As women and mothers, we are the “gatekeepers” of the family.

This is one of my most favorite stories in the Old Testament, I will never forget the time in my life when I really realized that I had been called "For Such A Time As This."

For Such a Time as This
Lea Sylvester

I love the Old Testament account of Queen Esther, a beautiful young Jewish woman who put her life on the line to serve God and save her people.
Esther, (Hadassah was her Hebrew name), had been orphaned as a child and raised by her cousin Mordecai. We are told that she was fair and beautiful. Hadassah was also smart and brave.  She was elevated from a life of relative obscurity – via rather unique circumstances – to sit atop the throne of the Persian Empire. King Xerxes chose her, from many, as his queen following a royal bridal contest. He was unaware that Esther and Mordecai were Jewish. It is unlikely that he would have chosen Esther had he known. Mordecai was then appointed to a low-level government position.
After Mordecai unearthed a conspiracy to assassinate King Xerxes, he quickly advised Esther. She, in turn, warned the king, giving full credit for the discovery to Mordecai who was richly rewarded for his loyalty. Mordecai told Hadassah (Esther) the following:
“Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king’s house, more than all the Jews. For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement [help] and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:13-14)
Meanwhile, Haman, Xerxes’ highest-ranking executive─an evil man who hated the Jews, devised a plot to have all the Jewish people killed, including Esther and Mordecai. King Xerxes agreed to the genocidal scheme, still oblivious to Esther’s Jewish heritage.
Once again, Mordecai learned of the conspiracy and urged Esther to reveal her Jewish heritage to Xerxes, saying, “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)
Esther called the Jewish people to fasting and prayer and at risk to her own life and limb, devised a clever scheme of her own. She held a banquet for Xerxes and Haman wherein she revealed her Jewish heritage to the king and begged his mercy for herself and the Jewish people.
Xerxes was moved by Esther’s courage and love for her people. He granted her request and became enraged at Haman. He had Haman executed and promoted Mordecai to his post. Xerxes then pledged safety for the Jewish people.
To this day, Esther’s bravery, her faith in God and God’s deliverance of His chosen people is celebrated during the Jewish festival of Purim.
The Bible is rich with stories of brave women who were called to serve God. These stories, like Esther’s, are an inspiration to men, women and children alike. Such stories – such callings – are not exclusive to biblical times.
Women, you—every one of you who both love the Lord and wish to serve Him—are called “for such a time as this.”
Women are deeply concerned about our nation’s self-destructive trajectory. The burning question they ask is “What can I do?” Like us, they wish to preserve our nation’s Judeo-Christian heritage and secure the legacy we are leaving for future generations.
Women, your faith and action are needed now more than ever: Our nation is in imminent danger of self-destruction at the hands of its own under-educated, misinformed, disconnected citizens.
Our enemies around the globe are diligently working to exploit our ignorance and tolerance to bring the United States of America to its knees. It is time for God’s people to take a stand and do something. But to be effective, we must first understand what it is we believe, why we believe it, and what we can do about protecting our faith and our rights.
Indeed, as goes the old adage: “Knowledge is power.”
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children” (Hosea 4:6).
If we love Jesus Christ, the Messiah, and are diligently following the teachings of our Lord and Savior, we shouldn’t lack knowledge. So then, it wouldn’t be a stretch of the imagination to say, “My people are blessed because of their knowledge.” Let us never forget that we serve our High Priest, Jesus Christ, the Risen King. He is the promised Messiah and we must walk worthy in the calling He has given us.
Many attacks from the enemy today are directed at the family unit. As women and mothers, we are the “gatekeepers” of the family.  Much like Esther, we are being called for such a time as this. Choices we make now affect our family, our children’s future and can help or hinder future generations. Remember the sacrifices of Esther and of other women in God’s Word. Be a strong woman of God, much as described in Proverbs 31. Our allegiance to God and to our families will result in blessings for those who desperately need them. Obedience to our Heavenly Father is not an option at such a time as this.
Questions or comments to: Sylvester.lea@gmail.com
The truth is that you need to make a positive impact in your own sphere of influence and community. Together, women of faith can help secure our nation for future generations. Because each of you were called “for such a time as this.”

Because people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care

I'm in the throws of the busy summer season. The garden is planted and coming up. My flower pots are filled and flower beds are all cleaned up.

Our weather is beautiful, even though we had some snow and a slight frost a week ago. Living in the mountains at 7000 ft. It's really more like late spring here rather than early summer. But the warm weather is here, finally! Thankfully we usually have long dry falls and are able to enjoy the outdoors for many months to come.



Summer is break time for me from homeschooling and it is my time to emerge myself in God's word. I have a double bible study going.....Beth Moore's "Children of the Day" which is a study of 1st & 2nd Thessalonians

and I am also doing a Precepts study by Kay Arthur on 2nd Thessalonians.

This is my second study with Kay Arthur's "Inductive Study Method".

As you can see from the chart above there is a lot of marking your bible in this method so I bought a special Inductive Study Bible just for this. I like this method a lot. It really causes me to stop and ponder the who's What's When's Where's and Why's of the books of the bible you are studying. (I say it is like "picking the chicken off the bone".) 

I love learning and growing in my knowledge of God's word but

 I have heard it said many times that people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.....

 I am embarking on a new path that the Lord is leading me on. 

I have been invited by Ann Dunagan of  Daring Daughters ministry to take part in her Leadership Training. It will be training for mentoring young girls in the Lord with a heart for missions and the hurting and lost of this world. 

I am truly thankful for my home and the beauty that surrounds me but there are so many things that matter more than a beautiful yard or garden............."Thank you Father for all that You are and all that You have done for me! Thank you Father for continuing to lead my heart and showing me the things (ones) that matter most to you." I know all too well that when my time is done on this earth I will not look back and be filled with pride because I had beautiful flower beds even though I enjoy them very much. It will not matter If I drove a nice car or lived in a big house. What will matter is knowing what I did with what God has blessed me with. How much I loved, how much I cared, how much I gave of my time and resources that God has blessed me with.

I believe that the reason God blesses us with more is not so that we can heap these things upon ourselves but so that we can heap love and compassion on the hurting and the broken of this world. So we will feed the hungry and clothe the poor. So we can send out missionaries and even take mission trips ourselves in order to share God's great love and His beautiful gospel with a lost and dying world..............Lord, here I am, send me!



What a great way to spend my summer time!



Have a blessed summer and may the Lord move in your heart to go and care for the widows and the orphans of the world or even right there in your own town.

Father, break our hearts for what breaks yours!!!

I am reading this book to the girls in the mornings as part of our homeschool. What a wonderful story Katie Davis tells about the beautiful children of Uganda and the contrast of beauty, joy and love in comparison to absolute poverty, pain, sickness and even death that she experiences daily and how God has made her so aware of these contrasts that come in the very same moment and even sometimes the very same person. The plight of these children, who so many have lost their parents to HIV/Aids yet their hearts are so full of joy and their faces are filled with smiles. You can follow whats going on with Katie and her kids at http://www.amizima.org

Last year the Lord lead me to another ministry called Harvest Ministry, they have a wonderful missions ministry going all over the world and are the founders of the  "Guma Na Yesu" (keep with Jesus) children's center which is also in Uganda. What an inspiration Jon and Ann Dunagan are to me.

 

Ann also has an outreach ministry called Daring Daughters

There, she has available to mothers of teen daughters a mentoring e-coarse designed to help mothers (and Grammies)  train up our girls in the ways of the Lord and to have a heart of compassion for the broken and needy people of this world.  We have signed up and plan to incorporate this into our school curriculum.

 

Every morning, as part of our homeschool morning devotions/missions outreach we are praying for the children at the Guma Na Yesu and now also for Katie and her kids.....Last year we were able to support, in a small way, Harvest Ministry's orphans and this year we are praying that the Lord will open up doors and finances for us to be even more involved.

One very special blessing for me as a Grammy and as an educator is to see  that the Lord is developing a heart of compassion in the girls for the orphans, the poor, the walking wounded and the unevangelized people of the world.  My prayer is that the Lord will help me to instill these values in them, deeply, and not the values that society would put in them, caring more about themselves and whats popular and the newest style or whats "COOL" , shopping at the mall, give me, let me have, have you got mentality.....



 Makes me want to scream!!!!

sorry

but to teach them what's "COOL" is this.......

James 1:27

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

²⁷ Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained ^[a]by the world.

Father, break our hearts for what breaks yours!

Blessings to all and remember to keep your eyes on the Lord and He will keep your foot from stumbling ~Susan~

It's spring, and I'm outside

It's spring, and I'm outside..........working on the garden expansion, putting in blueberries,blackberries,raspberries and grapes.......also getting the garden ready for planting......spreading loads and loads of wonderful rich composted horse manure and shavings (grin) An early spring here in the mountains will have me putting in my vegetable garden 5 or 6 weeks early!!! wooohoo, it is such a struggle here with our cool temps to really get a garden off and going very early and then early fall frosts keep us from being able to grow things like watermelons or pumpkins because they freeze before they are ready.....This year it just might work.  I'm going to give some pumpkins a try, the girls will love it!

Getting started back walking/jogging trying to get back on track for my fitness and weight loss goals.

  Watching chickens, they are funny. Waiting on one hen to hatch a dozen eggs but she is taking longer than she should???.........should be any day....The goats are bred, I think.......we are hoping to get some kids this summer and goats milk too :o).......I made homemade buttermilk the other day from fresh goats milk and it was wonderful! I made some ranch dressing with it also and used some for baking...........Last week I  took a class on making homemade mozzarella cheese at a raw milk dairy near by....I'm going to make some today.....not sure what to make with it though.

I'm working on my new bible study, "Stuck".....it's going good. I am seeing more and more of a pattern of how my expectations that I put onto others keeps me disappointed with them and how this is not good for me or for them or for our relationships.........learning to just love and give a whole lot more grace :o)

-1887-
Exercise Out-of-Doors

Every woman should take a certain amount of exercise out-of-doors. It is necessary for good health and good nature too. If by doing so you will be obliged to leave some of the work in the house undone, who will know or care one hundred years from now?

[Thomas’s Farmer's Almanac]
Blessings to All, and remember God is sooo good, all the time!!!

Happy Spring~

*Susan*

Upcoming Mission to IRELAND!!! | Harvest Ministry

I am Praying for Ireland, for Jon and Ann Dunagan from Harvest Ministry who are going on a missions trip to Ireland......I am praying that the peoples hearts will be opened to the Gospel and that the Lord's will be done in these places.........That the pastors will be encouraged and that many lives will be touched because they went. click on the title link and read the details of their missions trip.  This is a wonderful ministry! 

God has placed in my heart a desire to be involved with them, to support the orphans at the Guma Na Yesu (Keep with Jesus) Children's Center in Uganda - East Africa and to pray for the needs of the children, the workers/teachers and the missionaries that so selflessly devote their lives to care for the widows and orphans of this world and to share with them the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  James 1:27 tells us that this is pure religion.......

Jennie Allen Stuck

I am looking forward to beginning  this journey with a group of woman from my church.
This sounds like a good one. I will share along the way.

HE IS RISEN!

I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies

Hillsong United - Nothing But The Blood

Nothing but the Blood of Jesus

This week I will be spending a lot of time contemplating on Palm Sunday, the next five days, Good Friday and the Cross and Easter, Resurrection Sunday. So much to think about and I feel very humbled.
Thank You Lord Jesus for the beautiful cross, thank you for shedding your precious blood for the atonement of my sins.......What can take away my sins? NOTHING but the BLOOD of JESUS!

St. Patrick was a MISSIONARY to Ireland!

Paris and I made a Leprechaun trap


This week we are learning about St. Patrick.  Ann from Harvest Ministry posted the following on their web site and I thought I would share what she wrote.   This year Portia's Sonlight curriculum has been focused on world missions and what is called the 10/40 window.   It is my desire to cultivate their hearts in such a way as to develop a love for the orphans of this world, for the poor and hungry and for all people who are lost and need Jesus.  

What is the 10/40 Window?

The 10/40 Window is an area of the world that contains the largest population of non-Christians in the world. The area extends from 10 degrees to 40 degrees North of the equator, and stretches from North Africa across to China.

We love Harvest Ministry and what they do and we will now be partnering with them to support their ministry. We are anxiously awaiting three books from Harvest Ministry one is "The Mission Minded Family" the other "The Mission Minded Child" and the other The "Scarlet Cord". I know that these books will help me to open up their hearts and minds to the needs of others around the world. You can find these books on their website if you are interested in them.

What is the 10/40 Window?

The 10/40 Window is an area of the world that contains the largest population of non-Christians in the world. The area extends from 10 degrees to 40 degrees North of the equator, and stretches from North Africa across to China.

St. Patrick’s Day

To many people, St. Patrick’s Day is nothing more than a holiday to commemorate the traditions of Ireland. People wear “Irish” green; stores decorate with shamrocks, leprechauns, and rainbows; and restaurants feature meals of corned beef, cabbage and potatoes . . . or green-colored mint milkshakes.

To others, March 17th is a day to gratify the flesh: to guzzle beer, or to glorify sinful lifestyles through disgraceful city-wide parades. How far we have come from the real story of a missionary named Patrick and the sacrifices he made to bring the love of Jesus Christ to the people of Ireland. Today, more than ever, our world needs the Gospel.

During the month of March, let’s remember the missionary story of St. Patrick. And let’s use all the GREEN decorations as a constant reminder, wherever we see them (in stores, restaurants, etc.), that we’re all called to GO with God’s GOOD NEWS!

How can we pray for Ireland?

In previous generations, Ireland was a predominantly Christian nation, even “sending” missionaries to other countries and helping to spread the Gospel throughout Europe. Today, according to a recent European Believers report, less than 1% of the people of Ireland are born-again believers (only 0.62%). That percentage is so low.
As mission-minded families, we need to PRAY for Ireland.
Learn how to pray for IRELAND on OPERATION WORLD.


St. Patrick’s Day – MARCH 17th

Patrick was the first Christian missionary to Ireland. In the United States, celebrations include city parades, Irish cultural celebrations, and the wearing of green.

Who was Saint Patrick?

“Saint” Patrick (389 – 461 AD) actually went to Ireland twice – first as a slave, and later as a missionary. Born in Britain (in Wales), Patrick is widely known as the first Christian missionary to the Irish people. During his youth (from 16 to 22 years old), he was captured and taken to Ireland. While there, young Patrick repented of his sinful, backslidden condition. Years later, after escaping to his homeland, he received a vision from God calling him to return to the Irish people to proclaim the Gospel of Christ. Patrick obeyed God’s call and went back.
For the remainder of his life, Patrick ministered among the heathen tribes of Ireland – confronting Irish idolatry and sorcery, converting many to Jesus Christ, and baptizing thousands of people. Tradition says he used the three-leaf Irish clover to teach the unity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
According to historian William Federer, who wrote St. Patrick: The Real History of His Life, From Tragedy to Triumph, “He was actually a missionary and he converted 120,000 druids from paganism to Christianity.” Federer claims that in the fifth century A.D., Patrick did more than perhaps anyone in history to spread Christianity in Europe. Although druids attempted to kill him over a dozen times, Patrick continued to preach the message of Jesus Christ, and throughout his ministry he pioneered over 300 Christian churches. Patrick also spoke out against slavery, and because of this, some call him the world’s first abolitionist.
Mission-Minded Family Resources:
To learn more about St. Patrick, I recommend Hero Tales – Volume III, by Dave & Neta Jackson (Bethany House Publishers). Along with the short biography summary, St. Patrick: Missionary to Ireland, the Jackson’s include three devotional stories (each with a focus “From God’s Word” and “Let’s Talk About It” discussion questions) to read aloud:

• “Your Ship is Ready” — Trust
• The Fire on the Hill — Boldness
• Blood on the White Robes — Righteous Anger

VeggieTales has a funny “flannel-graph” version of the St. Patrick story, which is surprisingly historically accurate, on the VeggieTales DVD, Sumo of the Opera.
Also, Focus on the Family has a special “Days to Remember” edition of Adventures in Odyssey, with two episodes specifically highlighting the true meaning of St. Patrick’s Day.

NOTE: This article is adapted from the chapter “Enjoying Missions Throughout the Year” from Ann’s book,
The Mission-Minded Family – Releasing Your Family to God’s Destiny.

Amazon.com: As Silver Refined: Answers to Life's Disappointments (9781400073481): Kay Arthur: Books

This is what I am reading right now. Im not far into it but I can tell this is going to be a great book!

What a thought to think that all of the trials we go through in this life God uses to refine us like silver.

Even when some things are painful we can know that the Lord is burning off all the garbage that is in us to purify us and make us more like him. 

Amazon.com: As Silver Refined: Answers to Life's Disappointments (9781400073481): Kay Arthur: Books

Autumn Blessings

Happy Harvest ~ Autumn Blessings ~ Give Thanks ~

These are all little sayings that you will find all over my house this time of year.
I love fall, I love the color of the trees in the canyons all around me, I love the coolness in the air, I love the feeling that even though I am still busy now harvesting the garden and canning and working on my winter food storage I know that things are about to slow down. I love the smells in my house and the warm feeling that you get when you walk in the door. Everyone else loves it too.

I put cinnamon scented pine cones in the basket on the floor, this is the foyer table.

 My loyal companion, Quinny......where ever I go, there he is :o)
see him in the mirror

do you see Paris's sweet little face? she was running around me and kept hiding under what ever I was taking pictures of, she wanted to get her face in one...:o)



Then....Paris says  "Grammy, there is smoke out back in the bottom of the canyon, Grammy there is fire!"

  I went out on my back deck and this is what I saw.....My neighbors beautiful 110 year old barn was a blazing inferno.....I took her some warm banana nut bread and we shared a warm hug and a some tears....no one knows what happened and no one was hurt and there were no animals in the barn, just stuff. I will miss this barn from my view! I so loved it.

 Whinnnnny!!! I then hear my beautiful Boogie calling me and I go to my front door and this is what I saw....these beautiful faces looking at me and wondering why I was late feeding them.

 Hellooooo......mom...are you going to come out and give me some hay?  This is my beautiful Boogie

 Tazzy

 Honeypie

 Bella

 Old Kidderman

 Sassy, she likes to pretend she doesn't care but she is the biggest pig of them all

Give Thanks to God for all your blessings, he meant for us to enjoy our lives.....Give Thanks for your trials too....they change us and help us to grow.
Happy Harvest

Staying Under Authority

My Morning Devotions


Trusting God:

The early church was told to trust God and honor the Emperor (Matt. 17:25-27, Mark 12:14-17 Rom. 13 : 1-7).   God's grace empowers us to honor the unhonorable because of their positions, not their personality or worthiness.  If we take authority lightly, our prayers will be hindered.  Prayer will unlock a heart that is walled up.  We reach for God on the other side of a closed heart and draw from Him until He changes the heart. We get out of His way and rest in His ability to deal redemptively with our authorities.

Only weakness will break strongholds.

He asks us to lead from weakness not strength. The best we can do will never be enough. God loves us too much to let us succeed in our own strength. His name is I AM my name is I am not. Without Him, I can do nothing.



Listening:

God is doing a new thing, He has a new direction for us and a deeper level for us with Him, if we have ears to hear and eyes to see Him in His word and respond to Him.

Seducing voices will suggest we take the easy road or take matters into or own hands by our own power, or to follow the dramatic or sensational.


We must give no ground to comfort, deception or denial of reality.  We must listen for God's voice alone.


Prayer:

God, as we place ourselves under your authority and the authority of our leaders, bosses, husbands, pastors...etc. give us ears to hear your voice and not the voice of the enemy that only brings confusion and discontentment to our hearts and minds.  Give us eyes to see your hand working in our lives and in the lives of those who are in authority over us.

Truth:

When we operate in our own flesh and despise the authority of God, we are presumptuous and willful.  When we go out in presumption we are easy prey for our enemies who are lying in wait for us.  Truth is one of the pieces of the Christians armor.  The only strength that God can validate with His presence is knowing our great need of Him.  As we know the truth, we see that what we considered strengths are dangerous weaknesses, because we are deceived about their true nature and our true condition.  Truth is a person who says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your soul.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light".   (Matt 11:28-30)

Christ my Leader, Christ my Peace, Christ has brought my souls release; Christ my Righteousness Divine, Christ for me for He is mine.

Blessings!


what I did over the weekend

Beth Moore Live @ Salt Lake City

This is how I get to spend my weekend.....I will be spending it with two of my favorite women in the world, my mother "Fran" and my daughter in-law "Jana"............... I am so looking forward to this, I have been to one of Beth's live events before and it was a lot of fun....I love the corporate worship, Travis Cottrell is great! and Beth is a great teacher, she has a great way of relating to all ages of woman and is always good for a laugh.  I have done several of her bible studies, she has a way of making you dig deep into God's word and helping you to be able to apply it to your life.   THAT'S WHAT ITS ALL ABOUT!!!

LifeWay: Beth Moore's life-transforming Bible study challenges and inspires women of every age, everywhere. Joining Beth at this weekend event is acclaimed worship leader Travis Cottrell and the Praise Team.
Beth's focus will be on the Scripture that God lays on her heart for each individual Living Proof Live event - no two are the same. As she explores the Bible and how it applies to real life, you'll be amazed by her own experiences as a believer, and you'll be inspired to magnify and strengthen your own relationship with God.
Each Living Proof Live event is scheduled for Friday, 7:00 - 9:30 p.m., and Saturday, 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (except for the Living Proof Live simulcast event). All seats are general admission.

Children's Heaven Addis Ababa

after viewing this video clip please click on the link below to  ...a sigh and sanity.
I am sharing this link form Marci who is the daughter of a very close friend of mine.

Please, after reading the story click on the link and go to the line where it says ...most innovative use of social media.click on that then vote for ...Ethiopian Orphan Relief

This story touched my heart and I think it will touch yours too. I know that more of us would help if we knew where to go and how we could be of help....  I pray that they will be blessed beyond their needs.

Blessings

I Will Lift Up My Eyes Toward The Mountains

A Song of Ascents.

Psalm 121:1


I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;
From where shall my help come?
My help comes from the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to slip;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel
Will neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD is your keeper;
The LORD is your shade on your right hand.
The sun will not smite you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
The LORD will protect you from all evil;
He will keep your soul.
The LORD will guard your going out and your coming in
From this time forth and forever.

Oh my friend, how many times the Lord has shown me His faithfulness!

It is He who spoke the heavens into existence
It is He who gave the earth its form and gathered the waters into seas
It is He who gave me life and has numbered my days, even the hairs on my head
It is He who has given me salvation and He who will keep me unto that day!

There is peace and rest in knowing He did not save us just to throw us to the wolves or leave us to our own demise but has placed a higher calling on our lives......We who belong to Him are called to love and to live our lives in righteousness through Him........We are called to a higher standard of living than the world lives, to live a life without compromise that is pleasing to Him.......We cannot live a life without compromise apart from Him.

In fact it is when we get our eyes off of Him that we can get into trouble and can even find ourselves on a slippy slope of compromise but He has promised that if we will look to Him and place our trust in Him that He will not allow us to fall.




Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

121:1-8 The safety of the godly. - We must not rely upon men and means, instruments and second causes. Shall I depend upon the strength of the hills? upon princes and great men? No; my confidence is in God only. Or, we must lift up our eyes above the hills; we must look to God who makes all earthly things to us what they are. We must see all our help in God; from him we must expect it, in his own way and time. This psalm teaches us to comfort ourselves in the Lord, when difficulties and dangers are greatest. It is almighty wisdom that contrives, and almighty power that works the safety of those that put themselves under God's protection. He is a wakeful, watchful Keeper; he is never weary; he not only does not sleep, but he does not so much as slumber. Under this shade they may sit with delight and assurance. He is always near his people for their protection and refreshment. The right hand is the working hand; let them but turn to their duty, and they shall find God ready to give them success. He will take care that his people shall not fall. Thou shalt not be hurt, neither by the open assaults, nor by the secret attempts of thine enemies. The Lord shall prevent the evil thou fearest, and sanctify, remove, or lighten the evil thou feelest. He will preserve the soul, that it be not defiled by sin, and disturbed by affliction; he will preserve it from perishing eternally. He will keep thee in life and death; going out to thy labour in the morning of thy days, and coming home to thy rest when the evening of old age calls thee in. It is a protection for life. The Spirit, who is their Preserver and Comforter, shall abide with them for ever. Let us be found in our work, assured that the blessings promised in this psalm are ours.

R. Kelly - The Storm Is Over Now

I stumbled accross this song and it went streight to my spirit.....this sense of joy came over me as I listened to it the first time and I knew that the storm that has been raging inside of me for a year now , was over.
Some things are bittersweet...some just not for this time in our lives....
Whatever the case may be."God is faithful!"
I am smiling
*Susan*

Arsenalbooks.com: Prayer Essentials For Living in His Presence Volume 1 by Sylvia Gunter

Just starting this study with my hubby :o) This promises to be one of the best studies I'v ever done and to be able to do it with my hubby, well my heart could not ask for more.

Prayer Essentials for Living in His Presence picks up where Prayer Portions left off. Prayer Essentials will whet your holy hunger to see God move in our day with His awesome reviving presence. It will challenge you toward clean hands and pure heart and equip you for new levels of spiritual opposition. It builds on the Father-heart and intimate friendship with God in Prayer Portions. It emphasizes the pleasures of prayer, beyond duty to joy and delight. It will lead you to actually keep company with God often in prayer, not just talk about prayer. It will encourage your praying with a keen sense of the presence of God. It is for those who are serious about consciously living in God's presence and praying by His direction. It contains fresh inspiration for times when you have prayed everything you know to pray and need the help of the Holy Spirit in praying His prayers.

Table of Contents:

Dedication
Acknowledgments
Explanation
1 Introduction
The Potency of Prayer
Introduction
Beyond Believing in Prayer
What Good is Prayer?
What God Has Been Saying to Me
Core Truths from Prayer Portions
Christ my Life
Truth is a Person
The Purpose
You Are Invited
2 Worship and the Wonder of His Presence
Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise
Introduction
Whys and Wherefores of Praise and Thanksgiving
Worship the Lord Your God
What do Worshipers Look Like?
Prayer Postures Into His Presence
Worship Quotient
Praying the Names of God
Gods Sufficiency Exceeds Our Need
Gods Riches for my Poverty
For His Names Sake
Our Glorious and Awesome God
What we do in Relation to Gods Name
I Am I Am, and I Am All You Need
Green Eggs and I Am
Beyond God is Great, God is Good
God is Able
Journal of Gratitude in the Empty Nest Season of Life
The Isaiah Names of God
The Revelation Portrait of Jesus
Revelation Worship Scenes
Psalms of Covenantal Blessings for 31 Days
O Worship the King
3 Repentance and Revival by His Holy Presence
Oh, Rend the Skies

Introduction

Do Christians Need to Repent Today?
What is Repentance?
Conviction or Condemnation?
Clean Hands, Pure Heart Inventory
I Consider My Ways
Proud Spirits, Humble Hearts
Not I but Christ
What is Brokenness?
If it Aint Broke, Break it!
O Lord God Hear my Confession
Fasting
Fasting Reading List
Fast of Words
What Fasting Does
Fasting Journal
The Sins of the Fathers
Obedience Brings Blessing Disobedience Brings Consequences
What Fruit is Growing on Your Family Tree?
Discerning and Repenting for Generational Strongholds
Prayer of Forgiveness for the Family
One Another Commands in the New Testament
If My People Praying 2 Chronicles 7:14
Confessing the Ten Commandments
Making a Covenant with God for Revival
Revival Prayer
Daniel 9/Ezra 9 Model of Repentance
Model of Repentance in Revelation 2-3
You Dont Need an Apology You Need God
Overlook an Offense
What God Does With Sin When We Repent and Ask Forgiveness
The Language of Repentance
4 Spiritual Warfare by the Power of His Presence
Lead On, O King Eternal
Introduction
Victory in Jesus
Jesus is Far Above All
Psalm 91 Gods Protecting Presence
The Shelter of Most High God
Our Commander in Chief is Entirely Responsible for Us
Warfare Prayer
Praying Psalm 35
SWAT Spiritual Weapons and Tactics
Praying Exodus 14:13-14
Spirit of Separation
Strongholds in the Church
Discerning Ahab and Jezebel in Post-Modern Times
Three-Fold Attack of Jezebel Spirit in Families and Organizations
Stopping Harassment with Prayer
Praying on the Armor for Others
Breaking Generational Strongholds
Breaking the Power of Strongholds for a Loved One
Soul Ties
Continual Hedge of Protection Against Soul Ties
Reversing Soulish Prayers and Word Curses
The Sit, Walk, Stand of Spiritual Warfare Praying
Nothing but the Blood of Jesus
Unforgiveness, Prayer, Worship, and Spiritual Warfare
The Battle is the Lords
The Battle is the Lords Conditions of our Victory from the Psalms
The Battle is the Lords Warfare Petitions and Battle Conditions
The Battle is the Lords What God will do for me
The Battle is the Lords What God Does to His Enemies According to Psalms
The Battle is the Lords What God Does to His Enemies According to Isaiah
Who is on the Lords Side? I Am!
Glossary
5 Amen
You are Invited
Alphabetical Index of Title
Index
About the Auhtor

Over the past 30 years,Sylvia Gunter has led groups, spoken, led retreats, done prayer counseling, and faced individual prayer challenges. All of Sylvia's resources are developed in prayer in real life situations in response to real needs. Believers around the world have graciously said that God has used these materials to encourage, strengthen, comfort, and equip them for deeper relationship with Him and effective intercession.

Prayer Portions and For The Familywas the first overflow of those experiences. Then God led Sylvia through her own back-side-of-the-desert experience, from which Prayer Essentials For Living In His Presence is the overflow. Sylvia's spiritual journey is evident in the "Intimacy With God" section. You can trace God's footprints in the healing prayers in the "Intercession" section. You can trace the source of her strength in the "Word Of God" section. God's new depth for her is visible in the "Worship" and "Repentance And Revival" sections. His new arenas where He wants to reveal Himself as Mighty Warrior can be seen in the "Spiritual Warfare" sections.

Sylvia lives in Birmingham with her husband John, now retired from his position as a telecommunications executive. They have three adult children (Charley, David, and Elizabeth), and two grandkids (Richmond and Margie Louise).

Arsenalbooks.com: Prayer Essentials For Living in His Presence Volume 1 by Sylvia Gunter

Praise for God’s Deliverance

DeWayne and I just finished a bible study on King David called Seeking a Heart Like His by Beth Moore.
One thing that really spoke to me is verse 20 where it says that He delivered me because He delights in me.
WOW, Thank you God, you really do know how to show up in a big way. You did it for ME! because you delight in ME

New King James Version (NKJV)

2 Samuel 22

Praise for God’s Deliverance

1 Then David spoke to the LORD the words of this song, on the day when the LORD had delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. 2 And he said:[a]

“The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;

3 The God of my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation,

My stronghold and my refuge;  My Savior, You save me from violence.


4 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.


5 “When the waves of death surrounded me, The floods of ungodliness made me afraid.


6 The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me.


7 In my distress I called upon the LORD, And cried out to my God;

He heard my voice from His temple,  And my cry entered His ears.

8 “Then the earth shook and trembled; The foundations of heaven[b] quaked and were shaken,

Because He was angry.

9 Smoke went up from His nostrils, And devouring fire from His mouth;

Coals were kindled by it.

10 He bowed the heavens also, and came down With darkness under His feet.

11 He rode upon a cherub, and flew; And He was seen[c] upon the wings of the wind.

12 He made darkness canopies around Him, Dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.

13 From the brightness before Him Coals of fire were kindled.



14 “The LORD thundered from heaven, And the Most High uttered His voice.


15 He sent out arrows and scattered them; Lightning bolts, and He vanquished them.


16 Then the channels of the sea were seen, The foundations of the world were uncovered,


At the rebuke of the LORD,  At the blast of the breath of His nostrils.


17 “He sent from above, He took me, He drew me out of many waters.


18 He delivered me from my strong enemy, From those who hated me;


For they were too strong for me.


19 They confronted me in the day of my calamity, But the LORD was my support.

20 He also brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me.

21 “The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness;

According to the cleanness of my hands  He has recompensed me.

22 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, And have not wickedly departed from my God.

23 For all His judgments were before me; And as for His statutes, I did not depart from them.

24 I was also blameless before Him, And I kept myself from my iniquity.

25 Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness,

According to my cleanness in His eyes.[d]

26 “With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful; With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless;

27 With the pure You will show Yourself pure; And with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd.

28 You will save the humble people; But Your eyes are on the haughty, that You may bring them down.

29 “For You are my lamp, O LORD; The LORD shall enlighten my darkness.

30 For by You I can run against a troop; By my God I can leap over a wall.

31 As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven;

He is a shield to all who trust in Him.

32 “For who is God, except the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God?

33 God is my strength and power,[e] And He makes my[f] way perfect.

34 He makes my[g] feet like the feet of deer, And sets me on my high places.

35 He teaches my hands to make war, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

36 “You have also given me the shield of Your salvation;

Your gentleness has made me great.

37 You enlarged my path under me; So my feet did not slip.

38 “I have pursued my enemies and destroyed them; Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed.

39 And I have destroyed them and wounded them, So that they could not rise;

They have fallen under my feet.

40 For You have armed me with strength for the battle;

You have subdued under me those who rose against me.

41 You have also given me the necks of my enemies, So that I destroyed those who hated me.

42 They looked, but there was none to save; Even to the LORD, but He did not answer them.

43 Then I beat them as fine as the dust of the earth; I trod them like dirt in the streets,

And I spread them out.

44 “You have also delivered me from the strivings of my people;

You have kept me as the head of the nations.  A people I have not known shall serve me.

45 The foreigners submit to me; As soon as they hear, they obey me.

46 The foreigners fade away, And come frightened[h] from their hideouts.

47 “The LORD lives! Blessed be my Rock!  Let God be exalted,

The Rock of my salvation!

48 It is God who avenges me, And subdues the peoples under me;

49 He delivers me from my enemies. You also lift me up above those who rise against me;

You have delivered me from the violent man.

50 Therefore I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among the Gentiles,

And sing praises to Your name.

51 He is the tower of salvation to His king, And shows mercy to His anointed,

To David and his descendants forevermore.”

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus by Alan Jackson

This morning while I was out jogging this song came to my mind as I was seeking my Lord as to how to close a book in my life and move forward. Struggling to take my thoughts captive he reminded me to turn my eyes to him and the things of this world would grow strangly dim...........Thats how........:o)