I was imprisoned by strongholds for many years. I had no clue I had any problem until I decided I wanted to follow Christ more closely. Satan brought back shameful memories to convince me I was unworthy to follow Christ. I did recognize I was a shop-oholic, talk-oholic, eat-oholic, unhappy Christian who lived in defeat & could not manage to read my Bible & pray regularly even though I wanted to.
God used several scriptures to help me be free of these strongholds. I did a study by Neil Anderson and went through his steps to freedom. Later, when doing Beth Moore's study "Breaking Free", I saw the need to discover the lie that my strongholds had been based on.
I'll write more about this next time but just want to write scriptures today.

Today Bro. John used 2 Cor. 10:3-5 and Romans 1:21,25. He also quoted 2 Cor. 11:3 and Romans 8:12-13, 31, & 37. I had hoped to copy & paste the scriptures here from http://www.biblegateway.com/ but I can't copy them on this program. I hope you will go there to read them.
I also love Eph. 4:26-27, John 10:10, John 8:32.

the BIG decision

We finally made our second BIG decision on retirement. The first one was just to accept the early retirement package. We vacissilated on that one because of the high unemployment rate right now. Then we had to decide if we wanted a monthly pay out pension or a lump sum. I know several people who had taken a lump sum payment so I assumed that was best; either for having control of all the money now or for potential increase with interest payments. Well, about the fourth time I was reading through our pension 'book' (about 30 pages plus 6 booklets), I noticed that their monthly payments were larger than my projected monthly payments which I estimated by dividing the lump sum by 20 years/240 months (& planned to not touch for 6 years). There were also conflicting statements about if those payments were for now or when reaching full retirement age. They were describing several different retirements but it looked like we could start getting the payments right away. So I searched the internet, especially Larry Burkett, Dave Ramsey, & Ask the Money Dr. The main thing I found from Ramsey is that a lump sum is better if you can get at least 7% interest. I also prayed about which way to go & who could help us with this far reaching decision. A friend of ours told us he had gotten advice from many & that he wouldn't trust any financial counselors because they all push stocks. In desperation, I even woke up my computer & posted on Facebook asking if anyone had any wise advice about pensions. One dear friend wrote back saying that she had been advised to take the pay out since she was younger & would get more payments. I had read that about SS too (early payments are smaller but later payments lost 3 years of payments & our pension is 6 years early). We had one other confirmation on taking the pay out and no one recommending the lump sum so we went for it. Long story short, we now have a monthly pension plus our severance pay to meet our budget this first year, then our 401K and pension to meet our budget the next 4 or 5 years until we get SS. What a relief to not have to worry about full time jobs! It will be a little tight and we will will still look for full time jobs, but if/when we get them, they will just be a bonus to stretch our retirement savings. The thought that we almost didn't accept this early retirement package because of fear of unemployment reminds me how faithful God has been in leading us through these decisions. Now just 1,234,567... decisions to go ;)

Couponing is so fun! Amy said it was like going through the ads at Thanksgiving. I can't believe how much I hadn't known or noticed, such as the extra rewards in the Walgreen's & CVS ads.
Today I bought 18 items at Walgreen's for $23. They are 12 pack Angel soft toilet paper, 3 boxes cereal (2 Kashi Go Lean), instant coffee, air wick oil warmer & refills, chap stick, Snickers, 2 boxes foil, 2 mandarin oranges, 2 mushrooms, olive oil. I also got 2 Skippy PB & 4 cans of Progresso soup for $8. Yesterday I got 2 bottles Purex laundry soap & 4 Fructis products for $13 at CVS. Next time I go to either store I have a $5 credit. My total for the week of 1 trip to grocery store plus the pharmacies was just under $100 so I stayed within budget even with the extra trips. As I build up my coupons & my stock of extra groceries & store credits my grocery bill will go down.
Thegrocerygame.com shows the best deals at whichever stores I choose for $10/month (1 month free trial) & moneysavingmom.com had great tips for doubling up savings at Walgreen's & CVS. The lady at money saving mom gets almost all their non-food items free at CVS. If any of you know of any good websites or books or have other tips on savings please let me know.
Judy

Bruschetta Pizza

• French bread (or ciabatta or facoccia bread)
• 2-3 T. olive oil
• 1 can tomatoes or 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, diced
• 1 T. olive oil
• Basil
• 1 t. salt
• Baby spinach
• Grated mozzarella cheese
• Parmesan
• Black olives

Mix tomatoes, 1 T. olive oil, salt, and basil. Set aside.
Slice bread and fry in 2-3 T. of olive oil, adding oil as needed. Rub a clove of garlic on bread. Layer spinach, tomatoes, cheeses, and olives. Toast in toaster oven to melt cheese.

FedEx brought me $2000 in traveler's checks yesterday! They are from my "too good to be true nanny job". I got suspicious when he hired me without checking my references, so I went back to Craig's list to read about scam warnings. Some of the indications were that he was from another country, never called or met in person (said his dad was out of town so couldn't come to meet me either), and was paying through a third party. I still couldn't see how he would get money from me though like the other scams, but I did not write him back. Then 3 days later I get these checks. He had said to let him know when they came. I went to write him but he had already written me to say the check would arrive today & please take it to my bank. I had no intention of doing this, so I wrote back & said I had received the checks & asked when his father was coming to meet me. He wrote back to tell me they accidently paid me too much & didn't pay his travel expense so please go ahead & take all 4 checks to the bank. Amy said to write back "I ain't no sucka, you a scammer". First I wrote, I'm not a sucker, you're a scammer. May God have mercy on your soul. But when I added Rom. 5:28 then I thought it looked a little harsh. So I changed it to: I'm sorry you are not for real. I am praying for you. God does love you and will forgive you. Regretfully, Judy PS-If you send me your address I will send you back your bogus checks (he had asked for my address & phone to pay ahead).
I am so thankful I was leery of this offer & discovered the scam before going to the bank. I did write Craig's list (got no response) & didn't know about going to the police since all I have is an email address. I'm tempted to go to the bank (& explain the scam) just to see if there is any chance these might be real (maybe paid for with conterfeit money?). Amy & Mike don't like this idea. I also thought about putting them in my kids stockings, then telling them I accidently put an extra 0 so they need to give me back $450 (a good lesson on being scammed, as long as they aren't tempted to take them to the bank).
I never dreamed what an adventure job hunting could be.
Judy

Nehemiah 4:15 When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to his own work.

I did a wonderful lesson this week in Beth Moore's study of Esther on facing our fears (week 5, p.107-108 if you have the book). It's about when Esther decides to approach the king (Esther 4:12-5:2) and says "If I perish, I perish".
Beth reminds us that Satan has no authority to destroy us but he will threaten to destroy us. Both "the enemy and our own self-destructive natures combine to taunt us with "what ifs"".
Satan knows our fears and areas that we have trouble trusting God. He wants to cause us to doubt God's faithfulness and purposes. Just believing our situation is hopeless makes it more hopeless. Beth reminds us of Prov. 23:7-"as a man thinks, so is he".
Beth said "The most critical breakthrough of faith you and I could ever experience is to let God bring us to a place where we trust Him--period. We don't just trust Him to let us avoid what we fear most. We determine to trust Him no matter what, even if our worst nightmare befalls us. "
She acknowledges that this is not easy, no one welcomes suffering, but living with constant fear is harder. She teaches that our best defense against life's uncertainty is "unconditional trust in a Savior who loves us more than His own life".
I thank Beth Moore for such a timely lesson and I now determine to trust God no matter what.
Judy

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose. Romans 8:27-29

Definition of Providence
According to Merriam Webster providence is "God conceived as the power sustaining and guiding human destiny".
Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary says, in His providence "God attends not only to apparently momentous events and people but also to those that seem both mundane and trivial...Indeed, so all encompassing is God's attention to events within creation that nothing...happens by chance."
I read this in Beth Moore's study on Esther and couldn't resist posting it because I am always quick to tell people I don't believe in luck, good or bad. This is what I believe in- providence.
Judy

Psalms 37:23-24 The steps of a [good] man are directed and established by the Lord when He delights in his way [and He busies Himself with his every step].
24Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord grasps his hand in support and upholds him. (Amplified Bible)