Yielding verses Running

This information comes from a CD by Cathy Walters, speaker at the Celtic Flames conference March 27 – 28, 2009.

 

            Cathy challenged her listeners “To do as Christ did! Christ yielded to the anointing of God, rather than running to the meet the needs of the world.” At first this seems very simple, something we all should be able to do, but as I thought about it, I found it changing my life.

 

            I grew up with the mentality that to stay alive I needed to be of value. Which lead me to do what I believed was valueable making people happy, so I worked hard to do what those around me wanted.  These beliefs are need-based and caused me to grow up very co-dependent. I rejoice that I have walked out of the depth of co-dependence, but as I listened to the CD, I found God convicting me of my co-dependant nature once again because I still selectively run to meet the perceived needs of another when it is within in my gifting.

 

          For example, I am good at creating and managing large databases. Because I can do this I would run and help people and organizations with this task. Often I would feel led to become involved with a particular ministry, and so I looked for the place to get involved. When I did that, was I yielding to the anointing or running to meet the need? This is a hard question to answer. Helping with some databases was the most effective avenue to encourage the work of the ministry and have contact with the leaders. . At those times, doing the databases was yielding to the anointing of God, as I saw fruit in every conversation. But other times, I was simply running to meet a need in a ministry I loved. There was no anointing and no fruit in my life or anyone else’s.

 

Jesus only did what the Father told him to do, went only where the Father told him to go and said only what the Father told him to say. Cathy Walters, challenged us to do as Christ did: Do only what the Lord directs you to do, go only where the Lord directs you to go and say only what the Lord directs you to say. 

 

I took that challenge as I listened to the CD, and in the two weeks since making that commitment, I have found my life changing in small but profound ways. I walk knowing that God is in control of my life and that he asks only that I yield to His anointing, going as He leads, doing only as he directs and speaking only as He gives utterance.

The pressure to meet the need is gone. I am happier, for I am no longer running to meet the needs I see around me. I have found my gentle, but confident “No” voice which allows me to yield even more to the anointing of the Lord. I am not sidetracked and can stay focused on the anointed tasks the Lord provides while praying that those anointed to meet the needs that arise around me will come forth and serve.

 

I have changed how I look for direction and guidance, for I am yielding to the Lord rather than looking for the opportunity to serve. This change in my mindset has brought much freedom to my schedule, and my days are becoming freed up for the Lord to occupy to the fullest extent!

 

So if you find yourself wanting to yield to anointing instead of funning to meet the needs, take this simple step and pray:

 

Lord, I choose to yield to your anointing, and I confess, renounce and break the preconceived notion that I have to run to meet every need. Father, I release and commit myself to do only what you direct me to do, to go only where you direct me to go and to say only what you direct me to say. I make this decision through the power of my risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, in whose name I pray, Amen.

 

If you have said this prayer with all your heart, walk in the assurance that He who has begun a good work in you will bring it to completion.  

 

I close with this final statement from Cathy Walters:

 

Don’t take yourself so seriously,

Rather, take the anointing of the Lord seriously!

 

Blessings and Complete Joy,

Mildred          

 

Check out our monthly memory verse on the Equip page as well as a copy of SOAP a bible study method you can copy and print out for yourself.

 

 Intercessors Heart; replaces the often visited Secrets from My Prayer Closet, where you can read a personal prayer blog, find helpful prayer tips and current prayer opportunities and post your prayer requests to be shared with my intercession team.

 

 Joy Jewelry a ministry branch of Complete Joy created to bring both ministry support and to spread joy in the form of fun jewelry for women and other accessories that your joy might be complete! From this page you will be able to see and purchase jewelry and accessories made my Mildred to support the ministry of Complete Joy.

 Take a poll on our Joy Jewelry page  and tell us the jewelry you like most! This poll will influence what jewelry is available in the coming weeks.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This blog is part of the ministry of Complete Joy and is published each Tuesday and Saturday, usually by noon Pacific Time.

Who is your Father?

 Recently I witnessed God bring a profound question to the heart and mind of a man as he spoke about not wanting to be like his abusive father, so he has done everything not to be like his father. As he spoke, this question arose who is your father?

 

            We often look at our earthly father and realize being like him is not good for us. It is good to recognize our parents’ flaws so that we don’t make the same mistakes as we parent our children. However, there is a moment in our Christian lives when our earthly fathers are replaced by the one who created us, our Heavenly Father.

 

            We have to come to that point, when we desire to be like our heavenly Father. Just as we desire the attributes of Christ, so we also  should desire the intimate relationship Christ had with his Father, who is also our heavenly Father. We need to let go of all of those things that hinder us and the sin that so easily entangles us, as Hebrews 12:1-2 tells us:

 

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

 

            Our human parents have attitudes and actions that we do not want to imitate. This is all the more reason for us to mature and understand that our parents did the best they could, but chose to begin walking into a deeper relationship with our heavenly Father, making the choice to imitate Him rather than our earthly fathers, for our heavenly Father has attitudes and actions that are worthy of imitation. This is a way to honor our earthly parents without cursing ourselves by saying we don’t want to be like them.

 

            Matthew 5:45-48 is one example of Jesus instructing us to imitate His father: “You have heard that it was said, `Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

 

            I began to receive my Heavenly Father as my Father when my dad had a mental breakdown and was in the hospital. He wrote me a letter telling me why he couldn’t be my father for a while and that he was sorry that he had to break relationship with me. As I sat crying in my car, I heard my heavenly Father say, “I will be your father, you are not alone”. It was in that moment that I began walking into a deep relationship with my heavenly Father. This is a conscious decision we all have to make, and when it comes, I pray you make the best choice and receive your heavenly Father as your Father, because it was the best choice I ever made! If you feel like you missed that moment, then take the moment now and receive your heavenly Father as your dad. It isn’t too late.

 

            For my friend, who did make the choice to receive his heavenly Father as his father that day, that choice will change the world around him significantly, for he will now be able to walk deeper into the calling God has on his life!

 

Blessings and Complete Joy,

Mildred          

 

Check out our monthly memory verse on the Equip page as well as a copy of SOAP a bible study method you can copy and print out for yourself.

 

 Intercessors Heart;replaces the often visited Secrets from My Prayer Closet, where you can read a personal prayer blog, find helpful prayer tips and current prayer opportunities and post your prayer requests to be shared with my intercession team.

 

New Page;We have just gotten the okay from WordPress.com to launch a new page

 

Joy Jewelry.  Joy Jewelry a ministry branch of Complete Joy created to bring joy. This fun jewelry for women and other accessories are created so that your joy might be complete! From this page you will be able to see and purchase jewelry and accessories made my Mildred to support the ministry of Complete Joy.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This blog is part of the ministry of Complete Joy and is published each Tuesday and Saturday, usually by noon Pacific Time.

The Vantage Impact: Obedience to believe

This is the final blog about a trip I took to Vantage, Washington. This trip to Vantage was for me a journey of obedience. I didn’t know anyone or know the first things about Vantage, I just knew and therefore believed I was to be there.

 

            I have spoken in previous blogs about how I came to be in Vantage. I want today to share about two specific events which happened on the final day of the gathering that impacted me in amazing ways.

 

The morning of the final day of the gathering in Vantage, began with a flurry of activity because I needed to get the car packed before breakfast and I didn’t have a lot of time. I went into the kitchen after successfully getting the car packed, and as I sat down in the kitchen with my friend Rita, I suddenly realized I had misplaced my sunglasses. I went out to the car three times, looking everywhere for my sunglasses but couldn’t find them. For most people that isn’t a big deal, but my eyes are very light sensitive, and being without them can cause me to have migraine headaches.

 

 

While I looked all through my car for the third time, I told the Lord that I didn’t think it was a good use of his money to have to buy a new pair of sunglasses, so I began believing that if he didn’t want me to spend the money, he would put my sunglasses in the visor clip where they belonged.  I knew they were somewhere in the car, so in peace I went on to breakfast, knowing that I would have to spend the day without them.  That whole day, even through it was 98 degrees and full sun, I had no eye pain, and the sun never once went directly in my eyes. It was so amazing.

 

 

Later that day I locked my car keys in the trunk of my car. When I went back to Rita’s to change into my shorts. I had decided rather than just pulling out my shorts, I would take the luggage out of the trunk and into the house. As I closed the trunk, suddenly in horror, I realized I had locked my keys in the trunk.

 

Once several months before, I had locked my keys in my trunk and then miraculously found them in my pocket, so I checked my pocket, hoping God would put them there for me once again, but they weren’t there. I stood in horror, talking with the Lord, telling him I didn’t have the time to call a locksmith so I was just going to go on with life believing he would take care of me.  When I got inside, to my joy, I found keys in my luggage safe and sound. I stopped everything and praised God for caring so much for me, but I still was without my sunglasses.

 

The next day, as I prepared to travel home, I was still believing God to find my sunglasses and put them in my visor clip, so as I got in the car, I looked hopefully at the visor clip, but nothing was there, so I drove the five hours home to Portland, Oregon, and for a second day, I never had a ray of sun go directly into my eyes, even when I had to look up at the traffic signals along the way.

 

On Wednesday, two days after returning home as I prepared for the day, I made a mental note that while I was out, I was going to pick up another pair of sunglasses at Walmart. As I got ready to begin my day’s outing, God had another surprise for me.

 

To my joy when I got in the car, God blessed me as I found my sunglasses sitting in my visor clip, just as I believed God for! I shared this chain of events with my husband, and he nodded, and I went on praising God for his love and care for me.

 

At any one of these moments I could have chosen to quit, walking into depression, but instead I chose to believe in God and his call upon my life. I trusted that He would take care of me, even when in my hurry, I locked my keys in my trunk and misplaced my sunglasses.

 

I believe that putting my faith in God and not allowing the situation to control my feelings allowed God to work as he desire to, so that he could care completely for me in ways only my Heavenly Father could.

 

Blessings and Complete Joy,

Mildred

 

Check out our monthly memory verse on the Equip page as well as a copy of SOAP a bible study method you can copy and print out for yourself.

 

 Intercessors Heart; replaces the often visited Secrets from My Prayer Closet, where you can read a personal prayer blog, find helpful prayer tips and current prayer opportunities and post your prayer requests to be shared with my intercession team.

 

New Page; We have just gotten the okay from WordPress.com to launch a new page Joy Jewelry.  Joy Jewelry a ministry branch of Complete Joy created to bring both ministry support and to spread joy in the form of fun jewelry for women and other accessories that your joy might be complete! From this page you will be able to see and purchase jewelry and accessories made my Mildred to support the ministry of Complete Joy.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This blog is part of the ministry of Complete Joy and is published each Tuesday and Saturday, usually by noon Pacific Time.

The Vantage Impact: Obedience to follow

For those who are just joining me, I spent four days in Vantage, Wash., going to an exhorters gathering through Plumbline Ministries. An exhorter is a classification of spiritual gifting. Someone with the gift of exhorting has an ability to encourage, build up and help to release the people of God to become all God created them to be. This blog is about learning to obey God’s voice, one of the lessons I learned while at that gathering.

 

My first lesson of obedience to follow where the Lord was directing came as I traveled to Vantage. Traveling down the freeway just outside of Seattle, I took a wrong turn and went west instead of east on I-90 for almost 30 minutes before I finally stopped and asked for directions. I felt a lot of condemnation, both internally from my own soul and spiritually, as the enemy takes every opportunity to break our spirits, but I kept on going and God blessed me for it, as I rolled into Vantage at 5 p.m. an hour late and found Rita, the woman I planned to stay with, and her friend sitting in lawn chairs waiting for me in the front yard!

 

The second test of my obedience to follow came on the final day of the gathering as I woke up. I sensed God giving me marching orders to be prepared to travel home if the gathering broke up before 3 p.m. I was a bit bummed by this, for I really wanted to stay another night, but I also knew that if the gathering broke up after 3 p.m.,   would have the blessing of God to stay and enjoy Vantage for one more night.

 

As I got up, I began a flurry of activity because I needed to get the car packed before breakfast. I hurried and scurried around, even with several missteps as I got ready to go. All the time Rita just smiled. As I sat down and talked, I told her that if the gathering today broke up before 3 p.m., I sensed that the Lord wanted me to drive home, but if the gathering went beyond, I could stay one more night. I think we both wanted me to stay one more night.

 

The day went quickly, and little by little people left.  Was I supposed to leave? I kept asking myself, but I knew I couldn’t leave until after we had accomplished a prophetic act I was a part of. Several times we almost got to that point, but something always sidetracked the gathering, and it didn’t happen. There was an amazing time of ministry where most everyone was ministered to which ended up taking us about four hours.

 

As we took a break, Rita walked up to me, pointed to her watch and smiled, saying, “It is ten to four, so I guess you are staying the night.”

 

We finally ended about 8 p.m. and said our final goodbyes to those who were traveling back home rather than staying an extra night. As I got ready for dinner, I began asking the Lord why I had to get ready to go that morning when He already knew I was staying. Then I realized to a deeper level what I had been working on all weekend – obedience. This was another step in the process.

 

I was amazed to also realize I was feeling what the Israelites must have felt as they traveled the desert for forty years following the direction of God. I have to say this day and this lesson will influence who I am for the rest of my life because I have learned another key piece of faith and the meaning of truly obeying God’s direction.

 

Blessings and Complete Joy,

Mildred

 

Check out our monthly memory verse on the Equip page as well as a copy of SOAP a bible study method you can copy and print out for yourself.

 

 Intercessors Heart; replaces the often visited Secrets from My Prayer Closet, where you can read a personal prayer blog, find helpful prayer tips and current prayer opportunities and post your prayer requests to be shared with my intercession team.

 

New Page; We have just gotten the okay from WordPress.com to launch a new page Joy Jewelry.  Joy Jewelry a ministry branch of Complete Joy created to bring both ministry support and to spread joy in the form of fun jewelry for women and other accessories that your joy might be complete! From this page you will be able to see and purchase jewelry and accessories made my Mildred to support the ministry of Complete Joy.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This blog is part of the ministry of Complete Joy and is published each Tuesday and Saturday, usually by noon Pacific Time.

 

The Vantage Impact: Obedience to speak

For those who are just joining me, I spent four days in Vantage, Wash., going to an exhorters gathering through Plumbline Ministries. An exhorter is a classification of spiritual gifting. Someone with  the gift of exhorting has a God given ability to encourage and building up the people of God helping to release people to become all God created them to be. This blog is one of the lessons I learn while at that gathering.

 

Throughout the four days in Vantage, I was faced over and over again with the choice to be obedient, as I listened to the Lord and he directed me about what to say. I often didn’t want to say anything, but each time I stepped out in faith, the audience was blessed, and so was I.

 

One such situation happened as I attended a First Nation gathering where Bryan, one of our group, was involved in a reconciliation ceremony with the First Nation (Native Americans) in Richland, Washington. I felt led to stand behind Bryan, praying for him as he spoken to the gathering there, but as I stood there, I found myself in a conversation with God about my dad.

 

 First I was asked who my dad was. I answered, Jack H. English. Then I was asked what he do. I responded, “He was a civil engineer.” Then I was asked, what did he build, as I responded, I felt like bells and whistles went off, and I suddenly realized why I was standing there, because my father had designed the first fish ladders which were put into the Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River. His design was also used for the fish ladders around the world. I realized that I had the unique opportunity to speak as the daughter of the designer of the fish ladders and also as one of the descendants of the builders of the dam which had flooded many of the Indian villages up and down the Columbia River. A struggle arose in me. Should I say something? What was the protocol? I couldn’t get anyone’s attention, so I told the Lord I would be obedient and speak if the situation allowed me to speak.

 

As I got closer to the moment when I could have spoken, I remembered another important piece. As I child, I was with my mother visiting with an elder of the Indian community as he sat on an Indian fishing platform above the Columbia River. As mom talked with him, he had huge tears running down his face. When I asked him why he was crying, he told me, “it is the end of an era in the history of my people, never again will we be able to fish here upon this platform.” As I walked away, I too was in tears because of the pure emotion of the situation. As I thought of this event in my childhood, I now shed tears of understanding, which I knew would be very important to the First Nation and the people gathered here.

 

Suddenly it became time for me to step up, but as I did, they closed this section of the event, so I didn’t speak. I was so emotional that as I turned away still crying and asking the Lord what I should do with this information.

 

As I sat down under the dining tent listening to the closing remarks of the event, I once again heard the Lord say to me, “go to your own people, for Old Vantage was also flooded out and forced to move.” Later I was given the opportunity to publically ask forgiveness of Bryan and his family since they owned the city of Vantage. We all saw healing, and God released peace and understanding in all our lives. Two days before, I had been lead to tell Bryan that they needed to go and take water from old Vantage and pour it on to bluff where Vantage was moved to. Now we all understood why.

 

            Being obedient to speak as God directed went to a whole new level while I was at Vantage, and it has changed my life forever because I also learned that God really can use everything that happens in our lives. When he said all things work together for good (Romans 8:28), I believe it to a deeper level than ever before.

 

Blessings and Complete Joy,

Mildred

 

Our Release page read a submission by Betty Denney from the Jackson County Prayer Task Force called HAVE FAITH IN GOD. It is a very special piece selected to encourage your faith!

 

Check out our monthly memory verse on the Equip page as well as a copy of SOAP a bible study method you can copy and print out for yourself.

 

 Intercessors Heart; replaces the often visited Secrets from My Prayer Closet,  where you can read a personal prayer blog, find helpful prayer tips and current prayer opportunities and post your prayer requests to be shared with my intercession team.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This blog is part of the ministry of Complete Joy and is published each Tuesday and Saturday, usually by noon Pacific Time.

 

The Ginkgo Tree

While in Washington State on a ministry trip, I spent four days in Vantage, a central Washington town which the owners of the town are preparing for it to be a city of refuge. Bryan the owner of the town contacted Arthur Burk, the founder of Plumbline Ministries. He suggested inviting people to who have a gift of encouragement, also called exhorters, to come and to his town to seek the Lord.  it what through this call to exhorters that came to Vantage.

 

I have found the teachings of Arthur Burk, the founder of Plumbline Ministries, to be both Biblically based and practical for my everyday life, a unique combination.

 

            While in Vantage I found myself stretched and growing spiritually as we were afforded time to listen to the Lord and speak as He prompted us about the city of Vantage and to its owners, Bryan and Michelle.

 

            During one of the breaks, several of us went up to the Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park museum where we viewed a video about the Ginkgo Petrified Forest which was formed as the ice and water moved throughout time. The Ginkgo Petrified Forest is named for the petrified wood of the Ginkgo tree, which is native only in China. Before the last ice age, it must have been native to the region since it was found in and among all the other petrified wood in I grew up going from museum to museum, and I really enjoyed watching the video.       

 

            After we finished watching the video, we went outside and took several pictures of the Columbia River, then we headed back to attend the next session of the gathering and I forgot all about the Ginkgo Petrified Forest and the Ginkgo tree.

 

            Two days later, as the gathering ended, I decided to go back to the museum gift shop to pick up something to remind me of Vantage and the people, especially Bryan, Michelle and Rita whom I had grown to love. I chose a heart necklace, which I intended to take home and alter just a bit so it won’t be so heavy to wear around my neck. As I got to the cashier, I saw three ginkgo tree starts sitting on the counter, and they were only eight dollars, less than the necklace I intended to purchase. Unfortunately, I knew there was no place around my condo to plant a tree, especially a tree that can grow to more than thirty feet tall. So I left, knowing that in my heart wanted a ginkgo tree but I couldn’t bring it home to plant.

 

            Traveling home, I thought about my new friends and the unique fan-like leaves of the Ginkgo tree. After I got home, as I walked from my car with my luggage, I passed by what my neighbors call “the strange tree” which stands near the back door of my condo.  The leaves of this strange tree look like a fan, but with arms full of bags, I noticed, but went on inside.

 

            On my next trip out to the car to retrieve the last of my stuff, I stopped to look more closely at the tree which has been outside my door for the last eight years. To my joy, I realized it is a ginkgo tree. I began to praise God because I realized that I was right where I was supposed to be in my life. God knew I would go to Vantage and that I would love the fan-shaped leaves of the ginkgo tree and want one.

 

God loves us so much that he delights in our joy! I can’t tell you how happy I am to have this ginkgo tree right outside my back door. I want to cry out to the world, “God love us so much, and He desires to bless you, watch and see!”

            God knew my heart was to plant a ginkgo tree by my condo to remember how the Lord met me at Vantage as well as to pray for my friends and the town. This ginkgo tree also stands as a reminder that God hears, knows and   cares about the smallest things in my life, which brings me great joy!

        In my next several blogs I will be writing about the lessons I learned while in Vantage. I hope you will join me next time for The Vantage Impact – Obedience to speak.

 

 

Blessings and Complete Joy,

Mildred

 

Our Release page read a submission by Betty Denney from the Jackson County Prayer Task Force called HAVE FAITH IN GOD. It is a very special piece selected to encourage your faith!

 

Check out our monthly memory verse on the Equip page as well as a copy of SOAP a bible study method you can copy and print out for yourself.

 

 Intercessors Heart; replaces the often visited Secrets from My Prayer Closet,  where you can read a personal prayer blog, find helpful prayer tips and current prayer opportunities and post your prayer requests to be shared with my intercession team.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This blog is part of the ministry of Complete Joy and is published each Tuesday and Saturday, usually by noon Pacific Time.

Baby Steps continued

For those who are just joining us, my previous blog was all about my first baby steps into recording prayer at a remote site to be aired by K-Praise a local radio station here in Portland, Oregon, we join the story as I drove home after the recording was successfully completed, (to read more about that experience please visit my previous blog).

 

As I got home, I began thinking more and more about the next step in this process – preparing the recording to deliver to K-Praise. I gathered the music which Karen selected and the segments we recorded for K-Praise and put them on my desk so I would be ready to send the material off to K-Praise then next day, because the office was already closed for the day and should I have problems James wouldn’t be there to walk me through the process.

 

            The next day I got on-line and tried the usendit.com to send the files to K-Praise, but I couldn’t find the information on how to send the files for free. Next I tried e-mailing one of the segments as an attachment, but it never loaded, so I cancelled it. I was really frustrated, so took a break and I decided to see if I could download and burn the files onto a CD.

 

            I did figure out how to burn the segments onto a CD I drove down to K-Praise and delivered it personally to them, with joy, thinking I was done. I picked up my grand-daughter, who was going to spend the day with us. After returning home, I got a call from the station manager telling me that they couldn’t load the CD on to their system.

 

            As we talked, he told me not to worry about these glitches because I was their, guinea pig since this was the first time they had done pre-recording this way.  He ended the conversation by telling me he had sent me a link so that I could use usendit.com to send him the files and assured me not to be concerned because if all else failed, I could bring the recorder back to K-Praise and they would download it that way.

 

I clicked on the link, and there was the complete price list with a fourth free column that I had not seen the previous time I tried usendit.com. Not giving it a second thought, I went to the K-Praise account and was able to download the files before my grand-daughter went down for her nap. Soon after, I got a confirming e-mail telling me the files had been successfully downloaded by James at K-Praise!

 

These baby steps have sometimes been exciting, and at other times I have been filled with worry, but I took all the steps in faith, knowing I was stepping out right. I rejoice, knowing that with each step I am one step closer to doing all God intends me to do since He created me. So I am filled with complete joy!

           

Blessings and Complete Joy,

Mildred

 

On our Release page read a submission by Betty Denney from the Jackson County Prayer Task Force called HAVE FAITH IN GOD. It is a very special piece selected to encourage your faith!

 

Check out our monthly memory verse on the Equip page as well as a copy of SOAP a bible study method you can copy and print out for yourself.

 

 Intercessors Heart; replaces the often visited Secrets from My Prayer Closet,  where you can read a personal prayer blog, find helpful prayer tips and current prayer opportunities and post your prayer requests to be shared with my intercession team.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This blog is part of the ministry of Complete Joy and is published each Tuesday and Saturday, usually by noon Pacific Time.

 

Baby Steps

Recently I was given a device to record prayer to be aired on the radio. The first of the pre-recorded prayers was aired on K-Praise on May 31^st at 6 a.m.

            On May 21st, Karen, my radio prayer partner, and I gathered in the prayer room in her church where there was a stand and a stereo microphone to attach into my IC recorder to capture 45 minutes of prayer in three 15 minute segments.

            As we prepared, the pastor placed the microphone in the center of the room. Karen and I sat on a bench together with the microphone between us. I put on the headphones so I could hear what was taped, and then we began.

 

            The first 15 minutes of prayer went quickly and flowed so smoothly, but I felt nervous. During the break, Karen got up to open the door slightly to let out some of the heat in the room. As I listened to the tape, I decided I needed to adjust the microphone because Karen’s voice was softer than mine. Then we began to record the second segment of prayer. I began to relax. The flow of the second segment was smooth, and the prayer ever so sweet as we focused on Pentecost. Then we took our second break.

 

            During that break, we adjusted the door still wider and agreed that the pre-recording was going well. We sat down again to record the third segment. I made a final adjustment to the microphone to reach it more comfortably, and we began. This time our voices were both strong in my earphone, and the prayer went well. Unfortunately, about halfway through the segment, I could hear music begin to rise, which caused me to worry that the pounding beat of the water aerobic exercise music coming through the common wall would be picked up by the microphone and that we would have to re-record the segment. Nothing could be done about the music, and we were almost halfway through the segment when it began, so I could only hope that the microphone didn’t pick it up. I didn’t hear anything in my earphone, but I couldn’t be sure until I listened to the replay. I rejoiced as I replayed the segment and there was no music in the background.

 

            As we finished the segment, I was filled with so much joy that I didn’t want to stop recording. I wanted to do another segment and continue praying, so Karen and the pastor teased me that I could keep praying but they were calling it a day. It was only then that I realized we had completed the third segment and we were really done. As we got things cleaned up, Karen and I talked about future tapings. She told me about a prayer meeting held by four churches that she would get information about. I smiled, as she was confirming the vision I had as we were taping the final segment of me going around Portland taping the prayers of the body of Christ.

 

            As I drove home, I wondered how the transfer of data would go. Would I have trouble? Would the recording be good enough? But I didn’t allow myself to walk into fear, choosing instead to walk in faith, knowing God has called me to this mission and the learning curve is upward bound!

 

Blessings and Complete Joy,

Mildred

 

On our Release page read a submission by Betty Denney from the Jackson County Prayer Task Force called HAVE FAITH IN GOD. It is a very special piece selected to encourage your faith!

 

Check out our monthly memory verse on the Equip page as well as a copy of SOAP a bible study method you can copy and print out for yourself.

 

 Intercessors Heart; replaces the often visited Secrets from My Prayer Closet,  where you can read a personal prayer blog, find helpful prayer tips and current prayer opportunities and post your prayer requests to be shared with my intercession team.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This blog is part of the ministry of Complete Joy and is published each Tuesday and Saturday, usually by noon Pacific Time.

Finishing Well

Recently I have been pondering how to finish well, while preparing to go to the last of the high places here in Portland to pray for the Lord’s glory to fall with a group of intercessors. We have gone to seven of the eight high places, and we will finish the last one this week, on June 6.

 

            Everyone has been excited about going to the high places, and I have been excited as well, yet now we are all tired and ready to be finished, sort of like seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. This activity has required eight months of prayer, six months of preparations and six trips (two trips were combined) .With so much time and much effort, now we are all tired. 

 

            Before we went to Kelly Butte, I found myself asking the Lord, “How do we finish well?” It was then that I received a vision for the future to lead teams of people who have a prophetic gifts, groups with hearts for evangelism and finally groups who have hearts to see healing to the high places here in Portland. In essence, we will return to each of these high places to meet the Lord, seek his direction and encounter His glory there! But first we must finish well at Mt. Tabor.

 

            We must prayerfully make those final preparations taking the trip up to Mt. Tabor seeking the Lord for where to go and how to plan out the day. I must take a fresh look at the directed prayer, the foundation of our time, and finally I must seek the Lord for what He has in store for us corporately and me personally while we are there.

 

We have also set a time afterwards to gather to celebrate and remember all the Lord has done in letting his glory fall. We have all taken ownership of bringing closure to our journey as each of us brings something to the group meal. I know this time of celebration and remembrance will be a very important time for us all.

 

            I rejoice that we have a vision for the future so we do not finish without direction. It is a special gift from God, for he knows I need direction!  People will be looking to me hoping that I know what is next, so God is providing comfort for us all.

 

            I think of how Jesus went away to Gethsemane and prepared himself for the cross, He showed us all how to finish well, by getting away and seeking the Lord. This for me is the most important part of finishing well, and I must be careful not to overlook this as the time for Mt. Tabor draws near. Above all, I want to be connected to the Lord so that we might see the Glory of the Lord fall on Mt. Tabor as God intends it to!

 

Blessings and Complete Joy,

Mildred

 

New on our Release page read a submission by Betty Denney from the Jackson County Prayer Task Force called HAVE FAITH IN GOD. It is a very special piece selected to encourage your faith!

 

Check out our monthly memory verse on the Equip page as well as a copy of SOAP a bible study method you can copy and print out for yourself.

 

 Intercessors Heart; replaces the often visited Secrets from My Prayer Closet,  where you can read a personal prayer blog, find helpful prayer tips and current prayer opportunities and post your prayer requests to be shared with my intercession team.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This blog is part of the ministry of Complete Joy and is published each Tuesday and Saturday, usually by noon Pacific Time.