To build up some faith, here are a few stories of what God is doing.
David’s Story
Last year I faced a difficult housing problem, which left me potentially becoming homeless. I had been on a waiting list for social housing for 18 months. I couldn’t find anywhere to live and in just the right time I was offered a place to live. I then had somewhere to live but had very little furniture for my new home. People from church, friends and charities helped me move and provided me with stuff for my flat. I have received so much grace from God and seen love shown through the generosity of people.
David’s Story
I was at work, a few weeks ago, when a work colleague came in complaining about back pain. I was working away whilst chatting to her and realised that I could pray for her.
We have a history of God encounters, so I asked her if I could pray for her, and she was very keen to let me. I prayed with no response, sat down and felt the Holy Spirit prompt me to ask to pray again. This time, she felt some tingling but there was still no improvement. We both spoke faithfully about the prayers. Two days later she came back into work full of beans! She said that she went home and had a hot bath. In the morning, the pain had completely gone, and she called it a, ‘God thing.’ Thanks be to God!
David’s Story
David had been suffering from depression since 2000. He had been receiving medical help and in 2018 he attended church as normal one Sunday morning, and left early, due to his mental health, with the intention to end his life. Many people went out to look for David and he was eventually found. David received medical assistance and in 2019 he attended a church service, where we had a guest speaker. The speaker talked about a time when someone was healed of mental illness, so David went to speak to the speaker after the service and received some prayer. He thought he would never be healed and was not expecting much. Nothing really happened that morning, however several days later David noticed the depression slowly leaving and his thought patterns were becoming more positive. David continued to receive support from the NHS, charities and was still seeking God for his healing. A few months later, he started to reduce his medication, with assistance from his GP, and now he has been off medication for over a year.
Story
“Recently we had an extension added to our house. Near the start of the renovation, I was talking to the builder, and he was saying that he wasn’t able to do much plastering himself as his wrists would get very sore and painful. He said he had others who do the plastering for him. I thought to myself I must pray for him sometime but was going to wait until the renovation was more or less finished. However, a week or so later when I was chatting to him again, he said he had twisted his back the day before on another job and it was very sore. Whether it was the Lord or me, but I felt challenged to pray for him. I plucked up the courage and asked him would he mind if I prayed for him. He laughed slightly and then said that would be ok. He didn’t realise though that I meant praying for him there and then. So, I said to him again about praying now and he let me do this. I prayed that his back would heal up and the pain would go. I also prayed about the love that God had for him and that he was interested in every situation in his life and cared for him. When I finished praying for him it appeared that the pain had gone. He said that was great and that he should have got me to pray for the anxiety and worry in his life as well. My wife and I got another chance to pray for him on the last day of the job where we prayed for a couple of major events that were happening in his life.”
Sheena’s Story
“My story is short and sweet but significant! Over the summer My family and I missed coming to church together regularly, and the summer felt disjointed and out of sync. Over time I noticed my passion and dedication to praying with and reading scripture with my young kids slipping and then I developed a block to even really sharing about what God was doing in our day to day lives. I could see it happening as the summer progressed. At church last week (sept 12th) the Holy Spirit filled me again with vision and encouragement to be a spiritual leader for my kids and encourager and intercessor for my husband. I felt like I had a course correction as we again engaged in family worship with our lovely BCV church family. I love that we are a part of a worshiping community that is seeking to equip families as disciples of Jesus. Praise God for our messy and beautiful family services!”
David’s Story
“In December 2018 it was discovered that I had a macular hole at the back of my right eye. The consultant said the only option to fix this was surgery, which would be followed by 10 days where I could not lift my head above horizontal, which I was dreading! I shared the diagnosis with my life group who then prayed week by week for healing, though I honestly couldn’t see any real difference. In May 2019, I went back to the consultant for a pre-surgery review, and she was amazed to discover that the macular hole had closed over, though there was no apparent change in sight. She had never seen this heal without surgery. I went back to the consultant in September 2021 and some more tests revealed a massive improvement in the closing of the hole completely, and to my amazement a noticeable improvement in my eyesight. Praise God for his healing power, for healing in his timescale and for the dedication of many to prayer for healing… Miracles Do Happen…..”
Story
I have found freedom in the Lord, and it feels like my joy has been reborn in me, after doing the Alpha course, getting spiritual guidance from my life group and getting ongoing support from my Friday Church prayer pod.
Cath’s Story
One evening over the summer I was out for dinner with a friend, who commented in passing about the negative impact of freemasonry in family lines. I knew there had been freemasonry on my Mum’s side of the family, and that she had dealt with it prayerfully, but realised I couldn’t remember if I had ever done that for myself. So, I set up an appointment with the Stepping into Freedom ministry team in BCV, who have been unfailingly supportive, encouraging, thorough, and determined in their ministry to me. As a result of my 3 sessions with them, I am experiencing a new level of inner peace (my mind, especially, has become still, or ‘quiet’), finding it easier to fight the internal mental battles and so enjoying greater freedom and security in my identity in Christ, and have seen a positive shift in my eating patterns.
Leigh – Anne’s Story
At our Family Service we were looking at Jesus healing Jairus’ daughter and we received some brightly coloured plasters in our family packs, to remind us to pray for healing. A few days later I began to struggle with sciatica in my left hip due to pregnancy. My husband and I prayed for complete healing in Jesus’ name from the onset but I didn’t notice any change.
A few days later I got a minor cut on my leg and my husband gave me one of the plasters that we received at the family service. He handed me it and said, ‘Be healed in Jesus’ name.’ I put the plaster on and thought nothing of it.
The next morning, I woke up with ZERO pain in my hip! It’s amazing how the Lord can work miracles by the use of a plaster!
Story
I was praying one morning, when the face of one of the students from the college I work in, popped into my mind. I knew little about her but felt that I should pray for her, particularly for her to have grace to cope with all that was happening with her and that C she would be drawn closer to God.
Later that day she was sitting in the group study area of the library with some of the other students. I overheard her talking about the pressure she was currently under. I asked God that if he wanted me to say to her that I had been praying for her, that the other students would leave before she did. Sure enough the other students did leave before her and when she was leaving I mentioned that I had overheard some of her conversation about being under pressure.I went on to say to her that I didn’t know whether she believed in prayer or not but that I had been praying for her that morning.
She responded very positively and was encouraged that I had been praying for her. I told her I would continue to pray for her and that she could also pray/talk to God herself about all that was happening.
A week or so later as she was leaving the library with her friends and passed the reception desk she said “You got me through those exams!” | said “Praise the Lord”. I didn’t get time to say much more but l’m trusting that I will get chatting to her again about Gods love and care.
Shirley’s Story
I had prayer for my arm. I hurt it at the gym a couple of days before and the pain was particularly intense not just muscle soreness. During the prayer I felt tingling in my arm. When I woke up the next morning the pain was completely gone I could flex and extend my arm without pain.