When my family and I first moved to the Raleigh, NC area, (three years ago this July) I began asking God to give me prophetic insight as to what He originally had in mind for this area, and what, prophetically, He wanted to do now. I researched the history of the city, pulled out maps, making note of boundary lines, studied the topography, etc. and began looking for anything I could get my hands on that had been spoken prophetically over both Raleigh and over North Carolina. Seeing as it’s the capital, this is the gateway to the state. What happens here permeates.

There are a few words I’ve gotten clarity on and that I have held to and been personally praying and interceding over. This year, however, I finally feel led to release them. I know this series of blog posts will speak specifically to those in my beautiful state, but my hope is that through reading these posts, and how they came about, that God will also give you insight as to how to seek Him prophetically for wherever He has positioned you.   Continue reading →

I felt this word drop so strongly into my heart tonight. I shared it first on my FB Page, but then felt like I should post it here too… Continue reading →

Part Four: Getting a “word” from the Lord for your year

Many of you have, for some time, gotten a word that tends to frame out the upcoming year for you. It could be something that captures in one word (or phrase) the focus or desire of what you sense the year will bring about, or what direction you feel you are being pulled towards or even what you hope and pray to experience. Words like: Joy. Courage. Rest. Belief. Intentional. Obedience. Hope. Build. Release. Balance. Restoration. These are just some of the words I’ve already seen popping up in friend’s posts for this coming year. But where do these words come from? Does everybody get a word? And if we’d like to have a word, how can we know what our “word” is? Continue reading →

Part 3: Knowing What Season You’re In

“To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 NKJV

Seasons are cyclical, and just like we experience seasons in the natural, so we experience natural rotations through spiritual seasons. Each one has a unique purpose in our lives and knowing what season we are in now can help us navigate more clearly what we are experiencing spiritually. We can also start to anticipate and prepare for what season we will most likely step into next. Continue reading →

I hope you’ve had a chance to read my first post in this series. If not, I encourage you to do so. Before moving on to the next step in this process, I wanted to give you an update on my “reflection” step. I did say I’d open up my journey to you, so, here you go. Continue reading →

I’ve just hung a new calendar on the wall and cracked open my new day-planner so I can start penciling in some key dates for the new year. I love the holidays. But there’s a unique, unmatched energy that comes with flipping over to a new calendar and starting a brand new year. Continue reading →

In Caesarea there lived a Roman army officer named Cornelius, who was a captain of the Italian Regiment. He was a devout, God-fearing man, as was everyone in his household. He gave generously to the poor and prayed regularly to God. One afternoon about three o’clock, he had a vision in which he saw an angel of God coming toward him. “Cornelius!” the angel said.

Cornelius stared at him in terror. “What is it, sir?” he asked the angel.

And the angel replied, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have been received by God as an offering! Now send some men to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. He is staying with Simon, a tanner who lives near the seashore.”

As soon as the angel was gone, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier, one of his personal attendants. He told them what had happened and sent them off to Joppa….”

Acts 10:1-8 NLT

I would have to look it up in my journals to be exact, but if my memory serves me correctly, I want to say it was the earlier part of 2008….maybe even as early as 2006.

I was reading through this exact passage in Acts when suddenly, a dissatisfaction set in over me. Continue reading →

Today, I woke up as usual. Had my morning coffee. Read some. Started getting the family ready to go. But as I considered everything else that was on my plate to do today (all the necessary, but not-as-exciting stuff)…this is all I kept thinking:

“Maybe I’m not really what I think I am. Maybe I have a higher value or thought of myself than what I’m really capable of. It has been so hard to do what I feel like I am called to do in this season. I feel like I’m always giving my best energies to other things – things that I also sense are very important – but I can’t seem to get the traction that I believe I am capable of getting.”

“God, be honest with me. Am I really called to minister? Am I really called to write? Am I trying to do something I’m actually not cut out to do? Continue reading →