Larynx Healed Instantly

Although I have had zero formal training, I have always had a pretty good voice. I’ve sung solos at several weddings, and in years past was asked occasionally to sing solos at my church. For a short period, I was even permitted to lead worship several times a year.

I continued to sing with our Sunday morning worship group every couple of months. My range for decades was about two and one-half octaves, from low B to the G above middle C (that’s when singing with a group—remove one and one-half steps from both top and bottom for solos).

As I grew older, however, my voice began to go inexorably downhill. Both when singing as a member of the congregation or as part of the worship group, I had always sung tenor harmony—not because it’s natural for me (I’m really a baritone) but because very few men sing tenor and that part is needed. But as my voice declined, I was able to hit fewer and fewer high notes.  Over a period of two to three years, the ceiling for my range had gone down to about middle C. Even worse, my voice was becoming hoarse. I sounded like I had a constant cold or sore throat. I did a lot of vocalizing and warming up and singing at home, but it helped only marginally. (The technical term for this problem is presbylarynx.)

I generally was asked to sing with Sunday morning worship groups only once every couple of months, and only two of the worship leaders were inclined to ask me. The last time I had sung with a worship group, my voice had been in pretty bad shape. And it was getting worse by the month.

One Sunday morning on my way to worship services about a year ago, I was (barely) singing in my car. And I made a reasonable decision: I would tell the two worship leaders who occasionally asked for my help that I could no longer sing with their groups. My voice was just too infirm. I arrived late to the service, as usual, and planned to speak to those two leaders after the service. This had been coming on gradually for several years—but it was time now to acknowledge formally that my voice was shot. I sang the worship songs with the congregation that morning, but as usual my voice was feeble.

During the last portion of our Sunday morning services, while the congregation sings, a couple of folks (on rotating schedules) sit in special places at the edge of the room. People are invited to approach them to ask for prayer during the worship. I was having major shoulder problems at the time, so acute that the pain kept me awake at night (I have since had rotator cuff surgery). I walked to one of those prayer team members and asked for prayer for my shoulder. He dutifully prayed for me, and I went back to my place in the congregation. A couple of songs remained before the service ended.

And as I sang, I had the same voice I had had many years before. God had healed me! Instantly!

Full range. No gravel.

I dare say my voice now is stronger than it’s ever been. Go figure.

This was not the first time that God seemed to have “missed” the target (I say that facetiously, of course). See the story entitled Lifelong Defect Healed Instantly.

I have no cogent hypotheses to explain these healings. Several friends have told me that they also have experienced “Pray for A, receive B” from God. I just know that I trust God. He knows what he’s doing. And I am deeply thankful for these healings. He is faithful!