The 7 Princes of Hell… Mind Blown

Yesterday, our Pastor gave a sermon about Mammon (greed), one of the 7 Princes of Hell in Christian Demonology. I was mind blown. I’ve heard all about the LOVE of money/mammon being the root of all evil, tithing, generosity, and cheerful giving, but I don’t recall a message about the 7 Princes of Hell. That is absolutely fascinating.

Over the past 10 years, I’ve come into contact with 3 different women who I really began to care and have empathy for. They do not know each other. They are each single or divorced, they are each diagnosed with mental health conditions, they are each very self focused (narcissistic), and they all struggle severely with making and keeping relationships. The 3 women are so very similar even though they’ve never spent time together that it’s eerie. Talking to any 1 of them feels like I’m talking to the same person (or spirit/demon). They each claim to be “abandoned” or “have no one” though they are the ones that push people away. They each have multiple estrangements with nearly every member of their family, struggle with substance abuse or addiction issues, present themselves as riddled with anxiety, chaos, and mental illness, they each refuse to attend church, read the Bible, or be discipled (which I’m convinced would heal them). When I talk to them, they tell me that I’m one of the only people who will listen to them and that they feel very alone (another thing church attendance would help them with). Each of them have shared their plans with me of how they plan to manipulate or retaliate against others. They like to plan, scheme, punish and retaliate. It’s like they find someone, attach themselves, then devour them. They have lots of chaos, back biting, gossip, evil plans, inconsistency, lies, etc. I hung on to them as people for as long as I could because I recognized the spiritual turmoil that they were in. One even confessed that she feels demon possessed. But, as is in line with their nature and character, they each bit me too. I knew their nature so I did expect it and I have now removed all 3 women from my inner circle. They can still email or text me, but that’s all for now. But I’m still trying to “understand” what makes them so similar with each other. What spirit is controlling them?

Months ago I told Hubster that I’m certain that all 3 women are controlled by the same unholy spirit but I don’t know the identity of that demon. So when the Pastor mentioned the 7 Princes of Hell, that sounded like a good place to look and I think I found it!!

AI overview says that the Seven Princes of Hell are a demonic hierarchy based on the 7 Deadly Sins.

Lucifer – Pride. Supreme leader or morning star, a former high-ranked archangel who led a rebellion against God and was cast out of heaven.

Beelzebub – Gluttony. Often called the Lord of the Flies, serving as second in command to Lucifer associated with pestilence and decay. (I see some of this in each woman because each struggles with substance abuse and addiction issues).

Satan – Wrath. The adversary and prince of darkness, traditionally viewed as the embodiment of anger, division, and the tempter of mankind.

Abaddon/Leviathan – Envy. A colossal aquatic beast representing deep-seated jealousy and the punishment of the envious. Leviathan is most commonly assigned to Envy as a primordial sea monster or “Hellmouth” while older or alternative lists swap in Abaddon. This one sounds most like the familiar spirit I’ve come to know in these women so I went deeper. The Twisted One, the coiled serpent. A Symbol of Chaos!! (I told Hubs I feel CHAOS surrounding them. The call is coming from inside the house). Hostile cosmic waters, darkness & disorder. (They are each very disorderly. Hoarder like. Unorganized. Scatterbrained.) The Leviathan Spirit is unteachable, resistant to authority, deeply defensive, twisting words, spreading confusion, misinterpreting intent, causing division in relationships or churches, acting as character assassins, hate accountability, diminish a person’s desire for prayer and spiritual discipline. Ding ding ding. This is spot on.

Mammon – Greed. The demon or personification of wealth, avarice, and material obsession, fixated on hoarded gold and earthly riches. (They each mention money in almost every conversation we have even citing it as a motive for behavior or as a tool to gain control).

Asmodeus – Lust. A ruthless and destructive demon of carnal desire and debauchery famously referenced in the deuterocanonical Book of Tobit.

Belphegor – Sloth. The demon of apathy, laziness, and idle schemes, often depicted as tempting humans through easy paths or inaction.

He also mentioned the Jezebel spirit, but that wasn’t listed on the 7 Princes AI list so I looked that up separately. It’s a charismatic concept describing a personality, behavior or demonic influence marked by control, manipulation, seduction and the promotion of false doctrine. Queen Jezebel promoted Baal worship, persecuted God’s prophets, murdered dissenters and schemed to falsely accuse and kill Naboth to steal his vineyard. A woman symbolic of Jezebel may lead believers into sexual immorality and idolatry. Some say Jezebel is a spirit of Baal. (This sounds a lot like the one who is in the occult).

Unless or until I receive more puzzle pieces on this topic, I am going to proceed with them as though they have the Leviathan Spirit though I see multiple other correlations with the other spirits as well. After reading Leviathan v. Jezebel, I can see some differences between 1 of the women and the other 2.

Jesus! Jesus can kick the demons out. Jesus can heal you and cleanse you. Jesus can help restore your relationships with your children or, at minimum, give you peace and joy while you’re waiting in hope on your relationships to be restored. Jesus can give you new relationships and friendships.

That’s what saddens me the most. It seems like they’ve become one with the unholy spirits. Like it’s who they are now. They don’t want deliverance. It’s become their identity and they cling to it closely. And my brain and spirit cannot – for the life of me – process why they don’t want Jesus.

After years of being curious about their chaotic nature, I am thankful for the spiritual revelations yesterday. Thank God for clarity, revelation, affirmation and confirmation of the things in the spiritual realm that I’ve been seeing but was unable to identify. The lesson helped me so much. I also appreciate the encouragement at the end of this video. She said keep the Leviathan at arm’s length. Pray for that person to have a new heart and remove the heart of stone. This is so helpful!

If you know or love anyone with these characteristics, my suggestions for help can be found HERE. Watching the Spiritual Warfare sermon series would be a great place to start.

Jesus’ Burden of Proof

The Nov 6 & 7 readings in the NLT Chronological Bible were so good and filled with reminders that tickle my brain in the best way.

The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in the Bible (or book of John). But they were recorded so we could continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, Son of God, and that by believing in him we will have life by the power of his name. (John 20:30-31). Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not conrain the books that would be written (John 21:25). After witnessing the miraculous healing of my son, I started this blog (God iz Real) for that very same reason. To record the miracle I saw Jesus perform to be added to the evidence collected in favor of Christ because his works are alive and well today.

My journey from saved to discipled was not as simple. I had been given spiritual eyes and ears but it felt like they operated on a Kindergarten level (a very baby Christian with a ton of worldly & government influence). It felt simple to read the Children’s Bible to my kids but it felt difficult to pick up the NKJV Bible and understand the meaning and magnitude of the case for Christ. I had the heart of a genuine believer but lacked understanding of the scriptures. Then yesterday, this part of the New Testament journey just clicked for me.

After Jesus had been killed and rose from the dead, He spent 40 days meeting and exceeding the burden of proof required to prove his case (the case for Christ that he was the son of God, was killed for our sins, and rose from the dead). “During the forty days after his crucifixion, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he PROVED to them in many ways that he was actually alive” (Acts 1:3). Jesus said “and you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere … to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). As the Secretary for an organization, it was my role to take Minutes of Meetings about the events and conversations that took place during a monthly meeting. That is what those walking with Jesus were doing (Matt, Mark, Luke, John, etc.) But Jesus did far more than that. “Jesus also took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27). He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures (Luke 24:45). That was the step I missed. That is what I really needed explained to me after my conversion to Christianity. Because I was not familiar with the Torah and the Books of the Prophets, I was not UNDERSTANDING the New Testament properly. I grasped the magnitude of being saved from the wrath of God but I simply lacked understanding of the Word. I’m curious which scriptures Jesus explained to them. That would have been an incredible conversation to hear.

Other highlights from this week’s reading are: If you love me, take care of my sheep. Go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach the new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent. You will be my witnesses telling people about me everywhere. They all met together and were constantly united in prayer. In the last days, God says ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people’ … I see that the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. You have shown me the way of life and you will fill me with the joy of your presence. God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses to this. Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals including the Lord’s Supper, and to prayer (sounds like Life Groups). All the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. Each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.

Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

What if the Lord Comes Back in 2033? #endtimes #prophesy #biblestudy #faith

The first time I saw this clip, it had cut off the first part of the sentence (it had deleted, “somebody said to me the other day”) so I went back to find a larger clip or the full interview for clarification. I do not like to evaluate snippets because they’re often not credible or are taken out of context. When evaluating information, I follow more of a legal or journalist type approach (is it credible, is it relevant, is it admissible). I do find this question to be both credible (because Jesus is coming back) and relevant (there are end times signs occurring globally) so let’s dive in.

We are reading the NLT Chronological Bible this year and this week’s readings have been all about Jesus Foretelling the Future, The Time of Jesus’ Return, Story of the Ten Bridesmaids, Story of the Three Servants, The Final Judgement, The Plot to Kill Jesus, Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus, The Last Supper, Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet, Jesus Predicts His Betrayal, Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial, Jesus the Way to the Father, Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit, Jesus the True Vine (Mark 13:1-37, Matt 24:1-51, Luke 21:5-33, Matt 25:1-46, Matt 26:1-5, 14-35, Luke 22:1-2, 3-6, 7-38, Mark 14:1-2, 10-31, John 13:1-38, John 14:1-3, John 15:1-17).

My highlights of the readings include: Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name claiming ‘I am the Messiah’. They will deceive many… you will be handed over to local councils and beaten… when you are arrested and stand trial, don’t worry in advance about what to say… Everyone will hate you because you are my followers. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. There will be greater anguish in those days than at any time since God created the world… False messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform signs and wonders as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones. Watch out! Unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones… there will be a time of great prosecution… but this will be your opportunity to tell them about me… Even those closest to you – your parents, brothers, relatives, and friends – will betray you. But not a hair on your head will perish! By standing firm, you will win their souls. Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds with great power and glory and he will send out his angels to gather his chosen ones from all over the world (it’s been suggested that the secular realm may call this an alien abduction) … There will be strange signs in the sun, moon and stars.. roaring seas and strange tides… So when these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for your salvation is near. No one knows the day or the hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. Since you don’t know when that time will come, be on guard! Stay alert! You must keep watch! For you don’t know when the master of the household will return... don’t let him find you sleeping when he arrives without warning… Watch for him! You must be ready all the time. Pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man…

Over the decades, many people have tried to predict the return of Christ but so far no one has been correct. But we do agree that it will happen. Am I living like I believe it will happen? For a couple of weeks now, I’ve had the same convictions after the daily reading. That I do not truly live my life as if Jesus is coming back tomorrow despite being told and warned repeatedly to always be ready and always keep watch. I believe I’m spared (saved) from the wrath of God. I believe I am a disciple and a child of God. But I don’t believe that I live my faith with a pressing urgent expectation of His return. I’m more like “well, I’m in” and I go back to reading a book and playing with my pups and working on household chores.

If you thought Jesus was coming back whether next week or in 2033, would you live your life differently? I most certainly would. I would try to get as many of my neighbors, business associates and local community members to plug into the Bible daily and to join a healthy church family (no false prophets, wolves, buy a blessing type places, etc.). I would focus more on the value of the lost, and leave the 99 in search of the 1 (by maybe going to more social events hoping to invite people to church). I would shift my focus from the American dream (buying, building, spending) and cultural indoctrination to kingdom business and the more genuine priorities of life (things that will actually matter in a decade).

When I was agnostic, I did show interest in “end of the world” topics. I was thinking alien abduction, the apocalypse, WW3/Armageddon, asteroid impact, global warming, etc. With spiritual eyes, I see the same thing but from a different perspective because things such as these are addressed in the Bible. Even if you are agnostic, atheist, new age or in the occult, it is ok to learn what the Bible says and to at least include it in your list of possible dooms day events as a potential theory.

If end times prophesy is of interest to you, you can also check out the Left Behind Book series (public libraries usually have them). It is a fiction series that really helped me learn about end times from the Bible’s perspective and, more importantly, shared so much about Jesus, how much He loves us, the sacrifice He made for us, and what He saved us from.

Iced coffee cheers your way peeps.

The Judicial Branch of Government, Christians & Lawsuits

Have you ever considered the 10 Commandments. Specifically, the one that says, “you shall not give false testimony against your neighbor”. God addressed the need for honest witnesses within court matters thousands of years ago. I also love that Old Testament law distinguished between criminal justice, civil justice and a person’s intentions (intent matters so much). For example, if you murder someone (kill someone intentionally unprovoked) you were to be put to death (capital punishment/criminal justice) but if you killed someone accidentally or unintentionally, you were allowed to flee to a city of refuge. Deut 4:41-43. There were still consequences for injuring someone or harming their property though (civil justice). If someone digs a pit and fails to cover it, then an ox or donkey falls into it, the owner of the pit must pay full compensation to the owner of the animal (civil justice). These laws are good, are for your protection and help create fairness. Even within the Old Testament church, there were people appointed to hear the matters of the people. If you love the United States and love the Constitution, you should also love the civil justice arena handled through the judicial branch of government. However, I have met so many people who act as though utilizing their protective laws and exercising their legal rights is a bad thing (“anti-lawsuit” people).

My friend Darla and I were texting this morning about my concerns with “doormat Christianity”. My observation is that believers have focused on being harmless as doves for so long that they’ve forgotten that they are also told to be wise as serpents. It’s really about balance and intent. It has created a society of people who seem scared to stand up for themselves and fail to exercise their legal and constitutional rights. Voting exercises your right to participate in elections. But standing up for Christians in civil court is just as necessary and beneficial. Maybe even more so.

I’ve heard many pastors share their anti-lawsuit verses many times (if you’re sued settle quickly, give them your coat also, turn the other cheek, don’t sue your brother, etc.) but they fail to speak up about the types of cases we SHOULD be supporting and the types of laws that are written FOR our benefit. Many do the same with marriage. I’ve seen pastors (NOT mine) tell abused women that God hates divorce and that being abused is not grounds for divorce. Yes, God hates divorce but he doesn’t hate divorced people. I’ve sat with a woman on a Friday taking her witness statement (Petitioner’s Supporting Affidavit applying for a Temporary Restraining Order), then she met with her pastor who told her she didn’t have biblical grounds for divorce, so she felt guilty and went back home and her husband killed her. We’ve lost 5-6 clients now to either murder, suicide or murder-suicide. The victims were TRYING to get legal help and protections in place using their legal rights, then some bubble-life mentor who has never been in a similar situation and has zero street credit on the matter sent them right back to danger to be used, abused and even killed. So now, respectfully, I ignore bad advice regardless of who the person is giving it. Be wise as serpents. Pray for wisdom. Ignore bad advice. Learn about the laws that were written for YOUR benefit and USE them when NECESSARY.

We know there are many false prophets, greedy mega pastors, “for profit” Christianity and those who cause more harm than good from the pulpit. Should you say that it’s better to avoid church altogether? Should we be “anti-church” because many are bad? Of course not.

That same wisdom needs to be applied to lawsuits. I agree that there are legal battles Christians should avoid such as suing your brother or sister in Christ over petty things without first trying to settle the matter between yourselves and a third party, if necessary. You shouldn’t sue your church for tripping over your own feet while walking on their property. There are frivolous, ridiculous, ambulance chasing type lawsuits out there but most of them get dismissed or overturned. By no means am I insinuating or encouraging the types of lawsuits brought on by division, revenge, greed or “get rich quick” schemes. Intent matters. But there ARE legal battles Christians SHOULD be fighting.

For example, when a Christian gets fired from a job relating to their rights, freedoms or religious practices (failing to vaccinate, holding Bible study over the lunch hour when LGBTQ pride groups are also meeting together during lunch, praying at school, when decorating a cake violates your consciousness, etc.), then I firmly believe you SHOULD contact a lawyer who specializes in constitutional law, wrongful termination, discrimination, etc. America is the greatest country ever. We live in the land of milk and honey. But if we don’t stand up for our rights and freedoms, they will be taken from us. Use it or lose it.

Paul knew his rights as a Roman citizen. I know my rights as an American citizen. And thankfully, Jack Phillips knew his rights, too. Meet Jack. You probably know him as the “cakebaker”. My bestie Darla took a decorating class with him at the Alliance Defending Freedom retreat last year. Darla is a senior administrative executive assistant at the law firm Alliance Defending Freedom. This law firm has my whole heart right now. I have never cheered so hard from the sidelines as I am doing with their current caseload. My passion as a victim’s rights advocate, knowing your constitutional rights, exercising your constitutional rights, refusing to be a doormat, standing firm to defend your freedoms and for civil justice … Y’all, this law firm is DOING IT!! And doing it well.

Alliance Defending Freedom is a Christian legal advocacy group involved in litigation regarding free speech, religious liberty, parental rights and sanctity of life. Here in a LINK to their current case list. Browse them. See what is happening across the United States right now. As a girl living in a red city, in red county, in a red state (for now, changes are coming), I haven’t had to personally be a part of some of this non-sense, but I have a feeling that those days are coming soon. ADF recently opened their Texas office in Plano near Frisco. Hint hint. Be watchful. Become aware. Get involved.

Please take some time to check out Alliance Defending Freedom and learn what they are about. If you have extra funds, consider donating to their non-profit to help them with legal costs. Learn about the Judicial Branch of government and why it is so important to utilize. Learn about your rights and freedoms while you still have them. If you are strongly anti-lawsuit, please reconsider your stance and rather look at cases and situations on an individual basis. Pray for wisdom. Stand up for yourself and for others. Pray for the cases ADF is handling. VOTE for Judges who have beliefs that align with yours.

PS: As always, my blog represents my views only. Comments are filtered.

Bestie, I am so honored to have gotten to be friends with you on this side of heaven. Iced coffee cheers your way. Keep fighting the good fight!!

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A Tale of Two Sisters. The Christian & the Witch. #witchcraft #occult #faith #Jesus

Once upon a time there were two sisters living radically different lives in the Great State of Texas. Both share the same biological father but were raised by different mothers several years apart in different towns. Both are very spiritual. Both focus on clean eating, exercise, daily movement, the mind/body/spirit connection and both work on their mental fitness (the biggest battles of life take place in your own mind). Both are whistle blower types who aren’t afraid to stand alone. Both have much courage. One was a combat marine veteran fighting against physical threats to protect your legal rights and freedoms. One worked in the civil justice sector as a paralegal & court appointed special advocate on behalf of abused women and children and those who have been harmed by others.

One sister calls herself a Christian and believes that she can do all things through Christ who strengthens her. She often prays this Psalm of David. “But my eyes are upon You. O God, the Lord. In You I take refuge… Keep me from the snares that have been laid for me and from the traps of the workers of iniquity. Let the wicked fall into their own nets while I escape safely”. Psalm 141:8-10. Whatever people pray for me, return it to them Lord. Bless those who bless me and curse those who curse me. She prays for the Holy Spirit to reside within her, lead her and guide her. She believes that she is righteous and blameless before God because of the finished work of the cross. She believes that the disciples of Christ are the salt of the earth.

The other sister calls herself a 1^st Generation Texan of Salem Mass descent. She performs the Return to Sender salt ritual while wearing a cloak. It is a spiritual practice used to absorb negative energy, hexes or curses and send them back to their source. Salt is used in the ritual as a tool to draw out and neutralize negative vibrations. Salt has become a symbol for halting corruption, illness and spiritual decay. It is often used in folk-magic traditions. She prays to and channels her ancestors and believes their spirits are among us.

On November 16, 2022, after the sisters had shared a holiday dinner and a few celebratory cocktails, the witch tried to kill the Christian in an intentional vehicle collision. The witch looked at the Christian and said “I’m going to kill you” and ran her vehicle off the road into a light pole. The Christian escaped unharmed without needing any medical care. The witch was arrested and later said that she was taken to the hospital where she died that night after having an out of body experience. Which sister was protected? Whose power was on display that evening?

Over a couple of years, the witch went on to have a string of arrests that included assault on her boyfriend and elderly stepfather. The demons within her struck out against everyone she loved until she was isolated and alone, having no one. She later apologized to the Christian sister for what happened and said she believes that she is demon-possessed. The Christian sent her a sermon series on Spiritual Warfare and pointed her towards the scriptures that discuss demon possession. Many of them are violent and it would certainly explain the witch’s behavior. However, it seems that she has become one with her demons (like in the Nefarious movie) and does not want them to leave her.

As of today, almost 4 years later, she continues to practice witchcraft and has not converted to Christianity or been filled with the Holy Spirit. She continues to play with unholy spirits as if they are simply part of her. She’s also lost everything. Her home, money, relationships, family, custody of her son. She lives an almost vagabond-type life as though that is freedom. I don’t think she sees the witchcraft demon possession connection. Though there is no guarantee, I suspect that if she would believe and receive Christ & the Holy Spirit, her outward life would look far different. At minimum, she would be healthier mentally, physically and relationally and hopefully, ultimately restored.

I recently found a content creator “Craft to Christ” who covers these types of topics. She says that many witches do believe they are good witches and she is convinced that witchcraft “works” because the demons do go do your bidding for you. The problem is, you’re still working with unholy spirits and very bad things will start to happen to you, your loved ones and your life. The witch sister’s life is a prime example.

Witches: If you only knew how much God loves you. You were seeking “something” when you found the occult. Why not seek the Spirit of God instead? The Holy Spirit is a gentleman. He will not force Himself upon you. He respects your boundaries and seeks your consent. He must be invited by you into your heart and life. God wants your temple (your body) to be clean of unholy spirits and demons. God truly wants you to overcome evil with good. But there is no one good. Our righteousness comes from God alone, not ourselves. Why don’t you want Him? Why do you keep rejecting Him over and over? Repent and turn to God. You can change your path for eternity.

The occult is a huge trap for many. Lord, please help their unbelief and reveal yourself to them. Do not let their father, the Devil, win. Actually, the devil (satan, lucifer, whatever name you want to call him) doesn’t win in the end. All people are headed for judgement and to the lake of fire for eternity UNLESS they have accepted Christ. Jesus saves. It’s not too late for you to see and believe. Read the Book of Romans. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (from the wrath of God and the lake of fire). It (salvation) is a free gift available to you. Well, not FREE! Jesus Christ – Yeshua – the perfect, spotless lamb, paid the blood sacrifice. He gave his life in exchange for yours. Being in the occult, you should understand the power of blood sacrifices. Well, it was already done, once and for all. And…

IT. IS. FINISHED. Amen.

P.S. I was warned that my enemies would be in my own household. Who is my family? Whoever does the will of my Father in Heaven. I have been separated from my DNA family and adopted by God into His spiritual family. He is now my Father and I am His child. I hope more of you will join our family of faith.

Great Parenting Sermon – Tailwind Parenting by Bryan Loritts #parenting #faith

Hubster sent me this a couple of days ago. It’s a very uplifting message. It’s so easy to feel like a failure when it comes to parenting mistakes and mishaps. Young adult parenting is (ages 18-25) also challenging and he addresses that. Highly recommend.

Philip Anthony Mitchell & Josh Howerton Podcast

Saving & Sharing. This is worth the watch!!!

Texas Church Tour, Awe of God, Journal Entry Reminder

Hubs and I were talking this week about our fun and interesting church tour in Texas. We moved a few hours away from my home town to be closer to Hubs’ job and expected that finding a new church home would be easy enough. And boy were we WRONG! (Now I know why people say NOT to move until you find a church).

Some people say you should just “go be” the local church as if WHERE you attend and WHO you serve under isn’t of much importance. To which I say, hogwash! The two most important decisions a woman can make is who she selects as her (1) husband and (2) pastor because those two men will absolutely influence your future mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally, financially, etc. For me, any position of influence and authority over my life is taken seriously, most especially in the spiritual realm because there are A LOT of evil wolves out there pretending to be godly guys. I don’t expect perfection. I don’t even care if they drink, smoke or cuss. But I care deeply about intent and motives. If your intentions are pure but your execution is faulty, welcome to my world. But if your motives are evil and your intentions are for yourself and not the sheep, I can’t flourish there nor do I want to.

I call our decade between church homes “the wilderness journey”. I pulled up 20-30 churches in and around the city we moved to and watched their most recent online services. I could tell quickly whether it would meet Hubs’ approval (he’s actually more selective than I am). Then we started visiting a new church each month from the short list. If something seemed good (not abusive, not controlling, not a cult, free from “out of order” services, not weird, not religiously superior, etc.) we would visit consistently for months even joining a life group or two to TRY to somehow fit. We wanted it to work. We wanted it to fit. But it failed over and over again. I started calling the area we moved to “the land of the walking dead”. Even if the sermon was good, there was simply no LIFE or BREATH or POWER and the discipleship was lacking if present at all. They also taught a lot of uplifting messages and sermons that 99% of people wanted to hear. Grace and love but without warnings of repentance, judgement, and the need for discernment. Place after place felt like a motivational business leadership meeting rather than the gathering of disciples. Worship was often good but performative. It just wasn’t a place we could call “home”. There was also a church that I liked a lot but Hubs was adamant that the leadership didn’t really care about the sheep and wouldn’t even notice if we were gone. So we stopped going for a few months and sure enough, they didn’t notice. They didn’t even check on our teens who had been attending youth group weekly for months. He was right. They cared about their weekly performance, their numbers, their building fund, and their growth, but we saw zero concern for the actual sheep and zero concern for us. It was so odd and disappointing.

We were reading Awe of God (Ch. 34) by John Bevere this week about the Lord speaking to Moses face face. Moses said to God, “If you don’t personally go with us, don’t make us leave this place.” Exo 33:15. That was it!! God’s presence was not WITH US at any of these other churches. (I am not saying these churches weren’t Christian, that God wasn’t with them, etc. but He wasn’t with US there). Then suddenly He was.

On July 6, 2025, we were visiting a church and the presence of God made himself known during worship. Hubster began to sweat and almost faint. Yes, the Holy Spirit resides in us and is always with us but then there are times when the PRESENCE of GOD surrounds you and floods you and that happened that day. The Spirit of the Lord revealed Himself and made His presence known as if saying to us “I AM HERE”.

Like Moses, we had been through the wilderness but were back in God’s undeniable presence. In Awe of God, he writes that Moses in essence declared, “If I have to choose between Your presence and Your blessings, I’ll take Your presence!” God’s presence and direction is exactly what I have been actively pursuing since January 1, 2024 when I turned my face back toward Him. His plan. His path. His way. His PRESENCE. God’s presence did not appear to us at any of the prior churches during our tour in the land of the walking dead (which I had also become). I used to be sad about that, but now I’m glad. When you find the RIGHT spouse, you’re glad that prior relationship failed because you realize that wasn’t supposed to be your guy and God had a better plan and path for you. It reminds me that we aren’t supposed to put a period where God means for there to be a comma. Don’t build a brick house where you’re supposed to put a tent for the night. If you haven’t found your personal church home yet, keep pressing on. Don’t quit. Don’t give up. I pray you will KNOW when you know.

God y’all. Answering my million “but why” questions like a loving, patient father.

Iced coffee cheers your way.

Photo by Anastasiya Kravchuk on Pexels.com

Estrangement from Evil, Care for the Elderly & Be Wise as Serpents… #evil #wickedness #babylon

I was born and raised in Babylon (metaphorically) and was taught the ways of the world from a very young age. My stepfather possessed a lot of illegal drugs so people weren’t allowed to come over often. If you were smart, you would be seen, not heard and stay out of the way. They were also lots of fun. I had a great childhood over all. My stepdad and his friends were the life of the party. Took me to the lake, camping, taught me how to play pool, darts, and washers, gave me worldly life advice that I still use today, and he took me to my first concert to see Bon Jovi and Cinderella where I fell in love with live music. By no means was it abusive but it was dangerous and required a lot of lying and deception. I developed street smarts (survival skills) very early in life becoming legally emancipated at age 16. I have been the “least among you” living in the projects and rejected by those who were supposed to love me especially once I converted to Christianity. I do not say that for pity or empathy but for character illustration (the history behind the author). I’m actually thankful for the life experiences that have forged the person that I am today. That said, I’m working on a blended family book and am currently outlining the Chapter about Estrangement. There are a million reasons why estrangement can be a very healthy and necessary thing. Today, it’s too trendy and good families are being cut off left and right. I do not agree with that and that is not who or what I am talking about. I am talking about the need to cut off EVIL, wickedness and those who seek those they intend to devour. Jesus came with a sword and families will be divided. The Godly and the demonic are separated and that is a VERY GOOD thing.

Last night at Life Group when I was discussing being the “black sheep” of my family, the outcast, the one that doesn’t fit, my hands started shaking. It was odd. That doesn’t happen very often. I asked God why they still bothered me so much and I woke up knowing the answer. I cannot change them but I can teach you.

I am convinced that my DNA relatives are involved in a string of Fentanyl deaths and robberies. But they are so wise in “seeking those they may devour”. The female in the group dresses in scrubs and markets herself as a caregiver to people on hospice similar to the Visiting Angels program (she does NOT work for them). Keep in mind, if you die on hospice, there is no autopsy. Their victim selection is top notch. That is where they keep winning. They find the older senior citizens whose families cannot provide support, do not live locally, or those who don’t have family, church family, frequent visitors or funds. For the first month, she is SO HELPFUL. She does her job and does it well. She gains trust. She runs errands, separates their medication into a weekly pill planner, helps them pay bills, listens to stories about their lives, looks through their family photo albums and watches TV with them. Then she tracks visitors and calls to see if there are any security concerns or whether she can get away with robbing them. Once her security surveillance is cleared, she changes the medication in the pill bottles. She withholds life saving medications and increases the pain meds, morphine, oxy or whatever they’ve been prescribed. She keeps them sleeping for days while she goes through every nook and cranny of their house looking for valuables (wedding rings, gold, silver, cash, vehicle titles, keys, etc.) After one died, she was found driving around town in his Audi saying they gifted it to her for caring for them. And no one questions a thing OR they do have questions, but no evidence. She also does not act alone. There are at least 3-4 other people involved. The elderly person is their “mark”.

Every few months, I check public records to see if anyone on the team has been arrested again and sure enough, one of the team members was arrested for possession of fentanyl and I just knew. I know in my gut that they are putting fentanyl in their soup, killing them fast and then robbing them blind but I can’t prove anything.

I talked to the police about my concerns a few times. Each and every time with various different officers they have said that they are not in the crime prevention sector. If I have a known crime with a date of incident, they will take a report but they are merely law enforcement not crime prevention and their legal burden is high. Proof beyond a reasonable doubt. The proof simply doesn’t exist.

In one situation, I just knew they were doing this so I called Adult Protective Services and sure enough, when the worker arrived the elderly man said he was not safe and needed help. The “caregiver” was removed from the home and was given a criminal trespass warning. When the family arrived to check on the man, his check book had been taken, she had set up Zelle on his checking account and she was sending money from an online banking program he never authorized to be set up and did not know about. The title to his truck had been pulled out of the filing cabinet and his medication had been withheld. They had been caught! But no charges were filed and no arrests were made. She still got away with it.

Another one of my relatives also fully believes the team is killing and robbing people and she calls their team the “Angels of Mercy”. She said that she warned the sobriety community she’s involved with about them (the team often cries victim to addiction to get sobriety and faith based organizations to “help them” and they target new marks from those facilities and rob the very ones who are trying to give them a hand up in life). With the elderly, they act as though they are putting people out of their misery in their old age. They also see it as a victimless crime since most are dying soon anyway and do not have involved family and most don’t have much money (the families with money hire reputable, insured and bonded assistants not individual self-employed strangers in scrubs). But it can often yield a quick $5k-$10k after they sell their jewelry and sometimes they get vehicles or weapons out of the deal (they are all felons and can’t legally buy guns so this helps them stay strapped). They also consume or sell the person’s prescriptions for market value on the street. So even when the people are “indigent” the team still profits substantially temporarily until they run out of money again and need a new mark.

These people have not yet laid a hand on me because I have clocked them. But I do know their level of evil, their methods, their ways, I know it continues (on May 1, 2025 one team member had another arrest for credit card abuse of the elderly, criminal mischief and possession of a controlled substance) so I assume she robbed another mark of his/her valuables and medication. I did reach out to the victim’s daughter and confirmed their level of evil to any who have asked. I applaud them for having the courage to make reports and try to hold this team accountable. One elderly woman I called had been robbed at gunpoint in the middle of the night. Someone with the half-way house was trying to help felons get jobs and an older woman said she needed some work done on her garage door and help with clearing out shrubs. He did those tasks then came back a few nights later in the middle of the night with another felon and they stole her husbands possession (he’s in a memory care facility). It was so sad. But she didn’t make a report because it would put her in the position of proving the case against them and put her in more danger. She’s terrified of them and has good reason to be.

Pray with me that they will get caught, that they will be exposed, that their evil schemes and plans will be revealed to authorities and they will be removed from society. Pray that whatever plans they have for others will come back on them so that they will be caught in the trap they set for others. Pray for the elderly. Of course, I do pray for their salvation. If they were born again with the holy spirit living on the inside of them, they would have a great testimony. But for now, I must meet them where they are at and call a spade a spade and call evil, evil.

When I was talking to Hubster about it, we talked about the importance of the elderly having a strong, loving church family. It is so important to have people you know and can trust checking on you. The church we attend now has a program for seniors aged 55 & up and they check on their people. They visit them in the hospital, they gather once a month for lunch and events and they treat the elderly with respect and honor. They show them LOVE and protect them. They help them make repairs to their homes. They may not even realize it, but they may also unknowingly be saving their lives by keeping them from depending on the wolves who seek to devour them. The wolves are out circling right now.

Y’all… please keep a watchful eye on your aging parents and grandparents. Please use reputable caregiving services. Lock up your valuables. Be sure you call and visit WHILE the caregiver is there. Look them in the eye. Google them. Hire a PI to do a background check.

And finally, it is OK to be estranged from EVIL. Lysa TerKearst with Proverbs 31 Ministries has some great material on forgiveness versus reconciliation, forgiving what you can’t forget, boundaries, etc. The Boundaries book is really good too. One of my new favorite content creators Craft to Christ recently shared a post saying “we don’t dance with the devil… stay guarded and discerning” and she shared these verses. I hope they will comfort you with your estrangement if it’s truly a separation from evil (not revenge, immaturity, basic parenting mistakes and mishaps like we all have. People are choosing estrangement due to general offense rather than evil). You are absolutely called to be separate from EVIL and you do not need to feel guilty about it.

PS: For me, I am open to reconciliation with a few of my DNA relatives IF they have been reborn, IF they are actively being discipled, IF they are truly repentant and IF God gives me clearance and peace in doing so. Until then, who is my family? Those who do the will of my Father in heaven.

Is James Talarico a Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing? #faith #politics #talarico #Jesus

This clip is going around social media about James Talarico being a wolf in sheep’s clothing. I agree. And so it goes with most politicians regardless of their political affiliation. With his opponent, I also see a wolf in sheep’s clothing who is not a “we the people” kind of guy but a “we the corporations that can purchase me” philandering type of guy explaining his extreme net worth improvement since his time in “public service” and the statements made by his wife Angela recently during their divorce proceedings in Collin County. There are reasons the Bible warns us that “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God”. The majority of conservative politicians are also wolves in sheep’s clothing and the sheep are often deceived by them. They SAY what they want to hear but they are only saying that to get your vote. They get the votes of Christians and elderly senior citizens, but then work on behalf of big insurance, big pharma, and big government (social security, medicare, medicaid) in a way that is best for the government rather than doing what’s best for the people. This often hurts senior citizens even leaving them indigent if they weren’t already. They say one thing and do another. They are liars. They are wolves.

Don’t get me wrong. I will vote a straight ticket for the conservative party rather than the liberal party because I’m anti-socialism and anti the open celebration of wickedness, but that does not mean that I support the candidates that benefit from my vote. I often know that I’m voting for a wolf when I vote but the conservative wolf represents my personal long-term interests more than the liberal wolf who seeks utter destruction and lawlessness. Many say it’s a battle of good versus evil but there is no one good and the righteousness of conservative politicians is as filthy rags (as is mine). They are not “good” either.

Regarding Talawhacko’s statements about God, I think they’re wrong and whacky. That said, I do have a prayer because my God is bigger than any whacked out political wolf. As a former hard core agnostic democrat, I didn’t believe in spiritual things (Jesus, Allah, Budda, Hinduism, Catholicism, Joseph Smith … you name it, I thought they were all equally nuts). As an agnostic democrat, if my candidate (Talarico) had started discussing God, the existence of God and Biblical principals, it may have prompted me to consider the existence of God again or open a Bible or listen to a sermon. He may have been able to influence me to consider that God’s existence was possible.

So my prayer is that the joke will be on the wolf because the Word says, “I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.” God uses what is intended for evil for His good and for His glory. God will not waste the opportunity to show Himself. WHOEVER (including liberal democrats) calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. If these agnostics give God another thought or start considering going back to church, what a beautiful harvest that could be for the Kingdom. Jesus says, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day”. I believe God can use Talarico to help accomplish His ultimate purpose and I pray that He does. Democrats and agnostics, if you’re considering converting to real Christianity as a disciple, check out our New Believer’s Page for a list of helpful resources that you can explore at your leisure. After all, it is a matter of life and death because God is Real and Jesus is THE way, truth and life. I pray that you will find Him because I know He loves you more than you will ever know. If you’re feeling a softening of your heart and are considering talking to God maybe for the first time ever, He will be there.

P.S. Poli Sci 101 says that the U.S. election process in voting for candidates in elections allows individual citizens the ability to choose leaders who represent THEIR interests and values at the state and federal levels (not corporate interests) in government. If the conservative party doesn’t get out of bed with corporations, PACS, dark money, etc. and start focusing on individual citizens, they are going to lose ground and rightfully so. If they don’t start supporting minority candidates (something other than old rich white men), they are going to lose ground and rightfully so. There are so many things the conservative party could do to expand their realm of influence and to truly take care of citizens. They continue to lose ground over time because they refuse to take a hard look at themselves and they are dismissing the voters as a whole in exchange for their personal fame, glory, money and positions of power. They are oppressing the very ones they are elected to represent. Stop blaming democrats, look at yourselves, and start fixing the issues that citizens are concerned about (health care for profit, the social security fund, property taxes, the poisoning of our food supply, etc.) I don’t expect health care for FREE, but I do expect it to be fair. Retirees should not go bankrupt if they get a cancer diagnosis. But when the politicians own the medical facilities and serve on the boards and think in terms of profits over lives, that is what happens. They do not have clean hands. I know the Trump administration has started on these tasks, but you conservatives have had DECADES to handle these issues and failed to do so while throwing fits when the poor among you need medical care. It’s unacceptable. If your territory is taken from you, you really only have yourself to blame.