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Today is Good Friday. I’m thinking about the death of Jesus Christ. I’m also thinking about the death of Charla Pereau. They both have had a great impact on my life. Jesus was God in the flesh. Charla was made in God’s image and was conformed to the image of his Son (Romans 8:29). Because of the death of Jesus my sins are forgiven, my guilt is washed away and I am redeemed. Because of the life of Charla, I found my place in the Kingdom of God; I also found my wife and have a precious family.
Before I met Charla, I met Foundation For His Ministry (FFHM). Charla started FFHM over 60 years ago. The ministry began as a home for needy children in Vicente Guererro, Baja, Mexico. I first visited in 1987 as a recent graduate of Bible college with a degree in Missions. I was disappointed and disillusioned with how the mission program of my denomination worked. Too many hoops to jump through before a person would get to be on the mission field. I had kind of given up on ever being a missionary. FFHM renewed my dream of serving God in another country. At this children’s home I saw a lot of normal, everyday type of ordinary people who just wanted to make a difference in the lives of poor Mexicans, especially Mexican children who had been abandoned, abused, neglected and were suffering the emotional, mental, physical and spiritual effects that come from not being wanted. The staff was made up of Americans, Canadians and Mexicans who simply wanted to be the hands and feet of Jesus and bring healing to hurting people.
I had come for a week to volunteer and left with a hope and a lifetime ambition to one day be a permanent part of this incredible organization. Unfortunately I had to wait 18 years for my dream to become a reality. In the meantime I went to Vicente Guererro almost every year to help out for a week at a time, as thousands of volunteers have done since the founding of the Mission. I met Charla and talked to her a little bit over those years. Looking at her and chatting with her, I would never have guessed that she was the visionary who, full of faith, determination and grit, was making such a big difference in the Kingdom of God in Mexico. On the surface she just seemed another volunteer who cared. I knew better, because I had read her book, Charla’s Children where she described her vision from God and how she began to think God’s thoughts after Him with regards to loving the poorest of the poor in Mexico.
Fast forward to 2005 and I was finally at a place in my life where I could live full time doing the work of God in Mexico. But instead of Baja, Mexico, I went to Oaxaca, Mexico, where FFHM was putting the finishing touches on a new home for needy children. Oaxaca is one of the poorest states in Mexico and the need was great and still is great, to bring help and healing to suffering children. And not only to rescue children, but also to reach the lost in remote mountain areas and restore the broken lives of those in prison and rehabilitation centers.
I jumped in with both feet in March of 2005 and have been here ever since. These have been the happiest years of my life. I feel like a puzzle piece that never quite fit just right for most of my life and then the Lord put me here and it has been a perfect fit. Not only have I loved working in various aspects of ministry here, but I also met my wife here and we have two super daughters. I couldn’t be happier, and it’s mostly because of Charla.
Charla, and her husband Chuck, would come to Oaxaca every couple of years which was a joy for us all. She would tell stories to the kids and share with the staff how the Lord had spoken to her, used her, directed her, and sometimes rescued her through the years of her life. I never failed to laugh and cry when she spoke and was always inspired to trust God more, give more freely and love more deeply. Charla said one time that her daily prayer in the morning was “God, lay some soul upon my heart, and love that soul through me.” I wonder if some days I was that soul. I also remember her saying one time that God doesn’t want our ability so much as he wants our availability. That encouraged me as I don’t have all that much ability to give the Lord, but I have plenty of availability.
When different partners of this ministry would die over the years, Charla liked to say that they “graduated to heaven”. Charla “graduated to heaven” February 28. I imagine there was a heap of treasure waiting for her. She laid up a lifetime of loving others well and no doubt filled up many celestial coffers with her acts of compassion, her works of kindness and her obedience to the Lord in meeting the felt needs and more importantly, the spiritual needs of thousands of people. In Matthew 6:20 Jesus tells his followers to store up treasures in heaven. In Luke 12:21 Jesus encourages people to be “rich toward God” and in verse 33 to “Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail”.
Charla was a great example to us all of storing up treasures in heaven by being rich toward God. Thank you God for Charla!
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“As Chuck and I face our few remaining days, we sense God would still have us focus on what matters the most – His commission to reach the lost with the message of Christ and His charge to believers in Matthew 25: feed the hungry, provide drink for the thirsty, give shelter to the homeless, clothe the naked, care for those who are sick, and visit the prisoners. This is the foundation on which we built His Ministry.”
Charla Pereau – Charla: An Ordinary Woman with Faith in an Extraordinary God
In August my wife and daughters went to visit my dad in Colorado. He is advanced in age and wasn’t feeling well. He has a gravel front yard and weeds were growing profusely throughout. He doesn’t like gardening and I do, so I decided, with the help of my wife, to pull all the weeds. It wasn’t fun. It was hot and the weeds had deep roots. Not exactly what I had in mind for our summer vacation.
We were listening to Christian music and a song came on that one of my daughters had recently turned me onto. It was “The Prodigal” by Josiah Queen. One part of the song says, “I don’t need the money. I don’t want the fame. I don’t want what I can’t take with me in the grave. I don’t want to lose my soul, chasing after things that don’t lead me straight to you.”
I heard those words, and I looked at the weed in my grimy hand, and I said to that weed, “I’m taking you with me!”
I shouted to my wife, “I’m taking this one with me.” I gestured toward a nearby pile and told her, “I’m taking all these with me!” She looked at me like I was crazy and continued on, but I was a changed man.
That one phrase from the song, “I don’t want what I can’t take with me” stuck with me that day and has been on my mind ever since.
We’ve all heard the phrase, “You can’t take it with you” when it comes to death and dying, but Josiah Queen radically reminded me that there are some things we can take with us, at least according to Jesus.
In the sermon on the mount, in Matthew 6:19-21, Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
What are those treasures that we can store up in heaven; that we can take with us? I think it is anything we do for others that comes from a heart of love that wants to glorify God and enjoy him forever. The context of these verses is one of practicing righteousness and rewards in heaven (6:1) Giving to the needy, praying and fasting. Jesus told his disciples that some people do these things from a heart of vain glory. They give to the needy, pray and fast to be seen and admired by humans. Jesus encourages his followers to be motivated by love for our Heavenly Father, knowing that when we do righteousness, we will be rewarded by Him, sometimes while we are alive on planet earth, and sometimes as a treasure in heaven.
Ever since that day, pulling weeds at Dad’s place, I do almost everything in light of the question, “Can I take it with me?” Material possessions have lost their luster for me. I can’t take them with me. They aren’t eternal. They are temporal and after awhile they rust or break and end up in the dump. But when I help, give, forgive, share, go the extra mile, bend over backward, love my enemies, pray for those who mistreat me, for the sake of Jesus and the glory of God, I know that I am taking that with me, in one way or another. It is in some sense eternal; in some way not only is the person I’m helping blessed, but I am blessed, now and forever.
Join me this new year on focusing on things we can do, ways we can help others, being generous with our time, talents and treasures, knowing that yes, we can take it with us.
I suspect everyone reading this lament has suffered from a broken relationship that was romantic in nature. I have. I remember the wonderful feeling of being “in love” (which is more often than not, being obsessed or infatuated), and all the hopes, dreams, longings and expectations that come with that feeling. And then one day it is gone. Dreams are dashed and hope has gone to hell. Depression and despair set in and tears fall. Christians can feel the pain as much as anyone, but for the Christian, weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
Lament of the Brokenhearted.
In the stillness of this twilight hour,
My heart weeps, weak and without power.
O, how my life spins with inner strife,
And sorrow grips the core of my life.
Oh, the anguish of broken hearts,
Torn asunder by obsession’s darts.
Grief’s silent tears, a river deep,
Wallowing in sorrow, we have to weep.
I mourn for days of laughter gone,
Replaced by silence, a mournful song.
The pain of longing, a constant achen’
For solace, for peace; my soul’s forsaken.
Yet in the depths of this lamenting cry,
Hope flickers, like stars in the night sky.
For even in sorrow’s darkest hour,
God’s true love has lasting power.
So let us lament, but not despair,
For joy awaits; someone does care.
In Christ’s embrace, we find our balm,
And turn our lament into a healing psalm.
Today is Valentines Day and Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. There are a lot of lonely people out there, many with broken hearts, that will not be celebrating love, true love, but are despairing of ever enjoying a deep, intimate relationship, with anyone. For them I offer this lamentation and a prayer that through Lent, they will find the joy, peace and contentment that only our crucified and risen Lord can bring.
Lamentation for the Brokenhearted and Lonely
Oh, how the broken-hearted weep, In the shadows where loneliness creeps, Their souls heavy with sorrow’s weight, In the darkness where love meets fate.
Alone they wander, hearts laid bare, In search of solace, in search of care, Their tears like rivers, flowing deep, Midnight whispers secrets that they keep.
The ache within, a silent cry, As memories haunt beneath the sky, Each shattered dream, each shattered vow, Echoes of pain that linger now.
In solitude, they find their song, In the quiet, where they belong, But oh, the ache, the silent plea, For healing balm to set them free.
Prayer for Ash Wednesday and Lent:
Almighty Father, on this solemn day, We come before You, hearts in disarray, In the ashes of our brokenness, we kneel, Seeking Your grace, Your love to feel.
As Lenten journey begins anew, Grant us strength, courage true, To walk the path of sacrifice and grace, In Your embrace, find our rightful place.
Meditating, may we find sustenance for the soul, In prayer, may Your presence make us whole, In helping others, may we learn to share, The burdens of those in deep despair.
Bless us with Your mercy, Lord, we pray, Guide us through this Lenten day, Renew our spirits, heal our pain, In Your love, may we find gain.
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God will never leave us or forsake us and nothing can separate us from his love. Romans 8:38,39
It’s no news that Ukraine and Russia are at war, and Israel and Hamas are at war. It may be news to some that in Ukraine over 9.6 thousand civilians and over 61,000 soldiers have died since the start of the war (OHCHR). 300,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or seriously wounded. Over 28,000 people have died in the Israel – Hamas war. Besides death, countless people have been maimed for life and thousands of refugees have fled their homes, many of which have been destroyed. So much pain and loss in these two wars alone. Throughout history war has raged and ravaged lives, broken up families causing misery and suffering. Below is a lament for war and a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer.
O Lord, God of our salvation, as we cry out before you today about the injustice, pain and sorrow in our world. We think of those impacted by war and terror. We know that each person and every child is precious to you, yet we see fear, suffering seemingly without end. You Lord are the great provider, you see the needs of those impacted by war and you love them and weep with them. Comfort them Lord as they struggle and nourish their souls with renewed hope each morning. Guide those who seek refuge to places where they can find help and rest, and move the hearts of nations to welcome them. Help your people Lord to find community and sustaining joy in places of refuge or exile. Lord you promise a time where there will be no more war, no fear, or pain, or sorrow, or suffering. Build your kingdom here, come Lord Jesus.
We pray for peace in our world: that all people may live free from violence, in safety and security, and with hope for the future. We pray for all people who are working to build peace in their communities: that they may inspire others by their example and be strengthened to carry on, even in the hardest times. We pray for families impacted by war; for those living in fear, for those indelibly touched by tragedy, for those who mourn; We pray for boys and girls whose childhood has been stolen in the cause of war, bring restoration, healing, family, love. We pray for those fleeing war and persecution, those seeking refuge and those seeking a fresh start in a land not their own.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Matthew 5:9
Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Mark 4:35-37
My mother-in-law is dying of stomach cancer. I call her Madre. She was diagnosed about three years ago, underwent almost a year of treatment, seemed to get better, but now it’s back with a vengeance and the doctors say there is not much they can do about it. She is ok with that. She is in the boat with Jesus.
She had a very difficult life when she was younger. She married when she was a teenager. Her and her husband lived with his mother. By all accounts his mother was very demanding and made life impossible for Madre. They were all poor. This was Mexico forty years ago.
My father-in-law and Madre moved to the outskirts of town and built a place to live, or at least to exist. Their walls were bamboo sticks and their floor dirt. She had six children. Three daughters died of various ailments before they were ten years old. The youngest son was born with down syndrome. They all had a hard life, especially her.
But then, she got in the boat with Jesus. She was working for some missionaries, who shared the Good News of God’s love with her, and she became a follower. Soon, the whole family was following Jesus. While outward circumstances didn’t change a whole lot, at first, their soul’s were now full of peace and joy.
After some time, the oldest son began working with the missionaries, recording indigenous people reading the Bible. Then he became pastor of a small church. After that he started a Christian radio station. Their daughter married a missionary, me, and she joined me in working at a home for needy children.
Madre always had a big smile and an encouraging word for everyone. She was always generous with her time, talents and treasure. Probably too generous. She never took a day off. Working Monday thru Saturday, and then busy with church commitments from dawn to dusk on Sunday. She never took time off for herself. Perhaps that contributed to her cancer. Who knows? I know that the only time she had significant time to rest was when she was going through her treatments and was living with us here at the children’s home. For the first time in her life she was being taken care of the way she was used to taking care of others. She was the focus of attention. She still is.
I like to think that God has considered all that Madre has gone through, and all that she has given to others and to the work of the Kingdom, He is saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant! Enter into your rest.” And she sails across the lake, almost to the other side, with Jesus in the boat, enduring her last storm until she arrives safely Home.
Jesus got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
We shouldn’t be as concerned with the presents under the tree,
as we should be with the presence of Jesus in our hearts.
Every Saturday morning I walk across Mexico Highway 190 from the home for needy children in Oaxaca, Mexico, where I volunteer, to Centro De Intenamiento Feminil De Tanivet, otherwise know as the women’s prison. Usually I look forward to this time where I teach English class and share the Gospel with incarcerated women. Sometimes, I admit, I think of other things that I would rather be doing. On those occasions, Jesus words from Matthew 25 comes to mind, “I was in prison, and you visited me.” They become a mantra for me which I repeat over and over. I see Jesus’ face in the faces of my students, and thinking about each one of them, I repeat the phrase over and over, “I was in prison and you visited me.”
I was in prison and you visited me.
I was in prison and you visited me.
I was in prison and you visited me.
This last Saturday was one of those days when I thought about all the things I needed to do at the home for needy children, and my mind changed gears from what I wanted to do, to what God wanted me to do for the “least of these” behind bars. Once again those old, familiar words of Jesus came to mind, “I was in prison and you visited me.” But that time I thought of those words differently. Instead of Jesus saying those words to me, I began to say those words to Jesus. “I was in prison and you visited ME!
I realized that long before I began to “visit Jesus in prison” he had visited me in prison. I was in a spiritual prison of sin, pride and selfishness. I was held captive by the world, the flesh and the Devil. I was a slave to evil desires and the lusts of the flesh. And then one day, Jesus came to visit. He not only visited me, but thanks be to God, He set me free! I was like Peter, bound by chains in the gloomy depths of the jail, and then the chains were broken and an angel guided him to freedom. I was like the Hebrews in Egypt, tormented by cruel taskmasters, and then they walked to freedom, delivered by a gracious and compassionate God.
The next time I read Matthew 25, I will think differently about Jesus words. He talked about being hungry and thirsty; being naked and a stranger. Being sick and in prison. Before I think about those I help who experience these conditions, I will remember that I too, spiritually speaking, was hungry and thirsty and naked and sick. I was a stranger to God’s holiness and righteousness. I was bound by sin and chained to a seemingly hopeless situation. And then Jesus visited me, and set me free! Glory hallelujah, Jesus set me free!
What jail cell are you in? Maybe you are captive to an addiction, depression, anxiety or anger. Jesus stands outside your cell door knocking. He wants to come into your hopeless situation and not only visit you, but set you free. Think about it. He loves you and wants you to be happy.
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“Give us this Day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those that sin against us. Deliver us from the Evil
One; save us from the time of trial.”
In Christianity we talk about salvation. It’s not uncommon when one Christian meets another Christian for the first time, to ask, or to be asked, “When we’re you saved?” Sometimes, when asked this question, I want to say, “Today.”
Of course we understand the meaning of the question – When did you begin to trust in Jesus with your life and experience salvation from Sin? Some people can remember the day and hour that they were “saved”. Other people, like me, can’t remember an exact time or place that “salvation” occurred, because we were brought up in the faith and as far as we can remember, we always believed that God loved us and that Jesus died for our sins and rose again so that we could have eternal life. That was me. Sure I remember a time when I was about five years old and said “the sinners prayer” at Vacation Bible School, but I trusted in God’s saving grace before that, even though I had never verbalized it in such a formal way. Later at age eight an evangelist came to our little farmhouse in Colorado and talked to my parents and my sister and I about “salvation” and once again I prayed a prayer that he wanted me to pray, which I prayed as sincerely as I could and seemed to make everyone happy.
Some people are looking for a great emotional experience when they talk about salvation. I had one of those as well at Summer Bible Camp one year when I was about 12. I cried and then felt spiritually “high” for about a week afterwards. It was a wonderful experience that I will never forget.
Some years later I began attending Bible College and experienced other spiritual, emotional and mentally transforming times that had, to various degrees, an impact on my life. In one sense or another, these were all “salvation” experiences. I was “saved” each time. Sometimes I was saved from Sin, other times I was saved from sins. The ultimate Salvation is being made righteous in the sight of God. Other times salvation is a changing of a wrong attitude, or an incorrect perspective on some aspect of life. Sometimes we are saved from an unforgiving spirit. In short, some of us need to be saved everyday! Especially me.
The greatest commandments are not things we shouldn’t do, but things we should do. “Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, mind soul and strength. Love your neighbor as yourself.” If we disobey God’s commandments we sin. Not a day goes by when I am apathetic in some way or another to those around me. Not a day goes by but that I turn a deaf ear or a blind eye to the needs of my wife, children, brothers and sisters in Christ, or strangers that cross my path. Many times I am much more like the priest and levite that ignored their fellow man in need, than I am like the good Samaritan who showed compassion on the poor man lying naked in his own blood along the road. By neglecting my neighbor I am also neglecting God and disobeying his commandment to love him with my entire being. Truly I need to be saved everyday.
Martin Luther has said that we are continually struggling against the World, the Flesh and the Devil. That is why Jesus taught us to pray daily to be delivered from the Evil One. Satan prowls around like a hungry lion, seeking to destroy and kill us- mentally, spiritually, socially and physically. Our flesh and the world are bent toward sin, thus when we pray to be saved from the time of trial, we are praying for God’s power and intervention in our daily lives. We are asking him to maintain a hedge of protection around us, our family and our community of faith. Indeed we need salvation everyday.
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Oh, what’s going on inside of me?
I despise my own behavior
This only serves to confirm my suspicions
I’m still a man in need of a Saviour
Charlie Peacock
In our Friday night Bible study last week we took a look at Matthew, chapter 8. The whole chapter, and that of chapter 9 as well, are chuck full of miracles. You got your basic calming the storm, casting out demons, raising the dead and 7 healings, including the blind seeing, lepers cleansed, fever gone, paralyzed man walks, and a woman’s bleeding is stopped. Matthew writes in 8:16 that Jesus healed ALL the sick, and that this was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah; “He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases.”
Nathan and friend
In my last post I wrote about Jill, an ordinary Christian who helps out at the home for needy children in Oaxaca,Mexico. I also mentioned she adopted two children. The youngest is Nathan, whom she began to care for when he was an infant. He is now two years old. When she began to care for him, she was told that he had hepatitis c. His mother was a drug addict. Nobody would ever guess Nathan had this disease. He was the picture of good health. I took to calling him Bruiser because he looked so healthy and was so big. Everything went along fine until about three weeks ago when his eyes started turning yellow. Jill took him to the doctor who had tests done. His liver count was about a hundred times higher than normal, and he was still hepatitis c positive. His liver was failing.
Jill and Nathan got on a plane for the States, and saw a doctor in Chicago who specializes in children’s livers. He took two hep c tests along with a host of other tests. He told Jill to go back to Mexico, as there was not a lot that could be done treatment wise. Nathan was showing some signs of improvement. His body was fighting the virus, and all they could do was to monitor his liver. The doctor told Jill that the hep c tests would not be ready for a week or so, and that he would contact her when they were ready. Back in Mexico, little Nathan continued to improve. So much so that Jill was able to travel to Foundation For His Ministry (FFHM) children’s home in Morelia, to help them with a situation of a little girl who had fallen into a coma, and needed specialized treatment in Mexico City. While in Morelia, a lady came up to Jill and told her that God had healed Nathan. Jill was incredulous and simply said “Thank you.” Shortly thereafter she received the results of the U.S. hep c tests. Nathan had tested negative. His body was clear of the hepatitis c disease.
But, he still has an abnormally high liver count. He was healed of hepatitis c, but there is still a problem with his liver. He didn’t receive the “whole healing”. Why not? When Jesus healed people they received the whole healing immediately. But not Nathan, and perhaps, not you or me. Sometimes we ask God fervently for healing of our aches and pains and diseases, and we are not healed. After beginning my study of Matthew 8 + 9, I injured my back and was in pain. I remembered what the leper said to Jesus, “if you are willing you can heal me.” Jesus said, “I am willing” and healed the man. So I said to Jesus, “if you are willing, you can heal me.” Jesus seemed to say to me, “I am not willing.” My back still hurts. Why would Jesus say to one of his followers, one of his disciples, “I am not willing to heal you”? I think the answer revolves around faith. Faith is mentioned many times in these two chapters of Matthew. Because of a person’s faith, or great faith, or the faith of friends or family members, people are healed. So are we not healed today because we lack faith that Jesus can heal us? Quite the contrary. Any Christian who takes even a cursory look at the gospels sees that Jesus healed anyone and every one who came to him asking for healing. Most Christians have no doubt that Jesus can heal them, which makes the question even more perplexing. The issue is faith, but not faith that God can heal you or me, but faith in the idea that God loves us and wants us to be happy. If we believe that God loves us and wants us to be happy, then, even if we are not healed physically, we will rejoice in God our maker, because in his wisdom and knowledge, he knows what we do not know about our future, namely, that somehow, someway, we will be happier by not being healed immediately of our physical infirmity.
Carmen is a good example of this. I mentioned her in my last post as well. She works in the mission school and is married to Fabian, the administrator. She shared in devotions a couple weeks ago about having bone cancer when she was 15 years old. She said it was a painful time; a scary time; and a time that she wouldn’t trade for the world. Why? Because of what she went through then, helped transform her into the happy person she is now. She told the story of the prognosis – bone cancer in her ribs. Her doctor said they would take out a couple of ribs, and then begin chemotherapy. Sure enough, they took out two ribs, and after recovering from surgery, she went back to the hospital to begin chemo. The doctors prepared her for the treatment, and then discovered that Carmen had not eaten anything, and she needed to eat something, so she went to the cafeteria to get some food. In the meantime, the doctor received some test results back from the Mayo Clinic. A doctor there said that if one more rib was taken out, that might cure her and she wouldn’t have to have chemo. The doctor at the hospital discussed the situation with Carmen and her family, and they decided on removing the third rib. After the rib was removed, she was tested for cancer, was found to be cancer free. She was checked regularly after that for eight years and remained cancer free.
Carmen and Ollie
Ask her if she would change anything about that time in her life and she would tell you, “NO.” Why not? Because during this difficult time in her life, a lot of her friends grew distant and stopped coming around. She said that was a good thing, because girls from her church became her new friends, comforting her, helping her, being there for her. Later on in life, some of her old “friends” got involved in drugs and one even went to jail. So that was one positive – New Friends, which became True Friends. Secondly, she thinks about all the adolescents who fight and argue and rebel against their parents, especially their mothers. If she didn’t have cancer, she could see herself going down that path, but with the cancer, her mother became her primary care giver, and they developed a close bond that continues to this day. Because of the faith of her friends and mom, she grew in her faith and dependence on God. Her love for Him grew incredibly. After high school she went to Bible College and then began serving God along with FFHM in the Baja peninsula. Now she is enjoying and glorifying God here in Oaxaca.
Finally, the mission pastor here showed a few short video clips of an incredible man named Nick during his sermon last Sunday. Nick was born without arms or legs. He begged God to heal him, to give him arms and legs, as a boy. He wanted to be normal, like all the other boys. God didn’t give him arms and legs. He begged God for a reason why He made him so different from everyone else. He tried to commit suicide in the bathtub at age eight. He wasn’t successful, partly because he thought of the great love his parents had for him, and how bad they would feel if he killed himself. Finally he came to the realization that God loved him and wanted him to be happy. On the video clips he looked like one of the happiest people I have ever seen, as he travels the world telling people that God loves them and gave his Son for them, so that, they too, could be full of joy, peace and purpose.
Ultimately all Christians are healed. Sometimes they are healed by a supernatural touch from God. A lot of times they are healed by the bodies natural healing process. Other times they are healed by medicines and doctors. If they die, they are risen to new, healthy lives, living in the immediate presence of our loving heavenly Father. One way or another, we all experience healing, the whole healing, and nothing but the healing, so, thank you God!
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It is not the miraculousness of God’s acts that constitutes their significance, it is their redeeming and informing and instructing content. God’s miraculous activity is not against nature but against sin. A miracle is not an abnormal or unnatural occurrence presupposing the normality of nature, but a redeeming reinstatement of the normality of world and life through the new dominion of God, which stands antithetically against the kingdom of this world. Miracles cause surprise because people have become accustomed to the abnormality of sin and its curse of death and terror. Terrance Tiessen in Providence and Prayer
To Enjoy God 