Day 126

Today was Day 126 of  The Red Shoe Project,  and I was adorned in my RED Jessica Simpson heels  for an important business meeting downtown.  As beautiful as they are, they are not great for "walking it out."  Talk about high!  They must be at least 4" and they are the only shoes that keep the hem of my white pants from touching the ground.


Sometimes, however,  it's not about how things look, it's about how things work. With that in mind, I headed to my Spiritual Wardrobe with a specific outfit in mind.
From the moment I awoke, I realized it was one of those days.  Arrows of defeat and discouragement were flying in from all directions.  I pulled out the Armor of God and got dressed.

"Therefore, put on the full armor of God..."

At Sozo, last week, the main focus was on dispelling the lies that I have come to believe as truth, so that I can move forward, successfully,  in all that God has for me.  Today was a constant onslaught of lies pouring down on me.  The voices in my mind pushed and pushed trying to gain back the ground they lost last week, and it was up to me to defend the territory of truth that I had won back.  It wasn't easy!  It was a day of  "walking it out!"  

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, 

but against the rulers, against the authorities, 

against the powers of this dark world and against 

the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly realms.  

 (Ephesians 6:12)

I've come to realize that  no one else can "walk it out for me."  That's something that I have to do myself.  I have to put forth the effort and  "just do it."  People can tell me about it.  I can read books on it.  My pastor may preach it from the pulpit.  I can even pray about it with a trusted friend.  But at some point.  I've got to put on my RED shoes and "walk it out."  I've got to do what God tells me to do.  I've got to put God's Word into action.  I've got to apply it to my personal life.   Does it really work?  I'll never know for sure until I give it a try.

It doesn't surprise me that the enemy has already attacked in hope of taking back the land. Today was "Bill Paying Day."  I love paying bills!  It's one of my favorite things to do.  But when there's not quite enough money to pay all of the bills, on the day I choose to pay them, the enemy sees that as the perfect opportunity to attack.  Watch out!  Here come the lies!

"Your God didn't really say that He'd provide.  That's just you thinking that!  See, there's not enough.  He's not doing it!  You're never going to make it.  Better just pack the whole thing up and get a real job.  If God were in this, you wouldn't be in need.  It's just not working.  See, there's that feeling again.  You're overwhelmed... and rightfully so.  No one can do this.  You're never going to make it.  What were you thinking?"

Okay... so I want to laugh hysterically after reading that because it's such a blatant attempt by the devil to bring me down!  But it didn't seem that way earlier today.  His voice seemed so loud and powerfully persuasive.  The Holy Spirit picked up on it immediately, though, and brought it to my attention that the enemy was on the offensive.

But you know what?  I'm tired of hearing that same old, same old dialog from the devil.  I've heard it all before.  And between Sozo,  dear friends praying on my behalf,  the angels of God,  great Biblical teaching and all this time I'm spending in the Secret Place with God...  Well  --  I'm stronger now!
No more pulling my tail between my legs and scurrying over to the corner in defeat.  That's not an option anymore.   I'm ready to fight back! I'm prepared to "walk it out!"

So I looked in the mirror, 

made sure my armor was fully in place, 

pulled out my sword and lunged forward!

 I've learned to dismember the lies of the enemy 

with the truth of God's Word.  

I know exactly what God spoke to me.   Jesus, Himself, said... 

"My sheep know my voice; I know them; and they follow me." 
(John 10:27)

His Word says "My God shall provide all my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19)

"Abraham called that place, Jehovah Jireh - The Lord will provide."  (Genesis 22:14)  He is the God who sees the situation beforehand and is able to provide for  my needs. 

My God is faithful to deliver on His promises.  "His name is Faithful and True" (Revelation 19:11)

Today, I stand firm 
on His Word, believing!  

It was a rough day!  A day of holding down the fort, per say.  A day of repeating over and over again the scriptures I stand on when it comes to financial promises.  But it was also a day of praising God .  Later in the afternoon, I found myself singing that old chorus:

Jehovah Jireh, My Provider.

His Grace is Sufficient for Me.

My God shall supply all my needs,

according to His riches in glory.

He will give his angels charge over me.

Jehovah Jireh cares for me.

Jehovah Jireh cares for me.

With that song, the cloud of darkness seemed to lift, at least for now.  But sword in hand, I'm prepared for when the enemy returns.  I'm not sure how long this particular battle will last, but I expect to be Victorious!  I know that there will always be some sort of battle.  And I always have the choice to plunge forward or to retreat.  But in exercising my faith and "walking it out,"  I put God to the test, and God never fails! 

Will you take your place in the ranks of God's army?  Will you put on your RED shoes and "walk it out?"  Will you exercise your faith in your particular situation and watch God come through for you?

 I can't do that for you.  I've got my own "walking it out"  to do.   You have to do that yourself.  But know that I am praying for you.

You can do it!

Gail

  

Today was Day 125 of  The Red Shoe Project.  I found myself wearing comfortable RED shoes, and once again, visiting Harvest Tabernacle, and enjoying the ministry there with my dear friends Carolyn and Jim.  I'm never disappointed when I stop in there because God is always vibrantly present. I saw Him in the Worship.  I saw Him in the Word.  Not to mention the fact that several people testified of His Saving, Delivering, and Healing Power in their personal lives.  

I was reminded that we serve a Living God who connects with people, here and now! 

Why, oh why do so many settle for Religion?  

It's empty.  It's boring.  And it's dead.  

Why did I ever settle for it?  Because it's easy.  

Religion is easy.  

Relationship is challenging.  

But I'm in for a daily challenge.  A relationship with The Living God provides  Life,  Adventure, and  Fullness.  It's worth the effort!

After service, I joined my friends, Carolyn and Jim for lunch.  Carolyn is an accomplished artist.  She's the one who loves to collage.  Because of that, I was reminded of my Sozo meeting last week.  While in my prayer circle (at Sozo),  God revealed to me lies that I had come to believe were truth.  The whole point of Sozo is to sever those deceiving entanglements and release them to God.   Each time I did that,  I asked The Holy Spirit what He was giving me to replace it.  Whatever picture I saw in my mind, I spoke out loud and one of the women on the ministry team wrote it down for me.  I didn't understand, at the time, what was actually happening.   

It wasn't until later, long after 

the Sozo meeting was over,  

that I realized I had a list of 

promised treasures from the Lord. 

 I say all this, now, because I spent yesterday and today, collaging those treasures on Pinterest. I found pictures that matched my list and collected them on a board entitled, 

"God's Gifts to Me"

It's like my own treasury of

Crown Jewels.

That collage includes:

• a rushing river
• a pile of diamonds 
• a field of pansies
• the truth that "All Things are Possible!"
• an orchestra
• a monarch butterfly
• a big red heart
• white snow, freshly fallen over the earth
• lilacs
• my ability to see the angel that watches over my son
• a waterfall of The Glory of God
• a victory dance
• the revelation that there are angels all around fighting on my behalf
• a snowplow filled with ice and snow, taking away what was blocking the flow of trust and belief
• broken handcuffs replaced by pouring rain
• a powerful wind blowing lies off the clothes line
• a jar of wishes, hopes and dreams
• freedom, opportunity and life
• a box of chocolates
• children running amongst my feet
• a gold wedding ring
• a pure, fresh cotton bulb in bloom, still on the stem
• a basket of fresh picked berries
• a purse filled with gold coins
• a closed book on past relationships
• a spotlessly cleaned room
• an open window with fresh air flowing in
• a treasure chest of gold coins and jewels. 
• extensive wheat fields with an endless harvest
• divine power through The Holy Spirit
• the peacefulness of a clear lake in the early morning

As I look down, this evening, at my 

worn but wonderful Ruby slippers,

I am thankful for the magic that God 

brings into my life each day.

I am also thankful for my "You,"  

my readers,  my  "Rubies."

I treasure the fact that you faithfully support The Call of God on my life by praying for me, encouraging me, and following my writing.

Love to you all,

Gail

Day 124

Today is Day 124 of  The Red Shoe Project.  It's a beautiful day in sunny Sarasota!  The sun is out. The sky is blue.  There's a light breeze in the air.  
It must be 80 degrees outside.  What's better than that?

I popped on my RED flip flops and headed outdoors to bring Pauly for a walk around the neighborhood.  We weren't
out the door one minute when the nice neighbor lady stopped by to chat.
And then it happened... out of my mouth came an onslaught of negativity.  Yikes!

Where did that come from?  That's not usually my area of difficulty per say.
But... well... I guess,  Today it was!  
"Jesus... Please forgive me!" 
And I'm not joking when I pray that.  I take very seriously what comes out of my mouth, and though it didn't last very long... I could have kicked myself.  I should have kicked myself. It was totally unnecessary and unprofitable.

The neighbor lady is very nice.  She just crossed the street to say hello and chat a bit.  But somehow, I was caught off guard.  I was tired.  I didn't think quick enough.

"What do I talk to this lady about?"  

"What do we have in common?"  

She mentioned that she liked my new mailbox.  She's interested in getting a new mailbox herself.  Next thing you know... I went into a two minute soliloquy on how the local neighborhood development committee gave me a hard time about my mailbox.

Could I not have found something more uplifting, more interesting, more happy to talk about with her?  Apparently not.  And once I got started,
it was like I couldn't stop myself.  Immediately,
I recognized what was happening, but I couldn't seem to shut it down. - put a lid on it - zip it  -  lock it shut -  and say no more!   Nope...  it just continued to flow from my mouth like water from a hose.   Only this water wasn't refreshing at all.  It was tainted.


Of course now, I can think of all sorts of positive options.  We could have talked about the dog, or the weather, or her mom visiting, how pretty her lawn looked, how her boys were getting so big.   And actually,  we did end up talking about those things once I changed direction.  As soon as I had the chance, I nicely ended our conversation and carried on walking the dog.  Whew!  Finally I was out of there.

 Yes... I was mad at myself for going there... on negative ground.  I heard it with my own ears and I didn't like the way it sounded.  It was a messy speech of excuses and emotions that was going down from the moment it started.  Sometimes I can rescue things in mid air and turn them around for the good, but this wasn't one of those occasions.

After asking God to flat out forgive me.  I spent the day, open for divine feedback.  I guess what stands out the most was the fact that this woman just wanted to chat.  That was so obvious.  Maybe she needed a friend?  and I cut her short.

I thought the problem was what I said.  And to be honest... most people probably would not have even picked up on it.  My ears tend to be overly sensitive to negativity.  Perhaps I could have rebounded, changed the direction of the conversation, and then just listened.  I'm not saying that what I did wasn't wrong.  It was and The Holy Spirit checked me on it.  I get that.  But what God pointed out to me was "the need" -- her need.   I was so focused on myself  --  what I said,  how it sounded,  how it might be perceived, how I can do so much better  --  that  I missed what was really happening. I cut the visit short.  I cut off the opportunity to minister to her.  All I really had to do was be a friend and listen.

Well, I can still do that.  I'll have to make it a point to get my feet, in RED shoes, and get over to her house this week.  Perhaps I'll bring her some daisies.

"Don't you think that daisies are the friendliest flowers?"

Meg Ryan - You've Got Mail

Lesson learned!   

Gail

Day 123

Today was Day 123 of The Red Shoe Project.  I was out of the house by
10 am, wearing white pants and a linen shirt,  along with the cutest pair of  casual, RED slip ons.  

I met up with a wonderful friend and business colleague at Starbucks to discuss some important business matters.  We are both entrepreneurs and today is Friday, so we casually sipped our iced lattes, outdoors under an umbrella, in our casual Friday attire, and discussed strategic planning.
How great is that?  This is networking at it's best!

Oh... if relationship building was always that easy.  I love it when I naturally connect with someone.  It's effortless.  I can totally just be myself.  It's as if there's nothing I  can do to turn the other person away.  For some reason, we're just divinely connected. The relationship is somehow part of a big plan that will someday all make sense.   That's such a contrast to all the people I've tried to connect with over the years and no matter what I've done,  (jumped through hoops, over-extended myself, gone above and beyond, you name it... )  and it never came together.  Talk about inviting God into your business day?  I'll take one of these divine set-ups, any time!

As afternoon rolled around, a much anticipated lunch date with a pal was canceled due to illness.  Even so, I found myself in my friend's neighborhood doing another errand.  Once I was done, I wasn't quite sure what to do with myself.  I guess heading home was the most obvious option.  But no...
the Lord dropped a rather strange request in my heart.
In obedience, I found myself driving around my friend's neighborhood, singing soft worship choruses and praying for my friend and her family that the peace of God would fall upon them and that healing would touch their household.  After about fifteen minutes of that, I thought, "What a nice thing!  Okay, I'll go home now."  But no, it wasn't God's time to leave just yet.  I kept thinking to myself... "I think I better do one more loop around the neighborhood." Off I went, driving up and down the streets,  praying for my friend while singing lovely choruses of worship.  It was the most peaceful drive around.

 Many loops later, I pulled over by the waterfront and chatted with God awhile.  I asked Him for a sign about something we have been discussing as of late.  Right then and there, a monarch butterfly passed by.  That was so funny, because God just told me a couple days ago, when I was talking to Him about this same matter, that He would give me a monarch butterfly.  I didn't think much of it at the time, but as this particular butterfly fluttered right by me,  I remembered God telling me that.  I took several minutes to look for more butterflies, but there were none.  There was just that one... at that precise moment... and then it vanished.  Hmmm.  A God thing?

I drove around a little longer, praying for my friend, and finally felt the green light to go home.  My little neighborhood prayer ride turned out to be an hour and a half excursion, with Christ as my co-pilot.  Seriously!  I never do such things.  I wouldn't even think to do such a thing.  And even if I did,  I would grow weary of it pretty quickly.  But today it was God's idea.

2 Chronicles 16:9 says...

"The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth 

in order to strengthen those whose hearts 

are fully committed to Him."

We serve an awesome God.  He knows when our hearts are crying out to Him.  He knows how to interpret our heart's cry, even when we don't.  My friend has not been feeling well, and a heaviness had rested upon her and her household. I believe God had me driving around her home and praying for a reason... perhaps to bring a special comfort to a heart in distress.  Who knows?  Only God.

I finished off the evening attending a concert at my church featuring: 

Tenth Avenue North. 

 What a wonderfully uplifting event. Great music and great friends!   

I had an awesome time.

I drove home, kicked off my Ruby Reds  and began to blog.
Thank you, dear friends, for tuning in tonight.
God's blessing be upon you.
Gail