Grants and such

I was sharing with Martha today about grants and such at our inaugural prayer meeting. Realizing what a booger they can be. Being at MTCC over the years I have seen them come and go. Each perhaps intertwined with another, but no matter how related they may be, they each have their own grueling set of hoops to jump through.

On one of my visits to Atlanta, I had asked Mary Frances if they wrote a lot of grants. Her answer was a real shocker to me. "No, none." It was almost unthinkable that a non-profit could survive or be sustained without them... for such is the way of the world.

But thanks be to our Lord... we are not of that mindset.

I have given it a try or two, or three or more. God did bless us and encourage our hearts greatly when we received almost $10,000 from the Spartanburg Christian Community Foundation for Bibles and other materials in 2007.

So, as Martha and I were sharing before we started praying, she pulled out her Fasting Journal by Franklin Jentzen, turned to the back and started reading. We each had our pens and new journals for the journey (provided by Martha) ready and that's when it happened.

After she finished reading, I realized we had what amounts to our first grant request (working under our own 501c3).

Maybe if God has called you to something much bigger than yourself, you can use our grant formula. For sure I will let you know how it turns out for us!

GRANT us your favor.
GRANT us courage.
GRANT us clearly understood words.
GRANT us "Saving" grace (when God comes in and saves the day).
GRANT us a belief in the impossible.
GRANT us humility.
GRANT us faith.
GRANT us PUSHing power (to pray or praise until something happens).
GRANT us open doors.
GRANT us Your Strength and not our own.
GRANT us light for the pathway.
GRANT us DONE!

So that shall be our request for this day and this time.

And before I forget, Martha sent me this after she returned home...
GRANT: to give what is asked, to allow; to give or confer (as a right of
ownership) by formal act or by writing to agree... This
is the best part... a gift, especially land or rights given by a
government, or a gift of money.

I'll be sharing more about unique ways that you can pray for Wellspring if you have a heart and mind to. And please if God leads you to pray in another way... let me know!

And before i forget... if you are tired and thirsty and looking for some refreshment, you too can experience the GREAT MOUNTAIN of GOD... aka THE COVE... with MARTHA... Duncan First has space available for their March 5th & 6th ladies retreat. You may never be the same. You know according to His WORD... He likes to GRANT things on those mountains! For more info 439-7528.

See you soon!

Father Knows Best.... really HE does!

Many of you my age will remember that TV show from way back in the day. I couldn't tell you everyone that starred in it, well I can only name one - Danny Thomas.
Oh well, on with the story for today.

Remember how I have fought the Lord concerning the Cove the past few years because I thought I knew what was best for me? This year I didn't fight at all, and the truth is from the time I came back last year, I knew I wouldn't fight Him any more on this. Too bad that may not be the case for all my "yet to comes"!

I was right on the one thing I had guessed He had planned for the weekend. It was indeed my commissioning service for the Wellspring call. I tasted the sweetness of realizing that He indeed does know best... in all things.

One of the last things we did was the actual commissioning. The laying on of hands and words tenderly spoken in love. As each woman came up and prayed over me, they also read God's Word that He had given for the occasion. To hear these women that I had fought so hard against was very humbling. To realize that for whatever reason, this was indeed a case of Father Knows Best. To be honest, I cannot imagine a more fitting group to share the occasion with.

I thought of an old rhyme after I got home...

Make new friends, but keep the old
Some are silver and some are gold

...now it's just a little bit harder to tell the old from the new!

It has really caused me to stop and ask what other things in my life am I holding onto because I think I know best? I pray Thee Lord Jesus... loosen my grip and help me to trust you more and more each day.

There was a lot more that happened on that Great Mountain of God... but those will be other stories for other days. Days after my heart and head have processed them all!

Happy Birthday Mable!

January 6th I will celebrate my first year as Mable High. It's been a great year with many affirmations and promises for what is yet to come.

So, what am I doing with myself these first days of the new year? Resting, organizing and cleaning. Getting geared up for whatever God has in store. I know He has some amazing things, things I have never even thought about, dreamed about or even prayed about. How do I know... because that's just Who He is and just how He operates.

I am not planning on stepping into the Wellspring new year until I return from The Cove. The Cove.... I can hardly wait! Several years ago, Martha Gillen and I were heading back home from a speaking engagement in Laurens. As I shared my Ecuador mountain story, Martha was very moved. In a few days I found myself her guest for lunch. As we sat and talked, she shared the story of "the mountain of God". She and the small group God had assembled had been the previous year and this year, God had invited me. She had heard Him say "invite Susan" and had actually invited another friend that she thought He was talking about. Her friend prayed and said that she didn't feel like it was supposed to be her. When I shared my story she knew that I was the intended Susan.


When we arrived at the conference room where we would be meeting, we all saw that Martha had made each of us a box that told the stories of our lives. I was most impressed because at that time I barely knew Martha.

You might remember that last year we were to actually take a pair of dancing shoes for an evening with the Lord in the Chapel at The Cove. You might also remember that I have gone not so whole hearted the past two years. But after it was all said and done, I am so glad that I was there. From the time I came back off that mountain last year,I have anxiously waited this January's trip. We hadn't been back even a week it seemed when Martha was already asking questions and giving assignments for the new year. As emails started whirling back and forth I told her if she had any extra spots, I would love for Christine, Madonna and Tracy to be invited. I also included that as much as I would love to have them there, I knew it was God's place to do the inviting... not mine. Her response, God had already told her to invite them and my response was her confirmation. Now the real kicker to this years trip...
God has made the theme, the topic... Wellspring Living SC.

That's right, Wellspring LivingSC!

I don't let myself think about it too much or too often. I can hardly imagine what God has planned. I do believe it will be my commissioning service for the mission He has called me to. That's the real reason I'm not jumping into a lot of stuff before the 15th. I certainly don't want to get in front of Him on this one!

The only thing I am thinking about... which song do I want to offer to the Lord in the chapel this year as my wave offering.

You can bet that you will hear about it all in the days that follow our trip!

In the meantime, I hope and pray that you and your family are well on these cold, cold days.