Prayer for America

Prayer for America

As taken from,  Christian Word Ministries,

Lexington Kentucky

Heavenly Father I come to You now in the Name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Heavenly Father, I thank You that I can abide under the shadow of my Almighty God. I thank You that a thousand may fall at my side, and ten thousand at my right hand, but none will come near me or my family, or this nation.  I thank You that You have given Your angels charge over us to keep us in all of our ways.

Heavenly Father, I pray for the President of this nation, all of the Executive Branch of this nation and all members of Congress of this nation, all of the leadership of all local, state, regional, and federal agencies, commissions and governments of this nation in every way.

Lord I thank You for Your protective hand that has shielded our nation.  Thank You Lord for hearing the prayers and requests of Your people on behalf of this nation.  Heavenly Father, I pray in the Name of Your Son, Jesus, asking You to give us divine protection for Your people of this nation, according to John 16:23 in Your Holy Bible.  I’m asking You, Lord God, to insure the safety of Your people and to keep us and our nation from harm’s way and provide protection from plans of destruction that have been plotted against us.  I pray that you would stop any strategies of destruction that would try to come against Your people and this nation.  I pray Father that You would extend a hand of protection against all of the destructive forces of terrorism against Your people and this nation.  I pray that You will protect me. My family and this nation from evil attacks or acts of terrorism, and stop the aggressors or terrorist that that attempt to bring destruction against me, my family or this nation.

May the knowledge of terrorist’s planned attacks be revealed to those who provide our national and international security.  I pray that You would give wisdom and discernment to those who provide protection for Your people and this nation.  Help everyone in authority to be alert to signs of wrongdoing in this nation.  I pray that You will provide insight to national, international and local authorities of this nation to act swiftly, to avert all danger, protecting American lives and property.  I pray that You will provide instruction in the development of effectual and efficient  anti-terrorist strategies and provide our nation with an arsenal of weapons that our nation an advantage against any aggressor coming against this nation or Your people.  Guide the authorities of this nation in efforts to seek out and eradicate terrorists.  Enable the military forces of this nation to become swift, powerful and accurate in any action of intelligence gathering and retaliation.  I submit this to Your Hand Lord.  I give You praise, and I give You the Glory, that You hear my prayers and my supplications.  Heavenly Father, I pray that every potential act of terrorism against this nation or Your people will be exposed.  Heavenly Father, I ask You to loose Your mighty warring and guardian angels to expose and destroy any potential acts of terrorism against any city, any town, or any of Your people of this nation.  Lord Jesus, I ask You to destroy any plans that satan and any physical and spiritual enemies of this nation have against any town, any city, or any of Your people in this nation.  I ask You to destroy any terrorist cells that are located in this nation.  I ask You to bless and strengthen this nation.  I ask You to loose in great abundance Your mighty warring and guardian angles over this nation to guard and protect us.  Lord Jesus I ask You to cause confusion in the minds of all terrorists who are plotting against this nation, or any of Your people in this nation.  I ask You to all these things according to John 14:14 in Your Holy Bible.  In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth, I pray with thanksgiving.

Heavenly Father, You are our Refuge and Stronghold in times of trouble.  So I declare with my mouth that Your people of this nation, America will dwell safely in this land, and prosper abundantly.  We are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus.  I declare that no weapon formed against me, my family or this nation will prosper, in Jesus Name.  Amen.

Our 50th Anniversary Celebration

June 25, 2016 has marked our 50th Anniversary .  Wow when I say 50 years it really sounds like a long time.  But when I begin to look back over those years it seems they have flown by way to fast.  

I decided early in the year Lovell and I were going to have a celebration for our anniversary.  Not only because we had a very small wedding with little fan fare, but because we have come through so much in the 50 years of marriage. With Lovell's health being a factor from the beginning of our marriage and escalating in 1990 until the present........I felt like we deserved a celebration.  Number one to say we made it.....in the face of adversity we made it.  Like the song sang by Barry Manilow, Looks Like You Made It.  Yes we did.  It was a mile stone in our marriage I thought we might not get too to experience.  But then God reassured me May 3, 2000 from a scripture in Psalm 41:1-3.  It is a scripture we have brought before the Lord time and again when things looked bleak. 

So you see it didn't matter how much money we spent on the celebration.......it came from a life time of living on the edge...... of not being sure of our future together.  

As the plans were made and the friends invited the excitement begin to mount.  Decorations were beautifully done, and the food was spectacular.  Family and friends gathered on the anniversary date, and we celebrated our 50 year marriage together.  We renewed our vows with our children and grandchildren in attendance.

In this day being married 50 years doesn't happen that often because the commitment to each other is so easy to break, especially when there is adversity and hardship in the mix.  So to Lovell and me I say happy 50th anniversary...you made it, and we will continue to make it as long as the Lord keeps raising us up.

My Book

It has been my desire to write a book and it is finally finished and published.  I have had many request for the book, and it is for sale for $13.00 through this site. The title of the book is "HE Was There All The Time".  It is a book that documents all the attacks of the enemy on our lives and how God was there to bring us through each and every time. Examples of how we overcame, and how we have grown and matured as Christians following Jesus. If you would like to get this book just leave your name and email address and I will contact you with delivery instructions.
Thank you,
Jackie

I Am Humbled

When I first blogged about how God blessed Lovell and me through the years, it was mostly just to put the story into the written word so I would not forget any details.

 I had no idea the people I would reach with my testimony, and was very surprised when I began to see and hear the responses from folks. Most of the comments were from people I am friends with on Facebook.  Then I began to notice others were reading from various parts of the world.  I feel God gave me this avenue as a tool for witnessing. I won't know until I get to Heaven if I actually had an impact on anyone that caused them to find Jesus.  "We all have a story to tell and we are the only ones that can tell it".  Quoted to me by a friend.
Jackie

12-25-12 Reflecting on Year 2012

It has been a few months since I posted on my blog because I was not sure what I wanted to write, but after much contemplation I feel the Holy Spirit prompting me to write about the year passing, 2012.  All I can say is WOW what a year for me.  I don’t think I have had such an eventful year, in many years.

The first of January I shared with my Care Group the Word God spoke to me and that word was “trust me”.  I have really had reason to trust Him this year 2012. He never fails and He never walks away.  I will never let go of His love.

It began with a right eye macular tear.  Come on who has that, I’m a nurse and I only remember studying about it in the text books.  I don’t recall ever knowing anybody with a macular tear, although I have to say my experience as a nurse has been in the area of the digestive system upper and lower. 

As the story goes not only did I have to deal with the surgery to repair this hole but I had to remain head down, I mean really down for 7 days 24 hours a day.  Believe me when I say I really missed looking forward to my first cup of coffee in the morning.  It’s not right drinking your coffee through a straw.  Coffee must be sipped hot and enjoyed, because no other cup for me during the day is as good as the first.

Talking to folks and watching TV was awkward because I had to do it looking through a mirror.  I had to eat very carefully because Lord knows I didn’t want to choke with no one with me during the day.  Recovery was an awful 7 days.

As if that was not enough a cataract began to develop as a result of the surgery.  I was told to expect that to happen but, I was hoping I would be the exception.  NOT. 

When I walked into the One Day Surgery on the day the doctor schedules all his cataract surgeries I found myself in a room full of older senior citizens.  I really felt out of place because I did not look like I belonged.  How is it we always think we look younger to ourselves than we do to others, but I felt sure those folks were wondering what I was doing there. 

The recovery was easy and I was back to my normal activity within a few days. 

When I was recovering from my first surgery I found I was able to listen to the Bible on my computer.  I really liked that because I comprehended more and didn’t find myself dozing off.  It was also during this time I began writing my blog.

The church had started a study called an Interactive Relationship with God, calling us into a deeper more intimate relationship with Him.  We had a reading plan bringing more intentionality to engaging God’s Word. We were being taught how to meditate and how to enter the story as we read God’s Word.  I have to admit before this I was not committed to a lesson plan and was remiss in my prayers. (Sorry too say that.)

Beth Moore says, “When God wants you on your knees and you don’t go down, he will break your legs.”  I guess that is what happened to me.  I was stopped dead still in my tracks, and when I picked up the Word, and began the study that is when He began to open His Word up to me as never before. 

I can not tell you how much this Bible Study has meant to me this year.  I have learned more about how to read the Bible, meditate and pray more effectively than I have since I became a Christian.  That is not to say I have not had great teaching…….. I have but this has been different, it was a how to do it study. Thank you Dennis and Pastor Daniel for all I have learned this year.  You both worked very hard to bring this to the church and it shows.

I know God is going to take what he has given me and use me more effectively.  I look forward to 2013 and the movement of God in our church and community. 

In March Lovell and I were invited to a meet and greet luncheon for Pastor Gary Mann.  He is a minister of God and is gifted in the prophetic.  As we were all gathering up to leave Pastor Mann called me over and begin to speak a Word from the Lord to me.  Tears began to stream down my cheeks and I said God must have truly revealed that to you because nobody else knows my heart like that, not even Lovell.

I had begun to write in my journal the first part of the year and I went home and hurriedly began to put on paper what he said before I forgot.  I will not go into what he said because it is private to me. 

Later in the month of March God gave me a dream.  I wrote extensively about this dream in an entry of my blog titled,” The Gift Finally Realized”.  Praise God I wait for more manifestations of the gifts You God have given me.

In June our oldest grandson graduated high school and came to spend the summer with us before he entered college.  That was a great opportunity to get to know him better.  I loved having him here with us.  I doted on him for 2 months, cooking his favorite meals and taking good care of him as he worked.  I wanted to get him involved with the older youth at our church but that did not happen because of first one thing and then another,  but God’s plan is the best and I yield to Him.  “Trust me” was resounding in my head.

We began to have other ministers with gifts of the prophetic teach in our home.  Words began to come forth relating to our home, and the same Word given to me in March by Pastor Mann.  This could only be God.  If you have never been given a prophetic message from God, get into the presence of these ministers of God and see if He has something for you. 

There are probably those that will read this blog and deny what God does, but if you have ever had your mail read by one of these men of God it is hard to deny the truth in what they say.

Time marches on and as I sit in the presence of Jehovah on the end of my sofa early in the morning I am getting closer and closer to my Abba Father, hearing his voice more clearly than I have ever heard it before.

In July I was in an auto accident that totaled my car.  I was thankful for my car because there were no payments to be made, and when it was crashed I was crushed.  I kept hearing God say, “trust me”.  The accident could have been one to take my life but in:

 

Psalm 34:7 scripture states:

7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him,

and He delivers them.”

And in Psalm 34:15

15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,

and His ears are attentive to their cry;

And in Psalm 34:17

17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;

He delivers them from all their troubles. 

Thank you Jesus for protecting me from the evil one. Only 1 tiny bruise on my lower left leg.

The world we live in is so dangerous as evidenced by all the drugs, and drug related crimes, the shootings in our public places and schools, and just today a man burned his home hoping to burn the homes of people around him. He also killed his mother, and the remains of his sister were found in his home.  But, I have peace in my spirit because I have Jesus in my heart.  We as Christians need to be less complacent and fight against the enemy, the enemy that is a thief.

In John 10:10 scripture states:

 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they (you) may have life, and have it to the full.

As Christians Jesus gave us authority over Satan when He sat down at the right hand of the Father, and received that authority from God.  We do not have to live in fear of what Satan might steal from us. 

In Ephesians 1:18-23 Scripture states:

18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people,

19 and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength

20 He exerted when He raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,

21far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

22 And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church,

23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way.

We are not wimps we have Christ in us the Hope of glory.  So let us stand up and say, greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.  Let us say NO devil stay away from my family, because they are covered by the precious blood that Jesus shed on the cross, and NO weapon you can forge against me, or them will prosper because of that blood.

You probably think the enemy has stolen a lot from me this year but not so, Christ has “given back to me good measure pressed down and shaken together.”  My vision has been restored from 20/200 to 20/30.  The surgeon that repaired my eye was a Christian and also everyone in his office.  My car was replaced with a beautiful new shiny red one.  What a blessing.

I fear not because He is with me.

Well 12-21-12 has come and gone, and again the world did not end.  Any one that knows anything about the Bible should have known that the world was not going to end.  Only God knows the day and hour He will send His Son back for us.  Not even the Son knows that.  Just be ready because the world we live in is certainly headed in that direction.

Christmas for Lovell and me has come and gone.  We were blessed to have all our children here for the holidays and in church with us on Sunday.  What more could a Mom want than to know she will spend eternity with her family.  I hope all who read this can say the same, and if not it’s not too late.  God attends his ear to the cry of his children.  Never, never, never give up on them.

It is my prayer all who read this story have a Happy New Year, one filled with the presence of Jehovah, God Almighty Prince of Peace…….

Jackie

The Gift Finally Realized

Over the past weeks I’ve thought and prayed about this story many times, I wasn’t sure I even wanted to write it, but after hearing Carole Lee speak on Dreams, Visions and Prophecy I knew the story had to be told.   As always it’s with the help of the Holy Spirit I write this.

Please believe that I’m not telling this story to exalt myself in any way because I am so humbled that my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ entrusted me with such a gift.  I just pray I do not fall short and grieve the Holy Spirit in any way.

This story begins in the early 1980’s when I was invited to the home of Judy Green to hear Irene Farley teach and minister using her gifts of prophecy, words of knowledge, and wisdom.  She would laughing say, “I am preparing you girls in the School of Hard Knocks to use what God has gifted you with.”

Spiritual gifts are special abilities given by God to each believer for ministry.  The Lord expects me to use my gift for the benefit of the church body.

Scripture states in 1 Corinthians 12: 4-11

 ⁴ There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. ⁵ There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. ⁶ There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
 ⁷ Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. ⁸ To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,^[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues.^{[b] 11} All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He distributes them to each one, just as He determines.

Prophecy for those who do not know is a divine prediction of a future event as told by a person who is lead along by the Holy Spirit.  Words of Knowledge are messages of special knowledge and encouragement spoken to an individual directly from the Holy Spirit.

We should never use our spiritual gifts to tear others down, but use them to encourage and build up.

I did not know Irene at the time but grew to love and respect her over the next few years.  Irene was in her late sixty’s when we meet.  She was a kind and humble woman that loved God with all her heart until the day she passed away to go home to her Savior.  

As I walked through the door of Judy’s home and found a seat there were only a few people there I knew, most of them were from Community Church.  It was always difficult for me to attend functions alone but this time I was meant to be there.

Irene and her group were introduced by Judy.  Her group meaning, two ladies that traveled with her to help with the ministry. Nancy, Irene’s friend began to sing and lead out with songs of praise, the anointing of the Holy Spirit was there as we all began to feel the presence of the Lord. 

Suddenly Irene walked directly over to me and with purpose in her expression, and as the music softened she began to pray in the Spirit and soon said to me, “honey I don’t know you but the Lord does and he has a word for you today.  The Lord wants you to know that he loves you very much and he has gifted you with healing in your hands.  As you reach out and lay hands on the sick, and pray for them they will recover.” 

Well I was astonished; I had never been spoken to in that manner before.  Neither had I seen anyone move in the gifts as she did. Oh I knew about the gifts of the Holy Spirit and even heard some messages in tongues and interpretation but that is all I knew.

Being somewhat of a new Christian I was eager to learn everything I could.  With new Christians, God puts a hunger in our heart for His Word, because the enemy the Devil will quickly come and try to steal away what God is teaching you.  Believe me I’ve seen it happen on many occasions; thank God it did not happen to me. 

I began to attend her meeting regularly, and soon the meetings grew too large to continue on at Judy’s home.  Community Church on 16^th Street was offered to house the group on Wednesday mornings.

I was very naïve and believed if I had the gift as Irene said I was going to use it.  I prayed for folks but never saw anyone healed, at least anyone I knew of.  I’m sure God was smiling at me and saying, let’s take a little time and learn a few things before I turn you lose on humanity.

Over these many years I held on to the word God gave me through Irene, and I tell you now I can almost hear her talking to me with that sweet humble smile she always had when she knew she had a word for someone from the Lord.

It took many trips around the block before I learned to be the woman God designed me to be even before the creation of the world.  I look back and have to laugh at myself because pride was the biggest obstacle I had to overcome.  Now wait a minute, it might be for you too if you had just been given such an awesome gift at such a young Christian age.

But now at this writing I am just overcome with humility, maybe the same humility I saw in Irene’s eyes as she spoke to me, and with tears in my eyes I thank Him for His patience with me and His teaching me to be the woman He can look at and say,  you go girl, you’re ready.

It was just an ordinary Friday night March 9^th, 2012. Lovell and I don’t usually plan anything on this night because we are tired from work.  But this was not going to be an ordinary night, because God had another message to give me.  In the early morning hours I began to dream. How many of you know God sometimes speaks to you in your dreams? 

Well in this dream I found myself in a room, and as I looked up I saw a woman walk through a door.  As she approached me she said she had a gift for me, but she did not have time to wrap it.  The gift was lying across her arm as she passed it on to me. 

 She moved away from me and as I looked up the door opened again.  I did not see anyone but I felt a presence enter the room.  As the presence approached me I could feel fear and pressure around my neck.  The pressure became so tight I could hardly breathe, and all I could say was,” Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.  In the name of Jesus turn me loose.”  The pressure began to release and I could breathe again.

Then, as I turned around I saw two black ladies sitting at a table.  I could hear God say to me go and pray for the one I lead you to.  He told me she had pain in her left shoulder and He wanted to heal her.  I went over to her and said, “God wants to heal your left shoulder, and as I laid my hands on her shoulder she was healed.  I didn’t even pray.  She was just healed. 

I woke up and knew that was no ordinary dream.  Lovell was already awake and sitting in the living room with his coffee, I filled my cup with coffee and sat down beside him and told him what I just experienced in a dream.  After we talked for a while I went to my desk and began to write down everything about the dream while it was still fresh on my mind.

The entire weekend I pondered the meaning of the dream, I asked God what it meant but nothing came to mind.  On Monday night Carol Lee from Crosby, TX was ministering at Community Church on 16^th Street. She is also gifted in prophecy and ministers much the same way Irene Farley did many years ago. 

I walked in and took a seat, as I looked around the room I saw the black woman in my dream.  My heart began to pound, and I asked, “Lord what does this mean.”  In my dream I went over to pray for her healing.  I knew I had to do the same thing here in real time.  After the ministry time was over I went to her and asked her if she needed healing?”  She said, “no I don’t think so, but come to think of it my left shoulder does give me pain at night, but I just pray it down and it goes away.”

My heart began to pound even more as I told her what God showed me in a dream that He wanted to heal her left shoulder.  I asked if I could pray for her and she said yes please.  After I prayed we exchanged a few words and I walked away not really knowing if God had healed her. 

Later I asked God what was that all about, He begin to let me know the gift of healing Irene told me about many years ago was ready to be used.  You see, in my dream an angel brought it to me, and the enemy the Devil came to me to take it away, maybe even to kill me.  But as I cried out in the name of Jesus, he had to turn me loose.

I told this story to my friend Robert, a man of God that moves in the gift of healing, and he agreed with me about the calling God has given me. God doesn’t work the same with everybody, but I do know looking back those many years ago God wanted me to know there was something special he wanted me to do, but there was much preparation to be made.

A few weeks later I went back to the meeting on 16^th Street and the same lady was there.  I asked if God had healed her that night and she said she has not hurt since.

God knew that in such a time as this He would need me to work in the harvest.  I know in my heart and from what I have learned in the Word of God that these are the last days we are living in, and I am honored that God chose me, and worked with me over the years to become who He wanted me to be while we are here on earth living in the kingdom doing his will as He instructs.

I hear his voice as He directs and instructs me to reach out and pray for those around me.

As scripture states in John 10:27

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”

 I know when He leads me to an individual and tells me to pray, something is going to happen.  I also hear the voice of our Pastor, Daniel Rose as he has instructed us saying, “take the goodness of God out to our community.” 

With God’s help and guidance I will go where He tells me and do what he instructs me to do, because for me that is what I am here to do in such a time as this.

We all have stories to tell and someone needs to hear them.  I do not know everyone that reads my stories, but the one who reads this one was led here by the Holy Spirit.  You may be struggling with a gift you think God has given you, if so don’t give up.  Hold on to the word you have received, talk to God about it because He has a plan, and just like me there may be preparation to be made before you are ready to actually receive.

God works differently with everyone, but this is how He worked with me.

Bless you in your ministry,

Jackie

Tithing, What's In It For Me

It has been a long time since my last post, not because I did not know what I wanted write, but because there has been so much going on in my world I frankly have not had the time to sit down and just write.

 I have always found it a little strange when retired people say their lives are busier now than when they were working.  Well I can relate.  With all the free time, I have been doing all the things I had no time for before;  like reclaiming my home and landscaping from Lovell who retired 6 years before I did related to a medical disability.  Yes just think about that for a minute. LOL

Well enough with the excuses, the subject I’m going to write about is tithing.  Yes that age old problem of too many people wanting their hands in my wallet.  Especially at church when there seems to be so much need not only by the church its self, but by other ministries such as missions, teens and outreaches that you may not know a lot about. 

If you are in church any where you know exactly what I am talking about.  Do I sound a little down on giving, will think again.  Giving and tithing is one of the most important aspects of belonging to the family of God, short of your relationship with Jesus Christ.  If you do not tithe you are missing one of the biggest blessings from heaven you can ever imagine.

      No!  Pastor Daniel has not enlisted my help in asking for tithes, but I being a lay person can say things in my  
      blog  that pastors might find hard to say in a sermon.

      Listen folks I speak from experience and that is one thing that can not be refuted.  You probably think your
     about to hear another sermon on giving and maybe to a certain extent you are, but this may be the most important
     story I have written to date.  This concerns everybody living in the kingdom of God not just a few.

In Malachi 3: 7-12  Scripture states:  

Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD Almighty.  ⁸ “Will a mere mortal rob God?  Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’  “In tithes and offerings. ⁹ You are under a curse —your whole nation (or family in today’s language) —because you are robbing me. ¹⁰ Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house (or money to support the church in today’s language).

And here is the kicker:

“Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. ¹¹ I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” says the Lord Almighty. ¹² “Then all the nations (people, in our language today) will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land, (home, in our language today)” says the LORD Almighty.


This scripture was brought home to me November 19, 1981 when Charles and Frances Hunter otherwise known as the Happy Hunters came to Community Church for a time of ministry.  I had given my life to Jesus approximately four years prior so I was a new Christian.


Lovell and I had just built our home in Mauriceville and money was tight, not to mention the economics of the land was not in our favor.  I remember sitting in the kid’s swing Lovell had strung up in a tall sweet gum tree in our front yard, crying out to God for help. 


If only I had $10,000 dollars, I told God, we would be debt free and I could breathe.  Now don’t laugh, that was a large amount of money in 1981.  I was a stay at home mom and it took all our weekly resources to meet our obligations. 


Sunday night I went to church to hear the Happy Hunters, I knew who they were because I saw them on PTL and knew about their ministry of humor.  At the end of the sermon they spoke about tithes and giving and referenced the above scripture.  They said that was the only instance in the Bible where the Lord said, “test me and prove me”. 


As I said money was tight but I had a $20.00 bill in my purse, I pulled it out and said to God,” I trust your Word Lord”, make it happen, well so to speak.  I left there excited about what God was going to do along with some apprehension as well.


A short time later Lovell said we needed to start tithing to the church, oh; we gave from time to time a few dollars in the offering when I had a little extra, which was not very often. I thought how am I going to tithe when I can only pay my bills.  How many of you have said those exact words.  Oh ye of little faith. 

 Well he was adamant and I complied.  He still says to this day he does not know how I did it, but the money was always there.  Okay, I had to juggle a little but God always provided.


Back to the story:


I can tell you money did not fall from heaven as a result of the $20.00 or the tithing we began, but a short time later Lovell was appointed to a new job making more money without rainouts (he was a construction electrician). And, a car was furnished with all the gas needed.  Did I mention the car was available for us to use as we needed for our family as well. 


Our kids were never sick at least with illnesses that would have been costly, and the bills were paid with extra in the bank.  Wow God was so good, but because God knew the future he began to make further provision for our family.  He had to prepare me for a huge change in my life. 


Lovell lost the job four years later due to a change in the IBEW local politics.  He picked up a job here and there, but soon had to travel to find regular work.  God had begun speaking to me about going to college; I just wanted a career that would keep this from happening again. (That story is in my blog titled, “My Angel”).


I was devastated to be left at home with teenage kids while he worked in New York. He was only able to come home once every six weeks.  During that time we prayed for a job at home but none was available. 


About a year later Lovell found work at home but with a cut in pay.  I was still in school and not ready to graduate for about a year and a half.  I knew when I graduated our lives would be different because RN’s had no problem finding work at any hospital anywhere.  The hospitals were even competing with sign up bonuses.   I kept my nose to the grind stone and graduated May of 1989.


After graduation I signed with Baptist Hospital-Orange because it was close to home.  From that time on God has blessed us in ways I would have never imagined.  You see Lovell and I both came from very poor families and never dreamed we would succeed as we have.


God not only blessed us financially, but blessed our children financially as well.  They are both Christians, married to Christian spouses.  God is so good I can not imagine living my life without him. 


God does not float money from heaven to supply our needs albeit he could if he wanted, but he meets your needs for the long term.  Looking back I never would have dreamed the direction our lives have taken.

One morning a few weeks ago as I was spending time with the Lord reading Luke 5^: 1-8 Jesus dropped a little insight into my heart concerning this story.


  Jesus was standing by a lake and suddenly people began to crowd around him listening to what he was saying.  He used one of the boats at the water’s edge to push off a little bit from the shore.  Your voice carries on the water and that was his microphone. 
When he finished speaking he said to Simon,” go out into the deep water and let your nets down for a catch”. 

Simon was reluctant because he and his friends had fished all night and did not catch a thing, but because Jesus said so, they let down their nets.  
The fish they caught was such a large number that their nets began to break and they had to signal for their friends to come help.  Simon and all his friends were astonished at the catch of fish.


Jesus dropped this message into my heart; you see Jackie the principle of giving is in this story. I needed a boat; Simon had a boat and allowed me to use it.  When I finished with the boat I gave back to Simon even more than he ever expected, if he expected anything at all.


Scripture states in Luke 6:38:


6 “Give and it will be given back to you, a good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over will be poured into your lap.  For with the measure you use it will be measured to you”. 


You see if you give a little you get a little.  So give happily knowing you can’t out give God. 

If you think about this principle of God’s Word it also works in the secular world.  Consider Bill Gates, he has given millions of dollars to charity and God just keeps on giving back to him.  If he can trust you with the blessings he will continue to pour them out.  It is a principle of God’s word.


Well then tithing, what is in it for me? Just about everything, blessings I find hard to contain.  Never doubt God, never, never, never.  He is just waiting to bless you too. 

Jackie