Rabbit Trails

Rabbit Trail:

1. Veering off subject or off the point of the conversation.

2. A story or explanation leading no where.

3. Making statements with no real purpose just for the sake of stating them.

Example:  "Dude I just wanted you to explain how to get to Wendy's and now you're going on a rabbit trail...get to the point!"

About a week ago I transported a patient to Banner Gateway Hospital in Gilbert, Arizona. Walking to the patient's room I noticed a nurse who was limping down the hallway with an immobilizer on her foot. As we passed in the hallway I told her I wanted to have a word with her after we dropped off our patient.

After we got our patient settled in I went hunting for her. It didn't take long. I walked over and asked why she had the immobilizer on her foot. She had torn her Achilles tendon and couldn't flex her foot, which now had a permanent foot drop. The immobilizer allowed her to walk without dragging her foot on the floor.

I asked if she wanted to be healed.

She gave me a funny look.
"What do you mean healed?"
"Do you use some kind of energy healing?"

"Not exactly," I said. "I pray with people and God heals them."

That brought a smile to her face.

"I believe in God and I know He heals people." She agreed to let me pray.

I crouched down and put my hand on the immobilizer and commanded the tendon to re-attach, pain and inflammation to leave and for spirits of pain to depart in the name of Jesus. I asked what she felt.

"It kinda tingles all around my foot."

"Well, that's because God is healing you. Why don't you take the immobilizer off and try walking on it?"

"I can't. If I take it off, I'll get yelled at."

She'd seen a specialist who said there was nothing that could be done. She came to work, but had to wear the immobilizer. If a supervisor saw her walking without it, she'd have to explain why. So it was easier to leave it on. I encouraged her to trust that she was healed and take it off when she got home.

While all this was happening a small crowd of nurses had gathered in the hallway. They were curious to know more about how I did this healing. I shared a few testimonies. One woman asked if I used some kind of energy healing.

"Nope....it's all Jesus".

They wanted to know my name and how to contact me. I ran out of business cards, so I wrote my contact information on paper towels.

One of the people who saw me praying for the nurse was my partner.

A few days later at the end of our shift, he brought up the nurse and the healing encounter and asked how I got started in healing. I shared a few healing stories and told him about the dreams. Then he asked if most people stay healed or if their symptoms return. I said that most people stay healed, though some have their symptoms return. He asked if I thought he could be healed. I said he could. He said he had neck pain for three weeks that hurt whenever he turned his head. I asked if he wanted to be  healed. He said he did, so I put my hand on his neck and commanded the pain to leave. I had a sense that God would bring heat to his neck so I asked Him to increase the heat. Then I asked what he felt.

"My neck feels pretty warm."

He turned his head left, then right and his mouth dropped open.

That's totally crazy!!! I can move my head and it doesn't hurt!! It's gone!!

We celebrated his miracle. I told Him that God is always looking for people to heal because He loves us so much.

The next day we were back at Gateway Hospital. We ran into the nurse who was still wearing the immobilizer. I asked how she felt. She said that from the time we prayed, she hasn't had any pain. She has a follow up appointment with her doctor in a few days. She's expecting a good report.

A co-worker sitting next to her asked if I was the guy she'd been talking about. Apparently there was a lot of talk about healing after I left. This woman wanted to know what type of healing I did. She practices Reiki. I told her my healing comes from Jesus.

She was interested in hearing more so I shared with her some of the things God has been doing. She wanted to know if I'd pray for her to be healed. She has three bad heart valves and COPD. I knelt beside her and asked the Holy Spirit to bring His presence then commanded her heart to be healed and asked what she felt.

"It's the weirdest thing.....I feel like there are butterflies in my heart. There's this wonderful fluttering feeling. And I can see the color pink."

I told her that sometimes I see the color pink, especially when I'm praying and I say certain words, like "Life", "Healing" and "Power". I see pink lights that glow brightly, which I think is how the Holy Spirit tells me that the words I'm saying carry healing power. Not only did she feel as if her heart was being healed, but she felt like she could breathe better.

We talked about healing for about 15 minutes. I told her how to find this website and my Facebook page if she wanted to learn more. She hugged me and thanked me for praying with her. I told her I'd be back for a follow up report.

This is how God can connect you to people who need healing through the power of the testimony. When one person is healed and they testify about it, their testimony encourages others to find you if they want to be healed.

I can't said this often enough - anyone can do this. I'm not a specially gifted person. I'm just an ordinary person like you, who happens to think that God wants to heal the sick. All these stories are for your benefit. I truly believe that if you look around for people who need healing and step out in faith, God will meet their needs and make Himself known to them.

The life of Jesus in us is demonstrated clearly whenever we show mercy and compassion to strangers.

- till next time.