On my Knees...

When I first found myself in a recovery support program called Alanon, I had an amazing sponsor. She would lead me through steps and guide me through exercises that would be helpful to me. I was listening, to most of it. I wasn’t seeing much change. I would be okay for a minute and then would go right back to that pattern of insanity, trying to fix everything on my own willpower.

One day, I was frustrated and called her complaining. Nothing seemed to be working and I was ready to hide in a closet. She asked me, “Are you praying on your knees like I told you to?”  The answer was, ‘I am praying, exhausted and worn out, layed out on my bed”. That was not the answer she was looking for. I wasn’t praying submitted to God, I was praying submitted to my body that was completely finished with the day and ready for sleep.

In reflecting on this time in my life, I realize  I had been saying my prayers so I could go to sleep. For many years in fact, that was the routine. Get ready for bed, and then say my prayers so I could go to sleep. Oh what I have learned in the last couple years. Starting with, prayers aren’t just so we can go to sleep. In fact, that isn’t what they are for at all.

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Ephesians 3:14-19 KJV

This is what prayer, on our knees is for and what it does for us. I would encourage you to learn, pray and meditate over this scripture. Then practice it!

Something amazing began to happen as I became intentional about praying on my knees every morning and every night. I started with praying for the new day and God to guide my thoughts and actions and end every day, thanking God for helping me make it through. Very quickly, I found myself on my knees by my bed more than just every morning and every night. I would get frustrated with my husband or my kids and I would go tell God about it. “Lord, what is with THEM”. I would get back up, and something would be changed, but it wasn’t THEM, it was me!! I felt like a new person facing a new day, every time!!! All of a sudden, my frustrations and worries and overwhelming responsibilities began to shrink. I had learned to effectively hand everything, including myself, over to God. When I did this, He was then able to work in me.

The first 3 steps of any 12 step program can be summarized liked this;

Step 1. I can’t
Step 2. God Can
Step 3. I will let Him

I hope by sharing some experience, strength, and hope that I have been able to help you like my sponsor helped me. I pray for you to find the strength to get on your knees, submit it all to God and let Him begin to do that wonderous work in you that only HE can do!!!

A Grateful Believer in Jesus Christ,
Johnna

Dear Chrissi Nimmo,

Dear Chrissi Nimmo,

As I have  watched the Baby Veronica case unfold, I have been overwhelmed with emotions. From the time I saw bumper stickers and perfume being sold to solicit money in this precious baby girls name, I couldn’t walk away. She didn’t need saved from her family, she was saved and brought back home to her family, because of you, and because of ICWA.

Tomorrow is the biggest day to come. The day it all is finally decided in front of the Supreme Court of the United States of America. The rights and sovereignty of first nations as well as the rights of our children are at stake. In our culture, we all know we don’t have one momma, we have tribes full of them.

I am reminded this morning of an Indian story. I want to share it:

“There were two warring tribes in the Andes, one that lived in the lowlands and the other high in the mountains. The mountain people invaded the lowlanders one day, and as part of their plundering of the people, they kidnapped a baby of one of the lowlander families and took the infant with them back up into the mountains. The lowlanders didn't know how to climb the mountain. They didn't know any of the trails that the mountain people used, and they didn't know where to find the mountain people or how to track them in the steep terrain. Even so, they sent out their best party of fighting men to climb the mountain and bring the baby home. The men tried first one method of climbing and then another. They tried one trail and then another. After several days of effort, however, they had climbed only several hundred feet. Feeling hopeless and helpless, the lowlander men decided that the cause was lost, and they prepared to return to their village below. As they were packing their gear for the descent, they saw the baby's mother walking toward them. They realized that she was coming down the mountain that they hadn't figured out how to climb. And then they saw that she had the baby strapped to her back. How could that be? One man greeted her and said, "We couldn't climb this mountain. How did you do this when we, the strongest and most able men in the village, couldn't do it?" She shrugged her shoulders and said, "It wasn't your baby."

Tomorrow Chrissi, you are THE momma of many tribes, climbing the mountains and doing what no one else could do. I firmly believe nothing is born out of time. You were chosen for this day, for this time, for this purpose. Just as Veronica (Little Star) was chosen for the same purpose. Because of both of you, the rights and well beings of tribes across this great nation will remain in place.

I pray for the Great Spirit that I call God to surround you, hold you up, to guide your words and your actions. You have already brought her home, now just stand firm on that mountain and know that over 500 tribes are standing behind you!

May God Speed and Justice Prevail,
Johnna Payne-Hurt

LeaveFingerprintsMinistry.com

I am excited to announce our website is up and running! You can visit it at http://www.leavefingerprintsministry.com/ So super excited to have everything together in once place and links to all of our networks. Thank you to everyone that has followed and subscribed and liked us on facebook! Can't wait to see what the next step will be!

A Grateful Believer in Jesus Christ,
Johnna

Children's bible study ~Walking with God

Here is another bible study I put together for our children. This one is because I wanted them to understand they could have their very own relationship with God and not just on Sunday!

A Grateful Believer in Jesus Christ,
Johnna 

Children's bible study~ Chores

We have been doing bible studies with our children. I usually feel led to a topic and then we go with that. This week, the topic was chores. Our kids think of chores often as a punishment and I felt that needed discussed further so that they could see it is a privilege and responsibility. With 6 kids, we keep it kind of simple. We stay open to discussion and we end with a scripture memory verse we write on the dry erase  board in our dining room so the kids can work on it for the week. I just felt led to share this and hope it helps!

A Grateful Believer in Jesus Christ,
Johnna

Religion and Sex Addiction

I have been reading “The Pursuit of God” but A.W. Tozer. He uses the world “mental intercourse” and points out that like encounters with people, we can’t get to know the personality of God in one encounter.

I work with and around sex addicts all the time. Tozer’s statement helped me make the comparison of religion and sex addiction. Just as anyone can chose to participate in the physical act of sex in many different ways, so can people choose to participate in religion. Anyone can attend a church function, or walk that isle and give their lives to God. It isn’t one single act that transforms us. It isn’t what we are seeking. It isn’t fulfilling.

We are seeking that satisfaction that comes from a deep relationship. That “mental intercourse” that Tozer points out is so necessary. By surrendering our mind, body and spirit to the will of God and his purpose, amazing things happens. To stick with the comparison here, to submit completely to the process of experiencing God, is to reach an orgasmic enlightenment. This is what draws the line between spirituality and religion that so many talk about. We are aiming for the spiritual, not the religious. We are seeking an entire relationship, not just an encounter.

When was the last time you had a fulfilling encounter with God? Have you taken the time to be still and experience Him?

A Grateful Believer in Jesus Christ
Johnna

The keys to obedience

A story was passed on to me recently. The summary of the story was that when God requires something to be done, even the devil must obey Him.

This was a very strong statement and one that has really made me think. In the story of Job, when satan is taking possessions and family from Job and testing his faith, God lays it out. He determines to what degree Job can be tested and requires that Job’s life not be taken. Satan obeys God and only does what he is allowed to do.

At this point I began to question exactly why God allows what He does and it was in this moment that I remembered, God put us here for His glory. He, like those of us that choose to be parents, chose to create us. He wants to love us and finds joy in watching us grow. This growth isn’t just physical, God delights in watching our spiritual growth. He wants us to grow towards him so we can return home someday.

Then why, one might ask, would God allow his children to be tested? Since the fall of man, that was a choice we have made, in our own disobedience. God has tried to tell us all along what was best, but we haven’t listened. When God’s chosen people had judges, while the other lands had kings, people threw a fit. They wanted kings too. This wasn’t best but God allowed it. We want free will and then we want to ask God why it didn’t work out.

I imagine this is similar to a parent giving their child the keys to the car. We don’t want our kids to break the law, we sure wouldn’t want them doing something so dangerous as drinking and driving, but we really do have to let them drive. We do want them to be happy and we want them to grow so we set rules, pray they followed them, and hand over the keys. God, our father, operates the same way. He hands us the keys with a set of rules and then hopes that we follow them so we can safely grow and be happy.

These are random thoughts that were jumbling up until I felt the need to write them down. Seriously though, do you understand the responsibility you have been given? God has trusted us with precious keys and He wants us to make it home safely. Are you following the rules or are you setting yourself up for temptation and harm? Obedience in this world brings comfort for now, but one day, it will determine if we make it home.

A grateful believer in Jesus Christ
Johnna