Faith is He! 6/30

30 June 2017 - Faithful Is He – Devotion by Dorothy Callies

Today is a remarkable day that I need to share this with you. I went to visit Tony and it was close to lunch time.  During Tony’s break, he was lying down for a rest from the therapy labor that morning. The nurse came in his room to prepare his wheelchair beside Tony’s bed. Tony got up from the bed by himself without any help and he sat up. The nurse put on Tony’s shoes.  Then she brought out the walker and set it in front of him.  Tony's held one hand on the walker and the other hand push himself up and stood tall and straight.  He turned half way to enable him to sit on the wheelchair by himself.   

I was so surprised and I looked at the nurse in awe.  The nurse said to me that he is now doing it all by himself and he is doing good. Several nurses told me that they had seen him doing more things than before. Several nurses were impressed with Tony's progress.  I told Tony that he was actually glorified God by the way he was doing. God is working.

Then Tony and I came into the Sun Room for a bit before he goes into the dining room for lunch which was too early.  So we took the chance for me to read to him. I came across another surprised at this part of the story that I felt you need to see this. Tony’s testimony was during his college year of 1966 and it was when he became very ill. 

“One day I became very ill and I stopped at the post office on my way to see the nurse.  I got an unexpected letter with a check in it.  I wondered why the money was given to me when at that time I did not need money.  After seeing the nurse she told me that I should see the doctor and to get a shot and medicine.  The whole cost for the doctor and the medicine was exactly the amount of the check.  Praise God for His faithfulness.”

            Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it. 1 Thes. 5:24 KJ

I looked at Tony and said in awe, “God already planned ahead and gave you the check even before you didn’t ask for it or didn't even know that you would need it.  That is a miracle. God truly took care of you during your college years.” So we quoted the Scripture again, “Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it.”

I shook my head in wonders and realized why God wants us to remember what He had done for Tony and God will do it again.  So we sang together out of memory.

Expect a miracle … when you pray ...

Expect a miracle … every day …

When you expect a miracle … God will find a way …

To perform a miracle for you … each day …

I see why God encourages me to write the daily journal so I would NOT forget the miracle that God has done today.  God is glorified when He performed a miracle.

May God bless you.

Dorothy

Give Thanks 6/28

28 June 2017 - Give Thanks – Manna by Dorothy Callies

1 Thess. 5:18 “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” To me in ASL “the will of God” is more like “God has a plan.”

The theme, “God has a plan” has always been clear to me of what God was working on. I remember a vision of God’s office what it looks like . . . bee hives designed with so many scroll of papers inside the hives. When I was praying and fasting at that time in 1973, I saw God’s hand pulled out the scroll of paper from one of the bee hives and opened them. He looked at me as if this was a plan that He had already set up.  I wanted to take a peek at the scroll. God nodded His head as "no" and said, “Huh, huh, trust Me . . .”

From what I understood that it was through prayer and fasting that enable God to do the work He has called me and Tony to do.  Looking back those 50 years of our marriage (1967) brought memories what God had done with Tony and me.  I started reading the book called, “God Chosen Vessel” to Tony yesterday (June 27). I would read a small part at a time each time we meet in the morning and in the evening.

The story that Tony wrote when he born and he had umbilical cord around him and they had to cut it before birth. This made me realized that Satan must have tried to destroy Tony and God had spared Tony because God had a plan for him. So I pray each time, I would read the part of the book to Tony, it will stir inside of his spirit, the gift of God. As Paul said from . . .

2 Timothy 1:6, “Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou “stir up the gift of God,” which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.” Also Verse seven, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind (strong mind).

In that book, Tony talked a lot about miracles of God that has happened throughout ten years of our ministry from 1967 to 1977.  I pray that this will stir our hearts to give thanks to our God for miracles that we had forgotten about. I remember the song that came from Oral Robert’s Crusade that my mother and I had attended. It was something like this from memory when I was young in my teen.

Expect a miracle … when you pray …

Expect a miracle … every day …

When you expect a miracle, God will find a way …

To perform a miracle … for you each day …

I look for a miracle even in the fresh of the morning … to me a miracle was the earth is hanging in the space of universe. And also I have seen a tiny miracle of improvement in Tony each time I saw him. Yesterday, I saw a note someone had written on the white board to Tony, “You are doing real good.” God promised from Ruth 4:15 that He will restore Tony of his life and a nourisher of his old age.  

I am learning to thank God in tiny things that I often overlooked. Paul said, “In everything, give thanks …” It makes me feel good to trust God that “God has a plan.” I love that phrase, “God has a plan.”  Thank you for praying for Tony and me. 

Dorothy 

Count It All Joy 6/11

11 June 2017  Count It All Joy – Manna by Dorothy Callies

James 1:2 NLT, “Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy.” KJV, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations (trials).”

On June 8^th, after riding with Tony in the mobility van to his Orthro Doctor and coming back to Rehab Nursing Home, the driver took Tony’s wheelchair and going back into the building, and I said “goodbye to Tony” and would see him later in the evening.  I was so tired and I had a little car accident when I backed my car left rear-ended to the other car who parked on no parking zone. [Wonderful news from the Doctor at the end of Manna]

I went into the building to find out who parked on that ‘no parking zone’ area. After exchanged information, I went back to my car and suddenly, Holy Spirit spoke to me, “Count it all joy … count it all joy when you comes into trials …” Suddenly I felt the joyful spirit. I understood why this happened to me.

So I said to the Lord, “I see why You do not want me to become so overly anxious of my car and other cars.  I see that You did not want me to become so anxious or worried about getting hit or how I would I hit other car.” After the little accident, I felt different as if I had been delivered by entering into the joy of the Lord. So I went to State Farm and asked the staff for help to make a claim through their computer and they automatically contacted Paul’s Auto Body shop and gave me claim number and rented Hertz so everything went smooth when the appointment was set up to fix the car.  

So I put my sticker post written, “count it all joy …” in my car where I could see and remind myself whenever I got into my car … And also “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth” Colossians 3:2.  I had more peace than I had before.  It is amazing how powerful the Scripture take control of my life.  Thank You, Holy Spirit.

News of Orthro Doctor took x-ray of Tony’s right shoulder, arm and his hip. The Doctor said that it was good and Tony didn’t need the sling arm. The Doctor asked Tony if he had walked before.  He did and said, “By next month, I expect you out of wheelchair and using walker to be able to walk again. We’ll decide when you are ready to go home.” So the next day, therapist started working with Tony using walker since both of his arms could hold the walker now. Tony has go through all kinds of therapy to re-build his muscle and be able to walk through bars, etc. This is a good news and thank you for your prayers.

Also, maybe you had in mind and want to donate something to Tony and me. You could use the gift cards such as Panera, Bob Evans, Olive Garden, Red Lobster, and better yet, Visa card would be a blessing since it’s easier to use it. You could mail to: Tony and Dorothy Callies, 1003 Arlene Court, #5, Bloomington, IL 61701.   

Tony and I will also be celebrating our ‘Mini-50^th Anniversary’ joining with Illinois Statewide Deaf Churches Picnic at Normal Assembly of God on Saturday, July 8^th, 10 minutes before lunch time and cards are welcome.  It would be a sight for all of us to see Tony up and around. Truly, God had plan for Tony and me.

So I remind myself and say, “Count it all joy when we went through a lot of trials.”  Thank You, Lord for your love and prayers from all our friends.  God bless you!

Dorothy

Deny Myself 6/2

02 June 2917-Deny Myself – Revision 6/3/17 Manna

I came across this verse, Luke 9:23 Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” I often wondered what exactly does it means? Deny himself meaning deny yourself or actually deny myself.  After studying on the word, deny and I realized it something more like this: 1. “Go against” (what? Your flesh). 2. “To refuse to grant (give in) your flesh’s desire.

From what I understood for me personally, "to take up my cross" is when my flesh don’t really want to do that. Jesus challenged me and  said, “You want to be like Me? Take up your cross daily and keep in touch with Me …”

I said, "But Jesus my flesh cannot really handle that." He said, "Then work on “forcing” your own flesh. Just like I did at the Garden of Gethsemane. I prayed three times, asking My Father in heaven to remove that cup of suffering.  My flesh could not take it.  Still My Father said, “Take it.”"

Jesus said, “I ‘deny’ My flesh, I ‘forced’ My flesh to drink that cup of suffering. I sweat great drop of blood and prayed through until I was able to endure it.  Angels came to strengthen me, and comfort Me to go through against my flesh in pain.”

What Jesus said to me has really hits me. That's when I understood why sometimes I am awake exactly at 3 a.m. but often I ignore it because I wanted to sleep more. I just felt too tired to pray.  I was challenged to start praying at 3 a.m. when I felt the Spirit of God came upon me on May 30th and June 1st, just to pray at least one hour.

There's a personal story to why this devotion was written because at Nursing Home, this week Tony was waking up early in the morning has challenged me to start praying in the Spirit . . .  The truth is, I cannot pray alone and I am thankful that many of you are supporting me in prayer. So thank you for joining with me in prayers.   

Tony is improving, but still waiting for therapists to help him walk.  By faith, we are thanking God for already healed Tony’s shoulder/arm which he sorely need to use his both hands on walker to be able to walk freely. Or by miracle, Isaiah 40:29 ". . . to them that has no might, He increaseth strength . . ." (no might means no power, no strength). Tony needs strength on his right hip, thigh and his right leg to be able to stand and walk.

Song: Jesus, I come

Out of my bondage, sorrow and night,

Je-sus, I come, Je-sus I come;

Into Thy freedom, gladness and light,

Je-sus, I come – to Thee;

Out of my sickness into Thy health,

Out of my want and into Thy wealth,

Out of my sin and into Thyself,

Je-sus, I come – to Thee.

(William True Sleeper, Sing His Praise)

Dorothy