I'm warning you now - this will be long.
[God bless you if you read it all]

As many of you know, I have had problems with my back since a car accident 4 years ago. I was pretty much rehabilitated until part-way through my intern year, when I did ESOAL and re-injured it. I saw many doctors, went in and out of the ER, went through bottles of medications....and was in so much pain that I had to go home for a month on medical leave. The last doctor I saw said that he was confident it was a spinal fracture - but we wouldn't know until I had a bone-scan ---- which I could never afford. So I opted to live on pills and begrudgingly avoid physical exertion - which was always hard since I grew up playing sports. Regardless-ever since then, it has been very rare for me to go even one day without any pain in my back or neck.

Until now.

I was healed 2 weeks ago.

Yes. Really.

Look, most of you know me well ... and know that I am not one to get too worked up over anything. My closest friends make fun of me because I’m not at all excitable. I've always been pretty level headed about things ... not too fanatical about anything and unfortunately have always been fairly cynical/skeptical about things. I wasn't raised thinking that Benny Hinn or any of those types were legit. I grew up laughing at them and making fun of them. Yes, I admit it.

But a few weeks ago, I got an email about this man who was coming to Tyler (about 30 minutes away) to speak at a prayer/worship session I go to, called ‘The Burn‘. Normally, I would think, 'That's great...I hope they enjoy it'. But this time - I felt like I was supposed to go. And so I took my RD group there for accountability that night. We got led down to the front of the room to sit 4 feet away from the speaker, Southern Baptist preacher, Bobby Conner.

This man was labeled a ‘prophet’, and so I sat there, and I journaled, 'Lord, I pray that you would remove any cynicism and any skepticism from my heart. Give me discernment, but also give me the heart and the mind of a child'.

This man, and what he had to say was so biblically correct. The things that he said … they were legit. I'm not going to lie and say that I wasn't surprised - because I was. At one point he said, 'Jesus said that we would do greater things than He did ... and so, let's pray for a healing to be released in this place. We are not healers - I am not a healer, Benny Hinn is not a healer, you are not a healer. There is one healer - and it's Jesus Christ - He just chooses to work through us'.

At that point, Holly Bailey hit my shoulder and said, 'You're going to be healed tonight'. I just smiled and thought, 'Oh boy'....

So I sat back for a while, and watched people as they walked out being the body of Christ. People all over the room were doing their own thing -praying for each other ... talking .... caring. So I sat.....and watched. My girls were like, 'Tara...go be prayed for!' but I didn't feel like I should...so I sat back. My neck and back were killing me .... but I didn't feel like it was time.

Eventually, I exited to use the restroom, and stretch ... on my way out I ran into an old friend whom I haven't seen in a year or so. She asked if she pray for me and I said, 'Sure'.
So she did.....and when she got done praying for me ... I had an immense amount of peace ... and my neck had COMPLETELY stopped hurting. Completely. So I sat in shock. I thanked her for praying for me .... and then went back into the room where everyone else was.

I looked at my girls and said, 'Hey...my neck doesn‘t hurt anymore. So..ah..ready to go?’ As I grabbed my bag, and turned to leave I was pulled aside by Blaise Foret, another staff member at Teen Mania - who's been there longer than I have. Ever since I was an intern, he's lead worship, prayer meetings, taught class, preached...etc. And so he asked me what was going on with me - why I'd been prayed for. So I told him everything I wrote up at the top of this note. He said, 'Okay...we're going to pray for you'. So he called Holly over, and Hannah Hervieux came as well ... and they began to pray.

Initially - I was uncomfortable because I felt like everyone was watching me. This may come as a surprise to some of you - but most times I really don't like being the center of attention. So...they prayed, and Blaise said,'How does your back feel?! Try to move and see if it hurts'. So, I moved around - I'm not going to lie - I felt silly. I tried to bend backwards - and said, 'Oooh...that still hurts'.

So the three of them prayed more ... and as they were praying ... the most bizarre thing happened. I felt pressure and heat in my lower back. I'm quite sure that anyone who watching me was probably wondering why I had such a confused and peculiar look on my face. Honestly I was thinking, 'WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON...' So they were done praying - and Blaise said, 'Tara...go outside and do something you haven't been able to do since you hurt your back!'

So I slowly walked outside...and I was thinking, 'What am I going to do...?'
Well, the thing that I haven’t been able to do since the accident is bend backwards without a sharp, shooting pain. Initially after the accident - it would be so excruciating I would fall down and sometimes cry.
So I tried it ....... and felt nothing. I almost did a full backbend with N O P A I N.

I'm sorry.
Did you read what I just wrote?

NO PAIN.

So I slowly walked back into the building....in shock...and kind of shyly walked along the wall back up front. I was trying to be discreet -- until one of my girls looked at me and she started yelling, 'YOU GOT HEALED, DIDN'T YOU!? YOU GOT HEALED!! TARA'S HEALED'! And I'm sure my face turned 9 shades of red...as I simply nodded in reply.

Yes, friends. My back and neck are healed. It's been two weeks and I haven't had pain.

Praise God.
Praise God.
Praise God.

It’s funny…because a while back, one of my girls mom’s sent me this scripture.
I’d read it before - and each time I thought….’if only…’

Malachi 4:2
2But unto you who revere and worshipfully fear My name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in His wings and His beams, and you shall go forth and gambol like calves [released] from the stall and leap for joy.

All I can say - is

PRAISE
THE
LORD
OH
MY
SOUL!


I wanted to share this - because:

A. I am no longer skeptical
and
B. Our testimonies spur others on to a deeper faith.

Revelation 12:11
11And they have overcome (conquered) him by means of the blood of the Lamb and by the utterance of their testimony, for they did not love and cling to life even when faced with death [holding their lives cheap till they had to die for their witnessing].



Be encouraged, my friends.

• I helped MC/run Campus Visit weekend this weekend, and I loved it
• I'm so exhausted that my eyes are all 'swolled up'
• 2 of my girls are leaving/have left the HA
• The above breaks my heart.....but.....it's ok [no, not a sunday school answer]
• I love my RD group....they are sooooo precious to me
• Even if one of my girls did shoot me in the abdomen yesterday [with a paintball gun-and  yes, I threatened her life]
• Does anyone read this? Seriously?
• My Jeep...is running well...but it guzzles gas like nobodies business
• Emma Schneider is wonderful
• I'm going to Tyler today to do a lot of necessary things [laptop, cell phone, glasses]
• I want French Press soooooooooo bad
• And now....I'm done with work [yes, on Sunday] and going to church to hear Winkie Pratne!

Yes...it really is 3:18 am and I am writing on Xanga.

I just got back from DFW airport ... had good conversation with an old friend.

My heart...is in such a place that I couldn't even explain it if I was asked.

Lisa Gungor was playing on the radio tonight, a song that says, 'I feel change coming...' I hit the NEXT button rather harshly and said, 'Be quiet, Lisa'!

Jeremy didn't think that was too nice of me.

- - -

So, the Lord keeps taking me back to 1st Samuel 15:22 ... 'obedience is better than sacrifice...'

Ok. I get it.

So many emotions....so, so many.....