Do You Have A Dream Inside You?

Over 11 years ago, God laid an idea within my heart. I didn't understand it all at the time, especially as I didn't have a church and am pretty much a reclusive person. However, being the person I am, I ran with it, and it didn't work out, and didn't work out and didn't work out...One day He told me my ideas were sound and from Him, but I was unequally yoked in any entrepreneurial efforts and it would fail.

I have been blessed with creative gifts and ideas all my life. God used those to get me through some pretty tough times financially. I was also in a position where I was not allowed to tithe into the kingdom of God! So I needed a source of income where it was not taking from anywhere else, it was mine, to give, donate, burn it in the fireplace if I wanted, LOL, but I wanted it for tithing! He showed me several scriptures. One was the law of tithing, and that by always honoring Him in tithing and giving Him the glory for my ideas and instruction, He would bless the work of my hands. 

Another was the Proverbs 31 woman, how she provides, buying and selling, making wise investments and LOOKING AFTER HER FAMILY. So she was able to work from her home, look after her family responsibilities, but still contribute. God also showed me that as we follow Him, He provides supernaturally through the natural. The whole "job" concept is so that you can support the Kingdom.  He also gives us the ability to obtain wealth, if we follow His financial principles. 

11 years ago, He showed me that there are other women, that have creative talents, and a way of helping and blessing them. You may be a senior, a young mom, or without employment. But you have these ideas, and talents hidden within you. (Now I am appealing more to the ladies here, but I am including you men as well.) Do you paint, knit, crochet, make jewelry, sew clothes, quilt, embroider, cross stitch? Do you refinish furniture, create cards to inspire people, make candles, cook gorgeous pastries. Perhaps you are skilled at gardening, woodworking, or something else?

The idea is to bring your creative God-given skills and talents together, to help you realize the dream in your heart, let God provide and use these talents to reach out to others. You can knit a pair of slippers and pray over them that the wearer find God and peace and joy. You can use your painting to inspire to the glory of God, make those inspirational cards of faith and encouragement. 

With all this in mind, I have started to create a Facebook page to start out. I will be doing a website as well, to further sales and recognition. I am also a graphic designer and I am willing to do  the artwork for business cards for everyone, flyers if needed....posters....at no charge. I also have access to a printing company I freelance for, so I can get you a reasonable price for print work. 

So the big question you are asking...How much does she want for this? The answer was going to be "Nothing". Tonight I couldn't sleep and got up to type this....the answer is  "I want you to realize the dream God gave you, to enjoy doing what you do. Each item you create to carry a message of love and hope and prayer with it. I want you blessed to be a blessing." 

If you do something, but don't have materials to start out with, talk to me, I'm a crafter pack rat and I could have some of what you need to get started. 

If you are looking for patterns or how-to's, talk to me, I will help you find what you have in mind, or if you don't have access to a computer, but still want to take part, let me know, I will set up to come take photos of your items and get them online for you. 

If you feel this is of interest to you, grab a business card and give me a call. 

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For those of you inclined in other directions, writing books,or perhaps you have a small business already, but need some help to put you in the eyes of the consumers, Let's take it to God, together, and create what HE has in mind for you. That your business be used to His glory, to spread the gospel, to bless others. 

Thank you for your time.

Rhona

A Time For Everything

I am extremely grateful for all that God does...even when something happens that hurts my feelings...it is a growing experience....and as with everything that happens in our lives, there is a purpose or a lesson to be learned.

I won't stop following what I feel is a leading of the Lord in my life, even though things get real tough sometimes. Where He leads I will follow.

When God leads you somewhere and some well intention-ed person takes you out of that direction, it doesn't stop what God is doing. It just means He leads you in a different way, to the same result, or sets the obstacles aside, to the same result.

Today I will relax and enjoy His goodness and the quietness.

Ecclesiastes 3

Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

3 For everything there is a season,
a right time for every intention under heaven —
² a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
³ a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
⁵ a time to throw stones and a time to gather stones,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
⁶ a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to discard,
⁷ a time to tear and a time to sew,
a time to keep silent and a time to speak,
⁸ a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

⁹ What does the worker gain from his efforts? ¹⁰ I have seen the task God has given humanity to keep us occupied. ¹¹ He has made everything suited to its time; also, he has given human beings an awareness of eternity; but in such a way that they can’t fully comprehend, from beginning to end, the things God does. ¹² I know that there is nothing better for them to do than to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live. ¹³ Still, the fact that everyone can eat and drink and enjoy the good that results from all his work, is a gift of God. ¹⁴ I know that

whatever God does will last forever;
there is nothing to add or subtract from it;
and God has done it so that people will fear him.

¹⁵ That which was is here already;
and that which will be has already been,
but God seeks out what people chase after.

¹⁶ Another thing I observed under the sun:

There, in the same place as justice, was wickedness;
there, in the same place as righteousness, was wickedness.

¹⁷ I said to myself, “The righteous and the wicked God will judge, because there is a right time for every intention and for every action.”

¹⁸ Concerning people, I said to myself, “God is testing them, so that they will see that by themselves they are just animals. ¹⁹ After all, the same things that happen to people happen to animals, the very same thing — just as the one dies, so does the other. Yes, their breath is the same; so that humans are no better than animals; since nothing matters, anyway. ²⁰ They all go to the same place; they all come from dust, and they all return to dust. ²¹ Who knows if the spirit of a human being goes upward and the spirit of an animal goes downward into the earth?” ²² So I concluded that there is nothing better for a person to do than take joy in his activities, that that is his allotted portion; for who can enable him to see what will happen after him?


A Place of Rest....

Just to Thank you Oh Lord

A Day of reflection and just being thankful for all He has done in my life.

I remember the first time I ever heard this song...it touched my very soul and I could feel myself slipping into His anointing.

There are days that I seem to forget all that He has done in my life...and then some little thing will happen and bring it into my remembrance. How lost I was in the darkness...didn't know if I was going to live another day...or if I even wanted to. Struggling just to exist.

Today, I look around me and see all that He has done. He has provided a home, and all the necessities of life, he gave me beauty for ashes, and praise where there was once misery. He makes my heart sing, He gives my soul solace.

When I listen to the words of this beautiful worship song...all that I am ..and all I will ever be...I lay at His feet.

I  pause to remember that when I feel down or feel fearful, or unloved, that there are others out there, who are far worse off than I...and I reach for His hand yet again, and ask Him to help me to just stand and help others in some small way.

Yes friend, you ARE your brother's keeper. Stop today and offer something positive in someone's life, even if it is the smallest thing as a smile, or pay for a meal, slip a homeless person a warm coat...but do something, and always remember where you been and how far you have come.

New Beginnings and a New Focus

It has been a busy month with lots happening...new beginnings...new ideas....much prayer.

I was feeling stagnated. You know that feeling when it feels like you aren't moving forward and everything is blocking the best of your intentions. All of your plans are for nothing...and your prayers only reach the ceiling...and you cry out, "Why Lord? Where is my answer?"...

You check yourself...is there anything you need to do...are the motives of your heart right? Did you bring God into your plans and ask Him if this was His plan for you? Are you harboring unforgiveness toward someone? Did you pay your tithes and offerings? Most important...are you reading the Word every day, and asking Him for wisdom, understanding and guidance? Are you staying in a love walk when people cross you? Are you completely sold out to Jesus?

There was a lot of negativity around me, and in hindsight I can see where I got a bit of that "umph" in my spirit. We all have someone we know or around us, we love them, but no matter how much Word we give them, how much guidance....they just don't apply it. They murmur and complain, and don't persevere and just stand in faith, they are tossed with every wind of doubt that blows them off the fence, blaming the enemy for tormenting them or stopping their blessing, when it is within themselves. Then they tell it all to everyone, over and over and over, until no one wants to be around them. Never realizing that they need to shut their unbelieving mouth and get with the program. Your very own words will call it more of the same trouble until you start to praise God in the midst of it and win that battle.

If you could see into the spiritual realm for just a few minutes, when all the hosts of heaven are ready to do battle, you would hear praise and worship. Did you know that when the praise begins to resound throughout the spirit realm, the demons of hell have to cover their ears (so to speak), because they know this is a battle they aren't going to win!

We as Christians find it very easy to talk the talk, the battles most of us go through are mundane things of the material world. Now I'm talking general here...the every day thing of bills and responsibilities, food on the table etc. We get sick, and we pray for healing, sometimes it comes, sometimes it doesn't. And we complain and complain..and we gossip..and we hurt others, we criticize, never realizing the harm we are doing to ourselves.

I digress, I want to talk about praising God in the midst of the war, at the first of the battle. I'm talking about getting your hands in the air, and praising Him when all hell is breaking loose around you...when every direction you turn is blocked! You are getting sicker, when the Word says you are healed, your marriage is falling apart when God says the two of you are one in His eyes, that you have taken a vow....when your husband loses his job...when the bank is taking your house, when your child is dying...or on drugs...or on the streets.....as you lay on the floor weeping and moaning, and calling your friends for prayer....and then you complain about everything in detail.

You! (yes I'm pointing at you reading this!) Get your hands in the air NOW! Shout and start praising God for the situation, because if you weren't in that situation, you couldn't see God's hand moving in it! You want the enemy on the RUN? Start praising God for that deliverance, for that healing, for the answer, and start acting like you believe it.

When I call you for prayer on something, you drop to your knees and start praying...don't wait for all the juicy tidbits. Get praying, that is what you are called to do. Join together with others and be warriors for those that can't battle for themselves right now. We that are strong are called to carry the burdens for the weaker members of the Body of Christ.

Years ago, I fell very ill, I had always had a bad throat and chest, and I got sick. I didn't wear a medic alert bracelet so when I was taken into emergency at the hospital, and they wrote a prescription, they actually did me more harm due to drug allergies. Not once but twice.

I had a respiratory infection not unlike whooping cough, and I couldn't breathe with out coughing up a lung...so to speak...until I would vomit, I couldn't leave my bed to even care for my kids...ages 4 and 5 at the time. I was also looking after 3 children for a neighbor, a bit older, thank goodness, as they helped me care for my babies.

The only respite I had was when my 4 year old daughter would get up on my pillow and lay her wee hands on me and pray...or my best friend would come over and pray...I lost 17 lbs in just a few weeks...and one night called the east coast to tell my mother good bye, that I was going to die.

I was laying one evening on the couch, and I cried out to God...if you are not going to heal me...then take me home...because I can't take the pain anymore, I can't breathe, I can't function, I can't look after my kids or my husband...and believe me, it was a sincere cry from the heart....

As I closed my eyes I began to hear a soft murmur of voices and singing....and it began to grow and grow in crescendo...music so beautiful I knew it wasn't of earth, each voice different but blending in absolute perfection...and I could hear the words..."Glory to God in the Highest, Glory to the Lamb of God, Hallelujah to the King..." majestic voices soaring higher and higher!!!

I opened my eyes and the ceiling of my room had disappeared...and I could see what appeared to be a ring of clouds with blue skies in the middle...I could see tier upon tier of angelic beings....all singing...
Then I saw a hand, much as we see the artists depictions of the hand of Jesus, with a nail scar, and it came through the cloud ring, through the tiers of angels, and I felt the Master's hand touch the very center of my lungs! (In visions, I seem to be watching as an onlooker, yet experiencing what is happening).

The singing went on for a few more minutes, and then begin to fade. As the last sounds went into silence, I leaned to the side and begin to vomit into the bucket like I was never going to stop. (yeah I know..gross :)
Finally I stopped, I couldn't believe anyone could have that much fluid in their lungs!
Strength flowed into my body, and within a few hours, you would have never known I was even sick, meals were cooked, laundry done, the house cleaned, and I went back to my volunteer position the next day.

What I'm saying...is no matter what the situation...or how much opposition you face...Don't give up! Your answer...no...your MIRACLE ...is just around the corner.

I could go on with many more things that have happened...and proved to me that God is real...and He loves His children...but ahhhhhhh...I hear the chorus of hungry pooches a-calling me from the kitchen!

God bless each and every one of you, have a great weekend!

A Celebration of Life

Just recently I received a phone call, that a special person in my life was dying of cancer and didn't have long to live.

My initial reaction, especially believing in the divine healing power of God, was that we should immediately pray and ask God to heal him. After all, the scriptures say that God is our healer. I was ready to rush off, and gather every believer I knew of to pray.

Then I spoke to my dear friend. He was at peace with the situation, with family, friends, life and most of all he was at peace with God and looking forward to going "home" to be with God.

As we spoke, a great peace came over me, and I knew that he was not putting on any noble, long suffering front. We then began to talk as always.  I felt joy mixed with my sadness that we would lose such a good person.  I told him I would dance and sing at his funeral when the time came, because I knew where he would be.

Grief is the emotion of those of us left behind. Death is not something to be fearful of... it is only a transition to a much better realm of existence. It is a natural and spiritual law unto itself. Every religion or belief system in the world has beliefs about the transition of the spirit through death. Many choose to look at it as a celebration.

The absolute highest honor I can think of for a funeral is to celebrate. Celebrate the person's life, their beliefs, their achievements and memories. Let their children, family, friends speak of the love, joy that their life brought to others.

When my time comes, I pray that there be a huge celebration. I would hope that I have touched people's lives and left them changed, even just for a moment. I want all my family to know how much I loved them, and that I knew they loved me. That I was so proud of each one of them, and the people they turned out to be. I want them to know I finally found absolute peace in the arms of God. That God was my main staying power and source of strength in my life. It is my desire that God touched the people that came into my life, through me. That the gifts and talents from God changed them in some small way.

Are you ready? What will people say and celebrate about your life when the last breath is drawn and you have slipped over into the next realm? Have you lived a life to touch others and make this world a better place? Will your children carry your spiritual legacy?  and in the end, will you stand before God and hear the words..."Well done my good and faithful servant".

To my friend....I love you....your time will come soon, and yes, I will shed a few tears, but I will see you someday, over on the other side. Your strength, your peace, your love and  joy,  I will remember the days we had, the memories we shared, and the laughter.

And I will celebrate your life!

Christians Being Hunted in 3rd World Countries

Yesterday I read an article on Christians being persecuted in other countries. Again, I had to give thanks to God for being in Canada. I sat and pondered on my own faith, if I were placed in a position where I was tortured, imprisoned, my family threatened, my life ....would I be strong enough to stand and die for my faith?
I only hope that I will never have to go through anything like that.

Think about it, we have so much, we are soft, often paying only lip service to our Lord; yet he took the cross for us. Do we play at being Christians? How much do we actually sacrifice? Do we do the things we are told to do?

I came across an account of what the physical body goes through in a crucifixion. The only thing I didn't see mentioned on that page was his crown of thorns. They weren't the little ones we see in pictures. The thorns used were about 6 inches long and very sharp. When placed on his head, it would have caused piercing into his head and his brain and head would have been so swollen he would have been unrecognizable. It says in Is. 52 that his visage was more marred than any man.

Reading on, I also saw the mighty hand of God on these Christians that have faced so much. A man in Nigeria, attacked and his Bible (something else we take much for granted) was destroyed. With no money to buy another, he cried out his need to God. A few weeks later some missionaries arrived and started handing out Bibles, he fell to his knees and wept for this answer to his prayers.

In Vietnam, a couple reunited after 7 years, the husband imprisoned for standing up for his belief in God, forced to work hard grueling labor just to be able to eat. His wife eking out a living and standing in prayer for him. When asked if they would stand again for their beliefs knowing they would be separated again, they answered "YES"! A joyful answer to prayers for reuniting.

I think of us, sometimes we make our prayer requests to God, and when we don't get that immediate answer, we give up. That couple waited 7 years for their answer and stayed steadfast in prayer.

In Somalia, Christians are being hunted down, tortured and killed. (Somalis For Jesus) has a blog on some of the things happening.  Mission Network News and Voice of the Martyrs does as well. 

Again, I am blessed that I am Canadian and live where freedom rings like a resounding bell on a Sunday morning!

My point is that we have a lot to be grateful for, and we aren't, not properly. I hear a lot of talk against other cultures and races. There are bad apples in all races and cultures. There are extremists groups.

We complain that the immigrants are taking our jobs, they have better homes, they have business' ventures, cars etc. Yes, they are living the Canadian dream, but you better stop and look at them as individuals and not lump them all together. Some came from nothing, and from war torn persecuted countries. Tortured for their faith, for just being of the culture they were.

The Bible states that when we speak against others, we are placing a curse upon ourselves. I would rather be speaking blessing and helping others, than bringing in a curse on myself.

Maybe one person at a time, we could bring a bit of peace, love and sunshine into someone's life, and therefore into our own. So my Christian brothers and sisters, remember, God made us all in His image, the same life blood flows through our veins, and the blood of Jesus was shed for all mankind, that means white, black, red, yellow and polka dotted if that's your preference. He doesn't care if you have ink on your skin, or  what you are wearing today. The sacrifice was made.

When you bring Him into your life, He starts changing you from the inside out. So remember that when you start to look at people just because they are different from you.

Signing off for today
May God richly bless each one of you.
Rhona