It's Time to Rise Up
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It's Time to Rise Up
God of Miracles with Richard and Heather Winesburg Pt 2 - 36
The morning started before sunrise with a whispered prayer, a packed waiting room, and a promise from Matthew 19:26 echoing in our heads: with God, all things are possible. Hours later, the surgeon’s few words—“we got it”—opened a flood of relief. What followed wasn’t just a recovery; it was a cascade of moments that stitched faith and medicine into one story of mercy: Heather waking in ICU with peace, childhood worship songs returning like old friends, and small victories—walking the hall, brushing her teeth—feeling like gifts you never forget.
We walk through the emotional landscape that hospitals rarely chart: the patience of a spouse in a plastic chair, prayer that shows up right when words run out, and a community that fills the gaps with meals, rides, and relentless encouragement. Heather shares how music became a lifeline, carrying lyrics from children’s church to choir anthems that steadied her mind. The healing unfolded in quiet increments—swelling easing, tingling signaling nerves waking up, and the surprise of hearing and peripheral vision returning during worship. An MRI cleared her to drive, and a simple word from God reframed the waiting: give me time, as He carefully rewires nerves and restores sight.
This story holds grief too. In the middle of progress, Heather called her dad in hospice and prayed with him—tears formed though he could not speak. He passed that night, and somehow the discharge cleared by morning, allowing a visit with her mom on the way home. The timing felt like grace. Less than two weeks after surgery, we stood before our church to say the simplest, truest line we know: look what the Lord has done. We end with a clear invitation shaped by Luke 12:40—be ready and choose Jesus today—because life can shift in a single day, and peace is a gift best received now.
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Hey everyone, welcome to the It's Time to Rise Up podcast. Happy New Year to all of our listeners. We pray you're encouraged and blessed by what is shared today. If you're not familiar with our show, please check out our website at it'stimetoriseup.org where you'll find our social media links. And for our podcast platforms, you can find us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and everywhere else you find your podcast. I want to welcome back to the studio Richard and Heather Winesburg. They're here for part two of this interview. It's a miracle story. I'm going to start again with a scripture from Matthew 19: 26. With God, all things are possible. And I think that's a great title for your story. So we were leaving off our last um discussion with the day leading up to surgery. Okay, so let's just open with it's surgery day. Richard, why don't you walk us through that?
Richard Winesburg:Okay, so this is June 10th. Uh, it's a Tuesday morning. I wake up super early. I'm ready to go. Let's get this day started. For sure. Uh I I this whole time I've been sleeping in this little cot bed right beside Heather. And uh um so I get all my stuff, put it away, and I'm like, okay, I'm ready for the day. Bring everybody in. And and and the staff slowly start working their way in, or or the doctors and and visiting with different ones. They're checking on Heather, they're checking on various um, you know, health things. And uh so we're getting ready for to go. And and again, this whole time any doctor or nurse comes in, Heather's saying, Hey, do you know Jesus? And and I love it. You know, thank God they did, right? I don't I I can only remember one person post-surgery that never really answered her, but you know, knowing that there's believers working on your family, that was comforting. And uh so the they're very focused, they're they're ready to go. And uh so before that, when it was just Heather and I, we had a quiet moment, I just said, let's pray. So we started the day off with prayer and just gave the day to God and just knew that he was going to do great things. And um so we're talking to nurses, and then and then my friend Billy bust in and and uh he walks in and says, Hey friends, and and so I'm trying to talk to this this other surgeon, and so hang on, Bill. And so we're talking and and then um and then Bill wants to pray, and and and and Bill's such a great prayer warrior, and uh uh he he prayed over Heather, and uh and then it came close to that time, mid-morning. It's like, okay, I'm guessing around 8:30 or 9 o'clock. Uh they said, okay, let's let's go. So uh I gave Heather a kiss and uh we all went waiting in the waiting room. And other family members were there to come in and see her before before she was went back. So the instructions were at this point, the nurse told me she said, I will call you every two hours with an update until you hear from the brain surgeon. Okay. So we're in the waiting room and and uh just trying to stay busy. Um, you know, family and friends were there and uh just trying to stay distracted throughout the day. And uh I, you know, I'm just praying in my mind. I'm just just thinking about this this day and what's going on back there. Mid morning, I get the phone call. And uh she said, uh, Richard, this is Nurse So-and-so. Um just wanted to let you know everything's going fine. Okay. Are we are you close? She said, Well, doctor's still working, but everything's going fine. I'll call you back in two hours. So I thought, okay, that was quick. I thought there might be a little more detail, but all right, that's fine. So we continue to wait and uh just read or watch the TV or nothing, or or you know, somewhere playing games and and uh uh uh few hours, two to three hours later, I get another phone call and it was a very similar message. I said, So is everything going as planned? She goes, Everything's going well. Okay. She said, You'll either hear from me or or from the doctor uh on the next phone call. So that was about four to five hours, four hours right then. So mid-afternoon, the next phone call comes and uh it's Dr. Chris. So we're probably over a six-hour surgery at this point. And he says, you know, hey Richard, uh I just want to let you know everything's done, and we got it. I said, thank you. I said, Great. Praise the Lord. I said, praise the Lord. Anything else? And this is a man of few words.
Kim McIntire:Right.
Richard Winesburg:Uh so I'm like, he goes, uh I said, what do we need to do? He said, just stay put. Nurses will come get you once we once we get her settled in because we've got to observe her for about an hour, and then we'll work up getting her, end up getting her back into the ICU room. So, okay, very good. So we wait, we wait, and we wait. And I got tired of waiting, because this is over an hour. So I go looking for Heather. And uh I finally find somebody. So I go back up to ICU where our our Heather's room is, and the nurses there, and they're so they're so great. And this one young lady named Miranda. I said, Miranda, where's Heather? And uh she was so kind and compassionate. She said, so she looked it up, she said, okay, she's still got about another 20 or 30 minutes in this recovery room, and then they'll bring her back. I said, okay. And I said, she said, I will find you. I will come get you. So I thought, thank you. Somebody I knew that or had gotten to know. Sure, sure. That's gonna that's gonna come find us. So we all gathered back upstairs in the other waiting room that was close to ICU. And then we see Heather wheel by. You know, they they they they they take her by. And then ten minutes later, Miranda comes and gets me. And I just we I just left, right? I mean, admit I don't know who was saying what, but I just left the room and I ran back there around the corner, and Heather's awake. Wow. Her eyes are open. What a great surprise. And she looks at me and she knows me, and we talk for a minute, and I just I was just overwhelmed. I was just so happy to see her, you know. Yes. Going through a a serious surgery.
Kim McIntire:I just for that many hours. For that long.
Richard Winesburg:I didn't know I didn't know I would get to talk to her. Sure I didn't know if that would be a few days before she wakes up.
Kim McIntire:Right.
Richard Winesburg:But just to get to see her, and um, I I was just so overwhelmed. So I was like, oh, wait a minute, I left my family. So yeah, I I go get uh April and Sam, and I said, come on back real quick. And uh so they got to see her and talked to her, and um at this point, you know, she's really tired. And uh I said, Okay, I will see you later. I'll be back. Get some rest, okay? She goes, okay. So they let her sleep, and we go back into the waiting room, and it was just kind of like this release of just the the weight of the world off of your shoulders.
Kim McIntire:Yeah.
Richard Winesburg:And I just I just lost it. I couldn't, I couldn't talk. And um, I remember looking at Bill, my friend, and uh, and and I I I don't know, I guess he read my face because he goes, you know what? I think we need to pray.
Kim McIntire:Wow.
Richard Winesburg:And I said That's a true friend. I said, please do. Yes. And and we just thanked God that day and that moment. Um, you know, April and her family, and Sam and I were there, and and Bill, and just thank God for that day and that moment and what he did for Heather and saw us through. And uh um so we just we just rejoiced and then we went and grabbed some food real quick. I think this is probably one of the first times I ate and I didn't eat much, but I was just she was losing weight, but you were too. Well, I wasn't hungry, you know. I d I I just I just I wanted to be close to Heather. I didn't want to leave the hospital much.
Kim McIntire:That's one thing too, like that I've just observed about you guys that I have so much respect for because unfortunately, it can be rare to know a couple who, after 30 years together or more, actually, if you include your dating, like you guys have such a genuine, authentic love and respect and kindness toward one another. And it's such a testament to God and what He has done in you because it flows out of you into each other. And when the Lord is truly working deep in our hearts, we can't contain it within ourselves. It should naturally flow into the people closest to us, and then even beyond that circle of the people closest to us. That's not always the story, right? Right, but you guys are an example of that to me. And just even when you were at our house for dinner that night, I told everyone, I'm like, it's so encouraging to sit with people who you can tell they they deeply love each other. So that encouraged us as a couple. I just want to insert that there because I feel like as Richard has been talking, there's just been this theme of like, I want to talk to her. I need to talk to her. You don't feel that about people unless you truly not only love them, but enjoy them. You know, you guys are not just husband and wife, you're friends and you're brothers and sisters in Christ. So that's that's impactful. And I just appreciate it about you. I just wanted to say that. Thank you. Thank you. So, oh, you are so welcome. So the surgery's over. Heather's talking. Heather, I think you should pick up from here. What are you experiencing post-surgery?
Heather Winesburg:Well, even though I don't remember the days pre-surgery, like what was going on in the room, other than if anybody walked in, I asked them, Do you know Jesus? Right. Do you know the Lord? I do remember that.
Kim McIntire:Right.
Heather Winesburg:But what I remember is peace.
Kim McIntire:Praise the Lord.
Heather Winesburg:And as I'm coming out of the medically induced coma and um pre-surgery, you know, you sleep and then you're awake for a couple hours. And it could be through the day and through the night. But when I was awake, what filled my mind was of course, is Richard awake? Okay, he's asleep. I'm not gonna wake him up. You know, he's finally able to sleep. But God brought back to me so many memories of being in church as a child, I can go all the way back to before kindergarten and the Christmas program that I was in in this tiny church, and I replayed it in my mind. And then going to the next when we moved to Russaville, um, the children's church. And what was I singing in my mind? Deep and wide. Um Jesus loves me. It was just amazing.
Kim McIntire:Those like simple but profound songs, right? Because they're so simple, but the lyric is so profound.
Heather Winesburg:Yes. And I hadn't thought of them in years. But I'm like, this is wonderful.
Kim McIntire:You're getting to me, Heather.
Heather Winesburg:Well, I'm not done. I apologize for all my sniffles. Then I you know, progressed. Okay. Then I was a Sunday school teacher in junior high. But I remembered that. And I remembered youth group, and I remembered being in the youth choir and some of the songs we sang then. And of course, uh if I was awake and Richard was awake, he was so good to to pull up songs for me. And then I thought, okay, in high school I was in young life and thinking about those songs, and they had a new meaning um to me. And then in college and just uh being in, you know, various churches, but being in the Springdale Church choir, oh my goodness, those songs just came flooding back to me. And I thought, this is why I was in choir. Look at everything that's coming back to me, and it had such different meaning, but it was uplifting and it was encouraging. And I am so blessed that my parents had me in church. And those seeds were planted early and they were just growing and growing. And I just want to encourage people get your children into church. Yes, and you go too because that was what I was remembering.
Kim McIntire:I love that the Lord ministers in different ways to people in crisis or trauma. And sometimes I've heard people talk about I just kept going over all these prayers, like the Lord's Prayer, yes, or Psalm 23, different things would just roll over and over, and then some people say music, yes, just lyrics would just, and then some people say Bible verses would just roll through my head. And the Lord knows exactly what we need or what those seeds have been.
Heather Winesburg:Yes.
Kim McIntire:And for you, music has obviously been very impactful to your life, and you must love worship.
Heather Winesburg:Yes.
Kim McIntire:And that's what God used to sustain you because to me that's part of the miracle. You're not able to really do anything, but you're having all these memories of the songs. Yes, you know, and peace. Was that happening before you were able to speak?
Heather Winesburg:I don't remember. But possibly. But when I was waking up on that Friday, Saturday, Richard had my phone and it was on my worship songs, just playing. That's so wise, Richard, that you did that. It was there.
Kim McIntire:And I would encourage people, you know, if you know someone, if someone you love is in the hospital or nursing care or whatever the situation is, or even ho hospice at home, there is something about having godly worship, playing, you know, worshipful music or the Bible or the audio Bible, or just things or prayers that people record and send, just things that will encourage the person. Because even if they can't speak or communicate, they can hear. They can hear. And so that's beautiful.
Heather Winesburg:Yeah.
Kim McIntire:So you're in recovery. Yes. You're in the hospital. How many days of recovery did you go through before you were dismissed? Because that sounds to me like it could be weeks long, if not longer.
Heather Winesburg:They had told us that it could be several days, but I was ready to go. I'm sure. And so surgery was on Tuesday and Wednesday they came and they said, You're ready to try to walk. I was so excited. So we went to the hall, and I walked a little ways, and then I got to come back. And what did that feel like? Freedom. It was just I am out of the bed. And they were once again a wonderful, encouraging staff and making me laugh, and um it was delightful. But then I could continue to get out of the bed and go to the restroom, and I could brush my teeth. It's the silliest thing, but I have never been so delighted to be able to go brush my teeth.
Kim McIntire:Well, and the truth is we all take for granted being able to brush our teeth or take a shower, wash our hair, walk. Think about how many things we take for granted that we do every single day, and it's just part of our normal until it's taken away. Yeah, and it's not our normal anymore. And so I would imagine you have a depth of gratitude, probably even more so than you did before.
Heather Winesburg:Oh, definitely.
Kim McIntire:Wow, that's incredible.
Heather Winesburg:When were you released to go home? Um, I was actually released on that Saturday to be able to come home. Not even a week later. No. Wow. God had his hand on me. And even the nurses were making statements. You are progressing rapidly on your recovery.
Kim McIntire:God. Yeah. It's God. And that's that's one of the many miracles. Yes. Because the miracle is you lived.
Heather Winesburg:Yes.
Kim McIntire:And the second miracle is you recovered so quickly.
Heather Winesburg:Yes.
Kim McIntire:And so talk about your recovery process. When you get home, what are the challenges?
Heather Winesburg:When I got home, it was walking independently. Um, I was not stable. You were using a walker? And I had a walker, but even that progressed fast. So I have a a chair and Richard would be there if I needed to use the restroom or go to another room. Um, but then I progressed to holding on to the furniture the next day. And then the following day, I was able to use that walker by myself. And the next day I really didn't need the walker, but it gave us peace of mind. But a week later, I didn't need assistance walking. I was walking.
Kim McIntire:I just have to tell you this: a friend of a mutual friend of ours, she either called me or voice texted me, but she had taken you a meal because there was a food. What's it called? A meal train. Uh-huh. And she, I think, was the first person to sign up. So Joe Beth told me or texted me or something. She's like, Heather was so full of joy when I opened the door. I don't know what I was expecting. I guess I was expecting someone who looked sick. She said, I've never seen anyone less than a week post-surge full of so much joy. What a testament, Heather. Because at that point, you're still using a walker. You're not walking independently. Right. And you can't drive. No. You're pretty limited at that point, right? I was. But still so full of joy. Oh, absolutely. And the only explanation is Jesus. Absolutely. I love that. He had me home. Yeah, he did. He had me home. Yeah. And you do you start physical therapy soon?
Heather Winesburg:I do. Um, it was the following week. I came home on a Saturday, and I believe I went on that Thursday. And it was every Tuesday and Thursday, and I had many people that they wanted to take me. Richard took me for a while. But there were so many people that wanted to just let me take you. And that was delightful in that. And they were so encouraging. But one thing I got to do while I was at physical therapy was share my story with the therapist. They wanted to know, you know, sure what was the reasoning behind. But what stands out in my mind is that they had an intern that came in and the physical therapist started out my that session, and he said, You've got to tell him your story. You have to tell him.
Kim McIntire:Yeah.
Heather Winesburg:So he can see what God has done. That's right. And so I was all about what God has done to share because I was progressing. I was determined, but God put that fire in my heart as well.
Kim McIntire:So can I know you shared a lot with like hospital staff and um people in the medical atmospheres where you were, the physical therapy center. I also know I'm not on social media, but I know a lot of people who are. And they would share your posts with me just through a text. Yes. Do you want to talk about that? How God's giving you that um platform?
Heather Winesburg:Right. Well, I knew I had so many people that were praying for me, and I am so grateful for it because it gave me peace. But I wanted to share with them, look what the Lord has done. Yeah. But I also want to share with those that may not have a relationship with the Lord yet. Look what the Lord has done.
Kim McIntire:Yeah.
Heather Winesburg:Because there's nothing that I can do. There's no medical um thing. It's just God that is in control of my recovery. That's right.
Kim McIntire:Ha are there if you if you're a person like just looking at you, you look like you're 100% healthy and there are no issues. Yes. What are the after-effects? Are there any after-effects?
Heather Winesburg:There are. When I first came home, of course, I had the swelling on the left side of my head and the numbness. Which was normal because of the surgery, right? Yes. Okay. Um, and I have stitches and they're not healing yet, so I had to wait until I had permission to wash my hair before I went to church that Wednesday night to share. And that was only two weeks after my surgery. Um but it's slow and the numbness has gone away. Praise God. Um it it's just it's just like I can go to sleep at night and I'll wake up and say, What did you do last night? Because there for a while it was just a every day, it was a miracle. So I come home and I can't walk, and then I'm starting to walk. And I'm slowly eating, and um I feel this tingling on the top of my head, and I'm like, what is that? And it starts itching. Well, of course, I look it up, and that just shows you it's healing.
Kim McIntire:Yeah.
Heather Winesburg:Um, yeah, there were no issues with the stitches, and it's and you weren't able to drive for how long? I couldn't drive for two months. I had to go back in August.
Kim McIntire:Yeah.
Heather Winesburg:So have him do another MRI, and he's like, There's no repercussion. I mean, this is nothing. That's the miracle. You can you can drive. And he tested me and he, you know, had that medical test to refer back to, and I'll be going back again in February or March for another checkup that way. But it's just, you know, the swelling goes away. And I'm not able to see real well in my left eye because the tumor was by my optical um area. Right. But I can feel this and my ears numb, but I can feel a drainage and I can feel popping, and slowly that goes away, and I'm like, oh, I can hear. I can hear out of my left ear. Wow. And then we're sitting in church one service, and I just grabbed Richard, I said, I have peripheral vision. Praise God. All of a sudden, it's just there. Praise God. And I'm just amazed by that. And slowly, the if you look at the four quadrants of your vision, I have three of them.
Kim McIntire:Okay.
Heather Winesburg:My inner quadrant is still dark and the others aren't clear, but when I close my right eye, I can see it's not crystal yet. And I've the feeling as has just come up from my bottom jaw because the stitches came down to my bottom earlobe. Um, but it's slowly coming up, and as of today, it's just at my bottom eyelid, is just slightly numb, but I can feel the tingling. Like when you've had dental work and it's coming back, you can feel the tingle. It's there.
Kim McIntire:That's incredible.
Heather Winesburg:The swelling is gone. Um, and I know there's recovery. I was going to a prayer group at church, and as I was able to drive at that point, and I'm driving, God spoke to me and he said, Heather, remember it takes two cells to create a baby, and it takes nine months. Give me time. I am recreating your brain and the the nerves and the optical nerves.
Kim McIntire:What a word from the Lord.
Heather Winesburg:Give me time. And I was like, you're right.
Kim McIntire:Wow. Okay, what a testimony.
Heather Winesburg:What a word from the Lord, seriously. He's so good. He is so good. And that's and it just you know came back to my memory of being in that hospital room and just feeling his presence.
Kim McIntire:Amen. I pray that for everyone who's listening. May you feel God's presence. Yes, it was just comforting. It's like, yeah, you're in you're in control. Yeah. One of my favorite memories at church, and I have several, but one of my favorite memories was when you guys took the platform less than two weeks, right? After your surgery. Yes. Yes. And gave the testimony of the goodness of God through probably one of the most challenging trials of your life.
Heather Winesburg:Yes. Yes.
Kim McIntire:Yes. And to hear people just get up and boldly say, This is what, like you said, this is what the Lord has done. It was such an encouragement because I know that at least I would say 90% of the people in the prayer meeting that night knew exactly what you guys had been going through because the church was praying. We were praying for you on Wednesday nights. And um, I'm just amazed at God. I'm amazed at what He's done. I want to circle back to something, Heather. You were in Russellville to take care of your dad. Yes. Let's talk about that.
Heather Winesburg:Okay.
Kim McIntire:Tell us what's going on with your mom and dad now.
Heather Winesburg:That June the second, when the first medical need of visiting a hospital, my dad was moved into assisted living. Um, but he declined in his health rapidly, and he was moved to hospice um in the same facility. But they were so loving and kind and they knew what my family was enduring at that time, but they showed love. And one thing I'm grateful for is Friday the um 13th, that I was able to make a phone call. And I got to pray with dad. I hadn't been able to speak with him. Wow. And while he wasn't able to respond to me, I remember um learning that as they held the phone up to his ear, that he had tears.
Kim McIntire:And he passed away that night because he had finally gotten to hear from me. Again, God's right there. Yes, he is.
Heather Winesburg:Because he gave me that opportunity and he gave dad that as well. And I know my dad's in heaven. Yes, he loved the Lord.
Kim McIntire:Yes. And and his suffering ended. And his suffering ended.
Heather Winesburg:Yes. Yes. But I got to see my mother the next day as well. Right. On my way home. We got to stop.
Kim McIntire:The Lord just the timing of that is so divine. Like appointed, like divinely appointed.
Heather Winesburg:It definitely was because we were told that Friday, okay, I can, you know, be released. We just could not get insurance to work out. And then I got to make the phone call. But it was eight o'clock that Saturday morning that I believe we learned we got it worked out. You get released this morning. God's hand all over it. Oh, absolutely. Because it was a Saturday.
Kim McIntire:Right.
Heather Winesburg:Right.
Kim McIntire:But there's yeah. Yeah. I I'm just amazed by the story. I wanted to open 2026 with this story. Yes. Because of all the testimonies I've heard, and I've heard a lot, I feel like you guys are the miracle of 2025. And as far as someone I know personally, and I just give God the glory. And I'm honored that you said yes. But before we close, are there any other thoughts that you would like to share? Go ahead. I do have one. Yeah, please share.
Heather Winesburg:There's actually two verses I want to share. Okay. And it's just wonderful to use apps because they will speak to you each day to what you are enduring and will give you the strength. Use those apps. Yeah. Use uh reading the Bible. It is just amazing how God will use that. But what I have really gotten in my heart is um Matthew twenty-four, forty-two. Therefore keep watch because you do not know on what day your Lord may come. That's right. And also Luke twelve forty. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. And I say that because June the first, I remember. But I don't remember June the second through really the eighth or ninth.
Kim McIntire:Yeah.
Heather Winesburg:You don't know when God's coming.
Kim McIntire:You don't.
Heather Winesburg:Where are you today? That's right. Make your choice. Yes. Make the choice for the Lord because you do not know what tomorrow holds.
Kim McIntire:What a powerful close. Thank you so much, Heather. Thank you so much, Richard, for your time. I bless you both in the name of Jesus. Listeners, I pray that if you or someone you know is in a trauma or crisis situation, that this story will bring hope to your heart and inspire your faith to believe for the impossible. Because what he did for Heather and Richard Weinsberg, he is more than able to do for you. Thank you for listening. Thank you for listening today. Please feel free to rate our podcast or leave a review. We'd love to hear your feedback. May God's grace and peace be with you all in Jesus' name.
