“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:10).

As I walked out of our hallway into the living room around 5:40 in the morning Greg startled me, “Whoa! What was that, a bird?” For a brief moment I though Greg was losing it, but then I turned to look at my curtains and sitting on top of the curtain rod sat a bat!

I shouted, “Greg that is a bat!”

Both of us jumped into action shutting doors to other rooms so the bat could not fly where the children were sleeping. I grabbed my camera hoping to get a picture, but every time I tried to take a picture the bat flew at me. I discovered that my feet move faster than the click of a finger!

Instinctively we turned on every single light in our living room and dining room. We had opened our front door hoping to coax it out. Without realizing it our entryway remained the only dark space left so the bat naturally flew toward the darkness. I tried one more time to take a photo, but the flash or my presence made the bat fly at me again. I jumped up a flight of stairs and ran as fast I could down the hall. The bat swirled around and fled our home out into the safety of the darkness outside.

Greg shared with me that the bat had flown just a few inches above my head as I entered the living room. Both of us instantly realized that this is exactly how spiritual attack happens. It swooshes over us when we least expect it. We do not know how the bat entered our home, but it did. Maybe it entered through the cracked pane of glass on our fireplace. And last night I held the patio door open for a long time for a doggie that refused to enter and over the weekend we had a garage sale. While we were loading things in and out of our house the door was open for hours. We provided three entry points for the bat.

Isn’t this the same for spiritual attack? We can have cracked beliefs that allow false truths to enter that steal us of the truth in the WORD of God. We can also provide an open door for someone or something that allows other things to enter our world. Sometimes we simply open wide the doors to our lives without protecting ourselves against the enemy that seeks to enter. No wonder the LORD tell us to be alert and to always keep on praying for the saints once we have put on the armor of GOD (Ephesians 6:18). We forget to be alert. Sometimes we forget to put on our armor. Other times we forget to pray and we don’t make it a regular habit to pray for the saints and sadly we forget to abide in the Spirit of GOD. Each of these allows that which is not of GOD to enter our lives unawares.

Where do you have a crack, an open door or unguarded place that might allow the enemy of GOD to enter?


Father, make us alert in all occasions to the cracks in our belief systems, to the doors we have opened that allow things to enter that should not be in our lives, and to the places we have left unguarded. In Jesus’ Name, AMEN!

Tara Rye, 8/19/09

Flip this house! In this moment in Guatemala we met Jesus through physical strength!

Chris looked over his shoulder as we drove through incredibly bumpy mountain roads beaten by the rains and said, "Today, we will lift an 800 pound house!" HUH? Yep! You heard me! Grandma's house fills with water every time it rains. It also faces the wrong direction. The first time Chris and Dick went to tell Grandma that they were building her house she actually blew them off. She was tired of people promising her things and never following through. It was the first time they saw Grandma not be her sweet self. I wish you could have seen her face when we finished her house! WOW!

Before our arrival they built a two foot concrete wall with cinder blocks. Our task was to lift the 800 pound house and turn it facing the opposite direction while sitting it perfectly on the blocks. I remember thinking how will we get 20 people to do this in unison. DUH! ONLY GOD!

Now, I am very smart! I knew I wanted to be next a very strong man so I made sure I was close to Pastor Jim this way I can help his strength! :) Okay, so now you know the real me! One... two... three... we lift and turn and sit it perfectly on the blocks. We screamed and shouted VICTORY! Grandma stood there with tears in her eyes. It WAS INCREDIBLE! POWERFUL! AWESOME!

Our men set about creating the concrete floor while we painted her children's home down the long muddy road. In which Pat, Dick and the children had a snake that was grey cross their path while walking between the houses. YES, it was poisonous! EICK!

When Dick drove back and forth between the two houses many of our people climbed on his bumper and side running boards while they held onto the roof luggage rack! Dick loved to gun the vehicle through the mud. Squeals of delight burst through the village.

It was on this day that we drove to another town to take me to the doctor. We thought we were going to town in order for me to get treatment, but GOD had another plan! On the way there I asked the Father, to please open and close doors as HE saw fit and that if I was not to be treated in Guatemala then shut the door. I asked HIM for a divine appointment because I did not want to be away for the group. I have this selfishness in me that wants to be a part of the excitement and going to the doctor did not fit into this as far as I was concerned.

Dick loaded the car up with children: Ronnie (who is in a wheelchair), his younger brother (never caught his name), Jessica, Kimberly, and Clara. Pat and I sat in the back with the girls and Dick sat in the front with the boys while the little guy drove the car for Dick! We had so much fun! I fell in the love with the girls. They were so tiny. If I remember correctly Jessica is 12. The same age as Mikayla, yet size wise she looked to be only 6 or 7 in American size. I kept saying all week THE GIANTS ARE IN THE LAND! We are enourmous compared to the Mayan people and the Guatemalans.

Guess what... the clinic was closed. We could not reach them by phone either. Okay... so we went to the pharmacy. The were four in a row. Dick chose the fourth one for me to visit. Honestly, my being there was not incidental. We were there for Pat. See, Pat is praying about full time ministry in Guatemala. The owner of the pharmacy asked to pray for Pat. She prayed asking the Father to bring Pat back to Guatemala and rebuked the evil one from getting in her way. This lady knew nothing of Pat, yet she prayed exactly what Pat needed to hear. Her prayer was such a powerful encouragement for Pat, Dick and me. WOW!

As we left the pharmacy with meds for me and holy meds for Pat, Jessica grabbed Pat's hand and said, COME! As she pulled Pat down the street, there before Dick stood a young 20 something man with a blanket tied around his head in a knot to create sling that he carried his mother in on his back. Can you imagine? He walked around town with his mother riding on his back in a homemade sling. My mind keeps revisiting this scene. Talk about a sacrifice of love and even if it is not down in love... think of the physical burden of carrying someone on your back using your neck muscles and forehead to bear the weight. Her legs were crippled. Goose bumps are riding up and down me as I reflect on this memory. Humbled by his devotion and love for his mother I stood amazed. They had a small dish in the their hands seeking out hand outs to survive. Dick told them he wanted to help them with getting her a wheel chair. This is part of the Bethel Ministry International ministry. They provide wheel chairs for those that cannot afford it. http://www.bethelministriesinternational.com/

He kept telling Dick, "No money" I think Dick had to say it was free at least three maybe four times. It finally registered on his face that it was free. This is when I remember him sitting his mother down. Either the weight of her body too much to bear for so long or the shock of the burden finally being lifted forever too much to ponder. I do not know which it was, but I can only imagine the sense of mental and physical relief he felt.

Then Pat knelt over and shared the love of Jesus Christ with them. I stood there watching two amazing people use their gifts to the fullest measure through Dick and Pat. I knew Pat belonged in Guatemala. She has a compassion and understanding that is needed to make the LORD's name great. Dick has a compassion but does not have the language. Pat interpreted for him and I stood there in awe of GOD! WOW! There is nothing like watching a child of GOD bless HIS name with their acts of service. Humbled I thanked the LORD for my infection and the blessing that I was able to go and be there with them at this particular moment.

We went and bought Pepsi's for the kids. WOW! The boys guzzled theirs gone in a moment and no one burped! How is that? Where as the girls took tiny sips and saved it with guarded anticipation for further sips. Clara looked at me and used sign language to pat her pop as if it was precious. We take for granted the simple pleasure of a drink! One of the girls when we arrived at home shared her pop with one of her littler brothers... he guzzled it! She took a simple sip and then shared it. This is very rare for them to ride in a car or drink a pop. O GOD forgive us for how we take so much for granted! Forgive us!

Please pray for Grandma. She has stomach cancer. Rhonda prayed for her healing! Tears flowed generously as Rhonda's prayer lifted to heaven. Her cancer is most likely do to drinking impure water. Grandma deals daily with free flowing bowls. Please forgive me for the bluntness, but you must understand. Even going potty is something we take for granted in America. I could tell you all our potty stories, but I won't! Let's just say this... we are blessed!

Saturday, July 5th proved to be the day that Jesus made it very clear to our team we need to develop an attitude of gratitude. It was by far the hardest day with the weather because the heat was unbearable! Carley is who stepped up to the leadership role on painting the house. When all were exhausted and ready to quite, she encouraged the group to see how far we could make the paint go and we did. We were able to even paint the back of the house one coat. This was huge! We did not think we had enough paint. But GOD stretched it and HE used Carley to stretch us! Way to GO!