Update -

I am so tired of seeing that last post, so I decided I had to write something. So...where to begin.

We are in the process of buying a house, yes again. We are waiting to hear something from the seller's mortgage company. If that goes through and the inspection goes well, it should be a go. But, you know as well as I do, that you never know with us. The house needs some work, but could be a great investment property.

Mom's treatments are going well. She has had hardly any side effects from her Chemo. She should be leaving the hospital tomorrow. She has five rounds of radiation left and one round of chemo left. She will go back into the hospital to do the chemo. During this time she is going to be staying with Gary and Andrea Cheek. They have an extra room and bath. She will have some space and quiet to rest and get well. It was such an amazing thing for them to offer. God is going to bless them tremendously.

We kicked off Sunday night training last night. I though it went well. I received some pretty amazing words. Some that I will remember for the rest of my life. I am looking forward to the next 8 weeks.

Everyday I am further amazed at Brandon's leadership ability. The beauty is that he remains humble and transparent. I love how he empowers people to be their best and wants people to have an outlet. He is not interested in holding people down or insecure about what it means to him if they are successful. He wants them to be successful. Everyone is needed, this is the mentality. I love it.

Had a little scare today. I have had two dreams that I was pregnant. Pam had a dream that I was pregnant. I still haven't started my period from when I had Maddie (sorry boys). Billy's vasectomy is Friday. Would that be ironic or what if I were to find out I was pregnant the week of his surgery. Well, all is well. I am not. I was extremely relieved.

We are going through Marriage Life Group. We just started and I have found more things coming to the surface in my heart than I have in a long time. I think it is good though. I want to have a heart that is more concerned about meeting my husbands needs than my own. I know when I truly do this, all my needs will be met too. That is just the way God operates. If we are trying to get for ourselves we lose. But if we give of ourselves we will get. It is a great paradigm.

Avery was asked to be the princess in the homecoming procession at Friday Nights game. She will wear a fancy dress and carry the homecoming crown on a pillow for the new queen. She is super excited. Paige is also going to that game with a boy and his parents. Yikes, I know. We know them well and he is a sweet boy. But we have made it clear they are not boyfriend/girlfriend. But he did buy her a mum.

It has been a pretty hard last few weeks. Billy has been working out of town and with mom gone I have been a single mother. Just a shout out to the single moms I know, Jennifer and Amanda, I don't know how you do it. I only had to do it for two weeks and that was plenty. I pray God would give you strength and endurance to be both mom and dad.

Well, Me and Billy turn 30 on Oct 23 and Nov 29, respectively. I am excited about my 30's. I am believing they are going to be better than my 20's.

Well, laundry is calling my name. I should answer it. That is some of the things going on here.

Faith -

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

For those of you who have not heard - My mother had some tests ran and got back an initial bad report. We are waiting to hear about a biopsy and a ct scan. I am asking all of you to put every bit of faith you have in prayer for her. We hope to hear something soon. I am praying for a good report. Please join me.

Thanks

***Update - Mom got a call with the results. It tested positive for cancer. She will start having app. and treatments almost immediately. Please continue to pray.

I need a miracle in the coming months. I need the heavens to open and the glory and the favor of the Lord to rest on Billy and I. I need resource and laborers and healing and open doors and relationships mended and blessings. I need God to come thru big for me. I am looking forward to telling you how He does it.

Suckfest!!

Computer crashed. Not very conducive for this aspiring writer.

Bring the Rain!!

It was Friday, cloudy, as I listlessly surfed the Internet. I used to sit down at my computer with anticipation at what would pour out of me. But lately, every time I sat down and looked at my screen … nothing. I was frustrated and felt very dry in this area. As I scrolled through house plans on houseplans.com, my phone let out a familiar beep. I turned it over and to my surprise saw Aaron Laughlin’s number. That’s not right; I thought to myself, he is in California at the School of the Prophets conference. But it was Aaron, and this is what the text message said:

“Holy Spirit, I call on you to pull out the creative writing ideas in Fran today! You will step out of the dryness today and into the rain, that is the word of the Lord.”

As I read these words something broke over me, I wept into my hands as the feelings of lethargy fell off of me. I looked out the window, wanting to run out in the rain. I wanted this oppressiveness to be washed off of me. I wanted the weight of the message that couldn’t get out, to be rinsed off of my shoulders. But, the clouds had begun to clear and it looked like no rain in sight.

I opened the current thing I was writing. I looked at it with determination. With the guidance of the Holy Spirit I began typing had more done in ten minutes than I had accomplished in the past 3 months.

As I typed I continued to look out the window, waiting for a rain drop to fall. But as more time passed, the bluer the sky got. Then, my phone beeped again, Aaron said this:

“I had a picture of you actually dancing in the rain. Next time it rains I think there is something prophetic there.”

I felt that very thing. I responded with:

“Just waiting for the first drop!”

But as the night went on, there was no rain. As I laid my head on my pillow I thought of rain. And as I drifted off to sleep I dreamt of myself dancing in the rain.

I looked at the clock in my room. It said 9:24 am. It was so dark; I had slept later than I had planned. I laid there for a minute until my ears recognized the familiar pitter pat on my metal roof. It was raining. I jumped up and got dressed. I opened the door and what welcomed me was wonderful. In the weeks of summer, with highs around 100, everyday, it was a cool 65 degrees outside with a steady rain falling. I stepped out of the dryness of my home onto my wet porch. I spread my arms wide and threw my head back as the rain poured over my face. I ran down the stairs into the puddles awaiting me, and as a child, splashed through each of them. I thanked the Lord for the rain, and that I was not made to live in the desert. I declared and prophesied over myself and thanked God that the wells within me would never run dry. I would always have something to write about. As I twirled and splashed around, ignoring the cars driving by, I began to feel the weight slide off. I was sure it ended up in the muddy puddles at my feet. Before too long three of my five daughters were out splashing around with me. As we danced and twirled we prayed and prophesied over each other and others in my family. I prophesied greatness over each of them and myself and Billy.

Bailey jumped in to each puddle with gusto. She squished in through her toes and soon her fingers. As she pranced around covered in rain and mud she said that Blaise would be a great leader. Paige would sing songs to people and they would know God was real and good. Billy was a king among men. Avery would love the Lord always. We would have a great house where people would come. Grandma’s paintings would go all over the world and would be joy to the world.

After about 30 minutes, we were wet and a little cold, but invigorated. The rain began to pick up and the wind howled. Blaise began to shiver a little and I knew our time was done. Avery took one more run through, as we rinsed off our muddy feet. You could still see muddy holes, shaped like feet, scattered through the front drive. As I looked out into that mud I thought of how they would probably remember this moment for years to come. And one day, maybe they would take their own children by the hand and jump through mud puddles until they were too tired to do it again. Then maybe they would take their own kids in the house and wrap them with robes and tell them they were robes of royalty. And them maybe they would make them the most chocolaty hot chocolate ever.

I really hope so!

Hey, listen up!!

Over at 5 minutes for mom I entered Brandi to win something. So scoot on over, scroll through the comments. They say to comment on the one you think should win. I want her to be blessed beyond all belief. So, get to commenting!

Photo Contest

I am entering a summer photo contest!! Check it out here! Vote for meeeee!!!