Okay, so while we spoke at FOM in Osage Beach, Missouri, I spoke about the butterfly and how we are much like them. I spoke about how it is the time in the cocoon that is necessary for us to become all that we are to be, and that we need to be okay being in process in the cocoon, spiritually. God is always preparing us to house more and more of His essence, His glory (2 Cor. 3:18). After the conference, a beautiful young woman came up to me and shared more with me about the butterfly. She said that when they emerge from the cocoon, that they are wet and have to remain still while the blood begins to flow into the wings and other parts of the butterfly's body before it can take off and fly....to try to fly too soon will cause death. I thought that was so good. We need time each day to "be still and know that He is God" and allow His blood to cover us and protect and flow through us as we go into the day displaying His splendor, His glory. SO, I think we can both be in the cocoon while still displaying His glory and as we are in the cocoon, He continues to grow us back into more and more of our original design while we still live in His glory daily. God brought this film across my path this morning.....it is 20 minutes in length but worth every minute. Please take the time to watch this. Let your children watch this. You are special and unique and gifted in special ways to display the glory of God in you. May this change your perspective about yourself and those around you, in the name of Jesus.

For those of us who experienced the presence and power of our great God this past weekend, and fellow believers who desire to walk with God by faith, the question becomes how do I keep my walk going? How do I keep from being distracted by life and all that it throws at me?

If you are like me, I can ride on the "high" for a few days, but then, busy schedules, fussy kids, bad attitudes, road rage-ers, etc. come into the picture and suddenly the "high" is waning and I find myself back in the usual rut of survival mode. Anybody else with me?

Luke 8 is the parable of the sower and the soil. Jesus is telling about the Word of God as it is scattered upon the hearts of people. In verse 11, He says this, "This is the meaning of the parable: the seed is the Word of God. Those along the path are ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the Word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the ones who receive the Word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among throns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches, and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the Word, retain it, and by persevering, produce a crop."

There's our answer! Perspective, Purpose, and Praise!

First, we have to have a change of perspective. Satan is going to try to steal the seed of truth scattered on our hearts. Know that as a fact. Be aware. Know it is coming. Welcome it even....because it is teaching your perseverance....how to keep yourself steadfast even in the midst of distractions and struggles. Isaiah 40:31 says "They will soar on wings as eagles". Eagles eyesight is much much stronger than ours. When we gain God's perspective, He raises us up above life's circumstances to see the whole "forest" instead of being overcome with all of the "trees".

Second, purpose in your hearts to "stay in it"! To retain what God has shown you as truth, we must remain in Him. We must marinate in it and meditate on it. Keep it ever before your mind.

Third, praise God for who He is and for the fact that knowing His truth intimately will set us free! Free from getting caught up in the routines of life, in the mundane, in the struggles. Concentrating on His truth and praising Him for it, keeps our minds on Him, keeps us focused on Him, and actually keeps us raised above life's circumstances that tend to weigh us down. When we praise Him, the devil will flee!

The results? A crop! That crop will be the fruit of Christ likeness developing in you. The glory of God developing in you! And as it develops in you, it can't help but overflow from you and then effect those around you! I don't know about you, but that's what I am after!

So, gain the right perspective. Purpose to keep your hearts and minds steadfast on His truth. And praise Him all the time for all things. Let's experience some BIG crops in our lives coming forth in and through our lives! Let's keep the flames burning that God ignited in us! All for His glory!

It was totally worth the 6 hour drive to thank you in person!  

 I can't begin to thank you enough for your powerful message over this weekend.  
It has been an honor being here listening to you and Dale.  God has truly worked 
many wonders through the two of you.  I still play the CD about the "No Way 
Situation" and cry each time.  I realize how close we came to giving it up 
completely.   We are both educators and we see what divorce does to children, 
yet we were doing it to our 3 year old at the time.  Like Cole, he would cry for 
it to stop.  We called it our marriage rut.  We just kept digging and digging 
deeper.  Your CD was given to us at a pivotal moment.  God sent your CD in the 
hands of a friend who believed in us.  He made us sit down together and hold 
hands as we listened. (I did not want to touch him...let alone hold his hand)!  
As we listened, walls began to crumble, tears began to fall, eyes were opened.  I 
have to say that we got back together for our son only!!!  However, we did it.  
Then as the CD stated....we had to "act" like we liked each other and it slowly 
came back.  Throughout the process Bruce gave his life to Christ and the rest is 
history.  Bruce now preaches at a small congregation in the town we live in.  We 
still have problems, but we have the avenue of prayer and grace to get us 
through it.  I want both of you to know that YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!!

In HIS service,
Brenda McGrew

This past weekend in Osage Beach, Missouri, God showed up in a powerful way, as over 500 people came together to grow in their marriages! Seven people (that we know of) prayed to received Christ as Savior and Lord of their lives! It was awesome! And what was such an added bonus was the stories that got these people to Osage Beach in the first place. One through the selling of a violin!

A couple wanted their friends to come to the conference and offered to pay their way. However, after offering, the husband lost his job and they were afraid that they could no longer pay to get their friends to the conference. They remembered, though, that they owned a violin that was no longer in use. A buyer came along and they sold it and got enough money to pay their friend's way to the conference. Their friend prayed to receive Christ as Savior and Lord of his life on Sunday morning.

God is intimately acquainted with all of our ways (Psalm 139) and cares for us so deeply. He orders our steps (Psalm 37:23) to get us right where we need to be to accept Him. And He does abundantly more than we could ever ask or imagine, when we simply listen for His voice and follow in obedience (Ephesians 3:20).

Praise our great God!