The reason I write--(written on Word Press Blog 1st)

I am Holly Vernon Miller and I write out of what seems to be pulled from me like a vacuum.
I seek to live a life, as if a mission is something I just do, not strive to do. I want to deliver words of Truth through the precious and amazing Word of God, and my wish is that you hear Him and not me. For instance, this is how I view it; If you pick up a Bible, and gently turn the pages, you just might begin to hear the sound of Angels wings fluttering.
This may not seem interesting to you, but you have yet to hear my story of how a preachers kid can actually care and embrace pain and ultimately show you/others how it can become your passion.
I reflect on every phase of my life as a lesson. I was the youngest of four daughters and we were  raised as a “Preacher’s Kids” (PK’s they called us) starting in our adolescence.  When my daddy decided to leave a decent paying job and wholeheartedly begin to trust the ONE who had been calling him since the age of 18, we had no choice except to go along. He was 36 or 37 years old when he finally yielded to the very thing that never allowed him rest from within. I was 12 and my other sisters were 13, 14, 15. It was at this point of my life, that my faith in my dad and mom and ultimately my resource in the Word of God became an inscription on my heart. Truly inscribed.
I  freely admit my path as an adult had been a bit “curved” at times, after my 9 year marriage ended in divorce……, but I now journey through this life quite differently than before. “Realizing that divorce—though devastating and living single for ten years was at times more than difficult, it is truly about remaining focused on the “awakenings” of God”….He always surprises us. Well, at least He has certainly always surprised me. When I actually WOKE UP to what had been placed in me long ago, I could finally see where my faith was strengthened, yet, I did not know it at the time. It was during the pain, I could see that affliction must happen so that the pain can bring us into divine healing which actually calls us long before we ever endured, and that is when we are finally restored. Restoration does come. (Isaiah 55:3)
My husband Charlie and I will be married 9 years in November. Through love and most of all devotion  and commitment I anticipate and always question and wonder what is next for us every single day. Through times of difficulty and yet  through laughter and most importantly learning more about God and His incredible Word, I wait and I remain certain I am hearing Him speak as I seek to ‘TEACH TRUTH AS I WAS TAUGHT.’ How do I know it is TRUTH? Because I have  the knowledge of my life lessons as I walk through my jubilee years of life. I also have a record of a life within and outside the boundaries of Gods incredible amazing grace. While living in the times that Charismatic was just not a thing of the present, it was actually hardly accepted, but daddy kept us believing and therefore, I have put my faith to action! I learned from the best of the best in Gods army of the 80′s, that being a believer was and will always be a ‘fanatic’, but I do not care. ONLY, now, I have seen the high cost of PAIN and have far outlived the blows of the enemy because my PASSION DRIVES ME to be stronger and bolder than the one who tries to bring me down. THIS IS WHY I WRITE!
In 2006, the year my mom and three sisters and I lost our preacher daddy, he spoke words to each of us during his final breathes, while lying still, in the agonizing ICU room.  He said to me; “You are creative and passionate, don’t ever lose that.” The word Passionate has become my heart song, because daddy was right, I am very passionate about the very core of who I truly am within my being. Pain has delivered to me healing which only allows me to use an antidote of the same blood washed love that cured me. See, Pain is a passion. For me, it strengthened me to persevere me and be a voice for the afflicted,  which is ‘why i write’.
I love to encourage women to become more than what they could have ever seen themselves doing in their lives. I do this by TEACHING TRUTH AS I WAS TAUGHT. If I told you that growing up as a preachers kid was hard, I would be lying. It was easy, not because it was always fun, but because it resonated in me as if everyone else was living the more difficult way of life and I/ we were granted the reward, to live in a way that no body else wanted to accept.
My dad started the first non-denominational church in the small town where I lived and grew up. He was a pioneer and at the time, I didn’t even realize how ridiculed he truly was, especially after he was kicked out of the Baptist church for being just a little too liberal with the ‘TRUTHS’ of the Word of God. It was certainly amazing to watch. My daddy was rooted, like a one hundred year old tree stump. NOTHING and no-one would ever convince him that he was wrong about his deliberate love and desire to preach the Word of God and his interpretation of it was FRESH in the late ’70′s, but not so gracefully accepted. .Daddy was on a wave that was taking him into places with God that the whole town talked about at the time of his death 30 some years after he started his mission to “Get people saved, or get out of town!” That’s a trait, I think, or I am certain he saw in me and my sister Rhonda. He called her zealous.
I am passionate about believing in a God that says He will provide all your needs, because he will! I am stubborn when it comes to confessing only the good of a situation because I saw the results of that confession happen too many times for my mom and dad.
When and after my dad died, I knew I was to complete the book I had started prior to his sickness, and in 2007, I completed and published my first book, “Life after the games” Prior to 2004, I DID NOT EVEN KNOW HOW TO TURN ON OR OFF A COMPUTER! I was a hairdresser for 23 years and never had a single amount of training on a computer, whatsoever! It was the PAIN OF THE CRUCIBLE, as my nephew would say about editing my writings, after my second BOOK, ‘The face of an arrow”.
When daddy first decided to go into the ministry all I could think of at the time of my adolescence  was, what about Christmas? The realization of knowing he was not getting paid troubled me at the age of 12 years old. That is when I began to learn, without realizing it, that we were going to experience  and determine to live by FAITH. Not faith as we ‘religiously’ speak about, but faith as a way of life! My life as a PK had all of the sudden become the norm. I never lacked for anything.
As I blog I will add many synopsis of a life as a PK and you will begin to understand the power behind my passion.
I presently serve in my church at Central Christian, here in Wichita, Kansas and I assist in leading praise and worship with an assigned team on particular Sunday mornings.
My greatest faith step was when I was sitting on the toilet asking God if I could go to school, ( I couldn’t ask my husband, because the school was outside of New York) and at that very moment, I heard the Lord say to me; “Teach and I will teach you.” That is not what I was looking for, but I realized that every fiber in my being was screaming to seek out the essence of who I was through the written Word of God. I had no Idea that when I went to Choir that following Wednesday night after I heard the Lord Speak, that my friend/acquaintance at the time would ask me; “Holly, when are you going to start that Bible study you had told me you were going to start?” I said;” Monday!”  I did not even realize I had said it until it came out of my mouth. I told her that the invites were up to her. I was not going to invite anyone, but rather she could. Eight came that first night on September 8 2008 and since that day on the ‘throne’ I have continued to lead in many, many  teachings. I taught 2 1/2 years, faithfully, I committed to every Monday night of those years and after that, I went to the first Monday of every month, providing it did not fall on a Holiday. I have had a wide range of women walk through my door and within those hearts, some broken to the point of feeling no repair, the WORD has become a reflection of that incredible day when my three sisters and I became ordained into the ministry, in 2006, because daddy would have asked us to do so, though he never assumed.
Somebody believed in me. I believe in you. Yes, Pastor Leon Vernon called me passionate, but Jesus Christ called me HIS, and with that, I TEACH HIS TRUTH, AS I WAS TAUGHT. Thanks to my preacher dad and my faithful God-fearing mother, I remain, living a life of FAITH.
Be blessed as you search for Truth. If you need it, I will help you learn.
Both of my books are found on Amazon.com–I am still amazed! Amazed that I am able to write and amazed that I am allowed the time to do so.

"Do you scream, RAPTURE!!"

Ever wonder why you feel persecuted? Do you find yourself saying to God, more than once, COME QUICKLY LORD!?

We have all at some point in our lives found our humanness is such distress, thinking that the wrath of God has come upon us..... but I want to share something with you. If you are a born again believer, you will not ever suffer the “WRATH” of God! But you will possibly/probably definitely suffer PERSECUTION. I'm here to tell you—The Word says; “God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” The wrath of God was poured out on JESUS. First Thessalonian 5:9

Just as God removed Noah and his seven family members from his wrath, He will also remove us from the wrath of this world, through the Rapture.

WE WILL HOWEVER SUFFER PERSECUTION.......because persecution comes from SATAN and he is after our righteousness! Though he will not get it, unless we resolve our rights and let him, we will feel the pain of persecution various times. But GOD sent His son and left for us the Holy Spirit to comfort us and get us through the difficult times.

A thought: There is a line in the book of Mark which amazes me......it's this: “SEEING their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man.”

What do you think Jesus saw when he told the man “his sins were forgiven?--after he SAW his faith.

What is it that JESUS SEES in YOU that shows HIM that YOU HAVE FAITH? Does Jesus SEE your faith?

When Lot and his family were living in Sodom and Gomorrah, though living carnal, God still spared them from His wrath. (several months ago, in Bible study, I taught about Lot and how he lived off of Abrahams blessing, remember? Well, God spared him the wrath) AS it was with Sodom and Gomorrah and with the Flood....God will remove us from the wrath.

THIS is how we know there will be a Rapture experience, because God for thousands of years has held back his wrath.

God will come against unrighteousness, but for now, though at times it seems bleak in lives of others or other countries or families or even close in your homes......HE is not pouring out His wrath.

He will allow persecution so that His Son will be revealed even greater as we learn to TRUST IN WHO HE IS.

He is asking you to cling to him during times of persecution and times of hardship.

The Rapture is not to remove us from persecution. The Rapture is to remove the CHURCH from Judgment on the earth.

God promises to be with us during times of difficulties.......DO YOU BELIEVE IN WHAT HE SAYS?

Tell me....WHAT DOES HE SEE IN YOU?

(Certain contents of this Text were encouraged through my former Pastor and friend; Bob Yandian.)

Here I am....'TEACHING TRUTH AS I WAS TAUGHT"

Holly 

What do you tell your friends?

While sitting in the memorial service/funeral  a couple of weeks ago, with the passing of one of my former salon clients, Bun Brewer, (RIP sweet Bun) I jotted down several things on the memorial program they handed out to each of us.
The minister who delivered her eulogy pointed out many scriptures, but what stood out to me the most, was what my spirit caught concerning the fact that Jesus told his friends many things, but the most important thing he expressed was this. "I am the way the truth and the life" John 14:6
---Jesus said so many things to his disciples and now he is speaking even louder to us, as we are troubled or sorrowful or waiting and doubting and wondering and even some, 'wandering'......don't lose heart Jesus said.
He clearly says to us to NOT BE TROUBLED.....THERE ARE MANY ROOMS. (read John 14:1-4)
Jesus is our greatest example of how to console or minister to people. He is the way, but He also expressed before He told them he was the way, that we are NOT to be troubled. He said; "Trust me!" "I got this!"
If there are 'many rooms in my fathers house' then why do you worry? And then He says; "If it were not so, I WOULD PLAINLY TELL YOU!" (my emphasis..on the boldness.)
Why do we find ourselves in distress or wonder or wander or doubt or anxiety etc, when the Words that Jesus spoke should SOLELY be enough to get us by!

I was listening very intently to this Baptist preacher who articulated the Word of God graciously and gracefully. The moment that struck me was the fact that he stood before a dead body which we were honoring. He was looking out into the lives of living breathing human beings displaying a message of Jesus' words. He recited nearly 20 verses.....I was jotting fast, there were possibly more. I always take notice when the Word is given....I think at some point it will matter. Today, nearly two weeks later, they matter. Allow me go on.

We, are alive and the only thing that truly matters is what we believe and what we tell our friends all the way to the end; hearing Jesus' words. "I am the way the truth and the life"---I told you not to worry!"

Did you know that when we doubt that God can intervene on our behalf, we might as well be dead? We are totally and completely doubting everything that He has said. Why do we do it? Because we forget what Jesus told his friends and what He is saying to us still. GET up, shake yourself off and remember; "Jesus is the way!"

Another verse this Pastor Bill Riffee spoke was this. (and this is my final thought, maybe) Matthew 6:27 NLT. "Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Of course not."

Do you know that Jesus is your provider. His Word provides all that you need to get to the next place in your life?
Do you know that He feeds the birds, why wouldn't he feed you?
Did you know that He raises people from the dead even when we are attending a funeral? He is still a miracle working God!
Do you ever truly let go of your problems, concerns and relinquish them to God, TRULY?
Did you know that Jesus will never leave you, while you wait on that report or wait for that spouse or move forward with that decision or wait on a job or wait on answers or wait or wait or wait........? He never leaves.

Psalms 56:3 "What time I am afraid---I trust you."

Is HE your hiding place? Then rest.....and remember words spoken over a 'dead body' and REJOICE that you are alive and celebrating the life that you live! Live for Jesus and tell your friends about Him.

YES and I AM LISTENING!

Abraham said; "YES" then he said; "I AM LISTENING" Hello  readers! I am popping in this afternoon just to remind you of the life impacting story of Abe and Issac's journey, up the grueling mountain--which actually became a reminder to the world of just how faithful God is when we are obedient. God is asking you today to lean in a little closer to hear what He is saying....... Abraham was a leader to Issac: Who's following you? Yes, Abe was Issac's daddy, and he trusted him. Who trust you to lead them to a ultimate journey of blessing? Do you feel tested in your walk? Abraham was not only tested in his faith, but he was tested in his obedience. He was asked to build a sacrifice for his son! His surroundings must have seemed pretty dim at the time. Check out your surroundings of where or what you personally might have climbed into. God will 'still' show you what He has for you, if you are willing to be obedient to his listen to HIS voice. Issac was as much affected by Abe's obedience as Abe himself. Usually what we are doing has more affect on others than even as much on us. Are you in a relationship? Are you in a friend ship? Are you raising a child? What about your co-workers? Who's following you, as you go up the grueling mountains in your life, like Abraham and Issac climbed? Only thing is, when Issac questioned Abraham and said; "Where's the lamb for the sacrifice?" Abraham's reply was this; "God will provide"--The greatest leadership is one that is totally dependent on the fact that 'we' are not doing this alone. WE have a greater witness. The Holy Spirit in us is leading us. Do you hear him speaking to you? Abraham and Issac climbed what Abe thought would be a horrific end, when in fact, God showed both of them that HE was the mountain of provision! (that 'grueling' mountain is now a land mark of a written proverb: "The Lord will provide" It's official, when God is asking you to lean in a little closer to hear him, then I believe HE must mean HE has something to say. He said; “Because you obey me and did not withhold from me, I swear by my own self.... “I will bless you richly!!” (my emphasis on the words.) I hope you make this day the best day of your life and you will remember always that HE is the 'MOUNTAIN OF PROVISION'!! Don't ever forget that OBEDIENCE, climbs and when you get to the top, it's a place of blessing! This story I am referring to is written in Genesis 22 in God's Holy Bible!

"The written Words-- to the Storm"

"Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?"

So many times we want to see and hear from God almost immediately  and so many times we just do not understand why it doesn't happen the way we would want it to. 
When a storm is rolling in, and the forecast is telling us the worst is coming.......we forget about having faith and we do not truly gravitate to Peace.
God allows a 'storm' to come up in your life to see if you will have faith in the fact that He will see you through.
In Mark 4:40 it is written that Jesus asked the question, "why do you have no faith?" and in the previous scripture vs. 39 HE rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "PEACE BE STILL".
It was not the disciples he was rebuking, but rather the wind and sea. In the midst of a storm, 'we' freak out! I freak out when I see the Kansas weather forecast and I suddenly begin to 'rebuke' the winds just like Jesus did in this scripture. It's funny though, I am rebuking the wind because my faith is being tested in the storm. My faith on the other hand is turbulent, just like the storm--I need to be rebuked! But Jesus did not rebuke the men/women, he rebuked the Wind and the Sea. His authority is to bring peace, the peace that we should grab a hold of in the midst of the storm. See, Jesus is our peace and when we see him as the authority that we need to trust in, then and only then can we weather the STORM.

Kansas was hit by a Tornado Saturday night. (April 14, 2012) Nights like that makes one aware of the power of our almighty God. He is still in control and He will allow storms to come and storms to go, but in the midst we must realize that if Jesus spoke Peace then we can receive Peace through His words.
Have FAITH not in the storm, but in the ONE who brings us PEACE.

SHARES equals CHAIRS!

While I was ministering in the country of Honduras last September, I had the opportunity to speak one night at an inner city, Friday night, on fire for the Lord youth group. The leader/Pastor of Casa de Restauracion is David Martinez. David is only in his twenties and is very much a servant and natural born leader. When I was privileged to speak in Tegucigalpa, they were meeting in a small upper room above a Bed and Breakfast which held around 80 comfortably. But they soon grew out of that space and just recently moved to another facility.

This is where the story gets a little more interesting.

Being friends on Facebook with David after sensing his determined heart while in Honduras and feeling the love of my parents mission minded spirit for the Honduran's, I feel the need to mentor this young and vibrant soul. I anxiously read all that he sends to me. We will message each other randomly and pop in and say hi and so forth, but it wasn't until I received the message on February 17th, that my heart and soul became stirred by the events that were going on in a place where I left pieces of my heart. They love Jesus and that excites me! 

David messaged me telling me how the 'services' which they are having each week have grown so much that they are renting 3 buses to get the youth there. His urgent need was mostly for 'SHARES'--and currently, there are only 50 'SHARES' that come with the place and he needs to seat at least 280!! 

See, like you, I got a little confused as to why he was needing 'SHARES'--when in fact he was needing CHAIRS!

Bless his heart, I set the message aside and told him I needed to consider how to send him money and if I could actually get support as well for $6.00 plastic chairs or $15.00 aluminum chairs. I decided it was my 'deed' as my dad would say and therefore I PERSONALLY needed to SEED.

I started to reflect on my selfish desires and reluctantly placed them aside as I challenged my husband and remembered my 'stash' (you know, the stash you save for a rainy day which is actually a selfish stash you are going to spend on yourself?) 

I get an 'allowance' every other week from my husband in order to keep from putting too many things on credit cards, and I also do three widows hair on a weekly basis who pay me quite well, so with that in mind, I have my 'stash'......only this particular day last Thursday my husband gave me my grocery money/miscellaneous money, which was a check for $300. I cashed it and sent it to Tegucigalpa, Honduras for SHARES/CHAIRS! 

After sending the monies, plus the $11 via WESTERN UNION, I felt the release deep in my bones. I went to the restroom and while entering the stall, I heard this still small voice say to me; "Thank you for taking care of my son." I began to tear up and smile! I never told my husband what I did. I just did it by faith and determined I could stretch my dollars a little longer.

Today--I got on my computer to read through emails and within the email was a long awaited response my husband and I were waiting to hear. We 'forgot' to cancel a trip we were going to take as a gift to each other last December and therefore we were in dispute with the Insurance company who told us that we did not have a chance of getting our money back. But GOD sees and knows everything! After five months of negotiation and much heartache of the loss, we just counted it as a sorrowful mistake and learning experience. However, within the sea of my personal emails were these words; " This message is to inform you that your claim has been finalized. We are issuing a check to you in the amount of $3,312.95. You can expect it in about 7-10 business days." 

SHARES EQUALS CHAIRS! When I gave the $300.00, God gave EVERYTHING back, plus the $11 it cost to send via WU. The God I serve is a 100% giving God, when you simply SHARE because HE ask.

Oh, and you can bet ya, I told my husband about giving away my money! I give God all the praise and glory and honor HE SO RIGHTFULLY DESERVES! 

100 percent return on my SHARES!

Perception---is it truth?

Perception means this; “The process of using the senses to acquire in formation about a surrounding environment of situations.

Do we really know because we perceive? I have found in my adult life, and I have lived a little while and I can tell you this that it is not actually what you observe it to be. Trial an err has taught me the fact.

It is not until we have walked in someone else’s shoes that we should ever judge the surroundings of someone else.

I have judged/perceived and I have been judged.  In evaluation of others I have learned that NOTHING is what you might perceive it to be. Unless you live in the situation, you are not correct in what is really going on. A lesson I am learning every time I have either been judged or heard judgment of others or have judged others. Only God knows first hand the dynamics of people’s pain or life. Really, we are just suppose to love and if we think we should correct what we see, then I encourage you to hesitate before you do, as you just might find yourself facing the pain of someone’s perception on your own life and those repercussions hurt. I know.

If I have judged or perceived something about someone else, I am sorry. Since being crushed by perception, I relent in this action and only hope that I remember just how much it has hurt me.

Perception: an attitude or understanding based on what is observed or thought.

Think before you judge—it might just come back and judge you.