Through My Valleys

I have found that God speaks to us in many different ways, He sends "His Word" to us, sometimes when we least expect it.

I have learned to listen for the "voice of God" when my faith is tested. Of course I search the Scriptures and I might choose a preaching CD or podcast on the topic of my trial, but mostly I spend my times of testing just listening. His voice may come in the form of something I see, or through a conversation with a total stranger, (yes I do talk to strangers, regardless of what Ronnie James Dio says, haha). The Word from God may come through a friend or a spiritual leader. It may come through a preaching or from a book. Regardless of where it does come from, one thing is certain; If you are not listening, you will miss it. If you remain focused on the problem then the solution may slip right on by.

What I love most about God, and there are many reasons I do love Him, but one main reason is, His still small voice. He comes to me with a still small voice and the quietness of it drowns out all the chaos and noise of trouble. He has taught me to listen when my world is crumbling around me and though sometimes this may seem impossible, and I can hear you now screaming at me 'But You Dont Know What I Am Going Through!' I can promise you this, He does.

If you find yourself struggling through trouble stop where you are, cease all effort to free yourself and listen for His still small voice. It will come. When your mind demands that you think upon your troubles, take that thought captive, make it obedient to Christ and be still and listen. If you can remain expectant and stand back from the worry or the pain or even the fear, then you can be sure you have positioned yourself to hear from God and even more sure He will be faithful and not leave you without direction.

I hope you find yourself on the far side of your valley today, ready for the trek up the mountain of promise. God Bless!

Rescued From Destruction

THERE IS A STORY THAT GOES ALONG WITH THIS MUG SHOT.

I was arrested in the middle of the night for under the influence of heroin. I had a campsite set up alongside the RR tracks near skid row of Salinas, CA and every so often the night shift officers would come and check me out and see who I had with me, they were looking for absconders. My camp was pretty large and it was waterproof so every night people would come to me and I would charge them to stay the night, either drugs, money or they would be a lookout for a couple of hours. I was a small time street pusher at the time so I would spend the nights packaging dope and getting high with whoever was there. That night the Sergeant shows up and calls out to me, “Who do have in there Cy?” He knew me from the many times he had been there. He never really harassed me he would just do his rounds and check up, I believe he really did care for the people out there. That night he was training a couple of rookies, and after admitting to the sergeant that I had used heroin earlier in the day, like I always did while being questioned and searched, I mean why lie, he just gave me the talk about turning my life around. The rookie on the other hand figured I needed taking off the streets. He arrested me and took me in. I appealed to the sergeant but what was he going to do take the side of a junkie over fellow officers?

Interesting thing is I always posted a lookout while I packaged my drugs, but this time the guy out there had warrants so when he saw the cops sneaking up on us he quietly snuck out of there to hide. I never knew they were coming.

I had my guard down, not because there was no-one posted to be a look-out but because I had left the Stronghold of my Savior and pitched my tent in the enemies’ camp. I had no protection from my enemies that surrounded me, but God rescued me from serious trouble. I did about 5 days in jail that time and while I was down some men came to my camp in the middle of the night to do me great harm. When I did get out of jail and I returned everyone was telling me how a bunch of men came with shotguns to kill me, apparently I had made someone mad. It happens on the streets sometimes, worst thing to do is get caught slippen.

One thing I used to do was allow prostitutes to stay there and use my camp, they always kicked down cash or drugs for me doing it but I did it for other reasons. I wouldn’t take advantage of them, just give them a place to do their thing instead of out in the bushes and plus they also bought a lot of drugs from me and brought buyers to me too. I truly did feel very bad for them, they had it the hardest of all street people. It was probably someone’s pimp or connection that was mad at me. I never knew why they came. I knew who they were but not what beef they had with me. By the time I was released and returned to my camp, these men have all been arrested themselves and I never had to be confronted by them.

Even in my backslidden state and in the condition I was in at the time God still had His hand on my life. People will always claim, "Oh it just wasn't your time", but the truth is it just wasn't God's time to let me go. His Word says He will never leave you or forsake you and this picture is proof of that. God also says that "Who so ever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved!" And the man you see on the right at one time begged God to save his soul and God was faithful. He not only freed me from the guilt of my sins but He also filled me with an abundant life as well. That is why the smile.

In my memory there are so many more images that took place between the time of these two you see here, and they are far more shocking to behold and way more revealing of God's Amazing Grace and Mercy.

My friend Bonnie commended me for the courage it took to post this the last time I did and though I love you for your words Bon please understand, it took no courage at all to post these pictures. It’s all gratitude. I thank God for finding me at my worst and still loving me. My prayer is that through this picture His love will be revealed to another. God Bless You All and thank you for taking the time to read this.

Let Freedom Reign!

One thing is certain, "IF" Conservatives take over the House next month, then there stands a good chance we will be able to gage how effective they can be compared to the left and also how ineffective the left has been and may have been if they were allowed, by majority vote, to continue to take this country in the direction they have these last four years.

Or, and I say this with great trepidation, we may learn that not even the right had it right. My view is that when the dust settles then a lot of people in the middle are going to slap their forehead and say, Man what an idiot I was to fall for the bait of "Hope and Change."

And of course the real story will be told in 2012, I only "Hope" that the only "Change" we experience is this nation changing back to one with a more patriotic viewpoint.

I love my country and I think the one thing that has angered me most of what Pres. Obama has done, is portray this Nation as one who has had it wrong all these many years that we have been THE SUPERPOWER of the world. None have spent more lives, more resources, and more time in the aid to other nations, many of which had nothing to give back in return. When disaster hits we are there. When oppression rears its head, we are there to lop it off. When there is suffering of the masses, we suffer alongside. When the world shudders from human tragedy, we don’t wait for an invitation, we just respond.

Obama needs to get a clue; this nation is too big and too good for the likes of him. The only Leader who is qualified to lead this country is FREEDOM, because it is Freedom that we share with the world. When we meet a need in a far away land, it is FREEDOM we bring. The Freedom to live life governed by morality and compassion, not tyranny, oppression and corruption.

When I vote this November, I will be voting for Freedom, not government. LET FREEDOM REIGN!