faith

A Reset?

/ humblevalleyranch / Leave a comment

Wow! I am surprised I have not written much in a while! I’ve been dealing with a lot.

October 22, 2025 marked ten years since I donated part of my liver to Lupe. Around our 10-year “liversary”, he started going to the ER quite a bit because of not feeling well. He found out that the anti-rejection medication was killing his kidneys. And unfortunately, he is unable to go on another one because over the 10 years of having part of my liver, he’s gone through all that were available. He is once again on a donation list, but now he needs a liver and a kidney. He was able to start dialysis and that has helped a lot.

I have been absolutely exhausted as well as some new symptoms; tingling in all my extremities and increased level migraine pain with sensitivities to light, sound, smell, heat, and taste. Not to mention all the other symptoms – pain in my abdomen, spinal pain, undiagnosed auto immune disease, migraines, weakness in my right leg…Ugh!

In November 2025, I was formally diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and in December 2025, I found out that the abdominal pain was probably from a small fat-containing incisional hernia that could be felt or seen on ultrasound if I was in a seated position. Crazy that I have had at least 8 ultrasounds and several CT scans over the last 9+ years and no one saw it.

In January 2026, I started the discussion of surgery for the hernia combined with a hiatal hernia repair with my medical team. My thought was, “I’m eventually going to need the hiatal hernia repair so why not do both at once so I have fewer abdominal surgeries?”

The PA said it sounded like a good plan we’d schedule it but the surgeon would make the final decision is March. I started praying that somehow it would be a “reset” for me.

When I met with my surgeon, she agreed to the plan, plus added that she would check for other hernias or weaknesses in the abdominal wall as well as remove scar tissue that could be causing me issues – “I’m hopeful this will be a reset for you Michelle!” I couldn’t believe she used the same words I had been praying!

My surgery was scheduled on April 7th, just two days after Easter. As the date got closer, one day I was praying and I suddenly was reminded that the whole donation process started on Easter eleven years ago. (You can read about that here:waiting-for-an-answer-steps-of-faith-to-a-sacrifice/). And that my nurse the night before the donation was named “Easter” (You can read about that here: lessons-from-a-sacrifice).

And my upcoming Nissen fundoplication and hernia repair surgery would be exactly ten Easters from the donation surgery! It seemed crazy all of this would come to my mind. But isn’t that just like GOD?

I wanted a Bible verse to be praying and settled with Isaiah 43:18-19 “ Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a was in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

I invited people to pray over me the night before surgery and several verses were prayed and spoken over me:

Exodus 15:26 ”He said, ‘If you will listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your GOD and do what is right in His sight, obeying His commands and keeping all His decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.’”

Revelation 21:5 “And the One sitting on the throne said, ‘Look, I am making everything new!’ And then He said to me, ‘Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.’”

Isaiah 53:5 “But He was pierced because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on Him, and we are healed by His wounds.”

Romans 5:3-5 “And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

It’s been days since surgery. It’s not been easy, but I am looking to GOD and trusting Him with the future. I was struggling for a few days and told Him I needed Him. I was watching a reel on Instagram and heard Song of Songs 2:11-12 “ See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land.”

Well, it’s rainy today, but it’s ok. Just like there is added pain today too, but a new season is coming!

The power of GOD’s Word, truth over deception

/ humblevalleyranch / 3 Comments

Have you ever found out that you were deceived in an area (or more than one area) of your life?

When I first became a Christian, I was so hungry for the Word of GOD. I read it and read it. It was like fresh bread that I was devouring. Yet even though I was in the Word, I had areas in my life where I was greatly deceived.

I believed that a certain guy was to be my husband. And I was fixated on him coming into my life. I even wrote him a very long letter and sent it to him – and then waited for him to come into my life. I was positive that eventually he would.

Now I look back and I see how sick it was, how sick I was! Above all, I was super deceived about what the truth was. And instead of letting GOD’s Word wash over me and bring truth, I continued to believe the lie and I made it my truth.

Above all, I was super deceived about what the truth was. And instead of letting GOD’s Word wash over me and bring truth, I continued to believe the lie and I made it my truth.

Even a year ago, I would not have been able to confess that on my blog because I was so embarrassed about it. And I thought people would judge me and maybe even push me out of their lives. But more and more, I am understanding that the enemy doesn’t want us to confess our sins to others because then he can continue to control us with the lie.

Have you ever found out that you were deceived in an area (or more than one area) of your life?

How did I get free? At one point, I was so broken that I started praying for GOD to reveal truth to me. I asked Him to break down the lies and bring truth and light into the dark places of my heart, mind and soul. I started fasting and praying. I started worshipping GOD and seeking to know Him. And little by little, as I did, I started to have His peace that surpasses all understanding. He started shedding light on the truth.

I confessed my sins over and over because I thought I was the worst of all sinners. And He showed me His grace. He showed me that “All have sinned and fall short (they missed the perfect mark) of the glory of GOD” (Romans 3:23). In other words, we all miss His mark and standard. I repented and received His forgiveness. I stopped speaking the lie and eventually stopped believing the lie.

I learned that the tongue has the power of good and evil. What we speak over and over becomes what we believe in our hearts. And when we are deceived, only the truth will set us free.

John 8:30-31 says, “So JESUS said to the Jews who had believed in Him, ‘If you abide in My Word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’”

What I learned is that we can have a lot of Bible knowledge and not have a healthy relationship with GOD and others. If we are pushing our own way and our own agenda, trying to manipulate people into doing what we want, causing pain and heartache to others, and/or dwelling on and speaking/believing something other than what GOD’s Word says (or know people who are doing these things), we need to be asking GOD to reveal truth, to illuminate the lies, and to set us, and others free from deception.

I am also learning that it’s important to ask GOD, “What is truth?” regularly. Because we are sinful, we can easily be ensnared in the lies of the enemy. And I think we all have areas in our lives where we have traded the truth of GOD for a lie.

;BuT GOD…GOD is  Sovereign, In Control, ALL-Knowing, ALL-Powerful, and He desires for us to walk in truth, so He is ready to help us when we seek Him.

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that set itself up against the knowledge of GOD, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5). GOD and His Word is powerful to break the power of deception and sin when we speak it over our lives.

 Philippians 4:8-9 says, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice. And the GOD of peace will be with you.”

GOD wants us to be freed from damaging lies.

I challenge you to ask GOD, “What things am I (or others) speaking and believing that are not true?” Ask GOD to reveal the truth and to illuminate the lies in your life and in others’ lives too.

Sometimes we have to be completely broken before we will willingly ask GOD to reveal the truth. Be open to GOD and trust Him. Don’t be ashamed to seek help from a trusted friend or mentor.

GOD wants us to be freed from damaging lies. Be willing to fast and pray for breakthrough. Persevere in seeking GOD through His Word and praying for Him to illuminate deception for what it is.

‘If you abide in My Word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’”

I pray that we will know the truth and that the truth will set us free so that we will be the people GOD created us to be to the fullest.

Journaling

/ humblevalleyranch / 4 Comments

I didn’t realize that I have not added a new blog since last May! Crazy!

I seemed to have lost most of January and February of this year with Covid, bowel obstruction, minor eye surgery and minor flood in the house I live in! Interestingly, while I had Covid, I was reading about GOD’s goodness and love. In my desperation, I asked Him to “prove it”! And with each new thing, He proved to me a little bit more of His goodness and love.

I have been journaling again this year. I’d like to share what I have written.

Romans 5:6-8 (NIV) “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly (that’s us!). Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. BUT GOD demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

1 Yochanan (1 John) 1:9 (CJB) “If we acknowledge our sins, then, since He is trustworthy and just, He will forgive then and purify us from all wrongdoing.”

GOD’s MORAL STANDARD

Every human has sinned (except for Jesus). We’ve fallen short of GOD’s moral standard. “Sin” is an archery term which means “missing the mark”. None of us hit the bullseye, even when we are doing what we think is good and right, because none of us can live a perfect life. And missing the mark of GOD’s moral standard, sinning, separates us from GOD. That is, we can not have a right relationship with Him with sin in our lives.

BUT GOD…was not willing for us to be forever separated from Him! Jesus came, born of The Spirit and a virgin that He would be 100% GOD and 100% man – He lived a sinless, perfect life – He died a criminals death, even though He had not sinned. He took the sin of the world – from Adam to the last man – all our past, present and future sin – upon Himself on the cross. He died and was buried. Then on the third day, by the power of The Holy Spirit, He rose to life.

He was our “guilt offering”, the Lamb of GOD who takes away the sin of the world! All we have to do is, by faith believe in Jesus, receive Him and the work He has done for us on the cross then live in right relationship with GOD through Jesus.

Our forgiveness is not based on our faithfulness or goodness, it’s based on GOD’s faithfulness and His goodness. We can trust Him to forgive us and purify us from everything that keeps us from Him. In Christ Jesus, we are free from the guilt and shame of not living to GOD’s standard. His forgiveness should empower us to continue to live closely to Him, following His Word and being faithful to GOD.

Have you believed in Jesus? Have you received Him and the Work He has done for you on the cross? If not, it’s not too late. All you have to do is to call out to Him. Ask Him for faith to believe and to empower you to receive Him into your life as well as the ability to turn from your sin towards GOD. He is faithful and He will help you to do this. In fact, is anxiously awaits your call to Him.

Prayer: GOD, I confess that I have not always been the person You have created me to be. I sometimes fail to love You with my whole heart, mind and soul. I don’t always love my neighbor as You love them. Please forgive me. Please give me faith to believe Your Word and to receive Jesus as my LORD and Savior. Empower me to receive Him into my life and heart. Help me to repent, to turn from my sin and turn towards You. GOD transform my heart and renew my mind so that I can draw closer to You. In Jesus’ name. Amen

You might ask, “Why are you journaling about this if you have already made JESUS your LORD and Savior?”

I have been journaling about the Scriptures I read each day, so this has been what I have been writing about. Also, I believe that there is an urgency for this good news, the Gospel, to be known and received by those who have either not known about it or those who have read about it but refuse to believe.

GOD wants everyone to come to Him. He desires every person to choose Him. So, I am journaling about it and sharing it on here because, like GOD, I desire for you to choose Him too.

Please pray and ask GOD to reveal truth to you in such a way that you no longer doubt or disbelieve. Your eternity hangs on your choice!