In The Beginning: Spikenard

                         SPIKENARD

Our third oil of the Bible that we will look at is Spikenard. This  oil comes from India and is a highly medicinal oil. It was also one of the most precious oils of the time , used only by Priests , Kings , or High Initiates. We know of course the New Testament speaks of Mary of Bethany who anointed the feet of Jesus with this oil before the Last Supper.

Spikenard has a variety of medical properties such as, anti-bacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, relaxant, and an immune stimulant.

Some other well known uses for Spikenard are insomnia, menstrual problems/ PMS , heart arrhythmias, nervous tension. Spikenard has fragrant influences also, such as, relaxing and soothing , and helps nourish and regenerate the skin.

In our Bible Spikenard is mentioned more than a few times, one being in the Song of Solomon:1:12 " While the King sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof"

I hope you have enjoyed this brief overview of our third Ancient oil of the Bible.

DISCLAIMER: We are in no way medical professionals and make no claims or make any diagnosis of any kind

Until we meet again may God Bless you richly.  

In The Beginning Myrrh

                             MYRRH

Let us take a look at our second Ancient Oil of the Bible which will be " Myrrh". This oil has many wonderful qualities that we will list later in this post. Myrrh was also one of the gifts that was brought to Jesus at His birth.

Myrrh is obtained through a steam distillation process of the gum/resin. The origin country of Myrrh is Somalia and Myrrh is mentioned in some of the oldest medical records dating back to the 16th century (BC)in an ancient Egyptian list of 877 prescriptions and recipes. Arabian people used Myrrh for many things such as chapped or cracked skin and wrinkles. It was also listed in Hildegard's Medicine, a compilation of highly regarded medicines by Hildegard of Bingen ( 1098-1179).

Medical properties of Myrrh have been said to be :
Powerful Antioxidant
Antitumoral
Anti-Inflammatory
Anti Bacterial
Antiviral
Antiparasitic
Analgesic/Anesthetic

Myrrh has had many uses throughout the years and here are just a few:
Diabetes
Cancer
Hepatitis
Fungal Infections(Candida / Ringworm
Tooth / Gum Infections
Skin Conditions (Eczema / Cracked and Dry Skin / Wrinkles and Stretch Marks.

Fragrant Advantages of Myrrh include:
Promotes Spiritual awareness and is uplifting because it contains
Sesquiterpenes which stimulate the limbic system of the brain (the center of memory and emotions). Myrrh is found in many of our essential oils.

Genesis:43:11: And their father Israel said unto them, if it must be now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts and almonds.

Exodus: 30:23: "Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure Myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels".

DISCLAIMER: WE ARE IN NO WAY MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS. WE ARE IN NO WAY SUGGESTING THAT YOU ALTER ANY MEDICATION OR TREATMENT THAT YOUR DOCTOR HAS PRESCRIBED. THESE OILS HAVE NOT BEEN ANALYZED BY THE FDA.

Thank You and God Bless you.

In The Beginning Frankincense

Hello All
I'm John, Angie's husband. You may recall the past blogs of my 2007 journey as my family and I walked through the valley of death holding God's hand as He healed me of cancer. Well now she has encouraged me to join her in rejuvenating our blog site.

As you know we are helping and educating people about Essential Oils. We are very excited about our new adventure and the results we have already enjoyed in just a short time.

You may be wondering why I titled this "In The Beginning" so I will tell you. My first series of blogs will be about the "Ancient Oils of the Bible" Think about it , when God created the garden and Adam and Eve everything that was needed was in the garden. At that time there were no doctors or medicine as we know it today. It was all natural and made by God. It can't get any better that that.

So I'm going to introduce you to 12 oils of the Bible. I will give you a brief history of the oil and some of the things it was used for. I hope you not only enjoy exploring these ancient oils but may find them to help you in some way.

"DISCLAIMER" Will be found at the end of this post. Please read it

Ok let's get started with our first oil.

                           FRANKINCENSE

This plants origin is Somalia / Yemen
Extraction Method : Steamed distilled from the gum/resin
Its name is derived from Medieval French and means "real incense"

In the middle East Frankincense is considered the "Holy Anointing Oil". It has been used in ceremonies for thousands of years and was give to Jesus Christ as a gift at His birth.

It was used to treat every illness known to man and was mentioned in one of the oldest know medical records from the 16th century BC. Only people of great wealth possessed it.

Medical Properties
Antitumoral
Immunostimulant
Antidepressant
Muscle relaxing

Uses:
Depression
Cancer
Respiratory Infections
Inflammation

Fragrant Influences:
Increases Spiritual Awareness
Promotes Meditation
Improves Attitude
Uplifts Spirits

Frankincense is found in many of the other oils because of its amazing qualities. Frankincense is mentioned in the Bible 52 times.
Exodus: 30: 34
Lev: 2:1
Lev: 2:2
are just 3 of the 52.

Well this concludes my first blog post on the Ancient Oils of the Bible . Be watching for the next post, I'm not going to give away what the next oil is but you will enjoy learning about it.

DISCLAIMER: WE ARE IN NO WAY MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS. WE ARE IN NO WAY SUGGESTING THAT YOU ALTER ANY MEDICATION OR TREATMENT THAT YOUR DOCTOR HAS PRESCRIBED. THESE OILS HAVE NOT BEEN ANALYZED BY THE FDA.

Until next time, God Bless.

3 Year Roller Coaster Ride

I may or may not publish this but I have to get thoughts out of my head. It seems that ever since Johnny was diagnosed in March 07 I have been on a roller coaster. Mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually you name it everything seems to be out of sync. Now it kind of feels like it is all coming to a head. Most of the time I have so many feelings going on I am not sure if I am coming or going. I am sad, mad, glad, lonely, discouraged, disappointed, depressed, doubt, dislike, hurt, overwhelmed, lazy, lifeless, disinterested and pretty much anything else you can think of. I am up then down.
I can not seem to over come any of it. I keep praying but feel I am in a desert. I have ask Him to change me so I won't be so me. I have ask for guidance, wisdom, knowledge, relief and feel like He does not hear me.
I am not sure what is up with me. I know the God I serve. He has moved so mightily in our lives. So I do not understand what is happening in me. Had it not been for Him we would have never made it through Johnny's illness. We wouldn't make it now if not for Him.
There is so much inside of me that I can not express. I know what I am suppose to be doing but can't seem to do it. I know I am suppose to be learning something but I am not sure what it is. I know I am suppose to teach what I learn but I got to figure out what I am learning first.

I started this blog to document this journey but I can't seem to put into words what the journey is. We are trying to get back to a simpler life style. To lean on God for all our needs. The home is the core of that. Family. Taking care of my family, being what God has called me to be. Granted I have not walked this path willingly over the years.

Pray for me please. That this desert will soon end. That I would see the light at the end of the tunnel. That I would be all that God has for me to be.

Hopefully I will be getting back to this blog and documenting what we are doing. There is a bunch going on here. It is never boring that is for sure.

More on worldly views

As I said in my last post, I had lost my peace.

A friend gave me some books that are bible studies. I started on the one that is about spiritual warfare. This has done so much for me. I have seen where I was letting satan get the upper hand on me. I was willing to compromise what thus says the Lord. There are questions and situations that I do not have answers for but I have faith that what God says is true.

I have faith that He will see us through anything and everything. I know that for a fact. He walked us through Johnny's illness and we never wanted for a thing. So there is no arguing there I know what I have lived through.

Too many times people get so hung up on doctrines or legalisms. The bottom line is that if you have turned your life over to Christ you will change. I know that. I did, Johnny did many people we have known have. Whether you wear a dress, cut your hair, wear jewelry or what ever denomination you are does not matter. Your relationship with Jesus Christ is what will get you into heaven. That is what matters. You have to know Him as your Savior, believe He lived and died, was raised again and now sits at the right hand of the Father. He is God. I believe that the bible is the true word of God. Man may have been used to write it but the Holy Spirit used them to do so. Therefore I do not believe that the writers put their opinions in or that there are writings that have been left out. God would not let that happen.

You have to live what the word of God says. You can't be saved once and live any old way. You have to continually live for Him and repent when or if you sin.

1John 2:3-6

And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that says I know him and keeps not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him But whoso keeps his word in him verily is the love of God perfected hereby know we that we are in him. He that says he abides in him ought himself also so to walk even as he walked.



I know some will think me preachy. I just know that I have gotten away from where I was and where I should be. My life should give God glory at all times. That has not been happening. I have been bitter, angry, discouraged, disappointed and wrong. Those things are not of God they are of satan. So no more. This next scripture talks about where I had gone but now am returning to where I need to be.



James 1:19-27

My dear brothers take note of this everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that Good desires. Therefore get rid of the moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what is says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and after looking at himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues to do this not forgetting what he has heard but doing it he will be blessed in what he does. If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight reign on his tongue he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself form being polluted by the world.



I will leave you with that for now. I have much more I want to talk about. I will get on Proverbs 31 and some other scripture about home and family later.

I will also share where God is taking this family and all that is going on here. Should have some pictures.

Thoughts, Ramblings, Prayers and Convictions

Ever since Johnny was diagnosed with cancer last year I have gone through a lot of changes emotionally, physically and spiritually.

I have not shared a lot of what we have been through. Some things I have just never felt the need to share and others I just wasn't comfortable about sharing. I was embarassed and felt like we might be looked down upon. The choices that we have made have not all been the right choices or the best choices.

You see Johnny and I got into church after my Mamaw died. That was a time in my life that I felt great conviction and had to get things right. I was raised in a Baptist church but we visited pentecostal churches. I had family that went to Dante Church of God and that was the only church I could think of to go to when I could find no peace. I was not sure how Johnny would react but I had to make things right for me first, then I would worry about how he would react.

He was as ready as me, I think so there was really nothing to worry about. That was in 2002. We have been in church ever since.

We have walked through trials that I was not sure we would make it through but God's grace, mercy and strength always got us through.

Money was one of our biggest problems. Bad choices on both our parts created a huge financial mess. We reached the point that the only way we could see out was bankruptcy. I know there will be people who criticize that decision. We have a peace about it, we fought filing for a long time. If we had filed sooner instead of fighting it things would have actually been better. We owned 2 properties. The one we lived in and one that Johnny had from his first marriage. Let me say that had I not been so stubborn about moving into his place we would have been a lot better off. I just couldn't stand the thought of living in the middle of what I considered no where. We are at least 10 miles from any type town like place. That is the best way I know to explain it.

The family living in his place was renting to own from us. We had problems from the beginning with him not paying like he should. So as the years passed and we made financial decisions things got worse. I prayed and prayed but I didn't make changes that I should have made. I was not in the least bit frugal. I bought what I wanted when I wanted it. We had so much debt. Our mortgage was one of those fixed rate for 2 years then became adjustable. Well, when the 2 years was up we were ruined. We could not refinance so our mortgage kept going up. The place was not worth hardly anything, it needed so much work we could not get it done. It needed a lot of work when we moved in and we were never able to get it all done. One thing after another went wrong.

Anyway we kept putting off filing for bankruptcy. We tried to find part time jobs to help make extra income to start paying off debt. There was so much I still did not know. My mind set was still not what it should have been. One thing was I hated the place we lived. I also had never had any real financial training. Sometimes we have to walk through things so we can grow and change. We finally decided we could put it off no longer this was in December 2006. We filed and started making changes. The man renting from us was way behind. We decided we were going to have to make him catch up or move out. Johnny was very nice and let our needs go to help them out. He had to realize he could no longer do that. We decided to let the property that we lived in go back and move into the other one. So we started the processes. We started moving on January 15, 2007. There was so much work that needed to be done. They had not taken care of the place. Johnny kept working and I started trying to get the place ready. We started living here in February. I was still slowly trying to get rid of things because this place was smaller. Then Johnny got his diagnoses at the end of the month. He took his vacation and we got everything moved. It was a mess. I had to buy a tent to put everything in so we could get it out here while he could help me.

My point in saying all this is that God knew what we were fixing to walk through. We have pretty much lost everything. The tent blew up during a storm about 6 to 8 weeks after we bought it. Everything had to be gone through again. Most of it was ruined and had to be hauled off. Johnny was in the middle of treatments so that was hard.

We still have stuff sitting in the backyard under tarps because we can not afford to buy a building. We slowly keep getting rid of stuff because it keeps getting wet under the tarps.

What has happened to me is where all this is going. I have gone from being materialistic to being frugal. I still have a ways to go and get very discouraged sometimes. There are still things I must do and I still fight God on them. I have come to realize that I need to learn how to say no and that I can't do everything. We are so involved in things at church that my family suffers. God is helping me realize that outreach ministry starts at home. You can not neglect your family and save the world. As a wife and mother my first ministry should be my home. How can you be a Proverbs 31 woman and never be home.

Now I have to make the changes to get where I need to be. I home school and we are very involved with 4H. We love 4H. It is helping me to realize where I am needed most. We are depending on God but not sitting idly waiting for him to drop blessings from heaven. We are trying to be good stewards with what we have. When we learn that then God can expand our borders.
I am still not sure I have really gotten my point across the way I wanted to.

**foot note**

We filed chapter 13 bankruptcy which means we pay on it every month.

I know this is long but I needed to post it. I will be trying to post honestly about all that we are walking through and doing. Part of walking through all this is also sharing our testimony. I will have more along the lines in the future.

Hurricane

In light of the recent hurricane I thought I would share with you what we saw after Katrina.

In 2005 we spent Thanksgiving in Mississippi giving out much needed items. The aftermath of Katrina still very real. We went down into Waveland and Bay St. Louis. I am going to post a pic that touched me so greatly. This family lost everything but notice the scripture int he corner. Job 1:21

and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised."

This is the NIV translation. I can not imagine me having that kind of outlook. The book you see laying in front of the sign is a Bible we found laying right on the side of the road. We thought is would be very appropriate to put it in front of the sign. This is on the Waveland side of the beach. I have often wondered if that family is rebuilding there or have they moved somewhere else.

We took clothes, housewares, baby formula, hygiene kits, food I can't remember everything we took. We handed it out all weekend. I will have to tell you more about it and show you some more pictures.

Riches, Contentment, Stewardship

You may ask what kind of title is that. Well, they are really tied together. God has really worked on me about these things for over a year now. I wasn't getting it at first. Then Johnny got sick and I got it but really couldn't do a whole lot. Now I am feeling those tugs in this direction again. They are stronger and more urgent than before.

While reading and praying this morning God gave me some scriptures I want to share with you. They are on riches, contentment and stewardship. I am not going to share today on all that has happened to get us to this point, I will do that in another post soon.



In the last 2 years we have lost much. I am talking material, emotional, financial and even spiritual.

We are now getting very close to barebone. That is ok though. We need to be here and need to learn from this place.



We once had quite a bit. We were not good stewards, we were not content and we strove to have more. Well, we are now stripped of all these things and we are better people for it.



Proverbs 23: 4 & 5

Labor not to be rich; cease from thine own wisdom.

Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away like an eagle toward heaven.



What I have learned is just what this scripture says. I no longer work to be rich in money, I work to be rich in Him. They do take wings. God does not and His wisdom is greater than any riches. I have learned that God knows what I have need of. All I have to do is let Him have control and my needs will be met. I said needs not wants. Everything we say we need is not really a need.



If you let God have control you can learn to be content.

Philippians 4:11 -13

Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.



Oh how true. We have to be content with where we are and what we have. No feeling sorry for yourself, no holding pity parties. Be thankful for what you have. I am thankful for what I have. I want to show God how thankful I am. I do not have riches here, but I have riches in heaven. That is where my heart is because what I love is there. This is only my temporary home, I will not live here forever. My home is in heaven with my Father and my Savior.

Be content with what you have.



Luke 16:10-13

He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much.

Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth who will entrust the true riches to you?

And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other.



We have to be good stewards of what has been given to us. Not just in money, but in all we have.

Land, home, time, food all these things can be wasted. I am sure we could think of even more things but you get my point. We have to take care of what we have, be good stewards of it and be content with it.

If we are wasteful and do not take care we will be in need. How can God help us if we are no true to His word. How can God help us if we do not take care of what we have and love what we have.

Too many times we say we are content but if we had this or that would be better. If you say that you are not content. You can dream, I am not saying that is wrong. I am saying that things are tough but THANK YOU GOD FOR ALL THAT I HAVE AND DON'T HAVE. I am happy in you and my family.

I will take care of what you have given me and encourage others to do the same.

I hope this makes sense and you understand what I am saying. I have been wasteful in the past and wanted more. Now I have little and love what I have. I want to take the best care of what I have so God can use me for His glory.



God Bless You All , Have A Glorious Day.

What You Learn When Your World Falls Apart

I know I posted some on here about my husband having cancer and some of the things we have been through. I say we because the whole family goes through this not just the patient.

We have experienced times that I could have just walked away and said I can't take anymore. There have been times that my 9 yr. son was so frustrated and discouraged. We made it through only by the grace and mercy of God. Our home was turned upside down and shaken up. Every one of us have changed we are not the same people who started through this.

When my husband was on steroids was the worst time. I have great sympathy for anyone who has a loved one on them. He was so horrible. There was nothing he could do and nothing we could do.

Financially we were devistated. He was the bread winner and now we had nothing except what I made parttime. We had no savings due to having made very poor financial decisions in the past. We were in bankruptcy that we had to pay every week. I could not pay everything.
Then God took over and everything was fine. We had money come in that we never expected. People we had not heard from in years sent checks in the mail. People in our church would hand us money. We had gotten on SSI but that was not much, 623.00 a month doesn't pay much.
We had gotten on foodstamps and TennCare, but that was such a hassle. I was treated like dirt and degraded. I had no other choice but to go through it though. We had no insurance, we were hurting in a lot of ways.
He got approved for SSDI but that would not start for 6 months. You know though we never went hungry and the bills were always paid.
The couple I work for were wonderful, they worked with me around all the doctor appointments. That is also where I got to get away so I would not go crazy. We were in survival mode. Just one hour at a time. That is as good as it got. We never knew what was next but God always provided and gave us strength. We would never have gotten through this without Him.

In saying all this the point is you can survive anything as long as you lean on God. Have faith and know that you will make it through.