Faith:REFINED

Healed By Faith" is our latest single, now burning up the Fan Faves chart on Indieheaven.com. (www.indieheaven.com/fanfaves.php). It also is the 1st song featuring our new lead vocalist and bass player Jason Elkins.

I have to credit Mr. Eric Copeland, from Nashville, for the inspiration for this song. Mr. Copeland is a producer and a brilliant jazz musician. He also writes a great blog for Creative people (www.CreativeSoulOnline.com) He has been a friend to Indieheaven for quite some time, and occasionally pops onto the Indieheaven network with song requests for artists he is working with.

One day, not too long ago, Mr. Copeland posted that he was looking for a specific song dealing with the Bible story of the woman who was healed just by touching the hem of Jesus’ garment. There were also several other song scenarios he was looking for, but this one touched me the most. You see, I could put myself in that woman's place, so I knew I could write a song about it straight from the heart!

In December of 2001, I was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast Cancer. As I was being wheeled into surgery for a complete radical mastectomy at age 36, my surgeon told my mom that I probably had only a year to live.

I was a single mom to a sweet little four year old boy at the time, and I knew that my stay here on earth had not yet come to an end. My son, Joshua, had just come through major surgery on his chest to correct a birth defect, and he needed constant care. Due to divorce, his father was no longer in Joshua's life. Although I had the support of my family, especially my wonderful mother, the bulk of caring for Joshua fell to me. And I wouldn't have it any other way! I knew that God had given me Joshua as a gift, and he was mine to raise to know his heavenly Father.

My diagnosis did not scare me at all. Rather, I looked at it almost as an adventure! I have a BS in Medical Technology, and was working as a Clinical Researcher at the time, so the medical world was very comfortable to me. I felt in my heart that God was having me go through this trial so that I could reach out to other women in the same situation and help them. Nobody can understand how surgery, chemo and radiation can affect you unless you have had it yourself! I knew, that I knew, that I knew! that I would be fine. And, in fact, when my surgeon took out my tumor, he was amazed to find out that the tumor was completely encapsulated and had not spread throughout my body as he had expected. Because of the size of the tumor and the fact that I had had it for so long, the doctors recommended that I undergo 6 months of Chemo, followed by 6 weeks of radiation. I knew that I didn't really have to do all that....after all, I had been HEALED! But again, I felt the Lord leading me to experience the whole adventure. So, I followed my doctor’s advice.

During all the surgery, chemo and radiation, I only missed 3 days of work. I kept my full time job in Houston, which was a 1.5 hour commute for me, one way. I got up each day at 5am to spend time with Joshua before leaving for work at 7am. I often got home after 6pm. The one and only way I was able to get through each day was because of the saving Grace of Jesus! I did not experience the tiredness and anemia of most cancer patients. I did have the nausea, and I did loose my hair, but neither stopped me. I had a supernatural energy, and often walked the 3 blocks to and from my chemo and radiation appointments on my lunch break.

I was determined to keep life normal for my son during my treatment phase, so that he would not be afraid. Turns out, God already had taken away any fear Josh would have had. Because my son had just had surgery, he was totally comfortable with hospitals, chest tubes, bandages and doctor appointments. I told him that I wanted to have a scar on my chest just like his! We bonded over holding pillows tightly against our chests when we coughed or laughed together, to lessen the pain. Going through this experience together made us so close, and made us realize just how precious life really is. Joshua became a powerful prayer warrior because he saw first hand how God answers prayers. God HEALED his Mommy so she could stay here and take care of him!

Well, when I saw Mr. Copeland’s song request, I knew I had the song in me. The story takes place in Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 5:25-34, and Luke 8:43-48. The woman had an illness that the doctors could not heal. However, her faith was so strong that she knew she need only to touch the hem of Jesus’ garment as he walked by, and she would be healed. And she was! Her faith in His Grace healed her.

Faith is my strongest spiritual gift. Some may accuse me of just being an eternal optimist, but I believe I am that way because of a basic belief in God's goodness. I have faith that He holds my life in His hands, and that He will work everything out for His Glory. I can't think of better hands to be in! I never doubted that He would heal me. I never once though of death. I worried my mother sick because I would not make out a will during my illness. For me, to do so meant that I would have to seriously consider the fact that I might die due to this cancer. It felt like I would be giving in to doubt! So, I didn't do it, and I didn't take off work, and I didn't sleep in late, and I didn't roll over and die. I kept living the life God gave me day after day, waiting to see what He would do next. And He gave me His mercy and Grace. Today, almost 8 years later, I am still cancer free! And out of the ashes of that fire, I have a new husband, and two wonderful 'step' children that I consider my very own. Beauty from ashes!

I didn't get that record contract with Mr. Copeland's artist, but I got so much more....the honor of giving my testimony of God's goodness and Grace, and the unbelievable joy of being HEALED BY FAITH, HEALED BY GRACE!