Prayer Warriors Unite...

Please pray for baby Eydie Paige Stover. She was born yesterday, June 18, 2009, to Brandon and Kate Stover in Abilene. She is in the Hendrick NICU having difficulty breathing. She shows signs of improvement as of now. Please pray for Brandon, Kate, Eydie Paige and family members as they wait. Pray specifically for restoration of breathing and for Eydie's lungs as she is weaned off of the oxygen. Pray that the Great Physician would breathe on this precious little girl as He holds her in His hands.

Also please be in prayer for Reuben Whitfield, Jody Reese's father as he is on life support in Austin after suffering a fall off of a ladder. Jody, Lynn, and Kathy are all on their way to Austin to be with him and their mom, Naomi. Thanks so much for your prayers.

Hot But Blessed...

It has been oppressively hot in Abilene this week. I am constantly thanking the Lord for air conditioning and for lukewarm showers in the middle of the afternoon. I have been remided of the Houston heat this week and I have a very tangible sense of what my friends the Thompsons and Sargents must live with throughout steamy-hot South Texas summers. I truly have a new-found appreciation for you guys. I honestly don't know how you do it day in and day out.

Those who are close to me know what a stuggle I have in extreme heat. I HATE it. It takes major determination to fight my flesh and combat the heat and my desire to give into the temptaiton to complain and be miserable in the midst of being hot. I much rather perfer cold weather any day. Right now, I am wishing my family had a pool that I could just jump into any time I felt the urge. Last week it got up to 102 degrees.

In the midst of this heat wave that has come over Abilene, the Lord has also provided much-needed fellowship with mentors and other sweet friends. I am so glad I don't ever have to be in this life alone. There is SO much value in friendship and the journey of discipleship. I have been humbled, corrected, extravagantly loved, and nurtured this week by many dfferent outlets. I am extravagantly and immeausrably blessed.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart; with all your soul; with all your mind; and with all your strength for that is the will of God in Christ Jesus." - Deuteronomy 6

Spirit, Train My Tongue...

Words contain unspeakable power. I learned that this weekend. My tongue needs to go back to school to be taught to be used. I desire to speak and invoke blessing over people's lives and I fail that desire so many times. I desperately need the power of the Spirit to teach, cultivate, and grow the words and works of my mouth. I am asking the Lord to set a guard about my mouth and to refresh and reuse the filter that He created. I think I just need a complete rehaul in the area of my speech. Thankfully, I serve a God who is more than willing to guide, teach, and mature what comes from my spirit into my mouth. I was reminded today in my prayer time that God gave me two ears with which to listen and one mouth to speak. I think He wants me to listen twice as much as I talk. That is SO hard. But, I know I can do it with God's help. I am asking the Spirit to employ the 10-second rule when I speak meaning that I desire to think about what I say for 10 seconds before I allow it the authority to come out of my spirit or my mouth. That is going to take work but I can do it. I praise the Lord that he redeems, forgives, wipes clean, and restores us as His vesels. I am thankful for courageous people to come and correct and tell me when I have done something wrong or something that is completely ungodly. I need that in my life. I want to be a spring of blessing. I want to be a safe place where people can share their hearts and know that what is said will stay in the strictest confidence. God is good.

Cultivating a Lovely and Gentle Spirit...

I desperately yearn to possess a lovely and gentle spirit in the sight of the Lord. I can't say I'm all the way there. Thankfully, we are never quite where we want to be in our relationships with Christ. It is a process. It takes time. That is something that the Lord has had to teach and show me as I have grown in my walk of discipleship. I am so grateful that He has made a covenant promise to me to walk beside me and guide me by the power and promptings of the Holy Spirit. I always have to remember that grwoing in loveliness and gentleness will never be finished as long as I walk in this earthly life. Don't get me wrong, I make mistakes. My flesh shouts almost daily. I am the clay He is the Potter..., I am the clay, He is the Potter...

Boy, am I glad that growing comes in stages and that the Lord constantly is promoting us onto greater things in His kingdom. Being promoted and matured in a fruit of the Spirit comes as the Lord figures us out and tests us in order to see if we are being real and not skipping anything He has in store for us. We cannot miss one of His purposes because He uses each one to make us stronger, sharper, and more into the image of the One who is eternal and steady. Our innermost foundation MUST be established in the reality and certainty of Who He is. He must author everything that we are about in order to be fully known in us by the world.

"Let your beauty come not from outward adornment, but let it be found in the beauty and authenticity of your inner person, the person of your heart. A gentle, lovely, and a quiet spirit is of great worh in the sight of the Lord." - 1 Peter 3:4

Make Me a Warrior Woman...

I want to be a warrior-saint. I want to go boldly into places of darkness and lack in order to envelop and illuminate them with the light of the Lord. I want to make the devil cringe. I want him to know my name and to have my number. The Word says that if we resist him long enough, he will get bord becuase he realizes that we are not going to be put of course. He knows our gaze is fixed and firmly established to the One who is victorious. I love that. I mean seriously, I want to be that invested and focused on heavenly and excellent things. I was listening to a prophetic word on CD by one of my favorite people, Graham Cooke, and he said this, "The devil repelled by authentic, relentless, and reckless praise." Graham also shared this little tidbit, "Fear or anything contrary to the nature or character of God attracts attack and demonic activity." Wow. That is some hard-core truth. To be completely honest, I'm still in the process of sifting through, in my mind, much of what I heard on the CD. There was so much that was beyond my mind. But, I still opened up my spirit and received what Graham called forth and spoke over my heart. It truly fed my spirit. It was as if God was pouring His goodness and His deep abiding revelation into my being.

There is absolutely nothing that is more precious to me than intimately communing and spending time with my God. It really is the only way I will ever be who I want to be, a woman completely yielded and wholly abandoned to the purposes, passions, and heart cries of my Savior. I take such joy and faith in the fact that the Lord knows my reputation with men and in the heavenly courts. I take comfort in the fact that I am fought for in the battle that is raging all around me in the heavenly realm. I am hidden in the secret place with Christ as God fights my battles and calls forth my destiny. I want to give Him absolutely everything I can so that He can sharpen, shape, and create in me the person and eternal being that He has had in his mind's eye since before the foundations of the earth were put into place.

A Reason to Love...

I have enjoyed a wonderful weekend. Friday night, my family and I enjoyed great time with very close family friends. Saturday morning and afternoon were spent with my best friend besides Jesus, my precious Mom shopping, running errands, and having my sister help us pick out my Mom's new glasses. Saturday evening my family and I went to a wedding at one of my favorite chruches in town. I love to witness weddings. I teared up many times as is very common for me. After the wedding my Mom, Daddy, and I enjoyed a coffee date with another very close couple to our family. It has been a wonderful couple days, for sure.

My favorite part of the weekend came this morning as Randy Harris gave the message to my church body. I was very convicted as I sat listening and feverishly scribbling down notes. It was excellent. His message was taken from Luke 10:25-37. I loved the title of his message, "The Menimally Decent Samaritan." He focused on the fact that the Good Samaritan showed the injured man extravagant compassion, mercy, and kindness. This guy went the extra mile in excellence and provided for the injured man. One thing that Randy said that I loved and paraphrased was, "Jesus is calling all His disciples and servants to a radical ethic and way of living." Another thing that I caught was the idea of the Lord wanting us to go beyond ourselves and our flesh and to live beyond menimal decency, but to love extravagantly and to lavish the grace and love of God on people. I absolutely love that idea and I pray that my life embodies that in my everyday existence.

All in all it was a rich, soul-satisfying time of encouragement and being sharpened and challenged to go deeper into the character and call of Jesus on my life as His servant. To top it off, my Daddy and I got to eat a wonderful home-cooked meal at my brother's house one last time with my grandparents before my brother and sister-in-love begin their move to Lubbock in the next two weeks. Grant is beginning law school at Texas Tech in August. Laura will teach 1st grade at a wonderful, innovative elementary school in August as well. Please pray for them. This entire process has been one-hundred percent Spirit-led and the Lord has really provided and led every step of the way.

I'll leave you with a concept that I paraphrased from today's message in worship:

"A Gospel-formed love can only come forth out of a person who is intimately acquainted with the radical, extravagant love of Christ Jesus first before it can go beyond us and help usher in His Presence and his purposes for His ultimate glory in all things seen and unseen."

Earnest Honor...

I pray everyday in my spirit that I will live in earnest honor of the Lord. I know this is only possible through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is not something I can achieve on my own. I need to be constantly immersed in a power that resides in Someone higher. If it were left up to me alone I would live in the low place of my flesh. Honor is a concept that has gotten lost in our present day society. It seems like every aspect of this society is centered around demeaning or destroying something in order to recieve honor and respect. I really strong dislike that. I want that mentality to change. I have the power to decide whether or not to live that way. We all have the power to make that decision. For that I am grateful.

In my mind honor means serving another person in some way. It means loving another person more than I love myself. It means blessing them in order that they may go out and bless, edify, and encourage others to seek higher things. Honor is something that is earned. It deserves reward. The funny thing is, if you seek the right honor, the reward comes after denying yourself and walking in selflessness and humility. This is extremely hard. It definitely requires power that we in our humaness do not possess. I earnesly pray that my life depicts an earnest honor in all areas. I want to go beyond myself; to serve others passionately in order for them to see Jesus in my life and to attract them to the One to whom honor is due.

My Rough-and-Tumble Sophie...

This is my Westie, Sophie, whom I love very much. Ever since I was a little girl I have wanted to own a Westie. I have always thought they were just adorable. Sophie is spunky, mischievious, smart, and a complete joy. She definitely makes life fun and interesting. I do believe she has THE most ear-piercing bark I have ever heard in my entire life. I'm so thankful she is part of my life. I seriously love the fact that God created dogs. I think He realized what sweet companions they are. There will never be a day of my life without a dog, that is for sure.

Sophie lives at my parents house and I go home and visit her every weekend. It really works out well because she adores my parents and they have two other dogs, a fence, and a big yard for her to play and dig in. I wish she could live with me, but I live on a very busy street and I'm afraid she would get run over. I have really enjoy her I-will-not-be-ignored personality. My mom kids me all the time about how different Sophie and my personalities are. She always tells me I should trade Sophie in for a Maltese, but then my precious Westie does something endearing and the teasing stops. I wouldn't trade my Sophie for any other dog. I'm glad she's mine.

Yield To Jesus...

I have heard several times over the years that what you yield to is what controls you. I have to say that I totally believe that is true. Like I have said many times, we have a choice to either yield to our flesh or to yield to the Spirit. It is critically important in the life of a beliver to not yield to the desires of our flesh. That is really hard. There are rewards the Lord sends when we surrender ourselves and totally give into the way of Jesus. When we consciously yield to the higher more excellent way, our image is being transformed into that of Christ. Make a decision today to yield to the Holy Spirit.

Warn It Away...

Over the past several years I have learned a great deal about the authority that exists within the instrument of my mouth. I am still in the process of learning in this area, but the Lord has shown me how much power and victory I have over the Enemy when I exercise His Word coming forth out of the words I speak. Warning doubt, fear, and distrust away is essential if I want to live a victorious, Kingdom-focused life before God. It has taken a lot of prayer in my own life to unleash the boldness it takes to warn spirits contrary to God away from my life and the lives of my loved ones, but it has totally been worth it.

Absolutely any time the devil comes at me with a thought that is not of God I have a choice to warn it away or to allow it entry into my spirit and thought life. I think it is time for believers to ask for and seek boldness in order to exercise the authority that Jesus died to give us on the cross. We have to verbally speak to spirits of darkness so that they lose their power and effectiveness over our lives. It is critical that we learn to discern when the Lord speaks to us and when the devil speaks to us. When he does, we need to learn to warn away anything he brings to us. I have learned that warning things away truly does bring peace, freedom, and joy. It took me a while to get over feeling silly about doing this and to realize that its importance. Now, I try to remember to do it whenever anything contrary to God comes my way. Try it for yourself. It really works wonders.

Teachings...

I LOVE to listen to teachings in my spare time. When I say teachings I mean speeches or sermons that encourage, uplift, and challenge my faith journey. Two of my favorite women to listen to are Sandy Ross out of San Antonio and Joyce Meyer. I can't say how satisfied my soul is after taking time to sit down and really listen to these two women. They walk in such authority and authenticity. One thing that I truly appreciate about both women is that they acknowledge that they make mistakes. Let me just say that my journey with Jesus has been immeasurably enriched by the lives they live.

I was introduced to Sandy Ross by my college roommate Kirsta and I have absolutely adored her ever since. Sandy is the founder and pastor of Women of Excellence Ministries that is based out of Summit Christian Center in San Antonio. I can honestly say that Sandy has helped me mature in the Lord in ways that I have only dreamed of. She is so humble, authentic. authoritative, and kind. She is just a lovely woman who is truly a woman of excellence before the Lord. I can't say enough about her. The Lord has used her to minister to my spirit in powerful ways.

A New Name...

I love Isaiah 61 and 62. There is such Spirit-infused power in these two chapters of scripture. In these two passages Zion goes from being destitute to being rich; the land goes from being barren to plentiful. I think there is so much symbolism for us as people in these two chapters in Isaiah.

Before the Lord found us we were destitute in sinfulness, now He has given us a new name. He has allowed us to rise out of the pits of misery and shame. He has bestowed upon us His garments of holiness and righteousness. That, to me, is just mind boggling to comtemplate. He has exchanged our rags for his glorious riches. We have gone from slaves to priests. I just love that and all that it means. We are no longer known for our humanity and for the things that we did wrong. God knows us as His possessions and treasures. God knows our giftedness, not our inadequacies. He knows our potential, not our sin. Yes, we were once sinners, but now we are purchases of the one true and living Lamb who lives to bring immeasurable joy and everlasting hope. Come into the inheritance of your new name in Christ. He is ready and waiting to receive you and to bestow upon you His glorious riches.

"You shall also be [so beautiful and prosperous as to be thought of as] a crown of glory and honor in the in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem [exceedingly beautiful] in the hand of your God." - Isaiah 62:3

Unchanging Anchor...

One thing I am very thankful for is the fact that God is an unchanging anchor in a world that is so turbulent and uncertain. If God is in our lives we have an everlasting source of certainty and assurance. He beckons us to a life that is sure; a life that is built on a foundation that cannot ever be shaken. His unchanging nature anchors our lives in an ever-increasing hope and redemption. Boy, that floods my soul with such joy. On days when we cannot seem to find our bearings, God stands ready to step in and live through us using His power and strength. He always welcomes us into the communion of His presence. So, when the winds of this world are threatening to undo you, step into the hope that anchors life in God. It is a wonderful and life-giving place to be. It is an everlasting source of peace and comfort.

Heaven Bent Focus...

I believe that what we focus on is what we become. It so easy to be consumed by and focused on worldly things. It takes the power of the Holy Spirit to be committed to a heaven bent focus. Our flesh wants to indulge in the easy way. The Lord yearns for us to be solely focused on higher things. He wants to infuse us with a focus that looks past short-lived enjoyment and sufficiency. A heaven bent focus affords us eternal rewards. These rewards go far beyond anything the world could or would offer us. A heaven bent focus requires fierece determination. If we commit ourselves to consistently acquiring a heaven bent focus, the Lord will bring things into our lives that are far beyond our wildest imaginations. A heaven bent focus is worth the time and energy. If we give ourselves over to it, we will enjoy a communion with God that is ultimately satisfying and sweet.

An Incorruptible Seal...

I love to think about the fact that I am chosen by God. I am ingrafted into the lineage of Jesus. That fact is just mind-boggling to me. That thought brings me unspeakable assurance and security. I am an adopted child of the Most High King. Wow. As I have gown in my journey of discipleship, the Lord has taught me that there are immeasurable benefits to being His property.

One of my favorite benefits is having His seal of ownership. To know that I have the incorrupible seal of the King of the Universe is absolutely indescribable. Having that knowledge gives me a humble confidence to live out my dreams and to go about doing things that make Him attractive to others. I yearn to make Him famous. His impenetrable seal affords me the honor of carrying His divine signature upon my life and most importantly upon my spirit. Satan may try to gain entry into my spirit but God has the ultimate victory and I am totally and completely His. When Satan attempts to come at me with all of his schemes, God takes me away and places me between His shoulders and underneath His wings of protection and comfort, a place Satan is not welcome. The best part is, he knows it. I am so grateful to have God's seal upon my life. My job is to live a life worthy of that seal through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Certainty of Christ...

Today I am certain of one thing: I serve a risen and victorious Savior who paid the ultimate price for my redemption. He is not a mere prophet; He is not a myth. He is real. He is present. He is risen. He is reigning in this world right now. His certainty to me is like the air I breathe. His certainty is a sure as anything I've ever known. I am thankful to the depths of my soul for the certainty that resides in Jesus Christ. I am grateful that He longs for deep intimacy and communion with me as His child. I am thankful for the fact that He desires a relationship with a sinner like me. Most of all, I am thankful that I am covered in His righteousness and purity as I stand before God. It excites me to the deepest core of my soul to know that His power resides in and infuses itself into me as I learn to totally surrender myself and all of my desires and plans into His divine safe keeping.

In The Midst of Memories...

Do you ever have days when you are overwhelmed with memories of a very special person? That has characterized my day today. The really good thing is that I know that God is in the midst of this day of memories. I am very very thankful for the many memories I shared with this particular person. He was a very gentle, kind, and tender spirit. Our best family friends experienced a death in the family. Daddy Don was one of my very favorite people. He was such a wonderful and quiet servant of Jesus. I learned volumes about how to serve others and how to flesh out the mission of Christ just by being a witness to his life. He is now dancing with Jesus and for that I am thankful.

Jesus Colored Glasses...

I have been reminded recently how God sees me and it has been so refreshing and comforting. As a child of God, when He looks at me He only sees Jesus. He dosen't see my sin. He doesn't see my inadequacy. He doesn't see any speck of unworthiness. I am seen by Him through Jesus colored glasses. That just thrills me to the core of my soul. I am so thankful for the fact that God only sees me through His righteousness. Every day I praise Him for the price Jesus paid to allow me to be ingrafted into His heart. I can live a life free from worry and anxiety because I am an heir along with Jesus. That thought just really excites me. I can unashamedly approach God and ask Him to do and provide big things in my life and the really neat part is so can you. Know this, if you have accepted the invitation of Jesus to live His Way, His Life, and His Truth, you are always welcome to ask whatever you wish. Remember, God sees all of His beloved children through Jesus colored glasses won through the redemption Jesus provided for us on the cross.

Humble Holiness And Awe...

Holiness is something that is of utmost importance to me. I believe it is a concept that is sorely lacking in this society. Every day before my feet hit the floor, I silently breathe a prayer asking the Lord to fill me with a reverential holiness and an awe that causes me to bow down to His ultimate sovreignty and authority in all things. I also believe a proper dose of reverential holiness and awe is vital to a healthy and ever-deepening life of discipleship and love-sick reckless abadon to the desires that govern the heart of the Lord. I can only hope and earnestly pray that my heart is governed and stirred by what concerns and delights my God.

What does holiness look like? What does a life given over to the dictates of holiness entail? I have come to learn that true and authentic holiness and awe that moves the heart of the Lord comes out of humble and relentless surrender. Holiness requires a firm and permanent decision to move according to the promptings of the Spirit. Holiness is not something that is pushy, outspoken, or developed out of a spirit of pride. Holiness moves gently. It is a way of life. It is gentle and quiet, but also demanding because holiness asks that we as fervent worshippers and dearly loved saints, live according to God's power instead of our feelings or our flesh. It asks that we live counter culturally and totally against the grain of this present world or society. Holiness sets us apart for God's plans and purposes. It sets apart to live a life totally enraptured by His glory and life set on things that are higher than our humanity. Choose holiness. It leads to a life that is so rich and satisfying. Its rewards are everlasting and eternal.

Pray Constantly...

Father of Grace,

What an honor it is to kneel before you knowing that what you see in me is Christ. Thank you for the privilege to walk with you and to talk to you as a friend confinding in a kindred spirit. I ask this day that you would open your veil so that I may look upon you in all of your fullness and bask in Who you are. Please through the precious blood of your Son, gird upon me and fill me up with fresh oil so that I may wait for you expectantly ready to follow when you call. Dress me appropriately in your armor so that I may be fully equipped to contend for my faith. Give me strength to defend and honor you. May my life be a continual prayer to you, the One whom I treasure above all things. This is my prayer in the name of Jesus.