God’s Hand Over Me

My name is Lavynia Galarza and I was born and raised in a Catholic home in Utuado, Puerto Rico. I grew up in a loving family and went to Catholic school which cultivated and increase my faith in God.

Multiple medical problems

I got married & had 2 children which both suffer from multiple medical problems and led us to live through very hard and difficult times. Going through these difficult moments, I was tested and even weakened my faith in God.

In 1996 I was invited to an Evangelical Church and it was there where I had a real encounter with Jesus, I was baptized renewed and redeemed. It was in that church I learned a new way to pray and praise His name, grew my faith in God and gained knowledge about His Word. After giving myself to the Lord, came in contact with all the promises God had for His children, started to learned God promises like what He says in Philippians‬ ‭4:13‬ ‭NIV, “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Also what God tells us in Isaiah‬ ‭41:10‬ ‭NIV‬‬, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Faith has been the center of our family

The Lord powerful hand full of peace, comfort, and strength has always been over my family through all my difficult moments.

In 1998 we all moved to Philadelphia, PA, in search of medical help for my children and it was there that my husband also accepted Jesus as His Lord and Savior. He started to understand that Jesus sacrificed His life on the cross for us to have freedom, His unfailing love, and put God as the center of our home.

My health began to decline

After some time we moved to PA my health began to decline, I began to lose my balance, to forget common words, my legs failed me, my head and hands trembled. We started seeing many doctors and all of them giving me different answers. Tired of all situations we decided to move to Puerto Rico for a year to see if it was the atmosphere of tension in my work that caused me everything, and it was there that attending another Evangelical Church I learned that there was a way to worship God through Dance.

Although my body did not react well or as I wanted, then I remembered God promise me in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “Get out of my Grace; because my power is perfected in weakness.” At the same time He said to me in Isaiah 53: 4, “Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering...” (‭Isaiah 53: 4 ‭NIV‬)

Multiple sclerosis diagnosis

‭‭Without hesitation, faithfully & obedient to God’s word, I was full of expectations. My health continued to deteriorate, I could no longer work, so we decided to return to the United States once seeking some medical response and it was not until March 2013 that I received the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. It was devastating. I cried all the time until I plunged into a great depression. My faith was once again tested. I prayed and worshiped God from the mouth out, no longer felt God and missed His presence. I was always known as a fighter, I was always smiling and I loved serving others and all that stopped being part of my life until one day when God bitterly cried to me.

Finally after so long I felt His presence again and being there with me took me to one of his promises in 1 Peter 5:10 where he says, “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”
(‭1 Peter‬ ‭5:10‬ ‭NIV‬)

Remained faithful in the good days and bad

This was enough to bring back the joy of Salvation & renewed my faith. I kept fighting against multiple sclerosis and kept asking my Jehovah Rapha to heal me and although I did not receive a response to my healing request, my faith did not decline and No matter what I was still given my testimony of the Power of God in me. I learned throughout those years to declare healing over me and to worship and praise my God in my desert. I learned that my timing is not God's timing, internally what the Word says in Isaiah 55: 8 that, “ 'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the Lord.” (Isaiah‬ ‭55:8‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

So I remained faithful even though my body had my good and not so good days. I kept asking God, my healer, to touch my body for me to be able to dance for Him again. Healing didn't come Yet but I knew God is working on me and His timing is perfect. Actually it didn't matter if I healed well, just been in God’s presence was everything to me in that moment.

I had an MS relapse

In 2014 we moved to Clarksville, TN, remaining faithful and after several years passed, until 2017 that I stopped asking for healing, It was then when God touched my body and healed me. Hallelujah! I could finally walk without fear of falling, I could finally spin without losing my balance, I WAS HEALED. So I began to dance again every opportunity I had, I gave my testimony to bless every soul that listened to me.

After a year, I thought everything was fine, then I had an MS relapse, my legs began to fail me, my head and hands trembled, I had several falls, however, God in his immense love in each relapse gave me again and again double portion of His strength, His unconditional love, joy and peace. It was challenging & difficult for me but my Faith did not weaken instead got stronger when I was praying God told me that He wanted me to remain in Him.

Decided to give up all MS treatments

God was pleased with every step & turn I took, every jump I made, for His glory, I was in total obedience & dependence.

I was not completely healed not because He is wrong but because He is a perfect God and He says in Numbers‬ ‭23:19‬ ‭NIV‬‬, “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind..." He left me a stinger as he did to Peter in 2 Corinthians 12:7.

It’s been almost after 3 years since Jehovah Rapha laid his healing hand over me and 2 years since I made the decision to give up all types of treatment for multiple sclerosis. A few weeks ago I had new studies done the results were outstanding there are no new lesions in my brain so the neurologist recommended for me to continue without medication. That's was one of God many miracles, Hallelujah! I might not be completely healthy, at least not YET, however, that does not stop ME. I will keep worshiping my God, I will do it with joy and much peace in my heart. My body does not always react as I would like to but that does not erase the Smile on my face or the Desire to praise His name.

No matter what happens, I will depend on God

Do you wonder if God has the power to heal me completely? Absolutely, my God is a God of power, a faithful God and wants good for me, He can heal me completely whenever His will be done as Romans 2 says, ”Is perfect, good and pleasant but everything will be according to His perfect will." I am God’s work in process, I just need to trust Him and His timing.

No matter what happens in my life, God has taught me to depend on Him 100%. He is still God. While He finishes and perfects His work in me I will praise Him, I will exalt Him and I will not cease worshiping Him, because I know that my life and my future is in His hands and in the meantime I continue covering myself with his wings of love as Psalm 91 says: "With His feathers he will cover me, and under His wings I will be safe."

Hallelujah!!!!