Miracles happened in the Bible. Miracles happen today. We say “God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” I believe it with all my heart.

In mid-January of 2024, I took a nasty slide on icy pavement. I grabbed for anything to help keep my balance and I did not go down. In retrospect, it probably would have been better to go with gravity and just tuck and roll. But instead, catching myself going down wrenched my back and gave me the gift of a herniated disc.

The pain that ensued was, on a scale of 1-to-10, a hot on-fire 11 that lit up my sciatic nerve all the way down my left leg into my foot. It’s worse than natural childbirth. It’s more horrific than rotator cuff surgery. It went on for days, reducing me to hanging onto furniture, using a cane, and even a walker.

I was given steroids, pain killers, muscle relaxants and more. Nothing would touch it. Because of insurance requirements, my orthopedic doctor told me I would have to go through several weeks of physical therapy before he could take the next more aggressive step in treatment. It was clear he felt that “next step” would indeed be necessary, but we had to check all the boxes.

I’m a biker – year-round – and my custom-built bike is my “go-to” for physical exercise and restoration of peace-of-mind in God’s beautiful outdoors. Of course, I couldn’t bike. Oh, my doc said I could bike on a recumbent in the gym, but my road bike was out of the question. My therapists said “no way” to the road bike. When I told them I had a 100-mile charity bike ride coming up in June, they smiled and humored me as they said flat-out “No.” I checked with other specialists in the field – and with other patients who struggled with a similar injury. The answer was unanimous – you won’t be able to ride your bike.

My first physical therapy assessment actually made the pain worse. The English language fails – and my Christian witness prevents – providing adequate descriptives for what I experienced after that first session. But I had to go back to earn the right to move on to the “next step” – insurance, you know. I was terrified that the manipulations would throw me back under the bus. I spent time in prayer, crying out to God literally, to hear my plea and keep me from going back into the excruciating pain cycle the first session had ignited. As I was praying, I felt an energy surge from the top of my head, travel down my body, and all the way down my left leg to my foot. It was undeniable. The sciatic pain went away. That day. That hour. That moment. And I have not experienced it since.

I continued with the physical therapy. They continued to tell me I could not ride my bike. After a few more weeks, they reluctantly said I could “try” my bike, but don’t do more than ride right in front of my home. They also continued to say I certainly could not do 100 miles. After a few weeks, they released me from therapy, telling me they were shocked at my improvements and how quickly they had happened. I never did have to go back to the orthopedic doctor for that “next step.”

I began riding my road bike, with only six weeks or so to train. On June 7, I successfully completed the 100-mile charity ride and continue to thank my Lord and Savior for the miracle He did in my body. Be encouraged by my testimony. Nothing is impossible with God. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. To God be the glory.

– By Melody Morris – 2024