Here's the latest on my sister-in-law. She's home and within 24 hours!! She can talk, eat, and has no complications! So far everything looks real good. This is better than any of us expected! Thank you for praying. I really love how our God takes care of us!!! Praise the Lord! Woo hoo:-)
My sister-in-law is having surgery today at 1pm. Her name is Margaret Raker and she is having her thyroid removed. She has a lump on the thyroid. As far as I know they found no cancer. Pray they find no cancer after the removal and that everything goes the way the doctors would like it to. They told her she would stay in the hospital 2-4 days. So pray for a quick recovery with no complications. Thank You.
Addition: Jenni Weiss @ Big Weiss Blog reminded me : "I will also be praying that your sis-in-law will be able to eat/talk/and swallow easily! I am told that those are the major complaints of thyroid patients!"
My friend Tami @ African Dreams had the same procedure done except she had cancer. God healed her! She initially lost her voice and her singing voice was lost for up to a year. She also was healed for this too! I also remember her meds took a while before the proper dosage was determined. So pray for these things as well.
Who's jumping on the braggin' wagon today? Let us start with DaNella Auten @ 'Beyond Microbursts!'. She is a pastor's wife and semi-professional photographer. She usually has pictures on her blog. Half of them are of her daughter and some little critter in her hand that I would never dream of getting within 10 feet of. The other half are nature at its finest. I love photography and see she has a talent and an eye for getting the perfect shot. If it makes her curious you're going to see it!
DaNella has become a good friend because she has a good heart. She is working on her degree to become a councilor and is pretty good at it already.
She has written a devotional book published by 'Lion & Lamb Publications' called "Microbursts!- Devotions with a Unique Look into the Power of God in Everyday Life". The title says it all because she takes stuff in everyday life and sees God in it. It is a book well worth $14.95+ s/h. You will laugh, cry, and be touched by God when you read it. You can apply most of it in your life and see God where you missed Him before. Check out her photos and her 'microbursts'. You will not be let down.
The next blog I like is called 'My Operation Obligation Journal' by Patti. She's a mom and a military wife. The reason her blog is so cool is because her 'operation obligation' is to help the country of Guatemala. She is not a missionary, pastor's wife or any other position that you would think. She is just somebody doing what they think they should do. Patti sponsors three children (Marcos, Oscar, and Rafael) through 'Mayan Families'-a ministry working right in Guatemala. Her heart has such a love to touch these families and help them.
In May she was able to go there on a missions trip with her son. The poverty was so great that it just overwhelmed her, but she was able to see her sponsored children and their homes. What a feeling it is to see with your own two eyes exactly what your money and supplies are doing for a family in need. Her friend Daphne adopted two children from Guatemala and arranged that whole trip. She also sponsors four children of her own. If you go back to the May posts you can see the pictures from their trip.
She encourages me to do more for missions because she is always looking for ways to make money for Guatemala. Come and see how anybody can make a difference.
I wanted to just point out a few blogs and our blog ring today. I will start with our blog ring 'Assembly of God Blogs'. First and for most I think Sharon is doing a great job and deserves the highest praise (under God) for a first class blog ring! I love the way it is bringing us together as a denomination countrywide. I am able to talk to fellow A/G 'ers from Missouri, Alabama, Florida, Indiana, etc. Soon it will be worldwide and we will never be able to keep up with all the new blogs!
Secondly, I love the way it has shown me how my church body is awesome. I have seen plenty of people being open with their lives so I can grow from their experiences. I could also use my gift of encouragement to lift them up when they needed it most. I can say that I have friends I've never met and may never meet only from the opportunity of being in this blog ring.
Lastly, my blog was only being read by a few friends and an occasional search hit until I joined this ring. The Assembly of God Blogs has given me not only fellow A/G 'ers reading my blog but people from all over the world. Somehow being linked with this ring has made searchers find my blog and hear about Jesus Christ. Wow! Even when nobody has seen my blog in days I know there will come a day when I'll get 5-10 hits from nobody I know. They can search for any idea they come up with and surprise I am there. Just from the comments I get, I know I'm making a difference.
I have found several blogs that I want to brag about. First one is 'Lifetime Intimate Portrait' by Deanna Shrodes a pastor in Tampa Bay, Florida. I first could not keep up with how much this woman writes! However, I have learned to skip a few that are not my cup of tea. Recently she has been fighting depression and sharing with her readers just what she goes through and how she deals with it. She is open and honest and impresses me to no end. I have my share of depressive times and don't even compare with her at all. She loves God and it shows. I know what it's like being depressed and wanting to serve the Lord. You try and nothing. No response from God and no twinge inside from the Holy Spirit about what to do. You have to encourage yourself in this time or you just stay down. She has mastered this. She is living like the Bible tells you to do. She is putting action to her faith when there is no feeling into it and she doesn't even want to. She has found that servant's heart that works separate from emotions and feelings. Deanna, you are an encouragement bigger than you'll ever know because you share your life with us. You are showing us the way, when you're not even sure yourself. She is amazing and her blog is an 'intimate portrait' of that amazingness. Check out her battles, victories and the way God is changing her for all our benefits.
I knew this would get long so I'll only do one more today. The last one is 'African Dreams' by Tami Moreno. Yes I'm a little bias here since she's a good friend and the one to get me to start blogging. She plans on being a missionary to Africa someday with her family. She's a regular gal that loves Jesus, her hubby, and her children. Tami has been through a lot in her life and it has made who she is today. Dealing with life and loving Jesus is what her blog is all about. She has her days when life is getting the best of her but always has victory in the end. I can relate to her real situations and her reactions to them. Her love for the Lord is what makes her different from the usual church crowd. It is awesome to see the decisions and influence this family makes. You can read this blog to find out how to live and get past your past. She also has an uncanny way of taking stuff in her day and using it in a devotion. I have been encouraged and brought back into focus by reading this blog. I also have gotten through some hard times from her prayers. Check it out and be blessed.
Here is Chris Sligh. He was a contestant on American Idol and sings this awesome song called "Empty Me". I found a video that shows the words like church so you can sing along if you'd like. Listen and be drawn closer to our Lord while you empty me.
OK this passage is titled 'Tearing Down Barriers' but it reads in the same line as yesterday's verses.
2 Corinthians 10:3-6
The world is unprincipled. It's dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn't fight fair. But we don't live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren't for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.
This is from the Message Bible again. I like how it clearly separates us and from the world. I think we all from time to time need to be reminded that: "we win". When it is all over, we win. The evil one may have our number for the day, week, month or year. However, if we do not faint, give up, or ignore God, we win. If today the devil has your number keep fighting you will win. You are not alone. We all have battles. Nobody is going through anything that hasn't happened before. Jesus is right there with you. Trust Him and use the weapons He gave us by dying for us. Remember His fight? He won!!!
You know the passage of Scripture in Ephesians 6 titled 'The armor of God'? In the Message version it's titled 'A fight to the finish' and it reads like this:
10-12And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.
13-18Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.
I found this worthy of sharing and something we need to put into practice. I particularly like the last line because that is what I try to do here and in everyday life.
It's true I won! DaNella Auten nominated me as one of her favorite blogs, 'sniff' I am so touched. The only problem is I need to nominate five other blogs I think are worthy of such an award. You see, Danella was nominated by Sharon, which gives a total of eleven blogs used. Many of these are the ones I track on a daily basis and would consider for this award.
Anyways here are the rules for those nominated:
What is the meaning of the expression: Arte y Pico
What is the meaning of the expression: And basically, ironically, it translates into a wonderful phrase in Mexico, “lo maximo.” LOL! It will never find its counterpart in English, but if it HAD to, it would be something like, Wow. The Best Art. Over the top. http://arteypico.blogspot.com/
