Lysa TerKeurst _{Leading Women in the Adventure of Faith}

The prayers we pray for our kids never die.  They linger.  They walk with our kids throughout their life.  Isn’t that a comforting thought?

And there’s no more powerful way to pray for our kids than praying through the Word of God on their behalf.  That’s what I’m talking about with Mark Batterson in today’s video.

What a fun week it’s been hearing from Pastor and author of The Circle Maker, Mark Batterson.  He is not only a dear friend to my family but also one of the most passionate people I know on the subject of prayer.

Every time I have the privilege to spend a little time with Mark, I walk away inspired and equipped to have a more vibrant prayer life.  That’s why I’ve been so excited to share these interviews with you.  Today is the third and final conversation with Mark.

If you missed day 1, click here.

Day 2, click here.

And if you are viewing this from your email, click here to pop over to my actual site where you can view today’s video.

Lastly, we’re wrapping up this week with a tremendous giveaway. Not only will  your comment today enter you to win one of Mark’s books, but I’m also giving away a couple of sets of the Circle Maker small group curriculum. All winners will be announced Monday.

So, leave a comment about something you are praying for your child, or a verse from the Bible you’ve chosen to weave into their life through your prayers.  Throughout the weekend, Mark and I will be reading your comments and praying with you!

All I can say about today’s interview with Mark Batterson is, wow.  I’m challenged.  I wonder if I could be so bold in my faith.

Watch the video.  If you are seeing this blog entry via an email, you may have to click here to pop over to my actual blog site.

After watching this short video, leave a comment about a bold prayer you are committing to pray today.  Mark and I will be praying for you.

And I have more signed copies of Mark’s book, “The Circle Maker,” to give to three commenters today.  The Circle Maker is available from Amazon here, or wherever books are sold.

Oh God that I can stop praying so safe!

Disillusionment.  Have you ever felt it?  Have you ever lived it?  You carry a significant request to God and beg Him to do something.  And He does.

But it wasn’t what you asked Him to do.

Or maybe God seems silent.  And you don’t know what to do next.

On the one hand you try to be all spiritual and sing the Garth Brooke’s song, “Thank God for unanswered prayers.”  But something deep within feels disappointed.  And afraid.  And a little off.

Maybe a lot off.  With God.

What do you do with that?

My friend, Mark Batterson, knows what this feels like.  He’s the pastor of a hugely influential church on Capitol Hill, National Community Church.  But this wasn’t the first church he started.

Before coming to Capitol Hill, Mark started a church in Chicago… that failed.

How did he press through the disillusionment?  How did he get past the fear?

He didn’t just pray about his situation.  He prayed through it.

But, why don’t I let Mark explain this concept to you.  And after you watch this interview with Mark, leave your prayer request below and both Mark and I will be praying for you today.

Also, you’ll be entered to win one of 3 signed books I’m giving away written by Mark on this topic.  His book is called, “The Circle Maker.”  It’s one of my favorite books of this New Year! You can find The Circle Maker on Amazon here ,  or wherever books are sold.

I’m guest posting over at InCourage today and would love to have you visit me there by clicking here.  But first, let’s tear down something impossible today…

I distinctly remember the day my Dad brought home a typewriter.  His office had gotten these new machines called ‘computers.’  Something within me stirred and went wild at the thought of possessing a typewriter.

I loved the way it could strike and letter up a page of nothing and make it something.

Maybe, I could one day write a book?  The thought came and delighted me until I placed my hands on the keyboard.  And the only words that came to me were all the reasons I couldn’t possibly write a book.

The dream was silenced.

The same thing happened to me when the high school choir director announced we’d be doing a musical.  I got so excited.  I could see myself playing the lead role. Until I heard my friend practicing with bold assurance and booming accuracy.  Suddenly every note I sang felt painfully hollow.

The dream was silenced.

And then in my mid twenties I dared to tell a friend of mine I thought I might want to speak at the women’s event we were planning.  Originally, I was just going to help plan the event.  But the stirring to speak wouldn’t leave me.  So, I gave voice to my crazy thought.

She just tilted her head and said, “No.  I feel certain you aren’t supposed to speak.”

The dream was silenced.

Has this ever happened to you?  Voices within remind us of all the reasons we’re incapable.  Voices around us all seem more confident.  And the voices of the naysayers are just flat out rude.

Oh how impossibility loves to scream into gaps of silenced dreams.

But here’s the thing about impossible- there is some part of what we’re attempting that isn’t impossible.  All impossibilities have a weak spot.  And that’s the exact place where we must attack.

A book might seem impossible.  But that’s not where writers should start anyhow. There’s an article that could be written.  Or in today’s world a tweet that could be crafted.  Or a blog posted.

Write there.  In the weak spot of impossibility.

Maybe it’s your marriage that seems impossible.  Go against the grain of your hurt feelings and silent brush-offs.  Think on just one thing you do love about that man of yours today.  Send him a text about how much you appreciate that one thing.  Praise him for that one thing. Tell someone else about that one thing you noticed today.

Start there. In the weak spot of impossibility.

I don’t know what impossibility you might be facing today.

But remember- all impossibilities have a weak spot.  It’s there.  Ask God to show you where it is.  Ask God for just enough strength to attack there. Tear it down one good decision at a time.

And soon you will see, inside every impossible is the word “possible”… if only we dare to see it.

Have you ever had one of those amazing thoughts of something you want to do?  Your heart beat wildly for a few minutes or even a few days and you thought to yourself, “I’m going to do this!”

But then the reasons you can’t start coming. They suit up, start marching and aim their weapons of discouragement right at your heart.  So, in the end the amazing thought becomes a fleeting thought.

And you think to yourself, “Yeah, it was a dumb idea.”  Then as quickly as the stir of passion started, it fades.

Too many of us live in the depressing grey shades of a thousand faded passions that might have been.

Because we’re afraid.

We’d rather stay safe and under the radar – then go big and possibly flop big.

But every now and then someone rare comes along.  They would rather die than say, “I wish I would have…”  Instead, they grit their teeth, lift their raw souls to God, and scream above all the naysayers, “I will!  By God I will!”

That’s my pastor.

Never have I seen someone so willing to FEARLESSLY make known the mystery of the gospel than this 31 year old preacher man, named Pastor Steven Furtick.  He walks, talks, eats, sleeps, and breathes Ephesians 6:19, “Pray that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel.”

So, my Pastor had a crazy thought fly into his brain last summer to do an old school revival for 12 nights at the beginning of 2012.  One where it wouldn’t be about a church and a preacher but one that would be about THE CHURCH with many preachers.  One that would be all about getting the hope of Jesus to the masses.

It was a good idea.  But it was a crazy idea. What about the expense?  What if it burned the staff out?  Would people really show up for all 12 nights?  So many questions begging the idea to just fade away.

But Pastor Steven didn’t let it fade.  He didn’t let it die.  He ignited it.  Not because he didn’t feel the pull of fear- but rather because he pressed into God and chose to be unafraid.

This crazy thought turned into an amazing reality-  Code Orange Revival.  Twelve straight nights.  Twelve amazing messages.  Twelve passionate preachers.  One awe-inspiring purpose- to fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel.

My husband and I have had the privilege to attend much of this revival live and in person.  And though I’m a woman of many words, I can’t possibly begin to describe what God is doing.

There is an igniting of souls happening extending all across the globe.  People are coming to know Jesus.  People are getting baptized. People are finding hope again.

And people are seeing what can happen when one person dares to say, “I’m going to say yes to God’s wild invitation.  I’m going to do this!”

And then does.

So, I thought maybe you’d want to see it for yourself.  Click here.

“Mrs. TerKeurst, your dog ran away to our house…AGAIN.”

“Mrs. TerKeurst, I think I might have just seen your dog running down the street.”

“Mrs. TerKeurst, this is one of your neighbors just letting you know we’re about to drop off your dog we saw running around our neighborhood.”

“Mrs. TerKeurst, this is the animal clinic, I believe we have your dog.”

“Mrs. TerKeurst, do you own two dogs?”

Y’all, I own three dogs.  But my two outside dogs are sometimes delinquent dogs- Champ and Chelsea.  I love them.  They love me.  But they love running away more.

I can’t tell you the number of sleepless nights I’ve had fretting over my dogs.  Several times we’ve enlisted our friends to pray for Champ and Chelsea.  But this sort of backfired on us once.   One of our friends knew Champ had gone missing and miraculously found him in a yard miles from our home.

He was amazed Champ had run so far.  He pulled into the driveway, coaxed Champ into his car, and called me with breathless excitement to announce he’d found my beloved dog.

But 5 minutes before my friend got to my house, Champ came home.  When my friend pulled into my driveway carrying a Champ look alike, we both about fell over.  My friend had just kidnapped someone else’s dog- right from their front yard!

Oh my glory be.

It was time to do something.

I used to think invisible fences were very cruel.  I just couldn’t stand the thought of my dog getting a shock.  So, I looked into getting a regular fence.  But we live on 12 acres of land and installing a regular fence was simply out of the question.

So, an invisible fence it would have to be.  After all, a shock to keep them inside the safe boundary is a lot better than what might happen outside the boundary.

Boundaries aren’t cruel barriers meant to keep my dogs from freedom.  They are protective restrictions meant to define where safe freedom can be found.

And my dogs aren’t the only ones who need to remember this lesson.  I need to remember this.  And apply it to the protective restrictions God has for me.

Why?  Because there’s usually some sort of boundary my wild heart tries to push against.

Have you ever found yourself rationalizing some situation in your life where you know you aren’t doing what God said we should do?

Does God really want us to love our enemy?  Is it really important to not let the sun go down on my anger?  Do I really need to pray and read my Bible everyday?  Oh, grumbling isn’t so bad… I mean everyone finds something to complain about.

I push against the boundary.  Sometimes I even break through it.  But what’s waiting on the other side isn’t freedom.

Oh Lord, let my wild heart always remember…

Your instructions, your boundaries, aren’t cruel barriers to keep me from freedom.  They are protective restrictions meant to define where safe freedom can be found.

And Lord, if you can teach this same lesson to my dogs, my neighbors and I would be ever so grateful.