There's Purpose in the Pain

The past few months have been hard for my family and I. Two deaths of family members that were loved and now missed deeply have captured our attention and seared our hearts. We have shed tears when we thought we had run dry, were surprised that our bodies could operate with such little sleep and that we finally had no more words to speak and strength to comfort as we had previously.

Death has a way of doing this to anyone. It stops you in your tracks, takes your breath away and causes you to stop and think, re-evaluate, remember and sometimes shed regrets you had not idea would exist. You wonder what purpose could there possibly be in this pain?

So what do you do with these thoughts, emotions, heartache and pain? In I Peter 5:7, we are told to "Cast our burdens on the Lord for He cares for us." Just think for a moment, the Creator of this world is interested in YOU and all that concerns YOU. God is aware of what you are going through and does not want YOU to endure it alone. Jesus Christ can give you the strength you need, the comfort you seek and the peace that passes all understanding.

John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world (You, His creation), that He sent His only begotten Son (God came into the world as Jesus Christ), so that whosoever would believe (you and me) in Him (Jesus Christ, God's Son), would not perish (die spiritually as well as physically) but have everlasting life (to be in the presence of God forever). This scripture offers the FREE gift of salvation that all of mankind need. Everyone needs a Savior and Jesus Christ came that you might have life and have it it abundantly!

Know this...there is purpose in your pain. God does not miss a single tear or is unaware of the pain you are going through. You are the apple of God's eye and He loves you so much He sent His Son to die for you, and Jesus willingly gave up His life for sinners like you and me. Nothing we ever do will be good enough to earn our way into heaven. There is no fire insurance beyond believing that God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for you and that Jesus did spill his blood that you would not have to. We are not saved by good works, but by believing in the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

Give yourself to the Lord, surrender your life, believe and be saved. Allow the purpose of your pain to lead you into a lasting relationship Jesus Christ. It will be the best decision you ever make in your entire life. Find a non-denominational church that will disciple you, teach you God's word and read it for yourself. Meet with other believers and hear the wonderful testimony's of what awesome things God does in the lives of those who believe in Him, love Him and follow Him.

The Cornerstone of Life

"All other ground is sinking sand. A doubting maze of desert land" are the words in a song sung by the group Day of Fire that speaks of God being our Cornerstone. I pondered this while listening to this song and realized if we put our trust in anything less than the awesome deity if Jesus Christ; if we have faith in anyone other than the Creator of this entire world we become one of the weakest links in humanity.

What exactly is a weak link? It's simply the person-hood of someone without strength, power, self control, ability to love unconditionally, forgive graciously and give continuously. A weak link looks to himself as their Cornerstone.


With that said, how do you measure up? I know I certainly have not arrived when I assessed what I put my trust in, who my faith was in and who actually was my chief Cornerstone. Although I devoutly believe in God, have my my faith in Jesus Christ and daily attempt to surrender my life, will, emotion and heart to the Lord, there are areas I have found to be very lacking.

Crises seems to prove who your cornerstone truly is. When things are going good it seems easier to forget who our very existence belongs to. We forget what we believe to be the keeper of our precious lives, our very breath, our sheer destiny in the life thereafter.


What is the foundation of everything we do? What motivates us, drives us, encourages us and even tears us down? If the living God is our Cornerstone, darkness never need to rule the heart of man, as we have been taken from darkness into the light. We are no longer slaves to sin but free to choose for ourselves whom our Cornerstone will be. If it is not Jesus, than who? If it is not the Creator of the world, than who? Is it you? Are you your own cornerstone? Do you place your trust in yourself having faith in no one else?

The most widely read book of all time says No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. In Matthew and Luke this verse is referring to loving God and money, but in reference to who our cornerstone is, we cannot idolize ourselves and choose God as our Cornerstone.

Ask yourself this, who better to build our lives than God Himself, the One Who sees our pasts as well as our futures? Can you build our lives in a away that withstands turbulence beyond your imaginations? Can you successfully resist every fierce storm that attempts to drown your existence and leave you for dead? Can you rebuild that which has been torn down to smitherings? Look at Rome, look at the USA, look at your own life.


Truly all other ground is sinking sand beneath our feet leaving life to be a doubting maze of desert land. Choose God to be your Cornerstone, choose Jesus to be your saving grace and choose life abundantly. It's yours today for the taking!

John 3:16 offers us the life offered nowhere else. "For God loved YOU so much He gave His only Son, Jesus Christ, Who willingly suffered and died for YOU so that YOU would have everlasting life."

A New Committment for a New Year

As I welcome in 2011, a year of urgency and great expectation for better things to come, I have decided to sell myself out to Jesus, in every way. Those areas I thought I had surrendered I'm laying at the feet of Jesus, praying I can give my worries, cares and burdens to the Lord once and for all.

I have dedicated myself to live for God, to love others as he has loved me, to serve Jesus Christ wholeheartedly and completely living for Him. Now, I am committing to be a woman of prayer, every day. I want my life to reflect Jesus' love, His compassion, His patience, and strength, His will and His choices not only in the parts of my life that are easy to give up, but especially in those I have hung onto, knowingly or not.

As I pour myself out for His glory, His causes, His work, I know He will fill me with Himself so fully, an abundance of Him is what will flow out of me, and that is truly my heart's desire this year... to be completely surrendered to allowing Christ to live in me, through me, consuming every part of me. This is it, the life I once lived I lived for myself, but now, I live 100% for Jesus Christ. Loving others, caring for others, serving others to a greater capacity than I ever imagined.

Won't you commit to a higher cause, a more noble ideal, a lifestyle that glorifies God in every way, every single day? Become a woman, man, young adult, teen, adolescent, child of prayer. Re-commit today, or commit for the first time and watch what God makes of your life and those He puts in your path. Make a new commitment for the new year. Trust God to hold your life in His hands, so that He may mold and make you into a treasure of worth beyond compare. Place your faith in an everlasting God Who loves YOU unconditionally. (John 3:16-17) Prayer changes things, transforms people and blesses others. Pray like your life depends on it...because it truly does.

Whispers of Hope ~ Week 2

Last week we learned what is the purpose of hope. Looking forward to and believing in something, hope keeps us going when we want to give up, give in and call it quits. Because God reminds us in Jeremiah 29:11, He knows the plans He has for us and they are not for harm but for our good. These plans are meant to give us hope and a bright future. Looking forward to what the Lord wants to share with us and believing what He says to be truth and for our good, let's look into the life of a man who experienced his share of trials yet remained hopeful in His God.

David was a man of much joy and many sorrows. His heart was said to be close to God's and the Lord's hand rested heavy upon David in victory and in defeat. Psalm 42:5 tells of when David's soul was downcast and disturbed. Can you relate? Are you depressed, feel defeated or restless within your body and mind? David puts his hope in God and praises Him. Can you do that when the world around you is falling apart? I know when I am depressed, feel defeated and my soul is restless, praising God has not always been my first response, but I am learning to make it my first response. It seems peace floods my spirit when I begin to put my hope in Jesus to calm the fierce waves that are smashing my dreams and drowning my desire to persevere.


When Hope is Needed

Hope is needed when you feel you can't goon, don't want to live another day nor care to see a new tomorrow. If you are engulfed in depression, despair, feel any kind of improvement in your situation is utterly impossible and are desperately wanting to just stop breathing...do not fear, have hope.

Often small troubles turn into massive trials that seem to last forever. I have family and friends right now battling for their very lives against the evil disease of cancer.I can feel their helplessness in a fight that does not belong to them, but to the Lord of heaven and earth. The despair in their voices yanks at my spirit and I shake my fist at satan and tell him he has no authority over these precious ones that belong to almighty God. As I pray diligently for them, my hope lies in our God to comfort those I am battling for. I pray for them to be filled with hope that only God can give them. I pray they have joy in the midst of the sorrow and peace during their storm. The Lord tells us in Romans 12:12, to rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation and earnestly pray. We have hope if we place our trust in Jesus. He can put joy in our hearts, patience in our souls and give us the strength and the desire to pray earnestly over our present circumstances.


Hopeful for Joy

Although not one of my favorite verses in the Bible, James 1:2 gives the gentle reminder, “Count it pure joy when you face trials of many kids, because the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” Oh my how we need perseverance when being tested, especially when everything seems so hopeless. How in the world might we be joyful during our trials when we lack hope? That's a very good question, but I believe the answer lies in Who we put our hope in rather than what we put our hope in. I Timothy tells us to put our hope in the living God Who is the Savior of all humans, especially those who believe. Do you believe in God? Do you believe in His Son Jesus Christ? Do you believe that God sent the Holy Spirit to give us peace, to comfort us and to teach us?

John 3:16 & 17 says, “For God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son, Jesus Christ, so that whoever would believe in Him would not perish but have everlasting life. God did not come into this world to condemn the world but to save the world through Jesus' death on the cross.” We have hope that we can be assured we will have eternal life if we truly believe that God loves us and Jesus Christ died for our sins, taking all our sins upon Himself, paying the price of punishment with His own blood, so that we could be washed clean. God sees us no more as sinful people, but righteous through Jesus' death on the cross. Accepting this free gift of salvation buys you the right to have eternal life once you leave this world.


Your Journey Towards Hope

As you place your hope in Jesus, begin giving Him the areas of your life that seem hopeless. Imagine placing them in a box, wrapping them up as a gift and laying them at the feet of Jesus. Go ahead, take each area and wrap up your multitude of tears and your basketful of sorrows, the intense pain and deep anguish you feel, and one by one, place each one in the box. Beautifully wrap them and hand them to Jesus. Let them go, and walk away. God sincerely cares for you and wants you to give him all your burdens.

The ways you did things in the past are over with. Don't look back except to ensure you don't repeat past mistakes or useless attempts on your own to remain hopeful for seemingly impossible situations, relationships or outcomes in your life or in others lives. Ask God to forgive you for trying to handle life on your own, without His help, His Spirit and presence in your life. Thank Him for His wonderful gift of eternal salvation if you have believed in God and in His Son Jesus Christ. Tell someone you gave your life to the Lord and surrender your life to the leading and control of your God, the Creator of all life.

I pray you accept God's peace and joy that He so faithfully pours out onto His sons and daughters. In the midst of your storms, you can have peace, the peace that passes understanding. You can have joy and have it flood your soul. You can be so filled with hope from God that it overflows onto others. In Jesus' precious name, amen. Your journey towards hope continues today!


~ Application ~

Read Psalm 139:1-24. Read it aloud as if God Himself were reading to you. Soak it all in, know that you are valuable, were created for a purpose and are priceless to Jesus. Choose a scripture out of this passage that directly speaks to your heart, or a favorite that brought a tear to your eyes. Write it on 3 index cards and place them in different places of your home where you spend a few minutes a day. Re-read them daily and memorize this scripture.

If you believe in God and in His Son Jesus Christ, tell someone today that you accepted Jesus as you Lord and Savior! Today is a day to celebrate for you made the single most important decision you will ever make your entire life. Share it with someone, seek out a non-denominational church to attend and get plugged in with a body of fellow believers so that you may grow in your knowledge of God, and in your relationship with Jesus Christ.

Make a list of all the areas of your life you have given to the Lord today. Then, as they come to mind, list any specific things in the areas you have surrendered. Write each one down on a piece of paper, put them in a cardboard box, and throw the box away. Do not take the box back, leave it in the garbage where it belongs.

Look in a Bible or online at Biblegateway.com for a scripture concerning hope, joy and peace. Mark these in your Bible and reflect on them throughout this next week.

As you accept your importance to God and begin to see yourself as a person of worth, thank God for giving you life, for loving you so unconditionally and giving you the freedom to read your Bible, study His word and have hope in a living God Who cares so deeply about you.

Whispers of Hope

Today I begin a new journey, one in which I hope will bless and inspire you along the way. I will be sharing on the topic of hope, a four letter word that can throw someone into a tailspin without it, or lift one to new heights with it.

Catherine Marshall says, "God is the only one who can make the valley of trouble a door of hope." I must completely agree, and by the end of this interactive course, I trust you will too.

Because God cares about what you go through in life, He also cares about the most intricate things that shake you, rock you and sometimes cause you to fall. Your faith may be tested in ways you never thought possible. Your beliefs though strong and sure, may be questioned in ways that could cause you to doubt them. Your very life could be threatened because of your belief in God and faith in Jesus Christ. Yet, with hope, no matter how dark the journey gets, how fatal the threats seem or how hard you fall, hope can carry you on the wings of an eagle flying high above the clouds.

Living in the valley of the sun in beautiful Phoenix Arizona, I am reminded that as long as we stay connected to the Son, Jesus, however cold, wet, dreary and dark the skies get when it rains, the sunshine will always reappear to warm our freezing body, dry our drenched hair and brighten the heavens above us chasing out all signs of despair, hopelessness, disappointment or sorrow. Because Jesus is our hope, with Him, all things are possible, Philippians 4:13.

Whispers of hope radiate from the mouth of God and Jesus lovingly picks us up out of the mire and carries us to safety once again. He is our night and shining armor, our King of Kings and Lord of Lords, our rescuer, our guide, the One in Whom we can always trust.

Are you in a valley of trouble where you so desperately seek a door of hope? Join me for the next several weeks in rebuilding your faith, deepening your trust and being filled with the hope that can take you from the valley of trouble through the door of hope on an exciting new journey.

Living a Victorious Life

I attend one of the most on fire, radical life-changing, uplifting the spirit and soothing the soul churches anyone could ever hope to go to and yesterday was one of the MOST endearing services I have been to.

The topic was a prayer model to follow, the chosen lead scripture was Matthew 11:28, ironically the same exact one that a sweet adopted daughter of mine gave me just this past week. The concept, A.C.T.S.

Pastor Dan was explaining how we all find ways to escape our greatest struggles, failures and obsessions. God instructs us to come to Him because only He can give us rest, true rest. And what do we do, we go to everything else for a fake calm before the next storm of life blindsides us. We turn to other people to make us happy, shopping to anesthetize us to the realization we don't have it all, to substances for numbing against the pain, to busy-ness so that we don't have to face rejection, to job security so we don't have to trust a Being we cannot grasp a hold of with our human hands, and even to denial so we won't believe we need God.

What's up with us frail humans? We think we have it altogether when our lives are falling apart. When we become desperate, it is then we might finally turn to our loving Father and beg for His help. Pastor Dan likened this to his daughter who calls out to Him for a hug and eventual popsicle, being perfectly content with the popsicle. I liken it to partying our lives away and when we get caught up in our troubles it is then we need bailed out; now God is there to help us with open arms and a smile on His face. In a way this may be true as He says He will never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), but what God desires of His children and those who have not yet accepted Him, is for us to come to Him anytime, every time, all the time. With whatever spoils we have to lay at his feet, He can turn them into precious gems of infinite value, if we will only come....as we are.

The model of A.C.T.S. is a wonderful foundation we should all adopt on a daily basis. One in which will bring glory to God, support for our overburdened souls, strength in our spirits and rest for our weary bodies and minds. God expanded on this concept with me and made it quite simple.

A- adoration; adoration for our God, adoring Him above everything and everyone else in our life

C- confession; confession to our Lord; confessing those things we say, do and think that are displeasing to God

T- thanksgiving; thanksgiving for Jesus Christ; always being thankful for the One Who gave us eternal life

S- supplication; supplication from on high; receiving our daily supply of what we need from almighty God, precious Jesus and the ever comforting Holy Spirit

Wow! Concepts to change my life, give me strength, draw me closer to Jesus, provide rest for my body, mind and soul, help me grow in the ways of the Lord, give me hope, support others, pray with power, share the love of Jesus with all who cross my path, be humble before my Lord, loosen all power the enemy could have over me, and to give me abundant life on this earth.

Okay, am I missing something here. Hmmmm, turn to imperfect people for help or trust a most perfect God; spend money on things that will perish one day or savor time with someone Who can provide me with what I truly need not want; use and abuse substances that will alter my thought processes or remember God says I have a sound mind and He can heal my pain; remain too busy to hear from God or seek His plans and purposes for me to further His kingdom and glorify Him; find my security in a job that I can lose at any given moment or have my security in the Creator of all heaven and earth; believe in myself and deny I even have issues at all or know Jesus is worth believing in and trusting for every detail of my life, let's see which do I chose to live by?

HA! Who are we actually kidding?! When the world says, "Look to yourself", know that God says He is always near and waiting with open arms for you to rest in His care, His love, His peace, His salvation, His support, His protection, His comfort, His knowledge, His grace and mercy.



* Supporting scriptures are listed below to look up and concentrate on, contemplate their meanings and apply to your life. Believe and be blessed!


Adoration: I Chronicles 29:10-13, 29:20
Confession: I John 1:9, Psalm 32:1-5, James 5:16
Thanksgiving: Psalm 13:5-6, 69:30, 95:2, Philippians 4:6-7
Supplication: Philippians 4:6, Matthew 6:8, 7:7-11, I John 5:14-15, Ephesians 3:20-21

* To take part online in the wonderful service I commented on, go to
www.pureheart.org and listen to Sunday August 1st service under the column Items of Interest, Sermon downloads and sit back with a cup of coffee, tea or bottled water and enter into rest, rest that will change your life.

The Joy of the Lord is My Strength - Nehemiah 8:10

Nehemiah penned these exact words long ago and we would be wise to embed these words into every crevice of our hearts. God's joy is what makes us strong when we are so spent and weak. It is He in us Who is greater than he that us in the world.

As we look upon the Lord to fill us with His strength to make it through the day, to encourage others in their own ways, to serve our families, uplift our friends, pray for relatives and give what we have to the poor, keep in mind our own strength in this life is just not enough. If you haven't already figured that out, you will soon enough.

We believe our strength can be multiplies, extended, built up and exercised without limits, but even Jesus had times He knelt before His Father in weariness to get refueled, energized and recharged Himself. Now if the Son of God had times He plugged into God's strength to continue what was called of Him, do we not think ourselves to be in need of almighty God's strength as well?

Living this life on our own, without tapping into the awesome strength provided by God and through Jesus, is like running a marathon on one leg, dehydrated to the hilt, weak and without hope. Jesus equips us to do all we are called to accomplish, He is our living water, strengthens us beyond good measure and fills us with hope when the finish line has not yet appeared.

Take a moment today to kneel before Father God, humbling ourselves at His feet as we come boldly to the throne of grace. God is able to do exceedingly more than we could ever imagine, Ephesians 3:20, if we let Him. What are you waiting for? Be strengthened today!

Psalm 16 - Trusting God

Preserve me, oh God, for in You I put my trust. Oh my soul you have said to the Lord, "You are my Lord, my goodness is nothing apart from You." As for the saints who are on the earth, "They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight." Their sorrow shall be multiplied who hasten after another god; Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer, nor take up their names upon my lips.

O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance. I will bless the Lord Who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs me in the night season. I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will rest in hope. For you will not leave my soul, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Branden's Turning 21 Today!!!

I can't believe it! My baby is turning 21 today. At 4:15 pm he I will have given birth to him 21 years ago. Where in the world has the time gone?

I feel like it was just last night I was walking the culdesac we lived on in Phoenix, AZ trying to increase the contractions. I was so excited about finally having him, what he would look like, and how he would serve God with his life.

Branden was an unexpected baby but so wanted and loved when I found out he was to be. I had a great pregnancy and felt healthy yet I was a bit unsure whether or not I could raise four children these days, but God knew what he was doing, so in Him I put my trust. God had given me so many verses reminding me to trust Him, to not be afraid and that this baby would bring peace to our family. Something we needed desperately. At four months along, a pastor prophesied over my belly and told me this son born to us would be a prophet, a peaceful child and one which leads quietly. During this pregnancy I encountered a miracle of healing for several of my teeth, and knew God was with me and this child. This could have never been more truth in the years to come.

The birth was as easy as could be. 3 1/2 hours of hard labor and he was out and exploring the world. Alert and calm, he nursed peacefully and the peace within his soul drew others to him. Satan saw the mark on this child and immediately began his appointments to take him. From illness to injury, Branden roughed it through them all. God's protection was hard at work and He never let Branden slip too far from His grasp of help. Stitches here and there, a concussion and double pneumonia, croup and bent bones, God was faithful to limit satan on what was allowed and what was not. Many times we almost lost Branden, but never was he out of God's reach.

One night when he had double pneumonia and croup, the doctors told us to take him home and stay with him, for he was weak and may not live. The elders and friends of the church we attended at the time, came at the midnight hour and prayed over Branden. When they left, I spent the night rocking my dear little boy, so frail and sickly, breathing so shallow he closed his eyes with his mom's tears resting gently upon his cheeks form time to time. I battled before God not to take my baby boy, and He set me upon a rock, upon a mountain with an alter a foot in front of me. I labored to think what He was going to ask of me, yet through hours of intense turmoil and shattered hope, God met me where I was and gently asked me to let him go. To give him back, reluctantly I did and laid him in his crib, fully expecting to see a lifeless little body in that crib when I woke in the next few hours.

I had cried to the point there were no more tears, and I quietly slipped myself into bed and heard God simply say, fear not. But I did, yet I knew whether He took my baby boy or not, the will of God was most important and that if it meant for Branden to go home with Him, so be it. I fell off to sleep weary and worn but a God had placed a glimpse of hope within my heart.

Upon waking just hours later, I slowly headed down the hallway, the same hallway to Branden's room that normally I would hear him talking to someone, playing quietly awaiting his mom's presence and smile yet I heard nothing but stillness. I took a deep breath and swallowed hard, yet dropped not a tear as I turned the corner and peered towards his bed. As I moved closer, I saw he was not moving from the looks of his little leg, but when I got to the edge of the crib, his face was beaming, the biggest smile I had ever seen and he quickly raised his hands to me and said, "Mama."
I reached down and grabbed him, held him to my chest and cried sweet tears of thankfulness. Not only had God spared his life, God has completely healed my little boy of all infirmity! He was as healthy as the day he was born.

God spoke to me and said, because I gave up his life, God gave him back to me....for a time....to raise Branden as the man God intended him to be, and this I have wholeheartedly and joyfully done. What a blessing to know God provided the perfect sacrifice for my sins, my son's sins and the world's sins. Jesus took Branden's place so that Branden might live and have everlasting life. That Branden could have abundant life while on this earth, doing the work of His heavenly Father.

What a wonderful son Branden has grown to be. Thank you God for giving us another chance with this prophet of yours. Thank you for giving Branden life as He chooses to follow after You with his whole heart and soul. Thank you God, for this precious son you allowed me to carry, birth, raise and take part in his life with You.

Matthew 16:25 Whoever desires to save his life (or in this case, Branden's), will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake (or give's up as in Branden's life), will find it.

What a wonderful God we serve!