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

Day 341

Today is Day 341 of  The Red Shoe Project.  All day long my RED shoes have been on my feet as I ponder the same thought over and over again.  In my mind, I keep seeing the sign that hangs over my bedroom door.  It says this:

"Don't be afraid, Gail!

-- It all works out just fine. --

You're just transitioning to the next chapter!"

That sign has been hanging there for almost two years.  I was going to take it down a couple of times, but before I knew it, I was transitioning again.  I was glad it was there for moral support!  I guess it's just not done speaking to me yet!

The other day I met with a gal who is currently in a challenging place in her life.  We talked for a long time.  She shared her story and I shared mine.  The benefit I have in sharing my story, (as told in my book),  is that I already know the ending:   It all works out fine!  I try to remind people in difficult places that God is still with them.   In time, all will work out for them, as well. 

That's because He is Faithful!  

(Rev. 19:11)

Sometimes when I talk with people I wish I could do so much more.  I think I would make a great fairy godmother.  Just give me a wand!  Many times I wish I could just pull out a magic wand and make everything alright for people.  

Okay... so that idea 

lasted about one minute.  

The more I think about it, 

the more I realize that 

would be like the blind 

leading the blind.  LOL.

I've noticed that God isn't much of a wand-waver.  Yes -- He does do miracles!  But more often than not, He chooses to journey with us through difficulties.  In my book, The Yellow Brick Road:  A Woman's Journey to the Edge and Back, it says this: 

"Journeys often change our way of looking at things.  

Journeys often change us.  They give us opportunities

 to learn  and  grow.   It's interesting,  because journeys

 usually  take us out of our comfort  zone and  into new 

and different environments.   Given the choice,  most of 

us want to return to what's familiar.  But then we never 

experience anything new,  we never learn, we never 

change, and we never grow.   The journey following 

my divorce would be the greatest test of my faith in 

my twenty-five years as a Christian."

I am continually reminded that I am not all powerful.  I'm just a vessel for the All-Powerful  to move through.   He's the one who chooses when, how and with whom -- not me.   Where I would be quick to "Abra-Cadabra!"  and   "Presto-Chango!" with my wand... the Holy Spirit reminds me that He is at work in people.  He's stretching their faith.  He's fine tuning their ability to hear His voice.  He's teaching them to walk with Him.  Not to mention that His results are always greater than we could ever imagine.  It's like that old saying... 

"You can give a man a fish. 

-- OR --

You can teach a man to fish!

One will fill his belly for the night.  

The other will fill his belly for a life time.

I know I've said this many times before, but I'll say it again.  We are all responsible for our own walk with God.   I might be good at walking down my own Yellow Brick Road, but I can't walk down your Yellow Brick Road for you.  You have to do that yourself.  Sure...  I can guide - - I can offer advice -- I can even encourage you!  But I can't walk it for you.  You must do that!

This quote by L. Frank Balum from 

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, 
sums it up perfectly: 

"You must walk.

It is a long journey,

through a country that is

sometimes pleasant and

sometimes dark and terrible."

In RED shoes, 

Gail

Day 340

It's Day 340 of  The Red Shoe Project.  Today, I had many meetings and errands out and about town in my RED shoes.  At the end of the day,  all I could do was lift my voice to God and shout out over and over again:

"I'm so in love with you Jesus!"

"I'm so in love with you!"

"I'm so in love with you Jesus!"

"I'm so in love with you!"

"I'm so in love with you Jesus!"

"I'm so in love with you!"

"I'm so in love with you Jesus!"

"I'm so in love with you!"

I just can't say it enough! And quite frankly, there's nothing else to be said.  It's time to worship Him!

"...the whole crowd of disciples 

began joyfully to praise God in loud voices..."

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus,

"Teacher, rebuke your disciples!"

"I tell you,"  Jesus replied,  

"if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out"

Luke 19:37-39

No holding back!

In RED shoes,

Gail