Unlocking the Gospel Door With the Key of Medicine
	June 2007

Crisis At Home

While I was in Nigeria in February, Sarah faced a crisis here at home with Lauren. Even before I had left for Nigeria, Lauren had been feeling tired wanting only to sleep. One night after I was gone, she called Sarah into look at her legs which were blue and mottled and her heart rate was weak and irregular. Sarah took Lauren to our family doctor who referred her immediately to have a 24 hour monitor placed on her to try and capture what was going on. When she went to the cardiologist for the results, he did the usual EKG and Echo and reported that all tests were normal and there is nothing wrong with Lauren's heart! Why then the irregularity? He thought it was from a cold and other stress to her system that Lauren was going through at the time.
 

Victory Already Won

Now, Sarah called me in Nigeria after seeing our family physician, but before Lauren had been to the cardiologist or been placed on the monitor. My first response to her when she told me the news was, "God has already healed her." You may remember that last year Lauren was on heart medication for irregular heart rate while we were in Nigeria and she became very weak and tired and swollen in her feet. We took her off the medication and God spoke to Sarah in one of the services that He had healed Lauren. When we got back from Nigeria and took Lauren to the cardiologist, he wrote on her chart that she had a NORMAL heart and needed NO medication. When God heals he heals completely!! Therefore, we stood on that word and thanked God for Lauren's healing and rebuked the devil for trying to put fear in our hearts. Just because the devil has been defeated in our lives does not mean that he will not try to attack us again in the same area by using fear and doubt to make us question our victory. David defeated the Philistines one year as recorded in 1 Chronicles 14 in the valley of Rephaim, but that did not stop them from coming back to the same place and fighting with him the next year and again being defeated. After Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness, the scriptures tell us that "he departed from him for a season." We have "seasons" in our lives of victories and trials. We must remember, therefore, the victories that God has wrought as we go through our trials.
 

Family

When Sarah called me in Nigeria, I had just returned with the team from a clinic in the bush. As I said, my response was and is that God had healed her, yet I knew that Sarah was concerned as would any mother be especially with me 6000 miles away. After I hung up the phone, I went out and shared the news with the team as they were waiting for our regular debriefing session. They immediately prayed with me for Lauren and Sarah and then we made plans for the next day and they all left for their homes in the city. Around 6pm, I heard a knock on the door and opened to find several members of the team standing there soon to be joined by the rest of the team. Rev. Sunday had spoken to them about coming back for a prayer session over Lauren. So after going home and freshening up they all returned to pray. What a comfort it was to Sarah and I when I informed her of this to know that we had brothers and sisters who loved and cared for us and were willing to sacrifice their family time and rest to share in our hour of need. Throughout the remaining time of my stay in Nigeria, the team kept in close contact with me waiting for the latest news and they too, rejoiced with us over the good report as if it was concerning one of their own. Jesus said that if we forsake all for His sake we will receive "an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life."
 

Faithful Warriors

We thank God for all of His precious prayer warriors that hold us up in prayer not just on this occasion but on a regular basis. It is because of your steadfast support that we are able to go as we have been commissioned. And, it is because of your faithfulness that all of the expenses from the February outreach have been met. Thank You!
 

Change of Plans

We feel that we are not to try and go this summer to buy the van but rather wait until we normally make our trip in the fall. Therefore, I am making plans to accomplish this task in October/November and then we will go as a family in February for our regular outreach.
 

Your Servants In Christ,
Larry - Sarah
 

Sign of the Times
Don't wait for six strong men
To carry you to church.