HELLO
AND MUCH LOVE TO MY SUBSCRIBERS & FRIENDS...
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 Dearest
Friends:
My heart is grateful for your many prayers and sweet notes to
me during my recent experiences in Texas. In the most difficult
moments, I truly felt strengthened by waves of loving support.
This has been a time of challenge for me, but also of growth
and many choice blessings. I have seen Our Father's love revealed
in powerful ways, and have experienced again how near to him
he holds each of his children. Even inside our country's prisons
and in every darkened place, his endless love and mercies are
truly there for each son and daughter. As I continue my rest
and recovery, I ask God's blessings of comfort and healing to
be with you in your own special needs. Through whatever darkness
you may walk, may you come to know the fullness of God's love.
Macooa
(a piece of my heart),
Betty
Picture
of me on the "Sun Porch," Summer 2001. Taken by
my daughter, BJ (Little Betty).
If
you find my newsletter of value, please send it to a friend.
Quote
God's Love
Ripples Through Me to Others
When God compels
us and offers opportunities for teaching his love and truth, we
must teach as Christ taught: meekly, lovingly, and by laying down
our convenience and temporal security. Then, like so many dominoes
set up by his hand, we touch our neighbor, we unite as one, and
God's love and truth ripple out into all the world. (The Ripple
Effect, p. 44.)
Scripture
Verse
As every man
hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another,
as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. (1 Peter 4:10,
KJV)
Prayer
Heavenly Father,
open my eyes to the needs of others, and help me minister to them
as Jesus would. Bless me with his sacrificial love, that I may
put aside my own comforts and serve willingly, that his life may
live on in me.
Affirmation
I live after
Christ and express his attributes of humility and grace.
(From Embraced
By The Light: Prayers & Devotions For Daily Living, entry
for April 22.)
FEATURED
ARTICLE
LOVE
RESCUES AND SAVES
by Betty J. Eadie
This
summer brought a challenge to my life which has tested me in
many ways. I was the minister and spiritual advisor for Jeffery
C. Doughtie, a man convicted of murder in 1993, whom I had been
corresponding with and visiting on death row since May of 2000.
Just a few weeks ago, on August 16, Jeff was executed. I was
there in that Texas death chamber to witness his death, and
I can tell you, this brought me to the edge of my emotional
and physical endurance.
In time, I will share more details about my experiences with
this man, which were both difficult and transcending. At this
time, however, I'd like to give a simple message and share a
wonderful letter from a visitor to my website.
The message is this: Love rescues and saves. What held me up
and kept me going through the many difficult months and especially
through that last week of Jeff's life, was simply love. God's
love for me. And my love for God. It is the power of this mutual
love with the Father which makes it possible to walk through
hardship, endure discomfort, and push our energies to their
limits in loving others and helping them through their trials.
My love for Jeff kept me at his side wanting to guide him and
serve him in the best way I knew how. But the love which ultimately
rescued Jeff and saved him from darkness and despair was the
Father's love. It was the Father who gradually drew Jeff closer
to him, who brought him loving and supportive friends, who strengthened
his faith in what awaited him on the other side of death's door.
As with Jeff, it is the Father's love which ultimately returns
us all to His eternal embrace. Yet it is our privilege on earth
to become as co-saviors through our Christlike love for others.
This happens as we allow our hearts to lead us to rescue and
save those lost and hurting souls who can be uplifted and have
their lives changed by our willingness to love them.
The following letter illustrates so wonderfully this power of
love to rescue and to save. It was submitted to the "Heavenly
Encounters" area of my website which contains stories about
near-death experiences and visions of heaven. This Heavenly
Encounter, however, has a twist.
Dear Betty:
I too have a Heavenly Encounter I would like to share. I'm
a 45-year-old happily married father of three teenage boys.
My wife and I have been together for 23 years. I grew up in
a "religious home" with strict parents who took great pains
to make sure we did all of the right things as kids, and for
the most part we did. As an adult I made sure that I "religiously"
attended mass on Sundays and Holy Days and that I said my
Rosary and my litany of rote prayers.
But my wife always prayed differently than I did. She had
conversations with God. I didn't understand how or why she
prayed that way. In times of crisis she would have one of
her conversations and then would say to me, "Don't worry,
everything is going to be fine." I would think to myself,
Yeah right. Without exception, in hindsight, things did end
up being fine. Perhaps not exactly like I had planned, but
fine nonetheless. She would say to me, "That's the way God
wanted things to be."
About 4 years ago I was in a state of crisis. My business
was a mess, my father was ill, an injury prevented me from
running (which is my passion), my boys were becoming teenagers
(enough said about that). My attitude was bad. I was negative,
and cranky and scared and not much fun to be around. My rote
prayers no longer helped me, and my faith was at its lowest
point ever.
Then one day, my wife, who is a school teacher, got me out
of bed at 5:00 AM on the first day of her spring break and
said, "Okay, buster, out of bed. You're going to listen to
me read to you everyday this week." I was reluctant to say
the least. She then pulled out a Bible and said, "I'm
going to read you a story about a guy who had it a whole lot
worse than you, and he never lost his faith."
She read the book of Job to me. A few chapters each day of
her spring break. She would interpret what God was doing and
why, so I would really "get the point." She ended each day's
reading with one of her conversations with God. She prayed
aloud so I could hear how she prayed and what she prayed about.
She prayed for me, Betty. She told me that she had prayed
for me every day for the past 19 years. I cried. By the third
day I could feel the Holy Spirit's presence as we read. A
calm began to overtake my mind and body. By the fourth day
I was out of bed first. By the fifth day I was also having
"conversations" too. By the end of the week, I was reading
to her. On the seventh day we rested and talked and cried.
My life has never been the same since that week. It was truly
God at work.
My wife next insisted we read "Embraced by the Light." She
had read it twice before and talked of it often. I had always
been scared of dying, to the point of phobia, so I was not
anxious to read your book. But my wife can be very persuasive.
She insisted I read the book to her. I read it slowly, and
we talked after each chapter. My anxiety and fears about death
slowly vanished and were replaced by an ever-increasing unconditional
faith in God. Again my life had changed. I had learned not
only to not fear death, but also to look forward to going
home some day.
Four years later, my wife and I are still getting up early
and reading spiritual books to each other, including all of
your books. We have conversations with God every morning.
Our kids join us several times a week for conversations with
God. Jesus himself speaks to me and helps me.
What I want to share is this: I know my guardian angel, and
I speak with her daily. She's my lovely wife, and we are best
friends. I tell everyone I know that she is my best friend
and my spiritual advisor. She not only saved my life, she
saved my eternity. Little did I know that the woman I married
23 years ago would end up being my own personal Heavenly Encounter.
I know with all of my heart and faith that God sent her to
me, and we both look forward to going home together.
Sincere Thanks, and May God bless you and your family,
Mark Vanderheyden
South Bend, Indiana
Love rescues
and saves in simple and powerful ways. May your eyes be opened
to someone around you in need of a loving touch. And may the
power of God's love move through you in reaching out and lifting
that precious soul closer to the Light and the saving Love of
Heaven.
NEWS
AND UPDATES
 New
Books available now at my website:
- Embraced
By The Light: Prayers & Devotions for Daily Living
My fourth book contains meaningful readings, scriptures, and
prayers for growing nearer to God with every day of the year.
I have written special prayers and positive affirmations for
each page, and my own prayer is that this book will help you
find a more intimate and sure connection with the Father.
- Maniilaq,
Prophet From The Edge Of Nowhere. In simple poignant
language, this book tells of the life, prophecies, and disappearance
into the North Arctic of the Native Inupiaq Prophet, Maniilaq.
Powerfully symbolic, this true tale, as told by a council of
Inupiaq Elders, holds relevant messages for us today. Must we
live by the word of "shamans," or can we depend directly
upon God to guide our lives? Readers of all ages are captivated
by this enchanting story of the Arctic and of a people God,
our Creator, has surely not forgotten.
- The
Soul's Remembrance now in a new trade paperback edition.
A wonderful companion book to "Embraced By The Light."
These are Roy Mills' incredible memories of his life in heaven
before birth. He gives understanding about life from a whole
new perspective. My soul thrills to Roy's descriptions of parts
of heaven which I too remember from my near-death experience.
In
September I will be traveling to Anchorage and Kotzebue, Alaska,
for events which celebrate the release of Maniilaq,
Prophet From The Edge Of Nowhere. Chief Arvol Looking
Horse of the Lakota Sioux will be a special guest speaker
along with myself and the book's authors. If you would like
to attend this special night of celebration and inspiration,
go
to my calendar for details.
I
have created a new area on my website where you may read
about Jeffery Doughtie and my experiences with him in
the Texas prisons. In time, I will be adding much more to
this area, but you will
find links there now to background information as well
as to relevant news articles.
My
"Embraced By The Light" TV program has been
updated and improved. It will air this month in Portland,
Seattle, Boise, Salt Lake City, and Phoenix. Check
my calendar for specifics. I hope you are able to view
this inspiring program.
Regular
Features
Heavenly
Encounters "I lost my beloved dad to cancer of the
kidney. In September 1997, my husband and I were married. Dad
was in a lot of pain, and it took all of his energy to attend
the wedding, which I kept small and simple. But it was only
a couple weeks later that his health deteriorated, and he soon
passed away. I believe he had some type of agreement with God
to stay on earth long enough to see me married..." (continued...)
Ripple
News A rare and painful disease can't stop this young woman
from helping others in need.
Mother's
Prayers A mother facing homelessness prays for help and
receives an answer and a boost to her faith.
God's
Tiny Miracles Two traffic related miracles you'll enjoy
reading about.
I thank you for your continued
support and love! - Betty J. Eadie
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The Betty J. Eadie Email Newsletter, issue 8, September 2001
copyright © 2001 by Onjinjinkta Enterprises
and Gleska Enterprises, Inc.
All rights reserved
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