He Hears Our Cry

 For two days I have been sick with IBS.  Desiring to go to bed and sleep rather than face the day but God had other plans.  I prayed each day for a special friend to call so that we might pray so that I might be encouraged. He heard my cry.  Both days a very special friend called to encourage me.  Never knowing that I was feeling bad or that I had cried out to God for a friend to call.  Just think the creator of the universe  - The King of Kings - The Lord of Lords bent His ear to hear my plight.  I sit in gratitude to our King.  Never forget if you are His child His ears are open to your cry.

Amazing Grace

At a very early age I learned the “Now I lay me down to sleep” prayer which I said every night blessing those I loved and confessing the same sins.  Never knowing that I had been forgiven the first time I confessed.  God and Jesus were the characters in Bible stories I heard at Sunday school and church.  I never doubted Jesus was the Son of God. I just never took Him off the pages of the Bible. I do remember at about the age of 16 looking up at the crucifix and asking God why He stopped talking since He had talked to Moses, Abraham and the other Bible characters.  Many years later I came to know He has not stopped talking; I just didn't have ears to hear.

From my mid twenties until thirty three, I was extremely depressed. If you would look at my life, it was ideal.  Perfect little family, loving husband, precious daughter and a lovely home. What more could one wish for?  Prescribed happy pills with an occasional beer thrown in consisted of my coping mechanism, though with little relief.  At this time our family moved to Florida and started going to a spirit-filled church.  I attended communion every Wednesday morning and communion and Bible study Thursday morning.  The lovely thing about the women in this Bible study was they were all so happy and talking about Jesus all the time.  I know they knew I didn’t know Jesus like they did they, but they loved me as I was.

At this point I made an appointment for counseling with the priest. Rather than going to his office that afternoon, we went into the chapel.  When we got there he asked my friend that was with us to kneel down at the altar and he prayed for her.  She cried and then rejoiced in the Lord.  For some reason, even though this was different, I felt all was well.  Then as I knelt, he asked me what I felt.  Out of my mouth came “hate”. I remember being surprised that I admitted it, but it seemed appropriate at that point to say it.  He then, by the power of the Holy Spirit, demanded the spirit of hate to leave me.  The demon was reluctant to leave but Al prevailed in prayer and it did leave.  After this the Lord would reveal to me what Al should pray for next, and after about thirty minutes there was a peace in my soul.

At that point he asked me what I wanted.  From deep within me came the words "the Holy Spirit".  I had no idea at that time that I could have a relationship with the Holy Spirit.  What I did learn was that when the Holy Spirit came into my life, Jesus came in also.  All I had known of the Holy Spirit was you said "Father, Son and Holy Spirit" when you made the sign of the cross.  Al said he was going to pray and I should pray the same words.  He started to pray and then quietly left.  I stayed at the altar and prayed in the Spirit. After I left the chapel, Al was waiting for me.  My first words were, "when is confession?" I had never been to confession but the Lord had brought those words to my mind.

My friend had given me a Good News for Modern Man Bible that afternoon and I went home and immediately started reading it.  Much to my surprise, I understood what I read.  Many times I had tried to understand the Bible to no avail.  This was awesome.  One of the first things I did when I got home was write GLORY on my calendar.  I was not as sure that Jesus was in me as I was that the devil was there no more.  What joy that brought to my spirit!

Within the month, my husband came to the Lord and before many more days my sister-in-law, and then my brother.  Now my whole family has asked Jesus into their lives and all are serving Him with mighty ministries.  How awesome is our God!?

My life is full. I am now a widow, but the Lord has brought many people into my life to bless me and many that I have been able to share Jesus with.  One of the things I love most is to be able to pray with people.  I have been blessed to be part of Jesus’s healing prayer and encourage others in His ways.  He has given me a spirit of boldness for His people and I rejoice in that.  I am encouraged everyday when I read Jeremiah 29:11-13,

“'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.'”

Zaccheus

Many years before Zaccheus needed to climb a tree to see Jesus God had planted a tree in just the right place. Luke 19 1-10.

What “coincidences” in our life if we look back we can see the hand of God.  Why did Don decide to take a job in Seattle far from family? Why could I not conceive? When I look back I can see the hand of God leading us to just the right time and place to adopt Anne.  He loved her so much He placed her in a home that would teach her to love Jesus. So many decisions in my life looking back I can see the hand of God leading me.  It excites me to think about what is in store for the future. God directed adventures.  I wonder what tree looms in my future that if I would only climb it I might see the next adventure Jesus has planned perfectly just for me. 

Jeremiah 29 11-14  For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord.

External Adornment

External Adornment

This morning I was gazing at my neighbor’s home all decorated for Spring. Every holiday the yard and porch are decorated to the hilt with beautiful decorations.  Now none of this is bad, I truly enjoy her spirit of celebration.  Actually in that respect she puts me to shame.  I often think I should make more effort to adorn my home for these holidays but never seem to.  I have much to learn from her in that respect. I wonder how many times do I spend all of my efforts on my body and leave the soul unadorned.  The more I ponder these thoughts the more convicted I become of the need to adorn my soul with Jesus.  Often my soul is barren and I fill myself with things that do not feed it but occupy my time.  We often neglect our soul and tend our bodies with vitamins, exercise and things that build it up while our bible sits silently on the table.  I ask you Lord to bring conviction to my spirit when I spend more time adorning the outside of myself and leave the inner man void of the fullness of Your spirit.  How I desire to be more and more like Jesus and less and less like the world.  Thank you Jesus for putting that hunger in my heart.

I Peter 3:3-4 

And let not your adornment be external only – braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, and putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart,with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.

If You Take a Sip It Will Kill You

If You Take a Sip It Will Kill You

Recently I heard Jentzen Franklin say in regard to unforgiveness: “I’m going to drink this poison “unforgiveness” so it can kill me.” I started thinking about my life.  Do I intermittedly take a sip of poison?  Surely as a Christian I am far above  that but truth be known I have been known to take a sip every now and again. What am I learning though if I regress and sip is that I immediately need to spit it out and look to Jesus for strength to overcome destructive thoughts. For a long time I was a closet unforgiveness drinker.  Much like alcohol unforgiveness will destroy you little by little.  Over the years I have learned as Satan brings those hurts to mind not to ruminate on them.  Do I still fight them?  Of course, because Satan never gives up trying to destroy us but over time I’m learning when unforgiveness rears its ugly head to reject it and praise the Lord for the freedom I have in Him.  Satan wants us to be transfixed on the bad times in our life so they will eat up the good times. Jesus came that we may be free from condemnation and walk in His freedom.

Galations 5:1   It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

Father's Day

Father’s Day

Yesterday was Father’s Day.  Reflecting on the day when we went to the Children’s Home Society to meet our daughter for the first time brings tears to my eyes.  As we stood by the crib and gazed at her with full hearts my husband said, “Hey baby this is your daddy.” Oh how my heart swells with joy every time I think of that day.

My heavenly Father knew me as I was being formed in my mother’s womb never taking His eyes off me from the moment of conception. Surely He also said “Hey baby this is your Abba.”  It took me 33 years to realize He is truly my Abba.  When I look back I can see during those 33 years, although I was not aware of it, He kept me in the palm of His hands.   How grateful I am that the Father’s love has lead, guided, and comforted me all these years.  Thank you that now I have ears to hear those words and rejoice that I am His chosen daughter.  There was great expense in our adopting our daughter.  Jesus gave His life to choose me.  There are no words to express how grateful I am to be His chosen child.

Galatians 4 4:7   But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.  Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.

Butterfly

Butterfly    

                            

The other day my friend noticed in her garden a beautiful butterfly flitting from flower to flower.  To her amazement there were holes in each of its wings.  She was so surprised at the grace the butterfly exhibited.  As she related this story, she said there must be a Tidbit about this butterfly.  As I was thinking about the butterfly a few days later the Lord brought to mind the tenacity of this butterfly.  It never majored on its imperfections.  It just went living the life God had planned for it. Each of us has imperfections in our life.  Some are obvious on the outside like the butterfly and some are hidden deeply within our body or soul.  Our Lord never meant for our imperfections to be an excuse for us to avoid the life He planned for us.  As we lean on the Lord, we can draw strength from Him to go forth and walk the path in life He destined for us.  What if as the butterfly emerged from the cocoon it said, “My wings are deformed and it will be too hard to learn to fly” imagine the life it would have missed and the joy others would miss.    Sometimes folks use the imperfections in their life to actually draw into a cocoon rather than appropriate God and face the life He has for them. How thankful we can be that as Jesus looked ahead to the cross, He did not say, “It’s too hard for me.” In His word God says His strength is sufficient.  Next time you feel like your wings are shot with holes remember the holey butterfly.  Just remember we all have holes in our life, but the secret is to overcome them.  Much like the butterfly never forgets Jesus is sufficient.

2 Corinthians 12:9 “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”

.