Jeremiah 29:11-13 - "Healer"

Thirty seven years ago this morning about this time the nurse woke me up to get me ready for my c-section to have my baby boy Ben. His birth was so different than Paul's with being very relaxed and low stress. I was excited to have him the day after Christmas with the way I love the Christmas season. Growing up I don't think he was excited to have his birthday then but he survived. From the time he could talk he made it be known he did not want a birthday cake but instead wanted a cheesecake. I will never forget the year I bought an expensive one from a place in Canton only to have him make a face and tell me it was not his kind of cheesecake. He wanted the 99 cent Aldi one! Goodness I could have saved a lot of money. I also will never forget him playing in his room building 'New York City.' He had never even been to Cleveland at that point in life yet he was dreaming of the big city. I started praying for Ben when I was a little girl. I always wanted three boys and three girls. I gave birth to two boys and have my bonus son Adam. Their wives are my three girls. I prayed for each one of my children, their spouses, and their children. My prayers were blessed in abundance with bringing Emily into Ben's life and then blessing them with five children. I so enjoy spending time with them. They have so much fun doing life! I was thankful they had the opportunity to spend time with Rickey. One of my favorite memories was listening to Rickey talk to Miss Evelyn about music. Doc gave her the violin/fiddle he got from Rickey for her first Christmas so they had a common tie in life. Yesterday as I was walking on the beach the Lord spoke great words of encouragement over me. They are words I want to share with Ben as he starts out another year of life. I am so proud of the way God is using him to bless others and to bless me. I watched the waves go in and back out and saw the sand being splashed around. It was at that moment the Lord spoke to me...

I knew these things but hearing them from the Lord blessed me in abundance. None of us know where God will take us or what He will put before us but we know He knows and that is all that matters. When I went to the waterfront before going out to Hunting Island yesterday, I sat in the swing and thought about it being Rickey's favorite place to spend time. When I saw the lady napping with her head in her man's lap, I thought about how many times I did that when Rickey was visiting. When I saw the cruise ship docked, I thought about our dreams of taking a cruise. All around me were memories that were made and dreams that will never happen. Yet God was there loving on me. I am so grateful for His love. It was His love that has brought me through thus far in life and it will be His love that continues to sustain me in the days ahead. Prayer is key in living life. I remember before Ben was born being given the option to abort him because he was going to be born with an open spine. Of course, that was not an option. When we went back a month later for another ultrasound, we were told he was 'normal' and it must have been a mistake on the first one. No mistake. God healed him in the womb. That was confirmed by the doctor when we saw the scar on the bottom of his spine at birth. As a teen at the altar at Mount Vernon Nazarene University Ben was healed of juvenile diabetes. God has great plans for him and is living through him. He knows and is living out the knowledge that prayer is key in life. I am so thankful his children are seeing prayer as the answer for everything. We may not always receive the answer we desire but we do receive what is best for us. We may not always receive His answer in the timing we desire but we do see answers in His time. Praise His Holy Name! No matter if healing is for a physical, mental, emotional, financial, or spiritual hurt He is there to heal us. I am reminded of a song Kari Jobe sings called "Healer"...

You hold my every moment
You calm my raging seas
You walk with me through fire
And heal all my disease
I trust in You, I trust in You

I believe You're my healer
I believe You are all I need
I believe

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for another year of life for Ben! Thank You for blessing him with Emily and the children! Thank You for continuing to lead him where You so desire to use him! Father, thank You for speaking over me yesterday! Thank You for being with me as I made a hospital visit, walked at the waterfront, walked at the beach, and spent time with Will and Sandy! Thank You for being with Anna, Michael, Matt, and I as we celebrated Christmas without Rickey! I am so thankful they had a good day. Thank You for giving me what i needed to not just get through the day but to be able to 'do life'! Thank You for Colleen feeling up to cooking and for my friend who was released from the hospital from COVID! Thank You for being with so many who have lost loved ones since last Christmas! Lord, may all who are hurting allow You to be their Healer. May Your peace come down upon all who are struggling. I pray for: my Momma; my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; Ben and Colleen; Pete and Delores; Steve; Tony and Madeline; Cait; Mike; Norma Hall; Carrie; Little Jensen who needs a heart; many with COVID; Sharon Sebolt; the Pottenger Family; Serena's husband; some young ladies with anxiety; a man in rehab for anger issues; a young man out of rehab who needs strength in his daily walk; a husband/father separated from his wife; Cyndi; Daniel; and many others. I also pray healing prayers over many who are dealing with 'c'...Doug and Gay; Sharon's daughter Ashley and niece Amy; Chrissy's cousin; George and Sharon; Ashley's father-in-law; Cait's friend with leukemia; my pastor friend with daily chemo; Elaine Stoltzfus; Tammie; and Little Ivy. I pray Your peace over Jennifer's coworker whose mother appears to be in her last days on this earth. Lord, may we all remember Your love is greater than any hurt that comes our way. Thank You for continuing to be My Healer! Amen.