Advent - A Prepared People

As we enter advent, there is so much preparation that we feel we must accomplish.  We perhaps get busy and caught up into the cultural demands and tradition of Christmas.  It can be exhausting and can oftentimes take the joy out of what this season truly is supposed to signify.  

As we enter advent, I reflect on what Isaiah prophesied roughly 400 years before Christ was born in Isaiah 40:3-5,

                                    A voice cries out:

                                    “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,
                                                   make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
                                                Every valley shall be lifted up,
                                                    and every mountain and hill be made low;
                                                the uneven ground shall become level,
                                                    and the rough places a plain.
                                      Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
                                                   and all people shall see it together,
                                                 for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” 

What if I told you that preparing the way for the Lord is actually about our own personal internal preparations?  It is a self-reflection of looking at the posture of our heart; and not just at the time of Christmas, but asking ourselves every day the painful truth questions about the attitude of our heart.  The preparation is our intimate relationship with Jesus so that we can know who god truly is.  The preparation is self-examining our past hurts, addictions or wounds making ourselves open and vulnerable for Jesus to penetrate those areas to bring deliverance and transformation over our lives.  The preparation is trusting God in all our circumstances despite what we see which is increasing out faith for a manifestation of God’s glory to be seen and known.  The preparation is humbling us so that we can move and operate in the power and authority o the Holy Spirit so that God gets the glory. 

God is looking for a Prepared People with a heart posture toward Him who will stand up during adversity and the times to come with courage, boldness and unwavering faith for truth, His word and promises to profess all things pointing to Jesus Christ. 

This advent season, let us take this time to pause, to be still and to put all of our Christmas to do lists on the back burner.  I too am speaking to myself.  We are in unprecedented worldly times with an unprecedented God who desires first and foremost our prepared heart for a prepared people (Luke 1:17).  A voice is crying out and calling us to Him.  Amen.

Lessons From My Ram, Simon Peter

 My first year ram, Simon Peter jumped the four foot woven fence this morning to get back to his girls.  I separated him yesterday with the help of my parents.  I was in awe, and could not believe that he jumped the fence.  Sure enough, my dad showed me where he crossed because he left evidence of wool on the top of the fence.  In all of my years of breeding and raising sheep, I have never had a ram jump a fence.

Simon Peter was named appropriately, and I feel it was given to me by the Holy Spirit.  Little did I know that God would have a message  to reveal to me through my ram as he often does with my sheep.  In the Bible Simon Peter was known as a man for his boisterous attitude, impulsive behaviors, strong emotions and a pioneer leader for his time.  These qualities are positive, but also weaknesses with many growing edges.

I was thinking about my ram, Simon Peter, in his first year of breeding service who is learning his place, his boundaries, and the submission to the seasons of his work and purpose for here on the farm.  His purpose is to multiply and be fruitful by successfully breeding my ewes with healthy lambs.  However, the optimal season for ewes to be lambing is February, March and April.  There are many reasons for me to lamb during that time.  I prefer to have the ewes all on a similar schedule, their heat cycle is optimal for that time of lambing, its colder weather and fewer flies so less infections, and the demand for market lambs to be sold at an optimal weight and age.  

So how does this apply to our spiritual lives you must be wondering.  I know I did as I am still in disbelief Simon Peter cleared the four foot fence without injuring himself.  I believe our spiritual journeys in our own lives can be the same qualities that Simon Peter exhibited of being boisterous, gregarious, impulsive, rebellious, acting out of emotion and a strong willed leader.  These are not all bad qualities, but can be if they are coming from the wrong attitude, motive or agenda.  Even Jesus whom chose Simon Peter to build His church on His Rock, was constantly challenging Simon Peter, mentoring him and molding him into the person he intended him to be so that God's mission could be fulfilled for God's glory.  

Simon Peter often got in the way of what God was doing.  The night Jesus was arrested, Simon Peter reacted impulsively by pulling out his sword and attacked the soldier of the High Priest (John 18:10).  Peter would deny Jesus three times before the rooster would crow (Luke 22:54-62).  Though Peter failed to use his voice on this occasion, Peter was bold in his words and actions in his speech that he delivered to the religious leaders after Jesus ascended to heaven in Acts 4:10 where he said, "You nailed Him (Jesus) to the cross.  But God raised Him from death."  In this moment, Simon Peter portrayed what Jesus saw in him as a leader who would boldly testify Jesus Christ who is the One and only true Rock where God would build  His church.

The Lord takes and uses all of our personalities and characteristics for His benefits if we allow Him too.  Each step and interaction Peter had with Jesus continued to change and transform him into one of humility, submission and an openness to be transformed for not only the gospel, but for the sake and benefits that others would come to know Jesus.  

For a little while longer, the ram will be with his girls until I can work on creating another safe, sheltered space for him out of sight of his 30 something temptations.  Isn't it amazing in how God continues to use and speak to me through my sheep?  After Jesus ascended and came back to the disciples, Jesus restores Peter by asking him, "Simon Peter do you love me?"  Simon Peter says, "Yes, Lord you know that I love you."  Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."  A second time Jesus asks Simon Peter, "Do you love me?"  Simon Peter responds, "Yes Lord you know that I love you."  Jesus replies, "Tend my sheep."  The third time Jesus asks Simon Peter, "Do you love me?"  Simon Peter who is now grieved says, "Lord you know all things; you know that I love you."  Jesus tells him, "Feed my sheep.  Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish."  Jesus' final words was, "Follow Me."

We are in unprecedented times, where time is accelerating to the eminent foretold by the prophets.  What are the areas in our lives that we can allow Jesus in to touch and transform so that we can participate to be a part of the Great Commission that Jesus began in which God will surely fulfill.  You have a purpose, you have meaning and you have a calling to fulfill.  We are all parts of the greater body for what God wants to accomplish.  Take heed, Follow Jesus!  

My Surgery Date Has Been Set

 I found out that my surgery date at UVA has been set for September 11, 2020, for my double mastectomy, complete hysterectomy and reconstruction.  It is now getting real that I have a date set.  I have been praying for the medical team, my surgery and recovery.  I am consumed with thoughts of all that I have to get done here on the farm prior to my surgery because there will be no lifting at all for about 10 weeks, then after that restricted lifting.  I keep asking God to show me how this will get done.  I have so much on me and I know that God already knows this.

Then the Lord revealed to me a prayer of thanksgiving hearing, "This is the day the Lord has made.  Let us rejoice and be glad in it."  This certainly was not my plan or choice to be having such an invasive surgery as a result of the BRCA1 high risk cancer gene mutation.  No it was not!  But God gently reminded me that I can't conceivably comprehend His ways or understand His plans for they are higher than my thoughts and plans.  God revealed to me that He is working all things out for my good for His glory.  And for what the enemy means to harm me, God is is using it to redeem and restore me to complete health.  I know that God is not done with me yet.  

God has prepared me for this appointed time even though it was not a part of my plan.  Each doctor, nurse, resident and the UVA BRCA Clinic has too been prepared for such a time as this.  God is asking me to trust and activate my faith beyond my borders of total surrender to His divine orchestrated order and steps.  He has given me assurance that He has not left one detail out.  

What I do know in how I have seen God work in me and my family's life in the past is that God's plans prosper and there is nothing that can interfere with His mission.  My surgery is a part of this mission.  I heard God tell me that once I get through surgery and recovery, there will be no more delays in the plans and promises that God has given for me, my family and the ministry to fulfill God's Kingdom work here on earth.

So I will continue to declare the suffering servant scriptures from Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22, with praise and worship to God whose glory will be released over me, my family and the ministry through the power of the Holy Spirit that dwells in me.  It is my comfort, peace, miracles, healing, revelation and salvation.  Whom shall I fear?  If God is with me, who can be against me?

My prayer of praise is, "In you Oh Lord, I exalt your name in all things. I am expectant to see you Kingdom come here on earth as it is in heaven that is manifested and implored with your power upon the hearts of all the people.  May it be inscribed with the blood of your finger that burns with a permanent imprint where the people will never depart from you or your ways.  It is bigger than revival.  It is bigger than an awakening.  It is an all out manifestation similar to Pentecost with a movement into a new era.  We again are moving into a new era where Jesus will be known and never forgotten that He is Lord over and of all things.

All of the chaos, the division, the hate and plagues we are seeing is an all out attempt from the enemy to take us down the path of hell and destruction because he knows his time is getting short.  Friends, remember God's word and promises and do not be sucked in to this type of behavior and responses.  This is all God's battle so all we need to do is to be still, to pray, and not engage in hateful rhetoric.  It is a distraction from the enemy so that we lose our focus on Jesus where we get pulled in to the chaos that makes us divided and ineffective.

Then last week, I had a dream where God revealed that He is fortifying His people for this transition into this new era that we are moving into.  I looked up the meaning of fortifying and found this: “A defensive wall, reinforcement built to strengthen a place against attack, an action or process of being fortified.”   Regardless of all the evil forces around us, those that are divisive in their words and actions, those who try to silence, shut down or oppress others of fully living out their destiny, God is building us up fortifying us with His authority and strengthening us at our place of weaknesses or as I would like to reframe and use the word - growing edges.  We are continually evolving and growing desiring to become in the image of Jesus. 

 We are in an appointed time where more than ever we must hold on to the promises that God has given us. We must not relent under the attacks or abandon God’s promises to us when things get tougher.  Though it seems we are not making any progress or we feel we are not making a difference, in our spirit, God is raising us up in His power and authority.  We must maintain the course and know that God Almighty is our reinforcement who is with us.  As we continue to walk in faithfulness with God, He will give us a peace and rest that is beyond our understanding. 

 It is at this place of our faithfulness, even when we don’t have the energy, the strength, the will or ability to move forward, God is breaking off our own personal defenses, strongholds and generational curses that no longer serve us, but hinder us in our relationship with God and/or makes us ineffective for His work.

God took me to Jeremiah 39-42 which is about the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC when the Babylonians took it over.  It reminds me a lot of what we are seeing today with structures and tradition that we have known and built up are falling and crumbling all around us.  Jeremiah 42:7-12 prophesied during this time speaking to the remnant which included individuals of the least to the greatest, “If you will still remain in this land, then I will build you and not pull you down, and I will plant you and not pluck you up.  For I relent concerning the disaster that I have brought upon you. Do not be afraid of the King of Babylon, of whom you are afraid; do not be afraid of him, says the Lord for I am with you, to save you and deliver you from his hand.  And I will show you mercy,  that he may have mercy on you and you can return to your own land.” 

For personal reflection, what are the King Babylons in your life trying to manipulate, oppress, discourage, instill fear or deter you from your land of dreams?  Remember, this is all a part of God’s plan of fortifying you that will silence the enemies and establish all of His promises in, through and out of you.  Keep pressing on and maintain your focus on Jesus.  As you do, the King Babylons in your life will diminish while increasing your capacity and territory for the Lord.  Therefore, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.  Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about its own things (Matthew 6:33)”

God's word is irrevocable and does not return void.  So I praise God for my BRCA1 diagnosis, the advancement in technology, the trained skill of of the doctors and nurses who are a part of my journey that will bring healing and breakthrough for God's promises and plans to be fulfilled that is so much bigger than me.  Fortify me God so that I am prepared for Your manifestation that is about to be released. I pray for each of you that you pray, "God prepare and fortify me."

Amen & with Love,

Pastor LaDawn

No Visitors Allowed - But There Was Jesus!

For the past few weeks since my initial doctor visit at UVA about my upcoming surgeries, I have had to go to UVA for more tests and visits sometimes twice a week.  When UVA calls to verify my appointment, each time they ask screening questions:  Have you been out of the state of Virginia?Have you been around anyone with or suspected of COVID? Have you had a temperature, cough, red eyes, shortness of breath, sore throat, sore muscles, joint pain, etc.  Then the last instruction is that no  one can come in with you to the appointment.  If they do, they must remain outside.  No Visitors Are Allowed. 

So I personally made the drive across the mountain to my first set of all day appointments at three different locations.  My first appointment was a pelvic ultrasound which I have never had before and it did not sound like something that I would enjoy too much either.  All of this has happened so quickly and at times it seems surreal that none of this is true.  I look and feel like I am a very healthy female.  This has been frustrating to me because I feel the healthiest that I have felt in a long time not only physically but emotionally and mentally.  It concerns me of how this surgery is going to affect my hormones, the chemicals in my brain that might trigger my major depression, the physical toll that this is going to take on my body and then processing the emotional and mental affects that "me", as I know myself in bodily appearance will not look the same again.  I am losing a part of me physically, and I do not know how this is going to affect me emotionally and mentally as I adjust to my new body appearance with scars and new look.  I know that as a result of this surgery, I will not be the same again on so many levels.

As I was lying on the table for the ultrasound of my ovaries and pelvic, I was holding myself  to keep from peeing because I was required to drink 32 oz of water prior to my appointment.  I stared at a lighted picture on the ceiling.  It was vibrant and bright with fuschia flowers and trees that was highlighted by the blue skies and clouds.  With the clouds, I would look for face images or animal figures to distract me from the uncomfortable and vulnerable position that I was in.  In the one tree as I was staring at a face, I saw the tree branches had given me a message.  I wish I could draw it for you of what I saw, but just imagine looking at tree branches that create the image of, I love you.  The love was actually an image of a heart.  This comforted me knowing that Jesus was right there with me giving me a message, "I love you." 

God never ceases to amaze me that when I am at my most vulnerable position, God speaks and lets me know He is right there with me and that everything is going to be alright.  I even laughed to myself that even though No Visitors Are Allowed, there was Jesus with me.  Nothing can keep Him separated or away from me. 

My next appointment was for a breast MRI that was explained to me that it examines and picks up any and every cell.  Since I am BRCA1, they are doing more extensive testing than a regular annual exam. Again, I have never felt so uncomfortable, in a very vulnerable position face down with my arms above my head and breasts hanging down from the table with men nurses positioning me for the MRI.    It was so uncomfortable because you have pressure on your sternum, your neck is in an uncomfortable position and my arms  were aching in pain with spasms beginning.  Before they put me in the MRI machine, they asked me for my choice of music that I would like to listen to during the procedure.  I asked for contemporary christian music.  The very first song to play was, "God's Not Done Writing Your Story."  Just like that, even though No Visitors Are Allowed, there was Jesus. 

Once this procedure was completed, I went to the locker where they put my clothes.  I didn't know it earlier, but they had put my clothes in locker number 44.  God speaks to me oftentimes through numbers.  The number 44 has been significant to me.  God has often showed me the number 44 during major transitions in my life.  The biblical meaning of the number 44 is about God's divine order and timing.  There was Jesus again......

As I was praying about all that had happened, God took me to Jonah 2 about Jonah's prayer for deliverance.  What spoke to me was that even though Jonah was in the belly of the whale in sheol (his desperate and lowliest place), Jonah continued to seek God saying, "Yet I will look again toward your holy temple" (vs 4).  Jonah continued to pray as he felt consumed by his circumstance and the overwhelming feeling of being consumed by the deep waters and seas.  Jonah remembered the Lord. He prayed to the Lord and said,  "He will give thanksgiving to the Lord and he was delivered from the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land." 

I too, no matter what I may be asked to face or endure, I will do it with thanksgiving knowing that deliverance and salvation is from the Lord who will be with me no matter what.  I only need to be obedient and a witness to God's merciful works.  As I am entering into unchartered territory, God reminded me through these appointments despite the No Visitors Are Allowed order, that nothing restricts or keeps Jesus from me.  Remember beautiful ones, Jesus is with us and will not forsaken us.  Amen.  ~ Pastor LaDawn

Benefit for Mental Health Services

Dear friends of mine, Sam and Suzanne Bowman had a vision seven years ago of wanting to organize and hold a benefit for local community needs which they have faithfully done.  For the past three years now, they have chosen our ministry, Hometown Rescue Mission & Ministry (HTRMM).  I am so personally touched by this.

I want to share with you to not boast, but to inform you and the public of our passion to serve those with mental health illnesses. HTRMM's mission specializes in counseling services with individuals who suffer with mental health illnesses.  This has been a personal passion of mine as I myself have suffered with episodes of Major Depression.  I also have family members who also struggle with mental health illnesses.  There has always been a stigma around mental health illness. I know for me personally I struggled with it feeling like I was alone in the suffering and had no one, not even the church that I could share my struggle with.  I thought that I didn't have enough faith or that I wasn't doing something right on my journey with God which was the reason I suffered with mental illness.  This is how Hometown Rescue Mission & Ministry was founded in wanting to give a voice to those suffering in the silence with mental health illness.  The ministry wanted to break the stigma surrounding mental illness, to educate the community about mental illness and let those suffering with mental illness know that there is help for mental wellness regardless of income, background or situation.

Hometown Rescue Mission & Ministry (HTRMM) was founded as a Christ centered church with biblical truth and serving everyone with love.  To date, with the partnership of Hometown Realty Group and Hometown Pastoral Counseling Group, PLC, I can offer faith based individual, marital and family counseling services on a sliding fee income scale so that no one will be turned away. The work has included counseling services for those suffering with many levels of mental illnesses. Specialized services include disorders such as anxiety, depression, relationship issues, trauma, and addictions.  My clientele even includes work with formerly incarcerated felons, at risk youth and letter writing to those currently incarcerated and one individual who is on death row.   The cumulative total of counseling services gifted since 2016 to the present is $47,814 which equates to 598 sessions.

Since graduating from graduate school with  a Master in Counseling and Master in Divinity, I have been persistently working toward fulfilling 4,000 hours of sitting with counseling clients that is required to sit for the License Professional Counseling (LPC) Exam in order to become licensed.  I am currently licensed as a “Resident in Counseling” being supervised by two LPC’s, Harvey Yoder in Harrisonburg at Family Life Resource Center and Vic Maloy in Richmond at VIP Care. I am hoping within the next year that I can make it a reality of finishing those hours.  It has been a long journey, but I know it is all in God’s timing.

The reason licensure is so important is because God is calling me to establish a non-profit, Harvest, that will work with non-violent at-risk adolescents that typically go through the court systems that ends up in juvenile detention and/or eventually incarcerated that becomes a statistic to our ever growing systemic judicial system.  The hope is that Harvest will be an alternative to the current judicial sentencing where the youth will come out to our farm to do individual therapy, group therapy, learn life sustaining skills, do hands on labor working on the farm, in the gardens and even with the livestock.  Harvest will be a place of healing and transformation in creating a place to belong and be loved which most likely the at-risk youth have been neglected of with no guidance or love or a missed diagnosis of a mental health disorder.  God has put on my heart to break this generational cycle in order to help the youth find what their purpose and meaning is so that they know who they are in Christ.  I am so excited to begin this next part of my journey, but God has been working on my patience and total dependence upon Him.  God gave me this vision in 2011 where I audibly heard Him say, “I was going to start a church, but it was not going to be like what I knew or thought church was.”  The at-risk youth, Harvest, will be the church.  The ministry will need to construct a building, install a septic and drill a well so that we have space to do our work with the youth. 

Other work that I have passionately facilitated in the community through HTRMM is educating the public about pathways to mental health.  In February 2019, the ministry organized a two day suicide intervention training (ASIST) for pastors in the Church of the Brethren denomination.  The ministry is looking to expand this training open to all faiths.  In the near future, they are hoping to offer a two day ecumenical summit called,  “Pathways to Mental Health” addressing the whole person mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually.  

 

So please, I ask that you plan to attend the Benefit this Saturday on July 25, 2020 at Back Home on the Farm.  It will be a fun filled family day with lots of amazing food and gospel music.  One hunderd percent of the proceeds goes to our ministry.  I personally thank each and every volunteer that is a part of the benefit that Sam and Suzanne so graciously organize each year.  Your support is a part of God’s plan where He revealed to me that it is going to take a community to build this, support this, volunteer for this, provide finances and resources to bring this to fruition.  I also ask for continued prayers for not only myself, but my family and the ministry.  We are constantly confronted with attacks from the enemy. So we know, we are on the right path and know that God is going to make this all happen.

God bless each of you and your families!

With love,

Pastor LaDawn

I Tested Positive for BRCA1 High Risk Cancer Gene

I was not familiar with the term BRCA1 until I heard it last year after my aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer.  My aunt is such a selfless and beautiful soul whose vocation is a nurse.  She knew what questions to ask doctors and began to explore our family history of cancer with the possibility of it being passed down to not only her daughters, husband and our family.  Her wisdom prompted genetic testing for our families. 

I knew that I had to have the testing done because I watched my paternal grandmother fight breast cancer.  She died in her early 50's.  Her mom and grandma had also passed away with breast cancer.  So we knew of at least three generations of breast cancer.  BRCA1 is a high risk cancer gene that links to my paternal side of the family.  BRCA1 and BRCA2 is a cancer gene mutation that increases individuals risk to developing breast, ovarian, fallopian tube and uterine cancers by approximately 87%.   

My testing was completed in February, and I received my results a couple of weeks later.  I was scheduled to go to the UVA BRCA Clinic who specializes with this cancer gene mutation.  My family and I at this time was also taking care of my maternal grandmother who was on hospice care.  This is also the same time that COVID-19 hit so my UVA appointment got rescheduled to June.

I tried to not think about it, but I also knew I would most likely have two options that UVA would talk with me about.  One would be to do nothing and be at 87% risk of developing cancer or two, remove all of my female parts - a mastectomy and complete hysterectomy.  At this point, I didn't have a medical opinion, so I would have to wait for their recommendations, their findings, and stats in order for me to make an informed decision.  Of course, there was lots of prayers asking for God's will and discernment with this. 

I had many emotions during this time.  At first I was angry, thinking, "Why me?"  Once the anger subsided, I was then able to hear from God who revealed that what the enemy meant for  harm to take me out, God was using it to be proactive in dealing with it so I would not have to worry or deal with in the future. God's wisdom moved me to being grateful for this recent advancement in technology that would give me peace.  I realized that this technology was giving me a proactive opportunity to address this instead of being reactive with treatment and a potential battle with cancer.  The peace and clarity that I felt was overwhelming so I knew that God was affirming that surgery was the right decision. 

After I met with the medical gynecological doctor that specializes with the BRCA gene, I had even more peace and clarity that surgery was the unmistakable answer.  After surgery my risk would be less than 1% of ever developing cancer.  Because of my extended family history, the doctor highly recommended a double mastectomy and complete hysterectomy.  She explained that it is now all one surgery with a six week recovery or ten week recovery with reconstruction. 

My next steps were a full day of appointments at UVA for a breast MRI, pelvic ultrasound and to meet with the surgeons.  At this time, I did not know when the surgery would be.  I was leaning toward a November or December surgery because we are at one of our busiest seasons on the family farm with hay making, garden and maintaining the livestock.  As you can imagine, farm work requires a lot of heavy lifting of feed bags, square bales, moving gates, in and out, up and down farm equipment, or handling my sheep that can weigh up to 250 pounds.  My post surgery recovery will be restricted for the next six to ten weeks of no lifting at all. 

I don't understand why I have to go through this, nor do I know what God wants me to know about this, but one thing I do know is that I continue to say, "Yes Lord" by trusting Him in all areas of my life knowing that this has greater purpose and meaning beyond me.  I know that the Lord is faithful because I know first hand of all His good works in me and my family's life.  My family and I have experienced many miracles at God's hand so I trust and believe in Him with my upcoming surgery and successful recovery knowing He is using all of this for His glory.

A scripture that God gave me years ago when I began my faith journey is Joshua 4:24, "He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God."  If me sharing my journey brings one person to giving their life to Jesus, then it is all worth it for God's glory. 

In 2009, I said, "Yes Lord" - that I was all in.  Today I still stand in 2020 saying, "Yes Lord" - I am all in to serve you and to fulfill your purposes and promises for me.  I know that I know that I know that surely God is with me in the midst of all of it.  So I will proceed forward with the surgery praising God for what He has done and what He will do.  I am grateful to Jesus for being with me through it all for I know with God all things are possible. 

As of last week, I found out that my surgery will actually be in September.  I don't have an exact date yet.  I welcome and cherish all of your prayers.  Also this past week, my aunt received a praise report that her cancer has not progressed.  We continue to bind up the cancer in her body and declare and decree that it must leave her body because it is not welcome there.  We declare the cleansing blood of Jesus has already miraculous healed her. We believe for extended years over her life. When you pray for me, please add her to your prayers as well standing in agreement with me for her complete healing. 

The reason I share this journey so intimately with you, is if there is any history of breast, ovarian, uterine or fallopian cancer in your family, please consult your doctor about doing the genetic testing to see if you are a carrier or have the BRCA mutated cancer gene.  Knowledge is powerful.  God gave us that knowledge.  Let's use it to kick cancer back to hell where it came from.

With agape love to each of you.
Pastor LaDawn
 

The Dew is Bringing Divine Prosperity

To most this would appear to be a dandelion weed that has already bloomed, lost its color and shed its seeds.  It caught my attention when I was taking my dog, Wrangler out to go to the bathroom. It reminded me of the crown of thorns on Jesus' head when He was crucified.  I couldn't keep from staring at the picture I took and thought how beautiful this is.

As I stared at it, I noticed the droplets of dew on the stems, or the crown of Jesus' thorns.  The only way I noticed the dew was from the picture that I took because I kept staring at it and enlarging it.  That is when I noticed the droplets of dew.

This peaked my curiosity of what the morning dew may be speaking to me.  So I began to look up scriptures that used the word dew in it.  I also researched the Hebrew word for dew which is tal.  The Strong's definition of tal (2919) means, "a night mist, as coming from the sky, bringing fertility, God gives it, or heavens give it."

In Genesis 27:28, Isaac blesses his son Jacob with these words, "Therefore may God give you of the dew of heaven, of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and wine."  Moses offers a similar final blessing on Israel before his death in Deuteronomy 33.  The commentary in my Spirit Filled Bible (pg. 273) says that, "Moses blessing to Israel describes the glory of greatness that will crown Israel's faithfulness.  It further goes on to say that, "God is an eternal God whose everlasting arms are never exhausted and who is their refuge and safety."  Specifically verse 33:28 says, "Then Israel shall dwell in safety, the fountain of Jacob alone, in a land of grain and new wine; His heavens shall also drop dew."  God is promising to send distilled dew, if you will, that has been purified, sent from heaven which Deuteronomy 33:13 describes it as, "With the precious things of heaven, with the dew, and the deep lying beneath."

Things today that the enemy has wreaked havoc on that appear to be chaotic, hopeless, and all lost  God promises that there is about to be a divine reversal where the dew is going to fall and bring divine prosperity.  God sent a purifying dew where the remnant will no longer operate "business as usual" or return to normal activities of the former days.  Paraphrasing Deuteronomy 33:28, God's people shall safely dwell in a land of grain and NEW WINE.  In order to dwell in a place of NEW WINE, we must be purified and distilled with a NEW WINESKIN letting go of the former things and behaviors so that we can move into the new move of God. For when we do, God speaks in Zechariah 8:12-13, "For the seed shall be prosperous, the vine shall give its fruit, the shall have her increase.  And the heavens shall give their dew - I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these and it shall come to pass that just as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you shall be a blessing.  Do not fear.  Let your hands be strong."  God is with us and has gone before us. Hosea 14:5-6 describes God as the, "Blessing of the day that flourishes, grows, has beauty and fragrance."

In the midst of all that is happening around us local, regionally and globally may we notice the kisses of dew from heaven around us that is merciful and new every morning that sustains us and nourishes us.  The battle that we are in is not ours.  May we dwell in His presence safely, "Abiding under the shadow of the Almighty, who is our refuge and a help in a time of uncertainty."  As we trust in God, He promises to deliver us from the snare of the enemy.  A Jewish prayer that I have come to love is called the Tfilat Tal or Blessing for Dew that I want to leave with you to perhaps pray over your life and family.

May dew fall upon the blessed land.
Fill us with heaven’s finest blessings.
May a light come out of the darkness to draw Israel
to you as a root finds water from dew.
May you bless our food with dew.
May we enjoy plenty with nothing lacking.
Grant the wish of the people – that followed you
through the desert like sheep – with dew.
You are Adonai our God,
who causes the wind to blow and the dew to fall,
For blessing and not for curse.
Amen.
For life and not for death.
Amen.
For plenty and not for lack.
Amen.

Embrace the Isolation in the Shepherd Field

Image credit churchofjesuschrist.org

Back in August 2019, the Lord started showing me that a new season was approaching of entering into the shepherd field like David.  When I reflected on this and deepened my understanding of this scripture in 1 Samuel 17, I had no idea why this would be a necessary season.  Today as I reflect on all that is happening in the world, I went back to my journal to see what God revealed to me at that time as we are in a season of uncertainty that seems daunting and desolate.  Globally we are fighting a human pandemic or plague if you will, called Coronavirus.  The number of cases and the death toll are staggering.  The impact of the front line warriors of nurses, doctors and emergency personnel is exhaustive.  The massive effects of a shaken uncertain impact on the economy is eroding businesses and “business as usual” because it is under a mounting strain of an unprecedented national debt never seen before, a global panic as many are displaced and out of work, desperation of hoarding resources, and the faith community scrambling to make sense of being outside the four walls.  We are even seeing the earth groaning with more severe and intense destructive weather patterns.

I hear often that individuals are starting to get cabin fever, missing community fellowship, and gatherings.  I have heard the Lord is setting the plumb line for His divine order by putting first things last and bringing the last things to the forefront.  This includes removing our idols, our busyness, our priorities that have been placed over our relationship with the Lord.  I know it seems lonely and we are isolated from the very things that were our comfort and habitual way of living.  Which brings me to David in the shepherd field who must have felt very lonely as he tended sheep, isolated from human contact or fellowship, no comforts of nice meals or home life.  David was confronting alone predators like lions and bears in the night preying over his flock which was his families livelihood.  I imagine he was also confronting his own personal internal demons as a result of sitting in the isolation and silence so much.  We too may be feeling like David in the shepherd field right now, but perhaps this is the reality of the place where God needed to bring us to reset our priorities, to learn to go deeper in our relationship with the Lord, to depend on the Lord in our times of struggles and confronting our demons instead of other external sources.

Even though chaos is all around us, may we continue to rejoice in the Lord and as Paul says, “Count it all joy.”  It is a time where God is refining and purging us so that He can increase our territory.  The Lord is using this moment in history to PREPARE us for the things that are yet to come that we cannot fathom or believe even if the Lord Himself told us (Habakkuk 1:5).  This is our training and equipping ground to become faithful warriors and a worshipful servant like David.  David didn’t slay Goliath prematurely in his own strength or worldly weapons or ways, but in 1 Sam 17:45 he stated, “That he came in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of armies of Israel whom Goliath defied.”  David proclaimed in verse 46-47 that, “This day the Lord will deliver you (Goliath) into my hands and I’ll (David) strike you down and cut off your head.” 

David knew God was with Him in the that moment.  David knew God intimately and where his strength came from.  David knew he was fighting principalities of evil and not the physical things or people of this world.  David grew to this place of a warrior for God through his many lonely days and nights in the shepherd field as a simple, lowly, looked down upon shepherd boy.  At David’s appearance, others thought of him as unimportant, but God equipped him with a mighty force for the Lord.  All of this was the humble beginnings of God preparing David to become a leader of a nation.  This didn’t happen overnight, but happened in the midst of unlikely circumstances and environment of a shepherd field.  The Lord was establishing and setting the plumb line as in Zechariah 4:10 it says, “Do not despise these small beginnings (or I would like to say these isolated lonely places) for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.”

I encourage you to embrace our shepherd field experience right now because God is increasing our courage to fight, giving us boldness to speak, setting our confidence in the Lord alone, increasing our trust in God, giving us divine empowerment through the Holy Spirit, and about to move us closer to our assigned destiny.  It is a time to abide with the Lord in the uncomfortableness of the shepherd field praying, worshiping and meditating on the word as God continues to align each of us and set the plumb line.  His promise is that, “He surrounds me with His favor as with a shield" (Psl 5:12).  “Surely, you will know you are my hiding place, you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance” (Psl 32:7).  Surely, God did this, “That the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that the people may know and you might always fear the Lord your God (Joshua 4:24).  

Our breakthrough and promotion is coming from the shepherd field.  God is about to do something new so may we embrace the shepherd field experience and draw closer to God abiding with the Almighty.  God is with us.  Amen.

  

In the Cyclone

         The past couple of months, a lot of our lives have changed especially with the effects of COVID-19, but each of us individually as well with our own personal journeys with perhaps a new diagnosis, a loss of a loved one, confronting our demons, or whatever we may be dealing with in the silence that is not hidden from the Lord.  I have had time to personally reflect on me and my families past few weeks with the intensive care of my grandma, Grandma Hummel, and her passing.  I pray and hope that you can gain encouragement and strength in the midst of your cyclone that you may be facing or going through.  I have scriptures at the end that I pray you can spend some time with that will fill you with God’s peace and hope for a future to prosper you. Though you may feel you are in the center of a cyclone, be assured that it will not persist and your are coming out better equipped, prepared and stronger thank you know.

Grandma Hummel passes away peaceful on March 18^th in her home just as she wished.  Weeks leading up to this day, I felt like I had been in the center of a cyclone.  I began to research on websites and gleaned this information from them where I found that cyclones are “difficult to predict” despite the latest technology available of satellites and weather radars.   Cyclones can “suddenly weaken or strengthen depending upon the conditions.  A cyclone emerges when environmental conditions of “warm moist air above the ocean rises.”  "Storms form when the water is 80 degrees Fahrenheit or better.” This is like fuel on a fire.  "A cyclone weakens when it passes over land where it loses the warm moist air."  As I used this term of feeling like I was in the middle of a cyclone, I didn’t realize what conditions were needed or the environment necessary for a cyclone to form.

I began to reflect on how my personal cyclone formed and brewed for these past few weeks, which typically they say a cyclone only lasts 3-7 days.  However, the largest recorded cyclone was “Ginger in 1971 that lasted for 30 days.”

The warning signs of a cyclone reported in the heraldtribune.com is that: “1.  the barometer will fall slightly, 2. wind is around 11mph, 3. the ocean swell is about 13 feet and increasing, 4. the waves come more frequently, seconds apart, 5. a large mass of white cirrus clouds appear.  As the veil of clouds approaches, it covers more of the horizon.” (Internet source, May 13, 2007)

           The Meaning of Barometer according to Wikepedia is "an instrument that measures atmosphere pressure in forecasting the weather and determining altitude. [Something that reflects changes in circumstances or opinions.]  with weather when the barometric pressure drops it typically means that bad weather is coming such as rain or even snow if it is cold enough.  Our bodies especially joints can even feel and detect when the barometric pressure drops before bad weather."  From the directorthocare.com it defines “barometric pressure as the weight of the atmosphere that surrounds us.”

                For me and my family, the barometric pressure definitely shifted with the decline of grandma’s health that happened quickly.  We definitely felt the pressures from the atmosphere that was weighing upon us as we heard the medical news of the seriousness of grandma’s chronic illness of cancer that was in stage 4 throughout a lot of her body.  Grandma too was feeling the weight of the barometric pressure against her body that could not withstand medical intervention, but only preparing her for comfort care in her home. We did not know how long this storm would last, but we knew we had to weather the storm with grandma despite our own heaviness and weight of this news, the reality, the sacrifices and the strain that 24/7 care would have on our family.  We are now in the center of the cyclone.

                Our family is feeling the winds of adversity as we begin her care.  When the wind shifts another way, we are feeling the presence of the Holy Spirit that is leading, guiding and carrying us through this storm.  Between the winds of adversity and the winds of the Holy Spirit with us, our bodies feel the effects of the elements that is beating against us.  However, the wind of presence of the Holy Spirit is more prominent and strengthening us in a way unimaginable that is carrying us through this storm that is allowing us to not only meet grandmas needs, but our own as well.

                As the winds blew, it caused huge waves to form that tried to sweep us off our feet with discouragement, weariness, frustrations, and exhaustion.  In the middle of the storm, our family held firm and tight to the truth of God’s word, promises and grandma’s wishes.  We did not waiver from that despite the adversity of the atmospheric pressure, the battling winds, and the raging ocean waves.  God made us like a lighthouse on a solid rock foundation that withstood the beating of the elements.  It was nothing that we had done, but how God had already prepared us and sat us on His firm foundation making us immovable and unshakeable.  God had gone before us and God was surely with us.  He was our help in a time of trouble, and He knew that we trusted in Him despite what our circumstance looked like in the storm.  (Nahum 1:7-9)

                They say that it gets the darkest before your breakthrough.  We watched, waited, and agonized with grandma as she gasped for air and eventually became unresponsive to us.  The storm would not let up.  The winds and crashing of the waves around us came more frequently and with more intensity.  Our hearts were heavy watching grandma suffer in this way.  I use the word suffer, because it appeared that way to us.  However, before she became unresponsive, she always responded to us that she was not in any pain.  The suffering we witnessed was the laboring of her breaths, her motionless and unable to now speak or move.  We know the inevitable is coming of her eminent death, we just did not know the hour or time.  We too are having a Garden of Gethsemane experience like Jesus which is aligning our will to God’s will in this moment and situation.  Just like Jesus knew His death was eminent, so too was grandma’s.  God was aligning our will to release and let go of grandma so she could transition from this earth to heaven.

                The reality of the clouds now set in over the horizon.  Our prayers changed from healing grandma and to make her well, to God please do not allow her to suffer like this for too long.  Please God take her peacefully.

                Then the breakthrough came.  The barometric pressure in the atmosphere began to rise.  It no longer felt as heavy a burden because we were now surrendered to God’s will for grandma.  In that moment, my mom and Aunt Monna watched grandma sit up, open her sky-blue eyes and take her last two breaths.  She laid back down and exhaled her last two breaths.  In that moment, it was finished.  Grandma was now separate from her earthly body, and her spirit was present with Jesus in that moment.  The grace of God and His new mercies each day allowed us to weather this storm in grandmas sacred transition and promotion to heaven.

                The heaviness of the atmospheric pressure lifted, the winds calmed, the waves subsided, and the dark storm clouds dissipated.  No matter how dark it seemed in that moment with grandma, God’s light overcame the darkness and brought victory.  Grandma was victorious, she fought the good fight and was as my sister in Christ, Alice shared, "A hero in her faith to her last breath."

                For that, I am so grateful and honored to witness the goodness of God.  For I now have wisdom that “there is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven:

"A time to be born and a time to die,

A time to plant and a time to uproot,

A time to kill and a time to heal,

A time to tear down and a time to build

A time to weep and a time to laugh,

A time to mourn and a time to dance,

A time to scatter stoves and a time to gather them,

A time to embrace and a time to refrain,

A time to search and a time to give up,

A time to keep and a time to throw away,

A time to tear and a time to mend,

A time to be silent and a time to speak,

A time to love and a time to hate,

A time for war and a time for peace,

What does the worker gain from his toil?  I have seen the burden God has laid on men.  He has made everything beautiful in its time.  He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-11)

“I know that everything God does will endure forever, nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it.  God does it so that men will revere Him.”  (Ecclesiastes 3:13-14) “All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return” (Ecclesiastes 3:20)

He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end which means He is in control of all the details in between.  Revelations 22:13, Revelations 1:8, Revelations 21:6-7, 1:17-18, Isaiah 44:6, therefore we can be encouraged with trust and hope in Jesus who has made a way for us telling us, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Trust in God, trust also in me.  In my Father’s house are many rooms, if it were not so, I would have told you.  I am going to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.  You know the way to the place where I am going.” (John 14:1-4) Jesus….He is the way, and the truth and the life (John 14:6)   Amen