“I feel like a poor man, scratching for crumbs. But there are plenty of crumbs.”

“At the moment, my wife is in Blacktown Hospital, having an operation to plug the hole in her heart. Three months ago, we were holidaying in Perth and she had a stroke. We’d been planning the holiday for ages, traveling around in our van … and then she had the stroke, while we were 4,000 kilometres from home.

“It’s been a really challenging time. But today, she’s in the hospital, and I’m thinking about the verse in Ruth 1: “Where you go I will go and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.” (verse 16) We had that verse read at our wedding, 44 years ago. And it might sound like a strange verse to read at a wedding, but it sticks. It’s how it’s been for us ever since. My wife has been my travelling companion for all of life. And on days like today, I don’t know what to pray, or how to pray, but I also read the verse in Romans 8, “The Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” (verse 26). And I keep groaning.

“The last three months [since the stroke] have also taught me how richly God provides for us, through friends at church and all the people who care for us, and who put themselves out for us.

“Sometimes I ask God why he bothers with me. But he says that out of cracked vessels, his light can shine.”

Mike’s story is part of Eternity’s Faith Stories series, compiled by Naomi Reed. Click here for more Faith Stories.