I read Isaiah 11:6-9, and I've always loved this passage but I've never really found an application to share at the jail or the mission. But this morning I realized there are eight references to innocent children and vulnerable young animals. That was the link, the overwhelming majority of the people I speak to have been abused and molested. 

Aww, but not so in God's kingdom where - 

  "The wolf will lie down with the lamb,

And the leopard will lie down with the young goat,

And the calf and the young lion and the yearling will be together;

And a little child will lead them.

7 Also the cow and the bear will graze,

Their young will lie down together,

And the lion will eat straw like the ox. 

8 The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra,

And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den.

9 They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain,

For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD

As the waters cover the sea."

When I saw this photo I felt like I recognized her, 

I've seen those eyes countless times, 

hardened, 

hiding an inner rage from innumerable betrayals, abuses and violations. 

Broken on the inside, case hardened steel on the outside. 

Necessary for survival.

As near impossible as it is to reach her heart, 

buried in years of  struggle, 

one needs but to introduce her to a young woman who is also fighting the same battles, 

and you will see her heart, 

hidden away from most, pour out and reach out 

with a tenderness you never thought resided in her; 

but it does, 

under layers of anguish, she will go to great sacrifice to support another facing what she's faced. 

Motherly, sisterly... 

She will bare her teeth and claws to do battle with anyone 

who would harm her new, immediate, friend. 

  

 

I have a weekly church service at the county corrections center where I live, and last week there was a young fella about 25 or so, that reminded me of one of my sons. He was an outgoing fella with an approachable face and personality. 

When they come in I shake their hand and introduce myself, then when all have arrived I begin. 

About 15 minutes in, the fella that looked like my son, had to go for some kitchen duties. But about ten minutes later her returned. I said I was glad he was able to come back and he gave me the oddest reason why he came back. 

It wasn't because I was friendly, nor was it that the topic was so riveting, or that I spoke in a way that reached him, no, he told me, 

"The way I shook his hand got to him, and he came back because of that." 

What? A handshake? What did God do in that simple handshake that impacted him? I'll never know, but it goes to show that if we simply show up, prayed up, and prepared, God will do His miraculous work. 

 "Portraying the homeless with a positive approach is a compelling reminder that we are all human.

As viewers stare directly into the powerful gazes, we are invited to actually look beyond the surface

to the strength of each person's character.

“Instead of presenting them as The Other, or, "Those people," and thus, by default, different from us, I wanted to photograph them in a studio setting, against a neutral backdrop, focusing on their individuality rather than on stereotypes.

In essence, I want to show who they are

rather than what they are labeled,” explains the photographer Jan Banning.

This is the mystery of godliness, that when we seek to help the downcast, God brings to light their inner beauty and it eclipses the outward distressing disguise that some have.

 SPIRITUAL GIFTS AND THE "ANOINTING."

On another site a woman asked "what is anointed preaching?"

This is my feeble attempt to answer.

Regarding your question about how to get the anointing.

I'll give you my opinion, and admittedly, this is a controversial subject.

In 1 Corinthians chapter 14, where Paul discusses spiritual gifts; he describes prophecy this way -

"One who prophesies speaks to men for edification, exhortation, and consolation."

Prophecy, which can mean knowing about a future event, also means preaching.

So if someone is anointed, it means they have been given a spiritual gift for the building up of the church.

If someone has the gift of preaching, (prophecy)

it means they have been given a spiritual gift to do so,

and this is called anointing.

Perhaps you've found yourself in a position of helping another in crisis, or teaching a new convert,

or some other circumstance where you sensed the presence of God in an unusually powerful way, that too, would be called being anointed.

God will anoint, or you may call it "assist" a person when they are doing the work of the ministry, at any level. A Sunday school teacher may experience the anointing, or "assistance" of God in a way they would not normally experience it.

As your faith grows and you reach out to others, in the many and varied ways our faith teaches, you will experience the anointing (assistance) at some point.

Personally, I think it not only assists us, but it motivates us to do more; I think it is an inner reward for doing the will of God.

I suppose it is somewhat like the emotions of our conscience; when we do good, our conscience feels clear, it feels something, hard to put into words, but we know it when we feel it.

So in some ways that is like the anointing, better felt than told, but unmistakeable.

In my experience, the higher degree of holiness in living, and the more pure the intentions are, the greater anointing.

The look on this young woman's face....

I've seen it hundreds of times. 

You can see the need in her, to be respected, to be loved, 

and yet you can see in her eyes her mistrust.

 

Will you be one of a countless number 

that abandoned her? 

That betrayed her? 

That use her?

That promise, and lie.....

Christ calls us to minister His love without agenda, 

without expecting anything in return, 

pure, unadulterated concern and care; 

Will I be there?  

 

 

"Good Men Are Not Hard To Find - They Are Hard To Seduce"

There is a common misconception floating around that good men are scarce and elusive creatures that have vanished into thin air. But here's the truth - good men aren't hard to find. They simply aren’t easily captivated by the surface-level charms that many focus on displaying.

A man of substance does not base his choice on passing attractions. He seeks depth, character, someone who aligns with his values and vision. If you’ve been struggling to get the attention of a genuinely good man, it might be time to change your strategy.

What doesn't work:

Tight-fitting clothes and revealing clothes: Yes, these may catch the eye of many, but a good man seeks more than what is on the surface. He seeks a deeper connection than the appearances.

Social media drama: posting exaggerated rants or super select selfies may draw likes, but it won't inspire genuine respect or interest.

Materialism over meaning: flaunting love for luxury or designer labels doesn't impress someone grounded in values.

What works:

1. Character over cleavage: A good man pays attention to how you treat others, your humility and your kindness. A compassionate heart leaves a lasting impression

2. Brains Over Beauty: Intelligence is not about degrees or vocabulary; it's about curiosity, wisdom, and the ability to hold meaningful conversations. Stimulate his mind and you'll gain his admiration.

3. Values over vanity: A man of substance admires a woman with clear values and purpose. Show him your love for growth, your commitment to your faith, or your dedication to something greater than yourself.

4. Consistency over chaos: stability without drama is a magnet for good men. They're looking for someone who can handle life's challenges with grace, not someone who constantly invites unnecessary turbulence.

5. Confidence over Conformity: Be Unapologetically You. A good man respects a woman who knows her worth and isn't afraid to be alone when necessary.

The secret to getting a good man:

A good man doesn't need you to change who you are; he needs you to be who you are - authentically, unapologetically, and with integrity.

He’s not looking for perfection, but someone who complements his own journey, someone with shared values and goals. He realizes the silent strength behind your actions, the way you talk to others and how you carry yourself through the ups and downs of life.

So, if you're striving for a meaningful connection, focus less on fleeting external traits and more on cultivating the qualities that define your inner self. Let your actions, intellect and values speak louder than your clothes or social media.

Be more strategic than pretty. Because when a good man finally notices you, he'll cherish every aspect of who you are — inside and out.

 Sex talk

A brother on a Christian men’s site asked what to do about his wife that doesn’t seem to like sex as much as he.  

I did a little research and shared the following with him. 

 Hi Member, I had to smile when you asked if others have a similar problem. Yes, yes, they do!!!!!!! 

It is an age-old problem and even today with all the sex education available, many men simply don't get it.

 First, let me qualify this by saying there are many women with high sex drives, and in some cases this problem is reversed, the woman wants more than the man. 

I just Googled and read that about 25 to 29% of women have a higher sex drive. 

The question is why, and what to do about it! 

Regarding the "Why" 

here are some reasons for a low libido in women. ------

"What is loss of female libido?

Loss of libido (low libido or low sex drive) is a reduced desire to have sex. Your sex drive can vary during your life. Loss of libido is when your sex drive is less than what is normal for you. 

Low libido is the most common sexual health problem for females.

 What symptoms are related to low libido?

It’s not unusual for people to lose interest in sex at some stage during their life. 

Symptoms of low sex drive or loss of libido might be:

• having no interest in any type of sex including masturbation

• rarely or never having sexual fantasies or thinking of sex

• being unhappy with your low desire for sexual activity

Changes in levels of hormones in your body can lead to changes in your sex drive. These include:

• hormonal changes due to perimenopause or menopause

• some forms of contraception

• pregnancy, giving birth or breastfeeding

Some psychological causes of low libido include:

• stress

• anxiety or depression

• bereavement

• poor body image

• fatigue or exhaustion

• history of unwanted sexual contact

• trauma or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Often, problems with low libido are related to your relationship. For many people, emotional closeness is vital to sexual intimacy. 

Some relationship issues that can be a factor in low sex drive are:

• lack of emotional connection with your partner

• unresolved fights

• being able to communicate about your sexual needs

• trust issues

• not having enough privacy

• illness of your partner

• a change in your partner’s sexual function

Some physical causes of low libido include:

• vaginal dryness

• painful sex

• difficulty reaching female orgasm

• some medicines — including medicines used to treat depression and antipsychotic medications

• underlying health problems like endometriosis, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), depression, cancer, arthritis, or heart problems

• alcohol smoking or illegal drugs

How is the cause of loss of libido diagnosed?

There is no ‘normal’ amount of sex drive, everyone is different. 

Some people may have no or low sex drive which is normal for them.

Some health conditions can cause a low libido. Relationship problems or personal issues are other common causes." 

So, as you can see women are complex and gaining and keeping a healthy sex life is not child's play! So we begin by educating ourselves, and then we move to communication. Sex is so often very difficult to harmonize, and even in the best marriage, sex is complicated and it hits our egos in ways few other things do. Sex, especially if there has been abuse in one of the spouse’s past, success requires real patience on both sides. 

If there has been past abuse, this is something you will have to learn to talk about without triggering or hurting each other. This is such a delicate issue; we must read about methods to help overcome the physical and psychological hindrances.

All marriages have their struggles with sex to some degree; with some it's overcome easily with good communication, and with others it can get so difficult neither is relaxed or enjoys it to the fullest, if at all.

If the relationship is struggling, it's so important to find those times when everything's going well and sit down, pray together, and talk heart to heart. 

The first challenge in marriage is building trust, openness and being able to be vulnerable with each other. 

I would get some counseling by a qualified counselor whenever there is an impasse. 

Left unresolved it rarely gets better. 

I'm no sex therapist, but hopefully somewhere in this you'll find something that hits the mark. God bless you brother.

 

I talked with a 28 year old woman named Isabella at the jail last night, and she's still haunting me this morning. She's a pretty, delicate young woman with  black silken hair, and she only began using drugs when covid started, but what was so unusual was, the first drug she tried was fentanyl. 

She kind of blushed when she said it, knowing most people begin with far less dangerous drugs and work themselves up the ladder, fentanyl being the last. I didn't have much time with her, but enough to learn that her childhood was a living nightmare. I understood.

Towards the end she began opening up more and at one point she told me she had overdosed on fentanyl 26 times!! She explained how her boyfriend and her made an agreement that if one of them OD's the other will rush them to the hospital, but if they revive before they get there, they will go back and continue getting high. She told me she overdosed twice in one night! 

Such a flagrant disregard for her life reveals the depths of depression abuse causes, where one is willing to risk it all just to be free of memories of the past. What of death? Come what may.....

I'm left with such a mixture of turbulent emotions at times like these. Knowing that without ongoing, serious, experienced help, there is little hope for her. What a helpless longing I feel, a mourning deep within me, and yet, such a flood of love and affection that God pours through me as we talk, and remains with me still. I know His shadow hovers and covers, and my heart take refuge in one thing, and one thing only: all of my Hope is in Jesus. 

But Jesus proclaimed  

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives!"

Yes! Jesus saves! I've seen it ore and ore, had I not, I couldn't venture into this murky world of darkness and enslavement. 

The picture is not her, but a random photo from the Internet.