Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Case (Lifenews - Feb. 21, 2006)

Praise God! To all those praying for the ending of abortion in America, this is a wide-open door to pray for victory on the issue of partial-birth abortions. Now is the time to pound the courts of heaven for the courts of earth to champion the cause of His inheritance, those in the womb.

May the arrows of your intercession "hit the mark" and may this gruesome procedure end in America!

There will always be a storm

I think I'm starting to really understand (a little more, at least) that there is always going to be a storm. There are always going to be problems, but it is my choice whether I focus on the problems or focus on the Answer. It's just like the story with Peter walking on the water with Jesus in Matt. 14:24-33.

It says clearly in v. 24 - "But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary." These are obviously problems. Peter chose, at first, to look at Jesus, and not at the problems. This is so key. It was when Peter took his eyes off of Jesus and looked at the problem that he began to doubt Jesus:

"But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying 'Lord save me!'" (v. 30).

When he took his eyes off Jesus, he lost sight (literally too) that he was already safe and, doubting, cried out to be saved. We do that so often. We take our eyes off Jesus, look at our problem(s), and forget that we are safe. We really ARE safe when we are abiding in and gazing upon Jesus!

In compassion, understanding his weak heart, Jesus stretches out His hand to save Peter and says to him, "'O you of little faith, why did you doubt?'" (v. 31) I always thought that Jesus was addressing Peter's doubt that he could walk on water, and that may be part of it, but what I am getting an understanding of is that Jesus is talking about the fact that Peter doubted that he was safe with Jesus. Peter doubted Jesus and then in His kindness He stretches out His hand to save Peter, even though he was already safe. I can relate, Peter.

So, my epiphany today is that there are always going to be waves and wind of some sort. In my naive, fantasy mind I have always thought that they would go away. They may diminish in seasons, but will never disappear. The trick is learning to keep my eyes on Jesus and realize that I truly am SAFE, even if I can feel the wind on my face and the waves splashing around my feet.

Now reading...

I just started this book a few days ago and I can't put it down (I'm just reading it at night, that's why I'm not finished yet). This book is highly captivating and thought-provoking. It puts a whole new meaning into the understanding of what an intercessor really is. For an intercessor to be most effective, we must die to ourselves and let Jesus live through us. This really is the calling for every Christian, but even more so for the intercessor. Since we are called to stand in the gap for someone else we have to empty ourselves of our selves. This book is really tweaking my brain.

I remember when Molly Webb kept telling us to read this book months ago, but I was in the middle of like 5 others books and wouldn't let myself start a new one. God's timing is perfect, though, and now is the perfect timing for me to be reading this book anyway.

More thoughts about this book later...

So recently a lot of people have been asking me what my "dream" is. This is a really hard question to answer, especially because I've had a lot of them over the years. Some have been dropped and some have been held onto. I think I always thought I had too many and it was really hard to pursue any one of them wholeheartedly, until now. I remember when I was just a newborn (Christian) and I remember when I was sitting in my room, just hanging out with God, reading His word, but I had homework hanging over my head. I couldn't spend too much time with God because I had to get my homework done. I remember crying out to God, why did I have to be in school?! Why couldn't I just hang out with Him all day?! I'm sure some of you out there had similar thoughts at one time...

Well, now that I am in the House of Prayer, I get to hang out with God all day. Yeah, I do have other tasks to accomplish at times, but I have a lot of freedom to spend hours on end with Him. It is exciting, and yet, for one of the first times in my life I haven't had the overwhelming urge to want to look ahead into the future. I haven't wanted to dwell on some "dream" far off in the future, even if it is only a few months away. I can honestly say, that I am content with right where I am. I am at peace. Everything is okay and will work out. I'm finally not worried about where I'll be in 5 years. I can hear some of you thinking, "she should still set some goals or something." I say goal are good, but I finally feel rather free of a driving ambition to get me somewhere. So lately when people have asked me what are my dreams, I have hesitated. Not because I don't have any, but because I would be totally content for years (as long as things get fiery every now and then) to sit in the House of Prayer and contend for friends, family, unknown people, and the nation(s).

Maybe one day I will be posting an "I Have a Dream" speech on my blog, but not today.

IHOP Atlanta goes 24/7!

I have some really exciting news:

IHOP Atlanta is now 24/7 !! We officially went 24/7 on Feb. 12th. This is very exciting for us, as intercessors, and for Atlanta as a whole. Now there will be a continual incense being lifted up to the Lord from Atlanta on behalf of its people.

The whole thing was really prophetic, as this all went down on 2/12. I won't go through all the details, but will hit the quick highlights so that you can more effectively praise God for what He is establishing in Atlanta and throughout the country.

Billy Humphrey, an awesome man of God, the man who basically got the download from God on starting IHOP Atlanta used to be a youth pastor at a local church. The name of his youth group was called "212" because it is the boiling point of water. They originally chose the theme verse Isa. 64:1-2 to go along with that. It was not until a couple of years later that someone pointed out the verse from 1 Chronicles 9:22-24 that says:

"All those chosen as gatekeepers were two-hundred and twelve... so they and their children were in charge of the gates of the house of the LORD, the house of the tabernacle, by assignment..."

In context this scripture is talking about those assigned to take care of the house of God (house of prayer). Well, we are those gatekeepers. A number of people have prophesied about Atlanta being a gate city, and it truly is. We understand that to be ministering before the Lord in the House of Prayer, we are calling down His government to earth and therefore we are the gatekeepers, opening and closing the doors as He shows us. This is also why our school of ministry is called the Gatekeeper School of Ministry.

There is so much more, and I don't even know the whole story yet (Billy began the prophetic history last night at the Encountering God Service). Read Billy's article called The Gatekeeper Anointing and an awesome article on Atlanta's Redemptive Calling.

I am amazed at what God is doing in Atlanta and all over the earth! There is definitely an urgency in this hour to get right with God. He is up to something BIG.

To all of those who read my blog regularly, sorry for not posting anything lately. Although I've been in the prayer room a lot, which has free access to the internet, I have had a hard time sitting down and penning my thoughts. Partly because there are too many to pen, and partly because I have had a challenging time making sense of them all. I guess the first chunk of time I've spent here has been a time of defraging my soul and spirit. I am at peace, but God is also shifting some of my paradigms, which is not always painless.

Let me just say, for the record, that I love being at IHOP. During the last few encounter services, I have gotten completely messed up, especially the night that Dave Sliker from IHOP KC preached. I do not by any means have a grasp of this whole house of prayer thing, but what I DO know is that I DON'T know what I've gotten myself into. I also am beginning to realize that the whole vision is bigger than just Atlanta. Well, I guess I knew that to a certain extent, or I wouldn't have spent 9 months in DC crying out for our nation. But, it's even bigger than just America. Well, I guess I knew that too, or I wouldn't have gone on all those mission trips overseas and God wouldn't have put it in my heart to speak Spanish & love those who speak it. The new aspect that I am just beginning to understand is that God wants to bring revival to the Church to drive the Jews to a holy jealousy, that Israel would be saved! I love it!

So, with all that being said, plus the added realization (partially) of who God has created me to be, I believe that it is quite possible that being in this House could be my life's calling. There, I said it. I feel better now. I am really just taking things day by day, but I can truly say that I have never, ever been as excited to wake up and go to "work" every day as I am now. I am just excited to even get up. Besides being in DC, I can't remember ever feeling like this on a consistent basis.

Thank you, Lord, for allowing me to be a part of what you are doing in Atlanta and on this earth. I honor and praise You for who You are and that You LOVE to LOVE.