Victory over evil...

My prayer:

I don't hate many things but I really hate Halloween. I hate it for all of the spiritual reasons that I "should" hate it as a child of God. I mean, really, it kind of boils down to a day to celebrate evil. Don't we do enough of that every day? But, I also hate it because every Halloween, throughout my life, I have had a horrible day. Today was no different. 

The only things I am thankful for tonight is that today is over and that I am your child. Huh, when I look at it, those are two pretty good things to be thankful for. Thank you for bringing me through this one God!

What God Said Tonight:

I have you and your brothers and sisters wrapped up in protection. I know today seemed rotten but there were so many things that you were shielded from. 

Today is really a day to celebrate victory over evil. Today is a day to celebrate your survival in one piece, healthy and whole. 

I am with you, always, and no harm will destroy you. You are mine.

How am I doing...

My prayer:

Amazing God, how am I doing? Am I the person you want me to be? Am I doing the things you want me to do? Am I learning the things you want me to learn? What should I change? What should I not change? What do you want for me and from me? 

What God Said Tonight:

Why all the questions tonight my dear? What is that you are missing that you need the validation of your Father? 

You know my thoughts for you. You are perfected through my son. You are beautiful and holy through the blood of my son. I see you through him and in that you could not be more perfect. 

You know that I love you. Every part of you. I love the parts of you that are matured and the parts that are still developing. You know that I love you to the core of who you are as my child. You know that My love will never falter and it will never leave you. 

You know these things. What more is there to know? 

Your path, your life is moving forward. We will take several detours and side paths. It is ok, we have time. The important thing is that we will do it all together. I will never, never, never leave you. Yes, it is true. I will never leave you. I love you too much for that.

Worship...

My prayer:

Amazing God. Life has been pretty intense lately and I have needed you a lot. Tonight, can we just hang out and chat? Instead of trying to figure it all out, I want to just be in your presence and hear your beautiful voice. Would that be ok for tonight? 

What God Said Tonight:

I have a lot to do but I am never too busy for you. I am never too busy to spend time with one of my kids. I love you all so much. Any time together is good. Time spent enjoying each other is the best. 

I love the moments I get to sit in total contentment in the midst of the fragrance of worship. Those are the times of greatest peace here in heaven. When worship floats and fills the air, there is nothing better. 

There is worship in the air tonight, here with you. Their is my Spirit dwelling in it, in you. Your heart and your mind are mine and I will never let go. My Spirit is yours. 

I love you, now and forever. 

Moving with God...

My prayer:

We made it! Thanks for giving me the strength to get through this week God. I could not have done it on my own. 

What God Said Tonight:

There are a lot of moving parts in your life right now. No one piece is on its own. They are all interconnected. 

When one mores forward, another is moving back. One moves to the right and one moves to the left. The intricacy and the pattern of how they come together, that is my work. The trust to know they will all work out, that is your job. 

I do the heavy lifting. You choose where it all should go. 

 I love you. Sweet dreams.

Ride the wave...

My prayer:

Tired, irritated, I am not a lot of fun to be around tonight God. I am just worn out. Life can all be too much sometimes. I want a time out. I want it all to stop for a minute so I can catch my breath. 

But, even in saying that I realize, my life is a lot easier than a lot of other people. My "struggles" and nothing compared to someone without a home or a meal. My life is really easy compared to some. 

But, that doesn't mean that I don't still want/need a break. Can you make it all stop, just for minute, so I can catch my breath?

What God Said Tonight:

Ok, breath in, and out. Your perspective is off. Your offended and hurt. You get angry when you are hurt. However, that cycle of yours is not required. 

How did you see it first? When you first saw life, the challenges. Did you want to hide? Or, did you want to jump in and help. I know you. You are a jump in and help kind of person. I made you that way. 

As much as you think you want it all to stop, if it did, you would be bored within a day. Ride the wave daughter. Don't fight it. Ride the wave and follow the current. I'll bring you out one day soon. But in the meantime, know that this wave is taking you somewhere you never would have gone on your own and I want you there. You can do a lot of good there. 

When you are tired, sleep. When you are weak, lean on me. We are in this together.

God's schedule...

My prayer:

Ok, so what was up with today? Every time I turned around it looked like something really rotten was going to happen, and it did, but then something happened to make it ok. ALL DAY. It was so odd. I am sure you are teaching me something in it all. A string of non-stop coincidences usually mean you are working. 

Is it just to let me know that you can take care of things even after 'all hope is lost'? I so often ask for your help to prevent the bad things in life but maybe you want to make sure I know that you can take care of it even when the worst happens. There is probably a lesson in there about patience too...

I love you. Thanks for taking care of everything today.

What God Said Tonight:

Sometimes, 'late' is actually on time for the greater purpose. 

Like the detour in the car this weekend. I needed you somewhere else. Like the buses and trains today. My schedule is not always the same as yours. And, while I might be late on your schedule, I am always on time for my schedule. 

Remember to get on my schedule and you will be a lot less frustrated. I love you.

Nostalgia...

My prayer:

Awesome God. When I was younger, I had so many dreams. I believed anything was possible. I really thought it was just a matter of time and I was going to do truly amazing, world changing things. 

These days, I don't have so many dreams. These days, I understand that what I want is not always the best. These days, I KNOW anything is possible because I have seen you do the impossible so many times. These days I understand that what I do is much less important than what you do because what you do truly does change the world.

Thank you for letting me be a part of your dreams God.

What God Said Tonight:

The good old days were never that good. Your nostalgia shaded glasses make you remember the joy without the pain and the triumph without the defeat. 

I am not a God of the past. I am a God of now. I am the God of your future. I always was and I always will be, but my focus is on you now and our future. Looking back can be fun, but don't get stuck there. I have too much for you today. 

I love you.

Everlasting life...

My prayer:

Today was quite the mix of good and bad, joy and sadness, health and sickness. I am grateful for the good and trusting you about the bad. 

I am grateful for this life you have given me God. One where I am confident in your love. Knowing you love me and you will always take care of me really takes the pressure off. I can breathe, knowing that you will guide me. I can rest, knowing that you will wake me. 

Thank you for never steering me wrong. You are wonderful.

What God Said Tonight:

Everything is born. Everything dies. Everything waits for its moment to shine. 

My children are different only in that death does not mean their end. I have given you everlasting life. With that, you have eternity to figure this all out. You have forever to get it wrong. 

I never run out of chances for you. As long as you still love me, believe in me, I will stay with you.

Light at the end of the tunnel...

My prayer:

I am pretty wiped out tonight God. Today was a day with more challenges than I had answers for. I feel like, if we were keeping score, today would have read, Life : 10 Marilyn : 2. I guess I should be grateful I scored a couple of points.

Ugh. Let's just forget about the day and focus on you. We have two days of rest and fun ahead of us.

What God Said Tonight:

You will be singing again soon. 

Today's challenges were not really meant for you. You got in the crossfire, that is true but the challenges were not yours. I have a new day and a new outlook waiting for you. I will always be your light at the end of the tunnel. Your hope in the middle of darkness. I will always have something better for you. 

I love you. Rest and see the world, your life , turn for your good overnight.

Celebration in heaven...

My prayer:

Ok, so sometimes you do bless me in the exact way that I hope for! You are awesome God. Thank you for the blessings, the surprises, the answered prayers and your healing. I want to celebrate you God! If I could throw you a party, I would. What can I do to celebrate you? What would be meaningful to you?

What God Said Tonight:

Come join the party in heaven. We are celebrating almost all of the time. We are in worship and praise as  constant state of being. 

Connect a minute with heaven and celebrate. Can you hear the music? Can you feel the rhythm? Can you see the lights? 

Heaven is a place of great celebration. The battle and the war are already won. In heaven we can celebrate the end from the beginning. We can celebrate knowing who wins. 

I have a great attraction to a heart of celebration.

Choose thankfulness...

My prayer:

I am reflecting on your provision for us God. I never cease to be amazed at how you always provide what we need. You don't always provide it in the way we want it or the way we think you are going to, but you always provide. 

I wonder sometimes if you provide in unusual ways to see if we will recognize the blessing when it is wearing different clothes. Like when we are praying for financial provision and we are hoping for a raise and instead, you put it on someone's heart to send us a check (always for just the right amount). 

Are we as grateful for the check as we would have been for the raise? We should be. The outcome is the same. You provide for our need. But I bet, most of the time, we are less thankful when you bring us what we need but not in the way we think we want it. 

That is wrong thinking God. I know I have done it, but it is wrong.

Help me to see all of your blessings. Help me to be grateful for all that you do, no matter how you do it. Give me a truly grateful heart God.

What God Said Tonight:

It is not a grateful heart that you need. It is a grateful life. You ave the heart. You need the practice. 

Thankfulness, like most everything, is a choice. A decision that you get to make, every day, every moment. I have given you free will and this is one way that you get to exercise it. 

Choose thankfulness. Choose to be grateful. I have put it in you. Choose to use it. 

I love you daughter. You are my joy.

The seat of peace...

My prayer:

You were awesome today God. You kept me in perfect peace despite the storm around me. I didn't even have to try. You just kept me there. THANK YOU! 

Any time you want to do that again, I am completely up for it!

Love you!

What God Said Tonight:

I have not yet begun to unravel the complexity of this world and this life for your. Your peace comes from rising above the complications and dwelling with me. 

I have a view and perspective that allows perfect peace. Seeing the big picture, the daily mess becomes much less worrisome. When, you dwell with me, you get that view and perspective too. 

It does not mean that you are not accomplishing things here on earth at the same time. You are. The saying that someone is 'so spiritual they are no earthly good' is a real phenomenon. But, when you dwell with me you get the benefit of the peace while still living the life you were intended for. You will accomplish more from the seat of peace than you ever did from the seat of stress. 

I love you. More for tomorrow.

Spiritual battle...

My prayer:

Today was a slice of heaven God. Thank you for the peace and the break from the craziness of the world. 

There are a lot of things I could ask tonight, a lot of concerns I could share; but you have heard them all and you continue to reassure me that you are in charge and will work all things for our good. So, instead of giving you the laundry list, how about I list all the things I love about you. I have not done that in awhile. I have been complacent.

I love that you are all powerful. I love that you care about each and every one of us, not just those with the big names doing the splashy stuff. I love that you listen every single time I talk to you. I love that you love us so much that you sacrificed your son just so we could be forgiven and know you better. I love that you take such good care of me, making sure I have everything I need when I need it and a whole lot of things that I just want. I love that you never get tired of giving me second chances. I love that you teach me. I love that you talk to me. I love that you let me know when things are coming, changes are coming. I love that you protect me. I love that you give me wisdom to help me to understand this life. I love that you make me a better person and a blessing to other people. I love your presence and who you are. I love your love. 

What God Said Tonight:

Hi my dear. Thank you for that. 

There is a spiritual battle taking place right now and the fighting is intense. The winner is predetermined but the battle is ugly. I will be fighting this battle for a while. 

It is good for you to pray for strength and victory in this battle. The sooner it is over the sooner the suffering will end. 

I love you and I am fighting for you, now and forever.

Heart to help...

My prayer:

What a great day again God, thank you! I am thinking about the message tonight God about how the enemy tries to discourage us from a very young age from our purpose.

I have always wanted to help people and had big dreams of what I would do when I was younger. As I got older and realized that helping people is not as easy as I thought. I began to realize that sometimes I can have the best intentions to help and end up making things worse. 

That discouraged me for a long time but then I started understanding how, when I trust you and invite you into situations, you are able to help people more than I could ever hope to. So now, I still try to help when I can but I leave the heavy lifting in your hands. My job is really to pray and let you have your way. 

So, does that mean the enemy discouraged me from my calling or does that mean that I learned that our real help comes from you? Maybe both? 

Eager to hear your thoughts.

What God Said Tonight:

Satan beat you up pretty good when you were young. There is no doubt about that. However, like I will always do, I turned that for your good. I have made what was meant to hurt you into something that has taken you to the next level of maturity in Christ. 

I am your ever present help. Both for you and for the people in your life. 

Your instinct, your heart to help comes directly from my heart. Your ability to be effective comes from your deeper understanding of who I am and what I can do. 

I love you sweet knees. 

Real worry...

My prayer:

Thank you for a wonderful day Lord. You are so generous. My mind is still racing and worrying a bit but not as much. I seem to be letting worry get the better of me quite a bit these days. That is not usually a problem for me but lately my worry is outweighing my trust. 

I know I shouldn't let it. I know it does not good. I am doing all that I know how to stop it. But, I have not yet succeeded. 

I ask for your help.

What God Said Tonight:

The worries, the struggles and the battles are all very real. This is not a case of your mind playing tricks on you. Your worry is a result of the reality around you. 

However, there is another part of the reality around you. There is the part, the point that I am God. I am in charge of you and and your life because you have asked me to be. I will not let the circumstances, no matter how dangerous, get to you. You are mine and rely on me to get you through. 

My children have always had to live in circumstances that are threatening, because this world is not your home. 

In God's arms...

My prayer:

I am worn out God. This week has gotten the better of me. I am ready for your beautiful and rejuvenating rest. Thank you for always sticking with me and always bringing me through every situation. I love you and could not live this life without you.

What God Said Tonight:

Come, into my arms and rest. I will keep the world and the stress from you, at least for a little while. I will keep you in my peace. I will keep you in my protection. 

The world will still be there later. For now, rest in me and let the worries and stress of the world slide off. I am with you, I love you. You are being made well.

Stars...

My prayer:

Today was long and annoying. Nothing horrible but annoying. I don't want to dwell on it, that will just make it worse and bigger than it was. But, I don't seem to be able to think of anything else except for the long list of annoyances. 

Well, like the old saying says, since I don't have anything good to say, I shouldn't say anything. I can listen though God. Can you tell me something wonderful that erases this day?

What God Said Tonight:

I made the stars. Have you looked at them lately? They are pretty great. I made the mountains and the trees. I made you. 

The world is full of beautiful things that I made just for you, my child. My love for you is evidenced all around when you look in the right places. 

Get your eyes off of the barriers and  the problems for a minute and look instead upon what I have put here, now, for no other reason than to give you a bit of joy. I sprinkled your day with them. Spend some time hunting through your day and I bet you see them. 

I love you and tomorrow's focus will be better.

Violence...

My prayer:

Thank you for your help and peace today God! You are so good to me!

But, tonight, my thoughts are not really about me. Things down here are getting pretty bad. Daily shootings, hit and run car accidents, near constant violence and people treating each other like garbage. Add to it the craziest campaign for presidency of this country that I have ever seen. 

It all seems to be spinning out of control and the only thing I can do is pray and ask for your help. We have made a mess of things God. Please come help clean it up.

What God Said Tonight:

I have not abandoned or left you. I am right here and what have I always told you? You are under my protection. I will not let your life end in violence. 

Blankets...

My prayer:

Awesome Father. More than usual, I need your favor and your wisdom. We are walking into a make or break situation (at least it seems that way) tomorrow at work and I know from experience that with your favor, it will all go smoothly. Without your favor, it will blow up in a disaster. I pray and ask for your favor which you are so generous with. Thank you for your help tomorrow (and always).

I also need your wisdom. There appears to be a choice coming in my life and there seems to be equal but different rationale for choosing each side. Help me to make the right choice. Open the doors you want open for me and shut the doors you want shut. I pray for your will in my life.

Thank you for being my ever present help God.

What God Said Tonight:

Blankets have many different uses. You can cover up with them, sure. But you can also fold them up and use them as a a cushion to kneel on. You can also spread them out and have a picnic on them. You can use them as a towel. You can use them to make a fort out of them. 

Your life, your talents, all that you are can be used in many different ways. No one greater than the other and all useful in their right time. Just because you have found great success and satisfaction in one use of your talents, does not mean that there are not other uses. 

You have been more open to change, to the new things. Stay open. My opportunities for you may not always seem usual but they will always be for your good. 

I love you and I will guide you in all that you do. I will favor you, always. I will love you for eternity.

Evergreens and aspen...

My prayer:

Thank you God for your healing power and all of the people you healed tonight! I love seeing you do your thing! Thank you as well for giving your people such generous hearts. One of my favorite things is to see your children acting like children of God, loving and providing for others. We don't always get it right but once in awhile we do and it is beautiful.

There is one more thing I would like to ask for before the day is done. God, I pray for a heart of thanksgiving in me and in all your children. It is so easy for us to get focused on what we don't have and that next big thing that we often lose sight of the blessings that you have for us right now. I ask for a heightened awareness and appreciation for your right now blessings in our lives. 

Thank you Jesus!

What God Said Tonight:

Evergreens are unusual in that they do not change nearly as much as other trees. They stay green all year. They produce pine cones to reproduce. They are sturdy and stable. But, when you go on your hikes, how often do you look at an evergreen and say, "wow, what a beautiful tree." You don't. But the aspen, trees that change dramatically with each season, you see them and can't get enough of their beauty. You make special holiday trips just to look at them. 

There is something about things that are stable and unchanging that make it more difficult for you to recognize and appreciate them. It is not a right or wrong thing, it just is. 

I never change. I am , always. So, if you are going to appreciate me and the things that I do, you will have to make an effort. It may not come naturally all the time. Just as you walk through the evergreens, hoping to find an aspen grove, you walk through your life with me on the look out for the miracle. The miracles are great and beautiful but the everyday things I do for you, that don't change and are always there, those things are good too. 

Take time to appreciate the evergreens in your life. I love you.

Problems don't last forever...

My prayer:

I am so grateful to be at the tail end of this week God. It was a tough one and I made it only because of your mercy, grace and strength in my life. Thank you for everything. I have had a lot to say all week. I think it is time for me to be quiet and just listen. What is on your mind tonight God?

What God Said Tonight:

The problems in this world are very transient. They seem monumental at times but they are only for a moment, for a season. My joy is everlasting. My peace passes all understanding. My love is forever. 

Problems, pain, these things come but they also go. They are not from me. They are from the enemy and he is not the author of life so everything he creates dies. It is only here for a season. Every thing I create stands and does not change. 

I am yours, now and forever.

Prison...

My prayer:

Thank you for a fun end to a long day God. You always bring me little jewels of joy. Some days, I live for those jewels. 

I am letting stress get to me again. I don't know why it is a problem again but I ask for your help and your peace in me. You are the only one who can help me when I get like this. Even now, I am reliving all of the failures of the day and making myself crazy with it. 

Thank you Father for your help.

What God Said Tonight:

I have come to set you free. I have come for your freedom. I have freed you from sin and the results of it. I have freed you from a world system that is meant to destroy you. And, I have freed you from your own self imposed judgement. 

I have opened the gate on every one of those prisons over you, but you must walk through the gate if you are going to experience life outside of he prison. What good is it to be free if you stay living in the prison? Get up and walk out. Don't stay where you are. Come out and find your new perspective and your new freedom. 

There is a whole world waiting for you out here. 

I love you.

What I know to do...

My prayer:

Thank you for restoration God. Thank you for finding what was lost. It meant so much to me. 

Thank for hearing and responding to my relentless prayers. There was nothing else I could do but pray so I literally prayed without ceasing. I was probably pretty annoying. Thank you for listening anyway. 

You are so very good to me!

What God Said Tonight:

You did what you knew to do. You came to your Father. 

You don't ever need to apologize for coming to me. I love you. I am here for you. My help is freely available to you. I will never hold back my love or my help. I am a good Father who wants to see you blessed. I am a good Father who will see you grow. 

I love you and I am yours, now and forever.

Agreement...

My prayer:

I have found that when I wish for or want things or for certain circumstances, you often bring them to me, but they are almost never as I imagined them. I find much more joy, peace and contentment in resting in your will for my life. The excitement, success and joy that comes from that simple change is remarkable. God, I pray that your will always come before mine. Always.

What God Said Tonight:

I have a will for you but it is often not so different from your will for yourself. What is glorious is when our wills naturally come into agreement. That is when the miracles happen. That is when great things are released. 

I am all about agreement, relationship, love. I do not want to rule over your life as a tyrant. I want to comfort, guide and help you. I want us to know each other so well that our will and desires become the same. 

When you, of your own free will, choose my will, not just because it is my will but because it is your will too, when we come into full agreement...wow! 

I love you. I appreciate your obedience. I covet your agreement.

Heart of a man...

My prayer:

Another night where I find my self happy and content in your presence. Today was relaxing and wonderful. Tonight was awesome to see you touching so many lives. And now, all that is left of the day is to spend some quiet time with you, which is the BEST part of any day.

What God Said Tonight:

You have eyes to see and you are seeing what lies beneath the surface of things. You are seeing that sometimes what is underneath is more beautiful than what is seen out in the open. Other times, it is not. Other times what is behind the obvious is brutal and ugly. 

I look at the heart of a man. I see the intent. I see what is behind each decision and action. I know you through your heart and your intent. I know you to the very depth of you. 

I will show you these truths around  you. With that truth, you can see the pain and minister directly to it. With that understanding you can bypass all of the things people surround themselves with to protect, and move right in to where the healing is needed. 

This knowledge, this sight, comes with great responsibility. It must always be used with the gloves of love on. You must always approach it with love. Anything less can cause great damage. 

I love you. Use the gift well.