Birthday thoughts

Dear friends-

First, if you did not know that next week was my birthday, then know you are welcome. You just have to let the keeper of the food (Tina) know that you are coming. The party is on the 5th of July. My actual birthday is July 3rd. Funny, I just saw that George W. Bush and I were born in the same town and the same hospital. Interesting.

The last few weeks have been pretty interesting. Many things on the plate. (Hey, summer is short in Vermont!) I have been talking to many people with new business interests getting me out and about. Prayed for a pre-Christian with cancer. Was with a couple from Atlanta (She is originally from Springfield), who have an outreach to prostitutes, strippers and porn stars and they were here for the last few days. Meetings in other churches and fellowships.

Observation-there is a large group in the church and outside the church who do not know how to fit in anywhere. How can that be when we are made in the image of the Lord? I must fit in. Paul said we were the body. The body connected. Some of my friends have called them disenfranchised. Others the wanderers. But what ever the name the fact is that they do not feel that they fit.

In recent days I have met many who are disconnected with no direction, no feel for destiny, no understanding of the future with hope. Perhaps I feel that way because of the gifts that God has placed in my life. The ability to see pain and see the destiny of an individual all at the same time. In recent days I have had a number of people call seeking a word. We all want to know where we are going.

I ministered on Sunday morning in a church that is seeking change. Change for the future. Change that must be implemented today for tomorrow. As I prayed and prophesied over people the Lord revealed something "fresh" to me. The fresh was that people are "crying" out for a future and a knowledge of that. Scripture tells us that "believe the prophets and prosper." There has been a shift in recent days to do that. As I laid hands on people and the Lord released pictures of destiny, you could feel the change of the atmosphere. I did another meeting there a few days later. Some of the people came and asked for clarification of words and applications. (Could this mean we have left the days of "I need a word.  Now I need another word. And another." As I said to a couple yesterday, I am a "one trick pony." I simply know what I know and it does not change.) This could mean that there is the opportunity for the prophetic word to not only be heard, but that people will allow it to be "shepherded" in their lives. It would signal a change from words gathering dust on the shelves and a willingness to walk in it. Ultimately, that would invite relationship and the removal of the "outcast" syndrome so many experience. It beacons the future of a five fold team of operatives, working together, going place to place and doing the "stuff."

Our friends(The ministry they work with is Victoria's Friends. We had a lot in common like the XXX Church-Porn and Pancakes, JC's Girls, etc.) from Atlanta go into strip joints and the like. (Well, the girls do!) They bring the "outcast" face to face with the love of the Father. They have a home complete with house mom's that takes care of these broken vessels. We had a glorious time with them. We have already talked about reaching out together in cities about New England, bringing teams, sharing with churches about porn and prostitution, etc., and how we can help these caught in it. We are looking towards Boston, Springfield, Hartford and New Haven.

Little wonder the Lord had no time that could not show up for the meal, but sent them to gather from the highways and byways.

There is a lot shaking going on. It is getting harder and harder to be a "loner." But, that does not mean they are not out there. It is our reasonable service to find them.

So, if you are feeling "lonely on July 5th, join us.

Blessings,
Lee

Lee Johndrow
Publisher
The New England Flame
88 WCFR Drive
Springfield, VT 05156
www.NewEnglandFlame.com

Catching up

Dear friends-

I had a reality check today. How many have been like me? Doing things
the way we always have and all of a sudden, it ain't happening anymore?

This morning I went out to my fully loaded van. Got in like I always
do. Put the key in, like I always do. Turned the key(Like I always
do.). And the next thing I know lights are going off. And horns. And
sirens. My son( a fire fighter, just laughed.) It sounded like the
fire truck toy my grandson has. We are not talking "beep, beep,
beep." We are talking neighbors thinking my house burned down or the
cops were here. (Thank God this was not in downtown.)

I always wondered what that light was that was the dash. Now I know!
When all was said and done, I now await a specialist.

But, I began to think about it. How many people are like me, with a
theology that this is the "way it works?" My friends say I am crazy
about my approach to God. There are things I know work. And there are
things I trust to the sovereignty of God. But, maybe I am in a rut
about some things. (A rut is a coffin with both ends kicked out.) On
the van, when the alarm went off, all my thinking about what I knew,
did not help. There is something deeper here than I know about. (Come
on. You disconnect a horn and it is supposed to STOP!)

So, what if who we are in Christ has us to be a specialist. (I am not
talking about the Great Commission, as I believe we are all called to
that.) What about the things we excel in? And the things we don't?

A wake up call? An alarm that the way we have always done things, may
be subject to change? Definitely something to think about.

My life has been good as of late. The weekend brought all our kids to
the house. I have many things to celebrate. This week is the
anniversary of my daughter, Alyssa's 1 year of being clean and sober.
They had a special dinner for her. And on top of that, she got a new
vehicle on Friday. A 2001 Mazda van. For only $68. So, I took her and
my daughter Cass to Burlington to get the car and Cass to the summer
job she had prayed for. (And she got her license last week.) Only
when I got there, I realized this summer camp had rooms as nice as
any hotel I have been in! So, God has answered their prayers! Last
weekend was Father's Day and my daughter Amy was here. Tyler is doing
great as he is nearing the end of his Class A CDL license. He has
passed the written and the physical. Who would have thought after
being in a coma for 6 weeks? And Matt is getting ready to move to New
Mexico where he is looking at just exploring the Southwest. And Amy
had a recent promotion and is doing great as she gets ready for
classes to further her in her job.

How much better could Father's Day get? Well, I guess if they had a
Grandfather's Day and it fell this weekend, that would be cool, too!
Because the three of them are doing great.
Blessings,
Lee

Lee Johndrow
Publisher
The New England Flame
88 WCFR Drive
Springfield, VT 05156
www.NewEnglandFlame.com