I want to shout to the rooftops to anyone who will listen! I want you to share this story, read it over and over again. It is my hope that anyone who needs it, will hear it. It is my prayer that you, too, will find this kind of amazing, powerful prayer as a testimony in your own life.
This is a true, recent story about my dear friend, Paula who had gone through what I refer to as Job-sized trials:
I have a powerful story
to share; one that started about thirteen years ago when I moved away from my
family and friends to a strange, new place.
I’d been crying again.
It hadn’t been easy leaving behind my elderly parents, grown-up son, brother,
and friends. I’d put in a three months notice at the job I’d come to love for
twenty-seven years. As dental assistant and office manager in a small town
dental office, I knew my patients well—knew their stories, heartbreaks, and
triumphs. I had been so fond of the dentist that we felt more like family.
I sat at the kitchen
counter in my new house—the house that belonged to my husband of only a month.
He was working, and I scoured the want ads for a job in the dental field with
my crumpled tissue in hand. I’d gotten off the phone with my parents, telling
them again how much I missed them, but heck, I was only an hour away. Though I
knew the visits would be often, it didn’t ease my sadness.
There weren’t too many
jobs in the surrounding area, so I decided to call some of the local offices to
see if they might be hiring. The first office I
called and explained my situation to a really sweet lady, I felt comforted and
at ease immediately. This fast-paced town might not be anything like where I’d
grown up, but this woman was genuine and kind. Perhaps there were good people
and hopefully a few new friendships to be made at some point.
The lady, who’d
answered the phone at the office I called, said that they might be looking for
someone part-time. We chatted for quite a bit, and I found that I really liked
this person with the soft voice and calm manner. Though I found a good job
shortly after, I tucked the other office into the back of my mind, hoping that
perhaps someday I would be able to work with someone who I’d bonded with
instantly.
One day at my new
dental job, I had to place a call to a specialist’s office. Imagine my surprise
when I heard a familiar voice. The soft-spoken woman I’d talked with answered
the phone, and I hadn’t realized it was the office where I’d thought about
working.
It seemed humorous at
the time, but we both realized that we had spoken before, and it became a joy
to place calls to this other office from time to time to chat with the lady
whose name was Paula.
I grew to like her even
more, and when several years went by and our office began to undergo some staff
changes, this time Paula was looking for other employment. I immediately put in
a good word to our dentist, and we hired her almost instantly.
I’ve had several
amazing friendships in my life. Some of them have been since I was a little
girl. Others, I met a little later in my journey. And it would be Paula who
ended up becoming almost like a sister to me in my later years. We were so much
alike with our talks about faith, family, values, and life. We encouraged one
another and laughed about silly things. Work became a pleasure, even on
difficult days.
When several years went
by and my parent’s health was failing, Paula became my rock and strength. She
listened as I vented, cried, or worried. Because she’d gone through several
losses in her life, she had an understanding of the kind of faith that sustains
during the darkest times. And when I lost my parents within two years of one
another, it was this type of faith that carried me through in a major way.
About a month ago,
Paula began feeling poorly. Her gait became unsteady; she had difficulty
catching her breath. She became so concerned one day that she took herself to
the emergency room.
Through many tests, the
doctors began giving my friend some unsettling news. They discovered a heart
valve issue, and scarier still, arteries in her brain that were extremely
narrow.
I visited her one day
in the hospital. She had to lie in a darkened room because her head hurt so
badly. The doctors had done many tests and she felt worse. But though I sat
near her with worry creasing my forehead, Paula piped up, “I will trust God
when times are good, and I will trust Him when times are bad.”
During a series of
further testing, when all looked gloomy and it was decided that she might need
surgery to place stents, Paula never gave up hope, nor ever stopped praying and
believing. She enlisted the prayers of many others, and spoke positively when
negativity surrounded her.
Paula was transferred
to another hospital where the findings were quite different. No surgery needed
and no serious issues; benign heart valve condition, and blood flow just fine
in her arteries.
It was a time of great
joy for those of us who loved her. I praised God that miracles occurred. It took
a little time, but she began to feel better. None of us questioned the fact
that we’d witnessed God’s hand in a mighty way.
Until Paula had one
more test done. She received a call back from a routine mammogram. Any woman
who has gone through this knows the sinking feeling, but also the hope that it
may be nothing. But when Paula was told that there were findings and a biopsy
was next, my heart sank.
God,
I prayed. You brought her through so much
recently. Why does she have to go through this now?
Earlier in her life,
she’d lost several family members within a short period of time. One of her
sisters had breast cancer. Never once through this
next chapter unfolding did I see Paula’s demeanor change. Though she said fear
challenged her at first, faith stepped in almost immediately. She began
speaking out loud that she was healed. She spoke only of her faith in God and
believed wholeheartedly that everything would be fine.
Once again, a few of us
who knew about this test began a vigil of prayer. My husband and I prayed out
loud every morning for her. I send healing thoughts and pictured her body whole
and well. I agreed in prayer with my friend.
I couldn’t help though
that I found myself angry with God a few times. She has twelve-year-old twin boys, Lord. They need her. She has so much
to do in this world. Grant her a healing, Lord.
I prayed continually,
anytime I thought about her which was quite often as my faith began to
increase.
And Paula’s faith
abounded. I never heard anything but how much she loved God, how she trusted
completely in Him, and that she had no fear of bad news.
Paula said that during
the time of waiting for the biopsy, and then waiting for the results, many
instances of God’s blessing surrounded her. Several Bible passages spoke
directly to her, confirming what she already knew. Never in my life have I met
someone with such a beautiful, sincere faith.
Yesterday at work,
Paula mentioned that the doctor’s office might call with her results. I must
confess that I was a wreck as I tried keeping conversation light, and still
kept praying.
Around one o’clock, her
cell phone rang, and she picked it up and walked away with it.
This is it, I thought.
A life changing moment.
There is nothing more
difficult than waiting for news from someone you care about. The seconds tick
by into what feels like hours. And when you see that person, you look directly
into their face, knowing that the answer will be there.
Paula walked back into
the room with the biggest smile plastered on her face. “I got good news,” she
said. “It’s benign.”
Seven words that felt
lighter than air. I immediately hugged her, as we both began crying, laughing,
and praising God together. I felt that a weight had been lifted, and I wanted
to tell everyone I knew about this miracle woman!
Has life always been
pretty and fair to my friend? No, it certainly hasn’t. There have been times
that tested her soul, but even in the darkest times, God’s beacon of light and
hope have always been there to carry her through the darkness.
This writing is to give
testimony to the One who matters: Our Heavenly Father. All glory and honor to
Him.
What follows is Paula's direct testimony edited for space:
I know you have all been waiting for an UPDATE so here it is....
So after 8 days in the hospital and going through so many tests, needles, medications, and scares, the doctors there could not come up with a diagnosis that explained all of my symptoms. They therefore were unable to provide a course of treatment that could really help. As a natural girl I hated being in the hospital and taking pharmaceutical drugs of any kind. I also shuttered at the thought of stents being placed in my brain and ultimately the doctors agreed that I did not need them at this time.
It is one month tomorrow that I was admitted to the hospital and I just have to share with you all that I am feeling great! I still have some issues but they are improving every day.
A couple weeks before I went into the hospital, I had had a mammogram that revealed two small areas of concern. I had to go back for an additional mammogram and ultrasound. At this second visit, I was told that what they were seeing was “suspicious of cancer” and I needed to have biopsies. When I first left there, I admit I had a mini meltdown as fear tried to take over. I have lost three siblings and one of them was to breast cancer. This was getting to be too much for me with all that I had just been through. My meltdown only lasted a few minutes and I regained my composure and my usual positive outlook. the next thing I did was claim healing in the name of Jesus. Daily I spoke out loud the scriptures regarding healing.
Over the next week before my appointment for the biopsies, God gave me peace and I knew that I did not have cancer. I had told only three very close people about what the report from the ultrasound was and I told all three of them. “Don’t worry. I’m just fine. It’s not cancer. I know it”. How did I know? You ask. Well I’ll tell you. A few days after the ultrasound, I went to church and gathered three prayer warriors and told them what was going on and ask for them to pray over me. As the three of them laid hands on me and prayed, I felt the Holy Spirit and knew our prayers were being heard. Inside the sanctuary, the praise and worship team sang through our prayers “Look what the Lord has done
Look what the Lord has done
He healed my body
He touched my mind
He saved me it was just in time
I'm gonna praise His name
Each day He's just the same
Come on and praise Him
Look what the Lord has done”. I felt at that exact moment this was significant.
The next day I met someone for the first time. He shared with me some testimony of how God saved his life. He mentioned that his favorite book is “Jesus Calling”. I knew I had a copy of this book but hadn’t seen it in a couple of years. I went home and dug it out. I opened it up to a page that I had previously book marked. My eyes grew wide when I read...
“He does not fear bad news, he is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.”
psalm 112:7
Wow. I knew this was no coincidence. That scripture was just for me at just the right time. The daily devotional from my church the evening before my biopsy was more confirmation. It was about the lepers receiving healing and then regarding healing today. The gist was that after one receives healing they should then go and have it confirmed by a doctor. This way they can be a living testimony to what God has done.
So the morning of my biopsy appointment I opened up “Jesus Calling” once again and turned to that day’s entry. Once again it was a message specifically for me on what could have been a very emotional morning.
John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you. Peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be trouble and do not be afraid. “
My sister picked me up and drove me to my appointment. I chatted light heartedly on the ride there telling her that I was fine.
I sat in my gown in the little room waiting to be taken across the hall for the procedure. I recited out loud the scriptures that I believed were presented to me to assure me and to give me peace. I worried more about the procedure itself than I did about the results. In only a few minutes they were ready for me. As they prepped me for the procedure I said to the doctor “I hope you don’t mind if I hum.” He smiled and said “go right ahead.”
The procedure took awhile but I did hum through most of it. “Look what the Lord has done. He healed my body. He touched my mind...”
When the samples had been collected, and instructions given, I walked out of that place smiling and believing with my whole heart that there was no cancer in my body. I believed that I have work to do here and I have testimony to give.
It only took two days to get the call. I was with my dear friend Karen when my mobile phone rang and I knew it was the call I was waiting for. I excused myself and took the call in private. On the other end I heard the nurse tell me
“It’s benign. You don’t have cancer.”
After thanking her and telling her I already knew it, I laughed and cried at the same time. I thanked God for His goodness and for using strangers and scriptures to let me know even before the procedure was done that I was fine. I then returned to where Karen waited to hear too. I didn’t have to say a thing because the ear to ear grin on my face said it all. But I said it anyway “ I don’t have cancer!” She hugged me and wept because she loves me like a sister. She had been praying without ceasing since this all began.
As I am writing this I am both laughing and crying once more. I am nobody special. I am a sinner. I fall short a lot. But I do know my God rescued me. I still get to be a momma, a friend, a wife, a sister. I do not have cancer! I am well!! I am a living testimony to the goodness of my Heavenly Father and I can’t wait to tell the world what He has done for me!!
If you are not a believer, and this story has touched you in some way, I pray that you will ask Jesus into your heart from this moment on. He is real, and He is so in love with you.
