As many of you may know, my husband Rob was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s about 5 years ago. What most of you don’t know, however, is that around this same time, I also began having neurologic symptoms. I would experience intermittent numbness and I began to slowly lose bowel and bladder control. The changes were slow and subtle, but they were red flags. Then my speech began to slur. No one noticed this, because as a retired Speech-Language Pathologist, I compensated for it. Nonetheless, I was aware and worried. How could I take care of my husband’s failing cognition when my own brain wasn’t functioning the way it should?

I spent many sleepless nights over this, before I finally handed it all over to God. The change was instantaneous. I had peace. God was in charge of my health and that of my husband. I didn’t need to worry. And so I didn’t. But the symptoms continued to worsen.

I did mention this to a couple people, and my younger son and his wife were apprised of the situation. But other then these, and my doctor of course, I kept it all to myself. My doctor sent me for tests to rule out Multiple Sclerosis. They came back negative, praise God. But despite the fact that the symptoms continued to worsen to the point that my intermittent speech problem became almost constant, no neurologist would see me because I had tested negative for Multiple Sclerosis.

Still, I refused to worry. God had this.

Last week, a friend texted me to see if I was open to a couple of Spirit-filled believers coming and praying over my husband. I was more than open. I welcomed them with open arms. Would this be the day Rob was healed?

After telling them his story, however, they turned to me. “How are YOU doing?” Well I actually wasn’t managing Rob’s illness very well, and I spilled this all out to them, confessing my anger, my lack of patience, my worry, my fear… And when they asked if they could pray over me as well, I jumped at the opportunity. Before they began praying, however, they specifically asked about my health. Not being used to talking about the neurological problems, I was kind of surprised when my mouth opened and I began spilling it all out to them. Incidentally it was a rare “good” day for my speech…

The gentlemen prayed over me, commanding the evils of impatience, fear, anger, worry, etc. to come out, and I was filled with such peace. Truly the peace that passes all understanding. Then they began praying for my neurological status, commanding out the evils causing my slurred speech and the bowel and bladder issues and loss of sensation. I would never have believed it possible, but I felt even more peace. But since I wasn’t experiencing active symptoms that day, I didn’t see any change.

I mentioned this to the prayer warriors, and they reminded me that it didn’t matter if I had felt a change or not, I was healed. They then reminded me that the devil would do everything in his power to make me doubt my healing and suggested that if I felt the slightest twinge of returning symptoms to renounce them in the name of Jesus.

I proceeded to do that for the next45 days, successfully banishing each and every one of the devil’s attempts to bring these symptoms back on me, before it truly occurred to me: I was healed! It didn’t matter if the symptoms tried to return, I was healed! And as long as I clung to that truth, the devil couldn’t steal my healing!

Why did God heal me of something that I wasn’t even worried enough about to even pray about it, and He didn’t heal my husband? I don’t know the answer. I continue to firmly believe his healing is coming, and I thank God for this every day. But in the now, I praise God for healing me, not only of the lack of patience, the anger and the fear and worry about my husband’s illness, but for healing me of the neurlogical symptoms as well!

I hope that each of you reading this will be encouraged by my story. Remember, when we submit a need to God, He takes care of it. Our only job is to believe, to never doubt, and to claim that victory in Jesus’ powerful name!

Lyn Chaffart
Acting Director, Answers2Prayer Ministries