I was driving home from visiting a friend today and a car in front of me had all kinds of magnets and bumper stickers on the back. One stood out to me, "What part of Thou Shalt Not Kill do you not understand." (Talking about abortion). Then I looked and there was a political sticker promoting a candidate who promotes abortion! Quite interesting I thought. What's that scripture, "You can't be on both sides of the fence-------Which message are you proclaiming to the world? Are people confused by your stand? God says, "You are either for Me or against me"!
I went to a prayer retreat this past week and WOW, God amazes me as He continues to teach us His truth. I am still processing,eager to learn more and know Him more. Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." Ephesians 5:14.
I want to pray this prayer of blessing on you, taken from You Are Blessed by Sylvia Gunter: "Beloved, child of God, invite your spirit to the front to receive the ministry of the Holy Spirit, to receive this blessing. Take authority over anything that would try to keep you from receiving this truth from the Spirit of truth. Wake up, slumbering spirit, and receive from the Light who created you and formed you and lives in you. Be blessed to become fully alive and responsive to God's light. Be blessed with God's richest blessings which he stored up for you before the said, "Let there be light: in the world. The resurrection power of the Son is actively working in you and for you. Jesus said that this is the day when salvation
and the favor of God profusely abound" Luke 4:19.
Spirit, be blessed to see who God made you to be. Be blessed to discover the wonder of who you are, a person after God's own heart, a unique spirit. When you are fulfilling his design of you, you will find marvelous freedom. Be blssed as you resonate with your Father's love that you were born to enjoy. He wants you to say "Yes and Amen" to the sparks of life he has placed inside you. Be blessed with being centered in his joy and peace, larger than soul joy and soul peace."
You can pray this for your prodigal also.
We invite your comments or questions.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
Celebrate
The song we sang yesterday at church keeps ringing in my ears and coming off my tongue, Celebrate, Celebrate, the resurrection power of our Lord!! We went to church with our daughter Melissa and her family and it was a great service with lots of praise. At one point Melissa and I just hugged each other with tears of joy running down our cheeks. Our Lord is so awesome, that He would give His precious life for such a worm as I amazes me each time I think of it.
We had a blast hiding easter eggs with our grandson, Brett, and then letting him hide them from Papa and Daddy (20 in one spot but that's ok, that made it easier for those old bones leaning down to pick them up!)
I just reveled in the fact that we were all together, my Mother and Dad, our son Rob and his fiancee, Mel and Bryan, Brett and Bryan's Mother. Our other 3 grandchildren were at the beach with their other grandmother. They were sorely missed.
I and my dear friend Debbie are going to a prayer retreat on Weds. and we recieved an email not to be surprised if we experienced warfare with our families, our jobs, our health, tiredness, etc. You've read that we were working with a new computer program.....today we were 12 patients behind at one point. Now if you don't think that is pressure! People get mad you know. I kept praying, Lord just get me through these next 2 days.
I look so forward to our retreat and being in the presence of the Lord in new and exciting ways. I pray He will continue to teach me.
I hope your easter was all you hoped it would be as you celebrated with family and your church family. I pray you understand what the celebration is all about and that you are living in the resurrection power of our Lord Jesus Christ who is alive and seated at the right hand of the Father, interceding for you and me. What an amazing thought.
Sandra
We had a blast hiding easter eggs with our grandson, Brett, and then letting him hide them from Papa and Daddy (20 in one spot but that's ok, that made it easier for those old bones leaning down to pick them up!)
I just reveled in the fact that we were all together, my Mother and Dad, our son Rob and his fiancee, Mel and Bryan, Brett and Bryan's Mother. Our other 3 grandchildren were at the beach with their other grandmother. They were sorely missed.
I and my dear friend Debbie are going to a prayer retreat on Weds. and we recieved an email not to be surprised if we experienced warfare with our families, our jobs, our health, tiredness, etc. You've read that we were working with a new computer program.....today we were 12 patients behind at one point. Now if you don't think that is pressure! People get mad you know. I kept praying, Lord just get me through these next 2 days.
I look so forward to our retreat and being in the presence of the Lord in new and exciting ways. I pray He will continue to teach me.
I hope your easter was all you hoped it would be as you celebrated with family and your church family. I pray you understand what the celebration is all about and that you are living in the resurrection power of our Lord Jesus Christ who is alive and seated at the right hand of the Father, interceding for you and me. What an amazing thought.
Sandra
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Happy Birthday Girls
What a weekend! My grandaughters are now offically 9. They had all sorts of celebrations. It all began with cupcakes at school, 50 of them. They are in separate classes. Two of everything you know. Gets rather expensive but they felt special and had a blast and that is what it is about right? Then they did the Chuckie Cheese thing with Mom and Dad and came to Mama and Papa's and had another party on Sunday with our family. Now that is the way to do it, string it out as long as you can.
Then came the dreaded first day of the new computer system at work. It went surprising well and I guess it is true that an old dog can learn new tricks. Whew. Feels like something in my head is expanding---could it be sawdust?
I ran across something pretty amazing in my reading. If you have never read any of Sylvia Gunters writings and prayers you must. I want to quote her from her "You are Blessed" book. I found this enlightening: "Years ago I heard Graham Cooke teach, "Take a step back into your spirit, and ask God what he sees, how he wants you to respond. This changes my observations of people and events around me. When God leads my spirit to respond to the spirit of others, I may see that their spirit is trapped in a dysfunctional arrangement of the soul being large and in charge. This allows me to bless the perfect work that the Holy Spirit wants to do in their spirit from his residence in them, even while I may suffer the consequences of the immaturity or carnality of their soul. The spirit of another person is not my enemy. Their spirit is made in the image of God, but their soul has been well-fed and catered to, and he may be dominating from his heavy-weight postion."
If we could past our soulish reaction to folks and allow our spirit to meet God's Spirit we might do more praying for and less talking about the issues our flesh sees that are wrong with them. Hope God spoke to you through that paragraph.
I try to go downtown to our office on Tuesdays and spend the day working, catching up and preparing for the newsletters and board meetings and correspondence. I don't usually have a lot of visitors but get a lot of work done. I could just spend hours there. On Wings Like a Dove is a ministry that reaches out to families of prodigals/prisoners. I spend many hours working on the ministry but I have such a passion to help those hurting folks that it not a burden, work on the other hand...............I really do pray that one day the Lord will allow me to minister on a fulltime basis. That is in His hands and His timing.
Yesterday I had a mother and her son come in to visit after their visit to the Tasc drug check office in our building. We have been praying for this son for a little while and it was neat to meet him and talk and allow the Lord to show me some things. He is definitely struggling with alcohol and drug addiction. Will you pray for him, his name is Joshua. Pray for his parents to have wisdom.
Monday night I met with a couple of Mothers to catch up on their son's and the struggles they continue to have. One Mother stated she had given up hope. I know she hasn't given up hope in the Lord, but has lost hope that things will ever get better with her son and his lifestyle. I understand that sense of hopelessness. When that happened to me I put my nose in God's Word and drew my very breath from those passages. It is good to allow God to take you where He will and to write down the promises in His Word. Put them on an index card and keep them close to draw on when the enemy seems to take over your mind and thoughts. Ask for the mind of Christ in your situation. If you are reading this and have a word for this Mother please submit it to us.
We march on as His soldiers.
Then came the dreaded first day of the new computer system at work. It went surprising well and I guess it is true that an old dog can learn new tricks. Whew. Feels like something in my head is expanding---could it be sawdust?
I ran across something pretty amazing in my reading. If you have never read any of Sylvia Gunters writings and prayers you must. I want to quote her from her "You are Blessed" book. I found this enlightening: "Years ago I heard Graham Cooke teach, "Take a step back into your spirit, and ask God what he sees, how he wants you to respond. This changes my observations of people and events around me. When God leads my spirit to respond to the spirit of others, I may see that their spirit is trapped in a dysfunctional arrangement of the soul being large and in charge. This allows me to bless the perfect work that the Holy Spirit wants to do in their spirit from his residence in them, even while I may suffer the consequences of the immaturity or carnality of their soul. The spirit of another person is not my enemy. Their spirit is made in the image of God, but their soul has been well-fed and catered to, and he may be dominating from his heavy-weight postion."
If we could past our soulish reaction to folks and allow our spirit to meet God's Spirit we might do more praying for and less talking about the issues our flesh sees that are wrong with them. Hope God spoke to you through that paragraph.
I try to go downtown to our office on Tuesdays and spend the day working, catching up and preparing for the newsletters and board meetings and correspondence. I don't usually have a lot of visitors but get a lot of work done. I could just spend hours there. On Wings Like a Dove is a ministry that reaches out to families of prodigals/prisoners. I spend many hours working on the ministry but I have such a passion to help those hurting folks that it not a burden, work on the other hand...............I really do pray that one day the Lord will allow me to minister on a fulltime basis. That is in His hands and His timing.
Yesterday I had a mother and her son come in to visit after their visit to the Tasc drug check office in our building. We have been praying for this son for a little while and it was neat to meet him and talk and allow the Lord to show me some things. He is definitely struggling with alcohol and drug addiction. Will you pray for him, his name is Joshua. Pray for his parents to have wisdom.
Monday night I met with a couple of Mothers to catch up on their son's and the struggles they continue to have. One Mother stated she had given up hope. I know she hasn't given up hope in the Lord, but has lost hope that things will ever get better with her son and his lifestyle. I understand that sense of hopelessness. When that happened to me I put my nose in God's Word and drew my very breath from those passages. It is good to allow God to take you where He will and to write down the promises in His Word. Put them on an index card and keep them close to draw on when the enemy seems to take over your mind and thoughts. Ask for the mind of Christ in your situation. If you are reading this and have a word for this Mother please submit it to us.
We march on as His soldiers.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
One hundred years old
I had the privelege of interviewing a lady today who was celebrating her 100th birthday today. We have to ask our patients to spell their names and give us their birthdate as a way of identification and I looked down and saw her birthday was 4/2/09. 1909 mind you!!!! She was sharp as a tack and still lives alone, cooks and gardens. She had a 67 year old son with her. Imagine that. I told her I hoped I looked as good as her if the Lord allowed me to live that long. I just couldn't allow her to leave without some sort of celebration, so I called down and got her a piece of chocolate cake. Now that has to make anyone's day, right.
I have pondered that age all afternoon as I calculated 40 more years and i can tell you with the way my joints are feeling on this rainy day I am not sure I would make it as well as she has. I thought about the changes I might see in the next 40 years. I can't imagine, can you? The verse, "the body is decaying" is more evident each day. Hopefully, my mind is being renewed, but there again........
We are learning a new computer program at work and I feel like my brain is on overload. It will start Monday so pray I can grasp it! We have a fellow nurse who will be retiring in June.....I am envious.
Our little four year old grandson, Brett and his Mom, Mel went to pick PaPa up this afternoon from a procedure. He was so concerned over how Papa was. I came home and he said, "something is very wrong with PaPa, he can't drive." So cute. Couldn't you just eat them up? He wanted to stay with us but Mom drug him to the car kicking and screaming. We reasurred him that we would see him tomorrow. We are going to our twin grandaughters birthday party at their school tomorrow. They will be nine tomorrow. Unbelieveable!
Now what do you do with the cake when one sister likes HS musical and the other Hannah Montana? You put HS musical on one end and Hannah on the other and pray they will be happy. I have to buy two of everything. Didn't want to buy two cakes!!!!
Next month their brother will be one! Isn't it fun?
Well the old gray mare is sinking and I need to rest up for tomorrow sooooooooooooo, good night.
I have pondered that age all afternoon as I calculated 40 more years and i can tell you with the way my joints are feeling on this rainy day I am not sure I would make it as well as she has. I thought about the changes I might see in the next 40 years. I can't imagine, can you? The verse, "the body is decaying" is more evident each day. Hopefully, my mind is being renewed, but there again........
We are learning a new computer program at work and I feel like my brain is on overload. It will start Monday so pray I can grasp it! We have a fellow nurse who will be retiring in June.....I am envious.
Our little four year old grandson, Brett and his Mom, Mel went to pick PaPa up this afternoon from a procedure. He was so concerned over how Papa was. I came home and he said, "something is very wrong with PaPa, he can't drive." So cute. Couldn't you just eat them up? He wanted to stay with us but Mom drug him to the car kicking and screaming. We reasurred him that we would see him tomorrow. We are going to our twin grandaughters birthday party at their school tomorrow. They will be nine tomorrow. Unbelieveable!
Now what do you do with the cake when one sister likes HS musical and the other Hannah Montana? You put HS musical on one end and Hannah on the other and pray they will be happy. I have to buy two of everything. Didn't want to buy two cakes!!!!
Next month their brother will be one! Isn't it fun?
Well the old gray mare is sinking and I need to rest up for tomorrow sooooooooooooo, good night.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
A day at the office
I usually go to our On Wings Like a Dove office downtown on Tuesdays. It is usually fairly quiet and I can get a lot of work done. Today I had several visitors which is always a delight and several phone calls. Some calls and visits were from longtime prodigals we have ministered to over the years and some were new contacts and ways to pray. I found it interesting seeing how my devotional this morning was how God shows us things in others so we will have more knowledge how to pray, not to use it to gossip about the person. I learned that long ago as I watched my dear friend Joan pray for others with the gift of discernment. She has such a relationship with the Lord that she senses when God sends others her way to intercede for them, often total strangers.
Here is part of the devotional from My Utmost for His Highest I read this morning in preparation for my day: " If we are not heedful and pay no attention to the way the Spirit of God works in us, we will become spiritual hypocrites. We see where other people are failing, and then we take our discernment and turn it into comments of ridicule and criticism, instead of turning it into intercession on their behalf. God reveals this truth about others to us not through the sharpness of our minds but through the direct penetration of His Spirt. It is not that we are able to bring God into contact with our minds, but that we awaken ourselves to the point where God is able to convey His mind to us regarding the people for whom we intercede"
WOW! That is powerful. I hope it helps you as you meet those you consider to be failing. I was presented with that face to face today with this long lost prodigal I have been praying for for so long. Things don't seem to have changed much but I want God's mind in regards to her, not mine. What a lesson.
I have now walked two days in a row. Maybe you can keep me accountable to continue. Did I mention you also are in danger of drivers with cell phones in their hands or worse yet, texting while driving. You walkers better be ware!! Then there was the skate boarder coming 90 mph down a hill towards me. I envisioned myself laid out flat on the road by a skateboarder. There are dangers out there my friends.
Sandra
Here is part of the devotional from My Utmost for His Highest I read this morning in preparation for my day: " If we are not heedful and pay no attention to the way the Spirit of God works in us, we will become spiritual hypocrites. We see where other people are failing, and then we take our discernment and turn it into comments of ridicule and criticism, instead of turning it into intercession on their behalf. God reveals this truth about others to us not through the sharpness of our minds but through the direct penetration of His Spirt. It is not that we are able to bring God into contact with our minds, but that we awaken ourselves to the point where God is able to convey His mind to us regarding the people for whom we intercede"
WOW! That is powerful. I hope it helps you as you meet those you consider to be failing. I was presented with that face to face today with this long lost prodigal I have been praying for for so long. Things don't seem to have changed much but I want God's mind in regards to her, not mine. What a lesson.
I have now walked two days in a row. Maybe you can keep me accountable to continue. Did I mention you also are in danger of drivers with cell phones in their hands or worse yet, texting while driving. You walkers better be ware!! Then there was the skate boarder coming 90 mph down a hill towards me. I envisioned myself laid out flat on the road by a skateboarder. There are dangers out there my friends.
Sandra
Monday, March 30, 2009
Spring has sprung
I worked today and we are learning a new computer system and the stress is evident as I pass each employee. I wonder what I am still doing there, only God knows. I know He has a reason and some days I see it. Not so sure today!
I know I am way past due to begin a regular routine of walking (and so do my clothes), so after I provided supper and got Jimmy off to work, I donned my old clothes and off I go. I figured it would relieve some stress if nothing else. It is such a wonderful season of the year so I enjoy the green, green grass, the beautiful flowers (both sight and smell), visiting with neighbors, meeting new dogs, and enjoying the chirping of the birds and the sound of the dove (you see I am attuned to them since I have a thing for doves).
Now mind you, there is the downside of the walk! Cars that go 45 in a 25, dogs that bark and LOOK like they could tear you to pieces, dodging the goose STUFF in the road, and other issues I won't disclose except to women who are 60 and above. You understand!
In the midst of this I was reminded of the Song of Solomn passage: "My beloved spoke, and said to me; 'Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledoe is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grapes give a good smell. Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away!
How appropriate. I would love to Rise up and go away with my Bridegroom-Lover. How about you? Are you ready my friend? Some days we are more ready than others, huh?
my best to you,
Sandra
I know I am way past due to begin a regular routine of walking (and so do my clothes), so after I provided supper and got Jimmy off to work, I donned my old clothes and off I go. I figured it would relieve some stress if nothing else. It is such a wonderful season of the year so I enjoy the green, green grass, the beautiful flowers (both sight and smell), visiting with neighbors, meeting new dogs, and enjoying the chirping of the birds and the sound of the dove (you see I am attuned to them since I have a thing for doves).
Now mind you, there is the downside of the walk! Cars that go 45 in a 25, dogs that bark and LOOK like they could tear you to pieces, dodging the goose STUFF in the road, and other issues I won't disclose except to women who are 60 and above. You understand!
In the midst of this I was reminded of the Song of Solomn passage: "My beloved spoke, and said to me; 'Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledoe is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grapes give a good smell. Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away!
How appropriate. I would love to Rise up and go away with my Bridegroom-Lover. How about you? Are you ready my friend? Some days we are more ready than others, huh?
my best to you,
Sandra
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Praise the Lord for working in the heart of the prodigals
I praise the Lord for what He is doing in the hearts of His prodigals. Our son has attended church the past three Sundays without prompting from anyone. You say, what is so amazing about that? Our son has long been in rebellion as he walked away from the Lord. There have been so many folks praying for him in all areas of the country. The Lord is changing his heart and mind and I just want to stand up and praise the Father for what He is doing in his life. This is a small step but one that I have longed for for years. I am reminded of Joel 2 where it talks about the Lord restoring what the locusts has taken. I am looking for that restoration and I pray if you have had the heartache of a wayward child you will be able to see them coming home from the enemies camp one day soon. I join you in praying for that.
This afternoon I talked to a Mother I had met with last week and her son had gone to church today with one of the young men who had been a prodigal himself in the past. What a praise to our LORD who hears our prayers. He gave me the promise years ago from Jeremiah 31 that he would bring our son home from the enemies territory. It is a promise that I have clung to over the years, never doubting He could but questioning at times His timing! As Henry Blackaby prayed with this Mother years ago this prayer, "Lord, help this Mother to never give up!" , I pray that for you in your situation.
I want to leave you with this blessing today from Sylvia Gunter and Arthur Burk's book: Blessing your Spirit.
"I bless you with growing stronger and more persuaded by the power of your faith that brings glory to God. I bless you with being fully satisfied that God is keeping His word to you, no matter how long it takes or how contrary your circumstances might look. I bless you with being fully assured that God is able to keep his word. I bless you with being strengthened in faith by Jesus the suthor and finisher of your faith. ____________, I bless you with faith that has been tested and proved genuine. I bless you with seeing the joy on the other side of all kinds of trials. I bless you with faith that is strong and pure like gold. I bless you with knowing how precious your faith is to God, more precious than gold.
This afternoon I talked to a Mother I had met with last week and her son had gone to church today with one of the young men who had been a prodigal himself in the past. What a praise to our LORD who hears our prayers. He gave me the promise years ago from Jeremiah 31 that he would bring our son home from the enemies territory. It is a promise that I have clung to over the years, never doubting He could but questioning at times His timing! As Henry Blackaby prayed with this Mother years ago this prayer, "Lord, help this Mother to never give up!" , I pray that for you in your situation.
I want to leave you with this blessing today from Sylvia Gunter and Arthur Burk's book: Blessing your Spirit.
"I bless you with growing stronger and more persuaded by the power of your faith that brings glory to God. I bless you with being fully satisfied that God is keeping His word to you, no matter how long it takes or how contrary your circumstances might look. I bless you with being fully assured that God is able to keep his word. I bless you with being strengthened in faith by Jesus the suthor and finisher of your faith. ____________, I bless you with faith that has been tested and proved genuine. I bless you with seeing the joy on the other side of all kinds of trials. I bless you with faith that is strong and pure like gold. I bless you with knowing how precious your faith is to God, more precious than gold.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)