I read these words of Charles Haddon Spurgeon this morning in my quiet time. They are from a little devotional entitled “Beside Still Waters.” Spurgeon was such a deep thinker and these words are especially good. Drink them in, enjoy, and find encouragement in thinking about our God who is so great that nothing you face today is too much for Him to handle. He is our God Who is interested and concerned and pays attention to the most minute details of our lives. Here’s what Spurgeon says: ” God is so great and mighty that all things are little to Him. There are worlds so enormous that human reckoning cannot estimate their size; the stars are so numerous that we have to leave them uncounted. Yet all these must be as a drop in a bucket to Him. Since all things are little to Him, it follows that nothing is more than little to God.
If divine observation and care is extended to creatures, then it must be given to the insignificant and the weak. Why? When compared with Him everything is insignificant and weak. If you want proof that the Lord considers the lesser things, look at creation. The great and mighty God displays His greatness as much in tiny objects as in magnificent worlds that He has fashioned. Myriads of creatures play in a single drop of water, and in each drop omnipotence is readily seen. For each of these creatures, so small that they can only be observed by a microscope, God finds food and puts life-force in every part of their organization. God sees to everything that concerns a gnat or a fly as surely as He watches over seraphim and cherubim. He guards the earth’s worms and the brook’s minnows.
Since He does this, He will deal tenderly with you, for He will despise none that seek Him. He who takes care of gnats and flies will hear your prayer. “He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; nor has He hidden His face from Him†(Ps. 22:24)
Some of you have been in deep waters through pain, poverty, and bereavement. Loved ones and friends have forsaken you—but not God. He will hear the prayer of the humble heart. God will not forsake you. He is very near in your distress.”
Last weekend David and I spent four full days editing my new book, Set My Heart On Fire - Experiencing The Power Of The Holy Spirit. As I sit here with a few minutes break before launching into the day, I think about the ministry entrusted to each of us and the calling God places on our lives. There is a commitment and a cost to follow Jesus. Jesus says to each one of us: “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24). Here is what it’s going to take to follow Jesus, to “come after” Him: sacrifice and surrender. The ministry He gives us is a stewardship entrusted to us from Him. The question is, will He find us to be faithful stewards in the calling and ministry? Sacrifice and surrender will result in faithfulness. We will need to say no to a lot of good things in order to say yes to the best. Last weekend was one for barbecues and family and fun for many. But for us it was a commitment to spend those four day editing and writing. We packed up boxes of books for reference and checking of quotes and illustrations. I brought my little laser printer and my irreplaceable “Synonym Finder,” the best reference tool a writer could ever have. Then, of course, my laptop - I use an IBM Thinkpad Z61T that I’ve had for about 6 months. Truthfully, it’s just okay compared to my little Fujitsu P5010 that I’ve used for at least 6 books. The problem is the screen in my little Fujitsu is so small that I think it was making me go blind (SMILE). But the Thinkpad is just a bit too big for my taste, so someday I am hopeful I can change to a 12.1 inch screen - I think that would be just right. Sorry I digressed a bit there but I do love computers - can you tell? I am very excited to get into Windows Vista and Office 2007. I’m just waiting to see how all my Adobe programs will do with the new OS. Anyhow, back to our editing trip - we went to Newport Beach - a great place for anyone to go - it was beautiful - of course we did work most of the time. My husband had flowers for Valentine’s Day delivered to the room - look at how beautiful they are! Roses are my absolute favorite. We did get to watch the sunset the first night from Fashion Island - just incredible. I love the ocean and beautiful sunsets. Last weekend was a profitable one indeed for the editing is almost complete on this book. And it’s a good thing too because I am ready to move on to some new books that are on my mind and in my heart. Two new books will be out soon from Harvest House: Walking With The God Who Cares - Finding Hope When You Need It Most in July 2007 and Set My Heart On Fire - Experiencing The Power Of The Holy Spirit in March 2008.
Yesterday was quite a day. Susan Miller interviewed me for the Desert Christian News television show here in the Coachella Valley. We had so much fun in that interview as she highlighted my new book, Knowing And Loving The Bible. She asked me how I got the idea for Knowing And Loving The Bible. I shared about my burden for those who never open their Bible. I don’t want the Word of God to sit on shelves but live in hearts. Then she asked me about the 30 day journey. I encouraged those listening to embark on this 30 day journey with some friends and make use of the discussion questions in the appendix of Knowing And Loving The Bible. I also talked about the companion DVD, Spiritual Giants Who Knew And Loved The Bible. I love the ministry Susan and her husband have here in the desert where I live. They both are brilliant–she typesets the Desert Christian Newspaper that is published monthly and her husband does all the video production - what a team!! 
Yesterday morning I was racing from one place to another. We have begun our pilot of the new book I just completed - Set My Heart On Fire - Experiencing The Power Of The Holy Spirit. We meet on Monday mornings from 9-10:30 am at the Quiet Time Ministries Resource and Training Center. Oh what a great discussion we had yesterday about the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. I am so excited for this book to be released (approximately one year from now). It was so valuable for me to hear these women share what the Lord taught them through their reading in this new book. And then, if everything in the morning wasn’t enough, I had the great privilege to hear two professors from Talbot Seminary teach last night at our church: the great J.P. Moreland and Craig Hazen. I especially appreciated their comments about the comparison of three worldviews prevalent in our culture today: postmodern, natural science, and Christian worldview. We truly must understand what and how others in our culture are thinking as we present and live out God’s truth from His Word. May we stand tall for Christ in this world “for such a time as this.”
What a birthday celebration I had on Thursday! I just could not resist posting some pictures of this day. The women (about 400 0f them) at our church surprised me at our Thursday morning Bible study by calling me up on stage. The worship team sang to me, Melba (our Bible study coordinator) read the most amazing piece of poetry that she wrote, and then others came to the stage and shared. Then, they brought out a cake decorated with the cover of my new book, Knowing And Loving The Bible and all the women sang happy birthday. I can truthfully say that I felt overwhelmed and just showered with love and blessing. It has been such a joy to serve with these incredible women and God has taught me so much over the years. I’ll never forget the first day when Joyce Hall, the former Women’s Ministries Director, passed the baton on to me in a room of well over 1000 women at our women’s luncheon. So many women came up to me afterwards and expressed their excitement and desire to serve the Lord in this ministry. When I saw the servant hearts and love for the Lord, I realized that God had great things in store for us. And it has been so exciting to see God do things that only He can do among us.
Then the women shared a birthday surprise from my publisher, Harvest House–beautiful flowers and the most amazing greeting put together with candy bars. I don’t know who was the creative genius behind it, but 400 women were laughing and enjoying every bit of it! And so was I. I wish you could meet, face to face, all those wonderful men and women up there in Eugene, Oregon at Harvest House. The Lord has so blessed me and Quiet Time Ministries with being a part of the Harvest House family. 
These are two of the amazing women behind this birthday celebration and both are leaders in our Bible study. Melba (on the left) is our Bible study coordinator and is one of the most organized women I know. She was formerly the Coordinator of Women’s Ministries at Hume Lake Retreat and Conference Center and her husband is Ken Poure, a well known conference speaker. Oh, how our women’s Bible study has grown - we now have 8 Bible studies on Thursday mornings. Carolyn Haynes (on the right) is our small group Coordinator in the study I teach and that I wrote this last summer: A Heart That Hopes In God - Truths From The Psalms To Anchor Your Soul. This study is the first in a new series entitled “A Quiet Time Experience” - you can find out more about it at our 
These are some of our beautiful women in our SCC Women’s Ministries. After the morning Bible study, about 50 of the women leaders took me over to one of the country clubs for lunch. We had a wonderful time together and I had the opportunity to say thank you. You know, birthdays mean something different to me now. I look at each birthday as a new opportunity, a stewardship the Lord has entrusted to me, to serve Him. Last year in my quiet time on the day of my birthday, I started thinking about some of the great men and women of God who have gone before us. The first one to come to my mind was Robert Murray McCheyne. I thought about his lifechanging memoirs compiled by Horatio Bonar which have meant so much to me and others. Did you know that McCheyne went home to be with the Lord at the age of 30? Then, I thought about Oswald Chambers. His books have had such an incredible influence in my life. Did you know that he only wrote one book and that he went home to be with the Lord at the age of 43? His wife, Biddy, was able to take verbatim shorthand and sat in on all of OC’s messages. As a result, she had everything Oswald Chambers said, verbatim. After his untimely death, she organized his messages into books, one of them a popular among many even today, My Utmost For His Highest. I have loved My Utmost and have used it for years. I credit my friend, OC, for teaching me all about what it means to be a radical disciple. And that is the power of a book written by one who loves the Lord Jesus Christ–the words can bring you to decisive commitments and resolves that alter your course and take you further on what I like to call “the great adventure of knowing God.” I love what Robert Murray McCheyne says: “”Men return again and again to the few who have mastered the spiritual secret, whose life has been hid with Christ in God These are of the old time religion, hung to the nails of the Cross.” I remember thinking about the short life spans of these great men. Then I realized that every year I had beyond their years was something God was entrusting especially to me. Oh how I desire to be faithful to the calling of God as I live each day. I have realized even more clearly after writing Set My Heart On Fire that the life pleasing to God is only possible in the power of the Holy Spirit. Oh that we will live each day filled with His Spirit so that He can do a great and mighty work in and through us. And then, may He get all the glory. 
When you look at these faces you can know that you are looking at women who absolutely love the Lord and are on fire for Him. These are the women leaders at Coppell Bible Fellowship. Pictured in the first row is my staff team (and me). Oh how blessed I was to be with the men and women of Coppell Bible Fellowship this weekend. I gave a three message series on A Heart For Revival. Then, Saturday evening we met with the pastor and his wife and other husbands and wives from CBC. What a blessing it was for my team and I to be with these dear brothers and sisters in the Lord. The food was incredible - real southern cooking. There were different tables throughout the house where we sat and ate. There was a lot of laughing at our table. We got to eat and talk with Pastor Barkef Osigian and his wife, Susie. 
Oh I wish I could take these two with me everywhere. Oh, how Pastor Barkef and his wife, Susie, love the Lord. And they are prayer warriors. After we had eaten and talked for quite some time, we gathered together in one room and shared together a bit. Then, Barkef directed us all to pray together. They prayed for our team, our ministry, and for me. Barkef closed in prayer. It was such a powerful time of prayer. All of the prayers to the Lord on our behalf just blessed me. There was such a sense of community with this group - I felt like I was experiencing a taste of what it must have been like in the early Church described in Acts. And I was so blessed by Barkef and Susie.
These are some of the men and women from Coppell Bible Fellowship. What a sense of community and love in Christ I felt being with these godly men and women. They just blessed me from beginning to end and I will just never forget their love for the Lord and for our team. And they also tell the best stories - we never stopped laughing!! What a lot of fun. It was one of the best birthdays ever with new friends. I learned so much from them all about the love and encouragement of the Lord. I will never be the same.
One of the things that impressed me was the organization of the women at Coppell. Allyson Holland is the Director of Women’s Ministries and Joanne Herda is the Assistant for Women’s Ministries. They are both so organized. Our conference on revival was planned so well and such a treat for those who attended. In fact, almost half who attended were from other churches. I could tell that much planning and prayer had gone into this event. When I am ministering at a conference or retreat, I truly have a sense that we are all a team together in ministry. And this was really true at our conference here in Dallas. I really have these women in my heart and will continually prayer for them.
How did I even end up going to Dallas to speak? There is always a ripple effect as God uses one person in the life of another, ultimately impacting hundreds of thousands. LeeAnne Odom is one of those rare jewels that the Lord uses in powerful ways in the lives of many. There are many of those jewels at Coppell. LeeAnne had my book, Revive My Heart! and one day pulled it off her shelf and began to use it in her quiet time. She began passing it out to others and, I think, eventually led a whole group in a study of it. Soon other women at CBC were studying the books of quiet times from the Quiet Times For The Heart series. Cathy began carrying these books in her bookstore, Corban Christian Store. Then, Allyson had the dream to have a women’s conference at their church and began praying about bringing me there. The rest is history - the Lord worked everything together so that I arrived on Thursday and met all these incredible women on Friday. LeeAnne loves God and His Word and is committed to teaching others and encouraging others to open the pages of the Bible. May her tribe increase.
Then, I met Nell, LeeAnne’s mother, who is from Alabama. What a heart for the Lord Nell has!! And oh, what a blessing she is. Nell shared that she is in a Bible study there in Alabama led by a woman named Clara, who is in her nineties. Clara writes her own curriculum and I had the privilege to see her notes on Romans. Now I am wishing I could be in that Bible study. The notes were incredible. What will I take with me from all of this? First, I am so blessed to know that there in Coppell there is a group of men and women with kindred hearts who love the Lord. They are my dear brothers and sisters in the Lord and I stand with them for Jesus in this world! I will pray for them. And then, I will take with me a new view of how God is at work throughout the world. The Lord humbled me with the lives of these men and women. I always feel that way as I meet others throughout the world who love Jesus. I just had an opportunity to spend a little more time with these dear friends and their love for the Lord just humbled me and taught me and exhorted me to stand strong and keep running my race. There is a certain accountability in our lives when we realize we don’t stand alone but are part of the body of Christ. I have a new, enlarged view of the body of Christ, the Church, thanks to my time at Coppell Bible Fellowship. May their tribe increase.
It was so much fun to see some of my books there on the shelf in Dallas, TX. But what meant the most to me was the ministry this bookstore is having in their area. If a person has a question about what Bible to get, they are there to help. If a person has a need, they are there to help them find a book that will minister to the heart. I remember reading a story long ago about a woman who was standing in a long line to buy one stamp. Someone told the woman that she could just buy the stamp from the stamp machine. The woman said, “Yes, but the stamp machine doesn’t know my name. And the stamp machine is not going to ask me how I’m doing today.” 
The Christian bookstore is more than a store with Christian books - it’s a ministry to help men and women grow in their relationship with the Lord. Living in a good book is one of the most powerful ways to grow as a Christian. I’ll never forget when I read The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer - it changed my life forever. Oh that the Lord will raise up other bookstores throughout this country just like Corban Christian Store. May God bless and multiply their ministry!!
What a blessing to have some of my team here with me. In this picture (from left to right) is Myra, Cindy, and Nancy. Normally I have one of my team members with me but what a treat to have four with me this time. Myra was a complete surprise on this trip and my team arranged it for my birthday. When I got off the plane with Kayla, Cindy, and my husband, there was Myra standing outside the gate. I was just so surprised. I ran and hugged her and then said “What in the world are you doing here?” She smiled and said, “Happy Birthday.” Also, it is a blessing to come back to Dallas this year because this is really where I began in ministry so many years ago when I was on staff with Josh McDowell. I lived in Dallas for two years and learned all about a writing and speaking ministry by working closely with Josh. You just can’t imagine how many small and large things I learned. I feel totally honored and privileged to be able to serve the Lord by teaching His Word and writing for Him.
I will be giving three messages at Coppell Bible Fellowship all about having A Heart For Revival: The Picture Of Revival, The Presence In Revival, and The Power In Revival. I am so excited to share these powerful truths with women who are hungry for the Lord and excited about Him. Meeting Nancy (pictured here with me) was a total blessing and a great preparation for this upcoming conference this weekend. Today we attend a Prayer Brunch in a home, then tonight will be the first message. I can hardly wait!! Tomorrow I’ll give two messages and we will have a question and answer session. I LOVE question and answer sessions because it gives me a real opportunity to dialogue and connect with the hearts of those who love the Lord.
It is a special blessing to have Kayla here with me. She is one of my “right hand” people on this team. If you call our QTM Resource and Training Center you will speak with Kayla. If you place an order online she is the one handling your order. We have a huge map on our wall and every time we hear from someone in a new place, we put a pin in the map - you should see what that map looks like. It’s a visible sign of what we all hold to be important as a conviction: “You be responsible for the depth of your ministry and you let God be responsible for the breadth of your ministry.” It’s our goal to be intimate with the Lord and know Him and love Him and we leave the results to our Lord. What a joy to serve the Lord with Kayla. She shares my heart and passion to see others know the Lord.