A Prayer for Healing — when the body grows weary

Today has been one of those heavy, aching days. Arthritis sits like a weight in my neck, shoulders, and spine — every movement feels slow and costly. My body is tired in a way that goes deeper than sleep. I want healing. I need God’s touch.

Psalm 103:3 — Who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases.

Isaiah 53:5 — But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by his wounds we are healed.

These verses rise up in my heart like a promise I must cling to. Jesus bore a pain I cannot imagine, and He did it for my sake — to forgive, to restore, to make whole. My own pain feels small beside His sacrifice, and yet it is real to me. It pains me to remember the cost of my salvation: the cruelty He endured so I might be healed. I am unworthy of that grace, and that truth makes me fall deeper into gratitude and into prayer.

Heavenly Father, forgive me — for the sins I know and the ones I do not. I lay this tired, aching body before You and ask for Your healing hand. You forgive all our sins and heal all our diseases; I claim that promise now. Touch my neck, my shoulders, my spine. Breathe strength into my bones. Restore movement where there is stiffness and bring peace where there is weariness.

Lord Jesus, by Your wounds I am healed. Help my faith to rest not in the absence of pain but in the presence of Your power. Teach me to praise You in the valley, to trust You in weakness, and to receive Your comfort when I am most fragile.

Amen.

If you’re reading this and your body is weary too, join me now — take a breath, speak these words, and believe that the God who healed then still heals today.

God Bless You!

Rebuilding Our Foundation: How We Can Help America Heal

Welcome, Fellow Travelers,

Have you noticed how deeply we Americans rely on our infrastructure? From the winding back roads to the highways and bridges, we depend on these structures to keep our country connected. However, as recent hurricanes have shown us here in Western North Carolina, a single storm can wash them away instantly, leaving devastation in its wake. It’s a sobering reminder of how fragile these man-made systems truly are.

Yet, while reflecting on this, I am deeply grateful that nothing—no storm or sin—can destroy our unshakable foundation in Jesus Christ. There were times in my past when I tried to tear down my relationship with Him, believing I was too far gone to deserve even a mustard seed of forgiveness, mercy, or grace. But in His boundless love, He reached down, pulled me from the muck and mire I had gotten myself into, and embraced my messy, broken self—inside and out.

When I look at the state of our country today, I sometimes wonder why God would want to do the same for us. Why would He want to pull us out of the murky, broken state we find ourselves in? It’s hard to imagine, especially when many Christians have gone silent or turned away from Him. And while there are many reasons for our spiritual disconnect, the most heartbreaking is the tragic loss of innocent lives through abortion. In 2023 alone, over a million children were lost, and who knows how many since 1973.

Jesus’ words in Matthew 18:6 resonate so powerfully here: “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” Can you imagine the weight of the consequences that our nation carries for allowing such loss?

So what can we, as individuals, do to reverse the course of this devastation and seek healing for our nation? There are tangible steps we can take to make a difference:

  1. Pray – Ask God for guidance on how you can be part of the solution. Whether it’s through personal action, supporting others, or simply standing firm in your faith, prayer is where transformation begins.
  2. Support organizations that help pregnant mothers—Many nonprofits and ministries are dedicated to providing resources and support for expectant mothers, helping them choose life for their babies. Volunteering or donating even small items like a baby blanket or clothes can significantly impact.
  3. Give what you can – Whether it’s your time, talents, or financial resources, giving, even in small ways, can make a difference for someone in need.
  4. Join a community of believers – When we come together as a faith community, we tap into an abundance of ideas, resources, and strength. God has equipped us with unique gifts, and by joining forces, we can achieve more than we ever could.

In times of crisis, whether from natural disasters or spiritual battles, we are reminded of how fleeting the things of this world can be. But our hope in Christ is eternal; through Him, we can rebuild what has been lost and restore what has been broken.

Let’s commit to being part of that rebuilding process—not just for our country, but for each individual life we encounter. With compassion, prayer, and action, we can be healing instruments in a world that so desperately needs it.

God Bless You!

Pray for Keri May 5, 2020, 2:30 PM

Heavenly Father, 

Today, we join our voices and our spirits into one as we come before Your throne of grace, mercy, and healing and bring Keri to You.  Please open the blood vessels in her brain and allow them to flow as You had made them when she was in Kitty’s womb.  Heal every particle in Keri’s brain so she will once again be whole.  We lift Keri up to You as we bow to your sovereignty.  Fill her hospital room with your healing and loving fragrance dear Jesus, as You lay Your healing hands upon Keri’s precious head. Please shine Your light and love on Keri’s family as we bring our spirits, minds, and hearts into one for Keri.  

In Jesus Christ Holy and Precious Name, I Pray!

Amen! Amen! Amen!

Please Pray for Keri

Keri is the youngest daughter of our dear friends and her sister Kristen is our daughter’s close friend.  Keri is a wife, mother to two young boys, and a Pharmacist, but more importantly, Keri is God’s servant.  She is in ICU and has a clot in her brain after two operations for a cyst.  The prognosis does not look good. I do not believe in prognosis because I believe in God, who formed us in our mother’s womb.  I believe in God who knew us before we even came into this world and had our life’s paths laid out. If I could, I would stand on the highest mountain and proclaim His sovereignty to the world and then humble myself lower than the beach’s sands to ask for Keri’s healing. So, will you please join me in praying for Keri?

Heavenly Father,

I come before you, face down at the hem of your robe to ask for Keri’s healing. Father, your greatness has now been seen and recognized throughout the world. You stopped this world and started healing and revival, which has not occurred in hundreds of years. We know that great things happen after 40 days of struggle, and I beg for Keri’s 40 days to be over, and Your light to break through like the dawn and her healing to quickly appear!! Please open the pathways around the clot and allow the blood to flow again. 

Father, please heal Keri just as you did the Centurion’s servant with a word because of the Centurion’s faith.  We know Your power and believe in Your healing for Keri. And if our faith is insufficient, please give us more faith for Keri’s healing! I ask that you fill her hospital room with the sweet aroma of Jesus and bring complete healing to her brain!

In Jesus Christ’s Almighty Name, I Pray!

Amen!

The Matcha Affect

The Art of Tea store at One Retail Therapy has a tea called Matcha.  The stated health benefits are pretty amazing! Since I have an auto immune disease which feeds off of inflammation to create other diseases, Matcha peaked my curiosity.  Which means Matcha requires further investigation by me personally.

My current health regimen includes western, and eastern medicine, homeopathy, and yoga.  I stay away from chemo drugs and anything which would harshly affect my body. I  do not believe you can destroy the whole body to heal the whole body.  So I have decided to order Matcha for myself and document my own results for you.

The number one benefit of Matcha is that when you buy their products they donate 5% to the Gift of Life Marrow Registry.  The Gift of Life Marrow Registry helps to find matches for marrow donors and to help fight blood cancers.  I love to support a company which gives back to this world!

I will provide you a link at the end of this post to an article which breaks down the benefits of Matcha.  For now I will list them briefly.

  1. Glowing Skin
  2. Relaxed Alertness Within the Brain
  3. Improves Memory
  4. Boosts Metabolism & Burns Fat
  5. Inflammation Buster
  6. Helps Keep Immune System Healthy
  7. May Slow Down Aging Process
  8. May Help Alleviate Symptoms of Depression & Anxiety

Just the fact that “inflammation” is listed gets me excited.  The rest of the benefits are like  whip cream on top with a cherry to me.  You know, Hope should have been my middle name. I am always hopeful, because my own personal hope lies within my relationship with God. Anything He has made has to be the very best for His children. We seem to forget that fact.

Of course natural does not make the big pharmaceutical companies astronomical amounts of money, so they brush it under the rug. Hoping we won’t look. Well I looked and found Matcha! And, I am very excited to order and document my results with Matcha…good and bad.

If you decide to order Matcha for yourself, will you please send me emails concerning your own results!  joniberrydotcom@gmail.com and put Matcha in the subject line.

God Bless You!

http://www.byrdie.com/benefits-of-matcha/slide2