Frozen

We had an ice storm yesterday. Some of my coworkers left early. One of them said, "Ducky, you can go home if you're worried about the roads."

"Nah," I said. "I have prayer room hours this evening, so it's pointless to leave. Besides, I'm from Minnesota." Minnesotans call our state "the land of ice and snow"; we know how to drive in winter conditions. I figured I would be fine. So the rain sleeted down and hardened into ice with my full permission. I didn't give it a second thought.

Last night during debriefing with my team, Jonathan Combrink came in. "Ladies, please give me your car keys so I can start your cars and scrape the ice off your windows," he said. We were all surprised but very grateful. After the ice storm, it was like negative 40 degrees outside, and our cars were probably caked with ice.

After we finished debriefing (late as usual, around 11:00 p.m.), I went to find my car. Jono was working on it with about four other guys. The car was coated with ice. "We can't get it open," he told me. They couldn't even get the key to turn in the lock. The only advice he could give me was to try pouring water over it and to get some de-icer. I didn't have de-icer (and even if I did, it would have been inside the car, which wouldn't have been helpful.) I poured hot water over the door and the lock, but that didn't help. I kicked the door, but that didn't help anything aside from my frustration levels.

It was about 11:30 by that point. I went into the prayer room to warm up and spotted a friend. We scraped her car, and then she took me to Wal-Mart to get de-icer. I used up half a can on my doors, carefully spraying everywhere I saw ice. I stuck the tip of a key in the lock and sprayed de-icer inside. I yanked on the doors, hip-checked them, pounded on them. After a while I realized I couldn't feel my toes any more. My car still showed no signs of opening. It was hopeless. Frustrated and rather frozen, I went into the prayer room to warm up.

By this point it was 12:30 a.m. or later. My friend couldn't help me any more, since she had briefing and Sacred Trust hours. I was thinking about spending the night on the floor in my office when I spotted Heston. He knows a lot about cars and stuff. Plus he is a gentleman at heart; if he couldn't fix my car, he'd drive me home.

Heston took a look at my car and pulled on the handles a bit. "I did that," I said. "I also poured hot water over it."

"Hot water?" he said. "You need cold water."

I handed him my water bottle. He doused my lock, turned the key, and opened the door with no apparent effort.

It was that easy.

After I got done feeling stupid, I thanked my hero effusively. I finished scraping my windows, loaned my de-icer to another girl whose locks were frozen shut, and drove home carefully, shivering in the cold. I arrived home around 1:30 a.m. and was quite grateful for my electric blanket.

Needless to say, I came into work late this morning. And I have learned my lesson: don't laugh at ice storms just because I'm from Minnesota, and never use hot water on a frozen lock.

Update

After I got home, I shoveled the driveway a little bit. When I tried to grab my scraper/brush to brush off the cars, I discovered that my car locks had frozen shut again. My "adopted dad" opened the door by holding a lighter to the lock. He says never to use cold water, either, because it will just freeze again. I'm leaving my car unlocked tonight. Stupid ice. So, new lesson leaned: don't use water on frozen locks, and leave your car unlocked during ice storms.

Chillin' in KC

Flippin' cold out today, what. Not nice. It was 65–70 degrees on Monday and Tuesday, and half of that today at 30 degrees. Actually, it's 20 with the windchill, plus some freezing rain.

Yes, indeedy, winter has arrived, if belatedly, in KCMO. If you are at my end of the Missions Base, perhaps dropping off a support check at the Business Office, you may hear someone next door wailing, "Make it stop!! I left Minnesota to get away from winter!" Pay no attention to this person. The weather sure isn't.

I am still slightly damp from the pleasant few minutes I spent putting air in my tires on my lunch break (driver side front was down to 15 PSI, as usual; I think it has a slow leak). I'm still shivery and miserable, but Bessie is happy. I vacuumed her last week and took her through the car wash yesterday. She's all shiny and clean. If you ignore the rust, the iffy brakes, and the fact that she is, as Killer would say, a "ghetto-fied" monstrosity, she is eminently driveable, even in our current icy conditions.

On another topic...I try not to talk about work in specifics, but I can't help it today. Big news of the week: Pursuit of the Holy by our own Corey Russell arrived yesterday and will be in the bookstore today. (That's the book that consumed my life for several months; it was my first major editing project.) Corey popped by to pick up a few copies and seemed pleased with how it had turned out. I myself am still in shock. It's here, it's in print, it's....it's, like, a real book, one that will be read by real people, and affect real people and...and...and...I'm having a nervous breakdown; I can't write any longer. I need chocolate.

(Later)
Can I just say that Kris Anderson, Bookstore Guru, is my hero. She came over to get Pursuit for the bookstore and gave us all Snickers bars. Not just any Snickers bars. These were king size.

I feel quite recovered. Back to work.

Day O' Turkey. And other things, but mostly turkey.

So today is the day many Americans will consume much avian flesh and then make various expressions of gratitude, such as, "I don't think I can eat any more" and "I couldn't possibly have another slice of pie" and "Good thing we bought an extra turkey." No, but seriously, I am thankful for many things: family, good friends, and a Man who is more committed to me than I could ever deserve.

I took a walk this morning just to think and reflect. Texas is so warm that it feels like spring. And it's so quiet here, too. There is space to breathe, to think, to simply exist without other people or noises pressing against you...

I walked for a while, enjoying the day. I stopped to exhort some cows on Hebrews 12. The cows didn't say much. They seemed to lose interest when I started expounding on how Yeshua is the originator and perfecter of my faith. But it was good for me to articulate what I've been thinking about for the past month.

We are planning to eat a late lunch and maybe see a movie. I saw Babel yesterday with Killer and one of her sisters. I had heard it was supposed to be good. It was, in fact, horrible for many reasons—pace, explicit content, and general ickiness, none of which I knew before I went to see it. I highly dis-recommend it. I want my money back. And my brain cells. Hopefully the turkey will be therapeutic.

Texas (...what?)

I went home with Killer for Thanksgiving. We surprised her mom, who definitely had not expected us to drive twelve hours and show up on her doorstep tonight, but everyone had a good laugh. Several good laughs, actually--she had caught Killer's dad as he was getting in the car to go hide it behind the house; we were supposed to go inside and hide. No such luck...but, I mean, it's us. That kind of thing always happens.

I have never been this far south before. I have to say that some parts of Oklahoma and Texas scare me. Hicksville! But some parts are nice. I can see the sky. Like, the whole thing. Perhaps tonight I will go do some stargazing. There is no light pollution in Katy, TX, so I will actually be able to see stars.

Also: Killer's grandma--who is from Minnesota--is going to make lefse on Friday. Oh the joy!!!!

Article series; apologetics

I want my monthly support-raising newsletter to be substantive—to give my supporters food for thought, as well as to explain what I am learning and what I am currently thinking about. I may post the articles on this blog instead of my other one; I'd prefer to keep my Xanga for lighter pieces.

Here is my tentative schedule of newsletter articles (I already wrote the November ’06 one):

November ’06: Intercessory prayer
December ’06: Yeshua Ha’Mashiach: The Son of G-d in flesh
January ’07: The name of G-d: Honoring Ha’Shem
February: The eternity of G-d contrasted with our ability to know Him
March: Dominion theology: What is it and why is it wrong?
April: Dominion theology: How is it different from Apostolic Pre-Millenialism?
May: Fasting
June: Feasting
July: Gifts of the Spirit: Overview
August: Gifts of the Spirit: Prophecy
September: The Holy Spirit is a person
October: God’s heart for Israel: the prophets’ cry for repentance
November: Contemplative prayer
December: The Festival of Lights

Of course, the schedule may change as I feel led. I am really excited about doing this series. Well, not about all the time it's going to take to type them up, because I am the ultimate perfectionist and will of course take hours and hours until it's edited to my satisfaction. :-P But seriously--this article series isn't just for my supporters; it's for my own benefit. I need to articulate what I believe. I will be forced to examine what I am being taught and to look at other arguments and viewpoints in order to explain it clearly.

Most of these articles fall into the category of apologetics. I've never been good at apologetics, which is precisely why I need to learn how to do it. I am a people-pleaser and I avoid conflict whenever possible; I dislike debate, especially when it's on topics that people are very sensitive about, such as religion. I would rather that we all live happily and peaceably together. I often suffer from the delusion that if all those people who hate IHOP/"radical" Christianity would just come and sit in the prayer room during Misty Edwards' Friday 10 p.m. set, they would instantly see the light. But that is not usually how things work. Most people require logical, reasoned, well-researched argumentation before they are willing to even consider changing their views. Others are almost completely irrational, but I'd rather talk with people open to reasonable discussion before I tackle the loonies...I need a strong foundation and more experience for that!

I've said this several times to my friends: I wish IHOP taught apologetics. I think that many teachers here would have valuable insight into general apologetics; I would love to hear their take on, for example, creation vs. evolution or the historicity of the Resurrection. I also wish that IHOP taught IHOP apologetics. Let's face it, IHOPers, no one talks about past history any more...and boy does IHOP have some odd things in its past. The Kansas City Prophets, the Latter Rain movement...these are things that people still bring up when talking about Mike Bickle and the House of Prayer. I've done a bit of Googling, and there are plenty of people out there who think that Bickle's teaching heresy and that IHOP is a cult.

I have little experience in defending my faith or the ministry I'm currently working with. And I will be the first to admit I'm naive (please see above delusion about haters coming to the prayer room). For instance, my first fund-raising letters were vague and full of IHOP jargon. Those letters made several recipients worry very much about me and what I was doing; I had to write a five-page letter explaining stuff like why I fast and study eschatology. I've learned the hard way not to let my enthusiasm get in the way of my brain—or of my training as as a writer. I must continue to ask the questions good writers ask: "Who is my audience? What is their background? What do I want them to conclude when they finish reading this article?"

In conclusion, I hardly think I am alone in my lack of apologetics experience, especially among the many young believers here in Kansas City. I would love to see a seminar or teaching series on apologetics offered at IHOP--by our speakers, by an outside speaker, I don't care which.

And since I have recently learned that a certain high-ranking grand poobah reads this blog (mad props to a Mr. D. S. for his choice of reading material), perhaps this idea could be floated among IHOP leadership...? (As if you guys don't have enough to think about.)

How sweet is the sourness of life

I wrote this for my Xanga, but it was random enough that I decided to mirror it on my main blog, figuring my faithful readers might appreciate it.

I apologize for the following silliness, but...dude. I just had my first ever Sour Patch Kid.

How, I ask you, have I not been exposed to such wondrous solidified corn syrup before?? This candy has the perfect blend of sourness, sweetness, and chewiness. My whole life I have known nothing of sour candy except for gummy worms (which, admittedly, are fun because the worms are often two flavors of sourness, perfect for biting exactly in half along the color/flavor line). All along I could have had Sour Patch Kids. But noooo, I thought the name sounded silly, and so I rejected the candy. Until today, when my curious fingers encountered a single wrapped "Kid" in the office's candy jar. I have been so moved by my experience that I wrote a poem:

I dip't my hand into yon jar of
Endless eternity of sweets,
Closed my hand 'round a Sour
Patch Kid and found a new meaning for "treat."

My life hath changed in many ways;
Yet of such sour realms I never dreamed.
Until this day, this blessed day--
The sourness hath caused me to scream.

Okay, so I didn't scream in excitement, but I am excited. No more gummy worms for me.

Promo vids

I was surfing YouTube and came across the promo video for the Onething 2003 conference. (My prayer room team leader is on it--the second girl interviewed.) Onething 2003 was my first exposure to IHOP and to people my own age who loved Jesus as much as I did.

A lot has changed in three years. My life, for one. The promo vid quality has also changed. :-D I think the new one is much better. I mean, it has Luke Wood running in his Chucks...how much better can you get? Plus one of my friends is in it (the well-built guy in the baseball cap).

I freaking love this conference. It's exhausting and amazing. I hope I stay sane during it. Wait...what am I saying...sanity is overrated.

Car woes

I am looking for a place that can replace one of my wheel rims, balance the tire, and possibly realign it. Wal-Mart doesn't do realignments, the IHOP guy who fixes cars isn't fixing cars any more, and the place he recommended isn't answering its phone.

However, I wonder if I really need everything realigned. I went to Firestone or Meineke or somewhere to get my car inspected lo these many months ago, and aside from wanting to charge me $12 to replace a lighbulb, they also told me my wheels needed to be realigned. They said, "It'll be only three hundred dollars."

I may not know much about cars, but I'm not stupid. I am not paying $300 to get my car fixed when really the only problem was that my rim was dented. So perhaps I'll have Wal-Mart put the rim on and balance the tire, and then go get my car inspected by a more honest place. I just want to get it all done by this weekend so that when I come back after Thanksgiving vacation, I can go waste a day at the DMV, and then I can finally get off of my parents' insurance.

Ali Martin

Wes and Amanda's little daughter, Ali, took a turn for the worse yesterday. She went home to join her sister at 2:00 a.m. this morning. They will be in the presence of the living G-d until the day we all receive new bodies (1 Corinthians 15).

The doctors had been clear that, unless Ali miraculously developed a formed brain, her lifespan could be a matter of hours or a matter of weeks. Even the worse case of hydrocephalus in the textbooks was better than what the Martin twins had had. All we could do was pray for a full healing or for the L-rd to take Ali home quickly--for it to end either way, as this battle has been long and exhausting for Wes and Amanda. At least now it is over.

I am so grieved for the Martins, especially since these were their first children. I am praying for comfort and for healthy mourning for the couple, and for protection for their next children. I don't think Amanda and Wes will get offended at G-d; they know too much about Him for that. But I wouldn't blame them for still asking, "Why us? Why weren't they born healthy? Why weren't they healed?"

I'm asking the same things. Is this just one more in a line of failures for the House of Prayer? In the short term, I think the answer is yes. The deaths of Luke Simmons and the Martin twins, along with the continued disabilities of several wheelchair-bound, blind, and mute people in our midst, are a stark reminder that we have a long way to go. Yet in the long term, I think G-d will use even this to teach us how to pray. I think He wants to cause IHOP to leave behind our complacent belief that everything's okay just because we have regular prayer meetings and because we operate healing rooms. We have to keep asking Him for the spirit of repentance and for the spirit of prayer.

Conversation

Ron from Shipping, looking at the "Beware of Ninjas. And Chuck Norris" * sign on my cubicle: "Are you a ninja?"

 

Me: "No, I'm not."

 

Ron: "Are you Chuck Norris?"

 

Me: "No, I am definitely not Chuck Norris."

 

Ron: "Do you have a black belt or a brown belt?"

 

Me: "No, red belt."

 

Ron: "Are you gentle and quiet [like in 1 Peter 3:4], or are you mean and crazy like a ninja?"

 

Me: "Both."

 

Ron: "Hmm. Very interesting. I think I understand" (shakes head "no" and walks away).

 

I love Ron. That man is freakin' amazing. I hope my sense of humor survives when I am his age.

 

 

* Chuck Norris is an office in-joke. Don't ask me to explain it. No, really, don't ask me. Please.

---

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Allen Hood quotes

Allen Hood is one of my favorite teachers here at IHOP-KC. I love the way his eyes light up when he says the name of Yeshua. He is at once wise and funny, as seen in a quote from his Excellencies of Christ textbook:

Mistreatment and opposition touch places of pride [in our hearts] that otherwise go unnoticed in our controlled environments. This is why marriage can be, if cooperated with, a great sanctifier of the human heart. When I was single, I could control my environment in such a way as to keep my stuff undisturbed in hidden places. In marriage you can run but you cannot hide. Opposition and mistreatment are part of the unspoken vows: "In sickness and in health, in opposition and mistreatment until death do us part or until we kill each other." I thought I was holy when single, but I found out quickly there is a difference between being holy and being undisturbed.

I am a long ways from considering marriage--there's not even a guy on the horizon, not to mention the whole short-term celibacy thing--but I have to remember that.

Maturity is a process. Marriage helps you along. Heh.

The Great Bag Hunt

The last five weeks I have gone shopping almost every weekend, looking for a good messenger bag. I've lost count of the American Eagles, Pac Suns, Aeropostales, and various preppy clothing-type stores that I've been in--none of which had messenger bags. Clutch bags, purses, backpacks...everything a trendy young teenager could want. Problem: I am neither a trendy young teenager (my sister wrote me a birthday card a few years ago on the occasion of my 20th birthday, proclaiming, "Dear Ducky, you are OLD") nor do I want a clutch bag, purse, or backpack. Thus the long and fruitless search. Well, not entirely fruitless; during one trip I had an raspberry Orange Julius with a banana blended in. It was very good.

Today I finally found a good bag at Aeropostale. I was hoping to find one in a lighter khaki or a camo pattern, but this one will work for me. The price, especially, works for me: it was originally $30, then marked down to $20--but when I took it to the cash register, it turned out to be $6.46. I couldn't believe my eyes; I was literally frozen for a moment until the cashier informed me that yes, it really was that price, although I could still pay $20 and let her keep the difference if I wanted.

I am quite glad to have found the bag, since (1) I don't have to lug around my gigantic (though very nice) laptop bag any more and (2) I can now stay home or do other stuff on weekends. Major props to Killer, who came along on every trip. Without her, I would still be wandering around a mall somewhere, hopelessly lost.

Burdens

I was just reading Hosea 1—no in-depth study, just some quick research—and I was struck by how the L-rd did not ease him into the responsibilities of being a prophet. G-d didn't show up and say, "Hey, Hosea! How do you feel about maybe giving the people some messages from me? Yes? No? You don't even have to go preach to everyone right at the beginning; I'll just send you over to that little group of old people who can't hear too well anyway. Okay? Great. Now, I'm going to start you out with a small message, an easy thing...let's see...why don't you go tell them, 'Hi, this is the I AM, the L-rd your G-d, checking in. Hey, uh, you might want to stop fooling around with those idols over there...you are kinda married to Me, you know...but whatever; I really just wanted to say that I love you guys!'"

No. The L-rd is a tender and gentle guy, but He doesn't fool around, especially when His people are in major sin and rebellion. Here is Hosea's first command and first message from the L-rd: "When the L-rd began to speak by Hosea, the L-rd said to Hosea: 'Go, take yourself a wife of harlotry and children of harlotry, for the land has committed great harlotry by departing from the L-rd.' So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son" (Hosea 1:2, emphasis added).

In essence He told Hosea, "You want to be a true prophet? Then you must understand My heart. You must know who I am so that you can cry out to the people from that intimate knowledge. My heart is breaking over Israel's unfaithfulness to Me. I am looking for someone to share My burdens, someone who will weep with me. So go and marry a prostitute, and let her bear your sons and daughters. You will understand how I view Israel as My wife and as my children; how I am provoked by her sin and how I still pursue her, even in her harlotry."

So many of us say, "I want to be a messenger. I want to be a preacher, a teacher, a pastor, a prophet." Yes, we may genuinely want to serve and aren't thinking about fame. Yes, Hosea was given power and authority on his words.

But do we really know what we are asking?

Intercession for darkness, part two

Continuing the theme of intercession by nations:

Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!” Then the governor said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they cried out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!” When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.” And all the people answered and said, “His blood be on us and on our children.” (Matthew 27:22-25)

That is truly chilling. The nation had seen Yeshua's true nature--His goodness, His kindness, the twinkle in His eye when He let little kids climb all over Him. Some had eaten miraculously provided bread and fish. Others had shouted only days earlier, "Hosanna! Save us! You are the Messiah!" But because He didn't fit their perceptions of who the Messiah was (someone who would physically deliver them from the Romans and make Israel the governing power of the world), they rejected Him. They said no to Him; they asked for darkness. The Jewish leaders were so desperate to be rid of Him that they said to Pilate, "Give us Barabbas!" They would rather have had a dangerous prisoner loose among the people than a Man whose words attacked them in their complacency. The chosen people of G-d even went so far as to cry, "Caesar is our king!!"

That rejection of Yeshua reminds me of 1 Samuel 8. The Israelites rejected G-d as their King and their Husband. They wanted another ruler--a human king. They said, "We want to have a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations." Samuel warned them of what that king would be like. They knew exactly what they were getting into, and they chose to reject G-d anyway. A heartbroken G-d said, "They have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them" (1 Sam. 8:7) But He heard their prayers and answered, though He warned the people: "And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the LORD will not hear you in that day" (verse 18). He let them have what they wanted...He gave them over to their desires. They had to deal with Saul and with generations of wicked kings.

And yet, they did not learn. So in crucifixion, He gave Israel over to what she asked for...and then followed the destruction of the Temple, the Diaspora, and persecution that continues today.

It will not stop until they recognize their sin, until they mourn their wrong choices and begin to intercede rightly:

And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn. (Zechariah 12:10)

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’” (Luke 13:34-35)

Intercession for darkness

The issues IHOP has been praying about lately didn't do so well in yesterday's elections. The abortion ban in South Dakota was rejected, the stem cell research initiative in Missouri was approved, and Arizonans voted against a same-sex marriage ban. The political balance of power in the nation has shifted; the culture of the United States is becoming increasingly hostile to life. There are thousands of holes in my generation...a growing empty space that almost no one sees...the never-born, the ones who had no chance for life before it was snatched away.

Houses of prayer all over the nation prayed hard for these issues. We fasted. We praised G-d. We cried out unceasingly. So why didn't He answer heartfelt intercessory cries?

He did answer. But the intercession He heard and answered was mostly from another quarter. This nation was interceding, too, and they were asking for death. They outnumbered those who prayed for life. G-d did hear our pleas to establish a culture of life, but America was, overall, united in intercession for darkness.

The terrifying thing about G-d is that He listens and acts. On Tuesday, He gave America what she wanted.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness...although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened... Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness...they are...haters of God...[those] who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

Our prayers count no matter what, but the enemy has intercessors too. So I continue to pray for repentance for this nation--because without repentance, G-d will give the U.S. over to what she is interceding for, to her true desires...the kind of desires that will rightly bring judgment.

Second day of GBF

I watched the 10:00 a.m. prayer meeting on the web cast...seemed pretty intense. The 4:00 p.m. was its usual self (meaning good prayers and choruses, but hard work)...now the 8:00 p.m. is starting. I wonder if the spirit of prayer will strike again. Last night's intercession meetings were awesome...

I had a hard time studying during the 6:00 p.m. devotional set. I just wanted to go home and eat chocolate. Stayed in the prayer room, though...must remember to devote time to pray for my family and my partners during this set.

Aw...Killer and HoB are on the life lines together. It's like old times--during the internship, their entire core group was up there for half an hour every morning.

All right, enough typing. More praying.

Life; Martin family

We just had an amazing two hours of praying for life and against abortion. We prayed mostly for South Dakota--that state will be voting on an abortion ban tomorrow. The worship team didn't do the regular cycle of worship/intercession. They did some amazing songs, praising G-d for His goodness, and then the intercessors just went at it. The line for rapid-fire intercession (prayers of 5-10 seconds each on similar topics) was probably thirty or forty people long--usually they cut it off at fifteen. The life lines (strips of red tape on the carpet where people stand to pray specifically for life/against abortion) were full; people spread out in front of the stage. Hardcore intercession tonight...lots of good prayers, lots of energy in the room. In fact, when Luke Wood's team came out at 10:00 to start the next set (which is devotional--no prayers on the mic), they decided to switch over to an intercession set. The midnight set is intercession, too...that means six straight hours of intercessory prayer tonight. Tune into the free webcast and check it out. Today was the first day of the Global Bridegroom Fast, so the webcast is free for the next three days, I think.

Throughout the evening, I have been praying for Wes and Amanda Martin. The prayer leader announced earlier that Charli passed away today. I know Wes and Amanda; they are people of wisdom and character, so I know that they are not offended at G-d or bitter. Still, they must be grieving tremendously for their little girl, even knowing she's experiencing Revelation 4 right now. And Ali is not doing well, either. Please pray for the Martins.

Latest news on the Martin twins

From the latest email update:

"Charli & Ali continue to breathe on their own, take food, and sustain their temperature.  Their vital signs are very stable.  This is truly amazing,  considering the findings about the lack of brain formation in both girls. Friday's MRI confirmed the fact that it's not that the girl's brains are deformed, it's that there is very little brain matter in each baby.  The brain matter that is there isn't formed like it should be...it's mostly unformed tissue. Wes & Amanda continue to ask Jesus for a miracle for their daughters, and are enjoying every second of their time together...they are able to hold and cuddle the girls.  They feel the Holy Spirit in a very tangible, peaceful way...and the prayers of the saints. 

Keep interceding for LIFE ABUNDANT for these precious babies!!!"

Update on Martin Twins

Here is the situation as I heard it last night:

Charli and Ali Martin were successfully delivered by C-section on Wednesday around 1:00pm. Both little girls were breathing on their own. However, because of fluid on brain, Charli was born with a severe case of HPE--she does not have a formed brain or brain stem. The doctors believed on Wednesday that she would only continue to live for a day. Wes and Amanda made the decision not to put her on life support. They believe that if G-d heals her, He would do so completely and she wouldn't need life support. If He chooses not to, they didn't want her to live the rest of her life on life support. They spent last night just holding her, keeping her comfortable, and praying.

Ali was born with Dandy Walker Syndrome, a completely unrelated brain abnormality. The doctors were surprised, as they had never seen two babies have such entirely separate illnesses at one time. Dandy Walker Syndrome is somewhat like Down's Syndrome and can mean a great range of different possibilities of mental impairment. Though Ali could live with this condition, as of last night her vital signs were dropping.

In essence, both twins need major healing. I haven't heard if Charli lived through the night or how Ali is doing. I'll update as soon as I hear more.

Edited for update

I got an email that says, "Both Charli and Ali lived through the night, and even breathed on their own. They were re-evaluated by a team of doctors through the course of the day, and their medical team has said that there is a change of diagnosis for both of them.

Both babies have severe hydrocephalus (water on the brain), that has inhibited them from developing functioning brains. They do both have brain stems, and that is why they are able to breathe, move, and react - all of this activity originates in the brain stem. Right now, without a miracle, the rest of their brains are not formed in a way that can sustain their lives for very long.

Without a miracle, Charli and Ali will only live from a few hours or days to possibly a month. Wes & Amanda's heart is that the girls do not suffer at all, and that Jesus would either fully restore and heal them, or that He would take them quickly and peacefully to Himself."

Pray for the Martins' daughters

Yesterday I got forcibly pulled out of my navel-gazing by the realization that there's bigger things than what's going on in my heart. G-d does care about what's happening to me personally, but He basically told me yesterday, "Look outside yourself and pray."

 

The 8:00 p.m. prayer meeting was really good. We spent the whole two hours praying for an IHOP family. Wes (who works with the Onething Internship) and Amanda Martin are expecting twins. Both of the twins have fluid on their brains, which could mean possible brain damage. Today at 2:00, Amanda is going to have a C-section. The twin girls will be six weeks early, but at five pounds it's not unheard of, I guess. My prayers and thoughts are with Amanda, Wes, and their unborn daughters.

 

The Martins have been the focus of most of our intercessory prayer meetings lately. I'm really proud of how the House has come together in asking for complete healing for the twins. True, we have been inspired by a dream that Wes had in which he met his daughters (they were 6-8 years old; one had a scar on the back of her head, indicating surgery had been necessary, but they were both normal, intelligent, and beautiful). But I think our commitment in prayer has been because G-d is teaching us how to pray.

 

More on the subject of prayer later, perhaps; I'll update when I hear how everything goes.