Imagine yourself to be the Apostle Peter. You have cried, prayed, fasted, fished, all night, and caught nothing. And then suddenly a voice cries out from the shore and tells you to cast your net again, just one more time. The fish come from nowhere and are practically jumping into the net. You look back to the man who called out from the shore and realize it is Jesus! You realize it is going to take some time to haul in this catch and you just can’t wait. So you put on your robe and jump out of the boat to get to shore to embrace Him. In the midst of the excitement, you forget your sorrow and that denied Him ~ three times.
Because…. just a few short days ago, you were in the upper room with everyone and like the rest, swore your allegience to always follow this man you believed to be the Son of God. Then just when you thought you would never do what you did…
So when he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, and [e]sat down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me, Teacher, and, Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye also should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, A [f]servant is not greater than his lord; neither [g]one that is sent greater than he that sent him.
If ye know these things, blessed are ye if ye do them.
John 13:12-17
Jesus washed each of the disciple’s feet individually. He then said to them, “do this to one another.” I believe he was saying, “Don’t compare yourself to one another, but serve one another as I have served you.” Peter, John and the other disciples lived, loved and worked with Jesus, yet each one had their individual assignments in the Kingdom of God.
from ashes to beauty ~ Cinderella Released
Lessons in Life from the World’s Wealthiest Single Mom!
“The blessing of the LORD makes a person rich, and He adds no sorrow with it.” Proverbs 10:22
God has a purpose when it comes to the resources He provides in my life. Wealth is viewed very differently in every culture. I’ve had the blessing to visit other countries and places in the United States and to really realize how blessed I am and surrounded by such wealth. This post is about God’s provision for me. For many years, I felt being a single mom was one of the most difficult professions on the planet. But, today I am so thankful for all that God has provided for me and my family.
PaPa Baggs, Colt, Christopher, Maverick & Gary Jr. (My Boys)
Life’s Lesson # 1 – Provision
“But My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19
Colt & Maverick 1986
In 1991 after a financial crisis, my husband and I separated and my two youngest boys and I went to Tallahassee, Florida to live with my older brother, his wife and my nieces Dena and Adrienne. After a few weeks, the Lord provided me with a good job and a one bedroom apartment. My sister-in-law helped me figure out a weekly budget and so I would cash my check and put money aside each week in an envelope, one for each of my bills. 10% of my gross income went directly into the offering plate and $35 per week was our food budget. It seemed I always had more envelopes than money at the end of the end of the week but I knew God would provide.
“Touched by Two Angels”
Then our first month’s electric bill arrived and I went to get my envelope for the electric.
To my dismay, I had only put away $6. I thought to myself, “How did that happen?”
Holding my breath, I opened the bill and a big cry of relief came when I saw the charge of only $6. But, I did call the electric company immediately. They said the bill was correct and it was probably because it was just the first month’s bill.
I promised myself to put away more the next month. When the next month came, and I opened the electric bill it was only $12 this time. As you can imagine, I didn’t waste any time calling the electric company.
Their response was,
“Mrs. Hoenig, yes there is a problem. We never got your payment from last month!This is why it’s $12.”
I said, no, you don’t understand, “This has been the coldest winter in Tallahassee and I run my heat all the time.” The operator said, “I will check the meter and get back with you.”
Well, the fact is I never got a bill that went over $6 a month for the first nine months (the entire time we were in this little apartment). Our God supplied for our needs abundantly and above anything I could dream or imagine at the time.
God also supplied us with friends and family who provided food, fellowship and lots of fun! We opened up our home each week for dinner on Saturday nights where the boys and I provided the main course. Usually I got the BOGO which always provided a great meal and our friends brought side dishes, desserts and drinks. We always had plenty of leftovers for the rest of the week. Another way we saved money and had fun was going to a local restaurant which had a “Kids Eat Free” night on Wednesday nights. It was a hot food buffet and salad bar. My boys loaded their bellies with plenty of good food and we also had fellowship with many of the families we knew would eat there also.
Colt and Maverick
Amy, Maverick & Colt
Amy, Maverick & Jonah
This Life Lesson on Provision helped me become the World’s Wealthiest Single Mom!
I don’t know about you but whenever I get stressed and don’t know what to do… I feel a migration movement coming on. What I mean is I want to get up from where I am at and move to another place. You’ve heard the grass is greener on the other side? I’ve often wondered if this is attached to migration. In the case of passing from this life to the next. I do believe the grass is definitely greener on the other side, at least for me.
Whenever the Lord allows me to go back to Kenya my dream is to travel all around the perimeter of Kenya and to see the great migration that occurs yearly. It is a natural instinct for literally millions of animals who migrate from Kenya to Tanzania. About Travel says,
The great annual migration of millions of zebra, wildebeest (gnu) and other antelope in East Africa tops almost every list of safari experiences. When you plan your trip, you’ll need information about the annual migration, the best times to witness this wildlife spectacle, where to stay, and when to see it in Kenya and Tanzania.
The Migration
Each year around 1.5 million wildebeest and 300,000 zebra (along with other antelope) gather up their young and start their long trek from Tanzania’s Serengeti Plains, further north to Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve. They go in search of food and water. Their journey runs in a clockwise circle and the animals cover a distance of around 1800 miles. It’s a tough journey, and every year an estimated 250,000 wildebeest don’t make it.
One of the most spectacular sights of the migration is when the herds gather to cross the Grumeti River (Tanzania) and the Mara River (Kenya) from July through September.
Psalm 23 reminds me of this distinct urge and how David must have felt when he was tending his flock and they had this sudden urge to migrate! When are we comfortable with passing from one dimension into the other. In David’s case he was hunted, betrayed, and pursued by his enemies in an attempt to keep him from his inheritance. This was a position and place to which he had not yet arrived, yet I believe deep within him the urge to continue through trauma, stress and trials moved him to not give up and to pursue the unknown. I wonder if he was choosing life here, and wanting what only death could bring… a migration to the other side where rest, peace and eternity reigns supreme.
Psalm 23
A psalm of David.
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley,[a] I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
The Brook, Valley and River of Kidron (Cedron)
1 Kings 2:371599 Geneva Bible (GNV)
37 For that day that thou goest out, and passest over the river of Kidron, know assuredly, that thou shalt die the death: thy blood shall be upon thine own head.
Nehemiah 2:151599 Geneva Bible (GNV)
15 Then went I up in the night by the brook, and viewed the wall, and turned back, and coming back, I entered by the gate of the valley, and returned.
40 And the whole valley of the dead bodies, and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the brook of Kidron, and unto the corner of the horsegate toward the East, shall be holy unto the Lord, neither shall it be plucked up nor destroyed anymore forever.
It is interesting to study about this brook and valley and the filled and unfulfilled prophecies. You can read about the first and last time this brook and valley are mentioned Click here.
The darkest valley is spoken about in scripture. Before you come to it you must go over the brook of Kidron. David walked over it, Nehemiah, Jeremiah….then finally Jesus and his disciples on the way to the garden of Gethsemane on the night he was betrayed. The famous song says, “we all have to walk that lonesome valley by ourselves.” Migration comes to us all to make that walk from this life to the next. I have chosen to walk in the way of Jesus. He went before me, but He is still with me.
If you would like to learn more about the Journey Jesus took over the Brook of Cedron I would be happy to share with you, your small or large group! Email me at CinderellaReleased@gmail.com
Denial – Excerpt from Stepping Out Of Denial Into God’s Grace by John Baker
Principle 1: Realize I’m not God. I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong ting and that my life is unmanageable.
Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor. (Matthew 5:3)
Step 1: We admitted we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors, that our lives had become unmanageable.
For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For Ihave the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. (Romans 7:18)
God tells us, “You can’t heal a wound by saying it’s not there!”
Dissables our feelings – this freezes our emotions
They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves to destructive habits – for we are slaves to anything that has conquered us. (2 Peter 2:19)
Energy lost – creates anxiety – worry stops our ability to go forward
He frees the prisoners…He lifts the burdens from those who are bent down beneath their loads. (Psalm 146:7-8)
Negates growth – We are as sick as our sickness. We don’t grow when we are sick
They cried out to the Lord in their troubles, and he rescued them! He led them from their darkness and shadow of death and snapped their chains. (Psalm 107:13-14)
Isolates us from God- God’s light shines on truth – Denial keeps us in the dark and away from God
God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” (I John 1:5-7)
Alienates us from our relationships – Denial tells us we are getting away with it. We think no one sees us but they do. What shall we do?
Stop lying to each other: tell the truth, for we are parts of each other and when we lie to each other we are hurting ourselves. (Ephesians 4:25)
Lengthen the pain – We think denial keeps us from pain when in fact it fuels it and prolongs it.
God’s promise: I will give you back your health again and heal your wounds. (Jeremiah 30:17)
Accept the first principle in recovery. I’m learning to step out of my denial. Step into the unconditional love of Jesus!
Cinderella Joy Recovery Services provides pastoral counseling, 24/7 prayer & professional business consulting services from a balanced Biblical prospective. I also advocate health and wellness and using CPTG essential oils to help bring your body into balance naturally and the way God intended for us to be. Many times after a stressful event or trauma our body goes into defense mode and eventually becomes out of balance.
With over 35 plus years experience plus having gone through the hurting and healing process personally, my heart is to help others recover. I thought I was going to die I was so sick from stress and trauma. God has healed me from stress, anxiety disorders, addictions, traumas, crisis and depression. I had to take the first step of surrendering myself to Jesus and becoming teachable. He has shown me so much unconditional love, plus I know now He wanted me well, not sick. There is hope for everyone.
You can be made whole again through the power of the Holy Spirit, and recover your joy! Freedom is possible. I know.
Mental health is extremely important because our mental health determines our physical health. If our mental health is poor then our physical health will suffer. When our mental health is good then our physical health improves. In order to live a stress-free, joyful life one has to modify his or her behavior and thought process. Everyone feels stress, frustration and irritability but if you have the tools to manage those feelings when they appear and remain positive you can quickly shorten their duration and go on living a healthy and happy life.
If you would like a COMPLIMENTARY 30-MINUTE CONSULTATION please contact me! Sessions can be conducted in person, over the phone or via Skype (must have an email address to receive worksheets and client forms for phone or Skype sessions). Please call me and at least let me pray with you about your situation.
I am excited to help you recover your joy from trauma, crisis, grief and loss!
Forever in Him,
Marlene Baggs-Hoenig, Cinderella Released from ashes to beauty and from bondage to freedom!
