The Lake House

My father passed away in 1994 after a terrible bout with liver cancer. Though I knew he would not make it, I also knew where he was going...into the Saviors arms that he loved so much. I grieved my father's lack of presence here on earth for almost ten years.
I was devastated and prayed.
I was angry at God and prayed. 
God spoke to me and told me that HE had to take him because it was time for me to learn to lean on Him completely...and I prayed.
Then one night in the tenth year when I prayed out loud to get to see my father for just a few minutes, so I could hug him, see his smile and smell his presence again...God gave me a dream.

In that dream, I was wandering and searching for something in a desolate area unknown to me, until I came upon a house on a lake. The part of the house that faced the lake had a wall of windows and beyond those windows, tall pine trees and a beautiful lake that was shimmering like diamonds from the sunshine that was pouring down. I had to go outside on the balcony to see for myself.

As I stepped on to the balcony deck I saw people to my left standing by and leaning on the rail, gazing off longingly at the beautiful site off in the distance. Then I turned to the right and there...sitting in a pool of the brightest light was a person who was resting in a white Adirondack chair with his feet up, his head leaning back and his hands resting on his belly. The person slowly began to smile. I knew that smile...it was my Dad!!! I almost yelled out; "DAD!! DAD!! It's me Amy!." I immediately stopped myself, covering my mouth to ensure no sound would leak out that would disturb him. 

As I stood there looking at my father resting in the light, I realized the look and smile was one of pure peace, contentment...joy! How could I be so selfish after so many years to ask my father to come back to hug me for a split second when he indeed was in the presence of the one he so loved? I couldn't...I loved that man that much and I thanked God for giving me such a great father. 

I thanked God for being there throughout my grieving. 

I thanked God for giving me this gift...a peek into heaven...for answering my prayers. 

I drank in the sight...memorizing every aspect of it, knowing I would not see him again this way until I joined him there someday on that Lake House porch sitting in white Adirondack chairs basking in the Sonlight together!

I woke up and never wished my dad back again...I celebrate him because I know where he is...he is with the father AND he is with me. He visits with cardinal visits all the time. 

God is wonderful that way! 

Look for signs from your mother and from God. They will comfort you in this early time of grieving. Pray and if you can't sit and pray because your mind wanders from the sadness ...write your prayers. It is amazing how God will take the pen out of your hand and comfort your heart with His love and peace. 

Please know people are praying for you during this grieving time.

Remember there is no time limit on grieving the one's we love.

Sending hugs and love across the miles!

"Hero" by Abandon with Lyrics

This is My Hero!


He saved me from myself and to think that years ago He sacrificed HImself for my sins...because hHe did this for me...I will take the mess I have made and serve HIm by helping others.


"The Hell that you have gone through was to make you who you are so you could reach others that are where you have been. Here's a reminder, Whatever the devil took from your life and made a mess, God cleans up and makes it your message. God never puts more on you than he has put in you!" Kimberly Jones-Pothier

On Maunday Thursday and the next several days, may we all understand the sacrifice and miracle of this time of year! 


(video is graphic)

When God Whispers: Are you lost?

If you feel lost today...

“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?  And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish."

NIV Matthew 18: 12-14

Beside Still Waters by Greg Olsen

You WILL be found...He will leave the 99 to find the one that has wandered off...YOU...WE...I am that precious to the Father...His search is tireless.  You can not run or hide...He will find you and bring you back to the flock.

There is HOPE in this verse....even when we find ourselves running....escaping from ourselves...the lives we have created by filling holes with people and things of the flesh. 

Long ago during one of the many "prodigal journeys" of my life, a woman whom I had met at a conference and hardly known for 24-hours came to me saying that God had spoken to her during her prayer time. God had laid His message for me upon her heart so strongly that she had to relay it even though we didn't know each other well.  She apologized for being so bold but proceeded to tell me things she could never have known about my family, marriage and recent bad decisions I had made. She then warned me to stop what I was doing as it would destroy my marriage and family, and if I continued I would not be able to retrieve the relationships ever again. This woman then told me I was one of the 99 and God knew that I was lost and running. She told me to stop running. We can never outrun the Almighty because we are His children. The Shepherd will always search until He finds us and will carry us back to the flock even if we don't want to return. This woman stopped me in my tracks. I was amazed. 

How could she have known? 
How could she have guessed the details?
God does see and know everything.
We can not fool or outrun Him.

I tried.

I am blessed that He found me and dragged me back to the flock. I am blessed that this woman, who to this day I do not remember her name, heard the Father and relayed His message of hope to me. No other person could have delivered it. I would have ignored anyone that I knew personally. It was the only way I would have believed...to have a stranger know my most secret sins and tell me that God saw them and it was time to stop. 

I did listen. 
I did stop.
I changed that day because I truly saw God save me from myself.


If you need encouragement, prayer, please reach out here at the website. 

Do you have a "When God Whispers" story?  Please share it with us and you could be published on our new website called "When God Whispers" and possibly be included in a "When God Whispers" a compilation of stories. More details are forthcoming. Message us here.

Guest Blogger: Lauren Dance - Heading South

Heading South

by Lauren Dance (Founder of the The Grey Beaver Club)

 

I love to travel. It has become a very expensive addiction, really. My husband and I look forward with great anticipation to every opportunity we get to head south to those indescribable blue waters where the scuba boat awaits. The salty wind, the coral reefs, and the beautiful peace that comes from being somewhere completely different from normal is probably the reason for the addiction. Recently, I was telling a friend that we were thinking of heading south to Cozumel soon for a vacation, and she sighed heavily and asked if she could come along in my suitcase.  

It got me to thinking about the phrase “heading south”, and the positive and negative connotations associated therein. 

Birds fly south for winter, and so do many people. Heading south for a vacation almost always means someplace warmer and much more exotic, an escape from ordinary life.  

Stock that has a sudden decrease in value is said to have headed south. So, what does that mean when parts of my body are spiraling downward at a rate I have no control over? Does that mean that I have decreased in value as well? Hmmmmm….. 

As women, we are bombarded through the media that perky and perfect are the norm, and if our once “perky parts” are now resting on the top of our bellies, there must be something wrong. I will resist this way of thinking. Just as I have always considered the stretch marks from my children badges of honor, I will support all my sagging with positive remarks in front of the mirror and a really great bra. 

If you’ve ever seen an older woman with really great breasts (that are REAL), albeit they are probably a bit lower on her chest than they were in her twenties, there is something very voluptuous and sexy about the way her body looks. And by the way, I don’t think there is anything wrong with telling a woman that she looks great. In fact, I think as womankind, it is our duty to make each other feel beautiful, because the media certainly isn’t going to pat us on the back and say, “Way to breastfeed three children! Wow! Those boobs rolled up into your bra look FABULOUS now!” 

If we all began to look at our bodies heading south the same way we looked at a vacation to Cozumel, I’m sure we as a collective group of women could probably figure out how to reverse the law of gravity, that’s how much extra time our brains would have to concentrate on other matters!  

Let us each find that beautiful peace that comes from being somewhere totally different than we have ever been, and be happy and content with whatever direction we are headed. 

“I look forward to being older, when what you look like becomes less and less an issue and what you are is the point.”--Susan Sarandon 
 



Lauren Dance is the owner of The Gray Beaver Club, 

an online retail store that sells fabulous gifts for 

friends over forty. She is very passionate about 

finding humor in the aging process, and feels strongly 

that surrounding yourself with great friends is the best 

way to happily navigate yourself through this crazy 

journey we call life!

Visit www.thegraybeaverclub.com to purchase gifts that are actually funny!  

Welcome to The Gray Beaver Club….one year closer to dyeing…