It’s audio devo day!
You have God’s attention. He is listening. He sees you. Your prayers rise to Him and go right into His heart. Every single time! He wants to impart this truth to your heart deeper as you tune in here:
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What was God showing you as you listened?
Feeding On Jesus 
Oh Jennifer, I am weeping so very much. The meaning of that Word to pray. Incredible. A couple days ago a loved one sent me an email thanking me for being their voice when they were voiceless as a little child. I spoke up for that child when I was only a child myself (11), but in speaking up, my cries were not heard and I thought- after much tearful intercession that my prayers were left unheard. I gave up, believing God had rejected me, and descended upon my Prodigal journey. But God had heard those cries He gave me and answered me 20 + years later.
But why I am crying is because this has happened all over again. I again spoke up for the voiceless as a returned Prodigal and was turned away, repeatedly. Not long later I was at a Rend Collective Concert and they began playing “Weep with Me” which speaks of Jesus weeping with us. I broke down and could not stop crying. My friend couldn’t understand my tears. Later, I came to understand she thought I was wrong for speaking up and causing “division”. I have lost many friendships and communities in my obedience to God’s call and I daily watch the consequences of the things I spoke up about in those I love so much. The pain goes so deep. I have been praying through the question He uncovered in me about my Prodigal journey: why did you wait so long until You came to bring me home? You see while many Prodigals run home – in my case, God came to get me and carried me home. He poured out His Spirit upon me afresh and opened my eyes.
Then, the past few days He’s had one verse after another coming to me on things happening in His appointed times. And that has been such a comfort to my heart. But to have that Word in your podcast is just such a gift. Also because of this:
When I was praying early Saturday morning I again had a Word come to my mind that I didn’t know, so I looked it up:
Anayah
It means “Jehovah has answered me”. He was a priest who helped Ezra and signed the covenant with Nehemiah.
A few weeks ago when I was worshipping, God gave me the Word Eliyana. That name is the female version of the priest’s name Ananiah and also means: “Yahweh has answered me”
I sent these Words to friends who came to my heart to encourage them, but I now see how God is giving these Words back to me. He sees how I continue to weep- for my Prodigal loved ones who have been so wounded in the name of God and for those God commanded me to break from who just cannot see the harm they are doing. He sees. He truly sees our hearts.
My Mama called me Anna from the womb before the days scans told you if you were having a girl or boy. She did so because Anna was the prophetess who immediately recognized baby Jesus in the temple. Somehow even that brings me such comfort. I have always recognized Jesus where others haven’t been able to…but now I am finally beginning to know with my heart that that doesn’t make me wrong, evil or crazy – it makes me chosen of God to fast, pray and wait with expectation – knowing my God has answered my cries.
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It blesses my heart so much to read about how Jesus is ministering to you, Anna. How very cool, the way He whispered those words into your heart, to invite you into the discovery of looking them up with hidden treasures for you there. I love that! This also made me smile, because what I have prepared for next Monday’s audio devo is about the prophetess Anna. I was reflecting on exactly that, how she had eyes to see and recognize what God was doing!
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My Mum wrote those details about why they named me Anna on her final birthday card to me – written with her shaky hand and her mind struggling to string thoughts together (she had glioblastoma multiforme: brain cancer). She died less than two months later. Those words are now so very precious to me. Oh how I look forward to Monday.
I have started reading: “Fearfully and Wonderfully” by Dr Paul Brand and Philip Yancey and am just weeping so much. This is surely a man who recognized Jesus everywhere he walked also.
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Finally sitting down to catch up on everything, after taking some time to be restful over Christmas. Wow, Anna. I can only begin to imagine how precious and sacred those words must be to you. How long has it been since she passed?
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I am so glad you took the time to rest over Christmas – I did also (we had my Dad visiting from Germany 😊).
It will be 8 years ago this coming April 8th that my Mum went to be with Jesus. She left for heaven two days before our oldest turned 4. My big girl (now 11) and my husband arrived in NZ (from the Netherlands) on her birthday, to join me and our youngest (then 1), just in time for my Mum’s funeral the day after. I often think how hard it must now be for New Zealanders stuck in quarantaine, unable to get home in time to see their dying Mum or Dad.
Being there physically was such a gift and I am so thankful to all who made that possible for me (twice for extended periods over the 5 months my Mum was sick): my husband, my in-laws and daycare who doted on and loved my big girl extra through those weeks of separation, my colleagues (and friends) who took over my classes (including seniors!) at high school and told me not to think about my work, my little sister who helped me look after my youngest so I could bathe my Mum and spend time alone with her, my Mum’s German friend who dropped dinners off and checked in on me personally asking me how I truly was, and so many friends who loved and prayed me through so much.
Oh may Jesus swing wide the doors back home (and in other countries) to enable His Body be present to each other – especially in those final days on earth.
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That should have been three days before our eldest turned 4.
BTW here is my email address you had asked for so you could share more about your son’s testimony:
AnnaSmit@shalomaleh.com
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Thank you my sister! I will write soon 💖
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Again, wow. Your description of the love that you experienced from your community is tangible to my heart as I read it. I know how unforgettable that is. When my daughter Lily was in a coma a couple of years ago, we experienced a similar outpouring of love that left such a mark on my heart!
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Oh that must have been so very hard. Praise God for His sweet mercies to us through the hard. BTW I love your daughter’s name. Makes me think of the lily decorations in Solomon’s Temple and God’s attention to details and His desire to bless us with His beauty.
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Once again, you bring a joyful smile to my face. Yes! That’s very much in line with who she is! And thank You Jesus, she is wonderfully healthy today!
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And look at the song from my childhood that has been on my heart all week:
I finally found it on YouTube
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Aw how precious! Thank You Holy Spirit!
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May the joy of the LORD’S coming……HIS light and HIS blessings be upon you and yours this season dear one. We are HIS beloved and we are joyous about this today and every day! Amen!
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Receiving those blessings gratefully, my dear sister, and praying them for you as well! Sending all my love this Christmastime 🙂 💕
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Thank you so much!
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Your word imagery of God stooping down reminds me of another word picture from a beloved Pastor.
It is the love of the Father that causes Him to stoop low as though to a little infant just learning to take their first steps, offer His strong fingers for little hands to grip, and then slowly walk backwards while offering encouraging sounds and words to His precious child. That imagery moved me all those years ago and its still moves me now… For even at 61, I am still a little child needing His hands to strengthen me. 💓
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That is beautiful, Jenny! It’s amazing how powerful and enduring an image can be to our spirits, when He breathes His breath of life on it for us, isn’t it?
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