SURPRISED........

A good surprise is good….sometimes. Mama used to love surprises, don’t dare tell her what she’s getting for Christmas, her birthday, or than Aunt Arabella is coming from Philly tomorrow!!!!! Yeah, Mama loved to be surprised….

I’m a bit different than mama (with due respect). LOL
I really like to know what’s “happening now”, as the late Flip Wilson would say.

Sunday morning I got the surprise of a lifetime and was it good, well God made it good, even better than good; it was a blessing for me and the people of God.

I got to church a bit late, but as I was not on program, I wasn’t too stressed about it…..The worship was good and I joined in and was having a ball…Then something says to me “look at the program”, I had gotten one from the usher on my way in….So I glanced at it, reluctantly….Word of God….Evangelist Glenda Torrence, I thought WHAT…SURPRISE.....

I had preached at the Greater Palm Bay Church of God before, and I enjoy the fellowship and the people, and frequent there along with a couple other churches. Assistant Pastor Valentine, had said something to me last Sunday, but I didn’t understand what he was talking about, something about preaching, I just smiled and moved on, he was telling me Pastor Lewinson wanted me to speak at the 8:00 service next Sunday! I wasn’t paying attention (or he wasn’t clear!!!). Anyway….

As I was scrambling through my Bible, they were calling me up, and the Lord said…DON’T LET NOBODY TURN YOU AROUND… But I couldn’t remember where the story of the wicked Jeroboam, and the “man of God that came out of Judah” was found in the Holy Writ..

What did I do? I told them, I didn’t realize I was to preach, and asked the congregation to help me find the passage. As I began to preach Bro. Jerome, the youth pastor and pianist said 1 Kings 13, then it came to me YEAH. Me and the Lord, and the whole church had a time!! Thank God for the anointing of the Holy Ghost…..it was wonderful, the Lord preached me Sunday like I had never seen, and everyone is still talking about the whole day Sunday.

After the Lord finished blessing me with the message, Pastor Lewinson called the congregation to the altar and began singing and worshipping God, the Holy Ghost was so strong in that place..... The pastor stood and lead singing through the Sunday School time, there were two of the most encouraging messages in tongues I've ever heard, and he preached under such a heavy anointing. He stood on his feet for 2 complete hours, we finally took the offering....

I guess the greatest miracle (to me), was how the Lord helped me, and I really enjoyed it, I love preaching; and I have so many opportunities here. I’m seldom nervous when I minister, but God gave a peace Sunday that was so sweet and encouraging, and I didn’t even know I was to preach. Oh the power of God Oh the love of God towards His people……SURPRISED......loving it in Florida….
Blessings to all,
Torrence

A RUDE AWAKENING.........I HEAR.....

So its cold in Nashville huh….Well, ready or not, here we come..haha. If the Lord wills, that is….. I really enjoy the Florida weather, man we are SPOILED, yeah, I’ve heard about the storms!!

God has blessed Samuel to finish his Bachelor’s in Business Administration, and on the sixteenth of December he hopes to march with his class, as a college graduate!!!! Yes, we are proud of him, and we praise God! We hope to drive 8 hours and stop in Atlanta and spend time with Theresa and family in their brand new home. Then another 5 or so to Nashville.. We will look to catch up with old friends, and hope to take a look at 1304 Tremont Avenue!!

We will be staying with Loria, and a few nights with Sis. Wood, and Bro. and Sis. M.C. Jackson, if the Lord wills…and who knows who else haha.

The Torrence’s, on our way back to the old stomping ground, back to the cold weather…If it snows, they will send Sam his “sheepskin” LOL…..…..A rude awakening… The cold weather again....Oh my…..Gotta get to bed, John said “early."
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The graduation will be Tuesday night(16th) at 7:00pm, at the First Baptist Church, 2526 Lebanon Rd. Ya’ll come, you hear….Please pray for traveling grace…..
Blessings,
Torrence

THANKS-GIVING.....

What a wonderful word and a great thought…thanksgiving. But I wonder how much of “that” is really going on.... Yes I’m up early, while checking e-mails, I heard thanks-giving…and the Lord began to speak….and I listened.

It has been a busy and exciting week. Loria (youngest daughter), and her two girls Kenna Boo, and Karris have been here since Sunday morn. All the way from Nashville, Tennessee…..Theresa, husband Eric and their two girls, Treasure and Cherish-Faye, got in about midnight. A festive time indeed!!! Kameki’s family lives here and will be over shortly…..All the children here except Little John and family in Maryland….he may show up…..

It has been a week of giving…Karris is about 21/2 and very smart and eventful, we’ve given some instructions…Kenna Boo is beginning teenage years and is very mannerly still, but needs prompting here and there. Last night we had a good time cooking together, she kept saying, “Grandma anything else I can do”?, GOTTA LOVE THAT!!!

David and Samuel are very conscious of what all has to be done when a house full of family shows. Sam is a good shopper and helped pay for “special” stuff we needed for the house, asking “don’t we need this, don’t we need that”.? Thanks-giving. He is so sharing and still has a nice “nest egg”, from his days of working at ITT, always willing to share. David is the "best all around" handyman, can fix and critique about anything!! I'm always calling LORENZO (his middle name). Thanks-giving. And of course there is my love and best friend on earth, John Torrence, my husband of 23 years, he did something so special, I can’t talk about it now, it was more than I deserved…Thanks-giving.

The giving of the self to me is the greatest giving. Things are ok, and good and needful... but give me you, I give you me. For God so loved the world that he gave Himself in the form of His loving Son Jesus, THANKS-GIVING……..
Happy Thanks-Giving to all…
Torrence

WITH OPEN EYES..........

So much stuff I hadn’t noticed before……Its interesting how we can go somewhere and never notice the view. I was taken back today as I journeyed to my voice class. I guess the third time was the charm…But then I thought, the other two times, I was just trying to get to Marie Street, without getting lost!! But since I now know the way, I can look around and SEE some of the markers, I never noticed before.

There is the Malabar Park on the left, very nice and a great park, tennis courts, volley ball, tables and grilling areas, walking paths, a great park. It was there all the time, but I was looking straight ahead….And there is the Post Office, there, never seen it before…. And the Berry Patch, a very nice facility for pre-schoolers. The Seed and Feed store that reminded me of my parents store, so many years ago. And there was the Produce store, closer than the one on US 1 that I frequent. I had seen the Palm Bay Community Hospital, but there is an Assisted Living right next to it, oh my... so much in that area.

I got to thinking, how much have I missed in life, by just looking one way, failing to look around and really SEE whats around me, other people, their views, their struggles, their differences yet their familiarities. It made me come home and write…….

I learned something today, slow down and swell the roses….or at least look around, there maybe something worth taking a second look, right at your door or in your back yard. I thought, right around me on Malabar Road so many things I had never noticed….Careful there is a lesson in this….

Blessings
Torrence

A CALL FROM AFAR.......STILL FRIENDS

On this day, the 18th of November, I received a call from a friend, from long ago. I still can’t believe I have just talked to Terry Baker, my childhood friend of some 40 years ago. We talked and laughed and reminisced for over two hours, until she had to go to the bathroom, and I needed to make tuna fish salad. Haha!

My friend has lived in Boston since 1968, the year her father and friend of the family, Harry Lee Baker quit his job at Dupont and took off to Boston, Massachuttsets. We all thought it “strange”, and rumors still swirl… Anyway, Terry was gone and I was so sad. I had tried to keep up with her, but with little success through the years.

Terry became a nurse and still practices her profession in a hospital there. Tragedy struck her life in an awful way some five years ago, when her son suffered a brutal and senseless death in the city. I sent her a card, and lifted her in prayer, but no respond. When my sister and mother died last year, she had contacted the family, and the family gave me the message, but still no Terry. But today….

How she found me? By chance my sister Kaye was visiting Mr. Harry Lee in the hospital, when Terry called from Boston to check on him. She got my phone number from her, and called. What prompted this call after so many years, I don't really know. But I'm thankful and happy. There have been other opportunities in the past, but thankful to get the call today. I tend to over think things, another thing I'm "working on". I am a work in progress.........

It was as though we had never been apart, so much to talk and laugh about, and so much sadness also, the death of her mother in 1989, the lost of three of her brothers, and a son brutally taken in the prime of life.

She talked fondly of my now deceased parents, and the Sunday School beach trips, and the Christmas and Easter plays, and not to mention Mother and Father Day plays, and of course the Children Day productions....….

God willing, we plan to attend the Woodington High School's Reunion in September 2009. I do hope to see her again…..after so long a time….friends from afar….
Blessings
Torrence

FORGIVE, AND PRAY ON........

Praise is always in order, we live to praise God, for this is our life and strength. Praise is what we do, everyday, regardless of situations and circumstances and difficulties, and good times and bad; our job is the same….WE PRAISE GOD!

There was a lady at the prayer service last night, who was somewhat sad because she has been looking for work with no success (YET). We took her case to God and we’re waiting for some news; even now. One of the sisters said that when we pray…“believe from the bottom of our hearts that God will help us”. This is my husbands SOAPBOX, (one of them), he’s always saying, believe what you pray and go on. Not so much the “praying, but the “believing”.

Jesus said in Mark 11:24, “ Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them,” Jesus goes on to say in verse 25, “And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive your trespasses”. 26.) “But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.”

Interesting how all of this goes together almost as ONE MAN. The formula is wonderful, pray, believe, receive, and be sure you have forgiven all…

There will be those times when God will not move in the way of our desire, but I believe He will let us know this, as we are “sensitive” to His voice.
Sis. Taylor was uplifted as we praised God and separated to our different homes. We praise our God, pray believing, and forgive so that God will hear us and be pleased……

Blessings
Torrence

FOREMOST AVENUE.......

An interesting name I guess, but very fitting I thought as I arrived there walking well and happily for the first time last week. Florida is beautiful and the weather now is well, ‘WALKABLE”. Of course the “locals” walk regardless of the temperature…Really…. it’s a sight to see, but this is Florida.

My goal is to reach Jupiter Street, and I’m getting there. But there are a few little steps first. I started counting off the streets last week, from Bougainvillea, to Americana, then Melitas, Mable St., Napple and finally Foremost. I kept thinking Jupiter Street is moving…but I could see the red stop sign, and the cars going back and forward, so I felt I can make it..maybe next week!LOL.

Walking in Palm Bay is great, the city is layed out with thoughtfulness and common sense. There are wide walking paths away from the sidewalks and traffic, you really feel safe and car fumes free. All the major thoroughfares, like Jupiter, Americana, Minton, New Haven, and Malabar etc. have these trails where you can walk, run or bike without fear of being hit by the traffic, love it!

Upon getting to Napple St. for the first time, I thought, that’s enough, far enough;(gotta walk home you know). The voice of reason, took a back seat to, NO! GO ONE MORE STREET….I did, when I saw the name of it, I cracked up, Foremost Avenue………

I needed to push myself to that street, it was therapeutic for me, go on to the Foremost, go beyond what you think you can accomplish, go beyond your own expectation of yourself, go on……….haha

I have to “go on” and fix supper, and get to prayer service tonight.
Foremost Blessings to all…
Torrence