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.

377 – Please Advise, Lord

377- Please Advise, Lord

September 2, 1989 San Francisco

Dan, Timmy, and Stevie left early to set up Mario Murillo tent. Dan and Timmy went to the 2 o’clock and the 6 o’clock meetings. Tim sold t-shirts and the Latinos gave him one. I did laundry in the men’s locker room by the pool all day. Up and down the stairs. It was free, and I thank the Lord!

September 3 Sunday

Shealyn and I worked in the nursery at church. Directly after church we all went to the Crusade. Donnie Moore did feats of strength. I counseled Natalie and Karen. We had a quick dinner at home and went back to the 6 o’clock meeting. Timmy got another shirt and a music tape from the Latinos! It’s nice he is getting these rewards for his hard work.

September 4

The rent, Lord!! And what about Petaluma job? PLEASE ADVISE!

John 1:1 Jesus is the WORD. ^3-4Jesus is life and gives life, now and eternally! ⁵Jesus is light and He illuminates the darkness.

John 11:6 Jesus is the way, the truth, and the LIFE.

Please bring us the word of truth and show us the way, Lord. You are our life!

We went to Foster City with Ken and Kathy Reed and we were much encouraged by their walk of faith. Dan and Ken clicked. Ken has a history with Japan, also.

376 – God is Right Here to Strengthen

376 – God is Right Here to

Strengthen

September 1, 1989 continued

More encouragements from God’s word to bolster me in this uncertain time!

Cross references I followed up on that are so encouraging.

Psalm 68:32-35 Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth, sing praise to the Lord, to Him who rides the ancient skies above, who thunders with mighty voice. Proclaim the power of God, whose majesty is over Israel, whose power is in the skies. You are awesome, O God, in Your sanctuary, the God who gives power and strength to His people. Praise be to God!

Psalm 68:28 Summon Your power, O God. Show us Your strength, O God, as You have done before.

Psalm 28:6-9 Praise be to the Lord, for He has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength and my shield, my heart trusts in Him and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy, and I will give thanks to Him in song. The Lord is the strength of His people, a fortress of salvation for His anointed one. Save your people and bless Your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever.

Let faith arise!!!

Friday evening: Akiko and Duane came to dinner. Dan and the boys helped them move out.

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.

368 – Fix My Eyes on Jesus

368 – Fix My Eyes on Faithful Jesus

August 20, 1989 San Francisco

God’s ways are HIGH above my ways. He has the right to do AS He pleases, WHEN He pleases in my life—and in all other’s lives.

Hebrews 1:3 Jesus is the exact representation of God and did only what the Father instructed Him to do.

Hebrews 3

v1 -Jesus is so superior to Moses

-we are to fix our eyes on Him

-we are to confess Jesus

-Jesus was faithful to God, the One who appointed Him

-God is the builder of everything

v6 -Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house

-and WE ARE HIS HOUSE IF WE HOLD ON TO OUR COURAGE AND HOPE OF WHICH WE BOAST. We must persevere.

-Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart

v 12 -an unbelieving heart is sinful and means you are turning away from the living God

-sin is deceitful, encourage each other daily

-we have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first

-unbelief keeps us from God’s rest

AWESOME LORD!

366 – Me Better Than Them?

365 Me Better than Them?

August 17,1989 San Francisco

If I think I am better than someone, I can justify being rude, bossy, naggy, impatient, angry; and I am condescending and have low expectations for them. I just want them to be good so I can be accommodated and do MY thing, because of course MY part is the important part.

It makes for superficial relationships because all I want really is to keep coming away looking good to support the ‘truth’ that I am better. I become very controlling and they (people under me) have to make it so I look good.

[This is so true and when the Spirit showed me truths like this I was always convicted. Just heard a variation of the same conviction recently (2019). He keeps going deeper and deeper to the very root of the issue.]

Later: I took Akiko and Duane, our down the hall neighbors (she does not drive) to the emergency room for Duane’s knee. I had done this a month ago, taking all of the boys with me. We were so late in returning that I missed the home school meeting. So I listened to a tape Karen sent: How to Encourage Yourself in the Lord. I must stay surrendered and on top of my emotions.

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.

357 Undivided Heart to Honor You

357 – Undivided Heart

to Honor You

August 3, 1989 San Francisco

Psalm 86

verse 1 hear me

v 2 save me

v 3 be merciful

v 4 bring joy to me

Psalm 4:7 You have filled my heart with greater joy –

this means You put joy in me

v 11 teach me Your way

v 11 GIVE ME AN UNDIVIDED HEART that I may fear your name.

reference: Ezekiel 11:19 I will give them an UNDIVIDED HEART and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.

20 Then they will follow My decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people and I will be their God.

18 remove vile images and detestable gods

reference: 1 Chronicles 12:33 the men of Zebulun experienced soldiers prepared for battle with every type of weapon, to help David—with UNDIVIDED LOYALTY.

reference: 1 Corinthians 7:34-35 But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in UNDIVIDED DEVOTION to the Lord.

Lord, remove pregnancy or every attitude about it that makes it a god in competition for my affections for You.

Lord, don’t take away my husband and children so I can be undivided in devotion to You, but bring us all into a place of unity of purpose—to please You in all things, and fulfill all of Your call for us.

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.”