By Josie Siler

I awoke to another blustery morning. As I got up and moving, I could hear the house shivering from the cold. I sought out a warm patch of sunshine atop a small, soft rug. As I settled in with my devotional books, my Bible and my journal I let the sun soak over me and warm my cold bones. That’s when I noticed it – the power of the sun. I checked the weather to make sure the temperatures didn’t suddenly spike. It was 11 degrees below zero with a wind chill of thirty-one below zero. No sudden heat wave. I looked closer to make sure my eyes weren’t deceiving me. What I saw sunk deep into my heart. The patio doors were covered in ice, yet there were drips…long, fresh drips. The power of the sun shining on the glass doors was too great for the cold, too great for the wind. The sun was melting the ice.

Before you think me a silly girl with a frozen brain, let me explain. It was in that moment I was given a visible picture of the power of God – the power of the Son. I was reminded once again that no matter how desperate our circumstances, the power of the Son can overcome – will overcome. No sickness, no hurt, no broken relationship, no physical or emotional pain is too great. The power of the Son of God is greater and His love is true.

We see a glimpse of this power when Jesus walked the earth. In Luke 8:43-48, we meet a desperate woman. We’re never told her name, but her story is one of great desperation, courage, faith, and hope. This woman was sick for twelve years. She spent all of her money on doctors, yet none of them were able to help her. (How familiar does her story sound to so many of ours?) In desperation, she snuck up behind Jesus and touched the edge of His robe. She didn’t want to disturb Him; she didn’t want anyone to know. Culturally, she just made Jesus unclean by touching Him. Maybe she was praying no one would recognize her, praying no one would call attention to her.

All of a sudden, it happened. Instantaneously – miraculously – she was healed. The bleeding that had been her constant companion for the past twelve years stopped. She could feel it. She knew! Oh, Jesus, Son of God, the power you possess. And then, Jesus said those words. He asked who touched Him. All eyes began to look around. The heat must have crept up her neck and face until the redness would give her away. But wait; what was Peter saying? She might just be able to sneak away unnoticed. Oh, Jesus, why are You insisting that someone touched You?! Could You really feel power leaving Your body and healing mine?

The women knew she would be found out. There was nowhere to hide. The crowds were too thick. She fell on her face before Jesus – perhaps in worship of Him, or perhaps to hide her shame. Before she knew it, she was telling Jesus her story. She couldn’t keep quiet any longer. She blurted it all out, and told Him that she had been healed. Was she sobbing? Were tears streaming down her face into the dirty, dusty ground?

Would Jesus be angry with her? Would He be annoyed that she interrupted Him? No, Jesus is full of compassion, love, and mercy. He speaks to her. He says, “Daughter, you took a risk trusting me, and now you’re healed and whole. Live well; live blessed!”

Her desperate courage was rewarded. She was not just healed, she was whole. Her faith in this Jesus – her faith in the power of the Son – made her well and whole. Her body wasn’t just rescued that day, more importantly, her spirit was rescued. She was made whole in mind, body, and spirit. She was now a daughter of the Son of God. Her life would never be the same.

Has your life been changed by Jesus? Do you know Him? Do you know the Son? Do you believe in His great power and might? I want to be very clear here. I don’t think any of us can be healed without faith; however, there are many of us with great faith who will never be healed physically this side of heaven. The good news is that we were not made for this world. Our earthly bodies will fade away and one day we will receive glorious new bodies. What a day that will be!

In the meantime, as we walk out the days God has given us here on earth, let’s have a desperate and courageous faith as we place our hope in the Son of God. He is all we have. He is our first and our last resort. He may not choose to heal our bodies right now, but He can heal our hearts. Let the power of the Son of God melt away any icy areas in your life. Blurt out your story to Jesus and let Him heal you in His perfect way. His power is great and His love is true.

“When the woman realized that she couldn’t remain hidden, she knelt trembling before Him. In front of all the people, she blurted out her story—why she touched Him and how at that same moment she was healed.” –Luke 8:47


(c) January 31, 2014

By Erin Elizabeth Austin

As I drove to the airport, my only thought was, “Lord, I’m worn-out.” Never have I needed a vacation as much as I did in that moment. I felt beaten-up emotionally, mentally, and physically, and I needed a break from all the stress and problems of life. I begged God for seven perfect days so that I could return home restored, ready to take on life once again. 

While sitting on the plane waiting for it to take off, the verses of Philippians 4:6-7 kept coming to mind: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” 

I have heard these verses so many times in my life that I can actually quote them. Yet knowing them hasn’t made it any easier for me to “be anxious for nothing.” Maybe it’s just me, but I find it difficult to not worry when I have a chronic illness constantly rearing its ugly head. When doctors are telling me all the potential horrors that may one day occur in my body, I struggle to be thankful. And even though I know I shouldn’t worry, that doesn’t help me to stop worrying. If anything, I then become worried over the fact that I’m worried! It’s a vicious cycle and one in which many of us find ourselves. 

As I watched clouds and sky fly past, I asked God to help me. I desperately wanted to be free of worry, but I didn’t know how. I knew part of the reason why I was so emotionally and mentally exhausted was because I had been worrying about a problem that my doctors were having no luck whatsoever in solving. They were becoming desperate, which in turn, was making me desperate for a solution. I was scared and hurting, and I needed God to deliver me my from my fears, whether or not a solution was ever found to my problem. 

Shortly after I admitted to God that I needed His help in overcoming my fears and worry, I had an epiphany. Although I was praying and letting my requests be made known to God, I wasn’t thankful. I want to pause here and say that when God says we should be thankful, I don’t think He necessarily means we should be thankful for the pain and suffering we have to endure, although there’s nothing wrong with that. But truthfully, few of us can truly be thankful for the trials we are facing. However, we can be thankful for the many blessings God has given us. If you’re like me, you can be so overwhelmed with the stress and trials of the day that you forget to notice all the good things in your life. From waking up in the morning to having friends and family with whom to share this life, we all have many blessings we often take for granted. When we fail to be thankful for the good things in our lives, our perspective goes out of focus and we grow anxious. Yet all we have to do to regain our perspective is to thank God for who He is and all He’s done for us. It’s hard to stay worried when you’re praising God.

That day when God opened my eyes to my lack of gratitude, I spent the remainder of my flight thanking God for every blessing I could think of in my life. Shortly before my plane landed, I saw the most amazing thing outside of my window. Huge, gray, billowing clouds were surrounding the plane, so much so that I could see nothing but clouds. All of a sudden, I saw a miniature shadow of the airplane reflected on the cloud directly beside my window. Surrounding the shadow was a circular rainbow. It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. It was as if God was saying, “Don’t worry. I’m taking care of you. You are surrounded by my love.” In that moment, I experienced what Paul described in Philippians 4:7. God’s peace flooded my heart and mind in a way that I can’t even begin to describe. My problems were still there, but they didn't seem nearly as big and complex as they had just four hours earlier.

As we begin a new year, I don’t know what challenges you’re facing. Some of you might have had a good year and hate to see 2013 end. Some of you, like me, may be praying God will change your circumstances in 2014. And some of you may simply be trying to survive and could care less about it being the New Year. Yet whatever you've been through in 2013 and will face in 2014, be it good or bad, my prayer for each of you is that you will be overwhelmed with God’s presence. I pray you will see that He has surrounded you with His love and your heart and mind will be guarded with His peace.

We can’t change what our illnesses do to our bodies, but we can change how we respond. So who’s with me?

“Those who trust in the Lord are secure as Mount Zion; they will not be defeated but will endure forever.” ~ Psalm 125:1

*Text written and posted on December 30, 2012.