Thoughts from a New Father

Word Document

I do not wish to seem pretentious, in any way by writing this. If you know me, you will know I would never be caught with a twitter account or trying to self-promote. In fact, all this has nothing to do about me, just about what the Lord is doing in the body of Christ. Almost two years ago the Lord called me to study more and more about the Tribe of Isaachar. Many times I find myself questioning what exactly is my role in the body of Christ, but what I do not question is my calling in the Tribe of Isaachar. Which again, I feel is not of my own doing, but my position and place in First Love Ministries. The Lord chose to speak thru Balaam’s donkey simply because it was the particular donkey Balaam was riding at that time. I know this is one of the primary callings of the ministry, to be watchmen on the wall, discerning the times and preparing the body for the things coming down the line.

Many of you have heard some of this but this journey for Sophia Grace to get here, has been a long, symbolic one. It began in January 2008. Molly and I started fasting at the beginning of the year, seeking the Lord for His will. We wanted immediate deliverance from several situations we were in. Asking the Lord where we were called, how and asking for time lines, He kept giving both of us dreams of Sophie night after night. He gave us her name in one of the dreams. We kept seeking overnight miracles and the Lord kept telling us He wanted to birth something in us. The Lord placed in our hearts a desire for this daughter we had only seen in dreams. After six months of trying to get pregnant, we finally stopped trying and gave it to the Lord. In October of 2008, the Lord gave me a message to share on a Saturday night about holding on to the promises of God. The very next week, Molly got pregnant, and so did this miraculous birthing promise. We kept it a secret, holding it close to heart until Christmas. After telling people we were pregnant, 99.9% immediately said we were having a boy. We kept wondering if we heard the Lord right, but kept holding on to this dream we had over a year ago. Finally, in March the nurse confirmed we were having a baby girl.

This whole time the Lord was building a faith and confidence in us about hearing His voice. It started as a dream, then a pregnancy and then finally confirmation it was exactly as the Lord had told us. During the whole pregnancy, numerous people had dreams about her and the Lord gave many people words stating as this baby was growing in Molly’s womb there was something growing and being birthed in the Spirit. Finally July 18th came around and Robert McClendon spoke about things being birthed in Kennesaw, people being healed and the Lord pouring our His spirit, it as a calling for people to awaken from their slumber. The next morning the labor began. After many hours of pain and suffering, Sophie broke into this world. It was 11:21pm, the last hour of the day that she was due. She was not early, not late, right on time when the Lord brought her forth. The next day the Lord kept saying, this birthing in the Spirit is right on time, not too early so it would fizzle out, not to late so something is missed, but right on time. We finally saw the culmination of a promise, given in a dream come forth.

For months, we watched something grow in Molly’s stomach, not knowing what she looked like. Towards the end, we saw her stomach move as Sophie would move around. At this point we could see in part and feel in part, so it was easier to believe she was coming. So it is with the promise given of what is coming to the body of Christ. The Lord has spoken and given so many dreams and visions. We have watched it grow, we have felt labor pains, and we can see and feel it move underneath the surface. I encourage you to hold one, because it was coming.

The thing about Sophie coming out of the womb, was the realization that Molly and I were allowed to partner with the Lord in bringing forth something, out of ourselves, that is eternal. If Sophie is on this earth 20 years or 200 years, there is a spirit that is eternal inside of her. We helped create something that will never, ever die. That is the thing that is so overwhelming. This is one of the revelations, that will transform the body of Christ. What is made and birthed in the Spirit is the only thing that is eternal. You leading someone to Christ, is eternal. Speaking a word of Life, Encouragement, giving Hope, Love, being faithful to Christ is eternal. Every time we partner with the Holy Spirit, by being obedient we are creating eternal things that will never fade or pass away.

Once we catch this in our spirits, we will start looking through eternal eyes, with eternal vision, birthing things that will last forever. Each time seeing something eternal come forth in the Spirit, will overwhelm us with joy, which will give us strength. “The Joy of the Lord is our Strength.”

One last point of preparation I want to impart for after the BIRTH.

After all the hours or labor, pain and suffering this physical and eternal being was in our hands. We could finally physically see and hold her, however this meant nothing to the world. The admin nurse called me to her office and gave me a slip of paper that read, “proof of delivery”. She told me I had to send it to our insurance company for them to believe we had a baby and they could give her insurance. After 24 hours of experiencing something more real than anything we had experienced before, the world still needed proof she was here. It wasn’t looking for a picture, video or physical evidence, it wanted a slip of paper signed off on by someone with the authority to sign off on it.

There are two points of preparation, I feel the Lord is giving us. When the promise is birthed and we can see, feel and experience it, the world may not believe it is here. We have to stand firm. No matter what they say, we have to know the Lord has imparted something to us. Continuing to foster it, until they do believe. Some will be skeptics, even when people they know are healed or set free, but we must not waiver, we must give glory to God. We must be faithful in declaring the goodness, love and power of our God. No matter what the world may say, I know Sophie is here in my arms, giving me joy and strength to carry on.

The other point of preparation is that we must be under authority. I won’t bore you with countless pages on David’s submission to Saul or all the other examples in the scripture, you have heard before. If I would have sent a slip of paper with my signature on it to the insurance company, it would bear no weight or have any authority. I could call and tell them until I was blue in the face that Sophie exists, but they needed the hospitals stamp of authority and approval. We must make sure we have the stamp of approval from the Lord as we move forward. We must also, not remove ourselves from the covering the Lord has set over us. Again, I do not speak of myself, but your spiritual authorities, (pastors, parents, spiritual authorities, Charlie…). In this time of release, some will start to be used by the Lord and will let a seed of pride be planted. Not wanting to answer to an authority, they will start their own ministry or church out of rebellion and pride. They will be self-promoting and divisive. These will not last long in their own power, but have the potential to lead people astray. We must guard ourselves against pride, and not succumb to it. Like I said, the Lord spoke through a donkey, simply because he was there and needed to get a word to Balaam. We need not think we can go out on our own, apart from the families the Lord has placed us in and still be powerful. The Lord is searching to and fro, looking for people to stand up and be used in a way where He will get all the glory. All I can say confidently is the Lord is bringing forth something new and we all have the opportunity to partake in it, if we are alert, watchful and awake.