“Dude, My Mom Is Completely Healed, It’s A Miracle.”
Some months ago, they finished a brand new skate park in the ‘sketchy’ part of Surrey (Whalley). It’s the same area where we give out hot chocolate and chat with the homeless drug addicts on Thursday nights.
Three weeks ago some friends of mine were able to give some hot chocolate to three guys at the skate park. These guys had the typical look of ‘skaters’, complete with skinny jeans, argyle shirts, plaid overcoats, long hair, floppy toques and headphones bumping tunes around their necks. They looked about 19 or so.
After chatting it up a bit my friends asked if there was anything they needed prayer for. One of the guys, Jack, told us about his mom. She was depressed, on disability, taking many medications, and suicidal to the point that she didn’t want to be in the same house as her children in case she was to take her own life. With tears in his eyes, he asked for prayer.
Lucas, the guy next to him, requested prayer for his grandpa who was an out of control alcoholic.
So they prayed a short prayer and were off.
Because of Christmas, we didn’t get a chance to go back to Whalley until yesterday. We took the same route and wouldn’t you know it, Jack, Lucas and one other guy were there. To be honest we didn’t really recognize them until after pouring the hot chocolate, but after answering questions like, “Why are you actually here giving us hot chocolate?” “Where do you work?” and “What did you get for Christmas?” we realized it was the same sweet guys. My buddy Nathan, asked Jack about his mom.
Jack’s eyes lit up. “Dude, my mom is completely healed, it’s a miracle! She is off all medications even the ones she has been on for 17 years. She is not depressed or stressed and even my sister is no longer suffering from depression because my mom is doing so well. We are getting closer as a family. Thanks so much for praying!”
We asked Lucas how his Grandpa was and he replied, “Well he has been a bit better. He hasn’t been drinking as much and he even came to church sober.”
After hearing the testimony of Jack and Lucas, the third young man spoke up, “I could use some prayer. Could you guys pray for my girlfriend? She has a heart condition and ulcers in her stomach.”
So we prayed for all of them again and said goodbye.
Beyond hearing the sweet testimony of Jack’s mom being completely healed and Lucas’ grandpa getting better, I am learning lessons beyond the miracles. Today I wrote in my ‘journal’ (a new word document):
When we are on the street, sometimes people reject prayer and sometimes they accept prayer. Today I had the realization that sometimes I reject praying and sometimes I accept praying. I generally accredit my rejection of prayer to my own laziness or lack of faith, however I think many times my lack of motivation is due to my misplacement of trust. Often I trust in myself, rather than trusting in God. When I become complacent and rely on myself, I often place fears, limitations and inhabitations on God as well. I won’t pray because; if there isn’t anything I can do about it then I’m under the impression that God cannot and will not either. With only a misplaced trust in myself, there is no reason to pray because I can’t for example, heal anyone.
From my personal experience however, this is far from the truth. The reality I have come to know is that nothing is impossible with God. And so I will refuse to accept impossibilities. Just like the persistent widow, I wont accept sin in this world. I am willing to accept personal responsibility to become an agent of change.
I hope to acquire a new humility to accept my shortcomings and strengthen my ability to pray. I pray that a painful introspection of my own life will lead to a clear vision from God. I will then be diligent to that calling regardless no matter the circumstances.
-Andrew
