Sharing from "Daily Devotions the plain truth 12:10" written by my Pastor Ron Hammonds....

The following is the devotion for today....please click on the link to find out how to purchase your own copy!! http://cotr.com/devotionalpage.htm

Instead of staring up the steps we must step up the stairs...
Sometimes the task at hand seems insurmountable. I imagine David may have had some of those thoughts when he stood in front of Goliath, the giant. Noah probably felt that way, too, when God told him to build a huge boat that would take over 100 years to complete. Joseph had to stay focused on his dream for over 25 years before it was fulfilled.
How does a person defeat the overwhelming enemies of life? How do you overcome debt, put a failing marriage back together, or win the battle of drug addiction? It’s simple. Instead of staring up the steps we must step up the stairs ... one step at a time. Ask God to give you the next step then don’t just stand there … take it!

Prayer for Today
Father, thank You that I am an overcomer. I will defeat the giants of my life one step at a time. You have created me to win and have dominion. I thank You that I rule and reign in life through Jesus Christ. Today I will take the next step.

Scriptures for Today
Psalms 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and He delighteth in his way. (KJV)
Psalms 37:31 The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide. (KJV)
1 Peter 2:21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps. (NKJV)

Don't you just love this??  I love to see what Pastor Ron has written and what God has to show me each day through this devotional :)  I want to defeat every giant I face and I know it is possible with Christ-and I want everyone I know to feel the same way. To know in your heart that Jesus died for your sins and wants to have a relationship with you-He wants to help you put your marriage back together, get out of debt and stop abusing drugs....if you just reach out and ask for His help and guidance, you CAN overcome!!!!! God is SO good, ALL the time!!!!

"The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18

Today my heart is completely broken and my spirits crushed....more than any day since Marcus left us. Sitting at the table with my brothers-in-law and their families for lunch-I am overcome with emotion and have to run to the restroom. Marcus should be sitting next to me. He should be ordering lunch with me. We should be talking, holding hands, sharing stories....but he is not there. So the rest of my day has been crying, crying and more crying....my head hurts from so much crying. I miss him so much. I miss our life together before he got sick. I miss him holding me. I miss his love. Will I ever know love like that again?

The girls don't want to obey me-I guess they feel like since their daddy is gone they don't have to listen anymore....I feel lost, empty, sad, frustrated, angry, depressed......will this ever go away?

I know the Lord is close to me and saving me...He is the only way I am making it through each day. I know God has a plan. I know He will never leave me. After Pastor Ron's sermon today, I also know that I must patiently wait for God's plan and not try to make things happen on my time. So I will wait. As long as it takes, and pray nonstop for strength and more strength to get through days like I have had today.

Please pray for me. My heart is broken-my spirit crushed.

I come alive when I've broken down and given you control...............

Beyond Measure by Jeremy Camp pretty much sums up where I am today....please check out the video attached..hope you enjoy...

Just reading the chorus gives me peace....
"I know that I’ve been,
Given more than beyond measure,
I come alive when,
I see beyond my fears
I know that I’ve been given more than earthly treasure,
I come alive when
I’ve broken down and given you control"

Every day I find a new obstacle-something I thought I was over ..like, seeing Marcus' clothes in the closet, or his toothbrush, or smelling his cologne....things that I thought I could see and not get upset with...and then the knot in my stomach returns..and I just keep praying for strength.  Tonight we went to church and I was reminded again how powerful it is to be loved by God and truly know without a doubt where I will go when I die....and it makes me so happy to know that Marcus is there now...maybe a tad jealous because he gets to enjoy paradise while we have to carry on down here, BUT it makes me rejoice because I know that one day, we will see him again.  I have to admit, the past few days, even though I knew all that, I wasn't exactly able to be happy about it...I have had some rough moments....anger, sadness, frustration....the list goes on...but I am so thankful for the word of God, because when I read it or hear it preached, I remember who I am, what I stand for, and I press on.  No, I am not perfect-I have daily struggles, temptations, etc...but I keep asking for God's help, and he keeps helping!  I truly do come alive, when I've broken down and given all control to God....what an awesome feeling!  <3

Moments.....

Most of the moments of the day are pretty normal and I have been able to keep my composure for the most part...until the following moments occur..and I feel like my stomach is one huge knot and someone has cut my heart out of my chest-and I can't help but cry and feel like I will vomit.....

1. A co-worker of Marcus', Danny Wells, called me yesterday and met me to give me a pair of channel locks, with blue handles, with grease still on them...and he tells me Marcus used them when he tested for first class machinist.....
2. As we sit down to eat dinner together last night, Sela reaches her little hand out-like she always does, for daddy's hand so we can say grace as a family, and her little eyes glass over and we both start to cry....
3. Sloane decides she wants to watch videos on daddy's iphone that he took, and as I hear his voice, laughter, I am already a basket case and she looks at me and says, "See, Daddy wasn't in heaven then, he was with you at the mall and he was better."
4. Night before last we were all 3 about to go to sleep and I had each girl in my arms...and Sela says, "It's just not like Daddy's arm Momma." I agree and I miss Daddy's arm too-we could always fall asleep so peacefully wrapped in his arm.
5. Last night Sloane says, "I just wanna go to heaven and see Daddy."

and these moments continue to occur....more and more each day it seems.  I have been praying every night since Marcus passed to see him in my dreams. To connect with him somehow....and each night, nothing....but last night, I prayed again to just hear his voice and know he is ok and still watching over us... I just miss him so much....so this morning as I woke up, I remembered my dream...it was Marcus, I had talked to him on the phone, almost like he was at the hospital and I was on my way back...and he told me he was feeling so much better.....and that's all I really needed to hear I guess....

Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."

Today marks one full week since my high school sweetheart, the love of my life, my true soulmate, went to be with Jesus.  Saying those words, "went to be with Jesus", will never be easy for me, but I have such a peace from them.  Words cannot express the feelings I have inside right now.  Watching our girls play, listening to them fight, knowing they will never see their daddy again on earth, knowing he will never be able to hug and kiss us again like he used to....that makes me horribly sad.  However, seeing and hearing of new souls coming to the Lord or someone going to get their moles checked because of Marcus-this makes me eternally grateful that I am Mindy Stanley, the chosen wife of Marcus Stanley.  He is a great man and I know he is still watching over me, Sela and Sloane.  From my washing machine all of the sudden working on the cold cycle-and no one else worked on it, from the music that played randomly on Sela's Ipod dock as we were talking about her daddy, to the medical equipment that was already scheduled to be picked up on tuesday, when no one knows why, because no one called to do it-that is all Marcus, showing me and the girls that he will forever be taking care of us.

So I will trust in the Lord everyday and I know that we will be ok.  I know that is hard for some people to understand.  They ask me, "How are you holding up?" or, "I know you're not ok, but are you ok?"  I don't know what they expect of me, but I will tell you one thing....Marcus Allen Stanley made me a strong woman. He told me often that I could do anything.  He taught our daughters the same.  That through Christ, we could do it-nothing was impossible.  So, when you look at us and you don't understand how we are holding up so well....just remember who our husband and daddy was.....can you truly expect anything else?  ;)

My love received his healing today.....

This post will be short-but I just wanted to let you all know that my love finally received his healing. He is in heaven now with our Lord and running, breathing and enjoying paradise.  THANK YOU LORD.  Please keep our sweet girls in your prayers, as well as all of our family.  We will miss Marcus so much, but we thank God for not letting him suffer anymore on this earth. 

Visitation will be Saturday from 5-8pm at Broussard's Mortuary, 490 Cemetery Road, Silsbee, TX and the funeral will be Monday at 10 am at Golden Triangle Church on the Rock, 6355 Hwy 69 S, Beaumont, TX.

Marcus wanted to make sure that everyone that prayed for his healing would not be discouraged if he did not receive his healing on earth-he accepted long ago that God's will would be done with this battle and he was at peace with that.  Please continue to seek God, and make sure you are saved so that you can see Marcus again one day.  My girls and I will always seek God, never blame God and will trust in Him to get us through every step of this life.  Marcus is our Guardian Angel now and we are happy knowing this.

Love you all.