KAREN’S
I am happy to be with you all; after a long, but fruitful break.
I would like to extend a thank you, for once again, reading what God has shared with me. My personal goal is to help others live a life of happiness, joy, great health, prosperity and complete fulfillment.
I realized that I was hesitating to continue writing on my Karen’s Page but did not know why; then, recently, it began to make sense to me.
I attended a wedding reception for my husband’s brother Jake’s youngest daughter over a 3-day weekend. The bride was the youngest daughter of six girls and the last to be married. So, it was a big deal.
We drove to Sparks, Nevada for the event and it was a lovely reception in a casual backyard barbeque atmosphere.
Anyway, the oldest daughter and mother of four took me aside and knew about my interest in nutrition. We sat together and she asked me for some of my thoughts. She had no real health concerns. She was young, beautiful and healthy. She was just curious. Well, I did not know where to start and I started to ramble. I asked questions and she shared some answers and then she asked me questions. But it seemed like an unorganized conversation to me. Because I had so much to share to a woman, I barely knew, I felt like I did not make sense or have a plan in my head to help her in any way. I did, however, give her some basics. These I will share later as they relate to another situation in this story.
The biggest lightning bolt that hit me right then, is that I have so much information that I would like to share, but I need to work on HOW to share it. And how to present it from this time forward.
So, I promise to give it my best effort and everything in your best interest is important to me.
It just so happened that at this same family event I came to learn that another relative of the family that I had never met had just been diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer.
Boy, did that ever pour sorrow into my heart.
So, Cindy is married to my husband’s brother, Jake and Suzie is her sister and she is the one now fighting ovarian cancer. Cindy asked me if there were any words of advice, I could maybe share with Suzie who had recently been through one bout of chemotherapy and shaved off her head of hair.
I was really honored to be asked and set to start right away to write Suzie a heartfelt letter. I have enclosed a copy of this letter with my tips for everyone to start some health habits and bits of scripture to help through everyday life and trying times. Some of the information in the letter you have read about before, but I think it may be helpful to mention again for familiarity with my physical experience and background.
Dear Suzie,
My name is Karen and your sister, Cindy, has told me a lot about you. I am an ovarian cancer survivor. My heart is right there with you. Whatever I can share with you to possibly help you, I hope will be a blessing for you and would truly be a blessing for me as well.
My cancer was diagnosed in April 2012. I had a complete hysterectomy and 5 bouts of chemo. My sixth one, I just did not want to do. My doctor did not fight me on this. I did lose weight and lost all my hair.
So, 7 years later I am 30 pounds heavier with a full head of healthy hair. There is hope and a bright future to look forward to for you as well.
I think one of the hardest parts of the cancer diagnosis and chemo treatment and recovery is to learn patience. We have all heard that patience is a virtue. And it is. But patience is a blessing from the Lord. I don’t know how I learned it, but I did. (Only through the grace of God.)
So, I believe that patience comes from the value of time. That is all we have really, is time. Appreciating time through prayer mostly. And our husbands, children, family, friends, love, laughter and the light of the Lord.
I cannot try to imagine how you will feel at times and honestly, I can barely remember how hard it was. But you will get through it.
I can tell you are already a very brave woman because you cut your hair and then shaved it all off before you had to. I saw your picture and saw a very vibrant woman.
So, I am not a doctor or a naturopath. All I know is what I have researched through the internet, books, government studies and through reading about a lot of success stories. It is quite overwhelming all that I have learned. And I have worked through trial and error for myself.
I think after 7 years I have a good idea of what has worked for me. (Even though my husband thinks I am nuts sometimes. With all the various supplements with uncommon names.) This has been a journey for me, and it will be for you, too. So, all of this I will share with you at your pace if I may. You probably need time or may not be ready at all yet. It is all O.K.
Always consult your doctor. I hope you like your doctor. Everything I do is natural. I stopped all medication years ago.
I would suggest you just eat the best healthy diet you can. Exercise or walk when you are up to it. Sleep a lot and rest when your body tells you to.
The body is a great communicator. If something you are putting in your body makes you feel uneasy, don’t do it or at least not until your body gives you the green light. I believe you will feel when your body is ready to go forward.
So, the very best information to share with you initially is:
Upon arising in the morning on an empty stomach-
A warm cup of purified water with the juice of a lemon.
With a couple cloves of garlic, chopped and consumed. The easiest way is to swallow the garlic with a separate glass of water.
I know, doesn’t sound good but it is a purifier and detoxifier.
Believe it or not garlic and onion especially fresh is good for blood purification. They contain allicin which is a healthy source from the earth. Leeks are great too.
Also, I believe in chlorophyll. It is what makes vegetables green. A purifier. Some people say it is useless. I beg to differ. Purifying the blood is very important. You can take a supplement. GNC has a good one called Triple Chlorophyll. You can also get it in powdered form. I use a powder form also as an alternate. Bio Chlorella by Triquetra Health. I think powdered is better, but it is easier to take a supplement. Plus, the funky dark green color of the powder in your beverage looks weird. There is no smell or taste to it though.
Keep in mind healthy blood travels through all your organs, tissues, muscles, and bones.
Lastly for now, a must I think for immune protection. You may have heard of curcumin-turmeric. It really is a food but can be taken in a supplement form. It is known as curry spice and one of nature’s miracles. You can buy it at Walmart believe it or not.
I take turmeric-curcumin from Nature’s Nutrition. There are a lot of good products for this, but it must contain BioPerine (black pepper extract) for absorption.
The thing to remember is your body utilizes all things to get well. Your body wants to regenerate and revitalize itself. So, when a nutritionist says a good piece of salmon or avocado is excellent for health. They mean it. So, a couple servings a week of each can do the trick health-wise for good omega fat consumption.
The same with supplements. Your body can utilize them even if you are not up to being faithful to them.
So, I have more to share but you are just starting all this…………
I came across a woman named Sandra Kennedy who is Senior Pastor of Whole Life Ministries in Augusta, GA. A larger than life story about her. She has a Healing Center and I have talked to counselors there. They are enlightening and sometimes, frankly refreshingly funny.
She taught me this prayer. A revised version of the Lord’s Prayer.
“Our Father,
Who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven
(There is no sickness in heaven!)
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.”
So, she also taught me to place doctor’s reports or any analyses of your future health in these pages of your Bible-
Isaiah 53: 4-6
“Surely He has borne our griefs (pains)
And carried our sorrows (sicknesses)
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God and afflicted.
But He was wounded for our transgressions (sins)
He was bruised for our iniquities. (wickedness)
The chastisement (punishment) of our peace was upon Him.
And by His stripes we are healed.”
Believe that the truth and promises of the Holy Word are truer than the law of gravity.
So, I hope this can help somehow. The grace of God has helped me. I walk and pray and know He hears.
I have a lot more, if, and when you are ready. I never really felt any fear and just learned to trust.
I wish you the best recovery, health and blessings through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Sincerely,
Karen
Psalm 118:17
“I shall not die, but live.
And declare the works of the Lord.”
Verse 24
“This is the day the Lord has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.”
Hallelujah!
Praise to You, Yahweh!
Amen. “And so, it is.”
I know this has been a lot of reading, but what I have shared with Suzie I have been eager to share with all of you.
My further pages will be very focused on the nuts and bolts of nutrition and how some of our everyday habits can be excellent for our health. And always, always focused on prayer.
God Bless You,
Love Karen.
Hello, everyone and welcome back to Karen’s Page. If you haven’t had the chance to read my introductory page, I encourage you to go back and read it before moving forward. It will allow you to become familiar with my story and understand my strong passion for living a healthy life filled with strength and vitality based on healthy food consumption, vitamins, minerals and herbs. This second edition of Karen’s Page will include some more basic information about my history in gathering my personal knowledge that I truly aspire to share with others for their general physical well-being. Being that there are several important disclaimers included in this second page, I urge you to take special heed to each one for your well- being and protection and for mine as well.
I am not a doctor. I am not a naturopath or licensed health practitioner. The information I research, practice and live by comes from several years of reading books and using the internet. I promise you that each subject I talk about is supported by reading books written by medical doctors, medical experts, respected natural health sources and government sponsored research programs. I never base my end-result conclusions from only one source. I do not fall for the adulation and praise for one website and the criticism of the next one; nor do I completely trust the nutrition information tied to a website selling a product. And while I am on this subject, I should note that I am not going to be endorsing any products. I suggest you do as I did and look for the best product at the most economical price. Most of us know that supplements can be outlandishly priced.
I also would like to STRONGLY emphasize that there are great doctors out there and they ARE true blessings from the Almighty Father. I credit four emergency paramedics, one hepatologist, one oncologist and one ICU nurse for saving my life. So, find a great doctor you can trust, listen to them, and use your gut instinct to guide you in all areas of your physical health concerns. I strongly believe prayer comes first on your list of priorities though.
I ask you NOT to take anything shared in my research without consulting your doctor or health care practitioner beforehand. Your doctor knows your individual personal medical needs and, also knows what medications are compatible to your physical situation and your personal diet. Many nutritional supplements are not compatible with prescription medications, so PLEASE always consult your physician before ingesting anything new.
Most concepts of a healthy lifestyle are rather simple:
• Eat a balanced diet consisting of protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats.
• Regular exercise.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• A healthy sleep pattern – 8-9 hours every night.
• If you smoke, please stop.
• Drink alcohol in moderation.
The details pertaining to the above concepts can be further researched on your own to suit your preferences and lifestyle. We will discuss every concept in more detail in further Karen’s Page discussions.
We all know that weight is on almost everybody’s mind. Being overweight leads to a myriad of health issues. So, I cover the following for just introductory knowledge, and we will get into the all too familiar basics later.
But we all know we have already read countless articles and seen lots of T.V programs on what studies show to be the healthiest diet and exercise regimes available. And supposedly the easiest and simplest weight loss methods.
Since, I have never tried the following diet or weight loss programs, I will remain neutral as to the effectiveness and their claims of being good for the state of your health.
Atkins and Ketogenic diets:
These two diets follow the same basic premise; limiting carbs which means the body turns to stored fat for fuel.
The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, moderate protein, low-carb diet. Up to 75 percent of your daily calories come from fat, 5 to 10 percent from carbs, and the rest from protein. On the Atkins diet there is no cap on the amount of protein.
On Atkins, you gradually introduce carbs into your eating regimen and on Keto you are always limited to the amount of carbs in your daily diet.
Just a side note, according to Google, these diets made the cut as the most researched diets on their annual lists.
Obviously, these are meat-lover’s diets. But there are pros and cons to these diet programs that you need to research. Also, the limited choice of carbs make the diets hard to follow and easy to binge on. You might want to consult your doctor on these two diet choices.
The Paleolithic diet- basically called The Caveman’s Diet, consists of mainly meat, nuts, and berries. On a Paleo diet, you are more likely to eat a clean diet without additives, preservatives, or chemicals. There are anti-inflammatory benefits from the plant nutrients in fruits, vegetables, oils, nuts and seeds. If you are eating more red meat you will get more iron.
Lastly, there are Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, Lindora and Weight-Watchers:
They sell pre-made and pre-packaged foods to control portions and caloric intake. Their products are not cheap. It looks like appealing food, but the premise is portion control and calorie control, not taste.
Suffice it to say, these diets can control your eating lifestyle and can affect your pocketbook.
My personal choice is a healthy diet with well-educated choices that please my taste buds, appetite, hunger, energy level and sporadic cheating.
Radical changes in your day-to-day diet should probably be discussed with your doctor. Medical conditions and blood sugar issues are an important concern.
Always, keep in mind that, “You Are What You Eat” and, “That Food Is the Best Medicine”.
Romans 12:1
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
1 Corinthians 10:31
Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
Because I believe I am only here because of Christ, and my simple belief that He heard my prayers, I consider life pure and beautiful.
My favorite words are joy and light. When you give yourself to Jesus, these are great words to sustain you. Walk in joy and light with Him. So always keep your prayers to Jesus Christ foremost in your mind for all your personal needs.
Isaiah 60:1
Arise, shine;
For your light has come!
And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.
Until we meet again.
Amen. And so it is.
Alleluia
Hello, my name is Karen. It is my great honor and pleasure to introduce Karen’s Page to you.
I hope the information I share with you will inspire you to gather the knowledge you need to live your life filled with an abundance of spiritual, psychological and physical well-being.
Let me start by introducing myself, and enlightening all of you as to the big why; the reason all the above-mentioned aspects of well-being are so important to me, and why I truly believe it is the sustaining factor of my life.
I am an ordinary woman in many ways. I had a wonderful childhood, and a rewarding career in the food service industry. I have travelled extensively and learned from many different cultures. I was raised in a Christian household and embraced my Christian faith since a very early age. I married David and together our faith and happiness grow stronger each day.
Now to the point; I dedicate my time to sharing the love of Christ with others and feel part of that dedication leads me to help people in a variety of important ways.
Especially important is to let everyone know that I am a cancer survivor and have been cancer free for several years. In 2012, I very suddenly experienced acute pain in my lower abdomen and could barely walk. This is the kind of pain that your instinct can only cry out to you that you are on the way to the Emergency Room. The diagnosis was ovarian cancer and the surgery was done within days. I had a complete hysterectomy and am blessed by Almighty God that the cancer was diagnosed at stage 1A. For those who are aware of the stages, this is the first stage but none the less serious. My imbedded tumor was the size of a small watermelon.
Absolutely nothing can diminish the importance of prayer in these fearful times, and certainly nothing can take away from the skill and care of the doctors and nurses.
The next step was chemotherapy, which lead to weight-loss, and a bald head. Chemotherapy was too hard for me to complete. Chemotherapy is basically poison that kills both cancer cells and healthy ones. The surgery was successful, but I sought out a future self-taught health insurance plan. Based on a solution from the old saying “Food is Medicine” this soul-felt desire of mine, has taken me on a 6- -year journey, diligently studying the natural ways to care for and help one’s body to heal on its own. This is what I want to share with you.
I am not solely focusing on cancer, but also helping the body’s immune system to ward off all kinds of other offending physical afflictions. My future page will be focused on food, drink, vitamins, minerals, and herbs. There are endless areas of information to share what is potentially good or bad for you. There is so much more information for all aspects of wellness on the way.
Everything is subject to individual cases, and of course, a great deal of your own research, with the responsibility of double-checking recommendations with your personal doctor or health care practitioner. I look forward to sharing with you and having you share with me.
In Christ,
Karen
Hello, everyone and welcome back to Karen’s Page. If you haven’t had the chance to read my introductory page, I encourage you to go back and read it before moving forward. It will allow you to become familiar with my story and understand my strong passion for living a healthy life filled with strength and vitality based on healthy food consumption, vitamins, minerals and herbs. This second edition of Karen’s Page will include some more basic information about my history in gathering my personal knowledge that I truly aspire to share with others for their general physical well-being. Being that there are several important disclaimers included in this second page, I urge you to take special heed to each one for your well- being and protection and for mine as well.
Hello Everyone.
Welcome to Karen’s Page once again.
I would like to share something personal with all of you.
I realized that through my personal fight with ovarian cancer and surviving It, that I would have a purpose to the experience. To help people. Help with the the fear of the unknown. Facing the recommended chemotherapy, the hair loss. Weight loss. Nausea and throwing up.
I lost all my hair. It was falling out. I had a room mate at the time. Ex-navy. He shaved his head every week. I told him one day “It’s time.” He knew what I meant. I said “Shave my head, please. But not in the bathroom. In the kitchen, where I don’t have to look in the mirror.” I was bald. I hardly remember it now. But I refused to wear a fake wig. I had to be proud of who I was and proud of fighting my illness.
So, I went through a lot. Weight loss that made me look like a concentration camp victim. I do not say this lightly. I would not make light of their horrible plight. But my sister took a picture of me after a shower. She showed me months later when I was well. I said to her “Who is that?” She said “You” and we both cried.
So, guess what? There is HOPE. 7 years later I am healthy and joyful. Because I have learned much.
Sickness does not come from God. Sure, we have habits not good for us but, ultimately, afflictions don’t come from the Abba Father. There is no sickness in Heaven.
And there is nothing He cannot overcome if we only believe.
There is so much to share with all of you, but I realize we all know someone who has suffered with illness, cancer in a lot of cases. It is very hard to watch a loved one suffer. Both my parents died from cancer. I still can’t get over watching them not want to leave their loved ones. In my case, it was 6 daughters my parents did not want to leave. And grandchildren.
So, in everything I would like to share, it will take some time. I have personally come to know some people. Strangers really. But I have tried to help them through personal knowledge that I have learned from studying and lots of research. One grandmother had breast cancer and someone else I learned of recently was diagnosed with lymphoma. Devastating. But, with what I have learned, I had information that helped me and it was similar to something that could help him.
That is something I want to share with so many others. People of all ages and situations. I have a lot of knowledge I have been privileged to learn. I will be sharing it all soon. If you need help. Please contact me.
Here is to next time.
Remember…. Joy and laughter , and walk in the Light of Jesus Christ. He is Light. Above you. Below you. To the right and to the left. In front of you and behind you. He is always with you.
Love, Karen.
I would like to wish everyone the best wishes for a great holiday season. And welcome back to Karen’s page. Life continues to go on and as it goes, it proves to be too busy for so many people.
Well life gets busy for me as well and I am delighted to say that my biggest busy problem is getting distracted. But my distractions in this past year have been ones filled with joy and delight. They are distractions that find David and I always being led by the Holy Spirit to find so very many things of God to watch, read about and learn. So, although I have so much to share on health, I promise I will interject the health subjects with the great possibilities of spiritual growth which I believe is the single most important, learning and growth experiences of our lives.
So, for some reason Psalm 23 has come up so many times recently that I not only realize the importance of this all-powerful Psalm of David, but I realize God was urging me to pay real devout attention to it.
A Psalm of David.
The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.
Now I used to avoid this psalm purposely. Especially when I was ill because I was so afraid of the line- “Yea though I walk through the valley of death…….” Oh, so scary when you are blind to the real meaning of this line, of this beautiful, healing and restoring 23rd Psalm.
So, David and I came across a wonderful book written by an extremely enlightened Christian theologian and author named Dallas Willard. He passed on several years ago but left behind precious books of biblical scholarly and philosophical knowledge which has mentored many other Christian theologians, teachers, students, and just normal people like you and me eager to learn and understand the indescribable wonder of God’s Holy Word.
So, the book is called “Life without Lack” and is all about Living in the Fullness of PSALM 23
About the author- Dallas Willard (1935-2013) was a professor at the University of Southern California’s School of Philosophy from 1965 until his retirement in 2012. He is the author of many ground-breaking books and with them he forever changed the way thousands of Christians experience their faith.
His books are, definitely not an easy read. I suggest you do not buy all his books at once to fill your library as I did on an impulse because they take time to read and digest and for most people I would guess you would need to read many of the pages of his books more than once.
So, I would like to share with you his dynamic insight into really understanding every line of Psalm 23 and the importance of trying to make a good habit of reading the Twenty-Third Psalm not only every day but even memorizing it.
Dallas Willard’s experience with Jesus convinced him that the Twenty-Third Psalm was not just a pretty poem with charming sentiments but an accurate description of the kind of life that is available to anyone who will allow God to be their Shepherd. A life that knows no fear of fluster. No anxiety or angst. No perturbation of any sort. It would be, in short, the offer of a life without lack.
Some have learned the psalm purely as poetic literature. But far too few have experienced in their own lives the vivid reality described by the psalmist. Unfortunately, “The Lord is my Shepherd” is a sentiment carved on tombstones more often than a reality written in lives.
So after a pretty in depth study of the 23rd Psalm we will examine three conditions that must be present in our own lives if we are to experience the fullness of the wisdom, power, and love of God: faith, death to self, and agape love.
So I will end this page with a prayer and then encourage you to read the 23rd Psalm daily until my next page in which Dallas Willard will help me break down in wonderfully explained meaning, each line of that beautiful psalm. The next Karen’s page will be coming soon and I hope you eagerly anticipate what it has to say.
So here is a prayer for your new adventure in exploring the 23rd Psalm of David
OPENING PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ,
We are so thankful to you that you have said,
“Fear not, little flock, For it is your Father’s good pleasure To give you the kingdom.”
We are thankful for the ease with which you walked upon this earth,
The generosity and kindness you showed to people,
The devotion with which you cared for those
Who were out of the way and in trouble,
The extent to which you even loved your enemies
And laid down your life for them.
We are so thankful to believe that this is a life for us,
A life without lack, a life of sufficiency.
It’s so clear in you, the sufficiency of your Father
And the fullness of life that was poured through you,
And we’re so thankful that you have promised that same love,
That same life, that same joy, that same power for us.
Lord, slip up on us today.
Get past our defenses, our worries, our concerns.
Gently open our souls and speak your Word into them.
We believe you want to do it,
And we wait for you to do it now.
In your name, amen.
“Dallas Willard”
God bless you every day,
Karen
Hello everyone. David and I are excited as we continue our reverence of Advent and eagerly anticipate the Christmas celebration of the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ. If you would like to learn about the importance of observing Advent you can go to our Services page and watch David’s wonderful sermon, teaching about this great event and it will certainly prepare you for next year’s Advent Season.
Here is the continuation that I promised to the enlightening study of Psalm 23 with the help and guidance of esteemed author Dallas Willard.
I would like to suggest that you get your Bible and open to Psalm 23 and read it from your own Bible as you receive some very insightful thoughts as to its meaning. It really changed my life. I went from feelings of fear to divine inspiration.
The Lord is my shepherd.
In other words, I’m in the care of someone else. I’m not the one in charge. I’ve taken my kingdom and surrendered it to the kingdom of God. I am living the with-God life. The Lord is my shepherd. And what follows from that?
I shall not want.
That’s the natural result. I shall not lack anything. That’s what Jesus teaches: “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,” and everything else will be added (Matt. 6:33).
He makes me to lie down in green pastures.
What kind of a sheep lies down in a green pasture? A sheep that has eaten its full. If a sheep is in a green pasture and she’s not full, she’ll be eating, not lying down.
He leads me beside the still waters.
A sheep that is being led beside still water is a sheep that is not thirsty. Jesus said to the woman at the well, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:13-14).
He restores my soul.
The broken depths of my soul are healed and reintegrated in a life in union with God: the eternal kind of life.
He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
The effect of the restoration of my soul is that I walk in paths of righteousness on his behalf as a natural expression of my renewed inner nature. As I walk these paths, my trust in the Shepherd runs so deep that I can declare:
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.
A life without lack is one that carries no fear of evil. Our confidence in God soars far above wants and fears. Would you like to have a life without fear, a life of soaring faith?
It seems like Jesus was constantly saying to his friends, “Fear not! Fear not!” Imagine what that would be like. No fear of life, aging or death, disease or hunger, no fear of any person or creature, not even loss of all your possessions. You can live without fear even in the midst of a world dominated by fear. The psalmist says, “I will fear no evil.” Why? Please read his answer out loud:
For You are with me.
The central truth of this page writing is that the complete sufficiency of the life without lack is based upon the presence of God, and he is most clearly and fully present to us in Jesus Christ, Immanuel, God with us.
For You are with me.
The central truth of this page writing is that the complete sufficiency of the life without lack is based upon the presence of God, and he is most clearly and fully present to us in Jesus Christ, Immanuel, God with us.
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
I know from experience that the rod and staff represent the Shepherd’s strength and protective care. In this safe place where I have no fear, I am at liberty to enjoy the overwhelming generosity of my Shepherd.
You prepare a table before me.
Since I love my enemies, (Jesus instructs us to do this in Matthew 5:43-47) I would not feast upon a delicious meal in their presence and let them stand there hungry. The abundance of God’s provision and safety in my life is so great, I would invite them to enjoy what God has prepared for me.
You anoint my head with oil.
Here you might think in terms of hot showers and hot, fluffy towels, things that make us feel clean, comfortable, and special, and how God makes that possible. He is not only interested in my having something wonderful to eat, but also in blessing me with a life that is full and free and powerful in him-including clothing, comfortable furnishings, joyful experiences, and deep relationships. So much so that the abundance of God’s provision rings out from the psalmist’s pen:
My cup is full!
Is that what it says? No. “My cup runs over.” I have more than my cup will hold. So much that I can be as generous as my Shepherd without fear of ever running out. So much that I am convinced:
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
This is a description of the eternal life available to us now in the kingdom of the heavens; the abundant with-God life that comes from following the Shepherd, where we dwell and abide with God in the fullness of his life- a life in which all the promise’s of Christ’s gospel are realized. Because of this we have no reason to be anxious (Phil. 4: 6-7); the world is a perfectly safe place for us to be.
Quite wonderfully explained by author Dallas Willard.
Many other passages in Scripture show this divine abundance and the promises of our God Almighty.
There is another beautiful passage from the Old Testament that I would really like for you to find near and dear to your heart.
For me it was special because it passionately expresses my two yearnings. The need for forgiveness and the need to be healed. Please share with me an exuberant celebration of God’s sufficiency and overwhelming goodness.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
(Psalm 103:1-5)
The psalm continues with more of the extravagant mercies of God, and I encourage you to read it in its entirety.
You know why I personally love this psalm so much? For one it assures me that I am forgiven by the grace and sacrifice of my Lord and Savior Christ Jesus. But also, when you are sickly and weak and weigh next to nothing and think you will never rise above it, He gives you the promise of satisfying your mouth with good things. Such as having an appetite to eat!! When before you physically did not care about or want to eat. But now you are really anticipating a steak dinner, a cheeseburger and fries or a hot fudge sundae. And salads with everything. Yeah!!
And then when you thought you barely had enough strength to take a shower. He gives you the promise of renewing your youth like eagles. Like walking a mile! Or two, or three in one day! Or taking a hike in Sequoia that before you never thought you could do. And, the end result; a waterfall!
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Philippians 4:13
So, I hope you embrace Psalm 23 and Psalm 103 as often as you can. I hope they can bring you a sense of peace in our Lord especially in this very wonderful time of Christmas!
Take your time to enjoy Christmas before it passes,
Love Karen.
Happy Easter from Karen! This is the joyous celebration time of Holy Week and the anticipation of Easter Sunday. Praise the Lord for all His blessings, always, and hallelujah!
At this time of crisis in our world mainly centering around the coronavirus pandemic, I would like to reach out to all of you with love and friendship and caring.
A lot of people are experiencing so much fear and anxiety right now. So uncertain about the future. It is simple to say to someone “Have faith in God and do not be afraid.” But when you are overwhelmed with worry, despair and fear over loved ones, caring for them, illness, wellness and finances it becomes very difficult to give all your cares to God and exist worry-free.
I do not believe that Jesus Christ does not expect us to be fearful and have doubt during times of trouble, because He knows we are human. All He wants is for us to have faith and to continue the journey of believing and putting our trust completely in Him and Him alone.
vAfter all was not Jesus our Lord suffering as a human in the Garden of Gethsemane. In His ardent prayers to God the Father He was anticipating His coming fate. Facing betrayal, arrest, trial, humiliation, scorn and hatred. Then the agonizing torture of the crown of thorns, beatings, scourging and ultimately crucifixion and death on the cross. He knew it was His destiny as the Son of God. But He agonized in prayer as His sweat became like drops of blood. He asked His disciples to stay near by and keep watch as He prayed to the Father just before His betrayal.
According to the Holy Word,
Luke 22:41 And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
So, to go on further, we know that the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John offer different accounts of this episode of the Passion of the Christ and His intense prayer in the Garden. In the Gospel of Matthew, it states that after His first time praying, Jesus checks on His apostles who have all fallen asleep. They are alarmed by His appearance. Jesus is frustrated because they could not stay awake one hour and watch. So, He goes back to pray a second time.
Matthew 26:42 Again a second time, He went away and prayed, saying “O my Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.”
So, Jesus although being the Son of God and in Himself our Lord God, second in the Trinity was so anxious with trepidation and fear that something frighteningly awesome happened to Him. His intense fear became a manifestation of His sweat becoming drops of blood. This is proven by science to be something called hematidrosis.
Hematidrosis is a condition in which the capillary blood vessels that feed the sweat glands rupture, causing them to exude blood, occurring under conditions of extreme physical or emotional stress. It has been suggested that acute fear and extreme stress can cause this condition. Dermatological research notes that it can happen in people awaiting execution. Leonardo Da Vinci observed it in a man going into battle.
So, as we take into account this heart-wrenching experience that our Lord went through in one of the most profound moments in the history of the Bible we see that Jesus felt true human fear.
He knelt in prayer to His Father searching for comfort and reassurance. He needed to make this plea twice not just once. And He needed the assistance and help of an angel sent from heaven to help Him to not waiver and get through the reluctance of His fate.
So, as we go through the worst of times in our personal lives it is only natural to have doubt, anxiety and feelings of fear that we feel may be impossible to overcome. And we feel there is no one in our lives that can help us take away these desperate feelings. No one but God and if we are completely honest, sometimes we struggle with our faith even then.
I remember many years ago when my father was dying of cancer. I had a marriage and job that allowed me to be at his side as much as possible. During his last weeks, I had gone home for the night to get some rest and suddenly my father had been taken to a different hospital out of the area. It was the middle of the night and I can’t remember the exact circumstances, but my mother told me to stay home and that it did not make any sense to make the drive. She said just get some rest and come tomorrow. I knew she was right, but I found myself crawling out of my skin. I was literally frantic with feelings of helplessness. My faith was strong, but still all I could think of was how frightened I was. I was helpless to help my father. So, I put on some Christian music and just became quiet in prayer. This gave me complete calm. I got through it with the Lord. It was 28 years ago, and I still remember what the album cover looked like and what music it was.
So, in our storms of life such as now. The Easter Sunday of 2020 that we may all remember as the season of fear and uncertainty I would like to share with you what many of my Christian mentors have shared with me.
Believe in the Holy Word of God as much as you believe in the laws of gravity.
There is nothing written in the bible that is not true. All God’s promises are true.
Pray to the Almighty Father through the power of the Holy Spirit and in the name of Jesus Christ, His Son and your Holy Savior. Read the words of the bible until they go from your mind and rest in your heart.
Here are some holy scriptures that I hope will encourage you.
Proverbs 3: 5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.
Matthew 7: 7-8 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
Philippians 4: 6-7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Pray to God and pray all the time. One thing I thought that was inadequate about my faith is that I thought if I prayed too often about the same thing that I was a woman of little faith. Not true-
1st Thessalonians 5: 16-18 Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Romans 12:12 Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;
Then there is of course our constant battle with our adversary, Satan. The Holy word of the bible is full of scripture to help you protect yourself against the evil one.
Ephesians 6:10-13 Finally my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
James 4: 7-8A Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.
In these precarious times of modern day and not just because of the coronavirus, God assists us with help from His angels. He protects us with guardian angels, and I believe we each have one. Just as the Almighty God has given us the archangel Raphael that we can petition our requests to for physical healing, there is the great warrior archangel Michael. We can ask him to intercede to help fight our great battles against any bad situation. You do not pray to or revere an angel as you do God the Father. But they intercede through God for us. Here is the battle cry of Saint Michael-
Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil; May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
Now for some powerful scriptures about healing. We all need comfort about the healing power of our Lord Jesus. To protect ourselves and the ones we love against the virus or any other illnesses we may be worried about.
Although the reading of the psalms is ideally done when you read the complete psalm such as psalm 103, portions of them either read or memorized is powerful.
Psalm 103:1-5 Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits; who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies, who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Psalm 107:20 He sent his word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions.
Psalm 91: 3-6 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.
2nd Chronicles 7:14 If my people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
Now for the joy and celebration of Easter. He is risen! There are so many scriptures that give us so much peace, hope, joy and light.
2nd Thessalonians 3:16 Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all.
John 11:25-26a Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.”
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
AND my very favorite scripture to leave you with-
John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
So, give all your worries and thoughts to God our Abba Father. And most important of all, continually give thanks and praise Him. Remember that God is always in control and through any trying situation God will use it for good!
I hope you enjoy your Easter celebration and the Resurrection of our Lord!!!
Love Karen
Hello, it’s me, Karen.
I feel I would like to write about a very sensitive but important subject and that is cancer. One of the reasons this has been on my mind is that a close family member and a very nice one was diagnosed with invasive melanoma. Well how can cancer NOT be invasive? It is an unpredictable sickness in your body.
So, I did more research about it because it was a new subject for me. My cancer was ovarian, and I had a complete hysterectomy 8 years ago. There are so many kinds of cancer. I don’t really remember how frightened I was, but the experience of course was awful. The chemotherapy was surprising. There were so many lovely women in the room with me. And they did not look sick. I guess I did not realize that some of the women were wearing wigs but all of them seemed to have a good outlook and I guess you could call it hope. Well after 5 bouts of the chemo I decided to call it off. My doctor who was great agreed. I was too thin and weak. I lost all my hair and weighed 112 pounds. I shaved my head and was completely bald!
So, one of the reasons I share this is because we all know someone with cancer. Both my parents succumbed to cancer. And you want to talk about a perfect childhood. I experienced it. My father and mother’s long fight with cancer and their death was very painful for me and I believe it changed me as a person.
Well, after hearing about my husband’s brother’s recent diagnosis, I just cried. Often and a lot. It brought back so many memories mostly about my father because they are both fathers. My brother-in-law has 7 children and many grandchildren. When he told us, he was having a conference call to tell all his children the results of the doctor’s report, it was truly heartbreaking.
Well the good news is that I survived cancer and many people do. But I believe you can fight cancer and beat it through prayer, good thoughts, healthy food, supplements, and herbs.
It was very troubling to me that I researched beating metastasized cancer of all kinds and all they came up with as treatments was chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, hormone therapy and of course the dreaded option of surgery.
I believe there is so much more. Doctors can be great. Some doctors aspire to help people with a lot of compassion in their hearts. But there is so much money involved in the wellness industry. I remember my father saying, “I believe the more they study cancer, the bigger the puzzle it is.” And I believe that is why it is so scary.
But I also know that in India the percentage of breast cancer is considerably lower in women than in the United States because they eat curry almost every day. Curry is a spice for food that most Americans are not used to. But you can take it in a form of a supplement. When a group of scientists presented this important information to the FDA, they rejected it as a helpful way to fight cancer because it was food! And available to anyone and not costly!
I walk a great deal in my neighborhood, and I was shocked because a woman I never met was taking out a bag from the trunk of her car and she dropped it. Out of it fell about 20 bottles of medication. I offered to help her, but she said no thank you. She seemed embarrassed. I have to think she was diabetic. Something about that situation did not seem right.
Well, I will share a lot more with you this week but please drink a lot of purified water, green tea and take lots of vitamin C. And call me for personal help at 800-428-8058, extension 1.
I would love to help if you need it.
God bless you.
Karen
