Jewels from Judy: Changes are in the Wind

Judy A Bauman

A word from Abba given on Father’s Day 2019

“While many will say these are times of great peril, it is not unique for the day. Think of days gone by that were times of trouble for mankind. Like ocean waves, humans will rise and fall, come in and go out, push and pull at one another. Violence begets violence until violence is taken over by My love and peace.

“The media is in for a big change. Just as the Grackles (birds) tear up your feeders, the media makes a lot of noise that disturbs the airways. They trouble the people, and many are consumed in the process. The house of cards they’ve built to prop themselves up is coming down.

“Pray for those caught in the web of lies to be set free so that they see their ‘news sources’ for the liars that they are and TURN and follow Me. They need to hear the GOOD NEWS! Remember, I have called what many refer to as millennials, The Turnaround Generation. They need hope. They need the freedom that comes from salvation and deliverance. Pray that they will have not just individual but corporate deliverance.” ~ Abba

I pray this blesses you. There is another word He gave shortly after this about the day and hour we are in that I hope to get out soon.

In the Father’s love,

Judy A Bauman

Jewels from Judy: I Will Bring Justice and Righteousness

Judy A Bauman

www.jewelsfromjudy.com

May 7, 2019

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. Isaiah 55:8

As I awoke on Monday, I heard the Lord say, “Before you read anything this morning, I want to talk to you about My justice.” I sat with my journal and prayed for God’s insight, for forgiveness, and sang Third Day’s song, “Your Love Oh Lord.” When I sang the lyrics, “Your righteousness is like a mighty mountain; Your justice flows like the ocean’s tide,” I heard, “It is time to hear what I have to say about justice.” With pen in hand, I wrote what He said:

 
“Many cry out, ‘How long, Lord? How long will it be before we see justice?’ but child, they fail to remember I Am longsuffering concerning the sins of man. I want all to come to repentance and so I Am slow, oftentimes, in My coming. Yes, there are times when I am swift, but what many don’t see is how many chances I gave before My swiftness was seen.

“As in the days when My people were enslaved in Egypt, I gave Pharaoh many chances. Ten plagues was not my desire, but it reveals the depth of hardness of a person’s heart. Even then, he was unrelenting to the point of chasing My people into the sea. I give warnings to those murdering My people. I want all to come to repentance, but some are like Pharaoh who wants to see only blood. The blood they will see last is their own and then the judgment.

“Many times people call to Me to get them out of a difficult situation, but they don’t like My solution. My way out for the children of Israel was not what they ever could have imagined. Would a man pray to either be driven to the point of facing a fierce army without weapons or walking into the sea to get to the other side?

“I told the disciples they would be baptized into the baptism of suffering that I was. Do many understand that? Do many realize I was baptizing the nation of Israel? Look how they behaved afterwards. They tried to cover up their sin with Aaron claiming the calf just jumped out of the fire! When in reality they fashioned their idols from their own gold.

“So what does this have to do with you and with My Church today? I give warning to My Church to be led of My Spirit and not of their flesh because where My Spirit is, there is life and liberty. Where I Am is ignored, there is bondage and death. I want my people to be free: Free to rejoice! Free to live! Free to worship in spirit and in truth! Free to love! Free to follow Me!

Nevertheless, remember I lead where the hearts of man do not want to go, but it is the Way of Righteousness. It is the way of My Spirit. I will take you through the desert, through the valley, through the sea, around the mountains, to the Promised Land, but I will not take you an easy route. The flesh desires ease, and when it gets it, the flesh becomes slothful. That trap must be broken. It must be smashed to bits!

“The days are evil, but I will redeem them if you go My Way of Righteousness. I implore you to go the Way of Righteousness through the veil – through the Body of Christ, which was torn open so you can come boldly into the Holy of Holies in your time of need. Do not delay! I will bring justice and righteousness.”

Scriptures to ponder: Rev 6:10; Ex 34:6; Ps 86:15; Ex 9:34-35; 32:24; 1 Tim 2:1-4; Mark 10:38-39; Phil 3:10; Rev 19:19-21; Gal 5:1;Is 61:1; 2 Co 3:17; Ps 36:9; Matt 27:51; Heb 4:14-16; 10:19-21

Note: As I sat to write this post, a news alert came up that Governor Brian Kemp of Georgia, where I reside, was signing the Heartbeat Bill, which prohibits abortion after a heartbeat is detected. Hallelujah for the justice of God in this hour!

Jewels from Judy: The Cross Rises

Judy A Bauman

In July 2000, after taking the Lord’s Supper in the home of our elders, we quietly worshipped God around their dining room table. There was such a sweet and powerful presence of the Lord, so we all sat in prayer and quiet adoration for some time. Suddenly, I heard a deep rumbling like an earthquake. I opened my eyes and the rumbling stopped. Looking at them, I saw everyone else still had their eyes closed in prayer. Thinking I must have imagined it, I shut my eyes and immediately the rumbling resumed! When I opened my eyes, the rumbling stopped. Everyone still had their heads bowed in worship, and it was clear that I was the only one hearing this alarming noise.
 

This time I closed my eyes and kept them shut when I heard the deep rumbling sound. In my mind’s eye, I saw a very craggy looking, rough wooden beam coming up through the middle of the table and knew it was the Cross of Christ! Though afraid, I was compelled to watch and see what the Lord was showing me. As it continued to rise, I saw the thorns twisted around, and then the top of Jesus' head. It continued to rise and I could see the nail-like thorns smashed into His bleeding head. Knowing what was to come next, I turned away because I didn't want to see anymore.
 

The rumbling continued and got louder as the Cross continued to rise. I was shaken to my core, afraid to look at it – at Him! The Holy Spirit gently beckoned me to reopen my spiritual eyes. When I did, I saw Jesus’ chest and arms extended out onto the crossbeam, but when I saw His hands nailed into the Cross, I became so grief-stricken and terrified at the gruesome sight, I turned away again.
 

Even though I had been praying to see Him, I didn't want to see Jesus like this! While I was tearfully pleading with Him to show me no more, I realized the rumbling had stopped. I looked again and saw the Cross directly above me. It was as if I was physically at the foot of the Cross at Golgotha! Jesus tenderly yet firmly spoke to my heart, "Look at Me." Slowly I looked, first seeing His feet nailed into the wood and then His muddy and lacerated legs. There was a mixture of dried and fresh blood running down them. Then I looked higher and saw the face of Christ beaten to a bloody pulp. His eyes were very swollen. I didn't want to look anymore; I couldn't bear it.
 

Then His sweet voice resolutely commanded, "Look at Me!" I looked straight at His beaten and disfigured face and wept. He slightly opened His left swollen eye and looked long at me. It broke my heart to see Him in such terrible pain and so close to death, but even at such a dark time there was a light in His eye that compelled me to gaze at Him. Then He did something that shocked me. He mustered a grin, winked at me, and said, "Watch what happens next, Toots!" Suddenly, a brilliant flash of light appeared and split the sky from one end of the horizon to the other, east to west. At that very moment, the vision ended and everyone else at the table spontaneously lifted their heads, opened their eyes, and started to praise God aloud!
 

At first, I wasn't sure what had just happened. I was especially confounded that Jesus called me “Toots” and wondered if He would say such a thing. Toots was something my dad and uncle affectionately called me when I was a child. This perplexed me, as I had not thought about that nickname for years. I knew this is not something I would ever think Jesus, especially from the Cross, would call me. However, the Lord used it to confirm this was a vision and did not originate out of my imagination. When I saw the flash of light, I knew it was the light of Jesus’ resurrection.
 

I will add here, to the glory of God, this vision happened four years prior to Mel Gibson's movie, The Passion of the Christ. When I saw that movie, I was so stunned; and not only because of its content, but because the actor looked exactly like Jesus in the vision! The only difference I could detect was that the swelling of the eye in the movie was the right eye and in my vision, it was the left one – like a mirror image. This was also a year before Third Day released the song, “Show me Your glory.” (I encourage you to look it up and give it a listen!)
 

It is my hope that this testimony edifies you this holy holiday. Happy Resurrection Day!

In the Father’s love,
Judy A Bauman

Jewels from Judy: An Excerpt from Jewels from the River

Dear Friends,

Recently, a trusted friend said that the Lord was calling me to write another book and I already know what it’s about and what to call it. (That’s because I thought it would be my first book!) I really love sharing what God has given me because I know His purpose is to encourage you!

Today, I posted a public post on Facebook (meaning anyone can see it whether you have an account or not) with an excerpt from Jewels from the River. It dawned on me that I should share it with my subscribers too!

This comes from a powerful encounter entitled, “Awaken to the Revealing.” (Pages 162-164). I pray it blesses you!

“Jewels from the River” excerpt “Awaken to the Revealing”

Jesus! Captain of the Angels

Reaching the base of the path, I see the Lord approaching. The Lord is wearing thick leather armor with a sword in its sheath. Though strong and fierce in appearance, it is also elegant and regal in its design. He’s taking long strides and there is an unusual urgency to His steps. As Jesus’ gait intensifies, the sword swings dramatically at His side in rhythm with His quickened pace. Beholding the glory and might of Jesus as the Captain of the army of heavenly hosts takes my breath away.^[i] Following behind Him is a garrison of angels. I curtsey low at the sight of the King and this heavenly multitude approaching me and stay bowed. The Lord commands, “Arise, and come with Me.” I stand, take His hand, and Jesus escorts me to a place to sit, observe, and scribe as He addresses His angelic troops.

The Lord’s Orders:

Though He speaks in a language unknown to me, I understand exactly what He is saying to the angels and carefully record His words.^[ii] “This day marks a new day in the days of creation. Even rocks cry out for My return, but the time is not yet. Fullness must come to My own. They need time to awaken. They are sleepy as if drugged -- and drugged they are! Media has drugged them. Entertainment has drugged them. The world’s governmental issues have troubled the masses. They slumber because their hearts have grown weak from eating a continual diet of fear.^[iii]

“I Am sending you out in force to roust the saints of God, My chosen and elect. Call, call, call, beckon, beckon, beckon the sons of God, both male and female, to awaken to the revealing. Shake them out of their deep sleep and cause them to ARISE!^[iv] Give heed to My orders and follow My voice. We will witness the great move you have heard of from old. Creation itself will also be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. Cause My Church, My believers, to awaken to the groaning that is deep within them for the fulfillment of their adoption as sons.^[v] Tell them, ‘Your light has come, and the glory of the Lord is seen upon you!’ Yes, the light will shine brightly, even dim lights, because of the dark days that are upon the earth.”^[vi] Angels numbering in the thousands cheer the Lord. I jump up from my seat and cheer along with them. He is majestic; there is none like Him!^[vii]

Instructions for the Day

One by one, the angels receive a rolled-up scroll containing their assignment from the Lord.^[viii] At the same time, they are dressed in attire that will allow them to move inconspicuously among the people they are sent to help. Some are in business attire while others wear uniforms or casual street clothing. After receiving their orders, each angel salutes Jesus. Every salute is unique and expresses awe, adoration, and obedience of heart to God while also conveying a private message relating to past missions in service to their Commander. Their level of respect for the KING of kings is incalculable. Jesus also takes the time to express His appreciation by returning a unique salutation in acknowledgement.

Given the multitude of angels and the sense of urgency in the Lord’s voice, one would think this extensive interaction between Jesus and each angel is taking far too much time. In an instant, I receive fresh revelation about time. God is Omnipresent: He is everywhere at once, as well as in all times. Jesus is not in a hurry because in God is the fullness of time!^[ix] When the Lord completes His official business with the angels, these dedicated ones depart so fast, I cannot tell if they fly, run, or just disappear.

Jesus’ Heart for the Church

All the angels except....

To order your signed copy, go to www.jewelsfromjudy.com/bookstore. It is also available in eBook on Amazon, Nook and iBook

Many blessings in the Father’s love
Judy A Bauman


 

Jewels from Judy: A Valentine from Heaven

It was two days before Valentine’s Day 1997, and though my life looked wonderful from every angle, deep down I was miserable. I tried ‘to be a good person’ and live my life in a way that would be pleasing to my fellowman, but all the community works I was juggling did not fill the void in my soul. At the end of the day, I was exhausted and empty. Occasionally, I would get a glimpse of why I was so unhappy and what I needed – I needed the Lord! Sadly, I would quickly reject this notion because it wasn’t convenient to my lifestyle. Rejecting God was justifiable in my mind because I knew I couldn’t live up to His standards. Though I looked to the world for acceptance and comfort, I never seemed fulfilled. I was in a frightening and unwinnable battle.

The void began when my father suddenly passed away. He was only 43 years old and left behind a wife and three children, as well as his parents who daily relied on his help. Well-meaning clergy told us, “God must have needed him,” and that “he was in a better place.” This didn’t bring consolation to my grief-stricken heart. My sister, brother, and I were sent to live with relatives that summer. Though young, my sister was soon married and moved to her own place. My brother’s bedroom was the walk-in closet of our aunt’s teenage boys – placing him continually at their mercy. My bedroom housed the huge gas floor furnace in the unfinished basement. Night after night I would earnestly cry out to God from that room, “Why my dad, why me?” I agonized over the loss of my dad and listened for an answer, but none came. I also learned to listen for sneaking feet coming down the stairs in the middle of the night. It was a time fraught with dangers for my brother and I.

Meanwhile, my mother worked to stabilize our housing so we could come back and live with her. Unfortunately, her life was also full of snares, so it took more time than we ever imagined. Three years later, we moved into a home with her and the nightly threats and torment were over. Though I was often rebellious, we had many good times together. We traveled some and even spent an entire summer in Oregon. After coming back to our home state of Colorado, the unthinkable happened. Doctors diagnosed my mother with breast cancer. I never doubted that she would recover (because surely God would not ‘take’ her too). However, after a few years, and much suffering, she succumbed to the ravages of the disease. At her funeral I again heard from well-meaning folks, “She’s in a better place,” and “God must have needed her.” Really? More than her children? It did not sit well.

Deeply dismayed, my confusion turned to anger that burned hot against God. He seemed selfish and more like a big bully who was no different from Greek gods who threw lightning bolts or hit people with a huge hammer. I decided if God was so selfish that He needed my parents more than their three children did, I didn’t want anything to do with Him. I would live my life my way, not His! Anytime the subject of God came up, I was like a cornered cat ready to fight; my cynicism towards Christianity and disdain for Christians grew. Some would try to explain to me how the Lord was loving, kind, and good. I reasoned, if God were truly loving, why wouldn’t He have kept my parents from dying? If He were kind and good, why wouldn’t He just put an end to all the suffering and evil in the world?

This is where I found myself on the morning of February 12, 1997 – drowning in my own sorrow. Deep down I knew only God could rescue me. I saw on the calendar that it was not only two days from Valentine’s Day, but also the first day of Lent. Oddly, something went off inside me. It was HOPE! Jesus had been drawing me to Himself for months, and though I had been keeping Him at arm’s length, I could ignore Him no longer. God was throwing a lifeline into my Pit of Despair, and I prayed that if I clung onto it, He would be merciful and pull me out.

I found an old Bible and began to read in Psalm 107: Then I cried to the Lord in my trouble and He saved me from my distress; He sent forth His word and healed me and saved me from destruction! I fell to my knees, and thanked Him for His goodness. I repented of sinning against Him. Later I found in John 10:10 where Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” This Scripture immediately dispelled the lie that God had killed my parents. I saw the “thief” had come to kill, steal, and destroy – not my heavenly Father. Oh, friends, how might that have eased my suffering had someone shared that truth with me from early on?

In that moment, the Holy Spirit gave me great freedom, and peace flooded my soul. I knew Jesus didn’t condemn me but filled my emptiness with joy. He adopted me! As a child of God, I had a sense of belonging that I had never known. I began reading and truly studying the Bible. I saw it was like a beautiful tapestry that, through many authors over thousands of years, God had woven together. I could have never imagined it, but I found the Bible to be wonderful and freeing.

You do not have to be an orphan to experience the debilitating wounds from being abandoned or rejected. We each have our own story of how we’ve been beaten and battered. We have fought with discouragement, doubt, and unbelief. At some point, all of us have been, or will be, wounded by different tragedies and heartbreaks. Our heavenly Father’s desire is for all mankind to experience His forgiveness and abiding love. The most wonderful Valentine’s gift anyone could ever receive is to be adopted by the King of kings! Being reconciled to God is a gift that anyone can accept at any time.

“God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”

He gave His best so we can live abundantly. Every day is Valentine’s Day with Jesus!

In the Father's Love, 
Judy A Bauman

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I'm not sure the date that I first wrote and shared this but the earliest date I can find is 2008. This edit was done in 2016. The photo shared is one I took in 2009. 




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Jewels from Judy: A Day to Celebrate!

Judy A Bauman

February 5, 2019

https://www.thefathersloveim.org/jewels_from_judy_blog/view/2335/a_day_to_celebrate

For the past 49 years of my life, February 5^th has NOT been a day to celebrate, but rather, a day to battle grief from my father’s sudden passing. Nearly every year, I would relive the events of that fateful night, and it was awful. The Lord has granted degrees of deliverance from the trauma after receiving His saving grace, but I learned the hard way that I needed to bolster my armor to prepare for this sorrowful anniversary. If I didn’t, the enemy would use my suffering to his advantage.

Last year, something wonderful happened on this date that was completely out of my control, and I didn’t learn of it until weeks later. Many of you know it took me a grueling four years to finish my second book, Jewels from the Harvest. It was in November of 2017 that I first sent it to the publisher, but there was a bit more work to do to get it finalized. In January, it was typeset for publication.

I told the Lord that I was sorry it took so long for me to write the book. I knew He had wrestled with me to get it done, but His gracious reply to me was, “It is exactly on time.” The Lord set me up for a special surprise because the final publication date 'so happened to be' February 5, 2018! When I saw it, in my mind’s eye I saw a huge fist hit the “devil of torment” so hard its teeth went flying before it hit the ground! It was a one-punch knockout blow!
Since I didn’t know the publish date last year, this is the first anniversary I can share this amazing victory. There has been no grief or sorrow; nor any preparation for a fight because I know it’s over. The battle is won and victory is complete ~ it is finished! I have joy and satisfaction knowing my Father always has a plan – even He seems to tarry, He is on time. As Habakkuk 2:3 promises:

“For the vision is yet for the appointed time;
It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
For it will certainly come, it will not delay.”

While 49 years may seem a long time, it is but a mist in the annals of time. God is revealing this number is significant and part of His gift. If I understand this correctly, 49 equals 7 Sabbaths of years, and consecrates the following 50th year of Jubilee. (See Leviticus 25, especially verses 8-10.) Jubilee is significant as it is a time of personal liberty, restitution, and living the simple life. This is amazing! I had to read that several times because it seems too good to be true, but God doesn’t lie.

Beloved, we are not to live complicated, distressed, fear-filled, or mournful lives, but lives blessed by God’s liberty and restitution. No matter what has been taken from us, we can find wholeness in the embrace of the Father’s love. How awesome is it that God pays attention to the details of our lives in ways to restore what has been lost to us. I pray you rejoice with me, and in that, you too receive personal liberty and restitution in all things through Jesus’ mighty name. Amen!

Hallelujah! Glory to God for His ways are not our ways!

December 2018 Update!

It is my hope that this update finds you well and at peace after the Christmas rush. As a child, I used to feel sad when it was over, but now I feel relieved! Funny how our perspective changes with time.

Though it has been a quiet year for the ministry in many respects, it has not been a year without significance.

1. Early in February, my second book was published, remarkably, on the anniversary of my dad’s passing. It was a wonderful and victorious gift of God because I submitted it in November 2017!

Jewels from the Harvest - Sound the Trumpet the Fields are Ripe is now available through my website, Xulon, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iBook.

2. Though I had continued taking mission trips at the Lord’s leading, in 2008 I began experiencing increasingly painful arthritic issues in multiple joints. This made travel in ministry difficult, but not impossible. By 2012, the pain levels had become much worse. In 2014, a doctor tried to convince me that I needed a three-level back fusion, but I did not have peace about this option. (A second opinion confirmed it would not have helped because it was not actually the primary area of pain.)

This past June, after years of prayer, chiropractic care, physical therapy, and other treatments, I had a dream that led me to an orthopedic doctor with Regenexx. I did a lot of research before my husband and I agreed this was the specific route I was to take. In October, I had multiple areas treated with my own PRP (plasma rich platelets) as well as stem cells taken from my hipbone marrow. Areas treated included my neck (C-5 to C-7), right shoulder, my low back (L-4 to L-5 to Sacrum) and SI Joint (the sacroiliac joint connects the back of the hip to the spine); both knees (my left actually had bruising in the bone), and both ankles. After two and a half months of recovery, I am pleased to report that this has been an effective treatment. It is not that I am totally out of pain, but I am in much less pain and can do things I haven’t been able to do in years. The doctor reports that most patients see the greatest improvement after 3 months, so I am looking forward to that!

3. Two weeks after my treatments, my husband and I laid eyes on our first grandchild, Anthony Dean! Our daughter, her husband, and the baby stayed with us two weeks while mommy recovered. It was a very special time to bond with this baby boy, and it is such a blessing that he knows his grandparents! Now that I am a bit more mobile, I hope to be able to do many things in the days to come, both with him and in the ministry.

THE FATHER’S LOVE IS DEVELOPING THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT!

I believe 2019 is a year that the Father is focusing on developing the FRUIT of the Spirit in His Body. There is more to share on this, but I know it is a year to ASK the Father and not give up asking, seek and keep seeking, knock and be relentless! I pray we allow God to train us so that we may reap the peaceable fruit of righteousness as well as reaping a harvest. Amen!

Lastly, I need your help. Not only in prayer for direction and clarity, but it is my hope that five of you will stand with me in 2019 with a monthly donation of $10. That is the small amount needed to keep the website and 501c3 (tax-deductible credentials) current.  If you feel you are to help me, please click the donate button at the top of the home page at www.thefathersloveim.org. Thank you for your kind consideration in this matter.

I pray this 2019 New Year will prove to be one that the Lord develops lasting fruit in you and that we will be able to share the Good News of God’s love to the nations!
 

In the Father’s love,

Judy A Bauman

(To find me on Facebook, where I share many short exhortations, look for me through the email thefatherslove@yahoo.com. Thank you! )

Jewels from Judy: Praying For Our Peace at Christmas!

In Jesus’ name, I greet you and am excited to share an important revelation with you. If you wrestle with sorrow at Christmas because of the loss or longing for a loved one, you know it’s a horrible experience. It doesn’t help that the world is singing, "It’s the most wonderful time of the year!" Losing my parents when I was young caused me to long for them each year, and I had a tendency to compare whatever was happening to my joyful childhood memories. Nothing can live up to that! Thanksgiving Day and other holidays were often difficult, but the loneliest time was always Christmas. Since walking with the Lord, He has provided a great deal of deliverance, healing, and freedom in this area, but recently I had another epiphany.

My friend Barbara Sependa wrote a blog (linked below), and as I read it, the Lord dropped more revelation and understanding into my soul. The heart of her message illuminated to me that instead of surviving waves of sorrow, we are to rejoice within our fond memories. Dare I say, they can even comfort us! (Could the Lord be revealing how those who mourn will be comforted?)  Her blog really opened my eyes that in our heart, we can indeed “go home” and instead of feeling sorrow, rejoice as we recall those good memories! As I read what she shared, I saw how the devil had used my grief for years to keep me chained to the past (and that he abuses many of us in this manner). If we perpetually replay events (good and bad) to our detriment, then we will have little to no victory. Praise God that we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us!

I want to encourage you to take every thought captive and think on whatever is pure, lovely, righteous, and of good report, as the Apostle Paul taught us. If we will capture our thoughts and make them obedient to Christ, we can remember those times with joy anew not longing, torment, and sorrow. What a fabulous way to honor those we love and miss by celebrating, truly celebrating, the greatest gift the world will ever know. God sent His Son, Jesus the Messiah, to set us free from sin and death! Hallelujah!
 

It is my sincere prayer that you experience the peace of God that surpasses understanding, and that you have a very Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!

In the Father’s love,

Judy A Bauman

(See 2 Corinthians 10:3-6; Romans 8:37; Philippians 4:4-8; Matthew 5:4)

To read Barbara’s blog, go to: https://www.believingwomeninconversation.community/blog/2018/12/18/are-you-going-home-for-christmas?fbclid=IwAR04tU5E-y8ZKk0CsgaEAf9-jyEzZ97WO-aHIi2EuNZbn3rnZS6OAyKj5kI

Dear Friends of The Father’s Love Int’l Ministries,

A couple of years ago, the Lord spoke something to my heart that was very simple but profound. I was asking for His wisdom and guidance for this ministry and He said, “This isn’t a destination you are on with Me, it is a journey, so enjoy the journey. ENJOY THE JOURNEY!” As we abide in the Father, our destination is secure in Christ. Navigating the journey we call “life” is not an easy thing, and we know there are hardships and trials, yet again the Lord reminds us to “Enjoy the journey!”

This week, my husband Jeff and I are celebrating the birth of our first grandchild! Anthony Dean was born by cesarean section on October 21, 2018 and was 8lbs 10oz. Because of the unexpected complications of his birth, our daughter, her husband, and he are staying with us as momma heals. On top of this, the first week of October I had medical treatments performed on many of my joints. I am improving, but still recovering. Jeff travels for work, but he’s been home most of this month, so that is good because he’s really enjoying the new grandbaby. Our son stays with us when he is not driving long-haul from Detroit to Laredo and will be home today for the week. Obviously, there is a lot going on at the Bauman house right now, and yes, we are enjoying the journey!

While my family traverses these life changes, I continually look to the Father for direction for the ministry. It is His and I will only go when, and where He directs me. My prayer is that the two books He commissioned me to write over the past few years will bless those who read them. The encounters I share in Jewels from the River and Jewels from the Harvest are very much like parables. They reveal a lot of what the world and the Church (Ekklesia) is going through NOW! God explained to Habakkuk that he was to write the vision and make it clear, so that the one who reads it could run with the message. This was the directive the Lord gave me. If you have read either or both of the books, I would love to hear from you. If you are interested in receiving signed copies, they can be ordered at the website linked below. The books can also be found at Amazon and Barnes and Noble online, and electronic versions are available.

Until next time, I pray you remain in the Father’s love!
Rev. Judy A Bauman

www.thefathersloveim.org

Where was God on 9/11?

Judy A Bauman

Eleven days after terrorists flew two commercial airliners full of passengers into the North and South Towers of the World Trade Center (WTC), I found myself walking through the ash and debris at “Ground Zero” in New York City. I remember, and will never forget the surreal magnitude of the scene.

I traveled to NYC to serve as a volunteer at the emotionally charged Family Assistance Center. The night of my arrival, I went to a service at Faith Tabernacle where I met a local Christian woman who offered accompany me to Ground Zero the following day. Our goal was to pray over the City. As I waited for her the next morning at a local cafe, I noticed many weary police officers were also there grabbing a quick bite and cup of coffee. One officer I spoke with told me that he had not had a day off since the attacks, they were all pulling double shifts, and he had not even been home to see his wife and three children! While he held onto his strong NYPD persona, I could see the toll the past 11 days had taken on him. I told him I would be praying for him as he headed out the door and he thanked me.

Just then, my new friend came in and we took the subway into Lower Manhattan. As we emerged from the depths of the subway, a horrible stench met us. Pungent smoke permeated the atmosphere from the fire, which had been burning since the attacks. A thick layer of white ash covered everything in sight. Stores stood motionless; and the merchandise inside looked more like monuments than everyday goods. A cacophony of wailing sirens and deep growls from the machinery echoed off the city walls. The nation watched with anticipation as frantic and exhausted workers cleared the wreckage searching for survivors.

Under the safety of a temporary corridor, a throng of onlookers moved like one giant body. We collectively came to a halt as each of us gasped at the horrendous panorama of the WTC’s skeletal remains. Even though we had seen it unfold for days on TV, we could only look in bewilderment at the massive ruins and destruction set before us. Some observers had to stop and steady themselves. Most looked at each other with tears of disbelief; some screamed in dismay and wept uncontrollably. The sheer magnitude of it, even though we had seen it on the news, was shocking. The ability to hear, think, or feel had left us.

Several city blocks away from the daunting work at Ground Zero, some of Lower Manhattan was open to the public. My guide pointed out the building of her displaced church. It, along with many of the buildings at Ground Zero, had destabilized foundations because of the massive building collapses. Authorities were determining whether repairs were possible, or if the structures around the WTC would need demolishing. We stopped and especially prayed for her church, but also over the other huge buildings thought to be at risk. When we finished, we looked up and were shocked to find no one else was in the vicinity! It was eerie. The surrounding buildings sheltered us from the noise, causing “the City that never sleeps” to be unnervingly quiet! In a hushed whisper, my companion revealed as a native of NYC, she had never experienced such deafening silence in her lifetime. The City was indeed in mourning. Block after block we took in all we saw as we slowly walked through it. Sometimes we prayed together, but mostly we prayed under our breath. When we ran out of words, we prayed in the spirit.

This deserted area of Lower Manhattan left its mark on my soul. Many vehicles sat abandoned in the streets – shrouded in thick ash. Parking garages full of cars were not exempt. The white powdery substance covered everything. Oddly, inside one parking garage we saw anomalous objects, like pieces of office equipment and furniture. We tried to imagine how office furniture could land deep inside the covered parking garage. It didn’t seem physically possible. One car was so violently jolted out of its parking spot that its front-end hung outside the third level of the five-story garage! Sorrow hit our hearts like a dagger when we realized some of the vehicles belonged to victims. Even though we felt deep sorrow, the peace of God was as tangible as the blanket of silence and solitude that encircled us.

What I witnessed that day in the rubble of NYC reminded me of the overwhelming ruins of my own life before I asked Jesus to rescue me. For years, I rejected His help. He had been there holding out His hand, but I refused to take it. Like that car, my life was precariously perched, and the slightest shift could have caused me to plummet into total destruction. I knew I didn’t deserve God’s love, but He loved me anyway! Just as the workers at Ground Zero carefully removed a mountain of debris bucket by bucket, I know the Redeemer of my soul removed, and continues to remove, the ash from my life. If we will receive it, He truly will give beauty for ashes as Scripture promises.

Many people have asked me where my loving, faithful God was on 9/11, and I can safely say He was in the same place He was when Jesus went to the cross. Nothing surprises God. He knows the cost of giving mankind the gift of freewill. Some use their freedom to hurt innocent people, as the terrorists did on 9/11; others, like the public servants of NYC, use it to help souls in need, even at the cost of their own lives. I pray as you read this that you realize Jesus bought and paid for your sins with His own life. He chose to lay down His life because He wanted you to be reunited and reconciled to God the Father. It is for the sake of freedom Christ set us free! Everything changes when we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior. While life may not be easy, with God, all things are possible! The question is not so much, where is God in the day of tragedy, because He will never abdicate His throne; the questions we have should be addressed to the one who looks back at us in the mirror. Will we trust and have faith in God no matter what life throws at us? Will we remember to seek our Father, who is our Ever-present Help in times of trouble? Even if we forget, the Good News is that the Lord never forgets His love for us.