"They're Doin" It!!"

My noble friends, You Gotta see this!!

EEEEEEEKKK!! IT's SO GOOOOOD!!!

In fact... I'l "GiVe YoU YoUr MoNeY BaCk" if your heart does not burn and cry out with joy as you listen to the video below!! :)

We just laughed as our hearts burned with agreement with Allen Hood, the president of our Bible School here, as he spoke to a crowd of 25,000 this weekend.

We cried through this talk.

~ you can hear it at timer on the video 2:14 ~


Our tears said, YES!!! in agreement for Allen spoke out what God is calling this generation to. AND, they poured out in streams of great joy for we have great affection the beautiful Hood family.

All semester, our Ashley has been in a college-level course that Allen led at The Daniel Academy, called, "Excellencies of Christ". Ashley has come home with a bright heart and has been searching out her beloved, Jesus, in a way that is baptizing our home with firey love for Him that is touching us all...

I have been so blessed by the warmth and wisdom of Allen Hood's wife, Rachel. This family ( they have 3 wonderful boys), is a picture of love lived out so well.

In this video, Allen and his son, Samuel articulate SO WELL What our lives are about before God and what we are up to here at the International House of Prayer.

EVEN SO, we cried with tears of love and swelled up joyful admiration and affection over our dear friend, Samuel Hood, Allen's son, who we has become our dear friend and brother. He opens the time of prayer for his Dad.

Samuel faithfully pours into our sons, Anderson and Jack every week, teaching them piano in our home. He drives over to our little home here and walks in our door with joy and fire in His eyes.

He lays a hug on my kids and jumps with them on the trampoline. He models well what excellent love would look like, coming from an older brother. And he also spurs on some pretty great "Godly brotherly competion" :)~ HEE!!~ as he arrives with reward dollars in his pocket and creative ideas for games for them. It works!! ;) My little boys look for Samuel in the halls of their school...and they are not ignored...but are searched out and singled out as significant as this older teen loves them as well in public as at our house.

On Piano Lesson afternoons, our house swells with music as piano,guitar, and voices sing out to Jesus. Every week is a gem, but I cried the day I heard Samuel tell my boys about making their instrument sing out to God.

"Guys, the Bible says that 'even the rocks would cry out' if we did not give our praises to God. so we are going to let our instruments sing worship to God today"

The Joy and Passion for God is contagious and my little boys are caught up with the joy of the privilege of getting to worship Jesus.

Oh, they are SO beautiful...like little David's on their instruments and as they SING...

...not just a copy of other's style but NEW songs and sounds...

And the example goes further than Piano lesson afternoons...I see this tenderizing of little hearts, joyful expression in music in practice times...

... And, more importantly, rising up the steps from our den, individual,unprompted worship times with God

I have been tickled to witness attempts to reach toward one another in more love as brothers...

And, recently Anderson stepped into his first audition to be a singer for a worship team here, was received onto the team and is enjoying bringing his love for Jesus before other boys and girls...discipleship at its best everyone!! Its a beautiful thing!!

that one generation would tell the goodness of the Lord to another

HOW Different this is then MY memories of staring at the wind-up timer on my piano as a little girl...counting down the insufferable minutes!!...

Yet...not too different of that same young child, a little girl in the 70's who would go into her room to meet with Jesus there...and who would FIND Him waiting there for her every day as she sang and loved to talk with Him and search out in her Bible and in her own heart this living,breathing Word with love and affection for her...who then, in the 80's grew to know the joys of a guitar and a voice lifted before her brothers and sisters in praise and then before the hearth and its babies and toddlers in the 90's...to continue to feel the joy of the Spirit's counsel and joy pouring forth in song and praise through each decade ...

and now,in a new millenium...

He is STILL so INCREDIBLY precious and worthy...

That there is EVER treasure in the hidden places...

And joy in worship...

that song is increasing in her heart And on the Earth...

And...

She finds her children... searching Him out...

TRULY He is LASTING,WORTHY, the only value and joy and light of Life...

Truly only

ONE THING is worth

all our time'

all our focus'

all our admiration and affection,

and that ONE THING is a PERSON I adore and WILL search out,

to "BEHOLD HIS BEAUTY"

ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE (Psalm 27)


Samuel speaks here (on the video before his dad's talk) about children being raised in an environment SATURATED with the Lord.

KIDS,

consecrated to Him.

And,

I want YOU to know, beloved friends,

ANY of you...who have hearts for God.

Who are on a walk with Him...

or who have children...

Maybe some that you are crying out in prayer over...

Maybe perhaps one that is caught up in the dark Spirit of our Age?

I really want to encourage you, where ever you are, right now, in your walk.

You AND your kids CAN live lives full of light, loving God with sincerity and joy.
He is RIGHT HERE. And as we reach for Him. He swoops us up with great desire for us in His Presence and Love. We are SEEING it in kids and adults all around us...

We are living it for real in our family...

Samuel says, "At the end of the day, I want my Life to be worship to God." and "I want my life to be an instrument of praise for Jesus."

Amen, preach it, brother, Samuel.

For Real. There are REALLY kids like this out there, you all!!

It is NOT too late for holiness and passionate love for God in our generation and in the generation coming up RIGHT behind us. Oh, THIS truly is our normal in Christ. It can be our inheritance. It REALLY can be.

Any family can make a choice for the very highest for their kids in God. Friends, we don't have to seat belt ourselves in to our culture. We really don't have to "lose" our teens into rebellion as they age up or even in the "tween" years. we don't have to lose our children to media or hand-held entertainments,video games, and computer screens. There really is more for them...and for us...and its NOT too late!!

We have met many kids like Samuel, who have bright spirits...who are so full of Christ's love that the love is contagious and sets many hearts around them on fire..who are disciplined and are already discipling the next generation after them..

Who are preaching out,

Searching out the greatness and the goodness of our incredible God...

Who are bright and shining lamps in this day...

and who I want to BE LIKE!!...


We know and are experiencing that God is increasing His Presence in this next generation...GOD in His greatness has let this next generation catch a vision of God that is FAR beyond Sunday-only Christianity...and its BEAUTIFUL!!!!

...and..to look in the fire in their eyes...I will give my life as a foundation to lift these ones up...for as parents in this generation...our ceiling will be their floor...

Many of you have asked us, "But WHAT do you DO as Intercessory Missionaries...

"what's the point?"

Some sweetly :)

..some not so sweetly ;)

but that's really o.k....

for, we know...that

Yes

, what we are called to...

it IS counter cultural...

Yet...

It is actually quite normal according to the example that we find in the Bible....

We found our hearts so stirred as we looked at the words on the pages...and then purposed our lives to truly obey them in a literal, every day walking it out..


THIS (video below) is an EXCELLENT description of our hearts, our passion, and our daily vocation.

24/7 Prayer is only our constraint... :) God is infinitely worth MORE than 24/7 prayer!! :) We GET to do prayer. It's our privilege of being born again. Because NOTHING compares to Him...

and HE truly is our greatest reward.

And this brings such real joy for we truly are "hard-wired" for Him!! :)

It's happening, oh,its taking place!!...God is answering the Lord's Prayer, "as it is in heaven"...they are never going back...You NEED to know and hear these stories...and hear Allen's humor :) For,as he says, ..."God is going viral!!" :)

Oh, people, this is SO GOOD!! PLEASE take a moment on the first day of your New Year to consider the most Glorious ONE and What He is about on the Earth right now. What YOU are invited into.

HEAR how God is moving...in worship to Him lifted ALL OVER THE EARTH!!

SEE the "such a time is this" that we are living in!!

I hope you REALLY LOVE this video...we heard so many people talking about this...how their hearts were incredibly impacted as they laughed and enjoyed the joy and humor in it as well.



We love you! Blessings in Christ!! We're NEVER going back!! :)



"...for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations" (Isaiah 56:7)

New Gifts...to ANYONE...in this New Year...Love to you from the Tuckers!!

Hello, beloved friends on this last day of 2011!!

I have so appreciated our visits together through this blog. :)

This post is a gift to you today from our family. We are at a wonderful conference this weekend in Kansas City that is given by The International House of Prayer Ministry. It has been an incredible time of refreshing and intimacy with God as a family.

The talk below started off our time here with an explosion in our hearts!! I hope it blesses you in the same way!!

Blessings to you!!

The video takes a couple minutes to load fully at the beginning...maybe skip the minutes ahead?...the worship on it is powerful and so is the first talk...but the one we are highlighting to you today is at hour 2 and 5 minutes time...push the timer ahead to hear of how you are a "power and lights district in Christ!!"...do you believe it?...maybe you are starting to?...Do you want this in your new year?..."if ANYONE is in Christ...he IS a New Creation"...

Love to you from Gillian and the Tucker family. Happy New Year...He makes ALL things new!!!

Arrows in a Mighty Hand ~ "Do you Want in on This?"

You gotta see this one!!

This is from Orphan Sunday here at our church and ministry here in Kansas City.

The Bolender family is a beloved adoptive family here who are being greatly used by God to highlight adoption as a solution to the abortion crisis as well as the founders of The Zoe Foundation, a non-profit adoption agency for Christ-centered adoption. Plus they are are so loveable, witty, and just really funny. :)

I love how our children ~ ALL of them ~ are referred to in this talk as ARROWS in the hand of the Lord. I deeply believe this and it permeates my understanding about "why adoption

And HOW I LOVE This quote!!

"We adopted to expand the Kingdom of God in a real way and to buy Jesus an Inheritance from among the nations...and we are full of joy to do this."






The Zoe Foundation

http://thezoefoundation.com/


Let love reign!

Love, Gillian


Isaiah 58:5-8

Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,

only a day for a man to humble himself?

Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed

and for lying on sackcloth and ashes?

Is that what you call a fast,

a day acceptable to the Lord?

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:

to loose the chains of injustice

and untie the cords of the yoke,

to set the oppressed free

and break every yoke?

Is it not to share your food with the hungry

and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—

when you see the naked, to clothe him,

and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Then your light will break forth like the dawn,

and your healing will quickly appear;

then your righteousnessa will go before you,

and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.

Oh, HELP us, Jesus

If we are a friend of God we will love the poor from our heart, through correct thinking,in loving and specific action,in selfless giving...for as we give to them...we are giving to the Kingdom of God's ROYALTY. The way we love the poor is literally the way we love God.




He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and He will reward him for what he has done.

Proverbs 19:17

The Pursuit...always the Pursuit...

And now these three remain:

FAITH, HOPE, and LOVE.  

But the greatest of these is LOVE.

(I Corinthians 13:13)

...THIS
is our new family secret...

We have a green plant that we use as a center piece on our dining room table.  It is a simple houseplant with cheery spreading green "arms" and heart leaves.

Each night conversation, laughter, and singing,and prayer flows over this little humble plant as we sort through the days' business, lessons, trivia, triumphs, stories,  and testimonies. And at the end of the meal we purpose to make sure we have fed everyone  REAL,LIVING FOOD that keeps us ever-full and nourished--God's Word.
  We bring verses that have impacted us in our day with the Lord and share them...or listen to one of the littles read a chapter that they have been reading in their cute lispy way...or we memorise a verse all together...or sing a verse together...

...the Holy Spirit will press on one of us to open up a piece of the Word and share it/ digest it with whoever God has brought to our table that evening.  The corporate "chew" is an incredible dynamic.

  I have learned and been taught by every member of my family here.  For there is no "JR. Holy Spirit"!!  He can speak through a child powerfully and clearly ~ maybe even more so than the adults many times!  We are a flowy family more than a systematic one--so each night looks REALLY different but is rich and precious ~ truly alive.  Then, after Word, we "work out" this word in worship in the living room--or I could say, since what God is doing here is so organic--our Word time that vines around the table springs into blooming,fruitful  praising worship in our living room...

  Before dishes...before bed... THIS...is my favorite portion of the day...

Recently, our fresh green "friend"lost a few leaves the night after our day spent picking blueberries this week. But for a very noble purpose!  (Aren't the humble so often used for noble means?)  :)

We love the Hebraic model of teaching aka. asking questions.  As we impart things to the children.  Our time had gone something like this:


"What was it like to find fruit on the blueberry bushes today?"

Oh, YES...EATING the fruit...that's best part for sure!!

"What was it like to see your bucket filling up with fruit?"

"What do you plan to do with all of that fruit?"

"What happens to a bush that is picked?"

YES!  It makes MORE fruit..!"



"What about the branches that did not have fruit on them?  What about them?"

"Why do you think they did not have fruit?"

You know...JESUS spoke about gardening and pruning and picking and fruit...does anyone know about this?


And God moved the conversation to our little plant on the table...and at this point our little friend lost two leaves for the betterment of our hearts!! :) 

"AW! Don't pick off her leaves!!"

"But what do you think will happen to these leaves?  Can we reattach them?
  Are they getting that good life from the roots of our little plant or from the vine?
  What's going to happen to these little leaves?"  Lets watch them for a couple days and see... (...hint...for those who want to know...shrivel...shrivel...shrink...dry...dust....Poor little leaves...)

And now for the Word...Children, did you know there are SECRETS in the Bible?  God says that if we seek Him out, He will be found and He will share the secrets of His heart with us ~ the secrets of the KING!!  We are going to hide ICor. 13:13 in our heart.

  It is a SECRET to life.

To ABIDING...

In Christ...


  In anything that we are doing whether it is getting along in our family, or doing our work jobs, or in friendships or talents, we can ask this question of ourselves:

"Are we growing in Faith (in this area), Is (this area) full of hope to God? Do we see more and more love (here, in this area?)  Let's take LOVING YOUR BROTHER as an example (hee!hee!~it had been kinda a rough day for this!!)  You could love God in your room or anyplace and just lift up in your hands your love for your brothers~ you could ask yourself, "Did I grow in faith with God in the way I loved my brother today?...Or in the way I forgave my brother today?...cause growing in Faith is actually more important than being right about the card game..."How about my love, God? Did I grow in love with you today?"
 
Jack relates..."you know...its like God is always there but you have to accept Him and let His love grow UP,UP,UP around you.  You gotta CHASE it down...like when I chase Bruik around the house!!!"
 
Bruik beams with pleasure.
 
"Yeah, you gotta chase love down"
 
And we read that NEXT  verse about "pursuing love"... (later he dances this out in the Spirit in the living room...(see video below)
 
Then it is 10 year old Anderson who makes this connection.  "OH! and when you find out that you need to love more you will realise that you JUST DON"T have the love you need.  Then you are like the little green leaves on this plant...as long as you STAY close to Jesus,stay near to Him and repent from what is not love...HIS love will flow THROUGH you...it won't be work!  The leaf just rests on the vine!!!"  He puts his head on the table and grins. :)

"Whoa! "  He rests...in knowing...in loving...in connecting with the one who brought this revelation to his heart...then...

"You know what? I found out today that I never have to be bored!" 

All eyes on Anderson--after all we have been stuck in the house ALOT on 110 heat index days in Missouri summer heat.  "All I need to do is to go in my room and turn on worship music on the radio and sing to God...and I'm never bored!" (and you are abiding my son...)He bounces over to our computer and puts worship music on REALLY loudly and I do not dare turn it down for the children are all so ready to dance...and we flow into worship...

Untitled from gillian tucker on Vimeo.

Untitled from gillian tucker on Vimeo.

...This is sweet Jack "Chasing God's Love Down" ~ Look, Mom! He said, "I'm Chasing Down ...I PURSUING God's Love....I chase Him and He chases me....and His love goes UP, UP,UP all around me...then I bring it to other people too...It heals them...God is chasing them down in His love too..."

Blessings, precious friends!!

Love, 

GG

p.s. Blue Scarf Jack is using for dancing was brought back to us from Ethiopia by Ally P. at the time of the P. family's addition of their beautiful two Ethiopian girls :)

Number Nineteen! :) ~ a dance to remember~

Yesterday we celebrated Anniversary Number 19 with my Honey Yesterday On The 19th of June :)!!

  AND on Father's Day!!

  It was quite a day!! :)

  After 11 months of expectant waiting, Richard is wrapping up his job in Nashville this next week and heading out to Kansas City to join us here  in our call to be intercessory missionaries~ WAHOO!!!!!!~

We will have much to share soon about our continued journey for God is downloading even more in our lives and hearts  as the time arrives for Richard to join us here.



So love my pastoring, compassionate, missionary-hearted man.~

Our hearts are full as we look back on this past year ~ it has been so full of the Father's heart.

We had an amazing treat yesterday ~ straight from the heart of Abba God. After spending the day as a family, at church,at lunch, at a local park...swimming...we next had an impromptu visit from two amazing young missionaries to Israel and Finland...the conversation and love around the table was full of power as they opened up a Hebrew bible and gathered up my children like a flock around them ....instructing them in Hebraic style questions...

Next, the young men put in a Dvd that was about one of the friend's, Michael's recent wedding in Israel...

So very rich and glorious to see the glowing lights of Jerusalem just beyond the white wedding canopy...

Then the young men led us all in Israeli  circle dancing as we worshiped Yeshua, Messiah, Jesus ...

Brown hands...tiny feet...massive peach hands...boy feet...girl feet...man arms raised...women waist bowing...Dancing with my earthly husband of 19 years...in a circle full of our quiver of children...some from the nations...joyfully singing with these brothers...It stepped past the immediate now and brought heaven to earth...images of the coming kingdom and the joy to come circled in my heart as we went around the living room last night...

Wonder's overflow... thanksgiving for this man, my earthly Adam, the one I have to reach my neck to smile up to :)...

this one

that God has chosen for me to journey with...

the one who whispers courage in my ear and reflects who God has purposed me to be...

Father to so many...

some our birthed children, some brought from the nations,some still being brought to our door...

and the many to come...

  the gift of marriage...God's wondrous gift  for man and woman in every step as we traverse  home to Him...

full heart for the inheritance of Godly children...

kissed up, raised up as a gift for Jesus...

AWARENESS

...of Holy wind and fire...

a real heart that beats...

pursuing us...

... the tension between joy that transports our heart to the Father
 as well as the ache and burst in our heart for Jesus' remaking of everything to new...

at the arrival of  His coming!!!!!!...

to His waiting...made-ready bride...

And on that day...in that time... His REAL hands and LITERAL feet dancing the wedding dancing with me...His bride...with US, His children!...and we will look and grin and smile over the sea of multi-colored children's heads...dancing ribbons of every color...swirling gifts from the nations to Him...as we laugh with Joy and spin in the lights of Jerusalem...

(the song we danced to last night...)




O Lord bless me and keep me cause Your face to shine on me
Lord be gracious lift the light of Your countenance give me peace

I live only to see your face so shine on me

let the light of Your face shine down on my heart and let me feel it


Blessings and Love,

Gillian

Strings

 A love song for Jesus...

 May our hearts cry this out in every season...

From Every Family and  Nation...




 Strings ~ By Misty Edwards

I want to play the strings of Your heart God
Come play the strings of mine
I want to sing straight to Your heart God
Come sing straight to mine

Lord You have my heart(3x)
And I am searching for yours

Lord You have my thoughts(3x)
And I am searching for Yours

Lord You have my song(3x)
And I am searching for Yours

I'm so in love with You
I'm so in love with You
I'm so in love with You Jesus


Love, Gillian

Cross -Training

Watch videos at Vodpod and more of my videos

Hey, everyone!
This is an awesome teaching--a GIFT to you today!! :) Just drag the timer on the vod pod, after you hit play arrow, to 1:09 to the teaching part--this is from Hebrews 11 and 12 if you have your Bible nearby...or enjoy the worship too at the beginning :)...

This teaching is WELL worth the time it takes to hear it!!

Also WELL worth the effort it takes to work it into your walk--or should I say, "run race" in Jesus

May we grow in endurance as we face the race set before us.


Blessings--such blessings in Him!!

Love, Gillian

Whoa!! Stepping out into the ravine? Tucker journey update...

Did you know that when Abraham was called by God out of his family's land, he ended up traveling 1,200 miles ON FOOT to the promised land???

And then...
This "father of nations" spent the rest of his days living in tents--never again did he live over a solid foundation of a home.


That makes 550 miles to Kansas City in a large U-Haul truck and a loaded -down Suburban sound REALLY "cushie" :).

It actually makes our consideration-- in a family meeting the other night with Ashley and Graham-- (due to financial reasons) of fitting our family into a 2 bedroom apartment for the next season sound pretty good too!--But you can stop holding your breath--the apartment management companies would not allow our number of people due to fire codes!! Bummer!! :) That was pretty wild to figure out until we were told no. And, life away from stuff to fuss with seemed rather freeing for a moment too!!

SOoooo the question of late has been somewhat like, "When God has called you to something quite incredible-- when you have heard His voice and KNOW that you KNOW that you KNOW that He is saying, GO!!!!--How 'low' can you go?--How little could you live with or on? or what is so precious to you that you could not live without it or leave it behind?"

This is a VERY easy question for me to answer when we are talking about OTHER people's things. It was exceedingly easy in our family meeting as Graham was instructed that Bella the Python was a pocession that was not right for life in smaller digs!!--or at least sharing bedroom space with my babies or me! :)!!!

Simple, huh?

But when I saw the look in Graham's eye...

...and then, I "got" the same feeling the next day, as I began to fit our pocessions into a space that will be a fourth to a third the size of what we are used to now...

How are you doing packing away YOUR pretties, Gillian?

--I must say--my heart was deceptive,fleshy, and tantrumy--

It was not a pretty site--

Mommy clutching onto my clipboard with cartoon electricity coming out of my hair and dying to that Martha side (I'm refering to the one on T.V. --Ms. Stewart-- not the Biblical one--or maybe there is a sad comparison here!!for my HEART and SPIRIT DO call out to be a 'Mary'--NOT a Martha!!)

Until...

"Gillian, who do you say that I am?"
"Gillian, do you Trust me?"

God pressed on my heart yet again ...and all the fullness of Himself flooded my heart...I had to confess my ugly attitude to my kiddos and with our circumstances and kneel in the middle of our boxes and again make my testimony, "Here I am, God...I love you...I adore you...YOU are my life...send me into the center of your will...not only WHEREever it is but WHATever it is!! ....WHAT a journey we are about to embark on!! Bring on the packing tape and get on with the Craiglistings!!

I actually believe that God is a very generous Father who has amazing plans for His children--He does not leave the righteous forsaken--I proclaim without doubts that as our story unfolds our life in Him will be a testimony,a "proof" of how He loves to complete what He calls us to--and what provision and glories he has for His children that not only hear His voice but follow it.

And we already have praise reports about this as we step into the first part of our call to a new ministry, land, and life:

Two fridays ago, we received a call OUT of the BLUE--a beautiful,Godly family offered to rent our current home until we sell it--what a gift!!

The conversation started out with this phrase, "Hi, Gillian this is J., this is going to be a very unusual conversation." Immediately my ears and heart were pricked--God often calls us to things that are seemingly impossible and absolutely illogical so that He'll get all the credit and glory--"very unusual" sounded very "usual" kingdom-wise. :)

WELL!! the blessing was MUCH more than timing or finance or detail for as we sat in our living room with this PRECIOUS couple and their sweet family they told our story of calling--I mean, it was not the exact story--but EVERY other element was there.

This husband called to be a preacher,

mine called to be a pastor.

They do not know what the next step is except that the only word God has for sure given them is , "Stay"--the only word we have been given is, "GO".

They shared encouraging verses that were "our" verses.

And as S. answered Richard's question of "tell me how you KNOW that God has called you to this next step"--his answer was WORD for WORD what Richard says each time he speaks about this calling and the other times God has brought us on a journey.

"You know you are called when nothing else works and this is the ONLY thing you can do."

We laughed--probably too loud for where we were in this tender conversation--and almost fell out of our chairs--again--It was WORD for WORD what Richard says about calling because of his growth in Jesus. Sometimes God just talks out loud--and gives ALOT of repetition--we must be need of this teaching/parenting style of encouragement for He is literally hedging us in with Word to us about journey, will, following Him, continuing to press into seemingly blank areas so that He can reveal the next step of His will to us...

And then it was Richard's turn to answer the question...
And I have to tell you that he acted this out in our living room as he shared it. :)!!

One of Richard's favorite movies is "Indiana and the Temple of Doom".
Yeah, we were teens in the eighties!!

There is this one scene of a deep and wide ravine--Indiana is being pursued--he is going through a set of "tests" in this ancient area that reveal the way to treasure --each one with a biblical allusion (I loved that part of the movie too!)--at this ravine, he starts sweating and shaking--what is he to do...he looks down--the movie prop rock bounces all the Waaaay down to the depths--we hear its descent...--then he stands up- caaaarefully as he picks up his foot and mumbles, "Of course, the walk of Faith" He puts his foot down into...nothingness...and is jolted still--a stone step has appeared and is holding him up--of course the bad guys are showing up at this point too and Indiana (Harrison Ford) has to leap continually into the nothingness of the ravine as step after step appears only AFTER he has set his feet down. This is one of Richard's favorite pictures of faith--and you gotta see him acting it out for our friends in our livingroom!! No matter what the "test" or the "ravine" or the circumstance--God IS there and I believe God our Father is pleased with our faith that, knowing He is there,does NOT shrink back but banks our life on this and step out into what we cannot see. "Faith is EVIDENCE of what we cannot see" after all...

What is He calling your heart to?

Do you have a ravine in front of you?

We do.

I plan to keep stepping out and letting our Father catch us.

Even this morning we asked Him in tears for Faith that will walk forward into what we do not see.

...And away from those familiar banks...


We had a precious missionary mom in my home this week--a brand new friend who is being called by God with her husband to FRANKLIN in a very dramatic and unique way--God has sent an unusual amount of precious people (that I previously did not have a close relationship with) TO MY DOOR and TO MY PHONE over the past weeks--it has been mind-boggling how sweet He is and how much He is NOT going to let us withdraw from this calling!! B. sat on my livingroom sofa and I knew that she was speaking God's words to me when she said, "All my family lives in ---. This has been heart-breaking to even think of being apart from them--but how could I NOT? I really believe that, now, in this season, God is giving out special assignments to those that are seeking Him out in intercession--This is a really special time to listen to Him. He is getting His people ready--I am seeing so many example of this--moving those who are listening and obeying into position for where they will be most effective for the Great Global Harvest to come before He comes back."

So the rest of our week? What will it hold?

We can't see it yet. :) But we do know we will be hugging precious necks of those we have loved in the Nashville area for almost 20 years...

And crying sweet tears of love.

Thanking God for all He's done here and praising HIm in wonder for what He is bringing us to...

Squeezing my mom and dad REALLY tightly--this part of the call is achy--it literally hurts inside--

We will be finding little boys up to their necks in empty boxes

And catching them being pretty naughty--they think I've pack all the boundaries and rules in our boxes for some reason!!

Teens who are packing up a storm--so excited to grow and celebrate, and serve Jesus in their next school and ministry--you should hear their excitement and JOY!!

Ashley's guitar in packing breaks

Phrases like, "Man!! This room is full of boxes--its like BOXLAND in here!!--lets hideout!!"--from Anders and Jack

When are we going already?--Bruik

"I was made for for LOooooove."--Ava singing

Ashley--our word girl in the midst of the newprint for packing--"Its a win-win situation you get to pack up AND read the comics!!"

EVERYONE ELSE--"Hurry up, Ashley!"

Bella the Ball Python (I think I just like to type her name for effect!)
on her way to another abode--Graham found a buyer!! Mama's pretty happy about this!!

A thousand million last minute details...

If you can help us load the truck on Wednesday give us a shout!!--We are looking for helpers!!

But... we ain't walkin' 1,200 miles!--this isn't so bad!--Let's load er up and go already!!


How lovely is your dwelling place,

O Lord Almighty!

My soul yearns, even faints,

for the courts of the Lord;

my heart and my flesh cry out

for the living God.

Even the sparrow has found a home,

and the swallow a nest for herself,

where she may have her young—

a place near your altar,

O Lord Almighty, my King and my God.

Blessed are those who dwell in your house;

they are ever praising you. Selah

Blessed are those whose strength is in you,

who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.

As they pass through the Valley of Baca,

they make it a place of springs;

the autumn rains also cover it with pools.

They go from strength to strength,

till each appears before God in Zion.

Hear my prayer, O Lord God Almighty;

listen to me, O God of Jacob. Selah

Look upon our shield, O God;

look with favor on your anointed one.

Better is one day in your courts

than a thousand elsewhere;

I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God

than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

For the Lord God is a sun and shield;

the Lord bestows favor and honor;

no good thing does he withhold

from those whose walk is blameless.

O Lord Almighty,

blessed is the man who trusts in you.

Psalm 84

Love, Gillian

Big Announcement from the Tucker Family :)

Our Journey continues...



Hey, Everyone!

WELLL, if it has seemed to some--even those of you closest to our family-- that we have had something "under wraps" for a while--we have!

We have an announcement of sorts. :)

Our family is being sent to become missionaries through the International House of Prayer Ministry in Kansas City, Mo.

YES! As soon as we sell our home, we are packing up our six kiddos and are heading out to Missouri.

As we have sought after and journeyed with God this year, He has used International House of Prayer's podcasts,music, teachings,conference as a tool over and over to help us know Him more--to introduce us more and more to who He is and what our identity in Him is.

As we have been encouraged to dive into prayer, fasting, receiving of the Holy Spirit, deep times digging in the Word of God...We have been smitten with His heart, filled with His spirit. God's power and personality has been SO near. A fountain of revival, passion after His heart that has brought such power has sprung up among our family after we have "laid it all down", counted the cost, and have remained at His feet--there's just so much to the Presence of the Living God--we echo Psalm 27, what we truly desire most--each one of us is to seek His face--to enjoy Him in His holy place--this ONE thing we seek. Christ has made Himself our ONE THING this year.
He has been our reward.

He has brought other rewards--some of which you have witnessed here on our blog--like a flood of physical healings, restoration and salvation of our foster children's lives, and a literal,dramatic saving from the Nashville Flood. We have heard His voice and have received precious promises. We have delighted in finding Him in worship times that He overflowed to places like the local grocery stores--where He would bring us to people to lay hands on and pray for--this is just the tip of the ice berg--we are a people ON FIRE with the realness and the goodness of a very REAL God.

He saves,
He is SO loving--
He burns with holiness and glory.

He has revealed so much of our deepened and transformed hearts through a flow from secret,intimate times with Him-- Overall--this HAS BEEN A MIRACULOUS YEAR!! THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO GOING BACK!!

Soooooo....We have shared with a few close friends and family members about this new call and the next question of course is , "what will you be DOING there?..."

Firstly and most importantly, the most special thing about the ministry of the International House of Prayer can be gathered by its name--

We will be PRAYING.

10 years ago, a prayer meeting was established at IHOP that has been going on non-stop, 24/7 ever since. (There are prayer/worship/word teams that come into the prayer room in 2 hours blocks around the clock.)

And you know what?

If you spend THAT much time with God in intercession, adoration, and worship, He is going to share and download ALOT into your heart, mind, and will.

And He has.

Just some examples of how God has responded to a people who's hearts are tender to His heart are--

A ton of new music, straight from the heart of God, from the Word, from the Holy Spirit is flowing out of the prayer room--we have been incredibly touched by this precious gift.--

There have been incredible answers to prayers and petitions--much favor even in foreign nations--even among unsaved leaders for the sharing of the gospel.--

God's been so sweet in bringing His Presence among a people who are seeking HIm in this way--many other prayer furnaces that are bringing glory to God are being established all over the Earth as well--.

And the things that God's heart yearns after and beats for-- He has readily shared with people who are giving such focus and attention to HIm--

Now, ten years after establishing the prayer room, International House of Prayer also has an incredible Bible University to equip young people to find their identity in Christ, to restore broken lives,to be built up in God's living Word, the Bible--

Many times then these same young people that fall passionately in love with Jesus are bringing this love to their families, cities, and even specific nations. God has pressed justice movements as well--VERY strongly on the intercessors at International House of Prayer-

-as of course He naturally would--

For if you spend ALOT of time talking with a good friend--you are going to get to know his or her heart--

You will receive powerful awareness of God's glory and identity--

That God's heart truly beats after the lost, the hurting, the weak, the hungry, the orphaned, the widowed, the helpless...AND yes, YOU!

...and this is what has happened with people who spend hours with God during the week--He has talked back! ... He has answered the desires He has placed on hearts!

He has pressed specific movements so powerfully that now International House of Prayer has established --24/7 ACTS of justice to match the 24/7 ACTION of Prayer.

Those who are on staff are in the prayer room for 24 hours a week and are required to give 24 hours of service to justice.

And what is neat about this is that this requirement is actually is a perfect fit for the way we are already choosing to order our days and to what we are already pursuing after in God today.

We have found that justice (like our experiences with M and M--our foster kids this year-- and other such experiences) so MIGHTILY springs up from time with our Father--and this is the best way to enter in to justice, be it loving your neighbor down the street,caring for that specific person that He brings you to in the grocery line, feeding the hungry, or even adopting--for God then can send you just where He wants you--to the tasks He's uniquely set out for you before He made the world--as the Bible would say.

Now PLEASE don't get me wrong--we are NOT YET spending this type of time in prayer--24 hours a week-- with God --but we desire to. We actually found that much of the power behind our incredible year (and at all the other precious seasons in our life) has stemmed from an obedience to a time in prayer.

About a year ago this week, God told me clearly in a time with Him to give Him my Tuesdays and my Thursdays--to give them over to Him in fasting and prayer. No lunches out with friends, no hanging out on the computer ,let go of the hobbies during that time, no chatting on the phone,leaving the errands alone for a while, no catching up to get "ahead" while the kids were in school those mornings--

It was incredible--

Only God could lead you into such things for in the natural--how in the world could a mom of 8 children pull this off? BUT He knew...this was EXACTLY where I needed to be--

If I had NOT been on my knees and in worship and deep times in the Word and intercession I would not have had the specific direction and strength and Presence of the Holy Spirit's power that I DESPERATELY needed to parent all the issues and details and burden that this melding of kiddos brought to our lives this year.

(And I'm not the first by far that God has specifically given this calling to!--One of my heros is Susannah Wesley--mother to Charles and John who's sons God used in one of the most powerful awakenings the world has ever seen for Christ--Her TWELVE children knew that when mother pulled her apron over her head she was in intercession and was not to be interrupted--what fruit those prayers brought to the World!!)

On Tuesdays and Thursdays I would drop the little kids off at school, dress, start my dishwasher and laundry machines and then would "hit the carpet". Some mornings He led into worship, others into writing to HIm,other mornings He gave me new songs to sing to Him as I read certain parts of scripture to Him, others times specific Word for the people I was praying for, other times he astounded my heart with His very real nearness and word to me--

He's just SO real and near to us--ready to meet us when we come to seek Him out--its SOOO true. I've really lived and experienced this!!!!

By the time it was time to pick up the preschoolers and minister to all the other kiddos, I was completely prepared to serve in my home and had received instruction from God in how to parent for the day, where the needs in my home were, where He was sending us out into our community that day, how to love my husband best, how exactly He wanted me to apportion my time, my chores, my menu.--He's the real deal! He REALLY speaks to us. In worship--He healed me of thyroid disease,planter faciotis, a 5 pound tumor in my abdomen, and an achy tired body (among other things--I was a mess health-wise previously!--being sick took up so much of my time and thought, effort and energy)--I know He loved healing me--for I have learned that He loves us so, and delights in healing bodies. He is SO real.

As my life was being flooded with God's presence, we also witnessed God's Spirit fall on each of my children, on my husband, on our foster children, and on our family as a whole--its been a new and living way--immersion in Him brings such life--

This does not mean that we are not fun or that we do not live life in a natural way--we have laughed more and had more to give in this joyful season here--On the other hand, PLEASE don't think either that we have got things "all figured out" --my children can argue amongst themselves like any other siblings, we get cranky, we have to ask for forgiveness ALOT--:) But in the midst of much humanness we are getting SUCH an awareness that God not only loves us but that He likes us and that He has great things in store for us --that His glory is going to shine out of all of our "cracks" (we've got alot of them!) more and more until the "full light of day".

So we are already living this intercessory life that will be going on on this missions' base--and we are thrilled about that.

When we arrive, there will be a training phase via a wonderful Bible University on campus,to be trained to equip young people to seek the Lord with all their hearts, to be restored and healed emotionally and spiritually (restored--we will love counseling and loving on these teens and college age kids.--this is perfectly made for Richard's pastoring heart and mine as well)

Next the students are sent out to testify/bring the glory of Christ to the nations locally, nationally, and internationally in missions and Christ- centered and filled justice initiatives.

We are personally being called to be involved in justice initiatives that war against human trafficking and abortion. We greatly desire to tell people about Jesus--who He is --bringing the Gospel-to people that hunger for Him--who may have never been introduced to Him.

Most likely this will take our family out around this nation and to other destinations around the world in differing ways--this call is a launch pad for so much to come through the members of our family.

We are very excited to have found a ministry that matches our musical giftings--there is ALOT of music coming out of the International House of Prayer and we all will be diving into this.

We will have a greater platform to advocate for orphans-- There is an adoption ministry there on the mission's base that our hearts are smitten with-- and that we will be plunging in to support. Our hearts continue to beat wildly for God's saving heart for the helpless.

If you have been following our blog, you may have gotten the sense that this has been an incredible miracle year in our life this year. It has!!

Much of God's movement has been behind the scenes--some of which we really desire to share with you and will very soon--its been powerful, transforming,and it truly has knocked our socks off!! I promise to share more details SOON!! As we dove into the heart of God this year, He brought a call that is so perfectly tailored for us. There is MUCH behind the "anatomy" to this call that I have not been able to share here because it stems from intimate places with God and it would just take to long to express--some of this we will be sharing later--there are many cool stories that are FULL of miracles, word from God, neat confirmations--

We'll share some of them soon--but mostly, I think there are many more stories to come. Its like we are at the beginning point of a roller coaster ride--we are going up that first hill and are hearing and feeling the "click, click, click" of the ascent to the first tummy turning hill. This is going to be an incredible ride!!

So please, those of you who know us or love us from afar in the FB/ bloggy world--please pray for us. There is alot that is to come together in the next weeks. We totally trust that we are going to see powerfully movement from God as He completes the details to what He's called us to.

Things you can pray over for us or if led give to:

We need to sell our home before we go.

We will need to raise financial partnership--all the staff positions at IHOP are volunteer--not paid positions. To enter in fully to what we will be doing there we could not hold a full-time job in the market-place--we are thinking over part-time job options combined with a sending base of partners who are excited about what God is sending us out to.

We are raising education funding for our children as well. We will need to raise 11,000 dollars to send our children to a Christian school in the area--currently there is not a public school option for our children. 26 of the local schools in this area of MO have recently been closed down --we will be combining homeschooling with a Christian school that we have found that really supports people who come on staff at IHOP. The children only have 8,000 more dollars to raise in their education fund--contributions toward reaching this final goal can be reached via the chip in widgit on our blog or at tuckersplash.chipin.com They are excited about and Trusting God to reach their goal by August 8th.

That's ALOT! Stay posted--I believe we are all going to see God provide here in huge ways. If God is pressing on your heart in some way to give to what He is up to in our midst, please feel free to call us at 615-567-6633 or tuckergillian@comcast.net or please feel free to use our Pay Pal button on the side bar that is related to donations.

Even before some of you have heard our full story, you have contributed to our family by your love to us, your prayers over us, loving emails and kind comments, and donations --thank you--we treasure how God has been using you to bring out a "new thing" in our family. God's hug has been felt through your willingness and love.

Many Blessings and Love to You!
Love,
Gillian

A 5 minute gift to you about intimacy with God--so sweet!

Grace Times Five :)

Yes, this only lasted one night, until we had to separate them--but how cute are they?!


Sorry Graham, someone in the family has to bunk on the palate on the floor--it will make for a great family story someday though, right? Thanks for the sacrefice!


Not enough space for all? Jack was in heaven to get to bunk in with Mom and Dad for 4 whole nights--snuggle monster that he is!

Ashley and Anderson snuggling late one night




BRRRRR. it was COLD in Kansas City but we had packed a tub of cold stuff!! The kiddos got to have lots of snowball fights and got to do some AWESOME sledding too!!

Hello, friends!----The end of 09 and the beginning of 10---- or do you say, twenty ten? ----we have not received a clear answer on what to call this new decade!----but regardless the past few weeks have been very special in the Tucker family~~as we hope it was for you as well~~

We had another time of miracles among our family here just a few days ago. Richard and I had been led to go to Kansas City to be part of a worship/prayer/equipping conference there, called One Thing. It was put on by the International House of Prayer in KC. I just want to share an excerpt I recently wrote to a leader of that ministry...

"Recently we were prompted to head up to the One Thing conference in thankful response to all God has been doing via IHOP's ministry here. As we backed out of the driveway--packed to the gills in our Suburban with 6 of our 8 children, the check engine light went on! After a disappointing diagnostic hours later, we were told that it would take 555 dollars to fix our car. We got very quiet and before Richard and I discussed what to do next we each went to a different nook of the shop--me behind a pile of Firestone tires and Richard staring out of the advertisements on the glass front window of the Firestone store. The Lord's message to us was different than the mechanic. He spoke something else, "Go anyway" individually to each of our hearts, and , "I'm up to something big in your lives with this trip--you could miss out on it if you do not go". Next, he told Richard to lay hands on the car and then to drive 55 miles an hour up 550 miles to KC. (do you notice all the 5's?--this is God's # of grace) We obeyed--with much joy and anticipation--and had a very SCENIC trip on our slow drive up to KC. Not too long into our obedience, God turned off the check engine light--we did not see it for the remainder of the trip!
We have been living a missionary lifestyle of service and intercession here in Franklin and as we arrived in KC, we tried to purchase an item and found out that our TN bank account was completely depleted several large payments at home had hit our account early and all at once --now, at the beginning of the trip-- we only had enough for our hotel and no money to get back home.--We thanked God for a Breckfast bar at the Hampton hotel that provided what we call-"Breckfast and breckfast and breckfast" for each of our meals in KC! :) HEE!! (And for His grace on our children who did not complain once about sausage egg biscuits and muffins for dinner)! Next, as only God can do, He provided provision miracle after provision miracle,caused answers to prayers that have been prayed for 18 years, quite beautifully and right along with His timing of how He has so been on the move for our hearts and His power in our lives lately commissioned us for service as intercessionary missionaries, and spoke prophetic Word into us in the prayer room--the trip became a pilgrimage of sorts--it definitely was the trip of our lives!!"
God's miracles in our family were not just financial and protection over us physically and over our car (alot of miracles involving that car recently, huh?). The movement from the Lord that caused us great thankfulness and awe was being encountered powerfully by His loving,burning heart. Also, watching Him encounter our children. One special morning we asked for prayer from some intercessory missionaries who serve in the healing/prayer room at the International House of Prayer's Mission base--three incredibly dear people laid hands on our family and on Richard and I and then on our children as individuals--we heard MUCH encouragement and prophecy over each person in this time but most incredibly were the moments as they prayed over our little Ava. As they laid hands gently on her and quietly prayed for her the WEIGHTY presence of the Lord entered the room--I can't describe it well-- but we strongly experienced the presence of the Lord--it was peace and overwhelm at once. Ava's little body began shaking under the presence of the Lord--His Spirit was manifesting His glory on our little girl!!--this was happening while prophecy about her journey before the Lord, her giftings and callings were being prayed over her and pulled forth out of her as well --those minutes of prayer could have been days or years for we got lost in the Joy of His presence...as He danced openly over our little songbird
--we were all overcome with the JOY of the Lord and laughter bubbled up as well as many tears--it was an utterly beautiful experience among MANY others over the course of our trip and related to His movement in our family lately--We had seen other adults come under the influence of the Holy Spirit but to watch Him awaken our little girl was a blessing beyond measure. She is so pure before Him that her open heart was easy and accessible for Him to pour into--I want Ava to be my model before the Lord--to be so childlike and simple and receiving before Him that He can mightily move in and through my frame--to pour in at Will whenever He so desires. And this is how I will be pushing in to His presence in this new year. God is REAL--His Spirit walks among us and wants to encounter us--just as He did in the past in the OT. and more--just like He did through the apostles and in Acts--He's as fresh and willing to move in us and through us and with us in power today as in any other time in history--time and time again this week we realized and experience His love among us. Among wonderful praise, encountering prayer, we also witnessed college age students, 20,000 of them reaching toward the pursuit of God. They were precious "kids"--full of the Spirit of Christ--engaging others, bibles were out instead of blackberries--there was hardly a text message in sight--a generation unplugged from the world's draw and charged up with the love for Christ and taking that love in vast acts of justice to His world. We did not hear a cross word among this large crowd for 4 days and joyed in overhearing young people's conversations in which they spoke of WHO they wanted to be in God (first commandment) and how that fueled their love for His Word and His world. We witnessed people taking off their glasses and taking off their casts to reveal healed arms, several crooked backs were made straight and several legs even GREW several inches to even out bodies--Christ loves to make us whole--that's why He went to the cross for us--and His power from the cross's payment for us was so powerfully moving among a receiving worshiping people WOW...I believe this is what Christ's body should appropriately look like and how it should operate. And I will be encouraging His body to take place before Him in these ways in the upcoming seasons of my life--you included, with much tenderness and love to you, my bloggy friends!!
Stay tuned for other movement of our family in Him and please keep us and calling in Him in your prayers.
Blessings in these first days of 2010!
Love, Gillian

All We Want for Christmas

All we want for Christmas...is to encounter Jesus.



Lately we have been well-fed by the Ministry of The International House of Prayer in Kansas City, MO. and wanted to share this resource with you. They have an incredible vision for raising up a passion for Christ in this generation--here in our nation and in the world. Their love for Christ is also poured out in movements for justice in arenas such as the human trafficking epidemic and a vision to have one million babies adopted into Christian families instead of aborted. Ten years ago they were called to raise up 24/7 prayer,worship, and intercession on thier campus and it has continued daily from that point! To add power and confirmation to their search after God's heart, God brought revival to their bible University campus on Nov. 11th and has continued a special outpouring ever since that is spreading to other university campuses. Historically in America and England many of the great awakenings in our nations have been sparked on college campuses. We have been blessed by God's work at the International House of Prayer via the web stream--it has been a vital,real touch of His Spirit that has been splashing on us "older folk" as well. :) We will be bringing our kiddos to the One Thing Conference in Kansas City, MO --we invite you to join us via web cast for a time to soak up God's Word, live worship of our Saviour and inspired, biblical teaching--the registration is free!


Now that's a present we ALL can afford!!


Love, Gillian