You go Brad!  Well said.  Amen.

Vicki

----- Original Message -----
From: "Brad Dunse" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, August 09, 2004 3:07 PM
Subject: Re: A Prayer request for the Fergusons


> Pat,
>
> I'm not one to jump to talking about the enemy and all the lies and
> subsequently, pain he can put upon you. Not that I do not understand that
> to occur, I just let that up to Phil *smile*. First of all. It takes two
> people to sign on the dotted line for a home, therefore two minds in
> agreement. So you didn't drag Vernon into purchasing the house. I do want
> to  talk about the enemy in front of his ugly face. And that is don't
> believe the lies he whispers ever so convincingly that it is  your fault
> for the situations you face. We all yes, do have the right, and ability to
> make mistakes,  and sometimes yes we are allowed to work through those
> issues. However, a marriage is a union of two into one flesh. No matter
> what the circumstances of the situation, it ought to be a time of joining
> up with God and to  each other rather than allowing pukeface's lies to
pull
> apart a union of one flesh. I've been down the road of financial blame or
> blaming, and it leads only to destructive behaviors and mentalities. And
> destruction comes from who? Certainly not God. If a mistake has been made
> let the merciful word of God bring you that wisdom in a hopeful and
> positive manner and not a hopeless and blameful lie like slew face devil.
> If a mistake was made,  God will see you through it nonetheless. Perhaps
it
> was God who wrote the song "I never promised you a rose garden" eh? Life
> has it's challenges and cheers, rejoices and retributions, mistakes and
> mercies and in them all we can find God and his graceful, loving, hopeful
> self. Pat red his word, encourage that groom of yours to do the same with
> you. I absolutely love the analogy of Peter out on the water. Remember?
> Peter and the guys were out on the water, taking a cruise  on the old boat
> and across the water comes walking this dude. Peter says... "Woa! Is that
> you Lord? Lord, if that is you, bid me to come to you!" It was not a dude,
> it was Jesus Christ, and he did bid Peter to come. Old Peter  flung his
leg
> over the side, popped the other one over as well, grabbed the stern of the
> boat, lowered himself on the water, stood on the water, turned around and
> started walking to Jesus. Imagine that... that is an awesome thought to
> even ponder about it 2000 years later. So he's bebopping across the sea
and
> what happens next? He says, "Woa, dude!  Like it's a bits chilly out here
> man,  I mean the wind, it's a bit breezy out here and , woa, look at those
> waves, I mean like they didn't quite look that big from inside the boat
> dude!". At this point he took his eyes off Jesus and started looking at
the
> surrounding circumstances.  and giving them more attention than anything
> else. This. After he was just walking on the water despite all he was now
> focusing on. He then began to sink, and then begged for Christ to save him
> from sinking  into the sea. First I find it so cool to think Peter
> was  walking on the surface of water. But then he did what we all can, and
> have done at one time or another, and likely more than once, he started to
> believe the circumstances and what they began to say to him, and then they
> took him down until he turned to Christ for a lifting hand. How obvious is
> that lesson to us in our time of need. When we take a stroll in life and
> see a few waves, a wind blow up a bit, and we begin to think we're subject
> to what they have to offer. It isn't so. Even if we find ourselves in the
> midst of a storm, we know that God will see us through. Perhaps not as
we'd
> like for us to go through, but we will come out the other end just fine.
> Perhaps we will get a bit wet from the wind blowing the tops of the waves
> down upon us, but we'll come out better for it,  we just need to make sure
> we do not come out bitter. I'd encourage you to really look at scripture
> for hope and you can read Peter's little water stroll in Matthew 14:28
> through 31.
>
> God's one promise, is bigger than any and all of the devil's lies.
>
> Brad