Enjoy Equip Care Ministries' latest edition of "The Travel Log" written by Evangelist Ruthie Strait. MIRACLES of God do happen today! Read on . . .
J
ames 5:14 "Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord."
My name is Ruth Strait, and I am a faithful servant to our Lord Jesus Christ. It is my goal that when I go out to speak Truth to those who would listen. It is my testimony of Jesus Christ which I bring with a pause to daily life as I converse and pray with and for people, no matter where I am. God has showed up and showed out countless times, and this particular testimony of mine may very well be one of the most powerful “But then God moments…” of my life!
In early January of this year, I arrived back home to Florida from an extended stay in New England in 2023. What started off as a planned stay for just the summer months seeking a second opinion from the professional medical community there, turned into almost a nine-month stay. The back story: Many who know me know that I was in poor physical condition when I left for New England in the Spring of 2023. On top of being in constant chronic pain due to an accident years ago and having multiple surgeries, I was experiencing even more medical issues with my back and legs over the last couple of years due to a fall in November of 2020. The pain I was in was so very intense that I had to use a cane, sometimes a walker and for longer trips out, a wheelchair. I went from walking 3-5 miles to not being able to walk around the block! Trying to resolve these issues and finding answers was a major undertaking and goal for my trip to New England. Here in Florida, I was getting nowhere at all. Round and round with the local doctors here in the South provided no answers over months of being homebound. So, I welcomed an invited blessing to have an extended stay in New England for a second opinion. Looking back, I now can exclaim, “But then God!!!” I’ll explain what this means soon..
While in New England during the summer months, there I found the immediate need for an Emergency Room visit. I was in excruciating pain. The worst pain I had felt in almost three decades. My legs were spasming even more and they would freeze up, sometimes up to a few hours at a time. After several hours of being at the hospital, I was admitted and ended up staying for eight days! There were teams of doctors, neurologists, neurosurgeons, physical therapists, an occupational therapist and every other kind of “-ist” doctors. There were doctors for this issue, doctors for that issue…just a TON of different medical teams trying to figure out what was going on with me. MRI’s, CT-scans, x-rays, medicine for this issue, meds for that issue… so many things going on at once! After eight days, the pain level was under better control, and I was released with instructions to begin my next steps of treatment. Next came physical therapy, occupational therapy, and aquatic therapy which all became a part of my new regular routine for weeks on end. First in-home sessions then going to one medical facility for sessions in one department, another facility for another session, and on and on. I was truly at my wit’s end, and the pain level was still quite bad. I realized then, I was not exactly in the best frame of mind. Depression was setting in, emotions were running rampant, and I just was not in a good place physically, mentally, and spiritually at all. My pastor knew it too! It was time for something drastic to happen, time for a supernatural intervention, here is that “but then God moment” I referred to earlier.
As written in James 5:14, the elders of my church were to be called in, the laying on of hands, the coming together of the church leaders in intense, healing, and anointing prayer. The Lord was to be called upon in unity of mission. It was time for healing! In a small prayer room on a Saturday afternoon, together we gathered several leaders in my church. The elders, a handful of us, all with one thing in common: we all were unified in the belief that all things are possible through Jesus Christ (Matthew 19:26). Prayer began with all joining together in praising God, calling on the Name of the Lord. I was anointed with oil as the laying of hands commenced. There was speaking and prayer and the various gifts of the Spirit were in operation as we all together believed God for a miracle. Jehovah-Raphe, is our Healer, and as we called out to Jesus to heal, to bind up, to break chains in the power of the mighty Name of Jesus, oh, what a glorious time of prayer and healing was had!
There are not enough words to accurately depict the Power of Jesus in that room. It was clearly evident that Jesus was there in the midst of all of us. I recall the exact moment the pain was lifted off, an indescribable warmth in my back and legs. I then took a deep breath and the pain was gone!! What was weighing me down to the point of exhaustion, was lifted! Healing was had!! I gave all amazing Glory to Jesus, who healed my from all that excruciating pain I once had which was now gone!! Since that Saturday afternoon, there have been no more spasms, no more falling down and my walks have resumed, albeit not 3-5 miles yet, but I’m working up to it. ALL glory to God!
Now, jumping forward several weeks…
I returned home to Florida in early January of 2024 and while being out and about, I ran into friends and acquaintances who asked, "Where have you been? I haven't seen you in such a long time! You look great! Where's your cane? No more walker, what happened?" Without having to say anything to them, they could obviously see that something had drastically changed. What was it that happened? One of my friends, Frederick, who doesn’t know Jesus, just stood there with his jaw dropped, scarcely believing what he was seeing. He was pretty much speechless. It was at that time God opened the door for me to speak of what had happened over the entire year prior as I boldly told and testified of God’s healing power! Another quick back story here, I returned to Florida for a week last Fall after God healed me, to take care of some business and saw a friend, Jessica, at the local church here. She stood there as well, with her jaw dropped. I told her what God had done through the healing power of prayer. Now, whenever I see Jessica at church, she makes it a deliberate point to introduce me to others. She tells them, “This is Ruthie, a walking miracle. Wait till you hear her testimony!” She then always simply walks off leaving me there to tell of God’s greatness! And so, I keep testifying and God is glorified!
Friends, keep praying! Friends, Call the elders to pray, anoint with oil and believe! Jesus healed many in Biblical times and even to this day, He heals! He is the same yesterday, today and forevermore. He does not change!! My prayer for you is that my testimony will help strengthen your faith, bring hope, and encourage you to truly know and believe that there is power in the Name of Jesus!! Glory to God!
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