Biker Testimonials
02/28/2009
Reported by ASR Rumblings:
Testimony from Bro Randy Yeoman
Greetings to all in the name of Jesus!
You will recall that Bro. Randy Yeoman, Tennessee State Coordinator of Azuza StreetRiders had a serious accident on January 1st. Due to the overwhelming response to our "Biker Down" email, I asked him to write something to let everyone know how he is doing. The following was received and speaks for itself:
To put it mildly, 2009 has been a rough year, so far. I was involved in an accident on the 1st of January and am still recuperating. The scenario for the accident is all too familiar to us who prefer to travel on 2 (or 3) wheels. I was driving down a straight, level and dry road, on my way to spend time with my oldest daughter. The ride was only about 15 minutes so I jumped on my bike, put the snacks in the saddle-bags and left for a day of fellowship and football.
A couple of minutes later, I see a truck heading my direction. When I am about 20-30 feet away, he decides that he just HAS to turn right. Unfortunately, at 35-40 MPH that doesn't leave much room to navigate and I "T-Boned" the 1994 Dodge Ram. It was around 11:56 am. I sustained a severe concussion, broken collar bone, shattered lower leg and my ankle had 7 fractures. OUCH! I was air evacuated to a Huntsville, AL hospital in critical condition. I've had two surgeries and will not be able to even start walking until sometime in mid to late April. Thankfully, I was wearing all my safety gear; chaps, leather jacket (with ASR backpatch, of course), leather gloves and a modular full face helmet. There is no doubt that this gear was invaluable to my survival.
That's the BAD news...but I am not writing to talk about an accident, or what gear you should wear while riding or the fact that people STILL don't pay attention to motorcycles. I want to share what God has done through this situation!
During the waning weeks of 2008, I kept telling my church that 2009 was going to be a GREAT year for the church! I just felt like this would be our breakthrough year and was excited about the upcoming year. My battle cry was "I can't wait until 2009". In fact, the last thing I told my church on 31 December 2008, prior to dismissing them was to watch out for the "other guy" on their way home from church and "I can't wait for 2009". Also during the last week of the year, I visited a church where a friend of mine pastors. During the service the pastor called me over and introduced me to a preacher that was there. This preacher told me that he had been impressed by the LORD to tell me something. He said the LORD had told him, to paraphrase, that God was about to bless my church and my ministry in ways that we had not even imagined were possible. He said that by the end of 2009 we would look around and stand amazed at what God had done. I accepted that as a word from the LORD and was even more excited!
Then 2009 came! To the world, it was a total contradiction to what was being told by me and to me...but as Paul Harvey use to say, "Here's the rest of the story".
Around 11:55, a lady in my church receives a call from my cell phone, which was in my saddle bags. All she heard was air. When she disconnected she immediately went to prayer because she said that she knew something was wrong. A few minutes later my wife, Kathy, received two calls from my cell. After the second one, she started loading the kids into the van knowing something was wrong. Before she left the house, the EMT's called and gave her news of the accident. I believe God knew exactly where I was and was providing "prayer cover" for me and my family.
As I lay on the ground, I heard one of the EMTs say, "If we don't get him out of here, he may not make it". Immediately, fear came over me. Yes, I was ready to go, but in no hurry! There was so much I wanted to do. What about my kids/grandkids... But as usual the Spirit ministered. Paul's words ran through my head, "For me, to live is Christ; to die is gain". Suddenly, a peace came over me and I knew, no matter what, I was going to live.
I've received so many letters and cards and calls from both those I know and those I don't know. I was amazed at how many people emailed/wrote/called to let me know that I was in their prayers. I never realized how much those words of encouragement meant.
At the risk of forgetting names, I want to mention one church in Benton, Arkansas. Pastor Crabtree wrote me a letter to let me know that my name was being called out by his church during their prayer times throughout the week. I can't tell you what it was about that letter but as I read it, I couldn't stop crying. I am not sure how this church got my name and address, probably through ASR, but what a blessing!
Thank you Bro. Crabtree and "The Pentecostals of Benton".
All of the reports from my doctors have been exceptional. Yes, I suffered serious injuries, but you couldn't help but see God's hand. They looked at the break in my lower leg and said that the break was bad, however, they were able to put it back and it is healing perfectly. When I went in for my second surgery on my ankle, the doctor told us that we would be there overnight or maybe even two nights. However, after the surgery, the doctor told Kathy that the fracture was healing so perfectly, and the swelling was down so much, that they were able to do the surgery arthroscopic and that I could go home the same day.
I am still not allowed to put any weight on my right leg. Hopefully, by 15 April, I'll be starting to walk. However, I am going back to work on the 23rd of February.
I don't know why Christians have to go through things like this. I certainly would have chosen a different start to the New Year! But I do know this. It has given me a new understanding that our lives are as a vapor! We are not guaranteed tomorrow. Time is short and the mission is great. It is amazing how different, things look when you think you may not ever walk again.
I love the Acts 2:38 message. I have lived by it and I will die in it. But can I tell you that I have a new scripture that drives me every day...Philippians 2:21, "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain".
Through this accident, I have had an opportunity to touch people that I never would have otherwise-doctors, nurses, EMTs, lab techs. I don't know if I said something to encourage them or cause them to desire Christ. But I do know this. HE is in control of everything. HE knows where I am and loves me. I am HIS and if he calls me today, it is my gain.
Again, thanks to everyone who has prayed for me and my family. Thank you ASR for caring enough to get the word out of another"BIKER DOWN". Thank you church, for caring for someone you don't even know. And thank you Lord Jesus, for giving me a little longer to live and work for you!
Bro. Randy Yeoman
Azuza StreetRiders; Tennessee State Coordinator
