"Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me (Psalm 23:4)

Today is a day that I need to remind myself that God has a plan for us. I need to remember that everything that happens to us, happens for a reason.

Angie went back for a follow-up appointment with her cardiologist this morning. It has been a little over four weeks since she left the hospital. She has been feeling great. Her energy level has been improving steadily. She has been walking anywhere from two to three hours each day. And yes, I am her husband, but let me just say that she is drop-dead gorgeous. You would never look at her and think she is really sick.

So when we headed to the doctor's office this morning, we fully expected to hear that her heart was getting stronger. That the whole "congestive heart failure" thing was just some crazy fluke and that she could get back to her Ironman Triathon, ultra-marathoning ways.

Instead what we heard was that her heart has not shown even the slightest bit of improvement. We heard that she would be getting a pacemaker/defibrillator implanted on January 10th. He said that they were going to increase her medications to see if they can get the heart muscle to recover. They are going to wait a month or so longer before deciding what the next course of action, including the possibility of a heart transplant.

When Angie got in the car and called her earthly father, she told him, "I really thought he was having me come in to congratulate me on a miraculous recovery and to take my picture for some medical journal."

I think I was closer to breaking down into uncontrollable sobbing than she was. She is strong. All I need to do is look at her and I remember that she has a strength and a power inside of her that is the foundation for who she is. She is a true believer in Him. By being a living example of her faith, she has made me a believer as well.

She is not afraid of what may happen. She doesn't get upset about the challenges that she has already faced, or that lie ahead. She has peace knowing that there is a reason she has gone through these struggles. One of the reasons, whether she knows it or not, is that she has saved my life. Not once, but many times since we have been together.

I didn't break down in front of her. When I was alone, and as I type this, the tears make their way down my face and onto the keyboard. As much as I know there is a reason for all of this, I don't like that my one true love should ever have to feel any pain or fear - ever. I just ask that anyone who reads this to please raise Angie up in your prayers.

Every left turn, every right turn. Amen.