Soul Sister Time

            Returning from a mission trip, I’m more aware of the work of the Holy Spirit.  I love the way the Holy Spirit works in my life.  I’m always a little bit surprised and can never get used to the way He works.  I love considering the intimate and personal connection God has been able to make with me because of my faith in Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit.             What stands out to me from my recent trip was when the Holy Spirit wanted order and quiet in a meeting I was leading.  I am not easily distracted by what is going on in the room when I am speaking.  I speak to adults and if they want to listen, they will listen; but they are free to leave and do whatever they need to do.  When I was teaching about Jesus and what it means to be a sinner, there was a conversation going on in the back of the room.  I usually don’t have trouble staying focused and sharing what I feel God has led me to share no matter what is happening in the room.   I experienced the power o

            I'm not much of an accountant.   I basically try to spend less money than I make and go from there.   So far I have been able to get away with it living by this philosophy.   However, I do take account of how I live my life here on earth.   I could be more mindful of my choices, and I have a lot of help from the Holy Spirit.   My spiritual account is the most important account I will ever be held responsible for.             There is a healthy reality that God has made clear to us in His word.   Though heaven is about relationship and faith in His provision of His Son Jesus Christ to cover our sin, how we live here on earth will matter in eternity.               It doesn't hurt us to give regular attention to this account as best we can.             I'm not saying that I have any idea how God will see the account of my life.   I know it’s not just what I do, but why I do it.   He tells me I don't even know when my heart is pure or p

            Miracles are not extraordinary; they are ordinary .  This is what Father Ted Nelson taught me in our time together.  Father Ted exited this earth’s journey on October 31, 2014, at the age of 88.  I am so blessed that I had the chance to know him personally.  He was one of the happiest and most joyful people you would ever meet.  His was the name I wrote down in Bible study books when they asked who is the most spirit-filled Christian you have known?  I never knew Father Ted to sin around me; but if he sensed he was being the least bit prideful during our conversation, he was quick to point out his blunder then quickly move on to teach me about his great love for God.             Most people loved and admired Father Ted.  He always conceded the fact that others thought highly of him until they met his wife Lee Ann.  They are a team.  She has always been the wind beneath his wings.  He became well-known in the Dallas area in the seventies-eighties when he was the rector

            I live in Dallas, Texas, where the first person with Ebola had symptoms (patient zero) while already in America.  Suddenly a part of town that rarely gets attention (mainly impoverished) was flooded with a national media barrage.  One sick man created frenzy around our nation.  Everyone was on edge and many in Dallas still are.  The local news has a calendar to count down to when the last person who rode on a plane with a nurse infected while treating patient zero has passed her 21-day observation period, and we can all feel safe.  Then we should have nothing to worry about, right?             The degree of worry and upset that three Ebola victims in Dallas has created in our nation and around the world is astounding compared to what we really need to be worried about.  The truth is, the number of our days here on earth is known by God.  If we spend all our days on earth trying to get the best life possible—Ebola free, and that makes us feel safe—we will leave ourselv