Let It Be So in 2013

Those who know me know I love to declare the promises of God. God has taught me about the power of declaration. Just as His spoken word formed the heavens and the earth and all that is in them, so our spoken words have life and substance.

We often sing a song that says “let the weak say I am strong, let the poor say I am rich,” and today, in honor of our New Year – 2013 – I want to take those “let it be’s” a bit further.
Here we go:

In the Name of Your beautiful and wondrous son, Jesus, Father I ask now:

Let your sons and daughters encounter you more this year than ever before.
Let the hurting be healed and the sad be filled with new hope and joy.
Let the people of God rise up and be known – so You, God, will heal our land.
Let the little children of the world be safe from evil.
Let those in bondage to lies and disease declare “I am free!”
Let the broken hearted find new love and purpose through Your people.
Let us not depend on the earthly economy but on Your Kingdom economy.
Let us be generous with our talents, time, and finances.
Let us not succumb to fear and doubt, but rise up in all hope and trust in the One who cares for us.
Let us dream again and see our dreams come true.
Let us have the heart to be world changers, and the courage to take risks and make a difference.
And Lord, in 2013, let your Bride be ready for her Groom. Let your Church be united in spite of her differences so that we may release the fullness of the Kingdom of God to our cities and nations.
Amen!
Peace to you and your family and Happy New Year!

Bruises, Lattés, and Morning Buns

I’ve had a few dark days lately. For example, today I woke up with a swollen, badly bruised cheek (from dental surgery) and a painful limp. If that weren’t enough, my glasses went flying and broke. After blindly finding my old specs, I managed to get to the couch. My thoughts immediately were filled with all that was wrong. On top of all this, I’ve been listening to negative world news. And Christmas music – which I usually dance to – has drummed up sadness from deep in my heart for loved ones lost during past holiday seasons. Geeeee.... Talk about a perfect storm leading to a tsunami of depression!

I know I am not alone in these types of feelings. You may know me as always cheerful and happy – always up and never down. Well, here I am today – painfully raw and literally looking really bad.

I could have easily stayed in bed today, but I know there is an enemy of my soul out there wanting me to do just that. Thank God I thought about that. Soooo...I picked myself up, curled my hair into a sassy ponytail, put on a stylish outfit – even make-up – and headed to Starbucks, bruised cheek and all.

This is one of those days I get to defeat the works of the devil. I have turned off negative news and listened to that positive, encouraging station. And I have decided to be extremely thankful today for the hip and the tooth that served me so well for so long...for the body parts that still work perfectly...that God made me beautiful in His eyes...and that I have a destiny He has called me to that no amount of attack is going to alter. My world, in fact, is getting better and better.

Yes. Thank you, God!!!!! You love me so much!!! And thank you, Starbucks, for latté’s and morning buns!

Expect a Miracle Today!

Sunset in Redding, California

Years ago, after my grandma passed away, I helped my dad clean out her small apartment. We packed up clothes, shoes, linens, photos, pots and pans...then we came to her dishes. I had so many memories of Grandma making my visits special by serving me her baked creations on her treasured china. It was easy for me to ask my dad right then for that special set of china, even though I knew it had been planned for my future inheritance. My dad, knowing my love and appreciaton for this special gift, happily said yes and I soon had it on my own table.

Mary, Jesus’ mother, who pondered for years over God’s promises regarding her son, had a similar relationship with her Father God. Knowing what her son was capable of, she could wait no longer. When the wine ran out at a wedding, she asked Jesus to “make” some more. This Son who only did what He saw his Father doing, responded that it wasn’t his time yet. But his mama insisted...and Jesus must have seen Papa God do it right then, because Jesus spoke and water turned to wine. It was the first recorded event of His public ministry.

Is there something you have been wishing for, dreaming about, or wanting from God? Has God promised it for a later day? Like Mary, as God’s beloved child, you too can ask your Papa. You can pray to God and pull into today what may be meant for tomorrow. It may be your hope for a family member. It may be something just for you. Ask. Watch. Like Mary, it’s okay to expect a miracle. God doesn't mind. And if your heart is ready, He may just change His schedule!

Take delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4.

Releasing His Love in Colorado

My friend PJ Clark
worships at the conference.

We recently joined 1,000 others at a healing conference in Denver, where there were people of all ages from Colorado and other states, and from different church backgrounds and denominations. Rick and I had the wonderful opportunity to serve on the ministry teams and we prayed for many people. We witnessed hundreds of physical healings and the power of the Holy Spirit touched people deeply.

I never get tired of ministering and watching the goodness of our Father. People are hungry to know this One we love so much. They are willing to travel to meet Him – just like the wise men when they followed the star to the manger. And they are willing to gather at His feet even on a weekday night – just like Mary did when nothing could budge her from sitting at Jesus’ feet.

Following the conference, we ministered to churches and groups in Evergreen and Carbondale where we met many new friends who have been praying for revival in their valleys for years.

As followers of Christ, we all have been mightily empowered and assigned a job to continue the work of Jesus, the Christ, and walk His walk among our families, communities, churches and where He calls us to go. As we bless others in what He has asked, He blesses us in greater measures of joy, favor, and more opportunity to do this work we love. Will you join us? Will you go, too? Watch for what He will do through your hands, your heart, and your love. We are blessed to be a blessing. I pray that this holiday season will reignite the lamp of your spirit to release what He has given you. 

Take Another Little Piece of My Heart

Did you know that God talks to you? He is always talking to you. Are you hearing? Are you listening for Him?

I was praying the other day and I heard in my heart Janis Joplin singing her famous “Take Another Little Piece of My Heart,” and it made me laugh. God knows that I need humor and joy in my life, and He sometimes uses what is familiar to me to teach me something. I asked Him what that was about. And soon something was in my thoughts I would never think up myself.

I felt like God was saying “When you cry out to me for help, I will respond. When you give me a piece of your heart, I will replace it with a piece of mine.”

We are made in the image and likeness of the Godhead – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He wants to go deeper with you. Can you imagine how I felt when I understood that every time I sought God for help in my circumstances in the past, He was exchanging my heart with His? His Spirit lives in those who have made Him their Lord. Our own spirit is able to communicate with His Spirit. The Bible says that our prayers are lifted up to God and the Holy Spirit presents them with utterances that God will understand – even when we ourselves do not know what or how to pray about something.

What a mighty God we call Father.

Papa God – you can have another little piece of my heart today, and tomorrow, and the next day. 

Enter in!!!!

If God made this - and we are made in
the image and likeness of Him, Jesus, and
the Holy Spirit - then we must
be simply amazing!

If we are made in the image and likeness of the Godhead, then are we made for greatness, and goodness, and with purpose? Or not? Were we given a life for no reason?

I know I have sabotaged my life. I have been my own worst enemy at times. My own voice hurls insults at me. “Stupid, clumsy, dumb!” My own odd sense of humility has turned down opportunities that would have launched me into my destiny and my family quite possibly into prosperity. 

Many of us, believing lies about our abilities, or trying to stay humble under the wrong belief that we should not promote ourselves, have taken a wrong route, or stayed stuck where we are instead of heeding the wonderful life God wants us to step into.

David understood this life when he boldly challenged Goliath. Weak and insecure Gideon learned about it when God called him a “mighty man of valor.” Can you hear the voice of God? Can you hear him calling you out, asking you to take a risk, a step toward the purpose for which He has called you?

When we rise up, believe, and step forward, confident in what He is doing in us, that is not self-promoting. It is God-promoting. We dishonor Him when we hold back under the guise of false humility. We honor Him when we step into the abundant life His Son died to allow us to enter.

It’s time. Enter in!

For the million things...Remembering 9/11

I still can’t imagine the horror it must have been for the people of 9/11 in the buildings, on the streets, and in the cities and countryside, watching the terror that seemed to never end; fearing for their lives and the lives of their loved ones; hoping for signs of life only to find death and destruction.

How do we as Christ followers respond in such disaster? Does God get the blame? How do we watch for His hand in times of crisis? How do we minister to those who are fearful and grieving?

God is still a good God, even when there is crisis, destruction, natural disaster, and war. He created a perfect world and gave it to man to govern. His will is that Earth will be like heaven—as the Lord Jesus taught us to pray. In the new covenant that Jesus came and died to birth, our understanding of God must be in the character of Jesus, who came in human form to reveal our Father in heaven. Any understanding we have of God that is not in the character of Jesus is not in line with what Jesus taught us about a God who loves, wants to bring life, desires that no one perish, and who wants to bless.

Through one man—Adam—sin, evil, and destruction entered the whole earth. Through one man—Jesus—there is promise of redemption and reconciliation. Through the revealing of the sons of God—that’s us—there is promise of the earth being healed. The creation is crying out for the children of God to know who they are.

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)

For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.

Romans 8:19

Jesus told us that whoever we forgive, He will forgive; and whoever we condemn, He will condemn. We are partners in this governing of earth. When we rise up in intercession and stop judging and condemning and instead start forgiving and asking God to give others the favor He has bestowed on us, the healing will begin.

It’s a frightening thing when the church judges a nation like Japan or a city like San Francisco with condemning remarks that “justify” God allowing disaster. Instead of condemning and judging, we need to forgive, bring mercy, and extend a hand of help and love. Do they all deserve it? No. But neither do we.

We don’t know all of the answers, but we do know that God does respond to prayer, He is with us in disaster, and He is working. Again, we need to be thankful for what He is doing and has done and not focus on what He hasn’t done.

On every anniversary of 9/11, I thank God that He has been revealed to our nation in mighty acts of heroism, love, mercy, protection, provision, and unity.

I thank Him for intervening in a million things we will never know about.

Excerpt from Tapestry - The Divine Design For Your Life by Christine Tracy, Tate Publishing,  Release date - winter, 2013.