Justice Writer

Laying Down Your Dreams for God's Dreams

2012-01-15T11:25:00.000-08:00

Many of us walk through life with bitterness and regret as we reflect on those dreams which were shattered or have not yet evolved. Disappointment and discouragement may steal the dream completely from our life. Worst of all, this creates a lack of purpose, a misconstrued sense of identity, or hopelessness in our mind.

Often, dreams will unravel if they are not centered in God’s will for our life. Oh, He may allow us to go on for awhile and it may seem like the dream is progressing, giving us a false sense of purpose and hope. Then suddenly, everything changes. Hopefully, it draws us to God as we seek understanding.

Be assured that God takes good pleasure in giving back our dreams. He wants to bless us with the desires of our heart.

Delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust Him and He will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun. Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. ~ Psalm 37:4-7

Are you "desperate" for God? Seek His dreams, His will, for your life. If there is one thing I want you to realize today it is that God longs to give you the desires of your heart. He wants to see you dream big dreams that HE can be a part of. But with that, you have to do your part. You have to move past your mindset/inner critic and instead, start believing what He says about you and what He wants to do through you!

Solomon prayed for wisdom and understanding; for discernment.

"And God gave Solomon exceptionally much wisdom and understanding, and breadth of mind like the sand of the seashore." - 1 Kings 4:29

God asked of Solomon the same questions He asks of us: "What do you want? What is your dream?

"Wisdom is not just having a lot of knowledge; it is being able to love the things that God loves."

My belief is that God gives us free will to get us to learn how to want what He wants; to dream His dreams. Do you want your life to be a blessing to others? Do you want your gifts to be used within the Body of Christ? Is that REALLY what you want and desire? We tend to pray for what we desire. Is it also God's desire?

If you are in a dry place, know that your escape, your sanctuary can be found in the presence of the Lord. Spend time with Him. Ask Him to reveal His mysteries, His timing, and His destiny plan for you. Ask Him to give you His understanding of what you've gone through and how He will bring it all together in His due time, in His good pleasure. Ask Him to awaken you to His greater vision. Trust that He will show you specifics concerning your future.

You will surely see that there will be no greater dream fulfillment, no greater plan, no greater intimacy, and no greater love for you.

God takes good pleasure in giving back to us through His servant heart. He once spoke to my heart, saying that because I laid down my dreams and got involved with His dreams, He has gotten involved in my dreams and is giving them back to me in a way that is greater than I ever expected.

I don't know that I've ever been more humbled or awed. Indeed, God rewards sacrifices of the heart that make room for Him to be first. And He showed me that He will reveal such mysteries to us through revelation if we take the time to get alone with Him and ask.

God's good pleasure is linked with the fulfillment of His predestined purposes for us.

Our time, our hearts, our minds, our wills, our bodies, our dreams and our agendas are not our own when we are sold out to God. Let us remember that God created us for the purpose of fellowshipping with Him. We are to make Him our first priority, our first love.

It gives God good pleasure when we praise, worship and honor Him throughout our destiny journey, even if it is done sacrificially. He delights when His plans and purposes are fulfilled through us, when we are a living testimony to His power, love and glory.

Therefore, may we lay down every idol, every heart’s desire, turn from every temptation and say, "Yes, Lord. Have it Your way, no matter what."

Many Christians stop short of the dream God has for them by focusing on the dreams of our worldly culture; owning our dream house, getting the car of our dreams, taking a dream vacation, landing our dream job... Even Jesus was tempted to stop short of God's dream and choose power and popularity, but He did not yield. He went all the way to the cross; the final destination in God's dream for Him.

As we remember His sacrifice with grateful hearts, let us pray that we too can be discerning in God's dream for us. Let Him lead, but be sure to follow.

Friends, may our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, fill your heart with His love through the power of the Holy Spirit, the giver of life.

Cherie

Eyes Wide Open: Seeking God and The One Who Loves Him

2011-12-20T07:51:00.001-08:00

Meadow of Peace

2011-12-03T14:13:00.001-08:00

Having experienced many years when there was everything but peace in my life, I must share where I am at in this season. It seemed like when a friend would ask how I was doing, there was usually something taking place that caused great anxiety or even fear at times. I am grateful to those who walked alongside me through those seasons. Especially God, who carried me when I often did not even consider Him.

The past two years has brought tremendous spiritual growth. On three recent re-connections with friends, I was asked how I am doing. My response to them was that I am walking through a peaceful season. Life is very full and blessed. Everything is in its place. No turmoil. While sharing with one of the friends, I reflected on a poem I wrote that mentions a Meadow of Peace. In writing the poem, I longed to find that peaceful meadow....

Summit of Despair

A run through Hell on deadly curves ~ Afraid of what could be ~
Miles of twisted roads run on inside of me ~
Riding out Hell's Dark Canyon ~ Roads have been so rough ~
Climbing the highest mountain ~ One ride that's made me tough ~
Darkness appears as clouds ~ Loneliness and despair ~
Blinded by hopelessness and fear which lead me there ~
Drowning storms reaching and tearing at my soul ~
Unable to see the light above ~ At times so bitter cold ~
Waiting for the landslide around the curve ahead ~
Hopeful for the Meadow of Peace appearing there instead ~
Deepest valleys with gouging pain ~ Strength only for today ~
Costly tolls for bridges burned ~ Each day a price to pay
Bound with no escape riding circles around this place ~
Studying the pools of water ~ The reflection is not my face ~
The lair of scars runs deep within forming tales I'll one day tell ~
Memories of painful battles along the roads through Hell ~
Thankful to the Angels of Mercy while broke down on the road ~
Don't feel so lost ~ I know now I do not ride alone ~
Twists and turns won't seem so deadly ~ Just a better ride ~
Fear, despair, and anger now released from inside ~
More winds to ride before I rest ~ My Angel guides me now ~
Ridin on, Free from fear ~ I'll make it, I won't go down ~
Ridin higher ~ Lookin ahead to the summit around the bend ~
Losing sight ~ Not believing ~ Won't ride through there again ~
Smoother roads are calling beyond the Summit of Despair ~
Thundering winds calmed to a whisper ~
Faith will get me there ~

For most of us, it is easiest to find peace when everything around us is just as it 'should be'. Your measure of that likely differs from mine. When we say 'life is good', we usually are at peace.

What about when life is not so good? Peace disappears. Stress, worry, doubt, and fear invade our mind and our heart.

This time last year I was walking through a pretty tumultuous season. It amazed me how much peace I had through it all. I could not stop thanking God for His peace. Everyone who knew me through that time was witness to it as my faith shined.

God's Word was all consuming. Worship and praise filled the hours of my day. Even in spite of losing my job, my home, and bouncing around from friend's house to friend's house with my daughter, I had Peace. I knew the Lord had gone ahead of me to take care of everything. I was just waiting for Him to reveal His plan.

BELIEVING and TRUSTING God's promises made His promises come alive.

As I wrote earlier about waiting for a landslide around the curve ahead but hopeful for the Meadow of Peace appearing there instead, I clearly did not trust God then. Without trust in God, there is no peace. But I hoped for peace. I wanted Peace but I expected to simply enter a peaceful place. I wanted everything and everyone to be in harmony with ME and MY needs, wants, and desires. Me, me, me...

It was not until Jesus became the foundation upon which all else was built that I discovered we do not enter a place of Peace. It is Peace himself who is IN us; the Meadow of Peace is where Jesus dwells in me.

We also know that a meadow normally is nestled in a valley or at the base of a mountain. The next mountain will be more difficult than the mountains I've climbed before. God is preparing me for it in this moment. This I know...I will have Perfect Peace.

It is too easy to be at peace when everything and everyone is in alignment with our agenda. Perfect Peace comes when we believe God's promises and trust in Him through the tumultuous seasons. It is a divine gift.

What is this Higher Power?

2011-11-27T09:15:00.001-08:00

Higher Power? If this Higher Power is not GOD, what is it...WHO is it?

Why do people refuse to accept GOD, yet accept this label of Higher Power?

It is frequently stipulated that as long as a Higher Power is "greater" than the individual, then the only condition is that it should also be loving and caring. Well then, wouldn't this depict a 'relationship' of some kind?

They know someone or something is in control, but they are not yet sure of the Truth. Some were abused through the church or they have known people who speak of God yet do not love as God would. Therefore, trust in GOD is not possible for them. And of course, so many hear that the Bible was written by man. How could such a book be trusted? They do not understand how God's Spirit works...yet.

So, it has to be something else...someone else.

This reminded me of the lie we tell to our children about Santa Claus. For years, children are misled. They never see Santa, really. Though there are many imposters in the malls and on television. But a real Santa? They will discover he never existed. They never really saw Him, so how could he exist? Some of those children will continue to seek a Santa-like figure, and ultimately find God. Some will never trust those who speak of God, whom they can not see.

We each have or own journey. I believe if one is truly seeking Truth, they will eventually discover it.

Myself, I was raised with a belief in God's existence just as I knew I had to inhale to get oxygen. Half of my life I waited for him to reveal himself with his wrath. My perception of God was not Love and Compassion. That came much later. But until that point, I never doubted the existence of God. On the contrary; I had to find him. I was compelled to find Goodness.

The below testimony prompted me to write this post today. It raised a curiosity in me to look at what moved people from the acceptance of a Higher Power to the acceptance and surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. What was that pivotal moment for them? For you? If you are comfortable with sharing your own journey, I am sure it would help another to read it. Please share in a comment at the end of this post.

Here is a testimony of a friend who discovered God IS the Higher Power...

Psalm 46:10

I grew up in a Christian church, but I never had a relationship with the God of the Bible. I always thought that God was angry, vindictive, spiteful, distant, judgmental, and just waiting to strike me when I got out of line.

I came to realize that I could not recover with a Higher Power who wasn't on my side. I decided to write down what I wanted in a Higher Power. I came up with characteristics like loving, compassionate, wants me to succeed, forgiving, and powerful. These didn't conflict with what my head knew about God, but I had a hard time getting my heart to believe them.

I still kept failing and kept acting out, until a friend of mine suggested that I learn what God was really like. He suggested I read from the Psalms in the Bible, and write down whatever characteristics were ascribed to God. I'm just about half way through the book of Psalms, but it has changed my image of God considerable. Listed below are just a few of the characteristics of God I've found in the book of Psalms in the Bible:

God watches over the righteous
God laughs
God gets angry
God is my Father
God protects me
God sustains me
God is righteous
God hears my call
God hates those who love doing wrong
God destroys those who love to lie
God abhors bloodthirsty and deceitful men
God is righteous
God protects those who take refuge in Him
God blesses the righteous
God's love never fails
God accepts my prayers
God searches minds and hearts
God is a righteous judge
God reigns forever
God governs with justice
God is a refuge
God never forsakes those who seek Him
God avenges
God remembers me
God does not ignore my cry
God is just
God helps the fatherless
God hears my desires
God encourages
God listens
God hates the wicked
God loves justice
God will keep me safe from the wicked
God's love never fails
God is present in the company of the righteous
God counsels me
God will not abandon me to the grave
God vindicates me
God sees what is right
God probes my heart
God examines me
God tests me
God answers my call
God's love is great
God saves
God stills the hunger of those he cherishes
God is my strength
God is my rock - a sure foundation
God is my fortress
God is my deliverer
God is my shield
God saves me
God is my stronghold
God can get angry
God scatters the enemies
God lifts me up
God rescues me from my enemies
God supports me
God delights in me
God rewards me according to my righteousness
God is faithful
God is blameless
God is pure
God is shrewd
God's way is perfect
God's word is flawless
God delivers me from the attacks of the people
God is alive
God avenges
God subdues nations
God's kindness is unfailing
God's law is perfect
God's law revives the soul
God's statutes are trustworthy
God's precepts are right
God's precepts give joy to the heart
God's commands give light to the eyes
God's ordinances are sure and altogether righteous
God's love never fails
God is wrathful
God grants my needs
God restores my soul
God is with me even in the worst times
God owns the earth and everything on it
God can be trusted
God will not let me be put to shame
God's mercy is great
God remembers
God is good
God is upright
God teaches
God guides the humble
God's ways are loving and faithful
God forgives iniquity
God confides in those who fear him
God releases me from the snare
God is my light
God is my salvation
God is the stronghold of my life
God keeps me safe in times of trouble
God hears my cry for mercy
God is my strength
God is my shield
God is the strength of His people
God is a fortress of salvation
God has a voice
God's voice is powerful
God's voice is majestic
God gives strength to His people

Dreading the Holidays

2011-11-17T22:05:00.001-08:00

No doubt the holidays are a real difficult time for most people. Holidays are a time for family to gather. When a loved one is no longer there, the void can create a great big hole in our heart and we can often get lost in that deep dark hole.

I've been there. I've endured loss of loved ones and I've experienced divorce. But my associations of loss with the holidays is behind me. I've healed and I've learned how to make new memories and new traditions.

Many years ago, I worked for Coca Cola Bottling Company in their Human Resources department. Our director was a wonderful man who was also a Vietnam veteran in the United States Army. I loved working for Jim Vigent. He was a very honorable man.

Jim's wife, Diane, suffered with very poor health. When I met her, she was preparing for her second kidney transplant. The first transplant added seven years to her life and she was now seeking another chance to stay with her dear husband for as long as her body would allow.

Jim took his bride to the hospital the eve before Thanksgiving Day when her kidney transplant was scheduled. Jim was thankful for the transplant which gave him hope that he and Diane would have more years together. But it was one thing after another for dear Diane immediately following the surgery. It started with a low grade infection which grew into something much bigger. Her body was rejecting the kidney.

It was difficult watching my friend try to hold things together at work while the doctors were trying to save Diane's life at the hospital. He was pretty private about his faith, so I am not sure where his strength came from. But then, he survived Vietnam.

The following weeks never offered any promise of recovery for Jim's wife. It was as if she simply was not meant to have that transplant. The surgeons did everything they could to sustain her life as one organ after another began weakening and eventually shutting down.

Jim lost his bride on Christmas Day.

As each holiday season passed, Jim was reminded of this month long nightmare. Thanksgiving and Christmas were no longer welcome in his life. There were no more celebrations without Diane there to share them.

The grieving, the lonely, and the hopeless dread the approach of the holiday season. They have no heart for the cheer and the bustle, the anticipation and the excitement.

Those reminders come for all of us at some level. What do we do with those specific dates that only flood our heart with grief? Do we continue to dedicate them to that loss?

What helps my family is sharing the gladness that came from sharing the holidays with those we've loved and lost. This does not mean that we can not continue to find joy during the holidays. It does take time, but the longing for their presence can transform into keeping their presence with us in spite of their physical body no longer being with us.

Telling stories, laughing, crying, remembering....it's all part of the healing. Creating new traditions and changing up the scenery helps too. Eventually, the new memories mix with the old and we can cope with the dreaded 'day'.

One day soon we will see our loved ones. Believers have this hope. Until then, we can continue to celebrate their life and hang on to this beautiful encouragement from 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18...

Now also we would not have you ignorant, brethren, about those who fall asleep [in death], that you may not grieve [for them] as the rest do who have no hope [beyond the grave].

For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will also bring with Him through Jesus those who have fallen asleep [in death].

For this we declare to you by the Lord's [own] word, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall in no way precede [into His presence] or have any advantage at all over those who have previously fallen asleep [in Him in death].

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud cry of summons, with the shout of an archangel, and with the blast of the trumpet of God. And those who have departed this life in Christ will rise first.

Then we, the living ones who remain [on the earth], shall simultaneously be caught up along with [the resurrected dead] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so always (through the eternity of the eternities) we shall be with the Lord!

Therefore comfort and encourage one another with these words.

May this holiday season cause your heart to dwell on the goodness of the Lord and the glory of things to come...

Cherie

Dream: Encouragement to Press In

2011-11-12T02:56:00.000-08:00

We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 2 Corinthians 4:8

Sometimes it boggles the mind how we can mentally and emotionally survive the things that life throws at us. I am amazed by others who suffer physical affliction yet are able to carry the burdens of others without missing a step in their walk on this earth. Their faith strengthens mine.

The Lord whispered 2 Corinthians 4:8 to me in my sleep and woke me to share it with a friend. Then I realized it was also intended for me to understand so that I may walk in this Truth in my own ministry. In the midst of everything I've faced, I am amazed by the strength God provides to keep me standing firm in my faith.

"The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you." Romans 8:11

The apostles were great sufferers, yet they met with wonderful support. Believers may be forsaken of their friends, as well as persecuted by enemies; but our God will never leave or forsake us. There may be fears within, as well as these life battles, yet we are not destroyed. Satan will throw us to the ground but Jesus will rescue and lift us to the place where we are looking down on him. He is lower than low.

While perplexed and sometimes do not know what to do, which way to take, what course to steer, or understand yet how things will play out, we know God will take care of it all. His Spirit rises up in us in these times and gives us the words and controls our mind and body. His promises and faithfulness to keep them, combined with His love and mercy for us, provides the strength we need. We are so incredibly overcome with disbelief that we could possibly survive such things in our mind as we are called to walk through sufferings such as illness and attacks on the lives of our children.

But we are overcomers. Jesus has overcome the world.

"For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith." 1 John 5:4

Suicidal Tendencies, a Good Cry, and a Trip Home

2011-11-09T03:06:00.000-08:00

It is 3:00 a.m. and I was awakened with the urgency to write about my sister, Jami. She left this earth nineteen years ago today, in 1992.

Jami accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior at the age of twenty-seven on October 2, 1992. Her sons, Robert and Frankie, were only eight and four years old at the time.

It was a weekend I will never forget as God showed off His Love for Jami in miraculous ways. We were at a women's retreat in the Santa Cruz mountains. Jesus wanted Jami there on that mountain top and told me to get her there. I told my sister she just had to come.

Jami was very good at hiding her deepest cries of her heart. The only one who ever heard them was God. She wrote to Him often in her journal. Upon meeting Jami, most people would see a very petite young woman who was a fighter and survivor. Rarely did anyone get to see her vulnerable side. Jami had mastered the use of her survival skills after years of abuse as a little girl. She and I had never talked about our step father and all he had done to us. We both did pray and agree together that God would strike him dead. While, I was able to remove myself from abusive relationships as an adult, Jami's adult life continued the pattern of abuse.

She wanted to die. Jami was so tired of the pain and suffering in her mind and heart. In reading her journal, she often wrote to God to give her strength for her sons. They were her purpose for staying alive. She loved them so much. Her writing was also filled with doubt that He heard her prayers. She had not seen His glory....yet.

God did not waste any time. It was a full registration for the retreat, as always. We expected to be rooming with two friends. BUT GOD... had other plans, of course! We ended up with a large 4-bed room, just for the two of us. A room alone, where Jami would be comfortable to share with me from her heart. A safe place where she could cry without being seen or heard. A room where we could have intimate sister time. It was a precious time of bonding and healing for us.

The first session of our retreat took place right after dinner. There were close to three hundred women there. Many tears were cried that evening; tears of suffering and tears of joy. Upon returning to our room, Jami had some questions.

Why is everyone crying? I hope they don't expect me to cry! I don't cry!

Jami, nobody expects you to cry, but it is a safe place to cry if you need a good cry. Many of these women are crying because they are hurting and they are crying out to God to help them. Others are crying because they are feeling the presence of God.

Well, I'm not crying..

Our homework for the evening was to find a Scripture and write it down on a 3x5 card. We did not know the purpose of this, but it was good time for Jami and I to discuss some of God's promises in the Bible. I wrote down the Scripture given to me when I met Jesus at the same retreat the year before. Jami chose to write down the same Scripture on her card.

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans for good, not for evil; plans for a future and hope." Jeremiah 29:11

The next morning, everyone was excited to see how God would show up. Jami had no idea what to expect. One of the first things we did was take communion together. We were all asked to come to the front of the sanctuary, one row at a time, in rows of two. Jami had grabbed a seat in the very front row, next to our guest speaker. I was seated behind her. One row of women would stand across from the other row of women, facing one another. My row was separated from Jami's as we went forward at different times. One we were in place, we introduced ourselves and exchange our Scripture cards.

Jami's voice was unmistakable. She called out across the sanctuary, waving her new card in the air.

Oh my God! Cherie, you're not gonna believe what I got!

The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. Psalm 34:17

Jami was now crying....with joy? Maybe relief?

So much more happened that weekend. Jesus had a very special gift for me as well. To wash my sister's feet was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. We had never experienced an actual feet washing like what Jesus did for His Disciples.

Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. John 13:14-15

There was no way I could expect what happened during those next several minutes. God brought forgiveness and washed away a life of guilt as I cried and prayed while washing Jami's feet. Washing Away Guilt and Shame

I mentioned how Jami would never show her vulnerability. Well, that second day, October 2nd, she was singing Suicidal Failure by Suicidal Tendencies. This was her life anthem; she knew..she felt every word. I asked her if she could write out the lyrics for me. to be honest, I did not know why I asked her to do that. Later, the Lord showed me why. For now, in our little room, all alone...Jami was sharing the deepest things from her heart. After she wrote out the lyrics, she told me she no longer felt this way.

God's hand touched Jami's heart with His peace. More tears.

Sunday morning brought a renewed spirit and my dear sister was walking with the joy of the Lord in her. Everyone saw Jesus in her eyes. It was so obvious. Jami shared with the retreat leaders what Jesus had done in our room. We handed the lyrics to Lorraine, our ministry leader. Lorraine greeted all of us and opened the session with prayer.

Jami was called to the altar. There, she took the piece of paper, crumpled it up, then prayed over it, surrendering it to God. It was burned at the altar. Gone.

My sister left the mountain top so on fire for Jesus. Her life was changed that weekend with a blessed assurance she would not have to live with a tormented soul any longer. Over the next month, she brought her sons and husband to church and they went forward as a family as the pastor prayed over them. Jami could not stop telling of her experience on the mountain top.

One month later, I received the news that Jami did not survive a horrible car accident the night before. She was struck as she ran right out into traffic while attempting to catch a bus. Jami was still so very weak in her addiction and had been drinking heavily. God took her home swiftly, without further suffering. Jami was so fragile.

Jesus is so merciful.

What a comfort to know we will see you in Heaven, my beloved sister..

Reflections From The Well

2011-11-08T21:31:00.000-08:00

Reflections From The Well is a new blog I've started to record my journey through the book, The Well, written by Mark Hall of Casting Crowns.

Every once in awhile, a book comes along that I absolutely must read. Correction. Not just read, but ingest. The message is intended as a life changer.

When my dear friend, Kathy, mentioned she was thinking of reading this book as a group, I knew I had to be part of this beautiful adventure. I describe it that way because I've always related to the Samaritan woman at the well. In the Bible, Jesus 'knows' all there is to know about her past and her adulterous lifestyle. He offers living water to fill the holes in her heart from all the wells that dried up previously in her life.

You can also follow along on the Reflections From The Well Facebook page.

Pain In The Brain

2011-10-29T12:22:00.000-07:00

Our mind is prone to pain. For some of us, our thoughts wander into some pretty dark places. Often, all it takes is a song or a brief glance at a picture. Isolation can cause our mind to be overcome with negative or painful thoughts. We may have unresolved pain or unforgiveness.

Other times, it is mere distraction of the world around us that causes our mind to drift from the will of God. Pressures of life can overwhelm the brain to the point that we do not do things we know we should be doing. Or we do things we know we should not be doing. We all know about stress.

When I am alone, it is so difficult for me to pray because my mind takes a walk. When I am gathered with others in prayer, I do not experience this. Just when I am alone.

This is why my prayers are sometimes written out. It is very effective for me and keeps my mind focused on praying in the Spirit. I've wondered why writing my prayers works so well. In discerning this, I know it is because God has given me the gift and calling to write. Therefore, His Spirit speaks while in prayer through my writing.

Have you ever wondered why your mind wanders?

At times, does it drive you crazy?

Do you end up letting things fall by the wayside because you lose focus?

Why do we do things we really do not want to do?

In the Bible, the Apostle Paul writes about his own struggle. There are spiritual forces fighting against forces of the flesh and spiritual forces fighting against each other. Where does this battle take place? Ultimately, our actions convey what is in our mind. What is allowed into our heart goes straight to our mind. This is why we must guard our heart at all times. (Proverbs 4:23)

The battle is in the mind. It's a pain in the brain!

A law is a way things react whenever in the same circumstances. It happens every time! And it works everywhere! A good example is the law of gravity. In Romans 7:12-25, Paul tells of how he continues to do what he does not want to do.

In reading this letter, we see four spiritual forces that vie for our heart. They are spiritual Laws.

The Law of God
The Law therefore is holy, and [each] commandment is holy and just and good. (v12)

The Law of God arouses our conscience and calls us to live the way God wants us to live.

The Law of Our Mind
For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot perform it. [I have the intention and urge to do what is right, but no power to carry it out.] (v18)

The Law of Our Mind often says 'No' to the law of God. We can either bow to God's authority..or not. Our choice. When we partner our mind with God's Word, there becomes a powerful force within us. In a sense, our soul is no longer divided.

The Law of Sin and Death
So I find it to be a law (rule of action of my being) that when I want to do what is right and good, evil is ever present with me and I am subject to its insistent demands. (v21)

This death law comes along to take our souls hostage and makes us do things our mind, and certainly not God, wants us to do! The Law of Sin and Death is powerful enough to separate us from God.

The beauty of it all is when the final force of Jesus Christ releases the 4th law in us; The Law of The Spirit of Life. In Him, we can resist the pull of the force of sin and death. His Spirit enables us to be who we are called to be and to do the things we can't do in our own power.

Who will release and deliver me from [the shackles of] this body of death? O thank God! [He will!] through Jesus Christ (the Anointed One) our Lord! So then indeed I, of myself with the mind and heart, serve the Law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. (v24-25)

Rather than living as a prisoner of your mind, take your mind prisoner to The Spirit of Life in you. Let God's love and His thoughts into your mind by meditating on Scripture or listening to spiritually edifying music. Instead of allowing your thoughts to hold you captive and cause pain in your brain, take all your thoughts captive in Christ.

For though we walk (live) in the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons. For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds, [Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (Amplified)

Signs on a Mountain Top

2011-10-22T21:00:00.000-07:00

One of the Bible’s names for God is “El Shaddai” or “God of the Mountains”. Mountains are and always have been a special place to communicate with Heaven.

Abraham ascends Mount Moriah to sacrifice his son (Genesis 22). God reveals his name and to Moses on Mount Sinai (Exodus 3). Moses later receives the Ten Commandments on that very spot (Exodus 31:18). Elijah returns to the same mountain to hear what God’s “still, small voice” has to say (I Kings 19:8).

Why is it important that you are with God and God alone on the mountain top? It's important because it's the place in which you can listen to the voice of the One who calls you beloved. To pray is to listen to the One who calls you "my beloved daughter," "my beloved son", "my beloved child". To pray is to let that voice speak to the center of your being, to your guts, and to let that voice resound in your whole being.

When Jesus brought Peter, James, and John with Him up a high mountain, His intent was not for them to see the countryside. He gave them a glimpse of who He really is. His face shone like the sun. (Matthew 17)

There are many mountain tops to choose from in Northern California. I was headed to Lake Tahoe...

It was only twenty minutes up the highway when my destination suddenly changed course. It was a feeling inside that told me, "No, you have to go this way."

This beautiful route along the Mormon Emigrant Trail and Hwy 88 through the El Dorado National forest was leading me to the serenity and seclusion of Silver Lake. The views are just incredible.

As I sang along to the worship and praise music on the radio, memories of rides through here returned to me. Memories of brothers who died while riding these mountain curves made my heart hurt. Visions of camping trips, groups of friends and family, and many fish stories came to mind. Those years were when I was either married or in a relationship with someone. This was my first time taking this route solo. It was nice to pull off the highway and drive down the dirt roads to grab some shots with my camera.

A sense of vulnerability came the further I drove into the more desolate places. I began to pray again..

While seeking my heart, I began to ask God why I was not yet in a relationship. Is there something for which I have not yet repented? I live a life of purity. Are there amends to be made? I know there must be some wreckage left behind from all my adulterous years. What is it, God? Am I afraid? Am I ready? Am I forgiven? Will there be restoration?

Right about that time, I saw another road that led down a steep slope into a mountain canyon. I thought I could get a few good shots down there, so I pulled off the highway.

There was a large wood sign at the start of this road. It was spray painted with the name of a business with an arrow pointing down the road. They were working down in the canyon. I knew the owner and he was someone I absolutely did not want to see.

My immediate reaction was to get out of there. It was like panic took over and I had to run. I never looked back. I just kept driving and praying. God, what was that about? Oh dear Lord, thank you for showing me that sign! Thank you for stopping me from driving down that road!

My dear friend, Becky, shared, "God will put you to the test when he wants to move you forward. Many things that you once believed were okay are suddenly not okay anymore. Convictions come and He says very plainly, you can't go that way anymore."

The name on the sign was someone I had an adulterous affair with many years ago. Back then, I pursued him and even hunted for him with hopes we would pick up where we left off. His wife swiftly intervened and we completely lost touch.

Chasing after sexual encounters for instant gratification gave me my next high. I was an addict but it was never an addiction to drugs or alcohol. None of these encounters bought me a true state of inner happiness or well-being. Contentment would last for a very short time. Once the 'high' would wear off, I had to seek out another. I did this over and over because it made me feel good about myself. That was until I eventually began hating myself for what I'd become and for the wreckage I left behind.

I eventually forgot all about him.

Until this day.

But what did I do? Or...I should say, what did God do? It is what He's BEEN doing in me for quite some time. Was that sign a test? Years back, I would have eagerly headed down that road. Or was it God's way of showing me the sanctification He has completed in my life? The Bible tells us that God wants to transform and sanctify us by the renewing of our minds. He wants to transform us into the express image of His Son Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I turned away. The reunion was unwelcomed. It was not a moment of temptation where God provided a way out. He has renewed my mind. Not only that, but He led me on this route to show me something...a glimpse of who He really is! Thank you, Lord!

It is the Holy Spirit who will really be the One to sanctify you and help you to become more holy in the eyes of the Lord.

However, you will still have to do your part. In being transformed by the renewing of your mind, you will have to be the one to attempt to “put on” the positive qualities that God will want to instill in your mind, and “put away” all of the negative qualities that He will not want operating in your mind.

Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2

It takes much work with the Holy Spirit in order to be able to get God to move you into this deeper realm of sanctification. Those who are willing to let the Lord take this next extra step will find and obtain what everyone is really searching for and cannot find these days – an incredible sense of well-being.

This incredible sense of well-being can only be found in the process of allowing God to work His very divine nature into your own mindset. This revelation is invaluable to me and one way of living out my faith is remembering these moments of revelation and building my life upon them.

Don't you love how God gives us 'signs'? He actually gave me one written on a wooden sign along Hwy 88, just like in Bruce Almighty. This was pretty serious stuff. The person's name God wanted to bring to my attention was actually written on the sign.

Don't ever doubt if God is real...

God takes us places that we never dream of going to. Great things happen when we seek God first and put Him first. Our relationship with Him demands time invested with Him in solitude. It means more than a quick devotion or prayer each day. It means a heart to heart, away from the noise of the world, searching our heart before expecting or asking anything of Him; repenting, confessing, looking within, falling on our face, praising Him for his mercy and love.

Once we've done this, we are likely to look at what we want to ask for from a different perspective...in all humility.

It is then we can petition from a pure heart. It is then we can hear what we are meant to hear FROM the Lord. This day was about so many things as I worshiped along that drive, and listened for the Lord's voice.

Serious seekers will be diving into God and His Word to find out exactly what it is God wants to do with them, and then will only be too anxious to work with the Holy Spirit during this process – having no fear of doing it, and being willing to fully submit to the Lord with how He wants to handle all of it.

These verses in particular are giving you the “key” that will open up this door of sanctification to come into your life and change it forever.

” … because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth … ” (2 Thessalonians 2:13)

“And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:11)

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)

” … elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: grace to you and peace be multiplied.” (1 Peter 1:2)

“For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” (Romans 8:13)

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it, that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish.” (Ephesians 5:25)

“Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever … ” (1 Peter 1:22)

We are blessed to be chosen and bring
Glory to the Lord when we respond...

Intimate Times: Prayer for My Soulmate

2011-09-24T07:08:00.000-07:00

Before I set off to The Carpenter's House in Seaside, a sweet friend advised me to pray specifically to the Lord for my help mate. I suppose I had never approached God with a list of specifics because I know God knows what He is doing and already is preparing my husband in ways I can not comprehend.

After this conversation with my friend, I realized I should at least search my heart for what is important to me in a husband. My friend also ended her counsel with the point that the attributes I desire in a soul mate should be attributes I will also possess.

My time on the shoreline with the Lord proved to be a blessed time as I petitioned Him for my soulmate.

I began by simply searching my heart and listing the things that seem to matter to me:

Heart consumed with love for Jesus (He loves Jesus first and foremost)
Warrior Spirit
Radical transformation and testimony
We will "KNOW" one another (I received this 'knowing' message a couple years ago and though it meant it would be someone I have already met in my life. But Holy Spirit later revealed it will be a knowing in the Spirit, as in a strong spiritual unity)
Heart for biker ministry
Loves family and honors my daughter
Treats me and my daughter like the Princesses we are
Physically strong
Loves travel and motorcycles
Protector and provider
Joyful
Not idol
Encourager and supportive
Does not drink or smoke
Comfortable revealing his heart (authentic and transparent)
We bring out each others strengths
Nurturing, knowing when to show compassion
Loyal and honest
Godly role model to my daughter
Drawn to worship....at the OCEAN, please Lord!

Then I stopped and prayed as I watched the ocean waves and the majesty of the waters. Seeking the presence of the Lord's Spirit brought the completion of my 'list'...

His eyes will reveal You!
His heart will feel like You!
His love will draw others to You!
He will be the spiritual authority in our home
He is secure and unwavering in his faith and his identity as a child of God!

And I pray, believing God has already answered my prayer...

Father God, thank you for leading me to the water to be with you. You know my heart. I believe as I delight in you, the desires of my heart will come because you have put them there. All of these qualities indeed make up the best in a husband. Some things may be withheld in order for me to strengthen in that area. I am giving this to you..releasing this prayer to you for my dear husband...

Protect him, Lord. As he seeks you, may he walk in obedience to the way you call him so he may find me. Guide his steps and let his heart hear mine. Bring our souls in unity. May we be united in a way which only glorifies and honors You! Let him see my heart submerged in you and be drawn to that. Let him see my boldness as that of a warrior spirit, compatible to his as we walk together through life's storms.....

Father, I am in love with him already. Thank you for preparing us and for sending him on his way. You know him and he knows you. We will know one another. Let our unity in You walk us into your Kingdom forever, eternally.

Amen ♥

Divine Appointments: The Carpenter's House

2011-09-04T06:44:00.000-07:00

Do you ever get a feeling in you so strong that you must act on it? I mean a real urgency like you have to do something right away? I am not talking about keeping an appointment or deadline, but a nudge.

Like an unknown something or someone is waiting for you?

The ocean was calling me again... It was more than longing for the coastal air, the velvety warm sand, and the majesty of the crashing ocean waves. God's Spirit summoned me. It is where I met Jesus and it is where I return for my solitude with Him. So, when I 'feel' the whisper in me growing in intensity, I go.

Solitude with God was a must. There was a special conversation I wanted to have with Him concerning my soul mate.

Hmmm...Saturday or Sunday? Northern coast or Pacific Grove?

As I pondered all of this, the Lord went before me and even spoke to the heart of a friend.

You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. Psalm 139:1-10

Suddenly I had an invite to a three day women's conference which started Sunday evening. Where? At The Carpenter's House in Seaside, of course! As my friend began to describe the details, I knew I had to be at this conference. How interesting that Holy Spirit spoke to HER soul mate who nudged her to invite me.

Faith Women's Fellowship holds these retreats each year, led by a dear friend and sister in Christ, Barbara Donaldson. Over sixteen years had passed since I'd seen her. Barbara prayed over my sister when she met Jesus. A month later, Barbara officiated Jami's homegoing.

I KNEW God had something for me there and it was urgent.

The drive took me all the way to Pacific Grove. Spending the afternoon there was a blessed time. For the first time, I had a heart to heart with the Lord about my soul mate. Lying in the sand, I wrote my letter to Jesus about my future husband...

Another friend had advised me to begin by making a very specific list, so I thoughtfully listed some godly attributes. She also told me I should be prepared to meet the same criteria. These nuggets of wisdom continued to shine into my list as I continued to write.

As I thought about things we would do together, I wrote, "Drawn to worship at the ocean".

I looked out over the water. My heart drew close to the Lord. In that moment, Holy Spirit gave me the rest of my list:

His eyes will reveal You. His heart will speak like You. His touch will feel like You. His love will draw others to You. He will be the spiritual authority in our home. His faith and his identity in You will be unwavering!

God's Spirit moved me to pray for protection and blessing over my husband. A genuine belief God is indeed preparing our paths so we may be united came upon me so strong. "Protect him, Jesus! As he seeks you, may he walk in obedience to the way you call him so he may find me. Guide his steps and let his heart hear mine."

Holy Spirit has my soul mate on a journey, as He does me. As a believer, we have guidance of Holy Spirit through God's perfect, complete revelation. His Divine wisdom offers us an invaluable advantage. We are foolish to think our wisdom (man's wisdom)is as good or better.

It was important to arrive at The Carpenter's House a bit early so I could have a few minutes of Barbara's time. What a blessing to have her share some tidbits of her memory of my sister from years ago. Barbara recalled some of Jami's moments before she received Jesus into her heart. My sister sat right next to Barbara in the front row. Since Barbara was the guest speaker, it was highly unusual for anyone to be seated there. Of course the Lord planted my sister right next to her. Barbara shared that Jami was just chattering away, telling her she did not know why she was there, aside from her sister (me) telling her she just had to come.

Barbara's face beamed and tears began streaming down both of our cheeks as she recalled how Jami's encounter with Jesus became the shining light of the entire retreat that year at Mission Springs. Surely, if the Lord had 'a moment' for me, this was it!

But no, there was more...

I arrived there alone and sat behind another woman who was also waiting for her friends to arrive. Irene turned to me and asked me where I was from. I told her I was from Sacramento because not too many people know of Fair Oaks. Irene was from Stockton. Irene also drives over an hour every other week to attend a wonderful spirit filled church in Sacramento. How perfect! Maybe we could go to church together some time! Yes, that would be delightful, she said. Actually, this little church is located in a town called Fair Oaks. You take Hwy 50 to the Sunrise exit. Are you familiar?

Am I familiar...Wow, Jesus, you are amazing!

Resurrection Life of Jesus Church is where I am supposed to visit very soon. Irene described this church as being filled with devout spirit-filled followers.

Irene and I were in awe, as you can imagine. We knew the Lord had appointed this very moment for us to connect. So, we continued to share all we could about our gifts, what the Lord had put upon our hearts, and what brought us all the way down to Seaside.

I believe the Lord sent Irene to deliver a very special message to me. While He was at it, there were tears of joy between Barbara and I. All of this after my intimate talk with Jesus about finding my soul mate.

As the program started, Barbara described the conference theme: "Jewels of God"

She shared this word put upon her heart..

You are His jewel and called to show forth His glory. You shine because of what the Lord has put in you. Release your faith to receive the Lord's abundant provision. Your reward in heaven will be those who you led to Jesus. They will be jewels in your crown.

Regarding the 'faithful remnant', "Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another,and the LORD listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who meditate on His name. “ They shall be Mine,” says the LORD of hosts, “On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.” Malachi 3:16-17

"They will sparkle in His hand like jewels in a crown." Zechariah 9:16

Was blind but now I see..Literally!

2011-08-20T06:50:00.000-07:00

How often do your thoughts lead you to ask how, where, or when? My mind goes there every single day.

Most recently, I've asked myself repeatedly where I could have possibly left my prescription glasses. They've been missing for two weeks. These are not reading glasses. I need them to drive. It is difficult to see where I am going. I miss turns because I am unable to read the street signs. Distance is altered so my vision is deceived. This could cause great harm to someone, whether my daughter, myself, or someone else who crosses my path.

I need my enhanced vision to do my job. Others have acted as my eyes to help navigate me.

To lose focus requires the help of another.

I need my glasses to see.

Earlier this year I learned more about perspective. How I assess or discern circumstances, and even people, has changed. God showed me how to look at myself and others as well as what is going on all around us through His heavenly lens. Makes sense to me since my own vision is clearly out of focus. And it is not just my eyes, but my flesh.

Helix Nebula (The Eye of God)
"The portrait offers a dizzying look down what is actually a trillion-mile-long tunnel of glowing gases. The fluorescing tube is pointed nearly directly at Earth, so it looks more like a bubble than a cylinder. A forest of thousands of comet-like filaments embedded along the inner rim of the nebula points back toward the central star, which is a small but super-hot white dwarf. These tentacles formed when a hot stellar “wind” of gas plowed into colder shells of dust and gas ejected previously by the doomed star. These comet-like filaments have been known from ground-based telescopes for decades, but never before seen in so much detail. They may actually lie in a disk encircling the hot star like a collar."

God's Spirit is here to guide me in ALL things. Each day, I am dependent on Him. Holy Spirit is faithful and consistent as He reveals His will through Scripture, dreams, prayer, and the words of others.

Prophetic understanding and the indwelling of God's Spirit are no longer for a choice few, as was the case in the Old Testament when only kings and prophets would receive the word of the Lord.

God desires for all His children to hear His voice and walk with prophetic insight and vision.

In Acts 2, Peter quotes Joel 2:28, "And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions."

To whom was this promise given? Acts 2:39 tells us, "The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call"

Every aspect of my life requires that I seek God's perspective; God's vision.

I had pretty much given up on finding my glasses. Oh yes, I've been praying for them to resurface, but I honestly had believed they would resurface through a brand new pair.

This morning, as I prepared to take the trash out, I reached for my sandals. Then, for whatever reason, I changed my mind and picked up my tennies. I never where my tennies. I'm not a walker, but I want to be.

Well, right there, inside my shoe, were my glasses! I can't tell you how grateful I was to see them. Silly me...I placed them in my shoe when I was carrying a ton of things from my car into the house. Next time, they go on my head! When I put my glasses on I began to cry as I thanked God for answering my prayer to point me to my glasses.

While walking, I could see the leaves on the trees again. Wow!

It was during my walk back that the Lord spoke to my heart..

"I will show you what to do, where to go, and how you will get there."

Father God, thank you for always being there, guiding me through life. May I always see through Your heavenly lens and act on what You call me to do! Your grace is sufficient. My life is yours. May these words you've given me to share today bless another in a very deep way, Lord. I adore You and am so very grateful...Amen

Write Where It Hurts: Writing With Purpose

2011-08-14T15:43:00.000-07:00

My friend, Jo Ann Fore, asked me to write a piece for her new website based on her book, "Write Where It Hurts". In her book, Jo Ann teaches women how to use writing as a healing tool. It was through this article, Writing With Purpose, that I explain how writing has served as a tremendous vehicle through which healing has come. And not only healing, but a greater purpose for my life.

Writing With Purpose
by Cherie LaLanne

Like most young girls, I always kept a diary under lock and key. This passion to write grew in the third grade when I was rewarded with coveted time on Mrs. Taylor’s old Smith-Corona typewriter.

Over time, my collection of diaries grew with large gaps of time unrecorded. Periodically, I would cringe as I read of my obsession with grown men at the tender age of twelve. Even the diaries from grade school were filled with boys’ names.

The onset of sexual addiction hit me hard early in life. Miracle upon miracle, I survived sexual violence and life threatening encounters with equally dangerous men who were meant to protect me; normal events amidst a family of outlaw biker gangs and mafia.

Thirty years later, the aftereffects of my younger years catapulted me back into the outlaw biker culture. Re-victimization and reflections of self destructive behavior poured out into my journaling. Writing returned as a life preserver and served a purpose. This time, in the form of poetry and rhyme, I was reaching for God, grasping for the key designed to free me from shackles of rage, fear, and shame.

A short time in a jail cell with a prostitute named Jessie brought a deeper meaning to my writing. My friend, who was unable to put her thoughts to paper, asked if I’d do her a favor. A short letter to a relative about her childhood abuser revealed I was to share my gift of writing. Not only was my writing essential to my own healing, but it was significant to another; a greater purpose.

Visiting my old friends secured by their tiny gold locks revealed life patterns. Little did I know that my suppressed memories would be excavated through my treasure trove of diaries. During a course of therapeutic writing, I learned that old desires were now gone. My sexual addiction had been washed away! Again, writing served a purpose.

The more time I spent in God’s word, the more I wanted to write! He wanted to take my writing to a new level. As I began working on the book so many had encouraged me to write, God took over. As it is with gang mentality, a biker’s identity lies with the club; the family. Then there is the mafia. Both defined me and I lived with a mistaken identity.

As I wrote my chapters, pounding out painful memories were accompanied by a peace that surpasses all understanding. I could never imagine ever sharing some of these thoughts. God led me on a healing journey through His divine revelation and sacred echoes. Through God’s word and the writings of a well known Christian author, I read about my spiritual bloodline in Jesus Christ. This changed the entire tone of my book, © Biker Blood.

Over the next year, I would repeatedly see and hear the word bloodline. This remains as a constant reminder of the healing which I’ve received without years of counseling.

Dreams are often where I get my inspiration to write and I journal every one of them. As I began to pray for their purpose, my dreams became more vivid and more frequent. This elevated my writing once again.

Without purpose, we are lost souls wandering around, grasping for a meaning of our life. The ultimate dream that revealed purpose came with these words spoken…

Tell them..Romans 10

Never having read the book of Romans, I searched for a Bible in my boxes of books.

Tell them what?

“For everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved. But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?” – Romans 10:13-14

Now, through my writing, I tell them all the Lord has done and others are blessed with the gift God has entrusted me with. Writing with purpose brought deliverance from my old mistaken identity and revealed my true bloodline, but most importantly, God’s purpose.

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” – 2 Corinthians 5:17

You can also join Jo Ann Fore and many amazing women in her Write Where It Hurts Facebook community!

Father of The Bride

2011-07-04T17:00:00.000-07:00

Father of The Bride sure was a funny, yet heart wrenching, movie about letting go. George, the father of the bride, portrayed by Steve Martin, is going insane about his little girl getting married. He can’t imagine life without her, but life goes on as he has to face the fact that his only daughter has grown up and has to deal with her life.

This father feels as if he is LOSING his daughter.

She may no longer 'need' him...
Someone else will be there to protect her...
He hopes he has done his job well...
He is so proud of the woman she has grown to be...

George and many wonderful fathers have encountered these thoughts.

Wow. Hard stuff....but an HONOR!

You see, the bride really has the choice of who she chooses to 'give her away', right? In this case, Annie shows her love for her dad by extending him this place of distinction and respect. The bride admires this man's moral principles and in a sense declares this person has made a significant contribution to her very own character.

To walk the bride down the aisle clearly is an indication of superior status in the woman's life.

In a perfect world, every father of the bride would walk his precious little girl down the aisle. However, it goes without saying that there are far too many fathers unworthy of such a distinguished position in a woman's life. When a father is absent, a brother, uncle, or grandfather may be the one to take his place.

For the bride whose father simply was not there through her most difficult years, she may not want to extend this honor to him. He may be at the wedding and have to watch his little girl give that honor to another; one who impacted her life in a way that he should have. I witnessed this recently and it was heartbreaking hearing the father's testimony as to what went wrong in their relationship. For him, there was much soul searching. It seemed at every turn, where he wanted to stand there was another man glorified in his place. And it was not the groom. In many ways, he had already lost his daughter's heart.

This father was not there when his daughter needed him.
He was not there to protect her most of her life.
In her eyes, her father did not do his job.
It was another who she could always count on.

My feelings are all over the place on this one, honestly. Every story is a different one and complex in it's own way. My own father did not walk me down the aisle and I still experience pain in my heart over that.

This is the reason I was called to help this father get to his daughter's wedding. The bride wanted him there but he did not have transportation to make the trip. Though I had not had any contact with this person in over thirty years, I knew I had to get him to his little girl's wedding. She had to have her dad there. It was a day meant for them to share even though he would not receive that place of distinction on her wedding day.

It truly was bittersweet...

Unashamed of How Great Thou Art

2011-05-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

ღ(̆̃̃ڿڰۣ✿ For I am NOT ashamed of the Gospel of Christ ღ(̆̃̃ڿڰۣ✿
Romans 1:16

How many times have you held back from talking about your love for Jesus because you were afraid of what others would think or say?

Are you afraid to pray in public for the same reason?

Considering what Jesus has done for me and from where He has rescued me, my heart would never allow me to withhold expressing my adoration for Him. This is what I saw when I watched Ms. Carrie Underwood sing.

Complete oblivion to what others thought of her singing her heart out in adoration of our Almighty God.

This show was broadcast to millions of viewers. As you watch and listen, one can not deny the anointing of the Holy Spirit upon Carrie's voice. The Lord took her voice up a level toward the end and it was if He was singing right through her.

She did not hold back. She is not ashamed to declare her love for Jesus Christ. Carrie knows it is through His will that she is where she is to stand as a shining light in a very dark world. I can imagine the many hearts that were changed the night she sang How Great Thou Art. And it will continue as long as this video is shared.

O Lord my God,
When I in awesome wonder
Consider all
The works Thy Hand hath made,

I see the stars,
I hear the mighty thunder,
Thy pow'r throughout
The universe displayed;

When through the woods
And forest glades I wander
I hear the birds
Sing sweetly in the trees;

When I look down
From lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook
And feel the gentle breeze;

Then sings my soul,
My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art!
How great Thou art!

Then sings my soul,
My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art!
How great Thou art!

When Christ shall come,
With shouts of acclamation,
And take me home,
What joy shall fill my heart!

Then I shall bow
In humble adoration
And there proclaim,
"My God, how great Thou art!"

Then sings my soul,
My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art!
How great Thou art!

Then sings my soul,
My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art!
How great Thou art!

No Drowning Allowed

2011-05-28T16:00:00.000-07:00

When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. Isaiah 43:2 (NLT)

Over the past ten years or so, I've had a recurring dream. Though the scenery changes a bit each time, the same thing is taking place and the same feelings wake me from the dreams. I am going to attempt to paint you a picture:

There are two of us in a car. In some of the dreams I am driving; in others, I am the passenger. Every dream brings us to a bridge which stretches over a body of water. The most recent dream was an ocean, where the previous dream was over a river.

Suddenly the roadway ends over the body of water and the car is flying in the air. There is always a startled physical reaction in these dreams as I become hysterical. Both of us in the car are terrified as we begin falling toward the water. The fear and distress is so overwhelming that it wakes me from the dream before the car ever hits the water.

The key factor here is the element of FEAR.

I did not want to feel the impact of hitting the water. It would feel more like hitting concrete. I did not want to experience the feeling of drowning and struggling to breathe.

This is very similar to what Peter was experiencing, I'd imagine. In Matthew 14:22-33, Jesus told Peter and the rest of the disciples in the boat, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Peter responded, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” He got out of the boat because he believed it was safer in the middle of the stormy sea with Jesus, than in the middle of the boat without Him. When Peter knew it was Jesus calling out to them, he got out, in faith, but the wind continued. I am positive Peter expected the winds to calm now that Jesus was with them. However, the winds did not stop and Peter's faith wavered. He just knew he would be overcome by the ocean waves and drown. As he began to sink, Jesus rescued him!

During these years in which I've had the recurring dreams, there were many opportunities to strengthen my trust in God's promises, protection, and provision.

More recently, the Lord allowed me to enter a very tumultuous season. His Spirit has risen up in me in worship through some scary life storms. Fear has subsided.

As I enter another season of familiar circumstances, I now have confidence that Jesus is with me and will not allow me to drown. It appears I will be returning to family court. This time around, I am so grateful to have grown past my fears and will not be overcome with distress.

So have no fear of them; for nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, or kept secret that will not become known. Matthew 10:26

How do I really know?

Because Holy Spirit has walked me through moments where I normally would be overcome with fear, yet I have not. This is just another one.

So, back to the recurring dream...

The most recent one took place last night. This time, that dreaded moment of actually hitting the water came.

I watched the ocean surrounding our car and wondered how long it would take for the car to begin filling with water. The driver spoke to me, "You're going to be okay."

Shortly after that, there was still no water coming into the car and we were simply floating. I opened the car door and began to step out into the waves. Even upon opening the car door, the water held its place outside of the car. The driver once again told me I was going to be just fine.

I closed the car door. The driver then accelerated and the car came to the surface of the water and we began driving effortlessly across the ocean waves all the way to shore.

This dream is a definite reminder that I have nothing to fear. More importantly, that my mind will not return to that fearful place as I return to the family courthouse.

God can do anything, you know..far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, His Spirit deeply and gently within us. Ephesians 3:20-21 (The Message)

A Rags to Riches Story

2011-05-22T18:56:00.000-07:00

Revelation 22:17
The [Holy] Spirit and the bride (the church, the true Christians) say, Come! And let him who is listening say, Come! And let everyone come who is thirsty [who is painfully conscious of his need of those things by which the soul is refreshed, supported, and strengthened]; and whoever [earnestly] desires to do it, let him come, take, appropriate, and drink the water of Life without cost.

The King of Kings is looking for the True Bride who fits the golden slipper.

The Chosen wear filthy rags (Isaiah 64) and are unclean. Regardless, the Lord has given her gifts to use. The King has come to her house and called her to a higher purpose.

Her foot slips effortlessly into the slipper. The King anoints her steps.

As The Bride steps out in faith, believing and walking in her identity as an heir to The Throne, she is glorified. (Philippians 3)

The Bride is adorned with the eternal riches of her Heavenly King as she rises up to the mission to which she has been called.

The King of Kings is glorified!

As a Mother on Mother's Day

2011-05-07T03:22:00.001-07:00

Mother's Day always brings a flood of thoughts and emotion to me. Maybe because of the many years I ached to experience motherhood. Maybe because I am so blessed with two beautiful mothers. Maybe because for most of my life my mother was the only one I could rely on.

My heart is joyful when I thank God for the gift of motherhood. When my miracle babe was only six months old, I told a friend I wished I could just stop the clock because I was enjoying that stage of her new life so much. My friend responded that every age offers something very special. Her words are so very true...

Now my six month old is sixteen years old. I still find myself wanting to stop the clock. Why is that? Because our bond brings me so much joy and in this moment is where I'd love to stay with her. However, watching her grow into a strong, vibrant young woman excites me! I know she will do well and I am looking forward to all the big things to come in her life!

Driving is on the agenda for this summer! Hmmm..

I am joyful as I reflect on the love of my own mother and step mom. I am indeed blessed!

My heart also grieves at Mother's Day; for those women who long for a child. I've been in their shoes and I know the pain. So, I hurt for them.

The unthinkable loss of a child presses upon my heart because my mother lives this heartache. It is unfathomable to me, so my heart cries for those who have endured this..

There are many without their mother and are devastated at the thought of celebrating Mother's Day. I have two nephews who lost their mother at a very young age. They grieve every Mother's Day as they wonder if their life would be any better had she lived to raise and love them.

There are those who never had a loving mother; only an abusive one. So they refuse to celebrate this day because it only triggers horrific and painful memories.

With that said, I am extremely blessed. To be a mother and to have two moms myself makes me pretty rich. Lord, I am grateful.

He will feed his flock like a shepherd.
He will carry the lambs in his arms,
Holding them close to his heart.
He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.
Isaiah 40:11 NLT

In this Old Testament promise spoken by the prophet Isaiah, the Lord clearly states His commitment to guide and protect mothers and to care for their children. Surely the Lord loves our children even more than we do. What a wonderful encouragement for Mother's Day and always.

Wherever you are at...however this post speaks to you, my hope is that you know Jesus loves you. He is I AM and is ALL things. And YOU are His child.

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

We thank You for our mothers to whom You have entrusted the care of every precious human life from its very beginning in the womb.

You have given to woman the capacity of participating with You in the creation of new life. Grant that every woman may come to understand the full meaning of that blessing, which gives her an unlimited capacity for selfless love for every child she may be privileged to bear, and for all Your children.

Watch over every mother who is with child, strengthen her faith in Your fatherly care and love for her and for her unborn baby. Give her courage in times of fear or pain, understanding in times of uncertainty and doubt, and hope in times of trouble. Grant her joy in the birth of her child.

To mothers You have given the great privilege and responsibility of being a child's first teacher and spiritual guide. Grant that all mothers may worthily foster the faith of their children, following the example of Mary, Elizabeth, and other holy women who follow Christ. Help mothers to grow daily in knowledge and understanding of Your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and grant them the wisdom to impart this knowledge faithfully to their children, and to all who depend upon them.

Assist all "spiritual mothers", those who, though they may have no children of their own, nevertheless selflessly care for the children of others -- of every age and state in life. Grant that they may know the joy of fulfilling this motherly calling of women, whether in teaching, nursing, religious life, or in other work which recognizes and fosters the true dignity of every human being created in Your image and likeness.

We beseech You to send Your Holy Spirit, the Comforter, to all mothers who sorrow for children that have died, are ill or estranged from their families, or who are in trouble or danger of any kind. Help grieving mothers to rely on Your tender mercy and fatherly love for all your children.

We ask your blessing on all those to whom You have entrusted motherhood. May Your Holy Spirit constantly inspire and strengthen them. May they ever follow the example of Mary, mother of Our Lord, and imitate her fidelity, her humility, and her self-giving love. May all mothers receive Your Grace abundantly in this earthly life, and may they look forward to eternal joy in Your presence in the life to come.

We ask this through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, in the Heavenly realm...a world without end.

Amen

Guardians of God's Mission

2011-04-24T05:30:00.000-07:00

Are not the angels all ministering spirits (servants) sent out in the service [of God for the assistance] of those who are to inherit salvation? Hebrews 1:14

Ever experienced a sudden rescue that came from out of nowhere? Some think these things happen only by chance. This passage teaches that behind the scenes of life there is a network of angels assigned for protection.

The ministry of angels to believers is a vital teaching in the scripture. These supernatural agents follow their divinely revealed job description. They:

* Provide help in time of need - Hebrews 1:14
* Are sometimes sent by God in answer to prayer - Acts 12:7
* Observe the believer’s response to life - 1 Cor. 4:9; 1 Tim. 5:21; Luke 15:10
* Guide believers to heaven after death - Luke 16:22

"For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show
Himself strong in behalf of those whose hearts are blameless toward Him."
2 Chronicles 16:9

I love this, "the eyes of the Lord run to and fro". How busy God is with His Army of Angels He calls upon to go to battle for us. They stand guard, chasing off the angels of darkness that dare to work as if they can thwart God's plan! He's got our backs! Amen!

Some people conclude that these spiritual beings are supposed to protect us from all hurt. But that’s not what the Bible teaches. Jesus Himself said He could have called twelve legions of angels to protect Him (Matthew 26:53). But instead He accepted he help of only one angel and that was to strengthen Him to fulfill His mission of dying on the cross (Luke 22:43). Both Peter and Paul received angelic assistance ranging from deliverance from prison to surviving a shipwreck (Acts 12:7; 27:23-24). But despite these spectacular acts of divine intervention, both were persecuted and finally martyred (2 Peter 1:12-15; 2 Timothy 4:6-8).

So, why have a guardian angel if bad things can happen to you?

They do take action to allow us to complete our mission. But they won’t interfere with trials that God intends to use in molding your character. He uses disappointment and problems to make us more resilient.

“We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance , character”. Romans 5:3

The assignment of angels is not to make us comfortable but to ensure that we fulfill our mission. Many Lives have been spared miraculously so that God will be glorified and use that person to fulfill God's plan. Next time you have a dangerous “near miss” experience, ask yourself, “What does God have left for me to do?”

God uses trials to make us more like His Son.

Teaching,Testimonies,and Prayer

2011-03-29T06:04:00.000-07:00

I've been really looking forward to our upcoming women's retreat and it is finally here! Oh, how I need solitude with Jesus!

God did call upon me to facilitate one of the retreat workshops and I will teach on living a life of worship to many women who are in a waiting season in their life.

Then Holy Spirit revealed I am to also share a testimony about how these retreats have impacted my life. I received an email asking me if I could share during the opening session on the first night. Okay. Glorifying God is something I never turn down!

So, I just want to make sure I do not get too caught up in the social aspect of retreats. I have a beautiful fellowship group and we meet weekly. It is my heart's desire to spend some alone time with just me and Jesus! I was so intent on this thought and I know He is calling me to do just that.

Well, yesterday I received an email from a sister who leads the prayer team for our retreat. She asked me if I would serve on the prayer team. At first I thought this would take away from MY solitude with the Lord that I so desperately need.

Then I realized this was the Lord's answer to my heartfelt prayer to have intimate time with Him. Sure, I will intercede and pray with others, but I will be in prayer, communing with the Lord, more than I would if I were not placed in the prayer room throughout these upcoming three days. Holy Spirit calls upon others to help us progress along our spiritual path and I am grateful my prayer warrior sister asked me to serve.

I see what Holy Spirit is doing. This is the intimate time alone with the Lord I seek. He knows what we need and He will use us to bless others in the process. Amen.

On The Right Path

2011-03-27T02:59:00.000-07:00

We live our lives and all around us are overwhelming events of the world, many tragic, some devastating, too many unthinkable and the unimaginable is becoming reality.

And in this reality, I am grateful for my refuge in a mighty and powerful God. When the world around me is too much, I go to Him; and He is always enough and I am overwhelmed in a different and majestic way.

Good morning God! Praising that You are here with me.

Good morning friends! If your world is overwhelming with tragedy, devastation, the unthinkable and the unimaginable, imagine that there could be peace amongst all the chaos, calm in all your storms and real moments of an unimaginable eternity with a God who thought of you before the creation of this world.

A God who knows your struggles and challenges, who celebrates your triumphs, and a God who wants you to know Him. The world will not change, your circumstances may not change, but with God in your life, you will see the world differently and have strength to maneuver through it.

In hope, I pray for you to hear God's call, "My child I love You, I have loved you since the beginning of time. Accept my gift. What is that gift? It is my son, who followed a plan and did as I asked, so that I could be with you in eternity. I have a plan for your life too, and it is amazing if you allow me to set the path, to protect you from the elements and live for me, because my Son died for you."

For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show
Himself strong in behalf of those whose hearts are blameless toward Him.
2 Chronicles 16:9

What Is 'Praying In The Spirit'?

2011-03-20T16:54:00.000-07:00

Praying in the Spirit is mentioned three times in Scripture. First Corinthians 14:15 says, “So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.” Ephesians 6:18 says, “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” Jude 20 says, “But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.” So, what exactly does it mean to pray in the Spirit?

The Greek word translated “pray in” can have several different meanings. It can mean “by means of,” “with the help of,” “in the sphere of,” and “in connection to.” Praying in the Spirit does not refer to the words we are saying. Rather, it refers to how we are praying. Praying in the Spirit is praying according to the Spirit’s leading. It is praying for things the Spirit leads us to pray for. Romans 8:26 tells us, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.”

Some, based on 1 Corinthians 14:15, equate praying in the Spirit with praying in tongues. Discussing the gift of tongues, Paul mentions “pray with my spirit.” First Corinthians 14:14 states that when a person prays in tongues, he does not know what he is saying, since it is spoken in a language he does not know. Further, no one else can understand what is being said, unless there is an interpreter (1 Corinthians 14:27-28). In Ephesians 6:18, Paul instructs us to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” How are we to pray with all kinds of prayers and requests and pray for the saints, if no one, including the person praying, understands what is being said? Therefore, praying in the Spirit should be understood as praying in the power of the Spirit, by the leading of the Spirit, and according to His will, not as praying in tongues.

When God Says to Pray

2011-03-20T16:00:00.000-07:00

Are you led to pray? I do not mean praying in response to an obvious need. I mean does the Holy Spirit instruct you and direct you how to pray and who or what to pray for? It may happen without you discerning what is really happening around you.

God led me to a very specific location to pray for a young man who was hit by a car.

Earlier in the day, Holy Spirit began equipping me with what to pray for. It happened during a conversation with a coworker. She asked if I'd start walking with her during our lunch break. Her recovery and struggle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder has kept her from her beloved passion to walk after she was hit by a car. Not only did she have to heal physically, but the image of the car coming at her attacked her mind. It was a near death experience. My friend is now ready to face her fears and has asked me to come along.

As she shared, I flashed on my sister, Jami, who was also struck by a driver while running across a busy street to catch the city bus. My sister never saw the vehicle; there was no PTSD. Her judgment was impaired after drinking heavily that evening. The Lord spared Jami from living with more suffering than she had already endured her whole life of twenty-seven years.

The driver in the accident was only nineteen and was very traumatized. No doubt he has battled with PTSD as a result. Our family has prayed for him.

Following a late dinner, my daughter and I stopped to pick up a couple things for our cat at PetSmart. However, they had just locked up for the night. Walgreen's was still open at 9pm on Friday night, so we pulled into the parking lot.

This location is at very busy intersection near a mall. Groups of teens gather and often are causing trouble in this area. Anyway, two of these teens were yelling something at us as we pulled into the parking lot. It did not feel safe to get out of the car with Angelica as I watched these young men stand post at the front door. When they walked across the street, we went inside. Surprisingly, we were still unable to find the kitty toy we were looking for.

So we walked out of the store to a huge scene on the street, right in front of where we parked. There were some ten police cars and we heard the FD and paramedic sirens not far behind! Then we saw a young man lying on the median. He had been hit crossing that busy street. It was just wild how we did not see or hear it happen as we were roaming around in the store. It all happened that fast...maybe ten minutes.

I began praying for the young man. He was one of the boys I felt was unsafe. Then I put it all together. My co-worker, my sister, and this young man. Even began praying for the person who hit him. I recall how the 19 yr old driver was traumatized upon hitting my sister. She came from out of nowhere, just like this boy did last night. We were spared from actually witnessing the accident but we were there to pray for him. It was all God's leading and intentional intercession for this boy...and for my coworker, Mickie.

It was just Angelica and me out for an evening. It was very intense but so clear to me. No, all I did was stand there with Angelica and pray as the boy was transported away. I watched his feet moving. I thanked God for taking my sister so quickly. She had been drinking Becky. She was at a party and began fighting with her boyfriend so she took off to catch a city bus to get back home. She ran into traffic as her judgment was so distorted. She died instantly. She had received Christ one month before.

Do you know there are different types of intercessors? Not all are burdened to intercede for the same thing. God gives some intercessors a special prayer focus. I happen to be a crisis intercessor and get S.O.S. calls from the Holy Spirit at 3am. I pray when I see an ambulance, etc.

Holy Spirit leads us to pray, even before an event has yet occurred. God sends his angels out before us to come against the schemes of the enemy.

"And He saw that there was no man and wondered that there was no intercessor [no one to intervene on behalf of truth and right]; therefore His own arm brought Him victory, and His own righteousness [having the Spirit without measure] sustained Him." Isaiah 59:16

There are two shocks in this passage. One is that omnipotence is looking for help. The other shocking thing is that the omniscient One is appalled. God must have known ahead of time, but it is still shocking. Can one person make a difference? What kind of person does He need? He is looking for an intercessor or one to intervene. The basis of the Hebrew word used there is "to meet or encounter." So He is looking for a person who causes two persons who are separated to meet.

We bear God's burdens with him when His Spirit puts someone's pain upon our hearts. We are moved. He takes over. We are then compelled to pray. Often, the prayer is related to something we've experienced ourselves. Our own suffering, healing, and recovery can cause us to pray with an anguished heart. This is powerful prayer! God uses our own trials and sufferings as we intercede for others who require the same comfort! Sometimes, we do not even realize it.....

A week before the shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, a man who was out riding his motorcycle was compelled to pray at a specific location. He simply felt the urgency to stop and pray at this spot. Of course, he had no idea what was about to happen there one week later. He did not know Congresswoman Giffords would sustain severe brain injury. After this horrific tragedy, it was revealed to him. He himself had experienced severe brain trauma years before. God led him there to intercede before the event took place, and Congresswoman Giffords survived.

We only need to be aware of the calling to intercede for others. This comes FROM God and is meant to be used FOR Him. BUT we need to be aware when the voice we are listening to is actually leading us to NOT function in our gifts at all! When the urgency comes to pray, Holy spirit is more than likely telling us, "Pray NOW!"

There Is No Golden Ticket Straight To Heaven

2011-02-21T19:41:00.000-08:00

"Not everyone who calls out to me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter." Matthew 7:21

If we do not surrender the ungodliness in our life, we cry out in vain.

So there is no golden ticket straight to Heaven once we pray the sinner's prayer? You do receive a ticket good for boarding the train when you are baptized in the name of the Lord, but whether it is accepted depends on your heart and life; whether you are walking in the footsteps of Christ or not. It is not punched for the final destination.

I am reminded of the perspective so many have concerning the prayer of salvation and the misconceptions I carried when I first came to Christ.

Paul tells us in Romans 10:9-13, "If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” an...d believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Twice here we are told we are saved by declaring with our mouth Jesus is Lord or calling upon His name. But it does not stop there. There is more we are to do . This is ongoing.

Trusting in Him and doing God's will, as we are warned in Matthew 7:21, is only one way Jesus warned that we must do His will in order to truly be His disciples. “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter."

I can think of so many more...Matthew 25:31-46, “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” Jesus told us to LOVE the hungry and sick stranger or prisoner.

"Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation.." 2 Corinthians 7:10

Working out our salvation with fear and trembling and obeying God's law (the Torah) is all part of loving Him with all our heart. We simply are compelled to obey. It is in us to do so. I am so grateful our pastor teaches from the Old and New Testaments, reminding us the law did not go away, but we now have grace through the Blood of Christ. They do go hand in hand, but the Torah is not the only aspect of God's will, as we see throughout the New Testament.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34

Look at what Jesus said when he heard the crowd putting so much emphasis on His earthly mother, "‘Who is My mother and who are My brothers?’ And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, ‘Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother’” Matthew 12:46-50

What constitutes someone as a true brother or sister? DOING the will of the Father; hearing the Word of God and keeping it. Doing the will of the Father is the same thing as hearing and keeping the Word of God. Simple obedience. Doing what the Father wants. Not hearing only, but hearing and doing. Keeping his commandments, loving one another, rejecting/rebuking evil, not worshiping treasures of the world (money), and above all, loving Him with all of our being.

Simply crying out to the Lord in our hour of need or praying the sinner's prayer does not punch a golden ticket to Heaven. Neither does getting baptized. Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be born again with the Holy Spirit.

"Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit." John 3:5-6.

Baptism by both the water and the Spirit. From the lips of Jesus. Your ticket is issued upon receiving your baptism by water. But it is worthless if you do not receive Baptism by the Holy Spirit, an infilling that lasts a lifetime. Those that are baptized with water in the name of Jesus that later turn to crime or do not follow and actually serve God are subject to the judgment that may result in confiscation of their ticket and a toss off the train into the lake of fire. Their hearts were never right, their souls were never filled with the right ingredient. The Holy Spirit had not validated their ticket.

There is so much more. Followers of Jesus are meant to be discipled and to disciple others. Becoming a new creation in Christ takes a desire to let go of OUR ways and our worldly perspective in exchange for God's will and living through a Heavenly lens.

Will Jesus open the book, check your ticket and declare “I don’t know you!”, or will your life since baptism prove good enough? Let’s pray it is the latter. If you are afraid you don’t measure up, please don’t panic. Go to your church and ask for guidance on how to get on the path God wants you to be on. Find a spiritual mentor who will disciple you.

My prayer is that my heart proves true and worthy of joining our Father and Heaven and my ticket is punched and turns to gold. I pray yours is too.

Be a Champion Encourager

2011-01-18T03:13:00.000-08:00

Written by Peter Wyns

ENCOURAGEMENT is so powerful that receiving it may cause someone to fulﬁll their destiny, and being deprived of it will cause one to miss their purpose in life. Encouragement comes from people and from God, and both are essential for our well-being. Everyone needs encouragement; many experience the joy of giving it to others, but some have an extraordinary gift of encouragement. It becomes a super- natural, Holy Spirit gift. Then it should be exercised deliberately, with great intention, and authority. Whoever has this gift should minister it liberally.

Encouragement may come from seven sources:

1. Approbation from parents.
2. The approval and inclusion from other people.
3. Positive accolades and exhortations from people.
4. Prophetic words that are spoken.
5. Honorable accomplishments that we achieve.
6. The manifest presence of the Lord, as experienced during times
of genuine worship.
7. The recognizable favor of God on one’s life.

Experiencing all of these encouragements is best; experiencing some of them is good; experiencing a few, or none of them, produces depression. Those who suffer from depression may have a medical problem, but more than likely, they have been robbed of sufﬁcient and meaningful encouragement. Receiving encouragement can be compared to receiving money. It feels good and can be very useful. Encouragement from one person may be like receiving a dollar from a nation whose dollar value is really low. It is still good, but it has the value of receiving just a few pennies, and that does not go far.

Receiving a constant ﬂow of encouragement, however, from the right people, or from God, is like receiving thousands of dollars from a nation that has an amazing dollar value. This encouragement can empower a person to move forward and fulﬁll their dreams and destiny.

The book of Romans highlights this amazing gift...

“We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.” (Rom. 12:6-8)

In this scripture, we ﬁnd 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit. At Christmas, we may receive gifts that we cannot use, so we re-gift them and pass them on to someone else. These spiritual gifts are similar; God gives us a gift and we rewrap it and give it as a precious gift to someone else. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are tools of power that we extend to bless and enable other people.

This list includes: prophecy, teaching, encouraging, serving, generous giving, leadership, and showing mercy. Each of these gifts, including encouragement, is needed for our health and maturity. Every minister of the Gospel should express all of them at some level. Without these gifts, God’s people are in lack.

The Corinthian letter exhorts us, “Eagerly desire the greater gifts.” (1 Cor. 12:31)

Which of these gifts do you desire?

Two prominent titles for the Holy Spirit are Teacher and Comforter, but the word ‘comforter’ is better translated ‘encourager’. So, the Holy Spirit is actually called the Teacher and the Encourager. Encouragement is a gift of the Holy Spirit and it moves through people for the purpose of ministry.

Now let me show you a man of encouragement.

“Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), sold a ﬁeld he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.” (Acts 4:36-37)

This Joseph was renamed by the apostles because he exercised the supernatural, Holy Spirit gift of encouragement. Life enabling words emanated from him. Many lives were changed because of his outstanding gift. His powerful encouragement was so noticeable that the apostolic leaders of the Jerusalem church renamed him Barnabas (Son of Encouragement). His supernatural gifts were so powerful that Barnabas was chosen to partner with Paul on his ﬁrst missionary journey (Acts 13:1-3).

Sometime later, Paul and Barnabas had a major disagreement. They wanted to revisit the churches, but Paul refused to bring John Mark, who had disappointed them on a previous mission. Barnabas, the man of encouragement, would not leave his young cousin behind. Both apostles were so convinced that their personal decision was the right one, that they painfully parted company. Paul took Silas and went to Syria, and Barnabas took John Mark and went to minister to his native people in Cyprus. Some say that Barnabas was wrong and forfeited some of his destiny because of his decision, while Paul’s exploits continued on to greatness. A Bible search reveals, however, that this is not true. In later epistles, Paul speaks highly of Barnabas and his amazing ministry. At the end of Paul’s life, he calls for John Mark to come to him, for no one can help him in the ministry like John Mark.

The modern church can learn from Barnabas. We may give up on people when we should sustain them with encouragement. The powerful gift of encouragement would not allow Barnabas to dismiss the failing John Mark. As a result of his encouragement gift, Barnabas continued to be acclaimed among the apostles and to be used of God. Besides this, John Mark was rescued from failure and derailment and became an amazing minister.

For further study, see Acts 15:36-40, 1 Corinthians 9:6, Galatians 2:1, 2 Timothy 4:11, Colossians 4:10, and 1 Peter 5:13. Paul learned to be a great encourager. We see this in all of his letters. When he exhorts Timothy and Titus to rebuke and exhort with all long suffering, he is not saying that they should merely correct and teach. The word ‘exhort’ is better translated ‘encourage’. He is teaching them, and all pastors, to correct and encourage. Here is God’s kindness. Ministers are not ﬁrst of all policemen and judges, but helpers, encouragers, and equippers.

Jesus is the champion encourager. Regardless of people’s disposition, He encouraged them. He ministered acceptance to the woman taken in adultery, the Samaritan and her friends, blind Bartimaeus, Zacchaeus the tax collector, and to children who were being shunned. Encouragement may well be the most far reaching and yet the most underestimated supernatural gift.

A teaching gift must be used in order for it to mature – as it is with all the gifts. Everyone should be an encourager. Some will excel, and their encouragement will become a supernatural gift. Then, by God’s grace, they will lift people high and help them ﬁnd their destiny.

Peter Wyns is the President and Director of Ministry for "Christians for Messiah Ministries."

Praising God Through the Storm

2011-01-15T11:30:00.000-08:00

It always amazed me when I heard someone praising God with sincere joy and trust in their heart while enduring physical suffering or experiencing great loss. I would think, "How can they find that place? Will that ever be possible for me?"

I was in awe. Their faith grew my faith.

My desire was to be able to say, "More for God's glory!" in the midst of my own trials. To have that complete trust that God is by my side and is in the process of working out His divine plan for me, all for His glory, seemed impossible at one time.

That was until the past several months. The opportunity presented itself for me to lead the small group I've frequented over the past few years. This time, I heard very strongly in the Spirit to teach on John 4:23, "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks."

This led me to find a perfect little study guide, "A Life of Worship". It was through this study I would walk through another storm. It was through this storm that I was so focused on worship that my storm was filled with God's glory!

When we take our eyes off of our circumstances and look at them through God's lens, we can see God's glory. We can feel His presence and His hand in every situation.

My heart was hurting but comforted; my mind could not figure out the next step to take so God took the next step for me. Through it all, my heart and mind were at peace. I could not stop worshiping and praising Him.

I've known that when we worship and praise Jesus, satan's minions are overcome and must flee. When we declare God's word, they will not be allowed to deceive our mind. It is only then that His voice of truth takes hold.

Fear and despair retreat.

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1

Storms come to test our foundation. Is our house built upon the sinking sand or upon the Rock of Salvation?

Storms are an inevitable part of our spiritual life. The Bible says it rains both on the just and the unjust. Jesus Himself gave a "weather alert bulletin" in the Book of Matthew. He said, “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the flood waters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.” Matthew 7:24-27

Moses said in Exodus 33:18: "Please, show me Your glory."

And God said in Exodus 33:19: "I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion."

God did a mighty work in me through this life storm. He was strengthening my faith. As I glorified Him through it all, He revealed His glory in the process.

Thank you, Yahweh, for preparing me for the bigger storms to come. I know this was a very small storm in comparison to what lies ahead. You love me so much to show and equip me with what I sought to understand and possess. May my testimony lead others to true comfort and trust in you amidst the storms they are facing at this moment. "The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety." Psalm 18:2 ~ Amen

How will you find that place where you can praise God in the midst of the storms of life? Desire it. Seek God and ask Him for it. He will make it happen. He will be glorified and His glory will shine upon your life.

Our Greatest Advocate

2011-01-11T22:45:00.000-08:00

If God is for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:31

This summer, God moved me from my job. Months before, I knew in my heart I was supposed to let go of the security and look for something else where my gifts and talents would be used. The position I was in was changing and the things I was passionate about were going to be removed from my desk.

I knew that God was moving me into a bigger purpose. What I did not expect was having to move from our cozy little condo we were renting. Being a single mom without a job or home sounds pretty rough. For most it is. All I can say is God met every one of our needs and continues to do so. Friends opened up their homes and them, along with my family, helped us out financially so I would not lose my car and I could keep gas in it to get my daughter to and from school. God's faithfulness and His provision have blessed us immensely.

During my three years with this ministry the Lord equipped me for greater things. Grant writing became my primary focus at this job and I became familiar with other non profit organizations and ministries in the process. My heart for organizations that help the least of these has led me to forming a grant writing ministry. While waiting for the Lord to reveal my next steps, my focus remained solely on establishing myself among the non profit world as one with a passion and skill to locate resources to fund their God given mission.

In the meantime, I had to find employment while I launch this ministry. So, I registered with an employment agency. My first appointment with the owner of the agency went extremely well and we connected on a different level. She and I both have a heart for those engaged in humanitarian efforts. The Holy Spirit was working here... All along I trust and believed with all my being that God was planning something huge for me in the area of family, work, and ministry.

Within a few weeks, I received a call about a position working as a Human Resources Assistant for a rapidly expanding company. Of course I was interested! My interview was set up for first thing the next morning.

The interview with the HR Manager was very comfortable and I sensed how easily she and I would work together. Before I left, I was invited to a second interview with the owner's wife, who was relinquishing her HR duties to the person coming into this new position. Come to find out, she also used to write grants for a law enforcement agency. We also connected in this grant area.

All the while, God was also working on my living situation. This same week I was offered a home to move into by some dear friends. This took place on Thanksgiving Day!

First thing that following Monday, the employment agency called asking me if I could get to my third interview by noon! This interview was with the owner of the company. I simply knew the position would be offered to me. This is what came to my heart right away. It was already done; I was only going through the motions.

During the interview, I had an opportunity to share my passion for grant writing and supporting the community. I also had a chance to hear my future employer explain how my position would evolve, along with my income, as I applied exceptional work ethics and life principles to my job. Something clicked in my head during this interview. I had been settling for a life of survival vs a life of abundance for me and my daughter.

God was working behind the scenes this past several months and I was now witnessing the fulfillment of His plan in this interview. The position would be offered to me; I just 'knew' it!

The next morning I woke with these words singing in my mind, "And if our God is for us, then who could have ever stop us? And if our God is with us, then who could stand against us!" Romans 8:31!

To wake up with God's word playing over and over in my mind was just what I needed. I could not stop talking about the interview and many of my Facebook friends also knew the job would be offered to me.

Then, the enemy's 'what ifs' started attacking my mind. Of course they did. But God had already intervened with this song and His reassurance that His will be done! Romans 8:31 returned quickly to my mind. As I was reminded of this, I was chatting with a friend. God's presence was so strong and his voice so clear; His voice of Truth! The phone rang...the offer came right in that very moment.

God IS our greatest advocate.

After only a week into my new job, the owner called me into his office.

"Cherie, I want to start a foundation. You have experience in this area, right?"

Well, yes.

"With your grant experience and work with non profits in the community, you are the perfect candidate to spearhead this project. So, what I need from you is a plan. I need you to tell me about the organizations out there who are doing things that might fit in with the mission and purpose of my foundation. Our foundation. Can you do this?"

Suddenly my position as their new HR Administrator was much more. God has opened the door to the resources needed for those serving the least of these. Not only that, but I am working on both sides; with the grantor and for the grantees.

Amazing. Does God know what He is doing, or what?

Within the same period of time, I am also assisting with the launch of a biker church, Thunder Road Church!

So, what next, Lord?

A home...

He's got that covered as well. Today, He revealed He has a place for my daughter and me right away. Where? Back in the same condominium complex we had to move from a few months ago! Restoration! But it is really more than restoration.

This is what came to me as I was pondering all these things today..

There was a reason why I had to move. Someone needed my rental more than I did. God had lined up the very friends who would walk alongside me while He freed up my condo for someone else. I wonder what their story is...

The complex only has twenty-eight units. They are usually full. I was nudged to call the property manager, only to discover there was one unit that has remained vacant the entire time I've lived away from there. It is ready for me to move in.

It is all worked out and has been all along, just like He told me.

No Resolutions But to Honor Jesus!

2010-12-31T06:32:00.000-08:00

What a year! Amen?!

I know for many that 2010 was filled with great suffering. There is suffering all around me.

Fear, depression, and physical pain are just some of the sufferings that a few who are dear to me are living with. What would their resolution for the new year be? Some have given up on everything and everyone; one has the strongest faith I've ever witnessed.

Resolutions for the new year are flying around the internet. It is a real eye opener as the reality of life priorities is openly discussed. This tradition stopped for me five years ago. Instead, I made a couple of commitments; to put most of my energy into getting to know what a relationship with Jesus looked like and to make amends with three of my dearest friends. These friends did not deserve how I simply vanished from their life without explanation. I was now asking God to help me restore those treasured relationships. In my commitment to God, I asked Him to show me what it meant to have an intimate relationship with Him. I did not have a clue what to do or what to expect.

Since then, I've thrown new year resolutions out the window. Normally, I would recommit to one of my empty promises; to get physically fit or to become more organized. But they never stuck! The only time my new year resolution stuck was the one I made to Jesus in 2005! When I did this, Holy Spirit put the Scriptures in my hand and I could not let go of them.

'Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.' Psalm 37:4-6

These passages from the Psalm of David were put upon my heart at the beginning of the year. My daughter and I went to the store to pick out a journal for my new twelve step study. It was very difficult to find one among the scattered goodies at our local Ross department store. Then my daughter finds one and says, "Look Mom, this one even has a scripture on it!" That was it! This very passage was printed on the cover of my new journal for the year.

This became my commitment for 2010.

What I love about it is it contains so much! Not only does it tell us to delight and trust in the Lord, and commit our way to Him, but it also tells the promises we can expect if we do these things. It contains all the pieces of loving the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength.

Once again, Jesus revealed His faithfulness!

God's glory is shining brilliantly more than ever, and not just upon my own life.

As I wrap up step nine of the twelve steps, I am prompted to reflect on how 'your overall outlook on life changed':

I now exist with a 'knowing' of God's voice and feel the leading of His Spirit.
My trust in Jesus now quenches all the worldly noise and pressures.
All my past layers of bondage and my masks are gone.

Done.

Finished.

I am a new creation and I finally see it and believe it. Fear of the old things resurfacing has now vanished from my mind. I am now confidant in my identity and my inheritance as God's precious child.

God has done so much. He has fulfilled his promises and I trust He is not done yet. 'Redemption' was my word for 2009 and 'Fulfillment' was my word for 2010. As I look at what God has already set in motion, the word on my heart for 2011 is 'Deliver'. It is time to take everything He has done and has equipped me with out to others in a bigger way. Time to deliver the product, the message, the gift! Jesus is ready to propel me into 2011 with new opportunities to shine HIS glory on the justice of my cause like the noonday sun! Glory!!!

Here are the top dozen New Year Resolutions I found while surfing the web:

Getting Into shape
Getting More Organized
Giving Up Smoking or Drinking
Getting or Changing a Job
Getting Finances in Order
Buying a Home or Moving
Finding a Mate
Learning Something New
Reduce Stress
Spend More Time With Family
Pick a New Hobby
Do more to Help Others (And WHY is this at the bottom of the list?)

Look at how SELF focused the world is! No wonder it is such a mess! Bring #12 up a few notches and maybe this world would really be a better place to live in. And where is God in this picture? Not even mentioned!

A dear brother in Christ, Robert Lewis, shared his insight on new year resolutions this morning. My hope is that you are inspired to look at your own commitments for the new year through God's lens:

"Many Christians make New Year’s resolutions to pray more, to read the Bible every day, and to attend church more regularly. These are fantastic goals. However, these New Year’s resolutions fail just as often as the non-spiritual resolutions, because there is no power in a New Year’s resolution.

Resolving to start or stop doing a certain activity has no value unless you have the proper motivation for stopping or starting that activity. For example, why do you want to read the Bible every day?

Is it to honor God and grow spiritually, or is it because you have just heard that it is a good thing to do?

Why do you want to lose weight? Is it to honor God with your body, or is it for vanity, to honor yourself?"

Philippians 4:13 tells us, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” John 15:5 declares, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

"If God is the center of your New Year’s resolution, it has chance for success, depending on your commitment to it. If it is God’s will for something to be fulfilled, He will enable you to fulfill it."

"If a resolution is not God honoring and/or is not in agreement in God’s Word, we will not receive God’s help in fulfilling the resolution."

So, what sort of New Year’s resolution should a Christian make? Here are some suggestions:

Pray to the Lord for wisdom (James 1:5) in regards to what resolutions, if any, He would have you make.
Pray for wisdom as to how to fulfill the goals God gives you.
Rely on God’s strength to help you.
Find an accountability partner who will help you and encourage you.
Don’t become discouraged with occasional failures; instead allow them to motivate you further.
Don’t become proud or vain, but give God the glory.

'Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.' Psalm 37:4-6

My prayer for you, my beloved friends and family, is that you will seek Jesus first in all things, love and glorify Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and witness His glory shining upon you in this upcoming year!

Happy New Year!

Loyalty of My Heart

2010-12-26T09:46:00.000-08:00

‎"I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine."
Song of Solomon 6:3

My house is built on the solid rock of Jesus Christ. This is not a mere wooden structure, but the house, the temple, of my being; God's temple where Holy Spirit resides. Christ abides IN me. We are one in Spirit. There is no other closer to me because He is part of me. My life belongs to Him; this is a commitment I made to Him as His Bride.

My bridegroom is the lover of my soul and as His beloved bride I will remain forever loyal. He will always know how much I love Him.

If we truly love Jesus, we will live as if He is standing right beside us, arms locked. What He loves we love. What warms his heart warms ours and what breaks it breaks ours. If this is not the case then we must not yet love Him with ALL our heart, mind, soul, and strength.

I recall when I was married and our relationship was very strained. One of the first signs my husband did not love me completely was his demeaning behavior toward me. I will not get into the fallout of my marriage, but this example is a perfect one when looking at how we treat our beloved Jesus. Are there things we say or do that demean his character? Do we disrespect our bridegroom?

How God's spirit must grieve when one of His children, His chosen, His beloved, engage in conversations of laughter about sex or someones off color remarks or jokes. When we suddenly conform to the world He must see that we truly do not know Him or love Him as we profess.

Our hypocrisy and lack of loyalty and love seem acceptable to many Christians. How is this right? It does not honor God. It creates distance from the heart of God and it is not Him moving away. Jesus reaches out as His Spirit calls out to us and even rescues us from going astray. He sees the world and the spirit of darkness attempting to lure us away, and we engage in this tug-of-war with His beloved's heart.

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”
Matthew 7:24-27

Taking a stand for our bridegroom should come naturally to one who loves Him. There will be intolerance to anything offensive to Him or that which goes against His principles provided in His word. In clinging to our beloved we will experience some division at times. Our relationship with Jesus should be so intense that we do not care what others think of our passion for Him. This division would never be as harmful to us in comparison to division we may create by joining in with disrespectful and demeaning behavior that dishonors our beloved Lord.

"And he replied, You must love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself."
Luke 10:27

Woman: The Flower in God's Garden by Jonathan D. Payne

2010-12-04T14:00:00.000-08:00

Woman is the nurturer, the caregiver. She is the softer side of the love equation between man and woman. She has a resiliency in strength that a man does not. Man has brute force, a woman has endurance.

Together they can accomplish anything.

A woman is the flower in God's garden. It behooves her to be beautiful in more than features. Yes, man is a visual being, but a godly man should seek the inside of his mate more so than the outside. Why? Because the treasure of who she is, and whose she is, lies there—inside....

I remember a woman that I worked for almost 25 years ago. Carlena Vess. She was not an outwardly very attractive woman. She dressed magnificently, and had the kindest, softest speaking voice I have ever encountered. Anyone who knew her fell in love with her almost instantly.

Her husband and children adored her.

It wasn't the outside, it was the inside. She was a stunning beauty there, where it mattered most. And this is the call to the godly woman. Walk in the beauty of the spirit God has placed within you. His love, peace, joy, compassion, kindness, patience, and all things God, reside right within you.

Walk in the majesty of that beauty.

A man looks upon a woman first through the eyes of the world, looking for the beauty the world follows. A man of God looks upon a woman with eyes that have been trained to see the fire of a woman's heart for God. The peace of her presence, the beauty of her soul.

If man sings a song before God's throne, then woman is the melody.

She tempers a man. She brings peace when he is in crisis or angry. A woman of worth is of worth regardless of a man in her life, but the two together are a symphony of love that can not be uttered, or joy so sweet it can only be shared between the two.

A godly woman encourages her husband, family, and those around her, to be better, be wiser, be more kind, tempered and peaceful, just by her presence alone.

She calibrates everyone's life by the stature of her being, the sweetness of her joy and the depth of her faith.

A godly woman nurtures her family. She tends the wounds of the heart and the body. She dries the tears and shares the laughter. Within her is reflected the character of those she loves, and the power of that love...

A woman of God is a formidable soldier in God's army. Emotionally she is stronger than man, and walks paths that he is ill equipped to tread. She can confront and overcome obstacles that would give a man of God pause.

She is the wave of the ocean to man's rock; each strong in their own way, but together they can not be overcome.

A gift of this woman's love is priceless, and can not be shared. She loves HER man, and him alone. A man who is blessed with the treasure of this love feels, and rightly so, that there is nothing he can't do, and nothing he can't conquer. All because of her love for him.

Her children are blessed, and are full of life, hope, joy and an unbreakable connection to God. She gives this connection and nurtures it within her children, her husband and her home. She is the lifeline of the spiritual wholeness of her family.

A godly woman is a "pearl of great price" and a dream that men have had all the days of eternity. A man yearns for this kind of woman, and seeks it constantly. For he instinctively knows that his life will not be fully complete until he has found her, won her, and lavished all he is upon her.

For her there is nothing that he would not do.

It is here that God binds the two together, the godly man and woman, in covenant as one flesh before His throne. It is God's pleasure to give such a gift divine, one to another, of a truly godly man and godly woman.

To express His joy and love fully one to another.

Blessings

Glory and Praise!

2010-12-01T05:56:00.000-08:00

Psalm 145: A psalm of praise of David

I will exalt you, my God and King,
and praise your name forever and ever.
I will praise you every day;
yes, I will praise you forever.
Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!
No one can measure his greatness.

Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts;
let them proclaim your power.
I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor
and your wonderful miracles.
Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue;
I will proclaim your greatness.
Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness;
they will sing with joy about your righteousness.

The Lord is merciful and compassionate,
slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
The Lord is good to everyone.
He showers compassion on all his creation.
All of your works will thank you, Lord,
and your faithful followers will praise you.
They will speak of the glory of your kingdom;
they will give examples of your power.
They will tell about your mighty deeds
and about the majesty and glory of your reign.
For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.
You rule throughout all generations.

The Lord always keeps his promises;
he is gracious in all he does.
The Lord helps the fallen
and lifts those bent beneath their loads.
The eyes of all look to you in hope;
you give them their food as they need it.
When you open your hand,
you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.
The Lord is righteous in everything he does;
he is filled with kindness.
The Lord is close to all who call on him,
yes, to all who call on him in truth.
He grants the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cries for help and rescues them.
The Lord protects all those who love him,
but he destroys the wicked.

I will praise the Lord,
and may everyone on earth bless his holy name
forever and ever.

The Christian of Perdition

2010-11-27T16:00:00.000-08:00

‎But our way is not that of those who draw back to eternal misery (perdition) and are utterly destroyed, but we are of those who believe [who cleave to and trust in and rely on God through Jesus Christ, the Messiah] and by faith preserve the soul. Hebrews 10:39 (Amplified)

Making a commitment to follow Christ must be taken seriously. It requires sacrifice and making changes we never thought we'd be faced with. Living 'in Christ' requires spiritual heart surgery. There is pain associated with these changes, so it takes trusting God that He knows what He is doing and that we are in fact clueless and powerless.

When I finally accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior nearly twenty years ago, I did not fully understand many things. What I did know was the Holy Spirit came into my heart and brought peace to my soul. I took this very seriously and now had something of beauty to share with my family and friends. Really, when I look back I realize my belief was that God would simply do all the work and I'd be all good. After all, I had now prayed the prayer and felt His presence.

Unforeseen to me, there were great trials ahead. Even after years of glorifying God and many encounters of His glory pouring down into my life, there were many hidden hurts and fears, including flashbacks and night terrors, that began to surface. The most significant mistake I made was not surrounding myself with Christian friends with whom I could openly discuss what I was experiencing. Because I was not secure in my relationship with God, my mind and my heart had not yet been transformed. I was not living according to the principles laid out in God's word. Not only that, but I was missing many of the truths contained in Scripture; truths intended to replace the lies I continued to carry with me for the next fourteen years.

Discipleship? Sacrifice? Dying of self? Fellowship? Community? Relationship? Worship? Righteousness? There I was, now walking a path with no directions to follow. That path was not straight and I took many detours and hit a number of potholes. I was a clueless Christian heading down the path to Perdition with my sinful nature and addictions in tow.

So, what is 'Perdition'? It means being lost, or estranged from God, or spiritual death; here is even more on Perdition:

PERDITION - per-dish'-un (apoleia, "ruin" or "loss," physical or eternal): The word "perdition" occurs in the English Bible 8 times (Jn 17:12; Phil 1:28; 2 Thess 2:3; 1 Tim 6:9; Heb 10:39; 2 Pet 3:7; Rev 17:11,18). In each of these cases it denotes the final state of ruin and punishment which forms the opposite to salvation.

"To be lost" in the religious sense may mean "to be missing" and "to be ruined," Jesus compares the lost sinner to the missing coin, the missing sheep, and makes him the object of a seeking activity (Mt 10:6; 15:24; 18:11; Lk 15:4,6,8,24,32; 19:10). "To be lost" here signifies to have become estranged from God, to miss realizing the relations which man normally sustains toward Him. It is equivalent to what is theologically called "spiritual death."

The Son of Perdition is a name given to Judas (Jn 17:12) and to the Antichrist (2 Thess 2:3).

Most Christians are misguided and do not receive the necessary discipleship from within their church. Yes, they announce they've been saved, attend church regularly, declare their righteousness through mere words, and continue to embrace the things of the world. Often, there are addictions and compulsions that must be stripped from one's life. This was indeed my case! But I did not know there was work I had to do. Me and God needed some serious one on one time and He would eventually lead me to this understanding. But it took many years; many years later I had to revisit my faith.

Righteousness and unrighteous living can not coexist. 2 Timothy 3:5 tells us to stay away from those who 'appear' [wear masks] to live a life of godliness, yet deny the power thereof [unwilling to surrender or even blasphemy of].

Letting God in to perform His heart surgery and renewing of your mind is not an easy process, but one must desire the transformation promised in these things. If the desire and want does not exist...well then, the journey will be a more difficult one. How many times have we heard, "Eyes forward"? Well, it applies with our commitment to God. It is senseless and destructive to continue looking back and drawing on things and people from our past. We are all prodigal sons and daughters, but once the prodigal son came home, he did not leave again!

If we struggle with addictions, these strongholds must be broken. I've encountered God's divine intervention and He simply removed my sexual addiction. Many others have also testified to the Lord's divine healing power and deliverance. Others take work. Not all my compulsions simply were removed; it took working through them and believing God's word contained the power to replace many lies embedded in my heart and mind.

"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them." ~ Ephesians 5:8-11

One of my brothers once told me "You need to get back to your roots."

I remember my brother later acknowledging how many sacrifices I made in order to make a better life for me and my daughter. It took very difficult choices and letting go of people I knew would only draw me away from God. I walked away from places I used to frequent and never looked back. I hung onto my Bible for dear life and begged God for many things. It was out of complete desperation and dependency on Him. Many new Christians make the commitment, but very lightly. This is not effective in seeking life transformation.

"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God — having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people." 2 Timothy 3:1-5

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! - 2 Corinthians 5:17

"Not everyone who calls out to me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter." Matthew 7:21

If we do not surrender the ungodliness in our life, we cry out in vain....

So, no, not everyone who calls upon the Lord is saved. (Romans 10:9) It's right there in God's Word. Matthew 7:14, Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

It is by God's grace alone that we are saved. (Ephesians 2:8) I am not saying those who are unable to do God's will are destined to Hell. Look at the Apostle Paul when he cried out for help in Romans 7:15, "I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do what I hate."

The difference here is that Paul ran to God with this and did not go back to his old evil ways, nor did he desire them.

Some who call out to God shrink back or draw back to their former ways. This is NOT OK! Yes, God may have mercy on our soul when all is said and done, but we can not intentionally live of our old self. Why would we 'draw back'? I've done it and walked in my own hell. Then I cried out to God all over again, but this time I was serious. God had mercy on me.

We are told we must DIE TO SELF DAILY!

"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it." Matthew 16:24,25

Do You Have a Serpent Trying to Wrap Itself Around Your Feet?

2010-11-18T09:35:00.000-08:00

The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD
He is their stronghold in time of trouble.
The LORD helps them and delivers them;
He delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in Him. ♔
Psalm 37:39-40

We often find ourselves in very difficult situations; one we seem to be stuck in. Suddenly there is adversity and conflict. We've been walking in God's will and everything was very clear, until this sudden hurdle appears before us. I often refer to it as a brick wall.

We're not moving forward. Why?

Is there an unwillingness or disobedience brewing? Is there resentment, bitterness, or unforgiveness festering?

The wall can also come as a result of pride, fear, anger, shame, and a number of other attacks on our mind and heart.

It is easy to focus our thoughts on whatever outward influence we think may be creating the problem in our life. Maybe someone is 'doing something' to us or to our child. Maybe someone is 'not helping' in some way. We like to point fingers at others before looking within. Is there something going on with us? It takes really looking at how suddenly our heart shifted from a place of peace to one of chaos.

I was caught up in horrendous emotional chaos over the past few days. God will use others to create uncomfortable situations in our life. He does this to move us outside of our comfort zone, into His purpose for our life. In this, it is easy to get caught up in the circumstance causing us to be uncomfortable where we are at.

My emotional reaction became so overwhelming, I could not contain it. The tears would not stop and my heart was hurting terribly. A wall began to quickly rise up.

Or was it a black serpent tightening it's grip around my feet?

This is exactly what a dear friend discerned. This spiritual attack was indeed taking place and I was embracing those emotions instead of rebuking them.

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; - 2 Corinthians 10:5. In this Scripture, the three steps of the apostle's spiritual warfare are: (1) It demolishes what is opposed to Christ; (2) It leads captive; (3) It brings into obedience to Christ (Romans 1:5; 16:26). The "reasonings" are utterly "cast down." The "mental intents" are taken willing captives, and tender the voluntary obedience of faith to Christ the Conqueror.

Worshiping and glorifying God through these times, while trusting He will deliver us from these temptations and troubles, is the answer. And He did! God came and broke through the angst in my heart. He lifted the heaviness and shined His light into the areas of my heart that I did not protect. We are warned to guard our heart.

Then he taught me, and he said to me, “Take hold of my words with all your heart;keep my commands, and you will live. Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them. Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Cherish her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you. She will give you a garland to grace your head and present you with a glorious crown.” Proverbs 4:4-9

Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.
Proverbs 4:23

By not guarding our heart and taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, we leave the door open for satan to do his work. When we entertain thoughts of unforgiveness, God will allow the tormentors to have their way until we humbly submit to God and repent of our sin.

And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. Matthew 18:34,35

Do not let the black serpent of sin wrap itself around your feet! It can hold you back from moving forward in your life's purpose. Instead, crush his head BENEATH your feet. For Jesus said unto those who believed upon Him: “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” –Luke 10:19

The spiritual realm is very powerful and we can often confuse it with emotion. Truly, our own flesh can be our worst enemy. This is why we must put on the Armour of God daily and pray 'save me from myself'!

"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
1 Corinthians 15:57

Sometimes we may let the actions of another cause us to lose control of our emotions. Before we do, it is important to remember that;

A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense. Proverbs 19:11

Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. James 1:19-20

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8

A Gospel For Losers?

2010-11-07T11:46:00.000-08:00

The gospel is not just for the all-star and the illustrious and the legendary. It's for the loser. It's for the defeated, not the dominant. It's for those who realize they're unable to carry the weight of the world on their shoulders—those who've figured out that they're not gods.

It's for people who understand the bankruptcy of life without God.

It's for people who recognize that while they're definitely deficient, God is more than sufficient.

Jesus came to show us that the gospel explains success in terms of giving, not taking; self-sacrifice, not self-protection; going to the back, not getting to the front.

The gospel shows that we win by losing, we triumph through defeat, we achieve power through service, and we become rich by giving ourselves away.

In fact, in gospel-centered living we follow Jesus in laying down our lives for those who hate us and hurt us. We spend our lives serving instead of being served, and seeking last place, not first.

Gospel-centered people are those who love giving up their place for others, not guarding their place from others—because their value and worth is found in Christ, not their position.

Remember, in Gethsemane, when Jesus told Peter, "Put your sword back into its place, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword." (Matthew 26:52) - He did this to show us that in God's economy, winning this battle involves dying rather than killing.

When we understand that our significance and identity is in Christ, we don't have to win; we are free to lose. The gospel frees us from the pressure to generate our own significance and meaning.

In Christ, our identity and significance are secure, which frees us up to give everything we have, because in Christ we have everything we need.

True Intimacy by J.D. Payne

2010-11-01T19:39:00.000-07:00

Intimacy is the defining point of when God says "one flesh" and to "cleave" to one another. The physical intimacy is something anyone can give, it is simply the union of the body. It is the union of the spirit that true intimacy gives.The knowledge of each other and desiring to not just be a part, but a whole, complete in that knowledge...

Where the responses are instant and deep, true and honest, transparent and clear, where the joy is complete in one to the other.

That when they enter the room a light shines in your soul.

You long for their touch, to hear their voice, to fin...d comfort in their nearness and oneness in their presence. To be filled with an ecstacy that transcends the physical, to place of oneness that can not be described — but only felt. Where the laughter is often, and the tears few. Where each mile together is a journey of joy, and truly you are only a single sojourner together, inseparable, one. When you look into each others eyes you see the brilliance and fire of who they are, and are humbled that they have chosen you to share life with, to share those secret places together, and become part of the melody of their hearts.

You become each others song.

The physical becomes a unity of pleasure, not in and of the act, but in and of the lack of boundaries, of overcoming the separation ,and coming together in a harmony of joy that sex is just an empty shadow of in comparison. Where the act of just "being" is so intensely sweet, that it can only be held for a moment in time, but an eternity in memory. The two become one, fused in a bond of love that reaches the throne of heaven.

When you have true intimacy you have found a treasure beyond hope, a gift beyond price, and joy beyond what the heart can hold.

In that, never let go....

Blessings,

Jonathan

Loving of God

2010-10-31T09:44:00.000-07:00

"Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him.." ~ Psalm 37:4-7

God is Love.

Beauty and peace flourish where His love blossoms. It is an overwhelming joy from within. It is a desire to love so strong that it is impossible to contain.
God's love is like no other love. When our heart is consumed with a godly love for another, we then know the difference in comparison to the love of the flesh. It has no boundaries and bypasses the logic of the world and of our own mind.
This love must be savored and one must pray continually in the midst of it. For Jesus will direct us in how this love is to manifest.
As God's love pours into the hearts of man and woman and creates the bond of love created in His image, this love serves one purpose; to glorify God. Both hearts unite into one spiritual entity powered by the Love of God.
It simply will be...an effortless love. A love that is 'known' exclusively between those who love the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. ♔

"Love is the flower of life, and blossoms unexpectedly and without law, and must be plucked where it is found, and enjoyed for the brief hour of its duration." D.H. Lawrence

Discussing Forgiveness With Other Victims of Abuse

2010-10-29T05:04:00.000-07:00

There is a discussion on 'Forgiveness' taking place on Facebook in a group called 'Overcoming Sexual Abuse' which prompted me to publish this post. Please keep in mind that many of these survivors do not know or believe in God. And, in some cases, their abuse was acted out in the name of Jesus.

There are so many different perspectives on forgiveness. It is no wonder there is so much unforgiveness without the understanding of what forgiveness is NOT.

This was the original post with a link to their blog:

"When they disclose their abuse, survivors are frequently asked, "Have you forgiven him (your abuser) yet?", Sheryl, a commenter on the blog ‘What About Forgiveness?’ asked: “I wonder why these listeners who can’t stand hearing about abuse and feel the need to come up with a quick fix don’t ever ask, ‘Has he ASKED for forgiveness?’"

What About Forgiveness was written by Christina Enevoldsen, who also is co-founder of the site and group, "Overcoming Sexual Abuse: Embracing a New Life".

Here are some of the following comments:

"..has he said.."I'm sorry"

"My therapist told me "forgiveness is for those who seek it"

"Does "he" deserve forgiveness for the pain he caused?"

"A lot of people use forgiveness against survivors as if it's our responsibility or something. Often times we hear religious reasons why we need to forgive, but what people are forgetting is that we aren't obligated to forgive anyone who has never changed their ways. We don't ever have to forgive our abusers if we don't want, and we certainly don't need to forgive anyone who hasn't taken any steps to deserve our forgiveness."

"I forgave my father who was my molester as well as my mother for her co-dependence of closing her eyes to the years of abuse I suffered as a child and later as an adult. Neither will ever apologize...for my mother it would mean having to admit an ugly truth. As for my father he does not believe in apologies, more importantly he doesn't feel what he did was wrong...he was being a "good" father .
Forgiveness is too take power back from our abusers. It is for our psychological benefit to advance toward healing. I forgave, but I choose not to associate for my sanity and protection."

"Another important question is have they shown any remorse and if so how do you know that it is for real? That doesn't seem to happen much, if at all, when it involves crimes like this."

"You know it's no wonder people feel so differently about forgiving. Not only do we all have different circumstances, but we also has different definitions of the word forgiveness."

"And then they use our non-forgiveness as an excuse for not helping us, thinking it's ok to dismiss us and tell us we're awful people and that because we don't forgive, or "care" about our abusers, we somehow brought this on ourselves, or de...serve it, or they decide by their own judgmental processes that we don't deserve help and that we're the problem. No wonder life is hard for victims of abuse... The world just don't see this stuff, at all, or know how to spot it. Even professionals make mistakes here. I'm not sure I'm going to make it, practically speaking. It seems there is no room in the world, for a person to heal, but I'm still trying."

Here is where I began my comments:

Forgiveness is not about doing something for the perpetrator. It is about releasing ourselves from self torment.

This just breaks my heart to read of these 'professionals' who end up building more obstacles in the path of healing for victims of abuse. Some opposites of forgiveness include 'retaliation', 'revenge', and 'vengeance'. Okay, let's throw 'hate' in there too. Now, these are things I felt in my own unforgiveness. I prayed for their death and destruction. Now, the feelings I had for my mother were more about betrayal and hurt; even disgust at times.

For me, I just can not keep my faith out of this picture, my friends. Because, for me, I discovered that there was NOTHING I could possibly do in life on my own to rise above the rage, hate, and all these emotions in me. It was taking root and affecting my working relationships, my marriage, and my sleep. I literally began having homicidal thoughts toward anyone who would do me wrong in life. How could I become like this? I kept it a secret for along time because I had a great career going and wore many masks to hide everything. Nobody would have ever known my desire to kill.

Then my best friend from high school kept coming to mind. Monica's mom tried to murder her with a butcher knife when she was a little girl. She and I shared our hurts through high school and bonded. Then I watched her go through changes. She'd found peace and forgiveness. She was happy in life and no longer carried the pain. As I observed her new life, I longed to have that ability to heal. She told me it was all about her relationship with Jesus. Spiritually, she was now free from all that torment.

I could not understand. But after three years of rejecting the concept of Jesus Christ being real enough to do such healing, I gave Him a chance. I simply had nothing else I could try on my own. So, I accepted her invitation to a women's retreat where all these ladies (many with whom I shared similar hurts) were pouring their hearts out and praying for one another. I never saw so much love. I poured out my pain that weekend and asked God to give me peace. I begged Him. I could not go on with my life and the brutality being lived out in my mind. I even had nightmares of little demons jumping up and down on my bed. I was in fear besides thoughts of homicide and suicide.

When I cried all this stuff out and begged God to help me, all that stuff in me was removed. It was lifted from my heart and I felt peace. I felt relief for my soul. It was a soothing and comfort like nothing else I'd ever experienced. It was gone. Now, this was not even associated with forgiveness. I was not talking about forgiveness there. I just wanted help to remove these horrible thoughts and emotions.

But what came with Jesus' love was an understanding of how someone could inflict such harm to me. This came over time; certainly not during that weekend. It was a process as I was trusting my new found faith in Christ. The spiritual healing has been amazing and led me to the knowledge that hurting people hurt others. We've all heard this saying, right? Well, it's true. Some are psychopaths, sociopaths, and struggle with mental illness, while others are simply broken and living out the aftereffects of their own abuse. Look at me! I wanted to KILL!! Oh, and I also had thoughts of pedophilia! God removed all of it without years of therapy or counseling. There were some support groups along the way, but mostly trusting that God would transform my heart and my mind. There were remnant of sexual addiction which have also been miraculously removed from my life! It all came through spiritual healing.

I had to take my thoughts off of those who did these things and look to God only. THEN He revealed things that happened to my mother, my father, my step father, and my uncle. I began to see what happened to them in their lives and how it caused them to do the things (or not do) they did to harm me. I found compassion and began praying for them. I NEVER restored or reconciled with two of my abusers. THAT is not required of forgiveness.

I found my own journey to forgiveness through compassion (understanding). I had to understand what made them like this in order to let go of my role as judge and jury. Please check out my post on how I found the ability to forgive, Compassion: My Journey to Forgiveness

I apologize for the lengthy post, but I do hope it blessed you or gave you some glimpse of hope as you read it. I love you all and pray God will miraculously come in and move you toward healing and wholeness.

The Gift of Children

2010-10-19T12:23:00.000-07:00

Never cease to be amazed at the gift of life; the gift of children. The Rabbis of old declared that a child has three parents: God, his father, and his mother (cf. Gen. 20:17, 18; 30:1, 2). Parents, then, are held accountable unto God for their stewardship of parenthood.

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb a reward.
Psalm 127:3

The Children

Do you hear the children crying?
I can hear them every day,
Crying, sighing, dying, flying
Somewhere safe where they can play.

Somewhere safe from all the dangers,
Somewhere safe from crack and AIDS,
Safe from lust and lurking strangers,
Safe from war and bombing raids.

Somewhere safe from malnutrition,
Safe from daddy’s damning voice,
Safe from mommy’s cool ambition,
Safe from deadly goddess, Choice.

Do you hear the children crying?
I can hear them every day,
Crying, sighing, dying, flying
Somewhere safe where they can play.

* * * *

Do you see the children meeting?
I can see them in the sky,
Meeting, eating, meeting, greeting
Jesus with the answer why.

Why the milk no longer nourished,
Why the water made them sick,
Why the crops no longer flourished,
Why the belly got so thick.

Why they never knew the reason
Friends had vanished out of sight,
Why some suffered for a season,
Others never saw the light.

Do you see the children meeting?
I can see them in the sky,
Meeting, eating, meeting, greeting
Jesus with the answer why.

* * * *

Do you hear the children singing?
I can hear them high above,
Singing, springing, ringing, bringing
Glory to the God of love.

Glory for the gift of living,
Glory for the end of pain,
Glory for the gift of giving,
Glory for eternal gain.

Glory from the ones forsaken,
Glory from the lost and lone,
Glory when the infants waken,
Orphans on the Father’s throne

Do you hear the children singing?
I can hear them high above,
Singing, springing, ringing, bringing
Glory to the God of love.

* * * *

Do you see the children coming?
I can see them on the clouds,
Coming, strumming, drumming, humming
Songs with heaven’s happy crowds.

Songs with lots of happy clapping,
Songs that set the heart on fire,
Songs that make your foot start tapping,
Songs that make a merry choir.

Songs so loud the mountains tremble,
Songs so pure the canyons ring,
When the children all assemble
Millions, millions, round the King.

Do you see the children coming?
I can see them on the clouds,
Coming, strumming, drumming, humming
Songs with heaven’s happy crowds.

* * * *

Do you see the children waiting?
I can see them all aglow
Waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting,
Who of us will rise and go?

Will we turn and fly to meet them
Will we venture something new?
I intend to rise and greet them.
Come and go with me, would you?

Increasing Our Faith Through God's Word

2010-10-17T20:52:00.000-07:00

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.
Romans 10:17

When one of God's children is not reading the word of God on a consistent basis they are crippling themselves. Our faith grows by leaps and bounds when we consistently meditate and pray God's word.

Often times we think of faith as just wishing for something to happen. “If I just think God will do what I ask him to do strongly enough, He will do it.” This isn’t true, for the Bible teaches that Faith comes from the reading God's word.

Its point of origin is not within us; it is outside of us. It comes to us by the hearing or reading of the word of God. When we abide in God's word then we will gather faith, which is "..the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see." Hebrews 11:1 (NLT)

There is so much contained in God's word that we would never hear outside of this source. There are words of hope, encouragement and comfort, along with promises only spoken in the Bible. So it makes complete sense that our faith grows the more we read or hear God's word. If we do not hear or read of the promises and truths contained in God's word how can we possibly possess the knowledge of what to have faith in or for?

When it is preached, the Holy Spirit does His work. I recall the very first passage of Scripture that I received into my heart. What I mean by this is when I read it I was overwhelmed with hope and promise that I never knew before. I simply believed that Scripture and still hang onto this promise. Whenever I hear it or read it, something happens in my heart. This promise strengthens my faith. If I had never read it, my faith would not be as strong as it is today. I needed a purpose and God spoke it into existence through a little 3x5 scripture card. It was not even from inside a Holy Bible. It does not have to be.

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord.
Plans for good, not evil; plans for a future and hope."
Jeremiah 29:11

This is why it is so important to bring the message of the gospel to those who have not yet heard.

When we abide in the word of God faith comes to us. When we abide in God’s word our faith is strengthened. When we abide in the word of God our faith is sustained. When we abide in the word of God our faith stands in the power of God. Faith comes from the outside, from the word of God, and works from the inside of the believer. Can one have faith if they don’t read the word of God? What type of faith is being exercised if one isn’t reading or hearing the word of God on a daily basis?

Another angle to better understand is to talk further about 'point of origin'.

What makes sunlight sunlight is the fact that it comes from the sun. Incandescent light is only incandescent light because it comes from an incandescent light bulb. Florescent light comes from a florescent bulb; this is what makes it florescent light. As we can see, its point of origin is what determines what type of light we are dealing with.

Point of origin also applies to faith... In order to have faith we must get it from its source, the word of God. (Romans 10:17) Without the reading or hearing of the word of God one can not possess faith. The Bible is the conduit through which faith flows to the believer. Remember, having faith in God means that one trusts Him. A person who has faith in God believes that God will do what He says and keep His promises. The more faith one has, the more that individual will trust God.

Your ability to trust God is directly proportional to your time spent in His word because faith comes from the word of God. So take the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God, and pray on all occasions. (Ephesians 6:17-18)

The Word of God fulfills itself. The more we experience the fulfillment of its own promises, the stronger and more powerfully the Holy Spirit grows our faith. God's Word is faithful and alive.

Thoughts On Suffering and Trials

2010-10-09T13:00:00.000-07:00

I believe in a sovereign God. So when I look around (or inwards) and see all the suffering, it is often difficult to reconcile His power with a loving God. Surely a loving God who is all-powerful would do something to relieve the suffering of His people.

But no. Our suffering is called chastisement. It is given by God Himself, according to Scripture, in order to strengthen us and to lead us to greater understanding.

Those who've endured abuse as well as some of their therapists perceive this is exactly the argument of an abuser. An abuser, in the midst of his torments, tells his victims, "This is for your own good."

So what's the difference? The difference is that God sent His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the Cross. He scorned the shame and endured the suffering and persecution. Our sovereign God is also a suffering God. One who has taken on Himself, undeserving, all the destructive power of Hell. He endured infinite torment, closed in a frame just like mine, to crush the head of the serpent. To draw the deadly poison from pain. So that now, the suffering He serves us is in the character of the pain inflicted by a surgeon saving the life of a cancer patient; or of an Olympic trainer preparing an athlete for victory.

Christ Jesus does not view our suffering from a safe distance. He does not even enter the suffering with us. He is there already, waiting for us to join Him in the 'fellowship of His suffering'.

The Babylonians were a polytheistic people and worshiped many gods. A refusal to worship the gods of Babylon was regarded as an act of hostility against Babylon and the king. The people under subjection of the Babylon empire were free to worship their national gods as long as they acknowledged the gods of Babylon were the most powerful. Those who were under the subjection of Babylon would not find this difficult to do. It merely meant adding another god to the multitude of gods. Nebuchadnezzar did not demand anything which every one of his subjects could not obey. The command to worship the image had not only political significance but a religious one as well. (The Book of Daniel)

Today we find a similar attitude in the claim all gods are equal. We have professing Christians worshiping with the worshipers of the gods of the world. In the book of Daniel, when all the people heard the musical instruments all the people obeyed except three Israelites (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego). They refused to bow before and worship the image erected by Nebuchadnezzar, an example every Christian should follow.

The three Israelites insisted they will never worship the image, no matter what the consequences. They did not defend themselves. There was no need; their guilt in this matter is well established. They did not find it necessary to defend themselves because they had a clear understanding of the power of God and His sovereignty over the world.

Nebuchadnezzar sentenced them to the death and ordered they be thrown into a fiery furnace. Not only that, but he ordered the furnace be heated to seven times its normal heat. The extreme heat killed the men that threw these three faithful Israelites into the furnace. This is a testimony of the promise to Abraham that God will curse those who curse His chosen people (Genesis 12:3).

Now, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were not asked to renounce their God; they were commanded to bow down to the gods of Babylon. A refusal to worship the gods of Babylon was regarded as an act of hostility against Babylon and the king. The people under subjection of the Babylon empire were free to worship their national gods as long as they acknowledged the gods of Babylon were the most powerful.

Today, there is much turmoil in our own country over this very issue. Politicians say they separate church and state, but the political climate has very much become intertwined with the faith or lack of faith of the people. As a follower of Jesus Christ, will you take your stand when faced with the demand to worship another god? Will you continue to trust in our sovereign God if sentenced to your own fiery furnace or will you follow what everyone else is doing? Would you succumb to the mark of the beast or would you wear the symbol of the persecuted Christian? Do we have enough faith to stand with these three young men who stood in the presence of the one who could them to the fiery furnace?

The three Israelites were walking around in the fiery furnace, untouched by the flames and heat. However, the ropes that bound them were gone; they were removed. An angel was in the fiery furnace with them, protecting them. The fury of the flames was quenched by their faith in their faithful God. The king of Babylon witnessed God's power and had them removed from the fiery furnace. (Daniel 3)

So, if you find yourself tossed into the furnace, expect two things. Like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, expect God to show up, and expect your bonds to go up in smoke.

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. Romans 8:18

I'm Done! It Is Finished! Finito!

2010-10-04T20:10:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we simply reach the point where we just say, "I'm done!" You know what I'm talking about; you are at your wits end with someone or something and you finally resolve to detach yourself from the person who has completely exhausted you or the situation that seems to go nowhere.

Done! This is a word that has come up recently as I heard a dear friend use it in the context I've described. It just so happened that I was also done with a very frustrating situation. She graciously let me use it and we had quite a laugh in the process.

What I did not yet realize was when I asked to adopt this word, it would come to symbolize and translate into something far beyond the context in which it was applied. First of all, my situation would not have risen to the frustration level it did if I had let go and trusted God in the midst of it.

'Done' continued to echo into my life and evolved into one amazing testimony of God's protection and love for me. I shared the next piece of this in Rashae's Message. This angel, sent from the Lord, shared one powerful testimony of how Jesus lifted him from his wheelchair and made him walk. Rashae shared much more of what God has done.

This same night, I came very close to leaving my 12-Step group. Revisiting traumatic areas of my life was stirring up those toxic emotions associated with them. Though this is part of the process of walking the 12 steps, I also was not understanding why the past had to be relived if I've already received healing and deliverance from them. It is very similar to injuring one's self. Why am I reliving this pain? I've already dealt with so many of these things and God has walked me through them. Scripture tells us not to dwell on the past. I am a new creation. Should I continue on with this group?

When he had received the drink, Jesus said,

"It is finished."

With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

✞ John 19:30 ✞

Then I reflected on where the Lord has brought me so far; on what He has DONE. He has delivered me from sexual addiction. I never went to a sex therapist; by the divine power of the Holy Spirit my sexual addiction is gone, along with the self-destructive behaviors of the past.It did not stop here, either, my friend. As this revelation continued, I came to understand the truth of the promises written in God's Word. And, the Lord is not one to compromise on His laws OR His promises. When He delivers us and breaks those chains, they fall away COMPLETELY. Believing in God's promises conveys our true faith.

So, I chose to continue walking The Steps. As I revisit these questions from my past, it presents me with the opportunity to glorify God in what He HAS done! Not only is Jesus strengthening my relationship with Him, but He has placed me with a group of women to whom I can shine the light of His glory in my life.

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1

We seem to always want to visually SEE the evidence before we can trust the promise has been kept. This is not faith. Faith is believing in what we have not yet seen. I can not only apply this to the fact that I have not yet met Jesus face to face; but believing with all my heart the things He has revealed to me today will continue into tomorrow.

Saving Jami: Washing Away Guilt and Shame

2010-10-04T18:50:00.000-07:00

"Now that I, your Lord and Teacher,
have washed your feet,
you also should wash one another's feet.
I have set you an example
that you should do as I have done for you."
John 13:14-15

'It was not your fault' are the words most victims of child sexual abuse need to hear; sometimes repeatedly as we walk through the healing journey. The guilt and shame are powerful spiritual weapons intended to steal forgiveness (self-forgiveness) and our true identity as God's precious children. I never blamed myself for my own sexual abuse as a child, but I did carry guilt and shame for not fulfilling my role as the protective older sister, sparing my little sister from her torture.

I carried that for most of my life. It was not until I found help through a support group for survivors that I heard it was not my fault and there was nothing I possibly could have done to spare her.

Then the Lord did something miraculous. He used me to introduce Jami to Him. The day she surrendered her heart to Christ, I washed her feet with my tears. The Lord not only came into her heart, but into mine and washed away the guilt. I heard, "You may not have been able to save her then, but look how the Lord is using you now." By telling my sister of what Jesus did for me, she wanted the same thing.

My anguished heart for my dear little sister led me to pray in the Spirit over her feet. My tears fell upon them as I pleaded for her forgiveness for ever treating her less than she should have been treated. Please, God, just give her peace. The Love of God poured upon Jami over those three days at the retreat in many more ways than what I've described.

"Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think." - Ephesians 3:20

A Mother's Prayers

2010-09-30T21:00:00.000-07:00

All your sons will be taught by the LORD, and great will be your children's peace.
Isaiah 54:13

Heaven is open to every mother’s prayer: When Christ bowed on the banks of the Jordan after His baptism and offered up prayer in behalf of humanity, the heavens where opened; and the Spirit of God, like a dove of burnished gold, encircled the form of the Savior. The a voice came from heaven which said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

As a mother, what significance does this have for you? It says that Heaven is open to your prayers. It says that you are accepted in the Beloved. The gates are open for every mother who would lay her burden at the Savior's feet. It says that Christ has encircled the race with His human arm, and with His divine arm He has grasped the throne of the Infinite and united mankind with God, and earth with heaven. This brings wonderful news of peace and joy to the burdened mother's heart.

This is an encouraging lesson to mothers for all time. Having done all they can for the good of their children, they may bring them to Jesus. Even the babes in the mother’s arms are precious in His sight and He will receive and bless them and He will also give peace, hope, and happiness to mother and child. This is a precious privilege which Jesus has granted to all mothers.

Jesus will not turn away your petitions and leave you and yours to the buffeting of Satan in the great day of conflict for the Salvation of you Children. If you will work with simple faith for your children God will establish the work of your hands and save them for eternity.

With joy unutterable, parents will see the crown, the robe, the harp, given to their children and the seed sown with tears and prayers may seemed to be sown in vain, but their harvest is reaped with joy at last. We will say in that day, "Atlas, our children have been redeemed from sin and are saved."

Dear mother, the influence of a praying, God-fearing mother will last through eternity. You may die, but your work for your children will endure.

A CALL TO PRAY: If ever there is a time to pray it is now. Every home should be a house of prayer. By sincere, earnest prayer parents should make a hedge about their children. They should pray with full faith that God will abide with them, and that holy angels will guard them and their children from Satan’s cruel power.

There is something tender, extremely loving, kind, considerate, sensitive and compassionate about a mothers heart. Thank God that he made us like that.

Divine Pursuit

2010-09-30T12:30:00.000-07:00

Do you realize God actively pursues you? We are born with the longing to actively pursue a spiritual understanding; to search our souls. Are you seeking God or running from Him? He may actually just be waiting for you to stop running from Him.

It is clear to me now how God pursued me all of my life. It started when I was a young girl. His pursuit of me caused me to look for Him. How do I know He pursued me? I felt a draw to something good, though I did not actually realize it was Jesus until many years later.

You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.
Psalm 139:5-13

There are so many things I've written describing God's pursuit of me. A few posts I encourage you to read are Lover of Our Soul, Lead Me to the Cross, I'm Telling, and Meeting the God of America: God is Good

One way God pursues me is in my dreams. I dream often but only a few of my dreams convey God is waiting for me to respond. At times, it is very obvious. In this dream it was not so obvious. I did not actually realize the meaning of the dream until many years later. This dream came to me years before I came to know Christ. I did not have the Spirit of God in me, therefore I did not understand. But I never forgot the dream and its impact; God made sure of it.

Vacations to the Hawaiian islands were very frequent during the years I was married. Actually, I fell in love with the beauty of Hawaii and we returned there at least every other year over a ten year period. One thing I never saw as we drove around the parameter of an island was fog. It would settle in the crevasse of the volcanic mountains, but certainly not along the shoreline.

So, this dream that came to me was a bit strange from the very beginning. It was not strange I was dreaming of Hawaii, as we were planning another trip over there. What was odd was the fog..

We were driving along the shoreline of what appeared to be the north shore of Oahu. Normally we rent an economy car while touring the islands, but in the dream I was driving my Toyota 4x4 Pickup. My husband was riding in the passenger seat.

Driving became difficult as the fog began moving across the highway. It grew thicker and I was hugging the steering wheel as I strained to remain focused on the road. Making my way through the fog became impossible, so I asked my husband to drive. I pulled over to the side of the highway so we could switch seats. As my husband opened the passenger door and stepped out of the truck, he fell down the rocky cliff leading down to the water.

This startled me enough to wake me from my dream. It just did not make sense; none of it. At first, I wondered if this was a warning for us to cancel our trip.

Years later, as I was learning what it meant to consciously trust God, I flashed on this dream I had long ago. Suddenly the dream was interpreted in the Spirit. By this time, I had surrendered my heart to Jesus and was learning a great deal about my new faith. The Lord was showing me not to look to my husband to heal and save me from my past. I was shown the importance of relying on God first before man. When I am unable to see my way, whether through trials or choices I must make, Jesus wants me to seek Him first and foremost; not man. This was the significance of the fog.

My husband falling from the cliff was also symbolic of the fact that man will often disappoint or fall short. In times when I need rescue, it is God I must run to. When I am unable to run or am blind to my need for rescue, God is right there ready to scoop me up or move me aside out of harms way. Our Heavenly Father will never fail or abandon us.

"This is what the Lord says to His anointed...to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut; I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, SO that YOU may KNOW that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who SUMMONS YOU BY NAME." Isaiah 45:1-3

Before we even acknowledge God, He does these things; He summons us, strengthens us, and equips us before we realize He is there!
(Isaiah 45:4-7)

The Measure of a Christian Man

2010-09-19T05:11:00.000-07:00

God has blessed my life through so many brothers and sisters. Jonathan Payne is not only a brother in Christ, but a beloved friend. Even those words do not accurately convey what he means to me. When you read this, you'll understand.

I can not find a place in scripture that defines a godly man as beautifully as this. There is Proverbs 31 for women; I consider this to be the counterpart for men. Well done as always, Lord; how you speak through Jonathan. I know he certainly does not take the credit.

Posted By J. D. Payne On March 10, 2010 @ 4:37 pm In The Personal Journal of J. D. Payne

Today is my birthday, as well as my Dad’s birthday (we are born on the same day), and I have had time to reflect on a few things. A long time back I had posted this article on a Christian forum. The people I posted this to and for, only had one question: what does it mean to be a Christian man in a world of sin? And what does it take to be an image of Christ to your family, friends and associates on a daily basis?

In other words, what is the measure of a man of faith?

So today I revisit that post here. The following was my response: I read some of the responses on some of the Christian forums and my heart grieves at the pain that is so readily apparent—to those who will acknowledge it. I read the disappointments, the hurts, the bitterness and the anger of those who have been hurt by their relationships [1], both online, and in their real lives. Whether it’s a marriage, friendships or just a passing acquaintance, we expect as Christians that those who walk with us in our faith to be different, better and more than the world. And this is a reasonable expectation.

And it is especially expected of the Christian man.

However, as a man I often find myself judged and sentenced by reason of my gender even before I even have an opportunity to communicate or interact with others, especially Christian, or even non-Christian women. The barriers that have been built up by many of them, through the trials and tribulations of life, are sometimes difficult, if not impossible, to penetrate. The love, compassion and companionship [2] that that could be offered is oftentimes questioned, deemed suspect—and ultimately considered a false promise without merit.

We as Christian men should strive to be much more than our worldly counterparts. We should show a deep love of all things godly and good. We should cherish those we love with a real and tangible love that is demonstrated openly and transparently, so that it can be seen by all as a testimony of our faith. Christ’s example was a love that people could see, feel and KNOW was real. His love was a healing balm to those that drew near to Him, and were in His presence.

When others are in our presence they should feel that same love. This love should give comfort and security to those who come to know us, and draw those closer who do not know us. We should be the rock that others can count on in the storms of life, not another gale force wind joining in the chaos. We should simply learn and be—love.

There is a concept that holds true in this, it is called First Cause. It simply means that most things are just an expression of symptoms, conditions or extension of what the real cause, first cause, really is. For example if you have a deep seated anger, it may express itself in angry retorts, intolerance of others opinions or beliefs, or a myriad of other ways. But it is first cause that created the anger itself that is being acted upon. The situation in which it expresses itself may be far from the real issue that the individual may be dealing with internally.

When love is first cause, it will have a bounty of wonderful fruits (of the spirit). There will be patience with others’ opinions and expressed beliefs (whether we agree with them or not), a peace in the midst of the chaos of life, there will be an abundant joy, there will be support for loved ones, friends and even the stranger on the street and many other things. As men of God, we have a responsibility [3] to express these fruits, these character traits that love builds into our lives. Therefore we must make the foundation of our lives that Christ-filled, God-ordained love. Love as first cause heals all wounds and binds all hurts, and offers none of these in return.

Is it no wonder that many men are lonely and without love in their lives, if they refuse to express that selfsame love? “You reap what you sow” is not just a biblical adage, it is a biblical truth. Even the world understands that “what goes around will come around”, what we should be letting “go around” in our lives is that love Jesus Christ stated is the sign of a godly man, his love one towards another. He gave it as a commandment that we must love one another. He also stated that it is the love for God, with all our being and soul, and our love for our fellow man, that all else is based upon.

This is not about emasculating men, in any measure, with a weak and perverse type of love that is of the world. It takes a strong man of God to love completely, totally and purely in this world. To express love, regardless of the conditions of life, takes courage, fortitude and an attitude of Christ. Realize that in making a decision to love you will be tested, for the world abhors the things of God and will come against you in all it’s fury. But like our Lord Jesus Christ, who loved those who were taking His very life on the cross, we must stand our ground and continue to love, even our enemies. That takes a very strong, courageous and powerful man of God.

So what is the true measure of a man? His capacity to love…

Be blessed, be loved and be at peace, may the light of God’s presence and glory fire the brilliance of your soul.

~ Jonathan

Those We Know Before We Know Them

2010-09-19T04:00:00.000-07:00

A kindred spirit is one who shares like thinking, values, feelings, similar origin, nature, or character. To meet someone with whom you share all these things is quite rare, whether of the opposite sex or not. I've come to call these relationships bound in the spirit, "Sacred Relationships". God has blessed me with many of these over the years. However, there is one sister with who I share an unprecedented spiritual connection. Her name is Becky Nelson McFadden.

What a gift in finally meeting a human being who matches up to the things we read of in God's word about fellowship with like-minded, spirit-led followers of Jesus. But there is more. There is a unique blessing...bond...likeness in our thinking...that God has chosen to actually reveal with consistency between us.

The wild thing here is that we originally connected on Facebook! This is where we see the like-mindedness and spiritual unity; in the things we share through this network. the Holy Spirit often speaks of the same subject through us. Our jaws are on the floor most of the time, in awe of how the Lord keeps doing this. It's quite amazing. Then we really get fired up and go back and forth, building on the discussion and end up blogging about something absolutely inspired by God.

Yes, I love the scriptures on the strength of two working together, praying together, and how mightily God can work through two. We are witnessing that truth.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Philippians 2:1-2

I've experienced this in ways and still do with others in my life who I've known through my fellowship at home. But ours is from across the country and these occurrences of spiritual unity are more frequent. We are both overwhelmed by God's power and goodness for those what seek Him with their whole heart.

"Cherie, really I think God lets us tag team sister. How can we think so many things at the same time? Not just once but everyday. So blessed God brought us to fight this good fight together.I truly feel as though I have another sister from another mother. Amazing. It is amazing that hearts are in the same place miles away." Yes, we are a Tag Team for Jesus! Fighting the Good Fight Together!

This relationship began from a spiritual bond; a God-given gift, spiritually bonded, like-minded, and hearts intertwined. We may have different earthly parents, but we have the same Creator and He has brought us together in the flesh....finally.

Goodness, if she were a man, I think we'd be getting married! That is how evident the Spirit of God has drawn us together right there!

And our friendship expanded into other members of our families. Our life experiences, lifestyles, gifts, passions, and dreams all intertwine. We are family. I can't describe it any clearer than this. Today, we are waiting for the day we get to actually sit down together and experience our sisterhood in person.

My Romans 10 dream revealed my life purpose. My testimony "I'm Telling: The Holy Ghost Dream that Spoke Purpose" describes the night I received this scripture in my sleep. I had not been reading the Bible. As a matter of fact, I had to unpack it from a box in my closet at 3 a.m. in order to know what Romans 10 was even about!

"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" Romans 10:13-15

Becky also received her call with a message from the Lord in Romans 10. Her testimony, Glad Tidings of Good Things, is evidence to the unity in the Spirit that we share.

Receiving the Romans 10 message from the Holy Spirit is really what opened our eyes to our spiritual fellowship. To experience this is one thing, but to have this in common with a complete stranger means God has a plan for us to be united. We are both so eager to walk together as the Lord reveals His purpose along the way in our journey. We refer to one another as 'Beautiful Feet' and 'Message Runner'.

Becky is also a gifted writer who shares testimonies not just of what God has done in her own life, but she is a messenger who passes along the testimonies of others. Praise God! Her blog, Thorns Among the Seed, will inspire and encourage you while bringing tears of joy as well as heartbreak for the hurting.

Becky put together this beautiful video where she shares her journey in Christ, treasured moments with her husband, Bubba, and their children, and other significant images that spoke to her heart. What an honor for her to include me in this tribute to God's love.

My sister and I know the Lord wants us to meet. And, Lord willing, this will take place soon. You better believe I'll be posting here when we do!

Compassion: My Journey to Forgiveness

2010-09-18T09:02:00.000-07:00

How does one find the ability to forgive horrific acts of hate or evil? How does one forgive slanderous gossip or betrayal from a friend?

To forgive the most brutal attacks against me, God instilled in me a heart of compassion. True forgiveness requires compassion toward the other. This is truly a gift from God, to have a compassionate heart! Otherwise, how can our hearts break as His does?

Look at Jesus' prayer from the Cross..

"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." Luke 23:34 (NIV)

He did not just pray for forgiveness but He also looked at the condition of their heart. They did not know what they were doing; they were living in darkness and brokenness; deceived by evil. Therefore, they could not possibly understand Jesus Christ was the Light of the World!

"And the Light shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it [put it out or absorbed it or appropriated it, and is unreceptive to it]." John 1:5 (AMP)

"When He saw the throngs, He was moved with pity and sympathy for them, because they were bewildered (harassed and distressed and dejected and helpless), like sheep without a shepherd." Matthew 9:36 (AMP)

I've had to forgive many and I've had to forgive over and over again. My mother's second husband severely abused me; sexually, physically, and emotionally. It was not until my early adult years that I recall me and my little sister praying for God to strike him dead. When this was not happening, I just did not understand why God was not coming to our defense.

As years went on, we heard of horrible tragedies taking place upon him including accidents, attacks, and injuries that surely would leave the normal person dead. There were feelings of vindication as I truly believed he was enduring God's wrath. My belief was that God was keeping him alive to endure these punishments and sufferings.

Moving forward, I learned he became restricted to a wheelchair and unable to walk or speak. He also was not surrounded by his children or grandchildren. He really had no life. However, he'd also found Jesus. This is when the Holy Spirit began working out forgiveness in my heart.

Why was my step-father the way he was? Yes, there was pure evil dominating his life, but I reflected on the story my mom shared with me about him as a young man. When she met him, he was recovering from a motorcycle accident that nearly took his life. The impact damaged his brain, leaving him to live with epilepsy and a steel plate surgically placed on his temple. He also became addicted to barbiturates during these years he was married to my mother. These things make one unable to function normally; this is an enormous understatement if one takes the time to study the addiction to this drug alone. It is extremely damaging, neurologically.

Discovering I had compassion in my heart toward this man was only given by the supernatural power of God. It was not my doing. Though I do grieve over the pain and destruction he caused me and the rest of our family, I've forgiven him.

Though I've forgiven, he is not in my life. The Lord has revealed to me that I will see him in Heaven one day. This is a reality. I know I had to forgive him because Jesus died for the forgiveness of his sins as He did for mine.

Once I reached this place of forgiveness it felt like I had crashed through an iron door, venturing into a new existence in my relationship with Jesus!

"I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name." Isaiah 45:2-3

Today, as others reach out to cause me harm and destroy me, I can discern their spiritual condition, extend compassion, and pray for them. Boundaries help too! My heart hurts for them because they do not yet know our beautiful Jesus. If only they did! Even those who profess to know Him can and will hurt us. If we can reach deep into our heart and allow the God of compassion to lead us, we will see and feel their brokenness and our compassionate heart will break for them.

We may even discern a specific wound or brokenness in their life which enables us to pray in a way we never thought we could for them. Forgiveness means letting go of our own desire to seek vindication or justice. We release ourselves from the role of the judge and jury in that person's life. For it is God who will judge. God's plan for the other person's life is only known to Him.

Take, for example, his parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-27). Jewish people in Jesus’ day hated Samaritans and justified their prejudice with religious arguments. Those who told ethnic jokes about their despised “neighbors” must have been horrified to hear Jesus making a Samaritan the hero of this story. Blinded by our own agendas, we fail to see that God’s justice is not just for his chosen people; God wants justice and righteousness for all.

According to the prophet Isaiah, when God shows compassion and justice, he is simply being himself:

"And therefore the Lord [earnestly] waits [expecting, looking, and longing] to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving-kindness to you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are all those who [earnestly] wait for Him, who expect and look and long for Him [for His victory, His favor, His love, His peace, His joy, and His matchless, unbroken companionship]!" Isaiah 30:18 (AMP)

"But no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall show to be in the wrong. This [peace, righteousness, security, triumph over opposition] is the heritage of the servants of the Lord [those in whom the ideal Servant of the Lord is reproduced]; this is the righteousness or the vindication which they obtain from Me [this is that which I impart to them as their justification], says the Lord." Isaiah 54:17 (AMP)

"Yet those [people and circumstances] that be against us, so far are they from thwarting us at all, that even without their will they become to us the causes of crowns, and procurers of countless blessings, so that GOD'S WISDOM turns their plots unto our our salvation and glory. See how really no one [or nothing] is against us!" ~ John Chrystostom (c. 347-407 Archbishop of Constantinople)

Forgiveness is freeing ourselves from ongoing torment. Forgiveness is humbling ourselves before the Throne of God, allowing God to come in and heal our heart while trusting He will remain faithful in His promise to reveal His goodness. It is trusting His word:

"Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you." Psalm 89:14 (NIV)

"We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose." Romans 8:28 (AMP)

While I've learned what forgiveness IS, the Lord has also revealed what it IS NOT. It is not submitting to an abuser or allowing abuse to continue. Forgiving does not necessarily include reconciliation or restoration of the relationship.

This is the process the Lord has walked me through in my journey.

When we trust in God to take care of these things, we can realize the beauty and vindication in this truth..

"Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's." 2 Chronicles 20:15

"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." Genesis 50:20

Forgiveness is freedom and life from The Cross.

Reflecting on the Attributes of God

2010-09-12T16:00:00.000-07:00

Because God Is a Personal Spirit...
I will seek intimate fellowship with Him.

"You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart."

Jeremiah 29:13

Because God Is All-Powerful...
He can help me with anything.

"I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."

Philippians 4:13

Because God Is Ever-Present...
He is always with me.

"You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast."

Psalm 139:5-10

Because God Knows Everything...
I will go to Him with all my questions and concerns.

"Oh, what a wonderful God we have! How great are His riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand His decisions and His methods! For who can know what the Lord is thinking? Who knows enough to be His counselor?"

Romans 11:33-34

Because God Is Sovereign...
I will joyfully submit to His will.

"Yours, O Lord, is the Kingdom; You are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from You; you are the ruler of all things.

In Your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all."

1 Chronicles 29:11-12

Because God Is Holy...
I will devote myself to Him in purity, worship, and service.

"Who else among the gods is like You, O Lord? Who is glorious in holiness like You - so awesome in splendor, performing such wonders?"

Exodus 15:11

Because God Is Absolute Truth...
I will believe what He says and live accordingly.

"Jesus said, "I came to bring truth to the world.

All who love the truth recognize what I say is true."

John 18:37

"Teach me Your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to Your truth."

Psalm 86:11

Because God Is Righteous...
I will live by His standards.

"The Lord is righteous in all His ways and loving toward all He has made."

Psalm 145:17

"Surely, O Lord, You bless the righteous; You surround them with Your favor as with a shield."

Psalm 5:12

"The righteous cry out and the Lord hears them and delivers them from all of their troubles."

Psalm 34:17

Because God Is Just...
He will always treat me fairly.

"I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve."

Jeremiah 17:10

"God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad."

Ecclesiastes 12:14

Because God Is Love...
He is unconditionally committed to my well-being.

"Nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 8:39

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
John 3:16

"May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love really is."

Ephesians 3:17-18

Because God Is Merciful...
He forgives me of my sins when I sincerely repent of them (confess).

"Let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it."

Hebrews 4:16

"The Lord is full of compassion and mercy."

James 5:11

Because God Is Faithful...
I will trust Him to always keep His promises.

"O Lord God Almighty! Where is there anyone as mighty as You, Lord? Faithfulness is Your very character."

Psalm 89:8

"If you are suffering according to God's will, keep on doing what is right, and trust yourself to the God who made you, for He will never fail you."

1 Peter 4:19

Because God Never Changes...
My future is secure and eternal.

"Whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God above, who created all heaven's lights. Unlike them, He never changes or casts shifting shadows."

James 1:17

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."

Hebrews 13:8

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart."

Proverbs 3:5

These attributes of God were taken from a devotional written by Bill Bright, the founder and president of Campus Crusade for Christ. I've also included scripture the Lord put upon my heart to share.

Living The Dash - Part I

2010-09-12T09:09:00.000-07:00

What if you knew you only had one month to live? Whether you are 80 or 18, your age is not the issue, it is the amount of time you have and how you will live out that time on this earth. Life passes quickly before us and we are never guaranteed tomorrow.

Dates bracket our life. Mine happen to be 4/17/1964 - ??? I am forty-six years old and am not certain how many days God has planned for me here. My sister's dates were 10/28/1965 - 11/9/1992. She was only twenty-seven. The dash in between these dates represents the way we live our life.

How will we live our 'dash'?

An eternal God calls us to acquire an eternal perspective. The inheritance of a son from God the Father is without measure. Will we live out our days for worldly treasures or for everlasting riches?

"So teach us to number our days, That we may present to You a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12, written by Moses when he was over 100 years old.

The choice is whether we will serve God or not.

Do we love Him with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength, as He has set for us as His greatest commandment?

Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' ~ Matthew 22:36-40

If we do love Jesus in this way, we can't help to have a heart of compassion for others. Our hearts will burn like fire to bring the peace and comfort we've received to another! How we use our God-given gifts and passions determines where our heart treasure really lies. Will we use them to serve God? His greatest commission is to GO; to walk through the doors of opportunity He places before us. (Matthew 28:16-20)

"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon" (Matthew 6:19-24). (Mammon: earthly riches and property that we may lay up as security for our future by 'entrusting' it to another)

We can do beautiful things for Jesus even when walking through our own trials and suffering. In our weakness God can do mighty things! Not only that, but as we step out, take our focus off of our own suffering and reach out to help another, our healing is taking place. God uses the compassion and love we share with others to heal our own heart!

Pray for direction and purpose for your life. God presents the doors of opportunity, whether to love the lost on the streets of our own neighborhoods or across the oceans. And Love comes in so many forms. The most powerful of gifts is prayer and can be done without leaving your front yard. Gathering in fellowship with a few friends and committing to prayer for others is a beautiful way to serve God.

...and other doors begin to open

*┼* ♥ Jøυɾṉεÿ ώïτh Jεṡυṡ ♥ *┼*

Never Forgetting 9-11-01

2010-09-11T01:00:00.000-07:00

It is the eve of the ninth anniversary of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York. First and foremost, my prayer is for those left behind; the children, mothers and fathers, wives and husbands, sisters and brothers, best friends and co-workers. I do not have appropriate words other than to ask God to intervene in each one of their lives and reveal some good to come from that horrific day.

Second, I pray for our military and their families. They are on the front lines fighting to defend and protect us. And this is more than a physical battle for them. It is a spiritual one with evil principalities attacking the hearts of and minds of our soldiers.

Finally, I pray for this generation. Very tumultuous times are ahead for them and it is our responsibility to be watchmen, revealing the deceptions of Islam to our children.

9/11 changed so many things. Al-Qaida Islamic extremists are responsible, but I believe the leaders of our own nation must own up to some of this. Aside from their major corruption, they failed us and did not protect our borders. I do not know how this is possible, but it seems that has not changed. You would think it would be more difficult to enter our borders. We are not even under heightened security in our nation on the eve of 9-11?

News headlines are flooded with reports of a church in Florida who threatened to hold a Qur'an burning event in response to the mosque Islamists are building next to Ground Zero. They plan to worship Allah at the very spot where we were attacked in the name of their Allah. And we are allowing this?

Each year, Americans revisit where they were on this day. I was working for the State of California near the state capital on 9-11-01. Ironically, our building(s) were also labeled the twin towers, as they were two identical 23 story buildings, side by side. I heard of the attack while listening to the radio during my morning commute. I had just dropped my six year old daughter off at her grandmother's house.

The very first thought that entered my mind was to call her. When her Nana answered the phone, she told me she was also watching this on the news. I felt like I had to hurry to my baby girl, but figured I better check in at work first.

When I arrived, the state capital and surrounding buildings were starting to evacuate. We kept hearing from the governor's office that Sacramento, California would be the next likely target, yet the governor's office waited an extra half hour to evacuate our buildings. AFTER the governor and his staff were safely evacuated from the area, and AFTER we received permission, we left to go home to our families. Several state workers in my department had urgent deadlines and actually stayed to meet them! Crazy now that I think about that part of it.

We have so much to be grateful for, just knowing no matter what happens in these days, we are in God's hands.

Out of the ashes of Ground Zero came kindness, compassion and service that swept our country after the horrible events that brought the twin towers down.

We remain at war and our military continues to defend our nation and other parts of the world from the evils of Islamic terrorists. Though I sometimes grieve over the world in which my daughter was born into, my hope is that God is faithful and a God of justice. Viewing life on this earth from a heavenly perspective reminds me that God is in the business of taking evil and making some good come from it.

Amen?!

Relevant Stuff

2010-08-22T07:45:00.000-07:00

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Matthew 6:19-21

In my preparations to move, I am busy sorting through stuff. When we first moved into our rented condo, all we really had was the clothes on our back along with a couple dressers and a few personal items. It was quite amazing how our home was suddenly filled with furnishings, appliances, and decor. I keep things simple, but I have definitely collected a great deal of stuff.

For the past two weeks, the Holy Spirit has echoed the importance of letting go of the things I have collected. The word I've come to focus on is "Relevant".

Isn't it appropriate that when I attended service last weekend, my pastor's message began with this sentence..

"My stuff causes me problems."

Yesterday, I sorted through my stuff and chose which items to display at my moving sale. It was necessary to constantly remind myself of relevance. This included my two cats, actually. It was a difficult day in that regard. However, I learned that the people who came to purchase my stuff had a greater need than I did for these items; even the lamp I really did not want to let go of.

So, lesson learned.

Waiting on Love

2010-08-18T15:57:00.001-07:00

Everyone longs to give themselves completely to someone; to have a deep soul relationship with another; to be loved thoroughly, exclusively, and unconditionally. Some refer to this person as a 'Soul Mate' or 'Kindred Spirit'.

But God, to a Christian says..

No.

Not until you are satisfied and fulfilled, content with living, loved by Me alone; with giving yourself totally and unreservedly to Me alone. I love you my child, and until you discover that only in Me is your satisfaction to be found, you will not be capable of the perfect human relationship that I have planned for you.

You will never be united with one another until you are united with Me, exclusive of anyone or anything else, exclusive of any desires or longings. I want you to stop planning, stop wishing and allow Me to give you that most thrilling plan existing; one that you can not imagine.

I want you to have the best. Please allow Me to bring it to you.

You just keep watching Me, expecting the greatest things. Keep that satisfaction knowing that "I AM". Keep learning and listening to the things I tell you; you must wait.

Do not be anxious and do not worry. Don't look at the things others have or that I've given them. Don't look at the things you think you want. Just keep looking off and away up to Me, or you'll miss what I have to show you.

And then, when you're ready, I'll surprise you with a love far more wonderful than you would ever dream of. You see, until you are ready and until the one I have for you is ready, I am working this minute to have both of you ready at the same time. And until you are both satisfied exclusively with Me and the life I've prepared for you, you won't be able to experience the love that exemplifies your relationship with Me.

..And this is perfect love.

And Dear One, I want you to have this most wonderful Love. I want you to see in the flesh a picture of your relationship with Me, and to enjoy materially and concretely, the everlasting union of beauty, perfection and love that I offer you with myself.

Know that I love you utterly.

I am God Almighty.

Believe and be satisfied.

Adversity: A Catalyst for Fruit?

2010-08-10T16:06:00.000-07:00

"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.

Whatever he does prospers."

ღೋ Psalm 1:1-3 ღೋ

Adversity is relative. The degree of adversity I am currently walking through is very different from the adversity my brother is faced with, for example. How I used to respond to this same level of adversity five years ago is quite different from how I respond to the same events or misfortune today. Losing my job and being forced to move from my home used to trigger despair and anxiety; even hopelessness. This was before I was grounded in my relationship with Christ and delighted in God's Word.

Today, I have peace in spite of these same events taking place. As I delight in the Lord and trust in His promises, I bear good fruit in the face of adversity. Patience and gentleness have replaced angst and lack of self-control. We all know how hardship raises our stress level. To have someone add to our stress can provoke harsh words. Now I see where kindness and compassion are more frequent than short-tempered responses. This I am so grateful for.

A believer who chooses to delight in the Word of God in the midst of adversity will avoid being offended. Whether it is an individual who has created the adversity or whether it came from some form of misfortune, we have a choice how we will respond.

One can allow bitterness, despair, hopelessness, shame, condemnation, or a number of lovely emotions to invade the heart.

OR..

That person will be like a tree whose roots search deep to where the Spirit provides strength and nourishment. He will draw from the well of God deep within his spirit. This will mature him to the point where adversity will now be the catalyst for fruit.

ೋღ B L E S S I N G S ღೋ

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”
ღೋ Psalm 46:1 ღೋ

"When I said, "my foot is slipping," your love, O Lord supported me. When anxiety was great within me, Your consolation brought joy to my soul."
ღೋ Psalm 94:18-19 ღೋ

Fellowship and Scum of the Earth (Pt 1)

2010-08-06T10:02:00.000-07:00

"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." Acts 2:42-47

Luke tells us in the book of Acts how believers lived in FELLOWSHIP with one another and hung onto the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles. Followers of Christ were committed to living life with like-minded believers. They supported one another, breaking bread together each day. They lived life together, opening their homes to one another. In this passage, the fellowship of believers was modeled for all followers of Jesus Christ.

We can see that something is missing from Christianity today. Where did we go astray?

I do not know where it was all lost but the Holy Spirit, by God's grace, is showing many of Jesus’ disciples how life in Christ should be lived. More of us are led outside the walls of our church buildings to walk alongside one another and gather in prayer. It is sad to say one of my fellowship groups can seem to fit only one Saturday each month to come together to break bread. Only one Saturday! Each of us is busy with our individual lives and serving in other areas.

Was it that we lost those things we had in common?

The root of the word ‘fellowship’ means ‘to have something in common'.

Who has much in common these days?

Many Christians are too guarded because we are wounded and are wearing masks to hide who we really are. Of course it is going to be difficult to find something in common with another if you are unable to be yourself. This is a matter of ‘trust’ and allowing God to partner us with those He intends to fulfill the purpose for which we are called.

As Jesus has freed me from the shame of my past, He has led me to talk to groups of men and women about embracing their past in order to bear witness to the miraculous things God has done in their life. This is their testimony. Once these breakthroughs occur, we discover we have something in common. God will hear your cries for significant relationships; those with whom you have a common past or common hurts. We are drawn to one another just as Jesus draws us to His heart. We ‘know’ one another just as we ‘know’ Christ and He ‘knows’ us.

This inner aspect of fellowship may be seen in verses such as 1 Corinthians 1:9 “God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Here, fellowship primarily focuses on our spiritual unity with Christ, an inner relationship.

These scriptures also emphasize the inner relationship which is at the root of fellowship.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Philippians 2:1-2

Here is an excellent article 'What is True Biblical Fellowship'

Fellowship is primarily an action word! Koinonia is used nineteen times in the New Testament and in addition to being translated as “fellowship” it is also translated by the words, “contribution,” “sharing,” and “participation.” A close study of the usage of this word shows that action is always included in its meaning.

Fellowship, is not just being together, it is doing together! This is a point almost universally ignored by Christian groups today.

Fellowship” is a unique relationship with Christ. We have a relationship of being “in Christ.” We also have a relationship of being “a part of Christ’s body.” Fellowship is neither. It is not “being in” or “being part” but it is “doing with” Christ. It is our partnership with Christ in fulfilling God’s will.

Finally, fellowship is not just doing anything together. It is only doing God’s will together.

Fellowship is the indispensable means of accomplishing the God-given purpose of the church.

It is an interdependent relationship on many levels. Our fellowship with others is only as good as our fellowship with Christ, our unity. And we can only participate with Him in doing God’s will, for that is all He ever does! For this reason we must quit thinking of Christian fellowship as primarily doing things such as having pot lucks, BBQ, playing basketball or having movie nights with other believers. These have their place but they are only fellowship to the extent that rest, exercise, and eating are doing the work of the Lord. Fellowship involves actively doing God’s will.

Please continue to (Pt 2)...

Fellowship and Scum of the Earth (Pt 2)

2010-08-05T07:35:00.000-07:00

Continued from (Pt 1)

So what is God's will?

"To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world." 1 Corinthians 4:11-13

When you read the words, ‘scum of the earth’, what do you picture in your mind? Before you read further, just close your eyes and picture the scum of the earth...

...what did you see?

A man..a woman?

What were they wearing?

...doing?

Why are they the 'scum of the earth'?

Are they unlovable?

Untouchable?

Maybe you do not see someone who is unlovable or untouchable, but someone heartbroken, wounded, destitute and hopeless, one who carries shame or lives in fear. Or maybe you saw a drug addict, prostitute, felon or inmate, drunk, someone full of tattoos and piercings, one who is weak or eating trash from a dumpster. The latter is what most people would envision. Society refers to them as outcasts or scum of the earth. Scripture refers to them as 'the least of these'.

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'" Matthew 25:40

The Apostles were authorities on what Jesus taught, yet were also considered outcasts. They were a spectacle; fools who were dishonored and weak. They were treated horribly and went without anything to eat or drink and lived homeless. They were hard working men but were cursed and persecuted. This was their life in Christ. How can one chosen by Jesus Christ and anointed with His Spirit to speak in tongues and cast out demons live such a life? In all their humility and love, the believers who truly loved Jesus followed in spite of what was going on in the rest of the world. I can imagine the pureness in worship among them.

If Jesus' Apostles were homeless scum of the earth (1 Corin 4:11-13) and Jesus told us to love the hungry and sick stranger or prisoner (Matthew 25:31-46), then does it not make sense that an unlovable, untouchable stranger may just be a follower of Jesus and hungry for fellowship with other believers? As followers of Jesus Christ, it is our purpose to fellowship together in unity with the Holy Spirit while sharing our message with unbelievers.

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me...The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'" Matthew 25:35-36,40

Let us ask the Lord in all humility desiring to return with a sincere heart. As we pray, let God search our hearts and reveal where He wants to lead us. Let’s believe in His divine appointments with ‘like-minded’ disciples of Christ so we may too be in unity within the Body of Christ. Let us not be ashamed of our tarnished past or even the things we still carry today.

You were born for a purpose; your passion and talents are to be used to benefit all of God’s people, even if it is one life at a time. My prayer is for all of us to walk alongside the unlovable and untouchable and tell them of what the love of Jesus Christ can do for them.

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" Romans 10:14-15

Blessings brothers and sisters!

Please visit Scum of the Earth Church Denver, Colorado and Seattle, Washington.

For those who care, and I understand if you don't..

2010-08-02T17:17:00.000-07:00

Anne Rice recently announced she is leaving Christianity. This was the announcement she made on her Facebook page dated 7/28/2010:

"For those who care, and I understand if you don't: Today I quit being a Christian. I'm out. I remain committed to Christ as always but not to being "Christian" or to being part of Christianity. It's simply impossible for me to "belong" to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group. For ten years, I've tried. I've failed. I'm an outsider. My conscience will allow nothing else."

Only a few minutes later, Ms. Rice elaborated,

"As I said below, I quit being a Christian. I'm out. In the name of Christ, I refuse to be anti-gay. I refuse to be anti-feminist. I refuse to be anti-artificial birth control. I refuse to be anti-Democrat. I refuse to be anti-secular humanism. I refuse to be anti-science. I refuse to be anti-life. In the name of Christ, I quit Christianity and being Christian. Amen."

After her initial announcement, the internet went crazy with responses in the form of articles and blog posts. One of my writer friends, Karen Darlington Aldridge, shared Lori Stanley Roeleveld's blog, "Today I Quite Being A Christian", which addressed the subject.

When I shared the post on my Facebook wall, it sparked a very lengthy discussion which continued into the next evening.

Well, this NPR interview with Anne Rice gives us a much better understanding of what is really going on here; this, and visiting her Facebook page.

As a Disciple of Christ, I am not ashamed of being a Christian. Many who profess Christianity tarnish and pervert The Church and many within the Body of Christ tend to not want to associate themselves with a 'label'. The devil will use many schemes and deceptions to fool us into thinking we should draw away from The Church. I was headed there at one time. But Jesus drew me back in with His Word, revealing the attempts to divide the Body of Christ...

The Apostle Paul wrote this explanation concerning the Body of Christ:

1 Corinthians 12:12-27
"The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13For we were all baptized by[c] one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

14Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

21The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" 22On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 27Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it."

Sure, it breaks my heart what crimes are committed in Jesus' name, but that does not have anything to do with the Body of Christ or The Church as a whole. If we took our eyes off of man and kept our eyes and hearts focused on Jesus, we would come to understand this truth. The Body of Christ is not meant to be broken apart.

"Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf." - 1 Peter 4:16

You Are So Good To Me

2010-07-12T23:00:00.000-07:00

Trusting God and growing my faith is ongoing in my walk with Christ. Earlier this year I realized what an incredible companion He really is to me. Think about that word, Companion:

■To accompany another
■Comrade
■One who shares interests or activities with another

This is who Jesus is to me; my Companion. As I heard at a retreat not so long ago..

"We walk with our arms locked"

This season of change in my life has come with powerful revelation and healing. The Holy Spirit told me through scripture and through His fellowship upon my heart that I'd be moving from my comfort zone. I discovered the gifts He has equipped me with in my job and in truth through the power of the Holy Spirit are meant to be used elsewhere. God was moving me from my job of nearly three years without a regular job to replace it. How on earth was I, a single mom, going to leave my job just like that? Sounds a bit reckless...

Well, through this realization came echoes to trust Him. The Lord repeatedly echoes Psalm 139 into my life. At one time, in one evening, two different people shared pieces of this Psalm.

Psalm 139:5-6 "You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain."

Psalm 139:7-10 "Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast." .

I knew God was moving me from my job and I experienced uncertainty and fear for awhile. It is at this time this Psalm kept coming to me. I was drawn deeper into my relationship as the Lord revealed He is my Divine Fiancee'. He is my provider who has and will protect me.

The Holy Spirit has orchestrated opportunities to step out in faith and use my gifts to fulfill God's purpose for my life. Many of you have prayed with me, for me, encouraged me, and spoke word into my heart.

It was a struggle for me to let go of my secure desk job. Though I felt the time drawing nearer to do so, the Holy Spirit fulfilled a desire of my heart to teach a workshop at my church; not just once, but twice. Yesterday I scheduled my third teaching.

God wants me to do a few things as I trust Him and follow His lead:

He wants me to return to those I 'know' and glorify Him. This includes building a bridge for the unwanted, the ones with tattoos, a prison record, and unpedicured toes; the ones carrying shame and unworthiness, so that they may be welcomed with open arms, without judgment or image profiling, as they seek refuge within the body of Christ.

He wants me to wash some feet.

He wants me to minister within the Body of Christ. Today, it is to encourage the cultivation of authentic relationships; removing masks, trusting God and others with their shame concerning their own prison, adultery, hurts or abuse. He is simply orchestrating the opportunities, then asking me to be obedient. He has a plan to fulfill through me.

"Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun." ~ Psalm 37:4-6

God is showing me His faithfulness and sharing His heart's desire.

Another dream or desire was to become an independent grant writer. This would enable me to be released from the bondage of a desk job. I could do this work from anywhere and use my gifts and put my hands and feet to the things I love and carry great passion for. Writing grants, ministering to others about authentic and sacred relationships, and what else? Trusting God. This message was not just for others to hear, but it was a focus for me in a very intense time. It is reckless abandonment for Jesus.

"The Lord will keep you from all harm -- he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore." — Psalm 121:7-8

If He is proving His arms are locked with mine and I can feel and see Him right here, I must trust He will do the same with my grant writing and providing for my financial needs. I must trust He will simply fulfill this need, as He always does. With that said, I've been tossing these ideas around about forming a non-profit meant to support other non-profits. I must learn how to go about doing this and I even have thought of a name for it.

"He tends His flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart; He gently leads those that have young." ~ Isaiah 40:11

Two days before my work at Powerhouse came to an end, I received a call from a man who is in need of a grant writer. This was not solicited, but through word of mouth. How exciting to receive confirmation that I am walking in the Lord's will! Oh, and it gets better!

The morning of my last day, a sister called me out of the blue to pray for me. When I left my job, there was no panic or worry. The peace that surpasses all understanding took hold and I walked away knowing everything was going to be taken care of.

The very next day after my job ended, one of my pastors called me. He had no idea what had transpired, though I've been meeting with him regularly for his counsel. He prayed over me and asked me to teach in his ministry. ~ Do you see how rapidly things are stepping up here?

After that call, I received another call from this gentleman who I am meeting with next week to start my first independent grant research assignment. The same evening, a friend advised me to form a non-profit to support other non-profits. I told him that was actually what I was planning to do. Hmmm...

One of the greatest things about all of this is there are witnesses who are observing God at work! They are seeing evidence of how real and powerful our sovereign God really is. One of them is my daughter. She gave me a kiss, which was the first one I'd received in a very long time.

This is only two hours before I have to be at my church for my weekly 12-step group meeting. All the way there I kept telling myself, "This is simply a night of thanksgiving and praise!"

When I arrived at the church, a friend was there with a group of students. She proceeds to tell me that I've been on her heart all week. She also tells me she is enrolling in a certificate program "Non-Profit Management" and suggested I sign up. I was standing there, speechless. HA! Only for a minute though. When I told her the rest, she was just in awe of God's power as I was....am.

Do you feel the Holy Spirit chills? We did!!

Sharing these events with my sisters in Christ before we settled into our worship time was a highlight. To give God all the glory and to humbly submit to His calling is the highest position I could hope for. God is good to me, and He uses each of you to reveal His goodness. I am so thankful for my amazing family as we travel as companions In Christ over the mountains and through the valleys.

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord; plans for good, not evil. Plans for a future and hope." - Jeremiah 29:11

Road Trip , The Living Water, and Hearing From God

2010-07-10T10:30:00.000-07:00

When it comes to spending time alone with God, most of us have a special place we retreat to. I am not referring to our daily devotions or evening prayers. This is about a time of solitude; just you and Jesus, for a day..a week..a month. We seem to find this sacred place of solitude while soaking in God's beautiful and majestic creation. I've been longing for a road trip. The Lord has presented the opportunity, so I am in the midst of all my preparations, including seeking His direction and purpose.

My special place is on the ocean. This is where I met Christ and this is where He draws me for time of significance with Him. The waters represent life, for without it there would be no life. Even as God created the earth, it was without form and dark, yet God's Spirit 'moved' upon the face of the waters. There was water but no earthly substance upon which it rested. (Genesis 1:2) We also know Jesus Christ is the living water. Why else would He require us to be born of water (baptism) and spirit? He pours His Spirit, His living water, upon us. When I thirst for more of Jesus, it is for His living water, to drink in more of His love, His glory, His truth and purpose; His rest and peace.

Whoever drinks the water that I give him will never thirst; the water I give him will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life. John 4:14

The water not only represents our cleansing by Jesus blood, but that water is living water that represents the Holy Spirit poured out upon us at Pentecost to renews us every day. Long after the water has dried from our heads we may be assured that the Holy Spirit leads us and directs us; that he empowers us and encourages us and enlivens us to live the way of Jesus. This living water can and will sustain us through the driest times and the weariest days.

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Genesis 1:1

And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. Genesis 1:2

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. John 1:1-3

Though God is with us at all times, the time we dedicate to Him alone, whether at the ocean or on a mountaintop, is essential to our relationship. Our busyness and responsibilities often take precedent over setting aside the time for this sacred solitude. Jesus never let His time with the father fall to the wayside. Never. His every move depended upon the direction of the Father.

This road trip is significant for me in this season of transition. God has something to reveal to me..something to change in me. This is also the first time I've set out with just me, my daughter and my niece on such a journey. My prayer is that each of us will encounter something powerful in our heart and return with a 'knowing' like no other. The Lord has appointed others to pray on my behalf and to speak His will and truth. It is clear who He is using in this and I am ever grateful to these dear brothers and sisters in Christ.

I had something very interesting take place over the past 72 hours as I've stepped up the preparations for our road trip. God is doing exactly what His word says He will do; He goes before us and behind us and has His hand upon us. He prepares the way and clears a path. To know when we are hearing from God is what keeps us in step with the holy Spirit and in alignment with his will for us. We do not want to be sent the wrong direction by the lies of the enemy, the distractions of the world, or our own flesh. When we pray for the wisdom of Solomon (1 Kings 3:9-12), we can expect to 'see' and 'hear' with an acute awareness those things manifest in the spiritual realm.

During a conversation with a dear friend, he shared his concern about my plans to tent camp without the protection of a man. He has a point and it is one I took into consideration upon setting out to plan our upcoming road trip. After assuring him our campsite was in a KOA campground and we'd set up close to another family, he reminded me...

1 Peter 5:8 ~ "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."

This word was powerful enough to have me prayerfully consider the route of our travels this upcoming week. No fear; just wisdom that I must continue to seek God along the way.

Also, another new Facebook friend began posting links concerning Bohemian Grove and an elite Bohemian Club. Not familiar or interested, I passed these posts by, though my eyes were drawn to them with curiosity. Still, I did not take the time to check them out.

As I reviewed our route to Fort Bragg, I decided to make changes and not travel through the Sonoma Coast. I suddenly was at peace with not visiting my favorite coastal areas via the Bohemian Highway in order to shorten our time in getting to Fort Bragg.

This morning I was once again drawn to these posts about Bohemian Cove, so I viewed one of the videos which led me to further research.

I found this Bohemian Cove Fact Sheet, which I am sure you will also find highly disturbing.

It is now the time when this elite club congregates in the woods for their two-week retreat. The Lord does not want me to travel through this area and only He knows why. What I do believe is the Holy Spirit wanted to reveal to me that God's protection is upon me. I believe, without reservation, we've been rescued from something, even if it were some sort of interaction with one of those attending the retreat now under way. He is reassuring me there is something huge in store for us and His hand is upon us, guiding every mile we drive.

Psalm 139:1-10

O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
You perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
You are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
You know it completely, O LORD.
You hem me in—behind and before;
You have laid your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
Too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
If I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
If I settle on the far side of the sea,
Even there your hand will guide me,
Your right hand will hold me fast.

Impressions of 'Old Glory'

2010-07-04T13:00:00.000-07:00

“Old Glory” appears to float in the darkness, suspended only by the cross on which it rests. Its battle colors, tatters and bullet holes speak of the great battle raging for the soul of our nation. Through the symbolism of the flag folding ceremony, “Impressions of Old Glory” represents the principles of faith on which our country was founded. Beginning at the lower portion of the painting and progressing upward, the 25 hidden symbols in the painting depict the meaning of each fold of the flag during a traditional flag folding ceremony described in the text below. Only the explanations of the hidden pictures have been added.

1st The first fold of our flag is a symbol of life. (1) Baby (2) Flower blooming

2nd The second fold is a symbol of our belief in the eternal life. (3) Gates of Heaven with angel

3rd The third fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veteran departing our ranks who gave a portion of life for the defense of our country to attain a peace throughout the world. (4) Wheelchair (5) Mourner at grave

4th The fourth fold represents our weaker nature, for as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in times of war for His divine guidance. (6) Adam’s fall (hand/apple) (7) 10 Commandments (upside down and broken)

5th The fifth fold is a tribute to our country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, “Our country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong.” (8) Man pledging allegiance (9) Woman pledging allegiance

6th The sixth fold is for where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that we pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. (10) Heart

7th The seventh fold is a tribute to our Armed Forces, for it is through the Armed Forces that we protect our country and our flag against all her enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of our republic. Emblems of: (11) Army (12) Navy (13) Air Force (14) Marine (15) Coast Guard

8th The eighth fold is a tribute to the one who entered in to the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day, and to honor mother, for whom it flies on Mother’s Day. (16) Rose and “MOM” (17) Tomb

9th The ninth fold is a tribute to womanhood; for it has been through their faith, love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great have been molded. (18) Woman

10th The tenth fold is a tribute to father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of our country since they were first born. (19) “FATHER”

11th The eleventh fold, in the eyes of a Hebrew citizen, represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon, and glorifies, in their eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. (20) Star of David (21) Tabernacle

12th The twelfth fold, in the eyes of a Christian citizen, represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in their eyes, God the Father, the Son, and Holy Ghost. (22) Manger of Jesus Christ (23) Cross of Jesus Christ (24) Empty tomb of Jesus Christ

13th When the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost, reminding us of our national motto, “In God we Trust.”

Honor and Prayer For The Independence of These United States of America

2010-06-30T14:03:00.000-07:00

What was meant to be a simple tribute to Independence Day has become much more. Our country, these United States, is unraveling. The threads of honor and sacrifice within our flag are battered and torn. Much of this generation does not even understand why we celebrate on July 4th of each year. It seems that this holiday has come down to fireworks displays, BBQ's and beer. Does anyone even salute the flag and pledge their allegiance? Maybe only in an official ceremony. Even then, it depends upon who is officiating the ceremony. I was at my daughter's USAF JROTC Awards Night a few weeks ago. Though there was a flag folding ceremony, we were not led in the Pledge of Allegiance. I could not believe it. I cried. I am thankful my daughter has a sound understanding and respect for the independence for which so many have sacrificed their lives. To be born and raised in the United States and not possess the knowledge of our nation's history is nothing short of a crime. So much is simply taken for granted. If we do not hold our own citizens to a standard, how can we expect those who enter our country to do so?

Our family is not filled with war veterans. Even my father, who served in the U.S. Army, did not have to deploy to Viet Nam with the rest of his unit. He fought to stay behind with his pregnant wife. My sister was born two days after my father received a dishonorable discharge. My father's entire unit was lost in Viet Nam. Am I glad my dad did what he did? Yes. This is pretty much all I really know about military service within my family.

For the first half of my life, I also took my independence for granted. I suppose if their was more of a military presence in my life, it would be different. Many of the men who we knew were against the Viet Nam War and the draft. It was not until I met an amazing group of men who rode with the Viet Nam Vets M/C that I came to fully understand my freedoms.

It was Memorial Day 2000 and I was invited to camp with close to five hundred members of the Viet Nam Vets M/C and their families. First, we rode in formation down to the California State Capital to pay our respects at the Viet Nam Veterans Memorial. I listened to many of these men and their families pray and tell stories of their tours. Upon returning to the VFW, we ate dinner and gathered around a huge camp fire. We pledged our allegiance to the flag and then the music started. Soon, several hundred war veterans began singing,

"I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free. And I wont forget the men who died, who gave that right to me. And I gladly stand up, next to you and defend her still today. Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land, God bless the USA!"

Here's a great video celebrating the Declaration of Independence. It's a fun watch. Please note how the pursuit of happiness is ranked right up there with liberties and freedoms in the minds of our Founding Fathers. Being able to have a life filled with happiness was a big deal for the world's populace at the time. It's still important today…

“Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.” Matthew 12:25

Our nation is in such turmoil and even dividing itself, once again. While our troops continue to fight for our freedoms and that of neighboring nations, our own government continues to strip away our freedoms. Not only are we at war but we now contend with the catastrophe in the Gulf Coast with BP Oil to distract our National Guard from protecting our borders and our freedoms. While all of this takes place, our greatest defense is prayer...our greatest need is repentance.

Oh Father ~ I know there is inconceivable suffering all around this scarred world of our's, but right now my heart is breaking for my country, this great United States of America... only we are NOT united, nor are we truly great any longer. All the prosperity we have, all the blessing we've enjoyed, have been provided by Your Hand alone; yet in our incredible arrogance we've declared You unnecessary and inmaterial to our existence. Dear Lord, how foolish can we be?! What grieves me more is the silence from Your children -- a silence that has ultimately allowed the passing of laws that are nothing more than abominations to You. Because we were quiet, millions of precious lives have been lost before ever taking a breath. Because we were quiet, men and women can now live in approved and society-sanctioned lifestyles that ultimately destroy their souls. Yet when we weren't silent, O dear Lord, when we DID speak, we spoke with self-righteousness, condemnation and yes, even malice -- and that's not just how we treat the "lost," that's how we treat each other, too! How can we show our nation Your love when we do not love each other? How can we speak Your truth when we don't act in truth? It is for freedom that You have set us free, Lord Jesus, yet we don't walk in freedom! O Father Above, forgive Your children! Please, please forgive us. Strip away our willful pride and cleanse us from our unforgiving, bitter hearts. Give us "hearts of flesh" and remove our hearts of stone. Then, Mighty God, wake us up! Unite us and call us to our knees in repentence and sorrow. May we become the "watchmen on the tower" this nation desperately needs. A sword of judgment is coming; yet, dear Lord, our Lord, we cry out to You on behalf of our leaders, our government, our nation. Bring a mighty awakening to this dark land, a revival among Your people. May this president, this congress, become the most liberal in proclaiming Your Word as true, declaring Your glory as Creator, Savior, King of Kings, Lord of Lords! We do not deserve Your mercy, but still we pray for it. We cry out, dear Lord, for the restoration of our waters which have been poisoned by the rape of this earth. Our prayers go out to all those who've lost loved ones or are now enduring great suffering from the catastrophe on the Gulf Coast. Draw our soldiers near to your heart Lord, as they fight on foreign soil. Reveal yourself to them, Lord, and return them to their families, unharmed. For the sake of Your Name, Lord Jesus, please have mercy on our nation. Amen

The Bible and How God's Word Came Alive

2010-06-30T11:30:00.000-07:00

The old family Bible sat on a table in the living room for many years and did not serve any purpose other than collecting dust. Over all the years I admired that huge Bible, I never read one word from it. I found out later that my father actually stole it from someone's home. All we ever did was admire the beautiful colorful pictures throughout the gold trimmed pages. It adorned our home.

It was not until I was invited to a women's retreat that I had an encounter with the Word of God. Curiosity and hunger for God's goodness drew me to church-going friends. I wrote about my unexplained longing for something 'good' in Meeting the God of America: God is Good.

While at this gathering of three hundred women, I received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I cried out for His rescue from a life of fear and rage. His presence was strong in that sanctuary at Mission Springs. God showed up and filled my heart with peace; He delivered me from a very dark place in my life. But I still had not encountered the power in His word.

During the final hours of the retreat, a woman handed me a scripture card ~

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord.
They are plans for Good, not evil; plans for a Future and Hope.
Jeremiah 29:11

These words of encouragement had me in awe. They took hold of my heart in that moment with a power like no other words ever spoken to me. I knew the Holy Spirit was speaking to me. God knew I was seeking His goodness all those years. This very scripture, randomly handed to me by a woman who did not know me, proved God's Word is alive!

Because I've witnessed the power written in the pages of the Bible, I believe in it wholeheartedly.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. ~

John 1:1

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. ~

Psalm 119:105

In God's Hands

2010-06-18T22:20:00.000-07:00

HUGS

are

great!

The best hugs come when I am feeling real tired of carrying so much on my shoulders.

Yes, I can give these things to God, but once in awhile it would be nice to just

bury my face in someone's chest and

CRY it all out!

When I was in the depths of my depression,

I had a friend

who always knew how to comfort me

and lift me from an episode of fear.

He would hold my face in both of his hands,

get real close and look at me straight in the eyes

...and tell me..

"You're doing fine.

You're a great mom.

Everything is going to be okay."

I now know God's comfort.

He now speaks these same words to me.

I feel Him holding my face in His loving hands.