Wednesday, January 31, 2018

"It's Time to Get New Strategies for Repayment" Doug Addison,

"It's Time to Get New Strategies for Repayment"
Doug Addison, Los Angeles, CA

We are in a time of repayment right now and a time where things are changing so quickly that it can be easy to lose sight of what God is calling us to this year. I originally released parts of this prophetic word in my book, Prophetic Forecast, Volume 1 (2016), but I want to resurface it, as it is a prophetic word for now!

This is a time in which God is doing something totally new. We are coming out of a wilderness time and this year we will see new things spring up. It will require us to forget some of our former ways of thinking and doing things. This will be the most difficult part of entering into this new season."Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past" (Isaiah 43:18 NIV). We are coming out of a wilderness time and this year we will see new thingsspring up.

Strategic New Season Started in 2015
In 2001, we saw a shift come with the tragedy of September 11, and the escalation of terrorism. Seven years later in 2008, we saw a major financial downturn in the housing market crash causing people to lose their investments and homes. Seven years later in 2015, we entered a new seven-year cycle and the Lord is going to provide a turnaround, though many people are not seeing this yet.

"I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten..." (Joel 2:25 NIV)

Don't Be Alarmed
In order to cross over into the new season that is at hand you will need to get through some slightly choppy times. Embracing the "pain of change" will help right now. Things that are happening are only setbacks if you choose to view them that way. God will use what may seem like opposition. It is actually the wind of change that is here to bring strategic repositioning that will set you up for advancement.

The places and seasons that many have been in have been limiting you. You will need to get into a place of greater ability to stretch your spiritual wings. This will allow you to catch the new creative wave coming over the next year. You will look back later and be glad that you took the risks and paid the price.

Strategies of Repayment
When there are great injustices in your life, it sets you up for greater blessings from God. We have seen this happen over the past 2 years. During this spiritual season that is ripe for repayment, the enemy is trying to get us distracted.

Isaac got a strategy from God that caused him to reap a hundredfold during a famine (Genesis 26:12). It was opposite of what his father Abraham did, because he got his own strategy. He dug his own wells and not his fathers, and was blessed and found room for his own heritage.
Right now, it is important that we do not focus on the strategies of our forefathers—spiritual or natural. God is calling us to something completely new. Learning to hear the voice of God is really important in this new season.

The next 4 years are going to be times of reaping for all the pain and loss you have experienced. But it is never automatic. You will need to make a claim with the Lord. Ask God to give you a strategy to recover it all. (To Subscribe to the Elijah List subscribe here.)
Blessings,
Doug Addison
InLight Connection
Email: respond@dougaddison.com
Website: www.DougAddison.com

Monday, January 29, 2018

Henry van Dyke Quote

Four things a man must learn to do
If he would make his record true:
To think without confusion clearly,
To love his fellow men sincerely,
To act from honest motives purely,
To trust in God and heaven securely.
             Henry van Dyke (1852-1933)

Saturday, January 27, 2018

Jenreviews.com

      Since my attention was drawn to the vitamin D article on jenreviews.com I decided to explore the jenreviews website.  It contains so much good information on so many things I am interested in!  I could spend days reading all the articles!
      I am planning to post information on fasting in general, and intermittent fasting, in particular in the next few days.  I found a much more in-depth article on the site than I was planning to post, so will probably include it with a link when I get around to posting.
      I also read "100 Best Things to Do in Greece" while on the site--there are lots of other places mentioned, too, but we happened to be going to Greece this summer.  It was fun to see that many of the places we plan to visit were listed.
      Anyway, if you have an afternoon free to spend some time reading, I highly recommend jenreviews.com.

Vitamin D

        I am a firm believer that most of us do not get enough vitamins and minerals in our daily intake of food.  One of the main reasons, of course, is the hectic lifestyles we lead, grabbing a bite to eat--usually from a fast food place--while we are running here and there.  We don't make good food choices.  So I am also a firm believer in supplements.  One of the most important, I believe, is vitamin D.  If you are not already taking a vitamin D supplement, I highly recommend you look into the effects of a vitamin D deficiency and then consider adding a D3 supplement for your health.
       I received an email recently from Jenreviews.com asking me to read an article they had written about vitamin D.  I was very impressed by the in-depth information provided so I am providing a link here.  Read it and see what you think.

Friday, January 26, 2018

Chicken Marsala

     I made a wonderful new recipe for Chicken Marsala this week!  I found the basic recipe on Epicurious, but changed a couple of things. You can go to the link if you want to see the original, but here is the recipe as I made it.  I serve it over spaghetti.

                                                            Chicken Marsala

1 3/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (14 fl oz)
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 oz mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoons ground sage
 Salt & pepper to taste
  1 cup all-purpose flour
8-10 chicken tenders or 4 chicken breasts
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons dry Marsala wine
1 1/3 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

  Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 200°F.
Bring broth to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan over high heat, then boil, uncovered, until reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 20 minutes.
  Cook onion in 3 tablespoons butter in a heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until onion begins to turn golden, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms, and sage,  and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated and mushrooms begin to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
  Put flour in a wide shallow bowl. Gently pound chicken to 1/4 inch thick between 2 sheets of plastic wrap using the flat side of a meat pounder or a rolling pin.
Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour, 1 piece at a time, shaking off excess. 
  Heat 1 tablespoon each of oil and butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté half of chicken, turning over once, until golden and just cooked through, about 4 minutes. Transfer cooked chicken to a large heatproof platter, arranging in 1 layer, then put platter in oven to keep warm. Wipe out skillet with paper towels and cook remaining chicken in same manner, then transfer to oven, arranging in 1 layer.
  Add 1 cup wine to skillet and boil over high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, about 30 seconds. Add reduced broth, cream, and mushrooms, then simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened, 6 to 8 minutes.  Add chicken to sauce to coat and then remove to serve. Add lemon juice and remaining 2 tablespoons wine and a dash of sage and salt & pepper, if needed, to the sauce and then serve with chicken.



Thursday, January 25, 2018

A great health tip from Dr. Mercola: Practice an Attitude of Gratitude

I read an excellent article by Dr. Mercola on gratitude today.  Read the entire article here.

I am including " A Dozen Practical Strategies to Build and Strengthen Gratitude" listed in the article because I believe these are excellent suggestions to help us change our attitude into an attitude of gratitude.

Keep a gratitude journal
Each day, or on set days each week, write down everything you're grateful for, and make an effort to really feel the positivity. While you can certainly buy a nice diary specifically for this purpose, you could simply make a notation in your daily calendar.  Alternatively, download a Gratitude Journal app from iTunes.

Here are a few tips found in "The Little Book of Gratitude," by Robert Emmons which were included in the article, to consider as you journal: Focus on the benevolence of other people. Doing so will increase your sense of being supported by life and decrease unnecessary anxiety. Also, focus on what you have received rather than what's been withheld. "The 'surplus' mode will increase our feelings of worth; the 'deficit' mode will lead us to think how incomplete our life is," Emmons says.

Lastly, avoid comparing yourself to people you perceive to have more advantages. 
Doing so will only erode your sense of security. As Emmons notes, "Wanting more is related to increased anxiety and unhappiness. A healthier comparison is to contemplate what life would be like without a pleasure that you now enjoy … Gratitude buffers you from emotions that drive anxiety. You cannot be grateful and envious, or grateful while harboring regrets.”

Write thank-you notes
"When thanking someone who has done something for you, whether large or small, be specific, comment on the effort it has taken, and the cost, and keep the focus on that person," Emmons suggests. "For example, 'Thank you for bringing me my tea in bed. I really appreciate you getting up early each day. You're so thoughtful.' The key to effectiveness is to achieve some separation between the kind act and your expression.”

This year, make it a point to write thank-you notes or letters in response to each gift or kind act — or simply as a show of gratitude for someone being in your life. To get you started, consider practicing mindful thank yous for seven days straight.

Say grace at each meal
Adopting the ritual of saying grace at each meal is a great way to flex your gratitude muscle on a daily basis, and will also foster a deeper connection to your food. While this can be a perfect opportunity to honor a spiritual connection with the divine, you don't have to turn it into a religious speech if you don't want to. You could simply say, "I am grateful for this food, and appreciate all the time and hard work that went into its production, transportation and preparation.”

Let go of negativity by changing your perception
Disappointment — especially if you're frequently struggling with things "not going your way" — can be a major source of stress, which is known to have far-reaching effects on your health and longevity. In fact, centenarians overwhelmingly cite stress as the most important thing to avoid if you want to live a long and healthy life.

Since stress is virtually unavoidable, the key is to develop and strengthen your ability to manage your stress so that it doesn't wear you down over time. Rather than dwelling on negative events, most centenarians figured out how to let things go, and you can do that too. It takes practice though. It's a skill that must be honed daily, or however often you're triggered.

A foundational principle to let go of negativity is the realization that the way you feel has little to do with the event itself, and everything to do with your perception of it. Wisdom of the ancients dictate that events are neither good nor bad in and of themselves. It is your belief about the event that upsets you, not the fact that it happened.

As noted by Ryan Holiday, author of "The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living, The Stoics are saying, 'This happened to me,' is not the same as, 'This happened to me and that's bad.' They're saying if you stop at the first part, you will be much more resilient and much more able to make some good out of anything that happens.”

Listen to your own advice
Another potent technique that can increase your positive-to-negative emotion ratio is to ask yourself, "What would I recommend if this happened to someone else?" and then follow your own advice.

Dan Ariely, a professor at Duke University and author of "Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions," explains that the reason this technique — which he calls "taking the outside perspective" — works so well is because when we make recommendations to others, we don't take our own current state of mind and emotions into account.

We're distanced emotionally from an event that happens to someone else, and that distance allows us to make saner, more reasonable decisions.

Be mindful of your nonverbal actions
Smiling and hugging are both ways of expressing gratitude, encouragement, excitement, empathy and support. These physical actions also help strengthen your inner experience of positive emotions.

Give praise
Research27 shows that using "other-praising" phrases are far more effective than "self-beneficial" phrases. For example, praising a partner saying, "thank you for going out of your way to do this," is more powerful than a compliment framed in terms of how you benefited, such as "it makes me happy when you do that."
The former resulted in the partner feeling happier and more loving toward the person giving the praise. Also, be mindful of your delivery — say it like you mean it. Establishing eye contact is another tactic that helps you show your sincerity. 

Prayer and/or mindfulness meditation
Expressing thanks during prayer or meditation is another way to cultivate gratitude. Practicing "mindfulness" means that you're actively paying attention to the moment you're in right now. A mantra is sometimes used to help maintain focus, but you can also focus on something that you're grateful for, such as a pleasant smell, a cool breeze or a lovely memory.

Create a nightly gratitude ritual
One suggestion is to create a gratitude jar, into which the entire family can add notes of gratitude on a daily basis. Any jar or container will do. Simply write a quick note on a small slip of paper and put it into the jar. Some make an annual (or biannual or even monthly) event out of going through the whole jar, reading each slip out loud.

If you have young children, a lovely ritual suggested by Dr. Alison Chen in a Huffington Post article is to create a bedtime routine that involves stating what you're grateful for out loud.

Spend money on activities instead of things
According to recent research, spending money on experiences not only generates more gratitude than material consumption, it also motivates greater generosity. As noted by co-author Amit Kumar, postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Chicago, "People feel fortunate, and because it's a diffuse, untargeted type of gratitude, they're motivated to give back to people in general.”

Embrace the idea of having "enough"
According to many who have embraced a more minimalist lifestyle, the key to happiness is learning to appreciate and be grateful for having "enough." The average credit card debt for Americans who carry a balance is $16,000. People with a negative net worth or a net worth of zero carry an average of $10,300 in credit card debt.  Meanwhile, financial hardship and work stress are two significant contributors to depression and anxiety.

The answer is to buy less and appreciate more. Instead of trying to keep up with the Joneses, practice being grateful for the things you already have, and release yourself from the iron-grip of advertising, which tells you there's lack in your life.
Many who have adopted the minimalist lifestyle claim they've been able to reduce the amount of time they have to work to pay their bills, freeing up time for volunteer work, creative pursuits and taking care of their personal health, thereby dramatically raising their happiness and life satisfaction.

The key here is deciding what "enough" is. Consumption itself is not the problem; unchecked and unnecessary shopping is.

It's like being on a hamster wheel — you keep shopping, thinking happiness and life satisfaction will come with it. Yet it never does. Many times, accumulation of material goods is a symptom that you may be trying to fill a void in your life, yet that void can never be filled by material things.


More often than not, the void is silently asking for more love, personal connection, or experiences that bring purpose and passionate engagement. So, make an effort to identify your real, authentic emotional and spiritual needs, and then focus on fulfilling them in ways that does not involve shopping.  

Monday, January 22, 2018

Excerpt from Kathy Walter's book, Jesus the Darling of Heaven

      Jesus is so wonderful!!  Read this excerpt from "Jesus the Darling of Heaven" by Kathy Walters which leaves us with no other alternative than to worship Him! 

"He is our Shield, our Defender, our Rock; our Hiding Place. He saves us and keeps by His power, from sin and death.

"He is our Provider, Counselor, Great Shepherd—our Friend.

"He is closer than a brother—our love. He is the Husbandman; the Keeper of the vineyard. He is the Source of all blessing. He restores, rescues, forgives and redeems. He is our Victor, the Captain of Hosts, He is our Banner, and our Standard. Mighty in battle, He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. Jesus is crowned with glory and honor, He is our Savior, Sanctifier, Redeemer; merciful and faithful High Priest. He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. He was dead, but now He is ALIVE forevermore and He is seated at the right hand of God (seated—it's finished).

"He destroyed death, and led captivity captive. He is the great Apostle of our faith, He is the supreme Sacrifice, the spotless and blameless Lamb. He is our Anchor, our Strong Tower, our Shield, our Defender, and He was the Ancient of Days before the first day began. He is the Door, the Way and the Truth. He is the Treasure, the Pearl of great price; more precious than the finest gold. He was the Rock of Ages before any mountain peaks were formed. He was the Bread of Life, before there was any grain. He was the Lily of the Valley, before there were any flowers on the earth. He makes His enemies His footstools and laughs at His adversaries.
"He came from eternal glory to the depths of humiliation. He abdicated Heaven's throne for a pile of straw in a manger. He sacrificed infinite riches to embrace poverty—to break its power. He bade farewell to Heaven's love to receive men's hatred and shame. He surrendered Heaven's adoration to suffer scorn, and He turned from celestial bliss and life with Cherubim and Seraphim, to die between two thieves on a Cross.

"He is the Tree of Life. He is consecrated forever and makes us sanctified forever, by His precious Blood. He is the Minister of the Sanctuary, He is the Mediator of the New Covenant. He is the High Priest of GOOD THINGS to come, He's the Lion of Judah, and the Lamb who was slain. He is the New and Living Way. Jesus is the Darling of Heaven. He is the same yesterday, today and forever.

"He is qualified to open the Book. He is the expression of the heart of the Father. His love has no limits; His grace has no measure. His power has no boundaries known unto men, out of His infinite riches, He gives and gives and gives again. He is the Lily of the Valley the Bright and Morning Star—the fairest of 10,000. He is more precious than gold. He's the Glory and Lifter of our Heads. He is the Righteous Judge. He is a Refuge for the oppressed. He doesn't forget the cry of the humble. He bore our sorrows and our grief. He was despised and rejected of men and now He controls the destiny of the nations.

"The kingdoms of this world are going to become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ; and He shall reign forever and forever. He is our Portion and our Inheritance, His garments smell of sweet myrrh and His breath is as sweet apples. He hides us under the shadow of His wings, and keeps us as the apple of His eye. He is our High Tower. He makes the hills shake, the mountains melt and the heavens bow.

"He pulled back the curtain of eternity and stepped out on the stage of time for one brief moment, and then stepped back again into eternity, but in that one bridge moment of time, He sealed the fate of every man and fixed the destiny of every man and woman. He will light my candle, because He is the Light of Life. He is the Branch, and the Root of Jesse.

"He makes the crooked paths straight and the rough places plain. He split history and divided the ages.

"He preserves the faithful; He is the Resurrection and Life. He spoke and framed the world. He makes our way perfect and makes our feet like hinds feet. He causes us to walk in high places.

"He is Hearing to the deaf and Sight to the blind. He is Cleansing to the leper and Strength to the weak. He is Comfort to the oppressed, Hope to the hopeless and Help to the helpless. He is a Brother to the friendless and a Friend to the brotherless, and He is LIFE to the dead. He is infinite, eternal, glorious and full of majesty. He is the Covenant Keeper; keeping covenant with covenant breakers. He is sweeter than all the flowers. He is the lover of our soul and the keeper of our hearts. He is Music to the poet, and Song to the worshiper.

"His name has been whispered by thousands upon thousands of dying soldiers on the battlefields of the ages. His name has been the battle cry of those who fought for righteousness and truth. He is the King of all kings and all rulers and every nation will bow to Him. His name is Jesus!" 

Excerpted from "Jesus the Darling of Heaven". 
Kathie Walters
Good News Ministries

Email: kathiewalters@mindspring.com
Website: www.kathiewaltersministry.com

Tuesday, January 16, 2018

Glenn Clark Quote

      Glenn Clark was/is one of my mentors even though I never met him.  He founded Camps Farthest Out in 1930.  We attended CFO as a family for 20 years which totally wrecked us for anything less than the fullness of the Holy Spirit operating in our lives.  I have listened to as many Glenn Clark messages as I could get my hands on.
      The speakers we met through CFO were forerunners, I believe, of what God is doing/saying today in many churches, such as Bethel in Redding, CA and conferences sponsored by those connected to them.   (Matt Leach has a website here where you can listen to many of the talks from early CFOs--the link is also posted on the Resources Page of this blog.  I highly recommend you check it out and see how inspired the messages given were.)
      As I was cleaning out drawers in my office, I found this quote of Glenn's that I had copied into one of my journals:
                                                                                                                                                                       
    "When we treat every person as an end in himself (apply the Golden Rule) and not hold a single negative, condemnatory thought for anyone in the world, and when we keep our prayer secret and sacred, and have absolute faith in God's power and willingness to grant the right answer at the right time, the answer will never fail to come."    The Way, The Truth, & the Life,  Glenn Clark, p. 52

Saturday, January 13, 2018

Potato Leek Soup

I can't recall ever cooking with leeks, but when I was at the Fresh Thyme Market last week I decided to buy some and look for a leek soup recipe.  Tonight I made the soup.  We thought it was terrific, so I am posting the recipe here and on the Recipes #1 page.  I found a basic recipe online but changed it a little.  This is the recipe I made with changes included.

 Potato Leek Soup 

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 2 leeks, sliced
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 quart chicken broth
 
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 6 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup milk

Directions

  1. In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Cook leeks in butter with salt and pepper until tender, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes.
  2. Stir cornstarch into broth and pour broth into pot. Add the potatoes and bring to a boil. 
  3. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for a few minutes till potatoes begin to soften and then add the cream/milk.  Continue cooking for a few more minutes.until potatoes are tender. Season with salt and pepper before serving.

Saturday, January 6, 2018

"2018: A Time of War and Victories" by Johnny Enlow

      As any of you who have checked my blog over a length of time knows, I am very impressed by Johnny Enlow's prophetic words.  He is one who prophesied Donald Trump would be president long before it happened.
     This word is no exception!  It  excellent with some exciting predictions and words of instruction.  It is encouraging, informative, and well...prophetic.  Since it is rather long, I have hidden much of the word, but you can click on "Read more" at the bottom to continue reading.  I encourage you to read the entire word. I'm sure you will be as encouraged as I was/am.



2017 has been a year that has exceeded every projection of disruption. A year ago I wrote a word entitled "Trumpquake" that described the upheaval that Trump's presidency would usher in—ensuing tsunami waves of change. If anything, that word understated what actually has become reality.
2017 in Review
The first full year of Donald Trump as President shook seemingly everything that could be shaken. A most sensational war has been engaged with the dominant media all year, with no truce coming from either side. "Fake news" and "alternative facts" are now household concepts and realities. Also, an overall vicious, political atmosphere was in effect for the entire year.
We have also had very extreme weather patterns, as creation seemingly caught itself up in the turmoil of everything. Many severe weather stories became relegated as compared to the three big storms—Harvey, Irma and Maria—that each in its own way was a historical hurricane, which I have previously covered. Interestingly enough in Zechariah 9:14 it says (emphasis mine):
"Then the Lord will appear over them; His arrow will flash like LIGHTNING. The Sovereign Lord will sound the TRUMP and He will march in the storms of the south."
The Hebrew word for the word "lightning" is "baraq." It is no coincidence that this verse speaks of a time where the Lord intervenes with "baraq" (or Barack), and then that He would sound the "trump" (or Trump) and march in the storms and hurricanes of the south. God is neither Trump nor the hurricanes, but He is sounding the "Trump" and He has marched IN on the hurricanes of the south. Put together the first letter of each storm and you have HIM. In the seeming mayhem of it all, He is there.
In 2017 we also experienced an almost unprecedented total, solar eclipse that carried its own message. Then we had a constellation assignment so unique that again, the "doom and gloomers" came out of the woodwork with another false, prophetic narrative. All these events and phenomenons were significant and telling of a special day, but it was all about Kingdom of God advancement and notkingdom of darkness advancement.
Somehow, each of these "once-in-a-lifetime events" seemingly paled in comparison with the "Harvey Weinstein effect" that has seen literally hundreds of the "gate keepers" at the tops of all 7 mountains (media, economy, government, education, family, arts and entertainment and religion) forced from their stronghold positions. Suddenly and before our very eyes, tsunami waves with a new cultural appetite for justice are vacating the high places and making room for the new. A line has been drawn in the sand. God's daughters will be better protected as they rise and shine. The accompanying story line of the hit movie "Wonder Woman" is all interwoven into the new narrative of the day—a movie where not only were women positively highlighted, but the central star was an Israeli actress named Gal Gadot. No coincidence there either.

Friday, January 5, 2018

Skepticism on Vegetarianism

      I have contiued to watch Mark Virkler's video series (mentioned in the previous posts) even though he almost lost me on the second one.  He seems to have become a vegetarian for the most part.  I can agree that we need to eat a balanced diet which includes lots of fruits and particularly vegetables but I'm not ready to go "all in" when it comes to eating only those things.
     As I was discussing this with Country Guy yesterday I told him I had just read of Jesus feeding the 5000 and he didn't do it by multiplying fruit and vegetables!  So I am still not ready to become a vegetarian, but I am trying to add more fresh produce in my diet.  I know it is important.
      Nevertheless, Mark has some very good points and gives good information concerning health and healing.  I recommend listening to the remaining series.
       Here is the link.

Monday, January 1, 2018

Watch Today's Session

     I highly recommend watching today's session (the first of 10) of You Can Take Charge Of Your Life by Mark Virkler.  As I posted a couple of days ago, he is offering one free video/day for the next 10 days.
     Today gives you a very good indication of whether you agree with Mark's philosophy and want to learn how to follow it, so take a look, and then decide if this is for you.

        Here is the link