Healing

It seems like the last few weeks I have seen people dealing with sickness and disease, and my heart has been moved with compassion for them.  If you are one of those people, I want you to know a few things.

FIRST...It is NOT GOD putting sickness or disease on you.  He's not trying to "build your faith", "teach you a lesson" or "make a testimony for you."  And when I hear any of those things about my heavenly father, my heart breaks and I want to puke.  How could someone trust their father if they think he's hurting them?  Matthew 7:10-12 talks about how even evil earthly fathers know how to give good gifts to their children and HOW MUCH MORE our heavenly Father gives good gifts.  I looked up that word "good"...there's not some hidden agenda behind it, or some warped meaning.  In the Greek language, it means....GOOD!, of good constitution or nature, useful, salutary, pleasant, agreeable, joyful, happy, excellent, distinguished, upright, honorable.  Sickness and disease don't fit into that anywhere.

SECOND...It IS God's will for you to be healed!  In John 8:28 we're told that Jesus was the exact representation of God on earth.  And in Acts 10:38 we're told that Jesus healed ALL that were oppressed of the devil!  So, God wants ALL healed!  Why isn't everyone walking in healing?  That's a question I don't have an answer to.  I think some of it has to do with people's emotions, lifestyle habits, and to be honest, sometimes people just want to be sick.  BUT, just because I don't have the answer, that doesn't mean I'm going to blame God for it!

THIRD...When James and John came across a town of people who wouldn't accept Jesus in Luke 9, they asked Jesus if they could call fire down from heaven on them.  Do you know what Jesus said?  He said NO!  He rebuked James and John and told them that they didn't know what manner of spirit they were of.  AND, Jesus told them that HE DID NOT COME TO DESTROY MEN'S LIVES BUT TO SAVE THEM!  I looked up what that word SAVE means, and it's so good, y'all!  It is the greek word "sozo" and it means: to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction one (from injury or peril), to save a suffering one (from perishing), i.e. one suffering from disease, to make well, heal, restore to health, to preserve one who is in danger of destruction, to save or rescue!  Jesus came to HEAL AND MAKE WHOLE!  He's not even putting sickness or disease on people who won't accept him!

Listen folks, this is the GOSPEL, the GOOD NEWS!  God loves you!  He wants you healed!  He wants you whole!  If you're not walking in complete healing or wholeness, trust that God wants you to.  Trust that Jesus paid the price for it.  Trust that He is not the one putting sickness and disease in your life.  Would you inject your own child with Aids, cancer, mental illness, infertility, etc.?  NO WAY!  Well, HE is not doing that to you! Ask yourself if you're holding on to bitterness, anger, unforgiveness, stress, or an unhealthy lifestyle that's keeping you from the health Jesus paid for.  Ask yourself if you're walking the path of healing He has for you.  He's already paid for it.  It's ours to walk in!  Ask God to put men and women in your path that will help you walk in healing and wholeness.  And, don't listen to any religious garbage that tells you God is making or keeping you sick for His "glory" or "If it's His will to heal, He will."  His glory doesn't need us to do anything to maintain itself.  He's as righteous as righteous gets.  And, it IS His will that you're healed!  He just wants us to know He loves us.

And please, oh please, if you are one of those people saying that garbage to people who are dealing with sickness and disease, stop.  You could be hurting them.  God wants them well.  God wants YOU well.  Rest in that.

I'm believing God that if you're reading this, you'll have a tangible experience with God's healing.

Happy 3rd Birthday to My Emery Rose

To know her is to love her.  That's my Emery Rose.  

When she was a tiny being in my womb, and I found out she was a girl, I knew what I wanted to name her.  I believe parents have so much power in naming their children.  I knew Emery was something special when she was just in my womb.  I knew she was destined for greatness!  The name Emery came from a loved friend whose name is Emery.  I thought it was an awesome name.  And when I found out what it meant, I knew it was for my little girl whom I hadn't met yet, but just knew.  A momma knows.

Emery means: Industrious Leader, Brave, Powerful. Have you met my child?  If you have, you know this is her.

Her middle name is Rose, after my sister, Amanda Rose, and my Mimi, Rosemary.  I knew with such a powerful first name, we needed a balance with Rose: flower, delicate.  For those who really know my girl, they know she is preciously delicate.  A rose also has a tough side, and Emery Rose sure does.  She can handle herself.  She always gets back up after falling, and I know that's a trait she'll always have.  I have to remind myself sometimes that she's still so little...she's so mature for her age!

She turns three years old today, and what an amazing three years it's been!

I know Emery Rose was given to me to be my teacher, after all, she is the little girl who made me a mother.  Every single day Emery teaches me so much about myself and life.  She knows how to push my buttons best, but she also knows how to melt me in an instant.  She is full of life and love.  She is a daddy's girl, but has a unique and special relationship with me.  She may look exactly like her daddy, but she acts so much like her momma.

Emery is the best big sister I ever could have imagined.  The moment she met Eden, she beamed with pride.  If her sister cries she'll say to me, "Momma, help her!"  She protects and loves Eden with her whole heart!  Shortly after Eden was born and we were visiting my parents house, I left Eden sitting in her car seat on a chair and walked towards the door, Emery said, "Momma! Don't forget her! Don't leave her!"  If Eden is not in the same room as us, she asks me where Eden is.  She loves to kiss and hug her.  I love having a glimpse into their special relationship.

Emery loves her daddy with her whole heart.  She says he is her boyfriend, and he is.  They go on dates.  He takes her for rides in his truck so they can have daddy-daughter time.  They turn up the music and dance as they ride along.  She hunts for her daddy in the house first thing in the morning hoping he hasn't left to workout yet. And when he opens the garage door when he pulls in from work, she beams!  If her daddy asks her what she is, her response is "Beautiful!" and she is.

A few months back we took a family date night to Burger King so Emery could play on the play set.  There were a few kids there, and after Emery ate her dinner, she was able to play.  The kids were pretty rowdy and rough, and I wondered if Emery would join in on that or if she would do her own thing.  I should have known.  She did not give in to being rowdy.  She did her own thing and played and had fun.  She is strong in what she believes and what she knows to be right and wrong.  In fact, she is already a backseat driver. :)  And, she'll gladly tell me or her daddy when we aren't driving 'right.'

She has a natural gift for music.  She can pick out the beat to any song and she can learn lyrics quicker than I can.  She loves to worship her God by singing, playing music and instruments, and by raising her little hands and dancing.  I don't tell her to, she just does it.  She also likes to 'be on the worship team' and she likes to tell me how to lead worship. :)

Emery Rose is such a leader, we have to help her to not lead people who don't want to be led! Ha!  She loves telling her little friends and cousins what to do and how to do it.  :)  It will be interesting to see what she decides to do when she grows up!

She is one of the smartest kids I know, and I'm not being bias.  We have people tell us all of the time how smart she is and how well she communicates.  She said her first word at 4 months, no joke.  It was "kiss."  And she hasn't stopped talking since! :)  She's a quick learner.  She's sharp.  You can't get anything past her.  She is aware of everything that goes on around her.  She picks up on people's moods and body language.  She is sensitive to how people feel and wants people to be happy.

She does everything she possibly can to get out of bedtime...she'll have to go potty; she'll want to sing a song; she'll want to read books, play with toys, talk, etc. etc.  She knows life is happening around her and she does not want to miss out.

She is extremely loyal to those she loves.  And when she loves people, she really loves them.  Her little heart is so tender.  She already tells me Jesus lives in her heart.  I believe he does.  She has wisdom and understanding beyond her 3 years.  She's a force to be reckoned with.  She is iron that sharpens my iron.  Sometimes I wonder why I was picked to be this amazing little girl's momma ...how can I ever live up to be the momma she needs?  She's such a grand and great little person.  I'm thankful God blessed me with her and trusts me to be in her life.

Emery Rose, I love you.  You are kind.  You are smart.  You are important.  Thank you for being MY little girl.  Happy 3rd Birthday!  I'm so proud of you. Love, Momma