LIGHT OF THE WORLD

A Short Story About Christmas Miracles

When a man faces the potential loss of everything, the fires in his heart are rekindled and his passion becomes a beacon for others. The story of how it all happens is nothing less than a miracle.

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Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:14&16 KJV)

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MY SECRET NOBAKE COOKIES RECIPE

If I’m invited to a party with friends or family, you can bet my culinary contribution will be nobake cookies… and most of the time, it’s by their request.

I suspect my recipe is one of the best available, and the frequent requests for it only confirm my suspicions. But my recipe didn’t come easy. That’s for sure!! I can’t begin to count how many times I tried to make these cookies and failed. It seemed like either they never set up or turned to dust when handled. After coming to terms with my cookie inadequacies, I resolved to create the perfect nobake recipe. For about a month, I made several batches a day, with each one having a slight variation from the previous. (You’re probably remembering now that I’m a scientist, and I assure you that during this time I spent in the kitchen, you could accurately include the adjective “mad”.) Because diligence produces results, eventually I had what I considered to be the best recipe for the cookies, and now I’d like to share it with you.

Enjoy!

• 2 cups sugar
• ¼ cup cocoa (I use Hershey’s)
• ¼ cup condensed milk (I use Carnation)
• ¼ cup skim milk
• ½ cup (i.e., 1 stick) margarine (I use Parkay)
• ¾ cup peanut butter (I use Jif creamy)
• 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract (NOT imitation)
• 3 cups oats (I use Quaker Old Fashion that are freshly opened because stale oats make chewy cookies)

Bring sugar, cocoa, milk, and margarine to a boil while constantly stirring. As soon as the mixture is at a full and rolling boil, count off 75 seconds while continuing to stir. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter. Once mixture is smooth, stir in vanilla extract, then add oats. Stir well and drop onto foil in desired cookie size. Cookies should set up in less than 5 minutes.

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Here’s my best estimation of the nutrition for 1 cookie (1/24th of batch).

Calories - 178

Total fat - 8 g

  Saturated fat - 1 g

  Polyunsaturated fat - 1 g

  Monosaturated fat - 1 g

  Trans fat - 1 g

Cholesterol - 1 mg

Total carbohydrates - 26 g

  Fiber - 2 g

  Sugars - 17 g

Sodium - 81 mg

Potassium - 12 mg

Protein - 3 g

Vitamin A - 2%

Vitamin C - 0%

Calcium - 1%

Iron - 3%

SUPERHEROES

I recently watched the Dr. Strange movie about a regular guy who discovered the superhero inside himself and that was called for a divine purpose. While superhero stories like this one are prevalent in Hollywood, they are nearly extinct in Christianity. In today’s society, so many Christians live beneath their potential and are drowning in a pit of defeat, instead of using their God-given superpowers to rescue others from a dark and dying world. (And yes… Christians have superpowers, in case you thought you read that incorrectly.) It’s time for many Christians to stop being victims and assume the role of superhero they are destined to be.

To activate the superhero in you, read the following list of declarations out loud and with confidence (the Bible says in Romans 10:17 that faith comes by hearing). Do this every day until it permanently becomes part of who you are.

(If you have never accepted Christ as your Savior, then please look over the list below and realize the awesomeness that is waiting for you when you decide to take that step.)

WHO I AM

I belong to the Kingdom of God. 

• I am not my own. (1 Corinthians 6:19)
• I am a chosen. (1 Peter 2:9)
• I am greatly loved by God. (John 3:16 and Galatians 2:20)
• God loved me even when I was a sinner and sent Christ to die for me. (Romans 5:8)
• I was purchased by God and bought with the price of Christ’s blood. (1 Corinthians 6:20)
• I have been adopted into the family of God. (Ephesians 1:5)
• I am a child of God. (John 1:12 and Galatians 3:26, 4:6)
• I am a member of the body of Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:27)
• I am one of God’s people. (1 Peter 2:9-10)
• I am an heir of the Lord. (Romans 8:17)
• I submit myself to the Lord. (James 4:7) 

I am redeemed, forgiven, restored, delivered, and healed.

• Through Christ, I have redemption and forgiveness of my sins. (Ephesians 1:7-8 and Colossians 1:14)
• Through Jesus, I am reconciled back to God. (Romans 5:11)
• My sins are forgiven. (1 John 1:9)
• I have been granted mercy and I receive it. (1 Peter 2:9-10)
• The Lord lavishes me with His grace. (Ephesians 1:7-8)
• I am no longer dead in trespasses and sin. (Ephesians 2:1)
• I am born again. (John 3:5-7)
• I am saved through my faith in Jesus. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
• Through Christ’s death, I have been made holy and blameless before the Lord. (Colossians 1:22)
• I have been delivered from the domain of darkness and transferred into the Kingdom of God. (Colossians 1:13)
• I have been set free from sin and am a slave unto righteousness. (Romans 6:18)
• There is NO condemnation for me. (Romans 8:1)
• My healing has already been made certain at the cross and resurrection. (1 Peter 2:24)
• Jesus came to give me life and to have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)

I am a new creation.

• The old me before Christ is dead. (Colossians 3:3) 
• I am a new creature and my old self has passed away. (2 Corinthians 5:17) 
• I have been reborn — not of blood or flesh, or of the will of man, but born of God. (John 1:12-13)
• Because I believe in Jesus, I will not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
• I am a new man/woman created and clothed in the righteousness of God. (Ephesians 4:24 and Isaiah 61:10)
• I have become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
• I am a royal priest. (1 Peter 2:9)
• I am a child of light. (1 Thessalonians 5:5)
• I am a friend of God. (John 15:15)
• I am sealed by God and have the Holy Spirit in my heart as a guarantee. (2 Corinthians 1:22)
• I am holy and beloved. (Colossians 3:12)
• I am sanctified in the truth of His Word. (John 17:17)
• I choose to be sober-minded. (1 Peter 5:8)
• I choose to think of myself with sober judgement. (Romans 12:3)
• I have a compassionate heart full of kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. (Colossians 3:12)
• I know the truth, and it has set me free. (John 8:32)
• I have peace with God. (Romans 5:1)

I HAVE SUPERPOWERS

I have supernatural power.

• My body is a temple for the Lord so that He may dwell in me. (1 Corinthians 3:16) 
• The Lord has put His spirit in me. (Ezekiel 36:26-27)
• Christ lives in me. (Galatians 2:20)
• He who is in me (the Lord) is greater the he who is in the earth (the devil). (1 John 4:4)
• I receive power through the Holy Spirit. (Acts 1:8)
• I am one in spirit with the Lord. (1 Corinthians 6:17)
• I carry the seal of the Holy Spirit. (2 Corinthians 1:22)

I have supernatural gifts and anointings.

• I have many supernatural gifts from the Lord. (1 Corinthians 12)
• I am anointed by God. (2 Corinthians 1:21)
• God has granted me His promises and I receive them. (2 Peter 1:4)
• I have scripture to teach, correct, and train me. (2 Timothy 3:16)
• The Lord will tell me great and hidden things. (Jeremiah 33:3)
• I see the glory of God when I believe. (John 11:40)
• The Lord supplies my every need. (Philippians 4:19)
• I can discern the good and perfect will of the Lord. (Romans 12:2)
• I have been given the gift of eternal life. (Romans 6:23)
• My citizenship is in Heaven. (Philippians 3:20)

I have a supernatural body and character.

• I am fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:14)
• I have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:16)
• I put on the armor of God so that I can stand against the schemes of the devil. I have a belt of truth, a breastplate of righteousness, feet fitted with the gospel of peace, a shield of faith, a helmet of salvation, and a sword of the Spirit. (Ephesians 6:10-17)
• The Lord has removed my heart of stone and given me a new heart. (Ezekiel 36:26-27)
• The peace of God guards my heart and mind. (Philippians 4:6-7)
• I am a spirit being living in a body made of earthly materials. (Genesis 2:7)

I have the supernatural power of communication.

• I have personal access to the Lord in Heaven. (Ephesians 2:18)
• When I call to the Lord, He answers me. (Jeremiah 33:3)
• The Lord will NEVER leave me or forsake me. (Hebrews 13:5)
• I can approach the throne with confidence where I can find mercy and grace. (Hebrews 4:16)
• I have a seat in heavenly places with Christ. (Ephesians 2:6)
• If I ask according to His will, He hears me. (1 John 5:14-15)
• The Lord hears my voice. (Psalm 5:3)

I have the supernatural power to overcome.

• I will not perish. (1 Peter 1:23)
• I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)
• I can and choose to escape corruption and sinful desires. (2 Peter 1:4)
• I have the ability to stop sinning. (1 John 5:18)
• I choose to stop grieving the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 4:30)
• I do NOT have a spirit of fear. (2 Timothy 1:7)
• I have power, love, and self-control. (2 Timothy 1:7)
• I purge my conscience of dead works. (Hebrews 9:14)
• I choose to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which try to wage war on me. (1 Peter 2:11)
• I choose to not be anxious about anything, but in everything be prayerful and thankful. (Philippians 4:6-7)
• I choose to keep the Lord’s commandments, and therefore abide in His perfect love. (John 15:10)
• I set my mind on the things of the spirit and not of flesh. (Romans 8:1-39)
• I am NOT conformed to this world, but I am transformed by the renewal of my mind each day. (Romans 12:2)
• I am MORE than a conqueror. (Romans 8:37)

I have supernatural power over my domain.

• I have authority over the earth, including every creature that moves on the ground and every bird in the air and fish in the sea. (Genesis 1:28 and Genesis 9:2)
• I can reign in this earth. (Revelations 5:9-10)
• I have authority over evil spirits and can cast them out and heal every kind of disease and sickness. (Matthew 10:1)
• When I resist the devil, he flees from me. (James 4:7)
• Whatever I ask in the name of Jesus will be given to me by the Father. (John 15:16)
• I can speak life and cause dead situations to come alive. (Ezekiel 37)
• I can heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, and cast out demons. (Matthew 10:8)
• I can lay hands on the sick and they will recover. (Mark 16:18)
• God is for me, so who could be against me? (Romans 8:31)
• Jesus said that I can perform even greater miracles than He did while on earth. (John 14:12)

I HAVE A PURPOSE TO FULFILL

I have a purpose.

• I am the Lord’s workmanship that was created for good works, which God prepared for me long ago. (Ephesians 2:10)
• The Lord knitted me together in my mother’s womb. (Psalm 139:13)
• I am called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)
• God has good plans for me — to give me hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)
• God has begun a good work in me and will bring it to completion. (Philippians 1:6)
• The Lord chose and appointed me so that I can go and bear fruit. (John 15:16)
• To me, Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. (John 14:6)
• I live by faith. (Galatians 2:20)
• I love the Lord and as such all things work together for my good. (Romans 8:28)

I am to be active in the battle of good versus evil.

• I am a warrior in the battle of good and evil. (Ephesians 6:12)
• I live for the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:15)
• I am a doer of the Word of God and not just a hearer. (James 1:22)
• I am NOT overcome with evil, but I overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:21)

I am to further the Kingdom to which I belong.

• I am God’s fellow worker. (1 Corinthians 3:9)
• I work to increase and multiple the Kingdom. (Genesis 1:28)
• I am called to be a saint. (1 Corinthians 1:2)
• I choose to abide in the Lord’s vine and bear much fruit for Him. (John 15:1-5)
• I, myself, am a disciple and I also disciple others. (Matthew 28:19-20)
• I am always ready to give a testimony of the hope I have in the Lord. (1 Peter 3:15)
• As I go throughout the earth, I proclaim the gospel to every living being. (Mark 16:15)

I am to be an example of Christ to others.

• I am an ambassador for Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:20)
• I choose to walk in a manner worthy of the calling God has placed on my life. (Ephesians 4:1)
• I have been raised up to demonstrate His power and proclaim His name throughout the earth. (Exodus 9:16)
• I choose to be a good steward of God’s grace to others. (1 Peter 4:10)
• I choose to forgive others as God has forgiven me. (Matthew 6:14-15 and Colossians 3:13)
• I choose to follow Jesus and be a light in this dark world. (John 8:12)
• I am a light of the world, and like a city on a hill, my light cannot be hidden. (Matthew 5:14)
• I choose to shine my light before others so that they may see the Lord and give glory to Him. (Matthew 5:16)
• I am the salt of the earth. (Matthew 5:13)
• I choose to walk according to the spirt and not by my flesh. (Romans 8:1-39)
• I choose to be the aroma of Christ to those who are perishing. (2 Corinthians 2:15)

AMEN!!!

Deep Calls to Deep

I found myself standing toe-to-toe with the dreadful and life-stealing “C” word. The very same word and type that attacked my grandpa and eventually took the life of my uncle. Not only had multiple clinicians felt its lump in my abdomen—a lump that had been causing me pain for the past several months and could be visibly seen by looking at my belly—but also, it had shown its face in my colon on a recent CT scan.  And with a size of 5.4 cm (about the size of an egg), it meant business.

Images from my CT scan. Notice the mass in my colon as indicated by the red outlines.

 

Although I’ve always had great faith, my foundation shook with the implications of this battle and the potential losing consequences (like having half of my colon removed and all the other horrible outcomes a frantic internet search can reveal). Right when I needed it most, the Lord reached down in the middle of my weakness and inoculated me with a fresh portion of faith. I was going through my electronic medical records trying to find the results of the current CT scan when I stumbled across results from another battle with the “C” word a year and a half ago. While in all appearances, it seemed that I had lost some ground in that particular battle (I had to have a hysterectomy because of an orange-size tumor in my uterus), turns out when they removed my uterus, the tumor was already gone. You can read about this amazing story in my previous blog The Devil Comes to Steal, Kill, and Destroy. Just knowing that God had healed me from the “C” word once before was all I needed to take down this generational giant before me now.

After gathering a small group of prayer warriors, my husband, daughter, and I went to war. Practicing what I preach, I fought just like I explain how in my short book Subject Your Flesh. For a whole week, I made constant healing proclamations, declared scriptures over myself, commanded my body to come under subjection to my God-given authority over it, and rebuked the disease and doubt.  I did all of this out loud and not in my mind so that my own ears (and the devil’s) would hear it. After all, the Bible says that faith comes by hearing.

The big day finally arrived. It was time to obtain biopsies of the mass so that we would know what type and stage we were dealing with and how much of my colon would have to be removed. Yes, I was a bit apprehensive, but I had a peace that I cannot even begin to explain. When I woke up from the colonoscopy, all I can remember is someone leaning over my bed, telling me they couldn’t find anything. I immediately broke into sobs and thanked Jesus. God had miraculously healed me once again, and I intended to praise Him for it no matter who was listening.

Photos from my colonoscopy of the spot where the mass was seen on the CT scan. Notice there is NO tumor and the tissue is healthy looking with NO indications of its previous presence whatsoever.

As all of this amazing story transpired, I often used the scripture about deep calling to deep. The spirit deep inside me called out for the deep things of God and petitioned for healing in the deep parts of my body. Every time that doubt came creeping around, I would say aloud “deep calls to deep,” as my heart attempted to dial up the Lord’s. Although I used this scripture a lot (like a gazillion times), I told no one. However, the Lord knew, and He sent me two different people who said they saw a vision of a great wall of water ready to wash over me. I immediately knew what God was confirming through them. When the enemy came in like a flood, the Lord rose up like a tsunami. He took what was meant for my harm and used it for my good. And when my heart cried out to His, His waves swept over me, washing away all my iniquity and cleansing me. When my deep called out to His deep, He answered with healing.

Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; 

all your waves and breakers have swept over me. 

Psalm 42:7 NIV

The Devil Comes to Steal, Kill, and Destroy

Spring of 2015, an ultrasound showed an orange-sized fibroid tumor growing inside my uterus. The news dropped my family and me to our knees in prayer, asking and believing for a divine healing. Eventually the day of my scheduled hysterectomy arrived, and in all appearances, our prayers seemed to have been defeated. After the surgery, we received good news that everything was normal, but my husband and I continued to question why I was never healed. We just couldn’t understand.

Fast forward to Fall of 2016. While digging around in my electronic medical records, I stumbled across the pathology report for my hysterectomy. I never expected to find what I did. Right there, written in black and white, it said that no fibroids were present!

Each time I reread the words, I became increasingly aware of the healing miracle in my body, and waves of indescribable gratitude washed over me. Even now, my heart still swells with intense thankfulness every time I think about it. The Lord had answered our prayers, despite how things appeared.

This revelation, however, also flooded my spirit with righteous anger. For over a year, the devil had managed to lie to us. (How dare he!!!) But even worse…

• The devil tried to steal the glory for the event.  He took credit for a defeat (which was actually false) and robbed God of the glory for the divine healing.
• The devil tried to kill our faith, to convince us that prayers don’t really work—especially the ones involving miracles for ourselves.
•  The devil tried to destroy my opportunity to have a life-changing testimony that could increase faith for others going through tough or uncertain times.

I say, no more!! And next time, I’m not falling for the deception.

If you are facing a difficult or even deadly situation, please know that everything isn’t always as it seems. God is working on your behalf whether you see it or not, and don’t let the devil convince you otherwise. Always remember that Jesus came so that you might have life, and that you might have it more abundantly.

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy:
I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

John 10:10 KJV

Plumb Line

Early one day, I kept hearing the words plumb line in my mind and spirit. Later that day during a powerful worship meeting led by Brian and Heather May, the Lord revealed the fullness of the message to me. Following is what I received.


In Amos 7:8, the Lord says that He will set a plumb line among the people. A plumb is a small, heavy object, that when attached to a string, is a tool used to determine whether something (such as a wall) is perfectly vertical.  In scripture, a plumb line is a symbolic standard, against which, God will measure, test, and judge us.

In a busy world of people focused on many things including love, money, success, and social media, the spiritual plumb line may go unnoticed like the following one I saw in a vision during the meeting.

In the next verse of Amos 7, the Lord says that the high places will be destroyed. Now is the time to decide which side of the plumb line you will choose. Will you be found above it or beneath it?

I’ve always heard the scripture about the way to life being narrow (Matthew 7:14), but the Lord showed me a new dimension of it. The narrow way is a life lived in reverence to the Lord, below the plumb line. 

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Ever wonder what Christian science fiction looks like? Here's your chance to find out!

The stories of the Bible from an alien perspective, Renewable Energy explores the purpose of life and how to get a second chance at it while being caught in the middle of a great battle for “soular” energy.

Renewable Energy is available in print and e-book. The audiobook is coming soon.

Click here to buy on Amazon

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MORNING GLORIES

Read Morning Glories along with two other short stories as part of

When You Go Looking: Three Short Stories About Finding Purpose, Renewal, and Mercy

Click here to read on Amazon Kindle

The characters in these Christian short stories find what they are looking for in the most unusual places.

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489: a short story about unforgiveness

Unforgiveness plagues the world today, so I created a short story to deliver a fast message about the importance of forgiveness. Instead of reading for several days, folks can consume this story in about an hour. 

Loaded with plot twists and surprises, this short story delivers a powerful message about forgiveness and how our life affects other people, even those we don’t know.

The book is available in print, ebook, and audiobook form. Click here to purchase. 

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