Have you ever read a book or listened to a homily or podcast, and thought, "That's good stuff! I need to do that." And then you set it aside, and before you know it, two months have gone by, and you've forgotten all about it.

It reminds me of the story of Paul in Athens in Acts chapter 17. He's preaching in the Areopagus and he's killing it. He's really connecting, and many people are engaged in the conversation. At the end, some mocked him, some joined him and believed, and others said, "We will hear you again about this." It was interesting to them, but they were not moved to do anything.

I can relate. I hear things and agree. I may even be convicted that it's important for me, but unless I make a plan to do something with that information, there will be no change.

If you watch an infomercial, at some point you'll hear, "Wait, there's more!" They tell you all about a great product that will solve your problems, but maybe you aren't sold on it yet. So wait! There's more!

Healing resources are like that. I've already covered nine in the last few posts. But there are more! God really wants us to experience His healing power, and so He offers us an abundance of resources to help. Here are five more to add to the ones already addressed.

I had thought when I read about the healing miracles in the Gospels that they happened so quickly and easily. Jesus says a word or touches the person and BOOM, they are healed. Then everything is great. No more brokenness.

But I realized that I had made assumptions, some of them wrong. After Jesus healed the paralyzed man at the pool, he said, "Go, and sin no more." He healed the physical problem, but it was likely that more healing was needed. It is the same today. We may be healed in one way, but there are other areas that need attention. So I can see a doctor and pray and find a healing community, but there is more. I need more. More resources for the complete healing of my body, mind, and soul.

So here are three more resources that might be helpful on your healing journey.

[Healing Part 5] Resources for Healing. 

My father was an alcoholic who found sobriety at age 40. He had tried many times before to stop drinking, but it hadn't worked. The resources were there, but he didn't want to use them, or maybe he didn't want to use the ones he needed the most. Something changed when he was forty. He had a mystical experience of the Virgin Mary and never drank again. It was the result of a desperate prayer for help. It was then that he was open to the healing resources he needed.

When you are ready to experience the healing touch of Jesus, it's wise to tap into many resources. You can try the self-help approach: read a book and follow the steps provided. But that should not be the only part of your healing plan. We need more than a book.

Fernando Mendoza's final touchdown in the national championship for college football was amazing. He's the quarterback for Indiana, and when the ball was snapped, he saw an opening and weaved through defenders, spun off a linebacker and almost fell, but regained his balance and dove into the end zone. If he hadn't already won the Heisman, this would have been his Heisman moment. All those obstacles, and he came through, getting the final touchdown.

Our lives are full of obstacles. They may not be as obvious and aggressive as Fernando's, but they are present. With healing, we face tremendous obstacles because our enemy, the devil, does not want us to be healed. Identifying the obstacles is the first step. Once we know who and what is in the way, we can overcome them.

[Part Two of a series on healing.}

Sometimes our need for healing is obvious. We were abused; we struggle with addiction, or we have cancer. In this post, we'll consider three areas of healing and how they are connected. Once we know the many ways a single wound is manifesting in our lives, we can seek complete healing.

What does it mean to be healed? Dr. Bob Schuttes defines healing as “an ongoing encounter with God’s love and truth that brings us into wholeness and communion.” Dr. Bob is a retired therapist, co-host of a podcast called Restore the Glory, and author of many books on healing, including one called Be Healed.

Let's dig into his definition of healing.

I am leading a Parish Mission on healing next month with one of our deacons, Richard Dodd. Pope Francis said, "The church is a field hospital for the wounded." How do we do that?

In our planning, Deacon Richard and I realized that those who lead small groups in the parish have a role to play. We want them to come to the mission, of course. But we believe that their actions after the mission ends will make the difference between a mission that was a one-time experience, hopefully a good experience, and a mission that spurs long-term change in the people we serve. They—the leaders — can be agents of change within their small groups.

In a similar way, every Christian can and should be an ag