Go For It!

Whatever it is (as long as it's legal, ethical, and not a sin), go for it! Say to yourself, "2009 is Mine!" There's nothing you and the Lord together cannot handle. Believe, receive, achieve, and manifest! Faith is an action word and a very present help in the time of need. It's NOW and not into the future. That's hope and it takes hope to help push you to what you desire. But, it doesn't stop there . . . after desiring it, name and claim it! Give praise for it and go about as if you had it!

Take the steps of faith. Make those things that are not . . . real! From Genesis to Revelation, you will see how the Lord said for us to "fear not" and just believe and trust in Him. We cannot sit on our laurels while trusting and believing. We have to be actively going about our Father's business.

And remember, it is better to do something imperfectly than to do nothing perfectly. May the Lord God bless you real good in 2009!

With the Love of Christ,
Avis

Heaven's Gift of Love from Above

Even as a Christian, I am completely aware that I cannot grasp the full meaning of the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I'm in total awe and amazement at what my finite mind can comprehend. God tells us His ways and thoughts are not ours. Eyes have not seen, ears have not heard, neither has it entered into our hearts what He is to us.

I love dreaming about what He has for us. I like bragging about Him to the adversary. I love knowing God loves me as much as He loves Jesus. He loves you as much as He loves me. He loves us all the same and it is His good pleasure to give to us just as we receive pleasure giving to our children and each other.

Heaven's greatest gift was the Love sent from above. He's no longer baby Jesus but Jesus Christ and so much more. I know Him as my daddy and mother; he's my friend and lover. That's why He said, "I Am." He is all we need Him to be.

What an inconceivable reality but I believe it and I take Him at His word. I enjoy joggling His memory about things, that's one incentive to stay in His word to recite it back to Him. It's poetic and inspirational. It corrects and nourishes.

Heaven sent us a Savior. Happy Birthday, Father! Merry Christmas everyone!

With all my heart,
One of Your daughters...
Avis

Weeweechu

It's a romantic full moon, when Pedro said, "Hey, mamacita, let's do Weeweechu."

Oh no, not now, let's look at the moon!" said Rosita.

Oh, c'mon baby, let's you and I do Weeweechu. I love you and it's the perfect time," Pedro begged.

"But I wanna just hold your hand and watch the moon." replied Rosita.

Please, corazoncito, just once, do Weeweechu with me."

Rosita looked at Pedro and said, "OK, one time, we'll do Weeweechu."

Pedro grabbed his guitar and they both sang...

"Weeweechu a Merry Christmas, Weeweechu a Merry Christmas, Weeweechu a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year."

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

*Another cutie received via email. Just had to share it!

A Birthday Party! You're Invited!

*This was received from a friend via email and I wanted to extend it to you. I was encouraged to do so and so are you!

You are cordially invited to

A BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION!!!

Guest of Honor: Jesus Christ

Date: Every day. Traditionally, December 25
but He's always around, so the date is flexible...

Time: Whenever you're ready.
(Please don't be late, though, or you'll miss out on all the fun!)

Place: In your heart.... He'll meet you there.
(You'll hear Him knock.)

Attire: Come as you are... grubbies are okay.
He'll be washing our clothes anyway. He said something about
new white robes and crowns for everyone who stays till the last.

Tickets: Admission is free. He's
already paid for everyone...
(He says you wouldn't have been
able to afford it anyway...
it cost Him everything He had. But
you do need to accept the ticket!!

Refreshments: New wine, bread, and a
far-out drink He calls "Living Water,"
followed by a supper that promises to be out of this world!

Gift Suggestions: Your life. He's one of those
people who already has everything else.
(He's very generous in return though.
Just wait until you see what He has for you!)

Entertainment: Joy, Peace, Truth,
Light, Life, Love, Real Happiness,
Communion with God, Forgiveness, Miracles, Healing, Power,
Eternity in Paradise, Contentment, and much more!
(All "G" rated, so bring your family and friends.)

R.S.V.P. Very Important!
He must know ahead so He can
reserve a spot for you at the table.
Also, He's keeping a list of His friends for future
reference. He calls it the "Lamb's Book of Life."



Party being given by His Kids (that's us!!)!
Hope to see you there! For those of you whom I will
see at the party, share this with someone today!

Mary Did You Know?

Mary Did You Know - The Passion of the Christ



Mary, did you know
That your baby boy will one day walk on water?
Did you know
That your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?
Did you know
That your baby boy has come to make you new?
This child that you've delivered
Will soon deliver you

Mary, did you know
That your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?
Did you know
That your baby boy will calm a storm with his hand?
Did you know
That your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
And when you kiss your little boy
You've kissed the face of God

Mary, did you know?
The blind will see
The deaf will hear
And the dead will live again
The lame will leap
The dumb will speak
The praises of the Lamb

Mary, did you know
That your baby boy is Lord of all creation?
Did you know
That your baby boy will one day rule the nations?
Did you know
That your baby boy is heavens perfect Lamb?
This sleeping child you're holding
Is the great I Am!

© by Mark Lowry

Be A Stream of Blessings

Offer your life as a route through which blessings flow by:

* Giving you away. Someone needs you, uniquely you.

* Giving your money away. There are countless worthy causes.

* Giving away your emotions. Compassion and understanding are all needed by everyone you meet.

* Giving others hope by sharing your testimony. Share with them the bad, ugly, and shame; also the times you thought of giving up but where you received your hope and strength to keep going.

* Giving away your time. You have expertise, talents, gifts, knowledge and wisdom desperately needed by others.

We are a channel of blessings. "Out of your innermost being shall flow rivers of waters; the waters of the Holy Spirit." Blessings will be multiplied to you in the area of your giving. If you do not believe me, try it!

Through Trials into Treasure

If you have heard or read the testimonies of overcomers, you will discover, learn and come to know of a single theme shared by each of them. This theme and common thread, if you will, is how thankful they are for having come through to the treasure waiting for them. They give thanks for being stronger, wiser, better and so much better, as Marvin Sapp's song says.

We should never give up because of the battle. Christ as already fought for us so we can be of good cheer! I know it isn't easy but we must stand. There are many examples of inventors who did not quit after documenting what would not work (some call it failure). They soon found out what would work and the rest is history! We enjoy their determination and perseverance. I do not know who were believers and who were not but imagine having the Lord on your side; believing Him and trusting Him, taking Him at His Word, holding on to His Promises for those who worship Him in Spirit and Truth, can you imagine the treasures that awaits? Of course not! Eyes have not seen or ears heard the things that He has waiting for us!

The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is an inspirational myth but why let folklore inspire you? Let the Word of God be your inspiration. He sends it out and it doesn't come back void. It accomplishes that what He has spoken for it to do.

Our trials, struggles, tribulations and tests have purpose in our lives. That purpose is to help us to live the purpose filled life God has for our lives. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 NKJV

Thank you Father for these precious promises from Your Word, Isaiah 43:2-3 and Romans 8:28, for indeed God has everything under His control!

Thank you Father that no struggle will come my way apart from Your purpose, presence and permission. Nothing comes my way that has not first passed through the filter of God's Infinite Love!

We will come through trials into treasure if we wait patiently on the Lord and count it all joy. Praise Him more and wait and see how good the Lord truly is!

With the Love of Christ,
Avis

To Disagree or To Be Disagreeable

Lately, I've encountered some disagreeable people. I know you have heard this before: "Opinions, everyone has one." It may not be exactly as you've heard it before but close, correct? I respect anyone's opinion. I even understand when it differs from mine but because I understand doesn't mean I am in agreement with the opinion.

Disagree means, "to differ in opinion" while, disagreeable means, "unpleasant in manner or nature." There is a tremendous difference, isn't there?

Some people are just plain disagreeable for whatever reason. I have tried to understand but have learned it's not necessarily a bad thing when I do not understand. One must be careful not to go where some minds go; to the outer limits, let's say. I have just about come to the conclusion that disagreeable people are probably unhappy and not enjoying the life they're living. They may even feel they're being forced to live and this is a sad state of being.

This being my way of thinking and analyzing 'disagreeable' people or people who are extremely difficult to get along with, I resort to praying for them. They are in dire need of prayer. The Holy Spirit brings joy and accord, not discord. Even if two people do not agree, they can have agreement that they do not agree with no harsh words, disrespect or false accusations being made. Not only is that Spiritual maturity but that's a sign of character and moral integrity.

These people tend to accuse others of the very shortcomings they possess. What they see so clearly is a reflection of themselves without a mirror. It makes them unhappy and instead of trying to correct their personal character flaws, they verbally assault others. Now, I must admit, it takes quite a bit of verbal assault for me to be wounded. I am apt to jump to the defense of someone else instead of my own defense because I am secure in who I am in Christ. I will readily apologize even if I feel I haven't done anything wrong. Some people's perception is their reality.

If you disagree with someone about something, just disagree. Do not launch an all around attack at them. They are likely not to care and you look rather poorly and risk alienating yourself from some really great people and opportunities.

Blessed are the Peacemakers. Remember?

Happy weekend and blessings!

Christianity and Challenges

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18|NIV

If you are a 'baby in Christ' you need to understand that you are now a magnet for the enemy. All of your troubles have just begun but putting on the whole armour of God is how you can experience God's overcoming Grace. He has fought our battles for us and won. There is no reason for us to lose if we are in Christ.

The Word of God is our armour. The scripture quoted above is "chock-filled with wisdom." The inspired Word of God is nothing but wisdom. When we read it, meditate on it, munch on it, chew on it, digest it, and regurgitate it to ourselves and back to the enemy, we are overcomers in Christ. We can then enjoy the victory God has given us as His children/heirs.

This scripture tells us challenges will come (all circumstance) and we are to give thanks to God, no matter what! He will keep us in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Him, so we can be joyful because we are praying continually . . . as is the will of God for us! It tells us what to do and why! This is how we grow from babes in Christ to full Christian maturity. We start with milk and are weaned to enjoy the meat of His Word and meet every challenge in life.

Blessed means to be happy! God has blessed us. He is our Comforter. We are truly a blessed people. Give thanks and praise . . . always!

I'm praying for you. I love you . . .

because of Christ,
Avis

A Series of Downs to Touch Down!

A friend shared an analogy with me that has been extremely helpful. She said that when things get hectic in her business (and life) her goal is to 'move the ball forward' every day. Like on the football field, the players may not be going for a touchdown on every single play, but they are attempting to advance the ball.

Sounded good to me. And I think it might be useful for you in your business as well. Because let's face it, we do sometimes tend to focus on lost yardage, rather than gains.

So here's a strategy that you might apply when your business (and life) starts to feel overwhelming:

1. Stop. Assess what's going on around you and make a list of all of the things that need resolving. If your list is huge, you may need to choose 3 things at a time to work on.

2. Visualize a positive outcome. Write down what you want to happen as if it's already taken place imagining the most perfect outcomes possible. I find this helpful on two levels because it gets me focused on what I do want to have happen and it gets the concern outside of my head and on paper.

3. Put a sign or post-it note on your desk that will remind you to 'move the ball forward' every day. This means taking action. Do something,anything to make progress on your chosen task.

4. Assess. At the end of each day check in and see how you did. Most people tend to beat themselves up over what they didn't get done rather than recognize how much they moved the ball forward. A gain is a gain! (Think about trying to lose weight if you don't believe me.) *grin*

I find that even in the throws of major change, if I can advance the ball even a few yards, I feel better at the end of the day. Dealing with the challenges life tosses at us can be a serious headache. But each phone call, a started/proposal completed, each e-mail with a question answered is a win. And right now, I'll take all of the wins I can get.

Note: It's a given, first we must pray about every situation: easy or difficult, challenging, overwhelming or 'a piece of cake.'

Jane Atkinson and Avis Ward

A Reason to Pray

I am fully persuaded about God, our Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. When I hear of His goodness expressed from others, the feeling is unexplainable. Joyful! Okay, there's an attempt to explain it.

I have included a portion of an email received in response to one sent to a minister overseas. It is being shared just in case you need encouragement, a reason to pray or just a need to feel joyful like me. Here goes:

"Dear Avis,

Praise the Lord for your prayers, I give thanks to God For his love to me and the answers to your prayers upon my life. Below is the mail I received after I had read the prayer you mailed to me! Thank you Dear! I will never stop to pray for you and the plans we are making with you and proposing with you. There is power in the prayer. Receive greetings from the children!"

Coming into agreement and interceding from one another moves the script our Father has already recorded for our lives. It arranges things in the natural to connect with His supernatural to make them happen for us!

This minister received a $1000 blessing into his ministry after receiving a prayer from me. The donation was received in less than 24 hours. We were believing for God to work and hastily. He did!

We have as many reasons to praise as we do to pray! God answers prayers. Lift up your voice with PRAISE!

Praying for you,
Avis

Responding Under Pressure

Last weekend our hosting company canceled two of our websites. Needless to say, I was very upset! Responding well under pressure is one of my strengths. Being able to maintain indifference with the situation and focus on a solution is how I tend to approach problems.

I will not attempt to sell you on a cool as a cucumber persona in very situation but I credit my walk with the Lord for this attitude. I immediately cast that care on Him.

By the time the former hosting company responded with a modicum of excellence in customer care, I had already changed the DNS to another hosting company, rebuilt databases, chosen another domain name (that I just so happen to have), downloaded and uploaded a CMS and set things up with the new company.

My IT friend is Dutch and he had received the email left him overnight about the occurrence. He felt awful for me and the next thing he said was, "hey, I work well under pressure. Give me 30 minutes." He was speaking about GeoVi's Home for Pregnant Teens, the nonprofit site. My Favorite Ministries site wasn't as crucial. In fact, I had decided not to resurrect it.

He knew things I didn't and recovered information that helped me tremendously. He made five Word documents and sent them to me. As he worked behind the scenes, I worked on the front-end and sure to his word, the homepage looked as if nothing had happened in less than 30 minutes.

I pulled an all-nighter and due to the time difference, we were chatting as I worked. I was adding the Living Bible section to GeoVi's Home and the site crashed!! *laughing* Oooh, I can do that now!

I sent him this message via chat: "Ooops. I just enabled a plugin and the site is inaccessible." I sent him the message I got and he said, "that's what I get, too." I had not backed-up the site yet, and it was 95% complete again. Of course, he asked if it had been backed up.

Then he posted, "you like to keep me sharp don't you?" I was on the phone with one of my sisters and we were praying. He asked the time in the states where I was and it was 24 minutes later that he said, "it's working again," along with other admonishments. *sheepish grin*

When we cast our cares in faith to Him, He always has a ram in the bush. This young man has been a God-send to me. I've asked him to relocate to the states and once his girlfriend finishes University, he will consider it.

You are encouraged to recognize stress and pressures for what they are but not to feed them with doubt, panic and disbelief. Is it easy? Most definitely not but it is very possible. You see? With God, all things are possible. *warm smile*

Trust Him!

PS My Favorite Ministries was resurrected and morphed into My Favorite Ministry Place. Both sites were up in less than 48 hours. God gets the Glory!

In Abundance

As a Christian, lack is a figment of our imagination. It is a trick of the enemy to deprive us of the Promises of God. There is no lack in God. Nothing is missing, broken or lacking because of our resurrected Savior.

If you believe there is lack in your life then you are correct. What you believe is true for you but it's not sound doctrine. You are not being told to deny facts but to trust Him. We are to look to Him as our Source and Supply.

Provisions are all around us if we abide in Him and He in us. We can ask what we will and it will be given to us BUT we must have the Word of God living inside of us. There are conditions for these promises! And why not? Christ paid the price and we cannot or should not expect Him to do everything when we do not attempt to live for Him. The greatest thing in life is unconditionally received from Him and that is His love.

Nothing can separate us from the love of God but we can separate ourselves from the Promises of God. We must be transformed by renewing our minds. Change the way we think. Change what we speak. Abundance is flowing freely in the midst of our world economy. It's not this economy Christians place their hope but based of the Kingdom of God which has an unlimited supply and no deficits!

Yes, gas and food prices are high. Many people are unemployed and bills need to be paid. The price paid to overcome lack was much higher than these natural occurrences. Think about it. We must live by faith; call those things that are not as though they were. . . believing that we will receive. Our actions must not contradict our belief. When challenges come, and they will (as you know), give thanks and praise to our Father for being our Provider, Healer, Employer, Strength, Hope and Answer.

Live life, in abundance, to the full, until it overflows! It overflows so much that you can be a blessing to others. Live for Jesus. Serve Him. If you do not know Him, write to us and we will lead you to Him and help you find a local church to worship and grow in your relationship.

There is MORE than enough in Christ! The Holy Spirit changes everything to make all things new! Hallelujah!

With the love of Christ

New Feature at My Favorite Ministries: The Living Word

The Bible is the most remarkable collection ever written. Over a period of two thousand years; in times of war and peace. Written by kings, physicians, tax collectors, farmers, fishermen, singers, and shepherds. Written in three languages - Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. Such a diverse group of writers, yet this cohesive unity is inspired and perfected by the Holy Spirit Himself. Jesus Christ is the grand subject, our good is its design, and the glory of God is its end.

We are happy to offer our members a daily guide to reading the Bible in one year. Also, you can receive daily email alerts for the reading of the day. There are resources to fit all ages, including teens! You'll find study tools and everything you need to gain a greater understanding of the Written Word, inspired by God.

Please visit us to enjoy this new feature. [click here]

Prayer Changes Things

God wants to bless us. He delights in giving us the desires of our hearts. But . . . if all we do is ask for things and never snuggle up with Him intimately, then He knows it's the things that are first in our lives not Him. So, there's prayer. When we pray, we communicate with Him at our level of understanding and knowledge of Him. We talk to Him and He listens, just as in the natural, a doting father listens to his child. It gives Him pleasure to hear what's on our minds although He knew long before we began talking to Him. Prayer is simply, talking to our Father about everything. If it's important to us, it's just as vitally important to Him.

When we pray, we are strengthened in our faith. We connect our natural with His supernatural and can live life in victory. He doesn't always want us asking Him for things in our prayer. We must offer thanksgiving and release praise. How would you feel if the only time your child/friend talked to you was when they needed or wanted something from you? Well, God has more of a reason to be miffed if we do that. He gave His only son for us to live without condemnation and eternally! If we started every prayer with confessing our sins, repenting and thanking Him for the sacrifice made on our behalf, we are 'courting' Him and He loves it. It pulls at His heart strings.

We grow with prayer while spending that time, one-on-one, with our Father. When we grow and are spiritually strong it permeates every facet of our lives. We have strong familes, businesses, relationships etc. When we are strong, we can be about our Father's business, building the kingdom and bringing the lost to Christ.

iPray, uPray, we must pray! Prayer is our wealth and the most powerful weapon we have against the Prince of Darkness who wants to take us out!

Praying for you. Please pray for me.

Love,
Avis

Happy Independence Day America!!

God Bless America! Have fun and be safe!

Blessings,
Avis

Happy Father's Day

On Sunday, June 15th, 2008, we honor men for Father's Day. We celebrate real men that take care of their responsibilities; raising the kids, taking care of home, protecting the family. We say Happy Father's Day and God Bless You.

You may not be a father but know a man that deserves well wishes today. Send this message to him. Don't forget to say "Thanks Dad".

When Blessings Overtake You

Whether we're aware of it or not, blessings overtake us each day we are alive. There are also subtle and overt blessings. I receive two overt blessings today that were subtle in their approach. The blessings overtook me in their outpouring of respect and love. What makes this so special to me is I have not met either person and they have seen the light of our Father in my writings.

Yes friends, we are to be salt and light. The world has definitely lost its flavor and a child of God can make it a savory experience for those who are lost if we permit our light to shine.

Please understand, I take no credit for anything. Pleasing my Lord and Savior is my priority. When we do that, our light should shine. Don't you agree?

My prayer is for blessings to overtake you. If you will, please join me in interceding for those in our Prayer Center requesting prayer? We thank you and thank God for you!

Love,
Avis

Overflow

I've missed being here and I hope you've missed me. So many miracles have happened. Friends, I encourage you to call those things that are not as though they were and they will be. This is faith and we must have faith. It is so important in my life until if I could not live by faith, I'd rather be with the Lord, now.

I know this won't happen because of His purpose for my life. When it's fulfilled then He will take me home to be with Him. I encourage you to believe. You must pray, believe and receive. Give praise and move on to the next thing. The things we pray for should not be self-centered but love-centered. We must reach out for those who are lost and for those who need agreement.

It's not trickery or a game of any sort. It works! I tear as I write this because I feel His Holy presence. If I could place it on a plate and serve it to you, watching while you eat every morsel just to get the Word of God into you, I would. It's food for our souls. Applying it is crucial to our lives! We won't simply exist but live in the fullness of His promises to us.

We will be filled to overflow! May you be filled to overflowing with the Love of Christ and obedience. Blessings will overtake you when this happens. I am a witness and bear witness to this.

Happy Weekend! I have missed you and I love you with my whole heart!

—Avis

We are the Beloved!

God loves us! If everyone truly believed and accepted it, we would be like little children around age 5 - 10, doing all we can to please Him. We would try, I mean really try. Expend effort and energy trying to make Him happy. We would do silly things to make Him laugh. He doesn't love us any less because we don't or any more than He does if we do but it would pull at His heartstrings. He would say about us as He did about David, "That child is after my own heart!" And it would give Him joy!

Beloved, that is what I try to do each and every day He blesses me to live. I love on Him by loving on you. I am like a child yet, I've let go of childish things but no my child-like wonder, curiousity and quest about Him and the Kingdom of God within me.

I can't possibly love you as much as Christ does but I can try. And in trying, He is glorified and I feel joy! Peace! Free! and loved in return!

I love you, Lord. And you, reading this? I love you, too.

—Avis

Miracle Sighting

Okay, I'm putting it in writing so that I can say, "I told you so!" when it happens. I am expecting a miracle to happen to me. Trying to explain it to you would be ... well it would undignify the mighty hand of God. When it happens, I will tell you so that God will get the Glory!

I am expecting this miracle before month's end. That means before Saturday, May 31, 2008. I believe. I have faith. I trust God and His word. He is His word. Who among us can argue with a miracle? The foolish. The unwise.

This miracle won't be an "I stubbed my toe, lost the toenail and it grew back before my eyes." kind of miracle. It will be something that others can witness and I will bear witness by reporting it to you.

I am so excited and filled with expectancy. I can barely stand it but they who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles...they shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

I boldly decree and declare in the name of Jesus, a miracle sighting! Praises unto God!

Memorial Day Weekend Observances

To the men and women of years past and those of present day, we pay tribute to you for your service, bravery and protection. We pray divine protection over your families as we remember you with grateful hearts and honor.

Enjoy a lovely and safe holiday weekend, friends!

Remove or Use

I heard a statement today that I must have heard before but today I actually heard it with my heart, mind and soul. The person said, "God will either remove the problems we face of use them." What profound simple truth!

My friend, please know that no matter what you're going through, God has no work to do as He's done it all. Your problems have been removed or will be used [by you] for God to get the glory. Your supernatural breakthrough will be a witness to someone else or even to you!

Perhaps your faith has faltered and you have been unfaithful. He's already forgiven you so in that sense, it doesn't matter. What matters is we know not the hour we will be called home and keeping our heart in order is what He wishes us to do.

We can do nothing so horrible for Him to with hold his love from us. He loves us like that, totally unconditionally. Surrender all to Him. It is when we stop laboring for solutions and rest in His Word, on His promises that the problems are gone or we have come through and are bearing witness to others.

I bless you! :-)

Love,
me

A Relationship Service Catering to Baby Boomers

If you are an unattached Christian desiring marraige, why not visit the new site, UCHM at www.UCHM.info. Tell others about it as well. The name of the site removes all doubt of a member's objective before introductions. But of course, Christians don't play games!

Anyone 18 years of age or older can join UCHM, however, we cater to the 40 and over Christian men and women. Two types of memberships are offered. One is free with a number of site priviledges and a Premium Membership offering many additional features. We are offering a Charter Membership for only $52 which never has to be renewed. As we grow, we will terminate this offer and provide term limits with the option for renewals.

Click on over to UCHM and find out more. If you're attached, tell your unattached friends and acquaintances. Premium Priviledges also helps to support GeoVi's Home for New Life. We will give 20% of a paid membership's fee to GeoVi's Home for pregnant teens!

A List of Three Word Phrases

All day long we can find ways to utter these phrases to sustain our peace, bless others and annoy the enemy!

1. Thank you Jesus.
2. I love Jesus.
3. Praise His name.
4. Jesus loves me.
5. Jesus is real!
6. God loves you!
7. God is amazing!
8. Bless His name.
9. I love you.
10. God is love.

There are many more but these came to mind quickly. I'm praying for you. Pray for me and the world!

Blessings,
Avis

No Commentary Needed

Today's Verse:

See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:15/KJV

Enjoy a lovely day!

Blessings Abound

Even if we could not articulate one thing we count as a blessing because of an occurrence, we are still blessed. As a Christian, that's literally impossible, I might add. When we can identify something that happened to us and/or for us or on our behalf, blessings abound.

One such incidence for me came in the form of a gentleman whose name is Mr. Rose. I do not call him that but he may not want me to use his name, not just yet. Mr. Rose is financially rich. He also has a wealth of knowledge and information. He shared two hours of his time and expertise with me today to help me with GeoVi's Home for New Life.

Identifying strengths and weaknesses will enable growth and support success. He is pragmatic and although a believer, he looks at the bottom line. A very complimentary man in recognizing one's strengths with an appreciation for one's passions, he asks the difficult questions and knows how to extract from you.

We will meet again as he review pages of information left with him and develop a plan of action on fund raising for the Home. I was given assignments and you can be certain they will be completed with accuracy and expediency.

Blessings are all around us. How I met him would force a "Wow!" from you. It was a situation of something the enemy meant for my detriment but the Lord made it work for my good. Had not the enemy intervened, I'm not sure our paths would have crossed.

God is truly amazing. He wants to bless us and He uses unlikely sources. Mr. Rose is a true rose. (Yeah, thorns and all!) *LOL*

A Good Samaritan

A busy day was planned and all tasked were checked off the list. I had meant to post here earlier but that didn't happen.

The drycleaning was picked up which is in the same strip mall as the nail salon I frequent. I met a lovely woman while getting my nails manicured. We talked about current events and it was obvious very early in our conversation that she was a Christian. "To be salt and light in the world, in the world, to be salt and light!" We were the only customers present. We flowed together in Spirit and thought.

She believed many souls would be saved because of the catastrophic earthquake in China. I came into agreement with her. We talked about the fires in Florida (my family's there and my brother was affected) and while I was washing my hands, I missed what she said next. She told me the report believed an arsonist may have set those fires.

We talked about darkness and light and what the world was coming to . . . and end! We weren't talking over each other but said that simultaneously. During all of this, we did not exchange names. We were sisters who had the same Father. It didn't seem to matter.

I shared with her about GeoVi's Home for New Life and the need to reach out to our children who are seemingly lost and without a moral conscious compared to our upbringing and the times.

Her pedicure was over and she was told she could leave but to be careful. We said our goodbyes and I asked her to pray for the Home. She asked the name and assured me she would. I thought to myself how she had helped make my day. It was late morning by then.

After my pedicure, I was preparing to leave and pay for my services when I was informed in broken English, "the lady who just left paid for my services." I was grateful and asked for kleenex. The tears flowed at the loveliness of her gift.

They did not know her name and neither did I but our Father does. The tears flow again as I think of her and whisper a prayer for her and all of you.

I'm inspired!

Mourning the Death of A Legend

I am shocked and in mourning after reading: "Joyce "Dottie" Rambo, an influential gospel singer and songwriter, died early Sunday when her tour bus ran off the highway and struck an embankment. She was 74." in the news this morning.

Just before bed last night, I watched this remarkable woman on TBN as a tribute was paid to her on Mother's Day. She was ailing from back problems and said that appearance was the first time she hadn't used a wheelchair or crutches. She prayed to the Lord for strength to make it on His power. HE answered her prayer.

This remarkable woman and songstress of the Lord looked beautiful. She sang with the anointing and testified about how she was given the lyrics for the song about the Rose of Sharon. When asked by Paul Crouch when she makes it to Heaven she and Mom Crosby will have a glorious time, her words filled my eyes with tears.

Now they are filled with tears at her the news of her death but she would want us to rejoice. She is with her Father and singing with Mom Crosby.

Our condolences and prayers to her family.

Opportunities

"Opportunities are easily recognized once they have been wasted." Jovan

Remember the conference at our church last week? On Friday night, I met a lady who invited me to be her guest at the BMW Golf Classic this week being held in my neighborhood! It's a bit of a long story but that's the brunt of it.

I wrote earlier about "Connections." We are divinely connected. Kevin Costner will be a celebrity golfer at this event. I also received an invitation to attend the celebration at the end of the Classic on next Sunday.

I'll take business cards for GeoVi's Home for New Life and network. I'm so excited about this opportunity!

May you have favor with man and opportunities opened to you this week! To the ladies, I pray Mother's Day was a lovely day and you were showered with love from family and friends.

Take special care.

Happy Mother's Day

It's at the time we celebrate Mother's Day in the states. It's celebrated much earlier in the UK and a bit later in Canada, I believe. Mother's worldwide are honoured every day for their sacrifices and unconditional love.

At My Favorite Ministries, we wish you the life deserving of the Mother you've been to your children and others. If you have done your best with what you were given, that life will be filled with unconditional love and happiness. The Lord has given us Peace and Joy!

Happy Mother's Day!

Good night

Another day that the Lord has kept us from hurt, harm and danger. We've much to be thankful.

May the Lord watch between me and thee while we're absent one from another, in Jesus Name, Amen.

A Purpose and A Plan

I have Martha Munizzi's song in my head right now. "You may not understand, but there's a purpose and a plan. As you worship, He'll bring you through it all." Now, I'm not sure about the "as you worship" part but pretty sure about the rest.

"Lean not on your own understanding but in all thy ways, acknowledge Him and He'll direct your path." So, we don't have to really understand but believe, trust and have faith.

I was just telling a friend something Jesse Duplantis said, "if we're going to doubt the Bible, doubt the bad part but believe the good part." I couldn't agree with him more. It would be to our life in eternity to believe all of it, mind you!

Rejoice and be glad! We're in this together. Intercessors are praying for you as you read this. Break out in spontaneous praise, right now! He knows the plans He has for you. . . to prosper you . . . to give you a future and a hope. . . to find out the rest, read Jeremiah 29:11!

Stand

Christians come against all kinds of opposition rooted in darkness. Loved ones mean well but our levels of maturity varies spiritually just as it does in the natural.

Becoming older is no guarantee of becoming wiser. Going to church all day on Sunday doesn't guarantee faith to move mountains. Oh, it may be said we have faith the size of a mustard seed but the proof is in our trials. Also, the Pastor may be ill-equipped to teach the flock. It's quite a sad thing to witness.

When we have to fight the enemy and the enemy uses our loved ones to come against us, even without them being aware of it, we must stand with the Word of God at all cost. We can only pray for them and leave it in the hands of God.

When we've done all we know to do and are still being attacked, Stand!

For now, I'm going to recline for the night. God be with you until we meet again. I love you in the name of Jesus.

*hugs* (Please hug me back, I need one.)*warm smile*

Pressing

I'm out of sorts but can tell you, we are not to be deceived. God is not mocked, whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. We will get to experience an "I told you so moment." Whether that's in our favor or not is up to us!

Be well and blessed. Pray for me.

Happy day!

How Do You Define Success?

excerpt taken from a letter (email) to my best friend, Margaret—

"I have learned success is simply fulfilling the purpose we were called to do before we die. It can not be measured by someone else's achievements because each of us have a unique purpose. Your blood pressure reading can not be used to measure the force of blood beating against my arterial walls. Only mine. Likewise, only my work, efforts and accomplishments can determine my success or failure, not yours. So many think it's "things" but there are too many people with those "things" and they are unhappy, lost, alone and miserable.

If what you and I and others are doing can reach but one to teach them this, we would have made a difference in some one's life and given the Lord something by which to remember us!"

Oh Happy Day!

The weekend is here! Mine started with an awesome move of God during worship service last evening. I suggest going to www.rwoc.org and buying the CD or DVD made of the service. Actually, the entire conference set! It's difficult to explain it to you.

You have probably had numerous such experiences while serving the Lord. It's difficult to articulate the movement of God. He moves. He is! He is alive!

He always tops what has been done. That's such an incredible gift to be given! Our Lord won't settle for anything and mediocrity would be settling. We are to give Him and every life our life touches, our absolute best. Doing so tugs at His heartstrings. We're commanded to give Him something to remember us. It's not too late to start.

Just do it!

Happy Saturday!

Discretion

Today's Proverb - "Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion." Proverbs 11:22/NIV

What a visual, eh? A gold ring in a pig's snout? That's hilarious and makes quite the point, doesn't it? I know you've heard, "discretion is the better part of valor." One typically associates that quote with men or rather, I did.

What we can not do is forget we must be righteous and use discretion. It may be thought that having a disrete extramarital relationship is better than being indiscrete about it. That's totally missing the meaning of this Proverb. Above all things, we are to be holy and sin not. We must not only be discrete where our actions are concerned but also with our conversations. It is best to remain silent in some situations than to speak. We are using discretion when we refrain from utterances even though we are in disagreement, eager to respond, have an opinion or being prodded to speak.

What will it profit us to gain the whole world by getting our point across and lose our soul? The precious Holy Spirit is our guide in all things. If we permit His will to be done in our lives, forsaking our own, we will experience more of our Father's love for us!

Happy Friday! Enjoy a lovely weekend! I'll be at the conference tonight to hear Bishop Eddie Long's message from the Lord. There will be standing room only! Our sanctuary seats 5,000. The Lord's House will be packed!

I'll intercede on your behalf. Keep us in your prayers.

Blessings!

Cool New Feature

Thanks Blogger!

I've wanted to schedule posts and have them published on a given date but couldn't. Now I can! I even posted after midnight my time for the post to show the same day. I deleted it and waited until daybreak.

Now, when I'm continuously inspired, I can keep writing and schedule the post into the future. Of course, we could have used a word processing software to handle that part but being away from the computer, how would you get it published!

Some really cool features and great service. I love it! What a great "May day" surprise!

I'll see ya tomorrow. Can you believe half the year is almost over? Life is what happens when you live; it's best to have fun in the process! Happy Life and Living! And don't forget, happy Loving, too!

A Brother's Love

His name is George W. Ward, Jr. He was named after our dad. He assured our parents there would be no George III and there wasn't, he and his wife have a daughter!

George and I just ended a telephone chat. He lives in Ormond Beach, Florida which is just north of Daytona Beach. After earning his Bachelor's degree, he went away to earn a Master's degree and came back to FL to make that area home.

I love talking to George and listening to him. He is a gentleman and Bible scholar! He has an anointing on his life to read, comprehend and teach the Word of God. I love to hear him pray. He simply prays the Word of God, the holy scriptures. He blesses me each time we talk.

When I need an explanation about something giving me difficulty, he's who I call. Combined with his knowledge of the Bible, George has the most outrageous sense of humor! He had me giving praise to God during our chat and laughing hysterically! I'm in South Carolina and we'd spoken only just yesterday but it's always a pleasure talking to him.

He and his wife are Pastors but he has the title of Head Deacon. He has no desire to be a Pastor but does everything a Pastor does without the title. I don't think he preaches nor would consider himself a preacher. He is an excellent expositor and teacher. Actually, he teaches at the Ormond Beach Bible Institute and is the Dean of the School. He's gifted and yes, he's my sweetheart of a brother.

I pray you are blessed to have family members to help you along in your Christian walk. If they are not biological, a church family is waiting to welcome you to the family of Christ. None of us are alone, never. You can always experience a Brother's Love or that of a Sister, in Christ. We're waiting.

End of Your Rope

Do you ever feel you're at the end of your rope? Remember when posters covered your walls in your room at home or dorm room? Remember this one? I remember it saying: "When you're at the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hold on!"

Forces are coming at us all the time and they're not too friendly, you know? Maybe I should check the calendar, the moon, stars, tide or something because while driving, I wailed like a baby! I was upset with myself for doing it but felt much better after I was finished. I told the Lord how sorry I was for acting out but He gave me comfort. He didn't chastise me or accept my guilt. He cleared it and assured me I never have to tie a knot at the end of a rope.

Friends, He carries us when we feel we don't have the strength, desire, courage, will, or belief we can go on. To prove it to me, just in case it was needed, He miraculously worked something out for me that I was being ever so careful not to become anxious. We are to be anxious over nothing but through prayer and supplication, make our petitions known to God. He hears us. I would say, yeah, I know He hears us but does He answer? And when?

I've matured dramatically in spiritual ways. Always forever trying to "come up higher" to capture His heart, I'll forever be a spiritual work in progress. One thing I know and that is He loves us. He cares about the things that bothers us and He wants them gone!

At some point during my sobbing, His word poured from my heart to defeat the battle in my mind and it was over! If you ever think you're at the end of your rope, I hope it's just a fun game of tug-o-war you're having. We're safely in His arms if that's where we want to be. That beats "hanging on" anyday, doesn't it?

*warm smile* Still praying for you, yes I am!

Faith Matters

Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things unseen. I've heard that scripture paraphrased: Faith is saying something that isn't so, is so, so that it can be so.

Faith without works is dead. Faith is therefore an action word. It has hands and two feet and a mind but the mind of Christ. We are not to sit on the premises while waiting on the Promises. We must be doers and hearers of the Word. In doing so, we are to be certain our steps are ordered by the Lord and not by ourselves. That my friends, can be quit challenging when we remain in ourselves and not transformed into a new creation.

Our minds may not be able to comprehend, conceive and realize how simple it is and thusly, complicate what it means to live for Christ. If you note in all red-letter versions of the bible, Jesus spoke and used examples or stories known as parables so that we can truly understand the simplicity of seeking the Kingdom and finding it within, where He lives, after accepting Him as our Lord and Savior.

In conclusion, this is why Faith Matters. For if we lack faith, it is impossible to please the Lord. If you need help with any aspect of knowing Christ and learning about salvation, please find a local congregation or one at My Favorite Ministries.

Easy Like Sunday Morning

Happy Sunday to you!

Attending the early morning service was a good thing. It's not that attending at noon would not have been a good thing, too. It's just that the afternoon rain and thundershowers were conducive to my having a relaxing day. I couldn't stay on the computer at any length, although the temptation was there to do just that.

I didn't see my girlfriend at church. She walked past me and we didn't spot each other. She called to say she'd be running late and I didn't take my phone inside missing her text message. The good news is she was there and blessed by His presence.

We have an exciting week at church. I do not know how our Pastor pulled it off but we have some great Ministers participating in our Kingdom Momentum — Propel Forward Conference. It starts Wednesday evening with Apostle Ron Carpenter. Through the rest of the week, there will be breakout sessions with Bishop Kenneth Ulmer, Bishop Mark Chironna, Bishop Tony Miller, Dr. Cindy Trimm, Dr. Sam Chand and Bishop Eddie Long! There will be 29 nations represented. There will be a FANTASTIC move of God!

Perhaps I'll write about it, we'll see. Enjoy a blessed week and I'll see ya tomorrow!

—Peace!

Sensational Saturday

When you're self-employed and starting up, Saturdays are another work day. When you have a passion for what you do, it's not like working. Being in the position of living alone makes it more manageable than if there were a spouse and kids or grandkids about, requiring and demanding your time.

Praise, socializing, praying and relaxing have all been apart of this day. The socializing was a Godsend moment. Recruiting a friend to do some background work to enlarge a database was the result. She's happy to do it and gave me additional news. She's coming to church tomorrow! *happy dancing* She admits to being "tired of putting it off" when she knows she should be there! How neat is that!! It was so great to have her tell me this so staying awake late won't be an option. When I stay awake late, I attend the second (noon) service. Doing this tonight would mean having missed seeing her at church.

It's been a sensational Saturday! Regardless to what occurred in your life today, it's our prayer that you saw the good in it and gave thanks through it all.

See ya after church tomorrow!

Happy Friday

Enjoy a lovely weekend. Leaving the office yesterday, the question was asked about the weather. It actually came from me. Before anyone could answer, saying it didn't matter what the weather would be, a great weekend would be enjoyed by me.

Hoping the same for you. No matter the weather, whether rain or shine, we're blessed!

Be well!

If You're Happy and Ya Know it!

A busy day. A productice day. A blessed day! I'm clapping my hands but stopped to finish this post. I'm happy and I know it so I clapped my hands.

I just ended a telephone chat with my step-mom who lives in Florida. We were encouraging each other. It's always a blessing to have immediate family who serves the Lord, too. So many people are not in this position. They have found themselves to be the "first" in their family to do so many things:

1. graduate from high school


2. get an associate's degree


3. get a bachelor's degree


4. get a certification of some sort


5. work as a 'white-collar' employee


6. get a full-time job with benefits for the entire family


7. come to Christ


8. leave the 'family' church and join a 'different' church


9. go into the Ministry and the list goes on.

Oftentimes, unannounced occurrences are monumental events in the lives of people that are not recognized because they are unknown. As Christians, we are challenged with dying to flesh so that we do not regard each other after the flesh. See the Christ-like (Christian) image in everyone; honor and respect are then automatic.

We can be happy and know it because we were told by our Savior: "Be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world!" In His presence there is joy. Get in His presence and you'll be clapping your hands too!

Divine Connections

Whether the 'world' wishes to believe or accept it, we're divinely connected. Recalling a sermon or perhaps Bible study lesson taught by my Pastor, Apostle Ron Carpenter [Redemption World Outreach Center, Greenville, SC], I'm reminded of something he said about everything the Lord made was good. The devil makes sure there is interference to pervert the good the Lord makes. He will use any willing or unwilling subject to bid his call. We who are unwilling has the Word of God to give us an escape. We do have choices.

This brings me to divine connections. The Internet is a wonderful resource to have and medium to reach millions around the world from the comfort and convenience of one's home or anywhere a signal can be reached. The devil uses the net for perversions but God will be glorified!

In developing this site, I've meet some wonderful people from around the world. They've been males although I did meet one female from London. We only exchanged one email, no chat. The latest introduction is someone living in Rome, Italy who is from Madagascar! How incredible is that? This is the way the Lord has worked from the very beginning.

For me, the timing of this site couldn't have been worse but I'm not my own. I was bought with a price and when the Lord speaks, I fumble around at times before springing into action. I've learned it's okay to question Him but it's best to make sure we do what He says!

The full testimony is yet to come. The photo shown above represents our divine connections. Notice I didn't select just any chainlink. These are gold, 24K if you indulge me. *grin* Only the best for His children!

So today, I'm giving thanks for divine connections in my life. Whether the person is doing something for us or not; we have an opportunity to bless them. A smile, kind word, soft embrace or holding a door. . . we need each other.

Here's to the D.C.'s in your life!

Exhausted!

The day started early and ended late. Sometimes that's the norm. There are times when you're worn out mentally but not physically. Tonight, it's both. There won't be any rambling at any length in this post, I promise you. Okay, to the point, then.

Remember in a previous post (well, you'll see it if you keep reading this blog) I was thinking about adding a feature to the site? While I was sleeping, the Lord gave confirmation about it. I think it came in my email box around 12:45AM. I was unaware of this until around 10:30AM. While pondering around doing what is done to leave for work, I wrestled with thoughts on whether it was something I should do.

I had this dialogue with the Lord and told Him I trusted Him and wanted to make sure it wasn't me. He reminded me of my qualifications etc. I left it at that. When I had a breather, I checked email and there it was! Someone requesting exactly what I had been told to do/offer! I won't say I couldn't believe it but saying it is rhetorical, okay? I couldn't believe it!!! He [the Lord] blew my mind again!

Uhh ohhh...I am getting a second wind, thanks to the Holy Spirit! I will stop here or I'll be awake for another 4-5 hours. My day was what the Lord wanted it to be. He put me in the presence of 47 multimillionaires [all males/all investors]. We were on first-name basis as if we knew each other. I learned so much and really worked the room.

There is much more to come about this, I expect it! I'll fill you in, if you're still around. I certainly hope so. For now, this exhaused lady is calling it a night. I am excited to see how the Lord tops today on tomorrow! He's like that, you know!

I'm pooped but not too pooped to pray. I'll pray for you!

ta ta!

Thinking out Loud

The mind is a terrible thing to waste. It's also a terrible thing to lose one's mind. Remember who said that? With all due respect, but it's just so easy to "pick on" some people. Hey, I'm not picking on anybody. I'm just sayin'.

I was thinking of adding a feature to the site. It actually makes sense, knowing my history. The Lord tends to take the things from our past to help us walk into the future He has already prepared for us. I love that and everything else about Him, don't you?

[Thinking about the site...] If we viewed everything as a work in progress, we'd never become bored. I want to scream when I hear children talk about being bored. GRRRRRRRrrrrrrr! There's far too much to discover, learn and do to ever be bored!! As long as there are books, even if the Internet isn't available, boredom is self-depreciating. It doesn't exist unless one is boring.

Okay, I've finished thinking out loud. I'm rambling and will close here. Be well and take special care. See ya tomorrow! B'bye...

Glory in the House

Happy Sunday! I'm still singing! I'm heading to the shower to go to the second worship service. I stayed up too late last night to make it to the first service.

I hope you're excited when it's time for praise, worship and fellowship. I get so excited when driving to church that I have to make a conscientious effort NOT to speed! I say to you without exaggeration, each time I have been stopped for speeding while under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, I have been either given a verbal or written warning. The last office asked me to turn my music down, I was so caught up! *laughing* The thought of a ticket brought me back from the heavens, admittedly. That time, I wasn't speeding as I saw the officer, passed him. He was not being honest and the Lord handled it for me. When I'm guilty, I want to smack myself. When I'm not, I want to smack the officer but wouldn't dare!

Be blessed today. I gotta jet! I pray His Shekinah Glory fall over the house today. (House of worship)I pray you witness and bear witness to our AWESOME God today and always!

Hugs! Pray for me!

IJusWannaSing

Like Musiq Soulchild, I just want to sing. It's been more than singing, incidently. There have been praise, exhortation and worship. I wanted to go downtown to Artisphere(The International Arts Festival of Greenville) but the weather didn't cooperate enough for me to go out in the rain under overcast skies. Someone will tell me it stopped raining [early] downtown and I missed a great festival. Oh well...

By staying inside, the Son was shining and my persona was radiant and not gloomy. I, therefore, do not feel I missed a thing! There was a bit of moisture because I tend to become teary-eyed when in His presence at unpredictable levels of intimacy.

Before closing, we want to let you know the launch was a great success! What measuring stick did we use to determine its success or failure? How'd we guage its success? We were given a vision and we were obedient. We did what we were divinely instructed to do. That is success!

You have no idea, or you probably do; because serving God you know the setbacks, interferences, challenges, struggles and overt audacity of the enemy to sabotage God's work.* Knowing no weapon formed against us will not prosper is sweet comfort. The Lord did it anyway and we give Him praise.

We intentionally omitted a "Guest book" on the site because all praise goes to the Lord. We appreciate the best wishes and congratulations received via email, especially from our cousin, Cherrie. We desire for the site to bless everyone. It's our desire every life our life touches is blessed. All we wish to do is bring glory to His name.

We thank all of you for being family. Now, back to singing...

*Have you ever heard Mike Murdock sing: "How dumb thou art. How duummmb thou art!" That's what the enemy is [dumb!] when it comes messing with the children of God.

Launch Day of My Favorite Ministries

"As hard as it is, be patient, trust Him, and let God use you in this time. I try to remember that even the strongest of plants and trees grow better when pruned and trimmed. Who knows for what you're being molded at this moment? Be comforted in Jeremiah 29:11:

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and I will bring you back from captivity."
______________________________________

Words received [yesterday] from someone I met on Monday, April 14th. I was blessed by her wisdom and sharing it because you may need encouragement as well.

The site officially launches today! I've had four hours of sleep. There was no need for me to stay awake other than I didn't try to extinguish the excitement. I let fatigue run its course and excitement lost. I climbed into bed at 3:33AM.

Be encouraged. I Am!

"Let Go And Let God!"

by Helen Steiner Rice

When you're troubled and worried
and sick at heart

And your plans are upset
and your world falls apart,

Remember God's ready
and waiting to share

The burden you find
much too heavy to bear—

So with faith, "Let Go"
and "Let God" lead the way

Into a brighter
and less trouble day.

© 1978

Anxiety vs Nervous Excitement!

The site (My Favorite Ministries) will launch on Friday, the 18th! It's not anxiety I'm feeling but excitement! This week, I've tried not to write about anything that's going on but as you can see, I've found that impossible!

The site was to be launched on Good Friday but the Sunday before, it crashed! Yikes! It was down for a week. And it was all my doing, not intentionally, of course. You see, I am not a programmer into code and all that stuff. Yes, I built the site but with divine guidance and help from a number of great men! They are from around the world, literally. One in FL ended up in South Africa; one in California, two in Vietnam, one in Australia and Poland, and one in upstate New York. Now, I'm working with one in India as the countdown to LAUNCH intensifies!

Oh yes, I forgot about the one in Portland and the other one in London who helped. I have left someone out, I just know it. It's been a fabulously exciting, challenging, fun, educational and mind altering experience. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat because as always, the Lord has been with me from the very beginning. The hours logged in have been filled with prayer, praise, singing, humming, tears, laughter, happy dancing, lower-back and neck pain, droopy eyes and screams!

Fortunately I live alone, eh? When the Lord gives us a vision, as Bishop Jakes' and others have said, He makes provision. So many have seeded into this Ministry for which we are grateful. It's been a direct result of having seeded into the Ministry of others.

There's not too much left to be done but the site will never be "finished." It's a labor of love. My Favorite Ministries will bless others and create employment opportunities. The Lord is glorified in everything we do!

There is nervous excitement! It's a wonderful feeling. We ask for your prayers. There's so much more to come and we give thanks!

My Mother and "a God like this"

Mother's Day will be celebrated on May 11th this year. You are so very blessed if your mom is living. I pray you have a loving relationship with her. I'm missing 'mother' today more than usual. It seems she's never far from my thoughts but today, she's right here!

There was that unsettled feeling in my spirit which I couldn't identify. I prayed but not specifically about it as subconsciously, I was not going to deal with it. I'm laughing softly because I whispered, "the Lord rebukes you" just in case it was the enemy.

I remember Bishop Mark Chironna saying that is what we [Christians] do. We'll rebuke the devil and in five minutes, s/he's back again! Isn't that so very true? I began humming in praise and adoration. The unsettled feeling dissipated and the reason for it being there was revealed.

I received an email from a cousin in Atlanta about family events happening today and the rest of the month. Her mother's birthday and passing were some years ago, this month. Also, I added an event to the site [My Favorite Ministries] earlier from a church in Detroit. It was a "Mother's Day Contest." I would enter my deceased mother but the winner has to be present at their 10:00AM worship service on Mother's Day.

Mother's been gone since 1979 but those whose mother is no longer living can relate to this. There are days when it seems like her passing just happened. That day, December 19, 1979 I recall vividly. I grieved as did my siblings and many others who knew and loved our mother. In fact, many called her mother as we did. What gave me peace and immediately stopped the tears were John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life." Mother was a believer. I am a believer because of her.

She is not physically present but to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. She lived for Christ. She set an example for anyone. She was and still is my spiritual role model. I am missing her today but comforted by the same God she served from 1951 to 1979. He has not changed.

As mother would say, "who wouldn't serve a God like this?" My mother is the late Viola P. Ward. She was a Proverbs 31 woman.

Are You a "One a Day" Christian?

Glancing at the One A Day bottle on the desk, a thought or two, came to mind. This tablet claims to support "your metabolism and convert food to energy." It's "a complete multi-vitamin and more!" Of course, there is an asterik next to these claims.

The asterik lets you know there's a disclaimer somewhere. It alerts you to the area where something is missing, lacking or perhaps hasn't been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for such claims to be the absolute truth.

This company has conducted clinical trials and found their claims to be true. I'm reminded of The One put on trial and the claims against Him were not proven. No fault was found in Him yet He was found guilty so that the scriptures might be fulfilled. You know His-story. (If you do not know the story of Jesus, click the My Favorite Ministries link to the right. Contact any ministry listed and you will be introduced to Him.)

I do not take this tablet consistently each day. Is that the reason I do not feel a boost in my metabolism at times? Am I placing too much trust in a pill to do what it claims it'll do and over exerting myself? Do we do the same thing when it comes to serving the Lord?

Do you pray, praise, give thanks, give to others, show kindness, or glorify His name, just once a day?

We should check the label (Bible) and make sure we're getting our daily recommended allowance. There is no need to be concerned about any serious side effects. The enemy should be concerned about them, however. We cannot overdose but can become malnourished and gravely ill unto death if we do not follow the directions given in the Word.

No prescription is required. It's an over the counter solution to all our ailments, conditions, dysfunctions and dis-eases that is ours only for the asking.

Are you a "One a Day" Christian?

A Storm is Passing Over

Exhausted and not ashamed, I climbed into bed at 8:03 last evening. My natural body rhythm makes me a nightowl but I succumbed to what I needed, rest. As usual, I fell asleep praying and cocooned in my Savior's arms. Sleep was good. Resting was even better.

I was awakened to lightning flashes and rollin' thunder. As usual, I gave thanks to the Lord in a semi-coherent state. I rushed to the other room (office) and powered down the computer. A native Floridian, I've lived in the lightning capital of the world! Experiencing a fried modem is not enjoyable. Using a surge protector up to 9000 joules is no guarantee it won't happen again. Fortunately, the losses have only been relatively inexpensive pieces of hardware.

Moving on auto-pilot, I did what was required to safeguard equipment and precious files. I glanced at the clock to learn it was 10:35 and I had only been asleep for roughly two and a half hours. The house was a mass of flashing light . . . going from semi-darkness to brilliant radiance! The rain was fierce and the wind showed very little mercy with its determined force.

Finally, the system was off and as I walked into my bedroom, I thought how the storms we experience in life are similiar to those of nature. Storms are transient yet violent because of their potential for great destruction. You know this.

I spoke to the Lord about both storms. I prayed for safety and care for those experiencing both types. I, in effect, was praying for myself, as well. His presence overpowered the natural elements and nature's furor was quieted. It didn't happen suddenly but gradually over what seemed liked five minutes.

Am I saying you my prayer quieted the storm? Yes, it quieted the storm in my life. My prayer was the Word of God on another level of my relationship with Him. It's too intimate to share in detail; however, I do want you to believe in God's word for your storms. Speak to them. Receive by faith the gift of peace. Give praise for answered prayer on behalf of others and yourself.

Although exhausted, I was at peace before falling asleep. During this prayer, new scriptures were revealed to mind so that I could speak His word during this storm.

When we go through the valley, it's just a storm passing over if we speak the Word of God to it. If we don't, we'll stay in the valley and the storm will hover until we do.

I encourage you to let the storms in your life pass. Until they do, give thanks and praise Him for what He's doing in your life. He's always blessing us!

Happy weekend!

Agreement

Don't you just love it when you're in thought over something, meditating on it because you know the inspiration came from outside of yourself into your consciousness? You are keenly aware of His divine presence. You know He is bestowing blessings upon you. You also know He wants you to share these moments of clarity which aren't selfishly for you alone.

I believe this happens when we seek the Lord with all we are in Him. Sharing beliefs which are based on the Word of God through interpretation, His anointing, the impartation received from other anointed believers and those called with different giftings [than mine] are not being shared to exhort or exalt myself. Au contrairé!

I've lived with/through dysfunctions and issues as much as the next person, but for the blood of Jesus and the grace of God I would still be in bondage. I accepted His gift and receive his tender mercies each day. I repent daily and do my best to let the Holy Spirit dominate my every thought. God cries foul and 'fixes' me until He has to fix me again.



What I want to share is not about me but Christ that lives inside of me. He amazes me all the time, especially when He sends Agreement!

A telephone conversation with an Elder last evening was in Agreement with what the Lord had spoken to me less than half an hour before the call. He approached the subject of the Agreement without knowing the fellowship I had with the Lord prior to the call.

This morning while doin gmy makeup and hair, I listened to two television Ministries, Andrew Womack and Joyce Meyer, who covered the same area where Agreement had already been confirmed.

The subject of Agreement had to do with correction. When I experience 'challenges' I always look within first, for the enemy. I ask the Lord to reveal where my shortcomings are and where I need to excel more to do all I can in being more Christ-like.

Last evening, He revealed to me three areas which I'll post in more detail in the future: Leathal Weapon, Healing and Emotions. When Agreement comes, I don't know about you but I get a spiritual rush! I'm transcended by the Holy Spirit into His presence. I was never a "cry baby" but in the Spirit, I wail! Tears of joy flow freely when I am in the presence of the Lord. It's not like this all the time. Sometimes I'm rendered speechless quite a feat for me. I remember what "they used to say" in church when I was a kid, "He understands our groans." I'm a very good groaner and moaner in the spirit! *laughing*

I don't always get it right but unlike days gone by, I don't permit guilt to stagnate me. I pray you seek Him while He can be found because there will come a time when it will be too late. I will come into Agreement with you by faith, in your search. Christ isn't lost.

The Natural Combined with the Spiritual

All of us enjoy things that are fresh. Whether the thing is something we consume, wear, read, smell, or visualize, we want freshness! A building in dire need of repair— a fresh coat of paint, new fascia, soffit and eaves, gutters and downspouts gives the building a boast and it will no longer be the eyesore on the block.

A freshly drycleaned linen outfit makes you feel great slipping into it and going out for the afternoon or evening. Arriving at your destination is best when you're leaving your hotel suite and taking the elevator downstairs to the restaurant or a meeting room. Linen wrinkles terribly, as you know, and is best worn when you can remain vertical for some time and not seated or traveling.

Stale bread is absolutely horrible and should only be fed to the birds, ducks, squirrels and the like. A Christian who is not only spiritually mature but chronologically as well, knows the Word of God is always fresh! We've learned it gets better with time because of the wisdom we have acquired over the years.

I'm an innately happy, cheerful person with a positve attitude. It's my natural deameanor. I'm also a chatterbox and for that reason, I make a conscientious effort to be a good communicator by being a good listener, as well.

When you combine living for Christ with this type of personality, it can drive those who are not like us, to the brink of rudeness! Combining this natural personality with our spiritual countenance and you have someone who has a fresh word about everything! We don't intend to make others around us nuts but anyone challenging me to "come up a little higher" for the Lord's sake is welcome in my life!

Family, friends and acquaintances can recognize when I'm feeling defeated. Thankfully, it's not perennial but fleeting and occasional. We are constantly doing battle with the enemy. But I say, the enemy is constantly doing battle with sold-out Christians! We've sold-out to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

What am I exuding in my spirit for others to know I'm in a battle of some sort? I'm quiet, moreso than usual. It's during those times when praying without ceasing is the top priority. I become distracted by conversations that are not about "the goodness of the Lord." I've learned it's at those time the enemy doesn't want me to hear from the Lord. So, like the Apostle Paul, we are to press toward the mark of a higher calling.

We're given natural abilities to combine with spiritual giftings to be of good cheer (at all times) and help build the kingdom of God. Positive people serving the Lord make positive Christians. What's wrong with that?