Turning Up The Heat...

I don't know about anyone else, but I think the news and forecasts coming out of Washington concerning the economy of our nation have been sobering. Just last week, I read a prophetic word given by Cindy Jacobs, whom I first came to know through the prayer conference I attended this summer. The word she shared was centered around the dire state our economy is in and some of the things we can do about it. The most important thing she suggested was to fervently pray. The heart of the Lord is stirred by the fervent, sincere cries of His people. If you are interested, you can find the prophetic word at http://www.generals.org. I had only heard snippets about Cindy before attending the conference and was excited to learn more about her. I found her to be very humble about her prophetic gifting, but very effective in the way she used it to further the purposes of the Lord. She was very grounded in the authority of God.

So, I have been praying hard as this situation has been heavy on my heart. The Lord continues to teach me that when I am faced with situations that are beyond my control, the BEST thing that I can do is to pray unceasingly about it. I think prayer is the first step in changing any situation- be it good or bad. I ask you to join me in praying for the state of our economy, but most importantly, pray for the state of our nation. My prayer is that America would turn back to the Lord and heed His voice. May the Lord hear the prayers of His children. Be blessed.

Counting My Blessings...

The Lord has been teaching me something very special recently that has provided a healthy and very beneficial practice in the daily happenings of my life and in my walk with Him as well. The practice I am speaking of is taking time to make note of and to consciously look for the blessings in my life. These blessings come in all different shapes and sizes and they make themselves known at all different times througout my daily activities. I try to be intentional about this all the time but it seems that the Spirit keeps quitely reminding me to be on the look out for these little Heaven-sent affirmations. They are not always huge, but I have come to find the richest ones are the small ones that come along. It may be a word of encouragement, a scripture, quality time spent with someone else, a quote or another little divine occurrance or opportunity that weaves its way into the day. I have been amazed as I have just watched that the Lord showers these blessings in life if we take the time to look for them.

Watching for and expecting blessing is something that I believe is crucial in order to experience a fulfilling life. If I am constantly expecting a blessing to come along, it most assuredly will in the Lord's time. I have also found that this practice really makes life fun and especially when it comes to my life in God. Looking for blessings keeps me and God on our toes. It always seems that He outblesses me though. I think that is the way He is on alot of things. If I give something to Him, it seems that he gives me far more than I gave Him in the first place. God is amazing in that way! Watching for blessings also brings joy and peace into other peoples' lives as well. If others are looking for and expecting blessing, it seems that worry, doubt, fear, rejection and a whole slew of other detrimental seeds have a harder time gaining entry into their hearts, souls, and maybe even their lives. I guess my word of encouragement for today is rooted in the lesson to try to intentionally look for and EXPECT good things and blessings to come. Believe me, I am still trying to learn this lesson and to implement this practice into my own life, but the time I have spent trying to cultivate this habit has turned out to be a great experience. Take time and try it for yourself :)

Writing...

I have always enjoyed writing. It has been a very faithful outlet for me in many ways. Writing allows me to get what is swirling and sifting through my head out into the open in a private way. Many of the things I write are tucked safely within the pages of my numerous journals. I also believe there is a lot of power in writing. There seems to be such a permanant nature to anything in black ink. When I write anything, I feel as though my soul can truly breathe deeply. Writing also can and very often does provide such a tangible peace in my little personal and public world. I am thankful that the Lord created writing because it has served as a quiet, but loyal companion to me so many times. For that I am grateful.

Hurricane Ike...

I have been watching the reports on the projected invasion of Hurricane Ike on the coastline of Texas and into the city of Houston. I have been praying ALL day for the protection and covering of the Lord to rest on the coastline and on Houston as well as its surrounding areas. I have a group of people who live in Houston that I dearly love so my intercessor's alarm has been sounding in my spirit as I have claimed this scripture and promise over their lives, property, and material belongings.

"A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it WILL NOT come near you. For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in ALL of your ways; they will lift you up into their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone." -Psalms 91:7,11

Truly, that is one of my most beloved promises in God's entire Word and I am vigilantly claiming that promise for those who find themselves making hard decisions as they prepare for this hurricane. Please pray along with me for the safety and well being of all of those who will be affected by this storm. I am so thankful that God is in control!

6 Random Things...

I have been tagged by Ashley to share 6 random things about myself. I did this a while back but I think it is always fun to do things like this to allow people to get to know me.

I have a weakness for stationery. I don't know what it is, but anytime I am in any store and I notice stationery, I usually give into the tempation to purchase it. Maybe this weakness comes from my love of shopping, I really couldn't say to tell you the truth. All I know is that if it's there, I most likely will bring it home with me. My favorite stationery is anything with scripture or damask, polka-dots, monograms, or paisley. I LOVE personalized, special order stationery too.

I truly enjoy writing encouragment notes. I love letting people know how special they are and that their lives make a difference in the world. There is something in me that is made complete when I bring a smile to someone's face or I let them know that they are loved by God. There truly is nothing quite like encouraging another person. I am thankful that I have people in my life that encourage and affirm me.

I love looking through the church directory. That is probably one of my quirks and a lilttle known fact about me. I could spend an entire afternoon looking through each picture of each family that makes up my church body. I guess you would have to be me to find that to be fun but it is.

I LOVE to read. One ingredient of my perfect day would be to get cozy in an extra large, comfy, worn-in club chair on a cold fall or winter afternoon and read the day away. I could read for a very long time if I was given the opportunity. I enjoy being transported into different worlds through words, characters, plots, and little minute details of a story that seem to suck me into another time or place. Reading brings me great joy.

I love old things and anything with a sense of history. I think this is where my love for antiques was born. I love to think that the things I surround myself with could tell their own story and the fact that they will have a story after I am gone. I also really like the fact that the things in my life that I enjoy tell my story and convey my history to those around me.

I would love to live in an old cottage in New England one day. I love the fact that New England gets to enjoy true seasons, beauty, and there is a rich sense of history in that part of our country that I would love to partake in someday. I would love to call New England home at some point in my lifetime. Although, I really like Texas, and probably would consider it to be my real home :)

So there you go. I hope you enjoyed this little glimpse into my life!

Soaking...

I have recently been introduced to a new avenue of communion with the Lord that I love. In this process, I have also been inroduced to some absolutely beautiful Christ-shaped women. This new experience is called soaking. I have only been to one soaking session, but I was hooked the first time I had to opportunity to partake in this special time. A group meets faithfully on Monday evenings in a wonderful Christ-honoring home and the presence of the Spirit is called upon as we all prepare to spend time with God. The outcome of each evening is left up to the Lord. The only thngs provided for us are pillows, blankets, and soft music leading us into the Heavenly places. It truly is magical and does wonders for my spirit. I plan to partake in soaking as long as I can and as long as it is offered. I was amazed at how sweet my time with Jesus was as I completley put all of myself into His keeping for an hour and a half. I am so thankful for times when I can be silent and completely still before the Lord. It is a wonderful start to my day and it brings such a joy into my week as I begin to allow the Spirit to play out His agenda and schedule of my time. I LOVE being available to the Spirit. There is nothing quite as sweet or satisfying that I have come to know than to know that I am being led and fed by my King. I am blesssed. My prayer is that everyone has times and places where you are able to be recommissioned, refueled, and fed by the ultimate source of all things good.

Impressed...

I try pretty hard to stay away from becoming political. I do not enjoy getting down into the nitty gritty of who is and who is not a Democrat or a Republican. I have to say, last night, as I watched Sarah Palin speak at the Republican National Covention, I was very impressed! In my estimation, she is not a typical politician that finds her home in Washington. As I watched her speak I noticed that she not in the least bit afraid to stand up for the things that are close to my heart. She is full of faith, conviction, and she is ready and able to let her voice be heard on important issues. I think John McCain chose the right person to help him get to the White House in January. I think John McCain and Sarah Palin will make a wonderful team as they work to make our country better and to protect our freedoms and our rights. It has been difficult for me to hear everything that John McCain went through as a prisoner of war. I also think Governor Palin has handled the rumors and media scrutiny with total grace and very evident class. It is clear to me that she is concerned to keep her personal life in privacy as it should be. I don't know about anyone else, but I have been very impressed with both John McCain and Sarah Palin. I can see why she is so beloved and popular in Alaska.

Ultimately, I think it is up to the Lord as to who He places in Washington and I will have to continue to plead for his choice to be given the responsibility of becoming the 44th President of the United States of American. It will be interesting to see what happens :)