FRESH START TODAY - God Prunes His beloved Followers

FRESH START TODAY – God Prunes His beloved Followers – 11-22-2014 By: Lenni Nordloh John 15:1-5, "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing NKJV On April 10, 2014 my beloved husband entered the hospital through the emergency room after we had just spent three weeks going to people’s homes to pray with them as they were headed back to their northern, cooler, homes for the summer. My husband began to feel very ill, so sensing a whisper from the Holy Spirit, I insisted that he get dress, taking him to the emergency room. After many hours in the emergency room the medical staff determined that he had sepsis due to an inflamed gallbladder. He was admitted to the ICU department. At the same time my daughter was in the emergency room at another hospital with my granddaughter having her first asthma attack! I was tired, but very numb to my own feelings as to what was happening. The last thing I was concerned was about myself. The Lord had whispered His warning and I was obedient. The next day, as the hospital staff prepared my husband for surgery to remove his gallbladder, and with my daughter at my side, he had a heart attack! We were both were asked to leave the room. My daughter called our son who decided to head to Arizona. The medical staff was able to get my husband stable, but they decided to check out the condition of his heart first. Our son arrived from Oklahoma two days later. My husband had a tube place through his liver to drain his gallbladder and eight days later he had triple bi-pass surgery with my husband’s brother and sister arriving from Washington State. There were eight of us in the waiting room while the surgery was taking place. When I went home that evening I cried alone. The scripture that Jesus was the true vine came to me as another whisper to my heart. “Every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit!” I knew my husband would recover, but I knew then that I owed God more of my life then ever before! As a believer, we must make the decision to abide in the power, protection and grace of Jesus Christ. We cannot do anything without Jesus. He brought to me His Kingdom people to comfort me both physically and through their prayers. Jesus made the way for all believers to become interdependent to each other. Today is my son’s birthday and I want to thank him for staying with me for over a month and for being the rock of faith to all the rest of the family. The strength of God’s Holy Spirit fell strongly on him as he denied himself to serve and care for His mom and dad. The hand of God is on him, even though sometimes he does not think of it very much. Our daughter was an amazing woman of faith as well. Please understand that both good things and difficult things happen to all believers. I want to encourage you that if you are in a difficult situation, trust the heart of a loving God. How do we continue to abide in Jesus? We pray, read the Word of God, seek answers from Him and ask for His wisdom. God’s Holy Spirit may be in the process of pruning you to become more fruitful that will further His Kingdom. My husband is back preaching and teaching God’s Word. I am leading the music as a worship leader and teaching a woman’s study again. My book ‘Simply a Whisper’ was just released on 10-21-2014. God does prune His beloved followers!

FRESH START TODAY - Food or Spiritual - 2-13-2014

FRESH START TODAY – FOOD or SPIRITUAL? – 2-13-2014 By: Lenni Nordloh The past few weeks a group of ladies have been studying the Book of John that I have facilitated. It has been a blessing to witness what the Lord is doing through their lives. One precious soul has received the gift of Salvation by trusting Jesus as her Lord and Savior. She will be baptized this next Sunday as a witness of her commitment to the Lord. Reviewing what we will read next week I thought that it would be interesting to write a devotional due to the context. These Scriptures could be difficult to truly understand without the power of the Holy Spirit giving us His wisdom. John 6:43-52, "Stop grumbling among yourselves," Jesus answered. "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" NIV Jesus spoke many times using the physical that people understand to elaborate the truth of the wisdom that comes from God. People are visual and often times do not grasp the deeper truth of what God reveals to His people. What is food to us? We see, we taste and we eat. Food sustains our physical bodies. Remember that there is a saying, “if you are born once, you die twice”, or “you can be born twice and then only die once.” This is also a physical statement, but there is Spiritual Wisdom in all that is being said. Jesus spoke Spiritual Wisdom and only those that the Father draws to Jesus will understand the real meaning. Jesus will raise the true believers on the last day. When will be the last day? That is what is wonderful about Jesus and His wisdom. He knows all things, sees all things and prepares us to be with Him forever. We do not need to know the last day, but trust Jesus at His word. The Prophets who will be taught by God and listens to the Father, will go to Jesus. Jesus has the words that come from God, the Father. Jesus was with the Father from the beginning of time, because Jesus and the Father are one. We who have learned this truth will have everlasting life. Jesus said that He was the Bread of Life. He said earlier in the Gospel of John that He was the Living Water. Bread and water is what sustains our physical bodies, but the belief in Jesus, the Bread of Life and Living Water gives strength to our Spiritual life. Jesus came to us from Heaven to teach us this truth. There is more to life then just our physical breathing, eating and existing. We have a purpose and that is to live in the wisdom that Jesus was teaching. We do not eat the flesh of Jesus nor do we drink His blood. He was clearly stating that we must consume Him and what He teaching to sustain our Spiritual Lives. He is what gives life eternal. Our eternal life began the moment we accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior. We were born again, which is the Spiritual birth, and we will only die once, which is the physical death. We will live forever with our Heavenly Father. Jesus was telling His disciples that He was going to give up His flesh and blood for the life of the world. Dear ones, we have a Savior that loves us passionately and wants to be with us every day. The Jews did not understand that Jesus spoke about Spiritual matters only. The Laws that Moses received were Spiritual Laws, too, but people have not understood the Spiritual Truth of those Laws. Take a pencil and hold it close to your eyes. What do you see when you are just looking at the pencil? Everything behind the pencil becomes blurred, doesn’t it? Hold it again at arms length. Now what do you see? The Holy Spirit of God reveals a deeper truth if we look at the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. We need to look beyond the physical, or traditions, to see Spiritual truth.

FRESH START TODAY - DOES GOD MEET OUR NEEDS?

FRESH START TODAY – GOD MEETS OUR NEEDS? – 1-23-2014 Elijah had just proclaimed to the king Ahab that there would be no rain in the land until he said there would be and then the Lord told Elijah to leave. He said to turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. He told him to stay and the ravens would feed Elijah every day. Elijah must have been very exhausted, so he was obedient to the command of the Lord. Day after day, the ravens fed him the food that he needed. When the brook dried he received another message from God during this drought. We do not know how long he had stayed in the Kerith Ravine. 1 Kings 17:7-16, Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. Then the word of the Lord came to him: "Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food." So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, "Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?" As she was going to get it, he called, "And bring me, please, a piece of bread." "As surely as the Lord your God lives," she replied, "I don't have any bread — only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it — and die." Elijah said to her, "Don't be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: 'The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord gives rain on the land.'" She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah. NIV How many times have believers say this same thing. “Oh, Lord, I have no money, or we have no food to eat.” The house payment is due and we do not have the full payment. The stress we put on ourselves as we cry out in desperation and do not ask God to provide for our needs, in His time and way! We attempt to take charge to find a way to get what we needed. Maybe we call a family member or a friend to borrow the money. We attempt to sell some valuable property or possession to meet that need. This does not seem to work until we are desperate enough to ask God. Do you think that possibly that God cares enough for you to meet your needs day by day? He may not supply all your wants, but He will supply for your needs. The first experience that my husband and I had, after becoming believers, was very similar. I had just started a temporary job to supplement our income. It was around Thanksgiving and our children’s birthday was close to that time. My first paycheck was on Wednesday before the long four-day weekend. The corporate office did not get my information until all the checks were cut. My boss called me in her office to tell me that there would not be a check for me this payday. I made a private phone call to my husband. He said to me that we had depended on my check for groceries for Thanksgiving and the children’s birthday party. In the mean time, the office somehow found out that I had not received a check, because at the end of the day there were bags of groceries in the back seat of the car. There was also an envelope, with $80.00 in it, and a scripture quoting Romans 8:28. The Lord works through His people to do His will. God is our provider and He is never late.

FRESH START TODAY - THE GLORY OF GOD – 1-18-2014 Who can understand the Glory of the Lord? What does the breath that He gave to humanity reveal? Isaiah was a prophet and revealed what God said to Him. He would prophesy about the coming Messiah in Isaiah 53, but what would He say in Isaiah 40? Isaiah 40:22-26, He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in. He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing. No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground, than he blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff. "To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?" says the Holy One. Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing. NIV When a person stands straight under a starry sky we see the Glory of God and how he created the balance they are viewing. A person does feel like a grasshopper standing in the one spot. You may ask, “What else is out there under those stars?” Let us take a journey of what might be there. There are deer grazing in an open field about 10 miles away, a owl hooting in a tree, campers sitting around a camp fire, hundreds of people a 100 miles away enjoying the comfort of their homes, businesses open for service as people shop. Some people are too busy, worry about circumstances that never happen and remain unaware of the Glory of God as that person is looking at the stars. What about beyond the earth? The stars stay stationary while the planets rotate in a designed pattern through the Universe. Do people live in a protected canopy and a tent to live in by God? The people of the earth are like grasshoppers, but how much does God love what He has created? He is enthroned above the circle of the earth and watches every move. He feels the breath of every human being. He hates sin, and protects His own. The Scriptures continue to say so much more to any person that would put their trust in Him. Many generations of people have come and gone, but the Glory of God remains the same. People continue to complain today, so what the does Isaiah reveal to humanity today? Isaiah 40:27-31, Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, "My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God"? Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. NIV Why do we not put our trust in the Glory of the Lord? He will never grow weary like we do so many times as we live this life. He sees our hearts, He hears our cries, He is blessed by our praises and He is pleased when we put all our hope in Him. He is the wind beneath our wings as we sour in companionship with the powerful Holy God. When our heart trusts in His Divine love, believes in His GRACE through Jesus Christ, we will not grow weary or faint. We will fly like an eagle in the protection of God’s canopy of acceptance, forgiveness and love.

FRESH START TODAY - ONE NATION UNDER GOD - 1-09-2014

FRESH START TODAY – ONE NATION UNDER GOD (January 9, 2014) Today I read the Scriptures that told of how king Josiah responded to the reading of Law of Moses. The Laws were buried in the Temple of God in Jerusalem and had not been observed for many years. Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord that had been given through Moses. 2 Chronicles 34:14-21, While they were bringing out the money that had been taken into the temple of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord that had been given through Moses. Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, "I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the Lord." He gave it to Shaphan. Then Shaphan took the book to the king and reported to him: "Your officials are doing everything that has been committed to them. They have paid out the money that was in the temple of the Lord and have entrusted it to the supervisors and workers." Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book." And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king. When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his robes. He gave these orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king's attendant: "Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for the remnant in Israel and Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the Lord's anger that is poured out on us because our fathers have not kept the word of the Lord; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written in this book. NIV When a person reads the Words that the Lord writes through His messages, the heart is pierced with guilt, when it is first understood. King Josiah was human like you and I are, even though he inherited the throne. His grandfather was a ruthless king and murdered many of his own descendants, not to mention that he created his own religion. When we get away from the true God and His righteous message, we suffer our own punishment and confusion. Yes, I said confusion! We can get complacent regarding God’s Word and then forget the power that the messages bring to our hearts. We need to experience the humility that king Josiah did that can bring about change to our nation, like it did to the people of Israel. Just recently, in a mixed Bible Study, my husband was telling the story of when we were living in Italy during the 1970’s, and that the country was mostly made up of different factions of Communism. There were different groups that could not agree on the political issues at that time. It was primarily a democratic country. The United States military living there were instructed on how to evacuate if the all the parties were to agree that would change the politics. Much like our country, if the different factions of religious organisms were to agree to live by the true meaning of the Scriptures, our nation would become, again, one Nation Under God. If we, as believers, could humble our hearts to the truth of God’s Grace, Mercy, forgiveness and seek to understood what the message of the cross really means, this would set us free to be bold to be change agents. The first actions is to humble ourselves before a Holy God, pray (talking to God) to help us understand His messages and be obedient to the Words of power and wisdom. If we do not then we will face judgment, as a Nation, much like the people of Israel did after the death of king Josiah. We need to join our hearts in unity to be all God wants us to be, as believers.

THe New Book "Simply a Whisper"

Dear Readers; I need your feedback on the new book that I just finished. Please do not skip over this blog, but read the introduction to the book. Would you be interested? I do not have a publisher at this time due to the fact that most publish companies are asking for money that I do not have. I do not care to make money for myself, but to glorify God.... I will leave what money is made to the Lord. Lenni Nordloh _--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Does God speak to us today? Maybe He just whispers to our heart. This book was written to encourage believers to know that God does whisper to our hearts by the power of the Holy Spirit. “Be Still and Know that I am God” is His message. He prompts his whispers through nature, music, prays, generations past, through witnessing, through the testimonies of other believers, through the power of grace, through the word of God, through angels, through mercy and through the journey of personal growth of faith at every age. God whispers the truth of His love to humanity, but you need to take time to rest. Set a side the time to quietly listen. He wants to bless and draw close to all who would choose to believe. The author has been on a journey with God that she prays will open other hearts to the power of God’s blessings and His personal message. God has offered forgiveness and a purpose to all those that would humbly surrender to Him in faith. Lenni Nordloh

FRESH START TODAY - Who Gives Wisdom? (Blog 50)

FRESH START TODAY – Who it is that gives wisdom to mankind? – August 31, 2012 By Lenni Nordloh Job 38:36, Who endowed the heart with wisdom or gave understanding to the mind? NIV As I began to write this morning I reminded myself that God is truly in control of the entire universe. I look at the book of Job and think about all the trials that he had to face because God gave Satan permission to attempt to weaken Job and his faith. God knew the heart of Job. Job was a caring, giving, materially rich man, but he was rich in faith. The trials were difficult for Job that he faced and he began to curse the day he was born and asked God to end his life. Job had three well-meaning friends that tried to give him counsel regarding his state of mind and condition. They felt that sin was the reason for all the tragedies that he had experienced. Then in a booming voice God began to speak to Job. Basically he said where were you when I laid the earth's foundations? Then he went on to say who marked off the dimensions? Reading through the conversation that God had with Job is amazing! Then I come to the Scripture when God said “who gave understanding to the mind?” God spoke so profoundly to Job. God made it clear to Job that he was the creator of all things. Job was humbled! Job could not give an answer to any of the questions that God asked. I, too, have been humbled by the prompting whispers of the Holy Spirit that has been spoken to my heart. Through the years as I have walked by faith, failed sometimes, but I have began to grow to understand the heart of God. He prompted me and let me know that I was special. In the flesh I have struggled with a fairly poor self-image. It may have been because of my handicap. It may have been because of my mother's attitude towards me at times. It may have been because the enemy has lied to me. It may have been my own sin. When I became a believer in Jesus Christ, accepting the death and resurrection of the faithful actions of Jesus to redeem my heart, the Holy Spirit began his journey to teach me the wisdom of God's heart. God sees people in a different light than we see ourselves and others around us, because of his deep love for humanity. God is a parent, an eternal Father! God wants the best for us. Jesus Christ wants a relationship with us. The Holy Spirit wants to speak to us personally and bless us. The Holy Spirit has revealed a truth to me that moves me beyond what I can tell you. God has blessed me with knowledge that I never expected. He has endowed me with wisdom that I want to share that should encourage others in their faith. I have to ask myself, Lord what is the message? Does God want people to trust Him? The Holy Spirit started my personal journey by prompting me to research my genealogy. Why? Do I really need to share what I have found? It may look like I'm trying to glorify myself and I don't want that. My heart tells me that I need to glorify God. My heart tells me that I need to share how God still works through humanity to reveal himself. Is Jesus coming back soon? Do believers need to take more seriously the message of Jesus Christ and reveal that Jesus does work through humanity? I have to ask myself if Jesus were walking the face of the earth today would we know who He was and follow Him? What about Ruth’s commitment to follow Naomi’s God? What about King David, who was called a man after God’s own heart? What about Joseph of Arimathea, who gave his burial tomb to bury Jesus Christ? What about the pastors that stand in the pulpit in you’re church on Sunday mornings and share the truth of God’s Word? What about the sister in Christ the puts her hand on your shoulder and tells you how much God’s loves you when you are suffering through difficult circumstances. What about the writers who share their heart's experience as they reveal their relationship with God to you? What about you? Are you special to God? Does God want to work through your life to make this a better world to live in? An assignment given to you by God will always be a BIG assignment! A smile may be all that is needed or praying for that person on the spot when you sense they need prayer. The people of Israel spent 70 years in captivity in Babylon. Why? I believe they decided that they were going to be self-sufficient with out having a relationship with God. Neighbor was against neighbor. Sin and disobedience had gone wild. Man took pleasure in destroying man. Believers in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit lifts each man higher than themselves. A believer in Christ shares their homes, their wealth and their wisdom to those that God brings into their path. Is God preparing His judgment on the United States if the people do not turn their hearts towards a Holy God? Women, are we supposed to support our Spiritual leaders through prayer? Men, are you to encourage your spiritual wife? The Bible has recently become a deeper message from my biological and spiritual family to my heart. God works through the sinful man that surrenders, in humility, to sharing God’s message. Were these people perfect? No! God himself is the one that is perfect! Without him we could not breathe, without him we could not speak, without him we would have no purpose, without him we would have no hope, and without him we would have no future. As believers we need to spend time in prayer, spend our money spreading God's word and being serious about drawing closer to the God that loves us. This devotional may be my last one for a while, because I have been convicted by God's Holy Spirit to continue rewriting some chapters on “Simply a whisper.” This last year I was diagnosed with breast cancer and God wonderfully and graciously healed me. “Simply a whisper” is a book that needs to be written so that God will be glorified. I'm asking for prayer partners to join me as I pray and seek God's wisdom. It is time. Will I say something nobody else has said? I don't know. The only thing that I know is that God’s Holy Spirit wants me to write a message through me. I want to thank you for reading the devotionals and commenting that they have touched your heart. I may write one, once in a while, but I need to focus on the next book. Crossroads publishing company has asked me to submit it but they desire a financial commitment. They said that maybe other believers would want to partner with me on this project. I believe that once the book is written the way God wants it written, I won't have to worry about who the publisher should be or the money. Right now, I just want your prayers and that God would be glorified.

FRESH START TODAY – God, May your will be done! (Blog 49) August 14, 2012 by Lenni Nordloh Matthew 26:36-42, Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me." Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter. "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." He went away a second time and prayed, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done." NIV What is the message that Jesus shared with the world that is so very important? Jesus was troubled and He knew that prayer was needed at this time. He wanted to be close to the Father and He knew what was about to happen to Him. Was He afraid? He was sorrowful, troubled, but I do not believe He was afraid. His sorrow was deep to the point of death. He was human, but fully God. He cried out “God, not my will, but your will be done!” This cry was for men, women and children! He loves us! Jesus began the first steps towards giving humanity His grace and redemption. He would be crossing the barrier caused by human sin to bridge the gap between God and man. He would become the sin sacrifice once for all sin! Do you suppose the Father may have given Jesus the peace and strength that He needed to follow through with doing the will of God through time He spent in prayer? Why was Jesus silent and willing to allow humanity to torture Him? The strength of the powerful God enabled our Lord to endure more than any human being could endure and still live. He gave up His life willingly. Man did not kill Him! Man’s sin killed Him! Jesus asked an important question of Peter when He asked “could you not keep watch with me for one hour?” Could we watch and pray to God for one hour today? There is a spiritual benefit to praying this way and it is to keep us from falling into temptation. We gain the peace and strength that Jesus received. We begin to grasp and understand the will of God! There may have been a time that you were too frightened to surrender to God’s will and not your own. You will never be asked to sacrifice your life for the sins of the world. The one pure Lamb of God has already done that. You may be asked to leave your family to serve where God is working. You may be asked to teach a Bible Study Class when you have never done it before or never wanted to do something like this due to your shyness. You may not speak clearly, but the Holy Spirit through you can and will. Have you said things backwards in a conversation? Well, a confession is in order from my heart to yours, just recently, when I began to pray I started by saying “God, not your will, but mine”! God knew what my heart was really feeling, so He allowed me to say it out loud! The shock of what I said surprised me! This has stayed with me for several days and I keep asking myself “Am I truly wanting God’s will or my own?” Jesus said the “The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak!” Do we really trust the heart of God? Do we understand that He desires the best for us, or do we think He just wants to punish us? Did Jesus really die for your sin? Jesus walked the path to the cross, so that we would see His love for us. Has He changed His mind? Can you say when you spend that hour in prayer that you see the love of Jesus penetrating your heart with His peace, strength and love? Maybe we can learn to pray “Not my will be done, but yours, God”. Do not be afraid, because a blessing is waiting to be revealed to you.

FRESH START TODAY - Know the wisdom of God (Blog 48)

FRESH START TODAY – Wisdom that comes from God – August 8, 2012 by Lenni Nordloh Proverbs 2:6-11, For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. Then you will understand what is right and just and fair — every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you. NIV Proverbs is the book that was written by king Solomon who desired and asked for wisdom above anything else in prayer to God. He wanted the wisdom to be to rule God’s people justly and rightly. God gave him what he asked for and more. Was Solomon so different than the rest of humanity? Do we have the availability to ask God for the same thing? Wisdom? What a wonderful and beautiful gift. We could ask God for the wisdom to understand His grace that has been given to believers through Jesus Christ our Lord. He would open the doors to understanding, because this would please the Lord. People are so caught up with their daily lives that they do not stop to ask for wisdom for the day. A fresh start of wisdom for every day would be a blessing! We have decisions to make and actions to take, so why not include the Lord in our daily activity? What a blessing to acknowledge and surrender to the Holy Spirit to assist us in our every move during the day. To know that we have invited the Lord to be with us could make us direct our thoughts and actions in a different light. Could it not? We sometimes desire to help change others, but do you suppose the Lord may want us to be silent and allow the Holy Spirit to change others that need changing? A spiritual sister once said that we if we all prayed blessings of wisdom on our enemies as well as those that we love we would witness the activity of the Holy Spirit. When we do this it seems the burden drops off our shoulders and drop on to Jesus, giving Him the rains to choose the blessings. Do you suppose that He has more experience in changing a heart than we might know? God is a big boy and He can handle humanity much better than we do. He may choose to work through us, but we must have a humble heart of love for the Holy Spirit to be able to touch another heart. It may be like watching a clear river flow down a mountain ravine that does not have branches or large rocks to stop the flow. We can become stiff necked (the large branches) and judgmental (the large rocks). We bow or bend like a large branch in the water. This hinders the direct flow and the river has to go around us in order to get where it needs to travel. The branch may actually cause muddy waters if it stays stiff necked. The flow of the Holy Spirit is amazing to watch when God is working in the heart of a person. It takes time to build the character of Jesus Christ in the heart of any person due to our humanity and sinful nature. There may be times when we have to let go and let God do what He wants to do through our lives. God hates the proud, but lifts up those that are humble. (I Peter 5:6) He is blessed when we have total faith in His wisdom. He knows what is best. The scriptures tell us today that when we ask for wisdom we will know what is just, fair and right and it will be pleasant to our souls. God’s discernment through the power of the Holy Spirit will protect us and guard our hearts. Sometimes our prayers need to be “Lord help change me!”

FRESH START TODAY - Know the Heart of God (Blog 47)

FRESH START TODAY…..Know the Heart of God, Thursday, Jul 26, 2012 Jeremiah 9:23-24, This is what the Lord says: "Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the Lord. NIV Can you hear the heart of God today? We make such boastful claims about who we are, what we have done and what we want to accomplish in this life. God is wiser and his ways are bigger than what we can guess what He wants do through us. I just spent time in prayer with the Lord and I feel His encouragement not to worry about what other people think that are directly opposed to God’s will. He has directed me to love these people. We need to rise above the circumstances. People disappoint us in this life time and time again. You may want people to understand you, but that really does not matter. The Lord wants us to know Him. During my prayer time God brought to my mind that Jesus seemed to have constant conflict with people who were threatened by His ministry. He taught people to grow in the wisdom of God by the spirit of the law and not just living under the strict rules of the Law. God gave those Laws through Moses to teach mankind that it is impossible to live by those Laws. He wanted the people to understand and know Him. With God’s leadership we can learn to follow the Laws that were meant to protect us, as believers. People became stiff-necked and fell into judgment. God is kind; He is fair and delights in giving His children the desires of their heart. We need to only desire to know His heart. He will bless us with knowledge that is very personal. He will reveal information that is beyond our imagination. Our hearts have to be surrendered to Him for the revelation to be understood. He has revealed to me the truth of my heritage that humbles me, but it has lead me right back to my relationship with God. Jesus is truly the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The Word of God through people of faith that have surrendered their personal comfort and wills to God have accomplished God’s eternal plan. People did not always get where they were suppose to go by being selfish. God will and does change hearts. The Bible tells us about a young man named Joseph who boasted about his coat of many colors and his dream about his brothers bowing down to him. His boasting got him sold into slavery in Egypt and eventually we witness, by the reading of God’s Word, Joseph was put in jail for being accused of something he did not do. Joseph became acquainted with the God that gave him the dream. In the fullness of time, the dream came true. Do you suppose that just maybe Joseph’s only personal companion was God during the times he was alone? He began to understand the heart of God. What was intended as harm, God meant for the good of Joseph’s future, and to accomplish God’s plan. God worked through Joseph to save His people from the future famine. What will you do to allow God to work through your life? What is the secret to know the heart of God? Hear the Word of God! When you get to know His heart then you will have the wisdom from God to know how to follow this next scripture. Matt 7:7-8, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. NIV

FRESH START TODAY - (Blog 46)

FRESH START TODAY – Learn to be Rich in Faith – Wednesday, February 29, 2012

James 2:1-5, My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet," have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? NIV

It never ceases to amaze me how God’s Word speaks to me on a daily basis. James was the half brother of our Lord Jesus Christ and speaks out against showing favoritism. I do not know about you, but I have been teased and shunned by people. It was not because I had shabby clothes on, but because I was handicapped as a child. I could not hear very clearly and was just different. I will not go into details about my handicap, but it created in me a low self-esteem, so I had to work hard to be normal. What is normal, anyway? I was 10 years old when I had major surgery to correct my handicap and spent the summer in the hospital. I learned to accept people who were differently capable. These gracious people have blessed me through the years. Those that could not see taught me to see, those that could not hear taught me to listen, those that could not walk taught to be thankful for life every day and those that could not read taught me to see the messages that are spoken in the world around me. These wonderful differently capable people seemed to have a faith in God that was deeper than I had.

The Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 4:11-12 that he had learned to be content in every circumstance that he was in, whether being rich or being in need. I know that I have failed to have this kind of positive attitude, but through the trials of life, I am learning the truth that circumstances should not control my attitude. God is leading us, through certain circumstances, that we face, to surrender to His power, wisdom and Grace for each day. We should not show favoritism, but be willing to reach out in faith to people that SEEM to be less desirable. You may be surprised how God’s Holy Spirit will bless you.

Dear friends and family, here is another story to say what I want to say. I was 32 years old when my mother because critically ill. I flew from Alaska to Arizona to see her before she passed away. After being at the hospital for three days I became distressed and prayed asking God to give me someone to reach out to, with His love, who felt the same way I did. It only took God ten minutes to answer that prayer. I walked up to a black woman in the ICU waiting room who was obviously in distress. I put my arms around her praying for her and her loved one that had just been brought to the hospital. I did not care who she was, but I soon found out. This precious lady and her family became my strength in the Lord through their witness and love for the Lord over the next two weeks. Ruth Owens was the wife of “Jesse Owens” who won several races in the 1936 Olympics. I learned what it was like to be rich in faith. Remember not to show favoritism, because in being like Jesus, you will be blessed.

My prayer has been, “Lord, bless me, so that I may glorify you”. May the Lord bless you, so that you can glorify the Lord through your lives. He needs us all, who believe, to surrender to reaching out to others and not to show favoritism. We must remember that in the book of James, he told us that God has chosen the poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith. May you and I be encouraged with these scriptures.

FRESH START TODAY - (Blog 45)

FRESH START TODAY – Trust the Heart of the Father.. Monday, February 27, 2012

Proverbs 3:5-6, Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. NKJV

Here is the human in me speaking. Have I really trusted the Lord with everything that I want, what I may face or the future? My friends, I am not a super spiritual believer in Christ, but I am just as human as the rest of humanity. I struggle daily to be what the Lord wants me to be or to say. I have grown to understand that the Holy Spirit that lives in me is the power that gives me God’s wisdom to be able to write these devotionals. My desire is to encourage your walk with the Lord and to assist you to seek Him for wisdom. Jesus Christ is our way to having a relationship with the Father. We need to learn to trust the heart of the loving Father.

I heard a great illustration on fear recently. When we were children we may have had a parent that wanted to teach us how to swim. We may have stood on the edge of a swimming pool seeing this parent standing in the water encouraging us to jump. Oh, the things that may go through our heads! “What if they do not catch me, or what if I slip, or what if the water is cold, or what if my head goes under the water, or what if I cannot touch the bottom.” Do you get the picture? We seem to have trouble trusting a loving parent, so what is the difference in our trusting a loving Holy Father. We have trouble taking the leap! The Father is the one that will catch us. Do you have a decision to make, or have a worry, or have financial problems, or have an illness, or have a problem forgiving someone? The Holy Father says trust Him with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Jump! Trust His heart!

The activity of God was seen early in our family’s walk with Him when my husband and I were living in California. Our children’s birthdays are two weeks apart and close to the Thanksgiving Holiday. I had just started a temporary job and my first paycheck would be received just in time to pay for the big birthday party for my children that I had planned. I had ordered the birthday cake and we would be going shopping for our home cooked Thanksgiving dinner. I was excited, but something happened that I never expected. The entire office received their paychecks, but not me. My information had not been turned in, in time to get my check, but I was told that I would receive a double paycheck within two weeks. I went back to my desk deflated asking myself, “What am I going to do now?” It was the day before Thanksgiving and the children’s birthday party was on Saturday. I did not say anything to anyone, but went back to work. I called my husband and told him. He asked, “Where is God when we needed Him?” I did not know what to say. I had taken a sandwich to work and went into the employee lunchroom during my break, but no one was in there. I sat alone for lunch.

At the end of the day I went to get my coat to leave. When I came back to my desk to get my purse I found an envelope with my name on it. Inside was $80.00 cash and the scripture from Romans 8:28. I looked around to see if I could thank someone and everybody had left for the day. I walked out to my car and it was stuffed full of groceries that included a 25 lb turkey. I could not drive yet, because I started crying uncontrollably. I thanked God for being our provider. His arms were opened wide asking me to jump! This seemed like a time when someone came up behind me and pushed me into the water and my Father caught me. Needless to say, my husband and I grew in our faith that day. In our all ways acknowledge Him and He will direct our path. My prayer is that the Lord blesses you today.

FRESH START TODAY - (Blog 44)

FRESH START TODAY –Rejoice! – Thursday, February 23, 2012

Philippians 4:4-7, Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. NIV

I decided to walk through memory lane this morning and realized that the Lord, through the years, has richly blessed me. Finding out a high school friend had passed away in 2011 prompted this memory walk. I met my gracious husband one year after high school, but we first became acquainted with each other in my junior year and his senior year. We got married six months after our official meeting. Both of our mothers arranged the meeting. My husband was in the Air Force when we first got married and we literally traveled the world. We had our two children in the first five years of our marriage. We have seen the Alps of Switzerland, Austria and walked through the streets of Copenhagen, Denmark. We lived in Southern Italy for 2 ½ years and visited Rome and Naples. When returning from Italy in 1973, we both experienced the gift of salvation that is found in Jesus Christ. Our marriage took a new direction and new experiences surfaced as we began to walk with the Lord. God the Father had been with our marriage and individual lives every day before the Holy Spirit revealed the truth of Jesus Christ to us. We just did not know or understand this reality. Our past sins were forgiven and God was now planning our future.

We have lived in California, Minnesota, Alaska, Wyoming, Arizona, Washington and Oklahoma. The joy of witnessing God at work through our lives has given us rich experiences. We literally hung on to the shirttail of the activity of God’s Holy Spirit! We are not done yet, because God has healed me from breast cancer. Rejoicing continually in the prayers of our family and friends in the Lord. The Lord has guarded our hearts and we have been living under His powerful GRACE! One of the blessings was my husband graduating from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary in 1986.

Sharing these thoughts with you only has meant to encourage you to begin to look at all the positive experiences you have gone through and to begin to rejoice in God’s riches. Your first thought should be of your salvation, which is the greatest gift you will ever receive. He promises an abundant life, but not without tribulation. He does make us better through these tribulations and/or difficulties if we trust His heart. If you focus on all the negative experiences that YOU have had then you can make yourself bitter. Only surrendering to the power of a loving God, asking first for His forgiveness, making the decision to drop the rock of shame, then you can ride the waves of peace.

When a person becomes a believer in Jesus Christ we begin our journey to become, in character, like Him. This scripture tells us to allow our gentleness to be event to all people. We are not to be anxious about anything, but let our petitions and prayers, with thanksgiving, present our requests to God. We forget to be thankful!

“Lord, thank you for the blessings that you so graciously have already poured into my life, for friends and family and for those that have been willing to reflect your mercy and grace. I ask for you to bless me, so that I may bring glorify you. I ask for a spiritual awakening and the power of the Holy Spirit to overtake the evil that seems to be present in our world today. In the name of Jesus Christ, AMEN.”

FRESH START TODAY - (Blog 43)

FRESH START TODAY – A promise from our Savior, Jesus Christ

Titus 3:4-7, But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. NIV

The Book of Romans clearly walks you through God’s plan of Salvation. You can use it to instruct others to understand God’s plan. (Romans 10:9) There may be people reading this devotional who do not know God’s plan for their life. I would be in error if I only wrote for believers, because the Lord loves all sinners. The Lord never intended for people to die in their sin to face eternal separation from God. This statement seems harsh, but I needed to hear it, too. God speaks about the heart all the way through the Bible and this is how the Holy Spirit touches humanity with His love. We must love the sinner and not judge too harshly the people that have not received this wonderful promise. I used to say “by the grace of God there go I!” There are many believers that can say that before accepting Christ as their Savior they used to be worldly, gossiping, backbiting and unkind. That is sin, my friend. We are not right before God because of our own actions and attitudes. Righteousness is a church word that just means we can be right before God due to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He is the Holy veil that hides our sins and intercedes for us on a daily basis as we pray to the Holy Father. He sifts the words of our prayers and God the Father hears our heart’s attitude.

I have a friend and sister in Christ that was brought by a co-worker of hers to a Bible study class that I used to teach. The class was for women that had circumstances in their lives where they could freely speak about and not be judged. What was talked about in the class stayed in the classroom. This woman used to attend the class sitting with her arms closed across her chest and a frown on her face. She listened to the women as they shared their concerns. She would not come for 2 or 3 weeks and then would show up again. This occurred over several months. We honestly cared about her and began to pray for her to see the love of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit started to work in her heart as she began to forgive issues that she could not release without His help. Her heart began to change and in God’s time she said to the ladies, “I thought you were all phonies, because of the love that was shared in the classroom, but now I know that it is real!” The tears began to flow as we all recognized the activity of the Holy Spirit. This is why we are not to judge others, because only God knows the issues of a heart. He knows how to reach the individual, but we need to be available to share the truth about God’s love. The Lord gives mercy and grace to those that would pray to accept this promised gift.

A wise preacher once said that the Good News (Gospel) of Christ is either substantiated or negated by the love and unity the church demonstrates. The reason some people do not understand how to accept the love of Jesus Christ is because they have been battered by others they thought they could trust. Your continued love for the unlovely is what may lighten the burden of their pain. The Holy Spirit will give you the strength to say and do what you need to do for this person.

Read the scripture for today and listen for truth that is being said. May the Lord bless you this new day as you begin fresh in your relationship with the Lord.

FRESH START TODAY - (Blog 42)

FRESH START TODAY – Learn to Fly Like an Eagle!

Isaiah 40:31, but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint NIV

This morning as I praised the Father in Heaven I began to remember the Old Testament stories of how God communicated, provided and desired a relationship with His people. He spoke to Moses, Gideon, Jeremiah, King David, Samuel and the list goes on and on. In the book of Hebrews names are mentioned to honor the people of faith. As I prayed I began to thank the Lord for His written Word. When we search the scriptures we can find the very nature and personality of the God of the Universe. He related to mankind in a personal way through centuries, as people were inspired to write the stories of their relationship with the living God. King David poured his heart out to God through the music of the Psalms and we learn about a God that loves the music that comes from a dedicated and faithful heart.

The scripture that I am relating to today are the words that my son used to put all over His wall when he was a teenager. People gave him gifts of eagles. I truly believe that my son hung on to these scriptures for many years as he suffered through many disappointments in his life, but there is a deeper meaning I have now come to understand.

Just recently I have been studying lessons by Kay Arthur on “Teach Me to Pray” and she encourages believers to fly spiritually! She said that by reading God’s Word daily and praying is like the power of the wings of a bird. You cannot fly without both wings being in motion. A Fresh start today gives us the opportunity to soar as eagles as seek the face of the living God through reading the Word and praying.

I mentioned in a previous devotion that God did not give me breast cancer, but allowed it only to draw me closer to Him. Through the trials of treatments I did become weary at times, but the presence of the Holy Spirit abounded through my husband, friends and family in their prayers and encouragement. I have renewed my strength and feel better physically then I have in several years. I owe my dedication and my praise to God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit for blessing me with healing. I am honored to bring Glory to God and He deserves the best that I can offer Him in being available to bring others to the truth of what Jesus Christ has done for mankind. When we experience the trials that God allows us to experience we can grow to know the heart of God.

Reading the experiences of those that have gone before us we realize that human nature doubts from time to time. Jonah (he ran from God) and Job (lost his family and all his earthly riches) are examples of trial and many doubts. The Lord blessed those he loved at the end of their trials and they grew to know nature of our God. Job was humbled to the majestic God that revealed His wisdom and power to him at the end. Sin is forgiven, but there may be consequences of sin we must endure for us become more like Jesus Christ.

Our hope must be in the Lord to receive the promise of renewed strength. We take flight like the wings of the eagle as we take time grow in faith through reading God’s Word and talking to the Lord daily. I have learned that doing things for the Lord is not what He desires, but growing to know Him and His love is what blesses Him the most. I remember that God wanted to provide, give land flowing with milk and honey and have a relationship with His people when they fled slavery in Egypt. He has not changed His desire for His people today. We need to trust His heart and have a desire to know Him.

Jesus Christ has been given the believer GRACE that we cannot earn, but is a gift from God the Father. He has provided the sinner a way to become pure before a Holy God.

FRESH START TODAY --(Blog 41)

FRESH START TODAY… Ask God for His Blessings


Matt 7:7-8, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. NIV

When I started writing this blog it was the day after my first chemotherapy treatment. I had some tingling in both arms and experienced some nausea, but through prayer I managed to get some sleep that first night. Last night I experienced some physical anxiety by being fidgety. Marty took me to Wal-Mart to walk around and then we took a short drive about 10:00 PM. I feel that the drive relaxed me enough so that I could go to sleep last night. I guess my body is working itself through the healing process and it is a little uncomfortable. I am not complaining, but praising the Lord for His presence through these daily experiences.

Marty called me over to see a video by Wynona Judd that his sister had sent him this morning. Wynona began her testimony regarding her personal trials and being broken. Naomi, her mother, told her that her armor of faith had cracked, but that is so the light could shine through. She went on to say that if her testimony was offensive that was alright, because it was her concert, and/or her show. She began to sing “I Can Only Imagine”. The cameras scanned the audience and some people were standing to their feet with raised hands.

Marty and I sat there with tears running down our faces as we realized that a broken life could be a blessed life. We are and have been broken several times in our walk with the Lord, but the light is shining through the cracks as we continue to walk in faith. Cancer is a crack right now, but with each day we trust and believe in God’s blessings. This illness has effected both of us in different ways, but in good ways. I went back to the bedroom to spend time with God in prayer. The outcome was a blessing of what happened next. I have noticed my attitude is slowing change for the better. Why? The Holy Spirit convicts one of sin and takes the action to help us make necessary changes that will glorify the Lord. I have already told you that I have asked God to bless me, so that my life will glorify Him leaving the door open for His blessings of choice. My past negative attitude has robed me of His blessings that He has always wanted to give me as a believer. Oh, my, my heart sank at the thought that I have hurt myself and did not realize it! Cancer happens, lose of jobs happen, financial problems happen, lose of a family member happen, but what is our attitude? Are we defeated or still rejoicing in a Savior that has us given eternal hope, joy and an abundant life? One of the greatest joys that I did not realize was truly being a member of God’s Kingdom people that spreads out into many parts of the world. The word is “Koinonia”. Your prayers and continued prayers are a blessing to my family and me. You have blessed me through the power of the love of Jesus Christ, which has come through your lives in the form of encouragement, cards and gifts. I thought that I had to handle this alone. I was sure wrong! Please, do not try to handle things on your own either, because we need each other in this dark world. The sin that cracks our armor of faith needs to be confessed allowing the light of Jesus to shine into the world! Broken and forgiven lives are blessed lives, so do not judge, but be human and honest with each other.

We must seek to know God’s will, His character and ask for His power to understand His plan and ways. Seek to desire a genuine heart of love for the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God will teach us to love as He loves us. The focal scripture has promises woven into the
tapestry of truth, which is Jesus Christ. Jesus teaches us as we ask, seek and to know we become aware of the fullness of His blessings.

FRESH START TODAY -Blog 38)

FRESH START TODAY…Love the Lord your God!

Matt 22:37-40, Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." NIV

Jesus quoted the Old Testament regarding the need for us to love the Lord with all of our heart, soul and mind. To love the Lord like this is supernaturally empowered by the Holy Spirit. When we simply pray telling the Lord that we love Him He will open the doors of communications that you would never expect humanly.

Yesterday and today I took some private time to rest in the Lord, pray, and call a few people to give them some updated information regarding my health. When you begin your prayers with praise and sharing your love for the Lord rather than coming into His presence like a bull in a china cabinet demanding to be heard regarding your concerns, He has the opportunity to simply give you His peace that the world does not experience. The first few moments are to focus on Jesus, reflecting on His ministry found in the Bible and His death on the cross. What does His precious life and activity mean to me today? Does He understand cancer? Does He understand separation from a loved one? Do we understand the truth of His anxiety before His death in the Garden of Gethsemane? Why wouldn’t His closest friends stay awake to pray with Him? I know that when I begin my prayers by focusing on Jesus it takes away the anxiety of what I am still going to face through another outpatient surgery and chemotherapy. Why me, has never crossed my mind nor the concern of possible physical death. Jesus knew he was meant to die, but the separation from the Father was His greatest anguish. He was humbled, surrendered and willing to die, to take on the sins of the world and be separated from God the Father, so that believers could have fellowship with the Almighty God that would never be broken again.

My heart right now is to share something that happened that was very personal and left me crying tears of joy, feeling the love of the Lord. I have mentioned that I first walked into the medical clinic at Heber/Overgaard on June 3rd? This was the anniversary date of when my Christian biological dad went to be with the Lord, but another memory surfaced that I had totally forgotten about until my prayer time. The last words my dad ever spoke to me before he died were, “Are you going to be alright?” This was dad’s deepest concern for me. The Lord Jesus reminded me that He was answering my dad’s last prayer for me by drawing close to me during this journey of healing from cancer. I know that the prayers of others have played a major role in the healing process, but I would have never thought that some of those prayers were from the saints of God that have passed away. God has honored my dad’s prayer for me in my healing process and the Holy Spirit brought from my memory what was last said to me by my dad. This reminds me of the Lord’s promises made to Abraham and David, due to their faithfulness in their relationship with God, and His presence to be with their future generations.


The Holy Spirit wants you to be still and know that He is God. Praise Him, Love Him with all of your heart, soul and mind. Wait upon the Lord for He will give you His strength to soar like a eagle during your personal journey through life. This life can be rough at times, but you have not been crucified and totally rejected by humanity. I continue to pray, “Bless me, Lord, so that my life will glory you!” This kind of prayer is opened ended and gives the Holy Spirit an opportunity to work through my and your life.

FRESH START TODAY - (Blog 37)

FRESH START TODAY…God’s Plans are worth seeking!

Jeremiah 29:11-13, For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. NIV

On Sunday, July 10, 2011, we attended a wonderful church that proclaimed the grace and mercy of our God. I listened very carefully to the sermon the young pastor was preaching, but the at the end of the service God whispered to my heart the verse that is the topic today. The history behind the verse is that God’s chosen people were in exile in Babylon and would be there for 70 years. The Lord declared and gave instructions to His people to live and prosper in a country that was not their own. I am sure the people were not comfortable living away from their homeland. To change where you were comfortable to a place where you needed to make personal adjustments is not easy for people. I have heard people say when a new manager is hired, “I will leave if the manager changes what we are use to doing!” Let me tell you that being diagnosed with breast cancer has changed me! I do not believe that I will continue to neither live with the same attitude nor live the same way that I have lived in the past. I am a child of the King and my life was a bought with a great price. I am deeply loved by the same God that told the people of Israel that He had plans for them, to prosper them and not to harm them, plans to give them hope and a future. He clearly said to call on Him and come to Him and to pray to Him, and that He would listen. We are to seek Him with all of our heart and this is the secret to this generous and loving promise.

I have been receiving emails of great encouragement from people we love dearly. One email touched my heart last night telling me of the impact Marty and I have had on her life as she struggled in her past. We were God’s chosen vessel to be an encouragement to her, but her words were so deeply endearing to us. She stated that I was strong in my faith, but my faith is a credit to the guidance of the Holy Spirit through His loving discipline. I truly do not believe that having breast cancer is punishment! When we wake up every morning we make choices for that day. God gives an opportunity to start fresh with an attitude that will bless Him and lift us and other people up when we seek Him with all of our heart. My pray recently has been, “Bless me Lord, so that my life will glorify you!” This pray is open ended, which means God is FREE to answer this prayer according to His loving plan. I am truly humbled by the power of the prayers of God’s Saints who know me and the one’s who do not know me. I feel I am being cradled in the arms of a Holy God through these wonderful prayers. Your one solitary life will make a difference in our dark world when you seek the heart of the God that loves you as much as He loves me. Look deeper to the message of the cross and what Jesus accomplished for humanity.

The words of the song ‘Thank you’ comes to my heart, with tears flowing, as I have received your phone calls and emails. I am so humbled to know so many people have been encouraged through the ministry that Marty and I have shared with you through the years. This has given us a continued desire to want to encourage you more. In fact, this has reminded me about the heart of Jesus Christ as He ministered. He reached out to the individual even though there were curious crowds that followed Him all the time. Jesus Christ sees the heart of all people. I am fully accepted by Him and He is the audience of one that is watching my moves, thoughts, actions and attitudes. (Psalm 139) He is watching you.

FRESH START TODAY - (Blog 36)

FRESH START TODAY … Decide today to seek God’s will!

Genesis 50:19-21 Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. NIV

On April 25, 2010 I wrote in my Bible along side this scripture, “God does have a bigger plan than we could ever imagine in our lifetime!” I had stopped writing in my blog for a while due to not feeling well and I did not understand the reason for me wanting to close the topics on FRESH START TODAY. A dear sister in the Lord said, “No, you cannot stop because I need more!” That was said to me on Facebook just before the diagnosis that I had breast cancer. When Marty and I were driving home after the first doctor’s visit God gave me the above scripture. The story of Joseph is about a hotheaded young man that saved many lives after being broken through trials. Have I ever been a prideful person? Yes, friends and family. I have been prideful and this attitude does not please the Lord. But my question is why would God pour out His magnificent GRACE on me?

June 3, 2011 - I walked into the Community Clinic in Heber/Overguard, AZ to see a Nurse Practitioner to have a breast lumped checked. He immediately scheduled a mammogram and an ultrasound in Show Low, AZ. These tests lead to a biopsy and the dreaded diagnosis I feared, “breast cancer”. The surgeon was chosen, and a modified radical mastectomy was performed on June 28th along with the start of breast reconstruction performed by a plastic surgeon immediately following. All these procedures have been done with no health insurance coverage. The bills are starting to come in the amount of about $30,000.00 so far with Marty and I having a monthly income of $1,700.00. The State Medicaid program has denied coverage, because we earn too much to qualify. The maximum allowable income is $613.00 a month. The chemotherapy has not yet started because I still need to heal from the surgery. My appointment with the Oncologist is scheduled for July 19, 2011. Yet I am at peace! I have received the prayers of hundreds of people and I feel them every moment of every day! I have received calls from people from almost every church where Marty and I have served over the many years. I have had God’s Kingdom people lay hands on and pray for me that do not even know me. One of Marty’s colleagues where he attended at Golden Gate Baptist Seminary drove from Payson, AZ to pray with me before I went into surgery. I have had opportunities to share Jesus Christ and His Grace to many people. I am more filled with God’s love than I have ever experienced. The world cannot understand the kind of peace the Lord told His believers they would have if they put their trust in Him.

Thank you all for the encouraging emails that Marty and I have received… I am sure there will be rough days ahead, but the unity of God’s people is my answer to this spiritual crossroads.

FRESH START TODAY - (Blog 35)

FRESH START TODAY… The fullness of Christ!

Colossians 2:8-11, See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. NIV

This is week 15 of the FRESH START Series and next week will end the study. I have enjoyed reflecting on these Scriptures in hopes to change my human thinking. The Bible is full of encouragement! We all go through school learning math, history, social studies, science, biology, music, chemistry, English, and math. We learn to read in elementary school and are required to read books. We learn colors and the alphabet, but are we taught how to get along with our neighbors?

I remember a lesson learned when I was in 4th grade that changed my life forever regarding accepting others that may be different. The Principal came into the classroom to speak with all the students about a young man that would be coming into the class within a few days. He was different on the outside, but was not different on the inside. He had a severe physical handicap, but she encouraged us to get to know him. (Some of you reading this blog may have been in that classroom with me that day.) She asked us to treat him like any other classmate. I listened with great interest, because I had just had major surgery the summer before and had been different at one time. I got to know Gary and he became a good friend. He gave me a desire to get to know other children that were different and they have blessed my life. Do we teach children today to accept others that are different in the public school system?

We who are believers take on the fullness of Jesus Christ and He accepts all people. Why are we prejudice? Why are we judgmental? Why are we cruel? Why do we not accept people who are weaker? Why do we reject a person when they make mistakes? I have to ask myself these questions, because I am a human just like you. We tend to stereotype people of a different race. Human tradition is not always bad, but it is better to take on the attitude and mind of Jesus Christ! He is the head over every power and authority.

Henry Blackaby stated that the moment we accept the truth about Jesus Christ and are filled with the Holy Spirit we have the fullness and power of the God living in our hearts. We begin to learn as we take our journey through our individual lives by reading God’s Word. New believers sometimes watch those who have been believers longer than we have been. That can be good and it can sometimes be deceiving due to our sin nature that shows its ugly head. We are to be a reflected light of the one that is perfect and allow the power of the living God to have His way through our life. The closer we grow to know the Lord the more we learn to surrender to the gentleness that is revealed for us to follow. I already have spoken about letting the gentleness of God’s Spirit guide our hearts and minds. How do we do this? We can genuinely pray for our hearts to be changed! God sometimes does the changing through the avenue of trials that we experience that will open our eyes. An example is when a doctor becomes a patient, or the lawyer is accused of a crime, or a teacher needs to be taught, or a physical therapist needs personal treatment due to an injury. I believe that you get the picture. My husband has said to me recently that if you are not part of the solution then you are part of the problem. Let us all take on a positive attitude and become part of the solution with the power of God’s truth and wisdom.

May the Lord bless you as your read this week’s Scripture and my prayer is that the Holy Spirit will give you His Wisdom.