Miracles by Design

Sometimes I think I’m living the craziest life (financially speaking) of anyone I know – Christian or non-Christian. It seems as though I’m constantly on the razor’s edge, with barely enough to meet my bills – but yet always meeting them! My credit rating is excellent and I’ve never missed a rent, car or insurance payment in all these four years since I was left with nothing after my divorce.

I have experienced God’s economy first-hand in these four years in a way I could never have learned it, had I not been put in the position of trusting Him for every cent.

Last week, I lost my glasses and had to get new ones – a major expense for me. I had $306.00 in my account. I transferred it into my chequing account so that I would be able to use my debit card. The bill came to $299.00. Today, I needed $40.00 more in my chequing account to be able to meet an insurance payment. I had $15.00 in bills, $7.00 in coins, $18.91 in another chequing account and $5.00 in a savings account. I transferred $2.00 from my savings into my chequing account which enabled me to withdraw a $20.00 bill with my debit card. I exchanged $5.00 in coins into a bill that I would be able to put in a bank machine. Now I had $40.00 in bills which I merrily took to the other bank and deposited it to meet the insurance payment. Now I have only a some change left – to my name. And I am not the least bit concerned. I have learned that “my God DOES supply all my need according to His riches in Christ Jesus.”

Today I learned that a large sale of my journals is not happening. It would have helped a lot right now – but when I heard the disappointing news, I was able to say, “Oh well, thank you Lord anyway” because I have learned that He is in control and He will look after me. The sale would have been nice, but it didn’t bother me one whit that it didn’t happen.

For four years prior to the devastation that happened in my life, I supported a little girl in Uganda. I still support her. She probably thinks I’m a rich lady across the ocean in Canada and has no idea what a miracle God works every month to ensure her continued support. I don’t tell her because I want her to feel secure – but neither do I worry about not having enough for her because God ALWAYS makes a way.

My gas tank is full. My refrigerator is full. I have nice clothes (except that they’re a little tight right now!). I live in a lovely place with nice furniture. And I have no money and it doesn’t matter. When I need it, it will be there. My dog needed to be groomed the other day and so I took her to be groomed. I had barely enough. But I had enough.

I’m not saying that I just sit around and wait for gold coins to fall from the heavenlies (although that would be heavenly!) No. I have worked very hard to get my business established after having to start life all over again at the age of 60. But I have seen God open the doors of opportunity over and over and over again. I take no credit for having come this far. He is my source. He is my supply. He is my agent, my career coach and my mentor.

He is also my comforter. He gives me the assurance that He will never leave me nor forsake me. I know that I am walking a destiny path and that he has ordered my steps.

It’s very curious how the word “prosperity” has taken on a life of its own in Christian circles. One is either “pro-prosperity” or “anti-prosperity.” Well how could anyone be anti-prosperity? What’s wrong with being prosperous?

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Some of the most highly esteemed characters in scripture lived lives that made “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” look pathetic! People like David, Solomon and Esther were wealthy beyond comprehension!

The problem is simply that many of today’s teachers have gotten out of whack on what the Bible says about prosperity and brought a lot of confusion.

My pastor, Doug Schneider, brought everything into clarity today at Bible Study. He told us that the Greek word, “euodoo” which is translated as “prosperity” occurs only four times in the New Testament. The real meaning of the word is, “to be led down a road; to go down a path, to be successful in business affairs, to prosper and have success.” The fascinating thing is that this word is in the passive and so it doesn’t mean that WE are doing this and making it happen – it means that God is doing it for us. When we submit our lives to Him and allow Him to guide and direct our lives, He takes us down a road – a destiny road. He has a plan for our lives and will bring us success in terms of fulfilling the destiny He has for us.

Paul didn’t sit around in a palace. He had a destiny to walk out. His trip to his destiny was a wild ride – shipwrecked, imprisoned, stoned and finally beheaded. Nice. But who walked in more obedience than Paul after his conversion? Obviously, his life had to speak of prosperity – but prosperity in God’s economy means walking in one’s destiny. Stuff has nothing to do with it. Sometimes people have stuff and sometimes they don’t. The richness lies in our walk with God – not in stuff.

Stuff is not bad. I like stuff. Most people like stuff. It’s usually much more comfortable to have stuff than not to have stuff. But in the end, it’s just all about God and trusting Him to get us through this life and over the River to the other side.

Sometimes I get very tired of this life. It’s a struggle. And in one way or another it will always be a struggle because this is earth. It’s not heaven yet. The enemy will be trying to abort our destiny until the day we die, but as long as we are fixed on Jesus, he can’t do it. Paul’s shipwreck, his stoning, his imprisonment and his beheading were simply preliminary hindrances to his eventual glory with Jesus. At least his life wasn’t boring – and look at the fruit of it!!!! Paul’s life will continue to bear fruit until we meet him in that glory. What an adventure when we walk with Jesus!

I’m tired. Gotta go to bed.

One of my close friends, Carl Smith, is over eighty years of age. He’s a missionary in Romania and has nine ministries there. This man blows me away with his stamina, his passion for ministry and his steadfast dedication to his calling.

He spends eight months of every year tromping all over his beloved Romania, loving the people, ministering to their needs, sleeping in hard beds, taking cold showers (when available), teaching, administering his ministries and generally doing all he can to take the transforming power of Jesus Christ to the downtrodden gypsy people the (Rroma people) of Romania.

His nine ministries include:

Adopt-a-Pastor Subsidy Program in Brasov – targeting economically depressed local congregations, this program subsidizes the monthly stipend of their pastor-teachers

El Shaddai Children’s Camp in Campulung – a year-round children’s and youth camping and conference program

Jubilee Girls’ Home in Bolintin Deal – A residential home program for “street girls” rescued from prostitution or abandoned by the orphanage system

Project Rachel in Craivova and Satu Mare – a program which offers financial assistance, physical therapists and Christian social services; enabling parents of physically or  mentally disabled children to care for  them in their homes

Project School Child in Arges Judicial – a ministry to Rroma children through the financing of elementary and secondary education

Pro-Lumina Blind Society in Targoviste – a Bible distribution, Christian literature and respite center ministry for the visually impaired

Teaching and Distribution of Study Material in Pitesti – an in-church teaching ministry to encourage the undertaking of serious study of the Word of God

The Rroma (Gypsy) Evangelistic Movement – evangelism, church planting, leadership training, children’s ministries, a camping program, as well as ministries of mercy and compassion

“Vesta Buna” Bible Institute in Ratbov – a regional Bible institute, training young men and women in the basics of Scripture and Christian Counseling

The other day, Carl e-mailed me to help him design a brochure to encourage work teams to go to Romania to help build a Discipleship and Youth Centre in the village of Rucar. He needs 40 people to go for a week each, over a two and half month period – May 30 to August 15 of 2011. The idea is that that while it centers on youth evangelism and community outreach, the facility will be used for after-school tutorial –remedial instruction, computer training and Internet Cafe; neither of which are available within a thirty kilometre (18 miles radius) of Rucar.  Evenings and weekends, the facility will host teen-oriented musical groups, seminars, conferences, and related teen ministry events. It will be operated in conjunction with a neighboring evangelical church, camping program, and children/youth ministries.

How amazing! It is truly a miracle for anyone to have that kind of vitality at such an advanced age.

I e-mailed Carl back and told him how he blows me away with his stamina and drive.

His response was simply a scripture reference: Psalm 84: 5-7 – “Blessed are the men whose strength is in Thee, in whose hearts are the highways to Zion. As they go through the valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; the God of gods will be seen in Zion.”

Anyone wanting to contact Carl can reach him at chs_810@hotmail.com
Anyone wanting to support his RomTrain Ministry should contact

MSC (Canada)
RomTrain Ministries
101 Amber Street
Suite 16, Markham ON L3R 3A2 Canada

– OR –

RomTrain Ministries
PO Box 7492
Grand Rapids MI
49510-7492

Many people claim that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are not for today. They claim that Jesus healed only while He was on earth and the healing witnessed through the ministry of the apostles simply isn’t happening today.

I beg to differ – from experience and in response to what I read in the Bible. Since coming back to the Lord in 1978 after 15 years of living a pagan lifestyle, I have seen amazing things happen through the power of the Holy Spirit. Healings and other manifestations of the Holy Spirit happen regularly – today!

Just as an example of how God can work through the life of an ordinary person, I’ll tell you the story of a girl I’ll call  Sandy. (True story)

Sandy had fallen out of a truck when she was 16 and damaged her back badly. When I met her when she was 23, she was unable to participate in sports and the doctor had told her that he was probably going to have to fuse her spine when she got older. She was in constant pain.

One night I invited her to go with me to a meeting where a faith healer was going to be speaking. Despite the fact that Sandy was not a Christian, she agreed to go to see what would happen. When the opportunity came for prayer at the end of the meeting, there was no invitation for anyone suffering from back problems to go to the front for prayer. The focus was on shoulder problems and headaches that night.

On the way home from the meeting, Sandy expressed her disappointment.

“Well,” I said, “if God is God, then He should be able to heal you at home in your kitchen as well as at a meeting.” Without skipping a beat, I asked her if she would like me to pray for her when we got home! When she said yes, I began to think about how foolish God and I were going to look if He didn’t show up – because I sure wouldn’t be able to do anything for her!

When we arrived at her home, I arranged two chairs facing each other in the kitchen and invited her to sit down across from me and put her heels in my hands. When I saw that one leg was longer than the other, I asked her if she was aware of it. She said oh yes, but that the doctor had said he couldn’t do anything about it except to prescribe custom built shoes.

I then spoke to the situation, commanding Sandy’s entire skeletal system to come under the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ and for her hips to come into proper alignment according to how God had created her.

As I held her heels in my hands, nothing happened. However, I knew that at the name of Jesus, every knee must bow and so I spoke the words again, quietly commanding her back to come under the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ and be made whole.

I noticed that Sandy’s heels were at the same level. I hadn’t felt anything happen, but asked her if she had felt anything.

“Oh yes!” she exclaimed. “My thigh feels like it’s being pulled out!”

“Well, why don’t you stand up and see what’s going on,” I said.

She stood up, twisted all around and said, “It’s gone! The pain is gone! There’s no pulling in my back anymore!” Then she ran up a whole flight of steps and back down – absolutely jubilant. Amazed!

“Well,” I said, “if it were me, I’d be asking Jesus to come into my life because it looks to me as if He loves you so much that He has given you a gift of healing to show Himself real to you and to draw you into relationship with Him!” Then I asked her if she would like to invite Jesus into her life.

She said yes. We prayed together and that was the greatest miracle of all!

This morning I went to a tiny church in Coboconk. It was wonderful! The power of God there was so strong. It was very apparent that the people truly cared about each other and knew how to reach God with their prayers. At one point, a DVD was played. The subject was “How Great is Our God” and it was an AWESOME demonstration of the miraculous magnitude of our Creator. I was so impressed that I copied the link for you. If you take the time to watch it, it will change your perception of God forever!
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/1849169

Earlier today, a friend and I were discussing God’s amazing provision in times of need.

Isaiah 65:24 says, “Before they call I will answer…”

God knows what we need and has the provision prepared before we even know that we need it!

During this time of rebuilding my life, finances have been extremely tight. Many times I have felt as though I’m barely holding on by my fingernails. Despite the fact that I have never missed a rent or car payment and my credit has remained intact, my ability to meet requirements of life has sometimes been right to the penny.

For the past two years I have been designing and producing the Compass magazine for 100 Huntley Street / Crossroads. The proceeds have essentially been paying my rent – barely. In the early spring, I began to have a sensing that the Lord was telling me that the door would be closing on my Compass work and He would be taking me on to something else.

In May I was asked to serve as interim managing editor of the Compass magazine for two months while they went through a transition process. Because of the heads up I had received from the Lord, I wasn’t surprised when they told me that my position would be terminated after the two month transition. The structure of the ministry was changing and they would now be able to produce the magazine in-house.

It was good news / bad news. My salary would be tripled for the two transition months while I served as managing editor, but then my income would be stopped. On the positive side, I thought that the sudden tripling of my salary was going to be a great boon. For once I would have a surplus and could relax a bit!

Not so fast Diane! Just a couple of weeks later, my landlord informed me that I would have to move because he had just gotten engaged and was inheriting three more kids for whom he needed my space. Suddenly I was faced with the need for movers and all of the expenses related to moving not only my home but my business office!

But did I fear? No. God had already provided the funds to take me right through the summer. Amazing.

Now the summer days are beginning to hint of fall. The season of moving is over. Now I am unpacked and ready to begin the next phase of my life. What it will be, I don’t know. But I do know that I don’t have to worry because God has a plan and holds my life in His hands – by design!

These four years since my divorce have been a great financial struggle. However, without the struggle, I would never have had the opportunity to see God’s faithfulness and His unfailing hand of provision – and so I am grateful for these amazing years!

I really like clothes. Like most women, I tend to get bored with my wardrobe and love to have new things. It’s difficult to do much about the boredom if one can’t afford to shop – which is exactly where I have been.

A few months ago, I was so tired of wearing the same old things and mentioned to the Lord that it would be really nice if I could have a new wardrobe. I live gently and so my things weren’t worn out – I was just tired of them.

The following week, a friend of mine (who also loves clothes and buys nothing but the best) called and said that she was downsizing her wardrobe and wondered whether I’d be interested in taking a look because she had a lot of things she had never worn. She laughingly suggested that I come over and we could play “What Not to Wear!”

When I arrived, her bed was covered in a huge mound of wonderful clothes – leather jackets, dressy things, casual things and many things with the tags still attached! We had so much fun that night, trying this with that and that with this. When it was time to go, my friend helped me to my car with two big green bags and three smaller white bags full of new clothes – the new wardrobe I had wanted!

When I arrived home, I dumped all the beautiful things out on my bed and immediately went through my closet and drawers, filling up the same bags I had just emptied, ready to give another friend for her daughter who needed things. Then I put all my new things away, amazed at God’s provision!

Even if I had had the funds to be able to shop, I never would have bought so many lovely things for myself. Never! I would have felt too guilty. But here they were – with no expense – just a lovely gift from my Heavenly Father who responds with His love.

Last Saturday I was very happy to play a part (however small) in the Carnival of Hope, put on every year by my church in Oshawa on the third Saturday of every August. It was astounding to see the work and organizational efforts that went into making this amazing event the roaring success it always is.

Billed as “Durham’s Totally Free Festival,” it began in 2003 as a way to bring joy and practical help to those less fortunate in the  area. For one day, struggling families can forget about all the cares and daily challenges of life and be blessed by a totally free day. Everything is provided at no cost to the five or six thousand people who attend (many who are bussed in from poor areas) – hot dogs, drinks, popcorn, cotton candy, ice cream, games & prizes, blow up rides, petting zoo, pony rides, paint ball, music, drama, shows, hundreds of great prize giveaways, haircuts, massages, manicures, groceries, clothing, toys and on and on it goes.

Last year, the church gave away over 2000 stuffed toys, over 30 brand new bicycles, a pocket motorcycle, an ATV, TVs, VCRs, a new refrigerator, plane rides, remote control cars, and many more incredible prizes donated by the community. This year there was just as much if not more for people. It is a huge undertaking, with a huge price tag, but one in which almost the whole church gets involved as a wonderful outreach, sharing the love of Jesus.

This year (my first) I was in the area where 10 hairdressers from the community were cutting hair (free), four manicurists were doing nails and two masseuses were giving massages. It was more heart warming than I can describe to see young moms who couldn’t afford haircuts for their kids, come into the church and get their kids all fixed up ready for the start of school. Many of the moms and dads got haircuts and manicures or massages as well. It was so beautiful to see them being pampered, loved and looked after. One old fellow with long gray hair and a huge gray beard (who I have seen many times walking the streets of Oshawa), sat up in the barber’s chair happily kabbitzing with the hairdresser. He eventually left with a tidy trim, obviously feeling like a million bucks!

At four o’clock in the afternoon, all the rides and events were shut down for an hour while a drama (relevant to the everyday challenges of life faced by many of the people) was presented onstage. Following the drama, the Gospel message was presented. having just seen the love of Jesus so clearly in action, many people raised their hands, signifying their desire to accept Him and have their lives transformed.

There is no greater miracle than a life transformed by the love of Jesus. 🙂