An Interview and Testimony with Ed and Linda

Advent Messenger: Ed, you and your wife Linda were recently diagnosed with Covid-19. Tell us a little about your ordeal and what you and Linda went through personally?

Ed: I asked Linda to respond also since much of this information was lost in my Covid-19 brain fog.

Linda & Ed: Here is a little background info: we have been Seventh-day Adventists for 11 years, having converted from an evangelical denomination. Although we are no longer affiliated with the GC of the SDA, Inc., we do remain true to the movement as started by our pioneers, and worship with a small group of fellow believers. When we joined 11 years ago, we fully embraced the health message to the best of our ability, and continue to do so. At that time, Ed was 65 years old and Linda was 57.

Linda: On June 11 of this year, we enjoyed our usual Friday evening Bible study with 3 other couples.  By the following Monday, we were both not feeling well, having loss of appetite, and respiratory symptoms. Ed’s symptoms progressed at an alarming rate, even though I was doing hydrotherapy on him and using herbs and supplements. By Saturday I became quite frightened and called the EMT’s.  By Sunday, with symptoms worsening even more, he was diagnosed with Covid-19 and transported by air ambulance to a large city hospital many miles away. I learned later that 6 out of 8 people at the Bible study were ill to varying degrees, but none to the extent of Ed.  Ed and I are the oldest couple, the others as much as 10 to 20 years younger.

Ed spent about 5 days in the hospital and was then transported back home.  He was stabilized but still very sick.  I was sick also, but not to the extent of him. I was mostly dehydrated and unable to eat, with a mild cough and some congestion, brain fog, fatigue and loss of the sense of smell. He became an official statistic and I became a “presumed” case in our county.  I am now fully recovered; Ed is on the road to full recovery.

Ed: I had lost much of my lung capacity but am now up to over 2/3 capacity and about ½ of my NordicTrack workout and I have more energy as our heavenly Father is healing me.

Advent Messenger: What specifically did the health care professionals tell you about why you were still alive?

Linda: Ed maintains a very high level of fitness for his age, following fully the dietary regime given in our health message, as well exercising daily and maintaining weight. I remember when the EMT’s took his vitals, they were astonished at his low heart rate and blood pressure, even though he was very sick.   The EMT said, “You are very fit!”  We explained about his daily exercise routine.  His comment was “Get back on your NordicTrak as soon as you can.  It saved your life!”

Ed: Hospital personnel also noted and commented on these things. Except for one nurse, who very scathingly dressed me down for not being vaccinated, they were all very supportive.

Advent Messenger: Many of our people believe that the health message consists only in diet. We’ve forgotten about all the other laws of health. How important do you feel is it for God’s people to put the 8 laws of health into practice?

Linda and Ed: We do not think it possible to overestimate the importance of our health message. We have a duty not only to adhere to it, but to tell other folks about it and encourage them also. The entire message was given to us by God. By willfully trivializing or ignoring it, we dishonor Him, and do ourselves serious and needless harm. All 8 laws are vitally important. Why did Ed get such a bad case of Covid-19?  Perhaps his age, and previous life-style choices hindered his ability to fight it off. In reality, only God knows, and for His good reasons, He allowed it. But one thing can be confidently stated, the outcome would probably have been far worse for Ed if he had not followed our health message for 11 years. Covid-19, in our opinion, really does exist and is not just “an ordinary flu”.

The principles of health reform are found in the Word of God. The gospel of health is to be firmly linked with the ministry of the Word. It is the Lord’s design that the restoring influence of health reform shall be a part of the last great efforts to proclaim the gospel message.—Medical Ministry, 259. (CME 8.2)

The Lord has presented before me that many, many will be rescued from physical, mental, and moral degeneracy through the practical influence of health reform. Health talks will be given, publications will be multiplied. The principles of health reform will be received with favor; and many will be enlightened. The influences that are associated with health reform will commend it to the judgment of all who want light; and they will advance step by step to receive the special truths for this time. Thus truth and righteousness will meet together.—Testimonies for the Church 6:378, 379.

 The problem today is that most churches have ceased to preach and teach health reform. Perhaps we have just forgotten these principles, or we are indolent, or even willfully rebellious. Whatever the reason, Satan celebrates and we are harmed or destroyed.

Advent Messenger: How has your current battle with Covid-19 changed your perspective on life, family, faith or God?

Linda: This experience literally turned my life upside down, yet I came through it with complete peace.  I had been widowed previously over 19 years ago, before marrying Ed. I and my deceased husband were then Christians, but not SDA. That experience devastated me, because I did not put my complete trust in the Lord. I tried to defeat my husband’s cancer myself. I took that battle personally. I wore myself to a complete frazzle in worry, fretfulness, and trying to get him “healed” by my own efforts. I prayed to the Lord, did my devotions, and went to church when I could, but I never really placed the situation in the Lord’s care. I took the entire burden on myself. I was a puddle of nerves, and my physical health suffered.

Ed: This experience has strengthened my faith in my Lord God and is purifying me in His “furnace of affliction”. I had a similar experience to Linda’s and was widowed several years before she was. I was also Christian, but not SDA. Taking care of my now deceased wife and our young daughters as well as working long rotating shifts was very difficult especially during the final months she was in the hospital and then the years following as a single parent. But even in the storm there were many times I experienced His peace.

Linda: Since coming to the Advent truth 11 years ago, we have found ourselves growing in knowledge and in truth, taking in all we could of God’s word and the Spirit of Prophecy. The serious flaws of most evangelical doctrine became glaringly obvious. We thank our Lord for his gracious love in showing us Biblical truths and the “pillars” laid down by our founders. We continue to grow. When this incident with Covid-19 happened, I was a different person. There still was a lot of stress, but my reaction was different. The first night Ed was over 100 miles away in a hospital, and I was all by myself, I was able to pray from Job 1:21 “the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”  I was able to give the entire situation to Jesus. 1Peter 5:7 “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”  Of course I wanted my husband to live, and I did ask Jesus to spare his life, but I also was prepared to accept anything from His hand.  I prayed “….Father, into thy hands I commend my (Ed’s) spirit.” from Luke 23:46.

Ed: As I was interviewed by the hospital’s Admitting Doctor I understood that the Lord might call me to sleep in Him and said that I wanted a DNR (do not resuscitate) order on my record. My body was very much not well and while I wanted to be well and home with Linda I was also prepared to die; there was no fear of death.

Linda: Thankfully, Ed was able to come home about 5 days later. I was to discover that the Lord still had a major work to accomplish in me. For the vast majority of my life, 60+ years, my one consuming passion has been my involvement in horse ownership, riding, and competition in horse sports. This lifelong addiction actually defined who I was for many years. I am much older now, and had given up all of the competitive aspects, but still kept 2 horses in my backyard for pleasure riding and just a general need to be around these wonderful creatures. When Covid-19 hit, all of that changed. The first night Ed was home, the Lord spoke to my heart and told me to give up the horses. There would be no way I could care for him as he recovered, and care for them, and maintain my 10 acre property all by myself. It was either hold on to my idols, or obey the Lord. I woke up and immediately complied.  Within just a few days, I was able to give away my horses to a very good home, and to give away all my hay, feed, tack and equipment. The only thing I sold was my horse trailer. The Lord made the way for this to happen very quickly and easily.  On top of all this, by giving my “stuff” away…saddles, tack, equipment, I was able to bless people! They were so appreciative of everything! I actually received more of a blessing than they did! I have complete peace in this decision. I am now free of idolatry.  The burden of worry and care is lifted.

Advent Messenger: What encouragement can you give us about the fragility of life and the need of being in the hands of God?

Ed and Linda: The lesson we learned through all of this is our complete helplessness, and our total need to be in the hands of our loving and kind Heavenly Father. We must trust Him no matter what our circumstances, even when the very worst things we fear the most happen to us. He will always supply His power to help us, if we completely trust and obey Him.

Linda: The scripture that was impressed upon my mind was Hebrews 5:8-9: Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.” If Jesus, our glorious Savior, had to learn obedience by what He suffered, then shouldn’t we have to walk this path also? Would I have been ready to heed God’s call to obedience and give up my idols if I had not been afflicted? If we do not learn these lessons now, how shall we survive in the time of Jacob’s trouble, when things will be much worse? Should we not let loose of temporal things now, so that we can fully devote ourselves to God’s service, to learn obedience and complete reliance on Him? Will we be like the careless multitude at the time of the flood, who mocked the preaching of Noah and continued to live in the flesh until the flood took them all away? My fellow Christians, please, time is so short. Now is the time to seek the face of God, to learn the lessons He has for us, to have our characters molded into the similitude of His Son so that we may receive His seal.

Ed: I agree completely with Linda’s comment above. She has said it so well. Our choices in life must come down to this: to surrender completely to our Lord Jesus, to reject the empty pleasures of the world that lead us away from Him, and to follow His commandments as they can be easily understood by the clear and simple reading of the Bible. We must know who God is if we are to know true salvation. John 14:15-18: “If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.”

You can contact Ed and Linda through the following email: edko@thegeo.net