'Having Done All...Stand! (Eph 6 v 13) Healing Testimony..

Over the past few years, I've had quite a bit to do with the NHS due to taking my elderly mother to hospital for eye injections against macular degeneration, and it's becoming very clear that, in these last days, we need to be placing our faith in more than a human medical team, who, though clearly doing their utmost to attend and heal the sick, are operating within a system that is broke and groaning under the weight of constant, unrelenting demand..

So, by way of encouragement, I'm sharing this testimony about my mum's situation so that you can truly know that our Father God (the Divine Physician) is more than a very present help in time of trouble (Psalm 46 v 1).  All He needs is something to work with, which is 'faith,' because as the bible says, we cannot please Him without it!
(Heb 11 v 6)

So, here we go. I will say at the outset, back in 2009, when the Lord led me to move away from the area where I was born and raised, it was with the promise that He would take good care of my mother's needs..so actually, this isn't the only healing and protection she has experienced since then, it's just the most dramatic!

(So just as an added extra, if God calls you to relocate somewhere for any reason, if you are willing to trust Him, He will take care of all your worries and concerns).

Right...so, last year from mid summer of 2017 onwards, my 93 year old mum had this persistent cough, on and off, that she couldn't seem to shake. The doctor eventually said that it was a form of 'whooping cough,' which we all thought quite strange at the time (if not slightly amusing) with what would normally be more of a 'childhood malady..'

Then, further down the line in the October, when time for the clocks to go back, she went to adjust the heavy clock in her kitchen when it slipped out of her hands, bounced off the floor and hit her in the shin causing an open wound..

I was obviously concerned, particularly for her age, but just carried on praying for her every day as normal. She was now under the doctor for antibiotics and regular changes of dressing. Meanwhile, I was praying for the wound to heal, which it seemed to, but then somehow, it would set off weeping again..plus, her leg had become very swollen causing her quite a bit of pain..

At one point we had to push to see the doctor (rather than just a nurse to deal with the dressing) after which, she was prescribed a stronger antibiotic..

I arrived just before Christmas to stay at my mum's home for two weeks, and at that time she'd just finished another course of antibiotics. However, the leg was still slightly swollen and painful but the wound did seem to have healed over..

All seemed well, then on Tuesday 2nd Jan I headed off (through storm Eleanor) back to Reading where I was living at the time..

Then on Wednesday morning the 3rd of Jan, I awoke with a strong unction 'to fast'..

I was also reminded about how, back in the autumn of 2017, I was just going about my home, when I remember hearing the still, small, Voice of the Holy Spirit saying;

'..There's a storm coming..'

And now, here it came..

At 5.15am on Thursday 4th Jan, I awoke to my IPhone ringing.

I answered to hear this very calm lady's voice informing me that my mother had been taken into hospital.
When I asked why, she just said; '..she's awoken in the night feeling a bit shivery..'

So next, I was endeavouring to contact my brother Paul (who lives closer to her than me in Cheshire). This was in between many calls to hospital reception, who kept telling me 'my mother hadn't yet arrived at the A&E'..

I finally got through to my brother, but neither of us was too concerned as the impression was, 'she'd just had a bit of a fright', so now he would head over to the hospital to see how she was getting on..

Meanwhile, I was continuing the fast, whilst repeatedly ringing the hospital. Eventually, the receptionist said 'she'd been admitted and was now having a cup of tea and chatting with the medics..'

'All's well' so I thought, until Paul rang me later to let me know what had really happened.

Apparently, without warning, my mother had awoken about 2am with a raging temperature and vomiting. Now this, to me, was a miracle in itself as my mother doesn't really drink very much, so how dehydrated she must have quickly become!

So anyway, she had pressed the emergency button on her pendant, which alerted the next door neighbours in coming to her aid. Though the ambulance had been called, it didn't arrive for 4 hours. In the meantime, my mother was drifting in and out of sleep whilst her dear neighbour was inwardly begging her not to die!

When the medics finally arrived, they had to take off her nightie because of such a high temperature (in a bitterly cold ambulance) then on reaching the hospital, she was placed on a trolley with a saline drip until they found her a bed, which was to take about another 12 hours..

It was diagnosed later on that she had double pneumonia, but researching online, my brother and I knew that there was also some sepsis involved which was consistent with the symptoms from the cellulitus situation in her leg. We also think this is the reason why she was given a bed on a side ward (after being on the Acute Medical ward for a short time).

When I arrived 3pm on the Friday afternoon, she was on an intravenous, antibiotic drip and using a nebulizer to clear mucus and help her to breathe..

My mother is sometimes hard of hearing and therefore, unable to comprehend what the doctor's were saying, so what a blessing it was that she was on the side ward meaning my brother and I, were able to take turns at her bedside for most of the day. So thankful to the Lord!

At first, there was a noticeable lack of get-well cards arriving, probably because no one was expecting her to survive! But there soon become a steady stream of well-wishing after a while. In the meantime, in spite of all the negative reports, I'd taken a firm stand of faith, believing 'it wasn't her time to leave..'

However, about half way through the storm, with all the barrage of negative reports, including concerns about something called 'kidney injury', not to mention the constant worried comments of my back-slidden brother, I had begun to waver and question the Lord, 'maybe it is her time after all...am I to just 'let go?'

I distinctly heard Him say;

'Well then, ask her!'

So then, next time I went to visit, without my even enquiring, she kept on saying how 'she just wanted to go home!'(Earthly abode!) So there was the confirmation, and, according to God's promise (Matt 18 v 19) I simply agreed and said;

'Okay, you're going home!"

At one point I mentioned to the doctor about the cellulitus in mum's leg, and when they rolled up her pyjama leg, there was no longer any swelling...it was gone!

As time went by, her lungs grew stronger so she was gradually needing the nebulizer less and less, but then a blood test revealed a high level of potassium in her blood. This had to be monitored as it indicated the possibility of kidney failure..

Meanwhile, the nurses were so helpful and attentive, doing the best they could, whilst the doctor was  very nice, and could hardly believe my mum was 93 (apparently, the oldest person on the ward!).

 Anyway, one morning he arrived and began talking about a visit to the haemotology dept, then went on to talk about some 'chemotherapy?' I stared at him unable to comprehend..

Later on, it turned out he'd picked up the wrong notes..

In the meantime, there were injections in the stomach in order to prevent blood clots...plus, an MRI scan..then, the very last thing that happened before her release, was that, a doctor and nurse from the chest clinic arrived at her bedside in order to extract a sample of fluid from each of her lungs to see if there was any emphysema. (This could well have been the case as my mother had previously smoked for about 40 years before quitting in the nineties after becoming a Christian).

Well, for me, this was just all 'the last straw!' It had felt like such a long battle (even though it had only been 2 weeks) and as the doctor began to relay to mum about the dangers of such a procedure, I was inwardly crying out to the Lord; 'Please, don't allow her to have to go through this!'

Anyway, my mum gave her consent, and so the doctor had her sit on the edge of the bed whilst they did a scan of each of her lungs to check the presence of any fluid..

Next thing, they were packing up the equipment, saying; 'the lungs were draining nicely and so there was no need to do the test!'

Oh, glory to God, thank You Jesus!

Well, the next day was a long one as we sat awaiting the result of the latest blood tests for potassium levels. Then finally, into the evening came the 'all clear' and she was packed off home with us, along with medication, plus, a walker, and commode (both of which have ended up in the garden shed).

Then, a week later she was off to the hairdressers!

Hallelujah! Thank You Jesus!

In 1John 5 v 4 says it as it is;
'..For whatever is born of God is victorious over (that conquers) the world; and this is the victory that conquers the world, even our faith..'

Meditating on the promises of God will displace negative worldly thoughts, and cause faith to grow..it's inevitable!

'..So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God..'
Romans 10 v 17

The Word of God has substance, and can shift things!

"..Is not My word like fire, says the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks in pieces the most stubborn rock of resistance.."
Jeremiah 23 v 29

'..And Jesus, replying said to them, "..Have faith in God (constantly)
Truly I tell you, whoever says to this mountain,
'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea! And does not doubt at all in his heart but believes that what he says will take place, it will be done for him..
For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that is is granted to you, and you will get it)"
Mark 11 v 23-24

'..Signs and wonders follow them that believe..'
Mark 16 v 17-18
#beencouraged!