ON HEALING.... June 7, 2012

Today Esther and I are in Saint Catherines, Ontario visiting Estelle and Mark and four of our grandchildren. Murielle, their oldest who is now six, just crawled up beside me and in her soft little voice said, "Grampy, can you tell me another story?" I said, "Sure, sweety pie!" The story I told her went something like this....

Estelle   2 yrs old

As I look at your mommy, who is raising four small children, I am remembering it was way back in 1989 and we were pastoring a little country church in Springfield, New Brunswick. Estelle was always singing her little songs. Whether it was in her bedroom or in the back seat of our car, it seems she was always singing. I recall sometimes it was only a single line that she would repeat over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over...well, you get the picture!  All of a sudden, one day, Estelle became very sick with a severely infected throat. She was only 8 years old. She was crying. She couldn’t swallow. She couldn’t eat. And the pain she was experiencing was unbearable. Her throat was literally swollen shut!  


I recall that day when we took her to the Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital in Fredericton, New Brunswick. As we entered the Emergency we met a nurse who escorted us to a small exam room. A Doctor quickly came in and asked Estelle to open her mouth. Without hesitation he said, “Your daughter has acute tonsillitis. I’m calling Surgery to prepare for an emergency tonsillectomy.”  My heart sunk as I thought about my little girl having to have an operation.  I remembered years ago hearing a nurse’s assistant that had worked in an Operating Room explain to me how horrible a tonsillectomy was. She said, “If you can ever avoid having tonsils out...AVOID IT!! Just then a nurse came into the room with a tray carrying several vials and syringes.  I knew what was about to happen. She was there to draw blood. Without saying anything, I walked out of the little exam room and walked down the hallway until I saw another room that was empty.  I remember going in and shutting the door. I began to cry and talk to the Lord.  I said, “God, you healed me when I was just a baby of paralysis and I know you can heal my little girl’s throat. Please, Lord, don’t let her have to have this operation!”  I was so desperate as I prayed.  After about three or four minutes I walked back to the room where Estelle and my wife were and just as I got back in the room, the doctor came in and said these exact words, “I’ve changed my mind. We’re not going to operate! I’ve decided to just give her a prescription instead!” It was unbelievable! I was so relieved. I know my jaw dropped as I heard what he said. I knew then that God was doing something and it could only be GOOD!  We went back to our car and I told my wife and Estelle where I had gone when I left them in the exam room and I said, “I was praying for Estelle and I believe God heard my prayer!” In just a few days she was back to normal! To this day, Estelle has never had to have her tonsils removed!  And oh yes!....She is still a beautiful singer!...now singing ALL the lines of the song! I'm so glad she doesn't sing the same line over, and over, and over........Praise the Lord!!

God still answers prayer no matter how great or how small the need is.  He is my Healer! When we pray in faith something happens in the Spirit! Be confident that God hears you today as you pray for someone who needs a healing!! James 5:16b says, “.....pray one for another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” SRR