Give Thanks in all Circumstances

Posted on May 4, 2015 by opendooreurope

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus, (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, emphasis mine).

Really think about that: Rejoice always! Give thanks in all circumstances! Even when you lose your job? Even when your best friend betrays you? Even when your child dies? Even when the worst possible thing happens? Those words: “always” and “all” don’t leave any room for complaining, bitterness, or feeling sorry for yourself.

I learned this first hand yesterday. I woke up with a migraine attack. I have been healed of migraines. Since my healing, I have been able to pray away almost all attacks. If a migraine goes away in an hour, then it was an attack, and not a true migraine. Migraines typically last 18 to 20 hours.

Whenever these attacks come, I have typically prayed, and lately I have added thanksgiving to God for the provision for my healing through the blood of Jesus. But the attack that came yesterday morning was only getting worse with prayer.

So I asked the Lord what to do, and He said, “Thank Me.” So I began thanking God for the migraine attack. The strange thing is that as I thanked Him, I began to feel grateful—really, genuinely grateful. And that lead to extravagant praise. I was praising God with a grateful heart because He had allowed the migraine attack. In my heart was born the absolute certainty that if God had allowed this migraine attack, then it must be for my ultimate good.

Almost instantly the migraine left me. And after about half an hour, I was feeling 100 percent again.

Then I realized that this had been an important lesson to learn, and another step forward in trusting God all the more.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight, (Proverbs 3:5-6).

I trust You, Lord! The more I trust You, the more You prove Yourself faithful and good! God is good!

Encouragement from Above

Posted on April 18, 2013 by opendooreurope

A Facebook Friend, A Powerful Testimony, A New Brother in Christ

Recently, I have suffered some very hard blows. These attacks really hit me where I live, and were difficult to take because they came from dear, trusted friends. And they caused one of my closest friends to suffer, which is even harder to take than my own suffering. Initially, I saw only the people involved. I reacted as I usually do, with my Texas-style bluntness—speaking the truth without tact. But after prayer, I began to discern the enemy who had used these friends against my friend and me. Can those relationships be restored?

That was my question to God Tuesday morning. Immediately, I got several encouraging messages through e-mail and on Facebook. These friends and their messages so encouraged me that I began to believe that these relationships can, indeed, be restored.

One person who encouraged me greatly is Angelica, a missionary who lives very close to Milan. I was so moved by her kind words that I felt an immediate and deep desire to meet her in person. She was very enthusiastic about the prospect of meeting me, too. So I started making plans to go visit Angelica immediately.

No sooner did I make that decision, than I heard from another friend, Casey, who lives in a small city in Tuscany. Casey invited me to come hear Tony Anthony speak at a church in Modena that evening. Since Angelica’s town is halfway to Modena, and since Casey told me that we had accommodations for the night, I said yes.

Tony’s testimony is powerful and very moving, and I encourage you to follow that link to his website. On the train to Modena, Casey met an African man from Ivory Coast. She talked to him about Jesus, and invited him to come hear Tony speak, too. And he did. He asked Jesus into his heart! That’s what it’s all about: sharing the Gospel!

Between trains, I’d only had a moment to hug and greet Angelica on Tuesday, but Casey and I returned to Angelica’s home for a proper visit yesterday. We had that immediate intimacy—a meeting of the hearts—that only comes from sisterhood in Christ. We laughed, we cried, we prayed, we praised God. We had a marvelous visit. Now that I know how close she is, I can go visit her whenever I’m home in Milan.

Anyway, God used all of these things to encourage me after the difficulties and disappointments of recent events. But more than encourage me, God has strengthened me to believe that the relationships can and will be restored—if I can let Him speak more tactfully through me. Please pray for me to speak the truth in love, but also with delicacy and tact that can mend bruised relationships. God is good!

The Prophecy Fulfilled At Last!

Posted on March 2, 2013 by opendooreurope

Waaaaaaaaay back in 1976, I received a prophecy at a prayer meeting. Someone was kind enough to write it all down for me, which means that it must have been recorded. In those days that means that it was probably recorded on a cassette recorder, possibly even a big reel-to-reel tape recorder, and typed on a manual typewriter. Young people, what this means is that a lot of time and effort went into writing the prophecy for me. I don’t remember who spoke the prophecy, but it really doesn’t matter, that person was just the instrument God used that evening, and also the person who wrote it out for me.

The prophecy is on 3 yellowed and stained pieces of paper. There are typographical errors and ellipses to indicate where the person writing could not hear parts of the prophecy. The paper has been folded in half and has moved with me every time that I have moved since 1976, which is 10 times. Most of those moves are long distance (more than 500 miles), and include 3 international moves. It is astonishing that the paper was never lost or destroyed, especially considering that I didn’t take any special care of it.

Most astonishing of all is that for most of the 1980’s I was very far from God, even considering myself an atheist for 8 years. The prophecy hadn’t made sense to me at the time I received it, so I probably would have thrown it out if I had come across those papers during that time. [How God reclaimed me is a very cool story, but too long for right here. Stay tuned, I’ll try to get to it in a day or so.]

Over the years I have come across the prophecy, sometimes I’ve searched for it. I have read and re-read it many times, but I never, never understood it until just recently.

Part of the difficulty in understanding the prophecy was the language. The prophet spoke in King-James-ish English. I don’t personally have trouble with King James English. Having grown up Episcopalian, my early church experience was all King James. My first reading of the Bible was the King James Version. But for some reason, the prophecy was too difficult to understand. During my believing years I had kept it, always feeling that it was somehow important, though I didn’t understand it. The last time I read it was about 2 years ago. I had brought it to Milan with me. But I still didn’t understand it. It makes me think of Habakkuk 2:2, which says: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time.” I think that I didn’t understand the prophecy before the appointed time.

What it says (in part) is:

There is a truth, says the Lord, that I am leading you in; that you should be one of My true mercy, that you should be one of greater mercy, which is My love in action. My mercy, My kindness, My tenderness upon the lives of others. For I will send you in as a great Christian spring in a time when many are dry. For now there shall be those of your own kindred that you should be witnessing to, that you should be speaking to and shall refresh them so that they shall receive greater, greater than that which even I promised. . . (emphasis mine).

Now I understand that this was speaking of this ministry of encouraging missionaries—decades before it started! On Thursday night I returned home to Milan from a prayer trip to Sofia and Skopje (see my posts of the previous couple of weeks). Yesterday the pastor from Skopje sent me a message saying (in part): “What a blessings you where in Skopje, Macedonia. Thank you sooo much for being like fresh water in the desert,” (emphasis mine). Wow! This is when the encourager gets encouraged!

I had always taken “those of your own kindred” to be literal relatives, but now I realize that the prophecy speaks of brothers and sisters in Christ. I’ve always felt called to help Christians understand and begin to really live in their calling. That is the “truth” spoken of in the first line of the prophecy.

Another part of the prophecy says:

You will find Me in praise, as many of My people find Me in praise, for I will direct praises even now, even henceforth, that they may be praises from your hearts. My praises, that have seemingly been by sacrifice in the past, but now shall be very real; for now I shall be pleased with you in obedience in My Word that you praise and enact truth in affixing your eyes upon Christ Jesus. . .

The “sacrificial” praise was something that wasn’t in the past when this was written, but in the future. Now it’s in the past—how I praised God with all my heart even while I was going through the worst depression of my life in the summer of my divorce [more about that another time].

There is also a part that I believe speaks of the future. I will not include it here. As Daniel wrote: “The vision of the evenings and mornings that has been given you is true, but seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future,” (Daniel 8:26).

I have spent some time today looking for the actual papers, and I can’t find them. But I know that I will find them when the future part becomes important. What I did find was €230! Provision and grace are always working in my favor because I don’t limit God. God is good!

A Clanging Cowbell

Posted on February 16, 2013 by opendooreurope

This last birthday the best present I got was from God: He gave me my singing voice. I’m not saying that I sing like Maria Callas or Judy Collins. I’m not even sure that I can sing on key, but now I have the courage and freedom to sing—into a microphone!—without fear, and that’s a miracle. You can read about it in my latest book, “Laughing in My Dreams,” available through Lulu.com (http://www.lulu.com/shop/alisa-k-brown/laughing-in-my-dreams/paperback/product-20585131.html).

This was at the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) in Kalisz, Poland, where the local church celebrates in praise and worship 24 hours a day over 7 days. This past fall was my second time there, and for the second time, I was the lone representative of Italy—me, a foreign resident, representing Italy. But I did my best to represent Italy, bringing my Italian flag and singing as strongly as possible whenever I heard a song I know in Italian.

Upon returning home after my first time at Tabernacles I talked to a few local pastors and worship leaders about taking a team to represent Italy. The response was underwhelming, very discouraging. And after God gave me back the freedom to sing, I thought perhaps I would get a guitar and see if I could learn enough to represent Italy in worship from the platform. Interestingly enough, the first person I mentioned this to said that she had told her son just that morning that he should give me his guitar, since he no longer has time or the inclination to play. I have a guitar now—one that I’m too intimidated to even try to tune (not that I remember how to tune a guitar!).

While I was in the US for Christmas break I went to a music shop and bought a tambourine and a cowbell. My sons laughed at me for buying a cowbell, but I love the sound of cowbells. And I love the idea of keeping time with a cowbell instead of clapping hands. Plus, it’s small and easy to travel with, which is a definite plus in my traveling lifestyle.

It is the best cowbell ever–it says so right on the sticker!

When I returned to Italy, I mentioned once again (this time to Pastor Fabio) that I would like to bring an Italian worship group to Poland for Tabernacles. Unlike his reaction last year, this time he was very enthusiastic about the idea. I am hoping that everything works out, and that I can bring the worship group from the Biella church. But even if they don’t come, I will be there with my Italian flag, my cowbell, and my tambourine, representing Italy the best that I can.

Wafers that Doug & Jane (Blessing We Are Blessed) brought me–Kalisz is famous for them!

I Will Make You Know

Posted on February 7, 2013 by opendooreurope

One of my favorite phrases in Italian is ti faccio verdere—literally “I will make you see,” or as we say in English, “I will show you.” The first time I heard this phrase I didn’t like the implication of the literal translation as forcing someone to see something. I could almost imagine keeping my eyes squeezed shut so that nobody could make me see something I don’t want to see. But hearing the kind way this was said to me, I came to love this phrase and its fraternal twin: ti faccio sapere—“I will make you know,” or as we say in English, I will explain to you.

Last night I had the opportunity to reconnect with a friend and have dinner at his house. Samuele is a well-traveled and sophisticated person who speaks English, but we always communicate in Italian. As he shares more and more of his interesting life, I understand that some things really are more beautifully communicated in Italian. It seems that the Italians can make language as delicious as they make food.

After a pleasant evening, Samuele walked me to the subway. We found that the subway was closed and I had to take a substitute bus to a subway station three stops away. As the bus passed the first subway station from Samuele’s house, I saw a fire truck. I knew then that it was a suicide, which was later confirmed by the news. That station where the man threw himself under a train is called De Angeli—“from the angels.” But I don’t think he was hoping for angels to take him up to Heaven. These subway suicides happen every so often in Milan—and more frequently since the financial crisis hit Italy. And this is the fourth suicide in six months that has been done either by someone I know or by someone physically near me.

The increasing frequency of suicides is evidence of things that are happening in the spiritual realm. The devil is working overtime to discourage people to the point of suicide. And that’s easy enough for him to do with people whose faith is in their finances.

But I recently heard a sermon by Joseph Prince. He said that we are wrong when we think (as we often do) that the devil starts messing up your health or your finances, and then we must pray and ask God to come in and make these things right again. What he said was, “God is not running behind the devil, but it’s the devil that is running behind God.” He said that the devil sees God pouring out blessings on your health or finances or work, and steps in to try and stop the blessings. And what do we do? We start worrying: Could these headaches be brain tumors? Am I about to lose my job? And we toss and turn at night, trying to figure out how to go about controlling the damage—even when no real damage has been done. Then he quoted:

Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say,or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:6-10

He said that many people think that the “thorn in his flesh” is some kind of illness, but Joseph Prince said that other places in the Bible where that term is used, it is always a person—and it appears to be here, too. But literally it’s a “messenger of Satan,” a fallen angel (angels are mostly messengers).

Here’s the part that blew my mind: he said that just like Paul, our response to these irritations, this petty meddling of the devil should be to thank God for the blessings He is pouring out on us. Stop whining and start worshiping, praising, thanking God for the blessings. It’s counter-intuitive (and I love that!), but nothing will make the devil flee faster than praise, worship, and thanksgiving to God. And then those blessings can really start to flow as God intended.

Joseph Prince explained the flow of blessings from God like a hose from God in Heaven to us here on earth. The blessings are always flowing, flowing, flowing, but when we worry, for example, about our finances, then we are tying a knot in the hose and the blessings can’t flow. That’s exactly what the devil wants!

It’s important that we keep our family, friends, and neighbors in our prayers. But the devil’s interference in this world is not a reason to despair. In fact, these are times when people need Jesus more than ever. You might be the only Jesus that some of your co-workers and casual acquaintances may ever know. Many Christians these days are shy about sharing their faith, afraid of being laughed at, called “politically incorrect” or “intolerant,” or of losing their job. But what if you had the chance to tell someone about Jesus and give them the hope that can change their whole outlook from suicidal to joyful? And what if you are the only person that God has given this chance to? I will “make” you see Jesus! I will make you know Jesus!

Singing in My Dreams

Posted on October 4, 2012 by opendooreurope

Kudos to Mom for the title!

Greetings from Kalisz, Poland! I am here for Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, hosted by this really amazing, generous, wonderful church with an unpronounceable Polish name (well, I can’t pronounce it!). The whole week for twenty-four hours a day over seven days they have continuous worship, dance, praise, prayer, and singing by sixteen different groups from twelve European countries, in their various languages. Each group performs for two hours in various time periods throughout the day and night. Twice a day there are also teaching sessions followed by people sharing what the Lord has done or shown them during this time. It is amazing! And the church people make these wonderful Polish dishes for lunch and dinner—and it’s all free! They never ask for a penny from the participants! I had such a great time, and such intimacy with God during last year’s Feast of Tabernacles that my birthday gift to myself was a return to Kalisz this year. My birthday is tomorrow, but God gave me an early gift.

I try to go to all the English language worship periods, and the two English language groups had early morning times yesterday (two to four AM) and today (four to six AM). After their sessions, I returned to the hotel to rest until breakfast. Sleep was not possible because I have one of those early morning brains that won’t stop talking if it is awake any time after three in the morning, but rest was essential, especially today.

I need to give you some background: I was in a verbally abusive marriage for thirty-three years. My husband had told me not to sing “Happy Birthday” because he hated the sound of my voice. In fact, I was so deeply ashamed of my voice that I used to only lip-synch the words at church for fear that God would be displeased with the sound of my voice. After the divorce, I began to use my voice in church again, and it was incredibly liberating.

So this morning when I returned to the church a German group was singing, and it was wonderful. The Russian group was supposed to come next, but they were late. The girl at the keyboards started to play one of my favorites—“The Revelation Song” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofNBuMdrbcg&feature=related). I was singing along with everything inside me. Then she said, “If you know the words, please come up to the stage.” I looked around, but there was hardly anybody there, and she had been looking right at me. She motioned for me to come up. I did, feeling a bit fearful, but when we started to sing, I got completely lost in my love for Jesus. If you don’t know the song, follow that link, it’s a wonderful song. Then she continued playing, probably to fill the time while somebody located the Russian team. And she started to riff (singing whatever came to her heart about Jesus), so I began to riff, too. We were not following any particular melody, she was just tinkling on the keyboard, and we sang. I think we went along like that for about 10 minutes, then the Russian team showed up. When I saw them, and the sound engineer unhooked my microphone, I stepped off the stage. But the violin player coaxed me back onto the stage. So I just stood there worshiping Jesus silently.

Afterward, both keyboard and violin players congratulated me, saying, “You’re so brave! Thank you so much for helping out!” But they didn’t know about my singing issues until I shared my story a few minutes later in the morning teaching time.

When I was here last year, as the sole representative of Italy, the pastors of the church asked me if I could lead worship in Italian. I had to say no, but I did ask some of the worship leaders I know in Italy to come. Nobody was interested at all. A few days ago I was singing along with a familiar song, but in Italian. Then the thought came into my head: could I possibly lead a two hour worship session in Italian? Immediately I dismissed the thought. But after this morning, I’m wondering. We’ll see! Meanwhile, please pray that God will provide a genuine Italian worship group so that I won’t have to do that all by myself.

Walking By Faith in Europe

Tag Archives: praise