I have learned

I have learned...

• that God often saves the best for last
• that people don't care how much you know but will never forget how much you care
• that people aren't formulating opinions about me as much as I think they might be
• that God is an expert in the dark places ... when I think nothing is happening or am deeply discouraged or even alarmingly apathetic, He remains riveted on fulfilling His purposes and His promises in my life and I can trust Him completely.
• that it's better to dress warmly and look silly than to look good and freeze
• that people act upon their perceptions more often than the truth
• that God's opinion and view is more valuable than anyone else's, especially mine
• that there is precious little that you can take with you to heaven when you die... some of those things include: honor, integrity, love for God and others, souls, worship, laughter, forgiveness, joy, justice, mercy, humility, relationships... (feel free to add more)
• that I should never refuse kindness
• that more happens when we pray than what we see
• that only God and the person themselves knows their true motivation for doing something, and God is not going to tell that to you... so you'll have to ask the person themself why they did this or that. Point being - don't think you know someone else's motivation unless you ask them. It will get you into big trouble if you judge someones's actions by a perceived motivation you think they have.
• that two wrongs don't make a right
• that treating your neighbors with kindness helps you sleep in safety.
• that a neighbor nearby is better than a brother far away
• that God seems to work the most when we see Him the least.
  He is a master of the secret place, the dark times and the mud and mire. Remember Psalm 40 when you feel like you are at the bottom of a pit... the only way to look is up. He can be... trusted and He is always good. His lovingkindness endures... endures.... endures forever. And that means TODAY 

A miracle!

On Sunday, Jan. 9th I went to my home church here in Holland, "Woord&Daad" (Word&Deed) in Vaassen.  It was a fairly busy day for me with a birthday party in the afternoon and I was leaving for Indonesia early on Tuesday, so, to be honest, I wondered if I should stay home that morning and get ready for my trip.  But, I wanted to go and hoped to be prayed for about my upcoming missions trip.

During the praise time I was thinking about the gifts of the Spirit and wondered if God would give anybody a "word of knowledge" that morning. Then a thought popped into my mind about people with pain in their necks.  With a pounding heart I stepped forward and shared my "word of knowledge" with the church.  As I feared, the elder (Eli) asked me to stay up in front to pray for people with neck pain.  I knew that it would have to be God's work if anyone would be healed so I chose to simply believe God and pray for people. Four or five people came forward and I asked God to come and heal them.  That's all but that was enough, and I hoped that they would be healed.  Then Eli asked me to share about my mission trip to Indonesia and several people came up to pray for me.  What a blessing!

During the coffeetime after the service a young man came up to me and shared that he wished his wife could be in the meeting and receive prayer because she was really suffering from whiplash.  He asked if I could pray for her.  I knew I better pray for her right away, in the middle of the busy coffeebar, so with my heart pounding again, I laid my hands on him (Ruben) and we prayed for his wife's healing.  I told him to lay his hands on his wife when he returned home after church.

Because I was so busy in the following days I didn't think about it again until today when I read this testimony from Patricia:

Jesus is my HEALER!!  
Around six and a half years ago I was involved in a bad car crash. In the blink of an eye our lives were changed because I sustained a whiplash.
Most whiplash victims endure symptoms up to 6 months or longer but mine never went away.  I was told that I'd have to learn to live with daily headaches, neck and back pain, fatigue and sleeplessness. 
I prayed, of course, but never found the courage to really ask God for healing, rather that I could accept my lot in life...it just seemed easier somehow.


Each Sunday morning I really wanted to go to church but often could not because I had slept so poorly.  I felt like the devil was also trying to keep me from going to church, which only multiplied my troubles.

I ended up staying home last week as well while Ruben, my husband, went to church alone.  There was a woman, Belinda, who received a word from God to pray for people with neck pain.  After the service Ruben went up to her, telling her about my whiplash and that I was at home with pain in my neck.  She prayed with my husband and laid her hand upon his neck. 
At the same moment I was home and, not knowing what was going on at church, suddenly felt warmth flooding my body and my neck pain disappeared.
When Ruben came home he asked how I was and I replied that I felt good.  He told me about what happened at church and that Belinda instructed him to lay his hand upon my neck and pray.
Since that morning I've had absolutely no symptoms and can testify that my wonderful God has healed me of whiplash!
Taking steps of faith may be difficult for many of us but I want to encourage you to do it.  With God nothing is impossible because God is love!