The Bounty of the Lord

          "I believe that I shall see the bounty of the Lord

in the land of the living.

Wait for the Lord with courage;

Be stouthearted and wait for the Lord."  Ps 27:13-14

One of the popularly preached themes in evangelical circles is facing the giants in your life in order to cross over into the promised land.  If you recall , as the Israelites were preparing to enter into the land God had promised them, Joshua and Caleb, as part of a group of 12, were sent to reconnoiter the land first and report back.  Joshua and Caleb came back positive that with the Lord's help they could enter the Promised Land.  Others in the party though allowed fear to take hold and to spread among the people.  They reported that the land was inhabited by giants and that the Israelites were no match for them.  Both Joshua and Caleb argued that the people should trust God and go forward to take possession of the land "flowing with milk and honey."

This kind of examination of one's life (identifying the giants that paralyze us and keep us from moving forward) is a core part of the program here.  There are books now that attest to not only the spiritual, emotional and psychological effects of trauma and hurt in our lives, but to the physical impact as well.  Books like "The Body Keeps the Score" and in a similar way, "The Biology of Belief" which deals with the way in which our beliefs can determine outcomes that are positive or not so positive.  Many people, because of the wounds they have from life, believe lies about themselves, about God, about others.  These lies actually have very detrimental effects on us emotionally, spiritually, psychologically and physically.  

So along with all the light and sound and heat and oxygen, nutrition and electro-magnetic therapies, there are times of guided work with examining personal history and uncovering deep wounds so that in the spiritual sense they too may be exposed to the light and the sound of God's voice, and healed.  The roots of our experiences and their effects often go much deeper than we think.  Being face to face with one's own helplessness when diagnosed with serious illness brings one to a reliance on Christ in these areas that is the oxygen we need in order to heal.  

Healing the whole person is not easy work, but it is the mark of Christ's healing.  The many treatments designed to detoxify, strengthen and activate physical healing here go hand in hand with work to detoxify the spirit and free it of all that keeps it bound and unable to enjoy the full freedom of the sons and daughters of God.

Please continue your love and care and support of Sr. Lucina.  She is halfway through her time here. It is hard work on many different levels as her whole person responds to the attempts to move it to health.  She is full of gratitude for all your love, care, concern and prayers as you accompany her on this journey of hope.