It’s hard to be brief. I have to give a little medical history leading up to the importance of why this pregnancy is ALL GOD…

Praise God! I’m alive and have not one but two beautiful daughters! You see I was born with a heart and lung condition called Tetralogy of Fallot and pulmonary atresia, and back in 1980, the doctors told my mom I wouldn’t live past five. And yet, I did.

Then, when I got to adolescent and young adult age, I was told not to get pregnant because my chances of survival would be slim to none. I had already had four open-heart surgeries and minor catheter procedures. In fact, my condition is still considered not fully repaired.

At the age of 21, I developed a fungal infection in my right lung, but the doctors were scared to perform surgery due to the amount of scar tissue I had from my previous operations. They put me on medication, but that ended up giving me heart failure. It turns out that I lived with this for six months because the doctors were misdiagnosing me. I have two pulmonary stents and a heart that is not shaped or functioning like a “normal” heart. I have also been diagnosed with having pulmonary hypertension. So the doctors’ telling me not to get pregnant was a “wise” decision for them.

I ended up having to have emergency surgery to remove the fungal ball I had in my lungs. I was coughing up large amounts of blood, so they had to remove a portion of my right lung. So, by the age of 23, I had two bad lungs and a bad heart.

Now, here’s when the story gets good…

LOL! Since I knew the doctors were leery about me getting pregnant, I was trying be as safe as possible. But, one time, after being on birth control for only six days, I became very ill and was rushed to the hospital. I was told I had a pulmonary embolism and was lucky to be alive. So, we stopped using birth control and just believed God that what was supposed to be would be.

My husband and I had become members of Victory, but then moved to McDonough, GA and weren’t able to attend Victory for nine months. However, right before moving back, a “random” customer and I began talking. I don’t remember what made her ask whether or not I had children, but I said, “No, the doctors say I shouldn’t get pregnant.” Then she asked me, “Do you believe in prophecy?” When I said, “Yeah,” she started praying for me and telling me what the doctors were going to say but to remember what the Lord says.

A month later, we moved back and closer to Victory because we knew God had called us “for such a time as this.” Now, my heart’s desire was always to have a child from my womb. I would always pray to God, asking if I could get pregnant at least “one” time from my womb, and thinking of possibly adopting if we wanted more children…but to get pregnant at least “one” time. One day I was in my room conversing with God, saying, “Well, I want to have a child before 30, and if I can’t from me, we’ll just adopt first.” A week later, I found out I was pregnant (mind you, we’d been married for a year and a half and on no “birth control”).

At my first appointment, we found out we were having twins – pregnant “one” time but with “two”! Although I’m living in Atlanta now, I’m from Chicago. So I called my cardiologist back there, and he said I needed to get to a university or major hospital that could handle my condition ASAP. I got connected with Emory. Working with my cardiologist and pulmonologist at Emory began very challenging because initially they wanted me to terminate the pregnancy for fear of me dying, but they said they would work with me if I kept the pregnancy.

Early on in my pregnancy I was advised to go on medication for the pulmonary hypertension to help take some stress off my heart and lungs during the pregnancy. This would require minor surgery to place a catheter directly into my bloodstream. After the procedure, while they were getting ready to take me to recovery, I saw a vision. It was like a stadium packed out with people praying for me. Now, right before seeing that vision, the team asked me how I was doing, and I said fine, and since my vitals looked good, they were happy. After the vision, however, I started to feel like I was fading to black. When they asked me how I was doing, I said I felt like I was going out with a different tone. Someone there – I can’t remember if it was a doctor, nurse or who – said, “No, honey, your vitals look good; everything on the monitors look good.” Immediately, in my spirit, I felt it was an attack.

I would like to call that worker (doc/nurse/person/etc.) my angel. She grabbed me by the head and whispered in my ear, “Stop worrying; God’s got you. Stop worrying; you shall live and not die.” With eyes closed the whole time, I began to cry. I felt my prayer language coming on strong, and I said, “I don’t know if ya’ll believe in tongues, but I’m about to start praying in my prayer language.” As I started praying, I was getting a little worked up there on the table ,so they said don’t stop praising Him but calm down for your babies. By now, I could feel 4 people around me – the one lady on my left, someone on my right, someone at my head and someone at my feet. They kept encouraging me to praise God, and I was thanking Him for the people praying for me, asking him to cover the doctors, nurses, etc.

After the prayer session was over and they were wheeling me to recovery, I heard the one lady say, “You got me needing to go into the bathroom now.” She said it in a way that sounded like she just had to continue praising Him.

When in recovery, a couple of the team members came out and asked me if I was okay and said that they would be praying for me. By then, my eyes were open, and I could put a face to the voices I heard (that’s how I know I wasn’t dreaming), except that one initial lady, “my angel.” Later that day, Courtney told me that Montell [our friend] had posted on his Facebook for people to start praying for me. I went back to the vision. I believed God showed me that before the attack to let me know people were praying and that Satan’s weapons will not prosper.

While pregnant, Emory Hospital created this thing called “code Kelly” so that if I ever came into the emergency room or went into preterm labor, everyone would know who I was. People there began to call me an Emory celebrity because of all they were doing for me, especially behind the scenes. Not quite the way I wanted to become famous, but hey, to God be the glory.

A huge team from Emory University and Midtown was debriefed on me, and they decided to have me deliver at Emory’s main campus…which doesn’t have labor and delivery. I was the first “planned” delivery at Emory main campus in over twenty years. WOW! GO JESUS! At a little over 25 weeks, I delivered my babies at 1 lb 3oz and 1 lb 2oz, and now, one is at almost 10lb and the other almost 9lb!

I would like to mention one key thing: when I use to pray to God about wanting to be pregnant, I would often tell Him, “Whatever it takes, Lord, whatever it takes for me and the babies to live, I’ll do it; if it’s bed rest, etc…” Huh! When I was in the midst of it, I had to be reminded often when I would begin to complain that I was on “bed rest.” Or, when fear would hit, I would often have my friend Kristin pray me through it, and the Lord would remind me of the prophetic words spoken. My body has taking a hittin’, but it was all for the glory of God.

~ Joyia K.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid: Do not be discouraged, for God is with you wherever you go. – Joshua 1:9

If you’re a regular attender at Victory, we’d love to have you share your story about what God is doing/has done in or through your life at VWC. Click here to submit your story.

My story is really very simple. I have been a member of VWC for quite some time now and have always heard and believed in the power of prayer and healing. Back in February/March I had been suffering from a very painful sore throat. When I had to swallow, I would cringe because it felt like I was swallowing glass. I knew I had no medical insurance to see a doctor about it, so I kept praying and believing that I could be healed from this.

After about four weeks of this on and off again pain, it was revealed to me that I probably had an ear infection that was causing the pain in my throat because my left ear was also popping. I would be in tears because it was so painful. Well, my 14yr. old son and I were driving home one afternoon when he said to me, “Mom, as soon as we get inside, I want to pray for healing for you.” It was SO ironic that he said that because at that exact time I thought to myself, I’m gonna ask Nat to lay hands on me and pray with me.

As soon as we came in, we sat down, and he took one hand and put it on my throat and the other on my left ear and we both prayed together for healing. I can’t even remember exactly when the pain left, but I just happened to notice in a few days I had NO PAIN at all! I could swallow and felt wonderful! I remembered that when two or more are gathered, GOD is in the midst and how the LORD heard my son’s voice for healing for his mum! Thank you, VWC, for creating a prayer warrior in my son Nathaniel! ~ Joann C.

If you’re a regular attender at Victory, we’d love to have you share your story about what God is doing/has done in or through your life at VWC. Click here to submit your story.

This is about the amazing power and glory of God. About two and a half years ago, when I was waiting at the altar for people to come to be prayed for, I noticed that there was a family coming towards me. Both parents came with their two little boys. One, who was being carried by the father, had been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, and the doctors said would not be able to walk. I was astounded to see their faith, believing their son will be able to walk. So I prayed with them, envisioning how Jesus healed a paralyzed man and all who came to Him.

After a while, I forgot who they were and did not even remember their names. Then, a year ago last December, they came to me one Sunday while I was working at Electrocity and told me that they had been searching for me. Excitedly, the father showed me a video of his son in his phone, and I saw the little boy walking. It blessed my heart that day, for I had a military son in Iraq at that time whose life I am so concerned about. Then I lost track of this family again. While visiting my eldest son in Tampa for Christmas, I told him the awesome power of God and how He knows our needs and that He healed this little boy at Victory World Church.

Then, last summer, my military son was redeployed, and once again, I was concerned. During this time, my eldest son and his family were in town from Tampa visiting with us. We invited them to our church, and after the service, although we were in a hurry to go for lunch, this same family stopped me, showing me the little boy. For the first time, I saw him walking….straight to my son who just came from Tampa! It was as if the Lord was telling me, He wants my son to see with his own eyes how powerful He is! And once again, He comforted me about my concerns for my other son in the battlefield.

I wondered about the chances of meeting this family again, not even remembering their names, yet they were there to remind me time and again that our Lord is there for me too. Such is the power of God in prayers, and I am so grateful for our church to give me the privilege of being in the altar ministry. ~ Marilou A.

Dear Church Family:

I wanted to share my story of healing and answered prayer with other women who desire to become pregnant.

My husband Ardell and I have been members of Victory for over 10 years and shortly after our 5th wedding anniversary – over 6 years ago now – weprayed to the Lord to bless us with a child of our own together. Over the years, we remained faithful, serving in various ministries within the church, encouraging and praying for others, watching others go through courtship, marriage and birthing their own children, and still, although receiving blessings in other areas, we had no children of our own yet. We sought medical attention from doctors who labeled our condition as “unexplained infertility” because they could find nothing physically wrong with either of us that would prevent us from conceiving.

Then one day during a service, as Pastor Colleen prayed for healing for the congregation, she specifically mentioned healing for closed wombs and those women who desired to become pregnant. My husband and I opened our hearts to that prayer for ourselves and others and held on to the promise that we were both whole and perfect and would soon bring a child into this world. Later the same day, as we were preparing to head out to our cars, Pastor Colleen stopped us at the door and spoke a word over us to say that our prayer would be answered “soon.” Of course, this reinforced our faith and we continued to look forward to God’s blessing of a child of our own together. Knowing how much of a virtue patience is and also that God works in His own time frame not ours, our faith was still challenged when nearly two years passed and we were still awaiting his promised blessing.

Well, today I just wanted to testify and say that His timing is perfect and His word never fails; we are expecting our first child this coming April 24, 2010. This blessing from God did not require any man-made intervention, only prayer, faith, love and patience. I hope that others can be encouraged by our testimony to stand on God’s Word and on his promises. Our timing is not the same as the Lord’s, and no matter how long it may seem to take, always remember: He will never fail to deliver, and when he does, it is always right on time!

~ Ayanna W.

If you’re a regular attender at Victory, we’d love to have you share your story about what God is doing/has done in or through your life at VWC. Click here to submit your story.

Last summer, a group of people from Victory dedicated themselves to making a difference in our community through prayer…and it worked – big time! It started near the end of the 2007/2008 school year when Gladys Torres, a VWC staff member (Marketing) whose daughter was finishing her senior year at Meadowcreek High School, began to feel a tremendous burden to pray for that school during our weekly prayer meeting.

Meadowcreek had come to have a very negative reputation, with many people referring to it as “Ghettocreek.” In recent years, the school had experienced an unusually high decline in overall support, tremendous pregnancy rates, high numbers of violent acts, gang and drug activity and an overwhelming number of suicides. Large numbers of families began to move out of the district in order to avoid having their children in the school.

At the same time, however, Meadowcreek had come to play an integral role in our (Victory’s) basketball program for kids, serving as our “homecourt” – a real blessing! Additionally, we have been blessed with the support of the school staff.

Coming on the heels of R.E.A.L., a series in which Pastor Dennis challenged us to be Real, Engaged, Authentic and Living, it became obvious that God was moving us to reach out and do some serious work in the spiritual realm on behalf of the students and staff of Meadowcreek.

With this burden pressing heavily on her heart, Gladys went to Amanda Dance, another VWC staff member (Children’s Ministry) and prayer warrior. Together, they launched two teams of dedicated intercessors that would pray around the school every week throughout the summer. Beginning on June 10th, they prayed for at least an hour every Tuesday and Thursday evening, walking the grounds and, eventually, with the blessing of the school administration, throughout the common areas inside the school itself.

Among many other things, they prayed:

• Against the “Ghettocreek” stereotype and all that it encompassed.
• That the students would come out of the school with more vision and purpose.
• That God would send godly teachers who would speak life into the student’s lives.
• To break the power of addictions, fatherlessness, perversion, witchcraft, rebellion and other such strongholds evident in the school.
• That the students would succeed and not fail.
• That God would bring joy, peace and hope into every teen’s life.

With summer’s end, the teams stopped meeting. BUT THAT’S NOT THE END OF THE STORY!

On June 7th, almost exactly one year after the launch of the summer of intercession for the school, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution published this article, entitled “Meadowcreek High Revamps Reputation.” The article speaks of a turnaround for the school, with higher test scores, a graduating class with high levels of college scholarships including multiple full-rides and increased pride in the level of cultural diversity represented in the student body.

Truly, this is a direct answer to the prayers that were prayed. And, it is a challenge to all of us to make a difference in our world through the power of concerted prayer. We look forward with great anticipation to many more such reports!

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