As Many As Touch Him
Hey everyone!
Welcome back to Character in Crisis! This week we’re excited to introduce our conference coordinator, Jacqueline Head! Although originally from Tennessee, Jacqueline travels all around the country for conferences. Often seen with one or two of her five children, Jacqueline is an amazing prayer warrior, avid reader, and caring mom. She has been an invaluable member of the team, and her gift of hospitality brings comfort and delight to each of us on staff—whether it’s making sure we’re fed, drinking enough water, or getting enough sleep! This week she can’t wait to introduce you to what she believes to be one of the top five books Lamplighter has ever printed: As Many as Touch Him!
Hi there,
My name is Jacqueline, and I have the privilege of serving the Lord through Lamplighter Ministries as the conference coordinator. It’s possible that we have met at a conference or the Summer Guild, and I may have had the honor of helping you choose books for your family.
Not many books compel you to share the hope we have in Christ like the Bible does, but Lamplighter has found a treasure in As Many as Touch Him. After turning through the pages of this little story, I was encouraged to share the redeeming love of the Lord as well as wait patiently for answers to prayer.
The main character, Ellen, has decided that the endless days of toil and caretaking for her invalid brother, Jerry, have taken the pleasure out of life! Devoid of a relationship with God, the family is weighed down with unbearable burdens. Like Ellen, my family and I also live on a farm, and I instantly related to the amount of work it takes to keep it all running. As the story unfolded, I was reminded of the powerful message within, that sometimes I, myself, have needed to touch the hem of His garment and be made whole (Mark 6:56).
Ellen breaks free from life at the farm, yet she finds that the change of scenery doesn’t free her from the discontentment within her heart. This certainly isn’t what she had in mind when she left the farm! Surrounded by peer pressure, a demanding aunt, loneliness, and pesky consequences, she is left broken and desperate.
“As many as touched Him were made whole.”
She had heard Christ proclaimed as the Great Physician; she had even spoken of Him as such to her brother. Yet all the while she had been unconscious of her own desperate need. But now, how precious was the truth that Christ could make her whole! All she had to do was come.
Eight years ago, my husband passed away, making me a single mom of five young children. Through these years of widowhood, I have personally seen how God can bring beauty from ashes, humble a prideful heart, and redeem a life such as mine, giving me a reason to sing and allowing me to be a part of the amazing team at Lamplighter!
Trials, burdens, sickness, suffering, anxiety, fear, broken relationships, and prodigal children—the list often feels endless. How many times have you prayed, laying your burdens at the feet of Jesus, only to pick them back up again? More times than I would like to admit, I find myself asking God, “How long must I bear the burden?” Yet, therein lies the problem! I am to give Him my burdens—for His yoke is easy and His burden light (Matt. 11:30).
“Dear Julia, if you are a sinner, I am one also,” said Ellen; “and the Saviour who has forgiven my sins will forgive yours, if you will only ask Him.”
“Oh, Ellen, is it true?” cried Julia, a ray of hope passing over her countenance. “Is it all true that the preacher said—‘As many as touched Him’? Can I go to Him? Can I touch Him?”
“Yes, it is true, quite true,” Ellen assured her. “The Lord Jesus will receive you lovingly and forgive your sins. But here comes Jerry; he can tell you better than I can. You did not know that the preacher was my brother Jerry.”
Throughout the pages of this book, you will be encouraged to see the needs of others, serve patiently, have joy in trials, be content, thankful, and trust the Lord at a deeper level. You will be encouraged to be the light in the darkness and have a greater desire to reach the least, the last, and the lost.
Jacqueline
Ps. 34:8
Thank you for joining us for another Character in Crisis! It’s been a delight to journey through some of our staff’s favorite titles with you. Stay tuned for future emails as we still have quite a few exciting new favorites coming your way. To ensure these special study guides find their way into your inbox, subscribe to this email list below!
Till next time,
Molly Mayo
Writer/Editor
Read the book for yourself!
Ellen is eager to join her aunt in the city to learn to be a seamstress, but the reception awaiting her is far from what she envisioned. To make matters worse, Ellen is enticed to enter a forbidden room that costs her more than physical suffering. But all is not lost. Reminded of a verse she once shared with her crippled brother, “As many as touched Him were made whole,” Ellen seeks to discover whether this is solely referring to physical healing or perhaps something more?
Other recommended reading from Jacqueline:
