{"id":44517,"date":"2010-08-23T05:24:00","date_gmt":"2010-08-23T05:24:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.christianitytoday.com\/pastors\/preaching\/sermon-illustrations\/woman-given-2448-hours-to-live-learns-valuable-lessons\/"},"modified":"2010-08-23T05:24:00","modified_gmt":"2010-08-23T05:24:00","slug":"woman-given-2448-hours-to-live-learns-valuable-lessons","status":"publish","type":"sermon-illustrations","link":"https:\/\/www.christianitytoday.com\/pastors\/preaching\/sermon-illustrations\/woman-given-2448-hours-to-live-learns-valuable-lessons\/","title":{"rendered":"Woman Given 24\u201348 Hours to Live Learns Valuable Lessons"},"content":{"rendered":"

For 11 years, Mary Leonard of Louisville, Kentucky, has dealt with polymyositis, a rare inflammatory tissue disease that invades the muscles. There is no known cause or cure.<\/p>\n\n

Mary's case turned deadly when the disease invaded her heart. In fact, in March of 2010, Mary was told by doctors that she had 24-48 hours to live. But after 20 days in a hospice center, another 51 days in rehab, and a number of days at home, Mary is still alive. She's now reflecting on the changes that take place when you learn your time is short.<\/p>\n\n

"I call myself an average Christian," Mary says. "I don't know exactly why God has done this for me, but I do know that life looks different now."<\/p>\n\n

Mary offers five life lessons she learned through the ordeal:<\/p>\n\n

    \n\t
  1. Know that prayer is powerful.<\/li>\n\n\t
  2. Mend fences now.<\/li>\n\n\t
  3. Release the reins of life to God.<\/li>\n\n\t
  4. Know that God is able—more than able.<\/li>\n\n\t
  5. Put your focus on what really matters.<\/li>\n\n<\/ol>","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":0,"template":"","tax_ctp_audience":[],"tax_ctp_authors":[],"tax_ctp_categories":[165],"tax_ctp_format":[171],"tax_ctp_illustration_types":[411],"tax_ctp_multimedia":[],"tax_ctp_point_editor":[],"tax_publications":[140],"tax_ctp_tags":[3464,3478,3557,3737,3799,3921,3933,3977,4066,4271,4493,4519,4633,4645,4679,4736,4777,4905,4970,5181],"tax_ctp_topics":[382],"class_list":["post-44517","sermon-illustrations","type-sermon-illustrations","status-publish","hentry","tax_publications-ct-pastors","tax_ctp_tags-awakenings","tax_ctp_tags-belief","tax_ctp_tags-change","tax_ctp_tags-death","tax_ctp_tags-disease","tax_ctp_tags-experiencing-god","tax_ctp_tags-faith","tax_ctp_tags-fear-of-death","tax_ctp_tags-goals","tax_ctp_tags-international-day-of-prayer","tax_ctp_tags-mortality","tax_ctp_tags-national-day-of-prayer","tax_ctp_tags-perspective","tax_ctp_tags-physical-death","tax_ctp_tags-prayer","tax_ctp_tags-providence","tax_ctp_tags-reconciliation","tax_ctp_tags-see-you-at-the-pole","tax_ctp_tags-short-life","tax_ctp_tags-transformation"],"acf":{"scripture_references":[{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null}]},"yoast_head":"\nWoman Given 24\u201348 Hours to Live Learns Valuable Lessons - CT Pastors<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.christianitytoday.com\/pastors\/preaching\/sermon-illustrations\/woman-given-2448-hours-to-live-learns-valuable-lessons\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Woman Given 24\u201348 Hours to Live Learns Valuable Lessons - CT Pastors\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"For 11 years, Mary Leonard of Louisville, Kentucky, has dealt with polymyositis, a rare inflammatory tissue disease that invades the muscles. 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