Book Review (2 in 1) Lucifer's Flood / The Deliverer

I picked this book up at the dollar store, on a clearance shelf no less. I believe It had been marked down to 3 bucks. It contains the first two books of four in The Reluctant Demon Diaries. Even though it was christian fiction I was a little hesitant as the books are from the perspective of a fallen angel. As I began reading I quickly found my concerns were unwarranted. The Books are AWESOME!

 (From the back cover) Go back to where it all began..... "The sensation of falling was TERRIFYING....we tumbled out of the realm of the heavenly light into perpetual darkness. We had not seen darkness before.... Not like This Anyway..."

The author Linda Rios Brook is an ordained minister and has a firm grasp on the biblical accounts contained within the books. Although there are many fiction scenarios within the story such as, the first person or (demon) account of the fall of Lucifer with 1/3 of the angelic host of heaven. There are many more elaborations of the true stories within the pages of the bible. I found it very refreshing and exciting! 

Lucifer's Flood takes you from the garden of Eden to Noah's ark and ends with the birth of Moses.

 The Deliverer picks back up with Moses' rise as Gods chosen deliverer to the Hebrews in their exodus of Egypt through the leadership of Joshua.

The two remaining books in this series are... The King (King David) and the final installment is The Redeemer (Jesus) 

I HIGHLY recommend these books. They are just wonderful and VERY difficult to put down. I was up till 3 and 4 am reading and would have held my eyelids open if I could have to read them strait through! :) I finished both books (approx 600 pages) in just a few days. If you have any trouble finding these them at your local book store you can buy them on Amazon or Ebay. I cant wait to purchase and read the final two books!!!

*** Angela Jennifer ***

Butterfly Book Club on Facebook

For those of you who enjoy reading I would like to invite you to come by my Butterfly Book Club Facebook Group. click here to be directed there! Its an open group so if your on Facebook come on by and join the page. We just began our first book... Battlefield Of The Mind by Joyce Meyer. I am breaking each book up into a group of chapters (usually 5 or so) we all read in a weeks time. I like to go slowly so everyone has plenty of time to read the chapters and wont feel rushed. At the end of the week (Thursday) we all begin discussing the chapters we read for the week on the group page.  You can even join the group and only participate in reading the books you are interested in as they come up. Its been a lot of fun reading as a group and Id love to see you there! 

*** Angela Jennifer ***

Overcomer...

What a great song of encouragement to remind us we ARE overcomers in Christ Jesus! Jesus himself said "in this world you will have trouble....but take heart I have overcome the world" This is a promise we can hold tightly to as we go through the storms of life. Thank you Father God that I am not alone and I am MORE than a conqueror ... because He that is in me is so much greater than he that is in the world. My heart clings to you Lord Jesus as you cover me in the shadow of your wings. I praise you !


*** Angela Jennifer ***

Jesus In Our Children....

The other night Lee (my husband) and I were spending time in prayer and worship. I found an older Third Day song on YouTube and we began watching the video on our TV. We were both lost in the presence of the Lord and really weren't paying attention to anything that was going on around us. So to our surprise when the video ended we heard Cassidy our youngest daughter softly sobbing on the couch. She had been watching the video and worshiping along side us. It had shown images and clips from the movie The Passion Of The Christ and needless to say little Cassidy Joy was moved beyond words. She climbed up in my lap and I comforted her and began explaining how much Jesus loves us. Telling her that he suffered,died and rose again so that we could be saved  and enter into his kingdom .....at his side for all of eternity. She nodded her head in understanding. When she left the room Lee and I just looked at one another in amazement. What a blessing! That one so young (8 years old) would have such a heart for God..... So precious! 

A few minutes later Alana our 14 year old daughter came into the living room with a huge smile on her face. When we asked her what happened she said that Cassidy came to her and said with tears streaming from her little blue eyes... "I am so sorry for everything I ever did that was mean to you! I love you!" We were all just speechless. In an atmosphere of worship and seeing a visual of just a small portion of what Jesus did for her, Cassidy's heart swelled with love and gratitude for Christ. She then wanted to extend that love to her sister. 

 As a mother when you see God moving in your childrens lives and touching their hearts it can only be described as pure joy! When a child sees your love of God,  your faithfulness and kindness to others. He or she will learn from that. A child who is brought up in a home of prayer and worship WILL serve and love God also. Sometimes, as they experience life and its ups and downs there may come a time when they stray from the Lord. But this one thing I DO believe with my whole heart. They will ALWAYS return to the Lord. So whom will you serve? Assuredly, your children will follow.


*** Angela Jennifer ***

Greater than Gold

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Waiting to receive Gods promises can be such an excruciating journey. We have all been through this at one time or another. Although its definitely not a fun place to be in, it is necessary to draw us nearer to God and help us to grow and mature in our faith. We are being transformed from glory to glory and each difficulty we face, each promise we hold tight to, propels us into a more intimate relationship with Christ. Although difficult, the time we spend waiting and believing for Gods word to come to pass is a precious.  

 I  can remember being disappointed  many times when I had prayed and asked God for something only to find every door seem to slam shut . As time passed, I could see his hand begin to work in that situation and the prayer was eventually answered. A delayed answer is not always a no. As I look back on many of those answered prayers I am amazed at what a work God did in me through the waiting. Faith...... It is a beautiful thing, its worth is far greater than that of Gold. 

*** Angela Jennifer***

Dreams From God

As far back as my early childhood I can remember having very vivid dreams. Some I still recall with great clarity. It wasn't until adulthood as my walk with Christ became more intimate that I learned that God can and often does speak to us through dreams. As I began to study more on the subject, I found a plethora of scripture pertaining to dreams and visions. God began showing me through his word that all through the ages this is one of the ways in which he has always communicated with man. 

Job 33:14-18 "For God may speak in one way or another,yet man does not perceive it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, while slumbering on their beds, then He opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction. In order to turn man from his deed, and conceal pride from man, He keeps back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword." 

This is another glorious way in which God has shown his love for me. He is a personal God. He knows his children as individuals and cares about everything going on in our lives. When I first truly got the revelation of this I was just amazed and astounded. That God, creator of heaven and earth would concern himself with me and my everyday life! It is a wonderful feeling when you get  that down in your heart and soul. He loves and cares for us so much that he would speak and guide us through life if only we would be willing to receive from him. As I stated in an earlier blog posting, God speaks to his children in many different ways and that doesn't always include dreams.

Acts 2:17 "And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh : and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams": 

I have learned over time (through prayer and time in the word of God) ,how to decipher the dreams that are from God and those that are just dreams. Dreams that are from God have a different feel to them. These dreams are usually full of symbolism and there is always a  feeling of importance and urgency. I have even had some nightmares that I have come to KNOW were from God. 

Daniel 7:15 "As for me, Daniel, my spirit within me was anxious, and the visions of my head alarmed me"

 The Lord sends these types of dreams to get our attention. Usually the message in such a dream is of great importance and contains some type of warning. I would encourage you to take these warning type dreams very seriously. Spend time in prayer over it and ask God to lead you in what scriptures you should be meditating on. 

I have found that writing my dreams down in a journal is of great help. This is also found in scripture, some of the great prophets in the bible wrote down their dreams and visions.

 Daniel 7:1 "In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he was lying in bed. He wrote down the substance of the dream." 

There will come a time when you will have understanding of what the warning/revelation was. When you look back on your writings you will be amazed at how accurate the warning in that dream was. You will literally see how Gods plan unfolded and what purpose the dream served in that plan. Dreams are a spiritual gift. Embrace that gift with humble gratitude. If God is speaking to you there is a reason for it. Trust and draw near to him and allow him to work in every part of your life. 

*** Angela Jennifer***

Need You Now

This song is so powerful and speaks to my situation so perfectly. There are several things I have been pleading and wrestling with God about for many years. I know he is with me and I know that he loves me. He speaks to me and says... "Child, I have heard your prayers and seen your pain. I have been holding you every step of the way. I have given you strength to continue on when you have felt like giving up. This is not all I have for you....there is victory in my name" 


***Angela Jennifer***

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Listen With Your Spirit

Today I want to encourage you to listen more intently to the Lord as he speaks to you. God loves communicating with those who seek him. Sadly not all christians listen or even believe that God speaks to his children today. I assure you, it is his pleasure to communicate with us just as he always has. He is the same yesterday,today and forever more. He is unchanging. 

Its easy to get caught up in "life" and what is going on around us. I've noticed that if I take the time to start my day in prayer and mindfulness of the Holy Spirit my whole day is much more peaceful. When I say be mindful of the Holy Spirit I am referring to being aware of the presence of the Lord. Listening to what He has to say and being sensitive to what He may show you through out your day. 

God speaks to us through his Holy Word 

When we spend time in the word of God we are aligning ourselves to commune with Him. Meditate on what scriptures you are reading and allow God to speak to you through the bible. He will guide you through the verses and chapters. I love the way I can read a scripture one day and get an understanding of what is being said and then later go back and read it again and get something new from it. The word of God is truly alive. Let Him speak to your heart and show you ways to apply his word to your life. 

God speaks to us during prayer

I believe it was Billy Graham that once said : "Prayer is simply a two way conversation between you and God" Many people rush through their prayers, spouting off all of their requests and never experience the joy of that two way conversation they could be having with their Maker. Its not the length of your prayers or the eloquence of your speech that make for an effective prayer. The most powerful prayers are those who come before the King with a humble heart and child like faith. Those who would also listen with their spirit in prayer. These prayers are always more effective, as God will show you things that need to be lifted to him in prayer.

He speaks while doing the dishes

I love the way I can be doing dishes, cooking supper or even taking a shower and feel the gentle nudging of the Holy Spirit. As you draw nearer to Him in prayer and through his word these instances occur more. God will often give revelations or words of knowledge at different times. Remember he is a creative God and he may speak to you in a different way than he does someone else. Whatever he shows you pray about it and know that it should line up with the word of God. In other words, if you believe you heard something from Him it shouldn't contradict what the bible says. I have found in my own walk that the closer you become with Him the easier it is to distinguish your thoughts from the enemies and those that are from the Holy Spirit. 

The Lord speaks as we slumber

This is the primary way God reveals things to me. In dreams. Not everyone will have dreams from the Lord. Some may have one every now and then, and others still, have them very often. If God has given you a dream or vision I highly recommend writing it down. I am trying myself to make it more of a habit to open my journal and jot everything down even if I wake in the middle of the night. If you have a dream and write it down you can look back over it and pray on it. The best way to explain knowing your dream is from God is that you will feel it in your spirit. It will have a sense of urgency,importance and meaning. You will not be able to forget it either. At times God gives me a dream and it is strait to the point but more often than not I have to pray and wait. He ALWAYS reveals the meaning and gives the interpretation. Sometimes, slowly over time and sometimes quickly.(Ill be blogging more about dreams and visions in upcoming posts) 

So as you can see Jesus loves to speak today to his flock and the ways he communicates are many. Listen with your heart and with your spirit. Doing so can help you gain victories you never thought possible. He is longing to have you draw nearer to him. I challenge you to move from the "ordinary" walk with Christ to an extraordinary one. God Bless!

***Angela Jennifer***             

Precious Prayers

Sitting in silence she tries to take hold of the hope that seems to be slipping away. Just out of her grasp there lies an abundance of all things hoped for. Waiting to be discovered are the answers to her prayers ….. mountains of prayers.... new and old. Some she has forgotten, others still freshly burned upon her mind. The one who holds them ,who answers them, will never forget. Even the prayers that have come through tears with no words to form them. Precious in his sight they are....they all are.

*** Angela Jennifer ***

Give Us Eyes To See

If we could catch a glimpse of the battle that is continually raging in the spirit, how differently would we percieve all that we encounter on a daily basis? Seeing our enemy for what he really is. What would we discover? Powers, wickedness and authorities who have set snares in place to confuse and bewilder Gods children. Demonic forces whose sole assignment is to keep those walking in darkness on the path of destruction.


  We would also see angels sent forth from the One True God. Ministering spirits sent to comfort and uphold those whose names are written in the lambs book of life. If we could only see how God is the ultimate authority, high and lifted up above all of these things. He is working on behalf of those who love him. We would never walk in fear if we had a true revelation of this.


 Lord give us eyes to see that you work ALL things together for the good of those who love you! Help us to walk daily in the knowledge that you have never left us and will never forsake us. As we walk through the fiery trial may we be filled with peace as we keep our eyes upon yours. Fill us with an unyielding hope, knowing that it doesnt matter how it looks with our human eyes.  You.... and only you precious Savior, can bring forth beauty from ashes. 


*** Angela Jennifer ***

Pressing In and On!

Its crazy how certain things affect us as humans. Sometimes our hurts turn into scars that run so deep we are not even aware of it. I never really understood what writers block actually was or how annoying it could be until recently. So bare with me as I delve back into my passion. I will start by sharing some of my personal journey with you. I began my writing as a child and found it was something that came quiet naturally to me. I used writing as an outlet to express myself through poetry and short stories. Today it is still a source of great joy to me.

A while back I prayerfully decided to go full force with my writing and see what doors might open for me. I sent word out that I was available for free lance writing projects and sent my portfolio to a few local magazines. Not long after that I was asked to help launch a new East Texas magazine. Of coarse I was beyond excited about the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of this magazine. I jumped at the chance, giving it my all, networking and bringing in new clients for the advertising end of things. I was also the first writer hired for the many articles the magazine would be publishing, which left me a nice array of topics to choose from. I dove right in spending countless hours researching and interviewing people for the plethora of upcoming stories, articles and reviews.

The more I wrote the more inspired and excited I became. After a while deadlines kept getting pushed back for one reason or another. Eventually the project was shut down completely. Funding just wasn’t there to get the magazine off the ground. I had to walk away with no articles published, no magazine, no writing gig...absolutely nothing. I felt utterly crushed, defeated and heartbroken. This thing I had put my heart, my time and countless hours of hard work into had crashed and burned before it had even taken flight.

All I could do is ask God why. Why did you allow this to happen Lord? Why was the rug pulled out from under me when I did my very best? WHY!? Not receiving the divine answer I sought, I began praying for peace. I shut it out of my mind and tried to just move on. I never realized that I was merely stuffing that hurt and in the process snuffing out the creative fire that had always burned deep inside of me.

As time has gone by I have tried countless times to pick up a pen or pound the keys to no avail. Every time I would try my heart would sink as I realized I had NADDA. I would walk away feeling defeated over and over again. Eventually I stopped trying all together. Did it help? NO it most certainly DID NOT help. Why? Because when there is a gift inside of you, a passion, it may grow quiet or lay dormant for a while, you may even try to bury it. But.... rest assured it is still there. Those gifts are placed within us by our creator. We will only be truly fulfilled in our lives when we are stirring up those gifts and using those talents. I am now pressing in and on ,trying to rekindle that spark again. God uses all we are called to do to bring Glory to him and fill us with the satisfaction of following our dreams. The enemy will try anything within his power to keep us from walking into our destiny, whatever it may be. Embrace your gifts and passions and you will be honoring His name in the process. Who knows where this creative road may take me, but this I do know... as I travel it, He will be holding my hand throughout the journey!

*** Angela Jennifer ***

Roots of Righteousness or Bitterness?

I see many self proclaimed christians wearing their anger and bitterness like a badge of honor. This saddens me. It is by no means an honorable thing , in fact the word of God warns against anger against ones brother and roots of bitterness. He wouldn't speak of forgivness in the word of God as much as he does if it wasn't important. The world would say someone who turns the other cheek or forgives easily is weak.Or maybe, that you have to stay offended so that you can "protect yourself " from further heartache. These are lies from the enemy of your soul and couldnt be farther from the truth. We are actually stronger when we forgive and let go. It is a form of warfare against the powers of darkness, and an act of worship unto our Lord Jesus Christ. When we choose to stay angry or offended with someone who has hurt our heart or feelings we are by no means punishing that person or "being strong" . What we are doing is allowing the devil to form a strong hold in our lives. This causes us to become more unhappy, more offended and   wounded even more. Christ forgave us and we are to forgive others. When we heed his commands we are walking in obedience and this not only pleases our Father but it blesses us! We can walk in freedom and blessing as we choose to walk in obedience. God is amazingly awesome and he loves to be near to his children. All obedience unto him brings us closer and closer and CLOSER to him! PRAISE GOD! I urge you to study the following scriptures and let God quicken to your spirit areas in your life that you may not be walking in complete freedom. 

*** Angela Jennifer ***

The heart knows its own bitterness, and a stranger does not share its joy.

Proverbs 14:10 

For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.

Acts 8:23

Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Ephesians 5:31-32

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall  short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble and by this many become defiled

Hebrews 12:14-15

Walking Through The Open Doors

As doors begin opening time and time again for me, I cant help but to walk through them ever so carefully. I am amazed every single day at all of the work God is doing in my life.

He opens the doors and my job is to walk through them......walk through... just walk through. Sounds easy huh? Its actually an act of faith, walking through each of those open doors. 

Have you ever prayed for something so long and hard that when you see that prayer answered and becoming a reality, you actually find yourself cringing in fear and disbelief? It sounds so silly, but, it happens!

The Enemy would like nothing more than to achieve his goal, which is to keep me from walking through those open doors. Because for me it IS an act of faith. 

God says it is impossible to please him with out faith. So in spite of my fears and insecurities I have to continue to walk... by faith.

If God opened the doors ,surely he will help me to make it to the other side victorious? I'm more than a conqueror through him …. so yes ...YES and AMEN!

Angela Jennifer

An Answer Revealed

The following was written about a year and a half ago. I am often reminded of what God revealed to me the day I wrote this. He was very specific as he directed me to write down all that he showed me. I am now  seeing Gods plans come forth. As I follow his lead he is opening all the doors for me. Doors that I could never open on my own......


For a long time I have asked the question...What is it that I’m destined for Lord? This is something that has been weighing heavily on my heart especially of late. I have said to myself and others countless times...." I don't know what my place is in this world" Well ....God, being the ultimate lover of my soul spoke much t o my heart a few nights ago. How faithful He is to answer those who diligently seek him! I’ve found that the more broken you are before him the easier it is to hear his words. He asked me some questions and directed me to write them down.... In what area do my natural gifts and talents lye? What do I find most fulfilling and enjoyable? Hmmm…As soon as I wrote these down he said “Now answer them and write it down” So I wrote… Creativity…. Creation….Expression... Artistic Expression. I sat staring at the paper as I felt my heart begin to fill with his words….”Now be more specific, and write it down” A smile came across my face as I jotted down those things which I am most passionate about… Writing, Music, Film, and Photography. He explained something to me next which I will always remember and hold close to my heart. “Child, this is the path you are destined to pursue. The reason you enjoy these so much is because I have placed that desire within you for them. I will use you in this area because it is my will” Why am I so fulfilled when I am writing or journaling? Because of that which he has placed within me. Every child of God will be most satisfied when doing the will of their Father. He continued to reveal that it is not wrong or sinful to be in a job that you are not happy with or find no fulfillment in. BUT it is not his BEST for you! It is within his permissible will… but not his PERFECT will. God wants all of his children to be enlightened in this area. There are gifts each of us posses and we put them to the side or sometimes even forget about them. Going through the motions of life, and dreading to go to work another day. Doing the same old thing is not bringing glory to his name. God wants each and every one of us to enjoy our lives and be satisfied and content in what we contribute to society. Through this God has revealed his heart towards me once again. He loves me and he cares about what is going on in my life. He doesn’t want me to stay in the same place I have been. What he wants is for me to move forward and step into my destiny. Only there will I find the treasure of contentment that is waiting for me...... Amazing! 


*** Angela Jennifer ***

Emerging Butterfly

Each of us have our own journey in life. 
We are constantly being changed and transformed with each step we take.
Every struggle ... every victory ... is all for a greater purpose. 
We are slowly being molded into something beautiful.
God is peeling away all of the outer layers of mess.
Until we emerge ... from our shell.
A mirror image of Christ. 


Butterfly = Transformation
                 Beauty
                 Freedom




*** Angela Jennifer ***

Immensely Favored

Some days I am so overwhelmed by the bustle of the Johnson household. It seems there is always something to be cleaned or made or a fight to break up. The mere task of keeping 7 people fed and cleaned up after is a full time job in itself. Tonight as I sat in my recliner with my lap top writing and listening to Dallas read her two school books to me.  I simultaneously answered questions from Mallory and Cassidy, and held baby Leland in my arms. Lee and Alana were sitting a few feet away watching UFC fights with the volume up loud enough for the nearest neighbors to hear. I was asked by Dallas every few minutes "are you listening Mama?" " Yes baby I am" I replied, trying to sound completely interested. Then I close the screen to my laptop. I survey all that is going on around me. My precious family, my life, I wouldn't have it any other way. How favored am I? Immensely!




*** Angela Jennifer ***

Your Real Enemy

There is a constant battle raging in the spirit for our souls and although our earthly vision is limited to that of the tangible it doesn't change this fact. There is an enemy who is lurking and scheming to make his way into every situation. The Lord taught me long ago that satan can and will work through people. When he does we can react in one of two ways. We can act in the flesh or see with spiritual eyes to the truth of the matter. That truth being that the individual is no more than a puppet in the hands of our real enemy. This is by no means an easy task. We are humans and are hurt and affected by the things that happen to us. Recognizing the truth is half the battle. You gain an upper hand immediately by seeing that the enemy's hand is in the situation. Whatever your going through, whoever has hurt you, I urge you to give the situation a spiritual look. Give the battle to the Lord, forgive and go in peace. Vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord. 

*** Angela Jennifer ***

Battle for my dreams

He laughs as he points and mocks me.
Although he is invisible to the eye I can still see.

Do you really think you are winning in this battle for my dreams?
My God will not let me be defeated, even though I am not quite sure what all of this means.

*** Angela Jennifer ***

Eating Disorder Part 2

When did I come to the conclusion that I have a (disorder) in this area? For many years I sought the Lord and as I prayed for help he slowly revealed it to me.

An alcoholic, drug addict or over eater never sets out to become one. Its a slow process of bad decision after bad decision. Low self - esteem, past hurts and the like in some of us can trigger a fight or flight response. This is when we begin to go down the road of addiction in an effort to extinguish emotions that may surface if we were to "stay" and fight.

 I always asked God "why don't you just make me skinny and not want to eat?" I truly believe that I serve a healing God and he can do whatever he wants whenever he wants. I know that he can make a person new and set them free in one instant if it is his will. So why wouldn't it be in his will to heal and deliver me? He began over the process of several years showing me..." It most certainly IS my will to heal and deliver you from this BUT I want to take you to the root of your problem and heal you from the inside out." I thought ... Why does every road I take have to be so long and difficult!? Let me share something with you all ...... God doesn't do anything half way. This in itself is a tremendous blessing but usually uncomfortable to the flesh.

The Lord wants to take his healing balm all the way to the depths of who you are. He isn't interested in just touching the surface, he wants to dig down deep and bring complete and total healing to the Glory of His name.


to continue.....

*** Angela Jennifer ***

Eating Disorder.... Part 1

Is there something in your life you have been struggling with for years? Some big monster you cant seem to conquer? Is there a prayer in your heart that has been offered to the Lord for years? For me there is. My never ending prayer for help with losing weight and keeping it off. To be delivered from the eating disorder that has bound me since I was a small child. 


When you think eating disorder you probably think bulimia or anorexia, but there are many kinds of disorders in this genre. Mine has been an unending battle that goes back as far as I can remember. An unhealthy cycle of dieting, bingeing, self punishment and back to dieting again. Over and over and over again. 


This afternoon God directed me to look the word disorder up in the dictionary. This is what I found.... 
Disorder - lack of order, confusion , sickness, disease..... put out of order,destroy the order of, throw into confusion, to cause sickness in. Wow! This is an exact explanation of what I have been going through since the age of  about 4 or 5. What I have been seeing as my personal enemy..... food.


*** Angela Jennifer ***


to continue.......