My Grace IS Sufficient!

It seems my insurance doesn't want to pay for another MRI so they wanted more documentation proving it was necessary for the need of another one to be done. So I was called in for an emergency follow-up. My appointment was yesterday, Monday, the 30th of March. My Neurosurgeon was very upset that this had to be done. I really didn't feel like making the drive since I had a full blown out migraine but what can one do when the insurance company thinks they know more than the doctors or the person who is suffering with pain, right? My neurosurgeon made the statement that since I do have a brain tumor and they already have pictures of it on file, why in the world does the insurance company need more documentation? Don't they understand there is a need to keep track of the tumor's growth to make sure that there is no serious complications arising? To see if surgery is going to be needed or not? This is a brain tumor we are talking about not some freckle for Pete's sake! Yes, he was very upset.

Testing and documentation was done for the benefit of satisfying the insurance company. Doc took one look at me and knew I had a migraine. He plugged me into some wires with this goop and measured the strength of the pain by the wave patterns on the print out. Not good! The doctor was not happy that I have had a migraine for 27days straight now. So he gave me a little something to help me out. I went over to my daughter's and slept like a baby. It felt soooo good. I woke up around 6:45p.m. and went home and back to bed. Problem is I woke up around 2a.m. this morning with another migraine and it still hasn't let up. I am scheduled for more very extensive testing. He believes it has nothing to do with the brain tumor. So we will see.

This morning as the pain was so intense, I told the LORD, I can't take it anymore, He replied, "My Grace Is Sufficient!" Immediately I felt the presence of the Lord near and the pain began to subside to a dull throb. I do serve a GOOD & LOVING GOD!

As I lay there on my bed, I began to think about my pain and each throb as it would slice through my head, I began to think of Calvary and the pain and suffering that Jesus went through for you and me for the sake of our Salvation. Now, think of the very worst pain that you have ever, ever suffered and multiply that by 1000 and then maybe you will realize just how much He really loves us. To think that He would be willing to suffer so much pain and agony to take upon Himself OUR sins, OUR punishment, OUR beating, and to bear OUR cross that day at Calvary.

As the pain was so excruciating in my head and each throb would pound, I tried to compare it to each strike of the cat of nine tails that struck the back of my precious Savior. I tried to imagine it ripping the flesh off my back as it did His that day. I tried to imagine my blood running down my back onto my legs and feel my insides being ripped apart and exposed as my flesh was being torn away by each strike. The piercing pain that would shoot through my head, I would compare to when they pierced my Lord's side. Then I realized, Lord this is NOTHING compared to what you have suffered for me and you did it all in the name of LOVE. There is nothing that we go through that HE hasn't suffered and that HE doesn't understand. He knows our every pain, heartache, disappointment, sorrow and HE cares. Yes, His Grace IS Sufficient! But it doesn't stop there. For as the first song below says, He gives us Beauty for ashes and the second song says, He turns our mourning into dancing and our sorrow into joy.

As Easter is quickly approaching, let's remember the purpose of the cross and give Him thanks for what He suffered and endured for the sake of our Salvation. Then let us rejoice to know the He is ALIVE and that we too can make it through whatever comes our way. We are over comers in Him. His Grace IS Sufficient!

WDLC 2009

Western District Ladies Conference 2009 was by far the best I have ever been to. As I stated in my last post the speakers and singers were so anointed you couldn't but be blessed.

My sister and I went up a day early this year so that we could have an extra day of just sister/sister time together. We live so far apart that we don't get to spend that much time together so we took advantage of it. It was fabulous! After we got settled into our room. We took off to check out the Mall and the town. Then we decided on a place to eat dinner, the Cheesecake Factory. First time there for the both of us. I don't know what we were thinking, ordering all that food because we didn't eat it all. We ate the salad on our plate and one quarter of the sandwich. Then we made an attempt to eat all of the cheesecake. Didn't happen! Then we told each other, "Next time we come here we will split a cheesecake". LIARS!!!! Next time we went was just for dessert but we ended up getting appetizers and we got our OWN cheesecake and ATE IT ALL! Pigs we are!!!

We laughed so much together. Thought of evil things to do that would cause chaos. Like when we signed in at the registration table for seating for the Brunch I asked my sister, "I wonder what they would do if we mixed up all these name tags?" Then we snickered and giggled just to imagine all the confusion. Then we saw Sis. Cindy Ziegenbein coming our way and new by the look on her face that she knew we were up to no good. LOL! Of course we wouldn't have done it but just the thought was enough to laugh about.

When eating breakfast at Double Tree, we were laughing so hard and again Sis. Ziegenbein pops out of no where and tells us "You girls are having waaaaaay to much fun!" She scarred me because she just popped out of no where. Sort of like what the Lord is gonna do on that glorious day of the rapture. Know what I mean?

When we were eating at the Cheesecake Factory we laughed and laughed and laughed until my sides were splitting. Our poor waitress, she must have thought she had a couple of ol' ladies who had escaped from the loony bin because we were really over the top. But then again, she would just come over and smile and laugh with us and make sure we had everything we needed. She was really an excellent waitress. My poor sister, she never knows what she is going to get herself into when she is with me. I am the oldest and I have led her into more trouble through out the years in her life. You would think that she would have learned by now. She just keeps coming back for more. She must have blond roots.

We would walk up and down the halls of that hotel and literally have to stop because we were laughing so hard. I know people must have thought we were crazy. But hey, we were making up for lost time. Remember, we don't get to see each other very often. My poor sister, Jovina, that's her name, would beg me to please stop because she was laughing so hard and I was really carrying things to the limit. The more she begged, the worse I got and the harder she laughed. I know, I'm evil and then I wonder why I didn't get my healing. Go figure!!! :)

We had more than one person tell us, "What are you girls up to now?" I mean, come on, did we look that Ornery? Tee Hee Hee Hee!

The best part of our visit together was standing side by side worshipping our God in spirit and truth. Sure wish I had some pictures of that to share with you. But we were busy praising God then and didn't have our cameras out. So you will have to use your imagination for that part of our trip. God bless!

Serving God Regardless...

What an awesome Western District Ladies Conference we had this year. The speakers, Sis. Donna Linville and Sis. Debbie Saiz, were absolutely phenomenal. These ladies were ANOINTED! Let me tell you, my soul has been blessed. The music, now that is another thing that was Divine. The singers and musicians were definitely in the will of God. Sis. Hurst and her group sang under the power of the Holy Ghost. The brunch on Saturday was delicious and the entertainment was great. I laughed so much through out this entire conference. If you were able to go and didn't, then you cheated yourself out of one blessing after another.

I attended this conference this year with a continual migraine. I believed God for a miracle at every service. I just knew I was going to receive my healing. Yet, it never came. I would wake up in the middle of the night with excruciating pain and have to take meds and pray, pray, pray for relief. At times in the middle of service I would feel as though I was going to pass out and have to sit down or grab a hold of the seat in front of me.

On Saturday morning I told my sister that I just didn't understand why I didn't receive my healing because I went with a believing heart that I would. Right away the devil jumped on me and began to whisper discouraging things in my ear. We went to the brunch and Sis Andrea Arcovio sat at my table and she began to talk to my sister and I. As she began to talk she told us of a baby that had died in Africa and as they were preparing to bury the child, a preacher asked them if they had prayed the will of God for the child and they said no. So he prayed and the child came back to life and everyone began to rejoice. Then again, there was another child that had died and he asked them if they had prayed the will of God for the child and they said no. So he prayed for the will of God for the child but this child did not come back to life. So it was the will of God for this child to be buried.

She went on to tell of of a lady who had no nose and she had a dream that God spoke to her, telling her that He was going to give her a new nose. So she went about telling everyone, "See my new nose", yet there was no nose. She was causing such an uproar in her village that her pastor decided he must talk to her. As he was talking to her and telling her that she didn't have a nose, she was telling him that God told her He was going to give her a new nose, and right before his eyes she grew a nose. Sis. Arcovio brought it to my attention that I need to seek the will of God for my life in ALL things. Even concerning my healing. Even Paul had an affliction that he never received his healing from. Also, just because I didn't get my healing at conference, maybe it just wasn't in His time. Just like the lady who was going around saying "See my new nose?" yet, there was no nose. But when the time was right she received her nose.

So,like Paul, if it is the will of God for me to carry this affliction in my body or if it is not yet time for my healing I don't have the answer to that. All I know is that Romans 8:28 says "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." So, I only have one thing to say to your discouraging words that you whispered in my ear Satan, I am not careful to answer you in this matter oh king of this world. For I know that my God is well able to heal me. BUT, if He doesn't I will still serve Him with all my heart, might, mind, soul, and strength. He's my best friend and always there when I call. He has done me nothing but good.

Cell Phone VS. Bible

Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phones?

What if we carried our Bible around in our purse or pocket like we do our cell phone?

What if we flipped through it several times a day?

What if we turned back to get it if we forgot it?

What if we used it to receive messages from the text?

What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?

What if we gave it to our kids as gifts?

What if we used it when we traveled for directions?

What if we used it is case of an emergency?

This is something to make you go....Hmmmmm.....where IS my Bible?

And unlike our cell phone, we don't have to worry about our Bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill.

Knock knock! I knocked on heaven's door this morning. God smiled and answered, 'Request granted.'

Thanks for sending this to me sissy. Definitely Good Food For Thought. Makes you stop and search your heart to make sure your priorities ARE in the right place. I love you!

My Soul Has Been Blessed

Sunday's services were absolutely spectacular. Bryce, thank you for being an instrument used of God. This young man just sets himself aside and lets God have HIS way and for that I am thankful. One thing I can honestly say about Bryce Allard is that when he steps into the place of leading in praise and worship, he does it with his whole heart, mind, soul, and strength. This young man holds nothing back when it comes to worshipping God. He is an inspiration to me and he blesses my soul.

The songs of praise opened up the windows of heaven and my soul and I began to worship my God. My soul was so thirsty and hungry for the touch of my Master's hand. I just wanted to bask in His presence. That's all I wanted to do. That was my main purpose of going to service on Sunday, to sit at His feet and love Him. I didn't want to ask him for anything, I just wanted to love my God and feel Him near. I wanted to feel His hand holding mine. I wanted to lay my head upon His shoulder and dance with Him in the spirit for He is the lover of my soul. I know that when I am in His arms that everything is alright. He has everything under control. I love Him so.

Tabitha Popoy, girl you were awesome! Continue letting God use you like He is doing. Continue to yield to His spirit like you are and there is no telling what heights He will take you to. I have been so blessed the last three times you have signed. It has been because of the spirit that you have done it in. Total surrender unto God!!! Keep that humble spirit and you will be blessed. I love you. You are a Jewel Divine.

How Do They Do It?

This coming Sunday will be three weeks that I have missed service. How do people survive without attending the House of God on a regular basis? My soul is literally starving for the PREACHED WORD of God! My girls have shared with me the messages that their pastor's preached and I have eaten it up as they talked.

My youngest daughter lives in another town, therefore attends a different church. When she would call or come to see me in the hospital she would share the church services with me, knowing how much I was missing church. My oldest daughter attends the same church I go to and she would come home or into the hospital room and say "Oh mom, pastor preached another awesome message." Then she would share it with me. I sit here and cry because it does my heart so good to see where my girls have come from and how far they have grown in the Lord.

As I would lay there and listen to them and watch them as they spoke about the message and see their eyes light up about the word they heard, it did my heart so good. My cup runneth over with joy to see them so in love with God and His Word. Just the way they spoke with such emotion about the message they heard makes me know they are really getting it deep in their hearts.

I went into the hospital on Feb. 3 for a simple gallbladder removal. The surgery went well. Two days later I began to have complications breathing. I went to the ER and was put on meds for 5 days and didn't get any better. I went back to the surgeon for my post op follow-up and he said everything concerning the surgery was great but my lungs sounded horrible so he admitted me to the hospital. I had bronchial pneumonia.

I spent a lovely 6 days in the hospital. The first 5 nights I had the room to myself so it wasn't to bad. The last night there I received a roommate. Was she ever a winner! She came in from dog bites. She was praying for her dog and trying to bless it and I guess the dog did not want to be blessed because it attacked her viciously and really did a number on her. She spent most of the night talking and yelling at people who were not even in the room. She literally carried on conversations with these so called individuals. Yep, I wanted out of there like quick. Then at one point she came over to me and proceeded to tell me that she was going to lay hands on me and bless me. This was right after she had had a fight with someone who was not even in the room. I politely told her "No thank you, I have already been prayed for and My God had heard those prayers. But God bless you anyway." She then began to tell me that she knew me and who I was. That she knew my eyes. I just said, "Oh really? That's nice" Yes, I was really glad the doctor let me go home because I didn't want to continue on in that room that's for sure. I could tell you more but it would probably make your toenails curl. I don't know if it was the meds by I.V. that finally made me well or if that lady literally scared the sickness out of me but I am finally home now and doing much better. LOL!!! No, really it was the Hand of God that came down and touched me and I am so thankful to finally be home and on the mend once again. I am sooooooo looking forward to Sunday when I can once again attend the House of God.

"Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name." Psalm 100:4

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever." Psalm Psalm 23:6

"One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple." Psalm 27:4

"I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD." Psalm 122:1

Be Happy

Nehemiah 8:10; "...for the joy of the LORD is your strength."