The Mystery of Mary

I have gained a deeper appreciation for Mary the mother of Jesus. I watched "The Nativity Story" a few months back. I am in awe at how young this woman was when she gave birth to the Messiah.

The section of scripture when Mary was visited by the angel has been reverberating in my spirit. I have often read about this encounter, but it hit me like a ton of bricks this week.

Luke 1:29-37
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"

The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God."

We all assume the incarnation was simply a wave of God's magic wand. We never really stop to ponder how such a glorious act transpired. But, according to scripture this encounter is veiled. Mary was covered by a shadow, and the virgin birth is protected by secrecy. The treasure of the incarnation is so valuable that God will not reveal how it came about. Of course, this begs the question...does Mary know?

I long to know what happened to Mary when God finally became flesh. Did she feel a stirring in her womb? Did she have to receive the word with faith because there was no apparent physical change? We read that the Spirit came upon her...whatever that means. Then we read that God shielded Mary and His tiny Son Jesus in a shadow of love.

The word for overshadow is the Greek word, episkiazō. It is a verb that means to throw a shadow upon, to envelop in a shadow, to overshadow. God is hiding this mystery. The incarnation has always fascinated me! I am renewed in my interest.

Health Care Scare

Wake up!!! Every Christian needs to sound an alarm. The Health Care bill is deplorable! I have some major health issues at the moment, and I am still avoiding doctors. I don't want to deal with the headache or the corruption. Babies, the elderly, and even cancer sufferers will be negatively affected by this bill. The government will have the ability to limit the amount of children you have. I'm not making this stuff up! I am alert. So alert that I am considering canceling my Medicade coverage. I don't want to be dependent on a corrupt system. If you don't believe me, listen to Rick Joyner from MorningStar ministries.

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Brian and Jen Koehneke's Wedding

Here are some pictures from the last wedding I attended. Brian is a friend I met through IHOP and Hillside Christian Fellowship.




The Wedding Party!



They are all smiles!



The wedding was small and intimate. The day was beautiful.



They are in love, can't you tell?

Retreat

I attended a retreat this weekend. I encountered God on many different levels. I can say with confidence, this was the best retreat I have ever attended.

The retreat was located in Michigan at a camp named Manowe. The atmosphere was captivating. There were horses, and some even went horse back riding. Horses are my favorite animal; however, I decided not to go horse back riding. (Too expensive) This didn't stop me from watching these majestic animals. I felt deep delight.

On the grounds, tucked away behind some trees, lies the hope garden. I had an intimate encounter with my Bridegroom as a sat on the bench provided. I reflected on a statue in the middle of the garden. It spoke to me in a variety of ways. Most of which are too precious to share. Below is a picture.



(It wasn't winter when I saw this. It is the only picture I could find. Jesus is holding a child in His arms. He is holding the hand of the mother. The mother is holding a heart necklace in her left hand.)

I also gained a new respect for my communion with other believers. I spent most of my time sharing and laughing with friends. I am more appreciative of those God has brought into my life. I am extremely blessed to know such compassionate, intelligent, and passionate people.

More to Come!

Joy and Joe's Wedding

I told you I would post pictures of the many weddings I have attended this month. Here are a few pictures of Joy and Joe getting hitched.



Joy got married in her parent's backyard. They have a cute gazebo, and the weather was perfect.



Joy's maid of honor was her younger sister. The little one next to me is her niece. I really liked how my hair turned out!



Joy loves to dance. I loved watching her glide across the floor with her new husband.



Ben Bouwers married the couple. He did a beautiful job.

Tug, Tug

Normally, I must position myself before I engage God. I either start to sing a song, kneel, pray, or meditate on scripture. On most occasions I make the effort to "set my mind on things above." I force my carnal mind to engage heaven. However, recently this has not been the case. I haven't been striving. I haven't been calling His presence down. I haven't been positioning myself to engage heaven. He is coming anyway!

God has been interrupting my day. I will be eating or typing on the computer, and suddenly I will feel a heat. I feel His tangible presence, and I can't ignore it. There is a growing ache and yearning that is not subsiding. I can't escape His gaze. He is very near, and He wants my attention.

The best way to describe these encounters is with a picture. Imagine there are two adults conversing. During this conversation a child begins to tug on one of the adult's pant leg.
"Just a minute honey."
Tug Tug. "But, mommy I have something to show you!" Tug Tug.
"In a minute sweetie. I'm talking."
Tug Tug "But, mommy it is really important!"

As you might have guessed- God is the child, and I am the mom. God is persistent, and He knows His presence is more important than my daily chores and worries. I am wrapped up in the cares of this life, and God is tugging on my pant leg." Come away! Entertain my presence. I have secrets to reveal, and love to display. Leave your worry, your doubt, and your fear! Come away!" Tug Tug!

Weddings, Weddings Everywhere

I was in a wedding on Saturday, and then I attended a wedding on Sunday. I am physically exhausted, but spiritually awakened.

I can't write every revelation and joy I had this weekend. However, I will say I am blessed to have such godly friends. Each wedding brought glory to God, and renewed my confidence in His ability to sustain relationships. In today's world marriage is a gamble. But, I truly believe if the husband and wife are dedicated to loving God, then God will be faithful to their commitments. He will carry them through the difficult and ugly.

I was honored to be a bridesmaid in my friend Joy's wedding. It was such a blessing to get to know her family. Her mother and father had five girls and no boys. Women love weddings. Watching them laugh, dance, and support Joy was truly an inspiration. Joy and Joe make an adorable couple!

The next wedding was on Sunday. My dear friend Brian got married to a beautiful, intelligent lady named Jennifer. Brian is such a gentle, caring, lovable friend. He is one of my favorites! Anyone who meets him can't help but see Jesus. His gentle nature and meekness have deeply inspired me. Jenn undoubtedly found a gem! I left the wedding early because I was recovering from Saturday's wedding. When I left the church, I saw a beautiful rainbow.

I spent the last few hours of the night with my bridegroom. I am His prize and He is my portion. These weddings reminded me of His everlasting love. I can't wait to see the pleasure on His face when He lifts the veil!

(My camera doesn't't cooperate! I will post pictures once I have them....promise.)

Sees My Heart

Do not stare at me because I am dark...Songs of Solomon 1:6

I have heard numerous sermons about how God sees my heart. I have heard numerous sermons about how God sees me as lovely even when I am dark. Recently, I listened to a sermon by Mike Bickle, and I received greater revelation on these popular messages.

I really can't explain the new revelation. I will only restate the truth, which I have heard numerous times before. Mike Bickle didn't even put this truth in new language. He didn't say anything I hadn't heard before. However, my heart was awakened to these truths in a deeper way.

When God hears the "yes" in my heart, He accepts that yes and then guards it. He locks my hidden yes into His own heart, and then He dedicates Himself to it. He causes those desire to come to pass because it pleases Him. He doesn't let my human weakness taint that yes. It is against His nature to let our failure ruin our godly desires.

God doesn't see my failure or my weakness. He sees what I desire to be. As I began to meditate on this, I realized that God doesn't know Tamara Peachy as you know her. He doesn't even know me as I know me. He knows the "me" I want to be! He knows the blameless, beautiful, committed, healthy, humble woman I have always desired to be.

My deepest desire is to please God. Therefore, because of God's mercy and grace, I am His greatest pleasure. I want to bring God delight all the time. Therefore, I am God's delight all the time. Every pure motivation of my heart is accepted and accomplished in the Beloved!

Pro-Apathy

Last night I had a dream. I was approached by a doctor. He recruited me to help him with a surgery. I entered the operating room, and held a young girl's hand. After the surgery, I was told the doctor had performed an abortion. The rest of the dream was of me crying many tears. I felt deep grief, and blamed myself for the death of the child. I wasn't even aware that I was helping the doctor perform an abortion. I still felt responsible.

After reflecting on this dream, I am alarmed. There are countless reasons why my inaction and apathy have aided the Pro-Choice movement. My passion for life must be reignited. I need to DO something!

Currently, Barack Obama's administration is pushing a strong Pro-Choice agenda. There is a bill being debated that would force all doctors to perform abortions even if they are morally opposed to the procedure. If these doctors decide not to perform an abortion, they could lose their licence.

The Health Care Reform Bill would allow my tax dollars to fund abortions. If this bill is passed, blood will be on our hands. We need to take action. God will hold us accountable for what we did during the baby holocaust.

Jilted Lovers and Naive Romantics

My heart broke in the past. My love was expended on a man who didn't share that love. Many of my female companions experienced similar heartache and pain.

My broken heart nurtured bitterness, insecurity, and loneliness. For many years, this hurt, only produced destruction in my life. I found no comfort, and I failed to see the purpose in my sorrow.

Now I am witnessing the healing balm of God's love. His medicine is covering the cracks in my heart. Psalms 34:18 states, "God is near to the brokenhearted." This verse is more than a declaration of His love for those who are hurting. This verse reveals that our God has a unique attraction towards those who have been deserted, forsaken, and replaced.

I have a new desire to minister to jilted lovers and naive romantics. I want to save younger girls from experiencing heartache by encouraging them to guard their hearts. I think women, no matter their age, must know their love is a treasure.

A woman's capacity to remain pure is dependent on her realization of the potency of her unique ability love. If a woman truly believes her love is authoritative and unlike an others, she will guard that love. Every woman wants to be a fountain sealed. Every woman wants to be a locked garden. Our love is at peace when it is asleep. It only finds joy when it awakens at the time destined by our Maker, not a moment sooner.

This is a video I made. You may need to adjust your volume; it might be loud. I am taking steps to perfect my ability to write, sing, play piano, minister, and be artistic. Understand it is a journey. Still, I have to be bold to share, even in my immaturity and lack of talent. I desire it to bless the lonely and guard the hopeful.

Crazy Charismatics

Charismatic Christians have many good qualities. My first exposure to this spiritual crew was my freshman year of college in 1999. These strange creatures raised their hands in worship, and prayed for healing when I hurt my neck. I didn't understand their faith at that time, but I grew to respect and love them. My Charismatic friends made a lasting impression, and I now call myself a Charismatic!

Therefore, I want to proceed with caution because I don't wish to put Charismatics in a bad light. I only want to deal with the offenses and wounds within my own heart. I only wish to whine for a moment or two; I'll try not to step on people's toes.

The Charismatic church has the tendency of mixing mental illness, witchcraft, and demons. For many years, I believed I had a demon oppressing me. I had many Charismatic believers pray for my illness. I had many words spoken over me that I wish were never spoken. I was accused of having a friend in the occult who was cursing me. This was a word of knowledge given to me in the year 2005. Other Christians assumed that I had a dark past. They asked if I ever played with a Ouija Board. I indeed had not. They asked if I had any dealings with the occult. Again, I had not. Because I hadn't delved into witchcraft, they assumed my mother must have opened a door.

Is that fair? How bold to make such an accusations! My mother is extremely oppressed by a mysterious illness. They are suggesting that her current state, which is tragic and dark, was her fault. They assumed she practiced in the occult, and this gave demons permission to torture her and as a result, me. My mother was in seminary when she first was taken to the hospital! Even in her current state, she professes her hatred of witchcraft. She doesn't even like it when my dad watches Harry Potter. It hurts me that Christians, who know nothing about my mother's past, accuse her of opening the door to demon oppression.

I have wasted years of my life repenting for a sin I never committed. Countless Christian would ask me to research my past, and repent of any moment I opened myself up to the occult. I NEVER did. I have loved God, and have only tried my best to serve Him. I don't think I gave the enemy a foot hold. I don't think I have some hidden experience with the occult. I think I have an illness.

I still struggle with the mystery and confusion of my illness. I don't profess to understand where God is in all this. However, I know He is using my affliction to nurture my sensitivity for oppressed people everywhere. God is raising me up to be a deliver, and a voice for the afflicted. I believe my writing and singing gift will heal many! Especially my mother!

Submission is a Curse

To the woman He said, "I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth, in pain you will bring forth children; yet your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you."
Genesis 3:16

I strongly encourage wives to be submissive to their husbands because the Bible clearly states this is obedience to God. Unfortunately, the majority of the Christian culture assumes women should enjoy being submissive. Being submissive is not an enjoyable task; it is a part of the curse.

Men are not expected to love tending a garden that is full of thistles. Men are not expected to enjoy hard work and toil. However, men ARE expected to work the ground even though they will moan during the process.

Women should have the same right to moan. Women are called to submit, but this submission is a curse! It is the punishment women bare due to Eve's tasting of the fruit.

I believe some Christian women think they must enjoy and love the action of submission. The reality of the situation causes most women to struggle through submission. Just like men hate sweating and breaking their backs, women hate feeling less superior.

I completely praise women who long to live Proverbs 31 and Ephesians 5:22. Such a wife is praiseworthy. However, becoming this woman is a process. It takes sacrifice and perseverance. A woman who has cultivated the ability to submit has also endured hardship and emotional strife.

I am not writing this to scold anyone. I am simply giving women the freedom to struggle, and suffer through the act of submission. If you learn to find peace and safety while submitting, I am excited for you! I simply want every women to acknowledge they bare a curse. I don't expect women to love submission. I want Christian women to have the freedom to cry and moan.