Testimony of Healing April 22, 2013 Issue

'Hid with Christ,' not judged

Ginger Mack Emden

Last year I was a resident counselor for a college study-abroad program. It was a 14-week program that involved seven weeks on campus and seven weeks abroad. During these four months, my fiancé and I were planning our wedding, which would happen shortly after my return. It was a happy time to meet new people, travel abroad, and celebrate our upcoming marriage. Happy except for one thing, a sore developed at the corner of my mouth, and it hurt.

Each time I opened my mouth, the sore was re-aggravated. This went on for several weeks. In addition to the pain, I was embarrassed about this condition because I regularly met with students and faculty face to face for my job. I felt like people would be grossed out by my appearance or, worse, they would think I was a bad counselor if I couldn’t even take care of myself and handle my own problems. To top it off, some friends had organized a wedding shower and I felt far from a beautiful bride-to-be.

I prayed each day. At moments, my prayers were no more than a plea to just make the sore go away. I could tell this wasn’t the most genuine motive and that a wholehearted surrender to God was needed, but how?

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