He's declaring war!

"To whom then will you liken God?
Or what likeness will you compare with Him?"
- Isaiah 40:18

The last few days during my time with the Lord I have gained a sense of His ever-faithful Jealousy. I believe the Lord is highlighting His Jealousy at this time in history. In Isaiah 40, there is a stunning description of Almighty God, the Creator and the mighty One. He is unwilling to share the reward of His suffering with anything. That includes entertainment, money, material possessions, our various relationships, comfort, romance, Muhhamed, Buddha or any other self-proclaimed god in our lives. This is the time to pursue and to seek the Lord. His jealousy will not go unfulfilled, and He will strip us if we do not repent now.

I have embarked on a journey to lay waste everything and to see that "all is loss compared to the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus." (Phil 3:8) The time is now to lay aside and to dwell in radical communion with the Spirit of God. He is Jealous and He will not relent! He will be exalted and He will finish the work He began in us. I exhort you to seek Him, to give yourself wholy unto Him. Fast media for this year and see if the Lord doesn't reward you. Remove yourself from distraction, live simply and see if the Lord doesn't come near is made manifest in your life ever more. He desires you and longs for me in an intense way, and He is declaring war against the worthless, dead idols that have stolen our hearts for way too long.

"But you trusted in your beauty and played the harlot because of your fame, and you poured out your harlotries on every passer-by who might be willing." -Ezekiel 16:15

Nahum declares severe judgement over Nineveh, "all because of the many harlotries of the harlot." (Nah 3:4)

Prayer List

So, I've been on this journey, reading through the book "The Seven Commitments of a Forerunner" by Mike Bickle (a review soon to come) and one of the charges of an intercessor is to Pray Daily. Now, this is not new information, nor am I just establishing such practice, however in his expounding of the charge Mike Bickle suggested putting together a prayer list to facilitate your prayer time. He says, "I have discovered that using a prayer list is not less spiritual, or cumbersome, but that it is a helpful tool that keeps my mind focused as I pray. A prayer list helps us to remain focused on the Lord, so that we may connect with Him in a deeper way."

So not deep prophetic revelation, nevertheless not a practice I emphasized much on, after all we are to be led by the Spirit, correct? I've got to admit my prayer life was not so out of whack that this above suggestion was the answer to a prayer, after all I always covered the important ones every time... but it was a challenge to go deeper in the Lord in a manner of order and organization. I started thinking, and became excited. How many more people can I pray with if I utilize a prayer list that covers every base every time? How much more will I grow as an intercessor if I have a list of things already written down that I can use to engage with a spirit of intercession every time? How much easier will it be and how much more effective will my time with the Lord be? So, I created my very own prayer list and will begin utilizing it stat. :) Just thought I'd put out the challenge for those who do not have a prayer list to create one that works for you.

Mike specifically speaks of three prayer themes and three prayer focuses that we are to be conscious of as we come up with our prayer list. Here's a quick summary, check out the link for the notes below!

Prayer Focuses:
1) Intimacy: Focuses on giving our love and devotion to God. Includes worship, meditation on the Word, including prayer-reading it, and fellowshipping with the Holy Spirit.
2) Petition: Asks for God's blessing on our personal lives && ministry. Breakthroughs in our inner man (heart), circumstances and ministry.
3) Intercession: Asks for God's power or justice for others and for strategic issues in society (abortion, human trafficking, natural disasters, etc)

Prayer Themes:
1) Gifts of the Spirit: God's power & favor released
2) Fruit of the Spirit: God's character formed in us or others
3) Wisdom of the Spirit: God's mind imparted to us.

Check out the notes here!

How would establishing a prayer list help you in your time with the Lord?

Full time in the prayer room

"My sons, do not be negligent now, for the LORD has chosen you to stand before Him, to minister to Him and to be His ministers and burn incense."

-2 Chronicles 29:11

I have desired to go full time in the prayer room for quite some time now. I attend the Orlando House of Prayer which entails full-time intercessory missionaries ministering to the Lord in 24/7 worship and intercession. It is my passion to dwell in the House of the Lord and minister unto His heart. It moves me to move Him and I desire for my children to grow up in a consistent atmosphere of worship and intercession... So, I have been asking the Lord for guidance for a very, very long time. However, something always came up. My desire of course was only fueled by our director, Carlos, always inviting me to come on full time as an intercessor. A few months ago, I made a move out of a particular area of ministry at OHOP to focus solely on the hidden ministry of a wife and a mother. In such time, I felt the Lord nudge me into the prayer room over and over again, promising me that I would one day dwell in the house of the Lord as a full-time intercessor. I spoke about it with my husband, Caleb, and even though he wasn't against it, I could sense he was hesitant. I put a sign before the Lord and told him that when and if it was his will for me to come into the prayer room full time, I needed Him to provide a new desktop or laptop from where I could do my administrative hours without hastle. I waited and waited and nothing happened. With both Caleb being hesitant and my lack of computer, I took those as an evident sign that it was not my time.

Come moving time in January, my Dad shows up my front door with, lo and behold, a desktop! His old desktop to be exact, one that has every program I need to work in any facet of ministry. I knew my time was getting closer! Recently, my husband approached me about getting part-time work. Finances had been rough and he felt that was the safest bet. Though I had zero desire to pursue it, I diligently looked for work. On the night before a job interview (to a position that had already been offered, the interview was just a formality) I prayed for wisdom and guidance from the Lord in the form of a dream. Well, I got it. I won't post the entire dream, however I will tell you the Lord clearly showed me in the dream that if I were to take the position I had interviewed for, my skills, my talents and my passions would always be encaged and tied down to their standards. I was to dwell in the place where wisdom was taught and where He wanted me. I told Caleb the next day, and his eyes got slightly big. Hehe, he totally agreed and gave me his blessing. I discussed it with an amazing friend (who carries the gift of prophecy might I add) and she gave me a super big smile. She then proceeded to pray with me and confirm this very thing with a prophetic word.

"I see you being planted like a tree by the streams of living waters with your roots going deep, deep way deep. "

At this point, after discussing it with Caleb, receiving a dream and a prophetic word, I totally knew it was Jesus. :) My biggest confirmation was that my husband blessed it with zero hesitation. Now, to confront my inadequecies and my fears. I had been a stay at home without much of a schedule. Outside of a daily routine I had few committments and I liked it this way. I burned to be in the house of prayer, but the committment caused me to shy away. While I was listening to one of Mike Bickle's teaching, "Power of a Focused Life" I realized that it was silly and so very selfish of me to not invest my time in the House of Prayer. Commitment or not! So, stepping through that point, I am now so ready. :)

So, what now?

Now, I have created a schedule for my life that keeps me focused (thank you Mike Bickle!) on the things which truly matter, including being a full-time intercessory missionary. I am only waiting because I gave my word to a young woman that I would watch her son during her stay here in Orlando, and I have no desire to back out on my word. My word is good as gold. Depending on how comfortable she feels with me taking her son to and fro OHOP will determine when I turn my sacred trust and I begin on this fantastic journey. I covet your prayers during this time. Thanks!

better late than never... 2010 recap && 2011 goals

So, this post is way overdue, considering it's January 22nd now (ahem) and I still haven't done it. But I want to take some time to re-cap 2010 and welcome in 2011 with a list of goals and pursuits. So, here we go...



2010 Overall Recap:

I spent the bulk of 2010 pregnant. Sigh... Can't say I was a big fan of emotional roller coasters and marital spats. Being pregnant proved stressful not just on me, but on outside relationships as well. Having been pregnant for the first time, I felt like I was in a constant state of chaos and limbo. It. was. miserable. I absolutely loved having life grow within me and receiving continual revelation of the destiny that dwelt within my womb. That part was super cool. And, yet can't say that I loved post-meal nausea, neverending heartburn and tears at the drop of a hat. Nevertheless, I got Aaliya Liberty Arrazolo out of that, and I wouldn't trade my "defender of freedom" for anything in the world.

Summarizing 2010 would basically lead me to describe a year of testing, hardship and insane growth. But it was also a year of restoration in friendships. More than anything, I think the Lord established friendships that weren't existant before with people that, well, let's just say, didn't exactly know me, per se. It has been so exciting to see Christ develop these friendships in my life, and to have new ones that are godly, supportive and carry a similar vision for life.



2010 Highlights:

- Highlight of the Year: Walking into Winnie Palmer Hospital pregnant. Walking out of Winnie Palmer Hospital with a newborn in my arms. By far, the coolest thing ever!



- Hardest decision of the Year: Stepping down from Remnant leadership.



- Scripture for this Year: "For my grace is sufficient for you. My strength is perfected in your weakness." -2Corinthians12:9



- Saddest Moment of the Year: Enduring the hardship of miscarriage with several women I know and deeply care for.



- Funniest Moment of the Year: Her name is Chancia M. Richardson-Cruz! ;)



- Most Impactful Lesson Learned: "Love is longsuffering."



- Hot Date of the Year: Hubbs taking me to Axum Coffee to dream big!



2010 Favorites:

- Movie: "Fireproof" (it was on repeat!)



- Song/Lyric: "It's just a little while till I see You, it's just a little while longer till I know You. It's just a little while longer && we'll be together..."



- Person of the year*: Chance & Rache. Hands down. We laughed, cried (sometimes FROM laughing), endured hardships together, and we spoke truth to one another.



- Church service of the year: When mourning hit OHOP. [date forgotten, sry]



- Vacation: Driving to Georgia five months pregnant for a Girls' Weekend.



So, what's up for 2011? Twenty one days into the year, and it's already a 180 degree turn. :) I have been able to establish myself more so in the role of a wife, a mama and a homemaker. I have made the decision to go full time at the House of Prayer (more on that big decision at a later post) and have been recklessly and relentlessly pursuing the Word, that I may encounter the Living Word. :) So, below are some of my new years' resolutions.



- Commit to singing on a prayer set.



- Wake up daily at 6a.



- Establish family devotion time



- Grow as a homemaker



- Tell my testimony (more, also on this at a later post)



- Read through the entire Bible



- Grow in the prophetic



- Memorize three Scriptures weekly



Ok, there ya have it. 2010 in a nutshell with a hint of what 2011 will look like. :)
Don't forget mamas to check out HistoricHomemaking!







*author's note: "Person of the year" is not intended to be a family member. It is an outside individiual that has been an important member of the author's life. Much like family.