Another Then Sings My Soul - Little is Much

Okay, I know that I have already posted one for this week, but I just had to post this one also. This is an oldie but goodie that I came across when I led in a conference back in January with a dear lady named Debbie Cannada that serves as a Southern Baptist Missionary in Charleston, WV. She sang this song at the end of her testimony everyday that we led the conference. It STILL rings in my head!!! What a powerful message.... Little is much when God is in it. Labor not for wealth or fame. There's a crown and you can win it if you go in Jesus' name.

Will you go in Jesus' name?

Blessings my friends.

Then Sings My Soul Saturdays - I Wish You Were Here

The song that I chose for this week is one that struck an emotional nerve with me the very first time that I heard it. It was one of those moments that just engulfs and overwhelms you. I have been thinking about heaven quite a bit lately and of all the wonderful things that are in store for us. When I think of the ones that I have loved that are there now, I imagine them saying this very same thing. I wish you were here.....

I Will Be Still

As I was thinking on what to post for this week's song, I was reminded of several comments that I have received lately about this particular song. The name of it is Still. Last year when I went into the studio with By Design to lay this track down I didn't know what a profound impact it would have on so many people's lives. We serve such an amazing God. He has allowed this song to touch people in the midst of whatever storms they are going through in their lives - lost loved ones, business frustrations, family struggles. The list goes on and on. I pray that He will continue to comfort through this song. I know that it has given me hope and strength on my darkest days. I pray that it can for you also. Here are the lyrics of the song:

Hide me now under Your wings

Cover me with Your mighty hands

When the oceans rise and thunders roar

I will soar with You above the storm

Father, You are king over the flood

I will be still and know You are God

Find rest me soul in Christ alone

Know His power in quietness and trust

When the oceans rise and thunders roar

I will soar with you above the storm

Father, You are king over the flood

I will be still and know You are God

If you would like to hear the whole song, you can go to several different sites. CDBaby.com or iTunes are two of them. Once on the site, look for the CD By Design Where Hope Remains.

Blessings!!!

Then Sings My Soul!!!!

My friend, Amy, over at Signs Miracles and Wonders is sponsoring a wonderful new meme!!! Why didn't I think of it?! Anyway, she has opened up the door for bloggers to submit their posts about a song or more than one that has meant something special to them. It is called "Then Sings My Soul Saturdays". Go here to find out more about it. It sounds like it is going to be absolutely GREAT!!!

So, with that great introduction............. here is my song of the week. It is sooooo spiritual!!! LOL! But, I promise that I can bring it back around to be a God thing. It is Hannah Montana's "Make Some Noise". Yes, I do crank HM up in the car when the kids are at school. Anyway, I was driving in the car the other day listening to that song just rocking out. God interrupted and said, "Excuse me..... I have been trying to tell you that very thing myself. Make noise for Me, DeAnna!!! Speak your mind and tell the world I AM has sent you on a mission." It was one of the AH HAH moments. So, if you are feeling like nothing you do matters to anyone, go crank up Hannah Montana's song, "Make Some Noise and go make some noise for Jesus. Oh yeah... I went there. Hee! Hee!

Believing God

Okay, girls, now I have known for years that Beth Moore is one of the very best Bible teachers for women out there today, but I have put off diving head first into one of her studies for many different reasons (excuses). I don't like to start something if I know that I probably won't be able to finish it; so, I have put it off and put it off and put if off. Well, due to several circumstances in my life as of late, I decided that it was TIME no matter what constraints were in my life right now.

I went to the local Christian bookstore and bought two studies. The lady behind the counter looked at both of them, looked back at me and promptly asked, "are you going to be doing both of these at once?" The puzzled look said it all for me. I quickly replied that I was having a hard time trying to decide which one to start first. I mean, I'm not superwoman.

God placed it on my heart to start working on "Believing God". Oh my heavens!!!!!! I am only in the second week, but God is already transforming my thinking about things in my everyday life. I find myself referring back to the daily work time and time again. God is GOOD, girls! God is GOOD!! Basically, what He is teaching me right now is this..... I don't have what I could have (speaking not necessarily about material things) right now because my faith has not consistently been that active faith. You know the kind the Bible described the disciples as having. The kind that can move the mountains. But, He is also telling me to consistently tell him that I believe Him again and again and again. Confess when I have doubts about that belief, and ask for strength to get through to the other side. Can I just tell you that I have been in my shower these past few weeks (that's when my best praying comes) crying before the Lord affirming that I do BELIEVE HIM even though I don't know how He is going to work out the circumstances. I do BELIEVE HIM just because He is God. I do BELIEVE HIM because He is able to do what He says He can do. And, those have been some of the sweetest times. It never ceases to amaze me of the magnitude and depth of His love and compassion. His patience is long suffering. His mercy is beyond my human comprehension.

Beth gave us a Statement of Faith that the Lord gave her in preparation for this study. This is what it says:

• God is who He says that He is
• God is able to do what He says He can do
• I am who God says that I am
• I can do all things through Christ
• God's word is alive and active in my life

There certainly is power in the spoken word. When the enemy comes against you on a daily basis, and you know that he does, hold up your outstretched hand, say "you have no authority here" and quote this Statement of Faith. It is our Shield. Then he has no answer but to flee.

Is That Really Me?!

Is that me? Or maybe it should better be titled - you sound completely different to other people than you do when you listen to yourself. What a morning!!! Have you ever listened to yourself on the radio or TV or even taped yourself with a small recorder? Let's just say that others get to experience a whole different listening pleasure than we think!! What a hoot!!

I've told you before that I have had some awesome opportunities given to me by God through my ministry with By Design. This morning was another one of those times. We had the wonderful opportunity to have a live radio interview with a local station,WIMO AM1300, out of Winder, GA. The radio staff was very gracious to all of us. The Lord blessed the time this morning both for the station staff and us. Now, generally speaking, I have no trouble getting up in front of a group of children to teach or singing in front of a crowd of strangers - if not in close proximity or if I am separated by a great distance and a stage, but anything else is usually a little unnerving. Even though no one listening in to the station could see me, can I just tell you - I was nervous. The more I tried not to sound "southern" with my accent, the more pronounced it was. I guess a career in radio is out of the question!!

This whole thought process of sounding much different than what my interpretation of me is has got me thinking this morning. Is the "me" that I think I am really who others around me see? Or, more importantly than that, do I accurately portray the "me" that God sees? My honest answer would have to be, "no, not always." Sometimes I get so caught up in the everyday "stuff" of my life that it is like I have blinders on and they are caked over with the mud and grime of traveling down the road of daily living. Sometimes I am so busy trying to be mom and be wife and be business owner and be worship leader and whatever else is on my plate that particular day that I forget to just "be". God wants me to just "be" and let Him handle the stuff that is thrown at me ninety miles an hour. If I could just learn the lesson of not just believing in Him but believing Him, WOW, my life would change dramatically! Do you get the difference in those two statements? One is just a passive "yea, I believe that chair is big enough to hold me if I sit down in it" and the other is active present participle belief - my rear is IN the chair, and I am actively sitting in it. The first one is just lip service; the second one is active body movement. The difference is HUGE!!!! God is teaching me so much about this very thing right now! I am seeing Him work in some really neat ways that can only be explained by "it's a God thing". Now, I don't claim to have one ounce of perfection in me (though some closest to me may laugh at that statement); so, it is a constant battle of the mind for me not to get discouraged and have my doubts some days. I go back to the lip service because I think that it might be safer that day than putting my foot on the line and crossing it. But, even my most chickeny days I know that I serve a mighty God! He has promised that if I have the faith (that active belief) - He will move the mountains. He doesn't call me to use my muscles to move those heavy objects in my life. What He does call me to do is use my life lines - my Bible and my prayer time with Him.

This post took a completely different turn than where I originally thought I would take it today, but that's okay. God was writing it as fast as my fingers could type. So, my challenge for you today is this - are you going to just give God lip service with passive belief in Him? Or, will you be active in your belief?

Blessings!

A Call to Prayer

As many of you know, ministry is very much a part of my life. Through By Design, God has opened up some really neat doors for me to walk through. He has given me opportunities that I probably would not have had if not for my ministry with By Design. Each one of us in the group has felt a special calling about hands-on ministry work - not just standing from a distance, but getting our hands and feet dirty in the process. God has blessed us with some incredible working relationships that allow just that. One of them is with StreetWise Ministries.

Earlier this year, Pat and Terry Powell of StreetWise put out a cry for help to many of their contacts asking for sponsorship for a Women's Retreat that they are hosting for some of the ladies that are actively involved with the weekly Bible Study. By Design answered the call and has sponsored five ladies to be able to go on the retreat. I wanted to post a little bit about each of these ladies so that many more prayers could be lifted up for them. Please pray for each one of these ladies by name. Pray that God would touch them in such a way this weekend that they will know Him like they never have before. Each one of them faces huge obstacles on a daily basis many of which I would not wish on my worst enemies. Pray for God's anointing of the conference leaders. Pray that Satan has no authority over anyone or anything there at the conference. Pray a hedge of protection and safety for everyone involved.

Here are the names of the ladies and a little background for each of them.

• Helena Marshall - young mother and prostitute. She has made a commitment to get "clean". She is new to the Bible Study.
• Sandra Dye - Dying of AIDS. She is a Christian and has been committed to the Bible Study for some time. Her son was shot and killed last year. She is very sad and lonely right now.
• Sharon Montgomery - new to the Bible Study. She is probably not saved, but we don't know for sure, yet.
• Jessica Clemmons - mother of 6 kids. She is new to the Bible Study. Her mother brought her. She wasn't able to find childcare to come on the retreat, but her mom committed to stay behind and keep her children so that she could come.
• Keianda Holmes - not sure about her. She could possibly be trouble for the weekend.