HEALED FROM FIBROMYALGIA

– Kristina R.

I feel like God has been speaking to me to share some of the ways that he has saved me. Throughout my life I had always had a firm belief in Christ my mother has always been extremely connected to the Holy Spirit and continues to be a true blessing to me. However, I would like to tell you about some profound love that God has imparted and blessed me with. The title I chose for my testimony is:

God’s Never-ending love.

We are all survivors of something. Maybe your healing is just starting to take place, maybe you are waiting upon the power of God’s hand, maybe you have been a witness to the miraculous.

Sickness and pain are definitely not our identity.  We all have a story to tell. This is my testimony about His overwhelming never-ending love for us that saved my life and led me to live in peace and joy. This story is most certainly about His plan for my life.

In December 2007 I was hired at Hershey Farm. I had been ill for a few years but felt like I needed to try and get back to work. At this point, Brian, one of the owners in charge of hiring was bringing me in to train and prepare me to start work.

The day I was supposed to start my training my father had a heart attack needless to say I couldn’t work that day. I thought I was pretty much done with Hershey Farm however when I told Brian I needed to help my parents he said I could just start in March. I was very thankful to still have a job. My Dad survived and continues to do well.

When I started to work very part time at Hershey Farm.  I tried to keep it to myself that I was taking painkillers, injections, muscle relaxers and going to physical therapy and pain management therapies just to try and function. I had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, it’s a condition of the nerve endings.  They become overactive, and this causes excruciating pain daily.

Up to my diagnosis, I’ve always been a person that could put my pain aside, but this condition was really an obstacle in my life.  I wanted to be a mother and contributing member of my family. I needed to work to help support my family. It wasn’t fair that, my husband, Michael had to carry all the weight of the household responsibilities as well as that of a provider.  I worked short shifts from March to September and I would take painkillers on the days I wasn’t at work so I could try to function through life and contribute to the needs of my family. I had a walker to aid me in walking that I used when I was at home.  At work, I was too proud and ashamed to have others see me in pain.  At work I walked close to the walls and held on to stuff to be able to move about and some days could not even tolerate 4 hours without tears. I really wasn’t living my best life just kind of going through the motions. People I had known for many years would see me out in public and they wouldn’t even recognize me.

In September 2008 I was in really bad shape I went to a rheumatology appointment on my day off from the farm. The doctor told me that day I would surely die, from stress and the number of painkillers and meds I was taking. He was not sympathetic nor helpful.   But what did he do… but prescribe a new painkiller? Which incidentally was an opiate. I was at wits end!

I had brought my other prescriptions with me that day and I handed him the pill bottles in a bag and said I wasn’t taking them anymore; he took the bag and threw it back at me across the table. I told him I was not going to go through life feeling like a zombie anymore. I felt totally hopeless.

That evening the phone rang and the doctor called me wanting to apologize for his unprofessional treatment. I forgave him but insisted on no more pills! My thoughts were becoming more and more distractive. Pain was so great I was unable to focus.  I didn’t want to live like this. I felt like I was a burden to everyone who loved me I went from being an active and contributing member in life, to a person who was barely surviving.

I came to realize that only God could heal me of this.

I remember staying in prayer and asking the Lord to show me what I should do. A few days later one weekend at work. I was in so much pain I decided it really wasn’t fair to keep his job. I was going to quit and give my notice to Brian. We set up a meeting.  I started to explain to him about my condition and that I really loved working there but felt I could not contribute and do the work expected of me. He asked me if I felt as if I could be healed of the fibromyalgia. My answer was yes.  I truly believed that God could heal me.

Brian left the office for a few minutes to reflect, and when he came back, he prayed over me. I could feel peace in my spirit and a calm and warmth that only Jesus could provide. Something I had never before experienced. When Brian finished praying, I couldn’t even speak. To anyone that know me this sounds astounding.

It was Saturday September 24, 2008

As I ventured home, I was barely able to believe that the pain, I had lived with for years was starting to leave my body. Upon arriving home, Michael was waiting for me with my walker out by the garage like always. He starred at me and said I looked different…peaceful and calm. Tearing up, I told him I was healed. We were very emotional.

For years, I had gone to sleep riddled with pain. This night something was different. At 2 o’clock in the morning I woke up yelling and praising God. I had slept pain free. My family really thought I lost it! That morning I couldn’t get to church quick enough. I stayed in worship all day.

I had absolutely no pain in my body! I ran on the treadmill for the first time in years. I remember sobbing and running at the same time. I was so thankful to God. Next day I felt like riding my horse. It had been years since I rode him, that was something I used to do daily.  A pleasure that the fibromyalgia had stolen from me. I went to my parent’s barn got a stool and rode Duke out into the pasture with no saddle just a bridle.

My parents were very concerned because the last time they saw me I could barely walk I just remember my mother telling my father that day, that I had been healed by the hand of God. My parents embraced my healing as well as my closest friends and others who really knew me well.

There were those that mocked me, and thought I had just flipped out, because of all the drugs. And many questioned me – where was my walker? I explained many times the miracle that had taken place in my life.

I had an appointment with my regular Doctor.   When my Doctor saw me, he was completely stunned! I told him I wasn’t taking any meds and that God had healed me.  He took my hands we prayed together.  He said it was a miracle. I agreed!!! The entire staff at the healthcare office was completely amazed.

I felt like I was back in the land of the living. I was able to enjoy my family and friends do activities that I once immensely enjoyed. One day I even played in the snow at Hershey Farm for the first time in years after I was healed.

A few months prior to my healing the demonic realm tried to steal my testimony. The devil was aware of the power of the testimony I would soon have and wanted me out of the way, not in that environment. He tried to veer me away from ever working at Hershey Farm. Through the chaos of sickness, the devil was trying to keep me from working at Hershey Farm. He knew that I would experience the truth and receive a healing!

On your journey to your healing there will be a war between evil vs good.  Thank God I had the fortitude and the faith and did not fall prey to deceptions and the spirit of offense.

Here is an example:

I was working during a pretty significant storm where we had lost power. Brian asked me if I knew anyone that had lived close by maybe they didn’t lose power he was trying to find out whether it was just Hershey Farm. I explained to him that my family lived across the street. He said kiddingly, (I guess). If I had known that was your family, I would’ve never hired you. I immediately took a spirit of offense! I was too angry and hurt to see the smirk on his face. I splashed through the water now filling the gift shop and told Wanda to clock me out. I got into my car in a huff and was leaving the flooded parking lot. Through all the water and the chaos Brian, completely drenched, ran after me, so I had to stop the car. He yelled at me to roll down the window. It was pouring, and Brian was standing in ankle deep water.  I barely cracked the window and Brian got a little bit louder. He asked me “what are you doing?”  I was crying hard and I stated “I’m leaving you hurt my feelings and I’m very insulted! He yelled back in kindness; I was only kidding!

IF I would have left that day and I would have never been healed.

On the lighter side …he was yelling amidst pounding rain.  I found out later I really didn’t have an argument, as it stood my brothers dog had eaten two of his prize chickens and Brian was not very happy about it as you can well imagine.

Moving on from the drama I came back to work and just a short time later received my healing. After the healing I started to attend the Bible study group, Foundry, that Brian was leading. I witnessed others being healed and saw people that had no hope in their lives suddenly changed, transformed!

During prayer, I could hear Father saying to give back and help others.  Now that I had been healed, I was able to care of my mother-in-law, and my best friend Anita until they took their last breath. My purpose was to be a blessing to others.  I have a deep desire and the gift of helping others.  My heart song was my purpose.

Many times, my healing was at risk. 2 examples:  On how the demonic realm tried to take it from me.  I was on my way to work one morning and I was a victim in a hit-and-run car accident.  I was held up at gunpoint with my brother and sister in North Carolina when I went to take care of a breast cancer patient. We all obviously survived by the grace of God. Heavenly Father had more work for me to do.

IF I had not been healed, I would not have able to help all those that needed it.

The last thing I want to do is make this about me, it sounds as if I am.  However, I just want to express the goodness of God I can hardly wrap my mind around the fact that I was healed almost 11 years ago. I realize now that He has put me in certain places maybe I should say – the wrong places at the right times.

How God used me:    I was supposed to go to my friend Anitas in the afternoon to bring her to chemotherapy one day. However, that morning I just knew that I had to bring her the New York bagels that she loved. God’s voice prompted me “go now go now”. I now know God was just pulling me where He wanted me. On the way to her house I came upon a massive buggy accident. I saw what looked like part of a buggy scattered all over Route 23. I immediately dialed 911 and ran up to the horse who was thrashing in the road. The horse was in terrible pain thrashing his legs and would have injured or killed others.  The situation had to dealt with immediately! So, no one else got hurt. Thanks to the goodness of God.  I knew what to do.  A young man was emerging from the side of the road all covered in blood, he said to me in tears, “where is my mother?” I told him, “we must get the horse contained sit on his neck if you can, and I will find your mother”. I was praying that the ambulance would get there soon. Another man stopped and sat on the horse’s neck with the young boy. I looked beyond the ditch and his mother was there, she was alive. I covered her with a blanket, but she was in really bad shape. I couldn’t see her face it was completely covered in blood and her back was broken. She could not be moved. I asked her to pray with me and she did. The ambulance quickly arrived they took her and her son away.  As the scene cleared, I thought to myself I don’t even know their names.

The next day my friend Barbie called me and asked me to drive her to the hospital to visit a friend of hers that was in a buggy accident. I couldn’t believe it!  We went to visit them in the hospital she and her son made it through!

Different times I questioned why me? Why was I healed and many people I have loved were not healed it was truly puzzling? I certainly was not special I was just tremendously thankful that God used Brian as a vessel to bring healing and health so that I could share this with you today. No matter how bad things seem in your life or what kind of helplessness you’re feeling God is always there He loves you more than you’ll ever know, and he wants the best for you. Jesus bore my sickness and carried my pain therefore I give no place to sickness or pain for God has sent his word and healed me.

Jesus took my infirmities and bore my sicknesses. Therefore, I refuse to allow sickness to dominate my body. The life of God flows within me bringing healing to every fiber of my being. (Matthew 8:17; John 6:63)
 

I carry a booklet full of verses of healing called   God’s Creative Power for Healing. It is always with me tucked in my Bible. When life gets to be a little bit overwhelming, I will read the Scriptures and remind myself of His never-ending love. Sometimes when you pick up your Bible, God Will just lead you to exactly what he wants you to hear. Thank you for letting me share this with you today it has been on my heart for a very long time I’ve always shared bits and pieces of it.

I give all the glory and honor to Him. Sometimes driving down the road I will start crying I am still here thanking you I shout out to Father!