limp:) It has been hard. Very hard. But it is the best thing that ever happened to me. Let me tell you why.

Prior to that, I was in $$$$$ mode. And living in Charleston, the word "cushy" is light. It was about going to the right church, sitting in the right pew, wearing the right clothes, living in the right house and so on and so on. I had 3 boys and a wonderful wife, but was blind to it all. I and she were miserable. I loved her, but loved being (or trying to be) successful more and blamed her for anything that didn't work out.

My relationship with my boys was strong, but was trumped by the latest deal or project. My marriage and family were coming apart at the seams and we were headed for trouble. No cheating or drinking. That wasn't my vice. Ego and work was.

We would sit in Church on Sunday and I would think about deals the whole time. My eyes would glaze over and my mind would shut down. And that was so unfortunate because we happen to attend one of the most dynamic churches on the east coast.

The wreck changed it all. Not because I survived. It changed it because of why I survived. You see, I realized that I was not saved by the Lord (and believe me, I was saved by the Lord pure and simple) to keep walking the earth for MY purpose. I was saved that night because God has plans for my sons and my wife and I have a job to do with them. He was not ready to take me from her and he certainly was not ready to take me from the boys.

They are all 3 going to be strong Christian men and I was kept here to raise them that way. That wreck, even though it threw us into a short tailspin, made me realize what IS important. It is not money, it is not cars or houses or any of that junk. It is to hit my knees and feel the Spirit come into my heart and move through me into my family.

It is to understand that He can give it and take it away no matter what we do. It is to understand that we all belong to him and I am the steward of my wife and boys for HIM while they are on this earth.

I am still letting the dust settle, but am going to write about my experience. It is a testimony from an "everyman" who was woken up to the truth.

You know, all the problems I had before the wreck are still there. In fact, with having to rehab my leg every day and what it has done to us financially, etc. has really made "life" harder. But the peace of walking with him instead of trying to walk away or by myself makes it all eerily calm. But, the marriage is awesome. She glows. The boys are great and we are doing really well. 

I cannot run anymore, so I have put on some weight. But, all in all, things are great. And I can tell you this. It is not about lunch after church anymore or about the right pew or the right "small group" or any of that. It is now about being a servant and acknowledging and growing in that.

 

Josh