The Power of Pause: Still Waiting to Live in a World Full of Possibilities

By Ethel M. Gardner

"When I thought I lost me, You knew where I left me."

Are you a people pleaser? A servant of all? Take that mask of goodness away, and what will we find? Emptiness, loneliness, a victim. Surely we overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21). But God's righteousness can conquer evil once and for

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trilogy Christian Publishing
• Release date: Apr 17, 2023
• ISBN: 9798887386041

Ethel M. Gardner

Ethel Gardner's journey from victim to victory began with the loss of her only son as she put her grief into helping others going through trauma. Ignoring the feeling of emptiness gnawing in her own soul, she tried to fill her life with doing and keeping busy. She prayed and journaled to write the wrongs in her life, but God hit the pause button. She had to surrender everything, focus on possibilities and purpose, move beyond the past, and just breathe!

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The Power of Pause

Still Waiting to live in a world full of possibilities

Ethel M. Gardner

Trilogy Christian Publishers

Tustin, CA

Trilogy Christian Publishers

A Wholly Owned Subsidiary of Trinity Broadcasting Network

2442 Michelle Drive

Tustin, CA 92780

The Power of Pause: Still Waiting to Live in a World Full of Possibilities

Copyright © 2023 by Ethel M. Gardner

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.TM Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.TM Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Bible. Public domain.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without written permission from the author. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

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Trilogy Christian Publishing/TBN and colophon are trademarks of Trinity Broadcasting Network.

Cover design by Jeff Summers

For information about special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact Trilogy Christian Publishing.

Trilogy Disclaimer: The views and content expressed in this book are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect the views and doctrine of Trilogy Christian Publishing or the Trinity Broadcasting Network.

Manufactured in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.

ISBN: 979-8-88738-603-4

E-ISBN: 979-8-88738-604-1 (ebook)

Dedication

Philippians 1:6 (NIV):

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

To my kingdom calling, what a life-changing experience.

To my family, my children, grandchildren, and those to come! Linda R. Jones Edwards, Natasha Yvette, Jones grandchildren, Kennedy Austin Watson, Jadan Lee Edwards, London Lee Edwards, and for the many more to come, I bless you with the blessing of the Lord.

And to my spiritual mother/mentor, Pastor Betty White. You were sent to me from the throne of God. To my entire great big family all across the world. I love you, guys. Thank you!

Hebrews 12:1 (NKJV):

Therefore since we have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles us and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us fixing our eyes on Jesus the perfecter of our faith.

Looking over the balcony of heaven, that great cloud of witnesses.

My dad/best friend in this entire world, Mr. Obie Lee Gardner (November 9th, 1920- January 30th, 1981). You were my hero; you taught me so many things about myself, and you were there for us the entire time. Your love, patience, and your leadership. You were a gentle giant, and your words still play over and over in my heart; you made a tremendous impact on us all. The best father a girl like me could have ever had. Until we see each other again, rest well.

My mother, Mrs. Alice Mae Gardner (July 3rd, 1930-December 17th, 1970).

I wish I could have known you better. I can now understand what you possibly may have been going through. Be blessed and enter the rest until we meet again.

To my only son. You’re my latest inspiration!

Damon Jermaine Jones (May 1st, 1975-May 31st, 1992). Your smile, big personality, presence, and wholesome spirit!

You gave me a mission for life, a love for people, and a mighty call; you also left a huge hole in my heart that may never heal. Except for the love and the Word of my heavenly Father, the road has been tough and rough, and sometimes it seemed almost impossible to go on, but I find so much strength and hope in life through you and the faith I now have in Christ Jesus.

I can still see your beautiful smile shining bright on this past way. Only had you here for sixteen years, but your impact remained. Until we meet again, keep that light bright. Shine bright like a diamond.

My sister, Ada Olivia Gardner (April 15th, 1955-August 15th, 1980). We miss you. Gone too soon.

Contents

Preface

Introduction

Content

Chapter 1. The Box

Chapter 2. It Started Here, True Trauma!

Chapter 3. A Real People Pleaser

Chapter 4. Getting Rid of the Things I Hated—Taking Off Those Grave Clothes!

Chapter 5. A Life of Real Faith and Wisdom

Chapter 6. My Outer Journey Accomplishes an Inner Spiritual Change

Chapter 7. Seed and Soil

Chapter 8. Your Heart Is the Garden of Your Life—the Power of Kingdom Keys

Chapter 9. Weight vs. Wait!

The Letter

About the Author

Preface

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (KJV)

Thank you, Ethel Gardner, for sharing your stories of massive sufferings and victories after traveling a miraculous life’s journey through a remarkable maze of mental and emotional torment, struggles, and tragedies, but now you are a victorious overcomer spreading the good and exciting news all over the world!

Readers, this book is indeed a must-read and also an instructor to anyone trapped and held captive in a satanic wilderness but now desiring to escape and begin a long and prosperous life. Read and meditate on the pages, which are essential reads.

We are living in a world today where the enemy is seeking to kill, steal, destroy, and deceive as many as possible, even the elect!

The work of this book is extremely urgent, timely, and Spirit-filled—sent just for you.

In Revelation 3:20 (NKJV), Jesus declares, Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and dine with him, and he with Me. Then for the seventh time, Jesus commands, He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches (Revelation 3:22, NKJV).

God’s servant,

Evangelist Betty White

Introduction

By Ethel M. Gardner

First Chronicles 4:10 (NIV):

‘Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.’ And God granted his request.

I’m Ethel, and I have been waiting on this moment for a long time; I just never thought in a million years it would come. It was packaged differently; I wasn’t expecting this. Why! Looking for what was familiar and pushing the unfamiliar away, I just wanted to breathe for a long time! Now is my appointed time and season, and I’m tapping into it; a lifelong pause has finally come to a complete halt.

Come on this journey with me, a journey of ingredients of all the elements to fail in every area of a life on hold.

I would like to take you on a journey with me to better understand how things have worked. In times past, present, and future. Spiritual things—you know, I have read only 10 percent of things we experience are natural, and 90 percent are spiritual; 90 percent unseen…the spiritual realm is very real and present; we have to be connected to know flesh from spirit…

We are spiritual beings, so the spiritual realm should be our very first language spoken.

This is my third book to show you the things that had to happen and manifest in my life before I could break through and live an abundant life. I’ve wanted a life filled full of the blessings and promises spoken by my heavenly Father for me right here on earth.

I had always lived looking at life in failure and defeat, always looking for validation, assurance, and approval.

Praying from failure and sickness, I thought I had to keep proving myself to the Lord.

I never measured up; my prayers were defeated, soaked in shame and guilt, and begging Him to make me a better person so that I would be accepted and that my prayers would be answered.

I thought my prayers were never answered because I just fell short of the Lord’s expectations most of my life; I just could not understand why He didn’t like or approve of me. Did my voice turn Him off?

I am a woman who loves prayer; I’m an intercessor, a prayer warrior. Despite all that, I would come out of prayer and cry, feeling He didn’t even hear me. What do I do now?

I had a lot of shortcomings, habits, and insecurities in my life, but did this keep me away from the promises of God?

I have learned very recently I was measuring my Father’s love by my flesh and my emotions.

I didn’t understand the Word of God and that the promises in the Word were for me. I had to learn to pray for victory and healing, not defeat; I somehow knew this, but despite what I knew, victory and healing always felt like I’d failed the Lord and needed Him to punish me.

Have you ever been there? Finally, I came out of the space, embraced my real purpose, and started on a different path. It was life-changing for me.

I had to go back in my life and seek out things I saw in place that needed to be removed and other things that needed to be added to my life. I’m a woman on a mission to get free at all costs. Why? Because it is one of the greatest promises in the world, and in the Word, we have power and authority, and most of us never use that power for good; some of us never knew we possessed great spiritual power, so this is our time and opportunity to tap into what God has already said was ours. Come with me, all of you who want a better, more fulfilled life and lifestyle; the doors are opened for all of us who have the courage and tenacity to go through the doors and take back our power.

It’s not only for us but for generations to come when we see and acknowledge things in place that are not of God. This is the time to use what He has given us to remove that stuff and command the promises He said in His Word were ours. Replace generational curses with generational wealth and blessings.

This book may not be for everyone, but it is certainly for those of us who claim freedom and embrace the promises made directly to us in the Word of God. You ready? Let’s go.

Have you ever been in this space and place in your life where you wonder when and how your breakthrough will come with all the things you know belong to you right here on this earth?

Promises, prophecies, prayers, and words of encouragement have all come and gone, but the reality is mine; it has not happened yet, not according to my visions for life.

Year after year, season after season, and still the same cycles are very much in place for me. Waiting and longing (to live) my life of purpose and destiny as I was promised in the Word. Yes, it’s in there; go read it for yourselves. The promises of God are yeah and amen. Still, I held my breath, placing life on pause, falling short every time of my expectation of life. What is going on? What is this, and why is it in place?

Those are the questions you ask yourself when you pause, for the cause seems odd or weird. But looking into this issue, I know things are coming up for me that I have to give my attention to. Sometimes we’re so busy working and helping we can’t see rest and slow down to get answers to things right in our space. So now that I’ve decided to pause, I’m looking at some really hard issues that are in my life and have been in place for years or all my life.

So the power of pause doesn’t mean you stop living; it just simply means to pause and allow God to show you what’s needed to take us to the next level of life. You don’t stop living; you start a new chapter without the drama, a chapter of promises and blessings of the kingdom…and you also stop to acknowledge things are either right or wrong, and you compare them with the Word.

Pause and pray—when you pause and pray, God will give you a revelation of life that may transform your perspective and your point of view. This will bring us closer to Him.

The power of pause sometimes allows us to hear His voice and get clearer, more concise instructions. This may give us a better balance in life and new opportunities to stop, reset, and rest.

Those things became common, normal, almost a natural accordance like looking, not acknowledging the elephant in the room. So now I’m paying close attention to some of the things I either didn’t know, didn’t see, or just didn’t give ear to. Lord, You have my undivided attention.

So here I am and again asking myself, Where are the promises of blessings and life I want for me, my family, my community, and my tribe? They’re right here and mine, so why don’t I pose them?

This just keeps coming up over and over again; this thing was really strong in my spirit, so now it’s time to pay close attention to it and get the help I’ve asked and prayed for all my life.

I turned my head far too long, hoping and praying, even fasting, that this burden would go away. It didn’t, so now it’s not the Lord’s quest to pay close attention to what He is trying to let us see; it’s ours to look, see, acknowledge, and make the necessary changes. This may sound redundant, but believe me, the mind is sometimes working against you.

One of the reasons I kept so busy doing everything for everyone else was that I didn’t want to deal with the same old thing on a different day, and as I say this without judgment, most of these relationships we find ourselves in keep us so busy for them we can’t and don’t have the energy to do for ourselves. It’s an assignment…is that clear?

Looking back over the past several years, I can see a pattern interwoven in my thoughts and feelings.

This is what came up out of that: thoughts/emotions. You are constantly living life in the past. Give yourself permission to break that emotional cycle and live in the future; that is where the promises lie. Stop looking at life in reverse.

One of the reasons was that I