As I said in my previous post, there are many testimonies from my trip to Brazil. I wish I could share them all but it would take a week! However, if you can spare me some more of your time, I would like to share my own testimony.
The morning of Sunday, June 28th, my mom came to my hotel room with surprising news: Randy Clark was going to pray for us. A few days before, she had spoken with the trip photographer on the bus and shared about our health conditions. He spoke with Randy’s assistant and the assistant spoke with Randy. After Sunday night’s service, Randy agreed to pray for both of us.
I was not as excited as my mom. Don’t get me wrong: I was grateful, but I could not see how his prayers would be different, or more powerful, than any of the hundreds of people that had prayed for me over the years. Randy is amazing but if God was going to heal me, it did not have to be through a famous minister, it really did not matter who prayed for me, He would heal me when He healed me. In other words, I believed God could heal me anytime, anywhere, and through anyone. Nevertheless, I said Yes, but only because I figured it can never hurt to have more prayer.
It sounds crazy coming from a girl who saw God heal so many others, right?
It’s funny: I used to have so much zeal when it came to being healed. The first year of being sick, I had a high-level of hope for my healing. With every healing conference I went to, person that prayed for me, or new medicine I tried, I would think to myself, Now, this is it. This is when God is going to heal me! But every time, I would wake-up the next day with the same condition, the same symptoms, the same sickness.
After being disappointed year after year after year, there came a point when I became numb. I lost the fight within me. I believed God would heal me, one day, but I kept the focus on what I needed to do to survive today. A miracle for me looked like a morning where I could get out of bed and not feel exhausted or at least eat a meal without stomach pain. I celebrated the little miracles of life, because it kept me thankful and helped me cope with having to battle this disease. I wanted to be healed more than anything in the world, but believing in a miracle for my healing became exhausting, and Lord knows I was tired enough already.
A miracle for me looked like a morning where I could get out of bed and not feel exhausted or at least eat a meal without stomach pain.
Also, when my mom told me the news, I was scared. It sounds silly, and completely theologically incorrect, but I thought to myself, If Randy Clark can’t heal me, who can?! I know, I know, it is God who heals, not people, (didn’t I just write an entire post about this?) but I could not help thinking that this could be my last chance to be healed. When I shared my doubts with my mom, she reminded me of a story that pastor Tom Jones had shared with our team a few days prior.
There was a woman with a blind child. She went to a healing conference Randy Clark was hosting, with the hope of her child receiving healing. Randy prayed and prayed for the child but God did not heal him. She did not give up so easily. After Randy gave her the child back, she went directly to Heidi Baker and placed her child in Heidi’s arms to pray for him. Heidi held the boy and suddenly he began screaming, so she put him on his feet and he began to walk around.
After she did this and prayed, the boy opened his eyes and he could see! Not only did God heal his eyes, but He healed his legs too. Apparently, this boy was crippled, but the mom had not told them, and the steps he took with Heidi were his first. Randy later asked the woman why she did not give up, like most would, when the boy was not healed during the first prayers. She responded with this: “I did not come here expecting prayer, I came expecting my boy to be healed.”
My mom encouraged me to have the same attitude: to go to the service expecting to be healed. It is scary to have that kind of hope but something in me came to life again when she said those words. I remembered my determination from years ago to fight for my healing, and it gave me the strength to fight once more, to believe this battle could—and would—be won. It was only a little spark of hope, but it was enough to give me courage to put one foot in front of the other as I walked towards Randy, ready to be prayed for once more.
Psalm 61:1-2 (NIV)
Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
He prayed for my mom and me. He prayed for our healing. He prayed this sickness would not occur in my future children or their children or any generations after in our family. During his prayer, I felt God’s peace wash over me and I fell to the ground; it was like time had stopped. I felt as though the entire ocean was flowing through my body, waves upon waves. Then, I heard God in a clear, audible voice say, “YOU ARE HEALED!” I could not move, I could only rest in this unexplainable peace the Father had laid over me.
I wept as God began to tell me everything I had been healed of. He said, no longer am I to say I am sick, but only I am healed, because He truly had healed my body. He told me to tell the world, to tell the world what He has done in my body.
All I could think of was how my one day was finally here. I was healed!
The next morning, I wanted to test out this healing. I asked God what I should do. He told me to not to take any of my pills (I was taking at least 12), and eat something new for breakfast. I did and I had no symptoms! For the duration of the trip, with breakfast and lunch usually consisting of a buffet, I was able to try all kinds of foods. I ate meat, chicken, pasta, cheese, milk, breads, fruits—Oh, anything my heart desired—and nothing made me sick. I forgot how good chicken tasted! It had been 5 years since I had any meat, because even the slightest bit would make me so ill.
Honestly, my body was better than ever. I had been lactose-intolerant since a little girl, yet now I could eat a bowl of cereal with WHOLE MILK and feel completely fine. It was a miracle. Not to mention, my back was completely healed from the car accident, and I had no more fatigue the rest of the trip!
It has now been a month and a half, I still have not taken any pills, and I am continuing to live healed and free from all sickness. Praise God!
Also, there was something interesting that happened a few days after Randy prayed. I ate lunch and my stomach started to get a little bloated. I remembered what God had told me about not saying I was sick anymore, so I said, “No, I am healed! Body, you are not sick anymore. ” Then, immediately, the bloating went down and I felt normal again. It was as though my body was experiencing symptoms because it was used to it, not because I was sick. I am discovering that God can heal the body instantly, but mind-sets and thought patterns can take a little longer to adapt.
Quick testimony: I was able to pray for a few girls with similar conditions as mine, and a couple of them received healing as well, which was incredible. Thank you Jesus!
Perhaps you are wondering about my mom…
It pains me to say her healing was not quite as instantaneous as my own. She is still having the same symptoms as before, though there has been some improvement. I almost wish I were still sick, if it meant I could give her my healing. She has been battling this disease, and many others, for more than 25 years. It is crazy because she had more faith for our healing than I did! Lord knows, I do not understand His ways, but I am choosing to believe He will fully heal her, all in His time.
I almost wish I were still sick, if it meant I could give her my healing.
She had such faith in God for my healing, and I will believe in Him for hers. She will be fully healed one day, and it will be glorious. After all, I know from first-hand experience that nothing is impossible for God to do.
Princesses, thank you for reading. Thank you for being apart of this story. I ask you to keep my mom in your prayers. More than ever, I know it can only help to have more prayer!
On a side note, I still believe God can heal anytime, anywhere, and through anyone, but I think it was really special He chose that very moment for me to be healed, because it was truly on His time and not on mine. God is amazing and so faithful. I am grateful for everything I have been through, and everything I have to look forward to.
I would like to say the journey is over; but, truly, it has only begun.
With Love,
Katya
P.S. If any of you or someone you love has struggled with illness of any kind, you are welcome to post it on our Prayer Wall or send me an e-mail at: hello@toallyouprincesses.com and I’d be happy to pray with you.