September 17, 2021, marks the 40th anniversary of my walking with Jesus.

It started when my family moved West to Oregon: even though I had completed one year of college I was not ready to live on my own, so I moved with them.It only took one summer for me to realize I could not live there with them so I took a train back to the University of North Dakota.

Isn’t it like God to make things feel so uncomfortable that we have to move to the next area God has planned. The fear of changing and living on my own was less scary than staying in a very uncomfortable place.

Once back at school I contacted Jill, the friend I had made my freshman year.  She was a Christian who lived across the hall going out to sing every week. I know now that God gave me the desire to ask, “Can I join your group?”

She took me to the first Folk Group meeting of the new school year. We did a Bible Study, “Out of the Salt Shaker,” then we were asked to write what we believed the goal of the group was.

Before breaking to go back to the dorm we prayed as a group popcorn prayer. I noticed they had something I didn’t have. As they prayed, I told God, “I want what they have.”

God filled me instantly with JOY and LOVE I had never known before and He gave me a desire to devour the Bible! I wanted to tell everyone what I have found!

What I wrote for a goal was how I wanted to tell everyone about this LOVE I was filled with; they thought it wasn’t the kind of goal they were asking for, but they counted it as becoming Born Again, a new believer in Jesus.

I grew up in church, was baptized, went to Sunday school, confirmation, and was confirmed. I had a Bible and tried to read it but couldn’t keep it going. The 23rd Psalm was something I knew because my mom helped me memorize when I was 8 years old. My Grandma read Bible to us every night when we lived with her, but at home Mom only prayed before meals and at bed time until we were of age, and she brought us to church.

What did Jill do that drew me in to see something more than just going to church?

Jill didn’t condemn me for my life style, but she walked in LOVE and ACCEPTANCE. She told me of a better way to live but didn’t push, just gave information. I am sure she prayed for me and she invited me to join her to do some fun things.

When I returned to school and I asked to join her, Jill took me to Folk Group and introduced me to IVCF. I found out I could have fun without drinking. People accepted me and LOVED me even when I wanted to run away because I didn’t know how to be accepted. They nurtured me and discipled me until my accident, (but that is another story)

God has been teaching me how to be a friend; apologize if I overstep my bounds, not judge lifestyle, walk alongside people, and build them up in Jesus. He has defiantly been teaching me how to Love and Forgive the unlovable and realize most people act the way they do out of hurt or pain.

God wants to use you to show His LOVE!

DO YOU KNOW HIS LOVE? IF NOT JUST ASK AND HE WILL FILL YOU AS HE FILLED ME!

GOD IS GOOD! GOD IS VERY GOOD! GOD IS SO VERY GOOD!

 

Jesus came to bring Love and Forgiveness, not to expose our faults.

Twenty years ago I heard someone talk about offense and how we are not to take any. I didn’t know what an offense was so I asked God, “What is offense?”

Later that day, our neighbor came over to return something. As she talked about life she added, “I don’t like your daughter.”

My thought, “How could you not like my daughter, this sweet girl that everyone likes?”

God said, “That is offense!”

I knew I needed to forgive this woman and quickly. “LORD HELP ME FORGIVE THIS WOMAN, and BLESS her, help me walk in Love with her Jesus!”

By the time she left, I had forgiven and the bad feeling left. I didn’t say anything, but she might have seen an expression on my face, (my face shows all).

I still remember, but I don’t hold it against her and any time it might come to my mind I will pray, “God Bless her and

In 2 Corinthians 5:17-6:3, talks about reconciliation and ends with giving no cause for offense that the ministry of Christ be discredited.

When working to reconcile, we don’t expose all the garbage that tore us apart. God sent Jesus to be a man; and to be our lamb to cover our sin, and pay the price needed to set us free from sin and death. God doesn’t tell us everything we did wrong before He invites us into a relationship. He covers our mistakes until a time when we are ready to receive Forgiveness and Grace.

God LOVED me for 15 years before I was ready to hear that I needed to change.

HOLY SPIRIT knew when I was healed enough to receive a word from Him, He said, “You are rebellious!” This sent me to a prayer I wrote minutes before my accident.

For the next 15 years Holy Spirit would prompt me to do or not do something, to set me free from my rebellious spirit.

God has given us the commandment to LOVE God, LOVE our neighbor, and LOVE our enemies. I think that includes everyone. In 1 Corinthians 13:5b,7 says, “LOVE doesn’t take into account a wrong. LOVE Bears all things, Believes all things, Hopes all things, and Endures all things.”

Luke 6:37-38, “Do not judge and you will not be judged; do not condemn and you will not be condemned; pardon and you will be pardoned. Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, they will be poured into your lap. For however you measure it will be measured to you in return.”

This is something I will be working on until the day Jesus takes me up, but in Jesus, I have made great strides! For some reason I used to judge people with tattoos until my daughter wanted one, and people who looked or acted like someone I knew, or people who’s house is run down with trees growing out of their gutters.

I have learned to pray for these people as soon as I hear that judgment enter my mind. Some people get many more prayers than other depending on the amount of judgement in my heart.

My goal for life is in Philippians 4:6-8

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving let my requests be made known to God. And the Peace of God…guards my heart and mind in Christ Jesus.

So, whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, of good repute, if there is any excellence anything worthy of praise, let my mind dwell on these things.

This makes it hard to watch the news, but it sure makes it easier to sleep.

God Bless you.

My mind was filled with darkness that would overtake me unless I could keep it pushed down. In high school I would study in front of the television so I could actively push out the noise and concentrate on my work, in quiet I would not be able to control the darkness.

That darkness filled my life because the man who brought me to the baptismal font also lay me on Satan’s altar. I am sure he had no idea it was real, he just thought it was a good time.

My way to control the darkness was to have the radio and television on at the same time all day.

BUT GOD HAD A BETTER WAY!  Bart entered my life and God brought a radio station with His Truth to lift my soul!

God moved us to Jacksonville to teach me how to depend on Him for everything. He showed me Joyce Meyer, who has taught me for over 20 years how to Forgive; Do Good to those who hurt me; and to Take all my Thoughts Captive by Keeping only the good thoughts, and kicking out the bad thoughts. (II Corinthians 10:5)

What helped the most was Ephesians 4:22-24, in reference to my former manner of life, i lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit and that i BE RENEWED IN THE SPIRIT OF my MIND and PUT ON THE NEW SELF, which IN GOD HAS BEEN CREATED IN RIGHTEOUSNESS and HOLINESS of THE TRUTH.

God taught me to banish depression and invite Joy into my life by replacing words of defeat with God’s Word of success and righteousness.

Eph4:29, 32, 15 let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth but only such as it is good for edification according to the need that it may give grace to those who hear. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. Speak the truth IN LOVE, we are to GROW UP in all aspects into Him, who is the head, Christ.

I know only too well that the fight of the enemy is real so I put on the armor of God daily to help me fight the Good Fight and be Victorious. It doesn’t just happen, when I get dressed in the morning I have to put on my clothes, in the same way I PUT ON the Full Armor of God!

Eph 6:10-13 Finally, BE STRONG IN THE LORD and in the strength of His might. PUT ON the full armor of God that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood , but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God , that you may be able to resist in the evil day and having done everything to STAND FIRM.

I am able to say victory shows in the ability to be in a quiet room and Be Filled with The PEACE That Passes All Understanding!

Do you know the Power of The Word has the ability to work Miracles in your daily life? Seek Him in His Word and Find Him and The Power of His Might!  God Bless you! Amen!

 

Today I am filled with Joy in a difficult season, most people would be stressed and upset but I see God moving and redeeming.

Receiving a phone call at 2 A.M. may cause panic, but I have found Peace Filling in my soul as I Trust Jesus.  I raise my arms and Praise Jesus in spite of all that is going on around me.

God is always working to keep His children safe, especially when we take our eyes off of Him. When something catches our eye, changing our focus, the road turns, and we fall into the ditch. Often it takes a few tries from different angles for God to get our attention, but He doesn’t quit until we allow Him to pull us out of our ditch.

This week my family is taking another stab at getting out of the proverbial ditch. I believe we are out of the rut that held us down as we Follow Jesus back into the Father’s arms.

Wisdom says it will not be an up only trial but God is working and I see the Promises of God being fulfilled.

God is Very Good!

I know many are wondering why I stand up and Praise God.

January 2011, God gave me a miracle!

God took away 28 years of constant pain instantly and completely during a CT-scan! The spine doctor said, “Nothing ever happened to those bones!” He didn’t know in 1983, a 65 MPH impact broke my pelvic bone in 3 places and 5 vertebrae.

Holy Spirit prompted me to ask Jesus for nerves to be connected to my muscles that were cut in 1976 and 1983. I learned atrophied muscle will not gain strength without nerves connecting them. THE LORD started connecting those nerves in 2011, giving me the ability to gain strength and lift my arms in Praise.

I started lifting my arms when I joined the choir because I felt accepted and continued because Westwood believes the Bible is The True Word of God.

This week I learned the MOST TRUE REASON:

GOD KNOWS EVERY PART OF ME (everything I have done and everything that has been done to me) AND LOVES ME AND EVEN LIKES ME and HE WANTS TO SPEND TIME WITH ME!

The woman at the well in John 4:29 msg “Come see a man who knew all about the things I did, who knew me inside and out!”

also in Psalm 27:10 NASB “My father and mother have forsaken me but The LORD will take me up.”

Rejoice in the LORD always, again I say rejoice!

The things you have learned….Practice these things and the God of peace will be with you! Philippians 4:4,9

Do you believe you have to feel however you happen to feel? Have you ever noticed your feelings are fickle, changing with every thought?

When you get up on the wrong side of the bed, what do you do? Are you ever depressed because the weekend is over? If you notice someone looking at you strangely, do bad thoughts invade your mind?

Have you noticed thoughts are connected with emotions? Do you know you have a CHOICE in how to spend your days?

God says to take every thought captive, think the best, get rid of the bad thoughts, cover other’s mistakes, and walk in LOVE. These are choices!

I saw this played out last June. Bart and I were walking in the beautiful sunshine, but depression was taking control. God spoke through my mouth, “Choose to think of 10 things you are Thankful for every morning?”

Bart made the choice to act. He started being Thankful for 10 things, the next morning.

I saw the difference immediately! First he was filled with Joy! Changes showed in little things like Bart asking me to dance with him. It was the first time in our 35 years of marriage. Then out of the blue, Bart announced he is no longer afraid of heights! He offered to help me put up the Christmas lights! This fills my heart with REJOICING!

God knows what He is doing! Joy has invaded our home and is transforming it!

My soul (mind, will, and emotion) was the part of my life that put me on a roller-coaster of Great Heights and Deep Despair; for weeks at a time depression would take over my life and I didn’t know why or have any control. I called my pastor one day I was not doing well. We talked for 20 minutes and the things she said, lifted me up, and then dropped me back into despair, and around again. Shocked, I learned from that conversation, that the words of another person controlled my feelings!

How was it so easy for my emotions to be lead up and down like a game at the county fair? Power, I gave away my power over what I thought which changed my feelings and my will to act!

MY LIFE STARTED TO CHANGE when I saw and understood Ephesians 4:22-24 and Romans 12:1-2 where God talks about renewing my mind, and 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 where He says take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

Philippians 4:8 Tells us what to think: what ever is true, honorable, right pure, lovely, of good repute, any excellence and worthy of praise let your mind dwell on these things.

Bit by bit my life improved so that now when I have a bad thought that starts to take me down; I usually catch it and kick it out of my head and replace it with a Good Thought within a few minutes, maybe up to a few hours, but never for more than a day. It is so different to live life with positive thinking and believing the best about a situation or a person. Life is a joy to live.

I do have to say it is more than just positive thinking; God’s Word Has Power to change your life and the way you think. He has set me free from Emotional and Physical Pain and changed my Soul so I am able to have a conversation with people and they have no idea anything ever happened.

Come join me in Living a Good Enjoyable life in Jesus!