As a thirteen year old year old boy
growing up in rural Arkansas, I was mischievous and by standards of that
time, downright sinful. When I was ten, I had been saved at a
Missionary Baptist revival meeting in our community, but during the next
three years all my old habits of sin had returned.
In August 1951, I overheard my Mother praying for
me. I decided I was going to live a Christian life, but didn't talk to
God about it then. Later that evening, my two brothers and I went to
help my grandfather, William Lowe, Sr. haul loose hay to his barn.
After we had
loaded the horse drawn wagon, I asked permission to drive the team, "Papa"
consented. As the horses crossed a ditch, I was jarred from my
position on the hay, causing me to lose control of the team. I fell,
and my feet caught on the double-tree, leaving me dangling with my head
banging against the rough ground as the run-away team dragged me 150 yards
across the meadow.
The horses circled around and jumped the ditch again, and I was flung into
the gully where I lay coughing and strangling-blood escaping from my mouth,
nose, and ears.
Papa hurriedly carrie me to the house where a
neighbor drove me to Greenwood. There I was
placed in an ambulance and rushed to St. Edwards
Mercy Hospital in Fort Smith, Arkansas.
My condition was described as "extremely
critical". I had suffered a fractured skull and concussion. Each
day my condition deteriorated. Private nurses were assigned to stay
with me 24 hours per day. I experienced nightmares, but it was
impossible to awake from them. I would dream of going to hell and
remember the times I had turned my back on God. I realized I had
reached the age of accountability and would be punished for my sins.
Under an oxygen tent, with little other medical attention, I fought my
silent, unconscious battle for life. The Fort Smith Times Record
wrote: "Royce Lynn Lowe, who was injured August 8 by a team of bolting
horses, was reported
'losing ground' Wednesday after seven days of unconsciousness".
On the night of the eighth day, the nurse counted my heart beat and recorded
only 20 beats per minute, my respiration was only 7 per minute. She
told my mother, "Your son has gone so low it will be impossible for him to
regain consciousness. You should call your relatives because he is
about gone".
Pastor B. Owen Oslin of the First Assembly of God in Fort Smith was called.
My family attended the Assembly of God in our community, but were strangers
to Pastor Oslin. However, he came in the middle of a stormy night to
pray for me. Years later, after I was in the ministry and preparing to
publish this testimony, I contacted Pastor Oslin. He admitted that he
lacked faith that God would heal me, but he prayed a simple prayer, "Father,
heal him if there is a work You want him to do. Your will be done."
Then he turned to my parents, and believing I would not survive, he prayed
that they would be able to accept God's will.
Within five minutes the nurse checked my heartbeat and found it was normal!
Praise God! I began to mend from that time. After 23
additional days of unconsciousness, I awoke.
The next day, The Fort Smith Times-Record wrote: "It's been a
long fight and the battle is almost won, according hospital attaches, for
thirteen-year-old Royce Lynn Lowe who regained consciousness about 8 a.m.
Monday after thirty-two days of unconsciousness at St. Edwards Hospital.
The boy's room was a busy place at mid-morning as relatives and friends
called. Mrs. Lowe, with tears of joy streaming down her face asked the
boy if he liked to go to church, as a Times-Record reporter watched.
The boy nodded his head 'yes', but did not try to speak. 'After such a
long wait, it's a miracle of God to see the least bit of recognition.'
Mrs. Charner Lowe, mother of the boy said, 'I have faith that God will do
the rest.'"
I spoke my first words five days later. This was a "miracle of God",
as mother had said, because the doctors had already predicted that if I did
survive I would be unable to walk or talk, and would be an invalid for life.
But when God does anything, He does it right. I was healed completely;
miraculously alive 57 years later to tell this story of God's goodness and
healing power.
I was out of school for one year while recovering, but returned to Greenwood
High School and graduated with honors in 1957.
Immediately after the accident, I began serving the Lord and eventually felt
called of God to preach. To that end, I continued my formal education
at the University of Arkansas in Fort Smith, then completed the "Berean
School of Bible." Later, I completed my education at Southwestern
Assemblies of God University.
In 1957, I received my first papers with the Assemblies of God and have been
an ordained minster since 1961. I am grateful to the many ministers,
friends, and family who prayed for my healing and salvation.
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Ministry Summary
Pastor
Assembly of God Blue Mountain, Arkansas
1958-1960
Ordained in Hot Springs, Arkansas September
1961
Southwestern Assemblies of God University
Graduated 1964, B.S. in
Bible and Theology
Full-Time Evangelist 1964-1966
Pastor First Assembly of God Helena, Arkansas
1966-1972
Pastor First Assembly of God Jacksonville, Arkansas
1972 - present
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Rev. Lowe continues in full-time ministry as Pastor of the First
Assembly of God in Jacksonville, Arkansas where he resides with his wife
Linda (Skaggs). God has blessed them with three daughters, six
grandsons, one granddaughter, and one great-grandson.
