Senseless Ramblings of the Mindless

Christmas is right around the corner and millions around the world are searching for the perfect gift. Most people, well, at least I believe that many would want to give the perfect gift. There is a common quote that says;” it’s the thought that counts when it comes to picking out the perfect gift.” When I give gifts, I put a lot of thought into the gift and the person receiving. I’m not the kind of person that just walks into the store and picks up whatever it is that is in front of me. When I give gifts I take into consideration a few things.

1. Is the said gift practical?
2. Does the gift have a special meaning?
3. I will also take into account the cost of said gift.

When it comes to getting gifts for my grand-kids I take in the pros and cons. My daughter Beckiah (Becca) was our first daughter to have children. When she made the announcement, it was exciting. I ran out to the store to get her baby a Precious Moments bear. I was in high gear when it came to picking out the perfect gifts for my grandson Tyson (15). Soft blankets, bibs, diapers, toys and whatever else jumped out at me was in my cart. It was the same way for all of my grand-kids.

My daughter Jessica has 2 children and I was present for both of the births. With Beckiah I was with her for the boys, but not Kora. Children are a true blessing from God. As I would and still surf the internet and Amazon, I make sure to read all about the item. Is it useful, fun and how much does it cost. My grand-kids are worth every penny I spend on them. I am bringing up my grand-kids because of the story of the birth of Christ and the gifts the Magi’s brought to a newborn child who is the King of the Jews.

When baby Jesus was born, there was no Amazon or stores to go searching for the perfect gift. Have you ever thought about what in the world was the Magi’s (Wise-men) were thinking. The Magi brought gold, frankincense and myrrh. What in the world would baby Jesus  who is the newborn king do with these gifts?

December 25th is the day that Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. In my opinion I think that it has become a day filled with people showering their children and loved ones with toys, gizmos, electronics and so on. When Jesus was born, He received gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Gold

Gold is pretty easy for me to understand. Gold is a gift that is fit for a king. It symbolizes royalty. I would say that you can’t be more royal that Jesus is.

• 1 Timothy 6:15,  which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords,

When the Magi presented gold to Jesus, they made it known that Jesus has right to rule. The Magi knew that baby Jesus was the King of kings

Frankincense

What is Frankincense? Frankincense is a white resin or gum. Frankincense is a symbol of holiness and righteousness. Frankincense is fragrant when it is burned. They used Frankincense when they would worship in the temple and was used for priesthood ordinances. Frankincense also represents Jesus’s role as the Lamb of God. He would be sacrificed so we could be saved.  It was mixed with the oil that was used to anoint the priests of Israel.

• Matthew 2:11, Upon finding the baby Jesus, “they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh”.
• John 1:29, The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

Myrrh

What is Myrrh? Myrrh is a product of Arabia, and it also came from a tree like Frankincense. Myrrh is a spice that is used when someone is embalmed. Myrrh was also used to make wine more drinkable. I’m not exactly sure why this would be a practical gift for baby Jesus.I would be interested in hearing what my pastor says about this gift. 

Myrrh symbolizes bitterness, suffering, and affliction. I have read a number of articles about what Myrrh is. The only thing I got out of this is that it symbolic when it comes to how Jesus would suffer in ways we would never know. He paid the greatest price when He died on the cross for all of the world.

• John 19:39-40,  He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. ⁴⁰ Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs.

I’m not exactly clear when it came to the intention of these particular gifts to baby Jesus.

What I have gotten out of studying up on the gifts of the Magi, my conclusions are that all of these gifts are of great value. Gold acknowledges that baby Jesus is royalty and He is the King of the Jews and Lord of Lords. Frankincense signifies His priesthood and Myrrh represented Jesus’ humanity.Myrrh was used for embalming and it symbolizes His death and His burial.

Lisa L– Do not delete this blog because there are a lot of words to read, lol. Sorry all, I have to leave a note like this since Lisa deletes long winded blog posts, lol.

The other night I was having a conversation with my sister about how hard it was for me to accept help from others. I have always been the kind of person who felt I could do it myself and I needed no help. It’s wasn’t until Ruth Heuring who is married to my previous pastor pointed out that sometimes it isn’t just a way of helping me do things when needed, it was also a way to help others be a blessing to me. I didn’t get what she was saying.

My answer when asked if I need something was always, “no, I can do that myself.” Then one night while I was sitting alone in my hospital bed, God turned the light on for me. I didn’t get it. While I was in bed, God told me that the same joy I get when I help people, is the same joy the person who wants to help needs. By saying no, I was taking away the opportunity that they needed by serving others and being a blessing to me.

I have this burning desire to live my life by serving others. I feel that as a Christian we are born to bless God and those around me. My husband doesn’t understand this in many ways. I would hope that throughout my live that people have felt bless by allowing me to serve them by helping them in whatever way I could.

There was a sweet little lady named Dena Allen. She went to my church. Because of Dena I was given the gift of knowledge. Dena was a teacher and she loved to talk about her childhood. Dena lived alone by the time I met her. Her husband passed away a few years before I met her. Her son Howard was a drug addict and his drug of choice was heroine. Dena was the kind of person that made me want to do more. She educated me in so many areas. Most of all, she blessed me by sharing her life.

We would sit on the phone for hours and talk about anything and everything. We had many conversations about the Bible. All of our conversations would begin around 10pm and go till around 2 or 3 am. As I listened to her life stories, I realized how lonely she was. She needed someone to talk to during those times because she didn’t feel alone. She would ask me about my life and I would say very little. I didn’t want to share certain parts of my life. My life had a lock on it and unless you knew the combination, nobody would be able to enter. Dena and God changed all of that.

My sister Joyce and I spend a lot of time just sitting and talking. Joyce and I share many experiences and while I don’t like to accept help, she knows when I need help the most. There are times when I would get angry with her because she wanted to help. In my mind, there wasn’t anything she nor anyone else could do to make things better. I was strong, or so I thought and I alone could conquer the world and do it “my way.” Of course that wasn’t the way things turned out, I would say I was a bit delusional when it came and comes to accepting help.

Both of us started sharing our experiences, pains and heartaches we were having or have had in our life. When I think about the conversations I would have with Dena Allen and with my sister Joyce, I would say that the best things about our talks is that we all were blessed because of the experiences that we shared.

My best friend Lisa has also taught me that it is OK to allow people to help you. I feel blessed by Lisa each and every day. Lisa won’t take no for an answer. Well, my sister Joyce won’t either, lol. I guess God knew that I needed people who are just as stubborn as I was in order for me to learn the whole “blessing” thing.

I have been overly blessed when it comes to my friendship with Lisa. When I first met her, I thought I was going to have to swoop in and save the day with her. I don’t think I have ever said that to her,lol. Let’s be honest here, I thought she was a mess. Her life was very chaotic. I have never known anyone like Lisa. Lisa is a veteran and served in the Navy. She is a motorcycle momma, tattooed and had fire engine red and at times other colors. I had a person tell me that I should stay clear of Lisa because of how her personal life was. Well, let me say this, I am SOOOOOOOO happy that I didn’t listen to this person.

With my sister Joyce, I also felt like I was going to go in and save the day. She needed saving in my mind. She made some bad choices in life and like Lisa, she has tattoos, smokes and she will tell it like it is. Her life was a mess also. For a long time I would think that I was so happy that I wasn’t as screwed up as Joyce. I do want to say that these thoughts were many years back for the most part. But, I felt I was the one and only person to save my sister. I must have thought I was “underdog”. If you don’t know who “Underdog” is. It is a beagle that was like a superman kind of beagle dog and he says, “Have No Fear, Underdog is Here.” God eventually let me know that I was as screwed up as the rest of the world and that wasn’t a good reality check, but a very much-needed one.

It wasn’t until I had so many life threatening health issues that are still in play that I realized that I wasn’t Underdog and I wasn’t the one saving the day. It is God who is saving the day by putting people like Lisa and Joyce in my life. It isn’t about giving something, money, objects and time. It has nothing to do with material things. It is about encouraging one another by sharing God’s Word.

As we go about our day I would like to ask if you have a goal when it comes to being a blessing to others?

•  Ephesians 4:29 “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

Serving others not only blesses them, but it equally blesses us.

I have been doing a lot of thinking lately about my church and those in my church and Pastor Ray and his lovely wife Kathi.

• Ephesians 4:11-13, So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ

Pastor Ray and Kathi came to us a few years ago and I don’t know about anyone else, but I have been very much blessed by them. The reason I say that is because for the longest time I have felt like our church is a dying church. When Pastor Dean was there, he was able to bring about a lot of positive changes. Our church was growing and life was coming back. For me, I still felt something was missing. What I felt was missing is reaching out to those in our community. We were writing checks to help with missions and outreach, but there was very little outreach when it came to those in our own community. St. George is a unique mission field and my church is directly across the street from the University. And yet, we were sitting in our pews, singing songs and listening to sermons, but not really getting out there and talking to those around us.

• Ephesians 4:14-16, Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work

I realize that not everyone has a gift for missions and reaching out to others. But, God made each and every one of us and we each have a unique talent and skills. When we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and into our lives, we are given at least one spiritual gift. We get the most happiness and blessings that make a difference when we use our God-given talents and gifts.

What I have noticed is that when Pastor Ray and Kathi came here is that Pastor Ray also has the gift of missions and reaching out to those around him and those most would never want to be around. He see’s past what the outside may seem like. I believe that pastors have a number of gifts and not all use them. Pastor Ray does. I had almost given up on our church. People were content to just be there. Not everyone, but many do.

When we shift our focus away from ourselves and serve others, our eyes are opened up to see others as Jesus would see them. Serving others helps us be more like Jesus. Pastor Ray is a great example of this. There are times he is the only person that shows up to events.

• Matthew 25:40, “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

As we work side by side with other people, bond form and this was part of God’s plan when it comes to how the church is supposed to work.Eventually there comes a time where we need to move out of our comfort zone. This is something I have a hard time with at times. Over the past few years, I have seen that when we see what God can do when we let God work within ourselves, we start looking for the doors that He is opening instead of pushing our way through the ones that have already closed.

• Hebrews 10:24 -25, And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
• Ephesians 3:20, Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,

I have found time after time that when I serve others, it is the best distraction from my own worries. I have had many ask me why I do what I do when health wise I should be in bed and not really do much. All I can say is that I know that God will give me the strength to do what I have to do and what He needs me to do. If He can give Moses the words to speak to Pharaoh, then He can give me the strength to do whatever it is that has to be done. Even if I am the only one standing outside handing out fliers, that’s OK.

There are many at my church that are the same way. I know they may not like me giving them a shout out, but I will. And that’s because they serve others even when they struggle to get out of bed or they struggle with health issues.

• Pastor Ray: He is willing to stand alone on street corners if that is what it takes to share the Gospel.
• Bruce B: Bruce and his lovely wife Pam shows up to set things up, tear things down, serve people for hours on end, even when they are exhausted. There have been times they were the only ones there when others said they would be there.
• Barbara A: She serves people each and every week at church. She has the secret ingredient called “love”. She won’t go into her hardships and she will work through them. Barbara has always answered God with, “yes”, I will do that.
• Bob W: God has given him the gift of working with his hands. He made a beautiful wooden cross by hand for our church. Bob serves the Lord in so many ways. I am sure in ways I don’t know about and ways that only he and God knows.
• Kitchen Helpers: Each and every Sunday there are many that show up to help serve others. No matter how tired they are, they have a smile on their face.
• Care Team: God has gifted some very special ladies when it comes to loving others and serving them. We have Shirley M, Evelyn, Peggi, Lyn, Grace, Sheila and so many others that I lose track of.
• The Vincents and the Parkers: Tom, Sandi, Paul and Lucretia amaze me when it comes to the dedication they display. They love others and serve the Lord in countless ways.

I normally don’t name names, but this time I want to. All of these people and many more that I haven’t mentions has encouraged others and when we see the healing and love that comes from those who serve others as Christ would want us to, then we are encouraged to do the same and to be Christlike. I am willing to be that the reason they serve others and reach out to those that are living in our own mission field is because they feel like they got more than they gave.

There isn’t a day that goes by when I hear someone say that they wish they could talk to people the way I do. Or they wish they could do more, but they can’t because they can’t lift, walk, talk or whatever other excuse. What I would say is that the Lord doesn’t always call the ones who are equipped; He equips the ones He calls. God used men and women who didn’t think they could do whatever it is that God wanted them to do, and yet they changed history. Again, like I mentioned before, Moses didn’t think he would be able to speak to Pharaoh, but God worked through Moses to bring Israel out of slavery.

Then you have Paul who used to kill Christians before he met Jesus and he became one of the most prolific writer and planted many churches.  You can even look at  David. I’m sure you have heard the story of David and Goliath. David  was the youngest of all his brothers, but God worked through David to defeat Goliath by striking him down with a stone, and eventually made him a king.

In closing, I just want to say that there are many ways to show Christ’s love and to reach others. God has put missions and outreach on my heart. I know it isn’t everyone’s gift, but I sincerely believe that everyone should have the goal to let Jesus Christ’s love change someone else’s lives. You don’t have to go out knocking on doors, you can show Christ;s love by treating the other person as Christ would. Each and every person is special and Christ died for them and for you. When we see everything that God has done, we will want to share His love with others.

Be a blessing to others and allow others to bless you.

Chuck was telling me this afternoon that people were asking why I wasn’t at church much lately. For the most part it is because I haven’t been feeling good and my nights are long because of that. It is 3:30 in the morning right now and I am just now to the point where my meds that I use in my IV are done and they are finally working.

During this time of year, I miss a lot of church because of how people have colds, pneumonia and the flu.There have been some that will go to church sick, which makes it hard for me since I have 2 auto-immune diseases and a simple cold or the flu will land me in the ICU. I ended up completely paralyzed because of the flu shot and then I ended up with that. I ended up being paralyzed for a year over that one and I have had 2 occurrences that were just partial paralysis. During that time I couldn’t speak, open and close my eyes and I couldn’t even move my forehead. My eyes had to be taped shut when I went to sleep. So, I can’t take chances on if people are sick or not.

Click Here to learn more about Guillian Barre Syndrome and the variant I have CIPD

For most people when they get sick is done and over with. But, for those who have auto-immune diseases, it’s different. I can’t take the flu, pneumonia and the shingles shot since I have this antibody that reacts to the virus’s.

I can’t even count how many times I hear people coughing, sneezing. It isn’t just church, but it is anywhere. I know that I can’t tell people how to live their lives, they have a right to do what they do. I don’t expect people to stop doing what they are doing because of my illness. But, I have to take things such as a cold, pneumonia or the flu seriously.

I was asked a few times to speak to groups about what Guillian Barre Syndrome is. I am not a public speaker at all. It makes me nervous when all eyes are on me. The first time I spoke to others about Guillian Barre Syndrome, it was in my daughters class.

As I went into the classroom, I introduced myself and I went and shook the hands of some of the students. I then asked the students about if they ever have been sick lately. Some raised their hands. A couple of the students I shook hands with, we just getting over the flu. It was at that point when I told them that just shaking the hands of someone who is sick is enough to land me in the hospital.

At my church, there are only a handful of people who really knows much about what I have. They don’t fully get it, but my doctors don’t either. My initial onset of Guillian Barre Syndrome was horrible. I couldn’t pick up a pencil, I was on breathing machines and I had to relearn how to walk.

My Dr’s told me that once I have it, I won’t ever get it. That is a bunch of hogwash. I have the chronic form of Guillian Barre Syndrome. I have had it a total of 3 times. I also have Myasthenia Gravis. That is a form of Muscular Dystrophy. My neurologist said it isn’t unusual to have more than one auto-immune disease. I also have 3 markers for  MS. They can’t fully rule it out. All of this started because I carry a certain antibody that reacts to virus’s such as the flu and cold.

Because the Myasthenia Gravis and Guillian Barre Syndrome(CIPD) makes the muscles weaker, it affects other parts of my body. I have Malignant hypertension which is always in the 220/120 range. It depends on how my nights are and what is going on during the day. The more I do and the longer I am awake the higher it gets.

I am glad that I can do all of the things I need to do for church from home on my computer. With the way my computer is behaving, I may have to get a new one so I can do all the things I need to do at church. Since I do our website, Facebook page and a lot of other things, I am praying my computer doesn’t conk out before I can get the money to get a new one. I’m getting sidetracked now, lol.  I am also thankful that our sermons are available online. At least that way I can’t get sick by watching from the house.

This is the time of year when I miss a lot of church for health reasons. I don’t want to have people feel bad if I got sick by just shaking their hands or giving them a hug. We have a very huggy, squeezing kind of church, which I love. My church has got to be the most loving church there is out there.

I may put a slide in the Powerpoint at my church about how if someone is sick with a contagious illness, it would be better to stay home. That way it doesn’t get people sick. It isn’t just my illness, there are a lot of diseases and illnesses with weakened immune systems. There is one of our members who have ben going through treatment for cancer. Another woman has MS. I met a couple a few weeks ago and her husband is being tested to see what it is that he is dealing with. They only know it is auto-immune.

The majority of people get over the flu, cold  or pneumonia pretty fast. I try to stay away from medical posts and what it is that I have. I figured I should share a bit so people don’t worry. I don’t think my husband fully understands it all. He knows, but doesn’t understand how to explain what it is. I do want to thank Pastor Ray for doing the sermons. I may not be there physically, but I am still getting the message.

I want to close this post by saying that if you are sick, please stay home. If you are coughing and sneezing cover your mouth and wash your hands. You never know what you may be passing around. You may not realize the person who is standing in front of you could end up in a life threatening situation over something as simple as a cold or flu. A little simple etiquette can go a long ways.

To learn more about the flu and what ou can do to prevent getting sick and spreading, you can go to the Center for Disease Control (CDC)

Colossians 3:14-16, But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

That’s a pretty powerful message because things in our world is out of control.  In verse 15 it is talking about having the peace of God. It goes on to discuss how we are to be thankful and being one body. In a couple of days we will be celebrating “Thanksgiving.”

There has been some horrible things going on in our world and in our lives. When I watch the sadness and loneliness on some of the people’s face in my church, family, and strangers. I like to take pictures of nature and people. While most people, myself included enjoy Thanksgiving, there are many who  feel that they have nothing to live for.  An acquaintance was talking to be about how difficult this time of year is for her.

This friend that I have known for many years walked into their sons room to see why he was late getting to work. She and her husband went into his room and they saw their son hanging from  the ceiling. With the love of their lives died, it literally destroyed his family. They were left with anger, confusion and an overwhelming amount of grief and despair. This happened some time ago and his family tried to get through the darkest moments of their lives. I just found out the other day that she and her husband have gotten a divorce.

They are beyond numb and now they don’t have their son. For them, “Thanksgiving” is a day filled with sorry. They go about their days alone each “Thanksgiving,” and for “Christmas.”. They can’t bear the load alone. Being grateful is a place that is locked away and while they are searching for peace and joy, they are forgetting that without God, they won’t have a true sense of Thanksgiving.

There are days when I find it difficult to handle some of this worlds hardships. Lately I have had moments of uncertainty, but not about God. My uncertainties are more about the conditions of the world and our leaders. For me, when I have difficult moments and when I want to throw in the towel, I go to God even if it is something I don’t want to listen to. God and I don’t always agree on things.

God wants us to be thankful when we are going through difficult patches in our lives. When I read comments from good friends and I see the sadness in the words they post, it makes me sad to know that they have given up. What makes me really sad and I know during my quiet times with God, I am sure to lift them up in prayers. God wants us to give thanks in the hard times and the good times. We aren’t going to know what is going to happen. When we try to go through these difficult times alone, life can be a roller coaster. If we put our trust and if we depend on God, then life will work out. Even if we are going through the deepest and darkest pit, we can know peace, because God has our back.

Yesseree, God always has a plan for; 

Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 that we should be, “joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will you for in Jesus Christ.” I’m not sure about you, but I find that these words are difficult, well, for me they are. I would like to add that God has a plan;

• for those who are suffering depression. A few of my friends are in a deep fog. God is there for you.
• for those who are going through cancer treatment or other medical tests.
• for my good  friend who has divorced her husband.
• for the person is may have a lot of people around them, but they are still lonely.
• for my friends who are having financial problems.
• for those who lost a child. (I have known many women who have lost their children)
• for the leaders of our country.

While it may be difficult and sometimes downright impossible, we are to give thanks. When I think about what and who I am thankful for, I find it is great reminder of the many blessings I have received, and I have a whole boatload of them. I will be writing about my list of things I am thankful for tomorrow on this blog.

With so many complaining about this or that, giving thanks puts things in perspective and makes me appreciate people better. I know many cranky and always down in the dumps kind of people who let’s life pass them by. Taking time to be thankful and counting our blessings is a great way to appreciate what we have.

I would like to end this blog with a few ideas on how to be thankful in all things. not just when everything is going peachy.

• Look around your home and on walls. If you are like me, the walls tell a story of my life and those things that are important to me. If you have pictures of your family, pets and so on, you can thank God for those memories.  When I look at the pictures on my wall, I see my mom who is with the Lord, I see my daughters, grandchildren and our pets.
• Remember the times in your life when you were going through times of crisis and you didn’t think you would make it. For myself, this is a major thing.
• If there has been a special person/persons in your life, you still have the opportunity to tell them how you turned out. God has an awesome way of putting the right person and the right time in our lives.
• Make sure you thank those who you cherish. Years ago, I made it a point to reach out to two pastors. My life was a mess and I was living in an extremely hostile situation. I found both of these pastors and what an awesome feeling it was to tell them “Thank You”.You don’t have to go in person, you can call them, visit them and if they passed away, you can visit their grave. Not only does it help you, but it could mae a huge difference to them.
• Take time to have a conversation with God. this time of the year is a great reminder that God’s love endures forever. The Lords faithfulness and love will never stop. This is also the perfect time to look ahead. I look forward to the future with the Lord when there will be no more pain, tears and fears. Jesus will bring an abundance amount of joy, peace and love. The world can’t fathom that kind of love. .

In a nutshell I would like to say that when things are going perfectly it is easy to take things for granted. The simple things are pushed aside and we forget the little things that made a major impact. When others fail us, God doesn’t. He will never take off and leave you hanging. There has been a lot of unrest in our country. Riots and declarations of hate and anger has taken my country by  storm. In the midst of all of this anger, God still loves us. God is good and loving, and for this I am thankful.

It’s hard to listen to the news lately. It’s isn’t just the news, but it is also the internet  mentality and people in general. It’s all the conspiracy theories and such. While I  was out with a friend recently. There was a person sitting behind us and the comments that they said were full on racial slurs and deep hatred towards anyone that is a person of color or belief system. I feel like we are living in a devastating time for those in this world.

I am rather upset over the presidential race and the media circus.  The hatred from those who are from either party is out of control. Those who say they are Christian are acting in ways that I would think twice about Who they are putting their faith in. You have the Democrats calling the Republicans deplorable and all kinds of things. Then you have the Republicans calling all liberals evil and spawns of Satan. I know Christians who are both Republicans and Democrats. I have lost respect for those who are part of the name calling and the hate filled speech. I won’t go as far as question them about their faith, but it makes me wonder when hatred and lies come from their mouths, what their hearts actually believe. We are living in some pretty difficult times.  Everyone we meet are going through their own struggles and are searching for answers. I know I have been fighting my own personal and physical battles. I’m no different from anyone else.

In our lifetime, we have a tendency to look back, look forward and we look at our life now. There is no way around getting defeated. My country (USA) has been going through a roller coaster kind of ride and many are feeling defeated. I can honestly say that I have had felt defeated mentally because of this election. Thankfully God knows how to balance our lives so we can enjoy the sunshine and people in our life.

It’s very easy to let our circumstances get in the way of our relationship with Christ. When things are calm, we just go about our business. When tragedy strikes we forget that God has a purpose and plan for our life. While we are going through all the pain and suffering that this world has to offer. When evil takes over it is natural to go searching for a safe place. God holds out His arms and encourages us to seek Him. Don’t let the things and people of this world trap you. I love the song “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus“. This song is a good reminder that the things of this world go dim, we can look to Jesus.

Over this past week, well, actually over the last year or so, we have seen violence overflowing into the streets. Lives, livelihood and fear have escalated to the point where fear is taking over. I am fearful about for county.  When I read people’s comments about how they don’t understand how a person would be afraid, it makes me wonder if they have read the Bible. All you have to do is read Revelations and the books that discuss prophesy. There is some pretty scary things going on. I should actually word it like this, “I’m fearful for my country and what and where we are headed. I’m not fearful that God has everything under control. In that sense, I have a great amount of peace.

•  Isaiah 41:10- So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

As the events of the world are laid out like a rocky path, I am reminded of a passage in Psalms 91. “For He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.” God isn’t promising to take the rocks and stones from our path, but He does provide a way for us to get over them.

We humans have a way of complaining about anything and everything. This election period has been a big test for me. Lately, I have been wanting to throw them at the nastiest people in the world, but of course the stones won’t hit them where they need to. Besides, if I were to do what comes naturally which would be to kick them and throw them, the end result would end up causing more pain.

We have become accustomed to the rocky paths of life. There will always be rocky paths, since not all are smooth. Giving up is not in my DNA. Others may give up and look for a better path. Since I am a believer in Christ and a child of God, turning back isn’t an option.

Our life was full of defeats, all of us would feel discouraged. Thankfully, life isn’t about all the bad things. God has given us sorrow and laughter. Not only do we experience the storm clouds filled with rain, we also have beautiful flowers that cannot grow without rain. I love to watch lightning from a distance, but not overhead.  I’m not into the whole, lightning striking me dead kind of thing, lol. In our life there are always going to be challenges and there is always going to be times of peace and joy.

As we go through the rough patches and uncertainties of life I find peace in knowing that I need to look to Jesus Christ. He knows what is going on and how I feel. He knows my fears. Jesus Christ faced difficult obstacles in His life. He was rejected, scorned. Jesus was called many things. Through all of His trials, tribulations and temptations, He continued to do the will of God. ultimately Christ gave His life on the cross.

• Hebrews 12:2 – fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfected of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

In closing, We aren’t to look at ourselves, troubles or circumstances, we are to look to Jesus Christ.  We can entrust our lives and those we love into the hands of God. When we find ourselves worried, afraid and discouraged it’s good to remember that the Lord reigns. This is the only hope for peace and joy in a troubled world.

This whole election period has been a very emotional one for many people on both sides, myself included. I didn’t realize until this week how frustrated I was and am. I have been praying about this election for sometime and I still am. I am praying for both parties and our country. While I was praying today, I was looking down at my cell phone and I noticed the time that was displayed. I honestly believe that if we pray, God will give answers. At that point, I wrote out this status on my Facebook page. 

Facebook Comment: I started this status at 3:16… For those who knows what the meaning of 3:16, it means that I am going to be focusing on John 3:16. For those who may not know that verse it says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” And what that means for me is that I am going to stay away from commenting on anything political on Facebook, because right now my mouth and fingers on a keyboard may get me in a ton of trouble. So, my focus instead of updating and commenting or even changing status’ from this will be a while. So, if you don’t see a status change or comments, it’s because I need to focus on John 3:16 and not events of this world.

God loves us so much! This has to be the most powerful and message in the BIble. The things of this world has a way of bringing us down. We can count on God-loving us so much that He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for us. Jesus sacrificed Himself so we could have life. God loves you and me, and it doesn’t matter if you are a Democrat or a Republican. It doesn’t matter if you are a man or a woman. It doesn’t matter if you are young or old. It doesn’t matter what race you are and it doesn’t matter what church or no church at all that you go to. 

John 3:16 is reminder on how we should be talking to others that may not know God. With all of the hate going on in the world and hurt feelings, I can see why God sent me that message on my phone. All it was numbers, but very important numbers. Numbers that can save. On Facebook people are posting videos and pictures of people rioting, hurting others, setting fires and so forth. This isn’t a time to point fingers and displaying how terrible those who we disagree with are. There are those who are feeling agony and are deeply hurt. Not just politically, but physically and mentally. There is misery, fear and anguish. These are all real things. As a Christian, I know that God sent His Son to give us hope when we feel this way. 

There are horrible things going on in our world and in our country. You don’t have to look very far to see the evil around us. The message I got when I looked down at my phone at exactly 3:16 was that we can’t let evil rob us of how much God loves us all and wants to give you and I life! This is a triumphant message that we can all hold near our heart. 

A simple song called “Jesus Loves Me” comes to mind as I watch all of the things going on around me. I think this song should be sung at church more. It is a good reminder of how much Jesus loves me and you. I was tought that when I was little, and I think as adults we forget this simple but powerful message.

Jesus Loves Me Video

Jesus loves me! This I know,
For the Bible tells me so;
Little ones to him belong,
They are weak but he is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

What a great song. You have probably sung this song all of your life. Your affection for Jesus Loves Me, may have started as early as infancy when your mother rocked you to sleep. For many, the melody and the words are familiar, but the deep truths of the song have alluded them.

My Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I know and have faith that you sent Jesus Christ to save me from my sins. I don’t and can’t fully understand the kind of love you have for all of us, but I thank you and give you honor. I also pray that you give me and all of Your children strength during this difficult time. I am placing my hope and trust in You alone. I am praying that Your Kingdom to come. I am placing my full trust in you.

Lord, I am asking you to watch over this nation and to provide wisdom and guide them. I pray for those that are making the hard choices and those who may not believe in you. I pray that our leaders do what is best for all the people in the United States and in the world. This is going to be a time of transition. My prayer is that they have patience and are discerning when it comes to doing what is right. Lord, I pray that they look up to you as decisions are made, even in the hard times, I pray for you to watch over and direct them.

With Thanksgiving coming up, it is a good reminder to be thankful for all things, even when we are scared about our future, which many are. Thank you for all of the blessings you have given. In Your Sons Name I pray, Amen

As I close this post, here is a question for you all. 

Is there a time in your life that you have had a hard time when it comes to knowing that God loves you?

Today is a special day, one that I dreaded and one that I looked forward to. The reason I say this is because our country is entering a new season. This is season of life is called the “elections”. Tonight we have officially elected a new president. I am highly concerned for many reasons. For the last 18 months, we have been seeing things unfold like never before. I don’t like neither of the candidates, but I knew I had to back one of them. No matter who won, I am glad the elections are over. Now I wonder what kind of storms we will be facing as a country.

I have prayed and prayed over this election. Life can be unpredictable.  I don’t want to make this blog post about politics. I’m pretty sure each and every one of us has had some really bad days and some pretty awesome ones. There are times when it seems as if we get hit by the raging storms and it seems as if we can’t catch our breath because the storms of life are beating us up. I know there are days when I feel that way.

During these things, I have found that the only thing that helps me is when I go to a quiet place and I talk to Jesus. There are verse after verse that has a way of comforting me when I am having one of those days, I go to my Bible and I go to God in prayer.

• Philippians 4:6  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

I’m not a person who deals with change very easily. I understand that  everything changes, but that doesn’t mean I like it. For many, everyday is a battle of some sort. Lately I have been overly concerned about who is going to be our next president. As I read status messages about how they are concerned about the outcome of the election, they discuss how fearful and anxious over who is going to be the next president. I don’t know about you, but I do worry about what is going to happen in the future. I’m not worried over my medical issues. I guess I have been dealing with medical things for so long, it is just deal with it and put that in Gods hands.

Dealing with changes in life can be difficult but not impossible. I know for sure that when I am facing changes and dark storm clouds, I know that I can always rely on God. I have discussed this in a couple of my blogs and I will share it again.

When my health started to take a turn for the worse, I was at a point in my life when I was questioning God. I know were not supposed to test God, but I did. I didn’t want to be a doubting Thomas, but I was. I asked God if He was listening to me and was there, could He sent me a cool breeze that would come from nowhere. I wasn’t expecting Him to really answer, but he did. As I was sitting on my balcony this breeze. I just sat there and was crying. I was just tired and I didn’t want to deal with things anymore. If God were to take me home, I would have been OK. There were times when I would beg Him to take me home. That didn’t happen obviously, since I am typing right now. But, God did answer me about showing me a sign that He was listening. A cool breeze came out of nowhere.

• James 1:17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (NIV)

I have a feeling that out country is going to be going through some changes that may not be good. There are some people who won’t agree with me, but that’s OK. As I watch the news or read about what is going on in our world I know that God will be there. When life’s storm clouds seems as if things couldn’t get worse, we can find God’s love is the same as it was from the beginning of time. If you look within your heart, you will see that Jesus is always guiding you and He is always the best source for peace.

While I was watching the results of the elections, I realized, well, I have always known, but as a Christian, this is not my home. Instead of worrying over all of the what if’s and things that are going on around me, I need to be more focused on Christ and reaching out to those who don’t know Jesus Christ.

When we seek God through prayer, God will fill us with a calming peace and understanding. God is in control, not the president, not world leaders, kings or anyone else.  God is the only One I can count on. I don’t trust politicians and I for sure don’t trust Trump. Well, I don’t trust Clinton either.Unlike family and friends, God’s love never wavers. Polititionsers will make all kinds of promises and almost always breaks them. God wants what is best for us, and when things happen in our life and those changes may cause us to suffer, he is there to comfort and give us strength.

When I was little, I always had a vision of being a missionary. At my church in Willcox, we had a missionary come to town. The stories he told fascinated me. There were also books that Pastor Harry wanted us to read. He challenged us to read about missionaries from all over the world. I can’t remember exactly how the challenge went, but I was ready to learn more about what missionaries the were doing. The great adventures and life changing events spoke to my inner self. I was bent on being a missionary in Africa. Nothing would stop me, or so it seemed. God had other plans and Africa was not in them.

I never did make it to Africa to save the people. There were many ups and downs when it came to struggles in my life. I was disappointed that I never got to go out to win people over for Christ. As a Christian, I felt that needed to go out and proclaim to anyone and everyone that Jesus Christ is the only way to have eternal life.  We are told in Matthew 28:19 that we are to reach out to “all the nations”. I felt I was a failure when it came to reaching those who have never heard about Jesus Christ.

I live in Utah and this is a place I never ever thought about moving to. In my mind everyone that lives in Utah are Mormons and they all practice polygamy. I wanted no part in this strange and unusual place. My husbands work asked us to come and check it out. We were planning on moving to Texas when he got hired, NOT UTAH. We humored his new boss by checking the area and I have to say that we feel in love with it.

We did end up moving to Utah and we have been here for over 20 years. We attend the same church and have made many Mormon friends. The reason I am bringing up the whole living in Utah and it being a Mormon (LDS) state is because of how they are known by sending out missionaries to other countries. They were doing what I have always dreamed of doing. The positives that I have learned and observed about the Mormon Missionaries is that any place is a mission field. They young men and women are going out two by two into the world. There are some who have stayed close to home and others are being sent out to all parts of the world.

These young people from other countries are sent to Utah to reach out and share their faith. They see my town and area as a mission field. Many years ago while I was observing, it became apparent that reaching out to “all the nations” didn’t mean that I had to hop on a jet and go to Africa, and raise my hands in the air and giving a shout out that I am here to save the day. He was referring to groups of people  who have never heard the Gospel. I have found that many of those around me have never read the Bible, which means that they have no idea who their Lord and Savior is. How is it that someone can make a decision about what is the truth when they have never heard or been exposed to the Bible.

We live in the worlds biggest mission field here in the good old USA. I am the Missions and Outreach Team Leader at my church. We are in the beginning stages of reaching out to students at  Dixie State University in St. George, Utah. As my helpers and myself hand out invitations and bottled water, it became apparent that I live right in the middle of a much-needed missions field. These young adults need to know that they are loved. We have to do more than just preaching at them, we need to share the message of salvation of Jesus Christ. We must show them that Jesus lives.

On our grand opening, we met young adult students from all over the world. Those who come from places such as Turkey, Ethiopia, Germany, China and the USA needs to feel loved and safe. My church is directly across the street from the University. When we talked to those from other countries, they were more receptive o the love of Jesus Christ.  It is important to remember that God loves each and every one of us and He loves them. We are given the perfect opportunity to be living examples of Christs love.

We are called to share the Gospel with all nations. This is our calling. You don’t have to take off to another country in order to reach out to others. We have the responsibility to show the love of Jesus Christ. By doing this we are showing those who don’t know Jesus that the Holy Spirit transforms us more and more into the image of Jesus.

My heart was set on going to Africa. My church supports a number of foreign ministries like Craig and Allison Fowler with CMF. They started up around 15 churches in Ethiopia. Allison is a nurse and runs a clinic among the Gumuz Tribe. Even though we aren’t there physically serving, we are faithfully supporting those who go out and reach the unreachable. Each and every one of us are missionaries. All Christians should be sharing Christ to those in our homes, our friends and our community.

We are told in Mark 16:15 by Jesus Christ that we are to go into all the world and preach the gospel to ever creature. I would love to go on a mission trip to another country like Africa. I would love to be there when water wells are pumping clean water, or be the one who is feeding the hungry. But, it is important to remember that we live in the mission field, no matter where you live. The mission field can be next door, in schools, universities and so forth. The bible says, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” (Matthew 10:37).

With all the horrible things going on in the world, many are in need of hope and love. As I have been working on reaching out to the students at Dixie State University and our community, it’s easy to see how lost people really are. As Christians it’s our calling to spread hope and love to our nation.

Our mission is talking to others and sharing the gospel of Christ. This is not a one man or woman job. We can’t do it alone. ultimately the results have come from Jesus Christ. Jesus gives is the strength and desire to witness to others.

Christians have a responsibility to learn and study the Bible and to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Before moving to Utah, I would bear my testimony and witness to others. I don’t think I fully grasped what was going on. Since moving here, I have found that I need to always be prepared and ready to defend my faith. I have never had any issues with the LDS people. Some of my best friends are LDS. I have a great deal of respect for them.

You would think that in America, most have heard the gospel. Surprisingly, that isn’t the case. This is why we all live in the mission field. Yeah, Africa needs missionaries and God has provided them, but we need them here in the United States as well. I honestly believe we are living in the end times. We live in a world that has immoral behavior, hatred, racism, poverty, depression and a whole host of other challenges, and people need to hear about how Christ loves them. The Lord works through missionaries to rescue those who are lost and hurting. Being a Christian missionary, we are obeying Jesus Christ, sharing the gospel and putting all our faith in Him alone.

In closing, God is not willing that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9). His plan is that those who already know the Gospel share it with those around them. God could have chosen a variety of ways to share the story of redemption; however, He chose those who believe in Him to be the ones who shared Christ’s love with others

God wants the world to know about Christ. He has chosen us as individuals and as churches to share that Gospel with others. Are you willing to answer the call? Or will you hang up?

In a couple of days, the presidential elections will be over. Normally I make it a point to educate myself on those who are running. This time around, I can honestly say that the lines are blurred when it comes to both candidates.

I usually don’t stress much over who is going to be president, this year, I can honestly say I am worried over what is going to happen when one or the other loses. I don’t foresee either one of them playing nice.

On both sides there has been lies and harsh things done on both sides. When I voted I made sure to pray that the person I am voting for will be the best person for the job. I didn’t rely on all the false statements on Facebook or the media. I seriously researched each person. There are some who say that the website “Snopes” has made false statements and that is true. I think it has been a year or so when they were found out that they were falsifying information.

The candidates that I really liked ended up not getting the nomination. I really liked Carson and I liked Kasich. For me, they were the candidates that best aligned up with what I believe. I also have no problems with the VP’s that are running with Trump or Clinton.

My biggest problem I have with each is pretty simple. With Clinton, I am not comfortable at all that she is OK with abortions. I did have to read up on what people were saying about late-term abortions. I had this horrible image in my mind about the babies being cut out of the mother’s womb. I am against abortion in all senses. I know a precious and loving young person when she got pregnant and she had an abortion. This was a long time ago. I didn’t really grasp what was happening and the process. I kick myself all the time that I didn’t do more to convince her there are other options out there. If the young woman who I am talking about reads this, I want to apologize for not doing more when I should have.

Here is a link that talks more about that.

http://www.factcheck.org/2015/09/clinton-off-on-late-term-abortions/

My other problem with Clinton is the electing of Supreme Court judges. Right now there is an opening and they have to elect someone to fill that position. On a greater scale, during her term, she may have the opportunity to elect a couple of others since the Supreme Court Judges are getting up there in age.

Then there is Trump.. I don’t even know where to begin with the problems I have with him. J have huge issues on how he treats people. I also have issues on getting people going to the point of violence. Nobody deserves to be put down. When I hear friends that are Christian and they say that they don’t pay attention to what Trump says about woman. “It’s just words” they say. In my personal opinion, words are shaper than a two edge sword.  Words can literally destroy people.

Anyone who has gone to school has heard the adage, “Sticks and stones can break my bones/ But words can never harm me.” Unless you are living on an island alone, most have heard this saying. Words are powerful and  can bring a person down to the point where some people and children are committing suicide. Last week a young girl who survived cancer and she killed herself because she was being bullied. I have been bullied as a child and I have in turn been a bully also. Read More…

I was reading about how words can be hurtful and this is what it said, “It turns out that the brain receptors for physical and emotional pain are one and the same so, yes, you can have your heart and spirit broken more literally than not. There’s some evidence that the over-the-counter remedy for physical pain works for emotional pain too. It turns out too that when pain is inflicted intentionally, the hurt is greater—which is all the more reason to pay attention to the words that come out of our mouths.” Read More…

I’m not going to get into all of the things he has said and done, there is so much. I’ve gotten to the point where when both speak and do speeches, I change the channel. I am done with the whole thing. I am done with people getting angry with friends and family because they don’t agree. Many times these fights are over false stories from both sides. I’m not going to side one way or another. It does no good arguing over politics.

What I do know though is that no matter who a person votes for, they have that right. No matter who wins on Tuesday, I know it isn’t going to be easy for either one. This election period has a mob mentality. I think it would be awesome to see a woman as president. I’m not sure Hillary would be that person or not.

Each night I pray and discuss my worries about this election period with God. At my church, my pastor is going to start a study on the Book of Revelations. In the times we live in, I think it is a good time to pay attention to what is going on in and around our world. Lawlessness  is something that I can see that is going to get worse. When you have people burning churches and threatening to harm others because of Trump. Most aren’t going to do that. But, it doesn’t take many to get riots going.

My vote is going to go to Jesus Christ. He alone is the ONLY ONE that is going to be able to save us from ourselves.

In closing, I want to say that I’m so very happy that on November 9th, the voting is done and there will be a loser and a winner. I’m sure there is going to be so much anger and my prayer is that people will go back to living their lives instead of destroying other people’s lives and livelihood.

Have you ever had one of those days, weeks or months where nothing seems to go right and you are overwhelmed? I have had many of those days myself and so have those who are close to me. I have been thinking about my friend Lisa Louwsma. Lisa is my best friend and a more than a major blessing to me.  Lisa is the one person who I can say would drop anything she was doing and go to my parents home which is like going to hell. Long story, but she has been through thick and thin with me and for me. Lisa has been struggling to stay afloat. Life has a way of turning things upside down. I have known this all to well, but I try hard to not let it get to me. Even though there are days when that is easier said than done. I think that people have this idea that just because a person is a Christian then they should be happy all the time no matter what happens in our lives and what the circumstances are.

My friend Lisa has had more than her share of struggles and “hiccups” in her life. I haven’t been given permission to discuss what is going on in her life so I hope she is OK that I share a bit about her. The reason why I want to cover my friends hardships is because I know that these struggles may be something that others are going through. There are days where she struggles to see God’s presence and goodness in her life. Don’t get me wrong, Lisa isn’t going to end her life, but there are times when life is too much to handle. I would like to add that Lisa has tremendous faith and a strength within her that I admire.

I don’t know about you, but there has been many times when I have asked myself why God allows us to go through trials and tribulations?

If a person thinks that a Christian is immune to life’s trials and tribulations, then they are delusional. There are many days when I look around me and ask God why would He allow us to go through horrible life changing events? Why would God allow an innocent child to die? Why would God allow disease when it comes to our loved ones and ourselves. I have asked this question myself since my whole life has been filled with health issues that could take my life in a moments notice. Why would God allow financial worries and fear. If God really loves us, why is it that He doesn’t take these things away from us? I can’t even count how many times people are confused about why God allows these things to happen. These are questions I would think we all have or have had in our lives.

My friend Lisa has had financial hardships, abused by her father and her ex husband. She also suffers from clinical depression. Recently she learned that her mother had Uterine Cancer and has to go through chemo and radiation. Her parents aren’t Christian and that is causing a great deal of pain for Lisa. I can understand where Lisa is coming from since I recently lost my mom to cancer. Her step-father has a whole lot of other issues as well. Lisa has had more than enough for more than a lifetime. So, what is it that I would say to my friend Lisa and those who are going through catastrophic events in their days.

I have had many conversations with Lisa. Since my life has been filled with “hiccups” as well, just in different ways. I can say with certainty that no matter how well I plan out my days, months, and life, “hiccups” can take over my life if I allow them to. There have been days when I have struggled with anger and have cried a great deal. I’ve struggled with what I would call the seasons in my life. When I first came down with Guillian Barre Syndrome I found myself struggling with anger, bitterness and exhaustion. I wanted to hide in the darkest closet and from the world. Of course that wasn’t possible in a physical sense, so I would hide from life by closing myself down to those in my life and to God. Eventually I found that while I had many trials and tribulations, I knew that there was a divine purpose.

There came a time in my life where I had to take time to seriously look at my relationship with Christ. I had all of this anger, bitterness and resentment in my life and I was having issues with reconciling the notion that I have to love them and forgive them. I also knew that I had to fully trust God. This has been a bit of a rollercoaster in my life from time to time. I trusted, but found I didn’t give 100 percent. Then there came the times when I was more than tired and all I wanted to do was sleep and shut the world out. I see these things in Lisa’s life.

When I have gone through difficult days and was feeling unhappy, I knew that I had to hold onto the hope that Jesus Christ has given me. I would say this to Lisa and anyone else when they are going through down times or days when they are struggling. Jesus Christ will never leave nor forsake us.

There have been many who have asked me how is it that I get through my difficult times. My favorite verse in the Bible is Psalms 46:1.” God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

I can’t say that my days are great. There has been a number of people who have thought that I never complain about my health, trials and tribulations. Those who live with me and those who are closest to me like Lisa knows differently. While I do complain and I have my moments, I am also truly thankful for the good and the bad experiences that comes with each day. When I read the verse Psalm 118:24, “The LORD has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad.” I hope is that on the good and the bad days I will learn to be happy and rejoice no matter what the day brings.

Right now it is as if a hurricane or tornado has been brewing in Lisa’s life. She may think at times she is complaining and I don’t see it that way. I see Lisa as a person who has fully put her storms into the hands of God. While she isn’t rejoicing over her struggles she is going through, she knows that God will never leave nor forsake her. Nothing happens without purpose and our afflictions will work out for our good, even if we don’t understand it while we are going through the darkness.

Not everyone knows all things about me. Not everyone knows how critical my medical diagnosis and prognosis is. My friend Lisa knows most of what is going on in my life and I think I know many of Lisa’s darkest moments. I also know that God knows all things.

As I am going through my trials and tribulations, I have found that I have empathy towards those who are going through the same thing I have or am going through. I’m not angry that I ended up with the chronic form Guillian Barre Syndrome which means I have had it three times. Normally with Guillian Barre Syndrome it never comes back after strength is regained, that was and is not the case with me. I also have Myasthenia Gravis and all of the life changing obstacles that have come with it.  According to my Dr’s, I should not be here now. My blood pressure is always by the end of the day around 260/130. I have been able to use my experiences and my faith in Christ because of my trials and tribulations. Trials and tribulations come with a purpose. I don’t know what tomorrow holds, nobody does. But I do know that various trials and tribulations produces results and a personal testimony.

• James 1:2-4,12, Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him” .

While my friend Lisa is going through some really dark days, she is showing others by example that she has shown how beautiful she is. Her love for her family and the Lord is apparent in all things that she does. She has a heart that is bigger than the tallest mountain. I see this in her, even when she doesn’t see it. There are moments in her day when she feels like she is lost and doesn’t know where to turn. During those moments Lisa I just want to say that do what you know you must do and turn to Jesus Christ. Be that light to your mom and family. You have blessed my life and you are a light in my life. You are that same light to all who meet you. If they don’t know that, then they are delusional. You have a way of lifting others up, showing them the love of Christ while showing them how to seek God and to not feel lost and alone any longer.

If you have a moment to post a prayer for my friend Lisa and her mom who is going through cancer treatment, that would be awesome…

Dear Lord, I come to you to please heal my friend Lisa’s mom Helen. I pray for her health and her spiritual growth. She doesn’t know Jesus Christ as her personal Savior, so I come to You today to ask that You place the right people in her life so that she can learn about You. My prayer is for You to be with Lisa also. She is going through some pretty tough days herself. She has been on my heart for a long time and has such a huge heart herself and a greater love for You. You know what she is going through and you know what hurts she is having. I ask that you wrap Your loving arms around her and comfort her. My prayer is for You to protect her from harm and evil and to guide her family to the right path in their lives. Lisa is a very special person to me and I would so love to see her happy. I know without a doubt that all things are possible when we put our faith and hope in You alone. I petition you on behalf of Lisa and her family tonight to be there for her.

In Jesus’s name I pray, Amen