Summer drifts to Fall

Life buds anew with the radiance of a cherry blossom
and soon dims with the return of Fall. The cycle of
life in which God holds in His hands proves both
extremes of simplicity and complexity—simultaneously
playing out in perfection. Anticipating the day when
cold winds will blow in and leaves will fall to the
ground in silence, I am joyous to live in this life as
a unique being in which God has created. Such a rich
life in the Spirit!

Thinking back on the summer everything seems so
surreal…the very memories in my head seem far removed
and away in a bottle— afloat the sea somewhere. This
sensation only lapses when I begin to remember the
faces, the voices, the conversations, the smiles, the
laughs, the tears, and the prayers.

Colorado’s freshness fills my mind and I can almost
smell the crisp air, feel the breeze, and see the
silhouetted mountains. Almost a dream some say.
Nay—‘tis a season of life once lived and now a memory,
an experience.

Many things can transpire in one minute with God and
much more with several weeks, thus an update for a
greater length of time is a little more challenging to
record; however, I shall attempt to recapture the ways
in which God has moved since I have returned home from
the cleft of the mountain.

Arriving back in College Station/Bryan I found myself
unpacking only to pack up again and go to our yearly
staff retreat. Honestly, this venture seemed a bit
taxing, but God spoke vision into my life for our
Homegroup, preparing my heart for the approaching
semester. In regards to me personally, God continued
to show me His desire that I pursue the ministry of
counseling, for one of our deacons asked me if I’d be
interested in taking a Theophostics Prayer Ministry
class. I have now been to one of the classes and I
know that this will be a dynamic class providing me
with one more avenue and tool for ministry.

A semester of discovering my gifts, growing in
discipline, and more healing, the Lord holds my hand
through it all. Passing through a Christian bookstore
while in H-town, I came across an audio book entitled
Generation Ex: Adult Children of Divorce and the
Healing of Our Pain by Jen Abbas. Broke and frugal,
nothing in me planned to spend a penny, but the Lord
told me to buy this. After piddling around for twenty
minutes I finally bought it with the Lord’s direction.
I soon felt compelled to listen to the CDs and once I
did I realized why God had told me to buy them. It
seems that God has opened another can of
worms…desiring to heal yet another wound I have from
my past: the divorce of my parents. It has been
refreshing to finally acknowledge and accept the pain
from that experience and to deal with it in God’s
timing, His perfect timing.

God has been bringing more healing in my heart in
regards to my mother’s death. While in Houston I
stopped in to visit with old neighbors; we found
ourselves laughing and reminiscing about the many
memories we share. I asked them what my mother was
like, as I never knew her from an adult’s
perspective—I only knew her through the eyes of a
child. This grieves me at times; however, their words
brought healing in ways I cannot explain--talking with
them proved very therapeutic and necessary for my
heart. A child I was, now a woman I am, desiring
complete healing and wholeness in the Lord.

These past few weeks I have been intercessing for a
few friends who are battling some intense things, and
as a result I’ve faced some spiritual attacks. God
showed me, through Amos, another way to pray against
the enemy; some prayer points: That the Holy Spirit
would be like fire and devour any existing
strongholds; that God would cut off any evil
inhabitants from entering as well as the one who
carries the scepter; may any remnants of the evil one
perish! …The Lord has opened me up to an even deeper
level of intercession, as I have frequently been
weeping for those in bondage—the only way I can
explain it is that the Holy Spirit is grieving through
me; His tears are being expressed through me.

The other night I had a dream about my dad: There was
a war going on and a government aircraft flew
overhead. It passed us and then dropped a bomb on a
mountain and flew back towards us. It began firing at
civilians. My dad yelled, “Everyone get in the cars!”
All I knew to do was that I had to go with my dad; I
would be safe with him and he would protect me. In my
dream I felt so safe with my dad, so safe.

When I woke up from my dream I meditated on the dream
and later talked through it with Sarah. The Lord
showed me several things: 1. I am in a very real
spiritual warfare 2. My heart is in the war as it is
reflected in my dream 3. I have hurt from my desire
for my dad to once again be a dad to me and be my
protector as I remember him; and 4. that God is my
ultimate Father and protector!!!

God has showed me through this dream that if I desire
my dad to be a dad to me again, then I have to be
inviting and allow him to play that role in my life.
If I don’t invite him, then he will not feel the
acceptance and encouragement needed in order to take
on that role again. So I’m praying for restored
relations with my parents.

Healing has been a process—it comes in waves. Through
every wave that crashes ashore, I find God continuing
to bring more and more wholeness in my life.


The other day Sonia and I were discussing the effects
of divorce…. and later when she dropped me off at my
car, a man came up to me saying, “Ma’am, could you get
me some gas?” Out of desperation, he asked again since
I was silent while not knowing how to react (is this
man going to harm me? Or is he really in need?)
“Ma’am, I promise this is for real. My daughter is
back by the car; a man gave me his gas can and I’ve
walked about two miles. I already paid nearly two
hundred dollars to repair my car today because the
belt went out… and I have no money left to buy any
gas,” the man pleaded.

By now Sonia had turned back around to see what was
going on. Through prayer and discernment I felt that I
could do one of two things: either fill the gas can
and bring it back to him or take Sonia along and allow
him to come. I felt that this man was not lying but
rather in quite a desperate situation. I decided to
take Sonia along and allow him to ride with us to the
gas station. He poured out his heart as he told us
about how he’s going through a divorce. His wife, whom
he had been with for 16+ years, walked out on him for
a new boyfriend and now she has custody of their 16
year old daughter.

I could feel his pain intensely. By the time we
reached the gas station, only a short ways down the
road, I was about in tears. I asked this man, Garry,
“Sir, may I pray for you?” By God’s grace and leading,
I prayed for this man as we drove. He came to tears.
He was in such pain and humbled completely by his
desperation. Rough around the edges, a construction
worker of sorts, trying to make a living in this
world, he used a bandana to wipe the tears from his
eyes.

Once at the gas station we continued to pray and talk
for the next twenty minutes. He said, “I wasn’t
expectin’ to be prayed for today…you don’t have to buy
me any gas. You’ve blessed me so much.” However, I
assured him that I would fill the gas can. He talked
more of his pain and hurt and Sonia and I listened
intently, offering a few words here and there. I told
him to hold on to the Lord and that it was about a
relationship with Him, not a matter of how much he
tried or how good of a person he was. He said he
thought he’d start going back to church soon.

Oh, it was so divine—such a God moment! I filled his
gas can and drove him back to his car. He thanked me
and blessed me for helping him. I told him it was an
honor—that it is exactly what God’s people should be
doing.

Wow… I saw my dad in this man—a broken man—one who has
suffered much. I could see how my mom and dad felt
during this time in their lives of divorce.  There is
much brokenness! This man gave me a clear depiction of
America as well: broken and lukewarm. He believes in
God and even raised his daughter in church but still
lacks the relationship.


My Jehova-jireh shines through time and time again.
Testimonies of His provision will be of great
encouragement to many. I entered this summer not
necessarily knowing if I would be able to continue on
in my education come the next Fall semester. I
journeyed onward into the summer asking God to give me
the faith to believe Him for my provision! Over the
summer I had a friend write me a check for $500,
someone anonymously paid $100 toward my LT payment,
and I received a $600 scholarship from the YMCA! As I
enter in to this semester with a full load of classes,
I thank my Jehovah-jireh as He is my abundant
provider!
Now, leaving Colorado I knew that my wisdom teeth
would need to be removed, as they had been causing me
a great deal of pain. My parents left the cost up to
me, meaning I would either owe $2-300 or $6-800,
depending on my insurance. By God’s grace I only had
to pay $246!!!! Recently, I have had a friend send me
$100 for both the months of August and September—a
complete surprise and blessing to me! To top that off,
my Colorado Mom just told me she has decided to send
me $500 to help with my finances! Praise the Lord! He
is truly my provider—the money just comes and I don’t
even know how other than it is all Him!!!
This passage has taught me to ask for much, trusting
God to come through— not putting limits on God. He’s
also taught me so much about faithful stewardship,
being faithful with what I do have:
2 Kings 4   //  The Widow's Oil
1 The wife of a man from the company of the prophets
cried out to Elisha, "Your servant my husband is dead,
and you know that he revered the LORD. But now his
creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves."

2 Elisha replied to her, "How can I help you? Tell
me, what do you have in your house?"
    "Your servant has nothing there at all," she
said, "except a little oil."
3 Elisha said, "Go around and ask all your neighbors
for empty jars. Don't ask for just a few. 4 Then go
inside and shut the door behind you and your sons.
Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put
it to one side."
5 She left him and afterward shut the door behind her
and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she
kept pouring. 6 When all the jars were full, she said
to her son, "Bring me another one."
    But he replied, "There is not a jar left." Then
the oil stopped flowing.
7 She went and told the man of God, and he said, "Go,
sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can
live on what is left."


I have been praying about going to a conference this
semester some time, and the other day when I went to
church my friend, Kara, approached me; she expressed
to me that she had asked God to show her who she was
supposed to invite to this conference. She said that
that night she had a dream about me and knew she was
supposed to tell me about it. Clearly, God answered my
prayers as to whether or not I was supposed to go…so,
at the end of the month I will be attending a powerful
conference where I expect God to move mightily. In the
past, many people have been anointed with the Spirit
and healed at these conferences. I am asking for
specific things and trust that God will deliver. Luke
11:13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to
give good gifts to your children, how much more will
your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those
who ask him!"

Something I am praying about is when and where God
desires me to continue my schooling after I graduate.
I believe He is leading me to continue—I just don’t
know where and when. A school that I came across is
through the International House of Prayer. I showed my
core group this video and it spoke mightily to them,
even bringing some to tears. You can see the promo
video (just click play):

http://www.ihop.org/Group/Group.aspx?id=16859



During one of our core group meetings Benji had us
take 10 minutes to hear from God...I think this might
bless some of you…so here is my dialogue with God (I
wrote it down as it happened):

Dyanne (D): Wow people can grow.
God (G): People are going to grow and we can no longer
keep them in the boxes we've placed them in. It is a
time for much needed change, transformation, growth
and unity of the saints to come together and use their
giftings and talents. There are going to be trials,
but you shall work together to overcome them.

G: Your homegroup is a ball of potential that I desire
to mold and put to use.
D: But so many people are hurting...

G: I don't want to see my children in bondage.

G: There needs to be revival in people's hearts.

D: How?

G: I do not move as you always perceive or believe.
Watch for me. I want to live life with you.

D: (Thinking about the many things that need to be
done...)

G: Don't worry about the little things, I will work
them out.

D: OK, then what?

G: You must go in faith...

D: Where?

G:...to the ends of the earth…to the ends of the earth

D: But we're so afraid.

G: I have conquered fear; leave fear behind.

G: (GOD COMMANDED US) Stand as righteous men before
me.

D: How?

G: Long for me, just be. I shall handle all the
change. Do not worry.

D: What about the ones who don't want to?

G: Allow me to draw those (on the outskirts) in.

G: Walk with me and feed my sheep.

D: So many things distract...(thinking of school)

G: School is a whirlwind— hold on to me. Let me
balance your time.

G: (God's WARNING!) Don't let the enemy creep in- he
is sly. Guard unity within your  homegroup.

D: How?

G: Keep your eyes on me. Wait and hear from me.

D; How will we know if we're doing what you want?

G: (FIRMLY) You will know, just trust.

G: Faithfulness...faithfulness...faithfulness...(kept
playing in my mind...)

G: Be blessed in the fellowship I've given you. (when
she was being prayed for, as a command). Look at what
I've given you. Don't forget what I have done for you.