Thursday, November 5, 2015

Testimony: The Story of a Girl...

This is the story of a girl. She cried a river and drown the whole world...

Awhile back this lady came into the health food store I work at with her grand daughter. The unusual thing was that the little girl wept through the entire shopping trip. Not a bratty I-want-candy kind of thing. It was the kind of cry where your heart broke and the tears just came. There’s no sound, no chest heaving, the tears just pour out. That was this girl. She silently cried following her grandma around the store. I just wanted to hug her and take away whatever was grieving her. 

Her grandmother brought her over to the supplements and explained that her granddaughter, Ella could barely attend school because she cried so much. The doctors had diagnosed her at 7 years old with an anxiety disorder. The grandma was hoping that something we sold would prevent her from going on medication. "Righteous indignation" rose up in me when she said that. I knew the label “Anxiety Disorder” would stick with that young girl her whole life. It would shape her, it would shape her interactions with people, it would lead her down a road of heavy medication, possible drug addiction, maybe even suicide. I felt God speak to me and say that, “They see weakness, I see strength”. He told me that she was sensitive and could feel the feelings of all those around her. That He gave her a gift of compassion. I felt such an urgency to pray for her and tell her what God sees. It seemed inappropriate with my coworkers standing there. I didn’t know how the grandma would feel. What if I just silently prayed for her? We did our best and recommended the supplements that we thought would help and they proceeded to cash. I saw them cash out. I saw them gather their purchases. I saw them walk out the door. The whole time, I couldn't shake it, I need to pray for her. I left my desk and followed them outside.

“Excuse me, can I pray for her?”

The grandma says yes. I bend down and look into that tear stained face and tell that girl that she is strong and special. That she is sensitive because God gave her a gift of compassion. I tell her that whenever she feels overwhelmed by the sadness that she just needs to tell Jesus and he will help her. Then I pray, the grandma thanks me and they leave.

I think about Ella and pray for her sometimes. Last week I was thinking about how great it would be to know if she’s doing better.

Yesterday a woman came in looking for flu medicine for a child. I showed her some products and she exclaimed that she loves homeopathic medicine because of what it did for her granddaughter. She explained that her granddaughter used to miss a lot of school because of anxiety but this year she hasn’t missed any, “She’s a whole new person.” I asked her if her name was Ella. Yes it was. 
Ella! Healed, transformed into a whole new person! Thank you, Jesus! 

Between Ella and I we know why she’s healed. God loves children and can speak to them so easily. I have no doubt that he’s begun a relationship with her. Don’t get me wrong. I do believe that the supplements we sell are effective. They help the body to correct itself rather than just masking symptoms, as allopathic medicine does. But it saddens me that the grandmother put her faith in the medicine. The supplements we sell do not make someone “a whole new person” only God can do that. 


Bless you, Ella!

Monday, August 10, 2015

Special is the New Normal

"What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead." James 2:14-17

Talk about stating the obvious! Faith without works seems ridiculous in the context of James 2. The majority of us feel we could give clothes to someone who was naked, or make a meal for someone who was hungry. Do we also feel that we have healing to offer the sick? Do we also feel that we have deliverance to offer those who are bound? Ah! But we can offer those things as readily as a coat and a plate of food! Jesus said that those were the signs to show we believe in him. (Mark 16:17) Living that way is normal, not special.

I am convinced that there are no extra special christians. All christians have the ability to heal and deliver and show the love of the Father to people, in Jesus name. The only thing that sets one christian apart from another in terms of authority and power is their willingness; being willing to lay down reputation, money, pride, sin...; to lose the world and gain your soul (Matt. 16:24-27)

Joyce Meyer --> willing
Bill Johnson --> willing
Reinhardt Bonke --> willing
Heidi Baker --> willing
Every christian who's ever stepped out in faith and seen the miraculous --> willing

Not special...Willing...Willing to take the entire word and put their faith in it; believing it to be true and living it out.

Faith without works is dead; faith without willingness is useless.

This is basically a call to "accept Jesus" for those who already have Jesus. I know you feel it! A call to something greater. A burning feeling that there is something more than just having your personal life blessed by God. 

After 34 years of being a christian I have decided to accept Jesus. I began to observe a global movement. No longer are christians waiting around in churches to be banged with special abilities from God in order to go out and do his work. But there are christians who believe that everything they need is already in them; who decided that it's normal to look for ways to love on people with the love of the Father; meeting their needs. Who are seeing the "greater things" Jesus talked about, as part of their everyday lives. (John 14:12)

Faith with works...Willing.



Thursday, January 22, 2015

One Thing

Grieving the past and feeling anxious about the future is a waste of time. How many years have I sung songs and prayed prayers that told God that he was the one thing I desired, the only thing I need; that he could have all of me? Yet when it really counts I waste energy focusing on everything that is unsure.
Today I'm choosing to focus on my eternally good and loving heavenly father. He is now and has always been a refuge, my strength, the keeper of my destiny and my friend.