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Available on Kindle March 2013
Woman 2 Woman/Matters of the Heart 2
Winter/Spring 2013
contents
features
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What’s Love Got to Do With It? By Tina Craig Life Coach
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Crazy for You By Mary Hines-Bone
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God Makes No Mistakes By Maretha Johnican Co-Pastor of CH & D Ministry
in every issue
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The Readers Corner A Place For Christian Romance 3
Try, try again! Another New Year’s Resolution Another year has come and gone and according to Author and Psychologist Richard Wiseman, only 12% of the people who make resolutions succeed in keeping them. What does that say to us? Well, I think it’s telling us it’s possible, but difficult. All things worthwhile usually are. It will take will power, selfempowerment, determination, faith, a sense of humor and sometimes resolve in knowing that some of our resolutions may take more than one year to achieve. “What?” you ask! “But resolutions expire at midnight on the 31 st of December every year!” Listen, if you get half way to a 10k running goal from mile marker 00, are you going to quit there? Heck, no! You started a great habit, made amazing strides and that should be enough to take last year’s dreams into the next! Give yourself a huge pat on the back for NOT GIVING UP and keep going girl! That, in my opinion, is success! Here are a handful of helpful hints to be in 2013’s 12%: Break it Down: I don’t mean in a hip hop dance way, I mean into smaller goals. If your goal it to write a novel. Then break down the goal into manageable portions. For instance, write one chapter per week or vow to write for 3 hours 3 times per week. These smaller steps are more attainable and realistic. Who writes a novel in a day? If the goal is saving money, decide how much per week or day to get to the end goal. Set the amount you have to achieve, if you miss a deposit you make it up as quickly as possible. Mistakes are manageable; they can be fixed and don’t have to be the cause to quit on your resolution. When you reach your goals, then break it down baby! And I do mean in a hip hop dance kind of way!
Visualize: Start feeling and seeing what it’s going to feel like when you achieve your goals. Have a short simple statement to repeat to yourself every day. If doubt creeps in then push the thoughts away with statements only winners use. “I am capable of running 2 miles every day, because I’m healthy and strong.” Before you know it, you will run that 5 K by the end of the year! Another exercise is to make a vision board, with pictures to remind you of your goals. Hang it on your mirror or closet door to make yourself stop and believe in yourself every morning. Our thoughts become our reality. When we work as hard in mind as in body, we can make change happen. Don’t let self-doubt stop you when you have the power to stop it! Not only is writing your idea down a great way to visualize your way to success, but it’s perfect for staying focused and on track. Organize your path to reach your end goal. Step by step, check off each you’ve accomplished. What could be more motivating than to see yourself moving forward?
Woman 2 Woman/Matters of the Heart 4
Accountability Partner: Join a running group, or get an office colleague to save $5 per day M-F. Make it a ritual to drop the money in a lock box together. At the end of 52 weeks you’ll have an extra $1300 and have had a lot of fun at the same time. Find a weight loss partner or work out partner, or ask a family member for support. Even if they say a prayer with you every day to encourage you, it can help. You may consider hiring a professional of some sort. Depending on your goals, you could benefit from a fitness trainer, counselor or support group. Life Coaches are all about holding you accountable for the weekly goals you set and making action plans with you that ignite positive thinking and achievable steps. If you need a person on your side, to challenge you and share progress, it’s worth considering these professionals.
Quiet your mind and laugh! When we are running around stressed out, fitting extra tasks into our already busy schedule, we can get derailed. Getting overwhelmed or even physically exhausted doesn’t have to block you from your achievements. Take some quiet time for peace of mind. Your mind and soul need to be grounded. Insert 5 minutes breaks into each day. Set your phone alarm. Allow your mind to blank out. Breath. Give yourself this time to enjoy the air that is filling your lungs, and cleansing away the tension they hold. Listen to your deep breathes and whenever you begin to think about what you “should be doing”, “need to get done”, or you begin to drift into worry, stop! Stop those thoughts with a positive repetitive mantra. “I am capable of achieving my goals.” “Good thoughts, Good deeds, Great results.” “God knows my heart and stands beside me.” “All I desire is within me.” Whatever fits for you and shoos away the negative.
I avidly practice mini-meditation, usually before meeting with a client (they deserve my mind to be clear) and always before I go to bed. It’s physically great for my heart/body and it quiets a noisy world. It’s a little gift to myself, like taking a coffee break! If you need help with this, Deepak Chopra has developed wonderful meditation sets such as “Creating Abundance” that have soothing messages to guide you. 15 minutes to peace of mind!
Laugh: Last but not least, stop being so serious and have a good ole belly laugh. If it’s at yourself, perfect! Rent a movie and let your laughter fill the room! It releases stress, strengthens immune systems, and produces endorphins that relieves pain and creates energy. A good laugh can inspire hope and it looks great on you!
With these hints you will stand a better chance on being in the 12% next year! Good Luck and Happy New Year to all of you who have the courage to make a resolution of any size or shape! Share your story with me at tina@lifeshiftcoaching.com. I look forward to hearing from you and sharing each success you have along the way to 2014!
Tina Craig Certified Life Coach LifeshiftCoaching.com 5
Knowing Who You Are In 2013 Many Christians wrestle their whole life with a crippling sense of inferiority. These feelings, can be devastating, and can destroy the best of relationships. Let’s thank God for his healing powers because there is a way of escape for such feelings. I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful. Upon giving your life to Christ there should be time spent in getting to know the you that God has created. Getting to know you through the eyes of God is healing for the mind, body and soul. When we look at Ephesians 2:10 it spells out that you are His workmanship – God is at work in you. Last time I checked Psalms 149:13 says: I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful. (NIV) God does not put out shabby work, He is the true artist when it comes to master pieces. Everything he does is good and perfect. If you are finding this hard to believe than perhaps you have your eyes on others and feel you don’t measure up to them. In fact, you do not measure up to them because God has designed you to measure up to no one but yourself. We are all created different for God’s unique purpose in our life. There will be no on earth that can compare them to you. We have to take the time to understand what God expects from us. Not what God excepts from our neighbor and then try to do the same. We as believers set our own expectations that are higher than what God is setting for us. This sets us up for failure ever time. The race that we a running is not for the swift, but for those who can run it till the end. So, take today and get to know the real you in God. Find out his desires for your life and get on track with what he expects from you daily. Brianna Headen CEO
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EM Creative Fitness offers support to anyone looking to lose weight, get/stay healthy, or just needing a workout plan or partner. Here we do it all! For further information visit: www.facebook.com/EmCreativeFitness
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What’s Love Got To Do With It?
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W
e all know that famous song sang by the one and only Tina Turner. We all remember hearing it and thinking it was the steamiest thing on the radio back in the day. That is if you were “back in the day”. If not, YouTube it, it’s hot! Tina exudes sexuality!
But seriously, times have changed! We hear and see much steamier images through our entertainment today. Not half naked women, but 3/4 naked women were just sporting the catwalk last night in the Victory Secret fashion show. Magic Mike is giving women much less to leave to the imagination as well. And who didn’t get a little lit up, when they watched the shirtless wolf in Twilight? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining! What I am seeing is more and more women of all ages asking, “what’s love got to do with it?” If I take my clothes off, dance provocatively, do a little strip tease, or have sex with my man, is that loving him? Young women have always, but more now than ever, gotten the message that sex shows love. Of course love can and should be sexy at times. Sex is an expression of your love. It’s a way to put a partner’s pleasure and wants before your own, thereby saying “I do, because I love”. Now that doesn’t mean he can ask for what ever he seeing on the porn channel and question your love if you refuse! No, no, no! Tell him he needs to read this article! This is where loving yourself enough to have boundaries comes in. Boundaries are completely acceptable in all types of relationships. Boundaries are needed. If someone asks you to cross your sexual boundaries in an unhealthy way, you should be questioning their love for you! Compromise is necessary in every aspect of a relationship so talk things out, weigh your options, explain your discomfort, but honor your choices and boundaries. And your partner should want to honor them too. Let’s not get boundaries confused with conditions or manipulation. Sex shouldn’t be used as control or a reward, or bait to receive love. Love can not be demanded, or dictated when and where it will come. It does not come with stipulations or addendums. It is free! Free to give, free to get. You can sell sex, pay for a marriage, buy companionship, but real love comes purely from grace and free will. So how do we recognize the difference between just sex and love with sex? Communicate. Pay attention to the silent clues. Is there a complete desire to give and genuinely care for your partner? And is it reciprocated freely? If you and your partner agreed to not have sex for one week, could you spend the same amount of time together? Did you get gratification from this time together without the sex? If the answer is yes, then you’ve got a chance that when you have sex together it is “all about love!” Tina Craig Certified Life Coach Lifeshiftcoaching.com 9
Have a Sun filled Day!
Psalm 24:7-10 (NKJV) Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in.
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Devotions For Women 1 Corinthian 13:13~ And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love. (NIV) God commands us to love one another as we love ourselves. The bible also tells us that love covers a multitude of sin. With these two statements directly from God and written in our manual for life, why do we as people, God’s people, find it hard to do this? God came to me and dealt with me about none other but me; in a time, I felt it was everybody else but me. God spoke to me about having the love of this world and not his agape love. See we can’t love in our own self as the world does, but it’s a fact that if we don’t allow God to saturate our hearts with his love then we will love today and not tomorrow. The worlds love comes with conditions. Love me and I will love you back, give me, make me feel good, say & do what I want and I will love you even more, when God’s love is unconditional and we should have this same love for each other. Agape love, loves those who despitefully uses us, don’t give us, lie to us, and say things that don’t make us feel good. God loved us so much that he gave his only son that we might live and have a right to the tree of life. In turn his son suffered for our sins, although we were and are not worthy of such a love. In our daily living, we all sin and come short of the glory of God, but Jesus never fell short, and yet he gave his life as a common criminal, and shed his blood that our sins might be covered and washed away. When we walked away from God, he stood there waiting for our return while never losing the love he has for us. In our sinful state, he loved us! So, let this year bring you to your knees in repentance and a cry from your belly for God to take every stony place away in your heart and fill it with a fleshly heart filled with his love. When we walk in his love we can love past people faults and pray for their needs, be hit on the cheek and turn away still loving. Keeping God as the center of your being and be transformed into a God pleaser, knowing that God is the revenger of all we go through and he never allows anything bad to happen to us that he doesn’t come in and somehow work it out for our good. God is a good god and he desires for us to sit in heavenly places while here on earth and without love for one another we can never experience God on that level. We can never go into our promises without love, and we will never enter into the gates of heaven. Purpose in your heart to love, go after the love of God, so that it may fill your heart and overflow to others.
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Crazy For You
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A Widows Journey
usic has the power to take me back in time. I can remember where I was and who I was with just by listening to a song. I will even feel emotions related to those memories sometimes. I've realized as I've gotten older, though, that not everyone feels so intensely about music. To some people, a song is just a song. But not to me..... It was September of 1985. I was a freshman in high school and I had a big crush on an 11th grader named Steve. We were talking on the phone one night (it was September 24th to be exact - the night before Steve's 16th birthday) when the subject of our upcoming homecoming dance came up. Steve said, "I could go stag or I could take you." My reply was something along the lines of, "Yeah, you could take me." That was it. We had plans for our first date and I was super excited! I have a picture of us so I know exactly what I was wearing. A gray striped jumpsuit! Steve showed up late to pick me up and I had no idea that I would spend the next 19 years getting frustrated when he showed up late to EVERYTHING! As the years wore on, I would lie to him about the start time for events so that we would actually be on time....it would become known as "Steve time." If a wedding was at 1:00, I told him it was at 12:30! Anyway, we finally did arrive to the homecoming dance. Steve had the DJ dedicate a song to me. I'll never forget the excitement I felt when he said, "To Mary From Steve" and started to play, "Crazy For You" by Madonna. My heart melted and that became "our song." We danced to it that night in 1985. We would call each other on the phone and instead of saying hello, we would play our song into the phone. This was way before caller ID. Imagine how I felt when I would answer the phone, not knowing who was calling, and I would hear Madonna's voice on the other end! I felt more loved than I can describe in words. We would dance to it again at our wedding. I had "Crazy For You" engraved into Steve's wedding band. We would play it in our living room and dance, for no reason at all. It was our song and anyone who knew us can attest to how special it was to us. When Steve died, I was told that I could put three words on his gravestone. I was torn. He meant so much to so many people; how could I sum him up in just three words? Husband, Father, Son? Husband, Father, Brother? I really didn't know what to do until Steve's mother told me she knew which three words needed to go on his headstone: Crazy For You. I was extremely touched because those words meant everything to us but I didn't realize that others knew how much they meant too. So that's what I did. A lifetime of love summed up in three words on a gravestone. Whenever I want to go back to those days of dancing in Steve's arms, I just play the song and it all comes back.... Mary Hines-Bone www.widowplusthree.com
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GOSPEL INSPIRATION TO SOOTH YOUR SOUL Click on album cover to make purchase All links lead to Amazon
It's Not Over Israel & New Breed Featuring James Fortune & Jason Nelson Jesus at the Center: Live
One Thing Remains Passion Featuring Kristian Stanfill White Flag
Take Me To The King Tamela Mann Best Days
I Need A Miracle Third Day Miracle 13
The Readers Corner A Place for Christian Romance
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Internet Romance “Fate, destiny, the power of prayers?” Pearl beamed a smile like a ray of sunshine at her older sister. “You never know what can happen with divine intervention, but I don’t believe in luck. If it’s going to work, it will take a higher power.” Jasmine gazed at the blue heavens of Louisiana. “I’ve heard both good and bad about Internet romances, but there’s something about Bud that makes me think fate or destiny is at work. I can feel it in my heart. It’s meant to be.” Pearl shook her finger in her sister’s face. “People meet all the time via the Internet, but you have to calm down and play it safe. Be careful. Many of my girlfriends aren’t blessed with their connections.” Jasmine brushed her bangs out of her eyes. “Bud tells me he’s heard of many couples meeting on the Net, and they’ve ended up happily married.” Pearl sighed. “Remember, that could be him telling you what he wants you to believe. Did you get his real name, or is Bud just his nick? Do you realize just how many Buds there are online?” “I just gave him my nick, so I thought fair was fair.” Jasmine met her sister’s eyes. “Well, you’d better find out a lot more about your mysterious Internet love before you get in over your head.” Pearl frowned. “I don’t want to see you end up like some of my friends.” Jasmine smiled. “I plan to. He’s phoning me for the first time Sunday evening.” Pearl opened her car door and jumped out. “Thanks for the ride to the grocery. I hope he turns out to be a real prince and not a toad. I know the Internet is the only way you’d ever meet anyone, since you don’t get out enough, but I’m leery of it after some of the stories I’ve heard.” “I’ll be careful, little sis. It’s supposed to be the other way around. I’m supposed to be looking out for my younger sister, but you’re acting like an old mother hen over me.” Jasmine watched Pearl’s face. “I want to meet your Internet love, if he ever decides to visit.” “You’ll be the first to meet him. I promise.” Jasmine waved and backed out of the drive. Can’t wait to get home and check my email. Meeting by chance. One little yellow beeping message was all it took, and Jasmine’s heart flip-flopped with every beep. How sweet to wake up to email messages of “Good morning, darling.” Not a day went by without chatting, sending e-mails, and cards. The phone rang Sunday evening, and Jasmine grabbed it on the first ring. When she heard Bud’s voice for the first time, her pulse raced, and her heart skipped beats. She loved his voice from the moment he said, “Can you believe how lucky we’ve been?” His pleasant, deep voice continued. “Two lonely people meet via computer technology, and the world becomes a less lonely place for them. Though worlds apart, living in different states with over 700 miles between us, we connected over the computer and became friends.” “Yes,” Jasmine said. “I’ll never forget hearing, “Uh Oh,” seeing the little yellow message beeping, and the name Bud appearing online. That’s how it all started. It’s so hard to believe I finally found someone I actually enjoy chatting with after all the jerks.” “You need to be safe. I’m glad you’re careful.” “You know, I can’t believe I’m chatting with you like I am. My little sister keeps warning me about Internet romances, and I’ve been hurt too many times to risk it again. Every time I give it all, my heart, my soul, my very being, the man rips my world apart, and I don’t want to go through that pain and heartache again. Yet, here I am, not being able to get enough of chatting with you.” “Men can be hurt, too. I’ve seen a marriage come to an end. I don’t want to experience that pain and heartache again either. We both have children by our previous marriages. We’re both adults, and we know what we want. We know what we’re looking for in a partner this time. A partner for life is what I want.” Bud’s voice soothed her nerves. 15
“My children are all grown and gone, but you’ve got a six-year old daughter.” Do I dare to love again? “I want a partner and helpmate in life, someone I can depend on.” Bud said. “My sister is worried, and she wants to meet you. I promised her she’d be the first, if you ever make the ten-hour drive.” “I can’t wait to meet you. I plan to see you next weekend, so make arrangements for your sister to check me out.” Bud’s tone reassured her. Jasmine’s heart stood still. It’d been two weeks since they’d met by chance over the Net. “I’ll arrange things. I can’t wait to meet you either.” Her heart was in her throat. Meeting him in person makes me so nervous. “We’ve been talking nearly all night long, but I feel like we’ve known each other for years.” Bud said. “Your phone bill is going to be sky high. We’ve talked for hours.” “Don’t worry about it. You’re not paying.” Bud laughed. Jasmine continued listening to Bud’s plans, but her heart flooded her mind with questions, even as his soothing voice convinced her to keep talking. “Being states apart is not the only way we’re worlds apart.” Do I dare to give this romance a fair chance? I have a well-paying job, make my own way, and am my own woman, totally independent of any man. Can I dare to face the real world that stands in our way? My mirror doesn’t lie. They hung up, but questions gave Jasmine’s mind no rest. She had no answers. *** Jasmine opened the door and found Bud standing on her front steps with a dozen red roses and a grin ear-to-ear. “How’d you find me? I thought you’d have to call for directions, and I’d have to meet you somewhere.” “Technology is amazing these days, so is the power of the Internet. I printed a map that took me from my door to yours.” He laughed, and his caramel-brown eyes twinkled. “You should see the surprise and shock written all over your face. I guess I have to let your sister check me out. Are you ready?” “No wonder my sister was worried.” Jasmine took the roses. “Come in a minute, and let me get these in some water. You’ve just given me my first dozen red roses.” “That’s hard to believe.” “It’s true.” Bud put her right at ease. He’d provided her with his real name, address, home and cell phone numbers, and he pulled out a Florida driver’s license and showed her he was who he said he was. “I’m from New York. Moved to Florida and been working there about 12 years. Love the mild winters. You’ll have to come visit me and see my home. I’ve got three bedrooms, and you’re welcome to that Florida vacation you’ve never had. I’ll show you all the theme parks.” “Slow down.” Sparkling eyes met hers, and his entire face lit up. Love lights and sparks. There’s truly a higher power at work in the scheme of things. Out of all the people, I could have stumbled across over the Internet, Bud and I have discovered one another. Perhaps it’s meant to be. I’m a grown woman with a mind of my own. I’m going to let this Internet romance have a fair chance. What do I have to lose? Only my heart, once again, but I won’t think that way. I’ll be positive and give Bud a fair chance. Something tells me he might be the one. Bud took her hands in his and declared, “Call it fate, destiny, or whatever. I call it divine intervention and love. The man upstairs decided we should meet.” Bio B. J. Robinson lives in Florida with her husband, two dogs, and a cat. B.J. a graduate of the Christian Writers Guild and Long Ridge Writers Group has authored four Christian inspirational romance novels. Visit her blog at www.barbarajrobinson.blogspot.com. Woman 2 Woman/Matters of the Heart 16
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od Makes No Mistakes
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My earliest memories were those of chaos and anxiety. The home that my parents shared was filled with domestic violence and instability. My father was a war veteran and alcoholic. He would have flash backs, at which time he would have my mother, my older brother and me line up at gunpoint, as if on a firing squad. He would have us to stand at attention until he grew tired of his game. Frequently he fought with my mother, after arriving home in a drunken mess. The police frequently called to our home, were limited to handle the situation due to the domestic violence laws were not nearly as strict as they are today, and very little or nothing was done. I was about three years old when I was diagnosed with asthma. It was discovered that the asthma attacks were induced by anxiety. I remember some family talking about how nervous I was. I was the one that took all of our family issues to heart, beginning the habit of worrying about things I could do nothing about. This of course induced more asthma attacks. I became the victim of sexual molestation, beginning at age five. We had a 15-year-old cousin on our father's side of the family who was diagnosed with mental retardation. He was over six feet tall but had the mentality of a child. A few of the neighborhood children were playing in a wooded area. Our cousin decided to play a game of hide and seek. Little did I know that he didn't have any intention of me hiding from him. He pulled me in the opposite direction of the group, further into the woods. The Grace of God steered a younger boy in our playgroup to find us just in time. Later that day, the little boy began to tell my mother what had happened. My mother turned towards me and began to curse and scream. She made me go upstairs to my room forbidding me to play with the boys in the future. My interpretation of her reaction was that I did something wrong. As a result, I never let her find out about the future molestations. My mother went to nursing school to become an LPN. Being the oldest daughter, I had to take on the responsibilities of the other children at a very young age. My brother shared some of the responsibilities, but not nearly as much as I did. When my mother was away, we were given explicit instructions about what to do in order to maintain our household. She would threaten to whip us if anything went wrong. We washed diapers by hand in the toilet, boiled water to make the babies' bottles, fed and burped the babies, cleaned the house and a vast array of adult-type duties. We were often in the house from sun-up to sundown awaiting our mother's return. . I wondered why our father had to be a drunk, why we had to live in poverty, why we had so many responsibilities, why we couldn't go out to play like the other children. I have since learned that God has a plan for us, regardless of what our current situation may be. 19
We left my father when I was eight years old after he attempted to kill my mother. We moved from Ohio to West Virginia, across the dirt road from my grandparents. Initially it was great to get away from the stress and anxiety of living the perpetual roller-coaster ride we'd come off of. It was good to be around our grandparents who were more seasoned, laid back, loving and peaceful. My grandmother began to take us to church on a regular basis. However, as some destructive doors were closed others were opened. I was reintroduced to sexual molestation by an uncle. My self-worth, which was already near non-existent, reached an all-time low. I had become very timid, quiet, shameful and fearful. The molestation continued for years. Of course I couldn't tell anyone about it - remember, it was my fault. At age 15 I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior. But shortly thereafter, I traded Him in for the so-called pleasures of this world. I began to be promiscuous, as I began to search for love in all the wrong places. I became pregnant when I was 16 and miscarried at three months into my pregnancy. I got married later that same year. We were together for five months before he ran off with an older woman . I went from one devastating and oftentimes abusive relationship to another. Not long after I graduated, I met a man from Ohio who visited family in WV He asked me to move to Ohio with him, and in spite of all the red flags warning me to do otherwise, I decided to move. I'd known him to be abusive to another girl he had dated prior to myself. He had also been aggressive with me on several occasions, but apologized thereafter. Soon the physical abuse started with me on a regular basis. He was a heavy drinker becoming even more violent when he was drunk. . Within a year of moving to Ohio, I decided to go to nursing school. During the first quarter of school, I found out, I was pregnant. I faced many obstacles while in school, but God gave me the Grace to finish. I was honored to have my mother and father come to Columbus for my graduation. That was the last time I ever saw my father before he died and one of the last times I saw my mother. I had planned to leave my baby’s father once I graduated and got a job because of all the negative things that had transpired since being with him. However, things seemed to get a little better, so I stayed. This was the viewpoint of a young woman who had very low self-esteem and self-worth. Soon after getting my first job as a registered nurse, God began to deal with me strongly to give my life back to Him. I went to church one Sunday, repented of my sins and re-dedicated my life to the Lord. I knew I had been living in sin for the past five years, with a man that wasn't my husband. I knew I had to make a decision to marry him or get out of this lifestyle of fornication. Woman 2 Woman/Matters of the Heart 20
I prayed for God to help me make the right decision about whether or not to get married. Even though my baby's father wanted to get married, he did not intend to change his lifestyle. Instead of following the leading of the Holy Spirit, we got married. Within a year, I graduated from nursing school, started a new career, re-dedicated my life to the Lord, got married, lost my mother in a tragic car accident and became pregnant. It was the Lord, who sustained me through all the major impacts of these life-changing experiences. I regretted not allowing the Lord to take me on the path He had for me. Having a husband that allowed the enemy to use him became a constant distraction, while trying to live a saved life. God released me from the marriage but after the separation I backslid. I remained out of the will of God for seven long years. I ended up in an adulterous relationship with a man 12 years my senior. I returned to a life of drugs and alcohol in order to dull my senses. I was jeopardizing my career as well as my children's well-being. Again God began to deal with me. He gave me an overwhelming desire to relocate to North Carolina. My grandparents had moved there earlier from West Virginia. I didn't know why I was moving, but God had a plan for me. Within 6 weeks I re-dedicated my life to the Lord for the last time. I was so grateful to God for not allowing my life to be cut off while I was still in sin. I was also grateful for the Grace and Mercy he'd shown to me and my children, in spite of my disobedience. It wasn't long before God began to reveal to me the call He had on my life. He called me into ministry I thank God for saving me while my children were still at home, so they could see the drastic change God can make in someone's life. Finally, the Lord began to minister to me about a husband. I would need a husband for where He was taking me to. At the time I wasn't thinking about a husband. I had fallen in love with Jesus. I met my current husband at church one Mother's Day. I saw him looking at me during the church service but had never seen him before. After church, pastor came up to me and began to tell me about him. I later found out that he'd also told him about me. As I was getting into my car with my children after the service, my future husband came up to me and told me that God told him I was going to be his wife. Of course, I had to wait for God to reveal the same to me, which He did. We were married one year and one month later. We started Christ's Healing & Deliverance Ministry three months after we were married; he is the pastor and I, the co-pastor. We've now been seven years in marriage and ministry. The ministry is steadily growing and we are growing closer in marriage year by year. This is my 25th year of nursing and I still love caring for God's people - mentally, physically and spiritually. My children are all grown and gone out on their own. I now have three grandchildren. I've made many mistakes in my life. But I've discovered that God can turn our worst mistakes into miracles. God makes no mistakes! 21
Small Town Preaching is based on the life of Pastor Nicholas Brown who dreams of preaching t carrying, big hat wearing women who want anything but God. That all changes when ex drug a nacle. Bringing along her sexy dressing friend Kristen a former escort. Who’s the real saint now Get ready to laugh, cry, and wonder why as this book prepares to answer the age old question,
Coming Soon 2013 Woman 2 Woman/Matters of the Heart 22
to a congregation of sold out saints. Instead he gets a congregation full of backsliding, gossip addict Lisa Silverton comes to visit, and decides to become a member of Mount Holiness Taberw? Is the Pastor sleeping with secretary?
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