Core Healing

Core Healing is resolving the issues that are at the core of our daily problems. The Core Healing that I am referring to is based partly on my understanding and application of Dr. Ed M. Smith’s Theophostic Prayer Ministry (TPM) and also on my many (50-plus) years of experience on this earth dealing with life’s issues. A major pivotal point on my journey to healing came on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 in the afternoon while reading an article entitled, “Where to Now? Women as a Mission Field” by Diane Langberg published in the magazine, Christian Counseling Today. [1] 2005 Vol. 13 No. 3 (pgs. 50-54). As I was reading the article the tears started streaming down my face, a sure sign of “healing”. The article started with the statement: “In the wealthiest and most powerful country in the world, being born female is still something of a risk.” It goes on to state that 20 centuries ago female babies were considered a liability. Female infanticide was not uncommon. And that baby girls were often considered the equivalent of deformed and were killed by exposure. I t was permitted by law to leave them outside the city on the dung (animal manure) heap to die. If that isn’t considered “worthless” human life, then I don’t know what is. But there were people who went against the mainstream culture and went outside the gates, risking their lives to rescue the abandoned babies. The article asked, “Who were these people?” And then it goes on to answer: They were the Church—the body of Christ. They followed the Lamb who went outside the city gates to make the ultimate sacrifice and give His life in ransom for many who were deemed worthless. By His death, He judged them to be precious. This was the answer I had been looking for! This was the final piece to the puzzle, a puzzle (issue) that had haunted me all of my adult life. So needless to say by now the tears were almost uncontrollable.

My Issue: I had always had an issue with the Bible and Women. And no preacher, teacher, counselor, pastor, or prophet had been able to satisfactorily explain the position of; view of; and in general; women and women’s issues in the Bible to me. That unresolved issue had been the primary source of my emotional baggage throughout my adult life. I could never accept the explanations given to me by preachers, pastors (usually men), counselors, or people in general about women’s positions, purpose, and roles in life. I had discovered that the only person who could answer these questions satisfactorily for me was the Creator—the Ultimate Father. I had always had an issue with how women were sub-classed in the Old Testament. The fact that they had practically no rights and were usually treated as less valuable than men. And throughout history this same sub-classness has continued. I had issue with how a Creator of life who said He loved all of His creation the same but allowed this type of treatment towards his creation (women) to continue. So needless to say, I had issues and questions that needed to be answered in order for me to do the work that I was put here to do.

Since I had already learned that man has a will that the Creator will not violate. The article put things into perspective for me. Man has choices he can make, and most of the time those choices are self-serving and in total disregard to some. Whether it puts women in second or sub-class status or people of different races, beliefs, or cultures in those categories, these were choices and decisions made by men. It was not intended to be this way in the beginning.The article goes on to state that by and large the evangelical community in this country has primarily focused on women surrounding the issues of ‘roles and place.’ Being overly concerned that women not overstep whatever boundaries a particular circle deems right and focusing on keeping females in their “right” place. All the while girls and women of this world are dying on the dung heaps while money is poured into mega-churches and sound systems. But the true principle that was laid down by Christ is: as you leave your world and go out of yourself in order to give yourself to others, you return exponentially richer than before. He is the One who set forth the principle by leaving His world and going out of Himself in order to give Himself to others. He returned home exponentially richer than before. He is richer because He has us—we who were deemed “worthless” and abandoned on the dung heaps to die—our rescue became His glory. (Amen!)

Minnie Hayes Patmon-McLaurin