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.

Many questions... one answer...

Many of you know that I have resigned my position(S) at Middle Tyger Community Center after eleven plus years of employment effective at the end of what is known as DFFM CHRISTMAS. It has been one of the best experiences of my entire life. The thing I love most about MTCC... the people. Wanda has been an inspiration to watch and to love. Of all I hope to take from Wanda... her grace towards others no matter what the circumstance.

There is an endless list of names that have come and gone through the years. Tammy, Piper, Lynn and Kim are the ones that left a mark on my heart that have gone on to other callings in their lives. I am blessed to have known each and every one of them. That leaves us with the ones that I will be leaving behind... wow. I love each and every one of them too. MTCC contains some of the smartest, most clever, most compassionate women that I have ever encountered. It has been an honor to serve side by side with them over the years. And with James too! Hallelujah I never had to wear his hat too often... I might have left sooner!

In the years since the calling to Wellspring came back in 2003, I have felt a lot like Moses. Learning things at MTCC that will be most useful. In recent days, it's been feeling a little more like Noah. I guess no one had ever seen a boat, certainly not one of mammoth proportions. They too, had never seen rain. But for one hundred or so years, Noah labored in preparation for what was to be. I'm sure he answered many questions and people thought him foolish.



So here are some of the questions...



Q: Do you have a house yet?

A: NO!



Q: Do you have a store yet?

A: NO!



Q: Do you have coaches lined up?

A: NO!



Q: Do you have counselors lined up?

A: NO!



Q: Is there money to pay you?

A: No!



Q: Are you crazy?
A: NO!



Q: What will you do all day every day?

A: Not sure yet... but I do have a few thoughts below...



After years of waiting on the Lord, He made it abundantly clear in New York that the tables had turned and now He is waiting on me. I don't have all the answers, as a matter of fact I only have one... II Corinthians 9:8

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all
times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

Knowing and believing that God indeed has called me to this, I have but one option. Follow.
Where would the faith be if I already had an answer to even one of the questions?

Like Abraham... God said go - he went. He had no answers, just a heart to follow. He never built a home... but every place he set up home in a tent he did build an alter unto the Lord. That says a lot about what Abraham thought to be most important.

I know that life as I know it may never be the same... but who is to say it won't be better? Better may not mean easier... but as long as I am walking hand in hand with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit - what could be better?

Maybe you know that you are to be involved but don't know how. Invite a group of friends over and we can have an evening of celebrating God through sharing the Wellspring story and what is yet to be. Do you have a women's ministry at your church? I would love to come and share.

I do plan on working with some other area ministries who are already making a difference for women in the Upstate.
I will also...
Believe God is Who He says He IS
Believe that God IS ABLE to do what HE says HE CAN DO
Believe that I am who God says I am
Believe that I can do all things through Christ Jesus
Believe that God's WORD is alive and active through me

So, there you have it... The Susan Georgeanna Lister Metcalf High Game Plan 101
with a little encouragement from two rounds of Believing God with Beth Moore.

Love you all and hope that you too will answer whatever He is calling out to you to BELIEVE HIM for today!

Welcome home soldier! Welcome home!

Today I was just sitting at my desk doing my job. We had been told that a staff members grandson was coming home from Iraq. She was hoping that he would stop by MTCC and see her. A while later our volunteer said "here he is." I thought she was talking about another volunteer who was bringing food from Costco, which we were anxiously awaiting too.

About that time a handsome young man walked through the doors of MTCC wearing his camo, followed by many other excited family members. We clapped as he came through, then I had the pleasure of walking him down to the child care room where I found his grandmother sitting in the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of him when he entered our parking lot.

I held the door while he and his entourage went in to greet her. I stood there a long time watching this sweet, long anticipated embrace. I was almost to the point of sobbing over the joy that this reunion brought.

I don't know this young man, but was so moved by the joy of him making it home safe and sound. I was reminded of the scripture that talks about all the rejoicing in heaven when a sinner finds their way home. Wow. I bet Jesus and that heavenly host show out like we wouldn't believe.

Today, I sit here waiting on some loved ones to come home from a war too. And I too will shout and say, welcome home soldier, welcome home.

Co-ink-e-dink?

That's South Carolina verbage (where I come from anyway) for coincidence!

I am of the persuasion as a Christ follower, there are no co-ink-e-dinks. These random things you encounter seem to have no connection ... then one day they connect and a puzzle is complete. Then you realize even more that all your puzzles are connected. OMG! You realize it is really only one giant puzzle and you have just connected another piece in one little section.

You get the drift. I want to share a most recent co-ink-e-dink!

For a month or so when I would start to type an email to my director Wanda Fowler instead of her last name popping up, Wanda Cromer would pop up. I wondered and still do, where Wanda C. came from. How did she end up in my Groupwise email? I had concluded it must have been from a popcorn order I placed with Cromer's in Columbia. That made sense.

Monday, at lunch for Spartanburg area women's ministry leaders, my friend Ruthi and I were getting things set up when a lady walked in. Ruthi said "Susan, do you know Wanda Cromer?" So, indeed, she did not pop up from a Cromer's popcorn order!

Finally! I know who Wanda Cromer is!

I shared the Groupwise story. Then she shared her story. Then I shared another story. There were hugs, there were tears...

...there was God.

Many of you may or may not remember the little tiny part of the Wellspring story... Wellspring (the Mother-ship[Atlanta]) began after the women who had joined together in 1999 for the planning of Just Give Me Jesus. As a result of the bond they formed in the time leading up to the conference, they continued to meet together. Out of that fellowship... well here we are.

Wanda Cromer is very involved in the outreach for Just Give Me Jesus that will be coming to the Bi-Lo Center, March 19-20, 2010.

So you decide for yourself.... CO-INK-E-DINK?
I think not.

CO-INK-E-DINK that I just happened to be at the Living Proof Live Conference (Beth Moore) in 2003 that was sponsored by Wellspring?
I think not!

CO-INK-E-DINK that I knew Wanda Cromer's name before I ever met her?
I think not!

CO-INK-E-DINK that you are reading this this very moment?
I think not!

CO-INK-E-DINK that God maybe just connected a few pieces of your never-ending puzzle?
I think not!

If you would be interested in joining the planning and prep going on right now, or would be able to share information at your workplace, church or where ever you have a circle of influence...please visit: http://www.annegrahamlotz.com/events/just-give-me-jesus/just-give-me-jesus-upstate-sc/

or get in touch with me by leaving a comment on this blog post. Leave your contact info there, it will not be published. I would be glad to get you materials to share!

BUT.... be prepared for a CO-INK-E-DINK that just might change your life... you will be forever glad that you did!