Her lips started swelling, she was crying, drawing up her legs…

Her lips started swelling, she was crying, drawing up her legs…

[builder_content post_id=”18952″]When Cheryl was very young, we realized she had a milk allergy.  As a baby, less than a year old, I gave her the tiniest taste of vanilla ice cream. She immediately had a reaction. Her lips started swelling and, in a few minutes, she was crying, drawing up her legs as I held her.  Another time, I remember dropping milk and some splashed on her. The area where the milk splashed caused a redness on her skin.

At the time we were involved with a small group of believers. We all knew God still worked miracles.

We all prayed for her healing from allergies and trusted that God had healed her. But I tested Cheryl by giving her a little bit of milk and she had an allergic reaction.

We had to make a trip to her pediatrician because of breathing problems from the allergic reaction. The pediatrician did a blood test. I don’t remember the words he used but it was something to the effect that she was not just intolerant to milk but allergic to the protein. He stressed the seriousness of this allergy. The doctor said not to “test” to see if she still had an allergy to dairy.

Cheryl had to stay away from all forms of dairy. She was also allergic to peanuts. As she grew, we continued to read labels and be careful with her foods. When she would go to parties, I’d send her with her own treat bag. If our family was out and stopped for ice cream, we’d get her an empty cone.

We had to make a trip to her pediatrician because of breathing problems from the allergic reaction.

At Our Savior’s Church where we attended, Pastor Roberson was preaching on healing one Sunday and about receiving prayer. Cheryl was in third grade at the time. She came to us and said that she’d like to get prayer for healing her milk allergy. Remembering what we went through when she was little, we were nervous.

I went and spoke to Pastor Roberson telling him about her allergy and about what had happened when she was a baby. We were nervous that if she went for prayer and then “tested” to see if she was healed and she wasn’t if would make her very sick and damage her faith. Pastor Roberson gave me wise advice. He said to bring her up for prayer.  He said that sometimes God does a healing over time. So, to be patient.

Sunday after communion we went to the alter and Pastor Roberson prayed for Cheryl. We came home. Cheryl said that she wanted us to take her out for ice cream. I was nervous. The thoughts of – what if she gets sick, etc. went through my mind. I said to her, I’m not sure if it is smart to start with ice cream. Michael, who was then in first grade, spoke up. He said, “you prayed for God to heal her and He healed her so it’s okay.”

“He said that sometimes God does a healing over time. So, to be patient.”

The family got into the car, went for ice cream and Cheryl had her first ice cream cone. No negative reaction! So, we thanked God for healing her milk allergy.

We were so thrilled about his. But I was also confused about why not when she was a baby and so many who believed God for healing prayed and we didn’t see the healing. One day Cheryl said something like, “I’m so glad God healed me when I could know that He was healing me.” No matter what we see, we can trust God. His ways are best and His timing is perfect.

“No matter what we see, we can trust God. His ways are best and His timing is perfect.”

I’m not sure what happened about the peanut allergy. It never seemed to be a topic of prayer for healing when she was young. I commented on this to Cheryl once (still while she was young), “I wonder why God healed your milk allergy but not peanut allergy.”

She said, “I don’t like peanuts”.[/builder_content]