Testimony Tuesday - Jehovah Rapha!

---I would like to set aside Tuesdays as the day we testify to God's work in our lives.  I say we because I have asked women at the River Church to share what God is doing in their lives and families.  These are their stories!  "They defeated him [the accuser] through the blood of the Lamb and the bold word of their witness." Revelations 12:11 (MSG)---
 
I have been asking God since you started testimonies what He wanted me to
share with everyone.  I feel like our year has been nothing but Mike being
in school.  (I know you know how that feels!)  But I know that God does
more than just one thing at a time.  I have felt stuck for the past year,
and didn't really know what God could want me to share- even though I know
He is always at work.  So I guess sharing about how He has been Jehovah
Rapha to Mike, not once, but FOUR times this year is a good place to start.

My husband Mike is a relatively healthy guy.  If you look at a medical
chart, nothing would really stand out as a serious problem.  But God works
in the seen and unseen, and if you don't believe He is still healing people
today, let me just tell you about our year.

For several years, Mike has had burning sensations in his skin
periodically.  They were never in the same spot, and the feeling never
lasted long.  He had been dealing with some exhaustion and memory fogginess
as well, but had dismissed it as just being one of those people who needs
twelve hours of sleep a night, and getting older.  In March, the burning
sensation became more intense, and pin prick feelings began to bother him
for hours at a time. 

He went to his doctor, who immediately set up a
consultation with a nerve specialist.  The doctor didn't give Mike a
definitive diagnosis, but with Mike's history of working with jet fuel in
the Marines, told him that it was probably a nerve condition caused from
exposure during his service.  The disorder would eventually claim Mike's
entire body, causing him to be wheel chair bound before he turns 50.  It
was a scary prognosis, and Mike went through a low like I have never seen
in him before.  I just prayed for peace, wisdom, and answers.  I
immediately called on my prayer team, and rallied them around us in prayer.


Two days later, Mike was doing his own research about the disorder, and
after much searching, found that nerve damage can be caused by a vitamin
B12 deficiency, such as that caused by long term use of acid re flux
medication.  He had been taking a heartburn medication for almost ten
years.  That day he stopped taking it, bought a B12 supplement, and started
blasting his system with it. 

The next night, Mike had a dream where someone grabbed his hand from behind, and said "I am taking this from you." He woke up in terror, and couldn't shake the feeling all day.  I had a strange peace, and finally asked Mike if he knew the voice in his dream. He has had God-given dreams before where God has spoken to him, so I knew it was a possibility that God had spoken again.  At my question, Mike immediately began to feel peace.  The next night, we put our son to bed and pulled out our Bibles.  The Word says to "pray without ceasing", to "ask, and you shall receive", and to "bring your petitions before the Lord".  So we did.  I pulled out Stormie O'Martin's "Power of a Praying Wife", and
read the section on healing.  A scripture the Lord had given me six months
earlier was quoted in that section, and it immediately resonated in Mike's
spirit.  Isaiah 58:8- "Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and
your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before
you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard."  Rear guard.  The
person in the dream was behind him. 

We went to sleep that night with a peace we hadn't felt in a week.  Two days later, our friends and family of choice gathered with us to pray for his healing.  Mike pulled out his Bible before we left the parking lot, and opened to where Jesus heals Peter's mother.  Scripture says he "took her hand" and she was healed.  Hmm... The next morning, we met with the neurologist.  He could find nothing wrong with Mike.  Taking the B12 has started to repair the damage to his nerves, and his exhaustion and memory loss are gone.

Two months later, Mike got food poisoning.  He is one of those guys who
doesn't get the "man cold", he just wants to sleep and be left alone when
he is sick.  So I didn't notice when he started showing warning signs of
dehydration.  It was when he looked at me with two black eyes that I forced
him to get in the car so I could take him to the ER.  I called my prayer
team again, and coveted each prayer for his safety and healing.  By the
time we got there, he wasn't making any sense when he spoke.  He sucked
down two bags of fluid in less than two hours.  They gave us anti nausea
pills and sent us home.  After taking the pills, he quickly recovered, but
it was quite a scare.

Three months later, he got food poisoning again.  We still had some of the
anti nausea pills, which God brought to my mind, and we narrowly avoided
another ER trip.

This fall, Mike started having severe heartburn and stomach pains.  He took
another trip to the doctor, and was diagnosed with gall stones.  An
ultrasound revealed not just a few stones, but that his gallbladder was
LINED with tiny stones.  My speed dial got another workout as I called in
another prayer strike.  One week later, he had surgery to remove the
gallbladder.  He did very well in surgery, has recovered well, and his
heartburn has almost completely been healed.  That silly organ which caused
his heartburn, which caused his nerve damage, is finally gone.

Now, you can say that common sense, doctors, modern medicine, and Mike's
copious amounts of research is what healed him, but that would be a flat
out lie.  God DOES heal.  He DOES answer prayer.  He IS concerned with our
suffering.  Jehovah Rapha healed Mike, not once, but a miraculous FOUR
times this year.  We choose to see His loving hand in everything we have
faced this year. He IS our sustainer and strength, our fortress, and by HIS
stripes, we are healed.  Praise the Lord with us this Christmas as we look
back at what God has done.  We have overcome by the blood of the Lamb, and
the word of our testimony!

Blessings,
Sarah

Testimony Tuesday - I trust you Jesus

---I would like to set aside Tuesdays as the day we testify to God's work in our lives.  I say we because I have asked women at the River Church to share what God is doing in their lives and families.  These are their stories!  "They defeated him [the accuser] through the blood of the Lamb and the bold word of their witness." Revelations 12:11 (MSG)---

12/10/13
Dear TRC family,
Here is my testimony for the last 4 weeks. 4 weeks ago today our beloved dog Roxy left this world. It is still unbelievable to have to write those words in conjunction together. Being childless, Roxy was our baby. Ryan gave her to me as a gift early on in our relationship. Roxy saw me through a lot of ups and downs over the last almost 3 years. We adored and cherished this amazing little pup. She brought sunshine and joy to our lives on a daily basis and I thanked God for her everyday.

11-12-13 life as we knew and loved came crashing down around us. I live in the country on a seemingly traffic-less road where the speed limit is 15 mph. She was hit by a car just feet from my drive-way. I can't even begin to tell you about the horror that ensued that night and the days and weeks to follow.

Ryan and I just recently got engaged 2 1/2 months prior to this tragedy after being on our 3rd break-up in 3 years and after being apart for 7 months. This fall, life really started turning around for both of us. God started moving in big ways. Financially, spiritually, relationally and emotionally we had a lot to be thankful for and our relationships with the Lord were growing ever stronger. We see this tragedy as an attack by a threatened enemy. A perfect storm to bring us to our knees. Honestly, for me, it did. I have been in a dark place for the last 4 weeks, unable to find comfort in anything or from anyone. God has felt far away and I have been stuck asking the dangerous question "WHY?"

2 days ago after hitting rock bottom I was reading a book by one of my favorite authors about faith and she said something very simple in regards to activating our faith. She said to say "I trust You Jesus". My days and nights have been haunted by thoughts, imagines and such sorrow that I have felt too helpless to really even utter "Help". Once I started declaring that I trust the Lord, even sometimes just in faith, I have instantly been overcome by peace. I am finally able to pick up my sword and fight back. Over the last 2 days I have said this simple truth countless times and have been comforted every time. This "spiritual healing" is in likeness to physical therapy. I'm not ready to run a marathon, rather just realized that I able able to walk once again, when for weeks, I thought my "legs" would never work again. I need to strengthen my spiritual muscles day by day.

I know that God is turning what the enemy intended for evil to good. He already has. I see life more preciously and the little stuff seems so insignificant now. I rehearse daily the armor of God, and know that I am, as we all are, in a battle. The enemy tried to rough me up, and did a pretty good job for a time. Today, I declare that I will trust the Lord, and I know that Jesus is in the middle of my circumstances and that I am in the midst of His perfect plan. I know He is walking with me and at times carrying me as I carry my pain. I'm ready to hand it over to Him and stop asking "Why". I don't know what my future holds but I do know who holds my future and He will be with me every bit of the way.

I miss my baby girl, but today and here on out I WILL TRUST THE LORD.

Erin Anglin

Throwback Thursday - A New Old Song

(originally published in 2011)

I was praying the other day for several people I know who are really going through tough times. They've either lost someone they love or have financial/health struggles. This time of the year is difficult for many people. They feel lonely, sad, broken ... It's my favorite time of the year but I know that that isn't true for everyone.

As I was praying I started praying specifically for comfort and joy. I prayed for God's comfort during the difficult moments that are sure to come and I prayed for joy despite circumstances that already exist. Joy that comes with knowing that our Savior was born so that we may be with him forever.

And because I LOVE Christmas carols and am always amazed how they can minister to me no matter how many times I've heard them I wasn't surprised when I started humming God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. But when I started to really think about what the words meant...an old song became new to me. A song that speaks to the hurting.

There are 7 verses (that I can find) but I picked 3 that were meaningful to me. If you are hurting or lonely or sick or just not really loving this time of year, please read these words and know that there is always hope. And Jesus came to bring comfort and joy....for you.

God rest ye merry gentlemen let nothing you dismay
Remember Christ our Savior was born on Christmas day
To save us all from satan's power as we have gone astray
Oh tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy,
Oh tidings of comfort and joy

The shepherds at those tidings
Rejoiced much in mind,
And left their flocks a-feeding
In tempest, storm and wind:
And went to Bethlehem straightway
The Son of God to find.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

Now to the Lord sing praises,
All you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood
Each other now embrace;
This holy tide of Christmas
All other doth deface.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

Testimony Tuesday - God in the midst of the battle

---I would like to set aside Tuesdays as the day we testify to God's work in our lives.  I say we because I have asked women at the River Church to share what God is doing in their lives and families.  These are their stories!  "They defeated him [the accuser] through the blood of the Lamb and the bold word of their witness." Revelations 12:11 (MSG)---

12/10/13

God is huge, God is amazing, God loves me(all of us) so much that I am unable to even comprehend his love. Yet I still doubt him, I still have fear, and I sometimes fight myself from becoming angry with him.  I know God is present in my everyday life and he hears my every prayer I pray.  I know he has a plan for my life and that he knows what's better for me then I know for myself.  This year God has given my Husband and I many opportunities to grow with Him.  We have faced some impossible situations, and God has provided financially, helped soothe us emotionally and mentally, and He has been preparing us for one of the biggest battles of our lifetime.

When I meet my Husband he already had a beautiful 15 month old baby girl. We were like an instant family, and my Husband and I had to figure out pretty quick how serious our relationship was.  Looking back I know that he knew we would eventually get married.  We both had quite a bit of emotional and mental turmoil we had to get through to be healthy, that baby girl was at the center of our new relationship.  We worked hard to develop and grow into a functioning, healthy, stable family that neither my Husband or I had ever had.  We had to share our little princess with her Mother and step dad 50/50.  It has been an experience to watch such a young child grow up being bounced back and forth and never really having any sense of a real routine.

Without going into details, my Husband and I honestly thought our princess would be better off living in one home the majority of the time.  We have been preparing for this battle since the beginning of our relationship, and he has been preparing before I even met him.  God has been teaching us to bite our tongue and turn the other cheek for years.  He has directed us to move to a smaller town 45 minutes away from Durango so we would have the opportunity to buy a house and become better established financially.  It was a very difficult decision to make as we felt it could result in us loosing time with our child.  But we felt for us to be truly able to provide for this and all our future children we had to make a change.

God provided us a great house, on a great street with amazing neighbors and a great elementary school down the street. He has allowed my Husband to start his own business, and me to finish my pre-requisites towards my nursing degree.  He has also directed us to stir the waters of the battle over the custody of our child.  We had to make the decision, if we take our child's counselors recommendations and seek majority custody and risk loosing time with our little girl, or stay where we were comfortable and have the security we would have her 50% of the time.  We could feel God calling us, and were terrified, but we listened and contacted a lawyer.  That was in May.  Since then we have had to invest money we didn't have, which God provided.  We have had to go through an investigation, deal with a stressed, scared, angry child and have faith in God that He will be sitting in that court room everyday, but especially on the decision day.

This process has been a long one.  At first my Husband and I thought we could finish before school started in August.  I remember being so angry when the first court day we could get was 10/30/2013.  I panicked and was angry with God.  I felt Him tell me that this isn't your battle but it is Mine.  I remember contemplating on if I should leave my family and go to the women's retreat in September.  I had to leave my child who was screaming and kicking and crying because she didn't want me to leave (although she had a great weekend with her Daddy) to go to the women's retreat.  I am so thankful I did.  God blessed me abundantly and allowed me to meet an amazing woman, before she was taken the next week.  He better prepared me for this and other trials in my life. I learned there God has a sense of humor sometimes, an He knows what He is doing.

So to say the least, it has been a tough journey, and I haven't always had the best attitude about it.  While driving our daughter an hour to school just to then turn around to go to work, God was there.  He was teaching me with the fog, the sunrise, and the deer.  He gave me an opportunity to spend time with my step daughter, and we have had some great jam sessions.  He has allowed me time to praise Him in my car, and also how to be quite and listen to Him.  He has taught my Husband and I to trust Him further, and I now can feel Him so close to me everyday.  I have seen other's prayers change the entire energy of our home.

So as tomorrow approaches, the day of decision is here.  I need Him more then ever.  I have confidence in what He is doing.  I know this has been His battle the entire way.  We just have to show up.  I can envision Him sitting in that court room waiting for us.  He already knows the outcome.  He is already on the other side of the judge's decision.  And I know that my child is sitting safely in His hands.  She is safer in His hands then she is in mine.  He knows what is truly best for her, and He loves her so much.  He has a plan and He loves and cares for my Husband and I, just as much.  He also loves and cares for the other side.  He even loves us enough to help us keep our anxiety and stress down so we do not shake, or get sweaty, or say something stupid in front of the judge.  He will actually speak for us.

I know this is long, but this is what I encourage everyone to do in their lives with their trials and tribulations.  Look to them as a blessing.  As a sign that God wants you to grow closer to Him.  No matter what you face, big or small, you are not alone.  You have the biggest, strongest, smartest God who is walking right beside you.  He doesn't get angry when you become weak and doubtful. And when you feel angry from not being able to control something, start with controlling your mind.  Don't allow the enemy to come in and "mess with your stuff."  Especially as women, we have a huge influence on our family and the people who surround us.  Our emotions and outlook on life is an example for our Husbands and kids.  Like my Husband says, "happy wife happy life."  We are women of God, and we should be a force to be reckoned with.  We have a right to stand up for what we believe, and to speak our thoughts.  Because through us God can shine.  We can make a difference.  We can change this world.  God can use us to speak to other women, and that is why I am speaking to you. Even though I am "just" a step mom, I have loved and cared for this child for four years, she is my baby too.  And God gave me a responsibility to help raise her to be a strong, fierce women of God as well.

God bless you and yours today.  Stand strong in the knowledge that God is with you.  Stop telling God about your mountains, start warning your mountains about your God!

Have a blessed day,
Lexi

UPDATED:
 God loves us and has an amazing power to smile while we complain to him about our life's. I cannot count the number of times that I have doubted him.

Today though... I stand forever changed.

 The day before court I began to start shaking uncontrollable, I was nauseous and unable to eat. Also I hadn't sleep good for weeks, I could feel God waking me up every night or early early morning to pray. Even then I could see his ability to bring peace to my house after a night of praying. As we walked into the court room my Husband and I were a mess. We had been crying since the night before. Honestly this was the most terrifying thing either of us have ever done. We could lose our baby. But we prayed, we worshipped and held on to Gods word. Since I was testifying I had to sit in the hall. I could see through the window the face of the Judge, the man who was going to change our life. I appreciated that time in the hall. I sat and I talked to God, I recited in my head over and over again,

" For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but if power and love and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7

I prayed for my Husband, the judge, our lawyer, everyone. At this point my right leg was shaking so bad it was practically bouncing off the floor out of control, my hands were freezing cold but dripping wet, my stomach was turning and I remember thinking to myself, " I hope I do not have a vasal vagel reaction and just pass out cold on the stand or throw up!" I had never been so nervous in my entire life. I asked God to hold my voice steady, and speak for our baby girl through me. An also help my Husbands and my words glorify God. My lawyer came, I looked at her, she smiled and I remember thinking to myself,

"Let's do this!"

At that moment God overcame me with strength and courage. He had provided me an opportunity to speak my truth, he had also been teaching me for years how to do so correctly. I stopped shaking, sweating, and I spoke clearly and confidently not stuttering once. God arrived in my voice and mind, he also arrived for my Husband as well.

After 3.5 hours of trial the judge stood up and said,

"I know what everyone wants, I will get you an order next week."
And it was over, and now we had to wait longer....

Monday mid day we got the word. The Judge agreed, Our Little girl gets to experience a routine and consistency the first time in her life and live with my Husband and I the majority of the time.

Praise God. Know he is with you!! Trust and believe in him. His timing is perfect, and waiting on him teaches us valuable lessons that only he can teach us.

God bless

Throwback Thursday - Simply Christmas

(originally published in 2011)

I recently read an article that said that even religious people aren't going to church on Christmas or including any religious celebration during the Christmas season. That they are just too busy with parties, dinners, shopping etc...It made me really sad.

Really sad that Jesus is being pushed out of His own birthday party. I can't imagine putting together a party with all the decorations, sending out the invitations, making tons of food, decorating a cake, buying and wrapping gifts and spending weeks in anticipation of the blessed event only to not invite the celebrant. Doesn't that seem odd? I'm pretty sure my children would have none of that (I'm just imagining Kale preparing for his birthday party only to find out he's not invited). Yet that's what happens at Christmas. We can get so distracted with the party that we forget about the Guest of Honor. Jesus. I am guilty of this many times throughout the Christmas season. I get so into all of the fluff that I have to literally stop and think again of my reasons. Could I "do" Christmas without all of the fluff? I sure hope so. The fluff is traditions, memories, fellowship and fun. There's nothing wrong with that. But my hope is that even without the extra stuff...Christmas is still Christmas to me.

At the very heart of Christmas is simply a baby in a manger. Born to bring us peace and joy and hope and love.
Born to live a sinless life.
Born to teach us how to love God and love others.
Born to heal the broken, the sick, the blind.
Born to give us a new life.
Born to die on a cross and then 3 days later rise from the grave to conquer death. Born to reconcile God and man.
Born to show us amazing, endless, unconditional love.

If I miss that....I miss Christmas. I pray that your Christmas is filled with family, friends, joy, laughter and lots of love. But I pray more than anything that your Christmas is centered around, and filled with, the love of Christ.

Simply Christmas

Testimony Tuesday

---I would like to set aside Tuesdays as the day we testify to God's work in our lives.  I say we because I have asked women at the River Church to share what God is doing in their lives and families.  These are their stories!  "They defeated him [the accuser] through the blood of the Lamb and the bold word of their witness." Revelations 12:11 (MSG)---
 
God provides, above what we would could ask for or and in ways we
could not imagine.

This last pay period things were short, very short we were down to
enough money for gas, out of groceries, out of diapers with two of our
kids on them a little scary. God has provided in ways that I would not
have seen or excepted. From coupons for free lunch meat, pizza, to
making the diapers stretch. He has even provided things like candy and
a Gatorade drink for my kids, treats not needs.

God sees us and wants provide not just are needs but sometimes our
wants and He does it in ways that we can only give Him the credit.
 
Jo Lee

Consider Why This Christmas

Christmas has gotten complicated.  Actually Christmas isn't complicated, our celebration of it is.  Christmastime is my favorite.  I love the music, the food, the parties, the decorations, the presents, the pageants, the beautiful services...I love the celebration of Christmas.  But have I complicated it a bit?

As I've been pondering our traditions and our commitments this year, God has challenged me with the Why.  I think to make sure that I know why I am doing what I am doing and to keep my focus on His priorities.   He's not upset that we decorate or bake or listen to music or party or even have Santa come to our house.  But He has gently reminded me of His priorities.

The greatest commandment - His greatest priority - is to Love Him and the next priority is to Love Others.  That's it. 

So the question becomes, am I making His priorities my priorities as I'm baking, decorating, singing songs, going to parties and having Santa come to my house?  Do my kids know what God's priorities are?  Am I forgetting Him in my "doing" of Christmas?  I will continue to ask Him throughout this month and throughout this year because His priorities don't change with the seasons and with the holidays.  They are always the same.

Love Him.  Love others.

I will love Him and teach my kids about the miracle of His birth.  About prophecies fulfilled.  Of lives saved.  Of the hope, love, joy and peace He brings.

I will love the check out clerk at the store as I buy gifts for my loved ones.  I will bless people in need.  I will look outside of my self and my traditions to see people around me.  I will smile at folks hurrying around to get their lists done.  I will love on children who come to church for the first time on Christmas Eve and bless their parents with a little break to hear the message and hope of Christ.  I will do my best not to focus on MY plans but HIS.

And I will do my very best to teach this to my children, even as I learn it myself.

I pray that you, too, can experience the joy of Christmas as you keep His priorities YOUR priorities. 

Throwback Thursday - Perfection

(Originally published in 2011)

Perfection.  Is that a realistic notion?   Can we really expect perfection from anyone?  Anything?  Does God expect perfection from us?

I've been pondering perfection.  I have come across people in my life who expect perfection from me, my husband and/or my children and it's heartbreaking because it's impossible for us to ever live up to those expectations.   It isn't loving, grace-filled or truthful.

It makes me think of my relationship with Jesus.   How does He see me?  What does He expect from me?   Perfection?  Hardly!  Perfection means no grace and Jesus personifies grace and truth.  Perfection and grace can not go hand in hand when describing anyone else except Jesus.  You can not expect perfection from yourself or from others and still give grace.  It just doesn't make sense.

Jesus knew from the very beginning that we would fail.  He knew it and yet he still died for us and still loves us today.  Amazing!  We can't really even to begin to understand that love.  He pours that out for us daily.  Daily we fail to be perfect and daily He loves us with grace and truth.  He's not disappointed or mad or frustrated or impatient.  He's just loving.

I've come across people who have gotten angry with me or my children in an instant.  They've been upset because a harsh word was spoken or because we weren't grateful or because we were wrapped up in ourselves. We've been in the wrong, no doubt, but then that was it.  We had one chance and we blew it. There was frustration or anger or impatience or disappointment and we were done.  No chance (it seemed) to be forgiven and start over.  No chance to learn how to be better.  No chance.

How often have I done the same thing to others?  I've been on the receiving end of the expectation of perfection and it's a yucky feeling.  A feeling of never being good enough.  Never.  And I hate it.  It's made me open my eyes more and more to my own treatment and expectations of others.  Do I expect perfection?  Am I filled with grace in truth in my relationships or do I write people off when they fail me?  Do I understand that people will fail but it is grace and truth that lifts them up to try again, not a broken relationship?  Do I give grace and truth to those who have expected perfection from me?  Ouch. That's a hard one.

And to just make it harder...do I expect [impossible] perfection from myself?  Do I treat myself like Jesus does?  With compassion and grace and value?  Grace + Truth over time = change.  How can I change if I don't give myself grace and truth?

Perfection expects the right thing all the time.
Grace {and truth - can't have one without the other!} understands that the right thing won't be said all the time and says please don't talk to me that way...let's try again.

Perfection expects the correct behavior all the time.
Grace and truth understands that we are all sinful humans struggling to learn and grow and says that really wasn't a good choice...here's a better idea.

Perfection expects that people will never fail {and boy will they be disappointed!}.
Grace and truth understands that we've all fallen short and that it is very, very possible, when we get knocked down, to get up again, brush ourselves off and keep going!

I don't know where you are at today but I have been uber challenged to adjust my expectations.  Not lower them but adjust them.  I want to be the kind of spouse/parent/friend/sister where it's safe to fail with me.  I want to be a safe place for people to be....people!  I don't want people to walk on pins and needles around me...afraid that if they fail I will write them off.  Jesus never wrote anyone off.  Even those who failed Him as He was being crucified.  His love, grace and truth were poured out even in those moments.   How I wish to be that kind of friend!

And how thankful I am that even as I'm walking this road of grace and truth that God knows that I will fail...a lot.  I pray that I will have grace for my own life as I learn how to love others as He loves me.

*on a random side note: I googled an image for perfect/perfection and Google gave me images of celebrities, houses, landscapes, coffee etc.  I guess perfect is in the eye of the beholder eh?*

Testimony Tuesday

---I would like to set aside Tuesdays as the day we testify to God's work in our lives.  I say we because I have asked women at the River Church to share what God is doing in their lives and families.  These are their stories!  "They defeated him [the accuser] through the blood of the Lamb and the bold word of their witness." Revelations 12:11 (MSG)---

 

NEWS FLASH!!! NEWS FLASH!!! GOD is sooo ROCKIN’ COOL!

Today (Saturday, November 23)…I went to an event commemorating International Survivors of Suicide Day at FLC. I met up with a friend of mine, Jennifer, whom I did my suicide intervention training with. She is a dear sister in the LORD and fellow Riverview parent. Jen Kline and I had made plans to go visit Brian and Jordyn Crow, after the ISS event, in that, today would have be Julie’s 44^th Birthday. I shared with Jennifer where I was going after our event. She was visibly touched when I shared about Jordyn being 8 years old, etc. etc. She paused and said, “Hold on a second…I’m getting something from the LORD right now. Give me a minute to work out what HE’s saying.”

Jennifer then began to share with me about a group that she has been involved with for the past 3 ½ years called…Sisters of the Western Slope (SOWS). They are a group of women that share a love and passion for quilting. In a nutshell, this is what they do... Each “sister” creates a small quilt square and turns it into one of the other “sisters”, who is designated as “head quilter” for that project. That person is responsible for turning it into a large, BEAUTIFUL, quilted pillow. It is then presented to someone(s) who is going through or has gone through a tragedy (i.e. hospice patients, Military personnel, terminally ill, those grieving the loss of a loved one, etc. etc.). She shared with me that the group was in the process of disbanding and that she had one pillow left to give out. She said, “The LORD told me to give it to Brian and Jordyn, on this, what would have been Julie’s 44^th Birthday.”

I started to cry, she started to cry…and our ISS Day event hadn’t even started yet. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE how GOD does what HE does!!! So, after our event, I went to her house and picked up the BEAUTIFUL pillow, made with love and compassion by 40 area women, who want to “love on hurting people” via their BIG, pillows of LOVE!!! Some of the squares were made with material from as far away as Uganda and the Conga! They send a little card with the pillow that has the signatures of all of the contributing “sisters”. She told me that since I was given the responsibility (and honor) of delivering the pillow…I was considered an “honorary sister”. I got to choose one of the unnamed squares that it a part of every pillow, as “my square” and sign the card. What a humbling moment that was!

So off I went with pillow and homemade cookies in hand…to meet Jen (who had flowers and a stuffed animal in hand) at Brian and Jordyn’s house. I gave them the pillow and shared, in a nutshell, of how this all came about. They were thoroughly touched with the gesture. (See picture below). So in closing, in case you haven’t already heard… GOD is SOOO TOTALLY, ROCKIN’ COOL!!!

Humbly,

Lynn Dearey

For more information on the Sisters of the Western Slope (SOWS)… go to http://sistersofthewesternslope.org