This past week, all the current (and many past) World Racers
came together in Dublin, Ireland for a time of Awakening where we had wonderful
times of worship and amazing speakers. One of the World Racers was my best
friend, Alissa Rich. I’ve been friends with Alissa since 6th grade,
which makes about 14 years… I know; I’m getting old! One aspect of the
Awakening that was really good for me was to spend time with Alissa. She just
finished month 3 of her World Race and is headed to Africa. It was amazing to
listen to what she has experienced and reflect back to my own journey and where
I was in month 3. Being with her was also a test in a way. It was a challenge
to see how I will act around people back home. During the past 8 months, I have
found freedom and new levels of intimacy with the Lord. One night at worship, I
stood next to Alissa and found myself faced with a decision: would I worship
freely or go back to the “normal”, “frozen chosen” style of worship that is
acceptable in my community back home? At this point, I am unsure of Alissa’s
views and opinions on such things. Then, I realized it didn’t matter what her
views were; it was not about her.
While in Kenya, about 3 months ago, I developed red, raised
sores on my back and hip. The ones on my lower back and hip went away on their
own after a few weeks, but the one on my upper back has consistently gave me
problems over the past 3 months. I went to several doctors and tried a number
of different creams and pills. Nothing seemed to help and some made it even
worse. Near the end of my time in Uganda I had made plans to visit a doctor
while in Ireland. The day before I left, we had a worship service and I felt
that I heard God telling me that I would not need to see an Irish doctor,
because He would heal my back. I began to pray expectant prayers of healing for
my back and then reached my hand to check, fully believing I would feel healthy
skin. I did not; the raised and flaky skin was still there. I prayed harder,
still not doubting and again it was not healed. I thought maybe I would wake in
the morning and it would be gone. The next morning I reached around and it was
still there, raised, irritated and red. I didn’t really understand, but never
doubted God’s voice.
After a few days of travel, I was in Ireland and on the
second night of worship I heard God again. He said, “I didn’t heal your back in
Uganda, because I want to heal it now. I want you to boldly ask Alissa to lay
her hand on your back and to pray for healing.” My reaction… “Um! I’m not
really sure how Alissa feels about supernatural healing and how 
she will
respond to me; are you sure I can’t ask someone else?” God’s response: “This is
why I’ve waited until now, she is the one I want you to ask.” So, I walk across
the room to where Alissa is standing and boldly tell her about my problems with
my back and ask her to place her hand on me and pray for healing. Then, I wait
for her reaction. I’m half expecting her to give me a funny look or at least be
hesitant, but she doesn’t and she’s not. Instead, she smiles excitedly and
says, “What part of your back is it?” She places her hand under the hood of my
sweatshirt and begins to pray. She asks me to check it and when I lift my shirt
it is raised, red and hot. Without a moment of doubt on her face, she says,
“let’s pray again.” This time the tips of her fingers are directly covering the
lower part of my sore. We check it again and where her fingers were is
completely healed. The skin is not red or raised; there is not even a scar or
line where the sore had once been.
We listened to the speaker share the message and then I went
to Night Watch, a prayer room that two of my teammates helped organize that
night. The plan was to go for about half an hour to make an appearance and support
my teammates, but God started speaking to me and I was not about to put that
conversation on hold because I was tired. One of the things God said to me was
that He was calling us World Racers to spread healing like a disease. This is
how He has used Alissa to heal my back. The area that she touched was healed
and now the healing is spreading upward. In the way a rash spreads or lice, now
there is a breakout in healthy skin happening. Yeah God!
