Friday, February 17, 2012

I started a novel

Okay I started a novel a few days ago. This is my forth attempt. For one reason or another I lost my first three.I am determined to finish this time. I don't work, I have a small income and a quiet place to write. What more can I ask for. I also started writing a new journal. It's a prayer journal or my journey of asking. A couple of years ago upon arising one morning the Lord spoke to me and said, ASK. A year before that he said, my people have it wrong, they want me to bless them financially and I don't mind prospering my people. My word says ask and I will give you the nations as an inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth as a possession.

Now I think it's time I do as I have been instructed. I started a journey of asking a few weeks ago. I knew it feels a little selfish, but it's really hidden pride that's trying to stop me. I am not used to asking for stuff. Not from people and not from God. Well, I do ask God in desperation. Apparently he wants me to learn to depend on him for everything. I will come here periodically and write, but as you can see my plate is full. I also have another publisher and an editor. I will update here my blog as often as I can. This is my practice area where I don't have to dot my I's and cross my T's. Pray for me and see you soon.
Fearless

Friday, February 10, 2012

Adoption: part two

Luk 10:19  Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

This post is an continuation of Adoption part one. I had to pray to find out how much I can share concerning the children. Some of them are still under the authority of their parents, and disclosing what they have shared with me could put them in danger.

Father in the name of Jesus, I bind all demonic and second heaven activity, all principalities are dethroned, all power and ruler spirits assignments are nullified and voided by the precious blood of Jesus and in the power of his name. I cancel any and all assignment that would come to oppose my assignment. The blood of Jesus cover the children, the readers and me. Father I ask you to cut off the head of the python that has been released against our divine destiny. Let revelation, wisdom and knowledge reside in your people, in the mighty name of Jesus. I decree and declare that all curses are rendered harmless and of no effect in Jesus name. I bind backlash, repercussion and payback in Jesus name.

 Jesus is LORD.

I'm sitting in front of the building where I work, praying when one of the children come up to me and introduce himself; James a tall handsome Tom Cruise look-a-like. He seems like the ringleader or if not he has a lot of leadership qualities. He's hyper and loud-mouthed and a bit of a show-off. He ask my name and I tell him. Then he states matter of fact that he has been the victim of rape. What do you say when a stranger walks up to you and gives you personal information of a traumatic event? I, being a rape survivor myself, who by the way told it in the book Sistahfaith, said, "I'm sorry I know first hand how painful that is, did you ever receive help?" I know he was out to shock me with his story. I used to get shocked, but by then I had heard too many stories. I no longer feel the shock, just that instant jolt of deep sadness and empathy.

The book Sistahfaith had just hit the shelf. Although I have told my story at conferences. I was eager to talk about it, there was no more shame, just a deep abiding love for Jesus for healing me from the pain and brokenness. I wanted to lead James to the well of living water.  I told him my story and asked to pray for him. He let me pray for him, and we both went our separate ways, me inside to my job, and him next door to school. Everyday after that he would stop and talk to me. He told me who the person was that raped him. It was a friend of the family. He was thirteen and she was in her fifties. I was however shocked that it was a woman. I still find it hard to imagine. I have since learned he was telling the truth. He started telling me all kind of tales of what can only be first described as horrible, tragic or just plain crazy. I thought he was lying to get attention. Everything about this kid screamed for attention, acceptance and love. I don't think I have ever talked to anyone as love hungry as him. At first, I thought he may have been trying to scare me or impress me.

He told me he had a family secret and that it had been going on in his family for many generations. He told me he is a relative of Hilter and that in his bloodline certain things are required of them. He told me about being trained, mentally, physically and emotionally since he was a toddler. I would listen to his stories and periodically I would make a statement like, "That was horrible, or abusive." or whatever category it fit. He told me of his many attempts at suicide, cutting himself and not remembering what had happened afterward. He spent a lot of his time in psych wards. Even though he told me these horrible and scary stories and was hyper and jumpy, I started to love him. I looked forward to praying for him every morning.

He seemed to thrive in the love and prayer I gave him and anytime he would do or say something that he thought I disapproved of, he would look at me and apologize and asked, "do you still love me?" I told him of course I still love him, nothing would change that. Slowly he started trusting in that love. After about a month of our early morning meetings, he asked me did I want to meet his girlfriend Carrie. He said her father owned a satanic bible and believe in an ancient Egyptian religion. At around this time I had a dream, in that dream I was fighting these demons on their turf. God also spoke to me in that dream, right before I got to my destination, He said,"There is witchcraft, child sacrifice, child molestation, and every evil work where you're going'. In the dream my pastors were on the other end praying for me. I went in fearlessly. In the dream I could see the demons, but they could not see me. I had the advantage and I plotted how to destroy them.

Then I meet Carrie two years younger than James's sixteen, she's beautiful, blond, green-eyes with a naive quality about her that I find endearing. Her first words to me are, "I have black people in my family." I did not see that one comings so I said, "good," for lack of a better reply. The kids asked me if it was alright for them to visit me at home on Saturday.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Adoption: part one

I know this post would not go over well in some religious circles. It really doesn't matter does it? We should always tell the truth as God gives it to us. I'm definitely not a biblical scholar, I lay no claim to anything except a relationship with my heavenly Father. This is not a disclaimer, just fact. Some may think that I'm insane or unstable, I'm not! What I'm about to expose on theses pages is true. I have changed the names of the children to protect them. I may not be as nice to the witches-oh well. You know who you are and so do I. You will find out why. The bible says to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove(expose, rebuke) them. I have enclosed prayer in this post.

Father, I asked you to bless those that read and believe. I bind all demonic and second heaven activities, and  every spirit assigned against my assignment. Holy Spirit have your way. I bind all mind binding, and blinding spirits  that would try to come against anyone reading these pages . I pray that you exposed the enemy and bring him to an open shame. I decree and declare that the people of God will exercise discernment between what is light and what is darkness. I ask that the eyes of our understanding be open to your Divine truth. I declare that the people of God will not be ignorant of the devices of the enemy. That they will sharply detect the wiles of the devil. I come up against witchcraft in all it's forms in the name of Jesus. I break in pieces every spiritual cauldrons, and stirring pots, I break the power of all  incantation, proliferation, chains, fetters, snares,and all witchcraft spell, voodoo spell, satanic spell,  hexes, vexes, and curses, Father I ask that you destroy the power of all witchcraft prayer, psychic prayers, and every idle word spoken against your original plan in Jesus name. I decree and declare they will not stand; they shall not come to pass; they shall not take root and all their violent verbal dealing are returned to the sender double-fold in the name of Jesus. No weapon formed against the people of God shall prosper, and every evil trap lain in the spirit is set off  before we get to it.. In Jesus name!

It started one day about two years ago. I was working at a dermatological surgery center. I was overworked and wore many hats in the office. I was the mother hen so to speak. All staff, doctor, accounts payable and receivable, pay check , billing issues and some patient care hung on my shoulder. It wore me down. I had a constant headache and had started experiencing heart palpitations. In order to get through the day, I would go to work a hour early, so that I could pray for that day. I would sit outside in front of the building and cry out to God in distress. The office building next door to the office had been empty for the four years that I had worked for the company. The building had recently opened, I was curious to what company had required the office space. I found out it was a school for high school children that had emotional and behavior problems in the public school system. Now every morning during my quiet prayer time, I would hear the robustious ranting of teenagers going down the wrong path.

During this time my prayers started to change. I had asked the Lord to teach me to pray. He told me don't be afraid to pray the Psalms and he started teaching me what some biblical words meant, like Belial-worthless, evil and wicked, he would say stuff like I hate that spirit Jezebel, it kills my prophets.  He taught me to pray spiritual warfare prayers. For years I had gotten the prophecy that I would cast out demons. Even though that's what Jesus and the apostles did, I wanted no parts of it. God would not let me get away from it. I ran like Jonah ran from Nineveh. God pursued me and put me in situations that had me so scared; I would make a mistake, and allow his spirit out, the demons had no choice but to flee.

Four years earlier: While attending a different church, in a different state strange things started happening in church. I find out that people in the church were using witchcraft, one lady went to a voodoo priest to get something to get rid of me, permanently. A couple of month before that incident the Lord spoke to me and said, "they're going to want you dead, but nothing by any means will harm you". I had no idea what he was talking about. I didn't think I posed a threat to anyone and I definitely didn't feel as if I had any enemies. My ministry had just started and to be honest I didn't have a clue as to what I was doing. I didn't want to be the target of death threats, so I told the Lord, "No thank you, I'm not signing up for that one." In the army of the Lord some people can enlist and some are just drafted. I was drafted, he didn't care that I was a flatfooted, lilylivered coward. He told me I had courage because he put it in me. That's when he gave me the name Fearless.

The day the hex was to be put on me I prayed the 91st Psalms before service. I found out later that- Two women in the church came up with a foggy wet substance from some voodoo priest. One women thought her husband was attracted to me and the other felt I was favored, because I had been given the Wednesday night slot for ministry, and I had to speak on some given Sunday's. As scared and unsure of myself as I was I would have gladly given her have the floor. I had no desire for the others one's short fat balding potbellied husband, in my opinion both of them were being ridiculous. Ridiculous or not, they devised a scheme for my demise. They were bigger than me, scary and refused to hug me before church started this particular Sunday. One even walked up to me and put her hand out to me as if we were about to become opponents in a match that she was sure to win. I reluctantly shook it, mostly because the church was filling up and I didn't want to appear rude. The two of them walked to the back of the church, leaving me trembling in fear of getting beat-up. I got up and started silently quoting Psalms 27. When they came back to were I was standing one was coming up to me as if to hug or pray for me. I could see the foggy substance in a small oil bottle. As she got to me and hugged me, I whispered in her ear, Shirley I love you , but I'm standing on the truth. Then I hear a loud growl come out her mouth and suddenly without warning, I hear and feel something really loud and powerful come from me. It reminded me of a train. It had totally taken over my body. Shirley's body was twisting and distorting as this power came forth. What was in me was clearly the aggressor and seemed to back Shirley up into a corner. I could not hear what was coming out of my mouth, I could only feel it. From my peripheral vision, I see the other woman (the one who shook my hand) grab her bible and run out of the church. Finally Shirley lay in a heap and I hear myself saying in a loud voice, "LOOSE HER". I looked up and everyone in the church is staring at me with their mouths hanging open. I put my head down and sit down in embarrassment. In my head I reprimanded Jesus. "I wish you would have let me know you were going to do that, now they're going to hate me for real." No one said anything to me the rest of the service or afterward. I wanted to defend myself and explain that that wasn't me but no one gave me a chance.

 I thought I gotten my chance when at 6:00am the following morning the pastor called me, but before I could make it known, he attacked me and asked me "Who gave you the authority to cast out demons in my church." If he would have worded it any other way, I may have tried to explain myself and Jesus. With God things has a way of going his way. My reply was not the self-defense one I had rehearsed for the past several hours. I said , "You know who, if you have a problem with it, I suggest you take it up with Jesus," in a snarky voice, before  hanging up the phone on him. I never went back to that congregation, although several members called me and told me what had really happened that day. The one who ran out the church confessed the plot, swearing she was an innocent player. A few weeks later God told me to move to Florida. I was there within a week. I started attending a nice Messianic Jewish congregation. God told me he was giving me pastors after his own heart, because I needed to heal. He also told me my biggest problem is that, I don't know who I am and that he didn't want me in ministry now, he wanted me to learn to "rest," in him. It seemed like a good plan to me, one of the best God had come up with, so far as I was concerned.

I love my new pastors Alyosha and Jody and they love me. They called themselves my spiritual abba and emma. Hebrew for mother and father. Jody always calls me her, "Beautiful One," and I loved my new moniker. In their congregation I found true acceptance, and healing of all the wounds that life and the church had afflicted on me. I was loved as I rested in my heavenly Abba. Like all good things, after awhile it came to an end. Four years after meeting them, God moved them to Israel to ministry to his beloved Israelis. The day they made aliyah(legal immigration to Israel) I was livid.

 Before they left, they were instructed by God to have a service to bless me to go forth into ministry. My time of healing and waiting was over. I didn't want to feel grown-up and responsible again. The day of my service, Alyosha who also happens to be a Psalmist played a beautiful heavenly melody that Abba gave him just for me. To this day I can not hear it without crying in thanksgiving and gratitude. Alyosha also told me what my name means in Hebrew, it's Abria and it means strong and High Father and Father sees. When Alyosha told me that it meant strong, I frowned because all the other women in the congregation, who got the meaning of their names, were named after flowers. You would have thought he said, my name is Samson, but all of a sudden things became clear to me. God told me I'm a blood washed daughter of the Most "High," God. My Father is HIGH and I'm strong and I have always been strong. No matter what oppositions I had faced in life I overcame them because, my name meant strong. All through the bible names have meaning and the character of that person fit. Sometimes he changed their names and their character; like Saul to Paul, he let Peter know he was a "rock.' Each time he spoke their names to them they were transformed. My identity had been spoken into me. God let me know who I am.  And I remembered him telling me that my biggest problem was, " You don't know who you are.".... That's when I met the children.

At this time, as I'm sitting in front of my place of employment praying for some release from the stress of that job. I get bombarded with these juvenile delinquents. They're loud, obnoxious and disrespectful. I started watching them and praying for them. My prayers changed from those beggy, desperate prayer to prayers of deliverance and healing for these children. I asked the Lord to send someone to help them. Unbeknownst to me that someone, is going to be me. The first child that spoke to me is a boy of sixteen or seventeen, we will call him James. He's tall and handsome, but very hyper. He moves the entire time we're talking and his eyes are moving fast and unfocused. His starts the conversation by asking me my name. I tell him my name, then he says in a matter of fact tone, "I got raped."



Sunday, January 29, 2012

The Pajama Party-a coming of age story

I have a friend that I never met in person, we met on facebook her name is Angel and the name fits her. We have shared many desperate prayers; family trouble, sickness, the start of my ministry, my first published work, we have laughed together, cried together and have come to rely on one another's friendship. Last Christmas, even though I was in Florida, she messaged me and asked for the address where I was staying. I thought she wanted to send me another Christmas card, but instead she sent me a pink one piece  footie pajamas. A couple of years ago we were talking on the phone and she mention that she was wearing footie pajamas. I laughed and told her I have been wanting some footie pajamas since we were having a particularly cold winter in Florida that year. Two years later she still remembered that conversation and sent me  pink footie pajamas. It's the small acts of kindness that shows you Jesus in the ordinary and everyday. Her thoughtfulness filled me with joy and gratitude.

Facebook is a place to meet new friends and to reconnect with old friends. I recently reconnected with my very first boyfriend. He's always been a really nice guy, handsome quiet and laid back. He now services God. I'm always amazed that the God that walks so close to us, can walk with our childhood friends on the other side of the country. His all consuming fire burns everywhere. I know I'm dragging this story out, but I have to put it altogether, because it all came together in bits and pieces, and left me laughing, crying and shaking my head. Be patient with me this might be a long post.

Last night I had a conversation with Angel about the footie pajamas. I have been fighting a cold and walking around with puffy swollen eyes and tissue hanging from my nose. I told her that I was going to put on my footie pajamas and climb in the bed.  I wore them once before; a few days after receiving them while visiting Florida last month. My sisters Jill and Gina  had a field day. They laughed and told me I looked  five instead of fifty and that I would never get a husband(something my family annoyingly think I need-against my protest) if I continued to wear stuff like that. I told them I was bringing sexy back, they said I was setting sexy back. Angel asked me to send her a picture in the pj's, with tissue and all. I promised to do that.

As I was attempting the impossible task of creating a flattering pose in pink footie pajamas, my sister Claudia called. I told her what I was doing. I didn't want to disappoint Angel, but I didn't want to post a picture of myself in an oversize sleeper. For one, I look ridiculous and another, I don't think anyone should post pictures in their sleepwear on facebook. Claudia and I were trying to think of ways to appease Angel and protect my decency at the same time. As the subject of discretion is being discussed, a long forgotten memory emerged from that cobwebbed attic portion of my brain, you know the area that periodically demand a good dusting.

It was  late fall in the early seventies and it was also the beginning of the eight grade for my friends and I. I had just moved back to the quiet black suburban neighborhood where I spent the majority of my childhood. I had three childhood best-friends Cheryl, Fran and Reniece. We have been friends since kindergarten. In the two years that I have been away their maturity level has exceeded mine. They now have boyfriends who are sophomores in high school, and they knew how to french kiss. I was determined to learn how to french kiss and to get a boyfriend. I did just that. With a determination birthed from peer pressure, hormones and a schoolgirl crush, I got my first boyfriend. He was in his sophomore year of high school; a much older man back then. He's handsome with big brown eyes, a warm smile and reserved demeanor. Anytime he came near me, I would blush and forget how to talk. If he noticed my awkwardness he never said so. To my utter amazement, he liked me too. Back then the boy would ask a girl, "How's my chances?," and she would say, something like good or bad. If she said good you automatically became his girlfriend. That's how it happened for me. He asked, I said, "good" and just like that, with one word I went from playing with Barbie dolls to a romantic relationship.

Relationship require work, even the immature teenage kind, and unfortunately for me boyfriends didn't come with an owners manual.  Work to me consisted of french kissing like my friends. So after a few weeks of him hanging around the bumbling mute I had become, we kissed. Our relationship transformed into a few stolen kisses and bright-eyed adoration. I liked having a boyfriend and I wrote our names all over my notebooks, park benches and anywhere else I could use a pen and small carving instrument. I even wore  miniature "T" shaped stickers on both sides of my  face. One teacher asked me did my "T&T" stand for dynamite(totally inappropriate) and I boldly let him know it was for my boyfriend Tommy. Then my three friends and I had  "The Pajama Party."

We planned the party for weeks. We planned the menu, the activities, and the music. We also planned on sneaking our boyfriends in the window as soon as Cheryl's grandmother went to sleep. We decided that we all needed new pajamas instead of the tired ratty ones we wore at home. In the household I lived  new pajamas were available for Christmas presents only. I begged my mother to find it in her budget to buy me new pajamas for the party. On the day of the party, as soon as I walked in from school my mother handed me an unopened package of brand new pajamas. They were soft pink and wrapped securely in a plastic package. I was elated. I packed in a hurry and left to meet Fran and Reniece. We walked together to Cheryl's house. Our party started before dark, we combed each other hair, spraying massive amounts of White Rain hair spray on our kitchen counter hairdos. We gave ourselves facials, which back then consisted of Noxzema and Witch Hazel. We were preparing for our men smelling of a combination of Noxzema, White Rain and Witch Hazel.  After a few hours it  was time to put on our new pajamas. To my absolute teenage horror my soft pink two piece pajamas set had the footie attached like an infant. I was horrified! My mother had pulled a fast one on me. Why would she chose a pajamas party to buy me baby pajamas? There's always that certain moment in  adolescent; when while exercising your independence from your parents  you come to the unfaltering conclusion that your parents are, "Out to ruin your life." That was mine. I turned bright red and lite up like a Christmas tree from embarrassment.

At around eight-thirty or nine o'clock our dates arrived at Cheryl's bedroom window. Cheryl's grandmother went to bed early and slept hard. We had little worry of her catching us. Cheryl also had an uncle that lived in the house. He drank heavy, talked to himself and mostly stayed in his room. I wanted to cancel the visit from the guys, but my friends refused. We devised a plan where I would stay in one of the twin beds in Cheryl's room with my legs under the cover. The boys climbed into the window with little effort. In my memory the boys that came that night were Tommy, Marshal (Cheryl's boyfriend), Kermit (Fran's boyfriend) and Bubba a loud-mouth boy that played too much and was known for his laughing and teasing about your most vulnerable childhood traumas. He is a lot of fun when the jokes not on you. I don't remember Reniece's boyfriend, but none of us dated Bubba that I'm sure of. I wondered who invited him. There was no way I would let him see I had on baby pj's. I would be the laughing-stock of the neighborhood. I had finally lived down getting spanked in front of my friends for sneaking to the movies that summer.

I don't know why the memory came back the way it did. It might have been the soft pink pajamas with the footies that Angel sent, or the fact that I have been in touch with Tommy, or a combination of both.  Suddenly the memory was  vivid and technicolor full of smells, tastes, emotions and sounds. I never left the bed that night while the guys were there. Tommy sat on the edge of the bed next to me and before long we were kissing. I was in a sitting position with my feet tucked securely under the blanket. Cheryl was in the other bed next to Marshal and they were kissing, partly because of raging teenage hormones, but mostly in support of me. She didn't want me to feel alone in my embarrassment so we made it appear as if being in bed was part of our seductive plan. Nothing could have been further from the truth.

 Our kisses were clumsy and unsure in front of our peers, but sweet in that teenage love kind of way. Even though we were on the same bed wrapped in each others arms there was no groping or touching of delicate secret places. We were stuck between the two worlds of children and adults, and we didn't fit either one. That night we tried on our grown-up legs; they were wobbly and uncertain and didn't yet work. His kisses were youthfully sweet and had a slight fragrance of mint and faded garlic. I was guarded and nervous full of raw emotions and fear. My heart beat to loud, I smelled of Noxzema and hair spray, and I held a embarrassing secret under the blanket. In the background the stereo was playing a 45 of the Isley Brother's song, Summer Breeze. That night in my infant pink footie pajamas, I felt as if I had discovered the secret of grown up love and it felt scary and too big.  After about an hour of entertaining our boyfriends, Bubba laughed real loud and woke Cheryl's uncle. He knocked on the bedroom door and demanded to know what we were doing. The boys had to jump out the window in a hurry. The party was over.

Unfortunately like many small towns our little indiscretion found it's way to the rumor mill via- that loud-mouthed Bubba. Our little plan backfired, my friends and I got a reputation of being, "tramps," per the sophomore girls, of which my eldest sister happened to belong. She came home from school that following Monday and informed my mother and grandmother. I got spanked and grounded for a week. Back then there were no laws governing how to discipline your children, we suffered the consequences of our rebellious actions.  As I was telling the story to my sister Claudia last night, she was appalled at the outcome. I laughed, because that didn't bother me as much as those infant footie pajamas did. I said, "I'm just glad they didn't find out about my pajamas." She laughed and said, "Spoken like a true teenager."

Even after I had lain down to sleep last night the memory was so real it kept me awake. Fran and Cheryl both died ten or eleven years ago. Marshal died a few years later. I have not seen Reniece or Tommy in over thirty years. I did see Bubba a couple of years ago. I once read that the best things in life are the people you love, the places you've been and the memories you've made along the way. I'm glad God gave me the gift of my childhood friends. Those are the people that walked with me through those formative years; when I was skinny, and awkward; all elbows, knees and big teeth that resembles Chiclets. Yet they loved me. Last night I wanted, if only for a moment, to be back there in that room that night. I wanted to see Cheryl , Fran and Marshal and tell them that they're important and that their lives mattered. I wanted to hug each of those kids and tell them how much they meant to me. I wanted to relive that night with all it's silly childish chaotic moments.

 Tommy and I broke up shortly after that night (that's another story, and in my defense,-I think we should just let bygones be bygones). Our closeness didn't survive the break-up but we remained distant friends. I realize that he will always hold the title of my first boyfriend, the place of honor reserved for the special. I'm glad he's back in my life and hope we stay in touch, though we both admit we're sometimes slack in doing so. I spoke to Reniece for the first time in over thirty years last year and although we promised to keep in touch, we haven't. I pray that their lives are full of love, laughter and special moments and that they take the time to notice.
I hope they see Jesus in the everyday and the ordinary.

Fearless




Thursday, January 26, 2012

Carrying my Cross

Mat 16:24  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.



Crosses are heavy and dangerous, full of splinters and nails. Have you ever gotten a splinter in your skin or stepped on a board with a nail? Well, I have dug many splinters out of my skin with a straight pin slightly burned at the end to prevent infection. I topped it off with alcohol that burned tears to my eyes. Once as a child I stepped on a board with a nail that pricked the delicate center of my foot. That landed me a trip to the emergency room and a painful tetanus shot.  I walked with a limp for a week when I had to walk. Of course I milked it for all it was worth and demanded (in a weak whisper) my family wait on me, as if I had undergone a  complete leg amputation.

Lately Jesus has been teaching me the meaning of dying to self, and denying myself both of which I have very little practice. As much as I would like to pretend otherwise the truth of the matter is: I lack spiritual discipline at least 95% of the time. Sad I know. The good news is I can rely on grace 100% of the time, but Jesus said it's time for me to grow up. Not that his grace is no longer sufficient, that will never happen, but it's time for me to develop tougher skin. He wants me to understand that a servant will never be greater than his lord and if they called him Beelzebub, they will also call me names.

I come from a large family and a neighborhood full of large families. I was small for my age, quiet and shy. Which left me a target of teasing and bullying my entire life. The bullies never understood  the fact that quiet and shy was the outward appearance. Inside I was fierce and scrappy. I fought a lot to protect myself. They would usually have to hit me first, or if they were too big I would just attack them while they were busy entertaining the crowd. I fought and won all the time. I was never a loud mouth or a bully but I have always been a fighter. Lately Jesus has been teaching me that defending myself is pride and self-righteousness. I have been accused of being self-righteous, I've been called a witch, I've been told that I don't need to pray as often as I do. I desperately want to defend myself and it's been a real struggle not to. I can no longer look at them and think to myself, "Whore of Babylon,"( I used to pretend it was okay as long as it was biblical). God said he would pluck out anything he did not plant. He did not plant little mean vicious thoughts.

Abba knows that I'm scrappy and full of fire, he put it in me, but he wants me to know the difference between fighting in the spirit and wrestling with flesh and blood. I want to retaliate verbally against all the verbal abuse. He told me that carrying the cross (his instrument of capital punishment) was a humbling experience, and so is mine. Crosses are heavy and carrying them hurt. I'm picking the splinter that prick my joy and restrict my vision and the nails that leave me hobbling  in pain.  I will not defend myself. I can not defend myself.

Fearless

Monday, January 23, 2012

Prayer Circle

Jer 9:17  Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, Consider ye, and call for the mourning women, that they may come; and send for the skilful women, that they may come:
Jer 9:18  and let them make haste, and take up a wailing for us, that our eyes may run down with tears, and our eyelids gush out with waters.

We sit in the middle of the floor. There are four of us present; my sisters Jill and Gina, Melodie( friend and sister in Christ) and myself. Our eyes are closed but our hearts are opened. We close our eyes to block out anything in our field of vision that would distract us from focusing on the King of Glory. We want him and only him, our prayers are desperate. I feel the longing in each of us. As I lift my voice to the throne of God I feel a knot rise in my throat. The tears spill from our eyes. I have prayed with each of these women many times. This time it's different.

In ancient Israel for funerals there were women hired as mouners to help the family to grieve. They were known as "mourning women," These women would make sudden outburst of unexpressed grief. In our prayer circle that night the grief hit us. For me it has been building up for over a year. I have held inside of me the grief of God toward his people. I have held his tears and the heaviness of his heart that he expressed to me. I have struggled with what to do with the revelations he has given me. Everyone I try to tell looks at me as if I have gotten to religious, and I wonder if they are right most of the time. I have to tell it though. Love won't let me hold it.

I was praying in the spirit a little over a year ago. Suddenly I had an overwhelming since of sadness. At the time I was going through a lot of changes, I had lost my job where I pretty much ran three Dermatology Surgery Centers. I had started letting my job define who I was. I had heart problems with no diagnosis, I walked through the valley of the shadow of death. On top of all of that I had depleted my savings. However my tears were not for me, because in all of that, I had the pleasure to watch in awe his faithfulness toward me.

What he told me is too much to post on one blog entry but I will write about it in a series soon. Today I will tell just a small portion of what he said.  He said his people honor him with their lips but there heart are far from him. He said that the church is lukewarm and full of not only hypocrisy, but apostasy. He said everyone is concerned with their own house and the children are being introduced to witchcraft and satanism in the schools, and they're becoming perverse and committing suicide and his people are not noticing. He said if we take care of his lambs he would take save our families. I could feel him crying for the babies and his people. He said only a third of the church is going to make it because of the apostasy in the church. He said the time of the gentile is almost fulfilled and his judgment is coming, and when it comes many of his people are going to get angry with him and curse him instead of repenting. They will not repent of their idolatry, their lackadaisical attitude toward the things of his heart, for their lukewarmness and their self-righteousness and many other things. As he cried, I cried with him. I repented for me, for his bride with our many blemishes, spots and wrinkles.

Since then try as I might to have church as usual, I can't. I keep telling people and they're treating me like some sort of self-righteous, delusional self-proclaimed prophet. I'm none of those things. I am a women God talks to, because it pleases him to talk to me( at least that's what he told me). I still sometimes struggle with others opinions of me. The more I see how vicious others opinions can be, the easier it's getting to get past them. Let people think whatever they want about you, but tell the truth their life depends on it. Love will always sacrifice his life for those he loves.  That's the truth of the cross. How can you pick up your cross without laying down your life.

That night in the prayer circle, I could hear the Holy Spirit calling us the mourning women. Like the prophet Jeremiah( also known as the weeping prophet) 9: 17-18 God is calling for the weeping women to wail to cause us to repent, the stench of our sins in the land has reached his nostrils. That night we mourned for the children, the people of God and people that has been wounded by the hypocrisy in the house of the Lord. I could not stop crying. Maybe I cried for all the mess I saw going on in many of the churches I visited while in Florida. I watched the apostasy and total ridiculousness of a few of the preachers, or in my opinion false prophets. I prayed for workers to in the vineyard and Shepherds that are not blind, I prayed for holy boldness, but mostly I pray that the eyes of our understanding are opened before it's too late.

Judgment begins in the house of the Lord.

Fearless


Tuesday, January 10, 2012

The Vacation

I know I've been gone for awhile. I have been in Florida since the 13TH of December. I'm on vacation! My "vacation" started as nonstop running around for class purpose and for the record I did not graduate. I have two more semesters of full time classes, my credit hours got screwed and I had a couple of incomplete classes (all my fault).

Jill (my sister) and Robbin and Diane (friends) started with a trip to Jacksonville which is 85 miles from Daytona Beach where I have been staying, and where Robbin and Jill live. We were suppose to go to the "Iron Sharpens Iron" conference and than back to Daytona that night. The conference ran over the expected time and we were tired, hungry but spiritually satisfied. No one really felt like driving back to Daytona so we decided to stay the night in Jacksonville. We are hotel and resort queens and we take several vacations or getaways each year though we prefer to call them spiritual retreats. We have stayed in some of the best hotels in Florida and have traveled from Tampa to Key West on our excursions. That's the perks of living in Florida, being single and having grown children.  The only problem this time is- we didn't pack a bag or do like we usually do and over-pack. Jill, Robbin and Diane all were scheduled to work the following morning.  Robbin and Diane are Dentist and Jill assist Robbin (and Diane when she works at Robbin practice). The conference is to continue the following day and none of really wanted to miss it.We have witness God do miraculous things in the Iron Sharpens Iron conference over the years. Robbin cancelled all her appointment for that next day therefore freeing herself, Jill and Diane.

All we have to wear are the clothes on our backs. We all wore blue jeans with matching jackets and different colored   blouses that matched our boots. Or outfits were coincidental and not some pathetic attempt to recapture our lost childhood by dressing alike(and no we're not to old for blue jean suits). We went to Walmart in the middle of the night and purchase underwear, tooth brushes, new matching blouses, night shirts, rollers and night caps. Making the decision to stay in Jacksonville did something for us that night. It made us feel more adventurous and less reserved. Suddenly life was not mundane and planned. We were no longer frightened and ordinary but free and courageous.

It's been eight months since I moved from Florida. I missed my friends and sisters in the Lord. I missed the spiritual connection, the long talks about Jesus and the way we each worship in our own broken imperfection. Since I've been back in Florida I have paid more attention to my friends and sisters in the Lord, and my biological sister Jill. It's almost like my time away made them more precious to me. I found myself really looking at them. Diane made a statement about the women she employs not knowing her and treating her as if she barely exist. I looked over at her and thought about the sensitive, kind soft-spoken women I have come to know as my friend. She has shared her pain and we have learned how to be transparent with each other. I find it hard to believe anyone could come into the present of this women of God, and miss the calm grace that only comes with brokenness. I saw the hurt and confusion in her eyes as she whispered this to me. I could see her vulnerability and distress. I watched as she lifted her hands in praise to the God that accepts her. I see the deep hunger in her to know God better; to go deeper so that she can rise above all the hurt and rejection.

Robbin has a rough exterior and a soft heart. We have had more then our share of disagreements. At first glance you would see her as controlling and bossy. She really not controlling or bossy, she just has a need to make everything pleasant and secure for those around her. She's spiritually perceptive and she's blunt and outspoken, but she always has your best interest at heart. Once you get over the initial deliverance of her message you usually come to see the wisdom in her words. She's thoughtful, generous and funny. It's always a treat to look at the world through Robbin's eyes. She mostly sees the best in people and things. She can make the most mediocre subject interesting and exciting. Her easy excitability is contagious and you'll find yourself sweep-up in her euphoria. I watch as she raises her hand to worship, even her worship is filled with excitement. Her worship is pure and untainted even when she quietly raises her heart with her eyes closes you know Abba has her whole heart.

Jill has never been a quiet person, I watch as she amen the word of God with the enthusiasm only Jill could get away with. Jill is quirky and funny and she makes up words and sayings that spread among her peers. She  original and different from anyone you will ever meet.  For instance in order not to say anything negative about anyone or her state of mind she makes up phrases; instead saying someone is annoying her or "getting on her nerves." she'll say they're "burning her fat." Jill's funny and extremely sensitive though she sometimes hide it. I watched as she worshiped Abba in her loud happy way. Periodically she would look at me. I know that look she has given it to me for years. She is asking me if she's okay, is it alright to express herself the way she did. She has always looked to me for confirmation. And  I, like the big sister I have always been to her; give her the you're okay look. She so soft and vulnerable. We all are.

I chatter on and on sometimes and will repeat myself. My stories are sometimes long and slow, but with each other we have found acceptance, love and friendship. Our mutual bond is our love for Jesus and our need to belong and our genuine like of each others company. I realize how much I have missed them. I'm so glad to be with them again if it's only for a moment. I'm glad that I have found a spiritual connection with such awesome women of God.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

The Freedom to Forgive

As I look back on my life, I reflect on the fact that I have been the victim of much slander and vicious accusations. People will say mean things about me for no apparent reason. Sometime I have sifted through it wondering if any of it is true, even when my heart knew otherwise. I guess the bad stuff is easier to believe. I spent many sleepless nights torn between the truth and lies. The lies cuts deep, but the truth cuts deeper. I remember one time in particular. I was accused of an sexual affair with a minister. We were both single and the best of friends. I had no sexual attraction to him at all, and I doubt if he had one for me. Our friendship came under atrocious attack in the church we both attended. There were vicious rumors and mostly my character was assassinated. That's the problem with sharing your past failures. People refuse to believe the power of God to change us. They create God in their image and make him small minded and deeply prejudice. I don't know that God. The one I know is extremely loving and forgiving.

During this character assassination of me, I became despondent and depressed. I never tried to hide my past failures, they have always been a source of reference to the goodness of God's amazing grace toward me. I cried a lot and refused to take phone calls from my friend. I, in my heart was saving him from the slander against him, stemming from his association to the likes of me. He was concerned for me and persistent. I was concerned for him and wanted to save his reputation, he on the other hand wanted to prove we had nothing to be ashamed of, but the backbiter and busybodies did. I didn't want to fight because I didn't know how to fight for me verbally. I had been verbally beat down my entire life. Starting with my siblings, my mother, my sons father  and many of my school friends. I used to pray to God for someone to love me. At the time I didn't recognize my friend as that someone. The Lord spoke to me during this time, he was so sweet and reassuring he said, "You're a blood washed daughter of the Most High God and everything else is a lie, and only what I say is Truth. Jesus is the way the Truth and the Light. I have found the way and in that way, I have found the freedom to forgive any and all that transgress against me. I forgave the ones that wounded me so severely and so did my friend.

My friend left the church soon afterward, he moved an hour away. Our friendship has never been the same, maybe it's distance and time. I have since moved hundreds of miles away. We still talk on the phone periodically. We never mention what happened in our small congregation. There is no need to dwell on forgiven things, we no longer nurse the hurt. We cover it with love. Love is so desperately needed in these perverse times we live in. I know longer pray for someone to love me, instead I pray for someone to love. This prayer has been answered in the most usual and challenging ways(drug addicted women, demon possessed children, etc I don't tell the half of it) yet with each challenged more grace to love is given. Love starts inside of each of us. When this life is over and we stand before the great judgment seat of Christ, I believe we will be judged on how well we loved.

Fearless



Sunday, November 20, 2011

This is beautiful


video
Song by an eight year old girl as a tribute to our troops.

If I wrote a note to God
I would speak whats in my soul
I'd ask for all the hate to be swept away,
For love to overflow
If I wrote a note to God
I'd pour my heart out on each page
I'd ask for war to end
For peace to mend this world
I'd say, I'd say, I'd say

Give us the strength to make it through
Help us find love cause love is over due
And it looks like we haven't got a clue
Need some help from you
Grant us the faith to carry on
Give us hope when it seems all hope is gone
Cause it seems like so much is goin wrong
On this road we're on

If I wrote a note to God
I would say what on my mind
I'd ask for wisdom to let compassion rule this world
Until these times
If I wrote a note to God
I'd say please help us find our way
End all the bitterness, put some tenderness in our hearts
And I'd say, I'd say, I'd say

Give us the strength to make it through
Help us find love cause love is over due
And it looks like we haven't got a clue
Need some help from you
Grant us the faith to carry on
Give us hope when it seems all hope is gone
Cause it seems like so much is goin wrong

On this road we're on


No, no no no
We can't do this on our own
So


Give us the strength to make it through
Help us find love cause love is over due
And it looks like we haven't got a clue
Need some help from you
Grant us the faith to carry on
Give us hope when it seems all hope is gone
Cause it seems like so much is goin wrong
On this road we're on


If I wrote a note to God