It all started on a Saturday. My friend, Anna, lost her phone minutes before we were supposed to head to church to catch a ride to the bus station. We searched everywhere. I retraced our steps that morning with no luck. She checked her bag. And then a friend checked her bag. And then I checked her bag. Three people, three searches. Every pocket was emptied. No phone.
We drove to the church and on the way I remembered a story. My friend Marielle had been traveling overseas once when she realized she had forgotten her credit card. She prayed on the flight for her credit card to appear. She knew God could bring it to her. When they landed, her credit card was in her back pocket.
I prayed. I confessed I had very little faith that we were going to find Anna’s phone. But I also knew it was possible. I asked God to help us find it. “Let it miraculously be in her bag when we check at the church.”
And then it happened. A miracle. We unloaded her bag again. I unzipped the small pocket on top…the one we had emptied several times. Anna sifted through the papers, chapstick, and hair ties.
And there it was.
We both saw it. Laying right there in her bag was her phone. I laughed and tackled her. Because that’s what you do when you witness a miracle. Your adrenaline soars and you must celebrate.
And this was just the beginning…
Miracle #2.
Three days later, we met Katherine. Click here to read that incredible story. God’s ability to soften our hearts.
Miracle #3.
Next day. Wednesday. We’re at the hospital with Carissa. She has an enlarged liver. When you push against her side you can feel that it’s swollen and hard.
While we are enjoying visitation hours with her, three men walk into the room. They’re from Olive Tree Church and have come to pray for people. I could tell right away there was something special about them. They weren’t just here to do a duty. Their agenda wasn’t to be “good Christians.” They were here for God’s agenda. He wanted to heal people and they believed He would perform miracles.
They prayed for Carissa. Bold, believing prayers. They thanked God for his goodness and prayed for healing. One of the men, Stuart, began to laugh. “You’re a good, good Dad,” he prayed. When he opened his eyes, he looked right at Carissa and told her God loves her so much.
When they finished praying, she stood up and felt her side. She could feel her liver. It was still swollen.
Not phased by the apparent lack of healing, the men moved onto the elderly woman in the next bed.
She had a sign by the head of her bed. “Patient is blind. Needs assistance.” The three men gathered around her bed. Stuart put his hand over her eyes and began praying.
After several moments of speaking life over her and praying for healing, Stuart took his hands away and asked the woman to look around. “Mama, what do you see?”
The woman looked, turning her head and studying everything around her. She stopped and stared towards the foot of the bed. She pointed at Hayley.
“I see stripes.”
The men prayed again. They prayed for more – more Holy Spirit, more love, more healing, more sight! This time the woman pointed at the doctor as he walked by.
This time, as I once again stood face to face with a miracle, I didn’t tackle anyone. The adrenaline still coursed through me, but this time I began crying. I stared at the bed, the woman in it and the men praying around it. God was right there. He was standing right before us, removing the scales from this woman’s eyes.
Miracle #4
The next morning we are deciding who will go visit Carissa when my phone rings. It’s Carissa. She’s healed!!
She went to get her ultrasound this morning and the woman couldn’t find anything wrong with her. When Carissa told her she had an enlarged liver, the technician checked and measured her liver at 11cm. It was 3cm smaller than normal! She stood up and felt her side. The lump was gone. She was released with a clean bill of health 2 hours later!
Miracle #5
We’re back to Saturday. One week later. Scarlett stands up before the squad and invites everyone who is not yet fully funded to step forward. Fourteen people…
Six of them have a deadline they have to reach by the end of June for them to be able to stay on the field.
We gather around and pray. We cry and hug one another. We don’t want anyone on this squad going home early. People come alongside one another in whatever way they can. We reach out to our supporters, some people decide to fast, and others post pictures and blogs.
Two days later and $9,000 dollars has come in!
Today, A-Squad still has 4 people who have a deadline at the end of this month. Between all of them, we need to raise $4,000. If you’re feeling invited to donate, please comment below or message me and I can let you know how to partner with them.
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Five miracles in a little over one week. I can’t tell you what to do with these stories, but I needed to share them. I hope they encourage you and invite you to believe more than you did a moment ago. I hope they grow your faith in the same way they grew mine. I hope they take you to your own moments where you are staring face to face with God and get to see a miracle.
