Father, it is an absolutely gorgeous morning!  The leaves are just beautiful. The colors all around our house are gold and orange and red and rust and green! The leaves are falling in abundance - the kind of abundance You give - exceeding abundance - more than we can keep up with! Oh Father, what a week! It has been a week of abundance! How amazingly faithful You are! Bless You Lord! The heavens are declaring Your glory!

Oh Father, thank You for opportunities You have given this week to declare the reality of who You are! What an incredible blessing to be at the school on Monday - the 3 year anniversary of Hannah’s going to heaven - to share for Hope Day. I gladly acknowledged my lack and asked You to give me a scripture to share. You did! It was Psalm 25:3 “No one whose hope is in You will ever be put to shame.” What a great word, Lord! What a great word! As long as all of my hope is in You,  I can rest secure that I won’t ever be disappointed!  And Lord, all of my hope is in You!

You have filled me up with unspeakable joy over the last several weeks as You have allowed me to share from the overflow of my heart! Sharing has been so healing! It is no wonder, Father, that many seek counselors year after year. You  created us with a need to share, a need to talk, a need to praise, a need to bless Your name!  When we are speaking forth the reality of who You are in our lives, You fill us up with overflowing springs. John 4:14 “but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The greatest blessings come from speaking forth Your name and praising Your name in the midst of our loss, our heartache and our pain. “You inhabit the praises of Your people” and through the speaking of Your name, You immediately bring peace, rest and joy.

We will always miss Hannah! There is a part of our family missing - like last night at a wedding reception when the father and daughter had the first dance. Like Monday when I drove up to the cemetery to see Mickey sitting by Hannah’s grave eating his lunch sitting in a folding chair. Like Tuesday when we listened to Steven Curtis Chapman’s new CD about his precious brown eyed baby girl who came to live with You very unexpectedly and each of us took our turn listening and shedding tears.

Steven reveals the raw, honest heart of a broken father. “Beauty Will Rise” is one of the songs and Steven’s comments are: “Beauty will Rise” is one of the “declaration” songs that I wrote on one of those days when I desperately needed to say/sing again what God has promised . . . that as our Redeemer, He will bring beauty and “good” out of what appears so terribly wrong at the moment. One thing I’ve learned on this journey through grief and loss is how comfort and strength come with proclaiming and declaring, even to my own desperate heart and ears, the eternal truths and promises in God’s word. Like many lyrics, this chorus was one that brought tears of both great sorrow and great joy as I wrote and sang it . . . In fact, this is still one that carries a lot of emotion with it because of the overwhelmingly hopeful truth it reminds me of.”

He references part of the passage in the 61st chapter of Isaiah that says You “will bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes. . .”  Beauty will Rise Father when we look upon Your face!  That is what You desire, that is who You are and through beauty rising from our ashes You bring lasting healing and joy to our hearts! I love that passage Father and that is what I am asking You to do this day in my own life. This evening You are opening a door of opportunity to share on a college campus - You remember, one of the places Hannah wanted to make a difference. Well go ahead, Father - You are the only One who can make the difference and if there is any way You can use me today - please go ahead! It would be my great blessing!

Isaiah said, “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion - to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor.”

Would You allow me to speak the good news this evening empowered by Your Spirit? Would You allow broken hearts to be made whole? Would You allow me to share that we are living right now in the day of Your favor, of Your salvation? Would you allow me to share that the day of Your vengeance is coming and that we need to be prepared? Would You comfort those who mourn and grieve? Would You replace their ashes with beauty, their mourning with Your joy? Would You clothe them with a garment of praise instead of despair? Would You raise them up as oaks of righteousness to display Your splendor and glory?

Is that too much to ask for one day, Lord? May it be so - You bring forth Beauty from these Ashes today, Lord - go ahead! I wait with anticipation - You are an Almighty God and it is in Your name that I pray, Amen!

“He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” II Cor. 9:6

“Sow hope and you shall reap fulfillment. Sow praise and you shall reap joy, well being and a strong faith.” Oh, Father, I read that one morning in Come Away, My Beloved  this week while we were in Jacksonville for Judgment House. Oh Father, I love that! I want to remember it! “Sow hope and you will reap fulfillment!” Oh Father, it is true! What joy, what blessing, what a rush to share the hope we have in Jesus Christ with others who need that hope! I don’t believe there is any greater fulfillment on this earth than sharing the hope You give! How fulfilling!! Oh Father, it was like You gave that to me to show me exactly where I was! I was so fulfilled in sharing hope over the last two weeks! And  Father, I pray that You will open doors for me to share hope every day for as long as I live on this earth! Surprise me Lord! Open doors I would never have thought about! You are my hope! I know that! I have absolutely no hope without You! The scripture says, “My hope comes from You!” Ps. 62:5 And it does Lord!!

And the next truth was “Sow praise and you shall reap joy, well being and a strong faith.” Oh Father, more and more I am understanding the importance of praising You! You fill me up with great joy as I praise You! Every situation I find myself in changes completely when I look to You and praise You! When I gaze upon Your face, Your character - my whole demeanor changes! You place every situation in right perspective as I look upon Your face! You are trustworthy and You are faithful!

Through praising You, You absolutely strengthen me - You strengthen me spiritually, You strengthen me physically, You strengthen me emotionally! Praise is vital to my well being!  “The joy of the Lord is my strength.” Neh. 8:10  It was amazing how You strengthened mother physically during our trip! We listened to John MacArthur’s “The Sufficiency of Scripture” most of the way home and You just carried us home on angel wings as we listened to Your word being spoken and were filled with praise! Your word is sufficient! And Father, Your word strengthens our faith to believe You more!

In my journal I wrote - 10/31/09

Duval Station Baptist Church - Jacksonville, FL  

“Lord, I am getting bolder in asking you to take me to scriptures, pages so I can get the word You have for me. This morning, after sharing in Judgment House last night, You took me to this page - Oh Father, You are giving me amazing fulfillment as you allow me to sow in the closing room. You are filling me with much joy, health and an even stronger faith! And I bless Your name! Oh Jesus, thank You for the privilege of sowing. I want to sow bountifully! Open doors so I can! Great satisfaction!”

You know Lord, at the last minute our plans changed. We had planned for several weeks to share in Indiana. We had been planning toward that! But You had a different plan all along - we just didn’t know it! The week before we were to leave we received word that a member of their church, very involved with Judgment House, had died of cancer and Hannah’s story was too fresh and real for their church right now. They had made the decision to use another script. I pray for that church body Father. Use this in the life of their church to bring forth eternal fruit through the lives of those who remain. Knit that church body close together and bring the healing that only comes through Your word and Your Spirit.

And so You took us to Jacksonville to share with a precious body of Christ there. Nine months previously, their church had gone through the loss of one of their 17 year old girls, Lisa, as the result of a car accident.  She was a strong believer in Jesus Christ and had been saved through the ministry of Judgment House a few years ago and had afterwards become very involved with JH. I met her precious parents and the night before we arrived her mother had given her heart to you after going through JH. We knew early on that You had placed us in that very place. That church body continues to heal from Lisa’s passing. I met her best friend - now a senior in high school - finishing her last year without her best friend. Oh Father, only You can bring healing from that loss, only You can bring forth much fruit from this kernel of wheat that has fallen into the ground and died. And Father, we ask that You do just that. Use this for Your glory and to strengthen the body of Christ. Only You know the specific details and the loss that each one is experiencing - meet each one at the point of their need!

Oh Father, there were so many things that only You could have orchestrated - I stood amazed at Your attention to every detail. They played the last verse of “Hannah’s Song” in the heaven scene and I was later to find out that Eighth Day had been in that church 5 months previously and had sung “Hannah’s Song.”  Wow, Lord, of all the churches in Jacksonville and we ended up in the same one! I don’t think that was unnoticed by You!

It was a blessing to go to each scene with the pastor and pray with the cast before JH began the first evening. The love of Christ “disarms” and You knit hearts for eternity!

For three evenings, You gave me the privilege of sharing with the pastor in the closing room - inviting folks to respond to what they had just witnessed. What a blessing Father! You prepared hearts and many responded to Your invitation! Transform those lives by Your truth and use them to win many others! I will never forget the conversation I had with a young man who made a decision for You early in his life and is now questioning the reality of You and his decision. We had the best conversation between groups - he is a brilliant young man and had great questions! I know You have Your hand over his life - I told him that You weren’t afraid of his questions and that if he seeks You with all of his heart that he will not be disappointed - You will reveal Yourself to him! Raise him up to be a strong godly young man!

Many in that church were walking their own journeys of suffering. I have pictures of many of them in my minds eye and they will not be soon erased! What an incredible blessing to stand and share Hannah’s story and interview clips three years later and watch You continue to bring forth eternal fruit! Bless Your name! Only You Father can accomplish such things! You re-energized my life! I pray You will open more doors to share the hope Hannah had in You! Bless that church body and bring many to a saving knowledge of Yourself!

We left there and went to Gainesville, FL where mother has a dear college friend that she had been desiring to visit many years. Betty has two children in heaven with You - Carol Ann died at 6 weeks old from SIDS and David came to live with You 5 years ago at age 40 after a bout with melanoma leaving behind a wife and two young children. Oh Father, we weren’t there many seconds before her praise to You had us both in tears and had our hands lifted to heaven! What a precious godly woman who has suffered much in this life but she absolutely radiates the reality of who You are! What a precious time of sharing with her! The next evening we met her beautiful daughter and the four of us went to dinner. You allowed me to share my testimony and the journey we have been on and You used that time to knit our hearts together in a very special way. Thank You for allowing me to share that moment in time with my mother and another mother and daughter! Use their lives to continue to bring forth eternal fruit and use Anna Marie’s heart for the homeless and hungry to bring many to You!

Oh Father, I would love to share somewhere every weekend! What a blessing the last two weekends have been! I am so glad You know each heart and life and You will continue to pursue and heal each one! You have once again gone ahead of me to fill me up with praise and thanksgiving before we celebrate Hannah’s three year anniversary in heaven with You tomorrow! Bless You Father!!

Good morning Father!

Thank You for always meeting me at the beginning of each day with new strength, new wisdom, new guidance, new direction, new mercies and new grace! Thank You for restoring my soul! Thank You for continuing to speak to me. Thank You that You delight to show Yourself to me!

Thank You for the privilege and blessing of partnering with You in the things You are accomplishing on this earth. Thank You for the privilege and blessing of being in Greenwood with precious brothers and sisters in Christ over the weekend for Judgment House. Thank You for the lives that were changed for eternity! Thank You for the simple gospel message of Jesus Christ. Thank You that the message has power to transform lives! Thank You that the message gives hope for tomorrow and joy and peace for today!  Thank You that the simple gospel message has transformed my life!

I have pondered this weekend why You have used the life of Billy Graham in such a powerful way. It is because he shares over and over the simple gospel message of Jesus Christ, isn’t it? Your message is simple. You loved the world. You sent Yourself in the person of Jesus Christ to live among us, to become flesh and blood and to give Yourself as the payment for our sin to acquire our salvation. You offer each of us the free gift of Your Son - You have done all the work. Our part is to accept Your forgiveness, Your abundance, Your joy, Your freedom! Bless You Father! The burden for my salvation was all placed upon You.

Judgment House uses stories to share the simple gospel message of Jesus Christ. Two years ago, at the encouragement from someone in their church, Clay and Hope wrote a script for Judgment House sharing Hannah’s story of faith. Portrayed in the drama is the reality of eternal life in a place the scripture calls heaven or eternal damnation in a place the scripture calls hell. You aren’t playing games with us, are You Lord? Your plan was in place before the foundation of the world. You tell us that “wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.” Matthew 7:13 Many are flocking down the road to destruction - all the while being completely unaware of what the scripture says. And then You go on to say, “But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:14  Just like in Noah’s day - only 8 people on the face of the earth were spared - You know Lord, that is really heart breaking and I know it breaks Your heart. You say in Your word, “It is not Your will that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” John 3:17

One of the memories I took away from this weekend that will be forever etched upon my heart was when “Hannah” was standing in the Judgment Room being welcomed into her eternal reward. She replied, “Thank You Jesus. This is the day I have been waiting for all my life.”  I loved that Lord! I loved that! The day we come to meet You in heaven is the day we have waited for all of our lives. We may not completely understand that now but one day we will fully understand!

Another memory I will always cherish is from the heaven scene. It is always my favorite scene - to see Hannah walk across the bridge into heaven blesses my heart every time!  The gentleman who portrayed Jesus had the most beautiful eyes and he comes to everyone in the heaven scene and speaks an individual word to each of them. When he came to me, he said, “Welcome, I know it hasn’t been an easy journey.” I could hear You saying that to me Lord and it brought tears to my eyes! I know that You know where I am and where I’ve been - I know that You can identify with me unlike any other but to hear someone playing Your part say those words to me really blessed my heart and I thank You for that. I thanked him and asked him later if he said the same thing to everyone - he told me no - that he was always desiring to speak to each person what you place on his heart and he never knows what he is going to say. I heard Your voice Lord and I thank You for speaking to me through him!

I will also never forget the statement, “The love of Christ disarms!”  I love that Lord! It was spoken by the youth minister at the church! It is so true! Your love breaks down all the barriers - it cuts through all pretense! I thought about when You stood before Your accusers and opened not Your mouth. You just loved those the Father placed in Your path - however broken they were and Your loved “disarmed” them! We don’t have to defend ourselves - we have nothing to defend - You are our Defender! Our part is to share the love You have given to us. Before he ordered his food, the minister asked the waitress at Cracker Barrel where she stood with You. Immediately she smiled and said, “I love Him.” He had gained a new friend and proceeded to invite her to Judgment House.

After lunch we watched this minister pursue a young man on the parking lot of Hardees that he had met a couple of weeks before while visiting in the hospital. The young man was in a wheel chair and had no legs. He has several children - none of which he is taking responsibility for - and is himself an addict. The minister took him into Hardees - spoke words of life over him and then bought him whatever he wanted for lunch - he ordered two of several things! “The love of Christ disarms.” He has a new friend. He has planted another seed into this young man’s life. And it brought him and those of us watching great joy! You want to use us, don’t You Lord? You want to “disarm” those around us with the love of Christ!  Oh Father, let me love You with abandon! Allow the love of Christ to be the spillover from my life!!

You are at work in so many ways and in so many places! Oh Father, bless Your name!! There were many who had come from places of brokenness to help with Judgment House - several from Faith Home. They have no pretense - nothing to prove - they just loved us! They are quick to acknowledge their need of You! Unlike many of us who try to act as if everything is okay! They opened their arms and they welcomed us! Thank You for filling us with Your love to love them back! Bless that little church, Father and bring many to a saving knowledge of Yourself! Begin a new work in that place and raise up the body of Christ to love others as You do! In the name of Jesus, I pray, Amen!

And Father, work out the details for this coming weekend! We are available to go where You want us to go! Thank You for allowing mother to go with me this weekend! Strengthen her physical body in Jesus name, I pray, Amen!

You know, Lord, I came to You this morning with a burdened heart - a heavy heart. There were a lot of things on my heart and mind - things that were bigger than I was going to be able to figure out on my own. You love it when I just bring it to You, don’t You? You love for me to come and dump it all out before You! You know it all anyway and I am playing games with You when I try to hide the heaviness of my heart or try and pretend everything is okay! So I wrote some things down that were on my heart this morning!

And You know, Lord, just like with David, when I come clean with all of it, you are always right there ready to pick it all up and put it into perspective for me, aren’t You? Tonight You have filled my heart with joy and praise and thanksgiving to You for who You are and how intimate You are with me. I speak pretty frank with You, don’t I Lord? You are not afraid of me! I’m not playing games and You know it. And You aren’t playing games with me either, are You? You want to show Yourself to me just as much as I want You to show Yourself to me - no, I’m sure You want to show Yourself to me more!

You know Lord, I suppose that one of the reasons for my heaviness, my burden is that this coming weekend Judgment House begins and Hannah’s story will be shared in 8 different states - GA, IN, AL, SC, FL, KY, CA and MO. That blows me away Lord - how big are You anyway? What does exceedingly, abundantly above anything we could ask or imagine look like? What does it mean that the fervent, effective prayer of a righteous man avails much? What does “much” mean to You? I want to know. The price has been high.

You know Lord, I have heard it said many times - even this week - that so much fruit has come from Hannah’s journey. In the deepest recesses of this mother’s heart, I pray we have not seen anything yet. As I stood at her grave yesterday morning after sharing with a middle school FCA, I asked you again to bring forth much fruit from this kernel of wheat that has fallen into the ground and died. When we stop missing Hannah every day and thinking about her all the time, perhaps I will stop asking You to bring forth fruit from her life. No, don’t count on it. We want every single bit of fruit You desire to bring forth and for as long as we have breath in our bodies we will continue to ask. We ask it not only through Hannah’s life but through the lives of her brothers - whose cost has also been high.

I am a spectator in this arena called earth, Lord, and I want to see You in all Your glory! And I think You want us to see You in all Your glory! Isaiah saw You -  he saw You the year King Uziah died - I saw You too, Lord - the year Hannah died. You have changed me - I never want to be the same again. I never want to go back to life as usual - I never want to settle for less than all You have for me. When we see You, Lord, You transform us. You do it over and over again through Your word! You deepen our understanding of who You are - of how big You are!

You know that’s it, isn’t it Lord? We are the spectators on this earth. We look up to see Your glory - “we” aren’t the center of the universe - You are!!! Oh Father and it is only as we look up into Your face that we gain correct perspective. As I sat on the asphalt driveway tonight and looked into the night sky and talked with You, I know You were hearing me - without a doubt. This tiny little girl, in this tiny little town, in this tiny little house - and yet You hear and yet You know me! Bless Your name! I cannot understand the depth of your love for me! But I accept it and I receive it Lord - I don’t want to miss any of Your goodness to me.

I also understand Father, that spiritual warfare is very real even before the battle begins over these next weeks. Eternity is at stake. Judgment House is a powerful tool - it plays no games with heaven and hell. If we believe that heaven is real, we must also believe that hell is real. The scripture speaks more of that place of eternal separation from You than it does about living in Your presence forever in a place called heaven.

Oh Dear Jesus, as we have been praying and continue to do so, be glorified, be exalted to bring many lost souls into the kingdom of Jesus Christ through the vehicle of Judgment House over the next several weeks. Pour out Your Spirit - reveal Yourself anew and afresh to those who are participating and give them a new desire to see souls come to a saving knowledge of Yourself! Allow your Holy Spirit to have reign in every location, unite the body of Christ in every church and stop the enemy at the door.

I wait upon You Lord with anticipation. Thank You for clearing my mind and speaking to my heart today! All my love, Deborah   

Eph. 3:20-21

Oh Father, my heart is so full this morning and there are so many things that I desire to pen that I don’t want to forget! A friend encouraged me recently that “It is written down.” You have written it all down, haven’t You Father?. It is recorded in the heavenlies!  There is a part of me that wants to keep a copy of every prayer I’ve ever prayed, every lesson You have taught me and every word You have ever given me but my storehouse isn’t big enough so I will trust that You have written it all down and when I step across the river into glory, I will be able to look back at the prayers You have prompted me to pray, the lessons You have taught me and the very specific words You have given to me and I will rejoice at the way You were weaving Your tapestry!  I bless Your name this morning, Lord! 

Oh Father, I say it so often - I said it to a group of young football players having breakfast at my house on Friday morning as I gazed on the pink sunrise, I said it as I planted pansies in the dirt at 9:30 the other night underneath the fabulous October moon, I have said it several times over the last week and a half as You have given me opportunities to share . . .”The Heavens declare the glory of God!”  Oh Father, THEY DO! Creation screams the reality of who You are! You go on to say that there is no “speech or language” where their voice (the voice of the heavens) is not heard! The voice of the heavens goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world!  Oh Father, how can we deny the glory, the majesty, the vastness, the awesomeness of our Creator God! Oh Father, thank You that by Your grace, You have revealed Yourself to me! What joy You give in the knowing of You!

I returned from playing the piano at a wedding on Friday evening and You just welled up within me on the way home that - You have given me MUCH joy! Oh Father, You have! Your word tells us that they who sow in tears will reap in joy! And Father, I know that we haven’t seen the half! Oh the rejoicing of heaven!!  Thank You for Your inexpressible joy! Thank You for Your grace that brings joy from our sorrow, dancing from our mourning.

Before I left to share the other evening in Greer, You took me to a devotion in Come Away My Beloved, called Speak Truth. It said “those things which you have written freely and fearlessly - speak those very things in the same way!”  We must be sharing the reality of who You are in our lives - we must be speaking forth that which You place on our hearts - we must be testifying to that which You are doing for us! If we do not, we become stagnant, damned up and putrid! We must be declaring the praises of who You are in our lives! And when we do, You fill us to overflowing!!! Why? Because You created us to praise You! We will never find real joy - lasting joy on this earth until we realize that it is found only in Your presence!

I love and have a new appreciation for Psalm 16:11 “You have made known to me the path of life! You fill me with JOY in Your presence. . .” Where does JOY - true joy, lasting joy, come from?  It comes from being in Your presence!  No where else will we find joy!  Oh Jesus help me never look anywhere else!! “With eternal pleasures at Your right hand.” If I want lasting pleasure on this earth, I can find it at Your right hand! You hold it out to me - You have given me all the keys to overflowing joy, peace and contentment. “All my fresh springs are in Thee!” Oh Father, that is absolute Truth!

We are being challenged by the Truth Project on Monday evenings in our home!  It has been said that we are the generation in the history of mankind that is thinking less in line with Your truth than any generation that has lived on the face of the earth. We are looking for all the answers in ourselves - our wisdom, our philosophy - we cannot find the answers to life within ourselves! How futile! Oh Father, how we must be breaking Your heart! You remind me of the scripture in Genesis where You say that “God was grieved that He had made man.” I know we are grieving Your heart - we are grieving my heart! How can we be so arrogant? Oh Father, we are ripe for Your judgment. We stand in need of Your judgment.

Oh Father, so many things . . . Wednesday night a week ago I had the privilege and opportunity to share with a sorority on the campus of Clemson University! Oh Father, there is no one that knows more than You how utterly helpless and dependant I am upon You. I just throw myself at Your mercy and You delight in picking my weak little face up out of the dirt to reveal Yourself! I stand amazed by you! Hannah and I visited three campuses - Samford in Birmingham, Clemson, and Anderson. I remember, as clear as yesterday, her saying to me, “Mom, I believe that my relationship with the Lord is such that I could go onto the campus of a big college and make a difference.” I couldn’t argue with those words from a 17 year old. You gave me peace that I didn’t have to worry about Hannah’s college - that You were going to take care of it! You did - just not like I was thinking!

Her heart’s desire was to make a difference for You on a large campus and there I was in a sea of gorgeous young ladies - same age as Hannah - sharing her story of faith! And You, in Your sovereignty and wisdom, were allowing her to impact that campus! Oh Jesus, You are not thinking like I am thinking but Father, You are honoring her heart’s desire!!  And You are allowing me to have a little part in that and I bless Your name! My heart was so full all the way home, I thought I would explode! You and I had the best time of fellowship! You amaze me Father!  Oh Father, open up more and more opportunities for Hannah to impact large college campuses!  Why not? Why in the world would I not want Hannah to impact the campuses of as many schools as she can!

You know, Lord, I feel You strengthening me! I sense it - I know it in my inner being! You are preparing me for the next thing! You are preparing each of us for the next thing - whatever that is! You are strengthening the body of Christ!!! And You are filling me up with Your joy as You are doing it!  You want me to live life on this earth from the “overflow” mode!  I love that! “Drinking from my saucer, ’cause my cup is overflowing.” Let my life overflow Father, with the reality of who You are!

Precious evenings in Greer and Spartanburg sharing over the last week - women who have lost children, women who shared that they had made life changing decisions, women who are walking paths of suffering, women who are suffering physically, and women who just need a word of encouragement to continue on! What a blessing You are giving me to share - to open my mouth - to declare Your praises! When I share, I give it everything I have and when I finish I am like a wet spaghetti noodle - there is nothing left. But I am also sensing that You are restoring me more quickly each time afterwards - is that so Lord?

Judgment House is coming the end of this month - opportunities to share Hannah’s story in Indiana, Georgia, Florida, Alabama and Greenwood, SC. That blows me away! Oh Dear Jesus, I pray for your covering over each church! I pray for Your Holy Spirit to have free reign over the lives of those who are participating and over the lives of those who will walk through the drams. Bring glory to Yourself and honor Hannah’s desire that “amazing numbers would come to know Jesus Christ.” Why not? Write the reality that Hannah was a young teenage girl with her entire life ahead of her when You stepped in to show us Your sovereign plan. This is not a made up story - this is a real story - this is a story about a girl with real parents, real brothers, real grand-parents, real cousins, aunts and uncles who continue to miss her everyday but who are desiring for You to do “exceedingly, abundantly above anything we could ask or imagine to the praise of Your glory.” Eph. 3:2–21. Why not?

Why would we not want to see good come from our suffering? Why would we not want You to receive every last bit of glory You can receive from our current circumstances and situations? I do! Give us Your mind - Give us Your way of looking at our trials! I love it when Hannah says at the end of her interview clip, “It’s been a journey, it’s been a trial that God has brought me through, but you know. . . He’s brought me through it!”

You know, Lord, You will bring us through it! You will bring us to the other side of it - whatever it is! And when we come through it, we will look back and bless Your name for Your unfailing love and faithfulness!!

Oh Jesus, surround with comfort the family from CA whose little 7 year old daughter, Madison, came to live in Your presence this week - she had sarcoma and had fought it since last June. The precious lady who called me last night told me that she had just pictured Hannah meeting Madison at the gate! Give them a great day together of touring the portals of heaven! Pour forth much grace upon her family - allow them to let go of expectations - of themselves or of anyone else! Hold them close - under the shadow of Your wings and protect them from the darts of the enemy. Give them new eternal perspective and free their mouths to declare Your praise in Your time!

Oh Father, as we gather to pray at MIT this morning, place upon our hearts those things You desire for us to pray over the lives of our children! Most of all Father, may my (our) children come to truly know their Heavenly Father and invest their lives pursuing You!  

Oh Father, thank You for listening - Thank You for writing down those things I have forgotten. “I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I’ve committed unto Him against that day.” Amen! You have it, I commit it to You - until that day. . .In the name of Jesus, Amen!

Oh Father, the other thing is my 10th grade discipleship girls - I am loving being with them on Sunday evenings looking at the book of Proverbs together! What rich truth! they have grown up so much since last year and I sense an increased hunger and maturity in their lives! Oh Jesus, every time we meet, presence Yourself among us and reveal Yourself as You did last evening! Make Your children hungry for Yourself and for Your word! And Father, today as You open a door for me to share with a club in a high school, speak Your truth through my mouth. In Your name, I pray, Amen!

Lord, You know this text message “fettish” I have - not wanting to delete messages before I save them on my computer - especially messages from Hannah’s friends! I just caught up again! Words are so powerful - they speak life! They bring encouragement! You challenge me this morning to let my words speak life to others! Thank You for words of encouragement from others and especially from You, Father!  You reminded me of this in a powerful way this morning when You took me to our study on Proverbs about words - what powerful truths You have spoken about our words!!

“From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things, as surely as his hands rewards him.” - Proverbs 12:14 Our words can bring forth fruit just like the labor of our hands!

“He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.” Prov. 13:3 Wow, Father, that is a strong word! Teach me to guard my lips - I confess I am a work in progress!

And then You go on, Father, to speak to us about listening. “A fool finds no pleasure in understanding, but delights in airing his own opinions.” Proverbs 18:2 Oh, Father, You are more interested in me understanding than in my being understood or sharing my opinions. You don’t need my opinions - You need for me to be still and listen to You and to others! Oh Father, even when I speak would You allow me to speak with and from a heart that seeks to understand those I am speaking to? Allow my words to be gentle - not harsh - “full of grace and seasoned with salt” - with everyone - especially those who are the closest to me?

“He who answers before listening - that is his folly and his shame.” Proverbs 18:13 I remember Michael recently making the statement that we can’t learn when we are talking. He is a man of few words - but when he speaks, I listen to him - his words are important. Allow my words to be important and full of meaning.

And then Father, You address gossip. You say, “The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man’s inmost part.” Proverbs 18:8 You remind me of eating chocolate chips out of the bag - while I am chewing them they bring me satisfaction but many times when they “hit” my stomach the result is not as satisfying! When we speak against anyone, we are always desiring to build ourselves up. Gossip is the result of pride and jealousy. Oh Father, guard my mouth. Mother always says, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” What great wisdom in that little saying!

Oh, and Father, this scripture reminds me of squeezing toothpaste out of a tube - you can’t put it back in the tube! “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Proverbs 12:18 Oh Dear Jesus, I desire for my words to bring healing - even tonight, Father, as I have opportunity to share with a group of precious ladies! Use Your words through my mouth to bring healing!

“He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity.” Proverbs 21:23 How many times have my words brought calamity? Teach me, Father, to be very careful with my words.

And You even address flattery - speaking words that aren’t true to make someone else “look good” or “feel good” so we “look good” or “feel good.” How hollow is that? I’ve done it!  “Whoever flatters his neighbor is spreading a net for his feet.” Proverbs 29:5 Nets catch you, don’t they, Lord? Every time!

Wow, and finally I guess the strongest words about our tongues comes from the book of James. You cut right to the chase, don’t You?

“When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, set the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.” Jame3:3-8

Oh Father, if we really understood the power of our words, we would be more careful, wouldn’t we? Help me ponder and remember these truths You are desiring to write upon my heart this week. Allow my words to speak life!! - abundant life!! And Father, allow our youth to catch a little glimpse of what You are desiring to teach them about the power of their words.

Tonight, Father, “may the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O God, my Strength and my Redeemer.”  In the name of Jesus, I pray, Amen!

Allow my actions to be born out of my relationship with You, Jesus. Let me do what I do because of who You are in my life - let my life reflect that I am a friend of God. Let my life reflect that You are my best friend. You are not about a set of rules that I must complete to please You so that I can come into Your presence. I can never live up to any list. I will always fall short. You just want me to come into Your presence because You love me. You are not a God who is up in heaven waiting to “thump” me on the head when I mess up. Oh Father, I desire for my life and the lives of my sons and my family to be motivated by a love relationship with You.

Why do I come to You in the morning? Why do I early seek Your face? Because You are the King of the Universe and You long for fellowship with me. You desire for me to bring my burdens and cares to You because You are big enough to take them. You know I can’t do this life alone. You created me for fellowship with You. You desire to take my burdens early in the day and You desire to exchange my anxiousness with Your peace - a peace that transcends all human understanding.

Father, You are calling Your children. You are calling them to walk in closer relationship, in closer fellowship with You. You are desiring to strengthen us as the body of Christ. As the day comes closer to Your return, the chasm between light and darkness, truth and lies will become wider and more clearly defined. How will we be equipped for this part of the journey? Through Your eternal Word - the Bible. More and more we will need to be in Your Word, know Your Word, breath Your Word - allow Your Word to be our lifeline. There is no other way - Your Word is what You have given us to be perfectly equipped. Oh Father, help us hide Your Word deep within our hearts - quicken our spirits to know and memorize more of Your Word so that we are ready when the enemy throws his darts. Allow the shield of faith to become larger and larger as it grows based upon Your Word.

You are calling Your children to pray, aren’t You Lord? More and more You will call us to pray - pray about everything - like You tell us in I Thessalonians 5:17 - “pray without ceasing.” Prayer is our lifeline - when we breath, we should breath prayer. You will continue to place us in situations where there is nothing we can do - except pray! “Where two or three are gathered in Your name, there You are in the midst of them.” Matthew How precious is that! You will continue to call us to pray with each other - 2 or 3. I don’t think there is a greater blessing on this earth than praying with someone else. Oh how quickly You put things in right perspective as we pray through Your Word. Thank You for opportunities You are giving me to pray with other people. May it be a way of life for me. Bring people into my life that just need someone to pray with them or for them! Prayer and Your Word sustain us on this earth! When we get to heaven we will be in perfect fellowship and communion with You forever!

You know, Lord, I was thinking as You awakened me this morning, that our loved ones who have come to live with You would never want to come back to this fallen world to live. They have tasted and experienced perfect fellowship with You - why would they ever want to leave that? We are the ones who still long for that perfect, uninterrupted fellowship with You. We are the ones who have not “arrived home.”

This week, Lord, our youth begin a study of the book of Proverbs. Oh Father, what rich wisdom You have given us - tried and true through the centuries! Oh Jesus, awaken hearts to seek You this morning - let us not miss the blessing of being daily in Your word. Foster excitement in hearts to look for and anticipate hearing from You! Speak to my heart - teach me - grow me in depth of knowledge and understanding and allow it to be fleshed out in my life and in the lives of my sons. Oh Father, what preparation for a day - the wisdom of Solomon! Reveal Yourself and Your Word to those who seek Your face this morning!

And oh Father, allow me to walk step in step with You this day! Help me not “hurry through” to accomplish something that will not last. Help me invest my life today in eternal things - people, relationships!

Oh Father, thank You for continuing to hear me and love me! I love You Father! In the name of Jesus, I pray these things, Amen.

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.” Col. 4:2-4

Oh Father, what a prayer! What a heart-cry! What a passion for You, for others, and for prayer the Apostle Paul had! He was in chains - asking that while he was in chains that he would faithfully proclaim Christ clearly! Oh Father, align my life so that is the cry of my heart also - move me in my relationship with You! Allow devotion to You in prayer to be the reality of my life and my breath! Allow me to understand that I am completely helpless apart from You. (John 15:5) Allow me to understand that it will never be my might, nor my power but Your Spirit alive that is at work within me! And encourage my heart about all You desire to do through prayer!

Oh Dear Jesus, even this new week, let my life be about prayer - praying with others as You give opportunity, praying tirelessly and not becoming weary. Teach me more about what it means to “pray without ceasing” - being in continual conversation with You. Let me bring more and more - no all - of my concerns and worries to the foot of Your cross and leave them there. Oh Father, there is such release when I do! You have not made this complicated - so many times prayer is our last resort and it should always be our first line of defense as believers in Jesus Christ!  

“Lord, I want to know You more! Deep within my heart, I want to know You!” Lord Jesus, I pray for our MIT prayer time in the morning - encourage the hearts of mothers who have prayed for many years to see fruit in the lives of their children, encourage the hearts of the mothers that there is nothing too small to bring to You, knit our hearts through praying together. Allow our children to learn what a life of prayer looks like and teach them to be in continual conversation with You! You are such a merciful and personal Savior! Pour out a spirit of prayer and supplication on the lives of mothers!

Thank You for Your tender care for me Friday evening as I was able to ride with my young friend to the ball-game. You have done such a healing work in her life - bless Your name! You brought me alongside to walk this journey with her family and now You are giving me back many blessings as a result! There I was with a teenage girl driving me to a ball-game and talking about her father whose brother died when he was 13 - Andrew’s age. Andrew heard the entire conversation in the back seat - a “big sister” conversation. I pray for continued and complete healing for his heart. Teach him to understand that the relationship we gain with You through prayer is of greatest importance!

I place this week before You, Lord - allow me to walk step in step with Your Spirit so that I see Your hand everywhere I turn. Let me have many “God moments” daily - moments that I know You have orchestrated! Let me live and move and have my being in communion with You this week! I anticipate this new week as I look to You!

And Dear Jesus, I thank You for this special day that we celebrate Mickey’s birthday, September 20! Oh Father, thank You for a godly, precious husband and father. Allow me to be a wife that brings blessing and encouragement to him every day! “And this is my prayer: that Mickey’s love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that he may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ - to the glory and praise of God.” Philippians 1:9-11 Amen! May it be so! 

Lord, there are some incredibly gifted and gracious people that You have chosen to be a part of the Hannah’s Hope Ministries Board of Directors. Today, as I recounted the blessings of sharing in Mauldin last night, You placed upon my heart that I needed to thank the board. This is the letter You placed upon my heart to write today. I pray You will use it to be a blessing in each of their lives as they have each been such a blessing in our lives. In the name of Jesus, I pray, Amen.

Dear Clay, Hope, Alexia, Caz, Glenn, John, Joy, Paul, Ricky, Robin, Steve, 

I just want to thank each of you for your continued encouragement, love and support for Hannah’s Hope Ministries. The opportunities God has opened for me and Mickey to share over the last 3 years have been an incredible blessing and so healing for our hearts. To know that God is continuing to bring forth eternal fruit from Hannah’s life gives us much comfort and joy. The greatest tragedy the world has ever known was the death of Jesus Christ on the cross and through it God brought forth the greatest victory the world has ever known. I believe with all of my heart that He desires to do the same with our pain - He desires to make something very beautiful from it - the greater the pain - the greater the glory! That is who He is - a Restorer, a Redeemer, a God who makes all things new in His time.

Last night I had the opportunity to share at Mauldin First Baptist Church. It was a precious evening. I will share Hannah’s faith and story for the rest of my life as long as I have breath in me. It is always amazing the broken hearts that come to me afterwards to “share their stories.” Last night a young girl named “Pam” and her friend “Barbara” were there when I got there. I met and greeted them and they directed me down the hall. It was obvious that “Pam” was crippled. After I shared last night she thanked me for telling her that her life had a purpose and that many times she didn’t see that. She has Cerebral Palsy. With tears in her eyes she told me she was going to take the DVD to someone she knows that also has CP. She also told me that when she was 10 years her brother died. She asked about Michael and Andrew, wrote their names down and told me she was going to pray for them because she knew how that felt. That blessed my heart!

Then I spoke with her friend, “Barbara.” She had some sort of brace on her arm. She told me I had saved her life. Immediately I told her it was the Lord who saved her life. She went on to share that she has just come from an abusive relationship. I took her face in my hands, looked straight in her eyes and told her that she was beautiful and that God had a plan for her life. Those were two of the high marks for me last night.

Another precious lady shared that her mother had died on her 25th birthday many years ago - the 9th of November! When I signed the book she had purchased, I signed it in memory of her mother, Kathryn. Acknowledging the lost loved one brings such blessing and a smile to a heart that still misses their loved one.

The Lord was so gracious last Thursday evening as we had the opportunity to share on Nite-Line. We have received several encouraging comments about the program. This coming Wednesday night I will go to Clemson to share with Morgan’s sorority - I am very much looking forward to that! On the 29th I have the opportunity to share at a ladies meeting in Greer. I plan to go to Judgment House in Evansville, Indiana the end of October and have an opportunity to share in Spartanburg on Oct. 3. Hannah’s story will be shared through Judgment House in four different locations in October - that amazes and blesses my heart. Clay, Hope and I plan to visit at least 3 of those sights.

One afternoon this week I received a phone call from a girl I was reconnected with at our high school reunion in WV several weeks ago. I had shared a little of our journey with our class and made DVD’s available. ”Robin’s” younger sister was killed by a car a few years ago, leaving behind a teenage daughter. “Robin” has struggled and been very angry with God. I gave her a copy of “A Dove Set Free” at our reunion and she was calling to tell me how God had used it in her life to encourage her to begin seeking Him again. We had a precious time of tears and prayer over the phone.

These are just a few examples of the blessings God is giving us daily. We stand amazed.

If I have not taken as many opportunities to thank you for your sacrifice of time, resources, wisdom, etc. please forgive me - perhaps it is a further step in my own healing. I am amazed at the work of healing God has done and continues to do in my life and I believe He has a message for the body of Christ that He is able and willing to heal any hurt we have!  He wants to set us free from our brokenness - it is only then that a dying world will see the reality of what Jesus can do for a hurting heart! “Set me free from my prison that I may praise your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of Your goodness to me.” Psalm 142:7

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. I don’t know what tomorrow holds but I know He holds it! Our heart’s desire is just to join Him in what He desires to do! Please share this with your spouses and thank them for me!

Much love and many blessings,

Debbie

This morning Lord when You awakened me You brought to my heart and mind the 1st chapter of the book of James. “Consider it pure joy my brothers when you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” Mature and Complete! When I got to the word Complete, You brought to mind our churches new purpose statement, “Encouraging Complete and Courageous Living in Christ.”

So how does James say that we will be made “complete - not lacking anything?” By persevering through the testing of our faith by trials. Yuck! That does not sound fun! But You know what? More and more I am coming to understand that it is true. How else can our faith be proved genuine if it is not tested? It must be tested so that it can be proven as “pure gold.” Job says it in 23:10 “But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” We can’t be a reflection of pure gold unless we are tested. How else will the world know the reality of our God? It is through this purifying process that Your truth is made known or fleshed out.

And it is all about Truth, isn’t it? We watched the first “Truth Project” DVD last night. Jesus said He came to testify to the truth. John 18:37 “For this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” Jesus said He came to testify to the truth - Truth was on trial. Jesus stood before the judge Pilate and spoke truth. Pilate rejected not only truth but Truth Himself! And just like truth was on trial when Jesus testified, Truth is on trial in our day - every single day. We can choose to believe Your truth or we can choose to believe the lies of the enemy. We have bought into many of his lies. Oh Jesus, teach us Your truth - teach us about Yourself so that we can recognize the lies of our enemy.

Is it also true, Father, that for more of Your glory and Your truth to be revealed on this earth in our day, we should be expecting more “trials” to come in the body of Christ. Oh great! You know Lord this really doesn’t set too well with our flesh. We would never ask for more trials. We want Your glory to fill the earth but we don’t really want the trials to go with it! We aren’t getting to choose, are we? The passage in James says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds. . .”

Pure joy! comes only from being in Your presence - even in the midst of trials. The Psalmist says, “You fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.” And in Psalm 21:6, the Psalmist says, “Surely You have granted him eternal blessings and made him glad with the joy of Your presence.”

Okay, Father, I am to share this evening. Fill me up with the joy of Your presence! I so desire for You to speak Your truth so that You can bring freedom and set captives free! I don’t want to talk just to be talking! I desire transformation in my own life and I desire to see transformation in the lives of others because of your truth! 

II Timothy 2:25-26 says, “Those who oppose Him He must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.” You desire to set free those who have been taken captive by lies! Do that work even this evening!

And Lord, if I need someone to go with me this evening - bring them. I don’t know who it is! I like to have a buddy but perhaps You want me to go alone! Whatever - just let me know Your plan!

I just finished sending an e-mail to my pastor about his message Sunday morning - (don’t You love it that I am so random Lord? I skip all over the place when I’m talking to You. You probably have to dispatch extra angels for me! Thanks!) His sermon title was “Spiritual Determination!” -” relentless pursuit! - refusal to do anything less than what needs to be done.” What a great word! His scripture was Philippians 3:10. I love the Amplified “My determined purpose is that I may know Him!” Paul said he was determined to know His God! I love that! Why would I not invest everything in me to know my Creator God?

One more thing I don’t want to forget Lord!  I know You have it all written down - I just can’t remember everything like You can! Yesterday afternoon I missed a phone call on my cell phone and the girl left a message. Her name is Diane and she was in my graduating class of 1979 - 30 years ago. She called to tell me that she had just finished reading “A Dove Set Free.” And You used it to whet her appetite for Yourself!  Bless Your name!!  Her younger sister was walking in our little community one afternoon a few years ago and was hit by a car and was killed. She left behind a young daughter and husband. The sister knew You and was walking with You. My friend, Diane, has had a very hard time with this and has been angry with You. Now, she is ready to seek You!  Oh Jesus, her call blessed my heart! I called her back and we had a precious conversation and prayer time. Even today, Father, I pray that she will find a bible study to become involved in so that You can reveal Yourself to her as she “determines” to know You! Retrain her thinking to be in line with “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you face trials of many kinds” and fill her with Your unspeakable JOY!

Okay, Lord, I’m going to sit down with this power point and You be the Power behind the point!  Amen!