from Flickr by paul bica “Once I was blind, but now I see!” Pt 2
In his own words, here’s the story of a 21 year old man from Darlington who was at ‘North 2012’ last week where I was praying for the sick on the Saturday night. After prayer in the name of Jesus, he came on stage with his brother and sister-in-law, and told the 1,500 people there that he’d been born blind, but could now see through his blind eye. I love his comment about seeing “all the bald people” in the hall!
“My name is Andrew ‘A.C’ Coltman. When I was born I was 14 weeks premature and I was not expected to live. I was christened in a hospital sink and put into an incubator and fed through a tube. I was totally blind at birth with detached retinas in both eyes as well as being partially deaf. My story was told in the local newspaper under the headline ‘Miracle baby’ – I shouldn’t really be here!
“Surgeons operated on my eyes but were only able to repair my right eye – I remained blind in my left eye despite having to wear a patch for a long time to try and make my blind eye work and eight laser operations throughout my childhood.
“I became a Christian aged 16 through my brother and a friend – mainly through realising what a miracle God had done by keeping me alive – I hadn’t really thought about it before.
“But my Christian life really started when I moved to Darlington and became part of the King’s Church family.
“I had wanted to go to North 2011 but it didn’t work out. But I decided to go to North 2012 – it was the first time I have been. While I was praying about North I felt a growing sense of excitement. As I carried on praying I felt that God said that He would do something amazing at North for someone in King’s – but I didn’t know what and God didn’t tell me – which was a bit annoying!
“God spoke to me on the Saturday morning through the prophetic word that came about getting rid of hurt and getting my heart right with God – and I responded. I was really blessed by Dave Devenish’s talk!
“Later in the meeting there was a call for healing, but it was specifically for stomach related illnesses so I had to wait in expectation for the general call for healing in the evening meeting.
“When Adrian Holloway invited anyone who needed healing to place their hand on the affected area I put my hand on my eye – and then he prayed. Some people were immediately healed. I felt that something was happening. When Adrian prayed a second time there was definitely something happening – I felt God’s Spirit in my heart. I responded to the invitation to go to the front for some individual prayer from the ministry team – I just had to go.
“While I stood in prayer I put my hand on my eye again and felt the power of God. While I had my eyes closed one of the ministry team felt God directing him to touch me on my left temple and pray. He couldn’t have known but at school the other kids used to come up on my left (blind) side and hit my face – so that I wouldn’t know who it was. This left me very sensitive about being touched in this way – I hate it! So when I felt the touch I was annoyed so I opened my eyes and I could see! After testing it out by covering up my ‘good’ eye it was clear that I could now see with my blind eye!!
“When I got up to give my testimony I could see everyone in the hall – I noticed all the bald people – it was amazing.
“I am starting to adapt to my new sight! People are already noticing that I look different! My left eye looks different and it doesn’t wander any more and I am even standing differently! I have started to feel muscles getting tired in my eye which I have never felt before and I can feel the wind blowing in my eye too!
“I have since been back to my optician and had my eyes tested again. They have confirmed the change in sight in my left eye saying I ‘now have peripheral vision’. I feel that God is still working and am expecting Him to finish what He has started.
“I am so grateful to God that I can see!!! He didn’t have to heal me and I don’t deserve it – but He has done it anyway!
“The further you walk into the sea the deeper it gets. If you throw yourself into the sea you get completely covered by the water. God wants us to throw ourselves into living and walking with him.”
Andrew Coltman, August 2012