Testifying to God’s Peace and Healing
I will always remember January 15th of this year as the day that heaven came near! It started out like any other day, but just minutes into an online prayer class, I experienced a sharp, thunderclap headache. When it didn’t pass, I went in search of my husband, Matt, who had stayed home to help with Zoom if need be. The rest of the day is lost to me except for a few disjointed memories and one unforgettable moment in the ambulance. At that moment, I cried out to God, telling Him that I knew everything was going to be okay because whether I lived or died, I’d be with Him, but asking that He’d be with Matt and our daughter Sabina. And then… being surrounded by a peace that passes all understanding – our Prince of Peace.
What I didn’t find out until weeks later was that during the less-than-five-minute drive to the hospital, Matt had texted our European Global Partners (GP) chat group, telling them what was happening and asking for prayer. Two people immediately wrote back, praying for me to have peace. But, the prayers didn’t stop there. Instead, they triggered an avalanche of prayer from family, friends, GP colleagues, prayer supporters, the Oklahoma Wesleyan University student body, and people in churches all over America, Macedonia and around the world! In the two weeks that followed, the risks were still there, but the hand of God was steadily at work, answering those prayers – bringing me through brain surgery, waking me up, allowing me to speak, to see, to walk… and months later, to be able to read and be in noisy, crowded spaces without feeling overwhelmed and motion sick.
During the nine months since my recovery, I have been able to share the story of God’s peace and healing over and over with non-believing friends, neighbors and doctors, and I’ve experienced a longing for heaven like never before. Those days in January, living on the edge of eternity, are a reminder that this life is a gift, not a guarantee. But even more important than that, we serve a forgiving, faithful God, who sent His Son to die so we could have eternal life. And He is faithful to never leave us nor forsake us!
Thanks to all of you who prayed for me and who shared my story to enlist more people to pray. I’m humbled by your care, your prayers and your encouragement through this journey.
“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.” (Number 6:24-26)