Anissa’s Story – Post # 13 – An Invitation To A Divine Appointment …

Gods invitation

During those difficult seasons for Anissa in the years of 1977 to 1979, there were also joyous times that kept us uplifted in spirit. Our son graduated from college with high honors (summa cum laude), joined an excellent accounting firm, and then married his high school sweetheart. Their visits in our home were especially uplifting times for Anissa.

Since our ministry of Logos Life and Light Foundation was legally established as a charitable 501(c)(3) organization on May 2, 1979, it was important for the public to have access to our meetings. This was good training for Anissa in learning to be quiet during meetings, besides giving her more social interaction.

As there was still no medical answer for the uncontrollable seizures Anissa experienced and was causing her health to noticeably deteriorate, my husband’s boss, Mr. Tom, showed up at our house one day with an Enquirer newspaper in his hand. (He had always held a special place in his heart for Anissa, who he called “Little Bits.” In earlier years, Mr. Tom received prayer with the laying-on-of-hands by several of us for his injured rotator cuff and was miraculously healed.) As I opened the door, to my surprise, in broken Italian-English, he, while pointing to the newspaper article, boldly said, “I pay — you take ‘Little Bits’ — this place for healing!” The place happened to be in Portugal, Spain and was about a woman claiming to be a psychic-healer. I was touched by the sincerity and kindness of his heart, but at the same time I knew it was contrary to the Word of God.

“There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord and because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out from before you. You shall be blameless before the Lord your God.”

Deuteronomy 18:10-13 NKJV

Mr. Tom & “Little Bits”/ Anissa

In the evening, after Mr. Tom’s visit that day, we attended a Full Gospel Men’s Fellowship Meeting where the leader asked everyone to write down his/her need for a word of guidance and place it on the prayer-offering plate being passed around. The moment I did so, a vision came before me of the United States “New England” area. I knew it was in answer to what I had written concerning the guidance needed pertaining to the Portugal trip, yet I had not a clue to what it meant.

The following morning while in prayer, the vision again appeared and I heard these words: “Go to New England this year – attend a healing service in that area – drive the car – blessings shall be yours – take this time away from others, but on a mission to save the lost, the weary and the sick – you shall conquer and your child shall bless this ministry of healing.”

The next day a brochure from the Apostolate of Healing, Father/Rev. Ralph A. DiOrio, Director, Leicester, MA, came in the mail with a Worcester Outreach Service Schedule (July – December, 1980) in it. After much prayer to discern the will of God and His timing, it came strongly for us to attend a service at the Worcester Memorial Auditorium, 09/13-14/80. This particular service required tickets for guaranteed seats. Since Mr. Tom was of the Catholic faith, I asked what he thought about transferring the trip offer for Portugal, to instead take Anissa to the Fr. DiOrio’s healing service in Massachusetts. He was in agreement, so we ordered tickets and planned our trip.

To this day, we have no idea how that brochure ever got in our mailbox.

How awesome it is when God intervenes with His Excellent Grace!

(The next post will continue the journey — stay tuned!)

To contact Anissa’s mother email blawyerlogos@bellsouth.net

To take a virtual tour of the healing center go to http://www.wellspringhealingretreat.org

Anissa’s Story – Post #17 – Mystery Mail & A Miracle In Massachusetts…

Having attended healing services at the Worcester Memorial
Auditorium from noon to evening on Saturday and Sunday, we
were ready for an extra day of rest before going on to Canada.
Also, it gave us an opportunity to meet other guests staying at
the hotel. One couple from the Midwest who had attended the
services, but did not receive healing, asked us to pray for them.
They spoke of their desire to go see Fr. DiOrio’s ministry
headquarters in Leicester, MA. Since it was only a ten minute
drive from our hotel and they had no car, we offered to take them
to visit the place.
Upon our arrival at the ministry offices, we were asked our reason
for being there. After briefly sharing our testimony, they wanted
a summary of Anissa’s seizures for their files. Then, if she showed
definite results of healing from the services we attended, Fr.
DiOrio would be notified.
The secretary related that because of his busy schedule and being
in conference with the Bishop at that moment, it would not be
possible for Fr. DiOrio to meet personally with us. She suggested
that we all go into the Chapel for a time of prayer.
In the Chapel, a Sister of the Order wanted to know more about
the seizures that Anissa experienced. She was interested
because her niece and nephew suffered with tonic-clonic seizures.
The Sister went on to say that if Fr. DiOrio was led by the Holy
Spirit to come into the Chapel, he would. Just then, the door
opened and to our surprise, Fr. DiOrio entered. Upon seeing
Anissa, he said, “I touched her twice at the service on
Saturday.” We shared with him about her seizures. He sat
beside her, placed his hands upon her and prayed silently for
about ten minutes, then said, “She’ll be all right – in time.”
While he was in prayer, a vision appeared before me of a brain
with an “S” shaped form in the midst which suddenly shifted in
the opposite direction.

To our amazement, Anissa never complained while Fr. DiOrio’s
hands lay on her head during the lengthy prayer. Afterwards, he
asked how we knew about the healing services that we had just
attended in Worcester. I related how a brochure of the scheduled
meetings showed up in our mailbox. He quickly responded,
“But we don’t send out such pamphlets!” He then questioned the
Sister for a confirmation. She stated that the only way a schedule
was sent would be upon special request and that maybe someone
had asked them to send it. In the following year, we did meet
several persons who had attended Fr. DiOrio’s miracle services –
but the mystery of the pamphlet still remains!

IMG_1111[3029] Anissa 2 before

Anissa before healing services ( above) and then after the services.

IMG_1109[3027] Anissa - after3

The change in Anissa’s countenance and strength of body was so
evident. Once again, seizures were less frequent, she was able to
feed herself and eat a greater variety of food. In God’s mercy,
we were given the boost of faith needed to continue our journey –
sustained by His Excellent Grace.

To reach Anissa’s Mother email blawyerlogos@bellsouth.net

To take a virtual tour of the healing center go to http://www.wellspringhealingretreat.org

Anissa’s Story – Post #18 – A Prayerful Reminder To Keep A Proper Focus…

Upon leaving Worcester, Massachusetts, with many fond memories, we traveled a scenic journey to Valleyfield, Quebec, where we visited with a previous co-worker of my husband and friend of Mr. Tom, his employer. The change of pace was a treat with the several days of rest, sightseeing and wonderful places to eat. Anissa was so good, adapted unusually well to all the changes and would even lay down in the car, which she had not done previously.

In reflection of all that had taken place since leaving our home in Florida just a week before, it was like a dream. We learned how to put denominational differences aside as we met lovely people only wanting to help. Being of the Protestant faith, it was easier for us to “keep our eyes upon Jesus,” as exhorted to do so by Pastor David Jones several days earlier while at the Christian Broadcasting Network in Virginia Beach.

The September healing services we attended in Worcester were centered upon The Feast of The Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Therefore, the Charismatic Catholic priest, Fr. Ralph DiOrio, spoke only about Jesus Christ and the deeper meaning of the cross being a sign of strength and protection. The Communion (Eucharist) was open for all born again believers of Christ to partake. It was definitely more like a Pentecostal/Charismatic type of healing services.

“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2

It was interesting to hear Fr. DiOrio explain at the beginning of his healing services about people falling out in the Spirit. He stated that if one is truly ‘slain in the Spirit,’ no matter what they hit when falling, there will be no headache or hurt upon arising from such a fall. But knowing how vain the mind can work, he did tell people in the balcony to remain seated. Also, it is good to remember that one needs to be willing to receive signs and wonders through the power of the Holy Spirit, but to try the spirits and not attend any service for signs alone.

There was an incident that took place before the second weekend service began. One of the ushers asked a priest from St. Philip’s Neri Church, Bronx, NY, and a sweet girl who helped in his ministry, to pray for Anissa. His prayer greatly disturbed me when he consecrated Anissa to the Virgin Mary. I immediately interrupted his prayer and said, “She is already consecrated to Jesus Christ!” His kind response came into agreement with my request. Since he was a very young priest, I attributed his actions to lack of wise counsel and experience.

“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.”

1 Timothy 2:5-6

In this God-appointed journey, we were given the opportunity to spend quality time with our parents and relatives in West Virginia. My husband attended a business meeting in Washington, D.C., with his boss, Mr. Tom, who was overjoyed to hear the good report of “Little Bits”. Anissa progressed each day, very alert and happy, and able once again to walk by herself. Our families and relatives rejoiced to see the evidence of things hoped for come to pass for us — a result of His Excellent Grace.

(Now, please feel free to send your testimonies of others receiving such Grace so we can post them for others to see! Glorify God — submit your story to blawyerlogos@bellsouth.net

Or mail it to:

Logos Life & Light Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box, 1732, Ormond Beach, FL 32175)

To reach Anissa’s mother, email blawyerlogos@bellsouth.net

To take a virtual tour of the healing center go to http://www.wellspringhealingretreat.org

Anissa’s Story – Post #25 – Major Medical Decisions And Listening Prayer = Good Results.

As a follow up of yesterday’s Post #24 and the awesome experience I had in connection with “First Lady” Barbara Bush’s compassionate heart, my prayers now go out to her beloved family in feeling the loss of her gracious life.

“For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens … therefore we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident … and well-pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.”

2 Corinthians 5:1, 6-8 NKJV

Sometimes a lack of knowledge can cause those still living to suffer in their mortal body. After exhausting all pathways of treating the seizure activity in Anissa with anti-epilepsy drugs, we were advised to consider a surgical operation of her corpus callosum. This procedure, known as split-brain, would separate a broad band of nerve fibers that joins the two hemispheres of the brain to keep a seizure isolated and from spreading throughout her brain.

Upon hearing favorable reports from other parents who took their child for such an operation to the Augusta Medical Center in Georgia, we decided to take Anissa for an evaluation. In 1987, an appointment was made for her with the neurosurgeon, Dr. Donald King. (Since one of his patient’s story was in our book, Victorious Survivors, he had previously ordered 15 copies to share with others.) Therefore, Dr. King was sensitive to our need to work closely with a physician who is compassionate to our needs and willing to try various types of therapy. It was his opinion that Anissa would not be a good candidate for the corpus callosum surgery because of her combative behavior. He told us that in the meantime, he’d keep her name on his special list for any new experimental drug program that might be beneficial for the types of seizures she was having.

Because of the extreme behavior problems that Anissa experienced after the severe drug reaction just several months before, Dr. King prescribed Mellaril (thioridazine HCI), in minute doses, in hopes to correct her loud screaming, explosive excitability and impulsivity. After several doses, we realized she was making the same kind of “pointless” motions which had originally alerted us to the reaction she had at six months of age to the drug Phenergan. After researching the chemical makeup of those two drugs, we were shocked to learn that both contained the same antipsychotic component – phenothiazine, which should never be given to a child under two years of age! It was then we understood that Anissa’s brain suffered seizures as a result of the drug causing a chemical imbalance rather than structural damage.

“When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, discretion will preserve you; understanding will keep you, to deliver you from the way of evil.” Proverbs 2:10-12 NKJV

This knowledge that I gained only made me more adamant in finding a formula that will counteract what that antipsychotic drug might have caused in the chemical balance of Anissa’s brain. Evidently, God wants the same results and could be the reason why we are recipients of “open doors – signs — wonders” through the power of His Excellent Grace.

To contact Anissa’s mother email her at blawyerlogos@bellsouth.net

To take a virtual tour of the healing center go to http://www.wellspringhealingretreat.org