Dear Friends,
As always the last few months have kept us very busy! We try to intentionally keep one day a week free for just our family. It would be easy to get so caught up in “ministry” that our family never gets ministered to. It would also be easy to get so caught up that Jesus gets forgotten in the midst of “ministry”. That is the problem with most of the “church”. The body of Christ has become so busy with “ministry” that they have forgotten their original purpose. They have forgotten their first love. Reminds me of a song the Lord gave to our daughter April, the chorus goes like this, “I’m living for you, your the only reason I live”. We have got to keep Him the center of our life or the rest is futile, useless, fruitless. Our first ministry must always be to Him, He must be the reason we live. This is what will flow out and minister to others around us, this is what gives us what we need to minister to others. Intimate prophetic love songs are given by the Lord to those who spend time with Him. They don’t spend their day singing “This Little Light of Mine or I’ll Fly Away”. They sing new intimate love songs to a real King, the one they are in love with. Some of us need to change our tune. When was the last time you really poured out your heart to Jesus? Does your prayer time consist more of worship or requests? Are you in it for Him or for you? Have you been truly lost in His presence lately? Or has it been awhile, maybe the last time you went to a good revival meeting? What’s changed? He is still desiring it. He has not gone anywhere. It is us that moves, it is us that gets busy. Recently while April was singing that same song, the Lord spoke to me and said that it is I that He lives for. It is me that His day is centered around, He waits for me to acknowledge Him first thing in the morning. He is never too busy, He is never sidetracked, He is never forgetful or depressed, He is waiting for me! He lives for me! It is the same for you, no matter what your circumstances are. He is waiting for you, He lives for you! Spend some time with Him, for awhile just forget your prayer requests and focus on Him. See if things don’t change. As a result of our time spent with Him, this is just some of what has been going on recently.
FAMILY WORSHIP- Our children have grown tremendously with the gifting of music, new prophetic songs are birthed daily. They are developing the ability to play and sing what they hear in the heavens during prayer and worship. This is such an answer to prayer. As I was able to share with a sister lately, committed ministry help is sometimes so hard to come by that we got a revelation from the Lord to just raise up our own! Jesus means it when He says children are blessing.
RADIO TUES. NIGHTS 6 PM ON WMRB 910 AM- I think we have been on the radio about 5 years now, can it be that long? It can be and it has been, we are so grateful to the Ogilvie family for blessing us with this opportunity. They have always allowed and encouraged us to be “spirit led”. They truly have a heart for the community and sharing Jesus in it.
MAURY COUNTY JAIL- This is another place we have been blessed to minister in for years, I have lost track of how many here. I couldn’t possibly count how many we have seen saved and touched here. Bringing a message of hope to those who are hungry and broken is always a blessing. Most of these men are prime targets for salvation, ready soil for Jesus to work in. When you see repeat offenders melt in the floor in conviction, you know Jesus is in the house. Remember in the book of Acts, chapter 16, it was in jail where the man cried out, “What must I do to be saved?” We get to see this same thing happen almost weekly, along with deliverance, and healing.
LOCAL PRISON- More of the same, but a more regular crowd. Some of these men are in for a long, long time. This is truly a hopeless place with out Jesus. He is their only hope.
E-MAIL NEWS- I invite you to join our e-mail list by sending a blank e-mail to www.awesomeglory.com/subscribe or e-mail me and let me know at pennyraine@lorettotel.net . We send our newsletters and also announcements and prayer requests, I promise no junk mail. Also we will keep you posted as we minister in places that aren’t ‘behind bars’ so that you may join us as the Lord leads.
IN THE FIELDS- We also continue to minister at local outreach centers and in other churches, anywhere the Lord opens the door, and we feel His leading. Recently at a local church there was a lady who came up for prayer, her request was just for more. We didn’t know exactly what “more” she was looking for but we were sure the lord would not disappoint her. He didn’t, she got her “more. As I gave her a hand to stand up without stumbling she said to me,” this isn’t supposed to happen to me, I’m Baptist.” I told her I don’t think Jesus makes too much of our denominations. She later testified that she had always been afraid to ask the Lord for everything He had for her, but now she knew it was real, and the fear had left. It is a real blessing for us to see such things. We have aslo heard testimonies recently of hearing Jesus sing with a young boy, new experience for him. And more of the fragrance of Jesus. Yes these experiences are scriptural, I will let you find it your self, it’s in there, the looking will be good for you!! ( I will tell you where in our next newsletter).
We have seen a lot, both good and bad this year, times of testing and times of rejoicing. All has been brought by Him. We have come through the refining fire more purified and more in Love with Him. We pray that because of it all we have more to offer you. Again thank you for your support ,
Living for Him,
Penny & Jim and family
*****PS***** last minute breaking news, our dear friends Beau and Rachel Barton that work with David Hogan just e-mailed from Mexico with a BABY ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!! Samuel Amos Ezekiel Barton has arrived!! Nobody names babies as well as the Bartons!!!! Congratulations!!!!!!