Where does your power come from?

I haven't written a blog in several weeks.  My parents were here for the holidays and at their age, I needed to spend extra time with them.  During that time I had a fantastic spiritual experience and I was convinced that I needed to spend more time with God. 

2009 was a time of great stress as well as a time of God's blessing.  When the miraculous event happened, I was left with one important question......who am I and what does God want from me?  I'm not confused about my talents, abilities or direction as a Christian - but I do wonder if I'm on the same page as God.  For that reason I've spent quiet time alone with God. Time that isn't cluttered by "rushing" to get work done. Quiet time that allowed me to contemplate my goals and to "listen" for His leading.

I've discussed it many times on this site.  We are in a huge fight for our freedoms and our country. This fight is going to take strong people who are led by an even stronger God. This fight is going to take a power that we may not be used to. This fight will take resources that you may feel you don't have. This fight will take you into uncomfortable territority. We need to be focused. We need to feel that power deep within our souls. And that means taking time to "listen" to the source of that power.

I was sure that I was listening to God and obeying his leading - but am I?  Have you ever looked at a a picture your child drew and commented - "That's a nice house" only to have him reply "That's not what I meant!"  I want to be sure that I know exactly what God meant when He gave me directions.
I personally believe that our greatest power is Jesus Christ. Perhaps you find power in a different faith or belief. For me...if I'm not connected to the source of my power, I usually am not successful. I am a devout Christian who has been priviledged to speak before large groups and to be part of organizations that have done great things. But....I know that if I'm not centered and connected to the source of my power, I will not and can not be all that God wants me to be.

About 22 years ago I fell in a neighbors yard. Every hour or so the pointer finger on my left hand trembled. After a month my hand was sore and irritated. When the trembling woke me up during the night, I went to the doctor. He put a splint on it and said it was an inflamed nerve. After one night my hand was swollen and I was in terrible pain. I rushed back to the doctor who sent me to an orthopaedic surgeon. He found a broken bone in my wrist but said something else was going on. He sent me to a neurologist who after several painful tests determined that I had Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy.

Apparently nerves located in your blood vessels aid in the blood flow through your body. As the heart pumps blood through your body with pressure, the nerves in your vessels prod it along like little cattle prods. With RSD when a nerve is damaged, it shuts down. But....it tells the nerve next to it to shut down - causing that nerve to pass the word to the next one down the line.

By the time I reached the neurologist, there wasn't any blood from my elbow to my fingers. And without blood, the hand couldn't move without severe pain. The doctor explained that if this continued it would reach my shoulder and without blood I would eventually have to have my arm amputated.
I was rushed to the outpatient surgery room and given a Ganglion Block. (to yucky to share here) After the anestheiologist was through we waited to see what would happen. My arm had been ice cold. I felt warmth. There was a heat vent near the ceiling and I smiled at the doctor. "I'm so glad they turned the heat on." He jumped up and threw the blanket off my arm. "Look, Look at your arm." I looked down and it was as if someone was painting my arm a bright red. When the blood reached the end of my fingers I was moving them wildly - without pain!

My father preached a sermon the following Sunday on the Vine and the Branches.

John 15:5    "Yes I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in me and I in him shall produce a large crop of fruit. For apart from me you can't do a thing. If anyone separates from me, he is thrown away like a useless branch, withers, and is gathered into a pile with all the others and burned."

I want to encourage you today to stay connected to the Source of your power. Without that source flowing through our veins, we will be cut off and thrown into a pile and burned. Everyone reading this should plug into some type of prayer group. And don't forget the power of time alone with God - to listen - not talk!  Everyone should be concerned about staying connected to "the source". We have all seen pastors and celebrities that boast Christian values only to be exposed later on. Perhaps they did hold to better principles - but they lost their source of power and they were easy targets for evil plans. Each of us has the potential to be targeted if we do not stay connected to the source.

We can do this. We can take back America and we can make a difference in this country. But we all need to be connected to a greater source of power. And....once we are connected to that source, we have to be aware that those around us are watching. My neighbor is watching to see if I pass the word to shut down or if I give her the "all clear" signal to stay busy.

Ephesians 6:10-13

"Last of all I want to remind you that your strength must come from the Lord's mighty power within you. Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand safe against all strategies and tricks of Satan. For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against persons without bodies - the evil ruler of the unseen world, those mighty satanic beings and great evil princes of darkness who rule this world; and against huge numbers of wicked spirits in the spirit world."

So....Where does your power come from?

God loves you,

Debbie