Friday, 5 October 2018

Women's Ministry Retreat 2018



Women's Ministry Retreat 2018

with Dr. Esmie Branner


Beneath the canopy of gigantic fall colored maple trees some two hundred women arrived from all over the British Columbia province. Luggage, pillows and yes even a couple teddy bears and they, made their way into the lodge rooms where the beds were made, the towels folded, and a chocolate in their mouths that were handed out as they came in.

Rustic decorations centred each table, main stage and entry way and voices could hardly be contained with the prospect of being together for the duration of each meeting. It was an anticipated event!

Meals were supplied with vegetarian finesse and taste enough to satisfy any palate!




There was a mix up in the registration and when we got there we were unaccounted for. But with patient ....waiting they found us a presidential room close to the meeting place that someone had just decided not to share with someone else. So that was a blessing for us!!

click on the song title..... only part of the song but they sang so nice....



Each meeting was opened with the theme song above and the highlight of the weekend was a lady in her fifties who had five children by the time she was 26 and now she has thirteen grandchildren. Her life was one filled with conflicting emotion over decisions made as a young teen, getting married to an East Indian man and the father of her children. When as a mother she met Jesus Christ and decided to become a Christian. This caused a permanent division between her and her husband and as a result he moved them to Saudi Arabia in hopes of converting her to Islam.

But she had found Jesus! And nothing would separate her from her faith. She talked with God about everything and He talked with her including the instruction to stay with her husband even though he became violent and took three of her boys to live in another country while he courted another woman to be his wife and separating the children.

The children under the careful eye of their mother had learned about Jesus too and always prayed to Him even though they were forced to pray to Allah. Eventually they were reunited with their mother and she asked God once again to escape with her children and in one day he granted her request and they fled to England and the next day the father ordered them to come back. This all happened during the fall of Saddam Hussein and the fall of his empire. How God looks after a praying, faithful woman.

She moved to Andrews University where she relied on the grace of God once again to put her thru school along with her five children who now grew up in an American society where they went the way of the world in drugs and other terrible things. Esmie continued to believe in Jesus and held Bible meetings in her home where the boys would come and begin to remember their Christian beginning.

One day one of the boys who was a twin, heard the name of Jesus in a new light, and fell on his knees and confessed his sins and in the name of Jesus gave up his habits for a better habit. A better joy!! Now it was his brother that was going thru a battle. One day he too heard the name of Jesus in his heart but could not give up the bad habits as easily. He asked to be taken to a center for addiction where he was for 28 days of agony and crying until one day the devil left him and he grasped the hand of Jesus never to let go. He bowed down on his knees and praised God for deliverance. Esmie wept tears that made us all cry at the meeting place as she told her childrens story.

To day she says that her twin boys are married, have children and are elders in the church. Esme has a new husband which the Lord found for her and the children call him dad. Three more children need to give their heart to God now. She prays for that always. The children do keep in touch with their father desire to convert him now. What a story, what a decision we all need to make in our heart and life for Jesus. That decision may cause you earthly hardship, but in the end will give you peace and joy and fulfilment. All the jewels, all the stuff in this world we think we should have, or who we think we should be, or deviation from the ten commandments is not worth it when it comes to accepting the Love of Jesus into our hearts.


It was truly an inspiring testimony she gave, her heart wrenched out every word as she related her victory that Jesus wrought for her. Charlotte Smith also came with me and relates the relationship of our being to God............


    Dr. Branner's talks were very inspirational, educational and sometimes entertaining.  She packed a lot of good information into her talks.  She has a PH.D. in Research Psychology; specializing in Cognitive Neuroscience, and Emotional Intelligence (EQ).
    I felt, at times, like a student again because I was learning new and interesting stuff.  She talked about our body, how the Lord made it up with DNA, RNA, Dendrites and Neurons,etc.  We are made in God's image, so He has all these things, too.  I never thought about that before.
    The RNA is able to replicate DNA cells, it does something like takes a photo of the DNA cell and goes off and makes other DNA cells in our body.  She explained all this which I found difficult to follow at first but she did it more than once and used different ways to get it across to us.  She interweaves the Bible through all this information and backs up what she said with Bible texts.
    She told us that if we eat meat, for instance, the animal DNA becomes part of us and lowers our morality, emotions ad our spiritual thinking changes.  Mrs. White says, If we continue to eat meat we will no longer walk with God and cannot be translated.  This is pretty serious stuff.  I certainly want to go to heaven and we won't be eating meat there.  I came home with some serious thinking to do.




You can also go on line and find her name and book on Amazon. Look up the name on you tube, you will find several videos to watch including the testimony of her sons Adam and Taarik.

click on the title.....

Beyond The Darkness Esmie Branner       


Some Definitions

What is a soul====the spiritual or immaterial part of a human being or animal, regarded as immortal.
    •             a person's moral or emotional nature or sense of identity.
                  emotional or intellectual energy or intensity
                          the essence or embodiment of a specified quality.

What is your DNA or RNA=======Deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA is a molecule that contains the instructions an organism needs to develop, live and reproduce. These instructions are found inside every cell, and are passed down from parents to their children.

RNA=========ribonucleic acid, a nucleic acid present in all living cells. Its principal role is to act as a messenger carrying instructions from DNA for controlling the synthesis of proteins, although in some viruses RNA rather than DNA carries the genetic information.

What is the relationship to God in RNA and DNA

God said He created man or humans in his own image. He took His hands and formed man and with His own breath breathed into him the very unseen inner parts that gave us our identity with God. His DNA/RNA was life into man and he was given the right to reproduce God in every human being.

When we die our bodies return to dirt, and the breath that God gives us is returned to Him. Our identity returns to Him!!!

There is another identity that was created and he was Lucifer. He had been given the third place in heaven under Christ and the Spirit, But he cherished evil in his soul and caused the whole world to misrepresent a pure anatomy.
God gave humans guidelines to take care of their identity and when they deviated from those guidelines then the one who cherished those deviations exaults within himself and mutations occur.

The DNA of God is the law of God; His characteristics written and coded on every fiber of your being. Just as DNA is used in forensics to identify a person, and their line of heritage, so too the DNA of God, when expressed by choice will show and identify your heritage as a child of God. If one gene in the coded sequence of DNA has a mutation, it can cause sever deformity. So too If one gene in the written sequence of Gods Law is mutated it will cause deformity of development and expression of character. While DNA cannot save you from death, the law of God cannot save you either. However, upon death just like DNA, it will identify you. ----Dr. Esmie.




Ladies of the church and who ever reads and listens to this story, i pray that you will be blest, continue in your prayers, come back to Christ where ever you are and give God the glory. He is worth it, You are worth it. In Jesus name Amen!

click on the song title again!!

Song and Music --- By the Power ofYour Love by Hillsong


Let my heart be changed, renewed
Flowing from the grace
That I've found in You
Lord I've come to know
The weaknesses I see in me
Will be stripped away
By the power of Your love
Hold me close
Let Your love surround me
Bring me near
Draw me to Your side
And as I wait
I'll rise up like the eagle
And I will soar with You
Your Spirit leads me on
In the power of Your love
Lord unveil my eyes
Let me see You face to face

The knowledge of Your love
As You live in me
Lord renew my mind
As Your will unfolds in my life
In living every day
By the power of Your love
Hold me close
Let Your love surround me
Bring me near
Draw me to Your side
And as I wait
I'll rise up like the eagle
And I will soar with You
Your Spirit leads me on
In the power of Your love


Saturday, 29 July 2017

SUMMER NEWSLETTER



A Summer Morning
 
 has come! 

  Looking            
 through the lace screen in the doorway facing the mountains from the front window,  suddenly reminding me of the song the Gaither's sing,  it is relating some of the story of Jesus life here on earth.             Then came the Morning! 

I have  already had my cup of hot drink filtered in a recycled teabag with the only creamer in the fridge, Pacific canned milk, listening to  the ambulance siren  somewhere,  and a dog’s incessant barking.  Clouds from last nights rain hang over the mountains and the mist from the river that touches with the earth hovers over the land.   Every thing is still again.    Most mornings are that way now,  a car went by and two people from their morning walk stroll by chatting and laughing!!  Its quiet again as they disappear and the stillness squeezes me.  PING. facebook says there is a message!!  I look and there is a story to read on the fire in Williams Lake.  Its epic,  turn to it here.

The question came to my mind,  how important is it to keep these memories and to make blogs or diaries, to take pictures?  When we are lonely for home the old pictures fill the space that is locked in our heart.  Other peoples memories inspire and touch the heart!  Stewart Schwab shared his homeland pictures to which I related.  All of us have the same goals to go back where we came from, where we belonged.   Here is his home in the pink and green and then there is mine with all the windows.  Both are school houses!!  I remember the crystal/glass  doorknobs the doors had and always wondered what happened to them :)  the old house is not there anymore, but Stewart could go back to his.



The pictures we have of our  home in heaven is  something to look forward to,  Evacuations from earth will tear us up, because some of us find beauty in what we see.  What we only imagine from His word is that there will be beauty  in heaven also, that there will be peaceful, happy times, forever times, where our cowboy hats will be in place and the smiles on our faces will be real,  the door knobs of crystal will still be there, the door will always be open to welcome another visitor at the porch.  God doesn’t say there will be flowers that will line the railings but I am sure there will be!!!


 
the last sip of my drink  is cool now, but it still tastes good!! 

Thanking God for the memories, I am looking forward to a place where there will always be peace and hope you will come to my porch in heaven and I will a have a good herbal tea ready!!  My angel and I will serenade you!!  Seriously... may each one who reads this be blest as you envision your place in heaven!!


 Bible Words.....




These are your Bible verses above to remember each day and hang on to, to whatever joy or praise or trouble comes to you.   John 14: 2,3  and 10:9

WORD for the rest of the Summer is   ~  pick your favorite word from the list below and write it on your bulletin board!!    Mine is 'cabin',  because it can mean anything cozy, as long as i have flowers,  kitchen with food, and a nice warm bed, but wondering if a bed is needed in heaven, so a nice comfy couch will do where you will come and visit.
 

from the dictionary on line.....
accommodations, housing, nest, residency, shelter; bungalow, cabin, casita, chalet, cottage; duplex, ranch, ranch house, saltbox, semi [chiefly British], split level, townhome, town house, tract house, triplex; apartment, apartment house, condominium, flat, tenement, tenement house, walk-up; penthouse, salon, suite; barracks, billet, boardinghouse, dorm, dormitory, lodging house, lodgment (or lodgement), room (s), rooming house; castle, château, countryseat, estate, hall, manor, manor house, mansion, palace, villa; farmhouse, grange, hacienda, homestead; double-wide, houseboat, house trailer, mobile home, motor home, recreational vehicle, trailer; hermitage, manse, parsonage, rectory, vicarage; hooch (or hootch) [slang], hovel, hut, hutch, shack, shanty


 Crafts:
many of you have old jeans around or can go to the thrift store and pick up a fairly nice pair.  I have a nice one plus an old sweater that i am going to try and copy from this picture.
i have doilies also that are from my mom or i will make one too, they are easy to make.  use the pockets to sew on the side and line with pretty material for a nice bag for the winter that is coming up too fast!!!

Recipies:
 As you can tell I found this from a site called Bohemian Pages.  She has a few homeopathic recipes you would like even if it is for curiosity 

Pine Cleaner
 the above is a cleaner she puts together with vinegar and needles and leave for a couple of weeks for a nice aroma when you clean.

 Pine Tea
 She takes pine needles and saves the greenest part, puts them in water to boil for five minutes, strains the water and adds honey to taste. 
Full of vitamins A & C,  ratio 1 tbsp to 1cup water.

One more OK? !!
Pine Salve
1 oz beeswax
8 oz pine pitch oil
10 drops tea tree oil
add couple drops or three of vitamin E

this makes 2 half pints

put all in double boiler to mix, strain.

jars will seal from the heat.  


Extra:   Balm of Gilead  my friend gave me some, it is nice so i plan on doing this click here!!



Rhubarb Raspberry Crisp 
my raspberries are late this year and are just at their peak right now and i still have rhubarb so this is a good recipe to serve anyone who comes by.....click here



Song:
song from Vestal Goodman   Holy Hills of Home

 The holy hills of Heaven call me
To mansions bright across the sea
Where loved ones wait and crowns are given
When the hills of home keep calling me

This house of flesh is but a prison
Bars of bone hold my soul
But the doors of clay are gonna burst wide open
When the angel sets my spirit free
I'll take my flight like a mighty eagle
When the hills of home start calling me

I see loved ones over yonder
Tears are gone and hearts are free
And from the throne king Jesus beckons
Oh the hills of home are calling me

This house of flesh is but a prison
Bars of bone hold my soul
But the doors of clay are gonna burst wide open
When the angel sets my spirit free and
I'll take my flight like a mighty eagle
When the hills of home start calling me
When the hills of home start calling me



Saturday, 6 May 2017

Mothers Day Newsletter ~ May 2017

Ladies  and  Friends.... 
 
the first of May was six days ago, the little nostalgic nosegays on your door handle was a picture in my imagination! How i would have loved to deliver the simple gesture in reality!!! i have often dreamed what would go into those paper funnels, maybe filled with lace and ribbons, with a couple of daisies, baby's breath and a rose or two, a chocolate truffle tucked underneath somewhere! A wish for you to have a wonderful day where your most important people would remember you!!!   
and so the wish will continue on to MOTHERS DAY! 

 Creation:
if any of you have ever dabbled in the fine art of painting or drawing, then you know that it takes many moves, and have you marveled at the intricate lines, layers and shadows and colors that make up a picture, did your eyes and thoughts turn up to the sky and think about how God could have created a person in a day?

We know Adam and Eve were created in a day: because He made the evening and the mornings mentioned in the Bible, that each one was created separately: to have a rib from Adam he had to have been made first, they were made from the dust of the ground: He says from dust we were made and from dust we will return, a mist covered the air” to give balance in the formation and from dryness in blending, He used his own hands:  sometimes we have to do all the work so it will turn out well as He did!! the responsibility and sense of well done is ours and was His!! preparation and thought was given to the event in the previous days of creation forming the earth for their enjoyment, He used his own breath to bring life as mothers do in their daily activities, He knew how He was made and made them in his likeness to the very detail of cells and inner workings being dependent on the health and vitality their bodies needed to move and function and think.

Mothers are made with that same care to the children she bears, to the family she has agreed to belong to, to the friends and neighbors she comes in contact with, to the work and play and thought that goes in everything attached to her being. Woman (being without children) and Mother have a synonymous connotation in that we have the same heart for one another!

We are His image!! if we are separated from that image, there is a trouble that is not ours and not from His hands. I am so thankful that we have God as our Father, that He made us just like Him!!



Song says: 
 He saw Me     by MurrellEwing     click on the title

 He saw me, in His likeness,
He saw me, just like Him.
Pure, clean, and holy, spotless white, within,
but He saw me bound in heavy chains,
and longed to set me free.
But He knew if I became like Him
He must become like me. 


          Scripture says: 
Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in our image, according to our likeness; and let them tend over the things on the earth....

       Word for May.....   
                      thankfulness or gramercy  or benediction 

 
Blessings and prayers for all as each one prepares to be a mentor to the ones you come in contact with!

 Craft'n Contemplations    
Just a thought, i might know that a lot of you would rather write, than craft, but you might be happy to do both!, as this lady has done in the page below, she wrote a poem or story about her mother or friend. One of my mom's best friends wrote her such a nice card and i have saved it, nice to know that mom was loved by others for some reason. Write one yourself, save it, or give it away, i would love to see your stories!!!





GIFT IDEAS:         breakfast in a box
                                           pedicure in a jar
                                          letters wrapped in a bow with a flower
                                          phone calls
                                         shopping for flowers and plants
                                        family time together

  Recipes:                 
Here is a fantastic looking, very healthy cheesecake recipe that might be worth a try, something different! Click on the title to find the recipe.


 
NUTEENA
Do you remember the old days when there was Nuteena? It was so goood! Here is the original recipe that is almost the same as mock salmon or peanut butter loaf
 
2 cups of tomato juice
2 cups of potato water or plain water
½ cup of corn meal
1 ½ cups of peanut butter or 1 cup of peanuts blended smooth & ½ cup partially blended (this is just a matter of textural preference)
2 tablespoons of oil
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
1 teaspoon of salt (optional...depending on your love of salt)
½ teaspoon of poultry seasoning or sage
½ teaspoon of garlic powder
1 tablespoon of Lawry’s seasoned salt
½ cup of gluten or whole wheat flour (or ¼ cup of each)
2 cups of rolled oats
1 ½ cups of bread crumbs
Mix the first eleven ingredients in a blender until the consistency is smooth and then pour it into a large bowl. Add oats and bread crumbs. Next, grease two 9 ¼ x 5 ½ x 2 ½ glass dishes. Put 4 cups of the mixture into each of the greased glass casserole dishes. Bake one loaf at a time in the microwave for 4 minutes. Stir the outside edges into the middle. Put them back in the microwave (one at a time) and then repeat the process of stirring. Bake the mixture until it is firm but not dry.

TWISTED MUSHROOM REUBEN BURGER


Sautéed spiced mushrooms, homemade red cabbage sauerkraut, Russian dressing and pickles pack a flavour punch in the Twisted Mushroom Reuben Sandwich.








Friday, 7 April 2017

APRIL 2017.... EASTER

  
          
 

              “When the whole world is silent, even one voice               -                              becomes  powerful.”         Malala Yousafzai
 
       Hello Friends and Family

                   Easter week is here and …


I am looking out the window at the daylight when the last colour of pink has turned to grey in the rain clouds and i see six drops of water still clinging to the bare branches and as i have just read the story of Jesus as he rode thru the city on a donkey with the crowds laying down their robes, i am filled with wonder and questions and where would i be in that crowd. would i be healed or would I be in the temple with the doves? at this moment healing sounds like the perfect answer but am i afraid of my healing. you could define a lot of things in the word healing—-where would i go with it? would i turn around and give thanks or would i run down the steps and pick up the thrown coins.
i think of my answer and will give you a story: in the morning i say my prayers on my computer and leave the page up before going to work. I work for eight hours, take the hour long drive back home and have time to recount those hours. I listen to the radio from various people, and sometimes the things i want to remember are forgotten on seeing the steps i have to walk up at home, which aren't too many!!, i walk in the door to trace my steps to the computer and there is my page waiting for another prayer to my Father for the many blessings and comforts for the day. a moment filled with happiness and peace, remembering again and a moment to put you down on ‘paper’ in my thoughts.



I am thinking of several stories which i hope you can relate to in hopes that they will all come together ….This interesting story i will include in here that some of you may relate too, click on the underlined…The beds i have known: 

the rest we get from any bed is welcome, but the one we sink into at home in our own surroundings is so sureal!!. But filled with worry and anxiety it can be restless too.

It just takes one person to change things around, one person to say the right thing, one person to say hello or one to shake your hand to give you the confidence that is required for survival.
 

My car passenger this week loves fish, he breathes, eats and sleeps fish, he knows all about their life and living habits. i was amazed at his knowledge, the words that caught my attention were “do you know why people can't catch fish? it is confidence!…….. if you have confidence, you can catch fish”, to know what is under the water is helpful in applying this to any situation in life!! What do you want more than anything in a given situation? to take and give and enjoy!! 



the whole world may be clambering around you but silent to your needs, as in the phrase under the title of this letter, but what Jesus did in his life, was to go over that barrier and find out what the people needed…healing, comfort, and confidence in life to follow him. 
 

The word for April is ….confidence



Jesus Himself promised: "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies" (John 11:25).


There is a familiar song that you all know:


One pair of hands formed the mountains,
One pair of hands formed the sea
And one pair of hands made the sun and the moon,
Every bird, every flower, every tree
One pair of hands formed the valleys,
The ocean, the rivers and the sand
Those hands are so strong, so when life goes wrong
Put your faith in the one pair of hands

One pair of hands, healed the sick,
One pair of hands raised the dead
One pair of hands calmed the raging storm
And thousands of people would have Failed
One pair of hands said I love you
And those hands were nailed to a tree
Those hands are so strong, so when life goes wrong
Put your faith into one pair of hands

Those hands are so strong, so when life goes wrong
Put your faith into one pair of hands
Put your faith into one pair of hands


Other Easter songs:

Christ the Lord is Risen Today
In The Garden
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
Jesus Has Risen
Worthy is the Lamb that was Slain
The Miracle

So as the titles of these songs suggest a story of Jesus, take the opportunity to look them up and read each verse. The old hymns are precious and encouraging. Blessings to each of you this month as you give your heart to Him again!!!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Crafts:







Now Spring invites us to get out your hats and dress up for the fun of it!!  A couple of them are quite wild!!    How do you like these hats and which one could you decorate for a craft!!??

RECIPE:

Dairy Free Oil Free / Low Fat Sugar Free / Low Sugar Vegan
Ingredients

2 very ripe bananas
1/4 cup date paste
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp. non-dairy milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1/4 cup barley flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cardamom
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. powdered stevia
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup semi-sweet vegan chocolate chips, optional

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350F and lightly oil 10 muffin tins (or a 9″ x 9″ pan).
In a medium-sized bowl, mash the bananas and then stir in the date paste, tahini, milk, and vanilla extract.
In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat pastry flour, flaxseed meal, barley flour, brown rice flour, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, baking powder and soda, and stevia.
Pour the wet ingredients in with the dry and stir until almost combined – batter will be thick – and then stir in the coconut, pecans, and chocolate chips, if using. Stir until mixture is thoroughly combined.  mine were on the dry side so cooking a couple minutes less might be good.
Scrape batter into prepared muffin tins or pan.
Bake for 25-30 minutes. Let muffins cool for a few minutes in the pan, then remove them and let them cool completely on a cooling rack.