Testimonies

These testimonies about what God is doing at Apostles are posted by permission of the authors and with the approval of the Rector.

If you have a testimony to share, please use the contact form in your bulletin or send a note to the church office.

Healing of Leg Pain

On Saturday, September 8, 2007 I woke up with a painful cramp in my left leg. Usually when I start moving around, any muscle soreness dissipates, but this time the pain continued throughout the day, getting worse. Since I have had blood clots in that leg in the past, I was concerned that this could be serious. I went to church that evening and went for prayer ministry. As soon as the prayer ministers started praying there was an audible "crack" in my knee, I was slain in the Spirit, and the pain in my lower leg just disappeared, never to return. Praise God for the prayer ministry at COA—a place where God's mercy and power can reach and touch us. —RK

Neck Healing

In April 2006, I was in a car accident where I was hit from behind and suffered whiplash. I had constant discomfort in my neck and limited range of motion. I could turn my head to the left but hardly at all to the right. I had trouble sleeping from the pain, and would wake up with pain in my neck. On Sunday, September 30, 2007, I went forward during the post-sermon worship time because I wanted more of God. I was asking God, "What's next?" I had no agenda.

As I stood at the front, with my eyes closed, I was aware of the pain of the people around me. I was receiving a touch from God but was also praying for other people. With my eyes closed, I saw a brilliant light. One of the prayer ministers prayed for me and I went down under the power of God. My bottom hit the ground hard, and my first thought was, My neck! Then I thought, Why am I worried about my neck when I am in the presence of God? I began to laugh. The light got brighter. I felt certain that God was healing my neck. I heard a small whisper: I don't want you to be in pain. I sat on the floor, where I had fallen under the power of God and continued to move my neck from side to side. I knew God was healing my neck. I laughed and was enjoying his presence, knowing that God was healing me.

I had to tell someone, so I got up and went back to my seat and I told my husband. One of the prayer ministers came back to ask if I was okay, because she had tried to hang on to me as I fell under the power of God, and she was worried that I had gotten hurt. "No," I said, "I am not hurt. My neck is hot and God is healing me." Since Sunday, I have been able to move my head from side to side without any pain. There is a little catch but I feel that God is healing that, too. I sense God is saying that even that last little pop, which I feel when I turn my neck, will be gone in ten days and that meanwhile, I am to sleep on my left side. I am being obedient and trusting and expecting that in a few days it will be healed completely. —A

Back Healing at the Blood Bank

On Saturday, August 18, 2007, I was in the YMCA in Reston donating blood, when one of the blood technicians grabbed the small of his back with both hands and began to pace, moaning, "My back, my back!"

I had a needle in my arm and could not move, but I had heard his name, so I called "Dan," softly, hoping that no one else would hear me. When he came over, I asked if I could pray for his back. He looked surprised but nodded, and I motioned for him to turn so I could place my free hand on his back. I prayed quietly, "Jesus, you know what is wrong. Touch and heal him."

"Is it any better?" I asked.

"Yes, it is," he said then briskly walked off and went back to work. My first thought was that Dan was trying to get away. Then I felt a rush of inexplicable sweetness wash over me—the presence of God. I felt God whisper that He was pleased and for a brief moment I basked in His pleasure.

I watched Dan closely. As he worked, bending over to shake the bags of blood, he did not touch his back even once. He had been so talkative, now he was silent as if he were mulling over what had happened. Ten minutes later, he came back to my chair. "Thanks," he said. "Thanks for praying for me."

"God is good," I replied. "We've been seeing a lot of people healed lately." He nodded and resumed working. I walked out of there feeling the joy of the Lord to my toes. —ES

Healing of Eye Paralysis

On Friday, January 18, 2007, I woke up feeling as though I was coming down with the flu. I had a horrible headache, sore throat, and a slight cough. Since there was a delayed opening for school, I decided to drag myself to work. As the day progressed I felt worse and had to leave work early and come home. A fever developed and the pain in my head increased throughout the night and into Saturday. By Saturday evening, I just could not get any relief and now had double vision.

We called our doctor on Saturday evening and he advised us to go to the emergency room immediately, since double vision can be a symptom of many serious illnesses. The doctors did a spinal tap, two CAT-scans (one with dye, one without) and an MRI, checking for a host of possible causes including a brain tumor, meningitis, Lyme’s disease, or MS. This was all pretty scary for someone who has only been in the hospital to give birth to my two children.

My husband, Ron, began praying for me at the first sign of my illness and quickly e-mailed over 120 friends and relatives asking them to pray also. People from all over the world began praying for me. On Sunday morning, after being admitted into the hospital, we learned that David Harper, our pastor, had the whole congregation stand and pray for my recovery. That touched our hearts deeply. That evening David and Margie came to the hospital and prayed for me to be healed. We felt so loved by the Body of Christ.

On Monday evening, the neurologist came into my hospital room and told us that the tests indicated that I had a palsy of the sixth nerve in my right eye, which caused my eye to be unable to track to the right—thus, causing double vision. He said there was no medication to be taken and that I should wear an eye patch, alternately covering my good and bad eye, so that both eyes would be exercised. I could see out of one eye at a time. All tests indicated that there was no structural injury or serious illness, and that the palsy was most likely caused by a virus and the double vision would probably last for 3-8 weeks.

I came home from the hospital on Monday evening and began adjusting to viewing life from one eye. It was not easy to see out of one eye, since one’s depth perception is greatly impaired. The prayers continued, as Ron updated our friends and relatives on the phone and by e-mail. We felt so supported by the prayers and phone calls. I truly had a confidence that I would be healed by the Lord and was actually excited about when and where it would take place. I sensed the Lord telling me, “Be still and know that I am God.”

On Saturday evening, exactly one week after the double vision began, Ron and I went to church. During the worship, a prayer minister came over, laid hands on me and prayed for my healing. After communion, I went over to the prayer teams and was prayed for by another ministry team.

After the service, Ron and I went to the back of the sanctuary to clean up the communion goblets and linens. Ron said that since I had been prayed for, I should take the patch off my eye and see if I was healed. He noticed that my paralyzed eye could now move to the right when he moved his hand in front of it, which it had not been able to do for a week. But when I removed the patch, I realized that I still had double vision. Ron encouraged me to accept my healing and realize that my brain was simply getting used to my eyes being healed.

During the coffee hour, we were talking to one of the prayer ministers who had prayed for me earlier. I was wearing the patch over my good eye, so Ron showed her that I could now move my “paralyzed” eye to the right. She encouraged us, telling us a story of a woman in a wheelchair who had been completely healed by degrees. starting with her little finger. She said she believed that my eye movement was a sign that God was healing me, then she quickly prayed, “Lord, complete this healing.”

About an hour later, we were home and I was taking a shower with my patch off and my eyes closed. Suddenly, I opened my eyes and saw only one bottle of shampoo. I was thrilled. I called Ron and he tested my vision. There was still a little double vision in my peripheral vision, but by morning that was gone as well.

Praise the Lord, I was healed! The double vision was gone. Our prayers were answered and my eyesight was restored.

The next day I went to see my eye doctor who was amazed at my progress. The doctor said she still saw a tiny trace of paralysis, but it was so minor that I was not aware of it. I was able to resume driving, and within a day or two there was no sign that my eye had ever been paralyzed.

I have been so filled with joy that I have been telling everyone—friends, co-workers and neighbors—what God did for me! To God be the glory for healing me! I will always remember His love and faithfulness. —MA