Inspirational Story of the Month - January 2008

I'll never forget the day my sister called from Florida and said, "Mom has breast cancer and will be operated on immediately. She needs a radical mastectomy. The doctor wasn't optimistic and said she would probably need a blood transfusion because it was a very bloody operation." I felt helpless being so far away in RI. I had four small children and it was impossible to be there with my mother when she was operated on. I cried when my sister told me the news. My sister said "tears we don't need, prayers, we do."

I hung up the phone and immediately went to my room to pray. I got on my knees and prayed with my whole heart and soul. I asked God for a sign that my mother's surgery would be successful. Just as the ripples expand in water when you throw a rock in a pond, ripples flowed through my body from head to toe and an unbelievable sense of peace came over me. I got up off my knees and announced to my husband "mom is going to be fine." The feeling of peace never left me.

I received a call from my sister the next day telling me the surgery was a success. The doctor had tears in his eyes and told my sister,"I've done hundreds of surgeries like this and this is the first one that didn't need a blood transfusion. When I sewed up the surgical site, the stitches came out in the form of a cross."

~ Deanna Wright

Inspirational Testimony - January 2008

My twenty year marriage ended at the end of the summer. My whole life was turned upside down. Fear ruled my life, especially when I thought about the future and where I was going to live. I didn't know where to begin. I asked a friend at work if she knew of an apartment to rent. "Yes, I have a friend who has an apartment in her basement that's very nice. I'll call her and see if it's still available."

I agonized waiting for an answer, doubtful it would still be available. I prayed and asked God for help.My heart skipped a beat when my friend told me the apartment was still available. We went that night and I fell in love with it - it was perfect. Not only was the apartment affordable and just what I needed, the owner Phyliss was a peach.

Phyliss invited me to come with her to her church. I went because I was still in so much emotional pain, even though I'd been away from church for several years. While at church, Pat introduced herself to me and told me about her book, "Simply a Woman of Faith". I bought the book and read it that afternoon. I couldn't put it down. Page after page God spoke to my heart through Pat's words of encouragement and inspiration.

The book brought me back to my faith and refocused my energies.I had forgotten that prayer and faith always helped me get through things in the past. It is such a wonderful feeling to be smiling from the inside out. Thank you Pat for your wonderful book. It saved my life.

PS. I now attend church every week. God knows what we need and is always there to comfort and heal. We just need to ask and then watch the miracles.

~ Carol Axtell