Surprised by the Healer Quotes

“We often say we believe the Bible, but our actions prove otherwise. We make real-life decisions based on our own “wisdom” and understanding. An instrument-rated pilot is one who actually makes life-and-death decisions based on the dials in front of him instead of trusting his instincts. Friend, what about you? Do your sexual choices demonstrate that you trust the instrument panel of God’s truth or your own wisdom?”
― Linda Dillow, Surprised by the Healer: Embracing Hope for Your Broken Story

“your soul. Her “aha” moment was realizing that sex was meant to be a full expression of intimacy, not just bodies groping for a pleasurable release.”
― Linda Dillow, Surprised by the Healer: Embracing Hope for Your Broken Story

“She and Nathan began to experience that freedom in their marriage when lies were exposed and replaced by truth. The exchange went something like this: The Enemy’s Lie: Sex is all about performance. God’s Truth: Sex is about intimate presence. The Enemy’s Lie: Sex is a replacement for intimacy. God’s Truth: Sex is an expression of deep intimacy. The Enemy’s Lie: My body is an object to be used by my husband. God’s Truth: My husband’s desire for me is an invitation to be known and loved. The Enemy’s Lie: My sexuality is completely separate from my devotion to God. God’s Truth: God cares about my sexuality, my healing, and sexual intimacy in my marriage.”
― Linda Dillow, Surprised by the Healer: Embracing Hope for Your Broken Story

“Marian was saturated in her pain when she discovered God didn’t just make her a body but body, soul, and spirit. Her soul was numb to the deeper purpose of her sexuality. Every invitation for sex in her marriage felt more like an obligation than a celebration. She felt all she had to offer was an overused body. Sex had lost all meaning and had become only about two bodies groping for release. The truth? Many women who are sexually active have no idea how to be sexually intimate. Sexual activity without intimacy soon becomes a sham, a cheap substitute for true connection.”
― Linda Dillow, Surprised by the Healer: Embracing Hope for Your Broken Story

“Scripture says that words have the power of death and life (Proverbs 18:21). God does not reveal lies to bring us more pain but to allow His healing truth to shine in the dark places.”
― Linda Dillow, Surprised by the Healer: Embracing Hope for Your Broken Story

“Marian told us, “The gracious Healer didn’t reveal these lies without a purpose. Now I was desperate for God’s truth.” Are you desperate for God’s truth?”
― Linda Dillow, Surprised by the Healer: Embracing Hope for Your Broken Story

“She had no idea how distorted her understanding of sexuality and intimacy was. But the Holy Spirit gently began exposing the lies that sabotaged intimacy in her marriage. One lie after the other … I am disposable. My nakedness is repulsive. I must perform to compete with porn. I am not enough. My husband only wants my body. I’m an object. Sex is just a commodity.”
― Linda Dillow, Surprised by the Healer: Embracing Hope for Your Broken Story

“Our sexuality may be demonstrated in our actions, but our actions are just an overflow of what we believe. Friend, the journey of healing is all about exchanging lies for truth.”
― Linda Dillow, Surprised by the Healer: Embracing Hope for Your Broken Story

“threshold of your bedroom. The battle for sexuality is rooted in how we think and what we believe about sex.”
― Linda Dillow, Surprised by the Healer: Embracing Hope for Your Broken Story

“Her sexuality was still in bondage to the lies the enemy had written on her heart many years earlier. The Healer invited her to shine His truth upon her damaged soul as He whispered, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). Exposing Lies God says that when we accept Christ as our Savior, we become new creatures. Old things pass away and all things become new (2 Corinthians 5:17). Did you notice there is no exception clause in “all things” becoming new? All things include your sexuality.”
― Linda Dillow, Surprised by the Healer: Embracing Hope for Your Broken Story

“Truly, this is freedom, for when I lie in the dark, I’m now filled with light. You Are Invited … to Exchange Lies for Truth”
― Linda Dillow, Surprised by the Healer: Embracing Hope for Your Broken Story

“But God was telling me that He wanted me to love Him with my whole self, not just the undamaged parts. God desires me. I am desirable. That’s a powerful realization. Before I could experience true intimacy in my marriage, this truth had to sink into my heart and soul.”
― Linda Dillow, Surprised by the Healer: Embracing Hope for Your Broken Story

“Heart + Mind + Body + Soul = All of me
Loving God with all of me = Spiritual intimacy”
― Linda Dillow, Surprised by the Healer: Embracing Hope for Your Broken Story

“the Healer taught me my first lesson in intimacy: Presence is more powerful than a thousand words of explanation.”
― Linda Dillow, Surprised by the Healer: Embracing Hope for Your Broken Story

“Their choice to view pornography offered me an education outside the classroom, and taught me another lie: If I want to keep a man’s attention, I must perform well enough that pornography isn’t needed.”
― Linda Dillow, Surprised by the Healer: Embracing Hope for Your Broken Story

“God has not promised to heal our temporary brokenness, although He can and sometimes does. What He does promise is to redeem completely those things that are everlasting: our hearts, souls, and spirits. Isaiah beautifully summarized our Healer’s intention with these prophetic words about the Redeemer: The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives, and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and to provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor. (61:1–3)”
― Linda Dillow, Surprised by the Healer: Embracing Hope for Your Broken Story

“His ultimate purpose in her healing, whether she is single or married, is that she will know that He is Lord, that He is her Healer, and that He has the power to redeem our lives from the pit.”
― Linda Dillow, Surprised by the Healer: Embracing Hope for Your Broken Story

“Our God heals! Rapha clearly conveys the idea of restoring something to its “normal” state. We long for you to grasp that the Healer heals and restores sexual wounds. Jehovah Rapha heals the brokenhearted. He lovingly lifts up His broken women and tenderly applies the salve of His healing presence to wounds caused by sinful choices, unhealthy beliefs, betrayal, pornography, and abuse. No evil done to you is so great that God cannot redeem it! God is for you in this! He longs for you to believe that He comes to you personally as Jehovah Rapha.”
― Linda Dillow, Surprised by the Healer: Embracing Hope for Your Broken Story

“In Genesis 20:17 God physically heals (rapha) a man, his wife, and his slave girls so that they can have children. •  In 1 Kings 18:30 Elijah repairs (rapha) the altar of Jehovah,”
― Linda Dillow, Surprised by the Healer: Embracing Hope for Your Broken Story

“healing. Rapha means quite literally “to heal, make healthy.”
― Linda Dillow, Surprised by the Healer: Embracing Hope for Your Broken Story

“sexuality represents a powerful piece of the gospel. There is no greater picture of God’s love than the covenant of marriage and the sacredness of sexuality.1 When you invite God to heal your sexual brokenness, you’re partnering with Him to restore His holy picture.”
― Linda Dillow, Surprised by the Healer: Embracing Hope for Your Broken Story

“They may never say it, but the vast majority believe this lie: When you give your life to Christ, He is able to redeem and clean up a lot of areas. However, there is one area that is beyond His redemptive healing power—your sexuality. You may be forgiven, but you can never be whole. We want to declare that this is a bold-face lie from the enemy. There is nothing too broken for God to heal.”
― Linda Dillow, Surprised by the Healer: Embracing Hope for Your Broken Story

“Within marriage sexual intimacy is the most sacred experience two people can share. However, sexuality can also be a devastating force for harm. There is no betrayal like an intimate betrayal. No shame as deep as sexual shame. And no sin that seems to stick to us like sexual sin.”
― Linda Dillow, Surprised by the Healer: Embracing Hope for Your Broken Story

“Sexuality is a powerful force. It draws us into relationships, compels us to risk being vulnerable, and is a key component of our identities as men and women.”
― Linda Dillow, Surprised by the Healer: Embracing Hope for Your Broken Story

“Pornography, prostitution, sexual addictions, gender confusion, rape, incest, adultery, sexual harassment … the list of how sex has been distorted and twisted seems endless. This wonderful gift from God has become a source of profound pain for countless men and women. We believe that this is not just a random cultural phenomenon but is evidence of a vicious spiritual battle.”
― Linda Dillow, Surprised by the Healer: Embracing Hope for Your Broken Story

“I have a long past of sexual sin. I know I’m forgiven, but I can’t let go of some of the memories. Sometimes a word, a song, or a smell bring them up again. Is there anything I can do to erase them from my memory?”
― Linda Dillow, Surprised by the Healer: Embracing Hope for Your Broken Story

“How can I enjoy my husband fully [sexually] when pornography and infidelity have come in and stolen so much from our marriage?”
― Linda Dillow, Surprised by the Healer: Embracing Hope for Your Broken Story

“Sexual brokenness is the deepest form of brokenness, and as such it requires the greatest depths of healing and restoration.”
― Linda Dillow, Surprised by the Healer: Embracing Hope for Your Broken Story