Satan is Real

The Hotel del Coronado

Years ago when Mike and I owned a tortilla factory we were part of an association call TIA (Tortilla Industry Association). Once a year this organization got together for an annual convention. In 1981 we had so many other obligations and were not planning on attending the event that year. At the last minute Mike announced that we were going to San Diego for the convention. Our reservations were hastily made, this was the first and only time we had stayed at The Hotel Del Coronado Resort.

The Hotel Del Coronado, also known as The Del, is located just across the San Diego Bay from San Diego. The Del is a beautiful Victorian beach front resort, and in 1977 it was designated a National Historic Landmark.

Our Stay At The Del

I do not like to be alone; frankly speaking, I get a little freaked out. Before COVID, Mike was always traveling, sometimes three days in a row. My sleeping pattern suffered from the fear of being alone at night. I prayed the Rosary and placed a crucifix under my pillow to calm my spirit. In my case, I believe that I have yet to deal with childhood trauma having to do with scary ghost stories. Thank God, my fears have almost left me!

Kate Morgan

I love antiques, so when we walked into the lobby of The Del, I was aww struck with all the dark wood and the stately pillars holding this magnificent building together. There was some  sort of glitch with our late reservation but when it was all sorted out we headed up to our room. We were staying in the original section of the hotel, I cannot recall the floor or the room number, but the room was  set up with two long twin beds. Between the beds was a oversized antique dresser. We headed downstairs for the evening festivities and came back up to the room for the night. Mike was overly tired and quickly fell asleep. I got into my long bed and was wide awake. Something was not right. I felt uneasy and scared, and because of the huge dresser I could not reach out to Mike for safety. Then I heard a loud scream, and by that I mean LOUD SCREAM! It was a woman’s voice. Immediately after the scream I heard a gunshot! In a muffled voice, I tried to scream for Mike to get up; but because of my fear, my voice sounded like a whisper. I was not serving God the way I am today, so all I could say was, “Please God, Please God!” By this time my eyes were glued shut. I still do not understand why I opened them, but what I saw was beyond my imagination. Right after the gunshot, with my eyes wide opened, I first heard someone running outside the window. Then I saw the rapid movements of a man’s arms as he tried to escape. Again I desperately called for Mike, but he was dead asleep. My body was petrified and I couldn’t move. I silently waited for the police to arrive but this never happened. By the time morning arrived, all I wanted to do was investigate what I witnessed. I got up to look out the dormer window, but there was only a pitched red roof! It would have been impossible for someone to run the way I witnessed. At breakfast I was stupefied when I tried to explain to Mike what I had experienced. He looked at me like I was a crazed storyteller.

The Haunted Hotel

I knew what I witnessed that night was real, so I did some investigating of my own. It turns out that The Del is haunted. In 1892 Kate Morgan, a young woman in her twenties, checked into the hotel alone. It was believed that she was there to meet a married man for a rendezvous. Five days later she was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head. The San Diego coroners determined that it was self-inflicted (but there is a lot of skepticism surrounding that story). Could it be that I  saw the man who murdered her? I heard her scream before he shot her in the head to make it appear as if it was a suicide. Is this why Miss Morgan haunts the hotel? Is it because her murder is still unsolved? Either way it was not a pleasant welcoming spirit, which means it had darkness attached to it.

Satan In Action

Satan is real. If you don’t believe me, go to Skid Row in Los Angeles. Drugs and alcohol play a major role for Satan. Once these spirits enter into your body, you become aligned with the Devil. I’ve seen it time and time again. The crazed look in peoples’ eyes, the altered behavior – all these changes occur with substance abuse. In the case of the young woman Kate, a spirit of depression came upon her;  whether she took her own life or she was murdered by her lover, the evil spirit of death was within her. She was alone and depressed. This, too, is an open invitation for Satan; he attacks us when we are the most vulnerable.

It’s In The Bloodline

Just as we inherited our looks from our ancestors, evil spirits can be passed on as well. In a previous Blog I wrote about Michael, a homeless young man. He mentioned to me that both his father and grandmother died of heroin overdoses. Michael then added that he, too, was addicted to heroin. That’s three generations! It doesn’t have to be like this because we can sever these past sins from our ancestors’ bloodline through prayer. No one’s bloodline is pure, and it takes special spiritual training to rid our bloodline of these impurities. For our bodies to function in a healthy manner we can’t have any infections in our blood. It works the same way spiritually; in order to operate with a pure mind we can’t have any outside influences that can alter our thinking.

Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for [someone] to devour.

Listen To The Voice Of God

Once Satan gets ahold of your thought pattern, He comes in for the kill because you’ve crossed over into his territory, and you’ve become His slave. Remember Satan’s assignments are to rob, kill, and destroy; there is no hidden agenda with him. But remember God has a plan for all of us. If you or a loved one is suffering the effects of depression, self-hate, believing that no one cares for you  or loves you, you are sorely mistaken. Why? Because nothings is impossible with God, He is in the business of healing. Through trusting and praying you can cross over to the light.

10 A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

My Prayer

Dear Lord, teach us to become prayer warriors for our loved ones. Help us to understand how to fight spiritual battles. Give us the right ammunition to quench the fiery darts of the Enemy. Equip us with the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, to offset the plans of Satan. Satan, you are defeated! We stand in the gap for our loved ones, and command you to leave in the Holy Name of Jesus! Amen.

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Our Lukewarm Culture

Rainy day, the Church of Thyatria

When the Apostle John addressed the Seven Churches in Asia Minor, he did so for the sake of correction. These churches had varying degrees of straying from God. Laodicea was one of the worst examples.

Laodicea was a thriving commercial city; it was known for its medical institutions, its advanced banking system, its exports of black wool textiles, and eye ointments. Laodicea suffered from spiritual poverty. When the Lord spoke to the Laodiceans, He accused them of being lukewarm. The unusual  history of Laodicea is that it did not have cold water like its neighbor Colossae, nor did it have hot water like Hieropolis (Pamukkale), which has hot mineral springs. By the time the water ran from Hieropolis to Laodicea, it became warm and mixed with other things, causing vomiting if one drank it. The Laodiceans could not swim in the waters because they caused infections that resulted in blindness, or ear infections that caused the loss of  hearing.

Revelation 3:14-20  New American Bible (Revised Edition)

14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea, write this:

‘The Amen, the faithful and true witness, the source of God’s creation, says this: 15 “I know your works; I know that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either cold or hot. 16 So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, ‘I am rich and affluent and have no need of anything,’ and yet do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich, and white garments to put on so that your shameful nakedness may not be exposed, and buy ointment to smear on your eyes so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and chastise. Be earnest, therefore, and repent.

20 “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, [then] I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me.”

The words that Jesus spoke to the Laodiceans were harsh, but when someone is in deep sin, the only way to reach them is by telling them the truth. God is not interested in your wealth or your personal status in life. He doesn’t care if you’re highly educated with several Ph.D’s. He only cares that you follow His truth. The Laodiceans were so caught up in all their material wealth that they lost sight of their first love, Jesus Christ. What the Lord has to offer cannot be compared to money, the finest of black wool, or eye ointments. What He has for us is supernatural sight.

 

The real Nike goddess is located in Ephesus

 

Me in the waters of the Hot Springs of Hieopolis

Becoming Lukewarm

It’s a slow process to become spiritually lukewarm. It starts with believing in half-truths, and it ends with complacency. You make allowance for sin because you’ve become comfortable with the norm. It’s easy to give in and not get caught up in a dispute. When you’ve reached this level of misconstrued understanding, you’re sold out, or in this case you’re woke. A half-truth is a complex way in which the Devil can manipulate you into believing the lie. The Lord only operates in truth; you either follow Him wholeheartedly or you are categorized as lukewarm. We can’t sit on the fence when it comes to serving God. You don’t get to pick and choose what you want out of the Gospel: sin is sin. One thing is certain: once you’ve crossed over to a lukewarm spiritual mindset, it will take a supernatural act of God to bring you back to the truth.

Hot Springs of Hieropolis (modern day Pamukkale)

The truth has nothing to do with politics, vaccines or climate change. The truth is God is still seated on the throne, watching our every move. It pains Him to see the hate, the division, and how the world is lukewarm. Apathy has hardened the hearts of many because they close their eyes to the truth. Even though the Laodiceans invented eye ointments, they still could not see because of their spiritual blindness. Jesus waited for them, standing at the door and knocking. Jesus never forces His way into our lives. His gentle spirit makes a way for us through His messages. We must have an ear to hear what the Spirit is saying.

I twice visited the Seven Churches of Asia Minor. They are all located in Turkey. The ruins are neglected with overgrown foliage because this country is 99% Muslim, and these ancient treasures are not important to them. Aside from Ephesus and ruins of Hierapolis (Pamaukkale), and Pergamum we were the only tourists visiting the other four churches mentioned in the Book of Revelation.

The Germans saturated the hot springs and medicinal pools for enjoyment. I rolled up my jeans, walked through the hot streams and felt the hot water run through my feet.

Ruins of the Church of Thyatira

These Seven Churches of Asia Minor in the Book of Revelation are a modern day messages to set us straight with God. Just as He did with the Laodiceans, our Lord stands at the door and knocks.

9/11

The last memory I have of our country being united was after 9/11. I remember attending Mass with my friend Helen and her son Jason. I wore a red shirt with God Bless America imprinted across the front. It was remarkable to see so many people at Mass that afternoon, our hearts were crushed. This genuine feeling of patriotism was shared by most Americans, as we grieved the loss of so many innocent lives that day. In total 2,977 were killed including 19 of the hijackers.  343 members of the New York Fire Department and 71 law enforcement officers sacrificed their lives on that dreaded day.

After 9/11 we were a united front; we sang one National Anthem. We all stood up in honor; not one person took a knee.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         We supported the heroes and the firefighters. The police never imagined that one day some Americans would demand defunding the police. It was different then, but now we have a lukewarm ideology that prevents us from being united.

My Prayer

Dear Lord, I pray that You continue to touch the hearts of those affected by the 9/11 attack. Twenty years have passed, but for them it was as if  it was yesterday. Lord, I beg You to restore unity in our great nation. Teach us to love and respect Your laws. Amen.

 

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The Long Journey

My nephew Nick and his wife Michele at Oak Alley

  1. Oak Alley after Hurricane Ida

    Nothing irks me more than unexpected potholes and the inconvenience of road repairs and detours. In our life’s journey we will come across many obstacles that will redirect our walk with God. The other day, for the life of me, I could not get anything together. I needed to run errands, but had to go back inside the house because I kept forgetting things. I couldn’t find my keys, I forgot my water bottle, my phone was on silent so it took longer to find, but thank God, St. Anthony always comes through. Later I find out that there was an accident not far from where I was going. Our distractions could not only give us a message to slow down but save our lives.

Slow Down

We all have our daily routines. You must get ready for your workday and all it entails. If you have children, they need attending to as well.  Before our granddaughter learned to drive, and I had to babysit I had to get up extra early, pack lunches, prepare breakfast and then drive them to two different schools. By the time I got home all I wanted to do was crawl back into bed, thank God it was only for a few days.

The older we get, the slower we take life. My priorities have changed;  all I want to do is secure my free ticket to heaven. I want to share my life’s journey with everyone who crosses my path. God gifted me with a good sense of humor; sometimes all it takes to make someone smile is to get their attention. I have never mastered beating someone over the head with a Bible, but in today’s society it might not be such a bad idea. The Word of God keeps me grounded and when discouragement crosses my path, I take the high road to reach the silence of God’s peace. I don’t know exactly where many Bible verses are, but I do quote them whenever I’m in a state of desperation.

Sometimes when I’m not paying attention I step into dog excrement; my first thought is to get rid of this by taking my shoes off and cleaning them. We step into difficult situations in life as well. All we can do is try to clean off the mess we have caused, or else we walk around with an offensive stench. Our journey will always have choices of roads leading to different paths, but the road to heaven is always available. We clutter our path by wrong influences that take us away from the things of God. At no time does it get more difficult than when we run out of gas or forget to charge the electrical vehicle.

Recharging

Sometimes I struggle with prayer; I go through powerful prayer for several weeks, then spurts of prayer due to the distractions of the world. One thing is certain: with or without gas my journey in prayer is ever present. It took a while for me to train my spirit to call upon God for all of my needs. My journey led me to many other Christian denominations,  but in the end I came back to the Lord through my Catholic roots. I now have a Catholic church parish; for me it’s a comfortable home with a solid roof covering my beliefs and what I will always represent.

Don’t Give Up On Prayer

For many years I have been asking God for specific things in my life but have not gotten an answer. This does at times discourage me, but I continue on that lonely path, believing that God will answer my request. I’m a sinner, so when conviction overtakes my conscience, I pray. Prayer clears the highways of our minds so that we can reach our destination.  The living waters that Jesus promised refresh our spirits; the more we drink, the more we desire this fountain of healing. As I write this Blog, I thank God for my own health and family’s health. But deep in my spirit I’m doing battle for those who need a miracle with court cases, or healings of cancer, of marriages, and salvation for their loved ones.

I pray for others on a regular basis. Throughout the day my spirit is taking different crossroads to intercede for others. If you ask me to pray for someone or if God puts someone on my heart, I am obligated to pray for that person until He releases me.

The Debris 

My sister Jo and her cat Segundo evacuated to Mississippi

Our country just experienced Hurricane Ida. This cursed girl wreaked  havoc from Louisiana to New York until she finally ran out of breath. Ida’s disrespect of the hundred-year-old oak trees in her path, scattered their lifeless branches on the roads. My sister Jo and her sons surrendered to her destruction; they had to leave due to the loss of electrical power. There will not be a welcome mat spread out for them on their return; rather they will face the laborious task of cleaning up the mess Ida left behind. Without electricity food spoils and has to be discarded; this is another big expense. The Big Easy is a hot mess. While the rest of us are gearing up for the last barbecue of the summer, the people in the path of Ida are resilient and will make their way to the road of recovery. Because there is nowhere else to turn, these cataclysmic trials only make them stronger; they develop a deeper union with our Creator.

In her path of devastation, Ida took the lives of  67 persons  and left millions without power.  Our nephew Torie and his family fled north to Rustin to a friend’s vacation home; later, they rented a two-bedroom apartment for one month until their power is restored. Of this family of five, four suffer from a mild case of COVID. Once the dust settles and the rush of crowds getting gas and food is over, they will head back home.

My Prayer

Dear Lord, thank You for protecting our family during Hurricane Ida. I pray for all who lost family members. Lord, embrace them and comfort their hurting hearts. Heavenly Father, may You always direct our path and clear the way for us to take the pathway You have set for us. I pray for my nephew Mario; give him special graces and favor, and lead him back to You. I pray for Bobbie, who is in need of a miracle; restore her health and hear the cries of her heart. I pray for all who are suffering with COVID. May this pandemic be eradicated from the earth. Amen.

 

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