Garden Sanctuary at Night (the way it was...)

All of these photos were taken several years

ago before the thick trees surrounding the

back and one side of the garden were removed.

It looks different today.

Sadly the privacy is gone

that made this bird

sanctuary into

a secret

garden.

Sometimes during warm summer evenings

we would worship outside so we could enjoy

the fragrance of the flowers and listen

to the chatter of birds settling

down for the night.

Recent Pictures of My Spiritual Family

Scott is one of my "spiritual" sons.

He's hugging Timothy, Ramone and Yoko's

little boy. Y0u will see them in a minute as

you scroll down. I got the pictures out of

order. Scott you were supposed to

bring up the rear!

Leila is the youngest member of my"

spiritual" family. She joined the Thursday

night prayer group after Ramone left for Japan.

Quickly she found a place in my heart and

became a "spiritual" daughter! Not only that,

she also found a welcome place in my

home. She lived with me for two

years while God healed her

heart and restored

her spirit.

Now she is able to fly!

Soar, Leila!

Ramone and Yoko holding their precious

son, Timothy when they recently visited

us from Japan! Ramone and Yoko are

also my "spiritual" son and daughter.

What a blessing they were to all

of us as they shared God's

heart on them for

Japan!

~~Looking back I realize~~

God used Ramone's enthusiasm

in pursuing God's heart in worship

to kindle a flame in others. He

used Ramone's willingness

to bare his soul and reveal

his brokenness to attract

other hurting and

broken students

to Himself.

Ramone and Yoko, David and Sheila

and soon-to-be baby! That was a

couple of weeks before

Christmas...

More smiles from the recent

reunion of some of the members of

the Thursday night Prayer Group

that met in my home for

four years!

Flowers Galore!

Roses in January?  Only in California!

Tiny red scarlet flowers...

This potato vine looks nothing like a potato.

Hope these lilies will still be 
around for Easter!

                                                                                          

Impatience are delicate, yet hardy... always struggling to 
survive the snails who consider them a d e l i c a c y ! 

A wheelbarrow full of flowers looks fresh and clean 
after the rain... or was it the sprinkler?

This pair of turtledoves will not coo or fly away
if you come too close!

Here's looking at life from another
perspective!

These fiber octave grasses love to send their 
roots down to the bottom of the pond...

In His Appointed Time.......

By Hazel Holland

At times my journey toward

freedom was like that

of a caterpillar

encased in

a dark

cacoon…

not knowing

the appointed time when I

would emerge as a beautiful butterfly.

Garden Sanctuary (pictures of the way it was)

Sunlight through leaves makes

everything look beautiful! So does

Sonlight through people!

Large grassy area under the spreading

branches of the old elm tree. The block

and wood benches have been replaced

by garden benches made from

old church pews!

Old tree stump seemed to make

a good bird feeder... at least for

awhile...

Another view of the garden in the

early spring.

And another view at a different angle.

An interesting shot taken through leaves.

You must have stood on a ladder

to get this shot, Rob!

Garden pathways...

This thick hedge use to encircle the back

yard giving you a sense that you were in

a Secret Garden.

Looking through a bird feeder!

French street light overlooking

rock garden.

A shady retreat.

Let's hang out and worship Him!

Another place to sit and listen to Him.

Everything takes on a new perspective

when you rest in His love!

















I love nasturtiums. Their beauty puts

a smile on my face...but His

beauty puts a smile

on my heart!

More

smiles...

from

Him!

How it all began...

The discipline of waiting upon the Lord is something I knew very little about before I began making this prayer garden sanctuary. Our generation wants instant answers, instant revelations, instant understanding to the questions and problems we face in our daily lives. We live in a fast-paced world. We drive fast cars. We eat fast food. We live in the fast lane. When we don’t get instant answers we often get impatient and discouraged and go looking for quick substitutes.

But there’s no substitute for waiting on the presence of the Lord. There’s no substitute for waiting on His timing for His purposes to be fulfilled in our daily lives. Even during those times when we feel nothing, He is there. Even during the long dry seasons, He is there. He is listening to our every word and thought, preparing us for what lies ahead.

Whether He comes to us in a still small voice, or comes upon us like a mighty rushing wind, He is preparing us to walk by faith. If we ask Him, He will teach us how to wait on Him. But are we willing to pay the price for this kind of intimacy with Him? Are we willing to worship Him while we wait? Are we willing to persist in prayer while we wait?

A Call to Live by Faith

During this time of “waiting on the Lord,” I was pressured to resign from my public school teaching position in 1998 by the school administration. Although my classroom was once considered a model classroom and I appeared to have great rapport with the school administration, false accusations of incompetency were trumped up against me and I was advised to resign in order to protect my reputation. I thought I would just apply for another teaching position in another school district, but that was not in God’s plan.

One of my friends at that time confided, “Hazel, I don’t think the Lord is planning on sending you back to work in the public schools as a teacher. You will never get past the first interview with that shaking and “ho-ing.” I knew she was right.

The prophetic shaking that began to come upon me in 1995 when I began receiving visions and dreams was getting stronger and interfering with my ability to hold on to a "normal" job. So did God have plans for another way for me to be able to support myself? Throughout this difficult time of waiting on the Lord to know how He was going to fulfill His promises of provision for me, He used fellow believers in the body of Christ to speak words of encouragement.

I am reminded of the time soon after I resigned from public school teaching when God showed a word picture to a fellow teacher friend of mine while several of us were praying after church. As soon as we had finished praying, Richard, who rarely saw pictures at that time when he prayed, saw a breadbox outside my front door, but he didn't know what it meant. I knew...

I'd been hearing the words in my spirit for some time, "If you feed them they will come", but didn't know what it meant. Now I knew. The Living Bread (Jesus Christ) that I had been feeding on must be shared with others. He must go forth from my place. But how was that supposed to happen? I was through with trying to make things happen... It was only after I had used up all of my own financial resources that the Lord began to provide miraculously for all my needs.

Miraculous Intervention

Several months after I had quit my teaching job, a representative from a construction company in Rockville, California called to ask me if I was interested in selling an easement to my property. I learned that since his company was planning to build a nursing home in the vacant lot behind my home, they wanted an easement so that they could run drainage pipes underground alongside my property so that the excess water from their land would be drained on to the street. The money that I received for agreeing to grant them their request came just at the right time when I had exhausted all of my financial resources.

Daily I thanked the Lord for this divine intervention, but when I got down to the last of this money, I became scared again. I wondered how God was going to continue to provide for my needs. Many times I desperately prayed for Him to lift the heavy manifestations of His Spirit off of my life so that I could hold a regular job. But He never answered that prayer.

Then one day as I was nearing the end of my financial resources again, I received another phone call from the same construction company in Rockville. They informed me they were interested in buying my home for a certain price. Since God had specifically told me the dollar amount of how much to sell it for when the time was right, I was not willing to come down on the price. So this seemed like a dead end street as far as I was concerned. I wondered what God was up to…

Divine appointments continued to happen when I least expected them. Over a period of two weeks, three people in three different churches, all strangers, came up to me and gave words of knowledge about many details of my life. Knowing nothing of my circumstances or the call of God upon my life, they each encouraged me to wait on the Lord’s timing and trust Him to take care of my financial needs.

They told me that God’s favor rested upon me and that He was pleased with me because I had chosen to be obedient to His Spirit and walk by faith. They told me that everything that He had shown me in visions and dreams would be understood in His timing and that He was preparing me to be a prophetic voice to the nations... (Little did I realize at that time that God can use the Internet for such purposes! Without ever leaving the confines of our homes God can use our "voice" to speak to the nations that are all around us).

These unexpected words of knowledge were like music to my ears. God used them to sooth my apprehensions and quell my racing heart. I became immersed in a bubble of His protective love as I chose to take authority over the spirit of fear. Joy began to overflow my being while not knowing how I was going to pay my bills. I could almost see His invisible shield around me. Each day as I read Scriptures and claimed God’s promises, my hope was renewed and my faith strengthened. I could hardly wait to see how God was going to answer my prayers.

Four days after receiving the last of these prophetic words, I received a phone call from a young man in Bakersfield to whom the Lord had spoken about sending me profit from an investment that he was about to make. Although I had never met him or his wife and family, a week later, money arrived in the mail from them. For another seven months the Lord put it into their hearts to continue to bless and support me in this loving and unexpected way.

I continued to receive phone calls from time to time from the construction company in Rockville who were trying to negotiate a deal with me over my home. After seven months of haggling over the price, we finally came to an agreement. I sold my home to this construction company through an Options Agreement for twice as much as they initially were willing to pay. Not only did I get to remain in my home, but I also received an annual income from them that would take care of my financial needs. Was I being prepared to minister to God’s children as soon as He opened the doors?

Time to Prepare

Then God began impressing me to “prepare my house for meetings.” Since I lacked sufficient seating arrangements, He impressed me when to go to Salvation Army Store, what sofas to buy that would match my existing décor, and what deals to take advantage of. I was thrilled by the personal interest God took in my likes and preferences—even down to the shade and color of cushions. I was able to buy good furniture at greatly reduced prices because God placed His hand over items He wanted me to have so that I could purchase them at the 50% off sales held at the end of each month.

A few months before I found out who the “they” were that God was bringing to me to "feed", I met a young Chinese student, named Sam. Several weeks after meeting him he came over to my house to relate a vision that God had given him about me. In the vision he saw a line of people outside my front door. These people would come into my home looking discouraged and sad, but after being in my home for a short period of time they would leave joyfully to go and share with others what they had received from the Lord. Sam told me it was like my home became a “revolving door.” As soon as people received healing, they would go out and share their newly found joy with others and more people would come to my home to receive healing and deliverance from the Lord. Several months after I received this prophetic word from Sam, the “they” began to come.

“They” Come

It happened quite unexpectedly, as is often the case with God. He is full of “suddenlies.” On November 6, 2000, I received an email from Ramone, a young man who was currently attending La Sierra University. He had been doing a research paper for an English class when he ran into a prophecy that I had posted on the Internet (On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand), and he had stayed up all night reading it and printing it out. As soon as he discovered that I lived five minutes away from La Sierra University he made an appointment to come over and talk.

I learned that he had grown up Adventist, had already been a missionary to Japan, yet continued to be troubled about many of the teachings in the SDA church. He was unable to fully recognize the doctrinal errors without feeling guilty. Like many of us ex-Adventists, he had been told from a child, “Don't criticize God’s church,” and "No church is perfect." But when he read what God had shown me in two prophetic dreams, he finally understood that God had seen all His children’s pains (including his) and was very concerned about what was happening to them.

As we talked, he cautiously tested me on my beliefs to make sure I spoke the gospel that he was familiar with in the book of Romans. After discovering that I believed (as he did) that we are saved by faith in Christ, he was reassured. But then quite unexpectedly he began to test me on the Sabbath question. I said something quite shocking to him. "If we are saved by keeping the Sabbath in the end-times, then we are saved by our good works instead of by faith in Christ's finished work!"

He admitted to me that for the first time in his life, the Gospel was allowed to interpret the Adventist end-time beliefs. He knew he had truly heard the Gospel, but he was frightened of going through this turning point because the Sabbath was his life insurance policy in the “last days.” He wondered, "Was God now calling him to walk where there seemed to be no ground beneath his feet, to step out over the chasm trusting that He would catch him"?

When he came to visit me a second time he brought all his friends with him. This was the beginning of the line of people Sam had seen in a vision months earlier.

Ramone was thirsty for God, and his insatiable thirst to know His love was contagious. He brought new students with him from week to week as we met for worship, prayer and ministered to one another... soaking in God's healing presence. A Thursday night prayer meeting was born.

As the meetings continued students began to move in the gifts of the Holy Spirit that they had never recognized before, such as speaking in tongues, gifts of healing, words of knowledge and prophecy. Although the gifts were exciting they were never the focus of the meetings, because it became so clear to all that God gives the gifts of the Spirit as aides to help us get to the root problems in our hearts.

Within a short period of time God began healing and restoring many wounded, discouraged and broken students so they would come to understand and accept who they were in Jesus Christ. As they let go of their bitterness and unforgiveness toward those who had hurt or spiritually abused them, God began releasing them from all kinds of bondage and addictions that had kept them in darkness. As a result of this ministry of the Holy Spirit, countless generational wounds were healed as we chose to “carrying each other’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2).

Seeing students freed into the light of His glorious presence was the best gift I have ever received! Seeing students learn how to “rest” in God instead of continuing to toil and strive to be accepted by Him is an on-going privilege and joy. I remember how Ramone would share from time to time that he and the other students were the “birds” God had told me to feed. I knew he was right.

Working from a Position of "Rest"

In the Spring of 2001 God began impressing me to make a Prayer Garden out of my backyard. It was to be a place of sanctuary—to reflect what He had been teaching me about His “rest” as I waited on Him…

As I “toiled” tirelessly in my garden to make the vision God gave me a reality, I found I was “working” from a position of “rest.” Although the work tested my physical endurance at times, it was always a joy to be part of what God was doing to bless others. I never felt I was performing or that the work I was doing needed His approval, because I was in His presence continually. Daily I was energized by the Spirit to continue the “work.” Constantly the Spirit led me and showed me what to do next.

Through this experience of working in my garden to make it a place of beauty and sanctuary for others I learned how to enter into His Garden where the “work” has already been done. As I entered by faith into the “rest” of His grace I found that it is a place where no “work” is allowed. For in His Garden the “work” is already finished! The only thing left for me to do is to enjoy sweet fellowship with Him as I hear Him calling me upon the gentle wind of His Spirit to enter more fully into the “rest” that he has already provided... Himself!

Then from this place of “resting” in Him He shows me the “work” He has prepared in advance for me to do. From this place of “rest” where I abide in His presence continually, I “work”. But it is not like the “work” I use to perform under the old covenant—it is not heavy or burdensome, because His yoke it easy and His burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30).

Whenever I go into my garden and hear the soft cooing of turtledoves in the late afternoon hours, I am reminded of how the Holy Spirit is drawing each one of us to come into His Garden and find true intimacy as we enter into the “rest” of His grace.

Can you hear the Lord calling you to come into His Garden to rest? He is waiting for you with outstretched arms. He has placed you like a seal over His heart because His desire is always for you (Song of Solomon 8:6; 7:10).

“Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come with me. See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land… Arise, come my darling; my beautiful one, come with me” (Song of Solomon 2:10-13).

God is calling us to come into His Garden and find true rest in Him. As we linger in His presence and enjoy close intimacy with Him, He will heal our brokenness and restore our soul.

See: The Righteousness the Saves Me

Lover Calling His Beloved

 By Hazel Holland

My Lover spoke and said to me, "Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come with Me." Song of Songs 2:10

"All beautiful you are, my darling; there is no flaw in you." Song of Songs 4:7“

In anticipation I responded, "Listen! My Lover is knocking.” Song of Songs 5:2

"I belong to my Lover, and His desire is for me." Song of Songs 7:10

"Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth... for Your love is more delightful than wine... Your name is like perfume poured out... Take me away with You... let us hurry! Let the King bring me into His chambers." Song of Songs 1:1-4)