Praise God: Ben Update and The Panama Team Returns

I'm a little late in getting this post out, sorry!

We had our annual church picnic on Wednesday night and guess who was there? BEN!!!!! He has been discharged from the hospital that morning. He currently is taking antibiotics five times a day and in a week or so will have another CT scan to determine if the infection has cleared. If not, he will need to have surgery to "clean him out." He looks good with that sparkle in his eye, like you never know what practical joke he'll do next.

Please continue to pray for Ben. We want him to be completely free from infection without the need for surgery. He told me he felt good but was tired. Pray that the Lord would give him wisdom in the activities he involves himself. I personally believe he pushes himself a little too much.

Around 9 pm on Wednesday night as the picnic was winding down, we saw the church bus pull into the parking lot. The Panama team was home!!!!! Yeah, God!!!!! It was beautiful as a mass of people descended upon the bus and as the youth exited the bus, they were swarmed with many hugs and kisses!!!! It was a beautiful moment, full of God's Love. AWESOME! I haven't heard any specific God-stories yet, but I will soon.

I Am For Life

Most Beautiful Grace readers are aware of my nursing background, but not the details as to the particular specialties of nursing, in which I had practiced...geriatrics, infection control, quality assurance, and postpartum/neonatal nursing all grace the pages of my professional resume.

Although employed in nursing for twenty years, I never quite considered myself a nurse. However, I did consider myself to be a spiritual one, and it was during these years while physically nursing, that I received my spiritual nursing assignment- to stand up for life, especially to stand for those who cannot stand for themselves.

While working as a postpartal/neonatal nurse, I cared for a woman who had been used, abused and lied to by this world's system under the guise of a woman's right to choose. This woman had been given the impression that abortion, used as a form of birth control, had no lasting effects. I don't remember the number of elective abortive procedures to which this woman submitted herself, but I do remember the number was staggering.

When this woman married and decided to begin a family, all of her pregnancies ended in miscarriage. So much damage had been done to her cervix that it was no longer capable of "holding" a pregnancy. When she became pregnant again, her obstetricians performed a cervical cerclage, a procedure "in which the cervix is sewn closed during the pregnancy" from the American Preganancy Association.

Her pregnancy seemed to progress normally, and she began the laboring process. But all was not well and the child was born dead! It was after this horrific experience that I cared for the woman, and I remember sitting by her bed, holding her hand, and weeping with her as she repeated over and over, "No one ever told me the consequences of abortion."

I was angry because this woman was deceived, and I was saddened because not only was the woman's destiny altered, but also the destinies of children meant to be were snuffed out.

That day God implanted in me the desire to serve women who find themselves in the difficult situation of an unplanned pregnancy, and stand up for life...not only the unborn child's life, but the life-emotional, physical and spiritual of the woman carrying that child.

I have offered my service to the local crisis pregnancy center where I will volunteer on a weekly basis. What's most awesome is that the executive director said they had been praying for a nurse to get involved with the ministry. I love when Jesus' will is confirmed clearly!

Dear Jesus, empower us to stand up for life. Cause Your heart to be manifested through us through compassionate words and actions. Do not allow us to be silent because of social pressure, but anoint us to speak the truth always in Love! All for You, Jesus!!! AMEN!!!

Ben Update: Praise Jesus!!!

I stopped at the hospital to see Ben today after church, and he is feeling MUCH BETTER! They're allowing him to eat Italian Ice...Yeah, Jesus!! Ben did not have a fever today and is hungry for chocolate milk and chocolate chip cookies (although that wouldn't be a good idea to start off eating with those types of foods, I told him).

He is receiving IV antibiotics, and the doctors are saying (according to Ben) that they want to treat him with antibiotics first to see if that will resolve the infection, if it doesn't totally clear then they will have to surgically go in and clean the infection out, maybe needing to take some of his intestine. NO, to surgery in Jesus name!!! Ben is his old sparkling, get into trouble, joyful self. As I was leaving Bruce, Cassie and Mickayla were coming in to see him. I'm sure more good news is to follow!!!

Urgent Prayer for Ben!

Some of the youth from Fuel Ministry is in Panama now. Ben, who is part of the mission's team, had an emergency appendectomy last Thursday the 9th and was cleared by his doctors to go on the 13th to Panama. The doctors in Panama feel he has an infection and want him to come home, but initially were not sure if he is well enough to travel. They received the OK to send Ben back to the US where he will be immediately transported to the hospital.



Ben has been used mightily by God in supernatural healing and street witnessing. Please pray for Ben. He is an awesome, on fire for God, young man and my friend.

Appreciate you all!



With Much Love...

Beautiful Grace



Posted below are the e-mail communications that I directly received!


Update quick before we leave for catalina...

ben, beth, and jeremiah were at the hospital last night until about 5 this am...they found a huge mass in ben´s stomach and he has been cleared to fly home, which is happening as i type. he is flying alone, and needs prayer for peace as well as healing of course.

love and thanks to all!


Hey all...we are here in Panama and I´m not sure if you´ve heard, but Ben is in a hospital here. He has been very sick the whole time we´ve been down here and today we took him to a clinic to be checked out, they said he had an infection and needed to go home immediately. We contacted his doctor in the states and then Beth and Jeremiah took him to a hospital here to make sure he isn´t sick bad enough to warrant an emergency. They said he might not be well enough to get on the plane so they are giving him a cat scan and maybe other tests. We have had several times of prayer for his healing and if you could also be praying that this works out in the best way possible for the team, the leaders, and ben himself that would be awesome! Also, we are supposed to be leaving tomorrow at 9am for Santa Catalina.

thanks everyone!!!

There is a Mixture that I Need to Separate Out of the Midst of My People, My Bride

Dear Readers,

Just yesterday morning I asked Jesus to continue transforming my heart. I specifically asked Him to do heart surgery, removing any part of my heart not like His. He reminded me that Ephesians 6:10-18 instructs me on just how He performs His heart surgery by using

"...the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

"For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart." Hebrews 4:12

Let's grab hold of Jesus, knowing He loves us enough to sift out any mixture in our hearts. WE WILL BE A BRIDE WITHOUT SPOT AND WITHOUT WRINKLE!

With Much Love...

Beautiful Grace

Carmen Burnham

Conquerors in Christ Ministries

Email: VanquishedFoes@aol.com

Reprinted from the Elijah List

"And His brightness was like the sunlight; rays streamed from His hand and there (in the sunlike splendor) was the hiding place of His power."—Habakkuk 3:4

While in prayer, I often listen to the Rivera's CD "Live Soaking Sessions 1." My favorite track, "Show Me Your Face," started playing. I often cry in deep longing before the Lord, "Show Me Your face." The cry of my heart is ever deepening tears and longing to see Him face to face.

During that song, I experienced a visitation of the Lord's face upon mine. I was beholding Him. I heard, "We know that when He appears, we shall be like Him." Face to face, I was experiencing a greater osmosis of internal transformation at a deeper level than ever before. As we take the time to behold Him, the face of our internal countenance becomes the likeness of Him to the point that we manifest what we see the Father doing.

The Covenant Bride

Down through the corridors of the ages has existed the COVENANT of the Priestly Bride. She is the Bride that has longed for the manifestation of the Messiah. His manifested name for this age is the King of Glory. Once she realizes her identity, she keeps herself from the defilement of the world and fights for righteousness like the generals of old: Debra, Daniel, Samuel, the sons of Zadok and Elijah, to name a few.

She recognizes and prepares for the time of visitation with Him. For He is the One for whom her soul has craved above all else. The preparation is a separation and a consecration that leads to such purification. This happens because she spends so much time in His presence in which she is becoming like Him. She knows much of Him through her inner experiences of Him. She so desires to be like Him that she surrenders her being totally to the workings of His Spirit, unconditionally.

Whatever the cost, she perceives it is worth her everything. She loves not her life unto death. She does not bargain with Him to hold onto any golden calves or falsehoods of self or even normal needs. She knows that anything else is fool's gold. As a result, she is a fashioned weapon in the Hand of His Glory. He will give you power to stand against the forces of Hell, a dominion power that drives evil out.

There is an unveiling of truths within the Priestly Bride. It will result in the greatest movement of the Holy Spirit in this age. The forces of satan are trying to bring confusion, deception and despair. There is a tremendous raging for the mind of Believers everywhere. How do we overcome? The Bible states, "We overcome satan by the Blood of the Lamb, by the word of our testimony and we love not our life unto death."

We are in a season of receiving greater dimensions of these Truths, as well as in the season of God putting the missing pieces together.

"My Church Shall See My Power and My Glory that Has Not Been Seen for Many Generations and the World Has Never Known"

The Prophetic Word from the Lord: "My Church shall see My Power and My Glory—power that has not been seen for many generations and power the world has never known. There is a tidal wave of My glory coming. There is an anointing coming that many have longed for. It will be a collective anointing of the old and the new, the known and the unknown.

"It will hit and it will collide with the kingdom of darkness as the lightning strikes forth from the east to the west. Many will collide with My anointing as Paul did on the road to Damascus. Many will experience the molecules of the miraculous invading, permeating their very beings, healing their spirits, restoring their souls, driving out illness, disease and the demonic.

"There MUST be an invasion of My dominion power that will turn the world upside down. There will be an invasion through the brilliant radiations of My Divine nature that stirs the heart awake. It will resurrect My Divine DNA within the spirit, soul and body to rise to the power of My Ascension Glory. It will shine like the sun to expose this present darkness. There will be explosions of My almightiness that sets the captives free on every level, every dimension.

"Who will carry this glory? He that overcomes!

"I Am Preparing My Bride in the Secret Place"

"I am preparing My Bride in the secret place, in the hidden place, for the enemy must not see and must not look upon what I am doing, whom I am preparing.

"Those who will allow Me to draw them away into the Bridal chamber and allow Me to shake from them what must be shaken will come forth and carry what has never been seen—those who can believe Me for the unexpected movement in kings and kingdom—then those who carry My heart and My word without mixture will come forth.

"There is a mixture that I need to separate out of the midst of My people, My Bride. Oh, My people let Me wash your eyes, the eyes of your heart, with the precious Blood of My Son so you can overcome. Let Me invade the deepest recesses of your innermost being to heal, to expose and to deal with those things that are not of Me and not like Me. I will remove the thorns, thistles and calluses that have been unknowingly imbedded in your heart.

"Do not be afraid of My surgical Holy Spirit hand, for My hands are filled with healing love. I will never hurt you. I will never leave you. I will work with you very tenderly, there in the secret place. This secret place feels like you are once again in the wilderness, but it is indeed My room of operation. My hand is not shortened like a man's hand. My hands hold the fullness of your destiny. Did I not say, "A bruised reed He would not break and a dimly flicker flame He would not quench"?

"So is My Servant, so AM I to you as you yield to My inner workings. I take great joy, great delight in your heart of liquid gold. I am creating within your heart a combustion chamber of My Divine Glory, for this is the hour of My Divine Manifestation."

Carmen Burnham
Conquerors in Christ Ministries

Prophetic Word

THE TRUMPET

by Bill Burns -- July 14, 2009:

I have spoken to you in My word and I have said bless and do not curse. I say unto you, My People, in this season it is going to become very dangerous for you to loose curses against others. For I am going to show you the attitudes and intentions of your heart by bringing that very curse back upon yourselves. So heed these words and walk rightly. Do not allow your attitudes to become curses or your words to become curses. For surely the door of the enemy will be opened against you and great suffering will occur in these days, says the Lord. For I have seen the intentions in the hearts of My people and I have seen the strife and the contention and I have seen their judgments and I have witnessed their jealousies but no longer in these days will I allow those thoughts, those words, to be curses to be sent to My beloved, but indeed they shall be returned and bring affliction upon your own house -- not because I do not love you but so you may know what you are doing, says the Lord.

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND

by Marsha Burns -- July 14, 2009:

Open your heart to Me so that I can bring healing and restoration to your soul and spirit. Do not harbor your grief and wounding, but allow Me to carry the burden. Have I not said that I will perfect those things that concern you? That is not just a happy thought or a distant hope. It is a promise for right now, but you must release those things to Me for the promise to be fulfilled in your life. Let go and let Me build up what has been torn down, says the Lord.

Psalms 138:8 The LORD will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O LORD, endures forever; do not forsake the works of Your hands.

Mom Update: Blessed Assurance

Dear Faithful Prayers,

I just returned from two of Mom's doctor appointments. The first was her pacemaker checkup with the diagnosis of normally functioning pacemaker and normal heart rhythm. Yeah, God!!!

The second checkup was with the infectious disease doctor who "signed Mom off," meaning her leg looks so good that she no longer needs to be followed by them. Yeah, God!!!

Mom started drinking two Boost nutrient shakes a day, and although she still complains of being "peppless," she definitely is getting around much better than before. Yeah, God!!!

She has an appointment with the cardiologist tomorrow, and I am planning to ask to have her blood pressure medication, Norvasc discontinued, as her blood pressure has been running on the low normal side. This may contribute to her fatigue.

Thankfulness bubbles up inside me for not only my Dear, Sweet Mother, but for my awesome earthly Dad who has the gift of making any atmosphere light. I attempted to instruct him on the current style of dress in which an undershirt worn under a top shirt is meant to stick out.

"No way" my Dad replied. I need that shirt tucked in to keep my suspenders from rubbing my skin."

To which I replied, "Suspenders are out of date."

Dad immediately said, "They're (the suspenders) my blessed assurance," as he and mom began singing to the chorus of "Blessed Assurance."

"Blessed assurance, suspenders are mine. Holding my pants up all the day long!!!!"

I just love my parents!!!

Thank You, Jesus!!!! You are Wonderful!!!!

Thank you ALL for praying!!!

With Much Love...

June Update

June was discharged from the ER yesterday afternoon. She has been told she needs to have a colonoscopy, but she did not need to stay in the hospital because her blood counts were good and there was no further bleeding. She ate supper with us last night and said she had cramping in her intestines. Obviously, something is not working correctly in her intestinal system. I'm thankful she didn't need to be admitted to the hospital though.

Thanks for your prayers,
Beautiful Grace :)

Prayer Request

Hi, Praying Bloggers,

I just got off the phone with my mother in law, June. She was directed by her physician to call 911 as she is bleeding from her bowels. She is taking Coumadin, so bleeding can be a serious thing. June is a very fearful person naturally, so I would ask that Jesus would not only minister healing to her, but also peace. Please pray in this regard.

Thanks so much,
Beautiful Grace :)

My Dear Teasing Husband

Yesterday was my birthday, and Strongman teasingly wrote not only words of love on my birthday card, but also an algebra problem.

If you figure it out, then you will know how old I am. ;)

(90/4)2 = ?

Strongman also took me out for dinner!

I am blessed!!!!>

More Blooms: The Beauty of Creation and How We Are Like Flowers

This large, yellow beauty is a zucchini flower.

It only blooms a day or two

before it curls up and whithers away.This flower was opened fully in the morning,

but I didn't take the picture immediately.

When I returned, the petals had already closed.

The flower had completed the task for which it was created.

My rose bush needs trimmed,

but even in its wild state it is still beautiful!

Do you see the sweet basil framing

the lower left hand side of the picture?

Amazing, how God speaks!

As I was typing this post, I felt God say we who have given our lives to Jesus are like flowers. We each were created with a specific and unique purpose.

A flower's primary functions is in the reproduction of a plant.

Once the flower's purpose is fulfilled, it dies, but the seeds it produced insures that the next generation will continue on.

We are to bloom, showing forth the beauty and glory of the awesome God Who created us. The seeds within us will insure that our children, whether physical or spiritual, continue on in the Lord.

The rose bush speaks of those who have not yet submitted their lives to Jesus. These people are beautiful but wild in their ways. They are full of thorns which may injure those who attempt to get close to them.

The sweet basil represents the Holy Spirit,

Who woos and calls and draws with bands of love.

Hosea 11:4 (Amplified Bible)
"I drew them with cords of a man,

with bands of love, and I was to them as one who lifts up and eases the yoke over their cheeks, and I bent down to them and gently laid food before them."

Romans 5:8 (Amplified Bible)
"But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us."

Let us see each other's beauty, and encourage each one in their God-given destinies. Let us not become offended by the thorns!!!

Mom Update: Praise Report

Dear Faithful Prayers,

Mom saw two specialists yesterday and received two good reports!!!! Thank You, Jesus!!! The infectious disease doctor gave the order to discontinue IV antibiotics, oral antibiotics, and Mom's PICC line was removed!!!! Oh, Yea!!! The kidney doctor reported that Mom's remaining kidney is stable!!! Oh, Yea!!!! He also decreased one of Mom's blood pressure meds!!!! Oh, Yea!!!

I would ask for continued prayer for Mom as this last incident has left her extremely fatigued, and her gait is unsteady. Her protein level is a little low, so please prayer she is "less picky" about the meat she eats and uses wisdom with her salt intake.

We had a surprise 80th birthday party for Mom on Sunday evening, and I must say it caused life to spring up in her!!!! We took turns blessing Mom by telling a good memory of Mom or of speaking of how her life has impacted us. Our words carry the power of life!!!!!!

I bless you all in the name of Jesus and ask that He would pour Himself out to you today in power and love!!!

All for Jesus,
Beautiful Grace :)