Day 17

I don't know why, but day 17 feels like a mile stone. In the bible they use the term Ebeneezer to say "Look! We God was here and He got us to this place." So-Look! God is here and He got us to this place.

Tonight I had a great conversation with a friend. He and his pastor and I had a good time of prayer at their church. He's going through some really deep stuff in his life and we were praying for him.

My friend and I have a lot in common. His name is Joe and so is my husbands. His wife's name is a lot like mine. It's a variation of Shannon. His son shares my sons name. We lived on the same block. We both are made stronger by a yoga practice. The Lord healed and restored my marriage and the Lord is at work in his marriage.

Now, I am a person who believes in miracles. I always believe in and expect the Lord to do a miracle. When my husband and I were about to split into a million pieces, I went down-stairs with the kids and said "Don't worry. One way or another, God is going to do a miracle here. He's either going to do a miracle by saving Mom and Dad's marriage and our family, or He's going to do a miracle by giving us peace and joy while he walks us through a divorce. Either way, we will be fine."

I KNOW THAT GOD WILL ALWAYS SHOW UP. I also know that the knowing is a blessing. I am grateful for it.

He said "There's really no hope for restoration in my marriage. I thought there was, but I was wrong. There isn't" I said "I rebuke that in Jesus name." and his pastor looked at me shocked. "With God ALL things are possible," I said. I told Joe about with God has done and continues to do in my life, heart and marriage. His pastor gently rebuked me and said something like "Sure,sometimes miracles happen and it's great when they do and we have a story to tell. But, God isn't a vending machine. He's not like "Give me a Snickers, Lord" and he shoots it out."
That's true to an extent. The Lord is the LORD. He's not a puppet, but He does hear us and answer. I am reminded of the story of Hezakiah. He was told that he had DAYS to live (2 Kings 19:1) He got alone and turned his face to the wall and wept and cried out to the Lord to change His mind and the Lord heard him and saw his tears and CHANGED HIS MIND. So is he a vending machine? NO! But He does hear us, and He does move on our behalf. I don't know why...I guess it's because he's merciful and He loves us and that is awesome....litterally.

So I am a girl who expects miracles. Sometimes it takes years and years for us to see Him move but it doesn't mean He's not moving. You BET He is.
Remember that song from the Doors? Jim Morrison says repeatedly "You cannot patetion the Lord with prayer. You cannot petition the Lord with prayers. How can you petition the Lord with prayer." Wrong, Jim. Wrong.

Yes we can!

Now, the Healing Season is a plan of action. It's a plan to bring my heart before the Lord and ask for total healing. I am asking for healing even deeper than the healing the I need from the loss of my parents in the tornado. I'm asking for the Lord to uproot and remove and fill with His peace all and any pain, brokenness, despair, mistrust and disease from my life from birth until the present. I invite you to do the same. Let's spend a moment and ask the Lord to show us what pain we need to bring to Him.

(pause)

I have some stuff left over from when I was 14 and just growing into a woman's body that I brought to the cross. See, Jesus came to reconcile ALL things to the Father. That includes my body image and it's roots in adolescence. It includes my marriage and yours. It includes every single thing. Everything. Everything is made right again in Jesus.

What trips me out, is that since He rose, everything is already reconciled in Him. It's done. Yet often times, I live under an illusion that it's somehow still hanging in the balance. No Way! He isn't rising like a sun. He's risen like the SON.

I proclaim His victory over my heart and yours. I thank Him for I could never have won this on my own. I'm on my knees in gratitude.

As a side note, it is still tornado season and one struck the Midwest today. The news said six people were injured, none killed. I felt a little dizzy and do right now as I write this. I'll take a moment to pray for the Lord to work in this part of my healing.



Prayer:
Lord, I am dizzy. Would you ground me in your truth. Give me shelter in the storm. Give me peace, your peace. Remind me that I am safe in the shelter of your wings. You are my strong tower and nothing, no man, no circumstance, no condition in the weather or in any other thing will rock you. You are the rock. I cling to you now and continue to expect total and deep restoration.
Lord, I thank you for what your suffered on the cross. I thank you, Father, that you took mercy on your children and sent us a savior. I thank you that your Spirit is with us so that we are never along.
Show up in our minds and mouths today and always. Let us be quick to listen and slow to speak. Let us be beacons of hope in the world and reminders of the truth that because Jesus rose, we have hope.
Be with me in hopeless times to send your wisdom and discernment. Help me to address challenges in a way that is above all, pleasing to You. Lord, you live. Live in me.
You are welcome here.
Amen.

Scripture:
Psalm 61:2-4 (New International Version)
From the ends of the earth I call to you,
I call as my heart grows faint;
lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
For you have been my refuge,
a strong tower against the foe.