I believe before I go any farther with my letters (maybe 75 of them) I need to explain “why the letters.” There are several reasons. One, my children and some of the grandchildren have for several years asked me to write down some of the experiences and stories that I have shared with them. Three grandchildren love the story about when the Shetland pony dumped Annie, Hoyt, and I in the ditch…OUCH! Vonda loves the story about Daddy coming to rescue me on his pony, Tony, when I was late coming home from school It was dark and for some reason my pony was spooked. You could ALWAYS depend on our Daddy to be there in our need. But the biggest reason for the letters is that God told me in my heart to write them and I have learned long ago to obey God. Just do what He says and leave the rest up to HIM. At church, Nov. 17, 1996, I was given a message from God by the Holy Spirit through a Christian friend. He said, “This is for you and nothing that needs to be told before the whole church. I don’t know what it means but you are to stir the waters in the family, like the agitator in a washing machine.” I told him I took it to mean that God wants me to keep encouraging my family and friends to walk with God and get ready because Jesus is coming back very soon. My prayers and thoughts have been so strong for lost or seeking souls, but I have waited on the Lord to tell me how to reach out and what to say. So while waiting, on December 28, 1996, at age 79, I fell and was in the hospital for 32 days with a broken hip. My pelvis was cracked and the elbow skinned and bruised to the bone. It was a miracle the elbow wasn’t broken or the ball in my hip because I was airborne from the Church pulpit, which was four steps down to the floor. Vonda repeatedly has said “If only I had turned around more quickly, I might have seen the angel who caught you.” Three wonderful 3 inch pins later and after several months of terrific pain I found myself back in the hospital having them removed because they had slipped. Only the Lord carried me through the pain that followed. My oh my, what a setback in my plans to write the letters. In the midst of this pain and suffering, Pastor Nate visited me at the hospital. It was now January 1997. He read Psalms 71 to me. Now, I have loved the book of Psalms but 71 was not one that had stood out to me before his visit. I read it over and over and knew it was perfect for me and from my dear Lord. Here is some of it and I pray you read the entire psalm for the full blessing~ “O God, you have helped me from my earliest childhood … And now that I am old and gray, give me time to tell this new generation (and their children too) about all your mighty miracles. I will talk to others about your justice and goodness.” (Living Bible) So get ready…some miracle stories are “on the press” and the very fact that you will see the miracle-working God comes from the roots given to us by our dear loved ones who came before our time. I will close this letter with two Psalms. Publish His glorious acts throughout the earth. Tell everyone about the amazing things He does. For the Lord is GREAT beyond description, and greatly to be praised. Psalm 96: 3 (LB) Sing His praises and tell everyone about His miracles. Psalms 105:2 (LB)

My daughter, Shyanne, has sang since she was a small child. She grew up on Amy Grant, Evie, and so many others. She loves country music and her baby sitting money went to buy a very special guitar in high school. Life has twists and turns and hers had many. Married eleven years and two wonderful children later, she found herself in a divorce with two children to raise. Her faith in the Lord and determination carried her through, including raising a daughter with cerebral palsy and her son's serious injury on a daycare play yard. These two children are both gifted and wonderful support to her. Shyanne worked a full time job, a part time job and opened her own Christian music publishing company called "Crimson Glory." Her determination was to write and record Christian inspirational songs. In 2005, she competed in Nashville Star Search, Nashville, Tennessee and this was the catalyst to her music that would reach around the world far beyond her scope of dreams. She released two albums: 1) Remember the Country Farm and 2) Making My Dreams Come True. DJ's in Holland, Australia, New Zealand. U.S. and many other countries blessed her with airplay - and continue even to this day. In 2014, Shyanne fell on black ice and experienced a serious traumatic brain injury. The next year in February, her condition took another turn and she survived an LAD heart attack with an emergency double bypass. As we begin to share, there will be more miracles to her story and to her logo, "Believe in Miracles...they are waiting to happen. She recorded a song for mothers...may it bless you https://youtu.be/W3bY-ZkpSIs

The instructions were to put special letters of encouragement, poems, or other messages that were given to me at a time in my life that brought encouragement. Then at a time that I was struggling, I could open the box and read these messages and be lifted and blessed. Several years ago I began to make scrapbooks from beautiful pictures that I found in magazines, catalogs, cards, etc. I made these and gave them to my grandchildren because they enjoyed the quiet time of looking at the wonderful pictures. I filled them with lovely dolls, trucks, balls, animals, birds, and many other things that attract children. Then God led me to tell the story of Jesus and God's love and include them in the books, which I called “Butterfly books.” Suddenly, I was making them for adults, as well as children, and I have lost count at how many have been given out... Love, Ruthie It took Ruthie many, many hours to put these books together because she let the Holy Spirit guide her in each individual design and she had to overcome the rheumatoid arthritis that had changed the shape of her hands. But we have a loving God of mercy and grace and each book became a beautiful gift from Him through her service of love. Ruthie left with her beloved Jesus in February 2004, the month of Valentines and abundant expressions of love – something she had unconditionally given freely to many, many people. Her prayer was that people would feel the love of God and Jesus Christ when they opened their Butterfly Box or Book and it becomes a work in progress, like our lives, as we add loving memories into it. She lived her last moments to tell us one more time ~ The night before she left with her beloved Savior, she with the most beautiful smile said ~

The Lord called three of us into a prayer mission in the late 70’s, and little did I know then, the long journey He had placed us on. We each had a desire to reach out to people who had lost hope from illnesses, imprisonment, perceived failures, and who faced the multitudes of real life challenges. Our hearts were burdened for people who had the heart felt question, “Does anyone out there care that I am hurting?” We prayed and plunged in with a fervor, designing one or two page letters with embedded pictures, poems, scriptures, and uplifting notes of encouragement. It wasn’t long and we were hand mailing over 300 of these letters. Our outreach was called: “The Candlestick Messenger” As the internet developed, we designed other intercessory prayer website that reached out to all first responders who live extremely stressful lives and often lay their lives down for others. The Candlestick Messenger, First Responder, and our Christian music websites did outreach for over 20 years and can only be because they existed to glory Jesus, and God, the Father. Now the LORD has called us to join our outreach of love and prayer support through "Watch the Sparks Fly" and fly they will because the LORD wants to bless His family. Through the years, miracles were revealed through the power of prayers. Relationships were made among families, friends, emergency responders, and acquaintances ~ many of whom we will not meet until we are Heaven side. It has been a supernatural bonding of brothers and sisters through Jesus Christ. As Intercessory Prayer Warriors, we are not judges, or gossips. We are called to pray in one accord over specific requests! To be in one accord it is important to know: 1) for whom you are praying, i.e. a first name, nickname... 2) identify specifically what God is being asked to do, i.e. healing, deliverance, etc. In order to line up our prayer request with the Word of our Almighty God in the Bible, basic information is important. It allows the scriptures to be applied to specific life challenges and crises. We are given the authority to use the name of Jesus and to plead the blood of Jesus upon these specific requests. Amazing things often happen! I am grateful that there are people willing to pray for others and to storm the gates of Hell with confidence believing that our God says “nothing is impossible” in His supernatural realm. We are promised eternal life by accepting that his only beloved son, Jesus Christ, came to earth, lived among us in the flesh, was crucified on the cross, arose from the dead, and ascended to Heaven to prepare a place for us to one day live eternally. This beautiful land beyond our imagination is called “Heaven.” As you share our inspirational posts, we pray you will experience the peace of Jesus Christ in knowing that you are loved... Vonda ... Ruthie ... Naomi Ruthie joined Jesus in February 2004. She was a spiritual mother to many and lived to share His eternal promises and love. We dedicate this page in her memory...