A Prayer Model for Living a Victorious Life

I attend one of the most on fire, radical life-changing, uplifting the spirit and soothing the soul churches anyone could ever hope to go to and yesterday was one of the MOST endearing services I have been to.

The topic was a prayer model to follow, the chosen lead scripture was Matthew 11:28, ironically the same exact one that a sweet adopted daughter of mine gave me just this past week. The concept, A.C.T.S.

Pastor Dan was explaining how we all find ways to escape our greatest struggles, failures and obsessions. God instructs us to come to Him because only He can give us rest, true rest. And what do we do, we go to everything else for a fake calm before the next storm of life blindsides us. We turn to other people to make us happy, shopping to anesthetize us to the realization we don't have it all, to substances for numbing against the pain, to busy-ness so that we don't have to face rejection, to job security so we don't have to trust a Being we cannot grasp a hold of with our human hands, and even to denial so we won't believe we need God.

What's up with us frail humans? We think we have it altogether when our lives are falling apart. When we become desperate, it is then we might finally turn to our loving Father and beg for His help. Pastor Dan likened this to his daughter who calls out to Him for a hug and eventual popsicle, being perfectly content with the popsicle. I liken it to partying our lives away and when we get caught up in our troubles it is then we need bailed out; now God is there to help us with open arms and a smile on His face. In a way this may be true as He says He will never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), but what God desires of His children and those who have not yet accepted Him, is for us to come to Him anytime, every time, all the time. With whatever spoils we have to lay at his feet, He can turn them into precious gems of infinite value, if we will only come....as we are.

The model of A.C.T.S. is a wonderful foundation we should all adopt on a daily basis. One in which will bring glory to God, support for our overburdened souls, strength in our spirits and rest for our weary bodies and minds. God expanded on this concept with me and made it quite simple.

A- adoration; adoration for our God, adoring Him above everything and everyone else in our life

C- confession; confession to our Lord; confessing those things we say, do and think that are displeasing to God

T- thanksgiving; thanksgiving for Jesus Christ; always being thankful for the One Who gave us eternal life

S- supplication; supplication from on high; receiving our daily supply of what we need from almighty God, precious Jesus and the ever comforting Holy Spirit

Wow! Concepts to change my life, give me strength, draw me closer to Jesus, provide rest for my body, mind and soul, help me grow in the ways of the Lord, give me hope, support others, pray with power, share the love of Jesus with all who cross my path, be humble before my Lord, loosen all power the enemy could have over me, and to give me abundant life on this earth.

Okay, am I missing something here. Hmmmm, turn to imperfect people for help or trust a most perfect God; spend money on things that will perish one day or savor time with someone Who can provide me with what I truly need not want; use and abuse substances that will alter my thought processes or remember God says I have a sound mind and He can heal my pain; remain too busy to hear from God or seek His plans and purposes for me to further His kingdom and glorify Him; find my security in a job that I can lose at any given moment or have my security in the Creator of all heaven and earth; believe in myself and deny I even have issues at all or know Jesus is worth believing in and trusting for every detail of my life, let's see which do I chose to live by?

HA! Who are we actually kidding?! When the world says, "Look to yourself", know that God says He is always near and waiting with open arms for you to rest in His care, His love, His peace, His salvation, His support, His protection, His comfort, His knowledge, His grace and mercy.



* Supporting scriptures are listed below to look up and concentrate on, contemplate their meanings and apply to your life. Believe and be blessed!


Adoration: I Chronicles 29:10-13, 29:20
Confession: I John 1:9, Psalm 32:1-5, James 5:16
Thanksgiving: Psalm 13:5-6, 69:30, 95:2, Philippians 4:6-7
Supplication: Philippians 4:6, Matthew 6:8, 7:7-11, I John 5:14-15, Ephesians 3:20-21

* To take part online in the wonderful service I commented on, go to
www.pureheart.org and listen to Sunday August 1st service under the column Items of Interest, Sermon downloads and sit back with a cup of coffee, tea or bottled water and enter into rest, rest that will change your life.

A Day of Loss....a Day of Victory

Today, my home in Grants Pass, Oregon was auctioned. How sorrowful I was upon waking this morning, so I stayed in bed until the auction was probably over. I had tried to make this house a home since 2001 and in February 2010, I and my family left our home in Oregon to move to Phoenix, AZ and begin a new life.

So many losing homes, so much sorrow and feeling of loneliness. But I had to stop and remember my real home is in heaven. This home of almost ten years, was only made of wood and nails. This home will one day perish anyway, but my home in heaven will not. It is there, waiting for me, waiting for me to reside in it when the Lord sees it is time for me to do so.

So why the sadness, lonely feeling and despair I asked myself. I believe it is because I lost my focus somewhere in building my home. God was the One Who gave me this home in the first place, He had every right to allow it to be taken away from me as well. So what does it really boil down to? Surrender.... that's what. Have I really surrendered not only my life, but my possessions God bestows upon me with however long I am possessor of them? Hmmmmm, I pondered this thought and came to the conclusion, no, I have not. I say I have, feel I have but deep down, I can see I have not.

I have been asking the Lord to show me everything He wants me to learn and gain out of losing my home. A sweet surrender is what He wants from me, and I have yet to totally and give myself and desires, dreams and wishes over to Him, completely, that's the key. There is so much I still hold onto and do not even realize it. So I pray, "Lord, please reveal to me any ways that are not pleasing to You. Show me the areas of my life, my heart and my mind I have not truly given to You. Love me enough to not allow me to continue owning those things that truly are not mine, or were not meant to be mine forever. Give me wisdom to see the difference between earthly living and Godly living in every single area of my entire being. May there be so much less of me and more of you. Let me rely on You completely and when You remove things from my life, take things back or say no to things I want to hear You say yes to, remind me Who is on the throne and who is sitting at Your feet. In Jesus name, Amen."

As I take a deep breath and sense God's presence in my midst, I can feel myself loosen my grip on certain things that hang me up. I smile and shake my head at myself for taking so long to see the truth and I sincerely thank God for loving me enough to not let me stay this way, to stay in darkness, in sin, not trusting Him and trusting in things.

I challenge you to let God dig deep into the very crevices of your heart and soul. Allow Him to show you areas you too may have entitlement to, so you can experience God's victory over bondage and sweet freedom from ownership of things in this dying and decaying world. May you be blessed be the One Who above all else, matters and loves you despite your weaknesses, failures and even disobedience. May God be you're all in all.

Easter!!! A Time to Remember - A Time to Reflect - A Time to Be So Thankful

What do we think of when we let the words of 'Easter' gently roll off our lips?
Decorating eggs? Family reunions? The Easter bunny? Perhaps it's just another over-commercialized holiday like so many others.

What should it be?
A day to remember. The day Jesus rose from death after 3 days of a journey like no other man has ever or will ever experience.

A time to reflect. Jesus chose to take upon Himself your sin, my sin, and our children's sin's of the past, the present and the future.

A time to be so thankful. Had Jesus Christ, (the Son of almighty God and Creator of everything) decided not to be punished and whipped for our sins, wearing a crown of thorns and carrying our burdens amongst His entire body, being nailed to the cross and scorned, ridiculed and beaten, what hope would there would have been no hope for you, me, our children or our future generations to receive eternal life.

So what does this mean to you?
I don't know, but it means the world to me.

Today, take a moment to remember...to reflect...the be so thankful for the blood Jesus shed for YOU, to know that God loves YOU so much He gave up His one and only Son Jesus for YOU so that if you believe on Jesus Christ died for YOUR sins, you can be saved and have eternal life.

If you realize you are a sinful being in need of a Savior, pray these words from your heart.
"Lord Jesus, I confess my sins to you and ask for Your forgiveness. I repent, turn away from desiring the things in my life not pleasing to You. I believe You sent Your Son Jesus to die for me. I accept Your forgiveness and free gift of salvation. Come into my life and make me new. Give me the strength to let go of past sins, the wisdom to walk in Your path now, hope for a better future and change my heart as I grow closer to You each day. Thank You for saving me. I am now Yours and surrender my life to Your will. Guide me in Your ways and truth, from this day forward.In Jesus name, Amen."

Congratulations! You've just made the most decision of your life!

Wait! It doesn't doesn't stop there!
To help you learn about your new life in Jesus you need to begin reading the Bible. If you don't already have one, email me at created2blessothers@yahoo.com and I will send you one, FREE of charge.
To help you grow as a new believer, begin attending a church that supports your belief in Jesus Christ ans Lord and Savior. If you need help finding a church family in your area, email me and I can help get you connected with those on the same journey as you.
To get prayer, receive words of wisdom from those going through similar events as you perhaps, and to deepen your relationship with others in the faith look into home groups that may be offered through your church.

Most of all, enjoy your new found journey of purpose, hope and peace!
Some of my favorite scriptures in the Bible - John 3:16, Philippians 4:13, John 1:9, Jeremiah 29:11-13, Philippians 4:4, Psalms 150:6, Romans 8:28.

The Hidden Language of Feet

I am not a foot person by any means, so for me to rub a family member’s feet is a sacrifice like no other, but as I woke this morning, I realized feet have an important place in this world. They speak and have a language of their own. They tire and hurt, curl up to get warm when they are cold, withdraw themselves from anther's feet when hurt, anger or frustration are present, and they are created to walk a journey of faith in God-like fashion.

“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace; who bring glad tidings of good things”, Romans 10:15. God says my feet are beautiful when they preach peace and bring joyful news of peace to others. Well, He obviously is a foot person and therefore my observation of feet must change to be like His. Beautiful feet preach peace and share joy! Now this is a statement to live by. What am I seeking each day? Is it God? Is it peace? Is it to share the love of Jesus, His peace and joy with others? What are my reasons for living? What is my purpose for drawing one more breath today?

As I ponder these questions many thoughts come to mind, but those I want to meditate on are Matthew 6:33 which states, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be given to you.” What things? Needs, such as what we eat, drink and wear. Psalm 34:14 says to “Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” Romans 10:15 tells us to preach the gospel of peace and to share joyful events with others. My reason for living should be to worship Jesus as told to us in Luke 4:8, “Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only” as well as to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, of the Son and the Holy Spirit” as said in Matthew 28:19. Exodus 9:16 and Jeremiah 29:11-13 shows us God has a purpose for our lives. In Exodus he says, “I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth” and God tells us in Jeremiah, “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.”

The answers to these questions show us not only the importance of using our feet to spread the gospel, preach peace and share joyful tidings, but to seek God and His righteousness, thank Him for supplying our needs, to turn from evil and do good, to seek after peace, to worship and serve God only and make disciples of others. Knowing God’s plans for us are good and not meant to harm us, plans to give us a future and a hope, we can take a breath of relief and rest in the knowledge of how much God loves us. Trodding the journey of faith may take our feet on unknown paths, but praise God Who will never leave us or forsake us and wants us to be content with such things as we have. (Hebrews 13:5) So during the next foot rub I give to a family member, what better revelations for me to ponder on than the beauty of even the one’s feet I am rubbing .

Trusting God in Uncertainty

This morning my hubby told me he had an interview with an employer in Arizona. It went well and he was offered a job with good pay, good insurance, nice place to work and a pleasant boss at that. I was excited but heard a sense of hesitancy in my husband's voice. He was not so sure we could find a place to live after having been through this year's trials. The outcome has not been pretty.

Uncertainty visits us all, especially in these times of economic trouble.
God reminds us to "Trust in the Lord always and lean not on our own understanding", Proverbs 3:5 God's ways are so much higher than mine so why should I lean on whatever understanding I have of any situation? Trusting in God leads to peace, God's will, assurance and security. Leaning on my own understanding usually gets me nowhere.

My family has had to trust God so much this past year and I must admit it has stretched us in so many different directions, but always closer to Him. We have not understand why my husband lost his job in January, our home at this present time, and our grown children have been scattered throughout three different states. We still don't know what His plans are for us, but we have chosen to lean not on our understanding because it is vain. Trusting God is the most logical, obedient and safest thing to do right now.

His plans for us are good, not to harm us but to give us a hope and a future, Jeremiah 29:11. Why should we worry when God is for us? Who then could possibly be against us? Trusting God is the right thing to do no matter how things look.

A Change in Plans

As I look around at this most beautiful place, sadness fills my heart knowing this is truly God’s country, yet it was not the place my family could write their names in the soil and be at peace spending the rest of our lives.

Our plans when we arrived almost fifteen years ago, was for each one of our children to raise their children amongst the beautiful blue skies, emerald green land and magnificent Redwoods. The majestic mountains were our fortress and the light mist that filled the chilling air soothed out tired skin on a warm summer’s day.

Goals, dreams and vacations never to be realized . . . I will miss this place, after all. A home on with an acre on a quiet country road served us well even with its constant need of repair. My front window view is as beautiful as a postcard and the trip home each day takes my breath away as I pass pastures filled with lush grass for lazy cows grazing peacefully and rugged. old barns standing amidst tress of splendor surrounded by leaves of burnt orange, golden yellow and luscious purple. A minute piece of heaven was granted us in this place.

What happened over time that took my family from the open land of a charming, little town called Williams, to a small, yet busy town of Grants Pass, and finally will lead us back home to an enormous city of growth known as Phoenix in a state rich in opportunity.

From Arizona, to Oregon and back to Arizona again we will travel over years of children growing, opportunities tried and lost, fewer fun times than desired, trials and tribulations around every corner but many friends acquired that we will never forget. The laughter, the tears, the few glorious victories, the bitter taste of final defeat, all remind us of our life here in Oregon that we’ll take with us to the warn, dry desert.

Stories to be told, memories shared and friends we’ll always keep in touch with…..are the back drop of this chapter in our lives. The peaceful life my husband so badly wanted to experience here in Grants Pass, became harder work, deeper restlessness and unfilled dreams as we struggled, always struggled to make a living for our family. Health care far from our reach, a broken septic system, educational grants denied, mold spreading fast like a disease, illness looming, gray skies on the horizon as winter approaches, opportunity for growth diminished and finally the city that has so harshly tolerated us will now be through with us. As we leave our home of just under nine years and sorrowfully look back at possible mistakes, missed chances to make things better and friends we shed tears for as we say goodbye, we fight to look forward at the journey God has planned for us. Reflections of plans for good and not harm surround our thoughts and His strength lifts our heads in sorrow as we recognize His voice, feel His presence carrying our weary, depressed bodies away from a small slice of heaven here on earth, to a place of wonder, new opportunities, our son and his wife along with our two wonderful grandchildren sorely missed, and a lovely home in a neighborhood of need and desire to know Who this God is that carries our burdens and blessed the path we walk on. A new world to share His promises of unconditional love and acceptance, laughing with our precious family and raising foster children who have no one to call their parents is a venture we wait for in sheer excitement amidst the harsh surroundings of our move.

Learning to suffer, sometimes silently, sometimes with gentle tears, serves as the training field for us to patiently comfort those in Phoenix with the same, enduring care God has so lovingly covered us with as we move to a different land, with fresh plans to hold fast to the great commission Christ gave us in Matthew 28:19 & 20. It is our desire the follow the Lord’s will over our own, walking in His guided paths and fulfilling the law of Christ as we will tenderly aid the homeless and give them shelter, pray for parents confused by the world’s way of molding their children, and honor our God Whom we choose to faithfully serve with hearts of gladness. Our spirit’s at rest about living in a land that will cause our lips to be parched as the scorching sun will beat down on our dry, aging skin and the majestic mountains in the far distance will be painted with the finest desert landscaping full of poisonous critters and cacti serving a their nourishment, tumble weeds everywhere and dry ground that cries out in anxious waiting for its Creator to return and end its thirst.

To Oregon we say farewell, for a new mission has opened before us and we dare not hesitate to enter a land that once celebrated our presence and victory was at every turn. To our friends and family we leave behind, we pray earnestly for the spirit of our Lord to comfort and guide you, remind and empower you as we leave to remember to pray for us as well, seek God for His plans for your lives and give you strength to carry our those missions God has set before you at such a time as this. We love you and know we will see you again one day soon…..very, very soon. May God’s peace be with you all.


I Corinthians 1:3-5
Blessed be God Who comforts us in all our tribulations that we may be able to comfort them which are in trouble, by the comfort that we ourselves are comforted by God.