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Home & Garden, Tips & How To

Let There Be Light (Part Two)

We lived in Alabama about 20 years ago and attended a wonderful Assemblies of God church. During the Pensacola revival, our church was also touched by the Spirit of God in a huge and profound way.

For five months, we had church every night of the week, except Monday nights and often stayed until midnight. Over 700 people were saved in that season and God moved in the most amazing ways.


The Lord put a new intercessory anointing on me during that season and often I would spend the entire evening in a place with God, rocking and interceding and crying. He also taught me how to dance in intercession during that season.

I had suffered from migraine headaches for about twelve years, as a result of a car accident, and one night came to the church exhausted and with a headache. I remember sitting in the audience and actually asking God to please not ask me to do anything that night because I was tired and my head hurt.

But as the Holy Spirit began to move later that evening, I could not resist going up to the altar to worship and dance and pray. Soon several of the young girls that were part of the dance ministry ran over to get me telling me that Pastor Mike wanted to pray for the dance ministry. I went over and waited my turn.

During this season, God would move like a huge wave through our pastor, causing him to jerk with the power of the Holy Spirit. When it came my turn, he put his hands on my temples and began to pray for me. I put my hands over his hands and as the power of God came on me, I collapsed to the floor.

I don’t remember much about being on the floor but I remember asking God, “What do you want me to do?” He spoke to me and said, “Be still and know that I am God.” And then the most incredible thing happened.

God began to pour oil into my head. You can imagine what it is like to have the worst headache and suddenly fragrant oil begins to fill the inside of your head, satisfying every need, bringing healing and peace. The sensation was amazing but even more amazing to me was that I could smell the oil! It was the most beautiful, rich, fragrant floral and as I lay there under the power of God, my headache left.

The oil filled up my head and then it seemed that there was an empty place in the center of my chest that the Lord wanted to fill – and the oil flowed down from my head and filled my heart.

I began to be more aware of the room around me and realized that several of the young girls that were part of our dance ministry had come to lie next to me. As time passed, only one was left – my daughter, Laura. I had lain in a fetal position with my hands on the sides of my head for over an hour. When I got up, I knew my headaches were healed. The Lord brought the scripture to mind the next day, “He anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over.” Psalms 23

In the past few years we’ve made several moves and have now been living in Michigan for over a decade. I have continued to worship God with dance and to study His Word as He directs me. Several years ago, the Lord instructed me to study ‘light.’

"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light "day" and the darkness he called "night." And there was evening, and there was morning--the first day." Genesis 1:1-5

With God’s first recorded words, He creates light. I have heard (in a teaching from Creflo Dollar) that the literal translation of this scripture is “Light in Me, be!” Elohim sends forth His voice into the void and creates light. "By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible." Hebrews 11:3

The literal meaning of the word ‘Spirit’ in scripture is ‘wind or breath.’ The literal meaning for the word ‘voice’ is thunder. "All the people perceived the thunder and the lightning flashes and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking ; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood at a distance." Exodus 20:18

"In the beginning was the Word and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14

Then Jesus spoke again to them saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life." John 8:12

Jesus is both the Word and the Light. He is sound and light. They are intrinsic – just like the thunder and the lightning. Today technology has discovered that if you speed up sound, it becomes light! This is fiber optics.

In Genesis, it tells us that the ‘voice’ of God walked in the Garden. It was Jesus – the Light of the world, the Word of Life, that walked in the garden with Adam and Eve.

I sometimes wonder if when God spoke the first time could anything but light have been created? God is Light and His Word creates. If Light and Sound are the same thing, could anything else but Light come out? When God speaks today, it brings light and revelation and truth. Does He just slow down the Light of Who He is so that it becomes sound and we can hear Him? When God speaks to me, I hear it in my mind/Spirit, not audibly. He sends Light into my thinking.

Scientists have proven that under certain conditions, when they send sound into water, it became light! Sound travels four times faster through water than through the atmosphere.

I’ve heard the story of a college professor, an atheist, who annually would ask his class, “Do you believe that God created all things?” In faith, the class would always answer, “Yes!” And then the professor said, “Well then He created sin.”

After several years of successfully discouraging and confusing his students, the professor was surprised when one year a student respectfully raised his hand. The student then shared that scientists cannot measure darkness. They can only measure light. God is light; but wherever He is not present, there is darkness and sin. There is disorder and darkness. The professor was finally silenced.

God is Light and Sound
He is Wind and Spirit and Breath of Life.
He is the Living Word.
He is the Living Water and the Oil.
He is the Bread of Life, and the Wine
He is the Vine and we are the branches.
In the garden He was the Tree of Life. God is Life!

The same as He said, “Light in Me, be!” He also made everything else out of Who He is!

"In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance (the reflected light) of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, upholding all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven." Hebrews 1:1-4

Scientists now believe that there is more space than matter in the things that are tangible. They have discovered that all matter is held together with sound energy (The Word!) or hertz.

Hertz (symbol: Hz) is a unit of frequency. It is defined as the number of cycles per second between two points. It is the basic unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), and is used worldwide in both general-purpose and scientific contexts. Hertz can be used to measure any periodic event; the most common uses for hertz are to describe radio and audio frequencies, in which case a frequency of 1 Hz is equal to one cycle per second. (Wikipedia)

Frequency is a measurable rate of electrical energy that is constant between any two points. Everything has an electrical/sound frequency. Everything is held together by sound energy. Everything is held together by the Word of God.

Jesus is The Word. “He is the image of the invisible God, the first born of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” Colossians 1:15-17 All things are held together by The Word; sound energy.

As I continued on this road with God, I learned that even humans have a sound frequency. A healthy person’s body has 62-68 MHz (hertz). As our health declines, our hertz drop.
The frequency of the human brain is 72-90 MHz
The human body (day) 62-68 MHz
Cold symptoms 58 MHz
Flu symptoms    57 MHz
Candida                55 MHz
Epstein Barr        52 MHz
Cancer  42 MHz
Death Begins      25 MHz

And then one day someone said an amazing thing to me. A young woman said, “You might like essential oils. It won’t make any sense to you probably but essential oils have hertz. Rose oil has the highest hertz – 320 MHz.”  I’m sure she was stunned by my incredulous response! And of course, I began to study essential oils.

The LORD said to Moses, "Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from each man whose heart prompts him to give. These are the offerings you are to receive from them: gold, silver and bronze; blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; ram skins dyed red and hides of sea cows; acacia wood; olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece. Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.” Exodus 25:9

The word in this scripture that is translated to spices also means 'the essential oils derived from plants' and the incense is a mixture of resins from which essential oils are derived and when burned, has healing properties. The anointing oil in this passage (Exodus 30:22-33) was a blend of several essential oils: Cinnamon, Cassia, Calamus, Myrrh, Hyssop, Frankincense, Spikenard, and Galbanum. Exodus 30:34-38 gives the recipe for the fragrant incense.

I’ve heard in a teaching on covenant, by Malcolm Smith, that the children of Israel were never sick those forty years that they wandered in the wilderness. I have always loved that even in the Old Covenant, it was God’s desire that His people walk in good health. I wonder how much this Holy anointing oil had to do with their health.

Cinnamon Bark is a powerful purifier, a powerful oxygenator and enhances the action and the activity of other oils. It has a stimulating and toning effect on the whole body and particularly the circulatory system. It is antiseptic, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral.
Cassia is antibacterial, anti-coagulant, anti-infectious and antimicrobial.
Calamus is antibacterial, antiseptic and antispasmodic.
Myrrh was given to Jesus at His birth. It is beneficial is many ways including healing for wounds and infection.
Hyssop has anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties.
Frankincense, also given to Jesus at His birth, helps oxygenate the pineal and pituitary glands. It can permeate the blood brain membrane and has been used to heal brain injuries.
Spikenard was highly prized in the Middle East during the time of Christ and is referred to several times in the Bible. It is anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, relaxing, regenerative and helpful for allergic skin reactions.
Galbanum is recognized for its anti-viral properties, its overall strengthening and supporting properties.

The hertz of this blend of oils is 180 MHz. (Reference Guide for Essential Oils)

I have experienced miraculous healings in the church where generic oil is used. My heart is not to minimize this in any way and I give all glory to God knowing that all healing comes from Him. While Jesus walked this Earth, He healed in many ways. He spat in the clay and applied it to a man’s face, creating eyes, He healed with a word, He asked people to do things and their faith and obedience brought their healing.

I would love to know what kind of oil God poured in my head that day. I could not have imagined the journey He would take me down to help me understand His Word. I now wear essential oil as perfume and know that it not only blesses me but those around me, as just smelling these oils is beneficial.

Processed/canned food 0 MHz
Fresh Produce   up to 15 MHz
Dry Herbs            12-22 MHz
Fresh Herbs        20-27 MHz
Essential Oils      52-320 MHz

The Lord told me as I was learning all of this to use oil when I prayed. I listen to the Holy Spirit and get whatever oil I hear in my heart. I later read that studies have shown that the hertz of each oil increases by 15 MHz when combined with prayer!

Be blessed with His Life! "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." James 1:17

Love and blessings~

Standard
Home & Garden, Tips & How To

Let There Be Light (Part Two)

We lived in Alabama about 20 years ago and attended a wonderful Assemblies of God church. During the Pensacola revival, our church was also touched by the Spirit of God in a huge and profound way.

For five months, we had church every night of the week, except Monday nights and often stayed until midnight. Over 700 people were saved in that season and God moved in the most amazing ways.


The Lord put a new intercessory anointing on me during that season and often I would spend the entire evening in a place with God, rocking and interceding and crying. He also taught me how to dance in intercession during that season.

I had suffered from migraine headaches for about twelve years, as a result of a car accident, and one night came to the church exhausted and with a headache. I remember sitting in the audience and actually asking God to please not ask me to do anything that night because I was tired and my head hurt.

But as the Holy Spirit began to move later that evening, I could not resist going up to the altar to worship and dance and pray. Soon several of the young girls that were part of the dance ministry ran over to get me telling me that Pastor Mike wanted to pray for the dance ministry. I went over and waited my turn.

During this season, God would move like a huge wave through our pastor, causing him to jerk with the power of the Holy Spirit. When it came my turn, he put his hands on my temples and began to pray for me. I put my hands over his hands and as the power of God came on me, I collapsed to the floor.

I don’t remember much about being on the floor but I remember asking God, “What do you want me to do?” He spoke to me and said, “Be still and know that I am God.” And then the most incredible thing happened.

God began to pour oil into my head. You can imagine what it is like to have the worst headache and suddenly fragrant oil begins to fill the inside of your head, satisfying every need, bringing healing and peace. The sensation was amazing but even more amazing to me was that I could smell the oil! It was the most beautiful, rich, fragrant floral and as I lay there under the power of God, my headache left.

The oil filled up my head and then it seemed that there was an empty place in the center of my chest that the Lord wanted to fill – and the oil flowed down from my head and filled my heart.

I began to be more aware of the room around me and realized that several of the young girls that were part of our dance ministry had come to lie next to me. As time passed, only one was left – my daughter, Laura. I had lain in a fetal position with my hands on the sides of my head for over an hour. When I got up, I knew my headaches were healed. The Lord brought the scripture to mind the next day, “He anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over.” Psalms 23

In the past few years we’ve made several moves and have now been living in Michigan for over a decade. I have continued to worship God with dance and to study His Word as He directs me. Several years ago, the Lord instructed me to study ‘light.’

"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light "day" and the darkness he called "night." And there was evening, and there was morning--the first day." Genesis 1:1-5

With God’s first recorded words, He creates light. I have heard (in a teaching from Creflo Dollar) that the literal translation of this scripture is “Light in Me, be!” Elohim sends forth His voice into the void and creates light. "By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible." Hebrews 11:3

The literal meaning of the word ‘Spirit’ in scripture is ‘wind or breath.’ The literal meaning for the word ‘voice’ is thunder. "All the people perceived the thunder and the lightning flashes and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking ; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood at a distance." Exodus 20:18

"In the beginning was the Word and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14

Then Jesus spoke again to them saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life." John 8:12

Jesus is both the Word and the Light. He is sound and light. They are intrinsic – just like the thunder and the lightning. Today technology has discovered that if you speed up sound, it becomes light! This is fiber optics.

In Genesis, it tells us that the ‘voice’ of God walked in the Garden. It was Jesus – the Light of the world, the Word of Life, that walked in the garden with Adam and Eve.

I sometimes wonder if when God spoke the first time could anything but light have been created? God is Light and His Word creates. If Light and Sound are the same thing, could anything else but Light come out? When God speaks today, it brings light and revelation and truth. Does He just slow down the Light of Who He is so that it becomes sound and we can hear Him? When God speaks to me, I hear it in my mind/Spirit, not audibly. He sends Light into my thinking.

Scientists have proven that under certain conditions, when they send sound into water, it became light! Sound travels four times faster through water than through the atmosphere.

I’ve heard the story of a college professor, an atheist, who annually would ask his class, “Do you believe that God created all things?” In faith, the class would always answer, “Yes!” And then the professor said, “Well then He created sin.”

After several years of successfully discouraging and confusing his students, the professor was surprised when one year a student respectfully raised his hand. The student then shared that scientists cannot measure darkness. They can only measure light. God is light; but wherever He is not present, there is darkness and sin. There is disorder and darkness. The professor was finally silenced.

God is Light and Sound
He is Wind and Spirit and Breath of Life.
He is the Living Word.
He is the Living Water and the Oil.
He is the Bread of Life, and the Wine
He is the Vine and we are the branches.
In the garden He was the Tree of Life. God is Life!

The same as He said, “Light in Me, be!” He also made everything else out of Who He is!

"In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance (the reflected light) of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, upholding all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven." Hebrews 1:1-4

Scientists now believe that there is more space than matter in the things that are tangible. They have discovered that all matter is held together with sound energy (The Word!) or hertz.

Hertz (symbol: Hz) is a unit of frequency. It is defined as the number of cycles per second between two points. It is the basic unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), and is used worldwide in both general-purpose and scientific contexts. Hertz can be used to measure any periodic event; the most common uses for hertz are to describe radio and audio frequencies, in which case a frequency of 1 Hz is equal to one cycle per second. (Wikipedia)

Frequency is a measurable rate of electrical energy that is constant between any two points. Everything has an electrical/sound frequency. Everything is held together by sound energy. Everything is held together by the Word of God.

Jesus is The Word. “He is the image of the invisible God, the first born of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” Colossians 1:15-17 All things are held together by The Word; sound energy.

As I continued on this road with God, I learned that even humans have a sound frequency. A healthy person’s body has 62-68 MHz (hertz). As our health declines, our hertz drop.
The frequency of the human brain is 72-90 MHz
The human body (day) 62-68 MHz
Cold symptoms 58 MHz
Flu symptoms    57 MHz
Candida                55 MHz
Epstein Barr        52 MHz
Cancer  42 MHz
Death Begins      25 MHz

And then one day someone said an amazing thing to me. A young woman said, “You might like essential oils. It won’t make any sense to you probably but essential oils have hertz. Rose oil has the highest hertz – 320 MHz.”  I’m sure she was stunned by my incredulous response! And of course, I began to study essential oils.

The LORD said to Moses, "Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from each man whose heart prompts him to give. These are the offerings you are to receive from them: gold, silver and bronze; blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; ram skins dyed red and hides of sea cows; acacia wood; olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece. Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.” Exodus 25:9

The word in this scripture that is translated to spices also means 'the essential oils derived from plants' and the incense is a mixture of resins from which essential oils are derived and when burned, has healing properties. The anointing oil in this passage (Exodus 30:22-33) was a blend of several essential oils: Cinnamon, Cassia, Calamus, Myrrh, Hyssop, Frankincense, Spikenard, and Galbanum. Exodus 30:34-38 gives the recipe for the fragrant incense.

I’ve heard in a teaching on covenant, by Malcolm Smith, that the children of Israel were never sick those forty years that they wandered in the wilderness. I have always loved that even in the Old Covenant, it was God’s desire that His people walk in good health. I wonder how much this Holy anointing oil had to do with their health.

Cinnamon Bark is a powerful purifier, a powerful oxygenator and enhances the action and the activity of other oils. It has a stimulating and toning effect on the whole body and particularly the circulatory system. It is antiseptic, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral.
Cassia is antibacterial, anti-coagulant, anti-infectious and antimicrobial.
Calamus is antibacterial, antiseptic and antispasmodic.
Myrrh was given to Jesus at His birth. It is beneficial is many ways including healing for wounds and infection.
Hyssop has anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties.
Frankincense, also given to Jesus at His birth, helps oxygenate the pineal and pituitary glands. It can permeate the blood brain membrane and has been used to heal brain injuries.
Spikenard was highly prized in the Middle East during the time of Christ and is referred to several times in the Bible. It is anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, relaxing, regenerative and helpful for allergic skin reactions.
Galbanum is recognized for its anti-viral properties, its overall strengthening and supporting properties.

The hertz of this blend of oils is 180 MHz. (Reference Guide for Essential Oils)

I have experienced miraculous healings in the church where generic oil is used. My heart is not to minimize this in any way and I give all glory to God knowing that all healing comes from Him. While Jesus walked this Earth, He healed in many ways. He spat in the clay and applied it to a man’s face, creating eyes, He healed with a word, He asked people to do things and their faith and obedience brought their healing.

I would love to know what kind of oil God poured in my head that day. I could not have imagined the journey He would take me down to help me understand His Word. I now wear essential oil as perfume and know that it not only blesses me but those around me, as just smelling these oils is beneficial.

Processed/canned food 0 MHz
Fresh Produce   up to 15 MHz
Dry Herbs            12-22 MHz
Fresh Herbs        20-27 MHz
Essential Oils      52-320 MHz

The Lord told me as I was learning all of this to use oil when I prayed. I listen to the Holy Spirit and get whatever oil I hear in my heart. I later read that studies have shown that the hertz of each oil increases by 15 MHz when combined with prayer!

Be blessed with His Life! "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." James 1:17

Love and blessings~

Standard
Home & Garden, Tips & How To

Let There Be Light (Part One)

The Lord has been teaching me so much about healing in the last decade. I believe that it is always God’s will to heal us; however, we have not understood some fundamental things that can stand in the way.

We are spirit, soul and body; a three part being created in the image of God. In the Hebrew language, there is no word for ‘spiritual.’ God’s people understood that there is no division between these three things. It is the Greek culture and exaltation of knowledge over Spirit that emphasized and distinguished the difference.


Several years ago I asked the Lord, “How can fasting (going without food) affect you spiritually?” It was a fascinating thought to me. And over the last couple of years, the Lord began to show me the answer.

We live in a fallen world. None of us will get through this life without being accosted by poison; physically damaging toxins and soul damaging wounds. Every day we eat and drink and breathe in things that are physically damaging to our bodies.

Non-filtered water, white flour and sugar, and preservatives are all known carcinogens. Drinking one cola or carbonated beverage wipes out your immune system for 27 hours. Doctors now know that even the plastics that ‘good’ food is packaged in can be absorbed into the food and when eaten, is harmful to us. The colorings and preservatives in makeup, hair coloring and even antiperspirants can cause skin cancer. The one that really makes me chuckle (in a non-amused way) is that there is an ingredient in sun-block is a known carcinogen and that people are becoming sick by not getting enough vitamin D from sun exposure! There is evidence that skin cancer is not caused by the sun but by a lack of good nutrition. 

But even more than that, doctors now recognize that anger can cause cancer and other health problems. Stress causes heart disease. Depression and grief cause us to become sick. Scripture confirms that hope deferred makes the heart sick. Proverbs 13:12

But even more recently, I discovered Dr. Caroline Leaf. She is a neuroscientist who has proven that "as a man thinks, so he is." Proverbs 23:7 She has proven that 99.9% of all sickness originates in our thought life and that sickness that we are born with, originated in the thought life of our ancestors. You can find her on YouTube and her books on Amazon. 

Sometimes when we are emotionally wounded, we are unable to handle the depth of our emotions all at once. People who have lost a loved one express a feeling of numbness for a season and the grief surfaces over time. This is our mind and body’s defense against overwhelming pain. When this happens, our bodies store the ‘pain’ in our cells and tissues, in the form of toxins. Unless flushed out, these toxins can and will cause illness.

Unforgiveness and anger against someone causes stress and toxins are stored in our cells. Men seem to suffer more with heart disease than women. Crying is a gift from God that helps cleanse our mind and body of toxins and releases positive endorphins into the body for healing.

Even when choosing forgiveness and walking in it, these toxins can be left in our cells to do damage! Our body needs to be in an alkaline state for health. The above mentioned things, like sugar, cause our cells to be acidic. An acidic cell cannot hold oxygen and a cell without oxygen becomes cancerous.

The Bible gives a clear solution. It tells us that when one of us is sick, to confess our sins to the elders and they will anoint you with oil and you will recover. (James 5:14-16) I would like to break this down a little.

I believe confessing our sin to an elder simply means sharing our hearts and weaknesses with someone who is spiritually mature. It means cleansing our souls of the anger, the unforgiveness; confessing our wrong doings, etc. If we confess our sins and He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

Then the Word says that they will anoint us with oil. The Bible says that without knowledge the people perish (Hosea 4:6) and this verse can apply to the anointing with oil.

At His birth, Jesus was given three gifts; gold, frankincense and myrrh. (Matthew 2:11)  What was the frankincense and myrrh and why was it valued so highly?

Frankincense and myrrh are essential oils or ‘perfumes.’ Spikenard was the essential oil or perfume that was poured on Jesus’ feet by the woman. (This is actually mentioned several times and there is evidence three different women at different times put ‘perfume’ on Jesus feet.) These were and still are costly essential oils and have great value today.

An essential oil is the life essence of a plant. Plants are alive and these oils are removed without heat so as to not destroy the life of the oil. Mary knew the value of the frankincense and myrrh as both are highly antibacterial, antifungal, and have great healing properties. The people of Jesus’ times knew the value and uses of these perfumes and used them extensively. Even generations earlier, David mentions cleansing himself with hyssop in the Psalms. Hyssop was a plant that grew abundantly in that region and the oil from it was ‘cleansing.’

Essential oils heal on a cellular level. Within twenty minutes of applying a single drop of oil, it actively affects every cell in your body, bringing oxygen and cleansing to each cell. These oils remove toxins from the cells and oxygenate the cells restoring the alkaline balance and bringing healing.

We have derived our modern day perfumes from these oils but in doing so have killed all the benefits and are now left with just the scent. The amazing thing to me is that when the oils are alive, the scent itself is healing!

A study of the Greek word ‘anoint’ reveals that we have generically translated three different words to the English word ‘anoint.’ One of the Greek words is the root word for ‘therapy’ and from this we understand that it meant a long term applying of the oil to restore healing.

There was and is healing in the oil itself! I have for years been taught that you could use any oil and that it was a ‘touch-point’ for the Holy Spirit. Yes, the Holy Spirit can absolutely heal in that very moment without any oil at all, but over the centuries we have lost our knowledge of God’s natural way of healing that He made available in the Garden when He created plants.

There are hundreds of oils. One commonly known is lavender. Lavender is a wonderful oil that heals burns, causes peace and relaxation and has multiple benefits. But a lavender scented product does not have healing ability. It’s important to understand that the healing comes from the life of the plant and is destroyed through processing.

Fasting is also beneficial as it again cleanses the cells on a molecular level! These toxins stored in our cells are essentially ‘strongholds.’ Remember, there is no difference between the physical and the spiritual. When these toxins are cleared from our bodies, we are healed of ‘spiritual’ things as well as ‘physical’ things. The Word says, “Beloved, above all things, I desire that you be in good health and prosper, even as your soul prospers.” (3 John 2) The Word shows a clear alignment with soul health and physical health and even more than He desires that we be healed, God desires that we walk in good health!

You can learn more about these oils by reading, “Healing Oils, Healing Hands” by Linda Smith and “Healing Oils of the Bible” by Dr. David Stewart (both available on Amazon.) Another necessary book is “The Reference Guide for Essential Oils” I typically ask the Holy Spirit what oil I need to use and then confirm it in this book. 

Thieves’ Oil (Young Living) and On Guard (DoTerra) are essentially the same oil blends. The original oil was called Thieves’ Oil because during the Black Plague, thieves used it successfully to rob the dead without becoming sick themselves. It’s a powerful combination of clove, lemon, cinnamon bark, eucalyptus, and rosemary and has been found to be strong enough to reduce bacterial cultures by 99.96%!  My family uses it whenever we have been exposed to sickness or feel like we may be coming down with something. We rub it on the bottoms of our feet, on the backs of our neck and on the glands on the sides of our neck and breathe it in.  My husband and I have not been to the doctor in over ten years. Thieves’ Oil will even kill strep and staph germs if caught early enough.

I will post Part Two of this tomorrow!  Have a wonderful day!

love and blessings~

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Let There Be Light (Part One)

The Lord has been teaching me so much about healing in the last decade. I believe that it is always God’s will to heal us; however, we have not understood some fundamental things that can stand in the way.

We are spirit, soul and body; a three part being created in the image of God. In the Hebrew language, there is no word for ‘spiritual.’ God’s people understood that there is no division between these three things. It is the Greek culture and exaltation of knowledge over Spirit that emphasized and distinguished the difference.


Several years ago I asked the Lord, “How can fasting (going without food) affect you spiritually?” It was a fascinating thought to me. And over the last couple of years, the Lord began to show me the answer.

We live in a fallen world. None of us will get through this life without being accosted by poison; physically damaging toxins and soul damaging wounds. Every day we eat and drink and breathe in things that are physically damaging to our bodies.

Non-filtered water, white flour and sugar, and preservatives are all known carcinogens. Drinking one cola or carbonated beverage wipes out your immune system for 27 hours. Doctors now know that even the plastics that ‘good’ food is packaged in can be absorbed into the food and when eaten, is harmful to us. The colorings and preservatives in makeup, hair coloring and even antiperspirants can cause skin cancer. The one that really makes me chuckle (in a non-amused way) is that there is an ingredient in sun-block is a known carcinogen and that people are becoming sick by not getting enough vitamin D from sun exposure! There is evidence that skin cancer is not caused by the sun but by a lack of good nutrition. 

But even more than that, doctors now recognize that anger can cause cancer and other health problems. Stress causes heart disease. Depression and grief cause us to become sick. Scripture confirms that hope deferred makes the heart sick. Proverbs 13:12

But even more recently, I discovered Dr. Caroline Leaf. She is a neuroscientist who has proven that "as a man thinks, so he is." Proverbs 23:7 She has proven that 99.9% of all sickness originates in our thought life and that sickness that we are born with, originated in the thought life of our ancestors. You can find her on YouTube and her books on Amazon. 

Sometimes when we are emotionally wounded, we are unable to handle the depth of our emotions all at once. People who have lost a loved one express a feeling of numbness for a season and the grief surfaces over time. This is our mind and body’s defense against overwhelming pain. When this happens, our bodies store the ‘pain’ in our cells and tissues, in the form of toxins. Unless flushed out, these toxins can and will cause illness.

Unforgiveness and anger against someone causes stress and toxins are stored in our cells. Men seem to suffer more with heart disease than women. Crying is a gift from God that helps cleanse our mind and body of toxins and releases positive endorphins into the body for healing.

Even when choosing forgiveness and walking in it, these toxins can be left in our cells to do damage! Our body needs to be in an alkaline state for health. The above mentioned things, like sugar, cause our cells to be acidic. An acidic cell cannot hold oxygen and a cell without oxygen becomes cancerous.

The Bible gives a clear solution. It tells us that when one of us is sick, to confess our sins to the elders and they will anoint you with oil and you will recover. (James 5:14-16) I would like to break this down a little.

I believe confessing our sin to an elder simply means sharing our hearts and weaknesses with someone who is spiritually mature. It means cleansing our souls of the anger, the unforgiveness; confessing our wrong doings, etc. If we confess our sins and He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

Then the Word says that they will anoint us with oil. The Bible says that without knowledge the people perish (Hosea 4:6) and this verse can apply to the anointing with oil.

At His birth, Jesus was given three gifts; gold, frankincense and myrrh. (Matthew 2:11)  What was the frankincense and myrrh and why was it valued so highly?

Frankincense and myrrh are essential oils or ‘perfumes.’ Spikenard was the essential oil or perfume that was poured on Jesus’ feet by the woman. (This is actually mentioned several times and there is evidence three different women at different times put ‘perfume’ on Jesus feet.) These were and still are costly essential oils and have great value today.

An essential oil is the life essence of a plant. Plants are alive and these oils are removed without heat so as to not destroy the life of the oil. Mary knew the value of the frankincense and myrrh as both are highly antibacterial, antifungal, and have great healing properties. The people of Jesus’ times knew the value and uses of these perfumes and used them extensively. Even generations earlier, David mentions cleansing himself with hyssop in the Psalms. Hyssop was a plant that grew abundantly in that region and the oil from it was ‘cleansing.’

Essential oils heal on a cellular level. Within twenty minutes of applying a single drop of oil, it actively affects every cell in your body, bringing oxygen and cleansing to each cell. These oils remove toxins from the cells and oxygenate the cells restoring the alkaline balance and bringing healing.

We have derived our modern day perfumes from these oils but in doing so have killed all the benefits and are now left with just the scent. The amazing thing to me is that when the oils are alive, the scent itself is healing!

A study of the Greek word ‘anoint’ reveals that we have generically translated three different words to the English word ‘anoint.’ One of the Greek words is the root word for ‘therapy’ and from this we understand that it meant a long term applying of the oil to restore healing.

There was and is healing in the oil itself! I have for years been taught that you could use any oil and that it was a ‘touch-point’ for the Holy Spirit. Yes, the Holy Spirit can absolutely heal in that very moment without any oil at all, but over the centuries we have lost our knowledge of God’s natural way of healing that He made available in the Garden when He created plants.

There are hundreds of oils. One commonly known is lavender. Lavender is a wonderful oil that heals burns, causes peace and relaxation and has multiple benefits. But a lavender scented product does not have healing ability. It’s important to understand that the healing comes from the life of the plant and is destroyed through processing.

Fasting is also beneficial as it again cleanses the cells on a molecular level! These toxins stored in our cells are essentially ‘strongholds.’ Remember, there is no difference between the physical and the spiritual. When these toxins are cleared from our bodies, we are healed of ‘spiritual’ things as well as ‘physical’ things. The Word says, “Beloved, above all things, I desire that you be in good health and prosper, even as your soul prospers.” (3 John 2) The Word shows a clear alignment with soul health and physical health and even more than He desires that we be healed, God desires that we walk in good health!

You can learn more about these oils by reading, “Healing Oils, Healing Hands” by Linda Smith and “Healing Oils of the Bible” by Dr. David Stewart (both available on Amazon.) Another necessary book is “The Reference Guide for Essential Oils” I typically ask the Holy Spirit what oil I need to use and then confirm it in this book. 

Thieves’ Oil (Young Living) and On Guard (DoTerra) are essentially the same oil blends. The original oil was called Thieves’ Oil because during the Black Plague, thieves used it successfully to rob the dead without becoming sick themselves. It’s a powerful combination of clove, lemon, cinnamon bark, eucalyptus, and rosemary and has been found to be strong enough to reduce bacterial cultures by 99.96%!  My family uses it whenever we have been exposed to sickness or feel like we may be coming down with something. We rub it on the bottoms of our feet, on the backs of our neck and on the glands on the sides of our neck and breathe it in.  My husband and I have not been to the doctor in over ten years. Thieves’ Oil will even kill strep and staph germs if caught early enough.

I will post Part Two of this tomorrow!  Have a wonderful day!

love and blessings~

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Invisible People

Many years ago, when I had been attending a church for several years, a new woman began to attend. Because I had been there for several years, I knew every one who came regularly. We had laughed and cried and prayed together, taken care of each others' children, shared meals and coffee. We knew each other well. We were friends.

When this new lady came, I was not interested in having a new friend. I was satisfied with my place in life.

One of my close friends immediately befriended her, pulling her into the church and making her feel comfortable. I watched her and was still not interested. And I recognized that I was doing it.

Finally, after several months I began to get to know her. She became a friend.

I would find out what this felt like a few years later when we moved across the country. We began attending a large church and went week after week without anyone attempting to get to know us. In their defense, some people spoke warmly to us and it was a large church. They could have assumed someone else had befriended us. Some people have lived in the same place all their lives and don't know what it feels like to not know anyone or have any friends.

I showed up at the women's ministry one morning and sat at a table alone. All the other women knew each other and were standing in groups, talking and laughing. I finally stood up and went over to one the groups and stood with them. No one spoke to me and I remember one lady looking at me like I was rude to come and stand with them. And I knew how she felt.

After a year of no one including us, we stayed home for about a month. The pastor's wife called me one day and asked me why we hadn't been there. I told her that no one talked to us. She assigned someone to us. *smile* That family would become our best friends and we are still close friends 20+ years later.

I learned my lesson. But more than that, one day the Lord spoke to me. He told me that everyone is important to Him, that everyone has a gift or talent that the Body of Christ needs to be complete. Everyone has something valuable to say, if we will stop and listen. Because He's no respecter of persons, He has shared His heart with all of us and for us to hear His heart, we will have to value and listen to each person. Or the Body is not complete.

1 Corinthians 11:23-34 talks about  discerning the Lord's Body as we come together for communion. This passage warns us that if we do not value and discern the Body of Christ, we drink judgment upon ourselves and many of us have become sick or weak because of it.

Look around your church or your place of employment. Do you esteem everyone equally or is there someone that seems to be invisible to others? Maybe they're not attractive or popular. Maybe they won't elevate your status. May they just don't appeal to you.

And then realize that they're precious to God. They have a story. They have an importance to God and to the Body of Christ. They are Somebody. Look at them and see them. See them through God's eyes and love them.

love and blessings~



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Home & Garden, Tips & How To

Invisible People

Many years ago, when I had been attending a church for several years, a new woman began to attend. Because I had been there for several years, I knew every one who came regularly. We had laughed and cried and prayed together, taken care of each others' children, shared meals and coffee. We knew each other well. We were friends.

When this new lady came, I was not interested in having a new friend. I was satisfied with my place in life.

One of my close friends immediately befriended her, pulling her into the church and making her feel comfortable. I watched her and was still not interested. And I recognized that I was doing it.

Finally, after several months I began to get to know her. She became a friend.

I would find out what this felt like a few years later when we moved across the country. We began attending a large church and went week after week without anyone attempting to get to know us. In their defense, some people spoke warmly to us and it was a large church. They could have assumed someone else had befriended us. Some people have lived in the same place all their lives and don't know what it feels like to not know anyone or have any friends.

I showed up at the women's ministry one morning and sat at a table alone. All the other women knew each other and were standing in groups, talking and laughing. I finally stood up and went over to one the groups and stood with them. No one spoke to me and I remember one lady looking at me like I was rude to come and stand with them. And I knew how she felt.

After a year of no one including us, we stayed home for about a month. The pastor's wife called me one day and asked me why we hadn't been there. I told her that no one talked to us. She assigned someone to us. *smile* That family would become our best friends and we are still close friends 20+ years later.

I learned my lesson. But more than that, one day the Lord spoke to me. He told me that everyone is important to Him, that everyone has a gift or talent that the Body of Christ needs to be complete. Everyone has something valuable to say, if we will stop and listen. Because He's no respecter of persons, He has shared His heart with all of us and for us to hear His heart, we will have to value and listen to each person. Or the Body is not complete.

1 Corinthians 11:23-34 talks about  discerning the Lord's Body as we come together for communion. This passage warns us that if we do not value and discern the Body of Christ, we drink judgment upon ourselves and many of us have become sick or weak because of it.

Look around your church or your place of employment. Do you esteem everyone equally or is there someone that seems to be invisible to others? Maybe they're not attractive or popular. Maybe they won't elevate your status. May they just don't appeal to you.

And then realize that they're precious to God. They have a story. They have an importance to God and to the Body of Christ. They are Somebody. Look at them and see them. See them through God's eyes and love them.

love and blessings~



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If At First You Don’t Succeed…

Many, many years ago, I stepped out to do something that God had called me to do. The result was not perfect and it was criticized. I went away believing I had failed - failed God, failed myself, let everybody down, etc.

Years later I heard someone say, "Well, it doesn't have to be perfect the first time you do something. You learn and you get better." And I had this moment of clarity and realized that the critical words that I had heard years before had bound me up. I had believed them. And they were not necessarily the heart of God.

When our children learn to walk, or learn to do anything new, we never expect that they will do it perfectly the first time. And neither does our God.

We learn by trying. We learn by obeying. And God knows we will not always get it right. But as we humble ourselves and try again, we get closer to the goal.

It takes courage to step out and try something new. It takes faith and courage. And God sees that and cheers us on! And we may stumble. But it takes faith and courage to get up and try again.

And I think sometimes God appreciates that we tried more than we can imagine.

Think of Moses when God told him to go and talk to Pharaoh. Moses was afraid and asked for Aaron to go with him and speak for him. And Moses didn't succeed the first time he told Pharaoh to "let my people go." What if Moses had walked away thinking that he hadn't done it right? Where would we be now? ;)

Moses was not 'the expert' in freeing the Children of Israel from bondage. He just obeyed. And don't you know he learned a lot along the way. And now he's our hero.

Wait on God. Make sure you don't get out ahead of Him. Be patient. Let Him prepare you. But when He gives you the go ahead - try! Just try! If you mess it up, come home and give it all to Him. Let Him refresh and direct you. If you get wounded, let Him heal you. Forgive.

And then try again.

And realize that we're all doing exactly what you're doing. We're learning how to walk with God - how to do the things He's called us to do. Because none of us have ever done them before. We all have to start somewhere. And as soon as we get comfortable with what God has called us to do, He moves us forward and asks us to do something new.

That's life.

Don't worry that you've fallen behind. Just do the first thing you know to do to catch up. I don't know if God has a Plan B (or C or D?) but I know He knows us better than we know ourselves and so nothing surprises him. Not even our hesitancy.

Start today. It won't be perfect. Maybe it never will be. But start today.

love and blessings~
PS - I wrote this to myself.
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Home & Garden, Tips & How To

If At First You Don’t Succeed…

Many, many years ago, I stepped out to do something that God had called me to do. The result was not perfect and it was criticized. I went away believing I had failed - failed God, failed myself, let everybody down, etc.

Years later I heard someone say, "Well, it doesn't have to be perfect the first time you do something. You learn and you get better." And I had this moment of clarity and realized that the critical words that I had heard years before had bound me up. I had believed them. And they were not necessarily the heart of God.

When our children learn to walk, or learn to do anything new, we never expect that they will do it perfectly the first time. And neither does our God.

We learn by trying. We learn by obeying. And God knows we will not always get it right. But as we humble ourselves and try again, we get closer to the goal.

It takes courage to step out and try something new. It takes faith and courage. And God sees that and cheers us on! And we may stumble. But it takes faith and courage to get up and try again.

And I think sometimes God appreciates that we tried more than we can imagine.

Think of Moses when God told him to go and talk to Pharaoh. Moses was afraid and asked for Aaron to go with him and speak for him. And Moses didn't succeed the first time he told Pharaoh to "let my people go." What if Moses had walked away thinking that he hadn't done it right? Where would we be now? ;)

Moses was not 'the expert' in freeing the Children of Israel from bondage. He just obeyed. And don't you know he learned a lot along the way. And now he's our hero.

Wait on God. Make sure you don't get out ahead of Him. Be patient. Let Him prepare you. But when He gives you the go ahead - try! Just try! If you mess it up, come home and give it all to Him. Let Him refresh and direct you. If you get wounded, let Him heal you. Forgive.

And then try again.

And realize that we're all doing exactly what you're doing. We're learning how to walk with God - how to do the things He's called us to do. Because none of us have ever done them before. We all have to start somewhere. And as soon as we get comfortable with what God has called us to do, He moves us forward and asks us to do something new.

That's life.

Don't worry that you've fallen behind. Just do the first thing you know to do to catch up. I don't know if God has a Plan B (or C or D?) but I know He knows us better than we know ourselves and so nothing surprises him. Not even our hesitancy.

Start today. It won't be perfect. Maybe it never will be. But start today.

love and blessings~
PS - I wrote this to myself.
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Being Content

I've had the wonderful blessing in the last couple of months of meeting with a group of believers for fellowship and worship in their homes. We've spent time worshiping and sharing our hearts and faith with each other and I have been so blessed and encouraged. The other night, one of the sweet women that are part of this group said something that has changed my life.

She said, "I'm just happy with my life. I'm happy being "C's" wife, I'm happy living in Big Rapids. I'm happy with whatever God is doing."

And I realized something.

I had been discontent. And that was not OK.

Twenty years ago, we lived in Auburn, Alabama. We attended an Assembly of God church and the Lord had led me to start a worship dance ministry and to sing in the choir. While we were attending there, the Lord brought 'revival.'

The Holy Spirit fell on our church. We began to have church 6 nights a week and we would stay until midnight, praising God, dancing at the altar, laying on our faces before God and moving in the Spirit. It lasted for five months and over 700 people were saved. The students from Auburn University were preaching Jesus from the street corners. It was amazing.

I saw God do things during those 5 months that I had never seen before and have never seen since. The Lord would show me a couple of years later that my obedience to start the worship dance ministry and to dance on the altar while in the choir were one of the keys that brought the revival. He would also remind me that He had told me to say the words to a song in a medley that we were going to dance to before we danced and this released the revival.

The words were, "Cast out your nets all you fishers of men,
                           In the power of the Spirit, revival begins!"

I was able to go back and watch video of myself introducing this dance medley and then watch as the Holy Spirit fell on our church!

I have never been the same. God wrecked me in those 5 months and I still have not recovered. I have pressed in, pushed forward, interceded, sought God and contended for break-through since that time.

But when my friend spoke those words - "I'm just happy where I'm at"- I realized that I had also been very discontent.  The Lord had asked me a couple of months ago - "What are you looking for in a church?" and I had answered without hesitation, "I want that revival again! I want to see You move and see people healed and saved and delivered! I don't want a meeting! I want YOU!"

And I have realized in the last couple of weeks, as I have given my heart and life over to God once again and repented of my discontent, that it's good to pray and intercede for break-through. I am a warrior and it will always be who I am. But at the same time, I have to trust God and rest in His Sovereignty and wisdom. I have to trust Him that even though I may feel that all I do is move forward into the wilderness and dig up the dry ground, that God sees me and knows my heart.

And I have to submit my life and make peace with the fact that I may never again experience a move of God like I did, but my prayers have made the way for others to experience this wonderful blessing.

I've found a new peace in the last couple of weeks and a fresh joy. I hadn't realize that I had taken on a false burden and now I've laid it at the feet of the only One Who is able to carry it.

Philippians 4:11 ...I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

love and blessings~






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Home & Garden, Tips & How To

Being Content

I've had the wonderful blessing in the last couple of months of meeting with a group of believers for fellowship and worship in their homes. We've spent time worshiping and sharing our hearts and faith with each other and I have been so blessed and encouraged. The other night, one of the sweet women that are part of this group said something that has changed my life.

She said, "I'm just happy with my life. I'm happy being "C's" wife, I'm happy living in Big Rapids. I'm happy with whatever God is doing."

And I realized something.

I had been discontent. And that was not OK.

Twenty years ago, we lived in Auburn, Alabama. We attended an Assembly of God church and the Lord had led me to start a worship dance ministry and to sing in the choir. While we were attending there, the Lord brought 'revival.'

The Holy Spirit fell on our church. We began to have church 6 nights a week and we would stay until midnight, praising God, dancing at the altar, laying on our faces before God and moving in the Spirit. It lasted for five months and over 700 people were saved. The students from Auburn University were preaching Jesus from the street corners. It was amazing.

I saw God do things during those 5 months that I had never seen before and have never seen since. The Lord would show me a couple of years later that my obedience to start the worship dance ministry and to dance on the altar while in the choir were one of the keys that brought the revival. He would also remind me that He had told me to say the words to a song in a medley that we were going to dance to before we danced and this released the revival.

The words were, "Cast out your nets all you fishers of men,
                           In the power of the Spirit, revival begins!"

I was able to go back and watch video of myself introducing this dance medley and then watch as the Holy Spirit fell on our church!

I have never been the same. God wrecked me in those 5 months and I still have not recovered. I have pressed in, pushed forward, interceded, sought God and contended for break-through since that time.

But when my friend spoke those words - "I'm just happy where I'm at"- I realized that I had also been very discontent.  The Lord had asked me a couple of months ago - "What are you looking for in a church?" and I had answered without hesitation, "I want that revival again! I want to see You move and see people healed and saved and delivered! I don't want a meeting! I want YOU!"

And I have realized in the last couple of weeks, as I have given my heart and life over to God once again and repented of my discontent, that it's good to pray and intercede for break-through. I am a warrior and it will always be who I am. But at the same time, I have to trust God and rest in His Sovereignty and wisdom. I have to trust Him that even though I may feel that all I do is move forward into the wilderness and dig up the dry ground, that God sees me and knows my heart.

And I have to submit my life and make peace with the fact that I may never again experience a move of God like I did, but my prayers have made the way for others to experience this wonderful blessing.

I've found a new peace in the last couple of weeks and a fresh joy. I hadn't realize that I had taken on a false burden and now I've laid it at the feet of the only One Who is able to carry it.

Philippians 4:11 ...I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

love and blessings~






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My Father’s Eyes

Lately, I've been taking stock of myself.

I feel like I'm able to look at myself more honestly lately than I ever have in my life. I am able to look at my weaknesses and my bad patterns very clearly and then make a clear decision on whether or not I'm going to change.

I think several years ago this would have been too painful for me. I hid myself from myself. I glossed over my weaknesses. I purposely ignored my failures.

This morning, I was thanking God for the strength He's given me lately to do this and God surprised me again with His grace.

He told me how much He loved me~how precious I am to Him. He reminded me that He has always seen my weaknesses but He sees my strengths and mostly He sees me the way He intended me to be. He sees my potential. And He never wants me to forget that. He wants me to always see myself as He sees me. He wants me to remember that we're not done yet. And He appreciates that I'm always wanting to improve and become more like Him.

As I was thanking Him for letting myself see myself honestly, I was thinking of writing it down for all of you. And when God began to speak to me, He told me, "Tell them this!"

"I love YOU so much~You are precious to me. I have always seen your weaknesses but I see your strengths too. Mostly I see you the way I intended you to be. I see your potential. And I never want you to forget that. Always remember the way I see you. We're not done yet. And I appreciate that you are always wanting to improve and become more like Me"

            Love, Your Father

Have a wonderful day!

love and blessings~

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Home & Garden, Tips & How To

My Father’s Eyes

Lately, I've been taking stock of myself.

I feel like I'm able to look at myself more honestly lately than I ever have in my life. I am able to look at my weaknesses and my bad patterns very clearly and then make a clear decision on whether or not I'm going to change.

I think several years ago this would have been too painful for me. I hid myself from myself. I glossed over my weaknesses. I purposely ignored my failures.

This morning, I was thanking God for the strength He's given me lately to do this and God surprised me again with His grace.

He told me how much He loved me~how precious I am to Him. He reminded me that He has always seen my weaknesses but He sees my strengths and mostly He sees me the way He intended me to be. He sees my potential. And He never wants me to forget that. He wants me to always see myself as He sees me. He wants me to remember that we're not done yet. And He appreciates that I'm always wanting to improve and become more like Him.

As I was thanking Him for letting myself see myself honestly, I was thinking of writing it down for all of you. And when God began to speak to me, He told me, "Tell them this!"

"I love YOU so much~You are precious to me. I have always seen your weaknesses but I see your strengths too. Mostly I see you the way I intended you to be. I see your potential. And I never want you to forget that. Always remember the way I see you. We're not done yet. And I appreciate that you are always wanting to improve and become more like Me"

            Love, Your Father

Have a wonderful day!

love and blessings~

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Can’t See the Forest for the Trees

We left our beautiful home in Colorado 23 years ago and moved to Opelika, Alabama for my husband to get his PhD in Economics at Auburn University. We had built a house in Colorado that I loved five years earlier. Our daughter was seven and our son was 18 mos. I did not want to go.

In fact, inside, I was kicking and screaming. On the outside, I was doing my best to be a submitted wife but inside I was brokenhearted to leave our home, our family, our church and our friends.

We bought a house in Opelika, Alabama, which is the small town next to Auburn. It was not nearly as wonderful as the house we had owned in Colorado and one of the hardest things for me is that it was dark inside. The sun shines in Colorado about 300 days out of the year and the humidity is very low and Alabama's climate was a huge adjustment for me. And the winters were cloudy, damp and dark. I was homeschooling our two children and so was home in our dark house a lot.

One day, I took a walk out into our back yard. It was a sunny day but the small forest of 75' tall hardwood trees in our backyard kept the sun from getting to our house. As I was walking around and talking to God, I pointed out to Him the trees that I would like down so that the sun could reach the house. It was just musing, as I knew we couldn't afford to pay someone to take these huge trees down.

About a year later, as I mentioned in my last post, we experienced Hurricane Opal. The combination of the hurricane and the tornadoes that spun off it brought down a lot of trees in our community. We were without power at our house for four days. Our neighborhood really gathered together helping each other get the damage cleared away.

We went to church on a Wednesday night soon after the hurricane and everyone was telling their story. Most of them were saying how the storm passed right over them and they had no damage. We had seven trees down; three on the house, and one through an upstairs window!

I went home that night and it's one of the few times I can remember being mad at God. I lay in bed that night and told Him 'How come we have all these trees down and others don't? And now we have a $500 deductible on our insurance and we are going to have to pay that money! We can't afford that! How can that be a blessing?!"

Within a couple of days, the insurance company came out and gave us an appraisal on the damage. Then a company came out, cleared the trees out of the yard and got them off our house and repaired the damage on our roof and window. We have pictures somewhere of the trees down - their whole root base torn out of the ground - and laying on their sides!

We received a check from the insurance company. When we got the bill from all the repairs and removals, we had money left over! We had actually made money! Little did I know that the insurance company did their appraisal and then took out the $500 deductible before they issued their checks. When all was said and done, we had an extra $300!

And one day in the middle of all of this, I realized that the only trees that we lost were the ones I had told God I wanted gone!

I have tears in my eyes as I write this. I still am amazed by what God did in that season in my life. He showed me that even though I don't always understand why He takes us where He does, He always has our best interest at heart. He is always listening even though at the time, I may not feel like things are going my way. And He is pursuing me with blessings~over and above all I can think or imagine!

And the biggest lesson I learned is that what may look like a storm, with nothing but bad consequences, can be a blessing in disguise. Because God is good all the time.

love and blessings~

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Home & Garden, Tips & How To

Can’t See the Forest for the Trees

We left our beautiful home in Colorado 23 years ago and moved to Opelika, Alabama for my husband to get his PhD in Economics at Auburn University. We had built a house in Colorado that I loved five years earlier. Our daughter was seven and our son was 18 mos. I did not want to go.

In fact, inside, I was kicking and screaming. On the outside, I was doing my best to be a submitted wife but inside I was brokenhearted to leave our home, our family, our church and our friends.

We bought a house in Opelika, Alabama, which is the small town next to Auburn. It was not nearly as wonderful as the house we had owned in Colorado and one of the hardest things for me is that it was dark inside. The sun shines in Colorado about 300 days out of the year and the humidity is very low and Alabama's climate was a huge adjustment for me. And the winters were cloudy, damp and dark. I was homeschooling our two children and so was home in our dark house a lot.

One day, I took a walk out into our back yard. It was a sunny day but the small forest of 75' tall hardwood trees in our backyard kept the sun from getting to our house. As I was walking around and talking to God, I pointed out to Him the trees that I would like down so that the sun could reach the house. It was just musing, as I knew we couldn't afford to pay someone to take these huge trees down.

About a year later, as I mentioned in my last post, we experienced Hurricane Opal. The combination of the hurricane and the tornadoes that spun off it brought down a lot of trees in our community. We were without power at our house for four days. Our neighborhood really gathered together helping each other get the damage cleared away.

We went to church on a Wednesday night soon after the hurricane and everyone was telling their story. Most of them were saying how the storm passed right over them and they had no damage. We had seven trees down; three on the house, and one through an upstairs window!

I went home that night and it's one of the few times I can remember being mad at God. I lay in bed that night and told Him 'How come we have all these trees down and others don't? And now we have a $500 deductible on our insurance and we are going to have to pay that money! We can't afford that! How can that be a blessing?!"

Within a couple of days, the insurance company came out and gave us an appraisal on the damage. Then a company came out, cleared the trees out of the yard and got them off our house and repaired the damage on our roof and window. We have pictures somewhere of the trees down - their whole root base torn out of the ground - and laying on their sides!

We received a check from the insurance company. When we got the bill from all the repairs and removals, we had money left over! We had actually made money! Little did I know that the insurance company did their appraisal and then took out the $500 deductible before they issued their checks. When all was said and done, we had an extra $300!

And one day in the middle of all of this, I realized that the only trees that we lost were the ones I had told God I wanted gone!

I have tears in my eyes as I write this. I still am amazed by what God did in that season in my life. He showed me that even though I don't always understand why He takes us where He does, He always has our best interest at heart. He is always listening even though at the time, I may not feel like things are going my way. And He is pursuing me with blessings~over and above all I can think or imagine!

And the biggest lesson I learned is that what may look like a storm, with nothing but bad consequences, can be a blessing in disguise. Because God is good all the time.

love and blessings~

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