Today I sent a message to a dear friend……..

Last night as we video chatted she told me her fiance was going to apply for a Visa lottery, however the previous years lottery winners never got their interviews and now the time is expiring and they will not be able to come to America. She stated that these people were banding together to sue the Goverment for this.

I just saw red and immediately,  with out thinking, I spoke. Saying how I feel people are too sue happy. This lead to a heated discussion. I kept going on and on about how this process is not a given, not a law and those people should not sue. I even threw in that the Bible says we should not settle disagreements this way. It was a horrible argument between us. And Not once did I show any compassion!

She called me out! ” don’t you care or see how this makes those people feel?” She says. ” yes of course I feel bad for them” I replied. ” well don’t you think you should have lead with that?!!!” And as she said that her face was all up in the screen giving me her best…’ girl you know I’m right face ‘ ……..I was deflated….just like that!!

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
Proverbs 4:23‭-‬24 NIV

It was late ( I was in Cyprus so we have a seven hour time difference).
I woke the next morning and as I was praying and watching the morning devotional scripture, I just knew I needed to message her.

“Good Morning!
I want to tell you THANK you for giving me correction.
I should have lead off with compassion and sympathy for those people, because I do feel it. It was an eye opener to me that I was so quick to anger and to voice that anger immediately without thinking.
I love having you in my life! Thanks for being with me always!”

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,
James 1:19 NIV

That lead me to think about our over all relationship. We have know oneanother for eleven years! She is the ONLY person in my life that knew me then and knows me now! That incident helped me to another area if my life that I have been struggling with, relationships.

I struggle to see relationships as long term. I have definitely never had one, weather friend, parental or spousel.

Through that short, but highly charged  conversation, God had lead me to reflect on an area of my life that I felt insecure about. He showed me that people can  grow together,  they can have differences of opinion, argue and comeback stronger! He showed me that I can and do have people in my life that are here to stay and that can continue to happen throughout my life!

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
Colossians 3:12‭-‬16 NIV

As I sat and waited for her final message, I thought about many teachings all of which eluded…..For this to continue to happen, to build relationships, grow closer. Our very foundation has to be God!

Then she replied……

“Haha all we need is love. I find it easy to see the good in all people and have faith that most people are good. People who join the lottery are looking for a better life to live in America for their families. Despite our  issues in America they beleive in our country and are taking a chance for a better future. That’s how a lot of people from the middle east and Africa get here. For some it’s their only hope. Imagine how devastated I would feel if Mounir won the lottery yet the govt neglected to do his interview and the visa entrance expired. You would feel for me. Besides the point you were hell fire on wheels but I know you and I know you can be opinionated about things so it wasn’t that bad. I got over it. I briefly thought about hanging up but that would be dumb so I guess that’s when I blurted out to lead with compassion. It’s all good. No ill feelings here. Goodnight and thank you for being a friend”

So even though we struggled , for a moment, to  communicate effectively and thoughtfully ( well, me!) , we managed to get through it together…..This was a beutiful example of two people communicating, being vulnerable,  open and receptive and most of all loving. It was through love that she had steered me back to see that I had skipped compassion and jumped straight to anger. But since we have built this trusted relationship she knew my heart and I just needed a little reminder!
I love how God works!!!

Colleen Moore
Works Inspired in Faith

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
Jeremiah 29:11-12 NIV

Since I have been on my journey with Christ, healing and building my relationship with God; I have committed to living day to day in obedience to God’s will for me. In doing this I have not thought about my future or had any dreams of it.

I was truly ok with this because God was working so hard restoring my health, my spirit, my mind, and providing me with instructuctiins to teach me, test me and strengthen me. After two years of this process a conversation came up with a dear sister Christian.

She had spent the previous ( more than a month) in isolation, as she worked on her personal journey.  As I totally understood the need for going into such an isolation so to draw nearer to God,  I had limited contact with her. Only sending brief text or voice messages to let her know I loved her and my prayers continue for her. Eventually she came back…we resumed our video chats! It was amazing, silly , fun….and we veered off to dream a little.

For God is working in us separately but through it all we undoubtedly know that God has brought us together to serve Him together.  This is where we drempt about the possibilities of his plan. We dream because we are uncertain of the bigger plan God has…but as we dream we pray and ask that God lays on us His will for us.

This is significant for both of us. Although our journeys look different , deep in our core, we both have given ourselves,our obedience,to God’s will. And that looks and plays out differently in both of us. For her, she is working on time management and not over extending herself, fine tuning and discovering God’s ultimate plan for her and she is working  to conform to that plan.

For me…I wake each day ( and untill recently) I had NO idea what my day would bring. I pray, I read, I write. For during that time I did not have a job. ( God has blessed me and now I do!) So during those days I simply let God lead each step, each word, I relied on God for every aspect of every waking moment( I still do but One part of my day I do have planned is taking care of the sweet baby that is my job)  So I never dreamt about my future. What did it hold? What is it to be or could be? But, when my Sister and I let loose we dreampt! And thats not a bad thing, it was fun! The key though, we know and pray that the dreams we have are the ones God wants us to have.

Over all what I have learned is that dreaming is fabulous! I had missed dreaming and having someone to share dreams with. My lessons along the way are that when I do dream, I do it in such a way that I fully invite God into them by asking him to guide my dreams and that was where the true joy of dreaming had made them better than I had ever experienced!

So dream away….ask God to lead your dreams and see what they show you!

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:1‭-‬2 NIV

Colleen Moore
Works Inspired in Faith

Why? How can poo be so “great”?
Because that poo represented so many prayers answered!

I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.
Psalms 17:6 NIV

I am so grateful for my sister Christian’s. That we can come together over whatsapp , meet in zoom to worship and pray together and that we share in Youversion devotional plans together. All of that is helping us build our personal relationships with God. BUT……..

Sometimes, you just need a hug….or your sister is not having a good day ( or week or 4!) In those times you just want to sit next to them, put your arm around their shoulder and let them know you are there…even if no words are exchanged. I am talking about having real human contact!

That poo….was God’s answer to me when I thanked him for all of the above but then pleaded and explained ( ok like God needs anything explained but I really wanted Him to know why I was asking for what I was!) So I explained that I AM HUMAN! Humans need physical interaction. After praying for this….God did his usual and provided in the most unexpected way!

He didn’t just answer that prayer, He graciously answered others at the same time!

That poo came with this tiny human that needed me to hold him, play with him, teach him English! ( good thing his mom wanted me to speak to him in English being I did not know the other two languages this little guy is accustomed to! )

That poo came with a personal, thirty year trained chef, in both baking and culinary! And this girl just went through five months of barely eating!

That poo came with clothes that I didn’t realize I needed ( trust me I did need them, but I would have just been ok with the worn inadequate clothes for the climate that I had).

That poo came with an income!!! Something I had not had for over two years! God provides and he knew that me having my own source of income would boost my confidance, I mean who doesn’t want to be able to provide for themselves?

My dear friends….God answers prayers! Are you ready for the incredibly ingenious way that God may answer yours?

You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds, God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas,
Psalms 65:5 NIV

Colleen Moore
Works Inspired in Faith

Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
Romans 8:34 NIV

Verses like that talk about Jesus sitting at the right hand of God. Sothere are two? He was man before the crucifixion and God after? But then how can He sit at the right hand of God if He IS God? And co-heirs with Christ? That is saying He is God’s son??

Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
Romans 8:17 NIV

How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
Hebrews 9:14 NIV

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
John 3:18 NIV

I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins.”
John 8:24 NIV

That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.
1 Timothy 4:10 NIV

Over and over the Scriptures jump from talking about Jesus as Man, as living God and as God. ( John 8:24)

I tell you full heartedly I belive in Jesus as son of God and that He lived a sin free life. That He was crucified for our sins and resurrected. Through Jesus I have an amazing relationship with God. But why does the scripture have to be so ambiguous about jumping from Jesus being man and Jesus being God??

Colleen Moore
Works Inspired in Faith

So I posted this in a Christian Apologetics group….first of all, scary to read so many harsh answers! But….here is one of my faves..

Colleen Moore He was one person but he had two distinct natures. He was fully God and truly human, so in one sense scripture focuses in on his divine nature being co-equal, and coexisting with the Father. In another sense scripture focuses on his human nature in which he had all of the necessary attributes of being human, hunger, ignorance, and even death. And by nature I mean essences what makes a thing what it is. Hopefully this helps and blesses you 🙏🙂
By Alfonso Hayden

However, here is my conclusion after reading more than 161 posts!

So my thinking is God is the only God and the way to get to know God is through my belief in Christ Jesus’ life, death and resurrection ……added to that, Jesus to me is a shining perfect example of how we as humans should live our lives on earth.

Always interested in hearing your thoughts!
Drop a comment😁

I knew beyond a showdow of a doubt that this was not one of those situations where stumbling blocks were warning me off. This was a time to stretch my compacity and help me to grow!

When I first opened that email, recieved so unexpectedly,  I knew I was meant to open it and follow its instructions.

I knocked out the questions right away, but I knew I was thinking to much about the answers I wrote. I was trying to please the ‘judges ‘ who would be reading my answers.

Next I had to do a video submission…..whoah!!!! Not my forte. God , for a year now, has been pushing me and pushing me creating videos and words on photos. None of it was high quality or ever really appealing to my eye. But I kept doing it….and now I know why!

Upon rereading the instructures I noticed I could submit just an audio. So I made one. Sent it over to three friends and the first to reply said it was good. So I went ahead to attach it. NO GO! Wrong type of file.

I am glad it was….

I spent the whole week alone, minus one day of an amazing zoom group and one day I was called to work my cleaning job. But I was still struggling feeling all alone. To top it off I wrestled about my submission. I had spent a day gathering information on a supporting document I wanted to create that would further explain my project. But the previously written part still haunted me as “not right”. So I sent those off to another friend.

She replied!!! It was a Sunday and I really hated to interupt her family time, but she answered! I needed her that day, to hear her input. It made a world of difference! She told my my story is what is so powerful, and that was the direction I had started but I struggled in how to tell it between four questions and a 60 second video. But I took her suggestions to heart and wrote down  portions of a modified video script.

Monday…..

Mondays have become my day for Sabbath.  Because of running Zoom on Sundays and the prep needed , Sabbath had to be moved. I woke around four Am the first time with video script running through my head, but I didn’t grab my recorder and put it down. Instead I prayed and thanked God for the day before and the many blessings in my life and prayed something for my friend that we had talked about.  After my prayer I easily drifted back to sleep.

I woke again later and started my “real” day. I started with prayer, then coffee and reading Gods Word. I have fourteen saved reading plans in Youversion. This way I have plenty to read off line. I don’t read from each one everyday, but on Mondays, I DO read from each one, and many I read several days worth of reading.

Not long into reading I was struck with inspiration ( from God of course!)

I had taken screen shots of the questions and answers I had written and thats how I sent them to my friend for review. So I started pasting the screen shots onto a fresh note sheet on my phone. Next thing I knew I was completely re answering the questions, counting the words ( only could have 150 words per answer!) From there I’d go back and make edit till I was at the correct word count. I did this with each question. All the words just flowed, like this story I am writing now. They flowed because each answer I gave had a component of my story in it! Just as my friend had suggested and with my mind clear and after asking God to fill me with his words, I just typed it all out!.

Breakfast time….

After all that, a couple of hours , more maybe, my stomach was leading to go have breakfast. So I did! Since this was my Sabbath I was not cooking food, but I did put together a small chicken sandwich,  a banana and a Waldorf salad ( my version of course!) that I had prepared in advance.

I went out to the main veranda , sat down, prayed this wonderful prayer of thanks and made another request for my friend ( and others) before I began to eat. The sun was shining but the breeze was a perfect temp. Birds were chirping and I could , as usual, hear the neighbor as she communicated with the children she was babysitting. I never know what she is saying but I love when I hear the children laughing and playing.

After breakfast I returned to reading scripture, not long into it I was prompted to pull up my video submission notes and next thing I knew it had been rewritten. I recorded it twice, after the second attempt I did add three more words. At this point I go inside and close the doors to block out all the background noise and recorded.

It was done!!
Now…all I have left is to re choose pictures and turn it into a slide show with my recorded message!!! ( completed and attached! Done Tuesday!)

God was pushing me to increase my compacity! And I knew this….I had said out loud ” ok God, I know this is not a road block to stop this, it’s you pushing me to go beyond my comfort zone and increase my compasity because I am stressed a bit from the uncomfortablness of this project. I except your Challenge God! I know you are with me and you will guide me. I will take this and break it down in steps.”

And thats what I did!

I still have to put together the supporting documents. One of which is a business plan and for so many years I have attempted to put them together for various ideas…. but ….this time…because this is God’s plan for me……I will be successful in creating one and finishing the rest of this project’s submissions!

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.
Galatians 5:13 NIV

Colleen Moore
Works Inspired in Faith

Another lesson we may have to learn…is that it is OK to say “No”.

For me this was a struggle, mostly in one area of my life. But God has His beautiful and creative ways to point out that He sees more and is guiding us to recognize what He sees.

This happened to me recently! When I left on my journey God has said that He would bring people to me. ( this was inresponce to thoughts I was having about being a person that would stand up and preach on the streets. I admire the braveness and boldness of those people! But , and I say thankfully, that was not God’s plan for me.)

Immediately,  the next day God brought someone in my path ( instant confirmation!
I wasn’t asking for confirmation,  not at all…but God is gracious and loving, He knows us and what we need!)  Ever since that day, there was going to be no way I would ever say “No” to someone that was put in my path!

……Well…..then there comes a time for a new lesson…..

When you have decided to not only accept Christ but then “go all in”. To build a relationship with God that is based on trust, obedience, faith, and love….we can’t ignore that He also gives us discernment.  And this is what I needed to learn.

So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
1 Kings 3:9 NIV

God has granted a discerning heart, but I also needed wisdom to know when to proceed and when to retreat.

                     The Spirit…..

The Holy Spirit is placed  within us when we accept Christ as Lord and Savior.

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:38 NIV

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
1 Corinthians 6:19 NIV

          The Holy Spirit guides us….

For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.
Galatians 5:17 NIV

My desire to help others HAS to be lead by the Spirit…but I had to listen carefully to the Spirit and not my own desire to “never never say No”.

I definitely did not listen! Every indication was there, as I was approached one night.

I was sitting in the Square using the wifi. A man approached me. Instantly I felt this awkward resistance bordering on fear, and extreme sense of “uncomfortable”. But I ignored this and accepted his offer to bring me a coffee. He did so then sat down and we talked. Because of the feeling I was experiencing I immediately started to pray, something I always do when I meet people. I ask God to please supply me with the words to connect and assist whomever I am with. Even after praying that “feeling ” of uneasyness would not leave me. But I pushed through and listened to this man.

Later that night I could not sleep, partially, maybe because of drinking coffee so late, but mostly because my spirit was not letting me. I just could not figure out what I was to do about this man. Finally I slept, a little, and the next morning I resumed praying. It was now Sunday, the day I devote to being with God , later I go to Church online and then open the Zoom group for worship and connecting with one another.
During my time with God I was lead to write the things I had learned about this man and developed what I thought was a plan to proceed. I felt confident that when I met him on Monday I had a plan! The rest of Sunday was good.

Monday came and I woke refreshed, confident. In my head had I had played out how I thought the conversation would go, but as I worked through my chores I prayed to God that he would supply me the words and the order in which to work through my listed out plan of talking points as per His will, I felt God telling me to be bold!

                We met……

We met, this man and I. The very first momemt was a struggle. I wanted to go to the Bakery to connect to the internet to do what I had planned ( to download Netflix shows) and while that did its thing we would talk. The man was not having that at all and we ended up sitting at a table in the square. From that first altercation I felt a set back, loss of control and that everything was not right. I prayed silently and continued on. The whole interaction, although I made it through my talking points was just a struggle for me, not comfortable or feeling right in someway, but I made it completley through my list. And..   

Well everything went sideways!!! He was upset, most likely furious! I will not go into more detail, they do not assist in the point of my lesson learned.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:2‭-‬4 NIV

After we parted ways I was devastated! How could that have gone so wrong to the point that I had hurt someone’s feeling ( acording to the man). I would never intend to do so! My own head was now a mess, racing, trying to replay over and over everything starting from the moment he approached me. From here, I needed help! So I reached out to my sisters. First I talked with one, then a second. Between the two I was finally able to quit beating myself up and ultimately clear my head of it all. In doing  that I could finally enter back into prayer and really listen.

What I heard…..

The message I was getting was coming in flashes of past times when I felt those same emotions, warnings. Do not proceed!
I was so wrapped up in making sure that I did not reject helping someone that came to me in fear of disappointing God, that I had not considered that this was just a door left open for Satan to use the situation to persuade me to do something that could have turned out worse…..I could have been injured or left in another controlling situation. Because that man…he was trying to control me. When he approached me on Sunday he knew I was there because he had others spying for him. When we had our conversation on Monday and I laid out how our interactions would be conducted, he became angry and non accepting. He wanted me in ways that were not acceptable to me! When I would not submit to his ways, he became threatening. All that…..has been the cycle I have been working to break free from, and with God, His patience with me……the lesson was sinking in loud and clear! There are times to say NO! I must trust in the spirit as it made feel uncomfortable, it was the warning to not proceed. To walk away, pray and leave it to God.

And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”
Mark 6:11 NIV

Colleen Moore
Works Inspired in Faith

Luke 5:31-32 NIV
Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

If my life had went perfectly…..who could I help in return?

I’m not saying that God purposefully dealt me such strife, He is NOT cruel! Just the opposite actually. I own up to, and repented for all my decisions; but I thank God , I thank Jesus Christ, that they have always protected me from the worst! And, I am forgiven!

Isaiah 61:10-11 NIV
I delight greatly in the Lord ; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.  For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.

It is because I embrace God and His way that I can help others. I accept that God’s plan is HIS.  He answers my prayers , but he is very creative and often prayers are not answered how I would have envisioned them. Sometimes, a prayer is answered and outwardly it looks like a situation of suffering…. but I know there is so much more going on that ONLY God could orchestrate so perfectly. And I revel just to let it flow. Because in the end, His plan will work out for the good.

Romans 8:28 NIV
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Psalms 23:6 NIV
Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Are you recognizing God’s answered prayers for you?

Are you looking at your life and embracing your suffering as a gift that you may now use to help others?

Are you willing to let God answer your prayers His way? Knowing that He will only bring goodness?

Colleen Moore
Works Inspired in Faith

Life with God is not immunity from difficulties, but peace in difficulties. — C.S. Lewis

When I was in England the Church I attended had a part in the service when people were encouraged to come up and share what God was moving them to share.

Then I attended Church on line and they had a part in their service where they encouraged people to share “God sightings”

During each of those very two different times in my journey I had been nudged by God to share. However, in reality I really never understood its true purpose for me….UNTILL now! ….my “Ah-Ha” moment!

Each was a time to be obedient to God,  ….each was a time to see just how God works through people to get things done…but, that’s not all,because on my journey of building my relationship with God, to become closer and more obedient to Him, to lean in and Trust Him with every part of my life….something else came out of all of it….

                  I finally had JOY!!!

Why? How? Because now, no matter what is going on, I calmly, patiently, sit back and watch God work and wait to see His creativeness in problem solving! It has become a great source of entertainment to me. It has brought me closer to God and become like this ‘thing’ we have together.

This mind frame became more apparent to me on a day as I was listening to a sister Christian describe an ongoing situation that we had been working on ( Her, Me and most Importantly GOD). So one day during our conversation I told her ” just you wait….God will do something so creative and out of the box to help you. Something you nor I could EVER conceive of!

                        My joy…

My joy is knowing that God has me, and the fun of it all is waiting to see in what creative way He will help!

The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.
Romans 8:6 NIV

I hope you too will find your FUN and JOY in God’s relationship with you!

Colleen Moore
Works Inspired in Faith

Quite the opposite, it takes a lot of will power, discipline and ambition to go against the ‘norm’ and not always want more!!

The other day I wrote my story of God’s blessings. They were so much more than I could have expected or asked for.

But having them it was still easy to fall into the trap of wanting more. Not needing, but wanting. Although I had recieved way more than my actual needs on that day, I found myself wanting to replace my lost sunglasses and thinking about my sandles that are becoming painfully worn.

That bothered me because I felt like it was a never ending cycle….but God being as amazing as He is lead me to a devotional reading and scripture on contentment.

For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.
1 Timothy 6:7‭-‬9 NIV

It’s ok to be content…my ambition only needs to be what the Holy Spirit leads it to be! For in my contentmemt I am being close to God, showing patience and trust …faith …fully in my Father!

But godliness with contentment is great gain.
1 Timothy 6:6‭ NIV

So my day started with a brother in Christ asking me what I was doing…I said ” waiting for God to lead me as to what His plan for me today will be”…… and I wasn’t wrong in this….for God lead me to another lesson and another assuring way of being closer with Him. ❤❤🙏🙏

Colleen Moore
Works Inspired in Faith

Yesterday I went out as usual to access internet at the bakery. I had a €5 bill and €3.71 in coins. I continplated getting a pack of smokes and decided that if I was to find the €0.09 needed I would go ahead.

That day I was also craving meat and in the back of my mind knew I would need to get a box of filters for €0.85.

After the bakery I made my way to the town square checked messages off the internet there then headed home via the route around the church and through the park. I had often found coins there. Sure enough I found several! Just €0.01 and I’d have enough for smokes. However, once I got home, I felt the urge to recount, like I knew that I had miss identified one of the coins and there was enough. Well…..there was!!!

Later I headed back to the square. No messages or emails so I decided to check on entry to Bulgaria and then flights. I however was not feeling it was time yet. Yet, I could get a flight on June 10 with my checked bag for under €50 and it was from Paphos which is close to me. I was standing there thinking about the PCR test when a stranger approached and asked me about testing. That conversation lead me to ask him about the PCR for travel ( versus the rapid test he was asking about). He informed me where and that he believed it was €70 which was way more than I had, plus my friend told me he paid €30.

Next thing I did was to call Kate and tell her the info on the flight. It was a Monday but she answered. She was driving. She ended up telling me she didn’t think she could be ready for at least a couple of months. I then revealed to her that I wasn’t getting the go ahead yet so this all worked out fine. Besidea God had graced me with a job now ( an answered prayer!) I was making about €30 a week, which buys food, cooking fuel, and I have saved some money. Plus for the first time in my life I was tithing! That right there has brought me the most joy!

While talking to Kate I told her how I was craving meat but I couldn’t bring myself to buy it ( from bakery) because I’d feel guilty thinking I could probably buy 3 days worth of food. She encouraged me to do it, to enjoy the blessing of my hard work and send her a pic…lol.

So I decided not to go to the bakery but just past it to the other place that was structured the same. I was thinking of getting sweet and sour pork and theirs was the best, but a bit more expensive then the bakery. Anyways , I could look there and always go back to bakery if I decided not to buy from the second place.

On my way into the shop I saw a coin on the ground, ( to explain the significance of the coins read my piece ” The Three Coins”) I did not retrieve the coin because a gentleman was sitting at a table right by it, but I smiled and thanked God and entered. This place unlike the Bakery did not have all the prices listed by the food so I took a moment to read over their list of items and prices. Turns out there was no sweet and sour pork and what I had the previous time was chicken…lol I decided on the sweet chili pork and it was only €3.90 for the small portion, which for me turns into three servings. On my way out I looked and saw the gentleman at the table was gone so I retrieved the coin, €.01 which meant I had €1.16 left, ( not including the €3.80 for the smokes).

On the way back, although I was not craving sweets I felt like checking to see if the bakery had /sold the chocolate lava cake by the slice. If they did, and it was €1.16 or less I decided I would get it……they did not have it…so I headed back to the square. I wanted to take a picture for Kate and send it to her.

After sending the pic I headed home via the rout past the market. Enroute I decided to get a pepsi, ( this was odd because I am not much a soda person and when I do it is usually Sprite). Went to store got a soda, a COLD can ( blessing! I don’t have refrigeration so a cold anything is a blessing!) Turned out it was only €0.50, so while paying I decided to go ahead and also get the smokes. After paying there was still change in my wallet.

I left the store and started home again, but just a few steps out the door there on the ground was a coin…a €0.20 coin! That’s significant!! ( that’s alot of money!) I smiled a huge smile and prayed to God thanking him. I told him that His blessings this whole day were so much more than I deserved at all!

Earlier as I was on my phone at the square a gentleman approached, he was this man I would see when I first got to Cyprus and was in Paphos. He road a motor bike and would always be selling fruit. He approached and offered me orangea for €4. I was a bit distracted on my phone and shook my head no, he then said €2 I told him no and said I had no money. He road off. IMMEDIATELY  I felt terrible! I wanted to chase him down, but I didn’t?? I prayed to God right there and asked for his forgiveness….did I do the wrong thing? I mean €4 for 4 oranges was not good and neither was even €2 . I felt relief, and it was not till writing this right now I realize it was not for not buying his oranges I was repenting for. It was because I lied and said I had no money……I own that! Need a way to say no when it is appropriate without lying! ( see God is always providing lessons to help us, especialy when we are open to them!. And this all happened before I walked through the park and found the coins).

So…. anyways…once back in my flat I had decided to count my coins…. guess how much I had?????

If you came up with €0.85 you’d be exactly correct! AND…if you remeber from the very beginning one of the things I was needing was for €0.85. So everything I had mentioned , God had fulfilled. And mind you, I never ASKED God for these things, I knew I could live without any of them. The were not necessities, they were all luxuries!

All things that must seem trivial to you,   but to me…HUGE UNDESERVING BLESSINGS from God!!!

Are you seeing God’s Blessings for you?

He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
Luke 11:28 NIV

Colleen Moore
Works Inspired in Faith