Heather was paralyzed for eight years after a car accident. But today she can walk with ease and dance with joy! Glory to God! Thanks and praise to Jesus Christ!
Heather is one of the readers of the Soul Shepherding Devotional and she wants to share her story of healing with you. What a blessing it is to hear people’s God-stories! Many people share with me wonderful stories about God healing their heart, speaking to them, or drawing them into a new intimacy with him. Heather’s story really stands out!
Heather’s Story
“Some time ago I found your devotionals by accident. I typed in “Christianity” and “soul” into Google and found you! I have become an avid reader. When I receive your message it is always at a time that I need to hear it. I guess God knows what we need! I have archived the devotionals, as I like to go back and read them from time to time. I am dearly hoping that one day I can come to Southern California to participate in one of your workshops.
“I especially love your poems to Jesus! I relate to them. Let me tell you why…
“I was in a car accident that left me paralyzed for eight years and I was inspired to write many poems to Jesus to get me through some very dark days. They proved to be a healing tool, as eight years later God enabled me to walk again without any aids! It was a true miracle given to me by Jesus.
“I would encourage everyone who is in some kind of crisis to write to Jesus in whatever form they choose: poetry, letters, journal entries. If we are persistent in prayer God will help us in the healing we need.”
Giving Thanks in All Circumstances
Heather learned to follow the Apostle Paul’s example and advice: “Give thanks in all circumstances” even being paralyzed! What? Who would thank God for paralysis? Or any other painful, debilitating problem? That’s not what God said. The Word says to “Give thanks in all circumstances.” Not for all circmstances!
Why? Why would we give thanks in the midst of suffering? The rest of the verse explains that we give thanks to be in Christ Jesus!
To appreciate that you are “in Christ” – lovingly and joyfully embraced in the Kingdom of God by Jesus now and forever – is so wonderful and glorious as to be a cause for giving thanks and rejoicing even when experiencing paralyzing pain or any other problem!
If you practice this attitude of joyful thankfulness and praise to God now then when you find yourself in some difficulty or hardship you’ll be prepared to move beyond your troubling visible circumstance and remember that you are in the invisible Kingdom of the Heavens where Christ is standing right in front of you with his arms open to you.
You Can Dance with Jesus Too!
Heather learned to dance with Jesus not only in her body, but also in her spirit. She started with just a step and little by little she put her body into rejoicing before the Lord. In a sense she was joining in Jesus’ first miracle at the wedding in Cana when he turned the water into wine and everyone danced with joy! It was Heather’s enthusiastic trust in the Lord’s grace and power coupled with her willingness to express this with her body that released God’s healing power throughout her body and soul.
Many people I talk to are inhibited in their spirit and body (the two go together) from expressing their love for God. Maybe it’d be good for you to express yourself more freely and affectionately to Jesus? To release your creative energy as you worship and serve God? To Smile, Play, and Laugh with Jesus!
Try to think outside the normal things you do in your daily worship of God. Maybe you’d want to write a letter or a poem to the Lord. Or you could draw a picture for him or sing a love song to him. Or how about dancing or skipping with Jesus! (You could do it when no one is looking!) Just pretend you’re a child again. Or get around some little children and they’ll help you because they love to dance and skip and sing!
Even just a simple thing like smiling a prayer of thanks to the Lord can set your spirit free in worship! The Psalmist invites us to do this. He says, “Give [God] your warmest smile” (Psalm 34:5).
I invite you to dance with Jesus in prayer now by smiling to him as you imagine yourself with him at the Cana wedding dance!
