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hroughout all the years of living the gay lifestyle I knew that what I
was doing was wrong. However, there was such a need for love and acceptance
that it seemed impossible to break free. In 1996 my partner moved from Colorado to Atlanta, and it was there that I developed a cough and warts began appearing on my face. I thought this was a result of a stressful lifestyle, so we moved back to Colorado. However, back in Colorado I continued to get worse, so I moved back to Atlanta by myself. It was shortly after returning to Atlanta that I began to lose my memory that prompted my visit to the doctor. A few days after the doctor's visit, on April 22, 1997, I was rushed to the emergency room. The results of a spinal tap confirmed the doctor's suspicion that I had spinal meningitis. I was given heavy dosages of antibiotics and was released from the hospital four days later. In the ensuing days as I learned more about my condition with AIDS, I realized my need for the Lord's intervention in my life. As I made those initial steps of seeking His help, the Lord responded by making it possible to remain in the apartment where I was living. In almost every church service I attended, people would anoint me with oil and pray over me. I went to see my doctor at his office for the first time in mid-May, and it was then that he told me that I was in the last stages AIDS. Before he could say anything, I told the doctor, "I have accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour, and God is going to heal me!" He responded, "I don't want to get your hopes up, but I have been a doctor for many years, and I haven't seen one [miracle] yet." Whereupon I responded, "Well, you are going to see it, and you are going to believe it." ____________________ The doctor started me on AZT, but I knew that any medications would not be able to help me at this point. During the first week of medication, I was not getting any better. On one Saturday, I was thinking about the way I was looking and feeling, and I cried out to Jesus, "Please take me home!" At that point I knew that it would be better to be with Him than to stay here in all the pain and weakness. Sometime later the Lord told me, "I'm not ready to take you home. I am going to heal you." Another week went by and I was getting worse. Finally, on Sunday morning, June 1st, I awakened feeling very ill and weak-the worse that I had ever felt. I asked my roommate to cook breakfast and get my clothes ready for church. Before I walked out the door, I told God, "If I have to crawl to church, I will crawl. I just need to be in your presence." At the conclusion of the morning worship, several church members gathered around me and again anointed me with oil. During that prayer, I sensed the healing power of God go through my body and a spirit of disease leave me. Following the prayer I literally ran back to my apartment, praising God all the way. |
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