I arrived home from North Dakota a few days ago and opened up Advent Talk. Much to my dismay, I found all the "surmising" and "assuming" regarding the letter I wrote about Barbara. I am a retired Life Insurance agent and many years ago, my supervisor told me
never to assume anything because those who do, are usually wrong and it makes everyone look bad. Plainly speaking, your assumptions are wrong.
For those who asked, I'll tell you why Barbara did not write the letter herself. She, like Linda, does not go on any forum any more, nor has she since she came home from Norway and tried to write. Reading all the "stuff" people wrote was just too upsetting for her and her health could not take it. Over the past year, I would go on BSDA and see that there were some people sincerely asking about her and I'd relay that on, letting her know she did have many friends genuinely concerned about her health and how she was doing.
We discussed how best to let those who love her know she was much better and we decided that I would be the one to write the letter. I posted it on BSDA and, (this is for you, Sister)
I decided to also post it on Advent Talk (knowing many of her friends were also reading here) ~
THEN, I informed Barbara on the following day of what I had done. This was NOT about playing games, Sister. Barbara has never gone to Advent Talk and, as I said before, she also no longer visits BSDA.
Sorry Grammie T, Barbara won't be coming on this forum or any other. I am Barbara's mother and thank you for the apology. Like I said in the letter; God, in His own time, will reveal what He wants known. The purpose of my letter was to let those who wanted to know 'why' Barbara hadn't written sooner ~ the "Why" - and that she is doing fine. I also want to let you "naysayers" know that I keep in contact with Linda and talk to her on the phone, the last time being just two weeks ago. We see each other when our paths cross.
I want to thank those of you (Grandmad, Servant, Ian, Habanero, Fran and many others) for your kindness shown to Barbara and who have been appreciative for the update. For those who don't know, you may go to BSDA and open the Praise and Testmony thread where you will find Barbara's 'Love Letter From Norway'. To read her "Open Letter" explaining her involvement with 3ABN, click on 3ABN (Links and Resources) here on Advent Talk.
Barbara has the following statement by H.M.S. Richards, Sr. posted in her office and around her house so she can read it readily throughout the day. Perhaps everyone should read it at least once a day to keep focused on what is truly important in life!!
Keep At Your Work
"The Lord has given to every man his work. It is his business to do it and the devil's business to hinder him if he can. So, surely as God has given you a work to do, Satan will try to hinder you. He may present other things more promising. He may allure you by worldly prospects. He may assult you with slander, torment you with false accusations, set you to work defending your character, employ pious persons to lie about you, editors to assail you, and excellent men to slander you. You may have Pilate and Herod, Annas and Caiaphas all combined against you, and Judas standing by ready to sell you for thirty pieces of silver; and you may wonder why all those things come to you. Can you not see that the whole thing is brought about through the craft of the devil to draw you off from your work and hinder your obedience to God?
Keep about your work. Do not flinch because the lion roars, do not stop to stone the devil's dogs; do not fool away your time chasing the devil's rabbits. Do your work. Let liars lie, let sectarians quarrel, let corporations resolve, let editors publish, let the devil do his worst; but see to it that nothing hinders you from fulfilling the work that God has given you.
He has not sent you to make money. He has not commanded you to get rich. He has never bidden you to defend your character. He has not set you at work to contradict falsehood which Satan and his servants may start to peddle. If you do these things, you will do nothing else; you will be at work for yourself and not for the Lord.
Keep about your work. Let your AIM be as steady as a star. Let the world brawl and bubble. You may be assaulted, wronged, insulted, slandered, wounded and rejected; you may be abused by foes, forsaken by friends, and despised and rejected of men, but see to it with steadfast determination, with unfaltering zeal, that you pursue the great purpose of your life and object of your being, until at last you can say, 'I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do.' By: H.M.S. Richards, Sr., Founder of Voice of Prophecy.
Barbara is determined to be about her Lord's work. She is happy, content and full of joy. She loves people and is doing all she can to fulfill the covenant she made with God when she was dying of Crohn's Disease ~ that if He would spare her life, she would spend the rest of her life helping people to never get as sick as she was. God honored that prayer and is blessing her beyond measure. I am thankful I have such a Godly daughter who loves Jesus with all her heart!
I pray for God's blessings on all of you.
Jo Ann