December 8, 2008
“What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” Mark 9:23 (NLT)
I remember praying to die. I cannot remember how many times I said this prayer, but I remember the physical pain that motivated me to do so.
I also remember when I started praying to live. I wanted a life, one that included the freedom to brush my teeth, to speak, to chew, and to feel a breeze on my face.
When someone is diagnosed with three cranial neuralgias, his or her world can be a bleak place. I relinquished all my responsibilities. The only thing I had to be concerned about was bearing the pain. I watched my mother turn her attention from her own needs in order to devote her life to caring for me. I heard her and others cry. I heard some people ask God why.
Just as it was difficult to believe that I had become so ill, it was difficult to believe that I could get well. Belief was the key. I began to believe that I could get well, and the hope of getting well grew inside me. Hope and faith in Jesus’ ability to heal me became more powerful than the pain.
I believe that face pain and other illnesses can be overcome. I am no one special, just someone who believed that I could receive a miracle. You may be reading this because you or someone you know is very ill. Do not give up. Hope exists. Healing happens. Don’t be afraid to believe.
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Have you read With Great Mercy? |