No Time for Passive Prayer

What a week.

      Time change.

           Brooke's birthday.

               The Presidential Election.

I couldn't stop watching the television Tuesday night as America state-by-state was lighting up red. Evangelicals voting for their beliefs and I just couldn't stay awake any longer due to being up at 4:45 a.m. that morning and needing to be up at 5:00 a.m. again.

For days devotions were shared that regardless of the election, God is still in control. That is what I had to cling to as I was convinced Crooked Hillary could potentially win. Not able to stay awake any longer I went to bed with hope. Hope the final states would push Trump to President of the United States.

Then I prayed.

Not the "God, I know you are still in control regardless" passive prayer, it was time for fervent prayer.

God, we need your help.        We are a country founded on Christian beliefs and look at Christians across this country voting/fighting to keep this country safe.      Give us time.       Allow America to heal.        For my girls and my future grandchildren.       I'm not ready for this to be the beginning of the end.      Give Donald Trump an opportunity to protect our country, protect millions of unborn lives from being murdered in and coming out of the womb.        Give him a chance to revive all the ground we have lost.      She is a murderer.         Hear the prayers of millions of Christians uniting together.       Please give us time. A few more years of hope and healing.         Forgive our country for all its foolishness and entitlements.         Protect us from ignorance and division.        Republicans and Evangelicals are lighting America up red. Hear our prayers.      Please put an end to her.     You are in control.      For the millions of unborn babies, please protect our country. 

I woke up shortly after 3:00 a.m. unable to stay asleep worried about the election and I saw it. Donald Trump was elected President of the United States.

Thank you, God.

Hope.

Pride in America.

We did it!

Coffee, Advil and the excitement of adrenaline, I wanted to stay glued to the television all day to watch the highlights. See the rejoicing. See her defeat. I want to watch every step of the way.

All day prayers of thanks and hope has gone to a holy God. Thank you, Lord. 

Election Day

I woke up at 4:45 a.m. this morning filled with anxiety of today, election day.

What an embarrassment this election has been and so many wonder, where is a qualified candidate? One that can conduct themselves fitting to be President of the United States. I vote on election day because it is the all-American thing to do and quite honestly there is no way I trust my vote to an absentee ballot.

America teetering on major and significant issues and we are only hours away from which path is our country going in.

Yesterday I shared a devotion titled, Why I'm Not Worried About the Election written by Sharon Jaynes, Girlfriends in God. Quite honestly, this is what I am going to need to cling to if the one is voted into office ...

The LORD has made the heavens His throne; from there He rules over everything  -Psalm 103:9 

Friend to Friend

I don’t know about you, but my emotions have been all over the board about this upcoming Presidential election. It is so easy to fall into the ravine of worry, anxiety, and outright fear. So let’s just talk about it a minute.

During one of my “less than trusting” days, God reminded me that He is still in control. Yes, God does give us the risky gift of choice, but He is still sovereign and sitting on His throne.

God reminded me of King Cyrus. Jeremiah prophesied that the Babylonians would take the rebellious Israelites captive for seventy years. Years later, that’s exactly what happened. Jerusalem was destroyed and the Israelites were taken captive for seventy years.

Jeremiah also prophesied that God would raise up a Persian King named Cyrus who would conquer the Babylonians and set the Israelites free. One hundred and fifty years later, that’s exactly what happened. The prophet even called him by name ... Cyrus. Amazing! In 539 B.C. King Cyrus decreed that the Israelites could return to their homeland and rebuild the temple.

Stay with me.

Here’s the prophesy: “This is what the Lord says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him . . . ‘I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge me’” (Isaiah 45:1, 4; see also 41:2-25; 42:6). About His sovereignty over all nations, God says of Cyrus, “He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please” (Isaiah 44:28).

Stay with me. Here comes the good part!

Now one might think that Cyrus must have been a “mighty man of God,” but he was not. Far from it. He worshipped a whole host of gods. However, God chose him to play a major role in the history and life of His chosen people.

The prophets referred to the heathen King Cyrus as the Lord’s “shepherd,” and His “anointed.” Even though King Cyrus was not a Yahweh, God-fearing king, God still used him to bring about His purposes. “All that I please.”

And God can still do that today. God will do what God will do. He can and will work through godly and ungodly leaders alike. Cyrus is not who you or I would have chosen to be “president.” But he was exactly who God used for His purposes at that time in history.

So that’s why I’m not worried about this presidential election. Paul reminds us, “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God (Romans 13:1 NIV).

Daniel reminds us, “It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men and knowledge to men of understanding (Daniel 2:21).

Jesus reminds us in His words to Pilate before His crucifixion, “You would have no authority over Me unless it were given to you from above (John 19:11).

So that’s why I’m not worried.

We pray.

We vote.

God is on His throne and His purposes will not fail, no matter who sits in the oval office.

7 and 11

Some days I stop and wonder how on earth I ever raised two little girls on my own for 20 years.

During times of flowing income and when I chose not to work everything always worked out and I never lost a thing.

You see, I have just enough. Just enough money for a good life and just enough for my occasional wants. I have the willingness to do the work and I absolutely agree God meets my needs and wants while giving me a grateful heart for every little thing.

When my girls were little, babies actually, I would dream of the day when they would be 7 and 11 years old. Oh, to have them at an easy age to relieve the all-consuming daily routine of being a single working, full-time mom with little ones.

Tomorrow Brooke turns 17. My girls will be 17 and 21.

I think of the ages 7 and 11 that seemed to be freedoms number, but now I look back and they were still babies.

17. That means the countdown begins to 18.

Freedoms homestretch. Light at the end of the single mom tunnel.

I feel like a butterfly wiggling in my cocoon, in a wonderful metamorphosis, emerging my way out to freedom.

I know the places I want to go, the things I want to see and experience and I am just about to do that!

Let the countdown begin ...

Making the Most of Every Day

I miss days spent wondering what outdoor activity I want to partake of making the most of sunshine before work, after work and on a day off.

I miss holding on to the hope of a stress relief knowing when I get off work, my bike, the sunshine and 8 miles was waiting for me. A favorite cardio that increases my heart rate and removes the days tension.

It's getting dark early now, my windows are staying closed with heat on to take the chill out of the air. The holidays and winter is coming and life is slowing down on the intense activity level.

I'm sad to see summer and autumn come to an end, but certainly not this year.

It's November 2nd. In preparation for winter hibernation and holidays, today will be in the 70's and I am taking a vacation day.

My Answer

Choices and decisions, every day we make thousands without thinking about it.

I present fervent prayers to God and wait for an answer from Him. That doesn't mean a magical answer comes right away.

That doesn't mean I get to formulate an answer I like in my own mind and call it "from God." It's just not how it works.

I wait. I pray. I seek.

Sometimes I cannot even think beyond a day, because life on its own brings unexpected twists and turns. So, I keep my eyes on just the day ahead of me and wait.

Days and weeks pass. I watch how life plays out on its own without my intervention to control it. I wait for direction one way or the other and for peace with either way.

Last night I was invited to present our rescue mission to an elite group of successful, Christian leaders and youth. It was there sitting in the midst of people united in God that my answer came.

I'm sitting in the middle of a beautiful mansion of a home with approximately 50 people called together for a higher purpose when a couple stood up to speak. Their ministry was horses. Horse therapy. A topic that I am intrigued with, but their presence was simply one of peace.

They had my full attention when there was a voice in my head that spoke while I was listening, "This is your answer."

The husband standing up there with his wife talking about families falling apart, relationships falling apart, homes falling apart, that there is a science to what horses can teach us.

"This is your answer." [Listen]

I find myself almost holding my breath uncertain which direction this is going to go in, but I knew, I was excited that in my waiting there was a clear answer about to quickly be revealed.

"Dr. Petry, when you came to our stables that first day, you asked how you did. I told you that you made a lot of mistakes with Sadie (the horse), but that it was okay, Sadie didn't hold anything against you, she forgave you. The next time you came in you did great, but Sadie made a lot of mistakes while you were working with her, but you forgave Sadie. There will be days when you make mistakes and days when Sadie makes mistakes, but you cannot hold it against one another. Jesus Christ came ..."

My awareness was heightened. I was listening to the voice of God. Not my own reasoning, thoughts, choices or directions.

He didn't come to me in a burning bush or a bright light, but he audibly caught my attention when I was in the midst of a lot going on around me and my attention was focused on my surroundings.

It is the neatest thing in the whole world to pray, wait, and listen to God and then, hear Him when He does answer. It's like trying to explain love, you simply can't.

Just this week doing devotions in the meal ministry before 110 dinner guests as I was about to read the next section in Habakkuk, I asked my listeners, "Can you imagine if when praying and asking God questions what it would be like if He answered? God did answer Habakkuk's questioning and we are about to hear what He said."

God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He didn't just speak to those in the bible thousands of years ago.

If God spoke to people throughout the bible and we know in heaven we will know Him and talk with Him, why on earth do we think he is silent in between? That in between, He doesn't speak to our generation? I believe we are a generation the reads about God of the bible (past), knows He is the God of eternity in heaven (future), but He is silent with us. He isn't. He is the same yesterday, today and forever.

When God speaks pay attention.

Pay attention to hear God speak.

"I said."

There is a recurring theme in the last couple books of the bible we've been going through during devotions in the books of Nahum and Habakkuk. 

At first, I was pretty put off. Growing up most of us learned the story of Jonah, the one who was told by God to go to Nineveh and tell the people to repent. Jonah ran, hid and ended up in the belly of a whale for three days. Given another chance, Jonah follows God's command, Nineveh repents, God spares. 

Then. Then, came the prophet Nahum 100 years after Jonah. Nineveh, then the most powerful nation on earth, seemingly invincible, is back to their old behaviors. Arrogant and rebelling against God. Nahum pronounced judgment on the nation and this powerful nation was in the end utterly destroyed.

The book of Nahum is only three chapters. Short. Powerful. Why was this book never shared? God spared, then came back and said, "I said." 

God sees all. 

Then comes the prophet Habakkuk, another three chapter book. Habakkuk boldly bringing questions and complaints to God on difficult topics on evil in the world and the wicked seem to be winning.

God begins to speak and tells Habakkuk to write it all down plainly so all will see and understand. Then, God. He does what he said He was going to do and He uses whatever He chooses to show that He is in control and will triumph. World powers crushed. He says, "I said."

This election is scary. Life uncertainties, injustices, wrongdoings leave me reeling out of balance. But, God. God doesn't miss a thing. He knows all, sees all, and has the final say. 

These two books of the bible says and emphasizes again and again what God said and judgment. Timing is everything and my soul is aware how what I am teaching applies directly to my own life. The theme in these two books, said once, then emphasized again has my undivided attention. My eyes open and my heart listening. Not at me; rather, as a comfort. 

Listening to the Voice of God

I'm reading a new book Discerning the Voice of God from one of my new favorite authors Priscilla Shirer.

In busyness, a very full schedule, the noise of life, television, social media, favorite quotes, mantras and respected opinions I find myself searching for answers and direction.

Not crumbs of I believe this and I believe that from my worldly perspective that gets lost and jumbled inside of feelings and emotions, but truths.

About a decade ago when I really became interested in searching for God, He spoke to me through books and words and devotions, because that's where I searched for Him.

I called this blog The Magical Highlighter because when I was seeking Him, words would jump off the page as answers as if they were highlighted. Where you seek Him, you will find Him. Truly, He can and will use any path He chooses to reach you.

When He does it through the most unlikely of people, my awareness is heightened and I find myself in moments of impressed respect. Which sounds ridiculous evening typing because our minds cannot even grasp all who He is. I guess it's just an avenue that speaks better to me personally.

Sitting still is my go to in storms. I sit still, connect more strongly with God, heal, get strong, and enjoy my place of covering and protection.

Sometimes its days, sometimes its weeks, and a few times it has been months.

At the end of sitting still, which is like a gentle nudging, I go from loving the warmth and protection to ready to ready to throw the gates open and race again.

Sitting still is not a time out. It's not a punishment. It's a yearning to quiet the noise and connect with God in a deeper way.

This book Discerning the Voice of God is how to recognize God's voice when He is speaking.

Priscilla shares in If Your Listening ...

My prayer time used to be a one-way conversation - all talk, all the time. Once I'm finished bringing my prepackaged matters to God's attention, instead of ending things right there - as though I've dutifully delivered my report to Him and can now go about my business as usual - I don't. I resist the urge to jump to my feet just because "I'm done." Sure, I might be done, but ... what if God's not? I've gotten a chance to talk - to share with Him what's on my mind. Why should I not at least allow Him the same courtesy?

Rather than telling God things I already know, I invite Him to tell me things only He knows, things He wants to share with me by His Spirit. 

The thoughts of God know ones knows except the Spirit of God. 
- 1 Corinthians 2:11

I've done a lifetime of talking in prayer, we are supposed to present all things big and little to Him. My new journey is now learning how to listen, perhaps not forcing Him to be a show off and speak through the craziest of avenues simply because He can. Although, it does dazzle and impress me. 

How on earth am I supposed to know answers to specific matters I pray about if I don't give Him the opportunity to speak after my lengthy list of prayer requests and an Amen?

I'm learning to turn my one-way conversation/requests/pleas/and everything I fervently present and perhaps give Him the opportunity to speak and me listen. 

A two-way conversation. 

Listening to the voice of God.