In June this year, I was attending a Bethel Conference in Sydney with my dad and friend. On the first day there was no morning session, so we decided to go for a hike in a nearby mountain area
We were hiking to the top of a waterfall. Upon reaching the top , my foot slipped and I fell over 9 metres (30ft) down the cliff into the waterfall.
The way I fell meant I fell down multiple levels of rock, but managed (by God's grace) to land on my feet each time - never slipping or tripping - which meant I avoided 4 opportunities to hit my head/neck on solid rock, including when I finally landed in the water.
When I looked down at my leg , my first thought was “my shoe has come off”... then I realised, no that’s my foot - my foot was totally at right angles sitting sideways, and I had no feeling in my leg below his knee.
I had a momentary reaction of panic and fear, but within about two seconds a supernatural peace took over me; and all the faith teaching that I have heard over the years rose up - particularly a message from Pastor George Pearsons on the importance of “first responders” (not the paramedics or fire brigaide but my words)
As my Dad and friend jumped in the water to help, we all began to pray and quote scripture. The key scriptures rising in our hearts were and their ankles were strengthened and they were walking and leaping and praising God (Acts 3) and followed that with He who began a good work in me will bring it to a flourishing finish. (Philippians 1)
And lying in freezing water at the bottom of a cliff I “strengthened himself in the Lord” (shout-out to Pastor Peter's Turning Point series). And I refused to let anything else except faith come out of my mouth.
My Dad gently put his hands under my ankle and began to pray and command it straighten and realign itself.
Then as they lifted me out of the water, I suddenly screamed; not with pain, but with joy! My ankle had twisted around, totally realigned itself, and I had regained full feeling in my foot and leg!
Even though my ankle had turned and straightened, my leg was broken and we felt the wisdom of the Holy Spirit lead us to call the emergency service. Roughly a dozen paramedics and firemen came. When they saw the distance that I fell from and the sheer drop, they were amazed I was alive and not showing any sign of head, back or neck injuries.
The senior paramedic told me, “You’ve snapped your ankle in half. You’ll be in emergency surgery for at least four days and won’t be leaving Sydney for at least 2 weeks”.
But we refused to let our words get into agreement with him.
They strapped me to a stretcher and carried me up the mountain.
Upon arrival in ER, they told me that my ankle was severely broken, however not as bad as initially diagnosed! They said that they'd plaster it (pre-surgery) and send me back to Melbourne to have immediate surgery.
So we not only got back to Melbourne on time, but also got to enjoy the entire second half of the conference!
I was admitted to hospital here in Melbourne and once again the surgeons were amazed, reading the report of the accident and that I only had a broken leg. The doctor said that my leg was so badly broken and the bones and muscles separated, that you could drive a car through my leg. They operated and inserted plates and screws.
The surgeon did ask us who straightened my ankle. He asked whether it was the paramedics or the doctors in Sydney. He said that the break showed that the ankle should be at right angles and had obviously been manually realigned.
I told them it straightened itself (because of God!) and the surgeon was very confused.
The anticipated timeline for my recovery was 4-6 months of being in a wheelchair and using crtuches before I would be walking.
But praise God, after 104 days (6-8 weeks before the expected date) - I was walking unaided!
God is so good.