Easter is about Forgiveness and Healing

Forgiveness is a word that some people have a hard time with, but I think it's one of the most important words in the human language. As we quickly approach the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ on Easter Day; for me, the word forgiveness takes on a special meaning. I believe that much of my physical healing in this last year, has been through the CCSVI surgery I had on August 19th and by our Great Physician, God Almighty, through the forgiveness of my sins.

Easter is about forgiveness. Easter is about Jesus. It's not about pretty Easter eggs or chocolate bunnies. It's about new life, through Jesus Christ. It's about the forgiveness of our sins. Jesus died on that Cross for our sins- you and me.

Ever since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve partook of that tree of knowledge against God's wishes, mankind has trying to get back in the good graces of a Holy God. In the Old Testament we know that animals were sacrificed to gain communion with our Heavenly Father. Man sinned, man sacrificied and man sinned again. We just couldn't get it right. Mankind tried for thousands of years to get it down, but we just couldn't get it right. Moses, Joseph, Samuel, Joshua, David, and all the other faces of the Old Testament gave it everything they had, but they continued to sin over and over again and could not get it together enough to have a relationship with God because of their sins.

In his mercy and loving graciousness, our Heavenly Father did not give up on us. He wanted to have communion with his Creation, but could not look upon our face, because he is a Holy God, and we are sinful. So, he came up with plan B and designed a new covenant or bridge if you will, and that bridge was his son, Jesus Christ. Born of a virgin over 2,000 years ago, he was like no other before him. Fully God, yet fully man. John 1:14 says

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us."  

He walked the earth with mankind, and lived for only 33 short years, yet only the 12 apostles recognized him for what he was- the true Son of God.  And from there, Jesus built his church, which is still around over 2,000 years later. When God sent Jesus, he knew what he was doing.

I believe that belief and forgiveness are a cornerstone for healing. We cannot really heal, without believing that God will do it, and forgiving others who have sinned against us. God won't heal you, if you are holding a grudge in your heart against another. It makes sense, right? Why would he? If he sent Jesus to die for your sins, why would you hold anything against anyone else? Are you better than Jesus? We are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God. But if we come to God, in Jesus name, and confess our sins, He forgives us.

Mark 11: 25 tells us:

"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."

Jesus died for our sins, and by His wounds and suffering, we are healed. Healing is about forgiveness. It's very clear in the Bible. Jesus died for the forgiveness of our sins, and through that forgiveness, there can begin healing of the human spirit and soul. One of my favorite verses in the Bible is 


Isaiah 53:4-5.

"Surely, he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities, the punishment that brought peace was upon him and by his wounds, we are healed."

James 5:16 tells us:

"Is anyone of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of Praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."

Belief, forgiveness and healing are all connected. Connect the dots...it's easy to see. The Bible says so. And, I believe the Bible is the Word of God.

The word “forgive” means to wipe the slate clean, to pardon, to cancel a debt. When we wrong someone, we seek their forgiveness in order for the relationship to be restored. Forgiveness is not granted because a person deserves to be forgiven. No one deserves to be forgiven. Forgiveness is an act of love, mercy, and grace. Forgiveness is a decision to not hold something against another person, despite what they have done to you. Forgiveness is totally a God-Thing. None of us deserves it, none of us are worthy of it, yet Jesus died so that we may have it. 

If you want to be healed, spiritually, emotionally and physically, it all begins with forgiveness. If you have someone you need to forgive, Easter is the perfect time to do it, because Easter is about Jesus, and Jesus is all about forgiveness. Happy Easter everyone!

My verses for today are above in red.

My prayer for today:

Dear Heavenly Father:

Thank you for your son Jesus Christ, and what he did for me on that Cross. Thank you for sending him to die for my sins. Help me Lord, to forgive anyone in my life who has hurt me, just as you forgave me. I want to continue with my CCSVI healing Lord, in your powerful name. I believe that I am healed, and by your power I will continue to be healed. Help me to step outside myself and reach out to others who may be suffering with unforgiveness in their spirits. Heal them Lord.

In Jesus Name I pray

Amen 

The Circle of Life

Life is a circle. We start out as babies, totally dependent on the ones we love for every little thing in life, and in many cases that is the way we end up, totally dependent on others to help us with just the very basics of life.

I don't think that God wires us to be self-sufficient from the time we are conceived until the time we die. We start out our life wired to our mothers through the umbilical cord, wired to our parents and other loved ones in our younger years before we head out into the world. And then, as we move into adulthood, I believe we need to be wired to God Almighty and to remain in fellowship with family and other believers. He made us, He knows every hair on our heads, and every thought (good and bad) that we have. Only He can help us in all the stages of our life, start to finish. Only He will never leave us in our times of trouble and times of trial. And we will all have them, that is for sure.

I'm up in TN right now visiting with my family. I just came home from seeing my little great nephew Mason, with his little sweet face and adorable little actions delighting everyone in the room. What a precious child he is. I just want to eat him up he's so cute. A few days ago, I spent some time with my other great niece and nephew Ava and Blake, and we were running around chasing slinkys and talking about using the sidewalk chalk I brought Ava to draw on her driveway. Blake had just lost his first tooth and he was prouding smiling at me with his adorable little glasses and a hole in his lower teeth. He and Ava are also a couple of little dolls. I love to see these little ones, they  help me remember what life is all about.

But earlier this afternoon, I went and visited my folks, which are both in a nursing home now. Boy, it's so terribly hard to see them like this. So weak, so tired and worn out. They are both totally dependent on others to take care of all their basic necessities each day, and that must be a humbling experience for them. My Dad has always been so strong and vital, and my Mom was always a fashionista, with her beautiful hair and nails and jewelry. They were always so independent and totally self-sufficient.

But now, all that is stripped away, and we are at the other end of the spectrum of life, with us worrying about the very basics of keeping them alive, making sure they eat enough protein and drink enough liquids so they don't get dehydrated. It's amazing how quickly things can change. Just a few short years ago we were going places together, to the mall, out to dinner, etc. I thoroughly enjoyed and looking forward to my trips up here to see them.

Now they are both invalids. My two brothers, God Bless them both, live nearby and have to deal with this on an ongoing basis. I admire their courage and tenacity. It is so hard to walk into that room and look at them like that. Everything in me wants to pull them out of those beds and shake them and make them get well again. But I can't do that. Their earthly bodies are dying, as we all are slowly dying each day, their's is just more obvious to see and is happening more quickly. When you live far away and don't see them everyday it's really easy to see the deterioration in them.

I've seen both extremes of this life circle during my brief visit here and it's made me really stop and think about how short our life is on this earth--it goes by pretty darn fast. The longer I live, the more I realize that. We turn around and it seems all of a sudden, we're getting older and our kids are getting older.

That's why I think it's vital to put your trust in something other than yourself while you're making this journey. If you depend on YOU, during this whole time here on earth, you got trouble staring you right in your face. As my husband likes to say, "There is a God, it ain't me-- and it ain't you either." Thank the Lord, cause I sure don't want to lean on me, as the end gets closer.
So, how do you spend your time with your parents when you know if may be the last time you see them since you live so far away? Of course, none of us knows the number of our days, but I can read the handwriting on the wall and I can see that the clock is winding down for them. I will be leaving for home on Tuesday, knowing that our time together was altogether too short, and the words between us were never enough. I will hug them extra tight, I will read them their favorite Bible verses, and tell them what great parents they were, we can talk about some of the stupid things I did as a kid and laugh about it now. Reminiscing is always a favorite way to spend the time, but it just doesn't feel like enough.

It will never feel like I've done enough for them, said enough to them, asked them enough of the tough questions that only parents can answer. Our time together has NOT been long enough, no matter when the end comes. You only have one set of parents, and when you lose them, that's it--the end of that chapter in your life.

In closing let me say that if you have your parents nearby tonight, hug them alittle tighter, or if not, give them a phone call and tell them how much you love them, because you don't know how long you will have that priviledge. Time marches on, as my Dad always says, and the Circle of Life continues, we are born and then we die. Nothing can stop it or slow it, it's coming and it is what it is.

My verses for today are some of my Dad's favorites from the book of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3 - verses 1-4

"To everything, there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven:
  A time to be born, a time to die, a time to plant and a time to reap,
  A time to kill, and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build up.
  A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance."

My prayer for today:

Dear Lord:

It's so incredibly hard to watch my parents have to go through these difficult times in life. They've always been so healthy and vibrant and engaged in life. Now they are getting more and more lifeless each day and going downhill so quickly. Please Jesus, help them, comfort them, hold them close to you during this time. Give all of us, their family, your peace that surpasses all understanding, which guards our hearts in Christ Jesus.

Amen and Amen.

A brand new purpose in life...

My life has been forever changed. The big weekend that I've been working on for months and months is finally over, yet I find myself still lingering in the sweetness of each moment.

I haven't written too much in my GodWatch 365 blog these past 5 months, because I have been totally consumed with everything CCSVI. Friends have asked me, where have you been? Well, ever since my liberation last August, and my subsequent idea to move forward with an educational seminar and the first official walk for the CCSVI Alliance to help others learn about CCSVI, my world has been turned upside down, that's where I've been!

Not that I have forgotten about the Lord's presence during these sometimes trying months. Not for one second. He was there, beside me each step of the way, His Hand was clear as He opened each door and cleared each obstacle along our path.

This being the first fundraiser for the Alliance, there were, of course, the usual challenges, hurdles and obstacles. We moved slowly and deliberately, because we all wanted the foundation to be laid correctly for this first one. We did have some slammed doors, but not for long, because each time one was slammed, it seemed that the Lord opened up another one ever wider. Totally a God-Thing as I like to say.

We worked hard during these 5 past months, but the success of our weekend of events, were for me, clearly not due to my efforts, or to the efforts of Michelle Brown, my cohort at the CCSVI Alliance, but clearly because we had someone else helping behind the scenes, to order everything into perfect place, the Creator of the universe.

Early on in this process I told Michelle that I felt confident about the success of this because I had been praying and asking God for His guidance and felt sure that He was going to take care of every little detail. I knew if we worked hard, He would honor that. I had total confidence in that and had a tremendous about of peace because of it. Michelle was not so sure, but rather had a we'll see attitude, let's just keep plugging away, she said.

She became a great and now life-long friend. We celebrated each victory, and cried on each others shoulders about the failures and the frustrations of putting together something of this magnitude with basically just the two of us doing the bulk of the work. We did have a few other people helping us along the way on certain projects, and I had my other friend Michelle who was cheering me along the way and driving me everywhere I needed to go, but basically, we put the whole thing together, duo & duo.

My dear friend Ellen, who I've known forever and worked with for 25 years at Mill Pond Press has been involved in event planning on a grand scale many times said "I can't believe that the two of you put all of this together, just two people. There are normally about 15-20 people handling something of this magnitude." I've thought about that and in retrospect, I thought she's right, how did we put something like this together with just the two of us? But, then I remembered, we had the Mighty Hand of our Helper guiding us along the way.

I have truly felt that the reason that God has been healing me through CCSVI was to do things just like this-to help other people with MS. He too, was sick and tired of me being sick, he's done with me feeling lousy all the time, and He wants me to help other MS'ers end their suffering and improve their lives too.

I went into my procedure back in August of last year, claiming my miracle and telling the Lord that I would do whatever He wanted me to do if I could just get a little bit better. I knew that this surgery wasn't a cure, but I also knew that God would be the one to heal me, not the doctors. He would use them and their knowledge, but any healing I would receive would come from His Almighty Hand. I knew it, I believed it and I claimed it! He totally delivered and now after 5 long months of hard work, I've delivered on the other end of the deal! I knew He work honor our work, because we were doing it in love and compassion for others.  

Our weekend really did go off without a hitch. Yes, we worked very hard to make sure that happened, but there could have been a thousand things that went wrong, but they didn't. The weather was absolutely beautiful, we had great attendance at both events, everyone seemed to thoroughly enjoy the weekend and they learned much good information about CCSVI. There were lots of great questions, interesting conversations and tremendous connections made between others suffering with MS. I know that some lives are going to be changed for the better and I am so thankful. The doctors were AMAZING. What a wonderful group of guys. So compassionate are this group of men who are treating us, we are all very blessed. I think the Interventional Radiologists of the world are a special breed of doctors and I am happy to have a new disease, CCSVI, which is TREATABLE!

All I can say is Thank you Jesus! Thank you for helping us open more people's minds to CCSVI. Thank you for ordering this wonderful weekend, start to finish! I know it all came by your Mighty Hand, just as Dr. Zamboni discovery came, as an answered prayer, straight from you!

This whole past year has been totally a God-thing. Start to finish. Help me Lord to continue with your work. Let me take my renewed health and bring Glory to you! Help me to have another fantastic year in Your Service!

My verse for today is one of my favorites about suffering from 1 Peter 1:6

"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may be to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith- of greater worth than gold- which perishes even though refined by fire- may be proved genuine and may result in Praise, Glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed."

My prayer for today:

O Holy God

Thank you that my many years of suffering are over. Thank you for my continued healing. Thank you for giving me the energy to accomplish this monumental task that was set before me. Thanks for a glorious weekend that I hope brought joy to you, as we set about helping others learn about CCSVI. I pray Lord, that you will open new doors for me as I step out in faith, knowing that my life is always in Your hands.

In Jesus Name I pray,
Amen