God is real, He’s alive and moving among us

I don’t often preach at CCK now, so imagine my joy in receiving this e-mail a few days ago after preaching here.

Dear Elders,

I just want to share how great God is.

From 2004 I have had a number of health issues starting with a diagnosis of a rare condition called Medullary Sponge Kidney (MSK), which is easily diagnosed by the obviously peculiar shape of one of my kidneys and its inability to function/drain properly. MSK is a condition that you are born with but can go undiagnosed until adult life, usually presenting with terrible pain and kidney stone formations. I had a lithotripsy for a stone done in 2004. And after, my doctor explained that MSK is irreversible and incurable so to expect pain at a later stage in my life.

A year after that operation I felt a big lump (completely unrelated) in my breast. I was 33, single mum and absolutely terrified. My doctor told me in then, in Set 2005 I had locally advance breast cancer stage 3 and that I would have to undergo very aggressive treatment. So between 2005 – 2006 I had 4 major operations, 5 months of chemotherapy and 15 sessions of radiotherapy. I had been hospitalised for most of that year. Immediately after my last treatment, my father died.

By this time I was weary weak broken and with nothing left and at the end of 2006 I cried out for Jesus. I realised I could not go any further on my own; I needed to be lifted above this. My kidney pain returned at the end of 2006 with a vengeance, just like the doctors had said was possible.

I wasn’t sure on what the Bible said about healing, and I wasn’t sure about whether healings were possible in 2006. I knew Jesus healed in the Biblical times but I wasn’t sure what the gospel said about healings. What I did know was that I had a wonderful feeling in my heart for God, such a warm contentment.

In end of March I walked into CCK for the first time. And I sat through the service – I cried and cried. I was so moved to find a church that people were worshipping openly and warmly. I sat next to someone, they were very nice and during the collection the person next to me asked me if I was new. I told them how it was my first time and I knew no one. I told them about my health issues and they said to me that I should go for prayer from the elder giving the message. I was sceptical at first, because I didn’t even know who were the leaders of the church or what they believed. But at the end of the service I collected my son and found myself approaching the elder that gave the message, for prayer for healing.

During the prayer I cried and cried.

All of this really is to just let you know that God is so awesome. I know that you know this already, but for me it is all new and wonderful, ‘because I have never quite met anyone in my lifetime like Jesus Christ. I had a scan in about June and the doctors told me that both of my kidneys were perfect. My incurable kidney defect had been healed. For me, what amazing proof of God’s promise and character. I have no doubt in my mind that this is the work of God. I have no doubt that he has healed me completely.

It has taken me sometime to thank you for that prayer. I have been going to CCK every Sunday since that day in March when I approached the elder for healing prayer. I hadn’t seen him again for months and I was still trying to work out ‘who was who’ at church. Now I have my footing, and I would like to thank Terry Virgo for that prayer in March. Believe in your anointing. I am living testimony that God has reversed a diagnosis through the prayer in Jesus name that Terry prayed that day in March over me.

Just an update on my walk since:

13 May 07 I publicly went forward after Adrian Holloway’s message
June 07 Did central Alpha
Sept 07 I got baptised in water!

I am currently serving and joining the church body (which incidentally was the message that Terry spoke on in that day in March).

But most of all I am living life to the absolute fullest and turning back all of God’s blessing into praise!

God is real. He is alive and moving among us. Praise God!

Take care

Melanie Briggs

‘In my distress I called upon the Lord, to my God I cried for help. From His temple He heard my voice and my cry to Him reached His ears’ (Psalm 18:6).