Friday, January 28, 2011

FEAR...Not anymore!

This morning I went back and was reading a blog post on a blog I read regular. It was about being vulnerable and about FEAR. And as she poured out her heart about all the times Daddy,Papa had delivered her from fear she began to speak to those reading that might be in fear...With out warning my eyes filled with tears as I realized I was full of fear. With today being Michael's last day at a job he has been at for almost 12 years and starting his new job on Monday we are a mix of emotions and worry as we embark on this change in our lives. Daddy,Papa has been faithful during this whole process and I know He wasn't going to leave us just now!

We were facing some really tough calls concerning alot of things ( and I wont bore you with the details). But the enemy had sent fear so I might be tempted to stop my praise of my Heavenly Daddy. As I sat listening to the praise music coming across my computer speakers I felt overwhelmed to pray for Daddy, Papa to deliver me from those chains of fear and bondage. And you know what He did...right there in my bedroom. I love how He ALWAYS shows up just when I need him and am calling on him. His presence filled the room and I was at peace with all the changes ahead and I was FREE FROM THAT FEAR!

My prayer:
Daddy I love you and thank you for all the many blessings you have poured out on our family. I know you have rich favor for each of us and I know you don't want me to be under any yoke other than yours. Please take my fear banishing the enemy break all those chains I have let Satan hold me in. Daddy hold me in your arms so I know I am yours and lead me where you should have me go during this time of decision making. Please forgive me for ever allowing Satan to hold on to me. And thank you for breaking me free. I LOVE YOU!!!

Saturday, January 22, 2011

He has heard our cry

December 29, 2010 is a day I think I will NEVER forget. It was they day that Michael called home and told me that he was going to be out of work as of January 7. I was stunned and I have to admit a little angry. Being the wonderful husband he is he set out exploring other job options and I set out praying and asking other "prayer warriors" to join us in prayer. Michael was upset and felt like heaven couldn't hear his prayer leading me to cry out in ways I have never before in my life. Well, God heard our cry and Michael was given a job roughly 2 1/2 weeks after hearing the news. It was amazing what God was doing and since he had mountains of paper work and other "stuff" to work out before starting his new job we thought we would need something to tide us over but God provided even that some how the company Michael was currently working for that was about to close received enough work to keep going so much so Michael actually had to turn in and work out a two week notice. He starts his new job January 31. We know God opened a door but also some how was able to speed the process along softening the companies presidents heart enough that he took a chance on a "green horn" like Michael. Yes there was times that I thought it looked grim but a friend Lindsey had a prophetic word for our live (and I am paraphrasing here) she said " that whatever was coming in the future would be BETTER for us no matter how grim it appeared it was going to be something way better than what Michael currently had!" I was floored and I believe she was too.

I have told you all this to testify to God's goodness and the fact that HE is living and working even today in what we thought was a bad situation. God turned all things around and was faithful on ALL His promises to our family. I am at a lose of words to explain all the ways God's glory was and is shinning in this "change." Michael and I feel so blessed and loved up by our DADDY He had not forgotten us He herd our cry and He moved a mountain for us. We thank God for His many blessings and no matter what will continue to sing of His goodness all of our days. We are broken and humbled at His feet as He continues to pour His love all over us.

A little SPROUTS testimony

About 3 years ago I started learning about the supernatural powers of God. Mostly through the healing of our son Cooper that left me wanting more and since that day I have strived for more...More of God, more of His spirit in me and more of His signs around me I have prayed for all of these and seen them each. But as an adult I have a hard time sharing the supernatural side of God with other adults. They don't want to believe what is happening saying it was for "another time" "things like that only happened in the Bible". And other likewise comments. Well NONE of that is true with children. A brief recap in case you don't know. I teach children's ministry at my church on Sunday nights. Our little group is called SPROUTS because we haven't came into our full "bloom" yet! Anyway I have been teaching them about our supernatural God and His power for over a year now so what happened last Sunday night should not have surprised me but it did.



Our lesson was about the "Gift of the Holy Spirit." It was a wonderful lesson about how the Holy Spirit was Jesus' power and how it is ours to do as the Bible says all the things He did and even greater. We ended our lesson with a question..."Who wants to try out their power?!?!" Oh yes I went there with no less than 14 kiddos under the age of 10 and 3 other adults in the room looking at me like what have you gotten us in to. So I proceeded "Is anyone sick?" NOPE! I thought great. So I said "Does anyone hurt anywhere?" My daughter shyly said " I feel on the ice last week and my thigh is throbbing and has a huge ugly bruise on it." I knew of this fall and of this bruise that was rather nasty and I knew of the pain it had caused her all week. So we circled up around Jesse and laid hands on her. Then I climbed out on another limb the one that led me to say " Mrs. Hollie isn't going to do the praying so which one of you would like to?" Only a couple hands went up we had 2 volunteers to pray out loud Gracie and my son Duece. With others Chase, Alyssa and Emily joining to pray in their spirits. Gracie prayed out loud once then asked "Jesse how does it feel?" Jesse said it felt better but the bruise was still there so Gracie decided we needed to keep praying until the ugly mark disappeared. She prayed again and the bruise started to fade then prayed once more and the whole class began to see marked difference in the color!!! I was stunned by what God was doing through some kids. At the end I promised to keep them updated on Jesse's bruise improvement and as we dismissed we had children asking "can we do this at home," "can I use this to impact my life," and I even offered to take them on a "treasure hunt" to seek out others to pray for and unleash this new power. By Monday Jesse's bruise was faded even more and is completely gone now.

I guess after more than a year in children's ministry I was beginning to get burnt out and even considered giving up my SPROUTS. But this experience was a sign from God that He has me right where He wants me doing what He wants me to do. I am teaching children how to "bring heaven to earth!" Powerful right...I should never be amazed how God chooses to use those children, or myself, or that class even. Those kids sure do have big grown up dreams of all the things they can do with their power. I hope as time goes on and we see more fruit of this ministry I am able to share even more amazing testimony about what God is using these children to do!

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Music Therapy Thursday

"Oh how glad and happy when we meet, I'll fly away. No more cold, iron shackles on my feet, I'll fly away!" This one's for Mike and Elaine!


I am joining my dear blogging friend Lindsey over at squeezing the day for "Music Therapy Thursdays". I would like to begin posting them each week and thought this song was perfect for this week. Michael and I have a dear friend from church Elaine who lost her husband rather suddenly Wednesday. I know heaven's sweet chorus got sweeter as Mike (or Santa as we know him) joined them playing his bass! I hope you all enjoy this posting!

Monday, January 17, 2011

That's My King Dr. S.M. Lockridge

I have been surrounded by God's wonderful power the past few days and weeks. And I wanted to share this video because my dear friend Lindsey hadn't seen it and I thought it was wonderful to share!

Friday, January 14, 2011

Just because I needed reminded how wonder our God is...

The past couple weeks have been rough as Michael is in the market for a new job and so many things are up in the air for our family. I decided after God had worked in a powerful way this week that I wanted to share for the first time something amazing God had done for me a couple months ago. I might one day share what HE did this week but for now I want to share this as a reminder to myself and all of you how wonderful our God is...

As you know my family for the past 2 summers has traveled out of state to a United Methodist Conference on Spirit-filled living "Aldersgate". It is a wonderful time with like minded people who share our faith, love and belief in the miracle working, powerful, supernatural GOD! On the second day ( I think) the morning speaker was Randy Clark. I actually got to ride the hotel shuttle to the conference center with him but of course didn't introduce myself...now I wish I had! Anyway Randy gave a wonderful talk sharing testimony about some almost unbelievable things God was doing in his ministry. He told of some people "being healed of metal in their bodies." "Hum," I thought my body is full of metal (from a car accident sum 10 years ago) could God heal me of this and all my pain? So at the end Randy asked all those in the room with metal in their bodies to stand he offered a sort of mass prayer over those standing that God would heal their pain and/or even make the metal disappear (as HE had seen before). He said if we saw any improvement at all to clap....Well I didn't feel improvement right away but I stood there as Randy prayed more, Michael with his hand on my leg praying and me in all my faith believing God could heal ME! It was on my way out to get my children after the session as I climb some stairs that I realized I didn't hurt, my knee wasn't swollen and I had some feeling there where there hadn't been. I waited until we walked 3 blocks to get some lunch to tell Michael and our children. I was stunned, they were stunned but we were so thankful. I had been in pain from this for just shy of 10 years at the time of the healing. At lunch I shared the good news with my pastor and his wife and some other traveling with us. That was in July I still do NOT have pain in that knee. Yes there are days when I am tired and have pressed my body to far that I realize that my knee is tired but not painful! God healed my knee. I still have metal but no pain. I think I needed to praise God for that today and share it with you.

God can still work miracles HE is not out of the business. He is supernatural, powerful, breathtaking, all knowing, mighty and the Most high. I think sometimes I get so caught up in what is going "wrong" in my life that I need to remember the works HE has done for me. I praise his name now and forever!