Tag: life

Godly Counsel

On By mygodroomIn anger, gratitude, marriage, prayerLeave a comment

Father God, I am writing the gist of what has transpired the past few days because my heart feels like it will burst if I do not write it down.

First, thank you for using me in any way to help Lyss and John in their healing.  Thank you for friendships and encouragement and for house visitors who share their time so beautifully.  Thank you for teaching me to CLIMB in more ways than one.  Thank you for showing up in spirit on Jess’ face at the climbing gym yesterday.  Thank you for humbling me in so many ways with her yesterday. Please protect her. 

You know why I am still re-reading the letter Mark gave me this morning.  While I will not write about the contents, I will acknowledge I sought Godly counsel from “PNP”.  I have no answers, only more questions.  For now, please show me what must be removed from my mind and what is to be added.  Make me more like you so I can be the wife YOU desire me to be. If it is not of you, I do not need it. Period.

The heart wrenching truth of the Ghana Romance Scams in Murfreesboro which have harmed my sweet Futina are very much sickening my heart on her behalf.   Her husband has not earned a dime in fifteen months of marriage. Her home burned down.  She got it repaired and sold it last month.  She has paid for immigration and other attorney bills for her husband, as well.  Learning the pastor, “Poppa”, is not paid a salary by the church. They pay his rent/mortgage and other bills instead. They fired the woman who moved here four years ago from Chicago for asking questions about the finances. Her job was finance. Immediate red flag, indeed.

Learning the late-night prayer action has more than worn her out, she serves her husband every meal in their bedroom and he does not engage in the household: It is all heart breaking for me.  Waking anyone, much less the elderly, to pray between 3 and 4 am feels like Brainwashing 101. Learning multiple women in her church are married to others from Ghana leads me to believe there is a criminal circle of folks involved.  For heaven’s sake, Futina doesn’t even believe the emails sent were from the man she was told to marry. I know you know all the details I am not writing. Perhaps I was to at minimum, document the outline.

Lord, please protect all those most vulnerable, especially the widows and orphans. James 1:27, 1 Tim 5:3-16 and Matthew 25:34-40 are all proof to me that your heart is already with them. I ask everything, especially the unspoken parts, in Jesus precious name. Amen.  

P.S. I love you.

Break My Vase

On By mygodroomIn blessings, gratitude, music, obedienceLeave a comment

What an interesting month it has been with how God has used music to both clarify and amplify certain messages to me. This morning, I was listening to Brandon Lake sing “That’s Who I Praise”. Since he has several songs with praise in the title, it’s the one which begins, “I wanna dance like David, I wanna faith like Paul’s, I wanna sing like Silas tearing down the prison walls.” I was just praising whole-heartedly on the drive to work and by the time he gets to a line about ” I wanna gift like Mary, I wanna break my vase,” tears flooded.

It was a powerful and power-filled moment. It was like Jesus was sitting in the passenger seat just talking to me about the various people I have met and prayed with over the past month. Kerwin, Keisha, Shimmy, Starr, Terri and more. Even going to dinner with our friends last night was an opportunity to share God’s love and “My Gigi”. In that one moment, the Holy Spirit assured me in countless ways, I am pouring out like Jesus and NOT Carol. It was the moment which said I would acknowledge it in writing this morning, before I do any other task. Nothing is more important than sharing what God has done, is doing and will do.

Thank you, Lord. The doors you open for me ALL bring be closer to you. When I am poured completely out, you fill me again to overflowing. I could never thank you enough for all your promises and provision. Isa 63:7 Col 1:17 Gal 6:9. Please keep drawing me so close I feel that extra lobe in my lungs. In Jesus beautiful name, I ask only for your will to be done. I am yours. Amen.

Arriving to the shop, it felt even more special. Why? Of all the devotionals in the world, the one at our shop talks about holding little sheep. We literally had this exact conversation last night about Terri and Jason visiting a place called Hold a Baby Lamb in Ireland. Naturally, I had to snap a photo of it and share with our dinner buddies before flipping the Bible open to 2 Chronicles 6:13, “For He is good and HIs mercy endures forever.” Yes and amen. Thank you, Lord.