Perry Noble launched his new church over the weekend—an online-based congregation called Second Chance Church.

“Second Chance Church To Launch THIS SUNDAY! Yep – you read that correctly, this coming Sunday will be the official launch of Second Chance Church… …sort of… …while we do not have a location, staff or volunteers as of yet–we do have an incredible platform known as the World Wide Web… … and so this Sunday at 1:00pm on I will be preaching a message on Facebook Live. During the month of December I will be doing messages on my personal Facebook page; however, after about a month or so I will be putting the messages on the Second Chance Facebook Page,” Noble posted Dec. 1.

Noble, who previously pastored NewSpring Church, was fired in 2016 from his senior pastoral role due to alcohol addiction.

The new church announcement came one month after Noble announced his split from his wife of 17 years.

“This is one of the most difficult things I’ve ever communicated and I understand it will be even more difficult for many of you to read,” the statement read. “After being married for 17 years I have found myself in a place I never imagined I would be—as no one who has ever been married ever dreams in a million years that their marriage will one day end in divorce,” Noble told Faithwire in November.

Leadership at NewSpring maintain Noble is not ready to be back in the pulpit.

“We have been asked why Perry can preach at other churches but not at NewSpring,” teaching pastor Clayton King posted. “We cannot speak for other churches and how they make decisions. For us, Perry currently does not meet the biblical qualifications of a pastor, teacher, shepherd.”

Despite his setbacks, Noble is moving forward with Second Chance Church.

His first sermon for the online community was titled, “So I Screwed Up … Now What?”

The sermon has been viewed more than 42,000 times. Thousands also responded through the comment section.

“Enjoyed watching Pastor P!!! You are truly a blessing to so many people !!! Loved your message!!! Keep doing what your [sic] doing,” writes one person.

Another writes: “Our biggest adversity will become your biggest strength Perry! We never gave up on you. Jesus wouldn’t kick you out but he would lift you up in more prayer!”

“Yesterday Second Chance Church officially launched with a broadcast out of this living room…” Noble posted to Facebook. “I thought back (and fought back the tears) as I thought back to the first church the Lord allowed me to launch … and that one too was in a living room. I had no idea what the Lord was going to do then .. but it was way more than I could have ever imagined! And if He did it then He can do it again!! I am believing Him for greater things, that we will see lives changed, communities transformed and the Nations reached with the greatest message ever – The Gospel!! Yesterday was just the beginning – I know the best is still yet to come!! A huge “thank you” to everyone who have been praying for this – and for all of your encouragement! I can’t wait to see what happens next!”

Christmas is hands-down my favorite time of the year! I’ve been known to begin shopping in August, listen to Christmas music in October, get the decorations out in November … Steve thinks I’m a little nuts. But that’s OK!

Even though I love Christmas, it can be easy to lose my sense of wonder. What do I mean by wonder? I mean that absolute amazement, incredible awe and overwhelming astonishment at God’s great love and goodness. I never want to lose that sense of wonder. But even though I love Christmas, with all the hustle and bustle, I can let my wonder slip. I want to be like the shepherds who, after seeing Jesus and experiencing the wonder of the incarnation, left glorifying and praising God (Luke 2:20).

So how do we cultivate a sense of wonder? Here are a few ideas:

1. Light a candle and read Luke 2:1-20, slowly and deliberately.
2. Ask God to rekindle in your heart a renewed sense of wonder.
3. Sit outside in the dark and star-gaze. Imagine the night sky filled with angel choirs.
4. Snuggle a baby close and allow her to wrap her fingers around your finger. Imagine—God Himself, in infant form.
5. Turn off your phone and take a drive to look at Christmas lights while listening to some of your favorite Christmas carols.
6. Sit silently for at least 10 minutes and simply ponder the incarnation.
7. Take a walk in the snow (or along the beach, depending on your situation). As you walk, take in the beauty of creation and imagine that the same God who created the mountains and the oceans became a baby—because He loved you!
8. Get up early in the morning while it’s still dark and sit with your coffee with only the Christmas tree lights on. Contemplate Jesus as the light of the world.
9. Visit a barn. Feel the hay, smell the smells and try to imagine giving birth there.
10. Take the Christmas Praise Challenge. You can find it free on my website, . {eoa} 
    

    Becky Harling, an author, certified speaker, leadership coach and trainer with the John Maxwell Team, is an energetic and motivational international speaker inspiring audiences to overcome their greatest life challenges and reach their full God-given potential. Her most recent book is How to Listen So People Will Talk. Her husband, Steve Harling, is the president of Reach Beyond, a nonprofit organization seeking to be the voice and hands of Jesus around the world.

This article originally appeared at .

I was awakened at 3:00 am as the Lord began to speak to me. He said, “December is a month to receive sudden, supernatural deployments.” These supernatural deployments may not be instant or happening in the same month, but the revelation of them is coming forth now! He also said, “Don’t be shocked by the suddenness of these deployments.”

The definition for the word “deploy” is to extend (a military unit) especially in width, to place in battle formation or appropriate positions deploying troops to the region, to spread out, utilize or arrange for a deliberate purpose.

Many of you have been on assignment, but I see the Father changing your orders. In the days to come, there will be seemingly sudden re-directs. Many will be caught off guard, but it is the Lord’s doing. He is positioning those who have stayed the course into new commissions, new assignments, battlefield promotions. Macedonian call experiences will be routine at the end of this year as the Lord positions people in the right places and the right assignments.

I saw marching orders being given from heaven. Many will be surprised by where they are being dispatched and what is unfolding, but these are eternal plans. Many will be supernaturally extended in their assigned place and in their anointing, vision, purpose and calling. The Father has ordained these movements. The Lord is saying, “I am putting you in appropriate positions.” There is coming sudden adjustments as He is directing those who have been out of position into their appropriate places. This is eternal strategy, sudden positioning. Hearts are being aligned with heavenly intent and purpose. We cannot be bound by or let the fear of man hold us back. God is literally arranging His people for deliberate purposes. The revelation and recalibration may seem sudden, but the plan is eternal.

Marching orders and deployment orders are coming through dreams and visions. Increased commissioning in dreams will be the norm as this is a high level apostolic-prophetic leading. A commission is a formal written warrant granting the power to perform various acts or duties, a certificate conferring military rank and authority, an authorization or command to act in a prescribed manner or to perform prescribed acts.

He said, “Hear now My word. If there is a prophet among you, I the Lord will make Myself known to him in a vision, and I will speak to him in a dream” (Num. 12:6).

The Lord says, “Pay attention to dreams and visions in the month of December. I am releasing a dream and vision mantle upon My people. They will begin to receive a supernatural GPS through these realms.”

There are 4 Types of Prophetic Dream Encounters:

1. Warning Dreams.

These contain critical prophetic warnings. This is a Shamar dimension of the prophetic anointing. “But being warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they returned to their own country by another route” (Matt. 2:12).

2. Daybreak Dreams.

Prophetic imprints as you awaken. These are vivid prophetic encounters with vital messages.

“The seven thin ears devoured the seven plump and full ears. Then Pharaoh awoke and realized it was a dream. In the morning his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them to Pharaoh” (Gen. 41:7-8).

3. Predictive Dreams.

Dreams that point to future events or a kairos moment. These hold instructions for something that is ahead. They are prophetic roadmaps for what is coming. One of the common mistakes with these is assuming it is for right now. In Genesis 37:2-5, Joseph was 17 when he shared his first dream.

He began serving Pharaoh at the age of 30. This was 13 years of waiting and many storms in between. The dream was still true. It had timings attached to it: “until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him” (Ps. 105:19).

4. Directional Dreams.

These are dreams that contain the wisdom of God. They contain a word of wisdom and the “how to” instructions. God is giving supernatural instruction through dreams. Wisdom is the ability to apply knowledge; these dreams contain key pieces of vital information: “In a dream, a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, in slumber on their bed, then He opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction” (Job 33:15-16).

God said, “2018 will be a year of glory storms and a year of the apostolos, the apostolic anointing, coming into fullness and a greater measure.”

This will be a year of apostolic expression, apostolic authority and apostolic sending. The church is being recalibrated and moving away from the Western mindset into a new wineskin of supernatural bases, hubs and headquarters. Many will shut down what they’ve been doing and birth something new. Many will relaunch and renovate their language and expression. Many worship leaders are going to renovate and relaunch their sound. As they relaunch, their sound will usher in a new era, a new dimension of the Spirit. We are coming back to the authority and power of the Book of Acts.. We are coming into the revelation of sending and sent.

The apostolic spirit is a sending spirit:

• Apostles go.
• Apostolic people go.
• Apostolic ministries are on the go.

The dreams and encounters in this hour are the catalysts for movement. We are receiving orders from heaven for movement. As we begin to move in the Spirit, the Spirit of God will move through us. The authority of the Lord will move through us. The apostolic anointing will decree through us. The prophetic anointing will declare through us. The evangelistic anointing will demonstrate through us. The teaching anointing will explain through us. The pastoral anointing will shepherd through us. The travail anointing will pray through us. The helps anointing will serve through us. The government anointing will govern through us and the seven mountains of culture will be influenced by this apostolic generation.

We must heed the call and begin to move!

“After he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them” (Acts 16:10). {eoa}

Ryan LeStrange is an apostolic leader and prophetic voice. The apostolic call on his life has led him to build multiple ministries in various geographical locations, the foremost being Ryan LeStrange Ministries. Ryan moves strongly in the power of God as he travels the globe igniting revival fires and his conferences & gatherings are alive with prophetic declaration, miracles, healings and powerful preaching. Ryan is the founder of TRIBE Network, a global network of ministries and . Ryan has authored several books Overcoming Spiritual Attack and Releasing the Prophetic and Revival Hubs Rising, co-authored with Jennifer LeClaire. Ryan and his wife Joy have one son, Joshua, and currently reside in Virginia.

What is the Jezebel spirit? What is the seduction of Jezebel? We hear so much about the spirit of Jezebel, but do we actually understand how it operates in the spiritual realm?

Watch the video to see what pastor Shane Idleman has to say about it.

What are we missing? In spite of our talk about taking cities for God and pulling down demonic strongholds, American culture has seriously deteriorated over the past twenty years. While we have gloried in our mega churches, our great revivals and our new apostolic church order, crosses and Christian symbols have been systematically removed from public places, prayer has been further outlawed, morality has plummeted and same-sex marriage has become the law of the land.

Something is obviously missing in our approach to spiritual warfare and our methodology for impacting a nation. I am convinced that the missing key is found in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5, which reads: 

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”

A New Belief System Is a Must

The Greek word translated “imaginations” in this passage is logismous, from logos, and refers to a message rather than a specific word or saying. The NKJV and NIV translates logismous as “arguments” and Marshall’s Greek-English Interlinear translates it as “reasonings.” Logismous is, therefore, a way of thinking, a belief system or worldview.

The Greek word for “casting down” is kathairesin and is a very intense word. It means “to take down” or “demolish” or “dismantle.” In Luke’s account of Paul’s ministry in the pagan, idolatrous city of Ephesus, it is obvious that he focused his attention on dismantling the false belief system by which Satan held the populace in his grasp.

Paul’s Modus Operandi in Ephesus

Luke says that Paul spent two years “reasoning daily” in a public lecture hall known as the school of Tyrannus (Acts 19:9-10). The word “reasoning” in this passage is from the Greek word dialegomenos and it means to “dialogue” or “reason.”

This indicates that Paul gave time and space for people to comment, challenge and ask questions about his message. He did this because he knew that if there was to be ultimate change in their lives, they would have to acquire a new way of thinking—a new worldview or belief system.

It is thus clear that a vital part of Paul’s spiritual warfare arsenal was dismantling or “casting down” belief systems. That is why he would dialogue with these pagans for several hours per day, every day. It was not enough for them to come forward, repeat a prayer and fill out a card. They must be given a whole new way of thinking.

Paul did not accomplish this by attacking their beliefs, but by presenting the truth. This is made clear in Acts 19:37. Because of the impact of his daily dialogues, with many people leaving Diana and becoming followers of Christ, a huge mob gathered in a large stadium to express their opposition to Paul and his message. With things getting out of hand, the city clerk came on the scene, quieted the crowd and pointed out that Paul and his companions, “are neither temple robbers nor blasphemers of your goddess” (Act 19:37b).

Interestingly, Luke makes no mention of Paul utilizing any of the modern, popular methods of spiritual warfare. There is no allusion to any demonic principalities over the city, or of Paul dealing with a Diana spirit. There is no mention of warfare intercession or of warring angels. Although these things may have occurred, Luke’s account reveals that Paul focused his time and energy on imparting a new belief system.

Paul knew that the stronghold by which the Ephesians were held in bondage was a false belief system. Only a new way of thinking—a biblical way of thinking—would free them from Satan’s grasp. This is what Jesus was referring to when He said in John 8:31-32, “If you remain in My word, then you are truly My disciples. You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.”

Where We Are Falling Short

This is where we are missing it in the modern charismatic movement. We do not seek to dismantle the false belief systems by which people are held in bondage. In fact, with our seeker-friendly, celebrity approach to “church,” we tend to completely avoid challenging people’s belief system for fear of offending them.

For example, I was very disappointed to hear a nationally known pastor dance in circles when asked by a popular TV icon if Jesus is the only way to God. Instead of challenging her worldview with truth, he dodged, swerved and avoided giving a straightforward answer to such a simple question.

I have heard other leaders decline to give an answer when asked about their views on cultural issues such as same-sex marriage and abortion. It makes one wonder if they have a Christian worldview with which they are comfortable and committed. It is time for the church to arise, speak the truth in love and dismantle the false belief systems that are ruining this nation and the world.

Martin Luther Dismantled a Belief System

We just celebrated the 500-year anniversary of the Reformation. In my book, The Charismatic Luther, I show how Luther boldly dismantled the belief system of the medieval Roman Catholic Church, and thereby changed the world. In later life, when asked how he, a simple monk and teacher, had been able to have such an impact when opposed by both the pope and emperor, he replied: 

“I simply taught, preached, wrote God’s Word; otherwise I did nothing. The Word so weakened the papacy that never a prince or emperor did such damage to it. I did nothing. The Word did it all.”

The Results Could Be Staggering

Paul’s commitment to truth paid off. As a result of his “reasoning daily” in the idolatrous city of Ephesus, a great exodus from Diana to Jesus occurred, so much so that it affected the economy of the city. Miracles began to occur. With their pagan worldview having been dismantled, multitudes brought their books of magic and sorcery and burned them publicly in a large bonfire. The value of the books burned amounted to about $5.5 million in modern currency.

Yes, it is time for the church in America to awaken and realize that our ultimate purpose is not to be accepted and liked by modern American culture. Our job is to dismantle the false belief systems of modern culture by preaching, singing and testifying to biblical truth. We must use every means at our disposal.

In this regard, I am reminded of John Wesley’s statement about his brother, Charles, who was the hymn writer of the Methodist revival that rocked the British Isles. John said, “The best theology book available is my brother’s hymnal.” In other words, Charles’ songs communicated powerful biblical truth and helped the masses acquire a biblical worldview.

Satan’s primary weapon is deception, which is why Jesus said we would know the truth and the truth would make us free. As we make a new commitment to articulating and propagating a truly Christian world-view to our generation, we could see the greatest mass movement to Christianity the world has ever seen. {eoa}

Dr. Eddie Hyatt is an author, historian and biblical scholar with over 45 years of ministerial experience. His books on revival and spiritual awakening are available from Amazon and his website at . He presently conducts “Revive America” events throughout America by which he demonstrates how America was birthed out of a great spiritual awakening and founded on a Christian worldview. He can be contacted at dreddiehyatt@.

In his latest and most controversial book yet, New York Times best-selling author Jonathan Cahn calls for Christians to become modern-day Elijahs.

In his newest ground-breaking work, The Paradigm: The Ancient Blueprint That Holds the Mystery of Our Times (), Cahn says that today’s culture is redefining not only values and morality but also what it means to be a Christian. He also urges readers of his book to do as the prophet Elijah did—reject culture’s redefinitions and refuse to be redefined.

The Paradigm details how Elijah was the minority in remaining faithful to godly morality. Cahn emphasizes how those who hold true to God’s Word in the midst of apostasy will have to resist having any dependency on the surrounding culture and its corruptions.

“But as with Elijah, this separation and independence is not to be sought for the purpose of withdrawal but rather for the impacting and engaging of the surrounding culture for God. Only those who are not of the darkness can become a light to the darkness,” Cahn says.

The Paradigm uses the story of Elijah as a template for how Christians can be a powerful and effective light in the darkness. Elijah was labeled as the “troubler of Israel” because his steadfastness in the faith set him at odds with the apostatized civilization. The Paradigm also depicts the moral and cultural landscape of that time and how Christians were seen as not only countercultural but also radical, dangerous and even enemies of the state.

In The Paradigm, Cahn describes how our current society has undergone and is still undergoing a similar metamorphosis of values, normalizing abortion, sexual sin, idolatry and self-worship.

“Just as few in the modern world would ever admit to serving idols, far fewer would ever admit to serving Baal,” he says. “Yet when a civilization that has once known the ways of God turns away from those ways, it inevitably turns to Baal. The name of Baal will never be spoken; nevertheless, he will be served—in one form or another. When a culture of life gives itself to serve the spirit of increase, gain, profit, materialism, prosperity and self-interest above all things—it has given itself to Baal. He is the zeitgeist, the spirit of the age, the god of increase and materialism, the principle that inhabits and possesses modern civilization.”

The Paradigm offers a message of hope by revealing what Elijah determined was the solution 3,000 years ago. 1 Kings 18:30 (NKJV) says: “Then Elijah said to all the people, ‘Come near to me.’ So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down.”

In the Bible, the destroyed altar had to be repaired before the people could submit themselves to God and break the curse on the land. An altar, upon which a sacrifice is killed, not only symbolizes ancient Israel, but also the spiritual foundation of American and Western civilization. What is our altar? Cahn reveals how our symbol of ultimate self-sacrifice is the cross. And in the present apostasy, the cross has been neglected and broken down.

“A culture obsessed with self-gratification and self-worship will reject that which epitomizes self-sacrifice,” Cahn says. “The pursuit of prosperity, success and self-realization has caused the cross to be neglected and broken down as well in many of the houses that bear His name.”

The Paradigm, which was released in September and debuted in the top five of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal book charts, reveals a newly uncovered master blueprint and ancient template that foretells many events of modern history. The Paradigm also removes the veil behind the leaders, governments, events and scandals of modern times. Its disclosures are so detailed and its revelations so precise that it even speaks of events before they happen.

Cahn, who caused a stir throughout America and the globe with the release of his instant New York Times best-seller, The Harbinger, which sold over 2 million copies, followed that earth-shattering work with The Mystery of the Shemitah and The Book of Mysteries, also New York Times best-sellers. In fact, the mysteries of the immensely popular The Harbinger continue and are intertwined with the mysteries of The Paradigm.

“The Paradigm is published by Frontline, an imprint of Charisma House.

We often experience resistance and spiritual opposition as we seek to serve the Lord. This week as we were praying together on an international zoom call with our friends from the Global Gathering with David Demian, I had this discernment about spiritual law:

A major change in the history of science came when men began to realize that events did not occur in nature just by chance or by accident. Every effect must have a cause. The principle of cause and effect is the foundation of science.

In the same way, we understand that God has made the spiritual world as well as the natural world with principles of cause and effect. There is the law of “sin and death” —sin causes death. There is the opposite law of “spirit and life” —the Spirit of God gives life (Rom. 8:2).

Yeshua gave us keys that what we bind, forbid or close on earth will be bound or closed in heaven; what we loose, permit or open on earth will be loosed or opened in heaven (Matt. 16:19; 18:18). What we “sow,” we will reap (Gal. 6:7). When we give, we receive (Luke 6:38).

Newton’s third law of physics is that to every “action” there is an equal and opposite “reaction.” It seems to me that the same is true in the spiritual realm. To the degree that we push away the forces of evil and darkness, there is an equal and opposite reaction against us. Spiritual advance is accompanied by spiritual opposition.

In a strange way, since it is both equal and opposite, the opposition can help us to understand what the truth is. Right before Yeshua was crucified, the Roman soldiers mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” That response was exactly correct in the opposite direction (John 19:3).

Yeshua also taught us that the kingdom of God is like a woman giving birth. There are birthing pains and contractions. Yet those muscle contractions are pushing out the baby. When the baby is born, the difficulties are forgotten (John 16:21). The tribulations of the end times are the birth pangs of the coming of the kingdom of God on earth.

Yeshua also taught us that we should “know” the signs of the times (Matt. 16:3). A wind from the west, where the sea is, will bring rain. A wind from the south, where the desert is, will bring a dry spell. Just as there are simple causes and effects in the weather patterns, so should we discern what spiritual and moral influences will cause events to happen around us.

Many political, economic and even meteorological and seismological events are caused by spiritual actions behind the scenes (Matt. 24:7, 29; Rev. 8:2-5). Let’s become aware that there will be spiritual resistance to whatever we do that is “good.”   Let’s become “proactive” in a prayerful and prophetic way to help advance God’s kingdom of light and love in this world. {eoa}

Asher Intrater is the founder and apostolic leader of Revive Israel Ministries and oversees Ahavat Yeshua congregation in Jerusalem and Tiferet Yeshua congregation in Tel Aviv. Asher was one of the founders of Tikkun International with Dan Juster and Eitan Shishkoff and serves on the board of the Messianic Alliance of Israel and Aglow International. He and his wife and full-time partner in ministry, Betty, have a passion for personal prayer and devotion, local evangelism and discipleship in Hebrew and unity of the body of believers worldwide.

This article originally appeared at .

A couple of weeks ago I was talking with a group of dads when the conversation turned to their daughter’s mood swings and their common experiences in not knowing what to do much of the time. Understandably, this Venusian dynamic creates a challenge for most every dad when it comes to figuring out how to navigate the changing weather patterns with no meteorological training, if you know what I mean!
 
Every dad admitted to often feeling lost without a road map when it comes to pacing with the twists and turns of teenage and young adult female development.
 
As I sat there listening to the added pressure these dads feel when struggling to decode the verbal and non-verbal cues of their daughters, it was clear that they all wanted to engage and pursue their daughter’s hearts despite the challenges. Their camaraderie led the way for openness around admitting their confusion over sometimes being invited closer while at other times being pushed away.
 
Over the last eight years of interacting with dads of daughters, I have discovered that men thrive when they talk with other dads who struggle with their girls in similar ways. Through the process of discussing honestly what’s really happening at home, I’ve noticed that some of the false guilt that seems to unconsciously build up begins to diminish. Even more, men simultaneously feel less alone while many of these interpersonal realities are normalized.
 
As we talked about ways to connect even when it’s hard, I shared that adolescent girls, in particular, may not always like physical touch from their dads because they may be embarrassed if their friends are watching or might think they’re too old for cuddling, hugging or hand-holding.
 
But I suggested that especially during stressful times, what their daughters really might need is a hug so that she feels wrapped in safe arms that are holding her when she’s overwhelmed with life. And this isn’t just my opinion; it’s actually backed up by research, which states that when we give or receive a hug it releases oxytocin in our brains, an antidote to the effect of cortisol, the stress hormone.

Since they were still tracking with me, I continued.
 
“Dads, it’s vital for you to consistently find ways to connect with your daughters, both inside and outside your homes, because daughters need their dads to teach them what safe touch feels like (in ways that honor her individual wiring—with some wanting less physical touch and others preferring more). Make sure to never pull away and detach during those harder years or your daughter will be left to wonder why she’s not worth your time and energy.”
 
It was then that I described the importance of appropriate physical touch and I actually meant to say the words, “public display of affection” (.). But it was one of those times where my words got mixed up, and instead, what came out of my mouth was, “public display of connection!” (which I’m now referring to as “.”).
 
I love when “happy mistakes” like that happen because those words have stayed with me ever since. This has led me now to ponder the question: What would it look like if every dad consistently initiated points of healthy physical connection with his daughter in public places where life is on display?
 
For me, one of the best ways my dad and I share “.” is during our annual Perfume Day event every December (which you well know by now if you’ve been reading my blogs for any length of time). It’s one of the highlights of my year where we get dressed up, go out to lunch and my dad treats me to perfume at Nordstrom. More importantly, it’s special that my dad enters into the whole experience with absolute joy. And it never gets old to have multiple female sales clerks say that they wish their dad would do something similar with them.
 
And yes, my dad and I walk hand in hand (or arm in arm) around the store. I feel comfortable with this kind of public display of connection because it says my dad loves me and values me—and vice versa!
 
It seems to me that if every dad figured out a way to publicly demonstrate relational connection to his daughter, she would feel his love in a way that would go straight to her heart. And she would know that her dad wants the world to know that he’s proud and grateful to be her father. (Additional benefit: it gives a message to boys that this girl has a dialed-in dad!).
 
We as girls thrive when we feel connected to the people we love. And we wither when there’s disconnect. Just notice the amount of time your daughter spends in the center of relational crises and it will prove my point. Either her own drama or the drama of her friends takes her away from staying balanced.

I truly believe that every daughter needs her dad even when she doesn’t always know that he’s what she needs. In fact, a daughter sometimes pushes her dad away while secretly wishing he’d not give up, even when she makes him work to connect with her emotionally and relationally.
 
Dad, it’s up to you to take the initiative to connect with your daughter’s heart. You have the responsibility as her father to find a way to reach her. I know it’s not always easy, especially when you feel disrespected or ignored, yet that doesn’t excuse you from still needing to move towards her.
 
As we head into this busy month of December, be the dad who finds a way to publicly put your love for your daughter on display in ways that let her know she’s one of your greatest loves. {eoa}

Dr. Michelle Watson has a clinical counseling practice in Portland, Oregon, and has served in that role for the past 17 years. She is founder of The Abba Project, a nine-month group forum designed to equip dads with daughters ages 13 to 30 to help them focus more intentionally on consistently pursuing their daughters’ hearts. She released her first book, titled, Dad, Here’s What I Really Need from You: A Guide for Connecting with Your Daughter’s Heart. She invites you to visit  for more information and to sign up for her weekly Dad-Daughter Friday blogs where she provides practical tools so every dad in America can become the action hero he wants to be and his daughter needs him to be. You can also follow or send feedback on Facebook and Twitter.

Heidi Baker didn’t want to get a prophecy from Bob Jones. In fact, she actively resisted it at the time. But then something incredible happened. Baker tells the full story of this never-before-heard Jones prophecy here.

HRock Church’s powerful worship is fueled by the Holy Spirit—and this moment is no different. In this video, Garland Hunt Jr. leads the worship team in this performance of “Alleluia.”