379 – Not Alone

September 10, 1989 San Francisco

We all went to the Crusade after church and did not get home and to sleep till after midnight.

We decided to skip a wedding in Reno and stay through the week to finish out the Mario Murillo Crusade.

September 14 – Thursday

I was awake early. Discouraged. Lonely. On my morning walk I prayed for Jesus’ agape love to come to me. As I went into the courtyard to read my Bible, I had a sensation someone was already there, waiting. Glanced quickly to my bench against the wall, and had the split second perception of Jesus sitting there waiting for me. Oh, I needed to have You be here, Jesus. Thank You, precious Lord.

I asked what would be good for me to read. John 18 came to my mind. Wow, perfect. Jesus was betrayed by Judas, Peter, and the Jews. He was separated from His disciples in His time of great need. (I have not been betrayed, praise God, but the rest applied.)

He said to Peter— v 11“Put your sword away!! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”

The cup came from the Father.

⁴³An angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him.

⁴⁴and being in anguish He prayed more earnestly and His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

I accept my cup, Lord.

I accept your strengthening.

I will pray more earnestly.

I will not use the sword, which for me stands for weapons of the flesh—reacting out of fear and anger. I will not be an angry person, I will not react in fear! I put them away!

Jesus, you are covering me, and will continue, but I need to change.

378 – We Keep Seeking Him

September 6 San Francisco

$25 gift from, $600 from friends! Bless Our God!

Our habit is to share with each other which verses the Holy Spirit highlighted in our devotions. Dan was impacted by:

Psalm 66:8-20 Praise our God, O peoples, let the sound of His praise be heard; He has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping. For You, O God, tested us. You refined us like silver. You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. You let men ride over our heads. We went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance. I will come to Your temple with burnt offerings and fulfill my vows to You—vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke when I was in trouble. I will sacrifice fat animals to You and an offering of rams. I will offer bulls and goats. Come and listen, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me. I cried out to Him with my mouth; His praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer. Praise be to God who has not rejected my prayer or withheld His love from me!

It spoke to us both. We are encouraged that we are not left behind, not alone.

September 8

The Spirit brought these to my mind and I was helped:

Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He is the rewarder of all who diligently SEEK Him.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to prosper you and NOT TO HARM YOU, plans to give you hope and a future.¹³You will SEEK Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.

We all went to the crusade tonight and witnessed many miracles.

September 10

Dan and Timmy (age 10) went to the crusade. They got home at 11:30pm. The rest of us were asleep by 9:30pm.

375 – He Rides to Help Me

September 1, 1989

Auntie Bev who has been such a good and faithful friend, and her new husband, Chuck, spent the afternoon and evening with us. Good time.

Dan and I prayed. He feels God will speak to us today. Yesterday Bill (property manager) said he was not sure boys could play outside during school hours. Administration is making some changes this school year.

The Lord gave me Habakkuk 3:17 Though the fig tree does not bud…and we have great indebtedness in back rent, though our supporters did not respond to our appeal, and our boys are being confined indoors, though we have no convenient access to washer and dryer, and…

¹⁸YET I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. ¹⁹The sovereign Lord is my strength. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to tread on the heights.

cross reference to Deuteronomy 33:26 “There is no one like the God of Jeshurun who rides on the heavens to help you, and on the clouds in His majesty. ²⁷The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He says, you are held tightly in My arms, Georgann!

He will drive out your enemy before you, saying, “Destroy him!”

²⁸So Israel will live in safety alone; Jacob’s spring is secure in a land of grain and new wine, where the heavens drop dew.

²⁹Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord? He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword. Your enemies will cower before you, and you will trample down their high places.”

374 – The Word Keeps Us

August 31, continued

The Word keeps us, centers us on the truth; cares fall away, peace comes.

Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.”

⁶So we may say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me”|

⁸Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today and forever.

⁹It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace.

Worth repeating: the Word of God keeps us, centers us on the truth; cares fall away peace comes.

We commit it all, our needs, our desires, our fears—to You, Jesus. Thank You for Your strengthening grace. It enables us to look away and be content and have joy.

373 – Challenges and Benefits

August 30 and 31, 1989 San Francisco

Humiliation: no convenient laundry facilities, fridge works sporadically, our kitchen boxes are still in NY (as is 95% of our worldly goods); drippy faucet; soap smell; boys still sleep in their sleeping bags on the floor (one year); SMD have never been to the dentist; DGT need to go also; overdue rent; car blinker not working; hair is unmanageable; Dan needs work; small living quarters; few conveniences; no money for home school materials order; Steve needs eye appointment; my glasses are broken and I need a new prescription; we have no storage—our boxes and Dan’s drafting table are in the hall.

BUT GOD HAS GIVEN US JOY AND CONTENTMENT. We are SO grateful for this place of refuge in this city.

THE LORD’S BENEFITS, I FORGET NOT: (Psalm 103:1 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not His benefits.)

*the boys’ were witnesses of the men’s and women’s servant hearts at the crusade, and they were involved and needed in cleanup, passing leaflets. Tim showed leadership abilities. We are very proud of them. God is showing me that this is fruit from our parenting and His added grace.

*Dan and I can communicate to each other and are one flesh

*God’s mercy has given this place to live; it is perfect in so many ways

*everyone is in good health and has a sound mind

*boys are in agreement with our values and are content

*the Lord has given us a solid-ness that others see

*Dan is valued by Pastor Mike at our Foursquare church

372 – Looking to Jesus

August 30, 1989 San Francisco

Dan prayed for a new heart for me that does not believe, get under condemnation. I pull it over me ALL the time, like I used to do depression—as though it were a monitor of if I am okay or not. And of course it always says, “no, you are separated from God, from your husband, from your children.”

Hebrews 12:1 …let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

² Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

³consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men so that you do not grow weary and lose heart.

⁷Endure hardship as discipline.

¹²…strengthen your feeble arms…weak knees

¹⁴Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

359 – New Friend

359 New Friend

August 4, 1989 San Francisco

I was in the Word but it did not minister to me. Confusion and doom overtook me! It was a PMS day, but I went ahead and met with a new friend, Kathy Reed. We went to Foster City in her car to a park. [Kathy and I would become great friends, sharing our homeschool ideas and our desires to have another baby. We realized we both desperately hoped someone would leave a baby on our doorsteps that would need us and fulfill our desire for more children!]

August 5 San Francisco

Yesterday was horrid. I woke up angry and awful, and I felt the Lord revealed to me that all of the fruit we have been consuming in the Fit for Life eating plan—had turned to sugar that built up in me the last two weeks and did me in!! We ran errands early and I finally ate breakfast about 9am. Eggs, cheese, wheat toast and in a few minutes I was FINE! It became a low stress weekend. So I am back to eggs and toast for breakfast. So although confusion reigned for a while yesterday, it did not win. Kathy and I had a wonderful connection.

Proverbs 4:23 above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. NIV note: If we store up good things (God’s words, wisdom, faith, hope) in our hearts, our words and actions will be good—because out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. Matt 12:34.

352 – Comfortable Routines

April 18 1989 San Francisco

I looked around at our very little living room approvingly after breakfast this morning. We like it here, at Bridgemont, in this little apartment. It’s comfortable, we have routines. I’m walking every day, Dan can do his drafting in the room down the hall. The boys can run down to the Red Room and play and not bother anyone, the pool is always available, though a bit of a hike. Neighbors come and go, meaning they move in and move out fairly often, but there’s a good feeling among us and camaraderie happens easily when new tenants arrive.

Again, we began seriously to call on Jesus for success in our attitude and perseverance about home school. As a result, the kids are more cooperative and less complaining, and I am more organized and patient, and more confident that they are really learning something.

But my hope, my fulfillment, my satisfaction, are in Christ my Lord. For me to live successfully, peacefully, fulfilled, is all Christ. If I slide in my persistent seeking of Him and skip my Bible reading, my focus shifts and I’m in agitation and insecurities.

My journal notes are Bible verses and notes, enough to keep me going, but nothing stunning to write here about. I was re-reading Hannah Whitall Smith’s book, The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life. We had many good friends from church and we were very busy with home group, potlucks, following Giants and A’s baseball games with Bill.

We went to Reno for the wedding of one of Dan’s friends. We had overnight guests.

There is no diary of other family activities until July 6.

July 6

Last night after church the car would not start. Deborah and Cathy walked home from church and we took the bus. A bit of adventure doing it at night! We arrived home at 10:40pm. The boys were not able to attend a friend’s overnight backyard campout. They were very good sports about it.

349 – Lots of Encouragement

April 2, 1989 Sunday

I went forward for prayer for homeschool—that I could be Christ-like in it. We were instructed by Joyce to let God speak to us on the issue we had brought forth. I am not always trusting to do this, but took a risk and said, “okay, God—please speak!” In rapid succession, these verses popped into my mind:

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me; My grace is sufficient for thee–for My strength is made perfect in weakness; whether you turn to the right or to the left, you will hear a voice behind you saying this is the way, walk in it.*

WOW He spoke completely by His Word!

I confided to Joyce that I had been up and down on this issue many times. She said very emphatically, “That sounds like doubt.” And it was.

Before the night meeting started, Joyce said she had prayed about our homeschooling (it was still something that few people did in 1989, and not everyone believed it was a good idea), and she felt the Lord had said: “The boys are at home because the constant change of friends and schools would end up being too traumatic over time. So He’s covering the bases.”

Dan prayed for a man who was a newcomer, and then the man prayed for Dan. He prayed that Dan would bring in the harvest, many souls, that we would go overseas, that our whole family would be involved in bringing people to the Lord. PRAISE GOD! The man himself was surprised at his own prayer! Dan wept.

Thank You for all of the encouragement, Lord.

*Philippians 4:13; 2 Corinthians 12:9; Isaiah 30:21.

327 – Going Out, Not Knowing the Details

327 – Going Out,

Not Knowing the Details

October 25, 1988 – I had JOY ALL DAY!! All glory to God!

TRIALS:

*We are going out NOT KNOWING our itinerary—by faith in God—praise Him.

*We are going out with Timmy miserable with a cold –praising Him in all things.

*We are going out with $250. Gas expense alone to Denver will be $200, so we are depending on the Lord’s provision. Praise to our God who is faithful.

*We are going out tomorrow.

Judges 12-21 was only distressing…. I got no encouragement…

October 26 Ohio

As they sent us out with loving goodbyes and prayers, the Pletcher family gave us snacks and popcorn for the journey.

Hidden inside the popcorn container was a small refrigerator magnet that said:

YOU CAN DO IT – Philippians 4:13

[We kept it on the refrigerator for years.]

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Our first night stop was a surprise visit to some Elim friends who lived in Ohio. We had connected with them so well at the school, but our visit was strained. I guess 6 of us appearing late afternoon was a bit overwhelming to the newlyweds!

Ruth – the book of Ruth in the Biblee – AMAZING NIV notes are so appropriate for us!!

NIV notes in my Bible:

Ruth’s and Naomi’s self-giving love FULFILLS GOD’S LAW:

Leviticus 19:18 but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

Romans 13:10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

NIV Bible footnotes: The Hebrew word for redemption occurs 23 times in various forms in the book of Ruth.

Naomi moves from emptiness to fulfillment through the God-blessed acts of Ruth and Boaz.

October 27- 31 Ohio, Indiana, Illinois

Dan’s mom, Beth (Bebo to the kids), and her husband Al, were HAPPY to see us in Wheaton, Illinois.

I had been able to pray in the Spirit one hour. I had also been asking God for encouragement, but I was caught off guard by this opportunity for prayer and love as we met Luann and Dennis at the Vineyard church on Sunday morning. We received the word: for the trip–rest, don’t try to teach. I decided give in. As the boys continue to take turns sitting in the front with Dan, he can exhort them, teach them about the passing geography and all manner of things. I will continue reading aloud to them as we bump along.

OH! Gramp Al, Bebo’s husband, gave Dan a VISA bank card to pay for our gas for the remainder of the trip! We used it for gas, giving thanks every single time and sent it back to him as soon as we got to Reno.