My mom, my sister and I decided to head to KY to be with my brother who is to undergo a heart procedure tomorrow. As we were driving today through beautiful Tennesse I made several observations:

First of all there were MANY cars on the road, every color, shape, style- but each one occupied by at least one human being (dah!). Most cars held a couple, or a family and I couldn't help but wonder where are they going. Are they heading to work? Are they headed home? Are they coming back from getting bad news from a Doctor appointment? Is the couple headed to marriage counseling? Are they coming home from a funeral? Are they going to pick out wedding rings? Are they going to a party?

It all reminded me of LIFE. As each car is different, so is every human being. We all have different shapes, speak different languages, have different personalities, but each going along on the same road of life. Sometimes we pass someone, sometimes we speed, sometimes we get pulled over, sometimes we take an exit, sometimes we stop at the rest area, etc. Sometimes along life's road it rains, or the road goes up or down, winds to the left and curves to the right- but we are all traveling the same path. Some people following the speed limit, but many doing as they please.

I wondered also about what they were doing in their cars to make the travel fun and enjoyable, or did they all say: "Are we there yet?", a dozen times in a mile. Our particular car was filled with singing and chatter. We listened to upbeat Praise Music, listened to a good Biblical challenge on the radio, listened to an audio book about Missionary Burnums and munched on healthy fruit. Just like life, we all have a free will, and yet we all travel down the same road. We choose to make the trip a delight and that is what is was.

I noticed that a mountain towered above us on the left side of our car. The right side of our car was a steep drop-off leading to a valley. Every once in a while, we curved to the left and then the right, we climbed up and then we went down....I noticed villages, towns nestled in the valley below. I spotted an occasional Church steeple too. There were also clusters of houses carefully placed on the mountain. Isn't LIFE the road between mountains and valleys? So many great times, and yet so many challenges....all a part of life. The path of life also bends, curves, winds, never knowing when the next turn will come, but knowing it will come soon. But we have a free will to choose how we will take this ride through life. I personally choose to go through this life with a positive, optimistic attitude for I know my ultimate destination is HEAVEN.

All along the road from FL to KY there were signs announcing the next city and telling us how many miles to go. These were markers that kept us excited knowing we were on the right road and making progess. Earth walk is like that too as we walk each day toward Heaven. We do not know how many miles we have to go, but there is alot of positives along the way to assure us we are on the right road.

Life can be tough. Life can be challenging. But life is good because we serve an awesome God.

My mom, my sister and I arrived safely here in KY and surprised my brother. He was pleasantly shocke that we would come all this way just to be with him and his family. We love him.

Someday when our earth walk is over, we will arrive at our final destination of Heaven, and our Father will be waiting, arms open, to welcome us. He loves us.

Enjoy your earth walk today. Make today count!

Children's Ministry

My husband pastors a small struggling Church. The Lord sent us there to breathe LIFE back into this discouraged congregation. It is a hard work. Three steps forward, two back sort of ministry...but we remain faithful. We KNOW God can resurrect the dead, for HE did that in us.

The church did not have any children attending when we came less than two years ago. When my husband and I taught a Good News Club at our local elementary school last year, that was an amazing contact to MEET and start a friendly relationship with the children in the neighborhood of the Church. Now when we walk along the sidewalk, kids shout and wave. As a result of our first year of teaching, we had two boys come to Sunday school. But their parents did not come, even though the boys prayed Sunday after Sunday that they would come as a family. Each Sunday was precious with them as they knew NOTHING about the Bible. It was a JOY and a great responsibility to teach them about God. Then one day their family moved and they are gone.

We have had children come and go and they all come without parents and thus the committment cannot be there. It is too easy for them to join their parents who always tend to do something FUN on Sunday, their day off. So it has been a challenge indeed.

Yet I find myself full of faith and hope for this Church because I know the lost cause I was as a person. I have faith that more children will come and we will be prepared.

We entered a new 'Bible and Book' store today in Jacksonville, FL. I found myself walking to the children's department where I bought several small items to use as prizes when they win the review game, etc. My heart and mind are always rolling over into the children's area...and with that comes a prayer that GOD will bring them in. We will be ready when He does.

We know that GOD can do anything and everything. He loves people and we are ready to introduce young and old to HIM.

I trust you have a passion to introduce people of all ages to JESUS. He alone bring peace into the lives and minds of people.

Have a GREAT day in JESUS!

9 years!

Yesterday was the 9th anniversary of my healing from a terrible mental illness that definately would have killed me by now, if GOD had not intervened. I know that for I was determined to die. I felt compelled to die. I was convinced my death would be a blessing and a major relief to my family- the best love gift I could give them. I seriously attempted suicide many times and each time AMAZINGLY (and to my GREAT disappointment) , I found myself alive. I was so deceived, I believed so many lies, I was so very miserable. I figured for some unknown reason to me, GOD wanted me to live.

I was the President of our Community Bipolar support group. Each day I spent major time on the computer gathering information to present to our group. I liked to teach about medication, play a group game, alittle humor and conclude with an encouraging article. One day as I was searching for material I came across WHOLE PERSON COUNSELING in San Angelo, TX. I emailed Dr Basil Frasure a simple question about Bipolar disorder, and he quickly replied. I sent him another email, at first being general in my questions, but then more personal and specific as I began to trust him. This man was a Biblical Counselor. I was a Christian by my own profession in Jesus Christ as Savior. I always knew that God had the power, but figured since I had never seen anyone healed, He surely would not heal me. Why should He? Who am I? I was hospitalized many times as I struggled with this illness. The doctors could not stabilize me no matter what dosage or medication change they would try. Even bilateral ECT treatments did not give me peace of mind. In April of 1998 I was once again hospitalized, my husband didnt know what to do for me.

Upon returning home from the hospital I overdosed again a couple days later. My husband didnt know what to do, but was now willing to go 'outside the box' for help. He asked me if I believed my condition had a spiritual base. I told him that I knew it had. He asked me what we do for it. I then told him that I had been emailing this Biblical Counselor in Texas (1400 miles away) and he once said that if we could ever make the trip to Texas he would rearrange all his clients and give me a full solid week of intensive counseling - some eight hours a day. My husband spent the next couple of hours reading articles from WHOLE PERSON COUNSELING website. He agreed with everything he read. He made a phone call to Dr Frasure and we were told to come immediately. My husband then went to our Church and asked if they could help financially. They were glad to use the benevolent fund for this purpose. (One of the best investments this church ever made- in my opinion (smile)

My husband sat in every session with me. I was not an easy counselee, but Dr Frasure stayed composed, calm and focused. He was very gentle and yet firm. He would pray often, which at first drove me nuts. I thought it was a tactic he used when he needed time to know what to do next. I later found out that he truly seeks wisdom from God, the Creator of my body and mind. Dr Frasure used the Bible from cover to cover making the Truth of the Word alive and applicable to ME. He gently led me through alot of forgivness and walked me through past hurts that brought me to a place I could listen not only to him, but to God myself.

At the end of that week, Dr Frasure prayed over us and I was healed. There is a wonderful story of how I KNOW I was healed, if you want to know that...you can email me and ask! :)

ANYWAY all that to say: Yesterday when I woke up, my thoughts were of LIFE and energy flowed through my body to live each moment no matter what the day held. I thought how very different my thoughts were before I was healed. I would HATE to wake up and try to sleep as long as I could. I hated life and hated me. I am so very grateful to GOD who reached down in HIS love and mercy and healed ME.

April 24, 1998 the Lord healed me, gave me back my mind, my will, my life, my marriage and a FUTURE that is bright and beautiful.

THANK YOU JESUS!
THANK YOU DR BASIL FRASURE!

Cancer Walk

Here we are at the Proton Beam Cancer Institute in Jacksonville, FL. My hubby is half way through his treatment to evict the invader called Prostate Cancer. He was 55 at his diagnosis. He is 56 now and we are walking hand in hand through this process. So far we are VERY pleased with this Institute. The staff is very professional and yet very friendly. Everything seems to organized and the Staff seems to work well as a team. It is amazing how FRIENDLY the 'patients' are each other. It doesnt matter what kind of cancer they are in for, everyone here talks with each other. Some real friendships are made here. We live about five hours drive from this facility so we stay in the area during the week, and head home each weekend. We are putting lots of miles on our trusty Sebring Convertible. The cancer treatment is totally painless and yet we have heard glowing reports from graduates who come back for the six month check-up....so we walk in encouragement and trust his cancer will be GONE as a result of this treatment.

We did learn from the Doc last week (after our asking questions) that he will be susceptible to other cancers. So hubby will have to keep a watch on his colon especially. First it is near the prostate. Second, his mother died of colon cancer. So we will have to keep a close watch.

We have been on the Hallelujah Acre Diet now for a year. We trust that the change in our eating, has not only kept the cancer from growing while we were waiting to get approved for this treatment, but that it will keep other cancers from moving in. We are thankful for a certain restaurant that is located in this area that helps us to stay on our diet even while staying in someone else's home: We go to Sweet Tomatoes Restaurant every day for a HUGE tossed salad. We are grateful to the many friends who have passed coupons on to us to give us a discount each day.

I am so grateful to be alive today! I am so grateful that I have my husband beside me today!
But whatever the rest of this day holds, or tomorrow....our lives are willingly placed in the hands of our precious Lord Jesus to whom we trust and adore. We pray that our lives, with or without cancer, will honor and glorify HIS name.

Have a GREAT day.
Bonnie