Healing

After my surgery, I received a card in the mail from my spiritual mentor and friend Kathy. It was a very well chosen card. The words were great. The words she wrote were perfect. They began with: “I am praying for your physical healing and for the healing of your soul”. As soon as I read that the tears began to fall. Kathy knows me better than almost anyone and she knew how badly I needed that healing of my soul. In fact, her next words were: “so much has happened over the last couple years...”

This blog post is not going to rehash everything that has occurred in the past two years that have caused me to need a soul healing. Rather, this post is to “see what great love the Father has lavished on me”. ( I John 3:1)

I have been the recipient of so much love and care this past week. The day of my surgery, my Kathy came and picked me up and drove me to the hospital. My mother was planning to meet us there. As Kathy and I were walking to the place to register, we heard a voice behind us say “hey, wait up”. It was my friend and fellow LAMP mentor Deb Dilliplaine. She had surprised me by coming to the hospital to pray with me before surgery. That was such an awesome sweet surprise.

Kathy stayed with my mom while I was being prepped and they both sat with me while I got the IV hooked up and what not. After surgery, as I was coming out of the anesthesia, I realized my bed was moving. I was being transported to my regular room. The funny thing is, I looked to my left and the first person I saw was Ron Kutzavitch holding a floral arrangement sent by my church. His wife Kathy (a different Kathy) has been in my Bible study group for many years and they own a floral shop and the church uses them for these occasions. I had only met Ron once before, but he is a very personable guy and he walked with the nurse to my room and set my arrangement on the table and wished me well. My mom came in the room and knew immediately what to do – GIVE ME MY CELL PHONE! LOL.

I was a little nervous about being in Sewickley Hospital. Both my mom and my uncle had horrible experiences there. That was not the case for me. I had impeccable service. Three very kind, caring nurses made me feel like I was their only patient. And each of them understood that my first priority was my cell phone and the charger! Hahaha

I got to come home the very next day. My sweet friend Kathy (the one from the first paragraph) came back to see me about 3pm and brought me some groceries. Then that evening, Kathy Kutzavitch brought me dinner. The next morning I got a visit from Kristin Radacsy. She and I had a great conversation and I was blessed by much of what she shared. One little thing she said ended up meaning the world to me. I mentioned that when I had posted on Facebook that I was home from the hospital and resting, that our lead pastor Scott Stevens liked that status post. I told Kristin that even though the flowers I received said “from Pastor Scott and Tina and your North Way family” I knew the assistants order those and I didn’t even think Scott knew. I wasn’t upset by that – I just figured the lead pastor of 4,000 people had bigger things to be informed of. But Kristin said: “of course he knows – especially since its you”.

What followed next was nothing short of a miracle. August 1st – two days after my surgery, was the day my best friend and her husband where scheduled to leave the US for China. They were at the airport at some early hour in the morning. Well, they lost their seats on the flight from Pittsburgh to Chicago and could not secure another flight that day. Denise had a peace about it though and thought that God must have some reason for delaying them a day. One of her friends posted on Denise’s Facebook that God had a divine appointment for them in the US. Well, after going to her son’s house to get some sleep, she and her hubby came to see me. I hadn’t seen them since the Sunday before my surgery and we thought that was our good-bye. Well, Denise ended up making dinner for me and the three of us ate dinner together. She and her husband would not let me lift a finger. So the three of us are sitting at my table just chatting and eating and all of a sudden Denise looks down at her plate and I see tears well up. I asked her what was wrong. Nothing was wrong. She told me that she knew about what all the other ladies were doing for me after my surgery and she felt so bad that she was unable to be here for me and make sure I was okay and help me out. As we hugged (and poor John endured all that girly emotion) we realized God had blessed us by delaying them. I got an extra day with them and they got to help me out. Denise went home and posted to her Facebook that she did indeed have a divine appointment in the US – to see her best friend and make sure she was okay. Sure enough, the next day everything work out perfectly and they made their flights to China – with their luggage.

More cards, flowers, and gifts came each day. On Sunday, I woke up and was sad because I was missing church. I knew I could catch the sermon online but I hate missing worship. Pastor Kent saw my Facebook post that said I hated missing church and he sent me a link – a link to the recording of Saturday night’s service – the whole thing – worship and all. So I got to attend church while at home. Last night my friend Gail spoiled me rotten! She brought dinner, an entire pie for dessert, a gift, and washed my dishes. My friend Susan had given me a gift bag before my surgery with multiple gifts in it – told me to open one each day during recovery. I had something to look forward to each morning – what a sweet idea. My friend John has been over several times. He has cooked four meals for me and handled my trash and other things I cannot take care of. Even my parents’ pastors have called me and prayed for me.

Why am I listing all this out? Because all this love that the Father is lavishing on me is the beginning of the healing of my soul. During these past two difficult years, I have made many mistakes and haven’t handled everything in the wisest way. And the past few months I have been a beast. The pain has been keeping me up at night and cranky during the day. I have been unpleasant and difficult to deal with. And the worst part is I hadn’t spent quality time with the Lord in a long time.

But something happened the week before my surgery that has had such an impact on me. It was the stone in the water and all these other blessings have been ripple effects. My friend was in town for a week. Prior to her coming to Pittsburgh, we had been at odds. I love her dearly but we got caught up in that Scripture that says “like iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another”. And truthfully, I had been a snot. She arrived on a Monday and I had been wanting some one on one time with her to apologize to her. That one on one time didn’t come until Thursday. But we arranged to have dinner and I got to the restaurant first. I was sitting in that booth like a child sitting in the principals office waiting for punishment. I knew she was going to come in, sit down and tell me about myself. And she had every right to. I had my apology rehearsed and ready, but I would give her the opportunity to give me what for. She sits down and we chat and order food. I waited for the hammer. It never came. Perplexed, I proceeded with my apology. She looked at me like I had ten heads. She told me she had already spoken what she had to say and it was done and over with. No grudges, no hard feelings, no damaged friendship, no lashes with a wet noodle…. I kept trying to rehash it and she said “I have moved on”.
I was humbled and blown into the middle of next week.

When I got in my car, I was still stunned. Happy and relieved, but stunned. When I talked to the Lord about it He said to me: “Raquel, that was a human. You received that grace, forgiveness, and restoration from a human. Why is it so hard to receive it from me?” I realized that each time I approach the Lord, I give myself a Christian “report card”. And lately, my grades have been horrible. So I approach Him with shame and wait for the tongue lashing – but it doesn’t come.

Both my friend and God had the same six words for me: “you know me better than that”.
It’s true. I do. That knowledge was in my head – I just needed to secure it in my heart.
That night at Smokey Bones began the healing of my soul. It enabled me to receive all the other love and care from the Lord through my friends.

So tonight my physical body is on the mend and so is my heart. Both are progressing well. The printed words in that card from Kathy say: “the One who made us knows how to mend us. He is the Great Physician – the only One Who can heal body, soul, and spirit. I couldn’t be in better hands. :)