I Am The Resurrection And Life Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Many have heard the sermon: I Am The Resurrection And Life, Garnett Peak's Funeral. The following is a testimony from Sister Shirley Noel, Brother Garnett's sister-in-law.

Garnett Lee Peake
Born, January 18, 1945
Went to be with the Lord, November 14, 1963

I first met Garnett when he was about 11 years old. My husband-to-be at that time, Garnett's older half brother - Dorland Noel, brought me to meet his grandparents and his two brothers, Garnett and Winfrey.

When we drove up to the house, Garnett was so cute when he said; "Hmm, is this the one you have been telling me about? Are you staying for supper? I am doing the cooking, and we are having potatoes and cornbread." Their grandmother had a stroke and was bedridden, so the boys were doing the cooking.

Dorland and I soon married. I moved in with the Peake/Noel family in the house that I live in today, where we had two children. Soon, I was cooking, washing, etc. for six of us. This was a big job for an 18 year old spoiled girl, but we got along just fine.

In September 1960, Garnett contracted polio. I remember this so well, as I took him to the doctor. They tapped his spine and sent him straight on to Children's Hospital in Louisville. Within a couple of days, he was as bad as he could possible get and still live. They put him in an iron lung to do his breathing. His diaphragm was the first to paralyze, and the only thing he could move were his eye lids.

His mother, Lida, remembered how Brother Branham had prayed for her sister when she had cancer, and she was healed in 1955 at Acton Campground. Therefore, she headed straight to Brother Branham's house, and asked him to come to the hospital to pray for her son; and he did. I wasn't there, but my husband was. He said he saw him at the hospital with his cowboy hat on, coming around the corner and down the hall. Brother Branham prayed for Garnett, and he started to improve, but there was still a long road ahead.

Garnett spent about nine months in an iron lung and was then moved to Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville, TN. The doctors and nurses worked with Garnett which helped quite a bit.

They said that no one with polio as bad as Garnett had ever lived. He had all three types of polio, in the very worse stages they had seen. It was a miracle he lived.

Garnett came home in a rocking bed that was a lot like lying on a see saw, going up and down. This motion would push air into his diaphragm. He rocked up and down all the time so he could breathe. The bed did two-thirds of his breathing. He could sit up in a chair for about one hour at a time, with a chest respirator on. This was when he would get his teeth brushed, and then he would read his Bible. He could not move his arms, so he turned the pages of his Bible with a stick that he held between his teeth.

The wonderful thing about Garnett was that he always had a smile and enjoyed the simple things we overlook. He could see the sun set from where his bed was in my living room. He always admired the view and noticed the little birds and so many things we take for granted. With his simple life, he preached us all a sermon. He could not do so much as breathe on his own, yet he never complained and was always happy. What a lesson he lived!

One day while Garnett was reading his Bible, a light appeared over the door and then went to his Bible. This really amazed him, and he talked to my husband Dorland and me about it. When Brother Branham came, Garnett asked him about this light. Brother Branham asked him what color it was, and Garnett told him it was kind of amber looking. Brother Branham told him that it was him coming to see him. This made Garnett so happy.

Garnett had several tapes that he bought with the small amount of child support that his dad paid. He listened to Brother Branham on his big reel tape player as often as he could.

When Garnett's condition would get worse, his uncle would call Brother Branham who would pray for Garnett over the phone. Garnett would always improve after Brother Branham's prayer.

In November of 1963, the word came that Brother Branham was going to be at the Jeffersonville Tabernacle. Garnett wanted Dorland and me to go so bad, so we did. This was my first time in the Tabernacle.

How I remember that special day! This was when Brother Branham preached "Souls that are in Prison Now." It was very crowded, and we had to stand up on the right side of the Tabernacle. As I stood there looking around, I noticed that all the women had long hair and no make up. I was thinking "they just don't understand; they don't really have to do that." You see, I had very short hair and makeup on too, and felt no condemnation when I came into the Tabernacle. I did not realize I was standing near those angels that line the walls that morning.

I passed out that morning and never fainted or passed out in my life before or since. Brother Branham said the devil was trying to cheat me out of the message. He laid hands on me and prayed for me. THANK THE LORD. They had me sit in the doorway of Brother Branham's study. It was Amazing Grace, as the Lord Jesus started to unfold things to me that I did not understand, and I knew this was the TRUTH. I Thank the Lord for this.

We were so excited that we stayed for the night service, as they were having a healing service. We didn't even bother to milk the cows, and this was a big No-No. It was more important for us to be there, and the Lord took care of the cows; all was well. We came home and told Garnett about the service. He was so happy and rejoiced that the message was revealed to us!

Soon after, Garnett's condition worsened. They tried to call Brother Branham, but he was in New York and was in services. So they left the message for Brother Branham. When Brother Branham called, Garnett had passed. Brother Branham said that was just the way it was supposed to be. It seemed to us that Garnett had lived long enough to see our salvation, and then the Lord Jesus took Garnett to be with Him.

They asked Brother Branham if he would come and preach his funeral, and he said he would, if they held his body out to Monday. I took Garnett's own tape recorder and had the funeral director tape the funeral. This is the reason we have the message: Garnett Peaks Funeral, I am the Resurrection and Life.

Garnett was so special, like a special angel. Everyone loved him.

God Bless each of you. Shirley Noel