God's faithfulness - answered prayer for lost loved one
Nov 16, 2018 3:23:09 GMT -5
John, frienduff, and 5 more like this
Post by Abby-Joy on Nov 16, 2018 3:23:09 GMT -5
This could be really long, but I'll try to condense where I can.
In December of 2004, my dad contacted me after about 6 yrs of no contact. I'd been praying for his salvation since I came to Christ at age 13 (1986). In 1997, the Lord began urging me to lay the burden down and that every time I felt to travail in prayer for my dad, that I was simply to lay him at Jesus' feet and thank Him for what He was going to do. Thus, He lifted my burden, and this prepared me also for the time I needed to focus elsewhere, as the Lord wanted to move me toward more healing.
So when my dad recontacted me, I just knew it was an answer to prayer. My heart always yearned for that relationship to be mended, healed, and ... well, you know, the dream father-daughter relationship every girl wishes for. Anyway, within a couple of weeks after he contacted me, we found out he was in the last stages of cancer. My heart was broken! I prayed for his healing, and I wanted to go see him. I was several hours away from him and unable to go see him much.
Fast-forward to August of 2005, and it was the annual "family camp" time with the church we were in. There was a woman who I'd become close friends with. She was a good bit older than me, and she was considered an outcast... not as "good" as everyone else. But she was really the most genuine heart there, I believe. So one morning, during one of the church services, she got a message (text)... someone was in need. She looked over at me and asked if I'd leave service and go with her to the hospital. So I did.
We took hymn books and Bibles, and we entered the hospital room of the father of one of the church members. He was dying, and he did not know Jesus as his Lord and Savior. So we went into the room... we prayed, and my friend bent over to his ear and told him the plan of salvation and how that if he'd confess with his mouth and believe in his heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, died for his sins, rose on the third day, and is now seated at the right hand of God ever interceding for us..... that he'd be saved. This man, who had been laying there unresponsive, began to move his feet... then his head... and his mouth was moving (although he couldn't talk) ... his eyes were open ... we all witnessed this man get saved!! We assured him that we knew and most importantly, God knew, that he had acknowledged Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior... when we did, he calmed down ... you could see tears. We all rejoiced with him and his daughter who was there. We sang hymns and prayed. Then we left.
We were elated, let me tell you!! And then, as we were in the hallway of the hospital, my friend turned to me... eyes lit up, and said... "In as much as you've done this for someone else's father, God will see to it that someone brings Jesus to your father." Oh, I can't tell you the joy and the hope I felt in that moment! And even now, my eyes fill with tears... so grateful, the Lord hears and answers our prayers!!!
My dad did accept Jesus, about 3 months before he passed away on Thanksgiving Day of 2005. We were able to go see him that day and spent several hours with him. He was alert, and we got to pray with him before we left. That day, I received a real hug from my dad. And when we were about to depart, he said, "I'll be seein' ya." Those were the last words I heard him say. And I know I'll be seeing him. It will be the most wonderful sight to see him healed, whole in every way... this old world and the old man passed away and gone... what a day that will be!!!
I'll be seeing my friend there too... she passed away not long after. She also was very ill and was the only person from that congregation who offered to go with me in person to witness to my dad. (Although her health wouldn't allow.)
In December of 2004, my dad contacted me after about 6 yrs of no contact. I'd been praying for his salvation since I came to Christ at age 13 (1986). In 1997, the Lord began urging me to lay the burden down and that every time I felt to travail in prayer for my dad, that I was simply to lay him at Jesus' feet and thank Him for what He was going to do. Thus, He lifted my burden, and this prepared me also for the time I needed to focus elsewhere, as the Lord wanted to move me toward more healing.
So when my dad recontacted me, I just knew it was an answer to prayer. My heart always yearned for that relationship to be mended, healed, and ... well, you know, the dream father-daughter relationship every girl wishes for. Anyway, within a couple of weeks after he contacted me, we found out he was in the last stages of cancer. My heart was broken! I prayed for his healing, and I wanted to go see him. I was several hours away from him and unable to go see him much.
Fast-forward to August of 2005, and it was the annual "family camp" time with the church we were in. There was a woman who I'd become close friends with. She was a good bit older than me, and she was considered an outcast... not as "good" as everyone else. But she was really the most genuine heart there, I believe. So one morning, during one of the church services, she got a message (text)... someone was in need. She looked over at me and asked if I'd leave service and go with her to the hospital. So I did.
We took hymn books and Bibles, and we entered the hospital room of the father of one of the church members. He was dying, and he did not know Jesus as his Lord and Savior. So we went into the room... we prayed, and my friend bent over to his ear and told him the plan of salvation and how that if he'd confess with his mouth and believe in his heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, died for his sins, rose on the third day, and is now seated at the right hand of God ever interceding for us..... that he'd be saved. This man, who had been laying there unresponsive, began to move his feet... then his head... and his mouth was moving (although he couldn't talk) ... his eyes were open ... we all witnessed this man get saved!! We assured him that we knew and most importantly, God knew, that he had acknowledged Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior... when we did, he calmed down ... you could see tears. We all rejoiced with him and his daughter who was there. We sang hymns and prayed. Then we left.
We were elated, let me tell you!! And then, as we were in the hallway of the hospital, my friend turned to me... eyes lit up, and said... "In as much as you've done this for someone else's father, God will see to it that someone brings Jesus to your father." Oh, I can't tell you the joy and the hope I felt in that moment! And even now, my eyes fill with tears... so grateful, the Lord hears and answers our prayers!!!
My dad did accept Jesus, about 3 months before he passed away on Thanksgiving Day of 2005. We were able to go see him that day and spent several hours with him. He was alert, and we got to pray with him before we left. That day, I received a real hug from my dad. And when we were about to depart, he said, "I'll be seein' ya." Those were the last words I heard him say. And I know I'll be seeing him. It will be the most wonderful sight to see him healed, whole in every way... this old world and the old man passed away and gone... what a day that will be!!!
I'll be seeing my friend there too... she passed away not long after. She also was very ill and was the only person from that congregation who offered to go with me in person to witness to my dad. (Although her health wouldn't allow.)