I remember when I was a brand new mom. Glen was only a few months old and I had been out digging in my garden in one of those rare mommy breaks, while he was napping. I was totally engrossed in my work and I was talking to God about life and specifically about Ladies Time Out. I had been in a group before I had the baby, but we had moved away from the group and I was in another church and another part of town. I was wondering about where the nearest group was so I could now attend as a “new mom” participant.

I distinctly heard God fill my mind with these words – “You start a group.”

It was so incredulous and totally bizarre; I knew in my heart that my new role as “mom” was more important than anything else in the world, surely that was to be my focus and my only focus. Those words could NOT be for me. I mean I had put in my time, I had participated as a team leader at the other Time Out, it was my turn to go as a participant after all I had a new baby to take care of!

I actually looked over the fence I was working beside to see if God had missed His target and He was talking to someone on the other side. Low and behold, there was not a soul on the other side of the fence. Well He certainly could not have been talking to me.

Long story short – He was.

Even as I kicked and screamed and told Him it was not a very good idea, it was not fair, I had put in my time, it started my ten years as Ladies Time Out leader.

I find it amazing how God works – I think I have it all figured out and He shows up never according to my plans, or timing and He never seems to look at my organizational bullet points of how it should go! He floors me every time, and I never see it coming!

But this year – He gave me a hint. He has been pressing me that 2017 will be different – something is coming. He has confirmed it in several ways, through various people and to me personally. I do not know just what that means but I have a sense that it is going to be awesome.

Two weeks ago we had a phone conference with the Aglow Leadership, located all over Canada, these ladies heard from God that they were to come to Grande Prairie. Each one heard in a different way at a different time – but God told each one of them separately. Grande Prairie was the destination and from here they have been directed to go North to the NWT.

They are being obedient and coming – they have been given visions, prophetic words and messages that God is about to stir up the Peace Country. Can we call it a Revival? I do not know but what I do know is that God is confirming locally through other people and in other churches that He is up to something.

We are hosting an event in February – the 16, 17 called the “Northern Awakening Tour” with the Leadership of Aglow. We are going to be prepared to see what God does and how He shows up.

I know many churches have been praying for a Revival for years. I had not sensed anything about a Revival I was sensing more that 2017 will be a year unlike any other we have had.

I have heard about a few other churches and Christians who have the same sense that God is about to do something big in Grande Prairie. He is calling believers to get ready to be prepared to see Him do a mighty movement of some kind.

As I was driving home this evening – the Northern Lights came alive before me in the sky, dancing and shimmering above the horizon. It was breathtaking. I watched as the lights moved back and forth, sparking high into the sky and then back down again.

I told God that He did good work! As I got nearer to the city the lights began to fade, the more buildings the more lights, the dimmer the Northern Lights got. It was not that they were not out, just that the other lights drowned out their brilliance.

A lot like our relationship with God, a lot of other things distract us from seeing the true Light. The more artificial light we have on, the less we see the true Light.

Will we be ready to see God move around the Peace Country? Not unless we turn off some of the lights. Not unless the distractions around us fade. Think about it – tv is a form of light, our phones are a source of light, computers shine their own light…what other lights might be distracting us?

God is calling, stirring and shaking the hearts of His people to get ready – will it be just for this one event? I doubt it- when God starts working it is usually not isolated – He has a much bigger picture in mind. But I for one do not want to miss it.

Why Grande Prairie? In a blog last year (True North Strong and Free) I gave the disturbing statistic that Grande Prairie had been named the Crime Capitol of Canada. Where else would you bring the light – except to the darkest place? The light shines the brightest in the dark.

Are you ready for Him to light us up?

What if we today after reading this blog, we go back to our very roots – to our childhood and start singing and humming a song – This Little Light of Mine for the rest of today and the rest of this week maybe even for the rest of the month.

You see wherever you are, in the Peace Country, east coast, USA – God is wanting to use you. When you purposely decide to let your light shine for Him – His light has already begun to glow. The darkness is receding, just like the Northern Lights dancing on the horizon – we all will be streams of light being sent into remote and dark places that God has designed just for you to enter into and shine on people whose lives you are touch.

Will you join Him?