Finding God's Presence ~ Miracles Still Happen

by Nan Jones   @NanJonesAuthor

Guest Blogger, Joyce Thrasher   @gpchurchlady

 

My guest today is a new friend, Joyce Thrasher. We met on Twitter a few months ago and let me tell you, this woman is a bundle of dynamite for the Kingdom of God! She knows what she believes and she knows the One in whom she has believed. If you have ever imagined a little crazy woman (said with great love and admiration) running around the community with a megaphone praising God, that might be Joyce. She is a delight. I'm excited for you to read this incredible testimony of her son's healing. Joyce and I pray that the words of her heart will touch you and draw you closer to the One who pursues you with His love.

Welcome Joyce! 

How many times have you been excited about a miracle that occurred in your life and had someone “deflate your joy?” This has happened to me before, and it is so wrong. When miracles occur for others, instead of being negative, we should rejoice that God is working! 

 

When my son Zach was 2 years old, he was diagnosed with a genetic blood disorder. The hematologist said, “This diagnosis is for a lifetime.  There’s absolutely no cure.”

Sixteen years later Zach wanted to join the National Guard. However, since he had the blood disorder, we knew he wouldn’t/couldn’t pass the physical. Yet, something inside me (God’s nudge) said, “Take Zach to the hematologist and have him re-checked. I called the doctor’s office for an appointment. A nurse rudely told me over the phone, “There’s no way Zach can be cured of this blood disorder. It’s just not possible.” 

 

I boldly told the nurse, “I serve a God who makes all things possible. If He chooses, He can cure Zach.” A few days later as Zach and I sat in the doctor’s office waiting for tests to be performed, we held hands and prayed for a healing.

Two weeks later the hematologist called and asked me to return to his office. When I arrived back, he told me, “I don’t understand, but Zach doesn’t have the blood disorder any more.”

I replied, “It’s a miracle! God healed Zach!”

The doctor just sat there, shaking his head in disbelief, “This has never happened before.” 

I told him, just as I had told the nurse, “All things are possible with God!” I was excited to give God the glory, and couldn’t wait to tell everyone I met! 

The next morning I shared Zach’s miracle with the women in my Bible study class, women who professed to be “deep and spiritual,” but who really didn’t seem excited about anything except the current gossip. One woman said to me in a rather sarcastic way, “Why do things like this happen to you and your family and never to me or my family?” 

  

I was a bit put off with her question, wondering if she wanted me to answer that or if she was mad at God.  Maybe she didn’t believe in miracles; maybe she just didn’t like me.

But I felt sorry for her; I looked into her eyes and all I could see was sadness. I thought telling the Bible study women about Zach’s healing might help them make some spiritual movement in their hearts and faces, but they all still had the pursed lips and the deflated, sad look in their eyes.

Unfortunately, there will always be people who question what God is doing. When I encounter such people, I think about Jesus. He performed numerous miracles (forty are recorded in the Gospels) and still people grumbled and complained and didn’t understand. Jesus could have let those negative comments hold Him back, but instead, He rose above the fuss and fray and kept moving forward with His mission on earth, doing the work of His Father! 

I want to be a woman who people look at and say, “Joyce is so joyful! What’s different about her? I want what she has.” Then I can share with them that Jesus died and was resurrected and if we believe, we will live with Him forever in heaven.

  

If we can’t be joyful knowing this Good News, we may want to check our pulse. Like the women in the Bible study class, we may be spiritually deflated. 

And yes, that is sad. 

"But Jesus said to them, 

'With men this is impossible, 

but with God all things are possible.'" 

~ Matthew 19:26 

A Tweetable to Encourage Others

Where is God when I need a miracle? Guest Joyce Thrasher @gpchurchlady shares via @NanJonesAuthor (Click to Tweet)

*******************************************************

Meet Joyce: 

Joyce Brown Thrasher published her first book in May 2015: Crazy Pastor’s Wife: Wit and Wisdom from Saints and Scoundrels.  Her book is an anthology of true stories based on her experiences as a mother, Army chaplain’s wife and pastor’s wife. Joyce has also been published on, ChristianPost.com, Ambassadors for Christ Radio, Christian Living Today 

Magazine, and ChristianWomenBloggers.com.  She has also been the featured guest two times on Disciplining Women webcast, and has been interviewed on the radio station “Radio for Christ”.

Joyce is a gifted speaker and has been invited as the keynote speaker at various women’s events of all sizes. In October she will be speaking at a Pro-Life fundraiser; “100 Women Stand Up for Life.”  Joyce also teamed with her husband to speak at a weekend marriage conference and occasionally joins him to lead three Sunday morning worship services.  

To learn more about Joyce and her ministry, please visit her website:  

www.crazypastorwife.com  

Joyce's book, Crazy Pastor's Wife: Wit and Wisdom from Saints and Scoundrels is available on Amazon

~#~