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‘It Could Have Been Fatal,’ TD Jakes Expresses Gratitude After Health Scare

Published

9 months ago

November 28, 2024

Editor

The Senior Pastor of The Potter’s House in Dallas, Thomas Dexter Jakes, expressed gratitude on Thursday for the support he received following his recent health scare.

In his first address to the public after Sunday’s emergency, Jakes expressed gratitude to God, acknowledging that the health scare he experienced during the service could have been worse.

In a video message attached to his statement in a post on X.com, the cleric stated that he wasn’t afraid to die as he expressed how close he came to a far worse outcome.

“It didn’t have to end this good,” he said.

“I’m so grateful. I’m grateful to you all. All the people who prayed. All the people who texted, who had prayer vigils. All the people who were concerned sent love and sent notes. I’m just grateful. Thank you.

“I’m not afraid to die. I don’t want to hurt my kids and the people who love me. My church, who needs me; the world who called me; the God who sent me. At times like this, I’ve got to be grateful,” he added.

In his statement, Jakes stated that while he was fortunate not to have suffered a stroke, the incident could have turned fatal.

He wrote, “I give thanks unto the Lord that I did not have a stroke; however, the event could’ve been fatal if it weren’t for God’s intervention.

“Serving God’s people is an extraordinary privilege, and Sunday was no exception, as I gave my all in delivering the message God placed on my heart.

“Even when I sensed the weight of my humanity and pushed through nonetheless, I’m reminded that even the strongest must rely on His strength.”

He emphasized the importance of rest as he reiterated his commitment to his calling and the mission of The Potter’s House.

“My job is to recuperate and reflect on God’s protection. I owe it to my amazing family and church members to rest and ruminate as He restores me towards His service.

“As God calls us to honoir the Sabbath, I’m reminded that rest is not a weakness—it is a divine gift. Together, we press forward, steadfast in the work the Lord has set before us,” he said.

The cleric ended his statement by appreciating the outpouring of love from his family, church members, and friends from around the globe, who have expressed their concern and support during this challenging time.

He wrote, “A special thank you to God and the medical professionals in our city whose speed and expertise were beyond exceptional.

“I’ve heard from friends from the global community who expressed God’s love in ways that were astonishing!

“I’m forever humbled by your outpouring of love and support.”

T.D. Jakes experienced a health scare during Sunday’s service at The Potter’s House in Dallas, United States.

The cleric abruptly went silent during a prayer, drawing immediate attention when the microphone slipped from his hand.

The congregation watched in shock as the workforce rushed to his aid, prompting an emergency intercessory prayer.

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42 Killed In Israeli Attacks, Says Gaza’s Civil Defense

Published

35 minutes ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

Gaza’s civil defence agency reported at least 42 people killed in Israeli attacks on Sunday, as the Israeli army prepared for a new assault on the Palestinian territory’s largest city.

Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal said there had been several air strikes around Gaza City — which the military is gearing up to capture — including one in the Al-Sabra neighbourhood that killed eight people.

Attacks were also reported elsewhere across the territory, he said, with the “total tally currently rising to 42 dead”.

The army did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the figure.

“The situation is extremely dangerous… Each day, each minute, there are bombings, martyrs, death and blood — we can’t take it anymore,” Al-Sabra resident Ibrahim Al-Shurafa told AFP, explaining strikes and shelling were ongoing.

“We don’t know where to go. Death follows us everywhere,” he added.

Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by the civil defence agency or the Israeli military.

The October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel that sparked the war resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.

Israel’s offensive has killed at least 62,686 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza that the United Nations considers reliable.

AFP

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Venezuela Frees Eight Opposition Leaders

Published

44 minutes ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

Venezuelan authorities released eight opposition leaders from jail early Sunday, including a former congressman and two Italian citizens, and granted house arrest to five others, an opposition politician said.

Most of those released had been charged with corruption in opposition-run mayoral offices.

Also set free was Congressman, Amirico de Grazia, detained amid protests that erupted during President Nicolas Maduro’s reelection in 2024.

“Today, several families are once again embracing their loved ones. We know there are many left, and we have not forgotten them; we continue to fight for everyone,” two-time former presidential candidate Henrique Capriles said on X.

Opposition leaders Victor Jurado, Simon Vargas, Arelis Ojeda Escalante, Mayra Castro, Diana Berrio, Gorka Carnevalli, as well as Italian nationals Margarita Assenzo and de Grazia were released, Capriles said.

Nabil Maalouf, Valentin Gutierrez Pineda, Rafael Ramirez, Pedro Guanipa, and David Barroso were placed under house arrest.

The Italian government confirmed the release of de Grazia and Assenzo, who must appear in court to clarify the conditions of their release. It also vowed to continue working on securing the release of other detained Italians.

“We have always said, and we maintain it: we will talk to whomever we need to talk to so that there is not a single political prisoner in our Venezuela!” Capriles added.

AFP

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Russia, Ukraine Exchange Prisoners Of War, Civilians

Published

48 minutes ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

Russia and Ukraine each sent back more prisoners of war on Sunday in the latest in a series of exchanges that have seen hundreds of POWs released this year, the two sides said.

Large-scale prisoner exchanges were the only tangible result of three rounds of talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul between May and July.

They remain one of the few areas of cooperation between the two countries since Russia’s offensive began in 2022.

“On August 24, 146 Russian servicemen were returned from the territory controlled” by Kyiv, the Russian defence ministry said on Telegram.

“In exchange, 146 prisoners of war of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were transferred” to Ukraine, it added. Ukraine did not confirm any figures for the release.

Russia also said that “eight citizens of the Russian Federation—residents of the Kursk region, illegally detained” by Kyiv were also returned.

Ukrainian forces launched a surprise incursion into Russia’s Kursk region in August last year, seizing hundreds of square kilometres (miles) of territory in a major setback for the Kremlin.

Russia deployed thousands of troops from its ally North Korea as part of a counterattack but did not fully reclaim the region until April.

Among the Ukrainians released on Sunday was journalist Dmytro Khyliuk, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Khyliuk was kidnapped in the Kyiv region in March 2022. He is finally home in Ukraine,” Zelensky said on social media.

Also freed was former Kherson mayor Volodymyr Mykolayenko, “who spent more than three years in captivity,” Zelensky’s aide Andriy Yermak wrote on X.

“In 2022, he was on the list for return, but Volodymyr voluntarily refused to be exchanged in favour of a seriously ill prisoner with whom he was sharing a cell in a Russian prison,” Yermak said.

AFP