What Can We Learn from the Woman with the Issue of Blood

How Can Faith Help Us Overcome Long-Term Challenges?

Bible, Women & Bathrobes Episode 30

The Woman With The Issue of Blood

Summary

Tamara and Wendi shared personal experiences with long-term challenges and how they relate to the woman with the issue of blood in the Bible (Mark 5: 25-34). They emphasized the woman's resilience and faith in Jesus, who healed her despite societal norms and her desperation. They encouraged listeners to find hope and inspiration in the woman's story, even in the darkest of times, and to seek help. They also discussed the transformative potential of Jesus Christ in overcoming personal struggles, sharing their personal experiences and insights.

 Main Takeaways

• From Tamara, “I love her faith. I love her courage. I love that she didn't give up. And I I admire her determination to keep going and I think that's probably one of my biggest takeaways is don't give up. Even though there may be moments when you feel like it. We all feel that way sometimes. But just keep going. Keep going, knowing the answers will come, eventually.”
• From Wendi, “Even though we feel nameless, God knows your name. Jesus Christ knows you. He knows you and helps you and will offer that peace. Keep going. And healing be there and peace will be there.”

Today’s Podcast Hosts & Guests

Tamara K. Anderson

Tamara, founder of Women Warriors of Light, is a dynamic speaker, award winning author, and a podcaster. She is driven by her Christian faith to inspire faith in Jesus Christ. Alongside her husband, Justin, she navigates the joys and challenges of parenting four children with autism, ADHD, and mental health hurdles. You can find out more about Tamara on her website: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/

Wendi Christensen, LCSW

Wendi is the co-founder of Women Warriors of Light. In addition to being a wife and mother, she is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 28 years of experience. Wendi is an intuitive counselor helping individuals release pain, renew hope, and restore light through forgiveness. You can find out more about Wendi on her website: https://wendichristensencounseling.com/

Transcript

Tamara Anderson  0:00 

Have you ever been discouraged because you had a something that lasted really, really long and you weren't sure how you were going to get through it? And it just seemed like God was forever and helping you find the solution? If so, we're going to discuss a woman in the Bible today that had this same challenge and see how she got through. So stay tuned.

Tamara Anderson  0:30 

Welcome to Bible, Women and Bathrobes the podcast where faith meets comfort. Join us Tuesday and Thursday morning. As the gals from Women Warriors of Light and their guests, Don bathrobes and dive into the inspiring stories of women in the Bible and the teachings of Jesus Christ. From Esther's bravery to the Sermon on the Mount. We explore it all with warm laughter, sisterhood, and maybe even a few sleepy eyes moments. tune in live or at your leisure as we learn lessons from scripture which empower women today.

Tamara Anderson  1:12 

Hello, and welcome to another episode of Bible, Women and Bathrobes. I'm your host, Tamara K Anderson and joining me today is my wonderful co founder from women warriors of light, Wendi Christensen. Wendi, thanks for being here this morning.

Wendi Christensen  1:26 

Good morning Tamara. I'm so happy to be here.

Tamara Anderson  1:29 

And today we are going to talk about the story of the woman with the issue of blood. And I found this story and it has always fascinated me the her faith, her courage, her resilience. Oh my goodness, you guys 12 years! I don't know about you, Wendi But that is a long time to struggle with something right?

Wendi Christensen  1:55 

It is 12 years is a long time, and especially back then with the things in the conditions that they had.

Tamara Anderson  2:03 

Yes. And, and, and going into this. It's important to note that in those days, if you had something relating to blood, a challenge relating to blood that the society considered you unclean. And so not only did she have this physical challenge, but she was basically shunned from society, if somebody touched her, they had to go through like this washing process so that they could become clean again. So I really as I pause and I think about her, she had so much that it would have been just easy to give up. But she didn't.

Tamara Anderson  2:46 

And so let's let's dive into this woman. And I'm actually going to, there are several accounts of this woman and her story in the Gospels. And today I'm going to, I found the most full story of it in Mark chapter five. And we're it's verses 25 through 34, if you'd like to follow along in your scriptures, and let's just start with the first couple verses.

Tamara Anderson  3:19 

And it says "And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood 12 years, and had suffered many things of many physicians and had spent all that she had, and was nothing better, but rather grew worse." Oh,

Wendi Christensen  3:38 

a lot.

Tamara Anderson  3:39 

It is a lot. I'm like my heart just even with those first two verses, and knowing just a tiny bit of what life was like for her back then my heart goes out to this woman. And so I thought I'd open up the discussion with I know, Wendi, that you struggled with infertility, and perhaps you've had other challenges that you've had to face for long amounts of time, not just one year. I mean, although one year can feel long when you're when you're in something heavy, like this, but 12 years! How? What did you find in those years? That helped you keep going?

Wendi Christensen  4:29 

You know, that's a really good question. Because it did it took it took us seven years to finally get pregnant. And, you know, going through those years, they weren't even quite sure why. Like I didn't have definitive answers. So I can really relate to in some ways. I mean, she had it way worse than I did because I can't even imagine 12 years believing and going through and not really having the answers and just seeking and searching and searching and wondering and to not have at least I had Some answers along the way, or some things along the way or, you know, a procedure that the doctor would do here and there, while I went through a lot of procedures and actually,

Tamara Anderson  5:10 

You can relate with her suffering things of many physicians.

Wendi Christensen  5:15 

Exactly, yes, yes. Because I had, you know, surgeries and scraping and all the fun stuff, but and medications. But that's the thing is we did I had I had modern technology. She didn't have any modern technology. And to spend years and money, she spent everything that she had, trying to find answers, and trying to get things from, from doctors. And I'm sure even spiritually, she had sought things and sought those answers.

Wendi Christensen  5:43 

And I do remember seeking and asking, and wondering what's wrong with me? Like, you start internalizing after a while? What's wrong with me? Why can't this happen? Why can that change? Why do I have this problem? Why does my body do this? You question God, you question a lot of things. And I can only imagine for her that the questions that she had, and why can't this change for me? Why am I not getting any answers? And you do a lot of pleading with with God? And you do a lot of almost begging and bartering. If you know if this could happen, then maybe this could happen or praying, can we get some answers?

Wendi Christensen  6:26 

I'm sure she must have been so desperate after 12 years of dealing with this. Because even just like I said, the seven years that we waited to get pregnant and the joy that we finally had, and we'll talk about, you know, her joy later on. But But I can't even imagine the pain and the turmoil and the heartache that she must have. She must have gone through for those 12 years. Just what is wrong with me? Why can't they find answers?

Wendi Christensen  6:54 

What she it doesn't say that she blamed others that she blamed these physicians that couldn't find answers, I'm sure she, she turned inside her with what is wrong with me. But yet, somehow she dug deep, because it talks about faith, that she must have kept turning to the Lord with her faith. And she didn't give up hope. She didn't give up her faith.

Wendi Christensen  7:23 

And I know sometimes it's easy to become bitter, when you've dealt with something for so long, to become bitter against God. And to wonder, okay, if you're not going to help me and you're not going to give me answers, then I'm done with you. And I do know many people, as I've worked with people over the years that will do that I do I do that. And and I see and I get I understand why when you do deal with something for so, so long, of not getting any answers and direction. So I really admire her faith that she kept going and kept believing in God. She did not give up and did not I'm sure there were moments of hopelessness, but she did not ever give up hope.

Tamara Anderson  8:05 

Yeah, I think that's one of the things that I'd love to draw out as a lesson from her is she kept trying. And perhaps in those prayers, you know, where she begged for healing, God instead of giving her the physical healing right away, blessed her with some sort of grit, you know, and determination to keep going. That in and of itself is a gift. You know what I mean? That gift of resilience, that gift of to keep trying, and to keep moving forward with faith that, oh, my goodness, she had such a gift of faith.

Tamara Anderson  9:00 

And I admire her so much for that and for staying true to God in that in that long period of waiting. I noticed when when Nathan was diagnosed with autism, you know, I kind of had those moments where I begged for healing and I noticed that of course it didn't happen for us, but God gave me baby steps to take. You know, he introduced me to the right people that helped me learn, you know about autism. He he helped me figure out solutions then that would help me with maybe baby steps of the challenges that that helped me through the wait.

Tamara Anderson  9:48 

So I think if you or someone you love is in a situation like this, That is one of the keys is searching for the teeny tiny miracles Along the way. And they might not always be physical things, sometimes they're, um, healings in our soul, that give us that grit and determination to keep moving forward.

Tamara Anderson  10:13 

And I think the key to that is to keep turning to God. And to tell him where you're at--to vent those angry emotions when you have them, to vent the sorrow emotions when you have them. For her probably venting the, the I'm being shunned emotions. I mean, oh, how painful that would be to not only have a physical challenge, but then to have people like, oh, my gosh, there she is, stay away from her. Do you know what I mean? Don't Don't let her touch you. Which comes into play here in the story a little bit.

Tamara Anderson  10:46 

And in verse 27, it says, "when she heard of Jesus came in the press behind and touched his garment." She didn't want to touch him, because she didn't want to make him unclean.

Wendi Christensen  11:00 

Right.

Tamara Anderson  11:01 

And so she was sensitive to other people. And even though she didn't know him, she had heard of him. And I mean, just that hope. Oh, my goodness, how that there is that great man and he is a healer. You know, he's raised the dead.

Tamara Anderson  11:19 

Oh, my goodness, wouldn't that just--I have got to find this man. I've got to, I don't want to touch him and make him unclean. But I want to touch his garment. And that incredible, sorry, getting all teary. That incredible faith.

Wendi Christensen  11:36 

Yeah,

Tamara Anderson  11:36 

oh my goodness, that I don't even have to touch him. I'll just touch his clothes. And God, please heal me. That. Oh, my goodness, how God must have been aware of her to even inspire her with that idea.

Tamara Anderson  11:55 

So I think that's another lesson is listen to the thoughts and ideas that come into your head, because you never know what will lead to maybe baby steps of healing or complete healing. You know.

Tamara Anderson  12:08 

Sorry, we are dealing with something with one of our kids right now. It's something that they have struggled with for a while, and we're just trying to find answers. And it's not easy. It's not easily coming. And there's been moments where they have wanted to give up hope. And so but, you know, we just keep pressing forward with faith and have to count every tiny miracle as a step. Anyway. So it this is something that I think a lot of people deal with, especially with health challenges today, you know,

Wendi Christensen  12:48 

yes. Well, and I think that you bring up a good point with her, knowing all she had to do was just touch him and be healed. Like that takes so much courage for her to have even thought she had been through years and years of physicians, you know, she had been through trial, trial and error and trial and error and trial and error.

Wendi Christensen  13:15 

I remember looking to her as an example of my own faith. Like, I remember, when I was going through that infertility, and thinking, I have faith like that, like that woman, like I felt like it, I remember going, I have faith like her, I know that I can be healed, I know that the Lord can actually heal me. And the All I would have to do I remember picturing in my mind, all I have to do is reach out and I know that he would heal me.

Wendi Christensen  13:47 

But sometimes the healing doesn't come instantaneously. And it's what is God even creating and you throughout the trial, like you talked about your child. And sometimes, like with her that the I guess the healing isn't immediate, because I'm sure that this created within her so much depth and character with the fact that she did have to wait for 12 years.

Wendi Christensen  14:15 

And I wish we knew the rest of the story. Right? Like, what happened to her life after that the healing and and where did she go? And what did she do? And what did she testify of with Christ? You know, I'd love to hear the rest of the story because I can only imagine that her faith even quadrupled after that, of wow, I am healed after these 12 years.

Wendi Christensen  14:39 

And it's that character that she built all during that time of waiting and sitting and sitting and wondering and pondering. Because I know for me that that grew a lot of character within me to know that the answers didn't come and I did have to just sit there and wait in the trial. And that's hard. Are too it's hard to sit and just wait. Yeah, in the trial but have faith that it will come?

Tamara Anderson  15:08 

Yeah. Oh, my goodness, yes. That's a really good question to ponder if you or a loved one is in this is what is God doing with your soul in this time? Right? And are you going to let him stretch you? Oh, it'll help you grow. You know, it's, it's, it's a proving period, almost those times when we have to wait and wait and wait and wait and wait and wait

Wendi Christensen  15:41 

And have faith that there's nothing wrong with you as an individual. It's just you being created. God is creating this character inside of you, that is bettering you, that is refining you that is helping you to become a better version of yourself. And that's sometimes hard to sit in that way.

Tamara Anderson  16:00 

Yeah, well, and you can see how the adversary would take advantage of a situation like this, then and now. Just drag you down and whisper those things in your mind that you were talking about earlier. It's gotta be me, there's something wrong. God must not love me. You know, you can see Satan just harping on her on on all of us today.

Tamara Anderson  16:26 

And so realize that the adversary is going to take advantage of a situation like this. And so it's almost like you have to redouble your efforts and your faith to stay true to God and times like that, and not listen to those voices, which will come and try to drag you down and keep you in discouragement versus in faith. Yeah, so this is this is so beautiful.

Tamara Anderson  16:56 

Well, let's continue with her beautiful story. So she'd heard of Jesus, she decided to touch his garment. She's in verse 28, it says, "for, she said, if I may touch but his clothes, I shall be hole." It's so pretty. She had such incredible faith. And then it says, "And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague." She knew, she knew instantly, that touching his garment had worked.

Tamara Anderson  17:30 

"And Jesus immediately knowing and himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press." And this is interesting. He's in the middle of a crowd, which means she's in the middle of a crowd, probably trying not to touch anybody else to make them unclean. But it required such a leap of faith for her to even go out, for her to approach the crowd for her to try to get through to Jesus, who was probably in the middle of the crowd.

Wendi Christensen  17:58 

Right.

Tamara Anderson  17:59 

And, and she--desperation, right? this desperation caused her to act. And my goodness, if I'd been sick for 12 years, I've probably tried to do the same thing. You know, I've tried everything else. What can this hurt?

Wendi Christensen  18:15 

Right, You know, right.

Tamara Anderson  18:18 

So "Jesus turned him about and said, Who touched my clothes?" And he knew that she hadn't touched him. See, this is so interesting, of course, being the Son of God, he could have perceived many things. But it's interesting that he knew immediately.

Wendi Christensen  18:34 

Yes,

Tamara Anderson  18:35 

and he paused and gave her a chance to come forward. You know, because she could have walked away slowly and just slunk away into the crowd and never come forward.

Wendi Christensen  18:47 

Yeah.

Tamara Anderson  18:47 

But realizing first that he was a great healer and that she had been healed. It's interesting. It says, you know, the disciples were like, What do you mean, who touched you? There's people everywhere, right?

Wendi Christensen  19:00 

They're all Around us,

Tamara Anderson  19:02 

what are you talking about? There's people everywhere, and they're touching all of us, my goodness. But here's the.. and fear, fear guys, it says "and the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him and told him all the truth. So she was scared to approach him as probably especially knowing that oh my goodness, right. Yeah, she I have made him unclean. I've made the great healer unclean. Oh, oh, my goodness, you know, and I'm gonna have to fess up here in front of, you know, perhaps my friends and neighbors. Who are I'm sure at this point, w're backing away from her, you know, like, oh, my gosh, don't touch the lady. She's unclean, you know.

Tamara Anderson  19:51 

But she even though she was fearful, she approached or I just think there's such a great example in this act of faith, even when you are fearful, you can always approach God. Always, always, always. And I love his answer. And he said unto her "daughter, thy faith had made the whole Go in peace, and Be whole of thy plague." what a beautiful. I mean, what a beautiful example of love. And that is the Savior for you, right?

Wendi Christensen  20:27 

Yes, yes. Yeah, it just makes me stop and go. First of all, I called her daughter, because he has stopped, he shows so much love. I think just in that, in those words, in that word, daughter, and the fact that he has he's stopped this crowd that's thronging around him. They're all excited for him to do things and witness, they want to witness a miracle. And he stops them in the middle of everything that they're doing. And, and the fact that he realizes that this energy has gone from him with her touching just his robe, not even like his person being right, just his clothing, that he would stop and recognize her.

Wendi Christensen  21:12 

And, and it's in the busyness of life. And how many times are we in the busyness of life, we've got so much going on. We've got so much hurt going on. And we don't think that God recognizes us or sees us or is aware of us, or that that our Savior knows who we are. And to me that shows he always, always always knows who you are, and is aware of you. Anytime you reach out to him, no matter where you are. And no matter what you're going through or how unclean you feel, or how unlovable you feel. Because she must have felt so unlovable at that point in time with people saying, Oh, get away from me or clean, you know, go go go. She still had the desire to reach out. And that anytime that we want to reach out or need to reach out, he's there offering us that piece. And yeah, and all we have to do is reach out just like she did. Beautiful, beautiful.

Tamara Anderson  22:17 

I think this is a great example of faith. For anyone, perhaps all of us who at some point have felt unclean in our lives unworthy of approaching God, and His perfection, right? I have done so many things wrong. But perhaps some of you who who might have a prodigal, in your family, who you feel and pray daily, that they will come to Jesus, just know that this story applies to them.

Wendi Christensen  22:50 

Yes,

Tamara Anderson  22:51 

as well and to hang and cling to that hope, perhaps they have drifted for 12 years or more. And that God still knows them. And that he will turn to them and help them heal as they come and approach himsomeday. And to trust that that someday will come right.

Tamara Anderson  23:17 

I think it's such a beautiful testimony of that as well, that sometimes our challenges are physical and sometimes they are, you know sin, it is sin. And that we can approach God wherever we are, however broken we are, however long it's been. And he is there with loving arms and gentle words. You know, come Come unto me all the labor and are heavy laden. You know, that is his invitation to all of us that we can be home. We can feel peace again.

Tamara Anderson  24:00 

And goodness when you were in those long moments of feeling so abandoned, that thought alone can give us hope. Right? Oh my goodness, it's so beautiful. So I think I love so many of the thoughts that and lessons we can learn from this beautiful story of faith, not only of resilience and keeping going learning to build character to not listen to the adversary to to reach for the Savior, your brokenness and uncleanness to have faith, have faith to have faith to have faith through every day.

Tamara Anderson  24:56 

No matter how long the trial may last And I think trusting God's timing is probably another lesson we can probably draw in here. Oh, trusting God's timing. It's hard, right? It's hard to trust. His timing, when so much in our world nowadays is click the buttons button instant, you know, answers instant everything and pairs with God. Sometimes we do get instant answers and instant solutions. But there are times when we may lead, like Paul for that thorn to be taken out of our flesh, and it doesn't happen, you know? And we're like, oh, dear Lord, come on, it would be so great. I know you can do it, please. And trusting God's timing that some healing comes now in this slide. And some healing perhaps doesn't come until the next. Right.

Wendi Christensen  26:00 

Yeah.

Tamara Anderson  26:01 

Are any thoughts on that? Wendi?

Wendi Christensen  26:05 

Just talking and I think of, you know, so many people that sit in trials, as, as I've counseled with people, and they'll come. And they've sat in trial, sometimes for years, like, like this woman. You know, I've sat across from people in in marriages that have sat in patterns of behavior for years and years and years and wondered, will it ever change? Will anything ever change or addictions? Will it ever change? Will I ever get over this? Can I ever conquer this, I don't know if I can ever get done with this. I feel like I have done everything. I've tried everything, to kick this habit or to kick this addiction.

Wendi Christensen  26:48 

Or I waited for them to change, I waited for me to change. I've tried so many different things. And done so many different things. And as I think about those people and and the challenges that they've gone through, and the struggles that they've gone through how how the joy and the peace that they feel, especially, you know, as we go through different steps, and I try to help with, here's a here's a modality, try this, or here's this, you know, here's an answer here, try this. And as much as that, like you were talking about as much as the world we can give and try to help with the answers and the trainings, and that classes and the education.

Wendi Christensen  27:37 

Ultimately, I always know that it's the Savior that heals, as they as they do, maybe forgiving forgiveness steps to to heal or as they process, the things that they might need to change or the realities that they have to accept, or the work that they have to put in. How beautiful and wonderful it is, when things do finally start kicking in.

Wendi Christensen  28:06 

And I can only think like I keep going back to the answer that he gave her. They fate hat they have made the whole Go in peace. We keep looking for that peace that you were mentioning earlier. Like how beautiful that word must have sounded to her Go in peace, she was going to finally experience peace and healing. And that's what made her whole Go in peace. And behold, from the plague, that some day like you were saying, whether it's in this life, or if it could possibly be in the next, we're going to experience peace from it. It doesn't, it doesn't stay, it's not going to stay. And we are going to experience that healing.

Wendi Christensen  29:00 

And sometimes it does come in these incremental steps and pieces. And then sometimes it comes all at once. But whether it comes in pieces or all at once, knowing that it will come and then it will bring peace and it's all because of our Savior.

Tamara Anderson  29:17 

Yeah.

Wendi Christensen  29:18 

All because of him. And that as we reach out that those moments of peace will come and they do. They do come it's so beautiful to see and witness healing. Because I do see it and I do witness it and that healing does come but it is sometimes in pieces and it's usually after that the tears of toil or the moments or the months of toil, even though we You're right. We want this instant gratification. We want it to be over instantly, right? I was working with a cute young woman yesterday and she was like I just want it fixed Now I want to be done with it. Now. I don't want to have to go through all of this. and she's like I know I know I need too, but I just don't want to. And I could totally relate to her. Yes, you're right. We don't want to.

Wendi Christensen  30:06 

Or are working with, you know, the older couple that's been in this pattern of ugh, not, this toxicity, but we need to change now and witnessing and seeing. But we want it to change and we're willing to work on it changing and it is changing. We are seeing changes. It's so beautiful to see how hearts Savior, Jesus Christ can heal us as we continue to turn to him. and say moments of peace, it does come. We just have to look for those little moments. Look for the tiny little things. And they come and then they make the big thing.

Tamara Anderson  30:40 

Yeah. Oh, my goodness, this has been so incredible to dive into this woman's story. We don't even know her name. But I think in some ways, we can insert our own names in her story, and apply it so much to each and every single one of us.

Tamara Anderson  31:01 

I love her faith. I love her courage. I love that she didn't give up. And I I admire her determination to keep going and I think that's probably one of my biggest takeaways is don't give up. Even though there may be moments when you feel like it. We all feel that way sometimes. But just keep going. Keep going, knowing the answers will come, eventually. Any final thoughts Wendi?

Wendi Christensen  31:36 

I think that's so beautiful. That they Even though we feel nameless, God knows your name. Jesus Christ knows you. He knows you and helps you and will offer that peace. Keep going. And healing be there and peace will be there. Such a beautiful story. I love the story brings so much faith and comfort and the end that the Savior will be there for you and whatever trials you are in.

Tamara Anderson  32:04 

Thanks for tuning in to Bible, Women and Bathrobes hosted by Women Warriors of Light. We've loved exploring the stories of remarkable women are the teachings of the Savior today with you. If today's episode brought someone special to mind, be sure to spread the word. And don't forget to hit that subscribe button so you never miss a moment of inspiration and sisterhood. Just a friendly reminder, all opinions we share are entirely personal as we are trying to decipher and apply Bible teachings just like you are. Until next time, stay faithful. And may Your journey be blessed and illuminated by God's love.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai