Celebrating six years

Six years ago yesterday, I had my last electrocution-type pain from trigeminal neuralgia (TN). I thank God for His mercy.

Sometimes the pain from trigeminal neuralgia made it difficult to believe that I could be well again. Some people might call the past six years remission, but I call it a miracle. I was in terrible pain, had been for quite a while, when a group of people gathered around me to pray. The pain left, and it never returned.

As the prayer began, a passage from Psalm 91 was read:

 ¹He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. ²I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.  ³Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.  ⁴He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. ⁵Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day. 
My prayers were answered. The trigeminal neuralgia pain stopped. Some people call it remission, but I know that it is a miracle.


About four years ago, I began to have a different type of facial pain. I knew right away it wasn't TN, but diagnosis was difficult. It is caused by my jaw.  I have faith that I will continue to live a life that is free from fear and filled with freedom. I can face the wind, sit under a ceiling fan or an air conditioner vent, and brush my teeth. I can read because my eye no longer hurts. I can talk and smile. And I pray.
May I say a prayer for you? If so, please leave a comment or email me. God bless you.

 Have you visited my website? withgreatmercy

More about the green olive tree

But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever. Psalm 52:8.

This is the second in a series. To read the first part of this entry, scroll down a little to see the green olive tree. It's been several months since I wrote the first part of the olive story, and you may wonder why I've waited such a long while to write in my blog again. So many reasons exist, but I’ll share just one with you. I’ve known that writing this portion will make me cry.

Before my tears begin, I’d like us to look more closely at the green olive tree’s awesome fruit. The beautiful olive decided to “go green” long before this world had issues with energy, pollution, and other environmental concerns. Boasting more than beauty, an olive has taste appeal, a subtle but delicious aroma, and some other wonderful properties worthy of discussion.

Just think about what happens when an olive is pressed, squeezed, or crushed. Instead of being destroyed, the green olive produces an oil that helps us humans thrive. Olive oil contains monounsaturated fat, a healthier type of fat that can lower the risk of heart disease by reducing the total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or "bad") cholesterol levels in an individual’s blood.

A fountain of health, olive oil was popular with the Greeks and Romans of Jesus’ time. Olive oil was used to treat open wounds, insect bites, headaches, to counteract poisons and to aid stomach and digestive problems. These ancient civilizations also applied olive oil to the body before bathing (as a soap) and then again afterward to moisturize the skin. It forms a barrier against dirt and the harmful effects of the sun.

Today we believe olive oil may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease because it is full of antioxidants and contains Vitamin E. This fabulous oil is known to lower blood sugar levels and blood pressure, making it even more tempting to serve and consume this food with Italian herbs. Ever dipped your bread in that?
Traditionally olive oil is extracted through a grinding process that is accomplished with mill stones. Today they are ground in steel drums. In both cases, a paste forms and the olives are pressed again.

To get to the really good stuff, the olive must be crushed. It loses its shape and firmness. If olives could talk, I wonder if they would tell us how much it hurts as their oil is extracted. We cannot even see a trace of the fruit by the time the oil makes it into the bottle and onto our table. If it could be seen, then we wouldn’t have the expensive and highly regarded “extra virgin” oil.

I think we humans have much in common with olives. Refinement isn’t easy, and being ground and crushed hurts terribly. And who wants to lose their firmness or beauty? The very process that leads to a product containing helpful properties is the same process that causes the young but ripe olive to be destroyed.

I don’t know if it is possible for us humans to bear the fruit of the Spirit if we haven’t been ground or crushed a little or if we haven’t lost something we that once was part of our identity. It’s easy to admire people whose strong relationships with the Lord are apparent. We all know these blessed saints; they have words of healing at their fingertips. But would we want what they have if we had watched them being crushed, ground, and filtered?

If we want the Lord to load us with spiritual antioxidants and healing properties, we’re going to lose something, part of our identity. To have more of Jesus and less of us is going to hurt. We may experience something that will help us relate to the olives: it could be that no one might notice our pain.

Sources regarding olive oil

www.healingdaily.com
www.mayoclinic.com
www.wikipedia.com
http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/the-health-benefits-of-olive-oil-ga1.htm

Healing and Prayer

A good friend of mine recently sent me a book that I've enjoyed reading. I don't agree with everything the author says, but that's o.k. Maybe he's right; maybe I'm right. Maybe neither one of us are right. Overall, I think he has some really valid points.

One of the things he mentions is how in some Christian circles it is a disgrace to have an illness. He's right. Some Christians believe in "divine health." This is a phrase that perplexes me. Our bodies are made of flesh. Doesn't this mean that they are going to break down? Wear and tear, accidents, congenital issues, and so many other things cause sickness.

Not everyone believes that God still heals us today, but I do. I have experienced His healing, and I am so thankful for His mercies. I don't know why God has healed me and not some others. Do I think that faith is an element of healing? Yes, but so many people have been told that they are not healed because they lack faith. How discouraging for someone who is already suffering. This tactic is a form of "blaming the victim." I don't consider people with disabilities to be victims, but the mentality of the accuser is the same. We just aren't going to get through life without sorrow, loss, and pain.

Other people believe that "praying harder" does not move the Lord to heal, only that He heals when He chooses. Of course I believe that God is sovereign, but I also believe that He hears our prayers. If we believe James 5:16, that the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective, then why wouldn't God hear our prayers for healing?

I offer up my opinion about healing in a world where so many have spoken their opinions on this topic. In fact, most of us are familiar with the tactic of asking people who have an illness to make a donation if they want to have a prayer answered. They want our "seeds" of faith.

Because I am no expert on the topic of healing, I don't want to say too much here. I hope I can reassure those who have been treated like second class Christians because of illness or disability that they have been unjustly accused. I want to encourage you to have faith in Jesus, who healed people because it is His nature. He understands pain.

Don't give up. The Lord hears our prayers.