God provides in big ways and small ways.

Over the years, the Lord has blessed our family in many many ways, and in recent weeks we've needed to rely on his hand even more - which has been a blessing!

Since August, we've had several large ticket items break down including our refrigerator, washer, dish washer, and furnace. Along with work travel and medical bills, we found ourselves with too much month at the end of the money.

On October 31, I had an appointment for Ben that would cost $45. I had $40 left in my wallet. I asked to Lord to provide the $5 I needed. Walked downstairs, opened a old purse I rarely carried, but had taken to a wedding the weekend before and there was $15. Thank you, Father.

About a week later, Susanna woke in the night crying. I went in to check on her and her little body was freezing. She always been a hot baby and got sweaty in fleece jammies, but obviously that was changing. I pulled a bag of clothes-to-grow-into out of her closet and we tried on about a half-dozen fleece footie jammies without any success. It seemed like the feet and zippers were bothering her. We finally settled on one, but when I got her in the morning she had unzipped them.

That morning, I thought to myself, "I'm going to have to figure out this jammie situation." I didn't ask for help. I wasn't praying. I simply put it on my priority list.

Just an hour later, I took Ben to preschool and a friend stopped me. She said, "Hold on. I have a pair of jammies for Susanna. I pulled these out for Paige, but they are too small for her. I think they'll fit Susanna perfectly."

In her hands were a pair of fleece, non-footie jammies. They are warm, two pieces so no zippers and fit perfectly.

I am humbled that God loves and sees our every need and sent us pajamas without my even asking. He just said, "Here's what you need." And it is perfect!

The last testimony is on a bigger scale. Like I said, our furnace had quit working Friday, October 18. We tried all the restarts with no luck, and didn't think it was an emergency so we waited out the weekend for a service technician to come on Monday.

He found the problem after a bit of investigation. Someone had put a small stick in the exhaust vent that goes to the outside of our house. That stick had worked it's way all the way to the furnace and somehow stopped it. (That vent happens to be about eye-level for the two youngest members of our family.)

The technician, removed the stick and the furnace was back in business. We thanked the Lord that we had heat again and that the problem had not been more serious.

Last week, our house seemed cold a couple days in a row and one morning we heard the furnace making a loud humming sound. I thought, "Oh dear, it's really broken this time."

I called the same company and they said they'd come out later that day. I talked with two people throughout the day who said that their furnace made a loud humming sound and they needed a new furnace.

Driving home, I started to pray, "Lord, you have been so good to us through these couple of rough months, thank you for providing what we need, but I don't think I can take anymore. Please spare us from replacing our furnace. Please let it be ok." (Admittedly, a pretty selfish and crummy prayer.)

I got home and Chuck said that the service person came and it wasn't making the noise. Hmm, isn't that how things go sometimes?

But then our house got warmer. One day went by and we held our breath, maybe this was just the calm before the storm. Two days went by. Three days and finally we accepted that the Lord had simply blessed us. Chuck and I really believe that the Lord healed our furnace. It sounds silly to say that God healed our furnace, but as I write this, it's 26 degrees outside. Not so silly.

Thank you, Father for blessing and healing our furnace. Thank you that we have heat tonight. Thank you that we have warm jammies. Thank you that you are always with us. Thank you for this season to of challenges so we could see your hand better and trust you rather than rely on our own strength. Thank you for being a loving Father who sees us and provides our every need!

Or what man is there among you, who, if his son ask bread, will give him a stone?
Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
Matthew 7:18-20

Kayla sees Jesus

Kayla was around three or four and we were in middle of a Sunday morning service when she told me she saw Jesus. She had been playing quietly, but she stopped, looked up and pointed to the front of the church.

She said something simple like, “There's Jesus.”

I looked but didn't see anything. At first I thought, maybe she was looking at the picture that used to be behind the baptismal fount, but she wasn't looking there. She was looking off toward the right side of the podium.

She stood there and looked off to that side for a little bit and then started playing again.

I was awe-inspired. Everyone was busy, but here is the quietness of a little child saying, “Hey look, there's Jesus.” It made me realize God is there with us each time we worship in His house.

It is such a blessing that the innocence of our children allows them to see things that we can no longer see. 


17) But Jesus called them, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God.
18) Verily I say unto you, Whosoever will not receive the kingdom of God as a little child,shall in no wise enter therein. 
~ Luke 18:17-18

A Comforting Kiss - Denise Wilton

This is really my mom's testimony (Dee Lamb). I don't remember any of it. I just remember what she told me. God gave it to her so she wouldn't be nervous about me going under anesthetic.

When I was four or five, I needed to have tubes put in my ears and in those days, they put you under to do that procedure.

My mom was nervous about me going under and she prayed about. The morning of the surgery, I got up and said, "That man kissed me."

We weren't really around any men except my grandpa (my dad was overseas serving in the military), so she asked me, "Who kissed you?"

I told her, "That Jesus man."

I went on to tell her that he kissed me on my cheek and she new that what I was saying was true. She knew that Jesus had come to visit me to let her know that everything was going to be okay.

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.    ~John 14:27

Walls of Prayer

I wanted to share this testimony at prayer service last Wednesday, but couldn't remember the details so I didn't share it then. But I still feel the need to share it, so I am copying it now.

This testimony can be found in True Restoration Testimonies, page 82. It was submitted by Clara Thomas.

In Oklahoma, one of our pastors was stricken with a severe illness. He had a long period of recovery, allowing him time to pray diligently for his congregation. One night he was given a dream. In the dream he was taken by one of God's messengers into every home in his branch.

He saw that Satan was not allowed to enter the truly dedicated home. A beautiful wall of prayer was standing firmly around every home which had regular family worship. Each day of family worship added another stone of strength to the wall of prayer which Satan could not penetrate.

In the homes where family worship was observed only occasionally, Satan could creep in with sin and sorrow. And in the homes where there was no family worship, Satan freely came and went as his evil heart desired.

This made the pastor realize the importance and great need for constant daily prayer, scripture study, and daily worship in our homes.


I will call upon the Lord, for he is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
~ Psalms 18:3