Coming Home: The W. Austin Gardner COVID Story & Finding Rest in Jesus

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W. Austin Gardner shares the raw, unfiltered story of his COVID recovery—from a medically induced coma to the realization that "Home" isn't a place, but a person.

"Peace is not a place; it's a Person. Home is not a place; it's a Person."

In this raw and deeply personal episode, W. Austin Gardner shares the final chapter of his harrowing battle with COVID-19—a journey that included nearly a month in a medically induced coma. With his characteristic honesty and wit, Austin recounts the "humiliating but healing" process of learning to walk, talk, and even breathe again at Northside Hospital.

Austin doesn't shy away from the messy reality of recovery, including the "ICU delirium" that led to a shocking conversation with his wife, Betty, and the deep survivor's guilt he felt while mourning his missionary friend, Randy Sterwalt. He offers a powerful tribute to the caregivers who often suffer more than the patients themselves, and describes the sheer joy of that first "homecoming" peach milkshake.

More than just a survival story, this episode is an invitation to stop performing and start resting. Whether you are in a hospital bed or a spiritual wilderness, Austin reminds us that Jesus isn't calling you to a religion of performance, but to a relationship of rest.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• The reality of waking up after 30 days in a coma.
• The emotional and mental toll of recovery on a marriage and family.
• Why "hospital brain" is a real thing (and how grace covers the messy moments).
• The life-changing realization that Home is found in the person of Jesus Christ.

Connect with W. Austin Gardner:

• Website: waustingardner.com
• Mentoring: Alignment Ministries
• Social: Follow us for more stories of grace and honest hope.

If this story touched you, please like, share, and invite someone else to listen. God bless you!

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