The Daily Bread special is good, but I'll try the Dead Rat dinner instead...

I have a close friend who resides in Atlanta, Georgia. Let me tell you our story of how we met & tell me God didn't orchestrate this meeting here in Nebraska...


In 2004, I was listening to a program on Family Life that her husband Raymond was on talking about a book he had just written called "Changing for Good". It sounded like something I needed in my life so I ordered it that day. A few days later I went and picked it up at the bookstore and literally, couldn't put it down. I was working the night shift that week watching over a man in the hospital, so while he slept I read for a few hours. I started reading it Monday night and by Thursday night I was finished. (This is a book I HIGHLY recommend.)


That Friday night my husband and I attended our first Family Life Weekend to Remember conference. I was flipping through the program book looking at the bios of who our speakers were for the weekend and couldn't believe it when I saw the names Raymond and Donna Causey. I had just read this guys' book after listening to him on the radio and now I was going to hear him and his wife speak for 2 days! Little did I know what God had in store for me.


Turned out that Raymond had a conflict in his schedule and couldn't make it, but his wife Donna was able to keep her commitment. She spoke to the woman on Sunday morning and I'll never forget meeting her afterwards. I introduced myself and I said, "I just finished reading your husband's book." Suddenly my head lowered so quickly in shame that my chin was resting on my chest. The tears started to flow as I shared my why of reading her husband's book and what I desired about me to "change for good".



She took my hands in hers and said, "We need to talk. Come find me after the conference." As I looked up, I saw so much sincerity in her eyes that after the conference I went to the back where she was. We sat and talked for over an hour while my husband took a siesta on a couch in the lounge. We talked like we were old girlfriends catching up. I poured out my heart for the first time to anyone and she listened. We laughed, cried, hugged and prayed. Just like women of God do. Since that spring day in '04 we have been listening, laughing, crying and praying with and over one another via phone and e-mail.



We've not seen each other since the day we met, but we have formed a close friendship that will last forever. Just the other day we talked for awhile and rejoiced at the changes going on in both of our eldest daughter's lives. Her daughter Kimya is getting ready to be married the end of this month and my daughter Alyssa is due to have my granddaughter this April. New beginnings that we are both trusting God with.



Just the other day Donna said, "You know, I believe that God didn't have Raymond at that conference for a reason because I think you would have just talked to him about the book and our friendship would have never happened. I believe that."
Me too. God knew we needed to form this friendship and made the path clear for me to approach her and made her so approachable.


One of the many things I love about Donna is she is about as real as they come. She is a woman of God that will listen to what He wants her to tell me and then just tells it to me like it is. I just e-mailed her after we hung up the phone the and I told her...

"I love that God always gives you what to say to me because you always hit the nail right on the head. BUT sometimes, when my flesh doesn't feel like hearing the "truth", I wish you'd just miss hitting the head of the nail and smash your thumb!"
Amen?

When we were talking on the phone she asked me about a certain area of temptation in my life that pops up out of no where at times. I told her I was having a tough time and she asked if I knew what triggered it. I told her in all honesty that when my face isn't buried in God's Word, I can expect a full blown attack. What she said to me next was so incredible...

"When we do not fill ourselves up with God's Word then we are starving ourselves and when we're hungry, we'll eat anything. We would rather sit in a corner and eat a dead rat and drink poison than starve. We HAVE to be in the Word daily and let God fill us up and satisfy our hunger."

~Donna Causey~

I have no idea what you're going through in your life, but don't starve yourself of being in God's Word on a daily basis. Read it, cry over it, memorize it, sing it, shout it, love it, speak it, share it and let it fill your heart to the fullest. Don't find yourself like I did this week sitting in the corner feasting on a dead rat. His Word is alive and meant just for you today. Get in it and see if you aren't changed by Him. He is crazy in love with you and whether you're married, divorced or single He wants to be your everything. He wants to be your year-round Valentine.

When temptation hits you...get in His Word.

When you don't like your spouse much...get in His Word.

When you can't pay the bills....get in His Word.

When you're so lonely...get in His Word.

When you're young kids are misbehaving...get in His Word.

When your teenagers are impossible...get in His Word.

When you're feeling depressed...get in His Word.

When you feel disorganized...get in His Word.

When you feel like you don't need to read the Bible...get in His Word

The great I AM is just waiting for you to get in His Word

so He can get in your heart.

~Many Blessings~

Lelia