“Come and listen, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me.”

“Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!”

Psalm 66:16 and 20 ( NIV )

“Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come.”

Psalm 71:18 ( NIV)

In 1992 I was in the hospital for 62 consecutive days. I had an aortic mechanical valve replacement in my heart and everything went well. However, the doctors and I did not realize I was allergic to the blood thinner, heparin, and codeine. My blood became so thin that I developed hematomas in my lungs and my right hip.

I had 8 major operations in 7 days. Needless to say, I was out of it for two weeks. I had asked the Lord to guide the hands of the surgeons during the successful heart operation; however, I did not know that I had the other operations until I revived two weeks later.

Unknown to me, my wife, Betty,(who was at my side constantly) and some 20 people formed a circle above me on the next floor to pray for me. Some doctors, nurses and many people throughout the area were involved in this endeavor.

The next morning, Betty came to the hospital early. The doctor saw her in the hall and asked if she had seen me today. She replied that, no, it was too early to go into my room. He told here to go with him, he wanted to show her a miracle. During the night, I had come to and was sitting up in bed talking a blue streak.

I am firmly convinced that the Lord heard the prayers of these people and answered them. For this I will be forever grateful.

Before all this happened to me, I took the “power of prayer” with a grain of salt. But since this, I believe in prayer and the grace of God. I try to show this in my daily life.

I know that my Lord had some more work for me to do, and I promised God that I would expound on prayer and have spoken in over 20 churches about this.

The medical profession is now saying that it is a proven fact that people who pray and are prayed for, heal quicker and are healthier. Prayer really works, please don't deny it.

My prayer from Psalm 139, verses 23 and 24: Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

LEONARD LEIGHOW