In my previous posts, I’ve concluded that there can be no doubt anymore at this point of what is brewing in our culture and what we are facing. The one true God is Lord over history, and He has now called Christians in this generation into the storm.

I’ve heard it quoted that “everything you want is just outside your comfort zone” I really like this quote, it is so inspirational, and it makes me want to do what Bear Grylls does and just go into the jungle somewhere or jump out of a helicopter as he so often does. Or like Alex Honnold, this quote makes me want to try something daring and scary like climb Yosemite's 3200 foot El Capitan without a rope. (well not quite, but you know what I mean.)

Ever since I became a Christian at a young age, I knew of Jesus. But I can say now that I didn't KNOW him. Or call out to him in deep need, until the day I was so scared to be alone in my own home after experiencing real domestic abuse. Not just words, but painful fists hitting my body while holding my baby.

In my previous post, I spoke about the “perfect storm” that our secular age has created and in which us Christians have become caught right in the center of. There can be no doubt of the storm we are facing. By now it is clear that this storm is real and that it cannot be avoided.

Many of us who became Christians at some point in our lives had done so only after coming out of deception. I am one of those people.

These days are strange. Uncharted territories. Fuelled by media fear-mongering, masking what is really going on. If a person does not have a firm foundation, I can see it being very difficult mentally and emotionally.

The time is 4:20 am and God has me awake and pondering a great many things in this crazy and weird time…….. I thought I would share them with you.

For the later part of June, I had been working on my son’s wood loft bed. I received the wood from my father in law, who put the work into taking apart an old abandoned house that was gifted to him, to use for parts. I only needed to take out the staples and nails, cut to size for the first part of my project.

This is a very important lesson. You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end—which you can never afford to lose—with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.

Most boys and many girls see body builders and admire the wash board abs and ripped physique and desire it. Most young boys spend time flexing in the mirror when no one is looking desiring to be buff but most do not spend the time and effort required to get there.

Comparison is extremely destructive. It leads to self-depreciation, self-rejection and depression. If you focus on what you are not, what you do not have, who you are not, then you devalue who God actually made you to be.

My first prayer experience was a cry for “HELP”. I was desperate for help in our marriage. Health and finances were fine but both of us were unhappy, yet too stubborn to get a divorce.

I am a chronic overpacker! For a weekend trip, best believe that I’m going to be packing a variety of shoes and a ton of clothes! I even come up with worst-case scenarios in my mind and convince myself that those things deserve to come with me.

The Covid- 19 isolation has given me an opportunity to reflect. Over my 70+ years I have face a number of challenges which, at the time seemed to be a crisis: therefore I faced many “new normals”.

If I am being honest if I could describe my life in one word right now it would be chaos. If I were given the opportunity to describe it in two words, it would be complete chaos. I will admit, the past ten weeks have not exactly been a walk in the park. Some days – well- most days I find myself sitting on my couch pondering to myself when will ‘this’ all be over.

My first experience with praying and proclaiming the Word and the will of God was in response to a challenge from my mother. I was complaining to her about this man God had given me. I thought God had tricked me and given me a “dud”. She challenged me to speak life over him and not death. She said, “stop speaking what you see and start speaking what God sees.

One of the first experiences I can remember of praying God’s word and proclaiming his promises was over our children and our home. Our daughter had been experiencing night terrors. For months she would scream in her sleep, crying and thrashing in her bed. We would pray over her many times in night. The terror would stop only to reoccur 30 minutes later.

About ten years ago I had to admit to myself that truly I was NOT enjoying my prayer life. If I was going, to be honest, I’d say my prayer life felt a bit like a Barnum and Bailey’s Circus performance. It was the same “performance” every day, the same words, verses and some quotes that I’d heard other people say thrown in for good measure. It was a good show but the same show every day.

As one who came to faith in Christ after years of apathy, skepticism, and dabbling in a smorgasbord of other beliefs, I have a particular affection for those who ask the tough questions, just as I too once started asking, and whom are looking for genuine, honest answers.

When I was a child, I remember having a burden for many friends at school. I wanted them to know Jesus. I was pretty vocal about being a Christian, but I remember the Lord impressing on my heart to pray for them. I wrote about 15 names in my diary along with all the members of my family and begin to pray every day for their salvations and for any needs I knew they had, mainly healing.