Everything Counts:

     Soldier of The Cross, you have no idea of the value all of your thoughts and words.

     Amy Carmichael wrote her most profound poetry and books while she was paralyzed and in chronic pain for 19 years.   (Rose From Briar)

     Consider Paul, who wrote four stunning Epistles from prison, and not a nice prison!

     And what about John, who wrote from Patmos, and had been boiled in oil and banned from civilization?

     When I was in high school, I went to a Christian and Missionary Alliance church near my house.   I was not born again, but I was an MK and knew all the right answers.  I could quote hundreds of verses and had won awards for that from the time I was 2 years old.

     I  thought I was fine.

     Her name was Shirley and she was retarded and had a harelip.  I was always bothered by her because she was about 45 and wore her bobby socks wrong.  I was 17, and these were the 60's.  Bobby socks were incredibly important.

     The thing was, Shirley was the only person in the church who understood I had never been born again.  It wasn't that I was faking it, as there was that there was nothing to fake.  I knew the answers, sang loudly, and did not rebel.

     No parent went with me, but for some reason, I was there every time the door was open.  And when it was time for Wednesday night prayer meeting,  I tried to figure out how not to be in Shirley's group, because I knew she would pray for me vigorously.

     I was consistently unsuccessful.   I got stuck in her prayer group almost every week and hated it. She would pray and pray and pray for me until I thought I would die.

     At 29, I met the Lord. I was shocked. One of my first thoughts was about Shirley, and how she had prayed for me.  No on else knew.

     There were others just before I came to Him.   They have no idea how effective they were.
    
     Oh, Soldier, put on the Armour, give yourself to Him in the morning (aloud) and give the result to Him.

     Stand before Him about this and do it aloud.