Day 169

I was sporting my RED wedge sandals today!  It's the 169th Day of  The Red Shoe Project.  Can you believe it?  I've been wearing RED shoes for 169 days!  Needless to say,  it has become a habit.   I can no longer imagine myself wearing any other color on my feet,  but RED!  Not to mention the fact that I am constantly reminded to look and listen for God.  Turns out He's everywhere!

Those RED sandals took me many places today, but by the time the sun was going down,  I could be found at Suncoast Church, in the coffee bar, chatting with friends about Paul the Apostle and Radical Christianity.

Radical Christianity.  That sounds scary!  Pictures flood my mind of crazy, obnoxious Bible thumpers threatening hell, fire and brimstone if I don't believe.  
Tonight I heard an interesting testimony.  A few years ago, a couple young guys had been partying and  ended up at Taco Bell to cure their munchies.  When they were done eating, they headed out the door where they were met by two young guys, on bicycles, who asked them if they knew Jesus.  They thought that was rather weird, but next thing you know, the young evangelists had the boys, on their knees, in the parking lot, asking Jesus to forgive them and come into their hearts, saving them from eternal damnation.  One of the boys, (all grown up now),  confessed that they were not in their right mind that night, and were driven to prayer out of fear.  Nothing substantial came of it.  They just carried on with life as usual.  Nevertheless, within two years, the boys returned to Christ.  Each of them, having all their wits about them, made a sincere confession of faith.  They are now both living whole-heartedly for God!

Radical   means...

 revolutionary,  life changing,  extreme, 

thorough,  comprehensive,  extensive, 

 profound,  in-depth,  to the fullest extent.

The early Christian church consisted of many so-called  "radicals."   Acts 17:6 refers to the Apostle Paul and his evangelistic team as men who were "causing trouble" and  "turning the world upside down."

I've always been rather intrigued by the Apostle Paul.  One minute he's headed to Damascus searching for Christian believers to persecute them, and the next minute, he's confessing to be a Christian, himself.  In an instant, his life was changed.  He was never the same again.  From that moment on, he gave his life to winning the lost to Christ.  He became a radical Christian, ultimately dying for His faith.  (And that's putting it mildly.)  Not only did he die for his faith, but he lived for his faith... to the fullest extent.  For that, he was stoned,  left for dead,  beaten,  abused,  jailed,  shipwrecked and more.   Wow!   What happened in that instant that changed him?   He had a God encounter.  

In Galatians, 1:15... Paul states,

"... God was pleased to reveal his Son in me 

so that I might preach him among the Gentiles..."

In an instant,  on a road,  God revealed Himself to Paul. They had a little talk.  Even though Paul had been educated to the fullest degree in the Jewish faith and was actively living that faith out... everything changed in a moment's time, when He was utterly convinced that Jesus is the Son of God.

On Sunday, April 10th, 1983, I had a God encounter.  Instantly, I gave my life to God and became a Christian.  When I went to work the next day, a business colleague, who shared an office with me, noticed that I was different.  I couldn't help but share my story with her.  Within a week, she too had a God encounter and was born-again!  She was never the same.

A month went by and my boss asked me to step into his office.  He closed the door behind me.  Sitting down behind his desk, his hands folded, he looked me straight in the eyes.  

"I've been observing you for the last month and I've noticed that you've completely changed.  You're smiling.  You're happy.  You're whole countenance is different.  You're glowing.  I must know...  'What happened to you thirty days ago that has brought about this amazing change?'"  

You can imagine how awkward it was telling him that I discovered God was real, and that I had given my life to Christ.  My boss wasn't all that surprised.  I wasn't the first that he'd seen this happen to.  He was very receptive and after some conversation, it became apparent that God was at work in his life as well.

Several more months passed by when I was scheduled to attend a private meeting with another manager in the company.  As I sat down at his desk at 8 a.m. with my cup of tea in hand.  He sipped on his morning coffee and stated quite sincerely, "I'd like you to save my soul!"  Yes... God was working on him as well.

Several of the people I met with tonight, in the coffee bar, have had God encounters of their own.  Like Paul, their lives have been changed.  There's no going back to the old way... whatever that might have been.  They are convinced that Jesus is the Son of God.  Now, they are living for Him!  They are walking and talking with Christ.  They are pursuing a deeper relationship with the Living God, Himself.  No sense in trying to change their minds.  They're sold out!

What's really interesting is that they don't view Radical Christianity as they used to.  You're either in or you're out.  You either believe that Jesus is the Son of God, or you don't.  And if you do... well,  it's not something that you can keep quietly to yourself for long...  not because someone tells you that you have to share your discovery with the world,  but because of the fact that when you've been given the greatest gift imaginable -- God -- AND allowed to share Him -- well, quite frankly, you feel compelled to bless everyone and anyone around you... especially those whom you love dearly!  You don't want to Bible thump, but somehow, in some crazy way, it's perceived as that.  Often times, you don't  say anything --  not a word!   yet you're still accused of preaching.  How can that be? 

God is at work in the lives of these new believers in Christ.  He's changing them in ways that only God can!  They don't have to say a thing.  It's written all over them.  They're glowing.  There's hope,  joy and peace, where there used to be emptiness, sorrow and unbelief.  It's a good thing.  It's a God thing!  

And now they are finding it necessary to compile their own personal stories, of their unique God encounter experience, in which they came to believe that Jesus is the Son of God.  

Will they too be "World Changers?"  

Will they be accused of...

"causing trouble?"  

"ruffling feathers?"  

"making people a little uncomfortable?"  

"turning the place upside down?"

Too late! 
They're already doing that!
They are becoming Radical Christians, on fire for God! 

Me too!  

Wearing RED shoes,

Gail

Day 168

Day 168 of  The Red Shoe Project has me in my RED, open-toed, high heels,  dashing about town, doing errands and thinking about something I saw while on my morning prayer walk.  

It was a group of vultures.  I counted eight of them.  They were all standing around, hunch-backed, waiting their turn, to feast upon a dead carcass.  Man those scavengers are big...  not to mention, ugly!



Vultures are large birds of prey.  They are hunters that usually attack and kill animals that are sick or injured. They feast on the decaying flesh of dead animals. These scavengers often gather in groups and wait, with anticipation, for a sick or injured animal (or person) to die... sometimes as a result of an attack by another, larger animal.  When that animal has had its fill, the vultures move in and scrape up the remains.

1 Peter 5:8 says...

"Be sober, be vigilant; 

because your adversary, the devil, 

as a roaring lion, prowls about,

 seeking whom he may devour."

For better understanding, 

I decided to break 

this scripture down 

into manageable pieces:

Be sober -- clear minded, serious and ready to take action!
Don't be intoxicated, partied out, or off your guard.

Be vigilant -- Keep careful watch for possible danger or difficulty!
Be fully aware of what's going on around you -- in the natural and in the spiritual realm.

because  --  indicates there's a reason for all this, and it's this:

your adversary -- your enemy, opponent, challenger, the one who's against you.  The one who wants to see you fail. He wants to take you down, disable you, take you captive and if possible, take you out!   He wants you wasted and completely out of commission.  He's the theif who wants to rob you, kill you and destroy everything that's important to you. (John 10:10)

the devil -- Satan and/or his demons, evil spirits

as a roaring lion -- likens himself to the king of beasts,  imitating his loud ferocious roar, merely pretending that he has claim to you and power over you.  Basically...  he's faking it!

prowls about seeking -- roams the earth, walking around in search of prey. He's  hunting,  looking here, there and everywhere, hoping to find a victim.

whom -- prey,  a targeted victim,  a weak individual,  a sucker,  a pushover;
Someone intoxicated,  drugged,  or who doesn't have their wits about them;
Someone who's not paying attention,  worldly minded,  foolish or lazy;
Someone who's blind to spiritual matters,  focused on self,  focused on money;
Someone who's hurt,  abused,  broken and  vulnerable;
Someone having a pity party,  who's down on himself  and discouraged;
Someone who's guard is down, unarmed,  uncovered, exposed and unprotected;
Someone who's disabled, crippled by life, down and out, unable to move;
Someone who's out of fellowship... with others and with God.  Disconnected
and prayer-less,  trapped in unbelief.  They've  lost their vision,  forgotten
who they are in Christ,  forgotten the power of His Word and how to use it;
Someone who's unforgiving and  holding a grudge;

(Is this "someone"  you?  Is it me?  Could it be the person you're sitting beside at church?  Is it your spouse?   Your best friend?  One of your children?)

he may devour -- grab ahold of and tear apart,  shred to pieces,  victimize,
eat up,  destroy,  strip of everything,  tear down,  torment,  torture,  possess,  oppress,  depress,  exploit,  abuse,  take advantage of,  deceive,  cheat,  trick,  make a mockery of,  knock down,  knock out,  take captive of,  take out,  drag down,  enslave,  entangle,  bind up,  shackle,  imprison,  take control of,
put in a choke hold and leave for dead.

Need anymore be said?  It's a fair warning:   Be sober!  Be vigilant!  

Who would ever imagine that God could give such a living illustration,
while on a morning walk, in RED shoes?

Gail

Day 167

It's Day 167 of The Red Shoe Project and off I went, once again  in RED sneakers,  prayer walking.

Prayer walking is just what it sounds like...  Praying while Walking!  Today I clocked in three miles in about fifty minutes, covering just about everything and everyone on my prayer list.  As I was walking and talking with God on this aerobic hike, it dawned on me that I was not alone.  God was with me...  listening,  hearing me out,  suggesting ideas, bringing light to situations, showing me truths, sharing secrets... and all while receiving my praises and requests.

Alone means... 

solo -- single -- by oneself, 

unescorted -- unaccompanied, 

partnerless -- companionless, 

"by one's lonesome."

Prior to my salvation experience in 1983, I struggled with an eating disorder.  Upon conversion, the disorder completely disappeared.  It just went away.  Maybe I felt that I no longer needed to be in control?  Or perhaps I felt such love, that the thought just never crossed my mind again?  They say that sometimes actions like that are symptoms of a deeper problem within.  Once the problem within is resolved, the symptoms go away.  I don't know... but it was miraculously gone.  I was delivered from that evil bondage that had its grip on me. 

Several years went by, and then one day, when I was feeling very insecure and alone, I found myself eating a little too much, and heading to the bathroom to purge.  The dark voices in my head were reeling me in like a fish on a hook.  As I locked the bathroom door behind me, knelt in front of the commode and proceeded to make myself sick, I heard a loud voice say,

"What are you doing?" 

I'm not sure if it was an external voice or a voice within my head, but regardless, I knew who speaking to me.  It was God.

"You're not alone,"  He said.  "I'm in here with you... all the time!"  Your body isn't your own anymore!  This isn't what I have for you.  Let's talk."  

Needless to say, that put a damper on the whole secrecy issue of this eating disorder thing.  He wasn't going for it.  And neither was I.  Going back to that old bad habit was not an option.  We nipped it in the bud.

I know it sounds ridiculous,  and thank you for bearing with me through such an awkward conversation...  but it's a true story and it certainly drives the point home.  As a born again Christian,  I am filled with The Holy Spirit, never to be alone again!

1 Corinthians 6:19 says...

"Don't you know that your body is the temple 

of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, 

whom you have received from God?  

You are not your own."

So I'm not really single, solo, or by myself... ever.  Christ is always my escort.  I am always on His arm.  He accompanies me everywhere I go.  He's my partner... my full-time companion and my friend.  I'm never "by my lonesome!"

"He's the friend that sticks closer than a brother." 

Proverbs 18:24b

Yet sometimes the enemy of my soul, the father of lies, the deciever tries to trick me into believing that I'm lonely.  Sometimes he just gets into my head!

Lonely  means...

• isolated  
• friendless 
• no one to turn to 
• forsaken  
• abandoned
• rejected
• unloved 
• unwanted  

But God's Word tells me otherwise, 

"I will never leave you nor forsake you."

Hebrews 13:5

Did you ever wonder why it's so easy to miss God's voice, and even easier to pick up on the station that plays all the golden oldies --  LIES?  I know that I don't purposely try to muffle out God's voice.  I want to hear Him!  

I've found it necessary 

to stay tuned in to Gods voice... 

otherwise, the devil will tune in to me!  

 I can do that by filling the space in my head with good things... with God things.  Philippians 4:8 says...

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, 

whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable,  if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, 

think about such things. "

For me, that means that I listen to a lot of Christian worship;  read a lot of God's Word and inspiring literature;  and think about the things of God.  I make it a point to fill myself and my life with things that are spiritually nourishing.  It also means that I filter out, shut off, and say no to Spiritual Junk Food... things with no spiritual value... things that don't promote, (or even have the tendency to take away from), my spiritual growth.  

Because I'm not alone, I take into consideration what my divine partner wants and what will make our relationship grow. I don't want to offend The Holy Spirit.   So, my television is turned off a lot.  I'm careful about what I watch, what I listen to, what I read and the conversations I'm around.  That doesn't mean that everything has to be "religious."  There's a lot of great things to choose from.  

I guess it comes down to this:

I want to hear Him... as often as possible and as clearly as possible, so I'm going to do the things that will help make that happen. 

With that said, 

I'm walking in Red shoes, 

making good choices and 

listening for His voice.

Gail

Day 166

On Day 166 of  The Red Shoe Project, I could be found in RED sneakers,  praying circles around the promises of God.  Seriously!  Whenever God promises me something, I circle it in prayer, and continue to pray it through to completion... til it's fulfilled and I've taken possession of it!  Today was about a prayer project that I've been working on for almost ten years.  Hey... what can I say?  Some things take time.  What's that old saying?

"Good things come to those that wait."

Many years ago, God spoke to me as I was driving along the road.  "I'm going to give you that house." He said.  I looked over to my right and there stood a magnificent house, but I didn't need a house, and this house needed a lot of work.  I told God that.  Next thing I know, the house is going through a one year restoration project.  Really?  Did God decide to restore it for me?

Waiting is all about patience. 
And Patience is a Fruit of the Spirit.

Time went by.  Life changed.  I changed.  When I was going through a very difficult time in life, I noticed that the house was still unoccupied.  It was within walking distance from my home and I found myself mysteriously frequenting the property.  I would sit in the garden and pray.  I was so broken.  I cried a lot.   Here, I felt so connected with God.  I always felt like He was right there with me, collecting those tears and listening to my prayers.



One night I looked up at the stars in the sky...  

"Okay God,"   I said.  "I believe you are going to give me this house, but I just don't know how you are going to do it!"  

He immediately responded, "That's what Abraham said."

"Faith is the substance of things hoped for, 

the evidence of things not yet seen." 

Hebrews 11:1

No matter how difficult life got,  somehow, the heaviness always lifted when I was in that garden. I would pray and pray... not so much for myself,  but for the lost.  I would pray that one day, people would come onto that property and find hope.  I found myself believing that people would  connect with Christ there.  Maybe there would even be some who would rediscover their faith in that very garden, or on the porch, or as they walked around the grounds.   I would sit,  sometimes for hours, weeping and praying.  To me, this garden was a divine access point.  I could never quite understand the fullness of what God was doing in me or through me, but I knew this... He was with me and He was using me to intercede for others.  

 Waiting is "Hanging around until the time is right." 

One day when I was about to give up on life,  God stepped in.  He cheered me on to victory and reminded me of the many promises He wanted to fulfill in my life...  including the one of giving me that special house.  He said it was all  "right around the corner!"   From that low point in my life,  it was all up hill from there.  My life changed dramatically for the better.  I also learned that the timeframe of  "right around the corner"  is different for God than it is for me.

"But do not forget this one thing, dear friends:

With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, 

and a thousand years are like a day."

2 Peter 3:8

It's okay... I've been walking with God for a long time.  You get used to the time difference.  I'm not saying I completely understand it... but I can wait. 

             
Waiting is about "Staying Power."

All these years and the house is still not occupied.  They tried selling it, but it never sold.  Recently the owners went into partnership with a company that wants to put an elderly living facility on the property.  They bulldozed all the land and moved the house to another part of the property.  I'm not discouraged.  God is doing something.  The plan is moving forward.  

Waiting  requires  perseverance, 

persistence,  endurance and tenacity

Today I went back to the property.  I walked around the house two times, reminding God of His promise and thanking Him.  He says it's going to look really good when it's all complete and that I won't be disappointed.  

I looked around at the rest of the property.  It's massive now that all the trees and grass are gone.  I walked over to where the house used to be.  The garden is still there, but it's all broken up and overgrown.  It was a strange site.  I had mixed emotions as I stood there.  This is the place where I'd met with God all those times.  They were such powerful times of prayer!   The brick seat still remains in the garden rubble, so I thought -- just for old times sake -- I'd sit in the seat and have a little word of prayer.  Why not?  

I laid my hand on the bricks, closed my eyes and bowed my head.  BOOM!  

That's all it took.  I was immediately transported to that Secret Place.  The Spirit of God poured down upon me like a flash rainstorm.  Next thing I know, I'm falling to my knees, resting my body upon that brick seat, as if it were an altar, and interceding for the lost.  The prayer had not changed one bit.  God was still using me to bring forth His plan in this place.  For quite some time,  

I wept...  I shook... and I prayed in a variety of languages.  I just yielded myself to whatever God wanted to do there, in the midst of what was left of my prayer garden.   Before long, the prayer subsided.  I gave God praise as I lifted my head and opened my eyes...  WOW!  What a shock!  As I looked around, there I was on my knees, in the middle of this demolished property...  "just having a little God time,"  so to speak.  LOL.  That's okay, I'm used to this as well.

 

I stood up, pulled myself together and began to walk down the path, in my RED sneakers,  to the main street.  As I walked home,  it dawned on me that I may never see that garden again.  I'm glad God brought me that way for one last meeting with Him in that special spot. 

But I don't doubt that I'll be back on that property to pray... with or without the flower garden.  As long as The Spirit of God dwells there,  I'll be back!  For the last ten years I've been the Spiritual Caretaker of this property and no one's fired me yet!  One day, I'll be the owner.  The transfer has already taken place in the heavenlies.  It's just a matter of time -- God's time -- for me to possess the land,  in my RED shoes, of course!

Praising Him until that time comes!

Gail