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MaryAnn

, Female

Canada

Profile Information:

Gender: Female
Country (not County): Canada
Occupation:: Retired from regular work, Working for my King!
I'm here to...: Share with and encourage other Christ followers
Interests:: Spending time with God, studying HIS Word, singing, praying, worshipping, spending time with family, cooking & eating, gardening, scrapbooking, reading Christian books.
I'm passionate about...: My daily walk with Jesus, and discovering more and more about the pure and holy nature of God.
My story with God: My background is Roman Catholic. I never knew growing up that I could have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I was living for myself, doing whatever I pleased, gambling, drinking, partying, telling off-colour stories, dabbling in the occult, yet still going to church on Sundays.
The first time I read the Bible was in 1979. For six months, I was travelling by train four hours a day to get to my job in another city. During this time, I read the New Testament over and over, and really enjoyed reading about Jesus. I found the stories amazing. Even though I was reading the Bible, the revelation of God's truth did not yet get through to me.
Then in 1997 I had another nudge, while exercising. I distinctly heard a voice say: 'Seek ye first the kingdom of God.' It was so bizarre, that I looked around to see who was talking. No one was in the house. I made a note in my journal, of what I heard that day.
Then in 2003, on April 12th, I was attending an Alpha Course where we could ask all the hard questions. We were discussing 'Who is Jesus?' and 'Why did He die?' I realized that I needed to make a choice. The facilitator said that I could be sure of where I would go when I died, and I wanted to be sure. I was at home all by myself, when I invited Jesus into my heart. He came in so lovingly and I experienced real forgiveness for the first time in my life. I was exhilarated and joyful, and I still am.
My husband, Tony did the Alpha Course with me, and said the sinners prayer the following week, but he did not have the experience of being saved until later. It happened on January 6, 2005, while he was listening to a taped message by Jack Frost, 'Hindrances to Receiving the Father's Love'. He then had the awareness: 'It's not about me, it's about Jesus'. What an amazing revelation. Now God had his attention, and his heart. You really know when God has a hold of you. We are both so thankful that we can serve our King together. We are growing in His love and knowledge. God is so Good!
The two most exciting things in my life were when my daughter, Carla, gave her heart to Jesus on October 1, 2006, after I prayed with her, and God delivered her from anxiety. My son Rob gave his heart to the Lord on July 1, 2007 while while we were visiting him. We drove 8,000 km on that journey, and it was a pleasure. All the stories are amazing. These precious ones are all on fire to spread the love of God to others. Thank You, Jesus! You are the One who saves us all. Now we are praying for household salvation. There are still a few more to come.
Other stuff about me:: My husband and I both have a heart for mission work. Last winter we built a home in Jequetepeque, Peru. Hopefully it can be used as a respite for missionaries in need of a rest. We plan to serve God, wherever we are, here in Canada, or at our home away from home in Perú. God is great! HE is good all the time!

I choose to serve God, and day-by-day am learning to live in His will, and to trust and obey HIM. HE is my King!. I do not lose sight of the fact that I am a sinner saved by HIS grace. I am a grateful daughter and I know what I've been saved from. I plan to live in blessings from now on, and to occupy until He comes for me, or until I go to be with Him.

Comment Wall:

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Ratan

YES I DO HAVE A GOOD WAY OF MEMMORIZING THE SCRIPTURE. I CHOOSE FIVE GOOD VERSE PER DAY. THEN I SAY IT OUT TEN TIMES EACH ONE AND ALSO WRITE EACH ONE TEN TIMES. LATER WHEN EVER I AM FREE OR WALKI OUTSIDE I SAY IT OUT IN MY MIND AND I ALSO SAY IT OUT.
THUS I CANNOT FORGET THEM.
I LEARNED SINCE MY CHILDHOOD. INFACT I HAVE LEARNED SPEAKING ENGLISH THROUGH BIBLE READIG AND MEMMORIZING OF SCRIPTURES. EVER SINCE I HAVE STARTED THIS MY GRADE WENT UP AND UP, AND I WAS THE BEST STUDENT TO COMEOUT WHEN I GRADUATED FROM MY SCHOOLING EVEN FROM BIBLE STUDIES.
TODAY I AM ABLE TO PREACH WITH AUTHORUITY OF THE SCRIPTURES, SINCE I HAVE THE WORD HIDDEN IN MY HEART AND IT FLOWS OUT CONTINUALLY FROM MY MOUTH.
WELL, HOPE YOU ARE GOOD. LET ME KNOW WHATS HAPPENING WITH YOU IN A HILE. AS FOR ME EVERYDAY I AND MY TEAM ARE ENGAGED IN THE WORK OF THE LORD.
I WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE YOU THIS ONDERFUL WORD OF THE LORD.
YOU ARE MY KING ,OH GOD; COMMAND VICTORIES FOR ISRAEL. (PSALMS44:4)
YOURS IN HIM
RATAN

Jun 1, 2008
Leonard T

Thanks for the positive word. I will set up a blog with the outline of a message I gave on Santification that can be used as a Bible study. Do not hesitate to ask me questions. To me, this is one of the most important topics a believer can address after salvation.

Blessings sister,
LT

Jun 1, 2008
Ratan

You are always welcome. WEll I am also encouraged about your learing. its great leaarning at this age. I am also working on preaching in to the national language of India, So that wherever i go I can preach. I preach in English and in to My local language which is called Telugu. I understanbd five languages but can preach only in three languages.
Let me also know if you have any simplke methods of memmorising.
Miss you
Blessings
your brother
Ratan

Jun 3, 2008
Mandy

Good morning MaryAnn; I just wanted to stop by and pray you to have a blessed day in the Lord. Thank you for all your advice and comments. You are a blessing to me and to this site. And most of all to the Lord! Love. Mandy

Jun 3, 2008
Carla

Love you Mom

Jun 3, 2008
Mandy

May your day be filled with the Peace of the Lord. All Glory and Honour to Him. In Jesus Christ. Your friend, Mandy

Jun 4, 2008
Pastor Bob B

My computer is off being restored. I am so blessed to have a pastor who is a computer whiz. I will have it back by the end of the weekend. In the love of Jesus.
Bob

Jun 5, 2008
Carla

Hey Ma! I see you on line here....How are you today? Love you, Carla

Jun 5, 2008
candy

ahhhhhhhhhhh is carla your daughter ..hw cool ..:) im sorry im having school so not getting anytime :(....any ways tc ...love ya have a great day .....praise da lord

Jun 6, 2008
Grace4u2receive

Hello,

I'd like to invite you to a group I started, called "Pagan/Wiccan's Transformed by Christ." If you'd like to join, I'd love to have you there!

Jun 6, 2008
Shelley

Hello! I am also one who has a heart for Peru. Besides a ministry of visitation and encouragement among churches ( I have been to Lima, Iquitos, and Chiclayo in that capacity; to Cusco translating for someone else) I am also involved in a camp called El Refugio in Iquitos, which is especially for but not limited ministering to the youth in the community. It is available for other churches to use, and is owned and operated by my number one spiritual son, a youth leader connected with YWAM, Foreman Varela.(I mention his name just because he has been all over Peru and involved in many events, and it just would not surprise me if you knew him!)
I am preparing for my 7th mission trip, leaving the 26th, and staying the full 2 months of summer vacation from my job as teacher assistant at a high school.
Anyway...the photo shows Foreman in orange supervising a traditional Chocolatada, for which 200 children were invited - and 500 came! All received hot coco and paneton, but only 200 received toys, as that was what they had saved up for throughout the year. Shel

Jun 9, 2008
gabby

Hey maryAnn i haven't talked to you in a while! how are you my friend? hows life?

Jun 10, 2008
Shelley

Hey MaryAnn!
Well, every time I go to Peru I form more relationships and strenghtn the ones I've had. I actually do a lot of the old-fashioned letter- writing (snail mail) as a means of blessing - words of encouragement and just chatting, like a virtual visit - which coming from someone "de ta-a-an lejos!" reminds them that they are precious. But to everyone who asks, I give my e-mail, and I enter into a lot of converstaions on the messenger. In fact, some of my most beloved "sons" came to me through the messenger. I have some pastoral friends in Iquitos and Lima who help to coordinate my visits among the churches in their areas and beyond: Sabina, in Lima, has family in Chiclayo and has been coordinating to go to other churches THERE as well; Johel in Iquitos does river ministry regularly and so makes sure my letters reach the more isolated pastors.
I'll have to put my Refugio videos on this site. I would love to be able to get more support for that work. While it is in use, it lacks the buildings that can make it a more fully operational ministry.
I definitely love what I do there. In the midst of the ministering, I myself receive ministry as the Lord refreshes me.
Bendiciones! Shel

Jun 10, 2008
Carla

Hey MaMa.....Just started a new conversation yesterday in the Forum "Love-What is it?" Check it out. You can access it easily through my page.

Love you, Carla

Jun 12, 2008
Ashley

Thanks for the add Jesus Bless you in all you do.

Jun 13, 2008
Shelley

MaryAnn, the first time I went to Peru was in 97. My youngest daughter had gone through corrective hip surgery, was in a body cast for several weeks, and endured several weeks of therapy. So when I was planning to go, she wanted to go too, having been confined for so long. In 03, 04, and 06 I went alone; then in February of 07 my senior minister came with me for a brief (2 weeks) stint: a week in Cusco, weekend in Iquitos, and rest of the week in Lima. I was glad to have him with me so he could see what it is I do, but I only gave the message once - the rest of the time I was translating for him. It shows how my Spanish has improved, because when I was explaining to one of the Peruvian pastors that I was serving as interpreter, he asked, "Oh, you know English?" A little surprised, I said,"Um, es mi primer idioma..." Shel

Jun 13, 2008
Shelley

I actually taught myself to speak Spanish. I'd taken French from 7th-11th grade; a year of Hebrew in college. When my parents divorced, my Dad remarried a Puertorican lawyer who, to put herself through law school, taught Spanish, She gave me the book she used and I practiced on my own daily (I wasn't working so much back then, so I COULD!) I also wrote to her and she made corrections for me. I actually undertook it because my city has a large hispanic population, and I thought it would be good for my little business of making and selling ceramic animals (I kept hearing, "Mira! Qué lindo!" But when my church sent a medical missionary, when I wrote her in English, I also wrote to the church in Spanish. It used to take a couple hours, until I built up my vocabulary. You look something up enough, you learn it! Right now my main problem is the subjunctive. But I do all right. I am constantly writing notes - chatty and encouraging - to my loved ones in Peru .I have a list of some 200 people to whom I write. Not that I know all of them real well. But I give them a chance to know me, and the ice is already broken. Many have commented how much the notes mean to them, that someone from "tan lejos" would write. I write to pastors; to their churches; to a groups of women; to groups of young people; to some orphans; to intercessors; and always to my spiritual sons and daughters! I also use the messenger and chat, thus keeping it fresh as I use it daily, and learning some new vocab (some "slang!") and building the relationships.
The first time I went down, when I was asked to speak at the Ladies' Society annual dinner, I had to write everything out in English , then translate it to Spanish, then read it. The next couple of times I did likewise. But when I went in 2006, I was working so much more. I told the Lord, "You know I don't have time to prepare anything beforehand. I'm gonna do it the way you and the disciples did - having your word in me, and leaving the Holy Spirit to draw it out." That's precisely what He did, too. So, I've been stretched, and it's always an exciting thing to be so dependent on the Lord!
Last year when my senior minister came with me, I actually served as his interpreter.
My fluency has come to this point:
Once at a park as I was swimming, I commented (in Spanish)to a woman how different the water was from a lake near my home. She said, "Oh, you're not from here?"
And when I told a pastor (in Spanish) that I would be interpreting for my pastor, he said, "Oh, you know English?"
When I was speaking to a Peruvian who pastors in Philadelphia, I was speaking Spanish, and he was surprised. When I handed the phone to my Peruvian guest, Foreman, F. told the pastor,"Sí, ella es bien charapa!" Charapa is a word for water turtle (as opposed to land turtle) which can be used to mean someone from the jungle - it CAN have NEGATIVE connotations. But it can also, as in this case, mean "she's like one of us!"
So, yeah, I guess I'm pretty fluent!
I used music a lot - worship and praise in Spanish. It helps you learn the grammar and builds the vocab. And you know we memorize well when we use more than one sense - hearing, singing along as we read the lyrics - that uses 3 avenues.
Time is very important. Can't be like the kids at school who barely pay attention in class and don't review at home.
Shel
So...I guess that's pretty fluent!

Jun 14, 2008
Shelley

Well, at least Spanish is an easy language to learn. The vowel sounds are pretty straightforward.
You want some REALLY GOOD WORSHIP? I recommend Marcos Witt. Escucharte Hablar is very moving. You can sample him on Youtube and lastfm.com... Shel

Jun 14, 2008
Christy Gabriel

Hi dear sister MARY ANN
Do not know why but yesterday I just had a feeling to be your friend. This morning when I sign in at Y! Mail there is an email from AAG about you... So here I am for you dear and all I can say is :
"Thank you for coming to my life and becoming my friend. Let's HERALD HIS COMING. God bless you always."

With love in Christ: Christy Gabriel B

Jun 14, 2008
Carla

Yummy Pot Luck..sounds good. I'm not sure what's going on for tomorrow Father's Day yet. Likely I'll make Craig breakfast in bed with the boys help. Church at 10:00.

The back of my page is a white rose. Pretty huh!

Love you...Tell Tony to check his page, I left him a msg. Lots of Love, Carla

Jun 14, 2008
kiki

I made the committment awhile back and I want to further my understanding of god and jesus. I read my bible and look at any shows pertaining to god and sometimes have questions that i would like to have answered or just to have a discussion.

Jun 14, 2008
kiki

It is nice to meet all of you. I believe you can help me with insight I am looking for to help will my goal to attain knowledge about jesus.

Jun 14, 2008
Shelley

I've heard of the ALpha course, though not the MARRIAGE one, and no, 'fraid I don't know of its availability in Peru.
I know the Purpose Driven Life has been making the rounds there, though (Vida Con Proposito) Shel

Jun 15, 2008
Pastor Bob B

Thank you for your comment on the page; Miracle Manna/Prosperity Cloth". I really felt that I had to take a stand. I really do not want this net to become a place where we are bashing others who we do not agree with. God bless you in the name of Jesus!
Bob

Jun 16, 2008
Christy Gabriel

Dearest Sister Mary Ann
Yesterday I saw so many supports from my saint-friends in AAG. I cried and gave my thankgiving to my Lord that He gives you all to me in my life, to strengthen and support me always when I am in my downfalls. I had read and reread again your comments and I meditated on them – That helped me a lot… until I could feel the presence of my Lord came to me and I knew He came because of your prayers, not of my tears… God has heard Your prayers... and He came immediately to rescue me and... suddenly my very very very best friend told me about the wrong accusation and asked for my forgiveness. But for me there was nothing to forgive for it was the devil’s work. I knew it right away that everything is clear now because my Lord accepted your sacrificed-prayers for me…
Here I would like to thank you all for your prayers-support for me… for yesterday I just felt very hurtfull so I just wrote that to you all without checking my English grammar, as I used to… but just rushing to my Lord and to you all, for I became ‘a baby Christian yesterday’ when the devil attacked me tooo hard. I believe that all my friends here, ones who wrote comments for me or ones who just prayed without giving comments, had prayed for me yesterday, and that you are all really saints sent by my Father God in heaven to assist and threngthen me when I am in my downfalls…
I personally give my utmost thanks to Bob B, Brateng, LT, Nienie, Betty, Lorna Namara, Mary Ann (thank you for the prayers… I’ll keep it with me to defeat the devil), K~, Jamie and others. I just realize that I am loved and supported on this net. I thank my Lord for guiding me to this net… And I pray that my Lord bless you all abundantly, and save your downfalls with His overflowing care and love. All the words in this world can not support my thanksgiving to my Lord and to you all. Me and my very very very best friend is now in the best relationship because of you all. I THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH… FOR MAKING ME SMILE AND FEEL ALIVE AGAIN… You will always be in my daily thoughts and prayers… GOD BLESS YOU ALL ABUNDANTLY AND CONTINUOUSLY…

With love in Christ: your happy sister – Christy Gabriel B

Jun 16, 2008
Christy Gabriel

Dear Sister Mary Ann
You are just great dear and I can't thank you enough for your support. The burden had been lifted up from me and we are in our best relationship now. Thank you again Sister. God bless you always.

With love in Christ: Christy Gabriel B

Jun 18, 2008
Carla

Hey Ma!

I just started a new discussion in the forum "All About God--Fellowship"

Check it out when you get a chance.

Love you ~Carla

Jun 18, 2008
Christy Gabriel

Hi Sister Mary Ann
I can't thank you enough for your prayer support especially for my beloved country INDONESIA. We need and love you Sister... God bless you always.

With love in Christ: Christy Gabriel B

Jun 19, 2008
Pastor Bob B

God bless you for doing the work of the Lord. I love this practical way of serving the Lord. We had like 100 teens come to Rutland a few summers ago and painted houses for the elderly and poor. It is a lasting testimony of the Lord Jesus to a city or town. I am Glad Carla is going to be blessed also by what you guys are doing also. Bless you!
Bob

Jun 19, 2008
Carla

See you tomorrow! Lots of Love! I thought you might like some encouragement for the weekend... :)

Jun 19, 2008
Sharon Scherrer

Thank you so much for adding my son and daughter-in-law's name to your list of the unsaved! Thank you for your prayers :]

Jun 21, 2008
Carla

Hi Ma Ma!

It was so great having the mission team at my home. What a blessing even just meeting new brothers and sisters in Christ...God is amazing!

Many things are not going back on my walls, or on my shelves. Thank you for bringing such a wonderful Christ honoring group into my home. We have been blessed immeasurably.

Lots of Love, Carla

Jun 22, 2008
Pastor Bob B

Jun 22, 2008
Mandy

Get More at COMMENTYOU.com

Jun 23, 2008
Christy Gabriel

Dearest Sister Mary Ann
THANK YOU FOR BEING MY FRIEND.......

With love in Christ: Christy Gabriel B

Jun 24, 2008
Carla

Hey Ma!

I redecorated my page again.

Love of Love..

Jun 26, 2008
Christy Gabriel

Hi Sister Mary Ann
Morning dear... I just see you online now, so I think I just drop by to say, "BE BLESSED ALWAYS" to you. Will go to the Medistra Hospital to have my blood checked in the Lab. Your beauty is not only Physically but also Innerly. Have a great and blessed day today darling...

With love in Christ: Christy Gabriel B

Jun 26, 2008
Pastor Bob B

I think it is such a God thing what you all did for Carla!
Please keep a group of teens from 3 different churches in the Rutland area going to West Verginia to minister to the poor by helping them with practical stuff like painting like you guys did. I think every teenager who is a christian should go on a short turm mission trip like this. It gives them a chance to see what the real world is like for most people in this world. I went to mexico 2 times on mission trips, planting churches and it changed me forever. There is a part of my heart there forever.
Have a restful weekend after all your work last weekend. Take joy in the Lord that you were able to be his hand extended, and pluss get to see your daughter get her soxs blessed off.
I could just stay right here on your page and worship the Lord all day with your awesome worship music.
Bless you!
Bob

Jun 27, 2008
Pastor Bob B

I do love worship, it speaks to me more than anything else. It was in worship almost 30 years ago that I was set free from so much in just one night. I had been a Christian for 4 years from age 15 in a very conservitive church. I was from a non religious family except for my holy rollor great grandmother as most of the family called her. I thank God that I became a Christian while she was still alive and got to share fellowship with her before she went to be with the Lord. I never got completely free from things like smoking, drugs, or alcohol. In that atmasphere of worship I was baptised with the Holy Spirit and set free. I have wanted to live a life of praise and worship since that day. It is hard to live a defeated life if you are living a life of praise and worship.
Bless you sister, know that Carla is in my prayers also.
In the Love of Christ.
Bob

Jun 29, 2008
Pastor Bob B

Jul 2, 2008
Pastor Bob B

CLIFF RICHARDis the one in the video. I do not know if you know it or not, but if you double rt click on a video on a page it will open a window and take you to either youtube, or Godtube. at the rt side tells you about the video and has an embed code, copy code and you can place it anywhere you can type, when you add the video will be there. It is neat because if you copy the code you can place the video on as many pages that you want. I hope this a help.
God bless you and your family this fine new day.
Bob

Jul 3, 2008
brateng

Sister Mary-Ann,

You know it just amazing that I had never taken my time to read your profile. I now wish that I did that many months back for the testimony about how God calls people therein is sooo powerful. It humbles me just to think of how God painstakingly follows us...even as we shrug Him off repeatedly. What meekness from one soo great!

I really pray that many people would be led of the spirit to read your story. It is a story of love...fore-bearance...and ultimate victory.

May He bless you and yours forever-Pst. Bernhard C.

Jul 3, 2008
Christy Gabriel

Hi Beloved Sister Mary Ann.
How are you dear? I read your post at my beloved brother Brateng. Me and him joint ministry for Christ. I love you both dearly and I thank Jesus to give you as best friends. I AM HEALED ALREADY... PRAISE MY JESUS... HALELUJAH!!! My Blood Presure from 180/100 came straight down to 120/90 in just one night. IT IS A MIRACLE OUT OF YOUR PRAYERS SISTER MARY ANN... THANK YOU DEAR. JUST STAY BLESSED. Yes at 8th me and my family will go to Germany for the christian wedding ceremony in Germany. Please bless my Angela wedding dear. I LOVE YOU SISTER MARY ANN... I DO!!!

With love in Christ: Christy Gabriel B

Jul 5, 2008
Pastor Bob B

Jul 5, 2008
Yoel charan

Christian Glitter Graphics

Jul 5, 2008
Pastor Bob B

Mary Ann I just had to leave this video with you. It is one of those songs that will be in song books in churches in the future. It is called, Open up The Sky.
Bob
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Jul 5, 2008
Pastor Bob B

This sounds awesome, my old Pastor pretty much packed his wife and daughter and took of to south America as missionaries. They only lasted a year or so and all got sick and it was very dishaertning for them, so God sent to Vermont which proved to be tougher than South America. Praise God for them because they took a dead church 13 years ago and made into the awesome place it is today. Our new pastor came about 1 year ago when they retired to NC.
I will remember this training center and let others know who want to go to the mission field.
Blessings
Bob

Jul 5, 2008
candy

hey have a great day ......:) cause jesus cares!!!!!!!!!:)

Jul 6, 2008
Pastor Bob B

Jul 8, 2008
Patience

Dear am glade you are my friend and that you are praying for me.

Jul 9, 2008