As to the extraordinary revelations, in order that I might not become conceited I was given a thorn in the flesh, an angel of Satan to beat me and keep me from getting proud. Three times I begged the Lord that this might leave me. He said to me, "My grace is enough for you, for in weakness power reaches perfection." And so I willingly boast of my weaknesses instead, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I am content with weakness, with mistreatment, with distress, with persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ; for when I am powerless, it is then that I am strong.
and kindle in them the fire of Your love.
Send forth Your Spirit and they shall be created,
and You will renew the face of the earth.
Lord, by the light of the Holy Spirit,
You have taught the hearts of Your faithful.
In the same Spirit, help us to relish
what is right and always rejoice in Your consolation.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
I have always felt the Lord in my life but, until a few years ago, I did not have a personal relationship with Him. It doesn't happen so easily or quickly. God takes His time with us as He molds us and shapes us into what we are to become. The road is never clear of obstacles and distractions. It is a bumpy ride for sure! Several years ago, I claimed Psalm 1 as my own while I was involved in a prayer group with my church. The words soothed me as I realized how important God was in my life. My hunger and thirst for Him and His word was the only way I could find true happiness. Coming from an unhappy childhood, I felt scarred and unable to cope with life. I constantly battled with bouts of depression, anxiety and illness. Life was a struggle, something to "get through" with the hopes that tomorrow would be a "better day." When I was 28 years old, the LORD began to work even harder with me. I awoke one morning with violent dizzy spells that truly stopped me from living. I could hardly sleep or walk for 4 years. Dr's could not find an answer or help me with my illness. My life had completely stopped. One morning I was about to give up. I couldn't go on anymore feeling so unbalanced and dizzy all the time. I got on my knees beside my bed and cried out to Him. "Why God? Why are you not with me? Why have you left me?" From deep within me I heard Him speaking to me, "I am with you." Suddenly, the tears stopped and an overwhelming sense of peace flooded me. I got up, washed my face and turned to start a new life. I started going to mass. I wasn't catholic, I wasn't protestant, I wasn't much of anything. As I sat in church and heard the word of God spoken I began to realize that He was entering my heart and guiding me and I began to listen to Him. In my busy life, I was searching for Him, but forgot that I had to listen to find Him. Slowly, I began to heal. My illness started to subside, and my pain-filled heart became lighter. I decided to enter the church and I was brought in that year during the Easter vigil. I was baptized, confirmed and recieved the Holy Spirit through communion with God. My life has not been the same since. I am now on a journey of learning and sharing. I want to be the tree in Psalm 1, that is planted near streams of water that yields fruit in season and who's leaves never wither.God's Peace to All.
A miracle happened to me one day, I am not sure why, I was not religious, nor a particularly good man. I am married with children. A while back, while working around my house, I had a sharp pain in my hip. As I seemed to be very tired, I rested for a while, when I tried to get up the pain was so great I had to call my wife. We went to our family doctor, he suggested it may be a broken blood vessel. I went to the ER, about 60k away. I was given an exam, it was taking a long time to get the results. While lying there I overheard a nurse say "I have never seen a white blood cell count that high". It was, I learned later, around 300,000, pretty high when you consider 4000 to 9000 is in the normal range. I had leukemia myeloid to be exact. The doctor said, the prognoses did not appear to encouraging. He suggested I had a life expectancy from a few months to two years. With two young girls in school and mortgage and bills, this was a hard pill to swallow. I was sent home from the hospital, I became very depressed. I just wanted to be alone. After a few months, I was resting in bed the phone rang, a priest from a small town about 70K east of me said, we had a mutual friend, who he had told him about me. This priest's name was Father Phil. Phil said he felt he had to call me, he invited me to visit him if I were well enough. We met and talked about me, my wife, God and the way things happen in life. At the end, Phil hugged me (it was the first time a man had ever hugged me) , and invited me to a talk he was giving to a fewpeople at a local university. I so enjoyed his company, I said I would go.The room where the lecture was held was laid out like a large living room with couches and easy chairs. I was very tired due to high blood counts. Phil ended his talk, I cannot remember what he was talking about, he then ask for prayers. The people in the room started to pray, I could hearmy wife following along, I think I fell asleep. I was told later, Fr. Phil came up behind me, put his hand over my head and started to pray. I was unaware this was happening, I felt this heat surge through me, it was when Phil laid his hands upon my head. I was startled by the heat and jumped.In fact so did Fr. Phil.. I did not say anything to my wife or Father Phil about this. Father Phil invited me to a mass he was holding in the city in a few weeks. I said I would go if feeling well enough. I went alone to this mass, a lot of the people that were at Father Phil's talk were at this mass as well. During the mass while Father Phil was consecrating the host, the people began to sing, softly, I think I fell asleep again, some may call this resting in the spirit, and it appeared that Father Phil was standing behind the alter, a wonderful bright light shone behind him, it was very bright yet it brought peace to me, it made me feel warm all over. Father Phil looked at me smiled, turned and pointed at the light, as if handing me over to this light, I knew it was Jesus, I am not sure how I knew, I just did, I also knew everything was going to be ok. I knew that I would not be rid of my cancer, but I also knew that I was not going to die, at least not for a while. I am not sure how I knew this, I just had this feeling of peace come over me. I was scheduled for a test the following week, my blood count was down and I stopped chemo. I regained energy, I felt good, no longer afraid. I was alive, in spirit as well as body. Well that was 18 yearsago. I still have the leukemia, but I have not been too sick, every once in while I need chemo, but I am not sick. I have not had a bone marrow transplant, I was told I would not survive it then, now I am not a good candidate. I gave Father Phil my medic alert bracelet as a reminder of his involvement in a true miracle. Was it a miracle, some may say with a high blood count, tired, I had a dream. Some may laugh and say it was wishful thinking. I know that it was a miracle, for not only did it keep me alive until I finished what I needed to do, but I was doubly lucky for I was cured of a hard heart, I look at life differently now, I try to help my fellow cancer traveler, as well as my fellow man. I a poem because I had overlook something important, and that is, we must be kind and helpful to each other at all times. Father Phil taught me that in doing God's work miracles do happen and they do happen to people like me and you, If you need a miracle believe, it can and does happen during the Mass. Remember we must be kind to one another and we must help our fellow man. for JESUS SAID WE MUST LOVE ONE ANOTHER. Stewart Duffie
Skip Duffie's Homepage
First i would like to testify that I do not base my life on a religon but on a relationship in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Icome from a family with a history of alcoholism which i inherited. From the age 12 i started to drink and do drugs. at the age of 16 I had my first baby.At this time i had no idea of a personal Lord and Savior. Sure enough ibecame pregnant again,but decided to abort. From then on my life got worse more drugs,alcohol,sex, men and two more abortions. Ialso had a another baby during that time.
Both from the same father which as i look back at the different men i was with is a surprise.I was with him on and off for about ten years of my lfe.After about 13 yaers of this insane living I knew that there was something better in life for me and my 2 children.During the last few years of my drinkingmy sister was on the other coast getting to know Jesus and praying for me to come and meet Him. But i had no under standing of who He was when she would write and tell me about Him.In October of 93` I decided to leave
where i was living because i thought that I would be able to handle my drinking a little better if i would get away from the people i knew out there.(ha! ha!) To my surprise Satan was here to.I was here back at my home town with all of the "old friends"who were still drinking.Ifell right in to Satan`s of believeing i could just drink on the weekends.Well that was just another lie.The same thing proceeded to happen for couple more months.But it seemed harder for me to have a good time.During this time
iwas living at my mother`s house across the street from my sister who would always tell me about Jesus.sure enough i knew that I had to stop drinking,but couldn`t do it on my own. I went to different out paitient programs and A.A.. But still kept on sliping back in to satan`s little trap.In March of94` I admitted myself into a Rehab center for 3wks.There is where I met Jesus Christ my first Love. The Love that i was searhing for all these years.It is so true that He is as close to the words in your mouth. I gave my life to Him that year. I look Back on all the years that I drank and drugged and all the danger and sin my life was full of and know that The Lord was with me for a long time and I didn`t even know it. His hand was on me for along time because I should have been dead or I could have killed someoe with all the drinking and driving I did.I thank the lord for all that He has done in my life since than. He has blessed me with 3 beautiful children and a wonderful husband!
I know that he takes care of my other children like they were his.He also has blessed me with the Knowledge of His Son.I have since then been clean and sober.Only by the grace of God. Igive all praise to Him.
Happy Birthday Jesus!!!!! AmenIt seems like I have always talked to God, but it wasn't until 1967 that I allowed Him to talk to me. I was in and out of about every branch of church until one day in 1973 He told me to come out into the wilderness(unpopulated place). There He took me aside and opened the scriptures to me. Then He begin to speak to me of things to come. I didn't understand at first, but as time went on I learned, "WISDOM IS VENDICATED BY HER CHILDREN". Now I hope to become a son in whom He is well pleased and I lay myself quietly in His arms for He is the author and finisher of my faith. He is not through with me yet, but He is now allowing me to share some of what He has taught me because it is time to reveal all things kept instore for those upon whom the end of the world has come. Bible Study Homepage
I want to thank God for what He has done for me, what He is doing and what He is going to do. I'm thankful that no matter how deep in sin you are, He is there to take you back into His arms. I thank the Lord Jesus Christ for what He did for me. He didn't have to die on the cross, but he did. It's hard for me to put into words just how I feel. But I know as long as I have Jesus, I have all I need. The Lord has given me a wonderful family. A great wife, four great kids and five grandchildren and a wonderful church family. I do have a lot to be thankful for.
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