Some personal news 17 SEP 2013

Some personal news. Before I give some upsetting news, let us remember… All things work together for good to those who love Christ & are called according to his purpose. We are healed by his blood, and we are protected by his protection. On our own, none of us is more powerful than the World System & Satan.
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I hate to dispense disturbing personal news,…none of us have problem-free lives, esp. those of us that have enemies. (While I have so many wonderful friends… I am also aware that a small minority of those that read this on facebook have ill will towards me.) Anyway in my situation, I feel compelled to give a heads up on what is happening, so that people have some handle on what is swirling around me. Just prior to leaving on my big trip w/ speaking engagements in April-May, Cisco had asked that I help her homeless daughter & she gave a very positive recommendation about her dau. Heidi. Based on her recommendation, I felt that having her daughter house-sit would be a win-win situation…a homeless person gets a place to stay & my house gets protected. In the event, Cisco’s daughter Heidi stole checks, property & lots of info from my house, did identity theft, stole & damaged property, stole $3,000, & destroyed all my bank accounts & credit cards. The Grand Jury indicted her, a warrant was put out, and she was eventually arrested. But after she was arrested she was released on her own recog, and once out she is bragging that she will take me down by getting me in trouble w/ the cops & FBI. I was surprised that someone w/ a criminal history, and as I realize now, a drug addict, would be released so easily. While I don’t know what went on in the judge’s mind not to set bail, it might possibly suggest that maybe she is trying to get herself off of her crimes, by taking me down, and that the system might listen to her. At any rate, the nightmare of identity theft continues; and I have had it much easier than some of the horror stories I am familiar with. My banker suggested I write a book on identity theft, since I have had to go thru so much. It has been quite a learning experience. In Oregon, an identity thief can destroy a person’s life totally, but if a first time offender they get 30 days in jail. If they already have a criminal history like Heidi, they get 18 mo. in state prison (not Federal prison even though banks were defrauded).
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As a follower of Christ, I believe we need to extend love & trust to new people; and at times we will get taken advantage of. The fact that people misuse or abuse us should not stop us from being the kind of person Christ wants us to be. I have received more criminal violations against my person in the last 2 ½ years than ever before. Is it a sign of the times, or can it also be that I am out of step with how things have changed? It seems to me that the level of sophisticated fraud & crime is much higher than I remembered growing up. As those of you who know me know, speaking about the time since my release I have done nothing wrong (which is why I was released from probation), I am not doing crimes, so I can only hope that nothing bogus will have any power over my life. For those who continue to keep me covered in prayers, keep on, and thank you.