God In Every Detail: In Studio With @SusieLarson Interviewing @dukeslee on Live The Promise

Rows of imported marble pillars draw your eye to the tiled cathedral ceiling. Intricately designed, arched stained-glass windows line each side as you walk into Nazareth Chapel. Not surprisingly, one of the top wedding destinations in the Twin Cities. It’s historical architecture is located on the campus of University of Northwestern, MN.

Jesus’ presence has been tangible to me there. It is a holy, anointed place where tears have been cried and fears have died. I’ve felt the heartbeat of my Father.


In the darkest time of my life, when hope, spiritual wisdom, and encouragement was scarce, I found myself in the pews of that chapel hearing God speak deeply to my soul. I encountered Him at a long-running conference put on by women.


After attending 12 years, I call Set Apart ‘home’. So profound has it’s impact been upon my life. Many women have enriched my life and studied my faith there. But one in particular.


When she spoke in the chapel that day, the desperate thirst in my soul was met with the Holy Spirit’s Living Water. John 7:38


I whispered a prayer, “Lord, I want her to be my friend.” as I recognized the Spirit within her was what I really desired: The Holy Fire of God’s Living Word. My sword. Hebrews 4:12


I recognized in her what I had lost, the core of my faith. The security of relationship with the Jesus. She had found Mercy in the Wilderness and was sharing the spoils of her warfare with me.


I’d been longing to return to God. I hadn’t intended to leave. But I had failed to successfully resist the devil’s flinging fiery-arrows.


The enemy battle strategy was to get me alone and then assault. The enemy had succeeded in nailing me to the wall with accusation of what was true of me outside of Christ. Though my “outside” life was still seemingly fine, my inner life was a train-wreck. Anxiety had taken over my heart in my unbelief. I feared at one time I was on the verge of the Psych ward, which only amplified my anxiety.


In Chapel when Susie uttered that word, ‘unbelief’, I recognized it’s presence in my soul.


After the whispered prayer, I went to the sale table and purchased all four of her available CD’s so I could take the Spirit home with me. I often listened in the car.


A few years later, after connecting a few times in between, I was at a local retreat where Susie Larson was speaking. As I visited with her, she grabbed hold of my arm and said, “I need to get you on my intercessory prayer team. Send me your email address.”


I remembered that moment the prayer I had whispered to God in my desperate heart while sitting there in Naz Chapel that day.


The blood of Jesus and prayer has a way of making people fast friends.


Now I see it was inevitable. Psalm 37:23NLT He directs the steps of the godly, He delights in every detail of their life. Every. Detail. Of our lives.


I know now, over a decade after our first encounter, that the time I fell away from God was due to idolatry. I had been lured away to idol-worship. I had been worshiping what Jennifer Dukes Lee has termed a Love Idol. After sorting out truth from lies through God’s gifts of Mentors like Susie, I came to realize I idolized the opinions of people, and allowed my fear of failing them and fear of their rejection to enslave me.


I had put myself back on the throne of my little life and rather than relying on God, I relied on a Love Idol my performance


Over the course of time as I’ve been saturated in the Word of God, and surrounded by His truth-telling people, I’ve come to the refreshing place of knowing and BELIEVING that I am #preapproved No longer a slave to a #LoveIdol {But always having to guard against yielding to it}

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Jennifer gave me an early copy of her book to review. In addition to being a delightful read, it’s been a wonderful refresher for my faith in the continuing battle to keep my heart right before God. And a powerful reminder of what God has done.


And as only God can, He has arranged details to bring us all together into the KTIS studio as my friend, Susie Larson interviews “Love Idol” author and friend, Jennifer Dukes Lee. To add icing to the cake, our friend Angie Ryg has driven up to join us on Live The Promise at 3:00pm CST today.


Click here for a copy of Love Idol

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Joining Jennifer Lee’s Link-up: 
Tell His Story


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