Fully Healed

“i stand IN AWE. today i find myself healed. fully healed.”

Facebook status posted by Melanie Sanford on Thursday, March 14, 2013

It isn't very often that I get to play a part in a healing miracle where the whole elementary student body and staff are involved so it is what this post will be about. Melanie (Mel) Sanford is a bubbly, energetic, full of life 6^th grade teacher at our school. I once remarked to her that she was like a breath of fresh air whenever I saw her at the halls or walkways of the school. Her spirit affected those around her and she just exuded joy and warmth.

It was disconcerting and alarming then when she became ill six weeks ago. Her disease just quietly came upon her, unannounced. Mel and her husband were then shopping at Warorot Market during the week-end of the Chinese New Year. She said they had just left one of the stores when she started to feel dizzy. It was the first time she ever felt like that so she didn’t know what to make of it. She began to feel steadily unwell but still made it to school to teach by Monday. It was then that she noticed that in addition to the dizziness, she also started to feel exhausted. She told her students that she needed to sit while teaching; something she’d never ordinarily do. In spite the adjustment, she felt worse and ended up going to the emergency room – but no diagnosis was made at that time.

For the next few weeks she was constantly exhausted, dizzy, or both. She couldn’t do much due to the exhaustion. Much of her days were spent resting on their living room couch. When she saw the doctor, she was told that it was Meniere`s disease: a chronic lifetime ear disease that would affect the quality of her life. She may eventually go deaf. This information was such a big blow to the Sanfords but for Mel, she couldn’t even deal with the implications due to the exhaustion she felt. She contemplated her future and thought that she may not be able to teach again. It wasn’t looking good.

Mel with Pilar Prus, the other 6th grade teacher

Thankfully, God had other plans for her. She was obviously laid on not just my heart because colleagues Sue and Susan went to visit her on Sunday. While I prayed for her on my own, they went to see her and prayed for her. Mel said the past week-end was hard and the symptoms, more pronounced. Yet, through the visit, a glimmer of hope arose. Sue talked about bringing more people to pray and Mel looked forward to the support of our community.

On Monday, I couldn’t shake the thought that I should go over and not just pray for her, but also anoint her with oil. I connected with her and she said it was all right for me to go over.  That same day, Sue sent out a message that on Thursday she wanted to have as many people as possible go over to Mel to pray and anoint her with oil. I had another commitment then so I just went ahead and visited Mel, bringing them drinking water. Later, I thought it symbolic that I literally brought them water but it also felt like the living water from deep within her was called forth to surface during our prayer time. I also prayed for her healing and deliverance. She later said that Monday’s prayer time encouraged her and got her excited that God was about to do something HUGE. Her symptoms lessened and she physically felt better. She had more energy and no dizziness. Spiritually though, she was still up and down.

Monday morning's greetings from very
excited and happy students.

 At Tuesday’s chapel, the teaching was on Psalm 23 and when people anointed with oil. There was also discussion on anointing the sick with oil as described in James 5:14-15. To end the time, prayers were said for Mrs. Sanford’s healing. All the students signed a poster that was going to be sent to her and they were all asked to pray while doing so. The teachers were encouraged to write messages of hope.

On Wednesday, Mel and her husband prayed for the folks coming on Thursday. She said she felt God say, “Get ready because I’m working and tomorrow my work will be done.”

Victorious Mel back at school
by the grace of God.

Meanwhile, I sent her an email saying Grace was coming. She described Thursday’s prayer time as grace indeed poured out. LOTS of teachers rallied and went. There was an intense hour of powerful praying. Past and present issues were prayed for. Mel said, “The darkness lifted and the light started pouring in!” She felt emotionally and spiritually free! She also apparently cried almost the whole time. =)

When they left, Mel spent some more time on the floor praying. She said God was speaking to her. She kept writing without even realizing what she was writing. When she then looked down at her paper, she saw that it said, “I am fully healed.”

As of this writing, Saturday night, she is still euphoric, ecstatic, and excited about her whole experience. Thank you, Papa God. We praise you.

I’d like to end with how she preceded her post, above. She was hardly capable of doing anything and was miserable for most of the past six weeks but she stated:

my heart is so full. i will never be able to say thank you enough for all 

the love and kindness and beauty of these last 6 weeks.

Sure, she was physically healed, but, her emotions and spirit were even more so.

Dreams Coming True

Forever, forever

We’ll honour You, forever.

From the song “For the Honour” by Elevation Worship

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-iOpXi_pA0

What a difference a week makes! As soon as the month changed, our situation changed as well. I praise God for the changes that have come about. =) The whole month of February, the weather had actually been anything but usual! It rained quite a bit instead of the typical dry tail end of the cold season. It was actually cool this morning, which although welcome, was puzzling. Change is definitely in the air.

Our lives are definitely changing as well. Eng will embark on another dream of his life. I say another because he’s actually now in China as I write. He went there for a week of meetings. When he turned 50 (he’s now 53), we threw a party for him where we encouraged the guests to give (instead of material gifts) monetary gifts for his dream trip to China. It has been on his “bucket list”, one of the activities he wants to do before going to heaven. He wants to travel there. He hopes to still use the birthday funds to go on a personal trip but the fact that he’s now in China is amazing in itself. The Lord is good. As an aside, he was actually bumped to the Business Class on his flight there! =)

His other dream is to own a restaurant. A pastor from India had actually spoken into his life almost twenty years ago, The prophecy was that Eng would feed many people and not for free. Since he’d always enjoyed cooking, neither of us had forgotten the prophetic word. We both thought it “fit” him and it actually excited him! Furthermore, the pastor who spoke didn't know he loved to cook! All these years, we had wondered about when there would be fulfillment. Last Sunday, Eng was actually given the go ahead from our leadership to be involved in the management of two eating establishments here in Chiang Mai. We are thrilled! It is going to change our lives and we’ll be even busier but it’ll be a great busy! The couple who owns the restaurants will be away for six months so they need someone to manage their businesses in their absence. The Lord had allowed that they connected with Eng a few weeks ago and we’d been praying to know how to proceed. Now that he received his approval, we are certain that this is the Lord’s goodness in allowing him to live out his dream. What a blessing!

When the Lord created us, he each gave us gifts that in our uniqueness, no one is able to do as best as we can. I think throughout life, we search out what we love and enjoy doing and we are blessed when we actually find out what it is and live it out. We revel and thrive when we do what we were uniquely created to do. Eng’s been managing a finance office for many years and he worked in a payroll office before that. Although he’s very good with numbers and could do both those jobs, I believe he’ll love this new venture even more. He worked in his uncle's restaurant for many years and had always had a knack for cooking. He even loves to watch cooking shows! While some men watch football games, my husband enjoys watching “Iron Chef”!  =)

We praise the Lord for this gift of a dream to live out. We have such an amazing God. He knows the desires of our hearts and as we delight in Him (and sometimes even when we don’t!), He allows us to get or meet those desires. We praise you, Lord, and thank you! You are so GOOD! How can we not honour, and love you?

SS Amazing Grace

Yet, I am with you always, holding you by your right hand.

I am fully aware of your situation,

and I will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able to bear.

February 27 devotion write-up for “Jesus Calling,” by Sarah Young.

Captain Mintz and his ship-mate, Sandra Bradley,
 on SS Amazing Grace

The title is actually the name for the school’s ship that parents coined for this week’s Staff Appreciation Week. Once a year, they go out of their way to find ways to bless all those who work at the school; from the guards, the maintenance crew, the teachers (the group I belong to), all the way to the administration. We received our ‘luggage’ invitation last week that we would be recipients of some kind of treat all of this week. Monday was a holiday for us so we were invited to rest. On Tuesday, we were treated to a delicious granola breakfast with plain or strawberry flavoured yogurt to go with it. For dessert, we had a choice of cherry or cream filled donuts, or twisted donuts. YUM!

Wednesday, we each received a 15-minute neck massage from professional masseuses. Ahh, it was such a great way to relax our tight and stressed muscles! =) On Thursday, we had baked goods like brownies, cakes, cookies, and squares delivered to the school. We only had to wait for hunger to dictate the eating times. =)

And finally, on Friday, we were treated to a fabulous international cuisine that was catered by a local restaurateur. The delicious lunch fare included mouth-watering ribs, gluten-free chicken barbeque, and sweet and sour fish. That was accompanied by pasta, potatoes, and salad. The parents also brought sushi, dumplings, chips and salsa, and other scrumptious appetizers. Each table was exquisitely set with decorations from that country and an appetizer popularized by its people. Seeing roti on the Pakistan table, I lost no time and quickly sat there. Later, when I bit on that still warm flat bread, I was so glad! I would often need to go to Malaysia to taste roti that good. Not yesterday, it was there to savour slowly. =) The whole message to us was gratefulness for what we do and we could only respond with the same appreciative hearts. Life is so good and we are so blessed to work in the school we do. There were various yummy desserts too hard to choose from but up until then, I’d not seen Pecan Pie served here in Chiang Mai so I chose that. It was delicious!

The Morocco Table

I was already wowed just walking up the stairs leading to the school’s lunch room. When I saw how they literally transformed the whole room so that it became the insides of a cruise ship, I was tickled beyond description. It just spoke volumes to me. There was a real captain (a pilot in real life) and people who posed as various folks found on a ship. There was a pianist who provided the light music and towards the end, even students who provided a song to entertain. It made me wonder how something like that could happen. Who does those things? I could name the actual people because that’s why I decided to write about it, so I could honour those who went out of their way to bless us. But, I know of the one inside them whom I know gave them the ideas and creativity. I know they prayed to know how to bless us and they were obviously helped. It is just the kind of fun splurging that our Papa God will do for us. Thank you, parents, for everything you did to show you appreciated us. We were awed by you, touched, and grateful to be here doing what we do. I’d chosen not to name you so your reward will wait for you in heaven but I honour you with this write-up.

The Italy Table

I have had a really rough and tough week. . For the first time, I couldn't even write because I was so worn down by what I was going through. This week, just receiving as I did helped me to keep paddling so I wouldn’t sink. It was so tempting to just crumple in a heap, or sink in the deep. The fact that God spoke to me very clearly in the devotional I was reading (quoted above) helped me (among other things). Yesterday, I knew I was on the last vestiges of feeling low. I sat and worshiped in the Music Room. I sat still and His amazing grace lifted me up. SS Amazing Grace! I get it! Thank you, Papa God. I receive it and I LOVE you back so much! You are AWESOME!

A Tap Away

Now my soul sings
Your love it knows no end
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu258qXd4js

Flowers like these bloom only
twice, both during the
month of February.

 I haven't been able to shake the feeling that provision will soon come our way and that the Lord will do so abundantly. As I thought of that this morning, I remembered the story I narrated to a friend during Thursday’s lunch. I can’t even remember what we were talking about, only that I told her ‘the story’. I refer to it as that because it’s been told and re-told many times. If you are a long-time friend, it may not be new to you, as a reader, for that reason. It’s still a great story so one I’ll write about, today.

One Sunday, I was at a church service while we were then living in the Philippines as missionaries. I just heard and saw what God was doing in that church so I wanted to bless it. Looking in my wallet, I saw that I only had two peso bills: a P500 and a P100. Times were tough then so the two bills represented my total cash wealth. =) I slightly debated in my head about whether I really wanted to get rid of one of them but my better sense made me pull out the P100 and while holding the offering bag, I quickly dropped it in. (Sometimes, when I tell this story, I would joke that I should have pulled out the P500!) At that point, I felt a tap on my right shoulder. Surprised, I turned to see what it was for without letting go of the bag. The lady behind me handed me a folded bill. I gestured my question of whether she wanted me to put it in the bag for her. I was a little puzzled as to why she didn’t wait for the bag to get to her so she could do it herself. She shook her head “no” and pointed with her index finger that it was for me. Completely taken aback, I let go of the offering bag and looked more closely at what I received. It was a folded P1000 bill! I was dumbfounded! How could that happen? I gave away a hundred and before it even landed on the bag, a thousand found its way to me? I felt so awed! Would the enemy (devil) do that? I realized how ridiculous that thought was so I praised God instead and thanked Him. Of course, I also thanked the lady. =) What an amazing truth it is, that if we give to God, He blesses us right back!

Beautiful trees like these can only be seen in Chiang Mai
at this time of year.

Further to that, years later, we visited that same church. During the service, I remembered the story above and in my mind, I thanked God again for that special blessing. Our lives had changed since then and we were no longer financially challenged. Looking in my wallet, I saw that it had more pesos than the P600 that time. Then, I put in a P1000 in the offering and told God that it was my way of thanking Him (How absurd! Like, why would He need a P1000?); I said I wanted Him to have it. When the service was over, I saw the very same lady mentioned in the story above, the one who gave me a P1000 with a tap on my shoulder. After our greetings, she shook my hand and gave me another folded P1000. Surprised again, I told her how awed I was the first time she gave me a thousand and how I shared that story A LOT! I told her it effectively changed my thinking about how God blesses our generosity. I think it was also the first time I told her that I just gave a P100 and how because of what she did, it immediately changed to a P1000. When she later left, the thought occurred to me that I really wanted to give the P1000 back to God (silly me!). I went over to the Missions Box and dropped the P1000 that she just gave. We were then asked to return so we could also share at the second service. We were just visiting that church that Sunday. We were on our way to Davao City where we then lived and worked. Impromptu, when the church's leadership saw us, they allowed us to share a bit about the work we did. When the second service was over, an envelope was given to us to thank us for sharing. In it was a third P1000 in the last 2 hours! =) I thought, "Wow, Lord, you really wanted us to have that!" We kept it! =D

The Lord does amazing and wonderful things as He love and provides. He does so sometimes with such creativity! =) My story is just one of many more. He is so generous and good, and, His ways are truly higher than ours. I don’t know how our current provision will come but it wouldn’t surprise me if it’s just a tap away.

Incomprehensible

God is love.

1 John 4:8, 16

I don’t even know where to start. Tonight, I sat through a meeting and watched in wonder and amazement. I should probably point out that early in the year, our school’s community was requested to fast and pray. We were given a bookmark which had a list of various groups of people to pray for. It ranged from the city’s officials to the different staff at the school, the students, and the maintenance people. Each day, we were encouraged to follow the bookmark and pray for the group listed. At the end of January, we had a culminating Community Prayer where everyone was invited to celebrate the end of the fasting and praying time. We prayed for the 27 different nations where the school’s missionaries are from and where they worked at. We also prayed for Thailand and our school. That night, declarations were as well made about how the Lord would answer our prayers. I say, indeed, He did answer. =)

Leading to this week which is the Spiritual Emphasis Week (SEW) of the school, we were encouraged to keep fasting. I know that some of those in the community kept fasting and praying. Last Saturday, there was a 24 hour prayer vigil as well and it was well attended. I don’t know if this was the most prayed for SEW in the school’s history but I’m sure it ranks way up there. The week started with excellent worship and teaching on how to defend our faith in Jesus, our identity in Him, and what we do now that we know who we are. Tonight, the teaching was on love and the encouragement to love one another. Johnny Vermilya, the speaker, explained so well that God is love; He wanted us to love Him, our neighbours, and ourselves. Johnny V (as he is fondly called) talked about how we were caught up in praying about 'not sinning' when God was more concerned about us 'loving'. I’m sure his message resonated in all of us and not just me because when he started to talk about confessing and repenting, we were all ready to do so. He encouraged those with

Johnny V wants the students to know that he
loves being here. He enjoys the diversity so much. =)

misgivings and offenses to go make it right with the person each one needed to reconcile with. It started slowly but soon, there was movement all over the room. And that was when I started to tear up. I saw teens and children deliberate in their steps to their destined person, talked, bowed heads together, and then hugged. Siblings made up with each other, friends to friends, and teens and children with their parents. It was touching to be a witness to it. At one point, my mind seemed so confused at watching such tender moments. Why was I so blessed to witness that? It wasn’t a common sight but I rejoiced as I pondered it. And it was when I saw “Incomprehensible” at the corner of the banner which hung at the back of the stage. The banner was of a humongous “I AM” with the many names and descriptions of Jesus surrounding it. One could say “Incomprehensible” stood out to me because it was red in color. I believe I noticed it though because I was beholding the teary-hugging-crowd in front of me, an incomprehensible sight. I hope I'll see another one like it in my life time. It was such a blessing; also heart-warming, and loving. Grace came down and manifested itself tonight. Earlier in the week, the band leader prayed that our week would all be about God and His glory. I believe that it was exactly so. Thank you and praise you, Papa God! =D

Hearing God

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
John 10:27

It’s barely six weeks into this year but I narrated the story of how we sold our house in Toronto twice already. Since a remembrance of a great story doesn’t happen frequently, I thought I’d better write about it. The time was 1997 and back then, both Eng and I were just learning to hear God. He felt the prompting to move to the Philippines then and start a business. As we prayed about it, it became very clear that “Yes, we’re to move.” It wasn’t clear what for as I thought it was to do missions work but Eng felt that he was to start a business. We weren’t sure why we were going but we started to ask God questions about what we needed to do so we could go.

I remembered praying and asking God whether we should rent or sell our house. We both preferred to rent it so in case we came back to Toronto, we still had a home. The next day, a Real Estate agent knocked at the door. He asked if we wanted to sell our house. I was surprised because of my prayer! I explained that we hadn’t decided and thanked him. When Eng got back from work, I told him what happened. “How interesting!” was his remark. He didn’t think there was anything to it. “But Eng",I said, "what if it’s God’s answer to my prayer?” I wasn't sure but I really didn’t want to miss the Lord’s answer so I suggested for us to pray together. Our friend Sarah was living with us at the time so we invited her to join us. I remember the three of us kneeling in our carpeted living room floor. “Lord, please make it clear if we’re to sell our house because agents come like the one yesterday did and we don’t know if it’s just by chance. Thank you that we won’t miss it. It won’t be murky; we’ll know exactly what to do.”

The next day, the same agent came back and inquired if I’d spoken to my husband. Did we want to sell our house? I told him that we hadn’t decided but even if we did, we already had an agent in mind. When Eng came home that day, I wasted no time in telling him what happened. “What a coincidence!” was all he said. Neither of us was convinced to sell our house based on what happened so we didn’t act on it.

Weeks later while I visited friends in Bedford, Pennsylvania with our 3 sons, I told the story above. Our pastor friend said, “You’ve been praying to God to know what to do about your home and from nowhere, a Real Estate agent came two days in a row and you don’t know what to do? Maybe you’re looking too hard.” I could feel a bit of conviction in my heart but in my mind, I silently answered him with, “Easy for you to say, it’s not your house.”

The next day, while at their weekly prayer meeting, a friend we hadn’t seen in a long time, walked in. Since our prayers had started, she quietly joined our group. Shortly after, she laid a hand on me and prayed, “I thank you, Lord that their house will sell. I thank you that I see papers being signed. I thank you that it’ll sell for a good price.” I didn’t know how she knew we were praying! When I asked her why she prayed what she did, she said she couldn’t stop the words from coming out of her mouth. She said she felt uncomfortable in saying them because she didn’t even know if we were selling our house but she couldn’t help herself!

Eng wasn’t there so when we talked I told him that I knew what we were doing about our house. He said, “I already know what you’re going to tell me. You’re going to say God wants us to sell our home.” We sold our house months later. It sold for a good price. We moved to the Philippines and lived there for 4-1/2 years.

I know that because both Eng and I wanted to rent our house, it was hard for us to see how God answered us. Thankfully, He didn’t get upset and stop talking to us. He kept answering until we finally got it. If you're trying to hear from Him, I guarantee you, you'll get it, too. He is answering. You too will hear Him.

Being Used

Man’s extremity is God’s opportunity.
Words on a sugar packet served at Lanna Resort in Chiang Mai. =)

I often look for how the Lord speaks to me and how He uses me. Today, I saw a co-worker and when I delivered what I felt the Lord was saying about her, that she was like a “breathe of fresh air” each time I see her, the smile and the pleasure on her face said it all. I knew she was encouraged and affirmed. It felt just like what Papa God would do. He blesses and ministers to our hearts just because of His delight and love for us. He warms our hearts. =)

A few weeks ago, I was at Lanna Resort for my usual quiet time and saw the two sugar packets that came with my tea order. The first packet had “All things are easy” on the first line and the other one had the line above. Before I go on, I should just point out first that it isn’t common in Thailand to see God’s name on just about anything, anywhere, except at Christian churches or Christian schools. Since it is a highly practicing Buddhist country with less than 1% Christians, very few references to God can be found anywhere. So, seeing God’s name on the packet is the first thing that drew my attention to it. Why, in Thailand, would a packet of sugar have what it did? Secondly, when I read extremity, the first definition that came to mind was the one below:

1. hand or foot - a limb of a person or animal, or the part of a limb that is farthest from the body, especially somebody's hand or foot.
- from the Encarta Dictionary

Amused, I then saw the other packet beside it and how because they were side by side, it looked very much like the statements were meant to be read together, just like on the picture. =) Was my Papa God (the God of the heavens and everything on earth) seriously using sugar packets to say something to me? Sweet! =) (I couldn’t resist writing that! =D) Yes, of course He was! Why on earth not? =D He can use anything!

You may disagree and think my imagination is overly active but it actually made sense to me. For God, all things are easy! He uses our extremities to take us places and literally touch people, do, accomplish, etc., with them. Not just our arms and legs, He uses our mouths just like in my story above. We are the sources of encouragement and hope and it’s actually been my daily prayer! Why should I be surprised if I sensed that I should say something to someone and then it brought on a smile, or even tears? Shouldn’t that be the appropriate response if we were touched or ministered to by God through words (albeit through another person)?

Not just our extremities, everything about us, even our very scents; we are God’s opportunity. We represent Him, should reflect Him, exude Him, and be like Him. So the other night, I helped a community prayer gathering by leading the portion when different nations were prayed for. There was a chunk of work that needed to be done in preparation for it. God provided a volunteer to research some of the prayer requests and to put them in cards so we could hand them out. Without the extra pairs of eyes, hands, and legs, I seriously wouldn’t have been able to do what got done. Yes, men’s (and women’s!) extremities are God’s opportunities. =) In His grace, He uses us to be a part of His work. What a privilege we have! Yes, this week, I got busier than usual but it was FUN to be used. Thank you, Papa God! =D