Beth’s Story

Beth’s story is one of an answer to prayer.

Hello. I just wanted to let you know how helpful the Healing Room was for me last week. I had been out of work for a year and a half, getting frustrated and wondering what was wrong with me and what God was up to. A resume that I had sent off for a full-time job which I didn’t get became a contract job and I start on Monday ! Blessings on your church and your “staff” of Healing Room volunteers. God was there, speaking and working. AMEN ! Thank you, thank you, thank you ! : )

Melissa’s Story

Melissa’s story is one that teaches us about prayer and how it doesn’t always have to us asking for what’s on our heart, rather it’s communicating with Him and worshipping him through our thoughts and prayers.

A few weeks ago I read a devotion that challenged me to worship God for 5 minutes. To spend 5 minutes focusing on God and His character and not once usin the words I, me or we.

I failed. After 3 minutes I had run out of God names and praise words and my mind had wandered to the dirty dishes in the sink and the crunchy kitchen floor.

The next day I started with a focused effort to spend time only in worship of God and His creation each day. Of course, because we are a family nothing is just a challenge for me, I had to also include my boys.

Each morning we started with a full minute (a lifetime in the eyes of a 4 and 5 year old) of silence to think about God. Then we spend the next few minutes saying, “God, You are…. Mighty, Strong, A Healer, A Friend, Brave” etc. Whatever the boys or I felt about God that morning.

Each night, the boys and I pray for healing for sick friends and family. Most specifically the boys have been praying for Lydia Herrle ever since her horrific accident. Most of their prayers have been physically related. They would pray for her head, her eyes, her arms, her heart, her legs.

But out of the blue, this is the prayer I heard the other night,

“Dear God, you are a great big God and a healer and a friend. You make big things happen. You made all the people and all the caterpillars and if anyone gets hurts you protect them and fix them and make them all better. You are strong and brave and smart and You will make Lydia better. Amen.”

Their entire prayer was WORSHIP! They never once asked God to heal her, they simply trust that He will.

How great is our God?!?! That 1 page devotion has given a new lease on my prayer and worship life and is teaching me new ways to teach my children about His goodness. As my boys have been able to relate what God has created to things they love like bugs and toys they have developed a sense of how BIG He is. And if God can make the moon or clouds then surely He will heal one small girl. Amazing!

Every day I am more in awe of the way God reaches us and teaches us. Happily I can say that 5 minutes of worship of the Creator is no big deal for me anymore!

In Awe of His Grace,

Melissa Yarascavitch

Nancy’s Story

Nancy’s story is one of patience and restoration. Teaching us that even in our hardest times God is teaching us and loving us unconditionally.

My story is from 1992 when I was first diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Life came crashing down on me and I was in bed 22 out of 24 hours every day and could no longer be a wife, mother, daughter or even Nancy. David and my young sons supported me, but I still felt totally useless.

Not only was I “put on the shelf”, but the cupboard doors were firmly closed in my face and there I was day after day, month after month.

One day it all became too much for me and I cried out to God and asked Him if He could see how useless I was. Didn’t He care that I could do nothing for myself or my family? With tears streaming down my face, I finally stopped my questions and I “heard” a voice say to me “YOU ARE MY BELOVED.” This was God’s voice – that I knew, but I felt anything but beloved and I whined back to God “I can’t be your beloved….can You not see that I am no good to anyone? Again I heard His voice saying “YOU ARE MY BELOVED.”

Suddenly, a love washed over me like I’d never felt before. A total unconditional love that went far and beyond anything that comes from a job well done. In fact, I realized at that moment that I didn’t have to work for God’s approval….I had it, even though I was too weak to get out of bed. What a revelation!!! All my life I had a burning desire to serve God to show Him how much I loved Him and actually wore my body out. Now that I knew I had God’s approval, I could relax and give myself permission to rest and get better.

Slowly I began to spend more and more time in God’s Word, reading good Christian authors and filling journal after journal. Soon I couldn’t wait to get out of bed to go in my special chair by the window in our bedroom, surrounded by my Bible, books, journals, pens and highlighters to dig deep into His Word. I call those times my “quiet years” where my roots dug deep and I got to know God in a real and personal way. Oh how precious those memories are.

Those years have taught me the importance of spending time in the Word each and every day and REALLY listening to what God wants to say to me.

Now, when I do work for God, it is with a clear direction from Him and not because I feel guilty if I don’t.

How thankful I am that He made me lie down in green pastures so He could restore my soul.

Nancy Seiling

A Healing Rooms Report

Healing rooms is a Healing Centre where people in need of healing in body, mind and spirit may receive healing prayer. Below is a report from Claudette Smith Loah Kesselring telling their story of what’s happening so far in this ministry.

We are most grateful to God for the privilege of reporting on what He has been doing in the Waterloo Healing Rooms during the first three-month period of operation. Many describe their experience in the Healing Rooms as being positive. October was an especially exciting month, four people received prayer in the Healing Rooms. One person reported being healed of back pain & remains pain free to date; one person reported being healed of sinus trouble; one person who did not receive prayer reported being healed of severe pain just by being in the presence of the Lord there. Our Mobile Team on request, prayed for a ninety year-old resident at St. Luke’s Place, Cambridge. She received God’s peace. It was an awesome time! Here is a sampling of their comments: “…very helpful, incredible, peaceful, caring, comfortable & soothing, refreshing, great, fulfilling, experience God’s presence…” Many also felt they received a significant touch from God & found the ministry time to be a very positive, encouraging experience. Each night we stand in awe of what God does – even when no one comes for ministry – for then He ministers to us! We are most grateful to our eleven faithful prayer team members who always remember when they’re scheduled – some come whether they’re scheduled for that night or not! So far we’ve received one application to be a team member. We’re thankful for those from other churches – two so far. We look forward with great excitement to the amazing things God will be doing in 2012. Thank you for your prayer support.

Dianne’s Story

Dianne’s story is about the working of God’s glory through the church and receiving God’s blessings in full.

I had been to Waterloo Pentecostal Church in the past with friends a s a visitor. When I had heard of their wonderful transportation ministry I decided I would make W.P.A. my home church. Now I could get to church without being a burden on anyone. Being a partially disabled senior with no means of transportation, I hadn’t been to church for some time. My disability is diabetes, nerve damage in my feet and plantar fasciitis in my left foot. On October 23, 2011 the first Sunday I came I sought out Pastor Marshall after the service for healing prayer. All through that week the pain in my foot from Plantar Fasciitis got less and less as each day went on. By the end of the week, Saturday October 29th, I was pain free and would walk normally without my cane on Sunday, October 30. I went to church like that and showed Pastor Marshall and thanked him for the transportation and the prayer. Since then I have told everyone I know about God’s mercy and how He has healed from Plantar fasciitis. I was saved about 12 years ago and baptized 11 years ago in a Pentecostal Church. Ever since, I have studied my bible and have been interceding in prayer for others. Praise God, he has heard my cry for healing. I was in so much pain all the time – but no more – Praise Him! Thank You Lord God!

Amen, Dianne Miller

Barry’s Story

This is the story about the powerful workings of God in a little girls life. The story is told by her father, Barry.