You are Invited!

Hi, its been a while since I've posted on here, I know. Sorry about that--- BUT--- I have been working on a new online Bible study. And, we have just recently launched it on facebook in a closed group! But, now it has its OWN blog so anyone can join in. And the best thing is? Its FREE!

Walking Through His Word, Free Online Bible Study

Have you ever just felt like there was much you were missing while reading your Bible, because you had a hard time understanding Scripture (especially from the Old Testament)? Have you ever wanted to be involved in a Bible study with a teacher willing to help you with your studies, but maybe couldn't find one, or couldn't afford it?

This whole series (and this online study) is based on a verse that has struck Kassie to the core, and has been a driving desire in her from God. The verse is in Acts chapter 8.

But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, "Get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is a desert road.) So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship, and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join this chariot." Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?"  And he said, "Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. (Acts 8:26-31 NASB) 

Notice how the man tells Phillip (when asked if he understood what he was reading), "How could I, unless someone guides me?". This man needed someone to teach him, to come along side of him and help him. And that's what we want to do here in this study, from this series. 

In this online study, we are going to be looking at (and digging deeper into) God's Word Book by Book, chapter by chapter. 

Questions are welcomed, and will be replied to. 

This does come from published series, and we encourage you to consider ordering the commentary and its companion notebooks, because they will be very beneficial during this journey. And Kassie is offering a series discount if you let her know you are signed up for this study, and purchase all three books. However, it is not required. There will be enough free materials offered, that you will still be able to following along. But, as you get further into the study (and if it is blessing you) and you decided you would like to see the full commentary, just let her know.  

_________________________

2 Timothy 2:15 says: Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth (NASB). In other words "study diligently..." So at the end of each Book study, we are offering an open book quiz for you to take (should you desire), to show yourself "approved." If you score a 70 or above, we will email you a certificate of completion (with Kassie's signature) that you can print out and put with your studies, or in an album. We will email you the certificate for free, but for $2.50, we will mail you "an official" full colored certificate.

In this study, we will be giving "reading assignments" that include a portion of the Old Testament, and of the New Testament. However, the actual study lessons will be divided between the OT and NT. You are not required to do both at the same time and you can pick which one you would like to focus on first (and of course you CAN do both if you would like). 

This is a total self-paced study, so you can determine how many lessons you would like to do in a week. Also, we've had several women sign up for our closed women's study group (on facebook) at different times. And that is totally ok! So, don't think you are to late to begin! We provide a "how to get started and a study checklist" for you to go by. 

So, if this sounds interesting to you, if you are willing to put on some hiking boots, and journey along with us as we walk through His Word while digging deeper, we would LOVE to have you!

Hope to see you there soon!

https://walkingthroughhiswordbiblestudy.blogspot.com

Walking Through Our Grief and the Valley of Death

Hello, So I wanted to share a lesson God has really been showing me and laying on my heart recently; it is the word "through"... 

In Ps. 23 it says "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death..." And if you notice, it's not where it says "He makes me lie down..." He lays us down in green pastures, so in other words... During the valley of death, He gives us comfort... But He brings us through and He even makes a table for us in the presence of those who are working against us.

Another place is in Isa. 43 it says "when we walk through the waters, the rivers the fires..." He is with us. But, notice we still have to walk through it! 

When the Israelites came to the Red Sea... And then the Jordan River... They had to walk through the pathway God had made for them. So again, THROUGH! 

He doesn't expect us to live and lay down in our grief. He expects us to go through it (with Him) so that we can get back to living and glorify Him, and sharing our story of comfort He gave us, so we can extend it and help others. But, in the process, we have to let go of our grief (and our hurt) and start living again... Otherwise, we are just laying down in the wrong place... And this allows the enemy to rob us of the healing and the future He would have for us. What we allow affects more than just us... When we lay down and accept the grief it consumes us. And then it's all we know, and we start seeing those who are here to help us stand up again and start walking as the enemy.

I hope you have a wonderful day,

Kassie

And In Our Hope

TODAY IN HIS WORD COMES FROM

(Romans 5:1-5 NKJV)

Therefore, having been justified by faith,

we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand,

and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.  And not only that,

but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured

out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

THOUGHT TO PONDER:

It is in our hope, because of the love God has poured out in our hearts, that we may not be disappointed. Why? Because when we were yet still sinners, Jesus came and died on the cross, taking our sins upon Him and freeing us. Showing us that all is NOT lost, that we may still have hope for something better.

TODAY’S INSIGHT INTO HIS WORD:

God is our HOPE, and without hope a person cannot survive. When a person cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel they can become discouraged, they must have hope that there is indeed an end to what they cannot see. When we are going through storms in our lives, when it seems as if our whole life is turning upside down; God reaches down and fill us with hope. And it is through this hope that we can preserve. Do you know why? Because God is faithful.

My friend when God gives you a promise, then know that He is mighty and more than able to see it through. God's will shall be done, and nothing can take out of His hand that which is His. When He gives us His Word, He will not stop until it comes forth-- no matter what the enemy does or anyone else says. So we can have hope in what He tells us. And this hope He gives us will not be in vain-- when it is all said and done, when the storm is over and the dust has settled; each of us will be able to look back and see that the LORD carried us through; that the LORD did what He said He would do, and we will not be disappointed. (If we do our part and believe Him and stand in faith.)

Our faith in the one who calls us will not be put to shame, no matter what the circumstances look like. The Holy Spirit, God inside of us, pours out His love for us, into our very hearts, strengthening us to bare the winds of tribulation as He moves us into all that He has for us. It doesn't matter where you were in your life, when You come to Christ; when you accept Him as Lord and Savior of your life, He steps in and claims victory, and His will shall be done. He will not be moved. It is our hope IN HIM not man, that sees us through. It is in the power of His Holy Spirit that we are victorious, not in anything we ourselves can do.

For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Much more than, having now been justified by His blood,

we shall be saved from wrath through Him.

Romans 5:6-9 (NKJV)

My friend, know that God does not ask us to seek Him in vain. He does not tell us to search for Him, only to come up empty-handed. The Lord is all-powerful and He was working to bring us to Him long before we ever set out. For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens (He is God!), who formed the earth and made it (He established it; He did not create it empty, He formed it to be inhabited!): “I am the Lord, and there is no other. I did not speak in secret, in a land of darkness; I did not say to the offspring of Jacob,  ‘Seek me in vain.’  I the Lord speak the truth; I declare what is right" Isaiah 45:18-19 (ESV).

We were no accident, God WANTED us. He created us to be with Him, and at just the right time, God showed His love for us demonstrating His character to us. And in doing so, He showed us that because He loved us first, we can begin again, and be made new in our hearts.

My friend, in our faith, we can believe what God tells us, because He IS who HE says He is. And in our faith, we find hope. And in this hope, we can believe.

For the Scripture says,

"WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE  DISAPPOINTED."

Romans 10:11 (NASB)

PRAYING IN FAITH:

     Father God, thank You that You love us with a love that surpasses all understanding. Thank You that Your love for us is everlasting. Thank You for the hope that is poured out in us through Your Holy Spirit. Lord, thank You that while we were yet sinners, Your Son died on the cross for us so that we may be forgiven. Lord, we praise You because we can have faith and joy in knowing that even through hardships we can preserve because our hope is in YOU.

    Father, I pray for this reader with me today. Lord, may you strengthen them, and fill them with the hope that comes from knowing You. Lord, may they rest in knowing that You are faithful, and that which You promise to do, will be done, and that their faith, which produces hope, will not be in vain.

In Christ Jesus Name,

Amen.

~ My friend, I truly hope YOU will have a very blessed day.

Kassie


------------------ To read more devotionals written by Kassie, click here, to visit our website.


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There is Hope

TODAY IN HIS WORD COMES FROM:

(Ecc: 1:4-5 NCV)

People live, and people die, but the earth continues forever.

The sun rises, the sun sets, and then it hurries back to where it rises again.

A THOUGHT TO PONDER:

For change to take place-- room must be made. For new life to begin, something must die in its place. My friend, no matter where you are at in your circumstances, know that God is in them, and there is hope.

TODAY'S INSIGHT INTO HIS WORD:

Several years ago I sat in my store that I had at the time, and thought about people I cared about that didn't know Christ. I felt a tug in my heart, as if the Lord was asking, "Would you die for them?" And, I said, "YES." I remember laying down on the floor with my arms spread wide, palms opened up, and in a very peaceful and most surrendered state, I repeated and said, "Yes."

I don't know what I expected that day, but the tug in my heart was so strong, that I knew it was the Lord. For days, I walked in an overwhelming peace and kept thinking, "If I died today, that would be ok with me."

About a month later I was in a car accident. I was coming around the corner after just having been stopped at a red light. When the light turned green the car in front of me went straight, but I turned. I hadn't gotten very far when I realized that a small group of kids (that had been walking on the sidewalk) crossed over the street right in front of me. I slammed on the brakes. My first reaction was to look in the rearview mirror, sure enough the car that I had seen coming up behind me, had turned the corner without slowing down, and was fixing to ram right into me. I looked back up and there was 1 high school kid that was about halfway across the road, but 3 kids were right directly in front of me with one more fixing to step off the curb into the street. All I could do was to put both feet on the brake and hold it down. I remember grabbing the emergency brake and pulling it up.

The car that had come up from behind me slammed right into me, picking the back of my car up off the ground, and then it fell back down. However, the front of my car never moved. It was as if something was holding it in its place. The 3 kids in front of me screamed and finished running across the road, the other one got back up on the sidewalk and ran off. And me? I sat there dazed and couldn't move. I was so shaken up. The driver of the other car got out (a young teenage girl) and came running up to me, crying and screaming, "Are you ok?"

The police came-- but while we were waiting, the girl and I moved the cars into the gas station parking lot to get out of the way of traffic. This young girl couldn't quit crying, and I remember that even though I was shaking so badly, all I could do was wipe her eyes and try to comfort her, telling her that everything would be ok.

When the police got there, we filled out the report. Even though she had rammed into me and eyewitnesses said  that the back of my car had been completely lifted off the ground and slammed back down-- there was no damage! And, only minor damage to hers. And those children trying to cross the road? No one had been hurt.

I found out that she had been talking on the phone and saw that the light was green and proceeded to turn the corner-- but never slowing down. Had I not been there first, she would have plowed into those kids. Had I not been stopped at that light before turning the corner myself, this young girl would have been the one to meet those kids stepping out into the road, and she would not have had time to stop.

I didn't die that day, and it wasn't members of my family that were saved. But I felt the Lord's presence, and an overwhelming thought, as if He had said, "I took their place." And it occurred to me that-- I took that young girl's place. The next day I could barely move. I hurt all over. My knees and thighs especially-- because I had stretched my legs out and with both feet, had held the brake to the floor, I guess in a sense locking the car up. But again, I kept reminding myself that no one had been hurt, so everything was ok.

I learned something that day-- sometimes it isn't in actual physical death that God asks if you are willing. Sometimes what He wants to know is, "Will you die to yourself?"

Truly, truly, I say to you,  unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies,

it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

John 12:24 (NASB)

My friend, sometimes something inside of us has to die first before God can begin to grow something new in us and through us. I encourage you today. If you are going through rough times and it feels as if your world is crumbling down; then know that God is allowing it to happen so He will have room to do something different. Know that if something has died (maybe a job, friendship, or even a marriage) that God CAN resurrect the dead in a totally new way-- but if He chose NOT to, then know it is because He is going to do something completely new in you and for you. Know that you are not alone.

My friend, know that in the evenings as the sun goes down, God says I have been with you and I am watching you. But also know that in the morning as the sun rises, there is always hope. If your world is falling apart, THEN WAIT and let the Lord strengthen you. Wait and let His Holy Spirit comfort you. Wait and let the almighty God do something new inside of you.

Hold to God's Word as He leads you today: "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint" ( Isa. 40:28-31).

Have a blessed day, and remember that with the one who loves you-- there is always hope, and there will be light at the end of your tunnel, even if you can't see it yet.

Kassie

------------------ The 2nd part to this devotional "And in Our Hope" will be out in a few days. 

To read more devotionals written by Kassie, click here, to visit our website.


------------------ We hope you will visit again! To follow along with us, use to tabs in the lower side panel. And we hope you will look us up on facebook and chat with us there too.

A Letter of Hope

TODAY IN HIS WORD COMES FROM

Psalm 34:18 (NCV)

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted,

and he saves those whose spirits have been crushed.

THOUGHT TO PONDER:

The past several days, when thinking about preparing for this devotional, it has been on my heart to write a letter of encouragement instead. I don't know who will read this devotional/letter-- I don't really know who this is intended for... but what weighs on my heart is to tell you that there is hope, and to give you encouragement that your life is not over-- that whatever you may be going through, there is another side of this for you. There is MORE for you than what you may be seeing now. God has so much for you, if you will just let Him bring you through it.

INSIGHT INTO GOD'S WORD:

In Luke 19, when Zacchaeus wanted to see who this Jesus was, nothing would deter him. Nothing was going to stop him from getting a closer look at this Man who was doing so much for God's people. When he couldn’t see past the crowd, Zacchaeus simply climbed a tree! The wonderful thing in this story is that when Jesus got to this tree he stopped right under it, and looking up, Jesus called for Zacchaeus to come down.  You see, Jesus KNEW that Zacchaeus was up there, but no one had told him this. In the same way Jesus knew where Zacchaeus was, HE KNOWS WHERE YOU ARE NOW.

My friend, whatever you may be facing-- know that God still has a whole nother chapter of your life waiting for you. In the book of Ruth; when Naomi lost her husband, she grieved. Later, when she lost her two sons, the pain was so overwhelming that when she went back home, she told people not to call her Naomi anymore as that name meant “happy”. She told people to call her Mara instead, because that name means “sad”. She didn’t understand why the Lord had left her with such sadness. She told her people that she had lost everything; she felt as if she had nothing left. But that wasn’t true. God still had a plan for her. God still had a purpose for her even though she was unaware of it. And God has one for you.

Just like Naomi, your life is more than what you can see right now. God is all knowing and can see so much more than you and me. There was still something Naomi had to do for God. He still had a job for her to do. God had a bigger plan. He also blessed her life again and brought her much joy. As a result of losing her husband and her sons, Naomi went home taking her daughter in-law with her. And by doing so, fulfilled the next needed step in the future of our savior.

You see, God had a plan for Ruth too. She (like Naomi) had lost her husband-- and at a young age. She didn’t understand why either. But God knew. God had a purpose for her, she had a destiny that was to be fulfilled. God needed her to be somewhere. And at some point in time God will need you to be somewhere else too.

We don’t know why God allows certain heartaches in our lives, but He promises that if He allows the pain, then something good will come from it. Even if it is the death of a loved one, the end of a relationship, or the loss of a job-- God will bring new life in place of what is now gone.

Sometimes we have to go through "intermissions" in our lives. A time of waiting between what was and what is to come. And when we come to these intermissions, it is hard to understand why. But sometimes God needs time to heal us and prepare us for what is ahead-- and sometimes it is because God needs to work in someone else and bring them to a point where they are ready to join us. Sometimes God just needs time to work in a situation, or some circumstance, before advancing us into the new He has planned for us. But rest assured God will not forget you in the meantime. He won't set you on some sideline, and forget to bring you back in.

Need an example? Look at Moses; "When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his fellow Israelites. He saw one of them being mistreated by an Egyptian, so he went to his defense and avenged him by killing the Egyptian. Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not. The next day Moses came upon two Israelites who were fighting. He tried to reconcile them by saying, 'Men, you are brothers; why do you want to hurt each other?'

"But the man who was mistreating the other pushed Moses aside and said, 'Who made you ruler and judge over us? Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?'  When Moses heard this, he fled to Midian, where he settled as a foreigner and had two sons (Acts 7:23-29 NIV).

When Moses found himself out in the desert after a life changing incident, he probably thought he was there to stay... But God had other plans for him, in fact Moses' life was far from over, it was just beginning. Moses' duration in the desert was only an "in between time" from where he had been, and what was to come. However, those were not wasted years. Far from it actually. My friend, God can multi task! At the same time God was waiting for the right time to come for Him to bring deliverance to His people, God was working in Moses during his stay in the desert. And when the RIGHT TIME came; God brought Moses front and center into the full purpose God had for him.

I love how Acts 7 states "The SAME Moses..." read with me: "Then the Lord said to him, 'Take off your sandals; the place where you are standing is holy ground. I have indeed seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to set them free. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.'  "This is the same Moses whom they had rejected with the words, 'Who made you ruler and judge?' He was sent to be their ruler and deliverer by God himself, through the angel who appeared to him in the bush. He led them out of Egypt and did wonders and miraculous signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea and for forty years in the desert ( Acts 7:33-3 NIV).

God had not changed His mind about Moses. God had chosen Moses long before, and it was this same man (granted older and wiser), that God would bring back for another chance, and the whole second half of his life that was waiting for him. God brought him out, dusted him off and said, "Let's try again." But THIS TIME, it was going to be with the hand of God. You see before, Moses had been called, but he didn't have the anointing, so when he acted, it was in his own strength. But this time, God was ready and God was going with him, so there would be a huge difference!

My friend, SOMETIMES we can have a call on our lives-- something we were born and meant to do; but if God isn't ready and we move ahead, then we go without the anointing and it is in our own strength-- not His. So we have to wait. We have to wait for God to move, and sometimes we have to wait because HE IS WAITING until HE knows everything is ready for Him to move us into what He has called us to do.

God's purposes for Moses didn't change, he simply had to be moved aside until God was ready to bring him forth. Naomi and Ruth's lives were not over because someone had died, God was bringing them into something new. My friend, whatever you are facing, know that God is with you. No matter what has happened, what has died, who has left, or what was lost... God can bring about something new. God WILL fulfill His plans and purposes for you.

My friend, God knows how to bring you through difficult seasons. He knows how to bring you through the hurt and heartache. He knows how to bring you through the trials, and HE KNOWS HOW to bring you into all He has waiting for you.  Look up-- look out, and know God is watching over you. And His hand will not be held down when He is ready to move you.

Take care and have a blessed day,

Kassie.

My friend, if you found this to be encouraging, and would like to read some other articles, 

then please visit our page "A Call to the Weary" located at our Cypress Ministries website.

God Does Speak

God does speak-- sometimes one way and sometimes another--
even though people may not understand it.
(Job 33:14 NCV)

     My Friend, God does speak to His people. He has no desire to be a "lofty" figure up high and distant from us. And, when He has a message for us-- especially when we have been seeking Him and calling out to Him-- He will find a way to bring it to us, in many different ways.

     I truly believe that Scripture is true, that God does speak to us, sometimes in one way-- but sometimes in another, even if we do not realize it at first as it is happening.  I would like to take a moment to share with you one of the ways God did this for me a few weekends ago.

     
     It was one of those weekends that got the better of me. I was just really sad-- in my spirit and in my heart. I had a lot on my mind, and even shed a few tears. On Saturday afternoon, my oldest son needed to run some errands for some work up at our office he was doing. So instead of going with him, I let him use my car. That evening, I didn't really want to get out, so I decided to let him keep my car overnight. On Sunday morning I woke up and there was a part of a song going inside my heart. It was a song I had not heard in actually quite a while, and it wasn't one the radio stations had been playing recently. As I was waking up, I realized in my heart-- I was "worshipping." I got up and let the dogs out, curled up on the couch and just decided I was going to listen to a sermon via an mp3 download and take my time enjoying a slow Bible study.

     As strong as the song was in my heart; I was kind of surprised that the verse I knew it came from, didn't come up at all that morning. Not during the sermon, or my personal Bible study time. After lunch my son called and said he could bring me the car whenever I was ready, but I told him I didn't really have anywhere I needed to go, so for him to just finish up his project and keep it in case he needed to go get anything else.

     Later that evening when I couldn't put it off any longer, I called my son to come get me so we could "swap." Because, I would need my car the next morning. So he came and got me. I took him back up to his apartment, and went over to my office for a moment. I watered the plants, picked up a few things, walked outside and look around-- just not in any big hurry to do anything else. A few minutes later, I got in my car and started it. My friend, the EXACT song I had been singing in my heart that morning was playing on the radio! In fact, it was at the EXACT part in the song that I had in my heart that morning!

     My friend, God spoke to me through that incident! He showed me He had been with me all along, throughout the whole day, from the time I woke up and until I had finally called my son and got the car swapped back. It showed me an incredible thing that I would like for you to think about today: even before I woke up, God was preparing my heart to receive His message. Before I got out of bed, He was already speaking to me. And, it showed me that even though I wasn't aware of just how my day would go, or where my steps would lead-- He had already been there. He knew exactly what steps I would take.

Look at what Scripture says,

"In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the LORD establishes their steps."
(Proverbs 16:9 NIV)

     I may have thought that it was ME leading my steps that evening-- I'm the one who didn't really want to get out of the house. I'm the one who decided to water the plants... BUT had I done anything differently I would have been in the car at a different time instead of at the right time to hear the words to the song in my heart that morning. Oh-- and by the way, it was an older worship song, so  again, it wasn't like it was something new and was being played all the time-- every time you turn around.

     What I realized is that the Lord was helping to lead my footsteps that day. It showed me that He knew what I had been feeling and He "spoke to me" even though I didn't understand it at first-- that morning. However, He made sure that I would receive His message He wanted to share with me which was, "that He was with me."

So my friend, take heart, because God really does speak to us. Sometimes in this way-- and sometimes in another way.  And sometimes, in ways we do not understand when at first it is happening.

Take care,
Kassie

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Hi there, I would love to hear from you and how God has shown His Hand prints in your life. Just use the form below to send us a note.

Have a wonderful and blessed day.

Finding My Tree



My Tree

On Sunday, March 15^th 2009 I decided to go for a drive. For some odd reason, known only to God at the time, I pulled over onto a dirt road and saw a beautiful Cotton Wood tree, and parked my car under it.  Suddenly, like a dam bursting, I started crying tears of hurt and grief that had been bottled up for quite some time.

I poured my heart out to God about things that had happened over the past two years and events I truly felt had been answered from Him--but showed no signs of ever coming to pass. I remember looking up at the sky which could barely be seen from where I was sitting, and asking God “Is there something that is hindering You from fulfilling Your promises to me?” I sobbed, “If I am to believe You, then…” Over and over again I sobbed this until there were no more tears--just silence between me and God.

I finally started the car back up and drove home, thankful that my kids were with their dad that night. I went to bed with a horrible headache and exhausted; but much to my surprise, I woke up every hour on the hour to the thought, “Without faith.” I got up the next morning feeling horrible, but got ready for work, and before I left, I wrote in my journal, “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” At work I found my had crashed, and we had to have someone come in and work on it most of the day; so I was not able to check my email until much later. I had a few devotionals that had been sent o me, but due to the time, I almost didn’t read them. However at the last minute,I  decided to. As I skimmed through the third and last devotional, I was tired and emotionally (and Spiritual) drained, so I almost deleted it, but then something caught my attention, and I slowed down to really read it-- and there at the bottom-- on the last line was: “Without faith you cannot please God” (Heb. 11:6). Needless to say, I was quite surprised!

For the entire rest of the week, Hebrews. 11:6 came up from six different sources! And on Saturday night, (actually right before I went to bed), it was texted to me from a friend who was watching a sermon online, and the verse  had just been quoted to them! She had texted me to say, “Guess what I just heard…”  She had no idea of the confirmation this gave me, or how it completed the week’s events and what it would mean to me. (Who says God will not use a cell phone?)

     On Sunday I went back to that spot under the tree that I had found a week before , to simply ask God. “What do you want from me?” Afterwards I went to the bookstore to browse around, and I came across a book my friend (who had texted me) had mentioned a few days earlier, that somehow I had never heard of. And on March 22^nd, I started my reading my first in-depth Bible study called, “Believing God” by Beth Moore.

     The reason this was so profound to me, is that I had poured my heart out to God and had written in my journal everyday that week, “God in Heaven, I believe in you, I know that You are real, I know that You exist…” And here I was holding a book that was quoting Isa. 43:10 saying God wanted us to BELIEVE HIM.

     That spot at the tree has now become a very special place to me, it is where I continue to go when I need to find peace and have fellowship with God. He taught me something very important that day! Before a person can believe God, you have to KNOW GOD! And He set about introducing Himself to me.

A Barrier or Obstacles

From my heart:

Two weeks ago Thursday, I was coming back into town to pick up my friend's sons and drive them to a church event since she couldn't get there in time, and I was praying about a situation that I am facing. As I was praying I found myself praying that the barriers would be broken down. What surprised me was the word barrier, as that is NOT a word I ever use. Typically I pray about the obstacles in my way, but that evening as I said it, the word barrier just resounded in my spirit and felt so STRONG that I knew that God's Spirit was in my prayer, and the more I prayed about it; the more it felt like a right and powerful prayer.

The next morning as I was waking up I heard in my spirit singing, "You tore the veil, you made a way when you said it was done." Now this verse went over and over in my heart-- not just a song stuck in my head-- but from my heart, inside of me. So again I knew it was of God. I couldn't remember any of the rest of the song-- just that part.

I finally got up and was starting my Bible study and decided to check on a pastor's site I had not been on in quite some time, and to my complete surprise was an entire devotional about barriers keeping us from growing into all that we are to be! I was so surprised but also so overwhelmed because I knew this was of God. It was a very good devotional, and one I printed out, the only problem was that the pastor's advice was to figure out what the barriers were and get rid of them-- the barriers in my way, only God is going to be able to bring down. But still-- an entire devotional about barriers?? Come on that was GOD!

About 5'oclock that same evening I was going to run up to my office for a bit, but my middle son stopped me by asking if he and his younger brother could go out to a friend's house and spend the night. I wound up staying in his room making plans until almost 5:30! I still decided I had time to run up to my office real quick, and as I got in the car and turned the corner, I turned on the radio and there is was! The ending of the song and the verse I had been singing that morning: "You tore the veil, you made a way when you said it was done."  I found out what song it was and  later was able to look it up on utube and come to find out, God put me in the car at just the right time, because that part of the song is only towards the end where it is reaped several times! I was so overjoyed if I had left to go to the office when I first thought, I would have completely missed it! This was all God's timing!

That night after spending quite some time on the phone with a friend from my women's group, I decided to look something up on a church website that I like to listen to. I stumbled across a sermon I had not heard that sounded interesting, so I downloaded it. I listened, and it was really good, and very enlightening. At the end a woman's voice came on and made mention of a  sermon that would be broadcasted the following weekend and there is was-- the word barriers! I found the mentioned sermon, and though it was good, though it didn't really speak about barriers in our lives (and it never used the word). However God had my attention!

The following morning which would be Saturday, I kept thinking about "Don't throw away your confidence." I knew what verse this was coming from, however I kept being reminded of a study I had listened too way back from Beth Moore on this. So I decided to google it to see if I could find it, which I did, and listened to it, but it was not what I felt God impressing on me. However, as I was googling for Beth Moore's study I saw a link to a blog I have never visited that caught my attention. So I went to it; it was short, very nice and at the end of the post the writer commented on barriers in our way, and not to back down and lose our confidence over these obstacles!

The next day (Sunday) while I was reading a new magazine, I went to an article that looked interesting and in it, the writer commented on "Bible barriers." So NOW I am so totally knowing that God is speaking to me-- or at least showing me He heard my prayers on Thursday, and it gave me hope and the encouragement to continue to pray about these barriers.

Later that afternoon, I went and sat at my tree with just my Bible and prayed. I asked God why barriers? And what was the difference between praying that these barriers would be broken down verses obstacles? After all weren't they the same thing? And the more I prayed over it-- the more important it seemed that I needed to know and understand what God was showing me, and why I needed to change my prayers over this situation.

I came home and visited with my youngest son for a bit (who also helped me to move my desk to another corner of the room), and then I went to the closet to get the dictionary. As I turned around I hit my little toe on a brick by the mantle that has been there for years! I have walked by that thing a hundred times, I have gone to that closet weekly to get things out or put things back, and have never touched that brick-- but on this day, I broke my toe!

After much crying (I am such a girl) and my sons coming out to check on me; I was finally able to look the words up. By definition in the elementary school dictionary we have for the boys; obstacles are things that are in the way that causes a hindrance, and can be overcome and even avoided.  A barrier is something that halts all progress and keeps things separated and apart from being with something else! So there I had it-- there IS a difference, and now I understood what God was showing me and why I needed to change my prayers. There are not simply obstacles in my way hindering me-- there are barriers keeping me separated from what God has promised me. And I was beginning to understand why I had to break my toe on a brick to learn this lesson!

By the following Tuesday I had seriously been praying about these barriers being broken down-- completely, and ALL the barriers that are holding me back as I know there are a few. About lunchtime, I went out to my tree with my Bible, and was meditating on God's Word and decided that I wanted to look up a verse that had been brought to my attention early that morning from two different studies I had read. However, I couldn't remember the exact verse, only that it came for Eph. 2, so I opened my Bible up to Eph 2 and skimmed down looking for what I thought it might be when my eyes landed on verse 14! I was so floored! I read; "He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall" (NASB).

I read this over and over again wondering why I had never really seen this verse before, and so praying about what it meant to me. Now as a Bible teacher, I understand the overall historical teaching of this verse, and what Paul was talking about-- but personally I was so taken by it being lit up in me. When I got home I did a word search to see how often the word barrier was in the Bible, and after pulling up five different translations (and you figure 5 times over 33,000 verses...) the word barrier only came up THREE times!! Two of the times it referred to God putting up a barrier that was not to be moved, and one time about being a barrier broken down! (Which was the verse I had read.)

I was so taken by God bringing this verse to my attention-- here I had been praying about barriers and the verse I read is about the barriers being broken down-- not the ones that were set into place to stay! I cried, and prayed some more and thanked God. I wrote the verse down in my journal and prayed over it all day-- everything else I had read seemed to melt away. I meditated on this verse all day!

The next morning (Wednesday almost a full week to the beginning of my prayer) I got up and was checking my email and in a very short devotional I received that day, that was written ages ago-- but still something I enjoy reading in a daily basis; was a brief devotional with Eph. 2:14 as the verse for the day! It was written from the KJV so the working was slightly different, but of course the meaning was the same: For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us (Eph 2:14 KJV); I was so stunned and so excited and so very thankful that God would go to such extremes to show me He was with me and speaking to me!

So I am standing on this verse as a promise from God and praying that every barrier be broken down according to His Word that keeps me separated from what He has promised and keeping us (and Cypress Ministries) from growing into all that He has determined and shown me. The exciting thing is that as of today which is now two weeks from the first day I started praying about barriers, this word is everywhere I turn around! I have gone from never seeing it-- to seeing it all the time, which helps me to know that God is indeed listening to me and that this is a Word from Him.

My toe is healing and yesterday I did a faith walk from where I park my car under my tree to the spot at the river that is very special to me and back SEVEN times! It would be about 4 miles total. And during this walk, I praised God, called for the barriers to be broken down, and enjoyed fellowship with Him who I know is faithful.

I have true hope of seeing walls come crumbling down! I know that it was not normal for me to use the word barrier that Thursday-- and then seeing the word come up so many times just made it that much stronger, but seeing it in GOD's WORD!! That sealed it for me, and I have confidence that what I am praying for is indeed part of God's Will, because the verse that was brought to me was the verse with the barriers being broken and the two groups coming together-- and NOT either of the other two verses where the barriers were set to stay. It just seems to me, if the barriers I am praying for be broken down, was not pleasing to God or according to His Will, then God would have led me to the verses showing that they were meant to stay!

In case you are wondering what the other verses were, here they are:

• Jeremiah 5:22
• English Standard Version
• Do you not fear me? declares the LORD. Do you not tremble before me? I placed the sand as the boundary for the sea, a perpetual barrier that it cannot pass; though the waves toss, they cannot prevail; though they roar, they cannot pass over it.

• New International Version
• Should you not fear me?” declares the LORD. “Should you not tremble in my presence? I made the sand a boundary for the sea, an everlasting barrier it cannot cross. The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail; they may roar, but they cannot cross it.

• Ezekiel 40:12
• English Standard Version
• There was a barrier before the side rooms, one cubit on either side. And the side rooms were six cubits on either side

• New American Standard Bible
• There was a barrier wall one cubit wide in front of the guardrooms on each side; and the guardrooms were six cubits square on each side

SO-- I am thanking God for showing me there is a difference and that all this time I have been praying that obstacles be removed, was not near powerful for what really needs to be prayed down. I am so hoping you will stand with me in these prayers that we shall see God's Word fulfilled and that the barriers that have been stopping me for so long will be broken down and that I will see new life begin to grow!

Praying in Faith:

"Father God, I come before You it totally thanks giving. Lord, thank You for hearing my prayers the other night, thank You for being with me, and helping me to pray according to Your will. Thank You for changing and directing my prayer and showing me the difference. Lord, thank You for moving in such amazing ways to show me that this was and is of You. Lord, BREAKTHROUGH!! Lord, may You breakthrough these barriers like a mighty flood water so that I may grow and come into all that You would have for me, my family and this ministry. Lord, every barrier, for I know there are many. Lord, let it be according to Your Word. Lord, thank You for being my peace. Lord, thank You that You are bringing us together and that the dividing walls will be broken down. Yes Lord! Thank You Lord, I stand to watch how You will bring this about, I stand to watch Your faithfulness and to be amazed. Lord, I wait to see how You will bring this to pass, and if there is anything I need to do-- Lord, if there is something that I need to do as my part, show me what it is and help me to be obedient. Lord these barriers I see, can only be moved and brought down by YOU-- Lord, I can't. Lord these barriers that have been obstacles in front of me for so long, can only be broken down by You. Lord, please let me see You do this-- Lord, please let me see You move on my behalf. Lord, every one of these barriers that have kept us separated and from growing, Lord I ask You to break them DOWN-- and I am standing in faith that I will see this done.

In Jesus' Name, Amen."

Have a wonderful and blessed day,
Kassie.

A Time of Reflection

~ From my heart

As I get closer to the 3rd anniversary of Cypress Ministries (July 10th) I find myself in something I have not felt before; a SQUEEZING of some sort! Almost like life is being squeezed out of me, and I find it very hard to breath. I also have found myself very irritable. Not in a bad mood, and I am not mad at anyone-- just very edgy and almost like I am to my last nerve. And everything seems to be aggravating me! I really feel like I am being squeezed and about to come out of my skin! Part of my prayer today has been, "Lord, please don't let me damage or hurt anyone around me as I 'explode.'" The breathing has been kind of labored but not like one of a panic attack, but more as if trying to breath while one of my sons give me a bear hug-- pretty hard.

But through it all there has also been a peace and an inner strength that I cannot quite explain. And most of all a "thanks giving" for all God has brought me through and done for me. These past few weeks have been a time of reflection-- I am reminded of the Israelites as they stood and listened to Mose recall all that God had done for them right before crossing the Jordan. And it has me thinking-- is this where I am at? As I look towards the future and July 10th, I do so with an awe of all that God has done these past 3 years. The changes He has made in me, the things He has taught me... It has been a time of worship-- even through the hurt and discomfort.

I eagerly look towards the breaking of a new day, but I also find myself wanting to spend as much time as I can hide under my Father's wing... so excited to venture out, but not quite wanting to leave the safety and comfort of where He has had me hidden for so long.

I found a journal I had forgotten about that I had written in 3 years ago. It made me smile as I read some of the verses that had spoken to me back then, and it made me grin even more as I read my thoughts and prayers-- because I can see where I am not the same anymore. I can see for myself where I have grown. I can see my "baby steps" at stumbling attempts at taking a step of faith, not quite sure that it was what God was calling me to do, but now so certain that there is no hesitation in stepping out.

In the journal I also found a few golden nuggets as I read some of my "God moments" I had forgotten about....

I don't know what is on the other side of next Tuesday, but I am fixing to find out. I don't know what awaits me, I only know I hear "it's coming" I feel like Elijah sending the servant out seven times to look for the evidence of rain clouds that he was certain he heard. I don't know how life will be next week or what will change (if anything to the human eye), I only know that God is faithful. And He has changed me, and I am very thankful.

"Lord, thank You for this time of reflection. Lord, thank You for this time to sit in worship and silence as I recall this walk You have led me on. Thank You that as I look back at my time in the wilderness-- there are two sets of footprints. Thank You that though You brought me out here, You did not send me out alone, You have been here every step of the way. Thank You for seeing me through. Thank You Lord, for all that You have done for me and my family these past 3 years. Lord, I do not know what awaits me next week, but I know I do not face it alone. Thank You that You are with me in this today, and that You will be with me in there later too. Lord, I praise You for Your faithfulness. I praise You for being mighty, thank You for Your comfort, and for all the times You have picked me back up, and the times You have set my feet on solid ground. Thank You for Your support, and Your provisions. Thank You for Your protection, and thank You for growing me in Your grace as I have had shelter under Your wing.

In Jesus' Name, Amen."