Prayers for Haiti

Please join me in praying for Haiti for today has seen some massive devastation in the 7.0 earthquake. 

Lord, we ask that you be with these Haitian people as a country and as 10 million individuals living in probably the greatest nightmare they have ever imagined.  Wandering around, homeless, no clean water, no food, dirty, no loved ones within arms length in streets littered with bodies cracked and broken by this catastrophic event.  We don't presume to understand why these things happen but we pray for provision both practically, emotionally and spiritually for these people and that after all is said and done, Your name will be glorified in ways we will probably never comprehend.  

Best Ways to Pray for the Next Generation (Part 2)

Pray for a spirit of HOLINESS manifesting in Christ-like behavior
...1 Peter 1:16

Pray for a spirit of RELIABILITY manifesting in a depth of dependability
...1 Corinthians 4:2

Pray for a spirit of REVELATION manifesting in learning to listen
...Ephesians 1:15-18

Pray for a spirit of DENIAL manifesting in a sacrifice of surrender
...Luke 9:23

Pray for a spirit of  CONFIDENCE minfesting in a baptism of boldness
...Philippians 4:13

Pray for a spirit of INTEGRITY manifesting in quality of truthfulness
...Romans 12:17

Pray for a spirit of REPENTANCE manifesting in a willingness to change
...Luke 3:8

Pray for a spirit of TRUST manifesting in a fearless reliance
...Psalm 125:1

Pray for a spirit of SUBMISSION manifesting in choosing to yield
....Ephesians 5:21

Pray for a spirit of TEACHABILITY manifesting in a quality of meekness
...Titus 3:2

Pray for a spirit of PRAYER manifesting in a longing to wait
...Isaiah 40:31

Pray for a spirit of UNITY manifesting in a respect for others
...1 Corinthians 1:10

Pray for spirit of RESTORATION manifesting in a ministry of healing
...Isaiah 61:1,2

Pray for a spirit of AUTHORITY manifesting in a capacity to command
...Matthew 16:19

Pray for a spirit of GENEROSITY manifesting in a desire to give
...Matthew 10:8

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***Taken from Dick Eastman, President - Every Home For Christ, (C) 1988
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This list was originally titled "31 Ways to Pray for Our Youth".... Oh, what I would give to be prayed for in these 31 ways as an adult.  Lord, please let it be so in my life as we pray for our upcoming generation of political leaders, teachers, pastors, community builders and parents.  We need so much of these qualities in our own lives everyday.  Thank you for forgiving us for our character gaps when we don't act at all like how You want us to act.

Best Ways to Pray for the Next Generation

Pray for a spirit of REVERENCE manifesting in fear of the Lord
... Proverbs 9:10

Pray for a spirit of HUMILITY manifesting through the willingness to submit
....James 4:10

Pray for a spirit of PURITY manifesting in a desire to be clean
....Matthew 5:8

Pray for a spirit of PURPOSE manifesting in the wisdom to set goals
....Proverbs 4:25

Pray for a spirit of SIMPLICITY manifesting in an uncluttered life style
....Romans 12:8

Pray for a spirit of COMMITMENT manifesting in a dedication to "the cause"
....Joshua 24:15

Pray for a spirit of DILIGENCE manifesting in the willingness to work hard
....2 Peter 1:5

Pray for a spirit of SERVANTHOOD manifesting in the ministry of helps
....Galatians 6:9, 10

Pray for a spirit of  CONSISTENCY manifesting a quality of faithfulness
....James 1:8

Pray for a spirit of ASSURANCE manifesting it a depth of faith
....Hebrews 10:22

Pray for a spirit of AVAILABILITY manifesting in a readiness to go
..... Isaiah 6:8

Pray for a spirit of LOYALTY manifesting in a zeal for fidelity
.... Ruth 1:16

Pray for a spirit of SENSITIVITY manifesting in openness of heart
.... Luke 10:30-37

Pray for a spirit of COMPASSION manifesting in love in action
....Mark 8:1-2

Pray for a spirit of TENDERNESS manifesting in a willingness to weep
....2 Kings 22:19

Pray for a spirit of MATURITY manifesting in the capacity to grow

....Hebrews 5:12-14

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***Taken from Dick Eastman, President - Every Home For Christ, (C) 1988

Prayer Team

I have got the most amazing prayer team that is holding me up in prayer over this month! It has seriously been like a breath of fresh air that has blown peace across my life. I am SOOOO busy and not feeling well, but through it all, I am so grateful for the group of people who have volunteered to pray for me and for the path that I am starting on. They are not doing it to get their names in lights but because they love me and I love them all so much. I cannot express how important prayer is to me in my life and yet so difficult to carve out the time to do so. That is why these people are such a blessing to me. They are willing to sacrifice something that they need to be doing and have committed to pray for me for this month, some of them all month long. I want to give them a mention here....

Brenda Mathews

Mauri Cato

Meredith Graham

Leah Olson

Angie and Bobby Edmonds

Alicen Herrin

Jane Pistole

Elaine and David Atchison

Marilyn and James Appleby

Sharon Earhart

Todd and Stacy Gill

Donna Jones

Mandy Stenberg

Pam Wiggins

Amy Miller

Sarah Samuel

Lisa Popham

Elysia Mosteller

Saralu Lunn

Carolyn and Henry Harper

Heather Sieber

Dorothy and Henry Harper Sr.

Rosslyn Harris

Reagan and Trey Harper

I am so grateful for these people and appreciate the time and effort it takes to pray for me. May the Lord bless you all with peace that passes all understanding and joy overflowing!

Thank you!

An Opaque Vision Turning Translucent, Not Yet Tranparent

When I was a little girl, I was inevitably asked the same question by many people. When you were a child, you were asked the same question.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I don't know what your answer was ... or IS. I guess some of us are still growing up. Maybe I am one of those people. I remember knowing somewhere in my "knower" that I was going to be a singer and a mommy and I went about telling people that these two things were my goal in this lifetime. Funny, that at my age, well into my 30's, I have yet to achieve either of those things. Less "funny" meaning "Ha! Ha!" and more"funny" meaning "odd" in my perspective. However, in God's perspective, I think that "funny" might mean "that girl is so crazy thinking that I have forgotten her." All in due time, friends.

I have mentioned on here that I am getting close to the CD launch in Houston. It is coming, FINALLY. I do not have a completely firm date but hopefully, I should find that out tomorrow afternoon and I will post as soon as I know. Here is the glory of God... it looks totally different than what I ever thought it would look like. Seriously. Totally different. I had no idea what it would look like because my vision was really opaque but a vision nonetheless. In some ways, might it be like the pictures you see in the clouds. When studying them, you really think there are images, concepts, pictures visualized in this ethereal world. And then, their gone. Were they even there at all?

Friends, it appears that the vision was real and the Lord is lifting some of the fogginess of the initial vision. What is so amazing is that while I was wondering if the vision was real or not, questioning the timing and situations surrounding it, the Lord has been orchestrating people, events, and circumstances to almost completely encircle the cloudy vision, just outside of my visibility.

Isn't that just like God?

Always working on our behalf and showing up at just the perfect time. Why do we doubt?

Through random (to me) and yet clearly God-ordained circumstances, the use of technology and a step of faith, I have been contacted by a national group who are basically a networking group/ministry who have presence in Christian media outlets from TV, radio, web based businesses, music, and written word. I have been asked to be part of the Nashville connection/Southeast US regional group. This is an opportunity that I was not looking for and honestly, had no idea anything like this was even out there. I will be on the task force for this area and work hard to bring other like minded women into the Nashville fold - those that are interested in becoming an integral part of media as christian women and furthering the cause of Christ through a means almost completely taken over by culture and a godless society.

I wanted to share this opportunity for a few reasons.

• First, if I am completely honest, I am scared to death about this very clearly ordination of the Lord to move me in a different direction than where I have been operating on a day to day basis. It is what I wanted and what I want even now but I am still scared. Satan knows this is the area where I struggle and he taunts me day after day about the unknown and the illogical reasons why this should or could be happening. He is a strong foe but I serve a mighty God and I know that He has placed me in this position that I am in for such a time as this (Esther 4:14). I know that I know.
• Second, I share this because I am requesting prayer for this new leg of the journey that I am travelling. I pray that fear would not paralyze me and not cause me to be disobedient to what the Lord has called me to do. I pray that I would walk by faith and not be sight. I pray that I would want what He wants for me rather than what I want for me. I don't even know what that looks like. I do know that I would hate to be caught wondering what it was that He wanted me to do while, in 20 years from now, I was still sitting doing what I knew I could do on my own and walked in the knowledge and power of ME. What a sad testimony for my life!
• Third, I want to use this situation as an encouragement to you. Are you struggling with stepping out on faith? Are you holding on the dream of what may be instead of what is? "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things now seen". (Hebrews 11:1) I am not saying that God is a sort of "Sugar Daddy" but He is our Father and He loves to give us things that we desire that can be found in Him. He has storehouses of blessings stored up for us to disseminate to us throughout our lives. Don't think that He is finished passing out your blessings. He is not. Dare to dream outside of the reality you live in and know that God is the God of the "impossible". Move forward in faith. Take responsibility for your obedience and do not let fear keep you stuck where you are. He has called you to life and life abundantly.

Psalm 27:13-14:

"I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD

in the land of the living!

Wait on the Lord;

be strong and let your heart take courage;

wait for the LORD!"

Patience and perseverance are key. Wait for the Lord. Take the courage that has been prayed up for you. Do it today! Don't wait. Live abundantly. Even if it is one tiny step, MOVE! You have to. Don't take the easy way out. You pray for me. I'll pray for you. Let's move together and trust God with our very lives. Then, when the fog lifts and the opaque turns to translucence and the translucence turns to tranparency, WE WILL SEE GOD.

We will see how He has created the vision,

He has organized the manpower to help facilitate this vision to fruition,

He has orchestrated the symphony you will march to,

He has counted the seconds of time until the exact moment of revelation and

He has positioned Himself

in the greatest possible place of receiving glory

for the world to see.

We serve a great and amazing God of grace and glory! I am humbled and blessed.

THE Name

I have run across this singer songwriter, Anadara (pronounced Anna-dare-uh), who signed with SpringHill Records in 2005 and has recorded this great song. She wrote it with Joe Beck and Billy Sprague and I just love it. It has such a simple melody and yet won the best Scripture Song in 2005 by the Worship Leader Magazine Praise Awards. One reason why I like it is because it is simply a list of names of Almighty God. I want to share the lyrics below just so you can think see who He is line by line. I believe in praying the names of God and I want to issue a challenge.

For the next 30 days, why don't we all take the following names of God and pray these to Him and about Him and for Him. Beyond bringing glory to Him which is what we are ultimately called to do, I am convinced it WILL change YOUR life. It will powerfully impact your life in ways that reality TV can't even come close to... encourage you in ways your spouse can't fathom.... fulfill you in ways your job never will... show you love of a God who created you for you to love in return. I urge you to try it and see if doesn't change you... even if you try it to prove me wrong... try it. Make it a point each day to spend even just 2-3 minutes focused in prayer to God and call Him by his name of the day. I think that more is better because there is so much more to Him than 2-3 minutes but if you're just starting out... take just a few and spend it with...

1.) ABBA FATHER

2) LIVING WATER

3) SHEPHERD

4) SERVANT AND

5) KING

6) MASTER

7) TEACHER

8) LORD AND

9) KEEPER

10) COUNSELOR

11) PRINCE OF PEACE

12) ALMIGHTY

13) CREATOR

14) EMMANUEL

15) SAVIOR

16) ADONAI AND

17) THE ROCK

18) HOSANNA

19) MESSIAH

20 YAHWEH

21) JEHOVAH

22) ALPHA

23) OMEGA

24) GOD

25) FRIEND AND

26) HEALER

27) CHRIST

28) REDEEMER

29) GREAT IS THY GLORIOUS NAME

30) JESUS

THE Name !!

I am going to really want to hear from those who take on the challenge. I think it is so important for us to encourage each other in the faith. Walking around down here is HARD... Where are my Amen-ers? Let's hear it, chicas and the two chicos that read here.

It's a Miracle in the Making

I am praying for a miracle. Just letting you know. I am praying for a miracle. And, if I am being honest, I am praying for several miracles. These are not class A miracles mind you. I am not praying for the dead to be raised or Vanderbilt employees to get a raise. These are just not necessary for me to believe in the one True God Almighty. I'm there already. I am looking for class B miracles - miracles that can be performed through natural acts and events that are guided by the loving hand of God.

I am specifically looking for 7 miracles. I am not going into details but just want you to know and be part of the accountability. I am laying these things at His feet and I am trusting God to accomplish them and I truly believe that He can absolutely provide in ways that we will not understand and never see coming and that is what I am getting prepared for!

There are amazing mercy-filled inexplicable and remarkable acts that convey loving encouragement from God. They offer a foundation for our hope in his second coming. They lead us into a stronger relationship with Him. They bring us to our knees to worship the One who is worthy of our worship. Yes. That's what these miracles are:

M - Mercy-filled

I - Inexplicable and

R - Remakable

A - Acts that

C - Convey

L- Loving

E - Encouragement

...from the everlasting God.

Please agree with me in prayer for these 7 miracles and for me to be diligent and mindful of what I am praying for. I pray I would see the answer to these requests even if they are not the answers that I am looking for. I pray that whatever the Lord has in store that I would be more grateful tomorrow than I am today and that I can be faithful and trusting of God's very best for me and for my family.

Mercy and Grace

I am reading Henry Blackaby's book CHOSEN TO BE GOD'S PROPHET: LESSONS FROM THE LIFE OF SAMUEL from his Biblical legacy series. I highly recommend it and though I am not even halfway through yet, it is just excellent. Perhaps it is just hitting me on some issues that I have been struggling with lately. I have marked up lots of passages so far but wanted to share one in particular.

"Many book have been written about grace, but preceding grace is mercy. God's nature, revealed to Moses, was - 'My name is mercy'." This is described in Exodus 34:6-7.
"Before God can give you what you do not deserve, He will have to withhold from your what you really deserve. God must first cancel your sin. When you cry out to God for mercy and plead with Him to extend His mercy to you, you do so because you have sinned grievously against a Holy God."

We all deserve everything but mercy. We do not have a full enough concept of our sin and how it disgraces the Lord God in front of the multitudes of saints. We think that what we do, we do in private. No so, says the Lord. That is really scary to think that all our sins will be exposed and we will have nowhere to run except to beg for the mercy of God. This is where we find our hiding place and safety. There can be no better place than in the arms of the Creator of the universe.

Crying out for mercy is the only hope we have. When is the last time you found yourself crying out for anything other than additional comforts for your life? When was the last time I did that? There is so much more that we need besides comfort and thankfully he is more concerned with our character rather than our comforts.

Father, we do cry out for an outpouring of your mercy and an overflowing of your grace. We are nothing without You.

The Weapon of Mass Destruction

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood,

but against the rulers,

against the authorities,

against the cosmic powers over this present darkness,

against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 6:12

God's word pronounces in no uncertain terms that it is not the out-of-control driver, the hard-to- please parent, the unfair teacher or the unpredictable younger brother or sister that we struggle with.

It IS, in fact, bigger than any one person.

It is bigger than your situation.

It is bigger than THE catastrophic event.

It is bigger than the chronic irritation.

It is Satan.

Period.

He is real as your own heartbeat.

He is as present as the air your breathe.

He is here as I type and you read.

Trying to confuse, irritate, frustrate, annoy, anger...

DESTROY!

He's not just after them.
HE is after YOU!

Don't be deceived!

He is fierce. He is subtle. He is overpowering.

And he IS targeting you...

Aunts, Bosses, Communicators, Deacons, Elders, Friends, Grandparents, High-Ranking Officials, Insiders, "Jokers", Kindergarteners, Lovers, Mothers, Neighbors, Old-Timers, Pastors, acQuaintances, Reporters, Sisters, Teachers, Uncles, Visitors, Wedding attendants, eXamples, Young adults, Zamboni drivers...

And everyone else from A to Z -

including me...

(most definitely me)

Praise the Lord though...

He WILL be overcome!

But ONLY by prayer...

not withdrawal,

not harsh verbal attacks,

not counselors,

not through our self-controlled will.

Only by prayer...

persistent,

persevering,

honest,

humble,

sincere,

soul-searching,

early morning,

late at night,

on your knees,

in your bed,

at the table,

at your desk,

in the car,

whole-hearted,

completely sold out,

gut-wrenching,

...prayer.

Join me, will you?

Do you have the luxury of a choice?

Even still, Lord, please come...