A Dare To Pray For President [elect] Trump

Last night millions were glued to their tvs as they waited to hear who would become our next United States President. It was a long night. A nail-biter for sure. Some thrilled with the outcome. Others disappointed. Some excited to see what good will come next. Others terrified of what is to come.

I am not here to talk politics. I am not a political person by any means. I am also not here to support or bash one side, nor one politician.

What I am here to do is to dare you. Yes, dare you.

Whether you like Donald Trump or not, whether you voted for Donald Trump or not, and whether you are angry he won or excited he won, the truth remains that he did in fact win the election. For the next 4 years no matter how you feel about this man, he is our President and Mike Pence is our Vice-President.

So friend, today I dare you. I dare you to pray for Donald Trump and Mike Pence and their families. I am not talking prayers that they would fail or that something would happen to them. I am talking real prayers. Prayers that God would lead them, guide them, and give them wisdom. Prayers that God would cover them and protect them. Prayers that they would be honorable, honest, upstanding and full of integrity. Prayers that their health would be well and their families united and strong.

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers,

intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings

and ALL WHO ARE IN AUTHORITY, that we may lead a quiet and

peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and

acceptable in the sight of God our Savior.

1 Timothy 2:1-3

In addition to praying for our new President and Vice-President, I dare you to pray for our country. Really pray. Pray that the people would turn to God. That the Christians would rise up. That we would stand up for our beliefs. That we would begin to show love, the love of Jesus, love that is kind and teaching, not full of condemnation and underlying with hate. That we would share Jesus and truth with those around us, in a loving way. That this great nation would begin to turn their face to seek the One who can save us.

I know, I know, we are in the last days. The Bible tells us what it will be like. Yes, I know this, we are in the last days. That doesn't mean God cannot or will not heal our land now. We only need to turn to Him. Seek Him.

If My people who are called by My name will humble

themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their

wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive

their sin and heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14

So my friends, it is now that I dare you. Dare you for the next 4 years to intentionally commit to praying daily for our leadership and our country. It's time to stop the hate, stop the negativity and start praying.

Are you in?

Will you accept the dare to pray?

CLICK TO TWEET: I commit to pray for @realDonaldTrump & @mike_pence daily. #prayfortrump #prayforpence #prayforUSA @jenifermetzger http://bit.ly/2fSycPp

Faith of Our Fathers {giveaway}

Tomorrow we celebrate Veteran's Day to honor all of our military men and women. If you or a loved one has ever been in any form of military service, my family wants to say THANK YOU. I appreciate your sacrifice, and the sacrifice of your family, so that my family could live in freedom. Again, THANK YOU.

In honor of Veteran's Day, I'd like to share the new PureFlix movie, Faith of Our Fathers.

Faith of Our Fathers is the powerful story of  young men on a search. John Paul and Wayne are 2 young men in search of their fathers. However, their fathers have both been dead for 25 years. Eddie and Steven are 2 young men in search of their sons, sons they've never even met. While Eddie and Steve are with their squad in Vietnam, they write letters to their wives, often mentioning their love of their sons, one an infant and one not yet born. Later in 1994, John Paul and Wayne go on a mission to the Vietnam Wall in Washington D.C. to see their fathers' names. While on their journey, they begin to understand who their fathers really were and how they died. In these parallel stories, 25 years apart, fathers and sons are bound together forever. This story is heartfelt, entertaining and educational. My family enjoyed every minute of it.

To enter to win a copy of Faith of Our Fathers, complete each task in the rafflecopter below. (Please read the rules and guidelines within the rafflecopter.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Land of the Free

Memorial Day. A day when we honor those who have lost their lives while protecting ours. So, to those who have ever lost a loved one or have loved ones currently away, THANK YOU. Thank you for your sacrifice.

May God bless you.

Kingdom Initiative

Today I am so excited to share something new with you! My friends Tim and Jessie Krabiel have begun a new ministry called Kingdom Initiative. Two things hit me about this ministry. One, it's amazing! Every single Christian should be a part of this ministry. Period. Two, Jessie and I have something in common in that we both were told by God to do something bigger than ourselves and we fought it hard. But God. Two small, yet BIG words. God had other plans. And when God dreams for you, look out! Please take a few moments to read about Jessie's heart and Kingdom Initiative and be sure to check out the incredible video!

We are Tim and Jessie Krabiel from Kansas City, Missouri. We have two daughters. Lydia is seven and attends public school here in Belton, Missouri and Andi is two; schooling me at the moment in parenting and patience. We love our small town community and look forward to launching a new South Campus to our home church, Turning Point Church in Kansas City, Missouri. We have served in ministry at TPC for 10 years this Easter.

We are excited to share with you about Kingdom Initiative. This event began stirring in my heart about three years ago. I, Jessie, felt a strong passion for praying over our communities, schools, public places, government, armed forces, first responders and the list goes on. There is so much need in the world we live and I know of a Hope like none other we needed to cling to, instead of feeling hopeless, powerless and defeated. As I began to seek God about what this event would look like, I was overcome with fear and feelings of being incapable of organizing such a large scale event, definitely unqualified and unworthy. Who am I to rally something like this? I’m a mess. I’m just a mom. I’m just trying to keep things together on the home front. The months would pass and I would avoid the fact that all I need to do is trust God and just take it one step at a time. This event had nothing to do with me, it had everything to do with Him.

From time to time I would approach a trusted loved one, sharing what God had put on my heart. This, leading them to be encouraging, urging me to move forward. When on the inside I was thinking, “well, if you think it’s so awesome, YOU should totally do and I’ll help!” I was running from this event, avoiding it like a plague. I was fighting it because this process of organizing, talking aloud to people, contacting strangers, confrontation, simply putting thoughts on paper, this goes against any kind of comfortable for me. I would constantly try to “put it off” on someone else. Then IT happened, after fighting God on this for countless months, I knew it was time for me to move on this. Not because I was “ready,” but because God was ready to make it happen and I was finally ready to trust.

Fall of 2014, I was driving in my car headed who knows where, but right before I went to shut my car off I heard a lyric from the radio “Take our nation back.” Of course it caught my attention and I was quick to jot that down so I wouldn’t forget to search for that song on a later date. Days went by, actually weeks, when I finally sat down and googled the lyric I made note of. I found it, it was “Build Your Kingdom Here,” by Rend Collective. I was blown away by the lyrics. I could have never expressed the mission of this Initiative better, than the words of this song. As I listened I knew this was the time to start putting forth the effort to make this event a success. Followed by the perfectness of the song, really helping the vision come together and setting the foundation of the event; we (our church) began a small group study, reading the book by Craig Groeschel, Chazown. Urging me to move forward to making this God inspired dream, a reality. I finally felt free to talk about it, almost as though I was giving myself permission to do something that I was scared to death of doing.  I had been trying to convince others these last few years that I wasn't “crazy,” that God was actually really telling me to do this, when all along, I think I was trying to convince myself. Time after time it would be confirmed this was the time to lift our nation up in prayer; to come together as believers, being purposeful about lifting our nation up in prayer. No longer feeling hopeless, because we have the Creator of the universe to cry out to.

At our annual staff retreat this year when I shared with the staff about the status of the event, I broke down and just said “I seriously don’t want to do this.” I was so overcome with the unknown and the possibilities of the event going big, I just wanted to forget it and let God move this vision on to someone else. I was really fighting God on this again, thinking, why in this world would He be asking me to do this. God wasn't answering me on this, so I asked my husband, he said, because He knew you would. From that moment on, there was no going back, God was counting on me, He is counting on all of us. To take a stand, to come together as a Christian nation , to win this nation back.

I've had two conversations, very clear conversations with God through this journey, one being about six weeks before filming the promo video. We were driving to church on a Wednesday night and unknowing to anyone else in our car. I was telling God about how I felt and was sharing with Him, that this task was just too hard, so I TOLD God, Listen, if no one asks me about Kingdom Initiative tonight, I’m not doing it. Ok, you have to understand, only 4 people even knew about it that was going to be at church that Wednesday night and I was working in the nursery and I never really talked about the event openly in person, only through email. So I was pretty much mocking God, thinking, whew… I’m free from this! Following the service, while finishing up in the nursery a very normal friendly hello through the nursery door was heard, I simply replied hey (forgetting about my conversation with God an hour before), which was followed by a “hey weren't you suppose to be sending something on Kingdom Initiative?" I wish I could have seen my face. Of course our Lead Pastor had no idea at that time what I was really thinking in my head or could have understood the crazy smile I know I gave him, but I actually excitedly said, “yes, yes you should have!” I later shared with my pastor and his wife about my conversation with God on my way to church that night, thinking I was in the clear, when I was reminded that GOD IS ALWAYS LISTENING!! Yet again another reason to pray, God is always listening. I also continue to learn that God is also with me. I’m sure you’re thinking, how many times are you going to question God on this! I know right? I’m very stubborn.

Lastly I have to share my latest conversation with God. After completing the promo video, I was so excited to see how our videographer was going to bring this event to life. I was constantly praying for Matt and his team, I was praying that the message and purpose would be clear and honestly just praying for a miracle, because again, I’m not an actress and I knew that what I had envisioned and expressed to others for the last three years, is now in someone else’s hands. So of course I prayed for Matt and just had to trust. When we received the promo video I was so excited to view it, but it was almost hard to push play, because, this was it, this was what was going to ignite our nation to come to action for our God. As I watched I was almost in disbelief that I loved it, I mean who likes themselves on camera. It’s scary being vulnerable and to do something outside of your comfort level.  I myself am a perfectionist and I’d rather not do something at all, if it’s not going to great, or the best or perfect. But who’s the judge of that? As I was driving down the road, leaving the church this time, I was talking to God and wondering what will everyone else think of this video? Not expecting a response, more like expecting this is how I’d feel for months to come…. God said to me, it doesn’t matter Jessie, you’re doing it for me.

I've realized through this, I may actually be crazy, but I’m ok with it. At least I’m crazy for our Creator and obedient to His purpose for my life.

Please watch! Let's take this nation back. Together we can.

So how does Kingdom Initiative work? So glad you asked!

Three Ways To Get Involved

1. Be there! Don't rely on others to pray and intercede for this great Nation. Take action! Have fun with it, make it an annual tradition, show this country that we will not sit silently as all of our religious liberties are taken away. Show this country that it is still "One Nation Under God." Let's for once be the majority and make known that we are many, we are united and that we are crying out to God for our Nation.
2. Share it. This Initiative will only be successful if people know about it. Send the website address to everyone you know. Like Kingdom Initiative on Facebook, click HERE. Repost all of our Facebook posts to your own personal page. Comment on and share our youtube promo video. We need you to get the word out! Utilize #kingdominitiative on all of your instagram pictrues from or relating to Kingdom Initiative.
3. Intercede. "Intervene on behalf of another." Be in prayer for the day. A lot of people will be on the road on July 4th, so let's be praying for the safety of all our travelers. Pray for a Nation awakening turn out. Pray that all of our friends who show up that day will represent Christ well. Pray for a peaceful assembly. Pray. Pray. Pray.

On Saturday, July 4th, make your way, along with thousands of others, to join in prayer. Pray ing for our nation. We'll join hand in hand, taking a stand for our nations anthem, ONE NATION UNDER GOD. At noon, Central Standard Time, we will join hands and form circles surrounding each state capitol. {Let's get each state represented here!} United we will say The Pledge of Allegiance, followed by 10 minutes of prayer. Each loop around the capitol will represent a different prayer topic. The closest loop to the capital will represent armed forces; this includes military and first responders. Middle loop represents Government Officials; this includes state and federal. Outer loop is our school systems; this includes school administrations, teachers, volunteers and students, safety of all and the list goes on.

The concept is simple: pray.

Let's take this nation back. Together we can.

Okay, friends, isn't this exciting!? If you have any questions for Jessie, please comment in the comment section below and she will answer or go to their Facebook page and comment. Jessie will be happy to help you!

I want to see every single state represented in Kingdom Initiative 2015. So make plans NOW to be a part and comment with your state. This would be an amazing family opportunity as well as something great to do with your church, your Bible study group, other Christians at your job, other Christians in your neighborhood, your friends, the possibilities are endless. Let's take our nation back!