Women's Christian Fellowship
Miracle Stories- September
1st Story
As I reflect on the miraculous touch of God in my life, there are three times that His Holy Touch made a dramatic physical change in my life and in the lives of others. The power of intercessory prayer and the laying on of hands as we have been taught by Jesus accomplishes much. My first experience with a miracle in the laying on of hands was with my dad. He had bone cancer, and a bone plug had been taken from his hip to confirm the diagnosis. The inner bone marrow was honeycombed like a bees’ home. The doctors reported that his blood system production had shut down. My dad was transfused two to four pints of blood regularly.
He came to visit us here in California to celebrate Eddie’s confirmation in 1990. I was familiar with WCF, but had not made a commitment to study scripture at that time. I was busy with CCD and focused on my children’s needs. At that time, I asked for prayer for my dad, and while he was here, some ladies in WCF blessed him with holy oil, laid hands on him and prayed for his healing.
He returned to Kentucky and went to the hospital for his usual transfusion, but he did not require one. In fact, his hemoglobin count was higher than when he had left Kentucky. The doctors were amazed and said it was physically impossible for dad to make blood. He continued to check the blood count and continued to make blood for seven years. In 1997 he became ill again and passed onto the Lord on August 11, 1997. The doctors defined his ability to make blood a miracle. I believe the prayer was effective and the miracle power of our God was present. Thank You, God, for your holy touch.
The next miracle that I recall was for me personally. I went to my doctor for my routine mammogram and ended up having an MRI the very same day, because a very large irregular mass was discovered in my left breast. I saw the configuration of the mass on the screen while the technician was performing the test. It was massive and irregular, and so deemed dangerous. The doctor was phoned immediately, and I was encouraged to have a consultation. The doctor insisted I schedule surgery immediately to protect my life, as this type of mass is always cancerous.
I immediately went to my WCF friends and asked for prayer and discernment. I was blessed with holy oil and prayed over by many WCF leaders. My husband was living in New Jersey and working there for Channel at the time. I had a plane ticket to go visit him with tickets to shows and fun parties celebrating his success, and I was certain I should make the trip before the surgery. I trusted the prayer was effective, and I continued on my trip to visit with Ed. I was with him for a wonderful visit, and when I returned, I immediately went back for the biopsy test that is performed before the surgery. At that time, the mass was gone completely. There was no tissue to biopsy! God is so good and so faithful. I was totally healed. Thank You, God! The doctor was amazed, and I confirmed with him the power of prayer.
As an aside, while I was on that trip, I visited with my Aunt Dee, my mom’s sister. She was confined to a wheel chair in her own home. One morning she was grooming her cat, and the cat swatted her and tore open an artery on her hand between her thumb and index finger. The blood gushed from the tear and covered her clothing, chair and carpet. She is a massive woman, and I was seriously concerned. I grabbed her hand and prayed in the Name of Jesus be healed. I asked God to hear my prayer and be merciful. God answered the prayer immediately. The blood stopped, and there was not even a scratch on her hand. We were both in tears of thanksgiving. She continues to tell this story, and many hearts have been touched and God’s holy power continues to be celebrated. I thank You, God, for your compassion, mercy and healing touch.
I believe I was healed when I was in a prayer circle when another person was prayed for. I call this a miracle as well. After Mass one Thursday, Florence, Angie’s mom, fell while coming down the steps. While we were in the prayer room, Angie prayed against any blood clots and protection for her mother. I had fallen off a ladder, torn my leg and bruised it severely. In fact, my husband was concerned and asked what happened. It was huge—the size of my hand, was totally black and blue and yellow, very ugly and definitely full of blood clots.
My leg began to shake and jiggle during the prayer. I had no idea I was being healed. We all went to lunch after the meeting at a Japanese restaurant in Encinitas. I was making my usual visit to the ladies room, but there was a different mirror on the door across from the toilet. I had a full view of my leg, and the bruise was completely gone. I could not get my pants up fast enough. I came out yelling, “I have been healed.” It was an amazing healing, as I was in the circle of prayer and God touched me! Thank You, God; You are most awesome and worthy to be praised.
2nd Story
About ten years ago, when I was in Florida for a visit with my father (for what turned out to be the last time that I would see him, since my father had terminal cancer), I was in line for Holy Communion. As I approached the priest, I held out the pyx to take Communion to my parents. After Mass, that same priest rushed up to me and asked me to visit him in the rectory sometime that week and told me his name. The day before I was to leave, I thought that I should see what the priest wanted. I had never met him before, but my mom said he was the pastor. I stopped in the church bookstore and bought some Holy Water and a blessed candle to leave with my dad.
I went to the rectory and was ushered immediately in to see the pastor, Father Rynn. He hurried the repair man out of the room, closed the door and asked me my name. I told him who my parents were, but he didn’t seem to recognize their names. Then he surprisingly asked me to pray for him saying, "I have Meniere's Disease which causes me to fall down in front of the parishioners at Mass scaring them. This may also lead to deafness. I want you to pray for me."
Believe it or not, I didn't ask another question, but took some Holy Water and blessed his ears first and then blessed "from the top of his head to the tip of his toes."
As I was leaving, I asked him why he picked me to pray for him. He said, “Because I saw the anointing of God upon you.” I was so shocked at this answer that I just mumbled my goodbyes and stumbled to my car in confusion. I thought about this all the way home and immediately recounted it to my parents who were as shocked as I (they had raised me after all!). I wished I had asked him what he had actually seen. It was a completely humbling experience, one that I have never felt remotely worthy of. My mom said, “I think he is getting a bit addled.” to which I replied, “He seemed totally lucid to me.”
Back at WCF, I put Father Rynn’s name in the prayer basket. After we prayed over the basket, a woman’s voice proclaimed aloud, “Someone will be healed of Meniere’s Disease.” I gasped and turned to see Dawn Rutland uttering this Word of Knowledge. When I got home, I called Father Rynne at his parish in Florida and told him what had transpired. He said he believed it. Several months later he called to say that the doctor pronounced him healed and that he would have been a candidate for cochlear implants but they weren’t needed!
When I saw him the following year, he asked me, “Tell me how the miracle happened from start to finish.” He was as awestruck at the power of God as I! I asked him first, “Did my parents tell you anything about me, like that I was in a Bible study group?" He replied, “No, when I asked you to pray, I knew nothing about you.” After the retelling of what I think happened, he asked me to pray for the healing
of stomach cancer, grabbing my hands and placing them on his stomach!
Months later came the amazing phone call—he was healed of stomach cancer!!! Praised be to God from whom all good things come! Our Lord is a faithful healer who will work through the most imperfect vessels! Father writes every Christmas and always says, “Pray very hard for me.” And I do.