Angels

Last night when I stepped outside to look at the sunset, I was drawn to the blue and orange sky and the puffy clouds.  The sunset and the sunrays looked as if angels were gathered together and singing.

I just read that angels are mentioned 273 times in the Bible.  God created angels at the same time that the earth was formed.  Angels are God's spiritual beings who are here to bring messages, to protect, to give guidance, to encourage and so much more.

The birth of Jesus was such a supernatural event.  The angel Gabriel came to Mary and told her "you are highly favored.  The Lord is with you."   Mary had found favored with God and she would give birth to a son and she would name him Jesus.  An angel of the Lord came to Joseph to tell him not to be afraid.  That what was conceived in Mary was from the Holy Spirit.  And then at the birth of Jesus, an angel of the Lord appeared before the shepherds to tell them to not be afraid and that the Savior had been born.

There are so many more times that God talks about angels in the Bible.  Angels were there at Sodom & Gomorrah, Abraham, Jacob, Daniel, Paul, John and so many other characters and events throughout the Bible.

So many books have been written about angels and their mystic power.  Angels are not a god. God does provide them when they are needed.

I will end with this verse.

"Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it."  Hebrews 13:2

To Dream The Impossible Dream

For the past several weeks, the song "The Impossible Dream" has been playing in my mind.  This was a song that was released in 1965.  Back then, I enjoyed the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, but I also loved musicals.  This song was written for the Broadway Musical "Man of La Mancha". 

When Andy Williams would sing it, my voice would come alive and I would begin to sing out loud.

"To dream the impossible dream, To fight the unbeatable foe, To bear with unbearable sorrow, To run where the brave dare not go"....."To reach the unreachable star".

This song was perfect for the musical.  Dox Quixote intends to restore the world of chivalry.  He is a dreamer and sees good in everyone and everything.  He sets out on his adventure where he fights imaginary giants, dragons & wizards.

I can remember this song would feel me with hope and made me think that I could conquer anything.  A thirteen year old girl that felt the whole world was before me.  I was very timid.  Afraid to speak up; afraid to get in front of the room; afraid to ask for anything.

I had dreams, but I was not strong or comfortable to fight for those dreams.  I was a tall, lanky, 5'10" with long brown hair and big brown eyes.  My dream was to become a model.  I even signed up with a modeling school, but I didn't have the courage to go.  I always felt that there were prettier girls than me.  That nobody would notice me.

So every time that I would hear the musical tune "The Impossible Dream", a smile would appear and my eyes would sparkle and for a moment I also felt that I was fighting those imaginary giants.

Hear I am almost sixty years later and I am still dreaming.  Yes, I still want to be that super-model.  But I have a new dream.  I want to write a novel about a woman who wants to flee from a communist country to find the freedom that she had always been looking for.  

I thank God that I now feel comfortable with myself.  I speak in front of groups, I ask questions and I figure out a way to obtain my dreams.

To have a dream, one also needs a plan.  "Ask the Lord to bless your plans, and you will be successful in carrying them out."  Proverbs 16:3

"With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."  Philippians 4:13

I am believing in the unbelievable and dreaming that I could be that next best selling author.  

Is there something you are dreaming about?  Something that you feel is beyond reach?  Begin to believe and start humming "The Impossible Dream".

Adele, We Are Praying for You & Believing!

 Adele, we are praying for you and believing!  

Adele has a special place in so many people's hearts and lives.  I think of her daily as she lays on the hospital bed with a ventilator.  She has been in the hospital now for almost three weeks and has been on the ventilator for ten days.

People all over the world are praying for her and for the healing of her lungs from the bacterial pneumonia.

For those who do not know her, let me describe Adele.  She is a wife, mother, grandmother, sister, prayer warrior, educator, a God-fearing woman, friend and so much more.  Adele has always been there for others.  There have been so many times that I have seen her lay hands on someone or on a particular part of someone's body that might be in pain and prayed for them.  It didn't matter where she was.  She always knew that the person needed some relief and needed to feel God's presence.

Talking with her daughter the other day, Krista described her mother as Deborah from Judges 4 & 5.  Deborah was a prophetess and a wise leader.  She was always able to see the big picture that others are not able to see.  Deborah was a mediator, adviser, a planner and she walked with God.  As Deborah was a fighter, Adele is as well.  If she believes in something, she never gives up.

Adele's grand-daughter shared with me the other day of a vision that she had.  Emily saw her grandmother on a walker coming out of the hospital with a smile on her face.  She said she had aged and was very feeble and her hair had streaks of gray.

I have always felt that the Lord is going to use Adele to tell the story of her fighting to live and how God was right there with her.   Adele's husband, George, is also recovering from COVID.  George is a spiritual man, who teaches others about God's grace and how He gives new lives and a peace to ones that ask.  They have always been the dynamic duo.  Their forgiving love for others has shown how God forgives us and loves us throughout all our circumstances, trials and tribulations.

During times like this, one wonders "Am I not praying correctly?", "Does God not hear me?", "What am I doing wrong?".....  So many questions, we ask God, when we are not seeing our requests answered.

I know that God is working.  He is with Adele and He is healing her.  But God is also working on me.  He is wanting me to be faithful in prayer and to keep my eyes on Him.

Luke 18:1, Jesus says "pray and not give up".  I am keeping my prayer constantly before God as I walk with Him and believing He will answer.  God may be delaying His answer, so that I can grow in character, faith and hope.

When I think of believing.  I always think about Charlie Waters, who played for the Dallas Cowboys.  I was traveling from North Texas to Austin one cold Sunday listening to the game.  Charlie couldn't play the game against Washington due to an injury.  Charlie was asked to be one of the announcers for the game.  With Charlie announcing, I felt as if I was right there in the stadium.  The game was back and forth.  Washington got ahead and it was the last seconds of the game.  

The other announcer said to Charlie "It doesn't look good right now.  Surely, Dallas doesn't have a chance."  Charlie's reply was "Brad, that's just not the way you think as a player.  Everybody just believes.  You've got to believe.  That's just what it's all about.  If you collectively believe things are going to happen, you can sometimes make miracles happen."  

Charlie knew that Roger Staubach, the quarterback, was figuring out a way to score.  The other players trusted and believed in Roger.  The players believed in their hearts that if they did their job, then Roger would do the rest.  Seconds on the board, Roger did his hail-Mary throw and the Cowboys won 35 to 34.

I know this was a football game.  But the leader and the players were all on the same page.  They trusted and believed that they could do it.  As believers, we need to come together, believing that Jesus can heal.  He is "Wonderful Counselor", "Mighty God", "Everlasting Father" & "Prince of Peace".

Even the disciples questioned Jesus on why they couldn't drive out the demons of a young boy.  Jesus told them because of their lack of faith and believing.

We are praying for Adele and laying hands over her lungs and asking God for that victory of healing and that she will walk out of the hospital.  We are waiting for her story of how Jesus healed her!

Please join me in believing in the miracle that God is going to perform!

Adele, Krista(daughter) and Emily/Elle(grand-daughters)

What Battle Are You Fighting?

There is so much chaos going in the world and among families and friends.  Should you get vaccinated or should you not?  Should you wear a mask or should you not?  When I look at the turmoil going on over these debates, I also look at what is going on in the world.  

What battle(s) are you fighting among family and friends?  Maybe, I shouldn't be using the word "battle", but at times this is how I feel.

A battle is what is going on over in Afghanistan.  People are hiding and running for their lives and fighting others to keep themselves and their families alive.  That is a true battle.

Instead of the word "battle", maybe I should say "differences".  So many differences.  Who is right and who is wrong?  It depends on what you read.

As a Christian, I am trying to understand.  Not too long ago, I took some time to be still and to pray and to seek what "I" needed to do.  My prayer was that the Holy Spirit would give me the peace that I needed.

I read Romans 13-15 to seek God's direction.  What I walked away with was "differences should not be feared or avoided, but accepted and handled with love.  Differences of opinions should not cause division".  But everywhere I turn, division is what I have noticed.  I almost feel how families felt during the Civil War.  Families and friends were literally torn apart due to their opinions.

I feel as if we are under attack and in a "spiritual warfare".  Satan is using all of this to keep our minds off of what we should be doing.  We should be in constant prayer for our leaders, our country, our family and our friends and for this pandemic.  We are "worrying" and not "praying".

God reminded me that I needed to put on my armor.

Ephesians 6:10-13 - "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of his age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all, to stand."

What is your relationship with Jesus?  Are you being responsible?  Are you respecting others?  God gave you a mind to use.  Seek Him and the decisions that you need to make.

I am praying for the peace that each one of us need.  God is our hedge of protection.  Jesus Christ is our Savior!