My Back Is Healed!!!!!!!! (this is NOT a joke!)

A few months ago our family started attending Hope City. I'm telling you, from the moment we stepped foot inside that church (or high school actually) I knew something was different! I've never experienced the Holy Spirit like this before. I'm so grateful that God lead us to Hope City.

I would have never, ever guessed that within just a couple of months of finding this church, that I would experience a miracle there. But, 2 weeks ago, that's exactly what happened. The Pastor felt led to abandon the message he had prepared and instead referred to the numerous scripture verses on healing. He said that since God never changes, we should believe that He will still heal his people! He said that God had been asking him, "Scott, do you believe what My Word says?" He decided to step out in faith and asked for anyone that had dealt with on-going pain to come up to the front of the church. So, since I have had chronic back pain for almost 7 years now, I went up to the front along with many others. People gathered all around. Scott prayed for everyone at the altar, asking that God might heal our bodies the way He had done so many times in the Bible. The music played. Folks were praying. It was incredible. I could feel the Holy Spirit moving. My friend, Felicia, put her hands on my lower back and began praying over me, asking God to heal to me. I was sobbing and praying and begging God to heal me, even though it's something I've never really believed was possible. I felt a warmth and an "electricity" in back and in my mind, I saw myself running. If you know me, you know that running is something I would never EVER do for fun or be able to do because of my back injury. So when I saw that vision, I knew God was telling me that He was going to heal my back and prove it to me by giving me the ability to run! When I stood up, my back felt noticeably different. That day, Bryan and I decided to step out in faith, believing that my back would be healed and start training to run a 5K.

I'll be honest, even though I truly hoped I was healed, I wondered if the pain would come completely back. I didn't talk about this with many people because, well to be honest, I was worried that the pain would return. It's been a little over two weeks now and the pain I have dealt with for nearly 7 years has not returned. I have been getting up early in the mornings to do Piyo (Pilates/Yoga) and we have been walking on our (new-to-us) treadmill. I've been sleeping all night, without any pain!  We have pre-registered for the Color Run and plan to run it together as a family! My boys are sooooo excited!

Since my injury in 2009 I have endured test after test, had numerous injections, undergone Spinal Fusion surgery, went to countless hours of Physical Therapy, taken several different medications every day, and lived with pain that no-one could explain. I was told that I would never run or ride a bike again. I was also told not sit on the floor or walk backwards, who knows why? I've been more nights than I can count on the couch because of my back pain. It has been extremely hard but God has brought SO much good from it! I am able to be home with my children and homeschool them because of this injury. We were also able to get our home because of the injury. I have grown so much in my walk with Jesus through this experience as well!  I've never really prayed for God to heal my back because I knew He was using it to allow me to be home and grow me closer to Himself. I guess I just assumed that it since God did this for me and my family, that the pain was just my "payment" to Him. I've dealt with this pain as though it was my lot in life and I haven't even considered asking God to heal my back.  Three weeks ago my 4 year old, Evan, asked me why I haven't asked God to heal my back and I didn't have an answer, which caused me to start really pondering that question. Then the next week at church I had the opportunity to be prayed over and ask for healing! Our God is Incredible!

Today I am thankful that God wants more for me than I even want for myself. He has so many good things for His children. I had not even asked for healing but He allowed that thought to planted in my mind by my 4 year old son and then placed me in a church service where everyone would be praying for those who are dealing with pain to be healed. None of that was of my doing! I didn't even know I wanted it but God wanted it for me! I am also grateful for the changes I have felt in my back.   Believe it or not, I've been sleeping all night, without any pain! I've been running around with my kids and playing on the floor with them. I've even been bending over or squatting and getting up again without help! I am not 100% pain free because I have babied my back for almost 7 years . Now that I've started moving in new ways over the past 2 weeks, I have a lot of muscle soreness. I also still have Fibromyalgia which causes a lot of pain all over my body. But, the back pain that I have become so familiar with is NOT there! My back is healed! I never dreamed I would type those words but seriously, MY GOD HEALED MY BACK! Hallelujah!