Hello! Here is the next MIP prayer sheet for Wednesday, 11/23 at 1pm. Theme is God is the Miracle Worker. Please pray on your own if you cannot join the prayer meeting and meditate on their scriptures too. I understand that we have not seen any or very few miracles but that does not mean we should stop believing or meditating on the works of God recorded in the Bible or listening to testimonies of others who have experienced or witnessed miracles. Remember that faith comes by hearing, and hearing the word of God. I also found a few paintings of God’s miracles in the Bible to help us have visuals of these events. I’ve attached them below. https://momsinprayer.org/resources/prayer-tools/prayer-sheets/miracle-worker-mobile-prayer-sheet/

2. Who will you be after God leads you through a desert? 

When I read this article, I thought it was so right on.  After a few months of the “honeymoon” period after my return, the Holy Spirit told me at the parking lot of Wemrock Orchards in Freehold, NJ after picking up pies for thanksgiving that “now you will be taught the secret to being content.*”. My heart sank with dread hoping that it was my imagination.  Nope, it was the Holy Spirit.  Because my lessons started literally a few days later.  Howard’s tolerance and willingness to accept my new faith suddenly turned hostile and suspicious.  He probably thought that I had joined a religious cult.  Honestly, I don’t blame him.  I dramatically changed my ways and habits!  

 *https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians%204%3A11-13&version=NIV  

We’ve come a very long way since then. He is more tolerant – since he has no choice in order to be married to me. 🙂 But it is still hard for him so please don’t take it personally if he meets you and is aloof. He is not comfortable with any of my church friends and so if we come across each another in public, I try to introduce you through another place of association like the kid’s school.

Please read this short article on the purpose of the desert and how to come out of it without bitterness and despair. I wish I can tell you that after the desert, it’ll be rest and retirement. Not really, because soon you’ll be sent out to the battlegrounds for others (aka the enemy’s territories). Do a Bible study on what the Israelites had to do after 40 years in the desert. The new generation had to fight and conquer the occupied lands. These Jewish desert nomads became fighting warriors overnight.

I’ll start sharing more about the battles that I had to fight once I was out of the desert. I don’t think I have ever retreated in the battlefront where God wanted me to fight in. I really wanted to abort and retreat many times but somehow by the power of God, I didn’t. I give Him all the glory. I hope that as I share my testimonies more, they will encourage you to keep moving forward and to fight when necessary. I am being prompted by the Holy Spirit to start sharing my testimonies more to assist you.

FYI – if you are wondering what happens in the desert, I can sum it up in one word –metamorphosis.  When I started out in my journey nearly 12 years ago; I was harsh, judgmental, selfish, self-righteous, proud with an explosive anger too.  Today I’m usually described by others and family members as sweet and gentle…well majority of the time.  My old self-confidence and self-reliance are gone and it’s been replaced by utter dependency on God, Jesus and Holy Spirit.  This is why I still wake up early to start my day in prayer, bible study, prayerful reflection and repentance.  I feel helpless and naked without my long quiet time.  My old nature seems to come back super-fast if I don’t start my day with the Lord.  By the way, if you see me being impatient and unkind, please pray for me.  Something sinister is preventing me from spending my daily quiet time with God in prayer, repentance and bible reading.  

One more thing before I move on about the desert – as I was pondering about aborting God’s lesson plan on learning how to be content in all circumstances; the Holy Spirit spoke this wise word to me.  He shared that we all as his children have to learn the secret to being content.  God will use a difficult boss/job, marriage, child, finances or health etc.   He advised me to learn it through my husband.  After thinking long and hard about it, I saw that learning this via my husband is probably a lot better than through a difficult boss or another life situation.  And so I decided to submit and cooperate.  Holy Spirit is a good tutor and gave me wise counsel.

Here’s a good exert from the article: “The desert is a place of transformation. Whether your desert is unemployment, church troubles, family woes, illness, or other trials, when you come out of it you’ll either be more like Jesus or less like him. You may become more mature in the Lord and more sensitive to his voice—or possibly more bitter, cynical, and hopeless. But you won’t come out the same.”

Who Will You Be After God Leads You Through the Desert?thegospelcoalition.org

3. Fatherhood of God https://podcast.thealtarglobal.com/

The Johnson brothers did a three part series on the fatherhood of God.  It was excellent.  Please make time to listen to them all.  I think even your younger children and grandchildren will appreciate them too. 

This weekend, we went out to the airport to pick up our daughter returning home from college.  We always get there earlier so she doesn’t have to wait even a minute.  As we were waiting and waiting, looking more intently at the exit door once her plane landed; I had a very loving thought that perhaps God our Heavenly Father is also waiting with great anticipation for our arrival to Heaven.  Since He knows when our flight is coming in, perhaps He will be more intently watching for our arrival as our time comes closer to leaving the earth.** It was a thought that warmed my heart when we were waiting for Alex and growing in anticipation as her Life360 was telling us she was closer to the exit door.  (Yes, we track our children in life360. 🤫  God has a tracker on us too and I’m very happy to know that he tracks me.) **https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/Psalm%20116%3A15

4. TSC daily devotional is currently running through good messages about relationships. Please read these two messages for wise biblical advice and insights.

https://260journey.com/the-prerequisite-to-a-great-relationship/

https://260journey.com/be-careful-who-you-hang-with/

5. Good paintings of bible miracles: