When God gave me and Jim our five beautiful children, I wanted to create traditions in our family that they could remember over the years and pass down to their own children (as Little Lori is now doing).
One of those traditions that I dearly love is reading the “Legend of the Candy Cane” at Christmastime. I believe it’s so important to honor the birthday of Jesus at Christmas in everything we do, so this was a perfect blend” of the “sweet” things that go along with Christmas!
Our children also love reading the “Christmas Story” (another family tradition) along with the “Legend of the Candy Cane.” In fact, some of them even learned to read with these family traditions! Continue reading →
We recently celebrated my 57th Birthday and as with most of our life events, we celebrated on the show with family and friends, and our extended family and friends which means all of you! It was a wonderful day as my amazing husband, children, and family along with my mentor and friend, Lloyd Zeigler, recalled the moments of my life that brought me full-circle to where I am right now. It’s truly been a fairytale story, with all of the tragedy and triumphs that make for a good television drama – except it was all very real. The life and times of Lori Graham Bakker could have been a great soap opera, if it were a fiction. But my life was not fiction. It was real – and God has given me “beauty for ashes” as it says in Isaiah 61. Continue reading →
On one of our recent shows with Dr. William Forstchen, the author of “One Second After,” we talked at length about preparing for emergencies and how some find it a matter of life or death while others devalue it in the most mocking ways they can. We can’t reach everyone with the message of emergency preparation, but we try our best to warn them and then if it’s received or not is up to them.
But you’d like to think that your own family would receive the wisdom of preparing, and some do while others continually brush it off. In fact, some family members (usually the younger ones) are way too busy with living life to pay attention to the real threats we face in our world. But it’s sooo gratifying when one of them “gets it.” Continue reading →
It’s really amazing how faithful God is and how He fulfills certain prophetic words that He may have given you many, many years before. This past week, I was so sick that I couldn’t go down to the service at Morningside to hear Ricky, my 16-year-old son preach, but I watched him on the live stream.
I was so proud as I saw this figure of a dark curly haired young man in a suit with a Bible walking up to the podium. And then suddenly, I heard the Lord say, “today is the fulfillment of the prophecy I showed you in a vision long ago about your son.”
I was astounded. It was like “Throwback Thursday” when we post things on the web that were from times past. God had given me this flashback of a vision from my early walk with Him. Let me tell you about it. Continue reading →
I thought of another Bible verse I had memorized: “I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten.” God was doing that in my life, giving back the years I had lost because of my sin and rebellion. He had done it in several areas already.
Having made the choice to have five abortions, I lost the opportunity to ever have children. Yet God had blessed me with many spiritual offspring—like “my girls,” Kelli, Nicks, Morgan, Nina, and Michelle Murillo. He’d given me an inner-city family—Margie’s family—complete with a namesake, Little Lori.
Margie had been pregnant with her eighth child when we met at the Fashion Share. Margie had accepted Jesus as her Savior and the church had outfitted her with maternity clothes and accessories. Two months later I was in the delivery room when her baby was born.
My mind drifted back to that occasion, December 6, 1990……. Continue reading →
Mother’s Day 2000
I gave Jim a quick kiss when I read his cards, and then I opened the package, which he had meticulously wrapped himself. Inside was a darling little doll in a green travel case. The pretty blond had on a frilly dress and tiny little socks and patent leather shoes.
“She’s adorable honey. Thank you.”
“She’s blonde and beautiful, just like you.”
Jim served me lunch, and we chatted about our ministry schedule and upcoming events as we ate. When we finished our meal, I stood up and started to clear the coffee table.
“Leave that for a minute,” He said. “I have another present for you—“ Continue reading →
When Jim and I were dating, we often talked on the phone into the night about everything; sharing personal stories, learning all about each other as sweethearts do at the beginning of a relationship. He described the emotional devastation he had gone through in prison, and I started opening up about my past. Continue reading →
My readers often ask me how I do it – how I manage marriage, motherhood and ministry all at the same time. The short answer is “I don’t” and the long answer is “He gives me grace”. Though a book could be written on each aspect of my life and someday, probably will, today I want to start addressing these topics in little bites on my blog. You’ve heard the expression “How do you eat an elephant” and most of us know that the only way you can do that is “one bite at a time”. So, that’s how we’re going to start to cover these topics… a little at a time.
I will begin with a little background on where I came from and my thoughts about where I’m going. I will always be completely open and transparent about everything because I believe that people are looking for other REAL people, not people wearing masks or personas. The Lord knows we have enough of those kind of people! When I’ve opened up like this in the past, some have said that it’s just TMI (too much information) and I need not tell every little detail of my life! Continue reading →
I thought I would get your attention with that title, but it’s a true statement! I am very defensive! That is… I am a defender of Jim particularly (and other family members, especially my kids); I am a defender of women; I am a defender of God!
I can completely relate to Sarah Palin when she said she was a “momma grizzly bear.” I think the instinct to defend our children is in most of us as Mothers. If it’s not, there’s something broken inside!
Defending those we love is an honorable character trait, don’t you think? Jesus is our defender and He is passionate about it! Continue reading →
A few years after Lori was born (we now call her “Little Lori”), the circumstances of life led us to a place where Jim and I could adopt this beautiful child. She was and is my namesake, and she is beautiful, inside and out.
“Little Lori” is now 20 years old. Not only is she an amazing human being, she is gifted in many areas. She has done a wonderful job producing our television show in the past, and today she is studying and preparing for a career in fashion design. Continue reading →
