“And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.” (Deuteronomy 8:2)

What were the top 10 highlights and low points for you personally in 2008?

In keeping with the annual tradition begun last year, I’m going to share the top ten spiritual stories of 2008 from my perspective. These stories relate primarily to Culpeper, but also Virginia because both are my home.

On December 26, 2008, the Culpeper Star Exponent published a lengthy article titled “Culpeper’s top 10 stories of 2008.” According to that, these were the top ten stories in order of significance:
1) We felt the full effects of the 2008 recession
2) Culpeper opens new high school
3) Center of the political universe
4) It started with Cox’s dismissal
5) Town thrice left in the dark
6) Controversy for Branch, Compton
7) Teen’s death hits entire community
8) Town’s future a matter of politics
9) No shortage of candidates here
10) Terremark – new facility brings jobs

In Culpeper (and Virginia), the top 10 spiritual stories of 2008 were (in chronologic order)
1) Selection of Dr. Rev. Charlene Phillips as President of the Culpeper Ministerial Association (Feb 2008)
2) Virginia-Liberia Alliance established (Apr 2008)
3) Launch of City on a Hill Church by GW Dameron (June 2008)
4) Launch of Transformation Virginia initiative (Aug 2008) – Culpeper’s fire spread because of Jack Stagman
5) Death of Kelsey Orndorff (08-29-08)
6) Eastern View High School opened (school name is very significant biblically)
7) Launch of community-wide Experiencing God initiative (09-07-08) – spearheaded by Rev. Mark Jenkins
8) Churches launch homeless initiative in Culpeper (Nov 2008)
9) Culpeper Community Thanksgiving service (11-25-08) – UNITY
10) Marching Through Culpeper convergences

Of course, these 10 stories represent only a very small fraction of the many great things that God did in Culpeper in 2008. Thank you to all of you (locally, regionally, nationally, and even internationally) who are sowing your prayers, time, treasure, and talent to make Culpeper and Virginia a bright light for the world.

At the statewide level for Virginia, one of the most significant positive spiritual initiatives I am aware of for 2008 was the decision by Bowie Curry to launch a 24/7 house of prayer in the Greater Fredericksburg area starting January 2009.

On the national front, “The epic election that made Barack Obama the first African-American president was the top news story of 2008 – followed closely by the economic meltdown that will test his leadership, according to U.S. editors and news directors voting in The Associated Press’ annual poll.

Internationally, I feel the Beijing Olympics, which began 08-08-08, brought a significant and temporary peace and calm to the world overall for a few weeks during an otherwise very stormy year.

Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, thank You for the favor you showed to Culpeper and Virginia this past year. Thank You that the pastors and churches in our community are coming together more and more in UNITY to address common problems we face. May 2009 be the best year ever spiritually in the history of Culpeper and Virginia. Do an amazing work to make our communities a bright light for the world! In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen and hallelujah!

Link of the Day
Details for the top 10 spiritual stories of 2008 for Culpeper [see below]

Blessings to make the time to reflect back on 2008 and to set godly goals for 2009!

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Details for top 10 spiritual stories of 2008 for Culpeper (in chronologic order)

1) Selection of Dr. Rev. Charlene Phillips as President of the Culpeper Ministerial Association
On Feb 19, 2008, Rev. Randy Orndorff passed the baton to Rev. Charlene Phillips to serve as President of the Culpeper Ministerial Association for two years. This marked the very first time that a female and a black person were elected to the recognized top position of spiritual authority for the Culpeper community. Charlene did a wonderful job leading in the Spirit to bring more UNITY amongst the pastors and marketplace ministers. Thank you Charlene. And thank You Pastor Randy for the wonderful job you did leading our community spiritually for the two years before Charlene took over.

2) Virginia-Liberia Alliance established (Apr 2008)
In my devotional on May 28, 2008 titled “A Day I’ll Never Forget“, I mentioned that “December 18, 2007 was a turning point, not only in my life and Sam Reeves’ life, but also for Culpeper, Virginia, and the nation of Liberia.” As a result of my offering to help Sam Reeves and Rim of Grace Ministries, I had the privilege to
a) Visit meet Ron Davidson and visit the Gleaning For The World headquarters in January 2008
b) Participate in Operation Rescue Liberia Day on Feb 23, 2008
c) Participate in Virginia-Liberia Alliance Day on Saturday April 19 at the Reformation Lutheran Church.
d) Visit the Liberian Embassy in Wash D.C. with a large contingency from Culpeper, including Rev’s Jacob and Charlene Phillips
e) Build a strong friendship with David Bean, who I would nominate as Culpeper’s citizen of the year.

3) Launch of City on a Hill Church by GW Dameron (June 2008)
On April 17, 2008, Pastor GW Dameron contacted me out-of-the-blue to say he was moving with his family from San Diego CA to Culpeper VA in June 2008 to finish a work that had been started to make Culpeper a city set on a hill (for Jesus). In the short while GW has been in Culpeper, he has been responsible for a big upswing in the spiritual climate of our community To learn more, visit my blog titled “City on a Hill Church” (July 21, 2008) -

4) Launch of Transformation Virginia initiative (Aug 2008) – Culpeper’s fire spread because of Jack Stagman
Rick Heeren had told me on numerous occasions for more than a year that he wanted to come back to Culpeper to fan the flames he had started a few years earlier. I kept advising Rick to contact Jack Stagman and go to Northern Virginia first. Finally that happened.

On July 29, we held our first ever Transformation Virginia webinar. The blog (website) for Transformation Virginia was birthed. And Rick came to Northern Virginia, Fredericksburg, and Culpeper on August 17-19,2008. After spending 3 days shuttling Rick around, Jack caught the city transformation bug. In my opinion, Jack is currently playing the most significant role in the spiritual transformation of Virginia. He has already been responsible for lighting fires for prayer evangelism in more than 7 new communities in Virginia.

5) Death of Kelsey Orndorff (08-29-08)
Saturday August 30, 2008 was definitely the saddest day of the year for me when I learned that Pastor Randy Orndorff’s only daughter (Kelsey) died in a serious car accident the evening before on her way to a Chris Sligh concert in Fredericksburg. As President of the Culpeper Ministerial Association for 2 years, Pastor Randy had been offered tremendous support to our Pray Culpeper team. As I was driving to the first memorial service held for Kelsey on the night of Aug 30, the scripture that came to my mind was Psalm 116:15, “Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His saints.”

During the memorial service, I learned from the testimonies of numerous people that Kelsey had manifested an UNCOMMON love for Jesus and for the destitute in this world, especially the homeless. Given that and Pastor Randy’s reputation as one of the most beloved pastors of our community, I knew that somehow, some way God was going to bring something great out of something so tragic. He always does. People at the Culpeper United Methodist Church, pastors in our community, and the community-at-large rallied behind Randy and LeAnne Orndorff. On November, Chris Sligh came to Culpeper High School to lead a concert in memory of Kelsey. About 800 people, mostly teens, showed up. I believe the new homeless ministry that the churches in Culpeper recently embraced is a direct result of Kelsey’s death.

6) Eastern View High School opened
Two years in the making, the much anticipated Eastern View High School finally opened. School spirit ran high from the get-go, as an estimated 5,000 people attended the Cyclones’ inaugural home football game, a friendly scrimmage against CCHS. Behind the electrifying legs of star tailback Stevie Strother, EVHS went on to finish 7-3, playing to large crowds most every Friday night. More importantly, the opening of EVHS provided a big boost in morale to our community. I believe the name of this school is very significant spiritually because Moses’ Tabernacle, Solomon’s temple, and Jewish synagogues all face to the East (i.e. have an eastern view). Mountain View Community Church, a large local church having a tremendous impact on the spiritual climate of Culpeper, is moving its Sunday worship services to EVHS starting January 2009.

7) Launch of community-wide Experiencing God initiative (09-07-08) – spearheaded by Rev. Mark Jenkins
This summer Mark Jenkins caught the Holy Spirit fire of revival and he wasted no time in spreading that to others in our community. Supported by more than 100 LIFE groups, numerous churches and businesses embraced the 7 week “Experiencing God” series prepared by Henry Blackaby. Thank You to Mark for lighting a fire that will not be quenched.

8) Churches launch homeless initiative in Culpeper (Nov 2008)
Jesus said that when we take care of the destitute (i.e. the poor, the hungry, widows, orphans, the sick, those in prison, etc), we are caring for Him. Thanks to the Culpeper Food Closet, the needs for many of the hungry were already being met. Thanks to the leading of Pastors Chad Whaley and Michael Gray, the Culpeper Ministerial Association embrace coming together to care for the urgent need of homeless people in Culpeper just in time as freezing temperatures came in late November. We are trusting God to engage many more churches and volunteers as needed to continue this vital ministry.

9) Culpeper Community Thanksgiving service (11-25-08) – UNITY
In the entire time I have lived in Culpeper, I have never witnessed such UNITY among such a diverse audience as at this year’s Culpeper Community Thanksgiving service. We thank Dr. John W. Kinney for his passionate message about rejoicing always. And we owe a special thanks to Rev. Charlene Phillips for the prayers and relationship building she did to make this possible.

10) Marching Through Culpeper convergences
Virginia Morton never ceases to amaze me with her persistence, ever-growing faith, and positive attitude. The weekly MTC prayer calls on Tuesday afternoons have been my favorite times of corporate prayer. In my June 4 devotional, I stated that “the Marching Through Culpeper movie project is by far the biggest God story I have ever been involved with from a marketing perspective on the web.”

On July 24, Virginia launched her very first email MTC marketing campaign and posted her first blog entry herself. As a result of that, Georgia Willis got reconnected to Virginia and then to me. Because of her love for Jesus and her involvement in key positions of leadership on a variety of higher education boards, I have dubbed Georgia “Virginia’s Princess of Education.” On December 18, Virginia emailed me an amazing list of 2008 convergences for MTC.

But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. (Acts 6:4)

What is the most memorable day you have had in the past year?
What made that so?

Yesterday evening I participated in a commissioning and prayer service for Rev. Sam Reeves at the Culpeper United Methodist Church. Each person there had a chance to publically share with Sam what he has meant to him/her personally. It was clear that Sam has had a huge ripple effect affecting many lives and many communities.

When it was my turn to share, the Holy Spirit prompted me to say, “December 18, 2007 was a turning point, not only in my life and Sam Reeves’ life, but also for Culpeper, Virginia, and the nation of Liberia.” That was the day I met Sam at the monthly Culpeper Ministerial Association meeting. I had just come back from a week long anesthesia conference in Manhattan (NYC) and had 700+ Christmas cards to get out in the next few days, so the last thing I wanted was something new on my plate. But God’s plans always trump our plans.

The only reason I went to that Culpeper Ministerial Association meeting was to honor Pastor Randy Orndorff for his 2 years of wonderful community leadership as President. When I arrived, there was only one seat left and that was next to Sam. I didn’t know who Sam was. Then Pastor Randy introduced David Bean. When David shared his God story of how God audibly told him to “Covenant with him (Sam),” my spiritual radar went up. Then when Sam shared his story and the history of Liberia, I knew God wanted me to help Sam communicate his message via the web.

Amazing things have happened as a result of helping Sam and Rim of Grace Ministries / Operation Rescue Liberia. When Rev. Ron Davidson was hosting the webinar to bless Sam, he appropriately chose the title “Experience the Miracle.” As a result of blessing Sam and Operation Rescue Liberia, I have met and got connected to so many neat people and gone to many new places. My visit to the Liberia Embassy on May 16 was just icing on the cake.

On April 19, 2008, I received what I consider the most significant award of my life, the “2008 Servant’s Heart Award,” a gorgeous plaque from Rim of Grace Ministries / Operation Rescue Liberia “In Recognition of your Commitment, Enthusiasm, and Love for the Work of our Lord Jesus Christ and the People of Liberia.”

This evening (May 29), Sam leaves Virginia to fly back to Liberia. He’s returning back to his homeland after a 15 year stay in the United States. Despite numerous trials, Sam has persisted and remained a man of prayer and ministry of the Word of God. He is an inspiration to those who know him well.

On the home page of the Rim of Grace website we now have an official Proclamation from the mayor of Culpeper, a letter of endorsement from Gov. Tim Kaine, and a video interview of the Honorable Edwin F. Sele, Deputy Ambassador of Liberia. In his interview, the Honorable Sele assures us that Madam President of Liberia will come to Virginia. All this has taken place since just February 2008. God is up to something big – really big. “Experience the Miracle” yourself by getting involved to bless Liberia. Now is the time.

If you have never read the official Proclamation by Mayor Rimeikis or watched the interview of the Honorable Sele, I encourage you to visit today’s Link of the Day to do so. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you Spirit to spirit.

Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, I am truly humbled that You invited me to experience the miracle of blessing Liberia. I didn’t even know what continent that country was on just 6 months ago and now I plan to visit in March 2009 for the crusade that is scheduled. Thank You for crossing my path with Rev. Sam Reeves. He has been such a blessing to me and I’m really going to miss having him in Culpeper. Bless Sam’s trip back to Liberia. Bless his financial and prayer supporters. Open the gates of heaven so wide for Rim of Grace Ministries that there are not enough “barns” to store all the blessings. Thank You Jesus. We love You. Amen and Hallelujah.

Link of the Day
Rim of Grace Ministries – homepage includes major’s Proclamation, Governor’s letter, and Embassy interview

Blessings to experience the miracle of blessing Liberia!

“KNOCK, and it will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7c)

What did Jesus mean when he told his disciples to KNOCK?
What are you supposed to knock on?
What door will be opened?

Today we wrap up this week’s series “ASK, SEEK, KNOCK.” What I’ve discovered in the past week is that when the Holy Spirit prompts me to ASK my heavenly Father a question in the morning, God is quick to answer as I journal. This great habit forces me to slow down, rest, and reflect. There’s a big difference between asking God a question in the flesh verses the Holy Spirit prompting me to ask His question.

As the LORD begins giving instructions, it’s important to act on those promptly. How many times do we miss important opportunities because we hesitate or procrastinate? How many times do other people miss their blessings because we fail to do our part.

As I shared Bill Gates comment above in each of the 4 webinars we hosted this past week, I became more and more driven to be a man of action. God is a god of action. As we pray and take action, God frequently opens the doors for us to be the answers to our own prayers. As Rev. Ron Davidson says, “Be the feet beneath our praying hands.”

This morning while laying in bed listening to my scheduled iTunes playlist for Day #16, I asked the Holy Spirit to reveal His question of the day. Eventually I received this, “What question am I to ask the Ambassador from Liberia today?” After writing that in my journal, the answer soon followed, “What are your dreams?”

This prompted me to take my video camera to the Embassy of the Republic of Liberia in Washington DC. That in turn opened the door for me to do a video interview of the Deputy Ambassador. During that I asked God’s question. This video will be posted on the web early next week. My day was filled with other unexpected highlights from start to finish as I promptly acted upon the leadings of the Holy Spirit.

On May 20-22, I am hosting a new webinar titled “UNCOMMON Journaling for Breakthroughs.” I’ll be sharing my wealth of experiences to help COACH you to journal in UNCOMMON ways to experience breakthroughs in your life. I’ll send you links to register next week, but for now, check these time slots in your calendar (times shown in US Eastern Daylight Time — click for your time zone):

May 20, 2008 7:00pm – 8:00pm
May 21, 2008 1:00pm – 2:00pm
May 22, 2008 7:00am – 8:00am
May 22, 2008 4:00pm – 5:00pm

Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, thank You for the leadings of the Holy Spirit. Bless me to be able to discern what’s coming from You versus my flesh, the world, or the devil. When I discern an instruction is from You, may I be prompt to act on it. Bless me to leave enough room in my daily and weekly schedules to allow You room to move in UNCOMMON ways. Thank You Jesus. Amen.

Link of the Day
John Piper talks about Prayer and it’s impact – GodTube video

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Blessings to KNOCK so God can open the door!

Do you know what it feels like to be hungry?
Have you ever gone 3 days without eating any food?
If it was one of your kids going hungry, what would you do and when?
What role is God asking you to play in stopping hunger NOW?

In my devotionals on January 1 and 2, 2008, I mentioned that 2008 will be a year of convergences. Today’s story is a wonderful example of that. In previous devotionals, I’ve mentioned Virginia Morton, Erick Kalenga, Rize Up, Sam Reeves, Liberia, Ron Davidson, and Gleaning for the World. Recognizing convergence experiences is valuable to get involved in big things God is doing.

Wednesday May 7 at 9:30 AM, Rev. Lee Warren from South Hill, VA will be speaking at the Stop Hunger Now assembly at Culpeper High School. Lee is a United Methodist minister and oversees Stop Hunger Now in Virginia. This program has mushroomed since Lee took it over. There are some good videos posted on YouTube and GodTube. Today’s Link of the Day is one of those.

Lee’s husband went to judge’s school with Roger Morton, Virginia’s husband. God called Lee into pastoral ministry after her kids left home and she commuted to Duke to get her degree. That took energy and determination. According to Virginia, Lee is a very vivacious lady.

This Stop Hunger Now [www.stophungernow.org] assembly is important because Culpeper High School has given Rize Up responsibility for organizing it. Rize Up will challenge the high school students to raise $4,000 which will pack 20,000 meals. The packing will be done at a future date, probably in the Fall.

Frequently Lee actually accompanies the food shipments and helps distribute meals in the schools where hunger is rampant. Some of the meals are going to Liberia, and we’re praying ours will be directed by God to Liberia and Sam Reeves will be there to supervise. It also happens that Lee warehouses her supplies, dry ingredients in Lynchburg and Ron Davidson with Gleaning for the World oversees it.

Each highly nutritional meal costs only 20 cents. 25 people can package 5,000 meals in just 2 hours. That’s enough to feed an orphanage with 32 children for 7 months. Children as young as 5 years old can get involved and help.

The youth of today are having a much greater impact than ever before in shaping the culture of the world. Stop Hunger Now is a great hands-on way for young people to assist with world hunger. One goal of Stop Hunger Now is to target apathy. When Erick Kalenga, the leader of Rize Up, heard about the idea, he loved it and ran with it.

According to its official website, “Stop Hunger Now is a non-profit, international relief organization committed to ending hunger worldwide. Stop Hunger Now leads ongoing efforts to feed the hungry around the world by providing direct emergency food and other life-saving aid in crisis areas. Established in 1998 and headquartered in Raleigh, NC, Stop Hunger Now has provided over $100 million of aid in more than 55 countries.”

Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, thank You for using Virginia Morton, Erick Kalenga, and Rize Up to open the door for Lee Warren to share about Stop Hunger Now at the school assembly on May 7. Bless all those who participate to ignite an epidemic of people following in Jesus’ steps to feed the hungry. Use the web to magnify the impact of Stop Hunger Now 100 fold in 2008. Thank You Jesus. Amen.

Link of the Day
Stop Hunger Now – Operation Sharehouse @ NCSU 2007

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Blessings to play your appropriate role to stop hunger NOW!

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

What does it mean to you to trust in the Lord with all your heart?
In what area of your life is God asking you to let go and let God?

The acts of God are what He does in our lives. For many Christians, the entire focus of their lives is what God can do for them Their faith is motivated totally toward a miracle, provision or a particular need. Like the children of Israel, they know only the acts of God.

Moses knew the acts of God too; but his focus was the ways of God. The Lord wants us to press in beyond just the acts He does for us, as good as they may be We have been given the spirit of God so that we can discover His ways and touch His very heart (1 Corinthians 2:9-16).

On April 17, Pastor Mark Jarvis told me he thinks God is teaching him to trust God on a deeper level. The next day I was on an international phone conference call when Dr. Niel Stegmann from South Africa quoted Proverbs 3:5-6.

Then on Saturday April 19, I was in Reformation Lutheran Church for the very first time to celebrate Virginia-Liberia Alliance Day, an event sponsored by Rim of Grace Ministries. When Pastor Jacob Phillips came in, we began conversing. Something he said prompted me to quote Proverbs 3:5-6. Little did I know that above the doorway over his head was a wood sign that read “Trust in the LORD with all your heart.” A few minutes later, Ed Lyons pointed that out.

The next morning as I was nearing Liberty High School to attend the worship service at Soul Purpose Church, I decided to turn on American Family Radio for 2-3 minutes. The speaker who came on immediately said, “I want to talk today about Proverbs 3:5-6. That was four times in four days that God brought up the issue of trusting in Him. The message wasn’t just for me. It’s for you too.

Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, loving God, thank You for the ways you speak to us through unusual circumstances. Thank You for clearly communicating Your message to trust in You with all my heart and lean not on my own understanding. Help me to comprehend what that means and to apply it in my daily life. Do likewise for my readers. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.

Link of the Day
Ten Day Prayer Guide leading up to the Global Day of Prayer
http://prayculpeper.org/files/gdop/2008/2008-gdop-10-day-prayer-guide-english.pdf

Blessings to trust in the ways of God!

He must always keep this copy of the law with him and read it daily as long as he lives. That way he will learn to fear the LORD his God by obeying all the terms of this law. (Deut. 17:19, NLT)

How committed do you feel you are to achieve your goals?

Yesterday’s devotional mentioned that Dr. Jerry Graham has been my primary coach and mentor over the past year. In September 2007, he and his wife Sharon began their own daily e-prayer devotional. Today’s message is taken directly from Jerry’s Daily Graham sent on March 17.

What is the difference between the person who seems to consistently achieve their goals and the person who seems to consistently fail? Is it intelligence? Could it be talent? Is it their genes? Maybe the one is more blessed, more anointed, more fortunate, or some such intangible outside force?

Actually, it usually is none of those things. The difference is often just a series of simple, easy, “insignificant” actions done day after day after day. Yes, it’s the easy-to-do things that make all the difference in the world. The problem is that those easy-to-do things are also all too easy-not-to-do.

You see, the easy-to-do things done repeatedly begin to add up as the days, weeks, and months go by. They accumulate to make up massive progress toward the goal. Whereas, the repeated procrastination of those same easy-to-do actions simply because they are inconvenient, uncomfortable, or less fun than something else also accumulates over the weeks, months, and years to a giant zero. Successful people do what ever it takes to get the job done, whether or not they feel like it.

One of my favorite books is The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson. In that book he writes: “Why do you walk past the exercise bike? Because it’s easy. If you don’t exercise today, will that kill you? No, of course not. You know what you need to do to stay healthy and feel fit and live a long life. Get your heart rate up, a little over normal, for twenty minutes, three times a week. You know it, I know it, everyone knows it. And it’s easy to do.

“But it’s also easy not to do. And if you don’t do it today, or tomorrow, or the next day, you won’t suddenly drop dead, and you won’t suddenly put on twenty pounds, and you won’t suddenly lose all your muscle tone and flop around like a marionette with his strings cut off. But that simple error in judgment, compounded over time, will take you down and out.”

Bottom line…success at any goal is really pretty simple according to our good buddy Ralph Waldo Emerson…Do the thing! Do the thing today, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, ad infinitum.

Link of the Day
The Slight Edge Philosophy

Prayer Power
Lord, give us the grace to daily do those simple, little, insignificant things that will move us one step closer to that destiny You are calling us to.

Blessings on you as you commit to take that simple little step today…and tomorrow…and tomorrow…etc.

Opportunity
Today I am hosting a free online “UNCOMMON Internet Marketing Seminar” at Noon EDT. Learn more and register.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10)

What can the righteous do to stop the moral decline in America?

Last night I had a bad dream that I was driving through a small town when the police pulled me over and confiscated my iPod for having it in my car. I was so sad since I use that every day to listen to the Bible, worship songs, and inspirational messages.

What is the significance of this dream? It’s a wake up call to you and me. Time is short. Our freedoms in America are rapidly eroding. Tolerance is the buzz word instead of truth. Truth in our culture is relative, not absolute. It’s OK to have idols of all sorts, but Jesus and the cross are inflammatory.

Last Friday during the marriage LIFE group meeting at our home, I was made aware of the Feb 28 California appellate court decision that potentially seriously affects homeschooling across our nation.

While practicing anesthesia from 2003-2006, I was reprimanded by the leadership in two different hospitals for talking about God and praying with patients. At one hospital, I was told it didn’t matter if 99 out of 100 people appreciated what I did, it was the other 1% of people that would get the hospital in trouble. At another hospital, I was told I was not allowed to dictate in my notes that I had prayed with a patient.

Yet, it is for freedom that Christ has set us free. As our culture becomes less Christ-centered, our freedoms disappear. I choose to take a bold and courageous stand for my Savior. My assignment is to be a catalyst to reclaim the Internet for Jesus Christ. As Ted Baehr says, “He who controls the media controls the culture.” I encourage you to refer your friends and your networks to the free “UNCOMMON Internet Marketing Seminar” I am hosting at Noon EDT on Wednesday March 19. See below.

In Culpeper, Pastor Tim Shields taught a whole series about the positive influence of Christianity on culture in the past 2000 years. Betty Miller writes, “Everything good that we have been blessed with in our society here in the U.S.A., comes directly or indirectly, from God’s grace and the Bible’s influence.” While you may think this a bold statement, Betty backs it up in today’s Link of the Day.

Prayer Power
Lord Jesus, You say that if we deny You before men, then You will deny us before Your heavenly Father. Lord, have mercy on our nation. I pray for a new level of boldness of Your children in the marketplace to proclaim Your holy name and Your truth. Guide me and my readers to a new level of prayer and praise. Thank You Jesus. Amen and Hallelujah!

Link of the Day
The Positive Influence of the Bible in America

Blessings to be bold and courageous for Jesus in the marketplace!

but exhort one another DAILY (Hebrews 3:13a)

What would a healthy daily routine look like to you?
Have you written that down?

Yesterday’s webinar (web seminar) with Rev. Ron Davidson was awesome. What he had to share spoke so strongly to my spirit. Several times while Ron was sharing, my eyes flooded with tears. Ron has the heart of Jesus to serve the poor. While the group attending this webinar was quite small, every person was deeply impacted by what Ron had to say based on survey results. Every attendee made a commitment to make a donation to Gleaning for the World to benefit Operation Rescue Liberia.

Ron says, “A vision is not a business plan. In fact most visions if written as a business plan would not make sense. A vision is from God for the purpose of reaching people with Gods love so God’s receives the glory. A vision is not normal and is uncommon.” That message really spoke to me since my growth goal for my current Implementation coaching course is to develop a business plan for my web company.

Last night I went to bed at 10:30 PM and set my PDA alarm for 5:55 AM. Wouldn’t you know it, the Holy Spirit woke me up at 5:54 AM to formally begin my morning quiet time. This was less than one minute before my alarm went off. Mind you, it was dark and I had no clue what time it was.

While lying in bed and listening to my scheduled iTunes playlist for the day, the Holy Spirit gave me an instruction to make a slight but profound change to the wording for the gorgeous poster image on my computer desktop. JJ Phillips, my anointed graphics artist, designed that.

What was this profound yet simple change in wording? “The secret of your future is hidden in your daily routine!” became “The secret of my future is hidden in my daily routine!” While this may seem insignificant to many people, the change was huge because the message became personal and I see it every day when I come to my computer. The Holy Spirit made it crystal clear to me that my simple desktop image and scripture is His business plan for me. To see this gorgeous custom image, visit today’s Link of the Day.

God has given me a huge vision and I won’t fulfill it by planning in detail. The Holy Spirit refuses to be put in a box. He’s much too great for that.

Prayer Power
O Holy Spirit, soul of my soul, I do adore thee. Thank You for enlightening, guiding, strengthening, and consoling me. Open the eyes of my readers today, speaking to them Spirit to spirit, to have them understand and apply today’s message to their own lives. Thank You Jesus, my King and my Redeemer! Amen and Hallelujah!

Link of the Day
Holy Spirit inspired poster image (business plan) for Dr. Randy Peck [see below]

Blessings to be men and women of “every day” like Dr. Jerry Falwell was!

UNCOMMON Opportunity
I am hosting another free webinar titled “UNCOMMON Internet Marketing Seminar” from Noon – 1 PM EDT on Wed March 19. This can be a huge blessing to your own network of friends and supporters. To learn more and register visit https://www.webinars777.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=25&Itemid=43&webinar_id=0000015. Thank you.

Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.
(Psalm 1:1-3)

And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” (John 1:46)

Do you have a continual yearning in your heart to make a difference in the world?
Do you want to be part of a miracle?
What will happen to your faith and the vision in your heart when you become part of a miracle?

You are invited to hear the amazing testimony of Rev. Ron Davidson, an unlikely preacher who had never been out of the United States, yet founded and runs an international Distribution Center. In the past 7 years, Gleaning for the World has given away more than $300 million of supplies to desperate people in 25-30 nations of the world.

Now Rev. Ron Davidson and Gleaning for the World are partnering with Rev. Sam Reeves and Rim of Grace Ministries to make a miracle happen for Liberia. Ron says, “We are going to make a miracle happen. To make a miracle happen is an amazing thing. A miracle is an act of God that no man can create. We invite you to BE PART OF A MIRACLE.” When you help someone else make their vision a reality, God often clarifies the vision He has placed in your heart and moves that forward.

March 12 is a turning point for Liberia, the only nation in the world established by the United States. To learn more and to register for this FREE seminar visit today’s Link of the Day

Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, thank You for lining up the people and circumstances to make the “Experience the Miracle” webinar possible on March 12. Holy Spirit, we ask You to send out Your holy invitation to this uncommon opportunity. Prepare the hearts of all those who will participate to understand and be part of this miracle for Liberia. Use Liberia to set millions of captives free in Africa and around the world. Thank You Jesus. Amen and hallelujah!

Link of the Day
Experience the Miracle – FREE 30 minute online seminar on Wed March 12, 2008 at 1 PM EDT

Blessings to experience the miracle!

“But as it is written: Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9)

Will you help spread this message in the social networks?

Butch Mills has an inspiring story to tell. From the time he was buried in dirt up to his neck until x-rays showed miraculous healing in his lungs, God was beside him. He credits Culpeper’s prayer vigil for him as the divine power which led to his healing. He will share his survival story at 2 p.m. Saturday, February 23, 2008 in the Fellowship Hall of Culpeper United Methodist Church at the Operation Rescue Liberia rally.

For the first time in the history of the United States and Liberia, both flags along with the Virginia flag will be flown in historic Culpeper during this rally.

Operation Rescue Liberia, headed by Rev. Samuel Reeves of Culpeper in partnership with Gleaning for the world, is seeking to raise $30,000 to ship and distribute $1 million dollars in medical and other supplies to war-torn Liberia. Liberia is emerging from fifteen years of civil war which caused 250,000 deaths, the disabling and relocation of a large percentage of the population, and a current unemployment rate of 70%. Liberia native Rev. Reeves was educated in the U.S. He will return to his homeland, the only African nation created by the United States, to distribute the medical supplies through Rim of Grace Ministries, and to work towards improving the economy through job formation.

The rally will begin at 11 a.m. with Christian music led by Dwight Parker and worship leaders from four area churches. Among the speakers beginning at 1 p.m. are:

Rev. Ron Davidson, Founder of Gleaning for the World
Jim Mead whose BTK Shipping Company of Washington D. C. will handle the shipping
Dr. Randy Peck and Virginia Morton of Pray Culpeper
Felicia Chavey of the Red Cross
Lyndon Peabody, a Liberia native and U. S. Marine
A representative from the Liberian Embassy

Madison County resident David Bean and Wallace Powell, a Liberia native residing in Providence, RI will serve as Masters of Ceremonies. For the first time in the history of the United States, the American, Liberian, and Virginia flags will be flown together at this event.

The greater Culpeper Community is invited to attend this rally to gain a better understanding of Virginia’s close historical ties to Liberia. Rev. Reeves says, “We’re seeking the prayers, support, and financial blessings of the community to make this mission of mercy possible.”

Hot dogs, hamburgers, and drinks will be available for purchase. For more information call David Bean at 540-718-2752.

Prayer Power
Most gracious and merciful Father, we thank You for this upcoming convergence rally on Feb 23 in Culpeper. Thank You for bringing together these different people and ministries for this historic day in our historic community. Bless each participant and all those who pray for the rally. May many people in Culpeper choose to adopt Liberia as a nation to bless in a mighty way. Thank You Jesus. Amen.

Link of the Day
Rim of Grace Ministries

Blessings to see Culpeper and Virginia adopt Liberia as nation to bless!