Since my trip to England has been cancelled for now, I am spending time with family. My sister, Janna, and her three kids came and spent a month with us. We stayed at a lake house, visited lighthouses and beaches, looked for moose, and spent time with my other sister, Joy and her family.
Janna left Saturday, and Wednesday, my parents and I flew to Iowa to visit my sister Julie and her family. Please pray for her 6 month old, Verily. She had a doctor's appt. yesterday which turned into a hospital stay. It appears she has a kidney issue which caused her to be dehydrated. They will be doing more tests to try to find the exact problem. Please pray it is an easy fix and that she can come home today or tomorrow. We are all supposed to go to Missouri to see some of my other siblings for a few days.
Please pray for the state of Maine. Our governor has basically become a dictator, refusing to lift the bans, refusing to allow the legislature to reconvene, trying to mandate things which go against the Constitution, and even lying about numbers of covid cases... all in hopes that she gain the federal aid promised to states that go bankrupt during this time. If she gets the money, the thousands of small businesses owners who have already lost their businesses and the thousands of others still closed which may not reopen will receive no help. Please pray that the lawsuits which have been filed against her, the complaints which have been filed with the president and the US attorney general will bring about her removal as well as the removal of the secretary of the legislature who has the power to reconvene but refuses.
Please pray as I find new ways of serving the Lord while I am home. I truly believe He could come back in my lifetime. The signs for His return are getting stronger and more frequent. Things my family have been told by military and police personnel, the wars and rumors of wars with China, Russia, and the Middle East countries as well as earthquakes, famines, food shortages which are being created on purpose... are all pointing to perilous times to come. While I do not fear these things because the Bible tells us they will happen, I will continue to work to keep America free, and I will continue to work to get the Gospel out while there is time and opportunity.
Thursday, June 11, 2020
Tuesday, May 26, 2020
Trip Cancelled
Today, I found out my trip to England has been cancelled with no hope of a near future flight. Please pray as I seek God's will for the future of my ministry. For now, I will be working with my dad in Maine. I will continue to blog at least every two weeks to keep you up to date on any progress for my ministry.
Saturday, May 16, 2020
Pray, Wait, Work, Play
Due to the virus and shutdowns, I have been waiting to see what the travel situations would be in Europe. England is letting up some on their shutdown, but some of the other countries have not. I still have a ticket booked for the end of June, but I may change it depending on travel allowances and restrictions after traveling... Please pray that God opens the doors I am to go through and closes those I should not go through. I am not worried about getting sick, but safety in countries that remain locked down could be a problem, or having to quarrentine two weeks every time I enter a country may be a bigger problem than blessing to those I am to help.
While I have been home, I have been helping my dad with video recording our church services. We have only closed three Sundays, but we have not had any Wednesday services. We are meeting in small groups, and last week we had three services with a total of 33 people. Many of our older folks are staying home, but we do have three older ladies who would rather be in church than be worried at home. We have had several families who have worked with us for music, video recording, cleaning and sanitizing... Please pray as we continue to function as a church that we will not have any issues from the local or state government.
Please pray also that someone can step in and remove our governor's powers which she has abused the entire shutdown. Her goal is to collect federal money for bankruptcy. This would not be necessary if she would simply allow businesses to reopen. If she receives this money, the small business owners will never receive any help. There have been about 30 business across the state that have closed, but there may be more which have not been announced. Suicides have occurred due to lobster fishermen losing everything because they were told they couldn't fish, and in Portland, 15 people per shift overdose on heroine. The lack of work and lack of interaction with family and friends is the cause of the rise in drug use, suicide, depression, and anxiety.
My mom and I flew to Indiana last week and picked up my sister and her three kids then flew back. It was a fun day as they kids had never flown. One pilot allowed them in the cockpit and let them sit in his seat. The following Monday, we went to my other sister's house. She was due with her 5th baby, and went in for a regular check up. She ended up delivering a beautiful healthy baby girl. Please pray for her and her family as they adjust to the new baby.
Today, we took my sister and her kids to the beach. They loved running into the freezing water. I stayed clear of it. I still can't swim in the northern Atlantic at any time of year. Give me the 85 degree waters of Puerto Rico. We collected shells, found some crab shells, and one of the boys found a lobster head. it was a nice relaxing day.
Please pray that I can gain some more supporting churches. I have had one church which had to pause in their giving due to some financial set backs last year, and now with the shutdown, one other church has paused in their giving. Please also pray for the ministry in Puerto Rico as the earthquakes early in the year and the shutdown have caused a difficult financial situation for the ministry and for the teachers who depend on that salary to make ends meet. Pray also for Guatemala as the people there are struggling to even get enough food. People hang white cloths on their homes to indicate they need food. I am sure it is this way in much of the world. The death toll from the virus will be far less than that of those who die from hunger, suicide... because of the shutdowns.
While I have been home, I have been helping my dad with video recording our church services. We have only closed three Sundays, but we have not had any Wednesday services. We are meeting in small groups, and last week we had three services with a total of 33 people. Many of our older folks are staying home, but we do have three older ladies who would rather be in church than be worried at home. We have had several families who have worked with us for music, video recording, cleaning and sanitizing... Please pray as we continue to function as a church that we will not have any issues from the local or state government.
Please pray also that someone can step in and remove our governor's powers which she has abused the entire shutdown. Her goal is to collect federal money for bankruptcy. This would not be necessary if she would simply allow businesses to reopen. If she receives this money, the small business owners will never receive any help. There have been about 30 business across the state that have closed, but there may be more which have not been announced. Suicides have occurred due to lobster fishermen losing everything because they were told they couldn't fish, and in Portland, 15 people per shift overdose on heroine. The lack of work and lack of interaction with family and friends is the cause of the rise in drug use, suicide, depression, and anxiety.
My mom and I flew to Indiana last week and picked up my sister and her three kids then flew back. It was a fun day as they kids had never flown. One pilot allowed them in the cockpit and let them sit in his seat. The following Monday, we went to my other sister's house. She was due with her 5th baby, and went in for a regular check up. She ended up delivering a beautiful healthy baby girl. Please pray for her and her family as they adjust to the new baby.
Today, we took my sister and her kids to the beach. They loved running into the freezing water. I stayed clear of it. I still can't swim in the northern Atlantic at any time of year. Give me the 85 degree waters of Puerto Rico. We collected shells, found some crab shells, and one of the boys found a lobster head. it was a nice relaxing day.
Please pray that I can gain some more supporting churches. I have had one church which had to pause in their giving due to some financial set backs last year, and now with the shutdown, one other church has paused in their giving. Please also pray for the ministry in Puerto Rico as the earthquakes early in the year and the shutdown have caused a difficult financial situation for the ministry and for the teachers who depend on that salary to make ends meet. Pray also for Guatemala as the people there are struggling to even get enough food. People hang white cloths on their homes to indicate they need food. I am sure it is this way in much of the world. The death toll from the virus will be far less than that of those who die from hunger, suicide... because of the shutdowns.
Wednesday, April 22, 2020
Living on Borrowed Time
The longer the nation is shutdown, the more I forget what day it is. Time has moved by quickly since I last posted. Much is happening in our world and nation which tells me that Jesus is coming soon. I recently learned that Israel has been performing what they call mock Passover sacrifices for nine years in Jerusalem. This year, they requested to perform the ceremony on the Temple Mount. I had been told they received the permission and held the ceremony, but after much searching on the web, I could not find an indication that they had completed the ceremony. God is allowing man and nature to push the world towards the return of Jesus, the rapture of the Christians, and the tribulation of the world. I truly believe Jesus could come in my time.
Our church and many churches have tried to follow the precautions for the coronavirus, but churches across the nation are finally realizing that politicians are using the virus to achieve evil against Christians and against America. Small business owners and other workers who have been out of work are also fed up with the lies and deceit being used to keep control of people. After two churches in Mississippi stood up for being allowed to have services, had the fines, which the mayor had imposed on all of them, dropped, Michigan marched in their capitol. Over the next few days other churches and states began marching, and this past Monday, we along with many pastors and business owners marched in our state capitol. If you were to believe the news reports, they say we only had 200 people, but that would be the minimum which stood on the street. There were hundreds of cars with at least two people, and most with whole families in them as well as a few large vans with 8-10 people in them. These cars created a motorcade which circled the governors house. The very least amount of people that could have been present was 400, but I would guess there was quite a few more than that. My prayer for the effects of these marches across the nation is that they will encourage all Americans to stand up to protect our freedom which has been stripped away over night, and that Christians will wake up and realize that we have a very limited window of time in which to reach people with the Gospel. If we lose our freedom to practice religion as we believe, it will hamper us in getting the Gospel out.
My dad found a way for us to have small groups in our church services, and we had the first two on Sunday. We may have to do small groups again this week, but hopefully the governor will get the message that our state needs to reopen, and we will be able to quickly get back to normal. Throughout all of this closure, my dad has encouraged those who are older, immunocompromised... to stay home to protect themselves from getting sick.
I have been helping dad with video services. We are not quite ready for livestream due to some sound issues we have been trying to work out. I am learning a lot about how to trim, merge, and split videos as well as a lot about sound systems. Please pray that we can get everything worked out so our members, who can't be with us even in normal times, can enjoy the services.
Please pray for Pastor Martinez, his family, and their ministry in Puerto Rico. The school parents were already struggling to pay school bills due to the island being closed after the earthquakes we had in January. Now with this lengthy closure which began in the middle of March, they are struggling again. The government has asked private schools to give a discount, so please pray that God will provide the means to meet all the needs of the ministry.
Please pray for the children#should home in Nepal where I helped a couple years ago. They are still in the midst of their building project for a larger school and dormitory building. They have been OK during the shutdown as far as health, and put I their own well in order to provide water for the home.
I still have my plane ticket booked to England for late June. Please pray that the world will settle down by then so that I can travel without any problems.
Please pray for my sister Joy who is due in June. Pray for my family to stay well. Pray for our church as we move forward that the visitors who were coming before all this happened will return, and that our members will be faithful.
Our church and many churches have tried to follow the precautions for the coronavirus, but churches across the nation are finally realizing that politicians are using the virus to achieve evil against Christians and against America. Small business owners and other workers who have been out of work are also fed up with the lies and deceit being used to keep control of people. After two churches in Mississippi stood up for being allowed to have services, had the fines, which the mayor had imposed on all of them, dropped, Michigan marched in their capitol. Over the next few days other churches and states began marching, and this past Monday, we along with many pastors and business owners marched in our state capitol. If you were to believe the news reports, they say we only had 200 people, but that would be the minimum which stood on the street. There were hundreds of cars with at least two people, and most with whole families in them as well as a few large vans with 8-10 people in them. These cars created a motorcade which circled the governors house. The very least amount of people that could have been present was 400, but I would guess there was quite a few more than that. My prayer for the effects of these marches across the nation is that they will encourage all Americans to stand up to protect our freedom which has been stripped away over night, and that Christians will wake up and realize that we have a very limited window of time in which to reach people with the Gospel. If we lose our freedom to practice religion as we believe, it will hamper us in getting the Gospel out.
My dad found a way for us to have small groups in our church services, and we had the first two on Sunday. We may have to do small groups again this week, but hopefully the governor will get the message that our state needs to reopen, and we will be able to quickly get back to normal. Throughout all of this closure, my dad has encouraged those who are older, immunocompromised... to stay home to protect themselves from getting sick.
I have been helping dad with video services. We are not quite ready for livestream due to some sound issues we have been trying to work out. I am learning a lot about how to trim, merge, and split videos as well as a lot about sound systems. Please pray that we can get everything worked out so our members, who can't be with us even in normal times, can enjoy the services.
Please pray for Pastor Martinez, his family, and their ministry in Puerto Rico. The school parents were already struggling to pay school bills due to the island being closed after the earthquakes we had in January. Now with this lengthy closure which began in the middle of March, they are struggling again. The government has asked private schools to give a discount, so please pray that God will provide the means to meet all the needs of the ministry.
Please pray for the children#should home in Nepal where I helped a couple years ago. They are still in the midst of their building project for a larger school and dormitory building. They have been OK during the shutdown as far as health, and put I their own well in order to provide water for the home.
I still have my plane ticket booked to England for late June. Please pray that the world will settle down by then so that I can travel without any problems.
Please pray for my sister Joy who is due in June. Pray for my family to stay well. Pray for our church as we move forward that the visitors who were coming before all this happened will return, and that our members will be faithful.
Thursday, April 2, 2020
Jesus is coming soon!
The signs of the times are becoming more and more evident: more earthquakes in various places. multitudes hearing the Gospel via internet, illnesses of all kinds, extreme measures being taken in the name of health which I thought would take a military coup to produce. I truly believe Jesus could come in my lifetime.
Due to the Corona virus, the lock downs, limited travel... Pastor Martinez felt it would be wise for me to leave Puerto Rico earlier than planned. I had asked God to show me whether I should stay to finish out the school year, and He did so by having school close for two more weeks, and now for the month of April. I returned home last Sunday night.
So far the rainy, cold weather has kept me mostly indoors, but I was able to go shopping for the first time in two weeks on Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday, we had our last church service for two weeks. At the end of those two weeks, my dad will see how the land lies. Hopefully, the governor will allow churches to meet within the guidelines of the limited numbers without an issue, but if not, my dad plans to petition to open as he feels church is a necessity for people in times of trial. please pray that God allows the church doors to be open.
My plane ticket to England is still reserved for mid-June. Please pray that the doors for travel abroad will be open by then. Please pray also that God continues to keep me healthy. In all the places I have traveled, I have never been extremely sick just simple colds due to weather changes. I take high doses of vitamin C especially when teaching school, so I believe that is what helps keep me healthy along with the prayers of my supporters, friends and family.
Please pray for several missionaries who are dealing with different issues with this virus. I know of two in Thailand who have it, also a preacher from Texas. One of my friends in Brazil lost a cousin to it. A pastor's wife in Guatemala has cancer and isn't doing well. Due to the virus, they sent her home from the hospital. Missionaries and the people of Venezuela have already been through a lot with the political and economic situation, and now the virus and low oil prices have caused them more economic problems. According to the news, the Philippines is taking drastic measures which you would find in a communist land instead of a free one. Please pray for all the missionaries around the world for health and finances as I am sure support will suffer due to churches being closed. Many people do not understand that the tithes and offerings are still needed even if the building isn't open.
Please pray for my finances as well. Two different situations have occurred which could be a hindrance later. Please pray that God will continue to supply for me to help get the Gospel around the world. Even with these two situations, I have had someone decide to support me as a family, and two older ladies have provided small gifts even though they are on fixed incomes. It amazes me how God continues to use even the smallest gifts to show me that He wants me to continue as I have for the last 5 years.
My last prayer is for our nation. I never thought that the American people would allow fear to bring them to the point we are at today. Although martial law has not officially been declared, that is basically what we are living under. The Constitution is being trampled in the name of health. I do not deny there is an illness, nor do I deny that people are dying, but I know from friends who work in the medical world, family who have been through the virus and recovered, and reading from doctors and nurses who believe in telling the truth, that those who hate our nation are using it to bring our nation closer to a socialistic, communistic ideal. We have seen our nation go from some of its greatest economic highs to a very low low. We have seen the lowest unemployment rates in years suddenly be very high due to the closure of businesses. We have seen our congress give themselves a 25 million dollar raise while barely giving the people who pay their salaries a minimum wage check, and in most places less than minimum wage. While many say this is to protect us from illness, spreading illness... They do not realize the impact it will have in the future. The door has been opened, and I fear it will always be slightly ajar, and much easier to open the next time we have people, who hate what America was built on, in office. I am praying for a few more years to continue to get the Gospel across America and around the world. Time is getting short. Perhaps God will not answer this prayer as I would like. Perhaps He is ready to allow persecution in America so that Christians will hurry to get the Gospel out, but I pray that He will give us more time. I also pray that Christians and Americans will wake up and realize that our freedom of religion, pursuit of happiness, and even life are very near to being taken away.
Revival begins with God's people. I am in need of a revival. Our churches are in need of revival, and America is in need of revival. May we all pray for it. I pray it does not come out of persecution, but out of thankful hearts because we are given more time.
Due to the Corona virus, the lock downs, limited travel... Pastor Martinez felt it would be wise for me to leave Puerto Rico earlier than planned. I had asked God to show me whether I should stay to finish out the school year, and He did so by having school close for two more weeks, and now for the month of April. I returned home last Sunday night.
So far the rainy, cold weather has kept me mostly indoors, but I was able to go shopping for the first time in two weeks on Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday, we had our last church service for two weeks. At the end of those two weeks, my dad will see how the land lies. Hopefully, the governor will allow churches to meet within the guidelines of the limited numbers without an issue, but if not, my dad plans to petition to open as he feels church is a necessity for people in times of trial. please pray that God allows the church doors to be open.
My plane ticket to England is still reserved for mid-June. Please pray that the doors for travel abroad will be open by then. Please pray also that God continues to keep me healthy. In all the places I have traveled, I have never been extremely sick just simple colds due to weather changes. I take high doses of vitamin C especially when teaching school, so I believe that is what helps keep me healthy along with the prayers of my supporters, friends and family.
Please pray for several missionaries who are dealing with different issues with this virus. I know of two in Thailand who have it, also a preacher from Texas. One of my friends in Brazil lost a cousin to it. A pastor's wife in Guatemala has cancer and isn't doing well. Due to the virus, they sent her home from the hospital. Missionaries and the people of Venezuela have already been through a lot with the political and economic situation, and now the virus and low oil prices have caused them more economic problems. According to the news, the Philippines is taking drastic measures which you would find in a communist land instead of a free one. Please pray for all the missionaries around the world for health and finances as I am sure support will suffer due to churches being closed. Many people do not understand that the tithes and offerings are still needed even if the building isn't open.
Please pray for my finances as well. Two different situations have occurred which could be a hindrance later. Please pray that God will continue to supply for me to help get the Gospel around the world. Even with these two situations, I have had someone decide to support me as a family, and two older ladies have provided small gifts even though they are on fixed incomes. It amazes me how God continues to use even the smallest gifts to show me that He wants me to continue as I have for the last 5 years.
My last prayer is for our nation. I never thought that the American people would allow fear to bring them to the point we are at today. Although martial law has not officially been declared, that is basically what we are living under. The Constitution is being trampled in the name of health. I do not deny there is an illness, nor do I deny that people are dying, but I know from friends who work in the medical world, family who have been through the virus and recovered, and reading from doctors and nurses who believe in telling the truth, that those who hate our nation are using it to bring our nation closer to a socialistic, communistic ideal. We have seen our nation go from some of its greatest economic highs to a very low low. We have seen the lowest unemployment rates in years suddenly be very high due to the closure of businesses. We have seen our congress give themselves a 25 million dollar raise while barely giving the people who pay their salaries a minimum wage check, and in most places less than minimum wage. While many say this is to protect us from illness, spreading illness... They do not realize the impact it will have in the future. The door has been opened, and I fear it will always be slightly ajar, and much easier to open the next time we have people, who hate what America was built on, in office. I am praying for a few more years to continue to get the Gospel across America and around the world. Time is getting short. Perhaps God will not answer this prayer as I would like. Perhaps He is ready to allow persecution in America so that Christians will hurry to get the Gospel out, but I pray that He will give us more time. I also pray that Christians and Americans will wake up and realize that our freedom of religion, pursuit of happiness, and even life are very near to being taken away.
Revival begins with God's people. I am in need of a revival. Our churches are in need of revival, and America is in need of revival. May we all pray for it. I pray it does not come out of persecution, but out of thankful hearts because we are given more time.
Wednesday, March 18, 2020
Cabin Fever!
Here in Puerto Rico we have been on lock down since Monday. They are allowing only one person per family in a vehicle, and they have to have a good reason to be out. My cousin's barbershop has been closed by Ohio's governor. Churches are being told no more than 10 people while stores have lines of way more than 10. None of this makes sense. I can only say that I'm glad God is in control, because if all this were just left to man, I think we'd all be in a terrible state.
I am not fearful of being sick. What causes me alarm is how easy it has been for the government to take full control of our daily lives without even enacting martial law, which I hope does not happen. I am alarmed to think that forced testing and vaccines may be the next step. My prayer is that we have a few more years of freedom as we know it in America. I truly believe this is a warning from God to Americans and to the world. Time is getting short., I believe Jesus could come in my lifetime. While I would be glad to leave this messed up world, there are still so many who do not know Christ.
So far I have remained relatively healthy even with many of my kids having been sick in January and February. Please pray that God continues to give me good health so that I can continue to serve Him and people around the world. Please also pray that my flight home in May and my flight to England in June will not have any issues.
I have many friends and relatives who have been effected financially by the closures of business. Please pray that this illness will end, and life can get back to normal. Pray also for those who are ill.
Pray for churches as they minister to those who will come seeking help and answers.
Please pray for some serious unspoken requests. Also, please pray that the ban is lifted for travel around the island so I can get out of the house. :-)
I am not fearful of being sick. What causes me alarm is how easy it has been for the government to take full control of our daily lives without even enacting martial law, which I hope does not happen. I am alarmed to think that forced testing and vaccines may be the next step. My prayer is that we have a few more years of freedom as we know it in America. I truly believe this is a warning from God to Americans and to the world. Time is getting short., I believe Jesus could come in my lifetime. While I would be glad to leave this messed up world, there are still so many who do not know Christ.
So far I have remained relatively healthy even with many of my kids having been sick in January and February. Please pray that God continues to give me good health so that I can continue to serve Him and people around the world. Please also pray that my flight home in May and my flight to England in June will not have any issues.
I have many friends and relatives who have been effected financially by the closures of business. Please pray that this illness will end, and life can get back to normal. Pray also for those who are ill.
Pray for churches as they minister to those who will come seeking help and answers.
Please pray for some serious unspoken requests. Also, please pray that the ban is lifted for travel around the island so I can get out of the house. :-)
Wednesday, March 4, 2020
About to enter the 4th Quarter
Another month gone as well as the third quarter of school. I'm just about two months from finishing the year here in Puerto Rico, and it seems like I just arrived. My students are working on a special parent appreciation day, and while we will show of some of the things they learned, we also have some skits planned. I'm looking forward to watching these kids use some of their hidden talents. One of my students can do a pretty good impression of President Trump, so I may have to post the video when He does his performance.
This past weekend, I was able to spend time with my aunt, uncle, cousin and her family. My cousin and I are like sisters, and I hadn't seen her in about four years. I also met her twin boys for the first time. These boys are miracles for whom we prayed for seven years. They are now two years old. This was my first real break since returning from Christmas, and it was a much needed one.
Crunch time is coming. With tax preparation, yearbook, grades, and end of the year planning, my plate is very full. On top of that, I am finalizing my plans for England and Europe. please pray as I make travel decisions. Also pray for more open doors to other countries. As of right now, I will be in two places in Romania, and one place in Poland. With all the illness and wars happening in the world, please pray that I stay healthy and safe.
Please continue to pray for the reconstruction. There will be another meeting in June to hopefully have a final decision about the continuation of the building. Right now, we need to raise the money to put on the roof to protect the completed portion against the elements. The cost is about $7,000.
I have some unspoken requests which need to be answered soon.
Thanks for the prayers, and for those who support me financially. God continues to bless as you pray and give and I go.
This past weekend, I was able to spend time with my aunt, uncle, cousin and her family. My cousin and I are like sisters, and I hadn't seen her in about four years. I also met her twin boys for the first time. These boys are miracles for whom we prayed for seven years. They are now two years old. This was my first real break since returning from Christmas, and it was a much needed one.
Crunch time is coming. With tax preparation, yearbook, grades, and end of the year planning, my plate is very full. On top of that, I am finalizing my plans for England and Europe. please pray as I make travel decisions. Also pray for more open doors to other countries. As of right now, I will be in two places in Romania, and one place in Poland. With all the illness and wars happening in the world, please pray that I stay healthy and safe.
Please continue to pray for the reconstruction. There will be another meeting in June to hopefully have a final decision about the continuation of the building. Right now, we need to raise the money to put on the roof to protect the completed portion against the elements. The cost is about $7,000.
I have some unspoken requests which need to be answered soon.
Thanks for the prayers, and for those who support me financially. God continues to bless as you pray and give and I go.
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