USGN Article - November 2002
Terry & Barbi Franklin
By: Barbi Franklin

Pleading the Fifth
 

I have never had to “plead the fifth” until this past summer. It all started after we had returned from a fabulous missions outreach trip to Nicaragua. We had prepared a slide presentation for our church for the Sunday morning service.

As usual, all three of my “boys” were waiting out in the car for me with engine running. My arms were loaded down as I stepped out the back door and turned to lock the deadbolt. Panic hit me when I Heard the sound of stinging animals begin to buzz around my ears and face. These weren’t just any little honeybees; this was a pack of 2” long hornets. As I dropped everything I was carrying on the steps I began to stumble, falling headlong onto the aggregate driveway.

CRACK! I had broken my fifth metatarsal -- the main bone that runs from the pinky toe to the main heel joint on my foot. In shock, I began to sniffle as Terry lurched out of our car saying, “Honey, are you okay?” …and one of our boys got out and said, in typical teenaged fashion, “Mom, what is wrong with you?!”

We dropped the boys at church and went directly to the hospital. They rushed me through x-rays and we were back to church just in time for the slide presentation. But the ironic thing was, I had to stand up and share all about the miraculous healings that took place on the trip on crutches and an orthopedic “boot!”

Following this I “plead the fifth” (remember the fifth bone?) and prayed often that God would heal this foot quickly, even anointing it with oil I carry in my purse. I’ve seen too many folks healed not to believe in His power.

Three weeks after that unforgettable fall, I returned to the Doctor’s office for more x-rays. After a quick look she said, “Well, honey, your bones have healed REMARKABLY quick! Can you walk on your foot? (as she looked at my crutches and boot).” I said I hadn’t tried. So she made me try to walk across the floor. Unbelievably, I began walking on it without help!

Then the doctor said, “Well, I don’t want you to walk out of here using those crutches. I want you to CARRY them out.”

Sometimes we tend to feel unworthy of pleading for answers to our prayers. But this is exactly what Jesus wants us to do! When you’re tempted to hesitate to “plead the fifth,” just remember, if God healed my foot, he can certainly answer the cry of YOUR heart.

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