This year, 2024, officially marks thirty years since I first became ill and began an unexpected journey that I never imagined would span decades. I originally wrote and published the following piece in 2022, sharing it on my health blog and social media in honor of Lyme disease awareness month [at the time]. The Holy Spirit never ceases to amaze me, so imagine my surprise when He recently informed me He wanted me to share this again now that I've reached the thirty-year mark in this crazy journey of journeys.
I think before I got sick, I didn't realize how often God actually allows us to endure the heat of the battle. I also didn't know how many battle scars come with that, but I can better see now how valuable those scars really are. I see how these scars, in the hands of our nail-scarred Savior, can be used for the purposes of His Kingdom and to help others who are going through things we already have or are still in the process of. I can see how our scars speak to where we've been, what we've been through, and the depth of our healing journeys; it is all painful but precious in His hands.
The compassion of Jesus involves many things, which is always rooted in His love for us. His compassion looks like deep, tender care and affection. It looks like Him holding us close when we're hurting, suffering, overwhelmed, brokenhearted, scared, or weary. It can look like healing; spontaneous, a process, or however He chooses. It also looks like Him walking with us on long, hard, and painful journeys. It looks like Him whispering hope and love into our hearts. It looks like Him leaving the ninety-nine to go after the one.
I tell you by the Spirit of God, we are on the verge of a powerful move of God that we have no context for. The Sound of Heaven is about to reverberate throughout the nations and what has been shaking will reveal what has been hidden and concealed for decades, some even for generations. While He is most certainly working through people to accomplish His plan, there are just some things only He can supernaturally bring about, and that's what we are on the verge of.
Some of you are going through the most gut-wrenching, heart-rending time of your lives, and what is happening in the world right now isn't really on your radar because you're dealing with so much personal pain, suffering, and loss. Your world has been torn apart. It's numbing and overwhelming, all at the same time, and has left you deeply cut, dazed, and bruised. It's like one day you woke up and your whole life unexpectedly, and rather harshly, changed forever. You've been trying to process it, but you can't because it doesn't make sense. No understanding, just heartbreak and cold silence.
This is from the heart of Jesus for some very precious people. The Lord says to you, "I AM the God of broken hallelujahs. I AM the God of YOUR broken hallelujahs. When the hardships of this life leave you weary, brokenhearted, and troubled, when the hurt weighs heavy inside, remember that I AM the God of broken hallelujahs.
The Lord shared a message with me for some of you. These are His words: My Beloved, You are going to walk tall and tell your story. Many need to hear it. They need to know how My grace has helped carry you through. It will give them hope and encourage them in their own lives. I know you're worried about how people will respond to you when they hear the truth of what you've gone through, but you are going to be surprised by their loving reception. It will touch some people's hearts so much, they will want to thank you for your honesty and courage, and ask you to pray for them; it will minister to the deep places inside of them.
The Spirit of God says, "There are many who are about to pass through the waters of healing, but in order to get there, you must enter through the valley. Yes, there is a valley, in the lowland, that holds the healing waters I speak of, so do not be afraid, and do not worry, for I will go with you; I will direct and comfort you; I will show you the way. At first, it may feel like you have gone this way before, but I assure you, you have not. This is an entirely new place for you. This is the place that will cause you to see what you could not see before.
We all have life stories to share, as well as the scars to go with them. And this is precisely what Jesus and I have been talking about over the past two weeks. While I had no intention of writing anything about it, I feel He wants me to speak to this; so I am. Let me begin by saying this is no light subject matter to Him, or me. The scars and stories of people hold a deep place in the heart of Jesus. In 2016 I wrote a blog post entitled, "Scars and Stories." I felt His presence so strongly during that writing process and knew He wanted me to draw from the place of my story and scars as well as His own. In other words, it was from a joining of our scars and stories that I wrote it.
For all the pilgrims who are on a healing journey (or soon will be), and for all the witnesses accompanying them (or will be), this is for you. A PILGRIM is one who journeys, especially long distances, to a holy place for a religious or spiritual purpose; one who embarks on a quest for something conceived of as sacred; a traveler of literal travels or of spiritual and healing journeys. A WITNESS is a close observer; one who can give a firsthand account of something seen, heard, or experienced; one who furnishes evidence or serves as a sign; one who is to be present at or have personal knowledge of; one who can testify to.
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