How Brett and Debbie Pursue Healing and Wholeness
‘El vacío del alma’ by Albert Gyorgy
Brett and Debbie first joined the All Nations Kansas City CPX Fall 2016. They have a dream of seeing Jesus bring healing to the broken. Here, they share their recent journey.
Brett:
I am more than whole, I am overweight – you could say that I am “Whole and a Half.” Good news is I am working on it, and shrinking slowly…
First things first, I’ve learned in 45 years with Jesus that He really is the Lord. He owns all the days, the good days, the bad days, the horrific days. He owns me, Debbie, and my kids Jonathan, Joshua, Joel, Josiah, Joseph, Joash and Jonas. He is weaving a tapestry, a mission, a journey, and has brought me into it. My life has a context and it’s working out just as He planned.When I panic, and worry, and consider great changes, or dwell on fears of having “missed it”, I find the Lord actually has been at work. He knows this walk. He knows this rough neighborhood, these painful diseases, and even death itself. He was right there last year when Joash took his own life. Satan claimed victory, but Jesus reached out, lifted Joash up, and declared “Mine!”
Healing and wholeness come to me as I start every day in God’s word. I read His Word, and I write some of my thoughts, every day. You are welcome to look over my notes. There are several years, daily posts from my reading. Look at https://www.facebook.com/groups/FaithNotes and perhaps you might be encouraged. So I start with His word.
I’ve developed a habit of praying throughout my day. Rolling cares up to the Lord, I declare His kingdom and power over sicknesses and afflictions, and other situations. I confront evil and darkness with Jesus’ authority. I share with Him until my soul relaxes and finds peace.
I stay the path. God called me to the nations in 1975, and so my choices are biased. I stick to it, refocus on it, and ask Him to lead. His most amazing claim of three precepts is in John 10:27. Three things that cover me, but for which I do nothing to achieve: “My sheep hear my voice” is the first. I do nothing to hear His voice. He declares that I DO hear His voice. I cannot miss it. I cannot block it. I cannot avoid it. I am assured that I hear it. Next, “I know them” – that’s amazing. He knows me. Not because I reveal myself. Not because I am good. Not because of quiet times, or Bible Reading, or ministry. It’s a simple fact – He knows me. I am assured. And then the third bodacious claim, “they follow me.” It’s not from trying to follow. It’s not from striving to hear. It’s not from good behavior. Somehow, because I am His sheep, I follow Him. My nature was changed into “one of His sheep” and then naturally, I follow Him. Such assurance. John 10:27, I hear His voice, He knows me, and I follow Him. All without trying. This makes me love Him even more.
Turns out my love for Debbie grows out of this same love too. Healing and wholeness come from holding Debbie’s hand. Every day. Most every evening Debbie falls asleep with her head on my lap. Time together is every day, cooking, eating, errands, trips, we walk together.
Well, that’s where I go for healing and wholeness.
Debbie:
I would echo what Brett says, as we have developed the same habits of reading the word, prayer and study over the last many years. I don’t really have a single “go to” passage or story, but am often comforted my my daily reading or verses friends and family post online each day.
Brett thought it might be good for me to briefly share my journey to healing and wholeness after the loss of our Joash last February. I have never felt such raw pain and anguish. My whole being cried out against the loss. And so I cried out to the Lord each and every night for over four months, literally. Fortunately we have no adjoining walls to any neighbors, because I screamed and cried and screamed some more. And the Lord listened and understood, in a way that only a father who has also lost a son can.
I have since learned the name for what I was doing - keening. It’s a normal human response, and for me was so very cleansing. I don’t know exactly at what point I passed the point of needing this, but I did. I was finally able to move on from the intense raw pain, and begin to do a new normal life again. A good friend even noticed in my countenance and mentioned it to me. I slowly began to be able to pursue old activities and ask the Lord what new ones I might add in as well, both personally and in ministry. The healing continues, and I have “grief stress” still, trembling and other symptoms, but it is getting better at times. I’m so grateful for a faithful husband who walked with me throughout this journey, and for all who have and are still praying for us.
About the Authors: Brett and Debbie Mason joined All Nations in 2016, and serve on coaching and pastoral care teams. They have worked in the Philippines, Singapore, Japan, Honduras, and now encourage and mentor workers in the US, and many regions abroad.
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