“My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body. Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” Proverbs 4:20-23

Call to me. Come to me. Do not deny yourself time with me. You are on a journey and you need food for your trip, clothing for your back, and oil for your head. Don’t go out in my name without a fresh taste of my Spirit. Just as your body needs living food that is fresh and not molded, you need a fresh word from me everyday. Keep your spirit strong through rest, exercise, and eating of spiritual food.

Just as you rise and take care of your physical body, take care of your spiritual man. Wash yourself with the cleansing of my blood, clothe yourself with power from on high, and eat of my word which will make you strong. Meet with me for instructions and let my love flow through your heart so you’ll forget yourself and know the one who’s sending you. I’ll take care of the rest. All you have to do is show up. Everything you need will be inside of you. Just draw it out when you need it.

One more thing.

There will be traps set by men and demons but man has forgotten who I AM. As long as you don’t forget, you’ll avoid them. When they are in front of you, walk through them. When they are to your left, right or behind you, walk forward. Always move forward. I will give you my compass.

“And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master’s table.” Matthew 15:27

My church has been like a dog waiting and begging for me to throw them a crumb out of my mercy. I’m calling them to rise up off the threshing floor and take their place at my table. The feast is before them – it is my body and my blood. They will never hunger or thirst again.

There is plenty of room at my table. I never run out of chairs and my Father never runs out of food. Don’t let the feast spoil by lying and waiting for the crumb. The Master is disappointed that the seats are empty.

There are broken chords everywhere. My people are talking to the air. Their words are many and elegant but they are not connected to Me. My heart is broken because they have made it a game. They shout and they dance when they call out My name. But where are the worshippers who know Me? Where are those who long to walk close by My side? Even those who are passionate about Me don’t know Me. As My call is heard in the earth, the echoes of the rocks are fuller of My Word than my children. There is no faith because My sheep have wandered from My gate.

You will make my Word first priority by looking at it as a precious stone. How do you treat a precious stone? You search it out, wash it and polish it. Now it is yours. You make a special place for it and show it off so that all may enjoy its brilliance. Every time you look or meditate on it you are aware of its great worth. It is yours to keep and treasure.

In the same way, bring my Word into your life. Read it and meditate on it, washing your mind with my Words. Allow my Word to polish and refine you. Then you may take it and wear it proudly. Always explain to the world the great worth that you feel comes from the treasures I have placed inside your heart. My Word’s brilliance will shine for others to see and enjoy. They will also search for this precious stone. Lead them to my Word. Most importantly lead them to the wonders of my creation, to my finished work on the cross, to my resurrection, and to my return.

Remember that my Word is a creative miracle, a powerful force straight from the lips of the Father. It is the same force that created the earth and all that’s in it. If my Words can create all that you see, do not limit their power.

There is an invisible realm that surrounds you. This realm is the place where I make my Word come to pass. I want you to start seeing with the eyes of your spirit. When you can see with your spirit you will believe the reality of my Word. It’s not enough to speak my Words out of a Bible. I have to speak through you and that means we have to be connected. Everyday you have to die so that I can live. Everyday say “I am dead but Christ lives in me.” Imagine the Spirit of God moving your lips, your hands, your feet and your heart. I will breathe my life into you. You will be fully alive.

We had a busy Saturday planned. It could be a fast-paced, exhausting day that passes in a blur or it could be a day to be thankful and notice the miraculous. The boys and I prayed for the Lord to show us things to be thankful for throughout the day, miracles we might otherwise overlook. Right after praying that my youngest son pointed at the vibrant pink and white azalea bushes outside our dining room window. He wanted to know what they were because he thought they were beautiful. Then he noticed the neighbor’s horses, galloping around and neighing in the fenced-in pen by their house. It was like a postcard. God answers prayer, fast.

We went to the park, my sons eagerly looking for wild animals and, of course, dinosaurs. We noticed caterpillars and followed what seemed to be a trail of them along a path. Just as I was explaining that they become butterflies we came upon the most stunning blue and black butterfly perched on the ground, completely still except for his slowly fluttering wings. My boys were amazed. I was thankful!

We continued on the path and were amazed when we saw a gorgeous yellow and green box turtle ambling across our way. Sam and Elijah were enthralled. Just then a jogger and her two dogs came by, startling our little turtle who quickly ducked into his shell. My boys had never seen a turtle do that before. It was as if God were putting on a nature show for us. I began to wonder what we would see next.

I’ve always had good intentions of starting my own vegetable garden. The past three summers have been full of half-hearted attempts and some successes but this is the year for my vegetable garden dreams to come true, I can feel it.

Yesterday afternoon, I headed out the door and to the local hardware store to pick up the tiller that would start it all. I get home and my husband Austin is ready to head out the door to do the tilling for me. Oh no, no, no. This is my baby. So I get on some tennis shoes and haul that tiller around the back of the house towards my garden plot. Big surprise…this tilling thing is a lot harder than it looks. After wrestling it for over an hour with little results, my dear neighbor comes over and tells me I’m going to kill myself digging at the dry ground during the hottest time of the day without putting any water on the soil. No kidding…I’m already half way there. He lends me his sprinkler and I go inside for a break. After 20 minutes or so, Austin shows some mercy and offers to head back out and work on it for awhile. (Although I think he was more than slightly amused watching the epic battle of Andrea vs. The Tiller out the back window, especially after my macho attitude.) Tilling proves to be much easier when the soil is soft…who knew?

There are many Biblical parallels with my tilling experience, but the whole time I was out there yesterday and even through today, the Proverbs 31 woman has been on my mind. I like to call her “Grace” because that is how she lived her life…with grace.

Proverbs 31: 10-17 says “A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.”

I can imagine her getting up before dawn to start a fire to cook breakfast. I can picture her placing a jar on her head and starting the journey to the well to bring back the water to prepare a meal for her husband before he heads off to tend to the animals and fields before meeting with the elders of the land. I can see her walking the worn path from the well to the garden again and again as the sun begins to rise to deliver the life-giving water for the plants that are so essential to the life of her family. I see her gently picking out weeds and staking her tomato plants…all before her family has risen from bed. Perhaps she is carrying her young baby in a sling, nursing him along the way. Then she returns to the tents, checks on the fire and pops inside to wake her children, tenderly kissing them with her sweat stained lips. And this is only the beginning of her day. There are still meals to prepare from scratch, clothes to make and wash by hand, children to teach, younger women and mothers to counsel, business trading to conduct, and at the end of the day, she pauses and finds the time and energy to pray with her husband and spend some intimate time with him.

She truly amazes me. I wish I could spend one day alongside her asking how she does it all with a smile on her face and peace in her heart. But in reality, I know how she does it. It is not out of her own strength, it was only through the strength of God. I bet she was a woman who knew her weaknesses and daily placed them in the Father’s hands. She feared the Lord and depended on Him every moment of every day. So much that in verses 28-31 we learn that “Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: ‘ Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.’ Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”

When you feel like you are hitting your head against a brick wall, it’s because an enemy is against you that you cannot fight in your own strength. Put your armor on – this is no time to show up for the battle naked. Don’t become a casualty because of your pride. Pride only makes you weaker and your enemy gains an advantage over you. When you are frustrated, come to me for the battle plan. When you want to scream, cry to me instead. When you are drowning, stop fighting and reach for my hand.

My Armor

The Helmet of Salvation

You can be confident of your salvation. Your helmet will not come off unless you take it off. Continue to walk in my ways and my grace will cover you.

Breastplate of Righteousness

Remember you can not be righteous apart from me so stay connected to me. My blood makes you righteous – your job is to believe that, stay close to me and put away those things that I hate.

Shield of Faith

This is a piece of protection that you must build up with the tools that I have given you. Every Christian has a shield of faith but it will only work if you believe my words are true. You must do two things – read my word and let it penetrate your heart (not once but over and over). Second, you must turn away from things that disagree with my word. This shield becomes stronger as it is used. Compare it to your feet becoming hardened by walking on a rough surface. When you lay this weapon down and pick up your own weapons, it starts to become soft. This will leave you vulnerable to attack and exhausted from labor. Sometimes you must be a shield to someone who is weaker or stand behind someone who is stronger. This is not a permanent solution – every Christian must built up his own shield.

Belt of Truth

Your belt works with your shield of faith – it encircles you so that you cannot be moved in any direction. It protects you from loosing hope and becoming discouraged.

Sword of the Spirit

With my word you will be able to cut any lie into tiny pieces. Take my word with you everywhere you go. Use it to defeat any foe – no lie can stand up against it. Use it to comfort, to encourage, to strengthen, to heal, to bring clarity, to bring reconciliation and to draw every nation to me.

Your Feet

You must be ready to bring my peace wherever you go. Your feet must be ready to walk, ready to leap, ready to stomp, ready to run, ready to dance and ready to kneel.

You are connected to me through your prayers. Remember the position I am in and where I am seated when you pray. Imagine yourself there with me when you pray because you are that close.

When I say, “Get up and walk,” it is because my voice is pure. Everything on the earth recognizes my voice because I have called all things together when I created them. My voice is on a different frequency than yours is. Every fiber of my being believes my Father. There is no doubt, no hesitation. It’s not the size of your faith; it’s the purity of your faith. Who are you giving your heart to – the created or the creator? If you choose man, there will be some wisdom you will receive – I have given man wisdom. I have revealed my creation to him, although some have chosen to stick their heads in the sand for whole generations. If you choose me, you will stumble at first because your faith legs are not fully developed.

There will be a time when you will rely on the wisdom I have given you to survive while your spirit is being strengthened step by step through your God faith. Then one day you will look around and no man will have answers but you will know the truth because of your relationship with me.

I was not quite sure of the process but I knew that I had some very special oil in my cupboard and that I would just follow the spirits leading. After all, if God placed it in my spirit to do then he would tell me exactly how to do it. I listened quietly as I moved about the room. Listening for the still small voice, I did exactly what He told me and I ended with the prayer on healing from the book PRAYERS THAT AVAIL MUCH FOR WOMEN.

As I blew out the candle that had served as a part of my sanctuary I was touched by the deep sense of peace I felt! My soul recited familiar portions of scripture; “I will never leave you or forsake you. I am the Lord God almighty, Savior and King, Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, those who believe in me shall have life everlasting.”

I showered, dressed and then began the drive to the imaging center. My Sweetie called as I was driving to say that he was thinking and praying for me. I told him what the Spirit had led me to do. He listened quietly and said “Um hm.“

Traffic was heavy but I arrived on time with a minute to spare. After completing the questionnaire, I was ushered back to the dressing room to put on a “not so bad” soft blue cotton gown that did a better job than most to cover up the hind parts!

My technician said her name was Aimee pronounced A’me. I was impressed by her kindness and willingness to make sure I understood what she was going to do. She started my IV. Then we walked down the hall into a room that resembled a chamber.

In the center of the room was the MRI. It was cylinder in shape and looked oddly comforting to me. The room was warm and comfy. I climbed onto the table and made myself comfortable. Instantly, the Holy Spirit began popping names of people I knew who needed prayer. I was aware that the tech was announcing each series of images. But I just kept on praying…and before I knew it Aimee said that the contrast dye would be entering my body. I felt a cool sensation initially followed by a warm flush in the center of my body. Another loud burst of sonar like noises followed by clicks and knocks. Then, shortly thereafter she said “We’re all done, you did great!”

The following week I met with Dr. Ahmed for the results of the MRI. “Everything is clear in the right breast and under your arm of the left breast he said smiling. The only issue is the very small cyst in the duct of the left breast. ““PRAISE GOD”, I exclaimed!

We laughed and talked about the advancements in medicine and how technology has changed the way we perform our jobs. He explained my surgery and what he expected, looked at his watch and said, “I will be in trouble with my staff for talking so long” and with that he was gone. I looked skyward and uttered a prayer “Lord, thank you for a wonderful surgeon!”

I spent the next few weeks preparing for the surgery. I felt in my heart of hearts that I had nothing to worry about. In fact I refused to be concerned in the least. God had sent his word to heal me and that was what I was holding on to!

The evening before the surgery family and friends called to pray. My Sweetie and I had a nice quiet supper and he prayed a prayer that deeply touched me. The morning of surgery family gathered with us along with my Pastor and close girl friends in the ministry; we all held hands and prayed for God’s guidance protection and peace.

Needless to say the surgery went well. Dr. Ahmed said the cyst was easy to extract and that he was pleased with the procedure.

I can honestly say that I do not feel I have been given a diagnosis of cancer. Just as the water swirls in the porcelain bowl and is out of sight with the flush of a handle; the thought of cancer was dispelled when I recited this reading from Prayers that Avail Much for Women: My body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and I desire to be in good health. I seek truth that will make me free-both spiritual and natural (good eating habits, medication if necessary and appropriate rest and exercise.) You bought me at a price and I desire to glorify you in my spirit and my body – they both belong to you.

Thank you, Father for sending Your word to heal me and deliver me from my destructions. Jesus, You are the Word who became flesh and dwelt among us.
You bore my grief (pain) and carried my sorrows (sickness.) You were pierced through for my transgressions, crushed for my iniquities, the chastening for my wellbeing fell upon You and by Your scouring I am healed!