FATHERLESS LOVED

WHEN WE VISITED NEW HOPE UGANDA, JANUARY AND FEBRUARY OF 1991, WE SAW MUCH, WE MET MANY, 

AND WE WERE TOUCHED IN OUR HEARTS BY THE YOUNG ONES WHO NEEDED CARE AND LOVE AND THE OLDER ONES WHO WERE CARING FOR AND TEACHING AND LOVING AND HELPING AS MUCH AND AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE. 

NOW, THAT ORPHANAGE IS HAVING A HUGE TIME OF REJOICING THIS WEEKEND, MANY PEOPLE VISITING THEM, AFTER 25 YEARS OF SERVICE 

AND SO MUCH HAVING HAPPENED.  

DAVE AND I WERE INVOLVED PHYSICALLY A FEW TIMES, BACK AND FORTH, OVER A FEW YEARS, BUT ARE STILL INVOLVED WITH OUR HEARTS, SOULS, AND SPIRITS.  WE HAVE MANY, MANY WE KNOW AND LOVE THERE.  WE WOULD RATHER LIVE THERE, TOO, THAN WHERE WE ARE TODAY.  

[BUT CAN ONLY DO WHAT GOD CALLS US TO DO; TRUST HIM, NOT OUR OWN HEARTS.  DUH!]

CAN'T NOT SHOW A FEW PHOTOS FROM THEN, 

AT THE BEGINNING AND LATER. 

THIS FIRST OFFICIAL PHOTO WE TOOK OF THE NHU OWNER, DIRECTOR, KEEPER, AND LOVING FAMILY FOR ALL THESE YEARS.

T-GIVING, 1994 AT NHU

TIM AND JILL WAY, NOW LONG-TIME FRIENDS.

SAM HAS BEEN OUR SON FOR 18 YEARS.

AND SIMON IS ONE OF OUR SONS.

I'VE LOST HER, BUT I LOVE HER.

PAUL IS QUITE A GUY, THERE OR HERE.

5 YEARS AGO WHEN OUR SON, DAUGHTER AND GRANDDAUGHTER WERE ABLE TO VISIT US IN OMAHA, WE WERE FILLED WITH LOVES AND BLESSINGS!

I COULD SHOW A FEW HUNDRED PHOTOS OF THE ONES WE LOVE SO DEARLY.  BUT COULDN'T GO ON AND ON FOREVER.  

HOPE YOU ARE BLESSED BY THE PHOTOS, THOUGH.

DARKNESS AND LIGHT

WHEN I WAS TEACHING, PREACHING, AND SHARING WITH THESE PASTORS ABOUT SPIRITUAL WARFARE,

 I ALSO SHARED OCCASIONALLY ABOUT 

MY DARK BACKGROUND AND

 HOW THE LORD BROKE INTO MY LIFE 

AND TRULY BROUGHT ME TO HIS LIGHT.

I REJOICE DAY BY DAY FOR HIS KINDNESS

WHEN HE REACHED OUT TO "CATCH" ME

WHEN I WAS FLYING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. 

GOD FOR US FOREVER

Very near her 80th birthday, my Mom came to the Lord.

  She had had a very hard and harsh life

 from a portion of childhood forward.  

I would describe her as a Tough Cookie.

She died about 10 years later at 90-1/2.

She had only realized how much the Lord cared for her 

when she was already a white-haired lady.

HEARTS AND HANDS...LIFTED UP

AND OUR SOULS AND SPIRITS.

EVERYTHING.

THAT'S WHAT COUNTS FOREVER AND EVER,

AMEN!

BLESSING HEART

THIS, IN MY SPIRIT, IS WHERE I AM TODAY.

MY HEART TO AND FOR HIM...

FOCUSING ON HIM...

BLESSING HIM.

FIRST RESPONDERS -- ANDREA

 As many of you know, for the past 5 years I have been involved with a ministry called First Responders.  We go to murder sites.  I've been to at least 100.  Couldn't go all the time... sick, a family/schedule issue, out of town... but usually couldn't NOT go.  One of God-jobs.

Some of the FR meetings have been very heart breaking,

I had met the girl who was murdered last year.

aching.  Young kids killed connected to gangs, others killed connected to drug dealing, others murdered by drive-arounders who was fussing with each other and killed someone just because they were frustrated and this person happened to be on a sidewalk or street.  Yes, I was very heart broken at times.

Then this one happened last week.  Andrea was murdered Wednesday morning.  She left her job at a lounge after midnight, headed home to her husband and 3 kids.  Somehow, on the way home, was gunned down, thrown on the highway.  Her car was taken away, and dumped off several miles away, actually not far from my house.

On Thursday, we met out at the murder site, very much out of our normal area.  I immediately met her grandparents and a cousin who came from Kansas City.  Later, I met the other grandmother and Andrea's mom. 

I saw the mom holding the little ones and helping them put flowers at the site.  Many, MANY family and friends arrived.  Much heartbreaking.

I'm in purple.

Towards the end of our prayers with and for and over the people, laying hands on all of Andrea's dear ones as we asked them to stand in the central area so we could surround them.  THEN, several men laid hands on Andrea's husband, prayed for him.  

 THEN, 4 of us ladies laid hands on the Mom and a Grandmom who were to be given prayer shawls.  They had been dropped into my house the day before, and when this God-job hit us, I couldn't NOT take shawls in case someone would be there.  Even though they would be very hot, we knew that the peace and comfort that was inside the shawls would enter the lives of the ones who were buried in sorrow.  That a real blessing.

When I left, I was still filled with sorrow.  I still am.  I'm not a normal crier, but it's happening over and over again on my heart.

BTW, Andrea's mom attended my daughter's church.  The funeral was today and hundreds were there.  I wanted to be, but instead, stayed home.  BUT they were on my heart all day, and will be for a LONG time.  And, of course, we want the ones who killed her to be caught, or have their heart struck so hard by guilt and truth that they will turn themselves in.

Sharing my heart with you.  Thank you.  

 

BLESSINGS... PS. 23

I AM A VERY GRATEFUL LADY...

HAVE BEEN BLESSED AND BLESSED 

AGAIN AND AGAIN...

BY THE LORD AND FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

HIS LOVE...

THAT IS WHAT I/WE MUST COUNT ON!

FOREVER AND EVER.

WATCHMAN

Been a heavy-sigh time for me.  WHY?  For some reason, I can "see" the world-wide issues, the worshiping of other gods and goddesses, dividing the Word of Truth and how many are setting some of the Word aside in the reality of our present-day social issues.

Two friends were visiting me this week, different times, different days, and both for the first time in a few years.  One has been a friend for more than 25 years; the other I met July 4th, 2008.  This week I was reading Ezekiel the same days they were visiting. And both of these ladies, while not even talking about Ezekiel, said I was a "watchman".  They said that God uses me to see the consequences of our world, and that I need to be available to share His Word to deal with Truth.  They both also say I am prophetic, which, in a bit of a different manner than many others, I know I am.  Most of it is connected to a particular form of spiritual warfare in which  the Lord has been using me for at least 20 years.  

Anyhow, all of that, laid on my heart and spirit recently, is a HUGE reminder that I need to step up to the top of the wall and the tower, keep an eye out and about to see what's going on, and be prepared to speak His Word whenever He lays it in my heart, and to fight the Enemy so people will be freer, and clearer, and moving nearer and nearer to Him.

This is not a "sweetness and light" post.  This is one focused on the serious side of reality.  My God-job here...forever.  Been a human fighter -- emotionally and physically --  in childhood; now a spiritual fighter for the rest of my earthly life.

HE is what counts.  His WORD is what counts.  Nothing else can.  

OH, and we have different God-jobs in our world, in and through eternity.  Some are truly the ones who pour blessings and encouragement around and about the world. Others are significant care-givers, both physically and spiritually.  So, focusing on Him, doing what He calls us to do, is all that counts for any, all of us.  All of us, forever and ever, must "watch and pray".  That's all we can rely upon.

BOAST OF KINDNESS

ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLACES TO STOP AT A SIDE-VIEW BY THE CLIMBING PORTION OF THE OREGON HIGHWAY.  CAN REJOICE AT SEEING THE COLUMBIA RIVER, WITH LONGVIEW, WA, AND MOUNT ST. HELENS IN THE DISTANCE, SOMETIMES WITH 
NO CLOUDS COVERING IT...
 THIS TIME THE MOUNTAIN SEEN VERY SLIGHTLY ON THE RIGHT SIDE
 OVER THE HILLS, BUT SEEABLE.

AND, BTW, YES, I MUST...WILL....BOAST OF HIS KINDNESS.

COMING OF THE DAWN

WHAT I CAN...MUST... COUNT ON!

PRESS ON!

IF THEY CAN, WE CAN...

IF WE CAN, THEY CAN.

PRESS ON!

DARKNESS AND LIGHT

MY HEART... JOHN 21

Omaha, Seattle-Tacoma, Portland-Vancouver area, Minnesota,

 New York area, Uganda, England, Morocco, and many other places in our nation or around the world 

are truly in my heart.  

I want to be where the Lord wants me to be and FILL my heart more and more, because He KNOWS my heart. 

 And that He will use me as needed,

forever and ever while I live in this world.  

AMEN!

CHRISTINE IN UGANDA BOOK

At the two-hour point, after Cary and Jill had been at the Achan youth rescue complex, David and John came back with their bikes to pick up Jill and Cary and take them back to their compound.

After two hours of stories of rape, murder, beatings, theft over and over in her ears and the damage seen through her eyes, Cary was thoroughly distraught.  She felt blessed to hold their hands and pray for these victims.  She had watched Jill question those who came to her, and saw when she appeared stressed, furious, heartbroken.

While riding on the back of the bike, she was no longer in the mood to wave to kids or anyone else near the IDP camps piled in the church and school yards along the roads. Those heartbreaking events stood out to her and continued to flood her mind.

Christine had truly hit Cary's heart and her spirit. As a

15-year-old Christian girl, she had been given as "third wife" to a 27-year old rebel.  One of his wives was pregnant.  All three of them beat her, refused to give her food, even though she was forced to cook.  After a couple of months of capture, she escaped during cross-fire between the militia and the rebels.  After hearing her story, Cary asked, “If you could talk to these people, what would you say?”  Christine said, “I would forgive them, because they don’t know what they are doing.”

Cary could hardly stay in her seat, she was so overwhelmed

by this very frank and kind Jesus statement.  She shot a glance at Susan, who looked at Cary and nodded her head.  Obviously, the response was not aimed just to impress a missionary woman or aide worker.  Christine’s simple truth poured from her heart.

Cary was grateful that the bikers had arrived before she and Jill were forced to talk to each other about the stories.  She knew it was going to be one tough day while they shared.  Since Jill was a bit introverted and Cary an absolute most over-the-top opposite, Cary wasn’t sure how it would play out, but knew the Lord could work it through with them.  And knowing that this was only the first set of interviews, not the end of this project, was a little intimidating.  Cary wondered how she could keep doing this without falling into a little crumpled mess on the floor.  But, again, she knew it was only by the grace of God that it could be done, and she could ... she MUST ... trust Him.

Hours later, after sending emails telling the stories of the eight kids she and Jill had interviewed, then having dinner with visitors at the compound, and, finally having truly “alone” time, the day’s events finally hit Cary full force.  As she had anticipated, but hoped wouldn’t be the case, she began to cry.  She picked up a book she had been reading and threw it onto the floor.  “Why, Lord?  Why?  There’s no reason those kids should have to go through that.  And to know some of them are Christians, their families have been serving You, and yet they are suffering from physical and emotional beatings, forced to watch others being killed, forced to steal and beat others, the girls forced to be sex slaves.  I know it’s not Your fault, but.... WHY?”  She collapsed onto the bed crying her heart out.  Jill just reached over and patted her hand.  Not much else could be done.

After she stopped crying, Cary looked at Jill and shook her head.  “I’m sorry.  I know I shouldn’t over-react like that.  I know ‘God is bigger’.  I say it all the time.  But, what keeps floating through my heart is ‘how can I go back home to Disneyland?’ after seeing all that these innocent ones have gone through.”  Cary shrugged.  “But, I know I’m here now for a purpose, and I need to keep my eyes on the Lord and off the everydayness of these poor dear ones.”Jill nodded.  “You are right, Cary.  God has us here for a reason and for a season.  He will show us His purpose.  It’s not easy; that’s for sure, but it is the right thing to do.”

It wasn’t much later that all the lights in the compound were out, all the music was off; it was quiet.  The night was cooler than usual and no mosquitoes were flittering through the screens.  It was a true God-gift.  

Cary and Jill fell asleep – and had the best long night since they had arrived.  It was truly a night of health and covered with a much kind Spirit.

HIS EARTH...PS. 24

Could have shown, would have shown, piles and piles of 

flowers, birds, animals, bugs, mountains, rivers, oceans, hills, and PEOPLE!

But always smiling at this flower photo taken nearly 18 years ago, I decided I needed to share it to make all of us 

GRIN and REJOICE for our 

CREATOR'S CREATIVITY.

REJOICE!!

YES!

  I MUST, I DO, I TRUST!

NOTHING ELSE COUNTS THROUGH ETERNITY.

EVERYTHING THROUGH CHRIST

YEP!  THIS IS MY FOCUS, MY HOPE,

MY EVERYTHING.

===========

Two years ago, when driving through Tacoma, I saw a house I had lived in when I was 7 years old.  THEN it wasn't very nice ... although most houses weren't very special in those days ... and hadn't seemed to be during other drive-by times over these many years.

NOW, it was remodeled beautifully and filled with 

wonderful flowers, bushes, special yard decorating.

What a blessing to have seen it "healed".

HE HELPS, I REJOICE. PHILIPPIANS

THIS WAS THE VERSE GIVEN TO ME WHEN I CAME TO THE LORD, APRIL 15, 1966.  OVER THESE YEARS THE LORD HAS PILED THAT VERSE INTO ME, OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

I HAVE BEEN BLESSED TO BE USED BY THE LORD:

WRITING/TEACHING BIBLE STUDIES FOR YEARS;

WRITING/DIRECTING/ACTING CHRISTIAN PLAYS, MONOLOGUES, AND VBS;

MISSIONARY IN UGANDA FOR A SHORT TIMES SEVERAL TIMES, BUT NOW HEART-BURIED IN THEM AND MY MANY DEAR ONES FOR 23 YEARS;

FIRST RESPONDERS MINISTRY IN OMAHA AT MURDER SITES DURING THIS PAST 5 YEARS;

REST-AREAS AND CITIES AND TOWNS AS I'VE TRAVELED AROUND OUR NATION TO SHARE THE LORD, TO STUDY SPIRITUAL HISTORY IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS AND PROVIDE THE INFO WITH LOCAL PASTORS AND INTERCESSORS, TO ENCOURAGE, PRAY FOR HEALING AND SALVATION WHEN 

"ON THE ROAD AGAIN" FOR NEARLY 30 YEARS.

LAST SUNDAY, I WAS AT THE NEPALESE-BHUTANESE SERVICE.

IN THE PHOTO I AM WITH 3 OF MY BHUTANESE BROTHERS.  RANJIT , ONE OF MY GRANDSONS, WANTED TO TAKE A PICTURE OF ME WITH HIS DAD AND UNCLES. 

WHAT A TREAT.

  

THIS IS NOW THE MAIN EVERYDAY WORK-PART WITH/FOR THE LORD.  AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE LORD TO ALLOW ME TO BECOME A GREAT-GRANDMA, GRANDMA, MOM, SISTER 

FOR MORE THAN 100 OF THE REFUGEES WHO HAVE BEEN IN

MY LIFE THIS PAST 3 YEARS.

WHAT ENCOURAGEMENT!

OVERALL SERVING THE LORD, DOING WHAT HE BURIES IN MY HEART AND SPIRIT. NOTHING ELSE MATTERS.

OH, AND DAVE IS INVOLVED, TOO, BUT PRESENTLY WE HAVE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT MINISTRIES FOR THE LORD.  WE SIMPLY SUPPORT EACH OTHER WITH WHATEVER THE LORD HAS CALLED US TO DO.   

[MY BODY AND BRAIN AND EMOTIONS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY STRUGGLING.  I'M VERY BLESSED BY THE BHUTANESE, BECAUSE,  NO MATTER HOW I AM, HELPING THEM WHEN THEY MOVE, OR NOT, AVAILABLE FOR ACTIONS AT HOSPITALS OR SERIOUS EVENTS, OR NOT, THEY SHOW SIGNIFICANT LOVE FOR ME -- AND MY HUSBAND.]

JOY AND STRENGTH... NEHEMIAH

HEBREWS 13... GLORY

WHILE IN SOROTI, AND AT THIS LARGE TENT WITH HUNDREDS OF KIDS IN IT, I HAD THE BLESSING OF WALKING THROUGH AND AROUND THEM AND JUST OFFERING PRAYER AND PRAISE TO THEM.  IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST WONDERFUL TIMES I HAD WITH THEM.  PARTLY BECAUSE A FEW DAYS LATER THE INTERVIEWING BEGAN AND MY CRYING INCREASED AS I HEARD MORE AND MORE OF THE PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, AND FAMILY LOSSES THEY HAD IN THEIR LIVES AT THAT TIME.

I SO WOULD LOVE TO BE THERE AGAIN, TO GO OUT AND ABOUT AND SEE THE ONES ON MY HEART.  
HERE ARE A FEW OF THOSE PHOTOS TAKEN THAT DAY 
THAT SO DEEPLY TOUCHED ME.

AND, YES, NEARLY 10 YEARS LATER, 

THEY ARE STILL IN MY HEART.

AND THIS IS THE ONLY [OF MANY TAKEN] THAT MADE ME SMILE WHEN PRAYER WAS TAKING PLACE.

AND THIS WAS MY PARTNER, NOW MY FRIEND, MY SISTER.

AND SHE IS STILL WORKING/MINISTERING IN UGANDA.