Tag Archives: blessings

Oct6

How They Have Ministered To Me…

Posted on by
Standard

Our Drama Team is my passion from God!!

Sometimes, I can’t even express…

How much of a blessing they are to me!

Here’s an English essay written by one of our newest Drama Team members, about practice at our church’s Warehouse…

He said,

“On Friday nights…

You won’t find me at home, but instead, at a Warehouse…

This isn’t any old, smelly Warehouse, but one filled with love, joy, and, of course, delicious snacks!

Every Friday night our Drama Team meets at this Warehouse…

This Drama Team is a church ministry, led by several dedicated leaders, including two teachers at my Christian school.

Along with drama, Improv is another thing we do that fills the Warehouse with laughter!

But, drama is not all fun and games.

It’s exercise and hard work…

But I’m enjoying it!

Drama Team practice provides me with Christian friends and fellowship.

It’s pleasing to God, because we minister to others, and praise Him at the same time.

Arrive early, so you can socialize!!

As soon as drama begins, a song is selected and played, which will start worship time.

Worship time is “God’s Time…”

It’s when we go to a spot of our choice, in the Warehouse, and individually praise God during the song.

Usually this is a tranquil time, depending on who gets to choose the song, and what type of song is selected!

After the song ends, we all get in a circle, and pray for prayer requests…

And we thank God for praise reports!

When we’re finished, we begin practicing for our human video drama.

In this type of drama, a person or group of people, performs silently to a song, and acts out the words with motions.

We need patience in order to learn the motions, because our leaders usually revise them, and revise them!

During practice it is important that we don’t disrupt our leaders.

In addition to these weekly practices, the last Friday of every month, also includes Improv…

Improv is spontaneous, unscripted acting…usually comedic.

I like this drama ministry for several reasons:

I find enjoyment by acting out the words of the song using motions, and I’m getting good exercise… 

I love meeting with other Christian friends…

Whether they’re home schooled, or from private and public schools.

           This drama ministry is pleasing to God…

And He led me to this drama team to minister to others.

We encourage believers and unbelievers, when we minister in our communities…

God’s pleased when I spend time with other Christians…

And when we praise Him during our community outreaches…

So, if you’re bored on Friday nights, come and meet us, and God, at The Warehouse!!

And while you’re there…

Meet our dedicated leaders…

Participate in drama and Improv…

Get lots of exercise…

Enjoyment…

And a chance to visit with other Christians!

Also, be prepared to minister and praise God.”

I love this, don’t you???

I’m blessed, right?

After looking back on all my years…

I know the Lord has given me the ability to see God-given potential in everyone!

I always find something I love about every person…

And I care enough to “water” (encourage) those beautiful “seeds” with love, to watch them grow for the Lord!

I treat all people (kids, teens, young adults…whoever) as if they’re sitting right next to me in a pew at church…

And I ask myself, “How would I treat them, there?”

Well, of course, I would treat them as Jesus would…

With love and compassion!

I believe visitors in church, may have come in with a crisis…

And need to be “loved on,” not judged!

I believe people in this world just don’t know yet who to turn to, with their crisis.

So we can’t respond to them with judgement…

We were in that same place once, also!

I can’t stressed that enough…

We were ALL there, too!!

We’re not better!!

We’ve been there…Done that!

And then, Jesus picked us up!

I know I’m the one God is sending, at the exact moment I meet them, to point the “Way” to Jesus!!

And many times…

Without even saying a word!!

So whether I’m teaching, writing, ministering, directing our Drama Team, working with little children, spending time with the elderly, praying for prayer requests, loving on family and friends…

It’s all about “Shining”

So they can see Jesus!!

I’m confident in Him!!

That the “seeds” He plants will grow and blossom!!

You can be, too!

Bless someone to be blessed!

Go ahead…love on someone TODAY!

Make their Day!

Oct4

Good Morning, Super-Size Me!

Posted on by
Standard

Stop!  Listen to Mandisa’s “Good Morning”

Good Morning, God!

Help!

I pray this simple prayer today…

Are you there?

“Yes…”

I have Super-Sized dreams…

I need a Super-Sized God…

I need Super-Sized blessings…

I want a Super-Sized anointing to do Your work…

Super-Increase my influence for you…

I love you  Lord, give me a Super-Sized life in You!!

Amen!

“Done!!

Use My finger to write your life…your Super-Sized life!

If you’re searching for me…I’m right here…

For now and into eternity…

Your Super-Sized dreams are doable…easy for Me!

Your blessings will be Super-Sized…and your favor with others, also!

The anointing on You will be Super-Sized…and I’ll give you wisdom and understanding, too!

I’d be happy to Super-Increase your influence for Me…

Here Are My Words…”

“And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.  And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God.  Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field.  Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock.  Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl… “ Deuteronomy 28:1-68   (ESV)

 “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us…”  Ephesians 3:20   (ESV)

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.”  Psalm 23:5   (ESV)

Thank you, Lord…now, is there anything I can do for you?

“Yes!

Go!

Into all the world…

And have a Great Morning!”

Oct3

Reasons To Try Church Again!!

Posted on by
Standard

So…last week…my dear friend, hairdresser, fellow believer, and I were talking about Jesus…

As we do, non-stop, during each of my hair appointments!

And it occurred to me that as far as church goes…

My life seems to have worked out in twenty-year spans of time…

For the first twenty years, I grew up in church…

Loved God…But rode the fence…

During the second twenty years, I went to no church…

I slipped away…Burned-out on religion…My life became all about ME…

And, in life, we always live with the consequences of our own decisions…

Even after God has forgiven  us…And we’ve forgiven ourselves…

In the last twenty years, I came back to church…

It seemed cruel to raise my son in this world without faith…And it brought a deep desire to be closer to God each day…

Relationship, Relationship, Relationship!!

How about your life?”

My dear hairdresser said:  “My life has been very different.  I have not known the Lord my whole life.  I grew up in Catholic School, and  in a ‘non-practicing’ home.  I knew who God was, but I did not ‘know’ Him, I had no relationship with Him.  At 40 yrs old, and spiritually sunk, my younger sister lovingly said, ‘Maybe you oughta go to church.’  I didn’t know it then, but God was already working on my heart, and a few short weeks later, on Easter Sunday, I received Christ as my Lord and Savior!  WooHoo!  Since then (5 yrs), I have been on quite a journey growing in the Lord!  GOD ROCKS!!”

So, we decided to list our reasons to try church again!

My reasons to try a Bible-believing, Spirit-filled Church:

1.  It’s a place where the same language is spoken…God’s Love!

Acceptance and encouragement…Not rejection or judgement…

2.  It’s a place where fellowship with believers is an anchor…

Like a family during good times…And a support system during a crisis…

3.  It’s a place where we can hear from God…

It’s a sanctuary…And His still, small voice can get through to us…

4.  It’s a place where we can be discipled…

A new Christian needs guidance…And church is where we learn about classes, courses, conferences, and camps…

About dynamic spiritual leaders, and about being where spiritual experiences are welcomed, and most powerful…

About anointed worship music, drama, books, etc. to lead a victorious life…

5.  It’s a place to see miracles…

Where changed lives can, and do happen…Where physical, spiritual, and emotional healing occurs…

“But how can people call on Him if they have not believed in Him?  How can they believe in Him if they have not heard His message? How can they hear if no one tells them the Good News?”  Romans 10:14  (God’s Word Translation)

Her reasons to try a Bible-believing, Spirit-filled Church:

1.)  You can be introduced to Jesus there and grow closer in a RELATIONSHIP with Him.

2.)  Worship!!  Worship!!  Worship!!  Sing Praises to the King!  (Can you tell I’m a Worshiper?!)  We are all made to Worship the Lord!

3.)  To hear and grow in the Word of the Lord ~ The KNOWLEDGE of the Truth will set you FREE!!  FREE!!  FREE!

4.)  Fellowship with other Believer’s, and building relationships with others, where you can encourage, and you can be encouraged

5.)  Recharging your “spiritual” batteries….day to day life can get hard, so for me, it is a day to be RECHARGED!  “Stoking the Fire”

6.)  Your Gifts can be developed, and you can grow in your Destiny

7.)  Miracles!  I agree with you, I have definitely seen miracles, since I have been in Church……Go God!!  This is a definite Faith Builder!

Not all churches are “filled with hypocrites!”  Find a church with sincere believers of Christ, and become one of them!

Right,  I think if you asked everyone who loves “meeting” Jesus on Sunday Mornings (and/or nights) in their church there would be many more reasons 🙂

We need to grow up!  Let’s not be babies!  We can’t base our life on other people…

It’s about being followers of Jesus…

Do what God asks YOU to do…

I feel more free now than ever before….

The Spiritual realm is so liberating!

All my decisions are made with God…

That means I receive God’s favor…

I’ve found that:

No church=no foundation or plan…

No purpose in my life…

Because I wasn’t focused on God…

I was doing fine:  Married, teaching, had a house, cars, vacations, etc.

But, something was missing…

I lived a random life, like the little silver ball in a pinball game, constantly bouncing off things, and never really going anywhere…

There’s a special place inside of each of us that ONLY Jesus can fill…

I knew it, but fought it for a long time…

Maybe you know it, too!!

I read this article by Alex Bryant, who serves as college and young adults pastor at First Assembly of God in Fort Myers, Fla., titled: “Pirate or Marine?”  In the Pentecostal Evangel dated October 1, 2012…here’s an excerpt…

Are you a Christian pirate or a Christian marine?

“When Christ sets us free, we should make it our life goal to see as many other people as we can (as a matter of fact, everyone we know) attain the same freedom!

What if you were out hiking with a few friends and all of you fell into a hole in the ground. You’re all screaming and calling out for help, then along comes a stranger and pulls just you out of the hole. Once you were freed from the hole and back on the path, would you run off celebrating, leaving your friends trapped back in the hole? Of course not! You would be happy that you were freed, but you would stick around and help your friends out, not resting until each of them was back on the path, free from the pit of despair.

The same is true with God. You have to understand that God wants you involved with His goal of reconciling others to Him!

“So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, ‘Come back to God!'” (2 Corinthians 5:20, NLT).

All followers of Christ who have been set free are called to represent Him.  We are free to act like Him and carry His message of reconciliation to the lost. Christ is making His appeal to others through us…Christian marines who know, His mandate is to ‘Leave No Man Behind!”

Are you living by that standard? Or are you too preoccupied with enjoying your freedom to think of others? Are you a Christian pirate who realizes others are still in bondage, but you’re too busy with your own life, and you’re living by the decree, ‘He Who Falls Behind Gets Left Behind?’ God help us!”

I’m urgently praying no one falls behind…I’m praying you’ll try again…

Jesus waits with open arms…

It’s all about you and Him, not anyone else…

 Ask, “What’s your plan for me, Lord?”

Then sit back and wait…

Watching His plan unfold…

Instead of constantly striving for  ourselves…

By ourselves…

Decisions made with God are better than those made without Him…

The Creator of the Universe is making my decisions…

His best decisions are for me and my family!

How cool is that?

And how easy for me!

You don’t NEED a church to find God…

You can find God anywhere…

All the time…

He knows who you are…

And exactly where you are at all times…

But…

His Church is the Bride of Christ…

There’s a wedding to prepare for…

Get ready…

The wedding is the beginning of forever with Christ…

Go back to church to get your wedding garments on…

And the oil of the Holy Spirit in your lamps…

The Bridegroom is coming back for a blemish-free, prepared Church…

Will you be ready when He comes?

Is there a reason not to be a part of His Church???

I’d be interested to know what’s keeping you away…

“Let us rejoice and exult and give Him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure, for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’  And he said to me, ‘These are the true words of God.’”  Revelation 19:7-9  NIV

I’m going to be at this wedding!!

I’m praying you’re there, too!

Sep30

Trash Day!

Posted on by
Standard

 

 

There’s just no room in my house for junk anymore….

So at the start of this summer, I was determined to give up a lot of my old stuff…

We, (meaning my son, of course!  Ha!  Without his help, we can do nothing!) had to cart it all out…

Trash (STUFF!) we didn’t need…

And…Have a Garage Sale…UGH!!!

It was hard work…It was hot and humid…We had to force ourselves to part with some of the things…They were no longer serving a useful purpose to us…It was time to get rid of them….But it was exhausting!  Whew!

Apparently, in the ten years we’ve lived in FL, we’ve had no will-power over our constant accumulation of STUFF!!  Seems we couldn’t resist buying and hoarding things to decorate our new home…

But, truthfully, we brought most of our excess stuff  here from our life in NJ, and didn’t realize we didn’t need them in our new life…

Me, in particular!

Long-sleeve dresses, pants, boots, winter coats, gloves, hats, scarves…and on and on…

And also, clothes my son no longer wore…

Tons of junk in the attic…

We had just hung on to them for no good reason…

Eventually, our treasures from NJ, became our trash here in FL…

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  Matthew 6:21   NIV

So, after I completed my Minister’s courses in March last year, after my permanent substituting job was over in mid-April, after my son’s graduation from college at the end of April, after we spent quality time with my husband’s cousins while they were visiting, after our vacation at the beach, after I completed my courses to renew my FL Teaching Certificate, and after I purged and cleaned my house…

I decided we needed to have a garage sale!!

I called it “Trash Day!”

We looked through cabinets, in drawers, in boxes, on shelves, or through things hanging in closets…things too small, too large, too ugly, too whatever!  We sorted and hunted for unused stuff in every nook and canny of our house:  Kitchen, family room, dining room, bedrooms, bathrooms, den, lanai, garage, attic, and then outside…

For stuff that needed to go elsewhere…

Our trash!

I was adamant that NOTHING we put in the garage sale was going to come back into this house!!!  Anything left was going to go to Goodwill!

Yipee!!  Everything’s gone!!  My house is in order…I don’t miss any of  it…I don’t even remember now what I had.  There was so much…and as we were pulling it all out of its hiding places, all of it landed on our dining room table for a few days ’til the garage sale started…

It was such a huge pile…

That looking at all that junk in one place made me sick!!

After we come to Jesus…

After we’re filled with God’s Holy Spirit…

He takes the trash out…

It’s like the Holy Spirit says, “Oh look, they want to serve Jesus…It’s time to help them clean house!”

We can’t try to clean it out ourselves…

We need His help…Without God we can do nothing!!

He takes away the desire to bring all that trash back into our “house'”again…

The stuff from our old life, that we don’t need in our new life anymore!!

When we’re filled daily to over-flowing, we have more power to resist the enemy’s temptations to accumulate  junk in our lives…

We’ll know we’re due for a refilling of the Holy Spirit, when we can’t seem to get rid of the trash…

When we hoard it…

When it builds up and chokes us…

It’s piled so high, it makes us sick…

It separates us from God…

The reason for each of us individually to have a very real and personal relationship with Jesus Christ is that we need to hear directly from Him concerning those things that are trash in our lives…

Those things that are obstacles to the abundant life He has planned for us…

Obstacles, separating us from our Father…

For instance…I like sugar, but it makes my blood sugar level go up so high that I get very disoriented.  My body is personally telling ME,  not to eat sugary foods.  You can tell me to stop all you want, but until I personally feel it confirmed in my body, I won’t listen to you.

Because it’s something I love…

I don’t want to give it up!

I can choose not to listen to my body, but my health will suffer…

Trash in our lives is like that…Only God’s Holy Spirit can make us desire to give it up…

So, when we ask Jesus to take control of our life…

That gives the Holy Spirit permission to help us…

Give it up!

Cart it out!

Sin is trash we don’t need!

Trusted spiritual leaders can confirm truths to us…But, only the Holy Spirit can convict us and convince us…

We need to hear from God personally about when it’s “Trash Day” at our house, and in our hearts!

Obey…

Take it out…

Of our lives forever…

Let it all go!

We can choose not to listen, but our spiritual condition will suffer…

Our relationship with God will suffer…

“But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all Truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come.” John 16:13   NIV

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.”  Proverbs 14:12   NIV

Give it up!

It’s “Trash Day!”

What do we have to “trash?”

Things from our “old life” that take up too much of our time?

Replace them with time to go to the gym…

Or, to go to a Bible study…

God stretches us out of our comfort zones…

It feels uncomfortable…

Sometimes it’s exhausting!

It’s just like when I go to my chiropractor and get aligned…

My back hurts the next day…

It’s not used to being aligned correctly…

We must sort the things in our lives carefully…

We can’t give up real treasures…The things of real value…The things for eternity…

We’ll end up regretting it…

The Joy of the Lord is our strength…

Keep that Joy…

The Holy Spirit convinces us of the things that need to stay…

Our relationship with Jesus…

The eternal value our relationships with family, friends, co-workers, even our beloved pets…

Things that bring Joy…

But, the trash needs to go…

What do you need the Holy Spirit to trash in your life?

Sep27

Fly The Friendly Skies Of “The Holy Spirit Airlines!”

Posted on by
Standard

               Our Destination:  Heaven…

Who are we going to live with?  God…

Who’s on this flight?  Those who are saved and ready to go to Heaven…

Who has a ticket?  Everyone…

Who paid the price?  Jesus…

How did He pay the price?  He died for us…

This is a devotional about the Holy Spirit for our Drama Team that the Lord gave me, waking me up at 3 am to write it all down, as is His usual way of doing things!!  Ha!

Picture this He said:  “People are on a huge commercial airliner flying to Heaven…

I’m the Pilot…

I’m the Only Way to get there…

I’m going to get everyone there safely, but there’s work to be done on the way to Heaven…

In the Coach section are all those who are saved, those who have given their hearts to Me…

The First Class section, positioned right behind Me, are all those filled with My Holy Spirit…”

“Is there a difference, Lord in the two sections?”  I asked…

“Yes, there’s a big difference,” He replied…

“Lord, I’ve never flown First Class, I can’t afford the price!  But, if someone paid the price for me, I wouldn’t refuse it!  Why would I???

I wouldn’t chose to stay in the Coach section, where it’s more crowded, it’s loud, has only peanuts to eat, has tiny bathrooms, and no way to rest peacefully,”  I mentioned…

“I’d love to get an upgrade to First Class!  Where there’s more leg room, better food, more pampering, nice cozy blankets and pillows, peace and quiet, a joyful ride, a place to put your feet up and really relax!!

How can I do that Lord, when I can’t pay for it?”  I asked…

“It’s easy, I already paid the price, just trust your Pilot!” He said…

“Who are those on the ground, Lord?”  I asked…

“Those are the people who don’t know Me yet!”  He said sadly…

‘You mean sinners, Lord?”  I asked…

“I like to think of them as those who haven’t heard yet, how much I love them,”  He answered…

“They’re carrying so much baggage, Lord,”  I commented…

“Yes, I told them I would carry ALL of it for them, but they don’t believe Me yet.  That’s some of the work we need to do on our way to Heaven…

Go and tell them:  Leave your baggage at home…

No cargo space is needed on this plane that goes to Heaven…

No carry-on luggage space needed either…

Only the essentials are needed on board…that you know Me, My Father, and His  Holy Spirit…”

It’s a “No Brainer!”

I Believe In The Holy Spirit!

If someone wanted to bless me with a gift of a First Class airline ticket…what would I do…DUH!

Take it and fly!!!!

In Coach…I’d be comfortable, but would I be soaring???  I’d only be thinking about my own comfort, or lack of it!

In First Class you can roam around the cabin, socialize, fellowship, witness, sleep restfully…

You can even go back and talk to those in Coach…

You can encourage them…

That they, too, can get a ticket to First Class by being filled with the Holy Spirit…

Or, before you even get on the plane, you can inspire, and encourage, those still on the ground to lay down their baggage…

And board the plane to Heaven…

They may want what you have, but they thought they couldn’t pay the price either…

But, if they know Jesus, they can…

And, why just fly Coach, when Jesus paid the price for you to fly First Class…

Where you’ve been given the authority and power of your Pilot…

The privilege to sit up front closer to Him…

The safest place to be is right behind our Lord!

Where He can fight your battles for you…

Where you have boldness to witness to others…

In the right seat (position) to pamper (love on) others!

Get off the plane at the next stop…find out how to serve God…

He’s filled you to overflowing with His Joy…

Go spread some around wherever you go, to those on the ground…

And bring them back on board with you…

The First Class section should be the biggest section on board the plane to Heaven…

Coach should just be a holding station, ’til they too, are filled with God’s Holy Spirit…

No one should be left on the ground…

Everyone should come to know Jesus…

And get on board!

The baptism in the Holy Spirit is a gift…

Don’t Return the Gift!

It’s a gift you “re-gift” by telling everyone else about it!

The Holy Spirit…moving in our churches for corporate worship, or in our individual lives for power…

The Book of Acts…tongues as of fire…a rushing mighty wind…

I believe in it all…because that’s what it feels like…that’s what it looks like!

I know from experience it’s for me today, and for you too!

Pray to God the Father for the infilling of His Holy Spirit…worship the Giver, and He will give you the Gift.

And because it’s a gift…just take it!  Jesus rose and went to Heaven, so He could send His Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth…He’s our Comforter…

Eccles. 4:1  “…I saw the tears of the oppressed–and they have no comforter…”

Why not want ALL that our gracious Heavenly Father has prepared for us?

His Son is our glorious Savior, we can be filled with His righteousness…

And His Holy Spirit is our Comforter and our Counselor…

Power to witness, to lead a pure life, and to be filled with His Joy…

Ask for it!  Receive it!  Live it!

It’s like being born all over again!

It’s a redo!

Starting from scratch!

Reborn!   To live with Joy now!

A changed life…a changed attitude…

In the blink of an eye…generational curses broken, weakness turned to strength, sickness turned to health, anointed to witness, with wisdom and understanding…

It’s crazy!

Yes, “Crazy Love!”  (****Read Frances Chan’s book, “Crazy Love”)

Be a follower of Jesus!  “Not A Fan!”  (****Read Kyle Idelman’s book, “Not A Fan”)

It’s having the ultimate Friend!    (****Listen to, “I Am A Friend Of God” by Israel Houghton)

With God’s Holy Spirit in you…you have it all…everything that Jesus has, you have…  (****Read John Bevere’s book, “Relentless”)

Upgrade…

It’s like your insides got a car wash!!  And your outside looks shinier!!

The beauty of this upgrade??

Free access to the Pilot (JESUS!) who’s taking you to Heaven!

Favor with God…pampering, healing…

How to receive this?  Accept it!  It’s a gift!

Tell the Lord, you’re movin’ on up!!

Relax, take your shoes off, put on your slippers, read, study, watch TV, stick in your ear buds and listen to your favorite music…everything has been prepared for you…so you don’t have to DO anything!

Someone else is carrying your load for you!

A pillow is placed under your head…cool beverages are offered…delectable treats are brought to you…

Then, have restful sleep, no annoyances, loud sounds, silly chatter…slip on Jesus’ robe of righteousness…be covered with the cozy blanket of His love.

Decide to take the First Class airplane ride to Heaven…Coach is good, and will get you to your destination, but First Class gets you there in style…

And, when you pray for the (First Class) Holy Spirit..know that it IS God’s perfect will for you!

For you to go up to the next level in serving God…

Bringing no baggage with you…

To change the world…

We need a larger First Class…

A smaller Coach section…

And less people left on the ground…

Get on!  Jesus is flying this plane!

And Oh, what amenities His Holy Spirit has provided for you!!

Sep19

A Sermon Not Spoken In “Church-ese!”

Posted on by
Standard

You know, in the language only “church” people can understand…

words like propitiation, sanctification, redemption, Rapture, Armageddon, etc.

God’s Story

The Father

God created everything…

Man sinned…

God sent a Great Flood…

His Chosen people wandered…

His Prophets were ignored…

The Son

God sent His Son…

Because He loves us…

Jesus was born..

He healed the sick…

He died on the Cross…

To save us from Man’s sin…

He rose from the dead…

He ascended to Heaven…

He’s coming back…

Be ready for eternity…

The Holy Spirit

God sent His Comforter to live IN us…

To fill us with JOY…

To let others know about Him…

It’s so simple…Let’s not complicate it!

Sep16

Preach it, Sister!

Posted on by
Standard

On Thursday, I received my first piece of mail addressed to “Rev.”

I feel blessed beyond belief!

I’ve been working on courses for my Licensed Minister’s Certificate for approximately 11 years!!

On Saturday, September 29th, 2012, I’m going to be commissioned!

I’ve been working on it while I was…..

Teaching full-time in NJ…

Raising my son…

Caring for my parents…

Directing Vacation Bible School in the summers…

Coordinating  Girls Club on Wednesdays…

Taking courses for my Master’s Degree…

Selling and packing up my Mom’s house, and our house in NJ…

Moving all of us to FL…

Teaching Kids Church in our new church in FL…

And Wednesday night Kids Club…

Speaking at women’s meetings…

Taking care of my Mom and her health problems before she passed away…

Taking courses to renew my FL Teaching Certificate…

Substituting, and going back to work part-time…

Etc., etc., etc…

And I’m finally finished!!!  Amen!  And Praise God!!

My family is full of minister’s…My uncle was my pastor when I was growing up…many of my cousins are pastor’s of churches or ministers of music.  Our e-mail and phone prayer networking is amazing…when we pray, things happen in Heaven!!

I started taking one course at my church in NJ with a group of people, and one class led to another, and then another…courses such as “Life of Christ,” Introduction to Theology,” Marriage and Family,” “Sermon Preparation,” “Soul Winning,” “How to Study the Bible,” “Biblical Theology of Prayer,” and “Missions.”

I loved it!

Then, when we got to FL, no one else was taking courses at my church, so I did a few by myself.  But, when Hurricane Charlie hit us…and things in our house turned to destruction, I lost track of my books, which got shoved back in the deep corners of my closet!  I had just finished “New Testament Survey,”  and had gotten several chapters done in “Old Testament Survey.”

It was a bad place to get distracted, because that’s a difficult course…so many names to remember, and lots of “begats.”  Ha!

So, after we recovered completely from the aftermath of renovation after the hurricane, several years had gone by, and I finally retrieved my “Old Testament Survey” textbooks from their hiding place.

Dear Jesus, what am I supposed to do now?  Should I finish this, or just forget it!

Clearly, He said, “Finish it!  And keep going!!”

I don’t really know what God has planned…

In directing our Drama Team, and preparing devotionals each week…I work with kids, youth, and young adults, and their parents all the time, in Kids Church I teach Bible lessons and object lessons.  In evaluating home schoolers with my FL Teaching Certificate, I work with two Christian home schooling groups.  So perhaps the Lord will just have me continue with these…

Whatever, He decides…I trust Him to finish within me what He started!  Amen!

I’ve already been asked by a friend and her husband to renew their wedding vows…how special is that???

My thought on preaching?

“You preach you burn…You teach you learn.”  So I’m blessed to be able to teach, so I can learn…and to remember I’m preaching to myself first, so I won’t burn!!  Ha!

Those of you that have started something for the Lord, and feel like giving up…don’t!!

Be patient!  Trust God’s timing!

I’m sure He wants to use you, too!!

P.S.   Commissioning Day photos taken by my husband!!

The Pastors’ prayers were very powerful…

And very humbling, also!

Please Lord…make me ready to serve You in this way!!

Amen!

Aug25

Crisis Averted!

Posted on by
Standard

Yup, Isaac’s headed our way!!!  Even if it skirts the west coast of FL…we’re on the wrong side of the storm!

Praying it goes further into the Gulf, & then dissipates!!

Our shutters are all up…my husband and son are bringing in all our lanai furniture right now…they cleaned out our old dog’s pen area outside of things that could be projectiles…we have waters, food, medicnines, dog food, etc  all ready!

We probably won’t have work on Monday.  Pray for the electricity to hold, so we’ll have AC…& water!  And internet would be nice, too!

 

On top of all that, my precious Siberian had a very scary seizure last night around midnight…

My son was asleep…and heard some loud scratching noises that sounded to him like hail!!

He got up to find our Husky flailing violently and foaming (drooling?) from her mouth!

Help!!!

We didn’t have a clue what to do!

My husband tried to see if she was choking on something, so he stuck his finger down her throat, & she bit him!

He’s bleeding all over the place…screaming out (policeman-type) orders!  “Turn on the lights, see if she ate something, find this, go get that!!”  Etc., etc., etc.!!

All this…and I had just fallen asleep, gotten awakened suddenly, and couldn’t even think!

I rushed to get the vet’s number…my eyes wouldn’t even focus!!

My son called the emergency vet number…they said bring her right in!

I knelt down next to my precious little girl, and just prayed, and prayed, and prayed to Jesus!!

“Please help my baby…please stop the seizure…please give her a long life…please help us to take good care of her…

We love her…Dear Jesus!!

Thank you, Lord!”

She’s used to this…I pray with her, and for her, each morning when I get up…”Dear Jesus…”

When she hears that, she calms down…gets restful and peaceful while I’m praying!

I pray for her to be safe…for Jesus to place a hedge of protection around her…for her not be stung by a bug…or bit by a spider or snake, for her not to eat a “lizzy” from out on the lanai, not to break any bones, not to run away, not to get hit by a car, get kidnapped, or get taken from us!

She always sits quietly while I’m praying!

So finally after praying…her seizure stopped, and she started to calm down…Praise God!

We tried to get her to drink water by using a little squirt bottle…

Water, drool, and blood were all over us, and all over her, too…Yuk!

Finally, she got up, walked around the house, and pooped a large mess of diarrhea!

But, thankfully, it was on the tile, and not on our carpet!!  Amen!

My husband and son took her up to the emergency vet to get some seizure medicine…

While I cleaned up the mess!

But, I couldn’t fall back to sleep for a long while…I kept praying…

Then this morning, they took her to our vet to get blood work…we’ll get the results in a few days…

She’s seems fine now!  Praise God!

This might be the one and only seizure, or she could have them periodically…please pray for her, too!

This all goes with my blogs from last week…”Life Happens…More Abundantly!!”  And “Hurricane Preparations!”  Ha!

But when all is said and done…in a crisis…in situations where you don’t have a clue what to do…

All you have is prayer…

And it is enough!

It’s your best resource!

Especially when you can’t focus…

Because as your prayer goes up…power from Jesus comes down…right into your circumstances!

He calms you and sends His peace…

He hears and He acts!  Amen!

I pray for that same hedge of protection around my husband, my son, our friends and families, our church, our schools, our house, ours cars, our finances, our jobs, our community, or country, etc.

And…I pray those prayers for what concerns you also!

Aug23

Hurricane Preparations!!

Posted on by
Standard

Okay…here we go again!

Hurricanes hit in our lives…

Remember Hurricane Charlie???

He wasn’t supposed to hit us directly, but…

Hurricanes change your routine…

STOP what you’re doing and get into gear!

Hurricane Isaac is after us now…look at all the models, they cover the whole state of FL!!

No one’s immune…everyone’s going to get something…some wind, rain, flooding, etc.

Pray it away…please!

Pray and be prudent, also…

No power, no air conditioning, no running water, no working phones…

Trees, and telephone wires down…road signs and roof tiles flying…

My former police officer husband is already preparing…

Storm shutters up…check!

Things that can turn into projectiles in 70 mile an hour winds or more, stored inside…check!

Clean out the garage to get our cars in…check!

Water bottles, life jackets, tools, non-perishable foods, an old non-electric can opener, insurance policies paid up, cars filled with gas, flashlights and batteries, cash on hand, medicines refilled, and plenty of dog food…check!

With Hurricane Charlie, 8 years ago, we had no shutters…we had just moved to Fl from NJ two years before, and were new to the whole hurricane preparation thing!

Not prepared!!

It hit us hard!

Relief came when it was gone…but we were shell-shocked!

But, we have learned and learned BIG time!

Be prepared!

Usually we have a week or so to prepare, unless it’s a tornado…then 9 minutes!!

Check out what’s coming at us from Africa, bookmark the computer models, watch the temperature in the Gulf, know when to evacuate, know where to evacuate, consider where flooding might occur, and put your valuables in a safe place…

Are we this prepared for eternity????

My Dad (74) had 3 weeks to prepare for eternity…his hast weeks were like a hurricane for him and all of us…

Hospitals, doctors, procedures, surgeries…

His death, funeral, and burial…like a violent cyclone…

My Mom (90) had eight days to prepare for eternity…her last week was like a tornado…

Hospitals, doctors, procedures, surgeries…

Her death, funeral, and burial…like a whirlwind…

A flood of emotions…

Had they not already known the Lord, believed in Him alone for salvation, prepared for eternity by serving Him ’til their dying day…I don’t know how they could have prepared for death once the hurricane of their last moments hit!

They cried out to our Lord Jesus, because they knew Him…I know we can find the Lord even in the midst of our storms, but they were sick, hurting, upset to be in hospitals, scared of the procedures, and the surgeries…

All they needed to know was…

They just wanted to go HOME to their Lord!

STOP what you’re doing and get prepared!

I want to be prepared, too!  For the hurricanes in my life…

To be ready for the joy of my Home-Going!

I want a celebration when it’s my time!

For…a job “Well done…My good and faithful servant.”  (Matthew 25: 23)

For the Lord to say to me..”You were well-prepared!

Come on Home!”

John 14:6

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.

Aug18

Life Happens…And More Abundantly!!

Posted on by
Standard

Hello Dear Bloggers!!

Okay, my summer’s over, even though it’s still intensely hot around here!  School has started in FL!!

In NJ, I would still have off until AFTER labor Day!!

I substituted on Thursday and Friday last week, and on Monday this week, for a  new high school English teacher, who went to her sister’s wedding.  All went well, nice to see everyone from last year!!

There are many, more kids and I was in a new portable classroom for my 1st 3 periods, which was fine, except for the “new” chemical smell…YUK!!  Then I traveled to other classrooms the rest of the day.  On Thursday and Monday, I had two free periods, but on Fri., I covered for another teacher for those two periods, so she could go to a funeral.

So this was my schedule on Friday:

I got up at 4:35 am, covered 7 classes, went to the gym, went to drama practice, got home at 7 pm, straightened up the house, and collapsed!   On Saturday, I had to get up 6 am to go to breakfast with my sponsor to meet my new district superintendent of Gospel Crusade Ministerial Fellowship, so I can get my minister’s license, since I just finished my required courses!!  Yipee!!

Came home on Saturday afternoon…felt like collapsing, straightened up the house (of course!), and went to take a nap!

Let’s just stop here a moment…I had my son when I was 41 years old…he’s going to be 22 next month…he keeps me young…but, if you do the math, you can see…I’m no spring chicken!  I was exhausted!!

My left jaw started hurting on Friday and got worse by Saturday afternoon…my son prayed for me…I called dentist for pain meds in case it was a tooth ache, but the pharmacy closed at 6 pm, and I didn’t get the meds ’til Sun., and I didn’t need them by then.  I had an icepack on it all day Saturday while napping, and later while watching TV.

My husband and I watched some funny movie, and finally I relaxed, so it stopped hurting around 8 pm.

I didn’t go to church on Sunday, thinking it was lack of sleep.

*Let’s digress…a moment here, too, because:

Men don’t get it at all!!!

“Go to bed” to them…means, literally “Go to bed!”

Same thing in the mornings…”Go work means,  literally “Get up and go to work!!”

Females…we, on the other hand…well, we all know what we’re like…my list of things that I need to do, is endless…we don’t even get it ourselves…there’s always one more thing we need to do…day or night…before we can “Go to bed!” or “Go to work!”

*Hence the reason we’re always tired…but I digress!!

My jaw felt fine all day Sunday…got lots done around the house…went to work Monday…went to the dentist after work to find out it’s not tooth related.  Woke up Tuesday am at 3 am with it throbbing again, but not as bad…my husband prayed for it and by the time I got to work at Calvary Christian School the pain was gone!!

It’s like a muscle is twisting or something in the left jaw area, from my ear to and under my chin.  Like a gland or something!  Felt like the shingles I had years ago (from stress!!), but not as bad and no painful sores!  Looked it up on-line, and it sounds like it’s most likely TMJ…it makes your whole head hurt…please pray for me!  I read that some people have this pain for years!

No, I can’t take pain, so I must be healed in Jesus Name!  Amen!!

So anyway, I got a part-time job working at Calvary Christian School on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday each week.

I’m glad to not be working 3 days in a row!  I had to tell the high school I couldn’t work a bunch of days they asked me about already, but just feel God telling me to do this!!

The classroom at Calvary is set up so each of the 17 elementary kids has his/her own cubical (called their “office!”).  To help them, we
walk around the room and check their work at the counter above their desk, so I stand all day, except for a 20 min, break and a 30 min. lunch with the kids.  On the second day,  I wore sneakers!!  On my day off, I tried to get lots of things done at home…for drama practice on Friday, for my on-line course to renew my FL Teaching Certificate, laundry, phone calls, etc.

My son’s responsible for putting dishes away and folding towels.  My husband makes dinner, my son’s lunches, and takes care of the dog so I can go to bed early…so it’s taking the whole family co-operating to do this for sure!!  I’ve been retired for 10 years!  So we need to get  back in the groove.

It will work!

However…Blogging did not get done!!

And I miss you!

So, Dear Bloggers…Praying you are all doing great!  I still do have time to pray, of course, so I’ll continue to lift up each of you to the Lord!!  God Bless!

Why did I take on this part-time job????  (Subbing was working out just fine…go to work when you feel like it!)

It dropped into my lap!  Just like my son’s job at Calvary did!  After I told him time and time again this summer, while watching him play video games…”You’ve graduated from college now…don’t expect God to come knocking on your front door to say, ‘Hey, I’ve got this great job for you!’  You’ve got to actually go and find a job!”

Well, God literally dropped these jobs into our laps…

So what did we do???

We looked down at the gifts God laid in our laps, prayed about it, picked them up, and said, “Let’s Go!!”

PLUS…Bottom line?

I didn’t want to tell God…I don’t do mornings!!  Ha!  Even though everyone KNOWS I don’t do mornings!

I may be too busy to blog to you…but God is never too busy for any of us…

Really!

How does he do it????!

When we have such a hard time “doing it all!!”

Life happens…and then it happens some more…

Sometimes it’s hard for us to ask, “Where do you want me to go, Lord???

We could murmur (I do!!)  when He tells us…but it didn’t get the Israelites anywhere!!

Literally, they just wandered around… like we do without purpose…

Our purpose is to go!!

Go to your job…go to your school, go to the park with your kids, go to sit with a sick friend or family member…

Go into all the world…your world…

So that everywhere we go…

Everything we do…

Is for the Lord…and points everyone to Jesus…

If we remember that, life is easier!

Easy, because our Bible simply says, “Go!!”

“…Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”  Mark 16:15 NIV

Don’t add any stipulations…

Like,

“I’ll go when…I have nothing else to do…”

“When nobody else needs my attention…”

“When I feel like it…”

Or, after we remind the Lord…”I don’t do mornings!”

How about if an evangelist or missionary said, “I don’t do Africa…or China…or India…”

Our Bible also says “…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”  John 10:10 NKJV

Life…more abundantly…

Notice the word “MORE”…

I’m not asked to sit in a rocking chair and do nothing…even at my age…

I’m still called to, “GO!”

Because I’ve been given LIFE…MORE abundantly!!

Face it, church…

God wants to give us MORE LIFE…so we can “GO!”

More job opportunities, more people to minister to, more people to love and feel compassion for…

When we obey and “GO!”

Jesus LIVES…so should we!

Our Drama Team exploded this year…

Why?  We prayed for MORE!!

More faith, more anointing, more wisdom, more members…for more outreach opportunities…so we can “GO!”

It’s never about more “stuff”  for us, Church…

It’s not about more money, more cars, more houses, etc.

Though God may bless us with those things…

They’re His to give us,  if we use them for His mission… reaching lost souls….

For us to use for His glory to help others…

But what He really wants to give us is MORE LIFE!!

MORE abundantly!

So since my last blog…my season in LIFE has changed…Life has happened…MORE has happened…I’ve been asked to “Go!”

But, my mission from God hasn’t changed…

“Go!”  Is still His command to me!

And to you…

What season of  LIFE are you in?

In NJ, there are many seasons:  Cool…crisp…beautiful fall foliage…frost on the pumpkins…apple-picking…

Icy cold…dry skin…frostbite…slippery roads…gorgeous snow drifts…(unless you have to drive in it or shovel it!  Ha!)

Wet…blustery…birds chirping…flowers blooming…

Hazy…hot…humid…beach…pool…summer vacation…

Fl has no seasons…unless you count…

“Not-so-hot”

“Hot”

“Really hot”

“Intensely hot”

That’s LIFE…let’s embrace it, whatever season…

And stick to God’s plan and His purpose for our lives…to live life MORE abundantly…and to “Go!”

I won’t murmur or complain about this season…(Okay, I may vent a little!!  Ha!  I’m tired and my feet hurt…etc.)

Don’t live in the shadows…the Son is Risen!

Let’s have an attitude adjustment…

This new season could be school, books, jobs, stress…

Or it could be love, compassion, teaching, ministering…

It’s all in how you look at LIFE…

Look at it much more abundantly…

Don’t get stuck in one hard season…

God’s trying to make you Live!

Maybe this season is blustery…you’ve driven into a snow drift…slipped on icy roads…gotten caught in a hurricane…you’re chilled to the bone…wet, cold, and damp…or it’s so hot you can’t breathe…

Keep going, keep living…’til you’re season turns into one of gathering flowers, picking pumpkins, making angels in the snow, or walking on the beach!!

Don’t get stuck in…”it’s too hot…I’m too old…it’s too hard…”

I’ll just be thankful for the job God gave me, for the Christian environment He’s put me in…in this season…

For health, so I can go…

For abundant life… to love…MORE…

And for the delightful sunrises I get to see each morning now!!

I hope to talk to you before my next vacation!!  Ha!