We we are back in the land of Oz and although the temptation is to get out my little red shoes click my heals and say “there’s no place like … anywhere but home …” I must say I am glad to be home.
We had a wonderful time in the States and although there were many challenges, I thank God for the many wonderful moments with family and the God appointments He set me up for … all opportunities to pour out into another country … His love, His favour, His blessing … and the amazing opportunity to be at my sister’s wedding, to visit Disneyland …to reconnect with special people who hold a special place on our hearts …
So, back now home in Oz … back to the Melbourne Aussie winter …
First week back we had nearly a week of glorious sunshine and the promise of spring was on the winds; however, the morning that I write (Friday 27th July)… the heavens opened and I knew that drop off would be a duck and weave through the local traffic to do the school and kindy (American translation: pre-school) drop off.
I successfully deposited my daughter at school and was standing back while my 5-year-old son hung his kindy bag on his kindy hook and as I stood I saw a mum I had prayed for on Tuesday.
I had seen this mum on Tuesday morning at the gate and when I greeted her I noted that she had no voice … she was clearly struggling. I had offered to pray, she agreed, and so I had placed my hand on her throat/upper chest and commanded the illness to leave, for her voice to return and for health to flood her body in Jesus name and as I did I recounted the earlier kindy mum healing to her.
The strangest thing was I had the strongest desire to announce, to declare, that her voice would return “tomorrow” (which was Wednesday), but I bit my tongue in fear I was being too bold … that it would seem arrogant, even assuming, not an attitude tolerated in Australia at all …
I went on my way and proceeded to have two of the grouchiest days I have had for a very long time. I struggled for joy, for peace, for my identity … I found out that we had missed my son’s kindy photo day due to our delay in returning home from the States and for me that was the clincher … I was irritated and angry at the delay, the missed memories that would have been hung on our walls, the beautiful shots of the innocent joy that a kindy child seems to radiate with, they are the pictures that I treasure of myself at that age … that I treasure of my daughter and of my son from last year, but now we had missed his last year of kindy photos before school began…
Regardless of my disappointment, my mounting bad attitude … I was given a God appointment that morning …
The following day, Wednesday, I saw her – voice intact!
She was delighted and said so … Saying “if you could now just fix my sinuses …” to which I said I would pray …
I saw her Friday morning … after the run through the cold wet rain …
I was in a better place after a good night’s sleep … and I asked her about her sinuses. She said they were a little better … so I asked of I could pray for her by placing my hands on them and as I did I recounted a story of a healing of sinuses a few years ago in Sydney, saying that the woman’s sinuses had cleared instantly as I had prayed, as I had laid hands on her …
She agreed to the prayer … and told me how she had been amazed at what had happened to her with the healing of her voice, and that she had told her husband who could only say “…really? … really! … you’re kidding! …”
I laid my finger tips on her cheeks, over her sinuses and as I prayed she closed her eyes and I could see her gently receiving the Presence of the Holy Spirit … she sank or melted gently into Him, her youngest child still in her arms, mums making their way past us with children hanging their bags on hooks, greeting one another as lunch boxes and drink bottles were pulled from bags …
As I felt God say “that’s enough” I finished up “in the name of Jesus” and I said I looked forward to hearing how she got on. I bade my boy goodbye to enjoy another day at kindy …
I am so very human … and I have my tougher days …
Regardless of me, God cares …
God cares, not just for me … but also for the one before me …
Thank God, regardless of me He heals … regardless of me He loves … regardless of me He reaches out … regardless of me He is Good!
And for this I am truly grateful for I do not have to have it all together for Him to reach out to those around me …
… I am only human …
Thank goodness He is not …
Thank Goodness God is God and …
Thank goodness that, regardless of me, …
God is always Good!
Thank Goodness!
P.S. We misplaced our son’s kindergarten photos (which were very dear to me) while at a relative’s home sharing them. They were never found and to this day it upsets me. 🙁
Oh that would hurt … but there is hope!
I am going to believe that they will come back.
Bill Johnson has a testimony that is essentially called “I want my knife back” that testimony has been used again and again by people all over the world to see missing items returned … So I say “Jessie wants her ‘knife’ back … In the name if Jesus” and let’s see how they come back … See the missing plate testimony … others have had missing glasses turn up on front seats of cars … And other bizzare things! Because … God is good! 🙂
Thanks for the vulnerability xxx
Your an inspiration!!!
Thanks Mel … We gotta keep it real … so people know they do not have to have it all together to be used by God in the world 🙂 …
Glad you made it back home safely. It is so good to know that we do not have to perform well, to have God love us and answer our prayers. He is so in love with us that he comes through the scars in our lives and shines! Praise God for your boldness in sharing and for being real!
Thank you for your kind words. I love how He will still use us … regardless of us … and sometimes, despite us … I think He just wants to touch the world so much… fancy the Creator of the universe choosing to co labour with broken vessels such as myself … hence the point of the blog … If I can do it … anyone can! Because … He really is Good!
Yes, he is good and shows unconditional love. How amazing!
Thank you for your honesty and vulnerability. It’s inspiring to hear a story of how God manifests His goodness through us when we’re feeling ‘ordinary’. So often we feel unworthy or incapable when grouchy or tired, but hearing how He uses us despite where we are is encouraging. All your stories are encouraging but this one especially so and highlights the truth that it’s all about HIM and not about us. 🙂
Thank you for your comment … It is so very encouraging because the purpose of the blog is to show that none of us have to be super stars for God to touch people through us … We do not have to have it all together, be in the right frame of mind or be “prayed up” we just need to step out and offer Him to others and He will move in remarkable ways to show His love for them because He is so very good … Such an encouragement … Thank you!
I totally agree, God,indeed, is good all the time..
Hi there. Thank you for stopping by … He is good indeed!
I am thankful God uses someone like me. I often say that our youth ministry is used by God in spite of ourselves. We are people who God loves and makes Himself known through. That is good enough for me to keep at it.
The remarkable thing is … it is a family business, so He will use us all 🙂 I know that feeling of amazement and awe when He does use me especially when it is without any effort or intention on my part … it surely shows that God is God and He is Good