Your Faith Can Help Save

There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years.

She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors

and had spent all that she had.

Yet she was not helped but only grew worse.

She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd

and touched his cloak.

She said, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.”

Immediately her flow of blood dried up.

She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.

Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him,

turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who has touched my clothes?”

But his disciples said to Jesus,

“You see how the crowd is pressing upon you,

and yet you ask, ‘Who touched me?’”

And he looked around to see who had done it.

The woman, realizing what had happened to her,

approached in fear and trembling.

She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth.

He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you.

Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.”

Mark 5:25-34

If I but touch his clothes I shall be cured...

I love this passage from Sunday's Gospel reading. In my mind, I can just imagine the woman's helplessness, her desperation as she goes in search of this man Jesus who she has heard heals the sick. I can imagine her trepidation - do I or don't I? Should I reach out? What will happen? Her desire to be well is so strong, her faith in the ability of Jesus to heal her so firm, she presses through the crowds just to touch his cloak. And...zap! Power. Healing. Miracles.

Your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction...

We each have places in our lives where we need healing. It may not be as severe as a hemorrhage, but somewhere we are hurting and broken. We may not want to admit it, but all of us are in need of our Divine Healer. How badly do we want to be well? All of us have to answer this question for ourselves.

As the women at Mary's Mantle enter our home, they bring with them a multitude of wounds, attachments, and afflictions. They are in desperate need of healing, and we do our best to create a refuge for them to begin that process. Sometimes we have to drag them to Jesus kicking and screaming; sometimes we hold them as they tremble in fear of admitting their brokenness. Other times we act as a conduit of divine healing, reaching out to Christ on their behalf when they are not strong enough to brave the crowds and reach out to Him themselves. 

I ask you this week to pray for our women (past, present, and future) in a special way. Unite them to the hemorrhaging woman who is reaching out to Christ in courage and faith to receive the healing that is waiting for her. Pray for our staff that they might be an instrument of Christ's healing power. 

Thank you in advance for your prayers! I am confident that through them, abundant grace pours out upon us here. Your faith saves us...go in peace. 

Blessings,

Rakhi

PS - If you would like to pray for needs of Mary's Mantle on a regular basis, contact us at marysmantlehelpers@gmail.com and we will be in touch with more specific prayer requests.

Shaking the Dust Off Our Feet (With a Happy Dance)

Hello, dear volunteers!

Mary's Mantle is finally emerging out of the chaos that consumed us as we prepared to pack up and move to our new location. We are here! God has blessed us with a refuge nestled in the middle of His wonderful creation. 

While we are working on figuring out our new rhythm of life, we are able to breathe and enjoy the spacious living areas, keep an eye out for the deer that come to visit, and begin to dream about what the future holds. No matter the dream, the future definitely involves all of you!

It is with your generosity that we have been able to begin this new chapter of Mary's Mantle. Every prayer uttered, every meal cooked, every hug given, every minute spent with our women, all the workshops, food, and love you have poured out has gotten us to this moment. 

You will see more volunteer opportunities coming over the next month as we begin to learn what our standard needs are and how our volunteers can best engage with the ministry. If you haven't submitted the volunteer paperwork to us yet this year, we would love for you to take a moment to do so. This will help us be sure that we are able to contact you and all is clear when volunteer opportunities come up. 

In addition to the new space we have been enjoying, we also now have a new Executive Director, Katie Montes. We are thrilled to have her passion, heart, and experience to help grow during this next chapter. Please continue to keep us all in your prayers as we try to be faithful to the call God has given us. 

May God bless you and yours abundantly!

Rakhi