The Faith of A Child

Gayle writes… My middle finger on my left hand needed surgery for the joint. It was completely worn out. The doctor said, “All that is left is surgery.” Since the joint was gone, arthritis caused it to freeze in a straight position, (no bending or using it.)

My little niece, Taryn, was about 3 years old. I made clothes for her sometimes and she wanted me to sew again. Since my finger was like it was, I could not sew. This didn’t dampen her spirit, She told me she was going to pray for my finger. I asked her, to please do.

Taking my misshapen hand in her little hands, she looked at me and told me, "My Jesus made it one time, He can make it again."
As she prayed for me, my finger and hand began to feel warm. Over a period of days, the warmth spread over the whole hand.

Today, my finger is like new. I use it all the time. There is no pain; and it is very agile. It bends like new! She was right. My Jesus made it one time and he can make it again.

* Gayle wrote a poem about her miracle. You may read it byclicking on the link below.
http://anhourwithyou.com/Faith_Of_A_Child.html




Those Nasty Blackbirds

Oranell writes…… Approximately twelve and a half years ago, my husband and I purchased a home in Gas City, Indiana. We moved in (along with our four daughters) and, to our amazement, found we’d inherited thousands upon thousands of blackbirds.
This certainly was a new experience for us. Never, in my entire life, have I seen such a mess as the blackbirds left! Months passed, then came warm weather and they were as bad as ever.

One day, my brother parked his car in front of my house, for twenty minutes, and thought he’d never get it clean! Cleaning my sidewalk would take every bit of two hours and, the following morning, you couldn’t even see our sidewalk or front yard. The stench was horrible!

Being raised on a farm in Kentucky, I raised chickens in
4-H Club. But, nothing compared to this! The rain seemed to enhance the aroma. Besides, my eighteen-month old daughter wanted to play in it. Ugh! As energetic as she was, I had to keep her locked in the house.

As time passed, my nerves became raw from this type of existence. In desperation, I asked the Lord to help me find a way to rid myself of these birds ... especially since I was using my home for Him.
You see, my husband and I had moved to Gas City for the purpose of starting mission work. In fact, we were already having services in our home. I knew the Lord would help me find the answer.
Thus, I began my search.

Asking neighbors if they could tell me how to get rid of the birds, every answer they gave was either illegal or impossible. I called the Health Department, thinking ‘if they saw the mess - they’d have to do something. However, they never showed up. Then, a neighbor
told me I might as well give up. Those birds had been there eighteen years and no one had been able to get rid of them. Having eight or nine trees didn’t help either.

I began to read the book,” Go Home And Tell,” by Bertha Smith, (a Southern Baptist missionary to China.)
I was amazed as she told of numerous accounts where the Lord had rid her of unbearable pests.
She’d gave scripture references of the Lord’s promises, then claimed them as her own, as she went to her knees asking the Lord for deliverance. I must admit, I didn’t know what to think. Searching the Bible, (Bertha had given references,) sure enough, the promises were there. Oh, it touched my heart! I didn’t know the Lord did
things like that. Could I really just ask Him to take them?

Appealing to Him, I said, "Well, Lord, if you can do these things for Bertha Smith, you can surely deliver me of these birds.
Lord, I’ve done all I know to do except cut the tress down and my husband won’t let me do that. (He thinks it would greatly depreciate our property.) Lord, you gave me this house and I’m using it for you. You know this isn’t a fit place for worship, in this condition. So, Lord, just take them."

Praying for three nights, while getting angry at the
birds ... I commanded them to leave, in the ‘name of Jesus’. My neighbor, then having come for a visit, noticed such quietness that she just knew something bad was wrong. Going outside to see what it might be,
we discovered the birds were gone!

Quiet for the next three days, on the fourth evening the birds came back. I went to tell my neighbor to move her car, so she wouldn’t have to wash it. But, she insisted, "You prayed." I responded, "I know. No one but the Lord could have taken them, even for three days." Refusing
to move her car, in about fifteen minutes, all the birds flew away at once. It was a sight!

After this, I‘d sit on a neighbor’s porch, in the evenings, and observe the birds, as they flocked to the trees, then flee. It was as though the trees were wired with electricity. Beforehand, neighbors always avoided walking down my sidewalk. If they had no other option, they’d run past my house, but in spite of everything, they were still sprinkled by the birds. Now, they ask, "By the way,
what happened to those blackbirds?" I just chuckle, and then share my testimony of what the Lord did. They would leave amazed.

Living there for ten years, I never had that problem again.

© by V. Oranell Cupp


"MY TESTIMONY"
by Elena Ramirez

Elena writes………Where do I start? I guess I could go way back to my childhood, but I really came to know the Lord, when I was at the bottom of the barrel. I guess we all have been there, at one time or another. Where we are
searching for love, and answers, but our life, is dry and empty, and there is no one or anything, that can fill that void. Well, that is where God found me. And I will repeat… that is where HE found me. I believed in God, but as the word says, even the devils believe. I suppose I was close to being that. God forbade that, and I thank him.
I believed in God, but I did not keep his commandments. I felt as if, I rode the fence when it came to being obedient, and serving him. Yes, I knew of him, but I did not know him. I did not come to that place, until, I totally submitted to him, and yes, that meant to his
commandments, keeping them close to my heart, and reading and learning his word.

One day, I walked into a Christian bookstore. I was searching, for what I do not know, but God knew. There, in the middle of a table, stood a book upright. I stopped to look at it, with its beautiful leather cover,
and then the title of the book jumped out at me.

"IF YOU LOVE ME ELENA, KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS"

That was just the jolt I needed. You see, my name is not very common. That book, and its contents truly spoke to my heart. Within the book itself, were chapters relating to prayer, health in knowing God's word, and Salvation. Each chapter, spoke in a personal way, with my name in
each verse. For an example...For God so loved the world, "Elena", that he gave his only begotten son. For you "Elena", and for whosoever will believe in him, would not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16...
I have called thee by name,
"Elena" thou art mine. Isaiah 43:1

That personalized it very much for me. That was just the beginning... since then, he has led and guided my life. Things are not always perfect, but I know where to go... I go, to God, who is perfect, and who guides my life.

It really is about surrendering, and submitting to him. My life has changed, and has come full circle in many ways. Before I was born, my father, prayed for a child, and my mother, was not able to conceive. According to doctors.
But, here I am, and now my life, is about prayer. I guess dear Dad was an inspiration for prayer. After all, after he prayed for me, I was conceived.
That is a very personal testimony to me..

I know God answers prayer. I have seen him do things, that may not be realistic, or that seems impossible. Or may totally seem illogical. But his ways, are not our ways, and I accept that. He is a sovereign God, but oh so good and kind, and merciful.

Daily, my relationship grows with him; and I know, he is able to do far and above what I could even ask or think. That is where faith comes in. That also grows. It has to, be renewed in my hope of him. I have served God, at a Christian television station, at church, and now in my own ministry. I have a love, for people, that only Jesus could give me. Which surprises me, because people were not always kind to me. But, only God can change from within, to bear fruit in him.

You may visit Elena’s site here to read more of her writings. http://home.comcast.net/~prayerofgod/index.html

Many Blessings
William Oren Adams

I was brought up in a Christian home and always went to Church. Quite early in life I accepted Jesus as my personal Savior and continued my life which was centered in my Lord.

A lot of things happened along the years including a time in Korea during the war. I was out in front of the front lines most of the time but never even saw a live enemy soldier!

When I returned, without a scratch, I attended college at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee. As I tell folks, I flunked out in the financial department short of earning my degree. Later I attended East Texas State University where I finished my B.S. in music and psychology. Later I went to the University of Texas at Arlington where I earned a masters degree in clinical social work. After serving in that field for a number of years, I retired in 1994.

I spend my time in retirement writing poetry, stories, articles and music. In the last ten years or so, I have had about 50+ Southern Gospel songs published. I also have a book of poetry called "Poems From my Soul" which was published in February of 2003 along with more than 100 poems on www.christianpoets.com. I love it! I serve as a Lay Speaker in my Church and have a very good relationship with the members and staff.

In short, God has been with me all my 74 years. When it didn't seem so, it was I who moved. Thank God, He is The Rock!

ã 2004 Williams O. Adams
wo.adams@verizon.net