Do You Hear What I Hear?

The first time I heard them, my husband and I were laying on our separate long, brown suede couches after a day of decorating our home for Christmas. It sounded like someone had left a TV or Radio on in their room...but we were the only ones home. I got up and checked anyway. Opening each closed bedroom door, I leaned my ear in only to find the sound wasn't coming from inside. I laid back down and asked my husband if he heard it too. He said yes he did. We decided it must be a neighbor with their volume up too high. So I asked him to stick his head out the door and see where that sound was coming from. Turns out it wasn't coming from outside either...

That was three years ago, I think. We concluded that God must be letting us get a taste of the angel choir. That day came and went and I didn't hear that sound again, until just a few months ago that is! I am hearing God and His angels singing everyday now, and it's a beautiful sound indeed!

 I am overwhelmed by the Love God pours out on us everyday! And His grace towards me...overwhelming would be an understatement! His Love is the most beautiful thing my heart has ever seen and my ears have ever heard! I don't understand why everyone doesn't want all the Love God has for them, but that's a different post for another day.

A side note, you might be surprised to learn that God love's and sings ALL types of music, yes, even rock-n-roll! I know...it was a shock to me too! Especially at 4:00 am one morning lol, as God doesn't sleep ya know! A small price to pay for such an extravagant gift as this! I've heard them singing Christmas Carols, even, get this...Frosty the Snowman! They are totally in tune with our ways here on earth! I've also heard our National Anthem being sung, God Loves America, even after all we have done to kick Him out! He and all of heaven is praying for our country! That is most comforting to me after all that's been going on here!

For God so Loved the world He gave His
only begotten Son that whoever believes
in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.
(John 3:16)

I'm learning a lot about the Father's heart through the music he lets me hear each day. God and the angels sing of how He died for you, He Loves you, He wants you, He waits for you to return to Him.  God's Love is fervent, passionate, and so deep it makes me cry. What can I say, I've never known a Love like this before, and let me tell you, He is worth every test and trial we go through on our journey to heaven! There is none like Him, and there is none besides Him! He is everything we need and way so much more!!! Spend some time with Him and let Him Love on you for a while, He Loves to do that, and you will love it too!

In his devotional, "God Calling,"  A.J. Russell writes, "Life Is A Love Story" Oh! it is a glorious way, the upward way, the wonderful discoveries, the tender intimacies, the amazing, almost incomprehensible, understanding. Truly the Christian Life-Life with Me-is a Love story. Leave all to me. All you have missed you will find in me, the Soul's Lover, the Soul's Friend,  Father-Mother-Comrade-Brother. Try Me." I testify from my own life experience, that is a very true statement! Such a wonderful God we have!! 

 Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you ALL, from  the God who loves you deeply, His heavenly host, and myself!!! 

GOD BLESS YOU MY FRIENDS!!!

My Ugly Old Enemy!

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds...But now He has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from Accusation- Colossians 1:21-22

 "You are beautiful!"

"Jesus, You say the nicest things I've ever heard and always wanted to!" This the beginning of my journal entry just a few days prior. "And today I'm so painfully aware of my complete lack of worthiness to be called Your Queen. I honestly don't know how You can stand the sight of me and yet You tell me everyday that I am beautiful."

After trying on outfit after outfit and seeing in the full length mirror of the dressing room the damage I have once again inflicted on my body through poor food choices and lack of exercise, all those same feelings of shame and disgust in myself all come back and wash over me like a rushing river after a serious rain storm! This enemy of mine has followed me for the last 34 years!

I started out small, weighing only 5 lbs. 2 oz. at birth. But that did not determine the course of my weight for long. The first time it reared it's ugly head, I was just 9 years old. I had moved in with my grandma and grandpa after my dad divorced my first step-mom. Living at grandma's house was such a wonderful change especially come meal time. Where I was once strictly monitored in my diet, even missing meals as punishment, I was now allowed to eat grandma's savory and scrumptious dinners accompanied by her rich moist chocolate cake slathered in homemade chocolate icing that contained just a hint of coffee (her secret ingredient) every night!  Well by the time I moved back in with my dad and new sep-mom 2 years later, I had put on more than a few pounds!   

"Fatty fatty 2x4 can't fit through the bathroom door", my brother would chant mercilessly. But it was when my dad told me I was fat while standing at the fridge one day that cut me to the core. I was 13 by this time and just starting the 8th grade. My dad's acceptance meant everything to me at the time as he was all I had. So I stopped eating. I dropped all excess pounds of fat and was quite thin at which point my step-mom started scolding me for not eating! So what's a girl to do? Well, at the time, I did the only thing I could think of, I ate the one meal I was at home for and snuck outside to throw it up. I know it's gross but I was desperate for my dad's approval, having been rejected by my biological mother, who had run out on us when I was 2.

That is how the cycle of yo-yo syndrome began for me. I have several distant family members, aunts, uncles, cousins, and even my grandma before grandpa passed away, who are morbidly obese. Over the years I have struggled to maintain a healthy weight. I put on 80 lbs. with the pregnancy of my first daughter. I lost all but about 10 lbs. on Weight Watchers. Gained 15 lbs in the next few years then 30 more during pregnancy with my second daughter. Lost that weight through Herbalife pills. And it's been up and down till this day, gaining more weight each time.  If I'm not on a diet, I'm gaining weight!

3 years ago I was on Weight Watchers again for the umpteenth time, I had lost 17 lbs. and finally I was very comfortable with my weight. Then...I got sick...I'm still sick, and I've put on more weight than I want to admit.  I am devastated at the sight in the full length mirror at the store, but more than that, I am truly amazed at the Love of Jesus who tells me everyday that I'm beautiful, that I am His Queen and He is my Bridegroom. He says He chose me even before I was conceived,  I was created for Him and His glory. God's description and feelings for me are so different than my own. So different...I don't understand it, but I do believe it because He doesn't let a day go by without telling me so and remaining faithfully by my side. He tells me He is in my corner fighting for me and setting me high above all of my enemies!! And I believe Him! Yes, I do believe Him!! I can't wait to report to you how He is does that!  That's just a peek into the indescribably beautiful and much more than wonderful heart of God!!

After walking out of the dressing room with my head hung low, I tried to make sense of the whole trip to that store. "Why did God lead me to this place anyway", I asked myself. As I sit on my bed, tears streaming down my face, burning my cheeks, reliving the pain of being overweight time and time again, I realize, I get to share How indescribably good God's Love is! The verse at the top says "we are presented holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation" through the death of Jesus' physical body! What an awesome God!! So no matter what size you are, know this for a fact, you are beautiful in the eyes and mind of the God who created you! You are beautiful!!

I have put my trust in God, and I will rise like the eagles! I will spread my wings and fly, I will fly away like the butterfly with nothing to weigh me down! "To him who the Son sets free is free in deed!" That's the Word of God! Even though I have some ugly battles yet to be won, I wouldn't want to be anybody else in the whole world, not for the whole world, otherwise I wouldn't have this relationship with God! He is worth everything we go through in this life and so much more!!!  I will thank You forever my precious Jesus and Heavenly Father!!

Lost In Love

Picture from Jesus Daily Page On Facebook

He makes me feel beautiful even when I'm at my worst. He sends me flowers every single day; white ones, pinks ones, red ones, and yellow ones too!  Big ones and little ones,  some are fragrant some are not, but they all have one thing in common, they all make me smile.  My Jesus, my very Best Friend in all the world.

He gives me more attention in a day than most people would in a year.  He says the nicest things to me that I've ever heard!  He knows all my secrets and sometimes He tells me His. He lets me know that He is listening to every word I say,  My Jesus, my constant and faithful companion.

I am completely helpless without Him.  My precious Savior has saved me again and again. When I go to the store He is there, when I'm cleaning my bathroom, He is there. When I'm preparing a meal in the kitchen, He is there too. Did you know God is like the best cook in the whole world? There is absolutely nothing He can't do! I Love that about Him!

He makes all things beautiful, including the life of this girl He once found under a rock. "My name is mud" I used to say, I was the scum under the scum. Jesus didn't mind, He said He Loves me anyway, and pulled me out of that mud and the mire. He has made my life so beautiful, because that's what He does. He's just so precious that way!

 He gave me dignity where shame used to haunt me. He forgave ALL my sins and heals ALL my diseases, He asked for no payment in return. "Because I Love you," He said, I have done this for you. It's not because I deserve it, nor could I ever earn it. No God's favor comes to those He chooses. No one is exempt from the Grace of God.

I remember the days of long ago;

I meditate on all your works

and consider what Your hands have done.

~Psalm 143:5

Picture from Jesus Daily on FB

I remember just a little under four years ago when the Lord in all His Love and compassion brought me back to the land of the living. He raised my spirit and soul from the stinking dead ash heap. I am resurrected and made brand new by the Loving hand of my God.

Those earlier days and years were so full of joy and peace and excitement as God communicated with me so clearly how He loved me and forgave me for walking away from Him nearly eight years prior. It felt like everyday was Christmas, but even better! Oh how I had missed my Lord and couldn't even believe I fell away like I did for so long. I understand now that It could happen to anybody! But in all of God's goodness, His forgiveness is also for everyone who wants it!

As I started out my new born-again life, I kept hearing from not only my spiritual Momma, but others as well,  in regards to walking with Jesus, "it only gets better and better"! And it really does! The more time we spend with God the more we get to know Him and He's just wonderful. There are no words really good enough to describe Him, the only way you can really understand His goodness is to get to know Him for yourself. The rewards are incredible! Never before have I known a Love like His.

God's Word says, "delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart."  (Psalm 37:4)  So there is a promise with a condition. Here's the thing though, He's so darn delightful, the condition is effortless! God is good like that, He just longs to bless us!

Almost from the beginning of our reunion, my prayer to Jesus was, and still is, "please bless me that I would bless You as much as one person could possibly bless You by the power of the Holy Spirit." See, I know that I'm not capable of anything by myself. I mean seriously, I can't even dress myself without His help. That might sound silly to some but it's the truth. I depend on God for everything!

As I would watch Christian Television and see beautiful worship through song and dance, I would say, "I wish I could sing pretty for You Lord" or, "I wish I could dance like that for You, but I can't, all I know how to do is just love You." That's all I'm capable of... really! So after that confession, God planted a dream seed in me that He can do anything with me and I could still learn to sing and dance.

So to confirm, yes, walking with Jesus does get better and better! But on the other hand, it's not for the faint of heart, because it also get's harder and harder. What I mean by that is there is a condition to being a disciple of Christ, and that is to die to ourselves and pick up our crosses daily. Dying to myself, for me, looks like remaining on this earth with a good attitude and be the hands, feet, heart, and mouthpiece for my beloved Jesus. The truth is, I just don't want to anymore.

I'm  heart sick. In His Word, God says, "hope deferred makes the heart sick." (Proverbs 13:12)  I just want to be in the arms of my Jesus! I don't care if I can dance, or sing, or save the world, I just want to go home. This might sound crazy to some, but it's the truth. This is my struggle for today.

The sacrifices God made to save you and I go on and on...I can't imagine how heart-sick Jesus must have felt while He dwelt among us and longed to be with His Loving Father, and how His Father must have longed to be with His beloved only begotten Son! Thank You God for enduring such difficult sacrifices for the sake of Your children, Your Bride!!

I cant wait to feel the arms of my Jesus wrapped around me in a loving embrace. I can't wait to look into His eyes filled with mercy and grace, and oh how I long to see a smile on His beautiful face! I want to sit at His feet and hear Him tell me stories from long ago,  I want to wrap my arms around Him and never let Him go. ..that is Heaven to me!

A sweet friend and dear sister in Christ of mine passed away recently. We will all miss her sweet presence, and no one can replace her, but I have to say, I am jealous of her. I wouldn't want to be her because the relationship I have with Jesus is far to precious to me, but oh... how very lucky she is to be in the Loving arms of our Creator! We love you and miss you dear Charlotte, and look forward to the day we will meet again!

My Jesus is so beautiful you see, there is no flaw in Him, and there is no one like Him! He has so ravished my heart with His great Love that I will never be the same! There is no one like my Jesus. He is so precious to me!

How He Loves Us!

Can a mother forget the baby at her breast

and have no compassion on the child she has borne?

Though she may forget, I will not forget you!

See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.

~Isaiah 49:1,6,15
  


This verse is dear to my heart not only because my mother left when I was two but also... 


I don't remember much about my dad when I was little because he was away a lot of the time delivering semi- trailer loads of construction materials. He had his own beautiful dark green truck that sparkled so pretty from the new metallic paint on it. It had a sleeping compartment right behind the front seats. That's because my dad's trips were long and far so when he needed to rest he would just pull over and crawl into that bed until he was rested enough to continue the long drives. 


Besides his truck, I do remember that my dad was nice to me when he was around. He was my hero and I loved him so! When I was in kindergarten, a boy from my class called my house twice in one day to talk to me on the phone, te he....my dad didn't like that! He told me to tell that boy to stop calling me and that I couldn't be friends with him anymore. My dad was the only one good enough for his little girl, at the time. So I did just what my dad told me too and I didn't be friends with that little boy anymore. :(  I was a daddy's girl!


That little girl got lost forever in the shuffle of divorce, and moving to another state, and the monster that was rapidly growing inside of my dad everyday. The monster's name...alcoholism. Like I've said in previous posts, "they don't call alcohol "spirits" for nothing! He was and is to this day full of those demons that entered him through the gate of beer and whisky. It makes me sad what they do to him! :( God's going to save him though, it might be my dad's last day on earth but I believe God is going to save him! He's a good God like that I hope you know!!


Kindergarten was my last tender vision of being a daddy's girl. When I was 14 my step-mom made it a point to tell me that my dad didn't even bother to look for me when I ran away and was missing for 3 weeks. A girlfriend and I hitchhiked from Bend, OR to Ontario, CA when I was a brand new freshman in high school. Clearly God was with me cause I'm still alive to tell you about it!! And I will... another time. 


When I was 21, after having a few drinks at a bar with my dad, I mustered up the courage to tell him that his best friend molested/raped me from dark until sunrise one night when I was 13 years old. I guess he didn't believe me even after I reasoned with him, "dad, why would I make up a story like that now," because the next day he told me he was planning to go on a trip to Australia with this guy he called his "best friend"! Shouldn't a father be angry after hearing someone violated their daughter like that, especially when it was their best friend!?! I lived with this in my heart for many years but I have to add that I think my dad believes me now, praise the Lord!


I could go on and on about my relationship with my dad and all the pain he has caused my heart, but I love him and I know he did the best he could to make sure I was taken care of.  I also know that those alcohol demons were using him to try to destroy me. They did a good job, but God's Love has done a better job, and now I know He has such a better plan for me! My heavenly Father is my true eternal Father and He has spent the last 4 years taking me back to all those wounded places in my heart and showing me He was there, He was wounded over the things and people who hurt me too, and He has healed me at every stop. God has taken my shattered heart and made it whole and brand new!


Even though people treat us badly sometimes, that does not mean that God is happy about it, and that is definitely not the way He treats us. It's the easiest thing in the world to blame God for our problems and the evil in the world. How our parents treat us is how we perceive God treats us.  I did that for years! I am a work in progress and I still have insecurities, but what I'm learning about the true nature of God is so wonderful and so refreshing that it's been worth it all! God was so worth waiting for, even though it is He who was really waiting for me to be ready for Him! 

God wants you to know, He Loves you right were you are. He can, I speak from experience, heal all your hurts and give you joy and peace like you've never experienced apart from Him, all you have to do is ask. God's Love is the best thing that's ever happened to me and everyday with Him just gets better and better!!! 


How much more the Love of my eternal Heavenly Father means to me because of my experiences with my dad, and I'm so grateful He left all those places empty in my heart just for Him,  I wouldn't want it any other way! I'm a grateful, grateful child and there is no one else I'd rather be than me, otherwise I wouldn't have this relationship with Him.  I will forever be a Daddy's girl with God as my Father!! :) I'm so rich in the only things that matter!!! 




So big and so beautiful, filled with mercy and grace, wounds so deep for the love of you and of me, so strong and yet so gentle at times you don't even know it's touching you, always ready to help us when we call, always wanting to lift us up when we fall, the beautiful Hand of God.  
~Holy Spirit
~Lori

Dear Heavenly Father, please bless everyone who reads this post with a revelation of Your perfect Love for them and heal all their heart wounds in Jesus precious Name Amen!

I will never be the same because of the Love of God!

One Beautiful Day!

Pioneer Park
The most beautiful park in the world
to me!

I didn't see it coming, I didn't know it was coming, there were no signs or even a hint that it was coming. One day I wake up and can't wait for it to be drink thirty, cause I didn't much like beer then, so I could once again escape myself, my failures, my inadequacies, and my annoyingly constant companion, rejection that followed me everywhere I went for 39 years!  I was hopeless and helpless against my many enemies I thought were me.

I was in too deep now. That alcohol had such a hold on me that I couldn't imagine my life without it and I couldn't stand my life with it! I wanted out, oh yes, I desperately wished I had never fallen into that trap. It happened just like the Bible says, I was given over to my sin and it was hell! It started out fun, like God's Word also says, sin is fun for a time. But once the door to the demonic is opened they will tear you up and tie you down till you can't get free! They don't call alcohol "spirits" for nothing!

That was my condition one day which lasted nearly 8 years!  I pleaded with God to forgive me and intervene. I knew He was the only One who could fix the giant mess I had made of myself, that only got bigger and uglier with each passing day.

 I hear it all the time, "God only helps those who helps themselves". Well I couldn't help myself and if that were a true statement, I would still be an alcoholic to this day or worse, dead! No, God reached down from heaven and pulled me out of the pit of hell, via my now precious friends and street evangelists who had set up an outreach in the park behind my house one day. The sound of heaven drifted into my backyard and drew me to it.

Oh that one day, that beautiful one day my whole life was turned around by the wonderful Grace of God, who in His great mercy came to rescue me again!  I sure didn't deserve it, but God is compassionate and so merciful! As I followed the heavenly sound coming from the park, desperate for a glimpse of hope, with my head hung low in shame, and full of remorse, I had know idea my miracle was waiting for me there.

In one act of kindness and love, the evangelists prayed for me, and in the all powerful Name of Jesus, those demons had to flee! And in nearly 4 years now, they have never returned! All praise and honor and glory to God, I am free!!! All in one day! 


"Praise the Lord, O my soul;  all my inmost being,  praise His holy Name.  Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases; He redeems my life from the pit and crowns me with Love and compassion. He satisfies my desires with good things, so that my youth is renewed like the eagles. The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in Love. He will not always accuse, nor will He harbor His anger forever; He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heaven's are above the earth, so great is His Love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him; for He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust."  ~Psalm 103:1-14 


God's Love is the best thing that's ever happened to me, and God's Love is the very best part of me! God's Love is so much better than wine, it's the sweetest thing I've ever tasted! These are not hollow words I say, void of meaning, no, my testimony is FULL of truth! God's Love is Heaven to me and there is nobody else I'd rather be than me because I was made for His glory and He makes me so happy!!


If you are waiting on a miracle from God, be encouraged, today could be that one beautiful day for you! 


I would be happy to pray for you if you are in need of a miracle today and would like to share it with me.  

Sweet To The Soul!

As I was drinking my morning cup of mocha infused coffee, with my favorite sweet hazelnut flavored creamer added, and reading my latest unchecked additions to my e-mail in-box this morning, I heard the sweet sound of chirping behind me. It sounded close enough that I could reach out and touch the source of these beautiful morning medley makers. So I turned my head to look out the large window of my living room so I could see what was going on out there.


Birds are one of my favorite sweet delights and the Lord knows it! I like to put food out for them to fill their bellies, and water in the bird-bath so I can watch them dance. I just love it when they do that, it makes me break out in laughter haha... They splash and spray like little sprinklers with such cuteness! 


It's funny that whenever I set out something new for my little feathered friends, they never find it right away. Sometimes it takes weeks! I always know that when they do come, it will be that much more wonderful because I had to wait for them. Like the Lord says in His Word, " a longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul" and is it ever!


It's that way with everything we have to wait for. If we received everything we asked for when we asked for it, the thing would not hold it's value like it does when we have to wait for it. God is perfect, and His timing is perfect no matter what!  So if you are waiting on God for something right now, be encouraged that when it comes it will be much more valuable to you because you had to wait for it.  


Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who built it; unless the Lord guards the city the watchman keeps awake in vain.  Psalms 127:1  


"A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul..." Proverbs 13:19




Can you think of something you were praying for that you had to wait a while before God gave it to you, and do you think you would have been just as grateful for it if you had received it right away?

"To Worship You I Live"

"Praise The Lord Oh My Soul

Praise The Lord!"

Some of my most memorable and wonderful worship experiences have been in the privacy of my own home. Did you know singing unto the Lord isn't just for Sunday mornings? I haven't always known that. The more I get to know the Lord, the more I just can't help myself but to break out in song to Him. Even though I can't carry half a tune half the time, I always say, I just giggle when I miss it, shrug my shoulders, look up, and tell Jesus, "all I know how to do is to love you" and try again. I think He likes it when I do that! :) And since I know my ability or rather inability to sing in tune, I am keenly aware that every single note I get right is a total gift from Him! And I think He likes that too! :)

When I want to get serious all I have to do is plug in my favorite artists name in the Youtube search and up pops all kinds of great worship videos. It's as if I am right there with them, only no one is watching me except God and the angels. I have put up for you a video of one of my favorite new-to-me worship teams, with Steffany Frizzell at Bethel Church in Redding CA.

We are created to worship Him. I didn't always know that either, but that does explain why I love to so much!  In fact I prefer to worship Him in private cause then I'm free to look as silly as I want.  God makes me feel safe and cherished unlike anything I've ever experienced before and that totally sets me free to be me! What an awesome God He is!!!

So if you haven't tried it before, then I urge you to try it now. Worship, sing, and dance for God right where you are. He loves that and I think you will too!  He wants to hear your beautiful voice in tune or out, don't make Him wait till Sunday!

"I will sing to the Lord , for He has been good to me." Psalm 13:6

What is your favorite way to worship God?                                          

Expect The Unexpected Continued...

 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord, repent and live!"   ~Ezekiel 18:32


I hear a knock at the door. It seemed friendly enough so I decided it was safe to answer it. I've never been thrilled with unannounced visits from strangers and I usually don't answer when they come a knocking, but the Lord has been working in my heart about how I treat people I don't know.

We have a couple of different "organizations" that come to my door quite often, too many times to count. And then there is the salesmen, carpenter, I even had a banker  once,  interweaved into the mix of unscheduled visits to my front door.  I'm very shy by nature but God reminds me I have a new nature now, the old is dead, and He has made all things new!

I have in the past either turned a cold shoulder, by not answering the door, or given uninvited quests the brush off, often not as politely as I should. My shyness is not an excuse for rudeness and I am slowly but surely working on it. Praise be to God who will complete the work He has started in me just as He promises in His Word!

As I think back to the lady in Safeway that came at me wanting to touch the growths on my ear because  she "reads energy" and tells me she can help me with that, I realize another vital mistake I made. Not only did I not tell her I belong to Jesus and He is my healer, but I also treated her like she had the plague when, "I backed up, and said in a panic no, no, no and got out of there as fast as I could!"

God's Word says, "our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."  (Ephesians 6:12)  People are not the enemy, the power or influence directing them is. Most of them don't even know they are misguided and are being manipulated by the enemy for his dark purposes.

Most likely the lady at the grocery store had good intentions and genuinely wanted to help me. I not only missed an opportunity to share my hope and my joy, who is Jesus, but I also missed an opportunity to share His love with her. Sometimes I wonder, "will I ever get it right?"!

I just love Ann Voskamp, author of "One Thousand Gifts", and blogger
http://www.aholyexperience.com/ .  In her post today titled, What in the World Should Christians Wear?        She nails it!!!  “It’s souls that are the eternal priorities…”

"And what are we really here to do but to live the Great Commission — not the Great Optional? 

How will I feel standing before Jesus, robed in His sacrificed righteousness, only to see that all my excuses to not share the gospel were but cloaks for selfish fear and pride?

Who in the world hides good news? When you know God is the well of all enjoyment and sin the pit of all entanglement — then isn’t it clear what to run from and Who to run to? Why be afraid to share this? 

There may not often be great opportunities to change the world, but every single day there are small ones —  and all the small can do nothing but add up to great.

And there could be the humble bold who claim the Truth, wear the grace, and speak the unashamed — that one more wanderer might be clothed in Christ….":
~~

::

::

“Someone asked “Will the heathen who have never heard the Gospel be saved?”

It is more a question — Whether we — who have the Gospel and fail to give it to those who have not — can be saved.”

 ~ Charles Spurgeon

As I went to the front door, all the while remembering how I treated the lady at the store, and many who have come to my door before now,  determined to be kind, I open it. As I see the familiar dark tidy suites and crisp white shirts, I smile and politely say, "hello". They ask me a couple of questions and as sweet as I could, I explain, yes I'm familiar with your "organization" and I'm not interested but thank you and have a nice day." God bless you", I say with a wave and smile! 


Dear Holy Father, thank You for your great mercy and patience with us who have missed many great opportunities to share Your Love and Grace with this dying world. Please forgive all of us who belong to You and are guilty of not being good stewards of Your perfect Love and Gospel of grace that saves us from death. I pray that You would fill our spirits with boldness to share You and Your Love with everyone You put in front of us! In the beautiful Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ I pray, Amen 

Expect The Unexpected!

Keloids from getting my ear pierced! A Keloid is scar tissue
that keeps building on itself. I was not warned this could
happen, but I do believe God is going to heal it!

I had just finished going through the checkout line at Safeway yesterday afternoon, when I barely heard "does that bother you sometimes?" I looked back to see if the lady next in line was talking to me. She was. I took a step towards her and asked politely, "what did you say?" She said, "does that hurt, the thing on your ear, does that bother you?"

I got my left ear pierced up in the "cuff" area where it's all cartilage about 3 years ago. I had been wanting to do that for a long time but never got up the courage. It's amazing the things I have the courage to do now that I am filled with the Holy Spirit! I mean I still feel fear but I have the courage to push through it! I give God all the credit and glory for that! Well, 2 years ago I developed tiny bumps on both sides of the piercing. I thought it was infected and kept treating it for that. The bumps seemed to just get bigger and bigger! So I went to the place I got my ear pierced and they told me I had Keloids. "Go buy some TeaTree oil, that will make them go away," said the young man confidently, that pierced my ear. Just to let you know, it did not work. They continued to grow! I had to painfully remove my earring and pray, "Jesus please heal my ear!"

I'm completely confident that Jesus said He will. Until then I cover them puppies up with a bandaid when I go out in public! I like to wear my hair up or else I wouldn't have to do that. But yesterday, I forgot my bandaid! I praise the Lord that was not brought to my attention until I was almost out of the store!

The "nice" lady said, "I read energy" while stretching out her arm to put her hands on my ear. Turning red in the face from embarrassment,  I backed up, and said in a panic no, no, no and got out of there as fast as I could!

I am hearing more and more about people, even people close to me are going to these so called doctors that "read energy", and psychics. One calls herself, "The white lady." Well white stands for purity and holiness in God's Kingdom so this is a deceptive name. Could this be those who "pose as angels of light" that we are warned about in the Bible?

"A man or woman who is a medium or spiritist among you must be put to death. You are to stone them; their blood will be on their own heads." Leviticus 20:27

 God says to stay away from astrologers, psychics and mediums and witchcraft, so obviously their power is not from Him. Many people don't understand this is not a grey area. If it's not from God, then it's of the devil. The Bible tells us so. And either we believe God's Word is true or we don't. It doesn't make sense to say I believe this scripture but not that one. The Book is either all right or all wrong. I choose to believe it's ALL true and I live my life accordingly. I choose God forever!

"Let your astrologers come forward, those stargazers who make predictions month by month, let them save you... Surely they are like stubble;  the fire will burn them up. They cannot even save themselves from the power of the flame."  Isaiah 47:14

Unfortunately for me, I am not a quick thinker and when something or someone catches me off guard, I don't give the best response. What I should have said to the lady, without panicking haha, was, "no thank you, I belong to Jesus, He is my healer." I did pray for her deliverance and salvation on my way out of the store, but I still feel silly about the way I panicked. When faced with another opportunity like this, because I'm sure this is just the beginning, I will be ready!

I praise the Lord the Keloids don't hurt as often as they used to, and they have stopped growing. This is a great example of God's tender mercy and grace at it's finest to me. Until He removes the Keloids completely at least they feel better and I can cover them which, I will be much more careful to remember in the future haha!

Have you ever been faced with an unexpected situation that you wish you would have reacted differently to? Please tell me I am not the only one! 

God bless you dear blog friends! And don't ever forget, JESUS LOVES YOU!!

He Places The Lonely In Families

"God sets the lonely in families..," Psalm 68:6
This is my beautiful Momma and Poppa from the Lord!

I'll never forget the day we met. It was a warm, late-Summer afternoon and I was being drawn into the worship of God by the familiar, but almost forgotten melody of praise music. Four years ago this August, as I sat in my not so white, plastic lawn chair in my backyard with my cigarette in one hand and my vodka and Diet Coke in the other, I heard a sound coming from the park that borders my fence.  I followed the beautiful sound of what seemed to be people singing and making music to the Lord. the sound filled the park and my neighborhood.

The whole meeting was a total act of God and a complete miracle if you ask me! I had been quite stuck in the trap that catches all unsuspecting victims, of alcoholism, for several years. I'm pretty sure no one sets out to become an alcoholic that is why I called it a trap. Anyway, I was so depressed. My body was sick, my mind was sick, and my spirit was in hell.

It had been years since I had attended church and I didn't have the courage and strength it would take to start going now.  I was lost, so lost for so long. But I could go get me a look-see at what was going on just on the other side of my backyard. As I followed the music I heard coming from the park that day, I saw a group of people nestled under a circle of big old fir trees. There was a couple, a little older than myself, singing into microphones hooked up to speakers and playing what looked to me like a keyboard. Oh how I used to love the Lord and His Word, but that was all lost now. My heart ached to come home to Him. I stood under one of those trees as far away from the group as possible so as not to have to talk to anyone. Cause not only was I shy, but I was extremely ashamed of my condition!

As I was crossing the little bridge to get to the side of the park the music was coming from, a very sweet older man came up to me. He smiled at me with this contagious joy, offered me some literature,  and asked if I would like to go sit by his beautiful wife. I thanked him and politely said no, I'll just stand right here by this tree. I didn't know this then, but apparently when God is present, it makes me cry! It was like someone had opened up Hoover Damn!  I guess you could say I was a bit remorseful! So, unable to hide the streams that were now flowing from my eyes, the kind gentleman asked if I would like a kleenex. I gratefully accepted and then as my heart continued to melt down, he asked me again if I would like to go have a seat next to his wife.

I think we are both still amazed at how God so beautifully orchestrated our meeting and I didn't know it, but I was just about to meet my spiritual Momma! She doesn't normally attend outreach services she tells me, but God drew her to that one!  She came up to me and provided me with the kleenex I so obviously needed and neither one of us knowing what to say to the other, began a beautiful bond that we share to this day! I accepted her invitation to sit next to her and then... spilled my guts all over her...not literally of coarse! She shared with me... I shared with her. We came to find out we are so compatible it's ridiculous to think we are not biological mother and daughter! We even look like we are related! She really is beautiful by the way! :) Yup, that's our God! I couldn't have picked a better Momma for myself if I tried! And my Poppa, well he's just the sweetest man you will ever meet!  It's truly remarkable how God works!

This is the precious cover of the card my Momma
sent me, inviting us to have Easter dinner with them.
I love this picture cause when I was a little girl I use to chase
the butterflies and try to catch them in my net :)

Not having a mom, and with my dad being far away, makes this precious couple a true treasure in my life. The Lord blesses my socks off through them constantly! They have taken me under their wings and treat me like a daughter. They pray for me and my family, they have showered us with some of the best gifts, you know, the kind that come from the heart! My Momma is an awesome cook! And my Poppa is very talented with the woodwork pieces he creates! Momma has shared her library full of great Christian authors and has taught me so much. I wouldn't spiritually be where I'm at today if it wasn't for her! We share like faith which is a precious gift in itself! But I love them and they love me and that is the greatest gift of all!!!

Dear Lord, Your Word is truly "living and active" and it's really true that You "place the lonely in families" just like it says in the Bible! Thank You so much for my precious Momma and Poppa! They are such a great blessing and a treasure to me! Please bless them mightily for the blessing they have been and continue to be to me. Please help me to love them and bless them the way they deserve. May you shower them and their family with Your limitless favor forever! In Jesus beautiful Name Amen!

This is one of the beautiful pieces my Poppa made for me! 

"GOD SETS THE LONELY IN FAMILIES..." PSALM 68:6

Poppa made this beautiful sign for me, it sits proudly
right next to the front door!

Do you have someone unexpected and extra special from God in your life? Or maybe you are somebody's unexpected and extra special person from the Lord! Either way I would love to hear about it!

Holy Smoke!!

Have you ever said that or heard that said...holy smoke, or holy cow, what about holy crap? I use to say them all the time, in fact, these words were habitual exclamations in my vocabulary for many years.  I know there are a lot of other people who use these phrases, remember Robin from Batman and Robin? Everything was holy to Robin, even peanut butter and jelly sandwiches!  I didn't think about what these words were implying until just recently, so blurt them out I did.

A cow is not holy, smoke is not holy, unless God is in it, and well you know the other word is completely unholy. The definition of Holy according to "Attributes of God #8, Holy" at www. parentcompany.com, says holy is the pure loving nature of God; separate from evil. Another site, BrainyQuotes.com, says the definition of Holy is; "set apart to the service or worship of God; hallowed; sacred; reserved from profane or common use."

 I believe, and now understand that all the things we loosely call holy were originally designed to hurt the heart of God and that is what it's doing. His holiness is beautiful and pure, something to be admired and desired. His holiness is not to be mocked or belittled but rather to be honored.

Lord God please forgive me for all the times I have called unholy things holy, I am truly sorry and I ask you to please help me break that habit.Your holiness is beautiful, Your holiness is wonderful, Your holiness is something I adore and aim for. Please give us, Your children, spiritual discernment to know when what we are saying is hurting You. Help us to bless You dear Lord and fill us with concern for your feelings always. We love You and Praise You forever! Amen

"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is and is to come."

"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they were created and have their being."

"To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power for ever and ever!"

Revelations 4:8,11, and 5:13

Find A Penny...

"TRUST ME"

In those times when it seems like God is not answering my prayers, because in my mind, it's taking too long, my Father tells me to trust Him. Each time I "find a penny, pick it up," I don't really believe in luck, but I do believe God is telling me to trust Him. It says so right on the coin, "In God We Trust!" He says, "don't worry, I will provide everything you need" through a picture, a figurine, or a real live bird. The Bible says Jesus told the people long ago when He walked the earth, "look at the birds, they don't sow, or harvest, or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them, aren't you far more valuable than they?"


The Lord surprises me, in some way or another, everyday. He really is attentive to His children and everything about them! Today after going on in my prayers as usual do you want to know what God said to me? He said, "one voice does make a difference!" In such a giant world, my prayers, however small or insignificant I might think they are, really do matter to the Father.

Our heavenly Father is always listening and answers the prayers of His children, I promise! It might not always seem like it because we don't always know how God will respond to our requests and situations. His wisdom is far to great for us to understand most of the time, but trust me, trust Him, God really is listening and He really does care! So don't ever stop praying!

You are far more valuable than they...

The next time you see a penny (or any coin really) laying around, don't think about luck, but rather hear our Father God say, "trust Me." And whenever you see a bird or lots of birds close by, be reminded that God is watching over you and will take care of all your needs.


We are so valuable to Him and so Loved by Him that He gave His all and His Best, He gave His One and only perfect beloved, begotten Son Jesus, for us so that we could be with Him forever. All we have to do is believe, ask for forgiveness for our sins, and invite Him into our life. My life has not been the same since Jesus came into my life and that is such a wonderful thing cause my life before Jesus...I Hated it!! He is real and He is for everyone, He want's to have a relationship with us right now, not after we die. Jesus is my Best Friend in the whole world and I've never been happier, ever...

What special way does God speak to you?

The King Of Glory

The precious blood of Jesus washes away all
our sin and makes us white as snow!

He had it all;  power, wealth, a kingdom, angels to worship Him, and the love of all He created in Heaven. He was Royalty of royalty, the King of Glory! But He gave it all up for you and for me. Our creator became His creation so He could save us from ourselves and the devil. He was the richest of all and became the poorest so He could relate to us in our poverty. He willingly came to earth and suffered persecution and rejection like no other. His creation spit in His face and called Him a liar, a blasphemer! Even His own brothers didn't believe He was who He said He was. Can you imagine God in all that He is being denied the glory that belonged to Him?  He knew how He would be treated when He got here but He came anyway. Why would He do that? Because of Love. God is Love and Love is stronger than pain, fear, rejection, and death. His Love for you is so much greater than you can even imagine!

"Every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord of all and kings will surrender their crowns to Him!"

"The whole earth is full of His glory!"

To say "Thank You dear Jesus for all that you suffered for my sake" seems so inadequate! You have made my life truly beautiful with Your perfect Love! I will praise You forever my King!

Hidden Treasure

I was reading a weekend post by Ann Voskamp, author of "One Thousand Gifts", and  blogger of  "A Holy Experience," when I noticed at the bottom of the page there was a link to a tutorial on how to draw the human eye in pencil only. I thought, that sounds like fun, I've always wanted to take art classes, only this is even better because it's free!

I remember hearing the Lord tell me some time ago, "Lori, you have gifts and talents that you don't even know about yet. That was exciting news because I've never really been good at anything that I can think of, but I always wanted to be.  I don't have a degree. I'm terrible at math beyond the basics and quite often I have to ask my husband, "how do you spell....?" Fortunately for me, my husband is very smart! I've never been good at sports, they require coordination and self confidence which I never had growing up.  I'm vocally challenged and can't carry half a tune half the time, and I have no rhythm in the dance department. I'm the one who claps totally out of sync during worship time at church on Sunday mornings.

My Grandma is an artist as is my great grandpa whom I never got to meet.  However, I do have a large beautiful picture of a light pink dahlia he drew in pastels that was handed down to me by my father. And my grandma has painted many beautiful pictures over the years. I've always hoped that I might have some of that talent to draw and paint like my grandma and great grandpa.

 We will never know if we can do something if we don't try so I did. The instructions for that human eye was very good and I was pleased that my drawing came out pretty good. Looked real to me and my husband agreed, at least that's what he said. :)

Shortly after I drew that eye, I got the urge to try and draw the object of my passion, the One who has stolen my heart, my magnificent obsession, my reason for being, Jesus. So I found a picture on Facebook from Jesus Daily's Page and began to draw what I saw.  I'm quite pleased with how it turned out! I had no idea I had this in me! Praise the Lord, I have a gift  after all just like the Lord told me I did. It was there all along, hiding, just waiting to be discovered, like hidden treasure!

Thank You Lord for giving me this wonderful gift! I'm so grateful for it and I will cherish it as the precious gift from You that it is! I give You all the glory for it Lord, I couldn't have done this without You!

What gift and talent has the Lord given to you? Please do share! :)

Fashion Bug

There I sat all by myself swinging shyly back and forth on the playground swing set watching as some of my 4th grade classmates played four square and tether ball, while others ran around laughing and screaming, chasing each other in a game of tag. I always hated recess, it was a crowded lonely place where it became all to clear that I didn't fit in. Oh how I longed to be like the popular kids, confident and stylish in their cute jeans and white sneakers. 

My dad had just divorced his second wife.  I asked if I could stay and live with my grandma and grandpa during a visit to their house shortly after that. I was nine years old at the time and if I continued to live with my father then I would be alone most of the time, or at the mercy of my very bigger and stronger brother, which by the way, was very little to no mercy at all.  Life was difficult for him too and I was the only one around for him to take his frustrations out on. Looking back, as an adult, I don't blame him for making me his target, after all we were just kids and to this day I love him very much! 

My grandparents agreed it would be best if I came to live with them so with my dad's permission I moved right in. It was peaceful at grandma's house. No yelling or screaming, and I hardly ever got in trouble.  Grandma was a wonderful cook and every week she would make grandpa these rich moist delicious dark chocolate cakes to put in his lunch box. I licked all the frosting off of one of those cakes when know one was looking, it was soooo good ha ha, but that's a different story. My diet was quite restricted prior to living with grandma, so my new found freedom to eat...well... let's say I became pleasantly plump.

 My dad didn't give my grandparents money to buy me school clothes that year so I was stuck wearing hideous hand me downs from my step-mom. I'm talking those ugly wool-like plaid bell bottomed pants that  were in style (if you can imagine) in the early 70's, but not anymore. I had a red pair and a green pair. Some would call that being frugal, I call it child abuse ha ha! What a vision I was with my long stringy hair, pleasantly plump body, wearing hand me down plaid bell bottom pants! It was a fourth grade nightmare!

I've come a long way since then. I have never been able to get it right in the fashion department but I'm okay with that now. To some I might look like a lowly worm on the outside, but by the love of God, my insides have metamorphosed  into a beautiful butterfly. Jesus Loves me just the way I am! When all is well and beautiful on the inside from the Love of God,  it doesn't matter so much what things look like on the outside.

The rejection I've encountered in life doesn't hold a candle to God, the Creator of mankind being rejected by His own creation! He knew what He was going to go through before He ever went through it and He did it any, crucified by His own, all for Love, all for you and me!

Thank You dear Lord for all the rejection and humiliation you endured for my sake. Thank You for creating me to be me so that I can have this relationship with You!  Thank You for setting me free from the pain of rejection. I will praise You forever! And I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with You!!

What is something that happened in your life that God turned around for good? I would love it if you would share with me! God bless you my blogger friends!