Dwayne and Kathy on Faith and Recovery After a Workplace Explosion
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ALTON - On a recent episode of “You’re Beautiful” with Brian Trust, Duane and Cathy Lievers shared their testimony after an accident left Duane with burns covering 80% of his body.
Duane shared there was an explosion at his job, and he was “dead center” when it happened. He was rushed to the hospital, where he was given 72 hours to live. Three years later, Duane is recovered and well, and Cathy and Duane believe God is the reason why.
“You can’t deny it anymore,” Duane said. “Once you have Him touch you in the way that He has touched me, you can’t deny it.”
When the doctor told her that Duane would die in 72 hours, Cathy responded with a “God reality check.” When the doctor said he would be in the hospital for at least six months, Cathy prayed.
For the two months, 14 days and 20 minutes that Duane spent in the hospital, Cathy was by his side. She even started a prayer circle for other families on the burn unit. She believes this prayer helped everyone involved.
“It’s just the power of prayer and knowing God,” she said. “One simple small act can be huge.”
Duane and Cathy point to Jeremiah 30:17 — “I will restore you to health and heal your wounds, declares the Lord” — as evidence of God’s power and mercy. They believe Duane experienced a miracle in his healing, and they are grateful to God for saving him.
Since his accident, Duane’s perspective has completely changed. He shared that he used to “work and party” every day, with little family time or energy devoted to God.
Now, he has decided to focus on the things that matter to him. His job, while important, has taken a backseat to spending time with Cathy and his son. He reads the Bible and encourages other people to invest in themselves and their relationship with God by doing the same.
“You have to read the Bible to understand why God is here and why He does what He does for everybody on this earth,” Duane said. “All you have to do is read the Bible and it will open your eyes to the fact that, indisputably, Jesus exists. He’s here to help. He’s here to heal. He’s here to be your backbone at either your toughest time, or it might be your best time. God has always got your back.”
Cathy echoed Duane. While the Lievers believe Duane received a miracle, they said they still make mistakes even in the face of this. Cathy noted that mistakes are inevitable, but God has grace when you ask for forgiveness.
“Even after his miracle, we still fall short. It’s going to happen,” she said. “But you’ve just got to believe and trust and love God.”
As Duane and Cathy continue to share their testimony, they hope it resonates with others. They encourage everyone to develop a relationship with God. They feel that God has done amazing things in their lives, and they believe He can do the same for others if you trust Him.
“If you don’t have Jesus in your life, then you are missing out,” Duane added. “I don’t know how else to explain it to you unless you have had Him touch you in a way that just completely changes your life.”
Watch or listen to “You’re Beautiful” with Brian Trust at 2 p.m. on Thursdays at RiverBender.com/Beautiful.
