Healing

What follows is adapted from my wife's blog written May 2 along with an update of what has happened since arriving in the USA June 1.

Do you believe God heals today? I think a lot of people do and I'm one of them. However, to be honest, my belief is that God saves His healing power for others who are either more worthy than I, or more in need than I, or for whatever other reason. For some reason it's hard for me to believe that He would bring that healing power to me or my family. But now I think He has.

Approximately 6-7 years ago our daughter Anna was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder (among other things). She started on medication which helped to relieve the symptoms which were so destructive to our family. She was on medication for about a year when the symptoms began showing again and the neurologist changed her medication. For children who have Bipolar Disorder this is very common. As children grow and change the need for medication changes as well. For most families it's a constant struggle tweaking meds to find what will work only to have them outgrow the meds a year later.

Anna's medication was changed and they were very effective for about a year. At that point the strength of the medication was increased. Since that time (about 5 years ago) her meds have stayed the same with no change. A couple of years ago I called the neurologist thinking she might need a stronger dose or a change, but the doctor didn't agree and it was left as it was. I often wondered why we never needed to upgrade, as it were, her medication.

During all this time...we have prayed, and prayed, and prayed, then prayed some more. We wondered if it was indeed BP or was it spiritual in nature? That was a big concern of mine. I have encountered first hand people who were demon possessed. And to tell the truth, there isn't much difference in the manifestation of both. I vacillated between the two. Once we got a medication that worked I didn't spend a lot of time thinking about it. I just accepted it and went on to dealing with it in our daily lives.

Because of this diagnosis I think I spent more time praying for Anna than I would normally have done. Bipolar Disorder is not an easy thing to live with, for the person who has it and for the family of that person...At those times when praying for Anna I did so believing that God would answer in some way. I am just surprised when the answer is "yes" since it seems to be "no" most of the time. I have a hard time sometimes believing that God will. I know He can, but don't always think He will.

Upon arriving in the USA earlier this month, one of the first things we did was get our daughter evaluated professionally. After several consultations and testings both have concurred she is NOT Bipolar. She does have some manageable problems, but the dreaded BP diagnosis has been ruled out. While she evidenced all of the symptoms for Bipolar disorder, and had been previously diagnosed as such by professionals, this latest evaluation shows our daughter as being either: 1) previously misdiagnosed, or 2) healed. Since she previously had too many of the symptoms and behaviors of BP children, and now these are gone, we feel God has healed her. As can be imagined, this confirmation alone has made our short trip to the States worthwhile.

God is good. Of all the people we have prayed for healing and restoration over the years, it humbles us that He would now choose to reach down and touch our own dear daughter and heal her too.