Lion Bites - Global Prophetic Alliance Word for Today

Are you signed up for the daily Lion Bites from Prophetic Global Alliance?  I find them very encouraging.  Many are exactly what I need to hear on the day I receive them.  

Here is today's--very good!

Pure Gold

My child, 

I do not promise you a trouble-free life, but when your life is in My hands every painful experience is an opportunity for growth and transformation into the likeness of My Son.  This is the redemptive and sanctifying work of the cross and it is glorious!

In this past season, I know that your faith has been tested like gold in the refiner’s fire and you have chosen to endure through the trials.  Rejoice that I am the God of the process as well as outcomes.  Now, I am calling you to arise and display the greater weight of My glory in the days ahead. Your faith, which is so precious to Me, has proved genuine, pure, and strong. 

Even in the darkest moments, when tears may flow, hold onto the promise that I cause everything to work together for the good of those who love Me and are called according to My purpose for them. 

Nothing is wasted in my Kingdom.  Let the cry of your heart be that of Job: “He knows where I am going and when He tests me, I will come out as pure gold.”

Activation: Spend time praising God and thanking Him for His grace and strength through the challenging times. Be specific.  Declare these scriptures over your life and receive fresh faith for the days ahead.

 

Job 23:10 (NIV)

But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.

1 Peter 1:6-7 (NLT)

So be truly glad.There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (MSG)

So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times; the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.

Natasha Owens - The Chosen One (Official Music Video)

Such A Busy Time Of Year For Me!

        I know I haven't posted for awhile but this is such a busy time of year for me.  I tend 2 parks in our small town, take care of my own gardens including weeding--which is quite time consuming since we've had so much rain--planting vegetables and shopping for, choosing and filling my flower pots for the summer, so there never seems to be enough time.  Right now it is very beautiful here with the rhododendrons in bloom so I thought you might enjoy the beauty with me.  Here are a few photos:

The hosta in the background is an Empress Wu, one of the largest hostas.  It is about 4 feet tall and 5 feet wide.  I love it!

I love the color of this iris by the front porch so included it in the photo.

Some of my pots and two of the boxes on our deck.  We had wind last night so the strands from the oak trees are everywhere.

I can't decide which color of rhododendron I like best.  Each one is so beautiful!

The rhododendrons have been planted for almost 20 years so are getting quite tall, reaching up to the second story of the house.

The planters have only been filled for about a week, but because of the perfect growing weather we've been having this spring they are already beginning to fill out.

Seventeenth Century Nun's Prayer

A friend sent this today.  I'm not sure this was written by someone in the 17th Century but I enjoyed it anyway.  Much truth is contained in the prayer!

 

Parasites, Ivermectin and more

 The more I read, the more important I believe it is for us to do a parasite cleanse.  Ivermectin seems to be a very good choice to do the job.  Watch this video for much information on why, how and when to use it, plus much more info on the uses of Ivermectin.

The Use of Water - Barbara O'Neill

I highly recommend this great video on the value of drinking water.  Amazing!

Root Cause - The Health Effects of the Root Canal Procedure - FULL DOCUM...

If you have had a root canal or are considering having one, you need to watch this documentary.

Larry Randolph - "2024 - The Year of Contradictions!"

I very much enjoyed and was inspired by this video with Larry Randolph.  I thought you might want to check it out if you haven't already seen it.

Dr. Bryan Ardis on The Shocking Truth About Nicotine

I highly recommend this video.  So much information to research and verify, but if even half of it is true it is so helpful and hopeful!

The Shocking Truth About Nicotine

Healing - Equipping and Activating The Saints Part 1 - Ian Andrews

I have learned so much from Ian Andrews.  His approach to healing is so refreshing, inspiring, hopeful, encouraging, practical....  He has begun posting these informative audio teachings weekly.  If you are at all interested in being an instrument of healing I highly recommend you listen to them.  

Commitment (Repost)

For some reason I see several people have been re-reading my post on "Commitment" from 10 years ago.  Since it is still relevant--maybe even more so today--I thought it might be a good time to repost it.  The only change I would make is to say Country Guy and I have now been married 57 years.  We are still committed. 😀

Commitment first posted January 20, 2013

      Have you ever noticed that 'commitment' seems to be a dirty word these days?  I was thinking about the number of people who live together without getting married this morning.  Those people appear to be unwilling to make a life-long commitment and that's what marriage is supposed to be.  The Bible calls marriage a covenant.  It's to be a physical example of the spiritual truth of how Christ loves the church.  We certainly are not giving a very good impression of that are we?

     Have you ever studied the history of blood covenants?  In ancient days, animals were cut in two and each half laid opposite the other on a slight incline, so that the blood ran together in a little stream.  Two parties made a deal and then walked between these animals in the blood path to say "let this (that has been done to these animals) be done to me if I do not hold up my end of the bargain".   That is serious commitment, don't you think?

     Country Guy and I will have been married 47 years in April.  That sounds like an amazing length of time to me considering that when I think about how old I feel before I remember how old I am, I think of myself as about 45!  :o)  We believed when we got married that we were making a covenant for the rest of our lives.  It has not always been easy--of course, if Country Guy would just shape up, it would be easier--Just joking! 

     Since it was a serious commitment, one we didn't enter into lightly, we had no choice but to stick together and work things out.   We believe that we were to honor the commitment we spoke in the words "for better, for worse, in sickness & health, till death do us part."  Just repeating those words give an indication that all things won't be rosy.  There is a warning inherent in them.  It is the commitment for life that gets us through those times we would like to avoid and makes us stronger in the process.

     It seems to me we have become a nation of wimps because we've forgotten our covenants, or broken them when times got tough, or never made them to start with.  We've chosen to do what feels good to avoid the trials that bring growth. 

    I once read a book by Gary Thomas entitled, Sacred Marriage.  In it, his premise was that God didn't create marriage to make us happy, He created marriage to make us holy.  In the covenant of marriage we are given a perfect opportunity to learn to prefer others, die to self, love unconditionally, and to practice all those other commandments Jesus gave us.  If we are committed for life we might as well get to learning how to do those things because the problems are not going to go away!

     I believe that's what we're missing today.  We all want to be happy, but the Bible says our goal is to be holy.  Let's think about what our lack of commitment says to those who don't read the Bible.   In fact, I believe if we are serious about this Christian life, we need to look at our entire lives to see if they are true representations of what Jesus did for us, and if not, to ask Him to help us become a true disciple--doing what He did, living as He lived.  How much that surely would please Him!

A beautiful sunrise

 We recently spent some time in Florida.  One morning as I went out to walk on the beach the sky was exceptionally beautiful! 

A Chuckle for Today--But Also True!

 

French Onion Chicken Soup

I tried a wonderful new soup recipe that I saw in The Epoch Times newspaper a couple of weeks ago.  I condensed the instructions so they are easier to follow.  This is a time consuming soup--mainly because the onions must be watched and stirred as they are cooking for 35-45 minutes, but it is very worth the effort.

French Onion Chicken Soup

For the Soup:

3 pounds yellow onions (4 large or 6 medium)

6 T. Butter, divided

1 tsp dried thyme

2 dried bay leaves

2 1/2 tsp salt, divided, plus more as needed

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

3 medium carrots 

3 medium stalks celery

3 cloves garlic (or 3/4 tsp garlic powder)

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or thighs

3/4 cup dry white wine

1 T. Dry sherry (I used Marsala wine as substitute)

1/4 c. Flour

6 c. Chicken broth

For the cheesy toasts (optional)

1/2 baguette or loaf of Italian/French bread

2 oz. Gruyere (or Swiss) cheese (about 1/2 heaping cup)

• Peel, and thinly slice the yellow onions (about 10 cups)
• Melt 4 T. of butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.  Add the onions, dried thyme , bay leaves, 1 1/2 tsp salt and the pepper.  Cook stirring often and scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to prevent burning until the onions are soft and amber brown, 35-45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, peel and slice carrots and celery into 1/4 inch slices. (About 1 to 1 1/4 C. each) Mince the garlic.  When onions are done add remaining 2 T. butter to the onion mixture.  When melted, add carrots/celery/garlic and cook stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.
• Add wine and sherry to mixture.  Cook, stirring occasionally until mostly evaporated, 2-3 minutes.  Sprinkle with the flour and cook stirring constantly for 1 minute.  Continue stirring as you pour in the chicken broth. 
• Season the chicken breasts (I use chicken tenders) with rest of salt.  (If breasts are thick, butterfly them by slicing longwise through thickest part.)
• Add the chicken in a single layer on top of onion/carrot/wine mixture.  Increase the heat to medium high and bring to a lively simmer.  Reduce heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer.  Cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, 15-20 minutes. 

Prepare cheese toasts:  

Arrange oven rack 3-4 inches below broiler unit and set oven to broil.  Cut baguette crosswise on a bias into 1 inch thick slices (about 8).  Place in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.  Grate the Gruyere cheese.  Sprinkle the bread evenly with the cheese.  Broil until cheese is melted and bubbly about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

• When chicken is well done, remove and shred with 2 forks, return to soup mixture. Remove bay leaves.  Add more salt/pepper if needed.  Ladle into bowls
• Top each bowl of soup with a piece of cheese toast.  
• Serve immediately.

Soup can be refrigerated 4-5 days or frozen for 3 months.

Something to Think About: Howard Pittman's Near Death Experience

Howard Pittman PART 2 | Insights After a Near Death Experience