Unfinished Business

2016 has been a year of changes. Some very good, some sad. My dad past away in March and God has opened doors to new opportunities in my personal life that were unexpected. I believe the latter has provoked some stirrings in my spirit that needed to be addressed. I'm excited about the faults in my personal belief system that God has shown me that will and are bringing me life and a closer relationship with Him.

I am presently in the states staying with a lovely couple, Ken and Sheila Matthews. I have my own room and private bath. What I appreciate most is the welcoming spirit here, the sweet presence of Christ in every room, the quiet, even as continuous teachings and soft Christian music is heard from the radio, Sheila's sweet hospitality and Ken's humble spirit. God prepared this place and time to do some unfinished business with me.

Here I was at 68, now 69 being groomed by God to walk into a new chapter of my life and in the midst of this marvelous and miraculous answer to prayer,  I'm praying someone else's prayer. "Lord, I believe, help thine my unbelief." Why!? God had unfinished business with me. I am thankful for the word of God and for a strong, no none sense, sensitive, loving man in my life that loves the Lord and does not hesitate to speak the things of God even when it may hurt...."the axe is at the root of the tree".

I know I am and have been blessed by God, been delivered, set free and healed so why is, no, why was I walking in any unbelief. One scripture helped me a lot ..."God is near." Since He is near why should I not believe Him totally. He is near to me. I am not talking about near to us. He is near to me personally through His son Jesus Christ, because I am important to Him. He loves me...Myra. He knows me...Myra. He has given me great and wonderful promises....Myra. He died and rose for me...Myra. He has given me power, resurrection power....Myra. He will never leave me or forsake me....Myra.

I am thankful for this time away from full time ministry, in this perfect place of peace and tranquility prepared for me by God to deal with this area of failure in my life. Yes, failure because there is no failure in Him. I thank Him for His pardon so sweet and good. I thank Him that He is not finished with me. I thank Him that with every lesson I can be used in life to His glory.

Brave New World?

My heart has been weeping over the supreme court decision but not because of their changes in the law. I have been weeping over how so many people are rejoicing over a lifestyle that God is against. Everyone can find a scripture that supports their views. I remember long ago when talking to a family member about their choices and she saying to me how Jesus forgave the woman caught in adultery,  period. She failed to read the next phrase spoken by our lord to go and sin no more!

God does not distinguish between white, black, Jew, gentile, Native American, foreign born, Arab, rich ,  poor, short, tall, fat, or skinny. Jesus died for everyone and we belong to Him. To deny that homosexuality is not a sin is to deny that murder is not a sin. It is written.

I so desire that my oil lamp will be full when he comes so I can go to Him and abide with Him forever. I pray that for all men. I pray that for my president who stood in a church one day preaching about God and another day praising the supreme court decision on the basis of civil rights.

This is not a civil rights issue. This is a moral issue.

Everyone has the God given right to choose the path they want to follow but no one has the right to circumvent the standard God has set for mankind. That is a dangerous precedent.

Yes, as so many have spoken from the Christian community…we love everyone…and they shall know we are Christians by our love.

I believe in the God of miracles and I declare that His love will bring many who may now feel triumphant in this day. God is not through with me yet nor is He through with any of us. His love will cover, heal, deliver, bless, convict, bind, uproot, and triumph over all.

Love, Myra

Tribute to Catherine Monticello - She chose me.

Catherine Monticello died the day my 4th great grand child was born. Two lives have begun…one on this earth and the other in heaven.

She is a special lady to me because she chose me. We have never met. We have never talked to one another. I don't know the sound of her voice or of her laughter. I have seen her smile in photos. I have wished to meet her faced to face... but not yet.

Her son, Brad Lewis, told me one Sunday in passing, "My mom is supporting you." I looked at him and smiled. In my mind I wondered why she chose me. At my church we support probably  100 missionaries. The church has a prayer book with each missionaries name and information about their ministry. I believe that's where she found me.

She faithfully sent a donation monthly for the past several years. Watching her on Facebook through photos gave me joy to see who this woman was who chose me.

Today when I read about her death, it touched my heart. Reading some of the comments from her family spoke volumes of the kind of mother she was.

I never had an opportunity to thank her face to face but I think she knows how her faithfulness blessed me. Her faithfulness was tempered by kindness, prayer and her love for the Lord. I knew her and know her in the spirit. That's how strong her presence is to me.

She chose me and made me glad.

Holy Week Tribute

Today is Saturday. Tomorrow is Easter Sunday. As so many people have been resting and playing Daniel and I have been recovering from colds, sunburns (he went to the river with his friends to swim), fever, aches and pains from chinkengunya (a nasty virus from a mosquito bite.) Consequently we have spent most of holy week catching up on Bible teachings from my home church Immanuels, downloading videos like "Unbroken", "The Imitation Game", "Annie" and the last of  "The Hobbit" series. 

In our prayer time we continue to pray for family, friends, missionaries near and far, individual countries in the world and for the Boko Haram, Isis, Hamas, Al Shabaab and terrorists in general. Why? Because we feel led by the spirit of God to pray for our enemies. We were all made by God but not all are sons of God. His desire is that none should perish.

The past weeks we have been praying for my son in law in the tragic murder of his only son. Also we have had more to pray about for the families of the people who died in the alleged suicide crash of the plane in France. Now we are praying for the families of the  147 people murdered allegedly for being Christian. 

I read a Face book comment that expressed anger about the silence over the death of the people in Kenya. The comment stated that when the people were killed in France in the magazine office the world stood still and leaders gathered together. 

I believe its not important that the "world"  acknowledge our deaths because the "world" makes decisions based on their personal concepts, doctrines, beliefs and prejudices. 

I believe that the people who died as Christians in Kenya are known by God and that is the greatest accolade any of us could hope to receive. Let us pray for their families and also rejoice in the midst of our tears over the death of those saints because this world was not worthy of them.

It is sad that so many tragic things are happening near and far but my question is Does God know our names? None of us knows when we will find out the answer to that. It may be tomorrow, next week, next year, ten years or more from today. No one knows. 

We are a people of faith and one thing we do know. We know how it will all end and become new. But we must stay the course in prayer with our hearts and eyes open to the truth that is written in the word of God. We must pray for our leaders, our nations, our enemies, our friends, our families. Do not focus on our daily complaints and problems but focus on what He would have us focus on. Seek Him, Love Him, Adore Him.

So as a Holy Week tribute to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ let us pray that all men would be saved. 

Love, Myra

Being thankful when the "stash" is getting low

I am so broke…but not really. I always have a "stash"! My "stash" is getting dangerously lower and lower these days and if something doesn't  happen soon,  there goes the stash.

I was with a friend the other day who was repairing some things in the new building while some other workers, whom I have to pay, are digging and digging and looking to solve another building glitch (huh!) and this  friend looked at my face and said "Myra, be patient." I opened my mouth and said "I never pray for patience. It only brings "pruebas",  trials to help us be patient. I pray thankfulness! I am thankful for my problems because being thankful brings multiplication. I am thankful because I love the Lord who called me and he loves me and I know all things will work together for good in the end."

I surprised my own self by my response. I see God has been working in me.  Being thankful is in me even when its  not clearly showing on my face all the time. I have confidence in Him because of His love for me. So forget the "stash".  My father owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He's about to sell a few for my benefit!

Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

It's been too long

Happy New Year 2015! Every week or so since October 2014 I have thought about writing a blog.

So much has happened, so much is happening and so, so much is going to happen. I returned from a wonderful trip to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Wando, South Carolina, Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD.

I'd never been to Alabama before and I just loved it. it was like a little, big town where everyone speaks to each other or maybe it was because Pastor Sutton talks to everybody, everywhere. I was hosted by lovely Ann, the belle of Tuscaloosa. I've decided if the Lord ever said "You can live in the states"…I'd move to Tuscaloosa!

Then on to Wando, South Carolina where the lovely pastor Porcher and her husband kept me in grand style…a huge bed that I needed a step ladder to get in and out of. They have a small church with a large heart for missions.

I wound my way via the Megabus from South Carolina to Washington, Dc to pay my respects to the Sothern/Sanchez family in the loss of their daughter, sister, mother and wife, dear Sharon. I am so glad I know them and could be there to spend some time with them.

Then on to Baltimore to see family, share at a few local churches and attend my 50th class reunion which was a blast!

While I was gone I kept in daily touch with my son Daniel, who preached his first sermon while I was gone. He was so ready to share the Word when an opportunity presented itself. I was surprised and delighted.

When I  arrived home in early October, I asked him to preach again because I wanted to hear him. I was blessed because it was not my Daniel sharing. It was the anointed of God! I am not exaggerating. This boy is on fire for the Lord!

He now has his own male youth group. He is mentoring two to three young men who are older than him. They respect him even though some do make fun of him. He just laughs it off and says, "I am not going to let those things bother me. I have too much that needs to be said and I am trusting God to help me to share more." Which he does EVERYWHERE!!

While I was gone he prayed for a dying man and led him to the Lord just before he passed away. His first day at a new school he spoke to anyone who would listen to him about how God is working in his life, including his teachers. He is friendly and open to anyone so he can share the gospel of Jesus Christ!

Our relationship is awesome. He treats me like a queen. We go for walks together, he cleans the kitchen for me, we watch Christian teachings together via internet, and pray together at least once or twice a day. He is my encourager when I feel overwhelmed. He responds with maturity when I need to pull him up about something. He tells me that I am the head in this ministry and if I see him doing anything that is incorrect to please tell him.

He just graduated from the 9th grade in 2014 and is attending a trade school this year for air conditioning and refrigeration 6 days a week. He is taking a Bible course from my home church, Immanuels,

Youth group

translating at VBS

Graduation

one day a week, reading a book about church history, teaching a youth class every other week, preaching on Sunday's, reading the Bible personally 2 to 3 times a day, doing his school homework, visiting friends in the neighborhood to pray with them and to encourage them, and taking guitar lessons because he wants to start a praise and worship team for the church.

My life has changed so much because of him. He has taken some of the weight off of me in ministry. He, as I said, encourages me so much. I have had to reevaluate my walk with the Lord and I have found it wanting…being too busy ministering and not spending more time with the Lord.  I relish this time in my life with this young man knowing that one day he will be gone on to his own life, ministry, and family.  I am a blessed woman.

Thank you Lord for reminding me how it used to be between You and me.



                                            Do not despise the days of new beginnings.

                                                              My Daniel

A year ago today my momma died...

A year ago today my momma died. I seem to be doing okay. I did cry last night, actually it was today at 1am,  but I do that any day or night. I have learned to let my tears flow whenever they like. Its not a hard sob, its just a soft warm flow that says "mi mamma" in spanish. As I write this tears are filling my eyes but that's okay because I'm learning to live with this because this is the way it is.

In January I wrote in my journal:

"I do not know how to bear this grief. It comes as a wave that washes over everything. It hovers over me like a helicopter telling me there is danger near. What danger, death?  Death is no danger when I have Christ.

What power can this grief have over me? Its a mystery. Even as I know that death is life in Christ some part of rejoices and the other part grieves over my loss. Yes, My loss! Others knew her -  my mom  -others loved her  - my mom - BUT this is my grief - personal, intimate, visible and tangible.

Lord, how do I abide -no- how do I leave this grief behind. I want so much to abide in YOU always but this grief creeps up on me and steals my joy. How do I sorrow but also rejoice? Teach me, I pray."


Eight months later the grief  does not have its power over me. The remembrance of Him storing my tears in a bottle because of His love helps me.  I can  both sorrow and rejoice with warm tears that don't tear me apart but flow as water washing over my soul. Thank you Lord for answering my prayers.

 Its still a mystery but He is the master of miraculous mysteries.