I’m not exactly sure when it was, but for a period of time, I kept finding myself reading verses in the Bible about being in the fire or storm. Daniel 3:9-30, Isaiah 43:1-5, Matthew 8:23-27, the book of Job and others. I’m not sure what I thought at the time, but looking back, I can see that GOD wanted to prepare me that I would be going into the fire…a hot š„µš„ one!
Since October 22, 2015 I feel like I have been in the fire. That is on-going pain from surgery with no answers to why, spinal pain which was in the 7-8/10 pain levels for several years (as well as occasionally now, but regularly around 4-6/10 pain levels), for several years inability to get regular sleep, doctors unwilling to help, insurance denials, workplace falsely accusing me of theft, loss of beloved animals, mental breakdown, weakness in my legs taking my freedom to drive, autoimmune disease, noise/light/smell sensitivities, depression, migraine headaches…
; BUT GOD has been faithful throughout. Majority of the verses I continued to see over and over were about being in a fire or storm, BUT most importantly the verses were about WHO IS WITH US WHEN WE GO THROUGH THE FIRE OR THE STORM!
Isaiah 43:1-5 -But now thus says theĀ LORD, He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel: āFear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fireĀ you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. ForĀ I am theĀ LORDĀ your GOD, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush andĀ Seba in exchange for you.Ā Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you.
Remember Shadrach Meshach and Abednego;Ā GOD didn’t put out the fire, in fact, the fire was stoked seven times hotter! ;BUT GOD was in the fire with them. It’s not about GOD putting out the fires, it’s about who is in the fire with you.
In Matthew 8:23-27, the One who controls all things, including the weather, was in the boat with the disciples. JESUS calmed the storm with a Word.
For just over six and a half years, I have been in what feels like a fire that’s gotten a little bit hotter over time. I’ve learned that the key to not fearing is to know that GOD is with us through it.
I have also started to see that going through the fire is about healing and restoration. This happens when we surrender every aspect of the fires and storms to GOD and allow Him to use it for our good.
Today it occurred to me that maybe GOD wants to use the fires in our lives to give others life. I was reading a devotional about “heaping coals on the heads of our enemies” and remembered that in the past it was a blessing to give someone a hot coal. It meant they would be able to warm their house, cook food, warm water for drinks and baths, etc.
I’m not quite sure what it would look like to use the fire I am in to give life to others. Maybe instead of just existing in the fires we are in, we can look outside of our fires to encourage others who are going through it and we can pray for others asking GOD to show Himself in their fire.
How is GOD using the fires and/or storms in your life?Ā What is He teaching you? Please let me know in the comment section.
Despite the fires in my life, I desire to see the Church, the Bride of Christ, united together in love. I desire to see the Bay Area to become the Valley of GOD’s Heart’s Delight. I’m not sure how I can be part of this, other than prayer, but I am at least asking GOD to use me.
I pray that GOD will show Himself faithful to you. I pray that GOD will show you, that even though your fire might be getting hotter or that your boat is about to be overtaken by waves, He is with you, He is for you and He is in control of the fires and storms. I pray that GOD will empower you to stop crying out to be saved from the fire and the storm to see that you are safe in the fire and the storm BECAUSE HE IS WITH YOU. I pray that GOD will encourage you, strengthen you and show you purpose inside the fire and storm. I pray that GOD will remove all hopelessness, anxiety, fear, dejectedness, etc and give you His peace that surpasses all understanding to guard your heart and mind. I pray that GOD will soften any part of your heart and mind that has become hardened because of the fire and storm. And I pray that GOD will renew your love for Him, allow a fire to burn inside your heart and that He will show you new purpose. May He build something beautiful from the ashes, bringing healing and restoration in and through your life because of what you are going through.
- Waiting for an answer – steps of faith to a sacrifice.For awhile now I’ve been getting email updates from my friend Hilda asking me to pray for her husband Lupe’s health. He’s had some liver issues so has had to get regular testing. Now he has liver cancer and had hoped to get on a list for a liver to be donated. Unfortunately, there are … Continue reading Waiting for an answer – steps of faith to a sacrifice.
- Counting the cost – more steps of faith to a sacrificeHave you ever been asked to weigh the costs of a decision? Maybe you have tried to weigh or count the cost of getting married, or having a child, or buying a home, or becoming a follower of Christ? I haven’t posted since April 9, 2015 because I have been in wait mode as far … Continue reading Counting the cost – more steps of faith to a sacrifice
- Up the Ante – even more steps of faith to a sacrifice!
- Is there a blockade trying to stop me – trying to take steps toward a sacrificeIt’s so weird what goes through my head sometimes. Is it just me or does God use the things we’ve had around us in our life times to speak to us? I would feel like it were more from Him if it were something from the Bible. But then, Satan knows God’s Word and can … Continue reading Is there a blockade trying to stop me – trying to take steps toward a sacrifice
- Easy Butternut squash ravioliI am so excited! I made butternut squash ravioli yesterday…and they actually look like ravioli. I have not tasted them yet…so maybe I should not be so excited. I found the idea for the recipe online. I like to tweak recipes most of the time and sometimes it works. The original called for Mascapone cheese, … Continue reading Easy Butternut squash ravioli
- War Room party plans – shhhh! ConfidentialI am so excited that I get to host a War Room viewing party for the ladies in my Bible study group this week. Wow, I use “excited” a lot! Is it proper to say, “I am inspirited to host a War Room Viewing party”??? Please leave me a comment below. I have wanted to … Continue reading War Room party plans – shhhh! Confidential
- War Room Viewing PartyI am so INSPIRITED that I got to have a War Room viewing Party! I decided that I use the word “excited” way too often, so I came up with a new phrase, “I am so Inspirited…!” Maybe it will become the new craze. Then I can say that I was ahead of the curve … Continue reading War Room Viewing Party
- Making Kingdom use of the timePsalm 90:12Ā Teach us to number our days,Ā that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Today I was reminded of something I prayed the other day. I am so tired of wasting my time on Facebook, playing games, looking at the guys on Christian Mingle, reading the funny pages…etc! I want to be using my time … Continue reading Making Kingdom use of the time
- Attempt, not success but not failure!I am not sure why I named this what I did. Interestingly, I had a Bible verse come to mind as I typed the title: Proverbs 24:16Ā “For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again; But the wicked are overthrown by calamity.” I have a confession to make. I am addicted to MyCupCakeAddiction. … Continue reading Attempt, not success but not failure!
- Lessons from a sacrificeWell, donating 60% of my liver was much, much different from what I thought it would be. I had done A LOTĀ of research, I had gone through several rounds of explanation of what was to be expected from all levels of my medical team and even read a lot of stories from people who had … Continue reading Lessons from a sacrifice
- Up for a Baking ChallengeI enjoy a good challenge every once in a while. Do you? Around November of last year a friend and I were out shopping when we came across a kit to make a pineapple upside down cake. I looked at the ingredients and didn’t know what a lot of them were so I put it … Continue reading Up for a Baking Challenge
- The God of 10 cars (and more)In early 2015, my Mom offered $6000 towards a new to me vehicle, not to fix current vehicle or to have the cash but for her to wire the money to a dealer. My car at the time was a 1999 Volkswagen Passat. I had bought it with 4 miles on it in June of … Continue reading The God of 10 cars (and more)
- Just being myselfOne year I workedĀ for a non-profit agency that had yearly fundraisers. The year I worked for them, they decided they wanted to hire a clown to be at the fundraising event. But they were unable to find one. I let my boss know that I was willing to be a clown at the event because … Continue reading Just being myself
- The enemy’s Hand has been overturned!I don’t usually read prophecies but for a few weeks have been getting daily email from Spirit Fuel. Today I just read the title and it spoke to me, “The Enemy’s Hand Has Been Overturned!” I read what Edie Bayer had to say and it was different from what is in my head. She talked … Continue reading The enemy’s Hand has been overturned!
- Christmas Baking Already! Yes!It’s the most wonderful time of the year…..well, I usually don’t think that way about this time of the year, but this year I do! Ā A friend of mine got a Kitchen Aide at a fraction of the price and decided to invite some ladies over to her place to make Christmas cookies the first … Continue reading Christmas Baking Already! Yes!
- Challenging you to create a PsalmAt the beginning of August, I started reading a Psalm a day. Weeks before, I was asking God to increase my confidence in Him. I decided to use an older Bible that I had not used in a while and when I turned to Psalm 1, I read many notes that I had written in … Continue reading Challenging you to create a Psalm
- This is the end….Ok, so you are probably wondering why I put a funny cheese commercial at the beginning of this blog post. Ā Well, it’sĀ kind of long story. So, my short-term disability ran out on October 21, 2016. I thought I was going to be getting a fantastic job, but not quite sure if I was ready … Continue reading This is the end….
- On With the New….Wow, it’s been a month since I have written a blog! Ā I have much happen, so I am surprised I have not written! Oh well… I was going to Nova Job Center throughout the spring and summer of 2016 but for some reason my badge was no longer valid which meant that I had to … Continue reading On With the New….
- Handy PrayerI was watching a video recently where the pastor was encouraging people to pray for breakthrough (as well as to fast from meats, sweets and breads for a period of 21 days). What struck me was the way the pastor was encouraging the people to pray. Here is a handy way to remember how to … Continue reading Handy Prayer
- Encouraged to Write another PsalmI have been enjoying the “Sweeter Than Honey study of the Psalms” in Bible Study. Last Fall we were challenged to write a Psalm. I drew a picture but I also wrote a Psalm. This year we were encouraged to once again write a Psalm, but this time, we were given full reign to make … Continue reading Encouraged to Write another Psalm
- Waiting on God was worth it….Oh my goodness, it’s been two months since I was on here! I am still in school at De Anza College getting my Accounting certificate. I am in my second of four quarters, well God-willing I will be able to finish in a year. It’s been 19 months since I donated 60% of my liver … Continue reading Waiting on God was worth it….
- Wow, forgot to add something!Not sure how I forgot to add this, but I did (blame the pain medicine I guess!). When I posted the video fromĀ Encouraged to Write another Psalm, at the end I mentioned that I was expecting to get a van given to me by a friend during the summer and was just looking to see … Continue reading Wow, forgot to add something!
- Are you wondering if you should pray???In early July I got a nudge to pray for the local airports – specifically that there wouldn’t be any accidents in the air or on the ground. A thought flashed through my head of a plane landing in San Francisco just shy of the runway and lives lost. I prayed right then that there … Continue reading Are you wondering if you should pray???
- What’s Your SuperPower?
Have you ever thought about what your superpower would be?Ā I thought it might be cool to be like Jesus and be able to read people’s thoughts (Matthew 9:4, Luke 5:22). Or maybe to be able to be like something my Grandpa used to say, “I’d love to have been a fly on the wall
- In GOD’S Strength2 Corinthians 12:9-10 The Message “I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size — abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ … Continue reading In GOD’S Strength
- THROUGH FIRE AND DELAYHave you ever felt like you were studying for a test through the things that repeat over and over during a week or season? This past week, I was starting to get that feeling through the repetition in the devotionals, sermons, verses, and songs I was reading and hearing. Devotional, sermon and verses on Delay! … Continue reading THROUGH FIRE AND DELAY
- Waiting for the Right Wave?Waiting Preparing for the Right Wave ššāāļø As I looked over the cliff to see the surfers in Capitola, California sometime between 2008 and 2015, I was spending time with GOD seeking His will in regards to a future husband, I believe that He told me to wait for the right wave. It was then … Continue reading Waiting for the Right Wave?
- GOD’s goodness running after meIn my life, I have had two recurring dreams. These are dreams that you have one night and it either replays the same dream over, adds to the dream or replays and adds. I was recently asked if I would be willing to write about some dreams I had when I was young. But I … Continue reading GOD’s goodness running after me
- Gifts from GODIn my last blog, I wrote about how GOD’S goodness and mercy are different than what we might think they are. Well, this time I want to write about how His gifts to us can sometimes be quite different than we think, imagine or fathom. Several months ago, a friend of mine was reading to … Continue reading Gifts from GOD
- There’s MORE to come please be willing to go the distance.Recently I was at an outdoor church service. The breeze was pleasant, the worship music was wonderful and the Spirit of the LORD was present. It seems like I don’t experience the LORD’S presence as often as I used to. I closed my eyes to drink in every drop as though His presence was longed … Continue reading There’s MORE to come please be willing to go the distance.
- 5th Anniversary of a sacrificeIf you have not already read my early writings, please check them out on my website, here’s the first one. I have written about the process and journey of becoming a live liver donor for a friend’s husband. October 22, 2020 will have been 5 years since we had surgeries. Here’s our update and story. … Continue reading 5th Anniversary of a sacrifice
- Funny How GOD WorksFew weeks ago, I was watching Christian comedians on YouTube. I was just letting the videos play one after another. I had never heard of Michael Jr, but thought I would give a listen. After the show, another video popped up and it felt sort of like Michael Jr was talking to me. He was … Continue reading Funny How GOD Works
- Humble Valley Ranch..it is a real place…at least from a heavenly perspective for nowOkay, okay! Enough people have asked, “Where is Humble Valley Ranch?” and “What is Humble Valley Ranch?” So, let me tell you what I know. But be prepared, there are lots of details. In approximately 2003, I had my second ever recurring dream. (First one is here) It was the type of recurring dream where … Continue reading Humble Valley Ranch..it is a real place…at least from a heavenly perspective for now
- L’Chayim!You might be thinking š¤, “What in the world???š No, I haven’t become Jewish. But ADONAI (the LORD) spoke to me through a Messianic Jewish daily devotional today. I have been struggling with higher pain levels again in my spine. Most days 6.5 or higher. I decided that I would be in pain whether at … Continue reading L’Chayim!
- Black birdI love how the GOD of ALL creation can use anything…. ANYTHING to speak to us. I’ve been wanting to go on a GOD-date again. (That is where I get away from the normal day to day to spend time with GOD. But it’s been hard because I don’t drive. Hard to believe that I … Continue reading Black bird
- Let your generosity be contagiousToday would have been my grandpa’s 100th birthday.
- Christmas Christmas time is here…Are you having a hard time getting into the Christmas Spirit this year? SIGH, I’m not sure what to write or how to write it. I had a lot of hope and anticipation at the beginning of December. Then I suddenly found myself struggling with depression, yet again! I really thought I would get past … Continue reading Christmas Christmas time is here…
- Knee-High to a Grasshopperknee-high to a grasshopper phrase of knee-high informal very small or very young. When I was, well, knee-high to a grasshopper, my Grandpa would tell me stories of when he was young. He would usually use the term “knee-high to a grasshopper” to paint the image of how young he was. I was his caregiver … Continue reading Knee-High to a Grasshopper
- How is GOD using the fire and storms in your life?I’m not exactly sure when it was, but for a period of time, I kept finding myself reading verses in the Bible about being in the fire or storm. Daniel 3:9-30, Isaiah 43:1-5, Matthew 8:23-27, the book of Job and others. I’m not sure what I thought at the time, but looking back, I can … Continue reading How is GOD using the fire and storms in your life?
- JournalingI 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 … Continue reading Journaling
humblevalleyranch 