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I love the story in Mark (2:1-12) where the paralyzed man is healed. So…this dude is completely paralyzed–but his boys are determined to see Him healed.

DETERMINED.

They believed! They believed if they could JUST get their friend to Jesus–he would be healed.

It seemed impossible. The crowd was too much. Everything stood in their way. But they wanted to take him to Jesus because they cared about him and wanted to see him healed.

When they realize they aren’t getting into the house where Jesus is because the door is completely blocked by a crowd—and they sure as heck aren’t getting in carrying their friend in as I’m sure it took 4 of them to carry him. So–these crazy guys come up with a plan. They decide to WILDLY climb the roof WITH their paralyzed friend on a stinkin’ mat.

CAN YOU PICTURE THIS???

Four guys climbing the roof is ONE thing–but lifting their friend on a mat and getting him ON the roof too??

GET verse 4: “Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on.”

Now I don’t know about you–but if 4 dudes start digging a HOLE in my roof…I’m going to be ticked.

The verses just before that say everyone was gathered there because they had heard Jesus had come home–so you could gather that this was even Jesus’s home. “A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them.” Whether it was Jesus’s home or not–these men took a big risk…not only in dragging their paralytic friend on the roof–but also digging a rather LARGE home in the roof to lower him.

It says when Jesus saw THEIR faith–he forgave the man of his sins AND HEALED HIM.

It wasn’t only the faith of the man–as he obviously had to agree to being lifted on the roof and lowered into the house. He believed IF he agreed to let his friends do this–to join him in believing and approaching Jesus with him–that he would be healed!

And scripture says Jesus saw their faith and healed him.

Why do you think this story makes it in scripture as we know Christ performed MANY miracles that were not included in scripture? But THIS one makes it in. Do you think the Lord wants us to stand by ourselves or others? Do you think He wants us to approach Him together–believing Him together for BIG things? Do you think He received more glory as many come together?

Is there someone you know believing the Lord for something BIG–and they need others to stand and BELIEVE with them?

Is there someone sick or hurting who is struggling with their faith to believe because they are just too tired? Just think what the Lord can do as brothers and sisters in Christ pick them up…carry them to Jesus believing that through THEIR faith–the Lord can heal!

The same Lord that stood in that house that day and healed–is the same Lord that came and died and was risen again. He is the same Lord we celebrate this Lent season. He is the same Lord that can heal the sick and still performs miracles today.

I want to thank my sisters and brothers in Christ who love me and our family enough to pray with us for my miracle healing. We are BELIEVING the Lord is already healing me. And I have to tell you–for the last 3 days this mom hasn’t had blurred vision…my fatigue is going away…and I even woke up my family 2 nights ago when I felt my brain fog lifted—I turned on lights and we jumped on the bed! Yes–we are crazy here…but we are EXPECTING a miracle and every bit of miracle we experience we celebrate! I have had a swollen right eye full of redness for MONTHS which has had the specialists at St.Joseph’s scratching their heads as my cornea was being damaged and my eye is even clear and normal this week!!! I LOVE being able to see:). I keep telling Richard when the Lord completely heals this mom the WORLD better watch out…because I’m never going to take my health for granted again!!! If you have been praying with us for a miracle–please continue praying that the Lord would completely remove Lyme from my body and I would be completely healed without modern medicine (which I’m totally willing to do–but we feel like we are supposed to WAIT and spend time trusting in His healing right now instead! YES crazy–but we want to wait on Him and trust Him for the impossible!!!)

Alright–you have to check out this picture me and the babes took this morning. Momma doesn’t have on ANY MAKE-UP…but my eyes are CLEAR, not swollen and I can see…so we were CELEBRATING on my Mac Photobooth!

Y’all have a great day!!! And if you have a prayer request that I too can take before the Lord FOR you–please do tell me. It would be an HONOR to pray for you and believe in FAITH with you!

XOXO

Andrea

I love the story in Mark (2:1-12) where the paralyzed man is healed. So…this dude is completely paralyzed–but his boys are determined to see Him healed.

DETERMINED.

They believed! They believed if they could JUST get their friend to Jesus–he would be healed.

It seemed impossible. The crowd was too much. Everything stood in their way. But they wanted to take him to Jesus because they cared about him and wanted to see him healed.

When they realize they aren’t getting into the house where Jesus is because the door is completely blocked by a crowd—and they sure as heck aren’t getting in carrying their friend in as I’m sure it took 4 of them to carry him. So–these crazy guys come up with a plan. They decide to WILDLY climb the roof WITH their paralyzed friend on a stinkin’ mat.

CAN YOU PICTURE THIS???

Four guys climbing the roof is ONE thing–but lifting their friend on a mat and getting him ON the roof too??

GET verse 4: “Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on.”

Now I don’t know about you–but if 4 dudes start digging a HOLE in my roof…I’m going to be ticked.

The verses just before that say everyone was gathered there because they had heard Jesus had come home–so you could gather that this was even Jesus’s home. “A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them.” Whether it was Jesus’s home or not–these men took a big risk…not only in dragging their paralytic friend on the roof–but also digging a rather LARGE home in the roof to lower him.

It says when Jesus saw THEIR faith–he forgave the man of his sins AND HEALED HIM.

It wasn’t only the faith of the man–as he obviously had to agree to being lifted on the roof and lowered into the house. He believed IF he agreed to let his friends do this–to join him in believing and approaching Jesus with him–that he would be healed!

And scripture says Jesus saw their faith and healed him.

Why do you think this story makes it in scripture as we know Christ performed MANY miracles that were not included in scripture? But THIS one makes it in. Do you think the Lord wants us to stand by ourselves or others? Do you think He wants us to approach Him together–believing Him together for BIG things? Do you think He received more glory as many come together?

Is there someone you know believing the Lord for something BIG–and they need others to stand and BELIEVE with them?

Is there someone sick or hurting who is struggling with their faith to believe because they are just too tired? Just think what the Lord can do as brothers and sisters in Christ pick them up…carry them to Jesus believing that through THEIR faith–the Lord can heal!

The same Lord that stood in that house that day and healed–is the same Lord that came and died and was risen again. He is the same Lord we celebrate this Lent season. He is the same Lord that can heal the sick and still performs miracles today.

You have to just love DETERMINED friend of faith. Friends that will drag you on the roof top and when you are too weak–lower you to Jesus through their faith and prayers. I have a husband like that too. One who told me at the monastery on Saturday that the Lord would HEAL me in a way we would know it was HIM and no other. Gotta love my man of faith.

I want to thank my sisters and brothers in Christ who love me and our family enough to pray with us for my miracle healing. We are BELIEVING the Lord is already healing me. And I have to tell you–for the last 3 days this mom hasn’t had blurred vision…my fatigue is going away…and I even woke up my family 2 nights ago when I felt my brain fog lifted—I turned on lights and we jumped on the bed! Yes–we are crazy here…but we are EXPECTING a miracle and every bit of miracle we experience we celebrate! I have had a swollen right eye full of redness for MONTHS which has had the specialists at St.Joseph’s scratching their heads as my cornea was being damaged and my eye is even clear and normal this week!!! I LOVE being able to see:). I keep telling Richard when the Lord completely heals this mom the WORLD better watch out…because I’m never going to take my health for granted again!!! If you have been praying with us for a miracle–please continue praying that the Lord would completely remove Lyme from my body and I would be completely healed without modern medicine (which I’m totally willing to do–but we feel like we are supposed to WAIT and spend time trusting in His healing right now instead! YES crazy–but we want to wait on Him and trust Him for the impossible!!!)

Alright–you have to check out this picture me and the babes took this morning. Momma doesn’t have on ANY MAKE-UP…but my eyes are CLEAR, not swollen and I can see…so we were CELEBRATING on my Mac Photobooth!

So…you get to see me without makeup on! BUT I really don’t care any more about much of anything like that cause I’m just excited momma can see clearly!

Y’all have a great day!!! And if you have a prayer request that I too can take before the Lord FOR you–please do tell me. It would be an HONOR to pray for you and believe in FAITH with you!

XOXO

Andrea

My parents came in town this weekend so Richard and I could get away. We wanted to get away–just to have a day to pray together for this momma to be 100% again. This mom has some serious fog-brain tonight which makes it so hard to think of words–so I’m going to do my best to write this down…because I’m believing the Lord is going to heal me completely–and I want to REMEMBER all that He has done…even in the hard parts.

I’m almost done with this crazy GI detox for my internal medicine doc–and I’m taking more supplements and cleansing drinks than I thought humanly possible. I’ve gotten so many great doctor referrals from all over the country that treat Lyme’s–everything from natural treatment to I could be hooked up with a picc line and IVs tomorrow if that was the route we chose to take. So many ways to treat this disease AND it mimics so many different diseases that the medical community has nicknamed Lyme’s “The Great Deceiver”…all I can say is GREAT;)…I get the disease with that coin. Sounds familiar doesn’t it? I really think this battle I’m in is more than just a disease. I think I must be a real threat as God has big plans for my life–and I’m determined to reach for the cloak of my King and His name to be renown through EVEN THIS.

We just know we have to continue taking steps forward–being proactive. Every day for me it is so different. One day I’ll have fog brain so bad that I can hardly concentrate to talk. Some days my only problems are extreme fatigue with blurred vision (thankfully just in one eye–so if you put a pirate patch on you’re good to go;) Alright–so I don’t actually wear a pirate patch–but in good humor I’ve been tempted. And then some days–I feel pretty good…like my body must be fighting this thing itself–until WAHM…a day like today–when a bus hits.

Richard and I really needed a day to pray…to seek God’s direction in how we want to treat this, which doctors to continue to see or new ones to fly across the country to visit. We needed to be STILL. Because we also know the Lord can just heal me completely…at any moment He wants…so we need to WAIT ON HIM.

We took off for a close by monastery located in Conyers, Georgia…with acres of land…peace and quite…

Isn’t it beautiful?

We spent most of our day in the church. The Chalks–a dear couple who we have grown to love who has been right beside us all the way joined us to pray with us.

Inside the church…

Rich went to the balcony to pray while I stayed by myself (it’s best that the two of us are separated where silence is observed…we just make eye contact and burst into laughter…especially if we are SUPPOSED to be quiet:).

The winds were rushing around the windows…and it sounded like rushing waters.

RUSHING WATERS…I wrote in my journal.

Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. By day the Lord directs His love, at night His song is with me–a prayer to the God of my life. I say to my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?” My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, “Where is your God?” Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.” (Psalms 42:7-11

He was leading me through the scriptures…He is good.

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters I will be with you and when you pass through the rivers they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, Your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior, I give you Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead. Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give men in exchange for your life. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, “Give them up!” and to the south, “Do not hold them back!” Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth–everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”

I felt this was a promise from my King. Reminding me…that we one day will bring our children from the east. BUT–let me remind myself this is NOT the end all.

No.

It is His glory that is.

And if this…this hard part is for His glory…then–let His will be done.

Do you have something hard in your life right now that is really HARD to say this about…but one you feel you are ready to begin to step out…and say THY WILL BE DONE for?

Because for us–adopting again is NOT the end all. I want to adopt again…because I want a big family, I love children and we feel called to adopt. I want to be well. I want to have my energy back. BUT even this…EVEN THIS…is not the end all. It is His glory.

In Isaiah 55:11-13 the Lord gives a promise to us as we seek to send His Word out…

“It is the same with my word.
I send it out, and it always produces fruit.
It will accomplish all I want it to,
and it will prosper everywhere I send it.
You will live in joy and peace.
The mountains and hills will burst into song,
and the trees of the field will clap their hands!
Where once there were thorns, cypress trees will grow.
Where nettles grew, myrtles will sprout up.
These events will bring great honor to the LORD’s name;
they will be an everlasting sign of his power and love.”

The Lord has a PURPOSE for the thorn bush and the briers.

He has a plan for the pain.

In the place of the thorn bush will be a pine. And the briars will be replace with a myrtle.

This will be for HIS renown. An everlasting sign which will not be distorted.

Did you know that the Lord’s purposes for YOU are good…they are BIG! And some times the hard parts…are just part of the beautiful story He is writing for you.

As I was in the shower this morning (the ONLY place I get quite these days and hence where I have most of my revelations…nice I know, right?!), I thought about ALL THE WHAT IFS. What if I don’t get better? What if this doesn’t turn out the way I want? What if this develops into neurological Lyme and I lose my mind? What if? What if? What if? Then, I felt the Spirit question my heart, “Do you believe I can heal you?” I answered, “ABSOLUTELY.”

I smiled and thought, “Absolutely…because I am yours. And I believe you will heal me.”

And I really do.

And thinking of the word absolutely in my mind made me smile–and think of His goodness and faithfulness in my past.

ABSOLUTELY reminds me of the conversation I had that day with the international pediatrician in regards to our son’s referral. It was awful. As we looked over all the details of my sweet boy’s physical health–she rattled off that word OVER and OVER and OVER. It felt like a knife in my heart.

“Might he never sit? ABSOLUTELY. Might he never walk? ABSOLUTELY. Will he potentially have severe brain damage? ABSOLUTELY. The list went on. AND…it was painful. I knew in my heart–HE WAS MY SON. How DARE her talk about him that way. Because I knew in my heart the Lord was going to do something BIG. I KNEW it. I BELIEVED it. SURE–it might look different than I wanted it to–but HE WAS MINE.

After she finished her rattling and completed it with her recommendation for us to turn down the referral given our young children at home–I said, “Doctor, I appreciate your opinions and time–but is this boy is my son? ABSOLUTELY. Please sign what you have to sign and fax it as soon as possible to our agency so we can move forward.”

I knew he was MINE.

Today–I can be tempted to think or fall into the pattern of that old doctor. What if this happens? What if that happens? What if? What if? What if? You might very well be struggling with this temptation too.

And it’s really your choice what voice you listen to.

The WHAT IFS or WHAT IS TRUE ABOUT WHO HE IS.

What you must know–is that you have a Father in heaven that is LOUDER than the “what if’s”. He who called you if FAITHFUL. Consider and remember His acts of faithfulness in your past–and hold TIGHT to His call on your life for your future. He who called us to fight for our son–is my heavenly Father who cares for and will fight for me. And for you.

Because you have a Father in heaven that is shouting LOUDER than the What Ifs, “I appreciate your opinions and time and recognizing the what ifs–but is this PRECIOUS GIRL my daughter? Absolutely. She is mine. And I have a good, pleasing and perfect will for her life. Despite the hard right now–I will not leave her. The waters will rush over–the winds will blow in the storm–they will not sweet over her or crush her–for I AM the Lord her God, and I will carry her through this. She can trust me–because SHE IS MINE.”

I really do believe the Lord is going to see me through these hard days–and I really believe He will completely heal me in a way that only He receives the glory. I believe He can do this in your life too…in any area you are reaching to touch His cloak and see a miracle. I am excited and thankful for all that He will do–and I wait in expectation for His goodness to rain down. How thankful I am for the friends and family He has given me to love us through this not easy time–and how thankful I am that He even leads me through writing it down in this post…so one day I can remember and celebrate–even this.

Blessings to you this day…as you cling to the One who called you and trust Your Father over all the what ifs too.

Andrea