At the age of five I contracted TB. The next eighteen months were traumatic as doctors felt and probed the painful swelling on my neck. I had ten minute long injections drawing off the ever increasing fluid followed by the application of hot poultices.
As a child I quickly learned that men in white coats were to be feared, hated and avoided. I would lie about taking my medicine often pouring it into the flower vase by my hospital bed.
The operation to remove my tonsils seemed to make no difference and so another operation followed. In relating to my daughter in some detail the treatment of those months she looked at me with amazement and horror and said,’Mum, that’s barbaric!’
After eighteen months treatment I became a very shy, fearful person and my immune system had also taken a battering. My education also suffered and I was usually at the bottom of the class when exam results were read out.
I suffered constantly with colds and infections and a ten day course of antibiotics was regularly prescribed to deal with nasal infections. There were hospital visits for other problems which absolutely terrified me.
Once as an adult the panic in me was such that I was all for getting out of my hospital bed and running away – but adults don’t behave like that do they, so I stayed!
With poor health and poor education I became someone with low self-esteem and little self confidence. But before you feel over sorry for me I was also a fighter and a bit of a rebel!
I rebelled at many efforts by others to tell me what to do and accepted the way I was and so just got on with. Then a way forward appeared. Suddenly I realised that I no longer had to suffer monthly injections for allergies.
I no longer had to breathe with difficulty and have no sense of smell. I no longer had to suffer with long lasting colds leading to more antibiotics.
I no longer had to suffer from chest infections and bouts of pneumonia. I was wonderfully set free from all of this without any medication whatsoever.
So what had happened? What truth had I stumbled across? Oh, it was so simple but oh what a battle ensued. I was introduced to the Bible!
But how could a book that was 2000 years old possibly be of any value for me? I’d hated studying at school about Julius Caesar and other ancient historical figures, it all seemed so irrelevant. So why was the Bible any different?
I had gone to church with my mother and had sung in the choir – I enjoyed music and singing – but church was an old, cold building with ancient museum like behaviour as far as I was concerned.
I was now a young Mum in my early thirties still battling with health problems and so I was encouraged to hear why the Bible might be relevant. Oh I am so glad that I did.
I began slowly to understand and to see the relevance of Jesus and what He had done and to what He was calling me. I decided to change direction from going my way to following His way.
I was quickly released from the monthly allergy injections, followed shortly by the healing of my nose and ability to smell again. I was like a child with a new toy as I smelled roses and other things for the first time in years.
Those colds and chest infections? I haven’t had one in years! Other health issues came to light. Some have been dealt with directly by the power of Jesus, others have taken longer but I have not taken any medication for years.
The Bible has become my medicine with only positive side effects! I love it and the more I absorb it and the more I get to know Him, the healthier I have become. I hope this blesses and encourages you too to seek after Him and find that same freedom.