Tag Archive | healing testimony

A Miracle in Progress

“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “if the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” James 4:13-15 TPT

We surely don’t know what tomorrow will bring . . .

On December 14th, 2023, I played Scrabble© with my mom. It was just an ordinary day or so I thought. However, I went to bed that night feeling totally fine, but woke up blind. It was such a shock! I could see absolutely nothing out of my right eye and only a little bit of light and shadow with my left; but the Lord is so good, and this didn’t surprise Him at all. He knows everything that’s going to happen to you ‘tomorrow’.

A couple of weeks before that it had been strong on my heart to enter into the rest of God, resting in His completed work. In advance provision, He had prepared my heart–for my heart to trust.

When a crisis happens, the first words out of our mouths are critical. . .

as is every single word you say thereafter about the subject.

You can’t say you have faith one moment, but speak unbelief the next. In other words, if your words are not lining up with the faith you say you have, then you are not truly in faith. You might think you are, but you can’t be expecting one result if you are speaking another.

The Lord knew this blindness was coming and His preparation to fill my heart with trust gave me the gift of faith and no fear. Right in that critical moment, I couldn’t see with my eyes but my mouth could speak; I spoke out loud, “This blindness will not remain, my eyes will see!”

“For the overflow of what has been stored in your heart will be seen by your fruit and will be heard in your words.” Luke 6:45b TPT

Immediately after speaking that, I got an inkling of vision in my left eye. It took many attempts but I managed to maneuver through my phone to call my prayer partner. It was like punching around in a closet. I was grateful to have her in speed dial, because I could recognize the color that went with her name. As we prayed, more vision came in that left eye, enabling me to call my eye doctor. They got me in right away.

I had had a laser on my right eye, to lower the pressure of glaucoma, just 4 days before. One would think this was all stemming from this but I only had it in one eye and both eyes were affected. They tested my eyes and I couldn’t even see the great big E with my right eye, it just wasn’t even there. My left eye could see black, but it was a blur, so I consider it a miracle that I was able to call those two numbers. I had prayed a couple weeks prior to this and asked the Lord to get me off glaucoma drops. My prayer all along has been for my healing of glaucoma to fully manifest. This has been a progressive journey. I have regained peripheral vision (twice) that my doc said was impossible. I told her that nothing is impossible with God and the tests have proven it. Now, she immediately took me off one of the glaucoma drops, that was the strongest, the one she figured was the culprit, and put me on steroid drops and ointment. Thus began a whirlwind of doctor appointments every 4-5 days and a cornea specialist was brought into the mix. He took me off the other glaucoma drop in the right eye as well and prescribed a milder steroid and a different ointment.

In the midst of this drama . . .

I went for a scheduled dental appointment. I would have liked to have canceled but it is so hard to get in. Praise God for my friend that waited patiently for me. I have been believing for my tooth to heal for 2 1/2 years. They wanted to do a root canal and crown. The x-ray showed the root had shrunk up and was blunt. It hurt terribly but I refused. I stood in faith for the root to re-grow and be rooted as normal. The first year I couldn’t eat on that side at all. Even soft foods made the tooth throb. Second year, occasional soft foods, but it still pained so I stayed away from it. They tried to do another x-ray midway but their machine malfunctioned and they had to skip it. The last 6 months I have been able to eat on that side, even really hard stuff with no pain at all. They took another x-ray on this visit and it showed the root, re-grown, seated, and totally normal. The dentist made no comment, but started to poke, prod and tap hard on that tooth and the two on either side. She kept saying, “Does that hurt?” “Does that hurt?” No, no, NO. There were also three teeth they wanted to fill above the teeth, where gums had receded. I said no and have believed for the gums to come back down. Now she only finds one that “troubles” her. “The other two I’m not concerned with.” she said. “I still want to fill the third one.” No, no, NO!

My eyes improved with every visit, but it was one visit in particular that there could be no explanation but a miracle from God. In 4 days time my right eye went from seeing 20/90 to 20/40 and my left eye went from seeing 20/80 to 20/12.5. I had never heard of 20/12.5 but this is what they termed seeing two lines better than 20/15, whereas 20/20 is perfect vision! In that same 4-day period, my pressure went from 22 and 26 to 12 and 15. The miracle of that is that my left eye had a detached retina years ago. It not only detached, but the surgeon said my retina had shattered and it was a very difficult surgery. He was ecstatic that I came to see 20/25 after it healed, which I praise God for, and the expertise of that surgeon, but it didn’t stop there. That eye also underwent laser to bring the pressure down and when that didn’t work, a Trabeculectomy; surgery to create a mesh-like pathway for the eye to drain fluid. A pressure reading in that eye of 12 was only seen briefly after that surgery and then it started to climb once again. Even with those strong drops and two different kinds, continuously, she couldn’t get it below 22 anymore. Now, with the strongest drop taken away, the pressure is 12.

Praise Jesus!

So this incredible vision in my left eye enabled me to return to work. I knew it was going to be hard, but I wasn’t prepaing for just how hard. Both days were super busy, and though I could see really well up close, anything beyond a few feet was a blur. I could know people, from memory and of their shape but their faces were a blur. I didn’t realize how much I read lips when it’s too noisy to hear. Keeping up with the stamina required of the job and the constant struggle to see, absolutely exhausted me; and by the end of the second day I was fighting tears.

The 3rd day was a milder day and though it was still hard to see, I was enjoying the calm and my wonderful co-working family. I love my job!

But, this is the exciting part. . .

At 8:20pm, suddenly, I could see a co-workers face from about 8 feet away!!! It was still a lil blurry, but I could make out his features and see expressions. Wow! I was like a kid again, looking around, everywhere, to see what I could see. Later I realized that 8:20pm is 2020 military time, which is what we go by at work and 20/20 is perfect vision!

I take that as a confirmation, because ‘perfect’ hasn’t manifested yet, but it’s coming!

Exuberant with my newly-minted sight, my son took me grocery shopping. I have not yet attempted to drive; my work takes me into the dark, and the lights when driving at night are quite the distraction. There was a snow storm predicted, so every store was packed out. The noise, people, shapes, colors and florescent lights was just too much for my brain to cope with. I went home traumatized, exhausted, slept fitfully, and I woke up with a splitting headache. I have come to realize that with every new level of vision, my brain has to re-calibrate and learn how to see with that particular vision, because the two eyes are not in sync with each other. I would have thought this would be easy, because I have done mono-vision for years but it seems to be different with an eye that is trying to heal.

So, here we are. It was a very long story to tell you that I have learned to rest in Him. I fully expect my total healing to come. My right eye has already had a miracle as well, for before the blindness, my eyes were off the charts; worse than 20/400 I was told, but correctable. Now, after my suddenly, at 2020 the other night, I expect I am seeing 20/25 in that eye without correction! Glory to God!!

Which reminds me . . .

You didn’t know this, but remember Nicholas? He is the prisoner I wrote about in another post, “Genuine Fruit”. Nicholas is part of “Project Turn” a partnership with Duke University Grad School, Divinity Program. He was one of 6,000 inmates chosen to be in this program. They chose ten inmates to take classes side-by-side with ten Duke Grad students. He came up with the idea of an education class needed in the prison and was given the go-ahead to help develop it. They have asked to use my books for the class, as mandatory reading. Glory to God! Well, that class started that night that I had the sudden vision. It wouldn’t surprise me if he had asked those men to pray for me that night. He knows of the issue I’m having. Wouldn’t that just be incredibly wonderful for them to see a miracle happen as a direct answer to their prayers! Will you join them and believe for a miracle? I want to see perfectly and no more glaucoma–at all!

Thank you for your prayers!

A special thank you to my dad, my son, and my friend Jamie for their incredible patience in hauling me around to appointments, waiting through them, and running me around for prescriptions. Thank you so very much!

No one is an island. We need each other!

God Bless You Reader,

Lori J. O’Neil

Nothing is too Complicated for God

Jul25

In my last post, “Nothing is too Insignificant for God,” I wrote about the seemingly insignificant things that are important to God, because they matter to us. The testimony in that post declares His unending love for us. Even that which would seem foolish to others matters to Him, if it matters to you.

You can trust Him with your heart!

Likewise there is no concern that you may have, that is too big for God to answer. From the tiniest need to the biggest fear and concern–He is there!

The following testimonies are, joyous, living proof of the goodness of God! They each received terrible news from their doctor. Each took a slightly different path, but each put their faith and trust in their Heavenly Father and the Healing power of Jesus Christ. I will write of just one testimony today, the other two will follow another day.

You can trust Him with your Body!

Please allow me to introduce you to Peppi. It is with his permission that I write his testimony and use his real name.

I was writing the third book in the “His Voice in My Heart” series last June, when the Lord stopped my writing. I blogged about it then, but at that time had not yet known the full purpose in His stopping me. At the time, I had been working toward a goal of publishing by Christmas of that year, 2021; when He spoke to me and said, “So, why don’t you think more toward spring.” “Ok, sure.” was my reply. I had thought He was just wanting me to slow my pace, and not work so hard. I was really enjoying the writing though, so I slowed down but kept dabbling at it. He then pulled the anointing. It was like trying to write in the dark without Him. No, not happening! What I didn’t know at that time was that He had someone that He was soon going to introduce me to and it would forever change this person’s life. His testimony has become a crowning Glory to the Lord, completing the book series, “His Voice in My Heart.” It declares the Lord’s Love, Compassion and Healing Power to all who will receive!

Glory to God!

I won’t go into the whole testimony here, you may read it when the book comes out. I won’t venture to say for sure, but again my hope is in time for Christmas; but I’ll just leave that up to the Lord!

Knowing that there will be many that don’t venture to read a book, I will tell you much of what happened. Spoiler alert for those of you that will read the book, but then it bears repeating . . . again and again and again!

One can never stop rejoicing in the goodness of our wonderful Savior!

So one day I was going to meet a friend for coffee and the Lord spoke to me and said, “Take your books with you; there is someone I want you to give them to.”

I obeyed without question, and went to meet my friend. She texted that she would be late, part of God’s plan I expect, and so I sat there looking around for the person He had in mind. My spirit had been drawn to a man that was sitting behind me but he had gotten up and left, so I looked around and finding no clues, asked the Lord, “So, who are they for?” Just then that same man came back in, and this time sat at a table to my right. “It’s him.” the Lord replied. and then, as if to make sure I didn’t miss it, He immediately repeated, “It’s him.”

I didn’t need courage, because the Lord was so clear, but asked the man if he liked to read. His responsive yes was all I needed. I jumped up and told him the Lord had asked me to bring him my books and then told him, “They are written for prisoners but please don’t take that personal, because they are for anyone.” “We all have things in our life we’re working on.” I said.

“No,” he replied. “I am one.” “Well, I’m out now, but I’ve been in prison in Chicago for years.”

He then seemed to want to talk, and told me of his life in prison. He spoke of cancer, an aneurysm, stroke and seizures in prison that he had overcome, without the help of the prison system. Then he proceeded to tell me that he now had cancer for the third time. When he said that, faith came out of me like a roar and I said, “Oh, NO, that’s got to go!” “Can I pray for you?” I took his hands and commanded that cancer to leave his body, in Jesus Name.

He received his healing right then and there, but it was January 21st that he texted me and said the doctor could hardly see any cancer on the scan. March 3rd, the doctor couldn’t see any cancer, and this past week it was confirmed with a pet scan. There is no cancer anywhere in his body!

Glory to God!!!

I found out later why the Lord had cut me off and I didn’t wait to hear where he had the cancer, but prayed. I may have been daunted by the report for he had cancer in his brain, face, neck, shoulders and it had started in his bones. I learned that day that the Lord is not daunted by any report!

It was his 3rd round of cancer and stage 4 but that’s not too big for God!

God is the healer, I am not. I was there to connect with him to God. Sometimes we need someone with us to bolster our faith and believe with us.
I explained to him that day that many don’t receive their healing because they don’t believe it until they see it. They keep praying and asking but never “receive” it. Some healings come instantly, but others take time. Faith is the “substance” of things “hoped” for and the “evidence” of things “not” seen.

I told Peppi, that he is healed right now! “Expect to see it, but not be concerned about when.” “Praise and thank God daily for your healing.” “Write healing scriptures on sticky notes and put them where you will see them though-out the day.” “Read them out loud to get them in your ears and down into your heart.” I encouraged. “I’ll do it!” he replied with conviction and a sharp nod of his head.

He wasn’t disappointed!

I rejoice with you, Peppi, and thank you for allowing me to pray with you and for being a shining star to complete my book. You represent all that I write for and I hope that others will take courage from your testimony to trust the Lord with their heart, body and life.

I want every reader to know that no matter what you’re going through, no matter where you”ve been, you’re important to God!

Reader, He knows right where you are, and you are not alone–simply reach out to Him.

Peppi had met the Lord while in prison and was out now and studying to become a prison minister. He told me later that he had planned to go into the prison systems to minister when, suddenly, Covid hit. “Lord, how am I going to get into the prisons now?” he prayed. The Lord answered his prayer bigger than Peppi could imagine. He answered this dying man by healing his body, giving him a testimony of victory to share and now, with God’s help, Peppi’s testimony will be going into prisons all over the country via the next “His Voice in My Heart” book.

If the Lord hadn’t stopped me from finishing that book, June 6th, 2021, it would have already been to the publisher for editing by the time I met Peppi.

I had never met or even seen Peppi before. God introduced us, because He has a plan for Peppi’s life. He not only knows Peppi, but he knew he would be at the coffee shop that day, arranged to have my friend delayed, and sent me to pray with him. Peppi was not forgotten. He may have messed up in life, but God will use his testimony for His Glory!

You are not forgotten either . . . you have a future waiting to unfold.

God’s timing is perfect–listen to Him–He knows just what you need!

Peppi told me later that prior to all this he had been discouraged and had thought about going back to Chicago. He had trouble finding a place to live because no one wanted to rent to him, given his record. His sister, Lois, told him, “Peppi, if you come back to Chicago you will miss your blessing!”

Lois was right! Soon after, someone did take a chance and offered Peppi an apartment, 5 minutes away from his church. That was the stipulation Peppi had put in his prayer and God answered that prayer!

Peppi, you’re on your way–Your future is bright!

Thank you, God, for allowing me to be a part of his story.

I pray for God’s Blessing to be upon you, Peppi, all the days of your life and I know that God has already answered my prayer!

All Glory Be to God!

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5