"JUST DO IT"

Breath-taking joy overcame every nerve in my body.
The gladness of my heart stretched from ear to ear.
I couldn't believe it! I just couldn't believe it!
God had listened to my heart -- He answered my prayer!

It was a filled day already. I left the house at 5:45 a.m. to begin a day of go, go, go! 
Prayer service, carpool, and gym class, followed by 3 hours of yard work and errands left me exhausted, still I had promised in my heart to take my oldest daughter's car to be washed--a surprise for her return from Haiti. I molded into the inviting couch of our den eating a much needed bowl of cereal. I quickly considered dissing the whole, thoughtful-gesture-car-wash-idea; besides, who would know any different? In a more relaxed mode I opened my email and found a fresh update from the Haiti Team. Words of excitement, love and selfless living poured out of it's message. Instantly, I was given a fresh jolt of "just do it" and headed to the carwash.

Sitting in the outdoor lounge, underneath the warm afternoon sun,  I scroll through my inbox, occasionally looking around to "people watch". Out of the blue he appears! Yes! The certain man who walks! My heart begins to race, thoughts rush through my mind; I ignore the voice that says "don't go" and I immediately get up. I cross the strip mall parking lot toward his direction. As I approach him, he looks at me then looks away...I say "Hello" and offer out my hand as I enter his space. And so it begins, His Divine Opportunity.

"My name is Dana" I say, with restrained excitement and a warm smile. He puts out his frail hand and receives my greeting. I tell this man of my story, my prayer, my desire to know who he is. I find myself rambling a bit, whether nervousness, excitement or both, and he looks somewhat hesitant, yet appreciative. If he only knew I wanted to wrap my arms around him and tell him, "I love you.".

His name is Shanshi, a native of India, now living with family just right up the street. Shanshi is not tentative to tell me about himself, his living here for 10 years, a citizen for the last two.

He isn't as tall as I once thought, actually he is not tall at all; but thin, oh yes, very thin indeed, due to a long suffering disease known as Graves. In his struggle to maintain what health remains, he walks one hour daily.  I notice this particularly warm day he is wearing 2 sweaters over his feeble frame. I learn that this precious man is a 25 year cancer survivor, Stage 2 Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma to be precise. He tells me his Graves is from thyroid replacement therapy, his spleen removed way back when. I share that I am quite familiar with this, that my husband, a survivor too, Stage 2 NHL, no spleen, the whole thing, and now journeys forward in remission from Mantle Cell. His kind heart asks, "How is he doing now?" I am assured by his question our conversation is welcomed.

I ask Shanshi if I can pray for him, for healing, and his family? "Yes", he comfortably replies, "you can pray anytime.",  so I go for it...

"Do you know Jesus?"

He tells me he has a different religion, yet welcomes my prayer upon him. I tell him it is Jesus that has healed my husband, many miracles He had shown us last year.

In bridled joy I lay my hand gently upon his bony and fragile shoulder, with closed eyes, I begin to talk to God, in Jesus' Name, for Shanshi.

As I withdrew my hand a part of me stayed with him,  a love sincere, put there by God.
I assured Shanshi I will be praying for him and then closed with "If you hear a honk and see someone waving at you, that's me! ". "That's nice", he gently replied with what I believe was a smile in his heart.

Breath-taking joy overcame every nerve in my body!
God answered my prayer!
Suddenly, I realized deep within my heart, 


God had answered a prayer for Jesus too.


My new prayer is for Shanshi to be healed of his debilitating fate of Graves, but more so than that, I pray for his heart, his mind, and his soul.


Spiritual healing is my prayer for the "certain man who walks".




"This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.". 1 Timothy 2:3-4