Prayer | Real Life on Rocky Top

One Year Later

Sep 09 2018

It was a year ago that Preacher and I stood on the stage of a mega church in front of thousands of people and said our good-byes as their Senior Pastor and his wife. It was a bittersweet day for me. Bitter because I truly loved being a senior pastor’s wife, and sweet because we were saying “Yes” to the Lord by choosing obedience to a new calling on our lives……..serving Him through Life Action Ministry.

This past year has been a roller coaster of emotions for me as God has both revealed things to me about myself and reminded me of truths through the lives of those serving Life Action.

Confession: Being the senior pastor’s wife caused me to become an addict – I have confessed these addictions before the Lord and He has graciously forgiven me. My addictions: Attention and Power. If my addictions have ever offended you, please forgive me. Years under the spotlight caused me to lose sight of the sixteen year old girl who humbly walked down an aisle, took a pastor’s hand and committed her life to serve the Lord. No human being should ever be placed on the throne that only has room for One – Christ.
Truth: Servanthood People working at Life Action are among God’s choice servants. Their lives are characterized by what Life Action calls our six responses to God: Humility, Honesty, Repentance, Forgiveness, Obedience, and Seeking God’s Kingdom First. Over and over I have witnessed these six responses demonstrated in their lives. Women who choose to raise a family in a RV nine months out of year as they serve churches across the USA. Communicators and musicians so gifted that they could serve the Lord from any stage, yet choose to serve churches of various sizes so that they may experience a reviving work of God’s presence.
Confession: When we walked away from the mega church, we also walked away from a very large salary. Although our church agreed to support us for a season, we were walking toward a “no salary” position. In other words, we had to raise our own support. We became full-time missionaries. The Lord used this as a reminder of the commitment I had made to him when I was sixteen – a commitment to serve Him as a missionary. He had been preparing me for this for forty years. I was in a completely new situation – sitting with someone and sharing with them about our new adventure and asking them to support us financially. This proved to be quite a challenge for me, but through it God taught me humility and reminded me that He was always my True Provision.
Truth: Faith People at Life Action are people of faith. This past year I have witnessed families who live on very limited budgets, yet do not hesitate to sacrificially to give to others in need. There are families who adopt children that the world would cast aside. Grumbling and complaining are rare while praying is a way of life.

Our mission at Life Action is “to inspire your next Yes to God.” When we say “yes” to something, it usually requires us saying “no” to something else. This past year I have said “Yes” by following Him in obedience and it did require me saying “no” to pride, control, selfishness and bitterness. God has begun a new work in my heart and I am so grateful to Him and to Life Action Ministry.

My prayer for you today is that you will choose to “Say YES to God.” Is He asking you to forgive someone? Is He asking you to be honest with yourself and admit you are addicted to something…power, attention, food, gossip, a negative attitude, or maybe social media?

This past weekend I hiked up to Grotto Falls in the Smoky Mountains. As I observed the rushing water flow over the rocks into the pool below, the Lord whispered into my heart “Refreshment comes when you confess your sin and turn to me.” Sin is choosing our way over God’s way. Are you choosing to do life your way and not God’s way?

“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” Acts 3:19

If Life Action or I can serve you or your church in any way, it would bring us great joy. Preacher’s motto during this last year has been: “I am just His servant.” I just love that man! So excited to serve alongside him at Life Action as a servant to the Most High God!

www.lifeaction.org

The Harvest

Nov 10 2017

Every Fall I am inevitably asked about whether Preacher and I celebrate Halloween. My usual response is “We celebrate the Harvest.” Today as I was reading God’s word I was reminded of the most important harvest.

Matthew 9 says “When Jesus saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like a sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Matthew 9:36-38

The crowds are everywhere—the mall, at the ball game, at the park and even at church. They are people I don’t know— faces without names.

Jesus had compassion on the crowds then, and He has compassion on the crowds He sees today. The Greek word for “compassion” in this passage means “to be sick at your stomach“. Jesus was so moved by the helplessness of the crowds that He wanted to throw up.

Honestly, most days I have no compassion for the crowds. I avoid the crowds. My tendency is to just move through the crowd as quickly as possible to accomplish whatever task is before me.

Jesus described the crowds as harassed and helpless, like a sheep without a shepherd. I see the crowds as a nuisance. Jesus saw them as individuals needing guidance and care.

Jesus told His followers clearly there was no shortage of people needing to be loved, cared for and transformed. There was only a shortage of workers to go and share of His love, care, and hope.

Jesus challenged His followers to “ask” Him for more workers to go to the crowds.

I ask Jesus for a lot of things. This morning I asked Him to protect people I love, to heal hearts of those I love, to give Preacher wisdom, to save those I love. All of these were good things for me to ask for.

However, I did not ask Him to bring workers into His field. My lack of asking Jesus for more workers probably has more to do with the fact I really do not want to be a part of the answer.

Pain, hurt and fear can cause us to withdraw from others. Why open yourself to reaching out when experience says “You will just be wounded again.”

Yet, Jesus knew as He challenged His followers to love and care for the crowds, that even His own disciples would desert him and betray Him.

The Harvest is ready! Lord, forgive me for being so self absorbed and fearful that I have not gone into your fields of harvest. Crowds are waiting to hear the message of Hope and Love that only our Savior can bring. As our nation mourns the loss of many due to mass shootings, hurricanes and earthquakes may we be filled with compassion and hold out the word of life to the crowds.

Will you open your eyes this approaching Holiday season to see the crowds?

Look What God Has Done!

Dec 24 2016

Christmas is almost here up on Rocky Top. The kitchen is a mess: powdered sugar everywhere, dishes in the sink, and the garbage is overflowing. “All is Well” is playing in the background and though my life might appear to be “picture perfect” on the outside to some, my eyes well up with tears.

All is not well. Hurt, pain, tragedy surround Rocky Top as well as others in the world.

My eyes might be filled with tears but truly there is much joy in my heart. Preacher said Sunday that if we want Joy in our hearts, we must not look at circumstances, what others have said about us or have done to us, but we must look and see what God has done. In Luke 1:47, Mary rejoiced when she saw Elizabeth. The word “rejoice” in this passage means to shout loudly “Look what God has done.” As an unwed, pregnant teenager in a culture where stoning was the punishment for immorality, Mary had many reasons not to be joyful. Yet, she made the supernatural choice to choose Joy.

As shared before up here on Rocky Top, my dad was not a good man for most of his life. He had 4 wives. Mom was his first. We might have lived in the same city for many years, but his visits were not frequent. Dad’s life was about dad until he met Christ. After thirty years of many calling out his name to the Heavenly Father, Dad received Christ in February of 1995. His life changed radically.

Christmas times after that were so much different. Dad would come visit before Christmas Eve and Christmas day. Presents would be exchanged, meals eaten, prayers said. He always, always left to drive home before Christmas Eve. We would beg him to stay. Not sure why he wouldn’t.

One Christmas day we received the following email from him.

To My Girls:

As I sat down to write, it is Christmas Eve night. I attended a candle light service and was feeling a loneliness that I never felt before. Because I have no Christmas tree, I came back to my apartment and placed the candle in a bowl and lit the candle again. As the light from the candle begin to glow, I knew that I was not alone. Christ was by my side and I began to rejoice in His Love.

From the light of my small candle, I knew that God had not only given His Son to guide and love me, but also has given me a gift of very precious daughters. The gift that each of you have given me is more priceless than any material thing on this earth, and that is my grandchildren. Each one of them holds a very special place in my heart.

You have taken the love you have in the Lord, and placed it in the hearts of your children. I know that you could not have accomplished this without the help and love from your spouses. I feel very proud and blessed to know these fine men of yours. For each is a very loving husband and father.

My candle is just about out. Although it will stop burning, the love I have for the Lord, you, your husbands and the grandchildren will burn forever. I pray each day that God will guide and protect you, and that He places an Angel by the side of each grandchild to protect them.

May Christmas be alive in all our hearts each day and may the Son of God always be with you.

With All My Love, Dad

And so friends and family, Look what God has done!

Merry Christmas and may your life this season declare: Look What God Has Done!

The Fight is On!

Sep 09 2016

I really, really do not like to fight. I’m not a fighter by nature. I would rather sit in a circle laughing and talking with others. I truly like peace with people, with my family, and with my church.

But here is the hard, cold truth. Peace came at a price. That price was His precious blood spilt for me and you. His blood poured out of His sinless, perfect life. Peace came because a war was fought.

Jesus won! But it cost a great, great price.

So as I look at His word I read “Fight the good fight of the faith.” (I Timothy 6:12). I read “I fought the good fight.” (II Timothy 4:7)

Yes, Christ has been victorious on the cross but until He returns, there is a fight! I can either choose to be a part of it or I can sit on the sidelines of life. And though I love peace, I do not like to sit on the sidelines.

The problem is when I do fight, I want to fight people. To be brutally honest, when I get really mad I want to take some boxing gloves and just hit someone really hard. I actually do that sometimes when I work out!

I hit hard. I mean so hard that the person I am working out with will say, “Donna, do you have anger issues?”

People aren’t the problem. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12

We have a real enemy, an adversary. There is one who does not want peace! He does not want peace in my life, my husband’s life, my children’s lives, and he especially does not want peace in the life of my church.

The enemy knows that the world apart from Christ is without peace. Peace is sought after by people.

People spend thousands of dollars every year to obtain peace. Some take long vacations, some buy boats and fancy cars, some use alcohol, drugs, sex, and the list could go on and on. Some just attempt to obtain peace through power over others.

If the world sees no peace in my life, the life of my family or in my church, then they want nothing to do with us. They can always attempt to find peace another way.

So if I am going to have to fight, I need to know the rules of this battle.

Embrace my identity as an OVERCOMER. When the enemy whispers “You are a failure. You can’t do this. Just give up. Quit serving Him.” I need to remind my adversary that I am an overcomer because Jesus has already won the ultimate battle. “Everyone born of God overcomes the world.” I John 5:4
Fight with my armor on. When I stand to fight, I need to do it with all the equipment that Christ has already purchased for me. I need to use defensive weapons: His belt of truth to combat lies; His breastplate of righteousness to combat my inadequacies; His gospel of peace to offer the lost world around me; His shield of faith to combat my unbelief; His helmet of salvation to protect my mind. I also need to train myself to use offensive weapons: the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God and PRAYER which pulls down the enemy’s strongholds or fortresses in our lives. This type of praying is not “bless me praying”! It is on your knees calling out His name and praying His word back to Him. It is War Room praying! Ephesians 6:10-18 and II Corinthians 10:4-5
Worship with thanksgiving. Every time the battle is on I must worship Him. I must sing His praises. I must declare all He has done in my life. “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony.” Revelation 12:11
Overcome evil with good. If there is a person that I might believe to be my adversary, God’s word is clear! “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.” Romans 12:20

The battle is on right now in my life and the lives of those I love. It is intense and is just no fun. There are sleepless nights and hard days.

The Lord promises me He will stand by my side and give me strength. (II Timothy 4:17)

He will enable me to fight the good fight! He promises me peace in the middle of the fight.

“Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way.” II Thessalonians 3:16

Hiding in the Cleft of the Rock!

Aug 18 2016

I’m sitting on the back porch up on Rocky Top on a hot, humid August day. School is back in session. Vacations are just a memory now. My Day Planner (yes, I’m old school) is covered up in blue and black ink. Basically, I’m overwhelmed and I have just been back from vacation for two weeks.

Between cheering on the USA Olympians, looking at my “to-do-List”, listening to the flooding reports in a state that I love, and watching the political wrangling on TV, life just seems fragile and complicated.

How do I navigate all this? My mind quickly returned to one day on our vacation while we were out exploring. Preacher and I were out in the middle of nowhere. A huge storm began to roll in. There was no way we would be able to make it to a man-made shelter before the storm hit. We saw huge rocks in the distance and began to run toward them while the rain began pelting us. As we approached the rocks, there was a “cleft” in the rocks. We sat down on dry ground in that cleft and watched as the storm rolled thru. We were in awe that the Lord had provided such a beautiful place for us to take refuge. We knew we couldn’t let this precious moment go to waste. So as we sat in the cleft of that rock, being sheltered by the storm, we did 3 things which have taken us through every imaginal storm in life in the last 36 years of our marriage.

We remembered His faithfulness!

Know therefore that the Lord your God is God. He is the faithful God, keeping his covenant love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments. Deuteronomy 7:9

Talk with your family, your husband or just a friend about the times in your past that you have seen God’s hand in your life or times when you have felt His presence or heard His word.

We practiced thankfulness.

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; his love endures forever. Psalm 107:1

Spend time verbalizing out loud answered prayers, people, things, or circumstances you are thankful for. His gifts are all around. Thank Him for them!

We prayed!

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. James 5:16

Share with someone what you struggle with and ask them to pray for you. Stand in His righteousness knowing that He hears you when you pray. Prayer is the most effective tool we have in life. Yet, I do believe it is the most under-utilized and under estimated tool we have available to us as believers. We must realize that we are in a battle. There are battles raging all around us. Some are in a battle for their marriage, some for their children, some for their churches and some for their very lives. We must fight this battle with His weapon of warfare: PRAYER!

As I finish writing this, it is thundering in the distance. Another storm is approaching. This time I’m not on a beautiful beach hiding in the cleft of a rock as the storm approaches. I’m back home on Rocky Top. There will always be another storm because that is just life. But I’m so thankful that My God is the ROCK in which I can stand on and He hides me and protects me. I am confident in MY ROCK!!!

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliver; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the strength of my salvation, my stronghold. I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies. “ Psalm 18:2-3

Category - Prayer