Prayer box opens wondrous doors
We’ll let Tamara share her story in her own words:
“For quite some time now, my husband Antonio has been leading a home group in the Houthalen area. Christians from different churches come to be further built up and encouraged. In October 2018, the idea came to us to introduce the prayer box to this group as well. So said, so done… We pray over the box for one calendar month, then we empty it and place its contents into the prayer box of our church.
That way, the requests are prayed over for an extra month. We keep the box in our living room so we don’t forget to include it in our daily prayers.
On Saturday, December 7, we had a family gathering—my mom, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and so on. At one point, my cousin Liesbeth asked what that box on the shelf was all about. We happily explained. The next question followed quickly: “Can we put something in the box too?” “Yes, of course!” And suddenly, nearly everyone was writing…
Let me add that my family isn’t saved—some of them you can’t even talk to about faith. So we were joyfully surprised! I even received a text later asking if I could write something down for my cousin about her colleague, to put in the box. She and her husband are trying to have children, but it’s not going well. We’re very curious to see what God will do with that. We’re expecting miracles!
A friend of mine who visited us at home also asked me a few weeks ago, “Tamara, could you write something down for me and put it in that box? I don’t believe in it, but it can’t hurt.” Her son had a lump in his hip joint. It had been there for quite some time and wasn’t malignant. The specialist had said it could stay, as long as it didn’t grow. He was scheduled for a check-up the following week. So she asked me to put in the request that the lump hadn’t grown. I did just that.
The first thing she told me when I saw her again two weeks later was that her GP had said the lump had grown—and how much trouble it was going to cause… I didn’t react and asked if they had gone to the specialist yet. She said they were scheduled to go that week. Up until now, she hasn’t brought it up again, but through social media I found out that the lump hadn’t grown at all—and that it no longer poses a threat to the hip joint. Hallelujah!! That definitely gives her something to think about.
We pray that everyone who comes into contact with this box will be led to the Lord, and that a true revival will break out around us. Our Papa keeps surprising us, and His ways are unfathomable. With a simple wooden box, He opens doors that remain closed to people.”
Giving is healthier than receiving
We kregen van Hugo R. volgend artikeltje uit de weekendkrant:
“Spending money on someone else can lower our blood pressure, according to research from the University of British Columbia, as reported by Scientific American. Participants in the study, all with high blood pressure, were given $40 each week for three weeks: half were told to spend the money on themselves, the other half on someone else.
It turned out that the blood pressure of the “givers” was lower after the study than that of the “receivers.” In fact, it was so significantly lower that the effect was comparable to regular exercise or a healthier diet. Previous studies had already shown that those who care for a partner, family, friends, or neighbors—even emotionally—have a greater chance of living longer than those who receive help. This also helps explain why volunteer work is good for your health.”
God doesn’t need sickness to bring His children home
Cora sent us the following testimony:
“Two weeks before the summer holidays, I received word that my father had suffered a stroke and was in the hospital. Things looked very bad.
My mother (94) and father (96) were still living independently in a small house and still refused to move into a nursing home. But because of the situation, my mother had to be placed in a care facility, as she could no longer take care of herself.
That Saturday, I went to see my father, knowing that he might go to his heavenly Papa. In the meantime, my prayer was: ‘Father, not like this (through sickness).
We’ve learned that we don’t have to go through illness—help Dad through this, so that he can still enjoy some beautiful, peaceful days with my mother, and that they may have a gentle, quiet ending to their lives.
He may come to You, but not like this.’
Together with one of my brothers and my mother, we went to see Dad. He was clearly in bad shape. My youngest brother was already saying his final goodbye to him…
I couldn’t do that, and I said: ‘Dad, I’ll be back next week, and I pray that you’ll be doing better than now. The Lord is with you, He is your Shepherd!’ I got a handshake from Dad that still had some strength in it…
Dad, Mom, and the whole situation were placed into our GA prayer box.
Twice my brothers were called to come and say goodbye, but each time my father pulled through!
Then the moment came when Dad was allowed to be transferred.
He was accepted into the same care facility where my mother had been placed.
In no time at all, everything was arranged—with the help of the family doctor and all of you—by putting it into the prayer box. Everyone who hears this is amazed at how quickly they were placed—and even more so, placed together!
Dad continues to improve—he can speak clearly again, his mind is sharp, and he still has the will to live and work on his mobility.
They’re not tired of life at all, despite the challenges and the ups and downs.
In September, they’ll celebrate 72 years of marriage. And even though they sometimes get on each other’s nerves, they are inseparable, still love each other deeply, and are grateful and happy to still be together.
Dad does struggle with the fact that they won’t be able to return to their own little house. That seems to need some more time, but that too will be okay once he can fully surrender it to our heavenly Papa.
Dear GA Family, thank you so much for praying along with us… even if you weren’t always aware of it, your prayers—our prayers—have been answered!”
God’s work throughout my life
After the healing celebration, we also received a special email from Netty, and with her permission, we’re happy to share it with you:
“In the past two weeks, I’ve had a special experience of how God showed me the plan He has for my life and how it all began. On Sunday, July 22, 2018, I was present in your church at the healing celebration for Hugo to mark 30 years of healing. I felt joyful again hearing about healings and how Father God provides for the lives of His children. At the end, I took home the booklet by Martie Haaijer ‘God is always greater’ to give away, since I already had a few copies myself.
That week, one day was so hot that I decided to stay indoors all day. I ended up reading Martie’s booklet again from cover to cover—and it touched me all over again! I read how, in a difficult moment in her life, Martie read Psalm 37:5: ‘Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust Him, and He will take care of you.’
I was reminded of the time during my own divorce, now more than 10 years ago, when I cried out to the Lord in despair. Immediately, I felt prompted to grab my Bible reading plan, and that day’s reading was Psalm 37. I sensed the Lord saying to me: ‘Just trust Me.’ And Father God kept His Word! In the years that followed, He always took care of me and gave me what I needed—and He still does! Truly, Father God answers when we cry out to Him.
After Hugo’s healing celebration and reading Martie’s booklet, I felt a renewed desire to dig deeper into healing again, and I signed up for the healing school. The next day, I read a message from a friend saying she had just read Martie’s booklet and was deeply moved. Then I also read a testimony from someone who had been healed of depression through Martie’s ministry. Two days later, a colleague at work came up to me and asked how I dealt with divine healing. I had told him earlier that I was interested in it and had attended conferences. I was filled with joy and the Holy Spirit and shared my experiences from the past week with him. He wanted to know more, and I gave him Martie’s booklet! This made me so happy!
Father God also reminded me where my interest in healing all began: in high school! My religion teacher lived by the Spirit, and he passed that on to the class—especially to me. I would come to school early every time to be able to speak to him one-on-one before class. One day, he gave me the book ‘I Believe in Miracles’ by Kathryn Kuhlman. Those stories about healing touched me so deeply… divine healing never left me. Later, I also attended services from Martie Haaijer’s ministry, and I even had the privilege of serving during the last three years of her healing ministry at Stichting Obed! During that time, I powerfully experienced the healing love of the Father.
Through all these recent events, I’m looking forward to the healing school this fall for even more equipping—to go out in Jesus’ Name!”
The resurrection of Christ, a historically proven fact!
GOOD NEWS – GOOD NEWS – GOOD NEWS
Context in the Bible:
“Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. After that, He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all He appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed. If it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that He raised Christ from the dead. But He did not raise Him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.”* (1 Corinthians 15:1-22)
The resurrection of Christ makes all the difference in our lives.
It means life instead of death, forgiveness instead of guilt, healing instead of sickness, redemption and deliverance instead of slavery.
If Christ had not been raised, then our faith would be completely without substance.
Many claim that Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is a fairytale invented by Christians to “soothe people or give them something to hold on to in this miserable life.” But nothing could be further from the truth! The resurrection of Jesus is a historical fact, proven in a scientific way. An empty grave alone is not enough to speak of evidence for resurrection… much more is needed—but that “more” exists in abundance!
It is well established that Jesus died on the cross, was laid in a tomb, and that the tomb was heavily guarded. The empty tomb was discovered by women. Jesus, the head of the church, personally sent a woman after His resurrection to proclaim it. That was very unusual for that time. Women were at the very bottom of the social ladder and were not even allowed to testify as legal witnesses in a Jewish court. If this whole story were a fabrication, the apostles—or anyone else from that time—would never have used the testimony of a woman… yet Jesus did!
The witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection—people who saw Him after He rose (as mentioned in the passage above, but also in the four gospels and Acts)—are of vital importance. If you were to give each person who saw Him after the resurrection 15 minutes to testify, you would end up with 129 hours of eyewitness accounts… that’s an overwhelming testimony! The authenticity of Jesus’ appearances is as well attested as anything else in ancient history.
Moreover, the resurrection of Jesus transformed a group of fearful and disillusioned people into martyrs who each died for their faith. That is incomparable with the extremist attacks we’ve been confronted with in recent years. Christians were—and still are—killed and tortured because they refuse to renounce their faith. Extremists drag as many “unbelievers” as possible with them into death before dying themselves.
Furthermore, Muslims can only believe that their faith is true. Allah has revealed himself to no one except Mohammed. The apostles and the first disciples knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus had risen from the dead because they had seen and heard Him personally. Their faith is therefore based on a historically proven fact! Additionally, many skeptics—such as James, the brother of Jesus, and Saul, who had been persecuting Christians—came to faith after His appearances.
The resurrection was the beginning of the Christian church. That church grew exponentially in a very short time. Jesus says of this church in Matthew 16:18 that He will build His church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. The devil, who is a defeated enemy because of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, has tried for two thousand years to destroy Christianity. Christians have been—and are—persecuted and killed more than ever for their faith. Yet Christianity remains the fastest growing religion in the world. Even today, many people—including many Muslims—are coming to faith because Jesus appears to them personally! Jesus is alive and He is building His church.
The question is not only whether we believe this, because even the demons believe—and they tremble… The question is whether we allow the power of Jesus’ resurrection to work in our lives every day… “And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.” Romans 8:11
Sources: The Bible and The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel
Fasting days: a unique event
Fasting Days: A Unique Event
From January 24 to 26, we once again set aside a few days to fast—this time at De Boerekreek in St. Jan in Eremo (East Flanders). It was our first time at this location, which always brings a bit of extra tension. Will the rooms be okay? Will it be warm enough? Last year in the Ardennes, we were freezing on the first day because the heating hadn’t been turned on in time…
We were warmly welcomed by the staff at De Boerekreek and were given the restaurant space as our meeting room. The rooms were very clean, each with its own bathroom and toilet, and everything was nice and warm… which is such a blessing when you’re fasting for a few days!
We enjoyed times of wonderful worship, powerful teaching, extended silence where we soaked or walked in the beautiful nature around the center, and prayer—for one another, for the nation, for our churches, and many other topics. As Tamara beautifully put it: “We’ve been well fed again!”
What made it even more special is that there are noticeably few Christian churches in this region. Ignace, who turned out to live nearby, told us how meaningful it was that we had come specifically to this area and shared a bit about its history… and so we prayed powerfully together for spiritual breakthroughs there and throughout Belgium. Many participants felt a strong conviction that God has not forgotten our nation and that we are on the verge of a great revival—so we prayed that in over our country as well!
Father loves us so much and longs for us—just as in every love relationship—to set time apart for Him and enjoy His presence and the words He speaks that give life. Harry told us that after a teaching about living in relationship with God, he wanted to read a good Christian book. But Father prompted him to put the book aside and talk with Him… which he did immediately!
Here’s a testimony from Dora, who joined the fasting days for the first time:
“At the start, I had some doubts about the fasting itself, but I was mainly excited to go and full of expectation about what God would say in the days ahead. Was I there by chance, or was He asking something of me—and would I be able to grasp it? Would I take the time to truly ask the Lord how my heart is doing?
The fasting itself initially distracted me a lot. I was calm, but still afraid of what stopping food would do to my body—and especially whether it would affect my emotions. But I quickly noticed it wasn’t a big deal. At most, I had a slight headache from skipping the coffee I usually drink. I never felt intense hunger, not even once. The stash of cookies I brought from home remained untouched without any effort.
Instead, my hunger was fed by beautiful praise, teaching from the Word, powerful intercession and prayer, moments of silence and soaking, walks, and so much more to nourish me again and again with new thoughts and impressions—the time flew by. The longer moments of silence, which at first seemed challenging, ended up helping me quiet my own overthinking. I also really enjoyed the moments with my roommate, and especially cherish the memory of her prayer over me at bedtime.
What I take away from this fasting time is the image Hugo shared of our God. He rejoices in being the Good Shepherd of His sheep—His children who know their identity. I could easily picture this by thinking of my son, who in his free time tends sheep in the pasture behind his garden. As a mother, it’s heartwarming to see how lovingly and attentively he cares for his sheep, how they know him, and how they’ve brought our whole family closer together. Every time we visit, it’s one of the first things we do: go see the sheep together. Realizing that this comes from God gives me deep joy, peace, hope, and gratitude. It makes me feel like a child who can fall into the arms of her heavenly Papa.
Looking back on these fasting days, I’m deeply thankful that I dared to take this new step.” — Dora
“The king’s heart is like streams of water in the hand of the Lord; He directs it wherever He pleases.” — Proverbs 21:1
Deep inner healing after divorce
Where do you begin when writing a testimony of healing of your heart and inner being? A healing from heart-wrenching pain to a new life.
In 2009 I discovered that my husband was having an affair with another woman. That confrontation became his departure point to her, and for me, the beginning of a relationship with God. Although a neighbor told me that night—after I had called her with the message “HELP! I’m going to do something crazy”—that Jesus had died for this too and that I could always go with her to church that morning, I said I didn’t need that. She stayed with me most of that night but didn’t pressure me at all.
That morning I called her saying: “Get here now but don’t wait 15 minutes, because then I won’t come with you.”
Fifteen minutes later, there she was, far too early to leave for “that church,” but she was there. After the sermon she suggested I talk to someone from the team. Inger was sitting next to me shortly afterward and to make a long story short, a little later I gave my life to Jesus.
We have a God of relationship, who makes all things new, so He could save my marriage. Was I really convinced of that? I don’t know, but we prayed for it.
When I got home a little later, I got a call from my husband asking if he could come get some clothes. There went my hope of saving my marriage. I was a wreck, my heart hurt unbearably, my life collapsed. My neighbor watched over me all week and let me be as I was, while she offered a safe harbor and probably prayed for me.
And yet I didn’t feel alone. I was incredibly angry and disappointed in God. After 3 days I felt guilty too, because even though I was in mourning, I also felt a certain joy. For me, that was a sign that Jesus was real. We kept praying for restoration of my marriage and a few weeks later my husband came back home. I was happy despite the terrible tension hanging in the air.
The whole period before he came back, my only bright spot was Sunday (and later also Tuesday), the day I went to church. When I was there, I wanted to go back home again but still, I kept going, even when my husband was back. And then I came home one Sunday and he had left for good… I just knew. From that day on, I started seeking God for who He is, not just to restore my marriage.
It’s been a real struggle: crying, being angry and sometimes furious, wanting to give up on life, doing everything to get my husband back…
I remember that in those first months I had bought the book My Beloved Child. I would then curl up in Papa’s lap and do as the author recommended: I read the book out loud. The first few days I couldn’t get through three lines before the tears flowed. But I kept going. Every day again in my rocking chair on Papa’s lap.
Gradually I started to realize—through reading, through going to church, and chasing after God—how precious I was.
“We have a God who lives!” In church I nodded yes. At home I raged: “A living God, a living God, I don’t feel a thing.” Weeks went by like that until one moment in February I was lying in my warm bath. The tears rolled down and I felt like a pile of misery until at a certain moment I felt arms around me. I knew they were God’s arms. That evening, God became very real to me.
Although I still felt terrible, I started working part-time again and little by little the pain went away. Then I started feeling guilty about that too—because what would people think…
It had been a year since my husband had left for another woman, whom I had “forgiven” all year long, but not at all from the heart. I felt so much better than her, I looked down on her, spoke condescendingly, and treated her that way too. Still, I chose that day to say: “Today I’ve been a Christian for a year, it’s been a year since I gave my life to Jesus.” I decided to attend a His Healing Love Week. During that week I received a deep joy and that joy keeps growing!
Up to that point it was still not clear what was going to happen. A lot of my husband’s clothes were still in the closet, there was still no talk of divorce, but that didn’t make it any easier. We were going on a church weekend and I told my husband to make a choice by the time I returned. Either his clothes and belongings were gone, or he was coming back. The Friday of the weekend was approaching and then I called him to ask whether he had made a decision. He had one question: “Will God love me less if I stay with her?”
“No,” I said, “whatever you decide, God won’t love you less because of this.” At that moment I knew the closet would be empty when I got home. Still, I went on the weekend because I knew it was good that I went!
Meanwhile, I was incredibly encouraged by sermons and people from our church. I received an entire family in Jesus and my life gradually transformed into something new. But believe me, I have often been angry with God and He knew it every single time!
And yet He stayed with me, loved me and changed me, He blessed me, He healed me and asked me to actively take part in His victory within me.
SO… the day came when He told me: “Now it’s time to say sorry to your ex-husband’s girlfriend for the way you treated her.” I knew I had to write her a letter. That I have a big mouth is well known, so I told God: “That’s fine, but You make sure the letter gets to her.” I think it was not even two days later when my ex-husband called to ask if he could stop by the next day. Time to write…
When he came, my letter was ready and I asked if he would give it to her. I saw him thinking: “oh no, here we go again.” I also told him that if she was okay with it, he could read the letter too. The letter was delivered, because the next morning I got a message from her. I couldn’t hold it together anymore and burst into tears and thanked her for her message. God clearly knew what He was doing, because at that moment forgiveness came that went deeper than words.
Now, 8 years later, I lead a wonderful life as a single woman, every day closer and closer to God. It’s been quite the journey, but what an outcome, what a life I’ve received in return! I could never have imagined that something good could come from that divorce, BUT He works all things together for good.
The heart-wrenching pain that once was—I can’t feel it anymore or even imagine it. I know it was awful, but Papa has taken it away. What a blessing to be able to say this!!
I know that I know that I know that I know. My life is a great adventure from blessing to blessing. Is it always easy, are there no more struggles? Oooo yes, but Papa carries me through them when I allow Him to. And He always waits patiently.
He is proud of me, He loves me, and sometimes I see that so clearly. I see Him laughing joyfully with me. On walks I sometimes really run to Him, in the evening I curl up in the rocking chair on His lap, and then we skip around together again.
It’s wonderful to live this way. The life He renewed is marvelous. I’m head over heels in love with Him!
And you know what? That love is there for each one of us… right now, in this moment. Why wait any longer?
Faith comes by hearing (from Romans 10:17)
Lutgart, who was appointed a few months ago as the new team leader of our CD and God Ambassade table, sent us the following testimony:
“Faith comes by hearing… I’d like to briefly explain why I enjoy listening to CDs so much and so often. I’ve noticed in myself that I simply have a huge need to hear the sermons repeatedly…
Sometimes I listen to the same CD for weeks on end, often while I’m in the car. I don’t always hear the entire CD in one go, but repetition works!
Every time, I notice different things—often it feels like I’ve never heard it before!
When I have trouble falling asleep, I sometimes do it then too. To my own surprise, I later realize that—even if I’ve fallen asleep—I’ve still absorbed a lot of what was being taught!
I truly need this in order to internalize the message in that way.
And often, in everyday situations or crisis moments, thoughts from the teachings I received that way come to mind.
Even in conversations with others, I can often share something—sometimes just a small sentence or a spiritual principle that stuck with me and became a cornerstone in my life.
I feel incredibly blessed that all these resources are available. If you ask me, listening to CDs is highly recommended for everyone!”**
Listening to sermons?
You can listen to the Sunday sermon throughout the week via our website: www.godsambassade.be.
On the homepage, click at the top on “preek van de week” (“sermon of the week”) and then on the play button.
If you click on the “media” image at the bottom of the homepage, you can choose either audio or video messages. Once you’re at the messages, you can scroll up and down using the white bar on the right side of the screen to see all available sermons.
All of this material is made available free of charge.
We also have a webshop where you can order messages on CD for a fee. To access this, click “webwinkel” (“webshop”) at the top of the homepage. Then click on CDs or books.
The CDs are divided into several subcategories, which you need to click again to view the titles of the CDs. If you’re looking for a CD on a topic that isn’t listed in our webshop, feel free to email us at: gods.ambassade@skynet.be
The right hand of the Lord performs mighty deeds
The right hand of the Lord is exalted,
the right hand of the Lord performs mighty deeds!
I will not die but live, and I will proclaim what the Lord has done.
Psalm 118:15–17
On January 22, we had the joy of dedicating Raphaël, the one-year-old son of Jiska and Jonathan, to our heavenly Father, surrounded by his family. It was a joyful occasion, and during the service, we once again reflected on the great miracle our heavenly Father had performed for Jiska after the birth.
The delivery of their first child, Chloë, had been very difficult. She had to be delivered with a vacuum pump, and after birth, Chloë suffered a serious cranial hemorrhage, spending two weeks in intensive care.
That first birth had been a traumatic experience, but Jiska and Jonathan believed this time would be different, and they were at peace. They went to the hospital with confidence for the birth of their second child.
During the pushing stage, Raphaël kept turning his head upwards like a “stargazer.” Because of this, and to avoid putting pressure on his head as had happened with Chloë, the doctors decided to perform an emergency C-section. On Friday evening, December 11, 2016, at 8:00 p.m., Raphaël Kedar was born. His name means: God heals powerfully.
Raphaël was healthy, but that same evening, Jiska suffered a severe drop in blood pressure. She was bleeding internally, and so she was taken back into surgery to find the source—but the gynecologist couldn’t find anything.
In total, Jiska was opened up five more times. During one of the surgeries, her uterus was removed, yet the bleeding source remained unidentified. Eventually, a large number of compresses were placed in her abdomen to act as a large pressure dressing, and Jiska received 22 bags of blood—around eleven liters, which is about twice the amount of blood in the average human body.
Just before one of the surgeries, she was also given a very expensive injection called “super clotting,” an idea from Jonathan’s father, who is also a doctor. Jiska was unconscious from Friday night until Tuesday. During that time, Jonathan continued to speak life over his wife, supported by many who prayed alongside him.
The ICU doctor told him, “We can’t keep mopping the floor while the tap is still running,” and everyone in the hospital was convinced Jiska wouldn’t make it. Later, they told a close friend who had been with Jonathan during those first days in the hospital that “her husband didn’t realize how serious the situation was and was living in denial.”
But Jonathan was fully aware of what was happening. He simply refused to accept death and continued, against all odds and medical statements, to speak life over his wife.
The first thing the gynecologist said to Jiska when she regained consciousness was that he was happy to see her—and that it was her husband’s prayers that had made the difference.
The cause of the bleeding was never found, but miraculously, Jiska was discharged from the hospital after just 10 days. It took another 6 months before the wound in her abdomen fully closed—but Jiska is alive, and she shared with us the mighty deeds of God in her life!
Fighting Alzheimer's disease through prayer
An Israeli-American study has shown that regular prayer can reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by half.
The study, which was funded by the National Institute of Health in Washington, DC, demonstrated that women—who are at significantly higher risk for various forms of dementia—can reduce this risk through prayer.
Yakir Neumann, head of the neuropsychiatric department at Herzog Hospital in Jerusalem, stated that among people who live on a higher spiritual level, a slower progression of Alzheimer’s disease has been observed.
The Israeli organization Melabev operates ten centers for approximately 600 Alzheimer’s patients, for whom prayer is a part of daily routine.
“When prayer takes place collectively in a center or religious institution, it becomes a communal act and also has a social aspect,” said Susan Sachs of Melabev. “It brings hope and a new perspective, and it helps many of these people maintain their dignity.”
My blessing notebook
Some time ago, Dora sent us the following testimony about her experience with the blessing notebook:
“I started my blessing notebook at the beginning of 2012. I had given my life to Jesus in 2009, and although God miraculously healed me from breast cancer, I still regularly fell back into depressive thoughts. I had been struggling with that for so many years. Ann suggested that we start a series of conversations about it. The only condition she gave me during our first talk was that I would write down three blessings every day in a notebook.
She asked me to bring the notebook with me the next time. I tried to explain to her that I would never be able to do that. She then asked me: don’t you have a pair of shoes that fit just right because they don’t pinch anywhere, or a house to live in, or a warm coat to wear, or a car to drive in…? That’s already more than three examples to start with…
I had no choice. I — like maybe others in church — sat staring at a blank sheet of paper one day, wondering what on earth I could possibly write down. And I returned to our next conversation with a nervous heart, because I hadn’t exactly succeeded in writing down three things each day that truly felt like a blessing to me in that moment… But Ann never brought it up again. Only much later did I come to understand why that was. God’s love and His blessings are unconditional. The choice, the decision to start writing and to receive — that was up to me.
When I now look back in my notebook and read the things I wrote down in the beginning, they may seem like nothing more than “ordinary” things to someone else. They may just look like a series of journal entries, but I now reread them with great joy. Each of them taught me, little by little, to see life differently: to once again see the beauty of the changing seasons, how wonderfully a tree begins to bloom again in spring and one day carries new green leaves, how it gives me shade in the summer, how beautifully its leaves change color in the fall before it loses them again, how delightful it feels to walk through the forest in late autumn surrounded by all that colorful beauty. There is so much to be thankful for, just as Jesus tells us so simply in Matthew 6: Look at the birds… consider the flowers!
And no, I no longer write down all those little things that make life worthwhile every day, but I have made it a habit to certainly do so for all the big blessings and ongoing healing that God continues to give me throughout the year. There are so many things I had lost sight of: the love of my family for me, the relationship and caring love between my sister and me, the relationship with my dad, the many warm friendships that God gave me after my illness…
Not everyone is always aware of the blessing they are or what they mean to someone else, and for me, it gives a deep inner peace to be able to share this with my heavenly Papa. And in doing so, He may slowly be teaching me to become a source of blessing for someone else too!”
Never too old for divine healing
Imelda sent us the following testimony:
“My father has been living in a residential care center for a few years now. In February, he had a cold, but he seemed to be recovering. Still, he lost his appetite. Before that, he always enjoyed his food and took pleasure in everything. At the end of February, on a Saturday, we went to visit him.
He looked pale, and he said that the nursing staff had wanted to call the on-call doctor, but he didn’t think it was necessary. He preferred to wait until Monday so that his regular doctor could come. Still, we were worried. We went back on Sunday, and he had turned blue around his mouth. The on-call doctor was then called after all. On Monday morning, blood and a urine sample were taken. That afternoon, his regular doctor came with the results, but by then it was already clear that my father was in bad shape. He was completely confused and wasn’t acting like himself at all. He has no memory of this.
He was admitted to the emergency department at the H. Hart hospital. There, they immediately told us the situation was very serious: pneumonia, a bladder infection, and—last but not least—heart failure. The heart failure concerned the doctors most. He spent a week in intensive care and was completely disoriented. He had all kinds of nightmares that he believed were real. The doctors warned us again that things looked very bleak. The bypasses he had received 15 years earlier had become blocked, and surgery was no longer an option due to his age (88 years).
Of course, we prayed and asked our heavenly Papa for the best outcome, though our hope was that he might stay with us a little while longer in good condition. And look—after one week he was transferred to a regular room in the cardiology ward, where he slowly began to recover. After three weeks in the hospital, he was allowed to return to the care center. He was welcomed back with open arms because the hospital had told them there was a high chance he wouldn’t be coming back. The hospital report even stated: “life expectancy: short, comfort therapy advised.”
Funny enough, during the first days back he spoke polished Dutch with the staff, which is not the norm there. But he explained that he had spent three weeks “in the city” and was used to speaking properly—and that they should be glad he hadn’t been to China, because then they wouldn’t understand him at all!
Now, two months later, my father is in excellent condition. He’s enjoying his meals again—and even a beer. He goes for walks, something he hadn’t done in years, and he’s thankful for every day.
Thank You, Father, that we are allowed to receive this pleasant time with him. How long this time will last, we do not know—but we are very grateful for it!”
Healthy baby thanks to prayer
At the beginning of January, we received a birth announcement from the Netherlands with the following message added:
“Our daughter is born! Her name is Minte, which means ‘strong’—and that’s exactly what she is! She is healthy and well. We want to thank you so much for all your prayers.
It’s truly special that you prayed like that. Heaven rejoices to the glory and honor of our God. What a blessing we share together!”
Much love from Wijnand, Caroline, Leeuwke, and Minte.
Minte is the little sister of Leeuwke, for whom we prayed a lot as a church when he had a life-threatening infection—and who miraculously made a full recovery!
After Leeuwke, the couple hoped for a second child. The first pregnancy sadly ended in a miscarriage.
During the second pregnancy, things again seemed to be going wrong. Caroline had a harmful bacterium in her intestines that they couldn’t get rid of. Caroline asked us to pray with her about it. From that moment, Danny also placed her in the prayer box every month… and now a healthy baby has been born!
Tamara also sent us another beautiful baby testimony:
“Geert’s sister-in-law was pregnant. We were sitting at the table, and someone asked, ‘How’s the baby doing?’ She started crying and told us that the chances were very high that the baby would have Down syndrome. One final blood test still had to give a definitive result. She would receive it after three weeks.
I immediately asked our Father to make the baby healthy and received a deep reassurance that this would happen. And yes, after three anxious weeks (for them), the final verdict came: everything is OK with the baby!!! HOORAY! Thank You, Father!!”
A whole new life
Here is the story of how Tamara came to know Jesus and how He completely changed her life. We’ll let her tell it herself:
I grew up in a Catholic family. From the age of 10 to 14, I dutifully went to church almost every Sunday, actually under light pressure from our grandma. I believed in God and read the Bible during those years as well. I didn’t care much for church: cold, impersonal, and unpleasant to be in as a child.
In the years that followed, my faith faded completely into the background. Church was unnecessary.
Somewhere I read that Jesus had said: “Split a piece of wood and I’m there. Lift up a stone and you will find Me.” And so my life drifted on…
More than 20 years later, I met Robby. He is an evangelical Christian and his heart is full of love for the Father. I didn’t understand this very well and wanted to know where that came from. That’s how I ended up at God Ambassade. Months passed. I had started reading the Bible again and regularly went to Sunday services. I knew God existed, but I lacked the deep conviction I saw in others during the service.
Until the night of September 6 to 7, 2014… my relationship with Robby was on the verge of breaking up. Due to a combination of circumstances, my world fell apart and I felt a deep sadness. I asked God: “What should I do?” He answered with one simple word: “Believe!” With a saddened heart I went to sleep. That night I slept very restlessly. I woke up from a bright light. At first, I paid no attention to it, I thought it came from outside. A little later there was that bright light again. This time I felt a powerful presence. I didn’t dare open my eyes, but I knew I was wide awake. A warmth flowed through me like I had never experienced before and I felt deeply comforted. For a long time I thought it was an angel who came to comfort me. Now I know it was our Father Himself who held me in His arms that night.
The next day we went to the service, we were celebrating 25 years of God Ambassade. I got through that day on autopilot. That evening I left Robby. We had another conversation. He said: “If God says: ‘Believe,’ then why are you still doubting? Doubt is Satan’s work!” I got in my car and said aloud: “Satan huh! Well Satan, then get out of my life right now, I want nothing to do with you!” Immediately I was filled with that same warmth I had felt during the night. My world changed completely in that moment. I became joyful and carefree. I sang the entire way home. The next day I was walking from the parking lot to my job and noticed that the world around me somehow seemed smaller.
I told Ann and, in her presence, consciously gave my life to Jesus. On December 9, 2014, I was baptized, but it was on that memorable September 7 that my new life truly began. This date has become both the saddest and the happiest day of my life. On that day in 2002, my father died of cancer and on that same day in 2014, the Father found me.
My heart still sings: “No more to roam, I’ve found my home. Hallelujah in my heart I’m not alone! Love walks with me. Hallelujah in my heart!” And He is right: one simple word is enough: “BELIEVE!”
How to share good news with your neighbors
Ans Timman, one of Martie Haaijer’s Obed team members, currently 77 years young, regularly sends us prayer requests and news from the Netherlands. Recently, we received an email from her that we— with her permission— would love to share with you.
“I believe I’ve mentioned before about my neighbor boy who was burned and is now paralyzed and unable to do anything. I also thought I had asked for prayer for him, but I’m not sure anymore.
For his mother, Hedwich, I had the privilege of praying a few times. They are (still) unbelievers, and that prayer had a beautiful result—she was much calmer afterward!
One afternoon, she came to my door, handed me a rose, and had a little question. I invited her in.
She didn’t have much time, but she said: ‘The last time you prayed with Chris Jr., you said it would be nice if we (his parents) would also start praying to God, so that He could come into our lives and renew them.’ Then she said: ‘But I don’t know how to pray.’
I spoke again about the cross, how much God loves us, and how He always wants what’s best for us. I asked her: ‘Would you like Jesus to come into your heart?’ She immediately said YES! She wanted it!
I said: ‘If you mean this sincerely, and you believe that Jesus died for your sins, we can pray right now.’ And that’s what we did together. A celebration in heaven!!
I haven’t spoken to her since then, the Holy Spirit is working and continues to work, and I keep praying and thanking!!
Guus (my husband, who is now with the Father) and I, when we still lived in Hoorn, prayed after sharing the gospel: ‘Lord, let the people come to our door and ask questions.’ And this happened twice: a neighbor who was already a believer came to ask how she could receive the Holy Spirit. Another neighbor came to us full of fear, having already gone to others. They told her: ‘You should go to Guus and Ans.’ We were able to lead her to the Lord and set her free. She had been involved in occult things. We lived in a row of 7 houses, and in each house, someone came to faith, homes were cleansed, items were burned in our yard—mighty things happened for the GLORY OF GOD!!!
And now this happened again: she came to the door to ask HOW to pray… isn’t that beautiful?
Whenever there is even a ‘small crack’ of openness, I share about God’s love, even in the neighborhood where I live now. It’s often the little things that stand out, like putting the trash bins back after they’ve been emptied.
An elderly neighbor (85) who wanted nothing to do with God or faith once approached me: ‘Why do you do that, putting the bins back?’
I replied: ‘Oh, I have plenty of time, I need to keep moving and I just enjoy doing it.’
Then he said: ‘But you are putting faith into practice, you are an example in this neighborhood!’ Such a small thing that made an impression!
And so I had a very positive conversation with this neighbor, and I told him again about God’s love for him, to which he responded more kindly! He passed away recently, and I’m so glad I shared this with him.
I know that everything is grace from God, we just need to use the talents we’ve been given. And it’s also a command!”
Obedience to God brings unexpected blessings
Some time ago, God laid it on Arno’s heart to make a donation for a Christian project. Arno obeyed and went to the bank to make the transaction. There, he was approached by his daughter, whom he hadn’t seen in 3.5 years.
She had moved to Brazil, lived and worked there all that time, and was now back in Belgium. During that period, Arno had had very little contact with her. He knew she was back in Belgium, but hadn’t heard from her yet. They had a drink together on a terrace and enjoyed a lovely conversation… an unexpected and beautiful blessing for Arno!
Prayer changes your entire life
Liesbeth tells us her story herself:
“Following the book ‘Living as a Child of the King’, Pascale and I decided to pray more. This is how we wanted to live: with miracles and signs following us and the Holy Spirit revealing solutions, prayer points, and more. With much courage, enthusiasm, and expectation, we began praying together every day at the end of June 2014.
The results were beyond anything we could have imagined, and neither of us wants to go back to the time before we started praying! It has been an amazing experience so far, and we highly recommend it. We want to share with you some of the prayer answers, changes, and also the attacks we’ve experienced.
We’ll start with the attack. I think this is an important beginning. When we started praying, we knew very well that this wasn’t part of Satan’s plan and that we could expect an attack. However, we didn’t expect it to come so quickly. We had only been praying for about 3 weeks when the attack began. Jinto, my dog, became very ill overnight. We managed to prolong his life a little, but that wasn’t what I wanted because he was in so much pain. So, with the support of the team, my parents, Pascale, and Robin, we chose to have him put to sleep, as he was in tremendous pain. He had already come through three times by prayer and had lived five more years, but this time, it was time to say goodbye.
A week later, both Pascale and I were brought down by circumstances. I was angry, to say the least, and Pascale was a heap of sadness. We decided to sit down together, but we weren’t going to pray. Father, however, had another plan. I still see us sitting there: Pascale defeated, and me angry, voicing my thoughts to Papa, standing up for myself and Pascale. And in the middle of my rant, my thoughts suddenly changed, and I said to Pascale:
“No, we won’t give up. We’re going to pray, because otherwise we’re giving in to the devil.” And looking back, we believe this was a huge breakthrough in our lives. Papa immediately told us that we would receive more than we asked for. And how He did this! A few days after this event, we went out to eat together. At first, there was no room, but a second later, there was a spot—though only for a certain time. That time never came because we stayed much longer. But that wasn’t all. We had dessert, and Pascale thought three scoops of ice cream were too much, so she asked for two but got four for the price of two! We truly saw this as God’s hand.
We knew we were getting more than we asked for. And this has been happening for over a year now.
We then decided to praise, pray, and give thanks at all times.
And now, onto the miracles, prayer answers, changes, and more…
We prayed for conversions and have already seen two. Kristina, a colleague of mine, gave her life to Jesus at one of our women’s breakfasts. Michèle, a friend of Pascale, also gave her life to Jesus soon after we began praying. And we believe there will be more!
Last year, Justien and Victor, Pascale’s children, really wanted to go to Equiblues in France. The plans were set when their driver broke his toe. Disappointment, unhappiness… so we prayed for quick recovery. What do you think? They were able to leave as planned. This year, it seemed like Equiblues might fall through again. So Pascale and I got to work, along with Justien. And once again, Papa provided a solution.
It not only builds our trust, but also that of the children. God is working in such a beautiful way.
Since we’re talking about the children: Justien, who turned 18, wanted to get her driver’s license as soon as possible. This became a prayer point, as well as passing her exams. Once again, God answered our prayers. Justien and Victor achieved excellent results at school. And Justien passed her driving test the first time.
We’ve also noticed that people in our surroundings often share their problems with us because they know we pray.
For example, a woman who came for a consultation at the doctors where Pascale works shared her struggles with Pascale. The fact that she didn’t have a job was one of the main reasons for her other problems. Before we start praying, Pascale and I always have a nice chat, and that’s how many prayer points arise. This was one such point. A few months later, the woman’s husband came by Pascale’s work and thanked her. His wife had found work, and things were much better.
Isn’t it fantastic when God lets you know that prayer really works?
Another testimony: one of the doctors has a tumor. She also shared this with Pascale. Pascale told her she was praying for her. At the last check-up, she received surprising news: the tumor hadn’t grown. Wait until Father is completely finished!
We’ve also prayed—and continue to pray—for more energy for less money. We’ve been praying for diesel and gasoline prices for nearly a year now. And as you all know, the price of diesel and gasoline has significantly dropped. Now we’re praying for the price of electricity!
We bless the government, Israel, and pray for our country.
In our own lives, we also see many breakthroughs and changes.
Our trust in God has grown enormously. We praise and pray at all times. We are less quick to worry. We have grown in relationship, both with each other and with Father God. What we would never have done together two years ago, we now do.
We trust each other, build each other up, encourage each other, and have a lot of fun together.
When a “problem” arises, we say, “Hallelujah, praise the Lord! Now we can see how Papa is going to solve this.” And immediately, the circumstances look different. It’s so freeing, so wonderful to keep coming into that freedom!
We also often pray in tongues and sing together.
Our life has changed so much. Our hearts are set on Jesus. We look forward to what Father will do next, and we pray that He reveals His plan for our lives and that we may walk in it.
It’s just wonderful to live like this, in that freedom.
“Seek first the Kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you.”
And what gifts, better than we could ever imagine: living in peace, joy, love…
We keep going. We prayed for a year, and we could do that. We may not pray together every day anymore, but we still pray together 3 to 4 times a week on average. We write down our prayer points and agree that if we can’t pray together, we will pray separately in tongues that day. Sometimes we call each other, read the points, bring them before God’s throne, and continue praying in tongues in our own places.
We can’t live without it and will keep going, hopefully for the rest of our lives.
And the biggest change at this moment is us: onto more of God’s Spirit!
The Father's love became tangible in her life
We let Mineke from Apeldoorn tell her story herself:
“I was born in 1940. In May, the war broke out. My mother was a few months pregnant with me at the time. She already had four children and was very scared. We had to leave the house immediately because it was requisitioned by the Germans. I was born during that fearful time.
Because of that, I have probably always had fear and still sometimes experience it. The problem was worsened because I was born with clubfeet and a pigeon chest. After the war, much had to be ‘fixed’ with me. I underwent several surgeries. As a child, I was always rejected: my friends didn’t want to play with me because I couldn’t run. At home, we never talked about my problems, so I had to deal with them alone. God was not real to us. He was there, but He felt more like a threat if you didn’t do what was expected of you, rather than someone who could help and bless you. We did go to church twice every Sunday and prayed at the table.
My parents thought I should become a kindergarten teacher because it wouldn’t be too hard. They didn’t know that this job is actually very hard for someone with painful feet. After a few years, I cried out to God: ‘Give me a husband, then I can leave school and will always serve You.’ God answered me, and that’s how I got Dick. His parents tried to separate us because such a weakling was a stain on their existence.
In 1977, I came to faith – a whole story in itself. How happy I was! I asked Jesus into my heart, and many beautiful things happened. But because burdens were placed on me and things were asked of me that I couldn’t or didn’t dare to do, I slowly became tense and tried to live a holy life on my own. Because of this, I developed a huge fear of God: I could never meet the requirements. My initial joy faded, and in its place came tension: I had to please God. That became my life. I always felt guilty because I was basically just doing my own thing.
Still, I saw many things that God did in or with me. He healed me, for example, from psoriasis, and we were able to pray for people who were sick, and the Lord healed them. Deep inside, there was always that fear that God would reject me because people rejected me too.
During the conference week at Siloam, I felt love and dared to relax and open up. I enjoyed the studies and the testimonies. I especially recognized a lot of myself in Nadine’s story. When the invitation came for healing prayer, I dared to acknowledge that the problem with my feet was important, but my real problem lay deeper. After Nadine’s hug and the prayer, I experienced a deep peace and truly realized that God had wanted me before I was born. That gave me true joy, and my fear of God is now disappearing. This was a powerful revelation! I now dare to believe that God will heal the rest too. With my mind, I already knew a lot, but now it also sank into my heart. I am very happy about that and dare to completely surrender to it. He will make it!
In the week after the boat trip, we often talked about the different Bible studies. We understood very well what Hugo told us: the Father truly loves us. Often we forget all His blessings. Why actually? Psalm 103 warns us about this, so make a ‘blessing book’ and write down all your blessings! When things go badly, you have laid your own foundation to rediscover God. Ann showed us that the devil tries to convince us to have little faith. Such little faith wouldn’t be big enough to receive a miracle from God. Nadine showed us to look into her heart and youth, and made herself very vulnerable by sharing her own problems. Inger created an open atmosphere every time through the choice of the songs we sang and her guidance. The song “On the day you were born, I danced over you” has meant a lot to me. The team members were open to spontaneous contact and conversation with anyone who needed it. Don’t forget the wonderful moments between the studies, at the table, and in the evening. This was truly a fantastic week with a fantastic team and a wonderful topic: God heals us in His love.”
God restores relationships
Last year, Carine’s parents separated after living side by side for many years. Like many others, their life had not been easy. All those circumstances had slowly but surely broken their relationship. After yet another conflict, her father decided to live separately. This didn’t happen right away, but when the last straw came, her mother left the house and unexpectedly moved in with Patrick and Carine.
She stayed there for two months. Her parents took the matter very seriously. Lawyers were hired, and a very painful situation arose. Various accusations were continuously thrown back and forth. Of course, all of this was also very tangible in Carine and Patrick’s home. They had come to know Jesus many years ago, and their lives had drastically changed because of it.
Carine and Patrick had already made it a habit to pray together every evening. They had also been praying together for the relationship of Carine’s parents for quite some time. However, the situation did not improve at all; on the contrary. Fortunately, Carine and Patrick had already learned not to give up when results are not immediately visible. Josée, who had introduced Patrick and Carine to the gospel, also prayed for Carine’s parents and encouraged them not to slacken in prayer. Carine’s mother was temporarily assigned a social housing unit. After Carine’s father would move into a house they rented out, Carine’s mother was to return to their original home.
She moved into the house after a lot of work was done to freshen it up, and Carine’s father moved into their rental house. Every two weeks, Carine cleaned at her father’s house and noticed how much sadness he carried. The realization of lost years made him very melancholic. Carine had the opportunity to comfort, hug, and encourage him, but also to correct him. She did all this through her relationship with Jesus.
Meanwhile, many people continued to pray for a breakthrough in their situation. The fruits of this prayer became clearer and clearer. Carine and her father visited her mother, and it went very blessedly. Both her father and mother came to a communion party in the family, and they intentionally sat next to each other. A while ago, Carine’s mother received a flowerpot from her father. The lady in the store asked if a card was needed. Her father felt it wasn’t necessary and said he would personally deliver the pot. He did so, with a kiss included. He also went to watch a horse race at their shared home. And Carine and Patrick continue to pray, expecting much more…
Conversion after years of prayer
Sabine is the daughter of Inger’s stepfather. When he married Inger’s mother, Sabine came to live with them. Inger and Sabine also spent a few years together at boarding school. During her nursing studies, Inger gave her life to Jesus. At that time, Inger took Sabine to church a few times. Sabine was touched by what she heard and saw, but she was also very drawn to the world.
At a young age, she went out into the world on her own and became an au-pair in England. Inger continued to pray for her and, at first, also corresponded with her. Sabine got married and stayed in England. Hugo and Inger visited her a few times and kept sharing what Jesus had done in their lives. Meanwhile, Sabine divorced and remarried. She now lives with her husband and daughter in Scotland. During a family party in Belgium, Inger noticed that Sabine was wearing a cross. Since that has become fashionable again, Inger didn’t ask any further questions. However, for Inger’s birthday, Sabine sent another cross. During a phone conversation some time ago, Hugo and Inger learned that Sabine had now made a conscious choice for Jesus. She is an active member of a church in Scotland and, among other things, helps lead the children’s ministry there. When the full story of her conversion finally came out, Sabine casually shared that her decision was made because of the example set by Hugo and Inger. The persistent prayer of a righteous person is powerful…
Forgiveness... a solution for problems
Some time ago, Hannah was at a youth meeting of God’s Ambassade. There was a guest speaker from the Netherlands, and the time together was incredibly blessed. On Saturday evening, it was discussed that sometimes your heart is hindered from fully focusing on God. These hindrances can have many causes. One of the mentioned causes was feelings you hold against certain people because they have deeply hurt you. Sometimes this goes so deep that you try to suppress it entirely.
At the end of the evening, people who felt addressed were invited to be prayed for, so they could find a solution to that problem.
Hannah didn’t feel directly addressed. She still asked God if there was someone in her life like that, and she was immediately reminded of her sister’s boyfriend. He had hurt her deeply during the summer vacation. Hannah was supposed to go on a trip with her two sisters without their parents. Her sister’s boyfriend was not at all happy with that plan. He thought the sisters only intended to flirt with boys, drink, and go out until the early hours. Hannah had been very upset with him for thinking that about her. He had already apologized for this, but Hannah had never actually accepted his apology. Every time Hannah met her sister’s boyfriend, there was tension in the air. A conversation between them was out of the question. Every time, that painful memory resurfaced. This obviously didn’t help the relationship between the two sisters.
When Hannah became aware of this that evening, she gave her sister a hug and shared what she had been reminded of. Her sister asked what she was planning to do about it. Hannah said she was willing to forgive him. It was a very emotional moment for both of them. Hannah let herself be prayed for, and she felt greatly relieved. A few weeks later, that boyfriend came to visit. Hannah told him the whole story, and they made peace. At that moment, a heavy burden was lifted off her shoulders. She experienced it as a huge release. When she meets him now, the contact is relaxed, and the tension is gone. Hannah finds this truly miraculous…
Raised from the dead
Resurrection from the dead… heard firsthand from the cardiologist!
Jesus gives us in the gospel not only the command to heal the sick but also to raise the dead… Many do not believe in the healing of the sick through prayer, let alone in the resurrection of the dead. And yet, it still happens today!
On May 15 and 16, we, as a team, attended a conference for Christian doctors in Norway, invited by WCDN: World Christian Doctors Network. This organization aims to bring together Christian doctors to discuss cases of divine healing. With these scientific cases, they want to show the medical world, in black and white, that miracles still happen. One of the attending doctors was Dr. Chauncey Crandall, a cardiologist from Miami, Florida. He prays with every patient who consults him… talk about a blessed consultation… Last year, he experienced something truly remarkable.
A man in his early 50s didn’t feel well one Friday evening and drove himself to the hospital where Dr. Crandall works. Upon arrival, he collapsed at the front desk: massive heart attack with cardiac arrest. He was immediately resuscitated. For 40 minutes, an extremely professional team tried to revive him… all in vain. Dr. Crandall was eventually called in and could only confirm the death. The man was already completely blue.
Everyone left the intervention room. Only one nurse stayed behind to prepare the man for the morgue. When Dr. Crandall was about to leave the room, he heard the quiet voice of the Holy Spirit tell him to go back and pray for the man. He hesitated for a moment but then returned. Standing by the body, he said that he didn’t know what to pray. Then he heard himself say: “Father, if this man is not saved, will You bring him back?” Dr. Crandall then ordered one more defibrillation. After some protest, it was done at Dr. Crandall’s insistence. The man immediately had a normal heartbeat (which, in the case of a severe heart attack, is virtually impossible!), began to breathe, and regained a normal color.
He was placed in intensive care, and on Monday morning, Dr. Crandall visited him.
He asked him where he had been after his death. The man told him that he had been in a dark room where no one could reach him, and that later, he had been wrapped in cloths and thrown with the garbage. Dr. Crandall told him about Jesus, and the man immediately gave his heart to Jesus. The news was extensively covered on TV in the United States.
The remarkable thing about this story is that the path Dr. Crandall took wasn’t always smooth. In 2000, his 11-year-old son was diagnosed with leukemia. For a few years, he prayed for his son’s healing, and the boy got noticeably better until he developed a sarcoma (a very malignant tumor) and passed away. At his deathbed, Dr. Crandall decided to hold on to God’s word and continue praying for healing. He also prayed for two hours for the resurrection of his son, but nothing happened. Despite this immense personal loss, he continued praying for his patients, and now he sees many healings—and even a resurrection from the dead!
P.S. In Lakeland, Florida, where there is currently a real “revival” with many signs and wonders, 9 people have been raised from the dead in recent months! We heard this from friends in Pasadena who heard Todd Bentley himself testify.
One of them is a 3-year-old girl! She died in the hospital on a Monday evening at 9:00 PM. Her parents gave permission for organ transplantation, but it was postponed until Wednesday morning. When a nurse began preparing her for organ removal, she suddenly started coughing and sneezing… she was resurrected from the dead and completely healed without anyone praying for her. Children at her school had prayed for her!
