Kelley’s Story, Part II

(Kelley Bell, her husband Mark, and their two sons serve the Lord as church planters in Peterborough, England. As the result of a sledding accident when she was a small child, Kelley has lived with braces, crutches and pain. Through it all, she has been a constant encouragement to her family and all who meet her. Here is an exciting sequel to her story we printed in EUROPE 2003.)

When we came back to America in 2005, we thought it would be for a very short medical furlough. Little did we know that it would result in my having spinal fusion surgery on November 3, 2005.

For the past 28 years, I have worn a built-up shoe on my left foot. This is a result of my physical handicap that I have had since being a child. My build-up was 1 ½ inches. Before the surgery, I asked my surgeon, Dr. Suh, if the surgery would make a difference in my leg lengths. He said that he didn’t think so.

When I was discharged after the surgery, I was instructed to “walk! walk! walk!” That is exactly what I did. As Mark began to go walking with me, he noticed that I couldn’t walk a straight line. He jokingly said that I was walking like a drunk woman.

Upon closer examination, we discovered that my legs appeared to be even. On my post-op appointment, Dr. Suh examined me and told me that I was “dead even.” He told me that I no longer needed a built-up shoe. I could hardly contain my joy.

Psalm 1201 says, “In my distress I cried unto the Lord, and He heard me.” I know that the Lord heard my cry and has wonderfully answered my prayer! Not only did He get me out of the terrible pain, but He did exceedingly abundantly above all that I could ask or think by giving me two perfectly even legs after 28 long years.