Tag Archives: Christian

The Influence of St Patrick is Massive

Posted in Canada, Dreams, Family, Healing, Ireland, My thoughts, Nations by

There will be massive celebrations tomorrow on St Patrick’s Day throughout the world.

St Patrick’s day is the second most celebrated festival after Christmas in the whole world!

Why is this? Although a small Island with a population of around 5 million today, Ireland has had a big influence in the world down through the ages. Descendants from Ireland have settled all around the world.
Ireland is positioned strategicly on the edge of Europe. There was easy access to the Americas, Britain and Europe by boat in the past. Nowadays Asia and Australia as well can be accessed by air out of Dublin. Two of my own children live in Canada, two in Scotland and one in England.

During the famine of the nineteen hundreds, millions left Ireland by boat for Northern America. In former days some Irish got free passage to the West Indies as slaves when Cromwell invaded Ireland. Again people were sent to Australia as punishment or got cheap passage in order to populate the new continent.

Priests and nuns went as missionaries to Africa and India. The Irish monks saved writings from Europe that could have been destroyed in the unrest in Europe. In 2007 when recession hit, many young men left Ireland searching for work in Canada, the Middle East, and Australia. Then in the 1970s many left Ireland because of the war and religious discrimination in Northern Ireland to settle abroad, whether in England, Australia or America. Many such people have longings to return to Ireland where some of their family may still live or want to see where their ancestors came from.

Ireland is known as a land of saints and scholars. Ancient Christian writings are stored in Libraries. Ancient ruins of cathedrals and Celtic crosses dot the country, leaving a memory of former Christian communities that prospered. We have had famous Irish singers and poets, dancers and musicians in recent times, keeping the Irish spirit alive. The band U2, the poet, Seamus Heaney, Bob Geldof, Sinead O Cannor to mention just a few.

I am writing from Ireland. Brendan and I wanted to leave Ireland in the late eighties. It was oppressive raising our children in an atmosphere of religious war. We wanted to move to Wales. We prayed and thought about it a lot. God directed us to stay. He cares for us. We were vulnerable as a young family and it was best to stay in Ireland rather that move some where we had to start to get to know people. I’m very glad we stayed.

For many reasons people want to celebrate St Patrick’s day. But let me tell you something about St Patrick. He was not Irish, he came as a missionary to preach the gospel to the people then living in Ireland in the fifth century. The same gospel is available to us today through the scriptures. The good news that Jesus died to forgive sins, heal diseases, set us free from captivity, and restore our lives from oppression and slavery and to give us eternal life in heaven. He had dreams and left writings that we can read and find out more about his life.

For fifteen centuries we have that Christian legacy in Ireland. I am a descendant of those people St Patrick first taught about Jesus. Exodus 20 says “those who love God, their children will be blessed to the thousandth generation.” I am one of those blessed, many generations later.

I want to remember our heritage and I pray that Ireland will again be a place where people are free from oppression and slavery, and our people will not submit to laws that will destroy marriage and our children. Ireland has been a good place for Brendan and I to raise our fourteen children. It one of the few countries in the world where abortion is not legal.

Come let us return to the Lord. God is alive and wants to help us in this twenty first century. So when you are celebrating St Patrick’s day remember who he represents. St Patrick is buried in a grave, history tells us in Downpatrick, near where I live. He represents Jesus whose grave is empty. Jesus is alive and lives to help us in our distress. It is good to follow him. Call upon him this St Patrick’s day. .

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/massive/

Testimony Tuesday, Young Mother Healed of Cancer

Posted in Cancer, Healing, My thoughts, Prayer, Testimony Tuesday by

I received this comment from a lady this week in response to my blog.  Because I have shared about my healing from Cancer she wanted to let me know what happened to her.   I am so encouraged to hear of God’s power working in this humble lady’s life.  Here is her story.

I had a cancerous cyst with a chocolate cyst attached to my ovary and am pregnant. I became suddenly, absolutely, overwhelmed with pain. I was also bleeding and cramping. I have birthed five children and the pain was worse than any of the labors combined. I went to the emergency room but all they did was give me morphine and send me home with no answers.

I was in horrific and constant pain for four days. I kept repenting to Jesus and asking Him to help me. I became a Christian as a young girl, received the Holy Ghost at fifteen, and had always lived devoutly. I have never drank, never smoked, and was a virgin when I got married. I am also a pastor’s wife. I could not understand why God was allowing my body to be attacked when I had always done my best to honor it. I kept repenting because there are some sins that we have that are only known to God Himself. I know sickness is not from our Lord. He only allows it. I kept asking for Him to take the pain BUT to let His will prevail over my desire.

On the 5th day, the pain had eased up but I had a painful urge to go to the bathroom. When I sat down I felt a huge mass pass from my body.  I turned to look at it and it was the cancerous cyst with the chocolate cyst attached to it. All the Cancer was gone. All of it was out of my body. Masses has been draining out of me for the whole four days but I could still feel the sickness.

Jesus healed me out of Cancer over four and a half very, very, very painful days. I know some may never believe me, but at least ONE of you will. You can be healed. You will be healed when you believe without doubt. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Love Him, Trust Him, repent to Him, and be faithful to Him and your life will undoubtedly be made whole. The process may be painful, but in the end you will have life saving results. Eternal life saving results.

 

 

God who made the Moon and Stars cares for You

Posted in Cancer, Healing, My thoughts by

I looked out the window this morning.  It was still dark with the bright moon high in the sky and a star above it.  
I was reading Psalm 8 later.  This is what I read.

O LORD, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth! Your glory is higher than the heavens.
When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers— the moon and the stars you set in place— what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? (‭Psalms‬ ‭8‬:‭1, 3-4‬ NLT)

The God of heaven who put the moon in place cares about me and you this morning.  He keeps all things in place.  The sun is not falling out of the sky.

A headline in the BBC News caught my attention yesterday.  A telescope has discovered new planets.
I quote from News.com.au, Science, Space.

“Three new planets, roughly the size of Earth, have been found in the ‘not too hot, not too cold — just right’ zone around their stars, significantly boosting the numbers of potentially habitable worlds.
And one of them may potentially be the most Earth-like yet discovered.
NASA’s Kepler mission early this morning made the announcement at a presentation marking the discovery of its 1000th exoplanet — the name given to worlds found orbiting stars other than our own. The results will soon be published in The Astrophysical Journal.
Each result from the planet-hunting Kepler mission’s treasure trove of data takes us another step closer to answering the question of whether we are alone in the Universe,” said John Grunsfeld, associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission.”

Man is discovering how vast the universe is.  But let man look for the One beyond the heavens.  He created the universe and there is no God like him.  He created us and cares for us.  He made himself know through Jesus his son who came on earth as a baby.  We just celebrated his birth at Christmas time.

All Christians pray the prayer Jesus taught us, “The Our Father.”
Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be your name.

That means to thank God, honor him for who he is, praise him and magnify his works.  

I declare that God made the sun, moon and stars and all the universe, whether discovered or not yet discovered.  He is God yet he cares for mankind.

As I read about Moses, Daniel and other bible characters when they prayed they praised and magnified God for his power and works in creation first of all.  Then they asked for God to intervene in the difficult situations they found themselves.
I have discovered as I lift my eyes off my immediate circumstances and look up to God and magnify his works and power, then I find my worries seem small and He can take care of them and answer my prayer.

As I magnified who God is he reached down and touched me and delivered me from Malignant last stage Bowel Cancer

what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? (‭Psalms‬ ‭8‬:‭1, 3-4‬ NLT)

Inspiration as I Look at The Moon

Posted in Ireland, My thoughts, Nations, Nature, Prayer by

I awoke early.  I looked up in the sky.  There was a sliver of the moon shining brightly.  The dark arc shaped outline across the moon is the shadow of the earth.

“Have you not known? have you not heard? has it not been told you from the beginning? have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?

It is he that sits upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretches  out the heavens as a curtain, and spreads them out as a tent to dwell in:”  ( Isaiah 40 v 21 22 KJV)

In warmer countries people sit outdoors in the cool of the evening.  They would be aware of the changes in the moon each month.  The moon is visible to all nations all over the world.  Looking at creation has inspired scientists and writers to do their work.  They would have wondered why is there changes in the moon?

There was debate among Christian scientists in earlier centuries.  Some thought the earth was flat.  But this line in the bible “He sits on the circle of the earth” gives us a clue that the earth is round.  Columbus set sail on the sea.  If the earth was round he expected to come back to where he set off.

The moon is made up of material that reflects light.  The sun shining on the moon gives it light. The earth blocks some of this light when it is positioned between the sun and the moon.  This happens during each month.  We can see the arc of the edge of the earth on the moon another sign that the earth is a circle.

As I looked at the sky I began to worship God who created the sun, the moon and the stars when I remembered these scriptures.  This morning I can see part of the circle of the earth on the moon.

I was reading the story of Jonah this week.  He disobeyed God and got on a boat.
A storm hit the boat.  Here is what it says.

“Fearing for their lives, the desperate sailors shouted to their gods for help and threw the cargo overboard to lighten the ship.
But all this time Jonah was sound asleep down in the hold. So the captain went down after him. “How can you sleep at a time like this?” he shouted. “Get up and pray to your god! Maybe he will pay attention to us and spare our lives.”
Then the crew cast lots to see which of them had offended the gods and caused the terrible storm. When they did this, the lots identified Jonah as the culprit.
“Why has this awful storm come down on us?” they demanded. “Who are you? What is your line of work? What country are you from? What is your nationality?”
Jonah answered, “I am a Hebrew, and I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land.  Then he told them he was running away from The Lord..”   (‭Jonah‬ ‭1‬:‭5-9‬ NLT)

Jonah identified himself as one who worships the God of heaven.

I am so encouraged that people from many nations read my blog.  The moon that is shining on you, shines on me here in Ireland.  I encourage you to look up at the moon and watch the changes each month.  Look beyond the moon to The Lord who made the it.  He knows all about you.  You cannot hide from him like Jonah tried to do.
Call out to the God of heaven and his son Jesus and he will deliver you.

Gladioli That Point up to Heaven

Posted in Family Friday, Ireland, My thoughts, Prayer by

I bought a bunch of Gladioli in the supermarket this week.  The trumpet flowers open out from the tall green stems.  The gladiolii flowers come in many shades, purple, pink, red, yellow or white.  These flowers bring back memories of attending Church as a child and the routine of Sunday morning in our home on the farm.

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In the country where I grew up, the community gathered at the church on the hill.  It was within walking distance from our home.  Dad and two of the family would go to first mass at eight o’clock.

Seasonal flowers decorated the Church altar.   The gladioli stood out for me as the most beautiful flowers I had ever seen. Their stems reached up to the heavens and the flowers opened up into trumpets.  I imagined they were brought from some exotic place far away.  I never saw such flowers grow ing in the local gardens.

I remembered the smell of the incense and the singing of the choir at Church.  Words were sung to someone beyond my world.  My heart was lifted up above my circumstances.  People dressed in their best clothes.  Families sat together in pews.  Going to Church on Sunday for me was very special.  Those holy, innocent days going to Church as a child are long gone.  I was oblivious to the big world beyond the church and the farm.  I imagined the Gladioli came from out there somewhere?

Dad would stand and talk to neighbours after mass and get a catch up on the local news.  Mum would make fried, fresh, farm eggs and bacon with home made soda bread for dad’s return.  As we smelt the bacon we would turn up for breakfast at different times.  Sundays were restful.  No farmwork or school to go to.  No last minute rush to catch the school bus at the bottom of the lane.
The rest of the family would walk or get a ride in the car to second mass at eleven o’clock.  Whoever went to first mass would prepare the Sunday dinner for us all.  Dad would sit by the fire and read the newspaper.  It was his day off.  We usually had a stew.  I loved the smell of it as it cooked on the stove and we waited for the others to return.  After dinner we would listen to Family Favourites on the Radio.  I remember songs being played that were sung by Burl Ives, The Ugly Bug Ball, The Little White Duck or Rudolfh the Red Nose Reindeer.

I never heard about the Sabbath Day then. I now know that God intended that man should rest from his labour one day of the week.  Our family did have that day off.

Observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. (‭Exodus‬ ‭31‬:‭16-17‬ KJV)

God intended the Sabbath for man to rest.  If God needed refreshed after working all week, I think I will take his example.  He does not want to harm us, it is for our benefit to have a day off, in this world where so many other things take up our thinking, strength and money.
Have a good Sunday.

My Prayer For Your Healing

Posted in Cancer, Family Friday, Healing, Ireland, My thoughts, Prayer by

I want to thank you Almighty God for all you have done for me.
You alone are God of all the kingdoms of the Earth. You alone are creator of the Heaven and the earh.

I thank you for your son Jesus who suffered with whips on his back, died on the Cross and shed his blood so I can be forgiven and healed.  You have rescued me from death and have forgiven all my sins. You have restored my health and helped me to live.

I thank and praise you Almighty Father for blessing me with my husband and family and home. You have looked after me all the days of my life. You are worthy to be praised.
I thank you I can come boldly to your throne in heaven because your son Jesus made a way for me to come to you by shedding his blood.

Please listen to my prayer today for others, especially for those who read my blog today.
Your son Jesus said if I ask you anything in His name you will do it for me.
Because you have heard my prayers and healed me I believe you will heal others as I pray for them.

My prayer for you.

Thank you Heavenly Father for ( name ).
You are loving and full of compassion for ( name ).
I want to tell ( name ) that you are near to her and are acquainted with her grief.
You heal the brokenhearted and bind up their wounds. (‭Psalm‬ ‭147‬:‭3‬ NIV)
I want her to know that you, Jesus took all our sicknesses, sins and curses on the Cross and shed your blood so she can be pain free.
Please deliver her from cancer or ( other disease, ( name it ) and demonic affliction ( depression, anger, rejection, lust, etc. ) she is suffering from in Jesus name.
By the stripes of Jesus she is healed.
Restore her to full health and I declare this disease will not come back again in Jesus name.
I give you all the honor and glory because it is through the power of the Name of Jesus ( name ) is healed.
Continue to protect her by the power of your Blood, and lead her not into temptation.
May ( name ) thank and praise you for what you are doing today in her life in Jesus name.

Please put your name or those you want prayer for, in the brackets, or when I mention ( her ).

References.
Isaiah 53, Psalm 86 v 15, John 15 v 16, Psalm 103 v 1 to 3, Isaiah 38 v 16

That Which is Stolen is Restored by God

Posted in My thoughts by

In my “About post,” I said I want to write about how God helps me in my life.

At the end of January I was preparing to go on a trip.
The morning before, a young man walked into my kitchen, found my husband’s car keys hanging beside the door.  He stole our Saab car.
My neighbour knocked on the door.  He told me “Someone has just taken your car!”  It was a big shock.  I was upstairs and had not realised someone had entered our home.  The neighbour had watched it all happen from where he lives.  I was gob smacked.
It was nine o’ clock in the morning.  Children were passing.  School traffic was heavy.  
What a nightmare.  The police called and took details.
The incident was so strange I just laughed.
I thought to myself, “My husband is going to get a car upgrade.”  
He did not find it funny.  The car had passed the MOT recently and quite a sum of money was spent on it.
Our cars have been attacked before.  It usually happens when we are going on a ministry trip.  We have got used to coming under attack from the enemy of our souls.
The devil comes to rob, steal and destroy, but Jesus comes to give us life and life abundantly.  John 10 v 10
We prayed that God would restore a car to us.  He did it before and we believed he would do it again.
The car was found later.  It was destroyed.  The police told us the driver has crashed into several vehicles on his ventures through town.
Our insurance company said we would be liable to pay the cost of damages if the driver was caught!  He has not been caught.  Trials come to test us!  
I believe all things work together for good.  Romans 8 v 28
Three months on I am settled in the country and it would be nice to have a car to get out and about.  My husband put his mind to looking for a car.  He was specific.  He wanted a black automatic car.  I wanted a Saab.  We now have a black, automatic Saab!  It did not cost the earth.  It was much reduced.  It is in great condition.  We have joy and thank God for his restoration.
He is the Living God and he restores our lives and our goods!  He cares for me.

 

 

 

The Scriptures Describe Exactly What Happened to Me

Posted in My thoughts by

I was reading from Psalm 116 today from the New Living Translation.

The words describe exactly what happened to me when I was suffering from malignant cancer.

I love The Lord because he hears and answers my prayers.
Because he bends down and listens, 
I will pray as long as I have breath.
Death had its hands around my throat
The terrors of the grave overtook me.
I saw only sorrow and trouble.
I called on the name of The Lord, 
Please Lord save me.
How kind The Lord is! How good he is!
So merciful this God of ours! 
I was facing death, and then he saved me.
Now I can rest for The Lord has been so good to me.
He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears,
My feet from stumbling.
So I can walk in the Lord’s presence as I live here on earth!

It is good to believe in God. 

 

We are Moving House. Do it Again, Lord.

Posted in Dreams, Family Friday, My thoughts, Prayer, Provision by

 

 

“Be very careful never to forget what you have seen The Lord do for you.  Do not let these things escape from your mind as long as you live!  And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren.”  Deuteronomy 25 v 9

After rearing our children in the big house God provided for us, Brendan and I realised over the past few years that it is taking a lot of our energy to maintain it.  Lighting the fires in the morning to keep warm, cleaning and doing household chores made me weary.

Our children advised us to downsize to a more modern house that would be easy to keep warm.  It is not easy to be released from the home we reared our children for the last fifteen years.  Our children have memories of  growing up here.  There is space for us to have family get togethers, and the grandchildren come to visit.  There is room for them to stay over.

It is not easy to start looking again.  Back in September I read from God’s Word I will provide a home for the poor.  Brendan and I were going to trust God, as before, to provide a home for us.  “Lord you did it before, do it again,” I prayed.  “You will not forsake me now when I have gray hair,” according to Psalm 71.

Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God. Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me. (Psalms 71:18 NLT)

I did not want to move away from the area where we now live.  I would be happy to move to the country nearby.  We began to look at possibilities.  I did not have the energy to look at potential houses and then be disappointed if we were rejected.  We did try once, found a lovely house to rent, but the owner was not willing to rent to us.  I didn’t try any more.

Brendan and I visited Jerusalem earlier in the year.  I believe God’s Word that says he will bless us in Jerusalem.
Many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek The Lord of Heaven’s Armies and to ask for his blessing. (Zechariah 8:22 NLT)
I went to the ancient site of the Wailing Wall and prayed there about many things.

When we arrived back home I got a call from my hairdresser.  She said I had a dream about you last night and I need to tell you about it.  The dream indicated we would be leaving this house.  She did not know our situation about wanting to move from here. This dream helped Brendan and I decide to move from here.  We were in agreement.  Before I was undecided.

We looked at Property Pal, an Internet site for house rentals.  I searched for houses in our local area.  There were a few houses to let in the country nearby.  I called the agent of one I liked.  He arranged a viewing that evening.

It turned out to be a house next door to our friend who had the dream.  Her brother owned the house.  It proved ideal for our needs and applied to rent it.  The owner agreed and we move there next week.

The house is called “Bright House.”  In case we had any doubts about our move God has showed us signs three times.   I was reading in the scriptures,

“It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us. (Colossians 1:9-12 MSG)”

Tea bags and cologne.

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A song on the radio called “Bright Eyes”.

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We are in the middle of our house move.  Energy is low but morale high because of the Bright future God has promised for us.

God speaks today.  Listen for His still small voice if you are needing to make a Big move.

We built This City. Daily Prompt. Downpatrick, in Northern Ireland, the Place where I Live.

Posted in Ireland, My thoughts, Nations, Prayer, Provision by
Next Monday, the 17th March is St Patrick’s day.   There are celebrations all over the world on this day.  In America green beer is sold.  When my husband was in China on St Patrick’s Day the locals gave him a can of Guinness.  He said it was the best can of Guinness he had ever drank in China.  It was the only one!
The Irish people have spread all over the world and that is why most countries have heard of St Patrick.
St Patrick  is celebrated as an man who lived among the Irish in the fifth century.  He preached the gospel of Jesus and did many signs and wonders among the people.  It is recorded that he drove the snakes out of Ireland.  There are no snakes in Ireland.
The town where I live is called Downpatrick.  It is claimed that St patrick is buried here.  Many tourists come to visit this historical place.
The people of this town have lived at peace with each other during the recent troubles in the seventies.  Every Good Friday all denominations of Christians walked through the town behind a wooden cross.  People took turns to carry it.  The people of the town demonstrated their unity, when in other parts of Northern Ireland people were being murdered.
I believe there is a blessing over Downpatrick because of it’s history as a centre of Christianity and civilisation.  There are many schools and colleges in our town.   Christian brothers set up a school for over eleven year old boys back at the beginning of the twentieth century.
They brought education to the poor.  My children attended this school.
I was praying for a bigger house for our growing family.  I needed more space.  I believed that God would provide for us a big family, like he provided for the tribes that went into the Promised Land.
About that time I read in the bible “Look for the ancient pathways where you will find rest for your soul.”  Jeremiah 6 v 16.  Downpatrick is an ancient pathway where Christians have lived for many centuries.  St Patrick may have walked down the pathway or street where we live.
My husband and I believe that God can speak and guide people.  God showed my husband in a dream to get in touch with a man who lived in Downpatrick.  This man, some months later helped us get the big house we now live in.   It has seven bedrooms, two kitchens and two living rooms.  We will be ever grateful to our friend who helped us find a home here.  He helped us when we were in need.
Downpatrick has been a blessing to our family.  Our children were welcomed into the schools.  Their friends’ parents welcomed them into their homes.  The local soccer club and Gaelic club were somewhere safe for my boys to play, supervised by responsible caring volunteers.  It felt as if we always lived here.
We joined with other Christians to pray in unity.  We were blessed.   Where brothers dwell together in unity there The Lord commands a blessing.  Psalm 133.
Since we moved here as we prayed with others for our town,  new things have come here.  A new hospital is built, a new cinema, two new schools, and a new supermarket.
Where I came here I met other families that returned here to rear their children.
Downpatrick is a pleasant and safe place to live.
We have a vibrant Art Centre that gets funding from the government.  Downpatrick punches above its weight.
It has a pleasant climate.  It rests in the lee side of the Mourne Mountains.  The rain falls on the mountains, so we receive less rain than other parts of our country.   We often had our dinner outside in the summer time.  We could never do that in the last town we lived in.
There are beautiful local parks and coastlands.  Within seven miles we are at the beach.  Coney Island is nearby.  It is made famous by the Van Morrison song.
As people live together in harmony the Mayor of our town will have an easy job.
Soon we are moving to a smaller house not far from Downpatrick.   I will always be grateful to God for leading us to live in Downpatrick.  I am thankful to all the teachers, coaches, friends and neighbours who helped our family and have made our time in Downpatrick a happy one.
you too can be guided by God in your life.  He will speak through dreams or circumstances that may arise in your life.  God loves you.