Gods Strategy Room

God’s Strategy Room

When I think of a “Strategy Room“, I can almost hear the James Bond movie music! Bom-bom-bada-bom-bom bada….badada-badada- well you get the idea! It conjures up images of Top Secret information being shared in a secret location. Forget entering without identity badges, finger prints and eye scans. Okay, so now you’re thinking this woman has seen too many spy movies.

Well, maybe so.

Oh, but I have had a tiny taste of the real thing!

I was working in the family business, Amos Metal Products. I did pretty much anything my Dad told me to. I never thought about it. I knew if he asked me to do something I could do it. He knew me. He trained me. I knew him. It was that simple. I don’t ever recall feeling the least bit nervous or intimidated. It’s the same with my Heavenly Dad, God.

I know if God tells me to do something, I can. He knows me, He trained me.

At that time at Amos, I went to Redstone Arsenal every week for contract procurement. Amos was selected for many Department of Defense projects. We developed several prototypes for the military and for NASA. To get on post, first I had to go through the gate where the guard checked me and my car for proper identification. Then, I went to my destination where we did it again! There I was given access to designs the engineers had perfected for the projects they were developing. After reviewing the blueprints I chose whatever I decided would be suitable for Amos to submit a bid on. At the submission of the completed bid for the project there was a whole separate secure procedure for actually submitting the quote for the job. Once Amos secured the bid, there was even more security….well, you get the idea.

This has helped me many times in the war I find myself in here and now.

Yes, you and I are at war. There are real enemies that would love to steal our destiny, kill our hearts and destroy our lives. Why? Because God has big plans and Satan and his minions want what belongs to God.

The good news is God, through faith in Jesus has not only given us “security access” but He INVITES us into the most secret heavenly places! AKA, the Strategy Room! He wants to tell us what going on and gives us the opportunity to participate! He even lets us decide what we’d like to do! He doesn’t want mindless robots! We have choices and opportunities!

I any situation, according to Jeremiah 33:3, God will answer our call and gives strategies from heaven.

This truth has saved me from disaster! Not remembering has cost me big time.

There is much I do not know, cannot know, must not know….even some things I don’t want to know. Oh sure, I’m curious but it’s actually been more exciting NOT knowing and just being real.

I told a girlfriend recently that I felt urgently that I needed to talk to her. It was personal stuff, intensely personal. It was risky! I asked her if she might be interested to hear my impressions. She said yes.

Bom-bom-bada-…You here the music too don’t you?

I shared what I thought God had impressed on my heart regarding things I simply had no way of knowing! She said it was “right on” and gave her timely help on her journey.

Life is exciting filled with purpose and how-to’s from heaven!

Times were crazy busy during the last semester of nursing school. I was going to school full time, mother of 4 active kids, running a household, leading worship and the women’s ministry at church. Oh, did I mention I was also class president? My long history of abuse and unmet validation needs, mixed with some false teaching and performance based theology had created quite the perfectionist. Deep wounds festered while I performed all the “good Pastor’s wife” duties, trying to please God and the world – oh but that’s another story. Let’s just say it was not a good time to be sick!

Normally, I have boundless energy, even a bit hyper. You know- the captain of the cheerleaders type! (Yes, I was that, too.) But suddenly I literally couldn’t hold my eyes open. My Doctor ordered labs.

I tested positive for the Epstein Barr virus!

I was devastated. I had worked so hard to be a straight A student only to find failure knocking on my door.

God answered the door while I slept.

2 weeks of sleep later, I dragged myself to campus to take 3 exams that I wasn’t ready for. I prayed. I cried out and lifted it all up to God singing, ”I cast all my cares upon you“.

But first, I armed my weak self with information from the strategy room of God. He knew all the answers to my tests. I quieted my soul. Then, I listened with my heart wide open.

“I’ll be with you”.

It was that simple. My invisible God who knew all the answers was with me. I went in feeling almost like a cheater. A spy with a secret weapon….

When the tests were graded and being handed out all eyes were on me. Everyone knew I failed. What they were watching for was how I was going to handle it. Was I going to say bad words? Was all that prayer just a psycho babble crutch? When I received my grades all I could do was sob in sloppy choked up gasps for air. Everyone started crying with and for me. My friend Pam couldn’t stand it! In tears, she ran to my desk- grabbed my tests and with a loud surprised voice yelled,” She didn’t fail- she got all A’s”.

Pandemonium broke out! Every one was crying and hugging me.

You see, they told us from day one, “Look to your left and to your right…only one of you will make it to graduation“. Statistics. Facts. It made me mad. I felt a fire in my bones. I wanted to make history. I told the ladies to my right, my left and for good measure, the ones in front of me and in back of me that we were all going to make it. (Later it was the one to the right who nominated me for class president, the one on the left seconded the motion. I think all four of them voted for me.)J

What came to me was very simple, “Pray”.

So, I invited anyone who wanted to pray to join me before every exam. I could hear the laughter and worse, the jabs. One person laughed in my face and said, well, never mind that. Some things aren’t worth repeating. You get the idea.

That was it. Pray with whoever wants to before every test.

Amid snickers and sneers we prayed. Then it slowly grew.

One day, I lifted my head to see every student in our class standing in that circle of prayer. Did I mention that we had the largest percentage of graduating nursing students in the history of the school? Every single one of us went on to pass the NCLEX to become Registered Nurses. 100%!

God knows all the answers. He, well, He knows everything! He has a secret place where strategies from heaven can be heard. He has invited us in. He identifies us through Jesus Christ! We, through Christ are invited by God Himself to call, just call and He will answer. He will tell us marvelous, wondrous things we could never figure out on our own!

I have found myself in many tough situations since then, many of my own making. Maybe it will become a country song…..

I was in a pickle – but with YOU,

I came out smelling like a rose…..okay, maybe not!

I think I’ll stick to Bom-bom-bada-bom-bom-bada…..!

“This is God’s Message, the God who made earth, made it livable and lasting, known everywhere as God:’ Call to me and I will answer you. I’ll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.’

Jeremiah 33:2-3, The Message