Give us rest tonight Lord.

I hate what Satan does to deceive young people! He wants to steal, kill, and destroy not only them but their families. He gets them in his stronghold and then makes them think that is the only way they can live. I remember my son talking about when he was using nothing else mattered, not his children, not his family; just the next hit. He might come to his senses once he was taken away from his drug of choice through imprisonment, but he usually went right back to it on his release.
I correspond with a mother in California whose son is using. He was imprisoned for a while and just got out and has already gone back to his substances and spent all his money that he had saved before he went in.
As Mom's, we don't understand that logic. We have had a sweet time of communication with our child while they were behind bars, and we hoped and prayed everyday that this would be the time. This time of reflecting would surely be the time they would wake up to how they are destroying themselves; their bodies, their minds. But once again round and round we go. We want it to stop! We want to fly away and be at rest; like the dove in Psalm 55:6. We are desperate to see change. We are frightened by the next call, the next ring of the doorbell. Will it be our lost sheep or will it be the police with another horror story about our precious one.
Oh Lord, help us to be able to release that one to you. We want to Lord but it seems we take it back over and over. Help us Lord to get out of your way and let you work. Help us to release everything to you Father.
Please be with my friends Jenine, Diane, Shirley, Betty................help them sleep well tonight Lord. Please!

Poem from a 16 year old girl in Juvenile Detention

NOT FEELING CARED FOR

I feel alone
Like a deer that's just
been born
But its Mom died.

Like the only flower
In a field.

Like a pool of water
In the middle of the desert.

I feel deserted
Like an open piece of
candy on the shelf
That nobody wants to
buy.

Like a box of kittens
And I'm the last one in
the litter to be picked.
Like an unironed pair of
pants
That nobody wants to
wear.

I feel the need for love
A squeeze of lemon in my
glass of water
A breeze on a warm sum-
mer's eve
A whisper in my ear that tickles.

It grieved me as I read the heart of this young girl who feels so all alone in life. I would love to put my arms around her. I can't, but I know God can as He wraps His loving arms around her right where she is. I am praying that He will send someone to love on her. I pray that she will know the awesome love that the Father offers. He is the only one who can fill that empty void in her life. Often times I hear from the young ladies who come in the office, that they also are looking for that love and acceptance. That often takes them to the streets in search of love. But they are seeking it in all the wrong places. Oh how I hope to share with them how much the Lord loves them. So much that God sent His only Son to die for us. What better demonstration of His heart for us, the one's He created and knew before we were conceived. The enemy comes in like a roaring lion to steal that assurance from us. These ladies need to know how beautiful they are in God's sight. His Word tells us in Psalm 45:11, "The King is enthralled by your beauty; honor Him, for He is your Lord". I am praying that this young lady will see her worth, her beauty,as expressed from the One Who created her. Human's will disappoint us every time, but when we finally accept the love of the Father we will never be the same. Do you find yourself feeling like this young lady? Maybe you have been searching for love in all the wrong places. God to His Word today and let Him tell you how He feels about you. If you are a child of His, you are Beloved. If you have not made that decision please do it today! None of us are promised another breath. He loves you......come to Him today and accept His free gift of salvation.

Living Waters Retreats

"If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink" Psalm 42
In Revelation 22:17 it says, ".........'Come!' And let him who hears say, 'Come!' Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life."
Our invitation to Living Water Day Retreats is extended to anyone who is thirsty for a deeper, more intimate relationship with the Lord.
God has prepared the perfect setting in the mountains of N.C. for you to come and drink of the Living Water as we share His Word together. He is often pictured as the source of living water for the refreshment of the spiritually thirsty.
If you find you are thirsty for a fresh word, accept our invitation to come aside for a day and receive what He has prepared for you. It might just change your life.
If interested please contact Sandra at sandra@onwingslikeadove.com or 336-972-4213.
God is waiting and we are preparing a place for you.

What a privilege it was to attend the graduation of Rushan Fernando last evening. I have known this family for four years as we have ministered to them in the absence of their husband and father who is incarcerated. I had received an invitation in the mail and had already made arrangements to attend. Then in the mail came the sweetest letter from the father who was grieved that he would not be there to see his son walk across that stage. He was writing, not only to thank me for going, but to ask the favor of some pictures of the event.
So it is with pride that I became like a sardine in a tin can amongst the crowd that pushed their way into the auditorium to see their own friend or family member walk up to receive their diploma. A small price to pay for the look of thankfulness on the face's of the family as I arrived.
The family were very brave to celebrate the event without one grumble or complaint cause Dad wasn't there. Afterwards I took them to dinner at the restaurant of Rushan's choosing. They thanked me over and over for coming. They don't know but it was more of a blessing to me to be a stand in family member for their Dad. I know he was thinking at the time of the ceremony how much he wanted to be there. My part was to love on his family and to provide him a little taste of it through pictures that I will send to he and his family in the days to come.
God let's me get in on those blessings each time I minister to someone. What a blessing to be able to sit with this little family in celebration of a young man who came to an important milestone in his life despite adversity and trial. It has been a long hard four years but he did it. We are so proud of him.

Spring Retreat 2011

Several mothers retreated to The Potter's House in the mountains of N.C. for a time of rest and refreshment. Each mother had major pressures and hard decisions facing them. God kept sharing that He wanted our retreat to be a time of rest. He showed me the passage from Mark 6:31 "come away by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest"We had a great time of sharing and fellowship. We each heard God speak through a time of creating in the Art Shed. God revealed some deep hurts and issues through each picture the ladies crated. Afterward, He shared a passage with me from Isaiah 64:3"You did awesome things that we did not expect".
Each time we pull aside from daily activities that keep us distracted, we find He speaks loudly. It is now up to each one to follow His direction individually.

I always find it refreshing that He speaks to each one who seeks after Him no matter their level of faith. He met some by the stream, some by the fire pit, some swinging by the bridge and all through their art projects.
One mother shared that "He had reinforced the need for her to pull back and seek rest and refuge in Him. She says there has been a stronger desire to seek the Lord for guidance in every decision no matter how small the decision may seem to be....

With God's Blessings,

Sandra

The day the world stopped for our friends

It was one week ago today that my friends Sheila and Rogers world turned upside-down. They had been crazy with worry over their son who had not come home the night before. He had just gotten off house arrest and was to be home by 6:00. Most of those we minister to at On Wings has lived through that scenario many nights. The fear that comes over you is debilitating as you imagine all kinds of things that could happen.
Sheila woke up to the worse news of her life. There stood the sheriff's chaplain with the words she hoped never to hear, "your son was found dead in his truck".
Sheila said all she could say was no, no, no, as she bolted out the door trying to make sense of it as the words rang in her head. It will take a while for it all to become reality as she sorts through her feelings and loss. I know they wanted to relive the time, the if only's have surely played over and over.
This is the bottom line fear of each parent who deals with a child who is addicted to drugs. Oh Lord, if we could only stop the cycle. If we could only get through to the ones we love so much with the message that they are destroying their lives for a moments seeming pleasure or escape. It cost this young twenty year old his life.
What can we do Lord to get the message across. To save our loved ones from destruction. Help us Lord to know how to help....how to get through...cause even after we pray, and cry, and pray some-more we find ourselves helpless to change it.
The solace comes in the fact that numerous folks had talked to Josh about his relationship with the Lord and he had said time and again that there was a time he had accepted Jesus into His heart. On that basis we can have some sense of peace, knowing that at last he is free. Not free on this earth with us as we had hoped, but he had found his freedom in Christ. Have you my friend? We never know when God's hand will be removed from our lives and we will breathe our last.
Josh had written a letter to a friend that expressed his acceptance of the Lord in his life and the desire to know that this friend had also made that decision. She read it at his funeral and I pray it reached the hearts of each one in attendance.
"Man's days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed" Job 14:5. "In His hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind" Job 12:10. In light of this scripture we can rest in the One Who has total control and know that His purposes will be accomplished.

Heaven or Hell

I read the saddest thing today in the Parade. An actor is playing the part of a single dad who is dying. There is a twist to the afterlife. The actor said that in real life he is a "bad boy" and thinks heaven would be boring. He wants an apartment in heaven during the week and go to hell to party on the weekends!
I wanted to cry when I read how misinformed he was. Will anybody tell him that is NOT the way it works. Heaven will not be boring and hell is certainly not the party many think it will be.
"The rich man died and was buried. And being in torment in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. Then he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, not can those from there pass to us" Luke 16.
Bout says it all doesn't it? So who will go tell this man who speaks so flippantly about traveling from heaven to hell that there won't be that opportunity and the rich man is having no party. He is in torment.
Love, that is how we are to respond to this man whose eyes have been blinded by the evil one. Love for the lost, that is what I have been praying for. Father give me love for this actor and those like him who don't have a clue. Send someone Father to tell him the truth. I am praying someone will warn him before it is too late. Father, you love him and desire for him to come to the saving knowledge of your dear self. Send him someone Lord.