SUNDAY NIGHT, HOME, MY SINCERE THANKS FOR YOUR PRAYERS ONCE AGAIN

Once again,  I found myself in the hospital ER on Thursday afternoon. I had gone in for my simple physical therapy session this week, but this time, I was put on a bike. It wasn’t a regular bike, I was leaning back on the backrest, very comfortable, not even hurting my knees. The clock turned over 8 minutes and I began to have just a little pain on my left side up under my breast. I really didn’t pay attention at first, but then it got worse it enough to really call my attention to it and and I must have rubbed it. My therapist said “what’s the matter?” I told her I had a little pain in my left chest. She had me stop cycling at once and took me over to a chair and took my blood pressure and  oxygen levels.  I don’t think they were that bad,  but by then the pain had gone down my arm with lots of tingling and piyns and needles in my hand that I just couldn’t shake off.  When that happened she got help and a wheelchair and away we went to the ER. They treated it like a heart attack, but I don’t think that’s what it was-heart spasms is what I have heard so far with EEG changes the 3 different times I had them.  Since there were already questions about what my heart is doing these days ( I have 30 day event monitor I was already wearing) the doc decided a stress test would be a good thing to have-the following morning-so the night in the hospital and my email to Diane to ask for your prayers that there was no blockage.  The doctor was sure that’s what it was. It even sounded like it to me, based on what my daddy had been through several times and had stents put in after 2 quadruple by-passes.  But thanks to your prayers and  to God‘s purpose, that was not why I was in the hospital that night.

 I was on the phone with my sister (yes, that one) We were praying. The young person who was to take me up my room arrived in the middle of it and I raised up my finger signaling-just a minute-he nodded and waited respectfully. When we were done and he had helped me into the chair and we were rolling along, I thanked him for waiting and explained you don’t just “hang up” on the Lord.  He nodded and me I guess I was still really in the Spirit, because I looked at him and I asked him if he knew Jesus. He got me on the elevator and said, “Do you mean am I saved?  No, ma’am, I don’t know Jesus.  But I have been thinking a lot about it for quite awhile months- thinking hard on it.  By this time we had arrived at my room. I asked his name and asked if I could tell him a story- just take a few minutes. He agreed  and I told him about when the Lord Himself  had met me at the moment of my need to breathe without panic and fear on May 5, 2011. Then I asked him by name, don’t you want Jesus for yourself today? He looked at me and said yes, ma’am  I do.  I asked again, do you want to pray to receive Jesus into your heart right now?  He said he did, so I asked him to give me his hand and I would lead him in prayer. ..Once he had gone I of course knew why I was visiting the hospital that night!! Still as I shared the news with my family, everyone’s response was great, but couldn’t the Lord send you there for something less serious, less painful…why this way at all??

My only answer can be that whatever I have to go through for Jesus’ sake is so far below anything that can be considered or compared with what HE did for me is minor -even if it is major to us. There were so many people to give His word to, from the one who wanted to know if I have a Living Will (I do), each  nurse or tech-there were so many people to tell a story to.

I didn’t get a chance to write what has been on my heart since last Thursday. The Lord has been exceedingly gracious in speaking to me. Not just Thursday morning during my  devotions but also during my dreams Thursday night which were confirmed again in the sermon in church this morning. So ya’ll will have to keep coming back! I told you life with me was never boring!!

Goodnight

 

To Act Without Knowing How You function is not good; and if You Rush Ahead, You Miss Your Goal.

That is from Proverbs 19: 2. My emphasis tonight is the rushing ahead. I am not going to as I usually do-rush what you say? Our move back to Atlanta, Ga after 30 years in Florida. I did think I would spend the rest of my life here. I do love and the weather. I have come to love our little house that the Lord gave us too and often tell the story of how we came to it.  I love my BSF group and will probably miss them the most. I have made some dear friends here.  So how was I rushing? We knew that we were going to move back up to Atlanta when our lease was up in June, so we thought to look around and see what kind of housing might be available for what kind of money. We found a great apartment with superb amenities. There were only 2 negatives. The kitchen was miniscule. (even to their drawers-only one large one and across the room, one very small one.) Since the point of our arrangement is for me to slow down and take lots better care of myself,   He’s been doing the cooking and shopping for us. So if HE said He could deal with the kitchen, then why should I worry about  it  all the time? So what did I do/not do?  First I presented our dilemma to our landlady…who could not have been more gracious and understanding. And She went me one farther, find your place and then move. Go ahead and be packing, know that God is in everything. aaah, how our God does work. .So after speaking with the landlady and getting the green light, Dennis just started packing away. We were to call the apartment people that our daughter had gone over and spoken with on Saturday and fill out an online app and overnight an application fee. But as we started to do those final thing, I was certain, that I was rushing and it wasn’t good. I looked at my husband and said the same to him. I think I shocked twenty years off of him, but as we prayed and our spirits calmed, we knew we were making the right decision. It may not seem that way for the world because in all liklihood we will lose the apartment.  For us that certainty was a hard decision. but, we believe if that happens God just has something better for us. 

Perfect Peace-Is That Trusting?

I am writing today from my favorite book again, yes, Isaiah.  To be more specific the 26th chapter, verses 3 and 4. And this is what it says:  “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast because he trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal”

So let’s think about perfect peace first. What does that mean to you exactly? I would imagine it could mean a lot of  different things to different people. So for my purposes I’ll try and be a little generic, but you all know my story, so perfect peace for me would mean no worries.  Oh Goodness there is sin! For am I told not to worry to let the Lord take all of my worries? to lay by burden at His feet? I do it a hundred times a day-probably like a lot of you do. But then I take it  back again. Oh I do know better and I certainly don’t want it. Why can’t I leave it at the foot of the cross? This is where I guess I have to make my stand. Out in public Just because I know that my witness for the Lord God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob  must not be sullied. Must ring out clean and clear and true. So this time  I have to leave it at the foot of the cross. I can not go back, again. I have to step out in faith that the Lord, my Abba Father is going to answer me, just as He has time and time before. 

Worries,that is a big all-encompassing word, isn’t it?  I could be talking about my health, my business, my family, my friends, the state of our economy, the election. Oh, I could go on and on. If you want to worry, you can alwasys find something to worry about, but I am not one of those people. I like my “perfect Peace” but you know what? I can’t just snap my fingers and have it!  The verse says you have to have your mind steadfast  because you trust in the Lord. Oh there is that little word again!  Abba Father did say He was going to teach me to trust Him and everytime I turn around that is exactly what is happening! Another trust lesson! These are hard, not funny, and getting old. I am ready to be done with them. But I think I haven’t learned the lesson yet-that’s why it’s back today. The Lord God wants me to trust Him with everything  that I am. With everything I could be or want to be. I think that I do trust that much, but then something happens to show that no, to go the distance on this new situation I have to come up some more.

Verse 4 talks about the Lord being the Rock Eternal. I like mental picture! Solid, able to withstand anything, all things-forever. So when I get the trust thing down, I will be trusting in a/the Lord God Most High, the most amazing God, eternal God Who is that Rock  that protects and shelters. That is exactly what I have to keep my mind on. IS HIM! WHO is MY GOD? I KNOW HIM. He is faithful, a comfort in every time of trouble, Who has sheltered me in cleft of the Rock, Who has carried when I was too weak, to spent to do or go myself. That is who my God is. Will He show up when I need Him too? Absolutely! He doesn’t let His daughter down.

Nothing like the Word of God to put the world in perspective-at least my world. Thank you Lord for your Word. Thank you Lord for yourself and for your sacrifice that I could know you and love you and have you for my Abba Father.

Hiccups, There Are Always Hiccups

It’s time to go back and fill everybody in on all my goings on. I had so hoped that I would have great news to share that my C Diff is healed/gone away, but I don’t think so. I am hoping that with a test that will be done tomorrow or Wednesday, that’s not the case and that whatever I am dealing with is leftovers, but I don’t think so. This is one of those things that you just know you’ve got.  But one GREAT piece of news is that MY GOD has continued to keep me from the incredible pain that I usually experience from my RA with no treatment at all. He said I had to be off of the Remecaid for me to every be healed of the C Diff-I think that means that I will be healed. Maybe the procedure just has to happen twice for me to work the miracle that it is. So I will try and reschedule that for a week or two down the road-whatever the doctor thinks I can handle.

The other procedure  I went through was to help my “dry eyes”–I get infections in them all the time because of it and so a neuropthamalogist lifted up my bottom lids of my eyes to cover more of my corneas. He is very good, but because I have been on coumadin even though I was off of it for the surgery, I still bruised horribly. I had two shiners like you wouldn’t believe.  It has taken 3 weeks for everything on my face to go back to normal and me not look beaten up! My Dry Eyes as they call them are from my RA; I also have the dry mouth and dry skin that go along with them. Sometimes my mouth gets so dry if I don’t have my water with me, everything sticks together and I can’t talk; so I try to always have a bottle of water with me wherever I am.

 I stayed in bed much of this last weekend. I think I was recovering from everything I’d been through and not had the time to recover from. I spent a lot of time in my Bible though. First of all I am fascinated by the Book of Genesis. I thought I had studied before! I either forgot what I knew or truly God has opened my eyes to so much more. As I have said before, now that I understand and can explain so much better the Trinity, I can read Genesis with a whole different way of looking at it. Forgive me if I repeat myself, but again and again, I am overcome with God’s incredible, everlasting, overiding love for me, for others I  know Christian and non Christian-because He died for them too, regardless of their belief or acceptance. It doesn’t alter the FACT.  For we all know that before the foundation of the world, The Trinity/God  had a plan to create the human race, knowing that we would choose our own way, so sin came into the perfect He had created just for us. If you really take the time to read how and in what order things were created, you would see how careful and precise everything was ordered. What I read didn’t take away from science, so I don’t understand what most people’s problems are about believing creation-its just too perfect to have “happened” in an explosion or morphing over time. It certainly makes more sense than aliens starting our race! I can’t even go there. So once sin was in the world, God’s plan continued and if you were to read the Bible all the way through or even just the major chapters of each book, You would see God’s plan working. Prophecy started in the very 1st chapter of Genesis about Jesus coming. So you know He had a plan. And all through the prophets and the Psalms there is prophecy, lots and lots and lots of prophecy of the coming Savior.  What no one understood is that there were two comings prophesied -Jesus came first as a baby born of a virgin,  to grow up to die for our sin-he was to be the final sacrifice, the Passover Lamb, but everyone was looking for a  King.   The next time He comes, He won’t disappoint, He will come as the King of Kings.  This time, everyone on the entire earth at the same time will see His coming! And after He puts down the garbage that has taken over the earth with their false messiah and the do what you want to do society…Then every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Those who have not accepted His gift of salvation the garbage included, they are sent to the pit for a thousand years. We will have a new heaven and a new earth and a new Jerusalem. We won’t need the Sun because our world will be lit by the light of our God who will live here among us. I can’t even imagine that. I want to-especially when I hear my favorite song-I can only imagine.  When I hear it, I just know that probably the first thousand days I will be on my face unable to speak at all,and then the next, I’ll be up and dancing and singing (again) with my loved ones who are there also.

So if you have read this tonight-somehow found this blog by accident-I am here to tell you it was no accident!  I pray you will take in and ask God seriously for yourself-do you know Him personally? Have you asked HIM to come into your heart? To forgive your sin? you may think your pretty good or at least not so bad, but GOD says no one not perfect comes into my Heaven. So how do we get there? by having Jesus in our hearts He makes us perfect.  He has made me perfect in body and in spirit. I don’t question Him anymore about why did you make me like this?? Because I know there is someone I will talk and understand with  because I had it too.  just like the wicked C Diff, a week ago, I spoke with a woman who had had it for 5 weeks in the hospital in isolation. She was so glad to speak to somebody that had had it and understood what it was and how you felt. Everything…she was just happy there was somebody. Thank you God that I could be her somebody.

AND THE LORD KEEPS HIS PROMISES!

Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I obey your word. You are good, and what you do is good; teach me  your decrees. ..  I keep your precepts with all my heart…I delight in your law. It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees. The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold…Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn your commands. May those who fear you rejoice when they see me, for I have put my hope in your word.  Palm 119 67-74

I first wrote and underlined this passage in my Bible in June of 2011. I had just gotten home from the hospital after a bout with my asthma. This time the Lord did a lot of work while I was there. I have come home tired! He sold my sofa to one of the nurses and everywhere I turned there was someone to share with! My roommate, her husband, my nurses, even my student nurses. It really was glorious! And this was the scripture the Lord gave to me.

I know O Lord, that your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness you have afflicted me. May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant. Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is your delight…I will mediate on your precepts…May my heart be blameless toward your decrees, that I may not be put to shame.

Then the Lord brought me back  there 2 months later. ..It seems I hadn’t been studying His precepts thoroughly enough, nor did I have an adult’s comprehension of the passage-just a child’s. So I prayed-and prayed that he would give me a hope that this feeling  would be understood as an adult. To that end, He started giving me passages on health. I always thought they were for someone else-more deserving-but on  August 26 of this year, I got a new scripture. I even told ya’ll not to get too excited! But I was excited-because it did seem for me as I could find nothing for anyone else! this time the scripture is from Jeremiah 17: 7-10,14-15

But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, who confidence is in Him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.  The heart is deceitful  above all things and beyond cure who can understand it?  I, the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve…Heal me , O Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved for you are the one I praise.  They keep saying to me, “Where is the word of the Lord ? Let it now be fulfilled” 

I first gave you those verses on August 18th and September 3rd. Then I was due for my Remecaid on September 14th.  Now these dates are important. USUALLY  by the week before the Remecaid is given, I have started hurting-not this time and certainly the week of, or absolutely, positively the week after. But as I write this, I don’t have any pain! Is that not the greatest thing in all the world?  So I would say that this is proof positive that the Lord God keeps His Promises! (now that I know this-there will be forth coming announcements)

I AM TRUSTING HIM FOR IT ALL!

I hope and pray and trust that you have all read my previous post ‘Prologue Present Day’ and approve.

This week including last Sunday night has been a most difficult week in some ways and then in others, so exciting and celebratory, It was very hard to keep my mouth shut about some things, until I was sure of them.  You see, when I was in that clinic a week and a half a go, I was just sitting waiting for the CBC to done and praying that I wasn’t septic. I certainly had all of the signs. And then all of a sudden, the Lord God says to me, “Cindy you will not get rid of the bacterial infections that you have until you come off of the Remicaid!” If I could have screamed out loud there, I would have!  I could NOT believe that My Father who had seen me suffer so much last year when I had to be off of the medicine for 4 months, would ask me to voluntarily go off of it again. I began to “discuss” this with Him. Of course Discuss is another word for argue, and I have learned a long time ago that the Lord is going to win every argument! But STILL, this wasn’t about winning or losing  or being strong in the faith, it was simple, crippling pain. And not only that the disease itself would progress unchecked and who knew what kind harm it would do?

But then my Father said the magic words ” You don’t trust me!”  Oh yes, I do, my Father, I do. And He said, “I will take care of you through this”.  So what does that mean? Will I have no pain? Am I healed? I don’t know. I know that two great men of God had prayed for my healing.  I know that He has healed me before very miraculously and He got all the glory and honor due Him. Maybe He is going to heal me completely from RA. and/or everything else! Oh that would be a kick and maybe I wouldn’t long for heaven to be here so very soon!

Still, I did ask for confirmation from the Lord. Those were the scriptures I shared with you last week and do you know-every day since it has been one thing or another that  has continued that confirmation? I do thank Him for that because TODAY  I stepped out in Faith. I called my Rheumatologist and told him what God had told me, and retesting confirmed that I still have the bacteria.  He said you know we have to stop everything. I said “I know. but I’ll tell you on Friday why I am not crying and panicking.”  He said “Great I can’t wait to hear”. Now this is my very sweet, nicely brought up in Catholic schools all his life, Doc. But, he still hasn’t come to know my Jesus personally. I have many Catholic Christian friends as I call them, just like I have Baptist Christian friends. Your denomination means nothing to God. It is all about the relationship you have with HIM that makes the difference.  So be praying that our Lord gives me all the right words to speak to my Doctor so that he knows exactly what is happening and who I am putting my faith and trust in.

So my new side job for my book,  is editing the posts for length sometimes or repetitiveness. I have to write an outline of what I intend to include. I decided the only way I can do that is to go through each post. So while you may not see a lot of me for awhile, I may post something for everybody’s approvals or thoughts, but that is what I am working on.

With our world looking like it is going to hell in a hand basket lately, I’ve decided I at least need to be involved in the project that the Lord has given me-whether I finish it or not..

Cindy

CONNECTIONS!!

I have often described myself as a conduit and truly that is what I feel like most days! What a fun, terrific feeling, knowing that My God has me meeting all of these wonderful different people. People that you just don’t walk out there and meet every day! let me see if I can describe what one connection did for me. I met Valerie who lives in London, UK on a website. We had a lovely chat there and then she called me a couple of days later and what a wonderful conversation we had. We both were trying to network and see how we could help each other. It turns out that Valerie helped me a lot more than I have helped her-at least so far. She introduced me to an attorney in Washington, DC. I said, “call me!”  So Tonya did call and we had a great conversation, infact, I want to speak with her more often. She really lifts me up! That day though she told me that she had lost her dad just 3 weeks previously; so of course, I told her all about GriefShare. I had her look it while we were on the phone and pick out a meeting close to her, with a convenient day and time. She said would go to it and we agreed to talk again later. The next thing I know she is introducing me to the lovely Janet -the author and coach I have already written about!  Janet is published and does her own publishing with Ebooks too. She is one of the ones who is guiding me through my process. She has been more helpful than she knows. Most of all, she gave me validation like ya’ll do whenever you come or comment. Ms. Tonya got busy again, and this time she posted a reference for me, recommending me as a legal recruiter. And she put it in the  very special group that she belongs to–ex-white house staffers! I didn’t know she had posted anything until I got an email from a  man with the perfect background, experience and education for a search I am doing with an associate. I didn’t know where he came from-his cover letter had mentioned that his wife had given him my contact info. But this guy is in the  midwest and Ms Tonya in DC, so it couldn’t be that way. I called Tonya anyway and she told me  about the “special group” she blongs to on LinkedIn. So full steam ahead, I called the candidate who actually had some time to speak with me and I got most of questions asked. His wife also would like to send a resume, he told me but couldn’t talk now would email her resume and make an appt with me. I got her resume that night. What an incredibly accomplished, smart woman she is!  She had been an undersecretary to the UN under GW Bush and that was the last job she had with him. Before that,  probably the things she had done in the White House and the Pentagon-let’s just say I was almost speechless! That’s a biggie for me! What has been nicest of all is that everyone is a believer-truly easy to talk with and work with; another area of peace I could do with  in my life.

Now can you believe all that came from one person’s referral? But that is what happens when you truly let go and let God take over your job or your business or in my case, what we call my practice. I know it’s not “me”, knowing me or listening to me. But I do know what a kick it is when someone you have invested in time wise and caring wise,  starts saying back to you all the things you have said to them because  now they are reaching out, most people for the first time. Are they so surprised when nobody bites their hand off!  Yes, they are surprised, but now they have experienced that “rush”. I would not equate it, because that would be so wrong-but Paul even spoke about this “rush” this feeling of incredible peace, love and goodwill that comes over you when you have shared Jesus and  of course it makes you want to do it again, and again.  It works, you know, time in, time out, regardless of the industry of the moment, the state of our union and the state of the people of the United States. They can try and ban everything, but what they can not ban is in each believers’ heart–that alone is going to keep believers going during the bad, hard times coming.

And then there was another connection I made through LinkedIn.  Just someone I ran across, saw the picture and the business and God said connect with her.  So I sent out an invitation and forgot about it. She called me Monday and let me know that she had been out of town, but now was back and could we talk? I spoke with her abut 4-5 min, when all of a sudden, she loudly said  STOP!, just STOP!  of course I did, I wondered, what had I said or done wrong this time?  I should have more faith in the Master and what He is about or I would not have thought that. Here is what she said. “Can I just tell you that 2 weeks ago, I prayed –I prayed for God to send me someone to help me. Someone with wisdom, who understood my business.” She continued ” I need help in knowing what direction to go, I need to get back to God and so many other things, Are you that person? And you are a Christian too? ” I answered, “yes and yes”. Deciding that we had much more to talk about than just a nice phone conversation, we arranged to meet for lunch.  I must say, I don’t ever think I have had a 2 1/2 hr lunch before, but it was marvelous, wonderful, and amazing. For the first time, I was speaking to someone who had really done some walking in my shoes in term of her personal life and her business life. Of course I can’t go into any details except to say that there is no doubt on our parts that God Himself put us together.  What was wonderful is her immediate commitment to some times and events that  will make such a difference in her life. Follow through is everything.

So you see why I might be excited all the time? I wish I were not so wordy, I would share more incredible connections that happened the week before. But I think I have said enough that if you want the same connections and excitement over what you are doing, You have to seek the Lord first. And when you have done that and trusted Him and the blessings start to flow, you know you are on the right path-you are at peace at last-which is just what you wanted all along.

PHILIPPIANS –The Love Book–finishing up the 1st Chapter

Oh Beloved ones! I have tried once, twice again to write, but have just been delayed in doing so. I have to believe when that happens, I am to wait to write. My Master who knows all things may be changing the circumstances, timing, days, people who knows what?, but  when He is ready, then I am ready. I have spent the last several weeks almost in a state of constant excitement and anticipation. I wake up like that and I go to bed very late because of that; I am looking and listening, reading the Word and communing with my Lord God. I went back to Philippians where I didn’t finish what I was exactly writing about. There are so many great passages in Philippians to quote from that, that is all you would get, so I am picking out the pieces of scripture in the book that mean so much to me, but I would urge you to read and study Philippians on your own as well–you might have a whole different way that means something to you that God speak to you through.

In the body of the first chapter, Paul is doing exactly what I do in bad, poor, horrible or otherwise situations: He is telling the Philippians that the fact that he is in jail is actually a good thing. It truly is, because he has shared the gospel throughout the jail and with all of the palace guard, which is probably the only way he would have been able to share.  He has told everyone that he has no care for comforts-that one place is as surely good as another. Paul’s whole concentration was on spreading the gospel of  Jesus Christ–just as it must be my concentration. Time is short, and yet there are so many who do not know Him! I would ask you this–at the very least you can share the Lord Jesus  within your sphere of friends and family.  I would hope and pray that you would do it because you loved them and because you believe the Father and Son and Holy Spirit when they say there  is hell yet for those who will not be reconciled.

Then Paul gives us some very important truths starting with verse 19. A long passage so I am cherry picking the verses to write:

I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance…I will not be ashamed but will have sufficient courage and hope that Christ will be exalted whether by life or by death. For me to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am go on living, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I chose? I do not know! I desire to depart and be with Christ, but it is more necessary for you that I remain…Whatever happens…stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. For you will be saved–and that by God. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to  believe on Him,  but also to suffer for Him.

I will stop there at the end of chapter 1. You see what I mean? There is so much for us to understand and look forward to. I think    what was brought to my attention today,  is to remind everyone that the time is short and running out. I too sometimes long for the everlasting arms of Jesus–to be able to be in His presence and worship and not have to stop for one thing or another. Yet I too have those who need me here. God isn’t finished with me yet. Unfortunately, He still has so much work to do on me, but I am so grateful for my salvation and my relationship with Him. I never knew you could truly have a relationship with God like this. I was told that He would speak to me through scripture, but He uses many, many more avenues than that! When He wants to talk to you and you don’t want to, it is not worth it to fight it! Because of course, The Lord God Almighty always wins at everything. But I promise that whatever His Plan is, it’s better than yours–because you can’t see the future and He can. Because He has planned your future so that you can be completely fulfilled, knowing you are loved unconditionally by the King Of the Universe. 

I must address the last little phrase of the text.  As I have read a lot the last week, I have noticed once again how very often Christians are suffering. At first I thought, it’s just a new church, they will get used to it. Then there was the massive pulling away from Christ altogether as we seem to be doing in America now, and certainly Europe is anything but Christian.  And now in many countries people are dying for their faith or they are suffering because of that faith. In  1st Peter 4:16, Peter says if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. Oh Beloved ones! there are so many who will be shocked on that day of judgement! Proverbs 11:30-31 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise. If the righteous receive their due on earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner!  or put another way in  1st Peter 4:18  If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?  We are living in interesting, exciting times. As I have said before, just look in the newspaper and look in your Bible…It’s coming…our day…but in the meantime, love people, see them as Jesus saw the-lost sheep without a shepherd. Know in your heart, that for those left behind, there truly may not be another chance. So don’t sit back, relax and read a book.  Get up, get dressed, get out there! Make a difference in someone’s life -not just now, but eternally!

It’s Been A Whole Week!

It has been a whole week since a post from me! Beloved ones, it is not because I wanted it that way, it was that part of the week I was really sick again with the asthma. My precious Lord told 5 people to call me that day to pray for me! I was so surprised!  Each one knew I was ill, but not with what and that they were to pray and so they did. This was Tuesday. It was very difficult because I needed to work–I had made good calls the day before but Tuesday is always followup day. I had been up twice during the night to use my nebulizer 1 am and then at 5-never went back to sleep–knew my breathing was really diminished. I had called the doctor and was told to go back up to 60 mg of prednisone and keep using the neb. I did work all day but God was so good to me. He literally  dropped in my lap 2 people who were great fits for 2 new searches that I had been asked to work with another associate out of Indianapolis. She is going to present them to the client on Monday and I am so glad for her! She seems to be a fine partner, thinks like I do–it’s not guaranteed that every time you get asked to do something by another team, that the relationship will be trustworthy or that you will even like one another! So I am grateful on many counts.

So let’s go back a week to Jeremiah 17:12 Notice the order here-praising and worshipping first, then requesting. 

A glorious throne, exalted from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary.   O Lord, the hope of  Israel, all who forsake you will be put to shame.  Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust because they have forsaken the Lord, the Spring of Living Water.  Heal me,  O Lord, and I will be healed, save me and I will be saved, for you are the  one I praise.

Now everybody don’t get excited all at once! I have prayed for healing before now and I have been prayed for and over. I do believe that I am healed, that it may not manifest itself for awhile or while I am here on this earth.  My Lord and I have done a lot of talking about my body, what’s been wrong with it all  my life, what I am doing now, what I can expect in the future. I really don’t have all the answers except for this. I trust my Lord and Father God with everything that I have and I am. He uses the illnesses or attacks or crazy things I catch to put me in the right place, at the right time, to speak with a particular person-that apparently I needed to be the one to do the sharing and the reaping which is so much fun! I would rather talk about Jesus and all that He has done and is doing not just for me but for so many that I know about–than  just about anything else  I can think of!   I do have to be careful though, there are other things to speak of than Jesus and my work  I know-and I can’t be a good friend, good family member, good at anything else if I don’t pay close attention when needed and wanted.

I did want to say thank you to those 5 people who called me on Tues when I was so sick and the Lord told you to call and pray for me. I was sick and terribly afraid I was going to have to go back to the Hospital and stay again. But God honored your obedience in calling and praying and He answered by keeping me out of the hospital and I was able to work through it.

 This week He made some people who have needed jobs for over a year, or wanted a particular position with a particular company, or always worked toward a company with a future and a position of authority –these people were all happy tonight this week, and today yes it is 3 in the morning. I was so privileged to be a part of all of it. It is one of the reasons I do work hard.

so I  say  Thank you Jesus!                                      

Two Nights Without Asthma Issues! Prayers Answered! What A Wonderful Life!

My puppy dog likes to get up at six and if I haven’t already gotten up at 5 or 5:30, for sure I am up at 6. This gives me time to read the Word that the Lord has for me and some wonderful devotionals that I get online. Today’s messages were so strong that I felt I couldn’t wait all day to write what the Lord was saying to me. Bear with me, I am going to be in two different books and it doesn’t even look like they could be related, but they are, so stick with me.

My first reading was out of Jeremiah. I started in Chapter 16 and read through 23. I am not going to write out all of that this morning.  But there were little jewels in each chapter to shine the light on; to bring to the forefront because of the world we are living in. I think it is the most exciting time in history because every time you open a newspaper you can see prophecy being revealed as all of the things that God has said would take place are actually happening.  The first verse in chapter 16 refers to the remnant being gathered together to form the nation of Israel one last time. God says He is restoring them to the land He gave their Fathers. But He is talking future, because right now He is very angry with them and going to scatter them by the hand of the king of Babylon. Jeremiah does write at the end of that first chapter:

O Lord, my strength and my fortress, my refuge in time of distress, to you the nations will come from the ends of the earth and say, ” Our fathers possessed nothing but false gods, worthless idols that did them no good.  Do men make their own gods?  Yes, but they are not gods!” THEREFORE I WILL TEACH THEM, THIS TIME I WILL TEACH THEM MY POWER AND MIGHT. THEN THEY WILL KNOW THAT MY NAME IS THE LORD.

I would say that at such a time as this in our own nation, we should be coming to Him or ours will also go the way of the other nations that have scorned the Lord God Almighty.

In chapter 17, there were some special truths that stuck out at me this morning. Starting in verse 7  through 10

But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water  that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.  The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.

Wow that says a lot in just 4 verses. First for me, it was convicting. Am I like the tree planted by the water. I know that water can be the word of the Lord God and yes, I am planted right next to it every day. But am I planted financially so that I don’t fear when heat (hard times) come? No, not any longer. However the lack of that has made me throw my total trust upon the Lord for His care and providence and I know that I have that every day, just as I see fruit of my witness every day. Did I always? Oh no, not at all.

And last but not least what God says about the heart! Oh, do I know it!! I have to keep a close eye on that heart of mine. It would like to act any way it wanted to anytime it wanted to-read whatever, see whatever movie or play or even TV show. But God has shown me that certain ones aren’t good for me. They may not bother the next person at all. For me though, they take my focus away from Him and of course that is not good for either of us. When The Lord is speaking to me about something I need to let go of –of course He has already examined my mind and heart and knows it all, yet I  sometimes still pretend,…”What are you talking about Lord, did I know do this and this? and now you want this?” But truthfully we both know I know exactly what He is talking about. What I have found out is that is it much simpler to just say Yes Lord. Obedience does bring its own rewards I have learned.

I see that I am going to have to skip over to Philippians as otherwise I would be writing so many words no one would read anything. I’ll come back to Jeremiah tomorrow and finish up.

Oh the precious book of Philippians! It was the first book study I ever did and so remains special in my heart. I know I won’t complete what I want to say about it either today and so will hope to finish it tomorrow with Jeremiah.

In the first chapter, verse 6 Paul starts with a very important verse. In fact, I base my life on this verse and then 9-11

Be confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus… And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with fruit of righteousness that come through Jesus Christ –to the glory and praise of God.

So now you know exactly why I was not afraid I was going to die of that pulmonary embolism I had in July nor of the asthma attack I had this week or of anything else that Satan may throw at me because I stand for Christ, my Savior. He has given me a task that is yet undone and so I will be here at least that long. The prayer that Paul prays is also certainly mine, just at Phil 6:19 is. (we’ll get there again) God is teaching me,  Himself and through organized formal Bible study, through my pastor, through my experiences-depth of knowledge and depth of insight-just what is good and pure and blameless. Who I should listen to, who I should give to in their neediness, who I should mentor? Discerning comes from that heart that God has examined and hopefully in my case, cleaned up enough to discern correctly HIS desires, not mine, not even my good inclinations because God’s desires, inclinations are perfect.

I  must stop here. There is so much more I would share, I thought I would have time to talk about what the great and mighty God is doing just in every day life connections for me so that I can continue helping others, but not today. Sounds like a long post tomorrow, doesn’t it! Well read what you can. Come back when you can. Know that you are beloved of the Lord God.