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thepriceofburning · 6 years ago

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Year 335 of the Era of Unity

John Estep stood high on a balcony that ran the entire length of the entrance courtyard to the Towers. From here he could see his men in their positions upon the defensive walls, and the people who shuffled through the massive gates into the giant paved area called the First Yard, below. A small dark starkling cried the hour from its roost upon one of the guard towers and a dozen echoing calls replied.

As Delta Commander of the Wolf Knights, The Towers were his responsibility. One might assume that a place so packed with mages, witches, wizards, sorceresses, and shadow beings, might not need protection from an outside source. What most didn't realize was that such people frequently needed protection from themselves. This wasn't simply a military post, but a political one, with the factions often clashing. As an “unenlightened”, as those without magic were commonly and rudely called, his job was more often than not mediation.

He was quite sure many of the inhabitants of the Towers had illnesses of the mind, ranging from racing thoughts, to mood swings, to the egomaniacal tendencies most commonly shown in wizards lording over lowly witches. Grand Wizard of the Third Reach, Istarn - by far the most self-inflated wizard in residence - was a constant and particular thorn in his side. What with the Third Reach being particularly concerned with matters of warfare, he was a thorn best dealt with tactfully.

Each of the five towers that gave the enormous structure its name was a designated Reach, and each Reach dealt with a different area of study. The First Reach, which was the first tower a person entered when they visited The Towers, was dedicated to Personal Enlightenment, Philosophy, and Expression Through Art. To his simple understanding this meant a lot of praying, meditating, thinking, and decorating every available surface.

The Second Reach was dedicated to Healing and the Prevention of Diseases, though he would swear that sometimes the fumes in there were more dangerous to a person's health than not. They did have quite a nice distillery, though.

The Third Reach, being the School of Warfare and Mechanics was by far the most dangerous place in the towers to go wandering about in. Those “enlightened” that lived and worked there were the shadiest, sly, and most untrusting people one could find. The Wolf Knights were garrisoned on the first two floors of the Third and tried to stay out from under toe as much as possible. Even so, the occasional bang could be heard echoing down the halls followed by loud and inventive cursing.

The Fourth Reach held its specialty in Botany and Environmental Studies, and to his opinion drew the best kind of people. Generally calm, quiet, and intelligent, and yet always going somewhere, John sometimes thought of them as the human equivalent of squirrels. They were always borrowing bits of research from other Reaches and bringing it back to their own studies to apply it to their work.

The Fourth was also where most of the resident shadow beings made their beds. The starklings, being no more sentient than birds of prey, were kept in the large aviary in the Fourth Yard, but the imps, sprites, and other beings of inhuman nature could be found all through the tower. Sometimes in odd and unexpected places.

The Fifth Reach was by far his favorite of the towers. Its dedication being Astrology, Astronomy, and Weather, the Fifth was never boring, though he had expected it to be so when he had first taken his position here. Since then he had witnessed a flash flood, a whirlwind, and a perpetual lightning storm all within the confines of that tower. The rooftop observatory had seen quite a bit of his time too. Aside from the almost constant static feeling in there, he quite enjoyed wandering its halls and chatting with its occupants. Even those who tried to tell him what his year had in store based on his time and place of birth.

All in all The Towers were a place of great power, and unfortunately for him, it also made it a stop for many politicians. One could hardly be considered for any position of knowledge or power if they hadn't visited the largest center of enlightened learning in North Sappheo.

Today he was expecting another politician, though unlike most, this visitor was coming from below the divide. He would be the first visitor from the South the Towers had seen since before Sappheo had split. However, just like all the others, he would welcome them, assign them guards for their stay, and send them off with whichever member of the First had drawn the short straw to be liaison. Or whoever volunteered for the task.

They would wander The Towers, looking haughty and nodding their heads while they pretended to have a clue. Then as always, they would sit down to dinner with him, apprise him of a few problems only they could solve, or criticize his management of the place. Within the next day or two, they'd be on their way, never to be seen or heard from again.

He braced his arms on the stone wall and looked over the First Yard with shrewd brown eyes. Enlightened and townspeople milled around stalls, browsing each other's wares in the small market set against the wall west of the gates. It ended in a building called The Healer's Hut, where people came to buy medicines and cures and have their ailments examined. Some would be sent to the recovery section of the First for the setting of bones or the stitching of wounds, fewer would be sent to the Second for further examination.

On the east side were the stables and the large paddock, which served the Wolf Knights’ couriers and scouts, and visiting dignitaries. Just beyond the fenced in area and encompassing the entire east corner was the Prayer Garden. Here there were lovely stone benches and walled flower beds, which surrounded a large tree. The leaves of this unique flora turned from green to purple as they aged, and fell in the colors of sunsets. An altar was positioned beneath the tree and people came to leave small offerings to their Gods of choice. Many came to simply sit beneath the outstretched limbs of the tree and pray or contemplate as sunset leaves fell around them, or sit and chat to one of the members of the First who offered an unbiased ear and friendly countenance.

The sound of giggling children could be heard where he stood on the wall, and he knew that it was most likely due to one of the helpful little sprites being playful, or an imp starting an impromptu game of tag. Sometimes even one of the big, lumbering, stony faced, Batu could be found in the garden looking terribly somber while children climbed its long limbs and stout body.

Tucked in the crook created at the join of the First and Fifth Reach was the goods store, and the administration building. At the store a person could pick up anything from jewelry, to herbs, to books. John would have bet money that the most popular items in the store were the small sticks that produced candle like flame when held correctly. But, with each Reach needing to provide a certain amount of sellable goods per quarter, the wares often varied greatly, and many people came just to see what was available.

The administration building served to answer inquiries regarding gaining entrance as a student, and to match people who needed particular services with those enlightened that could provide them. The flow of messages into and out of the building and the constant frazzled state of its workers had earned it the title of “the cuckoos nest”.

The wind kicked up a little, bringing the cold of autumn along his skin, and for a small inexplicable moment, he felt a warning in the chill. Instinct had his muscles tensing before he forcibly relaxed, and ran his hand over long, dirty blonde hair, a few strands already trying to work loose from the ponytail. These meetings always made him tense. He had plenty of patience, but if anything pushed it, it was pompous politicians who wanted to tell him how to do his job.

A soft pair of footsteps approached him from the doors that opened onto the balcony where he now stood, and he was relieved that he recognized the sound of them. Sending a smile over his shoulder as she approached, he very sincerely hoped that the redheaded witch was going to be his liaison for this dignitary.

She returned his smile with a sunny one of her own, the freckles over her nose seeming to make it all the more cheerful. “Good morning, Commander.” The wind danced through long tendrils of dense red hair and carried the faint scent of lavender and lilies along with it. “Ready for our guests?”

The tumble and roll of her thick rural accent was like a balm to his soul. “Mery, if you pulled the liaison straw today I will be considerably more ready.” He said with barely disguised hope.

Her light laugh danced out as she resettled the lace shawl that lay around her shoulders. “Then I suppose it's a good thing I volunteered.” She grinned up at him from under her lashes. “I couldn't sit back and watch you suffer so. Besides, this might be the only time in my whole life I ever get to meet a Duke.”

He gave her a smile of gratitude and affection and they settled into a comfortable silence as they waited for the Duke and his escort to arrive. Frankly, he wasn’t surprised that Mery had volunteered for today's tour. Since the divide such titles and birthrights had been abolished in the North. Lordly titles no longer existed in their part of the world, and even though it had been possible to pass between the divide for near two centuries, great pains had been taken to keep their politics separate. Until recently.

He was amused at Mery’s enthusiasm though. Mery was shy, and quiet, and sweet, and more than a little unsure of herself. Having grown up on a small farm with her grandmother he thought that sometimes she was overwhelmed by life in The Towers. She spent most of her days intensely focused on earning her credentials in aura reading and spiritual healing, but he knew that deep down inside she wished for a life of excitement and adventure, and a visiting Duke was too good to pass up.

Her red hair, twisted and tied at the base of her head to fall loose and full, danced over the shoulder of her blue dress. It was one of her best, fit snugly to the waist and flared into ankle length skirts that were embroidered around the edges with little green flowers.

Her hazel eyes seemed to soak in the light of the morning sun, and the smattering of freckles across her face clustered together across her nose. John thought, not for the first time, that she was a woman made for sunlit days and warm laughter, and he absolutely adored her.

Not many people knew the things Mery had suffered in her early years, or that underneath her kind eyes and caring smile there were wounds. When he thought about them he wished there was a way to undo them, to ensure that only peace and happiness remained, but he knew it wasn’t possible. Instead he did his best to keep her safe and happy, and in return she offered him friendship and support that he truly valued.

The glint of sunlight caught his thoughts and his watchful brown eyes turned in that direction. Standing in the center of the Yard, watching the people milling around was a woman with long black hair, pinned up at the sides, that seemed to shine in the sun.

She wore a fitted brown bodice over a deep red blouse that he guessed to be made of silk. Her skirts were a deep chocolate brown, like the bodice, with little to no decoration. Around her neck she wore a pendant of some sort which had caused the reflection, though at this distance he couldn’t tell what it was.

There was nothing about the woman that should have kept his attention as she began to wander about, yet he found himself watching her. He found himself wondering who she was, where she had come from, and why she was there.

As if she sensed his eyes on her she lifted her head and her gaze found his immediately. He couldn’t have said what color those eyes were, but her hair had fallen loose from the pins and curled around her face, framing her features. She had a strong jaw and her cheekbones were high under large eyes, just slightly turned up at the end. Her nose was long and straight, and led his gaze to a long firm mouth. Her eyebrows reminded him of bird’s wings, thick towards the center and thinning to a fine line along the curve and swoop of her brow. It was the kind of face that spoke of strength, probably quite often drawn to seriousness. But there was a softness there too, some kind of secret gentleness begging to be found. He found her captivating.

They stayed, eyes locked for a moment, before her features relaxed into a smile, and then a grin. His own mouth turned upwards as the strong face took on features of mischief. She tilted her head slightly and lifted an eyebrow, almost as if in silent challenge.

Mery’s hand on his arm caught his attention. “I think they’re here.”

He looked toward the gate and saw the crowd beginning to step away from the area by the gate - a sure sign of a large party approaching. He flicked his eyes back down to the raven-haired woman again, but to his dismay she was gone. Perhaps he would see her again, but for now he had work to do.

He straightened as the guard positioned on the gate blew the signal that meant “official visitor” and with a hand on the small of Mery’s back, motioned her to go before him. With her in the lead they hurried down the steps and only slightly out of breath, arrived at the door to the Great Hall, just as the party came to a halt.

In the lead were four guards, armed to the teeth and mounted on imposing warhorses, which had been brushed to a shine. Behind came the noble collection. The Duke rode proud and relaxed, leading three women who also rode with the confidence of those who had spent many hours in the saddle.

John could tell by their clothes and bearing that these were not just maids. Judging by what he knew, these were the Duke's wives. It was a concept that most Northerners found outlandish if not atrocious, but it wasn’t his place to judge.

Behind the wives came the ladies in waiting. Four women in similar dresses, who smiled and whispered quietly amongst themselves. Behind that came two more mounted guards, and a small wagon carrying provisions driven by two more. Four more men made up the rear guard.

All in all that made a contingent of 20, though he was sure that the paperwork he had received from the Sovereign Minister had stated that 21 could be expected. He wondered briefly what had happened to the last man.

The guards dismounted first, followed by the Duke and his wives, and the ladies in waiting who were offered helping hands by the guards. When all had found their feet the Duke stepped forward and John took his cue. He didn’t need to check to know that his own Tower Guard has taken up ceremonial position on the walls or flanking the stairs. His most trusted man, Galen, would have seen to it.

Knowing the protocol, John bowed his head deeply with a hand over his heart, and delivered his welcoming speech. With a voice loud enough to reach the crowd of townsfolk watching the exchange and with an accent that spoke of the rough side of the Capital he began. “I am Delta Commander John Estep, of the Order of the Wolf Knights. It is with our Sovereign Minister’s blessing that I have the honor of welcoming His Lordship, Duke Darien Deyrndraig, of the Southern province of Gyrissa.”

Murmurs of excitement and a quiet applause ran through the crowd.

With a reciprocating bow, and an equally loud voice the Duke gave the expected response. “We are honored to receive the hospitality of North Sappheo and of The Towers, Delta Commander. It is our greatest wish that this visit will harbor greater understanding between our lands.”

This time the round of applause was much louder and for a moment John felt that he should give a stage bow for the crowd, but he kept his back straight and his face still until the murmurs died down. John descended the steps as the Duke approached for a quieter exchange.

John offered a hand in friendly greeting, and it was readily accepted. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Your Lordship.”

“Likewise, Commander,” came the easy reply. The Duke stepped back and motioned the three women forward. “May I introduce my wives?”

The first was a petite blonde, with sparkling blue eyes, sun tanned skin, and long curling hair that seemed too wild to be tamed in any severe manner. Her nose was what he would describe as cute, and her rosebud lips were turned into a shy smile. The soft blue of her velvet dress was clasped about the waist with a silver chain. It was cut simply and elegantly, but the voluminous sleeves and skirts brought to mind images of children turning circles in the sunlight. She carried the distinct impression of mischief about her, and he resisted the urge to smile as the Duke introduced her. “Lady Alexa Jordin.”

After a brief curtsey and bow delivered with a dazzling smile, she stepped back, and the second wife took her place.

This one was of average height, with creamy skin and straight brown hair cut at the shoulders. Her eyes were a soft grey, and her nose was thin and just little long, but seemed made to fit her angular face. Her thin lips were set in a polite smile but something about her seemed more inclined to a thoughtful frown. Her dress, in the current fashion of corsets and folds upon folds of skirts, was a stormy grey satin fringed in white lace and complimented her straight, thin frame. His first impression was of a woman he could have long intelligent discussions with.

“Lady Danaeal Ynari.” The Duke announced, and they exchanged the expected curtsey and bow.

She stepped back and the next wife stepped forward. Slightly taller than the previous woman, she was nothing short of an exotic beauty. Her skin was the color of rich dark coffee and her long dark hair was twisted into hundreds of tiny ropes, accented by unique beads here and there. Her eyes were a brown so dark they were almost black, and were angled in an almost catlike manner. Her dress was of a thick woven material in a pattern of forest green and gold that flowed loosely and left one arm exposed. She approached him with a smile that was somehow reminiscent of a doting grandmother. She had the presence of a nurturer, a carer, someone who people told their troubles to on instinct.

“Lady Chanta Abarro.” The Duke introduced, but instead of the expected curtsey, the Lady kissed her fingers, then touched her forehead and her chest, and inclined her head. John gave the formal bow, but found himself curious about her homeland and customs.

John opened his mouth to announce his honor at meeting them all when the Duke raised a finger. “A moment, please,” he said long-suffering impatience. “We seem to be missing somebody.”

The twenty first guest, John surmised as the Duke leaned over to say a word in a guard's ear. He sincerely hoped there wasn’t going to be a problem this early in the visit, but he would handle whatever got thrown his way.

The guard nodded and turned to attend his task, but stopped before he hit three strides, and stood aside for the woman approaching them. To John’s combined pleasure and dismay it was the woman he had seen from the balcony.

“I’m sorry,” she said, laying a hand on the Duke's arm, “I got distracted.” Her eyes settled on John and a small grin appeared in her lips. “Hello.”

Up close he could see that her eyes were a brilliant shade of green, and her ears did not only have the regular piercing women seemed to favor, but there was also a bar that joined two piercings high up the fold of her right ear, and the tiniest stud in the little bump that preceded her left ear. He could also see, sneaking above her collar on her left, what looked like a burn scar marring her light olive complexion.

Before John could answer her greeting, the Duke spoke up. “Allow me to present my most troublesome wife, Lady Tayanara DeVandall.”

Again breaking protocol she offered her hand, and he was pleasantly surprised by her strong grip and slightly worried by its feverish temperature. “It’s a pleasure my Lady. I’m Delta Commander John Estep. I’m afraid you missed my welcome speech.”

A shock seemed to ripple through the surrounding people at his teasing tone, and he reigned himself in. Joking with one of the four wives of the Duke of Gyrissa was not a good way to start the visit.

Stepping back he motioned forward his saving grace, and she stepped forward with a graceful curtsy. “This is Meryarna Marek, witch of the First, and she will be acting as your liaison during your stay.” He then motioned to a presence close behind him, who stepped forward and bowed deeply. “And this is my second in command, Warrior-in-Lead Galen Glenn.”

Mery mercifully stepped forward and took control of the situation. “Please call me Mery. It is an honor to serve as your liaison.”

She exchanged polite greetings with all of them, and instructed the Duke to have his head guard make the appropriate arrangements with Galen concerning guard duty. After asking if the ladies in waiting would like to set up the chambers, she instructed them to stay with Galen also, who would see them to where they needed to be.

John stepped aside as she invited the noble quintuplet, and the guards that would remain with them, to begin their tour. When they were past, he closed his eyes and let out a deep breath, then ran a hand over his hair. He knew better than to step outside of the accepted pleasantries.

“Excuse me, Commander?” came a velvety voice. He swore silently as he realized one of the wives had stayed behind. “Or should I call you Delta Commander?” Lady Tayanara asked.

He gave her a polite smile. “Commander is fine, Lady Tayanara.”

Her smile was more than a little flirtatious. “Then you’ll call me Taya.” When he gave a nod her smile faded into something more serious. “I was hoping I might have a moment of your time before you are off to your other duties.”

He turned his gaze to the small group of people entering the Towers and lingered as Duke Deyrndraig stopped, noticing the troublesome wife had once again left the pack. He turned then, and saw her standing next to him. The Duke’s brown eyes pinned him, and he felt it like the point of a knife against his skin. His skin prickled, not in fear, but as it did in the moment before the first blow was struck - in anticipation of the fight.

His own eyes turned hard and cold, but knowing this was not the fight for him, he gave a nod of acquiescence that seemed to placate the Duke’s nerves. Deyrndraig looked at Taya with something like an admonishment and turned to join the group again.

Forcing himself back to level heading after the exchange, John turned back to Taya and caught her raised eyebrow before she collected herself. She gave him an impish smile and a shrug. “I’ll catch up.”

It was only with great effort that he didn’t sigh as he motioned her to a bench that sat along the rise of the stone steps. This woman was going to be trouble.

“What can I do for you?” he asked once she was seated.

She seemed to take a moment to choose her words, and she regarded him seriously. “Truth be told, I didn’t get distracted.” Her eyes lifted to the guards on the wall. “I wanted to check your security.”

Crossing his arms over his chest, he raised his eyebrows curiously. “Why is that?”

She breathed a sigh and dropped her eyes to the hands in her lap. “Where we come from there is a political battle raging at the moment. Darien’s title is one others would happily claim upon his demise.” She looked at him again, and he read the concern there, and felt it palpably. “Living in the South has become dangerous for us, so he’s brought us here in an attempt to remove us from the situation.”

John considered for a moment then took a seat on the bench beside her. “I’m going to guess that getting to him was too hard, and they started to come after his wives?”

Taya nodded. “Exactly. Which is why I fought against Darien’s idea of bringing us here the whole way.” Seeing John’s confusion she raised a hand in the direction her husband had gone. “He is in far more danger here than he ever was back at home. Back there we knew every face, every name, every secret entrance and secluded corridor. Here, we know nothing.” She studied his face for a moment before continuing. “I wanted to be sure your guard detail would be enough to keep my family safe.”

He simply looked at her for a moment, feeling the roll of emotions that seemed to come off her in waves, trying to put all the pieces of her into one complete image. Regal in bearing, but not in demeanor. Mischievous and maybe even callous when it came to rules and protocol, but the way she talked about protecting her family made it obvious to him that she was more lioness than kitten.

His eyes caught on the pendant hanging around her neck, and he realized that it was what had reflected the sun to him up on the balcony. The golden sun hung on a braided cord of fine leather, and he found it a little odd to find leather on a Lady, but thinking back he could swear all the other wives had worn the same thing around their necks.

As an afterthought he realized that Taya was wearing quite a lot of leather. Her bodice, her boots, her decorative bracelets, and the thin belt and pouches she wore were all of high quality leather. More pieces of the puzzle that was the woman before him.

On a thought he asked, “Is your husband aware that you’re checking on his security?”

A silent laugh bubbled up from her. “Crows, no. And if he finds out he’ll probably be mad at me, though he shouldn’t really be surprised. This is the kind of thing that happens when you marry a street kid,” she said with a lopsided smile.

He smiled with surprise. “You were a street kid?”

This time she let out a chuckle. “Yes I was. An orphan even. I can pass for a Lady most of the time but,” she shrugged, “once in awhile the streets come out in me.”

She said it not with shame, but with pride. As a badge of merit. I survived, the statement seemed to say, and I will keep surviving. He realized that there were a lot of things he wanted to know about this woman.

“I guess that brings us back to our original question,” he said, unfolding his arms and bracing them on his knees. “What can I do for you?”

She dropped her eyes a little, as though embarrassed to ask. “I was hoping you could show me around and tell me what you have in place. I’m sure that between your men and ours it will be fine, but for my own peace of mind, I’d appreciate it.” She touched a hand to his arm. “I know you’re probably too busy right now, but if you could fit me in tomorrow?”

He could feel the warmth of her hand through his clothes and he suddenly realized that the emotions he was receiving were disingenuous. There was concern yes, but not for her family, and certainly not fear. There was something subtle underneath it. Something coercive. Manipulative.

He searched her eyes for a moment, but saw no falters there. She was going to be a hard nut to crack. With a nod he stood, helping her to her feet with a hand. “Tomorrow I’ll take you around and show you what we have in place. Until then I assure you that every precaution will be taken to ensure the safety of your family.”

His sudden stiffness seemed to drive her to compensate. With a sweet smile she leaned up to place a kiss on his cheek. Two thoughts immediately crossed his mind. The first was that the press of her lips was so warm it was almost scalding. The second was that she had perfected sweet and innocent to the point that it screamed of falsity.

When she pulled back his eyes bored into hers, so that for a moment they both seemed stuck there, trying to gauge each other's thoughts. Something in him seemed to be reaching inside her and neither seemed willing or able to stop it.

Realizing her hand was still in his, she pulled it gently from his grasp. “Thank you, Commander,” she said with an unsure smile.

Something about that one move made his stomach clench and heart pick up pace. He’d unseated her. But it wasn’t that he’d caught her in a falsehood that caused that feeling inside him, it was the sensation of almost seeing her. The real her.

A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Why do I get the feeling you’re going to be trouble for me?”

She reached up and rubbed at her left shoulder in what he sensed was an unconscious movement. With just a hint of a grin she stepped away. “They’ll be waiting for me,” she said, and with one last look, she turned and walked away.

He folded his arms again as he watched her go. Lady Tayanara was far more than she seemed, and he intended to find out exactly what she was up to.

Tag list (let me know if you want to be added)- @stuffylana @atheona-darkclaw

#the price of burning #tayaverse #taya devandall #cj staunton #john estep #fiction #fantasy fiction

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restorerjourney · 3 years ago

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Week 4 of 7

July 26, 2021

This week we felt the Lord saying to “tie our shoelace” while we rest and to run when we restart ministry. So as we rested until Tuesday, it was good because we didn’t have to face the crazy heat but for me it was still difficult. I felt trapped because we were restricted to stay in the base which is a 6 story hotel and during the day, if I wanted to be in an a/c area I would have to go to a public place with no privacy. I can’t go out to get a latte or snack out at the beach because the rule for outreach was that we only get one free day. It might sound ridiculous to some people which the old me would have agreed and complained about, but I believe God revealed how much I depended on my free and control to satiate moments of weakness and tiredness with material things and freedom and not with God. Learning to submit to authorities and surrendering that God’s way is better was another conviction that I had. I often found myself thinking my ways are better than others and God’s which can easily lead me into a place of complaining and lack of gratitude. We are in such spiritual warfare here that I honestly feel that I have no time or space to even allow the enemy to take a grasp of this, so I gave it up to the Lord. Monday and Tuesday although we were resting, we were also preparing for street evangelism which God highlighted as we prayed to focus on children’s ministry. Also almost every night we try to debrief/time of intercession to keep our team’s unity healthy. I’ve been seeing one by one as each of my team members struggle and experience breakthrough as they share and we do intercession prayer. It’s hard work I’m not going to lie and sometimes I don’t feel like doing this, but every time it’s been liberating. It brings us so much joy as we see our team member experience breakthrough the enemy’s strongholds. I can see how God is moving in our team members in such a different and powerful way that could only come from outreach. During our lecture phase in Kona, there is a sense of comfort but here in outreach when a lot of the things that we use to pacify or distract us from these strongholds are no longer accessible..these strongholds become so much more noticeable because we get more easily irritable and sensitive lol.

Wednesday was our first day of actually going out and doing ministry and man the enemy attacked HARD. Our base has limited rooms and a room that our team found to do intercessory prayer before going out, the a/c all of sudden stopped working..O,.M..G...that humidity and heat was horrible but we tried our best to not focus on the sweat that we literally trickling from our head to toes and prepare our hearts for ministry. Today was going to bible ministry and as we were in a van, the a/c was not working well too! And what was worse, a car hit behind us and we had to stop and wait an hour in this horrible heat and humidity. We all never this amount of heat and humidity before and our energy was quickly being drained as we were stuck in a hot van. Then the Lord spoke to me so powerfully. During our time of intercession that morning, one of our team members shared us the bible story of the samaritan woman at the well and how Jesus led his disciples out of the way to go through Samaria because He had a plan to encounter this woman despite the dreaded heat. I felt convicted that the immense heat and humidity was just a taste of what Jesus did for me, I was that Samaritan woman. It wasn’t an easy trial but it did give me joy to go through the bible distribution ministry. I believe the enemy attacked us so hard that day because we were distributing bibles to a more wealthy closed off neighborhood that we had access only for that day. The rest of the week we found out we were only able to do bible distributions because of the severity of COVID cases here in Mazatlan. Out of all of Mexico, Mazatlan is a category red zone because it is a pretty touristy spot with lax rules. I am seeing that despite us not able to directly preach the gospel, God opened my eyes to see that through bible distributions, we were directly given them the word of God and that there have been people who have been saved just by reading it...it made me realize God was working through us despite what we think ministry should look like.

Thursday morning we found out we were supposed to go to Stone Island ministry but all of a sudden it got canceled because of the pandemic. The leader, Eric, felt led to use this time to intercede and pray for the people of Stone Island. It was so difficult...because I felt the drive of the prayer was slowly deflating as we had to wait for the translators to translate it from Spanish to English to Korean. It was ROUGH. Then we felt we had breakthrough by the Holy Spirit as we kept pressing in and one of the people felt led to pray for the leader, Eric. The Holy Spirit broke out and Eric was shaking uncontrollable while standing and was just in tears. Being led by the Holy Spirit, we spoke life and declared God’s truth over Eric and led Eric to break off any agreements and lies of the enemy. Eric was forever changed and God spoke again so clearly that He cares about His leaders...that He is not a God that focuses on us working to death in ministry..He cares about the precious and sacrificial hearts of the leaders. This is the loving and gracious heart of our loving Father.

Friday we had an amazing time of worship where we sang a song in 4 different languages, Spanish, English, Korean, and Portuguese! It was just so cool to see that our God is beyond our church bubble and that He speaks to all nations! Another highlight of this day was that my leaders allowed me to have dinner with one girl that I befriended here at the base. Her name is Flo and she is from London. We just instantly connected and it was so nice to have the freedom to walk on the beach and grab ice cream with her. We shared our stories and prayed for each other. It was amazing to experience how God spoke through each of us through each other in things that we didn’t even shared about.

Saturday we went to the mall for the first time! The mall was surprisingly strict and they didn't allow any kids and every store would enforce temperature checks, masks, and putting on hand sanitizer. I think I let out my pent up frustration through shopping and had to repent and return a lot of the things I didn’t need haha. Overall it was just nice to walk around. I was able to catch up with some friends back at home who wished me an early bday which I am so thankful for. I’m so thankful to have friends who make the effort to walk with me through this journey despite the distance.

Sunday is my birthday hehe! The big 33. The day Jesus died on the cross. It makes me look back at my life and wonder what I did...did it glorify God?...what did I prioritize?..in the end I just was so thankful for the past year how God has intervened in my life so powerfully. I am a believer that God will move in your life, even disrupt it... to save you from a path of destruction and to bring you to His freedom and life. Freedom and restoration is my inheritance. It’s the best gift from God that I could ask for. Now do I forget this everyday? YES! But our weakness makes us constantly remember that we need Jesus. I got to talk to my parents today, valentine sang me song...i think....I got to eat korean food twice by two unexpected people ( Imjae, and an IK pastor)...I got prayed over by IK ( International Korean) DTS students...we also got to go to one the restaurants that I’ve been wanting to go to, which is called “El Faro”. There you get this amazing view of the lighthouse which allows you to see this amazing view of the city. I felt so lucky. We ate amazing food, I got to have some of the friends I made at Stone Island join, they bought my favorite cake, and we took a lot of pictures. My team members gave me bracelets and earrings from Mazatlan and compiled video recordings to make a beautiful video card for me. It was so sweet (because for some of yall know.. I am a girl who is a sucker for words of affirmations).

Right now it’s way past my bedtime and I’m sitting outside not to wake up my roomies but I want to use this time to update you guys and thank you for reading this.

Prayer requests

1) Team unity: One of our team member is really struggling and being spiritually attacked. Literally we have come so far in unity that we all felt it days before he told us. Please pray that he would choose Jesus and that God’s will be done with him and our team because His ways are better. Please pray for spiritual protection over our team, especially our leaders.

2) Street Evangelism: There has been a lot of restriction with the ministries here except street evangelism and bible distribution. Please pray that God’s will and promises would be revealed as we walk in faith to where God leads us, even if it doesn’t make sense.

Gracias! Buenos Noches mi amigos and amigas!

-Alicia

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dailyaudiobible · 4 years ago

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05/02/2021 DAB Transcript

Judges 15:1-16:31, John 2:1-25, Psalms 103:1-22, Proverbs 14:17-19

Today is the 2nd day of May welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I'm Brian it's great to be here with you today as we continue to move in and settle into this 5th month of the year. So, this May 2nd, 2nd day of May, but it's the first day of the week and it's the first day of the first full week in the month of May. So, let's dive in. And we’ll read from the New International Version this week. We began the story of the judge Samson yesterday in the book of Judges and so we’ll continue with his story today. Judges, chapters 15 and 16.

Prayer:

Father once again, we thank you for bringing us safely into this new month that we’re getting moved into. And as we begin this brand-new, shiny, sparkly week right at the beginning of this brand-new, shiny, sparkly new month, we feel the reset of it even as we move fully into the changing of the seasons. We feel the shift of it, the new beginning, the new life of it. And, so, come Holy Spirit. Breathe into our souls the breath of life. Open our eyes that we might see your kingdom. Open our ears that we might hear. Lead us on the narrow path. Illuminate that path. Light our way. Your word is a lamp to our feet. It shows us where we’re stepping. It’s a light to our path. So, come illuminate the way forward we pray. In the name of Jesus, we ask. Amen.

Community Prayer and Praise:

Hi, my name’s Megan and I'm calling from the southern Illinois. Today is April 27th and on April the 8th I lost my dad very unexpectedly. He died in his sleep, which I know is a way that we all hope that we could go. He was a believer. He had faith in God. I have no doubt where he is, but I am really struggling with the sudden nature of his passing. He was an only child. I was an only child. We were extremely close. I'm so thankful for the 41 years that I had with him. A lot of kids don't have that type of relationship with their dad. I call myself a kid because that's what I feel like. I feel like a 5-year-old girl who's just lost her dad. It’s left my mother alone, obviously. And with me not having any other siblings besides the grief and the sadness there's a huge amount of responsibility that comes along with it and we're all feeling the heaviness of this loss. My dad was someone who could do anything. The community loved him. Our little town, we've all felt a big loss with his sudden passing. If you could just keep our family in your prayers. I have two young children at home who, this has been a devastating loss for them. My son goes and sits at my dad's grave site every evening and talks to him. If you could just keep our family in prayer, I would really appreciate it. Thank you very much.

Good morning DABber family this is the Burning Bush that will not be Devoured for the Glory of our God and our King. I am calling today for all the other burning bushes out there, those who feel like their lives are constantly on fire. And you may or may not understand what's going on, but I just want to remind you that you are not being devoured, that God is holding onto you and you are…that you’re living for a purpose. There is purpose in your pain. As I say this, I think about our sister Margot and Liberia. Margot, I heard your call today and my heart…my heart just breaks for you. I admire your obedience to the Lord, that you're out there away from your home, away from your comfort and you’re suffering because of what you know the Lord called you to do. Being a native of Liberia I cannot thank you enough for your sacrifice. My heart longs to be there. And, so, you are living where I would want to live. You're doing what I know my heart desires to do. And, so, I want you to know that I am praying for you and I'm calling all the prayer warriors to pray for Margot and her husband. The spiritual warfare that exists in Liberia, I cannot even begin to verbalize what happens there but I'm so, so grateful for your sacrifice and I pray that the Lord will protect you, that He will provide for you, that He will consistently guide you, and…and continually show you the next steps and give you favor in Jesus’ name. I love you all. May the Lord bless and keep you in Jesus’ name.

Hello DAB family I hope you’ve all had a blessed weekend. It's the 27th of April at 1:29 PM. We just thank God for all your lives. We thank God for this amazing ministry. And I have just finished listening to the DAB and I just wanted to say congratulations to China and Ben and also the Hardin family for this amazing, blessed news. We just thank God for the safe delivery of her baby and just to let you know that I'm praying and thinking of you and the family. God bless you all and may you have a blessed day. This is Sarah from London.

Yahoo congratulations! China, Ben you're a mom and a dad now, your first born. And Jill Ann Brian congratulations. This is This Girl is Mine. Congratulations from Toowoomba Kinta in Australia. Woo Hoo.

Hi DAB family this is Ashley from California and I am reaching out in prayer because I need prayer for my dad. My dad is just one of the most loving men you will meet. He would give somebody the shirt off his back. And I'm just feeling a little stirred right now because he had a mild stroke and he's admitted in the hospital right now, but I am feeling scared and just asking God to help my dad and to take care of him and to give him strength. I know in the book of Isaiah when it talks about God giving comfort, He doesn't send comfort like a pillow or pity or anything like that. He sends comfort in the form of strength. So, if you could lift my dad, my family, and I up and ask God to come and comfort us with His strength and fill us with that I would greatly appreciate it. And DAB family I'm lifting you all up. So, please I appreciate you and congratulations China. Reagan is beautiful and congratulations Brian and Jill on becoming grandparents. And I just appreciate everything that you guys do. Thank you and have a great rest of your day. Bye.

Hey family it's Jesse from Washington. I know I've been calling in a lot lately. And I don't want to call and ask for this prayer right now, but God has been on me all afternoon to do it. I know some of you know kind of my story since October. I reported my wife for being abusive to my kids and hurting my daughter and she's had a history of this. I had Child Protective Services release a 530-page document over the last 20 years…I have a 17-year-old stepdaughter and 21…21-year-old stepdaughter that this…similar things have been happening too as well for 20 years. So, counselors, caretakers, family members have all reported her. Nothing happens. I reported her and filed a protection order but she, as retaliation, filed a protection order against me saying that she feared for her life and the kids life from me while simultaneously saying __ that Jesse's never done anything to hurt her or her children. But the judge granted her or order. So, she's had the power to keep me from my kids. I have limited visitation. And then when I go to see my kid’s she, when I get there, I'll get to the door and then she'll tell me I can't see them. The kids are screaming and crying. It's a weekly thing. I don't know what to say. I don't want to be negative. She's an awful, awful, abusive person. She's on multiple medications for bipolar, for anxiety, for depression. She…I don't…I don't want to complain. I don't even want to make this call. I don't know what to do. I can't afford an attorney. If I have to start a new career…she fired me from my own business. She sold our house. I had to sell all my belongings to represent myself and I'm living with family now at 38 starting my life over. So, I just need help. I need representation and I need your prayers. Love you.

Good morning DAB family this is T from Texas and I've just been listening for many, many years but lately I've been listening to the people that are suffering from depression and from fear and I just want to lift all of them up to you Lord Jesus today to say Lord I just pray a hedge of angels around their mind. Lord give them the ability to know that they are children of the kingdom and that You love them. I myself suffer Lord and I know how hard it is and how it hurts. So, Lord God I pray that for all these people I believe his name was Trent, there was another young man that was in the deep, Lord I just pray Your blessings and Your peace over them today. Thank you, DAB family.

Hello Daily Audio Bible family I'm Jesse I'm 13 and I'm calling from Santa Barbara CA. It's wonderful here. The weather is really nice. We just found out that my cousin who is 23, I believe. I don't really know his age. He has had to grand mal seizures in a row, and we just need your prayer right now. I mean…I mean he's going through so much right now. I mean he…he and his girlfriend just broke up and he's all by himself unemployed and on top of that he's all of a sudden having seizures. So, everybody would just pray that we lift him up so that he would be healed and that he would just relax. And there's not much more to say. I thank you for all your prayer and encouragement. And please, in the name of the Lord help him get better. Amen.

Hello, my name is Karan and I have been listening to the Daily Audio Bible for a few years now. This is the first time that I've called in. I'm asking for prayer for my son Sebastian. He is 22 years old. He's currently living on the streets. He has been on the streets on and off since he was a teenager. He is a brain malformation that makes him be much more like a 13-year-old then his actual age. He's regularly taken advantage of financially and in other ways by people. And on top of that he has type one diabetes. I found him today and saw him and it breaks my heart every time I do because he is in such rough shape and he's not taking care of himself. He suffers from mental health problems and uses drugs as well. He was raised in the church but has walked away from that. He has struggled his entire life and has had one issue after another placed on him. I always try to put him in God's hands, but sometimes it's really hard and I just would like prayer for him. Thank you.

Congratulations on the birth of Reagan the Brave and God bless you all.

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evangelistopamfo · 6 years ago

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012619-LORD HELP ME TO LOVE YOUR WAYS

Free from Frostbite

Bible in a Year:

Exodus 14–15; Matthew 17

Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.

Psalm 119:35

Today's Scripture & Insight:

Psalm 119:33-48

On a winter day, my children begged to go sledding. The temperature hovered near zero degrees Fahrenheit. Snowflakes raced by our windows. I thought it over and said yes, but asked them to bundle up, stay together, and come inside after fifteen minutes.

Out of love, I created those rules so my children could play freely without suffering frostbite. I think the author of Psalm 119 recognized the same good intent in God as he penned two consecutive verses that might seem contradictory: “I will always obey your law” and “I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts” (vv. 44–45). How is it that the psalmist associated freedom with a spiritually law-abiding life?

Following God’s wise instruction allows us to escape the consequences that come from choices we later wish we could undo. Without the weight of guilt or pain we are freer to enjoy our lives. God doesn’t want to control us with dos and don’ts; rather, His guidelines show that He loves us.

While my kids were sledding, I watched them blast down the hill. I smiled at the sound of their laughter and the sight of their pink cheeks. They were free within the boundaries I’d given them. This compelling paradox is present in our relationship with God—it leads us to say with the psalmist, “Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight” (v. 35).

By Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Today's Reflection

Dear God, give me a love for Your ways like the psalmist had. I want to worship You with the choices I make every day.

PRAYER, PROPHECY

Learn to Pray – Glynda LomaxPosted by

444 Prophecy News

January 26, 2019

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Word from the Lord: “the time of testing is reached its end!�� – T. Andrew Farley

PROPHECY

THE DRAGON SHALL NOW BE CAST DOWN AMONG YOU – Patti Huson

PROPHECY

I will throw a stone into your waters, and your waters the seas and the tides shall all rise – Patti Huson

PROPHECY

Glynda Lomax

FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 2019

Learn to Pray

It is of the utmost importance My Children understand how to pray in this time. My Children, prayer will be your greatest weapon in this time. It will be how you obtain what you need and how you are protected from your enemies and those who seek to kill you. Prayer will bring you whatever you need, but you must learn to pray in faith.

Matthew 6:9-13

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.11 Give us this day our daily bread.12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Glynda Lomax at 9:20 PM

Ask - Glynda Lomax

December 21, 2018

In "Prophecy"

"Those who have ignored My warnings shall pay a dreadful price" - Glynda Lomax

April 19, 2018

In "Prophecy"

Pray! - Glynda Lomax

April 5, 2018

In "Prophecy"

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GeertJANUARY 26, 2019REPLY

CatherineJANUARY 26, 2019REPLY

annaJANUARY 26, 2019

And lead us not into temptation is wrong. It should say and lead us not into testing or trail.God cannot temp so way pray it . Check the greek and hebrew. Blessing

Tatyanna SmithJANUARY 26, 2019REPLY

No this is right. This is the King James bible. How can you say that is wrong?

Lords prayer. . . And lead us not into temptation is wrong!!

So why do we say it?

Later in James 1:13 it says “let no one say when they are tempted by God; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.” Temptations do not come from God. Trials – James 1:2|

Dr. Dan Hayden •

Do you know the difference between a temptation and a trial? Both can be times of real testing but one comes from God, and one doesn’t.

James 1:2 says “Consider it all joy my brethren, when you encounter various trials…”Let’s look at that word “trials” today. It’s one of the very important words to understand in this verse.

This Greek word can actually mean two different things. First, it can mean “a test or a trial.” Second, it can mean “a temptation, or enticement to sin.”

Now the temptation part we all understand. The enticement to sin is all around us. But the thing you need to realize, however is that this aspect never comes from God. Later in James 1:13 it says “let no one say when they are tempted by God; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.” Temptations do not come from God.

Trials, on the other hand, are different. Trials are circumstances of life that are difficult and which cause us to have to depend upon God. God brings trials into our lives not to hurt us but to help us. Proverbs 17:3 says “The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but the Lord tests hearts.” That’s what He’s doing – He’s testing your heart. Will you trust Him? Will you realize that He is helping you to become more mature? So – “consider it all joy when you encounter various trials.”

And remember God doesn’t tempt you – He tests you.

It should say and lead us not into trail or testing. God bless

About twenty years ago I had a big Problem: my husband was spiritual healer before he came to Jesus. Satan visited him and warned him, that he will destroy him. We experienced the hell, so one night I asked the Lord, why we have so big Problems? the Lord took me in the spiritual world, I saw Jesus and was happy, but then Satan was before me! Jesus didn’t do anything against him. Jesus gave me His golden Sword and said: hit his heart! i took the Sword and hit the devil, then I was again in my bed. From this night I understood spiritual Warfare. Most of the christians don’t pray and others don’t know how to pray effectively. As long you don’t use the Sword, you don’t experienced really many and important breaktrough. Jesus gave us weapons to use them, to bind the spirits above lives but also above countries and set the people free. The Lord led me in the capital cities of 78 countries to fight for the souls. I experience a lot. In 2014 after I came back from Bosnia, after I saw the two islamic countries that Billy Clinton created in Europe, I was so “angry”, that I begun to pray almost daily around the globe, for every continent, for many countries, people, etc. The politicians say, they defeated Terrorist groups. It’s a lie. Who created them and who gave them weapons? Prayer weakened the Terrorist groups, nothing else. Bind the spirits, who give them power, fight, break the curses of others above your Family, country, etc., even the curse of false prayers. The muslims pray for us, false prophets put hands above people, etc…all this bring curse and musst be broken. In my Website http://www.jeremia.ch there is a letter about spiritual Warfare. Everything I tell and write, I experienced myself. .Faith is active, not passive. I wish you the courage to stand up, fight against the powers of Darkness and bring the gospel to the people.

Susan ElizabethJANUARY 26, 2019REPLY

Your site isn’t in English, is there a way to read the letter in English?

Rover RadarJANUARY 26, 2019REPLY

Spiritual warfare put into practice 11.03.07 https://www.jeremia.ch/index.php/en/

I clicked on it and changed it to English and here it is for you. I pray Catherine that this is fine with you to help a sister who asked for this prayer. You can also go to http://lighthascome.com and there are different videos etc posted.

Spiritual warfare put into practice 11.03.07

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10

Dear sisters and brothers, the Word of God speaks very clearly that we are in a battle not against people but against powers and that we’ve got an armour to fight. Jesus has given us the authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm us. Luk. 10:19 And yet most Christians do not fight nor do they know how to do it. In the past years I made the experience that when I wrote to people step by step how to fight marriage problems, disunity and difficulties with their children etc that it always brought results. Unfortunately many give up quickly and others never start. We are the generation of instant coffee and if something does not happen immediately we give up. But the life of faith has much to do with perseverance and overcoming. In 1990 my husband and I got married. My husband had been a ghost healer. When he came to Jesus Satan warned him several times that he would defeat him. We experienced how hell came against us and tried to destroy us, our marriage, our family and lives. I speak not of some imagination but of reality. Until that time I was about an average Christian. I served the Lord thinking to be a Christian means sunshine all the time. Then the attacks of the devil came and I couldn’t understand the world anymore. I wasn’t taught at all in this area! One night I went to bed with the question: “Lord, what happened?” At four in the morning I went to toilet. When I came back and put my foot on the bed a hand pulled me. My body lay in bed but my spirit was gone. I saw Jesus and rejoiced. But then someone else stood before me and my heart felt very heavy so that I hardly could breathe. I took all the courage I got to look who was standing in front of me and saw the ugly face of Satan. Jesus didn’t say: “Satan, leave her alone!” no, He gave me a golden sword and said to me: “Pierce his heart!” So I took the sword and pierced Satan’s heart with it. I returned and woke up. It was then when the adventure started.

Firstly we do have an enemy, the prince of this world, Satan. We are on his territory and want to dispute his right on it. We want to be light in the darkness so that others get saved too. Secondly we have got the order to fight against him and therefore we’ve got an armour (Eph. 6:10-20). Many Christians try hard to learn using all the weapons. Who is the armour? Jesus Himself! Therefore we should remain in Him. Many say: “O, today I forgot to wear my armour!” I want to ask you: Have you put it off? I always wear my armour. Especially at night you need it even more. Why? The spiritual world is very active at night. Why? Man finally rests. Why are there so many Christians swimming in problems? They don’t want to fight. There is an unbelievable apathy. Materialism made us extremely passive. If you’ve got marriage problems you go to the marriage counsellor before you go to the lawyer. Have you got psychic problems you go to the army of counsellors? They shall pray, believe and fight for you as you pay them. Do you know that the darkness increases with God’s allowance for the Christians finally to wake up? God will allow as much pressure that Mr. and Mrs. Christian either get up and fight or fall away. If we only live for ourselves and without caring what happens around us, God will send a Goliath and we have to decide whether we fight like David or hide like Saul and his army. When persecution of Christians will come you can’t run to the counsellor. When sitting in prison you can’t ask anyone to pray for you. When you stand before the judge you will be alone. And just at this point God wants to get us for He is a jealous God. He is fed up with us always asking people for help. He says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the Lord. But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord … (Jer. 17:5+7) Sometimes people call me asking whether they shall do this or that, whether to go here or there, whether to marry him or another … Brother and sister, you have got the Holy Spirit. You have a living God Who only waits for you to come to Him instead of always running to people.

I must say after many years of experience that there are only a few who have got a deep relationship with Jesus. Many just come along. Why? They are lazy. Laziness is a huge problem in society and in the Body of Christ. Some years ago I had an experience at night: I saw with my spiritual eyes a small woman beside my bed. She looked like an Italian and kept on talking … bla, bla, bla … It wasn’t important what she said and I realized that it was a demon. So I commanded him in the name of Jesus to leave. Nothing happened and I knew I needed to know his name. In that moment the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said: “Laziness, in the name of Jesus, go away!” When I said his name the woman attacked me like a lioness. There was a fight and still in the morning I could feel the claws on shoulder and hip. Why didn’t she leave on my command? I believe the Lord wanted me to know how real these powers are.

Laziness is a spirit, a power we must resist. Far too many live according their pleasure and mood: Today it’s raining, I can’t go out. Tomorrow it’s too hot … How nice sitting together for food and a drink but for prayer and evangelism there first must be a mighty voice from heaven … People of God, either you will get up, fight and overcome or you will die. It’s all about life and death!

In the letter “Our Children” we saw that Satan wants to destroy our children. Not only children but whole nations slip into the abyss. And what are we doing? Sometimes we collect signatures for or against something and that can be good. But the battle must be led spiritually. We do not fight against flesh and blood … (Eph. 6:10-20) How then shall we fight? It’s very simple and even a child can do it. Maybe we should teach them as school turns more and ungodly. As I mentioned Jesus gave me His sword to fight. What is the sword? The Word of God! When I pray for people or nations I mainly use two Bible verses which for me are prayer keys. When people speak about prayer they think of asking God to do this and that. When I speak of prayer I mean exercising authority, commanding. But how? Let’s look at Math. 16:19 or 18:18 where Jesus says: “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” In an other translation it even says: What you allow on earth will be allowed in heaven and what you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven! Powerful. What do we bind? Satan and His evil spirits who attack us or others. What do we loose? The people who are tormented by demons. Isn’t that simple? And yet it’s almost never done. Some years ago I was with OM at the port in Piraeus. Suddenly a dispute broke out between a taxi driver and a police woman. It looked like it would turn into a fight. I just happened to be there and so I said: “In the name of Jesus I bind the spirit of dispute. In the name of Jesus Satan go away.” And I spoke the peace of God into that situation. What happened? Immediately the dispute ended. A brother gave the police woman a tract and everything was fine. When I was in Vienna suddenly a woman and a man started quarrelling in the street. They got louder and louder. What did I do? I said: “Satan, in the name of Jesus shut your mouth and be quiet. I bind you and demand the peace of God!” What happened? The man suddenly left and there was silence.

What I told you now I experienced time and time again in my family. Do you know of situations when the family sits together in harmony and suddenly out of nowhere the fat’s in the fire because of a triviality? What do you do in such a moment? Do you fight carnally, walk away or go into another room and say: “Satan I resist you in the name of Jesus, get away! The blood of Jesus is here. The name of Jesus is here. You have nothing to do here, go away. I bind you and speak the peace of God upon us.” This prayer you can do often whether for believers or nonbelievers, for situations or persons.

Let’s go to 2.Cor. 10:4+5: The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. That’s the key number two. Where do dispute and even war start? In the mind. Satan brings up the husband against his wife, the children against their parents, people against people. He sends arrows into the mind like: “My husband doesn’t like me … My neighbour is so strange today … nobody loves me … my life isn’t worthwhile … What do we do? As soon as we realize a thought isn’t from the Lord we take it captive. How do we do that? When I pray for myself or others after I used the first key I go on to the second. I put my hand on my forehead and say: “In the name of Jesus I destroy all strongholds in my mind, all wrong thinking, all negative thinking I tear down and submit it under the obedience of Christ. I speak light into my mind. There shall be light and the darkness must flee. The peace of God shall be upon me and in me! The same I do for each person I pray for. Again and again I have made the experience how people changed and often didn’t know anymore why they fought previously. God answers when you take His Word and chase away Satan. But if you just always say: “Lord, do this and that … the Lord thinks: “I did it already for you 2000 years ago, what else do you want? Walk in the victory and walk victoriously in what is done already”.

God’s people is so tormented, so bound. It’s painful to see us like that. There are people fighting in the front line for a country and get attacked very much like Deyse Schuemperli who several times seemed to die. My husband too experiences things I don’t even know about. Yet always the Lord brakes through. Most Christians are bound because they don’t even fight and are passive.

The Devil can come and go as he wants and no one takes action. A sister once said to me: “I hate Satan.” I told her not to say that otherwise she wouldn’t have God’s protection. Why? How did Jesus fight? With the Word “It’s written”! Never emotionally. One night I had a dream. I stood before a mirror and said: “Satan, I hate you!” He once more had attacked us. In that moment he griped me from behind and I felt his claws. I tried to get free but it was impossible. I knew there was something wrong. When I woke up I asked the Lord why I didn’t have any authority and nothing helped. I opened my Bible and there was the answer: “How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the Lord has not denounced?” Num. 23:8. Even Satan is a creature of God. I can not fight him emotionally but only with the sword of God. Otherwise God can’t do anything.

Sisters and brothers, I could go on writing. But when you start practicing Matt.18:18 and 2.Cor. 10:4+5 you will get experiences of your own, see victories, changes in your families … In a couple of hours I will be abroad fighting for another country in this way … Someone wrote to me that she did that already years ago and nothing happened. Then you must examine your heart. Are you maybe bitter toward your husband? Often we women want to see our husbands changed. But the Lord first wants to change us. I may write more in another letter about this subject.

May the Lord take us out of our passivity, our excuses and our slumber! The Lion of Judah is roaring! Can you hear Him? Today it might be for your salvation, tomorrow it could be for judgment. God’s Peace be upon you!

Catherine Hafner, a servant of Jesus Christ!

Hi there,

Do you say "I'm alright" or "I'm happy with my life"?

Even though you may be okay getting by day to day, how many people can truly say that they are happy with their life?

Researchers find that 69 per cent of people feel trapped and over 40 per cent are unhappy with their lives. This means that only 3 in 10 people feel happy with their lives.

Why are most people not happy with where they are?

There are many reasons for why we end up feeling unfulfilled in life. Sometimes, it’s because we’re too afraid of taking risks or making mistakes. We play it so safe that we do end up living ‘risk free’ lives, but they also end up being uneventful or unsatisfying, which leads to us feeling stagnant or stuck.

Maybe you're unhappy because even though you may be hustling at work everyday, getting on with your roles and responsibilities, you still feel as if something's missing in life and you can't seem to turn things around.

Or maybe you've been relying solely on yourself to solve every problem you've encountered. But you feel a lonely lack of support.

Or you've been unconsciously comparing yourself to others -- how they look, what they do and what they have. The more you compare, the more you feel inadequate, and the more you doubt your own worth.

A lot of stress and worry we have comes from the fear that we can't handle a current or potential future problem. This is what gnaws away at people everyday and keeps them up at night.

Imagine what would happen if you could turn your challenges around and live a happy and satisfying life?

Well, you DO have that capability.

What you feel like or don’t feel like doing, boils down to one thing -- motivation. It is the force, or lack of, that keeps driving you forward to overcome obstacles to do what you desire.

Without motivation, you’ll just remain where you are: unhappy yet not doing anything to progress ahead.

Motivation is a huge force in your life; and it needs to be harnessed in order to excel and actually enjoy every minute of what you’re doing, which will make your roles and responsibilities less of a chore.

So, how to create that sustainable motivation for yourself? Let me break it down into 3 parts:

Core – Purpose

Support – Enablers

Surface – Acknowledgement

Your motivational core is your Purpose, and is sustained by two things: Having Meaning, and Forward Movement. When you find meaning in what you do, you get the energy to move forward.

Enablers create favorable circumstances for things to go smoothly. They could be steps to take or guidelines to follow to help you progress towards your goals.

Acknowledgement may come in the form of recognition or emotional support through encouragement, feedback and constructive criticism.

While motivation is really important in helping you live a happier life, it's only one of the essential 7 Cornerstone Skills to set yourself free and live a truly fulfilling life.

The 7 Cornerstone Skills are the true essentials needed to achieve what you want in life. The rest of the skills are: Memory, Focus, Habits, Learning, Creativity, and Time.

If you want to learn more about creating your sustainable motivation and turn any negative into positive with the 7 Cornerstone Skills, I strongly recommend you take a look at this article I wrote:

How to Get Motivated and Be Happy Every Day When You Wake Up

I hope that next time when someone asks you how you've been recently, your answer will be "I'm happy with my life!"

Cheers,

Leon

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christinafrisby-blog · 7 years ago

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DIARY OF A PREACHER’S KID AND A TEENAGE MOTHER. CHAPTER 8

A few days after we were married Antonio and I woke up early in the morning so he could catch his flight back overseas. He was rushing because we overslept a bit. I was helping him get his stuff together, he only had 30 minutes in order for him to get out the door on time. He wanted me to hold his suits and laundry since he only had 5 months left overseas. He handed me his bag of clothes, gave me a kiss on my forehead and a hug. I stood in the hallways holding his clothes while he walked towards the door. I was so sad, but I tried to keep myself from crying because I wanted to be strong for him. He opened the door and looked back at me. He saw how sad I was, so he came back, hugged me and said “I won’t be gone long, I’ll be back, I promise! I love you.” Oh how I wished that was true, we would probably still be married today if it was. He left out the door, but I was still standing there watching until I saw through the window that his car drove out of the driveway. I had a feeling that he wasn’t coming back, not as my husband at least. I waited faithfully for my husband. The funny thing was, I got hit on more being married than I was single and that was a lot! I was getting hit on by married men. There was a Pastor that I’ve became friends with, I had plans to do lunch with him and his wife when my husband got back. It was nice to have friends to talk to, because it was getting a little lonely. That moment when I thought I had a friend, this Pastor said that he wanted to take care of me while my husband was away. I mean, he was so smooth with it too! I was surprised because it was unexpected. I asked him if he ever cheated on his wife before and he said “I just broke up with my girlfriend.” During that time my husband and I was having up and down constant problems. One minute we were good, then the next minute he was angry about something different. He always apologized at the end, but every time he said something cruel it took a piece of my heart. The married Pastor was young and handsome to most and he was in his late 30s. He asked me “when was the last time a man took you out? Made you feel special? Catered to you? Took care of you?” I’m not going to lie for a second I thought about what he was saying, because I did not feel like my husband knew how to love. I told the Pastor that I had to go, because for a moment I actually thought about emotionally (not physically) cheating on my husband. I got off the phone, disconnected all communication with him, because regardless of what I was going through with my husband, I refused to ever cheat on him!! He was my husband!!

Instead of making friends, I put a lot of my focus on getting my court cases in order with Charles. I was going to court for sole, legal and permanent custody of my daughter. Even though my daughter lived with me, I needed documents in case he tried something crazy. The judge ordered me to allow my youngest daughter to spend the summer with Charles! I was so scared! That judge wouldn’t listen to me even though I had proof that Charles was crazy! Two months after my youngest daughter have been out of state with him, Child protective services came knocking at my door. They said that they have received a report from Maryland saying that my daughter had bruises all over her body. I informed them that she has been out if state for two months and Charles won’t let me speak to her. They told me to go get my daughter!! I called Charles and told him “your time is up and I’m coming to get my baby” He said “We’re going to disapear and you will never see her again.” I told Child protective services about what he said and they contacted the police in Maryland. I took the next flight out, called the Police and let them know that I was there. Charles was not expecting me to be there that soon. We sat up the street from Charles parents house just to see if they would show up there. Thank God his mother pulled up with my daughter. The Police all pulled up to their house and told his mother to give them the little girl! His mother tried to take her time getting my daughter clothes together while the Police was in the house watching her, She wanted Charles to get there before I left. The Police grabbed what they could and we left straight back to the airport. I took the next flight home and my baby was finally safe with me. Child protective services came by my house the next day and looked at my daughter body for bruises. They did not find any bruises, but I believe whoever reported bruises was probably trying to get my attention all the way in Florida, so I could get my baby from him. Child protective services asked my daughter if anyone hurt her? She responded with “Charles left me outside in the dark for a long time all by myself because he said that I was being bad.” I was angry!!! Not only at Charles, but at the Judge who made me leave my baby with that man!!! Charles lived in Baltimore!!! He left my little girl in the dark, outside in Baltimore City! I refused to allow my daughter to ever go back regardless of what the judge ordered. Charles called me and threatened to bomb my house, saying that he knew where I lived. I went to the Police, got a restraining order and set a court date. When I went to court, Charles did not show up, he was on the phone with the Judge. He told the Judge off, told him to kiss his black butt and threatened to sue the Judge. After everyone in the court room heard how crazy he was and heard for themselves that I was not lying! I won a permanent restraining order, that would keep my girls and I protected for the rest of our lives. I also won full, sole, permanent and legal custody. That was the last time I’ve heard from Charles in years.

Since I was focused on getting things in my life in order, I did not have too much drama out of Antonio. After only being married for three months things seemed to be slowly getting worst with him. One minute we were happy, telling each other “I love you”, then the next minute I was upset because he said things just to get a reaction out of me. I did not know who I was going to get that day and I felt like I was always walking on egg shells when I spoke with him. He knew that I did not believe in divorce, so he used that as a way of controling me. One thing he did not know was the underline writting, if he cheat, is abusive or hurt my kids, then the marriage is over!! Other than that I believe that anything can be worked out. I stayed out of trouble while he was away. On weekends I did not go out and all I did was wait on his calls. I had no male friends, because after what that Pastor did, I did not trust no one. I was a faithful wife, something that I’ve always desired to be. I just wanted to spend my life with one man for the rest of my life and grow old together. I promised that I would wait for him and I did. Things went from worst, to a little better because he was about to come home for good. We found a house online and it was in Texas. I went up there to look at the house and I was so excited!!! I thought maybe Antonio would finally be happy for once if he was home. I packed all my stuff up and drove from Florida to Texas. For a week straight I was focus on shopping for the house, job hunting and getting the house ready for Antonio return. I was tired of battling with the man I loved. I came to a point in my life that I did not care anymore about what my husband did while he was away, I was ready to fix my marriage. I prayed for him instead of fighting with him. I prayed that God give him peace, show him how to love so he would be what I needed. A part of me knew that he was never meant to be my husband, but I fell for some of the qualities that he had and I tried to ignore all his quantities. I became a praying wife and I prayed for my husband every chance I got. The next day I hired Maids to come clean my house, I wanted everything to be perfect for Antonio. Finally three cars pulled up to my house and it was a car full of men. I was waiting for maids, but I got a bunch of men. The owner of the company saw my facial expressions and introduced himself. He was a Pastor and he asked me to trust him, he said “the guys are good at what they do.” He invited my family to his church and I was excited about going too. I needed to find a church because I had been in prayer a lot for my family and for my husband. I’ve became that woman who goes into her room, turn everything off and go into spiritual warfare for her family. Antonio called many times angry, but I did not allow his anger to take my joy and I tried to avoid arguments. I made excuses in my mind that maybe he was stressed, maybe he wanted to be home and maybe he would be happier once he is here with me. He did not call me for three days, but I was so busy getting the house ready, I figured that he would call me when he was ready. Within those three days I continued to pray. I asked God to show me what he wanted me to do! To bring my husband back to me the man that I needed and the man that I thought he was when I first met him. I had to change myself first in order for me to change my environment. I wasn’t perfect, but I wanted to be the wife he needed. I went to church on Sunday with my daughters, the same church that I was invited to. I really enjoyed service and the Pastor spoke on marriage. I was happy, not because of my husband, but because I found my own joy in God. I could not wait to take Antonio there when he got back.

I went home and cooked dinner for my daughters, then my phone ring and it was Antonio. I was so excited to speak to him! Maybe he thought that I would be upset because I did not hear from him for three days, but I wasn’t. I was telling him all about the city, the church I went to and the people I met. I told him that I could not wait for us to finally live together and go to church like a family. He cut me off and asked me “how much money do you have left?” I was confused about why he was asking me that because the money I had and traveled to Texas with was the money my father gave me, not him. Plus, I was not getting the Military allotment money that is set for families when the spouse is away, he was! So I did not understand why he was asking about money that he was not supplying to my girls and I. I thought maybe he was going to send some money since all my travel expenses and everything that I bought for the house was from the help of my father. I told him “not much, I bought you a welcome home gift, spent a lot traveling here and I bought the things needed for the house.” He got mad and started yelling at me! I could not believe it!!! I had a great day at church praying for this man, haven’t heard from him for three days, then he finally Called me and snapped!! It was obvious that he was looking for something to argue about. He was saying some cruel things to me. He said that we were going to be nothing more than roommates. After acting insane he finally told me the real problem that he clearly had on his mind. He said “that’s why I cheated on you last night! This girl rode me good, touched me good and kissed me good!” I hung up!! It has been awhile since I’ve seen my husband and he had the nerves to cheat on me after I’ve been 100% loyal to that fool!!! I had all kinds of opportunities to cheat, but I refused. He called me back and said “If you do not listen and hang up on me again, then I am going to divorce you!” He thought that I was afraid of losing him, he also thought because I did not believe in divorce, I would never divorce him despite what he said or done. He said to me “this time I’m not lying, I really did cheat on you. Why you’re quiet? What, you’re going to cry? We might as well get over it and work it out.” But I didn’t cry and I wasn’t even upset. I felt like I was going to snap, but I didn’t because I got my answer from God. I hung up and turned my ringer off. He was trying to destroy me mentally, but I was a lot stronger than he thought. The problem was, I loved the wrong man, but I was never in love with him. I packed everything up down to the tissue and the soap. I packed up all the food that I bought and threw away good meat. I threw away all of his good clothes that I took to the cleaners for him in the dump. I set a flight up back home and hired drivers to ship my stuff back to Florida. I did not speak with him for two days after his outburst, everytime he called I ignored it. My daughter’s was sad that we were leaving because I had their school information already transferred to their new school and they was excited about being in Texas. Before we left to catch our flight, my girls started crying, they knew that I had troubles with Antonio so they did not asked about him. They asked “are we ever going to ever see grandma and grandpa again? (his parents)” I tried to hold my tears back, but all I could say was “I don’t know babies, I don’t know.”

The house was emptied and the girls was in the car. I was about to leave the house and catch our flight back to Florida. Before I walked out I had the gift in my hand that Antonio gave me before he left overseas, it was the globe in a shiny brown box. Engraved inside the box it said “I will always love you.” I put the box over the fireplace because I knew that he was going to be staying at that house when he returned. I walked out of the house, got in the car, but for a minute I thought to myself “should I leave it?” I got out of the car, went back in the house, grab the gift and took it with me. Once I got back to Florida, I found an apartment, moved in and I continued to pray. This time I was not praying for my soon to be Ex husband, I was praying for healing for my daughters and I. I also Prayed for peace and strength. I asked God to give me the strength to let go and forget about him. We wasn’t married long, by then it has only been 5 months of marriage, even though physically I was never married, just legally. We never lived together, never had a real wedding, nor did we shared anything. I went to file for an annulment, I also set a court date and sent the papers to him. That was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. The beginning of September 2009, I was laying in my bed, staring at the walls and I felt depressed. I knew that I had to let that man go, despite what I felt for him. I just laid in my bed and did not feel like doing absolutely nothing. All of a sudden I got a text message from a friend that I have not heard from in awhile. His name was Kelvin, He did not know my new last name, so he called me by my maiden name. He said “Hi Mrs. Frisby.” I responded with, “you mean Miss Frisby, I just filed for a Divorce.” He said, “oh wow, I better hurry up and get in line because you’re going to have a line full of men trying to get at you.” I smiled. After all that I have been through I have not smiled in a long time, but this man made me smile. We texted eachother all day and night, it felt good to have someone to talk to.

TO BE CONTINUED…….

Kelvin, my rebound.

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