Testimony of Healing July 19, 1999 Issue

Burns healed

Nancy Earl Collins

One Monday night in August of 1998, I was spray painting next to our gas hot-water heater. I had never had gas appliances before and was ignorant of the implications of what I was doing. After a short time the flame ignited the fumes, and my face, arms, and feet were badly burned.

I immediately cried out for help and went into the next room, retrieved the fire extinguisher, and walked back to the fire. As I was carrying the extinguisher, I was turning it over in my hands, realizing that I had never used one before and feeling I didn't know how. I told God that this was up to Him, and He needed to show me. Without words, and having utter confidence in God, I knew what to do and put out the fire. Without thinking, I then went to the tub and began running cool water. We had company at the time—my mom, my brother-in-law, his wife, and their son. They came to my aid and found me sitting on the side of the tub, repeating "I am so thankful. I am so thankful." And was I ever! I had caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, and I looked a fright. My hair was singed; there was soot all over me. But I could walk; I could think; I could see. I felt I had everything in God's universe to be grateful for. I felt so loved and protected.

After a time, maybe an hour, I grew tired of being wet and cold. My mom and sister-in-law had, at my insistence, kept me covered with cool wet rags. I felt unable to cope with the pain, and this had brought temporary relief. I put on some dry clothes and found myself alone in the living room with Mom. She was praying, and I shared a favorite song with her that was always very inspiring to me. The day's mail was sitting on a chair, and I was moved to open what was obviously a wedding invitation from a dear friend. The joy of this, the joy of unselfish love, was enough to draw me out of focusing on myself—"my" body, "my" pain. This marked the end of the hard, persistent pain, although there were subsequent short periods of discomfort that were later healed.

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