In 2015 I was going to a church that held prayers for healing every week. I had never been in a church before that had done this. To be honest, it intimidated me. But I was also really curious. I loved (and still enjoy) exercising. But for the past couple of years I struggled with shoulder pain in my right shoulder. An MRI and the doctor told me I had a disc protrusion in my spine in C3. One Sunday I decided to go to the healing prayer. I went, nervous about what would happen, and asked for this problem to be healed. Some friendly women prayed for me and seconds later I was able to lift my right arm up with no pain! I was overjoyed and thanking God!! After that answer to my prayer request, I went to more healing prayer sessions, and God did other miracles for me – healing bunions on both of my feet, making my legs the same length, and helping with anxiety and insomnia.
In 2019, I started to struggle with my faith. Fear struck me big time. When I went to healing prayer, I doubted that the healing could work, and it didn’t! I also struggled with a familiar pain in my hips. But now it was something that seemed to hurt everywhere in my body. The doctor diagnosed me with sciatica. It couldn’t be!! I was too young!!! But as I drove and put pressure on my right foot, I could feel the pain radiate up my leg, and burn into my backside. It made sleeping very challenging. But I felt God saying that he would heal me. The trouble was, I needed to believe him!! I did – but I just didn’t know when, and being patient while in pain was NOT easy for me.
Moving to Ohio in 2021 after quitting my job provided me some opportunities to practice better ways to take care of myself. I didn’t listen until after my wedding ceremony in September 2021 because of course I had to look good for that (NOT SMART!). I got a personal trainer and she taught me stretches that helped me feel better. I started swimming, much less stress on my body, it felt a lot better. But there was something bothering me. In June, I had gone to a Thursday prayer meeting at Apex, the church I attend. I felt so much peace during that meeting, and a sense that all I needed to do was ask for healing during the next meeting I attended.
It seemed like all of my Thursdays got filled, until finally, on March 3, my husband Jef and I joined the prayer session via Zoom. The meeting started and the leader asked what we needed to pray for healing for. I was so excited and so nervous! I wanted to make sure to ask for my request. I got the chance and said I wanted healing for my sciatica! It came time to pray. I was so nervous. What if I messed it up? What if I doubted? What if I did something wrong? Jef put his hand on my back as we prayed and I felt the peace of the Lord, heat going into that place. I knew God was healing me! But I didn’t want to count my chickens before they hatched. After the prayer session was finished, I got up, and moved around. The pain that had been plaguing me for the past 4 years was gone!! I still couldn’t believe the miracle that had taken place. My eyes filled with tears and I told Jef “It’s gone!”.
It took a few weeks after that for the miracle to sink in. I still struggled with my doubts, fear, and issues, even though God had given me this amazing miracle. But, I did ask! Sometimes that can be the hardest part. This is a song that I really like – part of the lyrics say “all we have to do is just ask, seek, knock”. To me, it doesn’t seem like it can be that simple. But I’m learning that it is! Ask Jesus! He doesn’t always say “yes”, but his answer is the best one.
Living Out Loud! 