Lois Allen

I thank God for the wonderful reality I have found in this mighty Gospel. My mother taught me the right way, but at an early age I turned it all down. I said, “Oh, that life is too tame for me.” I gave my all—my health and strength—my all, to sin.

Many years ago, the Apostolic Faith people came over to the Applegate area in Oregon, where I was reared and where my folks were living. They cleaned out an old dance hall and began to hold some meetings in it. My folks attended those meetings, and my mother told the minister about the “black sheep” that was over in the city wasting her life in riotous living. She said, “I wish you would pray for that girl, that God would save her at any cost.” It was quite a cost, but I never cease to thank God for it. When they started praying, God began to deal with me.

God permitted a terrible affliction to come upon my body. I went from a well, strong, robust woman to a very shadow of my old self. I was sick from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet. My mind was gone for hours at a time; I couldn’t even tell you my own name. I was married and had two little children. One day the census taker came to my house and asked me the names of my children. I just looked at her; I couldn’t remember the names of my own children.

Oh, how I thank God that He came down and transformed my heart and life!

I shall never forget one night, April 26, in an old farmhouse, when I got out of bed and knelt on my knees. God in His infinite mercy and love let real Holy Ghost conviction come down into that room and I saw myself slipping into Hell. I cried out that night from the depth of my heart. For the first time in my life I became honest. Oh, how I thank God that He came down and transformed my heart and life! Jesus came into this poor life of mine that sin had ruined. I thank God for His wonderful salvation. I know a God that hears and answers prayer. I have seen Him work many mighty miracles. I have seen His mighty power made manifest when it was an absolute impossibility as far as man was concerned, but our God can do anything.

I began to read the Word of God, and He showed me in His Word that He was able to take care of my body as well as my soul. At that time, I was in bed awaiting a serious operation. My affliction was a toxic thyroid. It affected my mind, my heart, my stomach and my nervous system. I was a total wreck and only twenty-six years of age.

God showed me that He was able to heal me, and I believed it. I got out of bed and announced to my family that I was going to trust God to heal me. They thought that I had lost my mind and sent for my husband and the doctor. They all assembled there to take me to the mental hospital. God had a hand in that, and I could stand up and look at them and say, “I am going to trust God and God will heal me because He said He would.” God healed me of every trace of that affliction.