Brave~Hoda Kotb’s new inspiring video with Sara Bareilles and Cindi Lauper

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I happened to catch The Today show this week and Hoda had a story that just made my heart melt. Cancer is very close to her heart since she’s dealt with it, so she decided she wanted to make a video to raise money and awareness for cancer. She had the idea to mix Cindi Lauper and Sara Bareilles that will make your heart melt. I just had to share it, so here it is:

If you’d like to donate to pediatric cancer research, you can go to Crowdrise.com/hoda. Having two friends whose children have pediatric cancer makes me realize just how close it is. It can happen to anyone, but even though they may be suffering now, Christ has already overcome the battle for them. The family I wrote about a few posts back illustrates that so well. They have taken every opportunity to let the light of Christ in spite of, through, and beyond cancer. God is always in control. We live in a sinful world, and sometimes we must suffer, but Jesus is right beside us holding our hand through every step of the way.

Josiah, the friend of Trevor’s who is battling leukemia (click here to read what I wrote of his story) and his family have been amazing how they have used his battle with leukemia to witness to those who don’t know Christ. They have been one of the bravest families I’ve seen struggling through this disease and give it to God at the same time.

[Tweet ” “So parents and children alike, where any disease is involved, we must be BRAVE.””](Feel free to tweet!)

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(This is a photo of Josiah’s friends with their orange bracelets on in support of Josiah. Printed on them is John 11:14.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Five-Minute Friday~”Jump”

 

Linking up with Lisa-Jo over at The Gypsy Mama for Five-Minute Friday. One word topic, write for five minutes, stop.

Today’s word is “Jump.”

Go…

jump1 copyWhen I was 8 years old, I was determined to break the world record for jumping rope. I was pretty good at it, and just knew I could do it. Three hours later and days from the record, I was pooped! But I tried. I jumped.

 

In the days after the Boston Marathon bomb and the school shooting in Newtown, CT, fear seems to creep in to my mind easily. The older I get, the more tragedy I see in this world. Part of me wants to homeschool the kids, put away non-perishable food in storage, and get bullet-proof windows put on the house. But that would be living in fear.

 As a child, I never though of these things. My kids, after living these tragedies, don’t want to hide from the world.

 

 

 

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Terrible things happen. We can’t explain them. But I know that God has a plan. God is in control. God has already overcome all of the turmoil in this world.

In this world you will have trouble, but take heart. I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)

We don’t have to live in fear. Through Jesus, we have the power to live on faith. (Click here to tweet Wink)

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So don’t hesitate… JUMP!

 

Stop. Time’s up!

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Click on the button below and check out some of the other great posts linked up with Lisa-Jo!

5minutefriday

Serving a Supernatural God in an Ordinary World—Is He Your Superhero?

 

For seven years I sought the help of medical doctors, psychologists, chiropractors, and other natural healers to cure me of grand-mal seizures, migraine headaches, depression, and opiate addiction. I hate the think about the thousands upon thousands of dollars I spent doing so.

All that time, I had a direct line to a Superhero. I kept relying on worldly resources when I really needed the Great Physician. The creator of the universe. The ultimate healer. The one who holds the answers to every question. The one who holds the master plan.

As is human nature, I looked for answers myself. I failed. As a Christian, I had direct access to the supernatural. Being born again give you access to the spiritual world. I mean think about it. “Born Again.” You certainly can’t be stuffed back into your mother’s uterus!

 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” (John 3:3 NLT)

Born again = Born from above.

I just had to get past myself to realize it. Which apparently took seven years, because apparently I’m fairly stubborn. Once I finally stopped looking inward, and began looking upward, asking God his plan, he healed me overnight. Exactly two years ago today.

On September 25, 2010, I woke up completely free.

Seizures? Gone.

Headaches? Gone.

Depression? Gone.

Addiction? Gone.

He reached his arm down into this ordinary world, and lifted me up to a supernatural place. Other than a few minor headaches, I can honestly say I’ve been completely free from seizures and all medication.

Happy Birthday to me!

Do you have a problem that is beyond your control? Release it to God. Seek out his plan. He can handle it. He’s THE SUPERHERO.

 

From my heart,

Celeste

Make-a-change Monday~Prayer & Circumstance



Have you ever heard God speak? 


If God called you on the phone, would you recognize his voice? 


I remember as a teenager trying to figure out if God was telling me to do something, or if it was just made up in my head. It can be very confusing to know God’s voice as opposed to the “voices in your head” if you don’t talk to him—and listen to him—enough. 


Many people ask, “Why pray if God already know what’s going to happen?” Here’s the answer: 


Prayer doesn’t change God, it changes us. 

When we seek God’s help through conversations with him and through specific requests, and he answers us, our faith is increased. If we never ask, however, and he gives us whatever we need, our faith is not changed. We chalk it up to circumstance. 

Let me give you two examples. 

Me? A Speaker? 

I went to a speaker’s conference in October of last year. Everyone tells me that with the type of book I’m writing, I need to be a speaker as well. If you know me at all, you know I hate speaking in front of a group of people. One of the things I liked about being a pharmacist is that I didn’t have to sell myself. I stood behind the tall counter and people came to me…one at a time. But I felt like God was nudging me in that direction, so I went.

After the conference, all of the other speakers got their one-sheets ready to be put in a database of speakers to be “on the market.” But not me. I obeyed God and went to the conference, but specifically told God afterwards that if he wanted me to speak at an event, he was going to have to “drop it in my lap.”

Four months later, I was on my way to church with my family and I pulled my phone from my purse and put it in my lap. I turned it on to see if I had any Words with Friends moves, and I saw I had a new text: 

Now how was that for an answered prayer? Even though it wasn’t quite the answer I was hoping for, I certainly couldn’t deny that God had heard exactly what I said and responded in such a way I knew it was him. 


Her Ship Came In. 


My very oldest friend Jacqueline (not in age but in how long I’ve known her) was having a financial crisis a few weeks ago. It was Friday and her family had $30 to make it on until Tuesday. Pretty tough for a family of four, and that included the weekend. She and her husband have both gone back to school for the last few years, and have really struggled financially, saving and getting by the best they could. She was really at her wit’s end at this point, and prayed, “Okay God, it’s time for my ship to come in.”

Now back up a few months for an important detail: Jacqueline’s husband opened something in the mail that had to do with her mom’s estate. He handed her the letter and told her it looked fairly important. She responded by sending them a copy of the death certificate and the other information they needed to settle the issue. 

On this gloomy Friday afternoon, as she was wondering how in the world her family would make it on this $30, she went to the mailbox. In it was an envelope, with the return address simply as “SHIP.” Not thinking too much about it, she opened it to find a check for $10,000.

How’s that for an answered prayer?  

It turns out that the unresolved issue from her mom’s estate was money that had not been claimed, and the company who was now handling that went by the name, or acronym, “SHIP.” 

Jacqueline prayed that prayer on that Friday when she was in a bind. God orchestrated the $10,000 check several months before. That check was coming. God knew she would need it. But when she prayed and her “SHIP” came in, her faith grew by leaps and bounds! 



It’s so easy to recognize God’s voice—even when it’s not audible—when we talk to him enough to recognize when he answers. 


So here’s my {make-a-change} Monday challenge for you: Pray specific prayers. Pray believing that God can and will answer your prayers. It may not be an immediate answer, and the answer may not be what you want to hear. But he will answer, and when he does, your faith will skyrocket. 


From my heart, 
Celeste

P.S. I did speak at the event for Mauldin First Baptist. I was a nervous wreck at first, but God calmed my nerves as all of the women there were so sweet and receptive to what I said. It was a great first speaking event. 🙂

The Road to a Flawless Experience


When we must endure hard times in our lives, it’s usually impossible to envision what good could possibly come of it. If you regularly read my blog, you may have read a recent post on Blind Trust.

Believing in God is easy. Putting our complete trust in Him is not. 

In today’s prescription verse above, Paul tells us how our trials and struggles actually make us better. 

You couldn’t say anything Paul didn’t have a comeback for: 

People: “You know preaching about this Jesus is going to get you killed. “
Paul: “To die is gain.”

People: “Okay, then we’ll let you live.”
Paul: “To live is Christ.”

People: “Then we are going to torture you.”
Paul: “I don’t compare my current sufferings to future glory.”

People: “We will put you in prison.”
Paul: “Then I’ll bring a hymnal and sing songs and convert all your guards.”

Here are a few of the “minor” ways Paul suffered for the sake of Christ: 

2 Corinthians 11:24-28~He received thirty nine lashes on his back for the sake of the gospel.
He was beaten with rods three times for the sake of the gospel.
He was stoned one time for the sake of the gospel (He was not HIGH on rocks. He was HIT with rocks! A group usually did this in the old days!)
He was shipwrecked three times in travels for the sake of the gospel.
He was thrown in the belly of a ship for a day and a night, (the deep), for the sake of the gospel.
He had many dangerous trips, (among highwaymen and robbers), for the sake of the gospel.
He had to travel through dangerous rivers for the sake of the gospel.
He was often in danger from his own people for the sake of the gospel.
He was in danger from Gentiles for the sake of the gospel.
He was in dangers in the city for the sake of the gospel.
He was in dangers in the wilderness for the sake of the gospel.
He was in danger from false Christians for the sake of the gospel.
He suffered toil and hardship for the sake of the gospel.
He spent sleepless nights for the gospel.
He was hungry and thirsty for the sake of the gospel.
He was in fasting often for the sake of the gospel.
He was in cold and nakedness for the sake of the gospel.
In addition to all of the above, as an Apostle, he had the worry of all of the churches daily on him for the sake of the gospel.
And yet he still trusted. He knew that all of the persecution he faced would be worth the day he would encounter Jesus and spend eternity with Him in Heaven.  

David and I went to Florida last week. Yes, I overcame My Irrational Fear and actually flew on the same airplane as David…leaving our kids behind at home (I’ll share a story later this week about our flight—God definitely has a sense of humor). We stayed at a fabulous resort in Orlando where his convention was being held and we came upon this sign as we were exploring the hotel: 



I couldn’t help but apply that to life. 


Just like Paul, we are always under construction. God uses every situation to make us better…if we let Him. 


As we travel life’s highway, we need to remember there will always be construction paving our way to a flawless experience in Heaven! 

From my heart, 

Celeste


Make-a-change Monday~Blind Trust


When I was little, I remember playing the “trust” game with my friends. You know, the one where you stand in front of someone and blindly fall backwards, trusting them to catch you? It’s really hard to do. 

   Sometimes they catch you
   Sometimes they are just mean and decide to let you fall
   Sometimes they claim they didn’t know you were about to fall back

Either way, sometimes you turn out okay, other times, not so much.
How would it feel to know that no matter when you decide to close your eyes and fall backward, there would always be someone there to catch you? 
You see where I’m going with this…there IS always someone there. God. 
If you believe in our almighty God, it’s not hard to know He’s there. The hard part is actually trusting Him—having the faith to know that He is there and He is in control, no matter what the situation. 
Bad things happen we don’t always understand. 


If you click on the links to the stories above, you will see something they all have in common. No matter how hopeless the situation seemed, God used it to expand the boundaries of His kingdom. That’s His plan. 
As humans, we live bound by the limits of time. Everything in this world has as beginning and an end, and it’s hard for us to comprehend eternity. God created time, and His desire is to spend and infinite amount of it with His children in His kingdom—a paradise we will know as Heaven. 
So today’s make-a-change Monday is to work on our spiritual self—and I promise when our spiritual self is in good shape, our physical self follows along. 
Every morning when you wake up, pray this short prayer:
“God, I’m putting my trust in you today. 
No matter what happens, good or bad, I know you have it under control,
 and it’s all part of your plan to create an eternity beyond my wildest dreams.”
And just so you don’t forget, get out that all-purpose post-it note, write “trust” on it, and stick it on your alarm clock. Gotta love those post-it notes! 
Just in case you are thinking, “If God has this big plan, it doesn’t matter if I pray or not,” let me say this: 
Prayer doesn’t change God. Prayer changes us.
 Praying “tunes us in” to God and His plan,
 and makes us more aware of His presence in our lives.
Just try it. Even if it’s just words starting out, God will begin working in your heart. Remember, it’s all about small changes. Try it for 3 months and see if your thinking changes. What do you have to lose? 
I’ve got my post-it note up to remind me! 😉
From my heart,
Celeste


My Irrational Fear


Well, I knew it would happen sooner or later. I have to face my own irrational fear

God showed me his almighty power on September 25, 2010, in no uncertain terms. I know he has a plan. I know he is in control. 

I know it, I know it, I know it.
But…I don’t fly on the same airplane as my hubby if the kids aren’t along for the trip. I mean, if we all die together that’s one thing; or if one if us dies, they will still have the other. But when we are travelling together…. you get the picture.
In my head I know it’s irrational to fly on separate planes. Not to mention inconvenient.
If it were in God’s plan—for whatever reason—to take us at that particular time, our planes would crash into each other. Right?  I actually cancelled a free trip to Lake Tahoe one time because I was having a panic attack about flying on the same plane. Crazy!
So I knew it was bound to happen. David wants me to go with him to a conference in Florida next month. There’s no way the kids can go, and there’s really not an option to fly separately. But this time, I didn’t look for that option.
It’s time I let that fear go.
I trust God. I have faith in God. I know He has a plan. I know He’s in control.
It could not be any clearer than in today’s prescription verse:
Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord God is with you wherever you go.
Do you have an irrational fear?
From my heart,
Celeste

 

The Secret to a fulfilled life with purpose



I had an article published at “Inspire A Fire” this week on the addiction part of my story. If you’ve read my story page on here you know my story is full of gut wrenching moments, but the addiction part seems to gain much attention; maybe because I’m a pharmacist, maybe because I’m a Christian, or maybe just because it’s the juiciest part of the story. It makes no difference to me, as long as someone is brought closer to Christ through it. 
One of the most important statements I wrote in that article is one that has received several comments: 
Only when my desire to know His plan for my life became greater than my desire to fix myself, He healed me.”
That statement is what I want to focus on today. 
I whole-heartedly believe that this is the secret to a fulfilled life with purpose that has been kept far too secret. I mean, you wouldn’t think it’s a secret because the scripture tells us right there in Matthew 6: 
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,
 and all these things will be added to you.
Now I was raised in the church, memorizing scripture along the way, but I’m not sure this verse ever really sunk in. I’d read this verse, but for some reason the verse that I heard in my head was Luke 11:9-10: 
And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.
Ask and it will be given to you.
Who can’t get on board with that? Just ask. 
But both of these scriptures, Matthew 6 and Luke 11, are instructing us in how to pray. In Luke 11, we are told to be persistent in our prayers. Ask, ask, ask. But we are also told to seek. Seek what? 
Back to Matthew’s instruction on prayer: Seek ye first the kingdom of God
Maybe this is why we have four Gospels—four accounts of the life of Jesus on earth. God gave them to us to read them all, not just one. But I digress…
When I was fighting seizures, migraines, depression, insomnia, and addiction during my seven years of hell, you better believe I asked. I asked for God to take the seizures, migraines, depression, insomnia and addiction away. I asked to be happy again. When He was silent, I asked for the rapture. I either wanted to be healed, or be gone. I asked and asked and asked. 
But I did not seek first. 
I know God has a plan. I’ve always known he has a big, all-encompassing, life-long plan. But I never once asked him to show me what it was. I never really had the desire to know my part in His plan
When I had my last seizure, on August 4, 2010, I was at rock bottom. Any resilience I might have had was gone. I couldn’t eat. I couldn’t sleep. I didn’t have the energy to even get dressed. I loved my family, but I had resigned to the fact that I was no good for them. Marlee, my 8-year-old, was baptized on August 8, 2010, and it took every bit of strength I had to make it to her baptism. I envisioned spending the rest of my life in some type of extended care facility. It was really that bad. 
I knew this wasn’t God’s plan for my life. 
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
(Jeremiah 29:11 NIV) 
For the first time ever, it was my heart’s desire to know his plan and purpose for me. It was beyond my thoughts, down deep to the core. What my brain thought was overridden by my deepest desires.What I wanted didn’t really matter any more. I didn’t care enough about my life for Him to fix me. I had gotten to the end of myself, and the beginning of Him. 
On September 25, 2010, just over seven weeks after that last seizure, He healed me. Just like that. I woke up that Saturday morning and I was an entirely new person. My mind was clear, I had energy, I felt happy, I wanted to eat, I hugged my kids and called my husband (he was out of town), I called my family and friends, and I knew without a doubt that God had given me a miracle. 
Within three months, I was completely off all medications. It has now been almost eighteen months since I’ve been medication free, and I can honestly say I’ve had no cravings for any narcotics (which I never thought I’d be able to say), I’ve had no seizures or symptoms of seizures, I’m happier than I’ve ever been, and I sleep like a baby. 
I never want to forget how bad I was, because I never want to forget the incredible strength and mercy of my Savior.
He saved me that day.
He saved me because I was finally ready.
I was finally seeking Him first, above everything. 
From my heart,
Celeste

 

The only physician who can save your life


This week I’ve been focusing on faith. If you didn’t read Saturday’s “Tip to a Happier You,” click here

I’m currently reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp…which will go at the top of my “Books that will change your life” list. She contemplates Luke 17: 15-19, where there seems to be some inconsistency in the scripture:
One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
Yes, thankfulness, I know. Next verse.
Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”
Wait. I trace back. Hadn’t Jesus already completely healed him? Exactly like the other nine who were cured who hadn’t bothered to return and thank Him. So what does Jesus mean, “Your faith has made you well”? Had I under interpreted this passage, missed some hidden mystery? I slow down and dig. I read Jesus’ words in Young’s Literal Translation, “And [Jesus] said to him, ‘Having risen, be going on, they faith has saved thee.’” Saved thee? I dig deeper. It’s sozo as being made “well” or “whole,” but it’s literal meaning, I read it—“to save.” Sozo means salvation. It means true wellness, complete wholeness. To live sozo is to live the full life. Jesus came that we might live life to the full; He came to give us sozo. And when did the leper receive sozo—the saving to the full, whole life? When he returned and gave thanks. I lay down my pen.
Do you see? This says everything about why I created Celestial Prescriptions. God is our great physician and is the only one who can truly save your life—your whole life.
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Tips to a happier you in 2012~Have Faith


From the moment I had my first seizure, I tried to hold on to this verse. 

Having peace in God in the midst of my world of seizures, addiction, and depression required much faith.

Faith is belief in something that cannot be seen. Having faith is a decision based on life experiences, which are different for everyone. 

I became a Christian when I was seven years old. I went to church, did Bible studies, and said my prayers. But something was always missing. 

Is it possible to have faith in someone you don’t really know?

I knew about a lot about God, but I didn’t know him personally. For seven years I struggled with my demons and with God, questioning his plan and his purpose. I pleaded with him to help me understand my situation—why all of this was happening to me. 

It took seven years for me to get to the end of myself. It was then that my desire to know him overcame the desire to solve my problems. 

Once my greatest desire was to know Him, my life changed overnight. He healed me completely of the seizures, depression, and addiction. 

Now for the sciency stuff: 

Research conducted at Duke University and the Durham VA Hospital has shown that individuals who pray, read scripture, or participate in regular religious services are less likely to suffer with depression than non-religious control subjects and achieve remission more readily if depression does develop. 

This type of research is really a no-brainer to me, as it would be to most Christians. 

What this study could not evaluate, however, was faith. It is the people who pray and read scripture that will have faith, and faith is essential for happiness. 

If we get to know God—build a relationship with him—it will be much easier to trust his plan, for He has overcome the world. 

Making the conscious choice to get to know Him and have faith in Him decreases stress, reduces anxiety, and relieves fear…all of which decrease the amount of cortisol and increases the amount of serotonin we have in our bodies.

My hubby loves the book “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” in which Steven Covey describes our circle of influence and our circle of concern. 

Our Circle of Influence encompasses those concerns that we can do something about. They are concerns that we have some control over.(1)

Our Circle of Concern encompasses the wide range of concerns we have, such as our health, our children, problems at work, the amount of government borrowing, or the threat of war.(1)

When we have faith in a God that has already overcome the world, we don’t worry about those situations in our Circle of Concern. We put those concerns in His hands.

There is much happiness to be found in faith. Faith gives you freedom. Freedom from worry. Freedom from fear. Freedom in knowing that God has everything under control. He’s got this!

I challenge you to get to know Him. Ask God to help you get to know Him. Search for Him. Just be ready. When you find him, your life will never be the same.
From my heart,

Celeste

Tips to a Happier You in 2012~Acts of Kindness & Altruism



Strength is for service, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, “How can I help?”
 (Romans 15:1-2 Msg)

The definition of altruism in the New American Oxford Dictionary reads as follows: 

altruism |ˈaltroōˌizəm|
noun
the belief in or practice of disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others 


One of the foundational truths repeated time and time again throughout the Bible is that we should practice altruism:
You shall love your neighbor
as yourself.
(Mark 12:31 ESV)

So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law of the Prophets.
(Matthew 7:12 ESV)

We are to care for and have compassion for our fellow man.

Much scientific research has been done on the effects of altruism, and it has been proven time and time again it benefits both the giver and the receiver. Acts of kindness and altruism have shown to actually increase serotonin production in both parties involved.

When we are depressed, we tend to maintain the “poor, pitiful me” status. You can only remain miserable by continuing to look inward. When we begin to help someone else, we take our focus off ourselves and begin looking outward.

In doing some research on altruism, I did find a few studies that support findings that altruism can contribute to depression. The giver can get wrapped up in the problems of the receiver and become depressed. I do understand that way of thinking, and that’s where our faith must come into play. There will always be sad situations that are ultimately out of our control. But that’s where God comes in. We are only commanded to help others, not to solve all of their problems. God has a plan and as Christians, we must trust him to carry out that plan. We are only to carry out the part of that plan as he presents it to us.


And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
(Romans 8:28 ESV)
In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,
(Ephesians 1:11 ESV)
But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
(Matthew 19:26 ESV)
Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.
(Proverbs 19:21 ESV)
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
(Jeremiah 29:11 ESV)

Serving others is always an adventure. To begin an act of service is to open yourself up to blessings you never know existed.

And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’(Matthew 25:40 ESV)



Matthew 6:19-21 tells us not to collect treasures here on earth, but to lay up our treasures in Heaven. Have you ever wondered what that really means? Every single person on the earth has eternal significance—they all have souls worth saving—and will be our treasures in Heaven. 

I challenge you this week to look outward into the world around you and see what you can do for someone else.

From my heart,

Celeste


Where Medicine Meets Faith

Today on “Dr. Oz,” he had Joel Osteen as his guest. The title of this segment was “Where medicine ends and faith begins.” If you’re reading this blog, you probably know God gave me a miracle after years of failed medical attempts at healing. This particular subject holds a spot very close to my heart! 
I was excited to see such a mainstream show confront such a controversial topic, but honestly, I was left disappointed. The main message resulting from the interview was there is power in prayer. I wholeheartedly agree! But as came through in the show today, Joel Osteen is a “feel good” preacher. He believes in happiness and prosperity, and that anyone who believes and has enough faith can achieve just that. What I did not hear on the show today was the will of God. God has a plan. He is in control. For his children, God has promises that he will bestow, but not mentioned by Rev. Osteen today was that we may not see those promises until we reach Heaven. 
I realize this was a secular show, and I’m sure Dr. Oz had the network guiding him in what he could and could not say, but I was disappointed that the subject “when everything fails” didn’t come up. So if we die, do we assume that neither faith nor medicine worked? No. This brings me to one of my favorite quotes by Max Lucado: 
“The ultimate aim of healing is not just a healthy body but a greater kingdom. If God’s aim is to grant perfect health to all his children, he has failed, because no one enjoys perfect health, and everyone dies. But if God’s aim is to expand the boundaries of his kingdom, then he has succeeded. For every time he heals, a thousand sermons are preached.”
And to that I add this…even when he does not heal us while we are here on earth, he completely heals us when we die. For me to live is Christ, to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21)


Even in death, God has a plan. The experience of losing someone often leads other to Christ.

Prayer is important–essential actually to our spiritual walk. But God already has all the answers, doesn’t he? God has already promised us that he has a plan and a purpose for us…a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29/11). When we pray, he restores us. Praying helps us to remember that he is God and he has us in his hands. It helps us to fight the evil influences this world has over us and have faith in him. Prayer doesn’t help God be a better God, but it helps us to be better children.
I have blogged on this subject several times, and I think as Christians, it is vital that we live on this earth with an eternal perspective. Yes, what we do here is important because while we are on earth, we are laying up our treasures in Heaven. What are those treasures? People—the people that will be in eternity beside us. I’m attaching links here of the other blog posts I have on this subject:

Life is Good, Eternity is Better
In Sickness and in Health

It all boils down to your heart. Only God truly knows your heart. He alone knows your faith, your love, your struggles, and your trust in him.
I love the PRAYER acronym on today’s prescription. I will leave you with the scripture that supports it’s meaning. 
P ~ praise ~ Yours, O LORD, are the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in the heavens and on the earth is yours; yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all. Riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. (1 Chronicles 29:11-12)
R ~ repent ~ If my people … will humble themselves, pray, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear their prayer… (2 Chronicles 7:14)
A ~ ask ~ Ask, and it will be given you . . . knock, and the door will be opened for you. (Matthew 7:7)
Y ~ yield ~ …your will be done…(Matthew 6:10) and …not what I want but what you want. (Matthew 26:39)
E ~ expect results ~  …approach the throne of grace with confidence. (Hebrews 4:16)
R ~ return oftenThe prayer of faith will save the sick. (James 5:15)


I’d love to hear some of your thoughts on the subject! 

From my heart,

Celeste