Category: Healing

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Living Water

On By AnnetteIn Encouragement, Freedom, God's Handiwork, Healing, Truth of God's WordLeave a comment

The water was serene and still, resembling a giant glistening sheet of glass. The sky, a steel stormy grey with clouds of pink and purple, was lined in gold by the rays of the setting sun. As gorgeous as it was, there was something strikingly odd about this place. 

The lake’s shoreline was dotted with run down homes, dilapidated piers, abandoned boats, and empty store fronts. Clearlake, the largest freshwater lake in California, once a booming resort area and popular vacation destination, is now polluted with mercury from a nearby mine, compounded by blue green algae, and toxins, making it unsafe to swim or recreate in. From a distance the lake looked beautiful and inviting, but, in actuality, it had become unsafe and filled with dangerous poisons. What a waste of God’s beautiful creation!

The Bible tells us that we are also God’s beautiful creation. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Hebrews 12:14 exhorts us to, “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” We may look like we have it all together on the outside but, what is the condition of our heart?

We, as servants of the Lord, are to be pouring out God’s love and goodness on those lives we touch. If we are polluted, those toxins will have a negative effect on our relationships, and also hinder our witness and testimony of the Lord in our lives. Thankfully, through Christ, we have a way to be made new once again.

Jesus can cleanse us from our filth and give us a healthy new heart. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” He is Living Water to our thirsty soul. In John 7:37-38, Jesus tells us, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. For the Scriptures declare, rivers of living water will flow from the heart of anyone who believes in me.” 

Clearlake, once a thriving resort community, became a dangerously unhealthy body of water, resulting in an abandoned vacation destination. Our hearts, too, can become toxic, resulting in unhealthy relationships. But, through seeking repentance in Jesus, we can be cleansed and made new again. So, be encouraged my friend in the hope we have in a relationship with Jesus Christ. All is not lost. Our hope is found in Him! Proverbs 27:19 tells us, “As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.” Let’s be the beautiful creation God designed us to be!

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” -Ephesians 2:10

“Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” -Hebrews 12:14

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” -1 John 1:9

“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. For the Scriptures declare, rivers of living water will flow from the heart of anyone who believes in me.” -John 7:37-38

“As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.” -Proverbs 27:19

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Breakthrough!

On By AnnetteIn Encouragement, Freedom, God's Faithfulness, hardship, Healing, How To Accept Christ as your Savior, trials of life1 Comment

Every spring I look forward to the blossom of the gorgeous orange tiger lily! When I see the buds hanging down among the fresh greenery, I get excited about what is to come. It takes weeks from the time I first see the buds, until there are blossoms. During that time, with each trail run, I anticipate the day that I round that turn, and see that burst of brilliance. For what a sight it is to behold. Such beauty! When I see the beauty of the blossom I have been waiting for, it reminds me of how we wait upon the Lord for breakthroughs in our lives. 

Have you endured a hardship in life? If you have suffered a loss, had health challenges, an addiction, been in an abusive relationship, or what have you that jolted or broke you, be encouraged in the hope of healing found in and through a relationship with Jesus Christ. 

Jesus is the Bridge to a relationship with God. In John 14:6 Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”He is our Savior. The One who heals. He is Rescuer, Redeemer, Restorer, and Renewer of our souls. He is our Advocate, Counselor, and Great Physician. He is Rest for the weary. He gives us strength when we think we have none. He heals all the broken places in our hearts, minds, and bodies. He makes us whole.

Whatever your hurt, disappointment, or challenge may be, I encourage you to bring it to the feet of Jesus and lay it down. Give yourself and your problems fully to Him. Let go of the burden and walk in the freedom Jesus Christ offers. He is always available, always near to the brokenhearted. Be of a contrite spirit and forgiving of others, and He will forgive your sins. Ask of Him, as He is always ready to ease your pain, release you of what binds you, and set you free. So may we be steadfast in prayer and, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23

As you walk closely with Jesus, fresh growth and buds of new life will begin to form within you. And as you prayerfully seek the Lord and wait upon Him, you will begin to anticipate that blossom, waiting for that move of God. Then, one day, to your surprise, it will happen. You will round that corner and you will see that burst of brilliance in your life! That BREAKTHROUGH you have been waiting for! It will be a beautiful sight and moment to behold, and your life will never be the same. Praise the Lord!

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”-Psalm 34:18

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” -Psalm 147:3

“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you.” -Matthew 6:14

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A Sweet Aroma

On By AnnetteIn Encouragement, hardship, HealingLeave a comment

300c9a5444b41c5b05ca3bf18ef12516[1]The scent of pine needles on a warm summer day brings me back to days of trout fishing with my family when I was a child. The smell of creosol reminds me of the newly built fence that housed my horse as a kid. The smell of a skunk triggers a memory of the time I drove through its spray as a teenager, in my 1965 VW Bug, only to arrive home and be ushered quickly out the back door and told to drop those stinky clothes! All these memories are attached to a certain scent. It is interesting how our sense of smell can trigger memories from our past and even influence our outlook on life. We each have a fragrance that permeates our lives.

One day, I came in from a run. Although I was very hot and sweaty, I ended up dinking around in the kitchen before showering. I was doing some dishes when I picked up a strong stench of what I thought was rotting meat. I figured it was coming from our trash can. Moments later, my son walked into the kitchen and asked, “What stinks mom?” I told him I couldn’t pinpoint it, but acknowledged it sure smelled terrible. As I drew closer to my son he shrieked back exclaiming, “It is you!” Mortified, I realized, he was right! I have since learned that eating large quantities of asparagus can result in stinky sweat smelling like sulfur.

Just as the food we eat oozes out from us, so also will other influences, experiences, and memories we hold in our heart. As a result, we can emit anger or joy, selfishness or sacrifice, cruelty or kindness, hate or love, judgment or compassion. What happens to us during our lifetime will certainly effect who we are. This is why it is so important we fill our minds with the truth of God’s word.

By filling our minds with the inerrant word of God, our hardened hearts can be softened and our minds can be healed. Hurt, pain, and sorrow can be released. The root of anger, hate, and bitterness can be plucked out and replaced by the seed of forgiveness and new life. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

For those who are dealing with some stinky situations in life, be encouraged. Isaiah 43:19 says, “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” With Christ, we can work through the stench that comes from hurt, pain, disappointment, anger, hate, and bitterness. As we continue on our path of healing with the Lord, the odors that once permeated our life will begin to lessen. 2 Corinthians 2:15 tells us, “For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.” As we draw closer to Christ, we will begin to pick up the sweet fragrance that comes from walking closely with Him.

Ephesians 5:2 tells us we are to, “Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.” Even though we may get hurt in this life, we have the hope of Christ to release us from negative thoughts and behavior, restore our relationship with the Lord and others, heal our minds and bodies, and make new again our very lives! Jeremiah 29:11 is a promise of that. It says, “For I know the plans for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” We are to fill our minds with the truth found in God’s word. When we are doing this, we will see changes in the very fragrance or our lives. “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32

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Breathless!

On By AnnetteIn God's Faithfulness, Healing, Prayer2 Comments

Struts_00[1] (2)The door slammed shut, grabbing my attention. There, across the room, stood my son, a young man of 14 years old. He was distraught and trying to speak, but all he could say was, “the…” and then gibberish, followed by incomplete thoughts that made no sense. I abruptly ended my phone call and ran to my son. He was shaking and out of breath. He finally pulled together his first sentence. “The hood of the Toyota slammed shut on my hands and I was stuck!” I immediately sat him down, then dashed to get Advil and an ice pack. He quickly swallowed the pain relief pills and we soothed his hand with the ice. I then began to pray, “Dear Lord Jesus please heal my son’s hand…”

He was still shaking as I held his hand to examine the extent of his injury. As I did this, he recounted the incident. He had been under the hood, replacing a valve cover gasket when the hood shock broke. The hood slammed down on him, pinning his left hand. He was trapped and in tremendous pain. He had called out to me, but with the house being tightly sealed, I heard nothing. Thankfully, he had been holding a flashlight with an extended handle on it. It lessened the blow to his hand, and, as a result, was completely cut in half by the weight of the hood. His cell phone was within eyeshot, but he could not reach for it. In his desperation, pain, and panic, his adrenaline kicked in and he was able to partially lift the hood off his hand and slip it out, leaving a large warp in the hood that is now our visual reminder of the incident.

I thanked the Lord my son still had his fingers. But, I thought we would probably be taking a trip to the doctor followed by x-rays in the morning. I dreaded the thought of a possible break or even worse, nerve damage. His hand was pretty banged up and one finger was especially cut and traumatized, plus, he was having trouble moving his fingers. As the evening progressed I watched for swelling and discoloration and asked about his pain level. It was not swelling as I had anticipated and he kept telling me, “Mom, I can’t feel anything.” This led me to believe he may have some kind of serious damage. We continued icing and praying throughout the evening. By bedtime the Advil had worn off and my son still told me he couldn’t feel anything. It was then that I realized what he meant was, he had no pain! The fingers that he could not move earlier were now beginning to bend. We continued to pray and thank the Lord for saving my son’s fingers and for the healing work He was doing. Then, we drifted off to sleep

The next morning, I expected to see swelling and possibly black or blue bruising on my son’s hand and fingers. However, there was none. He had no pain and had almost completely regained mobility in his injured fingers. The Lord had healed his hand! Jeremiah 30:17 says, “I will restore you to health and heal your wounds, declares the Lord.” What an incredible promise. Yes, God, the Creator of the Universe is our Great Physician.

I continue to thank the Lord for His faithfulness in taking care of our son and how our Heavenly Father gave my son the power he needed to get out from under the hood of that car, saved his fingers, and miraculously healed his hand from the trauma of the weighty hood that crashed down on him. I thank the Lord that as His children, we are never alone. He is always with us taking care of us. Joshua 1:9 tells us, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Thank you, Jesus, for your faithfulness, always. Great and mighty is the Lord our God.

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