Today's supernatural story is from my sweet Grandma Mary Jane! A video of her sharing her testimony is found by following this link Grandma's Supernatural Story ❤️
This woman has a deep faith and inspires me in so many ways! I hope you take the time to follow the link and hear her share her story!
Thanks for following, sharing, and sharing your own testimonies this summer!
Blessings sweet friends! May we all see Gods mighty hand at work in a new way!
-Abi
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Monday, June 27, 2016
Day Fifteen
Have you ever thought of all the bad things that could happen to you or your loved ones in life, and feel that you would be at complete peace amidst the situation knowing that God loves us all so much and is in full control no matter what? I didn’t know what my future held, but my faith was about to be tested... Prior to my life-altering news, I remember conversations I had over the years with friends and family who were fearful of the unknown and what could happen to them or their loved ones. I expressed to them how I had such peace when I reflected on what could happen to me or those that I loved whatever the circumstance might be.
In the 12th year of marriage to my incredible husband, Ben, along with our two children, Kaitlyn (4) and Daniel (2), we received news that would change our lives forever. On August 21, 2009, a day before my 32nd birthday, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
I found a lump under my left arm and had it checked out. They did an ultrasound, blood work, biopsies, PET scan, and two bone marrow biopsies and determined that it was Stage 4 after finding cancer in my bone marrow. From the time that I received the diagnosis from the Doctor, I had complete peace that passes all understanding. I felt the same amount of joy at that very moment as I had before I ever received the diagnosis. I knew that it was only because of Christ, and not that of myself.
Not once did I pray for God's healing in my journey with cancer, but for His will do be done. I wanted as many people and unsaved friends to see Christ and be able to know Him personally. I knew that God was in control whether He wanted me to live or die, and what would bring Him more glory.
He has a huge purpose for each of our lives, and we don't know his ways that He will use us. 
,
After eight rounds of chemotherapy and two years of maintenance chemo I was told that I was in
remission. Thanks to the Lord, I am living today to share my story with others, and to give God the glory. I am so thankful for all that He has done in my life.
A year and a half before my cancer diagnosis, Ben and I had talked about having one more child, and Ben always said we would have a little girl, and we picked out the name Sophia Grace. We didn't know if we would be able to have another child because of the chemo that I had undergone, but Ben and I prayed about it and decided we would like another child if God saw fit. On August 21, 2014, exactly five years to the date that I received my cancer diagnosis, Ben and I welcomed Sophia Grace into our lives. She has been our miracle baby, and we thank the Lord for allowing us to be her parents. My oncology nurses could not believe that I was able to have a baby after the chemo that they had administered to me during those treatments.
I know that nothing is impossible with God.
My goal is to continue to give God the praise and glory throughout my life until the day I meet Him.
This journey that we walked made me a stronger person, and it made my walk with the Lord closer to Him than ever before. It also has given me more opportunities to shine for him. For any of you who might be in the midst of these kinds of situations now, here are some truths from God’s word that blessed me during that time in my life.
Isaiah 43:1-3 He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel, fear not for I have redeemed you. I have summoned you by name, you are mine. When you walk through the waters I will be with you, when you pass through the mighty rivers they will not sweep over you, when you walk through the fire you will not be scorched, nor will the flames burn you, for I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
Jeremiah 17:7-9 But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose confidence is in Him. He will be like a tree planted by the waters, that sends out it roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes, but its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to produce fruit.
Supernatural Story by Amy Beachy
Thursday, June 23, 2016
Day Fourteen
Our family used to take a week + vacation by going to a great friend in New Jersey to stay and visit with her family and go to the ocean for a few days, then drive home and repack for a grand cabin extravaganza. It is quite a chore packing for a large family and getting all of us into the suburban around 10 pm at night, and only then starting to drive to the ocean. It can be a daunting task for a mom, but that was our routine. So- off we went in the dark of night towards the shore. However, a little over an hour into the trip we experienced an incredible event. In Philadelphia near the Walt Whitman Bridge, my husband observed a car driving exceptionally erratic and traveling at a high speed as it passed by us. ( For any of you familiar with my hubby's driving patterns-you know that means F A S T !!! ) Joe was startled and was "ooooohing" and "oh my goshing", which grabbed my groggy attention. We both proceeded to watch as this car almost smashed into another car, but narrowly missed by instead slamming into the cement median and proceeding to slide semi-sideways down the road before crashing and setting off sparks. It was a WILD SCENE and our adrenaline was pumping. We got to a safe stop just before the crash and pulled off the side of the road. Instincts and training took over for us both as we called 911 and proceeded to do our jobs. Joe checked out people medically, and I used a flashlight and directed traffic to keep from further incidents occurring as car parts were strewn all over the road. About 60 minutes went by and professional help was on the scene, we had given our accounts, and off to the ocean we went. Exhaustion set in and it was the middle of the night till we got settled in with our friends.
The next morning I realized I couldn't see my watch and rings in my gear. I searched during the course of the next few days looking thoroughly in the car and throughout all our suitcases, but NO WATCH OR RINGS! I was bummed and very upset with myself, but tried to apply grace knowing in our frantic rush to leave home I must have taken them off right before leaving and forgotten them there. I would find them when we drove home to switch gear before leaving for the cabin. But when we got home and I looked-NO RINGS OR WATCH BAND!!! I only searched for about 30 minutes knowing we wanted to head to the cabin, and I would find them in our bags while at the cabin, back at home after we got back from vacation, or my friend would find them at her home in New Jersey.
Alas.... Days went by, vacation came to a close, everyone checked-rechecked, and checked ALL THEIR GEAR AGAIN, and still no wedding band or rings to be found. Home from the cabin and by now about nine days had elapsed since my last sure remembrance of wearing my watch and rings. I felt embarrassed, stupid, like I totally disappointed my husband, and sad to have lost something so valuable emotionally and financially!!!! My hubby was kind, but I could tell he was so sad too. More days went by and all along we had been praying, but no watch or rings in sight. Finally, about a week after being home, our whole family was sitting in the living room talking and a wave of sadness and shame swept over me. I excused myself back to the bedroom to take a shower, (cry by myself without others knowing).
In the shower I asked the LORD to please show me mercy and to give me a picture of when or where I lost my watch band with my rings attached to it. Within a few minutes I saw this mental picture of us being in Philadelphia at that crash scene. I saw myself jump out of the car and my watch and rings falling off my lap onto the side of the road. That made sense, it could be...
Quickly I came bouncing out to the family and interjected into the lively conversation that I think GOD just showed me where my rings were. I gave a brief description, but literally it was as if NO ONE cared or believed me. Talk went right back and I dejectedly ignored my own thoughts too. But someone who loves me VERY MUCH, someone who believes in me when I say I think I hear GOD, was listening attentively!!!
I got up the next morning for church, came into the bathroom to see my husband smiling from ear to ear and humming while he was shaving. My mind was quite inquisitive by now because my hubby just couldn't stop smiling. He asked me to guess where he just came from. "Dunkin Doughnuts, NO!", and a giggle. "Evergreen for breakfast?" "No!" I then told him I had NO IDEA, to which he said, " Philadelphia." "Why would you get up extra early to drive to........ You didn't?" " I did, and look what I found just like you said!!!!!" Then he held up my watch band with my rings attached onto it! "I listened to Phil Keagy's greatest hits and prayed the whole time driving down believing I would find the rings!", and indeed he did!
My faithful husband drove all the way to the exact location of the accident, which was still fairly easy to find due to the major damage and skid marks on the median, plus the accident had taken place right before entering the pre-ramps to the bridge area. We had had a few storms during the nearly two weeks since the accident, and a horrendous flooding torrential downpour just three nights earlier which had soaked the entire region including Philadelphia! My JOE got out and looked up and down the road and sides where we had parked. No rings. He searched and searched. Finally, believing I HAD heard GOD correctly, and believing He was supposed to drive and find them, Joe prayed more as he made his last ditch attempt to locate that watch and ring set. He decided to walk about 50-100 yards further than where we were parked and to look down into the very last sewer drain on the highway before the ramps-literally the last one.
He peered down into this deep drainage area through the bars and spotted something glittery and reflective hanging onto the bottom of a small tree branch whose others end was caught at the top of the grate. YES - YOU READ CORRECTLY! Many yards from where we stopped, at literally the last drainage hole, hanging onto a tree branch, that was stuck in the sewer bars, hanging ever so fragile, after torrential downpours and weeks elapsing WAS MY WATCH BAND HOLDING MY RINGS!!!!!!!!! Joe gently grabbed the branch and wiggled those rings and band into his hand! My husband recovered my keys-ya know- the ones JESUS or some angel placed just perfectly for him to find and recover!!!! Now as Eagles fans we love the "Miracle at the Meadowlands", but from the time my husband found my rings on, we refer to this event as the "Miracle at the Vet" (former Eagles stadium). So what's the miracle.... That we were there late to help people stay alive and keep others from an accident, seeing or hearing from GOD mentally to know where to look, hearing from GOD to expand the search area, or actually finding the watch band and rings after such bad weather and a long time? You tell me...
Story by Marilou Strangarity
The next morning I realized I couldn't see my watch and rings in my gear. I searched during the course of the next few days looking thoroughly in the car and throughout all our suitcases, but NO WATCH OR RINGS! I was bummed and very upset with myself, but tried to apply grace knowing in our frantic rush to leave home I must have taken them off right before leaving and forgotten them there. I would find them when we drove home to switch gear before leaving for the cabin. But when we got home and I looked-NO RINGS OR WATCH BAND!!! I only searched for about 30 minutes knowing we wanted to head to the cabin, and I would find them in our bags while at the cabin, back at home after we got back from vacation, or my friend would find them at her home in New Jersey.
Alas.... Days went by, vacation came to a close, everyone checked-rechecked, and checked ALL THEIR GEAR AGAIN, and still no wedding band or rings to be found. Home from the cabin and by now about nine days had elapsed since my last sure remembrance of wearing my watch and rings. I felt embarrassed, stupid, like I totally disappointed my husband, and sad to have lost something so valuable emotionally and financially!!!! My hubby was kind, but I could tell he was so sad too. More days went by and all along we had been praying, but no watch or rings in sight. Finally, about a week after being home, our whole family was sitting in the living room talking and a wave of sadness and shame swept over me. I excused myself back to the bedroom to take a shower, (cry by myself without others knowing).
In the shower I asked the LORD to please show me mercy and to give me a picture of when or where I lost my watch band with my rings attached to it. Within a few minutes I saw this mental picture of us being in Philadelphia at that crash scene. I saw myself jump out of the car and my watch and rings falling off my lap onto the side of the road. That made sense, it could be...
Quickly I came bouncing out to the family and interjected into the lively conversation that I think GOD just showed me where my rings were. I gave a brief description, but literally it was as if NO ONE cared or believed me. Talk went right back and I dejectedly ignored my own thoughts too. But someone who loves me VERY MUCH, someone who believes in me when I say I think I hear GOD, was listening attentively!!!
I got up the next morning for church, came into the bathroom to see my husband smiling from ear to ear and humming while he was shaving. My mind was quite inquisitive by now because my hubby just couldn't stop smiling. He asked me to guess where he just came from. "Dunkin Doughnuts, NO!", and a giggle. "Evergreen for breakfast?" "No!" I then told him I had NO IDEA, to which he said, " Philadelphia." "Why would you get up extra early to drive to........ You didn't?" " I did, and look what I found just like you said!!!!!" Then he held up my watch band with my rings attached onto it! "I listened to Phil Keagy's greatest hits and prayed the whole time driving down believing I would find the rings!", and indeed he did!
My faithful husband drove all the way to the exact location of the accident, which was still fairly easy to find due to the major damage and skid marks on the median, plus the accident had taken place right before entering the pre-ramps to the bridge area. We had had a few storms during the nearly two weeks since the accident, and a horrendous flooding torrential downpour just three nights earlier which had soaked the entire region including Philadelphia! My JOE got out and looked up and down the road and sides where we had parked. No rings. He searched and searched. Finally, believing I HAD heard GOD correctly, and believing He was supposed to drive and find them, Joe prayed more as he made his last ditch attempt to locate that watch and ring set. He decided to walk about 50-100 yards further than where we were parked and to look down into the very last sewer drain on the highway before the ramps-literally the last one.
He peered down into this deep drainage area through the bars and spotted something glittery and reflective hanging onto the bottom of a small tree branch whose others end was caught at the top of the grate. YES - YOU READ CORRECTLY! Many yards from where we stopped, at literally the last drainage hole, hanging onto a tree branch, that was stuck in the sewer bars, hanging ever so fragile, after torrential downpours and weeks elapsing WAS MY WATCH BAND HOLDING MY RINGS!!!!!!!!! Joe gently grabbed the branch and wiggled those rings and band into his hand! My husband recovered my keys-ya know- the ones JESUS or some angel placed just perfectly for him to find and recover!!!! Now as Eagles fans we love the "Miracle at the Meadowlands", but from the time my husband found my rings on, we refer to this event as the "Miracle at the Vet" (former Eagles stadium). So what's the miracle.... That we were there late to help people stay alive and keep others from an accident, seeing or hearing from GOD mentally to know where to look, hearing from GOD to expand the search area, or actually finding the watch band and rings after such bad weather and a long time? You tell me...
Story by Marilou Strangarity
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
Day Thirteen
It seems small. And it seems insignificant. Especially if I am comparing this miraculous answer to prayer to the other supernatural stories we have shared on this blog, so far. But that is the point of this particular story actually.
God is the God of the B I G things AND the "little" things too!
Sean and I were at a friend's wedding. As we drove home our car started acting up. From what we recall, turn singles were causing the four ways to go on, wipers were not functioning, and beeps on the dashboard were going on. This went on for several minutes as we drove. We were angry. We looked at each other and at our car and we both knew we did not have any money to try to fix whatever problem was happening.
That's when my faith (small as a mustard seed) rose up and I looked him right in the eyes and I said, "We need to pray over the car! Our God is the God of the B I G things AND the "little" things too! And if He can heal us, He can heal our car too!"
So, he believed and we held hands and we prayed over our little red Chevy Malibu!
And immediately the beeping stopped, the blinking issue stopped, the wiper issue stopped...
And, we never once had any other issues with the car!
Our God is the God of the B I G things and the "little" things too!
What is it today that seems "little" to you that you need to go to God in faith with, believing He is a God who cares about the "little" things too?!
God is the God of the B I G things AND the "little" things too!
Sean and I were at a friend's wedding. As we drove home our car started acting up. From what we recall, turn singles were causing the four ways to go on, wipers were not functioning, and beeps on the dashboard were going on. This went on for several minutes as we drove. We were angry. We looked at each other and at our car and we both knew we did not have any money to try to fix whatever problem was happening.
That's when my faith (small as a mustard seed) rose up and I looked him right in the eyes and I said, "We need to pray over the car! Our God is the God of the B I G things AND the "little" things too! And if He can heal us, He can heal our car too!"
So, he believed and we held hands and we prayed over our little red Chevy Malibu!
And immediately the beeping stopped, the blinking issue stopped, the wiper issue stopped...
And, we never once had any other issues with the car!
Our God is the God of the B I G things and the "little" things too!
What is it today that seems "little" to you that you need to go to God in faith with, believing He is a God who cares about the "little" things too?!
Sunday, June 12, 2016
Day Twelve
Did you ever wonder how some of those Bible miracles could have happened right before those people’s eyes, and they had no clue what was occurring till it was done? Like, how did a little boy present five loaves of bread and two fish to JESUS and then voila’, twelve baskets of leftovers after feeding 5000 + people. Well I certainly did, and now I have my own personal clue as to one of the possibilities of how those miracles could occur without the people being aware of the supernatural component until it was all over with.
My daughter Rebekah and I went on a mission’s trip to Ecuador. One of the ways the organization (Brio magazine trips with Focus on the Family) fed the large teams was to have each person on the trip bring two jars of peanut butter and two jars of jelly along on the trip. I know this sounds strange, but when you have to feed about 800 people in a third world country who are driving to various locations on buses doing different types of practical work, like painting or building, it stretches the money and outreach capabilities immensely. So each morning every team would grab two loaves of bread, bring one of the team member’s jars of jelly and peanut butter, and grab one piece of fresh fruit for each person on the team. We would make the sandwiches at the hotel before leaving in the morning, then we would go to our assigned outreaches bringing our sandwiches in the bread bags and the rest of our lunch, and the other equipment we needed for each day of work. Each team would pantomime a story using sound equipment and a tape of music sometime during their service work. This time of acting out the story would be followed by testimony time and sharing the gospel to the group we were trying to serve. After nearly two weeks of being together all day and night, our team became very close with our local interpreter. She asked us to consider driving to her family’s little village on the side of a volcano and sharing the gospel through the drama if we had any spare time on our final day of ministry. They were so exceptionally poor and virtually no one had ever even heard about the LORD, nor had someone come to visit them and bring them anything.
We got extremely excited when our morning project finished super early leaving us time to honor her request. As a team, we decided to forego our lunch and share the sandwiches with whomever was available after we shared our drama. We knew it could get a little risky because if a lot of people showed up, and we only had a few sandwiches we might be better off not sharing the food; however, after getting to the village, climbing the steep sides of the volcano to get to the top near her mother’s home, and seeing the severity of the poverty surrounding us, we decided it was worth the risks to share. Every day each of the adults on the teams would divide up the different jobs so no one person would ever do the same thing repetitively. That day happened to be when I was in charge of security and distribution, meaning I knew exactly how many sandwiches we started with because it was my job to count all our supplies and keep track of their coming and going off of and onto the buses at each location of service. (It has been nearly 13 years since this story occurred and I have not found my old journal with the “facts/details”, so I might be remembering the specific numbers wrong. Please forgive me and if you want to read the story as documented years ago, let me know and I will get the magazine article written about this event for you). I counted a couple of times that day before we got to our sight and began our ministry-22 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches-22.
After years of being away from this event, I still remember vividly how psyched everyone was to be at her village and especially to share with her mother and some other close family and friends. None of them knew about JESUS, and they were living in horrible poverty stricken situations. Her mother’s home consisted of a piece of tin with holes in it, no running water, raw sewage running down open ditches between the “homes(shacks)”, and no official door to keep it warm or from storms. The children looked so hungry and some had distended bellies. No shoes or pieces of burlap tied onto their feet. It was one of the poorest places I ever remember being in in all my travels to date. But we had prayed often for her family, and for this opportunity to share what little we had with “her people” and show them the love of JESUS the best we could. We cleaned and picked up broken glass, and fixed what things we could on such short notice. Then we cleared a little area to do our drama, and we began our time of ministry.
While most of the team were busy acting, running the sound equipment, or getting ready to share their testimonies, I sat and protected our gear, backpacks, and the food we were going to share as soon as the drama, testimonies, and sharing time was over. So I prayed and watched. I fought back tears longing for these people to see the true love of CHRIST through our sharing and soon through our practical giving of what we had-our food. I did a tentative head count and it was close to a hundred, so I figured if each youth handed out the sandwiches by breaking them into about ¼’s, we would get close to each person having at least a bite of sandwich. Then I continued to pray and ask the LORD to help protect us and for HIM to pour out HIS presence all around us. Boy….did we ever watch that happen. So many of the people, young and old alike, started crying as they finished watching the drama. Then as the testimonies were being shared, her mother started yelling and crying loudly. It was obvious her mother was really touched by something, but what exactly we didn’t know at the time. Shortly it was becoming our most emotionally impactful day and so much joy as the people were hungry for our love and sharing.
I called our designated team members over to begin handing out the sandwiches. I explained briefly that they should try to break the sandwiches into about 4 pieces each before handing them out so they would spread farther. We joined hands and said a brief prayer out loud over the food simply thanking HIM for these sandwiches and asking the LORD to make it spread and feed the hungry people here. There was no time to be long winded nor take our eyes off all that was occurring because a bigger crowd was coming even as we prayed. I handed out the sandwiches and sent the youth in different directions. Minutes went by-I honestly don’t recall how many, but I know it was at least five or so, when one of the boys called across the crowd to me. “Lou, what should I do with the rest of my sandwiches?” I was stunned and honestly remember thinking to myself, “How hard is it to hand out about 6 sandwiches to a crowd this hungry and this large? What is he possibly doing that he isn’t already done handing out the sandwiches?” I shouted to him telling him to just start handing them out as a whole sandwich and not to worry about breaking the sandwiches into so many small pieces, to which he responded that he had been handing out whole sandwiches for a while already, and he thinks he has more than he did to start.
NOW WHAT IS AN INTELLIGENT PERSON SUPPOSED TO DO WITH THIS INFORMATION OTHER THAN TO SUPPOSE THAT THIS YOUNG INDIVIDUAL ISN’T TOO WITH IT? I MEAN, COME ON, MORE THAN WHEN YOU STARTED? "What do you mean, “ I asked? He yelled the same thing, and almost immediately two other girls started yelling the same things to me from across the crowds. Now I was startled, confused, and just beginning to realize something OTHER WORLDLY WAS OCCURRING! Within a few more seconds each of the youth were expressing the same thoughts. They wanted to know what I wanted them to do with all their sandwiches, and they all said they were handing out whole sandwiches and just couldn’t seem to get rid of them all. So many other supernatural things occurred that afternoon. So many overwhelming emotions flooded our team that day and we literally handed out sandwiches the whole way back down the mountainside. We stripped of as much of our clothing and shoes as we could, we gave away whatever food we had in our backpacks, we pooled the little money we had in our pockets, and YES-we gave away peanut butter and jelly sandwiches until we were out of sight and heading back to our destination. I will NEVER forget counting the two bread bags when we were driving back and having more sandwiches in the bags than when we started-NEVER! I saw a miracle and yet I never saw it at the same time. How did those sandwiches arrive, where did they come from, how was this happening and we were unaware the whole time? I have witnessed this first hand and yet I don’t know how to really explain what I witnessed? All I know is that GOD can use bread and fish AND peanut butter and jelly to feed as many people as HE wishes!
My daughter Rebekah and I went on a mission’s trip to Ecuador. One of the ways the organization (Brio magazine trips with Focus on the Family) fed the large teams was to have each person on the trip bring two jars of peanut butter and two jars of jelly along on the trip. I know this sounds strange, but when you have to feed about 800 people in a third world country who are driving to various locations on buses doing different types of practical work, like painting or building, it stretches the money and outreach capabilities immensely. So each morning every team would grab two loaves of bread, bring one of the team member’s jars of jelly and peanut butter, and grab one piece of fresh fruit for each person on the team. We would make the sandwiches at the hotel before leaving in the morning, then we would go to our assigned outreaches bringing our sandwiches in the bread bags and the rest of our lunch, and the other equipment we needed for each day of work. Each team would pantomime a story using sound equipment and a tape of music sometime during their service work. This time of acting out the story would be followed by testimony time and sharing the gospel to the group we were trying to serve. After nearly two weeks of being together all day and night, our team became very close with our local interpreter. She asked us to consider driving to her family’s little village on the side of a volcano and sharing the gospel through the drama if we had any spare time on our final day of ministry. They were so exceptionally poor and virtually no one had ever even heard about the LORD, nor had someone come to visit them and bring them anything.
We got extremely excited when our morning project finished super early leaving us time to honor her request. As a team, we decided to forego our lunch and share the sandwiches with whomever was available after we shared our drama. We knew it could get a little risky because if a lot of people showed up, and we only had a few sandwiches we might be better off not sharing the food; however, after getting to the village, climbing the steep sides of the volcano to get to the top near her mother’s home, and seeing the severity of the poverty surrounding us, we decided it was worth the risks to share. Every day each of the adults on the teams would divide up the different jobs so no one person would ever do the same thing repetitively. That day happened to be when I was in charge of security and distribution, meaning I knew exactly how many sandwiches we started with because it was my job to count all our supplies and keep track of their coming and going off of and onto the buses at each location of service. (It has been nearly 13 years since this story occurred and I have not found my old journal with the “facts/details”, so I might be remembering the specific numbers wrong. Please forgive me and if you want to read the story as documented years ago, let me know and I will get the magazine article written about this event for you). I counted a couple of times that day before we got to our sight and began our ministry-22 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches-22.
After years of being away from this event, I still remember vividly how psyched everyone was to be at her village and especially to share with her mother and some other close family and friends. None of them knew about JESUS, and they were living in horrible poverty stricken situations. Her mother’s home consisted of a piece of tin with holes in it, no running water, raw sewage running down open ditches between the “homes(shacks)”, and no official door to keep it warm or from storms. The children looked so hungry and some had distended bellies. No shoes or pieces of burlap tied onto their feet. It was one of the poorest places I ever remember being in in all my travels to date. But we had prayed often for her family, and for this opportunity to share what little we had with “her people” and show them the love of JESUS the best we could. We cleaned and picked up broken glass, and fixed what things we could on such short notice. Then we cleared a little area to do our drama, and we began our time of ministry.
While most of the team were busy acting, running the sound equipment, or getting ready to share their testimonies, I sat and protected our gear, backpacks, and the food we were going to share as soon as the drama, testimonies, and sharing time was over. So I prayed and watched. I fought back tears longing for these people to see the true love of CHRIST through our sharing and soon through our practical giving of what we had-our food. I did a tentative head count and it was close to a hundred, so I figured if each youth handed out the sandwiches by breaking them into about ¼’s, we would get close to each person having at least a bite of sandwich. Then I continued to pray and ask the LORD to help protect us and for HIM to pour out HIS presence all around us. Boy….did we ever watch that happen. So many of the people, young and old alike, started crying as they finished watching the drama. Then as the testimonies were being shared, her mother started yelling and crying loudly. It was obvious her mother was really touched by something, but what exactly we didn’t know at the time. Shortly it was becoming our most emotionally impactful day and so much joy as the people were hungry for our love and sharing.
I called our designated team members over to begin handing out the sandwiches. I explained briefly that they should try to break the sandwiches into about 4 pieces each before handing them out so they would spread farther. We joined hands and said a brief prayer out loud over the food simply thanking HIM for these sandwiches and asking the LORD to make it spread and feed the hungry people here. There was no time to be long winded nor take our eyes off all that was occurring because a bigger crowd was coming even as we prayed. I handed out the sandwiches and sent the youth in different directions. Minutes went by-I honestly don’t recall how many, but I know it was at least five or so, when one of the boys called across the crowd to me. “Lou, what should I do with the rest of my sandwiches?” I was stunned and honestly remember thinking to myself, “How hard is it to hand out about 6 sandwiches to a crowd this hungry and this large? What is he possibly doing that he isn’t already done handing out the sandwiches?” I shouted to him telling him to just start handing them out as a whole sandwich and not to worry about breaking the sandwiches into so many small pieces, to which he responded that he had been handing out whole sandwiches for a while already, and he thinks he has more than he did to start.
NOW WHAT IS AN INTELLIGENT PERSON SUPPOSED TO DO WITH THIS INFORMATION OTHER THAN TO SUPPOSE THAT THIS YOUNG INDIVIDUAL ISN’T TOO WITH IT? I MEAN, COME ON, MORE THAN WHEN YOU STARTED? "What do you mean, “ I asked? He yelled the same thing, and almost immediately two other girls started yelling the same things to me from across the crowds. Now I was startled, confused, and just beginning to realize something OTHER WORLDLY WAS OCCURRING! Within a few more seconds each of the youth were expressing the same thoughts. They wanted to know what I wanted them to do with all their sandwiches, and they all said they were handing out whole sandwiches and just couldn’t seem to get rid of them all. So many other supernatural things occurred that afternoon. So many overwhelming emotions flooded our team that day and we literally handed out sandwiches the whole way back down the mountainside. We stripped of as much of our clothing and shoes as we could, we gave away whatever food we had in our backpacks, we pooled the little money we had in our pockets, and YES-we gave away peanut butter and jelly sandwiches until we were out of sight and heading back to our destination. I will NEVER forget counting the two bread bags when we were driving back and having more sandwiches in the bags than when we started-NEVER! I saw a miracle and yet I never saw it at the same time. How did those sandwiches arrive, where did they come from, how was this happening and we were unaware the whole time? I have witnessed this first hand and yet I don’t know how to really explain what I witnessed? All I know is that GOD can use bread and fish AND peanut butter and jelly to feed as many people as HE wishes!
Reflections on Supernatural Stories
On this sabbath (To Rest), I am taking the day to rest and reflect upon the times in my life when God has shown me His miraculous power. When does it happen? What does it look like? Why am I so prone to doubt, despite the time and time again that things outside of "the natural" have evidenced Gods greatness, love, kindness and power?
As I reflect today, I am impacted by the word E X P E C T A N T.
What does it mean to be expectant? As a mother, expectant means to be in a time of growing and a time of anxious anticipation for something amazing! As a mother, expectant means a time of stretching and some pain, but also KNOWING that through the stretching and pain there is a beauty beyond description awaiting! To be expectant means to KNOW there will be a time of delivery-deliverance!
As we wait upon God to move, to act, to grow us and change us, to stretch us... We can also be assured, He will also DELIVER us! Whether that be in a physical healing, emotional healing, financial healing, relational healing, answered prayers.
When God chooses to deliver us sometimes it is immediate and miraculous, and other times it is through long suffering and patient endurance until we finally see His hand in answered prayers. His ways are not our ways...
As I reflect today, I am impacted by the word E X P E C T A N T.
What does it mean to be expectant? As a mother, expectant means to be in a time of growing and a time of anxious anticipation for something amazing! As a mother, expectant means a time of stretching and some pain, but also KNOWING that through the stretching and pain there is a beauty beyond description awaiting! To be expectant means to KNOW there will be a time of delivery-deliverance!
As we wait upon God to move, to act, to grow us and change us, to stretch us... We can also be assured, He will also DELIVER us! Whether that be in a physical healing, emotional healing, financial healing, relational healing, answered prayers.
When God chooses to deliver us sometimes it is immediate and miraculous, and other times it is through long suffering and patient endurance until we finally see His hand in answered prayers. His ways are not our ways...
Isaiah 55:8-9New Living Translation (NLT)
8 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. (Post from Bible Gateway)
“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. (Post from Bible Gateway)
When I say to God, "I NEED YOU!" I have found that in my desperation, more than I need answered prayers or any form of healing (physical, emotional, financial, etc...) it is in my admission of my desperate need for HIM above all that opens my life up to recieve HIM A N D all He has in store
1 Corinthians 2:9
but just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.”
GOD always, ALWAYS has better-good-amazing-freedom-healing-hope-wholeness-love in store for us!
BE EXPECTANT sweet brothers and sisters!
GOD always, ALWAYS has better-good-amazing-freedom-healing-hope-wholeness-love in store for us!
BE EXPECTANT sweet brothers and sisters!
Saturday, June 11, 2016
Day Eleven
Today is our third daughter, our beautiful gift of God, Sadie May's 7th birthday!
After losing our second Daughter, Joeli Grace, for unknown reasons at 5 months pregnant, Sadie's pregnancy was very scary for us. We were concerned about everything not knowing what had happened to Joeli, we had nothing to fear so to speak and everything to fear so to speak too.
After a loss some people like to keep their pregnancy quiet until they are farther along, but I wanted everyone to know as soon as possible because I wanted as many prayers for this baby's health as possible!
So at just 8 weeks, 2 months, we announced our sweet growing blessing!
Happy growing little Sadie!
I conceived Sadie almost EXACTLY the same time I had conceived Joeli the year before. Literally, 3 days apart in September. That scared me so much. I don't believe in bad omens or karma or any of that silly talk, however, this seemed too ironic. I was so upset about the dates lining up almost exactly. I remember worrying the nurse at the doctors office may give me Joeli's same due date. I even told her if it lands on June 18th please just give me another date anyway, just lie to me. But she said, "I don't even have to lie to you, the due date is June 15th." Literally three days apart. Looking back I took this as such a negative thing, but now, now I look at this similar date occurrence was Gods way of redeeming every single day that the enemy had stolen joy from and He was restoring unto us joy and peace and hope. And He was giving us good memories in place of the sad and awful ones.
We prayed and prayed, so many tear-filled prayers for the healthy delivery of this baby. And when we arrived at the half way mark, 5 months, the same time we had lost Joeli the year before, we praised God for a healthy growing baby. And we found out, it was a GIRL, a healthy growing little girl!
And then, just one day before her delivery I was in false labor all day. We prayed and prayed and many friends and family prayed over us for her healthy delivery.
After losing our second Daughter, Joeli Grace, for unknown reasons at 5 months pregnant, Sadie's pregnancy was very scary for us. We were concerned about everything not knowing what had happened to Joeli, we had nothing to fear so to speak and everything to fear so to speak too.
After a loss some people like to keep their pregnancy quiet until they are farther along, but I wanted everyone to know as soon as possible because I wanted as many prayers for this baby's health as possible!
So at just 8 weeks, 2 months, we announced our sweet growing blessing!
I conceived Sadie almost EXACTLY the same time I had conceived Joeli the year before. Literally, 3 days apart in September. That scared me so much. I don't believe in bad omens or karma or any of that silly talk, however, this seemed too ironic. I was so upset about the dates lining up almost exactly. I remember worrying the nurse at the doctors office may give me Joeli's same due date. I even told her if it lands on June 18th please just give me another date anyway, just lie to me. But she said, "I don't even have to lie to you, the due date is June 15th." Literally three days apart. Looking back I took this as such a negative thing, but now, now I look at this similar date occurrence was Gods way of redeeming every single day that the enemy had stolen joy from and He was restoring unto us joy and peace and hope. And He was giving us good memories in place of the sad and awful ones.
We prayed and prayed, so many tear-filled prayers for the healthy delivery of this baby. And when we arrived at the half way mark, 5 months, the same time we had lost Joeli the year before, we praised God for a healthy growing baby. And we found out, it was a GIRL, a healthy growing little girl!
During our delivery with Sadie everything was going great. We had one nurse in with us for several hours. No need for doctors of other nurses. But then all of the sudden, within a moment there were about 10-15 doctors and nurses crowding our room and alarms going off and people frantic and I just remember being exhausted and not really even knowing what was happening. There was mention of an emergency c-section and it was in those moments intense doubts and fears swelled my mind. I remember distinctly looking at the Doctor and I said, "just take me back to the OR now and get her out alive PLEASE! Don't let me lose another little girl!" And he looked at me and promised me he would not let that happen if he had anything to say about it and that if we need the c-section he will do that immediately. We prayed and prayed out loud! God help our baby! They had me get onto my hands and knees and lean different ways trying to help the baby's heart rate to rise and steady. And sure enough, after several minutes it finally leveled out and the entire "team" of medical professionals slowly left our room. However, only a little later a whole NICU team was called back in because Meconium was discovered. After the long journey, Sadie May (which means beautiful gift of God) was finally born. She was not allowed to cry or be held for the first 5-10 minutes (which seemed like an eternity) as the NICU team worked on her. But finally, she was in my arms!
The miracle of life!
It is undeniably a miracle when it all works out and God showed us the treasure it is through this journey!
Here is our first family picture after Sadie was born! God protected her and gave us her as a blessing to help in the process of healing our hearts after losing Joeli Grace. Sadie was the sweetest, happiest and easiest little baby ever! She brought peace and joy back into our hearts! What a true delight she is! Today we celebrate her birthday and the supernatural story it is!
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