I received a phone call from a good friend several months ago. During our discussion she confessed that she was really struggling. She had been very tired and her stomach hadn’t been feeling right for a few weeks. She said she was really thinking about seeing a doctor. I listened, told her I would pray for wisdom for her, and felt led to share my story about my healing journey. She said she would like try some of the herbal tea that I had been using for years to provide energy (especially during my last two pregnancies). I happily offered to bring her some. I always use raspberry leaves and then add whatever I have in my cupboard. This time it was licorice root (which is not recommended if you one is on heart medicine). We sent enough for several days, and I didn’t expect to hear back from her. I was really surprised when a few days later, she called with great excitement and claimed her stomach felt so much better and her energy was back to normal. She also said she was planning to start making her own. These stories always thrill me, and it reminds me of God’s grace and His amazing gift of plants as medicine.

As I have read history and herb books, I have discovered that many housewives had a good knowledge of herbs and treated their family with these for centuries. Sadly, somewhere along the way, we got convinced that there was a better way and that herbs were for hippies, witches, and the like. The more I learn about natural medicine, the more I realize how simple this is, yet how hard it can be because it takes time to learn, discipline to keep going, and a lot of thinking and observation that I often don’t want to do. I was really happy to let other people give me treatments until I realized they weren’t working and that some of the suggested treatments could cause serious harm. God is so good in changing my heart, and I’m so thankful for the wisdom he continues to bless us with.

These amazing plants that many call “weeds” can be grown and utilized for so little money and time. Thankfully there are still many excellent resources on how to identify and use them. There are great companies out there too to buy from, but there’s also a lot of bad ones as well. I’m certainly not an expert in herbs, but felt led to share this story. I will also say that caution needs to be exercised when experimenting with herbs. One time I made a tea with dandelion and had a bad reaction. I learned several months later that I have a latex allergy and then found out that dandelion contains latex. For some reason I can’t remember dates or how old I am, but I can remember these healing stories and especially what natural treatments work for others. I’m so excited to keep learning about God’s creation, and I plan to pass this on to the next generation. Have you tried herbal tea? We love to hear from you!