I woke up at 3am ...can't seem to sleep! Bing cherries are not working. So I got up and began to pray. There is a vision that keeps coming during my prayer time. I shared it with my Pastor's wife. It is of the youth of many different congregations, coming together in dance, flags, banners, etc...anyway, they form a processional and are marching in the streets. The song that is being played is God Bless America. When these young people pass by the onlookers, some of the onlookers begin to weep and others cheer. There are young and old alike in this processional, however, the youth are going before them ... it is so powerful!

I keep hearing the words Independence Day....

Diane, my pastor's wife, and myself are going to begin to organize this. We will be contacting many churches and requesting participants. We are contacting a dance team from Davenport to help us choreograph the dancers. Diane and I will be working with those who desire to use the flags. We have many large banners to be carried as well. We don't want anybody left out. Please be in prayer with us concerning this. We believe that we should plan this for the 4th of July.

Thank-you...

In, through and to HIM,
Deborha

Something is shifting in this season. Everywhere I go, I see so many in their late teens and twenties wanting to connect with my generation. I have never seen anything like it. They are not ordinary. They are the Deborahs, Esthers, Nehemiahs, Davids, who will change the world. This group is not like Gehazi. They have the spirit of Elisha. They want to serve the older generation, so they can glean everything essential to fulfill God's plan for their life. They want to hang out to talk and talk and talk so they can glean wisdom, counsel and experience to move into the next place. They are searching for God and spiritual reality. They are looking for relationship that touches their depths. What would happen if my generation would actively recognize and embrace them?

They are not thinking small. I have met young men and women who are preparing now to do what is in their heart.

The upcoming generation is not religiously correct. They are like a young girl who I spoke with recently and I asked who she was. She boldly replied, " I am a missionary to Africa". She is 14 years old! No hesitation, no awkward shyness, just bold words blurting out answers to questions. She never thought to be careful, thinking someone might disagree or think she was presumptuous. She knows who she is and what God wants her to do.

Our youth don't want to wait until they are older to do what God has set before them. So it is with many of her generation. They are looking for those of us who will reach out and grab their hand and pull them into everything we have and know. They want to grab hold of us so that they can grab hold of their future.

Let us rise up and grab the hands of these young people. Let's become mentors, mothers and fathers who will give them everything we have learned and take them into the river of a Mighty God who will carry them to the shores He desires to set them upon. Let us teach them to pray, intercede....let them wail and weep between the porch and the altar... teach them the word... .

Last Thursday night there were two young girls at the intercessory prayer meeting. We prayed for them and the Holy Spirit showed up mightily on their behalf. Then, I was lead by the Spirit to ask them to forgive us, for many things ( I won't list them). They forgave us. Then they prayed for us. They told God what they needed from us as leaders and mentors and asked us and God to forgive them for many things. I believe that this is the beginning of an awesome move of God with our youth in this city! I believe that the youth from different congregations are going to come together in unity of God's purposes and we are going to see Jesus lifted up !

Please pray that God will continue to lead, guide and direct by His Spirit concerning this emerging generation.

Difficult night. Difficult because I can't talk about what happened...or what was seen...what was experienced.... . Difficult because my heart is aching for the youth of this city, even before last night. Difficult because one less heart is beating, no more breaths to breathe. Can't talk about IT... but, I will continue to pray.. I will continue to stand... and I will believe that God will use me to make a difference in the lives of the youth of this city! I can talk about HIM. I can believe in changed lives... and the power of a Mighty God. I am a hope-pusher .... nevertheless, this was a very difficult night.

Come and sit a while beneath my tree or upon its billowy branches and rest a while with me.....

Part 2

What is a stronghold of fear? Very simply put, it is something that has a STRONG HOLD on you! Vain imaginations, ungodly beliefs, fear of man, fear of failure, fear of success, fear of death, fear of the devil-and the list goes on and on. We must learn to identify our fears, confront our fears and destroy our fears in order to be all God has called us to be.

Apostle Paul recognized that the young man he was mentoring in ministry was not pressing in to the fulness of his potential. He knew that Timothy had many gifts that were imparted to him by God, nevertheless, they were lying dormant within him. Fear had paralyzed Timothy's giftings and caused him to be ineffective.

"Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. Fot God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." II Timothy 1:6-7

Scripture is clear that God is not the author of fear. There is an appropriate fear of God, born out of respect and awe for His sovereignty. But it is not this type of fear that controls and dominates men's and women's lives and keeps them from fulfilling destiny. This type of fear is from the devil and from our own minds coming into agreement with the powers of darkness. It will torment us, paralyze us and prevent us from receiving all the good things God has for us. It is a bondage that shows no mercy and keeps us from walking in the life of His great love towards us.

" There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment . He that feareth is not made perfect in love." I John 4:18

By the annointing of His Holy Spirit, God has given us the power to be free from tormenting spirits of fear. As we break our agreement with the power of fear, and receive instead the power of God to deliver us and make us free, God releases faith ... which is opposite of fear... to go in and possess our promise.

"And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. " Hebrews 2:15

I believe that God has a people of courage who are ready to venture into uncharted territory to explore and discover qualities of that area. They have to face a world of uncertain dangers in order to settle and establish their new land and make it fruitful. They are a people who have a spirit of adventure, who are willing to risk safety and security in order to obtain a better way of life. Much like the pioneers of old.

I believe these people will walk in courage and release an impartation of courage, both to those they directly effected, as well as throughout the land. Many settlements in America's far west were birthed with only a couple of families who forged ahead through many trials, oppositions, hardships and adversities to settle the land. Later, others followed in the path that had been laid down, and they shared in the blessings of the land.

I think we can agree that there is land here that needs "settled". There are things that the people of God need to take back and possess. There is a "settling of the land" that is about to happen. You see, courage, born out of faith and trust in God, can accomplish His purposes in this land.

God is looking for a people of courage. God is looking for those who are willing to pray as the prophet Isaiah prayed when he said:

"Here I am; send me." Isaiah 6:8