Tag: faith

Part 10 – The Glory of God Revealed

Post author By abundantpeaceandhealth
Post date November 5, 2020
11 Comments on Part 10 – The Glory of God Revealed

To read our story from the beginning click here.

Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” – John 11:40

It was two years of pain, suffering, helplessness, and agony watching my child become sicker each day. Two years of unceasing prayer, faith, surrender, obedience, and hope. God promised I would see His glory if I persevered in faith and so it was—and for all to see.

Lucas’ Hospitalization

It had been a week since our son was hospitalized against our will (read part 9). At the time Lucas was admitted, he had no vomiting, no diarrhea, and his skin was white with no inflammation. Throughout the week, the symptoms we had worked so hard to heal began to reappear. First worsening of his eczema, then diarrhea, and finally vomiting. As parents, this was heartbreaking to watch but even more distressing was the fact that we could not advocate for our child for fear of losing custody. In my pain and hopelessness, God reassured me and said: “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today… The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” Exodus 14:13-14

God filled me with peace, hope, and meekness as his symptoms became worse with each passing day. The climax of his deterioration came on Sunday, when for the first time ever he began wheezing and having trouble breathing. It was clear that he was reacting to the procedures that had been introduced, which included EleCare formula, two blood transfusion, TPN solution, and a diuretic. The nurse became concerned that the allergic reaction may worsen and called the rapid response team. Calling the medical emergency team was the fastest way to ensure Lucas was safe. It was the weekend and getting hold of the primary physician might have taken more time than we had.

God Sends Deliverance

Within minutes, our room was packed with medical staff. The nurse gave a quick summary of the events and the head emergency physician made an assessment to ensure Lucas’ immediate wellbeing. By this time, Lucas was calm and in my arms breastfeeding. The allergic reaction seemed to not advance any further. The doctor kneeled at the bedside to ask me questions. She wanted to know my account of the events and what I thought as his mom. Finally, I felt at liberty to speak up.

I informed the physician that I believed that Lucas was experiencing a severe allergic reaction to the formula and the different procedures. I explained that Lucas was very sensitive and reacted to most things. The doctor asked me a series of questions, and she came to the conclusion that Lucas may have also reacted to the diuretic. She took a look at his arm where the PICC line was placed and saw that it was not safe. The swelling was also a concern and an indication that something was not right. I expressed that we had been having serious trouble with the PICC line and I believed it was causing Lucas more harm than good. The nurse also began advocating for us and voiced her concerns about the situation. The physician showed remarkable knowledge, care, and empathy. She expressed she had personal experience with allergic reactions in children. She understood the struggle moms go through to protect their children from allergies.

The emergency physician ordered to stop giving Lucas the formula, take out the PICC line, and consider my expertise as his mom before doing anything. The nurse could not have been happier! We could not believe it!

As soon as the emergency team left, the nurse began working on removing the PICC line from Lucas. As she opened the bandage, we realized that the PICC line was almost fully out! Because it was so hard to tape it down and keep it in position, the line had been pulling out with every movement Lucas made. This could have been so dangerous for Lucas and may have been the cause of his swelling (a PICC line needs to stay near the heart).

We were very relieved to have the PICC line out and have the authorization to stop giving him formula. It is as though God had sent the emergency doctor. Nevertheless, we questioned how Lucas could be stabilized now. It had taken us months to see him begin to recover. How long would it take now? When would physicians discharge Lucas?

New Medical Guidance

We were starting another week at the hospital and a new lead physician was assigned to us. Unlike the doctor from the previous week, she was very caring of the concerns I expressed. She valued my opinion and considered it at every stage. She went out of her way to check in on us and make sure Lucas was OK. Furthermore, she agreed with the emergency doctor assessment to remove the PICC line and stop the formula feeding.

The lead physician assigned the attending physician with the task to research what formula Lucas could tolerate and she asked for a nutritionist to meet with us. There were very few options doctors could offer us. The protocol had failed, and the only thing they continued was finding ways to get more calories in him. When the nutritionist met with us, she was amazed at all we had done and knew. In fact, she started asking me questions about recipes, foods, and nutrition. She had no further advice for us.

The next day, the attending physician came back with a proposed formula, Neocate Splash. This time, the physician asked me to read through the ingredients and get my opinion on it. The ingredients definitely sounded much better than the EleCare formula which contains 55 percent corn syrup and has soy oil. Although I had my doubts about some ingredients such as maltodextrin and the fact that it was still a highly processed food, it looked like a viable option to try. Furthermore, it was clear that we could not leave the hospital without a clear feeding plan.

Physicians were so earnest to have Lucas gain weight quickly that they wanted him to drink the formula during the day and have a nasogastric (NG) tube to feed him at night. I expressed my concern that Lucas might vomit from having a full tummy since he breastfed at night. Furthermore, although they never suggested that I stop breastfeeding Lucas, it was clear that the medical team preferred to have a tangible way to count how many calories Lucas was taking in. My breast milk was not considered in his calorie count because they did not know how much nutrition he was receiving from it. Lucas also ate solid food, but the only thing that mattered to physicians was how much formula he drank a day. In our desperation for Lucas to be discharged from the hospital, we stopped feeding Lucas solids and focused mainly on having him drink the formula.

We tried the NG tube for two nights. The first night he woke up vomiting because his tummy was full. They had to reduce the dose. The next day his cheeks were already getting irritated from the tape holding the NG tube in place. The following morning, the tape no longer held in place and Lucas pulled the tube out. I now had confidence to speak up and advocate for my son, so I requested that the NG tube not be placed back.

Miraculous Recovery

During the second week in the hospital, something truly miraculous occurred. In the past, when Lucas had severe allergic reactions, it would take him two weeks to recover. However, we had never seen him react as severely as he did in the hospital. We feared that it would be months before his skin and digestive track recovered.

Nevertheless, this time was different. Lucas began recovering the moment they removed the PICC line and stopped using the EleCare formula. In just a few days, Lucas’ skin inflammation went away, his stools normalized, and he stopped vomiting. Consequently, he began gaining weight again. Lucas quickly regained energy and strength. He even began crawling around the bed—something he could not do before. Lucas had experienced short moments of healing before, but we had never witnessed such a remarkable recovery. There was no explanation other than the healing power of God working in him. The hospital protocol had weakened our child to the core, but now, God alone was restoring him back to health. We were in awe.

Many other events occurred that I cannot detail, or I would have to write a book. However, I can testify that the hand of the Lord was over Lucas, my husband, and I at every step of the way. As we were nearing the end of the third week in the hospital, the medical team felt Lucas was safe to be discharged.

Lucas left the hospital with no drug prescription and no treatment. The doctors had more questions than answers. However, all that mattered was that Lucas was certainly recovering. All glory to God!

Child Protective Services Charges

We were free to go home and treat Lucas as we had done before the hospitalization (read part 7). At home, we performed enemas for a few days to rebalance his microbiome and to further reduce the inflammation caused by the hospitalization. However, we still had to face the Child Protective Services (CPS) charges. We had weekly weigh ins with the primary care physician and weekly doctor’s appointments with different specialists.

CPS followed up with the hospital nurses and physicians. I am confident the report was positive. The nurses advocated for us and saw how dedicated we were to Lucas. The last day at the hospital, I remember asking the attending who was discharging us if it was clear on Lucas’ chart that there was no medical neglect on our part. He assured me that this was the case, and added that it was a very difficult case that perplexed all of Lucas’ physicians.

After a few weeks at home, a police officer knocked on our door. He was there to investigate charges on child abuse and asked if he could come in. The officer was very kind and asked us a couple questions. We explained Lucas’ medical condition and that now he was finally on the road to recovery. After a few minutes, he said that it was clear there was no case of child abuse and that he would dismiss his side of the investigation.

The last time we heard from CPS, was about a month after being discharged from the hospital. A public health nurse came to our house to weigh Lucas and do an in-home assessment. She was amazed at Lucas’ fast recovery. She could not believe it was the same boy. We explained what the physicians had tested for and how we were still seeing many specialists. It was clear that Lucas was on his way to healing. Yet, she made sure we understood that if we refused any medical treatment or missed any appointment, we would be in trouble.

New Homemade Formula

Lucas enjoyed drinking the Neocate Splash formula and at first it appeared to not cause him any harm. Yet, I never felt at ease with it. I researched one of the main ingredients in the formula, maltodextrin, and discovered that it was linked to digestive issues and an imbalance of the microbiota. By now, we had learned that the root cause of Lucas’ health issues was leaky gut and dysbiosis. I had a feeling this formula was disrupting his gut healing. I desperately wanted to change the formula but feared it would affect his weight. We were still required to do weekly weigh ins and could not take the risk of him not gaining weight one week.

Before Lucas was hospitalized, Mercy from Years Restored had talked to me about creating a homemade, high calorie formula for Lucas to drink to catch up on weight. We were about to implement it when Lucas was sent to the hospital. Now Lucas was fixed on Neocate Splash and I did not know how we could make the change. Then, a month after being on this formula, Lucas began having diarrhea again. I knew Neocate Splash was responsible for it and it would only get worse if we did not replace it soon.

We began planning to make the shift to a homemade formula. We had a few obstacles to think about. I suspected Lucas wouldn’t like the change at first and would deny drinking the new formula until he forgot about Neocate Splash. Lucas could also not lose weight by his next weigh in appointment. We prayed and left it in God’s hands as we thought about how we could do it.

At the next weigh in, the physician suggested to start weighing Lucas every two weeks instead of weekly. This gave us a two-week window to make the formula change and pray that if Lucas lost any weight, he would have enough time to recover it. The next day, we stopped giving Lucas Neocate Splash and I made the homemade formula.

As expected, Lucas refused to drink it. We tried in all kinds of ways to get him to drink some, but he just wouldn’t. The second day, same thing happened. On the third day, I weighed him, and he was already losing weight. As I had always done, I kneeled and asked God for wisdom and guidance.

My mom suggested mixing the homemade made formula with the Neocate Splash. I thought it was worth the try. We poured half of the homemade formula without Lucas seeing and then we had him pour the other half with Neocate Splash. It worked! He drank it all!! Over the next three days, we added less Neocate Splash each time until Lucas was only drinking the homemade formula.

The result? Lucas’ diarrhea stopped and, at his next weigh in, he had surpassed his previous weight gains! We informed the physician of the change in formula and she was fine with it as long as Lucas continued to gain weight.

Lucas Begins to Thrive

Over the next few months Lucas began thriving and catching up on everything he had missed. An essential part to Lucas’ recovery was Occupational Therapy (OT). Lucas had sensory issues that caused him to not want to eat certain foods or vomit them due to the texture. He refused to touch food and would scream any time food or certain textures touched him. He could not tolerate sand, for example. OT gave us the tools to explore new textures and overcome his sensory issues so that he could continue to thrive in all areas.

Lucas’ weight gain and growth were remarkably fast. With each passing day his muscles gained strength and he was readily learning to use them. On September 18, 2018, at 2 years and 10 months, Lucas finally learned to walk.

We were blessed with the opportunity to again take Lucas to the Avène Hydrotherapy Center where his skin healed further and we were able to testify of the miracle of Lucas’ healing. He was one of the most severe cases ever treated at Avène and they could not believe the healing that had taken place. We repeatedly gave all glory to God.

As Lucas began eating more solids and drinking more of the homemade formula, his body no longer needed my breast milk, and at nearly three years old, he weaned himself. I will never forget the last time I breastfed him. I knew it was the end of a long, painful, yet, beautiful journey. Lucas was finally healthy and independent to thrive on his own.

God’s Glory Revealed

In the months after the hospitalization, it became clear why God had allowed Lucas to be hospitalized. Everyone was to know that conventional medicine could not heal Lucas. It was God alone, through His natural means, who restored Lucas.

God spoke to me. We obeyed in faith at all cost. He delivered.

Today, Lucas is about to turn five years old. He still has some scars from the battle he fought, but you would never know that he was on the verge of death at one point. Every time you see Lucas, you see a miracle of God. You see the power of faith and the assurance that God still heals today. But above all, you see the glory of God.

A Call to the Reader

We all need healing. We have all fallen short of the glory of God and need deliverance. Healing is just as available to you as it was for me and my son. Jesus, the Great Physician, is willing to heal you today. Will you accept Him? Will you believe His word above all? Surrender to Christ fully today and He will lead you to complete healing.

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

Our Story

Part 5 – When Your Faith is Tested

Post author By abundantpeaceandhealth
Post date September 30, 2020
7 Comments on Part 5 – When Your Faith is Tested

Part 5 - When Your Faith is Tested

With the understanding that God had given me through His Word and the faith He implanted in my heart, I was determined to obey God and follow His instructions. However, the question remained, “What natural means will help my son heal?” As I studied scripture and daily gave my will to God, I stumbled upon a one-hour health lecture on YouTube by Barbara O’Neill. I was immediately captivated by her knowledge. She was teaching just what God had impressed in my heart and had so much wisdom in regard to using natural remedies for healing. I watched all of her lectures within a week, but I needed more specific knowledge to help my son, and that is when I found her email. I emailed her asking for her advice for my son’s case and to my surprise, she emailed me back the very same day. This first exchange started our daily email conversations as she began to guide me.

I knew God had guided me to find Barbara O’Neill and I immediately began implementing her recommendations—none of which could pose a risk for Lucas. Up to this point, we had experimented with several different elimination diets, but none seemed to help Lucas. I kept on eliminating foods and it felt like my son would not be able to eat anything because his symptoms continued. Barbara gave me some suggestions to change my diet one more time, for example replacing oats with millet and rice with quinoa. We also began giving Lucas some natural remedies like slippery elm.

The Decision To Take Our Son Off Drugs

Several things had happened at the same time: God revealing His plan to heal Lucas, me stumbling upon Barbara O’Neill, and the conviction in my heart that I had to take Lucas off all drug medications. Before I go on, I must be clear that none of the medications my son was taking were lifesaving; there was no imminent risk to take him off them. At this time, we were using a steroid oil on his skin from head to toe, high amounts of Hydroxyzine, and Budesonide (steroid medication) for his eosinophilic esophagitis. The only medication that maybe had some benefit was the Budesonide, because Lucas seemed to have started having less vomiting, but he was still not gaining weight. This drug, however, would not allow us to find out what he was truly allergic to because it masked the symptoms and it was not serving its purpose in helping Lucas gain weight as his severe diarrhea continued. At this time, we also decided that we would not be vaccinating Lucas at his one-year appointment.

I could give you countless scientific reasons and explanations for why we made the decision to take our son off the drugs, but at the end, it was simply an act of faith. God had made it very clear that He would heal our son but His way, without drugs. God had promised to reveal to me “great and might things which you do not know” to heal my son, but I had to take the first step of faith (Jeremiah 33:3).

To be honest, the decision wasn’t hard. It came naturally as a progression of everything God was revealing to me. It also helped that the drugs did not seem to help, and countless advice given by the physicians had only made Lucas get worse.

As we weaned Lucas off his drugs, he began having pretty bad withdrawal symptoms. He began to be itch like never before— desperately. He just couldn’t stop. He did not want to do anything but scratch. His skin exploded in head to toe eczema like we had never seen before.We would slather him in a homemade shea butter cream I made and would do wet wrap therapy (one layer of wet clothes right after applying the cream and then one layer of dry clothes).

To prevent scratching as much as possible, we only put onesies on him and put tape around the wrist of his onesie so he couldn’t pull the sleeves up. He still found any way he could to scratch. Every diaper change was a battle to keep him from scratching. It was a horrific four weeks, but his body finally calmed down and we were able to see what his true, baseline eczema looked like. He still itched, but not as desperately. He still had eczema, but it was not as severe or inflamed.

Our Son Begins To Heal

After a month of making the dietary changes recommended by Barbara O’Neill, implementing natural remedies, and taking Lucas off the drugs, we finally began to see hope. His eczema became somewhat more manageable, and most importantly, his diarrhea stopped, and he began to gain weight after nearly 6 months of no weight gain! He began to develop quickly. All the things he had missed (from being so weak and constantly itching) he began to do. We finally had a baby full of energy ready to explore the world. He began to crawl at 11 months and quickly moved on to holding on to furniture to practice taking steps. He was not throwing up, he was eating well, and everything indicated that we had finally found healing. It could only get better from here.

Our Faith Is Tested

The future was looking bright. It seemed we had finally gotten out of this storm and could see the sunshine ahead of us. Then, out of nowhere, the storm came back stronger than we could have ever imagined. After all the progress Lucas had made, he came crashing down. The explosive diarrhea and vomiting came back, which quickly debilitated his entire system. Nothing had changed in his diet or environment, so his deterioration made absolutely no sense. Over the course of the next few months, Lucas began to lose the weight he had gained, he began to lose his hair, and his eczema was out of control. Due to the constant severe diarrhea, he had very low protein levels in his blood, which left him with no strength for his muscles to develop and grow. He went from almost walking by himself, to barely having the strength to sit.

What were we to do now? Our son was disintegrating right in front of our eyes. Most alarming to doctors was his low protein level. However, once again, instead of focusing on what was causing it and how to heal it, the Gastroenterologist (GI) suggested to feed him with total parenteral nutrition (TPN), which is a method of feeding that bypasses the digestive tract and instead uses a special formula that is given through the vein to provide nutrients. This sounded like the least natural way to feed a human. We had a long conversation with the GI and decided not to go for it and wait it out.

What followed was a year full of trials and endless debates whether to use conventional medicine or not. It seemed that in trying the natural way, God’s way, it caused our son’s health to come crashing down in illness. We were so strict, so disciplined, and had done our work in faith. Why was God not providing healing? He was simply testing our faith.

God had promised He would heal Lucas, but He was very specific to tell me “not yet” and I didn’t know how long that would be. However, the way God revealed Himself to me was so powerful that I never doubted my son would be healed. Therefore, when the doctors told me that Lucas couldn’t live with such low protein levels, I thought, “you do not define whether my son dies or lives, God already established that he will live and be healed.” The question at hand was whether it was ok to use conventional medicine while we waited on God. I would be lying if I didn’t tell you of the countless times where all I wanted to do was run to the hospital and let the physicians do whatever they felt needed to be done to keep him alive and thrive. However, each time I felt that way, the power of the Holy Spirit was much stronger in me and I was reminded that God’s promise of healing was conditional that we obey Him. Hebrews 10:35-36 says, “Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.” I needed to persevere.

There were endless debates in my house, with family, and with friends about our decision to not use conventional medicine. I was judged and treated as a crazy person “hearing voices” by pastors, church leaders, therapist, and close friends. However, the conviction God gave me was much stronger than any argument anyone could throw at me. They argued I needed to hospitalize my son immediately to save his life; that God would bless the doctors and drugs to bring healing but the Spirit was telling me to “trust and obey.” I cannot put into words the divine strength and faith that God gave me. The conviction that I had to endure this trial and block out all human sense and advice, was only imparted by God. It was not human strength; it was supernatural power from the Holy Spirit. This is how I knew I was doing God’s will, because on my own I could not have possibly stood on my ground.

The year 2017 was full of pain, insecurity, and helplessness. However, at the same time, it was filled with faith, strength, and hope. I got to truly experience what it means to be closest to God when pain and trials are the greatest.

We barely slept that year. Some days, I had no emotional strength to go to work. Most days, I spent praying every hour, crying my eyes out and asking God to sustain me, my family, and my son. I look back and I can see God’s glory revealed throughout that entire year. He never left me. He was always there. He carried me, my husband, and my son in His arms. At the hardest times, I would kneel next to my son’s bed as he slept and asked Jesus to keep his heart beating through the night. I know Jesus did just that and only He sustained his life. As I saw my son’s life hanging by thread, I was constantly reminded that “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18). And so it was, His glory we finally did see.

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

Our Story

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

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