The two great temptations – Another Short Devotional
Do you have a problem or something you would like to talk about?
Write me at dearlanadee@gmail.com
I remain your friend,
lanadee
Do you have a problem or something you would like to talk about?
Write me at dearlanadee@gmail.com
I remain your friend,
lanadee
Do you have a problem or want to talk? Write me at: dearlanadee@gmail.com
I remain your friend,
lanadee
I remain your friend,
lanadee
I remain your friend,
lanadee
When you serve the Lord, life isn’t perfect, but Heaven WILL be. Do you know Jesus? If not I would be happy to tell you about Him.
Write me at: dearlanadee@gmail.com
I remain your friend,
lanadee
Do you have a problem or just want to talk? Write me at: dearlanadee@gmail.com
I remain your friend,
lanadee
I remain your friend,
lanadee
I remain your friend,
lanadee
Do you havce a problem or want to talk? Write me at dearlanadee@gmail.com
I remain your friend,
lanadee
Do you have a problem or just want to talk? Write me at dearlanadee@gmail.com
I remain your friend,
lanadee
I am honored to fulfill a “special request”. One of the listeners asked me to post this song with piano accompaniment only. I don’t often hear back from those who listen to my posts but I keep plugging along anyway. I do this because I love the Lord and He gave me a dream a long time ago, asking me to “save the Hymns”. I took that to mean that I should sing and post them.
I do hope you are blessed as I am in hearing these old songs.
Your friend,
lanadee
The Story and the Hymn. I Stand Amazed in His Presence.
A wonderful song. I hope you will sing along!
Do you need to talk? Write me at dearlanadee@gmail.com
I remain your friend,
lanadee
I remain your friend,
lanadee
Thank you for listening to this Short Devotional. If you have a question or just want to talk, please write me at: dearlanadee@gmail.com
I remain your friend,
lanadee
We are never alone. As a child of God that is a promise!
Pro 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Pro 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy path.
Do you have a question, or something you would like to talk about?
Write me at: dearlanadee@gmail.com
I remain your friend,
lanadee
Your friend,
lanadee
I remain your friend,
lanadee
Do you have a question or something you would like to talk about?
Write me at: dearlanadee@gmail.com
I remain your friend,
lanadee
So, it has been a long time since I have been able to post. Switching website providers, catching up with all the postings I have made both on Facebook and youtube. But I do hope you will forgive me for the plethora of emails you will be receiving as I “catch up”.
Please drop me a line and let me know you still visit the website from time to time.
Your friend,
lanadee
An old Hymn with a great message. Have you heard it? it is new to me. I hope you enjoy it.
Do you have a problem or want to talk? Write dearlanadee@gmail.com
I remain your friend,
lanadee
Jesus loves you more than you will ever know. If you don’t know Him, now is the time to meet Him. Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace
Do you want to talk or do you have a problem? Write me at dearlanadee@gmail.com
I remain your friend,
lanadeee
THANK YOU LORD FOR GIVING YOUR LIFE ON THE CROSS SO THAT WE CAN BE SAVED!
1 Corinthians 1:18
For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
I Peter 2:24
and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
Luke 9:23
And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.
Do you have a problem or simply want to talk? Write me at dearlanadee@gmail.com
I remain your friend,
lanadee
I remain your friend,
lanadee
dearlanadee@gmail.com
In today’s short devotional we talk about Dreams
and the church. God’s will is to use both to help us grow!
Do you have a problem or a question you would
like to talk about?
Write me at dearlanadee@gmail.com
I remain your friend,
lanadee
Hello my friends!
After a very LONG absence, I am back. Thank you to those who
checked back from time to time to see if I was still alive 🙂
This is a hymn I am certain that many of you remember from
the days that hymnals took a prominent place in the pews at church. I hope
you like it.
Drop me a line if you like this hymn and be sure to let me know what
songs you would like to hear in the future. dearlanadee@gmail.com
Blessings my faithful friends,
lanadee
SHOW LESS
I found this great instrumental of the Hymn, DOWN FROM HIS GLORY, played by the Hymnal Brothers on YouTube. This song was specially requested by a dear friend. We need to remember that God sent His Son from Glory, to die for you and I. He then rose again and went to Heaven. And if we accept Him and give our lives to Him? We can have eternal life!
Your friend,
lanadee
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you or forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).
I WILL POUR WATER
My soul cries out, Lord, I need more of you.
Every part of my being, Lord I give it all to you.
So hear my prayer, as I seek your face.
Oh sweet Holy Spirit, come and flow through me.
Lord pour out your glory, let it flow over me.
Come and saturate my being, oh and set my spirit free.
OH change my life, to be more like you each day.
Oh Lord let your spirit, let it cover me
He said, I will pour water on your dry and thirsty soul.
I will pour floods upon your barren ground.
And I will send rain, on your hungry heart. W
hen you have humbled, when you seek my face.
Our world is in chaos. Everywhere we look we see a storm. BUT JESUS is with us always. Be not afraid. He is coming soon for His own!
Psalm 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
Psa 91:2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
Psa 91:3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
Psa 91:4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
Psa 91:5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
Psa 91:6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
Psa 91:7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
Psa 91:8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
Psa 91:9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
Psa 91:10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
Psa 91:11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
SHOW LESS
Do you have a question or problem you would like to talk about? Write me at: dearlanadee@gmail.com
I’m FREE
Verse 1
For a long time I travelled
Down a long lonely road;
My heart was so heavy in sin I sank low.
Then I heard about Jesus,
What a wonderful hour;
I’m so glad that I found out
He could bring me out
Through His saving power.
Chorus:
Thank God I am free, free, free
From this world of sin.
I’ve been washed in the blood of Jesus,
I’ve been born again.
Hallelujah, I’m saved, saved, saved
By His wonderful grace.
I’m so glad that I found out
He could bring me out
And show me the way.
Verse 2
Like a bird out of prison
That has taken its flight;
Like a blind man that God
Gave back his sight.
Like a poor wretched beggar
That’s found fortune and fame,
I’m so glad that I found out
He could bring me out
Thro’ His holy name.
ooops spelled Calvary wrong…sign ha
Sheltered in the Arms of God – Dottie Rambo Cover Song
http://www.singsnap.com/karao…/watchandlisten/play/c69d46ac3
This world is out of control. Hate, violence, looting, murder..the China Plague…where can we go to escape? We will find all we need in His presence.
Posted by Dear Lanadee on Friday, June 12, 2020
Thinking about Heaven tonight. I Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
We Shall Behold Him, YES!
http://www.singsnap.com/karao…/watchandlisten/play/c2602081f
Do you want or need to talk? Write me at: dearlanadee@gmail.com
I remain your friend,
lanadee
JUST A CLOSER WALK WITH THEE
The Lord spoke to me in a dream and said: I don’t care how much you say you know me, you will never really know me until you press in. Truth! Do you want a closer walk with the Lord? Press in!
Proverbs 8:17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
Press in my friend,
lanadee
My life as a daughter and a caretaker
I had a dream. I dreamt that I was standing in a group of people who were talking about a wonderful hair stylist who could make your hair feel soft and look healthy and shiny. I believe I dreamed this because the night before, I had been at my daughter’s house. Michael and I had been helping her and Vince to lay tile on a bedroom floor. The dust from the mortar and grout must have been in the air because when I pushed my hair back into a hair tie it felt course and dry. As I was walking towards the hair stylist, my eyes fell upon this woman whose hair was an example of his work. Her hair was long and dark brown, and it fell across her shoulders in gentle curls. I touched her hair and it was just as I expected. Soft and healthy. I then realized this woman was my mother. I was so surprised to see her like this. I looked at her from head to toe. She was young again! My mother, unlike me, had inherited her small delicate, features from my grandfather who was French.
She was gorgeous, and quite slim and had on a beautiful, stylish dress and shoes. A far cry from the memories I have of her except for that one when I was in kindergarten. I remember her visiting me for a Mother’s Day Celebration. She looked like this then.
Mother spoke and told me that she felt wonderful. That she was having the time of her life and that she had been out and about, doing different things. As she told me this story a single tear rolled down her cheek. I took my finger to wipe it away. I felt the soft smooth skin on her face. I took my hand and placed it under her chin to really look at her.
I felt my heart melt. I longed to see her. Not the mother I remember from the long years of torment and unhappiness. The mother who found comfort and escape through medication. The mother who cried all the time and hid from her abusive husband. THIS is the mother I remember!
I miss the mother I barely knew. The one who was young and happy. Who now is finally experiencing a fun and happy life; The life I wanted to help her experience after my father passed away! The life she then could not embrace.
As I woke up, I found myself wanting to relive this dream. To be back with my mom. This mom. I went over and over the details of that dream so I would not forget it.
Mother’s birthday was on July 17th. I forgot to think about her on that day. When I remembered days later, I thought oh well, I have no really good memories of her, so it is just as well.
I then heard the Lord speak to my heart. He told me He was replacing the sad memories of my mother with happy ones. Now I have tears streaming down my face. I can’t wait to see my mom one day in Heaven. She will look like this!
That reoccurring dream. I never went very long without another dream like it, and I just knew somehow, they were connected. The houses would change. Sometimes they were old, and some weren’t houses at all. I dreamed of a warehouse filled from floor to ceiling, containing stuff. But I never got to see inside the boxes, drawers, or crates. Instead, I would wake up. My favorite house dream took place on a lake. The steps towards the home were made of glass and I could see the water beneath my feet.
By this point I began to look forward to the dreams. Some of the houses were so familiar to me that I knew I had been there before. I became resigned to the fact that I would dream about houses that I would never actually see, and I would never know what surprises would be found in the boxes or drawers.
I then had a dream that really surprised me, I found myself in the home I lived in from birth, until the age of 22. I was standing in the living room looking at the old door, leading to the attic. Michael stood before it and took out a skeleton key from his pocket. He opened the door and I hurried over to see what was inside. To my surprise, there were no steps. The attic had been walled up. Instead, behind the door I found shelves, stacked from top to bottom with items that I just knew belonged to me!
Dreams don’t always make sense, and this dream was no different. Somehow, I managed to get the key from Michael and make a copy of it. I was going to make a duplicate key so that I could open that door and finally look at the things that belonged to me any time I wanted.
When I woke up, I was excited. I felt that I had finally seen the contents in the drawers and behind the doors. Things that I had collected all those years while waiting for my turn to live my life. Things from my past. I immediately began to interpret my dream. Now, I know that when we have dreams, we feel are from God, we should ask Him for an interpretation. We should pray, search His Word, and sit quietly before Him so that He can speak into our hearts. But I just knew that I knew the interpretation, so I didn’t bother.
Here was my interpretation: I had lived my life caring for others. I was even caretaker for Michael’s mother and brother for a brief time, following my father and mother’s death. This had prevented me from doing the things that I had wanted to do for God, for His Glory! I was certain that now that I had the key, it meant that it was time to claim my dreams hopes and future! It was now my turn to live my life! But how would I do that?
I knew that I would not sing for Billy Graham unless I did so in Heaven. Michael and I had left full time ministry a long time ago, so I would not expect that we would find ourselves starting or serving in a church now that we were retired.
Honestly, I knew I could not expect any church to find a place for me or my giftings at this age. I had been a church secretary years ago! I did not think any church would put out the welcome mat for me. If there was a place for ministry, I would have to find it on my own.
.
After accepting the Lord and experiencing His love, I naturally expected places of ministry to be a sort of “Heaven on Earth. But that was not what I found. The church world had its share of trouble and problems as well. My brief experience as a secretary, revealed quite a different world. These were real people just like you and I, who had their good and bad days. They were not always fair and just as I had expected, and the bubble I had wanted to live in, simply did not exist. I encountered hurts and betrayals from the hands of supposed friends and clergy, that hurt me deeply. The church and its parishioners were people, just like me. I had to forgive them, and I am sure they had to forgive me, for being human and sinful. My image of the perfect vocation changed dramatically as a result. I realized then that world I so desperately wanted to be a part of was not located on this earth. But that did not remove my desire to do more for the Lord. He was everything to me!
Weeks went by and I would think about that last dream. Nothing had really changed, and I was as confused as ever. What did all this mean? Was I mistaken about my understanding of that dream? I began to think that there just might be more to my dream then what I had wanted to believe. I knew I had to ask the Lord for guidance.
The Lord is gentle and very, very patient. Sometimes when we pray, we only want verification that His will and desire is our will and desire, even when it isn’t! He also knows when we are ready to hear what He is trying to show us. I was now ready.
All throughout my Christian life I knew how important it was to obey the Lord, but I didn’t always want to. Like the time I was sick and tired of taking care of my parents. I was tired of their fighting, and it seemed like nothing ever changed. God gave me a very clear understanding that I had to choose to care for them as He instructed me. But He would not force me to; it had to be my choice. If I obeyed, He would do what only He could do to care for them and bring them to Him. I am so glad that I did obey, because He then gave me an opportunity to lead them to Him before they died. Imagine what it would be like if everyone chose to follow and obey the Lord.
The Holy Spirit gently spoke: “For years you have wanted to escape God’s plan for your life because it was painful. The reoccurring dreams were your attempt to escape the life you were chosen to live and live the life you wanted. The boxes contained your hopes, dreams and wishes. To serve God you must first become His servant and a servant does what their master tells them to do. Do you remember years ago, you asked the Lord to allow you to stay home with your children, instead of working? What did the Lord say?” I knew exactly what the Lord told me. I flipped open my Bible and it landed on Luke chapter 17.
Luke 17:7-9 When a servant comes in from plowing or taking care of sheep, he doesn’t just sit down and eat, but first prepares his master’s meal and serves him his supper before he eats his own. And he is not even thanked, for he is merely doing what he is supposed to do.
Luke 17:10 Just so, if you merely obey me, you should not consider yourselves worthy of praise. For you have simply done your duty!
I knew that the Lord was correcting me. I did not want to work full time. I didn’t want to work at all! I wanted to stay home with my children, and so I begged God! But God wanted me to work outside the home. And He told me to obey Him without asking questions.
A servant does what they are told to do. And so, I stopped asking God to release me, and instead, attempted to do the best job I could. Years later, I was so thankful I had gone to work and learned to be a purchasing agent. I also learned about marketing and Graphic Arts. Years later, I had to earn money when Michael had suffered heart attacks and could not work as he had. So, God knew what was best, and I now had the skills to support us.
TO BE CONTINUED…
I had a dream that we must do more during this Pandemic. We must pray! My dream was about our food supply.
James 1:17, KJV: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” …Including our FOOD! A Special Hymn: I Am Resolved
Your friend,
lanadee
We are living in difficult times. But God has not changed. We can trust Him. We must continue to push forward, spreading the good news that Jesus saves, heals, delivers and is our soon coming King! The Northside Baptist Church performs this beautiful song.
If you enjoy the Heaven’s Hymns, I believe you should check out my Short Devotionals as well. I shared a dream that I had about our food supply. You can find them at: https://www.facebook.com/YourFriendLanadee/ Please check them out!
I remain your friend,
lanadee
Someone noted that the first verse of that song describes how it is now,while living through this corona virus pandemic. The Lord knows what we are going through. It won’t be long before this world will pass away, all things will be new..because the King IS coming. Keep looking up!
Do you have a problem or need to talk? Write me at dearlanadee@gmail.com
When I see the Blood – A Hymn that reminds me that because of the Blood of Jesus, we can be saved, we can be healed, and we can be delivered. During this uncertain time with the Coronavirus spread throughout the world, Jesus LOVES us. Call upon His Name. He is ABLE! This virus does not scare HIM and it shouldn’t scare us.
I am praying for you my friends. We need to pray for each other!
It’s about Life and death! It’s time to fight! With a little fun along the way
The other day I had a vision. I would like to share it with you. God still hears and answers prayer! Proverbs 18:21 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
Need prayer or someone to talk to? Write me at: dearlanadee@gmail.com
Even if the sun is not shining, the SON of God can shine in your heart! Count your blessings. God is alive and wants to be Lord of YOUR life. Then you too, will see what the Lord has done! He loves you.
Your friend, lanadee
Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I’ll worship Your Holy name
He is WORTHY! Sing and worship with me to this song. He IS Worthy!!!
Your friend,
lanadee
I AM HIS AND HE IS MINE, a beautiful hymn, written by GEORGE WADE ROBINSON (1838–1877) It has blessed my heart. I hear the phrase over and over ” I am HIS, and HE is MINE.” If you do not know this Hymn, I hope you add it to your list of beloved Hymns. Be blessed!
Your friend,
lanadee
The brilliant pianist: Johannah Miller who also arranged this hymn. Check out her page on YouTube and purchase her arrangement 🙂
Posted by Lana Dee on Saturday, February 15, 2014
My life as a a caretaker
I JUST HAD TO GET AWAY
It was nearing Thanksgiving and I decided to go visit my daughter and her family in Missouri. I managed to get my
sister-in-law, Diane, to stay at the house with my mother.
I love to cook and so volunteered to make the Thanksgiving Dinner for my daughter.
Early the next morning, I received an urgent call from Diane. She had gone in her room to check on her and she was not well at all and so decision was made to call 911. Before long, my mother was unresponsive. E.M.T.s decided to transport her to the hospital. I got Michael up, hurriedly threw our clothes in the suitcase, said my goodbyes and drove the 6.5 hours home.
During the drive I received a call from the paramedics who were trying to figure out what had happened to my mother and what medication she had taken. They became angry with me because I couldn’t tell them the exact dosages of her medication, and I explained I was driving home from Mo. and didn’t think to bring her medications list with me!
I arrived to an all but vacant hospital because of the holiday weekend. My mother was unconscious, and they believed she had suffered a heart attack. I stood at her bedside and
began to cry and pray. I did not want her to leave this earth like this. I sat all night in the waiting room and visited as often as they would let me.
And then she woke up. I was overjoyed! I held her hand and was thrilled that she had come out of the coma. They talked about sending her to a nursing home that also had a rehab
unit. I told her about this and that I loved her.
The next day I put a call into her personal doctor.
At this time the hospital had assigned a house doctor to her, but I just had to talk to him to find out what to do.
He came in, looked at her chart and at her and took me aside. The Dr. said “If this were my own mother my advice would be the same. She is too sick to go through heart surgery and recovery. Let her go.” I was broken hearted but knew his advice was sound. After the Dr. left, my mother said, “I trust you honey, whatever you decide.”
It was breaking my heart! I knew there was the possibility that surgery might help, but the doctor was convinced it
wouldn’t, and that her last days on earth would be days of misery. I felt like the worst daughter on earth!
As I was sitting in her room thinking about what to do, the Lord prompted me to ask her if she was prepared to meet Him, if she were to die. I didn’t want to ask her that! Afterall, hadn’t she become a Christian when she was young? But I obeyed. Her answer surprised me. She said
no, she honestly did not know if she was prepared to meet the Lord if she were to die. I said, “Mom, you CAN
know. Do you want me to pray with
you?” She said yes.
I was so glad I obeyed. No matter what happened, I would see her again one day in Heaven!
IT WAS NOT JUST A NURSING HOME
When my mother recovered enough to be moved, she was taken to a nursing home. Her insurance allowed her one month of “rehab” before she would have to be private pay. She could no longer walk very well on her own and she readily agreed to go. I felt terrible having to take her there, but she ended up having the time of her life. Her meals
were brought to her, she was bathed, cared for, they came when she pushed a button and they had bingo! My
mother became a social butterfly. She loved the people and they loved her.
One day mother handed me two folded dollars; she wanted me to take them. It was her winnings from bingo that day. She was having a great time attending the activities the center held. I came over every day after work, I felt our time was short and I just did not want to lose her again.
Those two dollars? I still have them in my wallet.
Mother’s month was coming to an end and we had to decide what to do. At this point her body was swelling from the fluids her heart could no longer remove, due to her congestive heart failure. I told her I wanted to bring her home the next week as her month would be over. She responded, “Now honey, let’s not be too hasty”.
The night before her “month” was up, and she would become private pay, my mother passed away. I would not be bringing her home after all. She now lived in her Heavenly home.
NOW WHAT?
I had been a caretaker for 60 years. And now I found myself without a mother or a father I gave all her remaining
belongings to my siblings and Salvation Army.
I did not want anything around to remind me of her or my
father. I did not want to grieve. I would say to those who asked me why I kept nothing for myself? “I don’t want anything to remind me of them; I don’t need anything to
remind me, I lived it! Now I want to forget it.
But that wasn’t true. I had two dreams of my mother. In the first one, she was coming out of my bedroom and I stopped her and hugged her. I asked her if she was tired and if she would like to lay down. This dream made me sad because I missed her, but also laugh because those
words never came out of my mouth when she was alive.
I was always asking her to get up, come out of her room and move a little!
In the second dream I saw my mother in my living room.
She looked just like she did when she was young.
Her hair was dark, curly and flowing down her back.
She was in a hurry to get somewhere.
She had things to do! I believe the Lord allowed me to dream that, to know she was in Heaven and having
a wonderful time.
As I was taking out the Christmas decorations that year, I found a surprise. I had thought I had given everything of my mother’s away. But I found a box of little ornaments tucked away, in the back of the closet. They were from my mother’s
little tree. That year I bought my own little tree and hung those ornaments in her honor. I also went out and added to her collection. I missed her.
SETTLING IN
I began to take inventory of my life and realized I was OLD! Well, certainly older than when I first made plans for my life. I had lived my entire life taking care of my parents and now what good were my dreams that I had held onto all those years? I now had health issues of my own. I suspect that the years of living with my parent’s secondhand smoke has affected my lungs. So, some days I could sing, and most days I could not. It didn’t really matter, because most churches had stopped allowing people to sing “specials”, and choirs were just about non-existent. There was nowhere to sing anyway. Besides, who would want to listen to anything I had to say, now that I was old?
This revelation hit me like a ton of bricks. I felt that life and God, had passed me by.
I would just get comfortable in my chair and watch a lot of TV. I slept in. I had looked, longed, wished, wept and believed that I would find myself in full-time ministry ever since I was 14 years old, but here I sat.
There were those along the way who tried to encourage me, reminding me that God can use us at any age, but I decided I would just relax a little, I had earned it.
The Bible says “Romans 8: 38-39. “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able o separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Certainly my disappointment in life could not.
I still loved Him and couldn’t stand being angry with the Lord. It was not long before God spoke to me again.
TO BE CONTINUED…
If ever this world needed prayer it is now, especially in America. Our country is being torn apart by the left wing radicals, One of the finest Presidents ever to be elected is being attacked and they are attempting to remove him.
God is STILL on His throne. He hears and answers prayer. SO PRAY PEOPLE, PRAY
Do you want someone to talk to ? Do you want prayer? Write me at: dearlanadee@gmail.com
THE UNSETTLED LIFE
One morning during my devotion time with the Lord, I heard him clearly say, “Live unsettled!”
He continued, “Live unsettled. Don’t sink too deep into the soil of this earth. Keep your head up and your feet moving. Stay alert and be sober. I am coming.
The day of My return is at hand. Loose yourself of anything that hinders. If you don’t loose yourself, I’ll help loose you.”
Friends, it’s time to start moving once again! Every one of us is called to live life here on this planet as nomads. We are nothing more than pilgrims passing through. This world is not your home. Live life unsettled!
Get rid of the excess baggage that hinders your walk with the Lord. Allow the Holy Spirit to take a personal inventory of your life. Follow David’s example and pray, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties;
and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Ps. 139:23-24).
Whatever He puts his finger on, shed it immediately! Become a master of letting go. Lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily entangles so that you can keep
moving forward.
As you begin to move, you’ll likely discover those hidden treasures the Lord has laid up for you—gifts you didn’t know you had or haven’t accessed in some time. These spiritual gifts flourish as you get moving.
Alongside these gifts, you’ll uncover words He has sown into you that you have long forgotten. Those precious promises may have passed from your mind, but not His.
He is not a man that He should lie. What He has spoken to you, you can be assured He will deliver.
Living unsettled has played a large part of the success we’ve seen over the past 30 years. Our feet are always moving, our eyes fixed ahead, and our ears always
attentive to the Lord’s command. Time is short; there is no time to waste. Let go; start moving. Live unsettled.
Evangelist Steve Hill preached the Brownsville Revival for five years, was pastor emeritus of Heartland World Ministries
Do you have a question or problem you would like to talk about? Write me at: dearlanadee@gmail.com
The first thing I had to do was to find a doctor who would be willing to treat my
mother and understand my father. I found just the one. I made a consultation appointment and laid out my mother and father’s problems. I was careful not
to make it my doctor. The Dr. was an angel of mercy, and he thanked me for preparing him for what he was about to inherit. I then had to go with my mother to her appointments. I upset her whenever I shared information from her past.
But I wanted her to know there would be no more secrets. Not with this doctor.
So once again, I became my mother and father’s caretaker. I did my best to keep them at arm’s length, but no one’s arms are that long! First there was the issue of my mother’s driving. My father said she steered but he told her where and how to drive. I knew there was some truth to that.
Once, for some reason I can no longer remember, or choose to forget, they came to visit me before the move. On the way from Milwaukee, my mother missed her turn on the 80/90 bypass. My father yelled, and without looking or thinking, my mother veered into the path of an oncoming semi, trying to get to the turnoff. My father said “my door was ripped off and I felt the wind from the
semi tire on my leg. I thought we were a goner!”
We received a call to pick them up and Michael drove a couple hours to get them, along with their dog. Their car was totaled, and they were covered with glass from head to toe when they arrived. They stayed with me for days and the stress of having them in the home gave me the incentive to start walking. It was a smart way to get out of the house and as a result I lost 60 lbs.!
One day at work, I got a call from my mother. They were fighting about her wanting to take the car and drive alone to a hairdresser a few short miles away. I had to get off the phone so told her to just go ahead. Hours later no one knew where she was. Mother had left the hairdresser and never arrived home.
What could I say to my father? I panicked when I realized it was my fault she was lost! I began to pray and pray, storming heaven to find my mother.
A short time later I got a call from her. She had been lost for sure. She didn’t know what to do so she stopped the car and just sat there. Out of the blue, a young man pulled up alongside her and asked if she was lost. He then proceeded to “lead her home”. What a mighty God we serve! I always felt that an angel was sent in response to my prayer!
WHAT WILL I DO?
Having my parents back in my life was beyond stressful, but not without its unique moments. Like the time they decided to go to church with me.
Despite how they made me feel, my parents were proud of me. One Sunday I sang a solo and at the end? My father stood to his feet and said to a congregation of hundreds of people, “that’s my daughter!”. I crawled off the stage. On another Sunday my father went to shake the pastor’s hand and said, “hell of a sermon pastor, hell of a sermon!”. I never knew what he would do next. But was pleased to see something was happening in his heart. I could never remember him going to church my whole life, so his new interest had to be good.
I occasionally took my mother with me to the store, but I rarely saw my father
alone. That is, unless something was causing him to be angrier than usual and he wanted my help to “put her away”. My father still liked to control my mother and had, on occasion taken her pills. She would call the Dr. to try and get more. This time he told her no and said that he wanted me to take charge of her medication. If I refused, he wouldn’t treat her. She called me and told me so.
I was so upset. My father would not like my interference, that is for sure. I went to bed that night and had all but decided I would not do it.
That night I had a dream about two small children. They were in a dangerous place filled with barbed wire and broken glass. I felt sorry for the children and then the devil appeared. He was intent on harming the children. I scooped them in my arms and miraculously, we were in a beautiful meadow filled with bright yellow daisies. I put down the children and the devil appeared once again.
I stood to my feet and with authority told him to GO! He was not to harm the children, and with that, I woke up.
That morning while showering, I began to pray and asked the Lord about the dream. He spoke clearly to my heart and said, “The children in your dream are
your parents. The devil means to harm them. But you can help them.
It is your choice, however. If you decide you no longer wish to help them, you do not have to.” I knew I could not say no, I did love them even if I didn’t want to
continue being responsible for them.
I called the Dr’s office that very day, and took over my mother’s medication.
That released anger in my father like I had never experienced.
He would scream at me and slam the door in my face, but I ignored his
outbursts. I told him that I loved him and mother, and only wanted to help. I
also came to realize that much of his anger towards me was because he was
so fearful. If I helped him to find a solution for his problem, he seemed to be less angry.
AND JUST LIKE THAT, A MOMENT OF SANITY
I will never forget opening the door and there he stood, my father. He was visibly upset so I asked him to sit down at the kitchen table so that we could talk. My father poured out his heart to me as tears streamed down his face.
He knew his life was a mess and he wanted to get things straightened out.
I told him about God’s love for hm and His desire to come into his heart and life. There and then, he prayed the sinner’s prayer with me. He repeated after me: “dear Jesus, I am sorry for my sins. Please come into my heart and forgive me for my sins. I want to serve you with the rest of my life. I want you to be Lord of my life. In Jesus Name, Amen.”
My dad laughed with me, and he cried with me. For the next few weeks he came over to my house. We talked about the Bible and his desire to do what was right. For a very short time I had a dad! He loved me and I loved him. We hugged. It was one of the most amazing experiences I ever had. My dad asked Jesus into his heart! I loved being with him!
AND JUST LIKE THAT, A MOMENT OF INSANITY
I called my mother to share the good news. She didn’t believe a word I said. She said that it was all an act. I shared everything with her. I told her about the time we sat at the kitchen table, sharing the Word of God. The times of prayer. And how excited I was to have a real dad, for the first time in my life. Nothing I said made a difference, she wouldn’t believe me. I suspected that she felt threatened, her position as the abused woman was threatened. If he changed who could she blame for the choices she made?
And then, about three weeks later, I lost my dad once again. Little by little, the light faded in his eyes. His fears returned and My dad suffered another mental breakdown and ended up in the hospital. My heart was broken. I couldn’t help him. He once again slipped away. But this I knew; the Lord heard His prayer. I
knew, in those few short weeks of sanity, my father, my DAD had become one of
God’s children. No matter what happened in the future, I knew the man inside of that madman would spend eternity with God.
TIME TO LAUNCH OUT ON OUR OWN
Even though Michael had a B. A. in Bible and Pastoral, he hadn’t thought about
getting a Ministry license until it was suggested to him by the Missionaries.
Michael did not feel a calling to be a minister, just a desire to be a helper, but I was proud of him and thought this was the beginning of the ministry I had so longed for since I first became a Christian. I would finally be a pastor’s wife. I
would be able to pursue a singing ministry. The possibilities seemed endless!
We loved the people at the Eloy church, but there were times when we did not see eye to eye with the Missionaries. We knew that we should leave, but wondered what our family and friends would think about our returning from Arizona so soon. It was then we heard about a church up in Holbrook, Arizona that had just lost their Missionary.
The Holbrook church was in the city, not far from the Navajo Indian Reservation. We were interviewed by the former pastor’s wife and a few people who made up the church board. Next thing we knew, we were leaving Eloy.
We had not expected such an outpouring of love from the people. They were always so very shy and quiet, and it was a poor church. Yet, they pooled together their money and jewelry. They gave us an offering that not only surprised us, it
surprised the Missionary couple. It was not easy to leave but we knew we had to. We spent 2 ½ years in Eloy.
Our time in Holbrook was both rewarding and difficult. The church could not afford to pay us, but a few dollars, so Michael took a job as a substitute teacher during the week. I stayed home and cared for the kids. I also would care for the church people who would stop by our trailer during the day for prayer, or to ask for help.
Two ladies routinely dropped by just at the time I would put the kids down for their naps. It made me very upset. I even posted a sign outside the trailer door saying, “Nap time, please do not knock”, but that didn’t seem to matter.
We were to find out later that the ladies were very unhappy to have lost
their former Pastor and his wife. And we were being put to the test, so to speak, to see if we would measure up.
One day after coming over for prayer, I found myself excluded from their prayer time. They began praying in the Navajo language and turned their backs on me.
So, I began praying alone, asking the Lord to tell me what to do. All at once I had a vision. I believe it was my first vision and so it surprised me. I saw a Kachina Doll, hidden in the corner of one of their homes. The Lord told me that the two ladies were mixing tribal religion with their Christianity, and if they wanted the Lord to help them with their problem, they would have to get rid of the Kachina doll and serve the one true God.
I interrupted the ladies and told them what God had showed me. They stopped praying and with wide eyes, began to cry. I prayed with the ladies at that point for strength to do what God said to do. That was the last time they came over during the day while the children were asleep, and the beginning of a true relationship with the people of the church.
A NEW PREACHING SCHEDULE
Michael began to realize that his true passion was ministering to the children, so he began taking the children in the back of the church to teach them, while
I began ministering to the people in the main service. I was thrilled! I loved the
Bible study and preparation time, but it was difficult doing so, with two babies
at home.
Sunday nights were up for grabs. Our crowds were never big, but Michael and I would take turns speaking. The smallest service we ever had consisted of one little lady who could not speak or understand English. It was a very short service.
Nearly every Sunday night following the service, a group of people would come over to our tiny 8’ wide trailer. They would sit everywhere! I would serve
popcorn and punch. We enjoyed the fellowship. One evening a Navajo lady named Janet and her husband told us that they lived in a doublewide. I was pleasantly surprised; so much more room! We made plans to go to their house the next Sunday night. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t the same. Everyone just sat there without talking, so we all came back to our home the very next week. We did that every week until we left Holbrook.
SHALL WE GROW OR GO
The church was growing slowly, and thanks to a non-Indian couple that began
to attend and pay tithes to the church, money began flowing into the offering
plates. This does not sound that important, unless your weekly salary from the church is under $10.00 a week. Word got back to the former Missionary’s wife and she became angry. She called and threatened to have us removed because we allowed “white” people to attend an Indian church. I know now, that she was trying to ensure that the Indian Church and it’s people would not be swallowed up and “cease” being a church for the Indiana people.
I was shocked! I remember our conversation was loud and angry. Afterward
I cried myself to sleep. There was no need to worry, however. It
wasn’t long afterward that the white couple had to move because of health issues. I lost a real friend and a “grandma” to my children.
Michael had always suffered from allergies, asthma and other health issues.
Even at college, there were times when he just could not catch his
breath, and that would scare us. It seemed unless he was having an attack at the time we visited the doctor, they did very little to help him.
It now seemed that Michael had traded Midwestern allergies for Arizonian
allergies. He was now allergic to tumbleweed and sagebrush. His health did not improve while in Arizona like we had hoped. This, and the struggles we
were now having financially, convinced us it was time to leave. We said our tearful goodbyes and came back home to Elkhart, IN.
I was devastated. All my Christian life I had wanted to be in what I considered full time ministry, but Michael’s heath was at stake. Our stay in Holbrook lasted two years.
HOME AGAIN, HOME AGAIN
It was exciting to be returning home. Julie and Jeffrey loved the thick, green grass. It was really the first time they were able to experience it. And Michael’s family was happy to have us back. Michael found those 4 ½ years in Arizona had made working at a trailer factory again, out of the question. He lasted only one day. He would have to find other, less physical work. His next job was at a machine shop but the oil in the air caused him a lot of asthma. We knew we would have to find gainful employment, so as soon as our son Jeffrey entered kindergarten, I looked for a job.
Our life now became more routine. We raised our children, worked a variety of jobs and bought several homes, each one putting us in a better location to raise our children near the school that was reportedly the best. We also wanted
to live closer to the church we were attending. Life was good! My children
were active in school activities and church. Michael taught children’s church each Sunday and I sang every chance I got. I was part of a great church
choir and took on the job as youth choir director. I sang for women’s gatherings and for many, many funerals. It wasn’t the full-time ministry I had always dreamed of, but I kept hoping, praying and waiting.
THEY WANT TO LIVE WHERE?
I knew that things were difficult for my mother and father but what could I do?
I continued to take the phone calls that made it clear; life wasn’t any better. Mother was still taking more medication than she should, and father was as difficult as ever. I would try to encourage her and was sympathetic.
I prayed for them. But I felt helpless. Then I received a phone call from my father. He told me that my mother was “out of control”; that her drug use caused her to pass out and that she was out cold underneath the coffee table at that very moment. He then told me something that would change their lives as well as mine forever. He planned to move to Elkhart, IN so that I could help him with my mother. What could I say? I am not heartless. I told him to come
ahead.
I cried, then cried and cried some more. I was doing the dishes and asking God WHY?? Why are they moving here? Hadn’t I given my parents half my life already? And as I did, I heard that still small voice that God uses when He has
something important to tell me. He said “I am answering the prayer you have prayed since you were young. You have prayed that they would get the help they needed and accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.”
I stopped crying. Instead of asking the Lord to keep them in Milwaukee, I asked the Lord to work everything out so that they could move to my town. What
happened next was nothing short of a miracle.
My father did not list his house. Out of the blue, a man came to his door and asked to purchase their home. My father accepted the offer.
Just a short time later, my father bought a home and moved to Elkhart. My mother hardly knew what happened. She had never lived anywhere else except for Wisconsin.
My father’s mental illness made him a difficult neighbor, so they bought and sold two more houses before he found a neighborhood they could live in.
My mother hated moving, but she didn’t have a voice or a vote in the matter.
TO BE CONTINUED…..
OUR BIG WEDDING
A friend sewed a simple long white dress for me, as well as the two short green bridesmaid dresses. I bought a veil, and that completed my ensemble. I remembered flowers the night before the wedding and picked up a single white
rose to carry.
On the day of our wedding, I stood backstage of the school auditorium and watched Michael graduate and pick up his diploma. I then hurried back to my room to dress. In a few short hours we would be married. Michael and I drove separately to the church, as the groom is not to see the bride before the wedding. I was parked outside, sitting in my car while the rain poured.
Michael was late. He finally drove up to the church and hurried in; I was to find out later that he stopped at a garage sale and bought himself a used sports jacket to wear to the wedding.
Someone signaled that it was time to begin, and as I got out of the car a sweet neighbor lady came running out with an umbrella. I would make it to the church without being drenched.
I opened the front door, and a song began to play on the old upright piano. Our college professor was standing in the front, directly underneath a drip from the leaky roof. Michael and his best friend Ralph stood to the right, and my bridesmaids to the left of our professor. The Co-Pastor of the church, Frank, began to sing “Until the 12th of Never” as I came down the side of the church. There was no center aisle. I thought, “what a nice song”; I hadn’t realized anyone was going sing.
And just like that, we were married. A few Friends surprised us with a small reception at their house. I received a “Cooking for Two” cookbook and my first Tupperware. Approximately 1 hr. later, we were left alone.
Michael was concerned about his family, so we drove to McDonald’s, picked up a sack of hamburgers and showed up at their motel with the food. It was a total surprise to them and to me! The next day we drove to Elkhart, IN and began our married life.
MR. AND MRS.
Married life started out with a bang. Michael had his own home that was rented to his brother who moved out shortly after we returned. Michael went back to work at a trailer factory, and I spent 3 months enjoying my new life. I had a few wedding gifts that I was excited to put in the cupboard, but this had been the home Michael grew up in, and so he knew exactly where the dishes should go. Of course, I thought differently.
My cooking skills were virtually non-existent as I had never lived on my own, but I thought I knew how to cook an egg! My mother-in-law was a fantastic cook and made an egg sandwich that I could not duplicate, so Michael took on the task of instructing me. I secretly prayed that his egg would burn. It didn’t, but it was at this point I began to see that marriage was going to be work. I had a lot to learn. Michael was a night owl; I was an early bird. I was high strung
and wanted to talk about everything; Michael was laid back and didn’t need to talk much at all. At one point when I got upset, I shouted, “the Lord knows my heart”. Michael responded “and He doesn’t know mine?
Michael thought it was time that I got a job, so I applied at a local McDonald’s and was hired. On my first day I sat in the basement under the restaurant, filling out forms and watching videos. As I walked upstairs, I was told to shadow one of the employees. My stomach became a bit queasy as we passed the French Fries. I turned around, opened the first door I could find; and it happened to
be a bathroom. I became ill. When I came out, I said, “I believe I may be pregnant.” I was. I lasted exactly 15 minutes as a McDonald’s employee.
MR. AND MRS. AND ?
Some women glow when they are pregnant, I groan. I had never been so miserable in my life. I had morning sickness that lasted all day, every day. It wasn’t until I went for my first checkup with the Obstetrician, that I got some relief. I had lost a lot of weight and was so sick, they talked about hospitalizing me. Michael thought I looked “great”. I told him not to get used to my being so thin. I was given medication for the nausea and then I ballooned to my normal weight and soared past it. The Dr. was not happy. I never felt well. My only consolation at this point was knowing that there would be a reward at the end of
my pregnancy.
One of my favorite parts of living in Elkhart was Michael’s church. I quickly got involved in the music program and enjoyed the opportunities given to do solo work. My dream to have a ministry was still a driving force in my life, but now I struggled to even breathe and had virtually no breath control.
Was this the end of my dream? I wondered. More than once I found myself dreaming about that attic, the drawers, and the fact that I was never able to see their contents.
One night I dreamt that I was in an old rundown house. There were many, many rooms that were all in disrepair. The furniture was dusty but usable and every wall needed paint. I ran through the house excitedly, realizing that even if the house would need some work, this house was mine! I opened a drawer.. and woke up. It appeared as if I was having the same dream, just a different location. It was so frustrating!
IT’S A GIRL!
Nine months and a few days later, Julie decided that it was “time”. Michael and I were kneeling to pray at our bedside before he went off to work, and my water broke, so he called his Aunt to take me to the hospital as he headed to work. Michael’s Aunt and I sat in the labor room all day, until he finished work and called me. Michael said he’d be over after he ate and showered. Shortly after he arrived, Julie did. I was so proud of my “natural childbirth” techniques I’d been
taught in the classes we attended.
The exhilaration of going through delivery broke the blood vessels in both my eyes. I was awake all night while the other women around me slept. But the sight of my beautiful little girl made it all worthwhile. A few minutes after Julie’s delivery, Michael went home to bed. He had to go to work early the next morning.
.
ARIZONA OR BUST
Julie was 5 weeks old when we loaded our old non-air-conditioned pickup truck with everything we owned and headed to Arizona. Our small dog road up front with us. Michael had accepted an invitation to help an elderly Missionary couple down in Eloy Arizona. They had started a church, ministering to the Pima and Papago Indians who lived there.
It was a long, hard drive and when we arrived, the temperature read 115 degrees.
We saw two rainbows in the sky as we pulled in, so believed that the Lord would bless us in our endeavor. Julie had developed a mysterious rash and we had stopped more than once during our arduous journey to try and get her relief. She cried and cried. The first thing I did when we arrived in Eloy was to take her to the one and only Dr. in town. He told me she was severely dehydrated and needed to be in a cool place. He also told me that the local cemetery was filled with babies who had died from dehydration. I immediately
stopped breast feeding her as I was also too dehydrated to do so, and gave her all the fluids she could drink from a bottle. She quickly revived.
A HORSE IS A HORSE?
Michael found a 8 ft by 25 ft long travel trailer with a Swamp Cooler for us to live in. I spent my time caring for Julie and helping at the church any way I could. One day the lady missionary came to me and said, “You will play piano”.
Only problem? I had never touched one before. But there was no one in the church that could, and with the Lord’s help, I learned to play a little. I came up with my own style that I refer to as the “choppy rhythm” technique. I played in both the key of C and F, but the people were grateful for my attempt, no matter how high we had to sing.
Michael found a job at a local pants factory that paid him $2.25 an hour. We eventually purchased a small 50 ft by 75 ft lot on which he kept our home, ducks and a horse. We thought about getting a turkey but decided against it. We
also bought and buried our own pole in the yard so that we could have a telephone.
Tumbleweed was Michael’s 2nd horse that he purchased at a livestock auction. His first horse was purchased from the Papago Indian Reservation and had never been ridden. Michael spent many nights working with the horse, attempting to put a saddle on it so that he could ride it.
One evening I went to pick him up before supper. Michael was so happy! He had finally managed to saddle the horse and wanted to show me. He placed one foot in the stirrup and the saddle slipped completely around the horse’s body.
This caused the horse to step backward, breaking Michael’s ankle. It was so badly broken he was instructed not to step on it for 6 weeks, so I had the privilege of carrying his leg everywhere we went. The Pants Factory got him a wheelchair and he only missed one day of work.
SURPRISE, SURPRISE!
Julie was 6 months old when I found out that I was pregnant once again. I was preparing a duck for Thanksgiving and when I opened the oven and
saw all the grease, I became violently ill. Is there a pattern here? I was sick my entire pregnancy.
This time there would be no hospital, pediatrician, obstetrician or large hospital bills. The local Dr. told Michael and I that he could deliver our baby in his office for $100.00. So that is what we did.
One day, close to the end of my pregnancy I came in for a checkup, carrying Julie. The Dr. preceded to give me a shot and then informed me he was inducing my labor. He had planned to be out of town for the weekend. I was startled and asked if I could call Michael to hold Julie while I gave birth.
The next few hours were a blur. At one point they decided to move me to the delivery table during a contraction, and I yelled out because of the pain. A gas mask was placed over my face and I blacked out. I could hear someone in the distance screaming and a voice saying, “You do not have to scream”. A short time later I woke up next to a cute little boy with big brown eyes. He was crying and sucking his fist. He was hungry! We named him Jeffrey.
An hour later we went home. We stopped by the pharmacy and ran into the wife of Michael’s boss. She asked who’s baby? Ours of course! She came home with us and told me go to bed with Jeffrey. She also made some supper before she left. That was the last help I would receive. The Missionaries who were childless, were less than sympathetic when they found out another baby was coming. They needed help, and my having to care for two small children didn’t leave me much free time.
I THINK I’M DREAMING; WE ARE DATING!
Following our phone call, we made plans to meet in the student lounge upstairs from my
room. I can’t say I learned much about Michael, but boy did he learn about me! Why
is it the embarrassing things we do stand out in our minds? I told him the entire story of my life! He politely nodded, shook his head from time to time and made short
comments. I did not realize this was to be the pattern for our whole married life.
When Michael did manage to get a word in, I found out that he also became
a Christian as a result of watching TV. He was taking a bath, listening to a local church advertise that Nicky Cruz was going to speak in South Bend, IN at Calvary Temple Church. Nicky Cruz has a fantastic testimony about being saved out of a gang lifestyle in New York.
Michael had been seeking the Lord for some time, and felt that he needed to attend that service. He dressed quickly and drove to the church; walking in during the altar call and within minutes, Michael asked the Lord to forgive him of his sins and come into his
heart. His life was changed from that moment on.
A year later, Michael attended Central Bible College. He went there because he wanted to learn more about the Bible. Little did he know that one day, he would be pastoring a church. Michael decided to cut a 4-year program to three years, so took classed
during the summer and also correspondence courses. I showed up during his senior year.
OUR STORYBOOK ROMANCE
Michael and I saw each other every day. We walked together to chapel, ate lunch and dinner together and studied every evening in the student union. We even shopped together on weekends. One of Michael’s favorite places to go was the Army Surplus store.
I didn’t care where we went, as long as we were together.
One day as we were shopping, Michael picked up a package of Ex-lax. This was a laxative I was quite familiar with. I told him, “oh don’t buy that, I have some I will give you”. That night Michael came by to walk me to the student union and I handed him a bar with 12 squares of the chocolate medicine, wrapped in foil. I made the comment “don’t eat it all at once”. That night a friend of Michael’s sat with us at the table. I was busily chatting with him, when Michael decided to walk to the candy machine for a candy bar. Remembering
the “chocolate bar” I had handed him earlier, he stopped; came back to the table and proceeded to eat the entire bar. He told me later that it was the nastiest candy bar he had ever eaten. I only noticed he had eaten it when he was crumbling the silver foil in
his hands. I couldn’t believe he had eaten it. I was horrified! His friend laughed and
within hours nearly everyone on campus had heard about Michael’s girlfriend
feeding him a bar of laxatives. I was mortified! And Michael? Well, he didn’t show up for class the next day.
Michael and I shared a love of talking about Jesus to anyone who would listen. Michael had been visiting at the Medical Prison in Springfield and because I sang songs with my Autoharp, he invited me. I was thrilled, but also a bit apprehensive. While I loved to sing and share my testimony, the orientation did make me feel a bit apprehensive. We were
told “if you are taken prisoner by the inmates, we cannot guarantee your safety”. Fortunately nothing even close to danger ever occurred.
I must admit my favorite ministerial activity was visiting homes around the neighborhood of the church Michael co-pastored. It was an old rundown, poor neighborhood, much like the church. We would walk together and greet people sitting in their yards. I will never forget an elderly woman, who, after seeing us walk up
together, said to Michael “you are going to marry this one!” She then encouraged Michael to hold my hand and kiss me. We both laughed but I was more than flattered.
I could see that happening someday; I hoped soon.
“E” DAY
While it felt we dated forever, the truth was that we had only known each other a few
months. College students are generally too busy and broke to date in the typical fashion, so being together on campus would have to do. One day as we were driving back from somewhere, Michael was even quieter than usual. No problem, I can carry on a conversation all by myself. Out of the blue, Michael said “You know someday
I am going to ask you to marry me.” And without a moment’s hesitation, I replied “And someday I will say yes!” Michael responded “Really??” and I answered
“YES”. So, Michael asked me to marry him then and there. I was so excited; I could not believe it had finally happened. I am not positive in hindsight, that Michael had planned on proposing, but not then. All I could think to do was to share my newfound happiness with everyone I met. That is, until Michael told me that I couldn’t. He insisted I wait until he had purchased a ring for me so that it would be a proper engagement. I was about to burst but waited.
Approximately a week later Michael found just the right engagement ring, along with a band for us both, at a pawn shop in downtown Springfield, MO.
The small, worn, thin band sported a genuine Cubic Zirconia. The first guy we showed it to insisted he would have to get a magnifying glass to see the stone, but it was a full carrot diamond, as far as I was concerned. (I wore that ring for years, until the band wore completely through. We never did replace it)
Now that we were truly engaged, we made two phone calls. The first to Michael’s family. I do not think they were prepared to hear what Michael had to tell them, but there isn’t much you can tell your 29-year-old son. The 2nd call was made to my family. They
were happy to hear from me and surprisingly receptive that I was engaged. We briefly discussed a possible wedding date. I would be sometime after Michael’s graduation, at the end of the school year. Joyce (Peaches) was excited about being my Maid of Honor.
We decided to get married in the small church I attended in Milwaukee, WI. It would be relatively simple: get a marriage license as soon as possible, marry, and leave for Elkhart,
IN All I could think about was the fact that I would never have to live in that house again.