Wanting to thank you all for your prayers whenever I holler. It is so comforting to know that I have so many awesome friends/family that will come to my aid at a moments notice. And, I know you all know that I am a firm believer in the power of prayer! I also want to let you know that I am still quite positive about this whole thing and all of the physical issues that I’ve been going through. After 16 years of being handicapped with all of the issues that I’ve been through, as I am improving, I think I’d be upset if my body didn’t react....LOL! I am getting better and Satan can’t lie to me and tell me that this is all a negative thing! What Satan means for evil, God means for good! I just covet your prayers during this whole process, if you don’t mind?!
I walked into Celebrate Recovery on Monday night, after missing Cardiac Rehab due to hours of back pain, little sleep, and fighting traffic, etc... and the worship leader mentioned the fact that we should be worried if Satan isn’t attacking!
AND, some of you know that I’ve been in belief that God has called me to Celebrate Recovery and mostly to jail/prison ministry. I have been looking and questioning for some time and do ya know? This is the first church that I tried to go to for CR after our move here and I could not even see the church (another Satan thing - GPS issues) and I just found out yesterday that they do CR jail ministry! Hallelujah! I’m already corresponding with the minister in charge. Fighting our way through the battlefield just makes us stronger...Satan is a lying fool!
Email share: “Juliana, Praise the LORD!!! What an amazing testimony. You have gone through so much, and your trust in the Lord has kept persevering no matter what!!! Please call me so we can talk about the jail ministry...”
HALLELUJAH!
“I can do ALL THINGS through Christ Who strengthens me.” Phil. 4:13
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28
I apologize for not writing for some time. It seems that my life is mid-transition right
now. God is moving me into a new
season. I have the inspiration to write
but then no time for writing. It is 4:30
am and I am having trouble sleeping right now so I guess writing may help me to
get back to sleep? I hope it doesn’t
make me have trouble writing as a Benadryl starts to kick in. I am learning to use a CPAP due to trouble
breathing in my sleep. Something that
you see as bad can be good instead. I
can be bullheaded and I simply call it, “stuck in stupid”. It’s when I get an idea that I won’t let go
of, even if it is not of God. BUT, I
keep praying. God ALWAYS helps me with
this at some point. There’s a song that
I love called Break Me Down by the band Red.
I believe it also helped me to quit smoking. It’s how I’ve learned to “give up”. It’s telling God that I don’t understand why
I won’t let it go but I do still want to.
“Lord, break me down, then”.
Teach me how to do it. “Do what
you have to, Lord.” And, that is most of
the time not pleasant but it works!
I started doing the work that I planned for “Branding” my
different inspirations. You see the
difference here, although I’m not yet sure about the colors it’s coming along. Please check for my new page on Facebook for
this blog (https://www.facebook.com/BeyondtoBetterThings/).I may use it to keep
followers updated regarding it, instead of always doing it in a post.It has the save Cover photo as the background
of this blog.My art page also has the
same cover photo.And, so do my business
cards.Everything is under the same
heading of Something by Juliana with a different sub-title (at least that is
what I’m aiming for).
I wrote that about a month ago and since then I feel nearly
like a new person. I’ve learned to use
the CPAP religiously…even when I nap!
And I am feeling so much better.
Not long after that I started on a new medication for Fibromyalgia. Yes, I finally gave in 16 years after being
told that I was a prime candidate for it.
And, I started Cardiac Rehab. All
three of these things PLUS many prayers have nearly totally changed my life
from just a month ago. Honestly! Until you do have your own relationship with
Jesus, don’t put it past Him. He knows
what we need before we even ask.
I also prayed to be in His Word more since I knew that He
was speaking to me in different ways that I needed to fill myself up with Him
in every way that I could find. I had
felt quite lousy for some time now…since the whole heart attack thing. Actually, I’d feel awesome, heavenly bound,
Spirit-filled to overflowing for a day or two, then be right back down where I
was. I sought prayers from everywhere I
could think of. I was so tired of the
roller coaster and I knew that something had to give. This was not the way that I was supposed to
live! That is when He showed me that I
needed to fill myself up with all of Him that I could so that Satan had no room
to get in! Hallelujah! So, how did I go about that? So, I kept praying! Being an ex-work-a-holic I wondered how to do
so much without overdoing? Prayer!!! Always prayer! Always leaning on that relationship with
Jesus. There is no other way!
(By the way, I have had so many years in the past where even
breakfast was non-existent and today I’m having Keurig coffee with flavored
creamer, fresh homemade 1% yogurt with fresh pineapple, Truvia Nectar, and
granola along with a Mandarin orange, Black plum, and Rambutans. Along with sitting at my dining room table on
an iPad Pro amongst not only 1 but 2 bouquets of fresh flowers and I could go
on and on about the differences in my life! – I am truly blessed.)
Back to my answered prayers!
OH MY! I was asked to be the
moderator of several LARGE Christian groups/pages where I read so many posts;
devotionals, scripture, photos, etc… on and off most days all day long.
I had been interested in Bible Journaling for some
time. Got myself a Journaling Bible a
good year ago yet never did much with it at all. Cardiac Rehabilitation (prayers answered to
do it, too) is done at a hospital in Clearwater so I have about a 25 minute
drive through much retail, etc… and I’ve almost always used coupons when
passing by places to pick up art supplies.
Just seemed practical. So, I have
been collecting Bible Journaling supplies.
Then I joined Bible Journaling groups on Facebook and WOW. I have never had group conversations about
Bibles before in my life. My heart
leaped! And here I am writing! God is moving! And, I do not remember my last “down”
day. I’m improving so quickly that I
know it is nothing less than a miracle! And
it seems that I will share more about Bible Journaling in a later post, maybe
even get some new friends to participate?
That might be fun! I’m working on
this page to share with you today, though!
I will be posting as I improve in leaps and bounds. I believe I’ve shared in the past about my
spine and how I had 10 hours of spine surgery in 1995. I was not supposed to be down sick in bed for
2+ years and since I started the rehab my back and left hip are in need of more
specialized attention so I am having X-rays this week to be referred to a spine
specialist. This is actually what I’ve
prayed about for about a year yet the heart thing jumped out there and took precedence. So, waiting to see what happens here. I’m sure that more miracles are in store for
me. HALLELUJAH!
Have a blessed week.
And I will leave you with a new favorite of mine:
May God bless you through my writing. If He has especially touched you in any way, please leave a comment below. Your comments are so very encouraging to me to help me to keep writing. Also, click on the “Uptweet” button on the above right and share! I pray you will keep coming back. I fully believe that my writing is by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit so if I am writing, there is someone that needs to read it! Maybe it’s you? Also, please be sure to share any questions you might have with me and if you would like to keep them personal (just between you and me) please don’t hesitate to e-mail me at juliana.pace@gmail.com. If I don’t know how to answer you, I will may every attempt to refer you to someone for more information. Thanks and may God bless all your days!
I must first apologize for not posting. It has not been a conscious thing. Actually, I just visited this blog the other day and I saw that my last post was in January and I was shocked. Having a heart attack is a very different thing than I have ever experienced. It has taken me some time to get back to who I previously was. I’m not even sure how to explain it, just please be patient with me. I am still here and I think I’m at least quite close to being back even with a third Cardiac Catheter next week (prayers are appreciated) and Cardiac Rehabilitation to go through.
(I had an amazing miracle there. God is so good. Most would truly POO-POO a hospital visit for chest pains. I was admitted and what a mess when I went in but I won’t even go there. I was hoping to Cardiac Rehabilitation after the stent placement but my insurance wanted $90. Co-pay per week for 36 weeks…rather ridiculous. My Cardiologist was not the least bit happy about it. Another Cardiologist from the same group visited me in the hospital who said he had looked over my file and was hoping to get me a scholarship to the Cardiac Rehabilitation. I was in disbelief and shock for several days. I shared this with my Cardiologist on Tuesday and he is calling them to get my co-pay waived. HALLELUJAH!
*Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”)
Worship is in my heart. I had to write about this because I don’t think there is much that brings me more joy. Since our move 3/18/16, I have had to use the GPS in our car when I’m driving and to listen to it I’ve had to keep the music turned down. What a truly SAD thing for me!
From the dictionary as a verb: to render religious reverence and homage to.
2. to feel an adoring reverence or regard for (any person or thing).
I have heard some say that they believe that this will be our most important function in heaven so we should learn to do it now. If that is the case then I am well prepared.
I have several things to share that may help you to understand my heart. For more than a week now, the song that has played in the back of my head daily, all day is Overwhelmed by Big Daddy Weave.
Rather an ultimate worship song. Usually when I have a song play over and over in my head I find some reason for it in the lyrics. It’ll play until I find it. With this song I seem to find nothing more than this is the reason for so many of my tears of joy. When I pay attention to this song, His presence is apparent in my home and His joy explodes in my heart! There are many worship songs that express how I feel yet none so “overwhelming”.
So, after this explanation you may be able to see why I’m so elated when I share that I’m finally learning my way around. Just a few days ago I found that I was able to drive some distance without GPS so I cranked up my worship music and it nearly transported me to heaven.
I am a Pentecostal. I looked up the definitions to share but none are as effective as just sharing the why and an example of what this truly means to me. Several years back the minister of music at our church gave us an explanation that I will never forget. He shared about coming home to his house and his three-year-old son excitedly running to him with outstretched arms. It's like I’m taking Him in. I’m wanting to enwrap Him with my arms. Like the words to that song “Overwhelmed”. Yet I have seen one video that has always truly impressed upon me that this was being “Pentecostal”. And that is the video for Forever by Kari Jobe. I am excited about what Jesus did for me. It says in Psalms
*Let All Things Praise the Lord
150 Praise the Lord!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty firmament!
Praise Him for His mighty acts;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!
Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet;
Praise Him with the lute and harp!
Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!
Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with clashing cymbals!
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord!
And, another that I memorized when I was a little girl and I’ve remembered to this day:
*Psalm 100
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.
Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
AND, if I can even write this after having a heart attack, I’m on my way back! God is so good. I have full assurance that if I was to die that I would be instantly transported to heaven where I would spend eternity. While still on this earth, worship is the next best thing.
May God bless you through my writing. If He has especially touched you in any way, please leave a comment below. Your comments are so very encouraging to me to help me to keep writing. Also, click on the “Uptweet” button on the above right and share! I pray you will keep coming back. I fully believe that my writing is by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit so if I am writing, there is someone that needs to read it! Maybe it’s you? Also, please be sure to share any questions you might have with me and if you would like to keep them personal (just between you and me) please don’t hesitate to e-mail me at juliana.pace@gmail.com. If I don’t know how to answer you, I will may every attempt to refer you to someone for more information. Thanks and may God bless all your days!
