When I Kept Silent

“When I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long.  For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was turned into the drought of summer.  I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden.  I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and You forgave the iniquity of my sin…You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. “ 

Psalm 32: 3-5, 7

Dear Lord, many are silent, living in a secret prison on shame.  Father, I pray for those who are harboring the hidden sin of abortion to have the courage to step into the light of Your saving grace.  Father, I pray they would trust You to cover their sin, preserve their life, and surround them with songs of deliverance.  Lord, the silence needs to be broken.  The truth needs to be declared so others can also step out into the light and be released from the shackles of darkness and for life to prevail.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Too many are silent.  If every voice was set free to speak the truth about the sin of abortion, there would be a great outcry that would do tremendous damage to the kingdom of darkness.

 

All day long the Lord has been prompting me to write this post.  All day long I have been busy with other obligations and duties.  At the end of the day, I lain in bed with the Lord’s hand heavy upon me and I knew I had to write about speaking out and being a voice for the voiceless.

 

Lifenews.com reports that 85% of women who have had an abortion, reported negative mental health issues.  (And I’d say that is low!)  This report contrasts drastically with Prochoice.org which states that negative effects from an abortion are a myth.

 

We are in a spiritual battle and the enemy doesn’t want the truth to be known.   Silence only fuels the fires of the enemy’s lies. 

For years I kept silent.  No more.  My heart breaks for those who believe that there are no adverse effects from abortion.  I pray our voices of truth would resonate loudly in every ear destroying the deceits of darkness and flooding the lines with light. 

Hold On

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us. “  Ephesians 3:20

Dear Heavenly Father, we ask for You to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or think in the ministry of Deeper Still.  We ask for you to provide above all we can ask or think.  We ask for You to pour out Your Spirit in ways above what we could ask or think.  We ask for You to reveal Yourself in ways that are beyond what we could ask or think.  To You  be all the glory and honor!  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

On Sunday morning of the last retreat, we sat overlooking the mountains of East Tennessee.  A fifteen foot cross draped with red, white, and purple billows stood in the forefront, shadowing the awe-striking view.  A team member was passing out communion to the Deeper Still retreat participants.

   

 I could only see the back of him, the male participant who had come from Indiana.  This participant came as a result of a series of events that had taken place at the Illinois retreat,  where a man had received Christ (at an all female retreat—long story!) Now, this man’s friend was at the retreat in Tennessee and he too had received Christ during the weekend.

 

The team member passing out communion came to this man from Indiana and asked, “Is this your first communion?”  I saw the man nod , “yes”. 

Immediately, tears.  Tears turned into sobs as I reflected on how God went after the “one” from Indiana and brought him to Tennessee to hear the gospel and experience salvation in Christ Jesus.  All of it starting from a man going to the Illinois retreat, who wasn’t intended to be there, hearing the gospel and also coming into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.  AMAZING!

    

The man from Indiana came to the retreat despondent and hopeless.  He left filled with hope and with a renewed life within. 

All of this was just too much for me.  Jesus had overwhelmed me and all the Deeper Still team members once again.  As I sat sobbing, I told the Lord over and over again that He was just too much.  There is just no end to His faithfulness and life transforming power!  And to think He let us even have a slight part in it all—again amazing.

 

The Lord answered me as I poured out my praise…He said with a smile( I could tell He was smiling),

“Hold on, you haven’t seen anything yet!”

Our God amazes me.  I don’t know all He has in store for Deeper Still or for the ones He loves, but I do know one thing…It will be exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or think!   

Willows by the Watercourse

“I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring; They will spring up among the grass like willows by the watercourses.”  Isaiah 44:3-4

Father, we ask for you to pour Your waters onto those who are thirsty and flood the dry ground of those with abortion wounded hearts.  Father, as You know, the Deeper Still Ministry is needed beyond our borders, in other states and nations.  Father, we ask for You to pour out Your Spirit on the chapters that are emerging and bless the offspring from Deeper Still.  Father, we pray for the chapters to spring up like willows by the watercourses, fully nourished and fruitful.  In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

New chapters of Deeper Still are in the birthing process and many more haven’t been conceived yet.  God knows when and where these chapters will spring up.  As these new chapters are being planted, they will need to be nurtured and watered with the Spirit of the Living God. 

In verse 3 above, God says He will pour water on Him who is thirsty and floods on the dry ground.  Water and floods are often used in Scripture to depict abundant blessings and are also used to denote the influence of the Holy Spirit (Bible Hub-Barnes Commentary). 

God is saying that He will pour out His Holy Spirit on those who are thirsty and bless them abundantly! Amen!

 

In verse 4, the He says, “They will spring up among the grass like willows by the watercourses.”

Willow trees in our western culture symbolize grief, such as in the weeping willow.  However, in the places where the willow originated (China), it symbolizes vitality and growth.  This symbolism comes from its ability to reproduce easily from cut branches. 

Interestingly enough, I found 5 more facts about willow trees that I thought mirrored perfectly the heart of Deeper Still as it is beginning new chapters. 

       1.  Willow trees not only sprout easily, they are fast growers. 

       2.   Willows have medicinal properties that alleviate pain and bring healing.

3     3.  Willows are used to build.

       4.  Willows need to have the proper soil and need an abundance of water (Holy Spirit).

       5.   Willows help prevent erosion. 

As Deeper Still grows and becomes all God has for it to be, may the new chapters grow in vitality, may the pain of the past be shed as hearts are healed, may the ruins of many desolations be rebuilt and restored, may the roots be ever in the right soil and watered abundantly, and may Deeper Still help prevent the erosion of our culture, our nation, and the world.  Amen!