"Just Do It"

"Do Whatever He Tells You To Do" (John 2:5)



Have you ever wanted something to be so perfect that you stressed over it, lost sleep over it, got cranky, or even worse, you let fear over take you?


I'm guilty! In fact right now it is 4:44 am and here I am blogging. Why? Because there is so much on my plate right now. i.e. The Wake Up Sleeping Beauty kick-off, Labor Day with family at the cabin, quarterly taxes, canning pickles, tomatoes, peaches, and whatever else comes out of a garden, and the list goes on. The problem is that they all have deadlines. People are counting on me and I can't wait until November to can peaches. It all seems a little over whelming.


I think Mary may have felt my stress when she was helping out at the wedding in Cana. They were having an amazing celebration and then the wine ran out... "Who ordered the wine? How could we be short? Why are we out?" I can imagine her saying as the last wine bottle was being poured.


But then she remembers, "Jesus, my Son, He's God, He can do anything!" "Ask Him to perform a miracle" She thinks to herself. But when she presents the wine problem He replies, "It's not My time."


"Yikes!" I think to myself. Is this what Jesus is going to say when I ask for help?


Only if we quit. You see, it was Mary's next move that proved her faith. "Do what ever He ask you to do" she told the servants. She knew her Son, her Savior, her Protector, her Deliverer, her Lord, was not about to let her down, and He didn't. He saved the best for last as He turned the water to wine.


I need a miracle right now... so I will "do what ever He ask me to do" and trust that He will come through with more than I expected.

Sex Sells

Sex sells. Which might explain Miley Cyrus, all of 16, jumping aboard an ice cream cart for a couple of suggestive dance moves and thrusts alongside a silver pole.

According to NewsDay.com Miley Cyrus is now pole dancing her way into the spot light with the help of her dad! I don't know about you but I'm sick of this kind of behavior and everybody just turning their heads and acting like it's no big deal.

Check out this article from NewsDay.com.

Who wears short shorts? Miley Cyrus does - and black leather boots, too.The 16-year-old Disney star, who sold out Nassau Coliseum in 2007 and is in line to do the same for her November show here, took another step along the Britney Spears career track this weekend with a pole-dancing performance at the Teen Choice Awards that some say sent the wrong message to her tween-age fans.Cyrus, who has been piping up about broadening her appeal, busted out the provocative get-up to sing her song "Party in the USA" for a segment of the teen awards fest taped Sunday and broadcast Monday night on Fox. Halfway through the song, Cyrus climbed atop an ice cream cart and shimmied alongside a pole protruding from its top. But if you were surprised, offended or shocked by the move, you really shouldn't be, say Miley-watchers - this has been coming for some time."She already has this risque image, so it really wasn't much of a stretch," says Us magazine senior editor Ian Drew. "That's how Britney took off. She was the good girl gone bad, and it looks to be working for Miley as well."

The article goes on to say, "Miley the Minor didn't do anything illegal, or against her will. According to an interview she gave MTV, Miley and her dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, planned the not-so-slyly sexualized performance as part of an homage to the family's small-town, trailer-park, country roots. One minute, she's Hannah Montana, role model to legions of little girls. The next, it's Miley - a year after her father caught flak for sexually charged photographs of the kid in a magazine - dancing one more step toward goodness knows what."

Moms, please help me in fighting this. We have to teach our girls. If you haven't signed up to be a leader for this years Wake Up Sleeping Beauty kick-off please do it now. You can influence not only your daughter but her friends. Go now to http://www.wakeupsleepingbeauty.com/ and click on events and register as a leader.

We can be appalled at Billy Ray Cyrus for exposing his daughter to such scandalous behavior but we are no better if we don't become proactive with our own daughters.

Day 24-28 "Your Children Will Return"

"Your children will return" Jeremiah 31: 16-17



I apologize for not posting a blog every day this week. I want you to know that Jordan and I have been shredding and spending our time in the Word.


This past week I had the honor of going to Aspen, Colorado to do a Wake Up Sleeping Beauty kick-off. The moms and daughters captured my heart. I can't wait to see what God is up to in Aspen. Please be praying for them as they start their groups next week.


I also had the joy of preparing for all of our daughters and their spouses to come home. We are all getting ready to escape to Lake Powell. I can't remember the last time we were all together. Thank you Lord.


There was also break through this week. Jordan was anxious to get her ACT scores back because she wants to fast track into Mesa College her senior year. Now Jordan is a very smart girl but she struggles with test taking. While I was in Aspen she called, "Mom, I did it, I not only passed, I exceeded their standards!" Now that was amazing but her next words blew me out of the water. "Mom, I'm going to take the test again. I know that I can do better and get the scholarship that CCU offers." For a girl who stresses and cries on test days this was like the Red Sea parting and she was walking through. Like Jillian says, "If you want results you have to work hard, don't phone this one in."


Jordan and I have been continuing in our study of Jeremiah. Israel is engaged to God but she keeps finding other lovers. Jeremiah weeps over her unfaithfulness and keeps warning her that she is trading in God's glory for things that won't profit her.


There are many times in my ministry that I feel like the weeping prophet as I try to tell girls that their choices are going to lead to curses and not blessings. Time and time again I see girls fall into sexual impurity. They trade the Glory of God for things that won't profit them.



Last night I had the privilege of witnessing one of the most beautiful love stories of all times. A former Wake Up Sleeping Beauty student and her groom went to the marriage alter pure! Their wedding was a testimony to the glory of God. They shared their love for Christ with the guests as they wrote their own vows and washed each others feet. Tears stream down my face as I thought about Christ coming for a bride without blemish. The angles in heaven must have been rejoicing last night as two people came to the wedding chamber undefiled, and Holy unto God. Thank you, Wade and Chelsea for witnessing to so many last night!


This will be my final "Shred" blog as the next two days Jordan and I will be shredding in a remote spot. I feel like Jordan and I have made huge progress both mentally and physically. Jordan ran her three miles this week and I know that I will succeed soon. Spiritually I desire to look good for my Groom. I want to become the Bride that He longs for. I know that my job as His fiance is to learn and know all I can about Him while He's gone to the Father to prepare a place for me.



I want to encourage you to keep exercising your bodies and minds with your daughters this summer. Keep breaking thought barriers that have stopped you from succeeding in the past and get rid of things that steal God's glory and keep you from profiting.


I want to encourage you with a verse that God gave me when I started Wake Up Ministries, "Stop crying, stop weeping, your work shall be rewarded. Your children will return from the land of the enemy and into their own territory." Jeremiah 31: 16-17 Moms never give up. Girls never give in. When it comes to trading God's glory with the things that the world has to offer, it will never profit you.

Day 23 "Little Profit"

"But My people have changed their glory for that which does not profit." (Jer. 2:11)

The Apostle, Paul, tells us that it doesn't really profit us that much to buff up our bodies. There are some health benefits, but it's not ever lasting. If we start admiring ourselves too much or long for the "Idol" body we will exchange our glory (being His temple) for that which does not profit.

Jordan and I spent quite a bit of time in the second chapter of Jeremiah today. God compliments Israel as He tells them, "I remember concerning you the devotion of your youth, the love of your betrothals, your following after me in the wilderness."

We compared this scene with our first loves in High School. How cool it was to take new adventures in unknown territories with the man of our dreams. "Ain't no mountain high enough, ain't no valley deep enough to keep us from them." but then they dumped us.

They changed the glory that we had for drinking, parties, and even other women. Oh, the hurt of our first love letting us down. We gave so much of ourselves. We had a right to be angry, bitter, mean, and vengeful. Yep, we were going to drink poison and hope that someone else (our boyfriends) would get sick and die.

How God must feel when we stop depending upon Him, stop trusting, loving, or spending our time with Him in order to please the world, how much it sickens Him knowing that it will not bring us profit.

God has the right to be bitter, mad, mean, and even hateful to us as we've all dumped Him in some sore of fashion. But when we come back He forgets, forgives, and adorns us with His glory and oh, how it profits us.

Day 22 "Workout Three, The Last Frontier"

"Before I formed you I knew you, before you were born I consecrated you." (Jer. 1:5).



We are on the last leg of the 30 day shred. Jordan and I are committed to doing workout 3 for the rest of the duration (that would be eight days for those of you just joining us).


I want you to know that I'm a full supporter of this Jillian (that is until she comes out with some outrageous hidden secret). I think she's changed my life and a few others along the way. I'm telling everyone about "The Shred." I also show them, "just feel my abs." It's sick and wrong but I'm every impressed that our bodies can change so much with a little effort. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. I'm pretty sure that before long Jillian's going to have to start paying me a commission for selling so many DVDs.


Jordan and I have have gone from Isaiah (the doom prophet) to Jeremiah (the weeping prophet). Now that's progress.


I've read Jeremiah a thousand times but this morning something hit me. God said, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you." The word knew in Hebrew is "yada", it means to be one or intimate, it can go as far as sexual intimacy.

God is giving us a clue about His love for Jeremiah. As He knitted Jeremiah together He was putting all the right parts, pieces, temperments, looks, and love into him to do the job which he had created him to do.

"Before you were born I set you apart" He made Him unique and then gave Jeremiah his purpose..."prophet to the nations."

Jeremiah questioned the Lord. "I am a youth."

I often question my purpose, or better yet can I do it? I often think: I'm too old, not smart enough, not rich enough, or some other excuse but the fact is... God knitted me together with everything I need to do His good works. He knew me! He's crazy in love with me.


Jordan and I said maybe we weren't sent here to change nations (or maybe we were) but we are definetly created and equipped to do all that God asks us to do.

Day 21 "Father's Day Shred"

"The eyes of the Lord are in every place, watching the evil and the good." Proverbs 15:3


My husband, Jay, dreamed about going to our cabin and fishing Father's Day weekend. It was the perfect weekend. The boat ran great, we caught our fishing limit in about an hour (my dream come true) and Saturday evening was quiet and peaceful as God painted us a beautiful picture in the mountain sky.


Jordan and Jay will tell you that all was calm until 8:00 am on Sunday morning. Yep, that's when the "Shred" Nazi began to shout, "Get up we're wasting daylight"

Jordan moaned, "Mom, we had a deal...we don't shred until 8:30." She wrapped the pillow securely over her head hoping that I would not bothered her again.

However, I'm smarter than the average bear so I waited a few moments and then set the only clock in the cabin up 20 minutes. "Jordan, it's 8:30!" I giggled.


"Mom, you're ridiculous." At least that's what I think she said under that muffled pillow.


While drinking his coffee, Jay, laughed as he's gotten quite use to "The Shred" routine. I took one look at him and said, "Soldier, down your coffee, you're "Shredding" too."


It was Father's day and since we have no TV at the cabin we needed Jay's stop watch. Yep, we were going to do three minutes of strength moves, two minutes of cardio, and one minute of abs (three times) while hiking straight up a mountain.


I have to say that it was one of the best times ever in the mountains. Jordan began to give her dad heck. "Dad, these are lunges, get your rear end down."


"I'm about to pull a hamstring" was his reply.


"Oh yea, your not either, you're just out of shape, I hear you breathing" She laughed.


I must tell you that at the end of our 20 minutes we were all dirty, sweating, and breathing like ninety year-old smokers. We were laughing at how crazy this all was. I can't think of a better Father's day. However, I'm not sure Jay sees it in the same way. He's walking with a limp. It must be that pulled hamstring!


While at the cabin I came across Proverbs 15:3. I smiled as it brought back memories of picking up Olivia from her Christian preschool. Olivia was a very quiet four year-old, an only child in a single parent home. I was trying to make her feel comfortable so I asked her, "Olivia what's your favorite song at school?" Before she could answer I said, "Jesus, loves me? The B-I-B-L-E? Zack, the wee little man?


"No, no, and no" was her answer. "I like...The Eyes of the Lord Go To and Fro."


"What!" I said. "I've never heard of that." Maybe it was the way she said, "Lord" rolling all the consonants together, but it was the cutest thing I'd ever heard.


In her cute little voice she said, "June, you know it, it's Problems 15:3!"


Trying to keep a straight face I said, "Olivia, do you mean Proverbs 15:3?"


"Yep, He's watching everything, His eyes go to and fro." melodically she sang.


The crackling of the fire brought me back to the present. "Oh, the eyes of the Lord watch it all. The good and the evil." I believe He smiles as He watches his children loving each other and having a good time. I believe He loves families more than anything in the world and desires for us to stay away from the evil and live the abundant life He came to give us. In the 15th chapter of "Problems" He shows us how to stay away from evil and live good.


Olivia had been through some really rough times but for her there was great comfort knowing that God sees it all, the evil and the good. My prayer for Olivia is , "God, show her how to live good, and keep Your eyes upon her." It's written in the Problems.

Day 18 "My Flesh Doesn't Control Me"

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh" (2 Cor. 10-3).

Jay left at 5:00 am this morning to go fishing at Blue Mesa Reservoir and I did not want to get out of bed.

When Jordan and I first started the DVD I was dragging. "I hate this" I kept saying in my mind. But by the time we were into the second stage of exercise I was actually enjoying it (well, maybe "enjoying" is stretching the truth a bit) but we made it another day. Our flesh didn't control us... we controlled our flesh.

The apostle Paul tells us "for though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ."

What I believe Paul is telling us is that our minds are so powerful that if we stay focused and believe in Who God IS and Who we are in God then we are capable of accomplishing anything.

Another thing Paul is telling us is that the greatest thing we can do with our minds is to tear down fortresses (imaginations or lies the enemy has put in there).

I've been thinking about the exercise where Jillian has us squat and then punch as if we were hitting a punching bag. Well, I'm going to start having fun with this exercise because when the enemy puts a thought into my mind that isn't right...something like...I'm unsuccessful, stupid, something mean spirited, or perhaps a sexual thought that shouldn't be there, I'm simply going to take a punch at Satan. I'll do this by saying, "Shut up!" Then I'm going to give him the right hook by putting Scripture into my mind...something like... "I am Christ workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them" (Eph. 2:10).

Last but not least I'm going to go for the Knock Out, I'm going to walk in obedience to Christ.

So tomorrow when the enemy comes to kill, steal, and destroy me, he's going to be a little beat up. He can take his little jabs but in the end I will win because my weapons are divinely powerful! While I walk in the flesh, my flesh will not control me, I will control it. AMEN!