“I am not going.” These were the words I heard last April regarding our family trip to Palm Desert. Marni was going to stay home and go to a “healing conference” hosted by our church.
At this point, in our 13th year of marriage, to say that we had gone through a lot would be an understatement – and most of what we went through came at the expense of Marni’s body. Here are a few: a major cancer surgery with 100 stitches on Marni’s face, a hysterectomy, a major foot surgery, five miscarriages, two episodes of constant migraines that lasted for over 40 days, lasik surgery, a sleep specialist, and the most debilitating, severe adrenal fatigue.
I was used to the “pick up the slack” role. I loaded the kids for the spring break trip – and we had fun. Little did I know, while I was on the Palm Springs Tram, and at the movie “The Lorax,” Marni was being healed in ways that would TRANSFORM our family.
Marni called me on the 2nd night of the conference. This is just one little example that could be extrapolated so much more. She said, “I have taken no pills today. And, I didn’t take any sleep-aides last night!”
We had four primary doctors for our family: internal medicine, chiropractor, naturopath, and acupuncturist. Yes, Marni saw all four. Remember this verse from Mark: “The woman had gone through a great deal at the hands of many doctors, spending all her money in the process. She had derived no benefit from them, but on the contrary, was getting worse.” (Mark 5:26)
This was Marni’s life . . . and subsequently, this was my life, Hudson’s life, and Charlie’s life.
“No pills?” I thought . . . no way. She had not slept a full night’s sleep in the entire 13 years of our marriage. It started on the honeymoon (my observations, though actually it was her whole life) and had been every day since. There were pills for sleep, pills for extra energy, pills to help aches, pills to keep different levels in her body up so she didn’t lapse into migraines. This alone, would be a miracle.
Energy? Marni is a trooper, that is for sure. But, the trooping ends at some point. If she worked hard in the yard, on a meal, or for a social event, then that was the end of that day. She did not have the energy to put two things together. You can look up this fatigue online – it is demoralizing.
Today’s blog is about being TRANSFORMED. I am here to tell you that Marni’s going to this conference has transformed HER LIFE.
Marni has engaged with every aspect of her life, of who she was created to be, and the evidence alone that I have watched with my own eyes is a healed life that has been TRANSFORMED. Here are the 7 steps of what she went through – mind you, over 4 days and then over the last 6+ months.
- Acknowledge that 1 or more things in your life need to be HEALED (They are not working as they should.) This could be physical, emotional, relational, or spiritual.)
- Be open to try something new. Marni had to give up the family spring break trip. This conference only happens 2x per year. She thought, “I can go on a lot more trips if I am healed – lets try!”
- Willing to actively participate and do what is asked. Lots of people want things – lose weight, learn a skill, or to purchase something. They just don’t DO the eating changes, the practice, or the saving.
- Acknowledge that this can be, could be, probably is – SPIRITUAL. (Eph. 6:12) There are more spiritual issues out there that the world has an answer for, a prescription for, and a reason for. People forget to go to the source on some of these things.
- It might be IN YOU? There could be crippling things within your life that if focused on could have a huge impact. For instance, repentance, forgiveness, bitterness, or fear.
- Pray the 5 R’s: Recognize, responsibility, repent, receive (God’s love) and restore. These 5 R’s take longer than a blog . . . but these were huge for not only Marni, but also many others who have seen their lives transform.
- Replace with! The tapes that run in a person’s head . . . “I am this, I am that.” Many of these come from the deceiver of the world. How can a person take these out, and replace them with God’s truth. TRANSFORMING!
I think both the family of the blind man, and the blind man himself said this: “All I know is I was blind, and now I see.” (John 9:25)
Marni’s life has been transformed. I am living with the proof of this EVERYDAY. Last night we went to watch our friend fight at the Fight Club OC. This would have NEVER happened before . . . and you know what, we had a ball!
Here is the conference Marni attended: Pastors Wayne & Chris Clarke, http://www.hisdwellingplace.com/
What about you? Anything holding you back in any way?
Have a great Friday!
Eric
ericscofield 