Thursday, July 10, 2008

Telling Everyone - Part I

I had originally kept this story to myself and a few choice friends, but have felt recently that I needed to share. So... I have a teensy weensy bit more to post about the She Speaks conference and what is still happening around here. Even though I'm back home, the Lord is still speaking. Friends, God doesn't just speak in far off places. He speaks right to our hearts, if we would just take the time and be willing to stop and listen.

I am apologizing ahead of time for the length. This will be a two part post. I am going to post the first part today. It's a bit long but deservedly so.


To all three of my faithful readers, hang in there, I promise you will be blessed.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TELLING EVERYONE

While in the word a couple of days ago, I was reading Psalm 96 when a verse struck my heart. I sat there staring at the words on the page, I didn't blink and I may have even held my breath. I knew God was speaking right to me.

Psalm 96 begins just beautifully, "Sing a new song to the Lord! Let the whole earth sing to the Lord! Sing to the Lord, bless his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves."

Reading right along, I was feeling just great. "Yes Lord, I will sing a new song to you today!" How encouraging, right? But it was the next verse, verse three of Psalm 96 that pierced...

"Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does."

You see, just the day before I had been on
Renee Swope's blog and made a comment that I was ashamed of. Something pretty amazing had happened that she knew about and I had left a comment telling her that I chose not to share it on my blog or with most of my friends and family.

Why, you ask? Because I thought that if I shared what God had spoken to me, then I would be held accountable by those that I love to follow through.

Silly, I know. You would think that just having God tell me something would be enough, but NOoooo I like to think I still have control over my life.

Stop laughing, us control freaks think we have this power.

While at the conference last month, on that last evening I was there, almost six hundred women gathered together to have dinner. As the evening progressed, we worshipped and listened to
Renee give an anointed teaching on Gideon and the shadow of doubt. At the end of the evening as the worship team played "How Great Thou Art", women came forward for prayer for their fears, their doubts, some recommitting their lives to Jesus and His calling on their lives.

It was just beautiful.

As much as I love to take advantage of any special prayer time, I didn't feel called to go forward. Praying silently for these beautiful ladies, I sat beside my new Southern girlfriends and sang as the tears not-so-gently streamed down my face. I 'm an awful ugly cry er, but we'll just leave that for another post. The song, "How Great Thou Art" moves me to weep every single time I hear it. It was one of my mom's favorites. I don't believe it was coincidence that the last worship song played on my trip there was one of her favorites. With my mom in Heaven, whenever there is a song that I know was loved by her, it feels almost as if God has closed the gap. With my eyes closed, I can see her beautiful face and almost feel her presence. While I'm worshipping here, she's worshipping there and for a brief moment the huge chasm of my time and her eternity is closed.

Fast forward a week later. I find out from Renee's blog that the women who went forward that night were able to pick up a card with a shaded word and scripture just for them. There were hundreds of different card stock cards with different shaded words like, anointed, blessed, chosen, loved, forgiven. These cards had been prayed over, the heart of Renee and the other gals at She Speaks was that they would get into the right hands that evening. On her blog that next week, she was asking the ladies what word the Lord had given them and if they wouldn't mind sharing what God had spoken to them that night.

Being the Proverbs 31 woman that I am, the inner five year old instantly came out in me. I thought to myself, "Haaarrruuummmphhh! Doesn't that just stink. Gee Lord, why didn't I get my butt off of that comfy chair and go forward on Saturday night?!?"


***The Lord heard that heartfelt prayer of mine and used Renee to fulfill His word for me. I can't wait to share with you tomorrow just what happened.***


Part II tomorrow!


11 comments:

Julie Gillies said...

Hi Joanne,
I saw your comment over at Renee's and was inticed into visiting your blog for the first time. Nice to meet you!

I absolutely LOVED Renee's "Beyond the Shadow of a Doubt" at She Speaks. WOW. Of all the messages, this one touched my heart the most, as I have that same stinking struggle, in spite of His confirmations.

It was POWERFUL, girl, absolutely powerful.

Thanks for sharing. Now I can hardly wait to read Part 2 tomorrow!

Renee Swope said...

Oh Joanne, I've been praying since I read your comment on my blog about being afraid to share your story because then you'd have to step out in faith (be accountable). I SOOOOOOO understand that hesitancy. I've been there and I've given in, and now looking back I see that by hiding (like Gideon by the way), I missed God's sweet blessings. I know now because when I do step out in faith and share what He's calling me to do, I experienced HIM in the most powerful ways. Oh girl, I am so thankful that you had a little tantrum before God b/c you didn't get your Word and what happened next.

I LOVE your story about Saturday night. WOW, when I read about us singing "How Great Thou Art" and imagined your mom in Heaven singing with you, His Spirit just rushed over me.

I can't wait to read the rest. You are a great writer. Keep sharing girl!

Thanks for blessing me!
Renee

elaine @ peace for the journey said...

Joanne:
I can feel where you're headed with this...can't wait.

On another note, I'd love to chat with you further about the proposal process. You can e-mail me, or now I'm seeing your e-mail to the right. I'll send you one!

God's peace be yours in abundance today.

~elaine

Paula V said...

Rats...I wouldn't have minded if you made it longer into one piece. I would've stayed to read it all. You have me very intrigued and excited to see what you have to say.
Love,
Paula

Kim@Seasons of My Heart said...

Joanne~
I cannot wait to read the rest!!!

I'm certain, God is up to something BIG!!

Bless your socks off friend.

Kim~

Mari said...

I can't wait to hear the rest of the story! I understand the reluctance to share - I've been there.
PS - I think I'm number 6!

B His Girl said...

Joanne, I will be reading the rest of the story tomorrow. You do write very well or should I say good? See,I struggle with writing but God wants me to blog. I have to tell you that I am totally into it, even if I am writing to myself. Maybe it is my blog/journal. Please visit my blog...is that rude to ask on a blog? The reason I bring this up is because my post today is about being a Turtle Girl. My blog also is about Walking by Faith Down Aisle 15. God may have a word for you on it. I pray that He does! My shadow word was blessed and my joy cup is running over! I am going to blog about that tomorrow! I feel inspired! It was nice to meet another turtle girl in the family. He set me up to check out your blog. Keep making turtle tracks girl, a turtle makes progress when she sticks her neck out! Joy!

B His Girl said...

Oh my Joanne, I just noticed the verse on your front page.........oh my.....that is a verse that God did something supernaturally in my life when He called me to speak. Luke 1:45. I immediately thought of that verse when I saw my shadow word. I am feeling the Presence of God powerfully in this moment. I think I am supposed to give you a book that God has used powerfully in my life. He keeps showing me people to give it to. I am Amazon.com's best customer for this book. Pray about this and let me know what God says to you on that. Read this verse. 2 Chron 16:9. B His Girl

A Stone Gatherer said...

So far it sounds so exciting and wonderful! I love how you discribed the chasm between you and your mom is closed when you sing! It made me think of my dad!

AlaneM said...

Joanne, this story is simply beautiful. Of course, I read part 2 first, as I'm a tad behind in my blog reading :)
I too have avoided sharing things with others to avoid accountability. I often start things & don't finish them so I have a large fear of looking foolish.
Thanks for sharing this, I'm praying the Lord will bring you to mind the next time I face this situation.
Blessings to you my dear!!

Tea with Tiffany said...

Going to part two.

LinkWithin

Blog Widget by LinkWithin