New Beginnings: Our Family House of Prayer - small but mighty

I must take a deep breath and dive in.  It's fall already, and time to embrace the new school year, to again dig deep into my heart, my mind, (and, yes, my wallet, too) and bring forth creative ideas and stimulating curriculum for my girls.  But the one thing that inspires me most: starting again our family house of prayer.  This year we are down to just three of us - me and my two youngest.  The rest are now in various other locations at 8:30 am.  But we three dive into worship, encountering Christ, and praying for others.

My next to youngest daughter shared this encounter yesterday:  "Jesus led me into a garden, and he showed me weeds and old dead plants that needed to be taken out.  We pulled up all the weeds and old stuff.  Then we got the garden ready and planted new, beautiful plants in my garden."

We hadn't talked about this analogy before.  Jesus chose to personally show her the renewal he planned for her "garden" - her heart.  And he chose to reveal this to her just days before she is to be baptized!  No coincidence of course.  Simply another kiss from heaven!

And this morning the Lord graced me with a revelation beyond words, so that I hesitate to try to tell it here.  But as I told my girls"  "Jesus led me through an open door, and on the other side was the heavenly kingdom, beautiful beyond description, with sparkling diamonds and gems and indescribable gardens, flowers, delicacies, delights.  And everywhere in this Kingdom everyone was immersed in the presence of God, so real, so amazing.  It wasn't as if we were all clambering toward a throne, trying to experience the nearness of Christ.  Rather we were all somehow "in Him" in a way that was closer than close -- impossible to explain.  Wherever I went, I was in Him, so that his very presence surrounded me, surrounded each of us.  The joy, peace, love - so tangible!   After sometime I saw the edge of this huge kingdom, which was surrounded by a tall stone-looking wall.  On the outside were those who had chosen not to enter - those who had chosen what at the time seemed like the more logical choice - immediate gratification, or the way of the world.  And I realized that they had to be experiencing the ultimate in regret: to have missed out on the undeniably awesome Kingdom, glistening with glory and beauty beyond description.  There was no way for them now to enter.  And I said that this made me even more determined to pray more consistently for those we know who are not heaven-bound - who are choosing the ways of this world over the Kingdom of God."

We have chosen Christ, and this is our destiny: eternal communion with our Creator/King/Bridegroom, enraptured in beauty and love and joy beyond all we can ask our imagine!

And, so, this is only the beginning.  We are already jumping in, learning to pray like never before, learning to experience God in the simplicity of our living room.  Our small but mighty family house of prayer.

--
A note for those who may not know: for 11 years I homeschooled my five girls; now I still homeschool the younger two (ages 12, and nearly 11).  My older girls, having been raised in and around the Cincinnati House of Prayer and having been mightily touched each year at events at IHOP-KC, are on fire for Jesus and pursuing His presence. The oldest is choosing a life of ministry and missions - first step YWAM.   I can't wait to see all that God has for them
!