For nearly two decades, I had been prayed for numerous times by numerous people to be healed, and had been given many scriptures to stand on, and nothing happened. I knew I was healed by the finished work of Christ, but my body was not manifesting that physical healing. I knew my part was to receive the healing He has for me, because He is a good Father, that wants good things for His children! My heart was always open to receive, but healing still never came.
In the summer of 2016, I took a journey of falling deeply in love with Jesus. Seeing Him as truly my husband more each day, and how communing with Him is really where true satisfaction and life abides. During this time I had a dear friend, Helen Bacon (now Helen Sailsbury), pray for me, and tell me that The Lord has invited me in to a time of communion with Him daily. She encouraged me to take actual communion for 30 days straight for the healing of my mastocytosis. I did that and although I saw nothing change in my physical body, I was being transformed on the inside.
Between the time when the grape tried to kill me, and now I had several mild episodes that required me taking a handful of medications to stop a reaction. My son, Waylon, coworkers, and close friends had all been trained on what to do if an episode would occur. Waylon practiced so much training with the EpiPen, that I had huge bruises on my thighs. I definitely wanted him to know how to set off the “auto-injection” feature if the need arises. I never went anywhere without my huge red medical bag, some water to drink, and someone knowing where I was. I hated feeling so restricted in life. Even going for a run required an EpiPen on my person, which I found and I love the FlipBelt, that helps me stay equipped with one at all times.
One of the scriptures the Lord gave me multiple times for me, and a couple other friends that are waiting on healing as well, was Luke 13:12-13, “But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.” He kept telling me, “Gretchen Rachelle, I see you!” What an impact that made on my view of Jesus. That He cares enough about me to “see me”!
On July 16, 2017 during our worship service, at the end of the song “Rooftops”, which is one of my very favorite songs to worship with; I felt like the Lord asked me to have a friend of mine named Jim Wilson pray for me concerning mastocytosis. Jim and his wife, Sharon, attend another church, but pop in from time to time to visit. I kept telling Holy Spirit that Jim does not attend here. Holy Spirit would continue to tell me, “You need to have Jim Wilson pray for you.” I even went so far as to ask Holy Spirit, if I was to load up and drive to Jim’s church. He kept repeating the same statement. Finally I stopped arguing and turned around to pan the crowd and found him. They were sitting on the back row, which was very convenient for him to pray for me. The Holy Spirit was extremely powerful and present with tremendous healing through the rhema word He had for me.
Sharon shared with me that The Lord told her this morning that they had an assignment at Grace Church and that they needed to be there. I was their assignment the Holy Spirit had them on!! I didn’t feel anything different, but when I got home that afternoon, I had a different peace resting on me. I had such an overwhelming shalom peace that I was to quit my medications. Never before in the times I had been prayed for, did I sense this directive.
I never had another symptom, and now a little over a year later, symptoms that I had struggled with daily have been nonexistent since that moment. I was taking TWELVE H1 and H2 blockers (different antihistamines) and drinking 1600 ml of solution daily, and now I take only Zyrtec and Vitamin D! I was on a special diet, limiting the intake of foods producing FODMAPS, and now I am eating and drinking anything and everything! I can now have FODMAPS producing food like: watermelon, pistachios, apples, sweet potatoes, soda, candy, and so much more!! I still carry my EpiPen, as I know I'm still allergic to coconut and cream soda; but wow, it's crazy amazing!!
I don't know why my healing came after a more than 17 year long battle with this mast cell disease, and two near death experiences, but I am grateful!! My mast cell disease specialist retired that spring, so I was thankful that The Healer took care of that little detail for me, so I wouldn’t have to go out of state to be treated!!!
I want to encourage everyone that Jesus can heal you!! Whether it is physical healing, a broken heart, addiction, relationships...He is the one!!! I am now praying for my scoliosis and TMJ to be healed! Jesus is building pillars of faith in me that are so strong and so tall concerning healing! I pray that you have a pillar of faith built in you through this story of a miracle! In August of 2017, in my prayer time, I saw many physical healings to come at Grace Church! I am thankful that I have been the recipient of that more than once. #NoMoreMastocytosis
Written by Gretchen Cannon