For a number of years I have been drawn to the church of Ephesians. This church represents a church that has overcome. A church of victory and power.

There are so many passages I could write about and for the next few months, I will likely share what Jesus has been teaching me throughout this book. But today I’m living out of the result of years and years of praying and pursuing the reward of this one specific verse.

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. —Ephesians 1:17 NIV

I could camp for weeks on the first chapter, but this verse in particular is proving true and powerful in my life.

It’s not often in the Word that we receive specific instructions on how or what to pray. The Lord’s Prayer comes to mind as an example. However in Ephesians, the apostle Paul, prays for us and leaves a powerful prayer we can emulate.

I began praying this passage with belief and conviction over myself several years ago. I would quote this verse and ask for the Spirit of wisdom and revelation to dwell in me that I would know Him better. My friends, this prayer is a petition seeking the Spirit, a spirit of wisdom and revelation, the Holy Spirit. I began to perceive that this was a specific anointing of the Holy Spirit that came with prayer and petition.

In the last several weeks as we approach Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (Jewish New Year), I’m finally sensing the Spirit of God revealing His plans because I have travailed in prayer for months seeking revelation.

In order to understand the specifics of what I’m sensing now from Holy Spirit, I need to share a bit of background. For the past 18 months I have walked through some of the most intense spiritual warfare I have ever faced. My son and family moved in with us. Caring for an infant was a joy as a grandmother but often I was her full-time caregiver. It is grueling. Also, for the last half of 2014 I was ill every three to four weeks. A nasty cold, fever, the flu so bad I had to visit the doctor to help me gain control of the vomiting. I endured laryngitis, Planter’s Fasciitis, sinus infection and yada, yada, yada… Sheesh. I don’t want to remember all the illness. For six months, and my granddaughter was just as ill. Likely she brought it home from daycare. But after six months. Boom, it was over. For the both of us.

Additionally in this season, I walked through a major challenge in almost all of my very close relationships, family and friends, with the exception of my husband. These close relationships upheavals were not of my doing and every person who was involved has sense come to me with apology and reconciliation. I was so glad to receive, forgive and restore. God was beautiful in the midst of these challenges and the relationships are even better than before.

I was persecuted by other believers for reasons that didn’t make sense and my latest book proposal wasn’t picked up. (It needs some revisions and I will try again). It was the weirdest time of my life. A very difficult time of my life. It felt as though the oppression was relentless and daunting.

In warfare such as this, we must cling to that one “moment.” The moment of our personal encounter with God. An encounter that was so life-altering and real that it’s impossible to deny. My encounter was on October 12, 2012. I will write more about that later. But white knuckled clinging was my lifeline.

The warfare affected all of my relationships, my health, my career, my finances and faith. I don’t want to dwell on the attacks because the devil is a loser but this season was filled with confusion and pain. I even went through a season of great sadness which is NOT like me at all. I’m one of the happiest people I know. *grin*

It’s in a season like this that we can fall into confusion and doubt. But with my white knuckles clinging to hope in one hand and the Lord’s Word and promises in the other, I prayed this prayer with faith.

In my next post I will share with you the results of clinging to God in the confusion and pain. My friends, stay tuned because it’s worth the wait.

Expect good things! 

Stop expecting the bad. Stop dreading! For the plans I have for you are all Good. 

I came to give you a hope and a future. I came to give you abundant life. Stop speaking the language of lack. Change your language. Change your understanding. I am not a God of barely enough. I am a God who can do exceedingly, abundantly more than you can ask or imagine. 

At my right hand are pleasures for evermore. I have more in store for you but you have to believe and have hope that it CAN be possible. 

Get your eyes off yourself, get them back on Me. Stop being led and controlled by fear. Let your trust and confidence in Me be what leads you continually. When you don’t know what to do, talk to Me. When you are afraid, call to Me. I will comfort you and give you the confidence to move forward. 

Do not expect to do this alone. You are NOT alone. I Am with you!

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One of my prayer partners, Yvette Watson, sent this to me this past week. During her prayer time as we are all seeking breakthrough, she recorded this above in her prayer journal, then texted it to the prayer team.

I thought it was a good word for me and for others in the Body. Have a blessed and amazing day in His Presence!

Every day we find ourselves surrounded by the supernatural. There are wonders to behold, glory to discover and miracles everywhere. We just don’t know how to see them.

This little playground on the web is where I want to share some of these crazy, astonishing stories of where an ordinary believer intersects with the God of the universe. I have many stories to tell of His faithfulness and my encounters.

I’m a bit older now and reflecting on my past, I clearly understand where, when and how the hand of God covered me. Stories of delight, deliverance, warfare and miracles. Soon I'm sharing a story of which I’m certain God saved me as a small child when I was drowning in a public pool. Amazing….. Stay tuned.

But right now, and mostly for me, I want to share my balloons. Many of my friends and readers at SUM know about these balloons. But it’s a story I need to write out for me.

God speaks to me through Mylar balloons. It’s a very personal and intimate way that the Lord sends me love notes, messages and His approval and affirmations. I’ve written and spoken often about the first one I remember receiving. The Baptism balloon that my husband found prominently placed at our back door. (See video here.)

But here are a few more and what the message was in the season and circumstances I found myself at the time.

This balloon arrived one morning while on a walk-n-pray. I had been through a long season, six months, of illnesses, colds, sniffles, laryngitis over and over, flu.... the works. One morning after a prolonged illness that left me on the couch for two weeks I finally was able to go on a morning walk. Not too long into my walk I spied this balloon floating two feet above the ground. It was waiting for me. When I walked over to it I said out loud, "O Lord, I've missed you."

Immediately He replied right back, "NO! I've missed you." I broke down in snotty sobs *grin* as my heart was filled with His unconditional love. To think that our Papa, God loves us and missed us when we don't pray or are too sick to walk with Him and that He cares when we are ill. It is ..... A holy mind-blow. This was a powerful and holy experience I treasure in my heart.

I will often receive balloons before and/or following a major speaking event. Recently I spoke at my local church on a Sunday morning. I shared with the congregation several of my balloon stories and wouldn't you know it, just to show off a bit. The next day, Monday, bright and early while on my walk-n-pray, I spy a shinny balloon on the dirt. I walk toward it and clearly see it's a baseball.

I say to the Lord, "Baseball??? Lord, Baseball? Why a baseball?" I puzzle. 

Then all of a sudden, I hear Him reply to me, in what I can only describe as a tone with a bit of mischief, "Look closer."

Good grief! I look closer and I see a very large "A" and a halo.... I immediately hear again, "Angels are all around!"

I giggled like a little girl and just knew that they were!

I have more stories likes these to come. I wonder, do you hear the Lord speak? Do you want to?