Restoration happens here
A guest post by Bill McPherson . . .
CHAPTER ONE
I recently experienced a horrendous fall off a cliff. I live on the side of a mountain which has a pitch of about 45 degrees (no exaggeration). A construction project 2 years ago included construction of a concrete retaining wall 12 feet from the house capped with a concrete patio (with a deck 20’ above). The drop from the patio to the ground is roughly six feet. You see it coming, don’t you? Don’t get ahead. Listen.
A guest post by Cindy Caldwell . . .
I was the firstborn in my family of four children. My parents believed in God. My mother grew up going to a Baptist church. I am not sure if my dad went to church growing up. When I was a small child, they took us to a Baptist church where we heard about Jesus. God was not talked about in the home, and I don’t remember my parents praying with me or reading the Bible. The mindset in those days seemed to be that spiritual teaching came from the church. It was more of something you believed with your mind, rather than a personal relationship with God.
A guest post by Janet Eriksson . . .
Years ago, because of fear, confusion, and lack of wisdom, I made decisions that still have a profound effect on my life. I allowed myself to be a doormat, and the enemy took advantage. I’m still living with the consequences.
I’ve been through a lot of healing, repentance, forgiveness. I started on a journey to walk free of fear, and while I’m still in progress, I’ve come a long way. I have less fear, more wisdom, and I’m discovering that I don’t need to be a doormat. That’s not my true identity. It’s not who God created me to be.
But what about those consequences. Would I ever get free of those? Do I get a year of jubilee?
A guest post by Karen Castleberry . . .
The unhealed parts of our hearts do affect people around us. I didn’t really believe that statement fully until this past spring when a potential tragedy occurred at my workplace. I am an administrative assistant at a school with 400 students and 60 employees.
The bell rang to start the school day when a teacher rushed up to the front desk and said with alarm, “I smell gas, do you?” The receptionist called the Principals to the area who smelled gas too, so they immediately evacuated the building. A gas leak was discovered in the pipes in the ceiling of our building. Due to a teacher’s sense of smell, a tragedy was averted. That day helped me to realize the importance of being able to smell.
I had lost my sense of smell 24 years ago during the birth of my son. Or so I had thought.
A guest post by Susan McPherson . . .
Our eight-week grief support class has come to an end. I’m going to miss these ladies. It was such a privilege to be a small part of their grief journey.
Our grief group has been open and vulnerable about where they are in their grief journey. As we have learned (through the book Understanding Your Grief by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D.), you have to feel to heal. Grief is on the inside, and mourning is grief on the outside.
We also learned some healthy ways to mourn: crying, journaling, painting, and talking about your pain and grief, sharing your story.
A guest post by Susan McPherson . . .
Several years ago, my head began shaking. When I would look down to read something, it was more pronounced. My children, family, and friends gradually began commenting, so it was getting more noticeable.
I went to a prayer ministry session during this time, and the minister saw a snake (spiritually) circling up my spine. The prayer minister knew that yoga could cause this, resulting in nervous system disorders and worse. I had been doing yoga for about two years. My situation had only gotten to head shaking. I repented of it (never to do yoga again!) and closed doors, and my head stopped shaking. So that’s how I know firsthand how dangerous this is.
Here is a testimony regarding sin/curses passing with the land and the beautiful process of consecrating your land to release the blessings.
When my husband and I moved to our property 22 years ago, almost immediately, we started ending every argument with the word “divorce.” Strangely enough, we had never used that word prior to moving to Dahlonega. Before long, we began to feel that divorce was our only answer. Thankfully, we both turned to God for direction. The Lord prompted us to repent for any sin/trespasses that had occurred on our property. (Not only ours, but also with anybody that had owned the land before us.) We followed the processes of consecration, pouring new wine, oil, new grain into our land, planted a Bible, and took communion as a family.
We later discovered that every time our land had been sold, it was because of broken relationships. The curse of broken covenant had passed with our land, and we were starting to reap the fruit of it. That took place 22 years ago, and the word “divorce” has not been a go-to for us any longer. As a matter of fact, we have lived safe, peaceful, blessed lives on our land. As well, others who visit have commented about how quiet and peaceful our home and land are. Continue reading “Dedicating Your Home and Land to God”
A guest post by Susan McPherson . . .
I was born into an upper middle class home, never lacking for anything materially, and yet lacking in spiritual freedom. Growing up as a child, I felt like I always had a dark cloud over my head. I was probably not depressed but just kind of sad and empty, no joy. And yet, I had all of my physical needs met.
As a teenager, I sometimes felt I was going crazy. Not knowing what that was or how to cope with it, I just lived with it. Continue reading “My Testimony about Freemasonry and How It Affected My Life”
A guest post by Janet Eriksson . . .
After nine years in seminary, the big day had come. I was graduating! I should have been excited, and I was. After all the hard work, I could finally celebrate and enjoy the moment.
But as I made my way toward Orlando, Florida for my graduation, I felt something stronger than excitement. It was fear.
A guest post by Karen Castleberry . . .
Frustration, anguish, and shame permeated my being. How could a seemingly insignificant secret cause such pain?
My nephew moved his family of six across the state line for a new job and a fresh start when illness struck. His wife was taking care of their three little ones at home with health issues. My niece was in the hospital alone. And I couldn’t get there to help. My little secret was exposed. I couldn’t drive on the interstate, or for any distance really, without having a full-blown panic attack.