Cornelius Hurt His Back

Saturday, November 24, 2012 9:34 PMSubject: Prayer Request

Today Cornelius injured his back while doing chores outdoors.  He is in a lot of pain and laid up.  Please pray for a quick recovery.  It also is imperitive he heals quickly because he just started a new job a few weeks ago.  Also, could you pray for our little Jaelle.  She has had a fever the past few days and needs God's touch.

Thank you for your prayers

Cherri and family

Update November 26, 2012

Dear Church family and friends,

We thank you for your prayers. It’s been a long hard weekend in our household.  Saturday night I slept 3 hours after spending the night in ER with Cornelius.  The pain was too much that he finally decided to go get some pain meds.  Right now Cornelius is unable to walk without the aid of a walker.  He can’t sit up at a desk, table or chair.  To get him around in a vehicle we took out the middle seat so he can lay in the van to transport him.

Many of you know that my husband is not the kind of man to not work and that the very nature of him is to serve. He’s always helping and serving someone and so it’s very difficult to see him like this.

Today he plans to make phone calls to get into a doctor but we have decided that we need to seek a chiropractor and see how quickly we can alleviate the pain and get him walking and working.  His job is a big concern since he is new and on probation.  I was reminded this morning to not be like the Israelites who kept forgetting all that God did for them. They would have something happen and then worry or doubt and God was continually faithful and did miraculous things for them.  And God did a miraculous thing getting Cornelius this job. So I have to be thankful, trust and know that God has this situation in His hands- which is the best place to be.

Jaelle still is sick and needs a lot of attention.  So continue to pray for her healing as well.

We love you all and thank you for your support and prayers.  Those of you who have called, texted or facebooked have been so wonderful with your kind words and care.  Cornelius needs the encouragement and it means so much.

Thank you,

Cherri and family

 Email to Friend November 26, 2012

I was thinking these 2 things this morning:

1.       We can make plans and be all prepared and think we are in control- but we are never ever really in control.  We live in a fallen world and bad things happen.  So we can do all the right things and still have bad things happen. But GOD is in control and holds us in His hands.

2.       I am reminded to be thankful in all things and to trust.  I don’t want to be like the Israelites in the Bible who are always doubting and complaining after what God did by providing Cornelius’ job in the first place.

I am reminded this morning that God’s heart for me is to be more like him- and lots of times that is dealing with character issues. J

And here are the sick couple from this weekend. :)  Jaelle sucking her thumb after leaving a pile of crackers on her daddies lap. And Daddy resting and dealing with all his back pain.

So this is me....

So I had my friend Molly take some pictures of me.  This is one of the first ones she sent me on my facebook page.  I was like, "wow...is that really me?"  I've always been so fiercely insecure about the way I look.  Mostly because I just wasn't a typial cookie cutter American cutie. I was overweight and it just seemed like boys didn't like me in that way.  I had so many boys as friends growing up, but not boys saying "oh Cherri, I really like you."  Instead I was hearing their stories of love for some other girl while in my heart I wished someone would like me.

Anyway, I sound like a silly sob story telling you all this.  But after seeing this picture I thought to myself "I am beautiful. Beautiful because God made me unique, a jewel, a treasure and that I am His child and a child of a King."  But this picture just made me feel and look fabulous.  Molly, the photographer, put it well by saying that I'm beautiful on the inside and it shows on the outside.  And I think its true. I had a friend in Elementary tell me (and I didn't forget) "Cherri, if you weren't nice, you'd be ugly."  And I have told people this and they are like "that is so mean!" And I'm like, well, it is and it's not. Because the truth is, when someone is ugly on the inside, when their heart isn't right and its filled with bitterness, unforgivness, and just yucky stuff, well, it shows on the outside.  Your heart is a well spring of either life or death.

The whole purpose of this picture wasn't to be philosophical, but to have a few pictures to use on a demo CD or pamplet to share about my ministry. So I thank my friend Molly for taking this wonderful picture and I can't wait to share more pictures with you all!

Proverbs 31:30
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
1 Peter 3:3-4
Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.

Showers of Blessing

Verse for the Day-
 "For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love." Psalm 33:4-5


Today is a State holiday, Veterans Day, and I am so thankful that they give me this work day off.  And last month I decided that I was going to still have the babysitter come for Jaelle so that I could make a day for just me.  Get away, make a doctor appointment and just do things in this day that I don't have time for very often.

So I woke early, like I was going to work, and as I was getting ready I was thinking about titles to a demo CD or promotional pamplet for a ministry that I would like to do.  And I have thought about images, or dreams or things that God has been in my life- a treasure, jewels, faithfulness.....but then this morning (in the shower), I was reminded of what God told me the day I got married - "Showers of Blessing" 

I think I really started thinking about God's voice and direction more intentionally because of our Small Group study, "Soul Shift". This past week in particular we are focused on a shift from "Ask to Listen".  And I was challenged again about truly listening to God. And how to listen and where to listen. I feel like that I practiced listening to God for the most part and as a result of listening to "his still sweet voice" which is like a melody in my heart, I have found blessing and favor in my life.  And I ask myself, how did I learn to listen to that voice.  I think of my mom and grandma and how they instilled a deep faith and love for God and a deep desire to follow Him. How they taught me to sense and acknowledge God's Holy Spirit in my life. To serve others in love and sensitivity because of knowing that God is in me and working through me.  I think of my dad, and how he instilled in me a deep desire to learn and know music and to use music in my life.  Not because my dad was a professional or trained musician, but because my dad had such a love for using music to express his heart to God.  He used music to serve.  Now if you combine what my dad and my mom and grandma taught me together- you can see where it has helped to direct my path and lead me to "listening to the sweet melody" of God's voice and how now I am making a melody of my life unto the Lord.  I see where 13 years ago, when I chose to listen to God above my hearts wishes and my fleshes desires, that I found myself on the path of blessing.  Cornelius was a huge part of God blessing my life and showering blessing in my marriage, friendships, children and finances.  I think of the bumps along the road, but how they pale in comparison to the overiding showers of blessings, faithfulness, goodness and love.  God has truly been unfailing in His pursuit of me, to show and reveal His love to me in such tangible ways.

So now here I am, today in Panera Bread, drinking coffee, eating oatmeal.  Enjoying a quiet day to myself to think, contemplate, rest and just "be".  To hear God's voice in an intentional way.  And I have to admit, I questioned if I was doing the right thing today, leaving Jaelle with a sitter when I could be home with her.  But as I was getting my coffee to sit down, the lady behind the counter said "would you like to sample a free bagel?"  I was like, "Really?" and it sounds silly, but that simple gift of a free blessing just reaffirmed me in knowing that  God was blessing me again today, that He was with me and reminding me that He only has good things for me and that when I keep chosing to listen and obey, He's going to show up and reveal Himself to me in my world, in my path and I only need to look and listen and then taste and see that HE IS GOOD. :)

So I end this journal entry with complete joy in my heart- and anticipating what God is going to speak to my heart as I take time to hear from Him about the CD and music I'm working on.  Because today I really want to take time to hear what God wants to say about that party of my life.  Part of me is afraid because I'm afraid of what He might tell me or show me.....God, help me to not run and to trust that you have always been faithful in the path you have lead me on, no matter if the choice was hard, you always showed up and opened that door to something more wonderful than I imagined.

What a day- a rainy, gray and cold day, but a beautiful day to look to Jesus and see Him through it all and see that every day, no matter what it looks like or the circumstance, is always a beautiful day with Jesus.

Amen