My name is Avery Parker.  I’m a disciple of Jesus and I have seen Him heal the sick through me.  I’m based in the mountains of Western North Carolina and I’m just starting out on this journey.  (As I write this it’s August of 2013 and I’ve been praying for the sick and seeing them healed since March of 2013.)  I spent over a year pouring through the New Testament multiple times and studying under a number of different Ministries teachings.  These last few months I’ve started teaching others as well as praying for the sick myself.  I believe that we are called to walk in a life that very closely resembles what is described in the book of Acts.  That is closer to what Christianity is meant to resemble.

What follows is a facebook post to my friends from March of this year describing my journey up to that point:

March 16, 2013:

I believe it’s time to share some things with all my facebook friends, family and acquaintances. I’ve had time to talk with my wife and parents the last few days since God absolutely rocked my reality Tuesday with an amazing display of His power. Many will think I have gone crazy. Many will wonder who I think I am. This is going to stretch a lot of you and what you believe. I have had my beliefs stretched so much in the last year…. I have been so humbled by the grace and love that is extended by our Father through His son Jesus Christ. Amazingly this is the very short version of the story.

I’ve posted before of my wandering in doubt for years, largely from the symptoms I’ve had of Rhuematoid Arthritis and Meniere’s Disease (with vertigo.) I won’t go back through that. Shortly after I decided again that without a doubt I believe in God and Jesus, I started seeking God regarding my own healing. I read a lot of things and came across some teachings on Youtube. I saw a young man named Pete walk in awesome joy and confidence in the power of Jesus to heal people. He commanded pain to leave people, bones to shift and move and has seen blind eyes open. He tells people that this is what all believers are called to… Believers shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover. He sent His disciples out with the command (Matthew 10:7-8) 7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. Then before He ascended He told His disciples to go and make disciples of all nations telling them to observe EVERYTHING that He had commanded them.

I studied the word to see if this was true. I studied the New Testament thoroughly and started absorbing teachings that lined up with what I saw in scripture. God is good! He loves ALL of His children immensely, sent Jesus to heal, save and forgive! I could not see a loophole or way around this and have struggled for months with doubts and questions as to whether I should be walking this out. Whether I have what I need, if I was baptized the right way. I didn’t feel anything – did it “take”? I’ve prayed and sought answers on this for over a year. Along the way I’ve seen videos and testimonies of things that I had thought only happened two thousand years ago. I was skeptical at first, but before long it was clear that God is still in the supernatural business. I saw so many confirmations in my own life. Some might chalk those things up to coincidence but it was so intense that it was clear to me that this is what He wants me to do. I’ve been given dream after dream of me walking this out, but I hadn’t yet been able to get past my own introversion. I’ve been a “secret agent Christian”. Believing, but not being open about my faith. In a way it was due to doubts and uncertainties about what I had and also because I know I’m not perfect and sometimes don’t show the love of God in the way I should.

I’m not perfect, far from it. I cannot approach God on my own righteousness no matter how good I live. Only through Jesus can I come into His presence. I have seen some improvement in my symptoms through the second half of the year as I’ve been seeking him on this. The fight with my vertigo heated up in January though and I’ve had a rough couple of months. I had been struggling to decide whether I see healing in my own body first or go ahead and go out on a limb with this and have people think I’m crazy. I’ve even considered “cooling it” on this and backing off.

Then last Tuesday came. Since then I have cried, laughed, and sat in wonder at times each and every day. I’ve slept between 2-4 hours a night and have been full of energy. I am so humbled and overwhelmed by God’s amazing love and a small demonstration of His power. A man came to find me as I was teaching at a place that I don’t usually see anyone other than my students. I asked him how he was. “Blessed” was his answer. At that moment I knew he would have a word from God for me. We spoke briefly about piano and how he came to me. God had spoken words to him, he met my wife through some of her work, she mentioned that I taught piano and he knew then that he needed to see me.

He told me he was hearing some words from God for me. He asked if I wanted to hear them. I said yes. He answered so many questions that I’ve been seeking answers for. He confirmed for me beyond a shadow of a doubt that I need to be doing this. He told me that I thought my illness was holding me back from this, but it propels me into it. I am like a man on a cliff and need to lean forward and let the wind (God/Holy Spirit) support me in this. I cannot give up on this even if I don’t see anything. Do not give up!

Most importantly he told me that Every Time God Shows Up! This (what I need to do) is of eternal significance. I have everything that I need although I may not realize it. I am standing at the threshold and need to step in. I am sitting watching and waiting on God and God is waiting on me to do this.

I was also told every student was with me for a reason.

There were many other things he told me. Some I can’t tell here, but may in the near future. Some I don’t know if I will ever be able to speak. We met for about an hour. I was trembling the whole time. I’ve been talking with God so much and thought I was being directed and guided to this, but was struggling to get past myself. I still am struggling with that. I’m so awed that God would take the effort of sending me someone, with validation through someone close to me to confirm and answer so many of my questions (10-12? or more?) Things that to some of the people that I’m tagging at the end of this post are obvious and they have been teaching without fail. I’ve heard what they were saying, I just hadn’t experienced it….I’m going to tag some of the amazing brothers in Christ that have been so inspiring to me in this last year.

I don’t know where this is leading. I only see the next steps and right now I am going to be praying for people more openly and in a way that is different than I grew up understanding. In fact I’ve already begun.

Yes I will still teach piano, still work on computers and still build/host websites as long as I know I need to. It may be that I do that for the rest of my natural life. I don’t yet know.

I think I will be posting things here from time to time that I feel like I need to pass along as I listen to what God tells me.

To my friends that I’ve known for a long time: I have prayed for so many of you quietly from a distance when you’ve posted your troubles. I will be doing that more openly on facebook in comments. I know Jesus said believers shall lay hands on the sick, but He also said that whosoever believes in Him shall do the same works and greater works because he goes to the Father. Some of the people I am tagging have seen amazing things healing through comments on facebook and facebook chat, skype and other communication methods.

I don’t know how often I will be online. I need to do a lot of listening to God and that has shifted so many priorities. I know that I’m going to make mistakes but I also know God is bigger than those mistakes. I’ve been told I need to keep asking for more and greater and imagine greater things. After how much my mind has been stretched this last year of what is real and what is possible… I’m not sure how much bigger yet I can be thinking. I’m feeling like I’m walking in the book of Acts and to tell the truth maybe the body of Christ is still writing the book.

To those who have been seeking healing from Jesus: Don’t give up! Seek Jesus for answers and listen. I haven’t received complete healing either but improved greatly Tuesday. What I feel in my body doesn’t affect the truth I read in God’s word of everything that we have IN CHRIST JESUS.

To those that have lost loved ones (all of us) : I’ve prayed at a distance in faith for 7 people this year and seen them die. I am more than disappointed not to see them recover, but I know that we are standing in eternity. I know that I must keep on this and not give up. Even if I don’t see anything.

Just a note: I honor and appreciate Doctors and their abilities and their hearts for knowing that sickness should be fought!

To all of you: I love you. I get choked up saying it and so I haven’t. More importantly God loves you much more than you can imagine and sent His son so that you may be reconciled to Him and know His love. He thinks you’re amazing and He wants to walk with you through your life and do amazing things!

I appreciate your prayers as I lean into the wind.

This is not about me. I’m just a dirty earthen vessel…. It’s about Jesus!

Ask Jesus to show you how much He loves you!

These folks teachings have been inspiring, but we should all be looking to Jesus as our example! Pete Cabrera Jr Todd White Dan Mohler Curry Blake Andrew Wommack Roger Sapp There are so many others…..