Sunday, April 16, 2006

Healing Rain

April 16, 2006


Aloha Kakahiaka and Happy Easter!!

What a day it has been!! What a week it has been!! I have been back from New Zealand for 2 weeks and God has really been working so I thought I would share.

In preparation for today’s service, our halau (hula group) has been practicing for the past couple of months. Then about a week and a half ago my left foot started swelling and in severe pain. I had already gone to the doctor concerning the foot about 7 months ago. Since going to the doctor, I have been doing the exercise for my foot but sometimes it just hurts for no apparent reason. Most of the time it only swells and produces pain for a day or so. But not this time… Even after the exercises, wrapping it, icy hot, soaking it, and keeping it propped up, it has been really sore for a week and a half. I started praying that God would take the pain away. Then during hula practice on Wednesday, I was still in a lot of pain so I asked our halau to be praying for healing. I also asked my home fellowship group to be praying.

Well Thursday morning I woke up at 4:45am to take Jasmine and Marcus to catch the ferry. As soon as I placed my foot on the floor getting out of bed, pain shot up my leg. I took them down and came back to the house. I started my morning devotions and the lyrics to the song “healing rain” by Michael W. Smith came to my mind.

Healing Rain
Healing rain is coming down
It's coming nearer to this old town
Rich and poor, weak and strong
It's bringing mercy, it won't be long
Healing rain is coming down
It's coming closer to the lost and found
Tears of joy, and tears of shame
Are washed forever in Jesus' name
Healing rain, it comes with fire
So let it fall and take us higher
Healing rain, I'm not afraid
To be washed in Heaven's rain
Lift your heads, let us return
To the mercy seat where time began
And in your eyes, I see the pain
Come soak this dry heart with healing rain
And only You, the Son of man
Can take a leper and let him stand
So lift your hands, they can be held
By someone greater, the great I Am
Healing rain, it comes with fire
So let it fall and take us higher
Healing rain, I'm not afraid
To be washed in Heaven's rain
To be washed in Heaven's rain...
Healing rain is falling down
Healing rain is falling down
I'm not afraid
I'm not afraid...

Did I truly believe in that healing rain from heaven that Jesus could heal my foot? Could he heal the leper or the lame man?? After the reminder of several of Jesus’ miracles, I knew that Jesus’ could heal my foot in his perfect timing. The problem was that God’s timing isn’t always my timing.

Anyway, I woke up this morning at 5am to get ready for Sonrise service and MY FOOT DIDN’T HURT!!! Hallelujah!!! I learned God as Jehovah Rapha- the God who heals! I was able to dance this morning with absolutely no pain. Praise be to the God who heals!!

This song covers both spiritual and physical healing. I have seen both types of healing in my life. The spiritual healing is what makes Easter so special. God sent his Son to die on the cross as the sacrifice for our sin. Jesus Christ didn’t stay dead but he rose on the 3rd day. He conquered death and the grave. He is our true healing rain sent by heaven. He can give this old, dead heart new life.

I hope and pray that all is well for you. If you would like to know more about that healing rain let me know.

Much love and God’s blessings,
Angela Calhoun

Friday, April 7, 2006

Indescribable!

April 7, 2006




Aloha family and friends-
Wow, time flies when you’re having fun (or so they say!). It is Friday night. I have been home one week from New Zealand and what a week it has been. On the 9 hour plane flight from Auckland , I started a letter to email while I was stuck in my seat but I really have not had the chance to type it up and send it. So I will attempt to rewrite and send this again.

After a nine hour flight and a 22 hour time difference, my friend, Julie, and I arrived in Auckland , New Zealand to stay with some of my friends that I met while I lived in NC- the Frinks. God had some spectacular things for us to learn while we were visiting New Zealand . We spent the first 4 days in the Auckland area then we flew down to Queenstown on the South Island for 4 days. While Julie and I were cruising around Queenstown, we were listening to Chris Tomlin’s song “Indescribable”. That became the song for this trip because it so described what our hearts were saying. The words are…

From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea
Creation's revealing Your majesty
From the colors of fall to the fragrance of spring
Every creature unique in the song that it sings
All exclaiming
Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God
All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God
Who has told every lightning bolt where it should go
Or seen heavenly storehouses laden with snow
Who imagined the sun and gives source to its light
Yet conceals it to bring us the coolness of night
None can fathom
Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God
All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God
Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God
Incomparable, unchangeable
You see the depths of my heart and You love me the same
You are amazing God
You are amazing God
Even as I reread the lyrics of the song, my heart and mind are flooded with wonderful memories of this trip and how amazing our God is!!! Every part of creation screams of God’s amazing hand. My heart cannot fathom all that God has done.
As we were driving from Queenstown down to Milford Sound, the views were majestic. On one side of the road, we had the Remarkables mountain range and on the other side there were the depths of the crystal clear waters of Lake Wakatipu . It gives a whole new meaning to “From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea Creation's revealing Your majesty”.
Since New Zealand is in the Southern Hemisphere, they are headed into fall. The colors on the south island were absolutely breathtaking. “From the colors of fall to the fragrance of spring every creature unique in the song that it sings, All exclaiming Indescribable, uncontainable,”
The weather was much cooler than Hawaii and the sunsets were magnificent. There were moments that I so wanted to take a picture and did, but looking back at the photo it just doesn’t do the actual image justice. We serve a Holy God that made all of this to reflect His glory!! Do we give Him the glory He deserves or do we dismiss it as “Oh that’s nice”???
The most humbling part of all this is the last line of the song that says- Incomparable, unchangeable You see the depths of my heart and You love me the same, You are amazing God!
The same God that created everything also created you and me. He sees the depths of our wretched hearts and HE LOVES US THE SAME!!! That is amazing to me! Even in our sin, God loves us. He loved us enough to send his only son, Jesus, to die on the cross to be the sacrifice for that sin. That is our only way to heaven. We must accept that sacrifice in order to go to heaven. Jesus conquered death and the grave for you and for me! I pray that if you do not know this amazing God, that you will call me or email me to find out more information.
I had a three year old in my class accept God’s forgiveness for her sins today! What a day of rejoicing it was to see her name written in the Lamb’s book of life. Oh how my heart desires to see each one of you in heaven one day!!! God has given each one of us the choice- accept Him and live eternally in Heaven with Him or deny Him and live eternally condemned to Hell. It is your choice!!
Again, if you need to talk, call me (808-553-8124) or email me!! I would love to talk with you!
Much love and God’s blessings,
Angela Calhoun