Hey SUM family, Tiffany Here. I pray that you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! This is absolutely my favorite time of year. I love gathering with family, eating fantastic food and reflecting on all of the favor, mercy, and goodness of Daddy that has happened for the year. As I was thinking last week about what Holy Spirit wanted me to share, I fingerprinted a man with a business logo on his sweatshirt that said "Stillwater." This prompted me to look up "still water" in the Bible. The main passage that came to mind was in Psalm 23: 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of... Read more →

Hello SUM Family, Tiffany Here! The last couple of months I have been sharing a bit about what I have learned from reading a book called From Dream to Destiny by Robert Morris. I was assigned to read this book in class and I am so glad that I read it! This book has been truly amazing. To read the previous two posts I've written in this "mini-series" click on the links below. This Is Just The Pits! Do You Want Evidence Or The Truth? In September I began to take steps to transition into a new church. As you read this, I have now been at this new church for 3 weeks. Each and every week has been so powerful and effective. Today I want to share with you a recent experience unlike anything I've ever had. It happened a little over a week ago on October 14, 2018.... Read more →

Hey SUM Family, Tiffany here: ev·i·dence - a : an outward sign : indication b : something that furnishes proof : testimony; specifically : something legally submitted to a tribunal to ascertain the truth of a matter (Merriam-Webster online dictionary) Last post (This Is Just The Pits!) we began to take a look at the life of Joseph. We discovered that there are ten tests we must face in order to fulfill our God-given purpose (I highly suggest you read From Dream to Destiny by Robert Morris for more on this topic). I want us to really dive into the deep end of the pool as we learn more about the pit test. First, let's continue on in the story of Joseph. At this point he was ambushed by his brothers and thrown into the pit. Changing scenes, we see what happens with his family next: So [Joseph's brothers] took... Read more →

Hi everyone As I write, it’s Thursday morning here in New Zealand, and I'm a hungry girl. Each fast I do more than I did before; and yet, this fast, like my others before, has been an imperfect one. Yesterday, for example, I went to work hungry. By 1pm it was awful. I left my office where I was putting on a cheerful front, shut myself in the toilet cubicle and said to Jesus, “HOW did you do this for 40 days?” It made me realize I hadn’t ever considered Jesus’s 40 days of no food or water. At 2pm, I freaked, I had a class to teach: “What if I faint in front of the class?” That was it. Seizing control of my situation, I reached for my bag, pulled out a small wrapped bar called ‘one square meal’, and gobbled it up. My hunger disappeared and I missed... Read more →

Hi SUM family Welcome to day one of our fast, and happy new year! From what I’m hearing, we’re not the only ones who are being led to fast right now. Quite separately, even my home church is fasting and I know other Christians are too. We’re led by the same Spirit. This is my eighth fast with the SUM community, and every time it has been extraordinary. From these shared adventures, I now know that fasting does something very special. With that in mind, I thought I’d share my first ever fasting story. It’s a fun story, but it illustrates the fact that fasting shifts things. It was just before I found the SUM community. I’d noticed in scripture that fasting makes the impossible possible, and so I quietly planned to try it. The opportunity finally came when my husband and boys planned a trip away, leaving me home... Read more →

Hello, Ian here once again. As you probably have noticed in many of my posts in the last few years I’ve sought to desire more of God, to experience that oneness with the Father that Jesus prays for us about in John 17. Hey, and isn’t it fabulous that Jesus, Himself, actively helps us in the process? Everyday. As He continually intercedes in prayer for us. This desire for more brought me, firstly, to writing a new non-fiction book, and then when I discovered I didn’t have sufficient material, secondly, to take up study again in participating in a Spiritual Formation course. To date I marvel at what I’m both learning and experiencing. The Heart It’s a journey of the heart as the prophet Jeremiah declared: “I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their... Read more →

Hello Sum family! Tiffany here: It is very easy to see the heaviness and struggle going on in the world. Just in our own community there is a weight of illness, backsliding (in ourselves or our spouses), addictions, anger, depression, anxiety, spiritual attacks to our identity, self-worth, motivation, and will to keep going in the faith. There is bitterness and envy, there is confusion and doubt - toward others and even God Himself. It's like we have lost sight of who we REALLY are (we'll talk more about this later). Before I continue, I want to preface that I don't believe that our SUM community is in this bad of shape. I don't believe that we are all struggling at all times. I do however, see a trend of these things happening in the ranks...and it seems to be increasing. I myself have been struggling a lot lately. I feel... Read more →

Hey there SUM family, Tiffany here! In the first post on this new writing journey for the SUM community I talked about the feeling of being a throw-away kid. This operated in my life in many ways. I was plagued by thoughts such as - I will never be able to do enough. I am not good enough. I am just trying to get your attention. I cannot measure up to your standards. What more do you want/expect from me? I can't handle these demands. I don't deserve it / you. I honestly haven't realized – until last week during a healing prayer session with Lynn - that these thoughts that have plagued me for years are not only from the enemy but HAVE A NAME. The Orphan Spirit operates in such feelings as abandonment, loneliness, alienation, and rejection. Ouch! Looking back on my life, this has been the major... Read more →

By Ann Hutchison “It’s excruciating”, I murmured to myself, munching on my toast and staring out the window. As usual, I was mulling over the fact that my husband and I had found ourselves in this … 'horrible' … spiritually mismatched situation. It happened to us late in life. There we were hitting forty, and life had been going according to plan. Then, one day, God landed in our home – through me. It shook us to the core. My husband is a good planner, so this one blindsided him. “I'm not the one who changed and this is not what I married!” He sounded almost angry. I couldn't blame him; I was the one who'd changed. I felt so bad. Bad, that was, until God nudged me differently. Don’t, Ann. However it looks and whatever the hiccups, this conversion will only cause home improvement (Proverbs 31:10-12). Ok, I really... Read more →

SUMite Nation Next week, January 8-12, 2018… We will fast together in a Corporate expression of sacrifice and prayer. Seeking a greater intimacy with the Lord and seeking revelation for the year ahead. Begin to think about what and how you are going to fast. Prepare your family and let them know you will be fasting. Pre-prepare meals for them and let them know that you need their support to fast. My challenge is for you to fast an entire five days from solid foods. And for some of you who truly need a miracle, a water only fast for five days. If you can’t fast all five days, consider a sunrise to sunset fast, with dinner in the evening. I also challenge you to fast from television and devote that time to reading the Bible or another book that will strengthen your faith. Let me ask you this. Do... Read more →

Image courtesy of Phil_Bird at FreeDigitalPhotos.net Mid-year is a big time for our church as we have a celebration dinner where all our campuses around the city come together and break bread together. It’s a night where we reflect on the good things the body has contributed across various activities both locally and overseas. Plus we look forward to the next year and share a vision for how and where the church can contribute. It’s called our Vision Builders dinner. During the course of the week leading up to the event, I had been reading Exodus 33 where Moses on being commanded to leave Sinai demanded of God that he wouldn’t go anywhere without His presence. Let’s have a look at the passage: “Then Moses said to the Lord, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people.’ But You have not let me know whom You will send with... Read more →

I’ve hinted for months and told everyone and anyone who will listen that this year, 2017 is a year of breakthrough and healing (emotional and physical) for the Church. I’m convinced God is healing His people to prepare them for the Great Revival and the salvation of a billion souls. This statement isn’t new to any of you if you been a reader here for a number of months. AND NOW, the LORD is revealing to me more of his plan. You are going to be in shock and awe when I share what I have to say on the development of His plan. It’s happening right now. I will share more on Friday but for today, I want to encourage you to BELIEVE for holy breakthroughs. Our faith is increased when we share testimony. So, I’m sharing a testimony of breakthrough that I believe you can draw upon. My... Read more →

Photo courtesy of DigitalArt/FreeDigitalPhotos.net I’ve always been curious as to the stubbornness of my anxiety and sinful habits that nag away at me. I thought it a useful topic to discuss as we walk through this fabulous series on emotional healing. I’ve mentioned my struggles with anxiety previously. Like many of us it’s been a regular companion for as long as I can remember. I’ve spent enough years of my life in counselors chairs that I figured it was something that would be with me all of my days. There was a self-defeatist sense of ‘oh well, it must just be part of what makes me, me.’ I know many others who struggle with it think similarly. Some of you may be able to relate to this as you too have had anxiety as a companion or perhaps it’s some habitual ‘thing’ that just hangs around. You’ll have some days... Read more →

SUMITE Fast 2017: Monday, January 9: Day one. SUMites…. Who wants a new beginning? A fresh start? A year of new possibilities, promises fulfilled and a deeper walk with our Lord? We are a people who are endowed with new starts. Believers have been given a gift of new starts and new beginnings. It’s in our nature. We experienced our first new beginning when we came to faith in Jesus. I’m convinced that the Lord gives us new beginnings, new starts over and over again throughout our life. And this fast is going to be the start of significant changes and fulfilments in our lives in 2017. I am CONVINCED that this year is a breakthrough year. I have enough faith in this statement for all of us, even for those of you who aren’t feeling it yet. I’m convinced that God is leading us toward significant person healing. I’m... Read more →

Photo courtesy of Dan/FreeDigitalPhotos.nety/FreeDigitalPhotos.net As Dineen shared last week we both attended a writer’s conference in Nashville ten days ago. It was a tremendous few days for both of us on a number of fronts, not least hearing from the Lord regarding our writing. It was a wonderful answer to prayer for both of us. God is good. We'll save those stories for another time. Family One aspect of the event that I so loved back in 2012 was a sense of the familial. Yes, even when I didn’t know the majority I felt accepted, loved and appreciated. Simply because I was sharing the same journey they were. Yes, having an Aussie accent probably helped a little too. I experienced the same sensation this time too. Perhaps even stronger. Yes, since 2012 I’ve developed friendships with attendees (like Dineen) but it’s like any new friendship. We get excited in the... Read more →

Well, I wonder how many of you had an “opportunity” to exercise your confidence and take a step of faith in love and out of fear this past few days? I will tell you one thing, when you pray in confidence, the devils are afraid and you bear witness to some pretty astonishing things in the Kingdom of God! Hallelujah and AMEN! So here is the next component of powerful prayer. WILL Our will. Our free will. Christians like to debate, free will. And we, who are married to pre-believers, live daily praying that our spouse will engage their free will and turn to Jesus. But what many believers don’t realize is that our will, when engaged in prayer is powerful. I’m struggling with how to explain this. Because it is similar to engaging confidence and belief. But there is something more. What I believe is that as God’s kids,... Read more →

Hello SUMite Nation, The Holy Spirit is speaking the Word – PRAYER! (Don’t tune out. This is good.) “Oh man, did she just write – PRAYER.” Did you just whisper this under your breath? Let me explain what I feel the Lord is impressing upon me as well as upon most of His church right now. Prayer. Some of you may remember that I served on staff in Women’s Ministry at my local church for years. I led Bible study groups, choose studies for our women and directed a lot of the Bible study efforts. I left that position four or five years ago as our online and book ministry began to grow. What I always found fascinating and utterly disappointing in the years of choosing Bible studies was the fact that if we chose a Bible study about prayer, no one signed up. Yep. Bummer! But true. However, what... Read more →

A few weeks ago I experienced a breakthrough in my faith walk. Breakthroughs are amazing but I find in my life they usually follow a difficult season. This was true once again for me. However, the result of persevering in faith through the challenges is astonishing. So my friends, if you are in the darkest part of your valley, press in to the Father, because the breakthrough is SO worth it. This particular breakthrough increased my belief in the prayers that I utter for others. I began to really see powerful and immediate things change when I prayed for people. Say what? Being filled with a fresh anointing of faith and exuberance, I posted something to my Facebook wall about breakthrough and how I was walking in a fresh anointing of Holy Spirit fire. At the end of this post I asked a simply three-word question: Who want’s prayer? Within... Read more →

On Friday I shared some truths about stepping out of this curse of the fear of man. Growing in our faith was the first truth I shared and leads to victorious living. Our faith growth, learning and living out of God’s Truths is what I stand upon every day. I’ve become a ROCK, a house built upon stone and not sand (Matt 7:24). Day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year, I spend quality time with God. There is no agenda, like completing a Bible study assignment. It’s just me, my Bible, a journal and my Lord. Ahhhhhhh, bliss! I will never stop preaching about the absolute need to spend time alone with the Lord. It is out of my intimacy with the Trinity that I can walk in victory, laughter, adventure, joy and hope…. Every… single…. Day. Hallelujah! With that said, I promised last week... Read more →

Part III today... Part I (click here) Part II (click here) ----- Granddaughter reunion in January But, my friends, wait as I grab tissue to dab at the tears, there is STILL MORE. Yesterday, when my mother called to check up on my health progress, at the end of our phone call, I said, “Mom, thank you for always praying for me and my healing. But Mom, how can I pray for you?” And this is almost the best part of the story. She said, “You know I wasn’t going to mention it to you but since you asked, I think I’m having some kind of a spiritual breakthrough.” “What? Oh Do tell me more. I want to hear everything.” “Well, for some reason I am teary. I don’t know really what is happening but I’m so teary and weepy.” OH HOLY GOD BE PRAISED!!! “Oh Mom, I’m so glad... Read more →

Today I have another amazing story that arrived in my email box. This is from Pam Anderson who has been a SUMite for a number of years. She is sharing what is happening in her home right now. I pray you are greatly encouraged and also find these breakthroughs she is experiencing are for you as well. ----- Lynn and Dineen, I’m emailing you today about something God has placed on my heart to share with you. I don’t know why, but here I go. I’d first like you both to know what a blessing you’ve been. In some of my darkest and challenging times, your prayers and words have been the encouragement I needed to hang in there and stay faithful! When my faith was weak, yours was strong. And I cannot thank you enough. It amazes me how closely my life, challenges and blessings, have so closely aligned... Read more →

Over the past several weeks we have covered many topics about loneliness and suffering. We have looked at these through the lens of God’s Word and our unique marriage struggles. I feel as though it’s time to wrap up this series. So, how do we find healing? And how do we maintain our healing as our struggle continues in a marriage between a believer and unbeliever? Well, way back in December many of you shared exactly what has brought healing to your life. I want to share them here today. I also want you to add to this discussion in the comments. What brings healing to our hearts? Here are the thoughts SUMites left in the comments: Focus on the good and not what I don’t have. Look for ways to pour love into others. Set with other “married, singles – misfits. (Bible study, time at a coffee shop, on... Read more →

Perhaps for a moment in time, just perhaps, we stood upon holy ground. Matthew 16:19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” I bet many of you know these ladies. They like to hang around SUM! Gillian, Teresa, Melissa, Heidi, Joanne Some of the Ohio SUMites: Left to right: Judy, Mindy, Laura, Dawn, Chris This is Beloved, Franie. This conference started in her heart last summer. The Holy Spirit moved. We laughed, cried and we were loved on by our Lord! The skit was hilarious. I was cackling. Well done Merriman! This is the amazing team of leadership that made this day possible. Thank you is inadequate but THANK YOU! More photos are posted on our SUM Facebook page, click here. The best part of... Read more →

­­­­­ It’s the final day of our community fast. SUM family, what an experience. For me personally, at the beginning of the week, I was feeling far away from God. I had lost my will to pray and even reading His Word felt as a chore. I was stinging from family pain over the holidays and because of that, holding some unforgiveness in my heart. Yikes! I knew I needed surrender and renewal. The Holy Spirit did not disappoint. Yesterday was my breakthrough. Yesterday Southern California, where I live, received a much needed dousing of rain. Rain has fallen steady for over 24 hours. Thank you Jesus for answered prayer. On Thursday morning, I rose before dawn, as usual. However, pain in my knee caused me to turn around and head back to bed. When I woke a few hours later, pain-free- the sun was brilliant in the sky and... Read more →

Gang, Can you believe it? Today, is my last post in my Spiritual Warfare series. I truly hope that you were empowered and found yourself with more armor, more protection and greater understanding of the real battle that is at hand every day and every moment of our life. We have talked about the Word of God, or the Sword, as our truth and it ties into all the other pieces of armament in Ephesians chapter six. My friends, the Word is our offensive weapon. It is double edged, in that when we swing it, speak it, read it, love it, believe it, follow it. Two things happen. It slices one way, upward, as it pierces into the heavenly realms to open up more of God’s favor and revelation. (Faith and belief comes by hearing the Word of God) and it also slices downward at the same time, cutting off... Read more →