Things I Love about Leaving Home

It has taken me a few days of wallowing in my home to be able to pen this post.

Although it was on my heart when I wrote that last one, I just had to have a few days to get my strength back. Strength that I only get from my home and family.

Honey and I spent some time this weekend cleaning together. Yep! Romantic huh? He cleaned Bathrooms, I cleaned the kitchen. He polished furniture, I vacuumed. It was a team effort. My very favorite team in the whole world. I am a lucky lady I know.

One of the most common questions I am ever asked is “Pat, how do you do all that you do?” Many of my friends and family get overwhelmed just thinking about the constant activity and responsibilities of my life. That frequent question has caused me to contemplate the HOW and WHY of what I do.

The answer comes quickly to my heart.

I am a FRUIT JUNKIE!!

Philippians 3:14

“I press on towards the goal to win the prize FOR WHICH GOD HAS CALLED ME heavenward in Christ Jesus”.

My hearts desire is to apprehend that for which I have been apprehended! To see and touch the FRUIT of ministry. The FRUIT of a yielded life.

My hearts desire is to complete the work God has called me to complete. A true sense of “calling” gives me strength to leave.

I see Him at work as I obey His calling on my life. I see Him in my Family. I see Him in my ministry. I see Him at home. I see Him when I am away.

I see HIM!

I see God in the miracle of my actually ENJOYING Airplane flights. When I started traveling 3 years ago, I did it VERY AFRAID. Tears rolled down my face during every flight. Today, there are actually days that I can TALK to the person flying with me 🙂 and even days when I get lost in my writing or study while on an AIRPLANE! That is God!

I see God at work in my weaknesses. It fills me to overflow as I walk into a ministry environment shaking in my boots (or high heals). I am truly in my sweet spot as I watch God’s anointing flow into a ministry situation that absolutely petrifies me. I LOVE/HATE stepping into ministry challenges that completely unsettle me so that I can watch God SHINE on situations that ONLY HE can SHINE on!

I see God in Hostess teams who have prayed for months for the women and the event they are preparing. I see God in Pastors who bless us with a Saturday morning WORD of encouragement. I see God in event decorations that take hours, time and money dedicated entirely to making women feel special. I see God in precious gift baskets left in hotel rooms that say “it matters to us that you left your home and family to come to us”.

I see God in women who are hungry for more of HIM! At Freedom Weekends I see God in women who are transparent. Women who shed their masks and get real with one another. Women who praise. Women who pray. Women who laugh and women who cry. Women who surrender their lives to Christ for the first time ever or the second or third or fourth……

I see God in the beauty of new places and new cities. He has placed His special touch on His creation everywhere I go. Mountains, rivers, beaches and wheat covered countrysides. Florida is beautiful but we don’t have real “seasons” here. I love enjoying the weather changes from Alaska in January to Fall in New England. A treat most don’t get to enjoy.

I see God in the Ghetto. On my last ministry trip I prayed as I watched little boys and girls playing in the darkest streets of NYC, wearing dirty worn out clothes and kicking milk cartoons for sport. I could feel deep in my gut the “home” they probably had waiting for them.

I see God in the new relationships and ministry partnerships He forms as I travel. There is a special place in my heart for new Surrendering the Secret sisters and brothers. Those who have taken up the cause of healing for the millions who have bought the lies of abortion. They are my heroes.

Most of all, I see God as my husband drives the car once AGAIN, up to the Tampa International Airport Baggage Claim and claims me–His tired but very FULL Baggage 🙂