Yesterday, I was in my bedroom and I picked up this pair of off-white lace flats that were in my closet. I stared at them for a few brief moments and then, I got all choked up.
I got so emotional over those shoes because they were the ones I wore at the “50 Women Praying” intercessory prayer gathering at Covenant of Grace Fellowship International in Niagara Falls, NY, Sunday, March 26th. That date will be forever etched in my brain because my life and my health situation changed so drastically.
That evening, before making it to the service, my symptoms worsened. The enemy attacked me greatly with excruciating aches and pains that would cause me to cry out in agony. I couldn’t walk. I was talking just above a whisper. My husband Kenya had to carry me into the sanctuary.
Oh, but by the time that gathering was over, I was walking, running, jumping and praising God with no help and no pain!
It was indeed a miracle.
Before that awe-inspiring moment, I hadn't been pain-free and mobile for months. The debilitating effects of aggressive Rheumatoid Arthritis and Fibromyalgia had knocked me on my back.
It had taken doctors months to find out what was causing a host of issues: the eroding a way of my bones; destruction and inflammation of my joints; hoarseness of my voice; swollen lymph nodes; low white blood cell count; anemia; bruising all over my body; weight and energy loss; intense joint aches and unbearable nerve pain; cardiac trouble; digestive problems; dangerous blood pressure spikes; and migraine headaches.
I was in and out of the ER, admitted to the hospital, subjected to numerous procedures—some of which caused life-threatening complications. I saw doctor after doctor, specialist after specialist. They couldn’t help me. But God held my hand through the worst of it.
Last month, I had my final follow-up visit at Roswell Cancer Institute in Buffalo. My doctor, Dr. Martin Mahoney, talked to me about how, initially, it looked like I had cancer. I was screened for months as top specialists looked for malignancies in every orifice of my body. Eventually, a tumor was found, but thanks be to God, it was benign. Cancer didn’t have permission to ravage my me, nor did those other autoimmune diseases that caused my body to attack itself.
Finally, after an extended period of unexplained suffering, which made for some real low points in my life, my rheumatologist analyzed results from extensive blood work, CT scans, x-rays and internal probing and discovered what was plaguing me.
That’s when the new medications were introduced to treat my autoimmune conditions. My doctor was so confident that I would feel better within 24 hours.
The side effects were horrible. I got even sicker and he was totally baffled.
While that storm of sickness was raging in my body, God promised He would heal me. I reminded myself that the favor of the Lord belonged to me and healing was my portion. When it didn’t feel like I would ever be made whole, I trusted God. When it felt like I was dying, I believed the report of the Lord.
I spoke the Word over myself. I said, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me,” according to Psalm 23:4 KJV.
The Holy Spirit ministered to me as I awaited the promise of God’s healing to manifest in me. I waited, sometimes with a tear-soaked pillow. I waited when my body hurt so badly, my heart acted up so terribly, my breathing became so labored, and my headaches became so blinding I could hardly see.
From the looks of things, I was at death’s door. I dropped 20 pounds because I couldn't eat. At one point, my throat was so inflamed I was unable to swallow. I could only manage to eat half of one grape and that took what seemed like forever to get down. But God told me, “You shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD,” according to Psalm 118:17.
I didn’t know when He was going to heal me, or how He was going to loose me from the bonds of sickness, but I believed He would do it. During the process, I had to take my eyes off my circumstances. From the appearance of it all, I would never be healed. If I listened to my doctors, I would have accepted that I couldn't be cured. I would have been resigned to my negative fate. I would have written off faith. I wouldn't have even entertained the possibility of supernatural healing.
Take your eyes off your circumstances & focus on the One who has power over them. God is able!
Now let me take you back to that special Sunday on March 26th.
When the intercessors had gathered at the church, I was still in the hotel room struggling to get it together. I could hardly get dressed. I remember calling my sister Shavette (whom I just call Vette), crying.
I told her, "Vette, I don’t feel like I can make it. I’m so sick. I can’t get myself together." She encouraged me. She told me, “You can do it, Dianna. I’m here waiting for you.”
Still today, I don’t know how I managed to gather myself. I couldn’t get all glamorized. None of that. I had to go as I was. I knew it was the enemy fighting me. He didn’t want me to press my way to the house of the Lord.
During a conversation at my parents’ house the Monday following the miracle, that my younger sister actually captured in a Facebook Live video, which you can see below, I was telling my mom and dad that I felt like the woman with the issue of blood in Luke 8:43-48.
I had to take my eyes off my circumstances, press through adversity, press through the crowd and get to the healer, Jesus Christ. As I persevered, I knew how bad my situation looked. In fact, my specialist had just given up on me weeks earlier.
"I can't do anything else for you," he said, while recommending a "pain management specialist" to keep me comfortable. That was the best I could hope for he explained, because my diseases were incurable and progressive.
The prognosis was grim.
But God said something else and I chose to believe the report of the Lord. He already knew He had a plan in place to heal my body completely. He didn't give up on me when doctors did.
Glory to His name.
When the intercessors prayed, God answered. When they touched me, He touched me. I felt the fire of God all over me. It felt like lightening shot through my body. God released me from the grip of sickness in an instant and I know I will never be the same again.
God worked a miracle.
I get teary just thinking about it.
Time won’t allow me to tell everything about my journey here or even convey the awesomeness of what God did that night. But I want to thank each and everyone one of you that prayed. People were praying from all around the world at the same time. We came together on one accord and look what it produced.
God still works miracles. If you need one, believe Him for it. He will do it!
You might be reading this and saying, Dianna, I don’t know how God is going to fix my situation. It seems unfixable.
My answer to you is take your eyes off your circumstances. Stop looking at what's wrong and look to Jesus who is able to help you. If you or a loved one is sick, He's a healer. If you are struggling to make ends meet, He is a provider. If your family is in disarray and relationships are tearing apart, He is a mender of what is broken. If you are battling in your mind and emotions, He is a stabilizer, peace-giver and restorer of balance.
Whatever you need, He is able to do it.
Instead of fixating on what's wrong, focus on the One who has the power to make things right. He is greater than any adversity or opposition that could ever present itself to you in any form.
Put all your trust and confidence in Him.
To help you do that, I’m stirring Hebrews 11:1 KJV into your cup of inspiration, which says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
As you drink down the contents of your cup, hope in God. Let faith rise within you. Let my testimony be a sign to you that God is able to perform miracles in your life if you believe.
Now let’s pray.
God, first of all, thank You for my miracle. Thank You for healing my body. Thank You, oh Lord, for hearing the prayers of the righteous on my behalf. You are an awesome wonder! Now I pray for the person reading right now who may be going through a test or severe struggle. They don’t know what to do or how to fix it. They can’t, but You can. So today, I’m asking You to stretch out Your hand. Move in their situation. Grant them favor. Have mercy. Meet the need according to Your sovereign plan. We believe that their miracle, their breakthrough, and their deliverance is on the way. Thank You in advance for it. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
As always, thanks for reading and until next time... may today's cup of inspiration uplift, encourage, and empower you!
If you need prayer, don't hesitate to request it. I would be honored to stand in faith with you. I know that prayer works. CLICK HERE to learn how to submit your prayer request.
