Inspiring Stories to help you beyond your circumstances DIRECT MY STEPS LORD
When any of us are stricken with some crushing pain, crisis, hardship, or trial and we don’t know what to do, it is paramount to remember the words of Jeremiah: “I know, O Lord, that a man’s life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps.” (Jeremiah 10:23).
The absolute worst thing we can do in times of trouble is to make hasty decisions and to take whatever course of action seems easiest at the time. Remember, God has promised to lead us.
In 1 Samuel 30, David was in extreme duress and had wept till he had no strength left. All those with him did the same. You can read the story. Even those around him wanted to stone him, but David encouraged himself in the Lord, chose to worship, inquired of God and God gave David specific instructions. David obeyed and recovered all. (*Note: … those with him wanted to stone him and out of all of those men, David was the only one mentioned that turned to the Lord). Time doesn’t heal our wounds; it is in turning to the LORD where we find strength and help in times of trouble.
We must remember that our life is not our own, and that God has promised to lead us. I don’t know what you are facing, but God does. Turn to Him and He will give you direction. He will direct your steps. If you sense a small unsettling nudge in your heart, don’t ignore it. It may save your life and future.
You may be seeing injustice all around you and sense God nudging you to step out into a new career to be the change. You may be facing a business decision and need help from God and clarity. You may be deciding which job to take, where to move, or what church to connect with in a new city. One thing I know for sure, God will lead you. He will also connect you will people to help you succeed as a team.
HIS love and mine,
Deborah
BOOKS BY DR. DEBORAH STARCZEWSKI
GOD’S PRICELESS TREASURE (How To Overcome Challenges, Be Transformed and Know Your Purpose)
A LEAP OF FAITH (25 Days At The Mercy Seat)…the miraculous account of God raising my husband from death, healing him from two strokes, and two open-heart surgeries. The story will keep you turning the pages, give you encouragement, and increase your faith to believe God for whatever you are facing.
THE MIDNIGHT HOUR (Will America Turn Back To God?)…a must read for all. A great devotional type read…the perfect gift for family, friends, and co-workers.
Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, www.starministriesinc.com and other distributors.
Contact Deborah at www.starministriesinc.com for speaking and ministry engagements.
OPEN YOUR EYES TO SEE…..HELP FOR ALL
(Excerpt)…”You may find yourself in a place of extreme pain and derision. Perhaps, you don’t have the natural strength to move forward due to all the stress from a situation. Maybe you’re contemplating all the months ahead and wondering how on earth you are going to make it. Perhaps, you don’t have the physical strength to even move forward from all the stress you are experiencing. Do you find yourself in a desert wondering how you are going to provide for your small kids, make the house payments, go to work and function with excellence, to just getting out of bed? You are the very one God wants to speak to right now and take you to the place of totally depending upon Him and trusting Him with your every need.
God wants to open your eyes to His well of provision just like Hagar saw in the middle of her desert. God not only wants you to have provision but He wants you to be in peace. He tells us in His Word, “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast because he trust in you” (Isaiah 26:3 NIV).
As we trust the Lord, pray, and renew our minds, we find that our emotions do not run wild but rather, we have a calm assurance that God will provide in every area as we wait upon Him. That is the most amazing way to live.
Not only does God keep us in peace as we keep our mind stayed on Him, but He also provides food. The psalmist tells us, “I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging for bread” (Psalm 37:25). The LORD can move on someone’s heart to bring you a meal to providing for you in some manner you least likely expect. Several months ago, I remember I was at an appointment and the doctor was running late. I had a lunch appointment and knew I was not going to have time so I called and cancelled lunch. I also knew if I didn’t get a little something to eat that I would have a headache.
I remember thinking I would just drive over to the bagel shop and get a toasted bagel for a snack. Just in front of the door, a lady dressed in a warm-up suit asked me if I had some change. I told her I would get some inside. I walked inside and the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart to ask her to join me and buy her lunch. I walked back outside and asked her so we both proceeded through the door together. We began to have casual conversation in line and I asked her what she would like, so we ordered and I paid for it. We sat down and I prayed over our meal and then she began to tell me that she was homeless due to several bad choices. She expressed that she had a good job but lost it due to falling back into some sin and not getting to work on time. I asked her if she had a relationship with Jesus and she said she had heard about him. We ended up praying again and I shared how God had rearranged my day to meet her. I gave her money for a bus, for food, and for a hotel for the night. She told me she stayed off Sugar Creek Road somewhere. I felt compassion for her and her situation.
On my drive home, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart to go and get a pedicure. Now I can guess that some of you might be thinking, “Why would God tell her to get a pedicure?” God sometimes gives us strange instructions, interrupts our days, and positions us to hear from Him specifically. God knows I rarely watch TV news. So listen to this.
While getting the pedicure, I heard a man on the news that was on in the nail salon and tentatively listened to every word. He shared how he had been homeless himself, how the churches in the area were coming together, God had given him a ministry, and that a shelter to house the homeless was opening off Sugar Creek the next day. This was the area the lady stayed near.
God was letting me know that He positioned me to take care of the lady I met for the day, and He would provide the rest. God never ceases to amaze me.
Now, you may not be homeless, but in your heart, you may feel the same. All alone in this big world! Just as God provided for the lady’s day, He is providing for you. I don’t know all the details, but HE does.
God provides for our needs because He says so in His Word. The apostle Paul says, “My God will meet all your needs according to his riches in Christ Jesus.” I believe Him. Jesus told His followers not to worry about what they would eat or drink or wear, but to seek His kingdom first and His righteousness, and then all other things would fall into place (Matthew 6:33).
God provides comfort as we walk through the desert. He brings encouragement in detailed ways. He goes to extreme measures to encourage and provide for His Sons and Daughters. Our God is described as the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort who comforts us in all our troubles.”
(Excerpt from GOD’S PRICELESS TREASURE…published 2011, Creation House Press)
God bless you!
Deborah Starczewski
BOOKS BY DEBORAH STARCZEWSKI
GOD’S PRICELESS TREASURE (How To Overcome Challenges, Be Transformed and Know Your Purpose)
THE MIDNIGHT HOUR (Will America Turn Back To God?)
A LEAP OF FAITH (25 Days At The Mercy Seat)…the miraculous account of God raising my husband from death, healing him from two strokes and two open-heart surgeries. This book will keep you turning the pages and give you faith to believe God for yourself.
Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, www.starministriesinc.com and other distributors
ALL OUR HELP COMES FROM THE LORD…HE IS RISEN!
Happy Easter! Jesus is alive. He wants to raise you up to represent Him. You may be having the time of your life today…or you may be sad, lonely, and wondering why you don’t have a husband or wife. You may feel like your heart is broken over the loss of a friend or family member.
When the heart is broken, shattered in pieces, and it feels like no one knows or cares….God is with you. When the bad medical report comes, God is with you. When the call comes that your executive position has been eliminated, God is for you. When we have to wait, God is at work behind the scenes…working on our behalf.
Most people don’t like to wait at all. We waited at Mercy Hospital for 25 days when God raised my husband from death, healed him from two strokes and healed him through two-open heart surgeries. That was intense waiting. BUT GOD brought life where there was death, healing where there was sickness, and Jesus is alive today. He is seated at the right hand of the Father praying for us that our faith will not fail.
Other times of waiting are for our benefit as well. God does the most amazing things when we pray and wait on Him. We eventually learn that all our help comes from the Lord.
Several months ago, a friend’s car was leaking oil so she took the car to the dealership. The representative informed her the engine would have to be torn apart to find the problem. She drove a loaner car for several months through all the waiting. As a matter of fact, she also rear-ended a driver in stop and go traffic while driving the loaner car and had to get another rental car at that point. She was very frustrated and when she learned that the manufacturer was not going to replace her car engine, she was highly upset and almost panicked. It had been nearly six months.
We prayed that God would intervene. She was aggravated because she couldn’t find all of her receipts for the oil changes and the dealership didn’t seem to have a record for two of them. Without the receipts, it appeared she might not have had the oil changed as required…but she knew she had done so. We simply asked God to intervene.
The next day she heard on the news that her particular make and model of car was being recalled for engine failure. I explained to her that the long time of waiting was so the truth could come out about her particular vehicle and the recall.
God never ceases to amaze me. She called the manager at the dealership, emailed him the article, and got the call the next day that she would get a new engine at no cost to her. Times of waiting are for our benefit. It doesn’t matter how large your prayer request is, or how severe the attack you may be walking through—Jesus is alive and He answers prayer.
I recently wrote a blog: THE POWER OF PRAYER CHANGES EVERYTHING, and the very day I shared it I got to experience exactly what I wrote at 3 AM earlier that morning. On the drive into Charlotte, my cell phone fell out of the cupholder onto the floor on the passenger’s side of my car. Not sure how it fell out…I thought maybe an angel knocked it out onto the floor to get my attention.
I thought I needed my phone but knew that I would have to pull off at the next exit to pick it up…or so I thought. The LORD had different plans. The Holy Spirit spoke to my heart to pray in the Spirit and to keep driving. We have direct connect with God at all times…even without a cell phone in hand. That is great news my friends!
I prayed for several miles when I noticed that right in the middle lane of I-77 (during rush hour traffic) cars started slamming on brakes everywhere but no one actually wrecked into the large truck and trailer that was stalled in the center lane with lights flashing. It was amazing to me that no one wrecked. Cars were all over the place going in wrong directions…stopped…but with no accidents. That was a miracle. It was as if an angel of the Lord was standing in the highway and rerouted and blocked cars from hitting each other. It was totally amazing.
The power of prayer changes everything. God goes to extreme measures to get our attention. He wants us to pray and use the gifts we have been given to impact nations. His love is amazing. His ways are past finding out. He uses us as vessels to bring His Will to pass here on earth. Nothing is too small or too big to pray about.
We must choose to heed the warnings to pray immediately. No matter if you feel your heart is ripped out due to abandonment, betrayal, a bad medical report, divorce, emotional baggage, or fear…God wants to help you. You may have been adopted and still feel the pain from rejection. You are accepted in Christ and He is wants to heal you. He is our healer.
Don’t you dare believe the lies of the enemy—God has the final say! You can triumph over tragedy by turning to God and obeying His Word. God wants to turn the drama to destiny, your pain to purpose, your mess to a message, and your heartache to reaching back for others who are hurting. He wants you to step into divine purpose and to pursue Him with your whole heart.
Thank God all our help comes from the Lord. Keep praying and keep on believing. God is at work on your behalf. Trust Him in times of waiting. If He will do it to encourage my friend over a car, just think about how much more He cares about matters of the heart. God will change the entire order of an ordinary day for one person. He wants us to focus on Him, do what He tells us to do in excellence, and be a servant leader….one who is more concerned about people than power, prestige, position, or things; one that is focused on “how well” rather than “how much”…. Dare to believe God and know this…..all our help comes from the Lord. He was crucified on the Cross. He rose. He ascended into Heaven and He is coming back again!
Have a blessed Easter Sunday…..He is RISEN!
PRAYER:
“Father, I thank you that my life, my children, my business and all that pertains to me is covered by the Blood of the Lamb-Jesus. No weapon that is formed against me will prosper. There is a blood line that the enemy can’t cross over. When we make a mistake, His blood still cries out for mercy. They may have crucified Jesus’ body—but the power is in the blood! He is risen and reigns Lord over all. Jesus defeated Satan and took away the keys to death and hell. I choose life in Jesus!”
Jesus loves you with an everlasting love.
His love and mine,
Deborah Starczewski
“My help comes from the LORD, the Creator of heaven and earth!” (Psalm 121:2 NET).
BOOKS BY DEBORAH STARCZEWSKI
GOD’S PRICELESS TREASURE (How To Overcome Challenges, Be Transformed And Know Your Purpose) …move from drama to destiny, pain to purpose, a mess to a message, a trial to triumph.
A LEAP OF FAITH (25 Days At The Mercy Seat)…the miraculous account of God raising my husband from death, healing from two strokes, two open-heart surgeries.
THE MIDNIGHT HOUR (Will America Turn Back To God?)..A must read!
SHIFT HAPPENS….sold at events
Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, www.starministriesinc.com and other distributors