Monday, January 26, 2015. Good morning friends and family. It is sooo beautiful outside. The sun is shining brilliantly. From inside, behind my desk it looks warm and inviting. Oh, but don’t let the brightness deceive you. The outside thermometer is checking in at 50 degrees. That means it’s still a little on the cool side. That’s not all that’s cold at my house this morning. I went to take a shower and guess what? You guessed it! No hot water. This red-head is about to get perturbed with one certain hot water heater. If he’s not careful Mr. Whirlpool may find himself replaced. I had some problems with it a few weeks ago. The serviceman replaced a couple of things and it’s worked okay until now. Hopefully, it just needs a tweak or a little minor adjusting. The worst part is I had to change my plans for the day. Since I refuse to take a cold shower and I am not even considering leaving the house without one, I suppose I’m homebound until the repairman comes. Ah hah! It’s test time! Do I let aggravation take over and get all disturbed or can I go with the flow, be flexible, and stay in peace? I choose peace. Perhaps I wasn’t supposed to go anywhere today. It’s not like I don’t have plenty to do right here. I had a little talk with Jesus about it and He said, “It’s okay, let’s just do something else. We can do that other stuff tomorrow.” You may laugh at me or think I’m crazy, but I do talk to Jesus about these things. In fact, I talk to Him about everything. You see, He told me in his book that everything that pertains to me is important to Him. I totally believe that! The Holy Spirit lives with me and endures everything I go through – I don’t really think He wanted to take a cold shower, either. The Bible says the Holy Spirit is my teacher. What does He teach me? How to be like Jesus. He teaches me how to walk in holiness. Today’s lesson: to stay in peace instead of aggravation and turmoil. Oh, and don’t forget patience. I don’t have any idea what time the repairman will get here. I need to display patience while I’m waiting. What is your lesson for the day? Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to teach you to be like Jesus? Be careful. Don’t hang on to the negative emotions. Work on the positive side. That’s where Jesus is! And while you’re in the middle of today’s lesson, remember “Jesus Loves YOU!”
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Friday, January 23, 2015. Good morning Facebook friends, family, and kin. Today is a special day. On this day, quite a few years ago, somewhere in the wee hours of the morning Margie Barkley Vick and C. T. Vick, Jr. became the proud parents of a bouncing baby girl. Making her debut, weighing in at 7 pounds and 14 ounces this baby girl began her unique journey to fulfill the purpose established by God even before her conception. Yes, that baby girl was me! Today is my birthday! For some reason I didn’t sleep very well last night. In fact, I hardly slept any at all. Oh, nothing was wrong, I probably just drank too much coffee a little too late in the afternoon. I finally turned on a tape I like to listen to and laid there and thought about my life. If I had to give it a title, I decided it would be something along the lines of Clint Eastwood’s famous movie, “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly”. Like everyone I know, there have been wonderfully good times, some not so good, and then those that were just down-right ugly and need to be buried forever and never remembered again. Thankfully, I don’t have but a couple of those type memories and all in all I will say I have had a very good life. Most of the “not so good times” came about because I made a bad decision or didn’t obey what God told me to do. I’ve pretty well learned my lesson in that area. Now, when He speaks to my heart I get busy doing whatever it is He wants me to do. I’ve learned I don’t have to understand and it doesn’t always have to make sense. You can’t read very much in the Bible without realizing God expects people to do things just because He says do it, not because it’s rational. Take Gideon for example. Seriously, did it make sense to attack an army of thousands with only 300 men armed with pitchers, torches, and trumpets? Not hardly. But this is not about Gideon, this is about me! As I walked down memory lane I realized this past year has probably been the most difficult of all my years but at the same time in some ways the very best. The highlight was being able to live and enjoy for almost 7 months the 24/7 companionship of my dear friend Marejohn. I am so thankful God allowed me to spend those months with her. Her short term memory was so affected by the dementia, she couldn’t remember that I lived with her and every afternoon she would ask me if I would come and spend the night with her. Even though the fact I stayed every night escaped her, each night before we went to sleep, without fail, she would say “Deb, honey, I love you so much and I appreciate what you’re doing for me.” I loved being with her. Our times of sharing about Jesus, ministry, prayers, afternoon walks, and daily talks were precious to both of us. These were without doubt the “best” times but they were too short-lived. The “worst” was to follow. The time came when I could no longer adequately care for her due to the acceleration of the dementia and a serious development in my own health. What followed was the “worst” part of the year and one of the very worst parts of my life. In silence, at home, alone I was overwhelmed by grief; a grieving much worse than I had ever experienced. God must have meant for me to totally lean on Him during this time because it seemed only a couple of people really acknowledged the intensity of the emotional pain I was experiencing. The impression I got from most was that I should have been able to just pick up and go on with life as if nothing had happened. Had it not been for God’s grace in sending new people into my life I might not have survived. The other most significant event of the year, and in my life, was the sudden acute liver failure that landed me in the hospital for 14 days. Actually, I think I if God had not had other plans for my life, I would have moved into my heavenly mansion. It took a toll on my physical body that is still requiring attention but I am stronger each day. The doctor says it will probably take a full year before I am totally recovered but I am consistently moving in that direction. All of you prayed and God worked miracles. And as Paul Harvey always said, “And, now for the rest of the story…” I can finally get to the “best” part. God has opened the doors for ministry that I have desired for many, many years. It is the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. He blesses and uses me in such a unique way. It’s hard to describe – you just have to experience it for yourself to really understand. For lack of a better term to describe it, I call it personal sermonettes straight from God to you. The Lord will put an impression in my heart and based on that impression I will share whatever words come out of my spirit. He uses these to encourage, exhort, and comfort on an individual basis. It’s really amazing to experience God in this way. He uses me as His mouthpiece to help mend broken hearts and wounded spirits. He uses me to encourage the cultivation of a personal relationship with Him; that He will never leave or forsake you. He speaks words of life, health, and healing into the Body of Christ. Each week, almost daily, I am seeing miracles and hearing testimonies of hearts being touched and lives being changed. The confirmation that I have spoken encouragement into a life is a very humbling experience. As I look back over my life, I can see God’s hand at work; teaching me and preparing me for what He has me doing now. Everything I have experienced is working to help me minister to others in similar situations. I know in my knower that I am indeed fulfilling the purpose for which I was created. Thank you, Jesus for allowing me to be born into a loving and supportive family. Thank you, Jesus for putting such wonderful people in my life. Thank you, Jesus for choosing me to help You make a difference in the lives of others. Thank you, Jesus for another wonderful year that has passed and I look forward with great hope and anticipation of wonderful things in the year to come. I know that Jesus wants to fill your year with wonderful blessings, too. Open your heart and receive from Him. I invite you to check out my website and pray about joining me in one of the meetings if I am anywhere close to where you live. And, always remember, “Jesus Loves You!”
Monday, January 19, 2015. Good morning to all my Facebook family of friends and kin. I woke up this morning thinking about a post I saw on Facebook a while back. It pictured a little girl holding a teddy bear; a tiny, tattered, torn, one-ear flopping, dirty, had seen better days, well-worn specimen of an object of tremendous affection, stability, and security. Jesus was kneeling on one knee in front of her with His hand stretched toward her. It was easy to understand the artist’s message. Jesus held a new beautiful teddy bear behind His back; probably ten times the size of the one she was holding. He was trying to coax the little girl into turning loose and handing over to Him her much loved friend and companion. Was she eager to do this? Absolutely not. She was struggling to decide. Can I trust Him with my most prized possession? There’s no question that she would have immediately made the exchange if she had been able to see the newer, improved version. I wonder – why didn’t Jesus just give her the new teddy bear? Why was it important that she turn loose and freely give Him the old one BEFORE she could see what He was going to give her in exchange? Familiarity and fear. The enemy of our soul tells us to hold on to the familiar because what we are going to get in exchange might not be as good as what we have now. Be assured this is a lie. When God holds His hand out to you and asks you to give something to Him, whatever He gives you in exchange will always be an upgrade from what you have now. He is not in the business of downgrades, downsizing, or limited functionality. So why doesn’t He make it easy and just show us the exchanges He wants to make? Because He wants to change our mindset; the mindset that says our security and stability lies within a job, or influential people we know, or how much money we have in the bank, what kind of car we drive, how many high-priced clothes and shoes we own, or how famous we are. Jesus is not at all concerned about these inanimate objects or positions of preference that we so often hold in such high esteem. Instead, He wants us to turn loose of these deceptive expectations of security and place our trust totally in Him. Trust develops and grows within us as we turn our affection toward Him. Our confidence in Him rises to new heights. Suddenly, we look around and take stock of our current situation and circumstances. In comparison to the former, we realize since we turned loose of the proverbial teddy bear we have lost nothing. There is only one reason this happens and it is the most profound reality of all time. And, that is “Jesus Loves YOU!”
Tuesday, January 13, 2015. Good morning to all my Facebook friends and family! I love the Bible. It’s amazing to me how it is a “living” book; full of wisdom, insight, and revelation. Each time I read from it, no matter how many times I’ve read the same passages before, God always shows me some new lesson that can be applied to my life to make it better. This morning I was reading and meditating about Joseph but the Lord placed the crosshairs on Jacob, his father. In Genesis 45:27, the drama unfolds with Joseph’s brothers, liars that they were, trying to convince their father Jacob that Joseph was not only alive but the Prime Minister of Egypt. Jacob was stunned. As much as Jacob would have wanted to hear his son was alive, the boys simply didn’t have enough power in their words to convince him. He refused to receive and accept what they told him. But, when he saw the ten donkeys and the wagons loaded with grain, bread, and other sustenance his spirit was revived and he believed his son Joseph was indeed still alive. I believe a similar scenario happens to each of us on a regular basis. The Holy Spirit, resident in our hearts (if we have accepted the gift of salvation) is constantly speaking to us. His job is to reveal mysteries and hidden things, to teach us, comfort us, and guide us into all truth. But, like Jacob, we seem to have tremendous difficulty accepting, receiving, and believing unless there is first some magnificent physical manifestation. In other words, we refuse to believe God until we see something in the natural realm that proves He will keep His word to us. God is not a man that He should lie and He doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone. Over and over Jesus told His followers, “only believe.” I think we’ve got it all backwards. We’ve allowed the enemy of our soul to convince us to doubt God and in doing so we have created a stand-off with God. We’re saying to Him, “we’ll believe You when we see it” and He is saying to us “you will see it when you believe Me.” My prayer today is that each of us will remove the hindrances that prevent us from believing the Word of God, accepting His truths, and receiving the provision (both spiritual and natural) He has ordained for us. At the same time, if we look carefully, will we not find God has already sent the wagons; loaded, pressed down, and overflowing with blessings? The first wagon carries a broken heart, a wounded body, and an empty cross. It overflows with compassion, grace, and mercy and continually shouts to all “Jesus Loves YOU!”
Monday, January 12, 2015 – Good morning! Oh no! I can see the headlines now –“Local Preacher Found Drowned in Bed! You know, you can drown in less than an inch of water. It just has to go into your lungs and you’re gone. Well! I almost drowned a couple of nights ago. Yes, I’m serious. My bed partner, trusty CPAP almost did me in. We’ve been sleeping together for several years but I assure you if this becomes a habit we will go our separate ways. Once in a while if the temperature in the room gets too cool condensation will form in the tube that connects the machine to the mask that fits in my nose. Now get this picture. The other night I’m sound asleep, roll over, and water in the tube runs up my nose like a flood! Needless to say I came out of the bed at top speed, coughing, sputtering, and gasping for breath. It’s okay to laugh. It was pretty funny after I quit choking. Nobody should have to endure such a rude awakening. After a few minutes I finally caught my breath, shook the rest of the water out of the tube, dried off the nosepiece, and settled back under the nice warm covers to finish the night. All was calm and peaceful again; except now I was wide awake. I lay there and made pictures out of the shadows on the wall like I did when I was kid. I thought about how quickly I had gone from peaceful sleep to gasping for air; how quickly events can happen in our lives that can so dramatically change things forever and life as we have known it will never be the same. There is seldom an answer that satisfies the longing to know why. In reality, needing to know why, creates a “victim” mentality. It’s as if we believe we it will somehow be easier to accept or at least we will have someone to blame if we can justify why it happened. We tend to forget that He is in the middle of the situation with us. I choose to look around and see where He is and get as close to Him as I can. Jesus doesn’t want to hear us ask “Why?” He wants to hear us ask, “How do You want to use this situation?” He wants us to ask, “Lord, what do You want to be for me, that You couldn’t be before this happened?” Trust me, if you ask Him these questions, you will get an answer. He may want to show you that He is your provider, counselor, or comforter. He may want to be your lawyer, advocate, and mediator. Perhaps He wants to show you He is your divine healer. Does He want to reveal Himself as Lord, Savior, King, Servant, or Friend? Reality is, He wants to be whatever it is that you need most in your life at this particular time. And, He knows what you need better than you know yourself. Think about this; if we’re not getting answers to our questions, perhaps it’s because we’re not asking the right things. His silence doesn’t mean He doesn’t care, it simply means we haven’t asked the questions He wants to answer. But, there is one thing you should never question or never wonder about and that is how incredibly much “Jesus Loves YOU!”
Jan 07, 2015. Good morning! WOW – What about this cold weather? Oh, I know to all of you who live up north 37–18 degrees is not cold; but, here in Texas it is. The greatest thing about Texas weather in the area I live is that it changes almost every other day. God makes sure we never have to endure the same thing for very long. I have found that relationships with people can be kind of like the weather. You meet someone. You’re around them a few times. Everything is going well. You enjoy their company. They seem to enjoy yours. A relationship begins to grow. Phone calls are exchanged. Lunch dates and afternoon outings are filled with laughter and smiles. This may go on for weeks, months, or even years. Then suddenly, just like the weather, something seems to change. You don’t hear from them as often, if at all. Invitations for lunch or outings are declined. You feel like you’re being avoided. You don’t know of anything you did but still wonder if you offended them some way. That nasty spirit of rejection knocks on the door of your heart; harasses your thoughts and tells you they don’t love you anymore or that you’re not loved or even loveable. And, then without knowing why, things seem to reverse and the relationship is restored as it had been. This on/off sequence becomes your point of reference of what is normal for relationships. Sadly, you’re tempted by the spirit of rejection to believe your relationship with Jesus has these same on/off cycles. That is so not true! The Word of God says He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He never gets offended at you. He never tires of your company. He is always willing to listen to you; put His arms around you and love you. He never pulls away or avoids you. He sings over you. He rejoices when you call out to Him. He is continually with you, in your heart; directing, guiding, leading, teaching, comforting, longing for you to acknowledge His presence and depend on Him. You never have to wonder where you stand with Him. He is always there for you, always the same, never changing. There is no changeable like the weather or on/off cycles in your relationship with the One who sticks closer than a brother. It is always, always, “Jesus Loves YOU!”
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Thanks for checking out my website and coming to my blog page. I pray you will be blessed and encouraged by the things I share. Have a great day! Deb Archives
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