In Luke 13:10-17, Jesus healed the handicapped woman.  In verses 10-13, the Bible says, ”Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath, And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up.  But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, ‘Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.’  And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.”  The Bible goes on to state that the ruler of the synagogue was not happy with Jesus about this, but Jesus answered him, and said, “‘Hypocrite!  Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it?  So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound – think of it – for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?’  And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.”  

What speaks to my heart, and stands out to me, is that when Jesus saw the woman, the passage states, “He called her to Him.”  He called her to Him!  He didn’t reject her or rebuke her – He invited her to come to Him.  He laid His hands on her, and immediately the bent-over woman stood straight up and began praising God.  The bones in her spinal column were healed and aligned.  The pain she had carried for 18 years was gone.  She was free!! 

While I don’t know what it’s like to have my back bent over physically, I do know what it’s like to experience physical infirmities.  I also know what it’s like to be doubled over emotionally through serious and dark bouts of depression that seemed to destroy my ability to experience joy and happiness.  I do know what it’s like to be crippled spiritually because I didn’t know the truth of God’s Word, and because I believed that I was less than God’s beloved child.  

 My walk with the Lord changed when I was invited to my first Visionwriters International (VI) class in the early spring of 2011.  I became a Visionkeeper (VK) in the fall of 2012, attended my first retreat in 2013, joined the VI Board as VK Liaison in 2014, and was asked to work with the Board and manage the operations of the ministry in 2018.  At the time of this writing, I will soon start facilitating my twentieth class. I have been blessed with friendships & rich relationships, and have experienced both the highs and lows that each of those gifts bring.  I’ve learned I am a new creation in Christ, and understand more clearly my identity.  I know God speaks.  I’ve learned to recognize His voice, and He has opened the eyes of my heart through journalizing.  

 Jesus doesn’t reject me, but He calls me to Him.  He INVITES me to come.  He invites me to pick up the pen and to journalize His word.  I LOVE to journalize!  His Word continually affirms, ”woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.”  He takes all that is crooked in my life and makes it straight and strong.  He has set my captive heart free!  I know I am His child.  I now know I am loved without limits, without reservation, and without condition.  I look back over this decade and can rejoice in all the glorious things that have been done by Him.

I am grateful.  When I pick up my pen to journalize the truth of God’s word it’s like unwrapping love.

A simple folding table and chair, facing out the window with a view of the trees, this is my favorite place to pick up my pen and meet with the Lord.

Alicia Iles began her journey as a Visionwriter in 2011, and became a Visionkeeper in 2012.  She is married to Brian, and as a military family, they have moved from coast to coast.  They currently reside in Ashburn, Virginia.  They have a son, a daughter-in-law, and a grandson.  Alicia continues to facilitate classes as a Visionkeeper, while she also works with Visionwriters International as the Operations Service Manager.