Encourage Me: Stay Tuned for a Word (from Our Sponsor)

The Discipleship Training Service (DTS) portion of my daughter, Allena’s, experience with Youth with a Mission (YWAM) Akron is now completed. The YWAM itinerary will include a variety of destinations all over the United States. Members will be transported by train, plane, or automobile. (The overseas trip to the original mission’s location of Haiti was halted due to safety concerns.)

Our daughter’s walk with God has grown in surprising and wonderful ways. (Character-wise, she is not the same female that left Gahanna, OH, in September of 2015.)

If you have ever had someone deliver you a message from God, it confuses your brain. Altogether, you might feel thankful (the Almighty cares), nervous (what will He ask of me), and encouraged in your faith (I needed this).

With my adult daughter’s permission, I would like to paraphrase a note she received (in Akron) from someone who cared about her (on pink, wide-ruled, notebook paper). “Careen” had a divine communication for Allena (and maybe us all) straight from the mouth of God.

Everyone worship’s God in their own unique way. The whole process of thankfulness involves the choice of being free to do it (Psalms 100). You need to be unchained from the obstacles that are negatively impacting your ability to worship your Heavenly Father.

Even when you don’t feel like walking by faith, do it anyway. Those people who love you the most will push you in the right direction. It’s safe for you to listen and do what the Spirit is telling you to do. Stop trying so hard to be perfect. It’s exhausting and impossible.

Child of God (Sister), anything Satan has intended to destroy in you: God has straightened out those crooked places in your life (Luke 3:5-6). Experience the freedom of the eyes of the Lord being watching you. God doesn’t judge you (or look down upon you) so stop doing it to yourself.

God longs to know you intimately. He desires to know what’s happening in your life. He never goes to sleep (Psalms 121:3). You are unique, and God will work miracles through you. Open yourself up to revelations from God, abundant joy, and His provisions for your life.

Break the spirit of the Enemy.

Renew your mind and experience the power of God, which is greater than anything the Devil has in His bag of tricks. Deep inside you, God wants 2016 to be a year of singing, joy, and celebration for you. The earth is the Lord’s (Psalms 24:1).

God has called you to both teach and preach. The Lord will be blessed, and you will laugh with joy as you disciple others for Him. The power of darkness will be broken in your life as you do what God commands you to. Be blessed, and sing a new song (Psalms 33:3) in your heart to God. The call of God is upon you.

I’ve added your name in Isaiah 62:1 (MSG) for Zion and Jerusalem.”Regarding Allena, I can’t keep my mouth shut, regarding Allena; I can’t hold my tongue…” Don’t you agree it could sense this way for you?

With absolute certainty I know you are hearing God’s voice daily. It is not a product of an overactive imagination. (This is normal and okay.) God wants to lead you. Allow Him to take your heart captive (Psalms 119:73-80, Ephesians 1:3-12).

For nineteen interesting years, Allena has been on loan to Bobbi and me from a loving Heavenly Father (just as all children are). In no way, have Bobbi and I always gotten things right as imperfect human parents. (My fathering skills have been a detriment more often to my daughter than a help.)

One thing I do know to be true (in my heart) is that God is picking up where our limited parenting has concluded. What He will make up of the unique woman (and His daughter) has become is a mystery I anxiously await to see in the future.

To God, there is great value in everyone (and no lost causes). Our timetable (and His) may not always match. What I can guarantee is that God always gets it right the first time. Trust Him completely no matter how impatient you might get with His way. It’s always what is needed (at the right time it is needed).