Author: abundantpeaceandhealth

Part 4 – The Search for God’s Method of Healing

Post author By abundantpeaceandhealth
Post date September 24, 2020
5 Comments on Part 4 – The Search for God’s Method of Healing

Part 4 - The Search for God's Method of Healing

The answer from God to my desperate call was, “I will heal your son, but not yet.” This promise lifted my spirits and filled me with hope. However, the natural question that would follow was, “What do I do meanwhile? How will you provide healing?” Over the next few months, I spent much time claiming the second part of Jeremiah 33:3, that God will “show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”

God had answered me, but now I was seeking for God to teach me things I did not know or understand. I needed God to show me His will in the treatment of Lucas while we waited for His healing power. God was Lucas’ Creator; only He knew exactly what my son needed. So, I bowed down daily before the Maker and Great Physician, seeking His wisdom.

I began studying my Bible and searching for answers in inspired literature with the purpose of finding where God was leading me in the healing of my son. I was completely willing to let God be my teacher and take me through this long course. It was not easy—answers did not come immediately, but I did not give up, it only made me search deeper. In the span of 2 months, God began to reveal His will to me through several Bible scriptures and godly writings.

I was so focused on claiming the promise in Jeremiah 33:3 that I did not read on until a pastor pointed out to me Jeremiah 33:6: “Behold, I will bring it health and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth.” God would bring healing to my son, but He would also reveal abundance of peace and truth. I did not know if Lucas would be healed miraculously one day or if God would show me His health plan for Lucas. I simply kept on praying for peace and truth to be revealed to me. As I was more and more willing to surrender and see His truth, the Holy Spirit led me to see examples of His will all over the Bible.

What the Bible Says About Healing

In Exodus 23:25, God says, “So you shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you.” God blesses our food, our water, and our efforts to bring about healing. While certain foods and remedies are known to have medicinal powers, ultimately, it is God who multiplies the healing effect through His blessing. We live in a sinful world where our food, water, and environment are often contaminated and toxic. However, this is no limitation for God to provide healing through His creation.

There are many examples in the Bible where God requires that men collaborate with Him. God certainly has the power to give us all we desire in an instant, and sometimes He does work astonishing miracles. However, in His infinite wisdom, He seeks to give us much more than that. He seeks to give us a godly character, to teach us His truth, and to learn to walk by faith. Therefore, sometimes, God requires us to work alongside with Him and follow His instructions. We see this in the story of Exodus 15:22-27 when Israel is walking through the desert and they come to a fountain of water they desperately needed, only to find out that it tasted bitter. The people complained to Moses, “so he cried out to the Lord” (v. 25). God could have simply made the waters sweet or worked some majestic miracle showing His power. However, the Bible tells us that “the Lord showed him a tree [and] when he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet.” Here we have a perfect example of men collaborating with God. Certainly, God performed a miracle, or He as the creator knew just what tree to use, but men had work to do as well. They had to believe that by obeying God’s command, the waters would be made well. God had a lesson to teach them and us:

The promise of healing was conditional that the people would do God’s will and “diligently heed the voice of the Lord”. The Holy Spirit helped me understand that the promise God had given me to heal my son was on the condition that I strictly obey Him. We know from the story of Israel that they did not “do what is right in His sight” and lost many blessings because of this. I was determined to obey God at all cost.

This is only one example of many stories in the Bible that illustrate the concept of God requiring strict obedience from His people and their collaboration with Him. Elisha, who was full of the Spirit, once purified water with salt (2 Kings 2:19-22). He also sent Naaman to be healed from Leprosy by dipping seven times in the Jordan River (2 Kings 5:1-27). Jesus once healed a blind man by making clay with His spit, putting it on the man’s eyes and asking him to go wash off at a particular place (John 9:1-12). It was not until the man washed off his eyes in the place where Jesus had ordered him to go that his sight was restored. What do you think would have happened if the man decided to go somewhere else to wash his eyes? The man did not begin arguing with Jesus about His methods of healing, he knew he simply had to obey the voice of God in faith.

I do not know why God sometimes heals instantly miraculously and other times He requires some effort from us, or tests our faith. I do know that His ways are perfect, and He will give us much more than what we request of Him if we simply trust and obey.

How God Would Heal My Son

I felt the Holy Spirit leading me to understand that my son would only be healed if I obeyed God’s method of healing and that I would have to learn to discern His voice to follow His instructions. Ellen White, a Christian author, says, “There are many ways of practicing the healing art; but there is only one way that Heaven approves.” (CD 301.2) I saw that this thought was consistent with what the Holy Spirit had revealed to me in the Bible. I didn’t want healing for my son unless it came from ways God approves. He had promised complete healing as long as I obeyed. I would now search for His way.

It was clear that conventional medicine did not offer Lucas healing. All the drugs and treatments were only a way to patch the symptoms and receive temporal relief, and that seemed to become less effective with each use. I began to question if I should be pursuing medicine that did not align with what God had promised: complete healing. But what was I to do to help my son’s eczema, diarrhea, and vomiting for him to finally start gaining weight?

What medicine did God approve of for my son?

As I continued to study the subject in prayer, I came across two concepts that would change the way I viewed medicine forever.

(1) “Natural means, used in accordance with God’s will, bring about supernatural results. We ask for a miracle, and the Lord directs the mind to some simple remedy.” (2SM 346.4) Consistent with what I had read in the Bible, God will not always work in miraculous ways but will sometimes put in our minds what we have available in nature and, with His blessing, we will see “supernatural results.”

(2)” We cannot disregard the laws of nature without disregarding the laws of God. We cannot expect the Lord to work a miracle for us while we neglect the simple remedies He has provided for our use, which, aptly and opportunely applied, will bring about a miraculous result.Therefore, pray, believe, and work.” (2SM 346)

God’s law is written all over nature. However, because of our sinful nature and that of the world, we no longer see it clearly. The good news is that God has promised to show us “great and mighty things” beyond our understanding if we are willing to receive His truth, even if it goes against everything you have been taught. He is willing to teach us simple remedies in His creation to use “aptly and opportunely,” and then He will do what we cannot.

For weeks and months, I debated with God about what these revelations meant regarding healing for Lucas. I felt the Holy Spirit leading me to believe that God would heal my son only through natural means. This was such a radical thought for me, but I continuously gave my will up to God and let Him teach me. The more time I spent in prayer and studying, the more my faith began to grow. God began to open my mind to an understanding that can only be “spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14).

I had no idea how far God would test my faith, but I was certain I had received strict instructions of how He would bring healing to Lucas. My only job now was to pray, believe, and work.

Tags faith, god answers, god heals, natural healing, nature heals

Our Story

Part 3 – God Promises to Heal My Son

Post author By abundantpeaceandhealth
Post date September 16, 2020
6 Comments on Part 3 – God Promises to Heal My Son

Part 3 - God Promises to Heal My Son

My whole life, I had been taught that God leads doctors to provide you the best health treatment, that He blesses science to give us more knowledge, and that He blesses us through new drugs to treat illnesses. So when my son became chronically ill with all of these symptoms – severe eczema, vomiting, diarrhea, and failure to thrive – I naturally thought that what I needed to do was not to ask God for healing or inquire about how He would provide healing but rather simply follow doctor’s orders and ask God to guide them.

My beliefs were challenged when I was faced with watching my child’s health continue to deteriorate, in spite of strictly following doctor’s orders. What was most disheartening was that the medical community was not offering any true solutions, hope, or healing. Throughout those first 9 months, I was filled with anxiety, yearning for help so that my baby could thrive and be healthy. For months, I went from doctor to doctor, from one specialist to the next, only to see my child get worse from each drug or formula recommended. I felt desperate, helpless, and increasingly hopeless.

The turning point came when we received the diagnosis of Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE) and the only solution given was to give him an oral steroid. No trying to find his allergies, no dietary changes recommended, no addressing of his diarrhea, no trying to figure out the root cause, and no view of him as a whole person instead of individual symptoms.

My motherly instinct screamed inside. I did not want to patch the problem only for it to return. My child needed healing. The idea of simply increasing his caloric intake instead of trying to figure out what was causing the chronic diarrhea made absolutely no sense. Covering his body in steroids, only for the eczema to return more aggressively, was nonsense. I knew these were not solutions. I didn’t know where to turn to or what other specialist I could contact. I was filled with immense anxiety as I saw no hope for a better outcome within conventional medicine.

Lucas, my husband, and I became very stressed from the hospital stay when they diagnosed Lucas with EoE. His little body did not take it well and we really struggled controlling his eczema once we got home. So we decided we needed a nature retreat and went to the beach for four days to recover and reflect. Personally, what I was seeking most was hearing God’s voice. I was in desperate need of His peace. My anxiety would get so bad at times that I would have full blown anxiety attacks. Anything could trigger me. My nervous system was constantly on the edge. The only thing I thought of was, “How many bowel movements has my baby had today? How many times did he vomit? What do I feed him that won’t give him diarrhea? Has he gained any weight? How do I help his frantic itching? How do I heal his eczema wounds?” Every day was a battle and although I would talk to God about it, I realized something wasn’t right because I couldn’t hear Him as I had other times in my life. I was not being filled with His peace that I once knew so well. I finally came to the point where all I wanted was to hear God and feel His peace. This retreat was the perfect opportunity.

I was truly not expecting much from God. I wasn’t seeking a new revelation or an answer to a specific question. I wasn’t even seeking healing for my son anymore, but rather that God would simply work out His will, even if that meant losing my son. I was finally in a place where, wholeheartedly, all I was seeking was to hear God’s voice, see His glory, and feel His peace.

So, there I was on September 3^rd, 2016, on the beach with my Bible, pursuing God. I had asked my husband to care for Lucas a little while for me to have some personal time with God. As I was sitting there, watching the waves and feeling the breeze and stillness, I poured out my heart to God. I confessed that I had not been seeking Him first. I confessed that I had let my anxiety take over my life. I confessed that I had lost complete sight of Him and that I had been trying to resolve Lucas’ health issues by myself instead of letting Him lead me. I told God I was ready to let Him take charge; I couldn’t bear this burden anymore.

I began reading my Bible with the intention to hear God and the verse that touched me most was Jeremiah 33:3, “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” I began crying out to God for this promise to be true in my life and for God to answer me. My heart ached. All I wanted was for God to hold me, give me peace, and talk to me. As I was wrestling with God and claiming this promise, suddenly, everything became still in my mind, and these words came clear: “I will heal him, but not yet.” I felt the voice of God answering my call. I began crying, full of emotion, in somewhat disbelief, and an immense peace came over me.

I took that promise to heart and never once questioned it. God would heal my son. I didn’t care what the “not yet” part meant. I didn’t start questioning, “well, but how long?” God had answered and given me much more than I could have imagined. God knew just what I needed to hear to get me through the next 2 years that would follow. The bigger the test of faith, the clearer and more certain the promise.

Tags allegies, childhood allergies, eczema, eoe, failure to thrive, faith, food allergies, god answers, prayer

Our Story

Part 2 – Conventional Medicine

Post author By abundantpeaceandhealth
Post date September 10, 2020
4 Comments on Part 2 – Conventional Medicine

Part 2 - Conventional Medicine

Before Lucas was born, I had been on my own health journey. I was raised vegetarian my whole life. Due to severe chronic migraines however, I decided to adopt a strictly plant-based diet when I was 22 years old, 4 years before Lucas was conceived. I educated myself much on diet and health principals and adopted everything I learned. I was a firm believer of combining diet and lifestyle changes with conventional medicine. Therefore, I never doubted vaccinating my child or using medications when advised by a doctor.

I was determined to have a natural birth as long as my body allowed it and to breastfeed Lucas for at least a year. By the grace of God, I was able to do both. I had a completely natural birth and we had absolutely no problem breastfeeding, it came naturally to both of us, Lucas and I. However, because Lucas was born severely underweight, I was immediately pressured to feed him formula. His glucose levels were a bit low and his red blood cell count was off. The doctors urged me to feed Lucas formula to “fix” these issues, but in faith, I refused. I spent the first night and day breastfeeding 24/7, and when they tested his blood again, everything was normal! Praise God! However, the pressure to feed him formula was unceasing from then on.

I believed breast milk was best, especially if he had any health issues or growth problems, as the food that God created for babies had to be the best. I was certainly not going to try a dairy formula, being plant-based myself and having discovered early on that Lucas had allergy problems. However, plant-based formulas were not much better as the idea of giving my baby a formula that was 54% brown rice syrup or corn syrup mortified me! Surprisingly, plant-based infant formulas are very high in unhealthy sugars.

From the time Lucas was 2 months old we began seeing different specialist but it was not until he was 4 months old that we truly began getting desperate to get answers for his allergies, severe eczema, and lack of weight gain. Lucas’ conventional medicine journey included 4 doctors and specialist: the pediatrician, an allergist, a dermatologist, and a gastroenterologist (GI). We started seeing doctors almost every week and I noted how each one treated their own area of specialty rather than seeing the problem as a whole or discover the root cause.

Pediatrician

From the time Lucas was 5 months old, the pressure was on to put weight on him as it became evident that he was not catching up and had a hard time gaining any weight at all. One of the first recommendations was to give him MCT oil. The idea was that he just needed more calories and oil was the easiest way to add calories fast. We were very faithful in giving him the oil, but quickly realized that it was giving him diarrhea. He gained no weight at all. At around 6 months old, a soy formula was suggested in addition to my breast milk. I was skeptical because at this point, I felt the issue was not the amount of milk or calories he drank. However, as Lucas had been exclusively breastfed for 6 months and I was desperate to have him gain weight, we agreed to try the soy formula. Within three days of trying the soy formula, Lucas began throwing up and having diarrhea. Again, no weight gain.

The pediatrician also tested his iron, which showed to be low, so she prescribed an iron supplement, which Lucas also reacted to, causing him to throw up. Another month of no weight gain at all. Before trying these different things, he was at least gaining a little weight! But now we had several weeks of no weight gain.

While we waited for an appointment with the dermatologist, the pediatrician gave us a 2.5% hydrocortisone cream for Lucas’ eczema, which we faithfully applied on all critical areas. At first, the cream seemed to work, but the effect quickly wore off and the eczema came back with full force.

When Lucas was 5 months old, we did regular blood work to test for allergens, about 30 in total. They all came back positive: coconut, nuts, corn, soy, wheat, dogs, cats, dust, etc. They weren’t just positive—on the scale from 1-6, 1 being least allergic and 6 being highly allergic, he appeared to be highly allergic to everything. Curiously, he did not show to be allergic to dairy, eggs, and shellfish, something we attributed to the fact that he had never been exposed to them. His IGE was close to 6000 IU/mL (standard range 0-15 IU/mL), which is an indicator that the body overreacts to allergens. So, we were quickly referred to the Immunologist.

Immunologist/ Allergist

Our first visit with the immunologist was when Lucas was 6 months old. When we received the results that Lucas had so many allergies, I was devastated and filled with anxiety. However, the allergist assured us that the test results didn’t matter because they were hardly ever accurate, and to reintroduce all foods (wheat and soy). I asked her how I would know if he was reacting to the foods I was reintroducing, and she said that I should see hives or throwing up within 2-4 hours of ingesting the food, guaranteed. I remember asking her if there could be a reaction after 24 hours and she said no. Bottom line, she did not want me to restrict my diet because I could become malnourished as a breastfeeding mom.

Wanting to be a good mom and patient, I did just what the doctor said and reintroduced wheat and soy. I was so happy to be eating a regular plant-based diet again! I was even happier when I saw no allergic reaction after 24 hours. We even gave Lucas bread to eat! No vomit, no diarrhea, no hives! I was ecstatic!

But the happiness didn’t last long. As we later discovered, the steroids were masking the eczema. After 3 days of reintroducing wheat, Lucas was covered in eczema and later began explosively throwing up. I was so confused. I thought we were in the clear, it had been three days! I was heartbroken and desperate.

The immunologist also prescribed hydroxyzine, an antihistamine, to reduce the itching and for Lucas to sleep better. She said to start with a small dose and keep increasing it until it was effective, up to 10 ml. We did just that. A small dose would work for a few days to help him sleep. When it wasn’t effective anymore, we would have to up the dose until we reached the 10 ml. It never seemed to help his itchiness, but simply made him sleepy. Over time, we started realizing how he was constantly sedated and not himself. Eventually, this medication became completely useless (not that it ever really helped). When we first stopped using the medication, he itched even more than he did before we started the hydroxyzine, scratching desperately all the time. We know it was the medication because after a few weeks off it, his itching went back to his baseline. We tried the medication again sometime after and observed the same thing.

Dermatologist

We finally got to see the dermatologist when Lucas was 7 months old. By this point, he was covered in eczema from head to toe (due to exposing him to so many allergens and the 2.5% hydrocortisone cream not working anymore). The doctor saw Lucas for 5 minutes and immediately prescribed Fluocinolone Acetonide, a steroid-based oil that is suppose to be very safe and effective. We were to cover his body in the oil and use it 4 days on and 3 days off. We were also recommended to try wet wrapping after we applied the steroid (one layer of wet clothes to lock in moisture and one layer of dry clothes). I asked about food allergies and if that could be contributing to his eczema and he assured me that there is no relationship between food and eczema, and that Lucas would grow out of it soon.

When I went to pick up the prescription, the pharmacist warned me to be very careful and use as little as possible as it was a very strong drug. This confused me because the doctor had just assured us it was safe and to just slather his body with it. I trusted my doctor and started applying the oil liberally as instructed. Within 24 hours, Lucas was eczema free! We thought it was a miracle drug and were so excited. But then came the 3 days off the steroid and it took less than a day for Lucas to be covered in eczema again. By the 3^rd day, it seemed to be even worse than before. We were happy when it was time to put the steroid oil on his body again expecting the same result. However, this time, it took 2 days for his body to be clear and during the days off the steroid the eczema came back even worse. We went through this for a month, and each time it got worse and worse. It would take longer for the eczema to clear and it would come back with a vengeance when he was off steroids.

We went back to the dermatologist a month after. This time, we got to see a pediatric dermatologist and we hoped to get some more insight. However, she was both very rude and dismissive of all of our concerns. She told us to try to use the steroid for 2 days on and 2 days off. I shared with her the concern the pharmacist had expressed and wanted to know exactly how much I needed to apply as I was worried it could be too much. I was also beginning to doubt the safety and effectiveness of the steroid oil. The doctor assured me again to simply apply as much oil as was needed for the eczema to clear. I asked what we would do if he didn’t respond to the oil and the answer was to keep trying a stronger steroid until he grew out of it. I wanted to know her input about the connection with diet, and again she dismissed it saying it had no correlation and to not worry, he was going to grow it out. I was treated as an ignorant person. There was no respect for my questions and concerns.

At home, we tried the steroid for 2 days on and 2 days off, but it had absolutely no benefit. Lucas ended up being constantly covered in eczema and the steroids seemed to be having no effect anymore. Even worse, the eczema was more severe than we had ever seen it.

Gastroenterologist (GI)

We were referred to the GI because of the growing concern of Lucas’ lack of weight gain, his vomiting, and diarrhea. We saw the pediatric GI for the first time when Lucas had just turned 8 months old. He was weighing only 13 lb., 5 oz (6kg) and had not gained any weight in 2 months. This doctor was friendly, caring and took her time in addressing all of our concerns. Like the pediatrician, she also thought Lucas’ weight issue was just a calorie problem and that we just needed to increase his food intake. However, because we expressed that Lucas had reacted to the soy formula and was having diarrhea and vomiting, she advised to try Elecare, an infant formula for children with severe allergies. Again, the idea was not to replace my breast milk but to add calories to his diet. Lucas was having up to 25 bowel movements a day, and yet, at no point was his diarrhea addressed. The only thing that mattered was increasing his food intake. There was little concern about the amount of solid foods he ate because they believe that “food is for play” at that age. However, we did notice that he was vomiting more frequently after eating solids, and not with my breast milk.

The doctor ordered some more blood work and told us to come back when we had the results. Meanwhile, we were to keep checking his weight with the pediatrician. Upon reading the ingredients of Elecare, I was horrified. It contained 55% corn syrup! The other ingredients don’t get much better: Safflower oil (9%), MCT oil (8%), soy oil (7%), and then came the amino acids, vitamins and minerals. I did not want to feed my baby this, but we were desperate, and I had to trust the doctor. We tried the formula for 2 days, taking it very slow, just 4 oz at the start. By the third day, Lucas began explosively throwing up and his diarrhea got worse. These symptoms lasted a few days, leading to some more weeks with no weight gain.

We went back to the pediatrician, who was very concerned. That same afternoon she called the Immunologist and GI to consult on what else we could do. Because of his history of allergic reactions and a high eosinophil blood count, they came to the conclusion that, although unlikely at his young age, Lucas might have something called Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE), an allergic inflammatory response in the esophagus that can cause vomiting in children. The only way to truly diagnose it was to do an endoscopy and they would also perform a colonoscopy to discard any other issues. They wanted to hospitalize him for 5 days to run some tests and also to put a nasal tube (NG) in to feed more calories while he was there. So to the hospital we went, when Lucas had just turned 9 months old.

Doctors performed the endoscopy, colonoscopy, and put a nasal tube in him all while he was sedated. I was still to breastfeed and feed him as normal, and at night we would feed him through the nasal tube. They tried a different formula called Neocate, but it had pretty much the same ingredients except for the soy oil. Lucas would normally still wake up every 2 hours to breastfeed, but with the nasal tube, he didn’t want to breastfeed. The formula was not adding calories; it was just replacing my breast milk. On the forth day, Lucas began throwing up explosively; he was reacting to Neocate.

In addition, his eczema got so severe in the hospital that the tape they were using to hold his NG tube and IV, began to cut and destroy his skin. In the end, there was no way to keep the NG tube or IV in place and they took everything out. On the fifth day in the hospital, we got the confirmation that Lucas had Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE). The solution: oral steroids for 3 months to reduce the inflammation of the esophagus. We were free to go home.

This made absolutely no sense to me. I had done my research on EoE and learned that the best way to control the disease was with diet, avoiding all allergens. I was willing to restrict his diet and mine in every possible way to help him—why was no one working with me in that sense? Steroids were not a solution, as the doctor herself expressed that the symptoms come back when you stop the steroids. My other concern was that, at this point, Lucas was not throwing up much, at least not enough to account for not gaining any weight in 3 months. His real issue was the diarrhea, not the number of calories he took in either; it was clearly malabsorption. As I expressed these concerns to the GI, the response was to try the steroid and we would see what happened in 3 months. I knew that wasn’t going to solve anything. I saw no hope in sight. This is the moment I realized I needed to start doing my own research and find healing with God’s guidance.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Tags allergy, childhood allergies, eczema, eoe, failure to thrive, faith, food allergies, infant formula

Our Story

Part 1 – Diagnosis

Part 1 - Diagnosis

I had been married to my wonderful husband, Cristian, for a little over a year when we received the news that we would become parents. Our son Lucas was born in November 2015, at 37 weeks and weighing 2.365 kg (5 lbs., 3 oz), classifying him as an extremely underweight baby for his age and placing him on the 0% growth curve. Although I had not gained much weight during my pregnancy, my doctor never had any concerns as the baby and I both seemed to be very healthy. In all the ultrasounds, Lucas appeared to be growing well. No one could explain why he was born so small. I was blessed to be able to breastfeed him right away without problem, perfect latch and plenty of milk supply. He immediately began gaining weight and his blood work was normal, so they sent us home from the hospital in hopes that Lucas would catch up quickly as most babies do.

During the first two months of Lucas’ life, he gained weight well and seemed to have no issues except for some cradle cap and baby acne, which the doctors assured us would go away on its own. However, when he was 2 months old—right after his vaccinations I must add—his body became covered in eczema from head to toe, and his weight gain stopped. One doctor we consulted was convinced this was an allergic reaction, which we found strange, as I had been eating the same healthy, plant-based diet for 5 years, so clearly it was no allergy to eggs, dairy, or meat. We did some basic blood allergy testing at 2 ½ months and it came positive for both items we tested, wheat and soy, and his antibodies, Immunoglobulin E (IgE), were off the charts. Later we would find out that he would test positive to every single food, and his IgE levels continued to go up higher and higher each month.

I was breastfeeding during this time, and the moment we received the positive test results for wheat and soy, I stopped eating every food containing those ingredients so as to not pass them on to Lucas. Unfortunately, eliminating these foods did absolutely nothing for Lucas. We kept on waiting in hope that we would see his eczema improve, but this was not the case. And here started our long, very long, journey of figuring out all his allergies and sensitivities. Things would get much worse before we would find healing.

From very early on, when he was about 4 months, I suspected a malabsorption issue as he was not gaining weight well, but was constantly breastfeeding. We always thought Lucas had too many bowel movements, even for a breastfeeding baby, and he also didn’t have too many wet diapers. When we started introducing solids to his diet at 6 months old, things got even worse. He began vomiting and it became clear that he had chronic diarrhea. At this point, he completely stopped gaining weight.

When Lucas was 8 months old, Doctors suggested hospitalizing him to feed him more calories through a NG tube and to run some tests. The result was more vomiting and diarrhea, which we believed was from the formula they were feeding him. They diagnosed him Eosinophilic Esophagitis, or inflammation of the esophagus due to food allergies. This is what was causing the vomiting, but it did not explain the root cause. We were sent home with a prescription of oral steroids.

The struggle continued over the next few months and years. His eczema became unceasingly worse, his diarrhea was out of control, and he would vomit any time he ate solids. On good days, he had 15 bowl movements, and on bad days, he could have up to 30. It was impossible for Lucas to gain weight like this. His weight would fluctuate a few ounces, but for 2 years he weighed only between 14 and 15 lbs.

Can you imagine? A 2-year-old weighing only 14 pounds? We were desperate. We felt so powerless. My poor baby was in constant pain and discomfort. There were days he could do nothing but breastfeed. If he wasn’t breastfeeding, he was crying in pain. We tried everything to give him relief and health but had constant failures. No doctor seemed to be able to help. Our faith was tested to its limits. It would be 2 years of agony and suffering before we would find the right help—and see God reveal His glory in Lucas.

Tags eczema, eoe, failure to thrive, faith, healing, natural healing

Recipes

Simple 6 Ingredient Quinoa Bread

Post author By abundantpeaceandhealth
Post date September 2, 2020
12 Comments on Simple 6 Ingredient Quinoa Bread

Simple 6 Ingredient Quinoa Bread

One of the hardest foods to replace when making lifestyle changes is bread. We are accustomed to eating bread every day or at every meal in certain cultures. However, bread, as we know it today, does not provide much nutrition. In many cases bread has become empty calories, filling our stomach but not nourishing our mind and body. For many people wheat is also inflammatory, making it even more crucial to find a replacement. The problem with gluten-free breads is that many use corn flour or white rice flour which are not much better and can also cause inflammation. Whatever your reason for wanting to reduce or eliminate bread consumption, I have a great recipe for you.

This recipe is very forgiving in the sense that it is easy to test out and still get a great bread. I have made several different varieties of this bread, so feel free to play around. Your essentials are the quinoa, salt, and flaxseed. This recipe does require a good food processor although it may also be done in a Vitamix blender with some effort.

Ingredients:

3.5 cups quinoa
1/3 cup water
1 cup sunflower seed
1 cup ground flaxseed
1.5 tbsp honey or 3 Tbsp coconut sugar
1 tsp salt

Instructions:

Soak quinoa and sunflower seeds, separately, for at least 8 hours or overnight.
After soaking, rinse quinoa and sunflower seeds very well using a strainer. You may leave the quinoa covered in the strainer during the day to give it a chance to sprout or you may use it right away. Sprouting is recommended for those with sensitive digestion, but the recipe will work either way.

Put the quinoa and water in a food processor and process between 5 to 10 minutes until the quinoa is fully grinded and pasty.
Add the sunflower seeds, honey or coconut sugar, and salt, and process for another 3 minutes.
Add the ground flaxseed and process for a few minutes. The dough should become thick at this point.
Add water or more flaxseed meal as needed until you have the desired consistency as shown below.

Place parchment paper on a cooking tray. Take a large spoon of dough, place it on the parchment paper, and mold the dough into a biscuit using a wet spatula.

Bake for 30 minutes at 350 ºF or until golden brown.

After the quinoa bread has cooled, store it in an air tight container or bag for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. You may also store the bread in the freezer to preserve for longer time.

Enjoy!

Tags bread, gluten free, healthy, plantbased, quinoa, vegan

Remedies

Oregano Oil for Bronchitis and the Flu

Post author By abundantpeaceandhealth
Post date September 2, 2020
9 Comments on Oregano Oil for Bronchitis and the Flu

Oregano Oil for Bronchitis and the Flu

One of the most effective natural remedies my family has used is oregano oil-infused hot steam. When my son Lucas began to recover from his severe eczema, chronic diarrhea, and imbalance of the microbiome, his immune system was very weak and he became sick frequently—every six weeks or so. He didn’t just get a cold, he would immediately get bronchitis and have trouble breathing.

In one of the first occasions our son had bronchitis, we took him to the pediatrician. The doctor was very concerned when she heard Lucas’ lungs. His oxygen levels were below normal fluctuating between 87 percent to 90 percent. She gave him a breathing treatment with Albuterol which brought his oxygen level up to 92 percent but it quickly began to drop again. Therefore, the doctor sent us to the emergency room for further treatment.

At the hospital, the doctor wanted to admit our son and give him steroids because his oxygen levels remained low after repeated breathing treatments with Albuterol. Lucas’ wheezing was apparent and he had shortness of breath. The doctor estimated that our son would need to be hospitalized at least four days. She also warned that if we did not give him the steroids, he would most likely develop pneumonia. Our son had just began healing from all his health conditions and we knew that a hospital stay and the steroids would significantly set him back. But, we were blessed with a doctor who understood our concern and trusted us to know our child best. She let us go but requested that we go see a doctor first thing in the morning. We got home at around 1:30 am.

That night I didn’t sleep. I was up every hour doing oregano oil steams for my son. I was going to avoid the hospital and the steroids at all cost. God blessed my efforts and by morning time Lucas was breathing significantly better. We continued the oregano oil breathing treatments throughout the day and by the next night, Lucas did not need them anymore! The next day, he was back to himself. It took him just two days to clear the cough. Since then we have been very faithful to use the oregano oil breathing treatments any time Lucas, or any of us, gets sick.

Oregano Oil for Healing

Oregano oil has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral properties. We also know that heat kills viruses and bacteria. Therefore, when you combine the properties of the oregano oil with hot steam, you get a perfect remedy for respiratory infections.

You can use this remedy at the first sight of illness, but it is also highly effective when you are very ill. We have used this treatment for bronchitis multiple times. It opens the lungs within 24 to 36 hours, unlike steroids that take days to reduce inflammation.

The Treatment

You will need to use oregano essential oil, not oil of oregano. Be cautious not to get the oil on your hands or any other part of your body, as it will burn you. It is very strong! (I learned this the hard way.) If you have an oregano plant in your garden, you can also grab a large bunch and boil that as well.

This treatment can be done with children and even infants. However, you must ensure the steam does not burn them. I give further tips on how to do it with children below.

Items you will need:

Medium sized pot
Filtered water
Oregano essential oil
Eucalyptus essential oil (optional)
A spoon
Large towel or bed sheet
A comfortable place to sit with a table

Method:

Fill a medium sized pot halfway with filtered water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat keeping it covered so the steam does not get away.
Place it on a table where you can sit comfortably.
Add one drop of oregano essential oil to a spoon and add it to the hot water, close the lid immediately.
Put the towel or bed sheet over you and slowly, partially, open the lid of the pot. Be careful not to burn yourself! The oil will smell very strong at first, but it will quickly fade.
Breath in as deep as you can to get the hot steam into your lungs. For 20 minutes, continue to breath in the steam through your nose and mouth.
Add one drop of oregano oil every few minutes as the effect wears off. I also like to add a drop of eucalyptus oil in between.
Add boiling water every few minutes if the steam begins to fade.

How often should you do the oregano oil treatment?

This will depend on the difficulty you are having to breath. If you are having shortness of breath, wheezing, and chest retractions, you will need to do the treatment every one to two hours. As symptoms improve, you can space out the treatments. Continue doing the treatment until you are breathing well again. On the other hand, if you are at the beginning stages of illness and don’t feel your lungs affected yet, you may do the steam only twice a day to prevent the infection from growing in your lungs.

**Using an essential oil diffuser will not have the same effect, as you need the hot steam to kill the virus.

Method for Young Children

The instructions will be the same as above but with little children we want to focus on safety. Get a king size bed sheet and think of a safe place where you could put the hot pot and do the treatment with your child. I suggest you use a large bed sheet so that you have enough space for yourself, your child, and a safe distance between your child and the hot pot.

Another measure to prevent burns is to wrap a towel or two around the pot. Your child will want to get out of the steam so be prepared to keep him safe from the pot. Be prepared to distract them, as this treatment takes time and patience. Your child may cry. Do the treatment for as long as you can, up to 20 minutes.

Doing this treatment with children will require a bit of trial and error, but I will share how we have done it with our son. When our son was two years old, the only way we could get him to stay under the sheet safely and long enough was to do the treatment while he slept. I would put a chair right next to his bed with the steaming oregano oil pot and put the large bed sheet over us. It will be difficult for the children to tolerate the steam for too long. Therefore, it is a good idea to do it while they sleep so they can breathe it in for a longer time.

Now that our son is 4 years old, we do it on his little play table and let him watch YouTube videos. Our son doesn’t get any screen time so when he does, he is very excited to sit still while we do the treatment.

Every child is different. Pray about it and let God guide you. If your child cannot tolerate it for more then a few minutes, try doing it in short, frequent increments. Remember that it is God who ultimately heals, so even if you manage to do it only for a few minutes, trust that with God’s blessing, it will be effective.

Tags bronchitis, essential oil, flu, healing, infection, oregano

Spiritual Walk

5 Principles for Hearing the Voice of God

Post author By abundantpeaceandhealth
Post date August 26, 2020
2 Comments on 5 Principles for Hearing the Voice of God

5 Principles for Hearing the Voice of God

On September 3, 2016, God clearly spoke to me and said: “I will heal your son, but not yet”. A few months later, He revealed to me the means by which my son would be healed. And on December 31, 2017, God impressed my heart that my son would be healed in 2018.

The most asked question I get when I tell the testimony of my son is, “How did you hear God’s voice? Was it an audible voice? Was it a sign? A thought? A feeling?” In my experiences, I have identified five principles that enable us to recognize the voice of God. I want to share them with you—the story of my own personal experience.

But first, let’s remember a few Bible promises. Throughout scripture, God repeatedly promises that if we call on Him, He will answer us. A few examples are:

“Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” – Jeremiah 29:12-13
‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’ – Jeremiah 33:3
It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; And while they are still speaking, I will hear.” – Isaiah 65:24
“Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.” – Psalm 50:15

The Christian community believes these promises, yet we struggle to discern the voice of God. In a world filled with distractions and evil spirits wanting to deceive us, how can we be certain when God has spoken to us or if the evil forces are trying to separate us from God with lies? It seems we are living in a time when most people are so preoccupied with worldly pleasures. It is a time similar to that of the Prophet Samuel, in that God’s word is rare to hear: “And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation.” (1 Samuel 3:1)

God certainly wants to speak to us. However, along with knowing Bible promises, we must also believe them and learn to discern the voice of God. Here are the 5 principles I have learned for hearing the voice of God:

1. A Surrendered Heart

The most important necessity to hear God’s voice is a heart surrendered to Him. Psalm 51:17 teaches us, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise.” When you present yourself before God, recognizing Him as Creator, Savior, and King, acknowledging your sinful nature, and asking for forgiveness, God will answer. Recognizing Him as the Supreme Ruler over our lives will sometimes imply leaving our preconceived beliefs behind and letting God teach us His truth.

In my case, this moment came when we sought medical wisdom through many specialists for my son’s health condition before we went to Christ. Although I prayed every day for 9 months for God to hear me and answer me, I could not hear Him while I kept seeking my own way. It was not until I fully surrendered my will and my preconceived beliefs to God that He answered me. When my spirit was truly broken and I was willing to hear whatever God had to tell me, God spoke those precious words: “I will heal him, but not yet.”

Before this revelation, my mind was too concerned with finding my own way the answer. If God would have spoken previously, and maybe He did, I would not have been able to discern His voice. It is crucial that we learn to fully surrender and depart from our own will or thoughts to hear God.

2. Seek God, Not the Blessing

True surrender will lead you to seek God and nothing else. We might find ourselves asking for a job, healing, financial stability, or better relationships, and this is not bad in itself. However, the problem arises when we seek God’s blessing more than we seek Him. John 17:3 says, “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” The ultimate blessing comes from simply knowing God and it is in hardship that we recognize our need for Christ.

When I stopped asking God to heal my son, but instead asked that I simply hear Him and know Him, God answered. It would take 2 years before my son was fully healed, but I had learned that what I needed most was just to know God.

We do not need to continuously present our need and pain to God, “For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:8). God desires that we learn to trust Him and seek Him above all.

3. Faith – God Will Answer

We must believe that God will hear and answer. We have been promised, “whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them” (Mark 11:24). Yet, we doubt. We have little faith. We repeat the same request over and over again as if God has not heard us instead of claiming His promise that he has already heard and is working on it.

For example, if we ask for wisdom to make a decision, we must believe that “it will be given to” us and God will guide our thinking process from then on to show us the way (James 1:5).

We may sometimes not get an answer right away, but remember—the main objective of prayer and surrender is to know God. It is in prayer that our hearts are transformed to His image and this should be the ultimate goal of any Christian. We must also blindly believe ones God has answered, even there seems to be no sign of it yet.

Sometimes our faith has to be tested to develop a character that is more like Christ. When I heard God promise me that He would heal my son, I never questioned it, not in that moment nor a year later when my son was more sick than ever.

We must have the faith of Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

4. For the Glory of God

We must desire to see the glory of God above all, and our prayers should reflect this. We must trust that what will glorify God is also what is best for us and those around us. Our prayer requests should be focused on God receiving the glory. If a particular prayer request will not glorify God, we need to continue in prayer and study for God to align our hearts with His desires—again, trusting that He has our best interest at heart.

It is wise to question the motives behind our prayer request and ask ourselves whether we are truly seeking to glorify God with it. James 4:3 reminds us that, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.” We may sometimes whole heartedly believe that our motives are pure, but we must remember Jeremiah 17:9-10 and ask God to test us.

When I finally learned to fully surrender to God and let Him work in my heart, all I desired was to see the glory of God revealed in my son, whatever that looked like, even if I might eventually lose my son.

5. Prayer and Fasting

Fasting was rather common in bible times and unfortunately, we have lost the habit and blessing of fasting. We have record of Daniel fasting on two occasions: one asking for repentance and for God to restore Jerusalem, and secondly when he had a prophetic vision that overwhelmed him (Daniel 9:3 and 10:3). In Mark 9, we are told that the disciples were not able to cast out a demon and in response Jesus answers, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting” (v. 29). We also have multiple accounts of the apostles fasting. One of these instances is when Barnabas and Paul accept a call from God.

The Bible teaches us a great principle that sometimes prayer is not enough and we are called to fast. The purpose of fasting is to eliminate distractions, clear the mind, and learn to live by the word of God alone.

There are different types of fasts, such as abstaining from food, a juice fast, or a media fast. Furthermore, there are different reason to fast. Consider it if you are wanting to discern God’s voice clearly. If Jesus needed to fast, how much more do we need it?

What Does God’s Voice Actually Sound Like?

We each experience the voice of God differently and it will vary from one time to the next. While my son was sick, I discerned God’s voice three times and each experience was different:

How God told me my son would be healed: In the midst of weeping and crying out to God, suddenly everything became still, and clear words were placed in my mind, “I will heal your son, but not yet”. Peace that “surpasses all understanding” filled my heart for the first time in nine months (Philippians 4:7). I knew it was the voice of God. Read the full story in my blog post “God Promises to Heal My Son“.
When God told me how He would heal my son:
As I practiced daily surrender and studied my Bible, I prayed for God to teach me. As I was willing to leave behind my way of thinking, God opened my mind to understand His truth. I read my Bible intentionally seeking for God to teach me “great and mighty things” (Jeremiah 33:3) which I did not know, I saw God’s health plan for humanity written all over the Bible. This was my answer as to how God would heal my son—through nature. Read the full story here.
How God told me when He would heal my son:
I cried out to God asking for a sign that we were on the right path and that we were doing His will. My son had stopped walking for several months. On that day I prayed, he began walking again, and not a few steps, but for 15 minutes. I was in awe and overjoyed. Suddenly, I felt the Holy Spirit come over me and tell me, “You wanted a sign, this is it.” I began crying in disbelieve and an impression was placed in my heart that this new year was the year God would heal my son. Read the full story here.

Tags bible principles, faith, god, god answers, prayer

Lifestyle

8 Laws of Health – Principles for Healthy Living

Post author By abundantpeaceandhealth
Post date August 25, 2020
3 Comments on 8 Laws of Health – Principles for Healthy Living

The 8 Laws of Health

In nature we find eight laws that govern the health of our bodies. From creation, these laws were provided by God to give our bodies the ability to heal, and to also develop our mind. As with any law designed by God, if you are faithful to obey it, you will be blessed with health and healing of the body, mind, and spirit. The eight laws are very simple, but the benefits are infinite:

“Pure air, sunlight, abstemiousness, rest, exercise, proper diet, the use of water, trust in divine power—these are the true remedies” (Ministry of Healing, page 127). To remember the eight laws, the acronym NEW START was created: Nutrition, Exercise, Water, Sunlight, Temperance, Air, Rest, and Trust in God.

Health does not come from proper nutrition or exercise alone; complete health will be found when all eight principles are adopted. You may find it hard to put into practice all eight laws at once, but we can take one step at a time. Each person will begin in a different place and that’s okay. The important thing is to take steps forward with a goal in mind. You will find that some of these principles can be quickly added to your daily life without much effort, whereas others will require more discipline, education, and time to implement. Start where you can and don’t give up. With perseverance and God’s help, you will see how your body begins to heal and you will be motivated to keep going.

Principles for Healthy Living

1. Nutrition

Eat plant-based, incorporating many fruits, vegetables, legumes, seeds, nuts, and grains.
Avoid wheat. I highly recommend you look into the history of the current wheat we eat. Many people are becoming sensitive to this modern grain and it is causing inflammation.
Avoid processed foods and cook at home.
Take time to masticate your food well to improve digestion.
Eat your meals at the same time every day with no snacking in between.
Consider intermitting fasting and a 24 hour fast every week.
For further study, consider: Genesis 1:29, Genesis 3:18, Daniel 1, and the ideal diet God outlined for Israel.

2. Exercise

Move your body daily in the way you most enjoy: Garden, walk, bike, go on hikes, tennis, soccer, run, etc.
Aim for at least 30 minutes a day, and ideally 1 hour.
Try to be as active as you can throughout the day. Get a standing work desk, make repeated walks to get water, take 10-minute walking breaks, stretch your body, etc.

3. Water

Drink plenty of water in between meals. Aim for at least 8 cups a day.
Avoid juices, sugary drinks, and caffeine, including black/green tea. Try non-caffeinated herbal teas instead.
Use water for healing. Hydrotherapy has powerful healing effects on the body. To learn more on hydrotherapy, I recommend you check out Traditional Hydrotherapy.

4. Sunlight

Get at least 15 minutes of sunlight exposure a day (without sunscreen). Slowly increase the time you spend in the sun to prevent sunburn—30 to 45 minutes is ideal.
When the weather permits, expose your arms, chest, and legs to receive as much sunlight as possible.
Get sunlight exposure in your eyes early in the morning. This will help with melatonin production at night and allow you to go to bed early and have better sleep.
When you are sick or have a chronic condition, try sunbathing. You may want to expose your back completely and get sunlight on your back, stomach, and chest. Lay in your backyard or balcony, 15 minutes on your back and 15 minutes on your stomach, to get the benefits the sun provides for fighting the disease.
In the summer, be mindful to not burn your skin. Avoid sun exposure from noon to 3 pm.
If you expose your body regularly to the sun, you will be less likely to burn. Everybody is different. Know your body and increase the time slowly.

5. Temperance

“True temperance teaches us to dispense entirely with everything that is hurtful, and to use judiciously that which is healthful” (White, Patriarchs and Prophets, page 562). In other words, abstain from all that is bad and use wisely that which is good.
Don’t consume drugs, alcohol, smoking, or caffeine.
Avoid anything that is harmful to your body such as unhealthy food, eating in excess, eating too late, foods that trigger sensitivities, etc.
Use healthy foods and natural remedies with wisdom.
Take care of your mind. Consider what you are feeding your mind through social media, movies, TV shows, video games. Fill your mind with things that will connect you to rather than separate you from God.
“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10: 31).

6. Air

Get fresh air daily – ventilate your home, get an air purifier if needed, and spend time in forests weekly, where fresh oxygen is plentiful.
Take deep breaths and avoid tight clothes that impair the healthy flow of oxygen.
The forest is a great place to get fresh air and boost your immune system. Japanese doctors prescribe “forest bathing”. More on that idea here: Time Magazine and Forest Holidays

7. Rest

Sleep 7 to 8 hours a day. The best sleep is obtained before midnight, therefore do your best to get as many hours of sleep as you can before then. If you struggle with going to bed early, try to go to bed 15 minutes earlier than you usually would. Every few days, make bedtime another 15 minutes earlier. Over time, your body will adjust.
Rest when your body asks for it. Sometimes we need to recognize when our mind and body need some time to recharge. Learn to identify those cues and make the time to rest.
Rest from your daily activities on the seventh day of the week (Saturday). God made a special day of the week to rest our mind and body. Let’s take advantage of this blessing and make the time to fellowship with God and others in His creation.

8. Trust in God

“Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh and strength to your bones” (Proverbs 3:8).
Read scripture daily and memorize promises. There is healing in the Word of God. Every time you feel overwhelmed, repeat God’s promises and you will be filled with peace.
Pray and fast.
Sing worship songs.
Trust God with every burden in your heart. “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength” (Isaiah 26:3-4).

Tags eat clean, healing, health, healthy life, lifestyle, Natural, wellness, workout