Roll With the Punches!

Today is Marvelously Magnificent Miraculous Monday. My miracle today would be that I know who I am in Christ and my faith is so great due to the miracles God allowed me to be a part of. For decades I doubted who He was and whether or not He loved me or anyone else who wasn’t perfect. This is why I am so adamant about sharing the message of grace. It’s a game changer and once you get it and then totally understand that Jesus is who He said He was when He walked on this earth in His own flesh, you simply cannot help but long to share that with all who are longing for something but not sure what that something might be.

Personally I know a few people who believe they are all they really need. They say they believe there is a God but mistakenly believe they don’t need a Savior. They view that thought as a sign of weakness. This morning I was thinking about a conversation I had with someone who was talking about how Christian music seemed to always be admitting to a weakness and the need for a savior and how they thought that was pitiful. My heart ached for them. So much so that their complaint stopped me in my tracks and I couldn’t get their attitude out of my mind. I so badly wanted to help them see what they were missing. It was while being in that mindset that this came to me. Thank goodness I travel with pen and paper or I might not have gotten this down:

People say the Christian lyrics they hear
Often express that we are weak
But the outsiders just don’t understand
How much blindness they reveal when they speak

They claim they don’t get weary
Or fall short on their own
They hear phrases like “I was broken”
And instantly they groan

At one time I guess I was the same
A large ego and full of pride
It was in realizing my burden was too big to carry
That I set myself and my own will aside

I found myself down on my knees
Praying to God, “Your will not mine.”
That is when He spoke to me
It’s when my purpose and I began to align

I am and will continue to be
Both a Saint and a sinner
It’s why I love the concept of grace
Satan says that I’m nothing but God says I’m a winner!

There is not one person who has ever walked this earth that hasn’t had problems or tough times. Not one. Even Jesus battled with Satan. In the end he was crucified. The only difference between Him and us is that He never fell from righteousness. We all have. It is only by Grace through Faith that we are saved.

I often pray for others to have their eyes opened. I know God wants all of our eyes open. Many wonder why he doesn’t answer such prayers and simply open the eyes of all who are blind. That is a simple one for me, in order for Him to do that, He’d have to strip us all of our Free Will. Now our government wants nothing more than to take away our Free will; to mandate what is safe for us and what is not and they do this all the while claiming it is in our best interest and certainly it is for the children and they lead you to believe it is out of love but it is not.

True love is letting go and allowing a person to walk on their own. Sure you can show them the way. You can lead them to the water per say. You can counsel, advise, write a book with all they need to not just survive but to actually thrive. This is what God did for us. He put together 40 authors who all wrote various books over a spance of 1500 years and presented us with it. If you truly want to know the truth. If you wonder who you are, what your purpose is and why you are here, you will find all those answers in the same place. All you have to do is seek the truth and as promised, “The truth shall set you free.”

It is in this place of freedom that you discover peace, rest and joy. If you are lacking those in your life, I encourage you to knock on the door, seek God with all your heart. Hold nothing back from Him, He knows it all anyway. He is your creator. You want to know what your talents are, ask Him.

All relationships take effort. Even friendships. How can you expect to know God if you don’t spend time with Him everyday. You should always devote your first waking moments to talking to God or seeking His wisdom. The reason it is so important to do this first thing is because life will deal you blows daily. If you want to roll with the punches without losing your cool, you truly need to seek Him in the morning and design a way to keep your focus on Him throughout the day. It is easy to get dragged down. It takes effort to walk in the Spirit. It is in our weakness that we fall prey to the flesh. Those who say we are weak because we admit we need and have a Savior are blind to the truth about themselves. I say let’s pray for all of them. Weren’t we there once ourselves? Perhaps it is due to the prayers of others that we discovered the path to Grace. Let’s pay it forward today!

Father today I come to you with great thanks. I know how blessed I am to have witnessed so many amazing miracles. I was blessed to have sought you as a child and to have built such a solid friendship with you when I was young. I just wish I could give to others what I know as truth. I wish I could help them see the truth, help them find their way back home. Please Lord instantly answer all who seek you. Let them feel your presence. Let their doubts be washed away. Open their eyes to the truth Father. As soon as they question, make it known. I ask also that anyone who is in the midst of a crucial battle be strengthened. Put their minds at rest Father. Break their chains and free them once more. Bring a hand or foot of Christ into their daily path until they begin to put on their daily armor themselves and strengthen them Father as only you can. In Jesus name I pray. Amen

Wendy, walks with God, Mom of Many

© Wendy Glidden 2014

You Can Lead a Horse to Water

You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink! This well known fact is what got my mind whirling first thing this morning.  I was reflecting on my conversation with someone. He’s in a life battle. I see it clearly but by his refusal to believe that God is cheering him on, he has chosen his personal figure to currently be a pawn. Weirdly enough he is being used against himself. It pains me to witness this for I fully understand his pain. I guess that is the blessing in living through all I have. I can sympathize and empathize, but how do I take that emotion and get others to see the bigger picture without offending them?

There is an incredible life outside of any pain, worry, anguish, apathy or whatever negative emotion you yourself might be swimming in. I used to think that a selfish God would demand you put Him above all other things but I understand that in doing so, pain looses its grip. While you are still more than capable of feeling pain, you are suddenly able to step outside of it. This gives even greater understanding to the passage “Let the dead bury the dead”:

One day Jesus invited a man to follow Him and become His disciple—but the man refused. He said he would follow Jesus later, but first he wanted to go bury his father. Jesus responded, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead” (Matthew 8:22).

When you are caught up in the world and the undertow of emotions it places on you, you are in essence part of the living dead. While you are alive and perhaps surviving, you are not thriving. You are a slave to the world.

Many times an abused woman will stay in an abusive situation simply because while abusive and dangerous, it is familiar so she sees it as ironically safe in a way. She can’t get outside of her prison because she fears the unknown. God reaches out His hand and says ‘Trust me’ and when you do, when you step out in faith, your whole world will change.

This does not mean that you won’t face awful, tragic, heart breaking, insulting, and at times, overwhelming pain. Sometimes so great one would think it would take you out. But in putting God above all things, nothing here in this world has the power to take you out! God promises to turn all bad to good and I’m telling you I have lived through some serious bad. I think that is why God called me forth to reveal all the mess in my life. All the rotten things I have done. All the nightmares I have lived through. I was afraid of sharing my skeletons. I mean who in their right mind pulls back the curtain and says, “Hey look at this?”

It’s even crazier that I feel it necessary to call out every day inviting people to read what I have written. I am compelled to do so for I know who I was. Thanks to the wicked games the evil one plays and the allotment of tools and pawns he has at hand to use in this warfare we are all a part of, I was a lost child of God so full of confusion I couldn’t see myself as God sees me. We often give credit where credit is not due. We only need to look in the oldest history book on earth to see the evil one in action right at the start of things. Did he stop once he got Adam and Eve kicked out of the Garden? No, he went after their children and he hasn’t stopped since.

Many people misunderstand how the evil one sets things in motion. I think we are prepared for some big scene like in the movies where the devil is an obvious character, easily recognized. Oh! If it were only that simple! I was shocked the first time I realized I had a negative sound loop playing in the back of my mind. We all talk to ourselves negatively. This is a habit we must immediately begin to break. However, what the evil one softly whispers to us about ourselves is directly meant to keep us from our purpose!

It is important to discover and understand how the evil one works. When playing sports, don’t we study our competition? When coming against an opponent one on one, don’t you study their strong points in an attempt to discover their weakness? Satan has only one weakness and that is Christ. Christ was the victor when the two of them battled. Christ is the one you need to know in order to win the daily battle. EVERY day is a battle. Every day, no ifs ands or butts about it, EVERY DAY is going to be a battle. Here is a little poem I wrote the other day. In reading it perhaps your eyes will be opened slightly to the ways of Satan and just how shrewd he is as well as how you can defend yourself against him!

A seed planted often grows.

This truth the evil one knows.

A fiery arrow without the shield of faith will take hold.

“Don’t worry about tomorrow” in God’s word we are told.

We must put on our armor daily for the fight is real.

Don’t forget for one moment the thief came to steal.

He’s out to rob you of your joy and peace

For the evil one the fight does not cease

He’s been hard at work, his harvest is large

I’m waging in the war, I’m leading a charge

I’m part of the eternal brother and sisterhood

Reminding those listening of something good

A promise of freedom, and unending love

Support like none other from our Father above

Don’t be fooled, our Father is just

In this truth, you must trust

No matter what this world brings,

Turn to Him for all things.

You may think to yourself, “This girl is crazy. God doesn’t care about me. Look at all He’s allowed me to suffer through.”

I say, “God called me forth to share my story; the ugly and the good alike. In reading you will fully see that I am indeed someone who has walked in your shoes. While it is true today I am full of joy, I have faced my own share of problems as well as adversaries. In reading my story you will see that I went against God’s wishes for me, even believing I could outsmart Him. I have blamed God for things, yelled at God for things and was even convinced He was out to get me a time or two. I have not had it easy to say the least!

All I want out of each day is to find one person who is calling out asking, “How can I have a better life?” If that’s you, it’s my belief that my story will help you. Regardless, I promise it is not a boring read. If you thought Shades of Gray was something, you owe it to yourself to read my 3 part true life series. The feed back from those that have read my books in order has been a blessing all in itself. My 3 book collection only costs $13.00 in electronic format and in print the set is only $25.00 I created a short audio clip of me reading the first portion of “In the Beginning” Click this link to listen now!

Father today I pray you enlighten me on how to successfully share my story with others. Let them see that I am just a girl who today shines like diamonds glittering in the sunlight due to your love and the relationship we have. Please help me be as shrewd as the snake and as gentle as the dove. Please help me share the message of grace and unending love. Let me be a light so bright there is not doubt just exactly what my purpose is all about. I was born to give you glory simply by sharing the truth about my story. Help me father cause a turn in this fight. In the city of darkness let me be the light! In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

I close this post with the verse that got it all started:

For we live by believing and not by seeing ~ 2 Corinthians 5:7 NLT

It was in reading that that my mind was set on fire in regards to just how I could be used as a tool for those to find their faith. Sometimes I feel like I was allowed a cheat. I have witnessed unbelievable things. This allows me to understand that the unbelievable things we read in the Bible are actually believable. Today I ask you to read my story. You may find it unbelievable at times but I promise my chapters contain true life events. I also promise you that when you begin to truly seek the Lord, as he promises, He will answer. Just read my story. Everyone starts somewhere; my story is a great place for all who are curious about whether or not God is active today! What are you waiting for? I do have great news, today, you can get all 3 books in print for only$9.99. Not long after I published this, God showed me how to republish my 3 books into one big book! Simply click the icon on the side of this post to purchase your own copy of, "You are Worthy Too:the Proof is in the Posting!

Wendy Glidden, walks with God, mom of many  

© Wendy Glidden 2014

Do You See What I See?

Today is fantastically fabulous fun filled friends and family Friday!! The first one of 2014 as a matter of fact! With Christmas and New Years falling mid week, I have to keep reminding myself it really is Friday and not Tuesday. With the added days off from work, courtesy of the days I was gifted off from my boss, my routine has been thrown off a bit. However, I have loved the extra time off to spend with my family. Trust me when I say I am not complaining about feeling like I should be doing Tuesday office duties rather than Friday's!

Last night when I got home, Michael was putting the finishing touches on dinner. I helped dish it out to the children and once dinner was completed, I offered to do the dishes. Mike laughed and said, "Nice. You work all day and then get stuck doing dishes after dinner."

I laughed and replied, "I like doing dishes. There is something about having my hands in hot water that helps me gel my rambling thoughts." It is true. I don't know why doing dishes has that calming almost grounding affect on me, but it does. Even though I have a dishwasher in our new place, I still hand wash the dishes. I have found the dishwasher is the perfect place to put everything to dry. We truly only have enough plates, bowls and cups to serve everyone once. Doing things this way saves me time and energy as well as space. I don't have to put everything away in a cabinet. What would be the point? We will be dragging the dishes out again in a few short hours!

As I was washing dishes, I began unfolding the events and conversations with others I had had over the last couple of days. I was reflecting on how a persons viewpoint changes what they actually see. When that epiphany hit me, I had what I refer to as flashes of insight. I quickly went to my bedroom, pulled out a notepad from my nightstand, and wrote the word viewpoint down before it faded from my brain and then went back to washing dishes.

Usually when I have flashes of insight, if I'm on my game, I find myself writing a blog about all I see. As I continued washing the dishes, I reflected on viewpoints and how sometimes our own viewpoint can actually blind us to certain truths. Suddenly, my mind longed to see things from God's viewpoint. What a view that must truly be!

Many times, when my brain has flashes of insight, I ponder on them. I was appreciating the fact that no two people see something in the exact same way. This point can be made by reading eye witness accounts from a vehicle accident or a crime scene. I have always found this truth fascinating. It was while reflecting upon these things, that the above title for this blog came to me. The night was winding down and honestly I was exhausted and in much need of what I refer to as veg time. I quickly jotted down the title and threw my notepad into my carry case knowing I would blog upon it today.

Do you see what I see? I can remember playing this game as a child. Who knew it would take on such a grander meaning in adulthood? I mean in all honesty, sometimes I look at something and a certain part of it stands out bigger than the rest, yet when I go back to share it with someone, I am almost blind to the thing that originally jumped out at me. This happens the most often when it comes to reading something and then later attempting to share what I read with someone else. I have told myself again and again that I should keep a highlighter on hand for such times! Then it would be easy to re-spot and share down the road. However, I am a mom of many. Things like highlighters are harder to keep hidden away from little ones than treats! Just being able to have a pen or pencil in a given moment can often be a challenge. I cannot tell you how many times I have jotted a note down with a crayon!

We all have our own viewpoints. Everyone has their own set of biases that they base their beliefs upon. Trying to help someone see things from your vantage point is not always easy. If they are closed minded the task becomes that much more difficult. As we grow and mature often our viewpoints shift and even change completely. This mere fact alone may be why some are afraid to open their minds enough to listen to what someone else has to share.

Recently, I came under attack from another person online. They accused me of harming others by sharing my faith. They called me lazy, stupid, slow, and ignorant among other names.

It never ceases to amaze me how some people, while in the process of trying to convince you that your belief system is built on a faulty foundation, find the need to be so abusive. Often, when you point out the truth that there is no reason to be so cruel to get one's opinion across, they truly seem to be blind to their own verbal abuse.

I truly thank God that I am who I am and that I am discovering who I am in Christ for I can honestly say I like myself. This alone helps me rise above such situations to the point that I find myself being led by the spirit to pray for those that attempt to insult me or cause me harm. I see that they are lacking truth and light in their life and I know full well how living outside of either of those feels.

There is definitely something to be said for walking in the spirit. It helps you rise above such situations. I think one might often find themselves in a petty exchange of words in the midst of such assaults were they not wearing the recommended daily armor required for such attacks. This is not to claim that I myself never stumble. It just does not feel good when those moments take place and very quickly the spirit of rightousness convicts me.

I know for me, my heart physically ached for this particular person. I have never met them face to face, and most likely never will. I found it interesting that I went to bed feeling sorry for them and awoke to find myself being led by the spirit to pray for them.

This, among other things, was what I was reflecting upon when the whole viewpoint and do you see what I see notion came to me.

I pray that no matter where you are at in life that you are open enough to try to see things from another person's viewpoint. If you are not willing to truly hear what they are saying, how do you ever hope to be able to have an impact upon their viewpoint. You must know where a person is before you can see how you might best be able to make a point or even better plant a seed. This does not mean you will have a positive effect on every person you attempt to lift. Sadly, when you read your bible, you know clearly some will not be moved.

It is not our place to judge others. We cannot change who they are. Only them being open to the spirit can do that. I try to remind myself to toss seeds regardless of my own shallow thoughts. As the parable about the seeds being thrown onto the ground suggests, some will take root and some will not. It is not my place to judge the ground which I throw them on. I am to throw them regardless of what I am able to see and trust that the spirit will do the rest.

I have found my own truest protection lies in my walking in the spirit as well as continually renewing my mind with God's word. I believe I encourage others and perhaps help them with the strengthening of their faith by sharing my life story. I also believe when we are able to love others in spite of how they treat us, we shine a light into the darkest corners of the world.

Today I pray for the blind and for those who believe that God and religion go hand in hand. Nothing in life makes me sadder than a person without hope or faith. I see them as a dieing flower that is in much need of nourishment. I am so thankful that even in the pit of hell I never doubted you were my creator Father. How blessed I have been all my life to know you truly exist. I pray for all who believe in you but have fallen for the lie that we are not good enough to be loved by you. Thank you for lifting me so high that I was able to see and grasp this truth. It was a real game changer. I can never thank you enough for that game change. I pray for more strength and more wisdom for myself. I only long to be the brightest light I can be. I thank you Father for all the blessings you bestow upon me and my family in a given day. I truly see myself as blessed. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Wendy Glidden, walks with God
Mom of Many

© Wendy Glidden

Don't Let 'It' Get the Best of You!

"Don't let 'it' get the best of you."
"Don't let 'them' get the best of you."

It seems these last few weeks that is what I keep hearing in my head. Whenever something has gone wrong or someone has been a bit nasty, I have been reminded to not let it get the best of me. For instance, Mike and I have been under a lot of pressure since his return and I honestly cannot tell you exactly what happened the other day other than I recognized a ridiculous attack for what it was. I walked away from the situation after politely excusing myself. I went to the car, got in and pulled my phone out to see what the encouraging word of the day was. I knew I just needed to strengthen my armor.

On the way to work that morning, I refused to be pulled into any argument. It truly is amazing what happens when you keep your focus on the Lord, read His Word daily, and put on your full suit of armor!

We all are in a spiritual battle. If you don't see it now, I pray you open your eyes to the truth of what is happening in this world!

Anyway, half way to work, Mike, who I knew was being used to disrupt my day in a feeble attempt to put out my light, apologized to me for trying to throw me out of balance. His exact words were, "I'm sorry for trying to throw you out of balance this morning. It seems I pulled my own neck while having my moment."

I smiled and told him no worries. I admitted that I had seen what was going on for what it was, so I was good. I then shared with him the wisdom that God had shared with me in reading Proverbs 26, verse 20:

For lack of wood the fire goes out.

Many times at home, when I am talking to one child, another will chime in with a much un-needed comment. I have implemented this phrase at home for those times: "Don't throw gas on my fire!"

Marissa asked me what that meant. In turn, I asked her, "You know how you can have a little fire going but if you add starter fuel to it, it gets crazy big?" She shook her head yes.

I then informed her that an angry person was like a fire and it was best not to feed that fire. Now, when a situation is on the brink of a melt down, all I have to do is quickly say, "Don't throw gas on my fire!" and the entire clan gets quiet.

I wish the only attack I have had disrupt my day was that single instance. However, I have been under a continual attack for almost three weeks now. I think all designed to steal any spare time for sure, but to also perhaps blow out my light.

Often you hear that a follower of Christ has a target on their back. I joke the brighter I get, the more I write, the more I am under assault. I consider it a compliment from the other side. The father of lies must see me as a formidable foe to come at me so often and so crazily.

I believe it is a combination of my confidence in the Father and the fact that I warn others about him that draws his ire. I see how he has worked against me and plotted against me for decades. Such a clever liar he is. I find it shockingly scary at times what thoughts he attempts to plant in my mind. I know he does this to every human being. He even tempted and toyed with Jesus. Don't fool yourself into thinking he doesn't do the same thing in your life! That belief is dangerous to your peace of mind!

So, as many of you know, Mike was facing some jail time in Florida last month. I had prayed for him, written a letter to his lawyer, left a message for the head of probation and talked to the State Attorney against her will, but in the end, I had truly given it all to God. Shockingly, Mike ended up only having to serve 4 days ~ 3 nights out of an original requested 60 days! Having found himself convicted by God during our separation and certain himself that he was a changed man, he arrived here in Indiana to ask for my hand in marriage.

I knew accepting him and allowing him the chance to be who he said he would be would land me in hot water where my father was concerned, but I could not help myself. I am happy that I opened the door and my heart up to him. Of course the father of lies does not care for us to be happy. He likes to throw God's children into turmoil and he certainly set out after Mike and I from the jump.

Mike arrived Saturday evening. The children were most elated. I myself was deeply moved. That next morning Mike went to church with us. He left his vehicle next to the RV. When we got in the car to drive back to the RV, I noticed I had missed a couple of calls from my father as well as a text that simply showed his number. I returned the call not sure if it was in regards to Mike or something he needed to let me know regarding work. As it turned out, it was about Mike. Since he was back and I was going to allow him the opportunity to be a man of courage, my father insisted I get everything off his property.

We moved that afternoon as the big storms that produced destructive tornadoes on November 17th moved in. When we were safely settled Mike looked at me and said, "So this is some of the adversity we will face for loving one another." I laughed knowing he was right. I smiled and said, "You know if it was easy, it would make for a boring story. Let's just keep our focus on the truth. We love each other. We both grew through the separation. We are stronger for it all."

Life with Mike back in the picture has been both easier and harder in the same fell swoop. When it comes to taking care of the home and the cars and the children, hands down EASIER! When it comes to problems and turmoil thrown in my path, it has been much more difficult.

Satan has gone as far as to try to whisper to me that Mike is bad luck for me. Thank God I recognize the difference between my inner voice and the father of lies voice today. Regardless, it is spine tingling when he attempts to bend your ear and plant such thoughts. You instantly realize that this attack, this belief, these words are going to repeat and sooner or later, most likely come out of the mouth of someone who's opinion you value. Simply recognizing and dismissing the initial lie once does not stop the evil one in his tracks. Life would be a lot easier were that the case!

In the last three weeks when it has come to vehicles, if I've been in it, it's overheated, broken down completely, gotten a flat or run out of gas!

It all began happening right after Mike's return. So did the whispering words 'You were better off before he came back.' I had to stop that loop more than once. As I have said again and again and again, the father of lies will talk to you so softly it causes you to bend in to hear better.

Through every mishap I have chosen to find the blessing in every situation. I looked for the silver lining and have found it each time.

It all started with a flat tire the Monday after we had moved. Mike quickly jacked us up, took the tire into town, plugged it and filled it with air and delivered it back and put it on and we were on our way. Best part of that day: He greeted me with a smile upon his return, planted a kiss on my lips and presented me with a cup of coffee he hidden behind his back!

When I ran out of gas with the children in the car, where we landed was off the road in a place I didn't have to worry about being in the way and within one block of a gas station. We were even blessed to be picked up and driven to the gas station and back in less than 10 steps from the car! Satan may be out to ruin my day but God always has me!

When we ran out of gas a second time, Mike was driving. Mike went walking by himself to get gas. We were MILES away from the closest station and it was below freezing. I said a quick prayer, asked the children to pray with me and before I could finish reading a child's book, a car with Mike riding as passenger pulled up next to us. He had been picked up, taken to the gas station and driven back! More proof that God had us even when we didn't have ourselves!

When my tire blew in the jeep, I was around the corner from the mechanic we use at Glidden Fence and was able to park the car there overnight without worry and even got a ride to the library to meet up with Mike and the children! We managed to find and purchase another tire for a mere $35.00!

When the car overheated, I still managed to get to the children to school one minute before the they would have been counted tardy. As it turned out, it was a problem Mike was able to fix for under $20.00!

When the car broke down on me again with all the children in the car, I landed in the only place for two miles in either direction that had an enough of an emergency lane for me to get completely off the road. Had I fallen just 20 feet short or puttered another 20 feet forward that would not have been the case! I was even blessed enough to have the local sheriff call me at work looking for Mike to see what his plans were for the car. They promised not to tow it as long as we got it off the road before nightfall. Mike did not get the problem fixed that first day, however, we were allowed by a kind person to move our car onto their property.

The next day, Mike and I prayed for help with the car. Amazingly it only cost us $160 rental deposit that was fully refunded for a tool that he rented to assist in tracking down the problem. As it turned out with running out of gas in that car not once, but sadly twice, we had built up air in the line. Once bled out, the car fired up and has been running beautifully. The entire time I chose to remain certain that God had me. For He is faithful.

Now, here comes the toughest part of this certain story. In between day one and day two of the last vehicle breakdown incident, my father came into the office and inquired about my car. When I told him what had happened, he went on a brutal attack. He said out loud the words Satan had been trying to get me to listen to. "Since Mike has returned you have had nothing but bad luck. Almost as if you've been cursed."

The attack went from Mike to my children to this blog and it didn't stop there. I don't know how I managed to stay as calm through all of it as I did, but it is my belief that being able to keep my focus on the truth was my saving grace. I was blessed that this assault took place with only 15 minutes left of my work day. I had no transportation that night as Mike had not gotten back yet and I had all the children. My father had not only yelled at me, little Jeffrey had heard him yelling and had gone in to give him a hug. I think how he was treated by my father was the hardest part of the entire assault.

The blessing in all that would be that the children and I left promptly at five pm walking down the road on our way to the library to meet up with Mike. As I approached the light a block from my office, a woman driving a van on her way to mass got my attention and offered to give us a ride. Turns out she is a follower of Christ, has five grandchildren that she drives back and forth to school three times a week so, not only did she have enough room for all of us, she even had the right car seat for Jeffrey and Delilah! Knowing once again that my heavenly father had provided all my needs was a gigantic comfort. She and I agreed that my father needed some prayers.

My father is not a follower of Christ, he doesn't wear any armor for a spiritual battle and he was being used against me. Please, don't think for a moment I was not hurt or that I did not cry, for I wept silently like a baby for almost 24 hours.

That following morning, Mike had dropped us all off at the office. I had accidentally kept the keys to the limo after I unlocked the front door, so I called him to let him know before he drove too far. When he returned I was having a moment of human weakness and it was obvious to Mike that I had been crying.

He asked me, "Why are you crying?" I said, "When it comes right down to it, I'm just a girl. Sometimes we cry." He gave me a hug, told me everything would be okay and he headed off to work on the limo. As my father had accused the day before, Mike indeed turned out to be the hero when it came to figuring out the problem.

I love how well my heavenly Father had been preparing me for this latest attack. For the last three weeks, He has been reminding me to not let whatever outside circumstance was going on in this world to get the best of me. The best of me is Christ in me. He is the source of my inner light. Satan must truly love the dark for he was out with a vengeance when it came to trying to put out my light.

As long as I keep my focus on Christ and His love as well as God's word, I am wearing the protection I need for such assaults. With the proper attire, Satan can't blow out my light.

I'll openly admit, the father of lies fooled me once. He tricked me into believing God had it out for me. What a liar he truly is. He should be ashamed of himself. Instead he tries to fill us with shame and guilt so we live in fear. I will not allow that to happen again. I now know and understand my purpose. It is to serve my Lord however He sees fit. He is the provider of all my needs and the source of my strength. After all, I'm just a girl!

Father today I pray that all your children are able to keep their focus on the truth. I pray they don't let outside circumstances steal their light. I pray that they don't let it get the best of them. I also pray for more strength for myself. In three weeks I was kept from being able to write. I pray for protection for myself as well as anyone under a spiritual attack from the dark side. I want to thank you for how you provide me with all that I need, including rides from here to there or the perfect place to park my broken down cars! You never cease to amaze me with all your blessings. I know full well that you loving me does not mean I won't experience trouble or pain. I thank you for how you comfort me through it all. Thank you for your faithfulness and your never ending love. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Wendy, walks with God
Mom of Many

© Wendy Glidden 2013

Blessed in So Many Ways!

Marvelously Magnificent Miraculous Monday! This past weekend I was moved to tears by the kindness of two strangers who gifted my family and I and disappeared into thin air. I was not able to thank them directly and knew in my heart God had moved them to bless me in a way that gave all the glory to Him. So very thankful for the hands and feet of Jesus. 

Today's encouraging word reminds me that Jesus is not only my Lord and Savior, He is also my friend:

There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends. ~ John 15:13, NLT

So this weekend was truly something indeed. I left work Friday, jumped on the interstate with five of my children and my five gift bags to attend my 'Ladies of Hagar Saved With Amazing Grace' annual fundraiser for 'The least of these'. 

We had a fantastic night and I was blessed to be able to share my wallet story with another girl who markets for Scentsy. I met her on Facebook and fell in love with her attitude before I ever met her in person. 

If you are into candles but fearful of house fires, you should really check out her website. Beautiful warmers and non toxic wax! I learned that the wax begins cooling instantly, so no fear of your little ones getting hurt should they become curious and tip the warmer over! Here is her website http://www.pefleybelieves.scentsy.us should you like to take a look for yourself. These make great gifts for your friends and family as well as for yourself! 

I could not resist this warmer with a single tree on it that lights up. I love trees. There is just something so magnificent about them. As soon as I saw this warmer I knew it was the one for me! Years ago when Mike and I first moved back to Indiana, he went to work on a tree farm. I was blessed to be able to work with him for a summer and help him plant trees. When you walk into a barren yard and plant 10 tall trees you truly appreciate how they beautify the scene. Mike had an art of dropping a clump birch tree into the freshly dug hole. I would stand back and watch in awe as he would spin this monster tree, they were never smaller than 15' tall, and place it in the ground making it look as if it was always there. It is still one of my favorite trees.

Funny enough all the scents I picked out were lilac and lavender scents! They have all kinds of amazing scents, many of them smell like home baked goodies. I joked with Tammy and said, no food scents, I still have 40 pounds to lose! This candle warmer is my reminder of the home I lived in surrounded by trees for seven years before the state plowed my home and all the trees down for the new highway.

All in all we had a great night. Many of our guests won a gift of some kind. I believe we have raised enough to sponsor 80 children at this point. Our next event is going to include horse drawn carriage rides and personally handing out the gifts to the children. I can hardly wait to see their faces. What fun it is going to be. 

So speaking of gifting others. As many of you know, Mike is in Florida currently. He has not been able to help out financially as he landed in hot water almost as soon as he arrived in Florida. Nothing of his own doing but from an event where lose ends were not tied from over seven years ago! I will know tomorrow when he will actually be allowed to head back home. I had earnestly prayed at the end of August, beginning of September for God to either convict him or remove him. Many of you have read about all of this in previous posts and know how it went down already. For those who have not, I will simply say, when you pray God hears. How He answers is always according to His will. Since God is always good no matter what strife we face here, when you pray, my advice would be to let it go, have faith in God, and keep your focus on Him! I have done my best at this. 

Being a single mom of many children can be scary. Every month I make out my budget, look at these growing children and say a prayer for provision. Going into November I knew I was going to sponsor a child so my clothing budget had to grow a little. I also knew I was going to this fundraiser and I would support anyone who stepped up and came to the event. It just so happened I was looking for a night light of sorts so thank you God for helping me make my dollars stretch to do all they need to do in a given month!

This year, I enrolled Michael in basket ball. Thinking with no father in the house, being a part of a team would be healthy for him. We had our first game on November 2nd and I watched as Michael did great, stealing passes and rebounding, but he would have done even better had he not been sliding all over the place! I had not budgeted for basketball shoes in the month of November but knew he truly needed a pair for his own safety. I played on a basketball team most of my childhood. I know how much shoes matter. I woke up Saturday morning bound and determined to purchase a pair of shoes for him even if it meant being more creative with our menu selections this month.

So I loaded all the children in the car and off to Dicks Sporting Goods we sped. When we got there we headed to the shoe section and a kind employee helped us with the right size. I allowed Michael to pick out his favorite pair, praying that he would pick one of the least expensive pairs, which he did. Still, it was more money than I would spend purchasing shoes for all of them combined! He laced them up and I had him shift and turn and move around. He loved them. The employee handed me the box, told me he could wear them out and we went to go pay for them. The first cashier I approached was already calling for help from management so I asked if there was another cashier open. She pointed over to the other side of the store and said there should be someone on the east side. As I headed to that side, the same employee that had helped us came running up to me with an envelope. He informed me that he had no idea what was inside but he was asked to give it to me by another shopper. When I got over to the cashier, I opened the envelope and began crying. It was a gift card with enough money on it to completely pay for Michael's shoes. 

I shared the good news with the children and the cashier. It was awesome to watch Michael play this Saturday and not slide! We lost the game by two points in the final few seconds of the game. It was an awesome game to watch!

After that we headed off to the store, joyous that we had enough to buy two weeks worth of dinners and breakfasts and snacks as long as we were smart with our money. I have assigned all the children duties so that I don't have chaos in the aisles. Marissa is my tally keeper. Michael helps me pull the cart along. Delilah and Marie are my fetchers and Jeffrey is consulted on options. When we got to the cashier, she rang up all my items. We joked and talked as she is one of my favorites there. I've been shopping at Aldi's since I was a teenager! When she hit the total button she leaned forward and said, "I just have to ask, did you or your children talk to anyone in the aisle?" I said, "No. we didn't." She then held up some cash and said, "Well a lady that shops in here all the time like you said she wanted to bless you. So is it okay if we take this off your bill." Again. I stood in awe with tears in eyes and said, "Yes". 

I was so overwhelmed by it all, my eyes hurt from holding back tears. I told the children I needed to unload the groceries and then we needed to go do laundry. Jeffrey looks at me and asks, "Can we go to the hotel and do the laundry?" I thought to myself. With the money I was blessed with I did have enough to cover a room and it would be nice to not be in a laundry mat. To pretend I was doing laundry where I lived would be a blessing so I caved. When I called to see if there were any suites available I was informed there was. I booked the room. When I arrived, I was given the room for $10 less than my normal charge which is already a gift in itself. I got all the children settled in the room and went to get some quarters for the washer and dryer. When I got to the front desk, I was told they did not have enough quarters to give me change but was invited to do my laundry for free in their industrial machines. 

This week the Lord provided every need I had in amazing ways leaving me in awe. When I went to church on Sunday, as always we were asked if anyone had any praises or prayer requests, I had to share my blessings. I told everyone about my Saturday. 

I love my home church for I truly feel at home. I have shared both blessings and asked for prayers here. What I love most about my home church is that I truly feel at home there. 

This month of November the youth group decided it would add more fun to the day if we had 'Themes' for each Sunday. Last Sunday was 'Goodwill' Sunday. In other words go to goodwill and find an outfit that is not the norm and wear it. This Sunday was 'Crazy Hat' Sunday. I love having fun so of course I have been participating. Here are pictures of my outfits for the last two weeks!

So This is a dress I found on the rack at goodwill. It was obviously hand made. Pink was not anywhere in my wardrobe until I added this festive item! It helped me win the prize for the week. Up until it was announced I won best dressed for the girls, we did not know there would be a prize! I took this same hat and dressed it up a bit for the following Sunday.

As you can imagine, I got quite a few compliments when I wore it! One even from the bowling alley manager! I saw a lot of crazy hats this Sunday myself! 

This coming week is twin day and I am pretty sure I have talked another friend of mine into checking out my church. I have already worked out our outfits. This is going to be so much fun. We are ending the month with Formal Day as the final Sunday. I have my eyes open for a fancy dress I just know God will provide for me in the nick of time. That Sunday is also when we will stay after church and all eat together in the banquet room. Nothing like hanging out with family!! 

If you don't feel at home where you seek the word and are in search of a home church in Hamilton / Marion County, I would love for you to check out where I enjoy fellowship each Sunday. We meet at Pinheads Bowling Alley in Noblesville, Indiana, in the Bar or Banquet room. Worship begins at 10, but feel free to arrive a little early for conversation, donuts, milk, juice and coffee! You will learn right out of the bible and I promise you will be made to feel at home!

Father today I pray that all and any who are in search of a home church find just what they are looking for. May the place be full of members of the body of Christ. There is nothing like hanging out with true believers and learning your word. I am so blessed to have found Leavener as my home church. I am singing your praises Father and am so thankful for how you shower me with love and as promised provide all my needs for me. May many more step out if Faith and be blessed in seeing how much you love them as well. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

* My wallet story can be read here:

#1:  http://youareworthytoo.blogspot.com/2012/12/show-me-sign.html

#2:  http://youareworthytoo.blogspot.com/2013/07/unpacking-treasure-show-me-sign-part-ii.html

** These are the blogs regarding my prayer for Mike to be convicted or removed:

#1: http://youareworthytoo.blogspot.com/2013/09/convicted-by-god.html

#2: http://youareworthytoo.blogspot.com/2013/09/dont-fret-god-is-faithful-he-always-has.html

#3: http://youareworthytoo.blogspot.com/2013/09/better-off-with-god.html

All I ever ask of any reader is if you find yourself moved, encouraged, inspired at all, please share my blog link with anyone you think is in need of some hope, faith and love!

Wendy, Walks with God

Mom of Many

© Wendy Glidden 2013

When Anger Rises, What is Your Game Plan?

Fantastically Fun-Filled Family Friday! I awoke today to discover the place I get all my health food and cleaning, laundry, bathroom necessities, first aid, cough, cold, fever relief, and beauty supplies is offering their annual membership for a mere $1.00 . . . all new customers also get $20 worth of free items to try when they come back for more goodness in their second, third, fourth and fifth month!!!! That's $100 worth of free items to try that I already know you will love. I switched to this store in March of 2011 and have been a more than happy customer ever since. As my friends know I'm a penny pinching momma. The money this store has saved me is mind blowing. The best part about shopping here has been the peace of mind knowing this manufacture cares about health and wellness. Also this is where I have purchased my 'weight loss supplies' so tasty my children won't keep out of them and yummy enough that you actually enjoy consuming them yourself! Oh and if teeth matter to you, they have the best tooth polish on the market, and all their dental and skin care is safe for those going through chemo or anything like that! Switch stores, save money, provide better health for your entire family. Let me know if you want more details! This is the best gift one friend can give to another. I already did my shopping this morning and threw in the items I need by next week. Upon checkout I was offered buy one get one free items and two of them are my favorite 'candy bars' with purpose! I am so excited!! I am telling you this company should have been called the Rocking Fireworks Health and Wellness store because their sales are so spectacular!.

I am looking forward to my weekend with the children. Michael has his first basketball game tomorrow. He is so excited. He woke up today thinking it was game day! I had to deliver the bad news that today was another school day.

When I got into the office and was finally able to check my email, I read K-Loves encouraging word for the day.

A gentle answer deflects anger. ~ Proverbs 15:1, NLT

I had to giggle to myself as I read this truth. If the bible is not a handbook for how to best walk through situations in life, I don't know what is! When I have a child that is angry and another child steps in to comment on the situation, I have gotten into the habit of stopping them short by simply saying, "Please don't throw gas on my fire!" Meaning the situation is obviously volatile and I do not need any of them increasing that intensity. Dealing with someone who is angry is almost as difficult as dealing with someone who is intoxicated. Anger, in my belief clouds the mind and keeps us from making wise decisions. I know this is also why we are advised to steer clear of anger. Hands down, anger is one of the evil one's best ways to get a foothold into your heart and have more control over your thoughts. When you find yourself getting angry you need to have a game plan to calm yourself down. You may even have to have a basket full of ways to deal with your emotions. One for when you are in the car may not work so well out in the public eye! In the car I call for a moment of silence or singing, their choice. I tell the children I need a moment to calm down and I turn the Christian music up a little so that they know I'm serious! At home, I have even put myself in a time out! It's amazing how little ones will quit what they are doing when you tell them you don't trust yourself because you are so angry so you are going to put yourself in a five minute time out so that you can have a conversation with your heavenly Father! When getting angry at a spouse I refuse to fight it out in a moment of anger. I openly admit I cannot think rationally and I don't want to say something I can't take back. I also have threatened and followed through with prayer as many of you know from the blog post 'Convicted by God' that I published in September. Should you find yourself curious to see how that all played out, here are the links to the three posts that play that entire scene out: 

1. http://youareworthytoo.blogspot.com/2013/09/convicted-by-god.html
2. http://youareworthytoo.blogspot.com/2013/09/dont-fret-god-is-faithful-he-always-has.html
3. http://youareworthytoo.blogspot.com/2013/09/better-off-with-god.html

As my grandma said to me when I was younger, "Be careful what you pray for you just might get it." To which I asked, "Why would I pray for something unless I wanted it?" Which she replied, "God has a sense of humor Wendy, you never know how what you desire will be delivered!" Boy was she ever right about that! My advice don't pray in a moment of anger!! I will admit God is wonderful and he uses everything to work good. I have witnessed it time and time again. Even what I am going through right now. I am amazed to see the changes that have occurred in my life over the last two months. I'm like, pinch me. Is this really my life? I know it is. Even in the midst of turmoil I am dancing in the rain. This is the major difference in living life with your own strength and only for yourself and giving your life to Christ and following Him. I prefer an adventurous life. Of course if you have read my blog posts from the beginning you know that much about my story already! The crazy thing is my life has been MORE adventurous since I got on my knees and said, "Your will not mine".

I hope I have peaked your curiosity enough to get you to at least read those 3 linked posts and even more so to dive back to the beginning of this blog and read it all. There are miracles and all kinds of crazy stuff inside! I have been blessed to have been allowed to be a witness to God's glory in so many ways. I still have so many things to share. I am excited to get back to it as what the Lord has been flashing to me takes me back to after the adoption and my near death to some seriously crazy events. I was fearful on how to share and as with all the rest God is giving it to me in flashes and has me laughing. This weekend as my children go to bed, I will begin drifting back in time! I hope you decide to stick around and read more of my life journey!

Father today I come to you with childish wonder. What an amazing Father you are. How blessed I am to have woken up and returned home. How blind I was. How far I ran. Yet when I got on my knees crying and wailing you opened the door again and welcomed me home. Since then you have saved my life, sent me a witness, allowed me to see my current home shrouded in crystals and so much more. I love how you work. Even through pain you flourish me. I love who I am in Christ. Thank you for grace and mercy. Thank you for your son whose name I pray in. It is my prayer that many more of my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ also get on their knees and give in to your will. Had I only understood that your plan is so much more for me than I could have designed on my own. I am sure I am not the only rebel in the family! Call my fellow rebel brother and sisters home. Break them down Father. Stretch them until they know they can only make it through on your strength. While the process may at first feel painful, I know the beauty on the other end and I pray they are able to glimpse it early on so they are not hurt and confused by the events that will take place. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Wendy, walks with God
Mom of Many

© Wendy Glidden 2013

I AM a Daughter of the Most High!

Terrific Testimonial tell all Tuesday. Today my tell all is this. KNOW who you are in Christ. Sometimes when you put your foot down all the way, God intervenes for you. Keep praying and listen to the voice of truth. It will never steer you wrong. 

This was part of my morning post on my "You Are Worthy Too" page on face book. If you are wishing there was a way you could follow my blog without having to subscribe, you could always hop on face book and like my fan page (hint hint here is the link should you feel so inclined! https://www.facebook.com/YouAreWorthyToo ) Anyway, this morning, I woke with so much joy. I just knew my blog was going to rock today.  I could feel the spirit moving me. All day long, what I felt I was being drawn to share, has been built upon with a teaching here and a word there that I caught on Moody radio and then a song on the radio kind of helped tie it off. With that being said, here is what I learned today:

My day started out with hearing several directions for all believers to follow. I was so cracking up by this lesson. It was about 10 AM. I do not know who it was teaching it and I'm sure I won't do it complete justice, but here is what I caught. When you become a follower of Christ, you are called into ministry. When you answer the calling, life is not going to be all roses. Much the opposite. You see people are busy. They are not interested in what you have to say. They are hard headed, set in their ways, it is hard to get their full attention, and even when you do succeed at gaining their attention, many will call you names, make fun of you, you will even be taken advantage of. I encourage you to answer the call anyway! I laughed out loud. He went on to say something like this:

1. When you go about doing good, there will be those that accuse you of doing so for personal reward. Do good anyway.

2. When you go about your life being kind to others, no matter how kind you are, you will often be treated badly. Be kind anyway.

3. While helping others, you will be accused of doing so for some type of personal gain.  Help anyway.

4. When you succeed you will make false friends and real enemies. Succeed anyway.

These all made me laugh. While sad, these claims bear much truth. I have been accused of having false motives. I have caught the ire of complete strangers while doing no harm to them. I have even collected a few false friends. It is what it is. However, I am going to keep doing what I am doing. Sharing my story. Testifying about Jesus, my Savior. Spreading the message of the good news. I am a follower of Christ and I simply have no choice. I honestly cannot help myself. Nothing brings more joy to me than receiving a message from someone touched by my writing. I love to be an encouragement to others. I love to inspire and give others hope. This life is full of pain. There are always moments of joy for all who live but it seems the daily grind wears us down quicker than the good moments lift us up. When you concentrate on the "things of this world" you lose sight of the real cause of joy. Most of us have fallen into this trap. The evil one is a clever liar. Usually you don't even realize he has your ear until it is too late. Fear not, there is a way to protect yourself better. All you need to do is build your relationship with the Lord. Please do not misunderstand me. I am not saying you need to become religious. Much the opposite. Just read God's word, pray and knock on that door. Build your relationship. He is your Father and he has a message for you. "Come Home, you are loved."

As I look in the review mirror and see how far I have come on my own journey back home, I am amazed at not only God's grace, but His amazing timing. Many place blame on Him and say He put me through this to help me grow. I don't believe that for that would take away from free will in a way. I believe the evil one is always on the prowl watching for those he can force to stumble and he is the true cause of destruction and pain. Many times when bad things or pain enters into our life, it is of our own doing. By not following the narrow path we subject ourselves to much of this and then there are the various players we come into contact with in our daily walk. They all have their own free will and the evil one can use them against us even when we are walking the narrow path. What we must remember is that God will use all evils for good for those who trust in Him. I get how crazy scary letting go and letting God, trusting in Him when the whole world seems to be falling apart, but that is the biggest illusion. That is the devil's game. Having you believe you can do something to save the situation on your own, in your own strength. Think of it as an awful dream. It is just this world. It's already fallen. It's going to continue to fall. The good news is we have eternal life after we leave behind this body that Satan can attack. On the other side, the father of lies cannot touch us. Let him do what he may in the here and now. Profess the love the Lord has for you and you will begin to see it more evident in your day to day walk. I encourage you to step out in faith. Read my story. Hear my joy. I have not led an easy life. The majority of hard times were of my own doing. When I do what I want out of fear or jealousy or pride or whatever, man things just go wrong. When I do what the Lord puts in my heart to do regardless of how crazy it may seem at the time, it always turns out good. Take this blog for example. You have no idea how blessed I am in sharing my story. Blessed beyond measure. Does the evil one still come at me? Are you kidding?!? DAILY! I just know he is out there and I put on my full suit of armor. 

I had really meant to post this blog on Tuesday but time simply was not on my side! I attend a fellowship meeting with a few awesome, God seeking woman every 3rd Tuesday of the month. If you are in Indianapolis or anywhere close by, you should check us out. This is my challenge / dare to you, if this affirmation we say every day and meeting speaks to you at all, I dare you to come and hangout with us. We have dinner together, discuss goals and plan ways to help and encourage other women!!

Hagar's Affirmation

I am a Daughter of the Most High. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I am beautiful, whole, and complete. Everything I need can be found in and provided by my Father. I don't have to beg for anything or any one's attention. I realize that I am the prize, the good thing to be found. I will not beg for scraps when I know that my Father has prepared a table for me. I am empowered, encouraged, educated and edified. God has opened my eyes to see that I can do all and be all I've been called to be through Christ who strengthens me. I will allow the Holy Spirit to guide and direct me as I begin again the kingdom way and receive all that my Father has for me. I am beautiful and whole and perfectly me. I am a Daughter of the Most High, just who I've been called to be!

This is K-Loves encouraging word from Tuesday

So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up. ~ Galatians 6:9, NLT

Indeed! I just love it. Here I am on Thursday finally back to my blog post I began Tuesday to finish it up. Busy would be a good word for my life. I do manage to post an encouraging statement everyday on my face book fan page, so if you desire to see what the Holy Spirit has me sharing on a daily basis, just like my page and you won't miss a thing! Here is my post for today. 

Totally Tripping Thoroughly Thankful Tremendously Thoughtful Thursday! How my heart lept with joy as I read this truth from God: 

There is a time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance.

~ Ecclesiastes 3:4, NLT

In the last 45 days I have done all of these to the most extreme forms! There is healing in crying and letting go of past hurts and laughter, well it truly is the best medicine . . . and grief . . . it let you have a taste of true total overwhelming engulfing pain and then you dance because you realize you made it through the storm and you are more alive than you were when you went in. No matter what is going on, hang onto your faith, call upon your Father, you will survive . . . after all, You're an Overcomer! I dedicate this song to you my beloved friends  

Father, thank you so much for the life you have blessed me with. I am so amazed at how you work and move and take the bad and flip it to good. I am humbled to be adored by you. Me, a beloved. I only desire to please you Lord. To say thank you and sing your praises. Teach me how to be a fisher of men Father. Move me, work through me. Allow me to be an extension of you. Help me to burst forth with so much fruit that those around me have no choice but to witness your Love. I am super excited today for I am being baptized. Not a requirement by law but a symbol of my belief and choice to follow Christ. I am so elated my Lord. So overwhelmed by my journey. Thank you, thank you, thank you. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

** On a side note, I think it is so cool that this morning I received a message from a fellow believer with the following scripture to read. Mark 16: 15-20. My study bible is in my car, so I googled it on the Internet. Here it is:

Verse 15: He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.

Verse 16: Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Verse 17: And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;

Verse 18: they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people and they will get well."

Verse 19: After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.

Verse 20: Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

I am telling you, that really fired me up. I often wonder how many people would be reading the heck out of their bibles were they to understand the incredible thrilling stories inside. Stories from those who witnessed the Lord and those who listened to God before the arrival of our Savior Jesus Christ. I hope you find yourself interested in God's word today. May you be moved by the spirit. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Wendy, walks with God,

Mom of Many

© Wendy Glidden 2013