The Forum

Mercy and Grace

by Suellen Fry

...On my knees before the Lord, my body hunched over, my spirit calls out to the distant heavens praying

for a miracle...

It has been five months now since the police finally arrested my husband. The terror I lived was over now.

There was finally peace in my home. There were no more unkind words being spoken. There were no more

threats to kill me and no more hands around my neck. My little boy's hurt and anger were finally being

replaced with hugs and kisses. He had stopped crying. He had stopped worrying about his mommy. Most of

all...my heart was mending in ways I never thought imaginable.

I too well remembered the time I lived in fear. I remembered the courage it took to grasp my little

guy’s hand, our bags packed....leaving for the shelter for abused women! But most of all....I remembered

the night I woke up out of my slumber feeling forgiveness in my heart! I had received the gift of healing

through the arms of Christ as he held me tight each night. It was HE WHO wiped my tears. It was HE who

covered me with his wings and protected me and my son. How could I forgive the man who hurt his own

wife? It wasn't me...It was Christ! Through Christ I was able! I was jolted in the middle of the night. I sprang

from my bed in upright position. What was happening to me? The pain was gone! The anger lifted. It was as

if all the hard drive was erased.

Still.........The Lord my God had something else in store for me!

He had yet another lesson for me to learn along the way! Little did I know how powerful his mercy and

grace really are!

However, while my husband was still lurking around my home....he had established quite a reputation!

New owners had taken over my apartment complex and things were changing. In a conversation with the

landlord one day, I was told that he (my husband) was to stay away or else it would cause problems for

me! He was not living the lifestyle that appealed to apartment mangers and landlords. "I will have none

of that around here", she said. "I do not want trouble."

But there was trouble....my husband did not respect the restraining order. He was determined to stalk

me and cause problems!

Now, finally was arrested! However.....that didn't seem to matter to my landlord! She still wanted me out!

She even refused to accept my rent money!

This had been going on for months now. Letters kept coming in the mail telling me I was about to be

evicted. My 7-year-old son would cry asking me, "Are we going to be homeless like those bums on the

street?" "No,” I would tell him. “Don't worry, Mommy is here and I will always make sure we have a roof

over our head."

Five months had passed. And still there was no legal eviction notice on my door! What was happening?

Why was the landlord not evicting me? I never knew from one minute to the next what was going on. So,

I decided...maybe I should look for another place and get out while I can. Everywhere I turned the doors

seemed to close right in my face. Now what was I to do? The truth was, my husband was incarcerated

and every responsibility now fell upon me! What a burden it was to carry.

One day in the midst of all the chaos that crowded my mind, I made a call about an apartment. Little did I

know the man on the other end of the phone would be a messenger directed from God Himself. After

telling this person my story he proceeded to inform me that his boss was my current landlord, one and

the same! "Don't tell anyone I told you this,” he proceeded. “You know that phone number on the sign

on front of your apartment building? That's your landlord's boss's number! Give him a call,” he said.

The next day I called the number. After hearing my story, he told me first to pay what I owed. Then he told

me to open my front door and to look outside at the sun shining and realize that it was a new day. Wow!

The burden had been lifted. I could stay!

But where would I come up with all that money? Most of it was spent. I hadn't managed my money properly,

plus I had other expenses. Maybe I would just have to suffer the consequences for all of this. I had 48

hours to come up with the funds!

Okay...this is where our merciful Lord kicks in!

So where did I begin this story? Oh...I was on my knees praying before the Lord.

Yet my faith was somehow shaken. I began to break down, gasping for air…I was in a full blown panic

attack! But that wouldn't stop the Lord from trying to reach me! As the Holy Spirit intervened and spoke

to the Lord through me I could feel myself being cleansed.

The next day came. I woke up, took Nick to school, came home and got back in bed. I hadn't been

physically well now for weeks. I had lost 10 pounds and felt weak at the knees. It was all I could do just to

get my child off to school.

I managed feverishly to run through the yellow pages. I had to call someone for help. I wanted to call

some churches. In a panic...I was trying to get help! The doors closed in my face.

With only five hours to go, I felt completely helpless.

Then I heard Him speak. "Lie down and rest. I've got it covered! Have faith!"

Thirty minutes later my mom called. "How much do you need? Okay. I will mail it today"

Still....where was my faith? Okay...now let's see you come through, God!

The Lord then told me, "Thou shalt not test the Lord thy God." What did that mean? I did not know at the

time. I fell to my knees and praised Him for having mercy on me and for being there for me once again!

A couple of days later it hit me on the head like a ton of bricks!!!

It was already done! What was I waiting for? Why does God have to prove himself to me? Who was I to

question God himself for proof of the miracle? He had my back the whole time! Despite my seeming doubt,

despite my poor money management, He had His arms wrapped around me the whole time!!!

Oh, that's what He meant when He said, "Do not tempt the Lord your God!"

Why must we always have to see the proof before us? Shouldn't God's Word be enough?

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord. "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans

to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:11-13

I had nothing to do with the miracle! Mommy didn't take care of anything! Our Lord, my Sovereign Father

scooped me up from my own mess and proved once again that His mercy and grace are sufficient!

Thank you, Jesus!

SOPHIA

: an essay

By Linda Colucci-Madalone

For decades Sophia has been a mystery to many Spiritualist and Religious

groups. To this day Sophia continues

to be

an evolving mystery, a great

secret, but She is attracting greater interest and more people are talking

about

Who and

What Sophia is.

Earlier this year I was guided to find out who Sophia was. Much to my

surprise I found books on Her with a wide

range

of theories. I was moved,

inspired and gained Faith by Her beautiful energy and Her loving messages

It was the same feeling of “comfort” that I had experienced when I Connected to Jesus and other White Light

Masters.

I have a belly button as you do, and in Humility and Peace I Am simply sharing my thoughts about Sophia.

Sophia is wisdom. She holds within her every aspect of Human, Cosmic and Divine evolution.

Sophia helps Us understand and recognize the “I Am.”

Sophia is Power with Humility. Sophia is Goddess energy in balance with God.

Sophia is Strength with Compassion.

Sophia is with You Always in All Ways.

Sophia unites Body, Mind, Spirit and Emotion. Sophia is Love And Love is Sophia.

Some books say that Sophia is the Mother of God, Mother of Humanity, and the Soul of the World,

the Holy Spirit, and the Goddess Nature.

Sophia is the Past, Present and the Future. Sophia is Divine Feminine. Sophia is Nature,

and Alchemy.

Sophia harmonizes and connects us with many things that we usually keep separate.

Some say that Sophia is connected with Isis-and the two Mary’s and connected with Jesus.

Then why…don’t we hear more about Sophia?

I believe that Sophia is a Mystery that each of Us in due time will discover, if We have been asking God to be an

instrument of His Peace, and if we are walking our talk through Love and Light.

Where You feel God She is --Where You see Nature She lives.

In truth, I feel that Sophia’s goal is to help Us help Ourselves by helping Others. Pray, Meditate and Speak of Her

often and Your life will find new pathways to experiencing Heaven on Earth.

Thanks to: Rudolph Steiner and Christopher Bamford for their writings on Sophia.

THE MAN IN THE PARK

by Suellen Fry, Washington

Almost four years ago, I took my then four year old son to the park one day. We lived in a small town at the time. Spending the
day in the park was always a joy for me as well as I had the chance to view the beauty of the old historic buildings and the quaint
surroundings.

I pulled in to the available parking space at the small park. My little guy jumped out and began playing on the slides and monkey
bars.

It was a beautiful, sunny day. I could feel the sun’s warm light embrace my skin. I thanked the Lord that I lived in the sunny state
of Florida and began to take in the beautiful sights of this small town.

As I continued my visual endeavor I noticed a man sitting on a park bench, just a few feet from me and my son. He kept looking
over at me and smiling. He started singing in broken English, swaying from side to side. I noticed that he was holding a bottle
covered by a paper bag.

He apparently had been drinking something other than Kool Aid. I started to think it was time to leave the park.

But the Lord spoke to me. He told me under no circumstances was I to go anywhere. "Why?" I asked. I wanted to argue with
the Lord Himself, telling Him that it was not safe for me or my son.

The next thing that happened still blows me away to this day!

The Lord told me to get up and go over to the drunken man. What? Now this is crazy, I thought. But one thing I have learned about
the Lord, He is radical, and when it comes to saving souls, anything goes.

So I told my little one I was going over to speak with the gentleman sitting on the park bench, and to continue playing. As I
approached this man he had different ideas in mind. The Lord already had his hand in this one. So placing all my trust in Him I
continued.

The small dark skinned man began flirting and jeering as if I was to be his newest girlfriend. It was then that I looked into the
eyes of my brother. All I could see was his pain and his need for God. Love overwhelmed me and as I placed my hands over
his head I began to pray in the Holy Spirit and proceeded to tell him of a God who loved him more than my words could express.
The small man put down his cleverly covered bottle. His small frame hunched over with his hands covering his face. He began
to weep in his shame. For he knew he could not hide from God any longer! I grabbed his hand and told him that there was no
condemnation in Jesus Christ!

He looked up at me and said, “Thank you lady, thank you lady.”
“You don’t need to thank me,” I said. “Thank Jesus.”

I picked up my boy, gave him a hug and returned home.

I have never seen the man in the park since that day.
But I think of him often. I think how powerful our words can be if we are speaking the Lord’s words. I think of how a drunken
man was transformed into a drunken spirit through the love of Jesus!

Sometimes when we think we are but one vessel and we can’t reach even the town drunk, God will use our vessel to reach
that very person. God will use us for His Glory to reach anyone at any time. Our Lord is radical, so be prepared.

I continue to be a humble servant for the Lord! I continue to listen for His instructions, for I can never be too sure when I will
be instructed to speak with another drunk, another homeless person, another addict, or another hurting person. They are all
my brothers and sisters.

My command is this: Love each other, as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this; that he lay down his life
for his friends.

John 15:12,13

THE ANSWERED PRAYER

by Suellen Fry

For he will give his angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways.

Proverbs 91:11

As I felt the cold steel blade press upon my back, I began to pray, "Dear Jesus please, I don't want to die this way.
God gave me this gift, a child to raise. He still needs me very much, Jesus, please save me!" It was then that I felt
the knife leave my back. I praised the Lord for hearing my cry and thanked him that only the flat part of the knife had
touched my skin.

I began to weep. My husband became more enraged. "Stop crying! You're making me angrier," he yelled. But I just
couldn't stop crying. He had barricaded me in the bathroom. Try as I might I couldn't break free. "Why are you
making me do this?" he added "Stop crying or I will kill you and then kill myself."

I couldn't believe this was happening. This was my husband, the man who was supposed to love and cherish me. We
were married under the eyes of God, yet when I looked in his eyes I saw nothing but evil. I figured I had better stop
with the tears or maybe this time I would feel the blade go through the bone of my back.

I then proceeded to call 911. After I hung up the phone he informed me if police came there would be bloodshed.
After 15 minutes I hadn't heard anyone knock on the door. He allowed me to leave the bathroom as my eight year old
son had returned home from the neighbors' house. I thanked God that he wasn't home to witness the horrifying
ordeal. He had been through enough these past three years and certainly didn't deserve to hear his own mother's
life being threatened. He bounced in the house and went straight to his room. Once again I thanked the Lord for
protecting him from any further drama.

There was a knock on the door. The sheriff had arrived, 20 minutes after my call. Wait, did I say 20 minutes later? It
suddenly occurred to me if the knife had actually pierced my back they may have been 20 minutes too late.
I couldn't let them in for fear of my life. So I answered the door and made up a story of how my little boy accidentally
misdialed 911, while my husband hid in the next room. After the police left, my husband reassured me that he would
leave that evening. But it would take another day before he left.

My son eventually came out of his room in time to witness some unkind words that were being tossed at his mom.
With fists balled up he did his best to fend for me. God bless him; my little guy, standing up for his mommy.
All those unkind words that were darting towards mommy hurt him too. How awful he must have felt. As the drama
came to an end I resorted to my son's room to lie next to him in bed. I held him close and together we prayed. We
prayed so hard that I swear I could hear the angels in heaven sound their trumpets. As tears flowed and sad hearts
broke, we managed to fall asleep holding each other close, clasping hands as if these were our last breaths. For I
know my little warrior felt my pain and I knew if he could take it all away he would have.

How many times had we prayed, "Dear Jesus," hoping he'd hear our prayers? Don't we know he hears them?
If I take the time and think about all those moments I prayed those very words, I can reassure you that he not only
heard my prayers but he also answered them. But I must add that my prayers were answered in His time, others
were answered within seconds, even while my mouth was still uttering the very prayer.

This particular time the prayer had been answered instantaneously. Why? Because my mission here on earth
wasn't over. I knew I still had folks to help, testimonies to share, and stories to write. And I still had the precious gift
of a child to raise. So, I am taking this time to thank you God. Thank you for hearing my cry as I prayed. Thank you for
showing me that Love isn't supposed to hurt. Thank you for showing me it's okay to let go because you are my
provider and you will carry me and my son through this valley. I trust in you Lord. I love you Lord, and I want to thank
you for your son...Jesus.

With Christmas only six days away I began to feel even more grateful. I was grateful that because my life was
spared I could bake old fashioned Christmas cookies and dance around the house with my son as we listened to
Christmas music. I could smell the sweet aroma of Jesus in my home and feel the blessings of the holiday season.
For I had been given the gift of a new beginning. And it all started with a baby boy born in the city of David, Christ the
Lord.

Thank you, Dear Jesus. Happy Birthday!