Tag Archives: miracles

Microwave Treatment

two white ceramic plates near microwave on counter top

Sometimes it’s hard to wait when you’re praying for something special to happen, and I know what that feels like…

Once, while I was waiting for my miracle, I had a dream. It had been about 6 months since I had surgery and I was growing more and more impatient about having a baby. I thought I’d get pregnant right away. But that’s not what happened.

One night, I had a very interesting dream

There were two parts to this dream. First, I dreamt that we  were visiting some friends for dinner and  I sat in the kitchen while the food was being prepared. I was shocked to see that my friend was spooning raw, runny, red, hamburger meat, into taco shells and placing them in the microwave to be cooked. “YUCK!” I thought to myself, and when she had finished cooking, she topped them with all the trimmings, but I just couldn’t bring myself to eat any, because I saw the way that they were prepared with raw meat, and this really grossed me out!

In the second part of my dream, I was in a meat shop, and I was trying to buy a beef roast which was turning slowly on a spit. I was in a hurry, and I told the man cooking the meat that I had been waiting a long time, and was ready to go. He looked at me and said “I’m sorry ma’am but it’s not ready yet. I said  “Are you sure? It looks like it’s done.” then he pulled out a long sharp-pointed thing, and pierced through the meat, and all of this red, runny, gook came pouring out. He was right. The meat was not ready… It was as if both parts of the dream had the same meaning.

When I woke up, I thought that maybe this dream had something to do with my healing from surgery, and  how  I was not yet healed up enough on the inside.

A few days later, I was sitting in the park, watching  my son and daughter at soccer practice, when I saw a friend from church. She asked me how I was recovering from the surgery.  I told her that I was doing fine, but that I was really ready to have another baby, “After all”, I said “I’m 35 years old!”…She was nearly 50, and told me that I was still young enough to have another baby.  “God’s timing is perfect… Just be patient!..I had my last baby when I was 40 years old. ” she said. I smiled, shrugged my shoulders, and said, “But I’ve been waiting so long already.”  Then she said, ” Faith, you just had surgery… You need time to heal.”  She laughed and said jokingly, .. “What you want is the Microwave Treatment!!”

When she said this, I knew that it was a confirmation of the dream that I’d had a few days earlier… “The Microwave Treatment”… It was true! I didn’t want to wait any longer.. I wanted my miracle,and I wanted it now! This instant… In fact, I wanted it yesterday!!

I was reminded by this incident, that God is in control, and I accepted that He knows best. I would just have to be patient and wait…

Three years later, I realized my miracle, and was expecting our little girl.

“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage…”

Psalm 27:14

Crazy Faith

There was a time when, my family, friends, and neighbors would have thought that “Crazy Faith” would be a perfect title for my autobiography! :)

I know that this is true, because once, when I was in the final months of my pregnancy, (you know, the pregnancy that I prayed 10 years for), I heard someone talking to a neighbor, saying; “We all thought that Faith was losing her mind!… While she was struggling with her health and praying for another baby, her mother and sister would call and say, “We’re really concerned about Faith..”  They thought that I was going crazy!!! I was never told this before, so when I heard it, I laughed, and said, “That’s OK… They thought that Noah was crazy too, but it sure did rain didn’t it? So, I’m in good company!”

It all began 15 years earlier, when I read Luke 8:48,  “Daughter, your faith has made you whole…”, and from that moment on,  there was no turning back for me… I believed it.

Of course, I myself, don’t think it’s “crazy”, but lots of people might consider it crazy to believe for something that seems impossible. Reading those words as a young 24-year-old, and believing that God had spoken to my heart, “fueled” me to move forward in faith, convinced and certain, that God would bless me, despite my physical circumstances.

Is there something that you would like for God to do for you, but you think that it’s impossible, or not important enough, or too big, to ask for?..  Ephesians 3:20 says that God is “…able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,..”  The power at work in us includes our faith!  Many times when Jesus healed someone, he said, “according to your faith be it unto you”, or “your faith has made you whole.”

Even if it makes you look “crazy” to those around you, or, if it’s just a secret request that you haven’t mentioned to anyone else, ask God what you will, and believe with “crazy” or unexplainable faith that, “with God… nothing is impossible.”

Smiles and Blessings,

Faith ♥

He Was Wounded, We Are Healed

“He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5

“Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.”

Thomas Moore

God With Us

“…The Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son,and shall call His Name Immanuel.”  Isaiah 7:14

“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His Name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” Matthew 1:23

The Faith Factor

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1

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…”Daughter, your faith has made you whole….” Luke 8:48

These are the words that the LORD spoke into my heart, on this day, November 11, 1985. Like the woman mentioned here in this story, I had seen many doctors and suffered many things. I was in need of a touch from Jesus to heal me and make me whole. I needed a miracle.

At sunrise, on that beautiful fall morning , the Lord heard my quiet cry, and  took me from barrenness to motherhood. Little did I know that this was only the beginning. Miraculously, He blessed me to give birth to three children, when the doctors, and the condition of my body, said that I’d never have one.

Forever grateful…

Blessed be His Name!

“He settles the barren woman in her home as a joyful mother of children”

Psalm 113:9 – TLV

 

How Long

Image result for sad looking out window

“O LORD, how long will You forget me?

Forever?

How long will You look the other way?

How long must I struggle

With anguish in my soul,

With sorrow in my heart

Every day?”

Psalm 113:1-2

Hope is Near

 There can be miracles … when you believe.

Though  hope is frail,
Its hard to kill.

Who knows what miracles  you will receive

When you believe,
Somehow you will…

You will when you believe

They don’t always happen when you ask
And its easy to give in to your fears
But when you’re blinded by your pain
Can’t see your way safe through the rain

A small, but still resilient voice, says

“Hope is very near”

-Kenneth Edmonds and Stephen Schwartz

 

Question

“Is any thing too hard for God?”  Genesis 18:14

“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?”

Jeremiah 32:27

ANSWER 

“With God nothing shall be impossible.”

Luke 1:37

The Hat Rack

Many years ago, one Sunday morning, we were visiting a new church for the first time, when an elderly lady came up to us and invited us to her house for dinner. We gladly accepted, and followed her home after service.  As we sat in her living room, we had a very pleasant conversation, and got  to know a little more about each other. She was a long-standing member of her church,  and well-loved by the congregation.  Although she was elderly, she was vibrant and enthusiastic, and very happy to talk about how much she loved the Lord, and all that He had done for her. She enthusiastically shared some of her many testimonies, and I talked a little bit about my faith experience.  I mentioned how our two children, a son and a daughter, who were very small at the time, had been miracle babies, because I was told that I would never conceive, but I was still praying and believing God for another baby.

She looked at me, with a smile in her eyes, and said, “You see that hat rack over there on the wall?” I answered, “Yes.” she said, “Whenever the Lord does something for me, I imagine that I’m hanging a hat on a hat rack…and every time he answers I just keep adding a new hat.  And the next time I find myself frustrated about something that I’m praying for, I  just take a look at that hat rack, and see all those hats hanging there, and I’m reminded of all the prayers that God has answered, (some that I may have even forgotten), and I am encouraged that he did it before and he’ll do it again.”

I really appreciated this example and made an effort to apply it in my own life. In fact the Lord did answer my prayer and blessed me miraculously with another sweet baby girl!

When I think back on this example, it reminds me of what young David said to King Saul, when he volunteered to fight Goliath…

“David said… The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine…” I Samuel 17:37

The lion and the bear were hanging on David’s hat rack!!! He just took a look back, and was fully persuaded, that God would do it again. :)

“Has it been awhile since you took a look at your own hat rack?”

Surely God has blessed you and answered your prayers in the past…

Just take a look back and,  like David, be fully persuaded that God will do it again!

Write the Vision, Watch it Happen

“Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, so he may run that reads it.

For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie:

though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not delay.”

Habakkuk 2:2-3

Taste and See

 I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

My soul shall make its boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.

O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.

I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.

This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.

The angel of the LORD encamps round about them that fear him, and delivers them.”

“O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusts in him.”

Psalm 34:1-8

Bless Me Indeed

Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying,

“Oh that Thou would bless me indeed,

and enlarge my borders,

and that Your hand might be with me,

and that You would keep me from evil,

that it may not grieve me!”

And God granted him that which he requested.

I Chronicles 4:10

Twilight

The period of the evening which takes place, between daylight and darkness is called twilight…

In the days of Elisha, there was a severe famine. Outside the city gates there were four men who were lepers. These four men reasoned among themselves,  “Why should we just sit here until we die? If we go into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there, and if we just sit here, we will die also. Let’s go to the camp of the Syrians. Maybe they will save us alive, or if they kill us, we shall but die… 

And so they rose up in the twilight, to go to the camp of the Syrians.

When they got to the camp of the Syrians, there was no one there because the Lord had made the entire Syrian army to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, and the noise of a great army approaching, and they thought that the king of Israel had hired other foreign armies to join with him to fight them...So they arose and fled in the twilight... When the lepers arrived they found an abundance of food, silver and gold. They sent word back to the king and the starving people were satisfied.

I love this story… You can find it in II Kings chapter 7. I am always amazed that at  precisely the same moment that the lepers decided to step out in faith, God began working on their behalf. As soon as they arose to go at twilight, God allowed the Syrians to hear an illusion at twilight, which scared them out of their wits and caused them to leave their treasures. The lepers were on their way, had probably walked all night, but God had already fought the battle for them, He had already solved their problem, and He had begun at precisely the moment that they believed… At twilight.

The next morning, with the rising of the sun, came long-awaited  joy and deliverance…

The Microwave Treatment

Sometimes it’s hard to wait when you’re praying for something special to happen, and I know what that feels like…

Once, while I was waiting for my miracle, I had a dream. It had been about 6 months since I had surgery and I was growing more and more impatient about having a baby. I thought I’d get pregnant right away. But that’s not what happened.

One night, I had a very interesting dream

There were two parts to this dream. First, I dreamt that we were visiting some friends for dinner and as the men talked in the living room, I sat in the kitchen while the food was being prepared. I was shocked to see that my friend was spooning raw, runny, red, hamburger meat, into taco shells and placing them in the microwave to be cooked. “YUCK!” I thought to myself, and when she had finished cooking, she topped them with all the trimmings, but I just couldn’t bring myself to eat any, because I saw the way that they were prepared with raw meat, and this really grossed me out!

In the second part of my dream, I was in a meat shop, and I was trying to buy a beef roast which was turning slowly on a spit. I was in a hurry, and I told the man cooking the meat that I had been waiting a long time, and was ready to go. He looked at me and said “I’m sorry ma’am but it’s not ready yet. I said  “Are you sure? It looks like it’s done.” then he pulled out a long sharp-pointed thing, and pierced through the meat, and all of this red, runny, gook came pouring out. He was right. The meat was not ready… It was as if both parts of the dream had the same meaning.

When I woke up, I thought that maybe this dream had something to do with my healing from surgery, and  how  I was not yet healed up enough on the inside.

A few days later, I was sitting in the park, watching  my son and daughter at soccer practice, when I saw a friend from church. She asked me how I was recovering from the surgery.  I told her that I was doing fine, but that I was really ready to have another baby, “After all”, I said “I’m 35 years old!”…She was nearly 50, and told me that I was still young enough to have another baby.  “God’s timing is perfect… Just be patient!..I had my last baby when I was 40 years old. ” she said. I smiled, shrugged my shoulders, and said, “But I’ve been waiting so long already.”  Then she said, ” Faith, you just had surgery… You need time to heal.”  She laughed and said jokingly, .. “What you want is the Microwave Treatment!!”

When she said this, I knew that it was a confirmation of the dream that I’d had a few days earlier… “The Microwave Treatment”… It was true! I didn’t want to wait any longer.. I wanted my miracle,and I wanted it now! This instant… In fact, I wanted it yesterday!!

I was reminded by this incident, that God is in control, and I accepted that He knows best. I would just have to be patient and wait…

Three years later, I realized my miracle, and was expecting our little girl.

“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage…”

Psalm 27:14

The Hat Rack

Years ago,we were visiting a new church for the first time, and an elderly lady came up to us and invited us to her house for dinner, following the service. We gladly accepted her invitation, and followed her home.  As we sat in her living room, we shared in a very pleasant conversation, getting to know a little more about each other.. She was a long-standing member at her church and was well-loved by her church family.  Although it was very apparent that she was elderly, her speech and expressions were vibrant, and she was very happy to talk about how much she loved the Lord, and how much He had done for her, as she enthusiastically shared some of her many testimonies.  I talked a little about my own faith experience, and  I mentioned how our two children, a baby and a toddler at the time, were miracle babies, and that I was believing God for another one.

She looked at me, with a smile in her eyes, and said, “You see that hat rack over there on the wall?” I answered, “Yes.” she said, “Whenever the Lord does something for me, I imagine that I’m hanging a hat on a hat rack…and everytime He answers I just keep adding a new hat.  And the next time I find myself frustrated about something that I’m praying for, I  just take a look at that hat rack, and I see all those hats hanging there, and I’m reminded of all the prayers that God has answered, some that I may have even forgotten, and I am encouraged that He did it before and He’ll do it again.” I really appreciated this example and made an effort to apply it in my own life. In fact, God did answer my prayer, and miraculously blessed us with another sweet baby girl!

Now, when I think back on this example, it reminds me of what young David said to King Saul, when he volunteered to fight Goliath…

“David said… The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine…” I Samuel 17:37

The lion and the bear were hanging on David’s hat rack!!! He just took a look back, and was fully persuaded, that God would do it again. :)

Has it been a while since you’ve taken a look at your own hat rack?

Surely God has blessed you and answered your prayers in the past… Just take a look back, and like David be fully persuaded that God will do it again.

Trust In God

“The best is yet to come… He will not fail you.”

“And they that know thy Name will put their trust in Thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek Thee.”

Psalm 9:10

 

Prayer and Fasting

“…If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say unto this mountain, Remove from here to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.”

“But this kind goes not out but by prayer and fasting.”

Matthew 17:20-21

Desert Spring

“Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth;… I will even make a way in the the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”

Isaiah 43:19

Wow! What a Woman! Part III

              God is forever faithful to “the faithful.”

It’s been an amazing journey and, this is the third and final post on the Shunnamite woman. The first two posts were paraphrased from II Kings chapter 4, and today’s story can be found in II Kings chapter 8. Thanks for following along! :)

Sometime after God raised her son back to life, the Shunnamite woman was advised by Elisha, the prophet, to pack up her belongings, and leave her home.  He warned her of how the LORD had called for a famine, and that it would last for seven years. So, the woman did as the prophet said, and traveled to the land of the Philistines, where she lived for seven years.

When the famine was over, she decided to return to her home, and she went to see the King about getting her land back. On the very same day that she was to present her appeal to the king, Gehazi, Elisha’s servant just happened to be in a meeting with the king, because the king wanted to hear more about all the great things that Elisha had done. Just as he began to tell the king about the woman whose son Elisha had raised from the dead, behold, the woman whose son was restored to life, came in to make her appeal to the king, and Gehazi said in excitement, “O king! This is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life!!” And when the king asked her, she told him her story and the king said to his officer, “Restore all that was her’s, and all that she would have earned from her land since the day she left until now.”

The Lord went before her, prepared the king to hear her case, and then gave her back not only her land, but all of the profits that she would have made from her fields over the seven years that she was gone! Wow!! I told you that this story was exciting!  What a great testimony of faith!

God is forever faithful to “the faithful.”

Wow! What a Woman! Part II

Just when her faith had risen to a new level, it would be tested…

A few years later, her son was out in the field with his father, when he began complaining of a severe headache. His father told one of the servants to take the young boy to his mother. The child laid his head on his mother’s lap until around noon, and then  died…

The woman took her son up to the room that she had made for Elisha, and laid him on the bed. She closed the door, went out, and called for her husband. Then she asked him to send her one of the servants and a donkey, so that she could go and see the man of God. She said she would hurry and return soon. Her husband asked  why she was going to see the man of God.. She didn’t say anything except, “It shall be well.”  She quickly saddled her donkey, and  left to see the prophet.

As she approached Mount Carmel, the man of God saw her coming and sent his servant, Gehazi, to meet her and ask what was wrong. He told him to ask if it was well with her husband, and if it was well with the child. When Gehazi asked her these questions she replied, “It is well.”  When she approached the prophet, she got off her donkey, and fell at his feet. She cried out, “Did I ask you, my lord, for a son?.. Did I not say, do not lie to me?”  Elisha sent his servant away immediately to go and see about the child, but the woman would not leave without him, so he returned with her.

When Elisha arrived at the house, the boy was dead and lying on his bed. He stretched himself out on the child, and the child became warm… He got up and walked around a bit, and then stretched himself out on the child again, and this time the boy sneezed seven times, and opened his eyes!

Gehazi called for his mother, and when she came into the room, she fell at Elisha’s feet, and bowed herself to the ground. She picked up her son,…. And walked out.

Wow! What a woman of faith! Fear and faith cannot operate at the same time… This woman showed incredible faith in the face of a situation which could have  invoked the most horrible fear. She knew that her son was a miraculous gift from God, and that God had blessed her and done what she thought was impossible… Faced with the sudden death of her son, her response was one of faith, and although I’m sure her heart was pounding, she made the immediate decision to hold her tongue, and trust God. She told her husband, “It shall be well”  and said to the prophet, “It is well.” and because of her faith, God made it so…It was well!

Stay tuned,..Part 3 next time. :)

Wow! What a Woman!

This week for Throwback Thursday, I’m sharing a 3 part story about an amazing woman with amazing faith!

Here it is…

This is one of my absolute favorites because it has every thing a great story needs. Interesting characters, a great plot with problems to be solved, and lots of surprises. I’ll be paraphrasing, but you can find this first part of the story in the book of II Kings chapter 4.

“One day there was a woman who invited the prophet Elisha to have dinner with her. He accepted and after Elisha left, the woman, convinced that Elisha was a holy man, asked her husband if they could add a room on to their house, especially for him, with a bed, a stool, and a table with  a candlestick, so that if ever he passed their way again, he  would have a comfortable place to stay. Her husband agreed. It was done, and the next time the prophet came there, he spent the night. He was moved by her kindness and hospitality, so he asked her if there was anything that she wanted him to do for her.

She asked for nothing in return, and when she left the room, Elisha asked his servant, Gehazi, what could be done for her. Gehazi mentioned that the woman was childless and that her husband was  old.  Elisha called the woman and told her that she would give birth to a son and he told her  when her son would be born. She relied, “Don’t lie to me…” but  miraculously, she gave birth to a baby boy,  at precisely the same time that Elisha had predicted.”

Let’s take a closer look at what has just happened. First of all, this woman had a very kind and hospitable spirit. She invited Elisha to have dinner with her, and then added a room to her house just for him. In scripture she is called a “great” woman, so perhaps she was wealthy, and adding a room to her house was something that she could easily afford to do. Next, she had respect for the man of God, evidence that she embraced a level of faith,… a limited level of faith, that would soon increase, and later be tested.

I refer to her faith as limited because, when Elisha asked her what he could do for her, she asked for nothing…She believed in God, but her faith appears to have its limits… Was it really true that she didn’t want anything… He was a prophet after all… She knew that he was a man of God, a holy man.  She had said so herself.. What was it that she really wanted? Could it be that she had given up on the hope of ever having a child?… Did it seem to be too impossible of a request? Whatever the case.She didn’t ask… It was Elisha’s servant who mentioned that she was childless, and even when Elisha told her that she’d have a son, her reply was, “Do not lie to me”… Because to her, it seemed to good to be true..

Her faith would soon increase to a whole new level, throughout the months in which she carried her son in pregnancy, gave birth to him, and delightfully embraced him in her arms.

Tomorrow, Part 2 :)

Amazing Grace

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me….
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.

T’was grace that taught…
my heart to fear.
And grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear…
the hour I first believed.

The Lord has promised good to me…
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be…
as long as life endures

Through many dangers, toils and snares…
I have already come.
T’was grace that brought me safe thus far…
and grace will lead me home.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years…
bright shining as the sun.
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise…
then when we’ve first begun.

John Newton

Blessing in Surprise

Once, several years back, I took my Jeep in to have my brakes checked, and as I sat in the waiting area, an elderly man sat, quietly, a few chairs down,waiting for his vehicle and reading a newspaper. I smiled at him as I sat down, and began leafing through one of the magazines on the table next to me.

When the mechanic came out to give me the news about my Jeep, I stood up and walked over to the counter to meet him. He basically told me that my brakes were in worse condition than I thought, and that I was going to cost much more than I had expected. I asked how much it would cost to do part of the job now and the rest later on, and he said he’d go back and check with his manager.  I went back to my seat and the older gentleman, leaned over and quietly said that he would like to pay the difference, so that I could get the whole job done today. I was totally surprised at this and responded by saying, “Thank you sir. That is very kind of you but I can’t accept, thank you though. That’s very nice of you to offer.”

He answered by saying that he would really like to do this for me and my family, and this is just the type of thing that he and his wife try to do for others whenever they have the opportunity. So he asked that I please accept his offer. I thought for a minute and then asked if I could  have his name and address in order to repay him, and he said no. He said  that this would be a gift, and that he did not want to be repaid. I realized that this was a blessing, so I graciously accepted. ( I did manage to get his name and address anyway, so that I could send him and his wife a thank you note. I also included a gift card for he and his wife to go out to dinner.)  :)

That day, when I drove off, I felt so much gratitude, as I had thanked this gentleman several times, and was doubly blessed to have experienced true generosity and a “blessing in surprise!”

Peter’s at the Door!

How surprised we are when we see that God has answered our prayers!

“Peter …was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the guards before the door kept the prison.

And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he struck Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.

And the angel said unto him, Gird yourself, and bind on your sandals. And so he did. And he said unto him, Cast your garment about you, and follow me.

And he went out, and followed him; and knew not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.

When they were past the first and the second guard, they came unto the iron gate that leads unto the city; which opened to them of its own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and immediately the angel departed from him.

And when Peter had come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord has sent his angel, and has delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.

And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.

And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a maid came to answer, named Rhoda.

And when she knew Peter’s voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate.

And they said unto her, You are mad. But she continued to affirm that it was so. Then they said, It is his angel.

But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished.” Acts 12:5-16

You see, although they had been praying and hoping for Peter’s release, they were still completely surprised to find that God had actually answered their prayers. They even said that the girl had gone crazy, because they couldn’t believe that Peter was actually at the door, and then they said that it must be his angel!  (Did they think that he had died or something?) All of this, after such intense prayer and intercession had been offered up by them on Peter’s behalf!

Food for thought!

 

Pray, Believe, Receive


“And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive.”

Matthew 21:22

Suggestions Welcome

Suggestion Box!

I’ve just finished writing a book, and now I’m going through the process of finding an editor, and other finishing touches necessary for publishing. I have a few ideas, I’ve made a few contacts, and have already spent a great deal of time researching information, but I could really use some suggestions, and recommendations from you, and  would very much appreciate your input. You may have experience in this area, or you may be able to refer me to someone who’s been a big help to you. Even if you’ve never written a book, I ‘d love to hear your comments. You’ve been such a blessing to me, and this blogging experience has given me the boost I needed to finally write this book. I’d love for you to be a part of it too, so go ahead and let me know what you think!

Thank you and God Bless!

Faith

( If you’d like, I can keep your comment private, and I’d be happy to respond to you by e-mail, if necessary.)

Great Expectations

“…My expectation is from Him.”

Psalm 62:5

 “You might not always get what you want, but you always get what you expect.”

 Charles Spurgeon

Expect The Best!

Throwback Thursday- Crazy Faith

It’s Throwback Thursday and “Crazy Faith” is all about having faith, and believing God for what seems impossible, regardless of your circumstances. Read more and be encouraged!

Faithrises

There was a time when, my family, friends, and neighbors would have thought that “Crazy Faith” would be a perfect title for my autobiography! :)

I know that this is true, because once, when I was in the final months of my pregnancy, (you know, the pregnancy that I prayed 10 years for), I overheard someone talking to a neighbor, saying; “We all thought that Faith was losing her mind!… While she was struggling with her health and praying for another baby, her mother and sister would call and say, “We’re really concerned about Faith..”  They thought that I was going crazy!!!I never knew  this before, so when I heard it, I laughed, and said, “That’s OK… They thought that Noah was crazy too, but it sure did rain didn’t it? So, I’m in good company!”

It all began 15 years earlier, when I read Luke 8:48,  “Daughter, your faith has made you whole…”,

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Smokin’ Hot

They say, “Where there’s smoke there’s fire”, so is it also true that where there’s fire there’s smoke?” Not according to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. It says in Daniel 3:20-24  that when they were thrown into the fiery furnace, the king saw four men walking in the fire, and the fourth looked  like the Son of God, and when he called them out of the fire, they were completely untouched by the flames, and then, to top it all off,  their clothes didn’t even smell like smoke. Now, that’s amazing!! You can’t even start coals for a barbecue, without smelling like smoke!  Verse 24 says that” the fire had no power over them!”Our God Is AWESOME!! This story is a  fire-bright, blatant example, of how God is with us “in the fire“, these fiery trials have no power over us, and when it’s over, we won’t even smell like smoke! Now that’s Hot! 

Throwback Thursday- Baby Blue Pinto

It’s “Throwback Thursday” and here’s an exciting read!   This is  a true story of a tragedy, and how the Lord protects us, and keeps us safe, even in the most dangerous circumstances. Take a look!

Faithrises

 

baby blue pinto 2

What comes to mind when you hear the word pinto? I guess it depends on how old you are, “It’s a bean! It’s a horse! No! It’s an automobile!!!!!” That’s right, a Pinto is an automobile produced by Ford in the 70’s. It was a squatty, compact car with a huge triangular window in the back. But to me, a sixteen year-old looking at her first car, it was the cutest thing that I had ever seen! One cool morning in October, when I was seventeen, I was just leaving  for school when my mother called out from the back of the house, “Hey, drive carefully and remember what they said on the news about those Pintoes blowing up!! Be careful.”  This was true. Upon impact, (near the gas tank), Pintoes were sometimes prone to explode. “Ok, I’ll be careful.” I answered, and I was on my way. I…

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Confidence

“…This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask any thing according to His will, He hears us; And if we understand that He hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.”  I John 5:14-15

 

Faith Unlimited

Taking the limits off our faith, releases unlimited possibilities…

          “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”  Mark 10:27

Wow! What a Woman! pt 1

I’ve been wanting to share this story for so long! Its one of my absolute favorites because it has every thing a great story needs. Interesting characters, a great plot with problems to be solved, and lots of surprises. I’ll be paraphrasing, but you can find this first part of the story in the book of II Kings chapter 4.

“One day there was a woman who invited the prophet Elisha to have dinner with her. He accepted and after Elisha left, the woman, convinced that Elisha was a holy man, asked her husband if they could add a room on to their house, especially for him, with a bed, a stool, and a table with  a candlestick, so that if ever he passed their way again, he  would have a comfortable place to stay. Her husband agreed. It was done, and the next time the prophet came there, he spent the night. He was moved by her kindness and hospitality, so he asked her if there was anything that she wanted him to do for her.

She asked for nothing in return, and when she left the room, Elisha asked his servant, Gehazi, what could be done for her. Gehazi mentioned that the woman was childless and that her husband was  old.  Elisha called the woman and told her that she would give birth to a son and he told her  when her son would be born. She relied, “Don’t lie to me…” but  miraculously, she gave birth to a baby boy,  at precisely the same time that Elisha had predicted.”

Let’s take a closer look at what has just happened. First of all, this woman had a very kind and hospitable spirit. She invited Elisha to have dinner with her, and then added a room to her house just for him. In scripture she is called a “great” woman, so perhaps she was wealthy, and adding a room to her house was something that she could easily afford to do. Next, she had respect for the man of God, evidence that she embraced a level of faith,… a limited level of faith, that would soon increase, and later be tested.

I refer to her faith as limited because, when Elisha asked her what he could do for her, she asked for nothing…She believed in God, but her faith appears to have its limits… Was it really true that she didn’t want anything… He was a prophet after all… She knew that he was a man of God, a holy man.  She had said so herself.. What was it that she really wanted? Could it be that she had given up on the hope of ever having a child?… Did it seem to be too impossible of a request? Whatever the case.She didn’t ask… It was Elisha’s servant who mentioned that she was childless, and even when Elisha told her that she’d have a son, her reply was, “Do not lie to me”… Because to her, it seemed to good to be true..

Her faith would soon increase to a whole new level, throughout the months in which she carried her son in pregnancy, gave birth to him, and delightfully embraced him in her arms.

Next time, Part 2

Bless Me Indeed

“…Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying,

Oh that Thou would bless me indeed,

and enlarge my borders,

and that Your hand might be with me,

and that You would keep me from evil,

that it may not grieve me!

And God granted him that which he requested.”

I Chronicles 4:10

Here Comes the Sun

The period of the evening which takes place, between daylight and darkness is called twilight…

In the days of Elisha, there was a severe famine. Outside the city gates there were four men who were lepers. These four men reasoned among themselves,  “Why should we just sit here until we die? If we go into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there, and if we just sit here, we will die also. Let’s go to the camp of the Syrians. Maybe they will save us alive, or if they kill us, we shall but die… And so they rose up in the twilight, to go to the camp of the Syrians.

When they got to the camp of the Syrians, there was no one there because the Lord had made the entire Syrian army to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, and the noise of a great army approaching, and they thought that the king of Israel had hired other foreign armies to join with him to fight them...So they arose and fled in the twilight... When the lepers arrived they found an abundance of food, silver and gold. They sent word back to the king and the starving people were satisfied.

I love this story… You can find it in II Kings chapter 7. I am always amazed that at  precisely the same moment that the lepers decided to step out in faith, God began working on their behalf. As soon as they arose to go at twilight, God allowed the Syrians to hear an illusion at twilight, which scared them out of their wits and caused them to leave their treasures. The lepers were on their way, had probably walked all night, but God had already fought the battle for them, He had already solved their problem, and He had begun at precisely the moment that they believed… At twilight.

The next morning, with the rising of the sun, came long-awaited  joy and deliverance…

The Hat Rack

Many years ago, one Sunday morning, when we were visiting a new church for the first time, an elderly lady came up to us and invited us to her house for dinner, following the service. We gladly accepted her invitation, and followed her home.  As we sat in her living room, we shared in a very pleasant conversation, getting to know a little more about each other.. She was a long-standing member at her church and was well-loved by her church family.  Although it was very apparent that she was elderly, her speech and expressions were vibrant, and she was very happy to talk about how much she loved the Lord, and how much He had done for her, as she enthusiastically shared some of her many testimonies.  I talked a little about my own faith experience, and  I mentioned how our two children, very small at the time, were miracle babies, and that I was believing God for another one.

She looked at me, with a smile in her eyes, and said, “You see that hat rack over there on the wall?” I answered, “Yes.” she said, “Whenever the Lord does something for me, I imagine that I’m hanging a hat on a hat rack…and everytime he answers I just keep adding a new hat.  And the next time I find myself frustrated about something that I’m praying for, I  just take a look at that hat rack, and I see all those hats hanging there, and I’m reminded of all the prayers that God has answered, some that I may have even forgotten, and I am encouraged that he did it before and he’ll do it again.” I really appreciated this example and made an effort to apply it in my own life.

Now, when I think back on this example, it reminds me of what young David said to King Saul, when he volunteered to fight Goliath…

“David said… The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine…” I Samuel 17:37

The lion and the bear were hanging on David’s hat rack!!! He just took a look back, and was fully persuaded, that God would do it again. :)

Has it been a while since you took a look at your own hat rack? Surely God has blessed you and answered your prayers in the past… Just take a look back, and like David be fully persuaded that God will do it again.

The Power of Prayer and Fasting

“…this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting…”  Matthew 17:21

When I was praying for a miracle, there were many times that I would get discouraged, and sometimes even depressed, because it seemed like nothing was happening…  There were only a few people during that time, that I could talk to, who actually believed with me, encouraged me, and listened patiently.   My grandmother was one of these people. She was the first one to pray for me when the doctors  said that I would never be able to have a baby. She told me, way back then, at the beginning of my journey, that I would be a mother, and she laid her hands on my tummy and prayed for me. She had great faith. I often called her during my lowest times and she would say to me, “God will do it. He is faithful and there is nothing too hard for Him.”  She told me that what I needed to do, was to pray and fast. She told me to always pray and fast whenever I could. Not just once, but periodically, along with my prayers, as I waited for God to do as He promised.

When the struggle and the waiting became the most unbearable, I remembered my grandmother’s words and followed her advice, and even though she passed away, during the 10 year period of praying for my third little miracle, and had gone home to be with Jesus, her sweet voice remained in my heart, always reminding me of the power and importance of prayer and fasting.

Sometimes when we’ve been praying for something for a very long time, it feels like an uphill battle… It’s a fight, but, Second  Corinthians 10:4 says that, ” … the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty, through God to the pulling down of strongholds.”  Prayer and fasting are two of those mighty weapons… Armed with the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, we press through the battle, with prayer and fasting, until the victory is ours!

Sticks and Stones

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” This is so-o-ooo not true! In fact, some words can hurt worse than sticks and stones, and when you’re praying for a miracle, what you say or don’t say really does matter…

Have you ever noticed how, the moment you start talking about believing for a miracle, someone comes along, and starts giving you all the reasons why it will never happen? It’s usually not because they don’t mean well. Sometimes they just don’t want to see you get hurt or be disappointed, and sometimes it’s because they just can’t imagine such things coming to pass. Regardless of their intentions, these words, once embedded in your heart and mind, can strike a fatal blow to your faith.

It’s not only the words that you hear, that can hurt your faith, but also the words that you speak. Proverbs 18:21 says that; “Death and life are in the power of the tongue…” In fact, it would be better to say nothing at all, than to speak words of doubt or fear concerning what you are believing God for in your life. Luke 1;5-22 gives a perfect example of this. It speaks of Zacharias, and how the angel Gabriel told him that he and his wife, Elisabeth, would have a son.

Zacharias couldn’t believe it,.. and that’s just exactly how he spoke. He gave all kinds of reasons why this could not happen, like being too old, and finally, because he didn’t believe, he lost his ability to speak. God was going to perform a miracle in Zacharias’ life,and Zach’s words of doubt couldn’t be allowed to get in the way, so Zacharias would have to stop speaking , and God made it so that he would be unable to say a word, until the miracle of his son’s birth came to pass.

Later, in the same chapter, the angel Gabriel came to Mary with the announcement of Christ’s birth, and her response is one of faith,.. not doubt. She simply asks how this can be, because she’s a virgin. She doesn’t say that it can’t happen… She believes and submits herself to God’s will. Mary knew how to ponder things in her heart. Not only did she speak words of faith, saying, “Be it unto me according to thy word“, she also knew how to keep quiet, allowing God’s miracle to come to pass in her life.

When it comes to our faith, words really do matter.

Crazy Faith

There was a time when, my family, friends, and neighbors would have thought that “Crazy Faith” would be a perfect title for my autobiography! :)

I know that this is true, because once, when I was in the final months of my pregnancy, (you know, the pregnancy that I prayed 10 years for), I overheard someone talking to a neighbor, saying; “We all thought that Faith was losing her mind!… While she was struggling with her health and praying for another baby, her mother and sister would call and say, “We’re really concerned about Faith..”  They thought that I was going crazy!!!I never knew  this before, so when I heard it, I laughed, and said, “That’s OK… They thought that Noah was crazy too, but it sure did rain didn’t it? So, I’m in good company!”

It all began 15 years earlier, when I read Luke 8:48,  “Daughter, your faith has made you whole…”, and from that moment on,  there was no turning back for me… I believed it.

Of course, I myself, don’t think it’s “crazy”, but lots of people might consider it crazy to believe for something that seems impossible. Reading those words as a young 24-year-old, and believing that God had spoken to my heart, “fueled” me to move forward in faith, convinced and certain, that God would bless me, despite my physical circumstances.

Is there something that you would like for God to do for you, but you think that it’s impossible, or not important enough, or too big, to ask for?..  Ephesians 3:20 says that God is “…able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,..”  The power at work in us includes our faith!  Many times when Jesus healed someone, he said, “according to your faith be it unto you”, or “your faith has made you whole.”

Even if it makes you look “crazy” to those around you, or, if it’s just a secret request that you haven’t mentioned to anyone else, ask God what you will, and believe with “crazy” or unexplainable faith that, “with God… nothing is impossible.”

Smiles and Blessings,

Faith