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On Thursday, October 2nd, 2008, Sarah Fenn underwent a high risk heart surgery. Three days later she was home, astounding the medical staff with her rapid recovery. Read the incredible spiritual journey through the events as recorded in Shari Fenn’s letter.

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Subject: Fw: Praise report for Sarah Fenn from Shari
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2008 10:28:55 -0600

To Our Most Dear Family in the Lord,

In going through the deep waters this past week, our family has a come to appreciate the love, prayers and acts of kindness we have received from the body of Christ.  We have seen Christ’s church at its finest through your support. So with all our hearts we thank the Lord for you.

Prior to arriving in Edmonton for Sarah’s open heart surgery, we did everything we could possibly do to ensure Sarah’s healing. We stood on the healing word as a family, attended Lakeland Florida healing revival where Sarah was prayed for by Todd Bentley, water fasted for eight days, praised God for Sarah’s healing during family worship time, took Sarah to a healing service at Strathmore Full Gospel Church where she received prayer by the whole church and healing evangelist Mark Griffin, prayed with missionary Elsie Welsh, watched healing television programs and received God’s healing words, went to our church altar on a regular basis for prayer, got prayer support from Sandra Kennedy’s Healing Centre in Georgia, played Bill Johnson healing CDs while sleeping through the night (Sarah included) and we surrounded ourselves with people who believe in healing.  Sarah and I went to counselling with Dr. Charles Edelmann to heal wounds of the past, to forgive, to repent and to break generational sins/curses. Sarah and I also forgave each other and sought forgiveness from each other. The time in counseling was open and heart-felt and we sensed healing and freedom when we finished. We heard from the Lord that he would heal Sarah as did many others around us. When we went to Edmonton we KNEW that our God would heal Sarah.

After a long day in tests last Tuesday, we were certain that Sarah’s surgery would be cancelled.  The surgery was re-scheduled from Wednesday to Thursday and right up until we went into the surgery, we expected it to be cancelled. As I took my daughter into the surgery room, we read Psalm 23 over and over until Sarah was asleep. 

Sarah’s surgery was scheduled to be for about six hours. The main part of the surgery was completed in only three hours and went excellent.  It was classified as higher risk surgery due to all of her scar tissue from two previous heart surgeries at birth and three years old.  The surgeon removed a growth that closed off most of the base of her aortic arch and he also closed a small hole with no complications. Her recovery in the intensive care unit was for only a day (two days is normal). She was then moved to a hospital room and was released to go home just under two days later.  The surgeon said that Sarah receives ”the star award” for being the best patient in the Stollery Children’s Hospital due to her extremely rapid healing time.  The nurse said it is a MIRACLE for a young person who just came out of open heart surgery to be released out of the hospital in under three days. Sarah is home now and is off pain killers and is walking around like her normal cheerful self.  She is virtually pain free! Has our God touched Sarah and given her an extraordinary healing? Without a doubt He has.

The story does not end here. The last time Pastor Len prayed for Sarah, he said that all he could hear was “All things work together for good for those who love the Lord.”

Our family was believing that Sarah would not need to go under the knife but we are now certain that this has worked together for our good. 

After we were moved from Intensive Care to our hospital room, I was feeling deep despair in not understanding why God did not just step in and heal Sarah before the surgery.  My husband Jim was our rock of faith during this time. I was so discouraged that I could not even open my Bible or talk to God.  After a few hours of being in our hospital room, a little four week old baby named Ocean was brought into our room.  I heard the nurses saying that Ocean had not held down formula for a week and had not had a bowel movement in more than a week. She had been in the hospital since she was born. There was a family crisis at home so she was all alone in the hospital with no family.  The nurses were also very short staffed. Sarah and I were not allowed to hold the baby but singing to her, touching her and praying for her was allowed.

As I laid in my visitor’s bed by Sarah, I heard a very clear, discernable voice in my spirit say to me “Shari, I want you to go and lay hands on the baby and pray for her to be healed.”  I could not bring myself to go and pray because I was so caught up in my own discouragement. Then a while later, I heard the same thing. I knew God was speaking to me so I dragged myself over to Ocean and prayed for her healing. Sarah also prayed for her from her bed. I then went back to bed and a few hours later I heard the same voice say to me, ”My Presence has healed the baby.”  Sure enough, within the hour, Ocean drank formula and held it down and shortly after she had a bowl movement.  Sarah and I really bonded with Ocean and we knew for certain that God had placed her in the room with us.  God healed Ocean and she was released from the hospital the day after we left.

Pastor Marilyn called while we were in the hospital and said that God would give me understanding.  In the hours ahead, God unlocked a deep well of compassion within our family that we have never experienced before.  As we walked around the hospital, our hearts became completely broken with the things God showed us. 

Jim and I were able to cry with and pray for a young father who was taking his baby home from the hospital to die because the medical profession said they had done all they could do. Sarah and I prayed for Taylor, a young boy beside her in the intensive care unit who is terminally ill and is not expected to get out of intensive care. Taylor is in his bed around the clock with a breathing device and equipment all around his head. He struggled with almost every breath. Taylor is the same age as Sarah. I was able to watch how Taylor’s grandmother (Shirley) sat by his bed day and night loving her grandson with all her heart. I had breakfast with Shirley and I shared some of my testimony and poured love into her by acknowledging her profound love and commitment to her grandchild. Shirley was moved to tears and so was I.

Our family walked out of the children’s hospital with genuine tears of compassion for the many sweet children who are terminally ill with no hope in their eyes. We agreed that our hearts are completely changed. We learned what it truly means to be broken with the Lord’s compassion. 

If the Lord had intervened before surgery, Sarah and I agree that we may have thought that our own efforts, obedience and faith were sufficient for her healing. We may have fallen into a subtle form of pride by believing we had the key to healing. Sarah and I agree that we may have been saved from this form of pride that judges the members of the body of Christ who do not receive their healing or miracle.

On the drive home, we stopped in at Tim Horton’s. We shared our testimony with the couple behind us in the line. They were moved to tears and said that the Lord had really done a work in their hearts in a church service earlier that day and we were part of the lesson God was teaching them.  The man said “well obviously you believe in miracles.”  Without hesitation, I said “YES, AS A MATTER OF FACT I DO BELIEVE IN MIRACLES.”

All things really do work together for good of those who love the Lord.

We have been so richly blessed to see Christ’s church in all her glory.  It is with deepest love and gratitude that I thank you for walking with Sarah and our family.  May the Lord richly bless you for every prayer you made on our behalf.

With Love in Christ,

Shari Fenn