God's Promise Delivered in His Timing

“It went from bad to worse,” Barb Adams recounts about her foot infection. “And it got more and more painful as cellulitis began to develop in the wound. The doctor said, ‘I have no more tricks in my bag. I have nothing else that I think I can do to help you.’”

It was January 2022 when Barb showed up in the ER with a pressure ulcer on her heel. Now it was July, and doctors were talking about amputating her foot. She recalls, “It was devastating news because I thought for six months we have gone to every doctor's appointment. We have done everything that they have told us to do, and we have gone from bad to worse.”

Barb had developed acute osteomyelitis: a severe bone infection. Podiatry specialist, Doctor Alton Johnson, of the University of Michigan Hospital, was one of her doctors. He recalls, “It's very serious, if you don't manage it, the bacterial will definitely go into the blood and cause you know, wreak havoc on that patient's body. Amputation was one of the very first conversations I had with Barb. It's a 50% chance that, you know, you could lose your leg and there's also a 50% chance you could die by not actually getting this amputation.”

After a week in the hospital, Barb was sent home with a PICC line and an IV where she continued her antibiotic treatments. In spite of her faith, Barb grew discouraged at times and found it difficult to pray or read her Bible. She recalls, “God always sent somebody, whether it was my husband, whether it was my, my friends at church, people in our small group, I saw the body of Christ really begin to minister to me.”

Another source of encouragement for Barb was The 700 Club and 700 Club Interactive. She was especially encouraged on August 12, when Andrew Knox gave a Word of Knowledge. Andrew prayed, “Someone with an open wound that won’t heal, and it’s been a long time, and you’re very frightened and the Lord’s doing a work there. I don’t know how or when, but this wound is going to close and the family who’s particularly concerned for you are going to be delighted in this miracle, thank you, Father.” Barb recalls, “I felt like, ‘God, you have shown up and You're speaking to me right now.’ I knew that I knew that I knew in my spirit that it was for me.”

Barb claimed the word and believed God for healing. However, it didn’t come right away, and Barb still had limited mobility and her life seemed to be on hold. Even then, she continued to trust God’s promise. Barb says, “I never questioned that word of knowledge, even though we went through all of those PICC lines and pro lines and six and a half months total of infusing antibiotics at home. I never questioned that word of knowledge that God had spoken was for me. I knew it was going to be in His time.” As Barb continued her doctor visits and various treatments, her husband, Fred, faithfully tended to his wife and prayed. She says, “My husband played a major part in my healing spiritually and helping me to keep my eyes focused on the word of knowledge that God had given.”

Just before Thanksgiving, it looked like the infection was finally gone. Then, a few days later, a new infection appeared. So, Barb was once again put on an IV with strong antibiotics. She recalls, “It was very disappointing that we were not yet on the road to healing this thing. But again, God just kept saying, ‘Walk by faith and not by sight.’”

Now fighting a new infection, Barb held on even tighter to God’s promise to heal her. Then on February 17, 2023, during her fourth MRI Barb says something unusual happened. She recalls, “I had a peace, even though there was the boom, boom, boom of the MRI machine. I felt a river of life, a river of pure hope and love and healing. It started in the top of my head, and it went all the way through my body, through the bottom of my feet. I told my husband, I said, ‘God has done something. I don't really understand it, but God really showed up.’”

A few days later Doctor Johnson took a look at her MRI. He says, “There's no bone infection or any signs of the bone infection. I look, there's as if it was never even an ulceration on the MRI and that was kind of mind blowing. You couldn't even identify the wound without using the previous MRI.” Barb recalls, “I was overwhelmed with God's love, how much He loved me, absolutely overwhelmed and grateful, and my family was amazed. And we're so thankful, so thankful for God's healing power.”

Today Barb is in excellent health. She’s thankful for the doctors, medicine, and prayers that brought her healing. And through it all she’s grown closer to God. She says, “He taught me to walk by faith and not by sight. And you may not see the results of your healing but believe it. God's timing is perfect.”