I wanted to share on my blog something I posted today on my Facebook page concerning the horrible mass shooting early this morning at the Orlando, FL nightclub:<\/p>\n
Each one of my friends here on FB is an individual, interesting, and very unique person in the way you think, believe, live, and approach\u2014or don\u2019t approach\u2014God. I respect each one of you and am glad to be linked up with you in whatever capacity we can connect despite our differences in thinking, believing, living, and approaching\u2014or not approaching\u2014God.<\/p>\n
That said, I want to share with whoever reads this something that gripped me this past Thursday afternoon. I had just worked at my church\u2019s vacation Bible school (called JUMP) and was walking along the huge strip mall in Chesterfield Valley, thinking nothing in particular except perhaps how I had just blocked a bevy of 8th<\/sup> graders from jumping line ahead of some 7th<\/sup> graders at the inflatable Bouncy House maze. Of course, after 22 years of teaching 8th<\/sup> grade, I felt right at home bossing around the big guys and gals with a smile on my face.<\/p>\n So there I was, minding my own business when I sensed the Lord command me, \u201cBe on the alert!\u201d I looked around, saw nothing out of the ordinary, and went into quiet prayer\/probe mode\u2014my habit when it seems as if the Lord wants to give me specific direction. After a short time I knew He wasn\u2019t indicating any immediate danger; He was letting me know that real trouble was brewing for the near future in various places and was about to spill over. I was not to allow my spirit to cruise on \u201csleep mode\u201d; He was requiring me to enter a more alert, focused, \u201cantenna up\u201d prayer mode.<\/p>\n I remembered this when I heard of the Orlando nightclub attack this morning. My gut feeling is this: Many places\u2014whether gay bars, churches, synagogues, shopping areas, sports venues, concerts\u2014whatever\u2014are being scoped for targeting. I\u2019m certain that is what I was sensing from God.<\/p>\n What do we do? If you, like me, are a believer, don\u2019t allow yourself to go into \u201csleep mode\u201d spiritually. Let the Holy Spirit lead you\u2014or restrain you\u2014as you go about your daily life. Might He direct you to cancel fun plans? Yes, if He knows something up the road could place you in danger. Is it possible that He would lead you to pray for someone or something for which you have no affinity? Yes. Perhaps you are the one He will prompt to pray\u2014and another gruesome attack just might get thwarted. Be yourself, live your life, but keep your spirit primed and ready to hear from God so you can pray or change direction at a moment\u2019s notice.<\/p>\n If you don\u2019t view yourself as a Christian\u2014whether you\u2019re not entirely sure about God or you\u2019re fairly convinced He doesn\u2019t exist; whether you hope He\u2019s real or just don\u2019t want to be bothered, do this for me, anyway\u2014as a friend. If you ever get a \u201cfunny feeling\u201d about something\u2014perhaps an event or a place, a setting or a person\u2014and you feel sort of uneasy, then back off. Change plans. If you must<\/em> continue on that pre-arranged path, at least be on the alert. I want you to live out your life and do your thing as only you can do it.<\/p>\n As you probably suspect, I\u2019m praying for you. I believe that no matter who you are, what your worldview may be, or where your life has taken you, you are loved by God, He sent Jesus specifically for you, and He has a plan for your life. For that full plan to take place, you\u2019ve got to be alive\u2014hence, this warning:<\/p>\n Be on the alert.<\/p>\n Dorothy<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I wanted to share on my blog something I posted today on my Facebook page concerning the horrible mass shooting early this morning at the Orlando, FL nightclub: Each one of my friends here on FB is an individual, interesting, and very unique person in the way you think, believe, live, and approach\u2014or don\u2019t approach\u2014God. 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