As a committed evangelical Christian, when I became ill with glandular fever and then M.E./Post Viral Fatigue Syndrome people often asked me if I felt angry with God. In the space of a few weeks I had gone from being a flourishing trainee solicitor with the hope of a great career ahead of me to being a housebound invalid who struggled to get dressed! For 18 months I could barely sit up let alone walk any distance. With a strong belief in the sovereignty of God, I knew he was in control, hence the question whether I felt angry. Actually, my belief in God's sovereignty was in fact a comfort to me at that time and I held strong to God's promise in the bible that whilst we don't always understand God's ways, he is working in all things for the good of those who love him. My belief in his sovereignty also caused me and many others in my church to pray fervently for my recovery.
I had the privilege during my time of illness to be introduced to a neighbour who was also suffering from M.E. We became good friends and we would meet up whenever we both felt strong enough, each stretched out on the sofa, and morbidly share stories of the distressing effects of M.E. My friend, having more disposable income than me, tried several alternative remedies in her desperation to recover from her illness. Each made little, if any, difference to her health. So when she went down to Crouch End to learn the Lightning Process, I prepared to console her on her return, expecting another dashed hope. When she came back completely recovered, I had mixed feelings. Whilst I was overjoyed that she was now better and able to return to work, I was also very confused, having been told by so many sources that M.E. had no cure. Bizarrely, I began to question whether she had even had M.E. Could she have had something different to me? It was absurd that I ever thought this considering how similar our illness had been. I just struggled to believe such a cure could really exist. Eventually, I got excited about the fact that I too may be able to get better using the Lightning Process.
My one concern was my friend's comments that the Lightning Process had changed her beliefs and thoughts. The most important thing in my life is my relationship with Jesus and my faith in God. Even for the sake of full health, I could not risk loosing that. After a conversation with Phil Parker, I felt greatly reassured on this point. He told me that it is a fundamental principle of the Lightning Process not to interfere with people's religious beliefs. When he says we need to challenge beliefs he means our beliefs about M.E., beliefs about ourselves in relation to M.E. and not our beliefs about God.
On 16 July 2007, I made my painful and exhausting journey to London for the Lightning Process. I was exhausted when I arrived in Crouch End and had to ask Phil if I could sit in a lounger for the first session as I was too fatigued and in too much pain to sit upright. I didn't find it difficult to understand the discussions in the first session about how strong an influence the human mind can have over our bodies, which is one of the elements of the process, as I believe in a powerful creator God who is indeed able to create such incredible minds. I actually found the teaching liberating when it was suggested that M.E. is actually a subconscious neurological pattern that the brain has got stuck in, as I then realised I could do something about it, I was no longer a helpless victim of a horrific disease. And so I followed the Lightning Process conscientiously. The change that resulted was remarkable. By the second day of the treatment, I was able to walk for nearly 4 miles across London having been unable to sit up the day before!
What rejoicing there was when I returned to Church the following Sunday and everyone saw that their prayers for me, over so many months, had been answered. I am still amazed at God's grace in enabling Phil Parker to create something which finally gives hope of recovery for people with M.E. It is such a joy to be serving God again in my workplace (I have returned to work and now qualified as a Solicitor) and to have increased involvement in my Church again (I help with a number of youth clubs, keeping myself very busy!) I have recommended the Lightning Process to two others in my Church and they have both had the same results. I would urge anyone with the same condition to prayerfully consider doing the Lightning Process, trusting our Almighty and gracious God to heal you too.