Ian Parkinson, New Wine Regional Director, North and East

We have been learning a bit about the importance of perseverance in our own church in recent months. We are not unused to seeing wonderful demonstrations of God’s healing power and people healed in direct response to prayer ministry. However, two recent cases have reminded us of the importance of persevering in prayer, when we do not see rapid results - of being in it for the long haul.

Five years ago, one of the toddlers in our church family was diagnosed with a life-threatening kidney condition for which there was no known medical cure.

Please note: some may find Jo's story disturbing

Jo Robson, Kingsland Church, Colchester

I firstly want to thank you for yet another fantastic year! A big thank you to all the people who do the children's work. They do an amazing job, I think one of the most moving moments was on the day off at the ground breakers celebration all the children standing with there eyes closed, hands lifted singing father god i wonder  - just there voices no music - it was truely magical and so what this is all about its amazing!! it had us all in tears!

In the middle of June i was taken ill. at first they though i had a kidney infection so sent me home with anti biotics. within 12 hours i had had an allergic reaction to the antibiotic and was back in hospital again. they decided to do a scan and found my kidneys were fine but i had a large 6 cm ovarian cyst. when the doctor came to see me after the scan they said it was unusual and could be cancerous and they had to run some tests. that week waiting was awful but eventually they called back and said it wasnt cancerous but a benign tumour that needed to be removed asap as it can have complications. so we had been warned they would try and do it as a key hole procedure but to expect that it would end in a major operation with the removal of my ovary.

Hannah Nash, Community Church, Caterham [Story from Thirst youth group at LSE]

This summer was my first New Wine. Whilst there I was unfortunate enough to fall and break my right ankle, on Thursday. I went to the hospital that day and had a back slab put on. I was shown the line on the x-ray that was my fracture and was sent away with the disk to give to the fracture clinic at the hospital back home. The day after I was in a significant amount of pain and couldn't put weight on my ankle. Just before worship that evening I had my first proper encounter with the Holy Spirit, and was laid down on the floor. I felt a warm sensation in my lower half and felt as though I was being lifted. During worship, I lost my balance and trod down on my ankle to prevent myself from falling. There was no pain. I could not only walk, but I could run, hop and jump on my ankle.

The following Wednesday I went to the hospital back home. I went for an x-ray and on the return of the images, the consultant was unable to detect my fracture. All i'm left with is some swelling and bruising. I am proud to say that God healed me within 24hrs of having fractured my ankle.

Olivia Smith (19), Surrey

I just wanted to share with you my experience at New Wine 2011. It was my first time at New Wine and it was just what I needed after a year of self-abuse. I had turned my back on God and suffered with an eating disorder which I found hard to escape from. On a Wednesday evening, during the usual worship, I felt like Jesus crashed through all those barriers I had built up and ripped open my heart. All my worst memories over the past year flooded my mind and while everyone was singing, I was screaming in agony. As much as it hurt, a massive wave of relief swept through me as I heard the words 'I never left you. I never left you. We are in this together.'

I realised I was never alone. Jesus had never taken a back seat and watched me abuse myself from a distance - he had been sat right next to me.. holding my hand. while all these memories flashed through my mind, I saw Jesus take my hand and then he pulled me to him and embraced me.

George Jones, St Paul's Barton, Isle of Wight (written by Margaret Jones)
You can also listen to an audio recording of George telling his story here>>

We have just returned from the annual New Wine Conference at the Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet, which we attended with other member of St Paul’s . While we were there, my husband George received a miracle of healing from God.

Following a triple heart bypass over 11 years ago, and not being expected to live, George has suffered from congestive heart failure and peripheral vascular disease. This has become progressively debilitating and, according to our vascular surgeon, inoperable in George’s case which meant that he was in constant pain and unable to walk or stand for any length of time. The pain in his legs took the form of severe cramps that came as soon as he made any attempt to walk or stand. Although George has borne this stoically, he had become more and more disabled by this incurable condition and was particularly low just before we went away to New Wine.

Susie Lafferty, St Peter's, Farnborough, Hampshire

On the 13 July 2011, just 2.5 weeks before coming to New Wine, I was told by my orthopedic surgeon that the op that he did on 31 march 2011 had failed and my ankle was totally unstable. I arrived on 31 July on crutches and in an air boot. On the Thursday I started to hear Jesus saying, 'u are going to dance before the king', and the word 'undignified'.

I came to the healing seminar and there was a word of knowledge about someone who has a broken ankle. 5 ladies prayed and about 20 minutes into praying 2 loud clicks were heard. I started to move around as it was painful - it felt like my ankle came into place.

Charlotte Morton, Trinity Baptist Church, Tenterden

I just want to say wow.. new wine was amazing this year and GOD is good all the time.

I was in thirst at an evening celebration, and i got two texts - one from my mum and the other from my uncle saying that heidi baker had given the word 'rhumatoid arthrits' for healing prayer... and that is what i had.

Nicky & Richard, St Saviours Church, Guildford

Dear wonderful Pebbles team,

Our daughter Annabel attended Pebbles at the LSE New Wine Summer Conference. She loved it and is returning this year for her last year in Pebbles. During the week we put a prayer request on the board for her. She had been suffering with chronic constipation for a number of months and had been on medication since the previous Christmas. It caused her some pain and discomfort.