Like a Weaned Child

Have I given up or have I surrendered? This is the question I have had to ask myself and the Lord. The two can look very similar.

Several years ago - from 2019 to 2023 to be exact, several huge storms seemed to blow through our family like an unwelcomed guest, messing with our dreams, plans, and our very foundation. I was left to feel as though I needed to pick up the pieces. This perspective caused me to feel overwhelmed and distracted, causing all creativity and desire to be suppressed; Worry and fear taking over.

Another state of mind is to be like a weaned child that sits content on her Father's lap (Psalm 131:2), knowing that He will eventually pick up the pieces and put them back together like a beautiful stained glass window that is more beautiful than if it had never been broken in the first place. But, a weaned child is also content knowing that even if it never gets fixed or put back together, that is okay too, because they can be content just knowing they are loved, hidden in Christ, and the work of the Cross. 

In this season of my life, I simply worship and simply be, knowing He's got the rest. When we were in the midst of everything seemingly falling apart, the Lord gave me a vision of myself under an apple tree. The apples were falling from the tree, and I was frantically trying to catch them before they fell to the ground and rotted. Jesus then said to me, "Lisa, just sit and enjoy an apple!" 

This has been a work in progress, but my goal is just to surrender and enjoy His presence, knowing He's got it all.

Slowly, creativity, dreams, and desires are returning. Slowly, the pain is leaving, love for even my enemies is filling my heart, and I am beginning to see fruit.

I know I am not the only one. I think I am just a prototype of what the Lord has been doing in the Body of Christ. He has been shaking foundations so that ONLY what is of Him will be left standing.

In the midst of the storms, the best way to see abundant fruit is to be like that weaned child, sitting content on the lap of the Father, receiving His love above all else!

And that, my friends is the difference between giving up and surrendering!

Divine Protection

There are many different theories and concerns among believers about how to have God's protection. Some think it is important to pray Ephesians 6 everyday where it talks about putting on the full armor of God. Others, mainly some Catholics, are involved in a devotion that has a prayer to "blind the devil". 

If I had to choose, I'd at least choose the first option because it is biblical. Nowhere in scripture does it say we have the authority to "blind" Satan. It does say, however that Satan blinds the minds of unbelievers (2 Corinthians 4:4). Also, if we step outside of our realm of authority, that is a sure way NOT to be protected.

However, I would like to share with you a more excellent way to have God's protection. In order to do so, I need to mention circumcision.

In the Old Testament, physical circumcision was required of God's people. Physical circumcision is a procedure that initially leaves a man rather vulnerable in the natural. Circumcision was used in the Old Testament as a Covenant with God, declaring that their trust was in Him alone and not in themselves. 

In the New Testament, specifically Romans 2:29, Paul talks about having our hearts circumcised. What does that mean? I believe it has to do with having our own self-protection stripped away. David in the OT had the right idea when he refused to wear Saul's armor, leaving him vulnerable in the natural and he put his trust in God alone to defeat Goliath.

Another thing to consider is that the devil is God's devil. The devil is not able to do anything that God doesn't allow. Sometimes God will allow the devil to humble a person. I am currently reading the book of Samuel. In Samuel 18:10, it says that, "an evil spirit from God rushed upon Saul." In the book of Job, God allowed Satan to test Job. In the New Testament, specifically in 1 Corinthians 5:5, Paul talks about handing a person over to Satan for the "destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved." 

God's heart is ultimately for us to be protected and it can happen sovereignly but it is usually a process that does not happen overnight. Gaining God's protection sometimes can take a lifetime of us learning to abide in Christ as we yield and walk with God in humility. This process, is accelerated through trials, where we learn to let go of self-protection and find protection under the shelter of God's wings (Psalm 91). As we learn to find shelter and protection, tucked away under God's wing, we become invisible to the enemy and we become clothed with the armor of God mentioned in Ephesians 6. The armor of God; helmet of salvation, breastplate of righteousness, belt of truth, shield of faith, shoes of the Gospel is ALL Christ! It is being clothed with Christ! 

That is our goal and happens as we learn to abide. John 15:4 says, "Abide in me as I abide in you." The way to abide in Christ is to let go of everything that hinders us; our self-protection, our fear, our sadness, our idols, etc. and learn to rest. 

Exodus 14:14 - The Lord will fight for you and you have only to be still.

A God Who Draws Near

I know it has been awhile since I have blogged. A couple of years ago I felt led by the Lord to create a YouTube channel, however I have not been very consistent with it. I am a stay at home, homeschool mom, so there are many days where I only leave my house to go to the grocery store and pick up my son. Therefore, fixing my hair and putting on make-up is not a major priority. Today happens to be a lazy Sunday and it works out better for me to write out my thoughts rather than do a video.

This brings me to my next point and one that lines up with the fast approaching Lenten season. This morning in prayer I was confessing to the Lord that in my own humanness, when given the choice, I often choose comfort and the path of least resistance. I was also however, thanking Him that he has often chosen a different path for me, for narrow is the road that often leads to life (Matt. 7: 13-14). Because he has chosen a different path for me than the one I would have chosen, I am not the same person I was twenty or even ten years ago. 

This became abundantly clear to me yesterday after my husband and I did an inner-healing session with someone. I led it and afterwards my husband commented on how merciful and compassionate I was. This is only because of a work I've allowed the Lord to do in my own heart through trials, disappointments and various sufferings. The Lord has truly become my refuge and my shelter (Psalm 91).

Jesus is alive and so desires to draw near to his people. The New Testament talks about our hearts becoming circumcised. This means that our own self protection is stripped away so He can become our protection. Many however, including God's own children, are afraid of letting go of their own defenses and afraid of a God who draws near. They want him on their own terms, a God they can control and a God they can keep at arms length. I have felt the Lord's heart on this and it grieves Him!

If people only knew what kind of a God he is! A bruised reed He will not break and a smoldering wick, He will not snuff out (Is. 42:3). He longs to draw us close and to draw near to us. He desires to make our hearts His home (foxes have dens and birds of the air have nests but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head - Matt. 8:20).

Recently the Lord shared an image with me of the kind of protection he wants to offer His people. He said, "Lisa, do you know why frogs have a white underbelly?" I didn't, so I Googled it. The reason frogs have a white underbelly is because when that frog is floating in the water with the sun shining on it, it becomes virtually invisible to predators (Matt. 6:26 - if God even cares about the birds of the air, how much more will he care for you). In the natural, that frog looks vulnerable as it is resting in the middle of the water. God thought of everything however and that frog is actually protected. In the same way, when we rest in the water of God's Spirit, in the shelter of the Most High, soaking in the presence of the Son, we also become invisible to the enemy, the devil. It is in this place where we can even enjoy a banquet in the midst of our enemies (Psalm 23).

Many have been hearing about the recent Asbury revival. It started through a group of college students who were hungry for a God that draws near and draw near he did! How much more of the Holy Spirit will He give those who ask (Luke 11:13).

My challenge to you this Lent is to pray for a greater hunger for God's presence. Also pray that you can let go of your own defenses and allow the God of all creation to draw near to you so you can experience his love in a way you have never experienced before!

The Great Exchange

My husband and I are co-directors of the Indianapolis satellite campus for Encounter Ministries. In our first quarter of the school we teach about one's identity in Christ. It is important that we know who we are and whose we are. If we are believers in Jesus, we are his children. If we are his children, we are sons and daughters of the King. If we are sons and daughters of the King, then we are co-heirs with Christ. Everything he has, is also ours. How exciting is that!

For a while now, I believe the Lord has been preparing his people for a greater glory. He has been preparing his people to have the ability to carry the weight of His glory that is coming. This will usher in the greatest move of His Spirit that we have ever seen and will be glorious to be a part of it! It will start with laid down lovers of God that loved him more than their own lives; People that realize that He is enough.

There was a time in my walk with the Lord that I was weary of all the spiritual warfare I was undergoing. At the time, I did not have a clear understanding of my identity as a daughter of the King. Instead of walking in my authority, I asked the Lord for a way out. I told him I just wanted a nice, leisurely life. He granted my wish and left me alone. For four long years, I did not feel his presence and I did not hear his voice. I was miserable and ended up repenting. In his mercy, he restored me. I am now very careful to abide in him, realizing that he is enough and my everything!

Years ago, the Lord gave me a powerful word through an angel. It was, "It is coming! It is coming! It is coming! A great harvest of souls is coming! You are a royal priesthood, a holy nation (1Peter 2:9)! Now is the time to get ready!"

At the time, I didn't understand why the 1 Peter scripture was thrown in there. I think I have even left that part out when talking about the word in the past. I have since come to understand. Royal, means we are children of the King and royalty ourselves. To be a priest, one offers sacrifice. By our baptism, we are priests, prophets and kings. To be a royal priest, is a call to offer sacrifice by laying down our crowns. 

 In this season, as part of the preparation for a greater glory and as a way to get ready, I believe the Lord is asking his children to lay down their crowns; be willing to lay down their rights and their inheritance.  As sons and daughters of God, we are co-heirs and have many freedoms and rights. Are we however, willing to lay down our rights without any other expectation than more of God because, he is enough?! He will not disappoint! In exchange he wants to give us a greater glory, beyond what we could have imagined!

2 Corinthians 3:18, 4:7-12, 16-18 - "And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.  We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;  persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.  We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.  For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

The Pearl of Great Price

 

If the Lord ever asks you if you want an acceleration, brace yourself! He recently asked me this. I said, yes, but I also know to hold on and buckle up, because I also know it will probably come at a price and it is his desire to kill me. I said yes however, because I also know he is good and I can trust him. It is only in the dying that we can fully live. It is only in the dying that Christ can be more fully alive in us. It is only in dying that we can be fully free. It is only in dying that we truly have something to offer others.

Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat dies, it remains a single seed, but if it dies, it produces many seeds. - John 12:24

Recently, I was in prayer and I  saw something really gross. It looked like raw flesh. My first thought was, "This can't be God." and then I realized it was inside an oyster shell. I thought about how dark it would be, how bad it would smell, how claustrophobic it would feel. I then realized that sums up part of my life right now. Isn't that always our first thought though, when uncomfortable situations happen in our life, "This cannot be God!"?

To get into the details of everything that has taken place in the last 4 years, wouldn't do it justice. I have had to die to dreams, even good ones; dreams for my children and for myself; basic dreams of my children just being able to attend or even do school, any school; dreams for everyone to be healthy and whole.

If you can relate to what I am saying, I think one thing the Lord is doing, is messing with the status quo. Let me explain. In society, are we in bondage to the way things have always been done or are we truly looking outside the box of life's possibilities? I remember a word the Lord gave me over 20 years ago. He said there was going to be a reversal of the order of how things are now. That can only happen if there is a shift in mindsets and our current ways of thinking.

I know, it is ultimately God's desire for myself and my family to be healthy and whole. I know it is ultimately God's desire for us to prosper, for us to have a home that is big enough for us, for us to have enough income for us to buy the things we need and even some things we want. I know it is his desire for us to live in a house that is not making us sick, so I continue to hope, I continue to pray, I continue to press in and I worship.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. - Jeremiah 29:11

Recently, I had a dream. In the dream, I was tied up on the side of a cruise ship. I was stuck and could not move as everyone else was getting off. I knew in my dream, I had a choice to make; I could either panic because of the situation I was in or I could choose to worship. I chose to worship.

Even though I am in the coffin of an oyster shell, I choose to be still and worship, knowing something beautiful is being formed. I choose to stay here until the work is complete and at the same time, hoping and having faith that there is more, both in the physical and spiritual. 

The pearl of great price is no joke, but it is worth it! 

A Faith that Endures

 Psalm 23 is a scripture passage most Christians are familiar with. For myself, it took on a whole new meaning in the last few years as they have been the most challenging and painful years of my life. I know I am not alone. I have heard many say they have been tried and tested the last couple years like never before and it was not just because of Covid. I realize also, that what I have gone through pales in comparison to what others have experienced. 

Hopefully, sharing my experience and what I have learned from it will help others.

Psalm 23:5 says, "You prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows."

In the past I interpreted the word "enemies" to mean people who were against me or the devil that wanted to destroy me. I have since learned that it encompasses so much more. I believe it also has to do with the storms of life and negative situations we find ourselves in.

The Lord desires to get us to the place where we can rise above our circumstances. He wants to get us to the place where our soul is calm and at peace even when there is a whirlwind swirling around us. He wants us to enjoy the intimacy of being in his presence and not even noticing when evil is knocking at our door. He is our feast. He is our banquet. He wants to be our all in all, free from all distractions.

The trials that we go through can become a gift that strengthens our faith, which is more precious than gold, if we will let it and we don't give up. Also, through our sufferings we can come to know aspects of God's nature that we wouldn't otherwise have the opportunity to discover. One question we can even ask the Lord when we are suffering is, "Who do you want to be for me during this season of my life that you couldn't be in any other time?"

You are probably curious about what I have endured in the last 3 years. Many of you know that in 2019, my husband was diagnosed with a rare form of sarcoma that manifested in a grapefruit size tumor on his arm. He went through chemo, surgery and radiation. Praise God, we can say he is now cancer free.

If my trials had just stopped there, I wouldn't have risen to the heights the Lord wanted to take me to. Instead the pressure continued like grapes in a wine press.  One of our daughters suddenly became bedridden in January of 2020. She spent nearly a year in bed, unable to function, with me as her nurse, bringing food to her bed so she would eat and stay alive. I took her to every doctor imaginable, plus a week in the hospital and a multitude of tests, trying to get to the bottom of what was going on, with little to no answers. Needless to say, she was not able to even go to school or do school work, increasingly falling behind.

In January of 2021, I had another daughter fall ill. It started off with what seemed like a virus but she wasn't getting better. She even had several Covid tests but they were all negative. After a couple months of not being able to get out of bed, I finally had to withdraw her from school too. She also was not well enough to do school at home and again I was a nurse to another child, bringing her 3 meals a day in bed to keep her alive. Again, we lived at the doctors, negatively affecting the ability to homeschool another daughter that needed one on one instruction and still not getting any answers.

I spent nearly every day crying tears of desperation. I would wake up in the middle of the night crying and praying desperate prayers. I would spontaneously start crying in the grocery store or other public places. I was definitely grieving the life I dreamed I was supposed to have and as a mom I felt completely helpless because I didn't know what was wrong with my children.

To add insult to injury, in the middle of it all, Tom lost his job at the church and was initially given 2 weeks notice to find another job. We felt rejected and hurt by leadership.

In prayer, however, the Lord had a different perspective. He kept telling me to come up higher. I wasn't sure what that meant or what it looked like. I didn't know how I could ascend the heights and have joy when my children were suffering. He asked me if I thought the saints in Heaven were sad because of their loved ones on earth who are suffering. I realized they probably were not sad because they were enjoying the beatific vision.

I asked him what he thought of the situation with my daughters. He actually got excited and told me this was going to propel us into our destiny. I asked him what lie I bought into. He said, "That you are alone in this." I asked him what was the truth. He showed me my daughters in the palm of his hands.

It still took many more months of tears before I figured out how to come up higher and ascend the heights. I felt that could only happen if he healed my daughters and if my husband got a good job that paid well.

Neither of those things happened and I continued in my pain until one day I was drawn to John 15. This is the parable of the vine and the branches. I've always wondered what Jesus meant when he said "abide in me as I abide in you." 

I often reflect on the fact that Christ lives in me but what did it mean to abide in him. I tend to be a very imaginative person so I thought I would try to imagine myself actually in Christ's body, looking out of his eyes and seeing things from his perspective. 

What I began to realize as I did this was if we are to remain or abide in Christ, there are things in our life we need to be willing to let go of. In Him there is no fear. In Him there is no worry. In Him there is no anxiety. In Him there is no depression. In Him there is no shame. In Him there is no bitterness. In Him there is no resentment. In Him there is no anger. 

As I spiritually began to place myself in Christ, these other things began to fall away. I suddenly felt a new freedom and peace I hadn't felt in a long time. I realized this was what the Lord meant when he said, "Come up higher!"

The interesting thing is, coming up higher wasn't dependent on my circumstances. It wasn't dependent on everything in my life going well. It was dependent on coming to a deeper level of surrender and trust in the God who holds the whole world in his hands.

Resurrecting the Titanic May not be a Good Idea!

I had a dream last week about the Titanic. In my dream, the Titanic had been recovered and brought to the surface. It was about to be restored and people were going to be given the opportunity to live on it. I was touring the wreckage and as I was touring it I was thinking, "I'm not sure this is a good idea." The first reason I was thinking this is because, if we are aware of history, we know that part of the reason the Titanic sank is because of arrogant people that thought it was unsinkable. In my opinion, it didn't seem like something that should be resurrected and reused. The second reason I didn't think it would be a good idea to live on the Titanic is because, even if it was restored, it would still contain the memories of all the innocent people that had died.

I also had a vision that I feel goes along with that dream. In the vision, I saw "kings of the earth" seated high up in a circle on thrones that looked like hands. Unaware to them, these throne hands were sitting on one giant hand. I then saw the giant hand close into a fist.

When I had the vision, a couple scriptures also came to my mind. The first scripture comes from 2Cor.10:5 (paraphrased). I heard, "Every high and lofty thought that has exalted itself above the knowledge of God is going to be brought low." 

Isaiah 40 also came to me - "Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill made low, the uneven ground shall become level and the rough places a plain. Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed and all the people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken."

So, what does all this mean? I believe the Lord is showing me, there are leaders on the earth who have exalted themselves above the knowledge of God. They do not realize that the only way they are in the positions they are in is because God has allowed it. They also have not learned from history. Feeling comfortable in their positions, they are going to become lax. They are going to over play their hand and their true colors are going to be revealed. The Lord is only going to tolerate this for so long and then will enact judgement because of the innocent that would suffer due to their arrogant and tyrannical leadership.

As I did back in June, I again heard the Lord laugh and quote Psalm 2:1 - "Why do the nations rage and why do the people plot in vain?"

I also heard him say, "Do they not realize that all their efforts are going to be brought to nothing because I am about to move!"

The Glory Train

I am in tears as I am sitting down to write this blog post.  A couple months ago, I had a vision of people that looked lost and/or homeless waiting for the sons and daughters of God to be revealed. The following scripture was and is so strong on my heart as I believe the Lord is also revealing his heart to me.

Romans 8:19 - For all of creation waits with eager expectation for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

The Lord's heart is for ALL to be saved and set free - 1 Tim. 2:4. In order to reach the lost, the Lord is looking for Glory carriers; people who can display his Glory and reveal the true nature of who He is on the earth. In order for his people to be able to do this, they need to first know who they are in Him. 

For those who have fully surrendered their lives to the Lord, he has been able to transform them and get them ready to carry his Glory. They have been learning who they are and whose they are. They have been learning their authority in Christ and their true identity. Hence, they have been able to be formed into a very strategic army like the one described in Joel 2.

This is a remnant army and the first to be invited on the "Glory Train" of the Lord. These are going to be burning out of love of Christ and carriers of his Glory. They are going to go into barren and desolate places with great displays of glory rooted in love and rescue those who are lost and bound by the enemy. Those who were once lost will then be invited onto the "Glory Train" to then rescue others and invite them on this fast moving train.

A great harvest of souls coming to the Lord will be one of the main signature marks of the next move of God. Many others have also prophesied a great move of God that is coming. There have been many moves of God in the past but many have been short lived and scattered. This move is going to be different than other moves. The reason it is going to be different is because, like a well thought out bonfire, the Lord is being really strategic.

My husband is an Eagle Scout. He knows how to make a good fire that will be big and last a long time. When he prepares for a bonfire, he is real strategic in how he lays the sticks and logs and what kind of kindling he uses.

Likewise, the Lord is being real strategic. He has been working in the hearts of his people for a while now; humbling, transforming and calling people to partner with Him by first being willing to take up His cross. People laying their lives down in humble obedience and surrender, people choosing the narrow, less traveled road are like the logs that are going to cultivate the right atmosphere for the fire of the Spirit to burn bright, long and far.

This next move of God's Spirit is also going to be marked by a high level of personal holiness, uncompromising surrender and passion for the Lord. They loved not their lives even unto death - Revelations 12:11. 

Like the wise virgins (Matthew 5), they will have extra oil for their lamps. Through a shared love for Christ, the extra oil will be oil that has been pressed from the lives of the saints that have gone before them. They will also drink deeply from barrels of ancient wine of the Holy Spirit that has been fermenting for over 2000 years and carries the Glory and fear of the Lord.

The ones that are going to be ripe and ready to be initial carriers of God's Glory are those who are able to remain in faith, hope and love even during times of great trial. The fruit of the Spirit will marry the gifts of the Spirit in their lives and great displays of God's Glory; signs, wonders and miracles are what are going to greatly attract those who are hungry for a living, all powerful and loving God!

I believe with all my heart that this move of God is around the corner. The Glory Train is starting to appear from the tunnel with its headlights blaring!

A couple decades ago the Lord told me, "A new day is dawning! What you are about to see is a privilege and others in the past longed to see!

People Get Ready!

 

For over 20 years, the Lord has been showing me a great move of God that is coming. Many prophetic people have also seen this move. What the Lord said to me 20+ years ago is, "You are about to witness the greatest move of my Spirit that has ever been poured out on the earth. Unlike the Charismatic renewal, it will not be able to be contained."

Now, I will be honest, there is a good chance that this move is going to coincide with persecution in the world, but where sin abounds, grace abounds even more (Romans 5:20).

Recently the Lord showed me more about this move of God. He showed me that there is a baptism of the Holy Spirit that we have not yet seen or experienced. The next move of God is going to start with this baptism. This baptism is going to involve wine of the Holy Spirit mixed with oil that has been pressed from the lives of the Saints that have gone before us. I'm not just talking about big 'S' saints but there are many unknown followers of Jesus that have also laid down their lives, either physically in martyrdom or spiritually. Scripture says of them in Revelation 12:11 - They loved not their lives even unto death.

I am now going to borrow a great teaching my husband does about the communion of saints. In Hebrews 12:1 it says, we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. The word surrounded in the Greek is perikeimai. Basically, it means to be connected or joined to. Think of a 3-legged race. 

Since the saints are connected to us, they do not receive their full reward until we complete our race. And, since we are also connected to them, we benefit from the way they already laid their lives down for Christ.

Think St. Stephen. As he was being stoned and martyred, he saw an open Heaven. Because of the merits of what he did, we will also see an open Heaven in this next move.

Revelation 6:9 says, '"...I saw under the altar the souls who had been slaughtered for the word of God and for their testimony they had given; they cried in a loud voice, "Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long will it be before you judge and avenge our blood on the inhabitants of the earth?" They were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the numbers would be complete, both of their fellow servants and of their brothers and sisters, who were soon to be killed as they themselves had been killed."'

So, what I also believe the Lord showed me  is, just like the wedding at Cana, the best wine is being saved for last. This wine has been fermenting for over 2000 years and is mixed with oil pressed from the lives of the saints.

This wine is about to be poured out. For those who have surrendered their lives to the Jesus, it will be Glorious! This baptism that involves wine from the Holy Spirit and oil from the saints is going to result in an open Heaven, Heavenly encounters and unprecedented miracles. This will empower God's people to be salt on the earth and bring in the harvest!

This oil is going to be worth giving up everything else and purchasing!

Heavenly Oil

 Today is the first day of the Jewish feast of Hanukkah. It lasts until December 18th. Traditionally, it commemorates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after it was won back by Jewish warriors from Syrians who desecrated it. It is also known as the Festival of lights and celebrates the triumph of light over darkness. After taking back the temple, the Jewish people had an eight-day celebration where they rededicated the temple. Tradition has it that they only had enough consecrated oil to light the candelabra for one day but it miraculously lasted eight days.

I felt there was a special significance about it, especially for this year. I believe there is also significance that there is going to be a special Christmas star that will be observable for the first time in 800 years on December 21st. 

The Lord wants us to get ready for and expect the miraculous! We are about to see a significant turn of events that will result in the triumph of light over darkness in the world. 

The Jewish people rededicated the physical temple. The way we can get ready is by rededicating our own temples; our bodies, soul and spirit, to the Lord. Hold nothing back! Give him everything!

This does not mean we have to have it all together. This also does not mean what we give him needs to be elaborate. Think 'Little Drummer Boy'. Everything we have is from the Lord anyway. All he is asking is we offer back the very things we have been given. In exchange, we receive even more.

Like the parable of the wise virgins, we are called to keep oil in our lamps (Matthew 25). The oil ultimately comes from God. We receive that oil by receiving the life of Christ inside us. We receive the oil by allowing Christ to make a home in our hearts through an intimate relationship with him.

We in turn pour that oil out like Mary at the feet of Jesus (John 12:3), making a fragrant offering to the Lord. However, he cannot be outdone. He in turn pours the oil out on us overabundantly!

Recently, in prayer, I saw an oil can with Heavenly oil being poured out. Here is the sense I had with it:

During this season of trial that we have been in, many of God's people have been pressing in for more of God's presence and intimacy with Him. This is paying off! The Heavens are opening and oil from Heaven is being poured out! Where once revelation and healings were harder to obtain, these things are becoming much easier and more commonplace. The veil between Heaven and earth is becoming much thinner and Heavenly encounters more accessible!

Get ready! Like a great Tsunami wave, we are about to witness the greatest move of God's Spirit that has ever been poured out on the earth! We are about to also see a great harvest of souls come into the Kingdom! Get ready for the miraculous and oil from Heaven!

His Ways Are Not Our Ways

 It does not take a prophet to predict that we are probably in for some tough times in this country. The writing is on the wall. No matter who wins the upcoming election, things are probably going to get ugly.

The good news however is that our Lord and King has already won the victory. The very things the enemy intends for evil, the Lord is going to use for good and for His Glory.

In fact, I even saw the Lord taking a sickle and hammer from the Marxist symbol and using it to chisel away ice from stony hearts.

 This reminds me of the days of Moses when snakes bit the people but then a bronze snake was the very thing used to heal the people when they looked at it. 

His ways are not our ways (Is. 55:9).

It is very important that right now we are anchoring ourselves deep in Jesus; that we are abiding in him; that he is our horn cleat so that we are not tossed about when the storms of life come.

The Lord is looking for stabilizing influencers. These are people who have been abiding and resting in the Him during this season and therefore will be able to stand and be a lighthouse in the midst of the pounding waves.

These stabilizing influencers are also going to be carriers of His Glory as they work  miracles of healing and demonstrations of power that are going to lead to the greatest move of God's Spirit that we have ever seen! 

If you have been going through a rough patch in recent years, perhaps the Lord is getting you ready. The more you are able to surrender to Jesus, even in times of adversity, the more anchored you will be in Him and the stronger your spirit will be. Then you will be able to give witness to the hope that lies within you.

1 Peter 3:15 - Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope.

Aslan is on the MOVE!!!

Back in June, I had an amazing encounter with the Lord. He showed himself to me as a lion. You can read about it here.

Yesterday, I had a follow-up vision. 

I again saw Jesus as a lion. I was with him and we were on a hill, looking in the distance at the cities of the nations. It was nighttime and the only light you could see was in some homes and buildings. The lion then roared and it was like a nuclear blast that lit up the sky and sent shock waves across the earth!

It has begun! Aslan is on the move!!!

Burning Ones

My husband and I watched an episode of a show called “Cooked” last week. In this particular episode, there was a nun who was an expert in making cheese. She made the cheese in an ancient way, in a big wooden barrel. The FDA had a problem with this. They wanted her to make it in a pure, stainless steel drum. 

The nun complied but noticed that she couldn’t keep e-coli from developing on the cheese. She went back to making it in the wooden barrel and then she didn’t have a problem with e-coli. She discovered that the wooden barrel harbored good bacteria in the grooves of the wood and it would kill the bad bacteria in the cheese. She was able to show this to the FDA and they allowed her to keep making her cheese in the big wooden barrels.

This is also how wine is sometimes still made and has been made for thousands of years. 

We often think the modern way of doing things is best and the more sterile the conditions, the better. In ancient times, however, they understood the health benefits of fermentation of certain foods and drinks. They knew the importance of having good bacteria to bring about that fermentation process.

Let me propose something to you. Even the greatest of Saints were still sinners. They are Saints because they loved God with their whole heart and embraced the wooden Cross of Christ. Therefore, they became like that good bacteria in the wooden barrel, killing the bad bacteria (sin and darkness) by their sacrificial love of Christ and their willingness to lose their own life in order to find it.

People have been saying for a couple years now that God is going to do something new and is about to pour out new wine. It is true that it is a wine that we have never seen before but it is not new. Actually it is ancient. It is a wine that is made up of the prayers of the saints, sacrifices and blood of the martyrs. It is a wine that has been fermenting for over 2000 years, since the first Pentecost!

This is the wine that is about to be poured out on the earth! This is a wine that we have never seen before! This outpouring will go above and beyond all other outpourings. This wine is going to cause the greatest move of God’s Spirit that has ever been poured out on the earth!

The Lord is building an army. This army will cross denominational lines. The ones who will lead this army have been growing in deep, intimate relationships with Jesus; They have been willing to lay down their own lives and be set on fire with His love. They have yielded to God and have allowed Him to work on and transform their hearts. They are willing to be baptized with the baptism of fire (Matthew 3:11). They will be known as the burning ones. This burning will spread like wildfire to the rest of the army. This army is going to be used to pour out the barrels of ancient wine.

To be part of this army is going to require blind trust and walking closely in the footsteps of Jesus. It might even look foolish at first to others but if they will keep their eyes on Jesus, He will lead them and impart to them the faith that they will need to partner with him in the pouring out of this ancient but new wine.

Let the cry of our heart be, “Make me into a burning one in your army, God!!”

John 2:10 - “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”

Joel 2:2 - “...Like dawn spreading across the mountains a large and mighty army comes, such as never was of old nor ever will be in ages to come. Before them fire devours, behind them a flame blazes. Before them the land is like the garden of Eden, behind them, a desert waste - nothing escapes them. They have the appearance of horses; they gallop along like cavalry. With a noise like that of chariots they leap over the mountaintops, like a crackling fire consuming stubble, like a mighty army drawn up for battle….”

Sovereign Freedom

Today is the 4th of July. I am reflecting on what that means and some words the Lord gave me twenty two years ago, specifically, April of 1998. These words are stirring in me and I believe it is finally time to release them because I believe they have to do with the times we are living in and they might bring encouragement to others.

There are a lot of doomsday type messages floating around right now, both in Protestant and Catholic circles; messages that predict more tribulations coming. 

I do not doubt that there are more things coming, I have seen some things myself. The Lord even said to me once, "Do not be afraid of what is coming. It is necessary for the salvation of souls."

Jesus did say in Matthew 16:26, "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world but lose his own soul."

There is more than this temporal life and sometimes it takes a shaking of sorts for us to come to him. At least it did for me over thirty years ago.

However, I want to also bring encouragement to believers out there. True messages from the Lord should ultimately end up being filled with hope and encouragement even if they start off with a warning.

Twenty-two years ago in prayer, I had a series of images come to my mind as well as the interpretation (I do not always share the process and the images that come to me but thought it would help the believability of the interpretation, as well as show the process for those wanting to grow in their own ability to hear from God).

Here are some of the images: The Declaration of Independence being written, the Union army, a rebel flag, a turtle, a sun rising in the west, an American flag on a flag pole with a cross on it instead of stars, the earth with a big cross that was lying down being lifted up to a standing position, and the last image was of early pioneers from this country watching for the sun to rise and longing to see a new day dawning. Jesus then said, "You will see that new day."

Here is the interpretation of all these images that came to me:

There have been many human efforts to bring about freedom. They have been slow in coming and have often ended in civil war and blood shed. At times we have even retreated inside ourselves at the sight of adversity. But a new day is dawning when there will be a reversal of the order of how things are now. Life as we know it could change within a short amount of time and within our lifetime. It will end up being a glorious new day; the cross of Jesus will be lifted up and the Son of God will be glorified on the earth and in America and He will sovereignly bring about freedom!

I also heard Jesus say to me, "What you are about to see is a privilege and others have longed to see."

Let us partner with Jesus and pray this all comes to pass.

Why do the Nations Rage?

I think it is an understatement to say these are uncertain times. It is hard not to be affected by everything going on around us and feel the oppression in the air.

I had an encounter with the Lord yesterday however that put everything in perspective. I hope others can find encouragement in it as well.

As I was praying, yesterday morning, I saw Jesus as a lion. He was lying down on a grassy hill, under a tree. He was enjoying the day and the cool breeze on his face. He asked me to join him. As I joined him, I saw myself as a lamb. I lied down next to him and was also enjoying the cool breeze that was in the air.

The lion/Jesus then directed my attention into the distance. In the distance I could see the cities of the nations. He then began to laugh. As he laughed, joy hit my spirit and I began to laugh too. He then quoted Psalm 2:1 - "Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?" I then heard him say, "All their efforts are going to be brought to nothing as I am about to move!"

Being Stripped Away

I know I have been missing in action and realize I haven't blogged since last June, when Tom was in the middle of his cancer treatment (he is currently cancer free by the way and his last two scans were normal, praise God!) 

This is the first time I've even looked at my website since then. Part of the reason I think is because I've been going through a stripping down process. In fact, one day in prayer I saw an image of a piece of bacon being stripped of all fat and knew the Lord was filling me in on what was taking place in my own soul. 

I think many right now can relate to this stripping down process as we are all under quarantine orders and many of the things we used to enjoy doing has been stripped away.

Before the coronavirus showed up, the Lord had been speaking to me for about a year about being a stabilizing influencer. He impressed on me, the meaning of this was someone who can remain at peace even in the midst of the storms of life and how attractive that is to the world around us that desperately needs his peace.

I think the stripping down process happening in me was to help me to become that stabilizing influencer to those around me.

Sometimes in prayer, I get a sense of what is coming down the road. I did not see this one coming however, at least so I thought. I recently decided to go back and read my journal entries from last year. This is what I found:

A year ago, I heard in prayer, "Do not be afraid of what is coming. It is necessary for the salvation of souls."

Now, just to clarify, I do not believe the coronavirus is a punishment from God. In fact, I believe it may have been a scheme of the enemy. If so, the enemy overplayed his hand. I believe God is going to use this for good. I believe we are about to see a great harvest of souls coming to the Lord and right now is a time for the Church to get ready as we deepen our identity and spiritual roots.

Another thing I found in my journal was from March 25, 2019. I wrote down and interpreted a dream I had. In the dream, I was at Wall-Mart. Most of the shelves were cleared out as they were getting ready to renovate. Even though most of the food shelves were bare, there were still a lot of toys. Most of them were on clearance so I bought a space toy for my son for only $25.

The interpretation that came to me at that time was:

The walls are coming down. The Church is being renovated and will not look the same when it is done. It is going to require childlike faith to access the spiritual food. The sky is the limit and there will be grace upon grace available (the number 25 symbolizes grace upon grace in scripture).

One thing I have come to a better understanding of through all this is how God is much bigger than we realize and is able to do far greater things than we can imagine. My faith has been stretched and increased during this time. I have come to realize that his presence is not limited to where the people of God are gathered. His grace is abundant and able to reach across the internet and into or own living rooms. The Holy Spirit transcends time and space when we are engaging in praise and worship even over the internet. Spiritual communion is also a very real thing. God does not hold back his grace just because we cannot receive him physically or be in an assembly where the people of God, through faith, usher in his presence. 

The last few years, there has been an awakening going on among our Protestant brothers and sisters as they have been discovering the grace available in communion, especially when viewed in reverence as being the body and blood of our Lord. I've asked the Lord, "How can this be?" I think I have a better understanding of that now.

Hopefully, even after quarantine, life will not go back to normal where we might have had God in a box with limited understanding of the vastness of His mercy and grace available for all those who have an open heart. May the stripping down process produce a greater glory in us that can be displayed to the world.

Early Morning Reflection

It is currently 4:30 in the morning and I can't sleep. I am wondering if Tom is going to end up getting sick after his first round of chemo yesterday. He is sleeping like a baby however and doesn't show any signs of discomfort.  

I also find myself reflecting on the whirlwind of a month since Tom was diagnosed. We had high hopes and expectations that he was going to be miraculously healed. After all, wouldn't that be the best witness to God's goodness?! 

When that did not happen, all the emotions rose to the surface in my heart as I was disappointed. I really did not want him to have to go through chemo and it was hard to understand why the Lord would want that for him as well. 

Still both of us have chosen to trust. 

I am also thinking about how suffering doesn't cause us to be broken but just brings to the surface what is already there. Somehow though, when we join that brokenness to Christ, he turns it into something sweet.  I am beginning to taste that sweetness as Jesus has been very present to us. It has me reflecting how I would much rather be broken and have Christ than be whole and not have him. Thinking we are whole without Christ however is just an illusion.

This week I am also in the middle of leading crafts for our church's VBS. Today's theme is "When life is sad...God is good!". Our craft is a safari sun-catcher with a silhouette of an animal against a sunrise. The teaching connection with the craft and the theme is how there is always hope in Christ, the sun always comes up over the horizon and we can always put our trust in Him. God is good all the time even when life doesn't go as we had planned!

I know God will have the last word and ultimately be glorified in this situation! He can make beauty from ashes (Isaiah 61:3)!

Black Diamonds

Last week, in prayer I saw an image of a black diamond. I didn't realize diamonds came in the color black but as I did some research, I discovered that indeed they do come in black! I also discovered that black diamonds are 1. more tough, and able to withstand more pressure than regular diamonds 2. absorb light instead of just reflect light and 3. are even more valuable than regular diamonds.

In case you are not familiar with the diamond making process, once the diamond is discovered, it is put under intense pressure. To be exact, 725,000 lbs per square inch. Next, the diamond is put through extreme heat 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit. Then the diamond is cut. Real diamonds are also unbreakable. In fact, the Greek meaning of the word diamond is unbreakable.

Black diamonds are made the same way as regular white diamonds but they are even tougher and they absorb light instead of reflecting light. The light doesn't just bounce off of them, the light possesses and takes over them. We are called to become like black diamonds!

Ultimately, as lovers of Jesus, that is what we should want from our life, to be completely taken over and possessed by Jesus! What a privilege to be able to surrender our lives and take up His! How awesome that we can become like Him from the inside out and he exchanges our His life for our crappy life!

On a personal note, the Lord has once again provided Tom and I the opportunity to trust in Him and become more like Him, the most precious of diamonds as we once again lay our life down and take up His!

Tom has had a mass on his tricep for the last year. It has been growing and is now the size of a grapefruit. He kept going to his doctor but his doctor kept reassuring him that is was just a fatty benign tumor. Tom went back yet again and finally got a referral to a surgeon. After tests, it was determined that it is a very rare and aggressive form of a malignant sarcoma.

Now our God is a good and loving Father and he in no way caused this to happen but he did allow it. Tom and I did not see it coming but it is no surprise to our loving Father! Our lives are just as much in his hands now as they were before the diagnosis.

Now, to be honest, we are not thrilled about having to walk through this, just like Jesus was not looking forward to his cross. However, we do not feel shaken and we have peace. We've been through too much and have overcome too much to let this shake us! The Lord has always been faithful to us! His love is steadfast!

I'm reminded of a word the Lord gave me years ago. He showed me a window taped up in a hurricane. This doesn't prevent the window from breaking but it does help it not to shatter. I felt like the Lord said to me that he doesn't promise that when we follow him, our lives won't be broken but if we put our trust in him, our lives won't shatter and fall apart when trials come.

Here is what we are believing for and what you can agree with us in prayer for:

1. That God be glorified through this!
2. Complete healing for Tom!
3. That we will have an even greater testimony of God's goodness and mercy! (All things work for the good of those who love God. - Romans 8:28)

James 1:2-4 - Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 

He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!

I know I've been missing in action. I haven't felt very inspired to write. Lent was a little rough this year, so probably the perfect Lent. I had all kinds of grandiose plans but in the end none panned out. Instead I faced all kinds of temptations and a spiritual fog, hence the reason that I didn't blog. 

It reminded me of how Jesus was baptized, filled with the Holy Spirit and then went into the desert and faced many temptations. That story actually encouraged me because I knew there was probably a light at the end of the tunnel.

A couple blogs ago, I talked about how I had a very profound encounter with the Holy Spirit at the Encounter conference the beginning of January. Afterwards I felt empowered and emboldened to share the Gospel with people. Also, in February Tom and I were speakers at a marriage retreat on a cruise ship. God was very faithful and I believe spoke through us and blessed the people we ministered to.

Soon after we came home, we entered into Lent and that is when the distractions, fog and temptations started, at least for myself.

The first temptation I dealt with was discouragement and depression. It was strange because it obviously was an oppression coming from the outside and pressing down instead of within me. It was easy to see it for what it was and after about a week, I took authority over it, it went away and fortunately I never let it take root in me.

With the 2nd temptation, I can't say the same. The 2nd temptation was regret. Thoughts regarding past failures were entering my mind and I found myself entertaining them and them causing me great sadness. One particular night I was overcome with grief over past mistakes and wondering, "what if I had done certain things differently". I ended up having a dream that night where the Lord warned me that giving into regret might seem harmless at first but it could end up being very dangerous and I needed to take authority and claim victory in Christ's redeeming work. That next morning, that is exactly what I did and that temptation left me.

Another week in Lent I dealt with one of the worst flare-ups with Fibromyalgia and Bursitis that I have had in a long time. Through that, I had to fight off feelings of worthlessness as the fatigue at times was overwhelming.

Thanks be to God we are now in the Easter season! 

Just a side note; There was one year, I regretted not taking more advantage of the graces during Lent and I felt like the Lord said to me, "There is even more grace available with the Resurrection!"  

So, if you are that person this year, know that Easter lasts longer than Lent and there are even more graces available to you!

I have already experienced the grace of this Easter season. The fog is lifting! The veil has been removed! I am back to having prophetic experiences and  encounters with Jesus! That is our inheritance!

Like I said before, I did not have the Lent that I wanted but I think God had his way and knew what would bring the greatest results and now I can more fully enter into the joy of Easter!

James 1:2-4 - Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.