PREPARE YE THE WAY, PREPARE YE THE WAY OF THE LORD!

Prepare ye the way, Prepare ye the way of the Lord! This is a song I woke up with on my mind this am, it is not unusual for me to wake with a song in my head, but this was and unusual song for me to wake up too, since I have not heard it in years and do not even know the words to it. I felt moved to share my experience in preparing ye the way in my heart. In 1976 I was asleep and in the middle of the night I actually heard the words BE HONEST, I thought what the heck and woke up and heard it again, now Steve was asleep beside me but he was asleep so I thought God is this you?? I then heard Romans 10 verse 9 and 10 and 11, I am telling you the truth in hearing this, it freaked me out but I got up and went to out living room and found our HUGE white family bible, the only one we had and looked up the scripture God had said, it said "with the heart one believes to righteous and will not be put to shame and the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him, WHOEVER calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. NOW I was probably on my way to prison for a theft charge on forged checks, yes, you heard me right, I had been arrested before when I was 17 and got on probation, not sure why I was so dishonest or stole everything I wanted, BUT I DID, I felt trapped by having three children and being a wife, I drank every day and when Steve would get home I was ready to leave him with the children and go party till wee hours of the morning, so I can understand WHY GOD SAID BE HONEST, I learned that meant to quit stealing, lying, drinking, and come totally clean in my marriage, I knew that meant I could go to prison and be divorced and lose my children. God was so real to me that I couldn't resist His love and correction in my life, I called the same attorney who helped me before and told him what I had done, I sat Steve down and told me all my secrets, knowing he may leave me and hehad decided to divorce me. I called my wonderful Christian friend who helped prepare ye the way of the Lord in my life, Linda Apple and told her God had saved me from the midst of my despair and I needed help. My life changed radically that night, the first time I went to the women's prison,, I cried the whole time I was there, because I knew God had spared me for some reason, ( no I wasn't in prison I went with a church group Ron Hale led, he ask me did I want to say anything and I told them when I heard the iron gate slam behind me it brought back memories when I went to jail, in which that did not change me, but God had spoke to me and changed me and when I heard the slam of the gates behind me to let me into the prison it over came me with the mercy God has had on my life, I should be where they are and do not know why I am not, I felt guilty that I wasn't and the God had mercy on me and my families life. I am so thankful! The Lord didn't let me get away with anything, I couldn't even tell a little lie without Him showing me it was wrong, He helped me quit stealing and lying and bar hopping and I did not need a drink by ten in the morning. I had a new found peace and love for mother hood and being a wife, still do:) This was one of the hardest times of my life, my marriage needed a miracle and I needed not to go to prison but did not know daily how it would all turn out, I just knew God was with me where ever I was and that would be enough. Needless to say God has changed my life forever, you know some say how do you know He is real and I say because HE changed my life and gave me the strength to heal from childhood wounds that were great in my life, He turn my weakens into strengths, I would not even speak out loud in public, my sister paid someone to be my friend in the 7th grade, GOD gave me confidence in who He is in me, do I still struggle?? Yes, but not with stealing, bar hopping or lying, God has kept me on a close rein in those areas and I am so thankful because without Him I would be just the same as before and would be miserable. I thank Him for being my friend and loving me just like I was, I thank Him for not letting Steve divorce me and for my children He has blest me with, and grand children, I thank Him for always being there for me in the valleys and hilltops, He is my best friend and I could not breath my next breath if I did not know He was in control of my life. For those who know me I am not a religious person, I am a spiritual person and take my faith serious, I also know I fail every day, my desire is to know and for you to know, we will never be prefect and we serve a wonderful loving Father who never expected us to be, that is why He sent His son Jesus!! PREPARE YE THE WAY OF THE LORD IN YOUR LIFE>