Day 157

Today is Day 157 of  The Red Shoe Project.  There is a tropical storm going on in my neck of the woods.  It's pouring buckets of rain outside my window,  but my feet are snug and warm in Granny's hand-knit, RED socks.  There's something that I simply love about this kind of rain.  It so reminds me of the day I gave my life to the Lord.  It was just like this... gray, messy and wet!  Just goes to show that GREAT things can happen on rainy days! That day was the greatest day of my life!

I woke up this morning binding the enemy and taking control of this day in Jesus' name!  That was a good way to start the day!  I felt rested and strong... at least for the moment,  and secured my connection with Christ, digging my heals in, and standing firm!  I've determined to learn from yesterday's mistakes and use those powerful lessons for today's victory!

Bulldozers are small but powerful pieces of machinery.  They are used in the clearing and flattening of land.  Big plows are mounted on the front of them for the purpose of removing any remaining rocks, dirt, and debri, so that the land is left completely desolate.

Have you ever been knocked over?  

Have your knees ever buckled on you, and down you went?  

Pauly is an english bulldog.  He is 75 lbs of muscle and built like a bulldozer.  Every once in a while he will get so excited to see me that he runs right into me.  Sometimes he comes from behind, and without intending to hurt me, he'll charge into the back of my calves (right below my knees), and BOOM!  down I go.  It doesn't really hurt.  It's actually kind of comical.  But I'm always taken by surprise when my legs are taken out from under me and there I am trying to get my balance, hoping the angels of God will hold me up.  LOL.

Amongst all the birthday wishes yesterday, was an unexpected hello from an old, old friend, I hadn't seen in years.  For a moment, it took my breath away.  I had to reach for the table to hold onto something.  A man from the past.  Someone I loved dearly.  A relationship that I very much needed to let go of.  Sometimes you choose to walk with God or to walk with someone else.  I chose God.  I don't regret that decision at all.

It's just that the enemy of my soul makes it a point to know my weak spots -- where I'm inclined to buckle -- and yesterday he  decided to pull out the big guns and fire away.  Really?  What on earth made this person try to re-connect with me?

When you've been away from someone or something long enough, it's easy to just remember the good.  I had to think for awhile why our paths had gone in different directions.  But it was only a matter of time before the craziness of those days came flooding back into my head.  Talk about being sucker punched.  Somehow the devil managed to get my heart and mind on a bit of a roller coaster ride.  And just for the record, I don't like this particular roller coaster!  It has the tendency to make my head spin and my stomach churn, until I want to puke!  How the heck did I end up on this detour?  Was this the enemy's attempt to lay me out, flatten me, take me out of God's race?

Sometimes you just have to leave the door shut, not respond, let things be, drop the ball.  The enemy knows how difficult it is for me to do that... not have the last word.  It's easy bait.  But those few moments of recollection were more than enough for me.  I felt like I was peeking into Pandora's box.  I have closed it, locked it, turned away and moved on.

Just so you know, this isn't the first time the enemy has tried to use this particular bait with me.  I hate to admit that it worked for a long, long time... and I suffered because of it.  But as my friend Bonnie always says,  "The devil will come back to test the ground... to see if you've really been victorious there or if there's still a fight to be won.

It's official... there's no battle here. It's dead ground.  I'm not looking back because that's the wrong direction for me.  I'm focusing on what's in front of me.  I'm fixing my eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of my faith.  His plan is before me.  Thereby, that's the way in which I must go!

"I have decided to follow Jesus.

I have decided to follow Jesus.

I have decided to follow Jesus.

No turning back.  No turning back."

Stepping forward in RED shoes, 
Gail

Day 156

It's Day 156 of The Red Shoe Project and I am in RED shoes celebrating my birthday!  I can't begin to thank all of the people for their warm birthday wishes... my family, my friends, all the "Rubies", and some people that I don't even know, (thanks to facebook)!

I started today, right where I left off yesterday... thinking about Kami's perspective on spiritual warfare.  I woke up rather abruptly to an awful dream.  In it, I was lost and without hope!  When my eyes opened and I realized I was dreaming,  I looked right into the corner of the room for that demon spirit that was trying to do me in before I even got out of bed.  I immediately took action and put on the full armor of God.  Kam's perspective put everything into proper context.  I took a whole different approach to things today.  

That doesn't mean the enemy just rolled over and gave up.  The day certainly had its challenges.  The opposition was relentless.  Just as I seemed to be making headway, the oppression set in again and again.  I remembered yesterday's Bible study.  Several women each shared their own particular ways of putting on the armor of God.  I tried them all.  

  BREAKTHROUGH!

- a sudden, dramatic and important discovery or development.

- a significant and dramatic overcoming of a perceived obstacle allowing the completion of a process.

"What is going on?"  I thought.  The enemy just wouldn't back off!  There can be only one reason for that.  I must be on the verge of a mighty breakthrough.  I must be right on the edge of a divine move of God.  That's always the time in which the enemy pours out all he's got -- all his lies... all his deceptions... all his temptations... all his tricks.  As the day goes on,  I find myself almost giving in.  I seem to tire easily.  I begin to question myself and where I'm at.  I begin to question God.  

Why do I do that?  It all seems so easy when there's no pressure involved. There are certainly times when I talk up a storm and appear so strong... convincing myself that I have such great faith!   LOL.   I read my Bible and pray and think, "I can do all that, no sweat!"  

But when the real test comes...  I don't even realize that I'm being tested.  And when it finally kicks in what's happening,  I find that I'm not quite up to snuff.  That is, I rarely do as well as I thought I would. 

I know that's why we have tests... so we can get a clear, accurate picture of where we're at.  Each test shows us where we're weak.  From there we can take proper action to build ourselves up.

It's only a matter of time before the re-test.  Each test is an opportunity to practice, to see what works,  to get it right.  And even then, to get it right consistently.  This is not a new message to me.  It's a mere reminder that God is working spiritual muscle in my life!

Amidst all my failing efforts,  God spoke a powerful word to me.  He kept injecting this thought into my mind throughout the entire day:  

"Dare to Believe, Gail!

Dare to Believe!"

He didn't stop.  He kept throwing that word -- that answer -- that weapon to me until I finally got a ahold of it and began to use it in my defense.  At one point, my mind was so bombarded with lies, I just started speaking it out... repeating it over and over again:  "I'm daring to believe!  I'm daring to believe!  I'm daring to believe that what God has said will come to pass!"  I found that as long as I could keep my mind filled with those words, there was no room for the lies.  The door of my mind was closed to any passing thoughts.  Amazingly, that seemed to work really well.

Between all the battles that were encountered this day, (and there were many),  there were also sprinkles of joy that put a smile on my face.  Favors from friends.  Conversations of love.  Cards and gifts.  Warm wishes and words of encouragement.  Not to mention, a wonderful birthday dinner.  There was even a bouquet of daisies!  Thank you for them all.  They made a difference.  I felt loved!

Now, I'm tired.  I'm kicking off my fatigues for the day -- that includes my RED shoes.  Who knows what tomorrow holds.  I'm ready to pick up where I left off, if necessary.  But tomorrow could also be Victory Day!  If so, I will do a victory dance.  Whatever the case.  I will be wearing my RED shoes and trusting God to bring me through, because...

I'm Daring to BELIEVE!

Gail

Day 155

Day 155 of  The Red Shoe Project has me in RED shoes and getting back into the swing of things with family and friends.  Today's Bible study was packed with testimonials, prayers and a good discussion about "Putting on the Armor of God."   Just being in that little back room of the bookstore, jam-packed with ladies who love Jesus, and discussing the things of God, is a blessing of great magnitude for me. The Spirit of God was ricochetting all over the place.  These ladies mean business!  There's no messing around here.

The Bible Study was filled to capacity today.  Every seat was taken!  Fifteen ladies were in attendance. Everyone contributed something... an idea, a story, a prayer, a scripture, a testimony, a hug.  The women are all gifted spiritually!  Every one of them has something powerful to offer.  Every week it's different.  This one feels led to pray.  That one feels the urge to give a word.  Another intercedes quietly for God to meet needs.  Most importantly, God shows up!  He never sits in one particular seat.  Instead He moves in and out and all around, with ease.  We welcome His presence.

In the far corner of the room, sitting on the end of the couch, is my dear friend Kam.  She sits in the same spot every week.  Most of the time, she's pretty quiet, taking it all in... absorbing all that God has to offer.  I love this gal!  You might not know it, at first glance,  but she is a Powerhouse for God!

You see, Kam, in all the time I've known her, (about thirteen years), has been a woman who consistently reads the Bible.  I can tell when someone is saturated in God's Word.  Not because they spout off all the answers all the time.  That's just showing off.  Kam's not like that at all.  When she chooses to speak, something strange happens.  Things get quiet.  I can feel my head turning in her direction and my ears tuning into her words.  I want to hear what she has to say.  Her thoughts and comments are important to me.  I know she has spent time with God in prayer.  I know that He speaks to her.  I know that while she's reading,  He reveals to her the secrets of His Word.  What can I say?  I want to receive what she's willing to share!  I don't know these things because she tells me.  Kam and I haven't talked all that much.  It's just spiritually obvious.  Sometimes you can judge a book by it's cover!

Maybe God has given me a Word of Knowledge about Kam -- I don't know --  But often, when I look at her,  I see God's Artillery Shelter.  She is a vessel filled with the Word of God.  And she knows how to use the scriptures and stories to fight against the enemy.  Truly she is a great handler of God's Word.
Today was no exception.  Her insight on spiritual warfare was over-the-top!  I was talking to the ladies  about those days when I wake up and the enemy is right there throwing fiery darts straight at me, before I even get out of bed.

I am the recipient of an onslaught of lies that bombard me before my head is even off the pillow.  I think to myself, "Oh no, it's going to be one of those days... better put on the armor of God!" 

But Kam sees this scenario differently.  "Gail," she says, "The enemy is quivering in the corner of your room saying, 'Oh no!  She's waking up!  It's going to be another day in which she's committed to God!  Yikes!  Let's throw whatever we've got at her to see if we can stop her before she even gets out of bed!  Now! Give it all you've got!'" 

That revelation is potentially life-changing.  I'm going to remind myself of that in the morning hours and see what a difference it actually makes!

But that's not all...  Kam is a Woman of Prayer.  She shows up an hour early and prays in the room for God to move during the Bible study.  Even when she can't stay for the study, she shows up early and prays.  She says God has commissioned her to do that.  All I can say is that since she's been doing that, our little Bible study has gone from good to GREAT!  Her prayers definitely make a difference.

Today, several woman needed prayer for healing.  We had a seat in the middle of our prayer circle and one at a time, those needing prayer sat in the chair.  Everyone in the circle laid hands on the person and prayed for their healing.  Kam happened to be beside me.  Wow!  I almost wanted to start laughing.  The contrast is unbelievable.  One minute she's as quiet as a mouse,  but when it's time to pray,  she prays with such boldness and authority!  She knows who she is in Christ and doesn't hold back!   If I need prayer, she's the one I want praying for me.  In fact, she has prayed for me, and I can attest that it's  powerful!

I told you that the women in this group are seriously gifted!  No lightweights here.  They are all heavy hitters for God!  What a blessing it is to be part of this platoon for The Lord.

My job is to wear the RED shoes.

Gail

Day 154

It's Day 154 of  The Red Shoe Project and I slept til 10 a.m.  Twelve whole hours!  Wow, I must have been really tired.  My body must have needed it.  Hopefully this means that I am fully back on Sarasota time and ready for whatever God has in store for me from here on out.

As I got caught up with household matters that needed my attention, I thought it best to have a little chat with God on some needs that will be arising.  His response rather surprised me...

"Do you have everything 

that you need for today?"

Well, yes but...

As I puttered around my house in my RED slippers,  doing little things, here and there, God found it a perfect opportunity to chat with me on how He handles arising needs.

"Your way is to do things well in advance."

 He proclaimed.

"My way is to do things right on time!"

Am I supposed to find that amusing?  Because I don't.  It's just another ripe opportunity for my flesh to cringe and cry out...
I hate waiting to the last minute! 
But, I must admit, all feelings aside,  "the last minute"  is just another way of saying, "right on time!"  It's not early, and it's not late.  So I guess I have nothing to complain about.

One time when I was setting up my home office, I was in need of purchasing an office printer.  I talked with the Lord and insisted that I had to have the money to get that printer that day.  I don't think He specifically provided for that, but somehow, I maneuvered this and switched that around, and managed to find the money to get that printer right away, regardless.  Once I had it in my possession, I brought it home and it sat, in the box, for several weeks, unpacked.

Shortly after that, I was asking God about a property that He had promised me.  "God, do you think I could move into that property soon?  I need that space now!  It's perfect for what I want to do with my business!" 

"Like the printer?" He commented.  "You needed that NOW and it's still sitting in the box, untouched.  The property will be available when it's the right time... not one minute sooner, not one minute late!"

If you've been a Christian for any length of time, you've heard the saying, 

"God is never late,

He's seldom early,

He's always on right on time!"  

That's his  "M.O."   Modus Operandi   or  Method of Operation. 

Tonight I attended a presentation given by a friend entitled, "How Creation Points to a Divine Creator."  All sorts of facts were presented regarding the importance of specific measurements.  For example, if the gravitational pull was any stronger or any weaker than what it is, we'd have some serious problems existing.  Or if the rotation of the earth was any faster or slower, things wouldn't be as they are.  If the sun was any closer or farther away, the result is no life on earth.  The examples of God's precision seemed endless.

"Precision" refers to exact & accurate measurements, calculations, specifications and details. 

All this made me realize that God wasn't right on time just for the fun of it.  He's right on time because that's critically important to the working of His plan for my life.  A little early or a little late could change everything, throw things off,  create undesired results. I'm getting the feeling that God's got a reason for everything.  He just doesn't always share that with me.

So as I check off another day of The Red Shoe Project, I head off to bed, my head spinning, as I am reminded that God's ways aren't my ways for a reason.

Still getting adjusted to God's time clock,

Gail