URGENT PRAYER REQUEST!

Hey y'all.....

In my last post in June, I shared how my hubs and I were on our way to Florida to bid farewell to our dear SIL Bryan as he departed on an  11 month deployment and were looking forward to spending time with our daughter Katie over the summer.  

A few days after Bryan left, Katie noticed that her eyesight was blurry and thought maybe she needed to have her eyes checked.  We made an appointment for a routine eye examine with an optometrist and thought that she simply needed glasses but upon examination the optometrist was unable to help her vision whatsoever.  Her eye sight began to decline rapidly and she was immediately referred to a cornea specialist/ophthalmologist who after  weeks of testing was unable to find an answer as to why her eyesight was declining and referred Katie to a neurologist STAT.  Brain and spinal MRI's were run and numerous tests were performed, but still no answers.....all the while her eye sight still declining!  After several more weeks, she was referred to an excellent neuro-ophthalmologist who ran extensive batteries of tests/scans over several more weeks and to our complete dismay we recently learned that Katie had suffered a stroke in her optic nerves!  Her specialist believes that the stroke was caused by the infertility injections of Menopur she has been on for over a year and the recovery of her sight is uncertain.  At this time she has peripheral vision only and is unable to read or see details....it is her center vision that was affected.  Also, in the midst of all this turmoil she broke her foot and will be in a cast for several months and then rehab.  My hubs has taken an early retirement so we can together do all that is possible to help our daughter. 

As you can imagine, dear blog friends, we are completely shocked and heart broken that such a thing could happen to our precious daughter and humbly ask for your prayers.  The last several months have been very difficult indeed with days and nights filled with questions, uncertainties, turmoil and tears, BUT one thing I know and am fully persuaded.....He is an ever present Help in times of trouble and will lead us through this storm!

(via)

We are standing in faith believing upon the Word of God and WE ARE BELIEVING FOR A MIRACLE!  We serve a miracle working God and believing for full restoration of Katie's optic nerves and recovery of her sight, in the mighty name of JESUS! 

The Lord has given me several powerful Promises to stand upon that have ministered great strength, peace and hope to our hearts  as we wait for the full manifestation of Katie's miracle.  When my heart, mind and emotions begin to crater I quickly lay-hold of these anchor scriptures and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep trusting Him moment by moment and day by day for Katie's complete recovery.  I share a few of these Promises with you below as a declaration of His faithfulness.....There is NOTHING too difficult for our God!...He watches over His Word to perform it!....

But He was wounded for our transgressions,

He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities;

the chastisement needful to obtain 

peace and well-being

for us was upon Him, and with the stripes that 

wounded Him, "Katie" is healed and made whole.

Isaiah 53:5 amp (emphasis added)

I will pour robust well being into her (Katie) like a river.....

Isaiah 66:12 MSG (emphasis added)

But blessed are your eyes (Katie) 

for they see...

Matthew 13:16 (emphasis added)

God is in the midst of her (Katie), she shall not be moved; God shall help her

and that right early.

Psalm 46:5

For I,saith the Lord

will be unto her "Katie"

a wall of fire round about and will

be the glory in the midst of her.

Zechariah 2:5 (emphasis added)

Glory = the very presence of God, anointing, resurrection power, life, deliverance, healing, restoration, nothing missing, nothing broken, God's immense protective presence...HALLELUJAH! 

We believe the report of the Lord.....by His stripes Katie is healed!

Bless you sweet friends for standing in prayer for Katie and my family, you are such a blessing!.....

The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of

a righteous man makes tremendous 

power available (dynamic in it's working)!

James 5:16 amp (emphasis added)

As time allows, I hope to make some blog visits now and then.  I trust you understand that my full attention is devoted to Katie and my family at this time.  I'm praying for you and hope that all is well with you and yours ...Bless you!

HE IS FAITHFUL!

Love,

BEACH TIME AND GOODBYES....

Hey Y'all!

Sorry I haven't been blog visiting much lately - things have been crazy busy in my neck of the woods for the last several weeks!  Hope all is well with you and you are enjoying your summer!

We're heading to Florida tomorrow for awhile, but it's kinda bitter sweet, y'all.  Our dear sil is leaving for a nine month deployment next week so we are looking forward to spending as much time as possible with Bryan before he leaves and then seeing him off....goodbyes are so difficult!  Would appreciate your prayers for him as well as our daughter Katie. Being a military spouse is often a difficult road and deployments can be tough.

After Bryan has departed, we are looking forward to alot of beach time...whoo! hooo!  My fav place is chilling beneath the Jacksonville Beach pier and taking long walks on the beach....nothing beats ocean breezes and sand between my toes, y'all!

And Katie and I are also looking forward to having some serious retail therapy fun at our fav outlet malls in St. Augustine, FL!...Luv St. Augustine!!!  And maybe in Orlando, too!  

And then! Whooo! Hooo!.....I'm planning on taking a road trip of my own to Charleston and Savannah while my hubs does some fishing..can't wait!!!!!.....

  

And last and certainly NOT least.....This Georgia gal's gotta get her fill of the South and alot of Southern cookin' while she can......Lord knows, I can't get cheese grits, fried chicken, down home grown veggies, biscuits and gravy and sweet potato pie and real sweet tea in Arizona....mercy y'all!

So after I've spent just about every waking moment at the beach,  shopping, eating and road tripin', I guess I'll have to head back home to Phoenix where it will probably be a blazing 112 degrees and get back on my diet (arg!) and start counting the days until I can head back south again, y'all!  :))

See ya when I get back!!

 Sweet Blessings!

DIRTY DISHES ~ GOOD THING!

Let all that I am praise the Lord!

With my whole heart,

I will praise His Holy name!

Let all that I am praise the Lord!

May I never forget the good things

He does for me!

 He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases!

He redeems me from death

and

crowns me with love and tender mercies!

He fills my life with good things!

He renews my youth like the eagles!

Psalm 103:1-5 NLT

(emphasis added) 

Thank you Lord for your extravagant love and faithfulness to us, your beloved children! I will praise you with my whole heart now and through all eternity!

HE IS FAITHFUL!


Blessings!

LOST MY BEST BUDDY YESTERDAY....

Me and Peppy

Hey ya'll.......

In full disclosure I must tell you that you'll probably need tissue for this post. I'm bawling my eyeballs out and I know my broken heart will surely overflow through my fingertips and onto the keyboard as I'm typing...just crying saying.  My heart is very full so the post is gonna be a little long also....So please bare with me, sweet bloggin' friends as I share. I think in the end you will be blessed.

Yesterday morning as my hubs and I drove to the stable and made the usual stop by Albertsons to buy carrots for my beloved twenty-seven year old horse Peppy, I had no idea it would be my last.  Day before yesterday, the barn owner, Joy, called and shared her concerns over Peppy having trouble putting weight on his hind legs.  My hubs and I immediately drove to the barn and found him limping but still happy as always, eating, drinking and bright eyed.....even in old age, Peppy is everybody's dream horse.  Always a joy, never mean or cranky and a total easy keeper and loved by everyone!  Ironically, I have a post in que about how the Lord fulfilled my lifelong dream of owning such a wonderful horse and how by His leading I found Peppy on a sunny Phoenix day twenty years ago....totally a God thing!  I'll share that post one day soon.   Continuing.....day before yesterday....I called the vet and explained the symptoms and because of Peppy's age we agreed that he needed further evaluation  and she agreed to meet us at the barn yesterday morning.  

Before leaving for the barn yesterday, I prayed and asked the Lord to give me strength and courage for the day and I must testify that He did just that......His faithfulness always amazes me.  Upon arriving at the barn yesterday, we found Peppy to be very lethargic, barely moving and not eating or drinking......not even his fav carrots would coax him.  I knew in my heart that this was not good.  The vet arrived and after thoroughly examining him she felt that possibly there was some sort of neurological problems or possibly a tumor involving his spine.  With hot tears flowing and my heart breaking I made the decision that it was time to euthanize Peppy.  I spent a few lingering precious last moments with my wonderful buddy, hugging his neck and as my tears fell upon his beautiful black mane I patted his velvet muzzle one last time.   My hubs and I cried and group hugged Peppy and bid him farewell as Joy the barn owner wept. It was one of the most difficult things I've ever had to do, but God was with me and gave me the courage and strength to do what I had to do.  I spent the afternoon on the couch crying and pouring my heart out to the Lord and after awhile of blubbering, sweet memories of my years with Peppy began to flood my heart and mind.  I knew that it was Him comforting me and ministering peace in the midst of such a stormy heartbreaking day.

One of the sweetest memories I have was when we had our own little ranch in Flagstaff and I was living my dream.  We had the cutest little ranch house complete with two wood stoves for heat and a wonderful red barn and pasture.   What a joy it was to watch from my kitchen window as Peppy and Chief (my hubs horse at the time) horsed around in the pasture....simply heaven to this horse lovin' gal's heart, ya'll! And oh, BTW, when we sold our ranch we gave Chief to some dear friends of ours who were in the Cowboy/Rodeo Ministry and whenever people ask us what ever happened to our beautiful Chief, we always tell them that Chief went into the ministry :)).  

My red barn was so special to me.  I had the most precious prayer encounters and sweet fellowship with the Lord in that barn...I guess you could say my barn became my prayer closet and He always met me there as I did my daily barn chores amidst the sights and sounds of Peppy and Chief chewing their hay and grain.   One day as I was raking the barn floor, I asked the Lord why I love horses the way I do....and I will NEVER forget His reply....."I understand...I'm coming back riding a white horse"!  I nearly did a cartwheel like a child through the breezeway when I heard His reply!  Even as I type these words, His words are just as fresh and real as the day He whispered them within my heart!  Thank you Jesus!!

Peppy and I rode the trails of the beautiful ponderosa covered mountains near our ranch and always enjoyed the vast beauty of God's creation.  With only the sound of shuffling hooves, the creaking of my leather saddle and the gentle breezes blowing through the pines we often encountered elk, wild turkey and beautiful song birds.....simply heaven, ya'll!  

Peppy and I also shared many wonderful cool early morning rides in the Phoenix desert, too.  Peppy had a quick steady cadence to his step and I have the most wonderful memories of singing this chorus over and over as we clip clopped through the beautiful desert and I'll never forget his ears flicking back and forth as I sang....priceless!

What a mighty God we serve (clip clop)

What a mighty God we serve (clip clop)

Angels bow before Him, Heaven and earth adore Him,

What a mighty God we serve (clip clop)

 He is the King of Kings (clip clop)

He is the Lord of Lord's (clip clop)

His name is Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! 

Ohhhhhhhh, He is the King! (clip clop)

Peppy was so trustworthy...never spooked, never kicked, bucked or bolted.  One day as we clip clopped through the desert we walked right up on a big coiled rattle snake.  Most horses would have spooked and bolted and thrown their rider.  But, not Peppy, he just put it into high gear and we galloped away through the desert until we were a safe distance from danger.  I'm certain we looked like a  scene out of an old cowboy movie for sure....And I loved every minute of it...Mane and tail flaring in a flat out gallop...yeee hah!  I thank God for protecting us and bringing us safely back to the barn that day...yay God!

You know, I realize when Christians raise the question of whether or not animals go to Heaven it can stir up a very interesting theological debate.  And I have no intentions of doing so on my blog.  However, I personally believe that there is a very good possibility that they do (great resource "Heaven" by Randy Alcorn)!  Seriously now, for certain there is one horse in Heaven and Revelations 19:11-14 tells us that Jesus is returning on His white horse (remember what the Lord spoke to me in my barn?!) and the many white horses for the armies that will follow him!  This makes my heart sing, ya'll!

I believe that perhaps, when Peppy took his last breath he galloped into Glory and is now gallantly and freely running through unending unfenced glorious pastures with the herd of Heaven, ya'll!  And if so.....I'll see my buddy again one day and we will ride through Glory together and again I will sing as we clip clop on streets of gold.....HE IS THE KING OF KINGS, HE IS THE LORD OF LORDS....HIS NAME IS JESUS, JESUS, JESUS!

1993-2012

Farewell Peppy....Oh, what a wonderful run we had!

I'll see you again someday, buddy!

HE IS FAITHFUL!

Sweet Blessings!

Photo Credits:  Tissue box via
        Jesus on white horse via google images