A Baby Changes Everything

This song is beautiful and an awesome way to share the Gospel. I hope it will bless you as it has us. Merry Christmas!

Happiness is a Choice

The first time I heard, "Happiness is a Choice," almost 20 years ago, it really riled me up. I was in the midst of rough time of my life and I was sure it was because of circumstances.
Now I am older and hopefully wiser and have learned that I cannot control circumstance, but I can choose my response to them.
I was reminded of this when I got this short email from my Mary Kay Director, Kathy Lee:

NO MATTER WHAT - CHOOSE HAPPY TODAY!
WHEN SOMEONE ASKS HOW YOU'RE DOING SAY,
"I'M HAPPY!" DO IT EVERY TIME & JUST SEE HOW HAPPY
YOU BECOME ...THEN HOW MUCH MORE SUCCESSFUL
YOU WILL BE!!!! IT WORKS!
CHOOSE TO LOVE YOUR LIFE!
CHOOSE TO CREATE THE LIFE YOU LOVE!!!!!

"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to
success."

If you love what you are doing, you will be successful."
— Albert Schweitzer: Was a theologian, medical missionary, and philosopher

Please Remember Our Troops

Remember those serving and those who are not coming back.
Pray for the families that they have left behind.
Ask God to heal their broken hearts.

Merry Christmas!!

For as long as I am allowed to say, Merry Christmas, I will. For happy Holidays doesn't capture the love our Father had for us when He sent His only Son.
Merry Christmas!
Got this email. Don't know the author but I support most of it so I thought I would share it with you:
Letter from Jesus about Christmas --

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season.


How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Now, having said that let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgotten that one, look up John 15: 1 - 8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it:

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing the President complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up... It will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference.

7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families.

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary--especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name.

9. Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you..

10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.

Don't forget I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember :


I LOVE YOU,

JESUS

Ring This Christmas Bell by the Way You Live

THE BELL

I KNOW WHO I AM

I am God's child (John 1:12)

I am Christ's friend (John 15:15 )

I am united with the Lord (1 Cor. 6:17)

I am bought with a price (1 Cor 6:19-20)

I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1)

I am a personal witness of Christ. (Acts 1:8)

I am the salt & light of the earth (Matt 5:13-14)

I am a member of the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:27)

I am free forever from condemnation ( Rom. 8: 1-2)

I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant (Phil 3:20)

I am free from any charge against me (Rom. 8:31 -34)

I am a minister of reconciliation for God (2 Cor 5:17-21)

I have access to God through the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:18)

I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6)

I cannot be separated from the love of God (Rom 8:35-39)

I am established, anointed, sealed by God (2 Cor 1:21-22 )

I am assured all things work together for good (Rom. 8:28 )

I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit (John 15:16 )

I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph. 3: 12 )

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13)

I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15: 1-5)

I am God's temple (1 Cor. 3: 16). I am complete in Christ (Col. 2: 10)

I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3).. I have been justified (Romans 5:1)

I am God's co-worker (1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor 6:1). I am God's workmanship (Eph. 2:10)

I am confident that the good works God has begun in me will be perfected. (Phil. 1: 5)

I have been redeemed and forgiven ( Col 1:14). I have been adopted as God's child (Eph 1:5)

I belong to God

Do you know

Who you are?

I was watching a Hallmark movie the other night and a remark caught my attention. The beauty of children is that they live in the present. They don't look back and they aren't worried about the future.
That reminded me of the Scripture, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Matt 18:3
We have become converted but have not become as little children. A little child is totally dependent on his parents for food, home and safety. Are wee that dependent on our Heavenly Father or do we plow ahead to do it ourselves without His guidance?
Here's a testimony about seeking first His kingdom, then I have added the whole song uninterrupted. Consider whether you are seeking His kingdom or yours?
Enjoy.

Now consider the fullness of the Scripture as she sings all of the song.

Dare to Believe

My Director, Kathy Lee, called the other day. I could hear such excitement in her voice as she shared a Christmas party that she had just attended. Dreams were stirred in all that attended and that hope came from someone who had literally lost everything. She dared to dream again.
Do YOU dare? Do you dare to take back what has been stolen from you?
From Mary Kay Director Liliana Smith's signature line,
"Do you "Bee~lieve"?
How does the Bumble Bee fly?
It's body is too big and it's wings are too small.
God whispered in it's ear, "You can do it!" and it did.

I'm passing His whisper along...... "You can do it!"

1 John 5:4-5 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, [even] our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

So many of us have lost our dreams along the way, but if you know Jesus and have a living relationship with the Father, then you know the power of believing.
The Polar Express tells the story of a young boy losing his hope in Santa Claus. Many of our dreams have been Santa Claus dreams. Not related to reality.
But the message of the power of believing is undeniable. When we know who we are in Christ Jesus, then fear has to go for perfect fear casts out fear. God's love is that perfect love and it is a free gift.
So I invite you to watch this Polar Express clip and remember the God-given dreams that you were given. Dare to believe for you can do it!

Old-Fashioned Christmas

When I first moved here, I compared Thomaston to Mayberry. While it isn't that simple, it is a safe place with lots of good people.
The first hometown parade I saw here was the Fourth of July. It was like being transported back to the 50s with decorated cars and floats without all the pyrotechnics or other blaring electronic devices like a Macy's or even a college parade.
It is real people sharing neighbor to neighbor. I felt so safe that I stood there and cried with joy. They aren't the least bit concerned with being politically correct. They are just real.
We arrived home in time Saturday night to watch the Thomaston hometown parade. It is like a blast from the past and it passes right in front of our home.
First there were the screaming sirens from decorated fire trucks and police cars. These were followed up with tractors with Christmas lights on them. There was a particularly old one that seemed to huff and puff like chitty-chitty bang-bang. There was a gleaming John Deere as well.
All had lights and drivers and passengers shouting, "Merry Christmas!"
There was a horse drawn carriage with lights on its wheels creating a pinwheel effect as it traveled down the street.
We had begun our outdoor Christmas lights and they were the only ones on the block. So the kids would shout, "I like your lights!"
Soon I began shouting, "Merry Christmas!" back at them. It's contagious!
Yet I could not help but wonder how much longer we would have that privilege. In many places Merry Christmas has been replaced with Happy Holidays. Where is Christ in that? I am expressing my heart. Merry Christmas.

What is love?

"Divine love tender and self-sacrificing and devoted, and glad to bear and forbare, and suffer, and eager to lavish its best gifts and all blessings upon the object of its love. Put together all the tenderest love you know .... the deepest 'love' you have ever felt, and the strongest that has ever been poured out upon you, and heap it all up ... and you will begin to perhaps have some faint glimpses of the love and grace of God." The Christian's Secret of a Happy Life. Hannah Whitall Smith

Sometimes in our journey called life, we focus on the circumstances that we would not have chosen -the broken heart, the grief, the dashed hopes. We spend so much time looking back, that we lose sight of the fact that God's love is all encompassing and unconditional.
Jesus told us that unless we become as little children, we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.
It is my hope that the following clip will bring you back to the simplicity of God's love.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I have so much to be grateful for. I had one cardiologist tell me that I would never see 60. I am 64 and happy. Each day is a gift.
I am married to a man who loves me unconditionally.
Recently we had a wedding at our church and at the close, they played, "Dance with me, Lord." All married couples were invited to come dance with the newly married couple. As Ray held me in his arms, I was reminded of our first date and our first dance. What a long way we have traveled.
A friend, Marcia Fisher, took a picture of us dancing. I don't usually like pictures taken of me because I am overweight. (translation:not perfect) However, there was something endearing about this picture- belly and all. So I made some copies to send to family and a 8X10 for our family wall of pictures. When I framed the 8x10 and took it to the wall, I noticed the similarity of that picture to the one that was taken 30 years ago on our wedding day as he held me in his arms. There was that same look of love for one another, that same surrender into the safety of his arms.

This 30 years has not been without sadness, even grief, rebellion and brokenness, but what matters most is we have come full circle with God's help. The key is to keep dancing. No matter what your dreams are, don't give up.
Dance as if no one were watching,
Sing as if no one were listening,
Love as though you've never been hurt,
Live every day as if it were your last.
In the attached video, Paul Wilbur opens in prayer and if you listen carefully you will hear prophetic declarations towards the end...darkness has passed...sickness has passed... Then you see a woman dance across the stage and in my mind's eye, I see a little girl dancing for her daddy and I know that is how I want to dance and live for my Father God - in abandon.

Where Do You Worship?

One of the most powerful thing about the gospel is that it liberates people from the concept that God dwells in any building. That will challenge some.
I can remember as a child how proud I was of our church. I thought the church was the building I went to. I had no real understanding that the church was the people.
In Acts 7 Stephen reminded the Jews of the journey of the tabernacle and how it was full of pagan idols that did please God. He reminds them of Solomon's temple.
Then he challenges them by saying, "Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, Heaven [is] my throne, and earth [is] my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what [is] the place of my rest? Hath not my hand made all these things?" Acts 7:49-50
Because he dared bring truth about worship, he was stoned to death.
Our Father wants to meet with me not in just the concrete block building I call church, but daily as I take time to thank Him for being my Father.
I will never win a perfect attendance pin or be recognized by men in this place, but my heart will be warmed by His presence.
It is leaving the business of our lives and taking time to thank Him and praise Him.
[Even] the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: whom God would make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Colossians 1:26-27
Imagine carrying the hope of glory within you and literally spilling it on others as you make it through your day. Here a splash, there a splash. What a blessing to bring His hope to others. But we have to take time for that infilling, because sometimes the cares of this world cause us to "leak."
I love to go to church, There is time for fellowship before the service that serves to connect me to the body. Then there is corporate worship and then whatever and wherever the Holy Spirit leads. However, what I receive will be in direct proportion to what I prepared my heart for before I came.
The building isn't a filling station. The filling station is anywhere I pause to meet God. Frequent fill-ups are encouraged.

Perception

PERCEPTION (author unknown)

. . .Something To Think About. . .

Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.


4 minutes later:

The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.

6 minutes:

A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

10 minutes:

A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.

45 minutes:

The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.

1 hour:

He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities.

The questions raised:

*In a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?

*Do we stop to appreciate it?

*Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made..

How many other things are we missing?
*****************************************
My question is how many things has God set before us? Are we so busy doing "good" things that we totally miss the "God" things?
How many thing are we doing because we think we "ought" to do them? Yesterday I unplugged the phone, turned of my cell and watched three chick flicks on the Hallmark channel. I had laid out some jewelry findings to create some more jewelry when I thought, "No. I just need to chill. I don't need to DO anything." I put everything back up.
For SIX hours I literally struggled with being still and relaxing. I was never truly successful as I cooked dinner and folded clothes during the movies.
Why is it so hard to be still? To do nothing without feeling guilty? How many things are we missing because we are rushing through our "to do" list?
Why is it so hard to "be still and know He is God?"
Do we fear not being accepted unless we are doing? Do we get our identity from our activity? Who taught us that?
I think one of the reasons it is so hard to receive the love of the Father is because we won't be still long enough.

What Do You Deserve?

A couple of weeks ago while watching a Mary Kay training video, I heard the term deserve level. Apparently the term has been out there some time, but I had never heard of this self-imposed glass ceiling. It certainly helped explain some of the restrictions and boundaries I had put on myself.
I really didn't think I deserved any more than I had in life. Oh, there would be bursts of belief, but like a boomerang, I would return to my comfortable corner.
So I began to explore (and I am still exploring) how this all came about so I can move the boundaries.
We all have a deserve level. It is ingrained in our belief system. But what is the source of those beliefs? Is it a godly source or have have a believed lies spoken over me whether in ignorance or malice?
Subconsciously, we all have a a limit on what we believe we deserve. It is a reflection of the way we see ourselves. This is our "deserve level." We find it in the work place, our home life, on the golf course, we pretty much get what we expect to get based on what we think we deserve. This is insidious, because we don't wake up in the morning and consciously say, "Today I only deserve to be able to pay half of my bills. Or I only deserve to be able to third in the sales contest."
But are we self-sabotaging to arrive at the level we deserve?
Our life experiences are all governed in quantity and quality by our own personal deserve level. When we don’t get what we deserve, we find a way to get more. When we exceed our deserve level, we find a way to lose what we perceive to be more than necessary. We rise and fall to the level we feel we deserve.
As children, we think the world revolves around us. Then through abuse or abandonment, the paradigm shifts. Our sense of security, worth, and love is threatened, we adapt to that condition. We drawn the conclusion that life just happens. We see ourselves as receiving what we deserve. After all, as children we have nothing with which to measure or compare. We emotionally accept as much or as little as we are given. We believe what our parents and others in authority tell us about ourselves. As we mature, these experiences become our internal regulators.
Some people have unreasonably high deserve levels. They may be spoiled brats, but sometimes it comes out of victimization, too. Often these are the "takers". They believe they are entitled to have anything and everything regardless of the expense to themselves or others, because the world owes them.
At the other end, are those of us, who have allowed artificially low caps to be placed on our deserve levels. We unnecessarily limit our participation in life’s abundance.
I had a friend once who bought a house beneath her ability to pay just in case something happened in the future. She always wanted to be able to afford her house. She lived in an unsafe neighborhood in a house chocked full of family heirlooms out of fear of tomorrow.
This deserve level defines our commitment level as well. It colors our attitudes and acquisitions, as well as our position and possession. What if you really knew what it was to be a child of God? You would find that He doesn't give us what we deserve, but in His mercy, He gives us all He has. Changing your deserve level by knowing your identity in Him can change your life.

Choosing vs. Trying

I am beginning to see than many times when I say I am trying, it is a lame excuse for not giving it my all. When we choose to do something as opposed to try to do something, then we will have to make decisions at many levels. Choosing to read the Bible will result in turning off the TV. I can try to read my Bible but not find the time because of the choices I make.
In Hebrew try means to test. However, if trying was transliterated to test, I would not get a good grade at all. Try gives room for gray coming out of default.
Choose is black and white. Where we fall short is gray and there is mercy.
So today are we going to try to be obedient to what God has called us to or are we going to choose to be willing and obedient?
God is moving some pieces around in my life and I swing from fear to faith. Am trying to LABOR to ENTER into HIS REST. It is almost an oxymoron. I first thought the dichotomy was labor and rest. Today the LORD showed me it was labor to enter. Once I enter, the rest will be there. The labor is simply making a choice as opposed to trying. Labor means to make haste, do it diligently. It isn't a casual decision.
There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God [did] from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. Hebrews 4:9-11
I was trying in my own strength.
This is my journey.

Forgive Me

I think it is very important to speak out the things in our heart.
Sometimes because we don't "see and touch" God, we mutter prayers in our heads, but our heart needs to hear these prayers to help shift from regret to hope.
What do you need to ask God to forgive you for today?
Or is it possible you need to forgive God for the time when you thought He failed you?

Worthy of Love?

I found this "accidentally" while looking for something else. There is not much more I could add to this.

His Strength Is Perfect

Last week I was blessed to have my Mary Kay Director, Kathy Lee, spend a week with me. She spent a week coaching me and encouraging me. We almost hit a $1,000 in sales that week and gained two very good recruits. Then as soon as she came, she was gone.

I was flooded with doubt and unbelief. Can I do this without her? That was not God speaking to me for He had already enabled me to lead the unit in sales my first year and I came in second my second year.

So what was the real problem? The self-conflict comes from loving a job I have at Be In Health where I have an opportunity to speak into people's lives and balancing it with a 10 hour a week job with Mary Kay where I speak into people's lives that I would never see in church. Last week I prayed for ear problems, ulcers and more as they came for a facial. Which is better? Can I have both?

I recognize that some of the conflict comes from having been so sick for several months. Seems that when you are worn out physically, your spiritual strength is apt to wane as well. But it doesn't have to for when we are weak, He promises that He is strength is strong. Now that I am healing, I am better able to see places where I was relying on my strength and not His. For this I repent for my best strength is as a wet noodle compare to His.
As I draw near to Him and take the time to be still and listen to Him, He will give me direction.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. It is God that girdeth me with strength and maketh my way perfect.

Pursuing God

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find [me], when ye shall search for me with all your heart. 29:11-13

When we find God in the little things, then we need to tuck ourselves up under His wings like a baby chick does with a mother hen. Our Father loves us and we need to hear His heartbeat for our lives.
Most of my life, when things got too intense, I ran to avoid the pain. I hated confrontation. Soon I found I had gone full circle and this unresolved issue was facing me once again.
It isn't running away that works, it is drawing closer.

God's Original Masterpiece

since I have been working at home, there have many more opportunities to work on that "stuff" that keeps me form being the Diane that God saw before the foundations of the world. He knit me together in my mother's womb. He fashioned me.
Now I am trying to remove the baggage that I picked up in my journey. Baggage from words spoken against me that I took in as reality. They came from the accuser.
Now I must stay in the Word so I can rightly discern good. God's good is so much richer than man's version of good.
I am giving God irrevocable permission to chisel away anything that was not part of His original masterpiece. Yes, sometimes it hurts. But in the end, it will "yield the peaceful fruit of righteousness."

Pushing Against the Rock

Pushing Against the Rock
~Author Unknown

There was a man who was asleep one night in his cabin when suddenly his room was filled with light and the Savior appeared. The Lord told the man he had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all of his might.

The man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock pushing with all his might. Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.

Seeing that the man was showing signs of discouragement, Satan decided to enter the picture placing thoughts into the man's mind sauch as: "You have been pushing against that rock for a long time and it hasn't budged. Why kill yourself over this? You are never going to move it!" Thus, giving the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure.

These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man even more. "Why kill myself over this?", he thought. "I'll justput in my time, giving just the minimum of effort and that will be good enough." And that he planned to do until one day he decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Lord.

"Lord," he said, "I have labored long and hard in Your service, putting all of my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all of this time, I have not even budged that rock a half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?"

To this the Lord responded compassionsately, "My friend, when long ago I asked you to serve me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all of your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it.

Your task was to push. And now you come to me, your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinewed and brown, your hands are calloused from constant pressure, and your legs have become massive and hard.

Through opposition you have grown much and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. Yet you haven't moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in my wisdom. This you have done.

I, my friend, will now move the rock!"

Holy Is the Lord

Do You Really Want to Go Deeper?

There is a cost to going deeper. You will not be particularly popular for you will have to withdraw from the day to fray and choose your time carefully realizing that it can never be regained.
It may mean turning off the computer and the p-hone and just listening to the Father. can we be still that long without any results for the world to see?
You see the things that are wrought deep in our heart may not show for weeks or months. It isn't a microwave experience but a slow cooker one.
Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Hebrews 12:11
You may even be deemed unfriendly as you withdraw to spend more time with the Father to fully receive His love not just for yourself, but so that yu may heal and pour out that same love on others.
There is a cost. Do you really want to go deeper?

Leaving things behind

Corrie Tem Boom once said, "Hold everything loosely, because it hurts when God pries your fingers open."
When God calls you to a task, there are things that must be left behind. The inability or unwillingness to do that keeps us from receiving His best for us. Some call that His permissive will. I am not convinced that a permissive will really exists. I think it is more likely our rebellious version of what He really called to do.
The older I get, the more rebellion I see that still needs to go. Why is absolute surrender so difficult? Part of it I think is cultural. We have performance and drivenness and no one exceeds Americans in competitiveness. That unfortunately is not God's mindset, but the enemies. As long as we compete, we are at odds one with another.
Let's skip through the Bible and see who God called and what they had to leave behind:
Beginning in Gen 12 we see God calling Abraham. "The Lord had said to Abram, 'Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.'" (Gen. 12:1)
God told Abram to leave his father's house, bid farewell to his relatives, leave his country, and move to a country to which God would lead him. To man's way of thinking, what God asked Abram to do was extremely difficult, but God had plans to greatly bless him.
Through out the Old Testament men and women were called to leave what was familiar and follow God. You didn't have to be royalty or notable. Rahab, the prostitute, left everything familiar and became part of the lineage of our Lord.
In the New Testament, Jesus continues to call people out. He calls Matthew, the tax collector, the fishermen, the woman at the well, the beggar. After Jesus' death, Saul is called out.
The call has never stopped.
And in a way that only God could perfect, when we lay down those things so precious to us, we find true freedom and a peace not known before when we clutched those things. When we open our hands, we no longer struggle. We surrender to His will. There we find peace and the fullness of His perfect will.
I so encourage you to read and meditate on Ephesians 3. Ask the Holy Spirit how to reach that exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. He says it is "according to the power that worketh in us..."
What is He calling you to leave behind to follow Him?

When We Know Our Father Loves Us...

There is a new commercial for Publix that I adore. Publix has some of the best, most wholesome commercials centered around family values.
This one is called First Game. The little boy comes with his parents to his first soccer game. The Dad is more nervous than the son.
If you watch it closely, you will see how all of the time the Dad spent with his son to prepare for that game gave the boy incredible confidence.
Each time I watch it, I think that is the way I should trust my Heavenly Father. If He is watching (and He is) what is there to fear?

When we don't understand

Rick and Mary Pat are my bosses though they cringe when I say that for they see us as team members. Nevertheless, in the past 18 months, Mary Pat has lost a son, a mother and this morning her last son after a 13 month struggle for his life after an auto wreck.
I have seen them pray and stand. I have seen God move on their behalf. I was not prepared for last week's turn of events. I do not understand, but I know my understanding would pale to the Father's. So I release it all to Him.
Please keep Rick and Mary Pat in your prayers.

Love Letter from the Father

Are in the Desert?

In God's order nothing is ever wasted. I have done some pretty inane things in my lifetime. Not all am I proud of, but all have proven to be threads of a tapestry God is creating of my life.
What seemed like wasted time has often proven to be seeds of insight to help another or to avoid an even greater pitfall.
Moses was in the desert for forty years. I get impatient if nothing is happening immediately. But just as you cannot rush the rising of bread or the slow-smoked pork butt, you cannot rush the fulfillment of God's plans.
If you break open the chrysalis of a butterfly or crack the shell of a baby chick to allow them to experience freedom sooner, they will be crippled and die an early death.
Should we not be content to stay where we are until God makes the way for us to move forward?
Os Hillman in his daily devotion, TGIF, says, "The time frames may not be quite as long. But the characteristics of the training are still the same. Do not try to shortcut the desert time of God. It only leads to cul-de-sacs, which force you to revisit the lessons you are meant to learn. Embrace them, so that He can use your life for something extraordinary."
Ask God how to maximize your desert time. Very importantly, make it a time to spend with Him getting to know Him intimately and in a very honest relationship.
That relationship will guide your future.

Hillsong has released the Desert Song. Here are the lyrics:

VERSE 1:
This is my prayer in the desert
When all thats within me feels dry
This is my prayer in my hunger and need
My God is the God who provides

VERSE 2:
This is my prayer in the fire
In weakness or trial or pain
There is a faith proved
Of more worth than gold
So refine me Lord through the flame

CHORUS:
I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain
I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and He is here

VERSE 3:
This is my prayer in the battle
When triumph is still on its way
I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ
So firm on His promise Ill stand

BRIDGE:
All of my life
In every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship

VERSE 4:
This is my prayer in the harvest
When favour and providence flow
I know Im filled to be emptied again
The seed Ive received I will sow.

Here is the music for you to play:

Killing Ourselves

Last night after I taught a class, I sat down with a friend who has had a tumultuous year. She really doesn't recognize her contribution to her torment.
She was angry and bitter and was not taking responsibility for that. She was looking at other people and situations rather than her own heart.
We are personally responsible for our relationship with God. That's it. We are not called to fix anyone. We are not their God nor their Holy Spirit. If I have a problem with someone, I have to examine my own heart to see what in me keeps me from loving them fully, unconditionally. You see as I respond to their barbed personality with God's love, healing begins.
We are not called to become co-dependent with someone in their torment, but we are called to love them. Keeping bitterness is like drinking a cup of poison and waiting for the other person to die.
Why would you do that?
Put down the cup of bitterness.
She went on to call her husband a few choice names. It pierced my heart. As wives we are in covenant with our husbands regardless of where he is spiritually.
And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made [them] at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.Mat 19:4-6
They twain shall be ONE flesh.
When you attack your spouse, you are attacking yourself. You are opening the door for the accuser of the brethren to have a field day on the playground of your heart and you wonder why you have no peace?
All autoimmune diseases come out of self attacking self. Perhaps we don't recognize that we are attacking ourselves because the bitterness is directed towards our spouse. When you attack him, you attack yourself.
This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. John 15:12
Ask the Father to rekindle your love. Ask Him to help you love yourself, because you cannot love another until you first love yourself.
You are valuable. The highest calling is to be a vessel of God's love that He can pour through you. Clean out anything that would clog that flow. Let it flow.
Today sit in His Presence and allow Him to wash away anything that is not of Him.

Murder with the Tongue

I have always had an opinion. I think that comes out of a need to be heard. When you are abused or neglected, you feel invisible as if you don't fit in and you have no value. So you do things to be noticed whether it is dye your hair orange or paint your body as a mural or as in my case, had a sharp wit and tongue ever ready with a comeback. A zinger.
Over the years it became an art form. It was a desirable skill in politics. What I did not recognize is that in the process, I was killing myself. I knew I did many things to destroy myself like overeating and drivenness and performance, but I never realized how my cleverness was destroying me.
"Cleverness," said Sir James Paget, "is a character of mind the exercise of which is so instantly and pleasantly rewarded, that the temptation to cultivate it is always present."
Years later in Christian circles, we hear things like, "Have I got a word for you."
How much is our cleverness drawn from the well of experience instead of fresh, living water.
I have been reading Oswald Chambers' book, Not Knowing Where.
It is just downright powerful and God has used to to "weed eat" some junk out of my life while I have been home this month.
I was reading about Cain and Abel and Chambers say in effect that no one can murder his brother who has not first murdered God in himself. It is the rebellion of his whole nature against God.
That really pierced me.
All my zingers directed at others, murdering their worth, were murdering God in me.
Daily we choose which kingdom we will serve. How can we serve a kingdom while destroying it and ourselves in the process?
This week I have repented and asked the Lord to give me a new tongue.
Pleasant words [are as] an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. Proverbs 16:24
I choose to eat this sweetness and believe my health will improve mind, body, and spirit.

And So It Begins...

My phone rang all afternoon long and into the evening as people called to ask for help or to help. It was a symbiotic swing back and forth.
Little things that generally take me weeks to accomplish were complete by days end.
One such example is http://bluebirdmarket.wordpress.com/2009/08/27/bluebird-market-welcomes-restoration-jewels/
I have yet to meet Patti, but she is so quick and eager to help. I hope you love her Bluebird Market site as much as I do.
This Saturday Ray and I are going over as vendors and we will simply sell some of our hundreds of books. We just want to get a feel for the market, the people who come and what other offerings are out there.
Then we will be on the 12th with our jewelry. After that we will launch our Etsy storefront.
It was exciting to see the women that the Lord brought to the house today. Such a wide range of hearts and needs.
Saturday afternoon we will have a bead making gathering where my friends are invited to come by, roll beads from various papers and visit. I need to build an inventory over a thousand beads for these "green" necklaces.
Our home is finally becoming the house of hospitality and safe place that I always dreamed it would be.

Restoration Jewels

The Lord has rekindled my desire to impact women's lives who have been abused and are clueless as to how precious they are.
I am taking old jewelry and purses making new pieces. I call them Restoration Jewels because I think that is how the Father sees. Some may see us as lumps of coal because of the abuse, shame and humiliation, but my Father sees the diamond inside and He loves me even in my darkness for He is the Light that will make me shine.
My heart is to earn extra money to provide a safe haven even if it is just hours a week where they can be loved and nurtured. To teach them to create beautiful things and begin to see the beauty in life. I believe that when you create something beautiful, yu are connected to the Creator Himself.
My friend, Autumne, directed to the Etsy site for online selling of this genre and I have set up an account. Then my friend, Susan, directed me to the Bluebird Market locally. Sales will begin by September 12th. I am so excited.
This is still another level of Isaiah 61:1-3:
The Spirit of the Lord GOD [is] upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to [them that are] bound;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
If you have orphaned or unwanted jewelry or purses that you would like to send, we would would welcome them. I will not be doing this singlehandedly, but count on other women helping this women for we are family. The address is 330 E Lee Street, Thomaston, GA 30286
We are not a charity so there will not be a tax deduction this side of heaven, but I encourage you to share some beauty with your sisters. They are ready for the times to get better.

God is Waiting

I have spent most of the night waiting for someone to come home. Confused, she ran from safety back to the snare. As I sat and prayed about her situation, I thought of the times in my life that God has waited on me to want Him so much that I run to Him in absolutely surrender.
It was quite humbling. I am 64. I have always tried to work the plan whether His or mine. But Hebrews 4 is an invitation to enter His rest. I was introduced to it first at Cursillo by someone standing next to me in the lunch line. It has taken me TWENTY-EIGHT years to really begin to grab hold of that as a way of life.
I can not rescue this woman. I can only love her with the Father's love.
The Spirit of the Lord GOD [is] upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to [them that are] bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. Isaiah 61:1-3
It is through His Spirit only that I can meet her and love her unconditionally when she returns home.
Years have been wasted as I have tried to fix people, correct them, and all those other ungodly things I did to try to get them to see the error the their ways, to try to get them not to have those wasted years I had. It may have been a good intention, but it was ungodly.
We must have the Spirit of the Lord on us to mend the brokenhearted and comfort them and show them His abundant life. Then we must be willing to wait for them as He waited for us.
My prayer is that she will run to Him. Will you run to Him, too. He is waiting.

Warning! This is a Commercial!

The Lord has been stretching me lately with Mary Kay. Tonight when I got home from church, I found in my Inbox some awesome new Mary Kay techniques for makeup.
So I have decided to include these and other tips that I find and begin a Saturday Beauty blitz and sale. Every Saturday will be beauty tip and a special offer. After all, we are triune beings. Mind, BODY and Spirit!
The makeup artist will tell you the name of each product and how to apply it. These are short but thorough.
Wait until you see the latest Fall/Winter looks. They are full of romance and ventage details. I love vintage.
Afterwards, simply go to my website: www.marykay.com/adunn and place your order. Shipping is always free and if you mention this blog, I will take 10% as well. Now you go, girl!
The latest trends can be found at:
Then some makeup tips:






Now what can I send you?

God's Glamour Girl

For over sixty years, I saw no good thing when I looked in the mirror.
About three years ago, I began selling Mary Kay with an ulterior motive. I knew I wasn't a hypocrite and if I sold it, I would have to use it which meant two things:
I would have to take better care of myself and I would have to use a quality product not whatever is the cheapest. In other words, I had to value myself.
It actually took some time for me to look in the mirror without disdain. I would stand before the mirror and pray, "God, help me to see what you see when you see me, because I see no good thing."
I enjoy doing one on one facials and talking to a woman about who she is in Christ Jesus. The more I do it, the more I believe it for myself as well.
You see it isn't really about Mary Kay at all. In fact, often times I take my profits and plow it back into more product to give away to people who have very limited means.
I love pampering them. I love to make them feel valuable especially if they have been abused.
It so opens the door for me to minister to their deep heart needs.
Today a friend, Deborah, sent me an acrostic about God's Glamour Woman. This is the stuff that goes much deeper than Mary Kay ever can.

The Qualities of God’s Glamour Girl written by Jacqueline Overpeck
Who is God’s glamour girl and what are her admirable qualities?

According to Scripture, she is:

G – Gorgeous inside and out
She fears the Lord knowing He is the source of all good things.

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
Proverbs 31:30

L – Laughter
She’s isn’t afraid to laugh out loud and she looks for ways to encourage others.

…the joy of the LORD is your strength.
Nehemiah 8:10

A – All about adoration
She’s got a heart for applauding her King. She loves to praise and worship her God.

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
Psalm 100:1-2

M – Mercy
Her heart is full of compassion and her hands are ready to serve.

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Colossians 3:12-14

O – Original
She’s uniquely herself. She places her whole life in God’s hands--knowing as His creation she already shines like a star.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made…
Psalm 139:13-14

U – Understanding
She has a ravenous appetite for wisdom and she loves to read the Bible. She’s thirsty for truth and delights in understanding the mysteries of God.

By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established;
through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.
Proverbs 24:3-4

R – Righteousness
She keeps herself pure. She desires to be an untarnished vessel for God’s anointing to flow through. Nothing is more important to God’s Glamour Girl than establishing heaven’s kingdom on earth.

But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.
My mouth will tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all day long.
Psalm 71:14-15

TRUE GLAMOUR
God’s glamour girl is gorgeous inside and out. She’s filled with laughter.
She has a song in her heart. Mercy springs from her spirit.
She’s totally original. Her Bible is handy.
She uses her unique gifts and talents to share the saving message of Jesus with the world.

Light Your World

Since my youth, one of my favorite verses has been Isaih 60:1-2.

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.
For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.

It is a prescription for bringing God's glory into this world. We must first, ARISE. Which means we cannot be passive. We have to come on the scene and get involved.
Note though that we arise and then in verse 2 it says the Lord shall arise. Here's the promise. We get involved in the loves of others and He will "rise, come forth, break out, arise, rise up, shine" upon us. Then it will not be anything in us that people see but they see His light, His glory dispelling the darkness of their hearts and lives.
Light Your World Today!

Seeing More Clearly Now

All of my life I have struggled with black and white thinking.
People that go black and white in their thinking don’t make allowance for gray. It’s either, either/or, up or down and then when they find the gray in their life that means they’re not always perfect or bad. Then they blame themselves. They are hard on themselves. Then they have a little guilt issue, because they can’t get it all together all the time so fast. This is a disease maker, when we go black and white in our thinking. I shift into performance and drivenness to get it right. There is certainly nothing wrong with having a desire to change, but the enemy will join you to help you by - by accusing you in your heart towards yourself. Because it seems like you haven’t got everything done. You haven’t won every battle. And so then maybe there’s some accusing spirits that are accusing you to yourself about your journey.
All of this can cause self-accusation, self-bitterness, self-rejection, which could affect your health, because you cannot take your peace. Now you are at war with yourself. It’s always a self versus self battle. And you’re not your enemy. But the enemy would love to come, because you’re very sincere. When God has met your faith. He has met your sincerity, but you’re still being changed. Then we need to give ourselves time to work through it. Grow through this. Grow up in this, and don’t be so hard on ourself.
We're just girls. We don’t have to be strong in everything. Most of us had a lot of stuff you brought with you from our childhood. Our parents did the best that they could with what they knew and what they themselves were taught. It's time to move beyond that and ask our Father to show us people and situations as He sees them.There is no grace in the black and white. I need His grace and mercy. I am asking for His eyes as I continue on this journey.It's better than 20/20. It's eternal.

Climbing a Mountain?

Climbing a mountain is hard. It is physically taxing. More often than not, I pause along the way. From the mountains of North Carolina where I went to vacation as a youth to the mountains of Lesotho in southern Africa, I always paused along the way to catch my breath and then continued on.

Pausing is okay, but how many times in the mountains set before me have I sat down and quit? Or turned around before I reached my destination, because it was just too hard?

God has a plan. He had a plan for each of us before the foundations of the earth. He is the Lord that changes not.

So why do we try to create a newer, better plan? A faster, more efficient plan?
Very simply it is because we do not fully trust God. This has become a harsh reality in my life.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

When I am not trusting God, I am without faith. Faithless. I am hopeless without faith.

God has a plan. His plans for each of us is for good and not evil. We must keep climbing, keep pressing forward. It isn't a race; it is a journey. The important thing is to move with Him when He moves.

Come to a place of absolute surrender and you will have both great joy and peace.

Back Side of the Desert

God allows us desert time to teach us to trust Him with ALL of our hearts. It isn't fun. It can be quite painful and we may think He has deseted us, but He wants to learn to trust His timing.

If I had to pay child support for all of Ishmael's I have created when I ran ahead of God, it would probably exceed the national debt.

But praise God He has forgiven my debts. Now I wait for His timing and His deliverance.

I have never felt the peace I now know. It is a quizzical place. I have no idea what the future holds from the simplest of things like my Mary Kay business to whether or not to take in a troubled woman.

I have always had little patience for those who could not make quick decisions, but now I am learning the peace in trusting God and waiting for Him to reveal the answers instead of trying to figure it out on my own.

Satan pushes, but the Holy Spirit leads. I am sitting on the backside of the desert waiting to be lead. Waiting to hear His voice saying, "This is the way, walk in it."

Trust in the Lord

We left Jacksonville seven years ago.
The Lord had given me a scripture:
And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. Mark 10:29-30
We came to Thomaston dead broke in the middle of bankruptcy payments. My illness and inability to work had quickly brought the roof down. I saw hope in Thomaston in the middle of nowhere.
I had already been delivered of multiple personality disorder and several other diseases like fibromyalgia and heart problems. But I knew if I was going to continue to walkout into wholeness, I would have to walk away from everything familiar.
It was hard, very hard to leave my family especially my mother. I felt like a deserter, but I knew I was fighting for my life.
I was misunderstood and shunned by family. Of course, when your family only knew you as mentally unstable, how could they see what the Lord showed me?
Ray was driving long distance at the time which made it easier to move, but he was only home about 36 hours a week. So I was lonely and doubted that I ever heard God.
It is in the pit that you find out what you are made of. In my case, it was not all good. I had a lot of selfishness that had to go before the Lord could get near me.
Out of fear I tried to control things. When I realized that tied God's hands, I eventually surrendered.
When we try to control a person or a situation, we are really saying, "God, I don't think you can handle this without my help."
What arrogannce! Pride goes before a mighty fall.
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. Proverbs 3:5-8
This past year I have been learning to trust Him. All the while I thought I was trusting Him, but it was fear faith. Just like oil and water do not mix, fear and faith do not either. Getting the fear out of my life has been a process. I think I have it, but then another fear presents itself. Time Magazine had an article once that said there were over 4,000 fears. I certainly did not have that to face, but I sure had my share from fear of poverty to fear of man. One by one with God's help, I have picked them off.
I am facing an enigma of a health challenge right now. For the most part, I am fine. I am just tired. The difference now is in this pit, I do not have unwanted guests of fear, doubt and unbelief.
I am trusting Him and believing His Word that it shall be health to my navel and marrow to my bones.
Today alone I have had four requests from people with cancer. In two of the cases, it has already metasized to the bone. I can only share my hope and my trust in my Lord.
I have no words of wisdom, but I know God heals. He has certainly healed me of many diseases. He has spared my life more than once.
I must trust the Lord with ALL of my heart. I cannot lean on my understanding.

Hugged Any Porcupines Lately?

There are people that you love, but loving them means you are going to get hurt.
Sometimes that hurt is so defiling.
When it is, I realize that I have taken it in, instead of separating the person from their sin. Wonk! I am down for the count.
Now I have a choice. I can forgive and not keep a record of wrongs or I can stew over it and literally make myself sick. (Psalm 38)
The doctor has prescribed a 30 day time of rest. In this time, I am taking the time to be with Him especially in daily reviewing 2 Peter chapter 2.
God frequently gives us building blocks. In our haste, we want to skip steps.
In 2 Peter it says:
...add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make [you that ye shall] neither [be] barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:...
I want to skip from faith to love. There is so much more. Without taking the time to build this foundation, His perfect love can not be shared.
I hugged a porcupine today. I am going to sit in my favorite chair, pull out the quills, and allow the Lord to breathe His life into me and then I will begin again once again.

Invisible Women

The other night when I could not sleep because my blood sugar was so high, because of the prednisone I was on. So I wrote letters to several friends people asking them to give out $10 Mary Kay gift certificates to help promote my home business while I am home on a doctor ordered rest.
Still when I woke up this morning after only three hours sleep, I was stewing in my juices. I was totally annoyed because doctor's visits, prescriptions, tests, etc. had stripped me of the ability to place a $500 order of all the new products and get them before my existing customer base.
I feel we are at a pivotal point in MK and this is probably the most important quarter of my short career, because they have some new marketing helps available only to their Star Consultants. I am generally in that category, but between Ireland and illness had fallen short. I was so frustrated.
Then after my first cup of coffee, God was able to get my attention. Who am I trusting with this business? We saw so many provisions while preparing and then going to Ireland. Had I forgotten?
So once I again, I turned my business back over to Him. During the trip preparations, I saw I had to always step out in faith, THEN He came alongside me and move in my behalf.
More important than that I had gotten my eyes off of my calling and on to one of the vehicles that funds it.
It seems lately the Lord is bringing me abused women with emotional problems. Tuesday evening a woman came and asked if she could clean for me, because they had repossessed her car and she had no job. I told her Ray would have to make that decision because he handles all of our finances. They talked together and I told Ray that I trusted her. (I had helped her with smaller things before and I knew she had a lot of fear and abandonment issues.)
The next morning we have coffee and she talks a bit and she feels led to share some witchcraft going on across the street. I was nonplussed. I told her she didn't have to be a victim of it. I tell her what the Lord has done for me and how He delivered me of multiple personality disorder and the many physical healings. After over 20 years of everything from psychiatric wards to Christian counseling, I was finally set free.
I asked her if she wanted to be free of Satan's power. She said yes and I gave her a mini-lesson on the Father's Love.
Then I lead her in a simple prayer.
Then she tells me she has been diagnosed with seven personalities. I began to share with her that God saw her before the foundations of the world. He had a purpose for her.
Her heart is soft.
She said until two months ago she was on Lithium that cost $300 a month, but she could no longer afford it. (Praise God!) I notice the cut marks on her forearm but say nothing.
She is working on the kitchen. So I come in and ask if I can put on a CD from our church. She said, well, I don't know if I can get me work done quickly if I am listening.
I said, if she found it a major distraction just turn it off.
I came back a half an hour later and she said this is good.
The CD she is listening to? How Thoughts Affect Our Body by Pastor Anita Hill.
She is doing an excellent job and I wish I could pay her to come daily while I am off, but I would have to sell a whole lot of Mary Kay to do that.
Imagine who we will each be when this 30 days is up.
What God has done in my life gives me confidence to help this woman and others like her. I know God has brought her into our lives for a purpose.
She worked hard all day long and when she left, she said this is the happiest I have been in a long, long time.
She has come again. She struggles with fear, but is crying out for help.
Funny. 72 hours ago the most important need I had was to have money for inventory to make more money. lol Now I think I sure would have some money to hire her while I am off work on a doctor-ordered rest just to be able to disciple her and love on her.
I have been very near to where she is today. Disenfranchised from family because of her instability which began several years ago when her husband abandoned her. She has lost all that is precious to her.
She is unemployed and has valid needs. Amazing how when we get our eyes off ourselves, we begin to see how much the Lord wants to do through us.
It is time for me to take that Holy Ghost roto-rooter to my heart.
Open my heart, Lord, to see as you see and love as you love.

We Fall Down, But We Get Up

This particular blog is a compilation of what the Lord has been doing with me the past couple of weeks.
He has been faithful to send illustrations across my path to make it clearer.
I understand that there are possible spiritual roots of over 80% of all disease.
I understand that disease has no legal right to me unless I open the door through sin.
As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come. Prov. 26:2
So when I became ill, I knew what needed to be dealt with and that there probably another layer or two that would be revealed as well.
So the journey began. The first block to healing is unforgiveness. More often than not, that is directed towards me. I don't give myself a lot of grace.
This week I listened to Mary Pat's CD, Biblical Insights to Food and Related Issues.
In it she says, Pastor Henry teaches that we are neither black nor white, but pilgrims in progress moving from black to white. So we are all in vary shades of gray. Then
she nailed me with the following, "We hate the gray. We hate where we are. We say, 'I don’t like where I am. I should be thinner or healthier or stronger or different.
I don’t like this gray. I want to be more white. So I am going to try to get more white. I am going to try to get more white.'
"How many of us have tried to get more white? It is ugly. It is not pure. It’s not white.We are all a shade of gray. And if we hate it, if you hate what you are doing, where you are and who you are, that is a door point for accusation for self-hatred and for drivenness and performance to get you whiter.
So the moral of the story is love the gray and trust God. That if your heart is open to Him, He will change you. You don’t have to do a thing. God will change you. When we try to do it ourselves, it gets ugly.
So be content in your gray where you are. Love yourself where you are."
"Love yourself where you are."
I chewed on that for three days. I knew I didn't love myself where I am. As I said, I am hard on myself. No matter what I do, I should do more. That is drivenness and performance and certainly makes no provision for resting in God (Heb.3) or fully trusting Him.
In the midst of that I got a devotional that included the following story: "One of the common soldiers was driving a mule that carried some of Alexander the Great's treasure. The mule was too exhausted to go on, so the soldier put the load on his own shoulders. Alexander saw the man staggering along, and he asked what was the matter. The soldier told him that the mule was too tired to carry the load, and that he was about at the end of his endurance too. "Don't give up now," said Alexander, "but carry what you have there to the end of the journey, then take it to your own tent, to keep for yourself."
I thought that is me. I am staggering under this, but all along God intends it to be a gift to me. I can look at the pain in the journey or His strength for the journey to bring me to His expected end. I choose not to give up.
[It is of] the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. [They are] new every morning: great [is] thy faithfulness. The LORD [is] my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The LORD [is] good unto them that wait for him, to the soul [that] seeketh him. [It is] good that [a man] should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD. Lam.3:22-26

There's a Time to Act and a Time to Be Still

Recently I have had some health challenges. I have had to be still. Sometimes I have slept twelve hours at a time.
As I began to recover myself, I picked up a new rhythm. I have been reminded to "Be still and know that He is God."
It is always a sweet time when I do that. Each time I wonder why it took me so long to get back to this place.
More often than not it has been fear that has drawn me away from the safety of His arms. It really doesn't matter whether it is fear of man or fear of tomorrow. Fear is the antithesis of faith. God has given us each a measure of faith.
For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think [of himself] more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. Romans 12:3
If He has given us this measure of faith, are we not to be good stewards of it? That is totally impossible if we are entertaining fear. I had to realize that when I was in fear, I simply was not trusting God. Seeing it clearly, it was an easy decision to run back into His arms and once again Be Still.

What Does Your Face Say?

Ever wonder why we wait until someone comes into our space to smile?
Smiling or even someone else smile releases endorphins that work in the brain to transmit an overall feeling of well-being. so why not do that for yourself today.
There is an old South Pacific song called Happy Talk. Just listening to the song makes you feel happy.
What makes you think happy thoughts? Talk a happy talk?
Why not go there instead of unloading the stresses of the day?
You were born with the ability to smile. Let somewhere along the way as we pick up the cares of the world, we quit using that ability. Did you know that adults laugh approximately 15 times a day, while children laugh FOUR HUNDRED times a day.
My personal opinion is that we think too much. That thinking often turns to worry.
And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Matt.18:3
Why not change courses today?
Smile at everyone, yes, everyone you see today. If you need to practice, make funny faces in the mirror. This will amp up your giggle meter.
Someone once said, Happiness leads to smiling and smiling leads to happiness. That may not be a truism in all cases but I do know it is a good beginning.
So what are you waiting for?
Go ahead. Give the world your biggest smile.

Something Beautiful, Something Good

Friends give me their broken or unwanted jewelry and together Ray and I make new pieces.
I design the pieces on a jewelry board, but Ray does all of assembly and finish work.
Tonight I thought that God does that, too. He takes the broken pieces and creates something beautiful out of. The pieces are laid out, but we have to string it, make adjustments, crimp it and attach closures. At each stage there is a choice. but I believe out of it all, even when we string it wrong, He can make something out of our lives.
Listen to these oldies for a gentle reminder that no matter where you are He can make something beautiful out of it and He is there for you at each juncture.