The Process Continues In Our Lives

Here’s a picture of the inside of my elbow at 19 weeks since the stroke. 

For comparison, here is a picture of that same elbow two weeks after the stroke.

All of that blood and bruising came from the first day of the stroke so it dates back to day one. For background information let me refer you back to these two post here and here.

The process of healing has been long and it sure seems slow to me, but the professionals who have treated me have constantly reminded me recovering from a brainstem stroke is a slow and painstaking process.

When I look into the mirror, I look like I am back to my old self. I look like me, I talk like me and I almost walk like me, but for some reason I’m not quite me yet.

And the medical professionals remind me over and over, along with that little voice in my head that I try to ignore, that the reason for the delay is it takes time to heal. 

I am ready to push. I am ready to run. I am ready to go. I am ready to sing. I am ready to preach. I am ready to load in equipment. I am ready to drive the bus. I am ready to see results.

But my brain stem needs more time. And if you read the links I listed above, you will find that I already know that. You will find that in my heart I believe that. Yes, I am a strong proponent of instantaneous miraculous healing, but sometimes healing is a process.

It has taken 19 weeks for the inside of my elbow to reach the place it is and it still has some discoloration. That means there’s still some old blood under the skin that is not dissipated yet, but time is passing, the process that God created in my body is working and it is healing. 

The brainstem is going through the same process, but the fact is I cannot see it. Therefore, we pray for the instantaneous touch. We believe for a miracle. We trust in the power of God to work now. And we wait for the process to run its course and bring me to completion.

In my case, there is a small little spot in my brain stem that is never coming back without a miracle, there is no process for it to revive. However the brain can build pathways around it and it often does. Those can come miraculously or they can take time. 

Meanwhile, along the way, I see small improvements and I rejoice in each one. Hallelujah! I give God glory in each small victory! He deserves the praise, because he created my body to heal.

The truth is you are waiting too. We know that is true. There are circumstances that you would change now. There are situations that you would solve now. You are facing dilemmas of life that you would have miracles in right now.

And perhaps that is the way God will do it. I pray that your miracle comes today. But if it does not, we wait for the process to run its course and for God to bring us to completion.

So, we pray, believe, live our lives and wait together.

Thank you for joining us today.

Davy

You Want To See A Miracle?

Kelly and I spent most of the day on a Tuesday a few weeks ago at the hospital in Oak Ridge, Tennessee with brother Herman and sister Margaret Woods. We met them seven days after we married in 1985 and they have been mentors to us and just like parents.

Brother Herman has been in the hospital off and on most of this year and that day when we left after 9 o’clock in the evening, we was so sad to leave them. we prayed for them, hugged them and cried with our friends. 

He was so sick, so weak and although we did not dare vocalizize it, there was a chance that we were seeing him for the last time. 

But here is the rest of the story. By the following Sunday he went home. Seven days later on the next Sunday he went to church and testified. Later they went out to eat and this is the picture.

We are still believing for the touch of God to continue in his body  He still needs to gain weight and needs a lot of strength, but you are looking at a miracle, my dear friends. I am praising God for it! Hallelujah!

May God complete his work in all of our lives in the wonderful name of Jesus. Thank you for stopping in today.

Davy

10 Years of Vision And Praise

Hey Friends,

This is Odie reporting in from the homefront. I hope you are having a great week.

Today, I am here with extra praise in my heart. This week is a special anniversary in my life. 10 years ago, my life drastically changed for a period of time. Faithful and long time readers can probably recite my testimony for me. I feel the need to praise God one more time.

In April 2014, in Salem, Kentucky, I woke up blind in my left eye.

I described it as a black smudge over my eye. This came on with little warning and with no apparent reason.

9 days, I lived with questions, worry, fear and very few answers. God was faithful to me through it all! The family of God rallied around us. Thousands of prayers were prayed for me and my family! God heard and answered those prayers! 

The Lord taught me a lot about trusting, waiting and faith during my eye issues. Doctors tried to help me with treatments and answers. I am so grateful for the help from my family, friends and medical professionals. It was God who was there, preparing the way and leading each step.

At the end of the 9th day, my vision did not just suddenly come back. But the healing began! I could make out things on the eye chart. It was blurry, but earlier in the day, it was not possible. My heart overflowed with joy that April 2014 day and the vision progressively improved! God deserves all the praise! 

Each day, when I wake up with clear vision in both eyes, there is praise in my heart! 10 years and my praise has not stopped! I know my help came from God in April of 2014. Today, He is still my helper! He is the same yesterday, today and forever!

Is life overran with questions? Does your question seem just out of sight or reach? Friend, I know exactly where you are standing! It is not an easy or fun place to be! 

I encourage you to place everything into God's hands one more time. Please let Him have your troubles, heartaches, fears, questions and doubts! His hands are big enough to hold all of our junk, and His arm can still wrap you and me in His loving embrace. God is waiting for all of us at this very moment.

I will be praying for you! I hope you have the best day in a long time! May God bless you is my prayer!

Odie

35% of Normal, 1000% Better Than My Lowest

I am super glad we made the quick trip to Kentucky on Sunday but I definitely feel the effects of it.

This video has the information from this Mile Marker and Wednesday's too.

I mentioned yesterday that last Friday was an evaluation day in physical therapy and occupational therapy. They need to grade the patients once in a while to justify to the insurance the need to continue therapy or to determine if therapy is no longer needed.

Many of the things that were required, were duplicates or similar to things they tested on the first day of outpatient therapy January 19. They were happy to find that I had improved on every measurable goal. I was pretty happy myself!

Praise God!

Even though I have room for much improvement in my balance, walking, dexterity and speech; all these areas are tremendously better than before. That is a super reason for thankfulness. 🙌🏽🙌🏽

The main areas that need to improve now are the numbness that remains on my entire right side and the strength and quality of my speaking and singing voice.  

Also, even though I am able to swallow and consume enough calories to keep me going. There are many normal foods that I cannot eat yet. I am so thankful to be swallowing but I would love to be completely recovered in that area.

I really appreciate you taking time to pray about those three things especially, in addition to all the other areas. We hear from some of you regularly and we know that you are taking these things seriously in prayer and we appreciate it very much.

I am grateful for the inquiries we receive asking when we might be able to return to our regular schedule on the road. I wish I knew the answer with certainty to that question, but the reality is, there is no way that I can know. There are heaps upon heaps of things I need to do to roll that wagon.

I feel like I am about 35% of what I was when I went to bed on the bus on December 28. Yet I am 1000% better than I was when I transferred into ICU late at night on December 29. 

35% of Normal, 1000% Better Than My Lowest

35% means I am a very long way from being able to do all my duties to keep us traveling, singing and preaching. I have had so much fun the last many years that I have made it look easy, but it does not look easy from where I sit right now.😍🤣

1000% means I am incredibly and amazingly improved from where I was immediately after the stroke. I give the glory to God and the people He used to bring me to this point. Hallelujah! There is no God like our God!🙌🏽🙌🏽

That is an honest assessment of where we are right now. I am here by God’s grace and every forward step I take will be by his grace as well. I know God can pull me through IF I can stand the pulling. 

I have purposed to do my part and I have faith that God will do His part. I am working hard like all the progress depends on me and I am trusting, believing and praying like all the progress depends on God!

I have determined with the wise counsel of mentors and friends, that I am not going to rush this. When I am ready to go there still be work to do.

Thank you for traveling along with us. We need you.

Davy

Strange Side Effects

I have listed several effects of the stroke that I suffered on December 29 here and in other places. But I do not think I have mentioned some of the stranger side effects that we have noticed. 

Overstimulation

The first thing that I noticed that seemed odd was that I could not tolerate two or three conversations in the room at one time, especially if one was a little loud. It was as if, my brain could not stand to be overstimulated. 

That side effect eased off after about 3 to 4 weeks. 

No Dreaming

I noticed early on that I was not dreaming at all. I am a pretty consistent dreamer and I have very vivid and detailed dreams. I was not sleeping much for several weeks, but I still thought I should be dreaming a little. 

Finally, on the morning of January 23, I had a short dream of a conversation that lasted just a few sentences. The next night I had a nightmare. In the dream, a Church sent me a swallow test kit and I choked all night trying to use it.

I have no idea if a swallow test kit exists or what it is, but it was the worst gift I have ever been given. I have been dreaming every night since then, but I went 25 nights without dreaming. 

No Sneezing

After I had been in the hospital for about 13 days, I sneezed a couple times one afternoon. It was only then, that I realized that was the first sneeze I had had since the stroke.

Maybe The Strangest Side Effect-No Yawning

Even though I only slept fitfully for an hour or two most of the 18 days I was in the hospital and continued that for a week or so after I came home, I did not yawn one time. 

There were some days and nights when I was so sleepy that I could not hold my head up, yet I could not go to sleep. But no yawn came at all.  

It has now been seven weeks and five days since I had the stroke on December 29. As of February 21, I still have not yawned at all. that seems strange for a guy who yawned all day long sometimes. 

A Pleasant Side Effect 

I am still looking for pleasant side effects. They may be a long time coming or it may be a long time before I notice them, but I am purposely looking for them. 

This is the reason. It is well known that Covid affected me horribly in 2021. In fact, I still have effects from Covid in 2024. 

One of the neurologists even said that Covid is likely to be responsible for the blood clot that caused the stroke in my brain stem. We may never know the accuracy of that statement, but it makes sense to us.

However, once most of the dust of Covid had settled in my body by the beginning of 2022, I noticed a very good side effect. My close-up vision was and still is better than it was since I turned 40 years old. 

I have no idea how or why that happened, but once Covid receded, my eyes were probably 90% better in close-up vision than before. I have not used reading glasses at all since then. 

I give the glory to God and I fully expect when the effects of this stroke fully recede, God may add in a few new blessings to the recovery.

He’s Got It All In Control and I cannot wait to see what he has in mind for our family. 

Thank you for stopping by today. We appreciate the visit. 

Davy

Revisited In Pictures Healing Is A Process

It is a little unusual for me to revisit a Mile Marker that is only two weeks old, but I think I need to. Or at least I want to.

On January 26 I posted Healing Is A Process. You can follow the link above and read or re-read that post as you like.

I will not completely rewrite the whole post, but as a recap, I showed you pictures of the inside of my arm. The first picture was taken two weeks into my hospital stay. I received all those bruises and blood beneath my skin the first day in the emergency room.

Pictures after that were in one week increments showing how the arm was healing. The natural process, that God created in us was healing the wound.

I compared that to the swelling and pressure that is in my brain stem from the stroke I suffered on December 29. It is also healing, it is experiencing the healing process that God instituted in humans. I do not know the rate of healing but I know it is healing. 

I cannot take a picture as the brainstem heals but I have taken pictures each week of my arm as it heals. I draw encouragement every week from that picture, because I know my brain is healing too.

As my brain heals, we are seeing small advances in regaining use of my leg, my arm, my swallowing, my vocal cords, my eyesight. and my balance. All of these will likely continue to improve as my brain heals.

Praise God! Praise God! 

I have a long ways to go, but as my inner arm heals I am reminded, even though I cannot see it, my brain stem is healing too.

Look at these and rejoice with me.

Two weeks. 

Three weeks. 

Four weeks. 

Five weeks. 

Six weeks

As I said before, every day I believe God for an instantaneous miracle and I have received some. But also, every day, I am experiencing and trusting God‘s amazing healing process in my body.

Thank you very much for reading today.

Davy

Revival tonight

Sip For Joy

First a reminder

We will have our second revival service from Nigeria on our YouTube channel tonight at 8:00 Eastern. 

Hey Friends,

This is Odie here with a quick Friday check-in. I know I am usually here on Saturday but Dad has a special post tomorrow. Try to remember to check in tomorrow.

I have had an entire week full of fun and I should be home tomorrow. I plan to share more details with you in future posts. It will take me some time to compile everything.

Sip For Joy

Thanks to Mom for giving me this blog idea. Mom sent me a text from Dad's rehab room a few weeks ago. "Read the top of my McDonald's cup."

Sip For Joy

My Mom said it like this: "I never again want to take the things for granted that God gave us abilities for. It is easy to never think about things I do every day until the ability is gone."

We have been made fully aware of these little everyday things that are just seemingly second nature. In a moment, they can be gone. Then you might be thinking, how did I ever accomplish that task. Little things became big things and hard work.

In one moment Dad lost his ability to sip anything. We have witnessed Dad working hard to overcome life's obstacles that were suddenly put in his path! With the prayer of our family and friends God has helped him face the uncertainties one at a time.

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11 hours after Mom sent me the picture of her cup, Dad posted this video to our YouTube channel. Friends, this was a "sip for joy!"

Nowadays, I praise God more for all the little tasks I can do! I am blessed and grateful!

Thanks for spending a moment of your day with me!

Odie

Healing Is A Process

Healing is a process

There are numerous and varied processes by which the body fights disease, repels invaders and heals itself. Old and sick cells are replaced while the body is mending skin, bones, organs and every part of the body.

Modern scientists and great researchers are still seeking to understand how hormones and enzymes are produced by our bodies to effectively fight for the health of own bodies.

This is no accident of evolution. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. Therefore, I say healing is a natural process in the body instigated by supernatural means.

God created the body to heal itself. It is tremendously amazing that our bodies are designed to heal themselves by still little known or wholly unknown processes.

Yet, there are times when the miraculous supersedes the process. Instances when God divinely intervenes in the means by which he designed the body to heal.

We are given descriptions over and again in the Bible when God provided instantaneous shortcuts to complete healing. These are called miracles and they are still available today at God’s divine will in response to fervent prayers of faith in his power and divine intervention.

Hallelujah! I still believe and God‘s people still believe in divine miracles.

What happens when the miracles we seek are not instantly seen in response to our prayers? That is when we continue to believe God. We believe him for the instantaneous miracle AND we believe that the supernatural process he began at creation is still at work through the natural process of healing.

Please remember that God‘s supernatural process of natural healing is constantly at work in our lives.

Let me give you an example.

Two weeks after I entered the hospital a therapist asked about the inside of my arm.

When did that happen?

I said, That happened in the emergency room the first day I was here.

Then she said, Two weeks later, it still looks bad. Given time it will not only look better but it will be better. Your body even now is absorbing that old blood and healing that wound. It is in the process of healing.

She said, Consider the brain stem where the blood clot caused the stroke. That small compact area is inflamed and swollen.

However, the body is working right now to dissipate the swelling and heal that area of your brain stem. It looks bad because it is bad. You see and feel the effects of the trauma in your brain stem, but it is getting better. 

Given time, it will not only look better but feel better and it will be healed. As it heals, the effects all through your body should begin to dissipate and we hope, reverse.

Therefore, my dear friends, while we await the instantaneous miracle we also trust the completion of the supernatural process that God instituted in our natural bodies.

Here is my arm after three weeks.

This is my arm after four weeks.

I do not know if the brain stem heals by the same ratio or in the same time frame, but rest assured it is in the midst of the process of healing. It is operating as designed. It will create new pathways around the affected brain tissue and function and feeling will be partially or completely restored.  

I am waiting and believing for the miraculous and in the meantime I am trusting God‘s already instituted divine process. Hallelujah!!

Thank you.

Davy

Another Step in the Miracle

I had another post ready today but I am pushing it down the line for something important.

Another step in the miracle

Thank you for continuing to pray

Today I am taking up my walker and walking I could not have done this earlier today to save my life I have No Idea what Is next but I am looking for big things!🙌🏽🙌🏽

Davy

Still A Work In Progress

Hey Friends,

This is Odie reporting in one more time from Oklahoma. We have had an excellent visit on this trip. Revival just ended last night at House of Prayer with Pastor Bill Parks. From the first service last Sunday, God showed up so sweetly.

We will be in Oklahoma next week. Revival begins tomorrow and goes thru Friday in Claremore. Being with Pastor Jimmy Milikin and our friends at Westside will be great.

November begins in a few days. I always tend to reminisce during this month and thank God for all the blessings in my life. I always try to express my gratitude for Him daily. It just gets turned up a few notches during this month of Thanksgiving.

I am starting a few days early this year. Time and words fail to give God all my thanks and praise. I am blessed abundantly and forever grateful. Today, I am rewinding 17 years to return and praise God again.

We have shared this testimony numerous times in the past. Guess what? I will share it again in the future, too. God deserves all the glory for His Marvelous acts. Thursday, November 2nd 2006, changed my life, and I will never forget the miracle that happened to me that day.

The day was meant to be a regular travel day. Our new friend, Bro. Shobanke needed a ride. His destination was on our route. God worked it out for us to be his transportation.

We were unaware that God had spoken to Bro. Shobanke, before the travel plans were made. He was supposed to pray for me that day. See, God was already working in the background.

The conversation turned to faith on the truck ride from Missouri to Oklahoma. Bro. Shobanke testified to us the entire ride. He told my Dad, I want to pray for your daughter when we arrive. His destination was the Westside Holiness Church in Claremore, Oklahoma.

When we arrived at the church. Dad helped him find his lodging and get settled. Then, we had a Heavenly prayer meeting. I do not think I had ever experienced feeling God that near to us. Awesome does not adequately explain the prayer meeting.

The whole thing lasted for nearly an hour. It was not inside the beautiful church building just a few feet away. This took place in the parking lot. Just more proof that God is everywhere.

I was confident that I would walk at any moment. We prayed, read scripture, sang, praised, shouted, prayed again, and Bro. Shobanke preached to me about healing. Bro. Shobanke was leading me around the parking lot, helping me walk. Dad often says he got distracted, wondering who he would call first when I completely healed. I am sure the neighbors thought we were crazy.

When the Spirit lifted and we finished the prayer meeting. My faith was soaring, but I did not feel any different. My pain and stiffness were still there. I had to have help getting in the truck. 

We loaded up and completed our journey to Purcell, Oklahoma. Our family was sitting in the living room, our fifth wheel, that evening. I was on the couch, and Mom was on the floor. My Mother, wanting to pick on me, picked up my leg and held it out even with the couch. Mom did this twice before we realized something was different!!

Under my normal circumstances, I would have been screaming in pain had she just randomly picked up my leg. My legs, because of the tightness of my muscles, worked as a unit where one leg went, the other one went as well. The pain was unbearable most of the time.

This time, I was able to only move one leg. The other leg stayed on the floor. There was absolutely no pain with the movement. It indeed was a miracle!

From that moment on, my pain level went down about 80%. I have been able to relax my leg muscles from the knees down by thinking about it. It has made my life so much better!

We stayed up for hours crying and praising God. My miracle began on November 2nd 2006! I still look back on this day as a turning point. I knew at that moment that I was going to walk.

God did a miracle in my life on that day. This is the first year we have been back here on November 2nd. I was surprised when I looked at the calendar a few weeks ago and realized I would be here for this particular date in my life’s history.

In the blink of an eye, 17 years has passed. We are still waiting for the completion of my miracle. God's power has not changed. I know that I can walk any second.

I am looking forward to that day more now than I was in 2006!

Has every day since then been pain or trouble free? No way!! I have some really bad times. My good days way outnumber the horrible days! My life has been much better than it would have been. I am bawling like a baby as I type this post. God has been so good to me! I truly thank Him for the miraculous touch that He gave me that day.

Many of you help me pray through those rough patches. Thank you for going to God on my behalf! Recently, I had a really bad spell. God helped me one more time! Oh, I am so thankful for His mighty touch! In those moments, I can look back and say if God touched me before, He can do it again.

Right now that I’m typing this, I am pain free. I thank God for every pain free moment that I get to experience! They are all a miracle! My full miracle is still a work in progress! One day, it will be completed!

I will walk, either in Heaven or here on Earth. I am waiting, believing and trusting God to work in my life, as He sees fit. Ultimately, He is the one in control. Today, I wanted to take a moment to thank Him for being so good to me and giving me a miracle that changed my life!

Thank you for stopping by to visit with me today! I am not here with a sad song today. I want to sing God‘s praises!

Odie

Praise God For Helping Chloe Jean!

I posted a bunch of pictures Tuesday of Ben, Deidre, Charlie and Chloe Jean, but I purposely held back a few pictures of Chloe Jean. I wanted to point out this beautiful miracle that the Lord has provided.

We first met Chloe Jean as a newborn in Thomasville, Alabama in February 2022. Odie wrote about it here. Below is a picture of our first meeting.

Chloe was a very sick baby and when I looked into her eyes, my faith wavered. It did not seem like she could hold onto life very much longer. But God did a miracle for Chloe Jean and her family and she is much alive. Praise God!

Look at this beautiful little lady so full of life.

We had a wonderful time with Charlie, Chloe, Ben and Deidre. I must confess my eyes are leaking quite a bit while looking at these pictures and thinking about God's wonder working power.

Thank you for spending a few minutes with us today.

Davy

5 Years And Still Thankful

Hey Friends,

This is Odie reporting in from my Ohio Beach Cottage. I am happy to be home for a quick visit. We have a busy weekend and week on the books. Check back in the coming days to see our fun with family and friends. 

June 1st was the 5th anniversary since I officially moved into my Beach Cottage. Here is a picture from that first night.

It does not feel like it has not been that long. I am so grateful for the beautiful place to call my home! In the last 5 years, so much has happened in the world and in my life. It has been a major blessing to have my own safe place!

The entire home is a series of miracles! I do not want to forget God’s provision! The love and support from my family and friends turned a dream into a reality. My heart still overflows with gratitude!

Many of you reading this post played a role in helping us build my home. Thank you one more time from the bottom of my heart. I thank God for you! I still pray for God to bless you abundantly!

This week marked another 5th house anniversary for me. August 17th, 2018. We were joined by many of the incredible people that help us build my home for house tours and dedication. It was a privilege to show off my finished miracle. We had a sweet dedication on my front porch!

That evening was fantastic. We had friends from near and far come to celebrate with us. Lots of prayers, money, blood, sweat, tears and work brought us to that moment. It was an extraordinary day of memories that still warms my heart! 

I encourage you to read this archived blog post here. Dad summed up the wonderful dedication day in an excellent way. Below is just a sampling of photos from that night that are special to me.

I will never forget the love I experienced that day! I am blessed beyond measure! I just wanted to pause for a moment to thank God for His unspeakable gift of my beautiful home!

Thank you for joining me as I stroll down memory lane. Here is a small tour of the front portion of my home. This was recorded during our 2020 online covid revival.

See you next week. 

Odie

A Praise Report-Update On Pastor EJ Lamb and Family

Many of you have been praying for Pastor EJ Lamb and his family the last few weeks and I wanted to bring a short update this morning.

As many of you know, Bro EJ and his family were in serious car accident on a Saturday evening in early June and they were plunged into a scary period with lots of unknowns for several days. Although most of them escaped without serious injuries others were hurt badly.

Their precious teenage daughter, Reese had internal bleeding and lots of damage in her pelvic and hip area. Once she was stable after a few days, she required extensive surgery and repair, but the Lord stood by and helped the whole family all the way through. They detailed one miracle after another that the Lord worked each moment of the way. Hallelujah!

Reese is now home and faces a long recovery. However, she has a beautiful spirit and a bright outlook on it all. KJo and I visited them with lunch Monday and we came away encouraged in the Lord. We enjoyed their company so much and appreciate the invitation to stop in.

Thank you so much for praying for the Lamb family. The situation could have been much worse than it was and we praise God for His help. They are going to need encouragement and strength throughout the process ahead, but we are expecting God to continue the work He has started.

Reese and the whole family, were as beautiful as they have ever been, but we did not take any pictures while in their home with one exception.

Stella was posing with her tortilla face and it was too cute to pass up.

Thank you for stopping by today and thank you again for praying for our friends.

Davy

Returning To Thank God For Healing Odie's Hands

Hey Friends,

Thanks for stopping by for a Thursday visit. This is Odie reporting from Waynesville, Ohio.

Today I am sharing a testimony that is over 30 years old. Actually, I am using part of a blog post that I published in September 2016. You can find the original post here.

Are you wondering why I am sharing this testimony again? Well, several days ago God reminded me of this bonified miracle that He did for me when I was 4 years old. It was a life changing miracle!

Thirty years later I am still daily reaping the benefits of this miracle! Recently I was doing my laundry, and I was overwhelmed with thankfulness that I could do the task. I cried tears of joy when I paused for a moment to thank God.

God Healed My Hands

You may remember that I was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy around the age of two. My brain does not send the correct signals to my muscles for me to be able to walk. I count it a blessing that I am mainly affected in the areas from my knees down. I am able to go about life with minimal difficulties. 

I am continuing to pray for a complete miracle, but I can look back over my life and see many little miracles that have made life easier for me. They are like building blocks that have contributed to the strength of my faith. Each small miracle teaches me to believe God for even greater things. 

I want to give you a little background on the first miracle that I remember. My hands were affected by the cerebral palsy when I was younger. I could not button even a big button or tie my shoes. In fact, I struggled to do most ordinary tasks with my hands. As a child I did not realize how much that struggle could affect my entire life.  

In the spring of 1991 I was five years old. Our family was evangelizing and we were attending a camp meeting in Kissimmee, Florida. During a day service of the meeting they had a prayer line. The night speaker of the meeting stopped the service and took about 20 minutes to explain faith to me and read scriptures to me about faith and healing. Some might have thought it was crazy for him to stop the day service to talk to a five-year-old girl and it was definitely unusual. However, that service changed my life! After talking to me, they prayed for me and we went on with life as we lived it. 

The next week I sitting in my Dad's lap at our friend's home in Tennessee. Without realizing what I was doing I completely unbuttoned the little buttons on my Dad's shirt. When he tells this in his preaching Dad always says I unbuttoned his shirt right in front of God and everybody! 

I will never forget Dad looking down and saying "ODIE what are you doing?" Then he realized I was able to do what I could not do before and he said, "ODIE look what you have done!" From that moment until now I have been able to use my fingers and hands to do many tasks that I would not have been able to do on my own before. 

I am sitting here years later typing this post. I have tears streaming down my face and a thankful heart that God healed my hands in 1991!! The fact that I can use my hands and fingers has made my life so much easier. 

As a five-year-old girl I wanted God to heal me so that I could run and play with the other kids. I did not realize exactly what God was already doing for me then. For years I have thanked Him for that amazing miracle!! I want to Praise God for being so good to me even as a child!! I am truly blessed!

This picture was taken in the spring of 1990, so around a year before I received healing in my hands. I remember this day and loving this yellow dress.  I  had my heart set on a yellow dress for Easter. 

 

Odie