"Ask Daniel to Pray for the Fire"

About 4-5 years ago, my son Daniel and I were planning on spending a weekend together at home . . . the girls were going out of town.  Our plans were modest; one of the most anticipated events was cooking up some hobo pies (sandwiches made in cast-iron skillets) over a backyard campfire, and watching late night movies under 'blanket tents' in the family room.  So, all week we were looking forward to hanging out, and I saw the anticipation building in his eyes as the weekend approached.  Simple plans, safe expectations, quality time.  

On Saturday night, we went back to our fire pit and starting gathering wood and kindling.  I'm a bit of a pyromaniac at heart, so with bonfire in my eyes, we crafted a beautifully ventilated tee-pee structure that would cook up those hobo pies in no time flat.  We stepped back to survey our work, and satisfied that this was the stuff of legend, I struck a match and dropped it in the center of our pile.  The first raindrop fell.  I looked up, not realizing the storm clouds that had gathered overhead.  The drizzle began before I had a chance to get the thing started.  It may sound childish, but inside me I began to feel a wild disappointment starting to swell.  After a few minutes of failed attempts, I was planning alternatives to salvage the evening and share it in a way that sounded equally exciting.  At that moment, I had the distinct impression to ask Daniel to pray for the fire.  Doctrine took over, and I dismissed it as wishful thinking . . . but the thought sharpened and poked me again instead of floating away.  Again, I resisted as the drizzle turn into a steady rain.  As I got up to leave, the words burst from my lips somehow - a request for him to pray for the fire.  He gave me a confused look, glanced up at the sky then down at the fire, and back to me.  He bowed his head and prayed a simple prayer for God to let us have a fire for our hobo pies.

My heart raced as I opened my eyes and stared at the pit.

(Read the rest at WTNESS.ORG)



mO Thomas
Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, Michigan

Editor's note:  See this other submission by Mo Thomas.
"In his first encounter with any church, Michigan teen has back and legs healed"

After prayer, unexpected visions and healings

I  have been involved for some time with healing through the graces of the Holy Spirit, both receiving healing and being part of the instrument for healing. I can remember the first time, some 30 years ago, when I was part of a prayer team meeting at Duns Scotus in Southfield Michigan under the guidance of Fr. Duane Stenzel OFM. 

The holy place known as Duns Scotus in the 1980's.  Southfield, Michigan.

       

One day a young man came in asking for prayer, but wouldn’t share anything specific. As we closed our eyes and prayed over him, I clearly saw a picture in my head of a boy sitting at a kitchen table and an older man standing over him and they were yelling at each other. 

As a “rookie” with Healing prayer, I wasn’t sure what to do, but shared aloud what I saw. The young man burst into tears and said that the man was his father and that they had been in their kitchen just this morning and had a nasty argument. From then, the leader of the prayer team gently proceeded to lead the prayer into the specific situation. The sense of peace that came over the young man and his gratitude as he left the session re-confirmed for me how much God loves us and wants us to know and experience His peace ... and that He will use all available instruments to do that.

I didn’t think anything was unusual about my experience as there seemed to be many “signs and wonders” going on with all the prayer groups and Healing sessions at Duns Scotus. It was a bit of a “spiritual oasis” during the 80’s. I know of others that had similar experiences to mine. It truly was a great feeling to know you are being used by the Holy Spirit in some way.

 

(Read the rest at Wtness.org)

Gerry

Troy, Michigan

Salesman

In first encounter with any church, Michigan teen has back and legs healed

Two years ago, in the middle of the EACH initiative (editor’s note:  see www.EACHtoday.com for explanation), I attended an evangelism training session at a local congregation.  It was a rather small crowd, and included 2 college kids that I had never met before.  Turns out that one of them had not been to church before, and had been invited by his friend.  The message that evening was about Jesus healing

the blind man, a powerful story from the Gospels.  Immediately afterwards, this college kid who had never attended before came forward to receive Christ, saying something to this effect: “I want to know that Man.”  After the pastor prayed with him, the kid...

(Read the rest at Wtness.org)

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Mo Thomas

Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, Michigan

Prayers work even for the grouchy

Father Peter Fennessey of the Manresa Jesuit Retreat House in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan tells this funny story of an answered prayer… a migraine headache is instantly cured, with extra benefits. 

One day, former retreat house director James S. was unable to sleep for hours because of a migraine headache.  So he went down to the gathering room to watch some TV, no matter what was on.  He hoped that any noise and motion would distract him from the pain. Surprisingly, despite it being the middle of the night, another priest was already there, watching TV.  This guy was a grouchy old fella, and  Father James was a bit afraid of him, so he took a seat several feet away,...

(Read the rest at Wtness.org)

Scientist convinced God heard his prayers

-- Didn't find God through Scientific Evidence --

In 1999, I had just gone through a divorce, and knew I would not be able to take care of my son while working a night job.  I had worked in the inpatient psychiatry wing at Providence Hospital for 30 years.  So I quit the job in April and started to look full time for a job as a teacher.  I had interviewed in a number of parochial schools.  Shrine, St. Benedict, some others.  After two months without a bite, I panicked.  I applied for a summer camp teaching job at Roeper School for the Gifted in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan and got it.  Science teacher (my specialty).  At the end of the summer camp, on its last day, a friend asked me where I was working in the fall and I said, “Nowhere”.  It was unnerving to say so.

I called home and found a message on the answering machine from Eton Academy in Birmingham, and I called them back from Roeper’s campus.  Evidently they had remembered me from one of the gratis science presentations I had put on in my spare time for them... 


(Read the rest at Wtness.org)

Jim Kaczor, Birmingham, Michigan

Prayers worked - God is still alive and active today

I remember staying up all night one night with a friend reading the Bible and sharing our thoughts. Before we knew it, it was time for me to go to work. Before I left, my friend prayed for God to make me feel like I had the sleep of 10 men. I remember working that entire day with as much energy as I have ever had. God's power in today's world is a blessing.    

The Prayers of Father Solanus Casey Helped to Cure My Father and Father-In-Law

Although I never knew Father Solanus Casey personally, I feel like he has touched my life in two very special ways.  Both my father and my father-in-law (who sadly is no longer with us) had experienced the special blessings of our loving God at the hands of Father Solanus on two very remote occasions (my father and my father-in-law had never met and did not know each other).

   

Allow me to begin with my father’s story.  In 1928, as a child at the mere age of two, Ralph (my dad) had contracted a severe case of appendicitis.  So horrific was it that the appendix had burst in several places.  Gangrene had set in which in turn resulted in peritonitis (an inflammation of the peritoneum, the thin tissue that lines the inner wall of the abdomen and covers most of the abdominal organs).  Keep in mind this was 1928.  The medical field was not nearly as advanced as it is now.  So severe was his condition that two doctor’s would not so much as attempt to operate.  One doctor told my grandmother not to hold onto too much hope; the situation was grim.  The doctor told her that he could “clean him up” as best he could to try and relieve the pain, but dad’s outlook was bad.  Heart-broken, my grandmother met with Father Solanus on a couple of occasions to ask his for his prayers.  Father Solanus and my grandmother prayed and he gently and kindly assured her not to worry; all would be well... 

(Read the rest at Wtness.org)

Buddy Michaels

They kept praying even when things looked bad

Pedro said that at the time his son Victor was in his rebellious 20's, Pedro's wife and he were very worried about how he was acting and behaving.  He was hanging around people who would influence him badly. They didn't know what else to do, so they prayed... 


(Read the rest at Wtness.org)   

Holy Spirit woke her at 2am to ask her to pray, and...

This story told to me in person by Pedro Gutierrez (not his real name).  Pedro is married to Felicia, and they have a son named Victor.  A number of years ago, when Victor was in his early 20's, Victor was causing the parents concern about his rebelious behavior. He looked the part too: very long hair, drove a loud motorcycle, liked to wear a long black coat. He was dating a very attractive and well endowed woman at the time.
  
One night, Felicia was awakened at 2am by the impulse that she needed to pray for Victor right away.  She woke up Pedro and told him about the impulse to pray and Pedro agreed they should pray.  They prayed for 10 minutes intently. 

 
The next day, they contacted Victor, who told this story:  He and his girlfriend had been in a bar at around 2am, and some people were showing some angry, jealous behavior to them, and they decided to leave quickly.  As they drove away, the angry people followed them with a gun...


(Read the rest at Wtness.org)