We serve a God of Healing and Miracles

I haven't posted since May 2014 but I felt that I needed to share this.
It has been a tough week for me and my family. But we are all keeping our heads high because we serve an awesome God.

Here is the story:

On 19 November 2015, my Grandfather had a heart attack in the early morning hours. He was taken to the hospital where they treated him and later transferred him to the Medi-Clinic Heart Hospital in Pretoria where they performed an angiogram to determine what is going on with my grandfather’s heart.

The result was this: The double coronary artery bypass graft the Doctors performed in February 2015, have disappeared. The doctors cannot explain this at all because “there is no way it can just disappear, also, one of his other arteries started flowing again...” HALLELUJAH! PRAISE THE LORD for the miracle of healing! I firmly believe it is the hand of God because He has a different plan.

I visited him that same evening and prayed for healing in his body and for the Lord to give him peace. He had to wear an oxygen mask because his lungs were not getting enough air i.e. oxygen. I prayed that his lungs will become stronger and that they will open up in order to let in air (oxygen). My grandfather looked me in the eyes and said: “Good, keep on doing it. You will pray for many others and they will be healed”. That moment, I felt a little closer to God and as if my faith grew bigger and stronger.

Monday, 23 November 2015, my fiancé and I went to visit my grandfather, He was very happy to see us and he was WITHOUT his oxygen mask. His breathing was even better without the oxygen mask than what it was with the mask! PRAISE THE LORD for the miracle of healing! My grandfather told us story upon story about miracles the Lord performed. It was absolutely great to hear my grandfather speak with such faith and that he is so in awe of the Lord’s majesty. I love listening to my grandfather. He is my role model.

On 24 November 2015, my grandfather was scheduled for a stent. According to the British Heart Foundation “this treatment helps improve the blood supply to your heart muscle by widening narrowed coronary arteries and inserting a small tube”. This procedure would be very risky as my grandfather’s arteries are not very strong, so according to my understanding, the artery could rip or burst leading to death. Everyone prayed to the Lord to keep my grandfather safe and for total healing. That day, the doctors could not complete the procedure because my grandfather’s blood pressure dropped too low, however they managed to insert a balloon pump to assist the heart with pumping blood. They also tested his blood and saw that his blood enzymes were looking a lot better (again the doctors could not explain it – another miracle of healing). I firmly believe that the procedure could not be completed because it was the Lord protecting my grandfather and again, His plan is different.

Yesterday (26/11/2015) I visited my grandfather in the hospital. He was sleeping and I didn’t want to bother him but also I wanted to wake him so he will just know I was there. But I left him to sleep a while longer. I used a moist towel to pat my grandfather’s face as he was really warm. While my grandfather was sleeping, I could see that it is not as peaceful as his face was a deep frown and then my fiancé encouraged me to pray for my grandfather so I started praying.

I prayed for the peace of the Holy Spirit to come over him and fill him completely and I invited Jesus to be with us. As I laid my hands on my grandfather, I prayed that it will not be my touch he is feeling but the healing hand of Jesus Christ. My grandfather’s frown lifted and the facial expressions following after that seemed as though he was communicating to someone and then, a faint smile appeared on his face. Instantly my grandfather’s heart rate increased as if he was experiencing joy and peace at the same time.

To me, it was something magical to experience that, to know that the Lord is with him in his dreams as well. My grandfather awoke and he was happy to see my face as well as my fiancé’s face. I was glad that I did not decide to leave but to just stay there and pray for total healing. We were there nearly two hours just listening to the testimonies of God’s miracles and I enjoyed every moment of it.  When it was time to leave, my grandfather took our hands in his and started praying and praising the Lord. He blessed my fiancé and I so that we may go forth and carry the light, so that we can minister to others and bring healing to the sick through the power given to us by Jesus Christ.

On 27 November 2015, the balloon pump was removed from my grandfather’s heart. The doctors said that my grandfather would have to go for another bypass but it is his choice, however the next big heart attach will be the final one. Taking everything, into consideration, all the miracles of healing (first double bypass disappeared, one of the arteries started flowing again, stent procedure not completed, blood enzymes were healthier, no need for the oxygen mask), it was clear to us and my grandfather that the Lord is at work and we should stop interfering with His healing hand. The Lord is restoring the original construction in my grandfather’s body, the way He intended it to be and we THANK the Lord for that. So it was decided that the balloon pump will come out and my grandfather will be moved to high care unit (no more ICU). From there on, we all put our trust in the Lord. It is a miracle that my grandfather is still alive. It is a miracle that through everything, he manages to keep his eyes on the cross.

UPDATE: 02/12/2015 - The doctor is happy with my grandfather's process and  as I am typing this, he is being fetched from the hospital. Tonight he will be sleeping in his own bed! THANK YOU JESUS for blessing us with more time to spend with my grandfather and thank you for Your healing. We praise and glorify Your mighty Name!

This journey taught me many things. Jesus came to teach, to preach and to heal and I can truly see Jesus living in my grandfather. My grandfather teaches us, preaches to us with love and my grandfather prays for us and others to be healed. During this week, I experienced the healing power of Jesus Christ everyday and it is something I wanted to share with everyone. I can not keep quiet about it. I can look to my grandfather and see the perfect example of what a loving relationship with Jesus Christ looks like and I would like to be more like that, to be more like Jesus Christ. Thanks “Oupa Tjommie” for being my role model!

We all know that at some point our earthly lives will come to an end but our spirits will keep on living if we accepted Jesus into our lives and the sacrifice He made for us by dying on the cross for our sins. I know that my grandfather can go home to his Father in heaven anytime but I trust that the Lord still has some work for my grandfather to do on earth. I believe that God will provide him with the power and strength to complete his tasks on earth and when He comes to take my grandfather home, it will be a peaceful experience. His facial expressions will be as though he is communicating with Someone and a smile of joy would appear on his face. He will place his hand in our Father’s hand and he will go home with Him.

Update (03/09/2019): After another 3 years and 9 months, my grandfather got a heart attack and passed away on 02/09/2019. We were blessed to have this extra time with him. I spent the first of September 2019 with my grandfather. We "braaid" and had sweet treats, juice and tea and I listened to his stories, looked at his laughing eyes filled with compassion and enjoyed his presence in the moment (not knowing whats coming). He always said "come give me a press (hug)", he called me "mousechild" (meisiekind) and he always greeted someone with "blessings". When you would ask how he is doing - his response will always be - "I refuse to complain"My grandfather was a role model to me, he modeled a relationship with Christ and he was absolutely selfless.
Today I know that he has peace and he with Jesus and he only experiences joy.

May we all be encouraged to have a relationship with Jesus Christ and pray for others to be healed. May we share our experiences and may we never stop talking about the love of Jesus Christ. May we all experience miracles and thank the Lord for the opportunity to experience them. May we do everything to lift the Name of Lord Jesus Christ higher.

Do you have a story of healing? Of Miracles? Please share it!

God in People - Grandparents 

T.