Hello brothers and sisters and Heartdwellers family.
We have had some exciting progress after receiving our goal for go fund me campaign for the Phase 1 building project for the city of God. We have been able to make a purchase for a ministry vehicle and also make plans to begin farming on a land donated to us! We have had two meetings with farmers and will have a video soon vlogging our journey to farming so you can see the fruit of your support for this 1st phase. Things seem to be taking of for Father Derrick and business as well.
With starting to get busy we have noticed our prayer time shorting a bit and we held each other accountable this morning that we must put prayer first before the work. We had our daily prayer meeting and was really encouraged and inspired by what the intercessors said concerning the work of the City of God and how Jesus sees it.
I was musing over all of this and decided to get a reading from Mother Angelica Little book of life lessons and everyday spirituality.
I landed on the chapter Gods will and Providence, the reading that stuck out to me was titled “Why Am I Here” it said, I’m not here to win friends and influence people. I’m here to do God’s will. Now, if the accomplishment of that will bugs a lot of people, well that’s their problem I can’t help that
I chuckled because she always has a sense of humor.
Then during my worship the Lord played a song about persecution coming when Joseph Smith was trying to build the temple how persecution came from within. The Lord always gives me that song as a heads up when persecution is coming my way concerning the work for the City of God Community. Holy Spirit can use anything to get our attention.
After receiving the Lord I came before him to hear his heart.
Jesus what’s on your heart?
How I have missed you my soul longs for you thirst for you in a dry and weary land
I waiting for a moment and I could sense the presence of a women at first I thought it was Blessed Mother then another saint came to my mind.
She began,
“My beloved I am here, my spiritual daughter, just bonk that unbelief. Its Me your fiery quick tempered Italian Mother. “
Mother Angelica came to my mind
Mother Angelica continued,
“Yes, it’s me my sweet child I have been watching you with great intensity and praying for you with great love. Your life story is very much like mine, in the work the Lord has called you to do.
And here she was referring to her story in building the EWTN network. I remember her book which I read when I was in New Mexico called Mother Angelica
The Remarkable Story of a Nun, Her Nerve, and a Network of Miracles from Mother Clare’s collection of books. It was so inspiring my goodness and I used her words and circumstances to even make rhema cards for Mother Clare when she was beginning to build the refuge and was facing all sorts of opposition on every side. It really encouraged her and I told Mother she reminded me a lot of Mother Angelica
“Do not shy away dear one, do not shy away because the work and call seems too large for you. Remember it is his work and He will do it just be a willing instrument that keeps going and doesn’t give up. I wanted to encourage you my daughter because there will be many trials of discouragement that come in the form of persecution that will be continuous with the work you and you’re your husband are called to build.
Just expect it so when it comes you will not be dejected, but rather filled with hope that the Lord will get you though each delay, each contradiction, and each point that looks like a roadblock. Have the group pray Judith prayer daily for the work of the City of God community, it will reach so much further than you think my dear little child so much further.
He picked you a scrawny little thing, (she said this smiling) but you carry much power behind you. That is what they will say when they see you, how possible is it for God to do all of this work from something so little and seemingly innocent child
At this point guys if I can be honest I was questioning if I was really talking to her. I got hung up on her calling me scrawny I could hear the New York accent and her voice and everything when she said it but I thought would Jesus allow her to say that maybe this is my flesh maybe this is a lying spirit. Then I heard as I paused to stop writing
“Don’t take offense to that” I quickly said,
Oh I didn’t, surprised that she could tell
And she responded,
But you did that is why you checked to ensure you were really talking to me
Which was true I checked bible promises to discern if this was really her and got Hospitality which always confirms that I am using my gift. All I could do was laugh…busted like the saint don’t see.
Lol
Mother Angelica continued,
That is My word of endearment to those I love, speaking the truth in love. You are far from what many see you as and what the world will see you as and that is very good because God will get all the glory for what he does in your life. You don’t fully understand the impact of this work of your obedience and of your yes, but this work will impact this generation, especially the youth in a very powerful way.
You were right to think though you are called to a continuous hidden interior life this work will be very public and the Lord will use you to touch the media to share the truth about who he is in the eucharist and call many, many, young people to holiness. You and all heartdwellers will be apart of one of the greatest moves of God and the Holy Spirit. These are very exciting times which will come with great opposition and persecution because of it, do not be deterred again. Your will must be that of iron steel, you and all of those who are for this mission. Do not let anyone intimidate you or cause you to change your mind on anything the Lord has said.
Trust Him be obedient and stick to your convictions even when attacks come from within. The Church the beloved body of Christ, how I filled up in My body much suffering for her sake
Colossians 1:24: “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church.”
What came to my mind was an excerpt from the devotional where it shares on some of the physical suffer Mother Angelica went through. Which I would like to add if you don’t know too much about her life and what she went through. The book reads, So many teachers of the Gospel approach pain and suffering theoretically, if at all. Yet that remain the most constant of human experiences. Though few of us have ever known spiritual ecstasy or received a vision of a saint, during say, breakfast, none of us is untouched by suffering.
Suffering has been integral to the path of Mother Angelica. It is central to her charism, the source of her greatest accomplishments, the cornerstone of her life and through. She has struggled with diabetes, a bloated heart, a twisted spine, lame legs and asthma, among other maladies. She did not merely expound the teachings that follow, she lived them.
Over time, Mother Developed a rather sophisticated philosophy of pain and suffering. These ideas, thoughts, and prayers helped her sanctify the pain in her own life and offered hope to those coping with physical, mental and spiritual hardships of their own.
Mother Angelica continued,
“but she was a thorn in my side that pained me the most to have my own brothers come against me and fight me so much within the catholic church. You now know the truth and the state of the Church pray for her fervently. The Lord will give you favor with local churches and ministries, but just like any great work it will be opposed by the very body its wanting to help. They will be all manner of things said about your ways, teachings and doctrine do not be deterred once again when this happens remember my words to you and take it all.
The Lord is your defender and will come to your aid he must allow much suffering to sanctify you and those called to follow after you and to also validate His work.
For every great work of God has to pass through the fire of persecution, even within the church. Be steady in faith even when you get the woozy feeling in your stomach, be steady and trust Him. He has chosen you because you keep saying yes.
Are you sure about that mother? And here I was talking about the keep saying yes part there many moments I have said no terrified of what is next then I always end up giving in or My Spirit does anyway
“I know what you mean, but to our spouse even when we fuss and throw our tantrums, we always come back to him, in surrender he has the words of eternal life where can we go, but with him to calvary and he helps us every step of the way.
Do not concern yourself with what is not right, right now, but thank the Lord for what is and what He is putting together. Many things will happen suddenly and remember after victory is when you are the most vulnerable so do not leave your spouse’s side and do not neglect prayer when things seem to be going smoothly, you can always count on an assignment to derail you or distract you right around the corner. The devils will do all manner of things to cause you to give up, but you haven’t so far and its not so much about you but your reach, the lives that you will impact, the world that will be touched they are after those souls and its not because of anything you have done, but simply because the Lord desires to use a very lowly instrument like yourself to reach the world that they may know Him
There will be many faithful little one’s, man and women whom the Lord will entrust to you and will be faithful to follow you as their shepherd where Jesus leads you. They will be a strength and a support, do not take them for granted, but nurture them, mother them and help them to fly. Many of them are already with you and some are unaware, but they have a destiny in Africa. It would be good to get a copy of my book how the Lord used me to build the ETWN network and use that as rhemas just as you did for your Mother which brought her great encouragement.
The Lord has chosen us, lowly little cowards of the earth and make us into great man and women of faith simply because we do not give up and you will not give up, your children following you will not give up all of heaven behind you will not give up until this work is finished. Go forth with great tenacity to do the Lords will and great humility that he resists the proud and lift up the little, lowly, nothings of the world and makes us into saints.
That was the end of Mother Angelica message
I would encourage you all to get the book if you haven’t read it whether you are called to a religious life or not, catholic or not its an inspiring book of cowardly women as she would say, who became a wondering women of faith by doing what had not been done before. Also seeing her persevere through every opposition and persecution to fulfill her mission you will be inspired in your Christian walk I can guarantee you that. Again the book is called Mother Angelica, Remarkable Story of a Nun, Her Nerve, and a Network of Miracles
God bless you family until the next message and thank you Mother Angelica please pray for us.
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