By Chris Meehan
An Evansville man who had been seriously hurt in a motorcycle accident had his ankle pain and limp disappear when three People of Praise missionaries prayed with him.
Five minutes before the end of a recent missionary outing, David Frank, Mary Timler and David Zimmel spotted Michael, a man with a limp, walking to his car.
David Zimmel approached him with a question: “Have you ever seen a miracle?”
“It’s a miracle I’m even alive!,” Michael replied.
He said that he had been badly injured in a motorcycle accident. Several successful surgeries had rebuilt his neck, but a smashed ankle was still causing him extreme pain.
“God can finish the healing,” offered David.
“Doctors say it’s not fixable,” Michael replied.
“God can heal you,” David repeated, before telling three stories of people he knew who were healed of problems with their knees or feet–including himself.
“You mean you’re going to lay your hands on me and my feet will stop hurting?”
“Yes!” David said.
“Well, it can’t hurt to try.”
The three missionaries prayed over Michael. Afterward he got up and took two steps that he said were pain-free. David asked if he could walk without a limp. He took about 20 balanced, even steps. Michael appeared amazed, but skeptical. “He left with a quizzical expression on his face,” David said.
A week or so later, Mary went back to the same place and met a woman who said she was Michael’s girlfriend. She said Michael hadn’t complained about pain since the day he had been prayed with, but he remained perplexed by the healing. “Have you ever seen the Lord do anything?,” Michael had asked her.
Another neighbor told David that he had seen the missionaries pray with Michael and seen him walking afterward. Michael had approached him and asked him whether he believed in God. “It’s the weirdest thing,” Michael told the neighbor. “They prayed over me and now I’m not limping.”
“It’s fairly common for people not to know how to respond to a healing,” says David, “but I enjoy seeing the Lord surprise people. I’ve told this story around 10 times since then, when praying with people, and they’ve been getting healed.”
Responses
CJ Newburn says:
October 31st, 2011 at 5:55 PM
All that's hidden will be revealed, including His love for our well being. Your faith brings God's glory. It's awesome that we can all participate in this through you.
Carmen Fraga says:
October 31st, 2011 at 6:21 PM
How wonderful our God is and truly merciful to those who don't know his ways-but you missionaries do and we thank you for your great faith and witness! Loved this story, especially as Michael began to talk to others about this!
Carmen Fraga
Lori Twining says:
October 31st, 2011 at 7:51 PM
The Lord says in John 11, before raising Lazarus, "Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the Glory of God?" You are believing and acting and seeing the Glory of God and others are amazed that God is real, He loves us and is our mighty healer!
Beth Pingel says:
October 31st, 2011 at 7:51 PM
Praise God for His Mercy. Thank you, missionaries, for your beautifully bold faith!
Terry Bomkamp says:
October 31st, 2011 at 8:38 PM
great witness, glory to God
Margaret Sak says:
October 31st, 2011 at 9:30 PM
Thanks for the great story! It really builds up my faith, particularly after having talked about and praying for healings at our recent CM. Glory to God!
Jen Theis says:
October 31st, 2011 at 9:45 PM
It takes great courage to be that bold with someone. Pray that I have that kind of courage when the lord asks me to move as you did. Thank you so much for your example!
Pat Flynn says:
October 31st, 2011 at 10:21 PM
We can be confident that when we pray to the Lord for anyone in need, God hears our prayer. Hold on to your confidence for God is using you to bring his healing to Evansville.
Mary Kay Gleason says:
October 31st, 2011 at 11:52 PM
What a fantastic story! You must be walking very closely with the Lord, Mary, David, David Z. to be so in tune with His leading. I have the photograph of the 14 of you in Evansville and keep you all in my prayers. God bless you all and the work you are doing.
Marcie Rosencrantz says:
November 1st, 2011 at 10:34 AM
What a beautiful story. Your boldness to go out and pray with people is a pure gift of God.God bless you all.
Linda Coney says:
November 1st, 2011 at 1:15 PM
That story is such an affirmation of faith and a reminder to expect the Lord to do amazing things when we ask in faith.
Kim Doffing says:
November 1st, 2011 at 1:33 PM
Lord, Oh Lord, hear the cries of your people!
John Carnick says:
November 1st, 2011 at 3:00 PM
This makes me laugh with joy, laugh at Michael's continued perplexity, laugh with David, David and Mary, laugh with the Lord and with what he has in store next in Michael's life. Come, Lord, and grant Michael eyes to see and faith. Send him the one person who will explain it clearly to him! Glory!!
Karen Heintzelman says:
November 1st, 2011 at 7:27 PM
Thank you for your confidence and faithfulness of God!
Jocelyn D'Eon says:
November 4th, 2011 at 12:27 AM
Thanks for stepping out in faith. It calls me on!
Nancy Grams says:
November 4th, 2011 at 2:42 PM
The glory of God brings men and women fully alive in Christ. Thank you all for being so willing to help others be fully alive that the world may see the glory of God in our day.
Bruce Wansart says:
November 5th, 2011 at 10:24 AM
Somebody one time ago ask me. How big is your God?
I guess the issue at hand seem to me, to be too big---
for God.
In a real surrender of our wills and forgivness all-
things are possible. I am glad Michael is healed and
are faith is being strenthin again.
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