Daughter of Troops

Today I spoke with the nurse at my doctor's office. She assured me that the pain I am having is expected and that when I go in next week the procedure will be painful. She instructed me to take 2 pain pills before arriving at the office. I have to be honest, after getting that news I cried, I felt fear, I felt panic, I felt more fear and even felt a bit overwhelmed, then I went numb. Then the enemy attacks my thoughts with "your being punished for going back to Kevin after I warned you not to." I'm fighting back! That is a lie from the pits of hell. Yes, there are consequences for our sins, however, my illness has nothing to do with that and as a matter of fact, I had symptoms of this for several months before I even considered reconciliation . Furthermore, I am forgiven! Then there's the overwhelmed part; I could make a good sized list of things that seem unfair and at one moment it seemed like it is too much. Then I am reminded that the Lord will not put mo...

I recently heard a conversation about what you want to be when you grow up. When I was very young all I wanted was to be married and have children. Then I wanted to be a teacher. My sister says I was very bossy. If we played Monopoly I had to be the Banker or I wouldn't play. Looking back I think it wasn't so much of wanting to be in charge as it was that I didn't trust the accuracy of anyone else. In high school I wanted to be an oceanographer and I never wanted to be married or have children. I planned to join the Navy after graduation, but then I fell in love. I did get to be a teacher, I did get married, twice and have one son in the natural and hundreds in the spiritual. I still love the ocean, but the movie "Jaws" ruined me for actually getting into the water. I've watched that movie over fifty times! So, what did you want to be when you grew up and did you fulfill your dreams?

God is amazing. It is 5:30 a.m. , the time on my template is wrong. Yesterday I had a wonderful date with Jesus. We danced, we sang, we cried and held onto one another. I fell in love all over again. This morning at 3:00 I was awakening from a dream. In the dream I saw a huge Bible open. there was a magnifying glass moving over the text. As I focused and looked into the glass I saw 2 Kings 21. I instantly woke up. I thought I need to remember that, was it 1 Kings or 2. The Holy Spirit said 2 Kings and read it now. I reached for the lamp, my glasses and opened my Bible up to 2 Kings 21 and began to read. It was not something you want to read right before surgery. I ask God what it meant and then went back to sleep. When I got up at 4:30 I decided to read it again since I was more awake. Maybe i had heard wrong and it was 1 Kings. I read it and it also was not what I thought the Lord was showing me. Then the holy Spirit said look at your Bible again, but look on the left side. Aha! I ...

Well, by this time tomorrow I hope to be home and recovering from surgery. I'm still not ruling out that it may not happen if God so chooses. Yesterday I had a case of nerves over the whole thing. I even wrote out a will. Today His mercies are new and my faith is restored. I have many things to do for the Kingdom and I have an appointed time to die or be raptured out of here. Worrying will not do any good and it would bring pleasure to the enemy if he could distract me. I'm ready to be back in action and preparing for the next phase in the children's ministry. If you haven't read my newsletter, grab one off the table in the front foyer of the church. I'll need some help decorating the room. Any volunteers?

Today as I drove to differant places I noticed how there were indications of how far up the parking lots of businesses the water had risen. The water didn't sit there for very long, and when it subsided it left it's mark on everything it touched. It got me to thinking about being in the presence of God. Once He lets the rain fall and you get in it; it will leave an indelible mark. If the ocean can shape a mountain side by hurling itself against it time and again how much more can we be changed by soaking in His presence. Using the same analogy the Lord showed me how they barricaded some streets so that cars would not flood out or cause a wake in the water that would flood homes. He said some people are like that in that they don't want to drown out in His presence. They really don't even want there feet wet. They have placed barricades around themselves and when others around them get wet and play in the "water" their barricades keep the wake from enter...

Today it seemed like I was in phone hell. Of the nearly 700 tenants at least 500 called to ask if we flooded. Okay so maybe I'm exaggerating a little bit. I had one guy say are you sure? Yes, Sir, I'm sure. Well, he says, I saw on the news that you did. No Sir we didn't, I'm not lying to you and if you would like to why not drive over and see for yourself. We have a second story that is perched above another building at least 13 feet off the ground. Yes, even those people called to make sure there things were dry. Stress makes people stupid! I am so very thankful that we didn't flood and that I didn't have to come in and clean up a mess or make 500 phone calls to inform them we flooded. Praise you Lord! \o/ Louis came by the office to check things out, I told him he couldn't go on vacation anymore because weird things happen when he's gone.

I have a customer named Nicole. She has been a tenant for a couple of years and suffers from great anxiety and depression. she was diagnosed as bi-polar. She has let me pray with her on several occasions and today she came in the office sobbing uncontrolably. She felt hopeless and unloved. she often speaks of suicide. She has two small children and says she goes to a nondenominational church. She lives with her parents and said that they condemn her continually and call her a bad parent because she has to live with them. I talked with her and prayed with her and as she left she said may I please just have a hug. I just want to feel love. It broke my heart. I know how that feels just to need that human touch , no words, just unconditional love. I'm asking Daughter of Troops to join with me and stand in the gap for this young woman. I'm asking for daily prayer for her to be free from opression, depression, condemnation and all lies of the enemy.

I just love the rain. Last night I laid in bed and watched the lightening blast through my window with bursts of energy. God is so brilliant! I got out of bed and went to my dining room window to look out across the deck at the rain. I love the way it looks on the Morning Glories that have wrapped themselves around the decking. It was being hurled from the heavens so hard that my wind chimes were dancing and singing loudly. As I stood there I began to feel moisture on my feet. I thought wow, I'm so into this I actually feel my feet getting wet. Then I turned on the light and yes, my feet were indeed wet. My window sill was leaking and rain is coming in from the bottom of my door. ARGH... I pushed a rug under it to absorb the moisture and calmly stated. Lord, You are my husband. This is one of those "guy" things and I need Your help to get this one fixed. I know He will. My "honey do" list never gets too long because He is so faithful. I watched the rain som...

Today is the first day my associate is gone on vacation. I miss him already. I find that I have become comfortable with the routine. I've adjusted myself and gotten used to most of the quirks (there are still some that I don't get) and I'm sure he had to adjust to mine. Here is a list of some of my work quirks: I like things in a certain spot. Everything has a spot. I want things put back in their place. I don't like it when someone creates a new spot for something that already has a spot! I do things in a certain order and I don't like to diviate from that order. (No I don't have OCD ) I can be stingey and not want anyone to touch my stuff I like closure. Those who know me well have heard me say that closure is a good thing I hate it when someone writes on my desk calendar I want to be the first to read the newspaper because when I read it I put it back in the exact order and neatness that I got it (sometimes better) I like to write with black gel pens I am ...

Today K.I.D.S. Church was AMAZING! During worship most of the children were really moving into worship. You could actually feel the room atmosphere change as God's presence was made known. After the teaching segment we spent some time "soaking". The whole room was quite and I watched little hands reaching out for God and waiting for Him to speak to them. They were expecting Him to speak to them. He did! After soaking we talked about what God said to each person ( only if they wanted to share ). There were three different ones that saw waterfalls. Several saw heaven. I allowed them to draw and/or color what God had showed them. One child that saw heaven was drawing her picture she said there was more than one waterfall. She said you know what's weird Miss Rhonda, the sky was not blue it was gold and I felt like I could play in the water. Another child saw her dog and felt so happy to see it again. she said it was playing in heaven. Last week a 10 year old drew f...

This has been an incredible evening. It all really started last night in church. The worship was different. There was such an anointing . I wished it hadn't ended and to be honest I don't think it should have. I think God wanted to do something. But that is my opinion. Never the less it left me hungry for more. When I got home from work today I had a feeling like I missed God. It was strange and more like a yearning. My spirit was longing for His presence. He was calling me to come and dance with Him, laugh with Him and cry with joy as we embraced. As wonderful as it was it left me thinking about my part. He called to me, how often do I call out to Him, cry out for Him other than when I'm in a situation of need. For myself. not nearly as often as I should. David cried out for God, his heart longed for God. I have had that feeling in my heart and my spirit. I want more ! God deserves more! He is holy and worthy. " My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and make mus...

As... I go into the secret place and fall down on my face. I can feel the denstiy of the air around me change. I can hear Your glorious robe rustle as it dances around You. You move precise, determined, and confident towards me. Your embrace is flawless. One glance from You can break a heart hardened or lovingly carress a heart humbled. Fountain of life---You offer me a drink and a bath. Cleansed, quenched and satisfied, I drink deeply.

Have I let a whole hour go by wiothout saying how proud I am of my son? Well, I am sooo proud of him. He is about to be promoted to E-6. He took the test and passed. Chris is so smart and so pasasionate about what he does whether that's work or friendship...whatever it is. He is continually moving forward and will not settle. He works hard for what he has. He and his wife are doing very well. She is one of the most caring people I've ever known. She has a servant's heart. Chris told me before they were married that one of the things he loved about her was that she would motivate him not to settle. They make a great couple. Thanks for indulging a mom to brag on her children. God is good and I am greatly favored.

Last week I was in a church meeting and God was moving mightily . At some point the leader stated, Lord, I want to see Your glory. He ask everyone there to repeat and cry out to God, "Lord show us Your glory." I have learned enough to know not to do everything suggested. And although it was well meaning, I'm not sure they understood what they were asking. When I had my surgery, I realized that God was using this time to do a surgery in my inner most parts. I could see this only when I was in His glory. When your in His glory you can understand the meaning behind the event and you stop fighting with it because in the glory you understand that all things work out for the good of those who love Christ Jesus and are called according to His purpose. (thanks Mark Chironna ). God took me to a whole new level. This next surgery, if it actually happens, is to sew up a place that did not heal. It is still an open wound on the inside even though on the outside it appears t...

I love waterfalls. There not only beautiful but I love closing my eyes and just hearing the sound. They are powerful and they drown out all the surrounding noises as the water plunges down mountain sides. Psalm 42:7 " Deep calls to deep in the roar of Your waterfalls; all Your waves and breakers have swept over me." Such a beautiful verse. Many times I imagine myself in a pool of warm water tucked away in some remote place at the base of a majestic mountain. As I seek more of God, He draws me into the deep. Suddenly a large wave crashes into my serene pool and catapults me into unfamiliar water. I am not afraid, it is refreshing. I swim, I float, I tread and even dive. The waves rush back and forth lulling me . Each time I return to the pool it seems larger, deeper and the water becomes more and more clear. I love to soak, to be immersed and saturated in His presence. The waves cleanse and soothe. There is a waterfall running into my pool and sometimes I climb behi...

The last three weeks I've gone by to see if Antoine & Antoinio (the boys I mentor) and no one came to the door. I left notes and they have no phone. Today after work, I was going to the grocery store and out of the blue the Lord said go to their house. I thought OK, but their not going to be there. As I turned onto their street I could see two little bodies making their way down the road pushing a bike. From the distance I could see it was them because when Antoine saw my car his face lit up with the biggest smile. If I hadn't have gone right then when the Lord spoke, I would have missed that opportunity. Thank you Father for making a way when there is none. My son told me he has been selected for a new assignment as a Recruiter. He will be so good at that. The best part is with this assignment he will not be deployed! :) It will last for three years and extend his exit date by 8 months. But when it ends, so will his service to the Army. God is so good and so creative i...

God is sooooo wonderful!!! The last blog I posted got some attention I didn't expect. For those who don't know me as well, as I stated in the last post I have dealt with some things far too long. I have repented and I am delivered! Some do not see the progress and want to point out that I'm in a sad state because it has taken so long. I say Thank you God that I am an overcomer and it may have taken too long, but it is done. To quote Joyce Myers, "I may not be where I need to be, but thank God I'm not where I used to be." There have been many people in my life that represented authority to me and than abused that relationship through manipulation. It is something I have not discussed with people, but I have left it in the arms of God. It is something I now recognize quickly! Some people are always looking at lack and so those people around them never quite "arrive". Duet. 7:22-23 says, "And the Lord your God will drive out those natio...