My Conversion
By Faith Leavitt Nyquist
The story I would like to relate is how my walk with the Spirit began. Nearly thirty years ago I had a cerebral stroke. My case is recorded in New England as being the youngest woman to have a cerebral stroke. I had paralysis on my left side and blindness. The blindness lasted for eight days, and after eight days the vision came back to the size of a dime. Some of the paralysis left but I dragged my left leg and I had spasms off and on. For three years I was very despondent and was put on drugs to help stabilize my condition. Eventually I became addicted and was a confirmed addict for three years.
I went to see a neurologist and he told me there was no more medical or mental help for me, that I had to learn to handle life and suggested that I go to church to see if I could find God.
One evening I was taken for a drive and as the car stopped at a street corner, there was a church building with the doors open at about 11.30 at night. With my little dime sized vision, I could see golden candlesticks on the altar. During my teenage years I had been a bit of a thief and, looking at the candlesticks through the open door, I thought to myself, “they must believe in something to have the doors open this late at night.” The next day being Sunday, I asked my family to drive me back there and to wait in the car a minute. I hobbled up the small step and looked in the back of the church, as the service had started. The people looked very sad to me and I left. I repeated this visit seven times.
On the seventh Sunday which happened to be Palm Sunday, the traffic was very heavy so I decided to stay in church for a little bit. I went into the church and somehow got ushered into a pew with people on both sides and because I didn’t want to feel conspicuous I just got down on my knees. There was a picture of Christ back upon the altar, one of those terrible pictures. I looked at this picture of Jesus and I thought, “Well, I don’t think this man lived. I don’t think He can do the things they say he can. He looks pretty weak.”
The minister spoke. He said that we all have our new inheritance – A Divine Inheritance, that God is Our Father. I heard these words and they registered deep in my heart.
Down deep in my heart I heard myself speak a prayer. I didn’t know it was a prayer then. It was a deep desire, “If there is a God, You have to speak to me because I can’t believe.”
Immediately I had this great experience. The top of my head seemed to be lifted and opened up. Out from me came all my sadness, my hurts, my guilts, my torments and my physical pains; all collected and taken out and passed right on through. At the same time I had the awareness of this great Spirit presence, which now I know to be the Christ, filling my whole body. I felt like a glove; I, Faith, just covered with this great body of light. This body of energy filled me.
Deep in my heart I had this intuitive knowing, I am in a new birth. Inside I felt like a new born baby. I felt lovely Holy Innocence, very light and pink and soft and very, very new.
Then I was in a vision. Seemingly, I was standing on the edge of the earth and all around me was total light. I cried out, “You are my Father. I have been looking for you all my life. I came out from you but I’ve lost my way.” For a few moments I was in a full expression of total love. I was completely loved.
In that instance, I also had a knowing that God was Spirit, that God was love, that He was everywhere, and that He always had been and always would be. I listened and heard these beautiful, beautiful levels of music. I said, “What are those?” This response came, “Those are the celestial choirs. This world is within your world.” I thought when you were dead, you were dead. And now I was experiencing another world, a vast world all around me and I was in the midst of it.
I looked up and to the right and as far as my eyes could see into infinity, I saw all of these worlds and they went on and on and on. I asked, “What are those?” and the Lord said, “These are the heavens and heavenlies. Life is progressive.” And I was amazed. I was seeing that truly life was eternal and it was beautiful.
Finally, in front of me in the vision I could feel these strong hands upon the shoulders, and this white robe was in front of me. I looked up to this tall, tall person and it was Jesus.
He was looking down into my eyes, smiling lovingly and I was amazed. I looked at Him and said, “You are alive! The story about you is true.” He just smiled. He looked into my eyes and said, “Yes, Faith.” That just about blew my mind because I thought, “How can You know my name out of all of the billions of people who are Your followers? How can You know who I am?” He said, “If you abide in Me you will never be sick again.” I looked at Him for a long time and He looked deep into my eyes and I knew we are all to be like Him – every man, At the same time as I was looking into the face of Jesus, all around was still this Great Light which was God. God is Spirit.
I was then back to myself. The vision was over. The people on the right and left were still saying their prayers, but my body was all healed and felt like a thousand electronic lights. I was so filled with energy and new life, I couldn’t sit there. I had to get outside. When I got outside I was crying and laughing, waving my arms, because I hadn’t been able to move my arm and leg on the left side. I said, “I’m healed. You have found me today. There is a God.”
When you have been feeling bad for so long you have a great response. I went leaping, skipping as it were, half running back to my house about six blocks away. The cars were driving by and I was waving at people. I was so happy.
That was the initial conversion and now it is over thirty years later. I have never since had an aspirin. I have had to learn to pray and I still had problems like everyone does. I have learned through prayer we conquer. When I came rushing into the house that day to the family, I said, “I’m healed, I’m healed. God has found me today. There is a God.”
They looked at me and for a moment they were startled because they had to put up with a lot with my sickness. First of all they were astounded and then their minds took over and they said, “Oh well, it’s just your medicine, your medication is finally working.”
As they spoke these words a great pain came within my side and I went into my bedroom and closed the door and got down on my knees for the first time that I really wanted to be on my knees and I said, “I can’t see You now and I can’t hear music and I can’t see those other worlds but I know they are there and I know You are there. I know I am beginning life all over again but I don’t know what to do. Teach me the way.” And Jesus seemed just to be present by me and He said, “It’s like joining the army, you have to put yourself on a schedule and you have to come into this room and pray.” I said, “Lord, I don’t know how.” He said, “I know that. I do that for you too.” So I began my new life….