Life can change in an instant. It did for
me. One day I was happily playing my fifth set of tennis when my back started
to feel sore. I didn’t fall or do
anything dramatic. As I didn’t want to let the others down I continued to play
the set. By the time I arrived home I was in agony, but concluded I’d be fine
after a hot bath. Thankfully I didn’t know then what was to come.
When in a few days the back felt worse I
went to the doctors who sent me for physio. What started as a back pain turned
into months of me being immobilised as pain spread from my back all down both
legs to my toes. Physio provided at best temporary relief for a few hours.
My church organised a prayer vigil. People joined
a roster and committed to pray for me throughout each day and night. My
daughter’s church was also praying and I had the prayer support of online
Christian friends in Australia and overseas. So why wasn’t God answering this wave
of prayer?
I not only couldn’t play tennis, I couldn’t
get to church, sit at the computer or write. Everything I loved doing had been
taken away from me. My minister and elders came and prayed over me with the
laying on of hands. Peace filled my heart. I had no doubt God would answer.
That night I had the best night’s sleep for months. Next day the pain returned and kept on and on.
In despair I cried out to God.
My doctor arranged for me to see a
neurosurgeon. His suggested a spinal operation, taking six hours. If it went
wrong, I could end up paralysed. The thought filled me with fear. But I also
knew I couldn’t go on as I was.
Knowing I love owls, a dear friend made me
this cute little owl as a reminder that people were praying for me. Barnabette,
the encourager owl, stayed with me.
As I entered the hospital I felt at peace, assured
I was covered by prayers of so many. The day after the surgery the doctor
allowed me to get up. From that point I began doing laps of the hospital. My operation
was on Tuesday. To the amazement of all I went home three days later. That was
in September 2011.
When I saw the doctor in May 2012 he
pronounced the op a huge success. He didn’t need to see me anymore. I told him,
‘No offence, but I hope I don’t see you either.’ He laughed.
I will never play tennis again. It’s too
risky. I can live with that restriction, as I can walk and stand. I’m back leading
the singing at church, and writing.
Throughout those months of pain my husband
and I learned more about God, our church and how important the prayers of
others are. We re-established something that had been lacking for a while, a
prayer and bible reading time together to start each day. It has become an
invaluable time together and a great blessing.
Looking back many blessings came from the painful
experience. While I wasn’t healed miraculously by believing prayer and the
laying on of hands, I was healed equally as miraculously through sustained
prayer and God’s choice of the right skilled surgeon.
The day I walked back into church after a
five month absence, I was overwhelmed with love and a sense of gratitude to
those who had faithfully prayed and supported us and to the mighty God who healed
me, though in a different way to how I expected.
Streets
on a Map by Dale Harcombe can currently be purchased from the books page of Dale’s
website http://daleharcombe.com/books. htm
Ark
House press
You can
also buy it by typing Dale Harcombe into Amazon http://www.amazon.com/
At present
Streets on a Map is only available in print
version but later this year I hope an E book version of Streets on a
Map will be available.
Website is
www.daleharcombe.com
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