Today was a great day!  I can’t think of a better day I have had in a long time.

First:  I got to wake up to my wonderful hubby.  The only thing I can think of that gives me more pleasure than falling asleep in his arms, is I get to wake up in them every morning.  Thank God for that.

We had an awesome morning worshiping God at CSBC.  The spirit is moving in a way at the church we serve like I have never seen before.  The sermon was about the different “tators” we are within the church, such as dictator, imitator, amputator, sweettator, and well you get the picture.

On 5th Sundays, our church usually has a “5th Sunday Sing.”  Members of the congregation and from the community sing and play instruments in praise to God.  Tonight my wonderful hubby and I put on a program using song and testimony to bring the Gospel to our congregation.  It was amazing!  Mostly because I haven’t gotten to sing with him on that magnitude for almost 5 years.  We used to travel around to different churches singing and telling our testimony to others.  But also because singing is the ONE thing I LOVE to do for God.  I don’t have an angelic voice, but I love to sing, especially Christian music.

And last, last year on my birthday, my mother got me this wonderful necklace.

Today, my secret sister got me these to go with it!

She got me some other things including Ghirideli chocolates, some wonderful butterscotch creme tarts for my candle warmer.

It was a good day in the Lord indeed!

Originally posted 12/15/06 on Heavenly Ramblings.

Have you ever been around someone who seems to be so much more “spiritual” than you could ever dream of becoming? Maybe he speaks unceasingly about the Lord or is forever living his life for others. Or perhaps he is able to interpret and understand scripture in a way that seems impossible to you.

When I’m around those “super-spiritual people”, it is easy to feel inadequate and very intimidates and I usually end up beating myself up because I am not like them. Then I begin to judge my spiritual condition based on how closely my life compares to theirs.

As I read my daily devotion today (at the right), I realized the good news is we are not supposed to be like them. The only person whose life we are to imitate is that of Jesus Christ.

Now those of you who know me (us) knows I am speaking of HIM and THEM as my VERY spiritual hubby. I can say “Honey where in the bible does it say….” and he tells me. Or “Honey what does the Bible say about……..” and he tells me. He doesn’t have to look it up or even think about it for that matter he just knows. I used to get very intimidated by that and would always feel like I was bothering him when I asked questions. (as I write this I am asking him about spelling and grammar..LOL) He really doesn’t mind. And even if it is with a believer…he absolutely loves talking about the Lord. He says my brain is just not wired the same as his. He can read something once and remember almost verbatim. Me, I take weeks to memorize one scripture, and then if I don’t keep saying it over and over I forget it.

God created each of us with different personalities and gifts. Some people were made with more outgoing personalities or outwardly evident gifts, while others were made with more introverted personalities or less public gifts. Whoever you are, you are an indispensable part of the Body of Christ. Throw off your preconceived notion that some people are more valuable to Christ than others, for such belief only serves to discourage you, and believe that God created you perfectly to bring him glory and to serve the Body of Christ with the gifts you have been given.

In today’s day and age most of us struggle with the problems we face in this world.  The endless list of “problems” seems insurmountable.  It is easy to forget that we have a BIG God and He makes our problems look minute.

The last few months, I have struggled with things on a substantial level.  It would be a bit of a lie to say that every trial I have faced I have totally be reliant on God for His healing touch to bring me through them.  I can say this, however, I have NEVER doubted that God, the Almighty Father and His Heavenly Hosts are fighting my battles for me.

Psalm 34:19 “Many are the afflictions of the righteous,  But the Lord delivers him out of them all.

We often wish we could escape troubles — the pain of grief, loss, sorrow, and failure, of even the small daily frustrations that constantly wear us down.  God promises to be “close to the brokenhearted,” to be our source of power, courage, and wisdom, helping us through our problems.  Sometimes he chooses to deliver us from those problems.  When trouble strikes, don’t get frustrated with God.  Instead, admit that we need God’s help and thank Him for providing healing and rest for us.

Not only does God fight for us, but He promises to deliver us from what is troubling us.  It is us that has to be willing to be mindful that He is going to do it in His time, not ours.  If He did everything for us on our time schedule, we would never have the opportunity to learn patience, (one of the hardest, but most rewarding fruits of the Spirit we have been given).

In the movie “Facing The Giants”, the older gentleman that walked the halls everyday praying for the school and the students said this quote to Coach Grant Taylor:

Mr. Bridges:  Grant, I heard a story about two farmers who were experiencing a drought and desperately needed rain. after praying for rain, one of them went out and plowed his fields and prepared his fields to receive it. Which one do you think trusted God to send the rain?”

Grant:  ”Well, the one prepared his fields for it.”

Mr. Bridges:  ”Which one are you?” Mr. Bridges continued. “God will send the rain when He’s ready. You need to prepare your field to receive it.”

God will send the rain when He is ready. All you have to do is to prepare your heart to receive it.  We pray and ask God so many times for help with our problems no matter how minuscule they are.  Everything from helping us pay the bills to curing a loved one from cancer.  No matter how big or small a problem is, we expect God to “fix” it for us.  When God addresses a problem we have, He chooses to help us with that particular problem in His time.  We expect Him to do it in our time.  If our hearts are not prepared for rain then we are not trusting in Him to handle any problems that arise in our lives.  If we do not prepare our hearts for rain it is like telling Him “God you really aren’t going to handle this for us, so we try to figure it out for ourselves.”

We spend time praying for revival,  for God to protect people I love. I spend time praying for a lot of things, but I wonder do I really believe God enough to prepare for the answer. I wonder am I preparing my field for the rain He plans to send.

God promises in scripture that he will send us rain.  Which farmer are you?  Are you preparing for rain? Will you be ready? What are you asking God for in your life?  Is it help?  Is it peace?  Is it something else? Do you believe He can provide what you are asking Him for?  If you answer yes, then why are we worried about our problems in life.  We should be sitting back with the attitude that “With God all things are possible.”

We should be saying in ALL things…”Dear problem, I have a big God!”

Have you ever tried to do it all?

I have, I do, and I probably always will.   Being a woman requires more stamina, more creativity, and more wisdom than I ever dreamed as a young girl.  And that’s not just true for today’s busy women.  It has always been the case.  It gives new meaning to the phrase from Forrest Gump “I’ve worn lots of shoes.”

Having a Mary heart in a Martha world is something we have all no doubt thought about.  Deep down we all have a calling, to learn more about and to know and love God more intimately.  To truly know Jesus Christ and the walk with Him daily is something I long for on a daily basis.  You’re not after more head knowledge – it is heart knowledge you are seeking.

Something holds us back though.  Exhausted, you wonder how to find the strength at times to continue on.  Nurturing our spiritual lives seems more like a duty at times, adding one more thing to our life of responsibilities that are already overflowing.

A Tale of Two Sisters

We’ve all felt that struggle.  We want to worship like Mary, but the Martha inside keeps bossing us around.  Here’s a refresher course in case you’ve forgotten the story.  It’s found in Luke.  It’s the talk of two sisters.  It’s the tale of you and me.

“Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.  And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His  word.  But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.”  And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.  But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”  (Luke 10:38-42)

The first time I read the story of Mary and Martha in the bible, I thought that Mary was being very selfish.  After all I relate to Martha more than Mary.  I am the type of person that has to make sure everything is done just right.  I think they call that a perfectionist.

She was quite a woman…Betty Crocker and Martha Stewart all rolled into one.  She was the perfect hostess that could cook a huge meal at the drop of a hat, and then runs out to the flower garden and picks flowers and arranges them perfectly on the table and manages to sew new curtains so the sun shines through just right for her Lord.

I grew up in a house with three older brothers.  I was the youngest and the ONLY girl.  I understand how frustrated Martha must have been when she finally found Mary just “sitting around”  I understand the anger she must have felt at the sight of her sibling sitting at the Master’s feet in the living room.  There was still so much to do, and there sat Mary, happy as a lark, butting her nose in where it obviously didn’t belong, chatting with the men, totally uncaring of what Martha was trying to do for the Lord in the other room.

Mary had about all she could take.  She decided to do a little tattle telling and get Mary in some trouble.  She informs Jesus that Mary is being lazy and there is much to do and that her sister is being inconsiderate and not helping her in the kitchen.

Now me being the do gooder that I am the first thing I thought when I read this passage, was “you mean I have to do more than I am doing?”  Well there was just no way!  How could I possibly do more than I am doing.  I have something going on everyday for the Lord.  How could I possibly find time to do more than I am doing?

Mary and Martha both loved Jesus.  On this occasion they were both serving him.  But Martha thought Mary’s style of serving was inferior to hers.  She didn’t realized that in her desire to serve, she was actually neglecting her guest.

Jesus did not blame Martha for being concerned about household chores.  He was only asking her to set priorities.  It is possible for service to Christ to degenerate into mere busywork that is no longer full of devotion to God.

Are you so busy doing things for Jesus that you’re not spending any time WITH Him?  Don’t let your service become self serving.

I have been without internet for the last day or so, so this is my post that was supposed to go up yesterday.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY has arrived at Heavenly Ramblings!

On Wednesdays all over the internet, bloggers post a photograph with no words to explain it on their blog. Hence the ‘wordless’ title. The idea is that the photo itself says so much that it doesn’t need any description.  I will be participating in this intriguing idea every Wednesday on my blog.

I run a daycare in my home and I have been dealing with sick kiddos for some time now.  Snotty noses, coughing, fevers.  Everyone has had them including the 4 of us who live in this house.  I only keep 2 children at the present time and they are both in the same family.  Today they were both sick and made a trip to the doctor to once again get on antibiotics.

So today I decided I am tired of being sick and passing this stuff around so I went to the store and stocked up on Lysol and cleaning supplies and going to sanitize the house.  I am not keeping children tomorrow and my daughter and I are going to tear the house apart.  I hate cleaning especially spring cleaning in the winter time.  :(

Also my mother is going to be coming home sometime in the next week and she is going to be 75 in March and she surely doesn’t need all the germs around her.  Kelsey has already turned her room upside down and inside out cleaning it.

So a busy day it will be tomorrow cleaning and jamming to some Christian music I am sure.  I feel some Jars of Clay and maybe even a little Big Daddy Weave coming on!

On a different note…if you enjoyed the post yesterday from my husband…head on over to Slice of Home and check out his blog.  He is an amazing writer and an extraordinary man of God.  I love him so much!

I count it a joy and privilege to be able to share on her blog, because I know the many, many people that God has allowed her to reach out to with her posts every day. The Lord is changing lives, molding hearts, and shaping spiritual walks; and I know that a LOT of that is due to Jeannie’s increasing walk of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

For those of you who don’t know my darling wife like I do…all I can say is this: she is a humble servant of God who is always thinking and praying for others more than herself; she is a tough cookie on the outside but a fragile and delicate creature in her spirit. There have been many tragedies in her life (the greatest of these was burying our daughter Micah so long ago after her courageous battle with cancer) yet she has risen above them with the Lord’s unconditional love lifting her up. She loves to cook for armies literally God’s army!); she has the voice of a angel taking flight; she would be willing to lay her life down for her fellow brother or sister; she laughs unashamedly; cries over a lost soul; and is perhaps one of the greatest moms I’ve ever been around.

I say these things because during the past few months, she has experienced hurt, pain, and there were times when she has doubted herself; yet she has never, ever doubted God and His Word. It’s been a tough struggle, as she has bared her soul to others only to see them stab her with hurtful words or lying deceit…yet she has never wavered as she presses towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14). I know that it brings joy to God’s heart, knowing that His servant Jeannie, even in struggles, persecution, and trials, keeps on pushin’ on for the Lord!

Edification is what each and every Christian needs in the world today: and I wanted to take just a few short moments to give encouraging birthday words to my helpmate, my spouse, and my best friend. Jeannie, God wants you to know that He loves you so very much, and that He is proud of you for your constant and unrelenting Christian witness to others. He also wants you to never forget that even though life on this earth can be so very hard and difficult at times, it is but for a time; a season (Ecclesiastes 3). And when this season on earth is through, your testimony will be passed down through the generations as a great reminder to our children as to the power of our living God, and to His promises that He gives us in John 3:16.

I love you, my precious Jeannie. You are a blessing to me, and to many others.

Happy Birthday from me, and from God.  :)

Yesterday I wrote about an experience I had during a celebration that Harvest Time Ministries from Bowling Green, Mo put on called “The Great Awakening.”  I wanted to elaborate on what has happened to me since that time.

When I was 14, I fell in love with a young man who would become my husband some 23 years later.  I knew I was in love with him, and he knew it.  The problem was that he was 1/2 Japanese and I worried that my family would not be accepting of a “mixed” relationship.  After telling me how he felt about me one evening, I ran scared like a little girl and never told him how I felt.  We spent the next 22 years apart.  When he found his way back into my life, I was all too eager to tell him how I felt all those years ago.  Today we have been married for 8 years, and I can’t imagine being anywhere else.

So I got to thinking about how much this had paralleled my walk with Jesus.  I remembered being in love with Jesus at one time in my life, but circumstances in my life let me to believe that the worlds views of a relationship with Jesus are of no value.  I decided that I wanted to “fall in love with Jesus again.”

The world tells us that life is all about love.  But the love the world tells us about it a love for self.  The two greatest commandments Jesus gave us is – to love God and to love your neighbor.  Mark 12:30-31 tells us “ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’  The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  There is no commandment greater than these.”  

When we as Christians stop spending time with God, it is noticeable, especially as it comes out in one’s attitude. You can tell when someone is not walking with God.  Their actions show it.  One of my husbands favorite sayings is “Preach the gospel, when necessary use words.”  People should be able to tell if we love God by the actions we take and the things we say.

If I don’t spend time with God on a given day, I know it. If I don’t spend time with God for a couple of days, my husband begins to notice. If I don’t spend time with God for about a week, all my friends start to ask what is wrong with me.  It comes out in my attitude because I become critical, I’m impatient, I can be cranky.  But when I am spending time being in the Word and allowing the Holy Spirit to fill you with love it pushes all those things out the back door.  The only way you get that love is spending time with Jesus and being in the Word.  Surrounding yourself with like-minded people gives you the strength and support to WANT to be in the Word and spend time in prayer with God.

Today I choose to serve the Lord.  I will do the best I can to live my life for Jesus Christ.   Whatever it takes Lord, I want to be used by you in such a way that on that final day I’ll hear you say ‘well done now good and faithful servant, you may enter my kingdom.

About a year ago, I fell in love with Jesus, again.  I never knew that I was supposed to have that kind of relationship with Him.  I am excited to serve Him everyday and I look forward to waking up each and every morning with a renewed sense of what it means to have someone who loves me unconditionally.  Thank you Jesus for dying on a lonely cross to save me from my sins.  I give you all the praise,  honor, and glory, for everything you have given me in my life.  I will do the very best I can to serve you.

A few months ago, on a  Saturday evening, I was privileged to attend somewhat of a revival.  That is the best word I have found to describe what happened in this servants heart.  However “revival” seems so minuscule for what actually DID happen.  You can read what my husband wrote about it here.

I think back to times when I have heard my husband talk about John Wesley’s Alders gate experience where he describes his heart as being “strangely warmed”;  or Martin Luther when he talks of his ”tower experience,” when he suddenly became convinced of the truth of the certainty of the gospel – the unforgettable experience of switching from despair and uncertainty to true faith and conviction; or when John Calvin wrote in his journal in 1533, ”God subdued and brought my heart to surrender”.

All I can tell you is that this servants heart was changed in a way that I went into the evening not expecting.  The following is an account of what happened.

Upon arriving we entered into a building that certainly didn’t look like a church (it was a fair ground building).  But the minute we walked into the room I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit.  It gave me somewhat of a chill that made my bones feel like they were jumping around inside of my body.  We were really early so we were one of the first ones there.  We found a place to sit for the dinner and sat down and started talking to Mike and Crystal Blackwell.  (they went with us)  As I sat there Mike asked me if I was ok.  ”yes”, I replied, “I just feel out-of-place.”  He laughed and said because you are out of your comfort zone I guess.  I said “not really, it is not an uncomfortable feeling just a feeling of uneasiness.”

Now to give you a little background, the organizer of this event was Pastor Marshall Adams from Harvest Time Ministries in Bowling Green; nine months ago, God gave him the same vision that he gave my husband Richard (many years ago) about revival in the northern MO area. Marshall prays specifically about where God would have him speak to His people…and Brookfield was one of those towns where God told him that revival was going to happen. The Holy Spirit guided him to our town, and to CSBC, one Sunday evening about four months ago, and everything Marshall told us was exactly what the Lord was having Richard teach on and share with the people, that very evening. Ever since Marshall’s visit, we have had tremendous revival within the church with SEVERAL baptisms and professions of faith and new members! He shared this map with us:

Here is the map’s breakdown: the yellow dots on the map signify churches where Marshall said that God has told him were truly “kissed” with God’s Presence; the red dots are indicators where the outreach from those churches are spreading; the blue dots are towns where God has told him to go in the future; the orange dots are churches where Marshall has visited that do not want to have anything to do with God’s vision of revival and renewal; and the black dot is a church that is spiritually dead.

We ate a wonderful meal and I continued to be quiet (and for me is NOT normal…LOL).  We moved up to our chairs to start the worship service and their praise band started playing.  Now I was suspecting of Marshal’s services at the church he serves being, well, very “worshipful” but nothing like I was about to experience.  I have never been in a pentecostal or full gospel church in my life so I wasn’t sure what to expect.  So at this point I am thinking my uneasiness is due to that.  I had no idea what was in store for my heart that evening.

My husband spoke on evangelism with such conviction that I cried to see him talking about God with a passion that seemed to well up from his belly and explode out of his mouth, expressing how burdened he is for the least the last and the lost.  I think back to how the seminary professor told him he was too passionate about God’s Word and that he didn’t belong in the Methodist conference.  Can that even happen?  Can someone be too passionate about God’s Word?

Then a man only known to me as “Pastor Dave” spoke about prayer.  He spoke for almost 30 minutes and the very first statement he made stuck with me and brought me to tears and I knew then why I felt so uncomfortable and what the “uneasiness” was that had consumed my very soul at the start of the evening.  The statement was this…”Your walk  with God, directly reflects the amount of time you spend with God.”   I don’t think I stopped crying for the next two hours.  WOW makes me cry just typing it.

Pastor Marshall got up and spoke about revival in the land.  He talked about all the churches on the map that he had visited and all that God had laid on his heart about what was going to happen over the next few months.

Throughout the evening, I was very humbled and felt very ashamed at the portrayal of my Christian walk to other people.  I have had people say to me things like “how do you keep the faith so strong”, or “how can you work so hard for God for a reward you  may not see for years to come”, or “you have so much faith in God and your relationship with him is so good.”  I realized at that moment when Pastor Dave made that statement that made such an impact on my life that I have failed my Lord and Savior once again.  I don’t spend as much time with him as I should.  And I certainly don’t give him as much of myself as I think I do.  I as a Christian, can always do more.  I realized at that moment that I can never give enough back to God to repay Him for everything He has given up for me.

I experienced things that evening that I had not seen  before.  Speaking in tongues, people slain in the spirit, and prayer for healings.  Now don’t get me wrong, this was no Benny Henn, blow you over healing service.  This was a true intercessory praying, God ordained, prayer/healing service that I had never experienced.

Now here I am several months removed and Pastor Marshall has made several visits to our church.  ”The Awakening” that our church has had in this time has been remarkable.  I never knew that worshiping God SHOULD be like this.  When we praise God, in any setting, we should give him our all.  We should give him all of our selves.  All of us in song, prayer, during the message, joys, reading of His Word, all of it.  If we are willing to give Him only a small part of ourselves, and only during worship on Sunday, how devoted to Him are we.  God does not belong in a box.  When we put Him in a box and only take Him out on Sundays, we limit God and His abilities.  God wants us to give Him all the praise honor and glory every minute of everyday of our lives.   We should learn to fall in love with Jesus first and foremost.  When we learn that basic principle, then we can truly have a relationship with Jesus and begin a walk that will take us on a journey beyond our wildest dreams.

That is how I felt the day my sweet husband, Richard, waltzed back into my life after being gone for 22 years.  So much so that the legendary song by Etta James was the song we danced to at our wedding.  (well that isn’t entirely true.  We were SUPPOSED to dance to it and the DJ lost it, so we ended up dancing to “Smoke Gets In Your eyes” by the Platters.)

So today when Richard called to tell me that Etta James had died, I was saddened to say the least.  Her music as a legendary blues singer was unique in its form and unique to the music industry.

She died from complications from leukemia with her husband, Artis Mills, and her sons by her side.  She was diagnosed with leukemia in 2010, and also suffered from dementia and hepatitis C. James died at a hospital in Riverside, California. She would have turned 74 Wednesday.

She will be missed by the music industry I am sure, but missed more by two high school sweethearts that think of her song often, in fact each time we turn on “our music” we think of “At Last.”

Rest in peace Etta James.