Confirmation

My shoulder hurts, a lot. Who knew that sleeping on your shoulder the wrong way could cause such lasting pain.  So I decided to see my Chiropractor/Sports Medicine Doctor but to no avail.  This is strange; as he can usually get results when others can't. The problem is that in two weeks I am to go home and visit my family.  And while home, I will be running in a Mudathlon. It's an obstacle course run through lots of mud.

Now, I am a big believer in the fact that God wants us well.  I know that he wants us healthy and well more than we ourselves do.  I also know that if we aren't receiving our healing; the fault most often lies with us; Jesus provided for everyone's healing, physical and emotional, on the cross.  However, we can be our own worst enemy at times and not even realize it.  So because I wasn't seeing any results I decided to break out the big guns and see if I couldn't gain some insight as to why I wasn't seeing any manifestation of my healing.

The Thursday before I was to travel home, I went to the healing rooms at our church.  It is an event that happens twice a month at which you can receive extended prayer for anything that ails you.  Now, because I know that when we as believers come together in prayer some amazing things can happen, I was fully expecting to see the manifestation of the healing which Jesus had already provided for on the cross.

As I walked into our church I was welcomed and asked to fill out a slip of paper on the reason I had come for prayer. I wrote down healing for my shoulder.  I was then asked to sit in the sanctuary and wait until it was my turn.  Not ten minutes later I was escorted back to one of the classrooms.

"A mighty warrior."

Upon entering the room I was greeted by the man and the woman who would be praying with me.  However, instead of asking me for what I needed prayer, they greeted me with amazement.  The woman declared that I was a mighty warrior. She told me that God had opened her eyes and she could see me; tall in stature.  She then looked up at where my true height was and her gaze was about a foot over my head.  The gentleman then stated that he too sensed a strong warrior presence emanating from me.

Over the next 3 days, my shoulder showed considerable improvement.  In fact that Saturday I was able to participate in the Mudathlon.  However, more important than my shoulder beginning to recover, was the word about who I was in the spirit.  This event confirmed what God had placed on my heart a few months earlier.  It was then that I began to see myself as God sees me.  I began to understand who I am.

No Accident

I had just finished attending a prayer meeting for an upcoming men's event being held at our church. As everyone was leaving and socializing, I had struck up a conversation with another gentleman about the upcoming event.  As we were walking out the door, the man with whom I was conversing asked my name.  I replied with my usual off handed response of "Just call me Mark or Gus. It doesn't matter."  The man stopped me and said that God had told him that my name was not accident but intentionally given.

We said goodnight and went our separate ways.  I, however, left with a clue; an insight into my identity. "Who am I?"  This is one of the biggest questions a person can ask.  It is the search for the definition of self. And it is a question to which many never find and answer.

So who is this "Mark," and what does my name have to do with who I am.  After all, I could have just as easily have been named George or Kevin.  Well it turns out that the name Mark is derived from the latin word 'Marcus' or Mars, the Roman god of war.

As a person of average height and who has cultivated a healthy midsection over the years, anyone would be hard pressed to see anything remotely resembling a warrior.  Even the Air Force refused to take me because of asthma.  There must be some mistake.  My brother is the warrior.  After all he flies Apache Helicopters for the Army.

Shortly after my discovery of the etymology of my name, God impressed on me that my brother Kevin and I were more than just brothers by birth.  He showed me that we were brothers in the truest sense of the word.  He showed me that we shared a common core; we were both warriors.

God sees us in the spirit as he is a spirit himself.  Our spirit is is the foundation of who we are.  It's what our soul, our thoughts and emotions, is built upon.  And just as with any building, the foundation determines what the rest of the structure will look like.

This is but the beginning.  Over the coming weeks I will continue to share more of the story and my passion.