Just Can’t Stop Praisin’ His Name

There is an old saying, “If you don’t use it, you lose it.”  It is referring to muscle. Our muscles have to be used in order to remain strong and healthy.  If not used they will actually atrophy, waste away. The more muscles we have the stronger we are. The more we can lift and carry, the farther we can run and the longer we can stand. When we are unhealthy and weak, it requires time to get back on our feet and gain our strength back. It requires putting ourselves back into use and back into movement. It will take time to build those muscles and strength back up.

In Nehemiah 8:10 it reminds us, “… the joy of the Lord is your strength.”  If you do not use your joy or do not live it (joyfully) … you will lose it. Your strength will decrease and can even atrophy, waste away.

How do you live joyfully especially with so many trials surrounding you? Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Your attitude and actions revolve around what you think and are focused on. You can control your thoughts which will control your attitude which will control your actions. You can get rid of stinkin’ thinking and think on good and godly thoughts. Thoughts that remind you of the Lord and His faithfulness, His love, and His mercy produce praise. Praise produces gratitude and worship.

Joy: defined

1.   great happiness: feelings of great happiness or pleasure, especially of an elevated or spiritual kind

2.   something that brings happiness: a pleasurable aspect of something or source of happiness

3.   enjoy something: to delight in something

When you develop and build up your praise muscles, you produce joy in the Lord which produces your strength. Strength that allows you to lift more, to carry more, to run farther, to stand longer! You just can’t stop praisin’ His name! No matter what… keep praising!

Burnt

Ever spend the day in the sun and not even realize how burnt you were until later that evening?  It hurts and takes time to heal. If you go back out in the sun before you are healed, it hurts more, burns worse and can easily cause more damage.

Sometimes the trials we endure can cause bitterness.  At the end of those trials you may not even realize you are bitter.  You may think you are okay but when you get put back in that situation or even think about the trial, it brings out the pain and the bitterness of the past moment.

It takes God to uproot any bitterness, any unforgiveness, and it takes time to heal. Don’t ignore the extent of the damage or allow the healing process to stop. It will just hurt longer and cause more damage.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.” Psalm 139:23

                                                                                                                       

Saturated

Most of us have heard of the story of Hansel and Gretel. Hansel dropped a little white pebble here and there on the mossy green ground as they were being led to their fate in the dark forest. The moon was full that night making the tiny white pebbles gleam in the moonlight, so the children found their way home.

I want to be so saturated with God’s love, His anointing, His power, His Word, and His presence that it drips off me. That everywhere I step it leaves a “mark” making a trail for others to follow. I want to lead the hurt, the lost and scared out of the dark. I want to lead them home, where our Father is patiently waiting.

Every step we make makes a difference. Every mark we leave has an impact. May His glory shine on the path you leave others to follow…

I Give Up!

That’s it! I have had it… I give up! I give up all of my frustrations, all of my disappointments, all of my hurts, all my pain… all of it! I cannot carry these things around anymore. I was never meant to carry them around in the first place. But we all do that, don’t we? We hang on to things and people we shouldn’t and wonder why we can’t move on.  It binds us, hinders us, and hurts us.

Be honest with yourself. Ever feel that way?  If we want to move on we have to let go, we have to “give up” those things. “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” Psalm 55:22

 It doesn’t stop there… we have to give up fear, give up doubt, give up worry, give up jealously, give up “our motives” and be full of His glory! “He must become greater; I must become less” John 3:30

Go ahead…. You can “give up” too!

Breaking Your Alabaster Box

Can you imagine the fragrance filling the room? The sweet sweet smell of not only the oil but from the worship given to the King. So many do not realize the priceless treasure they bring before the Lord when they give Him all they have broken at His feet. True adoration brings a sweet sweet Spirit that envelopes all those around.  Can you imagine a woman with a need so great that it didn’t matter what others thought, what others said… It only mattered what she felt laid on her heart to do… She had to go to her King… she had to take Him her most precious belonging… her alabaster box.

You see it was worth a year’s salary, her most treasured item she possessed. She truly didn’t understand why she felt the need to do this but knew she had to do this…

She wrapped the shawl around her head and shoulders, took a deep breath and went to her Master. She didn’t know what she was going to say, what she should do… only that she had to take Him the most precious treasure she had….

Luke 7:36-50 tells us how she entered the room where Jesus was…  can you imagine what it must of felt like to look at Him face to face… all fear leaving… love swelling in her heart as she made her way to his feet.

You know the story as she fell to her knees at his feet.  The tears streaming down onto his feet as she wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet.  She took the box and broke it at His feet anointing Him with the fragrant oil. The past didn’t matter anymore… only that very moment…

No one knows the cost of your alabaster box, the cost of your praise BUT God does… He knows the price of your praise, your pain, your sacrifice.

You see true praise and worship is priceless… it is passionate…

Giving all we have brings blessings.  It changes things… it changes your situation… it clears your vision, it strengthens your very soul…  it changes the very atmosphere of all those around you.

The only way to get that precious, priceless oil of praise is to be broken. To completely open yourself up to the One who died for you. Giving all you have, all you are.

Leave the Luggage At the Door

We all have troubles and problems that can bog us down, distract us and if we aren’t careful they can consume us. We go to church and are so overwhelmed at times that even when we are in His presence we miss the opportunity to worship Him and bask in His presence because we are focused on our problems instead of our God.

If we come into the place that our Savior abides with that “luggage,” our hands are full and heavy.  We cannot lift our hands to the One who deserves our praise if our hands are full. Leave all the luggage at the door.  It doesn’t matter what we are enduring when we come into His presence. He fills us with His strength and peace that passes all understanding.  “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ.”(Philippians 4:7)

He deserves our undivided attention. We cannot just going through the motions of worship. Our focus has to be on Him, not on our distractions. Sure the luggage will still be there ready and waiting for you when you leave but after being in His presence the luggage isn’t quite as heavy as it was before your time with God.  

Leave the luggage at the door.  Don’t ever miss your opportunity to worship Him, He is seeking those who seek Him. “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.” (John 4:23)

The Power of Action

Have you ever heard about the penguins at the San Francisco Zoo? They had forty-six penguins that lived there for a long time. They became lazy and comfortable in their environment. So much so that they spent more time sleeping then they did swimming.

One day six new penguins arrived from Ohio. From dawn to dusk they swam and swam and swam. Eventually the forty-six penguins that spent more time sleeping were side by side swimming with the new arrivals. The six new penguin’s behavior and actions motivated the other forty-six penguins around them to do what they were called to do... swim!

Don’t ever think you don’t make a difference to those around you. Don’t let life just pass you by as you go through the motions, growing lazy and comfortable in your surroundings. There is a lost and hurting world surrounding you, watching you and if you are willing to jump into your calling and not give up they too will follow you. Lead them to the cross, to the One who died for you, to the thing they are called to do…

All Things New

Recently my husband came to me and said it is time for us to evangelize until God moves us to our destined place to pastor. I contacted a few of our faithful prayer partners to help us pray. Two promptly responded, “He is on the throne!” Our family gathered together for prayer. The Lord spoke to us and told us “I have made all things new.”  He filled us with His strength and peace. I got online and couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw this:

 “And He who is seated on the throne said, ‘See! I make all things new…’ ”

(Revelation 21:5, AMP)

“When God puts a dream in your heart, when He puts a promise on the inside of you, He deposits within you everything you need to accomplish that dream. He wouldn’t give you the desire to do something without giving you the ability to fulfill it. In fact, the scripture tells us that God gives us the desires of our heart. In other words, He puts the desire inside of us and then works with us to bring it to pass.

Oftentimes, people set out to accomplish their dreams, but they face a setback or disappointment, and then they feel like their time has passed. But let me tell you today, no matter where you’ve come from, no matter what’s happened in your past, God wants to make you new. He wants to give you a fresh start. If you feel like you’ve missed opportunities in your life, if you feel like your time has passed, remember, today is a new day. You are a new person, and God has new opportunities in store for you. Lift up your eyes of faith and look forward to the new thing God has for you!” ~ Inspiring Scriptures

Whatever you are going through God is there for you leading, guiding, and providing. He proves Himself faithful over and over.

Kiss Them Goodbye!

Sometimes we have a Judas in our life we have to get through to get to the next level to do what we are destined to do. Don't get wrapped up in the pain of betrayal and disappointment that you lose your focus on what lies ahead!

I know it hurts to be falsely accused, rejected, and attacked… but instead of becoming a victim of your circumstance be a victor over the enemy. God will work it all out for you.  “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose” Romans 8:28.

Jesus knows what it feels like to be betrayed (Luke 22:48 ), falsely accused (Mark 14:53-65; 15:1-3), and endured far greater then we can ever imagine (Mark 15:1-39). He suffered for us. He never lost His focus or forgot His purpose. He showed us we too can endure whatever we face. We aren’t in this alone. He is with us and through His strength we can endure. “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak…. But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength” Isaiah 40: 28-31.  Psalm 138:3 says, “As soon as I pray, you answer me; you encourage me by giving me strength.”

So when your Judas comes to betray you with a kiss, let it be a goodbye kiss and keep on traveling... greater things are up ahead.

Unlikely Heroes

A little shepherd boy facing a giant…

A baby left in a basket in the very river meant to destroy him leads God’s people out of slavery…

A young boy hated by his brothers, falsely accused ex-con saves a nation and his family with a dream…

A beautiful young Jewish girl approaches a King and saves her people…

A faithful prayer warrior thrown in a den of lions…

Three boys refuse to bow step into a fiery furnace…  

A young virgin girl riding a donkey in the cold starry night…

Story after story God takes ordinary people and surrounds them in the extraordinary. He sees potential when others see shortcomings. He recognizes determination while others never noticed the sheer drive of willingness and their commitment to God. He knows their faith is in Him while others think of what they cannot do, they think of what their God can do.

As you read this I wonder what God sees in you. What trial, what destination, what test is a part of His plan for your purpose. I have no doubt at times you will feel inadequate and unsure of yourself, but believe He sees a hero for His glory in the making. Though you may feel it unlikely and others around you may scoff, He watches and waits patiently for your time to arise and be all that He has called you to be.

For you are here at this specific time and place for such a time as this…

I Need You to Survive

When in danger of drowning, a colony of fire ants — thousands of them — will save themselves by joining forces and forming a raft. They pile together and lock legs and jaws forming an ant raft that can survive for months. Studies show that together, the ants aren’t just stronger, they are airtight. Individual fire ants, when dropped in water, struggle, flail, and drown. When flood waters come together these ants are stronger and together they can survive.

We are a generation of independence. We prefer to not need anyone, anything, and believe we can roll up our sleeves and handle our problems ourselves.  The enemy wants us to be independent but our God wants us dependent on Him and on one another. He teaches us the strength in being bound together. "Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken." ~ Eccl. 4:12

When flood waters of trials, tribulations, and persecution come against me I need you to survive. Together we are stronger. Together, bound in His love and His strength, we can survive, endure, and overcome. Alone we are weaker, we struggle, we flail, and can drown in the midst of our storm.

God has brought us the body of Christ to be together in unity and in love to survive. “Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near” ~Hebrews 10:24-25. Simply put I need you, and you need me…

Hannah’s Hope

Last year our daughter, Hannah, suffered from chronic sore throats and tonsillitis. The doctor refused to take her tonsils out. He said that the risks from complications made surgery not a good option. After dealing with months of chronic infection she developed a mass on the side of her neck. Frustrated we demanded an Ear Nose Throat specialist consult and reluctantly our doctor agreed. The ENT said Hannah had kissing tonsils and needed them to come out. He believed as soon as the tonsils were out the inflammation in her lymph nodes would resolve on its own.

Three months after her tonsils were removed and several rounds of antibiotics, the mass was still there, growing, and quite painful. We had a follow up appointment scheduled to have the mass and the lymph node surgically removed.

A week before the surgical consult we went to family camp. The preacher, Jonathon Suber, told anyone who needed a healing to step forward. We immediately took Hannah forward. The minister touched Hannah’s neck and Hannah flinched and began to cry because it hurt so bad. He prayed, we all prayed, and before our eyes the mass and the pain disappeared! God met Hannah that night in a camp meeting.

About two months ago, Hannah noticed the mass was back on her neck. She went upstairs to her bedroom and prayed. She said the Lord told her He would do it again for her. So we called on a few prayer warriors and put our trust in God.

About a week ago Hannah came into our room in the middle of the night crying. She was holding her neck. Her dad asked her what was wrong. Hannah said she had a dream that she was sitting on God’s lap and He reached down and touched her neck immediately healing her. She woke up and the mass was gone!

It doesn’t matter what we face, what is wrong… our God is bigger and able to handle any situation, any disease! Hannah had hope in what seemed a hopeless situation. Whatever you face remember who to place your hope in.  

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” ~ Romans 15:13

Let It Go

Ever have a problem or a situation that just doesn’t ever seem to get resolved? It is almost as if it taunts you, plagues you, and even consumes you. Everywhere you look it is there, every time you take a step forward it knocks you back a step. You finally get the victory but it is short lived. The problem is just too big for you to handle, too heavy for you to carry and too strong for you to resolve yourself.

God wants you to give the problem to Him. Not just tell Him about it but never entrust Him with it. He wants you to trust Him to take care of it. You see you were never meant to carry that problem in the first place. As a person who is used to handling things on their own, I know it isn’t easy to just hand over problems. But it is what is needed... what is expected.

It is like a ball and chain you are dragging it around everywhere. God wants to set you free. He instructs us to cast all your cares to Him because He can handle it. He wants to handle it. Let God be your God! Let Him take care of you! Let Him resolve the issues and problems that are tormenting you.

I Peter 5:7 it says, "Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." God gives us permission to come boldly, to cast our cares on Him. There isn’t anything too hard for Him… try Him.

The Journey

When my husband and I went to Israel we rode in a taxi one day to get to some sites. We didn’t know where we were going, how to get there and we had to trust the taxi driver to get us there, safe and sound and on time. He barely spoke English and seemed to be driving out of his way to get us to our destination. They drive quite aggressively and to be honest I thought it would surely be the end of us. But eventually we got to our site and we enjoyed all that was planned for us that day.

Often times in our life we too feel afraid of the journey as we travel to our destination… the place God has planned for us. We don’t know exactly how we are going to get there but we can find comfort in knowing the One driving us there. Unlike the taxi driver who didn’t even speak the same language, we know our God, know His voice, and He knows our language. He can be trusted and has our best interest at heart. (Romans 8: 28 says: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."KJV)

 He has a plan and purpose for our journey. When we arrive to where we are going we will not only arrive there safely, but equipped and ready for wherever our destination is. We never have to worry about arriving too early or too late. His timing is perfect.  (For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come” Habakkuk 2:3 KJV). We never have to worry about the storms of life we may have to drive through because He controls the wind. (Matthew 8:23-27)

Even though sometimes the ride is long, and gets uncomfortable, there is joy and peace. (“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” John 14:27 KJV)

No one or nothing in our way can stop us from getting to our destination. And even though at times the road gets bumpy and we get restless, there is a peace I’ve come to know by listening to Him. There’s a comfort in knowing He is not only taking me to where I need to go, but knowing He is with me through the journey. I am not alone.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

Through Holly’s Eyes

Our daughter, Holly, was born color blind. It is rare for a girl but even more rare to the extent she had it. For years I just thought she just had a very colorful personality. She didn’t know that she would wear socks that didn’t match and what we thought were new styles of clothing. It wasn’t until we had taken her to the eye doctor for a checkup that we learned of her diagnosis.

Her sisters volunteered to color coordinate her socks for her but on a routine basis poor Holly would come downstairs with one sock one color and the other sock another color. She never knew the beauty of autumn, or how gorgeous a peacock is. She always wanted to wear black because it is what she felt most comfortable in.

Her senior year of high school I asked her what she wanted to focus her studies in. She said she wanted to be a photographer. I immediately cringed thinking to myself all she could do was black and white photos. I immediately felt conviction in my heart. We serve a prayer answering God and I believe in miracles I was limiting God. I turned to her and told her to pray, that there was nothing too hard for God and when she delights in Him He will give her the desires of her heart. (Psalm 37:4)

A couple of months went by while we diligently prayed for her healing. Her bedroom was downstairs in the basement. She woke up one day in May and went upstairs. When she got to the top of the stairs she saw a bright light that was so bright it blinded her, she closed her eyes and she fell into the wall. When she opened her eyes she realized for the first time in her life she could see colors all around her. She ran around the house looking at everything. She called me and at work and told me what happened.

It was a miracle! She spent the day outside looking at the sky, the pool water, the grass, the trees, the flowers, everything! Her younger sister sat her down and taught her the color wheel. God had heard her cry. He stepped in and healed her.

In June we were celebrating my grandson’s first birthday. We were making monkey cupcakes and using M & M’s for eyes. Holly kept playing with the candy. I asked her what she was doing. She simply said, “I never knew M & M’s came in all these colors. They are beautiful.” I hadn’t even noticed. I slipped into the other room and cried.

That autumn we could barely get Holly inside. She was always outside staring at the beautiful fall colors. That winter it snowed and she screamed in delight, “I didn’t know snow is so white! I thought it was gray!” We quickly told her to stay away from the yellow snow!

No matter what a doctor says, our God is able to heal. He is able to give hope when there is no hope. He is able to heal when there is no chance of healing. We take so much for granted every day that if we aren’t careful the beauty that surrounds will pass us by unappreciated, unnoticed.  Today, Holly is one of the best photographers I have ever seen because she sees the beauty around us that we have grown desensitized and accustomed to and makes us see it through her eyes…

Thank you Holly for sharing your miracle with us and helping us to see life in a whole new light.

They Call Him Lazarus

 I will never forget the doctor standing in front of me, shaking his head, talking so softly I had to watch his lips to understand what he was saying. He said, “Mrs. Croucher, there is just no way your husband will live. You need to bring in your family and start making funeral arrangements.” I remember looking at him and not feeling anything at all. I wondered if that was normal. I looked at him and asked where the chapel was. It was all I could think to do. I didn’t want to talk anymore, I didn’t want to think anymore, I just had to get to the chapel. I had to talk to my Jesus. I had to hear His voice, feel His comfort, be lifted in His strength. He was our only hope. I walked blindly to the chapel vaguely remembering how I even got there. Even after five years my eyes still fill with tears as I remember that day, remember that pain. 

I fell to my knees and this harsh bitter sound that didn’t even sound human escaped from deep within my soul. I cried out to Jesus full of agony, fear, and utter disbelief. I never spoke a word, just uncontrolled wailing when the room changed. It wasn’t cold and dark anymore. I felt warm, an invisible arm around me. I looked about and saw no one. I closed my eyes and could feel His sweet presence. Jesus had heard my cry, He ran to me that day. He held me in His arms and sheltered me in His wings. He spoke to me and said, “I will raise Him up. This is for My glory. Do not believe what you see. Trust in Me.” In that instant the fear was gone, the pain was gone, and I was renewed.

I returned to my husband’s side. He was in ICU with a rare fungal pneumonia called blastomycosis. In non-severe localized cases 68% of the people who acquire it die. My husband had one of the severe cases they had ever seen. The fungus had covered his lungs, attacked his pancreas, spread to his brain, his ears, and his skin. His kidneys were compromised from the antifungal medications.

He was on a ventilator that was doing all the breathing for him. He was supposed to be sedated but he was restless. I looked at the monitors and his vital signs. Being a nurse I knew he was dying. I leaned up to him and said, “David Croucher!  Don’t you be afraid! I spoke to God and He said not to believe what we hear or see. He is going raise you up!” Tears rolled down my husband’s cheeks. He squeezed my hand and closed his eyes. The nurse came in and asked me what arrangements I had made. I told her I wasn’t going to need to make any arrangements. My husband was going to live. She looked  confused, then angry. The doctor came back in and asked me to step outside. He showed me the chest x-rays and explained to me that my husband wasn’t my husband anymore. He was gone. The fungus had spread all through his body and he would never be the same and never recover. I told him I believed God was going to heal him. He looked at me and told me I really needed to prepare myself for his death.

After two weeks of being on the ventilator the doctor told me they needed to trache him. I stood there as they pulled out the consent form, the tears began to roll down my cheeks. The nurse got angry and asked me why I was crying. I told her my husband was a pastor,  that he needed to be able to talk to preach. The doctor said, “I don’t know why we are even doing this procedure! He isn’t going to live anyway!” I was instantly angry and said, “My God is bigger than this disease! You mark my words in three days he will be off the ventilator and then you will see my God healed him!”  He stood shocked, handed me the papers and I signed them.  They both left the room and I collapsed on the floor. Oh why had I told them that?  “Oh Lord!” I cried, “Please make it so! Please!”  I remember someone coming into the room asking me if I needed “something” to calm myself down. I told them no. Took a deep breath and headed off to the surgery waiting room. Dave went through the surgery fine. They ended up having to put tubes in his ears because he had fluid behind his ear drums. They suspected it was the fungus. I didn’t care, he was alive and my God wasn’t finished yet.

I had five children at home ages three to sixteen years old, a house to take care of, a church to oversee, and absolutely no money coming in. But God provided. Companies I had never heard of sent checks for no apparent reason. People I didn’t know showed up to the house with sacks full of groceries because God told them to. People in the hospital would walk up to me and hand me money. My Jehovah Jireh, my Provider brought us through what He took us to. We didn’t have insurance but somehow all the hospital bills, the doctor bills, the labs were taken care of.

I would get up early every day and drive the forty-five minutes to the hospital.  I would stay all day well into the night and drive back home at ten or eleven. The children always waited up for me waiting to hear how their daddy was. I would somehow pull myself together and tell them how it shouldn’t be too much longer. I would hold them and rock the little ones telling them funny little things that happened through the day.  I was so very proud of them for pulling together and taking care of one another, truly what family is all about.

Finally the three days had passed. I admit I was scared to go to the hospital. Was it me or my God that said He would take Dave off the ventilator? Doubts and fears started to flood my mind. The enemy laughed at me and asked me where was my God now? Through the pain, through the heartache a song deep within my heart came out and I began to sing, “"I will lift my eyes and I will worship You, I will lift my voice and I will worship You... I will lift my hands and raise them to the sky and I will dance and rejoice! For You are my God... You are my everything... You are my God and I will worship You! No matter what You say, no matter what You do... no matter what I have to go through... I will worship You."

The fears and the agony left me. Through it all I had not lost my praise. I walked into the ICU wing full excitement. The doctor was sitting at the nurse’s station watching me. He never said a word. I walked into my husband’s room and he looked at me, smiled, and said, “Hi honey!” He was off the ventilator! They were able to cap his trache and for the first time in weeks I could hear his voice. The doctor came up behind me as I stood there crying in sheer joy. Tears ran down the doctors face and he said, “It doesn’t make sense but I think he’s going to make it!”

They told me he would have to be released to a rehab unit and would be in there probably for the rest of his life. I told them to just wait and see he would come home with me in the next week or so. They just shook their head. The doctor that trached my husband came in, tears in his eyes and said, Your husband has a new name. I call him Lazarus! God raised him up from the dead!”

Dave never went to a rehab unit. He went to therapies for about a week and came home with me. It wasn’t easy but we were so blessed. He still had the fungus and would always have it, but he was alive.

The fungus had attacked his pancreas so his body quit making insulin. His sugars were uncontrolled with the infection and were in the 300-400’s even with five shots of insulin a day. The doctors said he would need insulin for the rest of his life.

In October 2007, four months since the hospital, Dave was so sick from his diabetes he couldn’t go to church prayer.  I went to the church and told the members I wanted them to anoint me with oil as I stood in the gap for my husband and I only wanted people who believed he would be healed from insulin dependence diabetes that night to stay. I wanted everyone else who didn’t believe to go. Everyone stayed and anointed me with oil. I was so blessed I knew God had healed him. I drove home and told Dave God had healed him and not to take any more insulin. The poor guy just looked at me. I told him it was simple, if he took his insulin one of two things would happen. He was healed, there was no way I would be able to get his sugar back up he would either die or due to his unbelief he would lose his healing and would be insulin dependent for the rest of his life. I said if I am wrong the worst that will happen is your sugar will be up. Dave claimed his healing that night and has never taken an insulin shot since. God healed him that night of insulin dependence.

Our oldest child, Chantel, was upset and asked me why I never told her that her dad was going to die. I can honestly say I didn’t tell her or anyone that my husband was going to die because I believed God and His word. He wasn’t going to die, so why would I tell them that?

I share this story with you to encourage you, to bless you, and to remind you that we serve a God who is bigger than any problem, any disease, any circumstance we face.  Worship Him through your storm and watch Him make a way when there is no way. He is more than enough!  Whatever you face, don’t believe what you see, believe your God.

HIS

With so many seeking and striving to be called “something” I challenge you to realize you already have the greatest title anyone could hope for… it is simply “HIS.” You see you were bought and paid for by HIS blood, HIS sacrifice, HIS pain, HIS endurance, because of HIS love.

He didn’t have to do it. We don’t deserve it. He did it willingly, not because He had to. He suffered on a cross on a hill called Calvary because He loves you. He always has, He always will, unconditionally, undeniably. It isn’t measurable, and it is forever. It isn’t because of us, or what we have done but simply because of who He is. It is what He is… love.  He is enough.

We read in 1 Corinthians 6:19 “you are not your own”  (NKJV).  In the Greek is it, “You are not your own property. You are bought with a price.

You are His.

Retrieve Your Treasure

I remember when I was a little girl, the neighbor boy took my doll and wouldn’t give it back. I loved that doll so much. I couldn’t stop crying I was just so upset.  My brothers came to me and asked me why I was crying. I will never forget looking out in the yard to see my four brothers lined up like in a military march heading into battle as they marched over to the neighbors house to retrieve my doll. I wiped my tears and jumped up in disbelief. I thought my doll was gone for good! I had no idea my brothers would step in and save my doll.

They marched straight over to that boy’s house. I saw the boy walk up to them and then run off into his house. I thought for sure my doll was lost forever. But after a few minutes the boy came out of his house with my doll in his hand. My brothers brought me my doll and promised me that boy wouldn’t bother me again. Sure enough that boy never even came in our yard again.

So many of us have had our precious treasures taken from the enemy and we too think they are gone for good but I am here today to tell you the battle isn’t over! There are times we must go to the enemy’s camp and get back what is ours. There are times we need to go with our brothers or our sisters of Christ and march into the enemy’s territory united and determined to retrieve our stolen treasures.

Prayer is the weapon to the victory! Hebrews 4:12 states that God's Word is alive and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword. When we speak and pray the Scriptures, we are coming into agreement with God, and His power is released to answer our prayers.

Whether you’ve lost a loved one to the world, lost your hope or joy, have received that pink slip, or poor doctor’s diagnosis… we serve a God of restoration! Your treasure awaits you.

“Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”  Psalm 50:15

Tainted

The other day I pulled a roast from the freezer to prepare for our Sunday meal. I removed the outer plastic and placed the frozen meat in the crock pot. I added the correct seasonings and broth and went to bed.

The next morning as I took the lid off the crock pot to add the vegetables, I saw this odd looking black piece of plastic mesh material. I realized immediately I must have missed pulling off some of the plastic the night before. The plastic had cooked all night with the meat.

I wasn’t sure if the meat was safe to eat.  I asked my husband and he thought it would be fine, but I kept thinking to myself it just wasn’t worth the chance of possibly harming my family.

I looked on our computer for the safety guidelines for this type of mistake. My uneasiness was justified.  A safety website stated as the plastic was heated it began to break down and toxins were released into the meat causing it to be unsafe to eat.

The meat looked good. It didn’t look like it had been harmed. It sure smelled good! It hadn’t taken on a spoiled or ruined smell. Nevertheless the meat was tainted.

I immediately began to think of our lives as His chosen vessels. How we must surround ourselves with people with proven good fruit. We all go through the fire and when it starts to get hot we need to have people around us who aren’t going to taint us!

If you surround yourself with bitter people, as the heat turns up in your life, that bitterness will be released and you too will become bitter. But oh if you surround yourself with people that are full of His goodness and His sweetness… as the heat turns up, their sweetness will sweeten you!

Guard your heart, your mind, your spirit, and your purpose! God has GREAT things ahead for you! Choose your companions wisely. Don't ever allow others to "taint/spoil"your destiny!

Don't Be Bogged Down

Life is so busy!  We all have many things to do, things to see, places to go, people to meet… The list never ends! There never seems to be enough hours in the day.  Ever feel that way?

Sometimes it isn’t just the clock that overwhelms us. We can get discouraged, frustrated, tired, and feel like nothing is going right in our life, our job, or our relationships.

I know that is exactly what the enemy wants you to think and to feel. He wants to bog you down, wear you down, overwhelm you, and plant seeds of hopelessness and depression. He will get you so busy that you won’t have time or energy for God, your family, or yourself. You will quit enjoying life and enter the mode of just barely surviving life.

As ships journey from sea to sea barnacles attach themselves to the ships and can slow the ships down thirty to fifty percent. Crews have to scrape the barnacles off or they will overtake the bottom of the ship.  This left undone will put the ship out of commission quickly.

The stresses of life will bog you down if you don’t spend time scraping them off in prayer. A little time each day in prayer keeps the barnacles off.

“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth."  ~Psalm 46:10

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.”  ~Hebrews 12:1

The Path of Life

“God will show me the path of life.” (Psalm 16:11)

When we leave the wide path that leads to destruction onto the narrow path we “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.  But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).  We look ahead and can see hills, valleys, turns, a desert, a wilderness, a sea, and even see mountains in the distance. We stand in awe and think of how beautiful it all looks.

We aren’t sure where the path is leading us but know, “God will instruct me and teach me in the way I should go. He will guide me with His eye” (Psalm 32:8).

As we go up and down hills we can rest assured He won’t take us to anything we aren’t ready for. He will tell us the way, where to turn (Isaiah 48:17), and order our steps (Psalm 37:23) as we seek after Him and grow through each step.

So as you journey on the path of life, just remember that He is with you every step of the way leading, guiding, protecting, and providing. Make sure you take moments to enjoy the view around you, smell the roses along the path, and talk to the One who travels with you.

Climbing that Mountain

You have been called, appointed, anointed, equipped, empowered, and yet at times still feel so inadequate. He has placed you here for such a time as this for a purpose. His purpose.

Your very steps are ordered.  Your paths are set before you with special care taken to assure the path difficulty isn’t too great for the moment you are at. Oh we may think it is too much to bear but without a doubt we serve a God who knows what He is doing. 

In order to climb a mountain you have to develop muscles, endurance, strength, and skill. You see walking a path without elevation isn’t as difficult as treading up a steep, slick mountain. The air is thinner making it harder to breathe. Your balance is leaning forward with the steep incline. It is very tiring and painful. So many think it is too hard and cannot take another step, turn around and seek easier paths. But none will lead to the top of the mountain without first enduring the climb. I assure you mountains are never crowded.

Once you get to the top there is victory and relief! There is no greater view or greater sense of accomplishment. It will be worth it all. Just keep climbing! When you grow tired look up past the mountain peak to the One who is waiting on you, who believes in you, and knows through His strength you are going to make it!

Find comfort and strength knowing He made you. He knows your every strength, every weakness, every struggle, and every asset. He isn’t setting you to fail but to grow! Don’t give in, don’t give up, just keep climbing!

^“10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, ¹¹ being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience”  Colossians 1:10-11

Get Your Miracle!

Nine years ago on Easter I was making a 5lb meatloaf for all my family to enjoy after church. It was baking at 425 degrees and the grease surrounding the meatloaf was bubbly hot. I didn't know the rack in the oven had been put in backwards. When I went to pull the meatloaf out of the oven, the rack flipped and the pan full of grease spilled all over both my hands and wrists. I instinctlively cried out, "Jesus!"

I went immediately to the sink to try and cool off my hands to stop the burning process. Dave ran over to the meatloaf dish and was trying to stabilize it and put it on top of the oven, burning the tips of his fingers as he worked to clean up the grease mess. I stood at the sink thinking I didn't feel any pain which really concerned me since I used to work as a burn nurse. I knew 1st and 2nd degree burns are very painful. I thought to myself this must be really bad. I turned off the water and wiped off the cooled grease. No redness, no pain, no burns! It was a miracle!

When you call on His name... He comes running! There is nothing too hard for Him. No matter what you are facing, no matter what happens to you... just remember our God is bigger and in control! Call on His name and get your miracle!

Shine On

Have you ever sat in a room without any lights on at dusk?  The darker it gets outside the darker it becomes inside. You can sit there and see without difficulty because your eyes have become adjusted to the darkness. As you sit there you may not even realize how dark the room has become around you. Sometimes it isn't until you actually turn on a light that you realize how dark the room is.

We live in a world where we are surrounded by darkness. We are the light in that darkness.
Darkness cannot overcome light. The darker it is the brighter the light will shine.

Shine on my friends! Shine on!

"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."  Matthew 5:14-16 (KJV)

Made to Soar

We were made to soar!

But if you cut a bird's wings, it cannot fly. It can run about, flap its wings and jump but it won't be able to take flight.  At times the enemy will slip in and cut your wings. He will use your circumstances, frustration, disappointment, past, pain, or even fear to snip away at those feathers.

We will run about trying to take flight but just can't seem to get off the ground. Ever feel like that?
 If you have not been able to take flight, not been able to overcome... remember the power of praise! As you lift your praises to the King, He will lift you! The higher you fly the better your perspective will be!

Just remember... the enemy can't keep a King's kid down! We were made to soar!

“But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:31).

I Can See Clearly Now

I was 29 years old before I needed glasses. I didn't even realize I needed glasses. I had grown accustomed to my blurred vision and to me I didn't even realize it was impaired. I had just moved to MI and needed to change my driver's license. I went up to the counter to check my vision and thought something was wrong with their machine.

Our vision can become impaired and we can grow so accustomed to it that we don't even realize we aren't seeing clearly anymore. It is a gradual change. We think we are fine...

I remember the first time I put glasses on and everything become clear. I was looking all around and it all looked so different than what I had actually thought it looked like.

Our spiritual vision can become impaired as well. We think we are fine but until we actually check it we won't know. It is a gradual change. A gradual clouding. We compensate and can still "see" so believe we are doing well. It isn't until we get on our knees and say those key words, "Search my heart oh Lord" that we feel the Lord stirring our spirit. It is a clarifying moment when He corrects our vision and we can see clearly.

Our vision has to be clear in order to see His plan and His path (especially if we are leading others).

Every day I have to put my glasses on. Every day I have to spend some time with God. Both help me to see clearly now. 

The Purpose to the Punches

·         Ever feel like you are a punching bag in life? There is a purpose to those punches. It is called growing pains. I know it hurts and you are tired but you are growing stronger every day with every trial. He is taking you to a higher place, a place only He can take you to but there are a few things you have to go through to get there. Trust Him, lean on Him, and let Him be your God. It will be so worth it!

·         Easier said than done at times... those punches hurt! Don’t they? Sometimes it is difficult to get over hurts in our lives. The enemy doesn’t just use strangers to punch you, he will use your friends, your family, the people you go to church with... he will use whatever he can to distract you.  

·         He is trying to: distract you, trying to make you focus on the punch, and the pain.  He hopes to discourage you, to frustrate you, to tear down unity, to make you build up walls of unforgiveness and or resentment, to rob you of your joy, to make you stumble in your walk with God.

·         He knows everyone of us has been called and chosen for a purpose to glorify God. We are appointed and anointed to do so. Just like Jonah... he was appointed and anointed to go to Nineveh. But he didn’t want to. Right? God ever ask you to go to or through something you don’t want to?

·         And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. THEN Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish's belly" Jonah 1:17-2:1 KJV

KEY WORD THEN! He was in a stinky, dark, scary place. His trial swallowed him whole AND THEN after being consumed and in it 3 days that is when he cried out to Jesus! Don't wait for your trial to consume you! trial to consume you before you cry out to Jesus! He is waiting! Go ahead!

·         Ever wonder why Jonah waited 3 days BEFORE he prayed?

·         So many times we run from what God wants us to do, we don’t want to submit to God

·         Sometimes we think we can handle our problems on our own and don’t even talk to God about them, or we do talk to Him about our problem but instead of laying them at His feet trusting Him to take care of it/us ... we pick them back up again not trusting Him to handle it.

·         Sometimes people just don’t pray, they try to live off Sunday and Wednesday’s blessings but actually don’t have a prayer life UNTIL they are so consumed by a trial that they finally cry out to Jesus. They try to live off yesterday’s manna instead of collecting new every day. Manna was God’s daily provision for bread for the Israelites, the Bible is our daily provision. It had to be consumed the day it fell from the sky or it made you sick, you had to go get fresh everyday to survive. Same goes with spending time with our God, you need to spend time with Him or you die spiritually.

I want to remind you, we all go through trials and get “punched”.  It isn’t just you! And just because I am your pastor’s wife doesn’t leave me immune.... sometimes I think the ministry has bigger targets on our foreheads! If he can discourage the leaders of the church then he can discourage the church.

He is calling us to a higher place, out of the belly of the fish, and onto a path covered with praises!

More Than Enough

Ever feel inadequate? That you don’t bring enough to the plate? Or maybe what you bring is so not enough compared to what is needed. God wants us to realize it is Him who brings what is needed in the ministry not us. It is always about Him and His sufficiency.

In Matthew 14: 18 Jesus says, “Bring them hither” when he is speaking of the two fish and five loaves. There was no possible way man could feed His people with that little bit of food. But God took it, multiplied it and provided MORE than enough! Not just enough to scrape by. Not just enough to provide what they needed…. But MORE THAN ENOUGH!

God too will take what you have to offer and multiply it to provide more than enough to feed His people. You just have to “Bring them hither to me.”