First Words He Heard Was Of Love

For fifty-seven years, Steve Henning of Huntley, Illinois, could not hear music, laughter, or human speech. Even though he lived a full life, he still longed to hear the voices of those he loved.

In the winter of 2001, he learned of a surgical procedure that would allow sound waves to bypass the nonfunctioning part of his ear and travel directly to the auditory nerve. On January 30, he was operated on. Because the implanted device could not be activated until the swelling in the ear decreased, doctors and Steve didn’t know for six weeks if the operation was successful.

Finally, the six weeks was up. As Steve waited nervously, the audiologist programmed the cochlear implant. Then he invited Steve’s wife to say something. Pat Henning leaned toward her husband and gently said, “I love you.” Able to hear for the first time in six decades, Steve’s face broke into a smile. The first words he heard were of love.

 — Greg Asimakoupoulos, “Hearing God’s Word of Love,” PreachingToday.com