Praying for Abundance

I created this blog one night after the word

{Abundance}

Kept running through my head

as you know...

{you} can't pray effectively

for someone

unless you have

{walked} in their

{shoes}

So as I was praying one {night} last week

I looked over the {prayer list}

&

 the similarities of the request.

There were {4} main

{areas} in which my prayers were going.

Knowing the {power of prayer} and the power of {2 or More} ,

 I feel that in my {waiting} this blog was birthed.

So check it {out}

{Email} me if you want to add someone to the list.

 I will be agreeing {daily} in prayer for each and every one. The awesome thing is {He knows every detail} of every request and he has the {answer on the way!}

I serve a {living and awesome God!}

Warm Winter Nights...

It has been cold the past several nights, and trust me I know because we take each puppy out on a leash! It was funny last night Braylee had to GO! Jonathan threw on my white robe and headed for the door with Bray waiting next to it, like hurry daddy. He realized how illuminated the front of the house is from the snowmen and lights on the trees until he opened the door and said, "uh honey will you take Bray out?". I just chuckled, he looked goofy in the robe, white legs and dress shoes! (sorry I didn't get a pic of that!)

I had to share that I have found a new favorite candle that J and I both like! This is a rarity because we are both hard to please with smells. I love the clean sometimes fresh, sometimes warm fragrance and he... well he's not sure. :P

Wood Wick makes this candle and it has a wooden wick infused with copper, so you hear the crackle of a fire as it burns. And oh does it burn! The pic below is after "it's" first 3 hour burn! Biscotti is the fragrance I chose because the precious lady in Cracker Barrell was so excited about them and talked me into it. All she needed to say was that it was a soy candle and I was in love after that! Plus it was 25% off!
So if you visit my home this Winter this will be the greeting fragrance! Wish you could scratch and sniff the picture!

So with every good candle you need a good book...

This is my current read and I am loving it!   It has opened my eyes to "Living room intimacy". God is always there waiting to spend time with us. It is we that past by the living room day after day all the while He is patiently waiting for time with us! What an awesome picture of  how much He loves us and care to be intimate with us.

Every good book needs a good cup of coffee and dessert...

Ingredients:

Vanilla Wafers

cream cheese
instant coffee
whipped cream
Hershey Cocco (unsweetened)

Layer the cookies like a banana pudding. Make 1/2 cup of the instant coffee and dip cookies in the liquid.  

Mix softened cream cheese and 8 oz whipped cream in mixing bowl. Add a dash of instant grounds and layer this with the cookies. Ech time sprinkling the cookies with the liquid coffee. Lastly layer with cream topping. Chill overnight and then sprinkle with Hershey Cocco before serving.

This was a hit at the Anthony Christmas Eve dinner!

Braylee and Raegan wanted to sample the new dessert too!

Now I have an expresso machine coming in the mail and I need a good recipe to go with this wonderful dessert. I need suggestions please!   Select the "click here" to enter your suggestion.

So what is your favorite make at home cup of brew? Or specialty drink?

Holiday fun...

Christmas {Eve}

at the {Anthony's}

Christmas {Day}   

at

the {Lyon's}

at the {Huffstetler's}...

at the {Norman's}

very {busy}

& {BLESSED}

Christmas 2009

Abundance is...

Waking up on Christmas morning to an incredible husband, spending time with family, the excitement of children opening presents, Kirsten's (my almost 4 yo niece) sweet voice saying, "I always wanted this" and it was a box of clothes ;P, Dinner with my grandmother and great aunt Adora, potato soup and key lime pie to end an awesome Christmas day!  Happy Birthday Jesus. Because of you we have eternal life!  Thank you that the grave has no hold on us and we can spend eternity with you.


My heart is saddened tonight. Death is at the door of a dear friend. My Paw-paw in law (Stewart) is in the final stages of life. Breath is gasped for every minute. He will not be here with us long on this Earth. For my sister-in-law Deborah it is tragic. Father I as of you tonight to cover them in your peace. Surround them in your consuming calm spirit.  Ease any pain in his body. Take him on to be with you quickly and leave us with your Spirit to bring us through this time of mourning. Thank you for blessing us with knowing such a sweet soul.

EWO,
Jen

Abundance is...

An incredible Christmas Eve spent wrapping presents with my mom, having lunch with my 87 yo grandmother, experience of 2 Christmas Eve services with my husband, breakfast on Christmas Eve night, fun stockings filled with goodies from Mom (Rhonda), seeing great friends and bringing in Christmas with them. What and incredible day!  God has poured His abundance over me!

Merry Christmas,
G

Excitement and Expectations....It's Christmas Eve

  It is Christmas Eve and I just can't sleep!  Jonathan is sleeping away beside me, the "girls" are snuggled between us and all I can think about is the word ABUNDANCE!  Now why in the world would I be thinking of that when at 10:30 tonight I was almost in tears trying to find gifts for under $5? (That is our budget for gifts and I was too late for the $5 sale @ Old Navy ;P oh well I got over it chuckle) When I called Jonathan saying "this is impossible"! He simply grounded me by saying, "well then get out of there and come home." Like duh silly walk out the store. :)
Any way I am a little ADD @ the moment too... my wheels are spinning!
  Ever feel a since of excitement and expectation?  I have felt this all day long!  I had several hours in my day to "think on these things" (1 Cor 4:13)  and so I have been mulling over the word abundance.
I felt the Lord speak to me and drop this burden in me to pray and ask for others to pray with me through the wonderful line of communication called blogging.  You know the whole "where 2 or more are gathered in my name there I am". Yeah well it can work in agreement over a blog too.  Prayers are easier to keep track of if written down and it is hard to keep a prayer journal with me at all times. The reality is, my boss would stand over me and say, "what's that?"
In the realization this could never happen, I have started a prayer blog due to the eye opening experience that many of the people I have been praying over fall into 4 categories... Praying for a baby, husband, sick child & a job.
Tying it together I opened another blog... ready for it?

Praying for Abundance

Visit the site in it's beginning stages and send it to those who you know fall into these walk's of life. The site is open to the public so I will approve everything and we can discuss what you may want to post. Post for yourself or someone else. Check back daily if the Lord leads you to pray for those on the list's.
I will be posting Blessing reports!

All grace and abundance flows from above!

What I need from you...
Bible verses to pour all over this site. It needs to be a well of living water to those on the list and others just visiting!

Intercessors... those who have been down these roads and know what it feels like and the thoughts those on the blog may have, so that you can speak specifically to the need and cover them in God's Word.

Check back often, remember it has an expectation assignment attached to it and it will be "growing" and "birthing" more than we can imagine!

God is so good!

In His Grip,
G

Cover him in your grace Father... I place him in your Hands

As I type this, surgeons at Charlotte ENT are removing a neoplasm from my dad's eye. I spoke with him as he was gowning up and he is in good spirits. If you know my dad he takes everything like a grain of salt and knows where his help comes from.  I am covering him in prayers of God's grace and praying for a successful removal of the unwanted tissue and preservation of all normal eye tissue and sight!  I am also praying for no pain and tolerance of the bandages they will apply after the surgery. Father cover Dr. Hamon with your wisdom and knowledge to perform a successful surgery. I know dad is in the Ultimate Surgeon's hands and that through His grace dad will rest better without the aggrivation of the tissue on his eye with no more burning and itching or headache. I speak all the above knowing that through Jesus name it will be done. Thank you Jesus for covering my Dad in your grace and power today. That is why today is a day of ThanksLiving!

Are you confused about life?

Hindrances of the flow of Glory

The Confusing Spirit of Leviathan

Job 41:1-8

Have you ever been a victim of a story that wasn’t true? Were your words or actions distorted into something that was not true? Better yet have you ever been told something which you allowed the enemy to twist in your mind, until it was no longer the truth when you retold it? This twisting of the truth is the work of the spirit of confusion.

Confusion vs. God’s Glory

Confusion is a spirit that sets itself against God’s glory in our lives. Job experienced this spirit of confusion in the test that Satan brought to him.   In Job 41:9 God told Job that “Indeed, any hope of overcoming him is false; shall one not be overwhelmed at the sight of him?’ In warning Job not to tackle the spirit of Leviathan, he explained it as trying to leash a crocodile.

Battling against this spirit on our own would be insane! Our own strength will not defeat it.

How to Over Come Confusion;

Be sure to NOT tackle it on you own!

In Isaiah it is prophesied that one day the Lord will slay the Leviathan; “In that day the Lord with His Sever sword, great and strong, will punish the Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan that twisted serpent; and He will slay the reptile that is in the sea.” Is. 27:1

Adam and Eve experienced the spirit of confusion when God’s truth was twisted into a lie. He planted the seed of pride in their hearts.  Satan has always been a liar; He is the father of them. (John 8:44.  Satan wants to confuse the body of Christ to keep us from enjoying the glory of God.

Resisting the Spirit of Confusion

and Recognizing it

Religious rituals do not intimidate the devil. Throwing a series of steps or Bible verses at him will not overcome this spirit of confusion. He will actually take what you throw at him and twist it only to throw it right back, if thrown in a religious tone. If we try to come against this spirit in our own flesh, it will destroy us. However, if we come against this spirit in the power of the Holy Spirit, through the name of Jesus, we will over come him.

Keep in mind before you tackle the twisted serpent, Leviathan, we must be armed with the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. Also remember Ephesians 6:12 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”  Paul spoke of the spiritual warfare saying, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” 2 Corinthians 10:3-5.

God is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33), but Satan wants to keep confusion stirred up in our daily life. Satan will try to confuse family relationships and ministry outreaches through 2 doors that lead to confusion: PRIDE and REJECTION

“When the spirit of confusion operates through a person, that individual thinks he or she is the only one who understands the big picture, the only one who knows all the details, and the only one who discerns what needs to be done. All these misconceptions are indications that pride is overriding that individual’s ability to accept godly wisdom or counsel from someone else.”  When we find ourselves secluding ourselves instead of seeking out wise counsel then that is our caution sign for TURN BACK NOW!... U TURN!... STOP! Then if we seek wise counsel through our leaders and mentors in Christ then we will choose to be rescued from the spirit of confusion.  It is our choice; because He has given us free will to choose what road we will take in this life on earth.

Watch out for Pride!

Pride always precedes a fall as Proverbs 11:2 tells us “when pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom.”  Satan tricks people into believing that they are more spiritual than anyone else, and then leads them to the second door of entrapment- rejection.

Don’t fall into rejection!

“Another way the spirit of confusion deceives people is by causing them to believe that nobody likes them, nobody wants to talk to them, and nobody wants to be around them. If the devil can confuse people by making them feel rejected, they will not be a threat to the work God wants to accomplish in them and through them.”

“People feel rejected for many reasons; they believe they are too smart or too stupid, too rich or too poor, too ugly or too pretty, too dark or too light, too short or too tall. People who believe such things about themselves have been confused by a lie, which they have not brought into obedience to the mind of Christ. This states of rejection is a painful way for people to live. They always feel that they do not measure up; or no matter what they do, it never seems to be enough.”

You know no wonder they are susceptible to this twisted spirit of confusion. They are bound by thinking either too highly of themselves, or too little of who they are in Christ. Until they bring their thoughts captive in obedience to the mind of Jesus Christ, the spirit of rejection will linger over them. If at this point we would just realize what we are doing to ourselves and seek it and receive it, the truth would set us free to enjoy the glory of God to the fullest in our lives

Releasing the Spirit of Glory

Draw closer to the Lord as King David did as he wrote “Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. Your word is lamp to my feet and a light to my path” Psalm 119:104-105.

Peter also wrote about how he overcame the spirit of confusion in 1 Peter 4:12-14.

Keep growing in your knowledge of the Word so that you can keep your thought renewed to the mind of Christ.

His word is clear in James 4:7-8 “therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

REMEMBER that only God can really stop the Leviathan, therefore TRUST IN GOD! If God is for us, who can stand against us Romans 8:31

Life after the Confusion

Confusion has caused pain in the lives of many people. It will come between spouses, parents, friends, and siblings. It attempts to divide families churches and businesses. If you recognize that spirit of confusion operating in your life, simply repent.  Resist the temptation to comment on every situation, if what you say always results in confusion. Be still, and wait for God to prompt you to speak- then speak only the truth of God’s Word.

If you believe that a spirit of confusion is hindering the flow of God’s glory in you life, pray and ask God to remove the spirit of confusion from your life.  Ask Him to forgive you for the times that you have intentionally or unintentionally twisted or distorted the truth. Ask Him to help you commit to bringing unity and not division to those around you, and to speaking the truth.  He will teach you to know the Spirit when it rises in you and around you. 

As A Bridegroom Rejoices Over His Bride

This was in my devotional reading this morning and I love the way His Love is worded.  Enjoy and know that it is raining out, and rain means rest and refreshing! Have a restful day in Him!


The Scriptures employ a wide scale of metaphors to capture the many facets of our relationship with God. If you consider them in a sort of ascending order, there is a noticeable and breathtaking progression. Down near the bottom of the totem pole we are the clay and he the Potter. Moving up a notch, we are the sheep and he the Shepherd, which is a little better position on the food chain but hardly flattering; sheep don’t have a reputation as the most graceful and intelligent creatures in the world. Moving upward, we are the servants of the Master, which at least lets us into the house, even if we have to wipe our feet, watch our manners, and not talk too much. Most Christians never get past this point, but the ladder of metaphors is about to make a swift ascent. God also calls us his children and himself our heavenly Father, which brings us into the possibility of real intimacy—love is not one of the things a vase and its craftsman share together, nor does a sheep truly know the heart of the shepherd, though it may enjoy the fruits of his kindness. Still, there is something missing even in the best parent-child relationship. Friendship levels the playing field in a way family never can, at least not until the kids have grown and left the house. Friendship opens a level of communion that a five-year-old doesn’t know with his mother and father. And “friends” are what he calls us.



But there is still a higher and deeper level of intimacy and partnership awaiting us at the top of this metaphorical ascent. We are lovers. The courtship that began with a honeymoon in the Garden culminates in the wedding feast of the Lamb. “I will take delight in you,” he says to us, “as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will I rejoice over you.”

-Ransomed Heart devotional

Heart exposure...

What a wonderful weekend I had getting to know my sisters and Union Road Church. It was a wonderful experience as it always is when a group of women come together in One name in unity... WOW is there an amazing freedom in that atmosphere! I feel purified and grounded in Him. What an awesome feeling! The feeling of cleaning my spiritual house and dusting all the cob webs and moving the furniture around to make my "living room" more intimate for me and my Lord.
My Awakening
I have lived my life asleep for so long; just living life in vain.  The Lord has since shook me and awoke me in the past 8 months.  It was like he woke me from a deep sleep saying "What are you doing honey? Wake up! I have given you and assignment here on earth, now get to movin'!" 
Once I "snapped out of it", this hunger for MORE of Him arose. This has come from a simple cry through a dark lonely dreary awakening, that I had created. My cry was for "more of you and less of me" even when I didn't "feel like it."  We all have the same experience as the woman with the issue of blood... desperate, no hope, finding ourselves on our knees crawling to grasp something more. Some grasp companionship of man, some depression or oppression of the past and this leaves them in the same cold, dark, isolated place.
Coping mechanisms
 I held onto isolation, due to past hurt of other Christian girls (high school/college), all along thinking I was protecting myself by preventing close friendships. It is only when I found myself at the end of my rope with no hope in sight that I realized that something has to give, something has to change in order to live another day. The downward spiral of depression was sucking the life out of me. It was literally stealing my joy and my days as a breathing Christian.
Exposure of the heart
Over the past weekend God reminded me of the details that the woman with the issue of blood must have experienced. Mat. 9:20-22;Mar 5:25-34; Luke 8:43-47. Although her issue was shameful, she had to risk the chance of exposure to her family and those who knew her in the crowd in order to find her miracle. It is when we find ourselves "exposed" that we experience the most freedom! The only hope is to reach for the hem of His garment, not caring who sees us or what is said, in the midst of loosing all pride and humbling our will and desires to reach His.
Overcoming the remnants
When we reach this point it is not easy.  I'm sure she went back home in her soiled clothes having to deal with the remnants of her issue, but there was hope because through her faith she was healed! Through her we can learn that Jesus honors our faith, however small. He is approachable in every circumstance. He has compassion on the needy who come to Him in faith. He sometimes allows circumstances to enter our lives that reduce us to desperation so that we will reach out for Him.
How incredibly amazing is the Lord of Lords! Who came to this earth in human form so that we could relate and receive a small understanding to how great He is and how awesome His mercy, grace and love is for us.
Living room intimacy 
He created us to love Him as He loves us. He longs to spend time in the "living room" with us. How amazing is it that even when we are too busy to stop by the living room, He is always there waiting on us to come and sit with Him.  His love is unconditional.
I encourage you to do as Matthew 6:6 "When you pray,go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.  These rewards will came in the form of freedom and peace knowing that I can "cast all my cares on Him". I don't have to carry a heavy load, for His "yolk is easy and burden is light".

Try to look at God in a different perspective...
"He has no interest in being a weekend getaway or a Sunday bungalow or a summer cottage. Don't consider using God as a vacation cabin or an eventual retirement home. He wants you under His roof now and always. He wants to be your mailing address, your point of reference; He wants to be your home." (Max Lucado "The Great House of God")


Isaiah 28:12 "This is the resting place, let the weary rest."


Have a blessed night and know you are not the only one to experience a heart exposure, but be assured it is so worth it!


EWO,


Jen

Night vision

So God woke me in the night to speak several things into my spirit and several key important things so here goes:

Night vision... it is a MUST! as a Christian. It is a tool that we are to use to see the spiritual casualties. These are the people in our life that are around us that are usually a spiritual threat. They have been wounded by the enemy and sometimes used by the enemy to deter us.
Have you seen the movie, Black Hawk Down? do you remember the soldier moving through the city and the children and women shooting at them while they were trying to get the wounded out?  yeah now you get the picture of what A spiritual casualty is. They look innocent, but carry loaded guns and will shoot when threatened, because they have no idea you are really the good guy.
How then can we walk and not become weary? Is.40:31  This is definitely not physically possible... only when we walk in the spiritual man is this accomplished. This is where the night vision is so important! It allows us 1 up on the enemy. We can see what is happening in the spiritual because it allows us to transform into "eagle like" with the x-ray vision. It will take us above the enemy's line of fire... stealth like!
 If we walk in the spiritual we can see the enemy coming and command him to flee in Jesus name. He is our ammunition because he doesn't kill the person, just the enemy that has corrupted them. We fight not against flesh and bones, but against principalities and ruler of darkness...Ephesians 6:12.  That is why it is important to strategically pray that He opens our eyes to His spiritual realm.  This is how we get night vision. See we look through a glass dimly light, but when we pray for our eyes to be open to His this is how we begin to see the situation as He does and gain discernment, wisdom and knowledge over the enemy. 1 Cor 13:12.  With this weapon we can walk and not grow weary, run and not faint.
Acceleration! but with caution!
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 1 Peter 5:8




EWO,
G

Spiritual Snicker Bars

Today is a very scattered day for me. I feel trapped behind my desk at work when there are other things I would rather do today. I am just not feeling the groove. Don't get me wrong I am truely blessed with a wonderful job, but my mind is in a different place.
I have been reading  the book "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World" and wow it really brings perspective on the things of this world. Today I was reading about stepping into the living room of God and becoming intimate with Him any time I want. Joanne Weaver the author, talks about living on a "snicker bar diet" and how we spiritually snack on snicker bars that hold us over and curve the appetite for more of God.  Truely getting intimate with God doesn't require much on our part other than being aware of the obstacles that Satan places in our way to keep us from getting to the "intimate living room".  If he can place obstacles and sometimes build spider web walls to keep us from entering into the living room. Because if Satan can keep you from entering into this place, He keeps you from getting deeper and more intimate with God.
What makes us get comfortable in the routines we live that allows us to fall down the spiral of complacancy? That is just it! We are creatures of habit. So I have realized a simple concept... If you want get out of the spiral, do something different to change the direction of the flow.  If you contiue to do the same thing you will get the same result and if you change to a different way of living life then you will get a different result. 
It will take more energy to live differently, but be sure you will allow yourself to enter into the living room of God for a deeper intimacy with him.
Rev 3:20 "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me."

Reflections

Have you ever seen a picture of a sunset that took your breath away because of the amazing reflection it cast on the water?  It is a mirror image of what physically exist.  Every detail is just amazing!  I used this pic from national geographic today, but have taken many, many sunset pictures my self, just not good with posting them.
So  I wanted to go back and look up the term reflection and found the following: "the variant spelling reflection is due to influence from correction.1. the act of reflecting or the state of being reflected 2. the property of a propagated wave being thrown back from a surface (such as a mirror)
3. something, such as an image, that is reflected" (per google).
We learn at the young age of several months old what a reflection is and so it is simple to forget that we are made in His image. For us to become like His image we have to want to be "corrected" into His image.  It isn't something that is forced on us or molded when we are not ready. It is a choice to become like Him.
This process is not easy, and that is ok. It is also important to remind yourself that His mercies are new every day and the process of dying to self is a daily. It is when we completely rely on God for the next step that He can begin to make us like Him.
My prayer today is to be transformed by the renewing of my mind through Him and not conformed to this world.  I long to dye to myself that I may live to the fullest in Him.

Eyes wide open

So I have been shaken and awoken by the most High and now I want to share my experiences with my friends and family through a blog. So this is the beginning of my many thoughts, so check back in for more anytime.

EWO,
G