Now for the back story about this vacation. I had been bothered by severe asthma for about the 10 years leading up to this vacation. I had terrible trouble with sinus infections, allergies, and "restrictive asthma". My daily routine included four different inhaled medications and frequent nebulizers treatments. Prior to this vacation I visited my cardio pulmonary doctor. I was concerned about the plane travel as well as making it through this vacation without needing to visit a hospital. After some testing, he prescribed a long course of steroids, an antibiotic, and added another inhaler to my daily medicines. He also penned these words in my chart....."SEVERE CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE". Thanks in part to this doctor, we had a great vacation without any medical crisis. When I returned home, I continued to struggle with my breathing. I remember thinking that this was not going away. And with the diagnosis of COPD, I wasn't exactly sure what the future would hold. Now during the previous 5 years I had many prayers said for my breathing. I had gone forward for healing many, many times. Sometimes I would feel better for a day or two. Sometimes I would breath easier during that service, but it would end when I left the church. That is until October of 1999.
During a special event at my church, I was experiencing severe problems breathing. I decided that I needed to leave. However, the Elders and Pastor stopped me before I hit the door, and they all gathered around me and began to pray. I am not sure exactly what words were being said, but I became very aware of the presence of the Trinity in a way that I had never experienced before. I knew that God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit were present at the moment. All that I felt was an amazing washing of the most incredible love I have ever felt. At the end of this prayer time, I was breathing easy and returned to the church for the remainder of the service.
The next morning when I woke up, I thought "Wow, I don't feel short of breath!" I grabbed my peak flow meter and saw a number I had never seen before - 650! My average peak flow was around 200 - on a good day! I thought, maybe something amazing had happened during that prayer time the night before. I took all my medicine that morning, but forgot to use my inhalers during the day. When I arrived at church for the service that evening, I had the realization that I had been completely healed! I never used my inhalers again and stopped all of my medications. When I visited my primary doctor the next month, she called my lung function "normal" and declared "THIS IS A MIRACLE!" I have never had another inhaler or breath treatment in the 15 years since that amazing prayer time.
Sometimes I forget to be thankful for breath. Today, I am so grateful for the chance to share this story again. What a great reminder for me! The message of this testimony today is that miracles happen every day! There are healings occurring when you least expect it. And most of these healings don't happen through some "faith healer" like you might see on television. (Although healings and miracles can and do happen there!) There are amazing miracles in answer to prayers prayed in living rooms, cars, over the phone, even on the internet. Jesus is the maker of those miracles. It is all about Him! So I encourage you to be expectant! A miracle or a healing may be just around the corner for you.
Jesus, thank you for the amazing healing work that you performed in my life on that October day. Thank you for breath and life! Holy Spirit, thank you for the reminder that miracles and healings happen today. Jesus, help us to all expect restoration and health and healing from you. Thank you God for your great love. What an amazing wonderful Father you are. Amen
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