Caregiver Injures Shoulder, Faces Struggle to Work

“Started out like achy and I would try and like go home and rest and like lay on my back and it just, all of a sudden turned into this sharp pain.”

It had taken just a couple of days for the ache in Michelle’s shoulder to turn into excruciating pain.  A professional care giver, she says it happened while moving a patient who was paralyzed.

“And he was heavier than I was used to moving and so I would be like moving him around. And I tore something in my shoulder or something, I don’t even remember hearing a pop or anything.”

Twice she had to miss work as even the simplest tasks became unbearable.

“Washing my hair was a challenge, honestly. Anything that like was moving my –my arm any further than here. So dishes, putting dishes away. I had to get my roommate to get everything from the top shelf for me. And I’d just be like popping Advil all the time, nothing helped. Like that didn’t even help. I had to put a cold compress on it every hour.”

By Sunday, the pain had spread to her neck and other shoulder and she asked her pastors to pray for her. As they did, she felt god gave her a promise.

“He just affirmed my heart that this wasn’t something that was going to be long-term.”

As it so happened, the church’s weeklong summer camp started on Monday. As a youth leader, Michelle was determined to go – despite the pain.   

“It was a brutal first day. And it was just really –really painful.”

Even raising her hands during the worship service that night was excruciating.

“So I would be worshiping either like this or like this because I couldn’t raise this shoulder at all and I was like okay, God, I know you’re going to heal me. Please heal me, please heal me. And then it was just like no can’t do it.”

Then the next day, Michelle was on her way to the morning service, when the pastor’s wife, Jan, caught up with her.

“And I just walked right up to her and said Michelle, you’re not going to believe this, but this is what’s happened.”

Jan said earlier that morning, she was watching The 700 Club on her laptop while getting ready to leave.  

“And there was a word of knowledge for someone who had severe pain in their shoulder.”

Gordon- there’s someone, you’ve got severe problems in your right shoulder. It’s a deep injury, and it’s like your shoulder has locked up, and God’s healing it. He is restoring it. Just begin to do what you couldn’t do before and realize god has healed you, and he’s set you free.

“I thought that is for Michelle. I am going to claim that for Michelle.”

“And I just looked at her and I was like wow, that one’s for me. Just pray for me right now.”

After Jan prayed, Michelle went into the worship service.

“Worship starts and I was like okay, well, let’s test this and all the way up. They just like, I was just able to lift them both. And I was like oh my gosh, the pain’s gone. And I just like cracked up laughing in the middle of a song.”

After worship ended, Michelle couldn’t wait to tell Jan. Jan even took some video she posted on Facebook.

“Hands on her shoulder, we prayed, and look at this! Woohoo, that is the shoulder! Oh my gosh, only believe! Jesus said only believe!”

“Well, she just went happy crazy. She just was so excited and just lifted up her hands and just began to worship the lord. And so we knew that she was touched.”

Today, Michelle’s shoulder has not given her any problems, and has strengthened her Faith in God.

“Totally changed my life having that moment happen. God wants to heal us, he wants to see us thriving because he loves us. And because we love him we can believe for others to be healed as well.”