Monday, April 6, 2009

Ellen

This is not what I had planned to post today,in fact I was going to e-mail it to someone, but I realized someone else needs to read it as well. The names have been changed, though the woman who was healed has given permission for her testimony to be shared.

I have noticed over the years in prayer ministry many women with severe and ongoing back problems are survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Many of them also have autoimmune diseases and are perfectionists as well as have the desire to control all things in their home which is because they had no control as little girls when they were abused, usually by a "loved one".

Ellen was going to a prayer appointment once a week for 2 hours at a Christian ministry which has licensed psychologists and psychiatrists on staff. You have prayer then see your therapist. Ellen's back was a mess, she had severe scoliosis and her vertebra's were disintegrating. Her internal organs were being crushed. So her friend talked her into going for prayer and therapy, especially since it was free.

Ellen wanted prayer for her back, not much happened, but the pain was gone. Through out the next year, she continued the prayer sessions and therapy with a psychologist. She described being raped by her father and grandfather beginning at age 4 and then by her brother when he was in high school. Her mother was aware of it, left her husband and married someone else who raped Ellen as well. The more Ellen was abused, the more in control she wanted in her life and who could blame her. She left home at 18 and never looked back. About this time her spine began to curve and in her early 20's her vertebrae began disintegrating. She was carrying all that baggage from the past and it was too heavy for her back.

She really began to forgive her mother and the abusers. Not much change in her back, but still pain free. Her emotions and spirit were healed. Her husband was thrilled. He could see an amazing difference in her countenance. On the year anniversary of her 1st prayer appointment the prayer ministers and psychologist said we have not prayed for your back in a while, let's pray for it. They prayed. Her back starting snapping and popping, it didn't hurt while this took place and suddenly she was standing upright. Ellen had truly forgiven the abusers and other people in life who had failed her. She had forgiven herself and quit hating herself. She had forgiven God. Did He need forgiving no, but He knew she was mad at Him, and forgiving Him was a step in her freedom. Her spirit and emotions were healed and then her physical body.

The Lord wants to heal us, because living with a chronic illness is not His best for us. The Bible tell us:

"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Is everyone healed on earth no, but we are to seek it believing we will be healed.

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Be persistent...the widow was:

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.' "For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!' " And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says.

Tomorrow I will post the Forgiveness Exercise Ellen did with the prayer ministers and did in the privacy of her own home.

Remember I am not telling people they are ill because of something they have done or not done, I am not telling people they do not have enough faith. I am telling people to seek the Healer...His body was broken and His blood was shed for you.

2 comments:

luvmy4sons said...

Oh...I think there is much we do not understand about how the spiritual and the physical relate to one another. Thanks for sharing this story. I will be e-mailing you.

annie's eyes said...

Yes, more than one needed to hear this! I need it and I know of a couple of friends I'd like to share it with also. I appreciate your taking the time to write it out for us! Love, Annette G