For years, I have shared Global Disciples’ stories of amazing miracles, dramatic healings, and transformations of people’s lives through the unseen power of the Holy Spirit.

As I talked with friends of Global Disciples, so many have asked, “Why don’t we see these miracles here is the United States?” Maybe you’ve thought that as you read or heard our testimonies from around the world.

I’ve wondered too. And I never dreamed I would witness one of these amazing miracles firsthand!

What should have been one of the happiest days for our family quickly turned into a desperate plea to the Lord for his saving, supernatural, healing power.  

Our granddaughter Elliana (Ellie) was born January 12, 2023, with a severe heart defect that hadn’t been picked up in any prior ultrasound. Within seconds of her birth, a very experienced nurse called for the crash team, and rushed Ellie from the room. My daughter, Sarah, and her husband weren’t given an explanation—it all happened so fast!

The next 48 hours proved to be hopeless. Ellie’s organs began failing; she had multiple seizures and then a significant stroke. When we arrived at the hospital, at least 40 people in the ICU were working to save her life. She was put on an ECMO by-pass machine, and we were told she probably wouldn’t live. 

I cried out to the Lord, “How will we survive this? Please have your will in this situation but sustain us through our grief!”

The Lord was nearer to us than I could have imagined. 

Our family was sitting together in shock and despair when a young women approached us.  She said she felt compelled to pray for us and that she didn’t need to know any aspects of our situation. We invited her to pray; she took out holy water, anointed my daughter’s forehead and proceeded to pray over us with details she couldn’t have known. At one point, I opened my eyes to look at her because it seemed so surreal. Before she left, she said it was a privilege to pray over us…and by the way, her name was Ellie.

What? Ellie? No way! Looking back, I think she was an angel sent by the Lord to speak His mercy and love over us. 

In February, my granddaughter was able to have surgery to repair her heart. While surgery was successful, her lungs and kidneys began to shut down. Lord, we need another miracle!

There were multiple instances where the staff came and told us, “This is our last option; if this doesn’t work, you need to prepare yourself for the worst.” And each time the Lord stepped in to intervene with miracles.

Ellie continued to improve. In July, they needed to move her feeding tube from her nose to her stomach. She would have to go without dialysis for three days. This was high risk because Ellie’s kidneys were wrecked—in fact, they were looking around the US for a doctor who could come and give her a kidney transplant. 

My daughter and I laid hands on her before her procedure asking for the Lord’s supernatural healing for her kidneys. The first 24 hours she seemed stable, then the nurses began to see that Ellie was producing more and more urine. On day three, her labs looked better than when she was on dialysis, and her kidney function was really beginning to kick in! After ten days, they said she wouldn’t need dialysis anymore! Praise the Lord!  

Ellie’s kidney specialist, the head of the department, said there was no scientific reason for her kidneys to begin working. He asked Sarah if she had been praying and if she had a church praying? She told him thousands of people were praying—all over the world! He said, “Then I will begin to pray also.” 

Ellie was finally discharged from the hospital at eight months. The staff told my daughter that they would now put all their worst patients in Ellie’s room, because God had been in the room, and it was holy ground! 

I don’t understand why God chooses to heal some and not others. I have so many questions and not many answers. But I recall talking about this with one of Global Disciples’ international leaders—a man with great experience in prayer and seeing people healed. I asked the question so many have asked, “Why don’t we see these miracles here in the United States?”

His response hung heavy with me. “Are you in America praying to receive the gift of healing? Praying for the ability to see and be a part of miracles?”

I know that since that conversation, my prayer life has expanded. And over the last four years, I have been praying for those things, and now seeing them in the life of my granddaughter. “Lord, allow me to be part of your divine miracles here on earth.” 

And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever… (John 14:13-16)

–Julie Stratton, Great Lakes Partner Relations (and Ellie’s grandmother)

You can read more on Ellie’s miraculous journey and her mother’s talks with God here.