A Friend Recently Asked Me……

In the most recent issue of Charisma Magazine –there was an article featured about the women’s prison ministry that I was the National Director of for the past three years. The article brought a huge smile to my face and tears to my eyes. The cover of the magazine read “Revival Behind Bars”.

The article talked about how much the Holy Spirit is moving inside prisons right now. How the Lord is healing wounded hearts of inmates and how the majority of incarcerated individuals truly want to change and make better choices when they return to society.

The question my dear friend asked had nothing to do with these things. This friend has traveled extensively with me and has personally witnessed this mentioned move of God on many occasions. She asked a good question after reading the part about how in the past year the ministry had seen more than 20,000 inmates attend its events and having more than 7,500 of those make decisions for Christ. How 203 detention facilities in 25 states across America are somehow tied now to Biblical studies, discipleship programs and re-entry relationships utilizing 850 trained volunteers nationwide.

So what was the question? She asked how it felt to know that I played such a critical role in all of that!

While reading the article was quite heart warming that was only because of the nearly 3,000 faces I had looked into while they raised their arms to be in the number of those who made a decision to accept Christ as their Savior. My heart was warmed and my eyes spilled little droplets because of all the children I had gotten to pray for with moms in many of those states. My heart leapt for joy thinking about the churches I got to introduce prison ministry to. The “first-time inside” experience that I got to share with so many of those now well trained volunteers who are “regulars” inside.

As I read the article I thought of the amazing privilege I had of being invited to be on the prison team with Nick Vujicic this past May where during 4 different yard events over 700 men accepted Christ. I thought of this past September when I had the opportunity to bring Kay Warren inside for her first prison visit and the 300 + women who stood up to pray a “Dangerous Surrender” prayer that day followed by 49 who were water baptized on the prison yard.

I thought about earlier in the year the crazy schedule we kept while going from one women’s prison directly to a juvenile facility where we had so much favor they gave us extra hours with the girls and let us pray for every one of them individually.  Then I couldn’t help but think about how that would have felt so much greater had we not had to drive 4 hours to cross the entire state of Indiana for a scheduled television interview the next morning. EARLY, I might add. Then I thought more recently about  this past Thanksgiving when we went inside a Juvenile Detention Facility  and taught on an “Attitude of Gratitude” and after sharing testimony of how we were simply thankful for being alive and having received a second chance five young people came to Christ, and five more rededicated their lives.

My heart ached thinking about the 26 home visits we did at Christmastime delivering Christmas presents to nearly 70 Angel Tree Kids who have an incarcerated family member. And then our return trip to Juvenile Hall challenging our “unique youth group” with a mini message and assignment on “A New You this New Year.”

That’s a lot to run through one’s mind when simply asked a brief question. The fact of the matter is, I hadn’t really spent a lot of time considering the statistics, the numbers, the programs, the volunteers as a whole or the training that has gone into it all. But as you can tell, I HAVE thought about all the lives that God has allowed me the amazing privilege and honor of touching.

The prison vineyard is such a precious one. All outreach for that matter. Reaching outside the church walls, being the church, in action and on purpose. Taking a corner of a net and helping pull in such a huge catch. The fields are definitely ripe for harvest.

Maybe this little blog will inspire, motivate, and encourage you. I pray that you have many many memories of how God has allowed you to be involved in His business and that you have witnessed many miracles, signs and wonders also. I pray that if you haven’t had experiences like this that you would consider going “inside”  or getting "outside" - the church walls. Maybe your church or another local organization could assist you. If you know of one maybe they would like to partner with Daughters of Destiny. Maybe you would like to experience a Daughters of Destiny event yourself. You are more than welcome to join in. But please, do not let this year go by just thinking about it. Many lives are waiting to be impacted and you have something they need. JESUS. Will you share it with them?

www.daughtersofdestiny.org

By the way – if you visit the site…… tell them Deanna sent you. Lol

Until later I will be resting and trusting in Him.

It Shall Come to Pass

Think about those words. It shall come to pass! We love the thought of a trying situation or circumstance coming to pass. But we seem to get a little resentful that it came in the first place.

I remember many years ago I was teaching at a local recovery meeting. That particular night I was speaking on Step 2 which says “We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.” I emphasized that night the fact that we first came, then we believed, and out of that we experienced a power greater than ourselves.

In Matthew 5:45 the Bible tells us that it rains on the just and the unjust alike. For the past several weeks I have spoken to many different people about the changing of seasons. These encouraging words were regarding spiritual matters but the illustration God gave me was natural. When our seasons are changing, or have changed, we don’t stand and shout at the elements of the earth. Do we? When the first signs of rain, snow, sunshine come – we don’t walk outside, scratch our heads, grumble toward the sky and refuse to wear the appropriate clothing. No, we suit up for the inevitable, get practical, and embrace what is now upon us or at least prepare ourselves to ride it out. What other choice do we have? Fly south for the winter? Perhaps some of us have that ability.

In this season I have chosen to set my mind on things above and not beneath. This is not living in denial of what is – but positioning my mind on the solution rather than the problem. I have chosen to walk by faith and not by sight. I have chosen to be steadfast and immovable and I know I can do this because with deep roots I will not be tossed to and fro by every wind that blows. I have only obtained these roots by blooming where I was planted. BUT I had to be planted.

In a few weeks I will turn 40 and am very excited about it. There is much that comes from “40”. I am mature enough to know that many more things will come my way in life. I will focus on only what has eternal value. A phrase that became popular this past year for us was “It is what it is!” Some things just are. There is no one to blame, besides what good is wasting that energy? There is nothing we could do, and what a relief to finally be able to stop wrestling to exhaustion.  What peace in knowing that “this too shall pass”.

My encouragement for today is that “It Shall Come to Pass” but you must first know – it shall come!

Recovery to Destiny - At A Glance

This note is a snippet - a glance, of my latest book with workbook included "Recovery to Destiny; Journey to the Promised Land". This project was intense, fun, and very rewarding. Now I have the honor of speaking this message live and including others who have journeyed and roads in /out / through and beyond recovery. I pray this blesses you. There will likely be 3 parts to it. BUT if you want the full benefit I would suggest you buy the book/workbook, get a copy of the teaching CD, or suggest I come speak for your church, group on this message - because there's SOOOOOO much more.

Recovery to Destiny - At a Glance  Pt. 1

Some people easily pass from one place to another, some are in the midst of passing right now,  some know they need to pass, and some, if honest with God and self, are content right where they are.  I'm not talking about a physical location.  I am talking about the emotional, mental and most importantly spiritual place you reside. Where are you living right now?

 I do prison ministry around the country and I know that there is a much greater threat to freedom than fences, inmates and officers. There is a prison of our mind, will and emotions that we can remain stuck in. If we stay there we will never fully experience the Promised Land that God has designed.

Today , I would like to leave you with a vivid picture of the choices you have in your life – no matter where you spend your days.  These choices are locations but they are mindsets and lifestyles that will move you, catapult you to another place and space. These places are Egypt, the Wilderness and the Promised Land.

Some of our choices lead to physical death or like the inmates I minister to - physical incarceration, but many more choices lead people to death in relationships, value of self, hope, or joy. Sin kills the good in our life, leaving our life looking like a wasteland. This is Egypt. Egypt represents living your life apart from God and following the lies of Satan. It's a painful life that leads to destruction. We can be enslaved by addictions, abuse, gambling, food, money, smoking, work, spending, relationships, sex, drugs, alcohol, cussing, gossiping and we can build our own prisons of unforgiveness and anger.

Let me start by challenging you with a few questions. I think it's important that we do what the Bible says and examine our ways and test them. If we don't challenge the foundation of our thinking – our stinking thinking will continue to win out and we will continue to lose the battle. And that is not how God designed our life to look.

Why are we living in Egypt?
What do we really want to get out of life?
What's the point of these little games we play? Who really wins?
Why do we spin out of control looking for love and acceptance? Would we even know if we found it?
Where is this lifestyle leading?
What do I have to lose by making radical steps to produce radical transformation? What do I have to gain?

In the book of Exodus Chapter 1 verses 8-14 we see what life of slavery looked like for the Israelites. They were organized into work gangs, put to hard labor under gang foremen. They were despised, mistreated, abused and taken advantage of.  V 13, 14 tells us the Egyptians couldn't stand them and treated them worse than ever, crushing them with slave labor. They made them miserable with hard labor – making bricks and mortar and back-breaking work in the fields. They piled on the word, crushing them under the cruel workload."

Isn't that a great image of the strongholds in our life? The masters we serve on a daily basis? Consider the condition of our heart and how we labor day after day, building brick by brick, the stony walls around our own hearts? True we may have accomplished keeping everyone else out, but at the end of the day most of us realize we have become trapped inside a very lonely, desperate, desolate fortress of isolation.
1 Peter 5:8 "Keep your mind clear, and be alert, Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion as he looks for someone to devour." 

See Satan brings temptations into our lives that cause us to labor aimlessly and toil long hours with no good fruit to show for our effort. He crushes our spirits. He leads us to destroy our lives and the lives of those all around us.  Maybe like me – you didn't choose to live in Egypt. Your parents, a close family relative or someone else who had access to you brought you into Egypt with them. Maybe, like me, you were born there because your parents were already slaves there as were the generations prior to them. BUT NOW – the choice is yours, will you remain there? Or, are you willing to make the journey out?

Joshua 24:15 says "Choose this day whom you will serve. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

Matthew 6:24 tells us "we cannot be a slave of two masters; you will hate one and love the other; you will be loyal to one and despise the other."

And just like some of our families where our lifestyle of Egypt originated, we have now brought our children.  2 Kings 17: 24, 41 "They still carry on their old customs to this day. They do not worship the Lord nor do they obey His laws and commands ...  So those people worshiped the Lord, BUT they also worshiped their idols; and to this day their descendants continue to do the same.

The first step to choosing to come out of Egypt is to envision a life that is much greater; a purpose that is much stronger and a passport that is extremely available. God is able – will you avail yourself to His plan for your life?
So how do you even do that – well let's start with three verses that tell us what we have to do to shift our mind for this kind of life.

1.      Colossians 3:2 "Keep your mind on things above, not on worldly things."
2.      2 Corinthians 5:7 "Our lives are guided by faith, not by sight."
3.      Eph. 4: 13-15 "Until we become mature, until we measure up to Christ, who is the standard. Then we will no longer be little children, tossed and carried about by all kinds of teachings that change like the wind. We will no longer be influenced by people who use cunning and clever strategies to lead us astray. Instead, as we lovingly speak the truth, we will grow up completely in our relationship to Christ, who is the head."

But is this a simple thing to do? Is it the popular thing to do? Is everyone doing it?
Stay tuned for Pt. 2 of Recovery to Destiny – At a Glance to learn about the keys to this mind-shift and the road map out of Egypt. 

Woman of God, Good Morning!

 Woman of God,

Good morning. It's time to WAKE UP, ARISE and let your light shine for the glory of the Lord is upon you. No matter what your flesh tries to tell you today your spirit knows the truth. Spirit of this woman of God, I invite you now to visit the throne room of your loving Heavenyly Father - for He is waiting there for you. He has great and wondrous things to show today.

He has ancient wisdom to bestow upon you and here in this room you will be energized and refreshed. Woman of God, there isn't anything that you cannot accomplish today because the joy of the Lord is your strength and you CAN DO - ALL things through Christ who strengthens you. Today the enemy may try to lie, cheat, steal or even kill you. But rest assured woman of God. The Lord is with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. You will not encounter any temptation that the Lord hasn't already prepared a way of escape from.

There may be storms today, the tides of life may rise and crash all around you - but be at peace for you have access to peace that passes understanding. Peace will flow over you like a river today. As you walk through this day there will likely be many distractions. But there will also be many opportunities to share about the Father's love. Be sensitive to those opportunities and by faith be obedient to share what your spirit is hearing.

Should you feel lonely, fearful, weary, confused, distressed, frustrated or discouraged today - please remember that you are fearfully and wonderfully made. You are created in the very image of God and therefore you are filled with splendor and majesty. You need not be anxious about anything - but be thankful in all things. As your flesh experiences feelings, remember your spirit man has the ability to rise above them. You do not need to be ruled my your emotions. Walk in the spirit today.

Woman of God, fix your eyes on things above and not beneath and the swelling tides will not have the ability to take you under. Walk by faith and not by sight remembering that you can come boldly and confidently to the throne of grace which is sufficient for all you need. You do not need to settle for small thinking today. In fact, do not lean on your own understanding for there is a plan greater than what you see or will know this side of heaven and will exceed all you could dare ask or imagine. If you will walk in childlike faith, yet mature in your the fruits of the spirit and your spiritual gifts you will see miracles signs and wonders continually.

In your private room you can enter His presence unashamed and there is fullness of joy waiting there for you. This joy will be your strength today. Come into this room as often as you like or need and rest listening to the music of the Heavenlies as your spirit declarges Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come. He is the same yesterday, today and forever so should you have any doubts remind yourself of the marvelous things He has done for you throughout your life for you have seen many incredible things. There are many more to come - count on that.

Woman of God when you have done all you can do to stand, stand some more. Do not grow weary in doing what is right. You wear of robe of righteousness and a crown of Glory. There is a special light about you that is meant to pierce the darkness. This light is Jesus in you and because of His blood on the cross you have the same power that resurrected Him from the dead. You have authority to tread on the heads of serpents. Demons will tremble as you mention the name of Jesus. Even in a whisper you can change your atmosphere. You can bring the Kingdom of Heaven to earth for though you are in this world, you are not of it.

As you go now to enjoy your day, remember that you are blessed more abundantly than you can possibly contain. That blessing is so that you can bless others. You will be more blessed to give than to receive. If you will fellowship with the Father throughout the day, you will not run out of oil. You will experience a continual filling and flowing of all that is good, pure, praiseworthy and true. Think on these things today.

Woman of God do not think about tomorrow. Do not worry about if or how you will have what you need for your Father in Heaven provides for the birds and the flowers, how much more will He provide for you, His child? He loves you more than you can imagine. Your worth is priceless to Him. You are precious in His sight so hold your head high today and represent Him well.

Have a God filled day, woman of God.