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Linda's Story

Faith Forged in the Fires of Adversity

My Faith Began to Heal

Although I might have thought that following Jesus would mean everything would be great, I have experienced many trials while on this journey.

After recovering from cancer treatments and being cancer-free, I began to hope that life would hold no more big challenges. My husband retired, we moved to Waco and became active in a new church. I made some new friends and felt comfortable in our new life. Until one day I woke up not feeling quite “right,” but dismissed it as just a slight bug.

After about a month of worsening symptoms, I visited my doctor in our previous town. He thought I might be stressed with our move and suggested I follow up with him in another month. By the time I saw him again, my symptoms had worsened to the point where I could not digest any food. I underwent numerous tests, hospitalizations, surgery, and extreme weight loss, but there was still no diagnosis.

Desperate for help, I returned to Waco and prayed earnestly for healing. However,  four months passed with still no relief. A friend suggested a local doctor, and I made an appointment. After he listened to my complaints, he asked if he could pray with me. I was surprised but felt God’s presence.

He diagnosed me with gastroparesis, a condition in which the brain does not tell the stomach to start digestion. I Googled (yes, I did) the disease and read that my prognosis was grim. The average life expectancy for someone with the disease is 2-5 years, and only a third of people who have it get better.

My prayers changed that day. While I had been telling God that I wanted (and needed) immediate healing, I realized He might not heal me this side of heaven. I had long conversations with God until I finally prayed for Him to do what He wanted and I wouldn’t fight Him. Those were hard prayers, but I was finally willing to accept whatever He wanted to do with me.

Healing was not immediate, but over the next 3-4 months, I began to tolerate more foods as my body, but even more importantly, my faith began to heal. My doctor cannot explain what happened but agreed it couldn’t have happened “except by the grace of God.”

God chose to heal me, and I believe He has something else for me to do before I go to heaven. Through this trial, I understand a little more about Christ’s love for me. He suffered and died to open the way to heaven and eternal life, for me and for all who believe in Him and embrace his message of hope. My suffering cannot compare to His, but in His prayer “Thy will be done,” I see that I too must surrender to what God, in His amazing love, has for me each day.

-Linda

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