{"id":2382,"date":"2023-03-28T11:28:57","date_gmt":"2023-03-28T18:28:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/conciergehg.wpengine.com\/?p=2382"},"modified":"2023-03-28T11:40:08","modified_gmt":"2023-03-28T18:40:08","slug":"faith-and-medicine-a-doctor-who-prays-and-prescribes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/healinggrove.org\/sanjose\/2023\/03\/28\/faith-and-medicine-a-doctor-who-prays-and-prescribes\/","title":{"rendered":"Faith and Medicine: A doctor who prays and prescribes"},"content":{"rendered":"[vc_row type=”full_width_background” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”bottom” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” top_padding=”200px” bottom_padding=”50px” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none” shape_type=””][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_spacing=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”5\/12″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_custom_heading text=”Faith and Medicine” font_container=”tag:h1|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes” css_animation=”fadeInUp” css=”.vc_custom_1680028437074{margin-bottom: 15px !important;}”][divider line_type=”Small Line” line_alignment=”default” line_thickness=”1″ divider_color=”extra-color-gradient-2″ animate=”yes” custom_line_width=”200″ delay=”1000″][vc_custom_heading text=”Learn about a doctor who prays and prescribes!” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:left|color:%23216869″ use_theme_fonts=”yes” css_animation=”fadeInUp” css=”.vc_custom_1680028449316{margin-top: 35px !important;margin-bottom: 30px !important;}”][nectar_cta btn_style=”next-section” btn_type=”minimal-arrow” next_section_color=”#49a078″ alignment=”left” alignment_tablet=”default” alignment_phone=”default”][divider line_type=”No Line” custom_height=”50px”][\/vc_column][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_spacing=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/12″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][\/vc_column][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” bottom_margin=”-37px” column_element_spacing=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/2″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][image_with_animation image_url=”2384″ animation=”Fade In” hover_animation=”none” alignment=”” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” image_loading=”default” max_width=”100%” max_width_mobile=”default”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_spacing=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/6″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][\/vc_column][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_spacing=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”2\/3″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]\u201cIs not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?\u201d (Job 12:12)<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

I don\u2019t have to change her name to keep her anonymous, because her name is Maria.\u00a0 90% of my female patients are named Maria.\u00a0 Even the ones who I thought were named Ruth, or Josefina, or Luisa, were actually Maria Ruth, Maria Josefina, and Maria Luisa.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Maria is 72 years old, and sprightly.\u00a0 She stands about 4 feet 8 inches tall and I see her all over the neighborhood, walking and pushing her little cart.\u00a0 She told me she is taking care of her grandchildren now while their parents are working.\u00a0 I know everyone in this equation.\u00a0 One of the grandchildren was in my son\u2019s kindergarten class; she has a severe intellectual disability.\u00a0 The dad has renal failure because of poorly controlled diabetes and high blood pressure, but he still manages to work two minimum wage jobs to support the family.\u00a0 He just had an eye surgery.\u00a0 The mom is working now too.\u00a0 With their four kids, the six of them lived in a minivan a couple of years ago when they suddenly got evicted; it was about nine months before they found a new place.\u00a0 They always manage to keep their heads up though, no matter what.\u00a0 I admire them all very much.<\/span><\/p>\n

I told the dad, Maria\u2019s son, the other day that we might have to start talking about dialysis eventually, since his GFR is 15 and his potassium keeps going up.\u00a0 He responded by saying that he knows someone who is on dialysis who is still able to work.\u00a0 Tough as nails.<\/span><\/p>\n

Maria had some lower leg swelling.\u00a0 Could be heart failure or renal failure, or maybe something less serious.\u00a0 I will need some labs.\u00a0 We started talking about the grandkids, and I mentioned that she seemed younger than her age because she was so active.\u00a0 She told me about the exercises she does, and then she suddenly started talking about the prayers she prays every day.\u00a0 Exercise and prayers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Her brown eyes looked at me intently.\u00a0 \u201cThis is what I pray:\u00a0 \u2018Have mercy on me, O God, a sinner.\u2019\u201d\u00a0 She went on to describe her prayers for help, for mercy, for forgiveness.\u00a0 She was full of passion and humility as she counted off on her fingers the prayers she prays daily.\u00a0 \u201cBecause I am a sinner,\u201d she added, unnecessarily.<\/span><\/p>\n

We don\u2019t talk about being sinners anymore.\u00a0 We want everybody else to be a sinner, but not us.\u00a0 We would like the world to know that we do things right, we think correctly, we back the right things.\u00a0 But something happens to you when a 4\u2019 8\u201d elder looks you in the eye and tells you that she is a sinner who relies on God\u2019s mercy for survival.\u00a0 And her prayers are intricately connected with her health.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Do not be wise in your own eyes;<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i>fear the Lord and shun evil.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

This will bring health to your body<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i>and nourishment to your bones.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n