A Treasury of Christmas Miracles by Karen Kingsbury Read Free Book Online

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     is nothing that can be done.
    “What can I expect?” Ashley asked, fighting tears. The news was devastating. She and Bill had so many plans for the future.
     If she were going to be strong enough to bear children and live the rugged life of a missionary in Africa, she would need
     a healthy back.
    “The pain you’re experiencing will get worse. Within the next two years you will be able to notice the curving in your spine.
     I’m sorry.”
    Ashley nodded in resignation and returned home to share the news with Bill. He sympathized with her and then told her his
     own news. He had met twice already with the class on healing through prayer. He told her he was impressed with the stories
     he was hearing. Not stories of tent revival healings or televised miracles, but quiet stories of health changes that in his
     opinion could be nothing less than modern-day miracles. Christmas was two days away and suddenly Bill was overwhelmed by the
     presence of God in their lives. How could they doubt for a minute that the Lord could heal, could work a miracle? And what
     better time to ask for a miracle than Christmas week? When the greatest miracle of all had happened two thousand years ago.
    That night as they were falling asleep, Bill sat up in bed and spoke to Ashley in the dark of their room.
    “Would you mind if I pray for your back, Ashley?”
    Ashley shrugged, already partially asleep. “Sure. Do I have to move?”
    “No. You’re fine.”
    Ashley was lying on her side, a position that favored her painful back. As she lay, falling asleep, Bill spent thirty minutes
     holding his hands above her back and praying silently that God would heal her condition.
    Each night during that Christmas week he continued this routine. Just as they were about to go to sleep, he would sit up,
     place his hands over Ashley’s back, and pray specifically for God to heal her scoliosis. On the seventh night something strange
     happened.
    Bill had been praying for his wife for ten minutes when suddenly he spoke.
    “Ashley?”
    “Yes?” She was still awake.
    “Do you feel anything?”
    “Just your hand moving up and down along my spine.”
    Bill’s eyes widened in surprise. “Ashley, I haven’t touched your back.”
    Ashley sat up quickly and turned to look at Bill. “That’s not funny!”
    Bill shook his head. “I’m serious, Ashley. I haven’t touched you. The only reason I asked if you felt something was because
     I had my hand over your back and at that moment I was feeling something warm beneath my hand.”
    “What do you think it was?”
    “I don’t know. But I’m going to keep praying.”
    Ashley yawned and lay back down on their bed. “It can’t hurt. Besides, I know God could heal me if he wanted to. I just don’t
     know if that’s part of his plan for us. Modern miracles and all.”
    “By the way, how’s your pain?” Bill asked.
    Ashley paused a moment and then sat upright once more. “You know, actually I can’t feel it.”
    There was silence between them for a moment as they considered the warmth that had passed along Ashley’s back and the feeling
     of a human hand moving up and down her spine.
    “Do you think,” Ashley asked quietly, “I might be healed?”
    “I think we need to see how you feel tomorrow and in the meantime keep praying.”
    Two weeks later, after Ashley and Bill had flown to Pennsylvania to visit her parents, she saw a doctor who had known her
     as a child. She brought with her the X rays and diagnosis from the previous doctor. Upon initial examination of the records
     the doctor agreed with the diagnosis: severe scoliosis, which appeared to be progressing rapidly.
    Then, upon Ashley’s request, the doctor took another set of X rays and performed an additional examination of her spine.
    “I don’t know how to explain this,” the doctor said as he reentered the examination room. “Ashley, there’s no sign of scoliosis
     at all. Your back is perfectly normal.”
    Ashley was