When the Prayer Request Changes

Financial Provision.  It is a prayer request I have had for many years.

I realized yesterday that I don't have that as a prayer request anymore.  God is providing financially for us! In fact, He is providing above and beyond what we need right now. We are finally able to put money away in savings and are working to get enough money saved up so we can move & give my in-laws back their house. They have been so amazing & patient letting us stay here. We don't know when we will move & we don't know where, we are doing this slowly to make sure we don't make any emotional decisions. But for the first time in 5 years we have consistent income! Don't you know I am doing the Praise-Jesus-dance!!

Scott is working for a company called Pilot. They are hired by an insurance company to handle their home insurance claims. It isn't a fun job, but he does enjoy those he works with. The hard part is he works 12 hours a day, 5 days a week and then he has to drive an hour to work & an hour home. So we don't see him much during the week. I hate that part, but it is what the Lord is using to provide for us right now, so we are all thankful for it. And I'm very thankful for a husband who is willing to do what every he needs to do to provide for us.

I am working from home, part time. I blogged about a year ago about how I was about to start pursuing a business with Young Living Essential Oils. I'm so thrilled that the Lord is greatly blessing this & we are now receiving enough income to completely cover many bills and our groceries. And the great part is, this business just keeps growing and getting bigger. Not only has the Lord used these products to change our family's health, but now he is using this company to change our lives and bring about things I had lost hope over.


It's the little things that excite me.

• Sarah & Morgan went to Ireland this month with our church mission team & we were able to contribute to their fundraising....many times!
• We bought a car! I finally have my own reliable car to drive for the first time in 3 years.
• I bought our home school materials, everything the kids needed with out asking for my parents help in paying for it.
• I met a friend for lunch & I paid for her lunch!
• I can go to the grocery store & buy whatever we need.

We are not rolling in money by any means, but how refreshing it is to be able to take care of our needs & a few wants without worry. How fun it is to bless others with what God has blessed us with!

Sarah Update. Where Am I?

Here's our latest pic of Sarah.  We haven't heard from her in 2 days and it is driving me bonkers!  I am sure this means they are really busy & just too tired at night to contact us.  In this picture she is sitting outside a coffee shop down the street from where they are staying. This is where they can get wifi.  Keep praying for the team.  Sarah is seeing a real desperate need for the gospel to be shared & lived out in this little town of NewRoss.
Pray for their safety, the youth will be open to hearing and accepting the gospel and for strength & energy for the team.

By the way, I am blogging today over at The M.O.M. Initiative blog today.  I'm blogging about JOY...what's the big deal about it?

My Irish Missionary

Dublin Airport

As I write this, Sarah is sleeping soundly at a friends house in Galway, Ireland.  She has spent the past 2 days with friends she has made over the past 3 years with each return trip.  I'm so thankful for Claire and her sweet daughters who gave Sarah a place to stay and treated her like a queen.  They took her to many places in the area that she had not been able to go to because there wasn't time on her past trips.

Tomorrow she gets back on the train and heads back to Dublin where she will meet the mission team.  They will all travel together to New Ross and minister to the teenagers in the community.  A very hard group of people to minister to in Ireland.

I would appreciate your prayers for Sarah & the prayer team.  If you are friends with me on Facebook, I often repost pictures she has posted from her Facebook page.

She messaged me tonight, because she couldn't go to sleep.  She didn't want to leave Galway, but she was also very excited to see what the Lord had in store for her in New Ross. It was 1:00 a.m. her time. I know eventually, my Irish missionary will move to Ireland.  Her passion is to share Jesus with the people there and her love of the country is obvious.  She has been happier these past few days than she has been in a long time.

The Quiet Man Bridge

Sarah & Claire

Free book on Prayer

I mentioned in an earlier post that I am a new writer for a new ministry.

The ministry is called The M.O.M. Initiative; Mothers on a Mission to Mentor other Mothers.

I am so excited to be a part of this great group of women.  They are committed to ministering to moms not just through their written words, but in real life.  Every quarter a new eBook will be available focusing on topics that will encourage & equip moms to be the godly mom they want to be.

The blog features a different writer everyday & often there are giveaway's.   Right now if you subscribe to the blog you get a free eBook called FACING OUR FEARS - 31 STORIES FROM M.O.M.

Many of the women on the team have written books or are in the process of writing a book.  One of my new friends on the team has her new book coming out really soon and as a promotion plan she is giving the book away on Amazon as an eBook.  I have read most of this book and it is absolutely wonderful.  Rachel Wojnarowski shares from her own personal experience as she uses scripture to paint a beautiful picture of how prayer can change our life.

It is called "The Sensational Scent of Prayer".  

The book will only be available for free on Monday (September 3rd) & Tuesday (September 4th).  Please, go & get it!  If you love it please leave a review on Amazon.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE BOOK  Don't forget, it is only free for 48 hrs on the 3rd & 4th.

 

Very Best Intentions

Recently, the Lord brought to my attention something that surprised me. I participated in a woman's leadership training program through my church last Spring.  There are several phases to it that when completed will have taken about 2 years.  The 2nd phase is about to start.  I picked up my books and began looking through them, excited to participate again.  The purpose of this study is to better equip women to minister to women and to facilitate small groups on this actual study.  Sounded fun to me and I really wanted to better educate myself on how I can minister to women more effectively.  It was a time commitment and there would be a lot of homework at home, but I didn't mind.


Ok, so the part that surprised me is when I sat down with the books & the Holy Spirit spoke loud & clear..."Not now!"
Wait! What did you say?
"This is not the time to do this study"
Really?  I really wanted to do this.  I need to do this.
"Not now!"
I kept thumbing through the books...I did this for days.  I didn't understand.  This is a good study & it will help me a lot do what I feel I am called to do.
Why can't I do this?
Even though I was frustrated, I recognized what was going on & knew I needed to let my leader know that I would turn my books back in and could not participate in the study.

The next day I was reading in my current devotional book, My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers.  I have used this off & on for years & never grow tired of it.
This is what I read.

"Rehabilitation means the putting back of the whole human race into the relationship God designed it to be in, and this is what Jesus Christ did in Redemption.  The Church ceases to be a spiritual society when it is on the look-out for the development of its own organization.  We are not here to develop a spiritual life of our own, or to enjoy spiritual retirement; we are here so to realize Jesus Christ that the Body of Christ may be built up.
Am I building up the Bod of Christ, or am I looking for my own personal development only?  The essential thing is my personal relationship to Jesus Christ-"That I may know Him." To fulfill God's design means entire abandonment to Him.  Whenever I want things for myself, the relationship is distorted.  "My goal is God Himself, not joy or peace, nor even blessing, but Himself, my God."

(My Utmost of my Highest, July 12th writing. )

This made me think about my motive's in doing this leadership training.
Why was I doing this?
Did I feel it necessary in order to have a more effective ministry?
Am I trying to further my own ministry on my own?

The training is good.  It has been done in many countries, equipping women all over the globe to minister to other women.  It is an excellent program, but if the Lord doesn't want me involved it doesn't matter how good it is, it won't be effective in my own ministry.

Sometimes we have the very best intentions, but they are wrong.  Our very best intentions are meant to take us on one path, but instead they take us in the wrong direction.  I'm very thankful that the Holy Spirit stopped me before I took off in the wrong direction.
One other thing, I never prayed and asked the Lord if I should do this study.  I just jumped in.  Why pray about it?  It is a great study!  Hmmm, there is a reason why scripture tells us to pray with out ceasing! 

Is there anything you are trying to do with the very best intentions, but that still small voice is warning you not to?  LISTEN TO IT!

"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things..." John 14:26

This is what it is all about!

My 2nd oldest daughter went to our church preteen camp as a counselor. She had 10 6th grade girls to keep up with, pray with, lead in Bible study and just have a great time with. She had a blast. There was one girl in particular that really touched my daughter's heart. Her name was Sarah. She trusted Christ that week as her Lord & Savior. Sarah(my daughter) had the pleasure of praying with her when she told the Lord how much she loved him and needed his forgiveness for all her sins. Sarah said it was one of the sweetest & most confidant prayers she had ever heard a new believer pray.

Below is what she posted as her Facebook status the day after they returned from camp. I just had to share it with you. Pray for Sarah as she begins a new life with her Jesus!

There is one thing I would like to announce to you all. I have made a life changing experience the one week which has changed me forever. For a long time, I have always thought the wrong doing I've done was all my fault, and that I've had something wrong with myself. I would sometimes cry myself to sleep every time I would get mad, and think, "why did God put me this way?" So things started changing for me. I started talking insulting, and having a bad attitude. So after a while, after I found out my gramma was about to die, I thought "no, God couldn't be real." And then I came to Stonebriar church camp, the place that changed my whole life and my... perspective of God. I suddenly felt so apologetic to God of how i treated him, and that if I believe in him, i will not perish. I met the most amazing people there, and I became friends with the most wonderful person: Jesus Christ. He is there for everyone no matter one, and he loves everyone no matter what. He died on the cross for US!!!!!!!!! amazing! I just want to thank Pastor Joe, my counselor (the awesomest one) Ms.Sarah Bailey, my cousin, cabin mates, and my friend Emi who has been there for every step of the way. God bless you all!

Ministry

My husband & I started a ministry for moms called Living Stones Ministry. You can get more information on that at www.Livingstones4moms.com