Mercy and grace showed up in hell!

Occult practices are apart of our world. It seems that mainstream movies and books focus on the devil and fear of demons, while an idea is promoted that the Holy Spirit of God, and His angels of light, are either powerless against the devil, out of fashion for today's modern culture, or not even mentioned, with little or no attention given to His right arms--His mighty angels! 

This trend is disturbing to me. It breeds an idea that evil is scary and intriguing. But there is only One that we are to fear, and that is God. A holy reverence for our Maker realizing that He has the power to save our souls! And wants to save our souls so that we can live life to its fullest and live in eternity with Him.

Which do you have a greater fear of--the devil or God?

God has the ability to use what was meant for evil for good, as one biblical author said "God works in all things, And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:27,28.

 But the focus has to be on God and His powers for true deliverance. The things that we fear, the spirit of what we fear, must come under the subjection of God.  Whatever we feed grows! Whatever we feed the most, dominates.

Their is only One God. One denominator that has the ability to work in all things.

God is power!  Through scripture we know that His power can be administered by His very real angels of lights. We must testify of the power of God, or the world will remain in darkness.

It should bring us comfort to know that His angels are encamped around those who fear him, and he delivers them (Psalm 34:7).

We must guard ourselves against false perceptions that may root in our hearts that says science is sanity, and only proven evidence should be deemed worthy of attention. Science is evolving and may one day catch up with God's angels of light, on the subatomic level, but more than likely not because Hebrews 11:1 states that "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." So the substance of faith, or the proof that God exists, or the materialization of God and His angels, the "show me" factor should remain a mystery, for we don't hope for things seen, we hope for things not seen. 

And when God chooses to appear those of us who were confident in what we hoped for won't be surprised because we were the enlightened ones all along! Beloved, take confidence in that!

We must guard our senses, for what we allow in our hearts through our eyes and ears makes its way to our heart.  The eye is the lamp of the body. When our eyes are healthy, our whole body also is full of light. But if  they are unhealthy, by watching and listening to junk then our body also is full of darkness. (Luke 11:34)

Have you heard the claim that the  Word of God is outdated? "Enlightened people" have grumbled that for centuries now, but think about it-- presently the Bible is the number one most read book in the entire world, traveling across time, eras and countless cultures to move on the hearts of men.  And today, men are still getting saved! (Hebrews 4:12)

That's not passé'--that's POWER! 

Remember that GREATER is he that is in you, than he that is in the world! 1 John 4:4

  "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper that any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."
Hebrews 4:12

Click this link to hear an Ex Satan Worshipper Testify

(Ex Satan Worshipper John Ramirez Testimony)

Praying for you and for me! Love, Ashley

Lace up, shape up and shine!

I have to say that over these past three days that my walking partners have been absolutely motivating to me! It had gotten to the point that my joints were stiffening up! "OH LORT," I thought. " I am not about to sit down and stop now! I gotta get going!"

So I made up my mind to move--to stretch out and warm up those stiff muscles! To get out of my comfort zone. In a way, to stretch out past my own self-confining limitations. There's still a lot of stuff that I need and want to do. Can't get it done by idling sitting, or standing by, now can I?

I had different walking partners this week, but we all shared a common bond--a love for Christ! We love the Lord. And so we are sisters.

Last night as we walked from my house to the walking trail, the thought came to me--amazing that one could come considering the amount of oxygen being diverted to my lungs as I hassled for the next precious gasp of air (smh)-- but the thought was that these women were exceptional women in their own way, and I was blessed to be journeying with them. Each one was a shining example of how different aspects of my own life could be improved!

Last night there was a group of us gals walking. We met at my house to walk to a walking trail less than a mile from my house. There was a 78 year old lady who I teamed up with because, you know, I figured we could lag behind the three Speedy Gonzales' who had fire emitting from their tennis shoes!

We did lag behind, but soon I was somewhat shamed. Here she was out, giving it her all, and adamant about pressing on! I suggested we turn around early in our trek, but she was steadfast. She said we could rest when we reached the walking trail. Once we reached the trial, the other three championed me to jog and met up with them, as Ms. Faye rested. The ladies that championed me on--a 44 year old chic, who, at her age, decided to go back to school to get her nurse practitioner’s license, what tenacity; a 58 year old woman who battled cancer, won and is recovering from a very recent surgery, but was scooting it!  She would have to raise her arm as she scuttled to relieve the pressure, but it looked like she was praising the Lord to me, and she truly was with every step she made, what drive.  Also in our pavement pounding posse' was a 44 year old single lady who is determined to raise her kids standing on the principles of Christ, without compromise in today's world, what strength!  And of course, there is the real champion, the  78 year old spiritual spit fire that rested but for a moment at that track, then made a round, before heading back to my house while we girls made a few more rounds.  What unfaltering persistent resolution! That lady didn't fear the walk in the dark alone at all!

Without question, if you were to ask where their tenacity, drive, strength and resolution, where those qualities come from, they would be quick to say from a foundation built on the love of Christ and his teachings. It would come from a faith built on the enduring word of God and the promises that come with His word.

Success comes in different shapes and forms for different people. My success hinges inside the Bible, how often I open and close it to meditate on His words; my success lies in my heart- felt prayer life, which is equally important-- for where my heart is, my mind will follow, and then my actions. But my success also is in the people that I look at as examples of how to do this thing that we call life!  And God has blessed me with some exceptional ones.

Oh, they would deflect their role, as they have had their own struggles, but they unassumingly reflect Christ in their walk, and that is undeniable! I so want my own walk to reflect His Spirit in everything that I do. So that is why I am pressing on.

And I encourage you to lace up and keep moving toward the goal! You have an awesome prize that is waiting for you.

"Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. 25Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things." 1 Corinthians 9:24,25

Praying for you and for me! Ashley

Watch for GOD!

This morning I was searching for hair bows for my 4-year-old daughter ...who was in tears because she did not want to go to school… BUT concerned all the while that her hair was just so, with the perfect bows for her two perfect pigtails (we girls feel better in any situation when we know our hair looks great). While searching for  two matching bows inside a bucket of bows, barrettes and other items for little girls hair, I found this bracelet.

I am not sure where the bracelet came from… I am thinking a halloween treat since it is purple and orange but I cannot be sure. But when I found it, I was desperately trying to think of ways and words to comfort my daughter who is still, after week 3 of school, so uncomforted by the absence of my presence during the school day. I wanted the bracelet to say “God is Watching” or “God is with you” so I could put it in her book bag as a reminder and for comfort (it was too big for her to wear on her tiny wrist)… but instead, it said “Watch for God”, so I slid it on my own arm and finished putting the matching bows in my sweet little girls adorable pigtails. A glance in the mirror, and she perked up a bit!

Back at home, after the dramatic dropping off of my sad 4-year-old, I start reading the book of Romans in the Bible. I have been studying the Apostle Paul’s books and letters recently and this is the next book on my list of books by him to study (I skipped around, read the short ones first..bible order not chronologically... and now I am going back to his ever important first one). When I got to verse 20 in chapter 1 I read this:
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities- His eternal power and divine nature- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
I stopped reading at the end of chapter 1, realizing that this was going to not be the one-day read in the way I proudly conquered Paul’s letters. After reading Chapter 1, I just needed to stop and ponder. The chapter ends with verse 32 but my attention was drawn back to verse 20. I looked at the bracelet that I had slipped on my writst earlier and said… uh hu, yep, okay… there it is!

In the amazing way it always works, God uses what seems pretty much meaningless or confusing and connects the dots to send us messages when we read His word.
Sometimes I get so caught up in my day-to-day routine with my children and my life that I forget to look around and see that God is not invisible! I don’t need to rearrange a message on a bracelet to fit my situation but to be reminded to stop take a breath and look around at the evidence of his existence surrounding me. Look at the things of this world that he has made. I am reminded that there are no excuses for his eternal and divine nature to not be clearly seen by me… that these things have been surrounding us since creation.

And in that verse and that message on this bracelet truly is the message that I needed to comfort my child, myself and even you today. Without rearranging the words… READ: Watch for God… and you will find that the message is that he surrounds you with His comfort, His grace and His love. All you have to do is look around… God is Watching, God is with you… it says all of these things and much more.

Watch for God
reading Romans & connecting the dots

love,
Andrea

The hustle and flow of slavery

It's not just an international problem, but it is a problem that plagues the United States. It's an epidemic that exists in front of us in plain sight, but many people don't see its dark side. It's hidden from our conscience, the reality of this issue, but that's the hustle and flow of human trafficking-- it has lulled and lured our country into placating this perversion. The truth of the issue is this--sex trafficking exploits our own women and children. 

In 2011 statistics show that over 80% of confirmed cases of human trafficking in our country were Americans. When you first think of the term human trafficking, images of immigrants being smuggled for use in the sex industry may have come to mind ,  but the reality is that our own people are enslaved.

 Human trafficking is a cruel work load that no one should endure. 

January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month but everyday a place of grace should be given to the victims of sex trafficking.  It is a complex issue that has one solution -- hope. 

 Sex traffickers prey on vulnerable women and children who are looking for hope, acceptance, love and compassion. The stories of these victims to the trade are diverse, but all have the same flow; in some shape or form these people were exploited.  A common cruel thread through each storyline is that traffickers find the ones who are vulnerable.
 Like the vulnerable child who has been either physically or sexually abused in their home. These troubled ones come to believe that abuse is love. And traffickers feed on that. They  reach them through social media, or other ways,  offering a false love. Feeling unwanted and unsafe, the child runs away to this false love, only to be groomed for prostitution. A trade that captures many of them for years.

All the child or teen ever  wanted was ---love. 

Circumstances for adults who are captured by human traffickers are similar-- lurking in that adults back story is abuse. So then, abuse is heaped on abuse. 

 Some may ask or wonder why don't they leave their situation? Several reasons.  Many are locked behind closed doors. Others are closely monitored and threatened with violence. They are beaten, raped, or their loved ones threatened. Victims are shamed--humiliated by their activities,  and so many stay in it. They have no self worth left. And though they are forced into it, they become brainwashed into believing they deserve it.
Also, victims have a dependency on their pimp for survival. Even an abused dog not on a chain will stay for loyalty and food.

Sometimes victims don't  know their surroundings and are afraid to run. Typically, victims don't trust people and have a general sense of hopelessness. Why should they run? What else is out there? 

But there is hope. 

And that hope can come from an awareness, instead of a judgment that renders a prostitute worthless. This awareness seeks out troubled youth who may be at risk and intervenes. This hope comes through supporting rescues like the WellHouse in Birmingham that reaches out to victims of human trafficking. 

Human trafficking is in plain sight. It is ugly, but it has to be recognized for what it is and hope given to end its abuse. 

Some ways to help.
There are practical guides online that can explain how to start projects, events or campaigns to end human trafficking. 

Another way is to support missions that offer hope. The WellHouse in Birmingham is a faith based non profit group that is a shelter for victims of human trafficking. One of the few in the U.S., this organization gives shelter, food, clothing,  counseling, education and teaches job skills to women. You can find them on Facebook and  reached online at www.the-WellHouse.org.

Talking about the issue is bringing awareness to the issue. It is taking responsibility for the issue in our "own" backyard. According to Nita Belles, author of In Our Backyard, the following red flags can help identify victims:

A person is not free to come and go as they please; they are under 18 and giving sex acts; has a pimp or manager; is unpaid or paid very little or through tips; works long and or unusual hours; owes a large debt and can't pay it off; was recruited through false promises; high security measure in the work or living conditions like opaque windows or boarded up windows, bars on windows, barbed wire, security cameras, etc. Their behavior is fearful, anxious, depressed, submissive, tense and exhibit unusual fearful behavior after bringing up law enforcement. The person lacks health care, appears malnourished, signs of physical and or sexual abuse, physical restraint, or torture are present. The person may have few possessions, and not in control of their I.D. or documents, no financial records or bank account. The person is not allowed to speak for themselves and a third party may insist on translating. The person claims to be just visiting the area and can't clarify where they are staying or their address. They have a lack of knowledge of their whereabouts or the city they are in. They may have numerous inconsistencies in their story. (source www.the-wellhouse.org)

January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month, but everyday a place of grace is needed for the victims of sex trafficking. Will you give it? 

To report suspected human trafficking call 1-866-347-2423. To get help from the National Human Trafficking Resource Center call 1-88-373-7888 or text HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733).

To report suspected human trafficking:

The Power of HIS NAME!!!

Philippians 2:10-11
So that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Dear Friends,

I can’t let another week go by without writing something.

Lately all I have wanted to do is read and study, read and study, and then later read and study… and learn it and let it sink in and then use it.

But, I guess I am not fully using it if I don’t tell somebody!!

I am talking about the Bible… God’s word, His message to us all.

How important it is that we take his word, let it sink into our brains, bodies and especially our hearts so that when we are asked to face the world, we have a firm foundation to stand on.

I think right now, that foundation is forming in me and around me and I want it to flow through me… to you, so that you may also experience this. It is exciting and awesome when you realize how real God is and how perfect Jesus is and how much He loves us.

I just can’t stop thinking about it.

So, I just wanted to write a post today to especially thank God for the power of His Name. There are so many examples in the bible where His name is used as a powerful weapon, a source of hope, a healing device and a Holy place to go when you need to unload your burdens.

Psalms 61:8
So will I ever sing praises to your name, as I perform my vows day after day.

If I can sing praise for only one thing today it is that God told us His name so we could use it to praise and to pray. I hope we can all comprehend the power in it for us believers. I hope and pray we have the faith to use it as he wants us to.

Just letting the name Jesus come from your mouth should be a Sacred and Holy moment with so much emotion and feeling and love behind it that people will hear that name coming from you and immediately want to know more about Him.

All my praise to Jesus… the Healer, the Savior, the King.

Proverbs 83:18
The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.

Love you all,
Andrea

More bible verses to read about the power of His Name:
Matthew 6:9
Exodus 20:7
Exodus 3:13-15
Jeremiah 16:21
Judges 13:18
Acts 4:12
Isaiah 7:14
Proverbs 30:4
Psalm 83:18
Psalm 68:4
Psalm 45:17
Psalm 5:11
Matthew 1:21
John 14:14
Acts 2:38
Romans 10:13
Mark 16:17
Acts 8:12