Self-Love And The Battle At Hand

As we leap into 2013 and prepare for the series on Spiritual Warfare, I want to set the tone for that study. In December we spent some time talking about the love of God. We talked about moving our relationship into deep intimacy. (Read Can You Pray "Good Morning Daddy?”)

What I have come to understand is that to move with effectiveness in the spiritual realms requires confidence. We must have confidence in who we are in the eyes of Christ. We must love ourselves. We must “like” ourselves and love who we are and view our lives as God sees us.

Now I know that is easy to type, “Grasp who you are in Christ and live it.” But how do we move past our past, get over our hurts and insecurities to see ourselves as royalty instead of a pauper? That is the question.

I know for some of you, you just need some truth to defy the lies. I have been reading an amazing book about this very subject. Most of you know that Dineen and I attended a conference at Bethel Church in Redding in October. Those three days changed everything in how we perceive ourselves. And from that conference we have both been hungry, seeking to move out of our fears and into our victory. It has been a fantastic journey. And I have a lot more to share with you about all that later in the month.

But to move into the realms of the enemy and to experience the kind of victories we are going to share with you later, you MUST come to a place to accept who you are in Christ and live in His love. The book I am reading is written by the two lead pastors of Bethel, Bill Johnson and Kris Vallotton. The title: The Supernatural Ways of Royalty.

If you are struggling with self-love, a pauper mentality or need to grasp firmly who you are in Christ, I recommend you pick up this book and read it now before we launch into the series on spiritual warfare. There is a link below.

Here is an excerpt from page 51: On the other hand, agreeing with God empowers us. If frees us from the power of a lie and enables us to live according to the will of God. This empowerment is not independent of God; it is empowerment because of God. When we agree with God we step into the power of truth, the momentum of the Cross. The truth is already in our favor because King Jesus died in our place. He not only die for us, He died as us. Our agreement with God, which is always the focus and activity of faith, enables us to reap the fruit of truth. Ant that fruit is freedom! Faith grows by agreeing with God from the heart.

I have been practicing this kind of agreement since returning from Bethel. My friends, MY FRIENDS, do I have some astonishing stories to tell you about how our faith and agreement with God and NOT the enemy can profoundly impact our world. I can’t wait to tell you the story about praying for my daughter. I still can’t believe all that happened. Neither can she!!!!!!

So, I leave you this week, asking you to grab this book if you struggle in this area. I also want to encourage you to fast with us beginning Monday – Friday. Each year during our fast we experience profound movement by God in our midst because we humble ourselves and pray. To read more about how to fast, click here.

I am so excited for everything this New Year holds. The enemy is scared out of his mind and he has made a serious mistake to mess with this 5’4” blonde girl. How about you?I love you my friends.

I really love you. See you Monday for the fast. Hugs, Lynn

 

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Can You Pray "Good Morning Daddy?"

Get Ready 2013

God's Unexpected Healing, Part 2

I'm Praying. Want to Listen In????

Hi,

On Monday I shared Luke 9: 1-2 with you and how these two verses have changed how I pray. I also asked about sharing a video of how I pray with these verses and I'm astonished that a number of you wanted to listen in. Thank you my friends.

As you listen to this video, please don't hear the voice of Lynn Donovan but hear your own voice praying and imagine God listening intently to you as He sits on His throne poised and anxious to move at your words.

Whoa!!!

My friends, there's an army rising up! The time is now. So, after listening in, then head to the comments and let's pray like we mean it and pray how God has intended for us to pray all along.

Thank you Jesus! I just marvel at how you became a man to model for us how to live in God's presence, to serve Him and to flourish in a human body and in a broken world. Thank you. Thank you for finding us not only worthy but ready to share your power and authority. Jesus I pray we use it well and use it with Your wisdom. May we always be about our Father's business. In your name and by the Holy Spirit, I pray. Amen

Praying Luke 9: 1-2 with Lynn Donovan from Spiritually Unequal Marriage on Vimeo.

Praying with the power and authority of Christ.

I love you. I really love you, Lynn

Pray With Power, Real Power

I’m writing to you on a Sunday afternoon. The rain has been gentle outside. The birds at my feeder are engaged in boisterous tweets as they tussle for the seeds. My exhausted daughter is having a nap and I can hear the crowd noise coming from the family room where my crazed husband watches and tracks his Fantasy Football score. And my friends, I’m privileged to spend some precious time with you. 

Walking with the Holy Spirit this past week has been full of firsts and fascination. I’m discovering that you must protect the Holy Spirit. And in the not-far-off future I will be writing to tell you about this and why we must protect the spirit. But today I want to share another experience from the conference at Bethel. 

As I look back over our conference experiences and process all that happened, I’m especially moved by the other attendees that God placed around us. Not only did we encounter wisdom, teaching and His presence from the speakers and worship but God placed unique individuals around us that spoke enormous truth and healing into us. God KNEW what we needed and sent each one at the right moment. Wait until I tell you about the woman who prayed for us in the women’s restroom. I kid you not. It was crazy but awesome.

Maria

Today I want to tell you about Maria. 

On the last day of the conference, I “happened” to sit right next to Maria. I think we only spoke for perhaps 15 minutes but our brief exchanged changed everything about how I pray. And now I want you to know what I learned. 

Maria lives in San Diego which is only an hour away from where I reside. So funny to meet her in Redding. We introduced ourselves to one another and I can’t remember the exact progression of the conversation but we didn’t waist anytime and the next thing I knew she was sharing with me her ministry. She serves at the ROCK (church) in San Diego and is part of the church ministry that helps former porn stars escape that trade and find Jesus.   

Can I just say: AWESOME! 

Well she started to tell me how there is a lot of demon possession in those who are emerging from adult films. She then began to tell me about her conversion experience and how she was placed on the fast track to learn to pray against the devils and evil. Whoa! 

She had me at hello. 

Anyway, what follows is the cliff note version as I try to rack my brain to remember the details. 

She said, “Look up Luke 9:1-2.” 

When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 

Okay now get this. She told me that Jesus has given His disciples (that would be us) power and authority to cast out ALL demons and to cure diseases. 

Good grief I’ve read this verse a million times but on this day…… For the first time, I ACTUALLY BELIEVED IT and believed this verse applied to me personally. I believed I had authority and power over satan and his realms. 

Maria's Husband, Rick

Maria went on to give me an example of how this works in her life. “I was standing in line at the pharmacy recently. And there were two women at the counter talking to the girl who was waiting on them. They began to get loud and scream at the poor girl. The tech behind the counter was getting more and more flustered.” 

“It was at that moment that I heard God say to me, “ ‘Take authority over this.’” So I began to pray: Right now I take authority over the spirits of anger and evil that are present in these two women and in the name of Jesus, I command them to leave.” As I watched, these two just picked up and headed out the pharmacy door.” 

“When I reached the counter, I told the clerk that I had been praying for her. She said to me with relief in her voice, “Thank you so much, I needed it.” 

I’m sure my mouth hit the floor as she recounted this story. She also went on to tell a similar story about an encounter in her ministry where a woman was swearing and cussing and creating all kinds of havoc. She prayed, took authority over the spirits and then commanded them to leave in Jesus name. Immediately the woman’s demeanor changed and she settled down. 

My friends, MY FRIENDS, this is what Luke 9:1-2 is all about. Notice that we are to preach the Kingdom of God. It’s our purpose and privilege to bring the Kingdom of God to earth. To cast out the demons and bring healing. ALL of this is for us. But is for us to give away. Never forget that. 

Okay, so on the car ride back to the airport after the conference, I was sitting in the passenger seat and I wanted to pray. So I began to pray out loud and loudly with authority over my home, my husband, my daughter. I prayed authority over Dineen and her home, girls and Mike. I prayed authority over Heidi’s house, husband and children. Man, I felt the Holy Spirit descend upon me and I started shaking and fresh fire lit me up until I broke out in a sweat. God birthed in me some kind of power to pray like this. And I saw results immediately when I came home. (More on that later.) 

I also follow up these prayers asking for the Holy Spirit to then fill the person or situation for which I’m praying. I ask God to fill them with love, truth, compassion, empathy, etc. I follow the Spirit’s prompting. So not only is there a casting out of evil but a filling up of God’s Spirit. Whoa! 

I have prayed like this over many situations I’ve encountered since the conference. It’s life changing. And this is what we are supposed to be doing for the Kingdom. I pray daily now over my husband and children. I pray for strangers. I have prayed for some of you over the phone and in private. 

Luke 9:1-2 has changed my life forever. I have so much more to say about this but I’m wondering if you would be interested in hearing how I now pray? I could record how I pray and post it on YouTube for Friday. Would that be helpful? Would you listen to it? Not sure if I need to do this or not. You let me know. 

Today, on this beautiful fall day, it is peaceful. But I know that tomorrow I will confront the face of evil somewhere but I AM NOT AFRAID. I choose love! And love decimates fear every… single…. time…. 

Choose love my friends, God’s love. Pray with the power and authority that has already been given to you. 

On Friday, I will talk about how my view of Spiritual Warfare has changed as well. Let me know about recording a prayer. I love you. I REALLY LOVE YOU. Lynn

The Culmination

Greetings Everyone,

As you read this post today, Dineen and I along with one of my great friends, Heidi, who happens to live right behind my house are on our way to a Heaven's Open Conference in Redding, CA.

Dineen and I feel like this is the culmination of our entire series this summer, about bringing the Kingdom of God to earth. We are beyond excited. 

Did you know that Dineen and I have known each other for more than six years now and not once have we been in worship together. Wow. Well that all changes today. We will gather with a few thousand people tonight to worship and learn more about our Lord.

We are expecting our Lord to arrive with power and to change us. And that's just a little of what we are expecting from the next three days. The conference begins Wednesday evening, continues all day Thursday and Friday. We fly home on Saturday. 

So you can EXPECT some pretty fired up posts in the next few weeks as Dineen and I will be in the presence of our Father. We are especially listening for His direction for all you. So, EXPECT BIG things in your life in the next few months.

Many of you have traveled with me before. And I love that. So, if you are interested, I hope to be sharing photos and Tweets through out the conference as I can. (I hope cameras are allowed)

Please join us as we learn: Your Kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven... 

Click on the following links to walk with us and we will see you on Monday with what we hope to share, a life-transforming experience for Lynn, Dineen and Heidi.

Lynn Donovan, Twitter

Lynn Donovan, Facebook

SUM, Twitter

Dineen Miller, Twitter

Dineen Miller, Facebook

It would mean the world to us if you would pray for us in the comments. Please pray for the Holy Spirit to anoint us, our community and this ministry to reach a world who is desperate for a Savior. 

BIG, excited, and love-filled hugs, Lynn

We've Reached The End. Or Is It Really the Beginning?

My friends, I’m impressed that it’s time to bring our Kingdom Come To Earth series to a close. I truly have so much more to share with you about praying for anointing and about how the Holy Spirit is intricately involved in our worship experience. But, I’m thinking it’s time to leave what we have learned and move on to some of the practical posts about living with an unsaved spouse. 

This hour I’m moved to tell all of you something from my heart. Some of you have read these posts and have felt left out. You haven’t experienced any of this crazy stuff and you feel forgotten and left on the sidelines. Please hear me now as I say to you this: You are not forgotten or left out. Dineen and I love each of you and we realize that walking in faith is a journey. It’s in the journey that we learn to see God all around us. It’s not the destination…. It’s the journey. 

So, keep walking with us. And ask others who have been left on the sidelines to join us. We are not perfect. We still fail, argue with our husbands, slam the cabinets around, say dammit once in a while, and even throw a tizzy fit over something trivial. But, we are real here. We are walking with Jesus and we need each other. 

Our mission is love. Love for the Father, His Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit. And we love each other and especially love our spouse and kids even when it is difficult and we see no immediate reward for our sacrifices.

But I can promise you this. God IS faithful. I know this because He has walked every minute of this journey with me. He will never leave me. He has so much more to show me like glory clouds and rain inside. He has my back and His will is to bring my life to a place where I live each day, thrilling in His presence. It is His will that my life brings Him glory. And it’s His will for your life as well. 

This series is only a starting point where we see a glimpse of how utterly present and supernaturally God dwells in our intimate lives. I still can’t get my mind around this truth. I remain utterly astonished at all our God is doing in me, in our community, and the world. 

The Love-Revolution is coming. You are part of it. You will not be left out. Your life is utterly necessary for His plan to astonish the world. And you know how He will astonish the world???? 

One ordinary life at a time. 

You bring great honor and glory to God. Your worship brings Heaven to earth. Now let’s deliver God’s glory with authority to those around us one person at a time. 

I love all of you so much. Our journey is only really getting started and we have much more to see in the months ahead. My friends from this day forward, pray like you mean it. Laugh with gusto. Love your family and make God your absolute priority. 

Hugs, Lynn 

Next Friday I have a Chronicles of the Donovan Clan update. This is a good one. I’m still trying to figure it all out. See you then. 

A Holy Anointing by Janet S.

To follow is a guest post by Janet. She has written here for us before but today is a specail treat. She shares her personal story of worship and I KNOW it will touch you. Read all the way through and then watch the 15 second video at the end. I PROMISE you will be changed. Hugs, Lynn

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One of many feathers God sends to Janet

There is no one size fits all standard when it comes to an intimate time of praise, prayer and worship with God. I know because I’ve tried everyone’s formulas.  The result?  I felt like a failure.  What worked for them just wasn’t working for me.  Praise and worship music was the easy element.  Morning time with God?  Not only am I not a morning person, but neither is our wee tot who enjoys sleeping in our bed and asking for midnight snacks.  Disciplined, concrete pattern reading of the bible from Psalms, Proverbs and gospels?  I tried, exhausting myself to no avail.  Sadly it became a regimented routine transitioning into discouragement.  Specific prayer patterns?  The focus became assuring I mastered them, leaving no detail forgotten, instead of heartfelt conversations with God.  While these work for some, I personally felt like a blue spruce planted on a tropical island. 

Yet this insatiable desire for more - continued to manifest and convict me.  I just knew there had to be more.  But I had no idea where or how to find it.  I was left to seek help from God while being honest with myself.  I had to accept the realization that God, the creator of not only the universe but me, created me already knowing I thrive after the hours of noon.  Freedom in peace of that knowledge empowered me to take the next step.  I released myself from the “morning time with God guilt”, and I began to carve out daily afternoon time with God.  I purchased the Daily Chronological Bible.  Reading, which seemed like an insurmountable goal, was thrilling and intriguing as I read the bible in a story form.

Most interesting was the transformation of my prayer time.  My prayers moved from “me focused” to “Him focused”.  Prayers reminding Him who wronged me and how I needed this or that, dialogue asking for His blessings on my plans became conversations asking for His anointing and courage to move forward with His will and plans. 

During a recent phone call with Lynn we explored worship, prayer and the divine power released when we pray asking for anointing.  I esteem anointing to be a sacred topic—a powerfully holy one, filled with awe and mystery.  The supernatural possibilities of it challenge my human mind, and I still have much to experience and learn.

Let’s journey this together as the joined Body of Christ, open to what He chooses to reveal to us uniquely and individually, through prayer and by learning from one another. 

Gracious Father, we are so humbled by Your love that You entrust each one of us with one of the greatest mysteries—direct access and power of Your Holy Spirit, which is present, alive and moving within each of us.  It is an honor we choose to not take lightly.  Remove stumbling blocks and falsehoods in our paths, experiences and traditions that limit our yielding.  Awaken our spiritual senses blessing us with wisdom and discernment as together we journey to better understand and know You and Your power unleashed. By the blood of Jesus, all for Your glory and honor, Amen.

We see beginning in Genesis and up through the life of Jesus, oil was used in the Old Testament to anoint.   “Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it.” Genesis 28:18 NIV   Read Exodus 30:22- 33 NIV.  In these scriptures the Lord reveals a divine recipe of anointing oil to Moses, and He had Moses anoint places, items and people— Aaron and his sons.  “They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.” Mark 6:13 NIV

During the baptism and after death of Jesus the bible continues to speak of oil to anoint, but also begins to include a different and powerful anointing through, by and of the Holy Spirit.  “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.” Acts 10:38 NIV  “Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord.” James 5:14 NIV “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.” 1 John 2:20 NIV  “Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us,” 2 Corinthians 1:21 NIV

I am convicted to believe His Word shows us physical oil is indeed an element for anointing, used for all time in accordance to His Word and will, but so is unseen oil of the Holy Spirit poured within us straight from His throne.  In each of these scriptures we see a common theme of anointing being mandated before God’s will is purposed and carried out.  Let me stress before God’s will is purposed and carried out.  Anointing is the consecrating, making holy and set apart for His purposes and glory.  For me personally this is convicting.  This isn’t about me telling God my plans and asking for His blessing upon them.  This is me asking for His anointing as I move forward in His will.

Regularly I pray for God’s Holy Spirit to be unleashed and pour down anointing our home, town, church, congregation, family and more.  There is no rhyme or reason to these petitions other than I pray as I am led based on circumstances, need and conviction.  I pray for the anointing of our Pastor whose spiritual gift is to preach to His children each week, for His glory.  I pray for the anointing of our community requesting divine healing, for His glory, because in a short span of time we have experienced tremendous and heartbreaking loss after loss.  I pray for the anointing of my husband’s friendships and work that God will move in them and in him, for His glory.  I pray for anointing of my friends and myself.  In these prayers I am asking God to be the forefront and focus, that His will is accomplished on earth.

When I pray these I believe with full confidence God is at work hearing and answering my prayers.  He never fails to amaze me with answers—divine, supernatural, unexplainable answers.  As Lynn and I ended our conversation she prayed over me asking the Holy Spirit to anoint my writing.  I, the self-doubter and fearer of both success and failure, later prayed again asking for an extra measure of anointing upon my hands as I piece together the writing. 

Hours later I endured another occurrence of what I call “gold glitter” upon my hands.  This is not the first time, nor the only place it physically appears on me.  Each time I am taken aback and startled.  This time though, it was only on my hands.  Specifically the prayer request of anointing both Lynn and I asked God for, for His glory, not mine. (see video below)

Supernatural activity and answers can be found throughout the bible—talking donkeys, burning bush, a rod and snake, and so much more.  We are called to not seek, idolize or worship miraculous signs and wonders.  But we are called to believe with full confidence expecting His answer.  In God’s perfect and holy timing we see many examples in the bible where anointing occurred revealing His power, sovereignty and glory. 

Everything can be set apart, made holy, for His glory, including our day-to-day tasks, and His will and purpose for us.  We just need to pray asking for the anointing, and be an open, willing participant.  We participate by allowing the Holy Spirit to teach us and to conform us to the likeness of Christ.  And we seal it by stepping out in belief and faith that the anointing has empowered us to do His will—be it writing, preaching, serving or any other gift, for His glory, not ours.

Have you prayed for anointing?  How can we pray for you to be anointed?  Has God answered your prayers in a supernatural way?

Janet.

--My friends, Lynn here. Now behold the glory of God as below is the video of Janet's hands after her prayer time. Thank you Janet for your faithfulness and your love for our Lord. You bring Him great honor today. Lynn

 

 

On The Fast-Track - Kingdom Come to Earth

My friends I’m sitting in my tiny office overwhelmed with expectation. I’ve had encounters with God this week that still freak me out. I feel like I’ve been thrust on the fast-track to come up to speed with the Holy Spirit. And next week I’ve asked my friend Janet to share an astonishing encounter with God with you here at SUM. You won’t want to miss this one. 

As I travel this fascinating and mind-blowing journey, God has asked me to bring you along with me. But, we need to visit some of the basics still. 

A week or more ago, we talked about how I walk in nature, God’s creation. I listen to worship music on my iPod. So many of you shared your worship playlist and they are fantastic. My current favorite I just loaded onto our Facbook page. So what is next? 

Silence. 

I walk for an hour. I’ve found if I walk for only 30 minutes I miss out on hearing from God. And please understand this, I don’t always hear from God every time I walk. I hear from Him when He has something to say. 

After listening and singing along with my music, I turn it off. I walk in silence. It’s after I have spent time reading His word, then praying and finally in worship and when I’m walking along where there are no people or distraction, only nature, that is when I will hear from God. 

Do you know that most people cannot be silent? Thirty minutes of silence is unheard of in today’s culture. We have electronic devices to keep us company 24/7. My friends, 

GOD WILL NOT COMPETE FOR OUR ATTENTION. 

I don’t know how to say this any more clearly. Unplug, go somewhere in nature or secluded. Worship, pray and then just listen. Marvel at creation. Ask God to delight you. (He loves to do that, by the way) God wants all of us and our silence and willingness to just listen intently for Him stirs His heart. 

I understand that two hours out of your day is impossible for many of you. I get it. I was a working woman once and a young mother just trying to get through on survival mode. But start somewhere. Spend some time with God and learn to listen. 

I’ve shared some real practical ways to grow closer to God and to experience His presence but NOW, now I can’t wait to share with you what happens when you DO live in His presence. 

Next week I have a video to share that will rock your world. At least it rocked mine. I’m hearing reports from all over, many from you, of encounters with the Most High God. 

My friends, something is brewing. It is a revolution. God’s Love-Revolution. And we’ve been invited to be part of it. Many will miss this opportunity but for a few courageous believers who are not afraid to be weird for God we will live smack in the middle of what is coming. There is much to learn and God has a giant calling on our lives. And the best part……. 

We will experience His divine presence in ways never before. There is healing ahead, glory clouds, rain indoors, and so much, much more. But there is a price. So next, we will be talking about what it’s like to live in His presence and how the Holy Spirit is intricately part of this experience and finally we will count the cost. 

My friends, out of our worship we receive God’s glory and through His power we deliver it to the world with authority. This is what the Kingdom of God come to earth is all about. 

So, ready for some profound stuff? 

Bring it Lord, Jesus. Bring it Holy Spirit. Anoint the believers here at Spiritually Unequal Marriage. God, we declare this hour We are part of the Fellowship of the unashamed. 

BIG hugs, Lynn

BTW, I might add a thought. Don't think for one minute that these posts and our responses are not effecting our spouse, our children, our world. God's presence in an ordinary woman is unstoppable and powerful. (I have more to share on that too)

Grace and Mercy

Hey Everyone, 

I’m writing this on a Thursday morning. 

After arriving home from Little Rock, I’ve been balancing school meetings, back to school was Wednesday, my son and his girlfriend arrived for a visit, my daughter dropped a quart jar of salsa on her toe, spent the day in urgent care, canned another 10 quarts of salsa and wasted a few hours watching Big Brother (Don’t judge me. It’s a weird obsession this summer, go figure?????) 

Whew! I’m overwhelmed just writing about it all. 

Needless to say, my friends, I’m running a tad behind. More than anything I want to reply to the comments that were left here way back on August 6th and every day since then. I have read them but just haven’t had time to sit down and type for several hours. 

I’m thinking I’m going to save my next post in this series for next week and do the right thing today. I need to spend time with my son today as he will be leaving tonight. I think a beach trip is just what we all need. So please forgive me for leaving you hanging. He brought along some big, BIG news. More on that later…. 

I hope to reply to some of your comments from the past two weeks tomorrow as I will be sitting in the urgent care once again. There seems to be an annoying pain in my right arm that will not go away. Time to have an x-ray. 

For all of you who left your play lists on Monday, a GIANT THANK YOU. I will be listening to your suggestions all weekend long. Some of you emailed songs to me, AWESOME. I loved them all. Here is a photo from Brie. 

Brie said, “Thank you for your beautiful blog post on Worship! I've discovered it’s the way I can publicly display my thanks to God with others who share this belief. I wake up, gulp my coffee, grab my toddler and take off to the beach while listening to the most amazing music that lifts my heart & soul.

I am sending you a pic (in the following email) of how God greets me in the morning! I feel his presence so so so much when I start my day like this. 

I just give him my worries, my heart and praise Him for all he's done in my life.” 

My friends, I know it may be difficult to carve out time in your busy, busy lives but the message I’m hearing from so many who enjoy a rich and vibrant relationship with Jesus is; He is worth every minute we give. 

Thank you for loving me in my everyday life, the busy, the weird, the BIG news, the pain in my arm. But mostly, thank you for loving Jesus and for being the salt and light in this dark, dark world. I promise you this. Every hour you live for Jesus in front of your unbelieving spouse and your children IS NOT WASTED. God's will is being accomplished. His love is trampling the darkness. His purposes will come to pass in you and your spouse. 

Thank you for loving me and your prayers. I’m a bit nervous about this whole arm business. See you Monday. 

I leave you with another question. Am I the only one who looks like a crazy woman driving in my car and singing out loud, sometimes with my arm in the air? Anyone??? 

*grin* Lynn

Worship... God is Not Cheap!

Dineen and I had an amazing time in Little Rock. We will share more about that when we find out the broadcast dates. Here we are in front.

Thank you for your prayers and your words of encouragement Monday. We literally teared up as we read them utterly thankful that God brings all of you into our lives. 

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I want you to see this: 

Cheryl sent it to me. She said, “There was a feather on my bedroom floor!!! It was small (I thought a leaf or something else)  It is blue without a blemish and in my bedroom !!!!”  ~She is saving it in her Bible. 

Another reader described rain …. INSIDE. I have to say that I have heard others experiencing this as well. In fact, a few months back, I was in church during worship and felt a single water drop kiss my face, falling on my right cheek. In my blonde brainedness, I stopped singing and looked around for the idiot with the squirt gun in church…. Geeeze…. Wish I had grasped what was happening then. 

Oh my friends, I think God has been delighting me and sending His tiny gifts of love in very tangible ways for years. I just didn’t know how to see Him or hear Him. But, no longer. I am opening up my heart and pleading for His anointing. I will bring my entire life into complete obedience to just experience the presence of our Holy King. I am willing to surrender my body, which remains my last really big stronghold. I offer my service, my money, my possessions, my dignity pleading for my Lord to only increase in my life. 

For months now I’ve been hearing God to help you to learn to experience His presence. And more than anything I want you to know you can. You can feel the rain on your face and receive gifts of love and find yourself shaking from the sheer experience of God’s love washing over you. 

There is a cost however. 

Our Lord is not cheap. He will demand much but what He gives in return I’ve decided far outweighs any petty little thing this earth could offer me. 

So today I want to begin to tell you about my story of worship. As I share this story, I ask you to pray about it. Ask God if He is calling you into some of these practices? If you feel a deep conviction, follow through. If you feel a hunger to experience feathers and rain, follow through. If you KNOW you have a sin in your life that God has asked you to repent, follow through. 

As I said at the beginning of this series, at the end of this summer you could be in an entirely different place in your life with Jesus. 

I worship in several different ways. So today, I’m going to share with you what I share often and every time I speak to a live audience. It’s my Daily Bible. This is only one aspect of my worship and I will share more in the days ahead. 

Over 13 years ago my mother purchased a Daily Bible for me. This Bible is organized by date with a portion of the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalm and Proverb to be read each day. I made a commitment to rise early to read this Bible every day. And 13 years ago I was working full-time and raising a family so I would rise as early as 5 a.m. to keep this appointment. And it changed my life. Finally the lies of the enemy were silenced and truth filled my thoughts and ruled in my life. 

I will pray about what I’m reading, asking God to show me, teach me. I will tell Him that I don’t understand certain passages and ask for clarity. I will discover a passage that so astonishes me I whisper, Whoa, God. That Rocked! God likes it when I tell Him He rocks *grin.* 

Still today, I sit with this Bible every morning. It’s my first priority. Every year I read through it, God brings different passages alive to me. I write notes in the margin about my experiences in life. And about events in the lives of my family and friends. There are many notes about trips, opening nights of my daughter’s plays, notes about finding feathers and such. These are the monuments in my life with Christ. 

I love reading my notes a year later or five years later and celebrating the miracles in my life all over again. I worship Him for His faithfulness to this ordinary woman. 

This Bible is my most treasured earthly possession. In fact, my daughter has asked for it as part of her inheritance. 

So I ask you? Do you have a daily appointment with the King? Where do you read? Do you read anything in addition to your Bible? If you don’t, can you be courageous enough to declare that you don’t in the comments and then commit to starting. I want all of us to pray for you by name in the comments. 

Monday, I will share with you what I do immediately following my Bible reading. And it may seem that these next few posts are boring or inconsequential but I promise you that there are many who need some examples of how to get started on this amazing love relationship with Jesus. 

Earlier I said that God is not cheap or easily obtained. A commitment to spend 30 minutes every day with Him may seem impossible in your current schedule, but are you willing to sacrifice intimacy and answers to your prayers for 30 minutes of television, reading or some other insignificant task? 

Tough questions I know but they truly demand an answer. Oh my friends, these posts are going to wreck your life.

Oh how I hope they do. 

With great love and hope, Lynn

Now Stand Back My Friends and Be Astonished

Now stand back my friends and be astonished. 

Throughout history God’s divine plan and purpose is to dwell with people. From Adam and Eve to this very day, His passion, His relentless purpose is to share His glory, for us to live in His perfect will and to experience the life of the divine. 

From the Heavenly Priest Melchizedek, through the Priesthood of the Levites and the High Priest of the Temple of God to: 

THE GREAT HIGH PRIEST, JESUS CHRIST! 

God has been bringing heaven to earth or making a way to dwell with us on earth. Jesus walked this earth to provide us with the training we need to step into the new era, His Priesthood. 

Now let this sink in: 

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. NIV 1 Peter 2:9–10 

We are royalty. 

We have been created to come out of darkness and into His wonderful light. And Jesus commissioned us to take this electrifying truth to everyone. We have been called to deliver God’s glory with authority. 

This is the core message of this entire series. 

Jesus is the Great High Priest. His life is our blueprint to live in the presence of God. We are called to live in His presence and share this experience as disciples with others. 

Deliver God’s glory with authority. 

That’s why we need a royalty mentality. If we have lived in the presence of the divine, we are changed, transformed and our mediocre lives become profoundly important. So grasp this now and at least begin to wrap your head around this truth because when you finally arrive and understand this, it changes your entire perspective on living. Your desires for what you want from life will change and even your thoughts and hopes about your husband’s salvation come into clear focus. 

So I guess I need to tell you that several months back, hmmmmm, like in April, God opened up a new path to travel with regard to my faith walk. It’s been a ride where I have felt uncertain at times. (I’ve share much of it with Dineen and she will echo that it’s a crazy journey.) 

God has pointed out some ugly things in my character and my beliefs that were flawed and in desperate need of changing. I’ve hinted at some of these over the last few months such as I’m done being the “Church Lady.” Also one night God told me I didn’t love people. 

Let me just say when God tells you that you don’t love people it shocks you to the core and shakes up everything you think you know. Now don’t be worried because I will explain more about all this as we move along. But, this new journey has been painful. Amazing. Shocking. Humbling. And every other “ing” word I can think up. But it’s the best thing that has ever happened to me. 

As I continue to walk down this path, I will share with you what I discover because for the past six years as God leads me to new understanding of His Holy Word and His perfect Character. And as He teaches me, I have always taken you along for the ride. So I know there are many of you who are going to find this journey life-changing. 

Where to begin….. 

How do we receive God’s glory? Then how do we deliver it with authority? 

Worship. 

It all begins in worship. 

Victory in the Kingdom battles begins in worship. It’s where the power arises to change lives. It’s in worship that God releases His intentions, His warriors in the heavenly realms. It all begins in worship. 

Worship can mean many things to many people. So all I can offer you is what worship is for me. And for the first time, I will share with you here at SUM what I have experienced through worship. 

I want to insert here that music is often what most believers consider worship. And they are not wrong. I’ve experienced God in those moments of singing that nearly have lifted me off the ground. But the worship of God happens in many ways and different moments. And I have some stories to share with you about these moments. 

I think today I want to leave you with a recent story of worship. It’s still so very clear in my mind and if I can have this experience for the rest of my life, I’ve reached heaven here on earth. However, it’s fleeting in that God has work for me to do. So during my worship of Him, He touches me, empowers me, inspires me to go out and be a child of light. 

Three weeks ago, Sunday, I stood in our worship center as the band played. It was the third song in and all of a sudden a, let’s see, how do I describe this, a power like a forceful wind blew down upon me. I was standing in the auditorium in a row by myself. As this “wind” hit me I felt goose bumps run down my body from head-to-toe. It was such a strong feeling of joy, of God’s Holy presence, that I could no longer speak, no longer sing. I just stood with my arms lifted up and my face looking up. I started to tremble all over. 

This power intensified and I started to feel my knees buckle. I thought I was going to fall down from the sheer astonishing experience, however, because my church is not a charismatic place, I knew if I fell to the floor I would freak everyone out. So, I whispered, “O Lord.” And He knew I couldn’t take anymore without passing out cold in front of the large congregation. It would undo the morning. So He backed it down. I sat down. 

I will never be the same. 

Since that day, I walk into Sunday worship knowing I will stand and sing and worship. I can’t wait to get to church now just to have that happen to me again. 

Now this is just a taste of living with our God. So many other things have happened. Supernatural experience that if I share them would sound crazy. But that’s how I live. I live on the edge with Jesus. I want to live outside of the box, live in His power, and I am willing to pay whatever the price for Him to increase in my life. 

So on Friday, I want to share more of living edgy. What that looks like from one blonde-brained ordinary woman who has experienced the glory of God. 

My friends, do you want to live your life in the safe zone? Do you want to be assured that you know where you will be next week, a month from now, even years down the road? Or do you want to stand on the cliff, ready to jump, not fully knowing if He will catch you but hopeful, trusting that when you jump, Jesus will catch you with supernatural power and provision. 

Truly the believer’s life is not for the faint of heart. To experience ALL He has for you, takes all you have to give. But 

It’s, OH, SO, WORTH IT. 

And, just a side note, things are happening with my pre-believer husband. So, hold on and join me in this front row seat because life is really getting exciting. Scary but Lord, bring it on!!!!! 

My name is Lynn Donovan and I am standing in the Fellowship of the Unashamed. 

 

The Fellowship of the Unashamed. 

I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. The dye has been cast. The decision has been made. I have stepped over the line. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, or back away. 

My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future, is secure. I’m finished with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, tamed visions, mundane talking, cheap giving and dwarfed goals. 

I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk with patience, live by prayer and labor with power. 

My face is set, my gait is fast my goal is Heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my guide is reliable, my mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. 

I won’t give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, spoken for the case of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I must go ‘till He comes, give ‘till I drop, preach ‘till all know, and work ‘till He stops me. My banner is clear. I am a part of the fellowship of the unashamed.  ~Author Unknown

Who are you? Tell me in the comments. See you there. Have a victorious week and I praying you experience our God in ways that also ROCK your world. Hugs, Lynn