Day 88

Day 88 of  The Red Shoe Project has me packing my bags, popping on my RED shoes and fleeing to a quieter place for a few days.  From the moment I awoke, I sensed God's desire to talk to me about some "heavy" matters, so I've taken my own advice and removed the distractions so that I can give Him my full attention.

Recently, I have conversed with several friends, all of whom are facing significant challenges in life.  They are "holding on to God" yet, something is bothering me.  I don't see evidence of the Power of God at work in their lives. Where is He?  Where is His handiwork?  What's the matter?  What's going on?  I can't understand why all these seasoned Women of God are floundering in their faith. Perhaps floundering is the wrong word.  They are by no means denying God.  And I have no doubts whatsoever that they love God with all their hearts. But it seems that they are just settling for things as they are, instead of commanding things to move into the position that they ought to be in.  Perhaps I am frustrated because my life is not so different?

Where are the Women Warriors of God?  

The women who don't settle, but instead wrestle it out like Jacob did shouting,

"I won't let go until you bless me!"

My friends are all wonderful Women of God. They are my comrades in the faith.  I know their hearts!  So what's up?  Could this perhaps be God's way of blowing the trumpet for us to get our battle gear on, line up in formation, and move out... take the plunge... and go deeper?

Last night I stumbled upon an interesting video clip. A minister was talking about students that were coming to him, inquiring about ministry positions. When he asked them what their qualifications were for ministry, they responded with all sorts of answers.  There were great accomplishments, missions trips, quality schooling, books read, and degrees achieved. Then He asks them, 

"But do you know God?"

As he talked further with them, he was astonished at their lack of prayer.  He was accustomed to spending hours a day in prayer, and none of them even showed promise in that area.  It got me to thinking... What does a man do when he spends four or five hours in prayer?  

The other day I asked God to show me what He sees, and allow me to feel what His heart feels. After writing several nice little blogs on Hearing from God... do you know what He said to me today?

"It grieves me that most Christians 
don't spend much time with me".

So I asked God what we could possibly talk about for four or five hours?  I don't know if I could fill up that amount of time. Although, now that I think about it, I went with a friend once on a four hour road trip, and we had no problem talking straight through the entire trip. And when I get together will my girlfriend for coffee, we have no problem talking for hours.  Hmmmm.

He told me that I could tell Him about all the people I know and about the needs they have....that I could talk to Him about their problems and ask Him to help.  I wonder how many times I've talked to people on the phone about problems or situations... for hours even, only to follow it up with a five minute prayer to God, on the matter?  Does something about that seem backwards to you?  Hmmmmm.

So I've decided to do just that... Talk to God about my friends, and about their needs... asking Him to help them, to step in, to touch them,  refresh them,  restore them, to let them sense His presence in a greater way, to provide for them, to bring deliverance where it's needed, to heal, and to help them be able to receive from Him.

Yes... I've put my everyday routine aside... to intercede for my friends...  to figure this thing out for myself... to become the Woman Warrior of God I'm destined to be.  I can't settle anymore!  I wont! And I'm hoping that I won't have to make this journey alone.  I hope some of you, who are tired accepting things as they are, will throw on your RED shoes and get back in the fight. -- The fight to make a difference! -- The fight to be all you can be for God!  The fight to KNOW Him in a greater way!  

If we're honest, we know that something's missing.  We don't know Him as we should... as we could. We've become comfortable.  Other things have snuck in.  Our daily calendars are filled with lots of things that take up our time, and not enough of our time is invested with God.  If you get right down to the heart of it... Only time with God will manifest the changes that are needed... both in us personally, as well as in the situations that confound us.

 Make no mistake, it will take a fight, a struggle, a wrestling... with our flesh.  Our flesh hates this kind of change!  The devil hates it!  It costs us something. It's anything but convenient. And it seems a lot of work...  for what? 

To know God.  To see the Power of God manifested in our lives.  To be in true Divine Partnership with Him.  Not just in words, but in reality.  Yes... it's by faith... it starts by choosing to believe... but as we act on our faith, and jump into the fight,  God will manifest the promises He's made to us.  I want nothing less!  What about you?

Call me a crusader, if you will, but I'm kicking off my RED shoes,  falling to my knees, and staying there.  That's a requirement for God's army that I'll learn, if it's the last thing I do!

Gail