Jesus Paid it All~~

Today begins the holiest week in the Christian Calendar, the last week of Jesus' life on earth: His triumphant ride into Jerusalem, His betrayal by one of his own disciples, His subsequent arrest, condemnation, rejection, stoning, trial and the long treacherous walk carrying His own Cross to His crucifixion at Calvary.

As Jesus trudged through the streets of Jerusalem, carrying that heavy cross through the crowd of his former followers and ardent admirers; they spit on him and mocked him,they called him every name in the book, they laughed at him, stoned him and made him wear a crown of thorns on his head. They shaved his beard, and refused to help Him up when He fell from the weight of His cross. Isaiah 50:6 says "I gave My back to those who strike Me, And My cheeks to those who pluck out the beard; I did not cover My face from humiliation and spitting." He didn't turn away, He knew what was coming. It was all as it was supposed to be. It was all part of God's ultimate plan, prophesied many, many years ago. Jesus was obeying His Father.

                                                      Jesus during his Walk to the Cross. He suffered so much.
                                                                     And He did it for you and me.

The book of Isaiah is full of God's prophecies about the death of the Messiah. Isaiah 53:4-5 says "Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed." Clearly, this is talking about Jesus death on the Cross, and how His death would set us sinners free.

This next Holy Week, starting tomorrow with Palm Sunday and Jesus triumphant ride into Jerusalem, and ending with His crucifixion, sums up our Christian beliefs in a nutshell.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we believe that Jesus Christ, God's only son, was born of the Virgin Mary and came to this earth to live among us. He came to show us what God looked like in person. He was fully man, yet fully God. Read John 1:1-14.

But Jesus came with a mission, which was to live among us and then die for us through his death on that cross. By Jesus sacrificial death, and our acceptance of that, then and only then, are we reconciled back to a Holy and Righteous God.

                                                 He paid the price for you and me, He died for our sins.

Christianity is ALL about Forgiveness. It is about the forgiveness of our sins through the blood of Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament, the only way man could get reconciled back to God was through confession and the blood sacrifice of animals.That's what was done for centuries. But God saw a problem. Hebrews 10:4 tells us: " For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins".Our Creator knew He had to come up with a better plan because He saw that men and women just kept sinning over and over again. He knew He needed to sacrifice His only Son, Jesus Christ as a blood sacrifice to take away the sins of the world, forever. The son became the sacrificial lamb of God.

                                                        He cried" My God, why have you forsaken me?"

And because of the Lord's perfect plan, the only thing you need to do is confess your sins and repent, and believe with all your heart that Jesus died for you and you will be saved. John the Baptist identified Jesus in John 1:29 by saying "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! Jesus paid the price for you. He paid it all. There is nothing you can do that makes it any better. He died for you and His death and your acceptance of it is a gift from God. 


If you turn from your sins and accept Jesus as your Savior, you will spend Eternity in the presence of God. Jesus paid that price for you on that Cross. He suffered and died for you and me and He rose again on the 3rd day! Praise the Lord! Hallelujah! What Hope He gives us~

                                                    On the 3rd day He rose again, just as He said He would.

We live in a ever increasingly confused and crazy world. It seems like humanity is going downhill at a rapid pace. Why wait another day? Why have another day without that certainty? Tomorrow is promised to no one. You can have Eternal Life and live in paradise with God and Jesus! You can check that off your bucket list. Believe me, that is the most important check you'll ever make! Repent of your sins, turn away from your evil ways and you can start anew with Jesus and the assurance that you will live with Him forever.

To learn more about Jesus birth and death, which was prophesied hundreds of years before he was even born, click on this link http://bible.org/article/messianic-prophecies.


Happy Easter Everyone! May the Peace of the Lord be upon you and your family as you celebrate this Holiest of Seasons- A Season of Renewal and Rebirth! This year, let this be your time of repentance and renewal as well~ Got Jesus?

The Easter Lily - Lilies were found in the Garden of Gethsemane 

after Christ prayed there before His arrest, persecution and crucifixion.

My verses for today are above in red.

My prayer for today:

Heavenly Father,

Thank you Lord for this Holy Season. Thank you for your son, Jesus and His sacrifice for our sins. Thank you for your perfect plan of redemption. Help us Lord to live for you each day. Help us to teach others about your love and spread your gospel to everyone we meet.

In Jesus Name I pray,

Amen

When the MS MonSter comes calling ~ Do u Answer?

The past few weeks have been difficult and very emotional for me. My husband and I drove up to TN to be with my family and spread my Dad's ashes, only a few short months after we carried out the same exercise for my beloved Mom.

After 3 emotional days, off we went, dogs in tow, traveling to North Carolina to ready our mountain home to put it on the market after 6 years of ownership. We love the place, but it's just not reasonable for us to keep it because of the expense and mainly because of the logistics of where it's located. If it were 3 hours away, I know we'd find a way to make it work, but it's a good 11 hr drive. Too far, too long, too much at this point in our lives.

We bought the place to get me and my MS out of this Florida heat and for that, it has been a lifesaver. But, when we bought it, I was in much better shape than I am now. I was still walking with a cane, I was still driving and although I had severe cognitive problems and fatigue, I could still function in many areas.That was 6 years ago, and 6 years can make a big difference in the life of someone with a chronic and progressive disease like MS. So, sadly, I need to say goodbye to the mountain life I love so much.

View from the deck of our mountain home. 

                                                   That's our house up there surrounded by the fall foliage!

The next 9 days were spent spring cleaning and throwing out things. You know how when you get started with something, you just keep going and before you know it, it's taken over every minute of every day? That's how it was in NC. We got a lot accomplished that needed to be done, and felt a great sense of relief that it was finished, but we turned around, looked at each other and realized that our planned "relaxing week" had been MIA.

Then, back in the car, for another 12 hour trip home. I'm just beginning to come around and it's been 72 hours. I've spent the last 3 days in bed, barely able to navigate. My MS was telling me "don't forget about me, I'm still here and you have to deal with me."

"Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, I hear ya. I really don't want to listen to you, but you are forcing me to. But here's the thing, MS, - my God is bigger than you are. He is mightier than you are! You will NOT defeat me. That is a promise. I might be down, but I'm not broken--because I'm not relying on myself, I'm relying on my God!"

In hindsight, I needed the time to rest and recuperate after losing my parents. Their passing was only 69 days apart, and my near total collapse over the past few weeks after the event belied my emotions. I'm generally a very strong woman, but even I have to admit that dealing with their loss, all the travel, emotions,and working our butts off wasn't exactly the smartest thing to do. But sometimes you just have to do what you have to do, right?

The trip was exhausting for me and my husband. We've come to the conclusion that flying is the only way to go from now on if the two of us have to go together. Unfortunately, my MS has gotten to the point that it's just not reasonable to go any other way. Even flying is difficult for me, because of the walking that is required at the airport.I have a scooter, but right now, I only use it to take our little Mollie for walks. Can full time scooter use be far off? Yikes, I won't want to think about it, but my MS reality is beginning to stare me in the face.

Kinda like my MS/CCSVI friend Barb Garcia. She was the first person to have the CCSVI procedure done in June 2010 by Dr. Arslan. She had remarkable improvements, and just recently had her 4th CCSVI. But she, like me, has backslidden of late and is having trouble walking, and she had some other complications from her last surgery. She recently had a chair lift put on her stairs because after 24 years of living with MS, it was finally necessary. She was feeling defeated, but knows the reality of living with MS has finally set in, despite CCSVI. I told her to hang in there, hopefully, she will be climbing those stairs again soon, and I believe that with all my heart.

So many of you who know me are probably wondering how CCSVI and my results from it are fitting into my current state of mind, and why I might seem to be acting defeated by MS for the first time in many years?

First, don't worry, I'm not. I will never give up the fight against this disease that has taken over my body, piece by piece for the past 23 years.

I'm very appreciative of Dr. Zamboni and his discovery of CCSVI and I totally believe that the connection between CCSVI and many diseases will be confirmed in the coming days, months, and years. The wonderful and devoted physicians who make up the ISNVD (International Society of NeuroVascular Diseases) are committed to finding the answers. I was privileged to be able to meet many of them at their 2nd Annual Conference in Orlando last month.

These docs are unbelievably dedicated to finding the connection between CCSVI and MS, Alzheimers, Parkinsons, ALS and other neurological diseases. Their devotion is something I have never seen before in the medical community and I am so proud of all of them. I believe that many thousands of hurting and suffering patients will be helped by their efforts and for that, all of us should be so thankful.

CCSVI has helped me and it has relieved my chronic fatigue which totally debilitated me for many years. It has helped my balance and improved my cognitive abilities. But sadly, my walking is worse than ever. I will get back into PT soon and be in the pool within days and that should help, but for now, it's pretty bad. My head pain is back with a vengeance. My neuropathic pain remains and is continuing to worsen, but I am on the Wahls diet "Minding your Mitochondria" and am determined to build up my sensory nerves back to where they were 14 years ago when I was officially diagnosed with MS. That in hopes of improving my neuropathic pain.

But right now, I am reminded that CCSVI isn't a cure for MS, only a treatment. But for me, it has been a highly effective treatment, and for that I am praising God Almighty! I am also continuing to be totally resolute in my efforts to teach others with MS about CCSVI. I firmly believe if I had had this procedure done 10 years ago when I was on the other side of this disease, things might look totally different for me right now. I want to pass the good news of CCSVI along to others suffering with MS and other diseases.. There is new hope on the  horizon and it's here to stay. It's something called CCSVI and it's not going away. Sit up and pay attention neurologists, you've finally got some competition~

So, Yes, I still believe that CCSVI is a miracle from the Lord on High. A gift He sent down through one brilliant man and loving husband. A caring doctor named Paulo Zamboni.

Right now, I want to take the time to recuperate and rest. I will thank my Lord and Savior that I am still up and moving. I will count my blessings, not my troubles. I will look up, not in, for there is where my true help comes from. I will recite Psalm 121 today and everyday:

One thing I loved about my days on our mountain was feeling closer to God. It's easy when you are 4,000 ft above the ground among the clouds. I really enjoyed listening to my spiritual music and reading my bible while on the deck gazing out at his beautiful creation. Those days I will treasure forever~

                                          One of my favorite places, watching the sunrise on our mountain.

Psalm 121

A song of ascents.

 ¹ I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
   where does my help come from?
² My help comes from the LORD,
   the Maker of heaven and earth.

 ³ He will not let your foot slip—
   he who watches over you will not slumber;
⁴ indeed, he who watches over Israel
   will neither slumber nor sleep.

 ⁵ The LORD watches over you—
   the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
⁶ the sun will not harm you by day,
   nor the moon by night.

 ⁷ The LORD will keep you from all harm—
   he will watch over your life;
⁸ the LORD will watch over your coming and going
   both now and forevermore.

May the Lord watch over your comings and goings each day!

My verses for today are above in red. 

My prayer for today:

Dear Lord,

Thank you for the life of my parents. Thank you for what they have meant to our family over the years. Thank you for their Godly instruction.

Lord, I am weakened right now and I need you more than ever. I feel worn out and overwhelmed by many things. But I know, Lord, that YOU are my refuge and my strength. Help me to totally lean on your strength to get me through these difficult days. Encourage me Lord to move forward with my  life to do Your work so that I may bring Glory to you each and every day.

In Jesus Name I pray,

Amen and Amen

Do you listen to your conscience?

I was listening to a sermon last week by Dr. Charles Stanley about how many American's seem to have lost their conscience these days. Losing your conscience? Hmmm, that made me really start thinking.....

Do you think much about your conscience and why you may think or act a certain way? Your conscience is instilled in you by God Almighty on the day you were born. It is that still small voice inside you that tells you when you are headed in the wrong direction or warns you to stop when you are about to say or do the wrong thing. It's your moral compass~
What can be the consequences of ignoring your conscience and why does that happen? If God gave your conscience to you, how can you lose it? I mean, he gave you everything else: your sight, your senses, your emotions, your intelligence, etc.,why would your conscience be ripped away? And if it is, how can you get it back?

God has nothing to do with your conscience gone missing or mine! The world that we live in bombarbs us with many sinful things and the pull of Satan and his schemes are enticing. Often, temptation overtakes us, and off we go with little thought of how this is affecting our lives or our daily thinking. Little by little, one bad decision after the other, and you can slowly convince yourself that the way you are behaving is perfectly in sync with the way it should be. But, according to who? God Almighty, or Satan?

Believe me, there are spiritual forces in the heavenly realms, fighting for your soul and your thoughts right now. Ephesians 6:10-20 talks about the Armor of God and the importance of standing against Satan -

The Armor of God

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should."

                                                 Put on the Armor of God to withstand the

                                                            devil's schemes~ Reclaim your conscience!

If you are not steeped in God's Word on a daily basis, you can lose your conscience, which is like losing your internal right and wrong alarm clock.

The Bible tells us in Proverbs 3:5-6 how to avoid that: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."

Remember how Jiminy Cricket told Pinocchio to whistle when

            he was tempted? You can give a little whistle to the Lord!

                                                http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOZzNOkcEgM

1 John 4:27 admonishes us by saying "But the anointing that you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as His anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in Him."       

This verse says you need no one else to teach you~ Abide in Him~~So, the answer to keeping your conscience, or your moral compass on the right track is to Abide in Him, meaning to read the Word of God, daily. Soak your brain in the good stuff. Don't listen to your friends or acquiantances who tell you it's ok to do something you know in your heart is wrong. God gave you a conscience; use it, or slowly you will be pulled to the dark side and your conscience will be gone forever.

My verses for today are above in red.
My prayer for today:

Dear Heavenly Father:

Help us not to lose our conscience; our moral compass that you gave us at birth. Help us to Abide in You everyday by seeking your Face through Bible Study and prayer. I want to live for you Jesus, I never want to lose my conscience, help me to stay close to you.

In Jesus name I pray,
Amen