Travel Journal for Fall 2010
40-Day Marriage Mission Trip
Inverse Ministries
40-Day Marriage Mission Trip
September 7th – October 16, 2010
Travel Journal
Day 42 – October 18, 2010 Tifton, GA
Mighty God
I will praise Your mighty deeds, O Sovereign Lord. Psalm 71:16
Let us praise You, worship You and adore You during this final stretch
of road. Oh, great and awesome God! You are the One who has done
great things for us. Hear and accept our praises for You alone deserve
them. Thank You for all that You have done over the past 41 days and
today, on day 42, let us rejoice in who You are and give thanks for the
mighty and wonderful things You and You alone have done.
Day 41 – October 17, 2010 Snellville, GA
Full Circle
At the close of our last speaking engagement tonight, the woman who
helped to organize everything shared that when she met us last August
in Phoenix, she had placed the name of a couple in crisis into one of the
pockets of our marriage wailing wall quilt. We rejoiced when she told us
that this same couple had been in attendance at tonight’s marriage
seminar! Only God could have brought this full circle.
Day 39 and 40 – October 15-16, 2010 Jonesboro, GA
One Body
So in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member
belongs to all the others. Romans 12:5
In reflecting on the training we conducted with Joe and Michelle Williams (www.marriage911online.com) this weekend, we’re having a hard time
finding the words to describe what took place. We truly sensed “one
Body” in the room as we met with pastors, counselors, and ministry
leaders who long to turn back the tide on divorce in their county. Our
sense of the Holy Spirit’s unifying presence across all the races, ages,
and denominations represented in the room was truly astounding. One
priceless moment that will stick in our minds for a long, long time was
what happened at the end of the last session as we all stood to form a
circle, hold hands, and pray. A lovely song arose from the group as a
fragrant offering of worship to the only One who is capable of healing
the hurt and pain in our nation’s families. Oh, what a sweet, sweet
sound as the chorus of voices in the room joined in harmony to declare
His praise!
Day 38 – October 14, 2010 Stockbridge, GA
Our Hearts;
Your Dwelling Place God is awesome in His sanctuary. The God
of Israel gives power and strength to His people. Psalm 68:35
I cling to the truth of this verse today. We are so totally spent and in
great need of Your power and strength…power and strength that
comes from worshiping You in Your sanctuary; the place where You
dwell = our hearts.
Day 37 – October 13, 2010 Greenville, SC
Carried
Praise the Lord; praise God our savior! For each day He carries
us in His arms. (Psalm 68:19)
I know You are carrying us. We are tired and weak. You are the only
One who can carry us through these days of driving and our last two
engagements.
Day 36 – October 12, 2010 Salem, VA
Come and Listen
Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what He
did for me. (Psalm 66:16)
Sovereign Lord, You alone know that I don’t even have any words to
describe all that transpired as we taught last night. Racial boundaries
were bridged by Your Word and Your Holy Spirit.
Day 35 – October 11, 2010 Lansdowne, PA
Open Doors
We were given a rare and wonderful opportunity tonight. A door
opened before us that could only have been opened by God. We do
not take lightly that we were invited to teach at a predominately African
American church in Philadelphia. Our hearts break whenever we
realize that there are still many people who do not appreciate, treasure,
and value ethnic diversity. God’s heart must break too. However,
through the generosity of Dr. Harold and Dalia Arnold, we were invited
to teach at the New Covenant Church and wow, what an awesome
experience! How we praise God for the open doors and open hearts
we encountered tonight in a small room where we all gathered together
as one Body…to learn from one another and to celebrate marriage.
Day 34 – October 10, 2010 Lansdowne, PA
Recipients of Kindness
Be kind and compassionate to one another. (Ephesians 4:32)
I cannot describe how it feels to have host families open their homes
to us. Not only are we given a place to stay, but we are graciously
given access to cupboards, refrigerators, and laundry rooms too. When
we “landed” in the home of Pastor Paul and Beth Thompson of the
Aldan Union Church yesterday, we were both overwhelmed by their
generosity, compassion, kindness, and the numerous ways in which
they went overboard to give us space, freedom, rest, and a safe refuge
while we served the folks at their church. It is a remarkable thing to be
a part of the Body of Christ.
Day 33 – October 9, 2010 Woodstock, VA
The Testimony
They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word
of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to
shrink from death. Revelation 12:11
We can’t begin to express the power of prayer that we experienced
yesterday. We are both so very grateful for the many responses from
our prayer team, as we found ourselves in the face of quite a challenge.
By the time we were supposed to share our story last night, Clint was
strengthened and empowered in a miraculous way. We know that
prayer made all the difference. Praise God! We just posted the photos
from the banquet in Woodstock, VA on our Facebook page. What a
feast! We truly sensed the Holy Spirit in every aspect of the evening.
How we pray that there is a lingering impact in the hearts of the people
who attended. Oh, the power of the testimony!
Day 32 – October 8, 2010 Woodstock, WV
Our Healer
O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me.
Psalm 30:2
“Something’s wrong with me. I need you to pray.” When Clint mumbled
those words early this morning, I knew we were in for a wild ride of
some sort. In as few words as possible, he explained to me that every-
thing in the room had been spinning all night long. At once, I placed my
hands on him and started to pray. When he attempted to get up, he
had to brace himself again a wall to make it to the bathroom. His face
was ashy-colored and his voice was weak. Oh, how I wanted to panic,
but I continued to hear the Lord’s voice saying, “Though a host encamp
against me, my heart shall not fear.” (Psalm 27:3 amp) This was one of
the verses I had copied onto an index card prior to leaving for this
mission trip. I sent a brief note to alert our prayer team and immediately,
we began to receive responses from all across the nation of people
who were praying. I remember having a few motion sickness pills in my
overnight bag and gave two of them to Clint. Eventually, he fell into a
very deep sleep. Several hours later, he woke up like a new man. I was
utterly amazed. He was groggy and still a little weak, but for the most
part, he was on the mend. As I reflected on this episode throughout the
day, I had to wonder if what happened was just as much about my faith
(or lack thereof), as it was about Clint’s healing. Whatever the intent, a
“faith notch” was made in my heart and mind this day as to the power
of God who acts on our behalf.
Day 31 – October 7, 2010 Winchester, WV
Life on the Road
We needed to get our laundry done today. Plain and simple…
and CLEAN!
Day 30 – October 6, 2010 Winchester, WV
Thank You
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his
wonderful deeds for men. (Psalm 107:31)
I want to thank You for…
• Generous believers
• Words of affirmation
• Safety and protection
• Better health
• Your Word – always true
• Praying supporters
• Opportunities to serve
I just don’t want to take You for granted as I ask for so many things
from You, but don’t want to forget to thank You for those things.
Day 29 – October 5, 2010 Wheeling, WV
Spread Out
Thank You for last night’s training and the excitement of the couples
who will be a part of the first response team at The Vineyard. It really
felt like they were soaking up the tools we were presenting. I pray that
this is the beginning of something awesome at this church and that it
will spread out into the community of Wheeling…and beyond.
Day 28 – October 4, 2010 Wheeling, WV
His Orchestration
We were energized by tonight’s Reconciling Troubled Marriages
training at The Vineyard Church. We know that part of that energy
came from having experienced the Divine way God had arranged this
opportunity. As only God could have orchestrated it, we met the lead
couple from the marriage team, Keith and Cheryl, in AZ last August.
During this mission trip, they e-mailed us and asked if we could come
to their church and discovered that they were currently at a
conference in Portland, ME…the same city we would be staying in that
night. We met with them at 10PM in our hotel lobby and set the training
dates for tonight and tomorrow night. It was neat to watch the looks on
the participant’s faces tonight when Keith explained to the leaders how
we met and how the training had come about. We know that God has
some important things planned for this church and the couples who
have come to be given tangible tools to help reconcile troubled
marriages.
Day 27 – October 3, 2010 Cincinnati, OH
He is Able
A vast crowd brought to him people who were lame, blind,
crippled, those who couldn’t speak, and many others. They laid
them before Jesus, and he healed them all. (Matthew 15:30)
After we shared our testimony this morning, the pastor of Christ
Community Church invited people to come up front to receive prayer.
As Clint and I stood and waited, we could see a blind man, slowly
making his way up to us with the help of an elderly woman. Following
him were several other people with other special physical needs.
However, none of these people were coming to ask for prayer with
regard to their physical healing. They wanted prayer regarding un-
reconciled relationships. A different kind of brokenness, but one that
often proves to be just as painful as a chronic physical illness. For
over an hour, as people continued to come forward and I noticed their
wheelchairs and other aides, I couldn’t help but wonder what it was
like when Jesus was on earth, healing people of ALL their ailments as
they came to Him in faith. What a scene that must have been. I can
only imagine. I felt inadequate, at times, as to how to pray for the
many people who came for prayer this morning, but I know that is the
humbling truth. I am inadequate to do anything for these people. But,
Jesus is and always will be FULLY able to heal ALL the brokenness of
those in need: spiritual, physical, emotional, financial, and relational.
Hallelujah, what a Savior!
Day 26 – October 2, 2010 Cincinnati, OH
Clay Jars
We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves
are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This
makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from
ourselves. (2 Corinthians 4:7)
Thank You, Lord, for the chance to pull away for an hour or so before
heading to our next destination. We are both weary, but thankful. We
need Your strength, stamina, and energy to carry us and provide
where we are so empty. More and more we are learning that being
empty and weak means that we are that much more reliant on You. It
creates a closeness in our marriage to each other and in our marriage
to You. We must lean hard on You…pressing into You.
Day 25 – October 1, 2010 Arcanum, OH
Step by Step
Tonight we led the “Spice Up Your Marriage” date night at the Castine
Church of the Brethren. This was our third trip to Castine and we were
delighted to return. Following a delicious Mexican meal, couples
learned some concrete tools to help them spice up their conversations
with one another in courageous ways. Finally, the evening closed with
teaching the couples a few spicy salsa dance steps during which we
reviewed the principles of leading and following on the dance floor,
and how these related to marriage.
Day 24 – September 30, 2010 Springfield, PA
Thankful
“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”
Colossians 4:2
Oh, Lord…You are so very gracious to us! Thank You for Your many
blessings. You pour them out so abundantly. Thank You for Your Word
and the promises we can claim, act on, and rest on. They forever
true…forever right…forever good. As are You! I ask You for so much.
I want to praise You today…to be grateful…to list out, in prayer, the
things for which I am thankful as we journey today.
Day 23 – September 29, 2010 Somerset, PA
Purify
“Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify
ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit,
perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” 2 Corinthians 7:1
Father, purify our hearts and minds as we drive toward Ohio today.
Protect us. Guard us with Your armor…and Your love. Guide us with
Your presence. Let us see You and hear You.
Day 22 – September 28, 2010 West Nyack, NY
I Want God More
“One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek: That I
may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to
behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple.”
Psalm 27:4
“I think God is leading me to a place where I want Him more than I
want my marriage.” We knew exactly what the woman meant when she
said those words at the end of our meeting together this evening. After
twenty years of marriage, her husband had walked out on her and
their two sons. When she e-mailed us several months ago, we never
imagined God was going to orchestrate an opportunity to meet with
her during this mission trip. Neither did she. When her husband first
left, she did what any traumatized spouse would do…she panicked and
pleaded and pursued her husband. However, through the Holy Spirit,
the living Word of God, and the encouragement of her prayer partner,
she realized that God had changes He wanted to make in her heart
during this painful trial. It was clear after our time together that this
daughter of the King had been spending her time and processing her
pain wisely…at the foot of the Cross. And there, she had been wooed
by her eternal Husband, Jesus Christ. While she knows she has a long
way to go and that there is no guarantee her husband will return, she
also knows, without a doubt, that Jesus will never leave her nor forsake
her and that wants a love relationship with her like nothing she has
ever imagined.
Day 21 – September 27, 2010 West Haven, CT
Everlasting Arms
“The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the
everlasting arms.” (Deuteronomy 33:27)
“Relax in My everlasting arms. Your weakness is an opportunity to grow
strong in awareness of My Almighty Presence. When your energy fails
you, do not look inward and lament the lack you find there. Look to Me
and My sufficiency; rejoice in My radiant riches that are abundantly
available to help you. Go gently through this day, leaning on Me and
enjoying My Presence. Thank Me for your neediness, which is building
trust-bonds between us. If you look back on your journey thus far, you
can see that days of extreme weakness have been some of your most
precious times. Memories of these days are richly interwoven with
golden strands of My intimate Presence.” (Jesus Calling, Sarah Young)
Day 20 – September 26, 2010 Portland, ME
Pinch Me
“Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing
spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will turn back to you.” (Psalm 51:12-13)
There are moments along these missions when I must pinch myself to
be certain I am not dreaming. Just the other day as I was walking laps
around the hotel parking lot, I felt as though I was living a surreal life.
God, am I really re-married to Clint Bragg? Are we really marriage
missionaries and did You really take our greatest weaknesses and
failures and redeem them for Your good purposes in a way we never
could have imagined? As I reflected on our time up at Blueberry
Mountain, there was more pinching to be done. God, do we really lead
marriage retreats and teach couples learn how to have a spiritually
literate marriage? Have You really allowed us to travel across the nation
offering hope and encouragement to those in need? Did I really just
have a close encounter with a moose on a mountain in Maine? And, in
these very moments and all the others I’ve had for the past eight years,
God always whispers the same thing in answer to my wonderings. “Yes.”
Day 19 – September 25, 2010 Weld, ME
Dear God… Help me to full engage in what You will do in the lives of the
couples who have come up the mountain for this marriage retreat. Meet
the specific need each couple has as Your Holy Spirit is invited and wel-
comed to minister. Move us out of Your way and let Your Holy Spirit flow
freely through us. We are here to serve You, Lord, and to serve these
couples as You guide us. Make us keen to hear Your Holy Spirit’s voice.
Make our hearts sensitive to Your desires and to the specific needs of
each couple here. I know that there is always a need for wounds to be
healed…and that only You can heal them.
Day 18 – September 24, 2010 Weld, ME
Go the Distance
“For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for
all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to
come.”
(1 Timothy 4:8)
Cross-Training—Marriage Fitness for Life is the theme for this weekend’s
marriage retreat on Blueberry Mountain. Our hope is to meet the couples
right where they’re at on their marriage journey, and to give them new
tools to strengthen their relationship so that it is better fit to go the
distance. Our sessions will include topics like how to seek God together as
a couple, how to study His Word together regularly, how to pray effectively,
how to “retreat” with God together, and how to get over any hurdles they
may be facing.
Day 17 – September 23, 2010 Weld, ME
Off the Beaten Path
“Jesus led him away from the crowd so they could be alone.”
(Mark 7:33)
Today we headed up to Blueberry Mountain in Weld, ME. Bob and Donna
Sloma run the Blueberry Mountain Bible Camp which is nestled amongst a
stunning setting of trees, paths, and streams. www.blueberrymountain.org.
The turning of the fall colors just swept my heart away as we climbed up
the dirt road toward the camp this afternoon. Blueberry Mountain Bible
Camp is far off the beaten path, reminding me of the lonely places to
which Jesus often escaped to be alone with the Father. Away from the
noisy crowds. Away from the cares of the world. And alone in sweet
communion with God. The Gospel of Mark also records an account where
Jesus led a deaf man away from the crowds to heal him. That is our hope
for the couples who will attend this weekend’s marriage retreat. In stepping
away from life as they know it, may they find life everlasting and a new
depth of healing and intimacy in their relationships with Him and one
another.
Day 16 – September 22, 2010 Portland, ME
Only God
“You can make many plans, but the LORD’S purpose will prevail.”
(Proverbs 19:21)
It never fails. Somewhere along the way on every mission trip, God
reminds us of His passion for orchestrating the intersection of His people
who are passionate about marriage. He did it again today. We first met
Keith and Cheryl at our Reconciling Troubled Marriages pre-conference
training for leaders at the AMFM Conference in Phoenix last June. They
came to our all-day seminar in order to gather more resources to help
couples at their church and community. Several days ago, Keith and
Cheryl e-mailed us to invite us to conduct the same training session for
leaders at their church in Wheeling, West Virginia and they asked us to
call them to discuss dates, etc. When we responded to their e-mail, we
were excited about their invitation, but also let them know that we were
currently on the road and heading north to an area in Maine where there
was no cell signal. All we could do was smile and praise God when they
told us that they “just happened” to be in Maine attending a conference in
the town of Portland; the same town in which we had already planned to
spend the night. All of that to say that we serve a creative God who is
passionate about his holy covenant of marriage. We were delighted to
meet with Keith and Laurie last night at 10:00PM in the lobby of our hotel.
Even more astounding was the realization that the two days near the end
of this journey that had not been booked were two days that fit perfectly
into their calendar for the leadership training they had hoped for. Only God.
Day 15 – September 21, 2010 Milford, CT
Wait
“Wait quietly in My presence while My thoughts form silently in the depths
of your being. Do not try to rush this process, because hurry keeps your
heart earthbound. I am the Creator of the entire universe, yet I choose to
make My humble home in your heart. It is there where you know Me most intimately; it is there where I speak to you in holy whispers. Ask My Spirit
to quiet your mind so that you can hear My still, small voice within you. I
am speaking to you continually: words of Life…Peace…Love. Tune your
heart to receive these messages of abundant blessing. Lay your requests
before Me and wait in expectation.” Jesus Calling, Sarah Young)
Day 14 – September 20, 2010 Knoxville, TN
The Eye of the Storm “We put our hope in the LORD. He is our help
and our shield.” (Psalm 33:20)
Each night after getting into our hotel room this past week, we watched the
updates on hurricane Igor spinning wildly in the tropics. Having just served marriages on the island of Bermuda, our hearts were concerned for the
safety of our ministry partners, their families, and all the wonderful folks we
met last spring. The category 4 hurricane was set to hit the island last
night. And so, God’s people prayed. It wasn’t until late today that we were
able to make connection with our friends in Bermuda. We were so relieved
and overjoyed to hear their testimony of God’s response to the prayers of
His people. Everyone was safe. Evidently, as the storm came toward the
island, its strength decreased. By the time Igor hit Bermuda, the force of
the storm had significantly decreased. And, according to weather experts,
our friends were safely guarded right smack dab in the eye of the storm.
“In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.” (Psalm 33:21)
Day 13 – September 19, 2010 Bartlett, TN
Missionary Marriages God has a mission for every marriage. Nothing fuels
us more than being able to share that truth with couples across our nation.
It’s a truth that we certainly missed the first time around and we do not
take lightly the opportunities (like the seminar we led today) that God gives
us on these mission trips to tell other couples this very truth and to give
them the tools to live it out.
Day 12 – September 18, 2010 Little Rock, AR
The Harvest is Plentiful… "The harvest is plentiful but the workers
are few.” (Matthew 9:37)
Very early on in our ministry, God taught us the importance of quality over
quantity. We have never cancelled an event due to “low numbers” and as
long as we can have a say so, we never will. Two couples came to our
leader training tonight, along with our host couple. For us, that meant an opportunity to train six more hands to reap the harvest of hurting
marriages, and that we did. It doesn’t matter if we have six hands, or
fifty-six. If each of those three couples who attended tonight positively and
eternally impacts one other couple over the course of their lifetimes… and
that pattern continues… TO GOD BE THE GLORY!
Day 11 – September 17, 2010 Little Rock, AR
His Plans “But the Lord’s plans stand firm forever; His intentions
can never be shaken.” (Psalm 33:11)
Lest we ever think we fully understand why God sends us into a particular
city at a particular time! Yes, we were sent to train leaders and to teach a
seminar for couples, but tonight, God set up a Divine dinner appointment
that neither of us had on our agenda. What a humble privilege to meet
with a young couple who is currently separated and to share with them
and bear witness to how capable God is to fully heal what is broken in their individuals hearts, and in the heart of their marriage. How we pray that the
Holy Spirit continues to drive that truth home in both their hearts.
Day 10 – September 16, 2010 Heading into Little Rock, AR
Snapshots One of the benefits of driving across the nation from place to
place is the opportunity we get to pass through small towns located well
off the beaten path. Yesterday’s drive through eastern Texas allowed me
to capture several snapshots of what I call, “life Americana.” For hours, I
sat in the passenger’s seat with my camera in my lap, ready to aim, focus,
and fire. Oh, that my faith would be the same. Ready at all times. Alert to
aim quickly…and fire!
Day 9 – September 15, 2010 Texarkana, TX
What if? This morning, I was awakened by a sobering realization. Had my
parents stayed married, today would have been their 54th wedding
anniversary. Throughout the day, as we drove through northeastern
Texas, I imagined how differently my life would have been had they stayed together, as well as the lives of my five siblings…and now, their seven
children. What if someone had come alongside my mom and dad? What
if, instead of splitting our family in two, they would have known that there
was help and hope to save their marriage? My parents’ divorce in 1981
continues to impact my family in ways I cannot describe. I understand that
it is this very truth that only adds fuel to the fire burning within me to help
hurting couples. Oh, for the sake of the children, we must press on in the
battle!
Day 8 – September 14, 2010 Livingston, TX
No Other Name “Because of the savour of thy good ointment thy name is
as ointment poured forth.” (Song of Solomon 1:3)
“My Name is the Power that turns evil aside, that summons all good to
your aid. Spirits of evil flee at the sound of ‘Jesus.’ Spoken in fear, in
weakness, in sorrow, in pain, it is an appeal I never fail to answer. ‘Jesus.’
Use My Name often. Think of the unending call of ‘Mother’ made by her
children. To help, to care, to decide, to appeal, ‘Mother.’ Use My Name in
that same way—simply, naturally, forcefully. ‘Jesus.’ Use it not only then
you need help but to express Love. Uttered aloud, or in the silence of your
hearts, it will alter an atmosphere from one of discord to one of Love. It wil
l raise the standard of talk and thought. ‘Jesus.’ ‘There is none other
Name under Heaven whereby you can be saved.’”
(God Calling, A.J.
Russell)
Day 7 – September 13, 2010 Livingston, TX
The Long Way Around I remember my affliction and my wandering.
(Lamentations 3:19)
One of the challenges of moving from town to town on these journeys is in
not knowing my way around. It’s hard enough for me in our own town and
we’ve lived there for over three years! Yes, I am directionally challenged
and I know it full well. So, when I headed out from our hotel in Livingston,
TX to pick up a few groceries, I thought it would be a good idea to take a
map and the GPS. But, I still got lost. Really lost. Obviously, I need more
skill in reading maps and it probably would have been a good idea to turn
on the GPS to get some help finding my way. When I finally found the
grocery store, over an hour had passed. I knew I had been gone a long
while when Clint called to make sure I was okay. Today’s adventure
reminded me of the years I wandered away from God. I had God’s Word,
but I didn’t open it or ask for His help. I knew the truth, but I wouldn’t
acknowledge it. As a result, I took the long way around God’s will for over
eight years, and I learned some very agonizing lessons as a result of my
own stubbornness. Before heading back toward our hotel, I decided to ask someone for help with regard to which way to go. I had to laugh when,
after getting on the highway, I soon realized that I was only one exit away
from where we were staying.
Day 6 – September 12, 2010 Leaving Humble, TX
The Ministry of Reconciliation And all of this is a gift from God, who
brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us
this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ,
reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins
against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of
reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:18-19)
It’s really hard to put words to what we witnessed yesterday as walls
crumbled and couples drew closer to God and one another. We knew that
about six of the couples who would be attending were in crisis. Once we
started sharing our story and teaching, it didn’t take us long to spot those
couples. People who are struggling in their marriages sit with a gap in
between them. They don’t laugh and they don’t touch each other. One
glance across the room and it was easy to see the troubled hearts of
husbands and wives who were moving away from God and each other.
But God. But the Holy Spirit! The Counselor! The Reconciler who, through
His death on the Cross, gave us the ministry of reconciliation! We always
begin our teaching by sharing the failure of our first marriage. Nothing
seems to break the ice like letting people know that our first marriage to
each other never made it passed the two year mark. We weren’t five
minutes into sharing our story when tears began to fall from the eyes of
many. Once the footage of our eleven year reunion in Denver was shown,
the majority of the participants were reaching for the Kleenex, as were we.
By the end of the day, the Holy Spirit had done all the work necessary to
help the couples fully understand that God has a mission for every
marriage and that if they reconciled with Him, He could and would save
their marriages and lead them into a sacred Journey they could never
imagine.
Day 5 – September 11, 2010 Humble, TX
All Our Hope “We put our hope in the LORD.” (Psalm 33:20)
Today’s seminar at the First Baptist Church in Humble, TX, has been in
the making for over a year. Despite all the plans that have been made, we
know that God is truly our only hope. We are praying today that the
marriages of the couples who will attend will forever be changed. May
generations reap what is sown as we open God’s Word and invite the Holy
Spirit to come.
Day 4 – September 10, 2010 Humble, TX
Paved with Prayer And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all
kinds of prayers and requests. (Ephesians 6:18)
One of the reasons we’re so excited about arriving at the First Baptist
Church in Humble, TX (pronounced with a silent “h”) today is that we have
been extremely moved by the amount of prayer that has gone into
planning and preparing for the event. For the past 40 days, the awesome
marriage ministry team, led by Chris and Lydia Lewis, has been praying
for the seminar, the participants, us, and every other detail you could
possibly conceive. The leaders actually designed a 40-day prayer guide
that was e-mailed out to the team and to us each day, along with a
Scripture to ground the request in God’s Word. Here is just one example
from the event prayer guide: September 7th “Pray for logistics, for the
room set-up, organization, materials needed, etc. Pray the Holy Spirit will
prompt the team with any last-minute changes. Also pray for safe travel for
our speakers, Clint & Penny. They leave Florida today to begin their 40
day marriage missionary journey. (HAFBC is their first stop) ‘But let all
things be done decently and in order.’” I Corinthians 14:40 Lord, may You
honor all the requests of Your praying people!
Day 3 – September 9, 2010 Covington, LA
So Walk Walk in all the way that the LORD your God has commanded you,
so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that
you will possess. (Deuteronomy 5:33)
“Beyond all words is My Love and Care for you. Be sure of it. Rejoice in it.
Walk in My Love. These words mean so much. There is a joy, a spring, a
gladness in the walk of those who walk in My Love. That walk becomes a
glad conquering and triumphant march. So walk.”
(God Calling, A.J. Russell)
Day 2 – September 8, 2010 Tallahassee, FL
Seeking Counsel Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. (Proverbs 15:22)
I have a prayer partner. She is a lifeline to me, especially when we’re on
the road. We have been at one another’s side in prayer for ten years.
What a history God has given us through many “dangers, toils, and snares.
” We’ve celebrated numerous triumphs and joys too. We live over 3,000
miles apart now, but when the Holy Spirit is within you both, miles don’t
matter. Once a week, we talk to one another via phone about the areas in
which we’re struggling and any recent things for which we’re grateful.
Then, we share our prayer requests and pray for each other. It’s that
simple. It’s incredibly power! Today as we “met” and shared our hearts, I
was reminded of the ways in which God’s Word applies to EVERY
circumstance and when we join our hearts in prayer using God’s Word as
the foundation, it moves the heart and hand of our Savior and Lord. After
this mission trip is over, my prayer partner and I will meet face-to-face
once again. Our reunion will be to review and reflect upon the last ten
years of our friendship, via our first prayer journal which we started
together in October of 2000. What a celebration! If you’re interested in
having a prayer partner, check out our free prayer partner video podcasts
for men and women (#9 and #10, “Posting a Guard”) at www.inverseministriespodcast.org.
Day 1 – September 7, 2010 Leaving Port Orange, FL
Dressed and Ready to Go Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty
power.
Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the
devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but
against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark
world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. There-
fore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you
may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to
stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,
with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted
with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all
this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the
flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword
of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all
occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert
and always keep on praying for all the saints. (Ephesians 6:10-18) Clothe
us in Your full armor, God. May the belt of truth guide everything we say
and the breastplate of righteousness cover our hearts as we, through
Your power, minister to the hearts of others. May your helmet of salvation
protect our minds and help us take every thought captive to You and Your
Word. Shod our feet with the peace of your Gospel truth, guiding our every
step on the Narrow Way. Grant us the courage to lift high our shields of
faith at every moment on this mission…and let not the worries and cares
of the world shrink our shields. Finally, God, help us, show us, remind us,
enable us and equip us to lovingly and fearlessly wield the Sword of the
Spirit. When our enemies come (and they will come) may we stand
confidently on Your promises. And, let the Sword correct and admonish us
when selfishness threatens to override self-denial. O, that You would,
ultimately, fight for us as we stay tethered in Your Word, humbled in
worship, and fervent in prayer. To You, O Lord, be the glory of this journey
and in Your name, Jesus, may we snatch back that which the enemy has
stolen. In your name, Jesus, I pray. Amen!
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