Year of the Bible

“And Jesus said to him, ‘I will come and heal him’” (Matt. 8:7 NKJV).

“Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented” (Matt. 8:6, NKJV), the Roman centurion said to Jesus. “But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed” (verse 8), because he believed. The story ends by saying: “And his servant was healed that same hour” (verse 13).

There are two lessons I receive from this wonderful story: First, Jesus has the power to heal no matter the severity of the illness. And second, Jesus can use anyone to bless another person who needs help.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?” (Matt. 6:25, NIV).

“Hakuna Matata” is a Swahili saying that means, “Don’t worry.” For many people, that’s easier said than done, but not for me. My approach to life is found in Matthew 6:25–34. I learned this, not by choice, but by circumstance.

“I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!” (Isa. 65:24, NLT).

It wasn’t until I became a teaching principal that Isaiah’s words took root in my soul. Oftentimes, I found myself conversing with God about school and the myriad of situations I had no idea how to solve. Each time my staff, the school board and I found a solution, we were reminded yet again of how faithful He was (and is) to His children.

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Rev. 21:4, KJV).

On June 6, 2018, my family and I were given the worst news any parent can be given. My 7-year-old daughter, Liana Kathryn, was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer known as diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma. When the head of neurosurgery came to speak to me, I asked him to “give it to me straight.” You ask that, hoping that it will make things easier.