God knows best

Just over a year ago, I truly believe God gave me a huge blessing. A big mighty miracle in my little ole life. For over 20 years, I have dealt with major headaches just about every day and poor sleeping perhaps because of them. I had been sent to a small handful of professionals to try and give me some relief with their answer being we need to break your jaws horizontally and vertically to reshape them before putting braces on to then straighten the imperfections. That was not an option for me. So I continued to deal with the headaches.

I asked my local dentist once again last February if there was anyone that he could send me to for a second opinion and before I walked out of his office he had an appointment for me the following week. When I arrived for my appointment the Dr. stated that he had never seen anything like what was going on in my mouth and he wasn't sure that he could do anything to give me some relief. He would need to take some impressions and if I had the time and wanted him to try for a fee he would start the process. That very day I had four sets of impressions made, 35 plus photos of my mouth and hope. I asked him why he thought this was all going on in my mouth, did my Mom perhaps drop me on my head as a child? He pointed up and said only He would know why and it wasn't anything to do with my Mom. I was touched and knew that meant this man was a Believer.

With-in about 6 weeks from that first consultation I had a tooth pulled and braces placed on my top teeth. With no hope of my bottom teeth ever having braces for it would truly change my bite much worse than it was, but for the first time in over 20 years I did NOT have a headache. PRAISE BE TO GOD! To date, I may have had 5 headaches and I'm telling you that is a MIRACLE!

Last week was my monthly trip to my Orthodontist and when I walked in they said, are you ready to get your braces on your bottom teeth? Can I tell you just how blown away I was? My stomach took a lurch as I wasn't prepared for that and yet the butterflies started because here was another miracle. When I sat down in the chair Dr. Farmer said, now when are you leaving for vacation? With my answer he informed me that he would not place them on until I returned and my heart broke. Isn't that funny? In the time span of about 30 minutes, I'm telling you this 40 plus year YOUNG woman began to beg and plead. Oh I surely did do so because I was so excited. But Dr. Farmer held firm, stood strong, did not waver. And now a few days later, I can tell you that I am THANKFUL he stood firm. He did some tweaking and the roof of my mouth and my gums are incredibly tender and I can't imagine what I would feel like to have that going on and my bottom mouth tender and sore all at the same time, ON VACATION! Dr. Farmer knew what was best for me.

The really neat thing that he said to me was, "Yolanda, you can hate me. But I know you can't hate me because the love of Christ is shed abroad in your heart. Jesus lives there."

WHOA!!! How cool is that? For your Orthodontist to recognize and then to speak those words out loud in a office full of patients and parents. How in the world could I hate someone that has so helped me and allowed God to use him mightily in giving me a miracle. How in the world can you and I hate when God lives on the inside of us because we have received His love. I used to hate, I know the word hate all to well, it hits close to home. Yet, I'm just blown away by what God continues to do in me and for me.

I want to encourage you that when you may come upon a road block in your day to day living, maybe, just maybe that is GOD saying no, saying wait, saying not yet. WHY? Because GOD knows best! And living this life and walking this walk I can tell you first hand, HIS BEST IS ALL THAT I WANT!

Father, thank You for men and women in the work force that share my heart for You. That aren't afraid to speak Your Name, to share Your love and draw upon Your wisdom. Thank You Lord, for Dr. Farmer who You have used to bring a huge healing into my very small life. May I testify to Your awesome power and reflect just who You are to me. I love ya like crazy. Amen.

**Romans 5:5 KJV : "And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."

And the Amplified: "Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us."

*Philemon 1:1b Message "God's best to you! Christ's blessings on you!"

Yolanda Rogers
Reaching for Higher Grounds