Mountain View - Healing for Good By Launa Strickland
Writer Author Church On The Mountain
Christian Column
:
Encouragement
- Fiction No
I used to believe that being sick was a sign of weakness–almost a moral failure. I was proud of myself because I rarely ever got sick. Then I got really sick!
Four years ago I developed allergies that caused chronic sinus infections. I tried everything to cure it but nothing worked. I ended up relying on daily doses of cold & sinus medication with extra ibuprofen. I also needed antibiotics two to three times a year to treat the really bad infections.
Then things escalated… In June of this year I woke up with a bad toothache. I was in Virginia and a local dentist prescribed a ten-day, high-dose antibiotic and lots of ibuprofen. I saw my regular dentist when I got home and I continued to take the antibiotic as prescribed.
On the ninth day of the antibiotic treatment the back of my neck starting itching, and within twelve hours I felt like I had biting insects crawling all over my body. I drove myself to the Mammoth ER and was told I had hives that were probably caused by the antibiotic I was taking. I was given medicines and sent home with prescriptions for more. After 24 hours I was in agony! In addition to the hives, I was horribly swollen from head to toe. A call to the ER resulted in stronger drugs. Two days later, I was still not better. I was now also covered with huge bruises and sores from scratching so hard. Another doctor visit and my meds were switched again. I was also given steroids by injection. I started feeling better within 24 hours. By the end of the week the swelling was gone and the itching was much less frequent. Then the pain began….
It began in the morning with a dull ache in my shoulders, elbows and wrists. By 3:00 p.m. the pain was worse and I was losing my ability to move my arms. By 8:00 p.m. I was totally incapacitated by pain. For the next several days I had to make sure I was ready for bed by 5 p.m. On the sixth day I had to go back to work. I got through two days of work and then, praise God, the weekend came!
Sunday morning arrived and I made myself go to church. At the end of the service, someone read James 5:14; “Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.” Pastor Eric invited all who were sick to come up. I resisted because everyone would know that I was ill. Then I heard the Holy Spirit say, “you have been praying to believe Me for healing-go now and let Me prove what I can do.” So I swallowed my pride and went forward. Pastor Eric anointed my forehead with oil and a small group of people prayed over me. I closed my eyes. The gentle voice spoke again, telling me to raise my arms. “NO!” I argued, “I can’t. It hurts too much!” Then I saw a vapor or mist rising from my shoulders, elbows and wrists and I ‘saw’ the pain rise with it. I slowly raised my right arm above my head AND IT DIDN’T HURT! I raised my left arm and it was also pain free! I shouted to the Lord and wept with joy! I was healed!  When I got home from church the pain began to return. So I started praying… I thanked God for my healing and told Him how it had strengthened my faith as well as encouraging others. I asked Him to remove the pain then I surrendered to His will for me. And…. He took away the pain. Again!
To this day I am free of hives, joint pain and sinus infections.
I still wonder why God healed me in such a huge way. I’m not a great and powerful woman of Christ—I stumble in my walk every day. Maybe it’s just so I can tell you that God does heal His children. Even one as weak as me.
Launa Strickland is a member of Church on the Mountain, and will be sharing more about her healing experience at the COTM Women’s event on November 1st. at 6:00 p.m. Bring a potluck dish to share. www.ChurchOnTheMountain.org
Editor's Comment:
About the Writer Author
State:
California
Country:
United States
Email:
Paulafriedrichsen@live.com
Website:
www.churchonthemountain.org
Profile:
Click here!
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