Article February 25, 2002 Issue

God's help in a time of severe illness

Cheryl Ranson

One evening in the fall of 1994, I was suddenly incapacitated with chest pains. I was unable to move or breath normally. My husband, John, helped me get to bed and get quiet. I was trembling and scared.

I knew I needed to be calm so I could turn wholeheartedly to God. Relying on God for healing was natural to me, because doing so had always brought good results. I wanted to turn to Him as a child turns to a parent—because that's where comfort is. And I expected His help.

But my physical condition was desperate. I felt sure that God could heal me, but I was concerned that I wouldn't have enough trust to rely on Him for healing.