[MissBrattified]

Sister McGruder attributes her healing/health to God no matter who has a hand in the process. If you knew her personally, you would know there is not a single measure of dishonesty in that, coming from her.

Also, the first time the cancer went away, she obviously felt that it was for good. We see now that that isn't the case, but that doesn't mean her intentions were off when she gave her testimony.

I completely disagree that when we are involved in the process of healing it "clouds and demeans the real thing." I was in the hospital, unconscious, when I was about 2, and had been lying there for a couple of days while doctors tried to figure out what was making me so sick. When my pastor walked in to pray for me (he had been out of town), I opened my eyes and sat up in bed before he ever got to the bed. The doctor was upset when my parents wanted to remove me from the hospital, but since I had no symptoms, there was no reason to keep me--even for evaluation. So was it the prayer that healed me, the medical treatment prior to me waking, or God walking into the room with my pastor? I don't know--I don't care what particular event it was. I believe GOD was the healer in that instance, and my family has given Him total thanks for that event.

My Dad wondered why God didn't heal me when HE prayed, but rather when our pastor arrived at the hospital. At the time, my Dad didn't believe in going to doctors, and was trying to trust God for my healing. It ended up being my Grandpa who scooped me up and rushed me to the hospital against my Dad's wishes. My Dad surmised later that maybe God was trying to tell him that He can work with and through doctors--there's no need to leave them out of the process in order for God to work. I tend to agree--I believe we do everything we can do, and then we trust God to do the rest. Regardless of your personal views on healing, all healing of the human body is miraculous, even when modern medicine assists it. Doctors can't force tissue and cells to restore or respond to medication. And their efforts aren't 100% effective--that much is obvious. The "practice" of medicine is precisely that.

Personally, I think Sister McGruder's intentions are pure, and there is absolutely no benefit in critiquing her way of handling her illness. Discussing this issue generically is one thing, but I don't believe we should apply it to this [a] specific situation. JMO!!!!