New Life Awaits

New Life awaits us...

When I lost most of my hours at the Library January 2014, due to cut backs I asked the Lord what to do and I heard him say, "Start painting and I'll open a door."  I was a bit upset at the time because I didn't know how I was going to pay my bills but I started painting our house in obedience.

Then our dog went into heat and I got the okay to breed her.  Four healthy puppies were born two months later!

I was able to sell the puppies to great people who liked the Boston Terrier breed and that helped a lot with the bills.

Then my daughter needed help in Edmonton.  I went to get her in April  using my air miles to fly out and we drove back during the Easter weekend.  God was orchestrating it all, hallelujah!

My daughter dared me to apply to some jobs out in Edmonton as we were chatting on the way back to Ontario.  So I started looking and applied for a couple of QA positions and a couple of bus driving positions.

Meanwhile at home I was still painting, to the point where I now had only  5 rooms left in the house to paint.

Freshly painted

I got a call from a bus company out West that interviewed me on the phone.  Then they asked for job references.  I gave them mine and prayed for favor from my bosses.

I did deviate from painting the house too.  I got tired of all the work and painted some water color exercises.

I had lots of fun this winter!

The house was completely painted by the time I passed my drug test and gave 2 weeks notice.  Amazing!  God knew what was coming down the pipe and got me ready before I even knew what it was.

My husband freaked out when I got the job, but oh well.   Dreams cost money and retirement isn't in the Bible -- enough said.  We were struggling to keep up with the bills since the Nortel collapse.  The downstream effects devastated the economy around Ottawa.

I want to encourage you to follow the nudges of Holy Spirit.  He's so patient with us and he knows the end from the beginning.  If you will attempt to follow his voice he will tell you when you head off in the wrong direction.  He is forever faithful and extremely patient with us!

As I look through all my pics from the last year or so I can't believe how much my life has changed.  Only God could do something so wonderful!  And I am content!  I can feel Holy Spirit's pleasure that I'm here -- 3 provinces away from my previous home.  It doesn't make sense but it's true.  Holy Spirit led living is the best!

Have a great day with HIM!
Big hugs,
Brenda Gale Thompson

Pipe Dreams

PIPE DREAM

Have you ever had someone tell you that your hope was a pipe dream and to get with it?  Well, I was surprised yesterday when someone told me this.  I was sharing about how our church is hoping to one day be able to support house missionaries, to spread the revival fire across Canada and the States.  Not a bad dream to have because it's a Kingdom motivated dream or hope.

It costs money to send people especially when they have to give up their work to do it, so we are stretching our faith, but that's okay.  Faith needs something to work on because it's a muscle.  Faith that can't be tested, can't be trusted.

Anyhow,  I was told to throw away my pipe dream and get with reality.   I didn't respond right away because I didn't want a fight and I'm trying to grow in the fruit of the spirit.  A fool vents all his anger but a wise man holds it in, right? Right. (ref. Prov. 12:6)

I started thinking about all the things people have told me I would never do and all the dreams people, well meaning people have told me to give up on and I got excited.

I started shouting, "Thank God for pipe dreams!" Thank God for the wild dreams that He gives us because He is able to bring them to pass!  I yelled, "Ha!" and it felt really good.

People told me I would never amount to anything, that I would always be a failure.  I went on to get my Engineering degree, with good marks and I have had several careers along the way!

People told me that I wasn't a good mom and I almost believed it. Thank God the worker at the Children's Aid Society took the time to open my eyes to see that I was doing a fine job with my daughter-- before I gave her up for adoption.

People told me that I would be back within three months when I shared how God was leading me to move to Ottawa, Ontario.  I was originally from Winnipeg, Manitoba which is about 2350 kms away. Ha!  I want to tell you that I have been living in the Ottawa area for 23 years so far.

People told me to sell my horse-back riding saddle because with all the debt I had and being a single mom it was a pipe dream to think of owning horses again.  I want to tell you that I have owned 15 horses over the last 17 years and I have a huge barn with foaling stalls and standing stalls, two run-in sheds, a round pen and a 1.5 acre riding ring on my property.  God promises that if we seek him with all our hearts that he will give us the desires of our hearts.  It's true!  He did that an so much more than I could ever initially hope for!

People thought it was impossible for Canada to be covered with the Glory of God as the waters cover the sea, but we are seeing it grow and spread over the last 12 years thanks to groups like the Watchmen, ( http://www.watchmen.org/ )

So, my advice is laugh!  I started laughing while I was working yesterday because I know how great my God is!  I have received the spirit of adoption. I know I am not an orphan!  My God loves me so much, he is not going to let me fall!  He takes no delight in seeing his children beat up by the devil. He specializes in making the weak and foolish look super.  Thank God we all qualify for his help.

Does anybody have any pipe dreams I can agree with you about in prayer?  It's time we started speaking to our mountains and asking the Lord for strategies. Oh, and let's make sure we ask for joy in our daily journey with Holy Spirit.  That's what he wants most of all-- our fellowship. I Bless you in Jesus' name; spiritually, mentally, physically, financially and relationally. Amen!

Big hugs,
Brenda Gale
(photo courtesy of photobucket.com) 

P.S. A good song to start with is Steve Swanson's "Changing the Atmosphere".  Here is a link to a youtube video of this song.  Awesome declarations!     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWqWauY0Nds&feature=related

Loving with Actions

Last Friday I heard that some people that we know were moving. They have three young children so I asked my husband, Roy if we could go help. He said he would go for the morning and I convinced him to take my 14 year old son. I couldn't go as my other two girls needed chauffeuring around town. My son wasn't too happy at first but I know it was the right thing to do. We did not have to help. We were not asked. We have not gone to that church in over a year and we live 45 minutes away -- but it was the right thing to do.

You see, I remember trying to move a three bedroom house when I was eight months pregnant. We had let all our friends know and the church know and when moving day came, only one of Roy's friends from Toronto showed up. (He drove five hours to help us).

I tried calling some people but everyone was busy. I can't begin to tell you how disappointed I felt. The crew included my husband, his friend, myself -- as big as a house, and my twelve year old. She helped me look after my four year old and three year old while I moved boxes etc.

We somehow did it. I had everything packed up which helped. I was praying for supernatural help most of the day. I was crying out, "Lord! Where's the body when we need it?" That was a 12 hour move with a 29 foot UHaul van. It took us three trips. I drove because I'm used to driving big vehicles. We cleaned the house later. We didn't even unpack, as we were too exhausted. Nobody got hurt which was a miracle.

Ever since then, I make sure we show up when people are moving. I am not going to let that happen to someone else!

I am not sure why, but so many churches do not have a community spirit, when it comes to work. I'm not sure what to do about it. I really started praying that God would raise up the men out of their complacency. There's nothing wrong with a good day's work. You feel like you accomplished something at the end of it. Best of all, you make better friends when you work and take breaks together.

The church we are in now is different. Two of the members are great at calling the men to get help for big projects. That blesses me so much! The ladies are great at pulling together for funerals, baby showers and the like, but it really makes a difference when the men pull together. It gives me hope for Revival in our area because Revival is a huge team effort.

Anyhow, that's what was on my heart today. Incidentally, my son was quite happy after moving because Roy took him to Canadian Tire, to buy him a badminton racket for the school team. He was telling his dad how he whooped them on Monday. LOL!
"Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." (1John 3:18)