* * * * *
I'll focus this paragraph on Ruthie Crawford, a five-year-old girl in our Sunday school. She became very friendly and would shake my hand and chat with me every chance she got.
She took very ill, had a high fever and just lay and stared into space with glassy eyes. Her temperature rose to 105 degrees. Her mother called and gave me the doctor's report which was not encouraging.
I slipped a pack of gum and a roll of life savers into my pocket and went to her bedside. Her praying mother stood on one side of Ruthie's bed and I on the other. Ruthie paid no attention to us as we came to her, but stared into space with glassy eyes.
I laid the gum and life savers on the pillow opposite hers--she paid no attention. The dear Holy Spirit warmed and vivified our prayers. When we opened our eyes, the gum and life savers were gone from where I had put them. Ruthie opened her hand to let me see she had them--then smiled. I soon left--walked the two and one half blocks home. When I came in the door, the phone was ringing. It was Ruthie's mother calling to tell me I was just out the door when Ruthie bounded down the stairs, her fever was gone and she wanted something to eat. How good God is to answer earnest praying.
Rev. Claude Eshelman
"Lord, Save Me"
No one ever spoke to me about my soul, and if anyone ever prayed for me, I was unaware of it. But regardless of this fact, God has ever been faithful to my poor soul. Praise His Name!
I remember, as a little girl, feeling an emptiness in my heart and longing for something to fill that emptiness. My parents had a large family-size Bible that they kept on the top shelf of a chest-type piece of furniture. One day, I climbed up until I could reach it, and getting a good hold on it, I eased myself back down to the floor. Thus began a search for spiritual truth to quench the thirst of my soul.
At the age of nineteen, I met a young man who was later to become my husband. After we were married a year, he got a job with the Telephone Company, and being in construction at the time, he worked out of town all week, coming home only on the weekends. I would entertain myself at night by listening to the radio. One night I tuned in to a radio preacher. I had never heard preaching like this before in my life. This preacher was actually saying one had to quit sinning if they became a Christian. "Absurd," I thought, "this is against everything I have ever been taught in my life." But, nevertheless I continued to listen night after night, as indescribable conviction seized my eternity-bound soul. After weeks of conviction, not even realizing what was wrong with me, I came to the end of myself. It just seemed that God just bared my poor old sinful heart to me and revealed that I was a lost and needy soul. I knew nothing about praying or confessing my sins to God but I was willing to do anything to find peace. I went into my bathroom, and though I had never gotten on my knees before to pray, I just fell on my knees before God. It seemed I was speechless, I had no idea how to pray, but the Lord had showed me I needed to get saved, so I just looked up to God and said, “Lord, save me." That was the only three words I uttered but God l.ooked down into my penitent heart, so sorry for my sins and so sick of the way I was going, and so hungry for God, and He just wiped my slate clean and wrote my name down in the Lamb's Book of Life. Praise God! I arose from my knees, a new creature in Christ Jesus. No one had to pat me on the back and tell me I was saved, for the burden of sin was gone. I felt as light as a feather, like I was going to sprout wings and fly. There was no big emotional feeling, just this feeling of lightness because the burden of sin was gone. As I recall this wonderful experience now, this blessed old song by Minnie Steele comes to my mind,
I remember when my burdens rolled away,
That had hindered me for years night and day.
As I sought the throne of grace,
Just one glimpse of Jesus' face,
And I knew that my burdens could not stay.
Rolled away, rolled away,
I am happy since my burdens rolled away.
I was very ignorant of Bible truths but God led me step by step as I followed Him, walking in every ray of light He gave. He led me to a Holiness Church, which before I was saved, I called a Holy-Roller Church. But now with a changed heart, I felt I had come home, the very first night I attended.
It took me awhile to grasp what was meant by sanctification but as God applied the truth to my heart, I began to seek this new experience of being filled with God's Spirit. I wanted all that God had for me.
For one week I left off all unnecessary work and sought after God. I remember praying something like this, "Lord, if there is an experience like I've heard preached about, where the carnal nature can be eradicated, I want this experience." I had been told to confess all the carnal traits, such as selfishness, anger, jealousy, pride, covetousness, and other evil tendencies that I was aware that was there, and trust God for deliverance. Well, I did everything I knew to do but nothing happened. I picked up the Bible and it opened to Isaiah and my eyes fell on these words, Chapter 54: verse 14, "In righteousness shalt thou be established." Six words but there was a volume of truth there for me. The word “established" stood out to me. Could God take an unstable, wavering, unbelieving, doubting soul like mine and establish me in righteousness? The dictionary defined "righteousness" as purity. I began to rationalize, because the words were spoken so plainly to my heart. I had read the Scripture that said, "Blessed are they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled." Surely, I was hungry enough and had He not said that if we confess, He would forgive and cleanse? Had I not confessed everything I knew to confess? What was there left for me to do? And now, I had His promise that He would establish me. The dictionary defined the word "establish" as meaning to settle, so at last I got my eyes off my little weak self and what I could do, and got them on God and His mighty power. My unbelief began to dissolve as I trusted the Word and rested in God. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt at the point that I had done everything I knew to do so now I just took my hands off. My complete consecration was in God's hands, so I was enabled to rest in Him. I could not pray any longer for I was to the end of myself. I knew I was completely yielded, my all was on the altar. I did not feel any different, the witness for which I longed, had not come, yet I felt assured I had done my part so the rest was up to God.
Later that afternoon as I was going about my duties, suddenly I was conscious of a divine presence within. The Blessed Comforter had come to abide in my unworthy heart. As in my conversion, there was no emotional stir, only a consciousness of the Blessed Holy Spirit taking up His abode in my heart. There are no words to describe the blessedness and sweetness of this experience after such a long struggle. There was not a shadow of a doubt but that God had met my need, had sanctified me wholly. It was real! Praise His Name forever!
Georgia D. McCain
Be Sure Your Sin Will Find You Out
I remember as a girl how I loved the great outdoors. The doctor had prescribed lots of sunshine and air because of my lack of appetite, and my outside activity did prove to be helpful. My daddy bought me a bike and I really made use of it. Each Saturday I would leave home and stay for several hours. I remember going sometimes without permission, like the time I went to a place called Coaltown, twelve miles or more from home. Surely, a guardian angel watched over me that day for my little excursion vas very dangerous in some places. I went out Sulpher Run, past a little old desolate mill, about a mile up a steep hill around massive rocks, where my cousin had drowned, and then on several miles out the ridge and down a hill to Coaltown. Mrs. Mills was so astonished to see me. She asked if my mother knew where I was. How embarrassed my mother was when they brought me home with my bike. She reprimanded me, but I know I should have been punished more than I was.
My mother was a Christian and she longed to see me turn to Christ, but I was not at all interested in spiritual things. Mother also wanted me to be interested in music, as she was a proficient pianist, but she grew so weary of the necessity of constantly urging me to practice. S
he concluded that this was the reason she consented for me to take trombone lessons. The band-master was looking for a trombone student in the seventh grade and had an instrument available. So Mother rented the trombone and, unbelievably, I did practice. The early fog-horn and sudden blasts were endured by Mother that I would be kept interested in music. At the end of the year, the band-master encouraged me to keep the instrument and practice through the summer. Evidently, he was pleased with my progress and everyone was enjoying the soft and clearer tones of the instrument.
When school opened again, I began my eighth grade term at junior high school. After a few lessons with the band-master, I was asked along with another student to practice with the senior high school band. This really pleased my parents, as well as myself, that I was making progress enough to be chosen for further study.
Each day that we would practice band, I and the other student, Rolley Down, son of a local dentist, would ride our bikes from their building to the senior high school building. Being dismissed a few minutes early from our last afternoon class gave us time enough to arrive at the practice room on schedule. This became a routine three times a week; we needed about six or seven minutes and it was a challenge as to which would arrive first.
The junior high school was on a higher elevation from the street below, which we followed to the other side of town to the senior high building. We knew just how to lean on our bikes to safely follow a great curve down and around the school lawn. Both bikes with baskets were loaded with books. My trombone was across the basket and Rolley's trumpet case hung on a handlebar.
The days passed away swiftly. After a few weeks of attending band practice at the senior high school, the big event of the year was announced to the students in the band, a band dance. Unknown to my Christian mother, I had participated in gym class dancing lessons at the junior high school, so now I was very interested in the dance for the students in the band. If only I could get around my mother, I could ask a certain young man to be my escort for that evening. So I connived a plan and told my mother it was a band party and that dancing wasn't allowed.
As the day of the big event arrived, I hurried home from school. I was thrilled over my new blue dress Mother had made, thinking it was for a party, never dreaming it was for a dance. Smugly, I dressed and hurried off to the home of an ungodly aunt whose daughter had also been invited to the camouflaged affair, Thus, without demure, my cousin and I were escorted by our young beaus to the so-called band party. I may have been prepared for that evening, but I was not prepared for what followed a few weeks later.
God's faithful Word warns in Numbers 32:23, "Be sure your sin will find you out."
One day the last of October, I placed my belongings in the bike basket along with my trombone, without a case, across the basket, and hurried to band practice at the senior high school. I was so absorbed in thought that I did not notice that Rolley hadn't made his exit yet. I banged the bike stand up in place and began the long descending semi-circle around the school lawn to the foot of the embankment at the end of the sidewalk. Ah, that wonderful breeze, so refreshing, after a stuffy day in those classrooms. I was revelling in my love for outside freedom and the knowledge of being able to ride my bike down such a tricky sidewalk. Only seconds after I started, Rolley Downs hurried out of the school building to his bike and quickly decided to try a shortcut down through the school yard. It was a quick descent to the sidewalk over the embankment, but if he slowed down a little, he could make it. In our own intent, hasty trip, neither of us noticed the other's bike until it was too late, and we collided at the end of the sidewalk. Rolley hit my bike at the back of the front wheel, sending me and the bike into the middle of the street and under the red light. Several firemen standing in the doorway of the firehouse across the street saw the accident and in seconds were out to help the frightened and bruised shaking girl. They notified the principal of the school and I was taken home. I heard the driver explain how the accident happened and that I had no apparent serious injuries, but advised that I be taken to a doctor. I knew I needed to see a dentist, also.
God's timing is always perfect. My parents were upset when they learned that my two front teeth were damaged in the accident. Mother declared, "It was a dentist's son who caused the damage, so his father can repair them. We'll go see his mother first. We were classmates in school." Early Saturday afternoon, we visited Mrs. Downs. All the while, the two mothers were exchanging greetings, Mrs. Downs would glance at me. Finally she asked, “Is this your daughter, Rhea? Is this the little girl that was at the band dance dressed in blue?" Quickly, I stepped behind my mother as my astonished mother stood mute.
I thought our walk back home would never end as I followed my griefstricken mother. Now she realized that her thirteen-year-old daughter had been granted too much liberty. As soon as we arrived home, Mother hurried to her bedroom to pray. It was there she promised the Lord that she was going to persistently fast and pray until her daughter was saved. She kept that vow. After a few weeks, I, who was so indifferent to spiritual things, began to feel such conviction that I was afraid to go to bed at night; the moon shining in my window frightened me. I was afraid the "world was going to come to an end" and oh, how my many sins bothered me. Early in December, I went to an old-fashioned church altar and sought the Lord, poured out my heart to Him in true repentance. In mercy, He saved me, changed my desires, and now my praying mother had a new daughter, one who was bom again by the spirit of Christ.
Ohio
For Twelve and One Half Years, Mother Set Elwood's Plate
I think my mother was one of the greatest people of faith that I've ever known. My oldest brother, Elwood, got in trouble in his teens. My father raised him just like he raised the other six. There were eight of us but one died in his infancy. But Elwood was rebellious in spite of his teachings. He got in trouble, and in his early teens, he was put in the reform school, and it was a terrible tragedy and disgrace on the home, we felt. But he was gone about three days and my mother came out of her bedroom early one morning and just shouted all over the house, just kept shouting. Finally, Dad looked at her and said, "Mother, tell me what you're shouting about, and I'll join you." She looked at my father and said, "Dad, I just prayed through on Elwood. God told me He was going to save Elwood, and I believe it. Glory to God!"
I heard her many mornings in her room and she'd be praying in there, and she'd say, "Lord, I don't know where he's at and I don't know what he's doing, but You promised me that you'd save him and I believe it. Praise God! That's good enough for me," and she'd start shouting again. She never wavered one iota. And from the time he left, every meal that was served in our house, for twelve and one half years, she set Elwood's plate. I'd look at her and say, "Mom, whose plate is that?" Well, she'd smile and say, "That's Elwood's." I'd say, "Mom, he's a jail bird, he's no good. He's not coming back. There's no need to set that plate." She'd just smile. "Well," she said, "Honey, if he does come in, he'll know I'm expecting him anyway." And she set that plate twelve and one half years.
I never will forget one Sunday afternoon after service, we were eating and laughing and talking like a large family does around the table when all at once, my mother screamed out, "Children, be still," and we almost jumped out of ourselves. I looked at her and said, "Mom, what in the world is wrong with you?" She said, "I heard my boy, Elwood, walk upon the porch." I said, "Mom, he's somewhere in jail--he's not--" She just went out to the porch and I could tell by the excitement it had to be him. It wasn't long until she walked in, her face shining, the tears streaming down her cheeks with her arm around his waist and his arm over her shoulder, and she said, "Honey, come right on in. Your plate is right over here," and she set him right down to the plate which she had set for twelve and one half years.
I've often thought, "If you're away from God tonight, come on back. The table's set. Come on back. It doesn't matter how far from God you've wandered, come on back. Praise God forever."
My mother wa
s dead and in Heaven nine years, and 1 was pastoring in Defiance, Ohio. My phone rang one day and I answered it and someone was crying. I said, "Who is this?" He said, "Just a minute, Paul," and then I knew it was Elwood. I said, "Elwood, are you in trouble?" and he said, "Just a minute." After he got his composure, he said, "Paul, my wife and I have rented the Majestic Theater on South Main Street and we're down here cleaning it up now." He said, "I want you to come to hold a revival. I want to find Mother's God. I'm tired of the life that I've lived. 1 want to find God."
1 got three loads of church people and we went down and cleaned that old theater and started a revival. The second night, Elwood gloriously prayed through. To my knowledge, that was the first time he had ever been to the altar. When he was young, he never went to the altar, but he prayed clear through, and there's many people in Lima, Ohio who know this. The next night after Elwood got saved, there were five saloons closed up and they all came down in a group to see if he'd really got saved. Praise God forever! When he stood up and testified about the prayers of his father and mother that had followed him, and the many hours he had spent behind bars, Brother, that thing caved in and God's Glory swept the place. What was it? It wasn't anyone that was preaching or anything, it was the prayers. Listen, Brother, hold on to God. Don't give up. It doesn't matter how far that boy or girl has gone in sin, the blood can still go deeper than the stain has gone. Praise God! Hallelujah! Just believe God in spite of the outlook. Amen!
After God saved Elwood, He called him to preach. He preached thirty-five years all over the country. Marvelous testimony of the grace of God. Amen!
Rev. Paul Lucas
Ohio
How God Solved a Church Problem
At one particular time, we had a problem in our church that was threatening to turn into a very serious problem. God placed a tremendous burden on my heart to fast and pray. Oh, how I cried to God for most of the day. About three o'clock that afternoon, a small still voice whispered, "Rest in the Lord, wait patiently for him"-- "Sit still, my daughter ... for he will not rest, until he hath finished the thing this day." The assurance came to my heart that God had heard prayer and was going to answer before the day was ended, for had He not said He would finish the thing that day? A friend had joined me in prayer over the matter, and I called this individual and told her how God had spoken to my heart. I said, "He will answer today for He told me He would finish the thing this day."
I went to church that night fully expecting God to work. I wasn't disappointed. The Blessed Spirit of God came in such mighty power during the song service until we did not have any need of preaching, and the altar was lined with seekers. God took care of the problem. He finished it that day just as He said He would do. From that day until this present time, that same problem has never come up again. There have been other problems to cope with but God took care of that one, once and for all. Oh, that we might learn a lesson, to get on our knees and let God solve the church's problems. When He does it, it's done well. Amen!
Our God has great delight in answering His children's prayers. When we wait before Him in earnest expectation, He will never disappoint us. Andrew Murray gives this admonition in waiting on God. "One of the chief needs is our waiting on God, one of the deepest secrets of its blessedness and blessings is a quiet persuasion that it is not in vain; courage to believe that God will hear and help, we are waiting on a God who never could disappoint His people.
" 'Be strong and of good courage.' These words are frequently found in connection with some great and difficult enterprise, in prospect of the combat with the power of strong enemies, and the utter insufficiency of all human strength. The blessings for which we plead are spiritual and all unseen: things impossible with men; heavenly, supernatural, divine realities.
"Let nothing in Heaven or earth or hell--let nothing keep thee from waiting on thy God in full assurance that it cannot be in vain." End quote.
Georgia D. McCain
A Sister Healed of Asthma
My sister was in and out of the hospital because she had asthma which would take her breath away and cause her to wheeze and cough and she would become very weak. There were times when she would be forced to miss school for a month at a time. One day, she took a real bad attack and they were going to take her to the hospital when my dad said he felt it was wrong to keep taking her to the hospital when he felt the Lord could heal her. He prayed and anointed her in her bedroom and God touched and healed her and she never had another attack. To God be the Glory!
David Poorman
Pennsylvania
His Eye Is on the Sparrow--and on Other Things
In Paniqui (Tarlac, Philippines), at the close of a convention day, my wife and I, along with four students, loaded our baggage into the Rambler, pulled onto the McArthur Highway and headed for home.
It took us one hour to go the thirty miles to the campus of Villasis Bible School. The students were helpful in carrying our parcels to the house. As we checked the items, we discovered my small red briefcase was missing. This discovery made everyone in our little group alert. We tried to recall what had happened to it, but no one could remember putting it in the car. I was deeply concerned because the case was very important to me. It contained my Bible and two sermon outline books.
The Bible had been my constant companion for many years. I had taken it with me in a good many lands for over twenty years, and my outlined books were the results of prayerful study and work of even more years.
I felt helpless as I remembered that neither the case, Bible, nor books had my identification in them. All we could do was pray, for being night-time, we could do nothing to try to locate them. We didn't even have telephone service.
The next morning we went back to Paniqui for another day of work. We searched through the church building and around, hoping to find some trace of the case, but the case was not there. We asked others about it but no one had seen it since the night before. We just had to accept the fact that someone had taken it from the church, or it had been placed on the car rather than inside. It was lost.
Police were notified, and a truck with a PA system went about the streets of the city announcing our loss. Later, we put ads in The Manila Times and Bagnio Press, offering a reward to the finder. The radio stations, The Far East Broadcasting Company and the Baguio Radio Station made special announcements of our loss.
The pastor and church people of the Paniqui Church gathered for prayer at 5 a.m. every morning, and they prayed for our loss. Our staff and students joined in prayer with those of other Bible schools, praying that God would work a miracle in helping us find the case.
God gave a promise, "God ... calleth those things which be not as though they were," Romans 4:17. We felt comforted to realize that God knew the whereabouts of the lost briefcase, and if need be, He could bring about circumstances leading to its recovery.
Weeks passed with no encouragement other than the promise. We were to learn how that the Eye that notes the fall of the sparrow (Matt. 10:29) also had His Eye on the briefcase.
On the evening that we lost the case, the office of Benquet Auto Lines in Bagnio City sent a driver by the name of Mendezabal, on a special mission to Manila a distance of 225 miles. As he neared Paniqui around nine p.m. he saw an object on the dividing line of the highway. (Here buses and trucks run almost bumper to bumper as they vie with one another in an apparent effort to set a new speed record.)
Mr. Mendezabal stopped and picked up the object, which was a red briefcase, When he returned to Baguio, he took it to the office of Bal dispatcher, Mr. Selcedo. Together, the men went through the case but found no identification, so Mr. Selcedo placed it on a table near his desk. Three weeks later, Mrs. Selcedo fixed a lunch for her husband and wrapped it in a newspaper section. Later, as he ate his lunch, he casually glanced at the paper. His eyes fell on these words: "Lost: A small red briefcase containing a Bible and other valuable books." There on the table near his desk was the briefcase answ
ering such a description.
As soon as Mr. Mendezabal came to work, he was given these instutructions: "I want you to go on a special trip to Manila. Get the limousine, but do not pick up any passengers this side of Villasis (60 miles) that will hinder you. Leave the highway at Villasis and go to that Bible school to deliver this case to its owner." As he handed him the case, he also handed him an ad which had been clipped from The Manila Times.
On the same day I left campus around 9 a.m. to go about two miles to Villasis on an errand. About halfway, I noticed a black limousine coming my way--quite unusual for our road.
As we passed the driver blew the horn, slowed down and stopped. I stopped the Rambler, astonished that this stranger should be interested in what I was doing. We both got out of our vehicles to greet the other.
"Are you Dr. Reisdorph?" he asked.
"I am," I replied.
"My name is Mendezabal," he introduced himself. "I have your briefcase. As a driver for BAL Bus Lines, I have special orders to deliver it to you in person."
What a moment on a dusty Luzon road for a most treasured possession, absent for a month, to be placed in my hand--and just three days before Christmas!
Rufus D. Reisdorph
"Safety Is of the Lord"
People who appeared to be drug pushers lived across the street. Loud, rough-looking characters came and went. Parties disturbed the neighborhood into the wee hours. One neighbor was arrested by the police.
A change of focus in my husband's ministry had necessitated our move. For almost twenty years, we had worked side by side in pastoral ministry, but now Ross was required to travel alone at times. The children and I grappled with our new lifestyle.
"Don't stay by yourselves," solicitously urged my grandmother who lived across town. "Why don't you and the children come here to sleep at night?"
Her suggestion had sounded wise at first, especially when the windows in our new house were bare. Now, however, we had hung nineteen window shades, and I longed to set up housekeeping. When I thought of all possible perils, though, my courage failed.
I nibbled a piece of bacon and stared at Grandmother's yellow plates. Following a morning habit of listening to the Bible being read on tape, Grandmother reached over to turn on the tape recorder. "Safety is of the Lord," boomed the resonant voice of Alexander Scorby. He paused and began speaking again.
Hmmm. That must have been the end of the chapter, I speculated. Then the words sank home.
"Safety is of the Lord." My attention was riveted. "Safety is of the Lord!"
"Dona," said the voice of God to me, "you are no safer here than you would be at your house, for I am the One Who protects you. I can do that anywhere. No one is ever secure without My care. The time has come for you to settle at your own home. I will be with you, and you will be sheltered, for safety comes from Me."
I told Chris and Jedonne, my children, of the Lord's reassurance, and we packed our bags and moved home.
Several weeks later, a new challenge confronted me. Chris had left home to enter Bible College, and Ross and Jedonne were out of town. I faced a long, dark night alone for one of the few times in my life.
I am not going to my grandparents, I decided. I must master this hurdle with courage.
"Please pray that the Lord will protect me tonight," I implored Ross on the phone. Knowing that he would pray, I felt comforted.
With open Bible, I knelt beside the bed and read Proverbs 21:31. "The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the Lord."
"Lord, here I am," I reminded Him, "in this big house by myself. I would not need to stay here, but You told me to do so and promised Your protection. According to this verse, all anyone can do to ensure safety is vain unless You protect. You see me and know where I am. I plan to sleep tonight with Your Word opened to this Scripture."
I lingered, enjoying His love and feeling the uplift of Ross' prayers but was reluctant to switch off the light and climb into bed.
Suddenly, in a flash of insight, I saw a symmetrical ring of strong angels surrounding our house. They stood almost shoulder to shoulder, close enough to easily touch one another, Behind them was another line of protection in the same symmetrical shape.
Each angel held a weapon directly in front of him with power jutting forth from the weapons. "God's laser beams," I breathed. "Could these be the flaming swords of the Bible?"
The vision faded, but the angels were still there, I knew. God had lifted a veil for me for one brief moment, the veil that covers another, very real dimension.
Overwhelmed, I sobbed, "Oh, God, how could You spare so many angels for one person?" Relaxed and unafraid, I fell asleep.
Before bedtime the following evening, my grandfather phoned. "Dona," he inquired, "are you afraid to stay alone?"
"No," I answered, visualizing my angel guards. "Thank you, but I'm not afraid."
Later, I learned from reading Hebrews 12:22, that the angels are "innumerable." No wonder God could dispatch a host of heavenly beings to meet my need. More angels exist than human beings can count! How marvelous that God would reveal His power in such a way to bring comfort and strength to the fainting heart of a woman.
"O king, live forever," exulted Daniel. "My God hath sent his angel. ... " I know how he felt.
Dona Maxey
Indiana
(This was published in the Women Alive magazine. Used by permission of the author, Dona Maxey)
Three Women Healed of Different Infirmities
Sister Ida Mae and her husband, Roy M. L. Moore, were members of our church. Sister Moore contacted tuberculosis. while working in a nursing home. She was confined to a sanitarium with no hope of recovery.
One Sunday, I had a very special burden for this dear sister and had prayed for her many times throughout the day. In the closing of that evening's service, I called the church to join me at the altar and pray for her. There was an immediate response and we got down to earnest praying very quickly. We prayed until the assurance came that God was going to answer.
The following Wednesday the doctors were surprised with her progress of recovery. The next day Brother Moore visited her and met the doctor who said, "Of course, this change is only temporary." But Brother Moore told the doctor about the Sunday night prayer for her. At the hearing of this, the doctor was much disturbed and had no desire to converse further when Brother Moore stated that he believed that God had healed her.
It took several days' processing to assure the doctors that she was ready to go home. When she testified to her healing the first Sunday after her release, the folk responded with tears of joy, shouting and praising the Lord. It was indeed a time of thanksgiving and victory. About thirty years have passed and I have heard her testify a number of times of her healing.