Yet for those whom have “ears to hear”, they will hear what the Father is saying, and share the Father’s heart with others, and be as like “one’s standing in the wilderness” proclaiming.

You see this word is like a “seed sown” into “very good ground”. May it root and become a fruit bearing tree, and may that fruit bring many into the Kingdom while pulling them out of the world, the ways of the world, and the lusts thereof.

Blessings
An Old Freind

Yeah, that’s so true.

Painful, but good!

I know that He is bringing many to a place where ALL they have is Him. – I’ve been thinking about this very thing this week. We can sing “You’re all I want, You’re all I need, You’re everything…” It’s all fine and dandy until He takes us up on it.

Blessings…

Blessings to you, Troy and the girls. May God bless you all, in all that you do, and may He give you the desires of your hearts.

an old friend, in Christ.

You are correct. Very few very few have really ever lost all of theirselves to be all of whatever He has. A lot sure probably thought they were.

As you put in the time, give the money or goods and honestly care . . . but then go home to our homes and lay on beds to sleep.

Trust me, I know there are some- and I know you know that too.

That’s the kind of selflessness that God was talking about though.

Whatever it takes, whatever it takes- however it goes . . .

After all, that’s what He gave-

He gave it all.

& The most generous of us over here still have those strands of selfishness that 10 we were born into with our flesh and 2) have been trained to be from a world that does not love the God who created it.

Everyone always has these lofty ideas that yeah- they would do this or that. But- most people aren’t ever really faced with those kinds of decisions. When they are, it’s suddenly a whole different story — and even the “kindest” people suddenly get faced with a whole lot of flesh they didn’t even know they had.

Take heart though- every time I talk to you there is something new. Therefore- you, my dear friend, are in FORWARD motion. God knows you might squirm slightly from time to time, and other times not—- but He knows your heart and He knows He can trust you with his people—— who He called by name—— even if currently—- many of them don’t know it.

God delights in you. Delights. Isn’t that beautiful?

& Trust me, every now & again- I know you are enemy target-:

devil comes up and says “Hey- let me do this or that to Troy and Andrea” (AND THERE’S a “GOD” PAUSE– for climatic effect- ha ha) THEN GOD SAYS: “You know, go right ahead——– but MY SHEEP know MY VOICE- and they WILL NOT serve you!!!”

And even crying- you stand. Even quaking, you stand. Knots in your stomach, question marks trying to beat in the sides of your heads- you stand.

Know what? God might not like stubborn wills against His-

But I kinda think GOD DELIGHTS in a good godly stubborn will that says

“Nope devil- come what may- I will serve GOD!”

Be blessed- cause you sure are.

I have not had an easy life nor have a I led a banner life. There’s been a lot of turmoil, a lot of dark places. It seems at times as though I have lived many lives all crammed into one body and forty three years.

I have had a lot of pain inflicted. I also did my share of inflicting. I can say, I didn’t mean to, yet whether one means to or not, the end result is still the same.

I will not yet go through all the wretched details of either side, though. Right now I am tired so I fear that it would sound more of a testimony to satan, rather to the God I know to be real, and Who has become the focul point of my life.

My day, much as yours Andrea seemed rather blah. Quickly it moved from blah to anxiety filled and for a time, I guess I decided that the rollercoaster ride could lead me and my emotions somewhere I no longer often go.

By the end of our conversation, things had settled, . . . and the peace- that yes- surpasses ALL understanding seemed to come back. Oh praise God!

I’d be the last one inthe world to even try to appear I get things all right. I have gotten so much “wrong” in my life that I could be a glowing testimony of what NOT to do. However, God uses anything when He has a willing vessel. As with most people, He has used my failures more greatly in talking with/teaching me, or by drawing others when I happen to be there.

If you are out there though and you don’t know God, . . . or you do but feel like you just can’t do this thing called being a Christian-

please hear my heart . . .

I have succumbed to many things in my life. -Hurt, anger, depression, trying to please men/women, sexual indiscretion, unfaithfulness, idolatry, selfishness, pride, . . . you name, I have experienced these, done these, BEEN these

I have succumbed to evil words of others, violent tempers, sexual perversion, condemnation, a fear so great that I literally wanted to die- for a long long time

And both list, though neither one complete—- did NOTHING for me but drag me down further . . . and keep me away from the ONLY solution for me.

GOD. I’m not being funny, I am being real. Please, please hear my heart:

The only thing that started to bring any kind of lasting change in my life was the moment I felt the Holy Spirit beckoning once again- and this time I succumbed to Him. I gave it up to Him.

My transformation has not been in a blink. I will continue until the day He comes back or brings me up out of here. Much like an onion, I had a lot of layers. Not that I was deep, but all the burdens, all the baggage were decades thick. In His wisdom, He has been carefully removing it all and yet growing me at the same time.

& I praise Him for that.

But folks- there was nothing special about me. There was nothing I had done that merited what He did on the cross or what He continues to do.

So I beseech you, hear me! He is real. He is real and He is the answer that every bottle, every pill, every late night getting down with someone, every dollar, every car, every everything could not bring. He is the only way out of emptiness, misery, or a plastic life- even one of grandeur, that in the end will pass away.

I wasn’t worthy. I’m not. He though, He so is.

The same God who reached down into a hellish pit here just to retrieve me, is the same one that longs to feel you grab ahold of the hand He is extending. He is no respector of persons. What He has done for me, He LONGS to do for you.

& If you aren’t sure He is real, just talk to Him. Ask Him to show Himself. He will.

*Warning though. For those of you that think Christian life is either boring or uneventful . . . well, you’ll see . . .

God is awesome. Today I allowed myself to get a little unerved (out of faith apparently) and kinda go on an emotional trip. Hmm, negative. However, God can use anything. See, one of my struggles has been going into almost a “survivor” mode. & throwing up walls or something to try to protect myself. & Every once in awhile He shows me I’m not quite over that yet. -*But praise God, it’s getting better.

So, I ask God 1) to forgive me, then 2) to just help me. & I lay down my inabilities and shortcomings back at His feet——————–

And I get up and go on. And I get up and go on. And I get up and go on.

Andrea, Troy—- love you! Keep rockin’ on God’s orders. Blessed to know servants that run hard.