Author: Melissa Frazier Flood
Exodus 23:25-26
The Nina, The Pinta, The Santa Maria
Early one morning in September of 2008 I had a vision while in the church prayer room.
In the vision, I was standing outside of the church in a field. I was soon joined by others from the church standing alongside me. We stood and looked toward the road because there appeared a great body of water and three large ships docking. I thought, “Oh! There they are – the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria.” We watched as people began filing off of the ships and walking toward us. Soon the field was full of people.
A man appeared and started putting everyone into groups and sat each group in a circle. The people were instructed to stay with the group they were assigned to. When the man turned around and I saw him, I knew it was Jesus. He would put people in a circle and then point out an individual standing with me to be over the group saying, “This group is yours.” And they took their place in the circle seeming so comfortable there.
I thought maybe He was going to feed the people because I had read the Bible stories about the feeding of the thousands and what I saw happening reminded me of that. I was excited about the miracle I thought was getting ready to happen. (Little did I know…)
He then pointed toward a group and said to me, “These are yours.”
I said, “What do you want me to do with them?”
He said, “Teach them!” and He walked on.
My heart dropped and I started to panic. I didn’t consider myself to be a teacher and what’s more, I did NOT want to be a teacher. So I ran after him and I said, “Jesus!”
He walked on a little further seeming to ignore me so I said it again a little louder “JESUS!”
He walked on continuing to make assignments. So I screamed as loud as I could, “JESUS! JESUS!”
He then turned toward me and I said as desperately as I could, “I am sorry, but I can’t…I am NOT a teacher!!!” He then said so gently but yet so very sternly, “You are now.” And then He pointed at my circle in such a way that I knew He was saying get back over there and take your place.
And then I was back in the prayer room.
Ephesians 2:8-9
Psalm 1:1-2
Psalms 119:114
Lessons Learned the Hard Way
Life lessons I’ve learned the hard way about storm preparedness from almost three weeks without power at home and six weeks working my business in the parking lot after Hurricane Isabel.
1. Pray
2. Make sure every potentially important file you have on every computer is backed up and take your backups with you. Isabel lifted the roof off of our business and sat it back down. It looked fine on the outside but when we walked in the door 5 days later we had lost everything.
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3. If you use web based applications print out schedules and contact list.
4. Get a power bank. You don’t want to waste your gas trying to charge your phone in the car.
5. Check and double-check and then triple-check how those that vendors that insurance companies pay to help you actually charge you.
6. Make sure every bit of your laundry is finished. Do not let a storm approach when your running low on your most comfortable clothes. You do not want to get stuck wearing the emergency backups that you should have thrown away years ago. And washing it all by hand and hanging to dry…not as fun as you make it look to the kids.
7. Do all the dishes…even that dirty pan you tossed in the oven because you didn’t want to deal with it. A few days with no power and it’s going to get stinky.
8. Clean the house. Nobody wants to be stuck inside with a mess…plus it’s more sanitary.
9. Have first aid supplies. Dan may think I’m nuts for ordering those steri-strips, skin glue, gauze, etc from Amazon, but if someone gets cut and those supplies actually get here in time…I’m your girl! And know some basic first aid. Read up on it before you have no ability to google it.
10. Everyone take a shower and wash your hair right before the storm. You’ll be glad if you have to wait a few days before your standing under that warm water again. Everyone else will be appreciative, too.
11. The dollar store sells those emergency candles. They’re probably out by now, but next time you feel like wandering into that store, grab a few boxes. (I’ve done this but have no idea where I put them)
12. Oil lamps are awesome. They put off a lot of light. Portable Solar lights too.
13. It’s highly unlikely you’re going to starve to death because most of us, these days, have a few things in the pantry we have no intention of ever eating. If things get bad enough, you’ll eat those wax beans. So don’t panic about food.
14. Wash a load of white towels/rags in bleach and keep them in a safe place in case you need something more sanitary than that towel hanging over the shower curtain.
15. Get a good book. If you have kids at home, read together. I tortured my kids with this often, even when we had power. If I can suffer thru Scooby Doo chapter books, anyone can.
16. If it looks like power will be out for a while, after the storm passes encourage your neighbors to all bring their grills to the street and everyone cook whatever they’ve got and have a block party. Laugh and play games. Corn hole requires no electricity and grilled frozen pizza is awesome.
17. Look up recipes now for things like how to cook bread in a tin can over a fire.
18. If you have a generator and coffee…SHARE! You will be the hero of your cul-de-sac and trust me that form of kindness will never be forgotten!
19. If your neighbors need help get out and help them and make sure your kids do too. Check on the elderly.
20. Pray.
Be safe and check in that you’re safe when you can….especially if you happen to be my family and church family. Even though we lost a lot in Isabel the bonding in our community and our family was a gift. No bonding like disaster bonding. So look on the bright side and take the opportunities to spend time with your family and love your neighbors. ❤️
Hebrews 11:6
Weary of the Sales Pitches
I don’t usually state my irritations, but today I am highly annoyed. My newsfeed and inboxes are FULL of ministers wanting to “mentor” me for a fee…in the prophetic, in prayer, in healing and deliverance, in praise and worship, in how to see angels…and on and on it goes. From what I have seen it consists mostly of live and/or recorded classes, private FB pages to get special and secret content and meet other mentees, special discounts on products and conferences, some have a one-on-one conversation included. All this at the price of $11.95 and up (way up) per MONTH!
What is the definition of a mentor?
- a wise and trusted counselor or teacher.
- an influential senior sponsor or supporter.
- a wise or trusted adviser or guide
- to act as a mentor to (someone); train
Perhaps you can twist the definition to say these people can mentor/train whosoever will sign up even if they don’t even know them and likely will!
Now don’t get me wrong – I do believe in teaching and studying, and I really believe in discipleship….but it bothers me that the gullible people are given the impression by these “mentors” that what they, as ministers of God, have been blessed and anointed by God with can be bought and sold. They don’t come out and say it. In fact, they say that the subject matter can “not so much be taught but caught.” Maybe you can learn a few things about the different gifts and offices and maybe that will increase a desire for a gift as you study and seek the Lord, but I believe you cannot become a prophet or anything else unless God anoints you to do that and He anoints as He wills.
Why if you could be anointed by studying and training and even desiring I would be anointed in all of the above and then some….because I am a STUDENT and have gone in many directions and in-depth over the years. I own more Bible studies, topical studies on such things as Healing, Deliverance, and Prayer than most would imagine and I have gone through them all and shared many. BUT in the end no matter how much I study, how much I might desire a gift, how much I hang around anointed Generals of the Faith I CAN STILL ONLY DO WHAT GOD CALLS ME TO DO in the way and in the places He calls me to.
Things may be better understood by teaching videos and surely they provide value in the equipping but in my opinion, your money would be more fruitful given to your true mentors – your teachers, your pastors, your prophets those that hold you accountable week after week. And your time would be better spent serving in your local church and most importantly on your face seeking His.
Maybe I am wrong and just weary of all the sales pitches.
Proverbs 16:3
