October 2018 – Creative Prayer Coach

When Inspiration Is Staring You In The Face

I am participating in an amazing writing critique group that is helping me to work through the process of writing my memoir. Through expert observations, it became obvious that I had lost the essence of the story I wanted to convey. I couldn’t figure out how to get the story back on track. Then one day, as I was sitting in my living room, I looked over at a painting I did during a Christian art prayer/therapy session (Art Sozo) in August.
The title of the painting is “My Fingerprints.” The painting was done in layers. The first layer was a depiction of a lie I was believing about God at that time: that the Holy Spirit wouldn’t help me write the memoir. I depicted this on the canvas as a bunch of little black lines, that looked like words on a page. It was stark and rather depressing.
As I continued to paint, layer upon layer, on this painting, I worked through some internal issues. I needed to forgive myself and forgive others who had helped me to buy into the lie I was living out. I was also reminded that my God is loving and cheerful, wanting the best for me.
By the time I got to the fourth layer, I began to see that there was a specific message for me in the painting that I would have never guessed at the beginning of the exercise: that God sees me as a person with a big heart. Though my heart is frayed from some tumultuous situations I’ve been in, I still have the capacity to give and receive love.
I thought at that point that I was done with the painting, but no. In the next stage I was directed to ask God if there was anything else He wanted us to know. I waited for inspiration… then felt compelled to stick my finger in the red paint and started putting red fingerprints all over the painting. When it was done, I felt that God had just shown me that His fingerprints were all over my heart. Even the situations in my life that I felt were horrific have turned into something beautiful, because He redefined them with the touch of His hand, bringing clarity and meaning.
So, what does this story about a painting have to do with my memoir and my critique group? The working title of my book had been “Mad At The Wrong Mom,” which set a tone of anger and bitterness that was turning off my readers. Since that is not really who I am or what I want my message to be, something had to shift. The painting reminded me that every situation I’ve been in has helped me to grow and become a person with insight and love through the touch of God’s hand. The lessons I’ve learned as a result of these experiences are what I want to share through a compelling story of putting one foot in front of the other and trusting God to make it all work out. Therefore, I am changing my working title to “My Fingerprints.” It will be the story of a heart that is battered through tough experiences, but can still touch others with hope and courage to press on.
When I ask God for something, I never know where exactly where the answer will come from, but I’ve gotten into the habit of looking around. You never know, the answer maybe sitting right in front of you the whole time – and you, like me, just need your lenses cleaned to see it. Are you looking around for your answers to prayer?

Can You Wait For Answers?

Wow! I had a totally awesome God sighting this weekend! When I pray for something for years and get to see a totally unexpected answer to those prayers, I get overly excited.

This adventure started back in 2004, when my husband and I were praying for a friend, who was constructing an office building on the corner of Cook Street and Gerald Ford in Palm Desert, CA. We prayed that the area would be used as a hub to reach the world.

Then, in 2008, I met Pastor Mike Harrison. He had just planted Church 212 in the Coachella Valley. We began working together on coordinating the Prayer Team for a Christian Festival that was held at the Indian Wells Tennis Gardens in 2010. We started praying for his church to find a permanent church home. At the time they were meeting in a public-school gym.

Over the years, the church had to move to other sites. We kept praying for the perfect site for the church. It is now 2018, and this past Sunday, October 7th, my husband and I had the privilege of attending the first Sunday Morning Worship in their new building. A building designed just for them, where they have a designated children’s area, offices, and a worship center where they don’t have to tear-down and set-up chairs and sound systems each week ¬- they even have an onsite coffee bar. Yes, this was an answer to a lot of prayers.

But there is more… for me was I awestruck that the building is on the corner of Cook and Gerald Ford. Looking back to 2004, California State University San Bernardino Palm Desert Campus (which is across the street from the church) only had one building and there wasn’t much else in the area. Today, it is rapidly becoming a University Community, with University of California Riverside also having a Campus just up the street and there are several affordable restaurants in the area that would appeal to college students. In other words, I can see Church 212 being a significant influencer in this university community and, in turn, the world will be influenced by those students.

I won’t stop praying for my friend or Church 212, but right now I’m praising God for what I’ve seen already. I am filled with hope, once again, for all the other prayers I’ve prayed over the years. It blows my mind to think of the multitude of ways that God can answer them and reminds me to always keep my eyes open! I hope you, too, will keep praying and looking for the answers.