Stephanie Gottfried – Worland, WY … Annette Treat, head teacher at SonShine Academy in Worland, Wyoming, learned firsthand how close God is to her and to her school. Annette’s story is expressed in the words of the Psalmist, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1).

Often through the everyday chaos and commotion of life, we can forget that God is with us. We can forget that He stays close to us. He’s with us as we eat breakfast, drive to work, talk with our friends, colleagues, and family. He’s with us through the small, insignificant moments and through the scary, life-threatening moments.

In July of 2022, Annette went to the hospital to have routine surgery performed. Unbeknownst to Annette or her surgeon, a hole formed in her small intestine during her simple procedure. After surgery, Annette began to get sick. What was supposed to be one overnight stay became days with no improvement. Over the next few days, sepsis filled her body and her organs started shutting down. She was flown by helicopter to a hospital in Billings, Montana, where she underwent a second surgery. There, they discovered the hole in her small intestine and repaired it, but the damage had been done. She would require two more surgeries to clean out the infection that had spread throughout her body, and her doctors recommended she be put in a medically-induced coma for eight days to help combat the infection.

As Annette endured the surgeries and the uncertainty of the future, she knew God was with her, “Some of the most precious times I have ever spent with Jesus were during the weeks following the coma. Jesus was close to me and real to me. He was with me every day and night. I was never afraid, and I never felt alone, which is very unlike me. Medical issues usually scare me, and I do not like being left alone, especially in the hospital; however during my stay (3 weeks in the ICU and 1 week in a regular room), I had peace and I was not afraid. I saw Jesus’ face. He was always smiling lovingly at me.”

As Annette was fighting for her life, her church and school board began formulating a plan for the school year. Their teacher was down, but they were going to do everything within their power to provide a happy and healthy start to the school year for their students. They stepped out in faith, knowing that God would provide the people and the plan to move forward into the 2022-2023 school year. Through prayer and cooperation, volunteers and subs filled in where needed and made it possible for the school to continue to operate.

The healing process has not been easy for Annette. Doctors believe that sepsis destroyed the nerves in her left ear, causing her to lose her hearing. A month in a hospital bed weakened her muscles, but after four months of physical therapy (PT), she has gained back her strength and is walking and doing PT exercises on her own.

In January 2023, Annette was able to return to her classroom. When asked how it felt to be back with her students she shared, “It feels absolutely lovely to be back in the classroom! It feels like coming home. The school board and my substitutes did such an amazing job of holding down the fort while I was gone, that I just slipped right back into place.”

When asked how God worked in her life and at the school Annette says, “God was EVERYWHERE!!! He was with me constantly and consistently in the hospital room, and then at home. He was with each person back at school who had big, unexpected plans dropped at their feet. He was with my students as they pondered where their teacher was and what was happening. He was with my husband and my children as they were frightened and overwhelmed by the deathly state of someone they loved. Each person carried a burden different from the other, but God helped them manage that burden. It was fun to hear their stories as I awakened and came home and heard how God had been helping them.”

“God has shown me that with Him all things are possible, no matter what lies ahead in my future, no matter how scary or intimidating things may sound. If God is with you, who can be against you?”

—Stephanie Gottfried is the RMC education administrative assistant. Photo provided.