Only God … and My Front Porch Swing

Good Monday Morning!

Well, it’s “good” because God is good, but I have to tell you…I feel like I’ve been run over by a mack truck! I’ve got some kind of cold that makes my nose and ears all stopped up, my eyes are stinging, my glands feel swollen, and I’m having an MRI on my shoulder today (a possible partially torn rotator cuff,) and just waking up feeling physically done.

But, guess what?!?! The joy of the LORD is my strength! And although physically I may be weakened, spiritually I feel so alive, so strong, that the only reason I can feel such empowering joy is because of … JESUS!

I’m so fired up, ya’ll! And it’s from having spent the entire weekend with Jesus! I sat in my front porch swing from Friday morning at 6:30 until Sunday night around 6:00pm. It’s been amazing! I jumped off a “wheel” of constant activity, only to spend the entire weekend leaning in with all ears to understand God’s “will” for my life.  Literally, God took hold of me with the pages of His Word and enlarged (increased) my understanding of His will for my life and it’s like I told Rip, “There’s no way I will be able to live any differently now. This was deeply profound!”

Throughout the weekend, I’d get up and walk around, grab a little food from time to time, and when it would start to rain or get too cold to sit outside, I’d come plop right on our bed. But in both places, I had with me … my Bible, journal, study resources, and 3X5 index cards. And ya’ll, as I told my dear friend, Rene’ Collins while we were on the phone, the word that comes to mind that describes my weekend with the Lord is this –

OUTPOURING!!

First, He took me to Philippians 2:13, then Philippians 3:10-21, then Ephesians 6:10-17 – the Believer’s Armor, then Mark 11:22-25, (the necessities for effective prayer), then Mark 6, (expecting the blessing), then Matthew 7:13,14, (narrow is the gate and straight is the way), and then right back to Philippians 2:12-18 on Sunday. Oh, my! Y’all, as I sat on that swing, it was time to understand God’s purpose, power, and its permanence in my life is such a personal way.

***Let me just say, yesterday when Rene’ called … the flood of words that came out of my heart to her were unstoppable! She was the person that God just went on and said, “Lett’r roll!” So I did. I shared so much with her. I may have been sick, but I couldn’t help be try to share with her everything God enabled me to understand in one weekend:

Spiritual warfare – Spiritual armor – Spiritual mindFULLness – Spiritual living 

The necessities to EFFECTIVE prayer

How to live and pray expecting the Blessing: God’s Blessing Makes All the Difference

Taking claim of the eternal blessings that are ours IN Christ Jesus

Taking hold of our inheritance – how to use our “title deed” (Our Bibles) in defeating Satan’s attacks and obstacles

How we share in the death, burial, and resurrection AND the ascension of Christ.

Why it is imperative that as believers we LOVE our Bibles! Know the God of our Bible. Know how to use our Bible.

And here’s the exciting part!! At least it was for the both of us, because we know that when God is speaking, He speaks through multiple people His message for His people.

She said to  me:  “Lisa, it’s as though you were at the Priscilla Shirer simulcast. I’d say about 85% of what you are saying to me, is what she taught and almost in some of the exact wording.”

NOW THAT IS GOD!!! I wasn’t there. I was on my front porch swing sniffin’ and snortin’ my way through the Scriptures, and trying to soak it all up with a bum arm! hahaha! But she was in awe and I was, too, of how the messages were acutely similar … only God. That’s all I could say. Only God. Only God.

Now, in no way … (please hear me when I say this) … in no way am I elevating myself to the level of ministry that Priscilla is used by our King. But what I am saying is … “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” James 1:5

God is impartial. If we ask to know what it is HE wants us to know, what HE wants us to understand and how HE wants us to walk in wisdom, He will give GENEROUSLY everything HE wants for us. Generously means “overflow” “abundant” “more than enough” and “outpouring.”  God Is Very Extravagant!  G.I.V.E. – that’s just how He gives … perfectly portioned to the point that we are in awe of His generosity!!!

So, here I am too sick to be able to make a video of my weekend, but once I get my voice back and my total self on good-footing again, I plan on sharing with you ALL that I gathered in one weekend. It’s 9:20am on Monday morning, and I just now sat here and shared so much of my weekend with my daughter, Samantha, and she said, “Mom, you need to make videos on what you just shared – that’s powerful!”

Ya’ll, it is powerful because of this one truth that we find in Psalm 31:15,  “The course of my life is in Your power.”

As we are focused on creating our,  “This is My Life” plan, let’s start there – Let’s memorize Psalm 31:15. The entire course of my life and your life is in the power of Almighty God!

I will be right back tomorrow —

I love you and am so blessed to be walking this journey with you!

lisa