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Good morning!

One of the things that speaks to me is the honesty and testimony that people will sometimes share. I don’t relate to perfection, although I seem to often have a bent towards expecting perfection from myself! Hmmm. That is odd. But, when I hear about someone going through a struggle and being honest about it rather than speaking “Christian-ese,” it makes me feel less alone and it rejuvenates me.

So, this is a bit of testimony about some of my real-life feelings.

Unbeknownst to me, I have subtly allowed fear to prevent me from some of my testimony. I discovered why. In the past, when I would share something such as “my jaw is doing better” to someone, I would notice it would get much worse shortly thereafter. Without thinking it through, I was believing a lie.

A couple months ago, my dear friend Jim and his wife came for a visit. It was the first time we met after years of talking, texting through a social media introduction! They came out to pray for my jaw. That is commitment! It is so very meaningful!

While Jim was praying for my jaw, he was looking down and said “hey, what is that red on your foot?” I looked down and I saw a red circle like a mini spotlight on my foot near my big toe which has been bothering me for some time. I said that this was the bad toe and he said “well, I think God wants me to pray for that!” As he went down to touch it lightly, the red area moved up to exactly where my pain has been. After a little bit of time, the redness disappeared and so did the pain.

My husband asked about why I haven’t spoken of that experience. It occurred to me that I have been afraid of losing that healing. In the past, I have felt like the enemy wasn’t happy about any testimony and was ready to try to steal my joy. I was trying to avoid that! And in so doing, I was depriving myself of joy and the testimony that the Lord did through that healing.

I decided not to bury that testimony and shared it with a woman at Bible Study who was having trouble with her toe. I prayed for her toe and told my story. Later that day, I dropped the paper shredder on……that toe. Suddenly the old lie resurfaced but this time I wasn’t falling for it. I said, no, this is not going to steal my healing. God is bigger than any foolish plan of the enemy. I am His child and He will work this out for my good and the good of others.

The next day my toe was fine and I knew that this is a big part of my story. I need to counter every lie with the truth and remain steadfast. Sure, we are human and won’t always get it right but I will not deprive myself of joy and run in fear from the enemy.

Greater is He who is in me, than he who is in the world. 1 John 4:4