Good Morning LORD ♥

The Puppy Talks…..

It still amazes me how the Holy Spirit continues to comfort us even in our dry places. For some time now that’s been where I have been. I’ve been waiting for the rain to come and the dryness to be quenched by His total engulfment of my spirit and every dry area soothed by His gentle rain. Psalm 143:6, “I lift up my hands to you in prayer; like dry ground my soul is thirsty for You.”

Then, just in that instant you seem unprepared, swoosh here comes the flood of His Spirit. You are frantic for anything that you can grab to write on. And then, you hear that sweet, gentle, whisper … “Nothing is needed just listen.” Job 26:14, “These are only glimpses of what He does. We only hear a whisper of Him! Who can understand the thunder of His power?"

 

For several weeks now Grace has been praying for a puppy. I keep telling her, “We have Ruth and she’s your puppy.” She’s persistent, somehow she knows that Ruth is not a puppy and that’s what she has her heart fixed upon. One day about 2 weeks ago her Grandma came to visit and she had a new puppy that someone had just given her because they could not take care of the dog any longer.

 

Here’s this 3 year old child, whose been taught about prayer since she could understand standing out in the middle of her front yard and she just looks up to heaven and says, “Deesas I have puppy too peas. I promust I take care of it. Tank You Deesas.” I’m gazing at the sky with her, because she always says, “Dandie you pray wit me.” As we were praying for that request our landlords son drives up, just to say hello to his momma.

David speaks about the puppies he and his wife have for sale. Well of course these are a little out of our spending limit, but God’s resources are unlimited. He happens to ask us why Grace does not have a puppy and I casually say, “Well she has Ruth and maybe when Ruth gets a bit older we will get her one.” Of course this man is no fool, so he inquires about Ruth’s age. “She’s a young 10,” I exclaim. He just smiles.

 

Well he begins to tell us about the puppies they have for sale. I really was not listening; you know how the devil kinda blocks your hearing when the Lord is trying to speak in your behalf? Well I got kinda perturbed and I said, “David we appreciate you getting Gracie excited about puppies however, we are not in the financial range to purchase one that has a $350.00 price tag.”

 

He replied, “Well ours are sold but I will definitely keep my eyes open for a small pup that will be perfect for Grace.” Now I’m hiding my face in shame. After he leaves I was speaking to his mom who by the way is also our landlady. She says, “CeCe you are just going to have to lay down that old pride of yours and allow God to move in that baby’s behalf.” … “She prayed and believed God for a puppy and by God she will get that perfect one.”... “You just stay out of God’s way!”

By this time I am feeling this lump in my throat; however, I just suck it in and go on. Next afternoon we hear this horn blow and my daughter and ‘oh yes Gracie’ run to the front driveway to see who our visitor is. A couple minutes later my daughter runs in toting this puppy and leash. She says, “Momma look at what Mr. David gave Grace!” I took one look at this puppy and I immediately got concerned with ‘pooping in the house’, ‘extra food’, you know all the ‘important’ things about having a dog came to mind ‘tsk’, ‘tsk’.

 

In comes Grace squealing, “Gandie, Gandie ook at my poppy, Deesas give me dat!” NOW how are you going to reason with that statement? I stayed inside the house, contemplating all the extra work now we have 2 dogs instead of 1 and the larger cabin is not ready yet so ‘oh my my’ what are we going to do? Just then David comes in, Gracie at his heels, dog in tow. And here I sit, wanting to crawl into the nearest crack in the floor and then this man speaks something I will never forget.

 

“CeCe, I hope you did not mind, but after I left the Holy Spirit dropped into my spirit that I needed to give Grace the puppy that I had chosen for myself because she is a special little girl and she needs a special puppy,”… “This dog was mine and I wanted her to have him, he’s 3 months old, he won’t get any bigger, he’s outside trained but should not be hard to inside train, he’s a miniature pincher / rat terrier and he’s a great watch dog.”

 

So how do you follow that one? You don’t! I was speechless. All I could say was, “Thank you so much for thinking about her.” He leaves and I still have this focus in my mind that this is not the dog that I envisioned. Just then the Holy Spirit whispered, “It was not for you my child but for ME to grant the request of that child.” … “If you can remember she asked ME for a puppy NOT you.”

Now I am in tears, I glance over to where Grace has this tiny puppy in her arms. He’s looking so lovingly into her eyes as she pets his head and says, “Tank You Deesas, he is booteful.” And she blows Him kisses. His name? Rockie!

 

Over the next few days this young puppy gains so much appreciation from me. He follows her everywhere. She has his leash and he just toddles around wherever she leads. What I begin to notice is the conversation between the two of them. Grace talks constantly with Rockie and he just looks up at her as if he understands. She shows him all the good places that he is allowed to go and also shows him the bad places he is not to go. All the while just toddling around beside her.

Then this morning, in one of those most indisposed places ‘boom’! Revelation! Have we forgotten how we are supposed to always listen to our Master? Just like Rockie was listening to Grace. Intently listening to each and every word He speaks. Never questioning His authority just simply following His commands and obeying His Word. Allowing Him to show us the good and also warn us of the bad. Always staying close to Him as Rockie stays close to Grace. Turning down the audio so we can hear His whisper.

 

Now those of you who are advanced passed this stage of revelation praise God! I chose a long time ago to allow the Lord to use anything He had to get my attention and also speak His messages. This time he used a tiny little girl and her tiny little dog….. What a powerful message that was for me!

Father God, thank You once again for Holy Spirit revelation. Lord at times we are so concerned with the cares of this life that we often forget the ‘simple’ things and we do You an injustice by not listening to Your every word! Please Father forgive our busyness and release upon us that ‘child-like’ spirit of understanding and submission. In Jesus Name…..Amen

May you see Him in the simple things and may the simple things excite you enough to expect to hear Him where ever you are!

Late-Night Lesson:

 

Thank God for Every Midnight Call

So I close by saying this to you who are taking up the service of the winter. Thank God for every call that reaches you. Thank Him for the opportunity of toil. The hour may come for you when it is midnight, just as it came to the host in our parable. The hour may come when heart and flesh are weary, and hope is dim, and courage is decayed—and in that very hour, for aught I know, the hand may be heard knocking at the door. But if these claims awake you to your weakness, and make you feel anew your need of God; if they send you out from your own self-sufficiency to lean upon His grace and on His love; why then, my brother, all your happy holiday, and all your remembrances of the purple heather, will not be such a blessing to your heart as the burden and the service of today. "Commit your way to the Lord .... and he shall bring it to pass." Come now, and cast your burden on the Lord. Take up your service, whether in church or city, no matter how impoverished you feel. There is One whose store is always overflowing, and He is willing to give you of His best; and men will be blest in you and call you blessed, just because they make you lean on God.

In His Love,
  By His Spirit,
    I scribe His Heart ♥

Good Morning LORD ♥

From Tragedy to Triumph … My Testimony

 

Being able to write this testimony and this book is a miracle only by the grace of our Lord. On Saturday morning December 6, 2003 my youngest daughter and I were leaving to go and pick up my son who had spent the night before with his Dad. We live about 60 miles from where my son was. Our church family was having an outing for the boys in the youth group and my son was invited.

 

We left our house on what seemed to be a glorious day. It was the typical, sun shining, birds singing and cool breeze blowing kind of day. It was clear and absolutely gorgeous outside. We lived in a rural part of the state of Louisiana in a very small town called Iota. As we proceeded down the familiar road we had traveled many times in the past five years nothing seemed different. We had a new car. My oldest daughter who was in the military at this time gifted me with the car on my 40th birthday in July of the same year. I was so excited and very blessed because I had never had a new car. The car was small but very roomy. And it was just a blessing. As we approached the familiar intersection that we’ve passed a million times in the last five years something this day would occur that would be life changing and life rearranging. I now have a greater respect for the saying, ‘life as we knew it was over and a new life has begun.’

 

One moment in time we were driving and the next moment we woke up in a rice field. We had been involved in an automobile accident. Not just a fender bender, but a traumatic accident that changed our lives forever. I was told later by my daughter (Megan) that a vehicle crossing the intersection ran the stop sign and broadsided our vehicle at 65 miles per hour. We were driving a very small Ford Focus and the other vehicle was an SUV and was as strong as a tank. After impact our car spun around three times, took a leap into the air and went air born, then took a nose dive full force into the embankment of a twelve foot ditch and finally it came to rest in a rice field located on the opposite side from where we had been traveling.

I was trapped inside from the force of the impact. There right side of the vehicle now rested against the steering wheel. I could not move my right arm or anything from my shoulder down to my right knee. The door of the car was crushed against my body. What transpired in the next hours would be nothing but miraculous! My daughter Megan was driving and was thrown from the vehicle. She was belted in and still she was thrown. She flew three hundred feet. This journey took her across the rice field; the she proceeded to roll across the road way and finally ended when she landed face down in the ditch on the opposite side of the roadway we were traveling on. I am recalling for you the recollection of events as they transpired as they were spoken to me.

Only by the grace of God was my daughter able to crawl up out of the ditch, cross the road and then completely across the field, heading backwards in time, so it seemed towards what was left of me and the car. She showed no panic and immediately began praying and bound the spirit of death and commanded in the Name of Jesus the spirit of life to return into my body and then she smacked me in the right cheek with all her might. I was dazed and confused. My tongue was resting on my chest, blood was pouring from a head injury from where I had hit the windshield and cracked my forehead. I had no idea what had happened. I felt no pain; I remember asking God if I were dead. I remembered that Jesus is sensitive to grief and pain. I knew that if God is God anywhere He has to be God in this accident even in the face of death. I knew Jesus was my only hope and then John 11:25 came flooding into my Spirit, “I am the resurrection and the life, he who believes in Me though he may die he shall live. And whomever lives and believes in Me shall never die.” I felt the Holy Spirit was telling me, if I believe I would see the Glory of God. In an instant I felt everything. I had never experienced pain in all my forty years of living like that. My mind raced and I imagined how Jesus felt on that cross. I recalled the words He spoke and remembered He said He had taken all our pain upon Himself that day and I thanked God for taking that pain. Instantly, all pain subsided and I could feel this peace come over my whole body and spirit.

As I laid there trapped inside the car the paramedics and the first response team began to arrive on the scene. The first team assessed my daughter and immediately called for Life Flight to transport her to the nearest hospital which was twelve miles away. She was lying on the ground in tremendous pain and I recall hearing them say she had broken her back in two places and her physical reactions were like people who have injured their spinal cord. I immediately went into a deep intercessory prayer. I prayed like I had never prayed before. I took authority over those words spoken over my child and commanded in the name of Jesus for them to fall to the ground and never take root and for satan to release her because he had no right to her because she was a child of God.

 

I commanded every part of her body to come in line with the Word of God and be made whole. I had no idea what my condition was my focus and greatest concern was on my daughter. As I lay there in the car waiting for them to cut me out with the Jaws of Life, scripture upon scripture came flooding into my spirit. I knew when the enemy comes in like a flood God will raise up a standard against him and I claimed that. I called upon Psalm 18:1-3, “I love you, O lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies.” I knew God was with me. I knew I was coming out of this victoriously. Not somehow but triumphantly I was going to make it through.

 

As the first response team cut through the mangled car I had no idea what the extent of my injuries were. I did know that I could feel my right leg all the way from my upper thigh to my foot. However, I knew something was wrong with my left leg because I had no feeling from my upper thigh all the way down to my foot. I somehow knew it was attached because I could feel the existence of a shoe but the physical feeling just wasn’t there. I pounded my right foot to get leverage on the car floor board but when I attempted to do that on the left side I got nothing. This began to scare me however; God had placed at my side someone whom I knew for a very long time. He was a police officer in our little town and he just so happened to be off duty on this day. Mike stayed by my side the whole time the rescue team worked to get me out of the car. I questioned him as to why I could not feel anything in my left foot. He got up from where he was kneeling down by my daughter’s side of the car and looked down at the floor board on my side. What he told me really did not surprise me so I wasn’t shaken by his words. He said for me not to pound my left foot down on the floor board any more because it was broken.

I listened and agreed and then took authority over broken bones in the foot. What I was to learn about my foot later really came as a shock and blew my mind. They finally got me out of the car after three hours of being trapped and transferred me into the ambulance and once again God placed someone at the scene that I knew well. Pastor Enoch Delaphouse was there and I remember him asking me what I wanted him to do. All I could tell him was pray! “Pray Mr. Enoch just please pray.” While in the ambulance I did not recall much except that everything was gray. It appeared that a great big gray cloud hovered just directly above me. In fact I could almost break a piece of that cloud off and hold it. If I wanted to see clearly what was going on in the present I had to look down beneath the cloud. It really was amazing, but I had this sense of peace. A peace I was accustomed to. But today that peace seemed magnified.

The paramedics were scurrying around frantically trying to stabilize my condition and I wasn’t even aware of what my condition was. I had great peace, I felt wonderful, and I was riding in the back of the bumpy ambulance. I wondered why the paramedics were so worried. I had no idea. I just had this sweet and comfortable peace.

When I arrived at the first hospital everyone was racing everywhere. They were calling for what seemed to be a million x-rays and blood and fluids and only God knows what else. My greatest concern was my child. She had arrived there about three hours before me. That was really surprising. It felt like five minutes, but I was told three hours. It took two hours to get me out of the car and on the way to treatment. Later I was told by the state trooper that it was an hour before he arrived at the scene because the person that called this accident in reported it as a fatality. I was amazed.

 

As the hospital technicians administered their test I was told things that I really could not believe. It was here that the extent of my injuries would be revealed and how blessed I was feeling in spite of their words. I had two broken ribs the first two right below the sternum, a concussion caused from my forehead smashing the windshield which had caused a bleed into my brain, burns and lacerations to my face and neck from the seat belt during our flight in mid air, multiple massive bruises all over my body, my kidneys were crushed, my liver was lacerated almost in half and my spleen had exploded. And if this wasn’t enough my left femur was fractured and my left foot was severed from my body and was hanging on by two inches of skin. There were eight pieces of my foot missing and I had no visible sign of my left ankle. The only evidence of an ankle being there was bone dust. I had bled many pints of blood into my abdomen and also out of my body and my prognosis was bleak.

As I lay there on the stretcher finally, I heard my daughter’s voice. I was so excited. She was fine! She was telling me what my foot looked like and I was rebuking her words! I’ve had the pleasure of hearing her voice every day for nineteen years but on that particular day it was not only a blessing but also soothing to my inner man. I remember hearing the doctor calling for them to prepare the operating room. I questioned him “why” and his answer was met with one of the strongest rebukes I had ever issued.

He stated the operating room was being prepared for amputation. I turned and looked at him and said in the name of Jesus I don’t think so. I rebuke that and I am not receiving that curse. He told me, Ma’am, your foot is in pieces, in fact eight pieces are missing and it is no longer attached to your body. I told him, “Can you fix it?” He said, “no.” Amputation was what he recommended. Well I said you can put the pieces into a bag and send me where they can repair this foot. I watch ‘Lifeline’ and I know there has to be a doctor that can reconstruct even this. He went on to say, “There are many pieces of your foot missing and you have no left ankle”; amputation is the only way to repair.” I said sternly, “God will grow the bones”, and that was all I had to say to him. The words of Mark 11:24 came flooding into my spirit, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

 

I believed that God would grow new pieces for my foot or even give me a new one and that was what I was standing on. I told that doctor that we serve and awesome and mighty living God and I knew what He is capable of. What was not accomplishable with man God would and could do! So they bagged me up and sent me and my daughter packing into another ambulance and headed for a larger town with greater trauma and medical facilities.

I was amazed that my daughter who had flown in Air Med to the hospital with a broken back had just climbed into this ambulance and was at my side. She was bruised and very sore but completely whole! I had no doubt our Lord had heard my prayers for her and according to the words of life spoken in Psalm 72:12-14, “He will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help. He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in His sight.” He healed her.

 

The Longest Second Ride

 

As we traveled twenty six more miles headed towards Lafayette Louisiana which was a much larger city with greater trauma facilities I could still feel this peace around me. A peace that seemed like I was not here on earth, but elevated above what was taking place. The paramedic that road in the back with me happen to remember me from high school. I had no idea at that time who he was but he assured me that he knew me. He never once indicated how dire and extremely serious my condition was. My daughter continued to be a source of joy and laughter. Her jokes about the condition of my clothing and the look of my hair took the edge off the criticalness of what I had gone through. It seemed like this twenty six mile ride was taking forever. I knew where the source of my comfort was. Psalm 119:50 says, “My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.”

 

I knew God was in control. God has ordained that His Word, made powerful by the Spirit, will bring comfort, hope and strength to His faithful as we experience trouble and sorrow. Because God’s Word is living and active, it has the power to revive and restore us who abide in it and in God. When in trouble, turn to the Lord and His Word and wait for His Spirit to impart His life and peace to you. I felt as though I was transported on a cloud. In Psalm 34:7, 17, it says, “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them. The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them.” I knew God had appointed His angels to protect and rescue us from spiritual and physical harm. This promise of divine intervention is reserved for everyone who trust in God.

 

The paramedics continued to concern themselves with my pain and blood pressure. I actually felt no pain. And even though my blood pressure was extremely low I felt wonderful. Upon arriving in Lafayette, the trauma center had been alerted. When they wheeled me into triage the nurses and doctors were amazed that someone in my present condition had even lasted this long.

While we were at the accident sight a very dear woman from our home church was alerted in the Spiritual realm to pray and intercede for me. I was not able to speak to this woman, but her brother was on the First Response team that cut me out of the car. He immediately called his sister Charmaine, who is a number one intercessor, close personal prayer partner and friend of mine. Even before I arrived at the first hospital she had been in deep intercessory prayer. My daughter had called my Pastor, Joe Gall of the Haven Church and he and Wanda a great intercessory prayer leader met us at the hospital. I was really blessed to be a part of such a wonderful group of Holy Spirit filled intercessors. The church, though few in number, was able to make great waves in the Spiritual realm with their deep and unending intercessory prayer. His wife, Pastor Sue Gall was on prayer alert at their home.

 

By the time I arrived at the second hospital it seemed like the whole world knew what was going on except me. My daughter placed a call to my Spiritual Mother, Pastor Mary Ann Cole of New Testament Outreach Ministries. Pastor Cole, whose mighty ministry lies in Spiritual Warfare, then alerted all the prayer warriors from her ministry as well as some prayer warriors from the other surrounding ministries. If you ever need prayer these people are the ones that need to be standing in the gap for you. I knew the prayer covering was intense because I had such a great peace about the whole situation. I was and am a firm believer in the power of prayer. I was always taught that prayer was not preparation for the battle, it was the battle. I really don’t think these people were aware of just exactly how critical the situation was, but I know God was on the scene.

The doctors decided that the first order of business would be to get my blood pressure stabilized and to prepare the operating room so they could piece back together the pieces of my left foot and my calf bone. I would later learn that this fracture was caused from the tremendous force from the impact on the front of the car when it took the nose dive into the side of the ditch. It was a multiple compound fracture that exited out of the skin. I was told by the doctor that she did not know if she could save my foot. I was also alerted that she did not even think I would survive the operation. I had no idea what she meant I just knew that I was not going to die.

 

Back Together …. So I Thought

 

When I awoke from the surgery I really don’t remember what I said or did. I was not aware of anything, nor did I recognize anyone who was with me. The ventilator tube prevented me from talking and I remember an excessive thirst. I made it through the first night and then in the morning December 7, 2003 I was reminded of God’s promise in, 1 Peter 3:17-18, “It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body and made alive by the Spirit.” Even though my physical body felt like I was dead, I knew that my Spirit was alive and kicking (so to speak).

 

Suddenly, my blood pressure began to drop drastically once again. By this time my whole family was there. My church family, close relatives and life long friends. The doctors alerted the operating room that I was coming down again. All symptoms pointed to a major internal bleed from somewhere. They alerted my Dad that I was not going to make it. I was literally dying. They told him to contact everyone that was not there and let them know. My son was with his Dad in a near by city. They told him over the phone that his Mother was in a very serious car accident and my injuries were so severe that I was not expected to make it through the surgery. I praise God that they spoke to my ex-husband who was now a powerful man of God and he took those words and shot them back in the devil’s face and basically told him where to go with them.

 

My Dad contacted the Red Cross in order to get an urgent message to my daughter Olivia who was in the military and stationed 2500 miles from us. I praise God to this day that this particular call never made it through. It seemed like everyone I’ve ever known was at the hospital. I remember some, but most of the people I thought were there weren’t physically there but spiritually there. The whole situation was amazing to me. The doctor told me he held no hope of my coming through the operation. I remember asking him why he thought like that. He replied, “Because your blood pressure is 70/30, and you have surgery ahead of you”, and for some reason I was bleeding out every pint of blood they put in me and they had no idea where it was going. I looked at him and asked him if he knew his business. He replied, “He was the best in the business.” So I told him just as boldly as I could, “Then get to your business I am not going to die...I died yesterday.” I said I loved you to all my family and friends and miraculously four and one half hours later I was back in ICU. Back on the ventilator and back on the critical list. During the surgery the doctor discovered that my spleen had burst, and my liver was lacerated quite extensively almost in half to be exact. I was given many more pints of blood and they removed what was left of my spleen and repaired my liver.

 

I hated that ventilator. I can remember trying my best once I was more alert to pull that thing out of my throat. Four days after the second surgery I pleaded silently with God to help me get this thing out of my body. I can remember petitioning and pleading with Him for what seemed like days. Once, when my son and daughter were visiting with me I tried to pull the line out. The nurses scolded me but I was determined to be released from that bondage. I lay there silently for four days unable to speak or write and I had had enough. I motioned for them to get the doctor and get this thing out! When you breathe normally you take quicker breaths than the ventilator was allowing so during the lapse in breaths it feels like you are suffocating.

 

The doctor came in and decided since I was breathing on my own that they could take the line out. I was never so grateful. When they removed the line that held my throat bound I felt as though I had gone through deliverance. The first thing I remember saying was, “It’s about time!” They were amazed at how well I could speak. I told them it was because I had been having a long argument with God about this thing. Although I was still dazed, confused and drugged on pain medicine I really felt wonderful. I had a two foot long scar and 175 staples on my abdomen and my foot was bandaged extensively. I had cuts on my forehead and neck and I was bruised everywhere. What really upset me was that the hospital staff did not even clean me. I laid there with dried blood and dried mud everywhere. I was later told they were not going to bother cleaning me and let the funeral home do that job. I told them, the devil is a liar.  Now you can clean me.

With all my vital signs stable and my pain under control they decided after fours days in ICU to move me to the critical care floor. The transition went fine. My bed was comfortable and I had no problems rolling from side to side. The staff of this hospital were amazed that I had made it through what seemed like a death sentence. I know there were people out there that were upset that I had pulled through. However, the one being that was really mad was satan. He really thought he had me this time. Psalm 70:2-3 says, “May those who seek my life be put to shame and confusion; may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace. May those who say to me, Aha! Aha! Turn back because of their shame.”

Before wheeling me into surgery the doctor spoke to my Pastor, my friend Wanda and my daughter Megan and basically told them the same thing she told me. I was so very thankful that those words were commanded to fall to the ground and never take root. They took authority over the situation in the name of Jesus and commanded Satan to loose his hold on me.

The surgery to repair my foot took six and one half hours; I was given eight pints of blood and put on the critical list. What was left of my left foot and shin bone was now a mess of metal plates, rods, hinges and screws. My shin bone was sawed down to fit my new ankle and the torn muscle, ligaments, tendons and tissue were reattached. Due to the construction of the hardware, adjustments were needed. I was transported to ICU and put on life support systems. My condition was listed as extremely critical. I was given less than a 50/50 ‘chance’ of survival. I praise God that ‘chance’ is not in His vocabulary!

After 2 months in the hospital and another 10 months of not being able to walk I am here today, complete through Christ, with 12 pounds of titanium in my left foot and leg, and scars that tell the testimony of 'Who's' I am I am able to give God the glory every day of my life! Only by His grace was I redeemed from the curse of an early death because Jesus holds the keys of death, hell and the grave! I can still hear Him saying to satan, "Not now devil, this one is mine." Watch for this miracle testimony to be available in print with my next book, "From Tragedy to Triumph" 'The Accident'.........These days I spend my time encouraging those in these situations as well as other situations to reach for His hand and look up not down because we are MORE THAN CONQUERORS through Christ our Lord and the Lifter of our heads!

In His Love,

  By His Spirit,

   I scribe His Heart ♥    

Good Morning LORD ♥ƸӜƷ♥

Seduced Away!

Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns -- August 26, 2008:

Awake, arise and return from your distractions to ongoing fellowship with Me, says the Lord. Many things have demanded and even required your attention, and you have been seduced away from pure devotion to your God. Silence your flesh, and come away to spend time in My presence. I will encourage and strengthen your body, soul and spirit. Don't delay; respond to My wooing.

Nehemiah 1:9 'If you return to Me, and keep My commandments and do them, though some of you were cast out to the farthest part of the heavens, yet I will gather them from there, and bring them to the place which I have chosen as a dwelling for My name.'

In the above message I have a couple sentences highlighted and underlined as instructed by the Holy Spirit. I have spent this whole day in communion with the Holy Spirit after much time spent with the ‘things that have demanded and even required my attention.’

This message rang so true in my spirit and also confirmed the way I had been feeling. It was like I was living my life in some sort of vacuum sealed bag and nothing was allowed to penetrate inside it, not even the power of the Holy Spirit. My days are full of ministry and so had become my nights as well. I just began to feel like the Lord called me and anointed me to do this job for Him so the job HAD to get done regardless of what or who had to take second place….

Ahhhh, the seduction became so crystal clear. At first my heart broke because I thought I had neglected to fulfill a duty that I was require to and let the Lord down in some way, but in an instant the Holy Spirit gave me the revelation as to why I had been feeling so numb and then my heart REALLY broke.

For eight years I sat and learned how to do ministry. The middle of the ninth year was much hands on preparation. That began in the summer of that same year. According to the seasons and also the Spiritual shifts the summers are when we as Christians grow and move forward the most in the areas of ministry we are being groomed for.

Just as in the natural, spiritually we experience winter, spring, summer, and fall in virtually every element of our lives; ministry, marriage, spiritual growth, business, finance, relationships, etc. These individual aspects of life will experience seasons similar to what we face each year we live. Winter is a time of uncomfortable ness, a time to get warm and intimate with God, a time to rest physically and to exist on what has been stored from the previous harvest. It is a time of gaining direction for planting, to glean from past mistakes, to repair and prepare for the coming spring.

Spring is a time of planting and activity, a time of work and effort to carry out instructions gained in winter, a time of great spiritual and physical energy and a time that great energy is required. It is a time of plowing new and sometimes hard ground and a time to fertilize the soil with prayer. Summer is a time of watering (praying) and weeding (doing warfare over) the freshly planted crop. It is a time in which the crop is in potential danger from the heat of summer, thus the need for much watering. It is also the time we begin to see the first evidence of our planting (First the stalk, then the ear, then the full colonel in the ear.) Fall is the time of harvest; a time where the physical evidence of our hard work during previous seasons has arrived. It is a time of Thanksgiving, a time of refreshing and a time for storing for the winter that is sure to come. Fall is a time of utilizing the harvest, of good stewardship and proper dispersing of what has been harvested.

Without the ability to discern the times (seasons), I have followed false leadings, heard incorrectly, sought harvest in winter, and in many cases, simply “missed God.” As I dove deeper into this revelation, the Lord began to open up the scriptures to me in a wonderful and fascinating way that not only explained the reality of spiritual seasons, but of even greater importance, allowed me to see that with this discernment I was now much more able to hear God correctly and more accurately know His direction for various times (seasons) in my life.

http://www.lighthouseprophecy.com/prophecy/TheRealityofSpiritualSeasons.html

These past twelve months have basically zoomed by for me and I really cannot recall the winter and the spring because I was in the summer season all through the ninth year and today August 27, 2008 begins the 10th year! Much time has been spent doing what the ‘ministry’ required and after I read that message early this a.m. I knew that I had basically placed the ‘ministry’ once again ahead of the Lord.

Years ago this happened to me as well. Back then I made a vow that I would never put anything and anyone ahead of my God and the time that I am required to spend with Him. The Holy Spirit and I have this message that He sends to me to remind me that I have not spent enough time in fellowship with Him. For years it’s been the song by Phillips, Craig and Dean ‘No Matter How Far’. I don’t have the video to the song but I wanted to include the words.

I watched you as you stumbled out of bed Rushed out the door your coffee in your hand And you looked so lost and lonely I knew I had to find a way To make you understand, I wanna be your friend So I painted a sunrise in the sky And I caused the birds to sing you lullabies And I whispered sweet "I love you's" In the breeze that brushed your face You didn't even see, you never noticed Me No matter how long it takes, somehow I'll find a way No matter how far you run, there's no distance that's too great 'Cause when the wind blows through the treetops And in the music of the rain Somehow My love will find a way No Matter how long it takes I watched you as you fell asleep last night And I trembled as I watched the tears you cried So I splashed your face with moonlight, and I longed for your embrace You never called My name, I loved you just the same In the laughter of the children I'll be calling out your nameSomehow My love will find a way Somehow My love will find a way My love will find a way No matter how long it takes

Each time I would hear this song I knew I was slacking on my intimate communion with the Lord. Immediately I would drop all that I was doing and go to my secret place and just fellowship with Him for however long He needed me.

Lately, He has chosen His own song and when I discerned what He was trying to say to me I listened each time it was played and it was played a whole lot, I thanked Him and just went on with my daily grind. Never once did I stop what I was doing, never once did I go and just be with Him. Never once did I realize how much He missed our times together as much as I needed them. Please don’t be offended, I am no favorite of the Lord however, I do know that the time that we spend with Him in intimate communion is as important to us as it is to Him.

Today I spent the whole day with Him. Oh did some chains break, did some tears fall and then just swept away as if into His very body did I fall in deeper love with Him even more so than ever before. We sang, we danced, we spoke Scripture, and we reminisced about previous visits and just sat and thought about how much He has brought me through.

I was so empty, so barren, and so dry and then deluge. He held nothing back, He held nothing against me, He never lost one ounce of love for me because I was not devoting the time that He so rightly deserves to Him. He just opened His arms and welcomed me back. How loving and gracious was that? I do not know any other person that could be that understanding, that forgiving, that loyal. I did not have to wait hours for His love, it was there the instant I repented and asked His forgiveness.

Saints, what’s taking up His time in your lives? What have you placed ahead of Him in your lives? He’s a jealous God. But most of all He’s a loving God and He misses His children greatly. I remember years ago I would wake up, get the kiddos to school and then come back and sit at my favorite place with my tablet and my Bible in hand because I was expecting His talks.

When I would notice, my children were walking through the door coming back from school. This relationship went on for years, and then seasons change and I had to re-adjust me not Him. I’d find myself getting up very early and just being with Him, no words, just one on one intimate fellowship with Him. I needed Him; I needed to feel Him, smell Him, and be near Him! My day could not start without that time spent with Him.

Then seasons change, He didn’t but I did. Slowly our time together became shorter and shorter. And I became dryer and dryer. Then I decided to give Him the first fruits of my day and start from 12:00am and until 3:00am that was the new fellowship time.

He never complained. He was always so faithful. He never stopped loving me. However, now, after this morning revelation I know He was hurting. I love the Lord with all of me, and the one blessing that those intimate hours of communion birthed had begun to take His place. I was instructed a few months ago to take some time off.

During and after my daughter’s surgery I still kept a full load. Ministry, advocate, counselor, encourager, I just knew I could do it all. Oh how much less drained I would have become if I had only listened. Oh I had all the ‘what abouts’ what about the court dates Lord, what about the scheduling Lord, what about the meetings Lord, what about the conferences Lord, what about the new book Lord then I hear so plainly What about….. ‘ME’ CeCe? Oh how rebellious I had become!

Today I put away the ‘what abouts’ and decided to get back to the ‘hello my Lord’ Your handmaiden has come to seek Your face! Oh what a joy this has been. Oh what I had missed! I wrote this poem and I wanted to share with you all:

My heart racing, My eyes tearing, My knees weakened.

I could hear Him, I could smell Him, I could sense Him.

The pounding from my heart became rhythmic, The song became clearer, My spirit began to leap inside me, And then I see Him.

Robed in all His Glory. Gleaming as if gold had been poured upon Him.Glorious, Beautiful, Gorgeous, and Oh so handsome.

As He took my hand my body became weaker, Just them I feel His embrace as my face gently laid upon His chest. Deeper and Deeper I began to breathe, As if I could never get enough.

How I missed Him, How I loved Him, How I was just taken with Him, More so than ever before.

Against His chest, Wrapped in His embrace, Overwhelmed by His presence, I am home.

Safe in His arms, Nourished by His Spirit, Inside butterflies, As if we had just met.

“I’ve missed you My daughter … I longed to hear you call Me … I love you more than My own life … Drink deep, release the strife that this world has put upon you … You are Mine … I do not share this time with anyone or anything … You need Me in this season of preparation more so than you have ever … Come My child, walk with Me, talk to Me, tell Me about what’s on your heart, I care, I’m here, sit with Me and I will take you and visit the places that only you and I dwell.”

My heart is on fire, My breath is labored, My feet feel like air, My spirit is ablaze.

No more pain, No more hurt, No more strife, No more wounds.

Just He and me like always before. Close, Closer, Oh pull me closer. Drink deep, Drink deep leave nothing unquenched. Swept away by the love of a lifetime.

He is mine and I am His, No other distraction will take His place, Come now when He calls, Get on my face, And enter the place where true love abides.

By His side, In His embrace, Close enough to feel the beating of His heart. I am swept away. Lost in His love.

People there is no love like His love. Human romance doesn’t even come close. Take some time and listen to this song. Close your eyes and envision yourself right there in His arms. Wrapped safely. It’s time to get back to Him. Take sometime and renew your relationship with Him and allow Him to take you higher than you have ever been! Respond to His wooing! You’ll never regret it!

In His Love,

 By His Spirit,

   I scribe His Heart ♥ƸӜƷ♥

Good Morning LORD ♥ƸӜƷ♥

Daily Defilements:

"Mine enemies would daily swallow me up." Psa_56:2 There are some enemies which only come to us at interludes. But you will note that it was different with the psalmist. It was not rarely and briefly that his enemies fell upon him to destroy him. What inspired his bitter cry was that every day he lived he was in peril: "Mine enemies would daily swallow me up." He never woke with a heart that was at peace saying, "Thank God all is well today."

At any moment he might hear the ringing of the battle cry. And it was that which almost broke his heart and drove him in a wild despair to God and robbed him of all power to be happy. How to Deal With Daily Defilement: One thing at least is clear, and that is that we must never contemplate escape by flight. If God has given us our work to do, then we must continue with it in spite of all the soiling.

There can be no escape from daily sin by flying from the path of daily duty. It is such dreams that builds monasteries, and many a monastery becomes like Sodom. You remember how Peter, on the mount of glory, wanted to build tabernacles there. He wanted to live forever in that solitude where all the voices of the world were hushed. And then the Savior led him down again, right into the jostling of the crowd, and Peter learned that life was not given for a hermitage.

 

Brothers and sisters, you may be sure of this, that true peace demands an open channel, an unobstructed way to God if one is to walk with music in his heart. And I say that no tragic fall so blocks the channel between earth and heaven as do these daily little and unnoticed sins that grow and gather in the passing days.

 

 

In His Love,

 By His Spirit,

   I scribe His Heart  ♥ƸӜƷ♥

Good Morning LORD ♥ƸӜƷ♥

Philippians 4:13 ---

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. The road to success is not straight. There is a curve called Failure, a loop called Confusion, speed bumps called Friends, red lights called, Enemies, caution lights called Family.

 

You will have flats called Jobs. But, if you have a spare called Determination, an engine called Perseverance, insurance called Faith, a driver called Jesus, you will make it to a place called Success.

 

 

In His Love,

  By His Spirit,

    I scribe His Heart  ♥ƸӜƷ♥

Good Morning LORD ♥ƸӜƷ♥

This is my Bible:




I am what it says I am; I have what it says I have; I can do what it says I can do; Today, I will be taught the Word of God. I'll boldly confess/ My mind is alert; my heart is receptive; I will never be the same. I am about to receive the incorruptible, indestructible, ever-living Seed of the Word of God. I'll never be the same -never; never, never! I'll never be the same in Jesus' Name.  Are you living it?
 
 
 
In His Love,
  By His Spirit,
    I scribe His Heart ♥ƸӜƷ♥

Good Morning LORD ♥ƸӜƷ♥

Rom 10:11 Scripture says,

"Whoever believes in him will not be ashamed." What lie is the devil telling to you today? What is he speaking to you about that makes you feel that what you may have done in the past is always in the future? Friends, if you've given your life to Jesus and accepted Him as Lord and Savior then I know this, God never reminds you of your past to make you ashamed of your future! What you went through, what you gave up, what you continue to nail to the Cross is just that...lost forever in the sea of forgetfullness. Your past may come up, but only as a ministry tool that God alone will use to help another in that same situation. Whatever was your test now becomes your testimony to what the grace and love of Christ has done in your life. So the next time satan reminds you of your past, remind him of his future!

 

 

In His Love,

  By His Spirit,

    I scribe His Heart ♥ƸӜƷ♥