GOOD NEWS DAILY – NOVEMBER 16

Would you please pray for my beloved handicapped streets ministry doggies & for financial support for their veterinary care? 12-year-old paralyzed Mr. Simeon was diagnosed with double ear infections and a UTI which is common and chronic for paralyzed doggies, and unfortunately some of the bacteria is drug resistant requiring me to make a decision about using very powerful drugs with possible serious side effects. He seems to be feeling perfectly fine most of the time, especially given his paralysis and age, so I am seeking the Lord about how to proceed. My long-time veterinarian and his wife whom I dearly love and respect and who supervise the doggies as the Lord leads me from place to place around the country are recommending a different protocol than his current short-term vet in New York City where I currently am. Please pray for wisdom!

8-year-old paralyzed Miss Mercy also seems to have a UTI, but with two paralyzed doggies with chronic UTI’s, I have been trained to use discernment as to how often to treat based on whether or not they are symptomatic. Using too much antibiotics can be unwise. More wisdom needed!

8-year-old Gracie who was dumped at a gas station and hit by 2 cars on the same day years ago had another bout of acid reflux recently, so I switched her back to a medication that really works for her though it is not the best drug for long-term use. Her health and well-being and ability to love and enjoy life are the priority! Right now she is doing great again!

14-year-old Abigail has really, really slowed down but appears to be perfectly happy and enjoying her little life. Despite her age, she is in remarkably good health and doing well on her anti-inflammation medication and pain medication as needed!

Miss Mommy (me) could absolutely use prayer too as it’s a tremendous amount of work taking care of 4 handicapped doggies on the road for Jesus. But I wouldn’t trade them or caring for them for anything. I LOVE the Lord with all my heart, He has entrusted them to me, and I absolutely adore them! Not to mention they are a big part of this ministry, and the general public loves, loves, love them!

Oh, how very often the Lord uses these special doggies to draw people to me so I can give them Gospel tracts and talk to them about Jesus! Hallelujah. Ruff. Ruff. AMEN!

Just in case you’re wondering, the doggies get tons of love & attention, and I am with them TONS as we’re often out on the streets or inside as I spend time with the Lord and write and minister to people by phone whereby their massive doggy bed they all share is about 2 feet from my bed. And paralyzed Mr. Simeon can often be found cuddled up with Mommy right by her computer – yes, on her bed! Or is it his now?

p.s. Unfortunately my recent mention of needing donations for the doggies which I sent out to thousands of people only turned up a very small amount of donations compared with the cost of their recent veterinarian bills. Trusting the Lord, and your love, prayers, and generosity much appreciated!!!!

If you would like to donate specifically toward the doggies, please contact me at 843-338-2219 or lara@GoodNews.love.

PLEASE ENJOY TODAY’S EDITION OF GOOD NEWS DAILY AND REMEMBER TO SCROLL ALL THE WAY DOWN TO SEE THE FULL ISSUE!

IF YOU NEED HELP BEGINNING OR PRESSING ON IN A FOREVER RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT AT 843-338-2219 OR lara@GoodNews.love

love & blessings,

lara

Ever felt like quitting? I have! So many times I couldn’t possibly count. Not surprising given the decades of challenges I’ve faced. I haven’t had the easiest life. The struggles have seemed virtually relentless for as long as I can remember. BUT – But? Yes, but!

BUT despite my trials, I DO NOT QUIT. And despite the challenges, I have reason to REJOICE! I do not quit because I love the Lord Jesus Christ more than anything and anyone in the universe, and I BELONG TO HIM FOREVER! The Lord gives me the strength to endure, and my heart’s cry is to love and worship and serve the Lord with all my heart and to tell the world about Him. How could I possibly rejoice given I haven’t experienced much of the worldly happiness that many people have?

Here is why. This world is temporary. This life is temporary. JESUS CHRIST IS FOREVER! And He is the Son of God, He is Lord, He came to this earth and lived a perfect life and died on the cross to pay our sin punishment and was raised from the dead. Why? So all who turn from their sins, believe in Him as Lord, truly turning their lives over to God and His ways, are forgiven and given EVERLASTING LIFE WITH HIM instead of eternity in hell and the lake of fire apart from God.

For those of us who struggle, for those who face great trials, let us NOT QUIT. Let us turn from our sins, believe in Christ as Lord, wholly devote our hearts and lives to Him, LIVE UTTERLY FOR HIM RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW, and REJOICE that WE WILL BE WITH JESUS FOREVERMORE!

Not to mention we don’t need to wait for heaven to celebrate! When we receive Jesus Christ as Lord, HIS SPIRIT COMES TO LIVE RIGHT INSIDE US and our relationship with the Lord doesn’t begin when our lives are over. OUR RELATIONSHIP IS NOW AND FOREVER!

Let us rejoice that we are Christ’s and Christ is ours NOW AND FOREVER, HALLELUJAH, AMEN!

“My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26

“while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Cor. 4:18

love & blessings,

lara

I was walking down the New York City sidewalk just minutes ago when I realized a single tear was slowly sliding down my right cheek. I had been holding in the tears as I walked out of my building as a neighbor walked up behind me.

Just minutes before, I had spoken in my heart to the Lord these words.

“I’m still standing. Only by your grace, Lord.”

I was astonished that I am still standing. Not broken beyond repair as I once was. Despite today is my ex-husband’s memorial service. Despite I just found out a beloved friend died yesterday. Despite about a week or so ago I learned an old friend committed suicide. Despite I just lost a group of people and a special friendship. Despite I have had 3 vet emergencies, huge vet bills, and a tough decision to make regarding a dog. Despite I’m in a tough expensive city very much on my own with Jesus and my beloved doggies. Despite how hard and intense my ministry work can be. Despite the trials of this life.

Friend, this isn’t about me and what I’m walking through. I have a message for you. WHEN WE SURRENDER OURSELVES UTTERLY TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, NO MATTER OUR TRIALS, HE WILL CARRY US THROUGH! I have long since learned in the tough times not to distance myself from the Lord, but instead to come running to Him, to throw myself at His feet, to cry out to Him, to pour out my heart to Him, to open His Word and dig deep inside of it, to listen for His sweet beloved voice, to take comfort in Him and to hide myself away in His refuge, to take shelter in the one with whom I will be forever.

Facing trials? Run to Jesus! Take refuge in Him! Surrender all to the Lord! May He carry you forth in the love, grace, mercy, peace, hope, and joy of His everlasting arms! AMEN!

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”” Psalm 91:1-2

Long ago, I was in a relationship where I was very poorly treated. When the man raged at me, I opened my mouth and poured out all the hurt, self-pity, anger, bitterness, jealousy, control, manipulation, pride, judgment, condemnation, arrogance, criticism, etc. that filled my wicked heart.

The Lord would speak to my heart that I should walk away. Instead, I stood my ground – and fought.

The Bible isn’t just to read. It’s to live by. The Spirit of God isn’t to just dwell inside Christ’s followers. He is to listen to, to be led by, to obey.

See the verse above? How to handle other people’s anger? Turn to the Lord. Turn to the Bible. This is just one verse concerning the subject. The Lord makes clear we are to love, to forgive, to be merciful, to repent of our own wickedness and purify OUR hearts & lives, sometimes to separate ourselves from people, in the verse above to use a soft answer, etc.

Long story short. In all things in life, regardless of what we face, we are to humbly submit ourselves to the Lord and His ways as He teaches us in His Word!

Are you?

Battle? What battle? Yes, you read that right. Me, right in the thick of another fiery spiritual battle, after all my experience going through battle after spiritual battle through the years, neglected to see I was right in the thick of battle. Until the Spirit of God who inhabits His followers woke me up and showed me the truth.

Friend, can you imagine being on a battlefield in a real war and not even realizing you’re in a war? Seems ridiculous, doesn’t it? What would be the biggest problem with this? A soldier wouldn’t be in his armor, wouldn’t have his weapons ready and available, wouldn’t be looking to his commander, wouldn’t be fighting alongside his fellow soldiers, wouldn’t pay attention to the battle plan, wouldn’t attack his opponents, wouldn’t defend himself, etc. How could he possibly win the war let alone a battle? He would be standing in the middle of a war like a fool, wouldn’t he?

Oh, how Satan the arch enemy of Christ’s followers loves for us not to recognize when we’re in a spiritual battle so that we don’t look to the Lord our commander-in-chief, don’t follow the battle plan which is in the Bible, don’t wear our armor as we see in Ephesians 6, don’t fight with our fellow soldiers, other followers of Christ, and don’t quite frankly fight at all!

Let us recognize when we’re in a spiritual battle so we look to the Lord, so we fight according to His leading, and so we secure victory in Christ!

And let us love, encourage, and pray for one another as we go through the battles of this life!

365 BLESSINGS is a devotional book I wrote that is available in print by contacting me at 843-338-2219 or via lara@GoodNews.love.  

BLESSINGS 195-197

“Furthermore King David said to all the assembly: “My son Solomon, whom alone God has chosen, is young and inexperienced; and the work is great, because the temple is not for man but for the Lord God.” 1 Chron. 29:1

King David declares God has chosen His son Solomon to build His temple. What a blessing the Creator of the universe, God almighty, chooses us – we who are nothing without Him – to love and serve Him! How humbling! What a privilege! To do His work! To glorify His name! King David makes known his son Solomon is young and doesn’t have the experience he undoubtedly needs to build God’s temple. And King David emphasizes this is an enormous work to which God is calling Solomon. The blessing in this for you and me? No matter how huge the work to which God calls us, no matter our limitations as humans such as concerning age and experience, the Lord will provide all we need to love, serve, and glorify Him in whatever He calls us to do for Him! Such a blessing that He provides all we need!

A beloved friend told me one day her husband wondered if it was time for me to leave my current location and go wherever the Lord wanted to send me next. I had totally clarity when I responded. I knew that I knew that I knew it wasn’t time – yet.

A woman I met told me essentially I was doing a terrible job with something the Lord had given me to do. I knew in my heart I was not doing the terrible job she thought I was doing. I’m well aware I fall short of the Lord’s glory and need repentance on an ongoing basis, but I was confident her words missed the mark.

A woman several years ago told me I had no business being on the road for Jesus. A man told me the same. They strongly in no uncertain terms told me their emphatic opinion I needed to change course and do what THEY THOUGHT I should do.

Friend, when our lives are over, and we stand before the Lord which we will all do, we will NOT have to give an account of whether we pleased others, measured up to their opinions and expectations, fulfilled their will for us, etc. WE WILL HAVE TO GIVE AN ACCOUNT BEFORE THE LORD BASED ON HIS WILL FOR OUR LIVES ON THIS EARTH.

As well-meaning as people can be, their will for us does not always line up with God’s will for us. And it is our business not to go through our lives trying to make the world happy with us based on their opinions. Our business is to LIVE FOR CHRIST! TO SEEK AND FULFILL THE LORD’S WILL FOR US!

When people are advising us to go against the Lord’s will in our lives, we need to do the Lord’s will anyway. FOR JESUS CHRIST IS LORD FOREVER!

Above all else, we need to spend time alone with the Lord and the Bible as our number one priority. He is to be our first love and highest priority in life. We need to praise Him, pray to Him, and follow Him. We most assuredly should seek godly counsel from strong Christ followers deeply grounded in the Bible as He leads us, but there will come times when people will come against us and their opinions will not line up with God’s will for us.

In those times, let us not seek to please and obey them. Let us seek – always – to love, please, and obey the Lord God almighty. AMEN!

Though the verse above is in a certain context, which you can study in Acts 5, the point is clear. Our obedience first and foremost must be to Christ!

Ever asked the Lord how you can serve Him today? In today’s culture, I often see people serving the Lord based on what they like, what makes them comfortable, what is familiar, what their friends are doing, what their pastor tells them he feels like they should do, what others think, what they’re good at, etc.

Serving the Lord is a vital part of being a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, but let’s be sure to SEEK HIM, to HEAR HIM, and to OBEY HIM in ALL THINGS – service included.

Please ask the Lord how He wants you to serve Him! He may not call you to something you like, or to what is familiar and comfortable, to what is easy and to what your friends are doing, but serving the Lord should be based above all else on HIS WILL in HIS TIME for HIS GLORY! AMEN!