Day 333

Today is Day 333 of  The Red Shoe Project.  It's also the day before Thanksgiving.  I didn't have to look far, in my RED shoes, to see God at work, up close and personal.  I witnessed His loving-kindness flow through my youngest daughter, Grace, the entire day!

Just before noon, we hit the road to visit my Mom.  Grace couldn't wait to spend the day with her beloved grandmother.  Upon arrival, she was quick to throw her arms around her neck and kiss her cheek.  She complimented her over and over again.

All afternoon she focussed her attention on "Granny."  It was obvious that there was no place else she'd rather be.  She listened intently to all her stories.  She engaged in delightful conversation and laughter.  She even lent a helping hand whenever possible.  Before we left, she made sure to take pictures of us all together.  Then before we were even home, the pictures were on Instagram for all her friends to see!   That's how it's done!

What more could I ask for?  

I got to see the Love of God, in action, 

right in front of my face!

Long story, short -- my Mom had a heavenly day!  She loved every moment of it and so did I.  

In RED shoes,
Gail

Day 332

Today was Day 332 of  The Red Shoe Project.  I woke up bright and early, nearly bubbling over with joy!

Come on!  Get up!  Get up! 

I shouted to the Lord.

Today's gonna be a great day!

Without hesitation, I sat up smiling and threw my legs over the side of the bed.  "Today's the day!"  I proclaimed.  "Today I'm getting my hair done!" With great excitement, I bowed my head, told the Lord I loved Him, and gave Him my day.  Then it dawned on me.  "How carnal is that?"  Yesterday, the Holy Spirit woke me up all excited about feeding the hungry and today, I woke Him up all excited about getting my hair colored and cut.  Tears ran down my cheeks as I realized the difference between His aspirations and mine.

"Oh... Forgive me Lord!"

There was no harsh rebuke, no condemnation, no disappointment.  Actually... the Lord was glad for me.  He saw how happy I was and couldn't wait to spend the day with me.  Truly it was a day of great fellowship and partnership with one another.  I popped on my sparkly RED shoes and out the door we headed to The Bonfire!

Today was my last day teaching on Spiritual Gifts.   I talked about the importance of  understanding how the Holy Spirit moves and the ability to flow with Him.  There was one segment in particular in which I felt the Holy Spirit's partnership and anointing.  It was a comparison between Stepping out in the Flesh vs. Stepping out in the Spirit and the courage to "take the risk."

Grieving the Spirit is not to be taken lightly.  Deliver an emotional performance in the natural with all the bells and whistles... you'll know it and so will everyone else.  It will be empty, unfulfilling and un-anointed.  You'll never want to do that again.

 

So why then should someone even step out?  Why chance it?  Because one day it will happen.  You'll be compelled in your spirit to tell a stranger God loves them.  Or you'll find it necessary to give forth a prophetic utterance publicly.  Maybe you will sense the urgency to lay hands on someone and pray for their healing.

You'll just do it!  The Holy Spirit 

will move on you so quickly, 

you'll find it happening before you 

even have time to think about it.  

Next thing you know, someone is praying and accepting Christ into their heart.  People are weeping, falling to their knees and crying out to God.  The person who was sick or broken proclaims, "I'm healed!  I'm healed!" 

Being used by the Holy Spirit to accomplish some divine deed -- there's nothing better than that!   It's called Divine Partnership  and once you experience it, you'll want to be used again and again and again.  When it's God...  you'll take the risk.  You'll have to!  You wont be able to say no!  You won't want to say no!

Following the study, my ministry partner, Tammy, and I had the opportunity to minister to a woman in great need of healing.  The Holy Spirit was right there with us -- giving us the right words to say, providing the love, mercy, grace and power necessary for the task at hand.  Glory to God!  I love working with Tammy and so does the Holy Spirit.

Next I was off to the salon.  While there, I had the opportunity, once again, to partner with the Holy Spirit to give spiritual encouragement and guidance to one friend and to pray down strongholds with another!   I told you the Holy Spirit and I had a blessed time today!

Recent financial constraints may have delayed my preferred method for beautification -- true, but God has been busy doing some very important things in my life that, for the time being, have taken precedence over my not so important rituals and routines.  It won't be that way forever, but it's  that way for now.
I don't understand it all and therefore I can't accurately explain it to you,  but I do know this:

I am experiencing a new level of 

fellowship with the Holy Spirit 

that fulfills the desire of my heart 

like nothing else does.  

It's uncanny,  but I'm entering the prayer closet this evening thanking God for doing all that was necessary to get me here -- even when I didn't like it!  Only God can do that!

Taking off my RED shoes
as I step on Holy ground.

Gail

Day 331

It's Day 331 of  The Red Shoe Project and what a day it has been in RED shoes.  I shouldn't be surprised.  God drew me out of bed this morning as if it were Christmas Day.  I'm serious!  My eyes weren't even open yet, and the
Holy Spirit was bubbling over in my heart.

"Come on!  Get up!  Get up!  

It's going to be a GREAT day!"

It so reminded me of Christmas morning when the kids were small.  Everyone knew that no one went down stairs to the Christmas tree until everyone was out of bed, faces washed and teeth brushed.  Without fail, the first one awake, woke up everyone else. The air was filled with anticipation and excitement,
and we were never disappointed!

I wondered what God had in store for today.  Oh yes... Pastor Dan at Harvest Tabernacle announced yesterday that tonight was the night they would be giving over 500 turkey baskets to those in need at a special Thanksgiving service.  I had arranged to help out.  Right at the moment I remembered that, the Holy Spirit jumped within me.

"That's it!  That's it!"  He shouted.

"I love when they do this!"

Quite frankly, after experiencing all that glee, I couldn't wait to attend the event myself.  I'm fairly new to this church, so I wasn't sure what to expect.  But at that moment, all I could wonder was...

"What is the Holy Spirit 

 doing in my heart?  

Is He dancing?  

It feels like He's having 

His own private party!" 

My friends Jim and Carolyn picked me up after dinner and we drove to the church together.  We arrived just in time for a volunteer exhortation by the pastor.  He doesn't like anyone to feel odd or embarrassed about being in need, so when they come in the door, we have a receiving line where everyone is clapping and whistling, shaking hands and greeting the people.  There's lots of smiles and good cheer.

I found myself a place at the end of the receiving line and joined in the celebration.  I never clapped so much in my entire life.  I found myself shouting,

"Happy Thanksgiving!  

We're glad you're here!"  

Most people were very merry and responded warmly.  If one seemed a little unnoticed, I tried to make it a point to touch their shoulder, look in their eyes and smile right at them.  "I'm so glad you came tonight!"  I said.  And I followed it with a hug!

Everyone filed into the sanctuary and found a seat.  The place was filled to capacity.  How great is that?  The worship team put on a great concert and special guest, Sheila Raye Charles (the daughter of Ray Charles) belted out some awesome songs of inspiration and words of encouragement.  Pastor Jim shared a short but inspiring message that concluded with just about everyone calling out to Christ for salvation.

Finally, row by row, people went out the church and were given a box filled with food and a large, turkey.  The food line was so busy.  Carolyn and I were running back and forth, stocking the boxes with various foods.  Everyone was happy and helpful, working together to make it all come together.

A lot of people will be eating a nice Thanksgiving meal due to the efforts and donations of many people and businesses.

But tonight was so much more 

than a food basket!  

At one point during the evening, Carolyn and I snuck up into the balcony where we could see, from above, the entire auditorium.  I took a good look at the crowd.  They were engaged in everything that was going on.  Many had smiles on their faces.  Some were clapping.  Some were singing.  Some were dancing.  Some were praying.  And then right in front of my eyes I saw it!

HOPE was filling their souls.

Ahhhh... a special touch by the Holy Spirit, Himself!

Actually, the Holy Spirit was all over the place tonight.  He was in the welcoming shouts and hugs of the greeters.  He was observed stirring the hearts of people during the concert.  I witnessed Him quietly whispering to the souls of many during the pastor's message.  I heard testimonies of His moving though prayer partners at the altar -- healing hurts and afflictions right there on the spot.  And when things really got busy, He was seen time and time again in the smiles and kind gestures of all the volunteers that showed up to partner with Him.  He used every one of them!  It's no wonder He loves this event!

What is it that Jesus said?  (Luke 10:27, my paraphrase)

If you're only going to do 

two things right in this world...

(1)  Love God with everything you've got!

 - and - 

(2)  Love the people God puts in your life!  

I saw evidence of both those things tonight, 

while wearing my RED shoes

at The Harvest!

Gail  

Day 330

Day 330 of  The Red Shoe Project has just begun and my RED shoes are not even on my feet yet.  God woke me up early -- well before the sun had come up --  and I have been at war in the prayer closet, pulling down strongholds and prophesying over the lives of family and friends for God's will to be accomplished in their lives.   Glory of God! 

I'm not sure what time it was.  I was having a dream.  It was one of those dreams where you sense the devil is after you.  I was almost paralyzed by fear.  I tried calling out for help, but  nothing was coming out of my mouth.

  Then suddenly...

 the Name of Jesus slipped off my lips.  

At that point, it was all over -- not for me -- but for the enemy.  He was done!  Don't be messing with my sleep!  Like an alarm going off at the fire house, I jumped out of bed, threw on the lights, and unconsciously began to function in the role I'm called to:

Volunteer Prayer Warrior!  

Without hesitation, I slipped from my bed and onto my knees.  I called forth the angels of God to cover me with their wings and I began to intercede.  One minute I was praying in English, the next minute I was praying in the Spirit.  I could sense the enemy trying to get in my head.  I was still half asleep.


I reached upward and threw on the light.  I got to my feet, threw on my robe and began to pace back and forth.  Watch out!  You know what happens when I start pacing!

Faces of ministers rushed into my mind and I prayed for each and every one of them as the Spirit lead me.  I saw large crowds of people in a foreign land. I cursed the strongholds around them and proclaimed freedom, healing and salvation upon them.  BOOM!  BOOM!  BOOM!  One after another, God brought the lives of my brothers and sisters in Christ to mind.  I prayed for each and every one of them until the sun came up!

"Blow the trumpet in Zion;

sound the alarm on my holy hill.

Let all who live in the land tremble,

for the day of the LORD is coming

It is close at hand --"

Joel 2:1

It's 7:16 a.m.  As quickly as the Spirit came, He has departed.  The emergency is over --  for now.  God is preparing His people for battle!  Are you ready?  When the alarm sounds do you know what to do?  Will you slip out of bed and pray?  Will you pull down strongholds so that the army of God can fight victoriously -- winning souls, delivering the oppressed, healing the sick?

I'm writing my blog early today, then I'm off to church.   I'm expecting a mighty move of God!  I can't wait to sing praises to my King!

In RED shoes, 

Gail