2012 Reflections. . .2013 projections

As the last few hours of 2012 come to a close my mind and heart are so full thinking about al the past year has held.

I have accomplished so much that I am proud of, and have done a handful of things I am not so proud of.

Good or bad, it has definitely been a year to remember.

After losing 85+ pounds from the latter half of 2011 to this latter half of 2012 through doing ZUMBA(R) and making better food choices, at the age of 48, I became a Licensed Zumba Instructor and started holding classes twice a week in a local church fellowship hall.

After a few months and turning 49 in September, I traveled with my best friend to Lafayette, Indiana at the end of October and became a Licensed ZumbAtomic(R) Instructor, trained to teach Zumba Fitness to children ages 3-12.

When I look around me and see so many fitness instructors in their 20's and 30's I am reminded that what I have accomplished at 49 years old, and coming from being a good 100 pounds over weight, is no small task, that it is something I can be very proud of.  And I am.

As I face 2013 I am conquering that final 15 pounds. I am starting a ZumbAtomic class the first Saturday of the year, actually 2 classes on Saturdays for kids, as well as being available for doing ZumbAtomic birthday parties.   I WILL get my ZUMBA Toning and Gold teaching licenses, and I believe God will open the doors for more teaching opportunities.

There is so much more I could go into, other areas of my life, spiritual growth and such.  But I won't, not because I don't want to bore you, but because most is deeply personal and private.

ZUMBA is something I celebrate freely!!  Because at my age and with the weight I was, I know if I can do this, ANYONE can!  And I hope to be an inspiration to at least one person out there.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?

After a conversation today with a friend on the subject of healing, I felt it was time to share one of the biggest lessons God ever taught me in the area of healing.  In my experience with praying for the sick, this seems to be the biggest obstacle people face in recieving and keeping their healing.  The words of their mouth.

Proverbs 18:21 - Death and life are in the power of the tongue; And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

Back in 1992 I was diagnosed with Mitral Valve Prolapse.  That is a condition where the mitral valve in the heart is basically deformed.  It does not function properly and causes a backwash of blood in the heart which is very painful, and it can also cause fainting due to improper circulation of the blood.  I had seen doctors and cardiologists and had tests run.  They told me that this is something, because of being a deformity of the valve, that people have all their lives, but it is usually in adulthood when the symptoms begin to show up.

As soon as I got the diagnosis I stepped forward in church to have the Pastor and his wife lay hands on me and pray for my healing according to James 5:14-15:

Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:  And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.


Knowing that God is faithful to His Word, I believed from the moment hands were laid on me that I was healed.  God is not a liar!  If His Word says we are healed, and it does in so many places, then we are.  God has given me the kind of faith that grabs ahold of the promises of God like a pit bull latches onto a steak and locks down.  No one and nothing can pry it loose no matter how hard they try!  And let me tell you, the enemy, the devil, tried his best!

For the following year I continued to praise God for my healing.  Almost daily I faced the pain and symptoms of Mitral Valve Prolapse on my body.  Every time I did I began to thank God for healing me.  I would declare His Word (my sword) over my body and thank Him for His faithfulness.  I did not allow the pain or symptoms to dictate to me whether or not I was healed.  I would only allow His Word to do that, and His Word said I was healed.  I never spoke to anyone of the pain. During this year God used me to pray for so many sick people.  I saw Him heal so many illnesses and diseases and cancers, and all the while the enemy kept hurling pain and symptoms on my body.  But I wasn't budging!

After a year I was at the doctors office for something unrelated, and they ordered an echocardiogram to "check things out".  Well, I was so excited because I knew it would be evidence of what He had already done!  And sure enough, when the results came back it was confirmed!  A  CREATIVE MIRACLE!  My mitral valve was perfectly formed and functioning normally.  On the way home that day I was singing His praises and rejoicing in the fact that I now had evidence of what I had believed and stood on all along. 

Then He began to speak to me and He showed me that my healing was complete the day my Pastor and his wife laid hands on me.  That the pain that was coming on my body was lying symptoms placed there by the enemy of my soul, trying desperately to get me to speak the words of defeat, to confess that I was not healed.  See if I would have done that, I would have signed for the "package" he was trying to deliver; sickness.  And I would have lost the precious healing God gave me. 

After learning that, I have seen over and over again that this is where many people actually lose the healing that Jesus paid such a high price for.  I have laid hands on those in pain and prayed for their healing.  I have felt the fire of God in my hand going into their bodies (not that anything at all needs to be felt, but He does that at times to help our faith), and I have had people tell me that my hands felt like fire.  Then as soon as the prayer is over they begin speaking about "their" cancer, "their" diabetes, "their' pain. . . Healing lost by the words of their mouth.  THAT is the fruit of our lips!  That is the fruit we eat according to our scripture in Proverbs.  If we speak sickness and pain, we will eat the fruit of our lips!

If we are going to receive God's promise of healing and keep it, it is VITAL that we get into agreement with His Word NO MATTER WHAT.  Remember He is not a liar:

Numbers 23:19 - God is not a man, so he does not lie.  He is not human, so he does not change his mind.  Has he ever spoken and failed to act?  Has he ever promised and not carried it through?

Stop agreeing with the enemy of your soul, the one who wants to kill and defeat you, and begin to line up your words and actions with the LOVER of your soul, Jesus!  And begin to see and experience the abundant life that He has promised! 

John 10:10 -
The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).

THE MISSING BRIDE

I had a dream a couple years ago, that really left a deep impact on me, and launched me on a path that has turned my religious upbringing and ideals on it's ear! I pray it has an impact on you and your life as well!




***In this dream I was sitting in the sanctuary of a church on the front row. A Pastor was up on the stage, but his back was to the seats as it looked as if he was busy preparing for a service. I noticed there were only two or three others sitting in the whole sanctuary with me. It wasn't a large church, maybe seating for about 150 to 200 people.

A man walked in and sat next to me. I did not recognize him, but in my dream I did know him. I knew him very well and I loved him very deeply. We had a very strong relationship. We chatted a bit, He told me he was glad to see me there. After a few minutes he started looking at his watch nervously, then looking back at the doors that led into the sanctuary. Over and over he checked his watch and then the doors, each time getting more and more distraught. I asked him what was wrong and he said, "My bride. . . I am waiting for my bride to get here." I told him I was sure she would arrive soon. He said, "You don't understand, if she doesn't show up it will be too late.  Why does she not come to me?" I put my arm around him and tried to speak words of comfort, but nothing was easing his pain.

He was wringing his hands and burying his head in his hands, always turning toward the door as if expecting her to walk in at any moment. The longer we waited the more distraught he became to the point that he was weeping. When he began weeping I knew it was too late. We stood together and walked to the back of the sanctuary arm in arm. I was still doing my best to comfort him. it was time for him to leave, and I was leaving with him. As the doors of the sanctuary opened up and we walked into the foyer there was a flurry of activity, everyone busy, cleaning, working, doing all sorts of tasks. We walked right through the middle of them, and no one seemed to notice, but walked right past in their rush to get their tasks done. He was weeping as we walked out, yet no one stopped or even looked our way.***



I guess it is obvious by now Who He was.  And obvious, I hope, the lesson in this dream.  Are you so busy DOING that you have forgotten to just BE with Him?  Are you so occupied with "performance", that you have lost sight of entering into and staying in His REST?  Are you so concerned with being accepted and "earning your place", that you have forgotten that you ALREADY ARE accepted, and that HE earned that place for you long ago?  Are you so caught up with people pleasing and being noticed by so-called "leadership", that you have replaced Him as first in your heart with the desire for promotion, the praise of men, and "stardom" in your little church "community"?  I've been all these things.  I was all these things when God gave me this dream.  This dream launched a journey in my life that I could never have predicted or foreseen.  Because my "religious" mindset would never have accepted some of the areas this journey has taken me. . . . THANK GOD He broke through all that garbage and reached ME.  Not every journey will look the same, because the paths our lives have taken to this point all look different, there is a different work to be done in each individual heart.  But if we are willing to let go of all the WE deem as important, and take God out of our pretty little boxes, trust me, He is more than ready to blow our minds and reveal His true character to us, and He will!!

Like Water Off A Duck's Back!

Have you ever heard this phrase used? Usually it's when someone has said something to hurt your feelings or offend you. Wouldn't it be a beautiful world if we didn't have to worry about being verbally attacked or ridiculed by others? Unfortunately, that is not the world we live in, so we have to learn to deal with these offenses and come out of it better and not bitter.


I had someone today tell me, "Let it roll off your back, like water off a duck." I thought about that and decided to do some research and find our just why water rolls off the back of a duck. And what I found is, for the Christ Follower, an awesome set of facts that we can look at and compare to our own lives, and what works to keep us "waterproof".

The reason water rolls off a duck's back is because oil and water don’t mix. When a duck is swimming or out in the rain, the bird secretes an oil from glands near its tail. With its bill, the duck rubs the oil over its body. This is called preening. The oil keeps the water from soaking through the duck’s feathers, making the bird “waterproof.” (WOOO! Think about that!) The oil in our lives is the presence of Holy Spirit! And how much He is involved in our lives is directly up to us. How much we allow Him to be. He is a gentleman and He will not enter in areas that we do not allow Him access. So, it is best for us, as Christ Followers to allow Holy Spirit to completely fill us (remember, the oil comes from a gland in the duck) and cover us.

Have you ever sat at a lake or pond and just watched the ducks. This preening they do is constant. They don't go too far before they are preening again. They remind me of my cats, how they are continuously cleaning themselves. We need to be continuous in our "being filled", and covering ourselves in His presence and power through reading the Word and intimate communion with Him. Then when someone "splashes" you with unkind words or judgements against you, they will roll right off of your back and not affect you. Why? Because you know who, and Whose you are! When that is established in your heart there is nothing anyone can say or do to you that will be able to penetrate that shield. And instead of being injured and becoming angry and possibly bitter, you can walk with your head high as a child of the King of Kings, and you can walk in Matthew 5:44 where Jesus commands us to " Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." And you can do it with a motive of pure LOVE! I don't know about you, but that excites me!!

Did you know that baby ducks need their mother to preen them, they are not born waterproof? Now just think about this for a minute. . . . . How much more do we need to be covering and "grooming" new Christ Followers? It is when we don't protect and groom and watch over them (in other words DISCIPLESHIP), that they fall prey to the schemes of the enemy and get waterlogged and sick and sometimes even drown.

So keep preening yourselves! Stay in the Word, stay in prayer, and the Holy Spirit will cover you from head to toe and make you waterproof!! No weapon formed against you will prosper! (Isaiah 54:17)

A question from a Centralist

I am one who really hates politics. . .not actually politics themselves, because our government is important. . . I guess I hate all the arguing and bashing and closed mindedness that comes in every conversation. So I shy away from any type of political conversation really. And I am not even coming here to take sides, or speak my mind on any issues or politician. See, I took a couple of tests to see where I land in the political compass as far as where I stand on issues in government, Authoritarian, Left, Right, or Libertarian. And what I discovered is that I am a Centralist. That is someone who falls in the middle of the 4 extremes. Not only an I am centralist. . . I couldn't be more dead center on the compass!! If you were looking at a dart board. . .I am that little, teeny red dot smack dab in the middle!

So seeing as I am not leaning left or right or any other direction, I figured I hold a pretty safe spot to speak out about what I see in people from all sides. We seriously need to grow up! Now I am not talking about everyone, I am talking about those who for some reason feel the need to continue the smear campaigns long after the election is over. ANY election! I've seen enough. I'm talking about those who slander and smear, and post negative videos about a political person, group or issue. Simply because it is not one you agree with. You assume your intelligence level is so much higher than "those guys" and you piously look down your nose at your fellow Americans like they are idiots. Don't you get sick enough of the politicians themselves with their smear campaigns? And the same folks who are "smearing' when one President is in office and making fun of him, talking bad about him. . . .are the ones calling a halt to the 'smearing' when someone you like gets elected. Then when things turn around the other way and you don't like it anymore. . . well, all that preaching you did to everyone about not being hateful, just flies out the window when things don't go your way. Really??

I am not saying we all have to agree. Of course not! Diversity in all aspects of life is what makes this country so wonderful! But all the hatred and pious smearing and sneering. . . can't we grow up and stop that? Can't we find positive ways, constructive ways to contribute to society instead of fanning the flames of hatred and intolerance? Yes, I said intolerance. . .be careful what you soapbox at people in one area, if you practice it in another area of your life. When people do not like the way things are going in the country it motivates us to get out and vote to make a difference. If things don't go our way, then we must assume that we are in the minority, that the majority has spoken, and move on to finding ways to impact the issues and our communities in a positive way, instead of crying 'foul', claiming an election was rigged, bought, whatever! If you don't believe in our country's electoral system, why vote?? If you do, then get out and vote, and when the results go your way, celebrate! When they don't, don't start crying foul and slandering people. Make a POSITIVE difference!! Get out there and help work for the issues that are important to you!

We are all still Americans, a brotherhood! Remember 9/11? Remember when suddenly we were not black or white, republican or democrat, right or left?? We were a Nation of people who found a common thread and held on to it tight in unity! Did we change our political beliefs? No. Did we change who we backed in Washington? No. But we saw a bigger picture and became ONE Nation! For a few short, glorious months we stopped the bickering and smearing, and we chanted at baseball games and football games and anywhere else people assembled, "USA! USA! USA!" How quickly we forget, and how sad that we have.

I guess my question is, when are we going to stop the blaming, the hatred the accusations, and find ways to use that energy to start in our own little corner of the world and make a difference?? This has been brewing in me since the Presidential election 2 years ago, and now with the latest elections and resurgence of hate mongering. . .I had to speak out. It's just my opinion, and you have the right to post anything you want. . . I'm just trying to motivate us to use all that energy for good! It really does feel better to not be angry all the time! :-)

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ARE YOUR SEEDS SOWN?

Last week my husband and I were cleaning a house of one of our clients that we happen to know fairly well.  He is a very nice man, but has questioned our decision to be Christ Followers, and let us know that "No-one believes that stuff any more, it's just a waste of time."  We continue to love on him and be examples to him of Christ's love. 

As we were cleaning, my husband was doing an extra good job dusting some shelves and he was pulling books and things out and dusting behind them, when he pulled out a Bible.  He called me in the room to show it to me, since we both know this man's opinion of "such things".   I said, "Wow!  I never expected to see one of those here."  My husband opened it and a church bulletin fell out that was dated February 1994. "That was a while ago!" he said to me.  Then he flipped to the back of the Bible and there was a pack of tomato seeds sitting between some pages.  I thought to myself, "Now that's weird!"  

As I went back to work God began speaking to me about that pack of seeds.  They have been, as far as we could tell, sitting in that Bible for the past 15+ years.  Then He said to me, "As long as those seeds remain un-planted, they will never produce the fruit they are created to produce.  But the minute they are set in soil, and watered, they will sprout and grow and produce many, many more tomatoes, and many more seeds as well."  

You see, as long as the seed remains unplanted, it will remain dormant and unproductive.  Much like that Bible that sat on the back of that dusty shelf.  The seeds in that packet had the ability to produce a crop of tomatoes and seeds, which would produce even more tomatoes and seeds, and so on!  The Word of God is a seed!  Jesus explained that to us in Matthew 13.  But unless it is planted and watered, it will not produce what it is created to produce.  Not in your life, and not in my life.  The Word needs to be read, meditated on and studied.  That is the planting and watering process.  When we do that, we will begin to see an abundance of fruit produced in our lives, not only for our own benefit, but also to feed others.  We can own as many Bibles as we want, in as many translations as we want.  We can lay them all over our house, in our car, on our desk at work, and look like we have it all going on.  But in reality, if we are not IN the Word, and allowing it to take root in the soil of our hearts, what we have is like that packet of tomato seeds sitting in that Bible for 15 years.  Just a packet full of seeds not producing anything. 

In all this that God was showing me about the seeds, He also showed me that some of those seeds are carefully handed to us.  Placed right in the palm of our hands by our Pastors and teachers week in and week out.  What do we do with those seeds that are handed to us?  We can hold it in our hand and admire it.  We can tell all of our friends what a great seed it is.  But untill we allow that seed to be planted in our heart, and watered by meditating on it and studying it out further,  it will not produce anything in our lives, and thus we won't have the seeds to hand to others when they need a seed from us.  Instead, we stick the seed in our pocket, and a few weeks later we are in our Pastor's office getting counsel over an issue in our life that would be resolved already if we would have sown the seed that was handed to us and watered it.

I want to issue a challenge today.  SOW THE SEEDS!  Get them deep into the soil of your heart, and water them daily.  I guarantee we will look more like the Church God meant for us to look like, and when someone comes along with a need for a particular seed in their life, you will have produced more than enough to meet their need! 

DUNAMIS!

I was reading in 2 Timothy 3 today and decided to do some digging and dissecting, and I am amazed at all I found in just the first 5 verses! Check this out:


2 Timothy 3:1-5 (New American Standard Bible)
1 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.
2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.


That's a pretty long and ugly list. But the verse that caught my attention was verse 5: "holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power." Now I have heard this "power" described in a lot of ways and I am sure many of them have truth in them, but I decided to dig a little. The word "power" here is "dunamis", which means 'miraculous power, might and strength. Not just a human form of power, or human might, or human strength. . .MIRACULOUS! Something that is undeniably WAY bigger than our own abilities as human beings. It carries the "awe-factor". It is super-natural!

The word denotes miracles! Miracle working power!! When was the last time you saw a bona-fide miracle? Something that could not be explained by any human reasoning other than Divine intervention? For me I would have to say a few weeks ago when I witnessed a woman raised from the dead. Not by human effort, but through prayer. I have gotten to see this only twice in my lifetime, but I will tell you, THAT is miraculous power! Dunamis!! Awe-factor to the extreme!

 Jesus' life and ministry was marked with signs and wonders and miracles. Did you know that He Himself said that WE, that's you and me, would do GREATER works!!

John 14:12 (New American Standard Bible)
"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and GREATER works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.

Did you notice He said 'truly' twice? He put great emphasis on this, because He wants us to hear and understand fully what He is saying here. Most assuredly, no doubt about it, you can take it to the bank Jack! So now, I have to do some inventory in my own life. . . are these things active and working in my life? Is the ministry of Jesus something that I flow in on a daily basis? I mean, I am a believer. . . and if I am a believer I should be active in the 'greater works', right?
Let's go back to the text in 2 Timothy 3. Verses 1 - 5 are capped off with the statement "AVOID such men as these". Now I can easily understand avoiding all of the characteristics listed throughout verses 1 through 4. That makes sense to my reasoning as a Christ Follower. But at the very end of that list, in verse 5 are 'those who possess a form, or appearance of godliness' - they look right, talk right, act right, show up for church every Sunday and even Wednesday, give to the poor, visit the sick, always busy with Kingdom work. . . . - BUT deny the power, the dunamis, the miracle working power of God!

Will anyone join me saying a big huge "OUCH" right here?  Why are we not walking it out? Why are we not seeing the miraculous works of God touching others through our lives and our hands every day?

I think the answer is simple, and it is something that God has been showing me the past few weeks. We don't need to study more before we can obey what Jesus commanded us in Mark 16:18b:  "they SHALL lay hands on the sick, and they SHALL recover."  We don't need more degrees or classes or meetings to obey His clear command. What He needs us to be is "conduits" of His power! All we have to do is place ourselves in the position for Him to work through us! Do you know Him as Lord? Do you have two hands? Do you have a mouth? Find someone who needs a miracle, put your hands on them and speak to that mountain! God will do the rest! He will back up His Word with signs following!

And right here I am going to make it even easier for you. You do NOT have to have all the right words and know a bunch of scriptures by heart and pray long exhaustive prayers. Most times that is just pride, and it usually detracts from God and puts the focus on your own knowledge.  Although it is important to know the scriptures that promise healing, for our own faith, so that we know we can step out and lay hands on people in obedience to His Word and expect Him to act.  Look through the Gospels, what did Jesus do when He healed the sick, cast out demons and raised the dead? He did exactly what He instructed us to do! He spoke to that "mountain" and commanded it to be removed. Sometimes He did not even speak a word! He placed His hands on the person and it was done! SIMPLE! We have made it so hard, I know I have! We think we must articulate perfectly what we are praying for, quote 5 scriptures, turn around 3 times and touch your nose. Sound silly? That's because it is! Jesus said, "Get up!" "Be healed!" "Arise and walk!" "Come out of him!" "COME FORTH!"

You may argue that we are not God. No, halleluia, we are not! But we are filled with the Holy Spirit! And Jesus left us the perfect example to follow in every area of our walk! Thank You Lord! And I really think that the more we say when we pray for a person, the more likely we are to think we actually had something to do with the miracle other than being the conduit. And we also can fall into the danger of making a "formula" out of something because it worked once.

I have really been getting shaken awake the past few weeks with these truths, and I am purposing in my heart, and asking Him to help me, to be a conduit for His miraculous power! I am actually beginning to pray that God would bring people into my path in my everyday life, that need a miracle! Join me? I think if we will simply walk out what He instructed us to, we would begin to see growth and increase in the Kingdom of God to a degree that we haven't seen in our lifetime! Jesus got people's attention with healings and miracles! And He is still doing it today! Our only decision needs to be whether we want to be a part of it or not!

I'm in!!