Temple Building

I was reading in 1 Kings Chapter 6 about Solomon building the temple for the Lord. As always I suggest you read it for yourself.

Gems before you read this jewel I need to add a disclaimer. I am not a scholar on the Bible and what I share are my thoughts, unless I quote scripture. I just like to share to open my mind and perhaps yours. OK?

OK so I get to verse 7 of 1Kings Chapter 6. And the temple, when it was being built, was built with stone finished at the quarry, so that no hammer or chisel or any iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built.

Have you ever noticed that? Why did Solomon say there could be no sound of chisel or any iron tool heard in the temple while it was being built? That must have been a pretty difficult request to adhere to wouldn't you think?

I started my own dig on the subject figuring there were nuggets of truth I must be missing.

One commentary said Solomon wanted it to be sacred so it needed to be quiet. Really? That didn't seem like the answer to me. I felt like there was more to it so I asked the Holy Spirit for days what the meaning was.

Funny story I hadn't shared this investigation with anyone yet and my son Anthony calls me and says “mom I was reading in 1 Chronicles 22 about the stones Solomon used to build the temple.” REALLY me too!!

Now I know I'm onto some new epiphany I haven't discovered yet.

At first I thought it might have something to do with what God commanded in Exodus about building Him an alter.

Exodus 20:25 And if you make Me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stone; for if you use your tool on it, you have profaned it.

I have to admit I had to look up what hewn meant...

dictionary.com: to strike forcibly with an ax, sword, or other cutting instrument; chop; hack.

Since we know the stones were cut at the quarry from what 1 Kings tells us it's safe to say that the commandment from Exodus was not a factor because the commandment stated every tool was forbidden.

Hewn stone was made from man's intelligence and abilities but the stone itself represented something divine since God was the creator of the original rock.

No sound at the temple could mean the stones that were brought in were already altered to the truths of God's word not mans intelligence or interpretation. What I mean is the way into the temple was by faith in God not any of mans traditions or requirements. Just a thought.

The first temple represented the introduction into the Kingdom of God by means of totally trusting and obeying God.

Later Jesus became the perfect temple that again man had no part in creating.

John 2:19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

There is something to this stone thing. Did you know the Lord was referred to as the stone of Israel.

1 Peter 2:4 As you come to him, the living Stone--rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him--

1 Peter 2:4-8 (MSG)Welcome to the living Stone, the source of life. The workmen took one look and threw it out; God set it in the place of honor. Present yourselves as building stones for the construction of a sanctuary vibrant with life, in which you’ll serve as holy priests offering Christ-approved lives up to God.

So what I get is, a stone referred to in Exodus is a stone God created with no help from man. It would make sense when God gave Moses the 10 commandments the first time He gave him the tablet and wrote on it with His own finger, man was not involved with the process.

The new temple we enter in is Jesus Christ. We are still building the church here on earth until He comes back for us.

Maybe that quietness Solomon commanded in 1 Kings continues to be instruction to us today. How do we handle the work of the church? Do we have the “noise” of back

biting or gossip? Do we have church splits because of misunderstandings or pride? Do we complain and grieve the Holy Spirit by how we treat each other?

Perhaps each one of us, the stones of the church, also need to be hewned before we are brought to the final Holy Temple of God.

Hewn to strike forcibly with an ax, sword, or other cutting instrument;chop;hack.

Sounds painful. In a quarry you take a large stone and break it down to a smaller size that you can actually work with. Sometimes we have to be broken down in areas so we can be used for the good of the whole community of the church. This is impossible on our own it can only be done through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Since I have been in TN these past 3 months God continues to show me more about myself, some good, some not so good. I am being hewn for sure. He has taken larger pieces of my selfish side and is breaking them off. This is done so I can fit together better when he adds me to the rest of the body of Christ I serve with. He reminds me my negative attitudes don't edify and my grumblings don't build up.

I'll give you an example. I am currently going to 2 different churches on Sunday, I enjoy them both. At both churches I showed up for a class that was supposed to be happening. At both churches on two different days when I got there the class was canceled and no one bothered to tell me. Can you imagine no one told me, Gena Duran! What the heck

The thing is Gems I had a decision to make at that moment, complain and grumble toward my fellow brothers and sisters or suck it up and figure out how I can make sure I'm in the loop for the future. I got hewned :)

Maybe we are to try to the best of our ability to do things in peace and a sense of quietness that brings unity to the church. Maybe when we are at the quarry getting chopped and hacked it won't hurt as much if it's being done in love by our church family. Maybe this would attract others to want to be there own temple for the living God.

I'm sure there is way more to this than I have uncovered so far but it's a good start.

Gems we need to remember that no man is perfect. The higher you put a person on a pedestal the farther down he or she has to fall. What are we the church building our temple with?

If God were building the temple with flawless stones they would all fit together perfectly but He's not, He's using us. So our opinions and self intelligence don't really matter the only thing that matters is what the word of God says. We have to leave our imperfections at the quarry with the Holy Spirit so when we come together to worship our God and represent Jesus well. I'm not talking about pretending to be perfect I'm talking about accepting one anothers flaws and imperfections yet stick together to make a strong wall. To decide to be a beautiful temple of love and unity.

Gems each one of us are all still building our Temple, please try not to chop or hack but to groom and grow.

Praying For You

These can be powerful words to say to someone. If you're going through a hard time, have a sick loved one, loss of a loved one, buying a home, getting a job, meeting a potential mate, you get what I'm saying. Knowing someone is praying with you is a great source of comfort.

I'm praying for you could mean the difference between fear and hope, would you agree?

I have friends that will shoot me a text and all it says is “I'm praying for you.” It brings an instant smile to my face. It's like a virtual hug. You know  it was no accident you got the message at that exact moment. You know the Holy Spirit whispered to someone who would be listening, reach out to my girl Gena for me. Add a scripture the Lord laid on your heart with the message, especially when you need to hear from Him, Sweet!

It has been especially needed for me while I'm transitioning into my new home without my family. As you can imagine I miss them.  I cry even as I write it down, pray for me lol.

Prayer has become such a huge part of my life, I talk to Jesus constantly. I think I'm the only person the Lord has said “seriously Gena, find another friend to talk to lol” I love to pray! If you have ever called my phone and got my voice mail part of my message says "if you have a prayer request leave it for me." I really will pray for you.

When I was much younger I got a tattoo on my thigh, at the time it seemed like a great plan. Don't judge, it's a long story for another time. The thing is what I had branded on my body at the time seemed like a good idea. Years later I decided to have the tattoo covered over with something else meaningful to me. Yes the first one was meaningful to me.

I decided on praying hands.

My tattoo artist actually sketched my hands and wallah. Now when I see it I'm reminded of the power of prayer.

But those same words, I'm praying for you, can have he opposite affect if they are said flippantly. You run into someone at the store and have the conversation, how ya doing, not so good, I'll pray for ya gotta go... Not so much.

Have you ever thought about when Jesus was on the earth. How He must have missed His Father. He was made human to feel all the same emotions we have felt, loss, hurt, pain and missing.

John 17:5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the gory I had with you before the world began.

As I read this passage I imagined Jesus praying to His Father, our Father, it gave me a sense of Jesus missing His time with His Father before He came to earth. Just as I play memories in my head of fun times with my family, Jesus is remembering the time He had with His dad before earth. A time of peace and glory.

So what if Jesus was the one giving you the message “I'll pray for you.”

I'm going to write out a prayer from Jesus using my name but when you read it insert your name.

Dear God,

I pray for Gena again today. The one you have given me because Gena is yours. Glory has come to me through Gena. I won't be staying here much longer because I'm coming home to you Holy Father so God protect Gena by the power of your name,the name you gave me so that Gena and I may be one as you and I are one. While I was on earth I protected your children and kept them safe by that very name. I am coming home to you Father but I say this prayer while I am still in the world so that Gena may have the full measure of my joy within her. My prayer is not that you take Gena out of the world but that you protect her from the evil one. Sanctify Gena by the truth; your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world I have sent Gena. For Gena I sanctify myself that she too may be truly sanctified. My prayer is not for her alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through her message, that all of them may be one Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. I have given Gena the glory that you gave me, that she may be one as we are.

Father I want those that you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. I remind Gena that I am with her where ever she goes. Righteous Father, I will continue to make you known to Gena in order that the love you have for me may be found in her and that I myself may be in her.

Amen

Gems just typing this out puts a feeling I can't even explain In my heart. I want to cry, shout for joy and lay on my face before the King all at the same time.

This prayer isn't just for me it's for every believer. These words came from John 17, my favorite number by the way. These are red letter words, Jesus words! This is a prayer Jesus said to His Father when He was missing Him.

Even then He put us first, thank you Jesus.

I hope you take time to read it again knowing you are one in Jesus and God and you are loved, protected and cared for. I pray it gives you comfort for whatever your dealing with in your life right now. And I hope it serves as a reminder to you to pray for your brothers and sisters in love and unity.

If you ever need it let me know I would be happy to pray for you!

Pitch Black

Have you ever been in a cave? My two younger children and I visited one in North Carolina and there were lights strung through out the cave, at one time during the tour the guide shut the lights off. I finally understood what pitch black meant. I could not see the hand in front of my face. It was a bit scary as I was grasping for Nathanael and Jessica who one second I could see and the next they were gone. I was relieved when the lights came back on.

Exodus 10:21-23 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that darkness spreads over Egypt—darkness that can be felt.” So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days. No one could see anyone else or move about for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.

The above verses come from the story of Moses and Pharaoh, one of the plagues God put on Egypt. Take time to read it. So for 3 days the Egyptians could not see the hand in front of their face. They saw nothing, notta no one. Can you imagine what that was like? Go there for just a minute in your mind so you can appreciate the severity of it. Pitch black, light less, somber. The Bible says they could feel the darkness. Can you remember a time in  your life when you could feel the darkness?

Do you realize that people today without Jesus in their lives live in that same kind of darkness. A darkness called hopelessness (without hope; despairing ) that is an emotion many live with daily.

Too often when we are around Christians more than non believers we forget about this darkness because believers will encourage each other with words like, God is in control, Jesus will never leave you, I'll pray for you.

All good responses but what if the person your talking to doesn't believe in Jesus. Then, as the Bible says, our words are foolishness.

As you know I am new to TN and in my search for companionship I found this website called Meet Up. I decided to join one and drove to a park where I met up with about 15 people to go hiking.

It was a beautiful day and I had a fun 3 hour hike. Each time we stopped you would end up walking next to a new person, and if you know me I love to talk to new people. After one stop I was talking to a man that told me he used to live in Franklin which is where I live.

He went on to tell me how much he missed it and how he wished he could live there again. I asked him why he moved and he said after he retired he didn't think he could afford his house so he sold it. He then started asking me questions like what brought me to TN and where do I work. I told him I felt the Lord brought me here and that I wasn't working yet. He of course gave me the usual look, whether you're a believer or not, the "oh you're one of those crazy people" looks. I was obviously talking foolishness to him.

I told him the Lord would help me find a job and Gems the look on his face spoke a thousand words as he sighed and said “good luck with that.” I then told him that the journey was part of the adventure to which he gave another despairing response. I could feel his darkness.

It was at that moment I was reminded what it looks like to be in the dark without Jesus, to have no hope for anything other than what you can do.

I'm used to being around people who don't know Jesus that are struggling with things like homelessness or addictions but this was a well adjusted, intelligent, self sufficient man. I'm not trying to sound stereo typical here don't get caught up in that, I have met plenty of people struggling with those issues who love the Lord. 
I'm saying I saw a man who had NO idea what I was talking about when I said God would take care of me. Someone who appeared to know light but didn't.

Here we were hiking in the beauty of God's creation and this man shared how he was involved in other hiking groups and kayaking groups so he enjoys nature but He has no relationship with the one who made it. 

The Bible tells us that the Egyptians couldn't leave their place because they could see nothing. People who don't know the hope of Jesus can't leave the place where they are stuck either because they can't see their way around.

v23 BUT the Israelites had light in the places where they lived. 

Listen Gems I don't think God continued to make Pharaoh's heart hard and hit the Egyptians with all these plagues just to get the Isrealites out of Egypt. He could have done that with out any plagues. He did it so not just Israel but all nations would know that He is God!

Exodus 9:16 “But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show my power in you, and that my name may be declared in all the earth.”

When people have no hope, living in darkness, it can be paralyzing and they usually live in misery and tend to use people instead of loving them. We have all heard the saying “hurt people hurt people.”

At the beginning of the story, Exodus 5:2 Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go.”

At the end of the story Pharaoh calls to Moses and request:

Exodus 12: “And also Bless me”

Gems we have to be a people today who don't focus on all the negative and gloom. I'm not saying we should live in a denial bubble hoping it won't pop, but to remember it was the mercy of God and the power of the Holy Spirit that He brought each one of us out of our darkness and despair. We have the power and obligation to share our hope with a lost world.

Too many of us share such a small amount of that light because we are still so wrapped up in our own worlds.

The Bible said that although the Egyptians were in total darkness the Israelite's still had light where they lived. Even the places that are hard for us, we still have light. Like Pharaoh who after experiencing the power of God wanted to be blessed by Him, people should want to receive God's blessing after they meet us. God still wants to show His power through you and me.

Let's help people get out of pitch darkness and into His marvelous light!

There's An App For That

Keep Your Eyes On The Road

And Your Head Out Of Your Apps

This is an overhead sign you pass on the highways in TN. I love it. It's a reminder to pay attention to your driving and hopefully prevent accidents from texting drivers.

I want to share with you from Psalm 78 (please take the time to read it when you can.) It starts off with the Psalmist telling the Israelite's to share what God has done in the past with their children from one generation to the next so they would know God's commands, His power and miraculous provision.

Psalm 78:6-7 so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God

Verses 12-16 go on to tell the things God did but the people continued to sin and rebel against the Most High God. The Bible says they willfully put God to the test demanding food they craved.

V 19-21 They spoke against God, saying, “Can you spread a table in the desert? When he struck the rock, water gushed out and streams flowed abundantly. BUT can he also give us food? Can he supply meat for the people?” When the Lord heard them he was very angry; his fire broke out against Jacob, and his wrath rose against Israel, for they did not believe in God or trust in his deliverance.

The truth is God had given them the bread of angles! He sent them all the food they could eat. It just wasn't the food they wanted..... hmmm

Sounds like the people had their heads in their apps and weren't keeping their eyes on God. 

At this point in my reading I had to stop because as always these words applied to me. Yea God you did this but can you do THIS?  Seriously I don't know why He even talks to me.  If your a regular Gena's Jewels reader you know when I go down I feel I should take someone with me :)

I felt the Holy Spirit beg the question to me “Gena, why is that even though you know all the ways I have taken care of you and your family, why do you not trust in my deliverance?”

The thing is Gems the problems not that God isn't taking care of things, it's that I don't like the way He's doing it. I don't like His app.

I have my own list of apps I feel can be downloaded and they are way easier. God, just fix it. Don't let it hurt and don't take too long and give me what I want not what I need.

Isaiah 7:9 says if you don't stand firm in your faith you will not stand at all.

We have to go through these situations in life so our faith can grow. Jesus appears to those who need to see Him the most. I don't want people to see me as a person who constantly needs to be delivered from storms but as a person who is always delivered from storms. I want my children to say remember when God ...

The world and some times well meaning Christians will give you all kinds of apps they have used to help their situation or advice on how you should move forward. You can get so many downloads you won't know which way to turn but the truth is we have to continue to believe in God and trust in His deliverance.

Gems I don't know what your facing today but I do know there's an app for every circumstance you may be dealing with today

 it's called the BIBLE.

Remember to share it with your children so the next generation will know, even the children yet to be born and they will tell their children to put their trust in God. Keep your head in His app.

Moved By The Spirit

Luke 2:27 Moved by the Spirit, he went …...

Genesis 45:7 But God sent me ahead of you

These words are just part of the above verses, I didn't write out the whole verse because these words were enough to stop me in my tracks.

I always try and make God's word personal to me.

Gena, moved by the Spirit, she went. Moved by the spirit she went, those words are much easier on paper.

God sent Gena ahead of you. This verse seems to be fitting for me and my family. I seem to go ahead of them and after they have seen God's faithfulness it allows them to move more freely to their own “moved by the spirit he/she went” life.

Before I “went” to Tennessee, Amanda went to Africa, Jessica went to Lakeland, Nathanael, Alex & Ezra went to Tavares and Anthony will make his own move hopefully soon.

I guess the Lord was going to make sure I went to my own spot as all my children were now spread out. My prayer of course is that they all will meet me here at some point :) A mom can hope right?

So let's pick up where I left off. How to pay the rent....

As I shared in my last jewel I was waiting for my start date to my new job.

I had mailed my application for my license to be transferred and called almost daily to see how the paper work was going. I was on a first name basis with the woman who handled these request and I'm sure she was just as anxious for me to have my license as I was to get it.

One night I was reading my Bible and re-read one of my favorite verses.

Matthew 10:27 What I whisper in your ears, proclaim from the housetops! 

I love the thought of the Holy Spirit whispering things to me. You know if your whispering it's a secret. That just excites me to no end, to hear a secret from Heaven. So I prayed Dear Jesus please whisper to me how you plan on paying the rent and I will definitely shout it from the roof top!

The next morning my sister and I were talking and she offered to send me my rent money but I said no. I explained to her it wasn't about the money it was about God's faithfulness, He said He would send it, not for me to borrow it. About 5 minutes after our conversation my phone rang with a number I didn't recognize. I answered it and it was a woman calling from an organization I send money to. I heard her mention year end and assumed she was calling for a final 2014 donation. 

I was waiting for her to pause so I could explain I had no money right now but would donate again in the future, but that's not why she called. 

She went on to thank me for my support and was calling to see if I had a prayer request. 

You bet I have a prayer request! I gave her a brief summary of my current situation, the “moved by the Spirit she went” and how I was believing God for my rent. I told her I checked the mailbox daily expecting the money. The only problem was no one actually knew my address yet.

She laughed and began to pray for me in Hebrew. It sounded beautiful. She then began praying in English then suddenly paused. She said she felt the Holy Spirit was whispering something to her. WHAT? Did she just say WHISPERING???

Dear Jesus please don't let my phone quit on me now. I listened intently waiting to hear the secret. She continued “ I feel the Holy Spirit saying He will send some one directly to your apartment to give you money toward your rent.” She said it would be the start of a new relationship.

This woman was a complete stranger to me yet she took the time to not only pray but listen to what the Holy Spirit had to say specifically to me. I can't tell you how much I NEEDED that word.

Of course for the next few days anyone who walked by my apartment was a possible suspect. I greeted each one with “Hi I'm Gena do you have my money?” No one was safe from my anticipation. When the man came to pick up the trash outside my door I met him with a huge smile on my face and hand extended.

I don't think he had ever seen anyone so happy to have their trash picked up. 

I heard another whisper, "It not him....."

Before the rent money came I got a call from the State Licensing department and it appeared my license that I thought would be here any day was not transferable after all. I would have to go back to school and take the Tennessee state test. Bottom line I would not be starting my new job after all.

Gems, not gonna lie I was freaked out!  It was now December 26^th and rent was due in 6 days. I was beside myself, I couldn't understand what was wrong. I began to cry and ask God what I missed. I called my oldest son Anthony and just wept in despair. The thoughts that ran through my head. Oh my gosh I just got this apartment set up and now I have to pack it all up and move. Move where?

Anthony prayed a powerful prayer for me and later I did the only thing I knew to do.

I laid on the floor in fetal position, listened to praise music and cried in desperation.

The verse that came to me was “I will never leave or forsake you.”

The Lord reminded me He had shown me the mountain and just because the fog may roll in and the clouds were low didn't mean the mountain had moved.

The same promise was there. If I would move where He sent me, He would provide.

God why did you let me think I had a job and sign a lease on an apartment?

He said He let me think I had that job so I would sign the lease. He was ready for me to have my home so I could get settled and even rest a bit before the next assignment. If I didn't think I had a job I wouldn't have moved forward. He went ahead of me but I would not have had enough faith to follow, He allowed me to have my sense of false security in a job so I would move. He was right!

I finally settled down and once again had that overwhelming sense of peace that cannot be understood. I was reading a book at the time called Hinds Feet In High Places (if you haven't read it I would suggest it) and this was the page I opened at that moment.

Laying down my own will still continues to be a daily exercise. Doing it with joy and acceptance at times seems impossible. Only God.

Gems I don't know what the Spirit is whispering to you. I don't know where He has moved you by His Spirit or what secret thing He has for you to do, but I know He has gone ahead of you. I know in spite of the circumstances He will never leave or forsake you. I will remind you as Jesus reminded me, just because you don't see the promise doesn't mean the promise isn't still there.

I know the only way to increase your faith is to move beyond your comfort zone.

Yours not mine. Even if it leaves you lying on the floor in a desperate heap for a while it's OK. It's sharing these moments honestly with others, the power of the testimony, going before others so they will have the courage to move too.

Of course the Lord has a way of making everything really personal the next thing he gave me from the book was:

Like I said I made it personal, just changed Hannah to Gena.

Oh by the way, a couple days later I had an unexpected guest show up at my apartment. She stayed the night with me and early the next morning we shared our hearts and our relationship grew to a deeper place. She said “the Lord told me to give you some money toward your rent.”  There it was just like He said a new relationship would be formed and money to my apartment. 
On the 26^th Jessica my youngest daughter called to tell me someone gave an anonymous donation toward my rent. I was still about $250.00 short. On December 31^st I got a text from a friend saying the Lord told her and her husband to ask me what I needed. There it was the final money.

And of course our God, the more than enough God, had friends send me Christmas cards containing financial blessings which allowed me to pay all the other bills that needed paying like heat, car payment, insurance, phone bill, did I mention HEAT!

So Gems rent is paid and  there is more to the story but you will have to read my next jewel to hear what happened next.

When the Spirit moved she went........ I pray you will go too.

TN Update

WEEK ONE:

I asked the Lord to show me my first angels as soon as I arrived in TN. I needed this prayer answered as moving here alone was truly a test of my faith. God is faithful and really does know our limits and Leigh and Olin were and are those angles.

This is the sweet couple, Beverly's cousins, that let me park my U-Haul in their driveway on my arrival to Franklin. If you ever come to the Franklin area make sure you visit their farm. www.stoneycreekfarmtennessee.com

Leigh's suggestion to stop at the local State Farm that turned into an interview my first 30 minutes in Franklin has turned into a job. Thank you Jesus. I am waiting for my start date.

They were also kind enough to allow me to stay with them in their warm inviting home. I think I have eaten more in the last two weeks than I have in the last two months.

In my first two weeks I have had 4 job interviews, visited 3 churches, attended 1 networking event and crashed four fun, food packed parties. One was at a Master Gardner event. I had to laugh as all my plants are made of plastic.
That's what I call an arrival!

I went with Leigh to her painting class (to observe only, just ask Betty Cardel other than the miracle of the trunk I can't paint. But that's another jewel.)

At the painting class I met Patsy Clairmont!!! 

If you don't know her she is one of the Women of Faith that tour our land. She is a great speaker, writer, woman of God and just plain crazy girl. I was so excited and tried to contain myself as staring at someone who is trying too paint can appear creepy.

At one point she walked behind my chair, stopped to chat AND gave me a quick neck massage. Are you kidding me!!! I gave her one of my Gena's Jewels books when I left so she will know for sure that I have issues and will not hold the “staring” against me.

I am so thankful to my son Anthony for getting me a new phone before I left so I can Face Time my children and grandchildren often. Talking to Anthony and Lucas often is very important to me so we can keep our connection.

So now I Skype Amanda and Claver and Face Time the rest. Who knew I would be so techie although I still had to have someone hook up my TV and internet.

I went to Good Will and Salvation Army and got lots of warm clothes and 2 really nice wool coats one for $8.00 and one for $4.00 God is so good to me.

After week one I was a bit overwhelmed. I cried when I passed a baby consignment shop because I thought of Ezra and the new baby. I cried when I passed McDonald's because Jess and I used to get Frappes together. I cried when I saw an inter-racial couple because I missed Amanda and Claver. The list went on and on. It was so weird to me to feel such peace about being in this new place I called home. Feeling God's presence with every decision and circumstance yet experiencing the emotions of leaving friends, family, sense of security and belonging.

Again the Lord knew what I needed so off to my Cynthia's house I went. Cynthia and I were friends in Florida and she has a sweet daughter named Mercedes who reminds me very much of my Jessica.

They have the same sweet spirit and honestly could pass as sisters. Cynthia moved to TN about 6 moths ago and lives about 45 min from me. She was out of town but offered her home and daughter to me. I took it. She left the door open as Mercedes would still be a school. When I walked into the house I burst into tears, I was a bit of an emotional wreck.

It was so good to embrace the feeling of home. Cynthia and John's home is so filled with the love of God I just wished she was there to hug me. I text her to let her know I arrived and my need for a hug. She responded with “crawl into my bed, I sleep on the right side.” Now that Gems is a good friend, that will tell you to climb into her fluffy comforter bed. And that's just what I did. That night Mercedes and I talked, watched movies and ate popcorn. Don't tell Cynthia I don't know if we were allowed to eat in their bed.
God even let me find a butterfly Christmas tree the next day when Mercedes and I went to Opry Land Hotel.

WEEK TWO:

I found an apartment and moved in! It's really cute and God has blessed me so much. All kinds of special touches that He knows I like and need. For example, if you know me you know I'm a bit directionally challenged. When I rented the unit I had no idea where I would be living so when I ventured out from the apartment I put the U-Haul address in my GPS and it was literally 1.2 miles away. Gems for me that is a huge blessing.
Now it was time to empty the storage unit, ugh. After a few trips I realized I had taken my full size mattress with my queen size box spring, double ugh. As God would have it there was an older couple that had just arrived. You could tell by their appearance they were struggling. There is a place at the storage unit you can leave donated items. They were there to look for some of those items. When they saw me dragging this huge box spring the woman said "oh I could really use one of those." I asked if she had a queen size mattress and she said yes. I gave her the box spring, sheets and a message that God loved her. I then went to the U-Haul office to close out my account and guess how much I paid? Go ahead guess, I'll wait....... 0, ZERO, NOTTA, NOTHING! Like I tell ya Gems, I am God's favorite.
Everything fits great in my little place and although my things were all acquired in different places they go together nicely. God has a way of giving me places to live with addresses that coincide with where I'm at in my walk with Him. My new street name is Wyndchase. I had to laugh as the Holy Spirit is often referred to as "the wind" and I am definitely always chasing Him.

My next challenge of faith is the first months rent. I was told I would start work today, Monday 12/15 before I signed my lease. I moved in 12/10 and paid for the rest of December. I knew this would give me a few paychecks before January's rent was due BUT I didn't actually start and not sure of when I will. I have learned not to panic when these things come up. Even if I didn't know there would be a change in the start date of employment God did. This may sound arrogant to you Gems but I don't worry because it's not my responsibility to come up with the plan it's God's. I do my part and go where He sends and His word says He will take care of all my needs.

Honestly if God can't come up with my rent we have much bigger problems. I have to wonder if He had another reason for the delay. I will wait expectantly to see and will tell you when I know.

Gems I want to thank you for all your messages and notes they mean so much to me. You are a great cloud of witnesses cheering me on and I need and appreciate that encouragement. Have a Merry Christmas