Starting Wings of Healing

I had wanted to fly from a very young age.  When I was four years old my best friend and I would walk up to the top of the very steep paddocks on the farm where I lived, hold our arms out like a bird, and then run down as fast as we could, hoping that if we ran fast enough we just might take flight. Over and over we would run. We never did fly, but we never gave up trying.  What a glorious feeling of freedom it was, the wind blowing in our hair just waiting to take off, not a person in sight, we felt so free.

Several years ago, I was going through a very challenging time with my marriage breaking down and chronic illness yet again rearing its ugly head. I felt helpless and in despair.  

During that time, I had a vivid dream. Jesus and I were flying as birds high in the sky together. I looked down and beneath us were row upon row of bird cages, they symbolised precious people who were trapped, locked in cages, with no way out. I desperately wanted to swoop down and set them all free, my heart felt so broken for them, why were they not soaring high with Jesus like me? Why were they trapped in cages?

As I woke, the dream remained vivid in my mind and I heard that gentle voice of God that I’ve come to love and know so well speak to me; “When you are free and soaring high you will be able to unlock others cages, but right now you too are in a cage. You cry out to me from the depths of your being for me to free the multitudes who are trapped, controlled and broken. Your heart breaks for them and my heart breaks for you! I am going to unlock your cage and set you free, I’m going to heal and grow your wounded wings so that you may free others also.”  

So, I made a choice. There in God’s presence I handed to Him all of my challenges. I trusted Him absolutely and intervene He certainly did. My life as I knew it was radically tipped upside down and the slow process began of God so lovingly restoring my life, through the highs and at times very deep lows, step by step and little by little. God was growing my once clipped wings, that I might soar high and free with Him, free at last to be me, Mandie.

And from this place of freedom and empowerment, “Wings of Healing” was born. An online community and place of inspiration and encouragement with a simple mission, to touch just one precious life, to see them free with wings to soar. It would always be about “the one”, and then another “one” and another “one”… never to lose the love, care and compassion for each precious individual.  Today there are over one million of us from all around the world celebrating God's love through Wings of Healing's online communities. 

So from my heart to yours, thank you for trusting me to speak into, encourage and hopefully inspire your own life. To pray for you and with you. To laugh and to cry with you. Thank you for your friendship which means so very much to me. I don’t take it lightly, it is a privilege and honour.  I truly love how we are family, and across the globe God has connected us, for united in him we are strong!