The Gift
Rocked to sleep in mommy’s arms, safe and loved and secure.
Swings and slides and see-saws, chasing butterflies under blue skies.
Reading, writing and arithmetic, now tablets, and high tech…
Growing pains doesn’t explain the things we thought about our lives.
Working, year after year, planning and dreaming dreams…
Parenthood…
Misunderstood…
Everything changes, some for bad and some for good!
Retirement comes, where has life gone? We’re left to wonder in old age…
Still young at heart, lives will part, as we sit in line for that time…
We too will depart…
Life is a continuous cycle…
So, live it while you can…
We won’t always understand…
That’s OK, we don’t have too.
Struggling to walk, to think and talk, age takes a toll…
I hear God say, my grace is sufficient for you, when you can’t walk, roll…
This gift of life that you’ve been given, is often taken for granted, but remember this…
There is contentedness…when you take One day at a time!
Child, you are mine…
Eternity will be divine!
~Marla Shaw O’Neill August 27, 2024
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 The Message
7-10 Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first, I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me,
My grace is enough; it’s all you need.
My strength comes into its own in your weakness.
Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so, the weaker I get, the stronger I become.
Time of the Children
August 15, 2024
Last night at church Pastor Perry asked us all to come to the altar and pray and to ask God, to take us deeper with God. I believe this dream is a result of my prayer.
I had a dream that I was in an ocean of water no land in sight. The water was clear and calm and there were other people also in the water and there were lots and lots of children. There was no fear or concern. Everyone was happy and joyful floating around in the water. It seems like I was in the water at first then it was like I was floating but I wasn’t on a boat or a raft, but I was gliding through the water and watching everyone in the water with me.
I woke up with this thought. Water, clean, clear water represents the Holy Spirit! I had the understanding that God was going to use children to bring repentance and revival to many, many people. That He was saturating children with Supernatural Power of the Holy Spirit and because their hearts were pure towards Him, they would be obedient to His call. Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not to come unto me, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven! Matthew 19:14 KJV
Look at the next scripture, I didn’t know what the whole scripture said, I only remembered, and a little child shall lead them, taken from the KJV. The last part talks about a living knowledge of God ocean-deep, ocean wide. (The Message Version)
Isaiah 11:6-9 The Message A Living Knowledge of God
The wolf will romp with the lamb, the leopard sleep with the kid. Calf and lion will eat from the same trough, and a little child will tend them. Cow and bear will graze the same pasture, their calves and cubs grow up together, and the lion eat straw like the ox. The nursing child will crawl over rattlesnake dens, the toddler sticks his hand down the hole of a serpent. Neither animal nor human will hurt or kill on my holy mountain. The whole earth will be brimming with knowing God-Alive, a living knowledge of God ocean-deep, ocean-wide.
* * *
He showed me that the Children would be on fire for the Lord Jesus Christ! Preaching, and teaching and praying and spreading God’s love to everyone they come in contact with, and that many souls would come to accept Jesus as their Savior and Lord!
Let me just say this, I’m nobody special, I just love Jesus and want to be led and used by Him. If this is from the Lord, Praise God, it will come to pass. If it’s not of Him then it was just me and a dream I had. God always confirms His word. But I believe it’s from God! Amen!!
~Marla Shaw O’Neill August 15, 2024
Make Hay While the Sun Still Shines
When you’ve been knocked down, spun around, kicked and lied to, and you’re going down for the count… you’ve been beaten and left for dead~
That’s the time to dig deep, turn and meet your enemy head on…
And with every ounce of strength, you’ve got left, Stand up and Fight like never before…
Not in your might, nor in your power, but in the power of the God of heaven…filled with Holy Ghost determination, strong in the Faith by the Spirit of the Living God You, Will, Not Fail!!!
Life gets messy. It gets downright ugly and terrifying and sometimes you just want to give up!
But God says…
8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. 10 Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.
11 Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies. 12 So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you. 2 Corinthians 4:8-12 New Living Translation
Children of the Living Holy God, the One who created all things, the One who said, I will never leave you nor forsake you…It’s Him, He’s the one who is The Way, The Truth and The Life…
He says…
GET UP! You may be cast down, but you are not forsaken!! This life is just a vapor…it’s here today and gone tomorrow! But You, as a Child of the Living God, You Will Never Die!!!
“Make Hay While the Sun Still Shines!” A dear friend of mine from years ago said those words. Grace Nealis, she was a mentor and a friend to me and to many people. Her words Ring Loud in my ears today!!
“Make Hay While the Sun Still Shines!”
Brothers and sisters, we don’t have time to waste…
Stop looking for a savior to rescue you! There is only One Savior and He already did that if you’ll believe and accept Him. Jesus is the Savior!
This is a divine appointment right here, right now!! The words you are reading are not by accident. God wants to tell you something, keep your eyes on Him! Tune your ears to His Voice!
“Come, Follow Me! Take up your cross and crucify the flesh. Take a breath and breathe in the Holy Spirit and then exhale! You can’t see that breath, but you can see the results of it. Let My Peace, the wholeness and the complete awareness of my Presence saturate your being and know, I AM that I Am, is with you! People make promises they don’t keep. They lie, steal, cheat and deceive to get what they are hiding in their hearts so that their selfish motives they can attain. Be wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove. Ask for Godly wisdom, I will give it to all who ask! Do not look to the past or to the future your Hope is not there, Your Hope is Now, and can only be found in Me. The author and finisher of your faith!! Whether you know it or not, You’ve in a war. A war for your souls, your life and the lives of your children and children’s children. But Do Not Fear! I Am with you. There is a time for everything under heaven…Fast and Pray, seek me with your whole heart. See with your Spiritual eyes and hear with your Spiritual ears…what you see in the natural is being manifested in the spiritual realm and the battle is raging. My people those who know me and who I know, listen to what the Spirit of the Lord is saying…it’s way past time to stay asleep…WAKE UP! You can’t win this battle in the flesh…because this enemy is not flesh but he used the flesh to obtain his results. The weapons of our warfare are these…
3-6 The world is unprincipled. It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair. But we don’t live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.
7-8 You stare and stare at the obvious, but you can’t see the forest for the trees. If you’re looking for a clear example of someone on Christ’s side, why do you so quickly cut me out? Believe me, I am quite sure of my standing with Christ. You may think I overstate the authority he gave me, but I’m not backing off. Every bit of my commitment is for the purpose of building you up, after all, not tearing you down. 2 Corinthians 10:4-8 The Message”
Oh, hear The Father’s Heart today, get alone with Him and talk to Him like never before! Many will be deceived because they will not stay close to the Shepherd. But all who will heed His Word and draw near to him and resist the devil, they will find he will flee from them!
Dry your tears, shake yourself off and get in the fight, but fight with the full armor of God, the God-tools, not your own. God bless you, I am praying for you, please pray for me too!!!
~Marla Shaw O’Neill August 1, 2024
The Prodigal
I wandered far away from the life source…
Dark days and nights I’ve lived, sin kept me from the light…
Ashamed, forgotten, invisible without sight…
Somehow, someway, someone must have prayed…
I cried alone, for years ago, I lost my way!
Broken, Oh so broken, how could I ever return…
The guilt and the shame, life never the same as everyone I knew had spurned,
This lifeless person I became.
Dirty, filthy, afraid and misunderstood…
I could never go home, to what My mother had taught me was good!
Then something incredible happened, I was lying in my own vomit
Down for the count…no way out…
An old woman found me…
“Honey, Jesus loves you will you come back to him?”
My eyes filled with tears and regret, sorry for the life I had lived…
She lifted my head and anointed me with oil, and said,
“Repeat after me…
I am a sinner saved by grace, come home my lovely one, there is no disgrace…
You are washed in the blood of the Lamb!!”
I stood up and shouted, “Yes! I am!!!”
She took me home and fed me well, clothed me in her best attire…
Out of the grime and cesspool of life, no longer wallowing in the dust and the mire…
Cleaned me up and set my feet on solid ground…
No longer a prodigal, no longer lost, I am forever found!
Serving Jesus, and finding all those, who are shattered, lost and bound!
Jesus loves me, this I know…come home dear ones leave shanty town…
And join God’s family, in the heavenly realm…
You too, can be washed in the blood of the Lamb!!
~Marla Shaw O’Neill July 21, 2024
The Parable of the Prodigal Son
11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to[a] one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’[b] 22 But the father said to his servants,[c] ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. Luke 15:11-32 English Standard Version
Tears to Rainbows
He took my tears and turned them into rainbows
Red, green, yellow, blue…reminders of the heart’s deepest dreams
Tears of sorrow, tears of joy, tears for tomorrow from living streams…
Flow from eyes that have seen many things…
Felt pain and suffering…
Watched a newborn baby sleep, waking to sounds of mother’s who weep
Watering the land to save the meek…
Tears upon my cheek!
Who but God can change one thing?
If we dare to ask, in Jesus’ name…
Rainbows come, after the rain…
Smiles begin when touched by God’s loving hand.
We sing…
Let tears fall and rainbows bend
Beneath the bow, where darkness turns to light…
And colors bring new life
Tears washing what’s unseen…
Through heaven’s portals, there are no more tears,
Blessings of Joy!
Everlasting!
~Marla Shaw O’Neill July 18, 2024
He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” Revelation 21:4 New Living Translation
I dedicate this poem to my brother, Regan Shaw. Happy birthday! He’s there now enjoying everlasting Joy!
Mount Up With Wings as Eagles
Just a little encouragement. Do not fear nor be afraid, the Lord Your God is Able! God will Renew your youth as the eagle! You shall mount up with wings as eagles, you shall run and not be weary, you shall walk and not faint!! Praise God! Hallelujah!
That’s a combo of Ps. 103:5 and Isaiah 40:31.
I just realized that today is the passing of my mother in 2015. She was not only my mom, but she is also my mentor and friend. I know exactly where she is. She’s soaring in the heavenlies with Jesus. Maybe, just maybe, that’s why Holy Spirit gave me the amazing vision of the eagle!! I’ll take it that way…I love you Jesus! I love you mama!
The Garden, the Stripes and the Cross
As Jesus prayed in the garden, take this cup from me,
Never-the-less, not my will, I surrender my will to thee…
His sweat poured out as great drops of blood…
The price for humanity…
Humbled and weakened by thirty-nine stripes, healing, for all eternity…
Life is in the blood, but the people could not see…
That on the cross, the broken, beaten, Son of God, was our perfect sacrifice,
If we would only believe!
Lamb, without spot or wrinkle, perfect in every way…
Jesus, the High Priest, was slaughtered, that gentle lamb bled, for you and for me.
You see, His blood runs even now, from the place called Calvary…
It never stops flowing…its power continues still, to wash our sins away…
It saved us then and it saves us now
From generations to generations The Blood is freshly poured out…
Oh, be washed in the blood today.
See it now, as it flows from the Throne of God
The blood is never stale, dried or old…
Even though it was shed eons ago…
His blood is new every morning, and every evening, giving access to the Holies of Holies
The enemy can’t touch it, can’t destroy it, can’t keep it from flowing…it’s alive forevermore!
Thank you, Lord!
Are you sick? Plead the ever flowing, life giving, blood of Jesus!
Are you tired and weary or anxious and full of doubt? Plead the ever flowing, life giving, blood of Jesus!
His blood will sooth the hurt and pain and restore and heal…
Because it’s already been done!
You and I must overcome…
There is power! Unlimited power! In the Blood of Jesus!
~Marla Shaw O’Neill July 9, 2024
For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. 20 God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake. 1 Peter 1:18-20 New Living Translation
Surely, He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, everyone, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:4-6 New King James Version
God Is Waiting for You
GOD IS WAITING FOR YOU
So, yesterday 7/2/24, I woke up with this weird feeling. I couldn’t feel my legs and it felt like my spirit was leaving my body. My heart was pounding, and I thought, “Well, this is it I’m going.” It eased off and I had to get to the bathroom. I won’t go into those details lol! But it was not pleasant. I stayed in bed most of the day. Finally, everything settled down after lots of prayers from you guys. I looked at my clock it was 1:29 pm. So, I got up.
I received a phone call from a life-long friend, Faye, and we started comparing notes on how we were feeling. Then we began to encourage each other in the Lord. Before either of us knew it we were shouting, praying, speaking in tongues, and I jumped up and shouted all over my house. The power of God was manifested in a powerful, mighty way! I haven’t had an encounter like that in quite some time! Some of yawl know what kind of “time” I mean! When you experience God’s power coming out of every part of your being! Like grabbing a live-electrical-wire and holding on with all your might, because you certainly can’t let go! We talked about the Lord and shared in His presence for an hour and forty minutes!
God is wanting to move in us…but we are waiting for God to do it and He is waiting on us to obey him!
God wants to deliver the oppressed! To set people free from sin and death! He wants to give us peace that passes understanding! Break chains and destroy yokes of bondage! We cry out for Revival, but we aren’t willing to Repent!!
You may say, “Repent from what?”
Glad you asked.
Repent from praying, “God, give me prayers!” Repent from selfish desires. Repent from spending your time on foolishness. Repent from pride and jealousy. Repent from being good but not fully surrendering our lives to Him. We can go all day telling others how to get ahold of God yet not spend even 30 minutes in the Word of God. Microwave prayers that don’t go any higher than the ceiling. Telling ourselves that we are seeking God, but two minutes into his presence, we become distracted and leave. Then when everything goes wrong, we cry out God, “give me!”
I’m not saying all this to condemn or put a guilt trip on anyone. I’m saying this as a WAKE-UP call! We have to do our part and God will do His part!
God says, “If…My…People…who…are…called…by my name…will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways…Then! I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2 Chronicles 7:14
We are much too comfortable. If you want a breakthrough. If you want to see your children, friends, family, neighbors, set free and on fire for God…there is something We have to do!
God is waiting for us to pray like our tail is on fire…
Pray like bombs are dropping and the world is coming to an end…
Pray with humility fully surrendered to Him…
Pray like no one is listening but God…
Fall in Love with Jesus all over again…
Then, take up your cross and follow Him…
If you want what the early church had, you have to do, what the early church did!!
God bless you; I love you, but most of all, God loves you!
He wants the very best for His children!!
Selah! Think on this!!
~Marla Shaw O’Neill July 3, 2024
They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. Hebrews 11:37-40 New King James Version
