Mark 11: 24

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

On April 1, 2012 (yep, April Fool’s Day–some trick that was) I developed Bell’s palsy on the left side of my face–and there went my smile.  always considered my smile my best feature. But the doctors assured me that almost all cases of Bell’s palsy heal to some extent. But my case turned out to be a lot different than most cases. They discovered bilateral brain tumors after an MRI and so in August of that year I had my first Gamma Knife treatment on my right side. It affected the facial nerves and so then I didn’t even have half of a smile.

It took months before the Bell’s palsy finally started to improve.

But still no smile.

Then I had my second Gamma Knife treatment on my left side. And definitely no smile. Eventually, it improved to the point that I looked normal when I wasn’t trying to smile. My smile looked more like a grimace and I decided that it was too scary for kids so I stopped smiling. But I didn’t stop praying!

Mark 11: 24 gives us an amazing promise.

Did you notice the order? Ask, then believe, then receive. It doesn’t say ask and receive and then believe. It’s all about faith! We activate our faith by continuing to believe God’s promises even when we can’t see it in the natural. I would add another step in there. After asking and believing, start thanking God before you receive. 1 Thessalonians 5: 18 tells us to give thanks in all circumstances. I believe that includes when we are waiting for an answer to our prayers.

When we are thankful even before we receive what we’ve prayed for we are showing God that we have faith in him and his promises. And that pleases God. It’s easy enough to have faith at the beginning but what about after the first year and the second….and into the sixth year. So this week I looked into the mirror and went through my routine of checking my grimace and guess what?

I saw a smile! My miracle smile.

It may not be much of a smile but it is a smile! And I’m not going to let the opportunity to glorify God and his faithfulness pass without sharing my progress and my smile!

GOD STILL HEALS!