Faith Still Moves Mountains

Faith Still Moves Mountains Plot Summary

Introduction

In a world that often feels disconnected from divine intervention, stories of extraordinary answered prayers remind us that the boundary between heaven and earth may be thinner than we imagine. Throughout human history, people have turned to prayer in their darkest moments—when facing illness, danger, or impossible circumstances. These critical moments reveal the enduring power of faith to transform lives in ways that defy logical explanation. The remarkable accounts collected in these pages span from dramatic rescues where seconds made the difference between life and death, to healing that confounded medical experts, to ordinary people finding extraordinary purpose through divine guidance. Each narrative presents a unique facet of how prayer operates in our world—not as a mere spiritual exercise, but as a dynamic force that can change circumstances, restore relationships, and reveal paths forward when all seems lost. Through these true stories of ordinary individuals who witnessed extraordinary divine responses, readers will explore how faith continues to work in our modern world, offering inspiration for those seeking hope amid their own struggles.

Chapter 1: Rescue: Divine Intervention in Moments of Crisis

The act of rescue—being saved from immediate danger—represents one of the most dramatic forms of divine intervention. These moments crystallize our deepest vulnerabilities and hopes, creating perfect conditions for prayer to manifest in powerful ways. The stories in this section span from 2011 to 2020, showcasing how seemingly random circumstances align with precision during life-threatening emergencies. Consider the astonishing rescue of two teenagers, Heather Brown and Tyler Smith, who found themselves swept far from shore during a swimming excursion in Florida. After being stranded in the Atlantic Ocean for two hours, their strength fading and hope diminishing, they desperately prayed for divine intervention. Remarkably, a boat named "Amen" appeared on the horizon, spotting and rescuing them despite the vastness of the ocean. The boat's captain, Eric Wagner, had taken an unplanned route that day due to a series of delays and mechanical issues—complications that positioned him precisely where he needed to be to hear their faint cries for help. Similarly extraordinary was the intervention that saved Tina Zahn's life in 2004. In the grip of severe postpartum depression, Tina drove to a bridge in Green Bay, Wisconsin, intending to end her life. As she jumped, State Trooper Les Boldt, who had just finished his shift but responded to the emergency call, managed to grab her wrist in mid-air. The dash camera footage revealed he caught her at the precise millisecond that meant life instead of death. Tina later discovered that her church community had been consistently praying for her during this difficult period. Another powerful example comes from Lee County, Alabama, where in March 2019, a devastating tornado demolished Earnestine Reese's home. Amid complete destruction, one structure remained standing—her prayer closet, the sacred space where Earnestine had communed with God for decades. Despite losing nearly everything and suffering a broken hip, Earnestine's first response was profound gratitude, repeatedly telling her family, "Tell God thank you!" Her testimony of faith amid devastation inspired millions when footage of her seated in the rubble praising God went viral. These rescues share a common thread: the precise timing required for intervention. Whether it's a boat changing course, a trooper arriving at exactly the right moment, or a tornado sparing a single room, these events reveal what many believers understand as divine orchestration—circumstances aligning beyond statistical probability. The stories challenge us to consider how many "coincidences" might actually be answered prayers, and how often divine rescue may occur without recognition.

Chapter 2: Purpose: Finding God's Plan in Unlikely Circumstances

Finding one's purpose—especially when it emerges from challenging or unexpected situations—represents another powerful dimension of answered prayer. Between 2010 and 2022, several extraordinary accounts emerged of individuals who discovered their life's calling through divine guidance that transcended their limitations or circumstances. One remarkable example is Sarah Olson, a mother whose son Levi was born with spina bifida. When standard medical equipment caused her young son excruciating pain and complications, doctors told her nothing better existed—she would "have to invent it herself." Though Sarah had no medical or engineering background, she turned to prayer in frustration. Immediately afterward, she experienced what she describes as divine inspiration—a complete vision of a new external catheter stabilizer appeared in her mind. Despite being told by a medical device CEO that she was "like a ferret on meth" pursuing an impossible dream, Sarah persisted. The LECS (Levi's External Catheter Stabilizer) not only helped her son but has since received multiple patents and helped countless patients worldwide. Similarly profound is the story of Britney Gengel, a nineteen-year-old college student whose life was cut short in the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Hours before the disaster, she texted her parents: "I want to move here and start an orphanage myself." After her death, her parents Len and Cherylann committed to fulfilling that vision despite having no experience in international development or nonprofit management. Through countless obstacles—from bureaucratic roadblocks to construction challenges—they experienced what they describe as divine assistance. Meaningful coincidences repeatedly appeared: when government officials blocked their progress, they discovered their son's college roommate was the son of Haiti's president. When they needed to literally move a mountain of dirt to shore up their building site, local businessmen volunteered equipment and labor at no cost. The account of George Washington Carver offers a historical perspective on purpose discovered through prayer. Born into slavery and facing significant racial barriers in the post-Civil War South, Carver revolutionized Southern agriculture through scientific discoveries that stemmed directly from his prayer practice. Famously, he asked God: "Why did you make the peanut?" The insights that followed led him to discover hundreds of applications for crops that helped struggling farmers survive economically, transforming the region's agricultural practices. His testimony before Congress began with scripture and ended with applause—an extraordinary achievement for an African American man in the early 1900s. These stories of divine purpose share a common element: individuals who acknowledged their limitations but still pursued seemingly impossible missions through prayerful partnership with God. In each case, the person faced expert opinions declaring their goal unattainable, yet found resources, connections, and insights appearing at precisely the right moments. Their experiences suggest that prayer doesn't merely comfort in difficult circumstances—it can reveal meaningful work that transforms both individual lives and communities when human capability alone would prove insufficient.

Chapter 3: Restoration: Healing Wounds When Hope Seems Lost

Restoration—the mending of what appears irreparably broken—represents one of prayer's most profound manifestations. Between 2001 and 2020, several remarkable accounts emerged of individuals who experienced healing of deep wounds—physical, emotional, and relational—when conventional wisdom suggested such recovery was impossible. Pastor Andrew Brunson's experience provides a powerful example of spiritual restoration during extreme adversity. In 2016, after 23 years as a missionary in Turkey, Brunson was suddenly imprisoned on false charges of terrorism during a government crackdown. Despite being a man of deep faith who had read many accounts of persecuted Christians, Brunson found himself in profound spiritual crisis during his two-year imprisonment. "I broke so quickly," he admitted. "I thought I was pretty strong, but I was the weakest person in the world." In isolation and despair, Brunson experienced what theologians call "the silence of God"—a devastating feeling of divine abandonment. Yet through this ordeal, he made a crucial decision: "Each and every day, I had to choose to turn toward Him." This daily choice to seek God despite feeling abandoned eventually led to a deeper relationship with God than he had ever known. His restoration wasn't merely his eventual freedom but the rebuilding of his faith through the very experience that threatened to destroy it. Nancy Owen's story reveals emotional restoration across generations. Growing up with an alcoholic mother who once forced her onto dangerous streets at night, Nancy carried deep childhood wounds. Years later, she discovered the source of her mother's pain—at just fourteen, her mother had given birth to a child who died hours later, with a doctor callously telling her, "If the nurses had let me know sooner, I could have saved him," before walking away, leaving the teenage girl alone with her grief. This understanding helped Nancy begin healing, but complete restoration came when her mother, after decades of destructive behavior, joined a Bible study group. Through a transformative spiritual awakening, her mother became sober, joyful, and an amazing grandmother to Nancy's children—providing Nancy glimpses of the mother she had always longed for. Marie Isom experienced unexpected restoration following the 2012 Aurora theater mass shooting, where she and her teenage daughters narrowly escaped death. Despite the trauma of stepping over bodies and fleeing for their lives, Marie found herself experiencing supernatural peace amid the chaos—a peace that continued through the painful weeks that followed. As she processed the tragedy, she rediscovered a passage from Philippians that took on new meaning: "The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything..." Marie realized God's promise wasn't to prevent all suffering but to remain present through it. Her blog post after the shooting, titled "So You Still Think God Is a Merciful God?", unexpectedly reached millions of readers, providing restoration not only for Marie but for countless others grappling with suffering and faith. These restoration stories share a common thread: the healing process typically unfolded gradually, over months or years, rather than in an instant. The individuals experienced restoration not through the immediate removal of their suffering but through discovering God's presence within it. Their testimonies suggest that prayer's restorative power often works through changing perspective rather than circumstances—helping people find meaning and wholeness even amid continued challenges. As Marie Isom reflected, "I don't believe in happily-ever-after endings and everything being neat and tidy. But I have discovered that, no matter what, every day is filled with beauty and joy."

Chapter 4: Perseverance: Standing Strong Through Trials and Tribulations

Perseverance—maintaining faith through extended seasons of hardship—represents one of prayer's most challenging yet transformative expressions. Between 1939 and 2022, several extraordinary accounts emerged of individuals and communities who maintained spiritual discipline through circumstances that would typically crush hope, demonstrating prayer's capacity to sustain the human spirit through seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Perhaps the most dramatic historical example comes from the Bible College of Wales during World War II, led by intercessor Rees Howells. As Nazi Germany prepared for war, Howells gathered 120 students and staff for round-the-clock prayer sessions, believing their spiritual battle was as crucial as the physical one. "God is calling for intercessors—men and women who will lay their lives on the altar to fight the devil, as readily as they would have to fight the enemy on the Western Front," Howells told his students. Their central petition became "Lord, bend Hitler," praying specifically that the dictator would make poor strategic decisions. When Hitler inexplicably halted at Dunkirk, allowing 338,000 Allied soldiers to escape, Churchill called it a miracle, but Howells saw it as answered prayer. Similar instances followed: Hitler's sudden decision to invade Russia instead of Britain, the Battle of El Alamein turning when German forces mysteriously suffered from extreme thirst, and other "coincidental" strategic errors that ultimately led to Nazi defeat. Gary Miracle's perseverance journey began in January 2020 when what seemed like a simple flu developed into sepsis and multiple organ failure. Doctors gave the thirty-eight-year-old father of four a mere 1.7% chance of survival. After eleven minutes without a heartbeat, Gary survived but faced quadruple amputation. Having been a track champion and coach, this athlete now confronted a completely different life. Drawing strength from the biblical story of Job, Gary made a profound declaration that became his mantra: "The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." Rather than giving in to despair, Gary learned to master one task daily—beginning with the three-hour process of plugging in his phone charger with his residual limbs. His perseverance eventually led to custom prosthetics and a meaningful ministry sharing his testimony, captured in the MercyMe song "Say I Won't." Ann Van Hine's perseverance story began on September 11, 2001, when her husband Bruce, a New York City firefighter, perished in the World Trade Center attacks. Left to raise their daughters alone, Ann discovered Scripture passages about God's presence that took on profound meaning: "'Who am I,' Moses had asked, 'that I should go to Pharaoh?' And God had said, 'I will be with you.'" Ann realized God wasn't answering Moses' question about inadequacy—He was promising presence through the journey. This insight sustained Ann through grief and into a new calling leading walking tours at the 9/11 Memorial, becoming what she calls "a keeper of stories." Her perseverance through tragedy led her to write a memoir titled "Pieces Falling: Navigating 9/11 with Faith, Family, and the FDNY." These perseverance accounts share a common element: prayer functioned not as a magic solution that removed hardship, but as a spiritual discipline that transformed how individuals experienced their circumstances. Their testimonies suggest that persevering prayer works less like a transaction and more like a relationship—not primarily changing external situations but developing internal resilience. Through consistent communion with God, these individuals found strength to face each day's challenges, eventually discovering purpose within their suffering that benefited others facing similar trials.

Chapter 5: Healing: Experiencing God's Transformative Touch

Physical and spiritual healing represents perhaps the most tangible manifestation of answered prayer. Between 2018 and 2022, several extraordinary accounts emerged of individuals who experienced restoration of body, mind, and spirit that defied medical expectations, demonstrating prayer's potential to transform seemingly hopeless health situations. Dani Laurion's story stands as one of the most medically inexplicable healing accounts of recent years. In 2009, at age thirty-two, Dani was diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a condition causing her blood pressure to drop dangerously when standing. For thirteen years, she remained wheelchair-bound, eventually requiring a tracheostomy and ventilator to breathe. More devastating than her physical limitations was Dani's spiritual wound—since childhood, she had carried a vision of herself being "created from leftover pieces" God hadn't wanted to use for anyone else. While attending a healing service led by Dr. Mary Healy in March 2022, Dani followed the speaker's suggestion to raise her hands "like a child asking her father to pick her up." In that moment, she experienced a profound vision of God appearing approachable, "like any neighbor or friend," and felt "water being poured in both ears." Without warning, she disconnected her ventilator and began breathing independently. Then, to the astonishment of those present, she stood and walked unassisted to the altar—her first steps in thirteen years—repeating in wonder, "This is real." Medical professionals have no explanation for her instantaneous healing, which has remained permanent. Lisa Martin's COVID-19 battle in 2020 presents a different but equally powerful healing narrative. At forty-nine, Lisa had been experiencing such deep depression that she had prayed for death, updated her will, and included a "do not resuscitate" directive. When she contracted COVID-19, her condition deteriorated rapidly. Placed on a ventilator and in a medically induced coma, doctors gave her a minimal chance of survival. Her lungs were "baked" from the disease, she suffered a stroke, and after fifty-nine days on the ventilator, medical professionals had exhausted all options. Her husband Jeff and their children agreed to continue life support for just eleven more days before honoring her wishes to let her go. With just twenty-four hours remaining in that window, Lisa suddenly opened her eyes and began responding to questions. Her recovery stunned medical personnel, who had never seen a patient return from such severe deterioration. Most remarkably, Lisa's perspective on life transformed completely: "From the moment I woke up, everybody—the nurses, the doctors, Jeff—they all knew I'm somebody you better be straight with. You better tell me what's going on." Despite losing abilities she once took for granted, Lisa found herself "just happy to be alive," with a renewed appreciation for relationships, especially her marriage. Austin Canon's experience demonstrates how healing can emerge unexpectedly through life-threatening crisis. In December 2018, Austin suffered a severe hemorrhagic stroke that paralyzed his right side and temporarily robbed him of speech. Through months of rehabilitation therapy, he recovered far beyond medical expectations, regaining most of his mobility and speech capabilities. His neurologist told him, "I have never seen a recovery like yours. Your outcome is a great exception to the rules of what happens when people have brain hemorrhages." This medical crisis revitalized Austin's spiritual life, which had been relegated to the "back burner" for years. In gratitude, he undertook a pilgrimage to El Santuario de Chimayó in New Mexico, walking eight miles with others from his church to commemorate Christ's sacrifice. As he walked through the desert landscape, Austin experienced a profound spiritual awakening: "There was a quality to the air...unmistakable. I'm a really logical-thinking kind of person, but I know when something's different. There was a presence in the air...reflective of faith and of the Lord." These healing accounts share a common element: in each case, the individual experienced not only physical restoration but profound spiritual transformation. Their testimonies suggest that prayer's healing power often extends beyond the body to reach the deepest parts of identity and purpose. Through their experiences of divine intervention, these individuals discovered a more intimate relationship with God and a heightened awareness of His presence in everyday life. As Dani Laurion reflected, "The world is the same...Our perspective and our role in this world has drastically changed."

Summary

Throughout these remarkable stories spanning decades and circumstances, a powerful pattern emerges—faith consistently operates as a transformative force when human capability reaches its limits. From the precise timing of rescues that defy statistical probability, to ordinary people receiving divine guidance for extraordinary missions, to restoration of what seemed permanently broken, to perseverance through extended suffering, to healing that confounds medical expertise—these accounts reveal prayer functioning not as wishful thinking but as active engagement with divine reality. The testimonies collectively suggest that while God's responses don't always match our expectations or timing, genuine faith creates space for intervention that transcends natural explanation. These narratives offer profound implications for contemporary society's relationship with faith and prayer. In an era when belief in divine intervention has declined significantly—with Gallup reporting in 2022 that only four in ten Americans believe God acts on their behalf—these accounts provide compelling counterevidence to growing spiritual skepticism. They suggest that maintaining openness to divine guidance remains relevant even in our technologically advanced age, particularly when facing life's inevitable crises and challenges. The testimonies invite readers to consider how cultivating spiritual disciplines might prepare them for their own moments of need, and how recognizing divine intervention in others' lives might inspire renewed attention to the spiritual dimension of existence. In essence, these stories remind us that the boundary between heaven and earth remains permeable—that mountains of impossibility can still move when met with sincere faith.

About Author

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Harris Faulkner

Harris Faulkner is an American newscaster and television host for the Fox News Channel. Faulkner is a co-anchor on Outnumbered and she is host of her own program, Outnumbered Overtime. Faulkner has received six Emmy Awards. She married TV reporter Tony Berlin in 2003 and they have two daughters.

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