He spoke.

Keep asking, and it will be given to you.

Keep searching, and you will find.

Keep knocking, and the door will be opened for you.

Matt 7:7

and that ain't no joke!

So, last week I was frustrated and paralyzed.

I listened to the wisdom of precious friends, prayed for clarity and direction, asked for an answer and God spoke audibly to me.

Just kidding.

Seriously though. He didn't speak audibly because He didn't have to with all the other ways He did answer.

One of my dear, precious, much prayed for girlfriends just accept Christ into her life wholeheartedly and it was partly because of my influence and more specifically the Spirit through me. (among many other people that God just 'happen' to put around her - and I mean around her - we are all her neighbors!) I still stand in awe of this gal - it was tough road for her and she DID it. You go girl!

and as if that wouldn't be enough and it really would have been....

I have joined in the effort on two super cool projects working locally with the shelters in town.

Project #1

you can't really read what it says BUT...it's a baby shower for a local women's shower and we will be collecting like CRAZY for this - if you are local and would like to contribute - you know who to call ;-)

Project #2

don't have a cool name for this one yet but in essence one of my other girlfriends is a photographer and will be doing free family portraits for single parent families at a women's shelter here in town.

I'll be one of three other go to girls to help.

It's a twice a year event.

They'll get hair did, make up did, and we'll be bangin' down the door of local retailers to get a wardrobe going of solid color shirts for people to borrow!

(uh hem....we are welcoming any and all help!!!! First shoot will be in mid March - calling all photographers, extra hands, etc.....no special talent needed!)

So, people coming to Christ, people being blessed with essentials, people just being blessed with free gifts - a direct mirror of what Christ gives to us through His sacrifice -

yea, you could say

I'm feelin' better

and all I have to say is thanks to all my encouraging friends and GO GOD.

I know my struggle in this area isn't over and to that I want to say that I hope it never is.

I hope I'm never satisfied with how much I'm doing in God's kingdom, I hope I never look around and wash my hands of an issue, I hope that my heart is always tender, always ready and always aching to do more.

I will pray for balance and that I get used most effectively - I will pray that my fellow brothers and sisters feel the same charge - but I will not rest.

I'm pretty sure that's the direction Jesus was asking us to go....seems like that's the direction He went anyway.

really, I say this a lot, but I have the BEST friends....hands down.