Flying Pigs and Frozen Hells… Don’t grow weary in praying or believing.

We've all had things in our lives to which we respond, “Yeah right when pigs fly or hell freezes over”.  This morning at Milestones Church I had a sweet reminder that I have actually experienced flying pigs and a frozen hell.  It happened so far back I cannot even tell you what year it was…somewhere between 1998 and Y2K.

I had hurt a friend so badly and I knew she was not the forgiving or the forgetting kind.  What I said to her may or may not have been true, but it wasn't really necessary. She was one of those rare friends that you feel like you have known forever at your first meeting and even if months or years passed since seeing each other, it was like no time at all. 

It was during what we referred to as II John at Wellford Baptist Church.  John Moore was making his second appearance as our pastor. He had preached about prayer on a particular Sunday with a suggested way for keeping it real.  So I devised the 2 @ 1:00 approach.  Every day at 1:00, I would go stand next to the mailbox at MTCC and pray for the same two things.  One shall remain nameless (although God answered that one too!) One was that my dear friend would forgive me.  I called her one day to ask for her forgiveness, she said she did, but I knew her words meant nothing.  

She probably said yes so I wouldn't call back.

At some point during all of this, Beth Moore was making her way to First Baptist Columbia for a weekend conference. We loaded the church van and off we went.  We found great seats on the right hand side of the balcony.  Once we all got settled and Travis and Beth welcomed us, imagine my discomfort as I looked across the sanctuary, and there she sat, directly in front of me on the left hand side of the balcony; she had gone as a guest of her mother-in-law.  Friday night, Saturday morning came and went... then Saturday afternoon happened. Travis started singing “Thank You”. My friend Christine was praying, but I didn't know it at the time.  The song started the second chorus; I jumped over two rows of seats to get out.  My heart was pounding so hard; I was going to ask her one more time to forgive me.  As I rounded the last corner of the balcony hallway, I looked up and she was running to me.  We hugged each other and were crying like the two crazy people we are.  

That day pigs flew.

What a reminder to me this morning as we sang that song, not once, BUT TWICE! 

For flying pigs and a frozen hell!  

I knew God was reminding me; don’t give up believing the things that I have told you were coming.  Hold on keep praying.  I thought of all the things written in the back of my Bible that were written by promptings of the Holy Spirit. All the promises of God will come in God’s time and for that my heart is grateful.

So don’t you grow weary in whatever you've been praying for, remember those sweet WORDS in     2 Peter 3:9…The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness. 

He's always an ON TIME GOD.

Since Travis sang it before "social media" was even in our vocabulary, I couldn't find his version, but Hillsong does a great job too!

Moods Don't Matter

How often have I missed a blessing from the Lord because my mood has been altered by one situation or another?  Knowing there were things that I needed to do, but my heart had turned sour over some silly something that didn't really matter.  

Sunday was one of those days. Ray and I had planned to go to his hunt club after church.  We had most of our things ready before going to church so we could come home throw it all in the truck and take off.

As we were standing to sing the last song as our benediction, it was clear as a bell that the Lord wanted me to anoint the hunt club.  Funny, the thought had never crossed my mind before, but there was no doubt that those were my instructions.  When we got home I grabbed the EVO, my ipod and ear buds and was ready to roll.  

Did someone say “roll”?  Not calling any names, but the other person that lives in our house had been on one since Saturday evening when I had undercooked his hamburger, it then “rolled” on over to Sunday morning because then the eggs were too overcooked!  As he was working to get his target set up to sight in his rifle, the “roll” began to “roll” again.  I climbed back into the truck while the shooting was taking place, thinking that maybe he could anoint his own little hunt club.

After we had our rifle in order we began to drive back to the house where the guys spend their weekends hunting.  I guess the Lord had to speak really loud to get this point across to me.  “Susan, does it really matter if your mood has changed?  Did I ask you to do something for Me if you felt like it or were in the mood?”  Wow, my mood didn’t matter, maybe it did to me, but was I willing to let my mood affect my obedience to something that I knew I had been summoned to do?  I decided that I’d be glad to anoint that little hunt club house. 

 I made my way around the entire perimeter of the house before going in, covering every doorway and bed while worshiping and praying.  When I finished inside, Ray had the hose pipe washing off the deck.  I knew that I had to find a no fire ant piece of ground to stand because I instinctively knew the shoes were about to come off.  As I found the spot and got down to the bare feet, the next song began to play the notes were so soft I couldn't recognize the tune.  But then the music began to get a little faster and louder and I almost started crying because then I did recognize the song.

 Days of Elijah. 

As the words filled my mind and heart I was so elated because it was the very first week of the Jewish New Year. What I had also learned last week is that it is in fact a year of Jubilee!  Only God could have orchestrated the time I spent on that property last Sunday.  In true fashion, as the last notes of the song began to fade, the wind began to blow, and blow and then blow a little harder.   

It was one of those moments for the record books. 

Every time I caught a glimpse of Ray, he had his back turned and was spraying the hose pipe.  After we loaded up and started down the road his only comment was actually a quote from “Dances with Wolves”… “you turned Injun didn’t ya?” He may or may not admit it, but he was glad about it all, well except for me singing so loud!

I only hope that memories of this day will always remind me that I shouldn't let my mood stand in the way of my obedience!

Days of Elijah by Robin Mark

These are the days of Elijah
Declaring the word of the Lord
And these are the days of Your servant Moses
Righteousness being restored

And though these are days of great trials
Of famine and darkness and sword
Still we are the voice in the desert crying
"Prepare ye the way of the Lord!"

Behold He comes, riding on the clouds
Shining like the sun at the trumpet call
Lift your voice, it's the year of Jubilee
And out of Zion's Hill salvation comes

And these are the days of Ezekiel
The dry bones becoming flesh
And these are the days of Your servant David
Rebuilding a temple of praise

And these are the days of the harvest
Oh the fields are as white in Your world
And we are the laborers in Your vineyard
Declaring the Word of the Lord

Behold He comes, riding on the clouds
Shining like the sun at the trumpet call
Lift your voice, it's the year of Jubilee
And out of Zion's Hill salvation comes

There's no God like Jehovah!
There's no God like Jehovah!
There's no God like Jehovah!

Behold He comes, riding on the clouds
Shining like the sun at the trumpet call
Lift your voice, it's the year of Jubilee
And out of Zion's Hill salvation comes

Lift your voice, it's the year of Jubilee
And out of Zion's Hill salvation comes

We Are ALL DOING IT!

You know you are.  I am, and always hope to be...

BELIEVING GOD for SOMETHING... 

or lots of somethings!

There are so many things that I could share that I am believing God for, and it seems the list keeps getting longer.  Yes, there are many things that have been checked off the list, smaller things, but still appreciated things.  Then there are several whopper-sized hopes, dreams and plans that are still in the count-down mode.

Do I get tired?

Do I get discouraged?

Do I wonder if I'm on the wrong road?

Yes!  Yes!  and Yes!

But then I have moments like I had this week.  My daughter, Jenn, made a trip south to visit her new nephew, Wyatt.  As part of that visit, I received my Mother's Day gift from her.  Encouragement from God's word to hold on, reminding me that HE HAS NOT FORGOTTEN His promises to me or all those that are dear to me. Girls... I AM STILL BELIEVING!

That was Tuesday.

Then came Wednesday... it was a day I had been anticipating for a few weeks.  Jesus Culture was coming to town and I had a ticket... a premium ticket!

As I made my way to the event, a sweet reminder from above.  Remember the name of the event...

 "I Still Believe Tour" 

One more sweet encouragement to do just that.

All that to lead up to the sharing of this video... If it doesn't make your spirit soar... better dial 911!

Jesus Culture... I Still Believe

I hope this encourages you to hold one and keep believing.  

He is SO trustworthy.

 

Indentions in my Heart

On a drive home from Myrtle Beach many years ago, my youngest daughter Sarah, asked if she could wear my necklace; it was a “puffy heart” given to me by my husband for Valentine’s Day.  She didn’t wear it long and returned it.  As I was driving, I reached up to hold the heart.  My fingers rubbed across the surface and I noticed that it felt a little different.  Where it had once felt smooth, it now felt lumpy.  When I was able to do an inspection I realized the lumps were caused by Sarah’s teeth.  I guess she must have been doing a hardness test and when it proved not to be too hard she gave it back, probably hoping it would go unnoticed.

Isn't that the way our battered and broken hearts are.  

We all carry scars of some sort or another. 

What makes the difference how we respond to the brokenness.

 As much as I loved the smooth shiny puffy heart, I wouldn't trade the visible scars it carries for anything.  Strange that with its flaws and imperfections it means more now than when it was smooth and shiny.

One of my favorite verses is Proverbs 4:23…

 “Above all else guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”  

We can’t keep our hearts from being broken, but we are the ones who have to make the choice on how to handle the after effects. 

We can hold bitterness and resentment against the ones who inflicted the scars, or we can surrender the hurt to our sweet Savior and let Him do what only He can.  He can turn them into precious treasures.  It's only  through His grace that allows us to turn the broken things into beautiful things.

And wouldn't you know there's a song that says just that!

Much ado about nothing... or was it?

If you have visited our website in the past, you may have seen our pictures and read about those thirty- something crazy people marching around a house seven times because it seemed like they were supposed to.

Feeling like God had led us to the house back on 2007 as what would become the Wellspring Living|SC residential home.  We have prayed, hoped, dreamed, prayed and then we marched.  It really seemed like the natural thing to do after reading The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson.

So last week we found out that our "dream house" SOLD.  

Sigh. 

Or not.

You see, it's not over 'til God says it's over.  As Mark Batterson says... "God always has a holy surprise up His sovereign sleeve."  So to me, it may look like it's a done deal, and maybe it is.  But I'll wait until I get the official WORD from above.

Why would you be so silly, you may ask.  As I thought about not always knowing the end of the story, I am reminded of a time back in the early days of 2003.

I wasn't sure why, but  I really felt led to fast for forty days.  Prayed about it, talked to Ray (my husband) about it. He insisted that I go talk to *Dr. Johnson about it.  I did and he encouraged me to be smart and listen to my body.  So it began, and it was something I am so glad I did.  On Day 21, I felt a very strong sense that I was supposed to end my fast.  As I set the table for my family, I set a plate for me too.  I looked at the meal and realized it was an exact duplicate of the last meal I had eaten before I began the fast.  Country style steak, black-eyed peas, cole-slaw, rice and corn bread.  

As I lifted the fork to my mouth, I stopped and said "Lord are you sure?" We always had His Radio playing in the kitchen and dining area and as I placed the first bite on my tongue, Jaci Velasquez began singing "God So Loved the World" and I knew I had heard and I had obeyed.  God and I had had many a moment with that song.  I had even asked Him a very personal question about that song.  I knew He had heard and had lovingly answered.

It wasn't my first fast.  It was my longest.  When I had fasted before, I had fasted for specific reasons.

This time was different.  After it ended I still had no idea why.

In the fall of 2003 I received three last minute tickets to see Beth Moore in Atlanta (surely you've heard that story!)

It was probably sometime in 2005 when I was cleaning out some things and I came across several journal entries and notes of encouragement from a few friends who knew I was fasting that I realized that the fast came (the obedience) and then the call came... all in the same year.  I can only surmise that God was wondering, or maybe He wanted me to know that I was willing to do whatever He asked.

So ya' see, I thought the fast was the end of the story.  Who knew it was the beginning!

So the sign might say "SOLD", and their may be a new owner in town... 

BUT (God is sovereign) God hasn't said "GIVE IT UP GIRLFRIEND!"

*It was Dr. J's house!  How funny is God?!