The Power of Prayer

​Several months ago, I shared some health struggles I was going through, due to inflammation of my thyroid gland. Even though I wasn’t sure how everything was going to turn out, I sensed I was supposed to share this part of my story with others.
 
You can read what I shared here.
 
After I posted that blog, many people let me know that they would be praying for me. I felt loved and supported.  
 
A few weeks later, I was given the opportunity to share at a women’s gathering at my church. I talked about how even though we can’t see God, we can trust that He is working behind the scenes on our behalf. I then mentioned that I was trusting God to help me navigate through my health struggles.
 
After I spoke, one of the leaders asked if all of the women in the room could pray over me. As an introvert, it’s uncomfortable being the center of attention, but I accepted the offer and allowed the women to pray for me. I didn’t feel any different leaving church that night, but I was grateful for everyone’s prayers.    
 
Since June, I’ve had my bloodwork monitored on a regular basis, and I’ve had several appointments with my endocrinologist. By the end of September, my thyroid bloodwork was within the normal range, and I no longer had hyperthyroidism. As each month went by, I started feeling a little better.
 
At the beginning of December, I went in for a repeat thyroid ultrasound. This was an important scan, as if my thyroid nodules increased in size from last time, I would need surgery.
 
Normally during these scans, the ultrasound technician doesn’t say very much. However, once the scan started, the ultrasound technician immediately said, “Wow – Look at that difference!” I said, “Is that a good, Wow, or a bad, Wow?” Then she said, “Wait a minute.” After a few seconds she said, “It’s a good, Wow! I thought I had the wrong patient file pulled up because this scan is so drastically different from your previous scan.”
 
During the rest of the scan, she seemed in disbelief. She said my thyroid looks completely healed.
 
I asked her, “What about the 2 nodules on the left-hand side of my thyroid?” She said, “They’re not there. You don’t have any nodules on the left-hand side.”
 
At this point, I was also shocked. The ultrasound technician told me in her 20 years of doing scans, she’s never seen a thyroid change so much from one scan to the next scan.
 
I then sensed I was supposed to tell her that people have been praying for me. She responded, “You need to let me know who’s in your prayer circle.”
 
I walked into that ultrasound appointment knowing there was a possibility that I would need surgery. I walked out of that appointment knowing that God had healed me.
 
The next day I received the official ultrasound report, which had the exact measurements of my thyroid (the inflammation from earlier was completely gone), and it stated that I had a normal thyroid with no nodules present on the left side.  
 
In the past, I have prayed for loved ones to be healed, and that healing didn’t come here on Earth. God doesn’t always answer our prayers the way we want Him to, but He does promise to be with us and to strengthen, help, and uphold us (Isaiah 41:10).
 
This time, God, in his kindness, chose to heal me. I don’t know why, but I’m so grateful.
 
What I do know is that I now have another story to tell of His goodness.
 
God used this experience to remind me that prayers are powerful.
 
For those of you who have prayed for me – thank you!
 
God heard those prayers, and He healed me.
 
If you’re going through a challenging situation, I’d encourage you to let someone know. Let others support you, encourage you, and pray for you.
 
And if your prayers seem to be unanswered...keep praying. Trust that God is working behind the scenes. Remember that He loves you. Know that nothing is impossible for Him.