The waves were big and powerful.

My arms were worn out from paddling so hard, and my heart beat fast in fear. I was stuck in the impact zone. Every time I covered a little distance, another huge wave broke on top of me, pushing me back even farther towards the shore. By the time I made it to the outside, I was already throughly exhausted, though now it was time to surf.

I was grateful for the presence of my surf coach. The walls of water swelled in height as my stomach tightened and I held my breath in scared anticipation. Reminding me to breathe, she instructed me to paddle hard into the next wave.

The experience was exhilarating. In so little a period of time, all the components came together and I popped up, riding my longboard down the line with sheer speed, greater coordination and experiencing so much joy.

Paddling back out, I took a moment before taking another wave. Tears came to my eyes as I remembered my years of illness, the countless doctors, and the rollercoaster of extreme weakness and incapacity to do much of anything beginning when I was twelve years old.

And now, to experience strength in my body that I didn't know I had, to overcome fear, and to be surrounded by the magnificence of God's beauty and creation out on the ocean, filled my heart with emotion and deep gratitude.

“Talitha koum . . . . Little girl, I say to you, arise!” (Mark 5:41)

Little by little, over time, God had been raising me up, and until that experience in the strong waves of Costa Rica, a part of me had not realized the extent of the healing God had already given to me.

Take a moment today to ponder a space in your life where God has already raised you up and brought you healing and new life. Consider how you can take some time to celebrate what God has done for you.

[bctt tweet="Little by little, over time, God had been raising me up. // Mary Catherine Craige" username="blessedisshe__"]

This in-depth look at prayers for healing from the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith is informative.

Mary Catherine Craige enjoys spending her time dancing, writing, playing the Irish harp and surfing the waves of northeast Florida. As a transformational life coach, she supports strong women to create beauty out of challenging situations and to live a life of abundance, freedom and joy as the person God has created them to be. She is a contributing author to our children's devotional prayer book, Rise Up. You can find out more about her here.