Wilderness Journey

Another door closed for us this week. I apologize for the impersonal fb post, but I know a lot of you have been praying and walking with us, and I didn't want to miss anyone. We continue to journey through a wilderness time of our lives that began in June. I know enduring a wilderness time, one will either mature and learn or disintegrate. We have learned a great deal about God, our family, myself, and life in this time. I must also say I am weary and tired. I identify with Israel as they journeyed through the wilderness and wondered why God would do this. I know the feeling of desperation to hear from Him. I know the sense of silence on the other end. I know the questions which ambush the heart and mind regarding your identity, your value, your calling, your talents, your gifts.

I know the psalmist's indignant prayer to "ANSWER ME, my God!" I know how to wonder how long will He stay silent. I know how, with Job, to hold on to the integrity of my heart while coming toe to toe with my God in prayer. I also know how to trust and say, 'surely goodness will follow me all the days of my life.' I know God is good. I know he works all things for my good, and He will do so.

Thank you so much family and friends for your prayers and encouragement. They give me strength for the long haul. God is good to me! You are proof of this.

Random Reflections: Thursday

We always ask why and blame it all on God. Our sin has the power to blow up

Devastation OR Desperation will bring transformation…which one will I choose

Transformation prayers are repentant prayers. It is because of us that we are where we are in all this. Humility is our first step to transformation.

Why do we wait on God? It is NOT because he trying to catch up.

Transformation prayer is also unified prayer. Join hands in prayer with leaders, pastors and intercessors. After all, if we sin together, we should be in prayer together. Do not leave it to that prayer warrior you know to pick up the mess of your sins, but if we sin together, lets repent together.

Random Reflections: Wednesday

If your plate is full, get rid of some of the things you do no need to eat.

Set time aside for God, and when you do, do not let anything interrupt it. Create time for God.

We love to hear God but hate to obey and do what we love to hear. Good intentions don’t always turn into actions. Sometimes we can even spiritualize our disobedience. Sometimes we even pray about it because we do not want to do it.

We have too many options and choices and we get frustrated when there aren’t as many options. This is why we come to church on our terms and not on God’s terms.

The National Day of Prayer is like: you come running in, punch the devil in the face and then run back out; leaving him 364 days to do as he pleases.

I lack desperate prayer. God hears desperate prayers. My American dream knows nothing of desperation. I cannot be desperate as an American. I far too often pray with dry eyes.

The deal Moses denied, America accepted. (God stays behind, but he gives us security, prosperity, and protection) But this is no good. We have say with Moses, "GOD, UNLESS YOU GO WITH US, NO DEAL." Unless you clothe us, we are naked…Unless you feed us, we are hungry…Unless you refresh us, we are always thirsty for more.

Devastation or Desperation

I need to learn how to pray prayers of desperation. We as a country have no idea what it really means to be desperate; to pray desperate prayers. God calls us to desperation as one of only two ways to bring about transformation in this country. The only two ways are when we pray either desperation prayers or devastation prayers. We have already learned devastation prayer during 911. We learned that our country will certainly come together during devastation. When we were attacked, everyone came out to pray together to a God many of them never cared about before. But beyond those people were the Christians who had finally came together in a spirit of prayer, a unified prayer. But if that is the only way we pray in hopes of transformation of a country, I am not sure how much more we can handle devastating attacks on our country.

We have to learn to come to God out of desperation for him. How desperate are we for Jesus? How desperate am I for Jesus? We sing about it all the time, "I'm desperate for you. I'm lost without you." But how true is that?

Now when I say desperate for God, I don't mean desperate for him to help us and make things happen for us. I don't mean desperate for God to fix my back, get me a job, pay my bills, give me a car. I mean how desperate are we for GOD!!! Do we really want to be dependant upon God? Those kind of prayers bring transformation. God I am desperate for you. Not your actions...but desperate for YOU!!! We desire to be closer to your heart as people, as families, as churches, as communities, as cities, as a nation. Are we truly desperate for God? Are we seeking God's face or are actually just seeking God's hand?

We have to learn to pray desperate prayers. Ask God to teach us desperate prayer. We have to learn a LIFESTYLE of desperate prayer. This is not an annual event at the Day of Prayer or around the pole at school. We have to become people of prayer if we are to see our life transformed.