A year on and a prodigal comes home … God is Good Tuesday 8th February 2011

In about April 2010 I was in Harvey Norman to purchase a new electric beater.  My hand had got caught in the last one and miracle of miracles I suffered nothing long term but bruising, although in the natural it should have by all accounts been a mashed up broken hand – at the time the healing power of God came on me in force as my husband prayed while I shook with the impact of the injury … God is good!

At Harvey Norman I quickly made my choice and as I was served by a girl I felt to offer to pray for her.   She agreed.  As I prayed the anointing of the Hoy Spirit came with strength and she wept openly.  We started to chat and she said she was a Christian, a single divorced Mum of a young boy … and she was having a tough time.

I invited her to church and gave her my personal contact details, inviting her to call for a coffee and a chat anytime … I hoped that perhaps some good has come from the event that had tried to cause me harm … someone was shown how much her Daddy God loved her, regardless of where she was at, just because someone had stopped and prayed, listened and given her a hug …

Well this January while we were away I received a text message that said:

Hi B how are you I am “C” that you met at Harvey Norman … last year and I was wondering if I could ring you tomorrow and catch up and talk … I really need to talk to someone … I hope you remember me x

I did remember her and we made a time to catch up.

A few days before we were due to meet I called to change the time and I sensed I needed to pray for her on the phone … the prayer included “open doors and open destinies” for C.  I told her some testimonies and once I finished praying she said she had been looking for a job for sometime … her voice catching somewhat as we chatted …

In any event, we caught up this Tuesday for a couple of hours.  We discussed lots of things; including how her son wanted to come to a church having given his heart to Jesus up in Queensland at her Mum’s church, so I suggested a great church close to where she lived that had great kids/young youth programmes for her to plug into.

She told me that she had been smoking.  I said God could deal with that, and she told me that for a couple of hours after I had prayed with her on the phone all her cravings had left …

At one stage I said, “lets pray for you”, and as I did I felt inclined to ask if she would like to invite Jesus back into her heart, just letting Him know she wanted Him and that she was sorry … she started to weep as she formed the prayer and invited her Lord and Saviour to fill her fresh and new … she confessed what ever came to her to confess, and she spoke of her desire to have Him with her again … we continued to chat for a while, and as we finished up I hugged and kissed her, and promised I would stand by her as she got established again …

As I hugged her goodbye I turned and saw a magnificent girl from my Church.  I exclaimed with delight and promptly sat down for a coffee … so like God to arrange a catch up and the timing was impeccable … I had wanted to see this girl for coffee for soooo long … in any case, she and my nearly 4 year old boy played beautifully as we chatted and exchanged God stories …

As we finished up, and I collected my son’s jigsaw puzzle pieces, I stopped and looked at a girl that had been having a snack hiding behind a pillar near us … I had chatted to her briefly, when she had spoken to my little boy … I felt to pray for her and offered …

She said “yes” – looking a bit surprised.  I noted a cross around her neck and asked of she was a Christian – she was.  I started to pray and felt God gave me a word about her … she had been “hidden”, but that was to be no more, it was time for her to come out into the open … He showed me what a beautiful kind heart … I told her this …I even said I would love to know her given what a gorgeous heart she had as shown to me by God!

She looked a bit amazed and said yes she was hidden.  Yes he was kind.  I said – “well no more … its time to come out” and I called her into her destiny with the vision/words that God gave me … she looked at me a bit incredulous but accepting since apparently He was telling me with accuracy who she was and how she had been … and I was telling her that “He saw her” and that it was time to “come out”.  I headed off with my Church friend, saying how amazing this girl was and my friend agreed …!

God is so very grand …!

A prodigal comes home from seed sown nearly a year ago … and I would hazard a guess many prayers from her family and friends …

A Catch up with friend that I had long wanted to see for coffee …

A beautiful child of His hidden … is called into visibility, a princess of His called out into her destiny …

As I have said so often before …

God is Good!

A double portion of praise reports … Friday 4th February 2011

Friday was a day of double portion … two praise reports … two moments of encouragement from a loving God … and both provided from pre-Christians! 

I encourage you to read … take the testimonies and release them on someone soon … dare to see what may happen … give it away and stand back and watch … because God is Good!

I had dropped my daughter off to school for her first day back.  I was leaving the grounds when L stopped me and told me about her husband’s new job …

I had prayed for L at the School Twilight Fair late last year (see Door to destiny opens … answer to prayer … and inviting God to “do again” and “again” dated 15^th and 17^th November 2010).  While chatting to L she mentioned that her husband had not been able to get work all year, after taking a redundancy package in Singapore and coming home to Australia.  It had been the second such prayer I had prayed that day, and was after I had prayed for Little S’s Dad who got a job contract within 24 hours of receiving prayer … God had me busy calling in the promise contained in the earlier miracle for others with the same need.  He had established a precedent … and He wanted to do it again!

On Friday L stopped me and mentioned that within about a month her husband had got “the dream job” with great money and that he had started just before Christmas last year.  She said she wanted to thank me in case I had anything to do with it … I was delighted and said so, confirming that God “did it”!  She said that she had wanted me to know.  I mentioned briefly about what God had been up to and told her the story about the girl with two broken legs getting out of a wheel chair and walking just prior to Christmas …

I waved goodbye, but, overwhelmed with joy thought “what the heck” and I ran back and gave a very surprised L a big hug and said again how delighted I was.  I felt a bit foolish for the display of affection, but figured “who cares … that’s me!”

Later, I was at pick up and we saw my daughter’s Grade 1 teacher from 2010.  I had prayed for her and her husband late last year (See Prayer for the groom … and a praise report - another destiny opens dated Thursday 9^th December 2010).  I had prayed healing for her husband and favour for them as a couple, especially for their honeymoon to Italy.  I included “upgrades”, and told a testimony about a friend that I had declared the same thing over and who had got upgraded to business class on a flight to the US – this was apparently impossible because of their ticket conditions, but God did it anyway … He does not care about ticket conditions … when He wants to upgrade you He is going to upgrade you so you might as well sit back and enjoy it! 

Anyway, my daughter and I said “hello” and we asked about her honeymoon.  She had a marvellous time and keenly told me that she had upgrades throughout her honeymoon.  She said she did not know if I had anything to do with it but everywhere they went she and her husband got upgraded … they flew business class everywhere, and got upgrades in all their hotels.  She said that another teacher had complained when she told the story of the upgrades stating that she only got congratulated on her honeymoon!  The teacher I had prayed for and her husband had a wonderful trip and was delighted with the business class flights and hotel upgrades … exactly what had been asked for!

I ponder this, and think, what power we hold in our words, in our prayers … if we will just take a hold of each others stories, declare them over others, claim them as precedents and ask God to “do it again” … He is no respecter of persons so why not you? …. Why not your next door neighbour? … Why not that person on the street? …

If we together released God’s will all over the world wouldn’t it be a fun place to live?

I have had so many other opportunities to release destinies.  I had two yesterday – one while shopping for a young British girl that was travelling and one for a girl who called me after I prayed for her a year ago while in a shop where she worked … This second girl is a prodigal and I believe she is coming home.  I gave her my number because I felt God ask me to do so after I prayed for her, and now a year later we are catching up …

I spoke with her yesterday and I told her about the miracles, about what God is doing, she listened and I could hear her voice catch as we talked … I prayed for her over the phone and declared her destiny to be open, I called favour for a job, and for her broken heart to be healed … I prayed what I heard for her in my heart where the God that loves speaks to us all with such gentle little whispers …

I will see her next week ... it will be fun to see what He does for her too …

I know it will be grand because …

GOD IS GOOD!!

Praise report – God is Good, so very, very Good … Part 1 of 2 Wednesday 22nd December 2010 and 19th January 2011

I caught up with A for coffee on Wednesday 22^nd December 2010.  You will remember her as the Mum of the young girl in the wheel chair who had 2 broken legs that I met outside the Cinemas on Saturday 18^th December 2010 (see story called “Christmas Shopping with Jesus”).

The day before she had given her heart to Jesus Christ, over the phone, and had received the gift of tongues – see the post script on story dated Tuesday 21^st December 2010 called “God’s vindication … calling in a 7 fold pay back and the potential of multiplication ... tag your it … now pass it on ... “

During our phone call A had told me that since praying for her daughter, her autistic teenage son, and her, the following had occurred:

1.                  her daughter had stood up unaided for the first time the day after the prayer,

2.                  her son had been peaceful (he had been quite aggressive) and he kept laying hands on people, including his Mum saying “Can you feel that” and A could “feel that” – the anointing. 

3.                  Her son had been saying, and to this day says “fill me up Jesus”

4.                  A had started to take care of herself.  She told me that before meeting her she had given up emotionally – eating only a meal a day and not caring for her physical needs due to a deep sense of despair … she told me that the sense of despair was gone and she had started to care for herself … she had hope again … after the tough, tough year she had endured.

I very unexpectedly had the day after our call free of children – an offer to care for my two children had been made very unexpected.  I now realise that God was setting me up for the follow up coffee with A.  I also had a personal appointment at Southland at 1.30pm …

A and I had arranged to catch up for coffee at 10am.  I left at about 9am and as I drove I felt to go to

Hampton Street

to buy cheese for Christmas.  I did not know why I was to go there, but felt to do it and figured God was getting me well prepared for Christmas … although I did wonder how I was going to manage cheese in the car on such a hot day.

I went to the delicatessen and chatted to the saleswoman thinking I would only just have enough time to get the cheese, get it home and get back to Southland to find a car park in time for the meeting.  The woman serving me at the delicatessen had been ill and had no voice ...  I offered to pray, knowing that God wanted me to stop, but wondered how my timing was going to be in the pre-Christmas rush …

She said yes, so she came around the counter and I prayed.  I got a word of knowledge for her, gave it and she started to weep.  I thought “oh no” … it was about 9.30 and I had to drop the cheese off home or somewhere and then get to Southland and find a car park… in less than half an hour.

I stopped and reminded myself she was important and that God would have to take care of the rest.  I offered her the gift of salvation and she sobbed saying she was not good enough … I explained no one was and that Jesus took care of it all … she said she would pray at home and I gently left it there.  I gave her a new Christian study and invited her to our Christmas church service … hoping she would come.

I raced to the car, dropped my cheese off at my Mother-in-Law’s who lived close by and headed off at 9.45am praying all the way to Southland feeling very anxious about getting there in time – I did not have A’s mobile number so I could not call.

I said to God – “well, you wanted me to pray, you have run me late, I need a great car park as soon as I get to Southland” … I was feeling somewhat panicked and even a bit ticked off at God while at the same time I knew that I should have more belief that God would provide a pathway for me … especially in that He had seen me through time and again before.  As I drove I kept trying to trust that since I was “about His business” it would be ok … but to be honest I didn’t, and I started to shake a little with the high level of anxiety …

I drove into Southland, and yes there was an amazing car park.  I repented for my lack of faith and ran through the shopping centre getting to my meeting place at 10.15am.  Thankfully A had waited … she too had got an excellent car park … and we laughed as we exchanged Christmas time car parking miracle stories

A and I talked and talked and she hungrily took the new Christian materials I had for her and her family and she asked so many questions … she was so excited with her new life with Jesus, marvelling at the freshness and joy she felt … and basking in the calm and the peace!  She told me she had put on a favourite CD of hers on the way to Southland that morning – she had not listened to it since giving her heart to Jesus … and she said she disliked every song, had a funny reaction to each one and could not understand it.  … I was able to explain that the feeling was her Spirit alive to the Holy Spirit letting her know what was good for her and what was not and that perhaps that CD was not so good for her … I encouraged her to listen to those little promptings and she marvelled at how her desire for the music literally shifted overnight!  We chatted about how He would lead her into a life of righteousness … that she would not lack loving guidance to let her know what would be good for her and what would not … and I encouraged her to not resist or quench what she was hearing, but to allow Him to woo her … that it was Jesus Christ speaking and forming a relationship with her, letting her know what he liked and didn’t like just as a lover would let their new lover know what they did and did not like.

We chatted for about 2 hours and I walked her to her car …

We hugged and promised to catch up after Christmas …

As I walked away from her car I saw a young guy whose car had broken down.  I felt to stop and pray for him so I did and called in and declared favour for him in his quest for a house … as I did I waved A goodbye as she drove past and home …

He thanked me and I went off to my appointment …

All worked out well … a woman discovered that God loved her just because (she did not need to be good enough to accept him) … a new Christian had started on her journey towards an abundant life of peace and joy … a household was saved and turned around … and a young man had a new home called into his future … all in one morning before I had to go and take care of my own matters at 1.30pm because … all because …

God is Good!

Part 2 coming – praise report regarding A’s family …

Taking the sting out of the sunburn - Monday 24th January 2011

I popped into the bathroom to use the facilities just off reception where we are staying. There were a number of back packs spread over the floor and much chatter from the 3 or so girls about 19 years of age, that were in the bathroom … it looked and sounded like fun.  They looked like they were getting themselves ready to keep travelling – their back packs full of what a girl travels with at that age.

I smiled as I heard one say perhaps she should change the top she was wearing and as I left the cubicle to wash my hands I overheard the girl closest to me state “ … it really hurts” …

I turned and asked her what hurt … she replied “my sunburn” and showed me the back of her legs that were red raw from overexposure the day before.

I told her a story about getting burnt like that when I was her age and said that at the time cold wet tea bags had helped take the sting out of the burn.  I then offered to pray for her … saying she had nothing to lose.

She agreed.

I asked if I could place my hands on the sunburn on the back or her legs, saying “I am not a freak, but a Mum of two young kids waiting outside” … they all laughed and she agreed so I bent over behind her and placed my hands on the back of her thighs.  Her legs were very hot.

I invited Holy Spirit to come and I prayed coolness and a healing balm to come, rebuked pain and released healing for any and all damage done to her skin from the over exposure … as I did I felt the anointing flow and the heat of her legs started to seep away.

I asked her of she felt anything and she said that her legs felt cool.  I told the pain to go and asked what else she felt and she said nothing and that all the pain had left.

I finished up the prayer and told her that if the pain tried to come back she was to tell it to leave “in the name of Jesus”.  I looked at her friends and told them that they too could place their hands on her and tell it to go “in Jesus name” …

They all laughed and nodded in agreement and the girl said it was amazing.

As I left the bathroom, I looked back over my shoulder and suggested that next time she should use some sun screen …

God is Good!

God’s vindication … calling in a 7 fold pay back and the potential of multiplication ... tag your it … now pass it on ... Tuesday 21st December 2010

The Tuesday before Christmas 2010 we had some shelves delivered.  The guy "T" was friendly and I got him a glass of water since it was hot and humid and we stood chatting while he drank.

As we chatted we got onto the subject of his children. He mentioned his eldest son was a miracle, who in all respects should have died a number of times from birth … he shared a story of struggle, triumph, stress and challenge … he shared how he and his wife had grieved with families whose children had died and whom they had befriended while at the Royal Children’s and the sense of pure joy … and survivors guilt … he and his wife felt when their son survived the odds and how now, years later, his son appears to have made it through and would live a relatively normal healthy life, now at the age of 13 … having lost a kidney just recently.

As I listened it became apparent that he was a Christian.  I mentioned that it would be interesting to examine the survival rate of children that were prayed for while at the Royal Children’s in intensive care, as compared to those who were not prayed for … Selah.

He shared how he often knelt in the Chapel at the Royal Children’s Hospital and how they had even called their Priest to give his son his last rites … He understood how helpless we truly are in such situations and he knew that it would take a miracle for his boy to come through ….

I spoke of the revival that was gaining momentum in Australia, the power of healing, and miracles I had either witnessed or heard of … and we agreed that God was indeed a Good God.

I spoke of the gift of healing and I shared that we all have the ability to see others healed.  I quoted Mark 16:17-18 as best I could “… these signs shall accompany those that believe … they will place their hands on sick people and they will get well.”  I said that the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us and I talked of God’s vindication, a promise of a 7 fold return on all stolen by the enemy … (see Proverbs 6:30-31 and Psalm 79:12).

As he was about to leave I asked if he wanted prayer for anything.  I had noted a cut on the back of his hand, but also felt he had been through so much I wanted to bless him in some way, to call in a pay back on all that had been stolen …

He said he wanted prayer for his hand – that just that morning he had stitches removed from where a skin cancer had been found … so after dealing with my 3 year old son who needed immediate attention (we had been talking for over an hour in our hallway) I laid a hand on his hand and began to pray … the anointing came in waves of varying strength, he felt tingling, heat, and power.  I kept praying, calling in restitution, restoration, redemption and God's vindication, 7 fold pay back for all that had been taken from his family, for peace, and for (after he said he wanted it) an impartation of the gift of healing, asking God to give it to him … he had said he had such a heart for people that were going through what he had been through, that he had such a heart for the little ones that were ill, that he was often moved to tears if he heard their stories on TV – he had got teary a number of times as we talked. 

I suggested that he may have great compassion for those people not only because of his own experience but because he could feel God’s heart for them.  I suggested that God would not give him such compassion without the accompanying anointing to do something about it … I suggested that he start praying for the sick, and that he may see many get healed, that compassion was often the sign that God wanted us to do something …

I kept my hand on his until the heat, tingles and other manifestations of the Holy Spirit’s presence seemed to lift … the skin had better flexibility on the back of his hand and he was able to clench his fist with more ease ... he was grateful for the time … he felt a little light headed, and felt a strong sense of peace …

He left after 1 hour and 20 minutes …

I looked at the time and momentarily felt a bit frustrated that my entire morning had been taken up with this person, but then realised that it had been an important encounter – it was important to take the time, to listen to his story and I thought that perhaps he would take the encouragement to heart … perhaps he would step out and pray for those he had so much compassion for and perhaps vindication would follow … not only in him seeing lives healed as he stepped out and lay hands on the sick, but I hoped and trusted that God would redeem the time, emotion, money, relationships etc that had been stolen from his family through the years of watching their child fight death off …, perhaps one day I will hear from him and hear about how his family were blessed.  He may have testimonies of God’s goodness, greatness and redeeming character as he steps out in faith … perhaps a life had been changed in that 1 hour and 20 minutes in my hallway and that life just may become a multitude as he gave away all that God had given him … because …

God is Good.

Post Script:

After this encounter I sat down to write up the story of Christmas Shopping with Jesus (see story dated 18 December 2010).  Immediately after writing the story up I received a phone call from A (the Mother of the girl in a wheelchair with 2 broken legs and whom had an autistic son).  The phone call took over an hour, and my children waited patiently again. 

During this call I learnt about the impact of my prayers from the Saturday before ...

They had made a difference!

I was encouraged after spending so much time with T in my hallway. 

So often we do not know the outcome of our prayers ... the deposit of time is made without any obvious return.  Time spent with strangers never seen again … but, occasionally God brings one back ... and the result is so very, very good, because the prayers of a righteous person are powerful and effective, ... my prayers matter ... your  prayers matter ... stopping for the one and hearing them matters, what we do with what we have matters ... give it away ... tag, your "it" now pass it on ... because …

God is Good!

Getting out of the boat 2 – a friend's testimony received Friday 14th January 2011

Sometimes we can be in a place we do not want to be, doing something we do not want to do, when God gives us an assignment to complete, and its time to get out of the boat …

A testimony I received this morning from a magnificent girl of God reads:

Two days ago I was called in to do a job at a nursing home kind of place.  I do not usually do this type of work and I did not really want to do it since I had something else on and I prefer working with young people.  

They must have been quite desperate for someone since I am not really qualified in disability, even though I can do it.  I was to work with a particular lady I had never met.  I got there at 9am to start, but then was told I'd have to wait for the manager who would be coming in soon

I was told to sit down and wait in the dinning room area.  I grabbed a book I was reading - one on God healing people.  As I waited I felt to talk to some of the other residents in the home.  There was a gentleman called Stan who I could hardly hear (due to his voice being quite wispy).  He said he had all sorts of conditions – back problems, hearing difficulties due to meningitis from sometime ago and there was something wrong with his teeth.  

I felt to offer to pray for him and was very full of faith from reading the book.   I had this extra level of compassion for this man.  Anyway, he said “no” - it sounded something along the lines of that it was ok, he could live with these things.  I was very sad and then he left.  I felt like if I had just been given the opportunity to pray for him that he would have been healed.  When he left I just prayed a prayer that he would be drawn to God and know His love for him.  

(The client I was meant to work with ended up coming at 11am - two hours after I had got there).

It is our job to offer the Kingdom of Heaven … not force feed people on it … it is their choice to receive … or not ...

            “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full”

(Jesus speaking John 10:10)

Jesus offers (as we are called to also) and it is the individual’s choice to receive the gift of life … or not.

Either way, our responsibility is to listen to God, to hear and feel His heart beat for people, and offer to pray … the rest is out of our hands … although, like this marvellous girl, we can still bless them by praying for them regardless of their response, and God will answer our prayers because we know that ...

God is Good!

Getting out of the boat … walking on water – a friends testimony received 11th January 2011

As I mentioned a couple of days ago, the testimonies are coming in and so I am posting a few from various people to encourage others to perhaps get out of the boat … or to even just pop their toe into the water …

We will never see anyone healed when we pray, unless we pray for someone that needs healing … we will never lead someone to Christ, if we never ask them the question … a “yes” may be right there under our nose ...

The water is fine, and full of life … come on … its time to get wet!

A friend wrote on Tuesday 11^th January:

Went to see a movie at Southland with a Christian friend ... saw a wheelchair at first and knowing my friend wouldn't be so enthusiastic I chickened out!

Then we were at Grilled and a girl walks in with crutches!  This time I couldn't back down (crutches of course being less intimidating ... haha!).  I sat and finished my burger telling God, “ok, once she goes and sits down I'll go over”. 

After all the thoughts of fear ran through my mind there was nothing left to do but have faith!!!  This year I asked God to help me break through the freezing up zone ...

So, I told my friend, I'm going to go pray for that girl - she casually replies, “ok”.  

Now I really had to do it!!!! hahaha. 

Once I was ready I left my friend at our table and I said “I'm going in”, just as the girl was getting all romantic and in close conversation with her boyfriend.  I quickly asked if I could interrupt for a moment and asked her what happened to her knee...she said she fell off a wall and that possibly her ligaments were twisted.  She looked at me strangely asking...”why?” 

I told her I go to a church where people pray for others and we see a lot of healings take place.  I asked if she minded if I prayed for her, adding that it wouldn't do any harm praying.  She said “sure!”  

She let me gently lay my hand on her knee as I prayed for healing.  After I finished I asked if she felt anything.  She said no but that if she is healed she will thank me...I said to her that she could wake up tomorrow healed and that she should thank God! 

She was very open and I was thrilled I had stepped out again!!!  I was so excited at the possibility of her being healed ... it was so worth it!!!! I felt I had broken through a barrier in my faith level also...hallelujah!!!! God is GOOD!

It got me excited to pray for more ... cheers  

We may get wet when we get out of the boat, and to be honest I do not think that we ever stop getting wet, or will ever stop from shrinking back at the thought of taking a dip, but as we give it a go, as we go, we just may see what we have all been dreaming of … remembering that the river in Ezekiel gets deeper, the further from the Temple it flows (47:1-12) … and so I figure … its time to learn how to swim, step out and we just may walk on the water, or perhaps we will just enjoy taking the dip because …

God is Good!

Post Script: This girl wrote to me again and said about her Christian friend:

my friend asked me all about the encounter, what I said to the girl from beginning to end.  She later messaged me this...Thanks for tonight it was great.  Love seeing you step out : ) its encouraging.

That made it all worthwhile ... to stir up another also!!