Got Miracles?

"And ye will seek Me and find Me when you search with all your heart. I will be found by you says the Lord and I will bring you back from your captivity." -Jeremiah 29:13-14

Do you believe in miracles? Have you ever witnessed an event or action that apparently contradicted scientific law and appeared to be a supernatural act of God? Is it possible that Jesus wasn't kidding when he said to an apostle, that we who followed Him would do even greater miracles?

I believe that miracles are all around us everyday and that too often we write them off to coincidence. I think it would blow alot of people's minds if they really took stock of the power we are given by The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. There is a "secret code word" that is revealed to those who search for it within the pages of our bible. It is the secret that unlocks the power to achieve miracles in His name. Got a clue? The word is FAITH. Actually it is no secret. It just cannot be found until we search with all our hearts. It appears over and over and over again.

Faith is the truth that sets us free from the captivity of limited power. Faith makes miracles possible. Faith is the unquestioning belief that does not require proof or evidence. I have faith that we will receive the miracle we have asked for as we give thanks for Johnny's healing. I told Johnny this morning I refuse to believe in the diagnosis, I choose to believe he will conquer cancer by the grace of God, the sword of the spirit, the prayers of love and His promises that we have claimed by decreeing Johnny's victory. Two or more have gathered in His name all over this country to lift Johnny up in prayer.

This afternoon we received what I would like to call a "confirmation" of my belief that God is not done with Johnny yet. Two of our dearest friends, Richard and Donna Carter, stopped by on their way to the Holy Land! They leave tomorrow for a whirlwind trip to several countries to celebrate their 45th wedding anniversary. They brought by some HAND DRAWN water from the spring at MERYEMANA, the place where John took Mary in Ephesus after the crucifixion. It is reported to have curative powers, but it reads, "the true power is in prayer and FAITH."


Works for me! I know miracles are possible because I have a miracle story that occurred Christmas week 2004. It was the Christmas I almost died. It was the week I saw the face of God - in a flock of birds.........

My story began when I was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer - stage 3 in April 2004. My chances were not that great. They had only just discovered specific medicine for THAT kind of breast cancer five years before. I started Chemotherapy every two weeks for three months the beginning of June. I stopped in September to allow my body time to restore itself as much as possible to brace for the masectomy of my right breast on October 6, 2004. After another month of healing I started on an oral chemo which led to all the trouble Christmas week. I had been taking 18 pills of chemo daily and had been enduring the side effects of chemical burn to the palms of my hands and the soles of my feet. It felt like walking on fire!

But then the king of all side effects kicked in early December keeping me in the bathroom every two hours all day every day for weeks until I finally became so dehydrated that they admitted into the hospital Monday of Christmas week. Christmas Day was Saturday. My greatest wish was to be back home before Christmas so I could wake up Christmas morning in my own bed. It was not to be. Each day I got worse. All my veins had collapsed so they had to put a P.I.C. line in me that weaved its way up through my arms, across my chest and down my sternum. They finally were able to administer meds through a portal in my upper arm.

But nothing seemed to work. My universe became the small area in my room that connected my bed to the path of the bathroom. My bedside table was all I had power over. I kept it fanatically organized. After several days and night I was in so much pain that it was difficult to even pray. They were giving me a heroin derivative for pain. I was losing hope fast. I realized soon that I would not be going home for Christmas and I was in despair. Christmas was also my daughter Scarlett's birthday. I would be missing the birthday of Jesus AND my daughter.

One night in the very wee hours of the morning I tried to pray but was so weak and my mind was befuzzled. All I could simply do was to ask the Lord to give me a sign He was with me. I no longer cared what the outcome was as long as I KNEW beyond a shadow of a doubt that HE was with me. I did not pray to be spared. I prayed to see HIS face knowing the outcome did not matter as long as I knew HE was with me. I totally surrendered my soul to THY will not MY will. I asked Him to send my a sign by sending me a bird to fly by my window. I had not seen the first bird fly by all week.

The dawn came and went and the day passed on. I waited gazing constantly at the window in anticipation of my bird. No bird came by. Scarlett came to visit me and I was in tears. "God won't even send me a bird!" I cried. She went back to work and decided to help God give me the miracle I was asking for. She found a beautiful picture of huge strong hands holding a frail injured bird and wrote me a letter over the picture - from the bird to me. The letter basically said that the bird was sick and dying just like me but still God was holding it in HIS mighty hands. It reminded me that all God asks from us is to believe that HE is our rock. HE is our redeemer. HE is our strength. That we would BOTH fly again in HIS time. All HE asks us to do is to believe.

AS Scarlett handed me the picture with the letter she told me that I should believe God answered my prayer through her. I did believe it and thought it was wonderful. But then the birds just kept on coming. Next my nursing aide brought me a tiny cross pin that had a dove perched on it. Then my niece Becky brought me an angel holding a bird in its cupped hands. Then my Aunt Ruby called to tell the story of the bird perched on her windowsill pecking itself to death trying to get in to her (with a heavenly message?) Then my brother Chip arrived with a feathered bird statue. Finally my girlfriend Debi was visiting and as I was relating the bird stories she pointed to the window and said "look!" As I leaned forward to peer out the window a flock of birds flew by with beautiful majesty.

Amazingly, that Christmas Day was my best Christmas ever. Another miracle was that Johnny had to do the Christmas shopping for the first time in his life. And he went to Publix and bought Scarlett a birthday cake so that when she came down the stairs Christmas morning, he was waiting for her with candlles lit and singing "Happy Birthday" to her on the special day she shared with Jesus. They arrived later at the hospital with sacks fulll of presents and we sat in a circle on my bed and opened all the presents one by one like we do at home. I learned that Christmas is where your heart is at - not where your body is.

And the next part of the miracle? That night on Christmas Eve, everything going haywire in my body just STOPPED. They sent me home the next day. And the moral of the story? Whenver you ask God for something He always answers prayer and He always gives you so much more than you ever dreamed possible. If He had just sent me one lone bird flying by the window it wouldn't have been half as significant as all the birds that came my way from family, friends and those who were caring for me.

So miracles? Yes! I believe in them. And I am believing again for Johnny. If you have a miracle story please send it and share it with the world! We need more reminders that miracles are possible and are happening with all of us. I wish every one of you a miracle and a dream come true. His praise shall continuously be on my lips!

Beautiful Blessings,

Rene