Chapter 10 - GIVE THEM TO GOD

CHAPTER 10 - GIVE THEM TO GOD - Columbus Ohio 1997

   I encountered big demons in Columbus Ohio.  The spiritual warfare was always going on, with no letting up.  Once again, as I was having such awesome times in God at World Harvest Church, the greatest I've ever experienced,  it was also the greatest spiritual warfare I've ever experienced.  I found out what it means when they say "big anointing, big devils."  Pastor Rod Parsley has a great anointing, his ministry has brought miracles and deliverance in my life and I thank God for him and his wonderful anointed congregation.   And if you ask my daughter today, she will tell you that it was a wonderful childhood memory for her.  She did not ever know anything bad or stressful was going on.  I kept my focus on God and what He was doing, not on the devil.
   The spirit of Jezebel kept trying to provoke me.  It even found ways to stir up the apartment community against me.  But I just stayed in love and did not react to any of the tricks of the enemy.  That caused this spirit to even get more hostile as she is lashing out for any kind of control.  Eventually, it was so obvious who is real and who is the imposter; that her family leaves the church.
Not long after they leave, two Sundays in a row my car would not start after church; so I was not able to make it to work.  Then I lose my job and I started feeling like my work with God was done here.  So we sell and give away all that we had again, and move to Hemet California.
   I chose Hemet California because that is where Amanda's dad lives.  Her dad is a successful artist with many beautiful sculptures.  He did his work out of his home and a lot of stray clay would get tracked onto the carpet.  He paid me to pick it out of the carpet until I found a job as an apartment manager and threw newspapers to make up for costs.  She was able to visit her dad a lot and he even bought us a car.  This is when I started home schooling Amanda, at age 7.
   We were only in Hemet for a few months when I got the phone call that my mom had cancer.   I can recall back in 1996 before we left for Ohio, I had visited a church and ended up giving my whole family over to God; telling God I cannot save them but you can.  We sell and give away everything again and head to Sierra Vista Az where my mom and dad live.  We moved in with my parents to help them out.   While out to breakfast one morning with my mom, an elderly man asked me if I would clean his house, and I thought it would be a little extra money while helping my parents,  so I did.   I was able to pray with my mother and she asked Jesus to be her Lord and Savior.  We even went to church together and I also got to experience my dad walking down to the altar weeping and asking Jesus to be his Lord and Savior.  And I also got to hear my dad on his knees by my mom apologizing for things I thought I would never witness.  Things that I deeply longed for were coming to pass, because of the cancer.  My mom passed on to glory in January 1999.  My dad remarried and then he passed on to glory in 2010.  I thank God that they are saved and that He allowed me to experience those very precious moments with them.
   After my mom had passed away in 1999, we had moved into an apartment community in Sierra Vista.  I started cleaning the apartments after people moved out.  I also started doing childcare and became a licensed foster parent.  My daughter and I enjoyed all the children so much, I still think about and love them all.  In 2001, I was renting a house in town; we were thriving and doing well. My daughter even talked me into getting her a colt.  I knew nothing about taking care of a horse either; I had to pay for boarding it.   The owners of the house we were living in said they were going to sell it, so I decided to try and buy it.  I didn't really think I had a chance because when I got out of the Air Force I had some debt that was still owed.  I was approved for the loan on the house and went to sign first escrow papers.  My daughter and I were so excited and I even started doing some repairs on the house, then the owners changed their mind.   We were so upset, but I thought well I was approved for a loan, so I'm going to buy a house.  We found one on a rural property, foreclosure on 4 acres and perfect for our horse.  Only problem was that they wanted more money down.  I had just recently got a new housekeeping customer, they were an elderly couple.  I was cleaning their house one day and telling them my story of how they changed their mind on selling me the house.  The next time I went to clean for them, they said "Laurie, we are going to finance you for the whole thing and give you 10,000 more for repairs on the house."  Wow, praise God!  God had a better plan than I did.
   Gods ways are not my ways, and His thoughts are not my thoughts.  And He proved that He is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or think.  To God be the glory.  Ephesians 3:20  I am very excited about writing the next chapter on "I'm going to show you great and mighty things."  Stay with me, your Father God is calling you.  He is calling you into an intimate relationship with Him.  A place where you can hear Him, experience Him and learn how to follow His Holy Spirit.