907 - Gargamel, from the Smurfs, doesn't want you to be energized by his unbelieving belief!

Oh Lord, what an exciting yesterday.  Both the boys and girls teams of Carmi Middle School are going to state!!  Our girls, which actually have a chance at winning state, won their final game yesterday pretty easily.  There are so many awesome rockstars on that team it is incredible!  I love to watch them play!  Great group of girls too!

Our boys were not favored to win.  We really were not predicted to even get this far.  They are real young - all the infield are 7th graders except our catcher/pitcher - just depends on where he is playing!  But that one 8th grader, Tyson, pitched an incredibly awesome game.  Even though they were hitting us, we took our turn and hit them as well.  It was so tensely exciting!  Had one good inning and jumped ahead with a 7 run lead, but then they came back.  Finally we jumped ahead again!  For the final inning they about made me throw up by putting my son in as pitcher.  He doesn't throw near as hard as Tyson, is a lefty, and his ball has lots of movement.  I guess the change up that was needed.

Really good batters up and the pressure was on........on me it felt like!!!  Tucker pitched his heart out and the team backed him up with some great plays!  We WON - 14-11.  The team that was suppose to just going to have a "learning year" is going to state!!!  I am so pumped for all these young boys and girls!!

Anyway we are excited! Who knows what the Lord might continue to do through these boys!  and girls!

As directed in my devotion I read Acts5:27-42.  This is a time that Peter and some other apostles were being at the very least jailed for not shutting up about the Lord even after being warned time after time.  Finally it came to a court like decision and the room wanted to have them killed.

A man by the name of Gamaliel, reminds me of Gargamel from the Smurfs, asked that the prisoners be removed from the room for other discussion.  After the guys were taken out he reminded the room of others they had killed and the problem disappeared.  But the others they had killed had nothing to do with the Lord.  This wise man of the Word even though not a believer in our Jesus remembered the days of long ago.  He knew of how God had worked in the past.  He also reminded the room that you may shut them p, but you cannot silence God......and you certainly don't want to found fighting God - He always wins!

There is so many things about this passage that I love and could do into greater detail.
1) I love how the apostles do not back down.  They are willing to die, but still will not quiet down even when in front of those that will and can kill them!!
2) I love the fact that even the unbeliever had heard of the Lord's power and didn't want to mess with that!
3) I love the fact that Gargamel had the apostles removed from the room.  It was like he didn't want the apostles to be energized by the unbelievers belief in God's power.

Lord, this could be a great message brewing for a youth group or a group of youth!  Show me if/where  am to spur on another by Your great Words to live by!!!  Oh Father - may I have the faith that would be willing to die for you!!  I love you Lord!!!

Today I have so much laundry to do.  Elleigh has a dentist appointment and then I will be taking off for the alter sanctuary for prayer!  I love that time!!  I will be ready to hear from you again!

786 - Must Learn through the pain!

Well - what a roller coaster. Tuesday dad was working out and went down to take his shower to end the morning. As he was getting ready he was aware that he could not do normal things like tie his shoes. So somehow he got dressed and came out to the lobby to find mom. He walked over to her and said, "Please take me to the ER, I am having a stroke. I am dizzy and cannot process simple things." Mom screamed for 911 and of course they rushed over to help and get the medics!

After time of examination mom was told that dad did have a stroke from an aneurysm. Turns out that what dad had was a hemorrhagic stroke. This is called a brain bleed as opposed to a blood clot lack of oxygen kind of stroke. The brain bleed kind of stroke is not the one you want to have!! Much of damage is irreversible - but then again "they" may not know what my Lord can do!

We have seen little improvements in dad every day! Today was one of his best days so far. We about wore him out with food and sight tests, OT, speech therapy, and PT. But he is very anxious to begin it all. He actually fed himself today with the coaching of the speech therapist! The staff has been absolutely incredible!!!! We keep waiting to say - she is the best nurse - but they just keep getting better and better. All of them!!

The love has been overwhelming to us all. Dad wants to see everyone that comes to visit! He is very emotional and I just love that! My dad is such a sweet and soft man and it is really coming out right now even more so. The love friends have shown to me through texting, calls, and facebook has been so wonderfully encouraging! Mom's home church too has been awesome!

Last night mom and I both had a real bad night. We slept well, but it was because we absolutely exhausted ourselves from all the crying and just out and out horrific sobbing! It was that we want to believe all will be alright, but in the midst of the pain it is so hard!! I feel like such a hypocrite in saying that, but dadgum, it is the honest truth! My faith has been tested and there are times when I feel like I am failing big time. Praise the Lord He does not judge based on a one time test, but gives plenty more till perfection!

I am learning so much through this! One realization today was the honor it is for the Lord to take you through something so that He can truly teach you to be more like Him. As mom and I go in and out of places doing different things I do not look at people without a smile on their faces as joyless people. I look at them and wonder if there faith has just been tested? I look at them and wonder if their parental rock has just been shattered a bit? I look at others and wonder what they may be going thru!! I look at them with mercy - mercy that i am not sure i have ever displayed because i really just didn't know how.

I know life will continue on, life will pick back up, and life will not slow down, but i pray that all this will keep me different. I pray that I will keep this awareness of mercy and give to all those in need. I hope that my judgemental heart will fade and I can generously give more grace! I pray that through this - the honor of pain to be changed to look more like Him - will never be forgotten!!! I want none of this to be in vain!!

Lord, please please decrease the blood in my daddy's head. Make the swelling go down and his headache to subside. Begin to mend his brain back together that he can regain the use of his left side. Lord, they say it is unlikely, but I know - with God all things are possible!!!!!!! I do believe and I will believe and I am believing!!! I know you Lord and I know you are good!! Not because of what you do - cause of who you are!! I do know it!

595 - Yes, I Know You Can

OK OK OK - I know I said I would come back and label the pictures AND that I would have a second post yesterday, but the day got away. Summer - technically 3 days into it - has already been so much fun!! I am going going going, but we are having so much fun. The kids are playing well at home and even together at moments. We had a lemonade stand yesterday and the girls really did well. The kids are just growing up and I am enjoying it so much. Thank you Father!!

I am so totally terrifically tubularly twisted!!! Speaking Thru Me had the first ever conference call and had a blast. It was awesome to hear one anothers voice and hear some hearts as well. Oh Lord Jesus - I am just so excited. I know it may be a while until we see all that you may do with us as a group, but I thank you for what you have started and the incredible hearts you have placed in this group. Lord Jesus - who else might you bring to us? Lord, please reveal things as Ginger and I can handle them. Thank you!

Yesterday my friend Patty said some really awesome encouraging words to me and it ended in a round about way of saying "Begin Believing". Now as we both are huge Beth Moore Bible Study girls I knew exactly what she was saying and even what to do! It was a message from the Lord she was sending!! Thank you Jesus for the sweet words.

As I think about the ministry of Speaking Thru Me I am just astounded by what God has asked us to do and then that there are actually people that would agree to do it. Yes, I am talking about the money situation - it is a huge deal. Why would anyone agree to speak for free when there is a lot of money to be made out there in this profession? Some charge simply because God has given them that OK to do so. Some charge because it is a way of helping their family meet some needs. Some charge because they would not do it any other way. But as for me and my "house" this what He has asked of us. Trust me - it is Barbaric!

But this week I have been in Luke 5 a bit. The verse that sticks out says, "But because you say so!"in the first 11 verses. This is Simon Peter telling Jesus basically - what you are asking of me does not make sense, I have tried it the logical way, I have done all the right things, "but because you say so" we will go out and try to catch more fish - do it Your way. This is the same thing I told the girls on the phone last night.

So this morning I could not help but go on further into that scripture. Luke 5:12-16 is where the leper falls before the Lord in complete and utter belief saying, "Lord, if you are willing, can you make me clean?" WOW!!!! That is incredible. The leper is not giving a list of the advantages of healing him to the Lord. You know the - Lord, if you heal me I will do this for you - if you heal me I will tell everyone - if you heal me I will........... He was convinced that Jesus could do it, but was just asking if He would. My devotion went on to explain that this guy really had an eternal perspective whether he knew it or not. His belief was there, but in his statement revealed he understood that it might not be in God's plan to be healed on that day. Why was that - just logically I begin to think there might have been others that went to Jesus and did not walk away with the healing. Could it have been - I don't know! Interesting... Did they not believe or did Jesus not have the healing in their lives for that day?

But as far for this guy, he believed and was seeking something than his own interest. Of course it was in his interest to be healed, but it was not the "central issue". So I have to ask myself as the devotion did as well - 1)Do I believe He can do the things that I am asking - I mean absolutely convinced?? 2)More than seeking that request to be answered, am I seeking His purpose for my life? Hmm - great questions Jesus!! Today I will rest in the "ponder". I love you Lord!

Today we have the end of basketball camp. Tucker will play in a one on one tournament and hopefully do well. Emmajoy will too complete the camp, but SJ has chosen to go to a birthday party with Elleigh instead of camp for her last day. Then around 6pm a ton of youth girls will be coming over to hang and spend the night at my house - with no carpet in the whole house mind you!!!!!!! Clay and the kids will be spending the night at his parents. The tomorrow is filled with more baseball and the likes. Both SJ and EJ made the swimming team. I am excited for them. We already have a few applications for tennis camp that I am having in July and I have 3 private lessons next week. My team won the Biggest Loser contest and I ended down 10. That was so worth it. Now the hard part - keep it off and hopefully lose a few more!! OK - got to get cleaning. What a beautiful day!! I believe!

512 - New Year's Resolutions - Tift

Dear Lord, you know the plans I have for today and I commit them to you. I have an important meeting this morning and I have some others things as well that are important to me. Lord, give me wisdom and solid thoughts. Give me confidence and gentle boldness. Give me patience and much, much love!! Thank you in advance for taking care of things!

Lord, I have tift or is it a rift...... anyway... with myself and other things I have been reading. I decided to not verbally say or make any new years resolutions and all over the web I saw the same things from many of the fellow Christian bloggers. I saw things like - I am not going to make any kind of resolution this year. I am just going to pursue Godliness or Grace or Righteousness, etc. I thought or maybe even said the same thing. I guess there are several reasons for that. 1) Don't want everyone to know I have failed again. 2) Don't want to be like everyone else. 3) Don't want to make promises that I can not keep again. 4) Think it is hokey and just a silly thing anyway. My list could go on and on. But then again I vowed probably just to myself that I did want to resolve to pray more and more diligent about my Bible studying. That is noble and a good thing - many bloggers had the same idea or convictions...

So what is my problem. I am willing to commit to do or be better at what God is obviously in or is about, but those things that I have to invite Him into I am not willing to commit. Lord Jesus, this is what I feel you saying to my heart..........God is all about me praying, God is all about me studying His Word - those are givens and frankly I don't think I could ever actually reach the mark or my goal at being a proficient prayer(er) or knowing all the Word let alone in one year. When I do become proficient or know all the Word I think He will just take me home. But those other things such as losing weight, diminishing my computer time, getting an accountability group together, getting my ministry and office organized and stay organized, staying on a budget, etc.......... Those are all things that God is "in", but it is not so obvious because we have to take Him there in sort of a way.

Here is my point I feel the Lord convicting me about. If we want to see change in our lives we have to commit it to Him. Doing things on our own will never work. We have to bring God into every single area of our lives. He has to be in our weight loss. He has to be in our financial pursuits. He has to be in our thoughts of organization. He has to be in it all. And He is. Since He is living inside of me - I am the temple of the Holy Spirit I Cor. 6:19 - I am taking Him everywhere and in everything. He is there when I am able to not indulge and yet He is quenched when I blow it and eat too much! He is there when I think I have to have that skirt (or rather baseball cap for me), but know better. My Lord and Savior is begging me to take Him into every area of my life. He wants to be in more than my prayer closet, He wants me to take Him into my kitchen, into my workout room (if i had one), into my clothes closet, into my purse, etc. He wants and will have access into every area of my life - especially my thoughts!

Lord, what is it that I am afraid of? Am i afraid that I won't please you? Am i afraid that I won't be accepted after failure? Am I afraid that someone will actually hold me accountable? Am I afraid to be vulnerable to the World Wide Web? What is it Lord? Vulnerability has never been an issue for I don't think. I am what I am and am not too much on hiding. Many, many other things are my issue, but that is not one that I see at this time. I have a good friend that is being called by the Lord to expose all this year - be completely vulnerable at all costs. It is beautiful! I am shocked at how many people deal with this issue. I had no idea! But for me - and Lord, help me to be vulnerable here - I just don't take the Lord into enough areas of my life. If i did I think I would have more self-control when I sat down to eat. I would have more self-control when I am talking among friends. I would be able to walk away from a killer sale that says I have got to have one more black pair of pants. I would have more discipline about my computer time. I would not worship any others gods is what it boils down to!!

So Lord, there it is. I want to live the victorious life. I want to be committed to everything you have called me to. I want to hear your voice in every area of my life. I want you to have full reign over me in everything , i mean everything! I want to be skinny, I want to be organized, I want to be a prayer warrior, I want to be in an accountability group, I want to be financially responsible................. I want you, Lord!!! I want you to have your way with me! I want it all - what you have for me. I know that I can not and will not be faithful in any of these ares without your help, guidance, push, discipline, and moment by moment involvement in my life!! I want to feel your breath......... always. Thank you for this or rather these convictions Lord. Forgive me for not taking you with me in all areas of my life. Forgive me for thinking or at least by my actions saying I can do it on my own. Forgive me for my pride and forgive me for not believing You! Lord, here we go! Off to another victoriously living day!! Victory in Jesus!

510 - Take them at their word

Dear Jesus, I was reading from Joshua 2 this morning about my woman Rahab. There is not a ton we know about her, but much we can infer. I know that she birthed Boaz and he turned out to be a great man of God, very well respected and quite successful. She was said to be a prostitute and known by the officials in town. Hmmmm. Her house was connected to the city wall leading me to believe that the city folks were not the only ones to frequent her business. Even the outside world of Jericho knew her "name". But something happened.

The 2 spies that Joshua sent over to look everything over went straight to her house. They knew! But I am thinking they treated her differently than the normal guys. I know this is an obvious place for foreigners to come to since people were in and out of here quite often, but also this is the place I would like to believe that the Lord sent them. Why??????????? He works in mysterious ways. We know now that Rahab actually was in the lineage of Jesus. It had to happen this way. But it is not just that the guys went here and were hidden, something happen to my woman Rahab and it was a result of this encounter with these guys. She got up close and personal with a new customer and I believe it was the Lord Jesus!

Verse 9 says "I KNOW the Lord has given you this land..." That "know" there is one of the most important words in the Old Testament. It is "yada" and it is an all encompassing KNOW. Not just to know lightly, but to perceive, to understand, to be sure of, to be convinced, to know the Lord in some instances in the OT. Like a deep understanding and realization! Not only did Rahab understand that it was the Lord that gave them this land, she KNEW it was the LORD, the Yahweh LORD. I am looking into this story here, but just go with me. I think that Rahab had heard about all the things the LORD had done for these people. I would think going to a prostitute would be kind of like going to a hair cutter - i know this is a far stretch. There is going to be a little talking about some gossip or something before you get into the "cutting". So I am thinking she had heard some of the things that others had heard through the grapevine. She was well aware of things going on outside her city. PLUS - the city officials went straight to her house to see if she had been with the spies. "Yes, they were here, but have left." They knew enough to ask her first - I think some had been there themselves and maybe did some "talking".

But this time it was real followers of Yahweh that came for a visit. I am thinking they told to her and confirmed to her all that she had heard about their God. She KNEW! She believed and she came to know this God as well. God got up close and personal to this girl even in the midst of what she had going on. I am sure she answered the door thinking it was just another customer. Even as they might have said we are not wanting your business we are just needing a place to hid. "Yeah, yeah, yeah" must have rang in her mind - let's get on with it. But this was different. She KNEW!

Oh Lord Jesus I praise you!! You got up close and personal with this lady that was up close and personal with so many. Oh she was intimate, but not with you until this day. You came to visit in a very different way, through strangers, but became intimate with the lady Rahab. You did not wait till she had made a complete change. You didn't even wait until she had verbally committed to change her life with no actions taken yet. You met her in the midst of what she thought was going to be just another day and changed her!!! She KNEW!! Lord, I am not a prostitute, but there is some changing you want to do in my life. Just like this recent reconciliation with this friend. You did not wait until my heart was ready - you just came on in and did the house work! I was content at forever being caught up in inhabiting these bad feelings. But GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh Lord Jesus - thank you!! Thank you for changing me and for making a difference in Rahab's life. Thank you!!! I KNOW and she KNEW!! I love you!

381 - WHat Can You Do?

Phil. 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Lord, this morning I have been challenged by You to once again Believe. I can not get away from one single thing that involves believing. It is intertwined in everything in my life and yours! The picture i took in my backyard represents my life at any point in the day. Lots of green growth, but there is always something that is deep within me that is dead or dying. I have to know it is all caused by some unbelief! It can look very deceptive - for the most part life is green, full of life, and actually growing. But when we look close or really examine OR allow Jesus to speak to our hearts about what He sees through the microscope - death is revealed.

I really feel it is my mission to located that death and have it removed one way or another. Well, what i really mean as stated above it is my responsibility to listen to Jesus as He reveals death in my heart only HE can bring to life again. So how does all this relate to the Phil. 4:13 verse above. Exposing death and truly listening to the Father explain what has died in you can be quite scary and disappointing. As i looked across the tennis court net for years and years I would so often see an opponent that scared me or at least a certain shot that she had. I would over and over quote - I CAN do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I can DO all things through Christ who strengthens me. I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me. You get the picture. That whole verse just doesn't have meaning to me, every single word it possess is power!

So I stand before the Lord today asking Him to reveal the death. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I can see, name it, and ask Him to remove it or bring new life to the death in my heart. He will - remember He BARA's us a new heart when needed!! Oh praise you, Lord. I believe. I do i do i do!!! Now help my unbelief too.

To do Your good and Your work, I must be alive and filled - fruity. Father, reveal that death and replace it with life so that more fruit can grow. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!!! I love you!

I can not believe I forgot to tell you that my son did break, fracture, just hairline kind of thing, his left arm. His pitching arm, his dribbling arm, his writing arm, his shooting arm, his......... oh that is so silly - He is safe, he will heal, and HE is so good to us!!! I know I am so blessed! Hopefully he will let me post a picture of his cute little cast later. Little sensitive still!!

349 - Believing God

Lord Jesus - tonight is the night. The Believing God series begins at my house at 8pm. I know Dori and Nise and Holly have a long drive from their perspective states, but it will be great to have them. Ha! But i am Believing!!! I have been here in Illinois for almost 6 months and I am so excited to have this group.

I think there is nothing I love more and have missed more than having Bible study in my own house. I love filling my house with prayer and praise. I love my kids seeing others get together for this purpose - I want them to know I am not the only one that wants to study the Bible- many other moms too! I love seeking the Lord with other people and then getting back together each week to discuss how that adventure went. I love being able to pray with someone about a specific request in their lives - and I love seeing God do something because of the prayers lifted - that may be one of my favorites. I love to see others fall even more madly in love with Jesus, learn more about Him, and want to pursue this relationship with great intensity... Oh do it, Lord. DO this for even us.

This morning the Lord led me or reminded me of the Nehemiah mission. So i have been studying Neh. 1. Oh it is some good stuff. Here is the deal.......... Nehemiah is the cupbearer to the King. His brother comes to him after coming from Jerusalem and seeing the city, Holy city in shambles and ruins. The Israelites are living in ruins, sin, and disobedience. They have been overtaken and ensnared into all sorts of things - just plain abandoned their faith and heritage! This extremely bothers Nehemiah - so much so that he cries, prays, and fasts. Does that sound so much like our nation. Well on second thought - doesn't that sound so much like the church as a whole. We have so many churches not even practicing the things of the Lord. We have churches that have been deceived into believing certain things that are way against the scripture. We have pastors that are loosening their message as to not step on toes or make anyone feel uncomfortable. We have leaders leading double lives. We have teachers not even praying before delivering a message! Our walls of the CHURCH have fallen down and we as Christians are believing anything and accepting even worse! It can't be!

So Nehemiah sits down and prays a prayer to the Lord. I love how Nehemiah does not NOT include himself. He understands that HE is part of the CHURCH even if he is not doing or even living in the area of ruin! You know that is the truth and a great example. We can not just slap our leg and wish others would "get it". We have to do something about it. We have to take a step and be courageous. We have to step out into the unknown and actually do something not just hope everyone else will. Oh Lord, lead me, lead us, lead Your Church!! We want to know You, we want to believe You, we want to please You, praise You, worship You!! Teach us Lord. Allow us to hear You tender whispers. Allows us to move when the Holy Spirit nudges. Allow us to respond in all situations with the Fruit of the Holy Spirit attributes oozing from our lips!!!

Father - I don't want this group just to meet and have a good time. I want us to bond and join in Spirit and in Truth - that is YOU!!! I am not looking for best friends, I have desiring ladies that desire nothing but Him. I am looking for more warriors - God can look down on us and say - Those are my go to girls. I know they will do whatever I ask. I am not looking for perfection and I hope no one else is because they won't get it from me!!! I want us to be real and break down all boundaries! I want us to join together to start revival in all of Southern Illinois. We are going to have so many churches represented - oh that excites me the most.

Lord, I know of 3 girls that can not be here tonight and possibly another. Oh Lord I pray we can get their books to them and hopefully they can see the video too. I know what it is like to get behind and it is hard to catch up!!! But Lord, you know of their plans and you know of their schedule - nothing is a surprise to my Lord!!! You do it - make everything flow!! Oh Lord, i also am well aware of how Bible studies can fade or ladies lose their enthusiasm. Keep us strong, keep us energized, keep us consistent, and keep us real!! Authenticity is going to be crucial!!!

I love you Lord - I am believing!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Be glorified - be honored, be worshipped, be praised - YOU are worthy!!!

(New purses posted in post below this one... Thanks for checking them out. Let me know if you are interested in any.)

332 - 3rd post today - Believing God - Bible Study

This is for those that live within driving distance of my house.................

Ok this is the decision I have come to. Doesn't mean we can't look at things differently, but this is what I am thinking so far!!!

Thursday, May 31 - 8pm - my house - 10 weeks......................

I am thinking at my house on Thursday evenings at 8pm. I want it to be late enough that I can put my kids to bed. And I want it to be late enough that no one feels like they have to bring food or anything like that. And I want it to be late enough that the only thing you and other moms might be missing is night time routine. I have found that dads are very appreciative of the late night studies because they get some alone time - all by themselves, that is if they put kids to bed early enough... And other husbands have appreciated it as well - they don't get dissed on dinner and get to watch whatever they want on TV while we are away.

SO I am thinking we will start on Thursday May 31 at 8pm... it will go for about 2 hours and no later. I usually make a rule we have to be out of the house by 10pm... It runs for 10 weeks. It is really worth it, I promise!!

Do you think you can make it??? Pray about it and then let me know... I am going to do it whether you all come or not..., but I would like to know if you are going to show up. You will need to purchase a workbook - if you can - or if you know you are going to participate I don't mind going to pick them up and you can just pay me back. I need a new workbook myself!!

Can't wait to hear from you! Feel free to pass this on to anyone!!! Yeah!!!

He is already providing for Valarie!!!!!!

Please check out the post below from Valarie, the Prayer Coordinator. I had just told you God was going to bless her for obeying His call and look at what He has done. Take the time to read it all. It is incredible. Praise Him. I love you, Lord!!




Alot of unsaved people ask, "Why do you bother?", "Does God REALLY care about you?", "Do you REALLY think He's listening to your prayers and acting on them?". Those questions make a lot of sense to me if I see them from the view of someone who doesn't believe. I can understand how difficult "believing" is. It's difficult for me at times, as a believer. Times when I see children sick or dying, times when healthy, vibrant young people die too soon, times when we get a diagnosis that rocks us, times when we don't know where our next meal is coming from. Those times make it hard for me to understand. Yet, without believing in my God who spoke and created the universe, moved His hand and spun the stars into space, I can't even begin to imagine the hopelessness of all these situations.I say all of that to share with you some of the "why" I believe. I'll give you a few examples from my life, lately. My husband got laid off from his job last July and went until Sept. before finding another job. We had to move because we couldn't pay rent. God put a couple in our lives who were going thru difficulties of their own financially and had a house they needed someone to rent. He was in construction and not working much here so they went to New Orleans to help her sister rebuild from Katrina damage and he has more work now than he can get done! So, God provided us with a home. My husband's new company closed it's doors Dec. 1. Yes, he was out of a job - AGAIN! They laid off 735 people across the US. So on Jan. 8th God put a new job in our path. My dear friend is in a prayer group with the man who owns a company in the field my husband is in. He called Jimmy, and basically hired him on the spot. The owner. Not the HR people, but the OWNER! HUGE God thing! That just doesn't happen in my husband's line of work. I give you that background to tell you about this past week. As you saw from yesterday's post I am still "flying high" from my weekend on the mountaintop and then our AWESOME day of worship at my church Sunday. Monday comes along and it starts! We have been surviving on unemployment benefits all this time. I mean, barely, surviving but the Lord Jehovah Jireh has met our needs. NOT OUR WANTS! No, my kids didn't get XBox 360 for Christmas but they did get Gameboy Advance and that THRILLED them beyond belief! Anyway, we paid our bills last week and only had $6 left thru the weekend but we were ok and were expecting our unemployment money. This was going to be the last week of benefits as Jimmy would start getting paid for his new job this week. Little did we know that the benefits are given on a weekly basis and since Jimmy gets paid this week - Thursday - they stopped the money! So, we had $6, a tiny bit of food in the pantry, no milk, a 1/2 loaf of bread, no dog food, 1/2 tank of gas in our van and less than 1/4 of a tank in Jimmy's truck. SPECIAL! Well, instead of panicking and calling my family begging for money, I got on my knees. I turned to Matthew 6:25-34 where it says things like "So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?'" and "do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself." I'm sure you're thinking, yeah right, don't worry when there's no money coming and no food to feed 3 bottomless pits! Well all I can tell you is that I got up off my knees, emailed 6 of the mightiest prayer warriors I knew and told them to get busy praying. I specifically told them that I was NOT asking for a handout from them because I wanted to see God move in a way that EVERYONE would know it was from Him! They each encouraged me not to give in to the idols of worry and money but to "seek first His kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." So I put on some praise music and started cleaning my house and just spent the rest of the morning praising Him. Then about 2:00 an obedient Abraham friend of mine called and said she heard what was going on and she had purchased several grocery gift cards to give her Sunday school class as gifts for Christmas. She said that she had cleaned her office last week and found $200 in cards and she was bringing them to me!!! She was on her way to the store so I told her I would come to meet her. As I was loading up all 3 kids, the power went out. I immediately (panic instead of prayer - I admit) call Jimmy to see if the bill had been paid. He said it had - in fact that was why we didn't have any money - we had paid all the bills expecting money on Monday. Lo and behold there was a bad wreck and power was out from 2:30 til 7:30 last night. So, I didn't go to the store as I needed to do homework while there was plenty of light - just in case. (ended up being a good thing) While I was working with the kids God sent another Moses to my door. A girlfriend who said she opened her refrigerator and there were 2 gallons of milk in it. She said "I NEVER buy 2 gallons of milk and there's no way we'll drink it all" so she was obedient in sharing from her abundance! UNREAL! Then about 2 hours later another Isaac and Jacob showed up at my door with a gift card from the grocery store ANOTHER gallon of milk and a pizza because they had heard about the power outage. THEN, the girlfriend I was supposed to meet at the store - you remember the one I called Abraham - called. She was going to the store earlier to make a meal for a couple in her class who had just had a baby. She called to tell me they lived RIGHT HERE IN MY DEVELOPMENT so she would bring the gift cards to me! When her and her husband came thru my door they had a few snacks for my kids, they had the gift cards to the store, they had money to put gas in our cars and some for "emergency" PLUS they gave us restaurant gift cards so we could go out to eat after church Sunday!!! You see, that's the way God works!! I had faith in Him to provide for me! Now, He put that faith into action thru some people who were willing to listen to His voice and so what He told them too. I did not ask a SINGLE person for anything yesterday. In fact, I told my prayer warriors I didn't want them to give me anything but God moved in a couple of them to either bring to me what abundance they had or to share our situation with the ones He ordained to meet our need! I didn't panic and seek out my family or friends first! I went to my knees to seek my Abba Father in heaven and He meet my need! THAT'S what believing is! Now, do I have this mastered and am I "super spiritual"! OF COURSE NOT!! I mean, take a look at my reaction when the power went out. Did I pray and ask God to handle it? NO! I called Jimmy freaking out! (had to repent for that one) Anyway, I hope sharing my example of why I believe in a big G God will either make you long to know Him as your own or encourage you to draw close under the shadow of His holy wings. To go into the Holy Place and dwell there with Him! Come out of the courtyard of the tabernacle! Believe me, it smells MUCH sweeter in here!!