God bless the dirty roads…

Jesus was about to stoop low… and become a servant to His disciples… and was their feet.

Until I did missions in Guatemala, South Africa, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia and Tanzania Africa-this verse didn’t fully make sense to me.

“When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.” “No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.” Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!””

John 13:6-9 NLT

The majority of all roads (other than the one main road) are not paved like we have in USA. They are deeply rutted, dirt roads… often muddy in rainy season; or very dusty and sandy in the other seasons…

Animals roam freely, no fences keeping them separated from traffic.

Children are among those who walk everywhere, often bare footed, or wearing sandals.

The roads are long, bumpy, dusty, dirty… and feet very quickly get dirty too. It’s the way of life for most cultures.

Most don’t possess shoes for their feet- and for those who have shoes, often they are open shoes, like sandals.

The primary mode of transportation was foot- walking. People of all ages walking everywhere.

There’s a variety of animal dung everywhere- sheep, goats, cows, chickens and more roam free- and many steps that occur during foot travel incur stepping in yucky stuff… at times, it’s unavoidable…so you can see now how filthy the feet easily became.

It was customary to have the lowest of servants stoop low, with a basin of warm water, and wash the feet of guests, and more so people in a higher stature.

I’ll never forget how incredibly humbling and moving it was the first time that my feet and hands were washed when a guest in a home on missions… I WENT TO SERVE THEM… and yet, through this simply, profoundly moving act, they served me.

It was life changing.

Now read this passage again.



Once Peter heard Jesus say ‘unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me’, Peters answer changed from ‘No! You will never ever wash my feet!’ to ‘then wash my hands, and my head as well, Lord, not just my feet!’

God bless the dirty roads that leads us straight to You.

Peter didn’t want Jesus on Sunday mornings only, Peter wanted Jesus on every day, and every moment of every day!

May our prayers be like Peters… in all the filth of our sins… let us cry out:

‘Wash ALL of me, Jesus!!! I want to belong to You FULLY Lord!!!’

“And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.”

John 13:14-15 NLT

Jesus gave us an example to follow, and told us to do likewise.

We must become servants. Church, let’s get busy!!!

‘Remember?’

“Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember?”

Mark 8:18 ESV

That word of Jesus leaps off the page to me, ‘remember.’

And His question comes back to me ‘And do you not remember?’ every single morning… how could I ever forget???

I hear You, Lord! I DO remember, vividly…

August 27, 2011… a day our family was forever changed… a day that marked us- and defined our faith.

Now, today, 8/27/18, it’s been 7 years, and I still stand amazed at what my God has done, and continues to do, each and every day.

Let me tell ya!

Because of what we went through, going from death to life, with the power of our tongues ONLY because of Jesus, and speaking the Word of God over our daughter, she is fully healed and alive today.

She’s married, (3 years this December), a registered nurse, and serving the Lord in the Peace Corp in Zambia with her husband Asa, declaring the marvelous deeds of the Lord- making a difference every day in the lives of others.

We have a deeper, stronger faith. We went through the flood, ‘the valley of the shadow of death’ literally, and our roots are firmly established in the revelation of a Father who never leaves us. NEVER.

We came through the ‘valley of the shadow of death’, when we emerged out of the deep end, and we have an awareness of God‘s abiding presence that forever changes the way we see impossible situations. NO one can tell me a situation is impossible when God’s involved, because I know otherwise!

Don’t ever settle for less than what God redeemed us from! Nothing is impossible with my Jesus!

God.

He was in the van with us. He was our ‘ever present help in our time of need’.

The moment we cried out ‘JESUS! Jesus, Jesus!’ He was right there, working on our behalf.

He sent His Holy Angels, who navigated my husband out of a treacherous situation… from the drivers seat, through a crushed door and broken window, glass everywhere… across LIVE POWER-LINES, in the pouring down rain- the Angels protection shielded him from harm, assisted him in getting her unbuckled and out of the pinned position of being sandwiched between the rear of her seat and the roof of our crushed van, over the the passengers side where both her Heavenly Father and her Daddy waited.

“Even if I go through the deepest darkness, I will not be afraid, Lord, for you are with me. Your shepherd’s rod and staff protect me.”

Psalm 23:4 GNTD

Honestly, when the tree fell suddenly on top of our van while we were driving, only five minutes from home… we were thrust into total darkness. The span of the tree so big, it covered our van… and the shield of our eyelids when we were thrown into unconsciousness also was utter darkness.

When my husband awoke first, his first instinct was survival and protection. Searching frantically for a cell phone to call 911, realizing the gravity of our situation he attempted to wake me, ‘WENDY! WENDY!’ he hollered my name multiple times. I seemed to hear him as if in a dream, with his voice sounding far away, though he was sitting right next to me…

My hand went to my head and neck, exploding in pain… then I heard these words:

“MORGANNE’S NOT BREATHING!”

These words reached into the depth of my darkness, my eyes flew open, heart was shocked into beating…dazed, seeing broken windshield and tree limbs covering us, trying to move my body around towards where our daughter was sitting, and then seeing her there… lifeless, like a rag doll, long arms and long hair hanging over side of seats edge alongside her knees…with the rear of her seat folded on top of her, the roof of the van pinning on top of her-I instantly was gripped by a level of fear and panic I never experienced before in my entire life!!! A sight forever branded on my heart and in my mind- not a day goes by that I don’t ‘see’ that gut-wrenching image…

I knew I needed to speak but the enemies grip on my throat was so tight it seemed literally impossible.

BUT GOD!!!

The power of the living Christ within me through my Helper, the Holy Spirit, arose a mighty spirit of faith. In fact, the very same power that raised Jesus from the dead was activated in me-and I cried out ‘Jesus!!! JESUS- HELP MY BABY GIRL!!’

As I twisted in my seat, I reached out my hand and touched her pulse, on her neck and wrist. THERE WAS NO PULSE! NO HEART BEAT!

Words of LIFE, God’s Word, started flowing off my tongue, guided by the Holy Spirit, as I laid my hands on her- ‘Morganne will live and NOT DIE, and shall give account of the deeds of the Lord! It is written! When believers lay hands on the sick they SHALL recover! We resist you Devil! We submit to God, you MUST FLEE! Go! Leave her alone! She will live and not die in Jesus Name!’

And we prayed in the Spirit, kept saying ‘Jesus! Life! Help our baby girl! JESUS! LIFE!

6 minutes from when we found the phone and called 911, she remained unchanged…Lifeless.

But our God breathed life back into her, by HIS Words we uttered over her.

She started to breath. And rescue arrived… they pulled her out of the narrow opening on the passenger side of the van; no time for jaws of life or crane to remove tree…

And took her to the emergency room. Praise God for first responders!!! We do, all the time!

Throughout our ordeal, a total of 13 initial days in two hospitals-finding out of her massive blood loss and brain bleeds, fractured skull, multiple hematomas and subdermal bleeds, major brain damage on both lobes and brain stem, hearing the words ‘1-5% chance of survival with little to no quality of life if she makes it’ , emergency ground medic transfer to MCV during the height of Hurricane Irene, followed by a 9 hour brain surgery then hooked up to life support for three days… we held tight to God’s Word and each other.

Our son and older daughter with us, we kept praying and speaking God’s Word of life over her. A nightmare for each one of us…only we ALL were living in the same one.

We fought the good fight of faith. We refused the reports we were hearing and only believed God’s. We kept on saying she would fully recover and that it would be expedient. Nothing else was acceptable. It didn’t line up to what we believed, and we believed GOD.

On the third day, she awoke, though her journey of recovery and HER fight of faith was just beginning.

It was soooo hard seeing her in pain! Seeing her swollen beyond recognition; all of her long beautiful hair, gone- replaced by vicious staples across half of her head… all a testament now of the incredible God we trust in and serve, and of her amazing strength.

Fighting severe pain, inability to see in one eye, unable to walk, she kept saying ‘I need to run!’ Even though she couldn’t even yet stand. Doctors and nurses told her ‘honey you need to understand that you have a severe brain injury. You can’t do what you used to be able to do. This is what having a traumatic brain injury is about, it’s for life, this is your new normal.’

Our feisty girls response? ‘Will you stop telling me what I can’t do when my God says I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength?!’

On the 13th day, against all odds, our daughter WALKED out of MVV to our vehicle, on her own two feet! She refused the wheelchair. Of course she refused it- she was making a statement without words, she didn’t need it!

The next day, she surprised her team at an invitational run; and on the way home stopped at the storage yard where the wreckage of the vans remnant remained… seeing her standing there, looking at the van, I knew we were looking at what a miracle looks like. Another image branded forever on my heart…

Two weeks later after intense physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy, and lots of prayer, she returned for a consequent brain surgery to reattach her bone after swelling went down… and after another five days of intense pain, and hospitalization at MCV, she was home again.

And, one month after original accident on September 30th, she returned to school- to all her advanced and AP dual enrollment college classes, and that afternoon?

Morganne ran with her cross country team!!! I’ll never, ever forget it.

The power of the tongue… Like a rudder on a ship- it’s so tiny in size yet it powerfully steers the direction of our lives by the words off our lip.

When we line up our words with God’s Words- life will always follow.

“What you say can preserve life or destroy it; so you must accept the consequences of your words.” Proverbs 18:21 GNTD

“Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit—you choose.”

Proverbs 18:21 MSG

This year is bittersweet, as we always commemorate this day with an anniversary dinner to honor God and thank Him for saving us, and for restoring our daughter back to life, miraculously… but with Morganne being thousands of miles away across the world from us, we will celebrate in two separate time zones, and in two parts of the world.

We will always remember, Jesus, what You’ve done for us. We will tell the world of Your goodness every opportunity we have-

‘We overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the words of our testimony’. (Revelation 12:11)

If I could encourage one person not to give up by ‘remembering’ and sharing what Jesus did for us, then our trial has been worthwhile.

Jesus Himself tells us in Mark 11:22, ‘Have faith in God.’ We live by faith., and never stop thanking Him for the incredible things He has done.

We remember…

Humanitarian Godly Hands…

A Word from God.

“I haven’t dropped you. Don’t panic.

I’m here with you.

There’s no need to fear for I’m your God.

I’ll give you strength.

I’ll help you.

I’ll hold you steady., keep a firm grip on you…

Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you.

I’ve called your name. You’re mine.

When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you.

When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down. When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end- because I am God, your personal God, the Holy of Israel, your Savior.

I paid a huge price for you: all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in!

THATS how much you mean to me!

THATS how much I love you!

I’d sell off the whole world to get you back, trade the creation just for you.” (Isaiah 41:9-10; 43:2-4 MSG).

Gods Spirit keeps stirring within me on this subject…

Hands.

God took His hands and placed them into the dirt and formed man with His hand..

Jesus’s nail scarred hands hammered to the cross…

I carry that image in my mind daily…

He still feels the nails, every time I fail.

And every time I fall, those same hands pick me back up.

When I need comforting, His Hands pat me on my shoulder, embrace me in warm hugs.

When I’m sad and my eyes leak the emotions in my heart, His hands wipes every year, and collects them into heavenly bottles for Heavens purpose- never is a tear wasted.

When I’m in need of companionship, He places His hand in mine.

When I achieve a goal or reach a milestone, Gods hands applaud me, cheers me on.

When I’m sick, His hands are laid on me to heal me.

God said ‘See? I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. I have written your name on the palms of My hands… I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands….” (Isaiah 49:16 NIV, NLT, ESV, NAS, MSG)

God loves me.

So much that He permanently inscribed my name on His Hand as a remembrance.

He says “Can a mother forget the infant at her breast, walk away from the baby she bore? But even if mothers forget, I’ll never forget you— NEVER.” (Vs 15-18)

(And for the record- THIS momma can NEVER forget or walk away from her children she bore!)

God can never forget those He has engraved on the palms of His hands.

Every time He sees His own scarred hands, He sees you.

I’ll always remember the feel of my babies hands holding onto mine, and patting me with their hands.

That precious innocent complete act of trust…each one special to me- My mind replays thousands upon thousands of scenes in my memory bank of them… as infants, as toddlers, as preschoolers, as school aged children, as preteens, as teens, and as adults… That reassuring feel of comforting touch that hands bring-so special!

I wrote this three years ago as two different posts- on two different dates-yet today they have deeper meaning, more profound meaning for us today.

Today, we said ‘see you later’ to our daughter and son-in-law, who are missionaries heading to Africa for 2 years., serving in the Peace Corp. Watching MY baby, put her hands in her husband’s… Knowing their hands are firmly planted in God’s hands regardless of where, brings me comfort and peace.

This past weekend, watching all the gathered immediate family and extended family hold hands, shake hands, embrace in tight hugs with hands, patting love taps on backs with hands, reinforced to me how amazing and perfectly formed are our hands.

Seeing our sons shake hands with tears overflowing in church… seeing our daughters hold each other tightly in the tightest embrace while trying to be brave fighting off tears, losing because of a sibling love so strong LOVE wins…

Seeing grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins hands interact with loving touches-

It is its own love language-

The language of Hands.

Today, these hands waved a proverbial farewell… but never a goodbye. Only see ya later.

As we trust in our God, who formed us with His guiding Hand, and protects us with His Hand- we know we send them off AS the hands of Christ.

In the months to come, their hands will become calloused from fielding the bush for food, carrying water buckets to and from the well for mile’s each day, forming a daily fire to cook and boil water, scrubbing their laundry, doing the work they were created and called to do.

These hands will encourage one another., and will work together.

These hands are anointed.

They will be used to praise and worship God high and lifted up. These hands will be used to clap as they sing with the locals. These believers hands will be used to lay on the sick, and the sick shall recover.

These hands will be used in acts of service- consecrated and dedicated to each other and to God.

Someday, these hands will hold our grandchildren, but for now, they hold all of our hope, love, and prayers.

But no fears, and no cares- Those were all cast to the Father God.

Purpose of Wealth

Gods plan has always been with the poor- and and for restoration.

The law of God was never supposed to be erased or replaced; but fulfilled with Christ. He redeemed us from the curse of the law- having been made a curse for us on the cross ( Galatians 3:13).

Gods purpose has always been the same. Yet many of today’s believers have drifted away from it-

Restoration.

Redistribution of HIS wealth so all could live and dwell.

In Deuteronomy, Gods reveals His plan further.

Every seven years, all debts were to be cancelled.

Everybody would start over, unburdened by accumulated indebtedness.

God says “There need be no poor people among you.” (Deuteronomy 15:4)

His intention is to build an economy that is so prosperous, poverty can be eliminated.

In fact- read Deuteronomy 15:1-11. Wow! Why has the church veered away from this???

We think wealth we earn is for us ourself and no one else.

This is where the deepest part of sin and selfishness is rooted-

It’s not ours, folks.

It’s God’s.

‘The earth is the Lords and the fullness therein.’

(1 Corinthians 10:26)

Everything belongs to God, entrusted to us. He gave us stewardship.

If we see our neighbors in need and have the ability to help with what we have, we are commanded to give to them.

“But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?” (1John 3:17)

The Bible has plenty to say about this. Don’t take my word for it- read it yourself!

“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” (Galatians 6:10)

Deuteronomy 15:11 For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’

Matthew 5:42 “Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.”

Matthew 25:35-40 “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”

Luke 12:33-34 “Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

1 John 3:17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?”

We can’t continue to ignore the need all around us. God has called us to act.

James 2:14-17 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.“

And when we give, we are to give cheerfully.

2 Corinthians 9:7 “Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, prompt to do it) giver [whose heart is in his giving].”

See- the Lord gave this word to me:

“The purpose of wealth is not to hoard it to ourself.”

The blessing of Abraham was given for ALL in covenant with God.

This was an eternal everlasting blessing for those who entered an eternal everlasting covenant with God.

“And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring (seed) ALL peoples on the earth will be blessed’.” (Acts 3:25)

Blessing people is the heart of God.

Today- majority of people have drifted away from God’s principle of wealth distribution. They turn a blind eye to the poor, whether in their own city, or even within their own church. Most definitely have permitted their hearts to harden towards the impoverished living in other countries.

It’s sad.

It breaks my heart, and must grieve the heart of God.

There should not be any lack in our world.

There should not be people dying of starvation, hydration.

There should not be people dying in the heat, or freezing to death in the cold.

If God has given you two shirts-why can’t you give to one without?

This too is scriptural.

Luke 3:10-11 “And the crowds asked him, ‘What then shall we do?’ And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.”

It is GOD who gave the ability to have wealth- but NOT to hoard to yourself.

The day of reckoning will come.

Remember the scripture earlier Matthews 25:35-40 I shared about helping those in need is helping the Lord?

Many people read and know of this scripture, but seldom talk about the 6 verses that follow-the consequences of NOT obeying God.

Here-read this in the Amplified:

Matthew 25:41-46 “Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Leave Me, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels (demons); for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me [with help and ministering care].’ Then they also [in their turn] will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or as a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will reply to them, ‘I assure you and most solemnly say to you, to the extent that you did not do it for one of the least of these [my followers], you did not do it for Me.’ Then these [unbelieving people] will go away into eternal (unending) punishment, but those who are righteous and in right standing with God [will go, by His remarkable grace] into eternal (unending) life.”

Either we believe God’s Word is true, or we don’t.

I KNOW it’s true. I know HIM. He is my Shepherd. I hear His voice, and I follow Him.

So if we know and believe it’s true- should we not be doing what God has said to do?

There is a solution to homelessness and poverty., for all the world. The name is Jesus. The Word of God.

Let’s start a revolution of God’s restoration!

It’s time for a spiritual jubilee!

Here’s a snapshot of what true believers did about this, as recorded in the Bible:

Acts 4:32-35 “All the believers were in one heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles feet, AND IT WAS DISTRIBUTED TO ANYONE AS HE HAD NEED.”

Do you ever wonder why this principle of sharing and wealth distribution has faded away?

I do.

I believe this spirit of giving and sharing is God’s desire. I believe it’s God’s heart.

I surely have read and reread this in multiple translations over multiple times- and haven’t seen once where God said it was only for a one time deal. I haven’t read yet where God said to stop giving and sharing.

I’m sharing an excerpt of a devotion I read this morning from The Bible App that reinforces the message the Holy Spirit gave me to share.

Yes, this is a long read above, and remainder- but it’s key for all believers and followers of Jesus to ‘see’ this!!!

To ‘get‘ this revelation that the seed reproduces after its own kind- and if we are the seed of Christ, God’s Son, and God GAVE, with a spirit of giving and sharing His best, all He has, He freely gave, and continually gives, to us- then we should be doing the same.

“The law sets up a process to ensure that no family will ever permanently lose its land.

They may become poor—perhaps through tragedy, perhaps through their own failings—and sell their land.

But the rest of the family is commanded to buy it back for them.

Furthermore, if no one has the money to buy it back, the next generation will be given it back.

Every 50 years is the Jubilee, when all land is returned to its original owners.

Everybody starts over.

There can be no permanent separation between the rich and the poor, no rich landowners and poor peasants.

Every fifty years they will go back to having the same resources.

With our current economic mindset, we might think this was a very unfair way to treat the well-off.

Why should they just give back what they got fair and square?

But the Bible introduces a very different point of view.

“The land is mine!” God says. (Leviticus 25:23)

“It never belonged to any of you in the first place.

It’s mine to use as I see fit, and my choice is to ensure that no family ever permanently loses its share in the economy.”

It’s hard to say how exactly this might be applied in a modern situation.

Our economic setting is very different, starting out with the observation that farming is not the whole economy.

What is not different is God’s concern for the poor, and His ownership of everything…

He has made a world where no one need be poor, and He gives laws to His people that are meant to stop poverty in its tracks.

Is His remedy fair to those who loaned the money?

Again, as with the land laws in Leviticus, it’s God’s money!

Not ours! According to Him, it’s not right that any one of His creatures should be permanently poor.”

Prayer:

“Lord, keep me from gripping money so tightly. It’s your money, not mine—you have merely loaned it to me. Show me how to put it to work for your good purposes of justice. In Jesus Name, Amen.”

Wake up Church!

I find it interesting that so many people in America place their value and worth on their possessions.

Material possessions, value and appearance of vehicles, houses and church buildings; yet Jesus did not put importance on things.

In fact, other than the clothes on His back and the sandals He had on His feet, He had no material possessions.

Jesus didn’t have a house to call His home. He left His home, he became homeless, so that we might find our eternal home in Him.

He didn’t stay in one place. He was nomadic. Truly, Jesus was a ‘mobile church.’

He initiated ‘Go Ye.’ He gave us the example- watch what He did.

That’s how we are to do. GO to the people, be about teaching, preaching, and healing all who are oppressed.

Jesus placed all importance and emphasis on people. PEOPLE. All people.

He knew people are a priority for God. So people (not buildings, not clothing, not material items) should be important to us as followers of Jesus.

He left His everything in Heaven to come to earth and give us ‘everything’ -Himself.

Yet many reject Him, and chose their ‘g’od of self, and chose ‘things’ to love.

People are created to be loved while things are made to be used.

But often times, we have this backwards because many are holding onto their things that they love and use more than being willing to let go and give to those who are in need.

Sadly, this is true within the walls of churches all across America. Is this bringing honor and glory to God? (Colossians 3:17; 23)

The Bible says that Satan has blinded the eyes of man, and I can see where lust for money and things has blinded eyes to real needs of so many people.

People living here in our own town have genuine need such as a roof over their head, food to eat etc. as well as people in other countries who are just as valuable to God.

I just returned from a mission trip in Africa with husband and one of our daughters.

The stark contrast of lavishness and luxurious things money is spent on- even within our own churches-give me cause and pause to think:

Is this pleasing to God? Are we really being good stewards of all God has given us? What is God thinking?

Do we really have Jesus’s priorities?

How are we really living biblical values?

Are we putting needs of people before our personal comfort?

Unless you leave your country and travel to another, you really have no idea.

It’s so difficult coming home and seeing the thousands of things that we take for granted that many have never experienced.

A bed that soft and comfortable with clean sheets with pillows with blankets…

Climate controlled rooms with air-conditioning, or heat adjustable at a moments touch of a control-

Clean, accessible drinking water whenever and wherever we are.

A roof over our head that covers multiple rooms in our house filled with multiple things that we don’t even use…

Stores everywhere within a moments reach that we can buy anything to our hearts desires.

Maybe it’s time we line up our hearts desires to mirror God’s Heart.

Maybe then, real people with real needs will see a real Jesus in us… and start receiving real love.

Food for thought…

“IF”… Faith ACTS

How does a VITAL CHURCH grow?

It becomes LIFE to ALL.

“WHEN Christ who IS our life. (Colossians 3:4)… then you shall also appear with Him in all glory.”

“Vital” means LIFE.

“If” we truly are born again, Christ IS our life.

I sincerely and without no disrespect say “If” because God says this.

It’s NOT automatic- this ‘salvation’ or ‘born again’ experience I’m referring to.

Something actually happens in the spiritual realm to our spirits, we become a brand new, never before existed, created spirit. (1 Corinthians 5:17).

Just because we believe in God, and have knowledge that Jesus is God’s Son- doesn’t mean we have been born again, or saved.

Just because we go to church, doesn’t make us a Christian, no more than going to McDonald’s makes you a Bic Mac! God’s gift of salvation is 100% FREE, but cost God EVERYTHING.

But He doesn’t force it on us- it’s been offered, and is waiting for each of us to individually receive it, to receive Christ, who IS the gift of eternal life; as our individual Master, Lord, Savior, Redeemer, Deliverer, Healer, Provider, OUR LIFE!!!

It’s conditional, based on each of our individual choice.

He is The Way, The Truth, and THE LIFE.

First thing first responders do upon the scene of an accident is ‘check your vitals.’ They are determining whether or not there is LIFE in us.

Life is a gift, and as believers, CHRIST is our life, and His GIFT of life is to be shared and multiplied. God is a God of increase.

Friends, we all have goals, and most include financial goals. And this is good. But what good is it to gain the whole world and lose our souls??? (Mark 8:36/Matthew 16:26)

As CHRISTians, our main financial goals in life is not to pack away as much wealth as we can FOR OURSELF; but to be able to give without end to those in need all over the world. To spread the gospel into all the world cost money.

The purpose of wealth is NOT to hoard it to ourselves.

I don’t want money for myself. I want it so that I am give it away, so that I can feed the hungry, clothe the naked, house the homeless, give drink to the thirsty- bless those in need, IN THE NAME OF JESUS.

I’m not talking about those capable of helping themselves but don’t., or those trapped in addiction spending every donated dollar on their habit- they need help., too, but a different type of help. For those- I love them and pray for them to receive revelation of God’s presence, power and indescribable gift!

I speak LIFE over them, and plead the blood of Jesus over them. In their presence I speak ‘Jesus.’ ‘JESUS!’ At the name of Jesus, the demons tremble and every knee must bow. And His power is released! (James 2:19/Philippians 2:11/ Luke 10:17/ Mark 16:17-17)

I’m talking about the majority of our world struggling to find clean water to drink; food to eat, shelter- who need our answer, their answer, JESUS.

We must go TO THEM, and TELL THEM. We must SHOW THEM. We must CARE for them, and LOVE them, like the Jesus we confess.

This is why I desire money.

This is why I give what I have. And to keep on giving what I have. It’s not a one time done. check off list thing. It’s GODS WAY. It’s a lifestyle of a Christian.

This is why I am passionate about being part of “THE CHURCH”, and seek a ‘vital’ church (THE BODY OF CHRIST) who gets this!!!

Faith ACTS. It doesn’t sit still. It doesn’t remain in one place, content, like a ‘fat baby.’ I remember back in my singing days, singing an Amy Grant song called ‘Fat Baby.’ It’s time to resurrect this song, folks!!! It’s TIME FOR A GREAT AWAKENING!!! RISE UP!!! Get busy!!!

Here’s the lyrics- read them. Let them get deposited in your spirit. Are YOU a fat baby???

“I know a man, maybe you know him, too

You never can tell; he might even be you

He knelt at the altar, and that was the end

He’s saved, and that’s all that matters to him

His spiritual tummy, it can’t take too much

One day a week, he gets a spiritual lunch

On Sunday, he puts on his spiritual best

And gives his language a spiritual rest

He’s just a faaa…

He’s just a fat little baby!

Wa, wa, waaaaa…

He wants his bottle, and he don’t mean maybe

He sampled solid foods once or twice

But he says doctrine leaves him cold as ice

Ba, ba, ba, ba…ba, ba…ba, ba!

He’s been baptized, sanctified, redeemed by the blood

But his daily devotions are stuck in the mud

He knows the books of the Bible and John 3:16

He’s got the biggest King James you’ve ever seen!

I’ve always wondered if he’ll grow up someday

He’s momma’s boy, and he likes it that way

If you happen to see him, tell him I said,

“He’ll never grow, if he never gets fed”

He’s just a fat, fat, fat, fat, fat, fa-at, fat…

Fat, Fat, Fat, Fat, Fat, Fa-at, Fat…

Fat, Fat, Fat, Fat, Fat, Fat, Fatttt…

Baby…”

Don’t wait until you have ‘enough of the wealth’ YOU think is enough to start giving- you’ll never become a giver if you wait. Start now. Learn to sacrifice now. Become a giver now.

You have to give by faith, with your heart, with what you have now. Trust God. Hey, ALL of the earth is the Lords and the fullness therein. ALL belongs to God… we are only stewards of what He has entrusted us with.

Are we being faithful with it? Are we holding onto it with stingy fingers, even more tightly when the Holy Spirit touches our hearts to give, then we don’t?

Or are we trusting God with EVERY area of our life, including our finances? Are we???

God will take your gift, and will supernaturally multiply it; and will increase your ability to gain more; once your heart lines up with His.

The value of something is determined by what one is willing to pay.

God’s determined our value, ALL of mankind’s value, even in our imperfect condition, was the life of His only Son.

God is a giver. He held nothing back.

We are to follow His example, if indeed He is in us… we are made in His image. We are made to multiply, to increase.

Let’s give all we can selflessly, and see our world changed.

All of the worlds poverty, starvation, need- is solvable through the Christ who is in us…

IF we would but learn to see people as HE sees people…

IF we would but learn to love people as HE loves people…

IF we TRULY would obey and do what HE instructed us to do-we will see in God’s Word WHO we are in Christ, WHOSE we are in Christ, and WHO WE ARE CONNECTED TO IN THE BODY OF CHRIST.

Our body is the ‘new’ temple the Holy Spirit dwells in, if we are truly born again. Our body IS the ‘house’ that our spirit, and God’s Spirit IN OUR SPIRIT, contains.

May ALL our eyes open to this truth!!! May HIS Holy Fire consume us, and His passion ignite us!!!

“Now ALL who believed were together, and had ALL things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among ALL, as anyone had need…”

IF we truly desire to be obedient and to become THE church, THE bride of Christ, we need to do what He has instructed us to do, then we will be the vital “church” that grows!

This is how we will know- read what is written, when Peter was with the rest of the other apostles (followers of Christ, who were ALREADY BORN AGAIN):

“Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent. And let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you SHALL RECEIVE the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the PROMISE is to you AND TO YOUR CHILDREN, AND TO ALL WHO ARE AFAR OFF, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

“Then THOSE WHO GLADLY RECEIVED HIS WORD… So continuing daily with ONE ACCORD in the temple, and breaking of bread from house to house, they are their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with ALL the people. AND THE LORD ADDED TO THE CHURCH DAILY THISE WHO WERE BEING SAVED.”

(Acts 2:37-47)

Such a Time As This

I received some bad news today regarding Charles in Uganda.
Charles is a 15 year old boy whom I met in February this year, 2017, while there on a mission trip.   

Though there were thousands of people present who we prayed with, helped, and ministered to- when Charles approached me asking for me to pray for him, something happened.  
The Holy Spirit deposited this message into my spirit, “He is why you are here.”
Instantly, God-bumps arose all up and down my arms, an an instant Word of knowledge came to me by the Spirit.
Charles needed our help- and I was the vessel to get him connected to the help he needed.
Charles was diagnosed with a rare cancer at the early age of 9. 

His loving parents spent all they had to get him the care he needed, which included radiation, chemotherapy, and when that didn’t stop the aggressive cancer, surgery to remove the tumor on his right eye.

Sadly, the family ran out of funds… and the returned surgery planned for 6 weeks later never occurred in 2012…so this young boy had an open wound in the area where his eye used to be… getting infected…
When I met him this February, the eye was covered by gauze, and tape, but it was unclean.  When he asked me to pray for him, he apologized for the odor and pointed to his eye.  

He explained what I just shared, and asked if I would pray for him to be healed.  The odor was quite foul.
Yes.  
I laid hands on him, and prayed for his healing.  I prayed for his provision.  

I found out he had to drop out of school, since all the funds were being used for medical.  I found out he had a large family of brothers, and two young sisters.  I found out he had a dream.
But, like most 15 year olds, he had given up on his dream of becoming a doctor, because he had given up all hope of living through the cancer.
Without funds, there would be no treatment.
Without treatment, the cancer would continue spreading, and would eventually take his life.
So we said no to Satan, the spirit behind the sickness that bound him, and called him healed by the blood of Jesus.
I led him to the director, and first got him to wound care to treat the infected area, and then obtained permission to personally assist him. (Necessary when on a mission trip with an organization other than your own.)

We were able to go with him to meet his family at his homestead village in the bush.  

I was able to hold his hand, and watch hope come back to his countenance, with a smile from ear to ear.

I told him how God loved him so much and saw his struggles, and sent me from America to Uganda for such a time as this.  
I told him we would do all we could to help him get the eye surgery necessary so he could return to school.  I said ” hmmmm. Dr Charles…. that sounds good!”  
So a plan was arranged with the local doctor and pastor, funds were given to have Charles and his parents sent to hospital and to provide for food, transportation and lodging, and medical testing.
This all began on 2/24/17.  His initial biopsy showed him to be cancer free!  We were so happy! 
But then other symptoms began to appear… and his short term hospital stay has now grown into 5 months… and more bad news…
The cancer has returned and he will need to begin aggressive chemotherapy again on this coming Tuesday.
My husband and I had been covering the ongoing expenses each month out of pocket, and reached out to others through speaking engagements Churches 4 Africa: Planting Seeds 4 Love, through our newly formed non profit, iamjesusgal ministries.
The initial funds received specifically for Charles has long since been sent. Much more is needed.  
How can you help?
First and foremost, pray.  Prayers of faith for his complete healing are vitally important while we wait for these symptoms he’s experiencing to line up with God’s Word.  Prayers for finances to come are also needed.
****In order for Charles to receive treatment and ongoing medical care, we are asking if able, please make a contribution on our website, Iamjesusgal ministries, and in the comments state ‘Charles medical care-Uganda’.*****
The Christian Doctor, whom I personally know there in Uganda, is working hand in hand with his cancer doctors providing his care as long as funds continue.  She is reporting back to me his specific needs, and giving an account of each dollar given.
Currently they are in need of $500 US dollars very quickly., to ensure he receives necessary medical care.
I’m saddened by this news., but hopeful for his prognosis based on GOD’S report! 
Thank you to all who have helped thus far.  Thank you for reading this, and I hope, thank you for sharing this… and more, I hope, thank you for prayerfully making a contribution to help Charles live and not die.
“I will live and not die, and shall proclaim the deeds of the Lord.”

Psalm 119:17

Gabriella’s Prayer

Introducing to you a “prayer mission@ challenge…
 “Gabriella’s Prayer”
This precious young girl, Gabriella, only 10 years old- has a heart of gold.
She heard about our mission trip to Uganda, heard about the 15 year old boy named Charles who has been fighting a rare cancer in his eye and brain whom iamjesusgal ministries is funding his medical care-

She heard about the struggles his family has to find food and efforts to find water by walking hours carrying plastic jugs, returning with dirty water…

she heard about his little sisters fighting malnutrition and parasites…

And so Gabriella decided to do something about it!!!
She raised on her own $32… and donated it to us today.
Her prayer is that God will multiply this $32 so that we can present Charles and his family with a BRAND NEW WELL!!!

A water well in the poorest part of Uganda saves lives.

Thus, we launch “Gabriella’s Prayer!”
We are asking you to match her donation by going to our website, 
 Iamjesusgal ministries website
and click on ‘donate now! In comments, please put ‘Gabriella’s Prayer’ for Charles water well!
Then-
Please share this, add hashtag #Gabriellasprayer and join us in faith and watch God do it!!!
By providing this for Charles and his family, the entire village benefits!

Pep talk

​​

Don’t let anyone else determine who you are or determine your value. 
You are fearfully and wonderfully made and created for a purpose.
You have unique qualities,  special talents and possess a precious personality. Your life has value and you matter!
What other people think of you is none of your business. 
I know that’s a tough statement but the more you think on it the more true it will become. 
As believers in Christ, our business is God’s business-what He thinks of us is what matters- 
His value is the true value-
Just like God said when Jesus was baptized and came up out of the water “this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased” before Jesus did the very first miracle or began his ministry, God determined His value because He, Jesus, is God’s son-God determines our value the same way… 
It’s not based on what we have done or what we are doing. It’s not based on what we look like or what we don’t look like. 
Our value is not based on what other people think or don’t think about us. 
Trying to please other people and trying to own up to other peoples expectations is stealing our joy and our peace. 
It is a distraction. 
It’s much better to spend time with our Creator God and determine our value based on who He says we are and what He thinks about us, because that’s when Peace comes to us…when we realize our true identity is found only in Christ.
“I got revelation that I AM Jesus’s gal’ the gal He loves” and found out who I am the same way Jesus did- from the scriptures.  This is how iamjesusgal ministries came to be!

Iamjesusgal
Blessings to you!

#iamjesusgal #iamjesusgalministries #peptalk #motivation #womensministry #africa #missionary 💗

What is the Purpose of Wheels?

Remember the children’s song 🎶 “The wheels on the bus goes round and round, round and round, round and round…?”🎶

Lately, I’ve been drawn to wheels… a mode of transportation.  
I began to wonder how long ago wheels were invented… I remember big wheels on stage coaches from studying history, but behind that?  

Hmmmmm.  

Go I googled it.  

According to Wikipedia,  the earliest wheels were made out of a solid piece of wood.

So this really got me thinking.

What is the purpose of the wheel?

I suggest its purpose is to assist us in getting from one place to another place where we are inclined to go- a means of transportation.

Smithsonian Magazine (June 17, 2009) suggests the original purpose of the wheel was not for transportation purposes, but rather was used as a tool for the potter. 

Fascinated, my mind goes to the scriptures.
God says He is the potter, we are the clay.  (Isaiah 64:6-12; Jeremiah 18). He used the ‘wheel’ to help get us to where we need to go.
God grew the tree that was used at Calvary.   (Genesis 2:9) 

This is where Jesus Christ died willingly for you and for me.  
Jesus carried the old wooden cross, heavy with the weight of all our sins.  (1 Corinthians 1:18; Philippians 2:8; 1 Peter 2:24-25)

Jesus is The Way… the ‘wooden wheel’ the cross, that carries us into Heaven- the ONLY way.

Still in thought, my mind meditating on various methods of transportation… the wheel, and it’s purpose. 
As believers and followers of Jesus Christ, we become ‘wheels’ to carry the gospel.
Once we are Holy Spirit filled, we are equiped with wheels … and commissioned to go.  
Whether we use our two feet, a bicycle, a motorcycle, a boat, a train, a horse, a plane or a car … we are called to go (not just near, but also far!)
The fire that ignites us IS the holy power of the Spirit… to carry the gospel INTO and across the world … 

What is the purpose of wheels and feet BUT to go? 

We aren’t called to be a parking lot or a garage type of church, where we go once a week and park.
Rather, the church is more about being a gas station where we go to fill up, so that we can go- we have an assignment!
The Holy Spirit highway in God’s church is connecting people of every nation and tongue to THE WAY.
Jesus the ONLY way, truth and life!
How can we sit still and pamper ourselves, stuffing our faces in a spiritual feast week after week in our fancy clothes, sitting parked in our fancy church buildings-when there are literally millions unreached people groups?  
People who are dying and slipping into an eternal hell, forever lost are in need of the gospel.

Reinhard Bonnke said it like this in his book Evangelism by Fire:  “The purpose of Pentecost is to get the wheels rolling for God in every church, thereby transporting the gospel across the face of the whole earth.”

Woe is me if I do not preach the gospel at all costs… 1 Corinthians 9:16