A tapestry is a finely woven piece of material. Each thread is uniquely different and important to the pattern of the finished product. It is the same with our lives. Each thread that makes up our existence is uniquely different and important. And we, as individuals threads in that world-wide tapestry called the body of Christ are unique and necessary for God's grand and final design to be complete. This letter will be full of articles, quotes and information just for women of purpose— women who want the final product of their lives to match God's grand design!

REFUSE TO LEAVE THE TENT

Joshua 10:12-14 talks of a most unusual day...the day when a man’s voice commanded the sun to stand still. The word of God states that there was no day like that day before it or after it. Joshua said a prayer and the sun stopped in mid-sky. Let me rephrase that—Joshua commanded the sun to stand still. He did not beg or plead but he spoke with authority. This is part of our inheritance too! We can command our circumstances to change!

Over the years, I’ve seen God work in supernatural ways in answer to prayer, sometimes immediately. At other times, I’ve waited desperately for the hand of God to move in a particular situation. God answers prayers according to His perfect will and His perfect timing. Unfortunately His timing is can be much slower than ours. The apostle Paul experienced this: “Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.” But God replied to Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you.” (2 Corinthians 12:8-9)

In the life of Joshua, however, it seems that God appeared to move heaven and earth in answer to his prayers quickly. There is a question in my heart! What characterized the prayer methods of Joshua? Why was He able to bring God’s power down to earth?

I do believe that God’s response to the prayer of Joshua was not the result of a brief, one-time encounter. It was result of a daily relationship between a prayerful man and his Creator. It also might have been the passion he had to seek God...maybe it was the desperation to see Him face-to-face.

In Exodus 33:11, Joshua was described as the young aide of Moses who “did not leave the tent.” His experience as Moses’ aide at the tent of meeting, and his mentor’s example of face-to-face encounters with God, no doubt impressed upon Joshua the power of prayer. It has always interested me that when Moses went to the tabernacle that every man stood at his tent door and looked after Moses. It was only Joshua that followed Moses into the tent. It was only Joshua that refused to depart out of the tabernacle. Maybe this is why God moved so quickly for Joshua. He had a desire to persevere until he saw the things of God. We need that kind of tenacity! While everyone else is standing at the door of their tent. We follow hard after the things of God! Let us refuse to “leave the tent”...until we personally see and hear our Creator!!!!

—Elizabeth Shreve