Hello friends, this is Odie writing a praise report. 10 years ago today began like any other normal day but ultimately it was a life changing day for me. It is the day my miracle began. I wanted to take a moment to Praise God one more time. Please pardon me while I testify.
I have had Cerbral Palsy from birth. Doctors diagnosed me with CP at age 2. I am very blessed that I am mostly effected from the knees down. My brain does not send the correct signals to my muscles and tells my muscles to be constantly tight. This causes me not to be able to walk on my own.
Over the years, my legs began to work as tight unit. They were stuck together like glue. It was hard and painful just to get them separated to put my boots on. I lived in almost constant pain and had developed a high pain tolerance. I would wake up sometimes several times a night with my muscles so tight that I would be curled up in a ball. The pain would be excruciating and I would have to slowly and painfully unwind myself from the balled up position.
November 2, 2006, started off as a normal travel day. We were making the trip from Neosho, Missouri to Purcell, Oklahoma. Our new friend Pastor Shobanke, was visiting the United States from Nigeria and needed a ride to Oklahoma. It worked out for Bro. Shobanke to ride with us. We met up with Bro. and Sis. Fellers and Bro. Shobanke for a meal at Cracker Barrel then continued the journey to Oklahoma.
Bro. Shobanke told my Dad during the trip, "When we get to Claremore I want to pray for your daughter." God had told Bro. Shobanke the night before he would pray for Bro. Boggs' daughter the next day. At that point neither us nor Bro. Shobanke knew we would cross paths on that day, but God knew.
When we arrived at Westside Holiness Church in Claremore, Oklahoma, Dad got Bro. Shobanke settled in the evangelist quarters. Then we had a prayer meeting right in the church parking lot. It was a prayer meeting like I had never experienced before. For close to a hour Bro. Shobanke prayed, preached, sang, read scriptures and walked me around the parking lot. He had me pray, sing, read scripture and repeat it all again. It was an amazing time. Dad says he got distracted from praying because he was wondering who to call first when I started walking. We just knew it would happen that day!
But in a while the spirit lifted and it was time to load back up in the truck and head to Purcell. Later in the evening we were sitting in the living room of our 5th wheel, Dad in his chair, me on the couch and Mom on the floor. We were probably listening to Old Time Radio on XM but I do not remember for sure.
Now remember, my muscles are always tight and I lived in pain and my legs worked pretty much as a unit. Mom sitting in the floor was picking on me. She picked one of my legs up and held it out even with the couch and my other foot stayed on the floor. Mom did this a couple times before I realized what was happening. My legs were working separately and I was not screaming in pain as I normally would have been.
We praised God for hours that night! I kept trying all kinds of things to see what I was able to do now.
From that time forward, if I concentrate, I can relax my leg muscles from the knees down. I can separate my feet and legs and my pain levels have dropped 90%. Waking up in a tight ball with horrible pain used to happen nightly and it is now a rarity. I still have pain at times but I am so thankful it is not constant. God is awesome!
This came at a time that my faith was week. I knew God could heal but I doubted He would do it for me. For 10 years now I have had renewed faith. I believe any day that my miracle is going to be completed.
I certainly did not think I would still be waiting for a completed miracle 10 years later. But I know I am a lot closer to a full healing than I used to be. I know my healing may come when I least expect it. I want to be ready and waiting. There have been many times in the last 10 years that I have thought I would rise and walk aid free. I am so thankful for each faith building moment!
On Sunday night we had a wonderful service at Dryden Road Pentecostal Church. The beginning of the service Bro. Bennie was exhorting/preaching to us about healing. Then the Holy Ghost spoke and confirmed what our Pastor told us. I know I was just one of many in the service waiting on a healing but God touched me. I had several days of unusual pain, including during that service. After Dad and others prayed for me the pain left and I have felt so much better!
Thank you for reading my testimony. I want to Thank God for what He has done and what He will do today and in the future. Please be encouraged and believe that God is moving on your behalf even on "normal" days. November 2, 2006 was a "normal" day but now it is a special day we will never forget.
Odie
