Thank YOU Lord for A Brand New Mercies Morning…More than a Birthday Party

 In the hospital May 2013

 Celebrating my Birthday September 09, 2013

 My friends and siblings in spirit Minister Angela Hawkins and Minister Travis Dennis

Angela is a wonderful woman of God ....with so many gifts and talents . But it is her loving spirit I thank God most for; her taking time out of her busy schedule to celebrate my birthday was a beautiful gift.

Travis is my Big little brother in spirit; a young man who loves the Lord and His people. He is a kind and considerate play brother and loves his big sis. Angela and I had a wonderful time with him (when he was not working - the manager at the restaurant) discussing how good God Is!

Good God Sunday Morning –Praise

Walter Hawkins Love Alive IV/"Thank You" Part 1

http://youtu.be/0r9JpTvKxFM

Holy Scripture

Lamentations 3:22-23 (KJV)

 It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.

 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

I want to extend a special thank you to my dear friends: Minister Laura Henderson; her husband Brother Howard Henderson, and their grandson Brother K’Cee Freeman who were truly a blessing during my illness.  I thank God for Laura, a friend for over 25 years, insisting that day to take me to the emergency room. Even though I kept insisting all I needed was a doctor’s visit so I could go to work later that day. My plans were to go to work, after first driving my own self to the doctor. It’s funny now because Laura wanted to call an ambulance, and I was looking at her like are you crazy, asking her” How much will that cost”? I thank God for giving her patience, my poor sister Laura was dealing with a crazy lady, me, lol. Folks I was so sick and weak Laura had to help me dress. I told you a crazy lady!

 Now some people tend to think I can be stubborn but I was driven, guys please understand I only had a few more weeks before summer break. It had been the Lord and me for so long in this struggle. He had finally granted me some financial relief and I just didn’t want to let Him down; my employers, my students down. I wanted to be a good steward over what He had so graciously given me. I was determined to finish my assignment, see my students perform and I’ll be honest, get paid!  For months I had been pushing, and the struggle was getting harder with each day.  It was the power of God who woke and raised me up each morning and kept me all through the day and sent angels to watch over me at night. My body was weak and my mind weary but under His power I was reaching goals and struggling on.  I know it was the Lord who kept me and I just want to say openly Thank You Lord for ALL You’ve Done for me and Thank You  for those you sent to see about me.

To Prophetess Lindsey and Mother Pennywell; Katrice, Deborah, Dottie,  Pastor Susan,  Minister Angela,  Evangelist Barbara thank you; to “all” my family, friends and church families who checked on me daily and prayed for me, God bless you.   To the doctors, nurses, specialists and hospital staff, thank you.

People of God I was blessed in so many ways.  Living is a learning process each day, so is dying. And truth be told, though I didn’t want to be seriously ill, “now” I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything in the world. My God Jehovah Shammah was always there, attentive to my needs. We’ve, my heavenly Father and I, have always had an intimate relationship since early childhood. The Holy Spirit, my constant friend, and I have had a multitude of conversations about a multitude of things, but this was different. This particular time the counseling, the visions shown and words spoken were those given to a mature daughter! One who had now grown wise enough, experienced life enough to understand fully the whys and why- not's in His directing and re-directing my life’s journey. “For the LORD chastens whom he loves and delights in, even as a father to his son.”

Oh course I didn’t want to be ill but it set my priorities back in correct order.  It brought back to the center of attention why we all are allotted the grace to be on this earth. We can get so caught up in the daily struggle of the prize we miss the mark.  Laying there I realized the struggles I had gone through were small in comparison to the hurt, shame and pain I was feeling. 

“Whoever watches the wind will not plant;
whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.”
-Ecclesiastes 11:4

 You see sometime I tend to get complacent, I guess we all do at times. Hey the book after years of struggle was finally out, I just wanted to rest. The pain, hurt, grief, hardships and yes even anger finally gone after many months of struggle…REST! Folks have you ever had to gather up the strength to struggle just to struggle? That was what I had been doing for a long time, burning the candles at both ends. So before going on to the next level which I knew required struggle I wanted to just rest a little while longer. But my while took a little too long.

I was so glad the struggles weren’t as hard as they had been for many months; I just wanted to rest, no breathe in it for a moment. Now listen I didn’t say work, I said struggle, cause I was still working hard. I just wanted to take a breather from the struggle. I was still going to church in fact doing much more in the church. I was still learning how to work in the literary genre.  I was blessed to be employed; while praying everywhere I went. In fact I was preaching and praying for others in my hospital bed, BUT I was not finishing yet another assignment*.

I kid you not,  as I laid in that hospital room there was also the purging and the pulling… but still I honestly wouldn’t ask for changes in my Father’s will ,the way He corrected me.  Proverbs 3:12 For whom the Lord loves he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives. (Hebrew12:6)  

Sometimes we all need   a chastening. In this race to the finish line, we’ll drop the baton if we are not chastened, or start looking over in the bleachers instead of at the mark if we are not chastened. If we do not keep focused on what our required and assigned duties are we may trip over another’s feet, even our own feet can get in our way. We can catch  ourselves running over here to get this done and that done  until all our time is spent running and not completing “our” tasks asked by our heavenly Father . Take it from me there’s no pain like the wrenching repenting when you love the Lord and believe you may be leaving this world before finishing your God -given personal assignments. Wrenching repenting pain that’s the only way I know how to describe it, though it still doesn’t seem descriptive enough. I knew I was forgiven, that one day I would see my Father’s face, but I would be standing with shame, standing there only because of His charity. Standing there, yet not quite finished with all the Good Father had asked me to do.  

As my body was healed I found more spiritual healing, and I got the rest I had needed for so long. I was even able to go back to work for the summer session and then visit my hometown in August*. I was so grateful to God I got to see my family and friends one more time. And I Just Want to Thank the Lord!

So you see folks this year this birthday was more than just another birthday party! Thank You Jesus!

• Next Good God Sunday Morning – “Returning Home and to the Sea; a pictorial memoir”

Reclaiming and embracing the God-given gifts of Creativity

Prophetess Sandra Dukes-AWSD

ANOINTED WORKS SANCTIFIED DESTINIES

AWSDGroup.com

 (Copy and Paste link- case sensitive)

OR

http://anointedworkssanctifieddestinies.ning.com/

Closing

"THANK YOU LORD!", Bishop Walter Hawkins & Bishop Yvette Flunder

http://youtu.be/wqu6gU2A7fU