WARNING, what you’re about to read has the potential to change your heart!
It contains the proven ingredients of human faith, reckless hope and God-size love! Read carefully and digest completely for maximum benefits. The Great Physician has provided irrefutable evidence of His healing power and governing authority in our lives.
On July 15th I was gathered among a body of believers for Freedom Ministry Training. We were honing the skill of connecting people with God. Terry and I were matched for an activation exercise that forever changed both of our lives. As I looked into her eyes I asked God, “What do You have to say about Terry today?” As I quietly awaited an answer, the thought kept pressing my mind, “This girl is stronger than she thinks and is going to move mountains.” Our lesson continued and in a passing moment I awkwardly shared what I heard with no sense of what it really meant.
That evening Terry went home not feeling well and ended up in the emergency room. There she had a heart attack and while on the lab table coded 3 times. When I received news about her, I knew immediately what God was saying! This mountain she was facing would be moved by the faith she had in Him. The doctor put a balloon in her heart that day and as he says, prayed a “Hail Mary,” leaving her with a 10% chance to live; expecting she would die within a few weeks. All of the tests run that day confirmed her heart was not strong enough to live.
The mountain moved! Eight days after the July 15th heart attack the doctors retested her to identify the strength of her heart. To their amazement, every result showed her heart had nearly returned to normal. As I spoke with Terry about this experience she could hardly find the words to describe the joy she felt through the whole thing. She explains, “It was as if the joy of the Lord WAS my strength.” A mass army of prayer warriors were mobilized through friends, family, co-workers and ministry partners.
As the days of recovery turned into months with many twists and turns, Terry heard clearly, “Lean not on YOUR understanding.” This mind-blowing experience has brought her face-to-face with God, who is always present and working on our behalf. She’s come to realize how powerful our prayers are, as every circle of life around her activated to see this transforming miracle become a reality. She is more confident than ever that when we ask God, He hears us!
Terry’s heart went through a radical physical and spiritual transformation. Medically it’s called reperfusion. Which literally means the action of restoring the flow of blood to an organ or tissue, typically after a heart attack or stroke. Metaphorically, her story is for anyone with a broken heart to be assured, God truly does heal the brokenhearted.
God revealed to her, “The same way I healed your heart is how I heal the brokenhearted. I will make new pathways of: total forgiveness; unconditional love; healing that is complete and made whole again; healthy relationships that will last forever; new boldness in Christ; new hope that is anchored in Christ; and new life that never dies.”
Then He said, “This is how I heal the broken-in-heart.
On November 15th, Terry’s healing journey continued with a stint being placed on the left side of her heart! Hours after her recovery she was asked, “Do you feel like getting up and walking?” She replied, “Yes, I feel so good!” She began doing laps around the nurse’s station. She continues her healing journey with rest and deep reflection. She leaves us with one last word about God’s interest in the human heart… He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3
Friends, if you are living under a mountain of heartbreak, Terry offers this prayer for you:
“Father, being near to You has drawn me closer to the brokenhearted. I pray for my friend who is experiencing chest pain. As the heart murmurs, “help” perform Your powerful work of recreating a new heart for them. I pray for new life to emerge through the broken places and Your life to flow in them.”
The Great Physician is at work in you, creating a new life! We want to celebrate with you, so drop us a note! This is the year for YOU to be fully alive in Him!
Credits: Terry acknowledges there were many contributors to this miracle in her life! Thousands of prayers offered through the Methodist Church opening its doors for around-the-clock prayer, a surrendered husband, affirming words and vision from friends and a brave 17 year old’s word of knowledge that God would give her a new heart! Certainly, the destiny of her life was held in the hearts & hands of these individuals. She’s incredibly thankful for their obedience and brave faith.
~Denise
