So, didn't God listen? "If MY people..."

So, we rebuked the storm and spoke to the storm, (see below) and prayed it would go away, and still, we were hit with the storm. It could have been a lot worse. But we were hit.

Are we in a terrible weather cycle? Or part of the birth pangs of (click here:) Luke 21 with the sea roaring?

Or is God judging this country?

Because, not just those in the path of the storm, but the whole country suffers economically and many, emotionally, when we see this misery and destruction.

What is the answer? I'm not sure, but I'm surely paying attention to this:

"If *my people,* which are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked, ways, then will I hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14.

One other possibility:

Joel 3
The Nations Judged 1 "In those days and at that time,
when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,
2 I will gather all nations
and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. [a]
There I will enter into judgment against them
concerning my inheritance, my people Israel,
for they scattered my people among the nations
and divided up my land.

May God forgive us.

Speaking TO the storms

Praise because Gustav slowed down and didn't do much wind damage. Some cool air came in--the cool wind of the Spirit, perhaps? The whole RNC and millions of viewers prayed against that storm! (Not being partisan here, just Christian!)

Praise for a wonderful time, a week with cousins in my home. We really had fun, then they had a long drive home. Some got their AC back only today. And lost it again while the power company fixed light poles for a while.

Now, they wonder if they must leave again. So do Houstonians!

Beth Moore teaches that praying aloud exercises and results in more faith:

2 Corinthians 4:13--"We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak."

Let's do what Jesus did in Mark 4:39 and say out loud to the storms, "Peace, be still," in His powerful name.

Because He said in John 14:12, "Greater things
than I do, you can do, because I go to the Father."

It's probably, usually, about unity--imagine if every Spirit-filled Christian in the world spoke aloud to the storms! That's a lot of prayer power. Let's do it!

Let's say it aloud, right now, and every time we hear a weather report--and then, don't turn around and speak against our prayers, saying, "Oh, it's headed toward wherever."

Let's say it and believe for it in the mighty name of Jesus.

To the storm: "In the mighty name of Jesus, I say,
'Peace, be still!'"

Soaring on a song

Last night we kicked off the new choir season. We invited new people, and our little church had 80in the choir loft. What a way to start the week.

My character, Maggie, marries a Navy pilot who sings. But when tragedy strikes, she wants to make her own kind of music before she can ever sing songs like these....

Click here and enjoy: More than Enough and Total Praise.

Three Kings in this city!

In a different direction this weekend, went to Memphis, Tennessee, with my church choir, to tour Graceland and sing concerts in two churches.

Graceland was amazing. I have blogged about Elvis before, (click here )--a kind and ultra-talented man who took kind of an, um, distracted side trip from his Christian roots. But he always eschewed the title, "The King," saying, "There is only one King--Jesus."

We also visited the site of the assassination of Martin Luther King. There had been a strike of sanitation workers. The basic issue had been lack of timely paychecks, as I understand it. And you know the rest of the terrible story.

Then, the reason for the trip: We sang in two churches, in Memphis and Brownsville.

The response ministered back to us. The first church we sang in stood up during one of our songs, "Something Happens." Click here for an online performance I found.

Well, something happens with that song, all right, it'll knock your socks off, but it's the first time I sang in a choir that got that response and it was awesome to know I was part of something the Lord was using to really bless people.

And did they bless us back, with lasagne, Southern fried chicken, fresh vegetables, chocolate chip pecan pie, and so on.

Before the second service, we had prayer time and I asked that the Lord minister to us through His people again--with their response to the songs, I mean.

And they did. The second church stood and clapped during a third of the songs!

I mean, right in the middle of a song, if they liked its message, they'd stand up and clap. Like for "How Great Thou Art."

And click on "When I Don't Know What to Do." The solo in our version was sung by a young woman who came out of a very rough background, mom and sibs in jail, to graduate with honors and attend college now. She has never sung in a choir or anywhere else before. And in "Cry Holy," "Grace," and again in "Something Happens."

The pastor made us sing the fun "Hallelujah Anyhow" twice.

It was exhilarating in the spirit. And such freedom for the Spirit.

Makes you think the Lord meant every word in Psalm 149 and Psalm 150.

Kristy Dykes--Celebration of a Life of Inspiration

What a great service!

That may sound too glib, because sending one's loved one on Home ahead of us is always hard.

But I hope that my homegoing will express joy and expectation the way this one did.

They showed a clip of Kristy when she first learned she had brain cancer, thanking the church for their gestures of love, and saying she just wanted to be in the center of God's will. That she believed in healing and always did, but that there are all kinds of healing.

Milton gave a beautiful euology. He held up a fat notebook of Kristy's writings and laughing, said "We'll start on page one."

Members of the family sang beautiful solos. Larry Ford, I think, sang, "I Bowed on my Knees and Cried 'Holy'" and the service ended with "How Great is our God."

If you would like to enjoy this service, click here.

And if you would like to understand more about how anyone could have peace and joy in spite of just losing a loved one, then scroll down and push the red button marked, "Ready?"

God bless!

Kristy emails about grief, 2006

Wow, going through old files in my discarded computer, I just came across this email from Kristy to the loop, posted on May (I forget already) 2006. I'm sure she wouldn't mind a bit if I posted it here, with her good thoughts.

Greetings from Kristy Dykes in sunny Florida!

Somebody asked what to do when you've faced a trauma and can't seem to write, or you're feeling directionless, etc. I was touched by the responses. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Wow, this loop is fantastic. Several things ministered to me, below. Thanks, ACFWers.

I saw Francine Rivers on TBN the other night and enjoyed hearing her story again. Great interview. She said she couldn't write for four years. Once she started writing again, she wrote REDEEMING LOVE! (Are you getting goose bumps like I am?)

1."God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them." Hebrews 6:10

2. So give yourself permission to grieve, and in grieving, pushing anything, making important decisions, is not wise.

3. All that said, remember that the battle you face isn't just an emotional or physical battle. It's rooted in the unseen. The enemy of your soul wants to prevent you from responding to the call of God. He certainly intends tosabotage or ambush any attempts to write for Him. It may be time tointentionally thwart the enemy's plans, to write to spite him (if that'seven theologically possible!), and to draw a hedge of prayer protection around yourself before even attempting to lay fingers to keyboard. Blank computer screen, be gone in the name of Jesus!

4. What Kristin B. said. She always says the right thing! On every subject.

5. Oh, and Laurie said to journal during this time.

Kristy Dykes, who's off to journal...

********

*Sigh,* that'll be some journal, now! Praise the Lord.

Kristy Dykes in Glory--"I Can Only Imagine"

One of the sweetest people you could ever meet, Kristy Dykes, has gone on to be with the Lord.

"I can only imagine" the wonderful time Kristy is having, free of pain, dancing with Jesus.

For the rest of us, it's not quite as wonderful.

I wish I could be at the service. A few years ago, I emailed Kristy about writing, and a few days later, was surprised to find a brown manila envelope in my mailbox. She had sent me three of her books, to "show, don't tell me," how she did it. I was so happy when I finally met her at a conference.

I pray that the wonderful Holy Spirit do His good work as Comforter for all who love her.

Click here Kristy Dykes and here "I Can Only Imagine"

Uh-ohh, LOL

Click here~

Wombs with a view!

Click here to see the most adorable videos of babies in the womb.

And of course, everyone remembers this little hand gripping the surgeon's finger.

Jesus loves the little children,
All the children of the world!
Red and yellow, black and white,
Whether in or out of sight!
Jesus loves the little children of the world!

All dogs go to heaven~

Diann Hunt's little dog is failing and she blogged about knowing it was time to put him down. I told her I hurt with her. I've been there several times.

The good news is, I believe we'll see our pets in heaven. The Bible says "creation waits" for glory.

Romans 8:18-20 (NIV)
Future Glory
18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope

I take that literally--all of God's creation.

My belief is that pets are like a class of angels. Why not? Look at the strange and wonderful critters in the Bible! Our pets don't sin, they just serve us and God by giving us love and give us pleasure, and then go to heaven. I'm convinced.

However, I was in Tokyo and saw only cars crossing that Rainbow Bridge, LOL

(Vets often send sympathy cards with a very touching poem about a rainbow bridge.)

I hated to give them up, but didn't want to keeping them suffering in their misery.

I figure that finally, *love lets go.*

Our little Shih Tsu was going blind and hard of hearing and when he cried out and his little back leg went stiff, we knew we had to let him go. So we took him to the vet and stayed with him while he left this world.

The assistant brought me scissors and I clipped the plume of his tail and brought it home. I don't even know where it is at the moment. I can't look at it.

He would walk around a corner of the hall and bump into one of those springy little doorstops and we would hear boiiiiing. Now, any time one of us does the same, I remember him.

Now, a few months later, we just got a new puppy. When Jocko died, we asked our other dog, "Do you miss Jocko?" The ears went up and it hurt my heart to know he did. I never asked him that again.

So we got another.

It's hard to think about it when we are losing one, but there are many other wonderful dogs out there waiting to bless us.