iShineInMinistry

Job 6:8 (NIV)

“Oh, that I might have my request, that God would grant what I hope for,

Do you ever have those moments where you know exactly what you’d like to be doing, but you just do not know how or where to begin? Are you bursting with ideas, hopes and plans without a “starting block” to begin at? Many of us find ourselves in these moments quite often…maybe even daily if you have a project-oriented job/ministry. Our creativity and joy to make things amazing for God’s glory seems to be at a loss; what is a girl to do?

Currently, I have been making Pinterest boards, lists and mini-game plans to get my new life adventure sorted out. I have a general timeline of how I think I should get things in motion…it’s obviously dependent upon God’s ultimate timeline, but I at least have an idea of where He is leading.

What things do you do to get your thoughts in order? Do you set aside a day to pray and fast? Do you make lists and check them twice? Do you have an accountability partner that reminds you to stay the course that you feel God has placed you on? You (and I) need to make some kind of effort to keep our lives and this journey moving according to the vision God has given us for this season of our charmed life with God.

This week as we continue “Pray May” take time to pray through the dreams and ideas that you have and what God’s actual plan for your life. You may have to surrender a few things and tell God that He can take them away if it’s not His will…are you ready for that? If not, make sure to pray for a yielded, obedient heart and a steadfast spirit that truly trusts that God’s plan is better than ours.

Psalm 16:8 (NIV)

I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

It’s a wonderful Wednesday at each of the iSparkle sites and I can hardly contain myself! It’s May and last year iSparkle featured prayer as our main focus with “Pray May”. Since it’s already May 11th, I want to continue the prayers (pray without ceasing obviously), but also add some #TheCharmedLife fabulousness into the mix. So, this month will be prayers of thankfulness for the many ways God gives us an amazingly blessed life.

I know some of us may not be feeling so fantastic right now in this particular season, but this is the best time to change your perspective and get your eyes back on the Lord. He has so many good things in store for each of us if we just keep running this race with endurance and keep our eyes on Him.

Please take a moment to think of five things that you are thankful for and begin to praise the Lord for them as you live #TheCharmedLife in “Pray May.”

Have a blessed week…hearts and hugs!

- Jacquelynn Marie

Praise the Lord!

Psalm 150 (NKJV)

Praise the LORD!

Praise God in His sanctuary;

Praise Him in His mighty firmament!

Praise Him for His mighty acts;

Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!

Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet;

Praise Him with the lute and harp!

Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;

Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!

Praise Him with loud cymbals;

Praise Him with clashing cymbals!

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.

Praise the LORD!

Ecclesiastes 3:1

To everything thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

I am in my third week of no longer working in the beauty industry…awaiting what God is telling me to do next. It seems I always think I will stay in a place forever; then God decides that the season is coming to an end and it’s time for me to make a move again. Apparently, comfort is not ever going to be a place that I get to stay in for any amount of time. Each moment I feel like this may be a rhythm that I have found, the Lord decides to shake me up and relocate me again! This time, I literally have no idea what will take place next…I have a few “no’s” that that He has given me with regard to job opportunities and two scriptures to cling to that have continued to pop up over the course of the last two years!

Ephesians 2:10 (NKJV)

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NET)

For I know what I have planned for you,’ says the LORD. ‘I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope.

With each passing day that I cling to the Lord and wait for an answer of some sort, I am comforted by His word and faithfulness as I stay in this interim season. I know that He is giving me the peace that I need to make it through this time without having a fit (or any indication of a steady job in the near future). I also know that He placed me where I was for a specific reason and purpose; however that reason seems to have been fulfilled and the time is now to move on after seed-planting. I know we would love to see the fruit of the things God gives us to do; but we know that He is faithful in everything He calls us to, even if we don’t get to see the outcome firsthand. This is a truth I can hold onto with joy as I walk into the next thing.

As I sit, pray, wait and write…I get to watch the two scriptures that He has given me unfold right before my very eyes. I will make sure to keep you all updated on where this leads. I also intend to write an anthology of short stories to share the interesting antics that took place in my life over the last 12 months. Please stay tuned and keep me in prayer!

Hearts and hugs,

Jacquelynn Marie

Joshua 1:9 (NKJV)

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Is the Lord calling you to do something new? Are you hesitating because the path is unknown?

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NKJV)

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

I feel like we as the body of Christ need to really get ourselves more disciplined and devoted to prayer. Our prayer lives should be amazing because we get to talk and listen to the Creator of the universe; yet it appears that this is one of the areas of worship where many of us lack. I would like to challenge each of us to make sure to spend at least one hour in prayer for the next 15 days. It does not have to be one hour all at the same time…you can do two times a day for 30 minutes, four times a day for 15 minutes or some other variation. Whatever the case, make sure that it as at least 60 minutes by day’s end of you seeking God’s face.

If you need some inspiration on what to pray for, please take a look at the listing below and go from there!

- Your Family

- Unity in the Body of Christ

- Revival in Your Community

- Unsaved Family Members, Friends and Coworkers

- People in Our Country and Other Countries that Need Help and Hope

- A Heart Devoted to Prayer

- Opportunities to Share Jesus with People that Need Truth, Faith and Hope

I will start us off today with a short prayer, but make sure to keep it going over the next two weeks! Happy praying! Lord Jesus, we thank You for the grace, mercy and love that You continue to show us. We thank You for Your unfailing love, Your faithfulness and Your good and perfect gifts that You continually give to each of us. Please forgive us for not praying more and for not trusting You with our lives in such a way that we continually run to You, our Heavenly Father. Forgive us for not trusting You, for not showing You the reverence, love and respect that You deserve. Forgive us for abusing the gift of grace that You so freely give to us at all times. We know that You ultimately have our best interests at heart in everything that You do, as You lead us, guide us, direct us, chasten us and give us opportunities to trust in Your word and Your love. Please remind us of the precious promises that are given to us in Your word and help us to believe that You are who You say You are…help our unbelief Lord!

I pray that You will revive this city, that Your Holy Spirit would do a work in the hearts of the people that reside here. I pray for healing to take place, for captives to be set free and for those who are hopeless to hope in You. I pray for wisdom for our lives as we walk through our day to day tasks and I ask that You will guide us and remind us that You have a purpose and plans for us; plans to give us a future filled with hope if we would just give You the chance to be part of our lives. I pray that we will have hearts of sincerity when we ask You to take over and that we will truly surrender, fully trust and obey as You lead us to the places where You call us to go.

Draw us near to You Lord, fill us with faith, let us glean from Your word and seek You always. We love You, Lord and ask all of these things in the blessed name of Jesus – thank You for saving us, Amen!

Romans 12:12 (NKJV)

rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;

Please remember to faithfully pray over the next 15 days!

Zechariah 1:3(HCSB)

So tell the people: This is what the LORD of Hosts says: Return to Me” – this is the declaration of the LORD of Hosts – “and I will return to you, says that LORD of Hosts.

Is there a certain someone missing from your small group? Is there a lady that has not made it to a fellowship event, outreach or retreat in years and you are just wondering, “What ever happened to _______?” (fill in the blank as needed). Maybe, just maybe, God may be placing her on your heart right now because she needs to come back to what she knows is true. Maybe she switched churches, moved or attends some other study you don’t lead. Or maybe, she has drifted from the truth that used to set her free. God knows and maybe this an opportunity He has to use you in a new and exciting way.

We have to remember that while ministry is amazing in group settings, we sometimes need to make sure to check up on that one. God wants all of His sheep to continue to feed on His word and truth. We all know about the story of the 99 and the one sheep. Let’s make sure to be the hands and feet of Jesus as we serve so that we can do His will, reach out to those that need some encouragement and bless the heart of our loving Savior.

Matthew 18:12-14 (NKJV)

“What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

Pray this week about who the Lord may have you reach out to…then make sure to follow through!!