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Testimonies
A Testimony from William Carter that we received today Oct.13, 2006
I would like to take the time to give my testimony, to you all who read this. So here it goes. It all started in seventh grade, I started cutting myself cause I was depressed from the death of my best friend and grandma. When I got in Eighth grade I was tired of cutting so I started doing Cocaine and that lasted for three years. I smoked weed my freshman year. I snorted and popped pills my freshman year. I did a lot of other drugs like smoking crack, meth, and crank. I've abot O.D. 4 or 5 times, and I ve passed out one time and busted the lower part of my eyebrow almost busted my Eye. I used to sell drugs. That all changed June 22,2006. I stopped drinking 4 days before camp started and I also stopped smoking weed one week before camp. I prayed to God for four days to deliver me from the addiction to drugs and alchohol and June 22,2006 he did just that . Also during that week I recommited my life to Christ and to fullfil his will and become a Youth Minister. And I just thank God for doing that for me. Well thats my testimony I hope someone can get something out of it or learn from it .
We Praise and Thank God for William and his wonderful Testimony!
My Personal Testimony of Miraculous Healing
In January of 2002, I went to the emergency room in so much pain in my lower right abdomen. I thought it was my appendix. I had for at least 6 months previously, pain in that general area, that was mostly a dull pain, but once in a while was a stabbing pain. But this particular day, the pain was so magnified, that I had to go to the ER.
After several tests including two different types of ultrasound, I was informed that I had a solid mass on my right ovary, no liquid in the culdesac that measured in centimeters, the size of my fist. Roughly 5.5 by 4.3 by 3.5 I believe. The report said that it was most likely "carcinoma" Which means most likely "cancer".(Without surgery and a lab on it, it wouldn't be able to be confirmed of course). If you know anything about cancers, Ovarian cancer is a
rapidly growing cancer, and like many other organ type cancers, they are usually in an advanced stage by the time they are detected. In addition to that news, they said that I had multiple fibroids as well as my left ovary was unidentified. I was 36 yrs. old at the time.
The oncological gynecologist who was consulted at the ER, made an appointment with me to meet and discuss "my options". (the world's options)
The Doctor said, as he looked at me like he felt my death was inevitable UNLESS I do something right away. His recommendation?
Surgery for starters to confirm what he believed in his experience and by the radiology reports, that I had adnexal region carcinoma.
(which the report from that date does say "no liquid in the cul-de-sac, solid heterogeneous mass, most likely adnexal region carcinoma") Hello???
Just making sure you are paying attention....hehe
Anyway...he asked me not to delay in making my decision to have surgery. Oh beloved, I knew this test would come one day...it had to...eventually.... otherwise how could I show my faith by my works?
I had already BOLDLY proclaimed everywhere that Jesus is the Healer, that God is the Great Physician, that The Word says, "By His Stripes, YOU WERE healed!" So...again...I knew one day I would be tested...not by God...as He is the giver of GOOD GIFTS, but by our mutual enemy...satan. He is the one who brought sin, sickness and disease to mankind.
So, there I was faced with death at the age of 36. A 14 year old girl still at home, my precious daughter that God gave me, and two beloved sons that were grown and on their own. What did I do? Well beloved, I did what the Word of God told me to do in the book of James. I contacted the elders of the church, fully expecting them to get a team together, come and anoint me with oil, pray the prayer of faith that heals the sick and raises the dead!
Sadly friends, the full gospel church I was going to at the time (we were new residents here in Florida at the time.)who preached SOUND Doctrine, whose Pastor was fluent in the gifts of the Words of Knowledge, the Words of Wisdom and more, DID NOT DO THAT! No my
friends, there were no faith-filled servants to be found to stand with me ANYWHERE!!! They merely offered to "put me on the prayer list".
That is fine for an internet ministry....but when you are a few miles away...what is YOUR excuse? I began to really relate to Jesus. How exasperated He must have been as I imagine He shook His head while saying:"Thou faithless generation, how long will I suffer with thee?"
I could find NO ONE who believed in JESUS my UNLIMITED HEALER, more than they did the limited doctors!! I did not share the findings with very many people either, for that reason. (I knew from my ministry that there were few who could show their faith by their works and that when illness struck they all run to their doctors just as ASA did. ) So, I did not want a faithless generation to "pray me right into the grave!" Oh beloved I pray that you will not be offended but will HEAR THIS with your SPIRITUAL EARS!
I knew who my Healer was and IS! I knew HE ALONE IS FAITHFUL. I knew that HE WILL NOT SHARE HIS GLORY WITH ANYONE! No, not even with the doctors friends.
I did tell my parents, and my husband. And some Christians who talked a lot of talk, but I soon learned that they were not able to show me their faith by their works. ALL of the above, urged me to get surgery. I stood alone. Under tremendous pressure all around, and fear being sown in (by the well-meaning, but unlearned and untrusting of the Lord), I made an appointment to get all of the pre-op blood work done and schedule a surgery. (don't worry friends....don't give up on me or this testimony just yet! That was my flesh...it was part of "the test" that "appeared" like I was failing...but my spirit arose and took authority just in time I assure you!! Glory to God!)
Let me digress just a moment to let you know what my occupation at the time was... (by the way...this finding occurred in January 2002), I worked in the capacity of a Family Service Counselor, in a Funeral Home and Cemetery. Yes, friends, death was IN MY FACE every day! I buried a girl my age in fact when I was 38. I am now 44. I was 36 going on 37 at the time of the doctor's report. Needless to say, I resigned from my position for a time, so that I could work in the vacation arena! So, that I could focus on LIFE AND LIVING. Besides, that with all the pressure all around, with no one to hold my arms up, I was on my own....just me and Jesus. (which by the way...that is okay! Not a bad thing really!) But I knew I needed all of my spiritual reserve for myself or I would not live, and I was determined to live and not die and proclaim the wonderful works of God! I sold vacation packages for only 3 months, before I went back to help the hurting people again. Now, meanwhile, 'back at the ranch', as I stated this was January 2002. About the 18th or so of the month. (my records are not in front of me....but I DO INDEED POSSESS ALL of the related records!)
By the first week of February was about the time for the scheduled surgery which was to take place on a Monday. On the previous Friday, I went in and got all of my blood work done, and met the anesthesiologist,(sp?)etc etc.
I was in complete TURMOIL over this all weekend...the Lord knew me the whole time, but still He remained quiet and let me continue...(but not continue through), I did all of the pre-surgery-night-before requirements. I laid awake most of the night. Why, you ask? Not for the reasons you might imagine...not the obvious that most would..."like I could die under the anesthesia" or "what if they do a hacksaw job, and deform me for life?" Not that those thought didn't enter, because they did...but this is NOT what kept me up. What kept me up was that I KNEW that this was WRONG! I KNEW that I could not tell people that JESUS HEALED ME if I let the doctors touch me! I knew that I have never (up to that point neither to this day), read in the Word of God any events or miracles whatsoever where Jesus told someone, "sure, just meet me at the hospital on Monday and the doctors and I will heal you then."
I KNEW THIS WAS SATAN, even working through OTHER BELIEVERS, to keep God from getting the Glory!!
So, I must have fallen asleep at some point as, I woke up as the alarm turned on, and the song, " I can only imagine" had just begun to play. I laid there as the song ministered to me. Reluctantly, as the song ended, I began getting ready to depart to the hospital as
we were due to be there in 20 minutes. (we live only a couple of miles from the hospital). As my husband drove, I was just quiet, so unsettled in my spirit. Much more was at stake besides me not being able to give God the glory for my healing. My entire calling for
the Lord was on the line! Everything I have ever taught anybody up to that point....everything!
The time of TRUE TESTING WAS AT HAND!
God is Faithful and while men look on the outward appearance, God looks on the heart.
So, we arrive to the hospital, to the area I was to report. Well,the first thing that happened was, they acted like they had NO IDEA who I was, and that I was coming! (even though I had just done the blood work and spoke with the anesthesiologist, three days before,
on Friday). so they asked us to wait in the family waiting room. 45 minuted later they came out with my file in hand and called us back.
We arrive to the "space" in which they had a gurney and were going to sedate me etc., when the nurse asked me to sign the release. The release gave no indication where I was authorizing the doctor to cut me open. I said to the nurse, "there is no indication whether the doctor is going to open on the left or the right,and the mass is on the right. I cannot give free reign." She said, "well then I will not be able to sedate you until we can clarify with the doctor." I said, " that is fine." So, meanwhile, she sent another nurse to start the saline IV. She blew a big bubble in the top of my hand and then called another nurse to come over and complete the insertion of the IV. (again it was just saline water). My husband left the room, and went only where God knows. Needing to get ALONE with God, I asked if I could go to the restroom. With approval, I walked down the hall, wheeling the IV along to the restroom. Once inside, I called in a desparate whisper to God..." Father", I said, "you know I don't want to do this! I should not be here! You are my healer!
Lord, I know that I cannot stand in front of people and tell them that YOU healed me, if I allow the doctors to touch me! and Lord, I KNOW that you WILL NOT share your glory with anyone!" As soon as I shut up, the Holy Spirit simply said gently, " get out of there, Jesus has it handled." I said, "ok!" and opened the door and as soon as I did there was a nurse there to escort me back. I don't know why, (maybe for legal reasons...I really don't know), but I asked her, " do I have to go through with this? and she said, " no, it's your body, you can do whatever you want." so I said, "good! Because I'm going home." and asked for assistance to remove the IV and gather my clothing. Then my husband walked in, and saw me getting dressed and started saying..."wha wha....what are you doing?" I replied, "I'm going home." He said, " but but....no, you can't, you have to stay..." I cut him off gently and just repeated to him what I heard the Holy Spirit say to me, " honey, I'm going home....Jesus has it handled."
Immediately he ceased his fearful persistence, and was calm said, " okay" and helped me to gather my belongings, and we left!
No, that is not the end, but merely the beginning of a series of testings for this testimony, which begins again that afternoon after speaking to my dad to report that I did not have surgery.
So, that afternoon, as I said, I called my parents and let them know that I did not have the surgery, that I was trusting God. My dad said, "did you get a second opinion?" I answered that "No, the several sonograms and genuine concern of the doctor were enough
evidence for me."
At my dad's insistence, I went ahead and made an appointment with another doctor who was my friend Laura's doctor, to get a second opinion. The way I saw it, there was no harm in getting a second opinion, as I was sure it wouldn't be different, but I figured it
would make God's glory even greater when I received my healing.
So, my appointment was the following day, (Tuesday) and I saw the other doctor. After examining me (which the mass was so large that he could feel it with ease in his examination) and the radiology evidence the doctor came back in to speak with me.
{Now, this was a Jewish doctor, so that makes this even more exciting to me, as this is the second time in my life where I was seeing a Jewish doctor and God performed an undeniable miracle (1st time was a broken wrist from a car accident).}
Anyway, the doctor came in and he prophesied to me (without his knowledge hehehe). He said, "well, after my examination and review of the sonograms and radiology reports, here's what I have to say. If by some miracle, you are not in this same pain by Friday (which was three days away), then I recommend we keep a close eye on it, but if the pain does not cease, then my opinion is the same as the first, and I recommend immediate surgery."
The part I heard the most was "IF by some miracle...."
And in my heart I said to myself, "that's exactly what it will be....by some miracle!"
So, again I went home determined to put my faith in the Lord my healer.
I spoke to the pain, and commanded it to go in Jesus'name, and I began to encourage myself in the Lord. I proclaimed that this was not my portion! That I will NOT die, but LIVE and proclaim the wonderful works of the Lord. I thanked the Lord for my healing and I praised His name. The pain ceased that night! But, no...the test was not over! Remember friends I lost my insurance when I went to sell vacations,
and then when I returned to my position in the Funeral/Cemetery field, even though after 90 days I get insurance, I still had to wait to SEE with my eyes a confirmation of healing because of "pre-exisiting condition" clauses.
The devil played little games all along the way trying to STEAL my healing, by trying to plant in seeds of doubt! Which I had to resist. And that is an ACTIVE duty, not a passive duty. Satan will use people closest to you to plant things trust me! This is why it is SO IMPORTANT to meditate on God's Word and feed it to your soul day and night! Because it makes it easier to catch the thief and the liar before he can plant! (if he does manage to get a plant growing, don't worry, you can repent for your unbelief and your faith in Christ's torn body and shed blood will lay as an axe to the root of that little plant the enemy got it there....so stand strong!
Anyway....there was a good year of waiting to find out the evidence of what God did. Some of the seeds satan tried to plant were sharp stabbing pains in that area sometimes....which of course were his deception tactics to make me wonder if I had been healed "YET"
Remember, the Word of God says to "speak those things that are not as though they were." and "as you have believed (past tense), let it be done so unto you!"
So, Faith comes first, manifestation of what you are believing for comes second. If the healing came first and then the faith...well that is just not faith at all is it?
"Faith is the substance of things HOPED FOR, the evidence of things
NOT SEEN."
Also, a friend of mine's ungodly husband was used of satan once too along the way. He told me a story about a man who sent money to a well known televangelist for his healing, and he died. I replied..."first of all, the man should not have put his faith in the man on tv,because Jesus is the healer and second of all, God's healing is free to them that will dare to believe." He replied, "well what if God is too busy and doesn't have time to heal you?" That one made me chuckle inside! I replied, "well, that won't be a problem as God is omnipresent and omnipotent. He can be at all places at all times and do all things at the same time."
That was the end of that particular temptation. The hardest part of the whole thing was the WAITING to find out with medical evidence what God had done..I mean I didn't know how long God would take to completely heal me, and I didn't know if the evidence would show that the thing shrunk or disappeared...and so the waiting to find out was the hardest, and God wasn't telling me....He was stretching my faith for this testimony.
Then a lady in her forties who I had become friendly with at the workplace, got diagnoses with cancer of her uterus. She was a lady who had been embittered by the church. She was struggling because she had been so hurt, unfortunately, by the church that she fell
away, and now when she needed the Lord the most, she didn't know Him!
That is a tragedy in itself friends....if you are guilty of hurting a babe in Christ and you know it...repent for it now and change your ways! (I have also in the past been hurt by "God's people") But that's another testimony!
Anyway, she was scared. She did not have insurance, because she had opted out of the employee insurance as she was on her husband's insurance, but then she lost that as well.
I worked with her 6 days a week for 12 hours a day most days. She constantly spoke words of fear and doubt. It began wearing me down. The job took a lot out of you anyway spiritually and emotionally, so it was already a challenge to keep myself built up, without the additional propaganda from satan.
But I held on. February of 2003 came and I was nearing the end of the "pre-existing condition" limit. It had to be over a year from the date of the last appointment concerning the last diagnosis.
So, the first couple of days of March came and I called to make an appointment with a completely different doctor as a "new" case.
The first available appointment was April the 8th. I was so anxious to get the report. April 8th seemed so far away, but I had waited this long...what's another 5 weeks? So, I made the appointment.
Then, a week before my April 8th appointment, Aflac showed up at my husband's job, offering....you guessed it...CANCER INSURANCE! Lord have mercy.....could I endure any more?
My husband called me up and asked if we should get it. Explaining that if I were to receive a bad report of cancer, immediately they would pay $5000.00 and then pay this and that and more and more for each x-ray, sonogram etc. related. There was only one catch....a 30 day waiting period.
I weighed it. I said to myself knowing what I do about the progression of diseases, "if I was going to die (which I didn't believe I was...but if I was wrong, which was impossible because that would make God a liar, and He is incapable of lies)...but if He
knew something I didn't, such as, He planned to take me home anyway, what would it hurt for my family to have the ease of finances should something still be there?" All kinds of thoughts were going through
my mind...but the thing I thought about was not myself, but my family...and I believe the report would be the same on April 8th as it would be 30 days later...as it had already been over a year, so
if they did find something...my family would benefit....so I said, yes...go ahead and get it...I will re-schedule my appointment.
The next available appointment over 30 days from the date we signed up for the insurance was May 6th.
So I had to wait for 5 more LONG weeks to find out what the Lord had
done.
May 6th came...I was so excited!
As the technician was going over and over my belly searching, it seemed that she wasn't finding anything, so I asked her, saying," I know as a technician that you are not allowed to give any diagnosis or reveal what you see, but as I know from my medical knowledge as a Hospice Aide, I knew things that I wasn't authorized to reveal, as I was not an RN, but I had a solid mass in my right ovary as big as my fist and my left ovary couldn't be found. Can you tell me "off the record," if you see anything like that? Her reply,"well, let me tell
you, if you had something that big I would definitely have seen it....I do not see anything like that, and I see your left ovary...it's small, but there it is!" I was so excited!!
I couldn't wait for the written radiology report.
I finally got it, and this is what it said,"The right ovary measures 21 x 18 x 24 mm. The left ovary measures 3.6 x 1.3 x1.8 centimeters (that is significantly smaller than the size of the mass I had in the right ovary!" why the right was measured in mm and the left in
cm, I have no idea but that's what it says) Dominant follicle is noted in the right ovary measuring 15mm in diameter equal to 1-1/2cm) It is a smiple cyst. (The solid mass was GONE!!!!)
1. NORMAL sonographic appearance of the uterus and right ovary.
2. Small sub-centimeter echogenic focus in the left ovary of doubtful
clinical significance.
It is now over 2 years since then. I am very much alive and well!!
SO YOU SEE? JESUS IS FAITFHUL TO PERFORM THE WORD OF GOD, IF WE ARE FAITHFUL TO TRUST AND BELIEVE!!!!
If you live in the Orlando area and need prayer or you have a loved one in a hospital that needs prayer, please contact me and I will arrange to come to you or your loved one with the healing Word of God and the Prayer of FAITH according to James chapter 5:14-15 which says, "14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him." KJV
If you are a Pastor or a Minister and would like me to come to your church- ANYWHERE and give my testimony of God's faithfulness, and the healing power of Jesus being alive and at work TODAY....please contact me, and as God makes a way, I will be FAITHFUL and GLAD to do it!
God bless you.
In the service of Christ Jesus,
Valerie Chesnut
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