Memories...

I just got off the Skype with a friend in Senegal, Africa. It's hard to believe that our trip there was almost 2 1/4 years ago now! It is wonderful to see how God brings restoration and healing in His timing! What a joy to hear about how God is moving.

Since we are so entrenched in the physical realm in North America we often forget there is a very living, active spiritual realm where God is actively fulfilling His purposes and answering our prayers.  Some things that I remember from our trip to Africa -- bartering merchants who always had a 'special deal' for their Canadian friends, the trip to the Bandia Game Reserve where we ate pizza by the crocodile pond and got the best photo shoot with giraffes ever, teaching junior and high school kids about their identity and self-worth, equipping teachers & dorm parents about eating disorders and how to guard against them, spending time with families and being able to minister to them and be ministered to by them, and believing God's faithfulness for each person we encountered.

In the old testament it was called an 'Ebenezer.' A pile of rocks that was formed somewhat like a sculpture to mark a spot that people wanted to remember. A spot they could re-visit with their children in the future and be reminded to tell the story of what God had done in that geographical spot -- a remembrance/memory jogger. The Israelites did this when they crossed over the Jordan River into the Promised Land. God instructed the leaders to select a rock from the Jordan and to assemble them together -- one representing each tribe, so that they would remember that God had 'brought them safely thus far.' We need memories! We need things that symbolize and reactivate our memory of what God has done in our lives. We are truly a forgetful people! We think we will never forget when God does a powerful work in our lives, a miracle, or a direct and obvious answer to prayer...and yet, we do! We forget the faithfulness and love of God in our lives, especially when we encounter struggles or crisis. Yet God told us to expect troubles in this world -- John 16:33 says, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." Is there something you could do to symbolize the faithfulness of God in your life? The fact that He has brought you safely thus far? Maybe you could build your own Ebenezer. Want to know what I named the first decent car I was able to buy after graduating from seminary? You guessed it, Ebenezer! And by God's grace, it was a cute little convertible so I could more fully enjoy the sun! (And the Son!)

Setbacks and Other Fun Stuff

Have you ever experienced a breakthrough that led you to have such joy and relief that it almost made you forget about the original problem? It's an awesome feeling! It's like the object that has been so prominent in the forefront of the picture of your life, fades into the background. I have experienced this recently with a breakthrough in my chronic pain. All of a sudden the past two years of pain drifted away to the recesses of my mind as I experienced a few days where the pain was essentially gone. Ever heard the phrase, "I got a new lease on life?" Well, I did, and I liked the terms of this lease way more!

The new treatments being used by my chiropractor and the acupuncturist seemed to be alleviating the pain cycle that was locked into my lower back. How do you spell relief? RELIEF! I started to move more freely and without pain. Made it 'til the end of the day and didn't need any medication. Hmmmm. Thinking I could get to like this! Even did some things around the house that I haven't been able to do for ages. And then it happened. The 'process' kicked in.

I went back to the chiropractor for another treatment with the new technique and this time he used instruments to do soft-tissue manipulation -- the "Graston Technique." Short-term pain for long term gain. That's the new slogan. He literally digs into the erector muscles in my lower back to break down the tissue damage and cause it to re-grow in a healthy manner. Result - pain again. Sigh. But that brief window of relief made me more able to accept this pain. The process is taking place. The tissues are breaking free of the scar tissue which formed during the past two years in response to being locked up with pain. The tissue needs to breakdown, re-grow and heal in the proper place.

Don't you hate process?! And even more - correction? Yet what if we need a strategic intervention in order to get to the root of the problem -- to assess the broken down junk in our life, to break it down further so it can be gotten rid of. To push through the process in order to bring correction and to allow healing to break forth? Ahhh, sweet process! It is there that I am reminded of my deep and unrelenting need for God! HE is my Source and my Refuge. 'They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary, they will walk and never faint,' Isaiah 40:31. I take courage from Philippians 4:12-13, "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation...I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength."