Did I Not Go With You?

The statement "I could never tell all He's done" applies to me most definitely.

I would like to testify about some of the high points in my life where God was there.

At age 18, I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. Walking was painful and eventually became impossible. My Daddy had to move me at times because I could not move myself. One day I told him I needed water. He said, "I'll get it". I then told him I would not drink until I could get it myself. I then in my own feeble way said to God, "I reckon you can heal it", at which point the pain ended, my legs got stronger, I got up and walked.

Later in my life I was diagnosed with a severe ulcer. The ulcer was described as "the size of a teacup." God healed that too.

In Smyrna, Georgia, while I talked on a pay phone explaining that I could not pay a bill because we didn't even have enough money for groceries, a twenty-dollar bill suddenly appeared between my feet.

At age 46, my family and I were not going to Church or living for the Lord. On Sunday, July 21, 1996, at a stop sign near my home, God told me that if we didn't start doing what we needed to do, something drastic would happen in our home. At 12:00 AM, Thursday, July 25, 1996, the Forestdale paramedics pulled into my yard because I was in the process of having what was described as a major heart attack. I was reminded of the "stop sign" experience.  After the doctors removed one of the blockages through angioplasty, I had two major blockages remaining, one of which was 85% blocked and another at 50%-75% blocked. Friends and family from all over North Alabama and Tennessee prayed for my healing.

A year later, the doctors told me that the blockages had been reduced by half. All I could do is cry tears of joy and shout, "Thank you Jesus", for what He had done. God had told a Pastor who was sitting with my family during the surgery, "If Larry does what he knows he should do, he will not need any more surgery nor have any more problems with his heart." I do take care of myself as best I can. Now I have a normal EKG, normal cholesterol, and I work as hard as I want to work. I can even run up the stairs at work. God is good.

On May 19, 1999, our car caught fire in front of IHOP and literally melted into the pavement. We had no money to make a down payment and lots of other reasons we could not buy a car. However, we had to have a car. Our prayers were answered when a dealership worked out a deal where there was no down payment required with financing on an excellent vehicle.

In September 2000, I went on a trip with our Church choir to record a new tape. While my daughter and wife were in the recording session, I found the time to study the Bible. I was digging into and absorbing 2Chronicles 15 & 16, especially 16:8-9 in which Azariah enumerated some seer to the king and told him God had helped him, but then he made a pact with man. He had relied on the King of Syria and did not rely on the Lord; therefore the king escaped out of his hand. I could not understand why I was so obsessed with this message until I went for a routine physical. The doctor found a lump in my prostate. I was very scared. I called the Church to ask them to please pray. But, then on my way home from work that day, God revealed his message to me, "Did I not go with you through the arthritis, the ulcers, the heart attack, and the car ordeal; then I'll go through this prostate trouble with you, also." I said, "Okay God, it's yours." After that, things begin to happen. A teenager who I taught in fourth grade had prayed for me. He said, "Mr. B, you're healed." Shortly after these episodes, my doctor sent me to an urologist to do some testing. He asked me, "Larry, why are you here?" I told him about the problem, but he exclaimed that there was no sign of any problem. God is good.

Now a message to Satan: "You presented me with arthritis and an ulcer. God healed me. You thought you could beat me by stealing my finances. God provided. You presented me with heart trouble. God again healed me. You burned my car. God provided. And finally, you tried to destroy me with prostate trouble. However, God was there. God also provided me with employment that I needed with a Christ centered business so I now can be more involved with the Church and Choir. Now Satan, tell me that God does not perform miracles."