Prayer That Moves Mountains

Prayer That Moves Mountains

Prayer That Moves Mountains

By Toni Weisz/Spiritual Disciplines

Scriptures: Mark 11:22b-24, Psalm 37:8c, 4-5, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, and Philippians 4:4-5a

We are starting a new year. I am challenging all of us to pray and ask God to give us a word or some Scriptures for this year. What is your word for this new year? Mine is, “Enter Into Your Rest.” The Scriptures are found in Mark 11. As many of you know, my son has been suffering with an unknown illness for many years. My daughter-in-law has also had some extremely troubling illnesses, and my daughter is a single mom basically raising my granddaughter on her own. I have been running hard after God all of 2025, and God has moved mightily and has answered many of my petitions, but there is still more to be done.

In my journalling time with the Lord on January 1, 2026, here is what the Holy Spirit told me:

“Little Bird, you are entering a new season. You are crossing over the Jordan onto dry land to finally enter into the promised land. The land flowing with milk and honey and abundant blessings. You have been wandering in the desert for many years. I have worked in all your lives and hearts and now, ‘Enter Into Your Rest.’ No more striving, no more fear, and no more anxiety. Do not fret; it only causes harm (Psalm 37:8c). Make Me your first thought in the morning. Make Me your priority. I am your great reward. Seek Me with your whole heart, mind, body, and soul. You have been laboring for so long; you need rest—rest for your weary soul.”

Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will bring it to pass. (Psalm 37:4-5)

“Have faith in God. For assuredly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore, I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them and you will have them.” (Mark 11:22b-24)

I am watching God’s promises unfold, and I am so much looking forward to a year of miracles. I want to have faith to move that mountain. I will be praying for this with my whole being and believing God will go before us and will fight our battles. He will provide, and He will lead us with His righteous right hand.

I pray you are also inspired to ask God for the impossible. God spoke in Genesis Chapter 1 and all of creation came into existence. If He can impregnate a virgin with the Son of God and raise Him from the dead after 3 days, God can answer your prayers, too. We just need faith to believe.

Questions to take to heart:

  1. What is your word and verse for this year?
  2. What things are you asking God for?
  3. How can we pray for you?

I believe in my heart that this year 2026 is going to be our best year ever. God will move mountains, save the lost, heal the broken hearted and bind up their wounds. He will set the captives free, and He will turn our ashes onto something beautiful for our good and His glory!!!

Please reach out if you need to talk: toni@myashestobeauty.com.

You are loved,
Toni

P.S. I want to challenge us all to pray without ceasing and to rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice.

https://youtu.be/GVITQPGlI30?si=rkpm1rchU0k_oBU5

Crowder “Somebody Prayed” (Official Music Video)

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The Cover Up

The Cover Up

The Cover Up

By Toni Weisz/Spiritual Disciplines

Scriptures: 2 Samuel 11 and Numbers 32:23c

Have you ever covered up sin with more sin like David did in 2 Samuel when he had Uriah the Hittite killed?

When I found myself pregnant at 21, I panicked and thought, “I have to keep this a secret. How can I get rid of this problem quickly?” I made the plan, but I finally did not have my abortion until December 10, 1980, after I botched my first abortion appointment by not following protocol. This caused me to have to go home for Thanksgiving from college pregnant. God gave me several ways to escape my abortion, but I did not take them. I was convinced by the evil one that this was my only option.

Devising evil plans to cover up sin never has a good outcome. Look what happened to David’s baby with Bathsheba, and Uriah and the men who died with him, as a result of David’s sin. What about all the servants that knew about David’s adulterous affair? He caused many to stumble spiritually and to participate in his plans, and even Joab the commander of his army helped to secure Uriah’s death in battle.

Sin is all consuming, and if we allow it, it will destroy us and many other people.

“And be sure your sin will find you out.” (Numbers 32:23c)

God sees everything. So, when we think we are getting away with something, we are not; it is a lie from the devil, because God knows.

The best thing we can do is go running to God immediately and confess and repent. Perhaps even before we fall into sin and temptation, stop for a moment and pray. Consider the outcome of our decision.
Is it a good one? Does it glorify God or the evil one? Ask for help.

Questions to take to heart:

  1. When have you sinned and tried to cover it up with another sin?
  2. What was the outcome?
  3. How did God restore you afterwards?
  4. How can we pray for you?

Please reach out if you need prayer or help overcoming the sins from your past and the destruction it has left behind in your life and in the lives of others. You can email me at: toni@myashestobeauty.com.

You are loved,
Toni

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A Time to Praise the Lord

A Time to Praise the Lord

A Time to Praise the Lord

by Toni Weisz/Recovery Tools

Scriptures: Joshua 4:6b-7, Revelation 12:11, Psalm 118:29, 28:7, 40:3, 150:6, and Isaiah 43:18-19

In the Book of Joshua, Chapter 4, we see God commanded the children of Israel to set up a memorial of remembrance for what He had done for them. These memorials were to be shared with future generations so they could see what amazing miraculous things God had done for them. I believe it is important for us to look back as well to see where we’ve come from and remember all the wondrous things the Lord has done for us.

Let’s look back over this past year, and let’s share all the wonderful things God has done for us and our families. There is power in our testimonies. We read in Revelation 12:11a, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” Tell others the wondrous and amazing things that God has done for you. There is power in your testimony. We don’t know how our testimony can encourage someone else who is feeling hopeless, alone, and defeated. Your words can be the very thing they need to hear to encourage them and help them through a very dark time.

Let’s share some Scriptures that speak about our thanks to God for all His blessings.

Oh, give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good! For his mercy endures forever! Psalm 118:29

The Lord is my strength and my shield: my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped. Therefore, my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him. Psalm 28:7

And He has put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. Psalm 40:3

But You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel. Psalm 22:3

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Psalm 150:6

I could go on and on praising the Lord with more Scriptures that speak about His wonderful attributes and His great love for us, but now I would like to share a brief testimony.

God gave me this verse for 2025 from Isaiah 43:18-19, “Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth, shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”

In January, during a time of fasting and prayer, I started a new prayer journal, different from all previous years. I was desperate to hear from God, and we needed Him to move mightily on the behalf of my family. I wrote down 20 petitions with Scriptures for each one. I thanked God in advance for answering my prayers, and I signed my name and dated each one.

Slowly over the past year, God has answered many of my petitions which has been so humbling and has brought me to tears. In September, my son was strong enough to travel on an airplane with his wife to see my parents. He finally received a diagnosis on October 10, 2025, for the illness he’s had for four years.. My daughter, a single mom, has been blessed financially with a new job that started on November 9, 2025. God provided me with a part-time job this Wednesday, November 12, 2025.

In the ministry, we did two STS post-abortion studies and two Overcomers abuse studies. God raised up an army of godly courageous facilitators to help with our Bible studies this year. Thank you, ladies, for that. We’ve had 19 women on the call this year, which was our highest number ever. We just celebrated our 12th year of conference calls. We have over 3000 people from all over the world visit our website monthly. We had the opportunity to share our ministry at several churches and events here in Palm Beach, FL, in VA and NC. On Saturday, November 8, 2025, Grace and her new husband, Matthew, were at Love Life’s 40th week and she shared her miraculous redemption story. Matthew is the father of her aborted baby. Seven years after the abortion, they married on October 24, 2025.

God has given us at My Ashes to Beauty the distinct honor to walk with women who have felt all alone and tormented by the evil one. They come into our safe community and they feel the love of Jesus in our actions and words. God’s Holy Spirit is present on our conference calls and in our Bible studies. His fingerprints are all over this ministry, because it is His.

Please share a Scripture verse and a brief testimony about 3-5 minutes of what God has done in your life this year. We want to praise the Lord and thank Him for His abundant blessings.

To those who’ve been on the conference calls and also those reading online, thank you. I am so grateful to God for all of you.

I wish you and your families a very Blessed Thanksgiving.

You can reach out to me via email at:
toni@myashestobeauty.com

You are loved,
Toni

 

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What Is a Demonic Stronghold?

What Is a Demonic Stronghold?

What Is a Demonic Stronghold?

by Toni Weisz/Spiritual Warfare

Scriptures: Psalm 18:2-3, 1 Peter 5:8, John 8:32b-c, and Psalm 91:1-4

Psalm 18:2-3
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, so shall I be saved from my enemies.

Definition of Stronghold: A fortified place or a fortress. An area dominated or occupied by a group or marked by a quality. Taken from The American Heritage College Dictionary.

As I read Psalm 18, it says that God is my stronghold.

We have a choice who we will allow to be our stronghold: God or the evil one.

There are things we do that make us vulnerable to the enemy, which create an opening where he gains a foothold, if not challenged or acknowledged will then become a stronghold.

I have heard a stronghold also referred to as having, “a hook in our soul.” The hook represents a spiritual entry by the evil one, either through unconfessed sin, trauma, abuse, and/or drug and alcohol usage. Once he has access, he lays a snare for us and torments us with lies and deceptions.

Due to the chaos in my home of origin, I learned to hide in my secrets to protect myself. It was my safe place. I could control people’s reactions and protect myself so I thought. I didn’t grow up knowing how to use my voice properly, and I had no boundaries, so you can imagine why hiding in my secrets was my safe place.

For me, my secrets were the area the enemy had a stronghold, a hook in my soul. I started hiding in my secrets at the age of 12 when I started sneaking Scotch Whiskey from my parents’ liquor cabinet. But it didn’t stop there; this sin opened up a door to all kinds of ungodly behavior while outwardly I still appeared to be the “good quiet one” in the family. I strived for perfection in all I did to receive recognition from others. So, hiding in my secrets was important to keep up this façade.

I was living a double life. I had a distorted view of reality because of the torment from the evil one. I hid in my secrets for over three decades. I had a huge hook in me because of my fear of rejection and abandonment. I was afraid if I shared some things people would reject and abandon me or would be harsh and cruel. The fear of that rejection and abandonment caused me to terminate the life of my son.

When I was saved by the grace of God at the age of 34, I still feared the reactions and comments of others, so I told half-truths, but I was still holding back some information. If I am not careful, I can easily go there (withholding information) so as not to hear someone’s cruel and harsh comments. In a way, I felt it was self-preservation. God calls it something else: sin. I should not fear man, but rather fear God.

When I hold back information, I am trying to control the outcome and that is codependency. Instead of trusting God with the results, I am manipulating the situation. I don’t like how this feels. I am uncomfortable, and I feel like I am walking on eggshells. This causes anxiety in me as I imagine how the conversation will go. And I am not doing anything wrong or ungodly, but the evil one has me hiding to get me in this vulnerable place. He is a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (Ref. 1 Peter 5:8). He and his minions are continually observing me and watching for my reactions to things. Then he knows he’s got me in his trap.

The best way to combat this is head on. I pray and ask God to go before me to prepare that individual’s heart, and then I ask Him to give me the words to say. For the most part, it goes well, but sometimes it doesn’t. But I am relieved when it is over and I am no longer being tormented about it.

We need discernment when speaking with certain individuals, especially if they are unsafe emotionally. There is a fine line between discernment and waiting for the right time, and withholding information out of fear. The longer I hold onto something, the harder it becomes to share and the bigger it grows and consumes my thoughts; that’s where the hook comes in. Then, of course, the enemy torments me with all kinds of scenarios and possible outcomes. I am robbed of my peace and joy because of my fears.

By confessing my sin to God, He removes the hook. When I seek Him daily, I am protected from the enemy’s attacks. Each morning, I put on my spiritual armor. Confessing sin is part of my daily devotional time with the Lord. I do not want the evil one to gain a foothold, which can turn into a stronghold. Being in the Word of God daily and memorizing Scripture is the best way to protect myself from the evil one. I ask God to remove any blindness so I can see clearly my character defects, my sins, and shortcomings. I ask Him to bring them into the light so I can confess and repent so I can be forgiven and healed.

Jesus said in John 8: 32, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” God’s Holy Word is Truth. He is our refuge and our fortress, our stronghold. He is our hiding place, and He is our protector. The Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. With it, we are able to slash the lies of the enemy in two (Ref. Ephesians 6: b-c). He covers us with His wings so we are protected by the fiery darts of the enemy. We are safe when we stand on the truth and under His mighty wings.

I want the Lord to be my stronghold because I know He will not abuse me; He is gentle, kind, caring, and compassionate. Lord give me the courage to speak up when I need to and not to delay. Help me to trust You more in this area.

Questions to take to heart:

1.) What is an area in your life you need to watch carefully because Satan had a huge hook in you?

Secrets is the area I need to watch carefully. I need to use my voice and share things right away before the enemy has a chance to torment me about things. I need to be more intentional and proactive in this area.

2.) How did God remove that hook?

In February 2010, I was in a very dark place and asked God to take me home because I couldn’t deal with the pain in my life anymore. He asked me if I trusted Him, and I said yes. He then opened a door and I was introduced to a local ministry that dealt with childhood wounds from dysfunctional families. I was a part of an intense inner healing and a high–accountability group for five I worked on adult-child recovery work and journaled every day for five years. I heard from God like never before. I began to trust God more and more. He showed me that having secrets is lying and that lying is a sin. He told me to stop running and hiding, which in essence I was doing by not telling the whole truth. He wants me to be bold and courageous.

3.) How can we pray for you?

Please pray that I will fear God more than man and I will speak up quickly. Pray God gives me the courage to speak the truth and to trust Him.

I pray this topic has been helpful for you. If you need to talk, please reach out to me: toni@myashestobeauty.com.

 

You are loved,
Toni

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The Root of Bitterness

The Root of Bitterness

The Root of Bitterness

By Toni Weisz/Spiritual Disciplines

Scriptures: Hebrews 12:14-15, Ephesians 4:26-27, 31 and James 5:16a

Hebrews 12:14-15
Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by this many become defiled;

Ephesians 4:26-27, 31
Be angry and sin not: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking put away from you with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

James 5:16a
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.

Have you ever struggled to forgive someone, and it seems like a hundred times a day you keep thinking about all the bad things they said and did to you. Each time you bring them to the Lord and forgive them, but it’s not working. The evil one keeps bringing all these offences into your mind and heart and he is tormenting you with them. You try to forgive them the best you can, but for some reason, it is not working. I had that happen to me recently.

When I journal in the morning to the Lord, I ask Him to reveal any blindness or secret sins that I am not aware of so they can be brought into the light. Each morning, I read The Bible for Hope by AACC (American Association of Christian Counselors). Each morning, I read a different topic and the Scriptures that go with it. One morning, I was reading about bitterness. The Lord removed my blindness in this area, and He showed me I was jealous and envious of my family, and because of that, I could not forgive them. I first needed to confess my sins to God and then ask Him to remove this huge root that had been growing for 30 years. He had to do major surgery on my heart because this thing was huge. After all, He is the Great Physician (I couldn’t resist that, lol). I asked Him to remove this root and to replace it with His love, joy, and peace. And He did. It was done, no more struggling, no more playing old tapes, no more comparing their lives to mine. It was done. I was set free from my torment.

This root had prevented me from truly loving my family the way Christ wanted me to; instead I felt like a martyr. I was the poor little thing. That was a lie. God plucked me out of my family of origin, and I was adopted into God’s family. They don’t know the Lord. They are scrambling, trying to hold onto everything this world can give. I, on the other hand, have an incorruptible inheritance that no one can take away. No one can pluck me out of the Father’s hand. I have eternal security, which is more valuable than anything else this world can offer me.

I no longer yearn to be accepted by them. I don’t need to feel like I belong, because I know I belong to God and His Son has covered all my sins. My life has been redeemed from destruction; He crowns me with loving kindness and tender mercies. I am a daughter of the King. And that’s just fine with me.

Questions to take to heart:

  1. Do you struggle with forgiving others for what they have done to you in the past?
  2. Has it created a root of bitterness?
  3. Ask God to show you what is preventing you from truly loving and forgiving them.
  4. How can we pray for you?

I pray that you too can be set free from the chains of unforgiveness and bitterness. If you need to talk, just email me at: toni@myashestobeauty.com.

You are loved,
Toni

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