Dear Friends,

A BLESSED 2014 to you and family!

Continuing… seems to be the right word to describe my entrance into this New Year. It is a loaded word that describes where Touch of Grace was, an embryonic stage for several ministry initiatives getting set in 2013; where we are, watching Jesus begin to raise up, set in motion and give implementation to those ministry entities that brings us to where we are now; and moving forward, as Jesus further unfolds snippets of His great purposes for me and Touch of Grace in the days and months ahead. We remain focused and obedient to all we understand Him speaking to us.

PRAYER HOT SPOT GETS LAUNCHED!

The 2013 Christmas Season saw the launching of one of the Touch of Grace’s Prayer Initiatives, “PRAYER HOT SPOT.” Two Los Angeles churches participated introducing Prayer Hot Spot (PHS) at a couple of sites—one in Wilmington Park near the South Bay, and one in Highland Park.

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Dear Friends,

Happy Autumn!

It has indeed been a challenging Summer for many across our nation, yet the Lord has been faithful to meet us at every turn…in every situation. We are very thankful for His great love and mercies to us that moves us forward with great hope and courage…with our eyes fixed on Him.

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Dear Friends,

Well—just as I was gearing up for Summer I come to recognize that it is already here!
I’ve already had the joy of welcoming to LA, and connecting with 30 guests (all one family) from Australia,congratulating another friend with three children graduating days apart, others having birthdays, anniversaries, weddings; and looking forward to attending my first Bat Mitzvah this month.  And I’ve also found time to squeeze in a beautiful Jubilee Dance Celebration with some of our LA finest multi-talented dancers from the Christian Performing Arts Center.  

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Dear Friends,

SPRING IS HERE!

Doesn’t that sound great? As I’ve seemingly “burst into this season,” so does a roaring rendition of a decades’ old happy melody find its way up through me that lauds:                               

REMEMBERING 2012

Indeed, my heart is filled with praise to our God for His amazing demonstration of grace, mercy and favor towards Touch of Grace in 2012. Several developments were set in motion and navigated related to our GREATER LA PLAN that included—Introductory meetings with Pastors and Leaders; learning the pulse/temperature of the city, pastors and churches; fulfilling the directive to speak BLESSINGS over the city; conducting Worship Intensives here and abroad; ongoing Pastor/Leader resourcing; Website and Social Media set-ups; refining pilot locations for prayer thrusts; LAUSD After-School Chorale considerations; partnering with a Faith Base Collaborative involved with LA Foster Care system…and more. So I step into 2013 expanding on these developments as I continue to—obey, listen, learn, refine, see and follow Jesus!

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Dear Friends,

HAPPY “Almost Post Hot Summer Days” Greetings!

And to think when I was experiencing weeks and weeks of dreary, humid, overcast summer skies in New York, I myself and other Los Angeles Exiles imagined and longed for the clear, sunny skies of Southern California. What we forgot was the heat! So much prayer has gone forth for cooler days and nights…and, I think we are about there.

A —”DON’T YOU JUST LOVE GOD ”—MOMENT!

A few weeks back during one of my times of devotions, it never initially occurred to me that an area of processing I had drifted into was a serious “let’s help God fix this…protect Naomi” mode. I was trying to navigate how to handle certain situations or don’t ruffle feathers in other situations, so I wouldn’t end up in hornets’ nest like I sometimes do. As I was deeply engaged in thinking of various protective measures I could establish to better safe guard myself, I began hearing the whisper of these words within me—“My Heavenly Father watches over me.” Now, I heard these words but I was not hearing, hearing. They were there somewhere in the back of my thoughts, but I hadn’t caught-on yet that this was God speaking… so I continued in my train of thought. Then the words came again more loudly…sadly to say, several times. Finally, I really heard as He flooded me with the understanding that I don’t need to maneuver how to protect myself, because “my Heavenly Father watches over me.” When I finally heard it, I tapped my forehead because “I got it!” I’m amazed that I spent so much time trying to work-out my plans for protection from anything/anyone who would seek to assail, cause harm or my being dependent upon myself as my ultimate protector, defender, provider, healer, deliverer, sustainer, guide or fortress when—MY Heavenly Father Watches Over Me! He watches over you!

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Dear Friends,

WELL—it happened! July 6. Another birthday.

It’s the time of year that always shifts me into a ridiculous, uncontrollable mode of “celebration!” Not having anyone to herald this “amazing DAY” for me, I’m somewhat embarrassed to relate how consumed I become in finding something to do to celebrate me. It usually begins about 3-4 weeks ahead with my wondering what would be an exciting feat I can venture into this year that answers all that should be expressive of this DAY. My journey usually begins with my checking-in with friends in different locations to invite myself to their area so others besides myself can participate in this Birthday event. Being a July 6 born does carry some high celebrative limitations because it’s infused amid summer vacations, kids out of school schedules, extended Independence Day relaxations, family reunions, etc. So by July 4^th this year, I began coming to the conclusion that perhaps I had gone a bit overboard in my expectations. Then it happened! On July 4^th itself, without any coercion or drama on my part, a friend asked if I would like to spend two nights at their Time-Share at a Resort in San Diego. Enthusiastically I responded! To my (birthday) surprise the Resort even showcased fireworks every night. Now - how good can God be?!?

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Dear Friends,

O sing to the Lord a “new song”…for He has done (and, is doing) marvelous things! (Psalm 98:1)

If you think I used to be filled with song, you should hear me these days. Indeed the praises are going up as I watch His blessings come down. At the recent Touch of Grace meeting for the Board of Directors, I was somewhat embarrassed asking if I could (impose upon them) and sing two new Prayer Songs that the Lord had recently given to me. They are always gracious to allow this to take place especially when I’m so exuberant about it…and they’re the only audience I have to sing to. Songs usually come during my morning times with Jesus as I happen upon a Scripture that is so “on-the-button” for me that I cease reading and begin working on a melody to massage its truth into my heart and spirit.

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Dear Friends,

TWO-THOUSAND TWELVE!

What a blessed, God-orchestrated, grace-filled, adventurous 2011 I have just concluded. Now here I am entering 2012—continuing on His path of surprises and more desirous of being His “faithful follower” than ever before.

Today, the word for me is…NEW. Not a repeat or revision of the same, nor the next in a sequence of things. It is my going after God’s direction to know the right way to go because—“I have not passed this way before”. (Joshua 3:4) It is what Jesus continues to define for me as being on virgin territory. This path of newness does have a great deal of bumpiness, switches, turns, surprises, and disappointments connected to it, but I concluded 2011 with this declaration—“I cannot go backwards.”

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Dear Friends,

These days I find myself having to laugh.

Somehow I’ve become one of those MIA (Missing in Action) persons you hear or read about. For several months the letters, voice mails and emails have been asking, “Where are you?” Most of these begin with a litany of investigative possibilities such as, “Are traveling?... In LA?... In the USA?... Abroad?... Still living in hotels?” But one of my latest favorites is: “Is this Naomi Beard?!” YES! This is me – at a slower pace, following a full-focused season of “swamp!”

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