Emerging Women

Monday, April 30, 2007

Miracles and Miz Melly's Mum

Three years ago my mother presented to her doctor with abdominal discomfort and vague nausea that had been going on a while. The doctor located a large growth and sent her for tests. While waiting for the results, Mum was sitting at work one day wondering what the outcome of these tests would be and she began to pray about it. She says that she felt a very strong word from the Lord come into her spirit and it was this:

You will be ill but this is not unto death.

So Mum said 'Thank you Lord' and went on with her day. She was diagnosed with a large malignant tumour in her bile duct, was operated on successfully and recovered very well. She was told that there would be no need for chemotherapy as the surgeon was hugely confident that he had got it all. We rejoiced. We praised the Lord. Mum experienced no fear throughout the whole experience and was a huge blessing to the other women on her ward with her faithful witness to God's peace and promises.

Her three month check came up and sadly the cancer had returned and spread rapidly throughout her body. Her oncologist told her that they would give her chemotherapy to arrest the growth but that there was no hope of it curing the disease. It was maintenance treatment and the focus was on maintaining her quality of life and managing her level of pain.

This was a blow to us as a family. Having lived away from my home country for eight years, I decided it was time to move back - a decision with big repurcussions on other areas of my life. Mum's response to the whole thing was that God had the last word, despite the medical prognosis and that she was going to still hold on to that promise of God that she would be ill but that it would not be unto death.

Mum's ministry over the past couple of years has been amazing and she has spoken many times in different churches of God's blessing and power. She has been remarkably well, and up until six months ago was still working full time in her job.

But in recent months, her health has declined and the cumulative effect of two years of chemo plus the presence of the cancer in her body is really taking it's toll now. I'm under no illusion as to the seriousness of Mum's situation but we're all just clinging to hope of healing, to what we believe is the promise of healing. We're waiting for a miracle.

My question is this; as emerging Christians we seem to be really good at all the cerebral, rigorous intellectual debate on Biblical interpretation and the practical application of Jesus' Way particularly amoungst the marginalised, but are we expecting the miraculous, seeing the supernatural, experiencing Kingdom power? I make people very uncomfortable talking about this topic. I've had people tell me that death itself is a way of healing for the Christian, that miracles hardly ever happen.

I'm standing with my Mum on this, believing and hoping. Will any of you stand with me and believe with me? Have any of experienced out and out miracles first hand and are you willing to attest to God's power to encourage me? Goodness knows, there are some days I really need it.

Thanks for reading,
Miz Melly

posted by Miz Melly at 6:16 PM

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17 Comments:

At 5/01/2007 07:53:00 AM, Miz Melly

I've just noticed that certain texts in my post have been highlighted with links to amazon. Just want to say that I don't neccessarily endorse those books, nor have I read them. I guess it's a thing with posting here that this happens.
At 5/01/2007 08:53:00 AM, Mary DeMuth

I noticed that too. I thought I'd see a picture of your mum on the link, only to find a picture book. Strange.

Dear, sweet Jesus,

You are big. So big. You are able. So able. You walked this earth and performed miracles. You left this earth and sent the Holy Spirit, saying we'd do more. Only by Your power, of course. We trust You today to heal Miz Melly's mom. Forgive us for believing You to be small and weak. Forgive us for our lack of faith. Forgive us for our shortsightedness. Forgive us for living life as if it depended solely upon ourselves. Our strength is so small. And we've assigned our own paltry abilities to You. Forgive us. Enlarge our view of You, God.

Amen.
At 5/01/2007 09:11:00 AM, Helen

Miz Melly,

I'm sorry for what you and your Mum are going through. It must be really hard.

The most encouraging thing I know to say to you in this situation is, what happens to your Mum is not in your hands.

God is not testing you to see if you can believe hard enough for him to heal your Mum.

He will or he won't and if he doesn't he will feel your pain, which is the pain of living in a world where sickness and death are real.

So - please be oh so careful not to think that your Mum's health rests on your ability to believe enough, pray enough, or get enough friends to believe enough and pray enough.

I hope you are right that he will take the cancer away from your Mum.
At 5/01/2007 11:33:00 AM, Janice

Miz, I'm so sorry for what you all are going through, but I'm also encouraged and smiling at the ministry of her life since her first diagnosis.

As far as miracles, I believe they happen all the time. I know of at least one lady who was healed' of cancer...and I know people ministering in other countries who have shared with me amazing miracles that they have witnessed. Miracles do happen.

I agree with Helen to a degree though....yes, have faith - but please don't ever feel as though you didn't have enough faith if this doesn't end the way we'd all like it to. The initial words she heard may have already been fulfilled in the original reprieve. . . . or she may have healing yet to come. And I guess the best encouragement I have is that YES! I believe God IS powerful, I can certainly attest to it in my own life - manifest in a very remarkable and visible way - and that He loves us and holds us as close as we'll let Him and sometimes more and that it sounds to me like God is working and moving in your Mum's life, and in the community, and in your life.

(((hugs)))
Janice
At 5/01/2007 01:42:00 PM, Lydia

I don't have any wisdom in this situation, but I am praying for you.

The miracles I have know have been of a less permanent variety

To give one example, I know a former church member who was able to live ten relatively healthy years out of life after his cancer diagnosis. He watched his older grandchildren grow into beautiful, strong young women and greeted about a half-dozen additional grandchildren during those years.

God didn't cure him, but he was given extra time with his loved ones.

I'm praying that your mother finds a greater miracle than even this.
At 5/01/2007 03:04:00 PM, Miz Melly

Thanks so much for all your encouraging comments. Thanks Relevant Girl for praying on the blog - excellent words!

"So - please be oh so careful not to think that your Mum's health rests on your ability to believe enough, pray enough, or get enough friends to believe enough and pray enough."

Wise words and something I think we can all too easily fall into. I want to assure you that I'm gladly free of that burden. God will do what S/He will do. I just want to be expectant and in asking people to stand with me I want you to share in the glory of God when the miracle comes. I'd love your prayers for my mum, thank you. But I also know that God knows all our needs and fears and that as I pray for her and as you pray for her the most important thing about it is that we are in the presence El Shaddai together.
At 5/01/2007 03:23:00 PM, Anonymous

I agree with what Helen wrote.
Praying for you and your Mom as you walk through this, and that God will bring healing.
At 5/01/2007 08:57:00 PM, Happy

I don't know that I have anything to add; the wise words and heartfelt prayers here reflect much of what I'd say - but I'm praying for you and your mum, Miz Melly. Thank you so much for allowing us the privilege of walking through this with you.
At 5/02/2007 11:40:00 AM, Jemila Kwon

Miz Melly,

Two of my best friends have seen quite a few miracles or met the recipients of them. One met a man who was healed of Down's Syndrome. He still had the unique physical characteristics of a Down's, but was perfectly normal!
At 5/02/2007 11:50:00 AM, Lydia

I'd be very curious to here more about your friend who was healed from downs syndrome, Jemila.

When and how did it happen? Assuming that he has a family doctor, what did s/he say about this?

I've never heard of anything like this before.
At 5/02/2007 12:22:00 PM, Unknown

Miz Melly,

I am sorry for what you and your mother are going through, and as other's have stated, I don't know if I have great wisdom in my response. I believe that "miracles", certainly the unexplainable, happen all of the time. I agree though, that we don't have a great understanding of the how's or why's.
I think that miracles and healing will happen in this situation, you may just not be aware of it. Regardless of what happens, your mother's testimony, your time with her, her faith, her hope etc. will make a lasting impact. Lives are being touched through this, not just her's and your family.
My hope is for peace and comfort at this time.
At 5/02/2007 07:15:00 PM, Jemila Kwon

The man healed of Down's is someone my friend met at her church. I am pretty sure the guy had genetic tests done and the doctor was baffled at the unexplainable cure.
At 5/02/2007 11:22:00 PM, Amy

Miz Melly, please know that I will pray with you and for you.

My brother was very sick as a child...lots of allergies and several bouts of pneumonia before he was two. My uncle came and prayed over him in the midst of a very low time. He was instantly better and was never that sick to that degree again.
At 5/13/2007 06:07:00 PM, Anonymous

Hi there. What an interesting question you raise. I was very ill between the ages of 12-18 with Crohns disease but the Lord healed me of that incurable disease. My parents and grandmother always believed as did I that I would be healed. People sometimes thought I was nuts. I think people would be healed much sooner if we really believed and expected the Lord to heal. I have prayed for several people to be healed who have been. I pray your mum will be healed. Rosemary Langton
At 5/14/2007 05:11:00 PM, Miz Melly

"I think people would be healed much sooner if we really believed and expected the Lord to heal"

Rosemary
Thank you for your words. They were just what I needed to hear. Bless you and amen!

Miz Melly
At 5/16/2008 10:08:00 PM, Anonymous

Hi Miz,
Isaiah 53:1 says- Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
It goes on to say- Isaiah 53:5 (KJV)
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

I will stand with you believing God's report to your Mum! He heals all her dieases Ps 103

Karen
At 8/27/2008 12:06:00 AM, Anonymous

Miz Melly,

I am so appreciative of this site.

I'm going to just jump right in with the word of God and tell you that by His stripes she is already healed. It may not look like it in the natural, but God who know she end from the beginning (which is why he told your Mum this before she even got ill) and calls things that be not as though they were, is not a man that he should lie.
Your mother is healed. Speak it into existence just as God spoke the whole earth into existence. Don't wonder or waiver, just stand on the unmovable word of GOD. Jesus came to give us abundant life, and to destroy the works of the devil. He gave us the authority and the assignment to command sickness and disease to go. It must obey the command of Jesus Christ. It has no choice but to! Find every healing scripture you can find and post it all around her room and have her and others confess the word only. Just as it says in the word that we should speak the word only.

The reason why we must speak it is because the power of life and death are in the tounge. We must believe it because it is our faith that authorizes the Holy Spirit power of Jesus Christ to be activiated in our lives. God knows whether or not He has true authority to perform a miracle or not. He is not a rapist and will not force himself on an unbelieving person. He looks for a place where he can be received. God is willing, able, and ready to heal your Mum. I come into agreement with the word of God that was spoken over her life and that she shall recover in Jesus' name. Every bit of cancer and tumors must cease to exist in her body in the name of Jesus Christ! No weapons formed against her shall prosper. According to the word of God she is healed right now!

Praise Jesus!

Ebony Smith,
Oceanside, CA USA

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