Good Monday morning, my favorite blog community on earth!
Soon you’ll be hearing from Curtis with some insights from your comments on Friday’s post. I’ve been out of town most of the weekend so I haven’t seen them yet but the Moores and Joneses had lunch together yesterday and they said the responses were terrific and some of them pretty eye-opening. You invest continually in the workings of this ministry whether or not you realize it. You equip us constantly to serve the Body of Christ in relevant ways and we are so grateful.
Until you hear from CJ, here’s something that’s been on my mind this weekend based on a wild thing God did on Friday. I awakened that morning with a pressing on my heart to send a certain new friend flowers for absolutely no occasion except that I couldn’t get her out of my mind. The fact that I could even have that clear impression on Friday is in itself a wonder because I was preparing five – count them, FIVE – messages for the Life Today taping we did in Dallas-Fort Worth this weekend. I was also in a tailspin getting all the appropriate wardrobe packed. It made much more sense to wait until Monday to make arrangements for flowers, only I couldn’t let it go.
Come to find out that the flowers came to my new friend on her only child’s birthday, a son she’d raised to young adulthood then lost in a tragic accident. She’d been feeling literally sick at heart with grief as the day approached and had tried not to tell anybody. What’s more, instead of just sending a random bouquet of flowers like I normally would, this time I requested something very specific that just happened to hold extreme significance to my new friend. It was the exact kind of flower and color that her husband sent her for years before his equally untimely death. (No, it wasn’t your basic red.) Needless to say, Blonder-Than-She-Pays-to-Be had absolutely no idea. I sat bug-eyed when I read her response concerning all the things I “could not have known” and marveled over how Christ has gone out of His way to show her His enormous and exquisite love. In fact, He’s chasing her as hard as anybody I’ve ever known. My heart is so tender that He would allow me to be one small part of how He is showing His great affection and tender care to someone.
He is not only a God of the big things. Perhaps what astonishes us most in each of our private journeys with Him is that He is a God of the smallest, most intimate details. A God who does things with personal significance only He and we could have known. So, let’s boast in that very dimension of our God today. Give a one-paragraph story of how He went out of His way and far beyond coincidence to show You His love…OR, used you in some detailed way to demonstrate His love to someone else.
He is SO WORTHY.
In the spring of this year I was convinced I was moving to Nashville for the summer for an intership, one that I wanted BAD!! It was with what I thought was my dream job and just knew it was going to happen well it didn't but throught some God type circumstances ended up in Nashville anyway with an internship with a church, I took the job to basically get me out of dodge for a while, God had other plans. This has been the most amazing summer of my life and I have experienced God in ways that I never knew I could. I found myself saying the other day Wow you really do have it all under control you just need me to be willing to go along for the ride. He is AMAZING isn't He.
Beth,
Thank you for sharing, not just what you did, but for sharing your heart time and again.
I had been on 13 pills a day for a heart problem. Then I lost my job (and I was the family primary income) which also provided our house. Moving and loss of income, stress of looking for work in a very troubled economy, one would think my health would get worse. Nope! Because of our loving Father, my health is so much better that I am off all the medication in just 3 months!
Only God!!!
Until,
Gaylene
Dear Beth & Siesta sisters,
I just love reading these! In thinking about something to share, two instances came to mind – and just thinking of them warmed my heart. The funny thing is, they were things God impressed me to do for someone else and they brought just as much joy as if something had been done for me. Isn't that neat how God blesses the receiver and the giver?! Speaking of that, your prayers would be appreciated for my sweet son in law taking the bar exam today and tomorrow. I'm hoping he'll be blessed specifically in a way that's important to him and known only by him and God.
Thank you so much for this post!
Beth,
This is one of your "Okinawa Girls."
I was at my friends house (Natasha)for dinner the week this study was to begin. She invited me to participate, I was hesitant. Programs had ended for the summer at church (in which I was extremely active in) and was ready for a "break." But decided I had nothing better to do and she didn't live that far away. The past 9 months I have been living a very "selfish" life and didn't want to turn it over to Christ, ignoring Him. Well something happened on the way to our first meeting for study where Christ had the carpet pulled out from under me and left me looking up at only Him. This night and study has been a new beginning for me. As I mentioned in a note to Jennifer Rothschild video, God has used this study in such a PROFOUND way to me. Every single day God has been specifically speaking to me — in EVERYTHING. The most PROFOUND thing that sums it all up is this, week 3 day 1, "Without wisdom we act emotionally, think with our feelings, and don't recognize truth – with catastrophic results." This has been my life for the past 9 months. Letting my feelings taking control and leading me down a path of lies, lies, lies with catastrophic results. I know Christ has forgiven me because I asked Him, but I hadn't forgiven myself. I know this is long, but one last thing that also was very profound to me. This verse has stuck to me like glue and I have poured my heart out to Jesus with it – Psalm 139:23-24 (The Message): Investigate my life O God, find out everything about me. Cross examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I'm about. See for yourself whether I've done anything wrong. Then guide me on the road to eternal life." As I type these words — it brings tears to my eyes. I want Him to examine ALL of me — because I want to get all this stuff OUT of my closet and I want to better serve Him as a woman in Christ (wife, mother, and friend).
Thank you Beth, for listening to God in doing this study this summer. Who would have imagined that this is EXACTLY what I needed right at this time. Well Christ did — and He has been there every step of the way this past going on five weeks — wrapping His arms of love around me and comforting me as I empty out my filthy closet. AMEN and THANK YOU JESUS!!!
God Bless you my siesta,
Kathy
Okinawa, JP
AWESOME!!!
Last year, I did your David study on my own. I loved it and I will never think of David again without remembering SO MUCH. When I got to the end of his life, I cried my eyes out, as if my friend had died. And I said, "That was BEAUTIFUL." And I blogged and journaled about the fact that I so wanted Jesus to say to me at the end of my life, "That was beautiful." Because I, like David, have had many spiritual ups and downs, and have finally in the past year broken FREE of the guilt and shame of my past and am allowing God to use me.
This spring, I shared my testimony in a message titled "Got Guilt?" with our women's group at church.
(If you are in the Indy area, check us out, we're hosting the Beth Moore simulcast Aug 28-29: http://www.ignitewomen.com/) The message was about overcoming guilt and shame.. and even me sharing that has a great, great God-story behind it. But as for this one.. after the message was shared.. the first 3 women that came up to me all said the same exact thing: That was BEAUTIFUL.
After the first woman said it.. it didn't really even fully hit me. Then the second one said it.. and I thought, "Wow, God. You are so incredibly sweet to me." Then the third one said it.. and even added, "Your testimony is beautiful." Which was HUGELY significant, because for years I believed that I didn't even HAVE a testimony. I thought I'd blown it too majorly.. too many times. That night, my God spoke straight to my heart.. something he knew I longed to hear… something those women could never have known.
My Beloved Jesus… YOU are beautiful to me.. and I thank you, thank you, thank you that somehow, some way, you have managed to use this broken person's life to bring glory to your name!!!! And you have brought me indescribable joy and freedom in the process.
(can't wait to go back and read through all the replies now!!)
After the tragic loss of my 21 yr old daughter, I cried out to God to let His glory pass before me in a very real and tangable way. I was awestruck as He displayed it by holding me in His arms through Beth April 27th 2007 at LPL Albq. NM. He assured me NEVER to doubt His love despite my loss and pain. All the events surrounding that weekend and the week to come can only be explained by God and His amazing love. I cont. to seek A Divine Purpose Fulfilled. Praise God for Beth's obedience to be His heart, His hands, and His mouth at such a difficult time in her own life.
I love you Beth!!!
Sandy
WOW!!! God is so good!!! There are so many stories that I wanted to personally comment on, but I'll sum it up by reiterating how awesomely blessed we all are to serve such a loving, wonderful Father!!!
Something else I've completely overlooked as of late…my husband's family has never been interested in going to church or experiencing a personal relationship with God. But over the course of the past year and a half, God has orchestrated some wonderful miracles that has led my mother-in-law, brother-in-law, and ex sister-in-law to start attending every Sunday 🙂 🙂 🙂
The best gift was last Christmas, when my father-in-law attended our Christmas Eve service and actually sang some of the songs with gusto! (My hubby just loved it – afterward he was like a little child in awe, "Did you hear my dad??? My dad was singing!!!")
It took 9 years for all of us to get here, but hallelujah for the outcome!!!
Lord, you are just too wonderful for words!!! <3 <3 <3
Hi Beth,
I am a believer in Kansas City. My favorite Missionary is Jackie Pullinger. She talks about getting a cup of cold water "quick" when ever we see someone in need. I saw a man very sick, walking down the road. I hurried to grab him up and take him to dinner. He was very sick, and very tired..but very kind. I took him out to dinner and then he wanted to take me for ice cream. I took him to his house, and I heard "He needs a shower". And he did. But I was so scared because of my past sex stuff. I wanted to please the Lord, and I wanted to believe that He had changed me. Next day I had it come through my mind over and over to take him clothes. I went and did it. As I pulled up, the woman next door came over and wanted to tell me…."He needs a shower real bad".
I sat down in the home, and I said, God, I am so scared…but I will do what you've asked, please help. And He did. Ken was gracious enough to honestly admit that he needed help, and God was merciful enough to allow me to do it without (hopefully) making him feel self concious about his illness. It is no credit to us to do what we are made to do, it is our privlidge, Let us pray for each other that in Mercy He will allow us to know what our small part in His kingdom is…For the JOY of doing exactly what we were made to do. I love you Beth, I am so happy to fellowship with you online. I asked the Lord if I could meet you one day…Maybe I will.
Love in Christ
Oh, I love this Beth! What an awesome God we serve. He is loving, caring, and compassionate. I love when He allows us to be part of the journey in helping someone else–doubling the blessings and the joy.
Thanks for the opportunity to share a detail that is still in the making. My daughter and her family are in the process of moving from a small town in Texas to a teeny-tiny-town in Texas. My daughter has NEVER moved well or easily since she was 7 years old! This is an extremely hard move and a week ago she was in tears every time I talked to her. They were going for a "final interview & meet the family" last Tuesday night. I told her to be on the look out for ONE special friend to connect with at that meeting because that was what I (and some close friends & prayer warriors) were asking for her and I believed that GOD WAS GOING TO SHOW UP IN A BIG WAY — and he DID!!! He gave her TWO new friends that she immediately bonded with that night. She called me on the way home with a whole new attitude and outlook. They are in the process of moving and selling their house. Talked to a realitor yesterday, and he thinks he might have a buyer to look at the house TODAY! (remember in a TINY town in Texas!!!) Another detail is that my daughter had talked to a friend who said she might have someone interested. Turns out it is the same family that is looking at the house. My daughter said if we had waited we might not have needed to use a realetor to which I responded maybe God is using you to meet a need and sell a house for the REALETOR! 🙂 See the story is still unfolding. I'm so thankful we serve a MIGHTY GOD that is into DETAILS. Thanks for the opportunity to share. I was about to burst to tell you!!!
Love you Siestas!
This is a story about love and about the love we all have of how our hair looks. I had been going to the same hairdresser Patty for 10 years or so and then I had to move 90 miles away. Well I made the trip over to see her for color and cuts whenever I needed it. It seemed like a waste of so much time and money for just my hair..of which I really don't have that much to begin with. It's really a joke with me. I always say hair is overrated!!! Really not true. Patty's brother Virgil was in a car accident and was paralized from the neck down and was in a hospital 3 hours away from his home. He had also been diagnosed with cancer the year before that. I began praying for Virgil, that God would send someone to that hospital room to tell him the Good News. My friend Kathy had a brother in law in the area that is a pastor and she asked him if he would go to the hospital and share Christ with Virgil. Her brother in law was too busy, so he asked a friend of his named Buz if he would go to see Virgil. Buz was faithful to go and the Lord had prepared Virgil's heart to receive salvation, that day!! Buz even went back the next day and asked Virgil if he understood what decision he had made and he explained very clearly to Buz the gospel he had received. I have never met Virgil but I pray for him and thank God for revealing Himself to me in the power of prayer and His power to save. God didn't need any of us to save Virgil but He allowed us to be a part of His work here in the world, even if it was just to pray. And to think that my trips that continued back to my hairdresser for another 10 years were a waste of time! I guess God can use anything, even my pitifully thin and fine hair for his purposes. Virgil still has cancer and he is still paralized but he knows the LORD of the Universe. PRAISE HIM
I loved your story about your new friend Beth and the gift of flowers you gave her. I needed that story today..Thank you for reminding me, my God is always at work around me, to bring blessing to the broken hearted through people like you and me. I love you.
That's an amazing story of God using you to minister to a siesta in a time of deep need. He is amazing! 😉 Thanks for sharing!
Loving reading all these wonderful examples of God's love and care for His children! I too have many that I could share but here is a recent one. My middle daughter and her husband recently had their 3rd child who was a big surprise! He was welcomed by a 4 year old brother and a 19 month old sister. Needless to say raising 3 children is expensive. Sarah really wanted to stay at home and not go back to work but her husband was determined that they had to have her income. She has been praying for God to change his heart about this and low and behold God did! Since her husband said that she could stay home they have seen provide time and time again. Just last week they learned that due to a change in their insurance they knew nothing about, that the new baby's bill's there were expecting to be around 4 or 5 thousand was only going to be $400! God is so faithful!!!
Martha in MS
God has provided for our family through many dark, desperate times. My husband's illness put us deeply into debt, but God opened up an avenue only He could have opened for us to recoup the money we needed at repay our bank…at the perfect time…in the perfect amount!! The opportunity He gave us seemed invisible to all around us! He had given my husband special knowledge about it at the appropriate time to get it done! What a mighty, loving God we serve. He is SO VERY into the DETAILS! Amen, Siestas!
Tears welled up in my eyes as I read your post Beth.. The Spirit within me said quietly, "That's what happens when people are obedient." Just another form of hope, encouragement, motivation.. etc that God has given to me today.
I have been sick for 7 1/2 years. I almost died after having my daughter with a massive blood clot. It is still in my body.. my HMO doctors have told me it is in there for good, and my health is as good as it is going to get..
Well, God didn't agree, and He provided a phenomenal private doctor who knows how to treat me, and He provided the money to pay for this (it's costly) and He gave me an understanding and supportive husband (he didn't used to be.. God is good..Amen!) Am I worried about childcare after reading your post? No way.. He is in the details and He knows I need childcare so I can get well. I can't wait to see how He will accomplish it. 🙂
Whoo.. I am excited! 🙂
I deeply desired to be married and at 29 God brought into my life through a series of circumstances, that couldn't even have been remotly by chance, the man of my dreams. God cleansed me and removed my past sin and shame to bring me to my husband pure and ready for marriage. The night before my wedding as I read through a 5 year old prayer journal I came upon a detailed cry to the Lord for a husband. I was blown away as I read a detailed description of the man I would marry the next day. He was FAR beyond what I had asked for. I also recall asking God repeatedly that when the time came He would cause it to happen fast. We met, him living in Phoenix and me in Dallas, and married in 4 months. I was able to have that prayer delivered to him right before our ceremony began. We are at 3 1/2 yrs and EVERY day I have a "I can't believe how detailed God was" moment! I pray the awe of it never fades. He is SO faithful!
Hey Kim G., I'm another Catholic too…just giving a shout out to you! I *love* Beth and her studies! :))
I opened a package sent to me one early December day. Inside was a red fleece Christmas jacket I had just seen at a local clothing store several days earlier. It was so cute, that I had picked it up off the rack. I wanted to buy it but knew our budget didn't allow it, so I put it back. Now here it was in my hands!
It was sent to me by a good friend who said the Lord told her to buy it for me…I thought she had been spying on me at the store, but no…it was totally the Lord!
Something simple, yet meaningful to me even now.
Hey Mrs. Beth!! I loved this post and all the comments. It reminded me God is in control of Big and little situations.
The moment that it brought to my mind was the time God delivered a newspaper to my door. One evening two kids came to our door selling newspapers & my husband being the teddy bear that he is bought a subscription. We aren't even newspaper reader's. That same evening my Father passed away in a motorcycle accident. In dealing with it and grieving over this I really wanted to have his obituary but didn't want to have to go pick it up or ask for one, I kept that desire quiet. That following Sunday we were delivered the 1st paper of the subscription and it was the one with my Father's obituary in it. My Heavenly Father heard my silent cry and answered it.
It's interesting to read your post. My bible memory verses for the summer are Eph. 3:16-21. Honestly, I haven't been good this summer sticking to my memorization but it's been on my mind to get at it. On Sunday, we went to a different church for an of VBS celebration and these verses were the basis for the topic of the sermon. And, this past week, God BLEW MY MIND by pulling together something I could never have even dreamed – done immeasurably more than I could imagine.
To make the story as brief as possible, my marriage is really struggling. We have some hurts and fears that often feel insurmountable, unfixable, unhealable. These verses are something I'm clinging to because of it. My husband just agreed to go to a marriage intensive (a 2 day – 16 hours, 1 couple with 1 therapist "intervention"). His agreeing to it is a big deal because it meant his agreeing to spending a lot more money than he's usually comfortable with. I am grateful for the investment. If that wasn't huge enough, we found a Christian man who has gone to seminary who does the intensives. Even bigger, he was trained by and worked with (and is friends with) very old family friends who have been doing these intensives in Branson, MO, for 20+ years whom I trust completely. I was completely amazed because I was worried about finding someone who we could trust. Then, he said he'd fly to us or meet us wherever we wanted. I am a fearful flyer and not having to have flying on my mind while trying to work on my marriage for 2 days straight is HUGE.
I couldn't even have DREAMED that there would be so, so many things just fall in to place (we even already had friends taking our kids for 5 days so we could get away the weekend this man could meet with us!!!). This all reminds me that God truly cares intimately about my marriage. And, going back to the verses, what now seems insurmountable – IS able to be healed by a God that I am sure is going to continue to knock my socks off with healing my marriage.
GOD IS SOOOOOOO GOOD. BEYOND IT!!!!!
Laura
God is the coolest God ever!! The me myself and lies biblestudy that I am doing came at a very important time in the life of my friend. No, she's not doing it but God has not only given me a great opportunity to counsel her as she considers divorce, but He is using this biblestudy to give me the recall of His word. She is buying into some serious lies about herself and her lack of value. I just wrote her an email almost typing verbadum the lies and verses of truth that Jennifer listed on pg 90. I love God
Please pray for her and for me(that I'll speak the truth in love).
Thanks!
Amy
I love it when God shares simple daily lessons with me. For example, in the mornings when I do my bible reading, a Word (this may consist of a single verse, an actual word, or several scriptures together)will be given specifically to me. Then, throughout the remainder of the day, God will repeat whatever is given several times or rather in several ways. It's really mind blowing to me! I absolutely cherish the lessons Father has for me. As I seek daily to hear His voice over all the "noise" of the world, I hold dear to my heart His Words over and into my life.
The Word for the moment is JOY. The joy of the Lord is my strength.
Love in Him,
Kim
Several years ago my husband was out of work for over a year. We did the best we could paying as much toward our house pymt. each month as possible. The bank was great at first, but their patience ran out & we had to catch our mortgage up fully or we'd lose our house. We kept this to ourselves and prayed fervently.
One afternoon some of our best friends dropped by unexpectedly & handed us a check for the exact amount we needed to satisfy our deliquent mortgage. (we still don't know how they knew)
We told them we didn't know how we'd ever be able to repay them that large amount. They simply said all they wanted was for us to do the same & help someone else out later when the opportunity came.
Within just a few months, our situation began to improve greatly & about a year later, we received some unexpected financial gain. Then it came…our opportunity to help another – a friend with 3 kids had been out of work for many months & had kept the true severity of his financial struggle a secret. It all came unraveled when he got a foreclosure letter from his bank & literally had just a few days left to keep his house. We found out and we prayed about what we could do. I felt a strong impression to go to bed and sleep on it. I prayed again as I fell asleep, and that night in a dream God told me to write him a check and He told me the EXACT amount to write it for – I could see my hand actually writing the check! It was crystal clear – I knew it was from God. So the next day, we gave our friend a check in the exact amount God had told me. With a few other friends giving assistance too, they were able to keep their home and he soon found enough part-time work to keep them afloat. After almost a year, he got a new job last week! GLORY TO GOD!
Beginning in 2004 my husband and I began going overseas with our church on mission. Most of the time we go to Brazil. Whenever we get home each year we start praying about where God would have us go next year. This year God never impressed upon our hearts to go anywhere. So… we stayed home. The dates for the first team to Brazil were June 26-July 4. My mother-in-law, an Alzheimer's patient, became very ill the day after the team left. She rallied during the week and we thought she was getting better. The Lord took her home suddenly in the morning of July 4th. We look back today praising the Lord for keeping us home. Mission trips drain one's emotions and the long flights make your bones weary. God knew it would be too much for us to handle so He guarded our hearts and kept us home. Thank You Lord!
amazing stories about the amazing God we all love !!!
my story is about the purchase of our home… long story short, we sold our house and were unable to purchase the one we thought we were to get due to the appraisal not being enough. we were blessed by friends to live with them until we found another home. 2 blocks from the first house, we looked at another that we did not think we could afford. our realtor met us there on a saturday night and he really wanted us to make an offer, as there was to be an open house the next day (sunday).. we said, no we needed to pray about it and not jump into it like we did the first one. we planned to meet after church on sunday for lunch, then go to the house during the open house if we felt led to offer. we did feel the Lord prompting us on this house, called some good friends to come look at it with us to verify our "feeling" . before the open house, we made an offer for $6000 under the asking price to the realtor/owner. we hung around for an hour or so, and they told us they felt like we hadnt asked them for anything in the contract, and they would accept our lower offer ! my hubs and i both were crying, as we knew that this was a gift from God !!
i just love Him so much, and am also grateful to this ministry and the beautiful ladies that share their hearts with us all..
God bless you, LPM folks. !!
jill in wichita
I just returned from a mission trip and was tremedously blessed, and what kept coming back to me the whole time was trust–just to trust Him. I think I trust Him and then He reveals new ways and areas I need to trust Him. Sometimes I feel like a failure tryiing to tell others about God's love when some of my own family don't want anything to do with Him. Well, the day I returned I got a call from my niece–she and her husband want nothing to do with God or church and have told me from the beginning that their young daughters could not go to church with me when they stay with me–we always have worked around it and I never made an issue of it and have just loved their little family and have done my best to stay involved in their lives. Well, God is so amazing, they are moving a few hours away and my niece knew I wanted to spend time with the girls before they moved and that I had been gone so she said I could have them Sat. night and Sunday and then she went on to say they could go to church with me! I felt like God was saying to me, keep trusting me–do what I tell you to do and I know your heart and desires. Just to be able to take those precious ones with me to God's house was such a joy. Trust and obey.
Beth,
I am working through your study of Esther on my own with the CDs for the summer as my small group has taken the summer off. I found myself under attack through an extended family situation, and God has used Esther and your teaching to help me so much. Last night, I listened to session 4. You teaching on Fear and the IF, THEN syllogism was so powerful and timely for me at this very moment in my life. When I read your post from Monday, I felt compelled to share with you that God answered a need in that moment with your God-inspired lesson and your personal testimony on Fear. My oldest son has Type I diabetes and the IF, THEN has been an area of stronghold for me, fearing that his body would be damaged, and so on. So, IF his blood vessels are damaged and his eyesight were to fade and his sense of touch in his feet and hands were to become limited, THEN my God is faithful to my son!! Praise the Lord for that word. Thank you, from a mother in Texas
This post was such a blessing!!! My husband has been sick for 3 years and the doctors have not been able to diagnose it. We have seen several different specialists and yesterday was the day he was supposed to see yet another. We have been pleading with God that He would give us some clear direction through this appointment. The clear direction He gave was a very sad diagnosis. After I got off the phone with my husband I loaded my kids up and got in the car and was so grateful to find my spiral-bound verse cards that I have been memorizing sitting right there in my car. During my long drive, I praised God for his clear answer and prayed through every one of those verses and God has brought such peace and comfort yesterday and today!
Beth,
God is so perfect at pulling together every little detail when we have no clue. The story about the perfect flowers for your friend really touched my heart.
I make Keepsake Memorial Jewelry out of dried roses or flower petals. I'm in South Texas and had a woman contact me through my blog and she was from Tennessee. I couldn't believe she found me. Her best friend had just buried her baby boy and she wanted me to make a keepsake for her.
Beth, I would be honored to make a special Memorial Keepsake for your friend as my gift. I would only need the petals from one rose or flower sent to me. Please check out my blog, "Mimi's Keepsake Jewelry" and let me know if you are interested. http://jewelrybymollie.blogspot.com/
Love and Peace,
Mollie Hubenak
After my sweet 16 year old doggie died in 2007, I began seeing red cardinals many places and felt a sweet sense of God's comfort somehow whenever I saw one. I thought I might be reading too much into it or possibly imagining that there was a connection. Two especially sweet moments happened soon after though….one day not long after his death, I parked in a wooded area and sat in my car eating lunch. A bright red cardinal landed on my driver's side mirror then gradually hopped its way across the hood of my car before resting on the passenger side mirror for a few seconds. Another time while at an office, I looked out the window to some distant trees and thought, "Lord, I'd love to see a cardinal again. It's been a while since I've seen one. I feel kind of silly asking, Father, but I know it's possible for You and it would bring me such joy if You'd let one land in those trees." Within seconds, a beautiful red cardinal landed on the stark white railing of the patio ledge right outside my window…..not hundreds of feet away in the trees (which would have been so sweet anyway) but right outside my window which happened to be mirrored so the bird couldn't see me on the other side and be scared off. God delighted me with quite a show, with the cardinal hopping around not more than three feet away from me for several minutes since he did not know I was there. My eyes filled with tears at the thought that the God of the whole universe would show Himself in such a specific, sweet and loving way in that moment. He is definitely "into the details."
My father's funeral was on Sunday. On Tuesday his last meal was a half of a donut. He had been out of it for two days an unresponsive but woke up when my brother in law brought in donuts. He loved donuts it was his favorite food. He often commented he wanted his mansion to be across from a donut shop. It was our laughter for a week and many weeks to come of sorrow.
Tina in LA
One paragraph? I'll try. I serve with a ministry in my church and we fill backpacks every year for children living in area homeless shelters. We don't give them a standard list of backpacks – we research each child's school/teacher/list and fill the backpacks individually. For several reasons, our volunteer crew didn't happen last year as it always does & our director was off in PA at the Little League World Series (yay, Mill Creek). I worked countless hours filling backpacks (of the 500+ we filled, I filled 263 of them), tagging them, delivering them, double checking them, moving them around as our church needed the space they were in…99% of the time alone. It was torture. It was August, it was hot and I was also going through some medical stuff that made it decidedly miserable. As I was headed down to Oregon to visit my brother's family, I delivered one of the largest shelters their backpacks. They filled my mini-van – from back to right behind the driver's seat, floor to ceiling. I had enough room – barely – to stick my weekend bag & my 8 year old in the van. We get to this shelter and the sweetest, cutest little 1st grader you have ever seen comes skipping over to the van – excited beyond words over the backpacks. She asks what time they're going to be handed out. Then she asks if she is getting a pink one… I look at this massive pile and there is no way, I figure, I can find that out. Just in case I come across it, though, I ask her her name… Cheyenne. My 8 year old was holding a backpack, waiting for me to finish the conversation & turn back to him. He looks at the very pink backpack in his hand and flips over the name tag… Cheyenne. 1st grade. It took MILES of strength from God not to break down in tears in that parking lot. He couldn't have done anything else to make me praise Him for loving that little girl enough to make sure we packed a pink backpack for her. He couldn't have proven to my 8 year old in a better way that He really does exist – and cares and He couldn't have strengthened me enough to tackle backpacks every year from now until He tells me I'm done. I am crying now as I type. It was beyond amazing – just as He is.
God is so into details and I love that about Him.
One time a couple of years ago I asked God to do something in my life that day that I would know beyond a shadow of a doubt was Him.
I'll backtrack…..a few weeks before this day I had gone into a Dollar General Store on my lunch hour and the sweetest lady helped me check out. She was very plain and simple, but extra kind, joyful and seemed to love her job.
When I got back to work I called our local radio station and nominated her for "working person of the day."
I rarely listen to that station and really had no way of finding out if she ever was chosen.
Now, back to the day I asked God to show me something only He could do…..
On this day (about two weeks later) I went to Dollar General and this lady I had nominated was telling a co-worker "Guess what? I was working person of the day the other day!" She was so happy telling this lady all about it. That had to be God's timing for me to be right there to hear her say that to her friend.
It was as if she knew I had done it, but she didn't. She had only waited on me that one time.
I've always remembered that special day.
(sorry it was more than a paragraph) 🙂
I'm going to try to keep this as brief as possible, so here we go…
A little over 3 years ago I was a victim (and now a victorious survivor) of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated robbery and aggravated sexual assault. There were many blessings provided in the weeks and months that followed that had God written all over them, but none moreso than the trial that sent one of the defendants to jail.
The defendant had plead guilty, but was letting the judge determine his sentence. Prior to the trial the defendant had been offered 15 years (and the other defendant had been offered 25 years). Defendant A believed that the judge would sentence him to 15 years or less, and Defendant B was waiting to see how his sentencing went to determine if he would accept the 25 years or if he would let the judge determine his sentence as well.
Of course if we had to go through the sentencing with the judge, I wanted BOTH of them to get more than the state offered in the plea bargain, but I didn't see how that was possible. I didn't want Defendant B to get 'rewarded' for waiting to see how Defendant A's sentencing went. But I knew God was in control of all of it.
On April 11, 2007 we went to the sentencing. I had to get on the stand and relive the day and then he got on the stand and essentially said that I was mistaken on most of it. At the end, the defense asked for probation and the state asked for 20 years in prison.
But the judge did something I NEVER expected. He went above what the state asked for and sentenced Defendant A to 25 years in prison. When this happened, the 25 years initially offered to Defendant B came off of the table and was raised to 30 years. He accepted it 2 days later.
When I didn't see how it could happen that both defendants would get more than the state initially offered, God did. And he made it happen. There was much rejoicing…
A FROG has made a home on my porch in a pot of impatiens. The flower is dead. But the frog is buried deep in the soil. I see it in the morning when I flip on the porch light headed out for work.
I don't like frogs.
But this one is special.
For the past month, my husband has been staying at his dad's. Now he says he's through with our marriage. He's "relaxed" there with his dad.
He told me all this in an email this past Sunday morning.
The frog.
F ully
R ely
O n
G od
That's what I'm doing. The enemy may try to destroy me. But I am not giving up on our marriage.
FROG…fully rely on God.
He is in the details.
Instead of leaving a paragraph as instructed, I just feel the need to say, "Praise God from whom all blessings flow!Praise Him all creatures here below. Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen!!!"
The memory verse team this year has been completely a love gift from God to me. i had never been to the Living Proof page much less click on a blog……I don't do blogs….. or I didn't.
That day God said, "This is for you." I can not begin to tell you how God has poured His love out to me as I have hidden His word in my heart and then I can't even tell you the times He has brought His word back to mind for me to encourage others.
Thank you. Thank you, Jesus.
I was a single woman working as a church secretary with only enough money to pay bills and eat. That December month was a cold one and I just paid an enormous electric bill. I wasn't sure how I would afford groceries and earlier that month, I had lost power because I was behind. All I wanted, more than anything, was a little Christmas tree. Just a little something to put up to make the apartment look more festive. Yes, it was a really dumb thing to want but I wanted it so much, I cried. A week before Christmas, a couple from the church, stopped by the church office to see the staff while they were preparing to leave for the holidays. They brought goodies for the pastors and myself. Then, out of a large shopping bag, they pulled out the cheesiest, tackiest but most wonderful thing. Fashioned out of coat hangers and wrapped with tree garland and lights was a hand fashioned Christmas tree they made for me. I broke down in tears. It was my Christmas tree. I didn't care how it looked or where it came from. It was my God sent Christmas tree and I loved it as though it was 12 feet tall standing in Central Park holiday ornaments of gold and sliver on it. I told them how I prayed for a little tree and they were touched. Then they told me of a fake tree they had that they were thinking of throwing away because they purchased a new one. They went home right away and brought me a tree with lights, ornaments and tensil. I took it home and it was in fine shape. I experienced Gods provision many times with things needed in dire circumstances but an answered prayer concerning something I didn't really need blew my little brain away. The dept of his love for me became an all to amazing thing. I could not wrap my head around this level of love for a long time. God's love extends beyond providing for survival. It's a cup that overflows and keeps flowing so much that we drown in it. Christ fills us up so much that it is coming out of our eyeballs and we can't help but get other people messy with love.
When I was in high school a friend's brother had died in a freak plane crash..he was a very experienced crop dusting pilot even though he was only 25ish. I saw her about a week after and she said that she had not been able to sleep for more than a few hours at a time and that she would wake up in the night very frequently. We were at a summer retreat and in the middle of the night the LORD woke me up and prompted me to pray for her. I went out on the porch of my cabin and prayed for a solid hour. The next morning, she was SO excited becuase for the first night in over a week she had slept through the night. The LORD had allowed her to sleep and let me stand in the gap for her. He's AWESOME!!
I recently had an unsetteling dream about a friend that I was very close to in high school(in the 70's.) We have been in contact with each other over the past several years through e-mails. I felt compelled to ask her if she was alright. This was her response after I shared the dream with her:
"Your dream was amazingly perceptive. I am amazed at what must be a psychic link we formed and maintained all these years. Somehow, you sensed a disturbance in my emotional life. I did feel, just as I told you in your dream, very negative about myself and that everything was a mess & hopeless, and I appreciate that you came to me and soothed me in your dreams. I believe that your strong faith was there for me, even if I didn't know at the time, and helped me get things back into a positive light.
I am better now…."
God is in the business of healing the broken hearted. I'm so very blessed that God used me to speak to my friend's heart.
He knows what people need, down to the last detail. Praise God when we get out of our own way to listen and obey God. When we do, we get to be a small part of His Miricles.
My friend does not believe in Jesus, please pray for her salvation.
Thanks for the opportunity to glorify God.
Kathy in Bradford,PA
Well, for it was a phrase that you used during your prayer at the end of the segment of your teaching on wrestling with God on last week's tv program. I don't remember your exact words, but I know that when they came out of your mouth and I heard them "on the other side of that screen" I was thinking that only God would know what that phrase meant to me. I had used the same words, almost in the same order when I prayed the night before. And for a while I thought it was one of those random prayers. But the next day when I heard you use those same words in the context of hanging in there with God no matter what because He always wins…it was amazing. Thank you!
When I was going through one of the most devastating times of my life I also lost the diamond from my wedding band. I searched the house like the women with the lost coin, but nothing. I could replace it, it was insured, but it wouldn't be the diamond my man gave me the day he asked me to be his wife.
I so needed to know how much God loved me and was with me in the pain of my situation so I asked him to show me in an amazing way. The next day I had to get lunch on the run at a drive thru. I couldn't get the coins I needed out of my tiny change purse, so I dumped it in my hand and promptly burst into tears. Mixed in with my coins was my diamond. There is absolutely no way that diamond could have gotten there. I am right handed and never reach into the coin purse with my left hand.
God not only showed me in a huge way how much he loved me, he gave me a daily reminder. Each time I look at that ring my husband gave me, I am reminded of his love and also of my Father's lavish love for me.
After leading Bible studies at our church for a couple of years, God suddenly picked our family up and moved us to California on a temporary assignment. I asked another woman to lead for me in my absence, but on returning was unsure whether it was His will to assume leading again. I asked Him if He would be clear with me and He brought me literally to my knees in tears! It happened like this:
I had been studying Corinthians while away but was returning to lead the Beth Moore study on the Tabernacle which my substitute had chosen. God impressed on me that His heart was for that year and study to be a "ministry of reconciliation" to our women. At our leaders meeting I shared with our team what I felt God had shared with me. I went home that afternoon and picked up the workbook for the first time and in the opening Beth wrote of the key to this study being "a ministry of reconciliation." At that moment I dropped to my knees with tears on my face knowing He had already passed that way and would lead us! How could the same verse be delivered to me with love and assurance out of all the verses in the entire Bible to choose from? Because He is a God of the details and I love Him!
After walking with God 50+ years, the neatest blessings are those "little" things. I don't think they are little, because to me, they are the greatest. Isn't it always those tiny details that make you grateful to be alive, take a breath, just to be? There are so many stories I could share, but lately these special gifts of GOD have meant so much. When I am seeking answers to particular situations, or just need a touch of love from Him, He always sends eagles. Literally, eagles flying low and slow, like waving at me! When we recently re-located to Houston, we had an eagle escort (no kidding!) along the highway as we came close. It's like a special little "hello, yes this is Me saying I love you, Sharoni." His other little special touch of love is a yellow monarch butterfly. I have many, many stories about both, but that's best left for another time…
Blessings!
JUST this Sunday I got up and prayed to God goin' "Ok God our grocery budget is spent and the next paycheck isn't for another 5 days and my daughter has ONE diaper left! One – do you know how quickly that will be none?" I simply asked God for some way to pay for diapers today after church so I wouldn't have to spend money that was needed elsewhere for bills and end up putting us in a bind.
I got to church and as soon as I got my kids dropped off in their classes and nursery a good friend from the church gave me a hug and slipped me $75 dollars – just because!
I was SO grateful and he has no idea what a simple 75 bucks meant to me that day! God is so good and understands this mom does NOT want to use reusable diapers!!
The story didn't end there though because I went and got diapers and went home but we are a cowboy church so we have 4 services – 3 on Sunday and one Monday night (so people who rodeo on Sundays or just needed to work can still come) Well anyways my husband and I are the youth pastors so we go to all the services. So I was sitting in church Monday night and our pastor was wrapping up with a prayer and alter call and I was considering going to the altar to thank God for how he blessed me and I felt in my heart Him say give the $50 you have left to the gal sitting next to you. I had just recently become friends with her and really didn't know much about her still but sat and prayed making sure I heard right and then when she went down to pray I silently slipped it in her purse.
It was SO cool getting blessed like that and being able to use that same money to bless someone else – money goes a long way huh?
I have a young Jewish friend who is from Switzerland just graduated from the University I work for. Since I was invited to a baby shower for her 2nd child I was looking for a gift and wandered the aisles of a big store finding "nothing"–I was just uncomfortable about all the choices not "being right". The day of the shower I would shop again and find something. However, that day I received an email from a friend who sends out daily prayers for Israel and the graphic on the prayer was a beautiful print of a prayer in English surrounded by Hebrew. I liked the prayer for peace so I printed it, found a frame I didn't know was in my house and wrapped that for my friend. I figured a prayer for peace for a house with two babies under 2 was a good thing! I stopped and got a gift card for ICE CREAM and put in the bag. When she opened the gift at the shower, her face softened so and she answered the questions of the other non-Jewish guests(like me!) by saying that this was a prayer that Jewish parents pray with their children every night before bed. I didn't have a clue! She had grown up praying this every night with her parents who are in Switzerland and unable to come for the birth of her baby. I was completely overwhelmed that God would allow me to bless her in such a special way. I don't normally pray over a baby shower gift…but I think I will change that! Who knows what God will do if I continue to just listen to His still small voice of love for all. Praise You Lord!
–In Abba's Embrace, Paula
Back in 94, I did a YWAM school in Texas; in the first few days of starting one of the guys in my group shared he was experiencing insomnia. I sensed a special burden for him, it seemed God was really working in this guys heart – and i went to bed with a huge prayer for him over this physical struggle – yet very aware God was using this to do a work in him. The next day we had a powerful meeting and as we received from the LORD; i prayed for this guy, the burden just increasing so i could hardly do anything else – like receive for myself! As the meeting was moving along, this guy stood up, visibly shaken, tears streaming down his face – confessing his rebellion and running from God; repenting right before our eyes. it was as we could SEE the old man sliding off of him and the new man filling him. It was SO beautiful. After ministering to him as a group, it was asked if God was doing anything else… my heart began to pound so loud i knew everyone could hear it… i knew God wanted me to confirm that He had used my prayer to reach this guy… and He wanted ME to share this! I did – through tears of praise and glory to HIM! That guy had no problem with insomnia after that day he embraced Jesus… and I slept pretty well too!
I experienced a two your journey through post-partum depression that just shook my faith to the core. I couldn't find God in the 'fog' and I just begged Him over and over not to leave me but to show me He was there with me. Prayers weren't answered, plans failed, friends disappointed, family couldn't understand what was happening, and I couldn't "feel" God anywhere. My heart just cried out day and night, "You've got to show me You're there, You've got to show me You're there…" One day, while making a brief trip to a store a woman I had met recently (at a school function) approached me and told me that God had told her to tell me something but she was afraid I was going to think she was 'nuts' because it made absolutely no sense to her. She asked if she could share it and I said, 'yes'. She said, "God told me to tell you that He knows where you are and He is going to bring you through this. When this time is over leaves of gold are going to come from your lips as you praise His name." She asked me if it made any sense to me, and with tears streaming down my face I could only nod my 'yes'. From that time on any time I doubted I would remember her words and would remind myself that He had told me that He was going to get me through this. And, praise His excellent name – He did!!! My journey was filled with times where He showed His presence in mighty ways – and now, I can never doubt He's not there.
I was so blessed to have my Mom until she was 90. She was thin and frail but independent for years before her death. I asked the LORD everyday not only to not let her die alone but to allow me to be with her. HE did both. I held her hand ( she had literally a death grip on my hand) and prayed for her all night and most of the next day and had my hands on her at her death. That was 10 years ago and I still thank HIM for that blessing. HE is good!
God prepared me for a journey in a way that blew me away. Two women in our church had come to me seperately telling me that
1) the first lady had breast cancer, and the Holy Spirit really urged me to pray for her
2) the second lady had a mammogram that was suspicious and would I pray for her, which I did, again with an urgency from the Holy Spirit.
The move of the Holy Spirt was so strong on me that I can't even explain it.
Who could have known that 10 days after praying for these two women, that I would be awakened at 2 am, to find a lump in my left breast!
I immediately reached out to our small group, the womwn's small group and my church family for prayer. My family of believers came together and supported me in prayer, emails, cards, flowers, phone calls. This whole process was over a 5 week period. The first week I had the crazys, but the Lord reminded me of the scripture,
Psalm 34:4, I sought the Lord and he heard me and delivered me from all my fears.
My core biopsy and surgical biopsy came back benign.
Praise God for all things. Even whe we don't understand what is going on, he has a purpose.