A question from a Centralist

I am one who really hates politics. . .not actually politics themselves, because our government is important. . . I guess I hate all the arguing and bashing and closed mindedness that comes in every conversation. So I shy away from any type of political conversation really. And I am not even coming here to take sides, or speak my mind on any issues or politician. See, I took a couple of tests to see where I land in the political compass as far as where I stand on issues in government, Authoritarian, Left, Right, or Libertarian. And what I discovered is that I am a Centralist. That is someone who falls in the middle of the 4 extremes. Not only an I am centralist. . . I couldn't be more dead center on the compass!! If you were looking at a dart board. . .I am that little, teeny red dot smack dab in the middle!

So seeing as I am not leaning left or right or any other direction, I figured I hold a pretty safe spot to speak out about what I see in people from all sides. We seriously need to grow up! Now I am not talking about everyone, I am talking about those who for some reason feel the need to continue the smear campaigns long after the election is over. ANY election! I've seen enough. I'm talking about those who slander and smear, and post negative videos about a political person, group or issue. Simply because it is not one you agree with. You assume your intelligence level is so much higher than "those guys" and you piously look down your nose at your fellow Americans like they are idiots. Don't you get sick enough of the politicians themselves with their smear campaigns? And the same folks who are "smearing' when one President is in office and making fun of him, talking bad about him. . . .are the ones calling a halt to the 'smearing' when someone you like gets elected. Then when things turn around the other way and you don't like it anymore. . . well, all that preaching you did to everyone about not being hateful, just flies out the window when things don't go your way. Really??

I am not saying we all have to agree. Of course not! Diversity in all aspects of life is what makes this country so wonderful! But all the hatred and pious smearing and sneering. . . can't we grow up and stop that? Can't we find positive ways, constructive ways to contribute to society instead of fanning the flames of hatred and intolerance? Yes, I said intolerance. . .be careful what you soapbox at people in one area, if you practice it in another area of your life. When people do not like the way things are going in the country it motivates us to get out and vote to make a difference. If things don't go our way, then we must assume that we are in the minority, that the majority has spoken, and move on to finding ways to impact the issues and our communities in a positive way, instead of crying 'foul', claiming an election was rigged, bought, whatever! If you don't believe in our country's electoral system, why vote?? If you do, then get out and vote, and when the results go your way, celebrate! When they don't, don't start crying foul and slandering people. Make a POSITIVE difference!! Get out there and help work for the issues that are important to you!

We are all still Americans, a brotherhood! Remember 9/11? Remember when suddenly we were not black or white, republican or democrat, right or left?? We were a Nation of people who found a common thread and held on to it tight in unity! Did we change our political beliefs? No. Did we change who we backed in Washington? No. But we saw a bigger picture and became ONE Nation! For a few short, glorious months we stopped the bickering and smearing, and we chanted at baseball games and football games and anywhere else people assembled, "USA! USA! USA!" How quickly we forget, and how sad that we have.

I guess my question is, when are we going to stop the blaming, the hatred the accusations, and find ways to use that energy to start in our own little corner of the world and make a difference?? This has been brewing in me since the Presidential election 2 years ago, and now with the latest elections and resurgence of hate mongering. . .I had to speak out. It's just my opinion, and you have the right to post anything you want. . . I'm just trying to motivate us to use all that energy for good! It really does feel better to not be angry all the time! :-)

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ARE YOUR SEEDS SOWN?

Last week my husband and I were cleaning a house of one of our clients that we happen to know fairly well.  He is a very nice man, but has questioned our decision to be Christ Followers, and let us know that "No-one believes that stuff any more, it's just a waste of time."  We continue to love on him and be examples to him of Christ's love. 

As we were cleaning, my husband was doing an extra good job dusting some shelves and he was pulling books and things out and dusting behind them, when he pulled out a Bible.  He called me in the room to show it to me, since we both know this man's opinion of "such things".   I said, "Wow!  I never expected to see one of those here."  My husband opened it and a church bulletin fell out that was dated February 1994. "That was a while ago!" he said to me.  Then he flipped to the back of the Bible and there was a pack of tomato seeds sitting between some pages.  I thought to myself, "Now that's weird!"  

As I went back to work God began speaking to me about that pack of seeds.  They have been, as far as we could tell, sitting in that Bible for the past 15+ years.  Then He said to me, "As long as those seeds remain un-planted, they will never produce the fruit they are created to produce.  But the minute they are set in soil, and watered, they will sprout and grow and produce many, many more tomatoes, and many more seeds as well."  

You see, as long as the seed remains unplanted, it will remain dormant and unproductive.  Much like that Bible that sat on the back of that dusty shelf.  The seeds in that packet had the ability to produce a crop of tomatoes and seeds, which would produce even more tomatoes and seeds, and so on!  The Word of God is a seed!  Jesus explained that to us in Matthew 13.  But unless it is planted and watered, it will not produce what it is created to produce.  Not in your life, and not in my life.  The Word needs to be read, meditated on and studied.  That is the planting and watering process.  When we do that, we will begin to see an abundance of fruit produced in our lives, not only for our own benefit, but also to feed others.  We can own as many Bibles as we want, in as many translations as we want.  We can lay them all over our house, in our car, on our desk at work, and look like we have it all going on.  But in reality, if we are not IN the Word, and allowing it to take root in the soil of our hearts, what we have is like that packet of tomato seeds sitting in that Bible for 15 years.  Just a packet full of seeds not producing anything. 

In all this that God was showing me about the seeds, He also showed me that some of those seeds are carefully handed to us.  Placed right in the palm of our hands by our Pastors and teachers week in and week out.  What do we do with those seeds that are handed to us?  We can hold it in our hand and admire it.  We can tell all of our friends what a great seed it is.  But untill we allow that seed to be planted in our heart, and watered by meditating on it and studying it out further,  it will not produce anything in our lives, and thus we won't have the seeds to hand to others when they need a seed from us.  Instead, we stick the seed in our pocket, and a few weeks later we are in our Pastor's office getting counsel over an issue in our life that would be resolved already if we would have sown the seed that was handed to us and watered it.

I want to issue a challenge today.  SOW THE SEEDS!  Get them deep into the soil of your heart, and water them daily.  I guarantee we will look more like the Church God meant for us to look like, and when someone comes along with a need for a particular seed in their life, you will have produced more than enough to meet their need! 

DUNAMIS!

I was reading in 2 Timothy 3 today and decided to do some digging and dissecting, and I am amazed at all I found in just the first 5 verses! Check this out:


2 Timothy 3:1-5 (New American Standard Bible)
1 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.
2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.


That's a pretty long and ugly list. But the verse that caught my attention was verse 5: "holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power." Now I have heard this "power" described in a lot of ways and I am sure many of them have truth in them, but I decided to dig a little. The word "power" here is "dunamis", which means 'miraculous power, might and strength. Not just a human form of power, or human might, or human strength. . .MIRACULOUS! Something that is undeniably WAY bigger than our own abilities as human beings. It carries the "awe-factor". It is super-natural!

The word denotes miracles! Miracle working power!! When was the last time you saw a bona-fide miracle? Something that could not be explained by any human reasoning other than Divine intervention? For me I would have to say a few weeks ago when I witnessed a woman raised from the dead. Not by human effort, but through prayer. I have gotten to see this only twice in my lifetime, but I will tell you, THAT is miraculous power! Dunamis!! Awe-factor to the extreme!

 Jesus' life and ministry was marked with signs and wonders and miracles. Did you know that He Himself said that WE, that's you and me, would do GREATER works!!

John 14:12 (New American Standard Bible)
"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and GREATER works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.

Did you notice He said 'truly' twice? He put great emphasis on this, because He wants us to hear and understand fully what He is saying here. Most assuredly, no doubt about it, you can take it to the bank Jack! So now, I have to do some inventory in my own life. . . are these things active and working in my life? Is the ministry of Jesus something that I flow in on a daily basis? I mean, I am a believer. . . and if I am a believer I should be active in the 'greater works', right?
Let's go back to the text in 2 Timothy 3. Verses 1 - 5 are capped off with the statement "AVOID such men as these". Now I can easily understand avoiding all of the characteristics listed throughout verses 1 through 4. That makes sense to my reasoning as a Christ Follower. But at the very end of that list, in verse 5 are 'those who possess a form, or appearance of godliness' - they look right, talk right, act right, show up for church every Sunday and even Wednesday, give to the poor, visit the sick, always busy with Kingdom work. . . . - BUT deny the power, the dunamis, the miracle working power of God!

Will anyone join me saying a big huge "OUCH" right here?  Why are we not walking it out? Why are we not seeing the miraculous works of God touching others through our lives and our hands every day?

I think the answer is simple, and it is something that God has been showing me the past few weeks. We don't need to study more before we can obey what Jesus commanded us in Mark 16:18b:  "they SHALL lay hands on the sick, and they SHALL recover."  We don't need more degrees or classes or meetings to obey His clear command. What He needs us to be is "conduits" of His power! All we have to do is place ourselves in the position for Him to work through us! Do you know Him as Lord? Do you have two hands? Do you have a mouth? Find someone who needs a miracle, put your hands on them and speak to that mountain! God will do the rest! He will back up His Word with signs following!

And right here I am going to make it even easier for you. You do NOT have to have all the right words and know a bunch of scriptures by heart and pray long exhaustive prayers. Most times that is just pride, and it usually detracts from God and puts the focus on your own knowledge.  Although it is important to know the scriptures that promise healing, for our own faith, so that we know we can step out and lay hands on people in obedience to His Word and expect Him to act.  Look through the Gospels, what did Jesus do when He healed the sick, cast out demons and raised the dead? He did exactly what He instructed us to do! He spoke to that "mountain" and commanded it to be removed. Sometimes He did not even speak a word! He placed His hands on the person and it was done! SIMPLE! We have made it so hard, I know I have! We think we must articulate perfectly what we are praying for, quote 5 scriptures, turn around 3 times and touch your nose. Sound silly? That's because it is! Jesus said, "Get up!" "Be healed!" "Arise and walk!" "Come out of him!" "COME FORTH!"

You may argue that we are not God. No, halleluia, we are not! But we are filled with the Holy Spirit! And Jesus left us the perfect example to follow in every area of our walk! Thank You Lord! And I really think that the more we say when we pray for a person, the more likely we are to think we actually had something to do with the miracle other than being the conduit. And we also can fall into the danger of making a "formula" out of something because it worked once.

I have really been getting shaken awake the past few weeks with these truths, and I am purposing in my heart, and asking Him to help me, to be a conduit for His miraculous power! I am actually beginning to pray that God would bring people into my path in my everyday life, that need a miracle! Join me? I think if we will simply walk out what He instructed us to, we would begin to see growth and increase in the Kingdom of God to a degree that we haven't seen in our lifetime! Jesus got people's attention with healings and miracles! And He is still doing it today! Our only decision needs to be whether we want to be a part of it or not!

I'm in!!

PEARLS, PIGS & PIT BULLS. . . .

Matthew 7:6 - Don't give holy things to dogs, and don't throw your pearls before pigs.  Pigs will only trample on them, and dogs will turn to attack you.

God has been teaching me a very valuable lesson in the past year or so. . .  OK so I am getting it, but it is taking some time.  The lesson. . ."Shut your mouth".   No, he is not saying "Shut up".  God is not rude and mean like that.  But the bottom line of all He has been showing me is, in my language, to shut up.

I am one of those people who gets so excited when God gives me a revelation on something, or does something huge in my life that changes me and makes me more like Him.  Usually that's a bit of a painful process because He has to expose the things in my life that are not like Him, and through teaching and life circumstances He begins to purge and pluck out and purify.  And the result is beautiful.  BUT, I get SO excited that I just HAVE to share it with my friends.  I'm sure you know the feeling.  God illuminates something in His Word, or speaks to you on a certain subject, and you get so stoked that you can't wait to share it! Yeah, we've all been there. 

Those revelations, that God-given wisdom, the life lessons. . . they are like pearls.  They are precious and valuable, and a treasure to you.  You feel like God just gave you a beautiful gift and you want to show everyone!  How many women do you know who got engaged and hid the engagement ring so no one could see it?  No way!  They are holding that hand out and showing it off to everyone they meet.  But when it comes to the treasures that God gives us, many times, if not most of the time, it is an intimate and special thing that He wants us to hold and treasure and value and care for.  There was a lot of time and effort and many times pain that went into Him working those things in your life.

Have you ever read about how a pearl is made?  It's really amazing.  ­The formation of a natural pearl begins when a foreign substance slips into the oyster between the mantle, which is an organ that produces an oyster's shell, and the shell, which irritate­s the mantle. It's kind of like the oyster getting a splinter. The oyster's natural reaction is to cover up that irritant to protect itself. The man­tle covers the irritant with layers of the same 'nacre' substance that is used to create the shell. This eventually forms a pearl. 

So basically, the beauty comes as a result of something foreign in the oyster being covered by the mantle producing substance. . . .I'll let you chew on that for a minute. 

Now when we look at how precious these treasures are, and we understand then how precious the "pearls" God gives us are, we should really begin to desire to hold and guard those things much more than we want to blurt them out to anyone who will listen.

How do the pearls get trampled by the pigs? 

Well, one way is they critique what you just shared.  Have you ever had a great experience with God and He revealed so many wonderful things to you and you excitedly share it with someone, only to have them respond with doubt, criticism, and a chain of theological babble on how that just can't be because according to their doctrine. . blah, blah, blah. . .  The deflating feeling that brings is unbelievable.  The smile fades from your face, and you even begin questioning if you heard from God.  I mean, if it was really God, they would 'get it'. Right?  WRONG!  When God speaks to us He speaks within our own language.  The language of our life, our current circumstances, our level of understanding, and into what He wants to accomplish in us and where He is taking us.  Unless they are on the exact same page as you, it's not going to be the amazing treasure to them as it is to you.  

Another way the pigs trample the pearls is what I like to call 'culturing pearls'.  Cultured pearls are man-made.  They are not nearly as valuable and rare as a true pearl.  They may look nice, but still. . .   These are the folks who feel the need to 'add to' what God is speaking into your life.  They feel like they know personal areas of your life that need changing or tweaking, so they add their opinions to what God is telling you, with statements like, "Well, you have to be careful not to. . ." Or, "You really need to watch that you do this, or don't do that. . ."  As if God left something undone in you and now they must come along and finish the job.   Or here is my favorite; They will 'pray' with you but use that prayer to actually send you a message of what they think you need to be doing and not doing.  That one absolutely floors me.  How can anyone use prayer like that is beyond me.  See, the problem we run into when we blurt out all that God is saying and doing in us, is that, number one: In our zeal we tend to leave things out.  Number two:  He may not be finished with His work in that particular area of your life yet.  And number three: Other people's opinions really only damage what He is trying to do in you, because they are not based on a full understanding of all the details that are involved.

The third way pigs trample pearls (and there may be many more, these are just what I have come up with), is silence.  Silence can be more damaging than them adding their two cents.  Your mind begins reeling and questioning if you have even heard from God.  You have no idea what they think (which, by the way, if you haven't guessed by now, is irrelevant) about what you just shared.  DO NOT allow the enemy to come in and lie to you.  If you are in a relationship with Jesus Christ and you are in His Word regularly and you sit under sound teaching, you know God's voice!!  Period!

No human response is an indicator of whether or not you have heard from God.  That is only measured by His Word and His Spirit.

I believe the "pit bull response" is self explanatory.  Some folks will absolutely tear apart everything you say and believe God has said to you.  They will arrogantly tell you "God won't do this"  and "God will only do this in this manner".  They use life experiences and church affiliation to form their doctrine, and are so rigidly opposed to anything else that they will absolutely shut you down with their attacks.  You can walk away from those encounters bloody and battered and scarred for life. 

So God, in His infinite wisdom, has provided us a solution in our scripture text. . . .

Matthew 7:6 - Don't give holy things to dogs, and don't throw your pearls before pigs. Pigs will only trample on them, and dogs will turn to attack you.

In other words. . . Shut your mouth.

Unless you know for a fact that God is leading you to share a particular thing, don't!  He gives us many treasures.  Some are meant to be shared, but many of them are meant to be held in our hearts and meditated upon and valued as something intimate and personal from Him.  If we are sensitive to Holy Spirit we will know which is which and what He wants us to do with them.

He may also place a person in your life that you CAN share most things with.  That person will usually be in a trusted mentoring type position in your life.  Someone who you have given the right to speak into your life.  That you feel safe sharing things with and they have constructively guided you through many aspects of your walk and growth with God.  Like your Pastor maybe.  I am blessed to have that in my life.

I wish I could tell you I had all of this down in my life, but I am preaching to myself here as much as anyone else.  But I am learning, most of the time painfully, but learning.

I would also like to add, that when we experience these reactions to what we share, it is a great time to reflect and find out if we have been a pig or a pit bull and hurt someone else when they have shared their 'pearls' with us.

MORE NUGGETS

Here is another round of nuggets that God has spoken to me over the last few months!  ENJOY!

~He has provided a place of peace and rest for us in the shadow of His wing, nestled safely and
securely under His loving hand, and we never have to move from that spot. Why we do is
beyond me.~

~Lord, give me eyes to see people through Your heart of absolute and unconditional love. Give
me ears to really listen to their hurts and struggles. Give me a mouth to speak not my opinion or
pious educated answers, but only words of hope and healing and restoration. Give me a mind to
comprehend the fact that it is ONLY by Your undeserved grace and mercy that I am saved,
and not by anything I have ever done or will do, that I may not think more highly of myself
than I ought to. Give me feet that are willing to GO to wherever it is that I am needed to share
your love with others, whatever that may look like. Give me hands willing to reach out and
touch hurts and hearts with your healing, comfort and peace. Give me a heart filled with Your
love for Your people, regardless of race, economic stature, or cultural background; A heart that
is absent of piety and pride and judgement; and filled with Your endless compassion,
unconditional love and boundless mercy. Lord, make me like You.~

~Be careful to follow God's lead in all of life's decisions. Some of our ways may look 'right',
and we may even be able to justify them with very convincing arguments, but in the end the
consequences for not following His lead might just last a lifetime.~

~When we are fully engaged in whatever it is God is doing in and through us at any point, we
have little time on our hands to spend worried about other people's affairs.~

~I'm just done with masks, they never fit right and I can't breathe behind them.~

~~Truth be known,I am just like that rag tag bunch of misfits Jesus CHOSE to be His disciples.
. . the ones He used to turn the world upside down and establish HIS Church! It's amazing what
knowing Jesus and being filled with His Spirit will accomplish! Every one of us would have
taken one look at those disciples, and counted them out of the game for EVER doing anything
worthwhile.Watch out! He's 'bout to surprise ya!~

~ Really, REALLY thankful that God sent the Holy Spirit to help us to do this thing.~

~is allergic to plastic. . . plastic smiles, plastic personalities, plastic hearts, plastic masks. . . . it
seems to cause adverse reactions that are not favorable for a healthy walk with Christ.~

~When we realize that our enemy FEARS what it is we are destined to do and be in this world,
and the impact God has ordained us to have, then we will understand the relentless attacks that
try to keep us paralyzed and not moving forward. Our response to knowing that will cause us
to, by the power of the Holy Spirit, STAND UP and forge our way forward in relentless pursuit
of fulfilling ALL God has called us to do!~

~Did you know that you can be legalistic about not being legalistic;and you can be religious
about not being religious. . .and you can be judgmental about not being judgmental;these are
virus' in the Body of Christ, and the cure is the fruit of the Spirit, lived out in humility and
gratefulness and the knowledge that it is by His UNMERITED favor, and nothing we do that
we are in right standing with God!~

~We must have our 'default setting' on intentional love. It's easy to love those who love you, it's
a natural reciprical response. But when people criticize you and resent you (we all have this
inner radar that senses the displeasure of others even behind their smiles) THEN you must be
INTENTIONAL about love! You must CHOOSE to love, even when. . . no, ESPECIALLY
when people don't love you back. Matthew 5:43-45 THAT is how the world will know we are
TRUE Christ Followers! ? ~

~When you are committed to the work of God in a place, you will be far less likely to jump
ship when something becomes uncomfortable, or downright painful; because your commitment
is to what GOD is doing, not what people are doing.~

~When the storms are raging outside, and we are in our houses, warm and snug and safe. . .
that's what it's like to be in the shadow of His wings! To be in the shelter of the Almighty! But
instead of relaxing and snuggling in while He shelters us, we keep walking outside to see what
the storm is doing and ... See Morewe get wet and cold and the rain beats us. Sure, when we are
in our houses we can sometimes hear the storms outside, but even with all the thunder and
noise they make, we know we are safe inside. That is the rest God wants to give us as we take
shelter in Him. We just need to learn to relax and stop looking out the windows and stepping
out the door.:-)

~Prayer is a relationship. And no intimate relationship can survive without regular one-on-one
face time consisting of speaking your heart, and being quiet and listening to His heart. Think
how you would feel if someone you loved dearly only spoke to you as they were rushing past
you to do something else, with someone else. PONDER!~

~There is something so wonderfully amazing and spiritually fulfilling about watching a new life
come into the world. Something that makes you feel like you have just had a front row seat to
watching one of God's greatest miracles take place. Something that makes you feel like you
have just touched a part of Heaven. I ...will NEVER get tired of being a part of birth. I was
born to DOULA!~

~When you are following the Lord's lead in your life, you HAVE to stay focused and resolute.
Set your face like flint! Many distractions and discouragement will come from all kinds of
sources to try to instill doubt and cause you to get off track of what HE is calling you to. HIS
voice MUST be the final authority in yo...ur life, or the enemy will have you running in circles
accomplishing nothing for the Kingdom.~

~We have a tendency to think that when everything runs smoothly, the way we think it should,
that God is in it. I believe when things don't go the way we planned, or cause us to have to
stretch our faith a bit, that God is just as much in that, if not more. Stretching us, causing us to
seek Him more, growing our faith by actually having to exercise it, and learning to trust that
HE knows best, not us.~

~Some of our gravest mistakes are made when we are so moved by a need that we toss
discernment out the window and act on the first opportunity to fill that need. There is MUCH
to be said about wisdom and discernment gained in prayer and patience and trusting GOD to
fill the need in HIS time!~

~The sovereignty of God is NOT a rug for us to sweep our failures under with the broom of
pride. His sovereignty will NEVER contradict His Word. NEVER!~

~So I was just thinking, (go figure), if Jesus Christ is the Word (John 1:1), then any accurate
interpretation of scripture will always line up with His life and ministry here on the earth. That
sounds too simple, yet it is resounding in my spirit. If we interpret scripture and it clashes with
His life and ministry, then we can be sure we are in error. That makes it all so easy!
Hmmmmm~

~There is no such thing as a "Lone Ranger" Christian. We are a BODY. We function together
as one. We need one another. Isolation weakens and destroys us because we are not created to
walk alone. There is not one part of the human body that can be separated from the rest and
still function. God knew what He was doing, maybe we should follow HIS lead.~

~Jesus said "Come." Many times before He said "Go!"~

~You can only make the wrongs right in your life that you are willing to see. Our hearts can be
deceptive and make excuses for things we know we need to change. Until we are willing to
take a long, hard, honest look in the mirror (His Word), and do what needs to be done to
correct it, we are paralyzed and ineffective, no matter how well we disguise it.~


~NO great move of God goes forth uncontended by the enemy. Our adversary will be on the
scene early to plant his IED's in our path. Be awake and watchful and pray! Let nothing slip
past you. Use your armor, open your mouth, and take authority!~

~When we are mothers we find ourselves experiencing a love so deep we never imagined we
were capable of. It's indescribable! And to think that God loves us so very, VERY much more
than that. . . makes you wonder why we ever doubt Him.~

~Only when we are fully engaged with God will we no longer be enticed by the wiles of the
enemy; his seductive ways will have no effect on us, we will not look to the right or left to see
what he has to offer us. Death disguised. No more compromise; no more flirting with what we
know is sin. Our hearts and eyes will se...e God alone, and in His light ALL darkness will be
exposed! It's time to FULLY engage God!~

A Marine Mom's Crucible

The following is a transcript of a chat room conversation between several Marine mothers as our sons and daughters came in from their Crucible and were pinned United States Marines.  One mother (nics mom) was on the phone with a friend of hers who was on the Marine Base at Parris Island, SC when the ceremony took place.  Most of us had not slept much the past two nights knowing our kids were on their Crucible.  We had many conversations in the wee hours of the night together, holding each other up, praying for one another.  But this morning we had the priviledge of being as close as we could to our kids as they became United States Marines, thanks to cell phones and good friends willing to relay all the happenings as they took place!  Enjoy, and remember we hadn't had much sleep!

  August 16, 2008


Nicsmom - There are there



Wjfamily - The corps put extra weight on me



Nicsmom - I know for a fact



RhodyMel - FIRST TO FIGHT FOR RIGHS AND FREEDOM



RhodyMel - AND TO KEEP OUR HONOR CLAN



RhodyMel - CLEAN



Cjsmom - And to keekp our honor clean



Nicsmom - They are getting pinned right now



Nicsmom - Flags just went up



RhodyMel - WE ARE PROUD TO CLAIM THE TITLE



Mdpmom - We are proud to claim the title



Nicsmom - All walked out



Wjfamily - How u know?



Nicsmom - Look good



RhodyMel - OF UNITED STATES MARINES



Mdpmom - Of UNITED STATES MARINES



Cjsmom - Proud to claim the title of UNiTEd STATES MARINES



RhodyMel - OOOOOOOOOOOOH RAHHHHHHHHH



Crhmom - Of UNITED STATES MARINE!!!!!



Mdpmom - YES



Cynthiaw - OORAH!!!



Nicsmom - I have someone on the phone



Andi - SERIOUSLY??



RCTPMMJUNE - ' WELL DONE, MARINE" That's what I just heard! OOOOOOHHHHHH RAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH



Nicsmom - Flag is going up



Wjfamily - UNITED STATES MARINE MOM



Cjsmom - Wow



TAC4SMOM - Wooo Hooo Ooh Rah!



Nicsmom - Listen I will give you play by play



Mdpmom - Ok



Cynthiaw - Do you see PLT 3068?



Nicsmom - Officers there in dress uniform



Cjsmom - All ears



Nicsmom - Yes



TAC4SMOM - Listening



Vpm2marines - Lets hear it



Sernfam11 - Oh my goodness



Nicsmom - I am not there someone is



RhodyMel - You have someone down there watching?



Vpm2marines - Nics



Wjfamily - Ur kidding



Nicsmom - All companies are in



RCTPMMJUNE - Oh My - This is a happy hen house!



Nicsmom - Yes



RhodyMel - Oh you are good tamera



RhodyMel - You are GOOD



Andi - Crying



Nicsmom - Momma hen at your service



Mdpmom - We love Tamers



Nicsmom - I can hear them



Wjfamily - Are u serious???



Nicsmom - Yes



Crhmom - Ok - I'm gonna cry



Nicsmom - I promise I would not lie



Rhunt13 - Ican too thru you. Thank you Tamera, I am crying



Cjsmom - Oh I'm crying



Andi - I AM crying!



Kokopelli325 - Me too!!



TAC4SMOM - Tamera gets the news reporter pin



Mdpmom - Tears again



Wjfamily - too late my dam just broke



fnocella - They sound awesome dont they



RCTPMMJUNE - What are you talking about Tamera?



nicsmom - They are at the statue waiting for pins



cjsmom - omg



nicsmom - I have friend



mdpmom - she is on the phone



RhodyMel - she gets the resourcefulness pin!!!



cynthiaw - How do they look?



nicsmom - National anthem playing



mdpmom - I'm standing



fnocella - OMG



vpm2marines - me to



wjfamily - where is you friend?



mdpmom - hand on heart



nicsmom - i cant see them but she says good came in at good pace




rhunt13 - Congrats moms grandmothers, dads and all family members that have all gone thru this we love ya



nicsmom - a distance away



khobbs - OMMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG:'(



wjfamily - where?



Andi - <~~~BAWLING!



nicsmom - they are yelling song must of ended



doubleM - does she see any WOMEN??????



nicsmom - Yes



wjfamily - if national anthem i have to stand



RhodyMel - GO EAT MEN



nicsmom - she is far now she saw them 15 minutes ago coming in



RhodyMel - YOU DESERVE IT



nicsmom - i hear a speech



cynthiaw - Warrior's breakfast!



rhunt13 - wow can't believe we are here finally



nicsmom - pride..arriving on parris island...proud men



wjfamily - she was going in?



nicsmom - and women



nicsmom - (Marines are)Yelling



mdpmom - woooo hoooo



nicsmom - many of weeks ago you answered the call



nicsmom - young americas have answered the call for years



nicsmom - and made their nation proud



nicsmom - through sacrifice



nicsmom - and team work






nicsmom - take a great sense of accom



wjfamily - is that what she hears



nicsmom - so it is fitting you recieve



nicsmom - your EGA



mdpmom - yes, she is on the phone



nicsmom - for the past 11 weeks become a marine hard



rhunt13 - yeeeee haaaa



wjfamily - oh my god



nicsmom - History...



khobbs - OMG THIS IS LIKE WE ARE THERE.... I AM SO THANKFUL



nicsmom - value teamwork and freedom



wjfamily - i cant read the tears are blinding me



mdpmom - me too



Andi - me too



nicsmom - during last three days your courage and teamwork have been challenged



fnocella - me three



cjsmom - Me too





nicsmom - culm of evenets have been challenge



nicsmom - you are worthy of the title



nicsmom - today is the day you will always remember



nicsmom - because you start your life as Marines



rhunt13 - yes we will



nicsmom - feel pride



rhunt13 - yes



mdpmom - I do



nicsmom - and put the deep value in your soul



nicsmom - always remember that each of you...



TAC4SMOM - How in the world are you listeing, typing and crying at the same time Tamera



nicsmom - in a few moments your DI will award your EGA



cjsmom - omg.............................



nicsmom - you have beencome part of deep organization



mdpmom - OMG



nicsmom - all Marines will uphold our values



khobbs - :'(



rhunt13 - Tnank you Lord



nicsmom - always remember when you leave people will look and say you are Marines



mdpmom - AMEN



cjsmom - this is the most moving experience of my life



wjfamily - (Lima) pride



nicsmom - they are getting their pins



mdpmom - YES



crhmom - crying



nicsmom - each and everyone



cjsmom - crying openly now



marinemomma - g'morning all! goooooooooo lima!



khobbs - :'(:'(



kokopelli325 - wow - I can hardly see for the tears



rhunt13 - allllllllllright ooh rah



cynthiaw - Beautiful. Thank ou so much...



Andi - I am bawling



mdpmom - me too



rhunt13 - me too



cjsmom - me too



rhunt13 - Semper Fi y'all



Andi - Thank you Tamera for relaying that!!



wjfamily - oh LORD



khobbs - me too



nicsmom - DI's are approaching



mdpmom - Tamera you are awesome



RhodyMel - THat was amazzing mommahen



cynthiaw - crying here too.



marinemomma - yayyyyyyy



crhmom - thank you, thank you!!!!!



RhodyMel - you are fabulous



doubleM - me too



fnocella - IS lee greenwood playing Proud to be an amrican



Andi - KIM!! I bet our boys are side by side!!



nicsmom - they are swearing in again in mass



wjfamily - speechless



nicsmom - i can hear her pledging them



khobbs - thats where they stand andii.... yes our boys are side by side



nicsmom - a female is doing it



mdpmom - an I'm proud to be an american



mdpmom - where at least I know I'm free



marinemomma -im crying and it isnt for my rct, i am so proud of all your MEN



mdpmom - and I won't forget the men who died



mdpmom - and gave that right to me



fnocella - who gave that right to me



wjfamily - under God



marinemomma - sing it mdp



nicsmom - eagles are passing out now!



crhmom - and i won't forget the men/women whogave that right to me



cjsmom - and i proudly stnd up



nicsmom - Now



doubleM - and i'll gladly stand up



nicsmom - they are Marines



mdpmom - and I'll proudly stand up, next to you and defend her still today



cjsmom - woooooooooooooooooooooooo hooooooooooooooooooo



rhunt13 - hip hip horeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee



cynthiaw - HALLELUJAH!!!!



mdpmom - cause there ain't no doubt I love this land



nicsmom - Marine Corps hymn playing sing ladies



RhodyMel - these are the moments they will nevwr forget,



cjsmom - oohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh rahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh



wjfamily - hooraay



doubleM - wooooo hoooooooooooo!!!!!



mdpmom - God bless the USA



crhmom - yipppeeeee



nicsmom - sorry about all the spelling



fnocella - GOD BLESS THE USA



RhodyMel - its so great you are all sharing with them



marinemomma - amen



kokopelli325 - my son has 3 weeks before Crucible - but I am SOOOOOOOOOO proud of those who have just received their EGA



Andi - Oh man, thank you soooo much Tamera!!



mdpmom - From the halls of montezuma



nicsmom - all look good came in at a good speed losts of smiles



RhodyMel - they are getting them now koko



marinemomma - i am so glad i joined in at this moment!



wjfamily - again speechless



cjsmom - are you kidding who cares about the speilling



RhodyMel - me too



cynthiaw - tHANK YOU NICSMOM...YOU MADE IT POSSIBLE FORUS TO SHARE THIS AMAZING MOMENT!



mdpmom - the tears are running down my cheeks



rhunt13 - wow you did awesome tam, typing and all so fast, we were all speechless like listening to a radio speech. thank you so much for sharing



Andi - I am so glad I am here!!



doubleM - you were AWESOME nic



wjfamily - nicsmon HHHHUUUUUUGGGGGGG



RhodyMel - Tamera i cant believe you!!! YOU DONT CEASE TO AMAZE ME!



nicsmom - girls came in first



sernfam11 - Thank You Nic Mom!!!!!



cjsmom - I second that hug



mdpmom - Tamera we love you



nicsmom - guys 10 minutes behind them



doubleM - woooo hoooooo!!!!!!!!




fnocella - someone give that woman a crown , Shes queen for the day



TAC4SMOM - WOW!



nicsmom - all got to go to bathroom after putting packs down and then to ceremony



mdpmom - I think I'll pick one up today when I go shopping



RhodyMel - 4 stars for momma hen



doubleM - no kidding. maybe the year



cynthiaw - I'd love to print this out and save!!!



rhunt13 - okay i feel like I can go throw up



wjfamily - hahahah



marinemomma - lol



cjsmom - haha



vpm2marines - lolol



rhunt13 - got to go tell hubby. brb



nicsmom - i hear fox co cadence if we have fox in the house



wjfamily - i have a tummy ache



nicsmom - a few blisters...



mdpmom - I feel like the weight of the world just fell off my shoulders, and my sons'



RhodyMel - yeah fox



marinemomma - FOXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX



RhodyMel - :)



marinemomma - my son is doing cadence wahooooo



wjfamily - I just had a Marine



mdpmom - we have some foxxy's in the house



wjfamily - and im sitting up;



RhodyMel - <----former fox:)



mdpmom - drinking coffee too



marinemomma - i know at this moment he is doing cadence



cjsmom - was it painful?



RhodyMel - ok ill be back i need coffee



marinemomma - wow



marinemomma - i need tissues



crhmom - LETHAL LIMA - moms, dads, families and firends - we are there!!!!!



Andi - I got Bounty!



mdpmom - I need bounty



wjfamily - ill drink to that i mean another cup



fnocella - a little easier then Labor Im sure



doubleM - give me a double roll



RhodyMel - CONGRATS LETHAL LIMA



cjsmom - couldn't resist



crhmom - i thinkg this is worse that Labor



Andi - Seriously, a two roll pack right next to me, compliments of my husband!



wjfamily - congratutlations to all who had Marines



crhmom - is last for 13 weeks



cjsmom - I agree....lasted longer!!



fnocella - LOL



mdpmom - did anyone wake up DI's wife yet



wjfamily - labor pains for 13 weeks



cjsmom - Thank you....we love our Marines!!!



nicsmom - drill instructor saying something personal to each recruit...so it will be about hour before breakfast then wow they clean for about 10 hours....



marinemomma - wow, this was better than sex!



mdpmom - LOL



kokopelli325 - lol



cjsmom - lol



nicsmom - tired very sweaty



vpm2marines - lolol



doubleM - rofl



fnocella - Lately Yea I agtree JK



LAK - nicsmom- claudine is trying hard for you to get pics.--just back from grauduation



vpm2marines - whats that have not had it in about 12 weeks



wjfamily - tears still streaming down my cheeks



mdpmom - me tooo wj



nicsmom - she is great



wjfamily - this is just awsome



marinemomma - i cant hardly see the screen



mdpmom - I'm so glad I stayed and didn't go shopping



wjfamily - to be able to share this excitement with other people who care this much



LAK - are your guys on the crucible now??



mdpmom - Tamera you made my day



marinemomma - no



khobbs - no they are getting pinned right now



nicsmom - okay i am off did the stuff i typed make sense i did not have time to type what you guys were saying



cjsmom - Finished....getting EGA



wjfamily - we are done with the crucible



fnocella - They are DONE



marinemomma - he was doing cadence



marinemomma - lol



mdpmom - we are Marine moms now



khobbs - NICS MOM... WONDERFUL ABSOLUTLY WONDERFUL



wjfamily - we just got pinned



doubleM - yeah you did perfect nic!!! oh my word!!!



marinemomma - lol



mdpmom - you are AWESOME



cjsmom - My heart swells with pride....nicsmom you are the greatest



kokopelli325 - that was awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1



nicsmom - she just callled back



nicsmom - they are singing the hymn



nicsmom - loud very loud



Andi - Congratulations Marine parents!



marinemomma - shall we stand?



LAK - oh yay- congrats you'll enjoy everything- the graduation was unbelievable. My new Marine is in his bed at home right now



nicsmom - Yes



wjfamily - i hope he learned all the words



fnocella - Listen for the OOhrah at the end



wjfamily - thank you



nicsmom - they are getting their gear



Andi - standing!



marinemomma - lol



nicsmom - its over



mdpmom - YES



marinemomma - wahooooooooooooo



nicsmom - getting gear....drop off and too breakfast



cjsmom - and we were there amazing



kokopelli325 - congratulations to all!!!!!



Andi - warriors breakfast!!!



wjfamily - thank you Lord



doubleM - shoot i feel like i need a warriors bkfst too



Andi - People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf. - George Orwell

THE POWER OF LISTENING

Have you ever been in a very emotionally difficult situation? The death of a loved one? Bad news from the doctors? A child walking in darkness? During those times, we have all experienced well-meaning, advise from those who are trying to help make us feel better. Sometimes we have even been the one rambling on with advise, and rattling off scripture in an effort to encourage those who are hurting. I have been on both sides of this fence in my lifetime, and God has taught me a simple, yet profoundly powerful lesson: LISTEN. Unless God has given you a specific word to speak, the most powerful and loving thing you can do is listen.

I remember being in Hospital Ministry and getting calls in the wee hours of the morning to come minister to families in the ER who had just lost a loved one. The first time I was called in, I rehearsed exactly what to say on the way to the hospital, reciting just the right scriptures. . . I wanted to do this just right. After 5 minutes of me rambling on with my empty, useless 'words of wisdom', getting blank stares from the family, I took a deep breath, dropped my head and said, "I'm sorry. I'm not very good at this. Can I just sit with you all for a while?" I sat and put my arms around some of them, passed them tissues, looked in their eyes as they told stories of this family member's life. I LISTENED. And in the end we all prayed together. And each of them in their own way, let me know how much it meant to them that I did that. As I drove home a few hours later, I remembered all of the rehearsing I had done in the car on the way there, and I had to laugh. I said, "Lord, it's that easy? I mean, this takes all the pressure off. I just have to LISTEN?" And He spoke so clearly to my heart, "Andi, they don't need you to have all of the answers. They don't need you to make things better. You can't. Nothing you say will change their situation. They need love, and comfort. They need to be able to talk about and cry and deal with their deep pain. They just need you to listen."

Sometimes I think we can get so caught up in trying to have all the answers, that we forget to represent THE Answer to people. Jesus Christ. Instead we represent all of our religiousness and Bible-knowledge and piety, and we think we are doing people a favor. We have brought Jesus no where near to their pain and suffering. We have left Him completely out of it.

When my Dad passed away I was devastated. My brother called and told me and I dropped the telephone and fell in a heap on the ground sobbing. I had never hurt so deeply in my life. I couldn't stop crying. And it was from the deepest parts of my gut, crying out. I cried out to God standing in my front yard looking up at the stars. I sat on my front porch swing and held my stomach and doubled over in pain. The deepest emotional pain I can ever remember feeling. My daughter sat next to me and just put her hand on my back. She kept it there while I expressed how hurt I was, how much I loved my dad and how much I would miss him. She did not try to give me the right answers, or tell me it was going to be OK, or tell me I wasn't really trusting God. (really people?). She gently and quietly let me know she was there, and that meant more to me than any words or advise ever could.

Listening is the most powerful gift we can offer people who are facing life altering situations. But, when we do open our mouths, the most powerful words we can speak are those we have heard directly and clearly from God Himself. Nothing more, nothing less, nothing else. Our job is not to impress people. It is to bring healing from God to their hurting hearts. Last week I found out my Marine son is training to go to war in Afghanistan. I sent out a prayer request through email to close friends and family, including my Pastor. I am so very blessed to have a Pastor who will only speak in these situations what He hears God saying. If he doesn't hear from God, he is not going to say something just to try to make you feel better. He knows the effort will be vain and the words without power to heal. He is a great listener. He sent me back an email, probably no more than 10 words, every one of them direct from Heaven. And those words gave me EXACTLY what I needed to hold on to through this deployment. And as I pray and search God's heart in those words, it is opening up so much more to me that God has in this. When I sent out the email I rambled on about the war in Afghanistan and how intense the battle is getting. I talked a lot. I needed to. I needed to express to those I am entrusting to pray for my son and for us, his family, to understand fully the gravity of the situation. He emailed back and offered the answer God gave him to give me. And it has already brought so much comfort and strength.

So, let go of "performance pressure", and become a listener. It is the most loving thing you can do for hurting people. And trust God to give you the right words to speak, IF He thinks you need to say anything at all. Trust Him to bring the comfort and healing. He will come through every time, even if all you do. . . is listen.

NUGGETS

I decided to compile a group of some of my status updates from Facebook over the past 12 or 13 months. This group consists of the updates that I wrote as God was speaking to me and teaching me. They are all mine, I decided not to use the status' where I quoted other people. So it's all original. I hope you enjoy them, and are ministered to by them!

~The world is not impressed by your words, how much you know, how spiritual you sound or how many scriptures you can quote! What impresses a lost
and unbelieving world is a demonstration of the power of God to meet their needs both physical and spiritual in miraculous, mind blowing ways! If Jesus
got people's attention through healings, deliverances, raising the dead, and performing miracles of provision, all before their eyes. . . what makes us think
we can persuade people with our smooth words and abundant head knowledge?? Maybe you haven't noticed, but it's not working!!~

~If everything we say and do is dependent on, or influenced by man's opinion of us, we will never do great things for God! Be singularly focused when
following His lead, and the world will see and hear Jesus Christ in you! Never quit!~

~While we are not to pursue signs and wonders, Jesus clearly stated that signs and wonders will pursue those of us that believe. . .then He told us what
those signs would be. . . if we are not seeing them in our lives, it's like a warning light that something is awry. Maybe we should be checking under the
hood today!!~

~DOUBLE is the LOWEST level of multiplication! God is the God of multiplication. What are you believing Him to multiply for you this year? Growth in
your relationship with Him? With others? People you reach with His Good News? Ministry opportunities? Giving opportunities? DOUBLE is the LEAST
He will do! How much can ...you believe Him for? Because He will go FAR over and above every time if you only believe!~

~No matter how cleverly disguised, gossip is poison! Have you ever found yourself treating someone differently, avoiding them, or thinking differently
about them because of something you heard from someone else? Guess what! You have tasted the poison of gossip. . . and swallowed!~

~Let people think and say what they want about you; the only thing that really matters is what God says about you. And then, well, try not to be too
creeped out that they would be that bothered with everything you say and do.~

~Knowing we are loved OUTRAGEOUSLY by the Creator of all things. . . what is our response? What should it be? Something to ponder. . ~

~I absolutely LOVE the sound of the constant *ding* *ding* *ding* as the enemy hurls his fiery arrows at me, they hit my shield of faith, and fall dead to
the ground!! *plunk* It is music to my ears!~

~~ONLY BELIEVE~~

~A difficult, sacrificial, unpopular, or inconvenient task is no excuse for failing to perform a divinely assigned duty. GOD chooses where we are called to
serve; we choose whether or not to respond in obedience to that call.~

~If the sin in your own heart, whatever that may be, does not grieve you more than that which you so easily see in others, something is gravely wrong.~

~My God is Semper Fi!~

~Strategic frontline intercession! The first to engage the enemy, and th last to leave, cleaning up the mess left after slaughtering the forces of darkness!~

~Unforgiveness is a spiritual poison. . . are you partaking today?~

~One of the greatest and most widespread deceptions in the Church today is that of self-importance.~

~Criticism of other's words or actions is at best the polar opposite of love and springs from the very roots of pride and unforgiveness.~

~I think we do people a real disservice when we judge them before we find out what they might possibly be facing in their life at any given time.~

~Stop looking for ministry opportunities inside the church building or off in another land. . . look around you and you will find you are smack dab in the
middle of a mission field right where you are!~

~The best advise my daddy ever gave me: "Close your mouth, you'll look more intelligent."~
~Every day God gives us choices; to follow His way, or our way. . . the way we choose tells Him MUCH about how deeply we love Him. . . or not. ~

~SOMEBODY has to be a demonstration to the World that the Word of God WORKS!~
~God is up to something BIG! It's the way He does things!~

~Flaky is not a fruit of the Spirit. . . it is a fruit of self-importance!~

~We are not truly free, until we are free from the need to impress other people.~

~ Crisis + Worship = no more crisis!~

~ I QUIT!! I quit trying to be perfect! I quit wearing a mask! I quit trying to please people! I quit worrying about what others think of me! I QUIT!!~

~Well will you just look at what the Lord has done?~

~ It may be simple and plain, or it may be elaborately decorated; it may be dirty, or it may look sparkling clean; it may be made of paper, or of the finest
godl; it may be small, or very big and roomy. . .but the bottom line is a box is a box and God won't fit in it! Not mine, or yours!~

~Hey! I have a great idea! Let's find out what God meant when He said NOTHING is impossible to them who believe!~

~When the church becomes an institution, we, as the Body of Christ run the risk of becoming institutionalized. . . prisoners embedded within the
organization or business of that structure. Focus on Christ, and Christ alone will ensure our freedom from the chains of imprisonment to anyone or
anything but Him! TRUE freedom can only be found in giving CHRIST our all!~

~When you determine to see people through the Cross and Blood of Jesus Christ that has redeemed and cleansed them from ALL sin, it is impossible to
see their faults. If what you do see when you look at them is their faults and failures, as God for a new vision, HIS vision, that sees us all through the shed
blood of Christ that by faith sees those lives transformed.!~

~What do I want, need and crave more than the very air I breathe? The Person of the Holy Spirit dwelling in me, on me, around me. . . filling me with the
very life and breath of God! Without Him I spiritually suffocate. Breathe upon me Breath of God!~

~To presume to know the heart motives behind anyone's actions or words is prideful judgement at it's worst.~

~Before we can walk in the fulness of our destinywe must have the revelation of who we are and Whose we are.~

~When my children need me, as their mother I don't sit back and tally what they have done for me, or whether or not they have lived up to my
expectations, or if they deserve my attention. . . my children have my ear and my heart because they are my children. . . they don't have to 'earn' that.
That is their BIRTHRIGHT!. How much greater a parent is the Father God!?~

~Your personal experiences neither serve to prove or disprove the Word of God. It stands as TRUTH. Yet, when men fail to recieve God's promises
for theirs or their loved ones lives, they choose to twist the Word of God, make their own interpretation of it, and create a new doctrine; excusing their
own failure in exchange for blaming and compromising God's Name and character in their words and declarations.~

~STOP signing for the packages the enemy keeps sending you! 'MY arthritis; MY diabetes; MY bad knee; I HAVE the flu; MY OCD, MY depression.
. . WAKE UP!! You are signing on the dotted line with your mouth!~

~God is in the business of breaking strongholds and bringing freedom!~

~A true passion for Christ will will always result in a passion for His Bride! We will not let worldly things keep us from her, we will pursue with fiery
determination to be a part of her through fellowship with her members. Not for religious appearances, but because we cannot help ourselves but be
outrageously in love with her, as Jesus is!~

~If you leave a newborn baby to feed itself, you can't very well blame it for the mess it makes, and for eating things it shouldn't. Newborns need parents.
Church, who is watching the babies?~

~Press in! There is much, MUCH more!~

~When you ask the Lord to open your eyes to see, you had better be ready for it! Because when He does it will slam you on your face in travailing
intercession!~

~Sometimes I wish I could pray the sugary sweet, flowery, eloquent prayers that I hear so often. But God put a sword in my hand, combat boots on my
feet, set me on the frontlines of the battlefield and said, "Tear it up girl!" And tear it up I will! Running TO it!~

~So what are you doing with the message you heard in church this week? There are two choices; application or apathy. . .choose wisely!~

~There is no need to know the details of a situation to pray for it. That's what the Holy Spirit does! Pray in the Spirit and you are like a sniper hitting
targets NO ONE knew were there with deadly precision! And another plus. . . you are also not tempted to gossip and brag about what you know! See
how God's got our backs all the way around?~

~YOU are important to God!! There is no such thing as insignificant in His family! There is no 'least' except in man's eyes; and if you feel that is how
people see you, REJOICE! Because God says the 'least' is the GREATEST where He is concerned! People create 'levels' of importance and
significance, but GOD created us all equal! Men, women, black, white, tall short, it doesn't matter. . . YOU are important to God!~

~There are two sides to every story, and you can count on 99.9% of both sides being exaggerated significantly, any guilt being denied and projected on
the other party; and a sob story so dramatized you'd swear you can hear violins playing off in the distance. My advise. . . .find the humor in it all and stay
out of the line of fire! SANITY 101~

~False humility is pride in it's very worst form, for it is claoked in the robes of deception.~

~God, Your Word leaves us with no excuse.~

~When you have been with God, there is no need to announce it; When He is doing a deep work in your life, you won't need to tell people; The evidence
will be undeniable to everyone who comes in contact with you. . . and the evidence will not be in words. . . .Shhhhhhhh. . .let HIM shine!~

~If you have ever been present when God performed a miracle or healing, you know how praise just absolutely erupts! You can't help it! I was thinking
today about the thousands that followed Jesus, and He was doing miracles, healing ALL manner of disease and raising the dead. . . I am willing to bet it
was quite noisy around Him! I have serious doubts that it was quiet and reserved. . . . I'm just sayin. . .~

~Never, never, NEVER get caught up in defending the call that God has placed on your life! That is not your job. No, not even when it is questioned by
the critics! Jesus never defended His call and purpose on this earth, He just kept DOING IT! When you get into a defense mode, your heart will
become hardened and your effectiveness in that call is compromised greatly. JUST KEEP WALKING IT OUT! God will take care of the rest!~

~Do you realize that as a Christ Follower your resources are INEXHAUSTABLE!?~

~When we choose to walk in forgiveness, not only are we obeying a command of God, and setting ourselves free from the burden and chains that
unforgiveness brings; But as we forgive and forget the past we help to keep the Body of Christ strong, walking in unity, and knit together in LOVE, so
that we can actually be accurate representatives of a forgiving Savior to the world!~