Who Am I?
My name is DeNoire Henderson. I am a 19 yr old Atlanta native with a growing testimony. I was born and raised in church been singing in the choir since I was 5 years old. I've participated in just about every ministry in the church and have always had what I felt was a crazy, passionate love for Christ. However, August 2012 I moved to Washington, DC to attend my dream school, Howard University. I got to school and realized that I did not have to continue to have church rule my life. I felt I knew enough Jesus to live crazy and pull myself back to a place of repentance before I went to far astray. Up until college I had never really partied, didn't smoke, drink, have sex, or anything else. I didn't feel I really had a testimony of redemption so how could I preach it. Therefore I twisted to word and said to myself living crazy will actually help my future ministry because God will deliver me out of this and then I can testify. (so churchy and stupid lol) I soon realized though that playing with the devil causes you to go farther into sin than you plan and forces you to stay longer than you intend. Towards the end of October I started going out partying, living recklessly, etc. Eventually I became so wrapped up in "turn up" that I began to loose myself. I tried praying but I no longer felt the presence of God. I tried worshiping but I could never tap into His Spirit. You can't move the devil into your home (temple) and still expect to feel the presence of God there. Long story short this constant battle of who I was created to be vs who I was turning myself into went on from October until almost March 2013.
March 23, 2013 I made the conscious decision to stop living the way I had been and starting going back to church. On April 4, I rededicated my life to Christ. Even though I made these steps towards God I still felt there was something missing and I prayed "God do whatever is necessary for me to know you better than ever before, I want to experience your power in ways unimaginable."
April 12, 2013 while doing community service with my classmates I went into anaphylactic shock due to latex powder getting in my lungs. Anaphylactic shock is caused by a severe allergic reaction that causes ones tongue and throat to swell preventing oxygen from getting into the lungs, chest tightness, and the lungs fill with fluid. Anaphylaxis can be fatal. Thankfully in my case it was not. However, because the substance I was reacting to was actually in my lungs my immune system shut down and I fell very ill. Everything that I was even slightly allergic to caused me to go into anaphylactic shock. Which brings me to where I am now. My immune system is still not functioning properly. Since April I have been in and out of the hospital due to my chronic health condition. Doctors have been trying to figure out what exactly is wrong and how to fix it, but have not had any success.
When I first fell ill I was mad with God because I felt that he was punishing me when I had just made a declaration to live for Christ. However, thanks to my Professor and now greatest mentor I see that getting sick was the answer to the prayer I prayed just days after rededicating my life to Christ "God do whatever is necessary for me to know you better than ever before, I want to experience your power in ways unimaginable."
Throughout this process I have continued to floor doctors, there was a point where my lungs were not functioning properly but I was never placed on a respirator and the doctors were amazed. I went almost 15 minutes without any oxygen getting to my brain lost all feeling in my limbs and lost the ability to see. However, God kept me and restored me fully. I have been praying to reach the destination of healing but I now realize that healing is not a destination but rather a journey and God is healing and restoring me more and more each day. Before I only knew Christ as a Savior. Now I know God as my keeper, as my healer, as my provider, as my protector, as my peace in the midst of confusion, as my comfort in the midst of pain, and it's all because I got sick.
Sickness wasn't/ isn't my punishment. It is the answer to my prayer and my reward. I am blessed to be thought so highly of that God would choose little old me to display His glory in.
John 9:1-3 "As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2 “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?”
3 “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him."
Through this blog I hope to encourage, uplift, and inspire others to chase after God with everything and to keep the faith along their journey. I am still undergoing testing and will post blogs about that as well as spiritual testing that God is taking me through.
God Bless
Thank you for your transparency. It has always amazed me the perspective of the Christian raised in church and those not raised in church...we all need salvation and appreciate His love and saving-grace eventually. Continued healing & grace. ~jsh~
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