Allow me to a bit vulnerable in this post. I have lately been fraught with worry, anxiety and fear. I’ve been pondering where this came from (cause it seemingly came out of nowhere), and I’ve spent a good deal of time praying, reading the Word and psychoanalyzing myself. I guess a large part of the fear is simply worrying about ‘tomorrow’ and the thought What on earth am I going to do with my whole life? 

“Worry puts question marks where God puts periods.” John R. Rice

But in all the soul-searching that I have done, I have found no solace or understanding, until today.

I started reading a book by Robert J. Morgan called Red Sea Rules which gives 10 scripture-based strategies for difficult times. I’m pretty blown away with the godly perspective I’ve gained about my worries. The Red Sea Rule #1 to making it through a hard season (be it worry, anxiety from situations or just plain bad circumstances) is to “realize that the Lord has either placed us there or allowed us to be there, perhaps for reasons presently known only to Himself.”

The same God who led me in will lead me out. “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.” (Psalm 32:8). Realizing that God has me right where He wants me brings a great sense of hope. I’m not in this difficult season because the devil has me in a trap that I can’t break free from and God can’t break into. I will rest in the fact that it is God who brought me here, He will keep me here because of His love, and give me grace to be His child (Heb. 12:6, 1 Cor. 10:13). Jesus will turn this trial into a blessing and teach me a lesson about Himself, myself, and life itself. 

This poem, which is untitled and unattributed, found in a small volume by V. Raymond Edman, titled The Disciplines of Life, really encouraged me:

When God wants to drill a man,
And thrill a man,
And skill a man 
To play the noblest part;
When He yearns with all His heart
To create so great and bold a man
That all the world shall be amazed,
Watch His methods, Watch His ways!
How He ruthlessly perfects
Whom He royally elects!
How He hammers him and hurts him,
And with mighty blows converts him
Into trial shapes of clay which 
Only God understands;
While his tortured heart is crying
And he lights beseeching hands!
How He bends but never breaks
When his good He undertakes;
How He uses whom He chooses,
And with every purpose fuses him;
By every act induces him
To try His splendor out–
God knows what He’s about.

You can check out the book Red Sea Rules here:

Update December, 2011: I have decided to personally extend this till the end of the year. I will begin posting again in January.

This is an invitation to my community of friends to join in a corporate fast of social networks for the month of October. The fast includes Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, or any other forms of social networking (Google+). 

What is the focus of this fast?

• Greater desire to know and love Jesus
• To gain wisdom for the way we spend our time and energy
• To break any unhealthy habits with social networking
• To help create healthy community through relationships
• Sobriety in our spirits

Why fast social networks? 

Social networking can be a great tool for relationship building and the furtherance of the gospel, but — as with most things — when used in excess, becomes an extemrely detrimental tool to our lives. The biggest issues being that of time and relational health. 

Social networking can keep us from:

• Building a strong, meaningful relationship with God 
• Relationships with real-life friends
• Important life activities (work around the house, exercise, chores, etc)

Why it’s important to fast corporately:

• Accountability - When we all fast together it is easier to be accountable to each other, rather than giving up because we are alone.
• We go farther together - As with most things, we all go farther when we go together. We are able to provoke and egg each other on.
• It’s biblical - There are many examples in the bible of corporate fasts (I Samuel 7:5-6, II Chronicles 20:34, Ezra 8:21-23, Nehemiah 9:1-3, Joel 2:15-16, Jonah 3:5-10, Acts 27:33-37).

If you’d like to join in this fast, please let us know in the comments!

I arrived in Orlando this evening to take part in the Florida Straw Poll, Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) and to pray for the presidential candidates. I will also be attending the Fox News/Google GOP Presidential Primary Debate on Thursday.

I’m so excited to be attending this event and to pray over this election season. Our prayers are effective from anywhere, but there is something different about being able to lay your hand on someone’s shoulder and pray for them.

I am asking God for divine meetings and favor. Also, I am really praying that God would use me to encourage the candidates to make bold, unapologetic stands for righteousness according to the Word.

I would love it if you would please pray for my mother and me.

Here’s some ways to pray:

• That God would give me boldness to say what He wants me to say (Acts 4:29-30)
• That He would tell me what I should say to the candidates (Eph. 1:16-19)
• For safety and protection in traveling and during the conference 
• For God-ordained meetings to take place
• That I could be a bold witness to Jesus and take a strong stance for life (righteousness)
• Pray Jeremiah 1:7-9 and Daniel 5:12

I am currently sitting on an electrical box outside of a Christian Life Center waiting on my car to be towed. The muggy air is thankfully masked by the slightly cooled breeze. As I was driving here, my car…bit the dust.

While turning, I lost power steering, A/C; my battery warning light came on and my car let out a treacherous squeal like she’d been shot by an arrow in the gut. Turns out it was the Serpentine belt.

Minwé, my car, has had a rough time lately. Last week her A/C died, costing me a pretty penny (a really pretty penny). We’ve had our fair share of problems and fix-its, her and I. But I’ve never doubted God’s faithfulness and goodness.

The reason I call her Minwé is actually an interesting story of God’s faithfulness.

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