Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 4, 2018

CHOSEN For The Job

So it was 1980. I was at home with my two young boys and I was trying to teach myself to play the guitar. I thought maybe, because I could sing so well, perhaps playing the guitar would be something I could do to bring finances into my life!
That wasn't happening!

My fingers were so sore, there was no way I could play that thing! I put the guitar down and asked GOD to help me find something I could do to begin a career to help myself financially. I knew I needed to work, but doing "what" I thought?
It was then I clearly heard the voice of the LORD audibly say to me,
"Pick up the phone, call every Dentist in the phone book until you are hired"!
I didn't even give this a second thought! You see, GOD has always spoken audibly to me throughout my entire life, so, I picked up the phone book and started calling local Dental offices.
I identified myself and said I was wondering if they had any openings in their front offices? I called about 11 numbers in the book and was turned down so far by every one. The 12th number was a Dr. Christian, who was located a few miles from my home. A woman had answered the phone, identified herself as Sheila. She was extremely pleasant and was more than willing to listen to me as I made my verbal introductions.
I repeated to her what I had said to all 11 other woman who had answered the phone. She asked me after I made my inquisition, "how did you get this number, how did you hear about us"? I went quiet for a moment, pondered my reply, and then said, I had prayed and asked GOD for direction for a new job, and he told me to call every Dentist in the phone book until I was hired! She said to me in a stunned voice, "Are you kidding me"?
I replied very directly, "No, Mam, not at all".
She was quite on the phone for a minute, and then she said, "well, I am 7 months pregnant and I was just today thinking that we would need someone here at the office to take over while I'm away for maternity leave for about three months". She also asked me, "Did I have any experience working in a Dental office"?  I replied, "no, but I have worked front desks before, and for Honeywell in the past and I am a very quick learner"! With that, Sheila said to me, "I simply have to meet you! "Are you available to come here today, NOW"? 
I replied very excitedly, yes, I am!
 
So I quickly cleaned myself up, put the children in the car, and headed off to the Dental office to meet Sheila. The children stayed in the car with sandwiches and coloring books, yes, the windows were down, and a stern speaking to, too stay in the car and speak to no one! I could see them from the front office window. With that I went in the office. Sheila and I spoke for about a half hour and she hired me right there on the spot! I started my training a week later.
 
This began my career in Dentistry. It was a long very satisfying career. From 1980 to 2009, With a myriad of spiritual experiences in between!
If we all could just tune in to the voice of GOD that we all hear. Think of how simple life could be.
We have to know how to hear HIS voice when HE speaks to us.
Then follow and obey.
All it takes is the art of listening.
Training our ear to hear HIS voice!
I'll say it again, TRUTH is stranger than any written fiction!

Wednesday, March 14, 2018

The GIFT

So, it was 1978. The LORD had  guided me to help a young mother and her sister through some tuff times for them. The Husband of the sister worked in a chemical company that produced famous brand Shampoos and Body lotions and the like.
A few miracles had taken place while we all walked a very difficult road together for a season and The husband wanted to do something for me to repay their gratitude. How silly I thought, I hadn't done anything but pray for them and help them through a hard few years.. The husband and his wife had come to my attention through her sister and we all experienced the GRACE of GOD in miraculous ways together over a four year period. It all had nothing whatsoever to do with me. It was the LORD who blessed us all! I was just the blessed human who experienced the miracles along side these folks.

The husband would not take no for an answer from me! He kept offering me money, gifts, and the like, to repay me for my kindness.  I kept turning him down, firmly no! No favor I pleaded, PLEASE, stop!
He was so determined to do something for me, thinking I deserved it somehow. He was really very sweet, and thankful.
So being that he worked in management for a major chemical company he choose to do something for us in a practical manner. He drove by my home very early one day and left two, one gallon bottles of the company's most famous shampoo and conditioner on the door step.  I was passing the front window that morning and I saw something go by the house,  and looked quickly out the window as he dropped off "something". I then watched him get into his car, close the door, and then Drive away,  I got up from the kitchen table and went to the door wondering what had just happened here? I saw the two gallon jugs sitting there on the bricks with a note and curly colored confetti attached to them. The note read "please except SOMETHING for our gratitude", we love you! After I read the note, I laughed and said to myself, "well now this is a great gift", we can surly all use this! 
With that I closed the door and went into the house and put the shampoo and conditioner in the shower and didn't think of it again!
It just left my thoughts.
We used the "gift" every night with every shower, my husband and my two boys and myself. I marveled at how having a gallon of this stuff really made a difference as it seemed to never run out.
I thought to myself, from now on, I'm always buying in this bulk size!  It lasts forever! And again I forgot about it.
Life went on and showers happened every night!
A year later I was at the store and I was going over my grocery list. I thought to myself, gee, I'm so sick of that gallon of shampoo, perhaps I should get something new? I was sick of looking at the big jug on the shelf in the bathroom! But then I thought, "well, it's more frugal to wait until it runs out I guess, were not millionaires, I won't spend the grocery money on shampoo if I still have some left, It does smell really good and heck, we have hardly used any of the conditioner"!
So with that I again just forgot about it.
A year later, YES, a year later, I looked at that large jug of shampoo and conditioner and said, "HEY, wait a minute here, this is still half full"! "How can that be"? "What's going on here"? I asked my boys and husband if they remembered the kind husband two years ago that dropped this off to us as a gift? They all said, "yes", I said, hey guy's, that was two years ago! We still have shampoo and conditioner left! This is a miracle! There is no other way to explain it. My oldest son Jason said "Mom, I use that every night" I said as do I, and I use it on your brother, and my husband said I have also only used that stuff! We all sat there quietly for a moment and then just burst into laughter! Why? Shampoo? Really?
YES, really! It was an anointed gift. GOD showed us great favor.
We to this day still talk about the miraculous shampoo incident.
Miracles happen every day, we don't always recognize them but none the less they happen!
I'm grateful, very grateful to see how GOD cares for us in ways we would never expect!
It's hard to believe I just forgot about it over and over for two years. I wonder if the LORD allowed me to "Not recall" how long we were using the "gift" so we would experience that wonderful moment together?
Truth my friend is always stranger than fiction!

Thursday, October 26, 2017

The Connection With Horses

So it was, 1968, I was invited to my friend Wendy's home to spend a day hanging out on her farm and staying for dinner.
I had never been to her farm before so I was very excited! We were planning to ride horses and spend time talking about boyfriends and what was going on in our lives. Just an easy, relaxing day.
Wendy was a sweet, tall, beautiful girl who was very shy and didn't have a lot of friends. When I met her I was instantly impressed with her genuine kindness, She and I felt as if we had known each other our whole lives. Like best friends.

I drove over to Wendy's. I had only been driving for a week or two.
I had a little corvair which was so much fun. I pulled up to this big beautiful house in the country in Pinellas Park Florida.
I was over whelmed at how beautiful this home was. I had never known anyone who lived in such a nice home.
I was very impressed. This was all so amazing to me.
 
We made our way to the barn to saddle up the horses and found we would be riding with Wendy's older sister and some of her sisters friends as well.
I sure didn't mind, because I was just happy to be there and I hadn't ridden horses in such a long time.  I was really just simply elated to be there and have been offered this fun opportunity.
Since we were the younger and later to come alongside Wendy's sister and her friends, we got the horses that the older girls didn't want to ride.  I ended up with a horse called "Christmas".
This was the largest horse of them all. I had never seen such a big boy! Very tall in stature. Very spirited. Just beautiful! He was a bit intimidating. Wendy said he is usually pretty good though and as  long as I knew how to ride, he should be OK.
I felt very unsure about Christmas. And had asked to switch with someone else. They all laughed and said, no way!
So I was the lucky one!
I could feel in my gut that this may not go well for some reason. I kept thinking, maybe I shouldn't ride today at all? This was a really big horse and I am not feeling good about him. There is a strange aura around all this. I thought to myself, I don't want to be a bummer here, so maybe I'll just  ignore my intuition for once and ride this monstrous horse and that will be the end of it.
 
So, to get up on him I had to stand on the fence he was near to be able to reach his saddle. So, I got up on him and before anyone had left the area, and before I even got my feet in the stirrups completely , Christmas took off like a bat out of hell! I didn't have control of his reigns, I dropped them! I heard Wendy's sister screaming at me "get a hold of those reigns Teri". She was screaming a few other things as well at Wendy , but the sound of Christmas taking off and my heart pounding out of my chest in that instant, blocked some of the chatter from my ears! This horse was running as fast as he could! He was on his own. What do I do now, I thought? So I wrapped his hair from his mane around my hands very tightly  just to hold on, and off we flew. I was bouncing around on this ole boy like a bobber in the water! I knew I had to get in sync quick!  I kept trying to get my feet firm in the stirrups and as he was picking up speed on a full run I was hanging on for my life. I finally with all my bouncing got my foot in one stirrup securely and then was able to get into the other one, WHAT a RELIEF! 
I was now in control, or at least I thought I was!
Christmas ran towards the barn and went right to the lowest part of the roof that hung low to try to push me off his back! I laid on him so low ducking from the barn overhead  I was almost hanging off the side of him! This horse was possessed! He wanted me off of him...NOW! He tried to brush me off of him by inching his body up against the side of the barn as we ran in full gallop alongside it! He was determined it was either me or him! He then after failing to knock me off or slam me off, picked up into a full run, I truly only had his mane to hold onto. I remember thinking to myself, tell him to stop! So I tried talking to him. I said in a commanding voice, Christmas whoa! I repeated this several times. He didn't even slow down for a second. I kept trying to grab for his reign. I could not let go of his mane long enough to reach it, as we were going so fast and I was bouncing like crazy. He was running now through trees on the property and I thought to myself, he's going to try to knock me off again by a low tree limb!
This horse has a mind of his own, and he's not stupid!!
I was so afraid he was going to injure me somehow. So I started to pull back on his mane hard! Telling him to slow down. I inched my hands up his mane a bit and wrapped my hands tightly into his mane and pulled back again, screaming as he ran Whoa!!! It was then that I prayed, GOD please help me!! I kept trying to speak to this horse with mental telepathy, could he hear me? He wasn't listening to my commands to slow down. With that prayer, the horse came to an almost dead stop. He slowed just enough before stopping so I could get a good grasp of more hair! Then we were stopped. Just like that. The others riders were all behind me, catching up to me one by one. Wendy's sister got to me first and was furious with Christmas. She asked me to get down off him, but he was so big, getting down was going to be an issue for me. So she jumped off her horse and grabbed his reigns and walked us back to the barn area. It was a long way back.  Everyone was amazed I was still on the horse! I had travelled  really far with him running at full speed. I was surprised at just how far. The other horses were left in the dust! This Christmas was some kind of a horse. When I finally got off of him with the help from the fence, I walked up to the front of him and said to him, WHY?
I could feel his anger. He had a very mischievous spirit. I felt he was taunted by it. But what could I do?
I walked away from him feeling like it was all so incomplete.
This lesson in my life taught me that not just humans suffer with spirits, but so do animals. I will never forget the fear I felt as Christmas ran towards the barn roof over hang trying to knock me off of him. This wasn't simply a horse gone running, he was being agitated by a spirit who was dead set against me and was going to do me harm. I am so grateful to GOD for HIS amazing protection and for giving me the insight to hang on and what to do to stay on that horse! I know the meaning of "Christmas", in more ways than one now!
Truth is always so much stranger than fiction!
 

Saturday, October 7, 2017

The Attack

So, it was June, 2012 and my husband and I went to visit my sister and her husband in Orlando, Florida while they were here on vacation. We had driven over to where they were staying in Orlando at a beautiful Golf Resort Hotel on a wonderful Golf Course.
We left St. Petersburg early to head their way as I wanted to go shopping and have lunch and maybe get a round of golf in with  my sister if we had time. It was a beautiful sunny, hot day in Florida and the trip to my sister seemed to take forever.
We finally arrived and I was so happy to see my sister and her husband. They were standing on the balcony of their beautiful Condo waving us in!
We sat and talked for an hour or so as we caught up on all the latest family plans and such. As we sat talking I noticed my sister was holding her head very still and hardly moving it at all as she spoke, and turned from side to side. I asked her what was going on with her neck? I wondered if she had slept wrong and had a sore neck or something? She said "no, that hadn't happened, but just as of late she said, she had been experiencing a severe bout of vertigo and it had been so severe the last few days she could hardly walk"! She explained she was on a special medication for it to help calm the situation. It had just started happening on and off a few months earlier.
Having never had vertigo in my life, I couldn't really relate to what she was experiencing.  I could see it was uncomfortable for her, as she was moving slow but steady and I wondered if there was anything I could do for her? She said it had to run it's course and perhaps would get a bit better soon.
We then all got ready to go out for lunch at a very famous Seafood Restaurant where we had made reservations earlier. We were all starving and so happy to be together, and so out the door we went and down the escalator to the car.
 
 As I walked out of the escalator, I stood there for a moment, all of a sudden, as if I were hit by a force I never saw coming, the whole earth seemed to be spinning really quickly all around me! I had only taken two steps away from the elevator and I could no longer stand on my own? My head was swimming! I grabbed onto my husbands arm and then began to fall to the ground. What was happening to me I wondered? This is so strange!  I felt so embarrassed! I tried blinking my eyes to make it stop! It was so frightening. I felt a bit sick at my stomach. I could not make the spinning stop! I tried to relate this to my husband but I don't think I was making any sense, I just kept saying over and over, I'm spinning terribly, I'm spinning and I can't make it stop! If I closed my eyes it felt as I was going to throw up! It was like being on a roller coaster! I tried to get up off the ground. I could not on my own, my husband lifted me up and was holding on to me. I was like a rag doll! I kept my eyes open but could not walk. It was as if my feet could not articulate the next move because I was unable to focus at all!  I kept trying to go to the right towards a bench I could see near where I was standing, but my legs could not steady me to go in that direction! Everything was moving. I headed in one direction and quickly found myself unable to get there. My husband helped me over to the bench by almost carrying me, he sat me down on the bench near a fountain.  I could not sit without feeling sick.  I kept feeling as if I were going to fall again! Everything was spinning so fast! What was happening to me? Why can't I focus! Why was this happening all of a sudden? This was a deliberate serious attack!
I could not focus on anything!
As my sister and her husband watched me, she said to me frantically, "Teri, I believe you're suffering an attack of Vertigo"! "I said how can that be"? I don't even know what Vertigo is and I've never had it before in my life? What the heck was going on here? We were just talking about her problem, why did I have it now? I sat quietly on the bench in the terrace in the hot sun while my husband steadied me for at least 15 minutes. It was so hot and uncomfortable. I was blinking a lot trying to make the spinning stop. Holding my head and trying to focus! I said very matter of fact right then, I bind this attack in the name of JESUS! I rebuked the spinning and the sickness in my stomach as well. It was actually subsiding a bit as I finished my prayer!  My husband gave me a water from the car to drink and I tried to get up slowly and take a few steps. I was hoping I could actually move in the direction I wanted to go! My head was still spinning but not like at first. I was still feeling like I was going to fall! It seemed to be getting better though. It was now 20 minutes or so into the ordeal. We all headed towards our car very slowly, to get out of the heat, My husband started the car and turned on the air-conditioning, so it was a little less hot and uncomfortable for us all. Why did this happen?
I was settling down a bit but, the spinning was not gone completely a half hour later. We all wondered what to do next? Should we call this a day and head back home? Should we go get something to eat? Could I even make it into the Restaurant? I felt I was getting better, much better, but I was still frail from the attack.
It was my call, so I said lets head towards the restaurant, everyone is so hungry, I will be willing to sit in the car if I had to, and I suggested someone could bring me a sandwich to the car. We were all so hungry. Off we went!
By the time we got to the Restaurant I was back to normal. It was only about a 10 minute drive. I could not understand how this had happened, and especially just after my sister shared what she was going through! That was not a coincidence. It was a deliberate attack on me. I have never had anything like this before that day or after! I am always on guard for this sort of attack now and pray protection over me in the name of JESUS.
I hope sharing this experience will help you along your spiritual journey somehow.
Feel free to ask questions if you want to. I am here to be a help to you so you can understand why you go through trials and attacks too! I know why this happened to me now.
I have some very unhappy enemies here.
I am focused on overcoming any and all attacks, In JESUS name!. 


Thursday, January 29, 2015

The Tornadic Experience

 
So, it was 2007, I was working for a very stuffy corporation, but I was having a blast.  Everyday I came to work the staff and I would have long talks while we worked about spiritual things and GOD and all that was happening in the world. It was so much fun talking and sharing about some of my many experiences, and theirs, that we all looked forward to the time every day when we could chat a bit at our breaks. It always felt like an anointed special time.
 
As time went on, this gathering was growing, the staff would come to my desk and we just knew this was "Talk time" everyone would have their cup of coffee in hand and they would ask me to share something about my spiritual experiences, PLEASE!!
 
One day as I was sharing one experience in particular something very strange started to happen. My lovely female boss started crying. She opened up like a flood gate, tears were flowing and shared that she wanted to "Get her life back in spiritual order". She said she had drifted away from what she knew as a young lady and wanted to come back to the faith she once had.
I spent everyday for a month during break times talking with her alone in her office and sharing Bible verses that would help repair the brokenness she felt. It was one of the most beautiful times in my life to see her humbled and lovingly working out her situations one by one. I had only known her from working with her here at the office and yet it was like I had known her all my life. I often said to her, I felt like I was led there to this position by GOD himself!
Each person who worked there slowly came to the same place and they all shared how grateful they were that The LORD had led me there to work with them all.
It was a special two years. Anointed if you will. Charged with energy and spiritual awakening. I couldn't wait to get to work everyday, I wanted to see what the LORD would do next!!
We all felt that way. We all felt the energy, it was like divine appointments were taking place each day.
Somehow I knew this time was limited here, but I wanted to my best for the Kingdom!
 
One morning as we were having a time of sharing during our fifteen minute break,  my boss called me into her large office privately and said,
"please show me where the scripture is that leads me to repentance".
 
I headed back to my desk to grab my Bible and my coffee cup, I knew this was a special moment in her life, she was very serious about changing her direction in life, right now, in this moment! 
 I quickly found the verse she was speaking of,
I turned to walk back into her office with the bible in one hand  opened to the requested verse and my coffee in the other hand.
 
As I turned toward her office it seemed as if time were standing still. This was strange!
A very powerful feeling came over me.
I saw her in her room seated behind her desk looking at me approaching her, I was now walking through the door of her office.
Everything seemed odd.
 
All of a sudden a huge rush of wind came at me from the left side of the wall in her room, it hit me so hard it threw me towards the ground on the right side of the wall near her desk. This was a very big room, it was a bit of a distance from one wall to the next. Before I hit the ground I tried to steady myself, but the force was so strong. I tried to not hit the chairs directly in front of her desk, I fought against the force, It was strange, very bizarre. I tried to put my coffee down after being hit by balancing my hand to prevent spillage! That wasn't possible, I spilled it all down the front of me but managed to set the cup on her desk without breaking it as I was being hurled, literally thrown by force towards the floor. 
I saw my bosses face as I was being shoved from the left to the right, she was in sheer horror and screaming as she witnessed all this! She was screaming my name over and over as my body was shoved into the wall. Her eyes were wide open and she looked as if she saw a ghost! She was horrified, I could see it in her eyes! She watched me being pushed by this wind sharply towards the wall and the floor! She ran over to me as I was thrown against the wall and tried to help me get up. She said through her tears, "what was that"? What just happened here? How could that strong force come after you from nowhere? How did it get in my office?
How could it throw you like that? I saw what it did to you Teri with my own two eyes, but how?  WHY?
 
 By now all the ladies were standing at the door of her office glaring inside. They were all terrified as my boss explained to them what she had just witnessed take place through her tears and horror!
One of the women was trembling as she watched it from the back side. She was speechless.
I slowly came to my feet with my bosses help and the room was spinning, just spinning. 
I tried to steady myself. 
 I had been hit so hard from the left side of my body it took my breath away, I was fighting it the whole time. But I couldn't stand against the force that hit me. I smacked my head hard on the wall as I fell to the floor!
It was so strange however, It was wind that hit me. Like a tornado. It didn't hurt me initially it caught me up and spun me, then it just threw me against the wall.
That hurt a bit!
It almost knocked me completely out. My head hit the wall first, I felt as if there were a hand holding me there, and then I just slid down the wall from my neck to my shoulder, HARD and fast.
My boss was crying and shaking from what she had just seen, her hands were shaking so hard she sat down in one of the chairs in front of her desk to gather herself. The ladies at the door were still terrified. They said they heard the boss yelling and it frightened them so. They said it was like sheer horror in her scream.
They all looked to afraid to enter the room!
I became very angry. VERY ANGRY!
 I stood to my feet and said to everyone, that was satan, some demonic force!
He is very unhappy with what is transpiring here.
Obviously my bosses conversion is going to make a huge difference in the lives of many. The impact that it had on the staff alone was already profound.
I knew as I stood there the gates of hell itself cannot stand against the plans of the great and powerful GOD I serve.
It became apparent to me that this was an anointed moment in time I and all these present will never forget.  
The enemy was defeated. I had won this battle, but evil was certainly not happy about it. My boss quickly recited the scripture I came to the room to share with her as her voice trembled. It was done! I assured her we were all fine and this was just a demonic attack.
 
I am so grateful for that moment in time. GOD'S power was shown to everyone in the office that day and made an amazing impact on all who experienced it. What was meant to scare us all quickly turned into a victory lesson.
GOD is good! What an honor to serve HIM!
TRUTH is always stranger than fiction!

Friday, December 12, 2014

The Miraculous Trip

 
It was 1968. My oldest sister was living in Gainesville Florida while managing a department store there.
I was there checking out the college and looking for work along with her. We were room mates for the time being. It was wonderful. She came home one evening to tell me she had been transferred to Tampa Florida and had already begun the transition to Tampa.
 
I decided to head back to St. Petersburg, looks like the sister time was going to end abruptly. The trip from Gainesville to St. Petersburg is about 170 miles. So, I mentally prepared myself for the move. 
My sister had already packed up her belongings and headed to Tampa the week before I left.
I stayed in the apartment for a week or so while she got things together in Tampa.
It was late the night I gathered my belongings, closed up the apartment and headed out to Interstate 75 heading South.
 
I had no money in my wallet and I glanced down at the gas tank and noticed I was on empty.
I thought to myself, this isn't good. I'm already 20 miles down the road and I just now check for gas? What am I doing?
I guess with all the things going on with moving and packing I forgot to check the most important thing, the gas tank!
So, I started to pray!
I wasn't "good " at praying. I didn't do it much in those days, but I thought I'd give it a try tonight. I was alone, I was afraid, and I needed help! There were not many cars on the highway. I felt so alone. I was fearful of running out of gas and being stuck alone on the side of the road in the dark. But I kept praying, "PLEASE, if you're up there GOD, PLEASE help me now".
 
I wondered with each exit I passed if this would be the one I should pull into and call for help? I kept thinking, But I've prayed, I've asked for help so maybe GOD will come through for me, maybe I should just have a little faith? Wouldn't pulling over mean giving up? I didn't know for sure how "HE" would take me serious if I stopped the car. I Just decided I  wouldn't doubt, so I kept on driving, it was a long, lonely drive.
Please GOD get me home!
I remember thinking I hope HE hears me. I hope HE knows how afraid I am! The miles kept passing, the exits were going by one by one and my trusty Dodge Dart just kept plugging along. It hadn't even sputtered or missed a beat.
The trip took so long though. I didn't remember it taking so long before coming into Gainesville. Why was going back  home taking so long?
I passed so many exit's. It seemed like forever!
The moon was full and it was just beautiful. It made such an impression on me that night. I kept looking up at it as I drove! It comforted me because it was so bright it was almost surreal. Like a big comforting spot light in the night sky.
I must admit though, I still did feel a bit nervous wondering
when I would finally get close to home. I felt as if the night were almost magical. I had cried on and off  wondering how my car was still flying down the road on empty! This was just miraculous! How could I have gotten this far? Why hadn't I run out of gas yet? It truly was a miracle.
I couldn't remember when the last time was I had put gas in that tank? I thought it had been awhile.
I tried to remember going over and over it again in my mind, as I kept on flying down the road but it seemed like it had been a week or so before I left Gainesville.
How was this possible?
 
It was now about twelve midnight.  I'd been on the road for over an hour. My gas tank still read "EMPTY".  I had never had a problem with my gas meter before. It wasn't a mistake. I was on empty! I was clearly in a conundrum here.  I kept staring at it thanking GOD for getting me this far! I started singing little songs to HIM and blessing HIM for keeping me safe. I laughed and felt really stupid. I kept talking to HIM as if HE were right there in the car with me.  Over an hour had past.
Finally I saw the sign to exit for Tampa ahead. I was so relieved! Finally a sign I actually recognized. I hadn't travelled the state that much. And hardly ever alone, so I really didn't know where I was. I only recognized the cities closer to my home. I felt a bit safer just seeing that Tampa sign. But I wasn't safe yet! Driving at night just made everything a bit more challenging as well.
I was so sick of all the advertisements I had seen all along the way thus far. Peanuts for sale, Gas stations and Motels, stop here, go there, all the beaches had advertised and Gator Land, and Coco Beach? It was so far away I thought, why advertise way over here?   Ron Jon surf shop, Geeze, they just never stopped. They were all just cluttering the highway back in those days, it was like a color assault! Signs were everywhere. I hadn't ever noticed that until this night!  And all the cob webs covering all the signs I could see from the lights surrounding them  made me extra fearful, had I gotten stranded, I wondered if the bugs would eat me alive before someone came for help!
 
I was now entering into the city of Tampa. All the bright lights made me feel safe somehow.
I found myself driving over the Gandy Bridge and then into my city! I could hardly believe my eyes! I was so close to my Mom's home.
I kept thinking, if worse came to worse I could almost walk home from here. I was so relieved.
(It would have been a really long walk).
I only had to stop at a few lights. I was getting closer, closer, Please GOD get me home I prayed!
Then that magical moment. I pulled into my Mom's driveway after being on the long road home and you cannot imagine what happened next. Before I had a chance to shut the engine off, the car simply sputtered several times and shut off itself!
I was out of GAS!
You ask me If I believe in GOD? My answer, Oh YES!
I believe in GOD and I also believe in Miracles!
This is one of them!
 

Thursday, December 4, 2014

A Life of Blessings and MIRACLES!

 
So,I was just 16 years old.
I had met a new group of friends who went to another school in town and they were a bit different to say the least. They had a different way of looking at things than I did. They had a rebellious side to them that showed, but they seemed O.K. I knew I should steer clear of them, but they also seemed nice. I started to hang around with them every now and then and I found that they were pretty much like everyone else, the only difference was, was they were more vocal about what they believed. Different. They stayed out longer and talked a little to rough perhaps. But they became friends none the less and I guess I had to respect them in a way.
What can I say, I was young and an extremely shy introvert. They all seemed edgy, like at that time I thought I might want to be.
After being around these friends I ended up seeing some things that I didn't like much however as well.  I felt I had my own path to follow. I was making more of an effort for my future than most of them were. It was time for me to move on.
I decided to stop hanging around with them. 
 
But not before I ended up being impregnated from hanging around one of these  controlling, ruff young men. I broke off my friendship with him a bit to late.
 It was horrible for me how it all happened.
Life had just taught me a very sad lesson.  
 
I immediately changed to a new group of friends at my own school.
The old adage "Bad friends corrupt good morals" is TRUE!
I found this out the hard way.
So, here I was pregnant from the bad choices I had made. 
My Mom had me enroll in a certain home called Florence Crittendon to stay there until my child was born. I lived there 24/7 and went to their private school for seven months.
My daughter was born right after I turned 17.
I grew up really fast.
 
The terms of the unwed mothers home I was in, was that they would put your child up for adoption in exchange for covering your hospital delivery and schooling finances while you were there.  So my Mom made all these provisions, without my awareness of this.
I had no idea that these terms had been made behind my back.
My Mother was very upset with me and did not visit me while I was there.
I was young, there was a lot of things I didn't understand.
After my daughter was born, she was taken from me and adopted out to a family in Florida. The money for her adoption paid for my hospital delivery and private schooling. I had no idea where she was adopted out to or what her new name was. 
I always wondered about her. This had all been so strange.
There were many sleepless nights and troubled days that followed.
 
For 26 years I worked hard on  trying to find her. I often went back to the place where the adoption took place, but they would always ask me to pay them $75.00 dollars for any information they might have. Then they would come back with the same answer over and over again for years, "We have no new information for you".
 I would inquire almost every year.  Every year I would pay them, and I heard the same thing, we have no new information concerning your daughter. I would leave my phone number and my address again and again and again over the years.
 
About five years had past. One afternoon I was flipping through a magazine and I saw a picture in the magazine of an adorable little girl standing looking out a window eating a spoonful of peanut butter as the rain slid down the window while she peered out.
Something gripped me!
Lord I feel as if this is her!
It's just my imagination I told myself!
I starred at that picture for over an hour. It looked a little bit like me when I was young. I wondered if it was my daughter?  Could it possibly be? That would be an amazing coincidence if it was. Something about that picture caused me to connect with it! I wondered if she was even still alive? Was she O.K.? Did she live in Florida? What were her parents like?  Where is she? These thoughts and many more would just haunt me.
It was all so sad. I never wanted to be alone without her, and yet, here I was. All alone.
 Looking at the picture in the magazine I laughed and said, yeah, right, that would be impossible. It can't be her. It's just my imagination. But I wish I just knew if she was O.K.!
I ripped the picture out of my magazine, and kept it in my Bible for the longest time. I would pull the picture out over the next few years as I would pray for her, over and over again. I would pray for my daughter and hope she was in good hands!  I know it seemed silly. But I did it none the less it was a discernment I was having when I looked at that picture. It truly gripped me!
 
Twenty six years after my daughter was born I still had not been able to find her, it was now 1996.
One day as I was sitting at my desk at work, I heard a strong audible  male  voice say to me,
"Teri, go to the orphanage, inquire about your daughter, Now"!
When he said NOW it was very strong and commanding.
I stood right up and went into my boss and said, "excuse me, there is something I have to do right away. I'll be back in a few minutes". He looked up at me and said O.K., he didn't question me at all,  and with that I went to the  parking lot, got in my car and drove quickly to the orphanage. Again I inquired about my daughter. To my shock and surprise the same now very old woman behind the desk, the same woman I had spoken to many, many times before, got up and walked over to a file and came over to me and requested I pay her yet again, the $75.00 dollars. Once I paid her, she handed me a phone number and a manila envelope.
 I started crying.
 
I was shaking so hard I almost fainted, I was very weak at my knees. I turned around and walked slowly to my car in utter amazement. I sat there remembering the Voice that told me to come NOW! I was so grateful and yet so amazed at this. I opened the information in my car and read the letters in the manila envelope.
I read it over and over again.
I had found her! Thank you GOD! I had found her! Finally after searching for 26 years.
The voice that came to me spoke the truth!
I was in possession of her phone number and address. Just like that!
Just as he suggested!
It felt amazing, surreal, anointed!! 
 
I made the call that night. I made plans to fly out to see her.
 
When I got there to her, we spoke of so many things. We just went on and on and on. We cried, we laughed, we starred at each other. It was like looking into a mirror. She looked exactly like me in every way!
She was so beautiful to me. She spoke and acted just like me.
 
She mentioned she was a child model. She told me about all the different companies she modeled for. She mentioned a peanut butter modeling job. I almost fainted! I gasped and said Really! I then described the picture I had taken out of the magazine so many years earlier. She confirmed to me, it was in fact her! She remembered everything about that job, even though she was so young.  That was one of her favorite modeling jobs as a child she told me. I started crying. The picture I had been led to in the magazine, the picture I had kept in my Bible, was in fact, my very own daughter. It was GOD'S way of showing me that she was O.K., healthy and happy.
 
What peace I have now as I look back over my sometimes unfortunate life. I have been guided and vocally directed my entire life.
I am grateful to GOD for his kind care of me here.
I am thankful for HIS care over my children as well.
This truth is much stranger than any fiction I have ever read!
 

Monday, November 10, 2014

The Proclimation

I was 13 years old and my Mother and I were heading out to visit a new psychic she had made an appointment with. I had no clue what a psychic was. My Mother was in such a hurry to meet this new woman, "Miriam". It was all she could talk about. I remember my Mom telling me that Miriam had great powers with the "other side" whatever that meant, and it had taken her nearly 6 months to book this appointment. To say the least my Mother was extremely excited and here we were driving to the North East section of our city to see this "wonderful" woman. I was feeling very confused. I just didn't understand what all this fuss was really all about.
The North East area of our city was known for it's enchanting homes. I thought, well, at least she'll have a nice house to wait in.
I had no idea what my Mom's excitement was really all about. At 13 there isn't much to know about these things. They just didn't concern me. I was thinking, "Oh great. I'll sit and wait for hours as my Mom and Miriam go do whatever it is psychic's do with the other side"! Needless to say, for me it was simply going to be scary, weird and boring!
 
My Mom had fed me so full of stories about Miriam, she said this woman would talk to the dead and share what they tell her! Sounded weird and scary to me. I wasn't looking forward to waiting in the front room alone like my Mom had told me too, while she was in the back room with dead people talking to Miriam!
So I drove along to this house of high strangeness and didn't speak nary a word to my Mom the whole trip there.  
My young mind was just racing.
As we pulled up to the driveway and beheld the house we were amazed at how pretty it was. Lush landscaping and the home was well taken care of. Beautiful potted plants and various wonderful trees of all kinds. My Mom gave me her last minute instructions.
"Do not say a word when we get inside. Be kind and take a seat immediately and be quite. Don't  come bother us while we are in the back room"! I had heard these instructions a time or two before so I nodded my head and hesitantly followed my Mom up to the front door.
On the front door to this massive home was a pretty framed note. It said,
"Come in, sit down in the foyer and Miriam will be with you at your appointed time". We both looked at each other and whispered, O.K. that's odd.
Then I made my last attempt at not going inside.
 
That seemed really creepy to me, I was starting to get a lot more nervous. I told my Mom I would wait in the car. She was insistent I keep myself quite and proper and sit inside and wait. I remember asking her, well, actually begging her to let me sit in the car. She would simply not allow for this. I was making her angry. She again said sternly, "be quite and behave"!
I felt as if I wanted to run to the car. She gave me that "look" Mom's can give you when you're on their last nerve!
 
My Mother opened the door and we walked quietly inside. The room was huge and so spacious and open. There were a few trees in the room in large pots, they really made a statement! There were beautiful large carpets that lay on the floor, beautiful furnishings and pictures adorned this lovely home. The house had a peculiar smell to it. Like an incense kind of smell. We both  took a seat on a lovely tufted bench in the foyer and in the deafening silence of this huge home, we could hear the ringing of bells like wind chimes, that was the only noise at all, so we waited. Like the sign said to!
We were about five minutes early when we arrived so after about four and one half minutes, we heard a yell from the back room, It shocked us both, even though she was right on point, "Welcome, I will be with you in just a minute". Her voice kind of sang as she spoke, she sounded pleasant enough, was that Miriam?
And with that this Old grey haired woman dressed in a long flowing gown type of dress made her entrance and came around the corner. Her nails were long and painted and she wore sandals with matching polish on her toes.  She had a huge smile, but she was staring at me the whole time. She was truly staring.
My Mother stood up and began to approach her to introduce herself to her, and as she was speaking, Miriam stopped dead in her tracks while looking over at me and screamed out loud! I mean actually screamed, like she had just seen a ghost!
(I thought I was going to faint she scared me so) She said:
I KNOW WHO YOU ARE MARY, "OH MY GOD MARY, LOOK HERE, THIS CHILD WITH YOU IS A CHILD OF GOD! SHE IS VERY SPECIAL, I HAVE NEVER SEEN GOD ON ANY HUMAN BEING LIKE I SEE HIM HERE WITH HER! SHE IS WHITE LIGHT LIKE I HAVE NEVER SEE IN CHILDREN!
I was still holding my breath from the scare of this strange woman yelling and pointing at me! I was shocked, to say the least. What was she talking about? ME?  White light? What is that? GOD? How does she know this?
Then something happened I will truly never forget. My Mother quickly spoke back and became indignant and said very matter of fact, "well Miriam, I did not bring her here to be read!
 I want you to read me!
 
With that Miriam looked strangely at my Mother and said "but Mary", this child is different! My Mom responded, we are wasting my allotted time here. I've waited for months to be here with you!
So Miriam said, very well, yes you have, she composed herself and said, I am just stunned with the light this child has around her, her aura is huge! You must bring her back for me!
With that Mom and Miriam disappeared down the hallway and I heard a door close. Then silence again. All I could hear was my pounding heart! I waited at least an hour sitting on the bench alone. I sat thinking about what this woman had said and really mostly how she said it.  I didn't understand a word of it.
My Mother came down the hall alone with Miriam following behind her a moment later. She asked my Mothers permission to read me. My mother said No, I haven't the money for it. Then my Mom looked at me and could see I was very much afraid of this woman who screamed and startled the dickens out of me. I must have had a very petrified look on my face. Then Miriam offered to read for me for free. My Mother said, No, we have to get back so I can go to work. Miriam asked her to make an appointment with us then at a later date.  My Mother hesitated and said she would call her. With that my Mom said, come on Teri we have to go. My Mom seemed almost as if she was in a hurry to leave. She thanked Miriam again and said goodbye, and we left.
My Mom said almost nothing the whole way home. She looked troubled. I was in fear of asking what the dead had said, so I kept quite.
We never spoke of the visit to Miriam's again, until many years later, while I was in my 50's. My Mother had said she had had a very similar odd experience with me the day I was born. The Doctor and nurses made odd comments to her about me, they told her it was like watching a miracle. She explained you have always been different. I just laughed and took her words into stride.
All Mothers feel that way, don't they?
She told me then at this discussion it would be me who would be the one with her at the end of her life. She had always known that. I would be the one chosen to be with her as she moved into the unknown realms. I assured my Mother then, because I didn't want to have that conversation with her, yes, Mom, I will be there with you.  I am here for you now and will always be.
She smiled and we never talked about any of this again.
I actually was the one at my Mothers bedside when she passed.
But that's another story.
 
 

Monday, November 3, 2014

The Voice of GOD

It was 1976, I was at church in Clearwater, FL.  I was sitting in a large room with about 85 people. I was up against the wall in the third row back. The chairs were all in a semicircle. We had a visiting preacher in town. He was a very kind man. Sincere and very focused on his sermon.
Everyone was enjoying the scripture verses he was sharing. It was a much needed message for guiding us through life in difficult times.
I was just another person in the crowd listening to what the preacher was saying.
And then everything changed.
 
As I was sitting in my chair looking forward and listening, I heard a strong, comforting, kind voice in my left ear whisper loudly, "stand and share this scripture, Now! Then he spoke the scripture in my ear as well".
I looked behind me and there was no one there. I thought perhaps it was someone in the row behind me who spoke this in my ear.
 My heart was racing. I just heard an audible voice and there is
"NO ONE THERE"!
I thought, who said that? I looked to my left, it was a beige brick wall! I looked at the woman sitting next to me on my right and said, did you hear that? She looked at me as if to hush me, as she was focused on the preacher. She didn't answer me. How could someone speak into my left ear? I was sitting up against the wall!
I shook my head and said to myself, turn to that scripture. As I flipped the pages of my bible to the requested scripture, something made me stand up! Literally stand right up! Right in the middle of this man's message. I was so embarrassed. I was shaking a bit. I heard the voice again say, READ the scripture. But this time it was more in my head than audible.
I just started reading the scripture out loud. The man stopped speaking. I obviously interrupted him. He stood with a peculiar smile on his face as he watched me reading.
After I read the scripture out loud for all to hear, something amazing happened.
He asked me why I read that scripture? I said "I have no idea sir, The voice from the wall whispered in my ear and told me to read this so I did"! The mans smile grew on his face. He looked down at the floor and said softly, I have been struggling all week with this message. I had wanted to share what you just read.
That very scripture.
I decided to read what I was reading. I struggled thinking what I chose was what I should read instead. But GOD obviously wanted me to share what you just read to us all.
He said you don't know me. You had no way of knowing this. ONLY GOD
knew what was truly in my heart. And now,
the HOLY SPIRIT
has moved you to share this for my benefit.
He thanked me for being faithful.
 
I sat down in utter amazement of what had just happened. I kept rethinking this, WHY did GOD choose me? Why not a well versed leader of the church or someone in authority? I was blessed but shocked as well.
The understanding came to me at that moment,  GOD will choose those who are willing.  Regardless of the outcome we have to walk in Faith.
What I took away from this experience was that GOD will use us if we are open to HIS SPIRIT. I pray I never change. I pray HE uses me  for HIS glory until my time on earth is finished.
 


Wednesday, October 29, 2014

A Haunting Introduction


It was the winter of 1972.  It was cold and damp in Florida.
The only thing warming my spirit that day was a party I was looking forward to that evening with my husband. It was boasted  to be a "real happening". We were planning on music and good food and drinks with a bunch of new friends. Just hanging out and making the scene! Our friend Dean had invited us and it all sounded like so much fun from his invitation.
I had gotten dressed early that evening as I was looking forward to the night out and the expectations of  the evening. I thought as I got dressed, "I love this new shirt and jeans I was wearing" it really is just perfect! My long blonde hair was not frizzy for a change from the muggy weather we normally have, tonight it looked terrific, I was so pleased with the way I looked. I was feeling good and in a great mood.  
 
I remember pulling up to the home where the party was and thinking how much fun this night would be. I could hardly wait to get inside. Once we were inside there were smiling happy people standing around everywhere. The typical Flower children of the 70's. I was introduced to at least 15 people as we made our way through the home to the back yard. Just as I was heading out towards the back door I passed a "Florida Room" to my right.
(Here in Florida we have this name designated for small porch like rooms that are inside the house with windows on at
least three walls of the room")
There was just a couple of people standing around in that room. I didn't know any of them. But I stopped and looked in to wave hello to all inside. As I did this, I noticed a young man sitting playing cards in the room on a card table. He looked up and smiled at me. He was a pleasant enough person. He introduced himself as Ron. He said he was just home from his tour in Vietnam. He said it was  great to be home and even greater to be at this party.  He said it was nice to meet me. I said it's great meeting you too Ron. I'm glad your home from the war! Then I said hi to the others and started to turn to leave the room and head out back where my husband was with his friend Dean.
Just then I heard this new friend Ron say to me, "hey, there's something different about you"! I said excuse me, as I smiled and looked at him, are you talking to me?  He replied, "yes, I am". I said, really? How so? He said with a smile and an odd gleam in his eye, "Oh yes, there's something very different about you, I can see it in your eyes, it's all over you, you're special". I laughed nervously and said, gee, thanks Ron. Then his demeanor changed a bit and he said, as he yelled out, "I mean it, don't laugh, you're different from everyone here"! There really is something very special about you! I smiled yet again and said, O.K., thank you Ron, if you say so. What was I to think. This was certainly bizarre to say the least!
 
Then what happened next shocked me, it took me by surprise to say the least! Ron then changed his demeanor and slammed his fist down hard on the card table and his drink and all the cards flew up and the drink spilled as he screamed and pointed to me with the other hand, he said,
"IF I DIE TOMORROW, JESUS CHRIST IS LORD"!
I responded, after I caught my breath, "O.K. man, calm down" then he did it again a second time he slammed his fist down hard on the card table and repeated,
"IF I DIE TOMORROW, JESUS CHRIST IS LORD"!
I said O.K. O.K. I got it. Then he repeated his statement to me that I was special and I had a special calling, I was different.
As he said this again he smiled and nodded over and over with a look of satisfaction in his eyes. I could see he was convinced that I was special. It made no sense to me. But somehow as I looked into his eyes, I felt he was trying to reach me, open my eye's. It was really an odd feeling.

I tried to remain in control and not run out of the house saying something I might later regret. This guy had really freaked me out. Who acts like that when you first meet someone I thought to myself? He must be some special kind of nut?
Why was he saying this to me of all people?  What angered him as I took his prophetic canting lightly? I was a bit afraid of what else he might say, I was so embarrassed, so I thanked him for his kind words to me, said it was nice to meet you, and walked out the back door to the food table where I was reunited with my husband and Dean. They had both heard what Ron had said but laughed it off.  I stood outside thinking to myself, "well, I didn't expect something like that to happen! I was thinking I'll probably be the talk of the party and never live this down! I felt uncomfortable and all of a sudden my desire to hang out and mingle changed.
I told my husband I just wanted to leave.
So we said our goodbyes quickly and headed back into the house and through the maze towards the front door. I passed by the Florida Room again and there sitting quietly was Ron at his card table. He looked at me again and said, don't forget what I said to you  as he pointed at me again, because there is definitely something very special about you.
With that, I told Ron it was very nice to meet him and to have a great night.
I headed for the door and out to the car. As we left I couldn't help but think about the strange sequence of events that had just taken place. I had wanted to be at the party so bad and here we were driving away.
A few days later our friend Dean called to speak with my husband, he said he wanted to tell him about one of his friends who had just died in a horrible car accident. Dean said he was real upset. This was a life long good friend of his who had passed.
I gave the phone to my husband and he said after he hung up, we should go to the funeral to support Dean. He's really choked up about his friend passing away. I said really? I'm sorry to hear that. He said yeah, it was that guy we met at the party the other night. I said which guy? He said Ron. Dean's good friend Ron. He was the guy in the Florida room.
My heart jumped when I heard this. I said, Oh my Gosh! He is the one who said to me,
"IF I DIE TOMORROW, JESUS CHRIST IS LORD" .
I asked my husband how Ron died? He said Dean told him he was on his way to Georgia to pick up his fiancé from Bible College as they were to get married that next week, when a drunk driver hit him head on and killed him. I was deeply moved to hear this. I said ,Yes, we will go to the funeral to support Dean.
 
I had met Ron for only a powerful odd moment in time and now he was gone. His strong words burned into my mind and heart.
He had in fact passed away the next day! This was more than strange. It was a prophetic utterance he had made to me. And was it for my benefit?
We did attend the funeral for Ron, and as I approached the casket I was hesitant and yet filled with peace. Here lay a young man who spoke out for my benefit. A bold man who did not care what others thought as he made his proclamation to me that night. I felt as if I had known him my whole life. One thing I knew then, this day would change all my tomorrows.
To this day I place flowers on his grave and say prayers at his grave site.
Thank you Ron for helping me to see what I could not see.
And yes Ron,
JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!