What seemed like the flu
for senior J. Riley Carson, a worship arts major from Springdale, turned into
several nights of hospital stays throughout the spring of 2020. In late
February, Carson went home for several weeks because of what he thought was the
flu.
After a trip to the
emergency room and a negative test result for the flu, Carson was told he could
return to Ouachita. However, Carson’s stay on campus did not last long.
The first morning back
in Arkadelphia, Carson woke up with acute pain that prevented him from being
able to stand or get out of bed. Without delay, Carson made the trip to Little
Rock to be admitted to the hospital. Due to a miscommunication error, he ended
up at the wrong location. After scrambling to figure out the right details, he
was rushed to Arkansas Baptist Hospital where he immediately began to be
treated for severe abdominal pain and inflammation.
As Carson reflected upon
being treated at Arkansas Baptist, he described it as only, “a complete miracle
of God.”
After running several
tests, his doctor said he would need surgery and a specialized surgeon had to
be called in. Carson’s specialist, Dr. Burns, was working in the hospital that
day, which was a rarity. Post-surgery, Burns told Carson if he would have come
in a day later, his situation would have been much more life threating. After
three surgeries, three hospital stays, and six months of being bed ridden, all
Carson felt was peace.
Although his battle was
vigorous, Carson said his eyes were set on Jesus and hopes that others would
only see Him through his story.
“I'd be dead, honestly,”
Carson told The Ouachitonian. “For a long time, I thought that
miracles are one moment, but in my case at least, they are a series of events
of my God being present.”
From this season, Carson
says he experienced God’s faithfulness. Carson wants to encourage others to
trust God when walking through the trials that seem unbearable and know that
Christ redeems.
When thinking back on 2
Corinthians, Carson was reminded that in times of weakness he is made strong
because of Christ.
“I wouldn't trade this
experience for anything just because I feel like it's made me realize what's
important in life and adjust my priorities,” Carson said.
Carson experienced the
Lord’s faithfulness and described his story as, “God having his hand over the
situation the entire time. Looking back on it, especially that first
hospitalization, God's goodness was so tangible.”
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