Experiencing faith even when there's a problem

Here's a true story of a time when things looked bad.

 It was 2021 and my husband, Jim, was having heart surgery to replace a valve aneurysm. We felt some apprehension because heart surgery is major.

I felt like the Lord had highlighted the last part of Matthew 9:29 for me:

“According to your faith let it be done to you.”

I kept standing on that scripture as I prayed all day. And everything went well. As I drove the 25 miles home that night after seeing him tucked into bed in the ICU unit, I felt good about everything. 

He was in the hospital for 5 days, then was released to go home. We arrived home just before a snowstorm hit on Friday.

We were snug in our home, no need to go anywhere, yet felt like we should have someone come clean out the driveway for us. I am glad we did, because the next day Jim was experiencing problems. I knew I should take him back to the hospital. How thankful I was for the prompting by the Holy Spirit to get that driveway cleared. I was able to get out and take him back to the hospital.

It turned out that Jim was in A-fib. He was given medication for it but instead it just made him sicker. By the next day, he was having tremors and unable to make sense when he tried to talk.

I was scared! What if he never got better? How could I take care of him at home? But then I remembered Matthew 9:29 and told the Lord I had faith for Jim to be healed. 

Doctor decided Jim needed an ablation. It was late evening when they wheeled him to surgery. I stayed in Jim's hospital room staring out the window at the dark. I felt pretty alone, actually. But then my Pastor called and said God had laid us on his heart and he prayed with me. I shared about Matthew 9:29 and we agreed together in prayer that we had the faith for Jim to be healed.

The nurse came in and said surgery was a success and that I might as well drive home because it would be very late by the time Jim was out of recovery.

The next morning, before I was even out of bed, Jim called me. "Come get me," he said. "They are releasing me."

I could hardly believe it, but Jim was back to his old self! He has never had a single problem with his heart since that day.

Faith moves mountains. 

"I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart." Mark 11:23 NLT

Dear reader, pray about everything. And if, after praying, you can believe God for something, you, too, can stand on scripture, and pray the prayer of faith.

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You might ask, "Jerralea, what does this have to do with you birthing your book?" This story of faith encourages me because my characters in my book experience real problems and need a saving faith. How can I write about faith when things look bad if I have never experienced it?

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This is Day 20 of taking my reader along a journey with me as I birth my book. I hope you consider checking in daily to see my progress.

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I write for believers, but if you are not a believer and would like to know more, visit A Ticket Home. to find the way Home.

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