Using Your Talent

This picture was taken by a dear friend of mine who uses her talent in amazing ways for the Lord.  Phyllis has a gift of capturing people in her lense but she also has a gift of being an awesome woman of God.  As a beginning ministry, we could never have afforded these beautiful pictures but God blesses us through her!  God cares about each and every one of your needs and will find the coolest ways to take care of them for you!  Is there a talent that you use for the Lord in order to bless others?  Share if you do!

Just A Mom

Caregivers come in all types of packages.  This is my sister, Maxine.  She is a caregiver to her three kids and husband.  Sure, most people would say she was "just a mom" but I see it very differently.  She has totally dedicated her life to making her home a place where her family feels loved and cared for.  She tries her very best each day to take care of every one's needs.  She also cares for others in her neighborhood and church.  I want people who are caregivers to start seeing themselves as caregivers and be proud of what God has called them to do.  My sister is very proud of being a pastor's wife and mother of three and so am I!  Take pride in what God has called you to do!

My Taylorbug

This picture was taken of Taylor and I about three years ago.  I love this picture because I love Taylor.  I am so blessed that I actually enjoy being with my daughter.  I like her company and I have fun when we are together.  I know so many people that cannot say those things about their children and it breaks my heart to hear them saying the opposite of what I just said.  I understand that God "gave" her to me and blessed me by allowing me to be her mother.  This blog is about the love I have today in my heart for my sweet Taylorbug and how thankful I am to my Lord for giving her to me to take care of for Him!

Thanksgiving Miracle Minnie

This is my Grannie Minnie.  Only months ago she found herself in a rest home rehabilitation unit after a terrible fall in her home.  I remember going to see her and her being so depressed.  I feared that she had given up.  I prayed with her and tried to encourage her but I knew she had to believe before her healing could come.  Friends of ours all gathered one night in her room and had a Holy Spirit prayer time and from that moment on, she was different.  This year she hosted the family at her home and cooked all the family's favorites.  At 85 years old, she is going strong and a living testimony of the power of prayer.  This Thanksgiving was even more special because we all saw what God had done in her life! 

Mary was "Chosen"

My daughter and I had a great conversation the other day about Mary and how having baby Jesus was not actually part of her plan.  Taylor had not thought about that.  We then talked about how even though the circumstances were not the best and it was very hard, Mary was "chosen" by God to be the earthly mother of Jesus Christ, which was way cool!  Let's remember that Mary wasn't just a character, she was a living breathing person like you and I. But what makes her remarkable to me is that she answered the call to "care" for Jesus.  She was a caregiver!  Amen!

Being Used by God

I love this picture because it shows what an awesome God I serve!  This lovely lady pictured with me is Mrs. Tame' Lambert, who is the IPHC Women's Ministries Director.  God allowed me to meet her and then use her to invite me to speak at the first ever IPHC Women's Ministries' national conference "The Diamond Experience."  I am just praising the Lord today for using people, like Tame', to move our ministry for caregivers where He wants it to be.  I pray I can have this same chance for other beginning ministries one day!

I really miss this magical place today.  This is definitely my escape place.  When I am here, I don't worry about all the stresses that life can bring.  I don't worry about Brian's health or what tomorrow holds.  I only think about joy and happiness and being with the ones I hold dear.  All caregivers should have a place where they can leave all their worries behind.  This happens to be mine and today, I wish I were there!

As I look at this picture of me and my dear friend, Susan, I am reminded what her friendship to me looks like.  It was fun times teaching together, fun times as our families grew together and we became best friends, but then hard times came, too.  It reminds me of the night Brian was diagnosed and she sat with me and hugged me.  It reminds me of the days, weeks, and years that she has remained my supporter and constant shoulder to cry on.  It also reminds me how God has used this woman to touch my life and my heart so many times.  She is now my biggest fan when it comes to the ministry God has called me to do for Him.  She believes in Him and His plan for me!  That is what a true friend of God looks like!

Last Day to Fast

Today ends my 40 day fast and I have to say this has been an amazing experience.  It was hard.  I cannot lie.  When you fast something you love and depend upon each day for comfort or joy it is not easy to do without it.  There were days when I wondered if it really mattered or if God really even cared that I was fasting in order to hear from Him.  You know me, I am always honest.  But then I would realize I could do it with His help and strength and that hearing from God himself would be more than worth all the fasting I had done.  Today is the last day and I have mixed emotions.  I have yet to see the answer to my prayer in the physical but God has already given me an answer in the spiritual so I can rest in that until it comes in this realm.  I pray God sees my heart for Him and how much I do really love Him.  I have grown closer to Him and that was really what mattered the most all along. 

As I look at this pictur of this family "in the waiting room" I remember countless times that I, too, sat and waited for that person to call my name and tell me news about Brian, my daughter, Taylor, or last year even my mom, Judy, as she battled breast cancer.  They hold your heart in their words.  The waiting room is a hard place to be literally and in our Christian walk with the Lord.  I would love for you to share about how God has come through for you in "The Waiting Room" of life.

My Diamond Experience with God!

I just want to share, before going to sleep tonight, how amazed I remain at what has happened to me personally during this past weekend at the IPHC Diamond Experience National Women's Ministries Conference in Nashville, TN.  God spoke to me and touched my life in ways that words cannot express!  I am different.  I feel different and I know that from now on my entire being is different.  God is the reason you see me in this picture standing on the same stage as the international Women's Ministries Director of the IPHC denomination, and that is GOD!  It has nothing to do with Jessica Daly but everything to do with HIM!  Don't ever underestimate what God can do for you and through you!  This is an incredible time in my life I will NEVER forget! 

It is really hard to believe that I am actually in Nashville, TN and that the IPHC Women's Ministries national conference begins tomorrow!  The most mind-blowing part is that not only am I participant, but I am a speaker!  I want you to understand that God is the reason that I am here!  God is the reason that our ministry has had open doors placed before us during the past year and a half!  I ask that you all pray for me as I share with the leading women in the IPHC denomination how important caregivers are and how important it is to begin a ministry for them within their states and personal churches.  Pray that minds and hearts will be opened to the Holy Spirit and to our message of love and hope for caregivers.  I also feel an overwhelming feeling of support and love from those around me!  Just another way in which God is showering me with HIS love!

I look at this picture and can totally understand the confusion and frustration that are on the faces of this couple!  You can see they are trying to figure out a bill and they have the checkbook open as well.  Being sick is expensive.  No matter what type of insurance or assistance you may have, medical expenses are astronomical and can ruin a family financially.  I want to encourage you today and share with you that God cares about your finances!  I can say that because for over six years I have seen God take care of our financial needs over and over.  Now, we are not rich in money, but each time a need arises God finds a way to provide.  We have even seen it provided to the penny of the amount we needed.  Even when we recently scheduled the caregivers' conference in August, we had no funding.  We relied on God totally and He paid for the conference in full.  It took time and it took trust on our part but it happened!  Rely on God today and watch Him take care of your financial needs!  Share a time when God has provided financial assistance in your life as a caregiver!

This morning I found my mind wandering and spinning.  Instead of waiting on God with patience, I was contemplating how I could help my present situation.  I was thinking of all the ways in which I could speed things along for the Lord.  Maybe there were things I could be doing to help Him, I was thinking.  I knew that God had called me to work part-time and then spend the rest of the time on our ministry, but maybe I needed to be rethinking this and finding more work so that we would have some extra funds.  Waiting on God to provide was getting a little scary.  I was coming up with all these different plans when I heard a text message come to my phone.  When I read it I was stopped and amazed.  My friend, Beverly, had no idea what I had been doing that morning.  She told me that while she was praying "Be still and know that I am God" kept coming to her.  God then spoke my name to her and she immediately sent the message to me.  Wow!  God was telling me to stop!  He was tired of what I was doing.  He had to get my attention and He sure did!  Later I heard this song and it just touched me even deeper.  Listen to the words and know that all God wants is for us to stop and trust Him.  Why is it so hard?  Do you ever feel this way?

I sang this song in church today and it just spoke to me in a new way.  I have heard it and even sang it but today was different.  I actually pictured myself running to Jesus and Him waiting for me with open arms.  I need Jesus so desperately that I do find myself running to Him during my regular day.  I want you to listen to the lyrics of this special song and make it your own.  Do you ever run to the Savior?

This morning God prompted Brian to awaken and us both pray for a special friend who is in Duke right now with heart issues.  We didn't know why or what was happening but we prayed with urgency for this friend.  Later today I found out from his wife that during that time he was very upset and crying and not any better with his heart.  How awesome that God loved our friend so much that He wanted us to pray comfort and angels all around him!  After lunch I received another text and now his heart rate is in regular rhythm!  Praise the LORD!  Share with us when you have had a prompting of the Lord to pray for someone and you did! 

Today I have the story of Peter going out to Jesus on the water on my heart really heavy.  When I look at this picture I just see myself in Peter's spot.  Oh, my, how I have felt that I was sinking in all that was around me and I was crying out for the Lord to save me and take my hand.  What I love is that Jesus is not worried or fearful at all.  He is secure and at peace as he holds Peter.  He also holds me and you!  We really can rise above the storm and stand with Jesus but the key is keeping our eyes on HIM!  Share what this picture says to you!

Fear In The NIght

Fear in the middle of the night is different from any other time fear comes.  For some reason, during the night it just seems worse.  I guess we feel surrounded by the darkness figuratively and literally!  Last night Brian had a nightmare and woke me up in the middle of the night.  He never woke up but I sure did!  I have been awaken in the night with Brian having heart problems many times and so when I wake like that I feel those same fearful feelings for a few moments until I realize everything is fine.  I just waited in the bed to feel sleepy again and just prayed for several things that have been on my spiritual heart.  I thought about how blessed I was that my nights are filled with sleep now instead of fear and pain as they once used to be.  If you are having tough nights right now, I want you to know that I understand on several levels and that I am so sorry.  My heart breaks for you.  I would never want anyone to feel like that.  I am praying for you if you are.  Please share how God has helped you in the night...

The 2nd Annual Caregivers' Conference 2012 "Called to Care" was awesome!  We had over 60 caregivers in attendance and everyone had a great time in the Lord.  The speakers and singers were all wonderful.  The food and fellowship times were equally as special.  We are so happy that this day was such a great time for everyone involved.  I especially thank the Lord for all those who gave of their time Friday and Saturday to make this event so very special.  I am continuing to praise the LORD for what took place on August 25th!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tCXObtC_fk

We had such a wonderful time last night with the Lord and Kari Jobe!  I thought that I was going to see her but I ended up spending two hours in worship with the Lord!  How cool is that?  This girl is about getting people in the presence of the Lord and because of this, God is blessing her career in music.  Isn't that amazing?  You see, no matter what we love to do, if we do it for HIM, we will be successful automatically.  She is an awesome example of this.  She had been sick in the bed for four days before she sang last night but all she did was praise HIM.  Click on the link above and listen to a song I love that reminds us that "HE is for us always!". 

I want to ask each one of you to invite every caregiver you know to attend our 2nd Annual Caregivers' Conference 2012 "Called to Care" which will take place on Saturday, August 25th from 8:30 am until 3:00 pm at The First Pentecostal Holiness Church of Goldsboro, NC.  This event is FREE and includes lunch for all participants.  Whether you are a past, present or future caregiver you need to come.  We also invite all professional caregivers to come for they need spiritual encouragement, too!  For more detailed information, please visit our ministry and also register at www.mydalyoutreach.com.

Last night I had the privilage of hearing Beth Stephens, an annointed woman of God, at Mt. Olive P.H. Church in Mt. Olive, NC.  As always, the Lord spoke to me through her!  Her message was about running to Jesus, falling at His feet and begging Him to come to our house just like the wealthly ruler did in Luke 8 verse 41 when his daughter was dying.  I had never looked at this story the way Beth presented it last night.  This man risked it all in order to go to Jesus for help.  Are we willing to do that?  Are you willing to risk your reputation and pride to run to Jesus, fall at His feet and beg Him to come to your house? 

Spiritual Attacks

Today was a great day where I felt the Lord's presence in many ways!  It began on my way to work as I heard great songs of praise to the Lord.  Then I saw my "Driveway Missionary" lady who was holding up her scripture sign and even waved at me this morning!  The day went great.  My meeting with my administrator was awesome.  Then after school the attacks began to come.

The enemy knew that God was doing powerful things in my day and in my life so it was time for him to try and stop it all and take away my joy.  For a short time, he brought fear and doubt into my mind and heart.  BUT, I then got on my knees in the middle of my living room floor and began to cry out to my Savior for help and for answers to my prayers.  It was exhausting but so powerful and so refreshing.  When is the last time you cried out to the Lord?

I spent the morning in an oncology waiting room while waiting for my mom to have her six month checkup from breast cancer.  I sat and watched person after person come into the waiting room who either had cancer or was the caregiver to someone with cancer.  There were young and old waiting in this one room.  None of them knew one another but they all shared a connection.  The waiting room can be a lonely place but I have always chosen to connect with people if possible.  We met a sweet lady who was waiting for her mother who is being treated for colon cancer.  She took time to show Taylor a sewing technique and I was able to share our ministry with her.  How do you feel about waiting rooms? 

I am more than excited about our ministry's new blog!  This is such a great way for me to actually communicate with caregivers all over the country and even beyond.  God has given me a heart for caregivers and the daily struggles that they encounter each and every day.  If you are a caregiver I invite you to become a part of our blog.  This will be a place to not only share your heart but also hear the hearts of others which will also bless you!  God sees all that you do for others and He appreciates you when no one else does.  My scripture for you is Jeremiah 33:3 today.  God has amazing things in store for you that you cannot even imagine!