Real story of a Miracle that started a revival and renewal in 1961
God once said to me, “Mary, have you ever heard of a revival without a tragedy? How am I supposed to do a major move without curing a tragedy? Man measures a move of the Spirit that way.”
I am going to tell you of the 1961 Saint Louis Renewal/Revival. I remember it well. Beginning with the very instant of agony, then to elation and then to the expansion of Holy Spirit through the universities and the churches during the 1960’s and 1970’s. Interwoven are things I later learned from the experience.
Yes, God is a gentleman. He does not force himself on us. He is always talking to us. He is always pursuing us. I have been prophetic since birth. I talk to God and He talks back in so many ways. I have witnessed more miracles than I can count. I will testify to you about the first revival; I was a part of it and I will tell you about how God moves.
There is a formula: Open your heart to Him, Welcome Him into it to rule your life, Surrender to the good. Look for His finger in everything and don’t be afraid. Be discerning. Yes, you must first start, the key is to open the door and welcome His Holy Spirit to show you the way. Read the bible and ask to receive what He has waiting for you. His plan for you before time began.
I have looked at the 132 miracles I have seen; those are just the big ones. Maybe they were only a primer to see how to define a miracle? Is a miracle one more day of life, each day of life, or every moment? I look at John chapter 9, the parable of the blind man, paraphrasing: The Pharisees asked whose sin caused his blindness, his or his parents? Jesus answered, “It was for the glory of God.” Your definition of the measure is critical to understanding how God moves. He uses your measure to define His measure. Many of us look for a glorious miracle that is the return of Christ coming down the mountain in Israel, or in the clouds, or in the End Days. If we were only to look there, we would miss the many miracles during each and every day.
In the more than half a century since witnessing my first miracle, I was 4 years old; I have studied the workings of God in the natural and have seen the rhythms. I have asked Him mountains of questions. I fought many “dragons”. I have a tendency even now to retain that four-year old innocent approach to our father-daughter conversations. I will never forget that “The question is more important than the answer.” I keep on asking different questions until I get an answer. Then I start asking again. I used to write down the questions, so I could figure out which question He was answering. But I have out grown of that.
God loves us so very much it is impossible to explain the depths of that love. Look for it and celebrate it! Give thanks. Let His love flow over you like a waterfall. You are not in control of His love; however, you are in control of receiving it! Open the dam and let it flow! Even before “The Secret” was written I would say, “Ask, Believe, Receive, Give Thanks and Share”. I learned it from my two fathers: Papa John Britt and Papa Father God. I find His flow of love through teaching and sharing. I receive so much back when I do.
Teaching people to flow in the Spirit is my greatest joy! I love teaching about “standing verses”. My life verse is 1 Thessalonians 5:16-21 (King James Version, KJV):
For me, standing on a verse is to know it to a level that it gives me support, comfort, understanding and an upgrade in life. When life wants to tell you something different, you hold on to it and stand strong in the truth.
The renewal/revival started with a miracle. I call it my sister’s “Lazarus Moment”. During the following months I learned about life verses. My mother and I spent three long, hard months arguing about hers. My mother’s life verse, Romans 8:28, 28. ”We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
My mother was adamant that all that evil wanted would be turned to good. Always. That even my sister’s horrific accident was for God’s purpose and was good. That did not mean God did this. Rather, it meant that evil would be turned into good. It was, as in the parable of the blind man, for the Glory of God.
Many people say to me, “How do you remember so much?” Well, it is because if we are going to see God everywhere and in everything, we must stand on His promises. We must grow in wisdom from what we’ve seen and understand what we are contending for. We must hold the compassion that we’ve received in the valleys and the mountain tops in our hearts. We can use them as stepping-stones in testifying. Our testimonies are the glory we give to God; the witness that builds faith. They are the stories we want God to repeat for others. God, you have done it before, please do it again! When we pray from a testimony it has more authority and effect.
I receive many words of knowledge, dreams and visions and opportunities to awaken people. At first, I find we need to do some cleaning up of their hearts and minds and beliefs. I would like to start there. Please stop! Ask Papa God, Jesus and Holy Spirit into your heart. Tell them, the Trinity, you would like them to take your baggage. And receive their love.
I remember being a child and father saying “Say, you’re sorry”. We should say it even if we did not quite understand why, because later we would. Later I would understand it was about receiving clarity. If you are unable to be clear and humble you have built a wall against understanding. It is a doorway you must open to receive. Yes, I will confess that sometimes humility comes on its own. But saying I am sorry is so much easier! So, cleanse your heart by telling God you are sorry for getting on the wrong road or losing focus on Him. Often people feel a big relief just by receiving Christ into their heart and asking God to be their savior.
It has been my pleasure to baptize so many in the Holy Spirit. Each time the Spirit is faithful to let His presence known. Praise God! We need not to beg, just ask and receive.
Often, I am asked, “Why am I still having issues hearing God?” Sometimes, like in Saul/Paul’s case, it comes upon you. Other times, we need to get into a position of receivership. Consider the verse: “Be still and KNOW I am God.” How do we know? Well, we can experience it, we can understand it, or we can “start cleaning”. Then we will find it.
My son, Eric, would hate it whenever I would say that and it was often. Often, because it works! The activity of cleaning your home or office is like cleaning your heart and spiritual life. It is a daily or hourly event. Praise God for the hand holding. Often I will say “God where are my car keys?” Sometimes He will show me a picture of them and the space where they are. Sometimes he will take me to the place or refresh my memory. God is good!
In cleaning up it does not mean “doing works” to be loved or even forgiven. It means removing the four seeds of evil. I will explain those later. When we need to self-clean, we must first remove the rubble. I love that childhood song “Old Man’s Rubble” by Amy Grant.
When God received you as a son or daughter, in the act of to receiving Him as Papa Father God, He removed all your shame and all your guilt. He forgave you and made you white as snow. Yes! That happened already. But sometimes people believe that God surely did not mean them, or that the depths of wrongdoings were too deep to remove with a “Please forgive me God.” He did mean it! But if you want to be sure, we can clean-up the rubble. The attacks of the enemy are not welcome and are not appropriate. However, we need to remind the evil forces of this once in a while.
My father, John Britt, woke up one day in Steubenville, Ohio and said, “I am done smoking a pipe. It is not good for you children to breathe and it is not godly. I am done.” He never smoked again. I think about the filth of the city in 1962. The steel mills with open stacks and no filters was part of it. But it also reflected my father’s ability to know if it was God’s will to clean him up, and therefore it shall be done. I am sure he prayed for help and stayed focused on what would Jesus do. God brings it to your attention and then helps you. Jesus took all sickness, all death, and all evil for us on the cross. He pointed the way to God and to a relationship with God. Jesus returned us to a “Heaven-on-Earth Relationship” now not later. He gave us His authority over evil in His victory on the cross. So, the work is done. You just need to step in to the restored Garden of Eden. My father imagined the garden being all around him.
We spend a great deal of time learning the Our Father and what it really meant. The Gospel of
Matthew 6 - The Lord's Prayer - Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom comes. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.
For now, I will unpack “the daily bread”. Doing so would require a week-long lecture! Suffice it to say the daily bread is food for life, food for mind and food for soul. The restoring of soul and cleaning of mind will be our focus in this walk down memory lane.
In the restoration of the soul and the mind we need to remember we are warriors. Don’t get distracted. Put on the full armor of God. Read Ephesians Chapter 6. Proverbs talks about the six things God hates and of course the 10 Commandments or the 2 Greatest Commandments. But I see the removal of the schemes of the enemy (evil-ones) to fall in to four categories: pride, lies, unbelief and spilled blood.
My sister’s attack of the enemy was spilled blood of the innocent. She was almost 2 years old. It was a sunny, warm fall of 1961 in Saint Louis. The windows were open in the front room of our third-floor apartment. Mother was ironing in the next room with Anne about 5 months old. Mother was watching us through the open door. The three of us were looking out the windows to see the street and a friend of ours, Joe. Therese could not see him. Therese was in a different window than my brother John and I. Therese pushed on the screen and . . . it let go. We never realized she had fallen till Joe brought her to the front door in his shirt. He pounded really hard on the door. It was frightening. Mother came running and saw Therese all broken and bloody.
Mother took Therese and placed her in the crib next to my sister Anne. Anne was unable to roll over yet. They were about 2 feet apart. Anne’s feet were above Therese’s head. Joe called the emergency number for an ambulance and then called father at the Saint Louis University where he was teaching, so that he could meet them on the corner and go to the hospital with them.
Joe placed us, John and me, in the crib on the other wall parallel to where Therese was being cared for. The room was small and so we could see everything. Mother was praying with great authority and might. Saying “Jesus, Jesus we need you now! We need your miracle. We need you. We need your healing. I believe in you. I believe you will heal her!” Jane was strong in her faith and so was father. She told Therese she was going to be healed that God would repair all that was broken.
Mother could see that Therese’s scull was cracked and her brains were exposed and that her eye was swollen and out of the socket that her arms and legs were broken. That did not detour her resolve that God would turn this around for good and that He would grant her call for a miracle.
The ambulance arrived. The paramedic arrived and then all hell broke loose. Mother, for just a second, started to collapse. I was so used to stepping in if she needed me even at the age of four. I said, “I will help her.” However, the paramedics said they could handle it.
By now, mother had lost her grip and said “This is your fault!” speaking to John and myself. Joe gave mother a hug and said, “Jane you need to stay strong. You must pray and be calm for Therese all the way to the hospital. I will care for the others.” Jane restored her prayer stance and went into the ambulance.
I am told that they got father and they sang and prayed all the way. Therese was strong and conscious the whole time. Singing and praying too. I however was quite wounded. I knew it was not our fault. I was completely confused. Joe called others to come pray and my father’s students prayed in the classroom.
My father had studied to be a priest and just before ordination decided fatherhood was more his calling. Fortunately, my father flowed strong in the Spirit and mother was an organizer and brought others to action. They had been gone for a long time. I have no real way of knowing how long but it seemed very long as a child. Many others were at our home in a prayer circle. I think from stories it was at least 14 days of vigils, day and night. Folks prayed at our house, the Basilica down the street, the Cathedral and at the University of St Louis. Large groups of people were praying for a complete, miraculous healing.
Recently, I communicated with Sylvia Deck they meet as Jane was helping women learn to breastfeed their babies. She is a good friend of the family from before the accident. Sylvia said, “My only part in the story was to be one of those who prayed constantly for your little sister. My husband stayed by Therese’s side at the hospital for a time - I’m not sure how long. And your mother and I talked about what happened. Jane was brokenhearted when she confided that she felt people were blaming her for not being cautious enough. Knowing that Jane was a woman of great faith and one of my role models as a mother, I could only assure her that it was an accident which meant no one was to blame….that God was holding her as well as Therese in His loving arms.”
About two weeks later, we heard Therese would be fine. The doctors were not sure if she would ever walk or see or learn. But she would live. My parents rebuked that thought and said, “NO! OUR GOD IS GOOD! She will see, she will be strong and walk and will learn and be productive!” In God’s time, so it was. Praise God!
Therese returned home with a head cast and a body cast. They replaced it a few times but within 6 months they removed it all. The first thing she wanted to do was swing. They had to hold her on the swing. It took a while to reteach her to walk. But my parents praised God day and night for saving her. All the people who prayed for the miracle came to see her without a cast. Great joy was everywhere. The move of God’s Spirit got many of them on fire for the Lord and started a Catholic Charismatic Movement. That movement was the spark that followed my parents all the days of their lives.
Mother got pregnant a few months into the drama and soon dad got a new job at Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio. Father left early just after Tom was born. A month later we followed. It was a fun train ride. Tom was so small he fit in a drawer under the seat so he could sleep safely. The excitement of God’s awesome mighty work followed us where ever we went. This fervor and its resultant miracles never left them till their deaths.
The following year we moved to Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA. Papa John Britt taught at this University for two years. His students became on fire for Jesus and had group sessions till the wee hours of the night. The Holy Spirit would fall on them and other miracles would happen. The Catholic Charismatic Renewal began from my father’s students in 1967. A friend of my father from St. Louis started the Roman Catholic Cursillo Movement which became a staple of my summer. (According to Wikipedia the Roman Catholic “Cursillo Movement” which started in the 1960s was adopted by Protestants as the “Walk to Emmaus” or “Emmaus Walk” and has continued to date.) I and some of my siblings attended the Cursillo week in Valparaiso, IN so that my parents could stay in Ann Arbor, MI with family. I was honored to become a Cursillo leader for four consecutive years at the Valparaiso location.
Before the Miracle of Therese, mother was involved with La Leche League in St Louis and helped other mothers learn the art of breastfeeding. My parents were involved in the civil rights movements of the 60’s too. Jane went on to start Birthright, later called Womenline in Ohio. She won many awards including President George H. Bush’s “Thousand Points of Light Award” for her work in saving untold lives from abortion.
Therese is still alive and well at 60 years of age. I decided to write this for her as a birthday present. She has had a wonderful life.
I say in my Mariahsachin classes and retreats, “destiny” is not something we find; it is something God gives to us. It is a blessing when we see how God moves and how little we have control of. In the bible we are taught the Holy Spirit is in charge of where, when or how the gifts are given and used for the glory of God. We all are a humble vessel for Jesus to be used. Some people such as Therese have their destiny early in life and others later. It is God’s timing. Therese did a wonderful job of staying grateful and humble throughout her life. I am sure that will continue.
So many people have asked me for some of my prayers. Here follows are a few. Truly God just wants your compassion and heart. Humble words of fellowship with God are best. So, these are just for ideas not to memorize. My parents would have us make our beds and sing songs of praise and recite verses of the bible. Papa John was in the Marines during WWII and the seminary so discipline was a way of life for him. Singing and song writing were also a way of teaching for John, as well as prose he would write later in life.
Holy Spirit is alive and active now. Don’t miss the invitation by disbelief or denial. Ask for more and ask for how. Praise God for sending his Comforter. I will now walk you through some prayer sequences. I like the life of a living prayer that my parents taught me. I feel strongly that I am blessed to have had such a rich upbringing in relationship with the Trinity. My parents were awesome examples. I do believe in the promise of the fifth commandment, love your parents, and then it will go well for you and your decedents for 1000 generations in the land God had made for you.
Praise opens the door to the throne room. Worship allows you to enter the throne room. Complaining gets you kicked out for a rest-period. Surrender in humble hope is the best way to approach the throne. The biblical Ester is a great example. Each of my parents called for a praise and worship painting to lead the way to the throne room at their time of death. It was my pleasure to abide.
My father was of sound mind till he died. He wanted letters written to each of his children and his wife and presented in a family party three days before he died. My brother Paul and I were privileged to record and transcribe his parting emotions. Dad said “Mary, you understand my soul. Paul, you understand my heart. And Tom understands my mind”
We wrote the personal letters and read them for approval to father. On Mother’s Day we all gathered to present the letters and his painting to show the way to heaven. Then he was released to enter the throne room. We released him to Father God. Mother wanted him to fight but we felt God was calling him home.
As a part of the letters he explained his love for us was unconditional and there were no favorites. He believed that change and love are the only constants. He incorporated the American Founding Fathers concept of innate equality among all persons into his rearing of his children. Papa John believed that all men (he would say “and women”) are created equal and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights and that was how it went for his family. He saw us all equal and all different. He loved us all equally and uniquely to our God given giftings and weaknesses.
His final letters were profound, showing how he understood and accepted our individual weaknesses. We knew he prayed that God would help each on of us heal from them. He celebrated our celebrations as much as we would let him in. He was there in our sorrow with love and tough love. He let us shine bright and fail completely as the consequents deemed. All the while, he never left us. He felt that hatred for self and others was a scheme of the devil and did not see anyone as a victim. Yet he was always ready to help if you were in agreement with God’s will.
Thank you for reading my reflections of The Revival of 1961 or The Charismatic Renewal of 1961.
Prayers Made Simple
God just want your heart. There is now perfect prayer. It is your souls speaking with God. Worship, praise and requesting in relationship with him are the foundations of good prayer. If you try to make it hard you come into agreement with the accuser of the brethren, the evil one and then you never reach God.
Pray for bed making later revised by me.
I was grownup when I realized most of it comes from Proverbs 31
God thank you for the good night sleep;
bless this day for your glory,
Now I make my bed nice and tight;
no bugs can enter during the day.
I pull the corners to the shape a sail because;
You are by my side and will help me sail through all trials.
You set out my work which I do vigorously;
My arms are strong for the tasks.
I am strengthened by you day and night.
I willingly open my arms to the poor
and extend my hands to the needy.
Grandmother made this beautiful quilt for my bed;
It is clothed in fine cotton and purple.
I am clothed with strength and dignity;
I can laugh at the days to come.
Because I know you love me.
Father speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on his tongue.
Mother’s children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
Jesus honor us for all that our hands have done,
and let our works bring praise to the Lord at the city gate.
Until is time to sleep again.
We praise you God.
Here are some basic prayers and explanations
Prayer for Miracles
Simple prayers are potent
1. JESUS, JESUS, JESUS … that is a great one.
2. God, we need you now!!!
3. Holy Spirit we are depending on you!
While the Godhead is all one, I have found asking the right person is sometimes helpful.
4. I command the … cancer or … to leave. I command the spirit of … confusion to leave… The name of Jesus is above all, I bind you at the feet of Jesus to be dealt with.
I bind you for 100 years to cause no harm and send no friends. I replace you with …
No cling-ons or transfers to anyone or and animal.
5. Repetition and many voices, non-stop are good too. Like my parents had an army of intercessory warriors pleading for my sister. (Notice the difference, pleading and complaining. Very different.) Many things are by nature of God and man in three’s. It is good with 2 people but 3 are better and 300 are even better. This is for miracles.
How to define a miracle? One more day of life, each day of life or every moment?
I have a variety of anointing oils with 3 oils to form the 3-cord prayer and sometimes identify 3-7 spirits at work. Remember to keep looking and asking God for vision and understanding. For more www.2mea.com