Author: Justine

A Hint of Summer

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The first 80 degree day calls me out into the flowerbed!

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We are thankful to have the yellow tulips show up. The red color seems to be dominate and take over.

I did actually clean up a section of the front flowerbed.

Getting out and sitting in the middle of the foliage looking for weeds and picking up the leftovers from last year stretches my core muscles. I might feel it in the morning.

About one 1/3 of this bed of flowers is weeded and ready for the year to start. Hopefully I will  get busy and take control over the weeds again.

Timing it well I stop weeding and change into running clothes and run 3 miles. I did enjoy catching some of the sunset, it has been a while.

God is Good!

Power Outage

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Storm coming through Sunday evening about 6:00 P.M..

First I speak to the storm,

“Peace to the storm! God send Your angles to protect us here keep us safe and our daughter wherever she is.”

I am taken by surprise with the power shutting off. Something in my spirit knows it isn’t coming on anytime soon. I ask Bart,

“Can you get the frozen milk out of the downstairs freezer and put it in the fridge?”

I have one request for God,

“God, please save our food.”

We get a call from our daughter saying she is safe but was almost hit by the marathon awning.

Bart and I go for a walk in the dark noticing the places with generators and some with emergency lights. We can see street lights down the road and the McDonald’s restaurant has power.

Not seeing any danger I put on running clothes and head out the door. It is a little freaky how dark some places are while others are lit up as normal. We know since it is spotty power outages here that we won’t be the first place receiving power.

We find candles to help us walk from room to room and I am wishing my computer had been charged to give me something to do. Reading by flashlight or candle is not easy. Thankfully my iPad is charged and I have Joyce Meyer’s podcast downloaded for days like this.

In the morning we find out we might have power about midnight so I start thinking of places to charge batteries. Driving home from an appointment I am planing to buy ice to keep the fridge cold enough but I receive a phone call from Bart saying,

“The power is back on, we don’t need ice!”

Returning home I quickly check the temperature in the fridge and freezer, everything looks good and even the ice cream is still ice cream.

“Thank You Jesus!”

I started this story on April 1 and the storm was March 30, today is April 16. The people in Northern Michigan who had the ice storm still don’t have power.

I am thankful we have power and pray for those without.

Words have Power, Prayer is Powerful so Speak Life, ask God’s Angels for Protection, and most of all PRAY TO GOD OUR FATHER WHO LOVES US! AMEN!

 

 

Day Eight

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Today is day eight of 3 mile runs!

What is different than the last 50 times I trying to get back into running?

God drops 30 days in my heart!

In 2012, God puts the picture of the gas station in my mind about a half mile in my run,  challenging me to run 2 miles!

It becomes 30 days in a row even if I need to walk a bit. What counts is the distance, not the speed or form. This stretching my run expands to between 5 to 10 miles a run with a plan of running every day.

This time around I seem to run 3 miles, some days have been like pulling teeth but the next day will be easy and fun.

I am noticing a change in my perspective!

Getting out of bed I see what is ahead of me instead of the floor. This means I am standing straight and tall, not bent over! Muscles are growing!

GOD IS SO GOOD!

What is God trying to help you improve in your life?

Return to Running

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Today is day 2 of my first 30 days of running!

I know running has been one of my things for 15 years but the last 5 years especially have gone from infrequent to almost nonexistent.

My body weakened so much so that going to church for a few hours and sitting up in their chairs would take me out for a day.

HOPE FOR A NEW FUTURE

Sometime in December God gave me the Wisdom to not wait to be successful at running to exercise building muscle. His challenge began with exercise every night before bed; starting with a 1 minute plank and 12 push-ups.

The hard work of moving a ladder around to get Christmas lights down strengthened my body noticeably! My plank grew to 2 minutes  and my push-ups increased to 25! This totally shocked me!

The difference is showing up in places like going to watch a movie in the theater! Last Year I went to watch, “The Chosen” in the theater lasting 2 and 3 hours. My body could hardly make it through the movie and it took me out for many days. This year “The Chosen” has returned to the theater with out any problems!

God is so good!

I Believe the return of DAILY RUNNING starts today!

GOD IS SO VERY GOOD!

Devotion

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Devotion: What is it? Does it exist today?
I noticed Charlie paying complete attention to his master who happens to be eating.

His hope is something will drop rewarding him for his attention.

He may not get a treat now but just being at the feet of his master is enough to fill Charlie with contentment.

The dictionary suggests devotion is an act of worship and prayer or an act of dedication to a cause.

When I saw Charlie so attentive today I thought of God The Father who gave His Only Son to clear the way for us to be in relationship with Him.

He gave all because He wants our love and devotion.

How often do we respond to His goodness with our love and devotion?

Sneaky Weakness

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I am taken by surprise to see the picture my husband takes of me walking into the room.

What happen?

God healed bones and nerves to give me strength stand to stand up straight, and I lost it?

 

Back in 2010, my muscles are so weak I need assistance walking any distance. I use my husband and daughter to help me walk, but I am about ready to get a cane. My butt muscles need help.

Before I buy a cane, God steps in! He gives me brand new vertebrae which takes away pain and starts connecting nerves to create muscle strength.

An example of of my weakness before: my middle school daughter comes home from school,

“Mom can we play catch?”

“Yes!”

Heading out back with mitts and a softball we start but I am not able to throw the ball across the yard to her. Why?

I switch to underhanded tossing and it works, but my body stops functioning after only three throws.

“What is going on? Why can’t I throw the ball? Is sitting on the couch all I can do? I am only 40 years old!”

A few years later I loose the ability to raise my right hand above my head or extend it out in front of me. I don’t understand.

Age 49, God challenges me to run! Christmas 2011, I am able to run a funky mile by running the blocks and walking the streets. I am working hard enough to stop at the end of the street to catch my breath before I turn and run home.

The next day I have a desire to run. I’m thinking,

I can’t run two days in a row.

The desire is strong enough I try,

Wow! I can lift my legs and run!

Running two days in a row is a definite miracle! God is So Very Good!

Over the years, God continues to teach me how to stand straight and tall so the bones reform causing me to loose my forward lean. I am able to grow muscles and my new strength erases my  limp. It is shocking when I try to show someone my old posture but it is gone! My forward lean disappeared.

A friend says, “Every seven years our cells completely change over.”

I have spent enough time standing straight and tall that my forward lean is erased!

Looking at the picture I wonder,

“I have been standing tall and straight for years, so why am I leaning so far forward?

Searching for answers I decide my peak happens in 2017 when my daughter sees me returning from a 10 mile run and says,

“Your legs are skinny!”

The first inclination of weakness shows up after Mom dies January 2018 when I need someone to help me weed my flower garden.

The year 2019, comprises of being caretaker for my dad and my husband. This is when my thinking starts to change from run to walk,

“I am able to run 5 miles so I should be able to walk 5 miles.”

November 2021, Grace, my cat dies. May 2022 Dad dies and depression starts to creep into my life.

When I try to get my strength back I believe lies!

First I believe all I need to do is run one mile a day to keep my strength.

A year later, I remember when God taught me to run at least 2 miles daily, But it is not enough.

In the winter of 24-25, I happen to run 5 miles and the next day I feel strength in my core!  I am standing tall for the first time in years!

Since life gets in the way, I started doing planks and push-ups daily. This helps me stay strong enough to run when I get the chance.

It is a journey of faith as I fight for health and strength!

Strength makes life easier and more fun!

 

 

Feeling Blessed

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Today, I woke easily and made it to Bible study where we talked about spreading the Joy of The LORD.

After Bible study I drive to a larger grocery store close to church. I have been out of Aloe Vera Juice and can not find it at my local store. It helps my intestines work. Thankful to find it, I pick up two gallons and realize a cart would be handy.

I walk past a lady on the way to the carts. I am not sure if she is working as I carry two gallons of Aloe Vera towards the doors, hoping no one will think I am stealing it. After grabbing a cart, I decide to stop and explain what I am doing.

The woman turns out to be a customer resting on her walker. I start to explain what Aloe Vera Juice does to keep me healthy and then she tells me about her health issues.

She is interested when I offer the idea of believing God to keep her healthy instead of waiting for the problem to return. We talk for a good 15 minutes and she allows me to pray for her healing.

Noticing people and stopping to give an encouraging word can change a person’s day and even make our day better.

I am actually still smiling and feeling joyful a full 24 hours after this conversation.

GOD IS SO VERY GOOD!

Jesus Already Paid

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We survive Y2K, now we are set to move!

We are selling the house in Florida and buying a couple acres in Kentucky.

Surprise, all of a suddenly a pain in my tailbone shows up. Sitting and standing both become difficult!

“God, You have to do something, I need to be able to take care of this house and yard we are buying!”

“Justine, When you take your daughter to the radio station to give her offering, ask them to pray for your healing.”

Arriving at the radio station, we enter the building unsure where to go. Finding our way to the announcer we wait until she is done announcing the next song.

Getting  past the awkward moment she assumes my daughter wants to empty her purse, I mention.

 “God told me to ask you to pray for healing.”

We stand in a circle and she prays over me. Nothing happens we offer thanks and leave the building. Opening the door to the outside I question God!

“What’s up God? You told me to come here and have them pray for me, and I did! Nothing happened! What’s up?”

“Jesus already paid! You don’t have to pay!”

By the time I reach my vehicle the pain is gone!

Fifteen years earlier a thought enters my mind.

I deserve to hurt because I didn’t listen!

God doesn’t make us pay!

JESUS ALREADY PAID!

John 3:17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

JOHN 19:30b Jesus said, “IT IS FINISHED!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.

Healing Exposes Creativity

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Walking in the fresh snow Bart is walking faster then I am able. This gives me the ability to see the foot patterns in the fresh 4 inches of snow left by Bart and Charlie.

Later we switch to walking in the street’s tire tracks making it easier to walk.

This cross tire tracks catch my attention and I stop to take a picture.

Checking to see if cropping  the picture improves it or not? What do you think?

 

 

The screenshots at the bottom looked better on my phone. The colors pop and just look beautiful.

This game has shown me how I think color and pattern and my husband thinks numbers. Every once and a while they will have the exact same pattern only flipped and I will wonder why being upside down would be so much harder.

The answer came from Bart. He sees they increased the numbers explaining the reason it is harder.

What does all this have to do with healing? Spending most of my life protecting myself from life, all my creativity was shut down. As I am being set free from protecting myself my brain is opening up to the creativity I was born with.

GOD IS SO VERY GOOD!

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The Power of Scripture

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Being Washed and Renewed in The Water of The Word

Yesterday we were listening to a sermon talking about The Power of Scripture in our lives when I turn to Bart and say,

“You wouldn’t want to be around me if I haven’t spend time with God, would you?”

Laughing he replies, “No way!”

I start to really learn this years ago about 1995, when we leave a small town and move to a big city. We do find a church to join. They ask me to teach music for Vacation Bible School.  The only way I know how is with a tape recorder and Amy Grant music. I am very nervous helping out for my very first time.

During a break I grab my Bible, walk outside, and sit on the steps to read a chapter in the Old Testament. I read about kings and don’t understand much but it is time with God.

When I go back inside and start to work with kids, everyone is able to tell something has changed! They want to know,

“What happened? You are so calm and peaceful?”

I said, “All I did was open my Bible and read a chapter out of the Old Testament!”

That was the first time I knew other people could see a difference in me by just reading my Bible.

Around the same time I ask Bart to watch Michelle who was one or maybe two. I NEED to spend time with God, I don’t want to be around me.

After an hour, Bart calls down the stairs, “Are you done yet? I want to watch sports.”

“No! I need more time!”

“OK, don’t worry.”

A few years ago in the 2020’s, my troubled soul wakes me and doesn’t allow me return to sleep.  So I drag myself out of bed on a cold night to spend time with God until I am at Peace!

I quickly learn it’s better to spend time with God before bed.

Does anyone have any thoughts?

Does anyone think I’m crazy?

Does anyone else know the calming peace of spending time in God’s Word?

What I Know is,

When I write  all my worries and cares in my journal

and spend time in His Word,

Peace fills my soul and Joy Bubbles up inside me.

God Bless you.

GOD IS SO VERY GOOD!