Bible Sparks

Sharing biblical lessons from everyday activities and the Word of God

Healed in the Waiting Room

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“Your results came back benign…” About 2 months ago, I visited a female doctor for a routine exam. After an unimpressive (that‘s putting it nicely) visit to another doctor previously, I decided to make a change. With light rain dusting across the windshield of my car, I remember being happy to get street parking right in front of the new practice. Cars were flying by so I reluctantly opened my door and quickly hopped out of the car. I then walked across the street as I was greeted by large oak trees that were more so like a temporary umbrella at this point since the rain had picked up.

After finally walking inside the building, I made my way to the elevator bank. I remember making small talk with a person riding up on the elevator with me. Then it was time to get off on the floor where the office is located. After finding the office, I checked in and was back in an exam room in no time. After answering the normal questions that every doctor asks, the exam started. Within a few minutes I recall the doctor saying,

“…lump…1 o’clock”

“Wait what!? What do you mean lump? What do you mean 1 o’clock?” This is what originally ran through my mind. The doctor asked me if I did self breast exams and I honestly answered, “No.” I didn’t think lumps were really prevalent in smaller/average size breasts. So, that’s why I didn’t do self breast exams. The doctor had me feel the lump as well. Yep, there was definitely something there. As a result, they then recommended I get a mammogram and ultrasound. I thought, “But I’m not 40! Aren’t mammograms for women 40 and up?”

I haven’t heard of ultrasounds hurting so I wasn’t anxious about that but the mammogram…I had only heard one thing… “they squeeze your breast in a machine and it hurts!” Yikes! I wasn’t looking forward to it but I eventually made the appointment because I knew it had to be done. I went to an office to get the mammogram and surprisingly it didn’t hurt at all! I was also told 3D is not as bad as 2D (which from my experience is accurate). The radiologist confirmed they saw a mass and that’s when the breast biopsy was recommended. If you are not familiar with breast biopsies they pretty much “numb” the breast and stick a core needle in it to get samples. Ouch is correct! This procedure hurts!! At least it did for me.

So, eventually I scheduled the breast biopsy. I was more interested in the actual procedure than the results. On the day of the exam, a local anesthesia was applied to numb the breast, some samples were taken with a core needle, they bandaged up the area, and did a 2D mammogram right afterwards! A hurting breast and a 2D mammogram are a bad mix. It’s like pain on top of more pain! There has to be a better way to do this procedure! This is also why I think 3D mammograms are way better than 2D mammograms. Night and day difference!

After grabbing comfort food following the procedure and many rounds of ice packs, a few days passed by and I had finally received the news…

“Your results came back benign”….

Prior to the breast biopsy someone asked me, “how are you feeling about it?” I said, “I’m not worried about the results. In my mind, it is benign.” I refused to entertain “What if?” In this situation. I refused to worry. Or maybe I was just tired of worrying about things. Thoughts tried to come up of needing to be prepared either way. But I just couldn’t entertain those thoughts. I decided that it is benign and I acted like it’s benign. The breast biopsy confirmed what was already in my mind.

I did think about how grateful I am to have Christ in my life. Honestly either way, in regards to the results, He is my preparation…my anchor…my strength…my hope. I meditated on healing scriptures, made up my mind, and moved forward. This may be taboo to talk about or share but I don’t care. I want to share my experience because I know that others have also gone through something similar or know someone else that has. Or maybe you were like me and didn’t know much about this topic.

There are a few things I want to note here:

  • Check your breasts regularly!
  • Be kind! You may not always know what is going on in someone’s life unless they tell you.
  • God is Healer! One thing I love about God is His consistency. He’s the same God yesterday, today, and forevermore.

Where’s Your Umbrella?

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Umbrella_2“Preparation time is never wasted time” –Unknown

How many times have you heard this phrase? Oh the joy of preparation season…(do you sense the sarcasm in my voice? 🙂 ) I’m quite sure if many of us had it our way we would just skip the whole preparation season and call it a day yet there is purpose and beauty in it. I was reflecting back on a time last year when I was at one of my favorite bookstores. Imagine a bookstore that’s like the equivalent of the Disney World of theme parks. Okay, I may be exaggerating a little but seriously it’s amazing!  As I was walking through the bookstore, I went down one of the main aisles that I normally go down to catch quick glimpses of the latest books that were out until finally making it to the area of books that I normally peruse. While walking past the first two shelves and reading one of the section titles the Lord told me to start preparing. Do you want to guess what the section title was? Marriage! “But Lord, I’m not in that season right now. How foolish would it look if someone who knows me walks by and sees me looking at books in the marriage section?” Of course I was trying to find the logic in God’s statement. Then this thought came to mind, “Why would you wait until marriage to prepare for marriage?” Duh! Why didn’t I see this earlier? It’s wise to prepare beforehand. It’s like believing for rain and then grabbing your umbrella in preparation and in faith that rain is coming! Who waits to grab their umbrella until it starts raining? If you know it’s going to rain you take action steps (i.e. grabbing your umbrella) in preparation of your expectation of rain. So, where’s your umbrella?

Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith gives evidence of your expectation…it shows what you are believing for. Faith has corresponding action. I’m reminded of the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 18:41-46:

“Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, and said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.” Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, “There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea!” So he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.’” Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel. Then the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.”

Elijah telling Ahab to “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain” gave evidence of his expectation of rain. Elijah continually telling his servant to go back up and look toward the sea also gave evidence of his expectation of rain. His servant went back up seven times! Most would probably have looked at Elijah like he was crazy by the second or third time and just plainly told him, “Look Elijah, about this whole rain thing…lol.” But Elijah didn’t give up and kept looking for a physical manifestation of what he was expecting. The seventh time the servant went to look toward the sea he said, “There is a cloud as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea!” Let the manifestation begin 🙂 So Elijah sent his servant to tell Ahab to PREPARE and then there was a heavy rain! I love how God always goes big! He could’ve just sent rain but He chose to send a heavy rain!

Preparation time is important and our actions should be aligned with what we’re expecting. Elijah expected it to rain, so he prepared for rain. If you’re expecting to be a marathoner, prepare to be a marathoner. Learn how to setup a running schedule, stick with it, and eat well. If you’re expecting to be a millionaire, prepare to be a millionaire. Learn how to manage a million dollars or learn how to hire great people to mange it.  If you’re expecting to be married, prepare to be married. Learn how to be selfless. If you’re expecting to be a CEO, prepare to be a CEO. Learn how to run a company. So what are you preparing for? What are you expecting? If you’re expecting it to rain, friends I encourage you to prepare and grab your umbrella! 🙂

No Limits

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IMG_1758 2A person and I were talking about miracles today. Particularly, we were talking about the 2016 Olympics and how it would take a miracle for me to win a gold medal in swimming now since I haven’t competitively swam in years. I said, “Yes! I can pray for a miracle!” Then he said, “That’s a selfish prayer for a miracle that can be used on something else.” I responded, “There’s no limit to miracles! There’s no cap!” I said this to support my claim of it not being selfish or wasteful to pray for that particular miracle. He then said, “There is a cap on miracles or else we would see them all the time!” WOW!!! His response had my mind spinning. The person I was speaking with is not a believer yet but in a sense he’s right. We place a cap on God! We limit Him! Does it wreck you to see the power Jesus walked in during His ministry on earth and even that the disciples walked in throughout the book of Acts; and to know that Christ said we will do GREATER works than Him? (  John 14:12) If you compare the power that they walked in to what many of us see around ourselves today it in no way even compares! Man, imagine how differently this world would look if we really took the limits off of God. This makes me also think of the verse in Matthew 13:58 that says Jesus only did a few miracles in his hometown because of their lack of faith. Jesus was walking around teaching with authority, healing, and casting out demons but this group of people, His own hometown, lacked faith in Him. Seriously? God is so real and far more powerful than we could ever imagine! Let’s take the limits off and change the world!