I just got finished reading Heaven is For Real - a wonderful story about a 4-year-old's 3-minute visit to Heaven. Todd Burpo, the child's father, decided he needed to tell his son's miracle to the world.
After reading it, I realized I've been remiss in telling all of you about a miracle that happened to a woman I know. I've changed the names, but the following story is exactly as she emaied it - emphasis, scripture and all. For what it is worth, she is a very spiritual person. He, as far as I know, wasn't. Hopefully that will change!
In any case, it's a beautiful example of the power of prayer.
God Bless.
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Jill's Story
My husband Bob is a healthy 44 year old runner and on Wednesday while driving home from work, and with zero risk factors, he had a stroke. I started praying immediately. In the ER were shocked to find Bob slumped to over to the left side, his mouth and face drooping, speech barely coherent, entire left side of his body numb and cold, his eyes darting back and forth, and he was vomiting profusely. Things looked very bad.
The Neurologist advised administering tPA, a risky heavy duty clot busting drug which has the frightening side effect of causing 7% of patients to bleed to death. I started praying harder. Our young daughters prayed along silently while I laid my hands on Bob’s head and began to pray out loud saying “Jesus you told us that where two or three are gathered in your name, you are there in their midst. (Matthew 18:20) We ask you to bless and fully heal Bob and our family. We KNOW and BELIEVE you can do it….” I continued to ask Jesus, the Holy Spirit and our Father to heal Bob and then I began a litany of Catholic Christian Prayers, again returning to conversation with the Trinity. The doctor stood by and watched as I prayed, but did NOT administer any medication.
After a few minutes, quite abruptly, Bob stopped vomiting and very CLEARLY started speaking and saying “Wait a minute! Did you just put something into my RIGHT hand?!” The doctor said “No”. Bob sat up a little taller, and within 30 seconds said: “I felt something warm go into my RIGHT hand and spread up my arm. It felt like a cozy, warm bath….except it was INSIDE my body instead of outside. It started washing down over my torso and into my right leg. It didn’t follow any pathway - it just washed over me. But it felt like there was a partition down the center of my body – like it was divided in half – my left side was numb and cold. And all of a sudden it felt like someone opened a faucet and this incredible warm sensation moved immediately - all at one time - into my left side – even in my legs – it was like the warmth bridged from my right leg over to my entire left leg in one motion. The room stopped spinning and my feeling has come back. The only thing I feel is a little tingling in my left hand.” Remember…Bob had received NO medication at this point!
The Neurologist was quite surprised and re-examined Bob – every symptom was gone. The doctor determined that it must not have been a stroke after all, it must have been a TIA/mini stroke. However, an MRI confirmed that Bob DID indeed have a full stroke. So what happened? Isaiah 41:13 says: “For I am the Lord, your God, who grasp your RIGHT hand; It is I who say to you, “Fear not, I will help you.”
Bob has some tingling in his left hand and his gait is slightly off, but he is expected to FULLY recover. He told me “It was worth it to have the stroke just so I could experience that warm sensation.” He was released from the hospital on Friday and returned to work after the weekend. All tests have been inconclusive; we don’t know what caused the stroke. He is now on blood thinner and cholesterol medicine (his cholesterol is considered normal, but high for a stroke victim).
As for me, I have never had an experience like this before and am extremely humbled to have been used as God’s instrument. I do not recall feeling anything at all during the healing. It has been a very emotional experience for me and I am truly grateful to God for healing Bob and for the blessing He bestowed on all of us. I believe that God must have great plans for Bob.
We glorify God by sharing this story with you. BELIEVE that your prayers ARE heard. Jesus DOES heal. Jesus DOES save. Believe it with all your heart. If you haven’t talked to Him lately, why not start now and thank Him for your many blessings…. and always glorify His name.