Woman, thou art loosed...

This weekend was our women's retreat. Our ladies from our church were selling wonderful t-shirts from their new line called "Simply Grace". I do not have a website for them, but as soon as they have one up and running I will feature it on my links. These shirts had scriptures on them, or something clever about faith, and the shirts were a girl fit, the kind that actually flatters. When you buy them, they "serve them up" in little chinese takeout boxes. It's really cute, and of course I had to have one!

I kept going back and forth amongst them, unable to choose. The first one I saw had just "Woman, thou art loosed..." It was very simple, and not as flashy as the others, but I was really drawn to it. The others were in pinks or whites, with rhinestones to decorate, and just really beautiful. This one was black with silver writing, and had three rhinestones on it. But I couldn't stop going back to it. I really wasn't familiar with the scripture, even though it was familiar to me. I finally just decided that it was the right one. Denise was the one selling it to me, and mentioned that it seemed perfect for me, as did Liz, who was also buying a shirt.

Back at the hotel room, I looked up the scripture, and this is what it said (in brief):
...behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.
And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.
And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. Luke 13:11-13

It suddenly made sense to me in my own life....

The Lord has healed me. I am that woman. But instead of a disease of the back that cripples me, I was crippled in spirit. But I am now at peace. I have been loosed:
-from the verbal and physical abuse of my husband.
-from the hurt and despair of losing my son at 32 weeks of pregnancy.
-from the daggers that pierced my soul through my divorce.
-from the hatred and bitterness that engulfed me.
-from the emptiness that took me over and made me a shell of a person.
-from the shyness and negative thoughts that held me captive.
-from the insecurity and fear of the world and its people.
-from the bad choices I made just to make myself feel accepted and loved.

In its place, the Lord has blessed me with:
-a new sense of peace.
-a willingness to make friends and be a friend.
-forgiveness, and even compassion, for my husband and his girlfriend.
-the ability to be a real mom to my kids.
-the knowledge and that through him I am completely whole, and just feeling like a whole person.
-hope for the present and the future
-a sense of pride in where I'm at vs. where I was.
-the ability to laugh and really mean it.
-true happiness.
-the chance to now be a source of hope and inspiration for others who may be experiencing where I've been.
-the joy of knowing I am accepted and loved by my Lord Jesus, and I do not need to settle for an unhealthy relationship to be loved.

I wore this shirt all weekend. Liz laughed at me about it. Yes, at 3 days, it is fair to say that it is time for it to be washed. But this weekend I wore it with pride. And after the weekend, I wore it to the Harvest Fair. The Lord has loosed me, and I am proud. And now I stand and glorify Him by living for Him, and by praising Him for His love and grace he has bestowed on me. I am that woman who was afflicted. And now I am healed. Praise GOD!