I smiled the whole time I did dishes today.  And I had a lot of dishes after two back to back parties with students.

It’s been a year since I’ve washed dishes without pain.  A year since bending over wasn’t a chore.  And so as I stacked and put away, I was rejoicing and remembering my gratitude.  I never want to forget it, yet I know that I will.  That’s how we are.  Once we are through a trial, it seems to fade and we forget that we were ever stuck.  And so I want to testify any moment that I get now to God’s mercy lest I forget the latest trial.

The truth is that I don’t think I realized that I was in pain constantly until I wasn’t in pain.  I find myself in shock when I can run up the stairs, carry in the groceries or sit through a meeting and not have to lay back down again to relieve the pain.  Two weeks ago it was a different story.  My entire life was ruled by my pain and I no longer could do most of what I enjoyed doing in life.  I had dark circles under my eyes and my energy level was low at best because I hadn’t slept in a year.  My personality had whithered away and I struggled daily to just function in life.

I have been waiting for a healing for awhile now and it makes it even sweeter.  I remember the disappointment I had in January when I thought that my trial was over after a few days of only mild pain, only to find myself immobile for a week.

Although I’m still in shock and still have to remind myself every morning before I roll out of bed that it won’t hurt anymore, I’m claiming the victory and sealing it as truth.  I have prayed in faith, I have continued to pray and not give up hope, I have believed that it would not last forever and here I stand.

There have been many verses of praise and gratefulness and joy that have come to mind over the last week as I have returned to a normal life – yet I have nothing profound to say.  Only that God allowed me to be healed and I am grateful for the trial…. To be over!  To Him be the glory in this one because it wasn’t through what I was doing that healed me!