Unpredictable Vessel - Who Trump?
I first want to come out of the gate by saying this: “I will probably offend some people, I will probably surprise others, and I will probably have some saying yes and amen.” Please bear with me and know that I am slowly stepping into the waters of no return as I share some of my thoughts and insights about President Donald J. Trump and some of the places in our world as well as in our own backyard. Please let me state clearly I am not an historian, a theologian, or a politician. I am simply a law-abiding Christian that desires to be a conduit for Christ who wants to be a defender for Christian values.
I am sure many of you are well aware of angst and division among Christians, non- Christians, Conservatives, non-conservatives, left-wingers, right-wingers, progressives, and reformists. Our United States of America was once deeply respected and highly esteemed for a place of hope, a beacon of light, and a place of opportunity. Effective government is essential in the pursuit of justice. And true justice, Augustine said, springs from a sovereign God. Writer and scholar Christopher Dawson once said, “Christianity is the soul of Western civilization. And when the soul is gone, the body putrefies.”
That is what I feel at times—the soul of America is slowly decaying along with our moral standards, our absolutes, our values and ethics, and our one nation under God. I believe as many others do that America is at a pivotal, crucial, and vital intersection of our foundational issues such as faith, family, and freedom. And please let me say unequivocally and clearly—it has not ALL been because of the rise of Donald J. Trump. There has been a slow burning in the decline of our moral and ethical foundations way before Trump entered into the picture. It’s the same meaning about backsliding, which is a slow, continual process of turning away step-by-step and choice-by-choice until one day you find yourself very far from the Lord and His values.
Which leads me to the question: What does it mean when I say that God has raised up an unpredictable vessel? How do we know whom God is raising up to be a reformer, a crusader, or a champion during these challenging and changing times in our world? Reformed Theologians (first introduced by Chuck Colson) describes the grace of God that comes down upon a fallen world to keep in check the forces of anarchy and the inclination of sinful man to self-destruct. He goes on by saying common grace raises up unpredictable vessels—men and woman who the hand of Providence serves up.
Winston Churchill once said his entire life was a preparation for some crucible in history that he walked into. We can remember Abraham Lincoln, who refused to join any established church, and Ronald Reagan, who had two divorces, were both frowned upon along with Churchill, who was also frowned upon, because of his crass and tactless vocabulary. Churchill himself framed the contest with Hitler as a “battle for Christian Civilization” and insisted “Onward Christian Soldiers” be sung on board the ship he and Franklin Delano Roosevelt met to form their alliance. So many more heroes of history turned out to be defenders of Christian values that you would not have deemed so at the beginnings of their lives.
There is a battle going on in our Christian Civilization and I want to encourage and inspire you to move onward as Christian Soldiers: “ Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus going on before! Christ the royal Master, leads against the foe; forward in to battle, see his banners go.”
I believe when Christians are rightly informed and motivated in and by Christ’s love, we can change the character of the political climate and have conversations even though we are in disagreement. We have lost the civility of disagreeing and debating without getting personal and emotional. The Father is calling me and you to become more of His agents of His common grace and love.
We want to touch lives without condemning and judging; we want to be agents of change through something so genuine and pure in our own hearts. And, friends, it starts in our own hearts and in our own prayer closets to intercede for our nation, for our values, for our own President Donald J. Trump, whether we like him or not. He is the “MAN” God put into our United States office of president, and if we don’t like his ways, tones or actions, let’s pray for him so transformation can happen in his heart and life.
Have you ever asked yourself, “Why is he in office?” I believe he had a call way back before the foundations of the world and we are seeing the fruit of his great-grandmother’s and mother’s prayers. Thus, Donald J. Trump is now sitting in the White House with his mother’s Bible. God has not been fooled and neither have you or I. Remember the scripture “with God ALL things are possible”…. And God will chose the foolish things that seemingly look weak and simple only to confound the wise.
But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord. (1Corinthians 1:27-31 NIV)
An interesting fact is that when Paul wrote this to the Corinthian church, they were the laughingstock of the city and believers were looked upon as a joke to the entire Roman Empire. Many Roman governmental authorities or politicians considered Christians to be weak and religious idiots. But Yet these weak and foolish Christians evangelized the whole Roman Empire and released their commitment of standards, ethics, and morals to liberate Rome from pagan religion and paved the way for the Gospel. The word “confounds” means to put to shame, to embarrass, to confuse, to frustrate, or to baffle. Thought provoking, I would say!
When we see God choosing, calling, and anointing, we can see it to be a paradox from our human way of thinking. We would automatically select strength, intelligence, and conventional social ways with obvious characteristic traits that look good, sound good, and is the status quo. However, in God’s ways of thinking sometimes the simple, uneducated and clumsy person who is called, chosen, or anointed will confound the wise and become the strongest to rise up as a vessel to release unorthodox, unconventional, and unusual ways to bring us back to our foundations. The paradox is not by accident but by God’s design.
As Dr. Lance Wallnau, an internationally recognized speaker, business and political strategist and director of Lance Learning Group in Dallas, Texas, interviewed on CBNNews.com, says “Donald Trump is a wrecking ball to the spirit of political correctness, a man of opinions, and a man who doesn’t speak in calculated talking points of a politician. His delivery is simple and very direct and is a destabilizing threat to the vast dealing making machinery in embedded in both parties.”
"America has been unraveling for two decades and Christians are probably the people that are the most sensitive to it," Wallnau says. "What Trump represents is something like a block in the door that was closing."
"I really believe that the mercy of God intervened in this last election cycle and gave us an individual who has the willpower and the tenacity to be able to do a reset," he says.
"After I met him I heard the Lord say, 'Isaiah 45 will be the 45th president,'" he explains. "I go check it out; Isaiah 45 is Cyrus."
"Isaiah says a hundred years before this guy was born, 'I will do this for Israel's sake, though he knows me not,' which means that Trump doesn't have the experience with God that the evangelical typically would call, 'knowing God,'" Wallnau continues.
"But he's got a fear of God," he tells CBN News. "He's anointed of God. Isaiah 45 says, 'for the sake of Israel,' which would be the people of God, and so it has to do with Israel; it has to do with Christians."
Wallnau says he believes Trump is a "secular reformer" who is going to establish an environment where Christians can bring about a "spiritual reformation."
I believe what Father God is trying to do, once again in this time, is to reach the hearts of mankind as He has done throughout history so we can get back to the places of love, justice, and righteousness of God’s kingdom. And God has decided (along with the voters) that Donald J. Trump is part of God’s plan. Like it or not, he is our President.
President Trump is trying to reconnect Americans to the vision, passion, and wisdom that informed and inspired those who laid the foundation of this nation over two hundred years ago and using the Bible as a blueprint to ensure the heritage of liberty. Over thirty years ago President Reagan warned: “If we ever forget that we’re one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.” It is time for America to return to the foundation of faith in God and its reverence for Scripture.
Let’s look at how President Donald J. Trump has strengthened American leadership, security, prosperity and accountability:
In The Washington Post on Friday, December 21, 2017, former Bush speechwriter and columnist Marc Thiessen agreed and said that Trump has proven to be successful at keeping his campaign promises. He wrote, “The fact is, in his first two years, Trump has compiled a remarkable record of presidential promise-keeping.”
The list of achievements has surpassed those of former President Ronald Regan at this time and even more so. At the two-year mark, the administration has counted up 289 accomplishments in 18 categories, capped by the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.
He has secured the release of 17 prisoners foreign governments had detained including Pastor Andrew Brunson, recently set free from Turkey.
Trump pledged to defend religious liberty, stand up for unborn life and appoint conservative jurists to the Supreme Court and federal appeals courts. And he has done exactly what he promised. The abortion-rights lobby NARAL complains that Trump has been “relentless” on these fronts.
The president is moving at record pace to fill the federal appeals courts with young, conservative judges who will protect life and religious freedom for decades. He also fulfilled his promise to defend the Little Sisters from government bullying, by expanding the religious and conscience exemption to the Obamacare contraception mandate to cover both nonprofit and for-profit organizations.
Trump ordered the creation of the Conscience and Religious Freedom Division at the Department of Health and Human Services to protect the civil rights of doctors, nurses, and other health-care workers who refuse to take part in procedures such as abortion, reversing an Obama-era policy that required them to do so. And his Justice Department issued a 25-page guidance to federal agencies instructing them to protect the religious liberty in the execution of federal law.
The Examiner – September 5, 2018
Bob Woodward - “All I can say is the country is doing very well. We’re doing better economically just about than at any time. We’re doing better on unemployment maybe than ever. We’re having a lot of — a lot of companies are moving back into our country, which would’ve been unheard of two years ago.”
- Almost 4 million jobs created since election.
- More Americans are now employed than ever recorded before in our history.
- Created more than 400,000 manufacturing jobs since the election.
- Manufacturing jobs growing at the fastest rate in more than THREE DECADES.
- Economic growth last quarter hit 4.2 percent.
- New unemployment claims recently hit a 49-year low.
- Median household income has hit highest level ever recorded.
- African-American unemployment has recently achieved the lowest rate ever recorded.
- Hispanic-American unemployment is at the lowest rate ever recorded.
- Asian-American unemployment recently achieved the lowest rate ever recorded.
- Women’s unemployment recently reached the lowest rate in 65 years.
- Youth unemployment has recently hit the lowest rate in nearly half a century.
- Lowest unemployment rate ever recorded for Americans without a high school diploma.
- Veterans’ unemployment recently reached its lowest rate in nearly 20 years.
- Almost 3.9 million Americans have been lifted off food stamps since the election.
- The Pledge to America’s Workers has resulted in employers committing to train more than 4 million Americans, committed to VOCATIONAL education.
- 95 percent of U.S. manufacturers are optimistic about the future—highest ever.
- Retail sales surged last month, up another 6% over last year.
- Signed the biggest package of tax cuts and reforms in history. After tax cuts, over $300 billion dollars poured back in to the U.S. in the first quarter alone.
- As a result of our tax bill, small businesses will have the lowest top marginal tax rate in more than 80 years.
- Helped win U.S. bid for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
- Helped win U.S.-Mexico-Canada’s united bid for 2026 World Cup.
- Opened ANWR and Approved Keystone XL and Dakota Access Pipelines.
- Record number of regulations eliminated.
- Enacted regulatory relief for community banks and credit unions.
- Obamacare individual mandate penalty GONE.
- Provided more affordable healthcare options for Americans through association health plans and short-term duration plans.
- The FDA approved more affordable generic drugs than ever before in history. And thanks to our efforts, many drug companies are freezing or reversing planned price increases.
- Reformed the Medicare program to stop hospitals from overcharging low-income seniors on their drugs, saving seniors hundreds of millions of dollars this year alone.
- Signed Right-To-Try Legislation.
- Secured $6 billion dollars in NEW funding to fight the opioid epidemic.
- Reduced high-dose opioid prescriptions by 16% during first year in office.
- Signed VA Choice Act and VA Accountability Act, expanded VA telehealth services, walk-in-clinics and same-day urgent primary and mental health care.
- Increased coal exports by 60%; U.S. oil production recently reached all-time high.
- United States is a net natural gas exporter for the first time since 1957.
- Withdrew the United States from the job-killing Paris Climate Accord.
- Cancelled the illegal, anti-coal, so-called Clean Power Plan.
- Secured record $700 billion dollars in military funding; $716 billion next year.
- NATO allies are spending $69 billion dollars more on defense since 2016.
- Process begun to make the Space Force the 6th branch of the armed forces.
- Confirmed more circuit court judges than any other new administration.
- Confirmed Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch and Judge Brett Kavanaugh.
- Withdrew from the horrible, one-sided Iran Deal.
- Moved U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem.
- Protecting Americans from terrorists with the Travel Ban, upheld by Supreme Court.
- Issued executive order to keep open Guantanamo Bay.
- Concluded an historic U.S.-Mexico Trade Deal to replace NAFTA; negotiations with Canada are underway as we speak.
- Reached a breakthrough agreement with the EU to increase U.S. exports.
- Imposed tariffs on foreign Steel and Aluminum to protect our national security.
- Imposed tariffs on China in response to China’s forced technology transfer, intellectual property theft, and their chronically abusive trade practices.
- Net exports are on track to increase by $59 billion this year.
- Improved vetting and screening for refugees, and switched focus to overseas resettlement.
I will end by saying this, my friends, that the story is not over in America, or with President Trump, or within each one of us. Regardless of your view politically about this man, God calls us to pray for our president and to pray for our nation and our judges.
God has always and will continue to use flawed people to do the right things:
1 Timothy 2:1-2 – I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people--for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. (NIV)
Isaiah 1:26 – "Then I will restore your judges as at the first, And your counselors as at the beginning; After that you will be called the city of righteousness, A faithful city." (ESV)
Dear Father,
Release Your Spirit of unity, harmony, and civility back into America as we enter into this next season of elections. Father, release your blessings over President Donald J. Trump and over all his administration so they can walk in Your steps of truth, love, and self-control.
Especially help the President with his tweets and give him insight to the places of Your Holy Spirit to walk in Your self-control and in Your timing. Strengthen the eyes of his understanding and continue to release Your truth, mercy, and justice over our land.
In Jesus Name, Amen and Amen!
References used: Augustine; Christopher Dawson; Chuck Colson; Winston Churchill; Dr. Lance Wallnau – CBNNews.com; Ronald Reagan; The Examiner – Bob Woodward; The Washington Post – Marc Thiessen; The Daily Caller; David Barton, founder of WallBuilders
- Mari Anne Andersen
Write Mari Anne with any thoughts, questions or comments you may have: marianne@freedomhouseministry.com
Surely, Positively, and Most Definitely - Prophetic Word for 2018
Surely, Positively, and Most Definitely
S E E N IN 2018
To do justly, and to love kindness and mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)
The Lord is great and is clothed with unlimited splendor and boundless majesty. Surely, positively, and most definitely, the Lord wraps Himself in your life as light and love that shines and stretches from His Heavens as a covering of love upon you. Surely, positively, and most definitely – YOU will be seen in 2018. Surely, in 2018, He will be releasing wings of His Spirit to carry and convey His thunderous awakening in and around your life.
I sense in 2018, the Lord is going to set things in motion that have been on hold, have been stuck, or have been in transition. You will be like an arrow in the hand of the Warrior, Jesus, ready to hit the target. You will be His arrow and will be propelled forth like lightening.
You are God’s divine blessing, and He crowns you with His success, His favor, and His rest in your being blessed. 2018 is the year that due diligence of your calling will be unleashed and unhindered to hit the mark of God’s glory.
As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man, .... Are shot out with great strength; come with much force, and do execution, and do not return in vain; with which men defend themselves, and annoy their enemies; see Jeremiah 50:9.
For the Lord is going to set the record straight once and for all in your life – surely, positively, and most definitely – you will be seen in 2018.
Strength will be your inner and outer garment, beauty and glory will be your crown of royalty, and peace and rest will be your most prized possession—your ammunition of defeat to keep standing in the place of blessed assurance and assertion.
Surely is a word the Lord wants YOU to have branded in your heart for 2018. Surely is something important within your spirit for the Lord is confirming clearly, precisely and confidently that you will be seen in 2018. Whether it is the job promotion, whether it is validation that you have been speaking truth, and confirmation that what you heard from the Lord is yes and amen!
Surely means: definitely, positively, absolutely, certainly, confidently, assuredly, and completely.
Surely, the Lord is in this place with you
Surely, He shall make it good for you – His child
Surely, He heard your cry
Surely, He has seen your afflictions
Surely, He will be with you
Surely, He will show Himself faithful and true
Surely, He will recover the loss
Surely, His goodness and mercy shall chase you down
Surely, His strength will be your right hand guard
Surely, His love will be recovered
Surely, He shall deliver you and set you free
Surely, He knows that it shall be well with your soul
Surely, you are His sons and daughters
Surely, your land will flow with milk and honey
Surely, He will give possession of His inheritance
Surely, positively, and most definitely – seen in 2018.
As God sees us clearly, He is affirming, recognizing, encouraging, and confirming who we are so that we can have a heart that loves more. Then we too can see others as He sees us. We become healed “burden bearers” so we can speak up and rise up like the prophet Micah who was seen and heard by God.
In this new season of 2018, God is calling for the Micah’s: “to do justly, and to love kindness and mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)
Micah was a man for justice in a time in Israel’s life where sin ran rampant with greed, corruption, and words of deception and confusion. It was a time of despising justice and honesty, a time when the nation turned their backs on God openly and arrogantly in order to pursue their own evil desires. Does this not sound vaguely familiar to our day in age?
Primarily, Micah proclaimed a message of God’s full character, which encompasses His mighty works and soars to the rich heights of God’s mercy. With Micah’s deep insight into God’s love and heart, he exposes the sins of society along with a clear disclosure of the character of the Sovereign One who will, through divine intervention, bring about both judgment on sinners and blessings on those who repent. He is driven to proclaim God’s Holy Word—not just part but the full counsel of God. Micah gave a balanced picture of both the justice and the love of God. Yes, God will indeed execute true justice on earth, and He will also pour out His mercy on all who truly follow Him.
God is calling YOU to stand in 2018 as Micah stood in his time and age to proclaim true justice and mercy through the greatest gift given—“repentance.” Heartfelt repentance is a gift from God. It is a constant reality of every true revival, both throughout culture and society but also personally with each individual. Since sin is the great separator between God and man, repentance is the great restorer. The Biblical message of repentance is the sword of the Spirit that brings salvation to the lost, maturity to the saints, and hope for a heaven sent revival. “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength” – Isaiah 30:15
God the Father is calling up the Micah’s in 2018 to walk in His justice, holiness and humbly before your Lord and God. Not to be influenced by our society and culture but to be the influencer of society and culture. Don’t let anything from your past define you. Like Micah put his hand to the plow and did not look back but moved forward instead with strength and determination to be obedient and faithful to God, you too can act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.
“You don’t nurse your anger and don’t stay angry long, for mercy is your specialty. That’s what you love most, and compassion is on its way to us. You’ll stamp out our wrongdoing. You will sink our sins to the bottom of the ocean. You’ll stay true to your word to Father Jacob and continue the compassion you showed Grandfather Abraham – from long time ago.”
– Micah 6:19-20 (The Message)
In Closing, Please Pray With Me:
Father, thank You for Your compassion and not condemnation. Thank You for Your forgiveness, your gift of repentance, and Your forgetfulness of our sins. You are full of mercy and love. So we receive in 2018 Your mantle of mercy and love, Your mantle of goodness and greatness, and Your mantle of blessing and favor. Lord, remove the pebbles in our shoes that keep away the “irritations” and “hindrances” in walking humbly before You.
Father, we want to arise and shine in 2018 according to Your promises—surely, positively, and most definitely, we will be seen in 2018—no longer hidden, no longer in the back corner, and no longer a silent partner but a child of the Most High God expanding, increasing, and flourishing in who You called us to be as highly favored and blessed sharing Your heart of justice and love with the hurting and wounded to fulfill Micah 6:8.
Surely, Lord, You are with me, and surely Lord, Your strength will be my right-hand guard. Surely, Lord, Your love will recover me in all areas so I can be a Micah to my family, my community, and my society.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- Mari Anne Andersen
Write Mari Anne with any thoughts, questions or comments you may have: marianne@freedomhouseministry.com
Taking My Sentimental Journey
Gonna take a sentimental journey, Gonna set my heart at ease, Gonna make a sentimental journey, To renew old memories. Who remembers this famous song sung by Doris Day with the Les Brown Band back in 1944? I’m sure many of us do:
JOURNEY
In these last few months, I have been taking my own sentimental/emotional journey with my mom, Rose Marie Borrelli, the Co-Founder of Freedom House, given the many events we’ve recently gone through. My sweet, loving and funny mother, who is now 86 years old, is someone that has brought life to me—literally. Yet I’m really talking about a spiritual legacy. Moreover, she has released life to so many others in these last 50 years of ministry—loving, serving, teaching, mentoring, and ministering to hundreds and even thousands. There is a rich legacy she is leaving me, my family, and so many she brought into the family of God. Note: No, she has not gone home to glory!!! Indeed she was close to death, more than once these last few months. These are my sentimental memories that have surfaced, due to my mother’s serious health issues, that I want to share with you. Many emotions, memories, and thoughts bubble up to the surface for all of us when a loved one is hurting, suffering, and maybe even coming to the end of their life.
With this season in her life, as well as my life and my family’s, I have begun to ponder more deeply many thoughts, questions, and memories about life—past, present and the future. Join me on my sentimental journey as I share our memories. I hope you will be blessed and encouraged, and also laugh and cry along with me.
LEGACY
This began as my mother and I commenced talking about the legacy she will be leaving behind. Her legacy is not of monetary worth. It’s a value that goes beyond anything riches can buy or hope to buy. She is leaving a spiritual generation that will grow on and on into the future—a heritage of eternal life. Funny thing about a legacy or a heritage: we will ALL leave one! The real question is “What type of legacy will we leave?”
Proverbs 13:22 “A good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children.” I deeply believe that is what my mother has done; she has and is leaving a legacy that is going beyond just me, her natural daughter. Here are some tidbits that I have read about a legacy, defined in contrast to our reputation so we don’t confuse the two:
- Your reputation is who you are supposed to be; your legacy is who you are.
- Your reputation is what you have when you come to a new community; your legacy is what you leave behind when you go.
- A reputation is made in a moment; a legacy is built in a lifetime.
- A single newspaper report or careless gossip can give you your reputation; but a life of toil gives you your legacy.
- Reputation is what men say about you on your tombstone; legacy is what your children will live with for the rest of their lives.
But you – keep your eye on what you’re doing; accept the hard times along with the good; keep the Message alive; do a thorough job as God’s servant. You take over. I’m about to die, my life an offering on God’s altar. This is the only race worth running. I’ve run hard right to the finish, believed all the way. All that is left now is the shouting – God’ applause! 2 Timothy 4:5-7 (The Message)
These powerful and unforgettable words from Paul, were made about his legacy as he pondered the end of his life: faithfulness, fighting the good fight, finishing the race, and keeping the faith. From a front row seat on my mom’s life, I can personally attest this is what she has been doing and is continuing to do. My mother, Rose Marie, too, has fought the good fight through many trials and tribulations, through the good and the hard times, the betrayals, and through her reputation being smeared because of her radical love for Jesus. Further like Paul, she has kept the faith in all the places in her family, her children, her health when cancer tried to take her life (20 years ago), her ministry, and in her home and for others she has led to the Lord and has nurtured and disciplined. I wholeheartedly believe when my mother is ready, and when God invites her to her eternal resting place – “His Place” – she is going to give out a loud shout . . . “I’m ready Lord! Here I come!” What she will hear is a thunderous roar of applause, God’s applause saying, “Yes, Rose Marie, is coming home to My place.”
CHOICES
Her legacy has been built over a lifetime of choices. We all are given these same opportunities to make choices on a daily basis. Again, the important question to ask ourselves is: “Are we making the right choices that will leave a legacy of standing in faithfulness and fighting the good fight of faith, and are we going to finish the race well?”
During these months as my mom was convalescing, we had lots of talks, and lots of sharing, really nothing new for us, but it felt new because of her state of health and thinking this may be the time the Lord is really calling her home. Getting things in order for her during this time, I found a big beautiful box filled with so many treasures: love letters from the 1940’s from my grandparents, letters from my mother and father when they were dating and through their marriage, and letters that my brothers and myself wrote my parents through our teen-age years. What a treasure trove of sentimental memories! In addition, there were Valentine cards from my dad to my mom and a beautiful fall, brown leaf that is perfectly in tack that my dad picked up to give my mom. And if that were not enough, I found my mom’s love poems for my dad. Sentimental memories, warm feelings, and cascading emotions where invading our hearts and bodies as I read these letters out loud for 4 hours to my mother! And I hadn’t even covered everything that was in the box!
I actually want to share some with you. Like I said, this is my sentimental journey during these last few months.
LETTERS
1945 – From my Maternal Grandfather, Willie, to my Maternal Grandmother, Rose
Dear Rose (my mom’s mother),
I am writing this letter from the guardhouse. Now take it easy! I am in the guardhouse not because I am a bad boy, but because I am on guard duty. Now do you feel better? Now, sweetheart, I have to go on guard in a few minutes—2 hours on and 4 off for 24 hours, so I will close with love to all. Daddy. P.S. Happy Birthday Rose Marie, with love and kisses.
Today is Sunday and all on my own with nothing to do but think of you and I sure do plenty of that. Rose I was dreaming of you last night. Rose, it was so nice of the kids to write to me. I was so happy that it brought tears to my eyes. Rose you just can’t believe how much I miss all of you.
Dear Rose, I got two letters from you today and did they make me feel good. I wonder if the love bug bit you, but I love it so go right ahead. Rose, I hope that your dream comes true. If it does, then I will whisper soft and sweet I love you truly. My heart grows strong for you. I will be thinking of you when I look at the stars above. They will be the spark that fixes my heart and keeps the love light burning for you. I am going over and mail this letter then go to the PX and get a few beers and think of you some more. That is the only thing I like to do. Give all my love to the kids and a big kiss. Will see you in my dreams. Love, Willie
So many letters from my maternal grandfather and grandmother! When I hold them, read them, feel the paper, see my grandparents handwriting, see the ink blots, it all profoundly and deeply moves me.
A poem from my Mom, Rose Marie, to my Dad, James – March, 1954:
The Borrelli Ship
You are the captain of “our ship”
The skipper with a smile.
And I am just your “first-class mate”
Who’ll make your life worthwhile.
The voyage that our ship will make
Across the stormy sea
May be a mass of cruel waves
But that’s not frightening me.
As long as you will master
The sail at any rate,
I’m confident that I can be
Your ever-loving mate.
Together… hand in hand we’ll stand
Upon the deck of life.
When you are my “Captain” husband
And I … your first-class wife.
Let’s leave the world behind us
And sail across the sea.
Let’s be together always
Alone … just you and me.
Love Notes from my Mom, Rose Marie, to my Dad, James – 1954:
Jimmy,
I’ve been in prison all day because the thing I longed for most I was barred from—your kisses. Love, Ro
Love Notes from my dad, James, to my mom, Rose Marie – 1954:
A Valentine Message to Rose Marie, I love you—just three little words, and yet, how much they hold of dreams from deep within my heart. Of happiness untold, of many cherished hopes and plans for both of us to share . . .
I love you, Jimmy
Darling, Honey, Sweetheart,
These leaves (perfectly preserved) come from the country. One of them means that I am happy that I met you and others mean that I am happy I married you.
I love you, JB
Dear Rose Marie,
You’ll always be part of me, Sweetheart. The love that is ours will keep forever and ever.
Love, Jimmy
MEMORIES
To have these precious, romantic treasures has allowed me to journey back in time with my grandparents and parents—to be able to feel the love, joy, excitement, romance, and wonder of their beginning years. Also, included in the box were several letters from them covering their times of great struggle, pain, and hardships. These were words of anguish, but even in that, there was bittersweet beauty because they were so real with their losses, their hurts and genuine pain, which was expressed as well as confessed.
What can we say about memories as we all have them? Memories are a gift, even the difficult ones, because they lead us to a place of searching, seeking, and surrendering to our Lord for His healing and sovereignty. Our memories allow us to see our life wholly from 360o, to look back and to claim—from a more seasoned perspective—that what seemed good was actually amazingly good. You would not be the person you have become, with the values you hold and the qualities you emanate without these amazing, wonderful, loving people in your past—your grandparents and parents. Maybe they were like angels. (Maybe there were angels!?)
We can also say that memory is a gift. Memory gives us a window to God. God is timeless. Our memory gives us a glimpse into how God sees and knows us, how God has loved us all along. Memory makes us whole because life actually is not linear. Life encircles us. God’s gift of life encircles us, and we participate in that circle with the gift of our memories. We can draw from our memories the gift of gratitude. Savor your memories; pray with gratitude for the amazing, even miraculous goodness of your life, stretching back to your own childhood.
THE GIFT OF REDEMPTION
Lastly, draw from your memories the gift of redemption. There may well be things in your past that you wish were otherwise: things said or not said and things done or left undone. Some of the regret may have been your own doing; some of the regret may be at hands of others, and it may be saddening or maddening. Redemption is reclaiming a memory. Redemption is clearly remembering what was not good, not right, and yet acknowledging, where it’s possible, that what was your breaking may actually have become your making. Where you find yourself now has most likely come out of the best of times and the worst of times in your own life. It is a huge grace to reclaim memories, especially those which may have been locked up in old closets of your heart and mind, locked up in that attic with letters of the good, the bad, and the ugly. The gift of redemption draws from the treasury of our own memories, claiming the good that has even come out of the bad. This certainly confirms God’s Word in Romans 8:28 and Joel 2:25.
I pray that you may be open to those locked-up places in your memory. God just may want to give you the gift of redemption in those hidden places of your past.
I pray that each one of you may also take your sentimental journey into your memory bank and ask the Lord to release those times that brought great joy, a smile to your face, or a filling of warmth in your heart. We sometimes focus on all the hurtful, painful, and awful memories but through my own healing journey, the Lord prompted me to be praying for the good memories that I had forgotten and/or were lost in the hurtful ones that created some bad fruit in my life. This is moving to and living out of the resurrection side of the Cross.
God is good—He is good ALL the time! When we pray and seek His heart to show us the good in our lives, He is eager, quick, and ready to release those places and times of the good things that took place: the special neighbor, the teacher who took time to explain, the Aunt who just loved to bake our favorite cookies, the grandmother who would love up on us and gave the best hugs, and those birthdays where we received exactly what we had hoped for. My friends, ask the Lord to release those times of memories and celebrate those events with thanksgiving and gratefulness. Who knows? You may come into more happy memories of the past and, therefore, become more joyous in the present.
REDEEMING LOVE
Thank you for joining me on my sentimental journey—my journey home—to my roots, my heritage! The last stanza of that famous song rings true: Never thought my heart could be so 'yearny,' Why did I decide to roam? Gotta take that sentimental journey, Sentimental journey home. Yes, we all roam from our family of origin, but especially from our Heavenly Father. As our thoughts of the legacy we are leaving draws us home, let’s remember that Father God also draws us to Himself with His redeeming love. He is able to make all things new in our earthly families and able to redeem our tattered legacy, no matter what stage of life we are in. Finally, as described in John 14:1-3, our ultimate Heavenly Home, our true heritage, is being prepared especially for us!
Remember, my dear ones, God is a God of mercy and His mercy is always there—ready and able—and mercy always triumphs over judgment.
Father, release that merciful heart that is so big within You and pour it over each one so that they can have remembrances of Your mercy, Your goodness, Your faithfulness, Your steadfastness, and Your countless ways of love and mercy even in the midst of the hard times.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- Mari Anne Andersen
Write Mari Anne with any thoughts, questions or comments you may have: marianne@freedomhouseministry.com
From Grave Clothes to White Robes
He has risen
He has risen and His glorious Light, Love and Truth surrounds you with His wonderful, majestic covenantal promises. The resurrection has changed everything: from grave clothes to white robes of righteousness. The Resurrection has changed everything in our lives as sons and daughters of the Most High God.
The Incomparable Christ rescued us and has drawn us to Himself from the dominion of darkness, and has transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom WE have redemption (because of His sacrifice, resulting in) the forgiveness of our sins (and the cancellation of sins penalty).
- Colossians 1:13-14 (Amp)
What an astonishing and amazing rescue mission! Jesus apprehended death for His sons and daughters. Jesus the Nazarene, Jesus the Beloved Son, conquered, defeated, and triumphed over death—the grave could not hold him, death could not conquer Him. He rose up on the third day. This is overwhelming news of joy that we are dressed with clothes of salvation and draped in a robe of righteousness. The resurrection secured our victory over death and lifted us up from the grave into glory with Christ and we sit with Him in the heavenly realms. The resurrection changed everything: from grave clothes to white robes of righteousness.
In victory
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Resurrected One, declared heaven’s triumph and victory over the power of sin and death. This is our blessed assurance that we can have forgiveness from all our sins and that the cross was heaven’s triumph and victory. It was also Satan’s defeat, so the grave clothes of sin and death, isolation and loneliness, despair and shame were forever demolished. The Eternal One changed everything for us and it tells the world that the kingdom of God is ruled by the only true King of kings and Lord of lords.
For He is the first and the last, and the Living one; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore.
- Revelation 1:17-18
The resurrection changed everything: from grave clothes to white robes.
Our Father, the giver of life, raised Jesus from the dead to certify and guarantee our forgiveness, to unchain us from the bondage of sin, and to deliver us from its power of death and hell. The risen Redeemer now guarantees that we are forgiven and free to reign and rule here and in the life to come wearing righteous robes of our justification and sanctification full of life, purity, dignity, hope, and fellowship. Now every sin and all its shame and pain are forever gone because they are buried in an empty tomb—the grave of God’s forgetfulness. He remembers our sin no more. Jesus, our Risen Savior, is alive. The resurrection changed everything: from the grave clothes to the white robes of righteousness.
That blessed assurance of Jesus’ resurrection can transform our lives in every way and in everyday. We can live empowered, sanctioned, and enabled lives because His love is upon us and He has delivered us and set us on high. He positions Himself as a strong tower from our enemies and He shelters us with songs of deliverance. Being His sons and daughters, God has sent forth the Spirit of His resurrected Son, Jesus, into our hearts to strengthen us, to help and uphold us with His right Hand of righteousness. We have God’s Spirit inside of us. The resurrection changed everything: from the grave clothes to the robes of righteousness.
This is good news
My friends, such good news! The resurrected Jesus, changed everything for us so we can be certain of a future of hope here and now as well of a future in heaven for all eternity dressed in white robes of righteousness:
they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.
- Revelation 3:4b
He is saying to you, my friends,
“Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”
- Matthew 25:34
Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.
- Luke 12:32
You are those who have stood by Me in My trials; and just as My Father has granted Me a kingdom, I grant you
- Luke 22:28-29
But just as it is written (in Scripture) Things which the eye has not seen and the ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him (who hold Him in affectionate reverence, who obey Him, and who gratefully recognize the benefits that He has bestowed).
- 1 Corinthians 2:9-10
And [I pray] that the eyes of your heart [the very center and core of your being] may be enlightened [flooded with light by the Holy Spirit], so that you will know and cherish the hope [the divine guarantee, the confident expectation] to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints (God’s people).
- Ephesians 1:18 (Amp)
HE HAS RISEN AND HIS RESURRECTION CHANGED EVERYTHING!
- Mari Anne Andersen
Write Mari Anne with any thoughts, questions or comments you may have: marianne@freedomhouseministry.com
"Shall We Dance"
Shall we Dance reminds me of a very significant and life-changing time for me 41 years ago (wow)! 1976 was a time when Rocky became a hit, when Robert De Niro famously said, “ You talkin to me?,” and Jimmy Carter was on the cover of Time magazine as Man of the Year. Apple Computer was formed by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak and the first computer was sold for $666.66 (interesting). VHS was released and the ink-jet printer was invented. My have we come a long way!
That year on New Year’s Eve 1976, I was watching the classic Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in Shall We Dance, (one of their many movies that night). I remember how in sync they were as a team dancing. Every step, every beat, and every movement was something of beauty and harmony. Their partnership and trust was very obvious and evident along with their enjoyment of dancing right into our hearts (or at least mine). As they danced they mirrored each other’s steps, they knew when to lead and when to follow, and they knew the beat and rhythm, making it look effortless and painless, as well as allowing the other person to look good. Ginger Rogers once said, “We weren’t born Siamese twins, but sometimes you’d think we were.”
For Astaire and Rogers dancing wasn’t just about the right steps or music; it was the perfect combination of moving with your heart, hearing the melodies in your spirit and releasing yourself to risk the steps in motion and, of course, intentionally positioning yourself to learn, grow, and develop. Their dance routines where truly a work of art in motion; they swept across the dance floor with such elegance, grace, and beauty. It was once said by Martha Graham, “Dance is the hidden language of the soul.”
Crossroads
So getting back to 1976, New Year Eve’s the turning point in my life, at 17 years old I wanted something different in my life, something more and something substantially real. I was at a crossroads in my life, desperately needing more meaning and truth. As 12 o’clock midnight approached, I remember getting two champagne glasses and a bottle of champagne. At the stroke of midnight I raised my glass to the Lord, and invited Him to be my date that night and the rest of my life. That New Year’s Eve night I felt the Heavenly Father offering His Hand to me and asking – “Shall We Dance?” From that night forward, I have been in the Father’s arms learning the music of His love, learning and leaning in His ways of surrender and trust, and hearing the rhythm and tempo of His Truth.
Throughout these years there have been many trials and errors, many clumsy steps, mishaps and even at times, feeling awkward and out of step. The Holy Spirit wanted to lead me one way and I wanted to go the other way. Metaphorically speaking there have been sore muscles, many stubbed toes and many tears, feelings of wanting to give-up because the pain seemed unbearable, and feelings of awkwardness in my own skin. I didn’t know my ability and capability yet in the Lord; I didn’t recognize my true self—who the Lord made me to be with my identity and individuality. I wanted to find my own unique and distinctive style and personality according to God’s original design. I so desired to cultivate a renewed mind awakened by His truth according to how He sees me.
The Dance of Life
As I continued to grow and heal, I felt it was becoming easier to surrender and trust my Dancing Partner—My Heavenly Father. Consequently, through the Holy Spirit’s guidance His ways of truth and love were giving me new movements to dance in life, a reservoir of hope, which ignited my little mustard seed of faith to truly grasp the reality of the indwelling Christ. It was thrilling and exhilarating as I danced with the Heavenly Father because I didn’t focus on missed steps, mistakes, or off beats; however, I started to feel the rhythm of His music of His heart towards me.
God told them, "I've never quit loving you and never will. Expect love, love, and more love! And so now I'll start over with you and build you up again, dear virgin Israel. You'll resume your singing, grabbing tambourines and joining the dance. …” (Jeremiah 31:3b-4 The Message)
As the Dance of Life continued, I felt the Holy Spirit’s compassion, His non-judgmental corrections, and His ability to be sincerely patient and encouraging. I was beginning to learn my own unique style and was learning who I was with and in the Holy Spirit as my Instructor, Teacher, and Tutor. The Dance of Life was starting to become more enjoyable, more familiar to me and the gift of Christ gave me greater dimensions of grace and defined my individual value. The Dance of Life was always moving but the transitioning became smoother and easier to accept new steps, new rhythms which lead into new expressions of creativity. I also began learning the art of being flexible (I’m still learning this) and bendable so when the Teacher gives me instructions or directions and tells me to rethink or redo something, I can restfully yield to the fact He has my best interest at heart. I dared to risk new adventures of the Dance because I am safe in the arms of His love.
Will You Take This Dance?
My question to you, do you want to dance a new Dance with your Heavenly Father? Do you desire to be held in His arms of love, His arms of strength and safety? Do you long for enjoyment in this Dance of Life? Please know my dear friend, He’s inviting you to Dance with Him, He is presenting Himself to you and He is saying, “Shall We Dance the Dance of Life together?” Don’t hold back; don’t be afraid to step out with your Heavenly Father, for you will be pleasantly surprised with how comfortable you will fit in His arms. He longs to romance you with His love, His joy, His strength, and His leading. He is wanting to introduce to you a brand new way of living life and it’s through the Dance of His Spirit, because His love kindles faith and faith opens the horizon to explore love’s mystery; it’s the work of the Holy Spirit to guide, to lead us to the top, and then move aside to let us see the tremendous beauty of who we are in Him. His Divine intimacy is what we are all longing for—The romance of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I leave you with this scripture which sums it up beautifully:
From the Shadows to the Substance
My counsel for you is simple and straightforward: Just go ahead with what you’ve been given.
You received Jesus Christ, the Master; now live him. You’re deeply rooted in him. You’re well constructed upon him. You know your way around the faith. Now do what you’ve been taught.
School’s out; quit studying the subject and start living it! And let your living spill over into thanksgiving.
- Colossians 2:6-7, MSG
A Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
I thank you for the very moment when you called me to follow You. You called me by Your grace into a whole new sphere of living. Help me Lord to realize this new sphere isn’t a new place to live BUT a new WAY to live. Help me Lord, to join You in this Dance of Life, trusting, surrendering and celebrating life with You. Father, let me praise Your name in dance. Father, strike up the band of Heaven and let us make great music and harmony together on this side of eternity.
In Jesus Name. Amen!
- Mari Anne Andersen
Write Mari Anne Andersen with any thoughts, questions or comments you may have: marianne@freedomhouseministry.net
Reflections on “Healing Our Children’s Hearts” – January 2017 Event
Having parents is not optional. Neither is being a child. That is the basic relationship of all human existence—parent to child and child to parent. Yet how do we navigate that relationship in a sinful world where we as parents wound our children—sin against them—and where we as children wound our parents—sin against them? How can parents stop the sowing and reaping of woundedness—sins against their children—that result in bitter root judgment and inner vow responses to pain, which eventually impact their adult children’s lives in such negative and destructive ways?
Healing Our Children's Hearts
Sitting and listening to Mark and Maureen Sandford for an afternoon turned our hearts to our children in a new way. All 65 of us in attendance began to realize that we could be different parents to our children no matter how long we had been parents, rather than being a wounded replica of the perhaps domineering, emotionally absent, hurting parents we had had. What an exciting time it was to attend “Healing Our Children’s Hearts” event in January 2017!
We journeyed with Mark Sandford, Spiritual Director of Elijah House Ministries, in Coeur D Alene, Idaho, and his wife Maureen as they led us into a child’s world and heart to understand who they are and what those tiny hearts really need from mom and dad.
To start with, Mark shared how as parents they decided to get vulnerable before their children—to share their own hurts and wounds from growing up. They explained that often when things in their family went wrong it was due to those unhealed events in their lives. This helped release their children from guilt, feeling the family troubles were their fault. Next, they were even able to apologize to their three children for where they had behaved wrongly and had hurt them. Amazingly, the Sandords were able to share their own wounded pasts and then apologize in ways that their kids did not feel they had to become a mommy or a daddy to their poor, victimized, and wounded parents. What a gift!
Open Lines of Communication
As a result of sharing their own struggles, the children were able to open up and talk about themselves. Then, the Sandfords realized that children don’t often have the words to communicate their difficult emotions—the anger, grief, or fear that is deep inside. So they began giving their kids a vocabulary to describe their own emotions so as parents they could hear what was in their hearts. As parents, Mark and Maureen learned to validate their children’s feelings rather than correct or criticize how they felt. In this way, the children were able to be who they really were by sharing their emotions, not just trying to please their parents through burying their feelings and being the good little kids or only saying what mom and dad wanted to hear.
Finally, in a sweeping teaching on Jacob’s life from Genesis 27 through 33, Mark explained how Jacob had to strive to receive the blessing. Even though his father Isaac did bless Jacob, it was a stolen blessing and that blessing did not tell Jacob who he really was. So he lived out of an inner vow: “I have to make it happen so that I get the blessing.” Thus, Jacob lived a life of swindling others until he met “a man” who truly blessed him in Genesis 32; he met God face to face and was told: “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed." Later in life as an old man, Jacob was able to bless each of his children in Genesis 48 and 49, telling them their true identity apart from wounds so that they could live out their life’s destiny. This is the amazing Hebrew blessing that we as parents can learn to give our children—telling them who they are, not just nice encouraging words. (This continues in Israel today, as parents bestow the blessing on their children throughout their lives.)
Save the Date - Apr 29th
This was a thrilling event, which gave us new insights into our own hearts as parents and new eyes and ears to see and hear the hearts of our children. However, we scarcely scratched the surface, covering only the four topics of apologizing, emotions, inner vows, and giving the blessing. There are actually nine topics in the DVD series on this subject that the Sandfords have created.
How to fully replicate healing our children’s hearts in greater depth in our own families and relationships with our children is a emphasis still to be explored. So in April we will be bringing Part 2 of this important teaching: It’s Not Too Late: A Deeper Experience of Healing Our Children’s Hearts. Time will be allowed for practicums.
Testimonies
From some of our attendants:
This event brought to my mind regrettable situations of raising my children. For example, I realized I didn’t comfort them when they needed comfort, believing a lie that they had to toughen up. So they were left emotionally abandoned. I can only say that this “Healing Our Children’s Hearts” teaching is so important for younger and middle-aged parents to avoid wounding their children, and to also repair emotional damage already done. It’s really not too late!
- Ray L
The "Healing Our Children's Hearts" event was helpful to me as a parent because I felt encouraged by Mark and Maureen as they shared openly their own unique journey as parents to their children. They inspired me to be more proactive about caring for my children's hearts--spiritually, emotionally, and psychologically--by taking extra efforts to ask questions, to pray with them and to hold/hug them, instead of passively letting our busy agenda dominate our daily lives. I would encourage all parents and grandparents to come to the April event to be ministered to by their loving and spirit-filled teachings.
- Gloria L
Excellent seminar about the hearts of children! The words we say, the things we do all affect the heart. I wish I would have understood this when I was raising my own children. Yet it’s not too late because I now have a grandson, his wife, and great granddaughter living with me—and soon to be another dear great grandchild joining us in March. Much healing needs to be done in their hearts and by the grace of God, He will bring it to pass, and hopefully I can be a part of that healing using what I’ve learned.
- Camilla M
I am familiar with Mark Sandfords's teachings already, but this teaching on Healing Our Children's Hearts really gave me and my husband hope. We didn't get saved until after our children were adults, so we made a lot of mistakes and felt hopeless. Mark gave very specific ways we need to still parent our children no matter how old they are. He explained how to make restitution to heal our children's hearts. I will be going to the follow up event in April and would recommend all parents to go. It is good to hear these truths again and again so we can change our thought patterns and beliefs according to God's word.
- Vickie F
We hope you will be able to join us on April 29th. Save the date and watch for more information soon.
- Dorie Lorden, MSW
The Empire Strikes Back: May the True Force be with You in 2017
May the Force be with you...
...as we enter into a new galaxy in 2017. The Force of goodness that pursues and runs after truth, wisdom and honesty. The Force of goodness that promotes peace, justice, and godliness. The Force of goodness which releases insight, virtue, and common sense in which glory will accompany us on the road of righteousness and right standing. The Force who created all things. The Force that surrounds us and binds all the galaxies together.
As I was praying and seeking God’s word for 2017, I immediately heard the Lord say, “The Empire Strikes Back.” Now I need to explain that I have never seen any of the Star Wars movies! I’m almost 60 years old and have never been intrigued or interested in watching any of these movies. However, being that the Lord spoke this word to me (much to my opposition to sci-fi) I realized that I needed to watch The Empire Strikes Back. Many of you know, Star Wars is about the epic battle of good versus evil using lightsabers and laserblasters, as well as training in the way of the Jedi, with Luke Skywalker. In The Empire Strikes Back, Luke goes in search of the best of the best, Master Yoda, for his training
Luke encounters the Master Yoda and Luke is trying to use the Force to raise his Starfighter, (Luke’s ship) which he does at first, but then fails. Luke states, “I can’t believe it.” Yoda replies, “That is why you fail.” “I can’t. It’s too big. Hear Yoda’s response: “Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you? Hmm. Hmph! And well you should not for my ally is the Force. And a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us, binds us. You must feel the Force around you – here, between you and me, the tree, the rock, everywhere! Yes! Even between land and the ship. As Luke walks away, he says, “You want the impossible” – “I don’t …I don’t believe.”
Very interesting because what Yoda is saying is how important belief is for action. When Luke didn’t believe he could raise his ship, he indeed could not. When Yoda did believe, he could! Luke doubted, and as a result failed. This comes right down to “faith vs. doubt” and how it affects our ability to do incredible things for God.
Let’s see what Jesus has to say in Matthew 17:19-20:
“Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not drive it out?" And He said to them, "Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.” (NASB)
If it is God’s will – then nothing will be impossible for you (Luke 1:37).
New in 2017
With that being said, this is what I sense the Father is saying as we all enter a “New Galaxy—a New Sphere, in 2017—no longer just routine as usual.” No, indeed it’s a year of embarking into new ways of thinking, new ways of investing time, money, and energy. It’s a new year of moving into new places that will cause you to depend heavily and mightily on the true Force—The Master Creator, Father God, and Comforter, His Holy Spirit—in leading you into new galaxies and new frontiers. There will be no “random” connections, only “divine” realities, no “intruding” invaders but friendly interveners.
Moreover, this year is going to be a year that will release a new enlightenment in your walk with the Lord. Revelations will be released in quantum and dramatic ways, great challenges with great encounters in order for us to enter into new “galaxies” which will shift your territories. Father is saying this is the year, the time to learn, grow, and seek out intentionally and purposefully in being trained by the best of the best—the Master—The Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is encouraging YOU to accept your destiny, to discover your ultimate fate, which will center on the importance of choosing allegiances and loyalties in the only one true God. Seek out His wisdom, His Spirit for it’s His wisdom and Spirit that is calling out to you.
This is Wisdom calling out and asking YOU to listen carefully:
“Now then, my children, listen to me;
blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Listen to my instruction and be wise;
do not disregard it.
34 Blessed are those who listen to me,
watching daily at my doors,
waiting at my doorway.
35 For those who find me find life
and receive favor from the Lord. (Proverbs 8:32-35 NIV)
Where is your allegiance?
We need to ask ourselves: Where does my allegiance and loyalty lie? Does my allegiance lie in my own understandings? Does it lie with the Republicans or Democrats? Does my allegiance lie with my bank account or my job? Does it lie in some false worldly Force? If it does lie with any of those, then for sure you will have doubt just like Luke Skywalker did.
Being it’s a New Year, and in some ways a new country with new political leaders, we are all at a new crossing in our life. We all stand at the brink of a fresh life, ready to start new beginnings in 2017, not just following the same old routines. Or are we standing at the ruins of life, knowing we have to start over? For some we are ready to build or perhaps to rebuild. But where do we start with a new beginning, with building, or rebuilding? Someone has to be there to assist us in putting it all together in 2017, in the right order, in the right way, at the right time, in the right direction or else a year from now we will end up back at the same spot!
Just as Yoda was there to assist and guide Luke, there is one that is waiting, ready, and willing to assist you in this new galaxy in 2017 - THE HOLY SPIRIT! He is THE ONLY One who can empower, enable, enlighten, endow, enforce, enlarge, enhance, emancipate, and enrich YOU and YOUR life with divine wisdom and biblical blueprints in living in this New Year and in your mission in the New Galaxy in 2017. We all have new missions and adventures to explore and to step into. There will be major choices and decisions that you will need to take action on. You will not have the luxury of waiting and pondering; you will need to know what the Spirit is saying then and there. God has commissioned you and you have a mission with which to interact. Our allegiance and loyalty must lie with Him.
However, tensions will come as they did with Luke, who felt he was strong enough to defeat the enemy when he met him. If there is hatred, bitterness, resentments, envy, or pride lurking and lingering in your heart, you will move into areas alone as Luke did. Luke’s own battle grows within himself as he flirts with the “dark side” and escaping responsibility in the name of good. Thus, Luke became the very enemy he sought to destroy. Luke is no longer just a hero seeking to thwart evil; he is in danger of becoming evil himself.
The Spirit of Wisdom
Father is saying: Stop flirting with your pet sins, stop rehearsing your pain, stop enjoying your pity parties, and stop endangering yourself and those around you. Open your eyes so you can step into the Light. Drop your laserblasters—your self-protections—and pick up the sword of truth, the Word of God, and see what Wisdom says from the Spirit of the Living God. Read, listen, and study His blueprints and as you do that, your life will result in a beautifully built life, and not just a scrap heap of so many warped days and weathered years.
Father God’s Spirit of Wisdom is saying:
“I am Lady Wisdom, and I live next to Sanity;
Knowledge and Discretion live just down the street.
The Fear-of-God means hating Evil,
whose ways I hate with a passion—
pride and arrogance and crooked talk.
Good counsel and common sense are my characteristics;
I am both Insight and the Virtue to live it out.
With my help, leaders rule,
and lawmakers legislate fairly;
With my help, governors govern,
along with all in legitimate authority.
I love those who love me;
those who look for me find me.
Wealth and Glory accompany me—
also substantial Honor and a Good Name.
My benefits are worth more than a big salary, even a very big salary;
the returns on me exceed any imaginable bonus.
You can find me on Righteous Road—that’s where I walk—
at the intersection of Justice Avenue,
Handing out life to those who love me,
filling their arms with life—armloads of life!” (Proverbs 8:12-21 MSG)
Father God’s Spirit of Wisdom is a Master Worker shaping something beautiful in your life out of raw materials day by day. Day after day the Spirit of the Living God is joyfully applauding and affirming you to place your faith and trust in His Company and to delight and celebrate in His truths and ways. This is the year that the Holy Spirit wants you to strategically and purposefully abandon yourself into His ways, into His heart and life, so you will know and see that life is not an awful problem filled with doubt and uncertainty but a playful adventure to be lived with Him—the Master Worker and Creator.
Please pray with me:
Father God, Master Creator, and Giver of truth, I thank You that you didn’t leave me alone to sort out things in my life without instructions or without someone to come alongside to help me put everything together. Sweet Holy Spirit, I embrace more of You in my every waking and sleeping moments and thank You for all the ways You help me turn the blueprints for my life into a beautiful well-built building, sturdy and strong and sure.
Thank You, Holy Spirit, that I am a work in progress and that You are overseeing all the ins and outs of my life from every minor detail to every major one in every stage and step. You, Holy Spirit, are my firm foundation, and I can rest in You because You have my very best in Your hands for 2017. Thank You, Holy Spirit, that You are the TRUE and ONE and ONLY Force that is with me leading me and guiding me into all good things in this New Year.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- Mari Anne Andersen
Write Mari Anne Andersen with any thoughts, questions or comments you may have: marianne@freedomhouseministry.net
Trumpets, Pitchers and Torches
Do you have a situation in life that you desperately need to see victory? Do you feel you're fumbling around in the darkness longing to know all will be well? Do you feel impoverished emotionally, physically, spiritually or financially? That the enemy has the upper hand in your life that things are swarming around you?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, dear friends, I pray that through the power of His Spirit, He will place in your hand a TRUMPET, a PITCHER and a TORCH.
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For Gideon and the Israelites (Judges 6 - 8) their hour was dark and desperate, and it was a time when the enemy was ruling over them. Their country was continually invaded for seven long years: their land was literally stripped bare of crops and animals. They were overwhelmed by an enemy too great for them to defeat. Granted, the Israelites had problems with sin and their stubborn, stiff-necked ways. They were only reaping what they had sown, continuously living in a state of distress because they did not want to adhere, submit or surrender to their only true God - they did it their way and the results was bearing very bad fruit.
Gideon was hiding in a dark winepress, feeling fear and always looking over his shoulder, threshing wheat in secret to protect it and himself from the Midiantes. How has the enemy kept you in the dark winepress of your life through sinful self-protections? Do you feel you have places in your life that you are a coward or compromising truth by hiding?
The love of our Father God came to Gideon even in his state of cowardice.
The Angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, "The Lord is with you, you mighty man of (fearless) courage." And Gideon said to him, "O sir, if the Lord is with us, why is all this befallen us? And where are all His wondrous works?" The Lord turned to him, and said, "Go in this your might, and you shall save Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?" Gideon said to Him, "Oh, Lord, how can I deliver Israel? I am poor and I am the least in my father's house."
- Judges 6:12-15 (emphasis added)
This actually reminds me of Moses when God appeared to him on Mount Sinai and said to him, "Go to Pharaoh and tell him to let my people go." Moses refused 4 times because feelings of fear, unbelief, and insignificance, as well asThis actually reminds me of Moses when God appeared to him on Mount Sinai and said to him, "Go to Pharaoh and tell him to let my people go." Moses refused 4 times because feelings of fear, unbelief, and insignificance, as well as feeling "dumb." He said, "O Lord, I am not eloquent or a man of words. For I am slow of speech, and have a heavy and awkward tongue." Ex. 4:10
How many of us refuse God, His encounters as well as His love and power to defeat the enemies of our lives, because we feel insignificant, unimportant or full of shame?
May we take up our trumpet, pitcher and torch to defeat the enemy in those areas where he has stolen from us and improvised us. RISE UP YOU MIGHTY VALIANT WARRIOR - and know that "I will surely be with YOU, and YOU shall smite the enemy down as one man."
That is good news - because God is calling you to enlist into His army and it only takes one - YOU, to respond to His call.
The Israelites were saved from their oppression when they cried out to the one true God for help. God gave very specific instructions to fight this overwhelming enemy and it came down to just 300 men, all just carrying a trumpet, pitcher and torch - that's all it took - oh - and one more thing of importance - OBEDIENCE.
A trumpet is used to herald important news - to warn of impending danger. Sound your trumpet and let it be heard all through the enemy's camp that you are coming to take back your land, to take back what the enemy has stolen. This is the trumpet of decision to deal with our problems.
The pitcher was to create a great distraction, to be smashed and pulverized into many pieces - all were to do it at the same time creating great waves of thunder to accomplish confusion in the camp. What do you need to smash into pieces? What habitual structure do you have that needs to be pulverized? feeling "dumb." He said, "O Lord, I am not eloquent or a man of words. For I am slow of speech, and have a heavy and awkward tongue." Ex. 4:10
The torch represented His Light – to be personified into the darkness of sin and evil. With the torch of light in our hands we are no longer hidden in the dark places of our shame, pain, and sin. Father God will help us as we hold the torch to overcome our weakness. For in Him there is NO darkness.
And then as in Judges 7:12, what the men did was, “they each STOOD in their place.” God is saying to each of us, “Do not back away, do not sit down but stand, remain, and maintain in YOUR position to face your enemy, your giant.” Be pro-active in His army and YOU can see your deliverance at hand.
Gideon and his men stood blowing their trumpets, dropping their pitchers, waving their torches and shouting, “The sword for the Lord!”
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My prayer for each one of us is that we can rise up like Gideon and encounter our Lord, that we will be filled with courage, having ears to hear the Lord, even if it is seemingly ridiculous, to have a fearless heart to advance into those areas of our lives that keep us in poverty. Grab hold of your trumpet, pitcher and torch and let’s go.
- Mari Anne Andersen
Write Mari Anne Andersen with any thoughts, questions or comments you may have: marianne@freedomhouseministry.net
Promises, Promises That’s All I Ever Get…and Then Came Christmas!
What comes to your mind or heart when you hear the word “promises?” Have you ever had a promise made to you that was never kept or have you ever made a promise that was impossible to keep and to fulfill? Of course, you and I both have experienced broken promises on both ends of the promise. That’s why, famous country pop turned gospel singer, Lynn Anderson’s song back in 1968 was such a hit: Promises, promises, that's all I ever get, that's all I ever get. Promises, promises, that's all I get. All you gave me since the day we met. You break my heart in two again I'll bet. But promises, promises, that's all I ever get, that's all I ever get. We’ve all been let down in life, and we’ve let other people down, too.
AND then comes Christmas! Do you know that there are very specific Christmas promises that God made for us? Let’s look at some of these glorious and wondrous Christmas promises that He made just for you and me. The Mighty God has pledged troth, vowed and made a covenant for you and for me—our Christmas promises! He always, always keeps His promises.
For to us a child is born. To us a son is given; and the government will be on his shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, on the throne of David, and on his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from that time on, even forever. The zeal of Yahweh of Armies will perform this. (Isaiah 9:6-7)
“For to us a child is born. To us a son is given; and the government will be on his shoulders.” Just think—Yahweh would raise up a child, a newborn no less, to deliver his people to establish peace, justice, and righteousness! Now that is a promise to behold! “His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” This child would become a man Who would fulfill the promise of these four amazing names, which express the essential character of this new, coming King and what He will do for me and for you.
- The Promise of a WONDERFUL COUNSELOR: The child will be a wise Counselor, the divine Counselor that will guide, counsel, and direct His people in times of distress and anguish. This Wonderful Counselor loves His people enough to become involved in their everyday lives and situations no matter how small or no matter how big. How many of us need a Wonderful Counselor in this season of our lives? How many of us need hope for our future, directions into our Promised Land, and His Blessed Assurance of His abiding Presence? Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:6)
- The Promise of a MIGHTY GOD: He is filled with Godly power to lead faithfully. His power will protect us against the fiery darts of Satan and even our own foolish minds. Our Mighty God has the power to preserve when strength fails, when promises aren’t kept, when all seems too overwhelming or too impossible. Further, He will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19) The Mighty God has the power to provide, power to heal, the power to deliver, and the power to release freedom. Isn’t this the kind of leader we are looking for and hoping for in today’s world but can never truly find outside of our great, Mighty God?
- The Promise of an EVERLASTING FATHER: Our earthly fathers (including father-figures such as kings) live and reign for only a period of time, and then they are gone. This child will become a father whose reign will last forever. The promise of an Everlasting Father is one who loves us unconditionally, totally, and unreservedly, a Father who is always, permanently and constantly there. The Everlasting Father will usher in great joy, great love, and great hope as our Kingly Protector. Don’t we all need a Father like this since in most cases this Everlasting Father is so unlike our own, fallible father that we had growing up? Isn’t He like the true Father that we always have longed for? What a comforting promise!
- The Promise of a PRINCE OF PEACE: This Prince offers Peace, wonderful peace that rains into all the areas of our lives, our minds, and our hearts, that comes when all seemingly looks lost or destroyed in our circumstances and situations. His perfect peace is given to us as our Christmas Promise, as an anchor to hold onto when we are in fear, in distress, and tossed to and fro from pain, disappointment, betrayal, and broken promises. In Jesus Christ, we see eternity revealed. The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever. Isn’t this Peace something—no SOMEONE—we are all longing for in this uncertain, tentative, and faltering world?
So you’re not getting empty promises this Christmas. You’re getting God’s faithful promise of a Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peach in your life! Hold these Christmas promises near and dear to your heart, believing that these characteristics of our Savior Jesus Christ are YOUR Christmas Promises to unwrap and take great delight in. These are promises that you can definitely count on!
The promises that Jesus Christ has given to us at Freedom House are based upon this promised character of the Christ-Child who is born at Christmas:
- We counsel through the Wonderful Counselor’s guidance.
- We rely on the Mighty God who has the power to heal every area of our temporal lives.
- The Everlasting Father is the good daddy who will be with us forever.
- And through the Prince of Peace, we will know His quietness and confidence in our everyday lives.
Freedom House continues to operate under our specific mandates and promises that the Lord has released to us. We want to share a brief update with amazing outcomes of those promises in 2016:
- We are to Proclaim Liberty to those who are spiritually imprisoned, to heal the brokenhearted, and to comfort those who grieve:
He has extended our reach to minister to more hurting people in Chicagoland, but also in faraway places like, Dubai, Norway, Canada, England, Washington, New York, and California via Skype. - Through the promise of Releasing Destiny, we empower believers to go forth in their gifts and talents doing good works, which the heavenly Father prepared in advance for His sons and daughters:
28 students are in our Course 201 and 202 classes this School year and are indeed flourishing as they discover their God-given gifts, purpose, and design, which is the ultimate goal of prayer ministry. - The promise of Harvesting Humanity, which releases His children into being mature sons and daughters for the great-end time harvest as the Body of Christ taking its rightful place in the Kingdom is manifesting:
More people are stepping up into leadership roles: 7 Small Group Leaders and 3 Shadows in our Schools and 5 more Counselors on our website ready to do prayer counseling ministry.
We at Freedom House thank you for allowing us to fulfill these mandates and promises, which were given to us by Jesus Christ—the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. We are blessed by the privilege and honor we have as we hold your hearts close while walking through your healing and promises. Freedom House says thank you faithful friends, wounded warriors, and our brothers and sisters in Christ.
As we approach the end of 2016, we humbly ask if you would donate a love gift to Freedom House that will help us to reach more people, to help us continue to fulfill our mandates and promises, and to release more of the captives that are hurt, empty, and in need of healing. We are living in challenging times financially so that Freedom House is being stretched in many directions while God our Father is doing great NEW things as well as DIFFERENT things.
We need your help, our brothers and sisters, to achieve what He is calling us to do. I would personally like to ask you to prayerfully consider blessing Freedom House this December with one of the biggest donations you have ever given, as we end 2016 and go into the New Year, 2017.
May God our Father bless you, heal you, and release you into YOUR fullness this coming New Year. May our Holy Spirit rekindle and refresh YOUR promises that you have been given for your life and for your loved ones. Remember: God loves to answer our prayers as well as seeing His promises being released through His matchless character revealed in Jesus’ coming at Christmas.
Merry Christmas and a Very Blessed New Year!
Thankfully and Prayerfully,
- Mari Anne Andersen
Write Mari Anne Andersen with any thoughts, questions or comments you may have: marianne@freedomhouseministry.net
Are You Slow to Grow?
Do you feel that at times you are slow to grow into what God has for you? Do you feel spiritually immature and not established in your walk with Christ? Why do some Christians not grow, as they would like to? Do you have a desire to grow deeper into God’s ways but don’t know where to begin? Would you call yourself a spiritual baby or a spiritual giant? Have you checked yourself lately to see if you have grown more in the ways of God or are you actually slow to grow up in Him? Do you feel spiritually weak or spiritually strong like Jesus?
If we saw one of our family members not growing and having difficulty in maturing and developing we would quickly whisk them off to the doctors. We would want to find out why they were not growing and developing towards the physical functions appropriate to their age. As we grow and develop and become adults, we are encouraged to have an annual physical examination, which is a source of reassurance that we are growing healthfully and towards a well-fit maturity.
Why do we think it would be different spiritually speaking? Paul states in Ephesians Chapter 4:1-2 from The Message: “to get out there and walk – better yet, run! – on the road God called you to travel. He doesn’t want any one sitting around on their hands and he doesn’t want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere.”
“Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.” - Ephesians 4:14-15 (NIV)
The Message states these verses in this way:
“No prolonged infancies among us, please. We’ll not tolerate babes in the woods, small children who are an easy mark for impostors. God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love – like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do. He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love.”
Well, I have the perfect prescription just for YOU! This is my personal prescription designed and intended for you, my dear friends. This prescription will give you greater strength, greater endurance, and greater stamina to increase and intensify growth, maturity, and development . . . it’s likened to spiritual steroids.
DOCTORS URGENT CARE ASSOCIATES
FREEDOM HOUSE MINISTRY
DIVINE SPIRITUAL CLINIC
SPIRITUAL CARDIOVASCULAR ASSOCIATES
Tommy & Mari Anne Andersen
Primary Care Provider: Jesus Christ
Open 7 days/week, 24 hours/day
Rx Course 201 School - no substitute or generics
Course 202 School - no substitute or generics
FHM – 708-6567-3658 for questions
Refills: 1x a month – Second Saturdays – September, 2016 thru May, 2017 (excluding Dec)
What Can You Expect By Taking This Course?
This prescription (Course 201 or 202) will help you discover spiritual answers to many searching questions about life, God, and yourself. It will give you clues to why you think, feel, and act the way you do. These schools will bring you into wholeness through true change and will help you break through long-standing areas of your life. Your Primary Care Provider—Jesus Christ—wants to equip you with greater vision and hope for the future . . . to take you into a deeper, more exciting and fulfilling love relationship with Him . . . and to prepare, empower, and release you into a new anointing of maturity.
With each lesson, you will gain understanding, be given principles of healing, and begin the healing process. Because we are dealing with the hearts of people, the school can, at times, be very intense. Personal responses to teaching and small group interaction may include, but are certainly not limited to, some of the following: expression of anger, prejudices and resentments; apprehension; anxiety; insomnia; depression; dissociation; etc. Because of time restraints and group process, all of your personal life issues will not be dealt with during the course of the school, but some healing will happen. This is a life-long process. We simply give you the tools to further your healing, restore your relationships, and minister to others. Many seek further ministry once the school is complete. If you feel there are already significant life issues that need to be addressed, prayer ministry or counseling prior to your enrollment in the school is advisable and always beneficial.
Vision and Purpose For Course 201 & 202 Schools:
In prayerfully planned, instructional, and ministry settings, we will impart keys of knowledge, opening the heart to receive truth and renewing the mind, that result in life transformation through Christ. Led by the Holy Spirit, we are co-workers with Christ, working to restore broken and hurting hearts, reconciling relationships. In keeping with the Elijah House mission, our vision for the Schools is to equip, encourage, and release Ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:18 – 20), who will pick up His mantle and continue His mission of restoration and healing.
Sign up for an upcoming course:
Course 201 School
Course 202 School
Write Mari Anne Andersen with any thoughts, questions or comments you may have,
to write her an e-mail click here: marianne@freedomhouseministry.net