Little Miracles

Last Saturday morning, in Nicaragua, I found myself standing in a children's hospital, along with a prayer team. These children were in the hospital with little hope of full recovery. You see, they all have terminal cancer. God was getting ready to do a work in my heart through these amazing children.


The first little girl we prayed for captured our hearts since she was a year older than Carmelinda. She has lung cancer. Her name is Lisdana. She told us that science has told her that she's not going to live much longer, but she said she believes in miracles. Her young but strong faith brought us to tears. DeLynn reminded her that God loves her and we were priveledged to pray for her and her parents. In talking with her mother, I was able to get a small glimpse of how heart wrenching it is to walk beside your child, from day to day, praying and asking God for healing. The night before we arrived, she hadn't slept well and while we were there she apologized for coughing. As DeLynn and I walked out of her room, our hearts ached along with this family.



The second child we prayed for was 14 years old, a young boy named Oliver, who lay motionless on his small bed. His head had a bandage around it. His sister was sitting beside him waiting until his mother arrived. She said he had just had brain surgery. One thing I noticed, was that Oliver's sister was reading her Bible. When we asked if we could pray for her brother, she said, "Of course!" For one moment, I saw the young boy's eyes open.


Guillermo, was another young boy we prayed for. What a sweet young boy with a huge smile! He is mute. He has a bald head. So DeLynn took the opportunity to smile and point to his own bald head and give the thumbs up! Guillermo smiled. We were able to pray for Guillermo's mother. She shared that she's SO tired and suffers with a lot of pain in her knees. When I finished praying for her there were tears streaming down her face. The word REST from Psalm 23 came to my mind when praying for her. I can't even imagine the emotional, physical, and spiritual strain the parents must feel sitting beside their child's bed day after day and night after night.

We moved on to praying for another young boy, Marcial, about 10 years old, who also was laying in his bed. His leg was wrapped up. I went over to him and started conversing with him. I tried to encourage him as best I could. I told him he needed to try to get better so that he could play soccer again! He looked at me and said, "They are going to amputate my leg." My heart broke! I felt SO sad. I asked if I could pray for him. He was happy to let our prayer team pray and lay hands on his leg. I don't know if I've ever prayed so hard in my life!


By this time, I don't know if I could take any more! My heart was so overwhelmed and at that point I was experiencing so many emotions, but God had more for me.



The last little boy we prayed for was three years old, Jair. He was sitting in his bed watching Lion King. He had just gotten to the hospital three days before. He had just had brain surgery and now they were looking at radiation treatments. His parents were SO sad, anxious, and fearful. Their world had just turned upside down. It was Jair to stay in his bed, let along understand what all was happening to him. I was so glad God had sent us there to bring comfort and talk to them. Again, God's words of comfort brought them to tears. I was so priveledged to be used of God in this way. Wow! The amazing part of this story is that this couple are Mennonites and come from the same church my parents planted years ago! Neither one of us could hardly believe it!

That night as our family settled down to go to sleep, we thanked God for so many things and prayed for our new young friends. I thought of heaven and again was reminded that we are just passing through. As Christians, we have HOPE. I know I couldn't live without that.

L-O-V-E

I love when my Heavenly Father speaks to me!

Lately, I've been thinking about the beginning of my life. I have very little information about my biological mother and no information about my biological father. I've tried to find my biological mother by going to the area of Guatemala where she was from, San Juan de la Laguna. I was not able to find her.

The day I asked God this question, "Where were YOU at the beginning of my life?, God brought to mind Psalm 139, "I was there in the womb...I CREATED you with my own hands, and I created you with a purpose. You were not alone at the orphanage......remember what I showed you?" But then I asked, "But what about my conception? Why did that happen the way it did? Why didn't I ever get to know my biological parents, and what were they like, and what was going on in their lives at the time? Oh so many questions!"

What God gave me was a picture of Him writting, "L-O-V-E" in the sand. My conception was God's way of showing His love to my biological mother, my biological father and to me! He said, "Don't worry so much about the details, concentrate more on how much I LOVE YOU."

Later that week, God revealed to me more of His beautiful thoughts He has about me. The fact is, that if He were to make a list of what He thought of Gloria Carmelinda Hoover, it would be a list that would outnumber the SAND! This is a thought I can't even fathom or comprehend! The truth is, He created me because He loved and continues to love ME!

I CHOOSE LIFE



A Rose from my mother's rose garden.

 This is the evening before my 42nd birthday! I have SO many thoughts going through my head at the moment. So I thought I would take a moment to reflect. DeLynn and Carmelinda are on a date, so it's nice to have the house quiet.


I just got done reading last night a Karen Kingsbury book, Tuesday Morning, and Beyond Tuesday Morning. It was actually two books in one. It had to do with the September 11th happenings, when the twin towers were hit, ten years ago now. I love to read, and this time I wanted to read a book that I knew would encourage and challenge me but that was also a book I wouldn't be able to put down quickly!

Out of the whole book, the words that spoke to me the most were, "CHOOSE LIFE."

It comes from the verse Deuteronomy 30:19, "....I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."

I found out that if I choose life, my life will be the TOTAL opposite than if I choose death. God has given all of us that choice. Life and death are inevidible in this earthly life, but in heaven, there will ONLY be LIFE! That's what I want. But in order to be able to experience that after death on earth, I must choose life here on earth.

I've been noticing that lately and even after many years my thoughts have been more about death than life. Perhaps it's because of the death of my grandmother due to cancer (on my mom's side), or my grandfather I never met, due to a traffic accident (on my dad's side), or because of my two favorite uncles, Uncle Phil (who died of a logging accident) and Uncle Mike (who died in a drowing accident) , who both had a huge impact on my life, or maybe because of the death of my precious mother, who died of a brain tumor, or perhaps of some death of dreams that have happened over the years. All of those deaths have had impact on me that have blinded and clouded me to see LIFE at times.

So how to I choose life? Well, today for example, my plan was to stay in bed ALL day! Because we're moving to a new house, I packed all day yesterday and just didn't have the energy to get out of bed today! I felt like I really didn't have a reason to get out of bed, the packing could wait! I shared with DeLynn the trouble I was having in looking at this day as a day I wasn't looking forward to. DeLynn, being the motivator that he is (thank God), encouraged me and planned my day, which included a date, getting out of the house and NO packing! It was just what I needed. DeLynn said, "Gloria, you are choosing life today!"

It sounds simple, but I know this isn't an easy process. But it's one that I can learn and teach Carmelinda! Not only am I giving life to myself but to my family. But I HAVE to continue to listening to HIS voice and to hold tightly to HIS promises. I want GOD to be my LIFE!

How Does Heaven See Me?

Lately, I've been challenged to see myself as heaven sees me. You see, here on earth, at times, I see myself as useless, not really good at anything, fearful, bitter, wounded, insecure, sad, weak, and the list goes on. I take on what others have said to me, encouraging words or hurtful words and then determine who I am by what they have said to me.

But to Gideon, the Lord said, "The Lord is with you, mighty warrior." Gideon argued with the Lord. "Mighty warrior? Right! I'm not that, not even close!" I do that too! We almost don't believe what God says about us!

Romans 8: 19 says, "The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed." We are ALL in that process and in the end, this gives me the sense that there is an unvailing that is about to happen! Imagine God telling His angels and His saints, Drumroll please!!!

"Here is my beloved bride, the one I love So much and I'm SO proud of! The one that has so many talents and gifts, the one who seeks me and wants to be like me, in her I see strength, beauty (inside and out), she's so kind to those around her, so thoughtful, she has done so much for MY kingdom and will continue to be used of me, she's So So wonderful. I'm SO in love with her..." Wow. Really? Does He really brag about me in that way?

The fact is that God knit me in my mother's womb. He knew who I was going to be. He made me just like I am! My Creator.

To Jeremiah God said, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." He LOVED me BEFORE I was born and He wants me to see myself as heaven sees me!

Rescued

At eight months old I was adopted. There are some details I have that my parents have told me, but others remain to be unknown.



I was in an orphanage in Guatemala City, Guatemala for the first eight months of my life. I was in a little room in my crib all by myself, separate from the other children at the orphanage. I was the youngest child at the orphanage. I was malnourished and if you looked at me, I was very sad and frightened. (Mom told me later it took awhile for me to smile.)

For a long time, until last week, the picture of me laying in the crib left alone, abandoned and rejected has really been difficult for me to picture and accept. I've asked Jesus, "Where were you?" I've asked God time and time again to show me where He was.


Last week, I had an experience I will never forget. My mind was triggered by this sad picture again. With the help of a dear friend, together we invited Jesus to show me where was He at that time? We invited Jesus into the picture and for the first time I saw my Jesus. Here is what I saw...


A light came into the room from above. He walked over to my crib and picked me up. There was a rocking chair in the room and He rocked me, comforting and loving me. He admired my little toes and fingers, smiling. He just couldn't stop looking at me. He started singing lullubies to me, covered me with a blanket and told me I could just rest and take a nap, and that He wasn't going to leave me.


He shared with me that He had two special people that were coming, in person, to rescue me and give me the nuture and love I needed, but until then He would take care of me and keep me safe.

This was is a statue that blessed me, of Jesus holding an infant child. God showed this to me after my life changing experience.

My parents were on a trip for a few days in Guatemala. As they were landing into Guatemala City, mom reached over and touched dad's knee and said, "Our child is here!" They had been looking in other countries for a child, but nothing came of it. So when they walked into the orphanage, the social worker showed them some other children, but they had already decided they would take the youngest child that was there. The other children begged them to take them. But mom and dad asked the social worker if there weren't any other younger child. She said, "Well, we do have one little baby girl that would be available for adoption." My parents knew immediately, I was the one God had chosen for them.


My heart is overwhelmed with gratitude. He rescued me. Even as a child, when I had no control over my situation, God never left me, but rather gave me a gift of having wonderful parents and gave me a life I would have never dreamed of, and in the process, chose to heal me from that deep wound that the enemy would have liked to kill and destroy me with. Thank you, Jesus, I love you.

Home Already

Dear Mom,



Oh how I miss you. I can't believe it's been five years that you've been in heaven.


When I was a little girl I used to tell you that my heart hurt, well, since you've been gone my heart has hurt many times. Watching you die is something I'm not sure I'll ever get over. And then once you were gone, it left me with this huge hole in my heart.


As I watched you suffer from cancer, my heart could hardly stand it. For a whole year, I had to come to terms with the fact that I was going to loose you. What was my life going to be like? The part that I miss the most is being able to talk to you. You were so wise and always listened and helped me able to process things positively. Since then its been a very painful journey.


Mom, you were amazing. You gave me so many gifts. As I live out my life, I have come to realize even more how good God was to me, in saving my life, and putting me into yours. Thank you for listening and obeying God when He told you, "Your child is here" (flying into Guatemala).


Since you've been in heaven, my life has had it's ups and downs. Right now I'm in the process of much healing, starting from my adoption to the present. Ministry has worn me out and I've wondered if I'm worthy of such a calling. But God is healing my heart and I believe I will come out triumphant. It's been very painful, but it's worth the pain.


I've struggled with the fact of not being able to concieve. How we long to have another child, but God's ways are higher than ours. I know how much you prayed that we would be able to have another child, but God hasn't granted that yet.


My God has become more dear to me. I've experience intimacy with my Heavenly Father in so many new ways. I have Godly people around me helping me in this part of my journey. Including dad. He's been such a blessing to me. He has the gift of listening and helps me think of God's truth. I thank God for him.


Mom, you would be so proud of Carmelinda. She's getting ready to go into Jr. High! She's is almost as tall as I am and now is in the same size shoe and has bigger hands than me! She is as sweet as could be! She loves to talk. I tell her she's my little parakeet. She is smart, creative, loves Jesus, and loves to sing. She has a love for Costa Rica and considers that her home, as do the rest of us. She misses you too and has asked God, "Why did Grandma have to die." She sleeps with the pricess and her stuffed animals that you gave her. She continues to talk about her calling on her life to go to China someday. I kept praying that in the end, she is obedient to God's calling wherever she ends up.


DeLynn, is the love of my life. During my difficult times he has always been there for me. He has served me, loved me, accepted me, prayed for me and I love him very much. Our love has gone much deeper during hard times. He's the perfect man for me.


Right now we are on a six month sabbatical. God is working on all of our lives, bringing healing, restoration, health, refreshment, more anointing, making us stronger in Him, bringing out things in our lives that are unhealthy. We hope to go back to Costa Rica revitalized and ready to continue the work He is preparing for us.


I know your enjoying being with your beloved. I long to be there with you. I keep telling God, '"I'm ready, when you're ready!" I've realized that heaven is where my REAL home is going to be and I can't wait to see Jesus face to face. Sometimes I imagine what you're doing in heaven. Probably talking to all the international people and all your Biblical heroes, and just enjoying every minute with Jesus. I can't wait to be there with you and see you again.


Saying "I miss you" doesn't even come close to how much I miss you.


I love you.


Happy Mother's Day,

Love, Gloria

Wilderness Ways

This was the name of the sermon by Simon Ponsonby, on March 220th. I wrote down a lot of notes, that I wanted to share so that I remember. Simon is from England, he's a teaching vicar somewhere in Oxford. He was a special speaker at the Columbus Vineyard that weekend. Here is what I got out of one of his talks.



Just a side note:

Up until this point, I personally was fighting, kicking and screaming, going into the desert. I was mad and angry and didn't want to go through it since it was going to be painful. After I heard this sermon, I was convinced God had a purpose for our family to be in the United States for six months and not in Costa Rica. I miss Costa Rica terribly, but God has chosen Plain City, Ohio to be the place where He's anointing us and giving us more of His power to continue the work He has given us. That night, I surrendered and gave Him the control.

Luke 3:21-22; 4:1-2






1. Those Spirit-led will be led to the desert.


-He's making me the person I was made to be.


-I must go through the desert to be a benefit to others.


-Jesus did everything right, nothing wrong; meaning we don't go throught the desert because we've done something wrong.


-He takes us to the desert, breaks us, then makes us.


-Generally, the desert is not a place but an experience.


-God does it because He sees what I can be like.


-The desert is like a bootcamp.


-After Jesus returned from the desert, he returned in the POWER of the Spirit.


-Think of a naked tree where eventually the leaves will come out.


2. The wilderness is a place of separation, a place of being cut off, that which is familiar and comfortable, from us.


-God allows:


1. Failure


2. Suffering


3. Humiliation


4. Bereavement


5. Doubt


6. Estrangement


3. The wilderness is a place of splended isolation.


-We come out of the desert leaning on our beloved. (I love that! This is my goal!)


4. The wilderness is a place of dislocation.


-A visit to the desert is letting go of everything that once occupied us.


5. The desert is a place of benediction, where the angels attended Jesus.


6. The desert is not the end, it's just a passing through. But we come out with the power of the Spirit.


7. The wilderness is a place of revelation.


-God moves the clutter, so we can see ourselves and so that we can see God.


-He shows us what we are like and what He is like, so that He can replace us with himself.


8.. The wilderness is a place of consecration.


-How am I going to live? Am I going to use His power given to me? What will I do with the anointing? Will I satisfy myself or will I live for His glory?


-Depending on our response will depend how long it will take!


9. The wilderness is a place of preparation.


-"If you're going through hell, don't stop!"


-He's getting me ready, just like He did with Jesus before Jesus' started his ministry. God did this with Moses, David, John the Baptist and many others.)

A New Picture

In the past, whenever there has been something that I've wanted to avoid, say... loss, grief, hurt, wounds, something I don't want to do, fear, worry; my tendency is to crawl in my turtle shell. That's the way I've always described my way of escape. My shell is hard and gives me protection and I don't have to come out unless I want to and nobody can bother me unless I let them! It's become my refuge, but I've found it to be lonely.


But this week, God gave me a new picture. It comes from Psalms 91: 4, "He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge." I find this kind of refuge much more comforting, but still strong enough to sheild me from the "enemy." In verse 1 of the same chapter it tells me I can REST in the shadow of the Almighty. Verse 2 says, "He is my REFUGE and my FORTRESS, my God in whom I TRUST." Verse 3 says, "Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence....his FAITHFULNESS will be your shield and rampart."

Wow! I just love the picture of myself under his wings, secure and protected by my Heavenly Father "because he loves me!" (vs.14)

God's Promises for Me

“A bruised reed he will not break and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.”
Isaiah 42:3



This is the verse that has really spoken to me this week. At the beginning of the week, I was in bed, feeling ready to give up. I didn’t have energy, motivation and just felt overwhelmed by life.


I was wondering if I was going to break. But according, to God’s word, He will give me strength that I won’t break! That gives me So much hope. Right now, my strength is very dependant on His strength. Strength to get up in the morning, strength to be a mom, strength to wash clothes, strength to drive, strength to be around people….you get the picture!

I absolutely love candles. The love for candles was passed on from my mom. She always had a candle on the dinning room table. For me, it helps me relax and I love the different smells they give. I wanted a candle, and yesterday in the mail, a dear friend, sent me one of my favorite candles! I was so touched by God’s goodness, and thinking of the symbol and promise of Him not letting my wick snuff out. There is HOPE.

God's Cocoon of Love

God gave me a picture today of a cocoon. I didn’t know much about how cocoons, so I did some research.

While a lot of people have probably heard about caterpillar Cocoons, they may not know for sure just what these are. Basically, they are nothing more than a protective casing that is around an insect. This is made of either silk or some other similar fibrous material that is then spun around the the insect during their pupal stage, which is the life stage of an insect that is undergoing transformation. While the most common type of Cocoon are those that are found around butterflies or moths, the egg case of a spider is also a type of Cocoon.






Usually an insect will enter into a Cocoon so that they will be protected from a harsh or unfriendly environment. This is why, most of the time insects will spend the wintertime in their Cocoons. So, as the days get shorter and cooler in the fall, these insects will start to spin a silky envelope around themselves. They will then retreat into this Cocoon and spend the winter without the need for food or water.



 

You may be wondering just how these Cocoons are made. Well, they are actually made of silk. This silk is spun from 2 glands that are located inside of an insect. These glands are filled with a material that is thick and glue-like. An insect will then work in a figure 8 in order to wrap themselves up inside of this silk. This material is pressed out of the insect's 2 slender threads. These threads will then stick together as they emerge and then grow hard when fresh air touches them.






This is a very interesting process because it has oftentimes been said that the most beautiful butterflies have actually emerged from the ugliest Cocoons. For this reason, many people consider the process of the Cocoon to be a miracle of nature itself.




I’m totally amazed by this process! God has used the cocoon to protect the insect or butterfly. In Costa Rica, there is a touristic sight called, La Paz Waterfall Gardens. It’s a beautiful place, where one can see all different kinds of cocoons. I remember seeing some cocoons that are gold! One can also see the butterfly come out of its cocoon. It’s an amazing slow and delicate process.


So what am I saying with all this? Right now, I’m going through a process of healing due to the death of my mother that happened 3 1/2 years ago. This is a very painful process for me. And I’m not just talking emotionally painful but sometimes physically painful. My grief is so deep that sometimes I don’t understand it. I’ve gotten to the point, where I’ve realized that I need some guidance to help me process my feelings and emotions. The enemy would like to come in cause confusion and disillusionment, but that’s where God’s Cocoon of Love comes in. I see His cocoon as a place of refuge for me.


I noticed that the insects spend quite a bit of time in the cocoon. They start spinning the silk in the Fall in preparation for the Winter! I’m not a very patient person and I’d like to see this process of healing pass by quickly. But God makes everything beautiful in HIS time, not mine. I would tend to run and say, “OK, God, lets get this over quickly!” But that’s not God’s way of working.


In this process, God is protecting me and healing me at the same time. God’s Cocoon of Love around me has been beautifully crafted. I’d like to picture the cocoon around me is made of the most beautiful silk. Mom used to love silk. When she was sick, she didn’t like to wear wigs, so we bought her some beautiful scarves. One particular scarf was this beautiful burgundy silk scarf. She looked beautiful in it. During her last days, we took a picture of her with a hat with the silk scarf wrapped around it.


This beautiful process is miraculous. God’s healing is miraculous. His love is miraculous. The verse He has given me for this time is:

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Ps. 46:1 (NIV)

“God is a safe place to hide, ready to help when we need him.” Ps. 46:1 (The Message)

My sweet mom, that I miss SO much.

Hungry

Last evening DeLynn took me to a “soaking prayer” that they offer at the Columbus Vineyard. This is the second time we’ve gone so we knew what to expect. The last time we went was right before we left for Costa Rica. All day yesterday, I was feeling weak physically and emotionally, so I wasn’t sure I could even pick myself up to go, but DeLynn with his motivational skills persuaded me to go.



The atmosphere is quiet. They have seats set up and a team of people ready to pray for couples or individuals. It’s a very pleasant and safe place to share what’s going on in ones life. We had several people pray for us.


But the thing that grabbed my attention was a paper they handed out to everyone who came in with some instructions of how to open oneself to the Holy Spirit. It was described like a baby bird waiting to get fed. That’s how I’m feeling lately. I need fed. I feel like the little bird with its mouth wide open, vulnerable, weak, defenseless, and hungry.

Here is a song that says what my heart is feeling right now:


“Hungry I come to you for I know You satisfy


I am empty but I know Your love does not run dry


So I wait for You


So I wait for You






I’m falling on my knees


Offering all of me


Jesus your heart is living for






Broken I run to you


I am weary but I know your touch restores my life


So I wait for you


So I wait for you”

A New Season of Life

Have you ever felt that you just can’t give of yourself anymore because you just simply have nothing to give? I’ve actually felt that many times on the mission field, but I continue to give and give. I’ve given of my time, I’ve given of my money, I’ve given of my family, I’ve given of my husband, I’ve given of my wisdom, I’ve given of my whole life. Now it may sound that I’m bitter about giving everything, but I’m certainly not. I believe that’s what God has called ME to do, that is to give of my whole self, and that which surrounds ME! I do it with gladness.



But I’m going through a season of life, where God is saying,

“Now it’s time to rest, lay your burdens aside, come to the green pastures, and receive from me. I have so much to tell you, I want to fill you up until you’re overflowing. I want water to come out of your dry faucet. I want to love on you. I want to spend time with you, just you. I want to heal those areas in your heart that hurt. In your weakness, let ME be your strength. I’ve given you a wonderful husband that is being used of me to serve you during this time. It’s time for you to rest. This time is for you given to you by your Heavenly Father, who knows ALL things. I’m taking good care of Carmelinda too! She’s also my precious daughter. I love you more than you’ll ever know and I will take care of you, the ministry and your family all at the same time. I can do that, you know, because I am God! You don’t need to worry or be anxious, REST, that’s all I want you to do right now. Take a deep breath and let this season of life be a season that will bring about change, restoration, relaxation, joy, gladness, happiness, peace, and so much more that you can’t even dream of! I love you, Gloria!”

Wow, amazing! Today marks a new season of life for me, one that I’ve longed for. I receive it as a gift from Him. Thank you, God! Let this new season begin!!!