Skip to main content

Spiritual Mammogram

I just returned from my Ladies' Prayer Retreat. This was our 21st annual retreat and it is always the highlight of my year. Thursday a tropical depression moved in and had us "rained in" all day - we had our Bible Study sessions, ate, sang and fellowshipped... and then we had a powerful time of prayer that night. We pulled out the old "Spring Lake Hot-Seat" and four hours later could not believe how long we had been at it! I would not give anything for these prayer meetings - when we pray each other "through" - walls come down - strongholds are broken - it takes us to new dimensions in our lives. But my very favorite part of the retreat is my "alone" time with the Lord. Friday night the weather cooperated and we walked out on the beach at around 9 pm. This setting always puts things in perspective for me. The waves roar ashore - and come to a screeching halt right where GOD tells them to. I always feel as if I am sitting in the lap of my master and creator. Friday night as I stood there thanking Him for His mercy and grace in my life, I realized that less than one year ago, I stood on that same beach - praising and glorifying Him... while unknown to me - something was growing in my body that had the potential to kill me. I had no idea a cancer was forming in my breast - and surgery, radiation and sickness were the furthest thing from my mind. Nonetheless, cancer was growing. Thank God for mammograms... thank God for sonograms... thank God for surgeons and radiation oncologists... today I am healthy and whole. But what really gripped me - what I began to pray - was this: "Lord, if there is something growing in my spirit - something evil or potentially dangerous to my walk with You... then I ask you to find it - cut it out - radiate me - let Your Spirit cut, burn and remove anything You see in me that is not supposed to be there." I want to be pure and holy in His sight. I don't want anything to keep me from pleasing Him or from being able to enter into that Holy City! Bitterness, evil, grudges, prejudice, pride, vanity, resentment... SIN can never enter there!
I thought about some of the ladies that were there with me - some in very painful situations in their lives - and I realized that they were under the knife. God was removing potentially dangerous and life threatening attitudes in them. I was able to encourage them to rest in Him and allow Him to complete the process of removal!
Our Prayer Retreat is like my annual mammogram and physical. I keep a daily watch, but at least once a year, I go in for intense tests to make sure everything is OK. I have a daily prayer time and talk with the Lord - but when I set myself apart - step away from the daily interuptions and cares of life - He can show me deep things - uncover secret, hidden intents of my heart - and I have time to deal with those issues in prayer. I plan to continue to set aside a week each year - just for Him and I - to have a time of intense communion and inventory. I only wish I could do it monthly instead of annually! Oh well, one day, I'll be with Him forever - and I won't have to come back to the "real world" ever again!
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Red Convertible

Today, my precious husband, gave me a surprise College Graduation gift. A red, mustang convertible. Now, I know every girl in town is envious of me... I'm so blessed, excited and SHOCKED! Jeff Chavis is a very frugal guy, and for him to purchase this car for ME... well - I know it held a private message.  If you have heard my "red convertible" story - you know that for quite a while now - seeing a red convertible has been my "sign" from Jesus - reminding me to Let Him Drive! The story is so personal - I have only shared it a couple places upon God's leading. So here's my "Red Convertible" story... I was at our Ladies Prayer Retreat in October 2007. My sister Debbie led one of our devotions using an illustration from a Max Lucado book about "Tucker Town" - A town where all the residents pushed their vehicles around all day - with engines running... they just liked DOING THINGS for themselves! Of course, they were tired, wor...
9 comments
Read more

Stress

I recieved this article in an email recently. I've seen it before, but today I related on a whole new level. If you are reading this and you're dealing with the balancing act of life... I'm sure you'll enjoy this. Unfortunately, I don't have an author to credit this to - but I think whoever the author was - he/she speaks to us all. Stress - A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked "How heavy is this glass of water?" Answers called out ranging from 20g to 500g. The lecturer replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes." He continued, "And that's the way it is with stress m...
1 comment
Read more

Write the Vision!

Dreams really do come true... if you work hard enough! I have told my story - but just in case you're new to my life - let me catch you up real quick: In 2008, a breast cancer diagnosis directed me to go back to college and study cancer - and alternative medicine My first day of radiation was also my first day of classes at Everglades University in a Bachelor of Science program In 2012, I graduated with a B.S. in Alternative Medicine In 2016, I received my M.P.H. (Masters in Public Health Administration with a Concentration in Alternative and Complementary Medicine) College opened up information about modalities I knew I wanted to incorporate into my life - with the MAIN TWO being -  Medical Thermography  Japanese technology of Kangen Water.  Long story short, God brought both of these services into my life miraculously. I had my first thermography appointment in May of 2017, which culminated with an offer to buy the Thermography business from the current owner....
3 comments
Read more