No Room for a War Room

I went and saw the movie.
I know you did too.
Who wouldn't...It was amazing, convicting, and Beth Moore was in it for goodness sakes!!!


I came home all ready to get out the masking tape and start pinning all my prayers to the walls of my tiny closet.  Then I remembered, I don't have a closet...actually I have no small room, hidden space, or cubby that I could sit in warrior style.

I have a room upstairs that is used as a storage and the thought of cleaning it out and finding a place for everything in there was overwhelming.


I just wanted Ms. Clara's room!!!!

But, I can't have Ms. Clara's room so I had to put on my thinking cap!

As I thought about it I looked at the 3 kiddos that were running around the house like hooligans.  They need to see me praying.  They need to know what a War Room is.  They need this to be their life-style!

So, I went to work.

I placed my War Room in their Play Room!  I know, sounds like a disaster already!  Why in the world would this Momma do that!!

I'm sure you already are shaking your head and thinking I could use some good advise.

I thought of it as a great opportunity.  A chance.  A hope.  A example.  A witness to my children.

We will war together!!

I will war for THEM, for our kids will change the world, Right!

I looked in the room for a few, then got busy.  What toys couldn't fit into the closet was tossed.  The lego table and desks (that they never use) got moved downstairs.  Everything was taken out til it was empty.  Just a rocking chair and a old cabinet full of books.

Now it's time for tape....lots and lots of tape!

It's coming together now, it's still a place that toys get strung out...all the while I rock in my chair and pray.

I also know that prayer is a private thing at times and so I find myself in there early in the morning reading off the wall and asking God to intercede for my family, community, country, and this world.

I'm no Ms. Clara.
But I am a Momma, a Momma with a desire to witness more of God's power in this land.
I know you are alot like me and want great things for the future.
Let's war in our war rooms, outside of our war rooms, in our cars, in our kitchens, in the morning, and as we sleep.

May God hear our hearts cry out to Him.

An InLinkz Link-up

The ME Era

Ezekiel 3:18 says this...
"When I (God) say to a wicked man, 'You will surely die," and you (meaning you) do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life....

That wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood.

But, if you do warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his evil ways, he will die for his sin; but you will have saved your life."

Ok, let me get this straight...I am to be in someone else's business or I will be held accountable for their crappy decisions?!?

Yes!  That's JUST what it says.

I read the book of Ezekiel and it left me thinking many things.  This is one that had me looking into my own life and analyzing pretty hard.

If I see someone doing wrong and say nothing, then I am guilty.
I camped here for a bit.

Instantly a flooding list of things ran through my mind, things that I witness and turn away as if I don't see.  I hear and see things everyday that could not hold upright in the presence of God, yet I am calloused and hardened to everything around me, just like most people I know.

This cannot be ok.  

This is not ok with God.

Ezekiel also says in vs. 20-21 that if you do intervene and talk to this person, and they decide to turn away from their sin, you both will be saved.  How beautiful is that!

Most of us have grown up in a era of Me.
Me matters most.
Me need food.
Me need drink.
Me want things.
Me have fun.
Me get mad if you get in my way.

And so we turn our faces the other way when another Me comes along as to not offend them or not get in their business.

That is not what God advises though.  He persuades us to keep an eye on each other, to tell each other the truth even when it's uncomfortable, and to put ourselves in between someone and sin..in the hopes that they will chose something better.
In hopes it will spare their life.

Most of this country is under the influence of something addictive.  If you personally are not addicted to something; you know someone who is.  Everyone knows someone.

You may be addicted to your phone
addicted to the TV.
addicted to achievement.
addicted to work.
addicted to food.
addicted to attention.
addicted to internet.
addicted to drugs.
addicted to alcohol.
addicted to self.
and the list goes on and on...

We don't want anyone to get in our way when it comes to our time and the things we do with our time...especially our addiction's.

Addiction's will however cause us to take our eyes off of God and keep them on ME.

Real followers of Jesus will get in your way.  They will put their lives, reputation, and friendships on the life to stand in between you and yourself.

Even if it means great loss. The attempt is worth the risk.

It won't take long to wrack your brain of who's business you can get involved in.
Think about it as an act of love, for your own sake and the sake of your friend.
Don't hesitate when that person comes to mind, it likely is a matter of life and death.

BELIEVE God's Word!  It has no error and holds no lies..be a hearer and a doer!

An InLinkz Link-up

Pray for me

Have you ever asked someone if you could pray for them say..

"Nah, I'm good!"

That's happened quite a bit lately.
I've seen it personally and watched it from afar.
God fearing people saying, "I don't have anything I need prayer for, thanks anyway."


What!!
Give me some of that water!  That drink of I never have another need, I'm totally complete...no desires, no wants, no empty spaces.  That water!!


Wait a minute...I do have that water, and His name is Jesus!

Why would anyone ever reject a divine conversation to the Father by someone who is willing to spend their own time to plead on their behalf??  It makes no sense to me.


I've heard that we are a praying people.
I hear utters of it all the time but I don't see it.

Someone will tell of a hardship and others respond by saying "praying for ya."  There is big talk that everyone goes home and lays on their face and prays for everyone else.  I don't know if I'm living in a fantasy, but I dare to say that I don't believe it.  I don't believe most of them pray.  I betcha many of them forget or throw up a, "Dear God, be with so and so..."  Broad prayers likes that mean about as much as an empty promise to pray.


I know that sounds harsh, but seriously Church!!

Asking God to "be with someone" is well kinda silly...if we know anything about Him, we already know that He is with them.  The intensity of a prayer depends on how willing you are to put yourself in the other persons place for that moment.  Pleading, begging, asking, hoping, praising God.

That's what friends do.
That's what Christians do.
That's what we need.


Changing your prayer life really requires 2 steps:
1. Do it
2. Mean it.


Instead of waiting to pray, pray right there.  Pray while on the phone, in the store, or wherever you may be with this person.  Scripture says that whenever someone has a need, don't send them away and tell them they can have it tomorrow...be available for them now!


Then, when you do pray, do it in a way that this person's life depends on it.
Well, cause it really does..
Whatever you petition for will alter, change, and bring a powerful intercession over the situation and details of their need.  Things change when you pray, so..pray for that change with everything you have.

If someone asks you next time what you need prayer for make sure you give them a specific thing so that they can be personal in their prayer for you.

So...What do you need prayer for today?

If you leave it in my comments or message me personally, I promise to pray for you as I would want you to pray for me!

 

An InLinkz Link-up

Fearlessly Living Afraid

Everyone has something they're afraid of.  Some common fears I can list are being scared of heights, big crowds, driving in fast traffic, flying, speaking in public...etc.  They tend to make your heart beat just a bit faster and your palms sweat, bearing witness to your anxiousness.  It is normal to have a fear of something; something that would stretch you beyond your limits.

These are obvious fears, each has his own...I know mine, you know yours.

What about the things that you don't know your afraid of though, or maybe not admitted that you are afraid of?

These are deeply embedded fears,  Fears that control your life,  your thoughts, and your decisions.  They are hidden, maybe you don't even realize that you have them stored away.

I went to a Christian Writers Conference called She Speaks a few weeks back.  Two of my dearest friends ventured with me on a long drive across several states to meet up with like-minded women with a passion and fervor to write & speak for the glory of God.  It was something I had been looking forward to for almost a year.

While traveling down the road with the best girls, listening to my favorite tunes, & heading to the opportunity of a lifetime...I hear a question pop into my heart.

"Why are you afraid, Amy?"

Huh!  Where did that come from??  "I'm not afraid," I thought back.

"Yes, you are."

I was stumped into silence.  "Lord, what am I afraid of?"

I knew it was Him.  Only He would pose a question to me like that at a time when I thought I could conquer the world.

"Why do you home-school?" (I have kept my daughter home from public school for 5 years)

Well, I had many answers to that question, so I started pitching them all out.

"First off...it's better.  I mean, she doesn't have to conform to the world this way.  She is free to learn at her own pace.  It creates a longer presence of innocence.  I can focus on spiritual teachings and help develop her relationship with you.  It limits secularism...."  On and on, I fed Him my rap list of all the right answers.

Blah
Blah
Blah....is actually what it probably sounded like.

"That sounds good Amy, but your lying."

What! No....how could I have been lying.  I started to check my heart, I don't want to lie.  What am I missing here?

He posed the first question to me again...
"What are you afraid of?"

Something broke open inside of my heart.  My spirit resonated that there was in fact something I was afraid of and wasn't admitting.

I carefully whispered through my thoughts back to Him,
"I am afraid she will get hurt."
My eyes welled up.  My chest felt heavy and tight, I knew that He was exposing something deeper in me that I had hid away.

"I am afraid that you won't keep her safe Lord."

And there it was.. the nail was hit on the head!  Truth exposed!  I didn't trust God to take care of her for me.

Graciously the conversation continued on and instead of leaving me to wallow in my wretchedness, He spoke again.

"Do you believe I created you for a reason?"
"Yes, Lord."

"Do you believe I created her for a reason?"
"Of course, Lord."

"They why wont you trust that the purpose I have for her is good?"
 "Why wont you let me use her?"

The decision for us to home-school her was great in the beginning.  It was enriching and we have enjoyed her being home.  In the past, I may or may not have done it for the right reasons, but this year, He showed me that I had based my entire decision on fear instead of truth.

The choice to school her at home this year was not based on what was best for her, but instead it was based on what was best for my heart.

What a mighty stop sign fear can be!

It can put God's plans for your life to a complete halt.  Fear has the ability to freeze you in place when you are supposed to move.  It encourages you to be comfortable when God wants you to rely on His strength and do something different, daring, or dynamic!

The inner fears that stop you from God's purpose are an enemy to your existence.  They snuff out the good things God wants you to approach, and you miss out on life altogether.

There is always something that will speed up your beats per minute...but living fearlessly while still being afraid, allows you to feel scared while relying deeply on God to sustain you.

It's OK to be afraid, but it is not OK to position yourself as a stalemate and not move at all!

Right now examine yourself...ask Him, "What is it that I am afraid of?  What fears do you have that prevent you from being used by God?"

At the She Speaks conference, the Lord revealed to me an entire web of fear that I had tucked away.  He showed me what I was truly afraid of and how it was disabling my life.  I came home a different person; a different mother.

Today I walked her into her first day of class.
My mind was petrified, my heart was still...and God is with her.
I say to my fears..."I trust my God!"

And with that, I know her purpose will be great, because the God who created her is just that...Great!

An InLinkz Link-up

The Liebster Award + Link Up #3

I am very grateful to be nominated for the Liebster Award by Karen Sweeney-Ryall.  You can see her passion and love for Jesus at  www.becommingmybestme.com

On her blog she describes herself as,  "a devoted follower of Jesus and my prayer is that His light shines through me and His love flows through me to others."

If you are looking for encouragement from someone who understands the hardships of life; please swing by and see Karen.

Thank you Karen for nominating me for this award!

The Liebster Award is given to newer bloggers. 
Here are the requirements:

1. You must have less than 200 followers
2. Answer 11 questions
3. Nominate 11 others who have less than 200 followers
4. Create 11 new questions
5. Tell your nominees through social media


HERE ARE THE 11 QUESTIONS THAT KAREN ASKED ME TO ANSWER:

1. What is the burning passion in your heart?  To see people that are in times of heartache & pain turn towards God instead of turning away from Him.

2. What are your hobbies and interests that bring refreshment and joy to your soul?  I love to write, spending time visiting new places/traveling with my family, & tromping around our farm in mud boots.

3. Where is your favorite spots to sit and fellowship with God? How do you set an atmosphere?
I enjoy a quiet house with a cup of coffee, library, or coffee shop.  I often journal ideas and thoughts to Him down and later go back as to remind myself of How good He is to me.  I also like to play worship music low while we spend time together.

4. Describe your 3 best qualities.  I can encourage others even when I feel down in the dumps, I love to put thoughts on paper, and making my kids laugh.

5. Who is your favorite author?   James in the Word of God is my favorite author.  God used him to express a teaching that is critical, straight-forward, and is desperately needed in all times of history.

6. What is your favorite quote?  "Because he loves me, says the Lord..." Psalm 91

7. How do you like to start off your day?  My favorite mornings include a cup of hot coffee while sitting on my porch with pen &paper

8. Please share a little about your family or favorite significant people in your life?  My husband & I have been married 15 years.  We have 5 kids and 3 grandchildren that were hand-picked just for us.  Our kiddos range in age from 22 yrs to 1.5 yrs old.  I also have a small group of close friends that are precious to me.

9. Who has been your greatest role model?  A friend named Jill; who is selfless, sweet, and loyal to God even when it doesn't feel good.

10. What are your favorite foods?  Tacos, Zucchini, Pizza, & Tacos...I love food!  I love a cold glass of unsweetened tea.

11. What are 3 goals you have this month?  Prepare a book proposal for publisher meetings, keep up with our garden, & have a date night with my husband.

HERE ARE THE LADIES THAT I NOMINATE FOR THE NEXT LIEBSTER AWARD

Lorissa Sweet

Winter Lawson
s.a. Morgan 
Brooke Apffel 
Yolanda Perry 
Carrie Wiley 

NOW IT'S TIME FOR THE LINKY PARTY.  THANKS FOR JOINING ME AGAIN THIS WEEK!!

An InLinkz Link-up

BabyWise Master Lists + LOOKING UP LINK-UP

This weeks post is very busy.  Not only is it a portion of the Baby Wise Friendly Network and their contributions on parenting; but it also is my first Looking Up Link-Up post.

If you are a parent who enjoys taking your family on outings, I  hope you will find something useful in this post that will help with packing & planning.  If you are here from another blog please don't leave without scrolling to the end of this post and adding a link to your own blog.  This will create more exposure for you and a fun network of learning & sharing what each of us has to offer.

Here is today's post about summer fun & master lists; how organizing your pre-packing will make any day trip or overnight stay just a bit more comfortable.
  ________________________________________________________________________________
This week we went on a summer outing that we all were very much looking forward to.
Once a year they have a big air show a few hours from us and since we all love the excitement of aviation; we could hardly wait to get there!

Unfortunately the day didn't go near as we had envisioned.

5 hours of pouring rain, no outside shelter, everything soaked, the show was delayed for 3 hours as we wilted.  The kids were crying, I was crying...on the inside.  Needless to say, it was a disaster.  All I kept thinking, as we were sitting in the middle of the downpour holding our umbrellas statistically to form a canopy as a shelter, was that I really needed to make a master packing list for trips such as these.

Years ago, I created a Master Grocery List; it included anything and everything that I could possibly use in my home.  It covered Lima beans to light bulbs and everything in between.  It has a suggested number of those items I would need in order to be "stocked up" and as I got ready to go to the store I would print off my Master List, look at each item and determine how many I needed based on my "stocked" ideal number.

Many things, such as fresh fruit, I knew that I would need regularly; other things such as canned tomatoes, I would place a small number next to it, telling me how many I needed in order to replace what I had used.  It became a convenient way to shop and make sure that I didn't miss a thing.  As I'm dripping from the storm lagging on overhead, with 2 boys sitting in dirty diapers and no dry place to change them, my daughter "starving" for something to eat (which was impossible due to the ATM crashing and now out of order) and water up to our ankles...I day-dreamed of my Master Packing List and what I could have possibly packed in order to make this experience more comfortable.

What if I made a list that was similar to the grocery list and on it was items for day trips along with over-nighters?  Whenever we decided to go anywhere, for any length of time, I could simply print it off and circle all the items I would need according to where we were going, length of stay, activities, & weather.  Then I would at least be as prepared as I could be.

I went home and compiled a list of what I thought may be helpful to us...
Here is the list I came up with; if you find it helpful please copy & paste it to a Word document and use at home for your family  :)

MASTER PACKING LIST

FOOD

Drinks

Cooler

 Ice Packs/Loose Ice

Thermal Carrier

Coffee Travel Mugs

Water Bottles

Baby Bottle/Sippy Cup

Milk/Formula

Snack Foods (Carrots, Apples, Granola, Chips)

Case of Water

Medication/Vitamins/Supplements/Oils

  

TRANSPORTATION

Double Stroller/Single Stroller

Light Blanket to cover stroller if needed

Car Seat Cover

OVERNIGHT

Diapers & Wipes

Blanket & Pillow

Playpen & Sheet

Deodorant

Make-Up Bag

Hair Products

Toothpaste/Brush

Hair Brush/Comb/Hair Dryer/Straightener

Towels/Washcloths/Loofah

Q-Tips

Nail Clippers & Tweezers

Soap/Shampoo/Conditioner

Rubber Bands/Head Bands/Bobby Pins/Barrettes

Shaving Cream/Razor

Facial Cleanser/Moisturizer/Oils

Laundry Soap/Fabric Softener

Feminine Products

  

CLOTHING

 Play Clothes

Church Clothes

Extra Outfits

Socks/Underwear/Bras

Sweatshirt/Sweats

Pants/Capri's/Shorts 

T-Shirts/Tanks/Long Sleeve

Casual Sweater

 Jacket

Sandals/Flip Flops

Boots/Shoes

Pajamas/Slippers/Robe

Hat

Jewelry

  

EXTRAS

Notebook & Pens/Pencils

Art pack for kids (crayons, colored pencils, etc.)

Facial Tissue

Ziploc bags

Wal-Mart Sacks for wet clothes, trash, dirties…etc.

Lip Balm

Insect Repellent or alternative (Tea Tree Oil)

Glasses/Sun Glasses

Shower Shoes

Flashlight/Lighter or Matches

Toilet Paper

Travel Games/Movies

Camera/Video Camera

Ear Plugs

Hand Sanitizer

Sports Gear

Reading Material

1^st Aid Kit

Calendar

Handheld Vacuum & Charger for vehicle

Nursing Cover 

WEATHER

Umbrella

Sunscreen or alternative

$1 Poncho from Walmart

Fold Up Chairs

Tent

 Blow-Up Mattress

Camping Supplies

Swimsuits/Trunks

Little Swimmers

Floaters

Goggles

   

COMMON NECESSITIES

Cash

Laptop & Charger

Phone & Charger
Wallet/Driver’s License

Itinerary/Maps

Medical Info/Emergency Numbers

Business Cards

  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________      

 I hope this is at least a good start of something you can use at home.  I'm sure you may want to tweak it and add or move categories.  I am certain that it will be a great resource to me the next time we venture out as a family.

I was thankful that finally the airshow was able to start and as the clouds faded & the rain simmered down we were able to get a few photos; next time we will be more prepared and surely enjoy ourselves a bit more.

Now it's time for our 1st of many Looking Up Link-Up

An InLinkz Link-up