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authority, Christianity, deception, discerning the spirits, experience, God's guidance, God's love, God's voice, Jesus Christ, Resisting the Devil, temptations, the Bible, the devil, the Word of God, YouTube
Have you ever heard about Christians having been given a special kind of authority on the grounds of calling themselves a Christian? You know this kind of supernatural ‘power’ that is to enable us to share our testimony wherever and whenever or to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything” (Mt 28:19-20 NIV) that Jesus has said? Others might have been taught that as soon as the devil attacks us, we should put on the whole armor of God (Eph 6:11-18) so that we can resist him. Hmm… 🙄 If you ever tried this and that and you failed, I am afraid you were not the only one. Me too! 🙂 In fact, I thank God for letting us know that simply following the written word is not necessarily walking in the Spirit of truth also.
Although His written Word IS the truth, we need to abide in Him as well so that we can hear inwardly with our ears of the heart what, how, and when we are to really speak up or to act according to what we have sensed in our human spirit. Jesus told us clearly how He Himself dealt with these things when He walked the earth about 2,000 years ago.
“For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak.” (Jn 12:49 ESV)
So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.” (Jn 5:19 ESV)”
Just yesterday I read a comment by a young Christian who doubted that God would ever speak apart from the Bible. That means, he thought that Jesus could only speak to us through the written word and that was all. His response was an answer to a YouTube video by another young Christian who appears to be terminally ill with Hodgkin’s lymphoma for the third time in his young life (he is 23). The latter has begun to share his Spirit-led experiences on the internet and he makes some people wonder. As I could sense that he had real experiences with God, I answered the first guy with what had come to mind immediately.
He wrote, “But God only speaks through His Word.”
I answered, “Exactly! “He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.” (Rev 19:13 ESV)[…]”
I went on writing, but as it has often been the case, my replies on YouTube tend to disappear or are somehow truncated after publishing. Not sure why this happens, yet I decided to take it as from God and to rather write about these things on here instead.
If following the written word just as it comes to us in all things and at all times ‘automatically’ had been commanded by God, then even Jesus would have failed. Just think about His temptations in the wilderness which He had to go through after He had been baptized with the Holy Spirit. I chose to only take the first temptation and to paste it below as these temptations followed a similar pattern.
“And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Mt 4:2-4 ESV – emphasis in italics added)
Even the next temptation Satan starts by telling the same truth as he sneakingly suggests again, “If you are the Son of God, ….” then you should do this (what I, the devil, command you). Perhaps you can recognize the connection to our pseudo-Christian authority here? 🙄 Let’s put it this way.
“If you are a Christian, then you can do everything Jesus commanded, you can work miracles, cast out demons or save unbelievers! You can put on the whole armor of God, you can, of course, do ALWAYS EVERYTHING Jesus once did… (I would add here:) ….whenever the devil or the flesh tell you so!”
Isn’t it a big temptation so many of us have given in to as we followed what we have been taught, what we ‘felt’ or ‘wanted’, or what we rather ‘reasoned’ the proper decision and right thing to do for God? Whether we did the right thing or not, may we never forget that it is not so much about all our doing for God. Isn’t it more about being changed into the image of Christ and to mirror the Love of God and The Truth in this world?
❤ “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.” (1 Cor 13:1-3 ESV) ❤
All images by Susanne Schuberth 2021
Entering the Promised Land 
“In fact, I thank God for letting us know that simply following the written word is not necessarily walking in the Spirit of truth also.”
This is so important. I don’t know how many scriptures the Son of God had to fulfill when He came, but He didn’t try to fulfill any of them. He simply did the will of His Father, and all were fulfilled– that is, all that pertained to His first appearing. The same with us. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” And of course the scriptures will always line up with the leading of the Spirit of God. If they do not, perhaps we better question where the leading came from.
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Amen, Allan. Well put! ⭐
Being led by the Spirit of God is so important, indeed. But His Spirit would never entice us to commit sin as Christians I have known would believe. 😦 In these cases we can only pray for them that God opens their eyes to see the truth.
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Your comment, Allan, on what Susanne wrote was well said. How many Evangelicals go off to Bible school and desire to be launched out into “the mission field” upon completion. Often they start on this path because of an emotional appeal from a visiting missionary on “Missions Sunday” or some such thing. The problem is that the LORD has never called them and the end result is them doing the work in the power of their own flesh and finally it ends up a disaster. The demons find them on their own turf and say, “Jesus I know and Paul I know, but who are you?” and then attack. Just because Jesus told the disciples to go out through all the world preaching the gospel does not mean that everyone who believes in Him is called to do so. If it was true of Jesus that He only did the works that He saw His Father doing, how much more is it to be true of us. Is the servant greater than his Master?
Thanks, Susanne for sharing your observations regarding this matter of self will in the name of Christ with us. As for “putting on the full armor of God….” They taught us in Sunday school that these are individual pieces of armor that we can call upon in our defense for every situation. Well, read it again, “Put on the full armor OF GOD!” Paul wrote,
“For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Gal 3:27, KJ2000)
If we are immersed (the correct translation of the Greek word – baptizo) INTO Christ we have put on Christ. If we only accept enough of Jesus to get us saved from hell, sorry, but that is not all that Christ is or is about. The full armor of God is Christ’s armor. HE is wearing it. The only way we can put His full armor on is to put on Christ by being immersed IN HIM with Him becoming our all.
Thanks again for exposing this kind of shallow church system thinking. May we all be immersed IN HIM and know Him as our All in all.
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You are very welcome as to the sharing, Michael. And thank you for your explanation of how to understand ‘Putting on the full armor of God’! It seems to me that everything in the spiritual realm is God’s doing alone as we need to (passively) have been baptized into Christ.
Who would ever be able to do this on his own? 🙄 Apart from Him we can truly do NOTHING!
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One time I was praying for something important to me and I said, “God, this is going to take a miracle!” He quickly replied, “Son, that is ALL I do!” Our part in all He does is truly passive as you say. Our prayers only get answered when they come into alignment with HIS will. Thank God for that, for time has shown that His will always works out best for us. ⭐ 🙂
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“Our prayers only get answered when they come into alignment with HIS will.”
This is absolutely true, Michael. Whenever I pray about something that is not according to His will, even if it is only not in alignment with His perfect timing, I sense I pray against a (spiritual) wall. I try and try and begin again… yet nothing helps but only waiting for Him… until the wall begins to crumble down.
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Well said, Susanne. His timing is always an integral part of it all. Too bad that sometimes “a thousand years of our time is only a day” to Him. :-p
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Indeed, Michael, I often tell God that I am not content with His timing. 😉
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Dear Susanne —
I know from experience that the leading of the Spirit is necessary, if we are to witness effectively. I have more than once proceeded to witness when the time was not right, to no effect.
What makes the written Word of God so impactful for me is that the Bible is alive and interactive. “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb. 4: 12).
God can use the Bible to speak powerfully to our hearts. It is, also, a touchstone against which we can assess private revelation.
But millions of believers over the centuries have been illiterate. And many Christians in persecuted lands do not possess a Bible today. God is fully capable of speaking with them despite that.
I think your point is that we must listen for His voice. His messages are personal, not generic. I remember one particular instance when I received a profound (though wordless) expression of His love while gazing at a painting.
Your love for Him is always evident, Susanne.
With love,
A. ❤
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Dear Anna,
You described it so aptly,
“I know from experience that the leading of the Spirit is necessary, if we are to witness effectively. I have more than once proceeded to witness when the time was not right, to no effect.
Oh yes, didn’t we all do it…?
You know, you begin to open your mouth and talk, but somehow it feels strange and ’empty’ (spiritless). Also, the reaction on the other side is not what we expect, either. Often, they are not at all interested in what we have to say. However, if we act and speak up according to His will, we will either get a clear YES or a clear NO by others. And even if some remain indifferent, our heart tells us we did the right thing as His peace always follows our obedience.
Yes, Anna, God’s word is living and active! God can use His written word to pierce us or He speaks directly, even without words. And as He is a loving God He always speaks to our hearts. ❤ ❤ He, like you said, is the one who chooses the way He wants to speak to us. Actually, God also once ‘spoke’ to me without words through a painting, not even a distinctly good one.
This occurrence happened on Mallorca island in September 2008. We visited an old church and a monastery on a hill. After having admired a huge statue of Jesus Christ on the outside of the church, I was still pondering on the inscription above Christ’s head. “King of kings, Lord of lords”, starting to believe I needed someone higher than me and my not-always-relaxing Asian meditation at that time.
As we entered the church I smelled the overpowering scent of my favorite flowers (white lilies). Sitting in the row of a rather empty church, I found rest without meditation for the first time after many, many years I had felt forced to spend ‘seemingly’ without a word from God (my wilderness years). Quietness of soul and this heady aroma of fading flowers were His gift for me at that time and I was so grateful. 🙂 Hesitatingly I left the church again as my husband and our daughter wanted to see more of the place. But immediately after leaving, THIS painting on the other side hit me. It might have been a monk who painted it. And even though the painter might not have had the perfect sense of proportion, the bare-breasted shepherd with his huge shepherd’s crook seemed to look right into my eyes, calling me to follow Him.
Boy, at that moment I understood Francis of Assisi to whom a wooden cross with the crucified Christ was said to have spoken, too. “Rebuild my church!” Jesus told Francis. And how do we understand God? Exactly. Francis thought about reconstructing an old chapel building and he did. It needs so many years of experience with God until we eventually understand His communication on a mere spiritual level.
Oh my, you inspired me A LOT with your comment, indeed. Thank you very much, Anna!! 🙂
I am not sure whether I really love Him (as I often feel nothing), Anna, but I believe He loves me. Thanks for the encouragement!
With love,
Susanne ❤
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Thank you for sharing your beautiful story, Susanne. This walk of faith is a journey. We take it one step at a time. We may at times feel lost. But God knows exactly where we are.
I am so grateful to have met you along the way, dear friend.
With love,
Anna ❤
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You are most welcome, dear Anna! ❤
Yes, we feel lost at times, even as if He has forgotten (to bless) us as He allows trials in our lives we would have never chosen on our own. It’s a journey, indeed!
Sometimes mere emotionless faith puts us through our dark valleys where God makes our faith grow without us even realizing it.
I am so grateful to have come to know you as well, dear Anna! 🙂 And what is the best about being friends in Christ: our friendship will never end because of Him who shares eternity with you and me! ❤ ❤ ❤
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Qué bello testimonio Susanne, Dios nos habla y su voz viene en diversas formas, como en el caso de la pintura de Anna y en el caso de tu experiencia en esa iglesia, Dios es tan grande y poderoso que habla como quiere.
Y es verdad, Él nos ama más de lo que nosotros lo amamos, Su amor es desbordado.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Patricia Lelión
——————
Patricia wrote,
“What a beautiful testimony Susanne. God speaks to us and his voice comes in various forms, as in the case of Anna’s painting and in the case of your experience in that church. God is so great and powerful that he speaks as he wants.
And it is true, He loves us more than we love Him, His love is overflowing.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Patricia Lelión”
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Muchas gracias por tus palabras de aliento, querida Patricia. 😊❤️👍🏼
Espero y rezo que estés bien. 🙏🏼🕊️🌈💞🌸
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Susanne 🤗❤️😘
I wrote,
“Thank you so much for your encouraging words, dear Patricia. 😊❤️👍🏼
I hope and pray you are doing fine. 🙏🏼🕊️🌈💞🌸
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Susanne 🤗❤️😘”
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Dear Susanne,
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon you, and his glory shall be seen upon you.” (Isa 60:1-2, KJ2000)
You nailed it, dear sister. So many Christians use the Bible to justify their own emotions and wills. They hunt for a scripture that says what they want to do or are doing is okay with God and do it. What is worse is when a “pastor” uses the Bible to teach things that God is not saying to the people and they do it and wonder why they end up following a cult leader! Yes, Satan’s M. O. is all over this kind of misuse of the scriptures.
That verse from Revelation was spot on! JESUS IS the Word of God, not a book. Yes, God has used prophets and apostles to speak those words, but as you quoted later, “Man shall live by every word that PROCEEDS from the Mouth of God”, not that once proceeded.
“God, who at many times and in various manners spoke in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Has in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things…” (Heb 1:1-2, KJ2000)
All that said, the Spirit can and does use scriptures to speak to us, but it must come from the Spirit, the mouth of God, and not by us hunting for something that pleases our flesh just as Satan did as he tempted Jesus to turn those stones into bread to please His fleshly hunger. Thank God, He never obeyed Satan who continued to tempt Him even through the words of His own disciples!
This was a great teaching, dear sister. Keep listening to the Voice in whatever form the Spirit uses in your life, always discerning the Deceiver, for he knows his time is near.
❤
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Thank you so much for your encouraging words, my dear brother. 😊
You see, God again and again has also used Scripture to speak to me, especially through you, Michael. 😉 This Isaiah quote from your comment I initially got from God in 1995 when I had just come to know the real Jesus. 😊 ❤ But alas, only a few minutes later, Satan used a ‘man of God’ to tell me what to do, i.e., to go to church and to follow the teachings of Christianity’s self-appointed (male) leaders. Later I came to know other ‘obligations’ like giving tithes, donations etc. Heeding such devilish advice after a certain time of resistance, I had to find out that all initial joy about being saved was gone. ☹ You know the rest as we both had to go through so many errors until we, by the grace of God, finally saw the truth and could escape from those anti-Christian movements.
It is interesting that you called this blog article a teaching. In fact, I know that I shared several teachings over the years on here and elsewhere. Nonetheless, ‘someone’ keeps coming back at me, reminding me of what the apostle Paul had said,
“Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.” (1 Tim 2:11-15 ESV – emphasis in italics added)
I know we talked about it before and I know that there is now neither Jew nor Greek, nor male nor female IN Christ. However, Galatians 3:28 is exactly the Scripture (Catholic) priestesses, and as far as I know female pastors before them, claim for themselves so that feminism and liberalism has begun to overtake part of ‘the church’ also. Basically, they continue to share their worldly views under a clerical protection shield, so to say.
Michael, I do know when Jesus teaches me something and when I feel led to share it. Yesterday I took the picture of the three crocuses and thought, ‘Well, that would be nice for a posting.’ However, I had no idea what to write about. Yet Jesus said, “Post it and I will give you the text.” And Michael, He inspired me immediately! 😊 But Satan keeps attacking me by telling me continuously that I am not allowed to teach as I am ‘only’ a woman who can be deceived so easily, like Eve. 😦
Although I have begun to wonder whether the context of this Scripture was more about husbands and spouses and their position toward one another. It is true that God does not want women to rule over men. But God does not want men to rule over their wives in any violent way, either. All things are right when their leader is Christ, not the self. And I do sense when Jesus speaks through my hubby and when He does not. I obey the voice I hear, Jesus’, not the words spoken as coming from a human being, so to speak. Not sure whether it got clear what I meant here… 🙄
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Susanne, I can see where the confusion comes from when we read the letter of the law into the New Testament with a legalistic mind. I think that you have heard the Spirit of what Apostle Paul wrote regarding husbands and wives in context with all the rest of his letters to the Church. We both have seen that passage in 1 Timothy used to subjugate women. Something is out of order when two scriptures seem to contradict one another and it happens a lot. This is when we need the Spirit to speak to us the truth that Father would have us walk in. “The letter of the law kills, but the Spirit gives life.” “He who is free IN Christ is free indeed.”
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal 3:28, KJ2000)
The key phrase in these verses is “IN CHRIST,” Only as we are walking IN Christ by faith do all the walls of separation disappear and peace pours into our hearts. Paul wrote,
“Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law [walls], imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian,” (Gal 3:23-25, ESV2011)
Keep walking by the Spirit in faith, dear sister, especially in your marriage to Paul for that is the real witness of Christ for him. You are a blessing to us all,
Michael
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Thanks again for weighing in on this, Michael.
I recall that my mom told me decades ago that she would meet regularly with other women in the RCC in order to talk about Scripture and about God with them. It was all wonderful until a priest showed up one day. He seemed to be even ‘shocked’ about what they ‘did’ there. 🙄 He told them that women without a priest leading them (into the truth) would not be able to find the real meaning of Bible verses in Scripture – at all. Sound familiar? Anti-Christian in nature, trying to substitute the Holy Spirit’s work with clerical control and logic. How can someone of the female gender not get mad when hearing such a crap?? 😛
Eventually, my mom joined a similar group in the Lutheran church where they had no such problems, though others I might add, as the women there were highly influenced by feminism and liberalism as I mentioned above. But whoever seeks God diligently will eventually find Him since God’s promises can always be trusted!
Indeed, Michael, only IN Christ all outward differences are gone! God puts us into Christ; we cannot do it on our own. So, all those who claim Gal 3:28 for themselves while not being in Christ cannot see the truth, either. Just like the ones who want to subjugate women by throwing Scriptures into their faces. None of these two options represent the truth!
Your comments keep blessing me, my brother!
Susanne ❤
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The story of what your mom went through with that priest makes ME mad as well! And what she went through with those women’s libbers with an agenda as they studied the Bible was not much better. Sad to say that many give up after a few tries, but Jesus said.
“So I say to you, Ask and keep on asking and it shall be given you; seek and keep on seeking and you shall find; knock and keep on knocking and the door shall be opened to you. For everyone who asks and keeps on asking receives; and he who seeks and keeps on seeking finds; and to him who knocks and keeps on knocking, the door shall be opened.” (Luke 11:9-10, AMP)
God loves persistence. As you well know, to find the Truth and walk in it, it takes a lot of it, not intellectual just curiosity.
Praying for your mom and dad, ❤
Michael
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Michael, I was wondering whether a man might get mad about this story, too. Now I know! I appreciate your empathy, especially as you are a real man of God! ⭐
Yes, God loves persistence, my brother. A persistance like this ‘unnerving’ widow had who became a pain in the neck of an unjust judge (Lk 18:1-8). She really had faith, that kind of faith Jesus wants to find when He comes back on this earth!
Thanks a lot for your prayers for my mom and dad!! Praying for your big family, too!!! ❤
Susanne
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Thanks Susanne, just as you are a real woman of God and a great encouragement in my life ⭐
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Thank you so much, Michael. ☺️
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Wow. Love your take on this Susanne!
Also have not been by to say how nice your new header is and the new ( new to me anyway) picture of you is radiant!
Interestingly I did not read this until today and it was this morning that I was considering some very recent and past interactions with people. I wanted to share about the Lord with them but when I tried to it was like I could not find the words.
Unfortunately I still said ‘stuff’ but knew what I tried to say was not what I wanted to say because the words were forced.
As I was considering that I recalled that when we are brought before others the Lord promises to give us what to say. Even though he is referencing authorities I think it is the same for one on one?
Luke 12:11-12 (ESV)
11 And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
Being anxious is how I feel in those times I try to share ‘because that’s what Christians are supposed to do’ and I then would feel like I failed the Lord as I could not put two words together intelligibly.
I now see between this morning’s thought and your post, that I was not supposed to say anything! That was why I could not find words. I can be so dense…
The Spirit was not wanting to speak at that moment. So simple and knowing that will keep me, and the people I want to share the Lord with, from a lot of confusion. Even if they bring Him up that is NOT necessarily time to comment.
To tie that into your post :
Quote:
“ In fact, I thank God for letting us know that simply following the written word is not necessarily walking in the Spirit of truth also.
Although His written Word IS the truth, we need to abide in Him as well so that we can hear inwardly with our ears of the heart what, how, and when we are to really speak up or to act according to what we have sensed in our human spirit. Jesus told us clearly how He Himself dealt with these things when He walked the earth about 2,000 years ago.” (end quote)
And as you so aptly pointed out, it is LOVE (Christ’s love) that makes any of it matter 🥰
XO, Judi
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Thank you for your encouraging words, dear Judi! ❤
My new header shows a picture I took in Salzburg (Austria) last September where I was on a short trip with my daughter after 12 years without having been on vacation at all. It displays the side entrance to Mirabell Gardens which is beneath the Salzburg Palace. One day lately I perceived the Lord speaking to my heart that I should change my header. Although I think the picture is too big as I could not crop it properly, it speaks about “Entering the Promised Land” in a more colorful way and about more closeness to this spiritual country than the old WordPress black and white header did before.
As for my new gravatar pic, I want to be honest with you: I lost all my hair due to an incurable disease, meanwhile including facial hair (eyebrows and eyelashes). So what you see there is a wig. This disease has been one of my many struggles lately…
Do not worry about being ‘dense’. As I mentioned to Michael before, we have all been through this density. It is so hard to let the Lord do what we rather want to do ourselves, isn’t it? 🙄 Waiting on the Lord is the hardest thing for me. Still. I have had this disease (alopecia areata, now alopecia totalis) for the third time since 1994 and I lost my hair (partly) since spring 2018 now. But last year in Austria all hair loss had stopped and my blank spots got partly filled as the hair grew again. My hairdresser was all positive about it. Yet during the latest lockdown after my last visit at the hairdresser in November 2020, I lost ALL my hair within a very short time. That got me all in tears often, not being able to recognize myself anymore. I also felt pretty depressive and have been quite often very mad at Jesus, too, as God had promised to heal me about one year ago. So I ‘know’ in my heart that He wants to heal me. However, I do not know when.
Often times the Lord promises us a good thing, a blessing, or gives us a revelation, but soon afterwards things get really bad. It seems to be a test of faith where we should come to acknowledge our own limitations. Being at my wits’ end now, I sense that I seek Him more than before. Not out of love, no, but out of a need of mine! It appears to me that a growing dependency on Him has been one of His goals during this process.
I believe you are spot on with your interpretation of this Scripture in Luke! ⭐
I’d appreciate your prayers for me, Judi!! 🥰
All the best and every blessing from God.
XO Susanne
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Dear Susanne, thank you for sharing your heart with us on your blog. I knew you had the toothache trouble but had not known about the hair loss disease. As a woman I know the loss of our hair affects our soul deeply.
What a difficult test you are going through! I find that as I am continuing on this journey in Christ, bottom line is that all I can hold on to is that our Lord will return and wipe every tear away. No more pain or sorrow. We will understand somehow then what we can not understand now.
So many (false) teachings have caused too many to believe if we just DO this or PRAY that or whatever in FAITH all will be well. If it could be so simple! And maybe it is but I sure have not experienced much “simple”. Scripture, being the Word Himself, remains our sole anchor – whether things are simple or we are pressed beyond measure despairing even of life as Paul experienced. Job had quite the test. God bragged on him to Satan himself. The outcome was glorious for Job, Job found what he did not know he was lacking, Satan lost the bet, and God was glorified.
I see in that how what we go through is not always what it seems so until hindsight arrives with its 20/20 vision we need to believe it is no longer I who live but Christ living in us and learn how to draw on that when all looks darkest. I have found TAS explains the process very well.
Wish I could say knowing that has helped me more but all is still “in process” while I still breathe.
Will be praying for God’s Grace for you through this my dear friend and that the test will have the Lord’s beauty as your A+ mark not only in the life to come but today.
Big hugs, Judi
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You are welcome as to the sharing, dear Judi. Yes, the toothache thing…
It got better after four years but is not over, either. Just yesterday I came to see that this extreme hairloss and some other more or less severe health problems (like continuous heart pains and almost choking while eating) are post-Covid-19 effects as a big study revealed. So, I know now where a lot of my suffering has its roots…. Indeed, I have been thinking about Job and his trials pretty often, not only lately.
Thanks a bunch for your encouraging words and prayers, Judi. They mean a lot to me! ❤
Yes, we wait until His life in us comes forth… waiting with you and many others!
Big hugs back to you,
Susanne
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Susanne, I am saddened to hear about your further dis-ease caused by the Covid 19. It seems to be “the gift that keeps on giving.”
Dear Father, please heal Susanne of all the effects of this devil’s curse that has been unleashed on the world and send it back to hell where it came from and send your Comforter to her in this hour and sooth her dear heart. Amen.
We all love you, dear Sanne. ❤
Michael
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Thank you for your many prayers for me, Michael. ❤
As I told Judi above, I often thought about Job and his story. He could take a lot of suffering, yet when his own body and soul were touched, he began to struggle. Jesus sometimes asks me if I left Him when worse things happened to me and to this I only say like Peter, “Where should I go? Only you have words of (eternal) life.” (see Jn 6:68) Even though I feel no love for God right now, there is no other way for me than to go through it all and to trust, even if often waveringly, that He gives me the strength to endure in the darkness. As I decided to take this virus and its effects as from God and not from the devil, it becomes clear with whom I have been struggling a lot lately (Jesus and Daddy, to be honest). I just thought about the following Scripture,
“Is a trumpet blown in a city, and the people are not afraid? Does disaster come to a city, unless the Lord has done it? For the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.” (Amos 3:6-7 ESV)
Thank you for your love, too, dear Michael! ❤
Sanne
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Susanne, it is so wonderful to be getting to know you in the depths of Christ and His love for us all. We truly are becoming members individually of each other IN Him. Or as Paul wrote,
“But as it is written, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him. But God has revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God.” (1Cor 2:9-10, KJ2000)
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Thank you, Michael. Yes, we have become individually members one of another as you so aptly described in your new blog article:
http://awildernessvoice.blog/2021/03/14/we-are-individually-members-one-of-another/
This mysterious Scripture you quoted above hints to deeper truths we are not allowed to share publicly as God wants to manifest Himself regarding these things as He sees fit, whenever and to whomever.
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Yes, only He can reveal and unlock the deeper things that are ours in Christ. For instance while thinking about the intimacy that is our IN Christ, I saw in a sort of a vision of what it means to partake in His blood and in His flesh. I got the sensation that I was in His body on the cross and His wounds were my wounds and His suffering was my suffering… a deeper since of unity than I had yet known. How much more does He have for us to learn by experience?!!
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Michael, I believe new experiences with God will never ever find an end as God is eternal. I am sure you agree with me. 😇
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Yes, I do! His calling us into the depths of His Son never ends and we get to experience them together.
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Glad we agree on this! ☺️👍🏼
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What you wrote reminds me of another passage about Job after he had suffered much,
Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.”But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips. (Job 2:9-10, ESV2011)
It is good to see you also “hold fast your integrity” regarding God and His hand upon you and have not sinned with your lips by cursing Him. It is a blessing to know you as my sister in Christ.
Michael ❤
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Thank you, Michael!! 👍🏼 This Scripture has been a very apt confirmation for me… from God!! ⭐⭐⭐
Even though the tempter might come and tell me to leave God, I could not imagine any place or person to go to. Everything this world has to offer our five natural senses will perish sooner or later, all human beings will die once, and no pleasure whatsoever will last forever, either. So, where could we go? 🤔
Michael, your support has helped me a lot! You are a treasure from God! 🕊️🙏🏼❤️👌🏼
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And you are His treasure as well, dear Sanne. 🕊️🙏🏼❤️ He uses you and your words in my life so often and it draws me ever closer to knowing Him as Father in a real way. I am so blessed to have you as m sister IN Christ.
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Michael, I am glad to hear that God has been drawing you closer to Himself, showing you that He is a real Father.
Our God-given fellowship has been a blessing for me all along, my dear brother. 😇🙏🏼🕊️🙏🏼😇
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Reblogged this on A Wilderness Voice and commented:
In this blog Susanne brings out the difference between doing things FOR God as opposed to only what HE gives you to do by HIS power and covering. As a Christian there is much to take to heart here in the article as well as the comments.
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Thank you so much for the reblog of my article, Michael. I appreciate it. 🙂
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It was at His prompting, I am sure. It got some likes from people I had not seen on mine before… at least not for a long time.
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Yes, He leads us always, even when we are not aware of it.
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Susanne no sabía que habías pasado por el Covid, realmente me duele escucharlo, cuando vi sufrir a mi esposo con el cáncer, mi corazón deseó nunca más ver sufrir a nadie que amo de ninguna enfermedad y me duele que te haya pasado esto.
Que el Señor sea tu salud cada día y Su bondad te sostenga cada día, que te dé alas como las águilas, y puedas volar cada día a Su presencia en medio de tus circunstancias, que renueve tus fuerzas y puedas ver Su potencia en tu debilidad.
En el amor de Cristo, tu hermanita Patricia
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Patricia wrote,
“Susanne, I did not know that you had gone through the Covid, it really hurts me to hear it. When I saw my husband suffer with cancer, my heart wished never to see anyone I love suffer from any disease and it hurts me that this happened to you.
May the Lord be your health every day and His goodness sustain you every day, may he give you wings like eagles, and may you fly every day to His presence in the midst of your circumstances, may he renew your strength and may you see His power in your weakness.
In the love of Christ, your little sister Patricia
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO”
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¡Oh, Patricia! ¡¡¡Tus palabras reconfortantes han tocado mi corazón profundamente !!! 💖 ¡Realmente codicio tus oraciones, mi querida hermana! 🙏🏼❤️🕊️🌹
Te amo en Cristo,💞
Tu hermana Susanne 🤗❤️😘
I wrote,
“Oh, Patricia! Your comforting words have touched my heart deeply !!! 💖 I really covet your prayers, my dear sister! 🙏🏼❤️🕊️🌹
I love you in Christ, 💞
Your sister Susanne 🤗❤️😘
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Estaré orando por ti mi hermana, hoy has estado en mis pensamientos.
Cómo quisiera que nuestros sufrimientos sean quitados, pero cuánto los necesitamos, el Señor sabe que los sufrimientos nos profundizan en Él y no hay otra forma, la prosperidad nunca nos acercará al Señor, pero las adversidades nos podrán de rodillas ante sus pies.
Pero, si oro que el Señor nos dé tiempos de refrigerios en Él y podamos ver Su amor en todas las circunstancias, así no parezca que nos ama.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Con amor Patricia, tu hermanita.
Patricia wrote,
“I will be praying for you, my sister, today you have been in my thoughts.
How I would like our sufferings to be removed, but how much we need them, the Lord knows that sufferings deepen us in Him and there is no other way. Prosperity will never bring us closer to the Lord, but adversity will bring us to our knees before His feet.
But yes, I pray that the Lord will give us times of refreshment in Him and that we can see His love in all circumstances, even if He doesn’t seem to love us.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
With love Patricia, your little sister.”
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Patricia, escribiste,
“… así no parezca que nos ama.”
Aunque podríamos saber intelectualmente que no es cierto, supongo que tenemos momentos en los que dudamos. ¡Yo los tengo, seguro!
¡Gracias por tu amor! ❤
Tu hermana Susanne en Él
I answered her,
“Patricia, you wrote,
“…even if He doesn’t seem to love us.”
Although we might know intellectually that it is not true, I guess we have times where we doubt. I have them, for sure!
Thanks for your love! ❤
Your sister Susanne in Him”
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Es verdad Susanne, sabemos que su amor es inagotable, pero en esos momentos tan oscuros, dudamos.
Me acuerdo cuando recién murió Manolo, yo oraba al Señor y le decía, que porqué no me amaba, lloraba mucho como niña pequeña pensando que su amor se había acabado para mí, no para los demás, y un día de esos, me encontré con el esposo de una amiga de mi madre y él me tomó la cara con sus manos, con mucha ternura y me dijo: “aunque pienses que Dios no te ama, Él sí te ama mucho”, yo lloré en sus brazos, fue como escuchar la voz de Papá Dios a través de este hombre y mi fe fue reavivada y pude entender que aunque Él me estaba llevando por el valle de sombra, Él seguía amándome, comprendí que el amor de Dios por mí lo hacía llevarme a esta escuela de dolor.
Ese día el Señor me dio agua fresca en medio de mi desierto y usó a este hombre.
Oro para que puedas experimentar Su amor en medio de tus tiempos de dolor.
Abrazos mil, Patricia
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Patricia wrote,
“It’s true Susanne, we know his love is inexhaustible, but in such dark moments, we doubt.
I remember when Manolo just died, I prayed to the Lord and told him, why didn’t he love me, I cried a lot like a little girl thinking that his love was over for me, not for others, and one of those days, I met the husband of a friend of my mother and he took my face with his hands, with great tenderness and told me: “even if you think that God does not love you, He does love you very much”, I cried in his arms, it was like listening the voice of Papa God through this man and my faith was rekindled and I could understand that although He was leading me through the valley of shadow, He continued to love me, I understood that God’s love for me made Him lead me to this school of pain.
That day the Lord gave me fresh water in the middle of my desert and used this man.
I pray that you can experience His love in the midst of your times of pain.
Hugs a thousand, Patricia
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO”
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Gracias por tus oraciones, Patricia. ❤
Debo admitir que siento Su amor, incluso físicamente en algunos de mis momentos más oscuros. Sin embargo, mi corazón parece permanecer ‘vacío’ ya que no puedo amarlo en esos momentos.
Para mí, es difícil entender la diferencia entre el amor de Dios y nuestro amor humano. Como padres, queremos proteger a nuestros hijos contra el mal, el dolor y el sufrimiento. Pero Dios es tan diferente como parece: ni siquiera perdonó a su propio Hijo. Dios tiene una perspectiva eterna sobre las situaciones desesperadas, mientras que la mía a menudo es bastante miope, me temo. 🧐
Abrazos mil, Susanne
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
I answered her,
“Thanks for your prayers, Patricia. ❤
I need to admit that I feel His love, even physically in some of my darkest moments. However, my heart seems to remain ’empty’ as I cannot love Him back in such times.
For me, it is difficult to understand the difference between God’s love and our human love. As parents we want to protect our children against evil, pain, and suffering. But God is so different as it seems: He did not even spare His own Son. God has an eternal perspective on dire straits while mine is often pretty short-sighted, I am afraid. 🧐
A thousand hugs,
Susanne
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO”
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Patrica and Susanne, Thanks for sharing with us “the fellowship of His sufferings.” If it is true that when one member suffers the whole body suffers, how much more true is it in all of this that Jesus bears in Him our sufferings, too, for He is the head of the Body? Only two people who have both known personal loss of a loved one and of suffering in their own bodies as you both have can know such fellowship. In your exchange you have shown me a deeper meaning of what it means to be ONE IN Christ. Lately, the Spirit has brought me to a place where I see suffering and all that goes with it as a sweet thing in the eyes of our Father. It is like the scent that is released when you crush those tiny unimposing lavender flowers between your fingers. I rejoice in the sweetness of the Spirit that He is releasing in you both.
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” (Rom 8:18-21, ESV2011)
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Michael,
You are very welcome as to the sharing of our (i.e., Patricia’s and my) fellowship of suffering on here. No, not on here only, I really felt how Patricia empathized with me and I felt her pain about her big loss in my heart as well. 😦
Actually, how many miles are there between Colombia and Bavaria? 🙄 It is a miracle that God’s Spirit knows no distance, neither space nor time as He is the Eternal I AM…. the same yesterday, today, and forever. Amen.
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This is so true, Susanne, just as we and I have discovered in our times of fellowship in His Spirit, nine hours and 5.5k miles apart. Time and distance mean nothing to Him. When we are “on the same page” in His great Book of Life there is no separation. I am glad you have been experiencing this with Patricia as well. There is something about suffering that tares down all these earthly walls and brings us into true fellowship… it brings into view the positive side or what Paul prayed, “That I many know him… and the fellowship of His sufferings. ❤
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Amen to all you said, Michael.
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Amen to that, Patricia. God will hear your prayer for Susanne. May He continue to draw you ever more near into His heart through all you have suffered as well. 🙏🏼
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Michael, I also sensed the Lord in Patricia’s prayers for me. 🙏🏼🕊️❤️👍🏼
Yes, Patricia has suffered a lot! 😔 Amen to your prayer for her. 🙏🏼🕊️❤️👍🏼
May God pour out His Spirit anew to you, dear Patricia, in a way you have not known Him yet. 🙏🏼💖
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Amén Michael a tu oración, que el Señor me siga acercando más a Él, ese es mi deseo, así sea por el camino de la adversidad. Y cuando digo esto, tiemblo.
Y amén Susanne a tu oración, que Su presencia se derrame de una manera nueva y fresca, Él sabe cuánto lo estoy necesitando en este momento y como dices: “de una manera que aún no lo he conocido”.
Que el Señor nos ayude y nos siga sosteniendo en el poder de Su vida.
Los amo, su hermanita Patricia
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Patricia wrote,
“Amen Michael to your prayer, may the Lord continue to draw me closer to Him, that is my wish, even if it is through the path of adversity. And when I say this, I tremble.
And Amen Susanne to your prayer, may His presence pour out in a new and fresh way, He knows how much I need Him right now and as you say: “in a way that I have not yet known.”
May the Lord help us and continue to hold us in the power of His life.
I love you, your little sister Patricia
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO”
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🙏🏼💞🕊️🤗🌹🌸⭐❤️
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Ustedes dos son de esos hermanos en Cristo que uno anhela conocer y poder abrazar.
Gracias por esas palabras tan bellas Michael, son como agua en el desierto; como te dije en el correo, las viejas adversidades son cambiadas por nuevas, es como aquellas flores de lavanda que dices Michael, que cuando son aplastadas en la mano exhalan ese olor tan maravilloso. Solo a través de diversas adversidades seremos disminuidos más y más, y el Señor será aumentado más y más y Su olor será exhalado en nosotros.
Y con respecto a lo que dices Susanne, tienes razón, para nuestra mente natural es imposible creer que un Dios amoroso permita ese sufrimiento, cuando nuestros padres terrenales no quisieran vernos sufrir, pero es la única manera que Dios nos procesa.
Manolo siempre me dijo estas palabras estando tan enfermo: “Amor, no pierdas tu fe, Dios es bueno, Él sabe cómo hace Sus cosas”, eso es lo único que tenemos, la seguridad en que el Señor sabe cómo hace Sus cosas a pesar del dolor tan profundo que nos cause.
Este versículo me sostuvo y me ha sostenido en muchas adversidades:
“Hubiera yo desmayado, si no creyera que tengo de ver la bondad del SEÑOR en la tierra de los vivientes”. Salmo 27:3
Y esas son las cosas que hace el Señor, los tres vivimos a kilómetros de distancia y yo no hablo nada de inglés y ustedes nada de español y sin embargo el Señor nos permite comunicarnos, eso solo lo hace nuestro Dios a través de la unión de Su Espíritu.
Los amo en el amor de Cristo,
Patricia
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Patricia said,
“You two belong to those brethren in Christ that one longs to meet and to be able to embrace.
Thank you for those beautiful words, Michael, they are like water in the desert. As I told you in the mail, old adversities are changed for new ones, it is like those lavender flowers that Michael says, that when they are crushed in the hand they exhale that wonderful smell. Only through various adversities will we be diminished more and more, and the Lord will be increased more and more and His scent will be breathed out in us.
And regarding what you say, Susanne, you are right, for our natural mind it is impossible to believe that a loving God allows such suffering, when our earthly parents do not want to see us suffer, but it is the only way that God works on us.
Manolo always said these words to me when he was so sick: “Love, don’t lose your faith, God is good, He knows how He does His things”, that is the only thing we have, the assurance that the Lord knows how He does His things despite of the pain so deep that it causes us.
This verse sustained me and has sustained me through many adversities:
“I would have fainted if I did not believe that I have to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.” Psalm 27: 3
And those are the things that the Lord does, the three of us live miles apart and I do not speak any English and you do not speak Spanish and yet the Lord allows us to communicate, that is only done by our God through the union of His spirit.
I love you in the love of Christ,
Patricia
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO”
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Querida Patricia, ❤
Al leer esta cita de tu querido Manolo, entiendo por qué lo extrañas tanto. ¡Era un hombre sabio que conocía a Dios en eso! Lamento mucho su gran pérdida y sus muchas adversidades. 😦
Te amo en el amor de Cristo,
Susanne
XOXOXOXOXOXOXO
PD
Yo sé que puedes leer textos en inglés, mi querida hermana, y una vez yo también aprendí el idioma español en la escuela secundaria.
Quizás, recuerdas hace algunos años en Facebook que querías que tradujera tu libro después de haber traducido uno de tus poemas sentidas al idioma inglés. Esa fue una experiencia tan extraña para mí en ese momento. No es que mi español hubiera sido perfecto en ese entonces, ni mucho menos. Sin embargo, recuerdo que sentí su Espíritu con fuerza mientras traducía, de modo que encontré la redacción adecuada. Pero después, Su inspiración fue COMPLETAMENTE APAGADA. Así que no pude traducir su libro porque ya no tenía la guía de Dios (y tampoco tenía tiempo, ya que teníamos grandes problemas con nuestra hija entonces).
I wrote,
“Dear Patricia, ❤
Reading this quote from your beloved Manolo, I understand why you miss him so much. He was a wise man who knew God at that! I am so sorry for your great loss and your many adversities. 😦
I love you in Christ’s Love,
Susanne
XOXOXOXOXOXOXO
PS
I know that you can read texts in English, my dear sister, and I once learned the Spanish language in high school, too.
Maybe, you remember some years ago on Facebook that you wanted me to translate your book after I had translated one of your heartfelt poems into the English language. That was such a strange experience for me at that time. Not that my Spanish would have been perfect back then, far from it. However, I recall that I felt His Spirit strongly while translating so that I found the proper wording. But afterwards His inspiration was COMPLETELY GONE. So I could not translate your book as I had no leading from God anymore (and no time at that, either, as we had big problems with our daughter back then).
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Si mi querida Susanne, lo extraño mucho, el tiempo ha pasado, pero su recuerdo sigue intacto y es verdad, era un hombre sabio y lleno de amor por los demás, esas eran las cosas que más amaba de él.
Y en lo de la traducción me ayudo con Google, aunque no es perfecto, eso me ayuda mucho, el Señor es fiel, pero yo fui indisciplinada para aprender el inglés y debo reconocerlo, el Señor me estaba preparando para el futuro y yo me distraje con otras cosas, pero nunca es tarde, espero el Señor me dé el tiempo y la sabiduría para aprenderlo, porque eso me ha limitado para comunicarme con mis hermanos que no hablan español y aprender mucho más.
Yo entendí cuando me dijiste que no podías traducirme el libro, si Dios no está en un asunto y no nos mueve, es mejor quedarnos quietos, así que tu decisión estuvo bien.
Gracias por tu amor desde la distancia, yo también te amo en el amor de nuestro Señor.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXO
–––––––
Patricia wrote,
“Yes, my dear Susanne, I miss him very much, time has passed, but his memory is still intact and it is true, he was a wise man and full of love for others, those were the things that I loved the most about him.
And in terms of translation, he helped me with Google, although it is not perfect, that helps me a lot, the Lord is faithful, but I was undisciplined to learn English and I must admit it, the Lord was preparing me for the future and I got distracted with other things, but it is never too late, I hope the Lord gives me the time and wisdom to learn it, because that has limited me to communicate with my brothers who do not speak Spanish and learn much more.
I understood when you told me that you could not translate the book, if God is not in an issue and does not move us, it is better to stay still, so your decision was good.
Thank you for your love from a distance, I also love you in the love of our Lord.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXO”
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You are most welcome, dear Patricia! ❤️
Susanne
🤗💋🤗💋🤗💋🤗
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You are welcome, dear Patricia. Yes, our fellowship is in the Father and the Son. Bless you with all His eternal blessings IN Christ.
Michael wrote,
“De nada, querida Patricia. Sí, nuestra comunión está en el Padre y el Hijo. Te bendiga con todas Sus bendiciones eternas EN Cristo.”
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Amén mi hermano Michael, que el Señor se siga expandiendo más y más en ti. En el amor de Cristo, tu hermanita, Patricia.
––––––––
Patricia wrote,
“Amen my brother Michael, may the Lord continue to increase more and more in you. In the love of Christ, your little sister, Patricia.”
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