So
this is the second instalment of the series of strange stories from people I
love, and now we move into the crazy world of hearing from a person who
actually experienced a miracle. This is Tim, my friend from church (who
is also, if you’re interested, or even if you’re not interested, an incredible
accapella artist and general musical genius). Enjoy!
***
Hello
world. My name is Tim, I attend the same church as Mike and he has asked me to
have a go at blogging. This shall in fact be my first blog post ever. Please
excuse my weird grammar, I only came to this beautiful country in October 2012.
I am also an economist. These two things excuse a LOT of weird grammar, but
let’s get back to business:
My
back has been hurting all my life. That’s the way things are. I’ve been to
several specialists and the only thing I found out is that it is some kind of
scoliosis. This runs in my family and I have learned to live with it. I’m not
in constant agony, it doesn’t even bother me that much on a daily basis, since
you can get used to everything. But every two months or so I have a massive
pain attack. Most of the times it happens when I get out of bed. I pretty much
fall right back into my bed and try to stay there for two or three days until
getting up feels normal again. The pain then subsides to its normal base level
after about a week. I live with that base level of pain at any given time.
That
former statement was true until that one night at church.
The
day before, a group of us musicians had made an hour-long trip to our church
centre in Peterborough, where we rehearsed for a whole day. However, this day
ended up being one of those days that I would normally spend in bed. I
participated, sometimes standing up, sometimes sitting, sometimes lying on the
floor. We prayed for my back and - if I am completely honest - I didn’t believe
that would change anything. Now this might sound harsh, so let me elaborate: I
didn’t doubt God’s existence, I didn’t doubt my faith, but I had never
experienced God as a God who heals physically. I had always intellectually
believed in a God who heals, but I had also always lived with pain. Somehow my
life reality and God’s promises didn’t line up that well.
A
day later we actually put our newly rehearsed material to the test, it was
amazing, God’s presence was strong, but my back was still unchanged. So after
the service I was happy to get some relief by lying in the back of the
Cambridge Revolution Bar where we have our student services. What a weird
sight.
Three
of my friends came up to me, asked about my back and prayed for me. Amongst
them was a guy who is known to his church buddies for his deep appreciation for
God’s healing touch and of course his impeccable fashion sense. When they were
done praying he asked me if I was doing better. This was one of the more
awkward moments of my life, because I really wasn’t. Not even slightly. Instead
of evading the question, I was brave enough to say ‘not really’. The response
came completely natural: ‘Then let’s pray again.’
These
people genuinely believed, that God would heal me. These people had so much
confidence in God and his good plans for us, that they didn’t even consider
that it might just not work.
And
it worked.
It
really did.
It
was the weirdest feeling of my life but I got healed. It was incredibly awkward
during the first days, when it really felt as if there was something missing in
my back. For the three months since then, my back has been better than I can
remember it ever being. Most of the days I don’t feel my back at all and even
when it is at it’s worst now, it is still better than it used to be every
single day of my life before.
This
is what God has done!
In
John 4:13-14, it says: And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the
Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and
I will do it.
That
night in the Cambridge Revolution Bar, God has done something amazing to help
me get that little bit closer to a place where I can live completely immersed
in his awesome promises. That’s what God’s promises are: Nothing short of
awesome. Let’s see what he has in store for us, let’s see what he has in store
for you.
***
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