The Power of Hope

I believe "hope" is the glue that adds faith to our lives. In order to get our prayers answered, I really think that feeling that feeling of already receiving the answer plays a huge part in getting our prayers answered.

God seems to sprinkle rays of hope along our paths. How many times did you have something come in your day that never did pan out, but it was exciting for a time? Many times when we are seeking God for answers, He will seemingly tease us with what we "think" is going to be an open door, but that situation or thing never comes through.

These gifts of hope is the fuel that, I believe, gets us from point "A" to point "B". He is just encouraging us as we travel though our lives with rays of hope. How discouraging life would be if He never shined the light of hope in our path that is leading us in the right direction.

True faith requires feeling the feeling of the prayer already answered. It is the power that reigns the answer in many times. Mature faith has the ability to just "wait" when we know that His word declares we CAN receive the answer.

I know we have all experienced in our prayer life the ability to visualize the prayer we are praying as answered. This can spark so much faith, that we can leave that season of prayer knowing that the answer is on it's way.

I have had several people talk to me lately about "why does God not heal when we know He paid a huge price for our healing?". As many of my readers know, we of all people could ask this question. Gary suffers with MS and even I with some heart difficulties.

Here is my answer... I just think we must trust God no matter what. We have to believe that He is working all things for our good. Somehow, God is doing some great thing through us or for us. Just because He has not seemingly answered our prayer, does not mean He is not going to.

When our children ask for something and we know we are going to give it to them, maybe for Christmas or a birthday, we do not fret that they are going without, because we know it will be done.

The end is not here yet. So, we just keeping believing. And, if the answer is no, we still must trust Him.

God's Favor

I have been reading a book to my students in my Life Skills’ class. We have been impacted by studying “God’s Favor” in our lives. I asked my students what they thought favor really means. I know we have many times asked a friend, “Hey, would you do me a favor?” Then we begin to ask for a special thing to be done.

For me, I think when God says He wants to give us His good favor, He is saying, “I am using the word favor because I just want to do this thing for you out of my kindness to you. Not that you have done anything to deserve it, but just because I want to do it as a favor.

When I looked up the definition of favor, I got:

Friendly regard shown toward another especially by a superior

Gracious kindness; also: an act of such kindness favor

A token of love

A small gift or decorative item given out at a party

A special privilege or right granted or conceded

Many times we only bother to pray to God when we have some enormous request, that we know only He can do. God is so interested in our everyday, small stuff and the great details of our lives that we totally overlook the fact that He is right there ready to do us a “favor.”

I love the mention of a favor being given at weddings. These are small gifts that the bride and groom give to their guest as a small token of their appreciation for coming and celebrating their special day….getting married. Can we believe for the small gifts God wants to put in our path?

One quote in the book I am reading says to pray, “God, I know your favor is coming my way.” My students and I went to a computer and typed this prayer and vowed to put it in a prominent place in our homes to remind ourselves of God’s desire to give us His favor in our lives.

I pray that whoever reads this entry will challenge yourself to be open to God’s favor that wants to come to you right now. Now….watch out for it. Let me know when you know you receive a token of “His good favor.”

Just Ask

One of my favorite scriptures is "You have not because you do not ask," (James 4:2)

Even in everyday life, ask for what you want. The worse thing that can happen is the answer to be "no". And you just might be surprised that most of the time it will be "Yes".

How many times have you gone without, thinking this is the humble
route or you do not want to be greedy, when God is just saying to "Ask."

God is desiring to do great things for you.... just ask!

Finding My Best Life with The Pampered Chef

At the end of 2008, my husband resigned as pastor at The Pentecostals of Crosby due to some severe health challenges. This was a real leap of faith financially. I knew that I really needed to find a job opportunity that would allow me to help with the budget, but at the same time, I was really needed to help assist my husband who was really battling to even get around in our home.

My sister-in-law came up with a brilliant idea that I should pursue The Pampered Chef business opportunity. I really valued Shelley's opinion, and dove in. Her friend, now my director, has worked with the Pampered Chef for 14 years and is blessed with a great income and annual exotic vacations for her family.

Since becoming a consultant with the PC family, I now own my own business, and have already reached the future director level. I have fallen in love with the products. This month, I have 9 cooking shows in my schedule. I love meeting people everywhere I go and showing them how they can have a "best life" with the Pampered Chef.

I have a personal web site, but am not allowed to advertise it per PC rules. If you would like to visit my site, please contact me through my email address and I would be happy to direct you to this site and assist you with some great products, show you have you can receive free and discounted products or how you too can enjoy the benefits of working with the PC family. My website address is, without me sharing the actual link is: pampered chef dot biz slash your best life dot com You can figure it out.

Getting Where You Want To Be

Today my company had a conference call for new future directors. Dan Arwine, one of the directors of US Sales of The Pampered Chef made this comment. He told the story of the Nascar driver that was asked, "how can you stay at a speed of 200 miles per hour plus, keep control and never hit the side walls?". His answer was simple. "I never look at the side walls."

Wow! This is really an awesome thought! No matter what race in life you may be running....whether it be trying to find a new career, a new home, the right car, trying to find the right life partner, or what ever, you just may need to focus on what you want rather than what you don't want.

Dan said he experimented with it one day while riding his bike. "I kept my focus on a rock on the side of the road I wanted to avoid and sure enough, after keeping my eyes on the rock long enough, I began to go right into it."

I believe keeping the "big picture" planted firmly in your mind and focusing on what contributes to the desired outcome, will eventually help you to find yourself right where you want to be.

Meet My Sister, Judy

Judy, my "big" sister, is one of the most fun people you will ever be with. Her gift is making you laugh and encouraging you when you need it most.

A first memory I am privileged to remember about Judy's many talents is, when she was about 10 years old, she sculpted a hand that she created out of mud. It was really neat and how I wish it could have been preserved! Since then to now, her many talents have soared to great heights!  And, "hands" have been sculpted and painted in many shapes and forms.   I know Judy is capable of building a house from scratch if she just wanted to.

It is a must that you visit her blog that features her many creations in art.  http://judywalstonartist.blogspot.com/ At present, Judy is an interior designer at the VA hospital staff in Alexandria, Louisiana. She has completed her degree in art in New Orleans, Louisiana. She is a member of the Pentecostals of Alexandria and a member of the sanctuary choir. Judy also gives "fantastic" massages! Her home is very serene with faux finishes on the walls, an art gallery with unusual themed rooms of her many creations.

Her children are, Kevin, a banker in Alexandria and husband of Rebekka, a school teacher, Michelle, full time mother of twins and teen daughter, wife of Wallace, a chemist and Jennifer, of Houston, Texas, marketing in the banking industry.

Developing a Consistent Prayer Life

When my niece, Valerie was teaching the Teens class, she called and asked me to write something she could share with her class on how to develop a prayer life. I thought it may be of interest to others, so here it is as I wrote it for her class. Hope it may be of help to someone.

Be encouraged to know that there is a God that longs to communicate with you.
Donna Madden

How I Think You Develop a Consistent Prayer Life

The ultimate breakthrough in prayer comes when you seek God for the initial experience of the Holy Ghost. For me, it was repentance, saying I am sorry and I want to live my life for you. Then it was the seeking for deeper experiences. One of which, I wanted to speak in a fluent tongue when I broke through in prayer. It seemed my initial experience was more of a stammering lips rather that a clear tongue, although I knew without a shadow of a doubt I received the Holy Ghost by the joy and peace that came to me.

While kneeing down besides my by husband’s awesome prayer warrior Grandmother, I listened to her fervent prayer. I took a leap of faith, prayed out loud in an unusual unknown phrase that came to me, then I too suddenly began to speak in a distinct unknown language. This accelerated my prayer life to a new level.

I was one to have spiritual dreams, and angel experiences. I think this came as a result of a sold out consecrated life lived for God. When I woke from a stirring dream, I yielded myself seeking God through prayer to help me see what ever it was he was trying to talk to me about. God can use a young person who is sensitive and will respond to Him.

As a young person, I would never go to bed at night without first kneeling beside my bed and praying. I would visualize my life as I wanted it to be. Sometimes I would listen to music that would usher me in to prayer and consecration and even a deeper level of prayer. Sometimes, I would enter in a spirit of prayer by playing the piano, playing my feelings, singing then to my knees in an awesome prayer meeting. I had my corners in the living room well after my parents were in bed and sought God and His presence.

All of these times laid the foundation that now support an ongoing, always in tune type of prayer life. Now...it is as though I always have a pilot light going, a continual instant prayer that in a moment’s time, I don’t have to dig the well, but it is already flowing and I can enter in to His presence instantly. I guard what I hear and indulge myself in because this can block me from the presence of God.

Now, the last thing I do as I go to sleep on my bed at night is talk to God and when I wake, I begin to find something to be grateful about. I keep the victory by forcing myself to think of the positive in every situation and minimize the negative. I am not perfect, I have some bad days and some times that I am weak, but all of the victories I have won behind me gives me the strength to keep pressing on.