It's early Tuesday morning. The Lord woke me up about 4 AM and His presence was so strong I couldn't get out of bed for a little while. He was speaking to me about the message He wants brought forth tomorrow night at church. I have the opportunity to do a full kid's service in "big church." I am furthering my credential level and part of my requirements is for Pastor Tommy to evaluate one of my services.
I've been praying about this message for a couple of weeks and it wasn't fully coming to me. I had an idea but wasn't sure if it was a "Lori thought" or a "God thought" at first. Sometimes the Lord will give me a message in a matter of a few minutes. But like this time, He sometimes gives it to me in bits and I have to chew on it for awhile...pray it through.
It all started with a bottle of water. It sparked a thought and Jesus showed me how that everyday item would help my kids remember the message. The Lord has done that before with me. A traffic light helped me preach a message about not being fearful and trusting God. A skeleton helped me preach a message about guarding our hearts. Tomorrow night I'm preaching about the Living Water.
Father, I praise you for speaking to me this morning. I thank you for stirring my heart and confirming what it is you want me to speak. I pray that the words would flow from me tomorrow night and that everyone in that room, young or old, would have an understanding about the Living Water. I pray lives will be eternally changed for You. I pray hearts will yield and be given to You. I pray your power falls and people are filled with your Holy Spirit. Continue to speak to me today and show me to smallest details that You want in the service. I thank you so much for another day to serve You and this opportunity to proclaim Your Word. In Jesus name...Amen.
Happy Birthday to my beautiful daughter! I sure wish we could spend the day together. Micaela is such an amazing woman of God. I always am in awe of her artistic talents and passion for having fun. She is a great friend to MANY people and very loyal and trustworthy in those friendships. She loves to travel, see new places, learn new things, play games, spend time with family, Facebook!, music of all kinds, animals, movies, dark chocolate, hunt for old books, doing crazy things like jumping off bridges and climbing water towers, and she LOVES to laugh.
Mic, I pray you have a wonderful day even though we are apart until Easter. God has so much in store for you as you follow Him. Graduation is just several weeks away and it's gonna be so exciting to see this next chapter in your life.
Love you bunches!
You know me...occasionally have I have some random thoughts to share.
I had the honor of preaching Wednesday night in "Big Church." Pastor Tommy is in Florida at a pastor's conference and he asked me to fill in. I was praying one morning about 5 AM and looking up some scriptures for a friend when God inspired the sermon for the night. I have been praying that God would not only give me "an ear to hear what the spirit says," but an eye to see as Jesus does. As I said in my sermon, I am guilty of buzzing through my day and not always being aware of divine appointments God sets before me. I do not want to be so mission minded that I rush past a God ordained opportunity to minister to someone or some need.
The title of the sermon was inspired from the Kleenex commercial. You know, the one where the woman is going through her morning routine touching things. Touch, keys, touch, shoes, touch phone, touch this don't touch that, touch, touch, touch and then she grabs a tissue and the commercial voice says...feel. Look, Look, Look, SEE! Part of my sermon focused on the story we all have read and heard a thousand times. Jesus has set himself apart to mourn the violent death of His friend John the Baptist. Matthew 14:13-21. The crowds followed Him, not knowing what He was going through, and instead of being annoyed, frustrated or telling them to leave, the Bible says He SAW them and had compassion on them. He healed their sick and then He spent the day ministering to them. When the disciples came to Jesus with the need of food...He fed them via one of the most amazing miracles...five loaves and two fish fed over 5,000 people. What miracle might God perform through us if only we stop and SEE? Jesus Himself said in John 14:12, "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father." We are people of faith! And so I say faith looks at a problem but SEES it as an opportunity.
I want to see as in be aware. I don’t want to be so wrapped up in my mission mindedness or life struggles that I am not aware. I’m gonna pay attention. Not that I’m so heavenly minded that I’m no earthly good but if I’m listening then I’m gonna see also! I’ll notice if you got a hair cut but will I be aware when your countenance changes for better or worse? I want to rejoice with someone in a mountain top time but want to be their walking stick as they climb out of a valley, too.
I want to see as in recognize. Proverbs 15:3 says, “The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and good.” God recognizes the wicked and the good of this world. We want to have eyes to see what is intended for our benefit or our destruction! When you encounter someone you haven’t been around for a long while, you might look at them but not recognize them.
I want to see as Jesus does as with understanding, compassion and looking at the heart. I don’t want to see as the world does.
Anywho, the Lord really helped me get past the nerves and speak what He wanted. We had a great altar time with Jesus. I hope the message challenged everyone to go deeper in their relationship with Christ and to Look, Look, Look, SEE!
Hey my Union City friends! FYI...Friday night's couples bowling adventure is at 5:30-7 PM at Southlane. Note the slight time change!! It costs $6.50 per person and we are still planning to do ice cream at McDonald's following me humiliating myself with what I attempt to call bowling! Oh well....I have fun doing it. Bring another couple along!
We had our very first Daddy Date Night this past Saturday. It is so fun to see all those little girls dressed up and looking like princesses! All the dads looked so handsome. Randy got to go as a dad to an 8th grade young lady who is super sweet. I had opened the age group up to the youth also since the speaker had a teenage daughter but I wasn't sure any others would attend. I was pleasingly surprised that we had three others come, too. 
