God's Gifts

There have been many things happening here, but the one that I most want to talk about is God's gifts through the ACT.

Thank you so much for your prayers - it is only via prayer that this happened...

First, there was supposed to be a huge snow storm showing up early in the morning of the ACT, which would have canceled it.

Then, there was a particular place in the room I wanted - in the front near an edge, because I'm not used to working in a classroom and the people would have been very distracting.

Then, there was a big problem. When I was doing practice tests, as soon as I was done, I crashed physically and psychologically. Well, the real test went a full hour and a half longer than my practice ones did because they read all the rules in between every single section. So, guess what? At just the time when I usually finished, I really crashed, really bad, and literally just randomly filled in the ovals on at least 1-15 questions out of 40.

But, God allowed what I think is a miracle - The snow was held off until the afternoon - I got the front CORNER seat, so I only had one person next to me, and I was next to the window, which was wonderful! Then, as to the crashing, first of all, that section that I crashed on, went JUST FINE! It wasn't my best score, but it was one that I had gotten before. However, the complete score, the composite was HIGHER than I have ever gotten through all the practice tests... It's amazing!

Praise God!

The ACT and Other News

I know it's been terribly long since I posted something that wasn't a video or political commentary, but I really have been doing a lot lately.

First, I completed geometry! Yay!

The amazing part is that I started it on February 4th, and then finished it on March 4th! I honestly don't understand how I did that, except that all of a sudden, just after finishing the Chaparral Cleanse that I think I mentioned, my brain "turned on" as I call it. I was able to do math better than I have literally in years.

That means, (drum roll) that I have actually finished all my high school coursework!!! I.E. I have graduated high school but haven't "walked" yet!!

That left me with exactly one month to study for that dreaded, avoided and generally feared ACT. I have now been studying for that month, and will be taking it tomorrow. I was doing quite well on the practice tests until yesterday, when I suddenly got a 19 (on a scale of 1-36 with 36 high) on the READING section of all things! I've been getting scores in reading between 30 and 34 or so, and then all of a sudden I got 19? It doesn't make sense. But, I think it may have something to do with the form of the test, that was the first one I did online. With the online tests, it scores for you and everything, but it also gives you much smaller type and you have to scroll through the text that you're reading, which I think makes it much harder to reference while asking the questions, so I was going far more by memory. (SAT people, on the ACT you can reference the passages as often as you like while answering the questions, and that includes the writing prompt).

Anyhow, I've been turning my clock around in preparation for this, and have been getting up consistently at 6:20am - an amazing feat for me! But, this morning and yesterday, I've been waking up at around 5:30, and having trouble getting back to sleep. That's hard, because I'm losing a bunch of sleep that I really need.

I could really use prayer about the ACT, that I'm not nervous, and that my brain doesn't just decide to quit on me and go to sleep, and also that I'm able to rest well today and tonight.

On another front, we have finally decided on a Church - send up a flare! It certainly took us long enough - 7 months since we moved here. It's a small congregation about 10-15 minutes from us, which is very nice, and we really like it. At the end of it all, we were deciding between that church, which we'd been visiting off and on for a few months now, and another that was down on the west side of the city. It was a hard choice! But, even though we picked the one closer up here, I'm actually getting involved in a group from the one further down in the city.

Actually, I'm scaring myself, because the group I've started attending is, get this, the college and career group! AHHHHH!!!!! It's just that I felt like it would be silly to join a youth group for 2 months until I had gone through a graduation ceremony just to leave and join the college group. And, since I've never been in a youth group, I didn't really think this was the time to start. So, I am now attending this group, and I have enjoyed the two weeks I've been to - there would have been more, but I had to skip a week, long story.

Oh, and really funny, Dad, my father, who is technologically advanced, but perhaps not so much on the Internet until recently, got a Face book! So, if you've got one, send him an friend invitation for me.

John Piper Takes On Obama's Abortion Stance

I can't preface this, because John Piper says it all...



Pray. Without Ceasing. Pray.

Chaparral Cleanse

Ever heard of this? Well, some people have been trying to convince me to do this for a few years. I was actually planning to do it in November, but never did.

Chaparral is an herb, that is used to cleanse the blood of impurities (toxins, germs, microbes and all the other "gunk" that gets trapped in there, particularly when you're sick and can't process them right). The Chaparral Cleanse, is 21 days of drinking one cup of Chaparral tea a day.

So, I was planning to start it as soon as some out-of-town guests left on or about the 2nd of January. But then, I ran into getting some graduation stuff ready, which ended up taking almost all week last week. Also, Mom's been sick, and I still haven't completely recovered from the holiday's and their accompanying activities. All that to say, it took me until this morning to start it.

So, I started it. Some people actually like the stuff evidently.

I don't.

I officially think that it taste's the way Weed-B-Gon smells!! The dried Chaparral leaf kind of smells like fertilizer, so that makes sense.

All I can do is sigh. I really think this will help me, but it will make me feel very sick over the next three weeks.

So, all that to say, I'm going to probably be quite sick for a while, so please pray that I am able to get through, and that all this will be beneficial. And, they do say that the taste will "grow on you". In my opinion, fat chance, but pray that it does.

Pray! (Year of the Bible Project)

Over the last year, I have been involved to different degrees in The National Year of the Bible Project. Earlier in the year, before we moved, Dad and I lobbied on Capitol Hill (a lot of fun, and seemingly productive). Now, of course, I'm involved via long distance calls and email.

Here's the point, though. The project is doing it's best to put together a calling blitz into the Congressional Offices, to begin in the next week or so. I think it will work very well, and that we have a good chance of putting a lot of influence into the hopper.

Unfortunately, the National Coordinator of the Year of the Bible Project, who is in D.C. right now, and is arranging this whole blitz, is having significant computer troubles. Actually, it has crashed (by my count) about 7-8 times over yesterday and this morning.

So here's the deal: we need prayer, and we need it now! There's a lot of great things going for us right now, but not a whole lot can be done with the computers up and running. A lot of contacts have to be made over the next day-and-a-half, and many of them require a least some amount of computer work... so please pray for the contacts themselves, and also pray that the problems with the computer can be figured out, asap.

Prayer: Guidence for Short Story

I recently wrote a short story (about 2,000 words), that I really like, called The Storm of the Soul. In many ways it encompasses many of the things I have learned over my years of struggling with health issues. It is a good story. I think it will appeal to many different people in many different situations. I believe it will glorify God. It's main character is a man, which I find easier to write, so I was more comfortable writing the character, and I hope that made him more understandable.

With all of these things I like about it, I am seriously looking into the best way to publish it... or I was. Then, I found out about a short story contest that this story will probably do well in. The contest requires that the story not be published. So, I'm waiting until after the contest, hoping that perhaps I can win and get a little extra capital to start this venture with.

I really think that I ought to do something with the story, publishing it or somehow getting it available to people, and it would be nice to have a small source of income from it as well.

All that said, I would really appreciate prayer on what I should do with this story, and also that I can win the contest.

A Letter from Dutch Sheets

I received this via an email loop. This really brings into perspective how all Christians can be involved, even if you aren't a "boot on the ground" so-to-speak actively campaigning.

For those not familiar with Dutch Sheets, (I must admit that I've never heard of him, but I like this letter) go HERE.


Letter from Dutch Sheets

Due to IRS rules, this letter is from me personally and is not from any f the ministries I am associated with. (Also because of IRS rules, I cannot send it to my ministry database and therefore need your help in getting it out.) Do with it as you see fit, but my desire is that you forward it to as many praying friends as possible.

October 20, 2008
Dear Praying Friend,

In 2000, I wrote the 2nd most important letter of my life—a call to prayer for the elections of that year. I'm now writing what may be my most important letter. I knew the importance of those elections in 2000 was beyond any in my life up to that point and that the spiritual warfare surrounding them would be unlike anything any of us had ever seen. That letter was read by millions of people and I believe millions of them responded by praying. I also believe the prayers turned the tide.

You may question whether President Bush was the right choice; obviously, he has made some blunders in his tenure as president. But two of his decisions alone left no doubt he was God's choice: Roberts and Alito. These two Supreme Court Justices have proven critical in the process of breaking the hold of humanism, death and anti-God agendas that have ruled the Court for 50 years. I assure you that more devastation—the shedding of innocent blood, immorality, decay of the family and an erosion of our godly heritage—has flowed into our nation through that institution than any other door in America. Many times more. The poison allowed into America through their decisions is beyond any of our abilities to articulate.

The reality in America is that you don't need to control Congress or the White House to rule the nation. You only need 5 people – 5 out of 9 on the Supreme Court. And for decades those who disagree with just about everything you and I stand for have been in control! In Bush's two terms, the process of turning this around began with the appointments of Roberts and Alito. Now, we win some cases 5-4 and lose some 4-5. (We barely outlawed partial birth abortion. The vote of onejudge saved thousands of babies from this horror.) We need one more conservative Justice for a consistent majority, then more to build a strong majority.

In Obama's own words, "the next president will appoint at least one, perhaps two or more Supreme Court Justices." He's right. Almost certainly two or more older, liberal Justices are waiting until after the elections to retire, in hopes of Obama winning and appointing more liberals to replace them. And he certainly would. He voted against the confirmation of Roberts and Alito. So did Biden. And Biden led the fight against Justice Thomas several years back, another of the 4 solid conservatives. Make no mistake about it, the two of them do have a litmus test for Supreme Court Justices, and a major part of that test is Roe vs. Wade. McCain and Palin, on the other hand, both have very strong pro-life positions. This alone makes the choice for President simple. To vote for the 2nd and 3rd most liberal Senators (Obama and Biden), both of whom are firmly and blatantly pro-abortion, would be unconscionable. Obama has actually said that if he wins, he would like his first action as president to be the signing of the Freedom of Choice Act, which would eliminate every other law against any aspect of abortion (partial birth abortion, parental notification, etc., etc.). And with a democratic majority in the House and Senate, pretty much any legislation he and Biden want to pass will be a slam-dunk. There are many other unrighteous positions they hold but this position alone makes the choice easy. If they win this election, it will set America back decades in the cause of life and the restoration we seek.

Just as many of you do, I too, want to see a first black President, but not Senator Obama. To allow that noble and godly desire, the economy or one's position on the war to trump this issue of life and death for the innocent unborn is simply wrong. The scriptures teach that if we choose first to exalt righteousness and turn from evil, God promises to heal our land (see Proverbs 14:34; 2 Chronicles 7:14). It is righteousness that exalts a nation, not wealth, prosperity or armies. If we will finish the process of removing the curses of death and anti-God laws off of America by electing a president that will continue to shift the Court, God will grace us with breakthrough in other areas such as the economy, the war against terrorism, etc. My faith is not in a person, and certainly not a political party, for the healing of America, but I know God's word and His ways well enough to know that our decisions do move Him to action or inaction.

Now to the heart of my reason for writing this letter (I realize I am "preaching to the choir"—most of you who know or listen to me are conservative enough to vote for McCain and Palin.) I have not written any appeals for prayer concerning this election because:

1) others have, and
2) I believe our movement has matured to the point that the prayer base of the Church is already praying.

But I now feel the need to raise my voice. I am appealing to you to pray for these elections the next two weeks like you've never prayed for any in the past.

Faithfully. Passionately. Boldly. Ask God for His mercy and grace.

We deserve His judgment for removing His influence and authority from our government, schools, homes and businesses; for the killing of 50 million babies; for leading the world in the consumption and exporting of pornography; for passing laws to reject His; etc. But mercy triumphs over judgment and in His wrath He remembers mercy. In 2000 we actually lost the popular vote and won the election—talk about grace! Please pray for this grace to be released again. But I am also asking you for something more than normal prayer. For those of you who understand spiritual warfare, I am asking you to also include this aspect of prayer. There is no doubt that we have entered a Daniel 10 moment in time: "Then he said to me, 'Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, I have come in response to your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia'"(Daniel 10: 12-13 NAS). The spiritual warfare in this election is incredibly fierce, and just as it was in Daniel's day, is all about the restoration of a nation. And also like Daniel, we must keep praying until we win the battle in the heavens.

In August of this year I predicted that September would mark a shift in momentum for these elections. This happened with the appointment of Sarah Palin as the Vice Presidential nominee (who is a true Esther in our generation), but when the economy began its meltdown and the media ramped up their unprecedented attacks on Palin, that momentum wasn't sustained. But we can see it turn again if we approach this battle as the spiritual warfare it truly is and bind the evil forces involved (see Matthew 16:18-19). The reality is that this election can be the breakthrough we need to fully shift the Court (and ultimately our nation) or it will be an immeasurable setback that could take many years to reverse—if ever.

Please understand what I am saying: if we engage in this battle and do what I am asking—in mass—we will win; if we do not, we will lose. I, for one, don't intend to allow the latter. I am in Washington, D.C. now (October 20-22) with Lou Engle and a team of prayer leaders from around the nation to war for this election. Join us! Lose some sleep, miss some meals—pray! Pray like never before for these elections. And as you do, involve yourself not only in petitioning prayer but also in spiritual warfare. Use your God-given authority over the plans and strategies of satan's kingdom. Bind all witchcraft that is working to control the outcome, including occultic powers that are suppressing truth. Release Christ's Kingdom rule in every way the Holy Spirit leads you.

Don't be deceived and don't lose hope (if you have to, turn off the TV.) It is not too late to turn these elections. God is plenty powerful enough to do so. The real question is will we rise to the level of prayer and spiritual warfare necessary to release that power. And remember, we don't need a majority of Christians who are willing and able to do this—only a praying remnant. We can do it!

Here are some practical suggestions to consider:
1) Fast (a meal a day; a day a week; a Daniel fast; 3 days; 10 days;TV; etc.) and spend the time praying.
2) Agree in prayer with someone everyday for God's will to be done.
3) Form/participate in prayer groups regularly. Churches could prayeveryday.
4) Take time in every gathering to pray. (Take 15 minutes in everyservice to pray for the elections. Turn an entire service to harp andbowl style intercession—worship and prayer combined.)
5) Join 2 or more on a conference call and pray for 15, 20, or 30minutes.
6) Pray on the way to work (and on the way home).
7) Pray before you go to sleep.
8) Pray before church services.
9) Ask God to give you His strategy—He will!

In His grip,
Dutch Sheets

Campaigning and Snow - An Excellent Combo!

So, the night before last, it snowed! We had about an inch of accumulation, although if it had all stuck it would have been much more. Then, last night, it snowed again for about an hour! (no accumulation, but we're so happy to actually be seeing snow when winter ought to be starting that we don't really care!)

We realized that the only one of us that had boots that fit was Buddy, so Birdie and I had to go and get some. Of course, we went to Walmart. But before we left, Birdie said something about the two of us maybe getting matching boots, and that if we did, she would succeed in getting me to wear "girlie" boots. Well... it just so happens that the opposite took place :-). The women's boots were all terribly un-functional (is that a word?). I had entered the store knowing that I was getting men's boots (women's shoes aren't fitting right these days, so I get small mens instead). Well, after about 10 minutes, Mom and Birdie come find me in section where all the heavy boots are. Here's the punch-line: Birdie ends up getting the same pair I got (in a smaller size) - matching boots, right? - and they are VERY not feminine at all!! I found it quite funny.

So, since I'll be working on one of the Gen-J SAT's (Student Action Teams) and we've already had snow, I am hoping and praying that God will give me two of my favorite things at once - a snowy campaign! I think that would be SO fun! I know a lot of people, including Dad, would disagree, but that's what I think.

Oh, and a number of people that we know from back east are coming to run some of the teams, which will be a blast!! (JL and DN in particular, and all the others!)

Oh, and if you all would pray for my health and particularly my energy level to hold up during the campaigning, I would really appreciate it (My knees could use some prayer too... make that my legs... make that all my joints). Everyone keep praying for all the campaigns all over the country, especially for McCain-Palin!

Polls vs. Us

Worried about the polls? Well, before I explain why not to be, here's a quick primer on polling:

Let's say there's a poll of 11 people to see whether the color blue is generally better liked than the color red. If you have 5 people in the room who always like blue better than red, and you have 4 people in the room who always like red better than blue, and 2 people that cant seem to make up their mind, than you have to fudge the numbers to reflect the way those people's tastes are.

It's the same in a political poll. If a higher percentage of voters usually vote democratic, than the numbers must be able to reflect the actual make-up of the American population.

The Problem: Because the numbers do have to be manipulated in this way, and most people don't know how the math is actually done, often a poll can be manipulated by simply changing the demographic numbers that are imputed into the raw data. Also, even if the current demographics are imputed correctly, those are not necessarily the demographics that are actually going to show up to vote.

The Point: Polls are not exactly trustworthy, as they often are based on a person's perception of how the demographics are actually going to be ON ELECTION DAY.

With that said, here's a BIG encouragement that you can change the reality of the demographics on election day:




So, GO VOTE PEOPLE!!! This race is so much closer than you will ever hear in the media. They want you to think that it is all sewn up for Obama... if you believe that, look at this: a bi-partisan poll that is widely accepted in the political realm (not that you'll hear about it anyplace but on Rush Limbaugh). This poll puts us at a one point race in battleground states (they're calling them swing states this year, but anyhow).

Get out, pray for this tight election, and be strong!

Resting...

Thank you all so much for your prayers... we made it, and found out that it wasn't the transmission after all! With all the bustle going on, I lost what it actually was, but we fixed it.

We aren't back home yet. We're staying at Aunt Love-My-Dogs' house to visit and rest before heading home.

I've spent the last few days on the couch as much as possible, although I'm considering taking a walk this afternoon, perhaps. Can't wait to get back home... it's great to visit with fam, but those absolutely amazing mountains are calling.

Best be on to other things... have got a number of semi-pressing issues in the email box that I need to deal with.

Prayer for... the car

We are indeed on the road on our way to the funeral for Grandpa. It is hard on everyone, of course, especially for Mom as she deals with details on that end. I'm already feeling various negative effects of the travel, and everyone is tired.

We especially need prayer for our car. We've had a number of problems with the van over the past month, but it isn't what it should be. Dad is quite concerned about the transmission... it just isn't right, and we have a significant reduction in power. Because of that, it's taking a lot of patience to get up to speed. Overall, we are simply taking longer than we ought to be. But, that isn't our biggest concern, we're just hoping we can make it in tonight.

Also, with these problems, Dad doesn't want me driving any more, so he's doing the whole day today... while working... me typing/navigating... him calling/talking/dictating... it's a busy place in the front seat!

Please pray:
That we make it, and can figure out what's wrong and get it fixed.
For energy, safety and health.

Thanks all.

Prayer for the fam

Hello everyone. I've not been posting because of the busyness of moving, but also because I've been feeling pretty bad. It's a long story, but I'm taking an herbal tea every night that is killing off a lot of bacteria and stuff, and it's making me feel worse. Please pray for energy for me, and that this tea helps me in the long run.

Well, I decided to post today, because we are going to be in a tight spot soon. My Mom's Dad is dying of cancer. He isn't a Christian (we think), and we're not expecting him to last more than another couple weeks. Mom is already out there, and the remaining four of us are all getting ready to be able to leave with six hours notice. It's a bunch of early prep work right now... honestly, all our supplements are going to take me much of the afternoon to figure out, plus other stuff. Also, Dad has to work in the middle of this.

One particular fly in the ointment, is that the family relations aren't very smooth, and things may be very difficult... Mom in particular needs prayer for this.

Please pray:
- That we will all have the energy to do this trip.
- That I will be able to feel good enough to help Dad with the driving.
- That we won't take to long to recover from it.
- For the family situation to smooth out.
- For time lines, details and logistics to all fall into place easily,
- And, especially for Grandpa's salvation.

Thanks all for your prayers. I will update as I have the time.
Philippians 1:3-4