I have been on a month-long vacation - thoroughly enjoying
the sweet relaxed mornings of coffee and conversation with my darling husband,
by our babbling brook, and long, pleasant summer days basking in the Son. I saw
a "food for serious consideration " sign in front of a church one day on my
drive to the CCR office that read: "Exposure to the Son may keep you from
burning!"
What a gift to have this time in my favorite place on earth - and in the very
best company!!! Thank You Jesus! - I am BLESSED!
I have chosen this article From Maxine's desk: from June 1994, when Fr.
Robert Gonzales had presided over our Evangelistic Healing Mass to fill in for
me this month and also to raise our expectations for the upcoming Healing Mass
on September 19, 2004. See you there!)
O the Glory of Your presence, We Your People give You reverence! So arise from
Your rest and be blest in this Place, As we glory in Your embrace! As Your
presence now fills this place!
That song has been resounding in my heart since that great and wonderful day of
the Lord - May 1st, when Abba embraced and touched in a special way the 550- 560
of His people who gathered for the Healing Mass at St. Elizabeth to proclaim
JESUS.
Everything and everyone did just that - from the greeters, glowing with His
radiance, to the fellowship afterward when hearts filled with a joy that could
not be contained overflowed through our lips, spontaneously breaking forth with
"Amazing Grace."
Fr. Robert Gonzales' homily was both challenging and inspiring as he spoke
the Word of Life to us from John 15:1-8. Our heartfelt gratitude to Bill Purdin
and to you, Fr. Gonzales, and all who have worked so diligently and lovingly to
"lift Jesus higher", not only in the preparation and event, but continue even
now in this most important time of follow-up, "...doing the work of an
evangelist..." (II Tim. 4:5), meeting the spiritual needs of those who came.
Thank You
I had been asked to give a witness on healing at the Mass and at first
thought it would be my healing of breast cancer. But as I reflected on my life
before and after coming into the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. And encountering
the living Lord Jesus in a personal way, I realized I had received a far greater
healing than that. In the past eighteen years I have experienced dozens, if not
hundreds, of healings (the result of the cancer of sin) in body, soul,
[emotions, intellect, will] and spirit.
Before that most important day I only knew in a cerebral way that God loved
me, but hadn't a clue that He had a plan for my life. "I know the plans that I
have for you," declares the Lord, plans for good and not for evil to give you a
future and a hope." (Jere. 29:11).
I didn't know that He was Yahweh, my doctor, the Lord that would heal me if I
listened earnestly to His voice and followed Him. (See Ex. 15:26).
For many years I traveled the highway of life with white knuckles, anxious
and troubled about many things, little realizing Jesus had provided me with the
grace and the way to follow His command to "Be anxious for nothing..." (Phil
4:6, Matt. 6:25)
I was totally unaware that Jesus had a gift of peace for me (see John 14:27), so
my heart was troubled and fearful. My husband once said, "I have never seen a
person with so many fears."
Another vitally needy area was unforgivness. I new in some vague, foggy way I
knew I was supposed to forgive those who had hurt me, but I had no idea that my
being forgiven hinged on that act or how to implement it.
I was a "good" Catholic, or so I thought. I went to church and regularly
received the sacraments. I knew at some level that "God so loved the world, that
He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish,
but have eternal life. (John 3:16). However, there seemed very little difference
in my life and my neighbors who did not attend church. Jesus did not play a very
meaningful role in my life, and He certainly was not Lord.
On that February day, eighteen years ago I began a Life in the Spirit Seminar
that has never ended. Thanks be to God! On that day the Lord began a mighty
healing work on every aspect and area of my life.
Fr. Gonzales said that Jesus will certainly perform physical healings, but
that is not the most important healing we need.
Eighteen years ago I did not know how dis-eased I was. Then I met the Healer
- Jesus, in a powerful new relationship through a Life in the Spirit Seminars.
Hallelujah!
The Lord is a healer - THE HEALER - that is the way He is. If we walk with
Him - seeking Him - (not His gifts) as our priority, we cannot help but be
healed. Jesus said, "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will
give your rest. Take My yoke upon you , and learn of Me, for I am gentle and
humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls." (Matt. 11:28-29).
Rest is defined as peace, ease or refreshment resulting from sleep or the
cessation of activity; relief or freedom from disquiet or disturbance; mental or
emotional tranquility; freedom from anxiety or distress; calmness. Luke tells of
a time when Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem, and He entered a village between
Samaria and Galilee. He was met by ten lepers who called out to Him, "Have mercy
on us!" And when He saw them He said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the
priest." "And as they went they were cleansed."
Many of us, because we are so needy, seek fervently for healing, and that is
a good thing , but I have discovered that as we are on our way about out
Father's business, obeying Him, fulfilling His plan for our lives, we too, will
be cleansed and healed.
Recently God gave me a very dramatic illustration of that: One morning as I
was preparing for the drive in to Columbus, the wind outside our home was gusty
and I could hear the howling sound as it swept through the trees. I said, "O
Lord, I love that sound!" Then I suddenly remembered - that had not always been
the case, that for the major portion of my life I had been terrified of wind and
if the wind rose above a gentle breeze I would go outside to check its strength
and be anxious until it subsided.
The Lord in His goodness showed me a vision of a group of people standing
outside a farmhouse on the prairies of Illinois (where I was born). I was a
toddler in arms and we were all looking up at a sky filled with dark, angry,
billowing clouds. That was cyclone country! I don't remember the conversation,
but I'm sure the fear that everyone there was feeling, penetrated my tender
heart and took root there. I hadn't even thought to ask Jesus to heal me of
that, but He who is good to all and who exercised tender mercies over all His
works (see Psalm 145:8) set me free and healed me when I wasn't asking or
looking.
"Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within, Bless His holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits; Who pardons all your
iniquities; who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from the pit; Who
crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion, Who satisfies your years with
good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle." (Psalm 103:1-5).
Jesus made a statement in Matthew 5:48 that brought fear to my timid heart
when first I read it, "Therefore you are to be prefect, as your heavenly Father
is perfect" and then I learned that in the Greek it would be - be being made
perfect, or whole, or completed. And we all are being made whole, complete and
perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect as we go on our way about our Father's
plan for us.
Results of Procrastination:
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We lose enthusiasm: |
The number one killer of dreams is procrastination. Felix looked
for a "convenient: season (see Acts 24:25). They seldom come. |
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We lose opportunity: |
The Children of Israel fooled around and did not go to the land
of promise. Instead, the had 40 years of wandering and funerals. |
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We lose ability: |
Matthew 25 tells us simply, "Use it or lose it." Muscles dry up
and you lose power |
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We lose initiative: |
Have you ever said of a good idea, "Now I thought of that years
ago...but just never acted on it |
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