PrayDate Thursday

During our regularly scheduled PrayDate!! Meeting we had a most wonderful, amazing, Spirit-filled time.....we want to share a glimpse of what went on with all of you out in BloggyLand...we started out by watching a worship DVD of the Integrity Praise Team from the Women of Faith Conferences...and ended our first half with Sandi Patty singing "How Great Thou Art" with a down syndrome young woman named....Lisa Smith...signing the words....now we will continue to try to secure permissions to get the exact performance on this blog entry....but until then...enjoy this version...

Click here: http://www.Godtube.com/SandiPatty

After this song....we took a small break....and then began the second half of the meeting with prayer requests and the praying....now when we say this....some may not be able to understand what we mean...the Spirit showed up and did the praying through us....kinda like an out of body experience....(but without the spaceships and aliens involved)...we still to this day have to tell each other what we prayed because it wasn't us....well, it was us standing in the front of those gathered and saying the words....but the words were the Lord's.....His Spirit to our spirits....and then our of our mouths....now that was a PrayDate!! we are sure not to forget....anytime soon!!!

After listening to the worship song....begin praying...for whatever is laid on your heart....believe it, the experience with be amazing.!!!....even better than space travel if you ask us!!!

Healthy as a leaping calf

So yesterday, Sunday...one of us from the ministry headed with husband in tow...to the local County Fair...to consume a humongous homemade apple dumpling with cinnamon sauce and ice cream on top...we, of course in the interest of gas prices...did some looking around...at the plethora of crafts for sale...the cute but stinky baby animals (PU!!)...a large assortment of farm equipment...and participated in a few "meet and greets" with local politicians...but basically this trip is all about the dumpling...So we get our bowl of Deliciousity and head to the grand stands to find out what all the "dirt was flying" about...literally...the dirt was flying...we sit on a bench in the front row and find out that cowboys twirling lassos while riding on horses are beginning to compete for a calf roping blue ribbon contest...right there.....I am very nervous...I can hardly eat my dumpling...they herd into a large pen about 25 variously hide colored...and very cute....(but stinky...I am sure)...calves to the far end of the arena...then the cowboys on horses load themselves into these large metal stalls with ropes in hand...then they take one of the very cute calves and load them into a small metal stall from a door in the back...the poor thing is just squashed into this space.....everybody stands back...the official starts the clock running and releases the stall door on the front of the calf's pen and the cowboy and horse pen...the calf so glad to be released from those tight quarters......jumps out of that pen and leaps for joy........until the cowboy comes with the rope...I will spare you the rest of the details...lets just say...the dumpling wasn't easy to eat (I was having to swallow it through the sorrowing lump in my throat for the cute little stinky calf) ) as I had remembered from years past...but those other years I ate it and didn't watch the rodeo...Then the Lord reminded me of something...so sitting in the stands...I got out my Bible and read...Malachi 4:2...For you who revere and worshipfully fear My name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in His wings and His beams, and you shall go forth and gambol like calves (released) from the stall and leap for joy...then I thought....well, there wasn't any calf roping in Bible writing days...so what are we talking about here Lord??? I found the answer from a farm wife, named Judi, who lives in Northwest Oregon...she writes about the Malachi verse..."I LOVE this imagery. I wish everyone could see what for me is a common sight; baby calves released from a nursery stall into open space for the first time in their lives, discovering the real purpose of legs is for dancing...will run and jump and leap for hours, simply because they can. Their uninhibited, unrestrained delight is so pure... I could watch them for hours."
So if you are sorrowing over the need of a release from some tight quarters of your own...physical, emotional, mental, spiritual or situational...Jesus...the Sun of Righteousness...has risen...literally...with all the "healing" available for whatever your need is...just lasso this to your delight filled heart:
I will worship...respect...rejoice in...Jesus Christ!!!.....all together now...(even if you can only partcicpate in your heart because of physical limitations)...in purity... uninhibited and unrestrained...Leap for Joy...because of what Christ has done!!!..I'll eat a dumpling to that!!

TheCall...1998.....2008

One of the early "Calls" that we made to St. Francis Hospital in Blue Island, Illinois in 1998 was to a lovely women from our practice who always donned the latest leopard attire when she came to the office...Little did we know that from these early beginnings would expand to teaching "CallTeams!!" to reach the medical patient for Jesus Christ....after our 10 years of experience in "the field"...
This second picture is of a "Call" in 2008 to Rush Pres St.Lukes in Chicago, Illinois to another lovely and dear woman to us from the practice....oh how things have changed over the years....like hair color, hair styles, glasses and hospital security....but a few things have stayed the same....our love for the LORD...sharing that love with medical patients...and our love for Leopard...which is actually our trademark ministry attire....Thanks Mrs. Kunz...when we get to Heaven we are convinced we can "spot" your mansion....pretty sure it's decorated with your trademark theme....

Teaching of 08-07-08

The first Thursday of August here we were at the Park Forest Library teaching chapter #10 from our study book: Overcoming Difficulties...a light-hearted look at Joshua by Marilyn Meberg...when we came to this verse to look up and ponder...Zephaniah 3:17...The Lord God is with you...He is mighty to save...He will take great delight in you...He will quiet you with his love...He will rejoice over you with singing!!! We asked the group to think for a few minutes what their favorite love song of all times was...you know that song that when you hear the music start...even before the words begin...you get this "feeling" somewhere between your heart and your stomach...(not that feeling like from a Taco Bell Supreme Burrito, either)...Then we asked them to picture this image...The Lord of Heaven and Earth...King of Kings and Lord of Lords...holding them in His arms...like a Mother holds her newborn baby and sings a tender lullaby over them...a song that makes the child feel secure...comforted...LOVED...that is exactly what that verse is describing...to you and me...at that point in the teaching...Char shared her favorite love song of all times...which is...I Will Always Love You...by Whitney Houston...but because of time she did not actually play the song for them to hear...fast forward to the late evening of 08-07-08...Char in checking her email realized that there was one from a lady who had attended the study earlier in the day...who sent this link not realizing what a gift she gave......

www.youtube.com/ChristiantheLion

If you ever think that the Lord does not do what He says he does in his Word or that He doesn't care...think again....HE LOVES YOU...HE LOVES YOU...HE LOVES YOU....now imagine this scene...The Lord with you in His arms...what love song is playing??? Let us know...we would love to post 'em...!!!

Lois' love song: www.youtube.com/Powerofyourlove

Younger Son of Patsy

In 2003 while attending the GREAT ADVENTURE tour of Women of Faith Pre-Conference held at Christ Universal Temple in Chicago...we left our seats early to be the first in line for a photo-op with Patsy Clairmont...we just had to have a pix with that teeny tiny cracked pot...as we approached her book table...we beheld a young man with the face of Pasty...it turned out to be her younger of two sons...Jason...we exchanged conversation over the selling of books until Patsy arrived...The first picture was taken of us with Patsy by Jason...at the time he had a young son named Justin and a lovely wife, Danya.....Over the years we have always looked up our friend Jason at all the Women of Faith conferences that we attend every year...The second picture is us with Jason in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 2004...we had a leopard theme going on that year and we were pleased that Jason got the memo and opted for a black shirt to coordinate...The third picture is us with Jason in Indy in 2008...since meeting Jason years ago...he has moved up in the WOF company and now is the King of all the booktables...has added to his family with another son named Noah...and he and his wife own a Christian Bookstore in Brighton, Michigan...called His Bible and Book House ...if you are ever in the neighborhood of their bookstore...drop on in and tell them the Chicago Nurses sent you...


Click for Info: His Bible and Book House/Brighton, MI

Indy Chinese

A great big shout out and THANKS to Beth of P.F.Chang's in Indy who after a long day at the Saturday WOF Conference blessed the Chicago Nurses with some free lettuce wraps to make our day...and just so everyone knows lettuce wraps are the best but made even better by FREE...thanks for letting us hang out for some good food and a little TLC at your restaurant...do the shoes fit????
You are our second favorite hostess...as Karissa, Char's daughter relatively speaking has to get top billing as hostess of Olive Garden...in Merrillville...only she hasn't give us a free appetizer come to think of it....so maybe you are first in line........Hugs out to your son, Hayden Nathaniel...you have a very nice Mommy...

Love Me Never Leave Me

Is the title of the newest book by Marilyn Meberg for the 2008 WOF Conference...in this book she shares hilarious tales of real life experiences and heartrending losses from a live well lived...weaving God's Word through every experience to provide hope and encouragement to all who listen...she told a crack up till you cry story about her infestation with hungry yard bunnies...and how she rid herself late one night of this problem with human hair...not to worry though...the tribe of bunnies only relocated down the block to Luci's backyard...HAIRCUT ANYONE???

Books By Marilyn:
Love Me Never Leave Me
God at Your Wits End
Free Inside and Out
The Decision of a Lifetime
Since You Asked
Choosing the Amusing
I'd Rather Be Laughing
The Zippered Heart
The Best Devotions of Marilyn Meberg
Study Series:
Overcoming Mistakes...a light hearted look at Jonah
Overcoming Difficulties...a light hearted look at Joshua

The VonPatty Family Singers at WOF

Luci Swindoll, Sandi Patty, her parents and entire blended family sang...The Lord Bless You and Keep You...to close out the Women of Faith Infinite Grace 2008 Conference...and what a closing it was...

If you are not familiar with this benediction in song click the link below...read the music and words...sing along...AND bless someone today when you part their company...you might just make their day...

Click here:www.youtube.com/TheLordBlessYou

Sandi's Website: www.sandipatty.com

The Lord Bless You and Keep You

Luci Swindoll's Infinite Grace message was based on blessing people when you leave their company with the words from Numbers 6:24-26...The Lord bless you and keep you...the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you...the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace...OR leaving them with no words, bland words, or harsh words...the choice is ours...Luci told a story of how she was in a very long line one day at her bank...in came a lady with two small children who got into the back of the very long line...the man at the very front of the line waved this lady to his spot and he took her spot at the end of the line...now that's grace...the kind of grace Jesus offered at the cross...Saving Grace...when He took our place, our punishment, our debt and exchanged it with a place for us to be seated with Him in the Heavenly places...Jesus...what a Savior!!!

Prayer Request for Luci: her knee's

...Stink at Prayer...then read her book

"I've always shied away from this topic as I really stink at prayer," says Sheila. (Can you relate?) But, she's come to realize that, "every sound we utter, every thank you we say, every tear we cry in God's presence is prayer."

Sheila's Infinite Grace presentation which was taken from her newest book...Get off your knees & PRAY...a woman's guide to life-changing prayer...was just so prayer inspiring...but, then again as we blogged earlier... hers was one of the books that made our top 5 list of books on Prayer that definitely needed to be in one's library...

And Sheila's duet with Sandi Patty of the song from Wicked "For Good" just knocked our socks off...well...it would have knocked our socks off if we would have had socks on!!!

Sheila's Website: www.sheilawalsh.com

.......The Case of the Missing Mind.......

Was it the boss? Could it have been her teenage daughter? A woman goes "undercover" to identify the suspects who might have taken her mind...that was the the plot for one of the hysterical dramas we enjoyed by Nicole Johnson from her 2008 MotherLODE DVD...as we all looked for clues in this "case"...we questioned who might have stolen our own minds...like when walking into a room and forgetting why you are there??? Or the times we ask...has anyone seen my glasses???...when the "culprit specs" are perched on top of our own heads...
duuun...dun.dun.dun.......duuun...dun.dun.dun.dunnnnn...

Nicole's website: www.freshbrewedlife.com

I Second That Emotion

That was the Women of Faith 2008 Pre-Conference featuring Jan Silvious and her book: Smart Girls Think Twice, Patsy Clairmont and her book: I Second That Emotion, and Anita Renfroe and her music DVD entitled: It's Probably Just My Thyroid...this was a day of laughter therapy and solid biblical teaching on understanding your emotions...and what a day that was...we laughed...we cried...THEN WE LAUGHED SOME MORE and we walked away loving every minute of it...here was one of our favorite moments:

When it comes to your emotions, which of the following animals best describes you and why?

*an angry lion
*a hissing snake
*a barking dog
*a tiny kitten
*a playful otter

No matter which animal we are we can chose to not hide our emotions but expose them to the taming of God's grace.

Jan's Website: www.jansilvious.com

Patsy's Website: www.patsyclairmont.com

Anita's Website: www.anitarenfroe.com