And to those visiting, I say welcome! I post every Wednesday and my sole purpose is to nourish your soul along the way. 

Each month I give away a $10.00 gift card to someone who posts on my blog. This month I'll give away a gift card from Starbucks. So leave a post, share a story or comment, and bless lots of people!

Now on to my topic...

Years ago I worked as an aerobic coordinator for a large health club system. The owners were meticulous when it came to excellence and customer service. We were drilled every which way about our mission, our customer, our goals, and how to implement those ideals into our specific departments. So, when we received some kind of recognition for excellent customer service, we weren't exactly surprised because it was something we worked hard at, something we had been aiming for. As you know, you don't just happen on upon excellence, you aim for it.

For those of you who've heard me speak or read this blog with some regularity, you've probably heard me say to 'get out your buckets!' About seven years ago the Lord spoke to my heart that in the future, He planned to release a great outpouring on the 'expectant' Church. His word to me: Get out your buckets! Prepare for rain! Prepare the soil. Remove the rocks of bitterness or the weeds of wasted time and cultivate an atmosphere for growth in your life. Plant lots of seeds of faith on behalf of your family, your nation, and the world. Be ready so that when the spring rain comes your planted seeds will spring up and produce a mighty harvest.

As I spend time with the Lord, I so strongly sense the urgency of the hour. While the world is running to and fro, completely freaked out by this economy (it is troublesome, that's for sure), a remnant of the Church will see its finest hour. 

In the Gospels we read about the virgins who had oil in their lamps (they were expecting their Groom to return), and the virgins who didn't have enough oil in their lamps (they got tided up in the affairs of life and were not prepared or expectant). Now is the time to fill our lamps with the oil of an intimate walk with God! Now is the time to plant seeds of faith by giving to those in need, fully believing that God supplies all of our needs. This is not a time to shrink back, it's a time to step up! 

Just as I worked very hard at excellent customer service and aimed for the target set by my employer, I work specifically to cultivate a listening lifestyle. I'm not surprised when God speaks to me because I order my whole day around giving Him room to communicate with me. Always, I try to keep an ear bent toward Heaven. Not that I do it perfectly, but I'm aiming at intimacy, I make choices to that end, and I know I have oil in my lamp. 

Things are going to get tougher before they get easier and we don't want the church running scared with the rest of the unbelievers. God's promises are true! He gave us plenty of warning and instruction not to get tangled up and bogged down by the cares of this earth. 

No matter your situation, stop for a moment today and set out your buckets of expectancy. Name them. Find Scripture to support your requests. Bring them before the Lord every morning. Give to the poor and to those who have less than you. Pray for your family and for the lost around you. Stand on the side of justice. Walk in faith, hope, and love. 

God is about to pour out a fresh and powerful time of refreshment for the Believer and I believe, to the extent that you prepare your soil now, will be the extent that you'll reap a harvest of righteousness later. 

God bless you, dear friend!

PS - If you haven't signed up for my quarterly Ezine, you might want to. A bunch of my author friends give away some of their books, I write a devotional thought, offer great book recommendations, and give you a prayer to send you on your way. Here's the link: