"I discovered that the GREAT I AM is who He says He is... He became the God who says I am the One who sees you, the One who comforts you, and the One who delivers you."

An episode of The Pursuit of God series on the ReNew Your Mind podcast, based on Donna K Woolam's book "His Hostage Heart | Encountering the Unrelenting Love of God."

In this episode, Donna shares the harrowing yet transformative story of facing a fatal diagnosis of chickenpox pneumonia at age 27. While lying in the ICU and facing death three times, she encountered the "Great I Am"—not as a distant deity, but as a present Deliverer, Comforter, and Keeper of her soul. Donna bridges her personal crisis with the story of Moses in the desert, illustrating that even when we feel like "rescuers" who have failed or messed up our opportunities, God meets us in our airless, breathless situations. The core call to action is a total surrender to the hovering presence of the Holy Spirit, allowing the same breath that resurrected Christ to bring life and hope back into your current "barren space".

At 27 years old, I found myself in a medical ICU, unable to breathe as chickenpox pneumonia ravaged my lungs. In that airless space, I had to surrender everything—including the care of my two young sons—to the only One who could actually hold them. Whether you are facing a medical crisis or the "airless" exhaustion of a broken relationship or a soul-crushing job, there is a breath waiting for you that is not of this world.

• The Identity of the Great I Am: Understanding that God is exactly who He says He is in the specific middle of your situation.

• The Moses Connection: Realizing that even after 40 years of feeling like a failure in the desert, God still uses messed up opportunities to reveal His glory.

• The Power of Surrender: Finding that our last moment of surrender is where God’s keeping power begins.

• The Holy Spirit as Breath: Recognizing the Holy Spirit as the literal breath that brings life back into dismal, arid, and breathless places.

• [01:13] – The ICU experience: Dying three times in ten days.

• [02:26] – Moses in the desert: Lessons from 40 years of exile and felt failure.

• [03:54] – What "I AM" really means in the middle of your mess.

• [05:16] – A mother’s prayer: Surrendering my children to the Father.

• [07:13] – The out-of-body experience and the presence of Jesus.

• [10:34] – How God provides breath for your "airless" life circumstances.

• [12:48] – Moving from "fixing yourself" to resting in His hovering presence.

• Purchase the Book: His Hostage Heart | Encountering the Unrelenting Love of God

• Learn More: Visit DonnaWoolam.com

• Support Donna: https://buymeacoffee.com/donnawoolam

Music Intro Credit:

Acoustic Folk Podcast Music by Denis-Pavlov-Music via Pixabay. Licensee: dkwoolam. Downloaded: 2025-07-16.

The content provided in this podcast is for spiritual enrichment and educational purposes only. Donna K Woolam is an Author, Speaker, and Teacher. This content does not constitute professional coaching, medical advice, or mental health therapy.