Harassment Through Text Messaging

I never thought this would happen to me. I am an adult woman, educated, ordained and kind. Therefore, when I started getting text messages from a number I did not know I politely told them they had the wrong number and thought that was the end of it.

How wrong I was!

I began getting more and more messages from this unknown person proclaiming that I am some man named Gabe (after dealing with this irrational person, I actually feel very sorry for this Gabe). This unknown person keeps vacillating between pleading with the Gabe guy to love her and to take her back to cursing and proclaiming that Gabe had given her a disease. She then claims that I must be Gabe's new girlfriend named Rebecca and she curses even more.

It is vulgar and rather disgusting that someone is so willing to send these types of rants through text messaging to someone they have never even met! I hate to put her number on here but feel that if she sees this she might realize that she is pleading with the wrong person to come back to her...the number that comes up is 636-524-9679.

I have time and again told her she has the wrong number but she persists in sending messages. Being a minister, I have tried to reason with this person and explain that she was wrong. However, nothing seems to work.

Therefore, I am turning to my Prayer Warriors.

Prayer Warriors, I am requesting that you add this lost soul to your prayers. She is confused, hurt and vulgar...but she is still one of God's children. I feel that the Lord has put this lost soul in my path for a reason and it is my hope that she realizes that she is sending these rather vulgar text messages to the wrong person. Prayer for peace in her life and that she reaches out for our Lord and Savior is much needed. Also, prayer for me as I navigate this rather interesting situation. I do not know the girl's name, but the Lord knows.

Thank you, my Prayer Warriors.

Yours in Christ,
Rev. Michelle

Kindness Instead of Rudeness

Something that I saw and I was convicted...there have been a lot of instances in the recent past where my flesh has risen up and I have had to go and ask forgiveness from my brothers and sisters in Christ as well as my Lord and Savior. There are times when I can be testy and for that I must continue to work!

~Rev. Michelle

I'm A Christian

I could not have said it better...

Without Him, I would be lost! He is my rock, my strength, my Father.

1 Chronicles 28:20

"Then David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the Lord God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished." (ESV)

Dear Lord, I know that You are here with me and that You are guiding me through this difficult time of hurt and confusion. Lift my heart, Lord, and give me the strength to raise my head and speak confidently. You are my rock, You are my courage. Guide my steps, guard my tongue and lift my heart while draping your shield of protection around my family. Amen.

Be blessed my fellow Christian brothers and sisters!

Urgent Prayer Request

To all my readers,

I generally only send out prayer requests to my prayer chains, but I think that more prayer warriors are needed at this time. My dear friend, Melissa, had to rush her husband, Chuck, to the emergency room this afternoon.

Chuck was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2013 and after being in remission for about six months, the cancer has come back. They received that news last week. Chuck has been very ill this week, unable to eat and excessive vomiting. He is dehydrated and the hospital has admitted him. But the healing power of the Lord. Also, pray that the doctors have the knowledge to treat him and find out what the stomach issues are and treat them properly.

Cover both Chuck and Melissa in prayer for healing. It is a stressful time for this lovely couple and satan is hard at work breaking them down. The Lord will hear our prayers and His will shall be done.

Thank you to all who come along side my other prayer warriors and lift this couple up.

Blessings to you,
Rev. Michelle
www.prayersandpromisesministry.com

Finding The Right Path

Finding the right path is something you figure our in high school or college, right? That is what I thought, but when it came right down to it, even after nine years of college, I settled into my field. I was not passionate about it. Someone said to be why don’t you major in computers and so I did. There was never a fire there for the things I was learning or the job I was doing. I was listless and everything seemed mundane.

Then I switched gears and pursued teaching. For the past 16 years that is what has defined me. I was the computer guru who taught unruly, unwanted high school students. However, with the rules and regulations changing, the field of education has become more of a diploma mill than an actual learning environment. I started experiencing burn out and I had not wanted to continue after last year, but I stuck with it.

My dissatisfaction has grown exponentially since August and I think it is time to switch gears again. The path that seemed so right 16 years ago is becoming overgrown and difficult to travel. So, I come back to the question; how to find the right path? Where do I belong? Am I following the Lord’s plan for my life?

After a heated, condescending phone call from the Human Resources Director at the school district I am currently employed, I took time to pray and study the Word of God. Every morning I dread getting up and going into the viper pit – that is my nickname for the school district. It is eight hours of insolent, defiant and down right rude co-workers chirping in your ear about this person or that one. They make me question my sanity sometimes! Then it is the needy, clingy students who make it all worth it. Not a day goes by that I do not pray for those students who have touched my heart.

If I could be in a district where I could hand pick my co-workers I would be in heaven! But, alas, we live in a fallen world and must interact with these vipers who are clamoring for superiority. I take that back, we are called to minister to and show the love of Jesus to these vipers.

I have veered from my original thoughts again! Seeking your path at any age can be frustrating, more so when you have meandered down so many that had to be “the right one”. As I combed through the Scriptures regarding trust in the Lord for your future, I came up with over 70, there was a sense of hope and peace that enveloped me. As long as God is in control, how can something be wrong? He knows where I belong and if I diligently seek him, He will reveal it to me.

I knew there had to be a reason why the thought of stepping back from teaching did not send me into a frenzied terror. There was a calm understanding that another transition was close at hand. The Lord has not yet revealed what my new direction will be or where He is leading me. But I am trusting in Him that my eyes will soon be opened and I will find enjoyment and fulfillment wherever the Lord leads me. 

I will praise the Lord in hard times and in good times!

~Rev. Michelle

www.prayersandpromisesministry.com

God Hears My Plea

We have been experiencing some pretty harsh weather lately. Severe cold and nasty snow have blanketed the region. My dad (gotta love my invincible dad), decided that he needed to go to Home Depot (kitchen remodel not going as expected) at 6:00 p.m. in his well-loved van. The temperatures were beginning to dip, the weather prediction for that night was -2.

My phone rang at about 7:00 p.m. It was dad and he was stuck on the side of the road, in the dark, with a flat tire and a deflated spare tire, After searching his shed for his portable air compressor and coming up with nothing, I took off with my emergency air compressor and found him trying to jack up the big old monster.

After trying to re-inflate the tire that was currently on the beast, and getting nowhere, I began to earnestly pray for the Lord's hand to be on us as we froze in the frigid night air while trying to get this big beast back on the road and headed home. The jack was not working well, but as I called out the Lord, my dad was able to get the jack working. What a testimony!! The Lord heard my plea and was there with us on the side of the road in the super cold weather!

Using my emergency air compressor, we were able to get the spare inflated and functional. The Lord did not leave us as we struggled with the weather, the dark and less than ideal working conditions. He stayed right there with us, protecting us and helping us when we could not possibly do it ourselves.

It may seem like such a small thing, a flat tire. But without our trust in the Lord and His love, we would not have been able to get the flat tire off the big van or the spare inflated and onto the van. He was there with us, keeping us safe and ensuring that we made it back to the house, a little chilled, but without any lasting ill-effects.

My God is true and faithful. He is there in my time of need and I will forever praise Him!! I will praise Him in times of distress just as I praise Him in times of happiness.

~Rev. Michelle
www.prayersandpromisesministry.com