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Remember "The 99"? Well, I had to do follow ups with those who did not already have a church, and I finally finished this afternoon. I feel so honored to share with you that God allowed me to pray with 173 women during my experience with "The 99," and 31 of them accepted Christ for the first time!
I got to witness 31 women give their lives to the Lord for the first time!!!! WOOO HOOO!!!!!
If you're in town, stop by my church at 7:00 on Friday. Check out First Baptist Church for information about our pastor, programs, or directions. Have a great day!
Let me confess something to you: I have been running from leading a women's ministry in my church.
Did I mention that God was not impressed with my tantrum? :D Since I ran, he had to chase me down....and plop several ministry opportunities in my lap simultaneously.
Ladies, I am sooooooooooo excited!!!!! I just spent an hour worshiping the Lord and praying, and the Holy Spirit hugged me the whole time! Woo hoo!
So I called my Pastor to broach the subject (women's ministry) and share a little bit of what God has been speaking to me, so we're going to talk about that tomorrow.
I can't wait to see what God is up to!!!
Any prayer requests? I'm in the mood to do some serious prayin' in the days to come, and I'd love to include your name! :o) If you're going through something traumatic, please know that you are NOT alone! Keep your chin up; God loves you bunches!!!
I spent my Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings ministering to people who've never had a relationship with the Lord. I also prayed for some folks who were already Christians but had some prayer requests.
Wow.
I also had a pleasant surprise! After I prayed with one young lady, she said, "You are an amazing prayer warrior! Now let me pray for you..."
She hit on some personal issues that I definitely struggle to handle, but she didn't know me at all. That's how I know God was moving! And the atmosphere was so charged with the love of God! If I remember correctly, "The 99" has successfully worked with folks from 30 area churches to lead almost 3,000 people to the Lord over a period of 6 days! WOOO HOOO!!!!!
You have no idea how this experience has humbled me.
Yes, I have been praying for people for several years, but I had only led a couple of folks to the Lord before this experience. I haven't counted, but I think I've had the privilege of personally leading at least 50 people to Jesus Christ!!!! I'm so excited! I am definitely going to be much more bold in the future.
We aren't allowed to take pictures, or I'd give you a tour. :o) Keep your eyes open; if "The 99" comes to your city, GO!!! Volunteer to do make-up, counsel lost souls, act in the realistic theater productions, make reminder phone calls to the volunteers, or help in any way you feel you can contribute. I guarantee your life will be more fulfilling if you do! God bless!
Love,
Michelle
P. S. : If you have no idea what it means to be "saved" and have questions about salvation, PLEASE leave a comment! I'd love to talk to you about it!
( I'll keep this rated G.)
My friend, Melanie, went to Subway to pick up sandwiches for our lunch, but on the way back she saw a guy riding a bike. What's so odd about that? Well, he had apparently forgotten to put on his clothes.
Yep, he was adorned with only his birthday suit as he exercised. :D Thankfully, the police were quick to arrive.
On a happier note, today was my last day of summer school!
On an even happier note, every student passed with a C or better!!!!!! WOO HOOOO!!!!!!!! One of my little darlings said, "Ms. S., I learned more from you in four weeks than I did in a year. Thank you."
Wow.
Thank you, Lord, for blessing them with understanding as I presented material. Please keep your arms of protection around them as they begin their senior year of high school or, in some cases, graduate.
Father, all of them have tickets to "the 99," so PLEASE touch their hearts! Let them be curious enough to attend. I pray that all of them receive you as Lord and Savior! In Jesus' name, amen!
Every now and then the prayer time at the women's Bible study blows me away.
Tonight was awesome!
I'm so excited about the friendships that are unifying this kind, compassionate group of women who attend M. Church.
I'm also thrilled about the visions God has given some folks at FBC!
God is moving, ya'll!!!!!! :o)
Be happy, and look for opportunities to share God's love. He'll give them to you!
By the way, I love you, and you are loved by the most high King! Be blessed!
I shared my love for God with come folks today, and it felt wonderful!
I am totally enjoying my private prayer time with some Bible reading with the Lord, and I usually play the piano/sing some worship songs to God after work every day. My dog looked so relaxed as he listened this afternoon! :D (I'm serious! I think he might have felt the Lord's presence too!)
I confessed some immature behavior to someone last night, and he laughed. (I'm so grateful that I didn't get a long lecture. Instead, I received precious friendship, complete acceptance, and his typical encouragement. We simply sat and talked for a couple of hours like we used to do so often, and I smiled as I drove home.)
My Mom also got a visit from me last night; I just wanted to check in on her and make sure she was feeling well. We ended up talking and laughing in my car for an hour! She's reading a book and wanted to tell me all about it. :o) I didn't mind listening - - - I love her dearly.
Recently I read about some folks who displeased God so badly that the earth swallowed them up...including their wives and children. Aren't you glad God doesn't punish that severely anymore? If He did, I would have been dead long ago!
**** WHOA! **** I just got a call from my friend, Iva, who won tickets to the Women of Faith Conference in Cleveland tomorrow! And guess who she asked to use the second ticket?!?!?! Praise God! A few weeks ago some of my girlfriends spent some serious moolah that I just didn't have to arrange a group trip, but God knew the desires of my heart. It's funny; I type the title of this entry 15 minutes before the phone call! :o)
THANK YOU, GOD!!!!!
Let's pray:
Thank you, God, for your presence, your love, and your forgiveness! I know that I have found favor in your sight recently since my hard-headedness transformed to a desire to obey Your will for my life. There's still so much I need to improve, though. Please continue to walk with me every day.
Forgive me, Lord, for my immaturity! I know that you're not shocked by my decisions, but I am truly sorry for giving up on You too quickly. As I've already told you, I'm ready and willing to do whatever you ask!
Your kindness astounds me! I am humbled as you show me myself daily, but I'm also encouraged because I know that You are helping me in so many areas of my life. I am truly grateful!
Father, please continue to knit our hearts together! Remind us of what our mothers and grandmothers had said for years: "If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all." I also pray for balance as we try to communicate with each other regarding offenses. Don't let us judge and convict others; instead, Lord, allow us to simply address offenses in as loving a manner as possible and to feel eager for any correction that is going to ultimately bring us closer to You. Jesus, I also pray that you would embolden the women in my life so that they will be willing to correct me if they see me out of hand. I really do want to be holy because You are holy!
Thank you for the best evening (last night) I've had in a long time! I really missed my friend, and I'm so thankful that you've allowed the tension to totally disappear. He is such a blessing to me, and I pray that you bless him in every way. Father, I pray that you use me to bring him peace, to help him relax on the rough days, and to encourage him with visions you give me in prayer.
And thank you, again, for Iva's thoughtful heart! I'm still in awe that she thought of me when I'm sure she has lots of friends her own age! (I hope I'm not old enough to be her mother; perhaps I'm just 15 years older than her). God, thank you so much for allowing me to know this sweet, amazing woman who loves you with all of her heart! Bless her with a pain-free night of rest this evening, and touch her home with peace and excitement for what You're up to in their lives. Let her, her husband, and their cutie pie baby boy have some fantastic family time today before he goes to work. In Jesus' name, amen!
God woke me up really early this morning, and I felt an urge to check my e-mail.
I'm glad I did.
My friend, Ruth, wrote to let me know that someone's mother passed away on Wednesday. I spent some time with her at the hospital last week, but I haven't seen her since then. The least I can do is attend the funeral and support her daughter, Nancy.
Please keep my friend and her family in your prayers. Although they've known that mom was terminally ill, I'm sure it's an intensely painful week for them.
One of my favorite songs, "Let the Worshipers Arise" is playing on the radio, and I'm smiling. Even at times like this, there is still time for some praise to the Lord for all of his blessings. From his perspective, death is no big deal.
May God give you a wonderful sign of his love today!
I had just gotten off work and felt a bit sleepy. I promised myself that I'd buy some bread, flour (for homemade biscuits) and aluminum foil on my way home from work, so that's exactly what I did.
As I left my vehicle and locked the doors, I noticed a woman watching me. At first I was going to ignore the gaze, but I decided to be friendly and say, "Hi!"
She returned my smile and said, "You know, you look so refreshed! I wasn't sure how you would receive this, but you look so lovely. It's great to see a woman who dresses like a lady!"
Then she hugged me!
We chatted for a minute. Then I thanked her and said, "I definitely see you as a blessing today. Thanks again!"
Isn't God sweet? Total strangers do not normally walk up to me and shower me with compliments.
Niiiice.
For supper I made some ham sandwiches and sliced some potatoes for fries. It was yummy!
In a bit, I'll head to Bible study. I'll write more later.
"God's love doesn't prevent trials; it helps us through them."
Isn't that beautiful? If I could remember who said it, I'd tell you.
Any stressful situations I face are merely opportunities for God to exhibit his love for me. What a positive spin for my attitude, eh? ;o)
I was up really early this morning, so I'm off to take a nap. If I have time, I'll share pics from the graduation party. See ya later!
Whoa...
Michael was only 13 years older than me.
So sad.
The funeral of my friend, Jenny, and the passing of Michael remind me to thank God for every day. We are not promised tomorrow (nor will I be disappointed if I don't get another one). If you think about it, we probably won't want to come back once we've experienced heaven. :o)
Despite the loss I've felt recently in my personal life, I am still happy. I'm looking forward to things to come, and I'm so glad the Lord will be with me every step of the way.
Aren't you?
God is soooooooo good, ya'll!
I was worried about finances because I needed to go back to school, but God made a way.
Now, I'm typing on my brand new computer! It came with the typical keyboard and mouse, but the big screen for my old eyeballs and the nifty printer are awesome!
I'd type more, but my children are watching me and want their turn.
I'll write more tomorrow. God bless!
I spent an extra hour in the grocery store this evening. :o)
Yep, God gave me a chance to minister to someone who was hurting. By the end of the conversation, she was laughing! God is awesome!
I feel great! I can't even describe how free and exhilarated I am at this moment. Wow.
My day at work was awesome too. One of the assistant principals tried to get me in trouble on Friday (after being a dork himself and attempting to "correct" me in front of my class). On Friday, I could have dwelled on it and stewed all weekend, but God had me re-focus my thinking. I had planned to go to the Relay for Life, so I kept my mind on those cancer survivors who continue to need prayer.
This morning the Lord led me to stay positive, so I spent a few bucks on thank you cards, packs of bubble gum, and some 100-calorie bags of chocolate covered pretzels. I wrote an individualized thank you note to each of the principals who have helped me this year. I encouraged them and deliberately mentioned specific acts of kindness they had shown me.
That made their day! It was so cute to see their faces light up when they saw me. Isn't God amazing? Instead of letting me whine and complain (which is exactly what I had planned to do), the Lord nudged me to be a blessing instead. That, my friends, was MUCH more fun!
My principal wanted to know exactly what happened on Friday, and I told her. I also explained that I didn't expect her to do anything about it since I'm a big girl; I simply wanted her to know that I wouldn't be as polite if he ever did that to me again. She said, "Oh no, I am going to do something. We (principals) have a meeting today, and I will make sure he doesn't treat you that way again."
Today I lived the scripture, "All things work for the good of those who love the Lord!"
Ha! I love it!
Then I got a hug from her (not a reprimand or a write-up) and was thanked for all of my hard work.
So there, devil! God is always in control!
I'm also getting pretty excited about starting class next week. It will, no doubt, be difficult to keep up with grading, lesson plans and my graduate work, but I'm sure God will help me. I'll keep you posted.
Keep me in your prayers, especially next week, okay?
You will definitely be in my mine. God bless you, my friend.
God is truly awesome!
I just got the coolest e-mail, and I want to praise God for it! I LOVE how God performs little miracles just to let you know he sees when you are hurting or in a pickle.
Lord, I praise you for caring about me, even to the point of taking care of my physical needs when it seems there's no way to get everything done. You are so merciful! I pray that you touch hearts tomorrow. Thank you for letting me enjoy my mother's presence! She has been missing Dad immensely lately, so please give her peace on mother's day tomorrow.
Holy Spirit, I truly want to thank you for holding my tongue at work on Friday. Spiritual attacks certainly aren't fun, but I'm so glad that I'm never alone. God, you are the best! I love you, and I invite you to walk with me every step that I take this week. In Jesus' name, amen.
I have a few minutes before I hit the sack, and I've just got to chuckle when I reflect on my life:
1.) I'm a treasurer. 'nuff said. Ha! I have no banking, accounting, or strong math background, yet He chose to put me in this position. I don't know where I'd be if my friend didn't help me (a lot)!
2.) I have two teenage boys; man, is that comical. They fight often, yet both of them surprise me frequently with tenderness and compassion beyond their years. They want to be "men" so badly, yet I can't help but see the "little boy" in both of them from time to time.
3.) A "guy friend" recently told me that I'd make a great wife, and even my ex-husband has told me that I was wonderful as a spouse. Yet no one is interested in dating me. [Actually, two guys are very interested, but they aren't Christians and therefore don't pray. A non-praying spouse isn't an option for me.]
4.) I'm 99% sure that God called me to minister to the women at my church, yet most of them aren't even remotely interested in listening to me. Hmmm....
As crazy as life may seem, I trust that God knows what He's doing. He can take a harried, single mom like me and do something cool with her life. I just have to let Him work on and in me. In the meantime, I'm willing to do whatever He's calling me to do. How about you?
My day started at 3:30 a.m. when I woke up to exercise for the second time since I had surgery in January.
Apparently, my body was mad at me. My tummy was hurting, and I don't think it's supposed to. :o(
I've been uncomfortable all day, but I'll live. I was anxious to work out again because I like endorphins. ;o) I also like wearing smaller sizes. Alas, I will need to wait a bit longer to enjoy them.
Since I was already awake, I did some laundry before showering and going to Giant Eagle to get some bananas for breakfast and cheese and soybeans for my salad. (Have you ever sprinkled soybeans on your salad? Yummo!)
Then I went to 6:00 a.m. prayer...which was fantastic! I actually sat with a pastor who prayed about folks who allow themselves to get so busy that they can't feel the pain from the past, from loneliness, etc.
He was praying for me but probably didn't know it.
Then, when I got to work, I was called upstairs because someone wanted to pray. Sadly, a friend's wife had an aneurysm and is currently on life support. Please pray for George and his wife.
I've been incredibly stressed out lately, and for some reason God has chosen to allow me to be single. That's fine, but there are days when I want to pull my hair out. I don't think anyone has a clue how stressful it is to be a single mom (or single dad). I can't even describe the frustration, disappointment and heartache that my children have seen, but I'm trying to be a wonderful mom. I don't want to merely "get by" or "make it." I want my children to have the life God had planned for them from the beginning of time.
Any single moms reading this? You know what I'm talking about, don't you? There are days when I simply don't have the energy to make dinner, which is why I have built-in "free days" in my budget. We don't go to nice restaurants except for special occasions. That way, I can feed them more often, even when I'm tired. Taco Bell has become a favorite because I can get a salad (but it's soooo hard not to eat the fattening shell)!
I would never trade being a mother for anything in the world! However, I know that this isn't what God had in mind when he created parenting. My boys need a relationship with their Dad, and I'm praying that he will start developing that with both of them soon. Yes, he's helping financially, but I'm talking about giving of his time.
I'm saying all of this to make a point: I'm exhausted. So I decided to treat myself to a bargain book at a local Christian bookstore which happens to be down the street from my job. The cashier said they just "happened" to stock the top two shelves this afternoon and priced them all at $0.99 each!
That's when I saw Angela Thomas' face.
I picked up her book, and read just the first few pages. One bit of advice she shares is that the reader, whether he or she is a single parent or not, would show compassion the next time a single mom is in view. She also said to tell her she is beautiful!
See? I'm not the only single mom feeling rejected and not-so-attractive! I'm sorry that this woman felt the same emotions I've been feeling, but I'm also glad that she wrote about them. I'm feeling more "normal" than ever!
I will enjoy the rest of her book tomorrow. I should be able to finish it at work when my students are typing the final drafts of their research papers.
I also got to spend a few minutes with my pastor. If I were in a better mood, I would have chatted for a few more minutes. The last thing I want to do, though, is suck him dry (like I've done in the past). Maybe we'll talk another day.
Do they call it "sweet 16" if you're a guy? Well, my son turned 16 today, but we had already planned to go to dinner on Thursday since I had obligations tonight and tomorrow. Still, I wanted to give him something, so I brought him (and child #2) an Oreo McFlurry. We'll be able to celebrate soon! I'll try to take pictures since I haven't uploaded any in a while.
God, you touched so many areas of my life in such a short span of time! Thank you for your compassion and love! I love you back, Father. Be with me, Lord, as I continue to learn, grow, and heal. I need you to hold my tongue when I want to fuss, move me to hug and pray for those who are hurting, and forgive as you call all of us to do on a regular basis.
In Jesus' name, amen!
p.s. - Every now and then, I'll type a post and not proofread at all due to a time constraint or some other responsibility. Tonight, I'm just sleepy. Forgive my mistakes, ok? Thanks!
It seems unbelievable that I haven't been on this computer since Tuesday. Wow.
I've been incredibly busy at work, but I'm happy to report that God has been showing off lately. ;o) He has gotten me in touch with some folks I haven't had opportunities to see, and he has allowed me to meet some folks I probably wouldn't have spoken to before my journey through the word this year. He is helping me to get along with some folks I used to argue with on a regular basis. And, yes, he is showing me parts of myself that simply need a bit more work.
What is he up to in your life?
The Super Bowl was awesome, wasn't it?!?!?! Although I will be the first to admit that I don't understand all of the intricacies of the game, I still enjoyed myself thoroughly. My boys didn't even seem to be very irritated because I had too many questions; in fact, they were downright gracious!
I'm feeling better, but I'm still very uncomfortable. THANK YOU, Lord, for healing me slowly but surely.
I'm looking forward to going for walks soon. No, I won't walk outside on the ice, but I need to get out of this house. I've only been incapacitated for 12 days, and I have 4 weeks to go! Man, oh man....I'm starting to feel claustrophobic.
I just re-read an e-mail I sent someone this morning, and it was horrible! I'm not even on meds right now, but I still made a bunch of careless errors. Perhaps I should proofread before I hit "send," eh? :o)
I have more peace this morning than I've had in an awfully long time. I'm so grateful to know God! I'm even more grateful that he's healing me, both from the surgery and from some very old emotional issues. I've been spending a lot of time with the Lord lately (praying, reading my Bible, listening to Him), and I can't begin to explain how he's helping me to accept who I am and what has happened to me.
God likes me, ya'll! Isn't that cool?
Even though I've been couped up in the house for two weeks, I've still had several opportunities to minister to some other folks. Isn't that wonderful? God can use anybody.
My church family has been AMAZING. My fridge is still full, and I haven't had to cook a single meal since I came home from the hospital. I made steaks and potatoes (with Laura's yummy salad on the side) to eat during the Super Bowl, but I didn't have to cook last night. We still have a humungous pot of Melanie's yummy homemade chicken noodle soup and an entire pan of Laura's homemade lasagna.
God, thank you for my friends and family! They bless me every single day! Thank you for a pastor who preaches the truth, even when I'd prefer to be "right" instead of "corrected." I'm not sure why I typed that because I've been behaving lately, but I must need to pray for myself about that anyway. I like having the last word, but the last few conflicts haven't even been confrontational at all; he simply spoke confirmation on stuff you've already told me, God, and I appreciate that.
Please bless my church family in every way this week, Lord. Watch over our young people, and keep them safe from the enemy. Allow me to minister to whomever needs a little reminder of who they are in Christ; better yet, help me to lead someone to your love and comforting Holy Spirit for the very first time. That would be awesome!
Lord, I love you with every ounce of my being (and I have quite a few of them at the moment)! You are so kind, compassionate, and forgiving; help me to be the same. In Jesus name, amen!
Yep, it was a good day!
The morning was rough; I had to get the "Mommy" voice with two folks who are almost old enough to be my parents, and that was just odd.
The rest of the day, though, was magnificent! I got so much done as far as organization of paperwork at church, thanks to my Pastor's help.
Tonight my friends are coming over to check out my water heater. After that, I'm going to my sister's house because my nephew is here from Florida. We are much more like brother and sister, though, sibling rivalry included.
God, I have asked that you speak to me with a clear voice, and you have answered that prayer! Thank you so much for allowing me to be at church at the right time this morning. If you hadn't asked me to do something specific, I wouldn't have been there to see what you wanted me to see.
Thank you for watching over us! Thank you for the amazing signs of growth! Thank you for allowing me to enjoy such peace, even though there are still some strenuous situations in my life. I'm not even going to worry about them. You, my God, are bigger than any problem I will ever face!
Lord, I trust you with my finances as well as the church's finances. I pray that you continue to bless your people with what we need for today. Thank you for laughter! Thank you for silliness! And thank you for friends and family who love me. Jesus, we are going to anoint my house and Janet's house this evening. Please bless this oil and be with us as we pray for one another this evening. Cleanse every room in both homes, Lord! We ask that you seal every door that the enemy thinks is open to him! Remove every influence that pulls us farther from you. Please make your home with us, Lord! In Jesus' name, amen.
A friend recently brought to my attention that he thinks I should pray about my self-esteem a bit so that my view of myself lines up with the way God sees me as well as the way others see me.
He's right (as usual).
I have not seen myself as a "leader." In fact, in the last year or so, "pitbull watchdog" has been a more fitting description of me. I hate bullies, and I am quick to take them on...even if it appears I'm outnumbered. I suppose you might look at that two ways: either I'm strong-willed and incredibly brave or, as might just be the case, I don't quite have all of my marbles. ;o)
In any case, God has been doing some healing this evening, and I praise him for that!
I think God is trying to force me to be more compassionate and understanding. There are a couple of people who have been getting on my nerves (in addition to my lovely son); one individual in particular has no qualms about intruding on a personal conversation, and that grates my nerves to no end.
My mom is getting older, and it's starting to make me a bit nervous. I picked her up to run an errand today, and it was hard to see her moving so slowly and walking with a cane. She will be 75 years old next month; perhaps I should not panic just yet though.
Happy thought: I walked two miles at the mall today, and I caught my reflection in one of the mirrors. I stopped for a second and paused to take a closer look. For the first time in a while, I liked what I saw, extra pounds and all. (Praise God!)
I have been feeling grateful rather than anxious lately, and I praise God for that too! I pray that God blesses you and me with all that we need for today. When I was blessed with an abundance of money and time, I didn't even attend church or read my Bible. Perhaps it's best that I struggle for a bit more...
As I drove my son to summer school this morning, the sun was shining so brightly that I could barely see the red lights! Although the sun itself is incredibly hot, we only get just enough to warm us and help our plants grow. We don't incinerate if we step outside in it, and the soothing light calms our souls.
Isn't that balance amazing?
I was also struck by the brilliant hues of green in the trees and bushes. There are so many shades to enjoy!
By contrast, the sky was a lovely shade of blue, my favorite color! As I looked up into the heavens, the branches and leaves of those beautiful trees swayed like a toddler moving to music for the first time.
Beautiful.
While I observed all of the evidence around me that there is a God, my CD was playing, "How Great Is Our God." That's quite fitting, don't you think? :o)
God, You are so creative! I'm glad you like lots of colors! I enjoyed your breathtaking scenery this morning, Lord, and I pray that I never take you or your world for granted. Thank you for everything. Amen!
