A FOOT, AND A WOMAN NAMED BRANDY

By Sonya Waters

On a recent plane trip with my husband John, I overheard a passenger complain of severe foot pain due to an injury. Since I was working through a workbook called “Walking in Supernatural Healing Power” by Chris Gore during the flight, I thought I better pray for her as I read. So during the flight, I started asking Jesus, the Healer, about her. He gave me a picture of Him washing the woman’s feet, so I agreed with Him to heal her foot. I asked if He wanted to tell me anything else about her, and I made notes in my workbook about what I thought He might be saying. I wrote three notes: 1) The picture of Jesus washing her feet, 2) that it might be an Achilles problem in her right foot (because I had that problem in my right foot lately), and 3) a woman’s name (because I asked if He wanted to tell me her name). The last two notes had question marks by them.

We caught the woman after the flight and I told her I overheard her comment about her foot pain and asked if we could pray for her. Clearly irritated, she agreed. I asked her name and was not surprised when it was not the name I had “heard” earlier. She said she had snapped a tendon in her right foot and had just reinjured it. I told her I believed Jesus was healing her foot, prayed briefly, and asked how it felt. She actually smiled as she moved it around and said the pain was 50% better. We prayed again, but had to run for our connecting flight. We left her a bit bewildered, but smiling.

On the next flight I continued my Healing Power book. The flight attendant stopped and asked to see the cover of my book. She was a believer, and wanted to know about it, so I told her about how Jesus heals supernaturally and shared the testimony of how Jesus had touched the woman’s foot earlier. She was very interested to hear about this so I offered her my book, notes and all. She reached out her hand to introduce herself, and said, “My name is Brandy”. I grabbed my book back from her, and looked for the page where my notes were. I pointed to the name I had written in my notes and said, “Look! Your name is already in this book! I wrote it earlier when I asked Jesus to tell me the name of the woman with the foot injury. I thought I heard “Brandy” but I wasn’t sure! It’s YOU!” I don’t know which of us was more shocked! (Pretty sure I made a scene.)

She came back a few minutes later, saying she could hardly do her job because she couldn’t keep from crying. We affirmed that she has the gift of healing and the Lord wanted to teach her how to use her gift through the book. She said several people had told her that in the past, and she always said if she could have one superpower it would be to heal people! She didn’t realize she already has this superpower.

Look out, world! Brandy is discovering more of the Holy Spirit’s beautiful power and love for people as her gift is awakened and she steps out in faith to bless others with the great love and goodness of their Father in Heaven. My heart shifted as I replayed this story. I had asked my Father such a simple question, and He just whispered the simple answer right back. I am in such awe I can hardly get over it. He loves every single one of His creations. As our pastor Mark Thomas said recently, there is no such thing as failure when we step out in love.  

A Shining White Cross Brings Me Peace

Sleepy and tired, still recovering from a bronchial infection, I had just put on my nightgown, and picked up my cell phone to charge it for the night. I saw Megan had called me only minutes before and I hadn't heard the ringtone. It was almost midnight, so I knew there must be a problem. I called her back and she answered the phone crying. My son Seth had had an accident and was in the emergency room with a head wound, bleeding profusely. He had fallen and hit his head on a concrete post. They wouldn't know how serious it was until they did an MRI, but he was going to need stitches. She cried “I don't want him to be there by himself.” I told her we would head out for the hospital right then, and for her to just stay home with their sleeping four year old.

When I got off the phone, my husband Scott was already getting dressed, surprisingly in an orange sweatshirt I knew he didn't like. I threw on clothes and went out to the car. As I got in and started coughing, I realized I didn't have my tissues or inhaler with me. I rushed back in the house to get them. There right in the center of my dresser was a shining white ceramic cross about the size of my hand. You couldn't miss it, but it had not been there even five minutes before. Comfort and warmth washed over me, as I realized God was speaking to me. How thankful I was for His presence! Through that cross, He reminded me He is in control.

Back in the car, I said to Scott, “There is a white cross on the dresser that wasn't there before.” He said “I know, I put it there.” Then I remembered I had bought it at a little shop in Florida when we were on vacation. To protect it, I had wrapped it in the new orange sweatshirt, packed it in the suitcase and forgotten all about it. Tonight, six weeks later, Scott had pulled out the sweatshirt, and the cross tumbled out. He placed it on the dresser. Amazed, I said, “I think it is a sign from God.” Scott said “That's what I thought too. Because I never wear that sweatshirt, and I don't know why I got it out.” It's a God thing, we said. On the way to the hospital, I texted my prayer sisters for help.

We were in the emergency room with Seth until 3 a.m., waiting for the results of the MRI (perfect) and standing by while they sewed him up. Thirteen stitches after an excruciating injection of novacain. After all the blood was cleaned up, we could see it was just one injury, a deep cut above Seth's eyebrow. Thanks be to God.

What makes you pick up a phone you didn't know was ringing? Or reach for a sweatshirt you don't even like? When seemingly random thoughts pop into your head, when you suddenly know something you didn't know the moment before, pay attention. Every day, every minute, God is giving you a message. You can tell it's Him. Because He sends it wrapped in peace, and sealed in love. And maybe even  tucked in a sweatshirt.