Prayer: Best Christmas Present EVER.

Christmas is upon us and while everyone is running around buying presents, baking, decorating and just in general being busy-its hard to find the time to pray.

Prayer is a simple thing. It's just tapping on God's shoulder and talking to Him about whats going on, or what needs need to be met, etc. However, its often forgotten about in all the craziness. Its really a shame because some people could really use a prayer to get through the holidays.

Not everybody is having a good time or the means to give their families a good Christmas morning. Some people are sick or hurting in the heart and some people are so lonely they can't stand it.

Devotion For The Week of November 26-December 2nd 2012

Good morning friends.  It's foggy this morning in Horry County.  It's quite beautiful as the sun comes up from behind the trees around the pond in our back yard.  I watch Trumpet and Drummer race together across the pond's chilly water.  They are the two mallards of our neighbor, Mr. Jimmy.  He has spent lots of time giving them attention and has trained them quite remarkably.  They are such a delight to watch.  They play with our little black and white toy poodle, Bailey.  Enjoyable to watch them playing together.  Anything can be taught with a little love and patience, I believe and so does Mr. Jimmy.

   
It's 34 degrees now but it's gonna be a beautiful day in Conway, SC.  Every day can be  beautiful if we realize, and remember, how blessed we are.  First of all, we're blessed to have Jesus as our Savior.  We are more than blessed to have life, to have any shelter from the cold, to be dry, to have anything to eat and drink.  We are blessed if we have a coat, clothes, and shoes.  Not to mention good health, or if not so good, to have life.  We are richly blessed if we have two arms, two legs, a decent brain, and can hear, see, and talk.  What does it matter about some things?  We can make adjustments on a lot of things.

   
It's the things that we do have that we need to be thankful for.  Have you ever thought about being thankful for the time God has given you?  When I was sick for such a long while, I lost a few years of my life (or so it seemed).  Now that I'm healed there's so much I want to make up for.  Can I?  No, of course not but I don't want to waste any time that God has given back to me and my husband.  Time is precious.  Make the most of it with the people you love.  Put God first and I believe He will work the rest of the knots in life out.

                                                                                     
DEVOTION - True Joy

Devotion for The Week of November 12th-18th 2012

   

Good morning friends.  This is Wednesday  Nov. 14th, 2012.  It's another beautiful day in Conway, SC and the county of Horry that is.  Right on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.  WOW!  To me, the most beautiful place in the world to live.  We have pretty clean air and the weather, for the most part, is wonderful.  The # 2 vacation spot in the USA.  The Blue Ridge mountains are relatively close to us as well as some large cities.  We now have a wide variety of people living here.  Wow, and as Pastor Dr. Jerry Howell says many times, "I believe I'll say that backwards - Wow".

     When I was a young girl growing up here in Conway, we didn't have to close our windows for security.  We didn't even have locks on them.  There wasn't any need to ever lock the doors during the daytime.  My little brother and I stayed home by ourselves while our Mother went off to work at AVX in Myrtle Beach, SC.  She worked the 2nd and 3rd shifts.  See, my Dad was the town drunk and very abusive to my Mother.  She was strong and worked very hard to provide for her 2 babies that was left at home with her after the other 6 children had left.  Daddy left, also.  Times were hard and Mama was especially hard on me.  She was SO strict.  I now know she wanted only the best things in life for me.

It took years of growing and some whippings for me to realize this.  She was proud of me and loved me very much.  She saw a quality in me that was better than just average or just the run of the mill.  I believe, in the very beginning, she resented me.  Maybe because my Dad named me after one of his girlfriends, Carol.  When I was very young Mama said I was marked by that girlfriend.  Who knows to this day what that meant.  But anyway, we made it just the same.  She would dress me up in the finest attire and she, little brother Michael, and I would walk to church on 4th Ave. in Conway.  My eyes were dark and big, my hair dark and long.  I was short and not very big.  Not too bad on the eyes at that time.

Devotion For The Week of November 5th-11th, 2012

   

 Hello.  Today is Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012 - the day after!!!!  What is to come is is yet to be seen!  It's a beautiful day in Conway, SC.  Still a bit chilly but that's ok.  It's dry and breezy but beautiful.  No where else I'd rather be than in South Carolina.  I want to say thanks to all the voters for getting out and voting their choices.  This election deepens my desire to go into politics because it seems some Christians are losing faith that God is in CONTROL.

He will take care of His people, regardless of the outcome at the voting places.  Praise God!  Remember Jehovah-Jirah, He is our Provider.  God provides-not man.  But we must live, trust and obey our Heavenly Father!  There will be some sacrifices to make in our lives!

   
 It's devotion time.  My devotion today is taken from Psalms 136:1-29 KJV.

Devotion for Week of October 29th -November 4th, 2012

 

 Hi.  Today is Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012.  It's 6 AM and 37 degrees in Conway, SC.  A little chilly and breezy, but it's time for things to cool off.  It's that time of the year.  I like the change of seasons.  When I was younger I only liked summer and winter.  I Believe that was so I could be out of school in the summer and in the winter(the cold season) Santa Claus came to our house.

Now that I've grown up some and my hair is gray, I've learned to love all the seasons:  spring with new life and beginning; summer with the sun's heat and the rain; fall with the change of colors; and winter with the death of old things and bad things, Thanksgiving, Christmas, renewal and new beginning of a new year.  It's a chance to start over again, another chance to get things right with God and family.  A new beginning, a fresh start!  Once again, something to look forward to, a new year, 2013, if the Lord tarries His return.

   
But for today, it is the day the Lord has made.  Let us rejoice and be glad in it (Psalms 118:24).  Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord.  They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."  Praise God for you and the plans He has for us in our lives.  He has ordained it and it will be carried out if we stay in His will doing what He has called us to do, serve Him, worship Him, and obey Him.  Praise His Holy Name - Jesus.  Amen.

   
Our devotion for today is Learning to Stand.  Following are the scriptures for our devotion, taken from Ephesians 6:10-17 KJV:

Devotion For The Week of October 22nd-28th, 2012

   

Today is Tuesday, October 23, 2012.  Another beautiful day in Conway, SC.  This weather is just perfect - need a light jacket in the mornings and short sleeves the rest of the day.  Plenty of sunshine for walks on the beach, for golfers on the links, or for Mom and kids to enjoy a great day at the park.  God is so very good to us!  We live in the greatest place on Planet Earth, Horry County, SC specifically Conway, SC - the South, the bible belt on the east coast of the USA.
    



Now, enough of all that bragging on my home state and county.  Good Morning.  God is good and He is everywhere.  That is one of the wonderful attributes I love most about Him.  He is not limited to space like we are!  He is omnipresent.  He's on time all the time.
  
Last week we spoke of the Lord my Rock, Yahweh, Tsur.  In the Old Testament, God's proper name is Yahweh (Jehovah).  This is His covenant name to His people, Israel.  His most sacred name must not be taken in vain.

Let's speak today of the redemptive names of God, Yahweh - Yireh and His promises.  Jehovah-Jireh, the God Who provides.  Let's look at the fulfillment of His promise in Genesis 22:1-14 concerning Abraham and Isaac.  This is the first act of worship mentioned in the bible.  It is also the first use of the word "love" in scripture (Gen. 22:2).

On The Road Again...Check out Ms. June's Mountain Trip Video!

Ms. June was A'travlin' again this past week and we thought that we would do a little something different  and instead of sharing just pictures, we would put together a little movie of sorts....






So, without further ado, here is Ms. June's Mountain Trip Movie. Brought to you via YouTube...
Also, get this week's devotion by clicking here...







One theme in the video is all the beautiful fall colors that have begun to show as the season changes form the

Devotion For The Week of October 15th-21st, 2012

Today is Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012.

 
 What a beautiful morning to wake up to.  5:30 AM, weather is wonderful, 48 degrees and fair.  Rain last night.  Washed the dirt out of the air.  No rain called for this day.  Wow!  This is the day the Lord hast made.  I (let us) rejoice and be glad in it (Psalms 118:24).

 


 Let's make it personal for each of us!  Yahweh is responsible for this and it is amazing for us to see (Psalms 118:23).  Yahweh is the Lord.  His personal Hebrew name is Yahweh.  Let Jesus Christ, Yahweh, be Lord of our lives!!!  We re another day closer to His return for His bride.  Are you ready?

     A special thanks to my friend Abbi.  You'll never know what a special blessing you have become to me.  Thanks for the devotion on Oct. 10, 2012 on fear.  It touched my heart.  I know it did for others as well.  People from around the world received it - from the Netherlands, Russia, Germany, United Kingdom, France and other countries.  Also, my home country, the USA.  Thank you all!!!  It is so good to see you touching base weekly.  I trust God that you receive something special from Him.  Please remit your comments.  I love to hear from you.

                                                         DEVOTION

     Yahweh - Tsur    The Lord my Rock  (The Names of God Bible, God's Word Translation)

     Scripture - Isaiah 26:3, 4;  Psalms 62:1, 2;  Psalms 95:1

Devotion For Week of October 8th-14th, 2012 Fighting Fear

Abbi here. Two of my most favorite scriptures are: Psalm 46: 10 which says, "He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” and 2nd Timothy 1:7 which says, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind".You see, I dealt with fear everyday of my life as a child.


I was the scardy cat in the family and I was afraid of a whole plethora of things. Dogs, storms, harsh sounds, yelling, fights, the ocean, you name it. The dark was one of my big fears and it got to where I couldn't sleep by myself. Now, my mama did not take kindly to the devil trying to scare her baby, plus she had two other children to tend to and we simply did not have time for me to be scared of every little thing, so one night she told me something that comforted me and I have never forgotten it.

She repeated our  family motto ( "it will be alright") and She recited 2nd Timothy 1:7 and told me to repeat that until I went to sleep. So I did, and as I lay there repeating that promise to myself I started to feel better, at ease, and sleepy! I fell asleep that night and didn't wake up once. After that I tried it during the day when fear would try and come and it worked again!

The more I said it the more I trusted that not only had I not been given a spirit of fear but that God was there to protect me because He was the one who gave me the spirit of love and power in the first place. Sometimes the fear would come unexpectedly and I would momentarily forget my promise and I would run to grandmother or mama and they would hold me and say "everything will be alright" and they would remind me of the promise and I would instantly feel better.

Out And About

I've been very busy this week after getting back from my Florida trip.  Had lunch Wednesday with the Redeemed, Miss Abbi, at the Trestle in downtown Conway, SC. Wow, it was scrumptious.  I had my usual, the fruited chicken salad plate. It hit the spot.  It's always enough for two meals for me.




Most of all I enjoyed the company of my friend, Miss Abbi.  She is so delightful and very sweet and smart. Though she's much younger than I, I know I can learn much from her.  Especially this tech stuff.  She's a whiz and I'm a fiz but I will learn in time.  I'm not THAT old and she is patient and very kind!

Wednesday night at church (Fountain of Life Ministries or FOLM), we had a good crowd, especially for mid-week bible study.  Our pastor, Dr. Jerry Howell, outdid himself.  He taught how to be a successful christian.  He gave us four steps for success in Christ and used the following scriptures:  1 Chron 28: 9,10 and 1 Kings 2:3

    The Four Steps:

     1.  Know the God of our fathers.
 
     2.  Know His Word.

     3  Know how to pray.

     4.  Know how to stand with integrity.

She's Back! Devotion For The Week of October 1st-7th 2012 -PLUS! Pictures From The Trip! :)

Ms. June and her roommate for the trip :) 

Hello.  Today is Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012.

Wow, it's a grand day here in Horry County.  For those of you that do not know where Horry County is, it's in northeastern South Carolina and includes the Atlantic Ocean coastline known as the Greater Grand Strand Area.  Myrtle Beach and the Greater Grand Strand was voted the number two favorite place for family vacations in our wonderful USA!  Probably in the entire world!!

Thank you Abbi for standing in for me last week.  I was given Divine favor and offered an expense free trip to Florida to visit the Holy Land Experience in Orlando.  Also included were visits to other beautiful attractions such as Bok Gardens, which is a botanical garden with beautiful birds and flowers.  We also visited orange groves, Disney Candy Shop where the candy is made, and much shopping in downtown Orlando.  I met many wonderful people of all ages and from different countries (Pakistan, Mexico, Germany, etc).  Three different couples were honeymooning, so in love and full of joy and expectations of their futures together.  Each day I tried to show Jesus off and invite somebody to Him.  I encouraged people to go to a church where the truth of God is preached.  There they would find the answers to peace, love and joy.  As a songwriter wrote in a song "I may not have seen God but I have seen what He can do".

Some highlights from the trip....

The Holy Land Experience...











A lady has to have her phone! :)

Shopping!

Wonderful praise and worship

















The trip clown









Some of the awesome staff!

The entrance








(Click Here to view the whole album and get an inside visitors look at The Holy Land Experience, a breathtaking production and retelling of Jesus Christ's time on earth, Bok Gardens, Shops, restaurants and so much more! )

Not the exact words of the song but you get the gist of the meaning.  I promise you people, whoever you are, whatever you have done, or whatever you may be thinking right now, God has the answer.  You have tried the world and the world (with all its sins) has no pleasure or joy that will last.  It will leave you empty and alone in darkness, afraid with no where to run or nowhere to hide.  Jesus is soon to return for His children.  Today, open your heart, your mind, and your soul - ask Jesus to come into your life and forgive you of your sin.  The Word of God says "For we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).  There has never been a perfect person on Earth except Jesus Christ and He was perfect because He was then and is now the Son of the only true Living God Jehovah.

Ms. June's A' travalin'..... Devotion For The Week Of September 24th-30th 2012

 Abbi here, taking over blog duties while Ms. June is away. She is off this week to the Holy Land Experience in Orlando Florida for a week long tour. It was sort of last minute but she is excited and I just wanted to share a quick note for prayer for her safety while on the road.

So, while she is away I will be taking care of the devotion for this week. Bare with me here folks I a no Ms. June but I will do my best. I like devotions that have stories so I think I 'll share some of mine about traveling and God's protection...

When I was a child and we went on trips my mama would always pray as she packed our bags and got everything together. I can still hear her quite voice praying for our safety as we traveled and for a "trip without incidents or accidents" that we would "go and return completely whole."

Sometime this would get on my nerves, especially if she waited to do it when we had finally gotten everybody and everything packed into the truck. I was impatient and just wanted to hear the radio. But most times I was grateful that she did it. Once she was finished I knew that God  had heard her and that He knew that we were claiming a safe and happy trip and would make sure of it and  I didn't worry about anything from that moment on.

And mama's prayers worked cause when it came to driving, Daddy was convinced he was Jeff Gordan and the interstate was the Darlington Motor Speedway and I know that the only reason we are all alive today is because of Mama's praying and God's divine intervention. And in all of our traveling, in the days before strict car seat and seat belt laws no less, we were never involved in a serious accident.

Devotion For The Week of September 17 -23 2012

GOOD MORNING FRIENDS,

Today is Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2012 on Planet Earth.  Hope this is a better day for you all.  I was happy and blessed to see more connections from you in the USA and around the world.  Again, I trust that Jehovah God - the Great I Am - is with you all today.  He loves you and is very concerned about everything that touches your life (seen and unseen).

            MAY WE PRAY TOGETHER

 
 Lord Jesus, we love You and we thank You for Who You are, our Creator and the Giver of life.  We thank You for loving us, for Your grace and for Your mercy that keeps us day after day.  Jesus, we repent of any sin in our life and we ask You, Lord Jesus, to forgive us and make us whole again that we may be in right standing with You and with our families and friends we love.  Your word teaches us to love one another.
   
Prepare us Lord until we meet on the other side or until You come.  Let us be in one accord.  Anoint this message.  May it go forth and souls be won into Your Kingdom, for Your Glory.  Thank You Lord and bless Your people.  In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Our devotion for today is taken from Gen.50:20.  What was meant for evil for Joseph, God turned it into good.  In the verse, Joseph said "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass as it is this day, to save much people alive".

Devotion For The Week of September 10th-16th 2012

September 11, 2012  It's Tuesday morning, 7:30am.  Looking for another beautiful day in Horry County in our State of South Carolina, on Planet Earth.

Good Morning Friends!

Thank you for checking in Local friends.  A Special Thanks to you all in Russia, Germany, France, United Kingdom and other parts of the world.  I'm so glad to know you are reading my devotions.  I trust God that you are gaining some strength and encouragement from them.  It is the intent.

May today be a special blessing to you all.  By the way, it is a blessing to me to know you are out there reading these devotions given to me from my Savior Jesus Christ.

Now Let's Get Into One:

Philippians 4:4.12 - Paul says, "Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again; Rejoice!".  v12  I know what it is to be in need and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or want.

Psalm 102:27 - But you (GOD) remain the same and your years will never end.

Recipe: Sausage, Peppers, and Onions

                                                       
Sausage, Peppers, and onions by Sherryllynn Bell

2-4 lbs of link Italian sausage - Mild or spicy, whichever you prefer
3-4 large white or yellow onions - Vidallias are ok too, when available
5 large bell peppers - red, orange, yellow or green are ok or a mixture of all
2 tablespoons oregano - optional
butter
olive oil
one jar of spaghetti sauce - whichever brand you prefer



You will need a slow cooker, skillet, and a large pot.

I first put all the sausage in a large pot and fill with water.  Poke a few fork holes or  2 to 3 knife slits in each link so when they boil, they release all the fatty juice.  Boiling time is approx. 30-45 minutes.  The links will look gray in color but that's alright.  They will be cooked through.

While the sausage is boiling, wash and cut your peppers in strips to a width you prefer.  Peel and slice the onions.

Out And About

Boy, I've been busy the last several days.

     Mr. Roger and I had dinner at Copper's Friday night.  If you have not tried that eatery, please do!  Ms. Susie will treat you right.  Chances are her grandson, Charlie, will wait on you.  He is so nice.  That night, we tried something new.  It was one of the "soups of the day", a creole soup.  My goodness, it was delicious, spicy but yummy yummy.  I closed my eyes and pretended I was in New Orleans for an evening (perhaps) with my husband, Mr. Roger, and our good neighbor, Mr. Jimmy, at dinner.  It is quiet at Coppers.  We don't like to eat where there is a lot of noise.  It is not good for the digestive tract, you know.  That night, along with the jambalaya soup, we had grilled grouper.  We usually have that and, as always, it was great!  Go by there and eat.  Tell them Ms. June told you about them.  You will enjoy the meal and the atmosphere.

Prayer for Ms. June

Ms. June's assistant, Abbi, here asking special prayer for Ms. June. She was admitted to Conway Medical Center late Saturday evening with a pain in her chest and is still there today. The doctors are doing everything they can and while they do not believe her life is in any immediate danger they are still trying to find out exactly what is wrong.

I am asking all of her readers to stand with me and her church in prayer for her health and recovery as well as strength for Mr. Roger. The bible teaches us that we are underneath the promise of the 91st Psalm and that, "If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone." (Psalm 91 10-12 NIV)

We will all stand an agree that Ms. June is the healed of the Lord and that by His stripes she well. It says in His word that "But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed." ( Isaiah 53:5 NIV) the devil cannot rob her of her health he cannot come in and take from her what the Lord has given and he Will Not be victorious.

We will pray for her rest and that peace throughout her body and mind, and declare She is well in Jesus name.

Her newest Out and About and Recipe posts will post later this week. Thank you for tuning in every week to Ms. June's blog, she loves every single one of her readers and loves connecting with all of you. Thank you gain for keeping her and her family in your prayers.

God Bless!! -Abbi

Devotion August 28, 2012

Today is Tuesday, August 28, 2012 in Conway, SC in the USA on Planet Earth.


Good morning friends,
It is a good day.  We are alive and given another day to praise God.  let's start by praising Him.  Psalms 118:24 says "This is the day the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it".



Verse 28 reads "Thou art my God, and I will praise Thee; thou art my God, I will exalt (lift up) Thee".  Verse 29 states "O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good; for His mercy endureth forever".

Friends, this simply means that today is the day of salvation.  Jesus came that we could have a new life because of, and through, Him.  God loves us so much that He sent His only Son, Jesus, to earth to live among man and woman, to feel as we do - the pain, emotions, afflictions, etc.  He came to save us out of the sin we are born into.  This salvation was, and is, possible because He was the perfect holy and acceptable sacrifice unto God.  He loves us so much.  Can you fathom this?  Have you ever loved anyone so much you would do anything for them?  That love is only a drop in the bucket compared to the love of God.  Agape love!  Pure love!  Unconditional love!  Our Lord loves you that much!!!

Devotion, Wednesday August 22, 2012

Wednesday, August 22, 2012 on Planet Earth.

Hello Friends,

     I'm moving later today than normal.  It's been busy this morning.  Some would say it's "monkey business".  I say it's my business relating to things I need to get done.  Still need to get by Agape on Hwy 378 to visit with my hospice people.  How about you?  Have you been busy?

     We've had quite a bit of rain here on Hwy 701 South in Conway the last few weeks.  The water table should be up in the rivers and lakes.  It is in our pond.  Mr. Roger and I have seen the water level real low in the pond in the past.  Temperatures are nice this week.  Don't you think  low to mid 80s is great for this time of year.  Makes me wanna shout and praise God.  He is so good to us (and to everybody).  We need to be still and take time to thank Him for His many blessings.  He is so rich in His mercy and His mercies are new each morning!

     I trust you are feeling well and even better this week than you were last week.  Did you read up on the healing scriptures I left with you.  If not, please go back and try and regain them.  The word of God will help if you accept Him, trust Him, and serve Him completely.  He will make you whole!

                                                                                   Today's Devotion

     Last week I spoke to you more about myself than ever before.  I mentioned things about my past health known only by a very few close people and doctors - several of who tried and failed at healing me or even making me better.  I repeat what I said last week.  I am not against doctors.  God placed them here for a purpose.  I especially lift up the ones that are guided by the Holy Spirit.  I think a lot of the family doctor I have been seeing for the last several years.  She found Mr. Roger's heart problem and he now goes to her as his family doctor (VA before).  I've started taking more notice concerning my son and his family's health.  He and his wife are past 40.

Devotion

Today is August 13, 2012 on Planet Earth.

Today is the day the Lord has made.  Let us rejoice and be glad in it.  (Psalm 118:24)
Also, it is my lovely daughter-in-law's (Sherryllynn Bell) birthday.  From me to you--Happy Birthday, Ruthie.  I love you!!

     Now for our devotion.  Good morning, friends.  It is still very early.  The roosters haven't even started crowing yet.  But it's Monday so they're probably sleeping in for a while.  We don't know what this day may bring so let us be ready.  Have you prayed yet to our Heavenly Father?  If not, join with me in doing so now.
  
  Father God, we come unto You with a grateful heart.  We thank You for another day You have given us to make better choices than we did yesterday.  We thank You for a better night's sleep, and for all things we praise You.  We put our trust in You to meet our needs for today.  You have promised us provisions IF we obey and keep Your words and follow You and Your plans.  May we enter into the joys of the Lord to please You, Father.  We welcome you Holy Spirit into our life.  Guide us to be a light to them in darkness that we may lead someone to give their heart, soul, mind, and body completely over to You.  Use us as vessels to save souls from hell's fire and all there is in it.  Thank You Lord Jesus.  We praise You Holy One for You alone are worthy.  Amen.

                 TODAY'S MESSAGE - Healing and Living Through the Presence of God
     In the beginning of 2011, I knew some drastic changes had to be made in my life.  I had been sick and down long enough!  In fact, way too long!  My spiritual eyes had scales on them.  In fact, they were almost sealed shut!  As I sat in my husband's recliner on a Sat. morning, I felt Death encamp about me.  I could see and feel the dark cloud and I was afraid.  I was not ready to die even though I had prayed a very silly and selfish thing - for God to take my life.  I was SO tired of being sick and tired.  The pain seemed more than I could bear.  I was completely disgusted with my life.  I had wallowed in self-pity long enough!  God said "Enough is enough!  Get up and get on with your life.  There is much to do and people much worse off than you.  I will heal, help and sustain you"!  Praise God.