44 Years…

Many summers ago in July, I met the Messiah and connected with His Father personally…verbally. He gave me a 24/7 companion that rocked my world. I’d been unconditionally forgiven, and forever accepted as His own. 

Life before seems a blur. In those 11 years I remember daily anger, desperately wanting to be heard in a family of 6. I wanted “my way” and “my turn.” I was also confused and frustrated with reading, writing, spelling. Why did it come so easy to everyone else? 

Then God made Himself known to me and out went paralyzing fear of the dark, storms, -ugly tantrums, migraines and my struggle with dyslexia. The Holy Spirit was working in my life and Jesus was ready to listen any time. Could it get any better?

God’s Word began to reveal mysteries that enlightened, emboldened, and equipped me for whatever came up. I loved every verse recorded about His faithfulness and unfailing love. The more I read, the more peace flooded in.

All these years later, I can hardly list a greater gift He’s given than Himself! Yet His daily blessings are more than can be counted. Sigh – This IS “abundant life” in the “land of the living.” I would choose Him 1000 times again! 

Happy birth-day to me ❤️❤️❤️ 

ForGlorySake! – Anna

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Standing alone

I love my flowers. Ever since my husband and and I bought our first home in VA beach, I began an appreciation these little gifts from God. It was an older house with a well established yard. So many beautiful blossoms… that a desire grew to care for them.

After 33 years of marriage I’ve completely taken over our yard maintenance. Planting, trimming, mowing, cultivating – this is my happy place and each flower is precious. I learn new lessons every season. God speaks to me through His nature.

He reminds me: He’s the Ultimate Creator… there’s a time for everything under heaven… harsh pruning is sometimes necessary… there IS life after death… God is faithful… and like my mom always said, ”bloom where you’re planted”…

This morning as my last iris stood brightly by itself, God encouraged me that even when it feels like I am standing alone for godly principles – I have a great cloud of witnesses watching me, there are many Saints world-wide also taking a stand, and of course God is close upholding us.

“Look at the lilies and how they grow… if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, He will certainly care for you.” Luke 12:28

Saints, we are not alone in this crazy time. We stand together as the Bride, and as heaven cheers us on. Be brave, be strong, be true. Let us glorify His Name- in Jesus!

ForGlorySake! -Anna

Song of Songs 2:2 – Like a lily among the thorns,
so is my darling among the maidens.


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Plot Twist

Last weekend Death came to our family… again. Not our immediate family, but close. It’s hard to watch even from states away. It’s hard to know what to say. It’s death after all and up close it’s ugly. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying. Death is our enemy and Jesus defeated it! Just think of it – Death and the place of the dead will be done away with someday:

John saw that, “…Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:14

Jesus, what a gift God. Assurance of Eternal Life. Simply by believing in Him and His sacrifice on the cross for my sin, I was adopted as God’s child and forever protected from the clutches of Death. I’m immune!! It’s better than any vaccine or insurance policy.

My Father, who has given (each believer) to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand.– Jesus. John 10:29

Someday Death will come for me, just like it did for my Dad and my Mom and now my brother-in-law… but it can NOT hold me. I was bought with a most precious price; the blood of God’s Son, my Savior. It covers all my sins and frees me from the clutches of evil Death. It’s the Good News! I am His and He is mine.

Death is awful… but it’s not the end. Creator God gets the last say. In the end Death will be swallowed up in victory as God’s children are resurrected and brought into His Kingdom for all Eternity with Him.

Now when this the perishable (body) shall have put on the imperishable, and this, the mortal, shall have put on immortality, then the word having been written will come to pass: “Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where O death, is your victory? Where O death is your sting?” 1Corinthians 15: 55-56

Hallelujah, Come Lord Jesus!

ForGlorySake! -Anna

ARISE!
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Attitude Matters

In my current wise mid-life stage, I’ve begun to realize how often we said no to our children, or disciplined them with a spank or gave them time-out. Although helpful, this was NOT the key to their training. It was actually the example we lived daily. I know I read this before, it just didn’t quite sink in.

Every single moment seemed sooo important to me to teach a lesson… 🤔 I may have taught my kids to death! Yet even in that mild insanity they picked up that I took parenting seriously. It was my 24/7 job and I did not want to fail.

In reality, everything we did was being watched. Our habits imprinted on our children’s hearts and became like a code. They were gleaning from our repetitive attitudes and actions. We can see it play-out on repeat as they begin to parent their own babies.

Of course there’s plenty of room for their own life experience and natural bent, but David and I see the gist of what we did with them… from years long ago. Funny and cool and mystifying.

Training up a child is so much more about attitude than I imagined.

My attitude toward their dad mattered. His attitude toward me mattered. Our attitude about having all of them close together. How we reacted to the mess and happy chaos that came… the sometimes lack of funds, old car/new car, shared rooms, hard work, illness, even death of loved ones. Our overall attitude made a difference.

Why should I be surprised that The Creator of everything Who never wastes anything, didn’t waste this either! He has used our hearts desire for Him more than any individual teaching. Oh, it just makes me love God more through the whole process – with each passing year and each new person that comes into our mix. God is good!

ForGlorySake! -Anna

Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it. Proverbs 22:6


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Eating My Words

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it and indulge it- will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.” Proverbs 18:21 amp

I have a lot of favorite chapters, aha scriptures and life-verses, but this one rather owns me. Eye-roll emoji here. I am by nature a babbler. There I admitted it. Actually I have written several blogs on “my mouth” and my “gift of gab.” It’s a daily battle, a constant wrestling… even at 55. My sister reminds me, “the filter slips with age.” She’s talking about that filter to guard one’s thoughts expressed in words. I agree.

Looking up Proverbs 18:21 word-for-word in Biblehub.com under “interlin” will show this verse in Hebrew from Right to left, and each word’s definition is also available in their “Strong’s” link. Using this wonderful Bible study exercise, the verse literally reads: Death and Life are in the power of the babbler. Those that befriend (babbling) will devour and consume its fruit (reaping the outcome).

I have reaped both extremes… life given to a complete stranger and death dumped on a family member all in a matter of seconds. Quick words without much thought. Sigh. All I can think now is, ‘”Blessed is the one who keeps their big mouth shut!” How wonderful it would be, instead, to always say the right thing at the right time.

Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word spoken at the right time. Proverbs 25:11 amp

Lord, I seem to get tangled in the same messes again and again. Help me to think carefully before responding. staying conscious of Who is listening… You! Oh, how I long for Your sanctification to maturity. Guard this mouth.

ForGlorySake! – Anna

blah blah blah

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Open Wide

I Am the LORD, your God, the One who brought you out of the land of distress, Open wide your mouth and I will fill it. Psalms 81:10 

In 1447 BC, God miraculously delivered the children of Israel from slavery in Egypt.  He called them “His children” and then told them to trust Him completely, only. He told them to look to Him and He would fill their mouth. He knew what each person needed.

This verse reminds me of baby birds waiting in the nest with mouths wide open… looking for mom and dad to bring food. Birds work tirelessly feeding their babies every 10-20 minutes, 12-14 hours a day! That’s a lot of attention.

If bird-parents, created by God, are that dedicated to providing for their kids… how much more does God care for me? Anything needed throughout the day: provision, direction, wisdom, protection, training, endurance, peace, words of encouragement, a thankful attitude… 

When God gave me salvation at 11, forever delivering me from sin and death, so much more came in the package: adoption, inheritance and the power of His Holy Spirit! He gave me the right to open wide my mouth to Him for every possible need. “Yes, child, I will fill it.”

ForGlorySake! Anna

And my God will supply your every need according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

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Life

Life is relationships, one at a time.

Life is listening and learning, then assessing what to do with all the information,

It’s the opportunity to feel and empathize.

Life is sunrises and sunsets,

It’s taking the the time to see and create and recreate.

Life is loving:

Loving my husband and children and grandchildren and if God tarries… my great grandchildren.

Life is seeing through their eyes.

It’s the willingness to understand and offer help or just be-near.

Life is eating together, planning together, laughing, singing, praying, and crying together.

Life is to know God and allow Him full access.

Life is Hope in Jesus.

Jesus answered, “I am The Way and The Truth and The Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6

ForGlorySake! – Anna 4/10/2022

“In Him was Life and that Life was the light of all men.” John 1:4

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That’s Life

Up around 7am, only the dog is waiting on me these days. She gets 30 minutes of ball throwing after I make coffee. The grand-babies arrive by 8:30. 3 days week our house is fun and loud, what a blessing! In between playtimes, I answer the office line, cut out shirts and sew quilts. My other 2 weekdays are solely for David and meetings. Its become a busy but very fulfilling schedule. “Controlled-chaos,” my mom called it, “like herding cats.”

That’s life…

So many prayers go up throughout my day: a relative suffering from esophageal cancer… a daughter entering late pregnancy while her husband serves in the Marines… loss of contact with a “God-child” in Russia… Protection, equipping, and guidance for all the Bride of Christ (around the world)… and other daily issues that pop up from friends, clients and family. I love that God is near me wherever I am.

Life is so much about the necessities that keep us alive: food, clothing, shelter, sleep, plumbing/diapers (!) Listening to the stories of refugees fleeing Ukraine emphasizes the things that we truly need. It makes me thankful for my safety, and horrified for their situation all at the same time. I know God is watching over anyone who is looking for Him, and so I keep praying that every soul finds Jesus.

As I listen to news and podcasts, check emails and updates via texts, I am reminded again and again – All my peace is found in HimAll my Hope is anchored in HimAll my joy comes from Him. He will supply my needs. His love is worth more to me than life itself. Life may be full of unknowns, but I know the Author of life and He knows me. And that’s life’s most precious gift.

ForGlorySake! – Anna

“Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.” 2 Cor. 13:11
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Earth: The Great Trust Experiment

Life feels like one long trust lesson… as if God created earth and humans to see if we would actually listen and obey. The never-ending question being: “Will you trust Me?” The first response was a quick “yes” …until the thought appeared, “I can do this myself.”

Many generations and no-end-of-trouble later… I’m faced with that silent question every day: “Will you trust Me?” Over and over in a million different scenarios, will I submit to God? To know what’s best for me? To guard and protect those I love? To give exactly what’s needed today? To simply look to and rest in The Author and Perfecter of my faith?

Peace, be still.

I love to imagine heaven and the life I’ll have after this one. Searching through scripture from Genesis to Revelation is eye-opening, but frustratingly incomplete. So many questions remain. How will I view my time on earth? What effects does life today have on eternity? Can I possibly grasp the worth of all the gifts and opportunities I’ve been given? Were Adam and Eve the only humans to fully realize -squandered blessings?

Seeing clearly that life is fleeting and Jesus is closer to returning than He was yesterday makes me focus on what’s truly important. I trust Him, because He is God and I am not. I love Him, because He 1st loved me. I love and forgive others, because I am loved and forgiven. I live and die for Him, because Jesus lived and died and rose again for me!

Trusting God (no matter what) seems to be the key to abundant life here on earth and glorious living in heaven with Him. Help us trust You more, LORD!

ForGlorySake! -Anna

 I know the ONE in whom I trust, and I am sure that HE is able to guard what I have entrusted to HIM until The Day of HIS return. 2 Timothy 1:12




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All God’s promises

Recently I heard a bible scholar say that too many people claim promises from scripture that don’t belong to them. I must say, he’s wrong.

First, God is a personal God who writes my name on the palm of His hand and numbers the hairs of my head. He knows what I’m going to say before I say it and He’s acquainted with all my ways! All my days have been recorded in His book and my years on earth were allotted.

Second, as personal as He is with me, His message is personal: Hebrews 4:12 “God’s word living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow… it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of every heart.”

Third, 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “EVERY scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the person dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good work.”

Fourth, one of my favorite verses in the New Testament states: 2

“For ALL the promises of God are “Yes” in Christ. And so through Him, our “Amen” is spoken to the Glory of God!” 2 Corinthians 1:20

ALL of God promises are mine in Jesus! Each one has been fulfilled in Him and I belong to Him snd He is mine. I’m even sealed with His Spirit as a guarantee. I Corinthians 1:22 (Jesus) sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a down payment.”

The promises we find in God’s Word are mine and yours, because Jesus’ died & rose again to make it so. You can count on it!

ForGlorySake! -Anna

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