Rapha

He was lying down on his hospital bed, looking frail and despondent. The doctor told his wife that there was really nothing much they can do now after removing the tumor, chemotherapy wasn’t a solution either since his frail health could not take the beating.

As I entered into the hospital ward, I greeted my Indonesian friend, who has been my prayer partner for the sick each time she comes to Singapore.

This is the 3rd Cancer sufferer we have prayed for in 1.5 months, and the 5th one for me since I have started praying for the sick, and he is the 3rd one whose cancer has either shrunk substantially or disappeared after intercessory prayers, and is on his way to recovery.

The Cancer story is a familiar one, most of us have knew someone personally who have suffered from it;

The person has cancer in a specific area in their body. There is surgery, weeks and weeks of chemotherapy and radiation. During treatment, the cancer shrinks and disappears.

Then after some time, and after experiencing some pain and tests, the person find out that the cancer has returned. But this time it is in their liver, their lungs, their blood etc. They go through more rounds of chemo and radiation, but the cancer cannot be stopped. Eventually a difficult battle over a course of few months – few years, they die.

Why do we get cancer patients? There are national statistics to show that Cancer is the no.1 killer in Singapore, where 14 people on an average die from cancer everyday.

Chemotherapy kills more than just cancer, as most of the time, the patient is left in a vunerable state with a compromised immune system, with little defences left to prevent any other cancer cells from reproducing.

So amongst the cancer sufferers that I have been called to pray for, more than half of them turn to prayer when there is no other choice, i.e., medical alternatives.

 

Praying for the Sick

I have a prayer partner locally whom I meet weekly for our prayer meetings and part of the mandate we have been given in our intercessory prayer ministry, is to lay hands and pray for the sick and burdened.

This have worked out to an average of one sick person to pray for a week, since God opened the doors for me to pray for the sick.

Late this year from September, I took on this new thing that God has been challenging me to do since May. I know fully well that I am just a vessel, and I am glad to surrender myself to be a conduit that He can use.

All I did really, was to avail myself to pray.

Screen Shot 2014 11 26 at 4 48 49 PM

I am aware that there are many who do not believe in the power of God’s healing, some are even skeptical when they see the lame walk and the blind see in church services.

God still heals today.

But in the sea of conflicting voices on the issue of healing, there are many, even church leaders and teachers do not fully believe in healing for today.

Well, all I can say to this is, it is only when you have laid hands on prayed for a sick person and have witnessed the person fully healed from their illnesses, you will know that God is our healer, our Jehovah Rapha.

Rapha in Hebrew means ‘He (God) has healed’.

 

A Ministry?

One doesn’t need to be tied to a church to do able to do a ministry, or have to be a leader in a church to be able to do this.

The Pastors of the church that I am now attending are fully aware and supportive of what I do, and keeping them informed of this independent ministry provides me with accountability.

Ministry is

Kyle tags along for these hospital visits from time to time, and I feel there is nothing wrong with him meeting frail and sick strangers, and learning how to pray for them.

I don’t just pray for comfort for the person, I pray for the person to be fully healed in Jesus’ name.

Praying ‘in remote’ for healing is effective, but a more effective way is to be able to minister and to lay hands on the sick to pray for God’s healing. Sometimes all it takes is just one prayer, while other times, it takes more than one session of prayer.

I have found that some individuals have illnesses that can be likened metaphorically to onions :), as the ‘layers of infirmities need to be peeled off ‘ through more intercessory prayers.

Sounds radical?

If you have met me 2 months ago before I received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit (at home, with my mom as a witness, and not in a church btw), I would not even consider doing this. As it does take a certain kind of boldness to go and pray for strangers. I have learnt not be bothered with what people think of me, but be fully focused on what God thinks and what He wills for me to do.

Abide

So be it Cancer, any illness or ailment. As long as there is an open door for me, I will go to lay hands on the person and pray.

 

The Kingdom of God 

Do I think of myself as some sort of healer? Definitely not. If you understand why Christians pray for the sick and how they are healed by God.

My belief and acceptance by faith of the work of Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross, is just the first step of being a Christian. As Christians develop our spiritual walk with God, we are to take on this mandate to do the works of Christ. Which are to do the same things that He did while He was here on earth.

Which is to; minister the good news of Christ, and the power of Christ (the Holy Spirit in us) works through Christians who are fully surrender to God, to heal the sick, cast out demons (yes, I have done that too…smirk all you want :P) and even raise the dead (nope, haven’t tried yet).

Screen Shot 2014 11 26 at 5 46 55 PM

‘…the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.’ – Matthew 10:7-8 NKJV

 

When Christians abide closely in Christ and step out and do what God has called us to do, the signs and wonders of Christ will begin to follow us.

So if anyone asks what I have been busy with lately, I would say that I am busy about my (Heavenly) Father’s business, being somewhat like an ‘Ambassor of Christ’, to bring reconciliation with this ministry of prayer and healing.

And yes, God works with the limitations I have as an ordinary mom of one. All I did was to avail myself.

My limitations have never been a factor to consider with God. As with my limits, He is able to show Himself strong, to be limitless.

Screen Shot 2014 11 26 at 9 26 45 PM

——-

 

There are other ‘Ambassadors of Christ’ who are functioning in this ministry of healing, through this organization known as the Healing Rooms. A friend whom I exchange notes regularly serves with this ministry.

A good advice coming from this ‘veteran pray-er’ for healing and miracles, is that, to never stop laying hands and praying for God to heal, even if the person dies after praying for them (this can sometimes happen due to God’s sovereignty). As this ministry has never been about our abilities as ‘pray-ers’.

Screen Shot 2014 11 26 at 5 54 34 PM

I am not part of the Healing Rooms ministry, as my family commitments at this point do not allow me to be serving at these Healing Rooms in the afternoons and evenings.

Nonetheless, I feel privileged to be sent whenever God opens the doors for me to pray for others.

Share it:

Related posts:

No Cough or Flu for the next 6 months.

I haven’t been sick with flu or cough for close to 7 months, and I plan to keep it this way as long as I possibly can.

The only time i got sick was a couple of weeks ago with food poisoning (eating food from a cafe), besides that I haven’t felt any ailments of a flu or cough for quite a while.

I don’t take supplements, no vitamin C pills either. My strong immunity is likely due to my diet, since I started having salad for brunches every other day on a weekday.

I still have not-so-healthy lunches at least once-twice a week, but make a point to maintain a salad brunch 3x a week. I eat like a normal person for dinner, with regular carbohydrate-packed, stir fried chinese dishes. On weekends, I eat like any typical Singaporean who love going out to eat.

My salad brunches have been the same the last 6 months, comprising of lettuce and rocket, cherry tomatoes and a sliced apple, topped with Japanese wafu dressing. 

My salad will be paired up with a bread bun, or 2 slices of toast if I need some carbohydrates. For those days when I go for only the salad, I will snack on processed foods like biscuits (not the whole pack! 3-4 pieces) when I get hungry at 3-4pm, other times I just go with more fruit, like a banana or another apple.

The past month, I discovered that putting together a couple of ingredients, which I found to be full of vitamins, minerals and health benefits, tossed together in a non-conventional salad can be a boost to my immunity and long term health.

Ingredients you need; Salad 1

1 Orange 1 Lime (not Calamansi, but the larger ones) 

1 cup of Organic Spinach

3-4 dashes of pepper (or more, if you like your pepper)

4-8 dashes of Tumeric 

 

Sounds like a strange concoction of ingredients, meshed together in a salad, isn’t it?

When you see what are the benefits of these ingredients, you will understand why;

Step 1 :  Orange and Lime

Slice up the orange into bite sized pieces, quarter the lime and squeeze the lime juice over the oranges. Then let the orange and lime sit for about 3 minutes

Salad 2

These fruits are like natures’ medicine, full of vitamin C. Lime was the first fruit to be used in medicinal uses, it helps with weight loss, skin care, improved digestion, relief from constipation, eye care. And treatment of scurvy, piles, peptic ulcer, respiratory disorders, gout, urinary disorders etc.

While Oranges help prevent cancer, kidney diseases, lower cholesterol, boost heart health, fights against viral infections etc.  However don’t go for the easy option to buy Orange juice from the supermarkets, thinking that the benefits from the juice and the fruit will be similar.

Step 2 : Raw Organic Spinach with a couple of dashes of Tumeric and Black Pepper Salad 5 Spinach : Go for the Organic varieties as leafy greens like Spinach tend to have the most pesticides. Spinach is much more nutritious than lettuce, and it has Vitamin K, A, C, E, B2, B6, iron, calcium, folare,  zinc, dietary fibre. It is a heart healthy food, good for overall healthy cardiovascular system. Has magnesium to lower blood pressure, anti-inflammatory properties, and slows down the age-related decline in brain function and lutein for protection against eye disease. More here to be convinced.

Tumeric : Tumeric is an old Indian spice with a medicinal compound known as Curcumin.

Curcumin is a subtance with powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, it boosts brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which is linked to improved brain function and lower risk of brain diseases. It lowers risk of heart diseases and can prevent (maybe even treat) cancer and has benefits against depression.

When taken with black pepper which contains pipeline, a natural substance that enhances the absorption of curcumin by 2000%.

However for this salad, don’t overdo on the Tumeric as it might give the salad a medicinal powdery aftertaste. Adjust accordingly to your taste buds.

Black Pepper :  Black Pepper enhances our ability to taste food. stimulating our salivary glands so we experience flavors more fully.

It is another heart-healthy food, regulates blood pressure and has cancer fighting benefits.

Step 3 : Add the Orange (with lime juice), and pour the remaining orange and lime juice mix in with the Spinach.

If you like your flavor of Tumeric and Black Pepper to be more intense, add some dashes of Tumeric and Black Pepper on the sliced oranges. Salad 6 Still think that it will taste strange? You will be surprised how appetizing this salad is.

The greens pair perfectly with the burst of sweet and sour citrusy flavors. When coupled with the earthier notes of mustard and horseradish taste of Tumeric, and the heat and sharp bite of black pepper creates a salad bursting with flavor and character.

For someone who doesn’t eat salads, but love food with black pepper, K finds the taste of this salad intriguing. Salad 8 I can eat this salad 3x in a week, without getting sick of its taste. As each time, the taste varies with the sweetness of the orange that I select for the salad.

Besides, the concoction of orange, lime, turmeric and black pepper also makes a great alternative for a salad dressing. So consider skipping the unhealthy bottle of Thousand Island dressing when you are planning to buy salad dressing at the Supermarket.

Give the Orange Salad a try, and you will surely see the rewards on your overall immunity and long term health!

 

Other Food Ideas on this blog :

A Healthy Breakfast Challenge

So take that, Wild Honey

Share it:

Related posts:

Mommy Makeover at Style Essence

When I have a mom who dresses other ladies up for a living and a younger sister who will never wear the same outfit twice to different events, it’s hard not to care about how I look.

I ‘allowed’ myself 6 months of looking like a frumpy mom. Those 6 months included my last trimester of pregnancy, and 3 months post pregnancy. I made the effort to dress and look presentable whenever I had to leave the house, not only to avoid comments from my mom, but it was something I deemed important to my self-esteem.

Most of us tend to use motherhood as a valid excuse not to have the time to dress up or to apply make-up. So when Flo shared with me about her business, Style Essence, I thought “Why not have this as an activity for SMB’s 1st birthday bash?”  It will be an enriching and fun session for us to learn some finer points on style and make-up.

Styleessence16

We had two separate sessions at Style Essence, one in the day for the SAHMs and WAHMs, and one more in the evening for the FTWMs.

Styleessence17L to R – Trainer Florinda, Samantha, Natasha, Adora and Calla, James and Irene (still looking gorgeous sans makeup)

Flo who was our trainer for both sessions, started with a quick color analysis of our skin tone, to determine if we had ‘warm’ or ‘cool’ undertones.

Styleessence18Evelyn’s a ‘warm’ and I think Dominique likely is a ‘warm’ color as well

She shared this tip on how to determine if you are a ‘warm’ or ‘cool’ color; look at the veins on the underside of your wrist. If the veins are more blue / purple, you have cool undertones. If you see green tones, then you are a ‘warm’ undertone. Turned out have both warm and cool undertones, so I will rock any shade 😛

Styleessence19

We learned about how to dress for our body shape before we dived straight into hands-on for our skin.

This is the way we washed our faces with a 3-in-1 cleanser,

Styleessence20L to R – PC, Wacky Liza, Pamela, Adeline and Gila Regina

and applied exfoliating mask on the half of our faces.

Styleessence5L to R; Evelyn, Jenn, Me, Dominique, Rachel, Irene

Styleessence9L to R; Estella, Madeline, Jiahui, Adora, Pamela, Adeline, Regina

After deep cleansing and exfoliating one half of our faces with Marykay’s Botanical Effects Mask, it was time to ‘paint’ our faces!

Styleessence11L to R; Pauline, Pamela, Adeline and Sandra

It’s hard not to feel like the centre of attention when you are in a room full of bloggers pointing their cameras at you, when you are being made-up by the pro.

Styleessence 33

 

And the outcome of the workshop? Glamour Mamas!

Styleessence21L to R; PC, Liza, me and Pauline

You know a make-over workshop is successful, when you have Sarah, who hardly ever uses makeup on her face, doing her own makeup and looking this good post make-over.

Styleessence22

With an informative session from an engaging trainer, great company from the ladies from SMB, looking fabulous was a great way to celebrate SMB’s 1st Birthday Bash!

Styleessence 40From bottom L to R; Natasha, Sarah, Calla, Me, Pauline, Dominique, Trainer Florinda, Rachel, Edlyn, James, Irene, Evelyn, Samantha and Trainer Bernadette

Styleessence 36Bottom L to R; Jiahui, Estella, Liza, Pamela, Adora, Trainer Florinda, PC, Madeline, Adeline, Regina, Sandra, Susan and Trainer Bernadette.

 

Thanks to sponsors Style Essence and dinner by The Shepherd’s pie, in collaboration with SMB’s 1st Birthday Bash 2013.

SingaporeMomBloggers

 

Share it:

Related posts: