Taking Hebron

  NASCAR is a popular sport amongst my younger siblings. Everyone has a favorite driver and I love to hear the enthusiastic cheering each week as they celebrate the race winner! (When everyone in the family, including the dog, has a favorite racer, there's always a good chance one of our guys will win!)  As I've shared in previous posts, I've been dealing with some health issues. For many months now normal daily activities have proven too strenuous for me, but I've found great joy and usefulness in the time I have to pray. I treasure being able to lift up the needs of my family and friends to the Lord.  Yet last night, I found some of these people and their needs had gone beyond a prayer burden to being just a burden, burden. I love deeply, and my heart just breaks when I see people I care about hurting and having a hard time. I want to fix things, find the answers, and make the hard choices for them. But as I wept to the Lord last night I knew I couldn't do what my

  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and by his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 The last line of this verse often comes up when someone is sick and we're seeking supernatural healing. Thus this verse has come up a lot for me over the last five months, as I continue to navigate this new medical diagnosis.  I always thought I had a high pain tolerance and endurance for suffering, but over these past several months I've been pushing the limits on what I thought I could tolerate. One day while I rested on the couch a song was playing that quoted the last line of Isaiah 53:5. I started thinking about this verse and wondering what it really meant.  When Jesus died on the cross for my sins it was done. Salvation was paid for and was now free and available to any who would receive it. Isaiah 53:5 says He was whipped for a specific reason, healing. Yet, physical healing doesn't seem to come lik