Jack

Many years ago I was at my friend Suzy's house. As I was leaving she received a phone call from her friend Jack who was threatening suicide. Suzy and I ran for her Galaxy 500. Racing through busy traffic I constantly prayed for our safety as well as for Jack's.

Arriving at Jack's trailer we rushed inside and found him lying on the floor, unconscious, surrounded by liquor bottles and pills. There was no way of knowing how much or what he had taken! As I checked for a pulse, Suzy’s brother, Bill, strode into the trailer. (Bill had listened in on Suzy’s phone conversation, and came to help).

Suddenly Jack awoke, seemed demon possessed, and tossed Bill into the hall. Then Jack smashed his fist through the trailer’s thin interior wall. Running outside, and darting in and out of the congested traffic, Jack dared the vehicles to kill him. When Jack ran towards the trailer Bill pushed me into Suzy’s car, ordering me to lock the doors; but Suzy refused such protection.

Seeing me Jack pressed his face against the window crying, “Why did you leave me, Jenny? Why?” The Lord restrained me from leaving the car to help Jack. I sat petrified while Jack cursed and kicked at the windshield, screaming like insanity itself. Praying for Jesus' help, He answered immediately in the person of Bill.

Struggling with Jack, Bill pushed him inside the trailer and ran for his car. Suzy jumped into the Galaxy next to me and we sped away, the tires threw gravel against the trailer. I could not control my weeping.

I do not know what ever happened to Jack. He was my age at the time of this story - just nineteen.

Thoughts from the First Letter of Saint Peter

It is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome of those who do not believe the gospel of Christ?! If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly?

Be humble with each other, because "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble [Proverbs 3:34]. Humble yourselves under God's mighty hand, so that in due time He will exalt you. Cast all your worries upon Him, because He cares for you.

Be sober and watchful for your enemy, Satan, sneaks around like a hungry lion seeking someone to devour. Resist him. Stand firm in your faith. Trust the Lord. Remember that other Christians around the world are having the same experience.

1 Peter 4:17-18 & 1 Peter 5:5-9 - from the New Testament of the Holy Scriptures

Ministry of Holy Angels

A guardian angel is appointed to every follower of Christ. … The angels appointed to minister to the children of God have at all times access to God's presence.
  The Great Controversy 512-513, Ellen G White


Today … Heavenly messengers are passing through the length and breadth of the land, seeking to comfort the sorrowing, to protect the impenitent, to win the hearts of people to Christ. We cannot see the angels, nevertheless they are with us, guiding, directing, protecting.
  thoughts from Acts of the Apostles 152-153, Ellen G White


We need to understand better than we do the mission of the angels. It would be well to remember that every true child of God has the co-operation of Heavenly angels. Invisible armies of light and power attend the gentle and humble ones who believe and claim the promises of God.

thoughts from Acts of the Apostles 154, Ellen G White

All Your Troubles

Look constantly to Jesus. Take all your troubles to Him. He will never misunderstand you. He is the refuge of His people. Under the shadow of His protection they can pass unharmed.

 Believe in Him and trust in Him. He will not give you up to Satan. …The strength of Heaven is at the command of God’s believing ones. The [person] who makes God their trust is barricaded by an impregnable wall.

  In Heavenly Places 176, Ellen G White

The World in Agitation

Everything in the world is in agitation. The signs of the times are ominous. Coming events cast their shadows before. The Spirit of God is withdrawing from the earth, and calamity follows calamity by sea and by land. There are tempests, earthquakes, fires, floods, murders of every grade. Who can read the future? Where is security? There is assurance in nothing that is human or earthly.

Rapidly are men ranging themselves under the banner they have chosen. Restlessly are they waiting and watching the movements of their leaders. There are those who are waiting and watching and working for their Lord's appearing. [See 2 Peter 3:10-12]. Another class are falling into line under the generalship of [Satan]. Few believe with heart and soul that we have a hell to shun and a Heaven to win. Desire of Ages 636

Have You Ever....

Have you ever been just sitting there and all of a sudden you feel like doing something nice for someone you care for? That’s GOD talking to you through the Holy Spirit.

Have you ever been down and out and nobody seems to be around for you to talk to? That’s GOD wanting you to talk with Him.

Have you ever been thinking about somebody that you haven’t seen in a long time and the next thing you know you see them or receive a phone call from them? That’s GOD. There is no such thing as a coincidence.

Have you ever been in a situation and you had no clue how it was going to get better, how the hurting would stop, how the pain would ease? But now you looked back on it and things are better. That’s GOD passing you through a trial to see a brighter day.

Do you think this was sent to you by accident? No! I was thinking of you!

First Cause

"Friends, the greatest thinkers throughout the ages and up to modern times have utterly failed to give a satisfactory explanation as to how and when this earth came into existence. Whatever theory they have evolved, they have all eventually come face to face with the necessity of the first cause when they cannot define. So forever they stumble along groping for it, drawing millions after them; and all the time walking patiently behind them, hoping that they will turn around and look Him in the face, is the First Cause, the Lord of heaven and earth!" Frank Jeffries

Frank Jeffries, fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society - astronomer, scientist, mathematician - charged with time determination at famous Greenwich.

Hawaii / California Vacation Part 2

Later our seventeen-minute flight to Honolulu where we caught a Boeing to San Francisco. Most people leave the islands around midnight so they can sleep during the flight and arrive in California around 7 a.m.; but we left Honolulu about 2 p.m. and arrived in San Francisco at 11:30 p.m. The flight to San Francisco was virtually empty so we each took a row of seats and slept.

After securing a rental car in San Francisco we gladly anticipated the old, restored hotel I had selected for our lodging. Much to our dismay this hotel was in the heart of a rowdy prostitute district! We decided to go elsewhere, but due to a convention lodging in San Francisco was not to be found. At 1 a.m. we drove back to the airport and found a nice La Quinta Inn with two rooms left, we took one and it was quiet.

In the morning we went to the Science Museum where we enjoyed the Planetarium, gem and mineral collection, aquarium, and earthquake room! In the earthquake room one stands on a platform and a movie is shown of an earthquake as the platform shakes erratically from magnitude 5 to 6. Neglecting to hang onto the railing I fell off the platform, but did the "earthquake" five times!

In San Francisco’s China Town we found a charming restaurant, "The Lotus Garden." Members of the Taoist religion who are vegans own it and the waiter’s only means of pay are tips as this is their mission work. Above the restaurant they have their shrine and religious services. We had egg-less egg rolls, seaweed soup (actually shredded asparagus), vegetable soup with baby corn, and rice with sweet and sour “pork,” almond “chicken”, crisp vegetables, almond pudding and fortune cookies. The "pork" and "chicken" tasted too real so we asked about the ingredients, it was charming to hear the waiter say "gluten!"

We stayed at a church campground in Yosemite overnight to see the ancient Sequoia trees. Oh, how I love those trees and wished I could have one of my own!

The whole vacation was simply wonderful! It could not have been better! Thank you Heavenly Father!

Hawaii / California Vacation Part 1

Once we took a wonderful vacation to Hawaii & California. On Waikiki we rode war canoes and experienced the thrill of the ocean waves, like surfers, going 35 miles per hour! Walking to the summit of Diamond Head and overlooking the ocean was super and we also found World War II bunkers with gun ports! Andy crawled in the bunkers and took fantastic photos. Visiting Pearl Harbor was gripping in its serenity and sorrow.

We learned of a wonderful, but seldom traveled road. This road rises sharply from the National Punch Bowl Cemetery entrance and winds for miles among the tops of extinct volcanic mountains. The mansions on this road are hard to see, but the scenery of God's natural, living green jungles are beautiful: large bamboo groves, twisted banyan trees, four foot long leaves.

On the Big Island we watched the International Iron Man Triathlon Parade of Flags from the outdoor balcony of a Thai restaurant. Later taking a cruise in search of whales and dolphin. Being naive about the ocean I turned green from hanging over the bow taking photographs of dolphin! That evening we ate sticky rice at a Filipino cafe. Sticky rice is rice blended with coconut milk and honey and then wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. Delicious!

An all day trip to see volcanoes and black sand beaches was great. Driving through the Kilauea area we saw steam coming from banks and craters, and tons of hardened, crusty, old lava covering the roads and mountainsides; later we walked through a twelve foot high hardened lava tube that is over one block in length.

Driving further down the mountain we parked and walked right up to the lava flow where a park ranger said the flow was moving twelve feet per twenty-four hours. The surface was hard but the interior was still moving. Many fool-hearty people were walking on this “hardened” lava; some were poking sticks into the flow and the stick would burst into flame, but the lava on the stick would become fragile like glass.

The following day our flight from the Big Island to Maui took fifteen minutes. Maui is the prettiest island we have seen and our hotel was on a beautiful white sand beach. For dinner we had pineapple boats filled with tropical fruit!

In the countryside we saw fields of pineapple and sugar cane and stopped at a botanical garden and sampled breadfruit, passion fruit, and tiny bananas. Later driving through lush green valleys to the Iao Needle which is a tall, skinny mountain that projects itself through the canyon floor. We enjoyed driving to an extinct volcano that rises from sea level to ten thousand feet; the crater is about seven miles across. Because of the iron and sulfur the colors of the crater and the cinder cones are beautiful shades of red, orange, yellow and brown. It was particularly remarkable to see clouds climbing ever higher only to drop inside the crater! Our color slide of this scene won third prize in state competition.

Later we played in the warm 85-degree ocean, took a tour of an old whaling ship and walked through shops of seashells, nautical goods and scrimshaw ivory.

Now on to California! [SEE PART 2]

Encouragement 2

“Often your mind may be
Clouded because of pain.
Then do not try to think.
You know that Jesus loves you!
He understands your weakness.
You may do His will by simply
Resting in His arms.”
Ministry of Healing p 251


And the Lord your God will
Turn a curse into a blessing
For you,
Because the Lord your God
Loves You!
Deuteronomy 23:5


Those who have a humble, trusting,
contrite heart, God accepts,
and hears their prayer, and
When God Helps
All obstacles will be overcome.
Prayer p 33

Words from Jude

Dear friend, build your lives on the foundation of faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.

 Keep yourselves in God's Love as you wait for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you eternal life.

 Convince those who doubt, snatch others from the fire, show others mercy mixed with fear. [Hate the sin, but love the sinner.]

  Jude 20-21 from the New Testament of the Holy Scriptures

Angel Encounter!

In 2012 I was walking downtown to my job. A disturbed man came at me walking like a gorilla. I tried to ignore him, but he shoved me. The next thing I found myself in extreme pain with a broken wrist, laying by the curb on top of broken concrete chunks. Crying, I tried to get up but could not.

Suddenly a man with a powerful, commanding voice and strong arms gently lifted me right off the ground and onto my feet. He held me in place while I regained my balance. He spoke words of comfort. Expecting to see a big powerful man, I turned around to thank him, he was only about 4 foot 10 inches. How could he have such strength to lift me?!

But the thing I most remember about him was his face! It was the most innocent, sweetest face I have ever seen on anyone - let alone a grown man. He had short blonde hair, and his eyes were full of concern and kindness. He followed me up to my building and then vanished! That's when I knew he was an angel.

Today, November 1, 2014, I found this text in Psalm 40:1-2: "I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the mud and dirt, He set my feet on solid ground and gave me a firm place to stand."