A Story of Christian Healing

I have met a number of Christian friends on the internet. I met a lady some time ago whose nickname is gramma. Gramma spends a lot of time talking to kids about God and of His Love for them... hmmm I think she more or less "becomes" His LOVE for them actually. She talks to kids who are in gangs, kids who are in trouble, kids who are being abused, kids who are hurting and angry and fighting back at the world. She talks to them and for a little while becomes their gramma - someone to whom they can relate and someone who they can trust. I met gramma in a chat somewhere one day. She told me that she did her Church Newsletter and I thought Hey! We have something in common here... I lost track of her for a couple of months though but then found her e-mail address one day and sent a note to see if she was still around. She responded immediately and was amazed that I had contacted her on that particular day - for some reason... I think actually, she was discouraged and in need of prayer herself. She asked me to talk to and pray with a few other people as well. She also gave Laurie H. my ICQ Number and told her to contact me. (ICQ is a real time chat program where you "talk" to someone by typing the words that you are "saying". They are reading it as you are typing it.) Laurie was quite distraught over her little 3 year old niece's condition and asked me to pray for her.

I know another woman (Hope Lives) who has a Prayer Request Site Online, so I immediately sent Laurie's prayer request for Anna to her and she sent it on. I also sent a multiple recipient message to all of my online Christian friends. I posted the request on a Fibromyalgia Support Site called "The Wall" - as many of the people who gather there are great believers in the power of prayer as well. Everyone is always more than willing to offer prayer especially when the prayer is being asked for one so young.

I sort of think of these friends as "Prayer Troopers". We are not really Prayer Warriors - that seems to conjure up in my mind a much more aggressive style than I am comfortable with I guess and our approach is just very gentle and trusting. We know God hears our prayers and simply trust that He will answer. We are just a group - or a troop - of praying believers! I do not think of prayer as doing battle perhaps, it is more of a blessing and a privilege and it certainly builds great faith in us when we watch God move in response to our requests! I often think God waits for us to pray - and is disappointed when we don't. It is often true that we "have not" because we "ask not" I think.

Anyway, I thought it would be really nice to put this "true for sure" story on my Homepage, so I asked Laurie if she would write Anna Marie's wonderful story of healing to share with us. She was thrilled to have this opportunity.

Anna Marie's Story

This is a wonderful story of God's loving grace and amazing healing power. My three year old niece Anna Marie became very ill and was taken to the doctor. Her parents were told she had a virus, there was no medication that would help and it would have to run its course. After three weeks of laying on the sofa and not eating she had steadily become worse.

She was taken to the emergency room at Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. Her parents were told she had pneumonia. The child was immediately admitted to the Children's ICU. She had turned a horrible color and the area around her lips was a ghostly white. Her eyes were glazed and fixed and her mouth and nose had already turned blue. The doctors said she was drowning in (her own) fluid. Her right lung was 60% filled with fluid and her left lung was collapsed.

I was so afraid that God was going to take this small child from us. I could not understand why He would do such a thing to such an innocent and young child. Her parents are not Christians and that only intensified my fears. I called a friend and asked for prayers for Anna Marie. This friend gave me Bette's name and I contacted her. She immediately called upon other Christians friends she knows, told them of this very sick child, who in all reality was on her death bed, and asked for their prayers.

The following morning Anna Marie under-went surgery to have the fluid pumped out of her lung. At that time several ounces were removed and a pump was put in her lung to try to clear the remaining fluid. She was in critical condition for three days... she was just 'hanging on' to life. The doctors were amazed that she was still alive and doing as well as she was at this point. The fourth day after surgery her lung was completely clear of fluid. Again, the doctors could not understand how she was improving so quickly. Anna Marie had not eaten any food or had any liquid intake for over 3 weeks before being admitted to the hospital. She had barely spoken a word in all that time. On the fourth day in hospital she asked for pizza and when it was brought to her she ate 3 pieces!

She was recovering in leaps and bounds so the doctors decided to remove the pump from her lung. Two days after it was removed her right lung began to fill with fluid again. She relapsed was put back into ICU. I contacted Bette and asked for more prayers for Anna Marie. Once again the prayers began pouring in for me and for this child whom none of these people have ever met!

The following morning ALL the fluid was clear from her right lung and her eyes were as clear as a crystal ocean. Anna Marie got herself up from her hospital bed...iv's still attached and was running around and playing in her room! Later in the day, Anna and her Mom walked to McDonald's which is about 4 blocks away from the hospital!

She was released from the hospital with no permanent damage of any kind to her little body. Her brain had not suffered any damage from the extended time with a lack of oxygen. The doctors told her parents that if Anna had spent one or two more days at home, she would not have been alive.

When I first contacted my friend for prayers for Anna Marie she told me that I that I must have faith that God would heal this child. I would like to say that I now know that prayer and faith can and does remove seemingly impossible obstacles. I know that God has made Anna Marie well and His love and intervention is why she is here with us today.

Written Saturday, June 20, 1998 2:43 PM by Anna s Aunt, Laureen H.




Home Page

Abarnabas' Quiet Corner: Homepage


This page has been visited times.