Many years before I came into the Churches of God I was always sick with colds, coughs, headaches and asthma. Then I learnt through the Plain Truth magazines the importance of including fruits and vegetables in the daily diet. Furthermore, I learnt of the dietary laws of Leviticus XI in which the pre-incarnate Christ Jesus prescribed certain categories of non-toxic flesh foods for those who would serve Him.

I came to understand that sickness for the most part is a sign of toxic waste in the body so that one of the first things I do when sick is to go through a checklist – too much salt? Too much sugar? Too much processed food? Too much caffeine? Too little herbs? Too little water? Too little exercise? Not enough alkaline foods? We are all responsible for our own health but some things we cannot help so when I am not in control I call out to the Father and Christ Jesus to show me what I can do to get better, whether it is to use alternative medicine or synthetic because all knowledge comes from the Creator who allows mankind to accumulate knowledge of the body and how to mend faulty parts.

As a mother I followed the above guidelines and accepted the gift of healing that Christ promises through the prayer of faith and anointing. When my 18 month old baby fell ill with a virus, she was anointed but as her condition worsened she was admitted to hospital where her fever was controlled. However, she could not drink anything which I realized was due to negligence on the part of the nursing staff who expected a weak child to pick up a bottle on her own to drink when she was still accustomed to being held.

My recourse was to fast and call the doctor for permission to take her home. He was reluctant but agreed. He was not accustomed to a mother waking him at 5 in the morning asking for the release of his patient. I brought her home. Then throughout the day gave her mouthful of orange juice and a whole concoction consisting of spinach water, agar agar(sea moss) and garlic water, whatever came to mind. The next day we went to the doctor’s office and she had gained 2 ounces and steadily recovered.

The next occasion when I relied on anointing was when I took my asthmatic son to keep the Feast of Tabernacles in Guyana, which country was suffering dire economic problems and getting sick there might have been problematic. He was anointed before we left and throughout the period only had to use his puffer once because of a wheeze.

It is humbling to call on brethren, sometimes strangers, to intercede on your behalf. However It is a mark of submission to the authority of Christ Jesus and the authorities He has placed in His Church.

He says: Come unto me, all you who are burdened and I will give you rest and through James:5

He gives the final gift of salvation to those who are not going to be physically healed in this age. That is the gift I never want to scorn.