July 28, 2022
Today, my dear friend Gwen Marshall forwarded me this photo.
When I called her to say, “Praiseallujah!” and to tell her how good she looked, Gwen thanked me but informed me that she was wearing a wig because she had lost all of her beautiful hair from Chemotherapy but had kept it in a bag.
That’s when the Holy Spirit stepped in and spoke to my heart. He said, “Mary, I am God and I change not. What I did for little Phineas Williams, I will do for Gwen and others who will seek me in prayer.”
In 1976, shortly after turning over my miserable life to the Lord Jesus Christ, I was called to a healing ministry. That was confirmed when I spoke publicly into a mike at Calvary Church of God Christ, in Detroit, concerning a young man whose name was Phineas Williams. Phineas was about 12 years old at the time and he had cancer. Every Sunday, Phineas and his mother sat in the pew in front of me. My heart broke, as I looked at this grotesque wig that looked like it was a rag mop that had just been flopped on top of his head. It hurt even more for me to know that he popped a total of 14 pills a day into his mouth to “treat” cancer.
One Sunday morning, I had enough, as I looked at the back of this child’s head. Tears flowed from my eyes and I heard the voice of the Lord say, “Mary, go to the mike and say these words publicly, ‘If Phineas’ mother will stop letting him wear that wig, I will heal his body.’” (It was during testimony time in our church and it was appropriate to go to the mike and speak.) Although my knees were knocking, I obeyed. His mother listened and also obeyed.
Sunday after Sunday went by and I saw no hair on Phineas’ head, not one strand. Admittedly, I was scared. I prayed, “Lord, if that wasn’t you, I’m going to have to pack my bags and leave town.”
Well, it was God, and one day it happened. One hair grew into two hairs and then more and more hair. Eventually, a head full of hair. PTL! His mother stood up in the service and said, “Church, Phineas has been healed!” Not only was he healed, but he had beautiful black hair running down his back! His mother said, “He didn’t have hair that beautiful when he was born.” WOW! and WOW! backward. Praise be to God. Phineas was healed and I didn’t have to leave town. His mother was so grateful that later she came to work at Joy of Jesus, my ministry, as a volunteer. She told that story to everyone who would listen.
The years went by and God continued to use me in a healing ministry until personal tragedy struck. One by one members of my family began to die. Before long, I had lost four of my family members to cancer. I was grief-stricken and, as a result, I listened to the devil say, “Why pray for anyone else. If your prayers can’t save your own family, how can they save anyone else?”
For many years, I allowed the adversary to steal my healing ministry. But, praise be to God. It has been restored.
After sharing this story with Gwen, I said, “Gwen, send me a photo of your bag of hair and you and I will agree in prayer that God will not only restore the 6-7 inches that you had before Chemo, but he will give you twice as much for your trouble.”
After Gwen shouted in praise to the Lord, Holy Spirit put it on my heart to write this email to those of you who have lost your hair to cancer or Alopecia. Send me your email address and we will add your name to our prayer list and watch God work!
WRITTEN BY: DR. MARY Edwards
Edwards is an ordained minister in Detroit; has been a community activist for over 30 years, author, book coach and editor. She is featured in “Who's Who is Black Detroit” for her publishing efforts. Founder of The Called and Ready Writers and Widows With Wisdom, she was Voted “One of the Most Influential Women in Metropolitan Detroit. Friends call her “The Holy Hookup Lady.”