Fri, Dec 22nd - 12:03AM

Trials

Prayer focus has been Spirit-led on a daily basis.

Even during the trials, Lord, I shall praise You. Even as the waves are crashing against me, I look out to the horizon and see Your Hand, held out to hold me up, even when I feel I can tread water no longer. Thank You, Jesus for Your Victory at the cross against this evil and spiritual warfare==for all evil on earth and in the heavenly realms shall perish in Your Presence. Praise God!

It has been a very hard time here, financially and emotionally. Yet, I must praise God, even during the tears, and keep focused on Him. Walking in faith is not an easy journey, but we know, as Christians that our life on this earth is short. Jesus told us it would not be an easy walk, but He also promised He would never leave or forsake us.

I hold on tight to that promise!

At one time in my life, when I believed in God but did not follow His Word, I was wealthy. Yet, like the greed of the many kings and pharisees, I blew every bit of it on frivolous things that are only worth something to man, and not anything to our eternal life. When my son died, I bought even more frivolous things that meant nothing, and in most cases was a way for me to avoid my grief. I then birthed twins; both of which were hospitalized for many months and in different parts of our state. The money diminished, but their lives were spared. I no longer had the finances that I did have during that time, but I had something more precious--I had the lives of my children and that meant more to me than anything.

Years have gone by, and I have yet to be blessed financially again. Yet, God provides each and every time. I have been sent to places that were not possible, except for God blessing me for my trip that was part of His Plan. Although my children no longer have horse back riding lessons, fancy clothing and shoes and posh vacations, they now have a church, ministry and Jesus. How precious that gift truly is!

As the commercialized season of Christmas comes, we find ourselves with very little funds and barely enough food in the house. Yet, even through the tears, I praise Him. I know this is yet another trial, preparing me for something greater that will bring Glory to His Name. I stand on faith, waiting for His blessing as we swim through this crisis, knowing that He will rescue me and I will not sink under the violent waves that surround me.

Tonight, I felt the dispair greatly. Yet, God used me in a way that helped someone I love deeply at the same time. For a few hours, I forgot my own problems and concentrated on what He wanted me to do in His Name, for His child, and with HIs Glory shining. That love is there because of Him. He blessed me richly. So, as much as I feel sorry for myself at time, God finds a way for me to feel loved by Him, when nothing on this earth seems to do the same. He is the only truth. He is the only constant. He is our only hope and I will keep standing, holding tightly to His Mighty Hand.

The kids are young and don't understand this. In a world of materialism and commercialized gift giving, they tend to want what I cannot provide them with. Although 4 of my children are excellent about the gifts of family and love, unity and prayer, I have one that falls heavily on the alter of man--even though He loves Jesus. He is tempted by what this rich area of our country has, and what we don't.

Yet, one day he will see the truth, and I pray for God's revelation for him in this manner. His friends have more toys, but most have parents that are no longer together. His friends have fancy houses, but live in daycare while their parents work their 14 hour days to provide. They go on fancy trips but the other 48 weeks of the year, they rarely see their family for long periods of time. Many rarely ever have a home cooked dinner, let alone having a dinner that is prepared while the family all sits together to eat. They have educations that are far above any education they would have recieved before God sent us here. They have a church that loves them for who they are, and accepts them as God's children--and never looks at the disabilities they are seen with by our society.

One day, I pray my son will see all this. His oldest sister does, and rarely asks for anything. She volunteers for children's ministry and is trying hard to get a job at 15. His twin brother was so good about our meager finances for Christmas that he chose the smallest and humble gifts. My two youngest are autistic, but only look for love, attention and anything that is available to play with--from crayons to a online children's game; and all 4 of these children can't wait for us to go to church! Yes, I am truly blessed==even with the one that is torn between the alters of man, and the eternal promise of God. With prayer and patience, God's love will touch him too. It is then that he will see the truth and it is in God that I put all of my faith and prayers for wisdom and guidance--for all of my children.

There has been many tears and much worry. My human emotions and my strong will has me try harder to do something, forgetting that only God can help me to accomplish what is part of His Plan. I want to take control, as I am that type of person and have always made a way for myself and my family. Yet, I must release this control into the Hands of our Father. It is there that we will prosper, for only God can take full control and bless this family immensely.

I don't want to be rich, ever again. I saw wealth destroy us. I saw how lost I was. I just wait on God to provide for us and am faithful that He will do so. There will be a miracle--I know this, for God is always faithful. Jesus died for all of us, and I know that, out of any gift, that is the most wonderful one of all.

Please keep our family in prayer as we go through this storm. Man is not as understanding in faith when it comes to hardships. I praise God for sending so many Christians to stand with me during this, pray with me and for me. Thank You Jesus for all Your Precious gifts to all of us!

God Bless,

Kelly

Tue, Dec 5th - 1:42AM

Prayer Focus

1. Healing for loved ones that are sick/recovering from surgery
2. Protection from evil
3. Provisions, warmth and home for those without either
4. Marriages=strengthening, saving, renewing
5. Bonds with loved ones to stay close and filled with God's Love between us.

Emotional rollercoasters seem to be a common thing for many of us that are Christian's these days. I don't know how many have been attacked by the lies of the enemy but, at times it feels as if everything that you love, and all that God has brought together is slowly drifting away. I have felt such sorrow and pain, placing it as best that I can in our Faithful Father's Mighty Hands. Yet, there are so many times when the dam breaks at the river of tears, and I find them flowing so easily, without any end in immediate sight.

Finances, this year have been up and down. Greed of our material world has consumed what little the humble have, putting more in the pockets of those that can never have enough of it. There are times I have wondered why, the HAVE's have so much and seem to not be of God, but the Have-not's have little, but strong faith in God.

Duh--that is just it. Faith in God is the key! We have a treasure that the ignorant cannot see. Unfortuntately, most of the ignorant are banks, mortgage companies and bill collectors.

Why does God allow us to go through so much, when we feel as though we are so faithful to Him? To draw closer to Him, of course. To forget that, human beings can be sought out to help, but that help is only a temporary fix. In God, our answers are etched in stone; engraved on the palm of His Hands for us. Our Salvation is eternal. Our promise lasts through eternity.

Of course, as Christmas draws nearer, with the twinkle of expectation gleeming in the eyes of my young ones, it is hard to hold tight on that promise. Do I pay the mortgage, and be safe without losing the house because we missed a payment already? Or do I give the children a few small, but precious gifts, because it means so very much to them?

Missing loved ones as well only adds to some of the pain that this world seems to offer these days. My heart grows heavy as I miss those near and dear to me, so far away and seemingly slipping, even further away. Is it the winter blues that makes me feel so melancholy? Is it my long-stemming feelings of change that I have always hated, melting away at my sanity? Or is it simply God saying, "Kelly, reach out to me. Pray ferverently. Pray without ceasing. Come to me and rest in the Shadow of my Tender Wings"?

I think, the latter..I KNOW the latter.

As I write this, I feel His Peace around me. After tossing and turning in bed, allowing the Holy Spirit's groans to be heard as my mind could not find the words to pray, I felt led to get up, come here and write. If nothing more, maybe a few prayers would be sent our way for a miracle. Or maybe, someone else is feeling the same exact way and God wanted me to let them know that, He is listening to to never give up--keep praying.

I am completely walking in faith right now, waiting for miracles to come my way. In the mean time, I will continue to praise and worship my Heaven Father. I will continue to thank Jesus for His Victory on the cross, bearing the pain of my sins on His own flesh, just so I could be washed clean in His Blood. I will admit (and God is well aware as well) that it is not easy sometimes. There are many times that I want to throw in the towel, scream out in anger and shake my fist at how self-centered our world has become. Yet, He keeps me straight before His Face. He keeps me in the comfort of His Arms, under the strength of His Mighty Right Hand. In His field, I am still one of His Sheep, forever tended in a flock that forever will feel His Love.

May you all feel the love, peace and joy of this season, and be blessed by one of His many Miracles.

God Bless,

Kelly

Mon, Dec 4th - 12:54AM

God's Wonderful Ways

Prayer Focus

1. Those that work long hours on the roadways
2. Those working in 24 hour stores:protection during nightime danger
3. Inward--for ourselves, our church family, or family and friends
4. Provisions, those without a place to stay, those without, period.

It never stops amazing me how God works in our lives. Although our trials are never easy, and we struggle to get through the storms, God strengthens us in these times, and then can use us to help others that are facing what we endured, through His Love, Grace and Mercy.

I am leader of our Intercessory prayer team. We met our usual time tonight, and have been concentrating on "outside our walls" during prayer. This has been anything from, the church in a whole, to the homeless, to other nations, to war, to special needs issues, mental health issues, shut ins, the lost--anything that was not of ourselves.

Tonight, 3 of our team were not there. We have felt that, God has called us all as intercessors, and we intercede as a whole. In a way, we are like a chain--when part of the chain is missing, the prayer team seems to be led in different directions. Tonight, that is exactly how we were led--into fellowship, confession of sins, praying for each other and laying our insecurities out in front of each others-as family that God has brought together.

When we were through (after about 2 hours of intense Spirit-Led fellowship and prayer), I went over to the home of one of my sister's in the Lord. I couldn't stay for long, but felt it was good to spend some time together.

A few weeks earlier, after our team had prayed for the homeless teens in our city, a teen showed up at her door that night, asking to work for a few dollars so he could eat. He had no home, but was willing to work so he could eat and find a warm place to sleep (our shelters, at this time are full). After hearing his story, and how God had brought someone to her door that was one of those we had prayed for, I felt compelled to pray for these young kids on the street, who had no one to go to, and were living in dangerous situations.

While there tonight, the young boy returned. He had lost his place to sleep, all the shelters were full and he was asking her if she knew of someplace to stay.

I immediately began to pray for God's leading. I went out to him and asked him if he had a problem coming to my home, and finding a warm place to stay, and some warm food in his stomach. He took me up on the offer, and offered to work for this room for the night. I told him that, my main concern was for his well being, between the cold and the danger on the street. I felt God telling me that, it was okay--I could bring this young boy home. I have an extra room. I have a warm home. I have accepting children (they are used to me bringing people in at this point..it has always been my calling). I told him that, he could stay the night and I would pray as to what would happen next.

It amazed me how this boy was living. All he owned was a bike (that was broken in many areas), and small plastic bags (3 in all) of clothing. He had nothing else at all, and was living this way since his family had died, and he "was tossed out" of he foster child system at the age of 18.

We drove home, stopping first to pick up my daughter at her mission in Children's Ministry. He and I talked for the entire ride. I come from the inner city. I understand things that some that didn't grow up in that sort of surrounding can understand. I was abused. He was abused. He had no one. I knew how that felt as well. 

We talked about the Lord, the entire ride and how much He had done to me. He was open about his life, and I was open about mine. We had so much we could relate to, right down to our birthday being the same exact day==only quite a few years apart :)

After coming in and immediately beginning to talk to my children, having them show him their games and relating to them well, I cooked him dinner, showed him where everything was and gave him the bed in the spare bedroom. I immediately felt led to make a deal with him; He could stay here, but he would have to get a job. You can't get a job unless you have an address. I told him, he now had one. He is to help out around the house until he gets employment. Tomorrow, we take him to the social security office to get a card (which, amazingly, the foster child system never did for him), get some ID and then, he could go to the many stores here and find employment.

God puts us through so many things, and it is up to us how we use that experience. I have heard stories of American mogels, who started out very poor but became millionaires (or even billionaires) through hard work. That is nice and dandy but, who did they help on the way? Maybe they give to charity, but I am sure they get a nice tax deduction. Do they help others that were in their same shoes, taking what God had taught them and using it to help others? I know of very few, other than Dave Thomas of the Wendy's chain, who employed special needs kids and helped foster children constantly, due to his own upbringing in that environment. Imagine how different our world would be if, everyone took their struggles and trials that God allowed them to go through, applied the strength and wisdom they had received because of those trials, and helped others afterwards. We would not have famine. We would not have homelessness. We would not have a high unemployment rate, where the little guy is let go and all the "suits" still have jobs. We would have God in the center of every home. Everyone would know Jesus. We probably would not have any war, as well.

I am no saint. I certainly am no billionaire. I am not famous. I am me. I am who God made. What I did wasn't something special for to get a name for myself. What I did is what someone else did for me, long ago--in God's Name and for His Glory. What is sad is that, this boy has knocked on every shelter and charity in town, yet no one could help him, for one reason or another. Most have no funds. All have no rooms due to the bitter cold. Funds are tight because no one is giving. How sad is that when, in the same area of town, the houses are 4 times as big as mine, have 2 or more SUV's in the yard, and professional lawn services doing their fancy gardens? How selfish have we become that, we have locked ourselves into our gated community, not to keep ourselves safe within as much as to keep the outside world's trouble out.

Next time you go out and see a homeless person, please don't be like I used to be and think that, they are there because they want to be. Like this boy, our system--so prided by our politicians who make far too much money to even judge it--failed him. His own neighbors, many of which claim to be Christian and followers of Jesus, won't even give him a second chance or answer him when he goes up to them and asks for some work so he can eat. How many of these restaurants throw good food out at night because some wealthy couple felt "full enough" not to finish their steak--yet, this boy hadn't eaten anything but a cold cut sandwich that was tossed out in a dumpster.

In a land so prided on having so much, how little we are willing to give. It saddens me to no end. We are not wealthy. In American standards of labeling, we are on the poverty scale. Yet, with Jesus, we are rich. We have things that mean more to us because they are gifts from God. And those gifts, although seemingly small to the wealthy, are much more than this boy has that was living on the streets--cast out by his own people.

Thank You, Father for all your provisions. Thank You for leading us, and for calling us to do things in the way You would want, Jesus. Let us always stay humble and always grateful for all You do for us. Let us always take the love that You have filled us with, and allow us to let that love overflow onto others. Lead us, sweet Jesus in Your ways so that, even if one comes to you through the kindness You have instilled in us, through the Holy Spirit, that is one more lost sheep that has found his or her way Home. In the Name of Sweet Jesus I pray, Amen.

Fri, Dec 1st - 12:24PM

Jesus

Prayer Focus

1. Loved Ones
2. The Alter's of Man--Prayer against evil
3. Provisions for those with little or none
4. The unsaved
5. The persecuted for their Christian beliefs
6. The victims of unjust laws

The snow fell, for the first time in my 3 years in Kansas. Although we are used to ice storms, we have been extremely blessed with mild winters since I moved here. Nature took a violent turn, giving us two days of ice and snow. When I look out into my back garden I see, what reminds me of the many years in Massachusetts. There is about 8" of snow, which is a lot for this area of the country.

Because of the heavy ice under the heavy snow that fell on top of it, we constantly have to worry about lines snapping, or tree branches falling on top of them. Because we have that issue quite a bit, it can take up to a week before power is restored. In a house that is run fully on electricity, that can prove to be quite a burden--especially when you have 5 kids, and 3 are special needs and don't understand why we can't cook, or why they can't get to a computer--or simply, why it is getting cold and we aren't making them warmer.

I think of those power lines and the poles they are on. The poles are in the shape of a cross. The lines supply all the necessary power to our homes, and keep us warm, safe and provided for. This is exactly what the Cross means to a Christian. When we look to the cross, and follow Jesus, we are constantly provided for. We are warm, comforted, redeemed, loved, provided for and safe. The burden of evil can fall heavily on our Christian lifeline, and try to break the power that comes from it. The more we get our power from the Cross, the more the evil tries to break that.

But, Jesus cannot be broken. He is above all evil. Nothing can come between Him and us, unless we give in and allow it. As long as we call to Him, pray without ceasing and continue to praise Him, we cannot lose that bond that comes from the Cross.

God is our Almighty, All-Powerful King. Praise Him. Thank You, Jesus for Your Victory at the cross! Amen.

Wed, Nov 29th - 12:25AM

When you are hit by the enemy

Prayer Focus

1. The lonely and destitute.
2. The homeless.
3. Single parents and their children.
4. The aged who are in nursing homes and hospitals.
5. The widows.
6. The sick and infirm.
7. The poor and underprivileged.
8. The abused and mistreated.
9. Those in prison.
10. The mentally, physically and socially challenged.

As we get closer to God, we are also under attack from the enemy. In a world filled with so much sin: Materialism, greed, sexual immorality, idol worship, following evil religions, prejudice, judgment, etc., we are surrounded by evil at all times.

Yet, my trust is in our God. He is our Almighty King, our Savior, Our refuge in times of trouble, our Elohim. If we constantly cry out to Jesus, put on the armour of God every morning and ask for His Hedge of Protection around us, satan cannot win.

I am being taunted by the enemy. Because of my empathy, the "push" that I feel is on emotions. I hear thoughts of loss and dismissal of all that I know and love. There are days when I have spent many hours in my prayer room, and feel the attack the next day. As the tears start to fall, I cry out to the one name that satan cannot stand up against: Jesus. I scream out for God's protection and know that, I can trust in Him. The battle is not mine, but His. I place it all in His Hands, and He places me on a rock, high above those that oppress me. Praise God! Sweet Jesus, thank You for Your victory at the cross, which defeated satan and gave us all eternal life.

As much as satan would like the faithful to fall, he will not win. Even when I stumble to fear, anxiety or depression, God is right there, upholding me with His Right Hand and all my enemies perish at His Mighty Presence.

What God has put into our lives, nothing can take that away. God put things people and situation in our lives for a reason. That reason is perfect, for it is His Will. God will weed those ones out that are not helping us to prosper our crops, but will keep the soil fertile with our love, trust and praise in Him. The crops will forever bloom. The garden will always be beautiful. Because of God, what can man do to me? There is nothing that can hurt me. I am one of His sheep, and He reaches out His Hand in protection and love.

All that I have is a sign of his love, kindness, mercy and grace for me. How much I praise Him for this! I am truly blessed, even when the enemy tries to hit me in the area that I hold dear--love for others--and I know that God is faithful in His Word.

I am having a hard time and need prayer for strength as I fight this battle of spiritual warfare. God has placed me in a stance of praise and worship, in intercession for others, and a continuous prayer life. The enemy is strong, but God is stronger. Nothing and no one is above our Father. He is above all things, and Most Holy. My trust is in Him. Jesus died for all of us, bearing the pain in his body for our sins, so that we could be washed clean in His blood. Praise Jesus! Thank You Jesus! We love You, dear and precious Lord and thank You for Your unconditional and overflowing love on all of us! What gift could we receive finer than this? There is no gift greater. There will never be any promise stronger than His.

I will fight in His Name. He will camp angels at my door in protection. He will fill me with His Holy Spirit so that my lips speak only Words from Him. I offer Him my praise, worship and prayers. I offer Him my life, for it is His.

God Bless You all!

Kelly