Forrest Damron

I am so thankful today that I had a father who had faith in God. That faith was planted in my heart when I was only a small boy. It was something that I couldn’t get away from. I knew there was a reality in the old-time religion in spite of what I heard at school. Some would say that there was nothing to it, that it was all a myth. But I knew there was reality in the religion my father told me about, for it was lived every day in front of me. I am glad that reality became mine one day.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” That was from my first reader, the Bible. My mother taught me to read from that Book, and it did something for me. It planted faith in my heart.

Later, in school, we had a big book called geography. It had theories of how the world came into existence. I was just a small boy, but I told my teacher, “I don’t believe that. I believe ‘In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.’” I still believe it!

He forgave me, saved me, and completely changed my life.

One day when I was out with a group of boys just having a good time, I met with an accident, narrowly escaping death. I fell from a tree and was seriously injured. Somber thoughts of eternity came before me. Hell would have been my doom but for the mercy of God. I knew I needed to get right with God. I had never smoked or drank or done anything outwardly that was so terribly bad, but there was sin in my heart. I went down on my knees and repented just as men do who have been in deep sin. Tears flowed freely down my cheeks as I asked the Lord to forgive me. He forgave me, saved me, and completely changed my life.

And He did more than that for me! He delivered me from being a cripple, as the doctor had declared I would be following that accident. The doctor had said he could do nothing for me, and he didn’t. But God did!

My arm was broken severely and the end of the bone shoved up through the shoulder socket. It was never set or put into a cast, but God healed it miraculously. Contrary to the doctor’s prediction, I have had perfect use of my arm for many, many years.

About two years after I was saved I took very ill with double pneumonia and pleurisy. At times I was delirious and thought I was going to die. One night when in extreme pain—each breath feeling like knives jabbing me—I asked my father to call for the ministers to come and pray for me.

The next morning he called, and they came. When they anointed me with oil and laid their hands on me to pray according to James 5:14 and 15, the pain ceased and I was instantly healed. I have had no trace of pneumonia since that time.

I have proved God’s healing and keeping power for over fifty years, and under some very trying circumstances. I worked on construction jobs for a time, and later was a postal clerk on the railroad. When any of the boys would say, “Let’s have a drink,” I was always able to say, “No.”

While in the United States Navy during WWII, God gave me power to live the same Christian life that I lived before going in. His hand of protection was over me as I looked to Him for victory in every situation.

I had the assurance that if the ship went down, my soul would go up to Heaven.

On our way to the Aleutian Islands, where we were to be stationed, word came that a ship ahead of us on the same course was sunk. Only a few were rescued. We were on a freighter without escort. My bunk and others were down in the bottom of the hold, way below the waterline.

After hearing of the sinking of the other ship, my buddies were afraid to go to their bunks for several nights, but my faith was in God. I could go down there in the bottom of that ship and get a good night’s rest, knowing the Lord was watching over me. I had the assurance that if the ship went down, my soul would go up to Heaven. (That ship did go down later, after we were off of it.)

The Aleutians, where we were stationed, is said to have the worst weather in the world. But the continual rain, the snow, dense fog and monotony of life there, along with strong winds and the squalls of the Willawaws that reach gale proportions, failed to disturb the rest and peace God had planted in my heart. How good it is to have peace in time of war and when danger is all around!

In the year 1971, I was privileged to go as a missionary to West Africa. On arriving at our destination, I was told I must have an inoculation for cholera. I did, and the next day I became very sick. When I continued to grow worse, my wife, who was there with me, told the U.S. Embassy nurse about the apparent reaction to the inoculation. But when the doctor came to see me he determined I had malaria. He offered medication, but I told him that I had always trusted God and wanted to trust Him now.

The malaria affected my heart, and my lungs were filling with fluid. I lost thirty pounds in just a few days. The doctor and nurse were much concerned as to whether I would live.

The Lord answered! He healed me!

About the same hour that a cablegram, requesting prayer, reached our headquarters church in Portland, a little group from the church in Africa gathered in our missionary home and prayed. Mothers came with babies strapped to their backs, along with others, and they all knelt there. The prayers of God’s people availed in my behalf. The Lord answered! He healed me! Within a short time I was standing in that African church teaching the people a lesson on divine healing. They had already seen this miracle and they believed.

I was told that malaria works in a cycle—that it would return periodically. But when the Lord healed me He broke that cycle. It has never returned.

God has permitted me to make twelve missionary trips through the West Indies and South America. It is a great privilege to carry the news of salvation, to tell of the power of God to save and to heal.

What the Lord has done in my life I have seen Him duplicate in the lives of people in other countries. What a wonderful Savior!

How thankful I am for my “First Reader,” the Bible. I believed it then and I believe it now!