Day 345

It's Day 345 of  The Red Shoe Project.  I got up early today,  threw my RED sneakers on my feet, and readied myself to tackle the job of cleaning out my closet.   God told me to get rid of everything that was a connector to old, finished relationships and today I was determined to do that!

It didn't look like there was much in my closet, but in the corner were a couple of boxes that needed my attention.  It took all day!  It was a wearisome task ripping up old statements, pictures, calendars, cards and notes.  I didn't think I had anything, but apparently I was wrong!  There were mementos everywhere of an old life that no longer exists.  I put the clothing, books and accessories into bags for charity and everything else went in the trash.

When it was all done, I sat on the couch and had a good cry!  I'm not sure why I was crying.  There didn't  seem to be any emotional attachment to the stuff I got rid of, yet the whole process was emotionally draining.

 

"Lord, why am I crying?" 

I asked. 

"Because you're truly closing 

the door to your past!"  

He responded.

I wonder why our past has such a grip on us?  Good, bad or indifferent, it seems to want to linger in our lives as long as it can.  I dealt with my issues long before The Red Shoe Project ever began -- or at least I thought I had.  Whatever tidbits that remained got dealt their final blow earlier this year at SOZO.  Now it's just time to sweep up any remaining residue, leftovers, remains and reminders.

There are 20 days left of this Red Shoe Project and there's still a few more closets, drawers,  buckets and bins to go through.  But I'm feeling good about the whole thing!  I'm on track to finish my house cleaning right on schedule.

As I was talking with the Lord earlier today,  He showed me something.  It was a vision of a trapeze.  I saw myself standing on a platform, high above the arena looking at what was before me.  There was "The Catcher"  swinging back and forth, preparing for the big event.  I'm preparing for that big event too!

When the New 

Year arrives, 

I will leap into all 

that God has for me!

In RED shoes, 
Gail

Day 344

Every once in a while, a day comes along where you feel like you've somewhat arrived.  You think to yourself, "I've got the gift of FAITH!"

"God spoke it! -- I believe it! -- That settles it!"  

Then a day goes by, and another and another.  The days become weeks and sometimes the weeks become months -- or at least it seems that way.   Before you know it, you want to pull every hair in your head out as you scream:

"I can't stand it any longer, Lord!  

What happened?

  I thought you said you were going to do this!"

God usually responds by saying:

"Be patient, my child.  Be patient."

Okay, I'm exaggerating a little.   Today was Day 344 of  The Red Shoe Project  and God did something awesome!  He waited right until the end of the day, but it was awesome, all the same!

For the last several days  --well, weeks actually --  maybe months --  I've been doing the "faith thing."  While wearing my RED shoes, I've been trusting God and waiting for Him to bring about a specific promise He has spoken to me.  Every week or so, when I feel my faith-o-meter  reaching a low, I'll say something like...

"God, can't you give me a little sign...  

just so I know it's really you?"

That said,  He often gives me a sign -- just a little one -- enough to hang onto for another week.  But before you know it, there I am again...

"God, can't you give me a little sign?"

"I gave you one last week."

"I know, but that sign was just a little sign."

"What about the one I gave you the week before?"

"Well... all those little signs could happen in the natural."

(Silence)

"I don't need a big sign, Lord, but could you give me just one more, that's a little bigger than the others?"

Optimistically speaking, I've noticed that over time, I've gotten better at waiting it out.  I'm able to wait a lot longer before asking for a sign.   But, no fair!  The situations and circumstances have gotten bigger and harder.  LOL!

Two or three days ago, as I was asking God for another sign.  I turned on the t.v. and the minister answered me as if he had heard my exact question to God.  Oh my gosh!

Then today, while sitting in a Bible study discussing the Christmas story, my mind started to wander.   There I was thinking about my circumstances, asking God once again,   "Lord, can't you give me just one more sign?"  

Just then, the teacher said, "Gail, can you look that one up?"  

Yikes!  I immediately refocused my attention back to the class.

"What's the reference?  I asked.  

"Luke 1:45"  

I quickly turned there and read the scripture out loud:

"Blessed is she who has believed 

that what the Lord has said to her 

will be accomplished!"

Okay... that should keep my mouth shut for awhile!  "Yes!" I shouted on the inside.   I was just beside myself, laughing and thanking the Lord.  

God is so faithful, isn't He?  -- even when we try His patience.  Thank you Lord!

In RED shoes, 

Gail

Day 343

It's Day 343 of  The Red Shoe Project and all day I have been sporting those RUBY SLIPPERS of mine.  Today was Mama Z's   birthday and a handful of us brought her downtown for lunch.  That's what I call Ziva now...  Mama Z.  She is truly a  "Mama in the faith,"  and besides that, she loves me like a daughter.  I can feel the love God has put in her heart for me!  What's better than that?  Everyone needs a mama in the faith.  God has given me several, and for that, I am grateful!

As we finished our birthday celebration sharing a big piece of chocolate cake, my friend Ashleigh announced that a friend of hers -- who just happened to own a nearby business -- was in much need of prayer. "I told her we'd stop by and pray for her!" 

The five of us left the restaurant 

and set out with a mission in mind! 

We didn't have to travel far --  just a tad down the road and across the street, before arriving at our destination.  It was the cutest little shop!  But no... we weren't there to indulge -- at least not today!  We were there to shake the heavens on someone's behalf!

We were welcomed with a smile, and after some nice introductions, we got down to business.  "Let's pray!"   The five of us gathered around, laid our hands on this fabulous entrepreneur,  and made requests unto God for her and a loved one, who wasn't present.  It was a GOOD time of prayer, with each of us contributing!  

As we opened our eyes and backed off slightly, I looked into the woman's eyes as God whispered in my ear...  "Her friend, that you're praying for, isn't saved."  

Really?  So I asked her, "Is the person we're praying for living for God?"  Her response was, in fact, negative.  

"Well then,"  I said,  "let's just bring that to God, right now!"   

We all regrouped and pressed in.  

Suddenly, there it was:

The Anointing!

GOOD prayer is wonderful but 

GOD-ANOINTED  prayer 

is so much better!   

Yes... that's what our visit was all about!   I could see it in the businesswoman's eyes.  They were filled with HOPE!  Not to mention that her smile expressed her gratitude.  Now that's what I call a "house call"  from God!  We left knowing we had accomplished our mission.

Later in the afternoon, another one of the gals shared that while she was away for Thanksgiving, her family convinced her to go with them to a local department store for  Black Friday.  She doesn't overly enjoy shopping, per say, but this would give her opportunity to both spend time with them and pick up a Christmas gift or two at an extraordinary discount.  

One offer which she chose to take advantage of was an electronic device that included a $100 gift card rebate.  At checkout they handed her the gift card and told her to be sure to also register her purchase online.  Afterwards, she did just that, only to find out that she was going to be sent another $100 gift card.  Apparently the store had goofed!

Realizing the error, she shared with us that she had decided to return the original $100 gift card to the store.  "I'd rather have the favor of God than a $100 gift card, any day!"  she proclaimed.  "It's the right thing to do!"

That's when it dawned on me!  GOD-ANOINTED  prayer flows through consecrated vessels -- people who have been set apart for the work of the Lord!   "House calls"  like today,  may appear to be free, but they are not free at all.   Somebody pays for them.  The price for today's was a hundred dollar gift card!  That was the sacrifice made for the anointing.  

Do you get what I'm trying to say?   In giving up the $100 gift card -- because it was the right thing to do -- she got the favor of God, which was evidenced in our prayer circle today!   Not to mention the fact that the favor hasn't been used up yet!  God's favor tends to have a multiplying effect!  

I hope you can grasp the essence of this concept because it's so powerful!  Our sacrifices unto the Lord, at times may be many, but even then... You can never out give God!   Never!

"Give, and it will be given to you.  

A good measure, pressed down, 

shaken together and running over, 

will be poured into your lap.  

For with the measure you use, 

it will be measured to you.  

Luke 6:38

I just loved my time with the girls today.  Oh! that God would send us on more missions like this one.  It was a profitable day for the Kingdom!  We had tons of fun as we went about The Father's Business!

In RED shoes, 

Gail

Day 342

Today is Day 342 of  The Red Shoe Project.  Early this morning, I headed out the door for church, in my sparkliest RED slip-ons.   WOW!  What a service!  Actually, I say that a lot at church.  Maybe it's because I always go expecting  to meet God there.   Sure enough... today I found Him.

to "expect"  means...

                    *  to consider something very likely to happen.

               *  to believe someone or something will arrive soon.

               *  to look for something from someone as rightfully due.

Today I was overwhelmed, to say the least.  I was overtaken by the Power and Presence of God  in a way that caught me quite by surprise.  The worship time was phenomenal.  It always is at The Harvest.  It's not because the worship team is stupendous -- even though they always are.  It's because the entire church gets involved.  Everyone participates in worship.  The worship team isn't performing for the congregation.  No!  

The worship team AND the congregation 

-- TOGETHER -- 

perform for God!

  They all lift their voices in unison, giving glory and honor to God Almighty.  How great is that?

Today we must have worshipped well over an hour.  I'm not exactly sure, because I completely lost track of the time.  When I closed my eyes to sing, it wasn't long and I was gone.  I disappeared into the Presence of God.  

The Holy Spirit has me pre-occupied, these days, with my upcoming marriage plans.  I don't even like to admit that because I know how crazy it sounds.  It sounds crazy to me too! -- especially since I haven't been formally introduced to the one I will be marrying yet.  But I know who he is and he knows who I am. 

This morning I went to church to worship the Lord, but the Holy Spirit kept pouring endless love into my heart for this particular individual.  It was uncanny!  Now, it's not that I mind God doing that, but it's not what I went to church to do.   I went to church to pour my love out to God, not to receive love from God for someone else.  I kept saying over and over again...  "Lord, we can do that later!  Right now I want to focus my attention on YOU!" 

But no, He was relentless.  

I couldn't believe the level of detail God was going into about this marriage-to-be.  He showed me glimpses of this and glimpses of that.  I saw the blueprint of  how my life was destined to perfectly meld with another's and how that fit perfectly into God's overall plan.  All the while, mind you,  I saw the most amazing video playing in my mind.  It was a vision of Jesus holding a key on a grinding wheel,  perfectly shaping it to fit the lock of a door to someone's heart.  Am I the key to someone's heart?

Eventually, worship time ended and we moved onto the preaching.  What a powerful message Carlos Sarmiento of Orlando House of Prayer  delivered.  You'll never guess what he spoke about.  

The entire message was about

 The Bride of Christ. 

 Ok... so that almost knocked me right off my feet!  The minister was, of course, referring to the preparation of Christ's Bride:  The Church.  But what blew me away was when God spoke to my heart personally of how this entire year was not just a journey towards His  heart, but a time of preparation for marriage to someone very dear to Him.

Okay... so there's so many things I could say right now, but I'll just mention two.   First of all, I'm floored that God would love someone that much that He would flip my life upside-down and inside-out to prepare me for a lifetime with him.  How crazy is that?  How awesome is that?  How amazing is that?  I'm thinking of the Book of Esther and how she was set apart in preparation for marriage.  And what about the key?  Jesus was grinding that key so it fit perfectly!  Is that what He's been doing with me this entire year?

Secondly, I am mesmerized by the fact that as I have been traveling down this Yellow Brick Road to get closer to The Father's heart,  He has been preparing me to journey with another on this very same road. 

When did He do all that?

I knew it!  He did it when I thought He was doing nothing!  All those times when I said to myself, "God's not doing anything!  Why isn't anything happening?"  He was hard at work making sure that His multi-dimensional plan for me would ultimately be fulfilled exactly to His specifications!

So why am I even telling you all this?   Why don't I just  keep it all to myself until I see what happens?  I'm realizing that this is way too detailed for me to not embrace it.  Remember this... at the beginning of the year,  I thought it would be just Me & Jesus for the rest of my life.  Marriage was the last thing on my mind.  No, I take that back.  It wasn't on my mind, period!

I'm sharing all this for two reasons.  First, I want you to see how detailed God can be.  

My hope is that you will realize 

that if He can be detailed with me, 

He can be detailed with you!  

Second... when everything comes together down the road, I want you to know that God had already told me it would happen.  

Perhaps that will provoke you to 

trust Him more when He speaks 

to your heart about something.

 

Maybe it will cause you to wait better and longer, if necessary, for the fulfillment of His promises in your life!

I must say... Today was a good day in RED shoes!

Gail