Tag Archives: trouble

Throat Cancer Healed

Posted in Healing, My thoughts, Prayer, Restoration by

It was a beautiful warm morning. Brendan and I went for a drive to Newcastle Co Down on Sunday last. We stopped at Dundrum market along the way. I remembered many days bringing our children there, walking around the stall holders and stopping for a chat. We ended the morning with sausages and chips. It was good to be back. Corona virus closed down the market for two years.

I met a man later in the day called Gordon. Brendan told him I was healed of cancer twelve years ago. He responded to say he had cancer eleven years ago. I wanted to hear more.

He was in hospital for tests. The doctor told him he had third stage throat cancer. He had a tumour the size of a walnut. The doctors said it was too difficult to operate. When Gordon heard what the doctors said he didn’t panic. He began to consider his situation. He wasn’t ready to die. He wanted to live but the doctor’s forecast was grim.

Gordon had been a preacher of the gospel in his youth. In his work place he found young men would come to him for advice. He would always be there to listen to their troubles and encourage them over their difficulties . He would nudge them towards Jesus.

Now he was in trouble. In Psalm 91 God’s Word promises He will be with you in trouble. With long life will I satisfy you. God reached down to Gordon in his hour of distress.

In the next weeks the tumour grew to the size of an orange. The doctors decided to operate even though there was a risk of interfering with important arteries to the brain. They removed the tumour.

Gordon showed me a photo taken after the operation. There were two long lines of staples across the side of his neck like the photo below. I looked for the scars. His wounds had healed and were barely visible. He endured further treatments in hospital. He had the will to live. Eleven years on he is healed of cancer. Because Gordon helped others in their troubles God reached down and helped him in his trouble.

I thought of the scripture, By his stripes you are healed. Jesus shed his blood from his wounds so our wounds can be healed. If we believe in the great physician we will be healed.

Gordon continues to have a listening ear to young men. He doesn’t condemn but helps each one practically and perhaps says a quiet prayer for them. God is faithful. As we live for Him he cares for us.

God not only died to forgive our sins, he heals and restores our lives. He helps us to live again despite despair and hardship. There is no other God who is merciful. He is worthy to be praised. Amen.

An Important Scripture

Posted in Healing, My thoughts by

An Important Scripture

2 Chronicles 15 v 2-5
The Lord will stay with you as long as you stay with him.


Whenever you seek him you will find him.
But if you abandon him he will abandon you.
For a long time Israel was without the true God. Without a priest to teach them and without God’s law.


Whenever you were in distress and turned to the Lord and sought him out you found him.
Problems troubled the nation on every hand.
God was troubling you with every kind of problem.

Can anyone relate to this scripture. Have you problems? Are you in distress? Turn to God again. Read his Word. Listen to teaching from God’s Word. Pray. God will give you peace and deliver you from trouble.

BE STILL

Posted in My thoughts, Nations by

We are experiencing much trouble in the world right now. We have lived through a disease that did not recognise boundaries of nations. Now we see the ravages of war in Ukraine.

Jesus told His followers not to be afraid.
John 16:33. NIV

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

All of Psalm 46 is a wonderful scripture to read and meditate upon if you are distressed about events happening in the nations.

God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear,though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar an their surging.
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar,kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
8 Come and see what the Lord has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”

11 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress

Verse ten is so important. In the midst of your anxiety and fear, stop. Be Still . Be quiet. Listen God says “know that I am God”. He is over the nations. He is in control. He said do not fear though the mountains fall into the sea. Have faith in God who made the mountains. There is no other God who will care for us.

A Feast in the Midst of Trouble

Posted in Family Friday, My thoughts, Travel by

I bought my second Santa Fe last year. It was the during the COVID Lockdown. I wanted to try out my new four wheel drive. I went to visit my sister . She was careful about visitors as she was in touch with sick people. We chatted over coffee outside in the sunshine. The driveway up to her house is quite steep. She had recently installed an iron hand rail for ease in walking down or up to her house.

I said my goodbyes and jumped in my car. I drove off. Suddenly I heard “Crunch”. My car got impailed on the iron rail and left a long dent in the back door. My new car, What will Brendan say? I shook with fear. I sat paralysed. If I drive forward or backwards the dent will get longer. I felt helpless. The joy I had, evaporated. My sister reassured me till I recovered and got out of the car. I got in touch with my son and he came to the rescue. There is a signature dent across the back passenger door.

Fast forward to this past week. The car mechanic had rang me to tell me he had finished fixing my hand break. I asked Brendan to drive me to Saintfield to pick up my car and we could go for breakfast after. Before we left the house Brendan reminded me to bring my mobile phone. We drove to pick up my car.

I paid my mechanic and was delighted with getting my car road worthy again. Brendan and I agreed to meet back in Saintfield. I drove off, turned on the window wipers, the lights, the radio and had the heating up full blast. It was a dull, wet, cold morning. I was comfortable in my wagon, sheltered from wind and rain.

The Main Street in Saintfield is busy with traffic. Cars were trying to manoeuvre aroad a parked loading lorry. I got a parking space opposite the cafe Saints. I waited for Brendan.

I ordered freshly made pancakes with bacon. Brendan was having a coffee as he was meeting someone for lunch. We chatted and I shared my happiness at getting my car back. I was even happier when the waitress brought me three fluffy freshly cooked pancakes draped with maple syrup.

Breakfast over Brendan and I parted and said we would see each other back home in Belfast. I walked back to my car to find a white sheet on the dashboard. “Oh no”a parking ticket I thought. More money! It was a notice which read “Your car moved down the hill into the car in front.” I thought that’s strange I have just got my brakes repaired. A lady came out of a shop nearby. She told me what happened. The car in front was owned by an elderly man who had just stopped to pick up his pension from the Bank. He was distressed to see my car. He was afraid to move his car. Other shop keepers came to the rescue. Some one went looking for me in the local shops and cafes. I couldn’t be found. I was happy eating my breakfast across the way without any disturbance.

A driver had the bright idea to put a brick in front of my wheels to stop it moving again. Then the gentleman could drive off. He left his phone number for me.

I thanked everyone who had helped and apologised profusely. I wanted to get out of there fast! I jumped in the car and turned the key but no response. More trouble! It just went Click. Click when I tried the key again. What is happening? Then I remembered the radio, the heater, the wipers and the lights had run down my battery.

I wasn’t too distressed this time. I called Brendan to come back to help me. In the meantime I called the car mechanic. I didn’t have long to wait. He parked alongside my car and got my battery recharged. He removed the bricks from the wheels. The traffic got jammed again on the Main Street. Brendan returned. “It’s just as well you had your mobile or you would have been stranded!“

Just the events of a morning when it should have been quite straight forward to pick up my car. There was trouble but I didn’t loose my joy. I was having a feast while people were looking for me. I’m on the road again!

Loving others

Posted in Family, My thoughts, Restoration by

Jon van Jon in Les Miserables said “To love someone is to see the face of God”. Someone had shown him love and kindness in his life and he went on to show mercy and kindness to many others.

Jesus said Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy. It is good in one’s young life to learn to be kind and merciful to others. This way of life is often learned in growing up in family. The older children helping the younger children. Learning to give and share. Learning to forgive. Learning to be patient with one another. Learning to be supportive and respectful to elderly parents. It is the way of love.

These attributes are easily carried into adulthood. It will be easy then to reach out to someone in need: the baby, the foreigner, the widow, the orphan, the sick, the lonely and the elderly.

Jesus guarantees that when one lives a life of thinking of others that person will always get help when he is in trouble.

So young people learn to be kind when you are young. When you are older and faced with trouble your kindness will be remembered by God.

Lashed by Storms

Posted in Family Friday, Healing, My thoughts, Nature, Prayer by

Jesus was asleep when a storm arose on the waters of the Sea of Galilee. My daughter noticed in her translation of the bible that he was resting his head on a pillow. As a result of her revelation she began to make pillows from recycled materials and grew a business out of it. She made pillows to comfort old people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

Jesus disciples were at their wits end and thought they were going to drown. They asked Jesus “Do you not care?” Jesus immediately calmed the storm. The waters became still. His disciples were amazed that he had authority over nature.

When the group came to dry land they came to a town where there was a man who lived among the tombs. Jesus cast out all the demons called Legion that afflicted him and healed him. Jesus showed to the onlookers that he had authority over the powers that trouble a person and he restores him to wholeness. Just as He calmed the waves that were going to overwhelm them in the boat, so Jesus calmed the waves of torment that afflicted the man living in the tombs. He was teaching his followers and us today how to overcome tremendous situations.

We must face our storm or be drowned by it. After three years being with his disciples, Jesus died and rose again from the dead. He is Lord of heaven and earth, life and death. He spent time with his friends and gave them authority to cast out demons and heal the sick. He tells us the same today. He said before he died that greater works will we do because he went to the Father.

It was through deliverance form the spirits of rebellion and bitterness and confession of sins that I am healed today. My husband cast out a demon of rebellion and a friend prayed for me against a spirit of bitterness. Thank God for those who are willing to cast out demons here where I live. I am completely healed from fourth stage bowel cancer. I am delivered from death. I’m not in the grave where my children could visit and put a wreath on it at Christmas.

I have had many waves of storms lash me in my life. It is the devil who is the God of this world who stirs up the waves of trouble against us, whether sickness, calamity or mental distress. I had no choice but to face my waves of cancer and distress. I had to overcome Satan and all his works against me or die, I choose to live. I resist Satan and all his works over my family and life in the name of Jesus. He shed his blood on the cross and made a public spectacle of him. He is defeated in my life and I address him. I tell him to “Get out of here”. He has to go or he will overwhelm me with his tactics.

Make a turn around in your life today. Are you beset by many difficulties that don’t seem to stop coming. Ask God to help you. Believe in Jesus, receive him. Then you have authority to say to waves of trouble, this far and no more in Jesus name. It’s as easy as that. Do not fear.

I make articles from pieces of glass, wood and pottery that I find along the seashore where I live. I make something beautiful out of these pieces that have been broken and worn down by lashing waves for decades. We are often broken by life’s circumstances but Jesus takes us and heals and restores our brokenness. He has done it for me. He can do it for you. There is hope.

Here is some of my work. You can find me on Etsy.

Help in Time of Trouble

Posted in My thoughts, Prayer, Thoughtful Thursday by

I’m always encouraged and get inspiration when I read about the kings of Judah and Israel. They were real people dealing with the role of leadership and ruling over their people. One theme that runs through all their history is that when a king turned to God in time of trouble or war when their enemies were coming up against their nation, God always came to their aid and delivered them.  I want to give you some references to prayers and victories that God worked for them.

Solomon built the temple and prayed to dedicate it. Here is how he began his prayer.

He knelt down and lifted his hands towards heaven.
O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in all heaven and earth. You keep your promises and show unfailing love to all who obey you and are eager to do your will.
May you watch over this Temple day and night, this place where you have said you would put your name. May you always hear the prayers I make toward this place. May you hear the humble and earnest requests from me and your people Israel when we pray toward this place. Yes, hear us from heaven where you live, and when you hear, forgive.
‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭6:20-21‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Solomon’s grandson, Abijah went out to war against Jeroboam who had twice the number of fighting men that Abijah had. Abijah declared to Jeroboam and his army,
The Lord is our God and we have not abandoned him. We are following the instructions of the Lord our God but you have abandoned him. So you see God is with us. He is our leader. Oh people of Israel do not fight against the Lord the God of your ancestors, for you will not succeed.

His priests blew their trumpets and went to battle against Jereboam and his army. At the sound of the their battle cry God defeated Jereboam and the Israel army. Three quarters of Jereboams army fell before King Abijah.  2 Chronicles 13

King Asa, Abijah’s son reigned after him. An Ethiopian army of one million men came to attack King Asa and his people. Asa had only half the number of soldiers that the invading army had. As a cried out to the Lord, no one but you can help the powerless against the mighty. Help us oh Lord our God for we trust in you alone. It is your name we have come against this vast horde. Oh Lord you are our God do not let mere men prevail against you. So the Lord defeated the Ethiopians. They were destroyed by the Lord and his army.  2Chronicles 14

These are some examples of the King’s prayers and how God helped them against their enemies. Many other Kings in Israel did not call on the name of the Lord. A prophet warmed them, “The Lord will stay with you as long as you stay with him. Whenever you seek him you will find him. But if you abandon him, he will abandon you.”

God is the same God today, yesterday and tomorrow. There is still no other God like him in heaven and in earth. If one seeks him he will find him. God will come to those who call upon him and help him in time of trouble. I recommended you my reader, no matter if you are on the furthest part of the world, God is there for you to call upon to help you today.

UNCERTAINTY

Posted in My thoughts, Nations, Provision by

There is much uncertainty in our nations, whether we live in the west, east, north or south of the world in these days. We are remembering fifty years ago man went to the moon. Nothing seems impossible for man then. The sky wasn’t the limit any more. They showed a view of the earth from space. One could see the circle of the earth, blue seas and white clouds.
Many nations have prospered since then and this has brought much benefit to mankind.
But sadly despite prosperity, more food, more health care and more money available, mankind has passed laws to kill their young. It is inconvenient to have a child. “It will interfere with my joy, my work, my lifestyle. I don’t want any trouble” say those who abort their offspring.

Will we have Brexit or not? Can I sell my goods at a good price? The rich are pressing on leaving the poor behind.
But with God who created the heavens and the earth, the astronauts saw, there is certainty. In the following Psalm we are given hope. He is with us in time of trouble when you trust him. He sends the river of God, the Holy Spirit who will lead us into life and truth. For those who believe in God and his Son Jesus there is a future. We are not to worry. God will care for us.

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.””
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭46:1, 4-7, 10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

If you are distressed or despairing please read this aloud. Declare the truth and don’t be shaken by the nations in uproar.

The Sunshine has Returned

Posted in Healing, Ireland, My thoughts, Nature, Restoration by

It is a fact that man is sure to have trouble in this world.
Yet man is born to trouble, as sure as sparks fly upward. Job 5 v 7

When I was living in my father’s home I was sheltered and protected from life’s storms.
I was hopeful and joyful for my future when I left home. My sunny expectations have carried me through many ups and downs in life. Yes we will have troubles but God in Psalm 91 promises to be with us in trouble and deliver us out of it.

Psalm 50 v 13 to 15 v 23

I don’t need your sacrifices.
What I want instead is your true thanks to God.
Trust me in times of trouble and I will rescue you and you will give me glory.
But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me.

The sun is shining again bringing light and warmth. Alleluia. It is so welcome after grey snow laden clouds and chilly biting winds here in Ireland. Humans, animals and birds were forced to shelter till the storm passed. Was that the last cold blast before spring? Can the daffodils blossom and lift their sunshine petal trumpets now?

How did I survive the cold spell? I needed the help of others. Brendan made sure there was oil in the tank, coal and wood at hand to light a fire in the evenings. The warmth from hot water bottles helped us get to sleep. My daughter made warm dinners.

I had a lingering cold for a few days. I had started listening to the radio in the mornings and when I was driving. My ears were buzzing with fears about results of Brexit, local tragedies and news of bad weather. My mood took a dip and I developed a fever as the cough developed. I hid under the duvet. I felt a dark shadow over me bringing gloom. My husband and daughter prayed and attended to me.

I realised what had happened to me. I was allowing all the bad news to affect my mind. I was not thanking God for his many blessings to help me through the dark days. I needed to get back to reading the good news. The Word of God is truth and up lifting and healing.

Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice, Paul encourages us. We may not feel like rejoicing when your car won’t start, you can’t get to work and the baby won’t stop crying. Thanking and praising God changes the atmosphere. Your mood changes and it lets God move to help. He comes to the rescue.

Often I would come before God crying and telling him all my woes. It doesn’t help. My prayers don’t get any higher than the ceiling. His word tells me to come before him with thanksgiving and praise. That is the best sacrifice that pleases God. Then he will move to change the woes. They will disappear like wax before heat and smoke before the wind.

Psalm 91 reminds us if we trust God he will be with us in trouble. In this world we will have trouble. Jesus said be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. Our best security for the future is to thank God now, each day and he promises to be with us in the bad times and even deliver us out of them. Alleluia.

Weeping may endure for the night but joy comes in the morning. The birds are singing, The sun is reflecting off the water again. The sky is blue. The dark clouds have gone. My car will get fixed. That which is broken will be restored.

We may do all we can in life to avoid trouble. But it is a fact that trouble will come.

URL: https://wp.me/p23sd-14JM

Begin to Unravel the Problem

Posted in Cancer, Healing, My thoughts by

Police are called to unravel the cause of an accident, or how a thief got access to a home to steal. Lawyers and judges use their skills to find out if a person is guilty of a crime. Doctors can unravel what is causing a certain illness. Something has gone wrong in each situation to cause the failure.

At the moment in our country the UK government are trying to unravel why the talks in Stomont have broken down and are helping the parties to come to an agreement to move forward. Experts are needed in different fields in order to resolve, find an answer to, or disentangle a situation.

It seems in life situations there comes a crisis when one has to look back and see how one came to an impasse. It can be a breakdown in health, in a relationship, in a job, in a company or in government. It can feel like there is no way forward or all hope is gone.

At that juncture there is a need to unravel what has gone wrong and seek for a solution.
I was given a prophetic word many years ago that God was unraveling my life, unraveling the wrong roads I had been down. We are born into an imperfect world with a predisposition to make wrong choices. Woe is me! But God promises to be with us in trouble, Psalm 91. When I called out to God when I faced death with fourth stage cancer he started to unravel the cause of my distress by giving dreams and revelation. Each one’s situation is different. God untangled my feelings and attitudes.

John 10 v 10. The devil is described as “the thief who comes to steal, kill and destroy. Jesus has come that we may have life to the full, “and he undoes the work of the devil. He unravels the work of the devil in our lives and cancels all hold the enemy has on our lives. He says, Stop, no more Killing, Destroying and Stealing. This is what Jesus did for me. His Holy Spirit gave revelations that released me from Cancer. You can read all about this in my book, Staying Alive on Amazon.

My hope is restored as I hope in God to unravel any situation I face. God can do the same for you and restore hope. Call on the name of Jesus. He is alive and hears your cry. He is not deaf. He will unravel your life.

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/unravel/