Hello, my friends! Welcome to today's episode of Testimony Tuesday. As you are coming along with me on my journey, I would like to talk about God working on our hearts. There is NOTHING we can do alone, but with God all things are possible! Matthew 19:26. ²⁶ Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

I know most of you can empathize with my words and are working on your own personal journeys with Christ. Maybe I share too much, maybe I don't share enough...but for those of you who need encouragement to keep on going... I write this for you! I used to be a sad girl, I guess I kind of always will be that way, its comfortable to be in our own pain and anger. But Behold! I am a new creation in Christ! 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things have become new.

I sent my mom a little care package of some face care items that were given to me with a little note. I wrote her that I was thinking of her and I hope when this is over we can forget our past and look forward to our future. I dont know if this is the right thing to do, but I felt God was pressing it on my heart. Im not angry anymore and Im not sure if im ready to talk to her yet... i feel like its going to be a venting argument of who is wrong or right and Im not looking for that. I am just looking to be respected as an adult making my own choices and if you want to be in my life in a non-transactional way, I kind of opened the door for that.

Veronica helps remind me all the time how I am not alone, and that God is here fighting for me. She was the one who reminded me that I am a new creation in Chris, Jesus and I want to continue to be that person. The one who listens to God, The one who goes out of her way to help others, The one others can look to when they feel lost and apart from God. I want to be all the things that my inner child was too afraid to become. 

My youngest son asked me why Im so aggressive.. I told him "I am the spicy ingredient in God's soup"... but God made me like that and my temper can be a strength at times. Even Peter had a temper and cut a soldier's ear off! John 18:10 ¹⁰ Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.). 

God's not done with me yet, and as I continue to bloom in his garden I want to plant you all right next to me so we can share in God's love and all the beautiful butterflies he sends our way. Take some time to appreciate who you are, and be joyful at the person that God is creating you to be! I love you all and am praying for joy in our lives this week! 

Hello Friends! Welcome back to Testimony Tuesday. Quick update, the s*it hit the fan with my family after the last article...but I woke up the next day with Thanksgiving in my heart so I know the Lord is working hard to provide me with a way THROUGH it. Never once did the Bible say he will take all your problems away, but he will make a way THROUGH it. So, onwards and upwards!

Today, I would like to talk about Trusting God in the storms. When I think about Daniel in the Lion's Den Daniel 6: 16-21 (¹⁶ So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!” ¹⁷ A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles so that Daniel’s situation might not be changed. ¹⁸ Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep.¹⁹ At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. ²⁰ When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”²¹ Daniel answered, “May the king live forever! ²² My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.”)

Or, when I think about the 3 men cast into the fires I think how small my problems really are. Daniel 3: 19-25 (¹⁹ Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. ²⁰ And he commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego and cast them into the burning fiery furnace. ²¹ Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. ²² Therefore, because the king’s command was ^[c]urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. ²³ And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.²⁴ Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his ^[d]counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?”They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.”²⁵ “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the^[e] Son of God.”)

Maybe God doesn't work in wonders and signs in your life, but he is ALWAYS working hard for you. He loves us so much and I will continue to sing to him, to worship him, to love him, and to walk with him. God gave me so much support from friends near and far when this family situation happened and truly, he said to me "You are not alone, I love you and have some of my strength to get you through this storm." When I am ready, I will reconcile, but I could not do so in my anger.

I'm not angry anymore, I am focused and determined. You all have been praying for me and you know what? I like who I am... I am proud of who I am becoming and I will never deny our Lord Jesus Christ! My children speak of Jesus and God all the time.. so I know God is close to us. I know God loves us, and even if my world was brought all the way down to rubble, I will continue to praise him in the storm. 

I hope this brings you cheer and a renewed vigor to continue to fight the good battle. In Jesus' name, we pray for broken hearts, we pray over our broken lives, and we pray for the deliverance of evil. We pray for a joy that surpasses our own understanding. Philippians 4:7 (⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.)

We pray to be who God created us to be, In Jesus' name. I love you all and thank you for being a part of my story! <3 Ally. 

Hellllo my friends! Welcome back to Testimony Tuesday. I'm so sorry my last written post was 01/07! I posted that photo inspirational thread on 01/28 but it has been CRAZY busy for me! Also, I've been stewing in my anger...so it's hard for me to be uplifting when I want to burn the world down. Part of me knows the devil has been keeping me busy and distracted so I DONT POST... I know some of you really appreciate these healing testimony posts... im sorry for letting you down. I digress. 

Today I want to cover something that is gnawing away at me and I believe some of you can empathize with what I am going through so what better way for me to heal than to purge my feelings into these posts. As always, I try to write through a Christian lens and give God all the glory in my life. The Christian Ruler stick makes me so angry. I am so glad that God judges my heart and not my mouth, or my works, or my continuous failures.( 1 Samuel 16:7 ⁷ But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”)

Recently I heard a sermon and he said God uses the least of us to glorify his works. (1 Timothy 1:15 “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”) I am inconsistent... and my mother likes to call me "Ungrateful Christian" or "Hypocrite" ALLLL the time. By me drawing nearer to our Lord Jesus Christ, she likes to throw in my face all the things in my past and who I used to be. She will never see me as a new creation in Christ, and for me, that is the end of our relationship. The Bible calls us to leave our families for the Kingdom of God and I guess that's where I am at with things. (Luke 18:29-30 ²⁹ And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake,³⁰ Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.)

Recently, I had to take on an immediate project at home laying pavers for a 2nd driveway so we wouldn't get towed. I was in the middle of my 2nd illness this year with walking pneumonia and I called upon my mom and dad to help me dig the dirt and lay the pavers. My mom and I have been speaking about this project, trying to find cheap pavers and her new husband was supposed to help. Well, when it came time for us to do this, she asked me to buy her a hotel room. I just dropped $550 on all the materials for the project and I am not a rich person, I have no savings and this was already causing me to be late on rent. I was so offended that my Mom asked me to pay her... My Dad dropped everything and just showed up to help. Even though I owe my Dad $20,000 dollars for all the help he gave me recently, he didn't ask for a dime. 

I blocked my Mom after this exchange because I just can't be bothered with her drama... she's on her 6th husband...its always been her world and I am just an accessory to her. Yes, she has helped me with food (she works at a food bank), and yes, she gives me boxes of things she saves when she thinks of me when I see her. But she never sees her grandkids, she never makes time for me, and if I have to pay to see her or get some help from her...good riddance. 

Now she is on a slander tour, having my brother, sister, grandma...whoever will listen to her reach out to me but I am just DONE. She tells them "Arnt you supposed to honor your mother and father?" Again... it's all about her. Don't use your Christian Ruler stick on me... I will never measure up. I unblocked and called her 2 times this weekend... but she told my brother she didn't want to be in a bad mood. Then I saw her eating stone crab with her new husband and carving her name in a tree to celebrate their love. Well, guess what... go be part of his family and leave me alone. If it truly was about reconciling with me, she would have answered. I'm going to keep my eyes fixed on Jesus and whatever will be will be. 

I'm sorry that this has been a trauma dump post, but maybe by me being honest, it may help someone else on their walk with the Lord. Continue to pray for me as I will always pray for you! With love, Ally.