What if?

What if you could access heaven whilst here on earth? 

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FOR THE SAKE OF THE CHILDREN

 

Once upon a time there was a young man named Sun Tak and a young woman named Nonni.  They fell in love and eventually married.  Each had their own dreams of what the future might hold for them.  Together they longed for and talked about having a child whom they could eventually hold close to their hearts sowing the future of their family into.  The man of course longed for a boy with whom he would play sports and teach his life skills to, who in the course of time would eventually take over the family business.

The woman similarly longed for a girl she could dress in pretty dresses, brush her hair and style it.  She dreamed of cooking with her future daughter and imagined that during the daily chores there would be chatter and laughter held together with the bond of love.

One day the happy event took place and the woman conceived the longed-for child.  As the months progressed the woman sang soft love songs to her unborn child, and the man would come and caress the stomach and speak to his unborn child.  They both knew that the child in the womb could hear sounds even if muffled and feel if it was loved and wanted or unwanted.  Both Sun Tak and Nonni  were very happy during this gestation period as they built their home and their dreams for the future.  The birth went according to plan, no complications there and at the end Sun Tak and Nonni held a beautiful girl in their arms.    Great was their joy and their families rejoiced with them.

One year later another child was born and this time it was a boy.  Can you imagine the joy felt by Sun Tak as he held his son in his arms and the joy Nonni felt and she tenderly breast fed her son, HER SON! How good that sounded to her ears and her heart!  Now they were complete, a boy and girl and if God blessed them there would be more to come in the future.

However, life does not always turn out as we hoped or expected it would.  Many twists and turns arise to keep us on our toes and challenge us.  Now a huge problem presented itself to this perfect little family.  The government turned to civil war to overthrow the public unrest regarding certain laws of the land that were being made.  Rumors of shootings and torture abounded, some people simply disappeared.  It was unimaginable what was going on in their country.  No one seemed to know what to do for the best.

The day came when soldiers came to Sun Tak and Nonni’s village and simply set fire to their homes with all their hard earned and treasured possessions inside. The soldiers fired shots to intimidate the villagers to do what they wanted.  They made men dig a huge pit in the village square center, when it was finished they forced them at machine gun point to kneel down with their faces towards the hole they had just dug.  This enabled the soldiers to be able to walk along the line and shoot them mechanically without feeling in the back of head.

Next they lined up the women and shot them the same way pushing their bodies into the pit on top of the men  whose bodies were still warm having been just shot. It was all so cold and  unceremonious, such an ignominious end to a life well spent, an unmarked mass grave.  Some of the children watched in horror with silent tears streaming down their faces afraid to make any sound.  Others had run off to the forest to hide.  No one knew what to expect next.  The children who stood silently watching the shootings were gathered up by the soldiers and taken away as slaves never to be heard of again. It did not bear thinking about what might happen to them. The ones in the forest survived for a while eating leaves and roots, eventually hunger drove them them to steal food to survive.

Inside their soul’s fear lurked, never very far away.  Fear always cripples the person inside no matter how young they are, or how little or how much they have personally seen or tasted of evil.  Fear belittles, subdues and hides, it is a silent killer of relationships and a healthy life.  Fear shrinks lives and destroys them.  It had certainly worked it’s evil spell on these young lives.

One day a man whose heart was big with the love of God named Mr. Chan Song came to the village and started building a house for the orphaned children to live in.  He did not have much to use except his big heart and his love for the children that God had given him.  God had given Mr. Chan Song the job of taking over the care and upbringing of these children from  families like Sun Tak and Nonni who were now gone.  With God’s help Mr. Chang Song would try and fulfill the dreams the villagers had for their children.  Of course, it would never be quite the same, but it saved the children from ruin and death giving them hope for a future.

Slowly word got out about what the man was doing, People started giving him bits of wood and bags of cement, nails, bedding, food and help with the building.

As word spread the children came to look at the building, timid at first, but as Mr. Chang Song saw them he made a special effort to talk with them and assure them of his good intentions towards them.  Slowly the children moved into the home made specially for them until there were nine of them both boys and girls.  Mr. Chan Song fed and clothed them providing the comforts of a home environment for them.  He also started educating them for he was a big believer in God, the greatest source of knowledge ever and in getting wisdom as King Solomon used to advocate.  He realized two things in life were very foundational for the well being of the soul.  Firstly, a new heart, born again by the love of God, an antidote to fear and secondly,  an education which would help you make wise decisions that would affect your life and that of others.  It would also pave the way for a job in the future with which to support not only yourself but the families they would in turn have one day.

Things were going along well, sparse, but good as long as one was creative to make ends meet, but generally speaking things looked bright.  Then one morning the storms came as they usually did at this time of the year for it was the Monsoon season, but somehow, they seemed heavier than ever this year.  Early one morning after the heavy night rains  people started running and shouting and mayhem seemed to explode everywhere.  A river of water with rocks, trees and garbage in it was making its way fast down the drive to the house.  There was not enough time to save anything, only their lives as they climbed onto the roof top of the house built for them.  Yet again the children were traumatized from events beyond their control, even as Mr. Chang Song was doing all in his power to help keep things calm.  He and the children prayed and prayed for help.  Indeed, their very lives were saved, but now how in the world were they going to rebuild what was lost in moment of time.  All their hard work gone!

Well, dear readers that’s where you come in.  Remember your hopes and dreams of a family and try to imagine what it would be like to have that all ripped away from you.  What would you want to happen to your children?  I know you would want someone with a godly kind heart to take care of them.  To give them hope and a future.

 

Here’s the real rub.

Although the names are fictional and so is the story; something very similar and very real happened in Burma, now Mayan Mar not so long ago with a real life hero and lover of God who has built an orphanage for the many parentless children there.  Recently there were real floods that have caused much damage to the orphanage.  They are desperately in need of your help and financial support.  Apostle and Commander of Kingdom League International has put out a plea for help, they personally know the hero whose real name Mr. Kawl and the validity of his ministry.

I am asking you to join with Commander Tim and Brenda Taylor and Kingdom League International to help support the real hero of the story Mr. Kawl  to rebuild the flooded-out home and start over again for the sake of the children.

There are also many more children waiting in the pipeline for a place like this to take them in.  Would you please pray and seek God for an amount to give or make regular commitment to?  Thank you for taking the time to read this story.  Remember to be thankful for all you do have, but don’t forget those children.  God bless you.

I will let Apostle and Commander Taylor put his own bit in below.

Sincerely

Pamela J Smith

 

An unexpected visitor

I was living in a strange area not one I thought I would end up in.  I had bought my own house and thought I was investing sensibly into it.  It turned out i had gone way past it’s real value in the market place and the only value of my house was in my mind.

Angry at the way things had turned out and alone, not mention afraid of what I had done and what might yet be to come I knew not how to fix the mess I had made of my home.

Then one day a knock came to my door, soft at first but insistent and gradually getting louder with each knock.  Apprehensively I opened the door just a bit to see who was there.  There stood a man not particularly handsome but an open honest face who joyfully told me that he had been told of my situation and if I would let him come in he would tell me how to fix things.  Not normally given to inviting strangers into my house, I was reticent, but something about the warmth and conviviality of this man whose name he told me was Joshua made me want to take the risk.  After all what had I to lose if things went south, I’d just ask him to leave.

Outloud I said “you can come in.”  “Would you like a cup of tea?”  Putting on my best hospitality face and manner.  As I was putting water in the kettle, setting it boil, finding the tea bags, teapot, cups and saucers, I noticed Joshua seemed to be looking around at what was in the house.  Embarrassed I started to fuss and make excuses.  “I’m sorry it’s such a mess I wasn’t expecting company”.

“Don’t feel uncomfortable” Joshua said, I  just take folks as I find them.  I don’t expect them to be something their not”.  “Well, that’s good” I replied feeling slightly relieved.  Handing him his cup of tea placed on a saucer, “milk”?  I asked.  Sitting myself down opposite him I asked him, “now what is it you have come to tell me”.

He started by telling a bit about himself and he was so interested in me too.  We chatted up a storm, I was so comfortable in his presence I started to forget how lonely I’d been.  As he stood up to leave, I remembered and pressed him to stay the night eager for more friendship and the laughter I’d found welling up every now and then as he regaled his stories to me, something I had not done in long time.  He willingly took up my offer and stayed.  Gradually one day turned into two and then a week, a month and then months.  I began to realize that Joshua had brought something positive into my home and gave me something to look forward to by just being there.

Over a period of time I began to notice small things that needed changing, for example I needed to vacuum the dust out of the house, straighten up the bookshelf, clean the windows.  I even thought I should take care of myself a little more.  I had neglected my appearance for quite a while now.  I had allowed My house and myself to become quite shabby.  My garden that the world saw was quite overgrown, although it had been lovely when I bought the house.  Weeds and drought from not watering had taken it’s toll.

Winter had come and gone it seemed and spring was in the air.  Yes, it was time to spring clean my house.  Joshua said he would help me.  At first it was fun as we swept and polished and tidied.  But then Joshua decided to take stock of the furniture and said that several of my favorite pieces really ought to go and another style would be better.  Suddenly I thought “what am I doing letting this man change my lifestyle, after all can I really trust him?”  “What right does he have to tell me that he doesn’t like my couch, or dining table?”  That I need to replace them?  Yet, deep down I knew he was quite right about the need to ‘upgrade’ as it were. I guess I just resented someone I took into my own house, now asserting himself and telling ME what needed to be done and what would help things be better!

“Gosh,”  I thought you just don’t really know a person until you spend time with them and expecially live with them!  Eventually after sulking quite a bit and letting my feelings be know by huffing around I agreed.  I replaced the couch and dining table and ones I had now were much better and more serviceable.  Not only that I didn’t mind other people seeing them, because I was not ashamed anymore of how my house was inside, or for that matter outside after our massive clean up session.

One day after all this change Joshua announces he has to visit another place and that I would be alright now.  What did he mean, I would be alright now, all this change came about because he came and knocked on my door and I had reticently opened it and let him in. We’d had such a great time at first time had slipped by and I guess I kind of took him for granted.  Then came the deeper level of friendship where we’d had words about how I needed to change some things and eventually I had agreed and followed through with it, spending my own money too on his agenda for me.  Now he wanted to leave!

He said, I would be able to find him any time I wanted to, I only had to look him up and talk to him and he’d still be with me.  Then he left with a pleasant goodbye, affirming “I’m always around watching you know, just call.”  I had a few days pouting and thinking to myself “well who needs Joshua anyway?”  Inside I really knew I did, in fact I come to rely on him and dare I say it, even love his presence, now he was gone, how was I to cope.

A few days later gingerly, I spoke out loud, “ are you there Joshua?  Can you hear me?.  “I’m here”  came the quietly spoken reply, almost a breath on the air.  Did I imagine it?  But, no along with the statement came the peaceful assurance that indeed somehow his presence was still in my house.  In fact it clung to every part of the house, the drapes, the couch, the dining table where we had shared so many lovely meals.  The shining windows, the dustless shelves and books.  The tidy garden now blooming giving fragrance and pleasure, all of spoke of Joshua’s input in my house, indeed in my life. Could it be possible what he said was true?  That I could find him anytime I wanted simply by speaking to him, and he would hear me?

Over time I found it was true and that truly Joshua’s presence somehow never left my house.  He continued to inspire and help me when I needed it and encourage me when i needed that.  I was no longer lonely as I once been.  I even let other people into my house now I was no longer ashamed of it.  That’s how I learned over the years that many people had been visited in their houses and been changed in one way or another.  I guess Joshua was secretly a master makeover of houses and there was no charge.  All you had to do was let him into your house.

Those who have ears to hear let them hear.  Those who have eyes to see let them see the true meaning here.

 

STORM WALKERS – are you one?

Much is made of the courage of chasing storms or being a storm chaser but what about the possibility of being a STORM WALKER not a storm chaser?

Once upon a time there was a lake that was known for it’s sudden and vicious storms.  Even the experienced fisherman were occasionally frightened by the intensity of these unexpected storms.  Their little boats with sails furled tight were hurled not only up and down but rocked side to side and at times it seemed as if they would capsize.  They cried out in fear to God to help them as many of us do today when we are the midst of a storm in our life.

The Storm Walker heard their terrified cries for help and calmly strode over the crests of the waves, as if they did not exist reaching the boat and telling the sailors;

“ Peace be with you”.  At first they screamed louder thinking there was an apparition on top of the storm.  After reassurance from the Storm Walker whom they knew well and that it was really him, not a ghost,  they let him into their boat.

Immediately they found themselves on the opposite shore!  Neither time nor distance mattered, nor was the storm relevant in hindering the Storm Walker in any way.  His only concern was to help his disciples in their trouble and putting their feet on solid ground, the rock.

The Storm Walker is Christ Jesus Lord of Creation and the Universes, so of course he is not afraid of the storms in life.  The Creator does not fear that which is created!  He has promised never to leave you nor forsake you no matter what.  He will get you to the other side just focus on him and not the storm.  Follow his lead and be not afraid; just walk above the storms of your life acknowledging you have the Holy Spirit of the Storm Walker  in your heart through faith in Christ Jesus.  You need not be afraid and look to him for your peace.

So like Christ Jesus whom we emulate and have his spirit living in ours we too can be STORM WALKERS.

God bless you

Pamela.

The Pain and the Beauty

“I wish I had some patience” I thought as I stood in the check out.  No matter which line I choose something always happens to make it the longest.  Another example is when you get into the driving seat of the car; suddenly people don’t get going fast enough from the red light, or behave in a matter that seemingly irritates you when normally it doesn’t. You swear behind the wheel when you normally don’t swear at all!

The crying child, or the ‘why’ question.  That work colleague you can’t stand yet you have to be nice to in order to keep your job.  I’m sure can think of plenty of examples where you need patience too.

These are trivial examples but what about the pain of divorce, bereavement, abandonment, separation,  Loss of hopes and dreams, finances, stability and so on. What about the loss of health or youth?  All these things cause emotional turmoil and inner pain.  We wast our breath asking the useless question: “if only I had done this, or if only I had not done that.”  Or Why? Why did that happen to me, I never thought it would, or did not deserve this and on and on it goes.

How do you get over these obstacles in life?  Because you do need to get over them, to move forward.  You do deserve a quality life whatever that may be.

Here is where to start, turn to Jesus Christ and put your trust in him even though you don’t understand what is going on.  He is author and finisher of your faith.  He brings life and beauty out of every awful painful situation if you let Him work in you.  He is the best heart surgeon and not only will put your life back together again, but with His guidance as you obey His word you life will become better than before when you trusted only yourself.

There is a process taking place through the pain.  The old adage no pain, no gain is true.  God does not cause suffering rather God uses suffering as a tool to chip away the unpleasant aspects of your nature to begin to etch in your life beauty, true inner beauty that does not fade or perish as the outward beauty does.  His tools are the tribulation, the suffering you experience whether through your own fault or not.  He uses the tribulation so that as you will turn to Him and learn to trust Him.  This produces deeper faith, and you find out what you truly believe.  In turn this produces patience and as you persevere with patience your character becomes more refined and more like Christ,  resulting in hope.  Hope does not disappoint you because the love of God has been poured out in your heart by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.  (Romans 5: 3-5).  These inner qualities do not end but go on to produce good fruit in your life.

An easy life never loses the strong grip of self-will that has taken hold of our hearts since the fall of Adam.  John Ortberg said ”God isn’t at work producing the cirmstances I want, God is at work in bad circumstances to produce in us what He wants”.  WOW, you mean it’s not all about me, but about Him?

He cares enough to give you a make over and make you beautiful like Him?  Thank you Lord.  It is a puzzle how God make things turn out good from the bad things in our life, but I am thankful.  Maybe you ruined your life with poor decisions, but now you have had the love and the grace of God to make something beautiful and lasting out of your life.  Thank you Lord.

I read this recently: Pierre-Augusta Renoir the great French impressionist artist had bad arthritis, so much so his hands became twisted and deformed.  The simple act of holding a brush became excruciating.  In time he was confined to his wheelchair, but did not give up his painting, absolutely not!!!  One day his friend Henri Matisse visited him and watch the great painter as he painfully grasped a brush using only his fingertips. Every movement was agony, yet he doggedly kept as his painting.

Matisse exclaimed, “How can you paint at the expense of such torture?”  Renoir replied:  “THE PAIN PASSES, BUT THE BEAUTY REMAINS.”

So the soul becomes beautiful that endures the agony of suffering when trusting in the power of Christ to reform you.

(1 Peter 5: 10).”May the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen and settle you.”

So shall your light shine as you reflect the glory of the God in your innerbeing.  Having become lastingly beautiful.

Bring back Courting

We all know how high the divorce rate is and that today there are more singles or people living together and not marrying than ever before.

People are afraid of commitment, and don’t see the point of marrying if it’s just going to end up in divorce. It is mainly in the west that divorces Happen so much.  So lets take a look at what maybe going on to cause this.

Througout history people could not travel far from their home area and when a man decided it was time to take a wife he would visit her at her home, getting to know her family over a period of time.  There were no automobiles to come and take the woman off to somewhere else unsupervised.  Spending time with the other person’s family is a very good idea. You can see how they live their lives, what their hopes and realities are.  You gain understanding of their world view points, and behavior patterns.  Morals, faith or lack of.  Patterns of behavior and speech all of which your future wife/husband will display down the road since that is what they have learned from being small.  It is a useful window in time to look into your prospective future with this person in marriage to find out if you are compatible or not.

When the automobile arrived increasingly one went away from family to do things that may or may not have been suitable.  Without supervision, or accountability often lust of the flesh takes place, especially with alcohol and drugs  Inhibitions are laid in the dust.  Resulting in sex taking place far too soon in a relationship.  Sex forces the new relationship to a deeper level (because the two become one in the spirit realm,) than would have happened in a normal relationship of being friends and getting to know each other first.

Starting up a courtship is a very helpful place to start. You find out about the person and what they think, their hopes, dreams, expectations before you ever take the step of sex and marriage.  You then know if this is a suitable person for you to spend the rest of your life with.

Meeting someone in a bar or similar type of environment where people are consuming alcohol lowers the tone of normal conversation and inhibitions subside.  This is not the best way  to tell if someone is going to be suitable for such a huge decision.

You are meant to be a virgin when you marry and your Hymen is broken by your husband you have entered into a holy union; a blood covenant.  The Hymen bleeds called a ‘show’ this is a serious spiritual commitment.  It is a blood covenant between the man and the woman which God takes very seriously.  Blood is serious currency spiritually whether you like to believe it or not.  It is ordained of God.

God did a similar thing with the shedding of the blood of his son Jesus Christ so we could become his bride.  It is a covenant which is sacred and holy to God.

When you indulge in alcohol lust is more likely to arise making sex more likely to happen faster than if one was courting and marriage takes place.  Outside of marriage  Sex forces people’s hearts to become entwined in a premature way that cannot carry the weight of the long term relationship.  Sex builds a bridge from one person’s heart to another and that is why God ordained it to be in marriage to protect the individuals spirit, emotions and heart and to create a safe stable environment for future children.

When people marry prematurely without really knowing each other and without knowing what they have in common besides sex it is no wonder people get divorced.  They have built an unsustainable bridge that will collapse because they have not followed the architects master plan for marriage and the family.

The ‘love’ they thought is probably just infatuation or lust and often is not able to sustain the long-term goal of marriage.  Once the urgency of sex has worn off what do you have to keep you together?  How can you sustain a long term relationship in marriage when the foundation is not established?  You cannot, it will collapse sooner or later.  It takes commitment, giving, forgiving, faith hope and trust to build a good marriage and the help of God.

It is better to find out how this is meant to work from the creator who made male and female and instituted marriage, than from a school mate or pub mate who base their experiences on something that is not as good as they are bragging about. So here are some suggestions from the Bible, the best instructions before leaving earth.

Have people you are accountable to and talk things over with in your life, like what do you know about such a person because I would like to date them with a view to marriage or court them.  Ask people you know will tell you the truth not just what you want to hear. Then be humble and take their advice.

Ask God for the right person tell Him what you want and ask Him to give you the right person in the right time.  Timing is a big issue.  Are you mature enough to handle a deep relationship?  Are you healed in your heart before you leap into the next relationship?  If not you will take all that baggage with you.  so wait on God’s timing and ask His help; it will work out better for you in the long run.

Get to know the person’s family, church, group and just hang out with them watching and learning.  Ask yourself if their goals, behavior are compatible with what you want.  For example if your a strong Christian and they are not, don’t think that it will end up alright because most people once the newness of marriage has worn off will revert to old patterns and beliefs.  You will find yourself in strife over many decisions, not least how to bring up future children, what is ok and what is not.  Money issues will  cause strife if you are not on the same page for example what to give to and what not. You need to be able to be on the same page to be able to build a good marriage.

Looks are not everything, yes they help, but even beauty fades but a beautiful heart lasts forever.  What’s on the inside and constitutes character is far more important than looks.  Love grows when it is properly nurtured and looks are in the eye of the beholder anyway.

So I am calling for re-instituting courtship instead of instant gratification with opposite sex to ward off heart ache and failed relationships.  Anything good is worth waiting for.  Let’s get back to basics here and have some healthy long lasting brilliant relationships and marriages to be an example for the next generations.

Thank you.

 

 

You were Here When…

You were here with me before I was born, when my spirit lived with you in heaven.

You chose family for me and decided it was good. You were here when I took my first breath, you looked at me through the beautiful brown eyes of my mother with love.

You were here to keep me living when I nearly died of cerebral malaria, went through two revolutionary wars,  held at machine gun point for four hours in Kinshasa Congo.

You were here in with my father as he patiently spoke in French to teach and train doctors, nurses, and carpenters to make Calipers for those who had polio. You guided my father building hospitals for the poor and needy. You were here in my Father’s voice speaking French to the soldiers who thrust their guns through windows of our car to decide if we should live or die.

You were present in my mother and father as they sang hymns and songs on long dusty hot journeys in the old dark blue Swedish Saab and on many dark nights when the local tom tom drums beat out their coded messages in the jungle and in the caravan suride when fear was in the air.

You were here in the dark hours of the night when nightmares struck, and during the loudest thunder and lightening storms.  You were here through every terror of the night and the prospect of what each day would bring, YOU – were here.

Now I no longer need to be afraid because I know you are with me always even until the end of time.

You were here when I foolishly sledged down the steep farmers hill in the little yellow baby bath to start labor. You were here when I delivered my son on the bedroom floor with no around except you.  Your face appeared looking down on me and you told me it was alright – you were here.

You were here in inspite of all the rejection, abandonment and abuse, you said you would never leave me or forsake me and you never have!

You were with me in the work place shining through me.  You were present in the single parent group I ran performing miracles of healing both physically and emotionally.  You found a husband for each woman we fasted and prayed for.

You were with me your wonders to perform healing and restoration in my own life.  You placed people even from around the world, angels, information, just to help me out and encourage me.  To make sure I would make it through.

You are here revealing yourself to me in every tree and blood red leaf and bright color of autumn majesty. You are here revealing yourself through nature every day even In the bright yellow dandelion that speaks of such brilliant design.  Your hand and presence are in the progression of the seasons.  Even winter takes on a soft beauty, gently sleeping knowing that there is life to come again after death.  You are here in spring when the earth comes alive again just like we will after we die – just for a season.  You are here in the fullness and bounty of summer to refresh and revive growing to maturity producing lucious fruit to harvest.  Yes, you are here in it all.

You lead us beside still water reviving our souls, making provision as the good shepherd leading his sheep to safe lucious pastures, protecting them from the howling winds and wild beasts that would seek to devour.  You are here protecting, nurturing, guarding, guiding every step of the way.

You are here even on the farthest side of the ocean from where I belong. I still found you here your presence just the same guiding me, providing for me in your opulent abundant way, not because you have to but because you want to, that’s who you are. You are the source of everpresent life, not for one moment have you abandoned me even though at times it may have seemed like it.  With hind sight I realized you were enabling me to come up higher, to desire more, to become more.  Oh – how well you know every cell of my frame.  I cannot hide from you anywhere!  Even in the dark you are there. You know my thoughts full well and every word even before I utter it!  Your knowledge is too wonderful for me to fully comprehend, but I know I love you full well.  In you I live, breathe and have my being.  You are my all in all.  The lover and sustenance of my soul.

Even now when I find myself growing old and autumn is in my years, I find you here.  YES, YOU ARE HERE – YOU WILL NEVER LEAVE ME OR FORSAKE ME – MY FRIEND – MY GOD AND MY KING.  I humbly bow before you now in adoration to the king of my heart and lover of my soul.  I look forward;  I am ready! My lamp is is lit and prepared with oil to meet the one who was always here.