As I did my daily Bible reading, I discovered something interesting. 

I read through the Bible in a year, every year, and it’s always fascinating how different parts of it come to life at different times.  I love how the mysteries of God reveal themselves through something you’ve read multiple times.

The Word of God is alive. 

Today while reading from Exodus, I was struck by this portion.

When Pharoah finally let the people go, God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land.  God said, “If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.  So, God led them in a round about way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea.  Thus, the Israelites left Egypt like an army ready for battle.  Exodus 13:17-18

God led them toward their Promised Land in a round about way.  He did that for a purpose, as He stated.  It was so they wouldn’t turn around at the first sign of trouble or difficulty. 

We would all do well to remember this.  The road of the Lord isn’t always straight.  Sometimes it’s windy, but narrow.

You’ve probably heard the saying, “Life isn’t about the destination, it’s about the journey.”  Well, I believe that’s partly true.  I mean, it’s ALL about the destination when you consider Heaven as our final destination.  But as far as our destinations on earth, it’s true that we grow character and are transformed during our journeys.  In that light, it is ALL about the journey.

As you know, our family has been on this exact type of round about journey toward our Promised Land.  Many times, it’s felt very confusing.  I know it’s led some people to consider us liars because we are still, by all appearances, wandering around.  But our family knows the secret…we’ve been in a huge transformation process and that has taken time.  Lots of time.  Lots of stripping away.  Lots of things that appear as loss but are actually a cleaning out so we can be filled with other things.

It’s also true that at the beginning of this journey if we’d had an option to “go back”, we may have wanted to…but God made our break away from things He didn’t desire for us, very final.  And for that I’m so grateful. 

At this point, I don’t fear the process anymore.  Instead, I would fear staying in unhealthy places where God didn’t want us to be.  There’s a big difference between being around an unhealthy situation as God uses you as an instrument of change, and being around that same situation when God has said, “This battle doesn’t belong to you.”

Read this now…

Then the Lord gave these instructions to Moses: “Order the Israelites to turn back and camp by Pi-hahiroth between Migdol and the sea.  Camp there along the shore, across from Baal-zephon.  Then Pharoah will think, ‘The Israelites are confused.  They are trapped in the wilderness!  And once again I will harden Pharoah’s heart, and he will chase after you.  I have planned this in order to display My glory through Pharoah and his whole army.  After this the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord!”  So, the Israelites camped there as they were told.  Exodus 14:1-4

Another purpose for leading His people in a roundabout, and seemingly confused way, was to leave a trap for the enemy.  What a brilliant reason.  What a magnificent plan.  When we allow God to humble us and allow others to even misunderstand what He’s doing in and around us, He just might be leading the enemy of our souls into a trap. 

We’ve also seen that happen for our family.  Many of the ways the enemy used to torment and trouble us, no longer work.  They don’t work anymore because we’ve had opportunity and need for Him to deliver us, over and over.  Now we don’t fear those things.  They’ve lost their power over us. 

What a mighty God we serve!

Don’t fear your hours of humbling.  Lean into them instead and watch the Lover of your soul make a sure and steady way for you.  If you’ll just believe.  If you’ll just trust.

You too will taste and see that the Lord is good!!

When you are in the midst of a problem…when trouble seems to be all around…when you don’t know how you’re going to make it…most of us ask, “God, where are You?  Why is this happening?  Have You forsaken me?”

This morning in a soft whisper as I contemplated some of our family’s current difficulty, I heard, “You’re asking the wrong question.”

So, I responded, “What is the right question?”  And I knew, the question should be, “God, do You plan to come through for us?”  When we hear the answer to that question, then we just wait.

He said, “Yes”…now I release all the worry and fear, and wait patiently on the Lord, because my God is not a man that He should lie.

When I inquired of the Lord, whether He was going to come through for us or not…I quickly felt a certainty and steadiness returned to my chest.  I had transferred the problem to Him and now I can go on living my life in the freedom of knowing my God will provide.

As we are transitioning, as a family, into a new season, God is asking for new things.  He has instructed me to face things in a different way.  Normally, I seek multiple people to confide in and receive comfort and encouragement.  That’s not a bad thing.  Except this time, God has asked if I will choose to confide in Him alone and receive His comfort.  He’s asked for me to present my requests to Him and then watch as He choreographs our way forward. 

I have held peace before, but not quite this way.  Not to this depth.

The most interesting part is that not only do I feel the deep peace, but I can literally feel my flesh as it wrestles with giving into the peace.  How cool is that?!  I love it when I know that I’m growing. 

The wrestling I feel now, is a sign of growth.  I know deep down that even though I’m wrestling, I’ve already decided to give in to God.  I’ve decided to let peace lead.  When/if I make a mistake and worry, then I’ll just reorient and follow peace again.  It’s not about perfection, it’s about effort.  I’m genuinely trying.  Trying to let go.  Trying to release worry and embrace trust.  I’m becoming more aware and I’m making adjustments. 

No matter what you are currently going through, I am confident that the question you ask should be the same.  “God, are You going to make a way?”  Then, after hearing the reply, wait and be at peace. 

Are you willing to try?

“All this I have spoken while still with you.  But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all and will remind you of everything I have said to you.  Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”  John 14:25-27

As I was preparing to write, I asked God what He wanted to say.  Immediately, I heard, “Oak”…so I googled the word and learned a little about them.

I know oaks are in scripture…but this morning I wondered why.  What makes them so special compared to other trees?  There must be something we should learn about them.

Upon my initial investigation, I learned this about their growth and root system…

When an acorn first sprouts, there is rapid root development and very little growth above ground.  This initial root is a taproot extending deep underground for dependable moisture.  In fact, the tree’s first few years are focused on establishing a deep sustaining root system.

Wow.  Suddenly I see why God had me investigate Oaks this morning.

These trees are showing us how things should be done.  When we come to Christ, the first objective and focus of our life should be establishing a deep sustaining root system.  This is found in Christ.  In relationship with Christ.  In learning more about God and His ways.  In discovering His character.  In reading the Word.  When we take a lesson from the oak tree, we see that the first season of the tree is building where nobody can see the growth.  We should take pointers from these oaks.

God is the “dependable moisture” our root system should be tapping into.

The thing that I am most disheartened about, in regard to, Christian church culture is the lack of discipleship and time for developing true character and personal relationship with God.   

I wonder how different your life might be if you took a season and focused on the “underground” growth.  That is exactly what our family has been doing.  It’s been extraordinarily valuable.  We’ve been focused on growing our children with deep roots in the Lord, so no matter what the world throws at them, they will have a firm foundation.  A strong root system.

We desire for our whole family to grow into giant Oaks of righteousness, and in order to do so, each of us must have strong and sturdy roots.

Let’s take a look in the mirror.  Ask yourself, when did you last grow for the sake of rooting, not showing.  When did you last reach into the depth of God and seek to know Him in ways that only you would know. 

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.  They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor.  Isaiah 61:1-3

Whoever believes in Me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.  By this He meant the Spirit, Whom those who believed in Him were later to receive.  Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.      John 7:38-39

I keep finding myself aching for the Lord.  Aching for so much more of Him. 

As we walk deeper into resurrection, I keep finding myself with a renewed aching.  It never truly left, but so much distraction was in my life that I felt it like a dull ache.  Now that the clearing out has happened in my life, I feel the aching so intensely that it’s almost painful.

I want to live in Him.

Right now, as I’m typing, I feel myself wanting to just crawl up into Him.  My desire for Him is so strong.

I wonder, do you feel the same? 

I’ve had moments where I’ve been so deeply drawn by God that I have felt taken away.  There’s a beautiful quiet, white place where He’s taken me.  I ache to go there again.  I don’t even know where it is or what it’s for, but I do know that He’s there. 

We read in the Bible about people being taken up by the Lord.  Do you read the Bible and realize that these things really happened?  When you read the Bible with the realization that it’s true, wow, there’s a whole lot to take in.

I mean, Elijah outran a chariot!  Lazarus was dead then rose again…days later.  Enoch never died but was just taken to heaven.  John was taken up and that’s where Revelation came from.  Mary conceived without having sexual relations with a man.  I could go on and on, and these stories show me that nothing is impossible.  It also helps me to put things into perspective when God does something that I think is unusual.

All the things that I know have happened because it’s written in the Word, just increase my desire to know God more.  To become more intimately acquainted with Him.  The King of kings, wants to know us intimately…how amazing is that?

I pray that if you don’t currently ache for more, that you do after today.  Oh…that you would ache with the deepest longing, for His presence.  That you would ache to know Him and be known by Him.  Just ache.

We have each just barely scratched the surface, in regard to knowing God.  That makes the Christian walk endlessly fascinating.  We could never reach the end of discovering God.  He is infinite. 

Today, I encourage you to simply stand in awe of Him.  I pray we never lose the wonder.  Never lose the awe of Who God is and what He’s done.  He is simply amazing.

I must go on boasting.  Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.  I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven.  Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know- God knows.  And I know that this man- whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows- was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell.  I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.  2 Corinthians 12:1-5

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, my God.  My soul thirsts for God, for the Living God.  When can I go and meet with God?  Psalm 42:1-2

This morning and last night, I spent some really good time with God.  He kept speaking to me, and I could feel His soft presence covering my every breath.  It was glorious.  Sacred.

But when it was time to go live normal life, I was feeling irritated.  How can this be?!

Since what I was feeling after my secret time with God was so incongruent with the irritation I now felt, I came back and sat down to sort it out.  I said, “God, I give You all this frustration and irritation.  I don’t know why I’m experiencing it.”

Immediately, I heard, “Irritation begins, where trust ends.”

Oh Mylanta.

What?!

The sounds of truth are always so clear and crisp.  Sometimes it feels like you’re looking straight into the sun, and you need to shield your eyes. 

I become irritated when I stop trusting God and His process.

Guess what…He can do things on His own.  He doesn’t actually NEED me.  He invites me. 

When you are invited to something, you don’t take charge.  You accompany.  When you are invited, you naturally assume the person inviting you has the 411.  So, they don’t need you to take the lead.  So, why do I always try this with God?  It’s simple.  Trust.

Learning to trust is a long process, at least for me it is. 

Partly because I often don’t realize that I am not trusting.  Many times, it’s been so engrained within me, that fear is a way of life.  But now I resist it constantly.  It’s a matter of weeding through my thoughts.  I am in a consistent place where I am listening to my thoughts and discerning the good from the unnecessary. 

The thought patterns developed in our youth can take time to untangle. 

We truly benefit from learning to resist.  Resist staying stuck in the mindset of fear, limitation, defeat, etc.  Fear is causing resistance in me, so I choose to resist it instead.

Submit yourselves, then, to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Come near to God and He will come near to you.  Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.  Grieve, mourn, and wail.  Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.  Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.  James 4:7-10

I have a love/hate affair with social media.  It’s so difficult to unravel my heart toward it.  There are many benefits to it.  Keeping in touch with people who live far away.  Learning new things from people who live life differently than I do.  But there are also so many drawbacks.  The constant oversharing from some.  The comparison and jealousy it can cause. 

I have recently become much more private.  I suppose some people would say that I’ve always been pretty private, but still, I’ve grown more so.

Life feels so sacred to me.  My family feels sacred.  I am constantly thinking, “I just want to protect this moment.  I don’t want to have my phone in this moment, I want to simply live the moment.  I don’t need to share this with the world.” 

Knowing that heaven sees is enough.

Social media and the like have seemingly robbed some of us of the secret place. 

I fight for my secret place.  That intimate place where I go to meet with God.  Where I go to pour out my heart.  Where I go to listen.  Where I bring the most intimate praise.  Where I am filled. 

The secret place is the most sacred place for me.

We witness Jesus going away to the secret place regularly, in scripture.  He demonstrated the importance of the pulling away time.  It’s such a beautiful time.

No matter what my day looks like, for years now, I’ve woken up at least an hour before my family so that I can stretch into that time.  When my secret place is neglected, I’m not the same.  When I am steeped in that secretness, everyone in my household benefits.  It doesn’t matter how early it is, I am setting my alarm that hour or more before the house wakes up…it’s a habit I refuse to break.

In a world where nothing seems off limits anymore.  Even to the point of people purposely recording themselves crying.  And children who are forced to grow up with videos of their every sacred moment being shared for likes…it’s more important than ever to talk about this.   

How do you tend to the secret place? 

I encourage you to consider how you guard your family and even yourself.  Do you prioritize the secret and sacred times? 

This life is so sacred.

Immediately, Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of Him to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the crowd.  After leaving them, He went up on a mountainside to pray.  Mark 6:45-46

Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make Him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by Himself.  John 6:15

We have no right to expect a life free from suffering. 

Yes, I know this is another unpopular topic.  But as we walk through this year of resurrection, my heart’s desire is that we would be resurrected in truth, not lies.

The lie of the earth is that we deserve a trouble-free life.  We are told that if something creates difficulty or trouble in our lives, then it’s not from God.  We create convenience for everything.  And it has debilitated us. 

Friend, convenience isn’t always a gift. 

It seems that I’ve often been drawn to ways that are inconvenient, therefore unappealing, to most people. I can’t fully explain why I do the things I do, but God always uses it to speak deeper things to me. I thoroughly enjoy the blessings and challenges of homeschooling my children. He teaches me as I knead dough to make sourdough bread. As I nursed my babies for the first year of their lives, I met with God in the stillness that was required. And then, there was childbirth…

I used a midwife during all my births and chose homebirth situations.  I never knew why I’d chosen this, but even as a teenager, I would always say that if I had kids, I wanted to use a midwife.  It wasn’t popular then.  I didn’t know anyone who had done it.  I had no reason to even desire it, but it was a steady desire in my heart.

When I was in labor with my third child, I had a moment that would change my life.

 I was at home and labor had become a long endeavor.  Truth be told, none of my labors were short.  In fact, each one was longer than the one previous.  They became a lesson in endurance.  

At the point of the encounter that I’m about to describe, I’d been in labor for almost 24 hours.  I was exhausted.  I was in consistent pain.  I was also in disbelief that it was taking as long as it was.  I went to use the restroom alone and as I sat, I talked to God.  I told Him how tired I was.  I told Him how bad the pain was, and that I wasn’t sure I could do this. 

Then suddenly, I saw Jesus next to me.  He was on the cross looking at me, and He said, “I understand”.  Immediately, I felt resolve rise within me and I knew I would continue. 

Then the Lord spoke again, “These labors are preparing you for your future.”

  I will not lie to you, I said, “What the heck is my future going to look like, if that’s the case?!”  But at the same time, I had a steadiness fall upon me.  I realized it was God’s grace over my life that had led me to the decision to have home births, and to walk through these times of pain by drawing closer to Him and learning how to lean into pain instead of running away from it.

There’s the big lesson…we must learn how to lean into our suffering and find peace in the midst.  This is where we are matured.  Refined.  Sanctified.

While in labor, I learned to take my thoughts captive.  While in labor, I learned how to sit into the pain when my body wanted to run away.  While in labor, I met Jesus in a way I’d never met Him before…in a shared suffering that led to life. 

Jesus’ suffering led to our eternal life. 

Let that sink in.  His suffering is just as important to recognize, as His resurrection.  You can’t have a resurrection until a death has occurred. 

In this life, we will face suffering.  The only difference between us is what we do when the suffering comes.  Do we turn away from God and blame Him.  Do we stop believing He exists because we suffer.  Or do we learn how to experience the suffering and find Him in it…find His comfort…find His peace…find His grace…find His mercy. 

My doula always told me, “When the contractions come, don’t run from them.  Relax into them and let them do their work.  Then when it’s over, let it go, thank God for the work it did, and know that you’ll never have that one again.”

Life is like this. 

Things happen and we choose how we respond.  We are best served when we experience what’s happening, letting God do the work He’s trying to do, and then thank Him that we’ll never have that contraction again.

“I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world.”  John 16:33

There’s a cost for the deeper places in God.  There’s a high price paid by those who desire to truly begin to be transformed into His likeness.  There’s a high cost for walking in His presence day to day.

Have you evaluated that cost?  Do you know the cost?

If you really desire to know and grow in depth with God…If you are to establish deep roots…

The cost is laying down your rights.  

I know that our culture, even church culture, doesn’t teach or celebrate this, but it’s the truth.

It’s also the reason that many never truly know Him, and that breaks my heart.  It really does.

When I first married my husband, I was in the midst of a huge healing season with God.  In fact, I had just been introduced to healing prayer right before we met.  That season was equal parts difficult and freeing.  The time of transforming my heart from that of a wounded child into a fully functioning woman of God was priceless. 

The cost in those days, was laying down my rights.  Laying down the justice I felt was due to me and receiving God’s justice.  It looked a lot like forgiveness.  It felt a lot like freedom. 

Jesus walked me through the most difficult parts of my childhood. As I released forgiveness in those moments, I would suddenly find Jesus there.  He would speak truth.  He showed me where He’d been when those things had happened.  He gave me a true perspective.  It’s like He came in and showed me the whole picture, when previously I could only see my pain.

The cost of heart healing was laying down my idea of what healing looked like and receiving God’s.  It also looked like routing out the lie and believing the Truth.

As I grew and developed in my walk with God, the cost was laying down my rights to friendships that were unhealthy for me.  When I invited Him to be Lord of my life, I meant it.  This meant, not only trusting Him to provide a suitable husband for me, but also giving Him Lordship over every relationship in my life.  Friends, family…all of it.

Then I was largely alone.

Apart from my husband, God cleaned house and removed every friendship I had and rearranged many familial relationships.  This is a cost, I’ve paid multiple times.  He always seems to be drawing some near and moving others away from my life.  I’ve learned to not hold too tightly.  Sometimes, God separates us because He wants to be our everything.  Our confidant, best friend, love, Father…all of it.

The costs are high.  The benefits are much greater. 

Relationship with God is the sweetest and most fulfilling thing that I know.   Are you willing to pay the cost?

Greater love has no one than this to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command.  I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business.  Instead, I have called you friends for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.  You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit- fruit that will last- and so that whatever you ask in My name the Father will give you.  This is my command: Love each other.  John 15:13-17 

God desires for His body (the body of Christ) to operate in whole, not in part.  This thought has been so pressing in my heart. 

For my whole church life, which by now is almost all of my 46 years, I’ve only seen it working in part.

In our human nature, I suppose, or maybe western culture, I don’t know…it’s hard for people to embrace the significance of the “smaller” parts.  We struggle to truly honor the parts we see as lesser, when they are normally the ones doing the most and making the most sacrifices.  It’s a shame.

I wonder what a church of true honor would look like. 

If the Lord didn’t think every part was important, then He wouldn’t have made them.  He doesn’t do things frivolously.  Everything He does carries the breadth and depth of significance.  Everyone matters. 

Another thing I’ve noticed is, those who are the “less seen” parts, seem to not see their own value.  They come in like slaves to the faces of ministry, not as sons and daughters of God.  This is also a shame. 

We need to see our own value.  Not for arrogance sake, or accolades, but so we can realize that God desires to use us too.  How can we move in the “greater things” that Jesus said we would if we think only the “celebrities” can achieve those things.  Not so.  The “greater things” are for everyone.  Read this…

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in Me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.  You can ask for anything in My name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.  Yes, ask me for anything in My name, and I will do it!  John 14:12-14

He said, “anyone who believes in Me will do the SAME works I have done, and even GREATER WORKS”.  This is so important to notice.  I will continually speak of this because this is important to Him…as it said, “I will do it so that the Son can bring glory to the Father”.  It’s all to bring glory to God. 

Every greater work brings glory to God, so why do we shy away from them or pretend they don’t exist?

I refuse to shy away and pretend.  I will dedicate my life to pursuing them, that in doing so, Jesus can bring glory to the Father.  Will you join me?

The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body.  So it is with the body of Christ.  Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free.  But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.  Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part.  If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body.  and if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye.” Would that make it any less a part of the body?  If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear?  Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?  But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where He wants it.  How strange a body would be if it had only one part!  Yes, there are many parts, but only one body.  The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.”  The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”  In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary.  And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care.  So, we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, while the more honorable parts do not require this special care.  So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity.  This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other.  If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.  All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.  1 Corinthians 12:12-27

Wake up warrior! 

Arise and shine, the Light has come. 

The sun has risen to its noonday position and the warriors must be ready. 

Arise, O Lord, arise and shine light on all the darkness that is pressing in around us.  Bring extended daylight, just as you did for Joshua as he battled the Amorites.  Come and light up the hidden places.  Make way for Your people.  Open doors for us to proceed even when it seems that everything is closing around us.  You make a steady way for those You love.  We simply need to ask…and trust.

Your ways are so much higher than our ways.  Lord, help us to surrender to that and stop trying to figure everything out.  Figuring things out is the opposite of trust.  Demanding that things make sense is the opposite of childlike faith. 

God, forgive us for all the times, we’ve demanded to understand, when You only wanted our trust. 

I can’t see what’s in front of me, but I can see You.  I trust You.

Wake up!  Wake up faith within each one of us.  Wake up steadfastness within each of our hearts. 

It’s time to wake up.

It’s time to stop hiding from what’s hard and simply face it, head on.  Face it in faith.  Knowing that God will supply all our needs.  He will never abandon us in a fight.  He is faithful.

It’s time to awaken the faith of old.  To believe. 

Remember the past.  Testify to yourselves of all the good that God has done in your life.  Testify to yourself of all the times when God has placed miracles before you. 

Read the scripture and feast on the miraculous power of God Almighty. 

Wake up!! Wake up warriors!! The Bride Groom is coming, but is not yet here.  Stand.  We must continue to stand. 

Then He said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.  So, anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.  Matthew 18:3-4

And this same God Who takes care of me will supply all your needs from His glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.  Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever!  Amen.  Philippians 4:19-20

On the day the Lord gave the Israelites victory over the Amorites, Joshua prayed to the Lord in front of all the people of Israel.  He said, “Let the sun stand still over Gibeon, and the moon over the valley of Aijalon.”  So, the sun stood still, and the moon stayed in place until the nation of Israel had defeated its enemies.  Joshua 10:12-13