

## Miraculous Relationship

### Written by

### Karen Arnpriester, Alanna Slimick Lefsaker, Jeannine Dae

Copyright 2014 Karen Arnpriester, Alanna Slimick Lefsaker, Jeannine Dae

Smashwords Edition

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

### Table of Contents

Karen Arnpriester

Heaven Speaks

Ezekiel 1:28

Heavenly Touch

Heaven Intervenes

Prayers Answered

Prompting by the Holy Spirit

Bible Scripture

Visions

Prophecy

Alanna Lefsaker

Groceries

Needed a Roof

Signs of Wonder

Glittery

Near Death?

Aneurism?

Jeannine Dae

Salvation is a Miracle

Spiritual Languages are a Miracle

Provision is a Miracle

Healing is a Miracle

Deliverance is a Miracle

Protection is a Miracle

Divine Encounters are a Miracle

Other Books by Karen Slimick Arnpriester

***

# Submissions byKaren Arnpriester

These are very intimate encounters with God and Heaven throughout my lifetime, so far. These experiences are the foundation that allows me to claim, "I know what I know".

I promise you that each of these events is true. God is alive, has a sense of humor and wants to be involved in our lives. He cares about the little things and the big things. I truly believe that we all have a connection to God, but many people do not recognize His attempts to bring us into relationship with Him.

I have used some of my miracles in my writing of Christian fiction and readers have asked me what is real and what is not. I believe it is important to share the actual heavenly blessings that I have experienced.

I pray that you seek God's role in your life and that you open your heart and mind to see His presence in your joys, as well as your struggles, and listen to the tugs in your gut or your heart. Expect to hear God's voice, and claim your relationship as His adored kid.

I am excited to share this opportunity to reveal God's desire to have relationship with each of us with my wonderful sister, Alanna, and my dear friend Jeannine. These two ladies encourage me, inspire me and love me, especially when I wander off the path. Thank you.

# Heaven Speaks

### Answers

I was a seventeen, filled with angst and on my journey of self-discovery and spiritual beliefs. I was yelling at God, not praying, but yelling. I was tired of an invisible father who supposedly loved me but I couldn't see or touch. I truly believed in His existence, but wanted Him to be physically accessible and tangible.

"Where are you God? If you want me to follow you, then I need to see You, face to face. I have questions for you!"

Abruptly, a voice slammed through my brain. Not an audible voice through my ears, but not my own thought either. It was as if someone was speaking directly into my head, and it was definitely a male adult.

### "I have answered every question."

I thought, "What on earth are you talking about? You haven't answered MY questions."

Again, the voice/thought came, **"Read your Bible; all the answers are there."**

Rather than feeling blessed that God spoke to me, I was angry. It was not the answer I wanted. I didn't understand the miracle of the Holy Spirit actually engaging me in a conversation but the experience was not forgotten. It was stored away and linked me to my Heavenly Father.

### Seatbelts

I was living in Dublin, California and commuted to Livermore for my job. On this particular day, it was the first rain of the season and the roads were slick. We had seatbelts in our small truck, but this was many years ago, and we didn't use them. After all, we had driven in cars for years without them and most of us were still alive. My brother-in-law was living with us at the time and commuted to school with me. I stopped at a light before turning left onto a very busy road. While stopped, a sweet, female voice spoke firmly inside my head. **"Put on your seatbelts,"** is all she said.

I hesitated for a moment and realized that this definitely wasn't my thought. I clicked my belt on, and insisted that Paul but his on. He refused at first, stating he would be fine. "No, I'm not moving until you have your belt on," I insisted.

The light changed and I moved into the traffic flow. We drove for two blocks and the car in front of me threw on his left blinker and slammed on his brakes at the same time. I reacted too quickly on the brakes and felt my small truck hydroplaning on the wet road. We smashed into the back of the car and suffered extensive damage to the front of our. Paul and I were both shaken up, but fine.

I have no way of knowing how badly we would have been hurt, but the force of the hit was substantial. I know I would have hit the steering wheel hard and I think Paul would have gotten the worst in the passenger side.

I know there is a lot of debate about angels and if male or female, but this was definitely a female voice and she may have saved our lives. I do believe in female angels because mine spoke to me.

### He Yelled at Me!

I was in my twenties, married with a daughter, and separated from my husband. We had a difficult relationship at best. Frank had asked me to come back home and try once more. I did not want to go back, but I felt guilt about my daughter's upheaval and my marriage vows. My sister was much more spiritual than I was. I had turned my back on God and was trying to live my life without his input. While visiting her, I asked her what she thought about me not returning home, and to my dismay, she responded, "Well, let's pray about it, sometimes I get scripture." I know my eyes were rolling in my head, but she already had her Bible in her lap. I agreed and sat there numbly while she prayed for God's guidance. After she was through praying, she continued to fan the Bible's pages, hoping for a divine intervention, a place where the Bible would fall open and reveal a scripture that would guide me in God's plan. I know my hesitancy was the dread that He would probably want me to return and I didn't want to hear it, so I was relieved when she did not have a profound word for me.

She finally sighed and asked, "Would you like something to drink?" I said I did and we moved to her kitchen table.

While sitting there chatting about everything but God, I got a rogue thought in my head. A deep male voice quietly said, **"Ezekiel 1:28."** I thought, _how odd_ , and I ignored the voice. Moments later the same voice SCREAMED in my head,

# "Ezekiel 1:28!"

I felt my heart catch in my throat. I looked at my sister and said, "I think I just got a scripture." My sister was excited, ran and got her King James Bible from the other room.

Now, I went to church as a child and in my teens for a while, but I had no interest in memorizing verses, books or anything else other than the traditional children's Bible stories. I only share this because; I had no idea that there was a book in the Bible named Ezekiel, at least not consciously.

My sister quickly found the scripture and we both were confused. King James is a difficult version to comprehend, especially when you are fighting against it.

Ezekiel 1:28 King James Version (KJV)

28"As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake."

I was able to shrug it off, and think " _whatever_." I did not return to my marriage until sometime later, which eventually ended in divorce.

What I didn't realize was that God knew I wouldn't respond to Him in that moment, but this was an anchor that tethered me to Him. As my life became more disappointing and difficult, the angrier I got with God and the more I tried to push Him away. Every time I convinced myself that He wasn't real, I would remember this experience and realize that I couldn't dismiss Him. This was another Earthly encounter and I couldn't explain it away, even though I wanted to with every ounce of my reason.

Many years later I researched the scripture I was given and I sobbed once I understood what God was telling me.

Here is a modern day version. I also went back a few verses to see if the verse was in deed referring to God. God chose this verse to tell me that it was Him speaking to me. The verses following 1:28 were directives to go back home and speak for God into my marriage and home. One of the biggest issues in my marriage was my husband and father-in-law's anger and controlling natures. I find it interesting that these scriptures refer to "They and their fathers...' My father-in-law was a Scorpio, and the scripture also warns about scorpions.

Ezekiel 1:26-28 New Life Version (NLV)

26"Above the large covering that was over their heads there was something that looked like a throne, and looked like it was made of sapphire. Sitting on the throne was what looked like a man. 27 Then I saw that there was something like shining brass from the center of his body and up to his head. It looked like fire all around within it. And from the center of his body and down to his feet I saw something like fire. There was a bright light shining all around Him."

28"This light shining around Him looked like the rainbow in the clouds on a day of rain. This was what the shining-greatness of the Lord looked like. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking."

Ezekiel 2

God Calls Ezekiel to Speak for Him

1He said to me, "Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak with you." 2And when He spoke to me, the Spirit came into me and set me on my feet. I heard Him speaking to me. 3He said, "Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of Israel, to sinful people who have turned against Me. They and their fathers have sinned against Me to this very day. 4I am sending you to these strong-willed children who show no respect. And you must say to them, 'This is what the Lord God says.' 5If they listen or not (for they are sinful people) they will know that a man of God has been among them. 6And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or of what they say, even if thistles and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or lose strength of heart by their looks, for they will not obey Me. 7You must speak My words to them if they listen or not, for they do not obey Me.

I often wonder what would have happened to my marriage and my life if I had had an obedient heart and allowed God to work through me. Maybe I wouldn't have spent the many years searching for significance and foolishly ignoring God.

Quite a few years later, another revelation came to me from this encounter with God. God could have said anything to me. He could have simply said, "Go home!' But God gave me a scripture, and the revelation finally sunk in! The Bible does speak for God. During the years I denied God, I also tried to ignore the significance of the Bible by using all the same dismissive thinking so many people use about revisions and who knows who wrote what? But God sent me there, to that Holy Book! Sure changed how I view the Bible.

### Insulted

I went through many years of self-loathing and accepting compromises to gain acceptance. One evening I was sitting in a bar, contemplating an offer to accompany a man back to his hotel room. While I considered, a sad voice spoke into my head and into my heart, **"Please do not do this. This man insults you. He does not know you. I know you and you are my daughter. This is not my intent for you."**

I abruptly left the bar, and cried as all the pain I had suppressed pushed up to the surface again. This was the beginning of healing and a dramatic change in my life.

### Ouch, I Forgot He Was Here

I love a good thriller or suspense movie, but I'm not a fan of gore. Sometimes movies take you deeper than you expected and a part of us has become desensitized to violence. I was home alone, watching a thriller and it was becoming rather graphic, but I wanted to see how the story would play out so I continued to watch.

Another abrupt thought, a whisper actually, entered my brain, and it was certainly not my thought .... **"Why do my children want to see my children tortured?"** the male voice asked so sadly.

I was startled and felt my stomach lurch. I had forgotten that the Holy Spirit is with me always. What I watch, He watches. What I hear, He hears. After this encounter, I made the choice to be more aware of what I subject the Holy Spirit to experience while dwelling in me.

The way the Holy Spirit approached the subject was kind and non-judgmental. He didn't say, _"Why are you watching this garbage, you should know better."_ He truly presented a question that I have no answer for and it is a valid question, especially of a Christian.

### Collaboration

I abruptly began writing Christian fiction novels five years ago. This was nothing I ever intended to do but God had a plan for me. He collaborated with me through the stories and dropped pictures into my brain that helped me solve storylines when I painted myself into a corner. This had been a wonderful journey with God whispering ideas and suggestions as I wrote.

I got caught up in the slow build of reviews, sales and wanting recognition for my efforts. I have a limited budget for marketing and I was stressing that I wasn't doing enough. I would repeatedly remind myself that this whole thing was God's idea and I would pray for God's will in the books' journey, but then I would get caught up again and feel the pressure to perform.

On this particular day, I was driving to a work meeting and was in my "Who do you think you are, an author?" phase. I was feeling ridiculous for thinking that I could ever be a successful author; I was a wannabe, inexperienced, and self-published. Anyone can write a book and put it online I told myself.

Suddenly a scene from my first book popped into my head, and I started laughing. Then a sad memory of the story replaced it, and my eyes actually teared up. Different scenes kept slipping in and out of my brain from the two books that I had written with God and the memories took me on an emotional roller coaster.

Eventually, I got it. God was flashing the scenes in my head, our stories. He was reminding me how the characters came to life and triggered human responses. God was having a shared discussion about our work. I laughed and laughed as the pressure of success left me. I had already succeeded beyond any worldly gain. I shared this love of storytelling with my heavenly Dad and we made a great team.

I still feel the tug of success at times, but I remember our exchange of love and joy for the stories, and I can quickly put the books back into God's will, which is where they were always meant to be. He will be sure that they get to wherever they were intended to be.

# Heavenly Touch

### Healing

My father, Robert, suffered from Rheumatic Fever when he was a child and it reoccurred in his mid-twenties after he had accepted a job in California. He was determined to make the trip even though he was ill. We packed up everything we had and left Pennsylvania. We stopped in Charleston, West Virginia to visit family before we moved thousands of miles away, and dad took a serious turn for the worse and was hospitalized. We lived with our grandparents for six months and my dad was not improving. It was in the dead of winter and the cold was complicating my father's recovery.

My father told my mother that if we was going to die, he wanted to be warm and they went to Florida to assist with his recovery. My grandmother took my young brother aside and warned him that our father may not be returning. He was so very ill.

Dan, my brother told her not worry, they needed to just pray for my dad. They knelt down and a young child prayed for the life of his father.

The next day my dad called my grandmother and explained that they were coming home. He didn't understand why, but he was feeling just fine. After a short stay, he accepted a job in Zanesville, Ohio where we set up a new household.

We lived for a year in this little town and became intertwined with a local church. My parents were both Sunday school teachers and we developed a strong family connection with the church body.

The hard work at my father's job was beginning to take its toll on my dad and he was beginning to struggle with exhaustion and symptoms of the illness. He worked every day, but he would literally crawl up the stairs to get to his bedroom each evening.

One Sunday evening, a group of the church members prayed over my father for complete healing. We did not know until the next evening that my father had truly been healed. When he came home after work, he ran up the stairs joyfully shouting. Dad had been able to work all day without exhaustion or any of the symptoms of the disease.

When my dad was convinced that he was completely healed, he secured a transfer within his company and we continued on to California.

This was the first miracle that I experienced and it confirmed to me at a very young age that there is a God and prayer is powerful!

I have provided a medical definition of this illness if you are curious.

Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory disease that may develop as a complication of a streptococcus infection, such as strep throat or scarlet fever (caused by Streptococcus pyogenes or group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus). If it does develop, it will usually do so two to three weeks after the Group A streptococcal infection.

Rheumatic fever mainly affects children aged between 5 and 15 years; however, it can affect adults and younger children. The disease may cause long term effects on the skin, heart, brain and joints. Rheumatic fever may cause permanent damage to the heart valves (rheumatic heart disease). Rheumatic fever has the potential to cause heart failure, stroke and even death.

Even though there is no current cure for rheumatic fever, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs and anticonvulsants may be used to relieve symptoms and prevent recurrences.

The disease is fairly rare in most developed nations, but is still common in many other parts of the world, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, south central Asia, and the indigenous population of Australia and New Zealand. Before the widespread introduction of antibiotics and increased levels of public sanitation and living standards, rheumatic fever used to be one of the leading causes of acquired heart disease in developed nations.

Patients aged between 25 and 35 years may have recurring episodes of rheumatic fever.

Footnote: My father walked away from his Christian beliefs after some big disappointments through the church. He did not suffer from the illness again, but he was diagnosed with defective heart valves when he became elderly. He did have a successful surgery, but developed an unrelated infection that compromised his heart and he passed. I don't know if his choice to exclude God's presence from his life altered the outcome for the health of his heart or if it was just how his life was supposed to end. We all will die in one way or another.

### The Touch

I was attending a women's retreat through my local church. We were having a wonderful time but after two nights on a hotel bed, my back was killing me by Sunday morning. We had one more day of the retreat left and I dreaded the hard folding chairs. My roommate, Daisy, began the process of getting ready for the day. I was lying on my side, facing her, talking; well, probably complaining about my back. I for sure wasn't praying. She moved into the bathroom and shut the door.

I suddenly felt a point of pressure on my neck. It felt very much like a fingertip pressing in and then it pulled away. I felt the pressure again several inches below the first point of contact. This physical pressure/touch continued down my back to my tailbone. With each press, the pain left that section of my back. I was frozen in shock. There was nothing behind me but a wall, which was several feet away. I giggled and appreciated the healing touch with all my heart.

I can honestly say that I have been TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL.

### God Has a Sense of Humor

I was hosting a "Glam Night" at our church one evening and was unloading the supplies in my car before everyone showed up. As a pulled the first box out of the car, my back shuddered with pain. I set the box back down and looked to see if there was anyone to help. There wasn't. I prayed, "Dear God, please take this pain away, just for the event. I am doing this out of love for the ladies and I didn't bring aspirin. Please, just for a few hours."

I lifted the box up again and was delighted to realize that there was no pain. I set up for the event and enjoyed the evening without any discomfort and it was a great success.

When the evening was over, I put the last box back into my car and shut the hatch, and then the dull ache flooded back. At first I was confused, but then began to laugh. I had only asked for healing for those few hours. How silly to limit God's desire to bless me.

# Heaven Intervenes

I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up

My elderly grandma lived alone in Charleston, West Virginia and she had a very close relationship with my brother, Dan, who lived in California.

My grandma woke up in the very early morning and went into her kitchen. Melinda slipped and fell, and she couldn't pull herself up to reach the wall phone to call for help, but she did have a broom within her reach. She began praying that my brother, across the country, would call her so that she could knock the receiver off the hook and get help.

My brother said that he sat up in bed, groggy and confused, but knew something was wrong. His wife, Mary, also woke when he jerked out of a sound sleep and told him everything was fine, to go back to sleep. Dan said he lay back down and tried to ignore the sense of panic he felt. He drifted off again, only to jump up and startle Mary. Again, she told him to go back to sleep.

"No, something is wrong with grandma, I need to call her," he insisted.

"It's too early there, Dan, she is still asleep," Mary said.

"I have to call, she's waiting for me to call."

Dan dialed our grandma's number and after she knocked the phone off the hook with the broom, she answered, "Thank God, I've been waitin' for ya to call me. I fell and pretty sure my hip is broken. Call your uncle Junior and tell 'em to git over here." My brother hung up and called my uncle who came to my grandmother's aid.

This story shows that God's power knows no limits. My uncle lived next door to my Grandma, but she knew that Dan would hear God's call and answer her prayer for help.

### Smoking

My husband Don was a heavy smoker, two to three packs a day, before I knew him. He told me the very bizarre story about how he quit and we both believe his release from addiction was influenced by Heaven.

Don had a dream that he was at a doctor's appointment. He didn't know why he was there, but the doctor said, "I understand you would like to quit smoking."

"Yes, I would. I've tried everything to stop," he admitted. Don had tried many approaches and products to assist in breaking this habit.

She moved to his side and he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his lower back and then the dream ended.

The next morning, Don woke and went through his usual routine, but kept thinking that he was forgetting something. During his workday, a fellow employee approached him and asked if he was okay.

"I'm fine, why do you ask?"

"I haven't seen you smoke all day. Did you quit?" he asked.

Don suddenly realized that he had a pack of cigarettes in his pocket and he hadn't thought about smoking. The nagging feeling that he was forgetting something was the cigarettes. Don lit a cigarette and was back into his usual routine.

Several days later, Don was headed to a local lake to fish. An oncoming car crossed the centerline and crashed into Don's car. Don was taken to the hospital with a serious back injury. The pain he felt was exactly like that in the dream. During his time in emergency, a nurse mentioned that he would not be able to smoke while in the hospital.

Don responded, "I don't smoke." He has not smoked another cigarette since the accident and did not suffer any withdrawal symptoms.

### Chicken Wing

My husband, Don, was not a health conscious person. It had been many years since his last checkup or doctor's appt. He toughed out any illnesses or injuries. On this fateful day, Don was cleaning our rental's pool. The evicted tenants had left the property in a terrible state and had allowed the pool to become a nasty, sludge swamp. While in the pool, Don slipped on the slime and fell with a very hard landing. He knew he was hurt, but refused to go to the doctor.

"You could have broken ribs," I insisted. "You need to see the doctor."

"If I broke ribs, they will just wrap me up which I can do myself. There isn't anything they can do," he barked through clenched teeth. He was in a lot of pain, and I actually had to wrap his chest since he could barely move without grimacing.

The next morning, Don woke up with a chicken wing; his arm was elevated out and bent. He could not lower or straighten it without excruciating pain. "Think you might want to see a doctor now?" I asked with all the loving annoyance a wife can dish out. He conceded.

The doctor tended to his injuries and asked Don when he had any tests run for his general health. Don admitted that it had been many years and some tests were never taken. The doctor collected every fluid possible and sent us home with instructions for his shoulder, as well as pain and muscle relaxing prescriptions.

We received a devastating call from the doctor's office. Don's test results revealed that he had prostate cancer. We met with an oncologist and reviewed the options. Surgery or radiation appeared to be Don's only choices. The cancer was an aggressive strain and his PSA test levels were dangerously high. Don was only 55 and this was not the old man prostate cancer that most men die with. This was the kind you die of. Don chose radiation since the success rates were as high as surgery, but much fewer possible complications.

When we talk about the disgusting pool, the fall and how angry Don was that he was hurt cleaning up someone else's filth, we also acknowledge that the injury gave him many more years by getting him into the doctors for routine testing. Don discussed the diagnosis with his family and discovered that this strain of prostate cancer ran through the men. His grandfather and uncle had died young from prostate cancer, and his father and brother were being treated. Obviously, they didn't talk much as a family and PSA tests had only recently been developed. Until then, most men didn't know they had cancer until serious symptoms appeared or regular checkups. Don was able to inform his son about the risk to his health so that he could catch any cancer much earlier.

I don't know how many years were added to Don's life, but I know that God had his hand in this stubborn man's destiny. Sometimes what appears to be a bad turn of events can end up saving your life.

### A Warning

My son, Rob, was heavily involved with drugs and the culture. Complications with the police compelled him to enter rehab and he completed three twenty-eight day rounds before he felt that he could maintain on his own. We hoped that he would change his life, and things appeared to be better for a while, but he gradually drifted back. I was concerned that I would get a call that he was in jail, in the hospital or dead. My son is such a precious person and I was overwhelmed with concern for him.

One Sunday I was particularly worried, I had heard some distressing comments from my son and others. I went forward for prayer and one of the elders began praying with me for my son. Guy stopped and looked at me with a very serious expression. "Are you prepared for what it will take, Karen?"

"Yes, I am."

"Think about that carefully. Are you willing to accept what it will take for your son to face reality?"

I was rather nervous at that point, but said that I was.

A week later, my son called me, "Mom, mom, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry."

I was freaking out, "What's wrong, what happened!" I cried.

"I blew up mom, I'm going to the hospital, my skin is falling off."

I almost fell to the floor and screamed.... "Oh dear God, no."

Once I got to the hospital, I saw my son lying in the bed. His face, both arms, hands and one leg were wrapped in gauze. He had second and third degree burns from a propane explosion. He was cooking marijuana to pull the chemicals out. (I do not know the technical jargon and I don't care to.)

After his release from the hospital, he stayed with us for several weeks, recuperating. I can remember the horror of changing his bandages several times a day and seeing my baby's burnt flesh, hearing his cries of pain as the bandages pulled of the scabbing skin with each cleaning. It took everything I had to not vomit.

This serious injury prompted my son to evaluate his life, and to realize that he was not invincible. He faced some serious charges, but he was given a three-year probation and the opportunity to clear his record. With the pending charges looming over him, he was forced to weigh his choices since there was someone watching him. This three-year window altered his attitude that he was above the law. We have seen a lot of growth in his maturity and we continue to hold him dear.

I do not suggest that God burnt my son, but I do believe that God left him to his own resources. That any protection my prayers may have provided were set aside so that the dangers of my son's activities could play out. I also believe that Guy was given the knowledge that something serious was to come so that I could be forewarned and know that God had not forsaken my son or me in that moment of crisis.

Note: I and many others were praying for a speedy recovery for Rob. After two weeks of routine home treatment, we went back to the hospital to discuss possible skin grafts and other treatment options Some of the areas were deeply burnt and the doctors had been concerned. When the doctor unwrapped the gauze, he was in disbelief. The burns were practically healed and nothing more was required to do but wear the bandaging that burn victims wear for months that would prevent rippling and scarring. My son, of course, did not follow the doctor's orders, but Rob has no scarring. There are only some rough patches of skin that you cannot see. The only lasting visual tell is that the burnt side of his face is freckle less and there are areas where his facial hair does not grow in evenly. This explosion could have been so much more devastating and ended my son's life or disfigured him.

# Prayers Answered

The Crow

My son was in his teens and wanted to argue, yet again about God's existence and involvement in our lives. I insisted, again, that God answers prayers. My son, Rob, responded with his teenage attitude, "He might answer yours, but He doesn't answer mine."

I pressed and asked him for a prayer that he would like God to answer. "He knows I want another pet crow and that hasn't happened." Okay, some explanation here, several years earlier my son found a baby crow that fell out of the nest and he tamed it. _(Rob admitted later that he climbed a tree and took it from the nest.)_ He loved this crow and it would sit on his shoulder while he walked outside. The crow would take off and fly with the other crows, probably his siblings, but return to Rob when he called him back. I have to admit that this crow was very cool.

We lived in a rural area and fought bug infestations constantly. I finally had had enough and called an exterminator to come out and spray around the house. Sadly, we didn't think about the crow eating the dying bugs he found and he died from the poisoning. My son was devastated to lose this incredible pet.

I said a silent prayer that God would answer my son's prayer for a crow. The next morning, I'm not kidding, the very next day, I heard my dogs barking in the back yard and they weren't stopping. I went outside to see what the commotion was all about and they were on both sides of a black lump in the yard. I walked over and saw a full-grown crow lying in the grass. I pushed the dogs back and approached the crow carefully. They can be very vicious if they need to defend themselves. The crow looked at me calmly. I decided to pick it up, forgetting all about bird diseases, and he didn't fight me. I checked his wings and everything seemed fine. No blood, no injuries and he calmly sat in my hands. I started to laugh, remembering Rob's prayer about wanting a crow.

I happened to have a large decorative birdcage in the backyard, so I put the crow in the cage. He sat on a small branch I shoved in through the bars and just stared at me. I found something for water and some bread, but he didn't show any interest in either. I couldn't stop giggling. This was just too awesome to be a coincidence, and the crow did not appear to be hurt or in pain.

I was bursting with excitement when I heard Rob come in from school. "Sooooooo, God doesn't answer your prayers," I asked him with way too much inflection. He rolled his eyes at me, and stated that he didn't want to talk about it.

"That's fine, we don't have to talk, but I want to show you something." I giggled some more as I led him to the back yard. The expression on his face was priceless when he saw the huge black bird in the cage. He was in shock. "How, where?" was all he could manage to get out. I explained what happened and he just stared at the crow. He moved the cage into his room and set it up the way he wanted.

The next morning, he came out of his room with blood shot eyes and a nasty disposition. "I don't want this stupid crow. It cawed all night and kept me awake. Every time I try to get him out of the cage, he bites me. This bird is mean." Rob rummaged through the fridge and suddenly popped his head out, looking at me with a critical eye. "So don't think God answered my prayer, this is not good."

I smiled to myself and couldn't resist. "God did answer your prayer, so maybe you need to think about what you ask for first." I started laughing as he stomped off to the bathroom.

After Rob left for school, I carried the cage outside and opened the door. The crow continued to stare at me, and he didn't try to leave the cage. I cautiously put my hand in, remembering Rob's complaint about the biting, but he allowed me to grab him without any struggle. I pulled him out and set him on the top of the cage. I still didn't know if he could fly or not. He didn't appear to be hurt, but he was found sitting in the yard surrounded by dogs. That didn't appear to be the behavior of a healthy crow that could fly away. The crow looked around, looked at me, and flew away.

Note: Never again did a crow land in my yard and patiently wait for me to pick it up.

### A Word

Life was throwing us some real challenges for a period of time. My husband had been diagnosed with an aggressive cancer, and my son was on a dangerous path due to his life choices. I was feeling overwhelmed and blindsided by the problems. Don and I had only been married for a year, and I felt it was unfair. The cancer was changing everything in our day-to-day life. I called my sister and asked her to be praying for us, hoping that God would give her a word for me (that is a term that can mean scripture, thought, picture), and I used that exact term when we spoke ... give her a WORD for me.

A short time later, my sister called to tell me that she had been praying and heard from God on our behalf and He had given her a WORD. I asked her what the scripture was, or what did He had said to her? I was impatient and excited to hear what she had to share. "Karen, he literally gave me a word. It is CONTEND." I had heard the word many times, but didn't know what it meant exactly. When it's a word from God you want to know without a doubt what He has said. I hung up and looked the word contend up in the dictionary...

To have to fight, to deal with problems or difficulties, especially in order to achieve something.

I was confused at first, but realized that my biggest fear was hopelessness. I was afraid that no matter what we did, my husband would die and my son would be forever lost. This one simple word, CONTEND, encouraged me not to give up, to fight for the men I love. I would not be directed to fight if there wasn't any hope.

My husband survived the first round of cancer with radiation and again five years later. My son is still finding his way, but we see maturing and understanding in our son as he becomes a man.

### Painful Revelation

My son's girlfriend had decided to terminate her pregnancy. I was devastated about the loss of my grandchild and had everyone I could think of praying that she would change her mind. My son insisted that they would not change their minds and he didn't want to discuss it with me, but I know that prayer can create miracles.

I was trying to function normally, but I couldn't focus on anything but the impending abortion. I held out hope that she would change her mind in the final hour, and the waiting and not knowing if my prayers had been answered were agony.

I prayed and asked God to reveal the outcome, whatever that would be. I had to know either way what the fate of my grandchild was. I needed to know when the decision was final.

I was working at my desk when suddenly a wave of loss, grief, and agony washed over me and I knew it was done. I fell to the floor and sobbed, my grandchild was gone. For a period of time, I endured this ache for the child, but then God gave me peace in my spirit. I knew that my grandchild was safe in God's care, and I also felt a sense that the child knew that they were loved and mourned for. This soul's existence had mattered to me, grandma.

### Lost Paper

Okay, this may not seem like such a big deal, but it was to me, and apparently God knew that it mattered. I had a new client, a rather staunch man that didn't tolerate non-professional behaviors. I had a rather detailed layout for his job that had to be done that day. I looked in all the logical places for this paper, and when I couldn't find it, I began to panic. I checked the car, the garbage, and rifled through all the job jackets in case I had filed it incorrectly. I looked over my desk numerous times, in all of the drawers, and everywhere a paper could hide. When you are frantic, you look in illogical places while knowing it's ridiculous, but you look any way ... just in case.

I was getting physically ill. I did not want to call this man and explain that I had lost his job. I kept wracking my brain, trying to remember where I could have put it. I searched my desk area again, but it was nowhere to be found.

I didn't want to call while I was emotional, so I used the restroom, splashed water on my face and had a good talk with myself in the mirror, trying to convince myself that this would be okay. I wasn't buying it, but at least I felt like I had composed myself enough to talk intelligently. I whispered a prayer, "Please God, help me."

I walked into my office to use the phone, and there on the keyboard was the paper, folded in half, lying in full view. I was the only one in the house (I work out of my home) and the paper was not on my keyboard when I went into the bathroom. Trust me, I looked over every square inch of my office before I gave up. There was no way that I overlooked this paper in my frantic search. I have no idea where the paper was, but my angel did.

# Prompting by the Holy Spirit

### Led to Honor

My grandma, Melina, had been released from the hospital and my grandpa, George, who was ninety and in great health, was heading out to pick up medications once she was settled in at the house. When she shared their story, she said that she heard him leave the house, and several minutes later, heard the car start. They had steep stairs in their front yard that took them to street level and the garage was on the street level.

Next she heard the car shut off, and after several more minutes, my grandfather was back into the house. George moved to the side of her bed and softly kissed her forehead. "You know I love you," he said quietly.

"I know George," she responded in shock. George had only returned to tell her that he loved her and this was not the man she knew.

Grandpa headed back out and then she heard the car pull out of the garage. She listened as the sound of the car finally disappeared into the distance.

My grandparents fought horribly all the years of their marriage. My grandpa could be mean and openly admitted that after he was widowed; he married my grandma to raise his three children. Divorce was unheard of in their generation so my grandma tolerated her life and raised his seven children. They had four boys of their own. George had never told her that he loved her until that day.

George was taking a long time to return and Melinda was getting concerned. She answered the knock at the door thinking that George's hands were full or he had forgotten his key. It was the police and they had come to tell her that her husband had been killed in a car accident. My grandpa had merged onto the road too slowly and was rear-ended by a large semi-truck.

This small gesture doesn't seem like much to outsiders, but we knew the disregard George showed for my grandma throughout their marriage. I believe that my grandpa was guided by the Holy Spirit to honor his marriage to my grandma before his death. This display of respect and love blessed my grandma after so many years of disregard, and touched her deeply. It was a moment of honor that Melinda held dear as her marriage ended with George's death.

### Angel Intervention?

When I was a freshman, I went on a Snow Day with my churches' youth group. We took sleds, saucers and a toboggan to Strawberry, California. I was on the back end of the toboggan for the first ride down the slope that was filled with substantial moguls. These moguls made the toboggan lift off the surface of the snow and slam back down. I held on for dear life until we crashed into an ice-covered wall of snow at the bottom.

We were scattered over the ground and the other kids got up and brushed off the snow. I didn't get up right away; I was taking inventory, making sure all my limbs were moving properly. Several of the kids were telling me to get up, that I was fine. When I made an effort to sit up, a man from nowhere ran up and screamed for me to lie flat. I wasn't in any pain and everything seemed to work fine, but he startled me and I obeyed. This man insisted that I be gently lifted onto the toboggan and taken to the nearest hospital. Everyone accepted what this stranger was saying and I was driven to the nearest hospital for x-rays.

The x-rays revealed that I had crushed vertebrae and in my neck and lower back. I was told that I had broken my back, and would be required to wear a metal brace for six months before I could stand on my own.

I can't swear this man was an angel, but I do believe he was given the knowledge that I was hurt from the Holy Spirit. I didn't ride down any differently than anyone else and there was nothing obvious about my injuries. He showed no concern for the other kids on the toboggan. There is no way to know how much damage would have been done if I had pulled myself up off the ground after the crash.

### New Hope

I had attended several churches in our area and I just didn't feel connected. The people were great, the music and message were wonderful but I left feeling dissatisfied. New Hope Church was suggested and I decided to visit.

During the worship part of the service, I experienced a powerful connection with the Holy Spirit that I hadn't felt anywhere else.

I felt an electrifying wave that started in my belly and moved up into my chest. As the sensation rose through my torso, I became more and more emotional. Just as I was about to burst into tears, the presence moved out of me and I felt myself body relax. This wonderful presence of the Holy Spirit moved through me many times during the worship and would always drift away before I would burst out crying tears of joy.

I hate to cry in public and I knew that the Sprit was honoring me by moving away in time. It was a joyful and delightful experience. I made New Hope my home and encountered the Holy Spirit in this fashion many times.

Note: One afternoon I was praying at home, sprawled on my couch and I asked God why I only felt the Holy Spirit moving through me during worship? Was it the united energy of so many Christian's praising Him? Suddenly, the sensations of the Holy Spirit swelled up in me and I felt the power of God's love. This time He didn't move away in the nick of time, and I giggled and cried for joy. How wonderful to understand that it was a personal connection between the Holy Spirit and myself and I could be anywhere.

### The Plot Thickens

I needed to develop a scene in the book I was writing and I had no ideas. My main character was in Africa and I needed a profound experience for her. I thought I was through writing the book, but my dear friend and also test reader questioned why I took Pagne (pronounced Pain, main character of Anessia's Quest) all the way to Africa if nothing incredible was going to develop for her. I had focused on the supporting characters in these chapters.

I had decided to stay home Sunday morning and write, hoping to smash my creative block. I didn't feel guilty about not going to church, but I felt the Holy Spirit prompting me to go until I finally gave in and attended, even though late.

I was surprised to find out that our African missionaries were guest speakers that Sunday. While listening to their presentation, a story was shared that fell perfectly into place for my main character. I was so excited to have the solution for my story and all I had to do was honor God and go to church. I would never have considered the scenario on my own and I truly believe God knew that this was how my book was to be completed.

### Fearful but Willing

I was at a religious healing event and found myself partnered up with a group of young women. I was enjoying these young ladies so much and it really felt like we were developing friendships.

Into the second day, I felt this incredible burden to share a very dark secret I carried in the deepest part of me with one of the ladies. I was horrified. I was just getting to know this young lady and I didn't want her to think I was a terrible Christian. I argued in my head and begged for the conviction to leave me, but my heart just felt heavier and heavier. I finally gave in and whispered in her ear, "I don't know why, but God is insisting that I tell you something and I am afraid you will hate me." I hesitated and she looked into my tearful eyes with total confusion. "Many years ago, I had an abortion." There, I said it, out loud. My worst regret was released into the light.

She looked at me with such tenderness and said, "Karen, I love you, this does not change anything," and hugged me, only to turn and focus on the speaker, as if I hadn't just dumped my worst humiliation in life in front of her. What was the point I wondered? Why would God rip open this festering wound for nothing?

During the break, this young woman came to me and asked me to step away so we could talk privately. "I know why you were supposed to tell me," she said with tears pouring down her cheeks. "I had an abortion as a teen and it was a family secret. My parents ordered me never to speak of it or tell anyone. I have kept it a secret all these years." She crumbled into my arms and sobbed. I held her and understood why I had to tell her and why then. God was dealing with her shame and pain during this event, and we needed each other to begin the healing.

### Hoping an Angel

My son's friend had become very ill while they were hanging out at my home. It was apparent that this was serious and we headed over to the county hospital, my least favorite place in the world. I dropped the kids off and went to park.

When I entered the crowded waiting room, I realized we were looking at a long evening of discomfort. My mood became sour. I noticed a woman smiling at me; obviously a homeless person and she appeared quite odd. I avoided her eyes and sat down with my son. Each time I looked around the waiting room, she was watching me. This woman would get a huge grin if we made eye contact. I was not in the mood and would look away. I felt this woman's presence every moment and it was so annoying. I knew I was supposed to reach out to her, but I was not going to. I was already extending myself out to help someone I barely knew and was enduring the county emergency room.

The woman sitting on my other side began complaining about how long they had been waiting. My mood was not improved by her revelation. My son's friend was very ill and throwing up into a container while we waited. I had hoped that this would motivate the staff to bring her into an examining room sooner, but no. So now we had the retching sound and the smell of vomit, to brighten the mood. The homeless lady still hovered and smiled. Rarely do I lose it, but I was close.

After several hours of this nightmare, another lady sat next to me. She began a conversation, complaining actually. I was relieved, someone to vent with! I was ready to unload! During our conversation I heard another person join in from behind us. As I turned to look, I saw it was the homeless lady, and we were face to face. My heart sank. I could no longer ignore her. The other woman saw who was speaking and turned her back on both of us. I so wanted to turn away too, but I couldn't be so blatantly rude. I continued talking with her, barely. The lady next to me moved across the room and watched. I guess to see what I would do.

The homeless lady moved up next to me and I was trapped. I decided not to fight it since I knew in my gut that this encounter was destined from the moment I entered the room. I had given a valiant effort to ignore her, and just gave in at this point. She was so joyful, so animated when she spoke. After a few minutes of general chit chat, she became very quiet and looked me in the eyes. Not blinking. Her next words shocked me. "Do you know my Jesus?" she asked. First the guilt hit me and then I grinned at her. "Yes, I do," I replied. She smiled even wider, "I thought so," she said with the enthusiasm of a child.

We then started an engaging conversation about our faith and walk with God. I saw a whole other person in front of me. She was still dressed oddly, still was unkempt, but I didn't see someone to avoid. She was so passionate and loud. I am sure we witnessed to everyone in the room whether they liked it or not. Then the conversation went off the deep end. She began explaining to me why she was on the street. She appeared delusional and thought people were after her, and she had to keep moving so they couldn't find her.

My heart fell. I had no clue how to help this woman. I certainly couldn't take her home. My husband would draw the line there. I excused myself and went into the bathroom. I just cried, prayed and asked God why he put this woman in my path. What did he want from me? I felt so ill equipped to help her, and I stalled as long as I could. I couldn't slip out; the kids were still waiting to see a doctor in the room where she was eagerly anticipating my return. By now it was close to 3:00 am and I was exhausted. I splashed some water on my face and forced myself to return.

My son explained that they were tired of waiting and wanted to leave. His friend had not thrown up for an hour and her abdominal pains were pretty much gone. The intake desk told them it could be several more hours before she would see a doctor. There had been a multiple car accident and the entire staff was needed to take care of the injured. I was relieved that we were leaving but also panicked. I knew I had to figure out quickly what God wanted me to do for this woman.

I sat back down with the lady, sadly I don't remember her name, and held both of her hands in mine. I opened my heart and asked God to speak through me.

I asked her "How loving and powerful is Jesus?"

She smiled her lovely smile and said, "More powerful and loving than anything or anyone."

"That's right", I agreed. "I know he doesn't want you on the street, cold, and not safe."

She agreed but reminded me that they _(the bad people)_ could find her in the shelters. I prayed for a sound response. "But, you are not there alone. Remember, Jesus is with you always. He will keep you safe." I don't remember every word of our conversation, but it looked like a light went on behind her eyes.

"I feel so bad," she said. "I forgot all about my Jesus being with me, protecting me."

I reminded her that anytime she feels scared, she can talk to him and he will give her strength.

The kids were glaring from the doorway, making it clear that they were more than ready to leave. I gave my son the keys to my car and asked him to get my coat and bring it to me. He shot me his "you're crazy" look and said, "You're giving her your coat?"

"Yes." I said, "Just please go get it." He shook his head and ran to the car. My sister only had a light jacket and it was freezing outside. I gave her a few dollars and my warm coat, and she promised me that she would go to a shelter that was nearby.

I don't know if I was to do more, or if my words made any difference, but I pray that they did. I believe that God put her in front of me ... not just for her but also for me. I learned something that night. I was stuck in a bad situation, surrounded by God's hurting children, and rather than embrace an opportunity to witness and love on them, I was angry. I avoided someone because of how they looked. Here was a nutcase _(I figured)_ and she was trying to connect so that she could witness to me. How ashamed I felt in those first few moments, but then I came to know one of God's kids. A little broken, but still God's kid.

I try to remember to make the most of any circumstance, and not fight it when God leads me. Several friends think that night was more about me – that she could have been an angel, put there just to teach me something very valuable. I pray so; I am saddened to think about this sweet woman afraid and vulnerable on the streets.

### Dumpster Diving

My husband, Don, was driving his company's truck back to the office one Thanksgiving Eve and the horrible traffic was stop and go. He noticed the freeway off-ramp that led to his old job. He had driven right past that off-ramp every workday for five years without a thought, but this time, Don suddenly had the idea to go dumpster diving. The surrounding businesses where he used to work would throw away products that didn't move quickly, and Don remembered finding some interesting items when he routinely checked the dumpsters years ago.

He illogically took the off-ramp and pulled into the parking lot behind the commercial building strip to get to the dumpsters. It was after five 'o clock, the office fronts were dark and everyone had gone home. As Don's headlights swept over the dark, empty parking area, they illuminated a black car sitting in the middle of the lot, which struck Don as odd. Suddenly the car's back door flung open, and a screaming young lady was trying to get out of the car. Don could see that someone had hold of her and was trying to pull her back inside. She had been beaten and her clothing was torn. Don picked up a tire iron he had in the truck and climbed out. He told the man to release the girl; he had called the police and wasn't going to let him leave with her. The girl managed to get free of the man's grip, and then ran over and hid behind Don. Persuasive conversation, the threat of the police and the tire iron convinced the young man that he better leave. After the young lady was safely with the police, Don headed home to tell his adventure. Luckily the young man was apprehended.

The chances are astronomical that Don would pick that particular night to dumpster dive. He could have done so any night for five years and didn't. Don said that he had no plan to check the dumpsters until he saw the exit. He realized that it was impulsive, especially since he was exhausted, still had to return the truck to work in midtown and then fight the traffic on the long commute home, but he was inexplicably drawn to the dumpsters.

I believe that Don was God's answer to this young lady's prayers. He honored the pull of the Holy Spirit and he was able to help a young woman in serious trouble. The police confided in Don that he probably saved the girl's life. The attack on her had been brutal.

### Something Was Off

Five years ago, October, my husband and I finished our foster care training and were waiting for our first placement. We waited and waited. Where were all the kids who needed love and security? We had set some guidelines for which kids would work into our household, but they weren't extreme. One to three girls, they must be at least in first grade so that I could work my home business during the day, and under fifteen. We continued to wait for months and considered leaving the private Christian agency to register with the county. We knew they must have children waiting for a home.

By March, we had decided to talk to the county and see if we could switch our licensing and training over to their service. I attended an introduction meeting and got the paperwork. We could transfer everything over without additional training. I filled out the packet and was ready to mail it in, but delayed. I wasn't sure why at the time, but I just felt like I needed to hold off for a while.

We got a call early in April for two sisters, one was thirteen and the youngest was five. I considered saying no since the youngest was not school age, but we had waited so long for children. I was willing to work around the youngest one's age and my job.

When I picked up the girls Saturday morning, my heart ached for them. They were so fragile after all the upheaval and drama. Their whole world and family had been ripped away only the night before.

We spent most of Saturday getting the girls settled in, shopping for clothes and necessities. They came with pjs and the outfit they were wearing. The girls were sweet and shy, and I knew right away that we had made the right decision.

Sunday morning we went to church and our church family lovingly welcomed them. The girls were grinning from ear to ear. We were meeting my grown daughter for lunch and the girls were excited about eating out and meeting my daughter and granddaughter. When the food came, however, Samy, our five year old, wasn't eating. She seemed tired and lethargic. I wrapped up her food for later. When we got home, I took her temperature, and she was normal. Samy had endured a lot of emotional turmoil over the last three days and I figured she was just worn out.

By early evening, she seemed to be even more subdued. Still no fever, no appetite and she just wanted to curl up in my lap. My husband told me not to worry, she might have picked up a cold at the children's home, and if she wasn't better by morning, I could get her in to see the doctor and get her checked out. I tried to relax, but there was a nagging dread in my gut.

A short time later, I told Don I was taking her to emergency. "I can't shake that there is something seriously wrong," I explained. I took her to county emergency where she was examined and the doctor explained that she was asthmatic. Apparently the parents had not explained her health conditions to the officers or social workers when she was removed, so no one had warned us. They administered breathing treatments and we remained for several hours.

"It's a good thing you brought her in this evening," the doctor whispered to me. "Her oxygen levels were so low, she would not have survived the night." I was horrified. What if I had waited till morning, only to find a dead child in her bed? I thanked God for the nagging uneasiness that I had felt.

They loaded us up with prescriptions for asthma maintenance and sent us home. Don watched over Samy while I picked up the many medicines. I had no clue what a program this would become to keep her healthy. When I returned, Samy was in Don's lap and I saw her belly popping when she breathed in and out. I watched for a few moments, realizing I had never seen anyone breathe this way before.

Suddenly a wave of panic swept over me and I told Don I was taking her back to emergency. "Something is wrong, she's getting worse," I exclaimed. Don came with me on the second trip to emergency and doctors, nurses and staff surrounded us when we were immediately taken to an exam room. She was rushed in for x-rays and it was discovered that both lungs were solid pneumonia. Her temperature shot up to 105 while we were waiting to have her admitted.

The first night I stayed with Samy at the local hospital, but Monday morning Samy and I were transported to Oakland Children's Hospital by helicopter. She spent seven days in ICU fighting for her life. After ten days in the hospital, she was released to come home.

This drama is filled with God's grace and timing. He kept our home open, ready for the girls when the abuse was finally reported. The abuse was exposed in time to save Samy's life. The girls were placed with us, a quiet home with no other children that may have distracted a parent from seeing Samy's symptoms until it was too late. But God had an even bigger plan. He placed these girls in our home, knowing that we would all fall in love. We adopted our sweet girls in November of 2013 on National Adoption Day.

### Treasure Hunt

I joined a group that was learning how to go on _Treasure Hunts_ , and God's kids are the treasure. We pray for guidance prior to beginning the hunt, and we write down impressions we get from the Holy Spirit. Mine this particular time was palm trees, blue shirt, music, and male. Our group began reviewing everyone's list and we set out to a shopping area that had some of the few groups of palm trees in our city. We discovered people that were described by the other participant's clues, but not mine. I was beginning to think that I was not doing it right or the Holy Spirit hadn't really spoken to me; everyone else was finding their person to approach and speak love into their lives.

We decided to leave the shopping area and head back to the leader's home to meet with the other small groups and share our experiences. When we came around the corner, crossing in the middle of the street was a young man, in a blue shirt, carrying a guitar case. "That's him," I exclaimed. "That's my guy." We stopped the car and the experienced leader and I got out and approached the man. The man appeared startled and I felt the Holy Spirit's nudge me to return to the car and minimize the invasion on this young man's space. Our group leader and the young man talked rather intently for several minutes and then the young man got into his car and left.

When our leader got back in the car, he directed the driver to park the car at the curb. Once parked, the leader explained that the young man with the guitar had grown up in the church but was struggling with his beliefs in God. He did not want to pray with us in that moment, but he asked us to all pray for him after he left.

This may seem like a stretch, but think about it. If we had not gone to that shopping center with the palm trees, if we had not left exactly when we did, and if I hadn't gotten the clues of blue shirt and music, we would not have connected with this person at that moment. I have no way of knowing what impact this event had on this young man's life, but you've got to admit, you would certainly be curious why strangers would stop in the street and explain that you were the treasure that the Holy Spirit had given them clues to find. God is so good!

For more information, refer to The Ultimate Treasure Hunt written by Kevin Dedmon.

# Bible Scripture King James and New International Versions

### God Speaks Through His Word

I started the "Cleansing Stream" program and was completing the assignments in the workbook. I came to a section that asked me what was on my heart and what I wanted God to deal with in my life. I wrote my son's name down. We had dealt with many serious issues since my son was thirteen. I was exhausted from the frustration and the worry.

On the next page in my workbook, I interpreted their instructions as ... open the Bible in order to see what God wants to say to you. _That's crazy,_ I thought. _It could not be that simple: not just anyone reading this workbook could get his or her answers this way._ _I had been in the church for years, and no one told me that God would speak to me this way. I thought only very spiritual people like my sister could get answers by randomly opening the Bible and having a scripture jump out at you._ Hesitantly, I got my Bible. I was scared and wanted it to be true, since I knew I would be very disappointed if I did not get a clear answer.

I prayed a very heartfelt prayer and opened my Bible. When the pages fell open, my eyes were drawn at 1 Kings 17:23.

23"Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, "Look, your son is alive!"

I sat there in shock, followed by sobbing. What were the chances that I would randomly open the Bible to the story of a mother who was in agony over her son?

This has been my sanity, my rock, and my promise. I know that God has assured me that my son will be ALIVE, not just living, but alive in Him. He is already living.

My waiting is sometimes patient, but most times not. Even though worry and anxiety creep in at times, I know my son will not be lost . . . God has given me his Word

### Speak My Words

I felt lead to share some difficult information with my pastor's wife about the church and I was not thrilled to be the one. I wanted confirmation before I jumped in and asked God to reveal His heart.

After praying, I fanned the NIV Bible pages and they fell open to the book of Esther. Now this was vague for me. I know she stood up and spoke out, but we had just finished a Bible study on Esther and I told God that the Bible would probably automatically open to this section. I explained that I needed a clearer directive.

I fanned the Bible again and it fell open to Deuteronomy and verse 1:14 jumped out for me.

You answered me, "What you propose to do is good."

I was being stubborn and did not want to approach the pastor's wife regarding this issue. I prayed again and explained that I plan on doing many things that could be considered good. I needed more specific confirmation if I was to speak to her. I fanned the Bible again and it opened to Jeremiah, and my eyes landed on verses 1:6-9.

6 _Alas, Sovereign_ _Lord_ _," I said, "I do not know how to speak; I am too young._

7 _But the_ _Lord_ _said to me, "Do not say, 'I am too young.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you._ 8 _Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the_ _Lord_ _._

9 _Then the_ _Lord_ _reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, "I have put my words in your mouth._

I got my very specific directive and I did call the pastor's wife and explained everything I felt the Lord had put on my heart. She received what some could call criticism very well and we began a plan to start the healing of many lonely souls in the congregation.

### Sometimes We Won't Like God's Response

My son explained to me that God does not hear his prayers. After I prayed for my son's pain, I opened the Bible and this verse jumped out.

Jeremiah 8:6

_I have listened attentively,_ _but they do not say what is right. None of them repent of their wickedness, saying, "What have I done?" Each pursues their own course_ _like a horse charging into battle._

When I shared this with my son, he was not terribly receptive.

### He Will Set You Straight

My son became involved in witchcraft and tried to convince me that he could get power through the dark side. He didn't need God. I prayed and asked for a Word for my son. This is where the Bible opened to ...

Isaiah 47: 12-15

12"Keep on, then, with your magic spells and with your many sorceries, which you have labored at since childhood. Perhaps you will succeed, perhaps you will cause terror. 13All the counsel you have received has only worn you out! Let your astrologers come forward, those stargazers who make predictions month by month, let them save you from what is coming upon you. 14Surely they are like stubble; the fire will burn them up. They cannot even save themselves from the power of the flame. These are not coals for warmth; this is not a fire to sit by. 15That is all they are to you—these you have dealt with and labored with since childhood. All of them go on in their error; there is not one that can save you.

My son disregarded this warning at the time, but eventually burnt all of his witchcraft and satanic items in our fire pit. He felt so strongly about breaking the connection that they could not just be thrown away, they had to be burned.

### Payback

I shared my stories about receiving scripture with my granddaughter. She was so excited and wanted to try. I have to admit I was a little hesitant. I didn't want her disappointed if she didn't get an answer. I explained to her that God works in his own ways in the right moments. She would not be discouraged. She thought of her question and didn't want to share until after she opened the Bible. This made me even more nervous. I prayed with her and she opened the Bible. She immediately began reading and looked at me with surprise and confusion. What does this mean she asked? She showed me ...

Ecclesiastes 3:15-17

15Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account. 16And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment—wickedness was there, in the place of justice—wickedness was there. 17I said to myself, "God will bring into judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time to judge every deed."

I explained to her that man would answer for what he has done, good or bad. That God knows and sees it all and it will not be ignored.

She smiled a huge grin. I asked her if this answered her question. She said yes, it had. She asked God why people who do bad things don't get caught or stopped. She was content in knowing that the bad people would be dealt with and they wouldn't get by with the bad things they did forever.

NOTE: As convenient as e-version Bibles are for reading, a printed Bible will always be my resource when seeking God's direction through scripture. I am sure He can direct us however we choose to read His Word, but my experiences of holding the physical Bible and allowing it to fall open to the scriptures that speak to my heart provides comfort for me. I love to look at the thin, translucent pages and see my notes and highlighting. Quick reminders of how God reached out to me, personally.

# Visions

Assurance

I had been battling for my son's life and salvation through prayer. He had chosen a very dangerous and dark path. One Sunday I was at a church service and not even thinking about Rob. I was standing, worshiping and felt the presence of the Holy Spirit so dramatically that it took my breath away. Suddenly everyone around me for five feet or so in each direction disappeared. I realized that I was now sitting and I felt someone sit in close next to me. As I turned to face the person, he brought his arm up around my shoulders. It was my son. He whispered in my ear "I knew where to find you." I looked into his deep brown eyes and saw such peace and joy there - something I had not seen for many years. The emotions and tears began to well up.

Then just as quickly, everyone was back around me and I was standing again. I turned and searched the room to find my son but he wasn't there.

I shared the experience with several people I trust. They felt God was assuring me that I had displayed my faith and commitment clearly to Rob; and that Rob would find his way. God gave me the chance to see the eventual outcome for my son; his eyes revealed an inner peace and joy. My son is not beyond God's grace.

# Prophecy

The Doll

I was at a large retreat and one of the guest speakers was known for her gift of prophecy. The first evening, she selected several ladies and gave them a profound revelation about their life and their relationship with God. I was thinking, I wish God would give her something for me, but there were so many women. She scanned the room, and her eyes focused on me. "Karen," she started. This freaked me out, how did she know my name? Then I realized I was wearing a nametag. Duh....

"Karen, God showed me a picture for you. He showed me a little girl that is holding a doll. She loves her doll, but doesn't know how to take care of it. She leaves the doll lying alone, or drags it on the ground when she walks. She wants the doll, but doesn't consider the care that the doll needs."

My throat tightened and I could feel tears welling up in my eyes. I didn't know how, but I knew this was going to be intense.

"I asked God, is Karen the little girl? and He said, No, she is the doll," she continued.

I felt my legs go weak and I had to support myself by holding on to the back of my chair. This made no sense to anyone else in the room, but it cut into my heart.

My mother was a good woman, but she had so much disappointment in her life that she had become numb. When she married my father, they had three children within a year of each other and she was trapped in a difficult marriage with three small children, no education and no way out. She loved us, but she was emotionally removed. I remember as a young child, she sat us down and informed us that she was tired of hearing "mommy" all day long and she expected us to call her Mother. This put even more of a wedge between her and us.

I oddly felt a dark cloud lift of me. It was like God confirmed that what I had always felt but couldn't express to her, was real.

My mother had been excited about my attending the conference and she would want to know all the details. We had worked through some of our issues over the years, but I was hesitant to share the prophecy with her. I knew that it would hurt her. I consulted her husband before I talked to her about the retreat and he told me that I had to tell her. It was part of the healing.

We cried, she apologized and we were able to really talk about what happened in our family. Once I understood what she was dealing with, so many things made sense. Before my mother passed, we had created a new relationship that was loving and whole.

### Octopus

I was visiting a dear friend who had just had surgery. Several other ladies and myself bought dinner and spent time with our friend who is a tiny lady who has dealt with incredible obstacles in her life, but she is a warrior for Christ. She has been blessed with the profound gift of prophecy and I have to admit, I always hoped she would have a WORD for me.

After dinner she announced that she had indeed gotten a word for each of us. I was last and couldn't wait to hear the words of encouragement she had for me, but there is always that nudge of fear that you will get "called out" about something instead. God sees it all.

"Karen, God showed me an octopus for you. He revealed that you have so many things going on in your life, that there is no room for your relationship with Him. He wants more of you and that is just not happening. He knows that these interests are important and that you are unable to sever any arms. So... He is going to do it for you."

I was freaking out. Oh no, what was He going to take away. I was a volunteer at a homeless shelter every week, a full time business, youth leader, and on and on. I was angry, everything I did was valuable and I didn't want to give up these commitments. I left feeling violated; like God was taking control and chopping away the parts of my life I cherished. I had always been taught that He doesn't work that way.

Over the next few months, things began to change around me. Other people stepped up to help, the shelter program shifted and the time I needed to commit was adjusted. I realized that God didn't rip things away from me; he moved circumstances and other people so that I could be more accessible. It was not a painful rip; it was a smooth, thoughtful transition.

As I type this, I am so emotional. I just now realized that He wanted me to write. He had that plan for my life, and I couldn't have even considered writing with my previous schedule. The last five years has been an incredible partnership with God. We have written Anessia's Quest, Raider's Vendetta, Slimy, Miraculous Relationship and soon to release, Leadbottom.

I thought He was taking away my opportunities to bless others, but He created a way that I could touch so many more souls with His love.

Wow, you just shared my revelation!

# Submissions by Alanna Lefsaker

# Groceries

We lived in Sacramento, California with our three small children. My husband had a good job; we had a nice house in a good neighborhood and a nice SUV. We were going to a wonderful church where we were saved and filled with the Holy Spirit. We were learning about faith in a lot of ways during this time.

Somehow we got behind on our bills including our house payment. We couldn't figure out how and it was very strange because we didn't waste money on anything. I wasn't keeping close tabs on our finances (I was young) so we just didn't know why this was happening. We didn't tell anyone, not friends, family or even our pastor. We decided to trust God and pray about it. One Sunday we were getting ready for church and after breakfast I told my husband we were out of food. We didn't have a credit card back then so broke meant broke, no money from anywhere. I remember thinking I would really like an apple as we left the house. It wasn't a prayer, just a fleeting thought.

When we came home and I went into the kitchen, I saw grocery bags on our back porch through the sliding glass door. We went out to see what it was and were shocked to see all kinds of groceries. I was speechless when I saw two bags of apples! We had no idea where the food had come from.

A while later my parents called. My mom said they had come by and we were gone so they dropped off some groceries. They didn't know anything about our financial problems and they had never done this before.

I thanked her and asked her why, and she said they were shopping and something told her to buy groceries for us. Eventually, we made our house payment and got caught up on all our bills. To this day I can't tell you how we got so broke and I can't tell you how we got caught up. Getting out of debt was a miracle but the miracle that hit me the strongest was the groceries, especially the apples.

# Needed a Roof

When we first moved to Idaho on our land in the Snake River breaks, we stayed in a small cabin with our 3 children that we had built while a carpenter friend built our permanent house. We were close friends with this man and his family even though we did not agree on religious beliefs. We had agreed to disagree and to be friends. His wife and I became very close.

Our land was very remote without power, telephone or paved roads. We knew that we would be snowed in for 3 months once winter hit and our house was almost finished except for the roof. We were getting dangerously close to the snow season. Our temporary home would not be adequate for the cold, long winter that was quickly approaching.

One day, our carpenter friend drove up, gathered his tools and said he couldn't work on our house anymore because of our religious differences. He believed that two years should be long enough to convert us, and when it wasn't, Yawea told him he couldn't pound any more nails for us. He even said our place would be desolate. He looked very sad about it all and I told him, "Don't worry about us. We will be fine."

He drove away and I went into our cabin and cried because I knew our friendship was over and I worried about how our home would be finished in time for winter. We needed it done soon or not only would we have to find a place to stay for the winter but our house would be ruined inside by rain and snow.

My husband, Ken, smiled and said he had a peace about the whole thing. I just shook my head and walked up the hill to our unfinished house. I walked inside and looked up at the open ceiling. A great peace came over me and I started to laugh. I spread my arms out and said "You are going to fix this, aren't You."

Soon after, a neighbor walked up with a hammer and smiled at us. "Yaweh told me to come pound some nails!" He had spoken to our Yawist friend as he was driving out of our canyon.

That very evening, a truck pulled up to our gate and a couple got out holding hammers. They yelled out, "Hello," and we met them at the gate. "We bought the land next to you and plan on spending a few weeks on the property. We're from Missouri. Do you need help building your house?" We laughed and said yes we did.

We went to the tiny town of Cottonwood the next day to do laundry, and while we were at the store/laundromat, the owner called out and asked if there was a Ken Lefsaker in the store? It was Ken's brother in California _(whom we hadn't heard from in years)_ calling, trying to track us down. He didn't know anything that had gone on but wanted to come visit and offer his help with building the house.

A week later, our house was finished due to the many people that God brought to us and as we moved the last of our stuff into the house it started snowing. We were warm and safe and snowed in within a few days. Oh, and our house was never desolate.

# Signs of Wonder

My husband Ken and I were going to a city in Northern Idaho for a weekend and our pastor told us about a couple who lived there and were experiencing miracles of gold dust and gems. Our pastor had been to their church before and trusted the pastors there. He said that if we had time we should check it out.

Ken sent an email to the church saying we were coming that way and that we would like to meet with Terry and Geri, his wife, after service on Sunday. We never received a reply but decided to go to the church anyway.

We had the time of the service wrong so we got there early and no one was there yet. We waited in the parking lot and I saw a man walking towards us over a grassy area by the lot. I just knew it was Terry. I told Ken, "That's him." Ken said how do you know? I couldn't explain it, I just knew.

He walked up to us and I said, "Are you Terry?"

He smiled and said, "Yes, who are you?"

We introduced ourselves and he said he remembered that they had gotten the letter we sent but didn't reply because they had so many strange people looking them up about the gems. They decided to see if we would show up and what would come of it.

As he talked to us, his black suit started to glimmer with specks of gold. In seconds, his head, shoulders and beard were just covered in the gold dust. We started laughing and he told us that it happens all the time. I had heard about it but to see it was amazing. No tricks, and no gimmicks. We were outside and there was no one around to throw it on him which some skeptics claim. We talked until people arrived and he invited us to sit with him and his wife during the service.

We sat down and his wife nudged me. I looked over and she handed me a case and whispered, "Open it!" Inside were a dozen or so large gems of different colors. They sparkled in the light, and were beautiful.

After church they took us out to lunch with some of their friends and told us about the gems and how they found them. Some fell in front of them in their yard.

We have become friends with them through the years and know without a doubt that they are honest people who love God with all their hearts. If I had just heard the stories, I might have doubted, but after seeing the gold dust fall many times when we were with them and our own pastor finding a gem one day in their yard, we know it is real and from God.

So why would God do this? All I know is, it speaks to me of God's miraculous abilities and His love. He likes to surprise and bring us joy. He walked with Adam and Eve in the garden and showed them all kinds of things. Too many people keep God at a distance, up in the Heavens, never interacting with us humans. What a sad thing to have that kind of relationship.

Karen: I was allowed to hold one of the gems while visiting my sister in Idaho. I held the gem up in the sunlight and remember thinking as joy filled me, "This is gravel from Heaven!"

If you want to know more about the gems, look up Patricia King on line and the interview she did with Terry & Geri about the gems.

# Glittery

My husband, Ken and I went to a worship service in a nearby town that our pastor was speaking at. Our worship team led us in worship that brought in an awesome Spirit of prayer and praise. At the end of the service I was talking with someone when a friend came up and said, "Come quick! There is gold dust falling on Ken while he is praying over someone."

I went over and unknown to Ken at the time gold dust was falling out of the air and landing on his shoulders. When he was done praying, we laughed and told him about the gold dust. He couldn't see it because it was on his back. A lady got some clear tape and we used the tape to pick up the gold dust. It is in my bible to this day.

Why did God do this? Why not? He can show His power any way He wants. This was not a new thing for us. We had seen it before but it was the first time it happened to us.

Karen: I was able to see the gold incased in tape first hand in my sister's Bible.

# Near Death?

One day, my husband Ken and I were driving along a two-lane road that ran along the hills in Pleasanton California. The car ahead of us stopped to make a left turn and I watched in horror, as we didn't slow down. I yelled, "Ken! Aren't you going to stop?!"

I didn't realize that he was looking in his side mirror at something behind us and he didn't know the car in front of us had stopped. He turned his head forward and slammed on the brakes, but I knew it was too late. We were traveling at 55 mph. Ken turned the wheel to the right with all of his strength and I saw a telephone pole right in front of us before Ken and I were thrown down onto the bench seat from the force of the sharp turn. This was before everyone wore seat belts, and I braced for the impact knowing we would die at the speed we were going. Suddenly, the car stopped and there was no jarring impact or the sound of metal slamming into the pole or another car.

We sat up and looked around, and our car was sitting on the road facing the direction we were originally going. Ken looked at me with wide eyes and I said, "Why didn't we hit something?" He said he didn't know. We could see for a mile or so ahead and to the left, and the other car was nowhere in sight. It was truly a miracle that we were sitting unharmed on the road.

I said, "The last thing I saw was a telephone pole right in front of us. How did we miss it and the car?"

Ken just shook his head and said, "I have no idea. I thought we were going to die. If we had hit either one at that speed we were going it would have killed us."

The only explanation is that God saved us. Maybe someone out there has a testimony of how their car almost got slammed from behind and they suddenly found themselves out of harm's way. I would love to hear the other driver's story.

# Aneurism?

My husband was suffering from very bad headaches for some time and I had begun praying for his relief. Ken stopped mentioning them and I didn't know if he was feeling better or was just suffering in silence. He dismissed my concerns when I would ask and said he was fine.

One night I woke up while lying next to my sleeping husband and I heard the word "aneurism" very clearly in my head. I ignored it and turned onto my side, trying to go back to sleep. I dreamily saw the word "aneurism" written out in my mind. I jerked awake in alarm and said "Ok God, is this you? What do you want me to pray and for whom?"

I turned back over and saw Ken lying next to me. I put my hand on his back and prayed a simple prayer for protection and healing, and then I went back to sleep.

In the morning when Ken got up I asked, "Are you still getting headaches?"

He admitted, "Yeah, the pain is constant."

I asked, "Do you have one now?"

He looked at me, and paused as if he was taking inventory, and said "No. I don't. I feel good."

I smiled and said, "What is an aneurism? I've heard of it but I don't know what it is."

Ken explained that it was a blood clot in the brain and will kill a person. "Why?" he asked.

I told him what I heard and saw and that I prayed for him. His headaches didn't come back after that. I can't say we went to a doctor and had tests done, but I don't believe it was a coincidence. I believe God healed Ken before we even knew he needed it.

# Submissions by Jeannine Dae

It is a scary thing to write something in the same book with my treasured friend, Karen Arnpriester. When I read anything she has written, I can picture the scenes and dialog full of color and life. I hear her voice just as if she is talking to me. She is a hard act to follow! So, you have been warned... read on, if you dare. I want to share a few of the many ways I have experienced heaven touching earth.

I love the cover of this book. It is such a picture of what God has done in my life – His strong hand literally reached down from on high to rescue me out of a very deep pit. Many times God moves in instant miracles. But He is also big on "process" miracles. Those are the ones He uses most often when he is transforming our character. He generally uses "process" miracles when he takes what the enemy meant for evil in our lives and transforms it into something he uses for good instead – the way he did for Joseph in the bible. (If you haven't done so, I recommend reading about Joseph's 'process' in the Old Testament book of Genesis, chapters 37 – 50.) So for me, the cover of this book is a picture of how God pulled me up incrementally out of a very wicked, deep pit, motivating me to cooperate with him and learn to fight the good fight of faith. As I cooperated, he pulled me all the way out of that vile pit and planted me on solid ground. He gave me a brand new royal identity as the dearly loved child of the King of Kings. He taught me to wear heavenly armor. He equipped and trained me to fight with heavenly weapons of war. He invited me to follow him into a new life of healing, and the adventure of helping to minister his healing to others. I can't imagine a better life!

# Salvation is a Miracle!

### What if what they say is true?

What if what they say is true?

Angels rejoicing? How can this be?

Jesus, how could you ever want me?

Don't you know where I have been?

I have rolled in the dirt; I been slimed by life.

Jesus, how could you ever want me?

Don't you know where I have been?

Jesus, I been told you came to heal the sick.

I been told you eat with prostitutes.

You're not afraid to touch the lepers.

And you make blind men see.

Jesus, I been told that you can make me clean.

Jesus, I been told you died for me.

What if what they say is true?

Jesus, if you could just make me clean,

I would give my whole life to you!

It took a long time for the Holy Spirit and his anointed ministers to gradually melt my cynical, suspicious, hardened heart. Finally, their efforts created in me a deep longing for the powerful love and cleanness this Jesus could provide. They also finally convinced me of the truth that Jesus IS Truth. (In the Bible, Jesus says, in John 14:6, _"I am the way and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.")_

I grew up in an alcoholic family. Years later, in a twelve step codependency-recovery group, I learned the nature of alcoholism is that the entire family is seriously affected by it – each individual person, and the family unit itself. Among the symptoms of the family sickness is the effort to appear 'normal', even 'perfect', to outsiders. But 'normal' for an alcoholic family is really a lifestyle of deception, denial, secrecy, lies, and broken promises. Then there is the world around us which can be every bit as deceiving as that suffering alcoholic family. Over time, I became so very hungry for truth that I could just count on to always be truth.

I was walking through a bitterly desperate, difficult time in my life and my children's lives when, at the age of thirty-two, I finally did give my whole life to Jesus. Salvation is my favorite miracle. Truth we can count on to always be truth is a miracle! God's forgiveness is the truth. Forgiveness is a miracle! When we come to Jesus, we are completely forgiven! Jesus' blood has paid it all! There is nothing we have done that his blood is insufficient to cover! We are completely washed clean from the stain of every wrong thing we have ever done, and from the stain of every wrong thing ever done to us by others. That is truth! It will always be truth.

I have been following Jesus for almost thirty years now, and I am still, even just this week, getting new truth, new revelations, of just how forgiven I am. It is worth repeating - Jesus blood has paid it all! Grasping how forgiven I am has given me the miracle of grace to forgive others – even for things I used to believe were unforgiveable. The resentments, bitterness and grudges I used to clutch so tightly have lost all their power.

# Spiritual Languages Are a Miracle!

### Prayer Language

After I had been a saved, water-baptized believer for a few years, I began to really seek God for baptism in the Holy Spirit, and the miracle of spiritual prayer language. Most of the people in my church had this gift and I had sought it diligently to no avail. In fact it seemed like all of hell was resisting my receiving this baptism. Things came to a head one Sunday night kneeling at the altar after a service focused on Holy Spirit baptism. My friend, Jennie, prayed with me as I sought God for about the hundredth time in recent months. I wanted this Holy Spirit baptism and a prayer language more than I'd ever wanted anything. Nothing happened, except that the deeper I sought the Lord, the more clearly I began to actually hear voices, sounding like my thoughts, saying "It's not for me, it's not for me, it's not for me". I could not get them to stop. Finally I told my friend; she looked at me and just said "Voices, shut up!" They did! I was immediately baptized with the Holy Spirit.

A new Holy Spirit prayer language began to pour out of me as if it was a language I had spoken all my life. I did not understand the words but I understood their passion as I poured out my heart to God in more effective words than my mind could ever have formed. It literally felt as if, finally, something deep, deep inside me had been unlocked and freed to connect directly to the God of my salvation. That precious, coveted language just kept pouring from me with scarcely time wasted on breathing, for more than an hour. My friend and I, along with our pastor and his wife, were the only ones left in the church when I was finally able to get up from the altar so they could go home.

All these years later, my spiritual language is still a treasured miracle gift that I use every single day in talking to my Savior.

### The Language of Dreams and Visions

I went with my friend, Jennie, to my first women's retreat soon after receiving Holy Spirit baptism. My friend had been a believer for many years. She was a prayer warrior and taught me many things about faith, humility, obedience and spiritual warfare. One night she was awake spending time with the Lord while I slept. She told me much later that I had been tossing and moaning in my sleep, as if in a nightmare. As she watched, the Lord showed my friend a vision of a demon right beside my shoulder, with a pointed face like a long needle, right next to my head. It was tormenting me with accusations and fear, as if injecting poison into my mind. My friend asked Jesus what he wanted her to do with the vision he was showing her. Jesus told her to just pray protection over my mind and don't tell me about the demon; Jesus told her that he would be dealing with the demon at the proper time.

At home a few days later, I woke early in the morning from a very detailed and memorable dream. I dreamed that as I entered an elevator and the door closed behind me, I became aware that there was a very hideous demon attached to my back and shoulder injecting something into my mind. Instantly in the dream the elevator went dark; there was a terrible, chaotic battle going on but I could not see what was happening. I was there but was not involved in the fight. Then the elevator lights came back on and the door opened at the destination floor. I reached over my shoulder and calmly peeled away from me something flat, dark and lifeless. I dropped it onto the ground, stepped over it, and walked away clean, peaceful and free.

After waking from that strange dream, I got ready and left for work. Arriving at work, I turned the calendar page to the current day on my "daily bible verse" calendar. Instead of the expected Bible verse on the new calendar page, I found this sentence: _"Dreams really do come true in Jesus."_ That happened many years ago, but I still have that calendar page - and my freedom.

### The Language of Prophecy

In the early years of walking with Jesus, he gave me a life promise through a prophecy from a woman minister. That promise is found in the Old Testament book of Joel, chapter 2:25-28. God promised to restore to me all that the enemy had devoured from my life. He promised he would pour out his Spirit upon my children, and he said we would prophesy, dream dreams, and see visions. I have seen some of this prophecy come to pass, and I wait expectantly, knowing there is still more to come.

# Provision is a Miracle!

### Downsize Me

The Bible teaches the spiritual discipline of tithing a tenth of our income. God promises to bless us for obedience in this. In the Old Testament book of Malachi, chapter 3, I read that if I tithe, God says _"I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won't have enough room to take it in! Try it! Let me prove it to you!"_ A friend of mine shared her perspective: "God owns it all. He is being generous – he lets us keep 90%."

I had to really wrestle hard with financial faith questions... Who am I really serving - God or money? What do I trust in - a supernatural miracle-working God, or my own strength? I'm grateful to be able to say that many years ago I chose God, and the joy of radically, extravagantly trusting him to provide. I have never been sorry for making that choice.

This new-to-me concept of giving away a tenth of what little money I had to make ends meet just seemed crazy in the early years of my walk with Jesus. I was raising my kids as a single mom, working a full-time job and also held a part-time supplemental job to earn enough money to pay all the bills. Some sporadic child support had been coming in, but not in any consistent amount or timing. I gratefully viewed each child support check I did receive as a miracle from God. Eventually, however, the day came when it became clear no more support checks were going to come. At about that same time, my work income was reduced due to my employer's economic issues. My new total income was about a third lower than what I actually needed to pay the bills. Very shortly I had used up what little savings I had, just trying to make ends meet, and had to face the reality that I would not be able to continue paying the high monthly rent for the nice townhouse where we currently lived. I needed to move my family very quickly into a smaller, less expensive rental.

I gave my landlord a thirty-day notice and started urgently searching rentals and praying for a miracle – seeking God to help me find a safe, affordable place for us to live, and provide a money miracle to pay for the deposit on a new rental. I was a very shy, private, fiercely independent person. I believed "it all depended on me" to provide, and that I was failing at providing for my family. My financial situation had become urgent, and God was my only hope for rescue. So, at my next small group meeting, I gathered up all my courage, told my small group of my financial struggle, and asked for prayer. I felt ashamed, and feared they would judge me a failure as harshly as I was judging myself. What they did instead was love, encourage, pray for the miracles I needed – and then they quickly organized a group yard sale to raise money toward my moving deposit. In what seemed like a completely crazy leap of faith, I tithed on that desperately needed deposit money. And I made an absolute commitment to tithe from that point on any other money that came into my possession.

The month was passing so quickly, with only one week remaining till I needed to move. I still had not been able to find a place I could afford, that would also be a safe neighborhood for my children. On the last Tuesday morning we would spend in our current home, I was so desperate and getting really scared. What scared me most was failing my children – I was trying so hard to help them feel secure; trying so hard to be a good role model of a responsible, faith-filled parent. And we were one week away from being homeless! In our weekday schedule, the children left for school a half hour before I left for work. That quiet half hour was my special prayer time each weekday. That morning I was so desperate, I lay face down on the floor and cried out to the Lord, sobbing my urgent petition for his miraculous help. I begged him to open up a place for us to live; begged him not to let my children see me fail; not to let my children become homeless.

When my prayer was done, I got up, washed the tears off my face, and opened the newspaper for my recent daily ritual of searching the rental ads. That morning I found my miracle. It was a tiny, newly placed ad that stood out in 'Holy Spirit highlighting' just as if it had been typed in bold font and yellow-highlighted just for me to find. It had not been in yesterday's paper. The ad offered a rental price that I could afford, and it was located in a relatively good neighborhood. I quickly called the phone number; half expecting to hear it was already rented. The woman who answered said to come right over, so I notified work I would be late, and drove there immediately.

I had seen so many really pitiful places for the small price I could afford, that my hopes were not high. But God opened a door to something special. I met a wonderful, elderly Christian couple who lived in one half of a duplex and rented out the other half. Their rental unit was clean, cute but 'no-frills', and just what I needed. It was priced well below what they could actually have charged for it. Nervously, I asked about the cost of deposit. They looked at each other, and then quoted a deposit amount far lower than any other place I had seen - in fact, what they quoted was the exact amount raised by my small group's yard sale, minus the tithe I had paid on it! I asked when the unit would be available. They said I could move in that weekend. I asked if they needed to run a credit check first. Before they could answer, their phone rang. The husband answered the caller's inquiry about their rental unit by saying he was sorry but they had just rented it (to me!). They never did run a credit check or even ask any financial questions, or ask for references.

My small group leaders organized a "moving posse" of pickup trucks and helped me move in that weekend, rejoicing with me in what God had done. But God was not content to just give my children and me a new, affordable home. He taught me about the value of risking vulnerability and letting other people help. He reinforced the truth of his abundant provision when I obediently tithe. And he greatly blessed my children and me with that lovely elderly couple who became far more than just our landlords. They were role models of mature Christian faith and obedience, beginning with the way they had prayed for God's choice of a renter for their unit, and recognized God's choice as soon as I walked through their door! They became treasured friends and we shared about ten years of powerful prayer and fellowship until they went home to be with Jesus.

### Pennies from Heaven

God frequently provides through other people. He uses other believers in the family of God, and he uses unbelievers. I have been blessed with so many provision miracles. Here are just a few of them.

### Provision through the family of God:

During the years of raising my children, finances were consistently pretty tight with only one income-earner and three growing children to support. It always seemed like there was more month than money! Money was given to me anonymously by church family many times; the donor(s) generally asked one of my pastors to deliver it to me. He did, hiding it inside his bible for privacy. Money was given to me one desperate time through an anonymous cashier's check left in my mailbox. It was for exactly the amount of money I needed to complete my rent payment.

Bags and boxes of groceries miraculously appeared on my doorstep just at the point of great need many times! Clothes for kids or for me were provided many times just when they were needed - from fellow believers who suddenly felt the need to clean out their closets. A Christmas tree was placed anonymously on our front porch after I had told the kids we would have to do without one that year.

My bed was worn out and causing me back pain; my friends found out, pooled their money together and bought me a new mattress set.

I had always wanted a round oak dining table set but could not afford to buy one. Friends who did not even know how much I wanted one had purchased a new dining set, and 'just happened' to ask me if I would like to have their old round oak dining set and matching hutch.

### Provision through Unbelievers:

For several years, I worked at a facility with a doctor who faithfully served Allah. We had many conversations about Jesus during that time, but he was not open to seeing Jesus as more than a prophet. On several occasions, I received an unexpected but much needed gift of financial provision through side jobs doing this doctor's private practice bookkeeping or transcription. He even blessed me with a beautiful new leather bible not long after I had asked God for one. A Christian patient had given it to the doctor as a gift. He asked me to take it, saying he regarded the book as holy but could not keep it because he would dishonor it by leaving it unused. I did not get to keep the new leather bible for long – it travelled with me to a homeless shelter where friends and I ministered each week. I forgot it there, where hopefully it spoke life into the heart of someone ready to receive the Good News.

I was involved in a twelve-step group for several years. My car engine needed to be rebuilt, which was far too expensive, so I walked everywhere. A man who was relatively new to the twelve-step group found out about the car engine, said he was an experienced mechanic, and offered to re-build and re-install the engine for me. Cautious of his motives, I asked what he wanted in payment for all his labor. He said "Just dinner on the nights I work on the car". The man worked, taught my teenage son mechanics, ate dinner and asked many questions about Jesus, then finally asked Jesus into his heart. What he had really wanted in exchange for his labor, was the Jesus he saw in me at that twelve-step group where they can only refer to a 'higher power' or 'God as you understand him'. Jesus still shone through! He promptly shared Jesus with his grown children and new wife, and anyone else who would listen!

The Lord knew how much I wanted a piano, which was financially very far beyond my means. A stranger on the other side of town received a gift from her husband of a new professional keyboard. Because she didn't have room for both, and didn't need the money, she decided to give away her upright piano and just keep the new keyboard. She told her friend (one of my coworkers) she wanted to give away her piano free to someone who really wanted one. My coworker knew I wanted one, and I became the blessed person to receive that free piano!

# Healing is a Miracle!

### Depression Defeated

I struggled for many years with deep, recurrent bouts of depression. During prayer for healing of depression a few years after my salvation, Jesus revealed that he had been given a place in my heart and life, but not the central place. I immediately recognized that as truth and yielded that central place to him. Jesus is still on the throne, at the center of all that I am, and over time, depression has been completely defeated.

Defeating depression was one of those "process" miracles I mentioned earlier. In the Old Testament, the book of Isaiah, chapter 9, one title that Jesus bears is "Wonderful Counselor". Jesus used several tools at various times, and in various combinations, on the way to healing my depression. He used good Christian counseling, prayer ministry, medication, a therapy light, sunlight, exercise, praise music. And he used my words, after first teaching me about the destructiveness of my vicious, negative words (that I spoke to myself, to others, and about situations).

Negative words are like speaking curses - they cause destruction. A friend of mine calls that "stinking thinking". The bible talks about words in many places, including Psalm 52:2 "Your tongue cuts like a sharp razor" and in James 3:5 "The tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do". Wow. So, I learned to break agreement with my negative words and then replace them with positive words that agree with what God has to say. It took some discipline, and those positive words didn't always feel like truth at first. But over time, positive words had a powerful medicinal effect, finally vanquishing depression. Proverbs 15:4 says "Gentle words bring life and health". Deuteronomy 30:10 says "I have set before you ... life and death, blessings and curses... choose life". Healing is a miracle!

### All God's Creatures

My new puppy was an adorable, affectionate bundle of energy that brought me great enjoy the first couple weeks I had her. I fell hopelessly in love with her. Then one day she had a violent seizure. It was followed by several more in the next couple days, before the veterinarian became available to see her. The vet diagnosed a serious liver shunt which was preventing my little puppy's blood from being cleansed of toxins. The toxin building up in her blood was causing seizures which would lead to neurological damage and death. The vet advised me to have my puppy euthanized. I asked about other options. A very expensive surgery was sometimes helpful, but no guarantee could be made. I could not afford the surgery anyway.

I refused the deadly alternative, took my sick puppy home, and did some extensive online research. I found a couple British articles outlining an alternative treatment involving medication and special diet. I proceeded with that alternative treatment for my puppy and asked my friends to join me in praying for God to heal her. God answers prayer – even prayer for healing of a sick puppy. My little puppy is now a fully healthy, medicine-free three year old dog who still blesses me daily with her love.

# Deliverance is a Miracle!

### Fear, Leave!

A few years after my salvation, I spent a day helping someone move out of a very abusive situation, and into a safe place to find healing. The abuser was not home at the time, so there was no immediate danger, and nothing really to be afraid of during the time it took to move the person's belongings out of that home. Later in the day, returning to my own home, I was overcome by fear. I felt right on the edge of panic, there was so much fear. I went inside my house, and the fear just seemed to become increasingly worse. I had been seeing a good Christian counselor at the time, and this huge, increasing fear felt like an emergency, so I called my counselor, who asked me to describe what I had been doing that day before the fear started. I did, and then my counselor said "That isn't your emotion. That is a demon, a spirit of fear. It was probably in that house you just left, and it came home with you. It doesn't belong there. Command it to leave." I said I didn't know how, and didn't think I believed that anyway. My counselor said that truth is truth whether I believed it or not; and then asked if I wanted to keep feeling that awful fear or get rid of it; and then said "You are a Christian. The same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead (the Holy Spirit), lives inside you. Demons have to obey. Command fear to leave. Do it now." So I did. "Fear – you leave, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ! Fear, leave now!" ... and fear left. Instantly. Completely. Wow! Then my counselor prayed for God's peace and love to be poured out on me and my home. And God did that for me.

### Housecleaning

My friend, Jennie, first taught me to clean house. I learned that my house really needed cleaning! I learned that cleaning house is more than just scrubbing, dusting, and vacuuming. Christians should periodically do spiritual housecleaning as well. As the legal residents of their dwelling, they should regularly worship, pray and speak scripture aloud in their home, repent for sins committed, anoint the doors and windows with oil, and consecrate their home to the Lord Jesus. (Anointing with oil is mentioned many times in the bible. The oil represents the blood of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit.) The first time I did spiritual housecleaning, I learned how very important it is – God immediately responded by filling my home with peace!

I learned that the bible speaks in many places about what we choose to bring into our life and our dwelling. Just a few of these scriptures include Deuteronomy 7:25-26; Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Joshua 24:14-24; and the Ten Commandments, found in Exodus 20:1-17.

Over the years, I was often part of a group of believers asked to go and pray through homes that were not filled with God's peace, but rather, were being tormented by the opposite, seriously affecting the people living there. Spiritual darkness shows up in a variety of ways such as ongoing illness, constant financial crisis; nightmares; fear; relational strife; apparitions or poltergeists; a heavy or dark atmosphere; severe depression; hopelessness, etc. During times of prayer over homes, God can speak to a Christian through his Holy Spirit to reveal the cause of the problem. A few of the activities, choices, and objects in a home that may invite spiritual darkness include: abuse done by or to present or past residents; pornography; violent or demonic video games, films, books, posters, music; anger being allowed to rule someone; bitterness and unforgiveness; occult involvement by present or past residents; occult objects or symbols. When sin was repented, certain objects removed and destroyed, and curses broken, I have seen God move in Holy Spirit power to cleanse away spiritual darkness, filling homes and their residents with his peace.

### Life Restoration Project

I was tormented with flashbacks and with intrusive mental images, as the aftermath of some trauma earlier in my life. In response to my ministers' prayers, Jesus cast out tormenting spirits causing the problems, and I immediately received tangible new peace and purity that remains in effect to this day. Deliverance is a miracle!

God is still working on restoring my life. At the same time, over the years, he has been equipping, training, calling, and anointing me for the privilege of ministering healing and deliverance to others in their life restoration project. God takes the very things the enemy means for evil in our lives, and turns them all around to be used for good.

# Protection is a Miracle!

### Battle Gear

In receiving training for ministry, I learned that the best protection miracle God gives us is the full armor of God, as described in the New Testament book of Ephesians 6:10-18, so we can stand our ground in battle against the forces of hell. That battle is fought in prayer with spiritual weaponry mightier than any weapon this earth has devised. The Word of God, the Blood of Jesus, and the Name of Jesus, are powerful spiritual weapons I was taught to use. I learned they are wielded most effectively when I have put on the full armor, received training for battle, know my true identity in Christ, and act in the authority Jesus has delegated to me. I learned that heavenly power and effectiveness are a heady experience. They place one in danger of pride and presumption, so God gives further protection. Humility, submission, and obedience are protection. Rejoicing in what Jesus has done, not what I can do, is protection. In the book of Luke, chapter 10, verses 19-20, Jesus protects by telling his disciples (that's us!) he has given us authority over all the power of the enemy; however, do not to rejoice that demons obey us, but rejoice that our names are written in heaven.

### Foggy Morning Miracle

I commuted by freeway to work each day. One very heavily foggy early morning, it was impossible to see more than a few feet ahead. Taking my usual exit, I was part way up the very steep off-ramp when a collision occurred in front of me. A school bus slid sideways blocking the entire off-ramp. The pickup truck immediately in front of me slid sideways trying to avoid hitting the school bus. I had no time to stop before hitting the pickup truck broadside at its passenger door. I prayed fast "God, don't let anyone get hurt!" and then collided into the pickup truck. I looked in my rear view mirror as the cars coming fast up the off-ramp began to skid sideways behind my car, trying not to hit me or one another or roll down the off ramp. I was listening for the sound of more collisions but the sound never came. God miraculously prevented any further collisions. There were no injuries among any of the passengers and somehow the only financial damage was a tiny $90 dent I put in the door of the pickup truck I hit! God's angels worked hard that morning.

### Glasses on the Roof

My son got his new pair of eye glasses and was so pleased to see well. One day he had to drive to a 'pick and pull' car lot hoping to locate the needed part to fix a car. He removed his glasses and placed them on the roof of his car while he worked. And, of course, forgot them there when he drove away. He was heartsick upon arriving home and realizing he had left the glasses on the car roof so they were probably crushed somewhere on the freeway. He exited the car and was amazed to discover his new glasses were still on the car roof! God must have assigned an angel just to hold on to those treasured new glasses while my son drove! We have a big God who cares about every detail of our lives.

I treasure my son's 'glasses' experience because God was showing my son evidence of his faithfulness. It is just one quick example of how God is at work teaching my son to know him. Many years have passed, and God has protected my children and me in big ways and small; in ways we know and marvel at, and in ways we never even noticed. God gave me a promise many years ago that he would fight my battles for me; he would protect us, and he would save my children. He promised that ALL my children will be taught be him and great will be my children's peace. I am still waiting for the complete fulfillment of that promise. 'ALL' has not happened yet. I want 'immediate'. But sometimes God, in his wisdom, protection and divine timing, says 'Wait'. 'Pray'. 'Trust'.

# Divine Encounters Are a Miracle!

### Share What You've Received

I recently spent time in beautiful Western North Carolina to receive my ministry qualification and attend a conference. I love mountains, trees and water, so all my available free time was spent exploring mountain scenery and discovering incredible waterfalls. One afternoon while hiking, I stopped to rest and take in a beautiful waterfall view, sitting down on a huge boulder next to a woman also enjoying the view. She asked where I was from and why I was visiting her state. Then she told me her story, sharing her pain and the life decisions she deeply regretted. Sometimes people find it easier to talk openly to strangers than those they know. Her story was so much like my past that I knew right away God brought us together for his 2nd Corinthians 1:4 reasons _"...comfort one another with the comfort you have received from God."_ When I asked, the woman said she used to believe in God but had turned away from him. I asked why, and she said she did not believe God could forgive the things she had done. So I told her a little about how much God has forgiven me, redeeming and restoring the wreckage of my life. We prayed together for her to receive God's incredible forgiveness, healing and restoration. God delights in setting up such divine intersections!

### Toronto

In 1995, I traveled to a church in Toronto, in Canada, because I desperately needed to experience more deeply the great love of God for me. A year earlier that church had first experienced a tremendous outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which seemed to be continuing unabated. God loves us so much I think that sometimes he just cannot contain himself, and needs to pour out an extra dose of his love.

Revivals have happened a number of times throughout history, some of them famous and widespread, others more localized. In 1994, he did something a little different, called a Renewal. It was also called the "Toronto Blessing" and it was called the "Father's Blessing". It was as if God was renewing his vow of love and wanting the love of his people for him to be renewed, refreshed, re-awakened with great passion. It was controversial, offending some; it forever transformed others; it was passionate; it was 'exceedingly abundant beyond asking or imagining'; it was a divine encounter. Hundreds of thousands of people eventually made their way to that church in Toronto, including many thousands of Christian leaders from many denominations. People came from virtually every denomination, and every country from which people were allowed to travel.

Part of why God may have chosen Toronto included the reality that some countries at the time allowed travel to Toronto, but not, for instance, to the U.S.A. In the first year of this Holy Spirit outpouring, over 9,000 people made first-time decisions for Christ. Services were held six nights per week, and people stood in line waiting to enter for over two hours before the doors were opened for each service. The leaders took time each night to ask the congregation what country and denomination they represented, giving all of us a little glimpse of what it will be like in heaven when 'every tribe and tongue and nation' will be worshipping God together. The Holy Spirit moved with such powerful anointing there in Toronto that those present were overcome with outbreaks of laughter, weeping, groaning, falling, and more. Multitudes experienced powerful life transformations, restored passion and new revelations of God's love. The anointing traveled home with many of those who visited, spreading into their churches, denominations and countries.

When God wants to pour out his love, he does so without limit! I will never forget what it was like to be in the epicenter of that outpouring.

### Family is a Miracle!

When we receive salvation, we receive adoption into God's family. No matter who our earthly parents were, God becomes our heavenly Father, and we become his adopted, dearly loved child. Adoption was God's idea in the first place.

In my church, we have become a family, not just a group of people who gather together on Sundays. We have shared life together through all its glorious, grievous, frightening, tragic, unpredictable, triumphant, tender, funny, and stressful twists and turns. God never meant any of us to go through life alone. Sometimes, though, people are lonely even when surrounded by the family of God. Then a more intentional spiritual adoption is needed and can be life-changing. Psalm 68:6 says God places the lonely in families.

Recently I watched a lovely older couple in our church 'adopt' a young single mother and her children as their spiritual daughter and grandchildren. I see a new joy and sense of belonging visible in all of them.

In my own life long ago, I felt lonely, even in a big church full of people. In my case, I felt lonely for a brother. Through various circumstances, God moved me to a new church where I felt a sense of belonging right away, and where I 'adopted' a spiritual big brother. Over many years now, my spiritual big brother has filled a great need in my heart; he also built a relationship of encouragement and good role modeling into the lives of my sons and grandson.

Sometimes legal adoption is needed when a blood-related family has failed a child. God places the lonely in families. My friend, Karen Arnpriester, and her husband recently adopted two very special young girls into their family. Adoption brought challenging but magnificent, life-transforming changes in all of their lives. My brother and his wife adopted a baby boy. This nephew of mine is almost ten years old at this writing, a joyful, energetic, athletic boy who is gradually growing up to be like the good man his dad is role-modeling for him.

Families...I have been thinking more deeply about family recently as I continue to work on my own life-long healing process. In the words of a good man from whom I have learned a lot: "a good father protects", and "a good husband is a friend, a best friend". I have become very conscious and valuing of what is "good" as I observe families around me.

Ultimately, Father God is our very best example of "a good father protects". The Lord Jesus is our very best example of "a good husband is a friend, a best friend". So much healing happens when we are adopted into God's family and learn to walk in close relationship with him. So much training happens too - talk about faithful, consistent role modeling, and setting the bar high! And yet, we also desperately need flesh and blood family. We need other people. We need belonging. So God places us in families.

I watched my spiritual big brother this morning in church holding hands with his wife of so many years. Best friends. I watched a good father in the next aisle proudly standing with his lovely, protected daughters. I looked around my church family, noticing many more fine examples of good fathers, and good husbands - good wives and good mothers too. I saw others who are struggling, trying to learn. And I saw those who are helping them learn. I saw our children being nurtured and trained up. I saw belonging. Family is a miracle.

### Our True Identity is a Miracle!

When God adopts us into his family through the blood of his son Jesus Christ, we become a child of the King of Kings. We become royalty! The son of the King is a Prince. The daughter of the King is a Princess. God wants us to really get it in our heart, become that and walk in our true identity as a royal, holy, blameless, dearly loved child of the King. In Ephesians 1, God lets us know he chose us each personally and individually to be his very own, before he even created this world we live in. We matter that much to him.

I read a profound book called **"Captivating – Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul"** , written by John and Stasi Eldredge. The book is full of thought provoking material about what it means to be a woman. Take a moment to picture in your mind God's creation like a magnificent work of art, as I paraphrase from the bible in chapters 1 and 2 of Genesis, and from the Eldredges' book "Captivating":

" _Let there be light... and suddenly there is pure, magnificent light.... Each thing God creates after this is more magnificent and full of splendor than what had preceded it... Then something truly astonishing takes place... God sets his own image on the earth. He creates a being like himself, and breathes life into him... He has created a son... Adam steps forth. He is magnificent, made in the image of God. Nothing else in creation even comes close! But wait... the Master says that something is not good, not right... something is missing. That something is Eve. So, the Lord God causes a deep sleep to come upon Adam, takes one of his ribs, and forms Eve. She is the crescendo, the final, astonishing work of God. Woman is the crescendo to God's creation masterpiece. Woman is the Master's finishing touch. She is breathtaking; she is the crown of God's creation. She is not an afterthought. She fills a place in the world that nothing else can even come close to filling!"_

Wow. As a woman, my identity (and yours) includes being God's crowning masterpiece! A man's identity includes being the Son of God, the image and glory of God. That is our miraculous, true identity! I am still so very far from walking in what God created me to be, but I am slowly learning...

### Captivating Woman

I am GOOD!

Shout it from the highest peak.

I am GOOD!

Shout it in my depth of soul.

I am GOOD!

Made in God's own image.

He is pleased with ME!

Captivating woman in the image of her God.

Crown of all creation

To the glory of her Lord.

Beauty waits to be unveiled.

Heaven holds its breath.

Would that creatures here of lowly birth

Had faith-filled eyes to see

The crowning glory God has made

In captivating woman such as she.

Awesome truth I've yet to see...

Captivating woman...

She is ME!

# Other Books by Karen Slimick Arnpriester

Anessia's Quest \- Christian Fiction Drama

Follow the life of a young girl into adulthood. Celebrate the journey and her choices that change a heartbreaking situation into a glorious life of love, truth, compassion and joy.

Pagne finds the love of God and the support of her Heavenly Angel to get her through life's emotional roller coaster. An angel that protects, leads and assures Pagne that she is not alone by using an unusual method of communication.

Pagne shares healing, tears and laughter with a group of broken people that become her family. She discovers the purpose of her life and the revelation of God's destiny for her. Pagne will eventually understand the powerful ripple she created as she lived her life. She was not an accident; she was placed on Earth with divine intent.

Raider's Vendetta \- Christian Fiction Suspense

Charley knew what God wanted from her. She was willing to trust and obey as she protected the others in the bank. Then He would save her from her captor. There was no way she could have anticipated the rage that would be unleashed in response to her prayers and her faith in God.

Raider was desperate, hardened, and his past had set the stage for an insane game of survival and spiritual warfare. The vendetta was in motion and Charley discovered that she needed her God to provide extraordinary miracles to keep her alive. Raider would discover that no one is beyond God's grace.

Slimy \- Nonfiction

Slimy is the painful account of my experiences as a bullied, isolated and humiliated child. My journey of abuse began in the fifth grade and continued through the ninth. I chose to share my story so that others will understand how bullying can damage and alter a child's self-image. How we learn to tolerate injustice and mistreatment as if we do not deserve anything better, a belief that can alter a lifetime.

My story is sad and filled with powerful memories that affected who I became, but my story is not unique, many children are targeted and suffer quietly without an escape. Every school has bullies, children that are angry, hurtful people who are allowed to control and determine who has value and who does not.

I believe that a solution to the rampant epidemic of bullying will need the involvement of parents and teachers, but the most effective resolve for this growing threat will require a student body that chooses not to tolerate bullies and the pain they inflict. The true power belongs to the students who passively watch. These students empower the bullies through their silence and apathy.

I hope to encourage the bullied child, inspire the student body to make a difference and expose the fear that bullies operate through.

Leadbottom \- Christian Fiction Drama

Leadbottom is inspired by a true story of ridicule, isolation and humiliation. A young girl was thrown into a situation that appeared to be hopeless; she became the victim of her peers. Many children deal with the heartbreak of bullying. This journey is seen through the eyes of Ophie (Ophelia), bullied from fifth grade through the ninth. During her days of endurance, she vacillated between outrage and submission.

The devastating taunts deeply planted the belief that there was something innately wrong with her. This nagging reality haunted her into her adulthood, affecting her choices, and self-worth. Ophie found acceptance in harmful and destructive relationships until God revealed His truth. He cherished her in spite of failed marriages, a fatherless child and a broken spirit that accepted compromise for approval.

TO BE RELEASED IN FALL OF 2014

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We would love to hear from you, please email us at karnpriester@gmail.com
