Almost, Nearly...But Not Quite

This has been an exciting week for UNINTIMIDATED. As of tonight, God has brought two more students into the prayer group. The stories of how each of the kids knew this was something God wanted them to do are pretty amazing. God has been so direct in leading them into this and they're so excited to share what God showed them; and they are so amazed at how He made it so clear to them. In their words, "it's so cool how God did that." Yes, it is so very cool how God did that.
     Just a few minutes ago I received a text from one of my girls showing me their Bible verse for the week. It is the passage in Ecclesiastes 5 that deals with making vows and what God expects. She was so excited to show me that verse. I mentioned to her it seemed as if God was speaking to some of the students in her Bible class about joining while reminding others of the commitment they made back in March. She said this verse has reminded her all week to pray. She then sent another message that made my heart rejoice...she's excited about tomorrow...the day UNINTIMIDATED meets to pray together. Teens excited about getting together and praying, yes, God, very cool indeed.
    Then there are two teen boys in my homeroom who, well, I think kind of missed the boat by a few inches. I shared with them on Tuesday about God sending someone to Tebow to pray with him. This apparently motivated two of my students to begin a prayer campaign of their own, a good thing, right? So that morning during devotions, one of them requested that he and his friend get to meet someone. The boy is sometimes difficult to understand, so I thought he meant Tebow. As we bowed our heads to pray, I heard one of his classmates comment on the fact that the 'someone' was his favorite rock band. The next day, the boy again requests prayer, but this time it's an unspoken. I told him I was not going to pray that God allows him to meet someone who isn't saved and lives a life contrary to God, he said okay. Today, he once again requests prayer for an unspoken request. I asked him if it was rock star I was praying for him to meet and he assured me it wasn't. One of his classmates said no, it's now Arnold Schwarzenegger. Really?! I'm not sure how to take that. On the one hand, the boy believes God can do it and is praying for it to be done. He took Matthew 18:19 literally and got his friend to pray with him...that's two agreeing in prayer, but he's praying for things that don't really honor God. I find it humorous, but realize I may need to do a better job explaining why Tebow and how it all came about and what God taught me about that verse. But still, a student taking God at His Word and beginning a prayer campaign all on his own...that we can work with and hopefully direct down a right path.
      So yes, it has been an exciting week of seeing God work in the life of my teen-agers. It's exciting to see that most of them are heading in the right direction and a few are almost, nearly there, but not quite...yet. 

A Few of My Favorite Things

I have truly enjoyed chronicling this amazing journey...GREAT idea, Stephanie. I love to go back, especially to the earlier ones and remind myself of all God has done in this prayer. I also like to remind myself of the lessons learned along the way in hopes that for some at least, I don't have to re-learn them. I love sharing the things God has shown. I love how much my prayer life as evolved as a result of this. I love being able to see the pretty amazing ways God has come through on many of my prayers.
     The blogs I most love re-reading, and writing, are the ones the tell of the utterly amazing things God does in and through this prayer...and I would have to say, this blog ranks up there with some of my favorite moments. Recently, I have begun to pray that each day God creates a specific circumstance in which He burdens Tebow with a desire to meet my kids. I have asked for things like God giving him an unexpected amount of free time during the day and in that time, He work on Tebow's heart over this request. I have asked that in the quiet times during his day, the times he is all alone, that God heavily burden his heart to pray over this. I've never asked God for a sign or indication in any way as confirmation, so I have to trust that God is doing this. Last night, as I was praying, I wasn't sure what to ask God allow to happen to draw Tebow's attention to this request. So, I asked God what to ask for. He then put it in my heart to ask that someone come to Tebow and tell him that they wanted to pray with him, that they felt there was something God wanted Tebow to do. At first, I thought, okay God, is this real? I then asked God if He would be gracious enough to put an article on MSN if and only if this particular prayer was answered today. It then occurred to me that by the time I get up, Tebow is half way through his day (he's five time zones ahead of me, I'm not that lazy :]) and God may have already answered it. So I promised God I wouldn't check my MSN page until 6:45, right before I leave for work. So, promptly at 6:45 I get onto MSN. Now, I do have to admit, I was a little fearful; afraid, maybe an article wouldn't be there. I comforted myself with the idea that God didn't have to answer right then, He could answer at any time during the day.
     I am so glad God is SO gracious and merciful to me because, first thing this morning, as I slowly scrolled down all the headlines, under the sports section, there it was...my Tebow article! Now of course, Satan jumped in with, "it's virtually the same article as yesterday, basically all they did was add a video", and I almost bought it. Then I realized, God would have caused it to be taken down if He hadn't already brought that person to pray with Tebow. As a matter of fact, when I got to school and checked again, the article was gone. Isn't God absolutely amazing?! If ever I needed proof that God hears prayer and will answer even very specific ones, this is it.
    So first, Stephanie heard via several texts, then my homeroom heard and my Algebra II class heard as well and now you too have heard what an amazing and powerful and caring and gracious God we serve. Can't say thank You or praise You enough so as you lift up this prayer, add your praise and thanks to this, because God is working in some pretty direct and spectacular ways.

He Gave Them A Heart

In my devotions I have been reading through Ezra. Many times the Bible mentions that God gave the Persian kings a heart to let the Israelites return from captivity and begin rebuilding the Temple. It also mentions on several occasions that He gave them a heart to provide gold, silver, bronze, oil, wine, etc...for the Israelites as they returned home and began rebuilding the Temple.
     One request I make often of God concerning Tebow is that God lay a heavy burden on his heart to meet my students and that He put a desire in Tebow's heart to answer our request once he is aware of it. I ask God to let meeting Tebow be at no expense to the kids, even if they get to travel to meet him (because, yes, I do pray they get to go to New York to meet him). As I read once again this morning of God putting it in the kings' hearts to allow the captives to return and rebuild, and not only returning and rebuilding, but also giving provisions for it, I realized God can and will not only move in Tebow's heart to meet my kids, but also will provide a way for that to happen at no expense to the kids. After all, these kings were not God's own children and they fulfilled His plan, how much more can God do through one that belongs to Him?
     This request and all that has come about from it has definitely been God's plan. God will always make a way for His plans to be fulfilled. Burdening Tebow's heart and giving him a desire to fulfill the request is something God can and will do. I don't have to be concerned about that, God will give Tebow a heart to meet my kids and a heart to make it happen in whatever way God is planning.



    

"Put Me In Coach"

We've all heard stories of the little guy who wants to play in a game and begs his coach to put him in, assuring his coach that he can play. And often, the story ends with a reluctant coach finally putting that little guy in in the final minutes and winning a game because of it.
    God has been working on me over a situation for many days and tonight I was reminded of those types of stories as I read through II Chronicles 24. The king had commanded the Levites to go throughout the nation and collect money and gifts for repairs on the Temple. The Levites were slow to act because they really didn't think the people would give. They underestimated what the people could do and how willing they would be to do something for God.
     God has been working on me for the past several days about opening UNINTIMIDATED up to our entire high school. I've been hesitant because I don't want them to enter into this lightly. I want them to understand the commitment they are making in becoming a prayer warrior and praying for a chance to meet Tebow. Honestly, I've avoided it too, because I don't see any of them wanting to commit. But that would be me making that decision for them, just as the Levites made the decision for the Israelites. I have no idea who, if any of them, would want to join, but none of them will if I don't give them the chance. I am avoiding this because I don't think they'll join, I am underestimating what they want to do for God.
     When the Levites did finally go and make the collections they were surprised at the amount of gifts and money the people gave. The Bible says the collection boxes overflowed with money and gifts, that there was surplus money to do even more than planned for. I feel this is God telling me to go ahead and open it up and let His power overflow this request. Perhaps more than I think will take up the challenge of becoming a prayer warrior and experience all that we have in their own walks with God. And as God also pointed out that the Levites slowness in acting was the same thing as disobedience, I guess I'll bring this up in my high school classes tomorrow.
     Sometimes, the story of that little guy ends with the coach not putting him in. That coach will never know what kind of difference the little guy could have made because he never gave him a chance. I don't want to be in that position, of not knowing what could have been, of missing out on meeting Tebow because I didn't offer the chance to someone to join in . I will offer them that chance and leave their hearts and their responses up to God and hopefully, I will be as surprised at who joins as the Levites were at the amounts given..

In The Meantime

For me at least, in a prayer journey this big and this long, it is easy to get tunnel vision. By that I mean, I have become obsessed with this prayer again. It consumes my prayer time. This may not seem like a problem to you, but God pointed out to me tonight that it actually is.
     I pray often for God to show me the things He wants me to do so that He can answer this. I also ask Him if there are things I am doing that don't fit His plan to show me those as well. Tonight He pointed out that I am becoming so focused on this prayer that I am neglecting real prayer for the other people and situations in my life. While Tim Tebow certainly needs prayer, he's not the only person I know who needs continuous prayer support. He also reminded me that He expects me to be faithful to all the other things He commanded me to do. I need to be faithful to my Sunday School class, to remember that as a Christian school teacher, I am making an impact for eternity, that my time set aside for soul-winning is fulfilled each week. In other words, I need to keep serving Him while I am waiting for an answer from Him.
     My sister has a basset hound named Molly. Molly occasionally gets very fixated on the kitchen floor. She will sit in the kitchen and with one paw relentlessly dig at the linoleum. She'll then switch paws and do the same thing until someone calls her name or taps her on the head. She gets very focused on what she's doing and forgets what's going on around her. Tonight, God had to tap me on the head and remind me that I have another prayer list and it's being neglected. He also reminded me with that tap that yes, keep praying for an answer, but in the meantime, be sure to keep serving Him as well.

Just When I Need Him

I know I've said this in many posts, and have written many posts about it, but it's always true...God is amazing and good and gracious and caring and...
     Monday I was having difficulty praying. I didn't know what to pray or even how to pray, it was very frustrating. I finally asked God to just show Himself somehow, some way in this prayer and left it at that. The next morning I took my homeroom to drop off their shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child. As I climbed into the van, one of my girls very excitedly told me she had a story to tell me on the way. A few weeks ago, I mentioned in a blog that two of my current sophomores were praying over whether or not God would have them join us. This was one of those girls. She told me she had specifically been praying over the weekend for God to show her what He would have her do. I don't remember the verse she mentioned, but God made it very clear to her through that verse He wanted her to become a part of this. She then asked God for confirmation just so she could be sure and God gave her what she asked for and needed. So we have one more person joining us in UNINTIMIDATED as well as praying that my original seven sophomores get to meet Tebow. God definitely showed Himself to still be in this prayer...He brought one more into the fight.
    THEN, last night I asked God what it was I needed to be specifically praying over for Tebow. My prayers were beginning to feel repetitious and unproductive. Today there was an article on MSN about him. It was a rather sad article as several of his teammates ripped into him over being a bad quarterback. Tebow was rather amazing in his response. He mentioned it hurt but he could only control his actions, his attitude and his work ethics not anyone else's.
     It is amazing to me how fast God answered my prayer. Tebow and the Jets organization need a lot of prayer right now and God knew that. God is indeed amazing and good and gracious and caring and...just at the right time, just at the time I need Him.

There Is No Trial and Error with God

This morning I was reading through the last chapters of I Chronicles. In these chapters are all the vast details of David's preparations for Solomon to build the Temple. By the time Solomon took the throne, everything had been gathered, provided for, jobs appointed and plans detailed for how to build the Temple, Solomon just had to do it.
      A great and privileged task had been given to Solomon by God, and through David, God made it possible for Solomon to accomplish it. Solomon didn't have to sit around and speculate on how the job was going to get done. He didn't have to try out different methods of construction. He didn't have to spend mindless hours looking at fabric patterns, colors and textures trying to figure out designs for the Temple. He didn't have to spend endless hours perusing magazines and articles trying to find the right structures and designs for the alter, brazen sea and all their parts. He didn't have to consult with contractors on where to break ground and how best to build the support and frame for the Temple. God had provided it all for Him.
     God will not call us to any task that He doesn't already have the plans for and details already worked out. By the time God is burdening our hearts for a task, He knows exactly what He wants and how He wants it done. He doesn't call us to a task and tell us "Well, I'm not sure exactly how this'll work out, we'll just feel it out as we go." No, God knows where's He's headed. He doesn't take the detours, we do.  God doesn't always reveal to us as clearly as He did to Solomon how He intends to accomplish the task, it would be nice if He did, but often He doesn't. More often it's like Abraham. God says go and we just have to start walking, trusting He'll point us in the right direction.
     I look at the journey God has taken me on since January. I still don't see how God will fulfill this plan, I just know that nothing has been by accident. It's comforting, though, to be reminded that while we may not see how God is going to answer our request, He does. We can take heart that God already has all the details planned out and has provided all the things we need to accomplish this or any task He has called us to
    

For Such A Time As This?

Numerous times in this journey I have asked God what it is He wants to accomplish, why did He ask me to to take this on. Some days, curiosity overwhelms me and I am dieing to know. Other days, it outright annoys and frustrates me that He hasn't revealed it. Other days, when I am struggling to to keep believing, it makes me want to quit. There are many things I have seen happen along the way. I personally, have grown a lot during this and I have seen my kids take some rather big steps in faith, prayer and learning to trust God's timing as well as His promises. Perhaps these all were reasons God said to ask, I don't really know. Perhaps there is one person who will come to know Him as Saviour and this is the only way that will happen, again, I don't know. Or perhaps, God is looking to start a revolution with our teens.
     On Wednesday nights, our youth director has been showing a mini-movie put out by Eric Capaci's ministry. The main character wants to be a revolutionary for God. He wants to start a Christian revolution in his church and home town, do something big for God, make an impact for eternity. Our youth director has followed the movie up with a series challenging the teens to become revolutionaries themselves. To allow God to use them in big ways and not be intimidated by the fact they are teens. Hmmmm....sounds awfully familiar....sounds like something I pray so often for these kids. "God, show them how big you are. Show them you can do something huge through them if they'll just let you. Let them change our school and their youth groups. Show them and others how powerful prayer can be." These are exact words I have prayed hundreds of times in this prayer, and now their Bible teacher and youth director is saying the same thing. Coincidence or the Holy Spirit? I say Holy Spirit.
     I don't know that this is THE reason God challenged me way back in January. I do know, however, He knew back in January that, in October, their Bible teacher, and for a few, their youth director was going to show this movie, that he was going to challenge them to do something big, make an impact for eternity. Perhaps God was just paving the way, giving them a cause to invest in so that when they were challenged, they were ready and willing to step up and become revolutionaries for God. Perhaps God's challenge back then was for such a time as this.