Day 363 - Friday

Tonight a friend of mine sent a text message requesting prayer for her daughter in law who is pregnant with twins.  The young lady has had several miscarriages and had such a hard time getting pregnant. 
She began having pain and had gone to the hospital.  I called Donna and we prayed together and within ten minutes of that prayer going out her pain had left.  The doctors completed follow up tests to check the babies and the fluid levels were all back to normal and her placenta was where it belonged and everything was fine!

I LOVE the fact that you don't even have to be near the person needing healing for them to get healed.  Jesus heals with just His word being spoken!

Day 362 - Thursday

This is pretty cool! 

I was online in the morning before work just checking my email when a friend/sister in Christ from Sweden popped on to Facebook.  We played catch up for a minute or so before she asked me to pray for her.  She suffers from a disease like fibromyalgia where she can be in near constant and unexplainable pain.  She was hurting pretty badly yesterday and having trouble walking as well as being emotionally drained.

We prayed and within just a few minutes the Lord had taken ALL of her pain away! INCREDIBLE!  Fibromyalgia is one thing that I would really like to see more people getting healed from.  It is such a debilitating disease.  Not only is it painful but so many people feel so hopeless with it too because there is no real cure for it. 

The awesome thing is... Jesus is the Cure for EVERYTHING!  It says in the Word that He bore pain, suffering and death for all of our sicknesses and diseases.  Jesus' Name is also the Name above every other name, including the name of those diseases for which there is no cure.  He is hope to the hopeless!

Day 361 - Wednesday

Tonight I got to teach our pre-teen group Thrive.  I love working with those kids.  Tonight I had Kyle, one of our youth group leaders, in there helping me teach and he was awesome!  He really helped me get the kids to start asking questions about who Jesus is and the Bible.  We actually had a terrific discussion going.


On top of that the kids prayed for each other again and we saw one young man who had kidney stones have all the pain leave his body when his friends prayed for him!  How awesome is that!?!?!?!  They got to see who Jesus was in action!  I love it that I serve a living God who is still working and moving on our behalf!

Day 360 - Tuesday

This morning at prayer, Donna and I were praying together when Holly showed up.  As we began to seek God for our church His peace just descended on us and it was so calm and refreshing there.  I felt in my heart that I should touch Donna's foot. 


I thought, that is so weird... I am not doing that... I ignored it for several minutes.


After our individual prayer time was over we gathered together for corporate prayer.  Donna said she had hurt her foot the day before on the drive home from Chicago and asked if we would pray for it.  I started laughing and told her what I had felt in my heart.


We prayed and immediately she was healed!  Glory!

Day 359 - Monday

The last Monday of the year.  The last Monday I will write this blog, I think?!?!!?! 

My beautiful daughter woke up not feeling well this morning.  I went in to wake her up and she felt a little warm.  Probably all of the excitement of the holidays.  As I looked at her little sleeping face I said a prayer over her.  She woke up a few hours later bright eyed and bushy tailed and ready to go except for a little headache.  So I had her pray over herself and before long she wasn't complaining of a headache any more!

I love helping her to build her faith to see miracles!  I know that God has put that in her!

Day 358 - Sunday - Christmas Day

No, I didn't drop off of the face of the earth.  No, I didn't give up on my NYR this close to the end, and no I didn't go on vacation this week.  Although it may have seemed like it!  I realized the numbering was messed up on here and I had to go through each entry and adjust the numbering basically starting with the first day and moving forward.  It took HOURS!  But I am glad I hadn't written any other posts that I had to re-number!  The upside is I am finally going to play catch up!

Christmas day was so busy.  I did get to go to church that morning, for which I was really grateful.  It was an incredible service and even though it was quick, God's presence in that building that morning was so strong that I hated to leave. 

I did get one good report... one of the babies at the church was born with a displaced hip.  We had prayed for her the week before and she got her ultrasound results which came back showing everything was perfect! YAY GOD!

I know that Christmas Day is the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus, but it seems like I always get blessed more than He does.  I was talking with a young lady at church and recounting the Christmas' past where the Lord has stepped in and met my every need and most of my wants.  The last few years, I have been exceptionally blessed.  Being a single mom and in school I don't have a lot of money.  When I was married though my husband was a really good gift giver and he used to give the best presents on special occasions.  I must admit as silly as it is ... I miss that.  Every year since I was saved though, I am pretty sure that someone has gotten me the very thing my heart desired that I didn't think I would have... because I was alone... This year was no exception!

Further proof for anyone out there that might still think that God doesn't care about every intimate detail of our lives! 

Day 357 - Saturday

It is Christmas Eve... The night before Jesus was born into the world more than 2,000 years ago.  My kids and I sent a great big box of toys to Alaska.  Today was the Christmas party for all of the kids in the little village of Tannacross.  Pastor Crystal sent a picture of all the bags of toys ready for all the kids.  It was incredible...

I was sitting in church one night a couple weeks ago and just kept thinking about Crystal.  All through service.  It was such a nagging thought that I sent her a facebook message DURING church... I know rude, right?!?!?!  But I couldn't pay attention to the pastor anyway.  I asked her if htere was anything they need.  She messaged me back a day or two later and when I read about the children of Tannacross tears welled up in my eyes. 

This is what Christmas is really all about...

Day 356 - Friday

I have gotten to spend the latter part of my evening ministering to a young lady.  It is such a blessing to be used by God to touch people.  Allowing my story to help other people by sharing it. I wish I could say more tonight, but I can't.

This year and this resolution are almost over... I would like to be able to say that I have done this well and consistently.  I would like to say that I will be sad when this is over.  I am getting pretty discouraged with my own inabilities to push past my fear and step out in faith all the time.  To be able to hear what God is saying and what He is doing all the time... but I don't...  Progress not perfection!

Day 355 - Thursday

I had to run in to the office supply place in town today and have a document faxed.  The minute I walked in I saw a lady that I had prayed with for healing in her back.  I didn't have a chance to go up and talk to her and ask her how she was doing... She was walking perfectly though! 

My friend called me later in the afternoon and she said, "Do you have time for a prayer meeting?"  Of course!

We prayed for her step mom who was in the hospital with unexplained stomach pain.  I know that God sent His angels into that hospital room while we were praying and touched her.  I haven't heard if they have released her yet, but I believe that she will be out before the weekend starts!

Day 354 - Wednesday

We did Christmas with my ex un laws tonight.  All afternoon I was working myself up to pray with my ex un laws neighbor who I knew would be there...  She is in need of a knee replacement. 

She mentioned on facebook a few days earlier that she was scheduled for one.  I wanted to ask her if I could pray for her... but my ex un laws were around the whole time and so I couldn't really.  My fear of offending them or being embarrassed outweighed my concern and love for Carolyn...

Just more to work on...

Day 353 - Tuesday

Well, today I almost prayed for the gas station guy tonight. 

I had to run in and pick up some milk on my way home from finishing shopping.  As I was checking out I saw that the attendant had a splint on his finger.  So I was brave enough to ask what happened.  He said he hurt it playing basketball.  I chickened out on the praying part.  I am not sure what the fear was... but I am determined to defeat it with God's help!

As I sit here writing this I began thinking about how "almost praying" for someone is the same as not praying at all as far as what it will be like when we meet God and discuss what we have done with the gifts He has given us.  It reminds me of the story of the talents.  Where the one guy takes what the master gives him and he goes out and makes a huge return on his investment.  The second guy comes back with more than he started but not as much as the first guy.  The last guy buries his talent in the ground and doesn't do anything at all with it.  I am thinking when I am "almost obedient" to the Lord... well, to be blunt I am burying what He has given me, and He isn't going to be too pleased when He comes home.  I wonder if He will say "Well done, my good and faithful servant" or if He will say, "Oh you faithless generation".  Father help me to be obedient!

Day 352 - Monday

Being that Christmas is less than a week away now, my mom and I headed out to the stores tonight to start and finish our shopping.  I will just let you know right now, that did not happen.  However, as we headed out I thought about last year. 

I know that this may seem silly to some people, to think that God cares about parking spots... but I am telling you He does.  He cares about all the seemingly mundane and inconsequential things in our lives.  He is just so longing for relationship with us and for fellowship with us that He concerns Himself with every facet of our existence. 

I have been blasted by acquaintances before for my belief that Jesus cares about parking spots, but I really think He does.  As we were heading out tonight, I remembered last year when we were so tired and every shop we went to... and I made my mom go to a lot of them... we found a parking space within just a few feet of the door.  Tonight was no different.  It was so strange that after the third store and finding spaces close to the door at all three, I mentioned "Parkinglot Jesus".  My mom said she was thinking the same thing.

I must at this time offer you the thought that the Lord cares about even the simplest things in our lives and that we should bring Him every thought and care.  Trust that He is there and that He cares and He hears and He will answer!
P.S.  Yes, I prayed for parking spots :)

Day 351 - Sunday

This morning's church service was awesome! Not only was the worship incredible, the message from pastor awesome, but I was overwhelmed and amazed by God's goodness.  I couldn't stop myself from crying as I stood next to a young lady who is going through the exact things that I have walked through.  I praise God that I lived through them to be able be here to stand with her and pray through it with her.  He is sooooo Good! 

At the end of service while ministering to people at the altar, Barb and I were praying with a woman who has had chronic back pain for years.  We had prayed for her before dozens of time with little to no relief from the pain.  I must admit that that is fairly disheartening.  Pastor called her up and as we were praying for her I got a word to pray for her heart.  As we prayed, both Barb and I felt God giving her a new heart!  I felt this heat and almost like a vibration and I don't really know how to describe the rest.  It was incredible! The power of God hit her and down she went.  When she came to she shared with us that she had been having chest pains and had gone to the doctor.  She was given an EKG and an irregularity was discovered.  She had gone in for more tests and was awaiting the results.  How cool is that!?!?!?!

I love how God is speaking and sharing what He is doing so that other people can see how much He loves them in a real and tangible way!!!  So AWESOME!

Day 350 - Saturday

This morning I had scheduled a community service work day for the mentorship program for teens that I am involved with.  We went to a food pantry/soup kitchen/ homeless shelter to help clean.  I am not sure if we helped them more than they helped us!

It was awesome to see people with such hearts to touch people for Jesus.  I fell in love with their joy and their heart for people.  They have a tremendous work that the Lord will use powerfully!  After scrubbing and working alongside one of the organizers for the facility I noticed that she was having trouble with her shoulder.  I asked her if it would be ok I prayed and asked God to heal that shoulder.  She agreed eagerly! 

We prayed together and we saw all of the pain leave that shoulder.  It was so awesome!  I love how the Lord works.  I love how He brings people together for His good and glory!  I cannot wait to see what this relationship turns into!

Day 349 - Friday

This morning I had breakfast with an awesome woman of God.  We sat at Dunkin' Donuts for nearly two hours and talked about God!  She shared with me about the difficulties she was experiencing with her developing faith in God's healing power.  She isn't as fortunate as I am to have amazing teachers all around her who are hungry and expecting God to do all that He has said He will do.  she was sharing how she had felt discouraged lately by all of the faithless people.  Not that those people don't love the Lord, they do... They are just afraid to take some risks and be "weird" for Jesus. 

Feeling bad that her bubble had been burst and suddenly aware of the 3 older gentlemen sitting behind me, I turned around to them as they were getting ready to leave and asked if any of them had any pain in their bodies that they needed prayer for.  They all said, "No" at first.  I asked them if they had any pain at all, back or legs, or maybe arthritis.  One of the guys said he had arthritis all over and ti was because he was old and he was willing to live with it.  Not much you can do about that one... The third guy waited a minute until his friends left and he said he would always take prayer but he didn't have any pain in his body at the moment.  He did have a hearing aid in though.  So I prayed for God to touch him and heal him and for his body to be strong and that he would have a blessed day.  It was awesome and so much fun! I've missed praying with people in random places with a friend. 

Maybe Kim is the answer to the prayer I have been praying?

Day 348 - Thursday

This morning when I was doing my morning facebook check... Don't worry, I know how lame that is! LOL  I noticed that there is a lady who is the wife of a man I work with who had thrown out her back that morning.  Immediately I felt like I should message her and ask her if I could come by and pray with her.  Of course I didn't do it, even though I had to drive right through the town where she lived on my way to the mall.  Instead I just went and did my thing. 

It wasn't until I was getting ready to go to bed last night that I looked on facebook again and saw that she had posted that she had had to miss her kids' Christmas concert at school because she couldn't walk, that I felt incredibly horrible.  So... I waited a little longer...

Then I finally got up the nerve to send her a message and ask her if I could pray for her back. 

Day 347 - Wednesday

I hate when I let this go and then I have to go back and try and remember the last few days... not my strong suit... You would think after nearly a year I would be more diligent and on top of this... but not so much!  Wednesday night at church after working in the pre-teen ministry, I was walking down the stairs exhausted... which I am sure was more than apparent on my face...

My pastor said, "We had a couple visit the church tonight... and she has stage 4 cancer!  We prayed with her and all the pain in her body left!"  GLORY :)  Stage 4 Cancer!  Now that is what I am talking about!  Those that are hurting and without hope seeing some hope restored, seeing God's love manifested toward them!  I wish I could have been there to see the look on her face.

I seriously underestimated our preteens!  This week was their Christmas party.  We had lots of awesome snacks and video games for them and teamwork games for great prizes.  The overwhelming response at the end of the night ... "Aren't we going to have a lesson?"  I asked my son if he had fun, his response, "I wish we would have had a lesson tonight, mom."  WOW!  I didn't realize how hungry these kids at such a young age are for a real God who does real things and cares about real people.  Obviously, we will be having a lesson next week!

Day 346 - Tuesday

Today was slightly better than yesterday... only slightly... I still blew off a couple people... I was just so tired and cranky because my brain stopped working 3/4's of the way through my last final.  I was really struggling with my sanity, when my friend called.  I only answered because I knew she would cheer me up. 

Turns out she needed prayer.  We talked for a little and each vented about our days (her's was worse - she got in a minor fender bender in her driveway).  Obviously her back was hurting and she needed prayer.  I knew it.  Sad enough to say though... I didn't even want to pray for her and she is someone I love very much.  Before we said goodbye though, I was able to press through my own negativity and ask if we could pray really quickly for her back.  She responded like a real friend who knows and understands pure unadulterated exhaustion, "You don't have to."  This is one of the things I love the most about her... she totally gets me and that is the exact same thing I would have said had the shoe been on the other foot! LOL

So we prayed... well, in my heart - not out loud - I begged Jesus in my whiny voice to touch her and heal her body.  If you could've heard it ... it was pathetic! LOL  Do you know what happened?  God healed her.  He took all that pain away right then.  There was no joy, no happiness, no positive emotion, no feeling God's presence, not even any real faith at all... And He just healed her.  He is so AMAZING!  I never get tired of Him!

Day 345 - Monday

My mother started her day by reminding me I haven't stayed up with this that well this week.  It was finals week, and I must admit, I was pretty much out of my mind the first part of this week. 

Monday would have to represent one of the greatest days of  faith failure...  I was so tired and preoccupied that a couple people called and texted for prayer, and I must admit... I blew them off.

I didn't do it intentionally... I was just so busy.. so tired... so whatever.

I wonder who was more disappointed me or God? 

Day 344 - Sunday

The thing I love best about Sundays is seeing people coming to church expecting to get a miracle.  I know not everyone does, but the ones that do make my heart smile!  I got to pray for several people today.  One particularly difficult case of severe back pain was healed.  Four of us stood in agreement with a lady tonight and through prayer and the guidance of the Holy Spirit within a few minutes she was able to walk again.  It was awesome to see her go from limping and crying when she walked  to an almost normal gait within just a few moments. 

Another young lady who is close to my heart was ministered to and touched so powerfully this morning it was awesome to see.  She had so much fear and hurt and the Lord just began to lift that off of her as He ministered to her throughout the service.  My friend Cinnamon and I just got to love on her while we sandwiched her between us for worship and wouldn't let her sit down.  That might sound a little anti-religious... making someone stay up front during worship... well, it is.  She felt our love and care for her which allowed her to feel if only for a second God's love for her. I love His redemptive power!

Another woman with knee pain was completely healed.  God touched her as we prayed and we saw her feet come into alignment and the swelling and pain left her leg.

Donna and I also prayed with one of our exchange students who will be returning home to Korea in the morning.  What God is going to do in that young lady's life as a result of her time here and getting to know Him is going to be astounding.  She was not raised in a Christian home and she was able to see God's love manifest to her while she was here.  She will take that back to her country and I cannot wait to see the positions that God places her in and how He will use her to shape and shake that nation!

Day 343 - Saturday

I had a video that I wanted to attach to this blog.  Unfortunately I am not that tech savvy and cannot figure out how to get it from facebook to here.  Hopefully I will be able to get it on here in the next day or so. 

Look!!! I got it on here! Aren't you proud of me!!!  Click on the Link below... it is a great video by an amazing young woman!

I didn't pray for anyone today.  I had to study for finals so I stayed at home all day and just worked on homework.  The phone didn't ring and I didn't call... it was kind of nice for a change.  I probably should have asked God what He was up to, but I didn't do that either.  Oh, well, tomorrow will be better!

Aimee's Video

Day 342 - Friday

Today was such an amazing day.  I got to see the Lord heal several people today.  Before I write about that though, I want to share an important revelation I received this morning.  Last night I had a dream and I was still mulling parts of it over in my head while I was working out in the gym today.  I was working it out while I was working out! :O)  Cheesy, I know!

Anyway, the Lord was showing me how not to look to man for approval.  Sometime ago I had let the passion of my relationship with Him grow cold because I wanted to fit in with the "group" at church.  Yes, I had to let go of some of my passion for Jesus in order to accepted by church people... I know that sounds ridiculous... but it is true.  God shared with me that I had let Him go so I could fit in with them.  I was heartbroken as I repented.  My heart still aches for what I did to Him by doing that and for what I have lost because of that disobedience.

After that it was one miracle after another.  A girl came to my house to pick up some product and I asked if I could pray for her because she has lupus.  I know God is working on her and I am hoping she will be at church this Sunday, please pray with me!

At my children's Christmas play tonight, I saw a friend sitting with her mom while we were waiting for the program to start, she just didn't look right.  So I asked her.  She shared that she had the flu and her neck hurt but she didn't want to miss her son's performance.  We prayed and God took the nausea and fever away instantly.  We had to pray a second time before her neck and back were healed.  Long story short, she felt like a million bucks when she went home.

Then God showed up in a HUGE way at our single parent's ministry event that we were having tonight. It was chaotic and a mess at first.  It turned out incredible. This woman spoke and it was like windows of heaven opening up and just showering blessings on us tonight!

Thank You Father for this Day!!!

Day 341 - Thursday

Today I got to have  some quality time with one of my spiritual moms, Rev. Deborah Aksamit.  She is an amazing evangelist and I am blessed to call her momma!  We prayed together to see break through in all different areas in our lives and in others lives and in the church.  It was awesome!  I love praying with her! 

God must have been in the mood to heal headaches today.  My friend Cinnamon came over later in the day with a migraine headache.  We prayed and we agreed together and God completely healed her head.  Another one of my friends was suffering from headaches today too!  She text me and asked me to pray. We prayed via text and by this afternoon, her headache had completely gone!  She had had it for three weeks!

God is so good!  He will even sends out His power via text message!  I guess it is true that His word will not return void!

Day 340 - Wednesday

So I have to play a little catch up here! My mom sent me an email this morning... "Dear, your last post was Tuesday; it is now Friday."  It has been a long week! Oh well enough of my excuses! I have lots to write about!

I was in the gym this morning and I was supposed to meet a couple of friends there. All morning though I had this strange feeling that they weren't going to come today.  About 11am I had gone to check my phone, and I was checking my voicemail when I got another call.  It was the friends I was supposed to meet.  They had been in a bad car accident.  God had completely protected them though.  Someone T-boned the side of their car right in the passenger side front door.  Luckily they were both able to walk away with not even a scratch!  The car did not do so well!  The girl who hit them did not either.  She survived but was injured pretty badly.  She hit them at around 55mph.  Because of prayer though, they had no injuries and no stiffness either. 

At tonight's church service we saw God work mightily through our children.  At the end of service, the kids were downstairs and running around.  Our Pastor had fallen a few weeks ago and really injured her knee.  It was swollen and painful.  I asked her if we could pray for it and she said yes.  So her granddaughter and I were getting ready to pray.  Bella was a little shy so I started out.  While we were praying, Bella's brother, my son Mason, and Angela their exchange student joined us in praying.  When Bella began to pray, I felt the swelling in Pastor's knee shrink, like someone had let the water out of a water balloon.  She stood up and had NO pain and the swelling was gone!  It was so AMAZING!!!

Day 339 - Tuesday

This morning I woke up to my phone ringing at 6:30am!  I am not a morning person...believe me!  My son's phone accidentally called me when his alarm went off.  At first I made the... UGHHHHH! Groannnnn!  Then I realized that I had an opportunity to spend some quality time with The One I love.  Yes, Jesus!  It doesn't happen often that I get to spend time with Him early in the morning because I like to sleep until the last possible second before getting out of bed. 

I must admit that it was pretty awesome.  I have been so busy lately with school and the kids and... well, ... excuses... that my time with God has really suffered.  It was nice to get back on track.  I know it helped me through the stressful evening I had.  On that note... I am going to bed! 

Oh, yeah, we did pray for a beautiful baby girl this afternoon at prayer.  She was born with hip displacia about 3 weeks ago.  As we were praying for her you could feel things moving around inside her hip joints.  It was really weird!  She goes to the doctor for an MRI tomorrow to determine if she will need surgery or not (well really so the doctor's can tell her mommy that she is all healed and won't need surgery).  So I will let you know!

Day 338 - Monday

As far as Mondays go, this one was pretty amazing!  I love how the God we serve is so awesome and amazing that He will take our biggest mess ups, our biggest failings and failures and turn them around to help others!  My B.C. (Before Christ) was a mess... No joke. 

Tonight though I got to share the awfulness that I went through with a young lady who has an incredibly bright future.  She is destined for greatness in the Kingdom of God.  She is struggling with a number of the same issues that I had as a teenager, but most of all she is suffering from loneliness.  I think that is what most people that have issues are suffering with.  Our world today isolates us so much.  We don't talk anymore, we text... I am as guilty of it as the next person!  In fact my mom saw a Christmas Ornament when we were out shopping the other day that said "Texting Queen" and she said, "Oh, I should get that for you!"  We email instead of write letters... Sorry, I am guilty of that one too!  I hate going to the post office! Sometimes I will just live in my own little world for days at a time only coming out for the most necessary things like connecting with my kids. 

Anyway, after about an hour and a half of sharing with her and listening to her, God did an amazing thing... He gave her a friend that cares about her and loves her for who she is, where she is.  That is a rare thing!

Day 337 - Sunday

I must admit I have very little difficulty in sharing my mistakes with people; however the opportunity does not present itself often.  Tonight was a different story.  Before church even started tonight my friend and I were in the prayer room together.  After everyone else had left something strange happened.  Well, not really all that strange... after all we are talking about God here!

I was sitting next to her and I put my hand on her and she began to cry.  After some time I asked her what was going on and she shared some vague things.  This prompted me to open up and share what the Lord and I had been talking about earlier in the day.

Over the last 6 years of my Christian walk, I have worked very hard to get rid of everything in my life that would be displeasing to God.  Unfortunately, no matter how hard I try, no matter how hard I fight... there are a couple areas in my life that I have just been unable to have complete breakthrough from.  I hate the behavior the way God says we are to hate sin.  I will do really well for a few months and then I will have a slip.  Now get your minds out of whatever you are thinking this great sin is... it really doesn't matter what it is... sin is sin is sin is sin.  There are no little sins or big sins... it is all the same to God.  And anyone who has read this over the last 11 months can probably figure out what mine is anyway! LOL

The point is... after my latest little slip up the last couple of days, I was asking God why I couldn't seem to get free from this.  His response to me surprised me:  If you could get free of this on your own or by following some formula, what need would you have of Me?  You would begin to think the miracles and signs were because you were so good or perfect and had gotten rid of sin in your life instead of recognizing that they are Mine.

Well that hit me like a ton of bricks.  To be honest I am still trying to get my theology around that one!  The upside of this little revelation ... it was also exactly what my friend needed to hear.  It was good for both of us because we also recognized that we aren't alone.  We are all still sinners, continually falling short of the glory of God.  I wish I could say this story is going to end with my walking in the fullness of all that God has for me, a sinless life, perfect in every way.  Unfortunately, that isn't how it works.  We are sinners in need of a saving God, saved by grace through faith, by a God who renews His mercy for me everyday!

So if anyone else is out there thinking that they aren't good enough to do God's work or that they have already messed it up by their behavior... Good... Now God can work in your life and through your life without YOU getting the credit!

Day 336 - Saturday

Today we were finishing up the move at me ex un laws.  There were so many people there to help, it was really and truly a blessing!  Especially since they had all of the heavy furniture moved before I even got there!  SCORE!

We worked hard all day and by the end of the day nearly everyone was exhausted.  No one worked as hard as the Ryken's though.  They are a couple about my ex un law's age and they worked their tails off all day.  Late in to the afternoon Mrs. Ryken was limping.  Her knee was hurting.  My ex Mom un law said that she needed a knee replacement as she shouted for her to "Sit down and take a break!" from two rooms away. 

Softly I made mention of Dr. Jesus doing a little knee replacement just loud enough for my ex Mom un law to hear.  Her response was "That might be a little much for us Presbyterians."  That was just enough to keep me from stepping out. 

Why do I let that happen? Why do I leg my brain get in the way of my heart?  It seems that this is a constant swinging back and forth.  Sometimes I just jump out there boldly and others I just freak out!  God, I pray You will help me to become more like You and have faith to believe for the miracles all the time!

Day 335 - Friday

I think I got gypped today.  Normally Fridays are such awesome days with lots of time spent talking with God.  Instead I seemed to just be swimming upstream with everything...

I was helping my ex un law's move today.  They are downsizing their home and moving to a home that has one level.  My ex father un law was diagnosed with a brain tumor earlier this year. The type he was diagnosed with is one of the fastest spreading and most vicious.  I am happy to report that following surgery, and 6 mos from initial diagnosis, and with only one round of chemo, he is showing no signs of new cancer cells in his brain!  This in itself is phenomenal as the type he was diagnosed with is supposedly incurable.  I will say that shortly after being diagnosed he came to Jesus in a profound way and I know that God is behind the fact that he isn't dead yet.  He should have died at least three times by now.

The medicines that he is on though have been messing with him.  While I was up there today he was so confused and disoriented and his movement and speech weren't right.  It turned out, as we found out later today, that they had one of his medication doses too high. Praise God, he should be reasonably back to good in the next day or two!

Also, the young lady that Donna and I ministered to a few days ago had to be hospitalized today due to her suicidal thoughts.  I am not surprised but I am a tiny bit disappointed.  I know God was in the room with us on Tuesday.  I know that He was trying to help us help her.  I know He wants to see her healed.  So I guess I am just going to have to trust in what I know and continue praying for her.

Tonight was our monthly prayer meeting at the church. I was completely looking forward to it.  Spending some time soaking in His presence with my church family.  A friend had called earlier in the afternoon and asked if I could come help her with a gift for her daughter's birthday on Monday.  I said I would come over before prayer and help her.  I was sure I could get it done quickly.  WRONG ANSWER!!!  Two hours later ... and after prayer was already over... we finished the project.  It did turn out well... and it was loving and kind helping her, but I really feel like I missed the best part.  So as soon as I am finished with this I am going to spend some time with the One who loves me best!

Day 334 - Thursday

Tonight I got to sit in a room and listen to a group of people who God had turned around for the better.  This group of adults came and spoke to our diversion students about the dark road of alcohol and drug abuse.  They spoke about how when they were at the very end of their rope there was a hand reaching out to grab a hold of them.  That someone cared. Someone bigger than who they are, bigger than their friends and bigger than their parents. 

I watched as they took in what the speakers had to say.  I could see in some of their eyes that they were really taking it in.  They heard about a God who would meet them right where they are and help them to go to an even better place. 

The best part of this is that these kids are not church kids.  They are kids who have gotten in trouble with the law.  The court system offered them an alternative to heavy fines or time in the detention center. I can't really tell them they need to find Jesus but our volunteers can speak about their own Experience, Strength, and Hope.  I believe that God has put them in this program because He is drawing them closer to Him!  It is such a beautiful opportunity to touch kids lives!

As if that weren't good enough... One of the volunteers was having shoulder pain and our healing room team got to pray for her after the class and the Lord touched her shoulder and it was amazing!

Day 333 - Wednesday

Tonight I got to help out in Thrive.  It was awesome!  It is so ironic... I didn't really want to do this ministry when I first started.  I just agreed to because my Pastor's asked.  The first week was awful.  Tonight was incredible though.  I love seeing the kids learn and be excited!

They took turns reading the scriptures.  We played games and we talked about rules and parents and boundaries and God.  At the end we asked if anyone had prayer requests.  We had so many that we just went around the room allowing each kiddo to share what was on their hearts.  Then we took volunteers who wanted to lead the prayer for their friends.  So almost all of the kids took the opportunity to pray for one of their friends!  It was awesome to see their faith rising as they saw their friends get healed.  Pain left arms and feet and ankles and legs! GOD showed up in an awesome way!

The best moment was when we were praying for one boy and the kids had almost puppy piled on top of me to pray for their friend.  I looked down at the circle of hands and arms reaching in around me and it was amazing!

Day 332 - Tuesday

Today was awesome!  I think I spent 75% of my day praying with people!  I'm not sure which one to talk about!  I love the fact that in the midst of me trying to figure out what I am doing and in between all of my failings... God still chooses to use me... It almost seems He does more when I feel like the biggest mess!

Donna and I ministered to a girl this afternoon.  It wasn't an instantaneous healing because the wounds in her heart seemed so deep.  We prayed with her and loved on her and I practiced what I learned from Heidi's book.  By the time we were finished she would look us in the eye and she even laughed and was joking a little bit!

Depression can be one of the most difficult things for people to get set free from but it is one of the most rewarding.  It's almost as good as seeing a dead person raised to life because someone who is steeped in depression is almost dead.  They don't have any joy or peace or rest.  Compelled by Love really stirred up my spirit and fired me up to see people set free!

Day 331 - Monday

Ok, this is the second time I wrote this... I guess the first time wasn't really what God had wanted me to write about.  I had this elaborate story from earlier today that admitted what a jerk I was ... not walking in God's love because I was too busy being busy with my own busy-ness.  Which is flat out exceptional after reading Heidi Baker's book on Love and the Beatitudes. 

After I woke up from the selfish coma... and checked my voicemail.  I realized that a very good friend of mine needed help.  I called her back and apologized.  We made arrangements to meet up tomorrow to pray with a friend of hers who is in desperate need of a touch from God.  After we were done talking and making arrangements I asked if I could pray with her.  As we prayed the Lord healed her of her headache that she hadn't even told me about or asked me to pray for. 

I spent the rest of the night getting to know God and His love better so that I will be ready to share His love with this young lady tomorrow.  Anyone who reads this, please pray that this young woman will be able to receive all of the love that God has for her tomorrow.  Thanks!

Day 330 - Sunday

AHHHHHH!  Almost all caught up!  I hate when I slack and let myself get behind!  This morning I was in an Advil induced coma and I overslept and missed church.  I don't think that has ever happened before...  I was not very thrilled that it happened this time.  I seriously chided those who were awake and decided to "let me sleep".  They were forced to clean their rooms later :O)

Anyway, since I couldn't make it to church this morning, I had a little church service of my own.  Just me, Jesus, and Heidi Baker.  If you haven't heard of Heidi Baker, do yourself a favor and look her up on YouTube.  There are very few people on this earth that have more love inside them than she does.  She has a love inside of her that is greater than I believe I have ever seen.  It is stunningly beautiful.  Donna picked up a book she had written at the book store earlier in the week.  It was a study of the Beatitudes... or rather... how to live them.  Through reading her book this morning I was able to get some of my theology that had gone awry back on track. 

TBT (That is Truth Be Told in text language hehehe) it doesn't ever matter why someone is sick or why they are hurting or broken or homeless or whatever the problem is... we are only supposed to be the embodiment of love to them.  To BE the hands and feet of Jesus and love them the way that He would love them.  In fact I cannot recall one single place in the Bible where Jesus EVER asked someone how long they had been sick, what they had been doing when they got sick... He just said be healed.

God, please ruin me.  Show me Your face.  Show me Your ways.  Please help me Never to reduce You to a formula.  Father I am sorry for seeing Your world through these eyes filled with pride.  Please remove the scales from my eyes and let me see people the way that You see them.  Let me love them the way that You love them. 

There is a part of Heidi's book that keeps playing over and over in my mind...

"When I held Beatrice, I caught scabies and lice.  But it didn't matter.  My only goal is to love more." (Compelled by Love by Heidi Baker - check it out!)

Help me to love like that Father.  In Jesus' Name Amen!

When we love with the Father's love... signs, wonders and miracles just follow us...

Day 329 - Saturday

Well I still didn't leave my house today.  I did get to pray with someone and see a miracle though! :O)  I love the beauty of technology!  As my pastor says, "They didn't realize when they put up those cell phone towers and invented texting that they were helping the Kingdom of God to advance!"

A friend text me and asked me to agree with her for her mom who had been taken to the hospital with a suspected blood clot in her lung.  We prayed over the phone and within about an hour I got a text letting me know that there was NO BLOOD CLOT!  Her mom was doing much better and they were just running some tests on her to make sure that there weren't any other issues before they let her go home! 

Day 328 - Friday

Well, I have to play a little catch up again.  I spent most of the last three days being incredibly sick.  Pretty much lying in bed whining and doped up on as many pain killers as my little body could take.  That sounds so lame to me.  Here I am praying with people all the time and seeing them healed and this stupid sinus infection takes over my life.  I had fought this foul disease for nearly two weeks.  Finally it seemed as though it had defeated me.  I lay in my bed all hot and feverish.  My teeth hurt, my head hurt, it felt like someone had punched me in the face.

I prayed.  I had other people praying.  In fact I had been praying for the last two weeks and just when it seemed to be getting better - I had gotten my voice back, I could breathe through my nose, etc - the WORST of it hit.  How does that happen??? I mean seriously????  How does that HAPPEN!?!?!?!

I even allowed myself to think for a second that I had done something to remove God's covering from my life which allowed me to get sick.  This is a dangerous thought.  I could go into all the dimensions of sin that this thought involves, but I won't.  I had allowed myself to be deceived into the fact that if I did everything right then I would never be sick and nothing bad would ever happen to me.  Unfortunately that is just not true.  It is almost as bad as saying that we can be good enough to get in to Heaven.

I would like to say that I found a solution to this on Friday, but I didn't.  I went to bed and took some amazing medication that helped me sleep until eleven o'clock the next morning!
So for the people who are out there suffering with sickness or disease and you believe for your healing and it doesn't happen... Don't give up.  Don't buy the lie that it is because you committed some horrible sin.  Don't let anyone tell you that you aren't being healed because you don't have enough faith.

Day 327 - Thursday - THANKSGIVING

Today is the American holiday known as Thanksgiving.  Growing up as a kid I thought this was one of the lamest holidays.  Now it is quite possibly my favorite.  Yes, I think it has eclipsed Christmas for the sheer fact that Christmas has become so disgustingly commercialized that it is annoying!  Seriously, the Kohl's commercial has to go!  It almost makes me want to celebrate Hanukkah this year and just have a birthday party for Jesus on December 25th.  Anyway, enough ranting... 

I want to take this opportunity to thank GOD for everything that He has blessed me with.  Today was spent with awesome family and friends.  I am so grateful for everyone that the Lord has put in my life.  I have had horrible sinus issues for the last week.  I thought they would just go away with prayer like normal.  They haven't.  It has only gotten worse to the point of me lying on the couch holding my face curled up in a ball on the biggest eating day of the American calendar! (This equals horror! LOL) 

Anyway, He sent my wonderful friend Cinnamon (yes, that is her real name given to her by her parents at birth) to take care of me :O)  She really was an answer to prayer today!

Day 326 - Wednesday

I love Wednesday nights because when I show up to church His presence is already there waiting on me with a "what took you so long" kind of grin.  It is just such a happy and wonderful feeling.  The message was teaching us about having His heart of LOVE for His people.  It was, as always, perfect timing!

When I got home I went to bed and I dreamt.  In my dream I was a doctor.  I had just become a doctor and I was assigned to this place.  It wasn't a doctor's office at all though... it was a restaurant.  There were dozens of sick people.  At first I thought I was a real medical doctor.  All of the tools of the trade were there.  My heart raced a little when I saw the stethoscope and realized it was mine to use.  I came to the first lady and as  I reached for the stethoscope I realized those weren't the tools I needed at all.  The Lord spoke to my heart and told me to pray for her.  She thought I was crazy at first but when I began to pray for her she was immediately healed.  I then realized that I had a team of people working with me and we moved on to the next person and they were healed and the next person after that was also healed.  Then I woke up. 

I am so excited about what God is getting ready to do.  When we will not rely on the tools of this world but on His words that Jesus healed all of our diseases! I am so grateful for this preparation and training that He is putting me through.

Day 325 - Tuesday

This afternoon was our weekly prayer meeting and no one really seemed in the mood to pray.  Then someone noticed that Pastor was limping.  Someone asked her what happened and she admitted to falling off of a ladder.  Her knee was bruised and swollen up to more than twice its size.  So before we went any further, we stopped and prayed for her.  The pain in her knee went to down to nearly zero the first time we prayed.  Pastor Greg felt in his spirit that there was some kind of arthritis.  He asked her and she said yes the doctor had told her there was arthritis in her knee.  We finished praying and the pain was gone!  God is SO COOL!

Day 324 - Monday ...My Little Evangelist

Ok, so today isn't about me praying... I am going to brag on my son for a minute :O)

My son is eleven years old and attends and extremely multi-cultural Christian school.  In fact, I think the white kids are probably the minority!  They have a wonderful mix of kids from all different backgrounds.  The Asian contingent is strong with kids from Thailand, Korea, Vietnam, China and Japan; a student from Latvia and one from Germany.  We have a large number of Hispanic kids as well as African American kids and every kind of mixture in between.  It is pretty cool actually! 

Well, my son has a thing for Asian girls ( that is one way to get the Asian baby I always wanted! LOL just kidding!) so he hangs out with all of the Asian foreign exchange students.  There is one in particular that he has a crush on.  I believe her family is atheist.  So my son spent the ENTIRE night texting her on facebook trying to share Jesus with her.  When I was telling him goodnight (that is grown-up, "I don't want to embarrass my kids" code for tucking him in! LOL) I asked to see his phone. I want to know what he and this young lady had been talking about all night.  I must admit I was shocked when I saw what my son had typed.  Among other things, he told her that he liked her and wanted to go to Heaven.  He shared with her some of the miracles that he has seen in his own life because of his relationship with the Lord. 

I was blown away... especially because this is the kid who didn't even want to come to worship last night! LOL  I love watching the way that God is working in my children's lives to touch nations already!  God is sooooo GOOD!

Day 323 - Sunday

Because I have had a stuffy nose pretty much since I returned from Florida, I was reluctant to pray with anyone today for two reasons: I don't want to share germs and if I am sick how am I gonna pray with people for healing, right?

Well, I just love how God is always there to let me know and tell me how it really is!  Pastor preached this morning about how this guy who had an amazing healing and miracle ministry ministered to people for YEARS from a wheelchair.  He said that the guy said, I know I am going to get my healing and until I do I will continue to pray with others to see their healing and miracle.  Ok, so that put me in my place! LOL

There was a woman sitting behind Donna and I tonight and I knew that God was going to do something awesome for her tonight.  At the end of the service she touched Donna's shoulder and I saw in the spirit that God was removing some things for her and filling her up with a new level of His love.  So I whispered to Donna to lay hands on her and pray for her to be filled up with this new level of His love.  It was incredible watching the glory of God so fill up her body.  Then, again in the spirit, I saw a flame inside of her that was new and was burning brighter than any she had seen before.  Then the Lord gave me a word to tell her.  It was so awesome because He gave it to me slow enough for me to write it down and give it to her so that she would have it to look at.  I have never had that happen before and it was so awesome to be able to be a blessing and an instrument for God to work in this woman's life!  I am so blessed by Him!

Day 322 - Saturday

I got a text this afternoon from one of the girls who was at our meeting last night.  The one who had reluctantly let me pray for her migraine headaches.  12 hours with no headaches and no ibuprofen!!!  Glory to God that is awesome! I must admit when I was praying for her I was totally begging and pleading with God that she would get a miracle.  I felt no tingles or heat or anything when I was praying and to be honest... I was a little surprised when she was healed.  So to hear the next day she was still pain free was incredible.  We were both able to give glory to God on that one and it was awesome!

Day 321 - Friday

No better way to spend a Friday night than hanging with some awesome girls and sharing about what God has done in our lives!  Tonight I had the amazing opportunity to share with some awesome young ladies about where I was and where God has brought me to.  It never ceases to amaze me when God takes the junk and mistakes I made in my life and uses it to touch others.  I shared a lot about the struggles I had, and how even when I had kicked God to the curb... He still came after me and wouldn't let me go!

Somehow... every major crazy event in my life touched these girls in someway tonight and them sharing with me afterward and getting to pray with them was incredible!  I am so blessed!  God is so AMAZING!  He will really take our beauty for ashes.  Trade our sorrow for His joy.  Give us peace for our pain!  I LOVE HIM!

Day 320 - Thursday

Today was an amazing carry over from last night!!! A Jesus Hangover is what I like to call it.  It is Compassion Week at my kids school and today the upper grades (5-12) went to serve at a soup kitchen and food pantry in a nearby city.  After we had worked for about an hour or so cleaning out cabinets and washing dishes, it was time for the clients to come in.  Our kids were very excited to serve food - I know that sounds bizarre - when I was their age I would NOT have been excited about this - but they were! 

At least that was until Pastor Greg asked if the kids would be allowed to pray with anyone who might have prayer requests.  At first the lady running the facility was reluctant, but she hesitantly acquiesced.  Pastor asked for volunteers and nearly all of the kids who had been in our junior high ministry class last night shot their hands up. "Can I go pray?"  "Can I come too?!?"  They were so excited.   They didn't have much time but they got to pray with one lady who had back pain and saw her leg grow out more than a half an inch!!! They were amazed by God and His awesome power and love to want to heal people!  They prayed with a few more people who had addiction issues and some who were battling depression.  It was so awesome to see the compassion for others and a hunger to see God move in their lives!  It was incredible!

Day 319 - Wednesday

Tonight was Incredible!  I got to help out with our junior high ministry tonight.  Under normal circumstances this would not be my favorite thing in the world.  I tried it a couple of weeks ago and felt like a complete failure.  Being a bit of an introvert, getting outside of my own head and relating to people is not the easiest thing anyway, but add the fact that most of them are hopped up on sugar and have two to three times the amount of energy I have at 7 o'clock at night, and welllll... you get the picture!

Tonight was awesome though!  Pastor was teaching on having a spirit of excellence and doing great exploits with God out of Daniel 6 & 11.  Then he explained to the kids what an exploit was and asked for volunteers if they had had any.  Out of the 20 kids (ages 10-12) we had in the room, almost every single one of them had a story about a time where they had prayed for another person expecting to see God move.  After the sharing time, Pastor asked if there were any kids that had pain in their bodies; 8 kids came up for prayer.  Every single one of them got healed!  Oh and the best part was, the other 12 kids and I were the ones praying for them!

We saw legs and arms grow out and become the same length. We saw neck pain completely go.  A boy with ingrown toenails felt the pain leave his feet.  Another boy who had pain in his arm felt a power surge up his arm and the pain left.  Another boy had a bruise on his hand that left when he felt a warm rush and tingling go up his arm and the pain in his chest also left.  I could keep going!!!!  It was awesome!

I loved watching their faces when they would see the legs that were uneven and they would become even!  One boy's legs came into alignment BEFORE we even prayed and asked God to heal him!!!

Faith like CHILDREN!!!  I wish I had been able to take a picture of their hands on each other praying because it was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen!

Day 318 - Tuesday

I got a phone call as I was heading out of class toward my car.  It was one of my clients.  She called with excitement in her voice.  I could tell she was about to share something awesome!  The last couple of times she has come into see me we just shared about the Lord and the awesome things that He is doing and the miracles and such that I have been blessed to see. 

Today she called to tell me that she saw her first miracle that she had prayed and asked for!  A friend of hers had called and was sharing how sick and how much pain she was in because of an abscessed tooth.  She was supposed to have it fixed but couldn't see the doctor until the infection cleared out.  They prayed together over the phone and the pain completely left the girl's mouth.  She said that she felt a heat in there and that after a few minutes there was no pain and she was talking normally!!! 

She saw her first cell phone healing as we like to call them.  I love the fact that God doesn't care about time or distance, He just wants to see people have faith in Him and know that He loves them!

Day 317 - Monday

This morning I was talking with a friend and she was sharing some of the struggles she was having with some people that she worked with who were behaving poorly and not demonstrating good people skills.  As I am learning the importance of people skills, especially in service industries, I know how much employees with poor people skills cost.  She was really struggling on how to handle the situation with the employee and the customer.  So I just stopped right where I was and prayed with her for God to move in the situation and move in the heart of the employee and reveal to this person the importance of treating all people with love.  I hope that it brought my friend some peace today!

Also, my father un law, Keith, got another miracle today!  Of course there were lots of people praying for him.  He had had a clean MRI last week, showing no cancer growth!  Just yesterday thought he had another seizure and was rushed to the hospital and placed in intensive care.  After only a few hours on a breathing machine, he is breathing on his own, out of intensive care and they determined the seizure was just from a build up of scar tissue and not a return of the cancer!  Praise God!

Day 316 - Sunday

Sunday was pretty awesome in the morning, we stumbled into this little tiny church that just happened to be filled with some amazing believers!  I met a missionary from Jerusalem, Glen.  He shared with us about what is going on in Israel and we got to pray together for the people in Israel.  It was awesome!  The pastor's wife prayed over my friend Tiffany, her husband and myself for God to continue to move mightily in our lives and use us to bring glory to His Kingdom!  It was awesome and much needed!

Later that night, I had to return home.  It is always hard leaving Florida.  I love it there.  Someday I hope to live there!  I had to pray myself all the way through that airport and the hour and a half we sat on the plane waiting to take off.  I really had to struggle to keep my attitude in check.  When we landed the Lord was so gracious in helping me get my bag and get back to my car and get home safely!  I don't think I have prayed for myself that much in a long time!  Thankfully, I am now safely back home and ready to hit the ground running!

Day 315 - Saturday

Saturday was a pretty nice day in paradise!  I laid out in the sunshine for a little while in the morning and then we headed for lunch with the bridal party and the remaining out of town guests.  Toward the end of the day I decided to go for a quick jog on the 7 mile bridge.  It was super windy but warm running on this old bridge over the ocean.  It was so beautiful.  As I looked over the edge I saw a giant sea turtle and a huge stingray!  It was unbelievable to see these beautiful creatures in the wild and not behind some glass tank at the zoo. 

As I was returning to my car at the end of my jog, I realized it was nearly time for sunset so I waited a few moments at the end of the bridge with my nearly dead cell phone in hand ready to capture God's beauty.  As the sun began to set, I stood there in awe for a moment realizing that what I was actually watching was the earth spinning on its axis away from the sun.  It actually happened very quickly, taking not more than a few minutes.  It was an entirely surreal experience.  Now I have watched sunsets before and never been this amazed by them.  There was something about watching it at the end of this bridge over the ocean that was just stunning.

When I got back Uncle Steve shared a video by Lou Giglio that was totally right where I was... In Awe of Him.  I think the video may have been called Indescribable... and it was about how the entire universe and all of creation sings His praise.  It is true... If we don't, the rocks will cry out and give glory to God!

Later that night after dinner a bunch of us were standing around talking and one of the people in the group said something to me that I want to share with others because it was such an encouragement to me.  He said to me how much watching Joy and I pray for those fish expecting them to live the day before had impacted him. He told me to never stop praying and believing God for the miracles to happen.  It was such an encouragement to me and I hope it will be to others who are on this great adventure with God. 

No matter what happens, whether a person gets healed or not, whether a person gets saved or not, whether the situation changes or not... Never stop praying or believing.  There are going to be times when it seems like God isn't there or He isn't listening.  I promise, He is always there ( He will never leave nor forsake us ) and He is always listening ( Seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened for you, ask and you will receive ).

Day 314 - Friday 11-11-11

Today was awesome!  I got to be a part of a beautiful wedding and witness my best friend marry someone she truly loves.  While we were getting ready for the wedding and putting the table decorations together this morning - goldfish are NOT a good idea for centerpieces!  We put them in the bowls and almost all of them died within couple hours!  So we decided to lay hands on the fish and pray for them. I had prayed over one of my son's fish a while back and he came back to life so why not these fish!??!?!  A wonderful spirit filled woman named Joy prayed with me and we laid our hands on the fish and we saw several of them begin to breathe again and swim!!!  Then we had my friend's two new step children pray with us and it was quite possibly the most precious thing!  They are 5 and almost 3 and they walked around the counter where the fish were in their bowls singing their blessing song.  It was so sweet!

If that wasn't awesome enough, I got to meet a guy named Paul who I had prayed with a few months before over the phone... for a new ear canal.  He was born with no ear canal.  We had prayed over the phone and God had healed him! 

That is some thing that I only dreamed could happen and I got to meet the person that God healed tonight.  To me that was awesome.  His hearing isn't perfect but he can hear sounds in that ear which he could not do before!  God is so AMAZING!

So far...this last couple of days has been amazing!  The only down side is that my daughter, Meg, really misses me!  If you could say a prayer for her to receive comfort from the Holy Spirit while I am away I would really appreciate it!

Day 313 - Thursday

Today has to be one of the highlights of my Christian walk!  Not only was I on a gorgeous beach in Miami but I got to see not one but two miracles!  While we were on  the beach and sunbathing this morning, one of the girls that was with us was having horrible pain in her neck.  I asked if we could pray for her and she said sure.

The four of us gathered together and prayed over her.  Within a few seconds she was completely healed.  The pain had entirely left her neck!  Even she was surprised... she couldn't believe there was no pain at all. Her pain was the result of a neck injury from a long time ago.  We were all so excited!

About an hour later we were headed back into the hotel.  As we were walking in a man stopped us and asked us what we had been doing out there on the beach earlier.  The girl who got healed said that we had prayed and she had been healed of really strong pain in her neck.  He then told us that he had really bad migraines almost every day.  We volunteered to pray for him too!

We exchanged names and he told us he was from Saudi Arabia.  As we prayed for him I know that God showed up and he will no longer have migraine headaches.  It was incredible!  Not only 4 girls getting to pray for a man from Saudi Arabia, but HE EVEN ASKED US TO PRAY FOR HIM!  I am still on an unbelievable high!

God, You are SO Good!

Day 312 - Wednesday

This morning I left home for my friend's wedding in Florida.  On the way to the airport Donna prayed for me to have divine encounters and for God to protect me the whole way.  I'd like to say I struck up conversations with people on the plane and prayed with them, but I didn't.  Instead I stayed in my own quiet world and read my book. ( It was nice! I am not the most outgoing person )

After my connecting flight took off from Chicago on its way to Miami, I looked out the window after we got above the clouds and there was a rainbow above the clouds... but it was in a circle shape, not a rainbow shape.  It was so strange that I asked the lady next to me to look just so I could be sure that it was real.  The rainbow circle was outside my window nearly the whole flight!  It was so neat!

When I got off the plane and was headed through the terminal to pick up my rental car, a guy on crutches got in the elevator with me.  I started to try and ask him what happened to his leg, but he didn't speak English and my Spanish isn't that good.  I was going to ask him if I could pray for it but then the door opened and he rushed out.  In that moment though, I knew that this is what I want to do and where I want to live.  I want to live down here and pray for people in Spanish.  After our brief encounter all I could think about where the Spanish words I could have used to ask him if I could pray for him.  I know that sounds completely weird, but it was this feeling like... this is where I belong and this is what I am supposed to be doing!

So who knows... maybe I will move to Miami!
Hasta Manana!

Day 311 - Tuesday

Tonight I sat down to write this and began to reflect on the day and the prayers said.  I didn't really know what to write about.  So my prayer was "God, what do you want me to write about tonight?  What do you want me to say?"

I really felt in my heart that that is exactly the experience He wanted me to write about tonight.  This is a blog about prayer and the great adventure with the Lord that praying for people is.  One of the most important lessons I have learned in praying with people is to do what Jesus did.  Jesus, did what He saw His Father doing.  He spoke what He heard the Father saying.  That is the model for us as well. 

So I asked Him, "Father, what do you want me to write about tonight?"  The answer was simply to ask Him what He is doing and doing that in what ever situation I find myself in.

Day 310 - Monday

This morning when I dropped my kids off at school, I ran into another mom dropping off her daughter.  I knew she was having a hard time and so I asked her how she was doing.  I didn't have a lot of time today, and she is quite a talker, so I was hesitant in getting involved in a long conversation.  As we stood talking on the stairs, another mom passed by and I suggested that she and I go out for coffee sometime.  Then I opened my mouth and said that I am free on most Monday and Wednesday mornings! 

The answer is yes, I ended up going out for coffee this morning with the person that I was afraid of engaging in conversation because I knew it would be a long one.  I was right!  Two hours later I hurried home to get ready for class.  However, in hindsight, I cannot think of a better way to spend two hours.  I got to share with her and minister to her and pray with her and see the Lord lift things off of her that had been holding her back from the places that He wants to take her for years!  It was phenomenal seeing the physical difference in her face after that two hours where I shared God's love with her.  His love and concern for her and her family poured out through me was amazing!  I was able to listen and love her where she is at and then in turn share with her how to do that with others.  The ability to pay attention, be present and actually listen to the same person for two hours is another miracle of God!!!  I would have never been able to do that without Him!

Anyway, I know it blessed her but I think it blessed me more to get to be that instrument of His love this morning despite my agenda and the things that I had to get done.  I am glad He was able to help me put aside my agenda and do His!

Day 309 - Sunday

So today was pretty awesome!  This morning we had a guest speaker/singer at our church.  She had sung on Kathryn Kuhlman's stage and on TV for years.  Her voice was beautiful and she had the sweetest spirit.  Donna and I were blessed to get to pray for her.  God touched her and ministered to her and it was so awesome! I also got to pray for a lady who was having back pain and I saw God touch and heal her back, but He also lifted a burden she had been carrying for several days as well!

There was one that I didn't get to see healed though, and I must say I was rather disappointed.  Then again whenever someone doesn't get healed I am a little disappointed.  This was one of my friends though and she had sprained her ankle.  I prayed and nothing happened.  I guess I better get off of here and ask God why He didn't heal her, so that I can start praying for her healing! LOL

Day 308 - Saturday

In the last two days I have gotten to see two miracles that were prayed for be born.  Two beautiful little girls were born this week to parents that had had a string of disappointments in the baby making department.  Both of them had come to the healing rooms at church for prayer.  One had given up and was ready to start fertility treatments but wasn't sure how they were going to pay for them.  The other young lady had had a miscarriage just a couple of months before.  They were both so devastated.

They had enough faith though to know that God could do anything and they asked for people to come along side of them and believe with them.  Donna and I got to pray for both of them and within just a couple weeks they were both pregnant.  Those beautiful little girls were born this week, absolutely perfect!  Thank You, Father! 

Day 307 - Friday

It doesn't happen very often, but it happened tonight.  Someone facebooked me for prayer... and I did not even know how to pray.  I am not trying to sound haughty, but it was one of those times when I could feel how bad the person's heart was hurting and it took my breath away.  My mouth hung open a minute and it was like someone had socked me in the stomach.

It wasn't so much what this person was asking prayer for ... it was the reason behind the asking that broke my heart - and I think it is safe to say it broke Jesus' too - even though I know that we have all been there. 

She asked me to pray because she felt like God didn't hear her prayers because she wasn't good enough, but that surely God would hear my prayers.  I know I have been in that place before myself, but for some reason it just really hit me tonight.  So I did the only thing that I could do, I asked God what to say to her.

Like always, He was so sweet and kind and wonderful!  He said to tell her how much He loves her and that He cares for her and wants good for her and that He will work it all together for the good of their whole family.  I just love Him so much!  I am so blessed to be able to get to be the person who got to tell this woman just how much God loved her!

Day 306 - Thursday

I love praying with people... I love when you aren't sure what to pray and God just shows up and let's you know what to pray.  That is exactly what happened tonight.  I didn't even have to pray out loud.  I was praying in my heart for one person in particular and it was amazing I could almost see my prayers being answered as we spoke.  I could see her spirit lifting and peace coming over her.  It was incredible!

Day 305 - Wednesday

Well, Guess What?!?!?!  I am not perfect! LOL Well we all new that but I think I hit a new low today! LOL

Youth Ministry is not my calling!  This isn't going to sound loving or Christ-like at all, but whatever ... it is what it is and it is where I am.  Tonight kicked off our new junior high ministry, which I must admit I was excited about because my son was so excited about it.  I had been asked by our pastors to be on the leadership of this group, which I agreed to.  I was totally fine until the kids were running around acting all crazy and stuff.  There were lots of them, it was dark ( we were doing a bonfire outside ) and I only knew about half of the kids.  Granted there was another adult out there but it was still chaotic. In the first ten minutes I had been talked back to twice.  Then one of the kids started wrestling one of the other kids.  I yelled at two of the guy volunteers to break it up.  Less than five minutes later the same kid jumped on my son - who is about half of his size. 

Now anyone with kids would understand that I was at this point fairly near to wanting to belt this young man from here to next Tuesday.  Obviously that wouldn't happen, but MY GOODNESS it was rough!
Later on as the evening went on the same kid ended up jumping off of the playground equipment in the dark and injuring his ankle.  Did I volunteer to pray for him.  No I did not.  Not because I was angry or anything.  It just didn't even occur to me to pray for him.  I was so far away from God at that moment I couldn't even hear Him.  I was too busy being overwhelmed by the situation. 

So, now it's time to do some repenting I suppose.  Good Night...

Day 304 - Tuesday

Well, this morning did not start off all that fantastic.  I struggled with the decision on whether or not to go to our weekly prayer meeting today or to go home and get started on my homework.  I had pretty much made up my mind to skip the meeting and study because I had so many deadlines bearing down on me.  At the last minute I realized that this half hour would probably be the only half hour that I could set aside for the Lord today and that I better go because I had committed to minister to both Wednesday and Thursday nights at my church.  What I don't have, I can't give out.  Plus, spending time with the Lord always helps me bring down my stress level.

After prayer I went ahead and went to lunch with Donna and Peggy and then I had to run into the office supply store to UPS some documents for my internship.  While I was in there waiting to be helped I happened to notice that the store manager was walking with a great deal of difficulty.  As she was finishing up with my order, I explained that I noticed that she was having difficulty walking.  I asked her if I could pray for her.  I waited for her to finish with all of her other customers and then we went to some chairs and we prayed. 

Her pain level dropped from a 10 down to a 3 in less than two minutes.  We prayed again and the pain had left.  She was in tears and couldn't believe that I would take the time to pray with her.  She was amazed that God loved her so much that He didn't want to see her in pain.  I got to encourage her in her new and growing relationship with the Lord.  What a blessing for me!

After that I must have had two or three other people ask me to pray with them via facebook and text messages and phone calls  for healing.  I was still feeling incredibly drained and worn out and like there wasn't much of me left, but because I spent that time with Him today I was able to be a blessing despite the way that I felt. 

Day 303 - Monday

      I don't want to whine, so I am not going to write anything about Monday.  Needless to say there was nothing really good or amazing happening.  I had to fight just to make it through the day all day yesterday.  I was exhausted by the time I got home and by the time I hit the bed I was just glad the day was over!

      Maybe that is the amazing thing... by the end of the day I knew that I would wake up tomorrow and get to start the day over. God's mercy and plan for the next day is for my good, to see me prosper and to use me for His kingdom.

Day 302 - Sunday

We had guest speakers at our church today, Team Intense, who came all the way from Texas to share the gospel with families in our area!  They were such a blessing to our church and when the altar call was given the altar was flooded with adults and kids that wanted to give their lives to Jesus.  It was incredible!


Following the service, Donna and I had the opportunity to pray for Josh - the team leader - for healing in his body. We saw the Lord realign his spine both on the upper and lower half of his back. We prayed for a recreated hip that caused him no pain.  When we had finished praying, he was totally healed with no more pain in his hip or back or neck!  So amazing!