Tag: encouragement

It’s May!

musingsalonglifesjourneyLeave a comment

Celebrate! It’s May, and God is on the move! I want to honor my youngest grandchild, Ashlynn Hope. Today is her 8th birthday 🎂. Friday the 10th is my youngest son Alex’s birthday. On May 14th, I will be 61. Then, on May 18th, grandson Jackson will be 12. Not to mention, my niece Kristen’s birthday is on the 17th, and don’t forget Mother’s Day on the 12th! What a busy month of blessings from Father God!

Photo by BECCA SIEGEL on Pexels.com

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. The nation of Israel’s anniversary is May 14th. Let all those who love Israel rejoice and be glad, for the LORD’S promises are truly Yes and truly Amen!

Photo by Aleksandar Pasaric on Pexels.com

Joel 2:21 Be glad then, you children of Zion,
And rejoice in the Lord your God;
For He has given you the former rain faithfully,
And He will cause the rain to come down for you—
The former rain,
And the latter rain in the first month.

We have been experiencing a lot of rain these past few months. A few days ago, the above scripture came to mind. In the natural, I sense that the Lord is sending both the early and the latter rains at the same time! In the Spirit, I believe this corresponds with the reapers overtaking the sowers of the Gospel.

John 4:35 Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! 36 And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.

Souls are so ripe for the harvest that many are eagerly accepting salvation with very little prompting. Check out testimonies from Iran Alive http://www.IranAlive.org and Voice of the Martyrs http://www.vom.org Ministries for some examples. Also, Crossroads Prison Ministry is looking for Spanish-speaking mentors because they have an increasing backlog of Spanish student lessons waiting for them. Most of these students have questions about their identity and salvation. They cannot wait! http://www.cmcarcelario.org

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Sorry, I realize I have a book review page, but I’m going to share some reviews on this post. I recently connected with author Noel Williamson. His first book I read is, Love is Like a Bag of Popcorn. In this book, Noel shares from personal experience from his first attempts to ask a girl out, leading you through popcorn, sports, movie, TV shows, and pertinent Scripture references, all the way into his newlywed days. I recommend this book for everyone from teens to adults who are looking for tips on godly relationships, whether you are married already or not.

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels.com
Photo by John Finkelstein on Pexels.com
Photo by Chan Walrus on Pexels.com

Next, I read Job Loss AppleSauce Trusting God after Job Layoffs and Finding Comfort in Applesauce. You’ll need to read to the end of the book to find why he capitalized the S in AppleSauce! The way Noel handled things will help others navigate the job market and other life changes. As with the popcorn references in the first book, Noel was clever with his apple references continuing in every chapter! I read each book in an afternoon [of course it was raining] they are short, interesting books. In the same Amazon order, I acquired Willamson’s third book, A Salad Bowl of Wisdom Life Advice from a Diverse Group of Adults. He begins with interviews from a couple people in their 90s, then a friend in her 60s and another in his mid-50s. His original plan was to interview people in their 80s, 90s, and above, but realized his younger-older friends have a lot of wisdom also! I have not had time to get far in this book yet [we were blessed with a dry day], but his easy, personable style is refreshing. I recommend you check out Noel Williamson on Amazon!

By the way, if you have read my book or listened to my audiobook, Musings Along Life’s Journey, please leave a review on Amazon, Facebook, Goodreads, or anywhere you post reviews. I thank you in advance!

If I wish you Jesus and Shalom, I wish you everything! May you be blessed and be a blessing, finding joy in all you give and receive from the loving hand of Father God. Until next time, Shalom!

Hail to the Lion of Judah!

musingsalonglifesjourneyLeave a comment
Shalom to Israel!

Dear readers, I’m taking a break from the Bible Chaper 8:8’s study. My first actual speaking engagement was Saturday, April 27th. You probably knew about this event from my previous posts and sales page, and I want to share how it went. What a special day straight from heaven it was! 

I want to thank LiveMore Ministries for posting these photos on Facebook. My good friend Marta Cooper manned my book table and joyfully, graciously sold six books for me. My friend Pam Fowler was there for what I needed. My friend Delight Christman was an extra blessing, coming from Lowville, gifting me a lovely ceramic votive holder with bluebells on it. The Smithville women provided an excellent breakfast buffet, even offering cereal and oatmeal with both milk and almond milk ‐- along with crumb cake, a breakfast quiche, and fresh fruit ‐- offering something for everyone.

I will share the photos individually and explain them now.

This was from the press release. My husband John and I were each holding a book, I held the original, and John held the book from the second publishing. [He was cropped] By the way, if you have read my book, please leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes and Noble, or any social network you use.

I was asked periodically during the weeks that  led up to this event if I was nervous, anxious, and prepared… well, I was too busy with life to be any of those things! I  had a good number of people praying for me, and I thank each one of you for your faithfulness.

I used the press release as a guide to jot some things on cards and put tabs in the proof copy of my book so I’d know where to find things quickly and the major things I wanted to share.  I decided which family pictures to take,  one of my parents, one of me with my four siblings, one with John and me with our children, and the collage I put together of our nine grandchildren. I also managed to make up a price list for the different versions of my book.  This all was challenging with my son Chris’s family coming to stay the weekend because my brother-in-law’s memorial service was also on Saturday. Thank God for Holy Spirit guiding and inspiration! I was blessed to be able to join the family after my speaking engagement.

Tammy Ditch, keyboard Joy Besaw guitar, Heidi and  Pam on backup

Tammy, Joy, Pam, and I made a great quartet to lead the women in worship.  I was so blessed to be able to help get us all in tune with the Spirit before I spoke. He really blended our harmonies well!

Heidi gets the spotlight

When I shared about “bananas and blessings,” I told about Cathy Connor gifting me with the cowboy boots, my former boss at the motel gifting me with the pants in a bag of cloths she gave me, and the beautiful sweater from the church rummage sale Pam and I attended last weekend. I said, “And this is how the Lord clothes us like the lillies of the field!”

I pray that everyone was as blessed as I was by all that went on at this event. It reminded me that in heaven, we’ll have eternity to spend time with each other. We all left with a small pot of peonies and a Save The Date card for the next LiveMore event.  You can check out their Facebook page and keep informed here:

https://www.facebook.com/LiveMoreMinistries?mibextid=ZbWKwL

I leave you with this prayer for Jerusalem from Psalm 122.

Psalm 122:6-9 NLT
Pray for peace in Jerusalem. May all who love this city prosper. [7] O Jerusalem, may there be peace within your walls and prosperity in your palaces. [8] For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, “May you have peace.”[Shalom][9] For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek what is best for you, O Jerusalem.

Bible Chapter 8:1-8 book of Romans

musingsalonglifesjourneyLeave a comment

Welcome to the next installment in this Bible study.  Let’s see what the Spirit highlights in the eighth chapter of Romans.

A group artwork from the Shetler family’s ministry in Africa.

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh,

Make note: if you are in Christ, walking in the Spirit, there is no more condemnation, no more punishment As Jesus said in John 3:17, He did not come to condemn us but to reconcile us to Father God. We now have access to the law of the Spirit, which is life in Christ Jesus. This frees us from walking in the law of sin and death, the law we were born into through the sins of the fathers, stretching back to Adam. This is why Jesus condemned sin in the flesh by coming in human flesh.

4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Do you walk in the righteous law of love? Love for your God and loving your neighbor as yourself? We can muscle our way into acting out this love by our own human effort, but is that truly denying your fleshly lusts and desires?

5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

If we only think about what to eat, what to wear, and having the best “necessities” in life,where is our spiritual life? We can do good deeds, but if it’s to rack up points, trying to get on God’s good side, how are we any different than the heathen unbelievers around us? The carnality of our human side is set against God and the love of God in Christ.

6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

I find when I hear all the facts, if I fail to look towards the truth in the Bible, I fall short. With our human understanding, we hate those who fight against us. In God’s Sprit, we can love even our enemies! But is this wise? What does God say?

1 Corinthians 2: 19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

So we must be careful, walking circumspectly in this evil time we live in. It is clear that we are on the path to death and destruction when we look to the world and our own strength and understanding.

Proverbs 14:12 & 16:25 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.

Remember to ask for your daily manna from the LORD. This includes all the things required for what each day demands. We have a heavenly Father who knows what we need, but still delights in his children, when we ask him daily to provide. This includes daily food, shelter, and clothing. Also, grace, mercy, and love. Don’t forget peace in Christ Jesus, more than we could ask for! Remember, you need more to sustain you than physical needs. Without daily food from the Bible and the Spirit of God, we starve our spirits.

So live each day in the Spirit, denying your fleshly desires. Walk in love and understanding as you grow in the things of God found in his Word. If you fail, as we all do, quickly repent and apply the precious blood of Jesus. Continue renewing your mind and remember the old chorus:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in his wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace.


Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Helen Howarth Lemmel
Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus lyrics © Curb Songs, Littleberace Music, Okapione Music, Integrity’s Hosanna! Music, New Spring Publishing Inc., Mercy/vineyard Publishing

2024 Fasting, Hope, and a few Book Reviews

musingsalonglifesjourneyLeave a comment
The Brownville, NY church Charles G. Finney spent a winter snowed -in at, preaching
and praying in the1800’s revival at its infancy.

New Year’s Eve, I spent about 6 hours at this old church, experiencing a taste of heaven on earth and the burgeoning revival in our area. I rejoiced in seeing people from my former church involvements and many from my current congregation, as well as many I met for the first time. Just thinking about how in eternity, we can fellowship with Everyone who follows Jesus!

What excellent fellowship we enjoyed as we packed the church sanctuary. The worship team was excellent, the Spirit heavy, and prayers effective. Baptisms were performed, and many children and young people were there, all behaving well for such a late evening! Oh, did I mention older saints and people from several different churches attended as well?

Our church has begun our annual January fast. Our concentration this year is Immanuel; Our God is with us, and we are with our God. You can check out http://www.myacf.org for Pastor’s sermon about this fast. I decided to begin fasting at sundown New Year’s evening, only drinking water. The Spirit and fellowship made it easy to pass up the snacks that were there at the church. This year, I decided to concentrate on no wheat, no dairy, and no sugars. I eat enough to take my supplements in the morning, then liquids until after 4 p.m. Liquids continue after sharing a curtailed dinner with my husband, John. The main idea is to take 21 days to make room in my life to grow closer to the Lord, feeding my spirit more than my flesh. Our church does not mandate that members fast or dictate how to observe it, but it helps knowing others are abstaining from food at the same time.

Now for the book reviews. I remind you that there’s a discount for my Musings Along Life’s Journey Kindle version starting January 17th, only 99cents!

The Lost Arts of Christianity by Mike Bartholomew is my current read. I met Pastor Mike at a joint prayer evening last week at our church. He pastors at a sister church in our area. This book was published in 2009 but still holds good advice for coming back to the truths of Christian Living many of us have left off from. Mike covers:

Beginning Correctly, Salty Living, The Spirit Filled Life, Self-control, Patient Faith, Serving, Hospitality, Disciple Making, Praying, Forgiving, Giving, Recognizing the Times, Loyalty, Contentment, Hard Work, Loving the Truth, Joyful Living, Discretion, Unity, Parenting, Submission to Authority, Finishing Correctly.

You will find I covered a few of these topics in my memoir, but Pastor Mike Bartholomew fleshes them out a bit more, since he’s been a Pastor as long as I’ve been a believer, which gives him more examples to share. If you want to find out how to help others find God’s way of living this Christian life or confirm/challenge the life you’re living, I recommend this book, which can be purchased on Amazon or Walmart.com.

The second book I want to share is the new devotional I started today. It’s Our Faithful God Devotional by Katie Davis Majors, 52 Weeks of Leaning on His Unchanging Character.

Katie says,”… we aren’t going to cover the whole Bible in a year. But we are going to read different parts of the Old and New Testaments, soaking our hearts and minds in God’s Word as we look for evidence of His unchanging character throughout the ages.” (From the introduction). Each week, you read one Scripture each day for four days. On day five, you read all four Scriptures. Two days a week, you can meditate/re-read the Scriptures, or use them as catch-up days. Katy starts each day by setting the stage for the chapter you will read, then offers questions to help you apply it to your life.

This seems to be a good place for me to start this new year. I have christened a new journal and look forward to what the Spirit will do with Katie’s prompts. My first assignment is to read Genesis 1 and start a habit of noticing God’s goodness all around, trusting Him to make the dark areas of my life light and good. This means seeing God as Creator of all, still speaking light and life, still declaring His creation is good. My second day, I read the first chapter of Matthew.

As I conclude these thoughts, I speak Shalom to you, my readers. 2024 is a year of expectation. God is on the move, and we are blessed to move with Him! Remember to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, as Psalm 122 says, for the good of our brothers and friends. Also, they that touch Israel touch the apple of the Father’s eye. He will not let the enemy go much farther. His judgement is written in the Scriptures!

musingsalonglifesjourneyLeave a comment

I want to apologize for my last post, I don’t mean to sound like I’m complaining. Many of my friends are dealing with elderly parents, I dealt with that a couple of decades ago. I am currently dealing with elder brothers descending into dementia. This is a new test in faith, a new stage of learning to walk in the love of God.

This morning, I am full of thankfulness. Holy Spirit is bringing songs to mind, and I’m recognizing that I walk in His comfort continually. I stand complete in the work of the cross of Christ, following in the path marked out for me at this time. This floods my soul with thanks for all that’s invested in me as a cild of God and as a member of The Church, the Body of Christ. I’m giving you a link to my church’s website. Check out the sermon archives, especially the sessions of Dr. Alan Hawkins. I see Pastor Josh Gmitter’s sermon from yesterday, which I reference in the next section, is not posted yet.

http://www.myacf.org

We watched shows about cults and their leaders last evening. Along with Pastor Josh’s challenging word to our church yesterday, it is causing me to seek the Lord, and weed out any religious doctrines and lies I believe, that are not based in the love and truth of God.

The world and our enemy offer enticements and solutions that are so inferior to what God has for us. I know I spend time on worthless things, seeming to satisfy my need for the time I’m given, but come up empty. You know, that spot in your heart and soul, like the itch you can’t reach?

Hallelujah!

Hallelujah, God is working on answering prayers! My son Alex, who hasn’t been in church for about 20 years, took me to church with his service dog a couple of weeks ago. Turns out, his wife encouraged him to go, and she’s seen encouraging changes in him since he’s been attending for a couple of months. I had two Bibles with me, in case he didn’t have one, but he had one and took it out to use in church.

He’s joined a small Methodist group, and they have adopted his dog, Luna, as the church Mascot. I got to talk with one of the lay leaders, and she said she’s praying for Alex every day. And those two Bibes I brought? I was blessed to give one to grandson Caleb and the other to granddaughter Faith. I showed each of them a place to start reading.

Photo by Victoria Borodinova on Pexels.com

The prodigals are gathering in! Be encouraged, your long awaited prayers and petitions are being answered these days. Don’t give up. Help is on the way!

As for my book progress, Musings Along Life’s Journey will soon be in audiobook format on Amazon. Don’t forget, my first signing event is approaching. Saturday, August 12th, 9a.m.-3pm, I will be at the Henderson Heritage Day, Henderson Historical Society lawn, in Henderson, NY. If you want to buy my book and can’t see me in person, you can contact me, and I’ll send you a copy. I’m willing to mail it if you live in the USA. I’ve found it prohibitaly expensive to mail to even Canada!

As The Day Approaches…

musingsalonglifesjourneyLeave a comment

I have begun Pastor Penn Clark’s book, The Day, Living in Light of Eternity. You can find it at: http://www.pennclark.net and http://www.pennclark.study. He was my first spirit-led pastor, and I learned a lot about living in light of eternity from him. He has put his revelations and previous teaching on this subject, stemming from the Biblical fact that God has planted eternity in our hearts, into this newly published book.

Sunday, I went to church with my son Alex to the Methodist church he recently began attending. That experience, along with this book, brought the following Scripture passages to mind.

Ephesians 5:17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.

Colossians 3:15 let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

We need to aim to encourage each other to live lives that encourage others. There’s a choice to make. Are we going to sit with others, sharing tales of what’s going on in the news, complaining about the weather, the government, our wayward loved ones,… or are we going to share testimony of what good things God is doing? Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs… the apostle Paul used these words to encourage the church in Ephesis and Colosse to live as those whom Jesus has redeemed. Living in hope, joy, and thanksgiving, having the assurance of our heavenly reward in Christ Jesus. Paul knew we would need to live in hope and give encouragement even more as our journey of faith continues.

The Methodist church is not what I’m used to, but I had a blessed time in the fellowship hall with the women of the church, getting to know their joys and challenges. I believe you can join hearts in the Lord no matter which congregation of believers you attend, even if it’s not your style service, becausethe Jesus in you meets the Jesus in them, even through religious trappings you’re not used to.

Alex’s service dog, Luna, has become Mascot for this small congregation. When she’s down in the fellowship hall, her official coat comes off, and everyone has doggie treats to give her and lots of love. It’s a good time for Alex to socialize. His wife, Joanna, said she encouraged Alex to go to church and has seen a good change in him. She said Luna doesn’t eat breakfast when she knows it’s church day and the treats are coming!

This Methodist church is on the trail of Charles G. Finney’s revival. He originated in Henderson, so our trip from Henderson to Alex’s church followed Finney’s path. We are all praying for God to do a new revival along this route, and Alex coming to church after so many years is a definite answer to prayer. I believe revival has truly begun, and many more prayers shall be answered quickly.. Catch the fire and pass it on through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, encouraging each other and living in the Spirit, overcoming the flesh, and spurring each other on to good works and faith! I leave you with a couple of beautiful photos my son Chris sent from fishing with his daughters in Vermont. Shalom dear ones.

He Knows!

musingsalonglifesjourney1 Comment

The Bible says Jesus was tempted and tried in all the ways we are. God puts people around us and provides someone to help us when we can’t go on. Last week, I shared Jesus’s prayer in the garden, asking Father if there was any other way to reconcile fallen humanity with Him. His spirit was willing, but his flesh was weak, not wanting to endure the cross. Now I take you to his journey to Golgotha with the cross on his back. His beaten, abused body gave out, and he fell under the weight of the cross. God provided Simon of Cyrine to help him.

How many times have we been struggling, thinking we’re all alone? Have you ever convinced yourself that you can’t bother someone else? Maybe God had a person for you to call, that He had prepared to help you, and you didn’t reach out. He may even have brought someone to mind, or someone was right in front of you who could help, but you didn’t realize. Simon had no preconceived notion of helping Jesus carry his cross that day, but Father God caused him to be in just the right place, at a Kairos time. He was blessed for helping, and Jesus was blessed with the help he gave. Simon of Cyrene is still honored today as part of Jesus’s road to the cross.

Here is an important scripture that is in my devotions today. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free from our past and all regret. This would be a good prayer to pray for our nation right now!

Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, for the life of your soul is at stake… Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Let the people turn from their wicked deads. Let them banish from their minds the very thought of doing wrong! Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Isaiah 55:3a,6 NLT

As Jesus told the woman caught in adultery, “Neither will I condemn you-go and sin no more.” This is a new day, the past is gone. Regret is not a road you want to travel. It’s full of snares and sharp rocks. I prefer the Lord’s path of grace and obedience. It’s full of faith, hope, and love. (thanks to Uta Milewski & her devotional)

As for my book, Musings Along Life’s Journey, I have reached the mark of selling as many books as I’ve given away or gifted. On Monday, I found out Sabrina Adams, my publisher, had finished her battle with the cancer that ravaged her body and has been translated to heaven. I am praying for peace for her family and that her daughters and husband can keep her publishing company going.

There is much opposition to this book being sold. Must be God has great plans for it! I encourage you to get a copy from me or order one at http://www.zoelifebooks.org, read it, write a review, and share on social media. I currently have one event scheduled if you’d like to mark your calendar. Saturday, August 12th, from 9-3pm I will be at the Henderson Heritage Day, on the lawn by the Historical Society.

http://www.zoelifebooks.org

A Peek at My Book & an Invitation

musingsalonglifesjourneyLeave a comment

Welcome Readers! My book publishing is moving right along. I’m leaving for Tanzania next Tuesday, so I won’t get the proof copy to prevue before I get back on the 22nd. BUT! We have a date for the debut, Saturday, March 18th at the Henderson Free Library. My publisher, Sabrina Adams of Zoe Life Publications, will be here and her daughter may also come with her. It looks like an informal time to share my book, sign your copy, and Sabrina and I will talk about what it takes to publish a book these days. So, you’re invited to come see the debut of my first published memoir, Musings Along Life’s Journey. Stay tuned for more details and other times you can meet me in person. Plans to be at The Little Bookstore in Clayton, NY and at the Henderson Heritage Day in July are shaping up.

Here is a small excerpt from the book. Note: this is from my manuscript and not the formatted book. Sorry, the photos of my granddaughters will not be in the book.

Becoming as a Child

I have been contemplating what it means to become as a little child. What did Jesus mean when He said that?

Matthew 18:2-4

2 Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, 3 and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Now I’d like to talk about becoming as a child. What does this really mean? Jesus doesn’t say to become ‘childish’, but to become like a child. A child is trusting, believes that their Daddy has what they need and what’s best and will give them what they ask for. I’ve heard and can see: the biggest sin in the church today is unbelief. If we pray and don’t believe God is willing and able to answer those prayers, we are in unbelief. We serve a prayer hearing, prayer answering God. Let’s take Him at His word.

 I want to share this quote from K.P. Yohannan’s book Never Give Up; The Story of a Broken Man Impacting a Generation.

“All that is needed to be said [in defending God’s existence] is God is the Creator and we are His creation, and we as believers don’t ask God to prove Himself to us. We are like little kids. We don’t ask our mother and father if they are our parents-we are their children, and they are our parents, and that’s it-period!”

I found the two-way journal with the Lord that I wrote in from October 2019-July 2020. This is part of what the Lord told me on April 7th that goes with what I shared above.

Emmanuel-God is with you-I made you and love you for eternity! Yes, dance with Me and sing and laugh, it’s true you need to let go and trust Me as a child. Joy in the little things, trust in the big things. Behold, I do a new thing, it is marvelous in all eyes!

I hope you are encouraged and look forward to meeting many in person over the next year! Be blessed and be a blessing. May you prosper and have abundance to give away to those who need that God brings into your life. Yes, it may be as simple as a smile or a kind word! Shalom, dear readers, until next time. Oh, I leave for Tanzania on February 7th so I’m not sure what access I’ll have to write while I’m gone, we’ll see!

The Thrill/The Agony

musingsalonglifesjourneyLeave a comment

The Agony

Luke 9:23 Then He [Jesus] said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

The Commission

Luke 10:2 Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. 3 Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.

The Joy

17 Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”

The Truth

18 And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

The last book I finished reading, The Thrill of Victory The Agony of Defeat from Randy Clark’s Message Series is one I got when the Global Awakening team came to our church. Randy Clark has spent decades learning about healing and shares his experiences. This short book explores our responsibility Jesus gave us to heal the sick and what that looks like. We receive power and compassion from Jesus and in His compassion, Randy admits there is a high emotional price tag that comes with praying for the sick. A man who came to Randy’s Baptist church to lead a healing workshop said this:

“Don’t say this doesn’t work until you have prayed for at least 200 people because some of you will start praying for the sick and will not see anybody healed a few times and will quit. But I am telling you, do not quit or say you did not get anything until you have laid your hands on 200 people and you, yourself have prayed for them. If you will do that, I promise you will be hooked for life because you will see people healed.”

page 6

Randy has found that victories and defeats go hand in hand with healing, as ABC’s Wide World of Sports used to say, “The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat”. I encourage you to read the quote from page 6 and take some time thinking how it applies to you.

Randy shares five principles for healing, cautioning that principles cannot be made into laws. The five principles are:

  1. faith

2. sin blocking healing

3. the anointed person

4. feeling the anointing

5. moving with compassion

Healing can work through anyone willing to let the Spirit flow through them. All these principles are true, and these things give confidence to step out in faith, but they don’t always work. Healing works even if there’s little faith on your part or the other person’s, even if there’s unconfessed sin, if you are not anointed to heal, don’t feel the anointing, or feel no compassion. I see this as key to walking out the Christian life. If something works, we take the principle and make it a law. Since God can’t live in a box we make, we cannot pin down what will work every time and have to be open to the flow of the Spirit. Randy says:

“The whole point of this two-part booklet is for you to believe that God can use you. That you personally can experience the thrill of victory.”

page 21

Randy Clark shares many examples of his experiences. Many healed, others who were not. It’s a real taste of the victory and the agony he has personally experienced. I recommend this book as great encouragement for anyone wanting to see God move in and through them to keep going.

Every day is a new day to serve the Lord, every night is time to give thanks and let God speak to you in your dreams.

Unexpected Journey

musingsalonglifesjourney2 Comments

This week I finished reading Heaven an unexpected journey by Jim Woodford with Dr. Thom Gardner. The subtitle: One Man’s Experience with Heaven, Angels, & The Afterlife. Each chapter ends with Take The Journey[TTJ] written by Dr. Gardner. He brings you into the main part of each chapter and helps you meditate on what Jim has shared from his heavenly experience. There is a prayer written at the end of each TTJ. I want to share a couple things from Jim’s story here.

Chapter 6 is titled: The Sticky Love of God. Jim was shown horses in heaven. Everything is made of light. When he touched the horses, the light radiated out of them as he began to pull his hand away. The essence of God’s love is the light! Like some of the gooey things our kids play with, it sticks. God’s love is sticky, elastic, drawing us back to Himself. He knows how we are made because He made us. It was out of His love that we were created, that all things in heaven and on earth were created. The light and love of God is in each of us. Jim found out the angels recognize it, and all creation in heaven recognizes it and reaches out to us to connect with the love of God that is part of the way God created us.

After experiencing heaven, Jim can love himself as God does, and love all people as God loves him. Jim hung in the balance on the precipice of hell. A demon even tore at his back with its claws as a voice from hell was beckoning him, “Jim, come with us, We’re here for you! This is where you belong!” (pg. 56) When Jim found himself outside his truck, outside his body, he said, “God, forgive me!” When he was on the precipice between heaven and hell he said, “God help me!” Those six words saved him and changed his life on earth and eternity forever.

Psalm 10:15 Call upon Me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.”

Have you heard the evil one speaking to you as those in hell spoke to Jim? Have you wondered if Jesus could cover ALL your sins? If your soul can be healed from the damage done to you by other people by yourself or others over your lifetime? Have you come deep enough into God’s love expressed in Jesus Christ’s suffering, dying and being raised to life that you can love those around you?

Matthew 11:28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Have you come to Jesus? Have you come close enough to learn from Him? have you found rest and the light burden when you share it with Him? Enter into the rest of the Lord. It’s the best place to be! I recommend Heaven an unexpected journey to anyone who wants to understand the love of God, the light of God, the encouragement we need to live this life and truly trust that you have a home in heaven.

2 Corithinans 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

In other news, I want to thank the Global Awakening team from the Global School of Supernatural Ministry (GSSM) for coming last weekend to do a conference at our church. You can catch the services on our church website or connect with the ministry with the links below.

http://www.airportchristianfellowship.org/church-events/

https://globalawakening.com/

Photo by Mu0103lina Su00eerbu on Pexels.com

During the conference, I was given a word from the Lord about being a sunflower. It had to do with turning toward the Sun (God) and many seeds, multiplying my giftings and sharing with others to raise up others to come into the things God has planned for them. It encouraged me, the Lord assured me He knows I’m growing closer and is pleased with the time I am setting aside to connect with Him.

How is your time going seeking the Lord while He may be found? Currently, I use the timer on my phone and set five minutes for singing to the Lord, ten minutes for praying/singing in tongues, fifteen minutes for reading the Bible and praying. Sometimes the thirty minutes spreads to an hour, sometimes it’s cut short. The Lord is happy with whatever you can purpose to bring to the relationship Jesus died to give you. Remember, it’s not a religion, it is all about relationship!

Psalm 40:16 Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
Let such as love Your salvation say continually,
“The Lord be magnified!”

My prayer for you is that you will rejoice and be glad, that your mouth continually be filled with praise, and you find your strength in the stillness. Also, that you will daily experience the Joy of the Lord, our strength. Amen. Jim says Joy is defined as ‘living on the edge of a huge laugh’! (pg. 166) Have you ever tasted that joy?

Let us all unplug for a bit each day!