Yesterday in church during worship, there were so many encouraging raindrops that I had to share some lyrics.

"Nothing Is Impossible" by Planet Shakers
". . .Through You,
Blind eyes are opened,
Strongholds are broken,
I am living by faith,
Nothing is impossible!

I’m not gonna live by what I see,
I’m not gonna live by what I feel

. . . I know that, You can do anything
I believe, I believe,
I believe, I believe in You."


"Because He Lives" by Bill Gaither

 "How sweet to hold
A newborn baby
And feel the pride
And joy he gives
But greater still
The calm assurance
This child can face
Uncertain days
Just because He lives.

Because He lives
I can face tomorrow
Because He lives
All fear is gone
Because I know
He holds the future
And life is worth the living
Just because He lives."

"Jesus Paid It All" by Elvina M. Hall

"Lord, now indeed I find
Thy pow’r, and Thine alone,
Can change the leper’s spots
And melt the heart of stone.

Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow."


These songs encouraged me so beautifully!  I hope they do you, too!!

 

This made me smile! 

You may remember the story in Mark 2 where the friends of a paralyzed man tore the roof off of a house and lowered him to Jesus to be healed.  Verse 5 of that chapter says, "When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee."  When Jesus saw "their faith," not the paralytic's faith, he forgave the man's sins!!!  When I read this along with Pastor McGlamery in his sermon, it made me smile!!!

I have been reading a book about intercessory prayer that says that we are the hope of our lost loved ones who will not pray for themselves.  Mark 2:5 confirms this:  when the Lord sees our faith, even if our lost has little to no faith, the Lord saves on our faith!!!!!!  

This makes me smile!!!

If you have read my blog in the past, you may be aware of my "reading the red" each morning and evening, reading the words of Jesus.  A few days ago I came to Luke 5:4b.  It says, " Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught."  I immediately felt like God was speaking directly to me!  I have been feeling like I am on the brink of a wonderful move of God in my life, and then I read this.  Now I have to find a way to "launch out into the deep," but I will tell you that I am excited about it!!!

You can take this verse personally, too.  Launch out into the deep with God; let down your nets for a draught, and see what you catch!!!

BIG RAINDROP yesterday. 

In my "reading the red," I came across Luke 4:18.  (I added verse 19 today.)  "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord."  Jesus came and accomplished this, and my lost loved one is included!!! 

Enough said!  I feel like rejoicing!!!

I know it has been a while, for which I apologize, but my raindrops have been private, and I have been trying to figure out how to share them without causing pain to anyone. 

I can share one raindrop, though.  I dreamt or had a vision of one of my lost loved ones admitting a limited belief in God!!  This person said about God, "He just doesn't understand!"  That is a huge step!!  That confirmed to me that this person is making progress in the path back to serving God, and I am thrilled!!  It also revealed to me more specific ways to pray! 

I also had a raindrop this morning!  I have been reading a book on intercessory prayer, and while reading a scripture reference, I felt the need to do a cross reference.  There, I found Jeremiah 1:10.  It says, "See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant."  I know I am in a fight for the soul and spirit of my loved one.  This verse gave me another reason for praise because of the victory it promises, but it also gives me more of a sense of responsibility!  I am accepting this challenge and will fight this spiritual battle that is raging against my loved one until that person is walking in victory with Christ Jesus, in favor with God and man!  I will, with the authority given to me by God, "root out...pull down...destroy" and "throw down" satan and his schemes.  I also will "build...and plant" life in Christ for my loved one!! 

Satan likes to make us think we are not effective in our prayers or in our fight for our lost, but this verse tells me yet again that he is a liar!! 

Praise be to our all-powerful God!!

God let me witness an answer to my prayers!

I have been praying for God to have someone speak truth into the life of my lost loved one.  I got to witness that first hand TWO TIMES in the last few days!!!  The first time, several Spirit-filled people passionately refuted untruths coming from this person.  Hating confrontation, I wanted to stop the process.  I actually had to leave the room.  Once outside, God reminded me of the MANY prayers I had prayed for this to happen.  The second time, someone publicly prayed and basically laid out the plan of salvation and praised God for being Almighty, Wonderful, Creator God, etc.  It was so powerful!!  This time, I KNEW what was happening! 

I thank God for keeping me from interrupting His work, for showing me His hand, and for allowing me to witness His process and His answer to my prayers!!  He is working in this life, and I am so very grateful!!

Two other people for whom I am praying has also shown evidence of God's working in their lives, and I am grateful!!  God is answering yet another prayer!!

Also, Daddy came home from State Convention really sick with a very high fever.  I called a few people whose prayers I trust, and Daddy's fever broke!!!  God moved swiftly, concisely, evidently, and mightily!!  I praise Him!

Talk about raindrops!!  God does answer prayers!!

What would I tell my 16-year-old self?

A friend posted this question on Facebook, with the answer needing to be in seven words or less. 

I am not sure what I would tell myself at 16-years-old necessarily, but I know what I would tell myself throughout my life:  be honest about your struggles so that people can see the victory when it comes and will know that they can trust God, too.  Perhaps this is one reason why we are to confess our faults one to another.  (James 5:16) 

If I had been more transparent with my loved one that is lost, would that person have seen the struggles and realized that my faith had foundation and that my God is real and present in all my situations? 

Does this mean I should always focus on my struggles?  NO!  But there are times we should be less self-righteous, and focus more on the righteousness that God gives us (Romans 5:19:  "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.") and the power of God unto salvation (1 Peter 1:5:  "Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."). 

This is just a thought!  =)