Wednesday, February 29, 2012
a miracle is waiting for you!
almost midnight, and i've been reading all
your messages to me. some from people i
personally know and love. . . and mostly from you
all whom i've never met. . .but i genuinely love,
and feel we are a family. you measure my heart.
you teach me. we are reminded that life is a battle.
that we stand together. and i keep praying for you.
every one of you.
a miracle today.
i took $15 out of my account (lvg. $15 until sunday
when social security drops money into my acct.)
because i just HAD to have a work-out, and have
been waiting to see about a special offer for a yr.'s
membership. so. . . they've been charging me $15
for a two-hour work-out. can you believe that?
i walked up to the counter.
you must understand that i go to the gym without
any make-up. in shorts or sweat pants, with a cut-out
old tee-shirt. sleeves cut off. as low a profile as i can.
hair falling loose from my ponytail. i walked up to the
counter with my $15 when the manager walked up.
"you are ann, aren't you?
we gave you that 30-day membership didn't we?
i'm trying to come up with a special plan for you. . . so are
you alright at the moment?"
"well, i have to pay $15 every day. . ." and i am embarrassed
suddenly by my appearance.
"what? no. . .no." he turns to the girl behind the counter.
"give ann a seven-day, free pass."
miracles. just reminding you that Jesus is FULL of surprises
and miracles. and everything. . . our doubts, our failures, our seemingly-
hopeless situations. . . our
struggles and heartbreaks. . . everything is all covered by the Blood.
even the holes we fall into. the Blood of Jesus pulls us out and
sets our feet back on track. the Blood delivers us. sets
us free. there isn't alot of talk today about the Blood, but it's our
Redemption. it is EVERYTHING!
"how precious is the flow...
that washes white as snow...
no other Fount i know,
nothing but the Blood of Jesus."
today, kiss a child. tell someone she is beautiful.
smile at EVERYONE who looks your way. and watch.
we don't have to go door to door to share Jesus. we
just tell Him every morning that we are ready for Him to
put someone right in front of us. someone who needs
God's love. and He will do it every single day if we are
watching, and listening, to Jesus.
miracles and the Blood.
oh, i want to bathe in Jesus' Blood.
soak in it until it has seeped into my
brokenness. my pain. my yearning.
the crack in my soul. until i am whole.
not perfect and complete, but whole.
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6 comments:
Hi Ann, I am a long lost friend...and am so happy to have found you again...yes, I "discovered" you in the 70's when as a newly touched "Jesus girl" I was continually refreshed by your books....I read them and let your enthusiasm for the Lord wash over me. I have always appreciated your open handed, no holds barred approach to living a real life. Now almost 30 years (!) later here you are again. We've been thru those reality checks of living life and still Jesus is there thru thick and thin...and more importantly thru life and death, sickness, health...joy and anxiety..disappointments...lots of provision and not so evident provision. Please don't apologize for feeling and expressing those feelings...because so many don't have the platform to do that...to be real, honest...full of faith at the same time being full of uncertainty. I am no longer have the innocent first love relationship with God...what a tumultuous ride we have been on...but it is a deeper love, He keeps pushing the envelope...can I really really trust Him with my dreams, my desires, or even just the necessities? As you know...yes...but some of the answers don't look like they "should" in my eyes. When I read your post ( and I can't wait to catch up) I sooooo knew what a huge thing it was to have that miracle land in your lap...made my eyes tear and my heart swell as I was reminded of the times He has done that for me...and the best part is...YOU DIDN'T MISS THE MESSAGE!!! Because one of your giftings is sharp observation combined with allowing Him to do whatever He wishes with you He is able to touch you...deep...even with a simple workout miracle :) Blessings, blessings as you keep on walking it out with all the honesty and feeling of being you..you are a gift to many!
Thanks Ann. I could use a few little miracles right now.
I have a file in my desk called " I am worthwhile". In it I keep the cards and letters of 30 years of loving people in the name of Jesus. Here is one for yours.
It feels a little surreal that it was about 40 years ago that I heard a young woman's small voice on a cassette tape talking about changing the world by loving people. It was an idea, a concept that resonated deep in my soul. I was a young man with little else going for him than other than a heart full of love. I remember taking that idea and using it for the the devotional that my youth pastor asked me to do. I sat on the floor cross-legged and told our little country church (get the reference?)tiny little youth group that we could change the world if we just loved people in the name of Jesus. We could start by learning to really love each other.
Flash forward 5 years and I am in a tiny little Bible school on the Oregon coast where God has dumped me after rescuing me from a drug addiction and a crisis of belief. God again calls me to love people in Jesus name.
Flash forward 5 years and I am sitting cross-legged in a bunch of young teens, back in the little country church now with my wife and babys, sharing the Word and loving these kids in the name of Jesus.
Flash forward 10 more years and I am so stoked that I get to be a volunteer guide in an outdoor adventure ministry that loves kids pumped with adrenaline in the name of Jesus. I have a great wife, 3 kids, a job and a ministry. My life is full.
Flash forward another 10 years and I am beginning to be known as the worlds oldest teenager. my life gets a little too full with the family, the job and the ministry. something has to go. I decide that the only thing I can do without is the job. I unplug from the job, uproot my family, and begin loving people full time. God will have to pay the bills. Somehow, He does.
10 more years and my "I am worthwhile" file is getting full. I have loved on and poured into thousands of kids. I have watched as God has shaped and molded young people into missionaries, aid workers, pastors and teachers. All infused with this idea of changing the world by loving people in the name of Jesus.
8 But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred." 9 And He said to them, "He (she) who has ears to hear, let him hear!" ("YOU are worthwhile")
Mark 4:7-9 (NKJV)+(Toms paraphrease)
Thanks for being a sower Ann.
Tom http://shortbaldguy.blogspot.com/2010/11/explanation.html
GREAT JOB of blogging so consistently, Ann!
The best is yet to come! :)
Warmly, Rob
Ann, Thank you for being my "word" hero.
Rejoicing w/ you on your 7 day free pass at the gym!!!
Thank you for reminding me that "EVERYTHING is all covered by the blood"
(Went and got the book "The Blood Of The Cross" by Andrew Murray out of my "must read" stack of books and will start reading today) This too is my prayer: "oh, i want to bathe in Jesus' Blood.
soak in it until it has seeped into my
brokenness. my pain. my yearning.
the crack in my soul. until i am whole.
not perfect and complete, but whole"
Thank you for your prayers. : )
My surprise and miracle came yesterday in the form of a card,
wonderful words, and a $50 dollar check in the mail. TOTALLY UNEXPECTED!! Timing...perfect, on my last roll of t.p. and slim pickings in the frig.! Thank You Jesus!
Looking forward to your next blog to eat,chew,savor and have a banquet on in the mind and spiritual realm. blessings!
Praise the Lord for Ann! Yay for you. I too am one of the "70's newly touched Jesus girls", reading for refreshment the wonderful thoughts you put on page. Thank you for being there and doing this blog! We love you and are glad that you share your ups and downs. I, personally don't think it so horrible that you write what you are feeling, otherwise how can you be healed? Somewhere in my bible I read "Confess your faults to one another and you shall be healed." AMEN! AMEN AMEN AMEN! You go for it, not to ... be on stage or to just "be seen" but to receive healing. We are indeed all in this together, 'walking each other home'. Blessings.
Ann, please be encouraged. Our bible reminds us to 'confess our faults to one another that we may be healed'. There is magic in that so we may be healed and glued together in much love. I too discovered you in the 70's and am a big fan... 30 years later. I know how important it is to hear from your readers and want to encourage you 'not to be less real'. We love you and need other real folks working out their blessings :-0 Blessings 2 you.
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