A few years ago while I was praying about my health, I heard the Lord say, “You have to eat like you are in the Garden to feel like you are in the Garden.”

My first reaction was arrogance—I was already vegan, I like vegetables, and I felt like I was eating in a balanced and healthful way. In further prayer and reflection I found that I actually had much room for improvement. I ended up going on a specialized raw vegan (living food) diet for six months (with the help of a local chef), focusing on gut health and digestion.

I have long since been back to a healthier version of my “normal” diet; but that season of eating simple raw and fermented foods has had a lasting influence on my health. My hypothyroidism was completely cured, so that I was able to get off all the medicine I had been taking. I started losing some of the weight I had gained in my second pregnancy. And I believe this season has contributed to some of the healing I have experienced since (e.g. my hormones are now balanced, and I had an autoimmune pain disorder for about six years, which is now gone—more on that later).

About six months ago I started taking a supplement to help thyroid health—not because I was having thyroid problems, but because I wanted to ensure that I never had thyroid problems again. I had an irrational anxiety that my problems would come back because my levels were slightly elevated from one appointment to the next (but still in the normal range), and I wanted a physical comfort that I was still healed and would stay healed.

Guess what happened? I immediately started having thyroid problems again! At my next appointment (three months ago), my doctor told me I should look for any iodine in my diet and remove it, as it could be the reason my thyroid was off again. Iodine apparently doesn’t respond well beside autoimmune conditions (which I am still working through); and my new supplement had 150% the recommended dosage of iodine! I stopped taking it, and recently received the results of my newest blood work: my thyroid is healthy. No more problems. It’s reflecting its original healing.

Healing does not always come the way we intend: It may come through physical strategy and lifestyle changes when we want God to do a miracle; or it may come as a silent or incomprehensible miracle when we desire a spectacle or tangible assurance.

In 2 Kings 5, Naaman calls on the king of Israel for healing of his leprosy, but instead finds himself at Elisha’s house, where a servant tells him to dip seven times in the dirty Jordan river to receive his healing. He became angry that he was not cared for per his expectations; then:

“Naaman’s servants went to him and said, ‘My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!’ So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.” (v. 13-14)

We can trust God, who designed our bodies, to heal us in whichever way He deems: be it dipping in a dirty river, heeding His direction in lifestyle choices, or even in receiving an instant healing miracle. We do not need to manipulate His process through our own knowledge, but can approach Him as the Wise Doctor who has given us both practical resources and examples of good health (as with the Law of Moses, and the Proverbs), as well as the power of the Holy Spirit to heal the sick, and to receive His healing ourselves.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of realities not seen.” (Heb. 11:1 TLV, emphasis mine)

Faith is a special kind of belief. We can believe something and be completely wrong or misguided. But faith is a belief based on tangible spiritual evidence that is directly rooted within a relationship with God. Through an intimate knowledge of God, faith provides vision into God’s supernatural Kingdom; and this is why it can be so powerful when used rightly.

Faith perceives through spiritual senses what cannot be accounted for in the physical. Faith recognizes what the Spirit of the Lord is doing even before it manifests into reality. Faith is an inside connection to the Kingdom of God, developed through learning God’s voice.

Faith says, Even though my reality is otherwise, I have a peaceful assurance beyond all doubt, and a proof in my spirit that this is the truth.

When the “things hoped for” are physically out of reach or inconceivable, faith is the steady foundation of clarity and courage that brings stability and perspective to the whole situation. It is a substantial force, regardless of how invisible or unfathomed by those outside of it. And faith is not necessarily illogical. We all connect to the world differently, and have a different array of dominant spiritual senses; so while one person may gain faith through an emotional experience, another may receive faith through a more physical, or even intellectual, experience.

The common element in how the substance of faith is received is dependent on one’s relationship with God: “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Rom. 10:17 NKJV)

Do you want more faith? Do you want to see what the Lord is doing in the invisible realm, and to have peace or wisdom regarding your situation? The best place to start is by reading the Bible, and dialoging with the Lord (the Living Word) through prayer. The marriage of the Spirit and the Word together in our lives builds a framework of faith that will usher us into the Kingdom—and the Kingdom into our physical realities.

 

I love to cook, and I happen to be vegan. Just as with any food there are awesome vegan dishes and barely edible ones.

I was talking to a new friend who learned I was vegan and said, “Oh, I had a vegan cookie once and it was awful.” I had to chuckle, because, yes, I have had bad vegan cookies too. It happens. I love to experiment in the kitchen, with a large variety of results. A couple days ago I made a flourless cake using sweet potato, coconut, and ground nuts, I was surprised how well it turned out! It was good! I could have easily missed out had I not been so bold with putting ingredients together in a new way.

When we set “good” to equal something very specific, our expectations can limit us from experiencing other good things.

When my husband and I first got together, he was convinced he didn’t like lentils because he hated the lentil soup his mom would make. Lo and behold, he loves the spicy lentil dishes I am drawn to preparing, and he shortly realized that it was not the lentils themselves he didn’t like, but the particular lentil dish.

Sometimes we have to adjust our expectations, learn to be flexible, and exercise our creativity because life always comes with unexpected twists. If I let my expectations for my life limit or define my joy, I could miss out on what God has planned for me in a season of unanticipated experiences. The feeling of missing out on a particular form of “goodness” would come due to the mistake of looking for something else—from expecting goodness, or healing, or friendships, or opportunities, to come in a particular way.

For example, I have experienced healing miracles where God has done an instant miraculous work, and others where He has given me a physical strategy (like changing my diet) in order to lead to healing. I have also been walking through a season of chronic autoimmune issues, knowing full well that He is the healer, but finally feeling the flexibility and security of finding goodness in His person rather than needing or expecting it in my immediate circumstances. It took me awhile to recognize that my expectations for healing were hindering me from fully enjoying the presence of God, which is in itself more valuable than any physical experience—even of healing. I have been finding freedom by focusing first on God’s goodness—finding joy in worshipping Him, rather than in my experiences (in myself).

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Mat. 6:33).

God is good. But God is also the ultimate Creator. His ways are not always our ways. He puts things together in an unusually creative fashion. But in His wisdom He knows what He is doing. We can trust that eventually everything is working together to become something GOOD.

I visited my endocrinologist this morning, and as much as I like, respect, and am thankful for my medical team, visiting doctors is not my favorite thing. I am a Type One Diabetic on a pump and CGM (continuous glucose monitor), so when I “get” to visit every three months everything is well documented, and I cannot hide much—whether that be my higher stress, lack of sleep, or extra snacking.

I was not looking forward to this appointment because I have been well aware that my blood glucose numbers have been higher since my summer break has merged into the busyness and holiday eating habits of autumn (including a couple birthdays). I began praying before having my blood work done last week that my A1C would be much better than it truly is, and that my other panels would continue to be normal. Then today, I was extra nervous, so I prayed (albeit selfishly) that my diabetes trainer (appointment 1), endocrinologist (appointment 2), nurse, and receptionist would be in a great mood, and feel super blessed by God today.

I have noted that the times I pray before my blood work that it is exceptionally better, and that praying before appointments also changes the atmosphere. I do this regularly, but have had some of the worst surprises on the days that I have forgotten to pray. I should not be surprised when prayer is effective. But my numbers were so great according to my blood work—when I have seen the roller-coaster of my CGM—that truly I am surprised yet again. My doctors only thoroughly examine the last couple weeks of my charted glucose in order to make tweaks in my pump’s algorithms, so they would not necessarily anticipate the full picture. But I know that while I am more normal right now, the last month or two were chaotic. It was a mini miracle that I will not overlook! I am thankful! And every bit of healing favor shows the power and love of God to usher in His fullness of heath and well-being in the right timing. I look forward to sharing the story when I am healed.

I have been at the Bethel Healing School this week in Redding, CA, and it has been awesome. People are here from all over the world learning how to rest in God’s love and allow Him to bring healing in and through them.

I had a surprise healing gift on Wednesday night. I had started loosing my hair in big patches earlier in the seminary semester while I was still in class. I am still not certain the cause—if it was stress related or something else (I think the latter, although I was too stressed to see yet another doctor; haha. My “internet guess” is Alopecia Areata because of the formation of the spots.). It started as a few small patches, and grew into larger patches. I have had much bigger health issues to worry about, so my hair has not been on my mind as a major need except for remembering the loss as I am brushing it in the mornings. I have had to change my part line because of the largest patch (about the size of a quarter), which is near where I would typically part my hair. The lack of hair has also felt like an indentation, so I have been reminded if I touch my head.

Anyway, during last night’s healing session someone had a “word of knowledge” (spiritual wisdom) that God was going to heal baldness right then (many other words were also given, and many others received healing for their needs). I stood to receive healing, and a gal standing behind me prayed over me for this and my other issues. Suddenly, sprouts of hair grew where there had been nothing before. My hair is growing back! Yay Jesus!

Ironically, I had felt compelled to take a picture of my missing hair in the hotel on the way to the event that day, because I thought maybe I would be healed soon. So, I have pictures.

The first picture has a bit of a glare from the bathroom light and morning sun (my head is not really so white, but there were no hairs except a couple full length ones from the center of the patch).

The second picture is the same day when I arrived back to the hotel in the evening after sunset, and it is thus a little too dark, but shows the new growth well nevertheless. So, although both pictures are unintentionally exaggerated because of the lighting, I think you will get the idea: missing hair, then small spiky new growth! It is because God loves me.

Do you know God loves you too? His love is not connected to what you do. Healing is a free gift, just as salvation is. He heals because He loves. He redeems because He loves. Not being healed does not mean lack of love, but is an invitation to press in deeper—and that is what I am doing with my other health issues.

If you need healing, may Jesus heal you now. Be blessed. :-)

Hebrews 4 promises that we can all enter into God’s rest. In fact, this passage of Scripture indicates that if we are not able to find our rest in God, we should be alarmed! Regardless of our circumstances, burdens, or weaknesses, we who love God can find fortitude, security, and peace in Him. His yoke is easy, and His burden is light (Mat. 11:29-30).

Sometimes this feels harder than it should. I have been finding a new level of rest in God in these past few weeks, where I previously had not fully realized my own resistance to truly resting in Him with my physical health and healing.

I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes about five years ago, and have been looking forward to God healing me ever since. He has personally spoken to me regarding my healing—plus, it is in God’s nature to heal—and so I have been eagerly anticipating this gift. My hope in Him has been healthy, but in my active expectation I realized I had not settled into His rest.

In the past several months I came to a place of faith of deciding that I can believe God’s word, and not worry about the details. I do not need to know how or when He will heal me, but can live peacefully in Him in the meantime and be pleasantly surprised when it happens. In the past few weeks, I prayerfully came to a new level of understanding what and how this rest will look for me in my current situation, and for this season of my life. Namely, I have finally purchased an insulin pump and continuous glucose meter! I had been resisting this, even though I knew it could help me function better day-to-day, because it was emotionally too difficult for me to accept and settle into my illness. Ironically, my health has been more dis-eased in the meantime, and probably has been an over-emphasized part of my life because I have had to deal with daily challenges.

So, I am settling in! I am accepting my circumstances! And I am choosing to enjoy God in this resting season! His rest is for you too; regardless of your personal obstacles!

I saw a commercial today for some kind of medical drug claiming to help with whichever illness it was, followed by a good 20 seconds of warnings of terrible side effects, and potentially death. I know I’ve seen similar commercials before, but this time I began to think about how terrible the people with that illness must feel in order to take such heavy risks with potent drugs.

The idea of trading one bad thing for another “lesser” bad is quite common. I learned as I was researching for a seminary paper on biblical authority over demons that one of the primary methods of spiritualist and Jewish healers in casting out demons would be to scare them out with other more powerful demons. These practices emphasized Jesus’ remarkable spiritual authority, especially since He held visible power over all demons and illnesses. It is no wonder that He was also mistaken as using the authority of the ruler of demons in Matthew 12:22-30, since His power was so beyond the norm.

Sometimes it feels like anything is better than whatever we are going through. But the Lord is the only one who can truly heal—the illnesses, the emotions, the soul—and to direct us into the methods and processes that will catalyze that healing. The safest place to be is within God’s rest: whether He directs us to traditional medicine, alternative medicine, unusual and nonsensical healing strategies (and miracles!), or if He works to redirect our focus entirely.

I have dealt with continuous chronic health issues with better and more difficult moments, and can empathize with wanting change. An experience I had a couple years ago ironically changed my heart from seeking “solutions” and helped me to push through those feelings of “what else can I do?” to the new challenge of trusting God as I rest in “the best that I can.” I had been praying to God when I clearly heard a demonic spirit say that if I would renounce God and re-join his army he would heal me in a moment. The call was so audible and so far out of the realm of possibility—God having given me so much, and the enemy having stolen so much—that I was able to put my situation in perspective. Whatever reason for being sick, whatever reason for the delay in my prayers being answered, I realized that the situation was not in my control.

Healing does not come through control, but by complete release and trust in God.

I was reading this morning an account from a friend’s friend who has left the church after 20 years of serving in ministry and is near leaving his Christian faith. He spoke sincerely and vulnerably regarding the process of his deconversion from Chaplain to agnostic. His reasons for change are: 1) inside knowledge of the awful condition of local church, 2) no clear examples in his life of pure, supernatural moves of God that couldn’t in some way be explained in humanist terms—that is, nothing separating what a Christian can do from what the non-Christian can do, 3) too many clear examples of wickedness being done in the name of Christ, and 4) the hypocrisy and fear-based/brain-washed commitment of the Christians around him. I really enjoyed his perspective so I hope I am relaying this accurately.

It’s my opinion that the large majority of Christians (in the States) are not practicing Christianity. I have seen first hand the sort of situation this man describes: the structure of religion and the academic declarations of theology (as good as this can be) without the supernatural power of a living and loving God (not to mention the rest of it..). But didn’t Paul the Apostle say, “my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit in power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God” (1 Cor 2:4-5)? And isn’t the New Testament full of supernatural accounts done by the Spirit through Jesus’ followers?! God has not changed (Mal 3:6, Heb 13:8). The purpose of the believer on the earth hasn’t changed—we are still strengthening the ‘bride’ and collecting the harvest until the day of our Lord’s return. Jesus is alive, and so is His Spirit!

When Jesus died on the cross, He paid the sacrifice of our sins once and for all. Every hurt, every pain, every struggle; everything that’s been done to you, and everything you’ve done that has brought destruction to yourself or someone else—it died with Jesus on the cross. He was resurrected, and the sin wasn’t; the bondage of sin has been taken care of. To become a Christian means to surrender to God and accept the free gift of perfect freedom, love, joy, peace, and so forth. He already bought the gift of freedom—for the whole world. It’s an acceptance of that gift to the point of full re-birth. People don’t go to Hell because they don’t believe in God, but because they’ve rejected Him. Everyone at some point has the choice to accept or reject Him; it’s a serious decision. When we choose Him we get to walk out of the bondage and straight into the Kingdom. Don’t you know, the Kingdom is at hand!?! And in the Kingdom are miracles galore! We are new creations, equipped with supernatural gifts. We do heal the sick and cast out demons and prophesy and do miracles, just as His first disciples did. We love God to such an extent that we can’t help show His love in demonstrations to everyone we meet. Heaven is a party and it starts now! And that’s GOOD NEWS! When Jesus returns to be King the party is only going to get bigger! YAY!!

There was a moment in my life (quite a ways after my decision to be saved, repentance, and water baptism) where God in His supernatural power and grace, immersed me with His Spirit and, in a moment, re-birthed me into perfect freedom. None of my old self was there. I became completely new. My thoughts changed, my moods changed, I stopped taking medication for my various psychological disorders because they were gone, I didn’t have to pretend to be happy because I really truly was (to an even greater extent today!), even many of my interests changed! I cannot describe the peace that’s in my spirit. Fear is gone!

If you haven’t experienced this level of joy, and peace—whether you’ve been a Christian for years or if you identify with a different religion all together—I want to say a short prayer for you:

May you encounter the very presence and being of God Himself through Jesus Christ the Lord, the people who live in His Kingdom, and the mighty restoration of the grace of His salvation!

I’ve experienced so many miracles and don’t think I’ve recorded a single one, so here’s a personal one:  The last time I went to the dentist I had a cavity that needed filling straight away, but I didn’t like the dentist and couldn’t quite afford the dentist’s steep rate (they had used my insurance money on x-rays and told me I would have to pay out-of-pocket); then I got pregnant and didn’t want anything in my mouth.  And anyway, I never got the thing filled.  As soon as I realized it might take awhile to find another dentist I prayed that the Lord would fill my cavity or else take it away completely, and had so much peace in praying that I forgot about it for several months.

How ever many months later, when I was flossing my teeth in front of a mirror, I noticed that I had a new filled-cavity in—I was pretty sure—the same place I had had the unfilled cavity at my last appointment.  I only have two other fillings, so this new one really stood out.  I was very excited because I knew the Lord had healed my tooth!

Today I went to a new dentist where my miracle was confirmed!!  I have no unfilled cavities, old or new!  And the one I did have was completely taken care of!!  I do not know why the Lord chooses to heal some things and not others, but I am so excited to testify that once again He has chosen to demonstrate a healing in me!  Praise Jesus!