Friday, May 30, 2014

Forget Spring, It's Summer!

I think North Dakota forgot all about spring this year and just went right into summer. As our pastor said in church last week, "I guess North Dakota likes quick transitions!" It seriously seemed like one day the ground was still brown, the trees still bare and there wasn't a robin in sight then the next it was like the exact opposite. While everyone was certainly getting tired of old man winter, we sure weren't ready for 90 degrees!
Faith enjoying being outside at Michelle's with her ducks!
Besides it feeling like summer, I am thankful that it really is summer vacation and that Faith is done with school this year! She did so well the first half of fourth grade and somewhere along the way around Christmas vacation she seemed to really be struggling. We chalked it up to her high muscle tone protesting the frigid temperatures.

When it started warming up a little, though there were days she still struggled to get to school. In February she came down with a sinus infection then in May the kids were getting a little more rambunctious than usual so it was harder for her to be around them.
Fun in the sun!
Her last day of school was supposed to be Thursday, May 22nd but due to a snow day in April, the year got extended one more day. On Thursday, she didn't seem to feel well and was protesting going to school but we sent her anyway. That night she came down with a fever of 100.7 degrees and had a very sleepless night. She wanted to go to school on her last day because they were going to the park. Right after watching Wheel of Fortune she said, "Maybe if I go to bed early, I'll wake up and feel all better."

The next morning she still had a pretty high temperature but she still wanted to go to school. When we told her she couldn't go, she started crying. It was pretty sad. I felt bad all day about her missing her last day. We have since gotten over it though and she is very much enjoying her first week of summer vacation!

Monday, May 12, 2014

Healing Rooms - One of Faith's Favorite Places

One of Faith's favorite places to go is the Healing Rooms of the Northern Plains. I'm not kidding! If they were open seven days a week - she would be there everyday. As it is they are open on Mondays and Tuesdays and most weeks she wants to go both days.

We have been taking Faith to the Healing Rooms since we first moved here ten years ago, which is also shortly after they opened here in Bismarck. One reason I think Faith loves going there so much is the peacefulness she feels as soon as we walk through the doors. Another reason is because she just loves to go there to visit with the volunteers that she has gotten to know quite well over the years She knows all of them by name and is quick to remember any new members of the prayer team.

The first thing we do when we get to the Healing Rooms is greet whoever is at the desk and they hand us a clipboard so that we can jot down our prayer request. She usually tries to get them to say who is going to be on the prayer team that will be praying with her that day. Sometimes they give her hints, but most times they try to keep it a surprise. After we write down our prayer request, we wait for someone to come get our "charts." Then when the prayer team is ready, someone comes out to the waiting room to get us and leads us back to one of the prayer rooms. There are usually 2 or 3 people on a prayer team. Sometimes Faith likes to go in all by herself but sometimes I get to go in with her!
Faith hanging out with Joanne in the waiting room
Back in the prayer room, the leader of the prayer team anoints us with oil and then prayers over us. Sometimes they have an encouraging word from the Lord and they most always have a scripture to give us. They write this scripture down on a piece of paper so that we can take it home with us.

Sometimes Faith thinks she is actually on the prayer team. Last week when we were in one of the rooms together getting prayer, one of the team members was speaking words of encouragement to me with something I had been struggling with and Faith called out, "Believe in yourself mommy! Just believe in yourself!" As they finished praying for me, they reminded me how much God loves me and Faith said, "And I love you very much too, mommy!"
Faith receiving prayer
After we are done praying, the team member seals all of the prayers with the blood of Jesus and usually give us a hug and sends us on our way. Faith always has to make sure she says goodbye to whomever is at the desk and even asks if they can hold the door for us on our way out.

The Healing Rooms has been a part of our lives for so long and I honestly do not know where we would be without their steadfast prayers for us. I really don't think Faith would be doing as well as she is had it not been for the prayers she has been getting nearly every week for ten years. It is an amazing ministry and both Rob and I have learned so much about healing through going to the Healing Rooms and also in taking their Heal the Sick Training. No matter where you live in the world, I strongly encourage you to see if there is a Healing Rooms in your city! You can check by clicking HERE.
The walls of the book room are lined with testimonies of people who have gotten healed
during or after getting prayer at the Healing Rooms.
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5