God and manzanilla

A bottle of chamomile oil can heal more than an aching tummy. It can also heal a doubting heart. Read on and find out.

I don't remember the details now. I don't remember when exactly, but it was some years ago. YESHUA was still an active ministry then. I don't remember the place, but it's most probably a church in Batangas, where a certain Pastor Weiner ministers. Pastor Weiner is a favorite among the single ladies in YESHUA.

It was either we were invited to teach a two-day workshop or we had a show. But we were there Saturday and we were set to come home the next day. I know because the story I am about to tell involved us having to stay at the church overnight.

Late in the evening, I was awakened by a very uncommon ache in my belly. I had the gas. It was colic. I couldn't sleep. I didn't know why I got it. I only knew I was uncomfortable and couldn't ask anybody for help. All the other YESHUAns were asleep. The whole church was quiet.

"Get up!" I think I felt God was saying.

I cried. "Father, my tummy hurts. It hurts so bad. Please make it go away. Just say the word and I'll be okay. Please!"

"Get up, my child," went the insistent voice.

So, in pain and difficulty, I got up.

"Walk out of the room and go into the other room."

"You mean the room where the girls are sleeping?"

"Yes."

I did. All our bags were gathered together at one corner. On the wall was a medicine cabinet.

"See that green bottle? Put some on your tummy."

"Okay," I seemed to answer the voice back in my head. Gingerly, I walked up to the cabinet. I was worried someone might walk into the room and think I was stealing. There were pills in the cabinet box and I'm sure one of these were made to relieve the pain I was in. But green oil it is. I opened the bottle and put a few drops into my palm. I rubbed it onto my tummy.

The relief was instant. I walked back to the other room and fell soundly asleep.

I woke up and thought it was all a dream. So I hurriedly went to the other room. Sure enough, there it was. "Manzanilla," I read from the bottle.

Whenever I feel crabby, tired, uncared for, unloved, neglected, left alone even by God, I remember this story. I remember this story and I think, God loves me and the solution to the problem/situation/ache I may have at the moment may just be in the other room, within reach, if I just simply ask Him for help. For we all are never out of the reach of God's love.