In moments of crisis, the strength of the human spirit often shines brightest. This sentiment rings true in the harrowing tale of Melissa Jones, whose life was forever altered by a sudden medical emergency. Supported by her loving husband, Jerris, and her devoted family, Melissa's journey from the brink of death to a miraculous recovery is a testament to resilience, faith in Jesus Christ, and the power of prayer.

The evening started like any other for the Jones family. Jerris, Melissa, and their two young daughters were enjoying a night out for dinner when tragedy struck. Melissa, suddenly gripped by an unseen force, began to shake uncontrollably and lost consciousness. In a panic, Jerris sprang into action, calling for help as he cradled his wife in his arms.

As Melissa was rushed to the hospital, Jerris and their daughters trailed behind, their hearts heavy with fear and uncertainty. Upon arrival, they were joined by Jerris's mother, Pat, and other family members; all united in their desperate prayers for Melissa's recovery, including a call to The 700 Club. Their vigil in the hospital waiting room was a testament to their unwavering faith in the power of prayer.

The news from the doctor was dire – Melissa had suffered an aneurysm, and her condition was critical. The medical team acted swiftly, but time was of the essence. Despite their efforts, Melissa's flight to a specialized hospital was delayed, prolonging the agonizing wait for treatment.

When Melissa finally reached the operating room, the extent of her suffering was palpable. The pressure in her brain caused excruciating pain, and Jerris could only watch helplessly as his wife cried out for relief. The road ahead was fraught with uncertainty, as Melissa faced multiple surgeries and an uncertain prognosis.

Yet, through it all, Melissa remained steadfast in her faith in Jesus Christ and her determination to overcome the odds. Supported by the prayers of her loved ones and the skill of her medical team, she defied expectations and embarked on the arduous journey of recovery.

The road to recovery was long and arduous, marked by moments of triumph and setbacks. Melissa's body bore the scars of her ordeal, but her spirit remained unbroken. With each passing day, she grew stronger, her faith in Jesus Christ guiding her through the darkest moments.

As Melissa reflects on her journey, she is filled with gratitude for the unwavering support of her family and the countless prayers offered on her behalf. Her story is a testament to the enduring power of prayer. And as she looks to the future, she does so with renewed hope and a deep sense of purpose, knowing that she has overcome the greatest challenge of her life with courage, grace, and the unwavering presence of Jesus Christ. 

Rockville, VA

Mike and Martha Bryan have always enjoyed helping people. Both grew up in the church where they learned about tithing yet for most of their lives, it was more of an obligation than a joy.

Mike recalls, “I was giving because I felt that you were supposed to do this. It wasn't really very heartful. And there was quite a number of years there where I was fearful to really give as much as, you know, I knew inside myself that I should.” When they got married the couple had a change of heart about giving.

They wanted more of their money to help people in need, so they started giving to CBN’s Operation Blessing. Mike says, “We wanted our money to be going out into the world and helping people that really need help.

Of course, we would like to be out in the field ourselves, but our money sent to Operation Blessing accomplishes much more than we ever could.” Martha agrees, “It is a great feeling to know that we have had an impact.

Even though we're physically not able to be there, we certainly know that that we've given resources to help those out there.”

Mike and Martha are self-employed home inspectors and Martha also does their accounting books. She’s seen firsthand how God has provided for their business over the years.

She says, “It hadn't been easy for me sometimes. When I look out a week and see it a little lean, I start thinking, ‘Should we give this much?’ However, just as soon as I look at that lean calendar, God opens the doors and the phone starts ringing off the wall.”

Their business has grown since their change of heart and the couple has increased their giving along the way.

Martha says, “Since we have started giving more to CBN we've seen so many blessings. Business has grown probably at least 150%.”

And Mike thinks, “It seems like the more we give, the more we've been blessed.”

They also love making CBN a part of their daily lives. Martha likes to start her day with devotions on CBN’s Family app.

She says, “It's very calming and it sets the tone for the day.” While Mike says, “I like being able to turn on The 700 Club and get Pat Robertson's and a Christian view of what's going on in the world and the nation and know that I can trust what I'm hearing.”

Mike and Martha say that trust has been key. As they have been faithful and made giving their top priority, they have seen God move on their behalf, even through turbulent times, like the pandemic.

Martha says, “There's some home inspectors out there that are struggling. We haven't skipped a beat. COVID did not impact our business. It's probably increased. It's God.”

They encourage others to take that step of faith to start giving from the heart and see how God will use it.

Martha encourages people, “Give, give something. And just see what God will do with that one gift.”

Mike says, “I fell in that category of being reluctant and really not trusting in God for probably two-thirds of my life. Life changed when I started giving. I would say, you know, take the step, you just got to take the leap and you won't regret it.”  

FINDING STRENGTH

Lindsay has seen how the world assigns value and worth to females or even devalues them. She says, “It is important for women to understand their true worth and value in Christ. By doing so, it will impact your decisions and how you live your life.” When you look at strong women in the Bible and throughout history you can see how they act, respond, listen, and speak. “In my many years of ministry, I have found that women with inner strength, the kind that only knowing God can bring, react differently than women who don’t operate from that same kind of strength.”

For example, women with true strength are different in the way they give, how they interact with their families, and how they respond to unexpected circumstances. She shares three verses to encourage you in your journey towards discovering great strength in Him:
1.    “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” (Ephesians 6:10) – In other words, you can be strong in the Lord not just in your own power. You must recognize that He is Lord, He has the power. Lindsay says, “I have to remind myself that the pressure’s off; I don’t have to have mighty power. I just have to connect to the One who does, and you can connect to that power too.”
2.    “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13) “Once we realize that, by faith, we can connect to the One who is all-powerful, almighty, all strength, we can put that strength to good use and believe we can do everything God has called us to do,” shares Lindsay.
3.    “The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10) – Lindsay reveals, “When we can connect with the strength that God makes available to us, we are able to do what we’re called to do, and we can live in a continuous state of joy.” Circumstances in life can change, but how we approach each situation with happiness puts us in a position of strength.

STRENGTH STEALERS

Lindsay defines strength stealers as “situations, experiences, or relationships that cause you to feel like something has taken a vacuum cleaner to your courage, your fight, or your passion and sucked the strength out of you.” Be careful of these situations because they can leave you depleted. Some possible strength stealers in your life could be a devastating loss, a daunting task, an unwanted divorce, or unexpected financial pressure. 

For Lindsay, a significant strength stealer she had to work through was the possibility of not having children when doctors were certain she wouldn’t. For years, she suffered miscarriages, endured surgeries, and lost her newborn son hours after his birth. Instead of allowing these circumstances to weaken her, she relied on God and supportive family and friends. As a result, her faith grew stronger as she continued to trust God for children. Eventually, she had three daughters. “I believe we are living in a day when, as women of God, our strength is needed more than ever. I also believe that with God, we can be stronger than we already are.”

A few years ago, she experienced another strength stealer when she was told she had thyroid cancer. Soon after her diagnosis her husband Richard bought her a little yellow rubber duck. He reminded Lindsay, “You are not a sitting duck. You are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Now, Lindsay, expect a miracle.” Today Lindsay is cancer free. She is healthy and thankful for the miracle working power of God. P. 84

STRENGTH BUILDERS    

As a woman of God your strength is needed more than ever. Godly strength as Lindsay defines it is, “Trusting God for the ability to stand firm and confident in the face of life’s difficulties and being able to remain peaceful and composed when life’s storms come our way.” Some strength builders she shares include:
•    Know when to say yes, no, or nothing at all. When Lindsay married Richard, she had to learn when to say yes and when to say no. “God doesn’t always direct women to say yes to every opportunity, every situation, and everyone. Sometimes answering no is the best quality decision we can make. Strong godly women learn that it’s okay to say no and learn when to say it.”
•    Choose to forgive. Forgiveness is an act of obedience to God. It sets you free from the situation and allows you to heal instead of continuing to rehearse it in your mind and becoming bitter.    
•    Become a good listener. Strong women listen with their ears and their hearts. When someone is speaking, give them your undivided attention, provide practical feedback, defer judgement, and respond appropriately and respectfully.

Ask God to reveal to you areas of personal strength. “My hope is that you will begin to identify spiritual strengths, physical strengths, emotional strengths, financial strengths, and even relational strengths and see how those strengths can become assets to help you succeed at home, at work, or anywhere else.” Here are some words that she wants you to consider as possible strengths that you may have never thought of: persistent, motivated, diligent, and strong under pressure.

STRONG WOMEN PRAY

When Lindsay was pregnant with her daughter Jordan, she had a great pregnancy yet became fearful as her due date was approaching. She called on Richard to pray for her. However, as he began to pray, he felt something was wrong. The Holy Spirit began showing him that Lindsay needed to pray for herself and take authority over the fear that was robbing her of peace. She went into her bedroom and prayed by herself. Within minutes, she felt peace and the fear subsided. 

As you pray, Lindsay suggests three effective methods to help you gain victory in whatever circumstances you are facing: (1) Pray by yourself and pray the Word; (2) Find a prayer partner, someone you can trust; and (3) Join with other seasoned prayer warriors in corporate prayer.

ABOUT LINDSAY

Lindsay Roberts is a minister, writer, editor, sought-after speaker, wife, mother, and lifelong student of the Bible. She hosts the inspirational women’s television program Make Your Day Count. Lindsay cohosts, with her husband, Richard, The Place for Miracles, a half-hour interactive broadcast that reaches millions of viewers worldwide. She is editor and publisher for ministry publications and is the author of numerous books.
She helped her father-in-law, Oral Roberts, by editing several of his books. Before his death in 2009, Oral told Lindsay that God had given him a vision that she was to help women discover who they are in Christ. Lindsay has shared that message since. 

To purchase your copy of Lindsay Robert's book, "Discover Your True Strength," please visit: www.OralRoberts.com; Find out more about Lindsay Roberts at www.GoVictory.com/ministry/lindsay-roberts.
 

“The doctors gave me the bleak outlook,” Patti Nichols said. “I could not believe it. ‘Oh, God, what do I do now? He's my best friend.’ The worst thing that I could imagine would be losing him.”

On March 8, 2015, Doug and Patti were vacationing in Florida. Having walked the beach earlier, they sat down for lunch, and that’s when Patti noticed there was something terribly wrong with her husband.

“I looked over at him and I thought, ‘Oh, gosh, he's having a stroke,’” Patti said. “His face was not quite right and when he was talking to me it was all gibberish. I said, ‘We need to go to the doctor now.’”

Patti drove Doug to the ER. Hours later, doctors told Patti that he had indeed experienced a mini stroke and that they would monitor him overnight. She returned to their condo to get some rest, only to receive a call letting her know that Doug was moved to another hospital and that he had suffered a massive stroke in the ambulance.  

“I met the doctor there and he said, ‘Come with me.’ So, we went to the little room and he showed me the scan of his brain,” Patti said. ‘As you can see, he lost two thirds of the right side of his brain, which affected his left side of the body. We don't know if he's going to make it through the night.’ It was scary. Then, I was talking to God and I was just saying, ‘You know what? It is in your hands.”

Patti picked up her phone and called everyone she could think of asking them to pray for Doug. Then something happened that night.

“As I was laying there, I was worried about not being able to go to sleep and what was going to happen next,” Doug said. “I felt that there was like a presence in the room that I couldn't explain. In hindsight, I guess that could have been all the intercessory prayers that were happening at that time. Its origin was somewhere from God, that's all I know. It calmed me and eventually I fell asleep for a while. The next morning my wife did come in the room. The first thing that I said to her was, ‘Remember, you promised to God, in sickness or in health, till death do we part.’”

“Seeing Doug there after his stroke in the ICU with that big smile on his face, it just, I knew things were okay,” Patti said. “I just knew it. I knew God had us and we were going to be fine.”

Doug had an atrial fibrillation, the cause of his strokes, that doctors were trying to bring under control with medication. He also still lacked motor function on the left side of his body. But prayers continued to pour in, and by day eight, Doug’s Afib was under control and he began walking.

“Incredible,” Doug said. “I couldn't believe that I was back on my feet. ‘God is at work, look at what God has done.’ That's when the real impact of the intercessory prayers was starting to hit me. ‘Here it is, living proof, right? I can walk again.’”

Doug was in rehab for four months, regaining ninety-five percent of his motor functions. A surgery was performed to correct his Afib and he soon began driving and working again. Then, nearly one year to the day, Doug and Patti returned to Florida to finish their vacation.

“I was going to get my run on the beach, which I had been cheated out of the first trip,” Doug said. “It was the most emotional run that you could ever imagine. I was literally running and crying, praising God. I decided I was going to collect some shells to remember the run by. Little did I know that on Christmas I would receive a shadow box from my daughter with the shells. It also had the verse of Isaiah 40:31: ‘They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up on wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary, walk and not faint.’ And that shadow box has become my memorial stone.”

Doug now acts as a peer mentor, counseling and encouraging others who have suffered strokes. He and Patti give all the credit to God for his survival and miraculous recovery.

“I'm very grateful to God after everything we went through,” Patti said. “I thank Him all the time for giving us more time together. It's very satisfying and it's very peaceful knowing that He has always had our backs and that he is in our life permanently.”

“Still brings me to tears,” Doug said. “Everybody gathered and were praying, it was an unbelievable effort to save me and heal me. It's all God, it's not me, and it's all for His glory. Prayer is powerful, and I am a living testimonial to the healing power of God."