Encounter With an Intelligent Species

On the hunt for dolphins

My sister Wendy is a trooper. I took her on a LONG kayak trip on the intracoastal waterway of Hilton Head island in search of dolphins. She never complained, though she may have asked how many hours I usually kayak.

Her perseverance and trust were rewarded! I have never seen a dolphin so close and so friendly. It was inches from us, looking us in the eye. It was one of the most exciting moments of my life.

No matter what else happens during our week in Hilton Head, I am already content. I have had a close encounter with an intelligent member of another species. Of course, it is not as astonishing as the encounter I have each day with the MOST INTELLIGENT SPECIES. (Hint: God) However, it is still pretty awesome.

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Romans 1:20
For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
 

The Feast of the Harvest: Saved Lives on the Brink of Destruction

The ocean week with my hubby and sister Wendy could not have come at a better time. If you follow my blog you know it has been a hectic past week, filled with our Cities4Life team rescuing a baby from abortion and a family from homelessness. That entailed a lot of scrambling, prayer, and God's divine intervention. Not only was the baby saved, but God softened the hearts of both parents so much that BOTH asked Jesus to be Lord of their lives, and with miraculous timing, were married three days later. Cities4Life volunteers and supporters were the willing agents through whom God worked. It was an immense privilege to be a part of it.

But now...the ocean!

While on my bike, with the wind whipping in our faces, Justin Reeder of LoveLife Charlotte phoned me. He heads our partner ministry who I called with  the overwhelming issues of the delightful newly married couple I'd met just days ago at the abortion center. LoveLife Charlotte has just ramped up how they will partner with our ministry, Cities4Life, in mentoring and expanding how we access resources for the moms who choose life. He had an incredible plan for the best way to approach all the issues this new family faced.

"Have at it and bless you!" I said as the waves crashed in the background. He told me they had a volunteer social worker and mentors all in place ready to spring into action. Cities4Life has already received promises of donations towards a van for this expanding family, and clothes for the other children. Justin told me he would get back to me as they began to implement their plan.

Pelicans dive bombed for fish. Hubby had enough of biking and turned back, but Wendy, who told me she had trained for her week with energetic me was willing to bike on. My phone rang again as we rolled across the wide sand flats and drank in the salty air.

It was Justin again. Calls had already been made and the social worker interview completed. A plan was in place. Housing would be secured within 24 hours once the family followed through with a short list of requirements. Mentors had been assigned and would walk this couple through the steps they would need to follow to shift their world from survival to abundant living. The weight of the world slipped off my shoulder.

This is how the Christian community is supposed to work. Dozens of people have stepped in to this family's life and what was a homeless, broken, and hopeless situation appears to be turning completely around.

"Should we turn around?" Wendy asked. The head wind was ferocious, and we'd been going against the wind close to an hour.

"Yes," I said, "And you wait. With the wind at our back, you won't believe how fast we will fly down the beach back home!"

Jesus is calling. He is calling each of us. We have varying degrees of gifts, resources, and time. However, if you are listening, God is speaking. None of us are off the hook. With God's intervention and willing vessels, lives on the brink of destruction can be saved. What a feast of the harvest is beckoning!!!

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To learn more about how to volunteer and save lives in one of the darkest places on earth, the local abortion center, please email me at vkaseorg@cities4life.com
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Happy Father's Day to my dear Dad and to my husband! And now, through Cities4Life, three children have a father MARRIED to their mother, and a new commitment to their heavenly Father. Please consider helping other kids rejoice in the family God intended them to be. We could use the help.
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Jeremiah 1:5

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

2 Peter 1:10-11

Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Romans 12:1-21

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. ...

Another Miracle for a Family That Chose Life Over Abortion

I spent the entire day looking for housing for the vulnerable new married couple
who chose life for their unborn child. Cities4life and its network has been helping them with many issues including the search for a used van and an apartment.

One donor bought them a bible which I picked up along with food and gas gift cards to deliver to them. While J had accepted Jesus as Lord, her new husband had not been there during our gospel presentation. I never let an opportunity to share the gospel pass me by, so when I handed him the new Bible, I seized the moment.

J sat beside us, nodding and smiling and answering some of my questions with assurance. Her husband was very worried as we talked about sin, the penalty for sin, and the impossible ability of humans to ever be good enough for heaven. We cannot earn our way there.

He looked so worried that I wanted to speed on to the good news, but one cannot impress on folks enough the fallen nature of humankind and the seriousness of our sin. To gloss over how much Jesus suffered for our sin waters down the power of His love. It cannot be minimized.

Finally, I said, "But God has a solution to the problem of sin. Do you want to hear what it is?"

"Yes ma'am. "

I shared the incredible truth of Jesus paying the penalty for our sin, dying a gruesome death on our behalf, and then overcoming death once and for all in the Resurrection. The young man smiled so sweetly, that I KNEW he understood and agreed. His bride was beaming.

"Have you ever asked Jesus to be Lord of your life?" I asked.
"No ma'am."
"Would you like to right now?"
"Yes ma'am."

J took her husband's hand  and we all prayed. The sweet young man asked Jesus to be Lord in his own humble words, and I noticed later he wiped away tears. His wife hugged him.

"Promise me you will pray each night with your family," I urged.
"I will, ma'am."

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I am off now for a week of kayaking with dolphins. Please pray for this beautiful young couple. And if you live in the Charlotte area and are a landlord, consider helping our ministry by providing them with an apartment. Their small car is on its last leg and they could really use a van. Please contact me at vkaseorg@cities4life.com

While they have never asked for anything, I asked them if they needed things for the other children since one supporter asked for a list. That list is below if you would like to help:

9 year old girl needs shirts junior small, bottoms 5 in juniors, sportsbras xl kids or small junior, panties 5 juniors or small, socks medium, pajamas small in junior, shoes 7.5 woman, & want tablet. 

7 year old boy needs,shirts & bottoms size 7-8 in boys, pajamas7-8, socks medium, boxers size small in boys ,shoes size 4 in kids , want tablet. 

2 year old boy needs shirts & bottoms size 4T pajamas size 4T & socks & shoes size 10 in kids, & car booster seat

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We are praying for miracles. We have witnessed so many, that we are confident these needs will be met.
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Philippians 4:4

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.

A Mom Chooses Life, Jesus, and Marriage: When God Orchestrates a Life

When I woke up yesterday, I thought it was just another day that I would hurry out to the sidewalks of the abortion center with my wonderful Cities4Life team, and hope to convince moms of the sacred value of their babies. It turned into a whirlwind day where I planned and executed a wedding. Not my typical Thursday! I want to be clear from the get-go. There is NO WAY I could have pulled this off. The miracles of God and intervention of loving Christians throughout made an impossible task a beautiful and joyful miracle.

The bride, J, was a brave woman who thought she had to abort her baby since her situation was so difficult. Honestly, she faced some of the most difficult circumstances anyone could face with a new baby on the way. Through the intervention of the Cities4Life team and network of supporters, every obstacle is being addressed. She chose life for her baby, then chose to ask Jesus to be Lord of her life, was convicted of the need to obey God in all things, told her boyfriend, who said, "Then let's get married now."

J and her boyfriend have been together for eleven years. They have four living children together, with one in heaven. They always talked about getting married, but just never got around to it. But now, with a life newly dedicated to God, the urgency of marriage had reached a boiling point.

"NOW,"  J told me. "It's time, and how can God bless us if we don't follow Him in this?"

However, her boyfriend has a brutal work schedule and was supposed to work all day for the next few days, twelve hour shifts...and I leave Saturday for a week vacation. Since I was the contact person helping them, we decided the wedding would have to wait till I got back.

Instead, the groom's work for the day was cancelled due to internet issues, and the couple called me in the morning yesterday. They wanted to get married NOW. I called our director, Daniel, who decided he would conduct a counseling session to determine if our ministry would be in God's will by helping them. While he counseled them, I was on the microphone at the abortion center, urging other women to choose life.

Daniel pulled me aside, gave me the thumbs up, and told me go do whatever I needed to do to make a wedding happen. The happy couple and I dashed downtown to the courthouse, filled out the marriage license application, submitted and paid for through Cities4Life donors.

Then, we went to a consignment shop and instantly found a perfect dress and shoes! I reached the shop before the couple, guessed on her taste, picked out a dress and when she walked in the door, held it up.

"I LOVE that dress!!!" She tried it on. Fit as though it was made for her.

I had already snagged a beautiful ring from home that I never wear and had found years ago. I kept it, thinking one day God would reveal who I could bless with that lovely ring. I hoped it would fit J. It did! Perfectly. As though it were made for her. I gave the ring box to the groom.

We were momentarily stymied when we found out they could not marry right away, but would have to return at 6pm for a Justice of the Peace wedding. MIRACULOUSLY, I got a lead on a pastor who performs weddings and would come to us! I told him J's story, and he said he was honored to be a part of this. He lives an hour or so away, but just happened to be in town which never happens. He could do the wedding at 3 pm. Best of all, he is a strong Christian, and this union would be sanctified before God!

With two hours lead time, J was able to get her best friend to come to the gorgeous park . Daniel managed to fight terrible traffic jams to make it in time. I went home to change into a dress, and somehow, we all arrived at 3:00 ready for a wedding.

The ceremony was surprisingly moving to me, considering I had known this woman all of 72 hours. Daniel took off his own ring for the groom to use during the ceremony so there could be an exchange of rings. I wish I had thought of or had the time to get a ring for the groom! (Don't judge me...this was my first time running a wedding....)

Another Cities4Life donor paid for a room at a swanky hotel downtown for the wedding night. This is a hard working couple, but circumstances beyond their control had landed them in rough waters. A fancy hotel and a garden wedding were not in their wildest dreams. Survival edged those thoughts out.

They were so grateful and so happy. That beaming woman was a completely different lady than the one I met Monday, depressed, despairing and hopeless at the abortion center.

The couple left us for their honeymoon night in the fancy hotel, all smiles and joy.

May Christ guide their future as He did this miraculous day. You just never know how God will use you when you wake up in the morning and say, "Here am I. Send me."

This morning, I found out that the swanky hotel gave this new married couple a free fancy dinner on the house to celebrate them. How often do you hear of something like that happening???

When God orchestrates a life, a symphonic masterpiece is created.
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We would love to have willing spirits join us as volunteers on the sidewalks of the abortion center. For more information, please contact vkaseorg@cities4life.com
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An immediate need is a van, like a used Honda Odyssee.  Their car has no AC and is not large enough with their other kids and the new baby. Please contact me if you have a free or not expensive vehicle you would like to donate or sell to this new couple striving to follow God.  Please share this request far and wide. This is a couple worth the effort!!! (Charlotte, NC area.)
vkaseorg@cities4life.com
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Psalm 51:10-12

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit

God Gave Me $20...But I Gave it Back

I pulled up to the ATM with a huge check from an incredible family who told me to "help the mamas." She read my recent blog about the desperate woman who chose life over abortion, and proclaimed Jesus as Lord as well...and she wanted to help.

I put my card in the ATM, and before I even entered my PIN code, the machine spit out $20.

I was overjoyed. I didn't think about the person to whom that $20 rightfully belonged. I just thought about how grateful I was to have a malfunctioning machine give me $20. I happened to be texting with our Cities4Life director, Daniel, at the time.

"Guess what!!!???" I said, "The ATM machine just spit out $20 before I even did anything! Do you think God is giving me $20???"

"Maybe...or the devil is tempting you to take money that isn't yours," Daniel said.

KILL JOY.

I slinked into the bank and waited in line for quite some time. When I reached the teller, I told her, "I have $20 that isn't mine that your ATM gave me."

Silence.

The entire line of customers and tellers stared at me.

"Lucky you," said the teller finally.

"Well yes...but it isn't my money," I admitted through gritted teeth. (Curse you, Daniel....)

"Thank you for your honesty," she said.

She spent some time typing and searching, and then somewhat sadly informed me she thought they could determine who the $20 belonged to.  I sighed, and took the $20 out of my wallet. Easy come, easy go.

You know something? I left the bank $20 poorer, but my spirit soared. Every little defeat of Satan makes the sound of angels in heaven rejoicing just a little more real.
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Speaking of defeating Satan, many have asked about the homeless mom who chose life, Jesus, and marriage. We are still counseling and trying to pull together the best situation for her. Please pray God gives us wisdom and discernment.
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Proverbs 10:2
Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death.

God Is Always Greater Than Our Troubles

INCREDIBLE ending of the story...or really the beginning. The mom who chose life at the abortion center and asked Jesus to be her Lord a couple of days ago texted me. I had urged her to share the Gospel with her boyfriend, and all I had discussed with her about what it really means for Jesus to be Lord of our lives. I reminded her that if Jesus is truly Lord, we must obey Him in all His commands, including sexual purity outside of marriage.

Apparently, the discussion went so well that the boyfriend told J that he wants to marry her immediately. I offered to find her a wedding dress, and my donor will help with the justice of the peace license fees. She is ecstatic, and now is speaking of the child she almost aborted two days ago as a "blessing."

See, that's the way God works. When we ignore and defy God, our world falls apart. When we trust and follow Him, even if our world falls apart, our whole outlook changes. Hope returns. Unlikely joy erupts from hidden reservoirs within.

I posted the request for the loan of a wedding dress on Facebook and within minutes had an offer in her size. Another friend offered to buy them a honeymoon evening at a nice hotel. All I need is a sitter for their kids.

Maybe someone will offer a cake, rings, and flowers. I dream BIG because my God is always BIGGER.
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This wonderful news comes at an opportune time for me. God always weaves His messages. Today is my husband and my 37th anniversary. I have been married longer than unmarried...that is a little mind boggling. Probably not many men could have lasted so long with me. I am intense, to put it mildly, and not always in a good way. Fortunately we have God...and God is ALWAYS bigger than our troubles. That will be my advice to this new married couple should the wedding occur as hoped: trust God and keep Him first.
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2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come

Pro-Choice Escorts Try to Pressure Mom Back INTO Abortion

Pro Choice escorts disguised at their request

One woman was sobbing on the porch of the abortion center. I have never seen someone so overcome with grief. She collapsed to her knees, head in her hands, gut-wrenching sobs. I called to her for several minutes, telling her that if she was so grieved over the thought of abortion, turn away now, before it was too late. Let us help her. 

All of my Cities4Life team had spent a great deal of time on the microphone, sharing information about our resources, the Gospel, and the only real hope and purpose in life: following Christ. We had the use of the microphone because one of our counselors, Sarah, had the legal sound permit in her name for the day. She was sick, but would not leave our team to go home and rest because if she left, we could not use the microphone. The permit holder must be on site. She agreed to just rest in her car.

Now, I cried with the woman on the porch, begging her to listen to her broken heart. Leave this place. Leave before the abortionist arrived.

To our joy, she did. She went to her car, sat in it for twenty minutes, and finally drove away. The abortionist had not arrived. Her baby was safe.

Shortly after that, one of our most experienced counselors, Chrissy, stopped a car and got them to pull over. Our fantastic nurse joined Chrissy car-side. I knew the woman would be ably counseled but Chrissy motioned to me to come over. They called me over because I have a huge list of resources on my phone and this mom and her children were living in her car. The car had no air conditioning, and yesterday was 90 degrees and humid. The poor family was wilted. She needed massive resources, which fortunately, with our network of supporters and contacts, we have.

For one thing, one wonderful donor has given me permission to use funds in critical situations if I judge it necessary to save the baby. This was such an instance. I offered to put the mom and her kids in a hotel for a couple of nights while she called the big list of housing resources I gave her.

Meanwhile, since our mobile ultrasound RV is still out of commission,  Chrissy called a local Pregnancy Resource center which is just five minutes away and arranged for the woman, "J" to go there immediately for an ultrasound to see her baby. J told us she believed in Jesus, but her situation was so impossible that she saw abortion as her only choice.  Nonetheless, she agreed to look at her baby on the ultrasound.

At this point, the 'pro-choice' escort came over across the street to the group of us talking with J.
"Do you want to keep your appointment?" she asked J.
I was speechless. 
"I am late for the appointment already," J told her.
"Oh, that's not a problem! They will still do the abortion if you are late," the 'pro-choice' advocate said.
"It's ok," J told her politely.
The 'pro-choice' advocate was clearly upset that this woman might not want to abort her baby. She then asked point blank, "Do you want me to cancel your appointment with the clinic or will you be keeping it? They will not have a problem if you are late."

This was in NO WAY the job, duty, or business of the "escort." It was her attempt to pressure J to move away from us and quickly make the decision to abort rather than hear our full list of resources and help. However, it had the opposite effect. 

"I don't want you to cancel my appointment," J said firmly.
We all felt grief at this statement, except the pro-choice lady who smiled eagerly. 
"I can cancel my OWN appointment," J added.

The escort slinked away. I have to confess, my heart was cheering inside.

We gave J gas money, and wrote a list of resources for her. I gave her my name and number. After I got home, I called her. She had seen her baby and was shocked at how developed the little munchkin was. The baby was also very active, doing flips, kicking, and waving.

"Please be honest with me," I said, "Having seen your baby now, are you at all inclined to abort?"
SILENCE. NOT GOOD.
"If you can promise me housing," she said.

Now, I never know exactly where or how God will lead me, but I have learned always listen to His prompting. Clear as a bell, I heard Him tell me to share the truth of the Gospel, and what it means to claim Jesus as Lord of her life.

So I did. I won't share the details here. I went step by step through the truths of sin, repentance, why Christ had to die, why He had to be resurrected, and what it means to proclaim Jesus is Lord.

I was afraid she might hang up on me, but I kept asking questions, and she kept answering. And then she said, "I have never understood the Gospel before. You should be a teacher. No one has ever explained it like this. I understand. I want to ask Jesus to be Lord. I am weak, but I want Him to be Lord."

Sometimes it pays to get up in the morning.

So we prayed together over the phone. She asked Jesus to be Lord of her life, and asked forgiveness for all the times she has sinned against Him. She asked Him to strengthen her in her weakness.

When we finished praying, I said, "Now, will you abort your child?"
"No," she said, "If Jesus is Lord of my life, I can't. I am telling you definitely not."
Yes! Thanks and glory be to God for His miracles and provision.

This sweet woman needs a lot of resources and a lot of prayer. First she needs a home. Cities4Life with the aid of our donor placed her in a hotel for two nights to give her rest and time (and air conditioning) to call the list of housing resources. She texted me several times throughout the day with a final joyful text as the sun set, "I am in the hotel. Baths now. Thank you so much."

Thank GOD.

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We need more volunteers. Email me at vkaseorg@cities4life.com if you want to feel the deepest joy imaginable and watch a wretched soul find life.
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2 Corinthians 12:9

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Psalm 34:17-20 

When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.