Sonrise Magazine

by Jervae Brooks

My husband, Dwight Brooks, has battled serious health issues for many years. Our wonderful church family at Sonrise has stood with us through fierce battles including 55 days in ICU in 2008, and victoriously overcoming Stage 4 Lymphoma in 2018-19. Time after time during the Friday morning sessions of “Man Prayer”, their strong prayers went forward on our behalf. Our Sonrise family is awesome!

We were so grateful to God when, after the intense chemo treatments, the cancer was gone. As of this writing it is going on four years with clear cancer screenings, and we thank God for every good report!

So, in October 2020 when he received the diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease, it was an unexpected blow. The Neurological team at the Veterans Hospital in Seattle confirmed it was caused by Agent Orange exposure during Dwight’s time aboard ship off the coast of Vietnam while serving in the US Navy.

It was a difficult time for us both. Dwight battled fear as he learned the devastating effects of this disease and how it ravages the mind and the body. And the night after we received the diagnosis I cried out to God with the real confession that I just did not feel I had the strength to battle through another serious and life threatening disease.

Even while I was still praying, Jesus spoke to my heart. Over and over He said, “I will fight for you.” “I will fight for you.” Later I found the scripture in Exodus 14:14 (NLT) The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” Thank You Lord! Yes, I can do that.

So for these past two-plus years, through doctor’s appointments, increased symptoms we all could see growing in Dwight’s body and mind; I kept reminding myself what God had spoken to me. I prayed, but also hung onto the promise that God was fighting for me. For us. And I could just stay calm.

***

Several years ago, we visited Bethel Church in Redding, CA and enjoyed that unique experience together. And it was in January 2009, that Dwight’s liver was healed during a visit to Bethel Church. After he survived those 55 days in ICU Dwight was grateful to be alive, but he was still in need of significant healing. A large blood clot had completely blocked the portal vein through his liver, resulting in the liver not cleaning his blood properly from ammonia that naturally forms. When ammonia build-up reaches the brain, extreme confusion occurs, and the patient becomes what is termed “encephalopathic.” He was not allowed to drive and could not safely even be left alone. I was still working full time and we did not know what the future held for either of us.

Dwight’s friend, Scott Rice, had a home in Redding and brought Dwight to Bethel as a welcome respite from hospitals and doctors. They were gifted with the last two tickets to this conference by a woman at the church. During a session a word of knowledge was spoken from the podium that someone’s liver was being healed. Dwight went forward and people surrounded him with prayer. He was slain in the spirit and thanked God for touching him but was not immediately sure if he was healed.

When he returned home, he went back to his doctor, who immediately saw he was looking much better. He advised Dwight to cut back on that medication, and under doctor’s care, he was completely off it within a month. The portal vein in his liver is still blocked but he has never again had the former problem. All praise to God!

***

This spring we decided to take a little vacation and wanted to go in May, planning around other events in our family and also here at Sonrise. We surely did not want to miss attending “The Way” conference coming in July! We learned about a “Healing School” that would be held at Bethel in May, so decided to register for it. We packed our little camping trailer, brought our little dog to our good friend’s Jann and Dan Metcalf, and off we went. We had booked a spot at a nice campground only a mile or so from Bethel Church and looked forward to the week.

We didn’t know what to expect, but we were expectant. Dwight wanted to learn more about how to pray for people and see them healed – even while he himself was seeking healing in his body.

We learned this Healing School is held at Bethel every May, and there are people who attend yearly. The purpose of the school is not to just sit under teachers and learn about God’s will to heal, but also to see and experience His presence and deepen our relationship with Jesus. The school was fun, inspiring and life changing for us and others in the group of about 400 people from all over the US and a few other nations as well.

On the Thursday evening of May 11, the Healing School gave us all a “Healing Room Experience.” The Healing Rooms were started years ago under the ministry of John G. Lake in Spokane. Now there are hundreds of Healing Rooms operating under that extended ministry all over the country, including in nearby Burlington and also Bothell, and also internationally. The Bethel Healing Rooms are under that same umbrella. At Bethel the Healing Rooms are held every Saturday morning when, every week, 300-400 people come to experience God’s presence and receive prayer. Many people get healed in the amazing atmosphere of faith they have cultivated at Bethel.

That evening we arrived in groups at our set time, were brought into an area where we filled out a paper stating what we wanted prayer for, and then were brought into the sanctuary. The sanctuary had been transformed into what they called the Encounter Room, with all the rows of chairs reset into smaller groups in one half of the room, and the other half open and where the prayer teams of 2-3 met individually with each person. When we stepped into the Encounter Room there was an atmosphere of joy and faith, with worship being brought from the stage, dancers with flags moving through the room, prophetic art displayed in one area – an amazing place to just sit and soak in the presence of God.

We waited there until it was our turn to move to the other side of the room. When one of the prayer teams (of 2-3 people) were free we each went to them to receive prayer. I felt a sweet touch from the Father when they prayed for me, but for Dwight it was dramatic.

When I finished being prayed for, I couldn’t see him at first. That’s because he was on the floor! When I finally saw him, I just watched for a few minutes and then went to stand with him. He had been slain in the Spirit and couldn’t get up while the Spirit did His work. Then they sat him in a chair, and he felt “something” come up and out of him. When he stood up, he felt very different, and then realized he was healed! His Parkinson’s symptoms were gone, his sense of taste returned, his voice was stronger, and he began running in place with his new-found strength! It was amazing. He wept to realize what God had done! What a celebration we had with that prayer team! He was asked to testify from the platform the next day.

After that remarkable week we enjoyed a relaxing drive west and north along the Oregon coast. As we listened while driving to CD’s we had purchased of a previous Healing School, we felt God’s joyful presence and peace surrounding us.

Back at home, on May 26, Dwight had a scheduled follow-up appointment with his VA Neurologist. When asked how he had been feeling he told them he had received prayer for the Parkinson’s and felt he had been healed. (No comment from the doctors.)  They proceeded to do all the physical tests they do at each visit – testing his motor skills, balance, manipulation of the joints to test for stiffness, watching him walk, etc. When they came back into the room after watching him walk in the hallway, I had my pen ready to write down the first thing the doctor said. I felt that would be the doctor’s real assessment and I was eager to hear his words.

As they re-entered the room, the doctor said, “Right now looking at you it’s hard to think you have Parkinson’s.” That may be the closest we’ll get to them saying Dwight is healed, but that’s okay. We are thanking God and enjoying the new lease on life Dwight has been given. The physical weight of the diagnosis is lifted, as well as the emotional weight.

We are so grateful to God.