When they get you in the mail!

So this week we got a reminder of our vacation, in the mail!  We got a bill for $3.80 for unpaid tolls from the State of Florida.  Now, here is the somewhat frustrating thing about this bill.  There is an implication that we just "drove through" the toll without paying.   This is NOT true!  The tollway that we traveled in Florida had no toll booth and no way to pay the toll!  There were a few signs about this Toll-by-plate stuff.  We wondered how the many rental cars in Florida pay their tolls.    Now we are quite familiar with the concept of tollways, living in Illinois.  As a matter of fact, the car we were driving had an IPASS displayed on the upper middle of the windshield.  It has been wonderful to drive through most Midwest and Eastern states with tollways and have the IPASS take care of the toll.  So, this toll-by-plate stuff in Florida was crazy!  My brother-in-law told us we would most likely not ever get a bill if our account was under $10.  But here it is, $3.80 and we get a bill.  Thankfully I could pay this online.  I was just contemplating how much it cost the State of Florida to send out this invoice.  There were 5 pieces of heavy stock paper that included a picture of our car, a return envelope and the envelope that it was mailed in.  I have to believe that they lost money on this! Isn't that typical of a government operation these days?  The one positive thing about this bill is that I really appreciate our IPASS even more now.  No more looking for change on the floor of the car (but in all honesty now you need lots of BILLS to pay our average toll these days.  Gone is the .15 toll, replaced with the $1.95 or more toll).  Thanks to IPASS, we just sort of grin and bear the cost of driving around the Chicago area.

Psalm 25:4-5 TPT

“Lord, direct me throughout my journey,

So I can experience Your Plans for my life.

Reveal the life-paths that are pleasing to You.

Escort me along the way, take me by the hand and teach me,

For You are the God of my increasing salvation,

I have wrapped my heart into Yours.”

I love that this Psalm is talking about the journey.  Certainly today I was thinking about travels (and tolls).  Isn't it comforting to know that Jesus will not only reveal the path for us, but he will also ESCORT us along the way.  Jesus takes our hand and then TEACHES us!  Isn't that just the best news?   I know that this lets me step back and relax.  Quite honestly, I have felt a bit off the path in the last several months.  It really helps me to know that even during this time, Jesus was there, escorting me, helping me and instructing me.  I have learned so much in the last few months.  I have learned that change is very necessary.  And that without that change, you might misinterpret the voice of the Lord.  I have learned that there is light at the end of that tunnel.  I have discovered that there is MORE than today!  And I have felt my heart growing closer to Jesus.    

I loved this recent word from Chuck Pierce. The idea of the people mover is amazing.  I have felt "moved" and this gives me an explanation and even further direction.  Read this and then meditate on it.  Let me know what your thoughts are please! 

Chuck D. Pierce: The Divine Replacement Has Begun!

"This is a time of divine replacement so that I can create the sound of victory and cause the field to rejoice. I am causing some to vacate and others to be positioned."The divine replacement has begun.

"I am moving people. My 'People Mover in the earth' has been activated. This is a time that MY chess game is beginning and I am strategizing over the harvest fields in the earth realm. "I am releasing strategy and moving My pieces in place. The winning move is at hand. Be a part of this divine replacement that I have created in the earth. I will now set positions in places."Let My Spirit come down on you. I am anointing you with favor to move into markets and ministries."

Blessings,

Chuck D. Pierce    Glory of Zion International Ministries

Jesus, thank you for helping me see my recent changes in a new light.  Thank you for always being with me, even when I feel that I've walked off the path.  Holy Spirit, thank you for speaking through people like Chuck Pierce.  Give us all ears to hear Your voice when we read or hear these words.  Give us grace to evaluate our own life and the courage to move when you direct us!  Help us to accept with grace, when other people decide to move and grow.  Amen

Jesus believes the plans for my life......

I know that some of you will think that I am always going to conferences when I tell you that I have been at another conference over the last two days!  But the reality is, that I rarely go to conferences and it is amazing that these two events happened back to back weekends and both driveable distance from my home.  As a matter of fact, this weeks conference really couldn't get any closer to me.  The hotel is the closest hotel to my house - about 2 miles.   So I am thankful for the location!  Both of these events featured amazing people.

 

 

Last night Chuck Pierce was the speaker and tonight was Barbara Yoder.  If you are not familiar with these people, look them up!  The Prophetic word from Chuck Pierce last night was an encouragement for the entire Chicagoland area to expect revival.  Tonight Barbara Yoder spoke about what brings revival.  And the answer is the presence of Jesus.  Barbara told her own testimony and I was struck by the memory of my own encounter with the real presence of Jesus.  When Barbara spoke about being alone in her bedroom, I was remembering being alone in my living room.  I hadn't really spoken to anyone about the growing hunger I was feeling to understand if all this "church" stuff was really the truth.  I had been reading many, many books about the Charismatic Renewal and I just wanted to know if this stuff was real.  So, all by myself, I simply asked the question that had been in my head for so long....... "Jesus, is this really true?"  And just as Barbara said happened to her, Jesus walked into my living room that night.  From that time on, I have KNOWN the very real presence of Jesus.  It is not a sort of thing.  I know the truth.  And that truth changed everything in my life. 

 

So, what does the title of this blog post have to do with this?  Well, earlier today I got one of those "God's word for you today" messages and it was short and simple.... "God believes in you".  So, I have been pondering that word today.  Then, tonight at the meeting, one of the filler slides had the title quote - "Jesus believes the plans for my life".  Given that message two different times today probably means that there is something in that message I need to listen to! 

 

So.... to recap

1) Expect a revival in Chicagoland!

2) All we need is an encounter with the presence Jesus!

3) All you have to do to experience an encounter with Jesus is ask!

4) Jesus believes in the plans he has for your life!

 

Jesus, Father, Holy Spirit, will you remind all of us that you believe in us.  You have a great and wonderful destiny for your people and you believe in that plan.  Thank you Holy Spirit for your working that brings us into the truth of the powerful presence of Jesus.  Thank you that you always come when we are seeking you.  Holy Spirit will you encourage anyone reading this blog who is fearful or apprehensive but really wants to experience your presence in a deeper way, to just ask!  Thank you for your great faithfulness!  Amen

A Different Anniversary.......and feeling thankful

In a couple of days, on the 25th, it would have been my parent's 77th Wedding Anniversary.  Their Wedding Certificate above was in that amazing surprise package from my brother-in-law Roy.  And the picture is their wedding picture.  I have always loved this picture of my mom and dad.  They look so young and so happy.  Today is actually a 48th wedding anniversary of some of my good friends.  And as you know from my last couple of posts, this past weekend was a 50th anniversary of a church.  To top it all off, with my job change, Ken and I have been talking about what to do to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary that is coming up next spring. And today, looking at my mom and dad, 40 years seems kind of short!

 

I was thinking about my mom and dad's wedding.  They decided to get married - on the sly.  Both of them worked at Montgomery Wards and it was against the rules for married people to both work there.  They went on a Sunday afternoon to a nearby town where my dad had found a clergyman who agreed to do the wedding.  My mom's sister Bea and brother-in-law Jim were their witnesses.   My mom didn't even have a new dress for the event.  She wore one of Bea's dresses.  It really didn't matter to her.  She just wanted to be married.  They almost called off the wedding because there was a blizzard!  Not much different than the weather in South Dakota over the last couple of weeks.  But my dad was determined to get married.  My mom made the last entry in her "Five Year Diary" on her wedding day.  It reads "Well, dear diary, I am now married at Clearlake, Jim and Bea attendants.  I am now Mrs. Harry Johnson".  When they got home, Aunt Anna had a lovely cake for them and many came to celebrate.  The next weekend they drove to Ortonville, my dad's home to celebrate there.  Again, many gathered to congratulate them.  It wasn't long before they were discovered at Wards, and my mom willingly gave up her job.  The "Bride and Groom" on their wedding cake was on my cake 39 years ago, and on Gwen and Tim's wedding cake 12 years ago.  Such a very cool thing.

 

I am so thankful for that small, tattered and faded and crumbling, Bride and Groom.  It is a symbol of the importance of the marriage vows - of the covenant.  I felt it was so important to use that on my cake.  I remember my mom saying "why would you want to use this old thing?"  But I knew it was important.  So, when Gwen decided to use the same Bride and Groom, I felt the continuity. 

 

Today, I am feeling very thankful.  I am so thankful for a new job!  I am also thankful for a work physical today that gave me the "very healthy" stamp.  I am thankful for the  witness of my mom and dad's long marriage (that was not all fun and games - but was most certainly blessed).  And I am thankful for my own marriage.  I love that Jesus brings me to this point today, after the down and up day I had yesterday.  It is as if he is saying, REMEMBER!  I am so thankful that I have been looking back on family and gaining so much insight.  Today on the Elijah List I saw this from Chuck Pierce:  Godly Roots and Your Bloodline

This past week I have been praying for each of you to connect with your godly roots and to know the One who is your source of every good and perfect thing!

And this is exactly where I have been over the last few months. 

 

Jesus, I pray that you help each person reading this blog to connect to their own family roots.  Thank you Holy Spirit, that you are helping us to see the One that is the source of the good things in our families.  Thank you for anniversaries that remind us to stop and reflect on all that you have done Jesus.  So today, Jesus thank you for having me look back, even as I am on that up escalator!  Amen