Sunday, September 23, 2007

Miracles


Rocky flopped in the grass, pointing his legs in the air and wiggling back and forth, enjoying the good scratch while giving us that goofy grin of his.

"He always enjoys every bit of life," Brenda said.


He does. He runs and plays and rolls around and grins constantly. He acts more like a six month old dog than one of seven years.

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Yesterday was a big day. We went to check out a group home for Jeremiah.

Though it seemed clean, and he would be provided with a room with its own half bath and fed well, there really wasn't anything there for him. The living room held a tv set and a horseshoe shape arrangement of couches.

The people running it, a brother and sister, are from Ethiopia. Their accents a little thick. There was something unsettling about them I couldn't quite put my finger on.

They seemed confused about our questions about Jeremiah going outside. They spoke about the basketball court at the nearby church, but the idea of enjoying the outdoors didn't register to them. Their lawns were mowed, but the grass was brown. It takes very little effort to have a green lawn in Oregon. Water once a week in July and it will be fine.

I did my best to not pay too much attention to the woman. She was well endowed and her tight blouse barely contained her... assets. Brenda told me later that one of her nipples was partially exposed the whole time.

We took the long way home, driving through the country, and quickly agreed that it was not the place for Jeremiah. It was a house and not a home. The only other current resident was a female who seemed nearly catatonic. He would have no friends there.

As we were entering Newberg Brenda cleared her throat.

"I guess I will do my best at being a family again."

"Are you saying what I think you are saying?

"Yes," she said quietly.

We stopped at a pub. She had a few beers. I had a couple of drinks. We talked about the mess we are in. She regrets what she will have to tell this other man.

We talked about Jeremiah needing more training to be ready for the outside world. We spoke in terms of one to three years.

Things became a little lighter for a while.

We went home. Put our kids to bed.

We were lying in bed and she sighed...

"I want to enjoy life. I want to feel every bit of it. I want to run wild and free."

She grew quiet. I knew she was thinking about the other man.

Lying in the dark I knew she was crying.

"Do you want me to hold you?"

"No."

I waited a little while, slipped out and slept on the couch.

She has been moody today. I know she feels trapped, She has been saying things about what a good man I am. She said that this other guy told her I must be a good man because of the way I have been handling all of this.

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I spoke with my pastor the other day about my sense of evil spirits, that there has been something lurking about our home, and especially Jeremiah, for some time. I don't like to think about such things. I really avoid it. But there has been some strange things going on.

A woman came up to me after church and said that our pastor had spoken to her husband about my concerns and that they would be helping us in that area soon.

I don't like accepting the possibility of such realities, but there has been some strange things going on...

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After church Brenda and I were in the backyard. I'm working my way through the old weeds and plants, turning everything over for winter.

I gave her a hug, pressed my nose into her hair. She looked up at me.

"I'm sorry."

The words were heartfelt. The first real apology she has given me for the current mess.

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We took Isaac into Portland this afternoon for a maintenance session on his dreadlocks. He looks good.

When we returned there was blood streaks spread along some of the walls inside the house. Nothing on the dog. Nothing anywhere else. No little half dismembered critter in the yard. No injuries on the dog. No spots ofblood on the floors. Creepy.

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I think our marriage may find a way to heal. Brenda has spoken about telling this man she needs to break it off and that she will have to find another job. She is depressed.

I believe that the prayers of my friends, and of strangers as well, has begun a miracle in the heart of my wife.

There is a very long ways to go.

She still needs a miracle to clean her heart.

Our home may need a miracle as well.

Jeremiah needs a miracle.

My heart needs healing.

There is a lot of work to do.

I have trouble accepting the reality of evil. But it really is the flip side of accepting divine goodness.

I know that my Lord has begun a work of miracles in this home.

"...because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." --Philippians 1:6-7

He began miracles in my home. He will complete it.

11 comments:

Erin said...

Will continue to press in...
:)

Anonymous said...

Wow . . .

When my ex was in the depths of prostitutes ... it was pretty sick the way he went about it all ... there was evil in his eyes. I would look at him ... and it wasn't him ... it was Satan. I know it. Pure evil.

I told him once, "You've just opened a window and let Satan have free access to our home." And he said matter-of-factly, "Yes."

From the time my oldest was born, I began praying that God would protect her from all forces of evil ... spiritual, mental, emotional, physical, sexual, etc, and continued when youngest was born. I had no idea, at the time, that I was asking God to protect my children from their own father.

I absolutely believe in the power of evil and its presence in this world. I will email you a vision God gave me ... if I forget, remind me ... I need to go put my oldest to bed :)

Holy, Most Powerful God, I pray Your Power be unleashed over Will's house tonight and tomorrow and every day following. Storm down from heaven on Your chariot of fire, streaking lightening across the sky, with tens of thousands of angels dressed for battle, and storm the gates of hell prevading Will's home. Clean out all the demons and Satan himself. Render Satan and his demons POWERLESS over and in and through and around Will's house, his property, their vehicles, his person, Brenda, Jeremiah, Isaac, and Rocky. May Your powerful presence be so thick that evil is repelled from even trespassing their property. Enclose them, their property, their house, in a vacuum covered and sealed with the blood of Jesus. Holy God, pour the blood of Jesus all over and in and through their home and house and property and persons! You are HOLY, and there is NO place for evil here!!!!!!! By the authority of the blood of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, Father God I pray that YOU alone would make this so. Purify their property, their home, their vehicles, their dog, their persons ... with the HOLY blood of JESUS CHRIST!!!! YOU ARE GOD. AND I CALL UPON YOUR NAME IN YOUR POWER AND YOUR AUTHORITY TO THROW SATAN AND HIS DEMONS OUT OF WILL'S HOUSE AND HOME AND PROPERTY AND PERSONS AND LOCK THEM IN THE GATES OF HELL FOREVER AND EVER. In the Holy and Powerful and ONLY Name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, I pray, Amen

Gigi said...

I'll just keep praying as well. Your story Will is touching and will continue to touch others, you are doing things totally counterintuitively and from this view He is in it guiding you and WILL PROTECT your family but what everything looks like is so not seen by us.....Thanks Will for sharing it your honesty is inspiring, your willingness to live naked and free as freakin scary as that is ...just thanks and I will be continuing to pray Him and HIs protection all over all of you.....

Amrita said...

Praise the Lord Will, He is working in you and Brenda.

We just have to claim victory in the name of Jesus. We fasted and prayed for my sister 's marriage It was an impossible condition and i had booked one way tickets for her and her two boys. But the Lord intervened.

This home does not sound like a good place.Keep looking for other places.

Living in a pagan enviroment, we feel the presence of evil many times. i bind the evil spirits in the name of Jesus. I 've had many experiences.Once i audibly heard a man 's voice say I am your master (it was the devil) i know because I was praying for revival at that time. And just after that i fell into deep temptation and went away from the Lord for 3 years,The Lord brought me home.

pray for protection and ask others to pray for you.

Unknown said...

Amen!!

Anonymous said...

sh - keep being & doing what you're doing & being! aggf

Curious Servant said...

She didn't break it off with him today.

She is having second thoughts.

One step at a time.

We'll see what the Lord will do.

We'll see what I will do.

We'll see what she will do.


Lord, bless my wife. Help her find her way back to You. Even if she leaves thishime, help her to find her way. Help her to find You, Lord.

Anonymous said...

yey!!! God is at work! prayers work! i'm just happy to hear all these good news. you and brenda are in my prayers. oh my! praise God!

on the evil spirits lurking around your home, stand your ground and pray, pray, pray. speak God's word around your house and ask the elders to help you. i guess the door was opened for satan to come inside your home because of sin. but God is merciful and a God of many chances.

you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.

owenswain said...

Yes, one step at a time, even when they go backwards as well as forwards. Continuing to remember you.

O | onionboy.ca (art & faith) | luminousmiseries.ca {faith & art}

Jada's Gigi said...

He is able to keep what we have committed unto Him against that day....Lord! You know....

Vicki said...

Oh, how much I'm praying! He who began a good work in you WILL complete it. Praying that Brenda's heart will be receptive to the Holy Spirit.