came from her mouth. She could feel the power of her words in her spirit.
âYâall know I used to be allergic to bees.â Pastor Patrick walked the stage as she preached. Misha was impressed she didnât have to use notes to preach. It was like she was talking naturally from her heart.
âYes, I used to be allergic to bees. When one stung me, I would get upset, because it felt like I couldnât breathe. I would break out in hives and swell up. I had to be hospitalized for treatment. People who saw me would be alarmed at how I looked and it felt like I would die at any moment. I became fearful of bees and situations where I felt bees would be a threat. But one day, I went to an allergist. I was reluctant to be tested for bee sting allergy when the doctor explained how they would place bee venom right under my skin. First they would start in small amounts, and then increase the dosage to see how allergic I was and what type of bees I was allergic to. How many of you know that once youâve had a bad experience, you just donât purposely jump into it again?â
Misha could relate to every word. âThatâs right,â she heard Judy say. Others in the sanctuary were also agreeing with her.
âWell when they put the smallest amount into my skin, immediately I had a reaction. They gave me medication and watched me for about an hour to make sure I was okay. The doctor came to the conclusion I was indeed allergic to bee stings, from multiple types of bees. Duhhhhhh! I should have charged the doctor for that diagnosis.â
The congregation was on their feet with laughter. Misha could see Reverend Patrick and their sons laughing hard in the front row. Just by the way he was so engaged in his wifeâs every word, Misha just somehow knew they had a happy marriage.
âWell anyway . . .â Pastor Patrick continued trying to hold back her laugh. âYâall stop laughing. I need to hurry. Anyway, what the doctor did was have me come to his office each week and be injected with a mixture of venom from the bees I was allergic to. They gradually increased the dosage to build my immunity to the stings. This went on for about two years until my body had developed enough antibodies that a bee sting no longer bothered me.â
Misha immediately caught on to what she was saying. She listened closely as Pastor Patrick left the pulpit and walked down the stairs of the altar and onto the sanctuary floor.
âSee, some of yâall have been stung multiple times whether it was in the church, at home, at work, or in relationships. When you were first stung, you felt like your life was ending. You couldnât breathe. Your heart was racing. Everybody around you looked at you and wondered what was going on. Some people stayed away from you and others tried to help even though they didnât know how. When you look back, youâll see God put you in a place of safety so you could get over your hurt and pain. But each time you ventured out, you were fearful, afraid of being stung again, so you stayed in your own safety net. Each time you tried to venture out you were stung again. What you donât realize is God was trying to build your immunity.
âWhen your immunity is built up, little things donât upset you anymore. People can talk about you and call you out of your name all day and night and it wonât have an effect on you. You can lose your job and it wonât hurt you. Your spouse can leave you, but it wonât hurt you. Children acting crazy but it still wonât hurt you. God is building you up so when you are attacked by killer bees they wonât have an effect on you.â The crowd was on their feet. âThatâs why you donât see old people getting upset about a lot of things. God has built up their immunity. God has to build your immunity. You canât be a leader crying all the time over little things. You canât be a leader scared
âYâall know I used to be allergic to bees.â Pastor Patrick walked the stage as she preached. Misha was impressed she didnât have to use notes to preach. It was like she was talking naturally from her heart.
âYes, I used to be allergic to bees. When one stung me, I would get upset, because it felt like I couldnât breathe. I would break out in hives and swell up. I had to be hospitalized for treatment. People who saw me would be alarmed at how I looked and it felt like I would die at any moment. I became fearful of bees and situations where I felt bees would be a threat. But one day, I went to an allergist. I was reluctant to be tested for bee sting allergy when the doctor explained how they would place bee venom right under my skin. First they would start in small amounts, and then increase the dosage to see how allergic I was and what type of bees I was allergic to. How many of you know that once youâve had a bad experience, you just donât purposely jump into it again?â
Misha could relate to every word. âThatâs right,â she heard Judy say. Others in the sanctuary were also agreeing with her.
âWell when they put the smallest amount into my skin, immediately I had a reaction. They gave me medication and watched me for about an hour to make sure I was okay. The doctor came to the conclusion I was indeed allergic to bee stings, from multiple types of bees. Duhhhhhh! I should have charged the doctor for that diagnosis.â
The congregation was on their feet with laughter. Misha could see Reverend Patrick and their sons laughing hard in the front row. Just by the way he was so engaged in his wifeâs every word, Misha just somehow knew they had a happy marriage.
âWell anyway . . .â Pastor Patrick continued trying to hold back her laugh. âYâall stop laughing. I need to hurry. Anyway, what the doctor did was have me come to his office each week and be injected with a mixture of venom from the bees I was allergic to. They gradually increased the dosage to build my immunity to the stings. This went on for about two years until my body had developed enough antibodies that a bee sting no longer bothered me.â
Misha immediately caught on to what she was saying. She listened closely as Pastor Patrick left the pulpit and walked down the stairs of the altar and onto the sanctuary floor.
âSee, some of yâall have been stung multiple times whether it was in the church, at home, at work, or in relationships. When you were first stung, you felt like your life was ending. You couldnât breathe. Your heart was racing. Everybody around you looked at you and wondered what was going on. Some people stayed away from you and others tried to help even though they didnât know how. When you look back, youâll see God put you in a place of safety so you could get over your hurt and pain. But each time you ventured out, you were fearful, afraid of being stung again, so you stayed in your own safety net. Each time you tried to venture out you were stung again. What you donât realize is God was trying to build your immunity.
âWhen your immunity is built up, little things donât upset you anymore. People can talk about you and call you out of your name all day and night and it wonât have an effect on you. You can lose your job and it wonât hurt you. Your spouse can leave you, but it wonât hurt you. Children acting crazy but it still wonât hurt you. God is building you up so when you are attacked by killer bees they wonât have an effect on you.â The crowd was on their feet. âThatâs why you donât see old people getting upset about a lot of things. God has built up their immunity. God has to build your immunity. You canât be a leader crying all the time over little things. You canât be a leader scared
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