God Will Make a Way
Picture taken 5-18-16 Celebrating our May birthdays together!
Proverbs 29:18
Where there is no vision, the people perish…..KJV
April 8, 2016 a TWC (The Warrior Class) participant wrote some thoughts that redirected my thinking after I shared my April 1 incident of the Holy Spirit connecting the dots for my forty day countdown which began January 4 and ended February 13. First she asked some probing questions…..typical of my experience of TWC members interacting with each other:
May I encourage you in something? Don't put a limit on your believing. I had this sense that God was drawing a line in the sand for your sister and that she can live as long as her heart desires. What if instead of just desiring to be there and healthy for the wedding and dance, her desire becomes loving on her grandchildren and being a godly example to them as they grow up? I think the promise God made you could be bigger than what you're seeing - up to the ability of her heart to hope and dream and desire something more. I'm not saying for certain this is God, but what if He's giving you the opportunity to speak hope and life and longevity into your sister? What if His promise that no one will snatch her out of His hands including cancer - is a promise, not just for a few months (which is still a wonderful promise when you needed Him to help you hope for that much), but for a life of health and vitality that stretches to not months but years and stands as a testimony of His goodness, His grace and His power in the lives of those who will believe?
In a later email exchange, the same TWC member wrote the following Words of Life over me:
I believe God is wanting to give you a vision on multiple levels. He wants to give you the vision of how He sees you and He wants to give you a vision of who He is. For your sister, if all she can see is that dance at the wedding, that is where her vision ends and that is where perishing begins. But if you can encourage her heart to catch a greater vision then you are also working in tandem with the Lord to impart life. I will be praying for you as you spend your time with your sister. I will be asking God to open your eyes to see what is possible for her and for you. I will be asking Him to give you a spirit of seeing and knowing that you would see Him, see His vision and know that He is able to bring it to pass. I look forward to hearing the results of this week. I look forward to hearing how God increased your joy and your strength and expanded your vision this week. I look forward to hearing how He connected even more dots and how He drew you near and whispered in your ear telling you what a great and precious treasure you are to Him and how dear and valuable you are to His heart.
I went to sleep pondering who I might be becoming as Abba’s plan within me unfolds. My first thought when I rose on the morning of April 9, was a phrase from Casting Crowns’ song, “Be Held: “Your world’s not falling apart, it’s falling into place.“ I went to the window to pray the Lord’s Prayer and I spotted a heart shaped leaf on the tree outside the window.
I wrote in my journal an identity statement for myself as Vision Bearer.
I changed it shortly after a conversation with my sister in the kitchen while I was preparing breakfast. She reread her vision statement from her journal to me at my request, I felt my identity would better be expressed as Vision Illuminator, because my sister already has the vision.
I will remind her (illuminate her own words of vision) in the night time of her fear. I am quoting now from a verse of “The Servant Song”:
I will hold the Christ light for you in the night time of your fear. I will hold my hand out to
you. Speak the peace you long to hear.
Here is the vision Abba gave my sister when the cancer was first diagnosed back in August 2013.
What follows are Gwynn’s own words from her journal dated August 24, 2013 before her double mastectomy, before the advancement of the mutated cancer into the lymph nodes of her neck, before two rounds of low dose chemo, before the painful tumor on her sternum, before two rounds of radiation, before the need for heavy doses of narcotic pain medication that sapped her energy and robbed her of her independence, before the numbness spread through the entire right side of her body, before the five brain lesions and 15 rounds of radiation to her entire brain and the current round of traditional chemo.
Ephesians 6: 10-18
Armor of God
8-24-13
I am being called to go behind enemy lines in the world of despair, disease and darkness. I am being sent in to rescue those who are on the brink of despair and pull them back up into the light of God’s love…….. to a place where God’s love overwhelms with peace, purpose and beauty……to a place where they can rest, heal and be restored. God has been preparing me for this my entire life. God generously granted me a wonderful time of rest, peace and waiting these last few years, but now it’s time to put on the full armor of God and march confidently into battle….knowing that God has equipped me with the exact skills and experience I need to accomplish His purposes. As David strode confidently on the battlefield of the Philistines to face Goliath, so I stride onto the battlefield of life to face disease and despair. I run confidently into battle because I am not alone. God’s army of saints and angels run beside me. The prayers of the saints prepare the way for great victory for the Kingdom of God on earth. God has laid out bright clothes of rejoicing for me to wear. He has prepared my armor. He has placed the belt of truth around my waist. He has prepared for me a special breastplate of great beauty. It was forged in the heart of God and tenderly shaped to fit me perfectly! He has covered me with HIS righteousness. He is making me a new person…….better, stronger! I am being transformed. I am God’s temple. God is my protector. (I Corinthians 3:16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy them; for God’s temple is SACRED, and you are that temple.) Mama’s favorite psalm is Psalm 27. My feet are ready to go where they have never gone before because I go with my hand in God’s. He will keep my head above the water. He will teach me to climb to the high place and deliver me safely home at the end of my journey. I will not be afraid, for God goes with me. His rod and His staff comfort me. He will guide and protect me. He is my shield. My head is covered with the salvation of God. My thoughts are His. I will not be afraid for God is my Savior. The Word of God is a powerful sword that will cut through lies and fears. God’s perfect love casts out all fear.
8-25-13
I find it rather interesting that my mother died of breast cancer 28 years ago today on a Sunday morning. Today is a Sunday also. I was 28 years old. I was half way through my life as I have experienced so far. I feel I am being called into the healing ministry that my mother and father did so many years ago in a deeper way than I have previously. God is teaching me to walk on the water with Him. I loved the image of a little girl splashing in the water. She is well dressed for the occasion in her bright red boots and yellow rain slicker. She’s enjoying herself splashing in the water. God is calling me out on a new journey. He has uniquely prepared me for this journey. He’s even laid out my clothes for me. We may get a little wet, but He’s going to show me how to walk on water. And I dare say, I feel a little sense of excitement! God is good!
I flew home on Sunday April 10 and went straight to my prayer room to process the next step. I need to “see and know” that this vision stated above is Abba’s desire for Gwynn. The confirmation came as I read my Old Testament Lesson from Leviticus 9. The title for the chapter was: The Priests Begin Their Ministry. I wrote at the top that page: Sherry begins her mission of illuminating Gwynn’s vision 4-10-16. The following verses of the chapter were highlighted by the Spirit as I read: the end of verse 4, verse 6 and verses 23 & 24. The following is Sherry’s Translation for each verse.
Leviticus 9:4 For today, Sherry, the Lord will appear to you.
Leviticus 9:6 This is what the Lord has commanded you to do……continuously illuminate Gwynn’s vision……. so that the glory of the Lord may appear to you.
Leviticus 9:23 & 24 Then Gwynn and Sherry went into the Tent of Meeting (Gwynn’s Kitchen). When they came out, they blessed the people (sharing their journey through prayer) and the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people (who had been praying for Gwynn). Fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed the doubt and unbelief Sherry and Gwynn laid on the altar. And when the people saw it they shouted for joy and fell face down.
The picture above hangs in my prayer room. It is the front of the bulletin of Christ Church from May 24, 2015 (Pentecost Sunday). I knelt before the picture and placed on the altar of my heart all my doubt and unbelief about the possibility of a life of longevity for my sister. Then I called Gwynn and shared what I had done since returning home. She felt the vision had not been fulfilled therefore extended life was necessary. She believed it is her calling to live and fulfill it. We agreed together that our journey was not nearing an end. It was a new beginning! We are carrying on the legacy our parents left to be facilitators of healing.
April 10 is Sibling Day….another spiritual synchronicity! The picture above represents our decision to step out in faith claiming Divine Health for Gwynn regardless of what is “seen” in this world. The seen is temporary! The unseen is eternal. The orchid pictured between us is a reminder of the longevity vision Abba gave us April 10, 2016. I sang the following scripture in church the Sunday my mom graduated into eternal life. I am singing it now accompanied by the great cloud of witnesses that include my parents and all the past generations of Godly individuals in our family tree:
I Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice evermore for this is the will of God. Pray without
ceasing for this is the will of God. In everything give thanks for this is the will of Go
in Christ Jesus concerning you .