The biggest Miracle of my Life.

I had just left Orlando, Florida, after three years in full time ministry, to move to my new base of Chattanooga, TN. I remember walking the dogs one evening and sharing with God the deep ache in my heart. I made up my mind in the next three days, no matter what the cost, I was booking a flight home to see my family in Australia. It had been over a year since I last visited and I was heartsick.

The very next day, my friend Reggie, phoned me from Orlando excitedly saying "I wanted to tell you Nicki, I have been given two free tickets to Australia!" I was eager to share that I was going to Australia soon as well and he must come and visit me and my family, but he said, "No, I don't have a passport , I can't go." I was disappointed and amazed at the same time so I asked him if the lady who was offering them to him couldn't find anyone to give them to, then I would be happy to use them!

The next day the telephone rang and Mary asked if I would like the two tickets to Australia. I was shocked beyond words and cried with tears of joy. But I found out there were very strict rules for these tickets; I had to travel with another person and the tickets expired on a certain date in a few weeks. I soon found a friend to go with me then I telephoned the ticket operator and found out that I didn't have to leave so quickly, if I booked the dates before they expired I was still ok! So I ended up booking the exact dates I had planned in my heart.

Ame and I stopped in to Sydney to attend the Hillsong Conference. While in the presence of over 50,000 people singing, I felt like I was in heaven. My heart filled up and overflowed listening to such wonderful worship. What an incredible blessing!

Thomas Austin, born 7.2.1908

While I was in Sydney I stopped off to see my grandfather Thomas Austin. He was staying near to my relatives in a retirement home. At 99 and a half he was as sharp as a tack and still played the piano in his unique flamboyant way. I visited him several times but as I walked around the corner after the last visit I heard a voice speak clearly to my heart, "This is the last time you will see him." I knew who's voice this was and before the tears welled up in my eyes I ran back into his room and asked a friend to take a photo of us. I also asked if he would bless me and he did. This was a happy yet sad moment because I knew that by living so far away in the United States I was cutting myself off from many family gatherings and experiences I treasure so much. So I was able to say a final goodbye to my eccentric grandfather.

I flew to Brisbane and spent wonderful times with my family refreshing my spirit and filling up my tank with love. Three days before I was to leave for Los Angeles, I decided to visit my local church conference office to visit with some of my old youth pastors that meant so much to me growing up and were still good friends. While I was in the office Gilbert Cangy asked me to talk about my ministry of curating Prayer Rooms, at a pastors meeting, and after that he suggested I create a large Prayer Room for the conference coming up in three weeks - Move With The Power II. I told him I was leaving in three days and the ticket was so strict that I couldn't possibly change the dates. He literally put the telephone in front of me and told me to phone QANTAS and ask them. He offered to pay the cost of changing the ticket but he could not pay me for my work of building the Prayer Room.

I made the call and much to my amazement they said that I could extend my ticket if I wanted to pay $200. I was in a little bit of shock. I realized that God was opening a door yet there was one thing that was not quite right. I told Gilbert that God had been speaking to me lately about the difference between being a volunteer and being in full time ministry. He was teaching me that a worker is worthy of payment whereas a volunteer gives of their time and excess for free as a gift. My prayer ministry is full time work and there is no excess to give, because I give everything. God was telling me that to work full time for free was sinning against myself and not following Biblical standards. But Gilbert had no more budget. I listened to God and he told me to accept the offer. I wondered, "How can I work for free without mistreating myself?" I then had a brilliant idea that if I received a donation of $1000 to set up the Prayer Room, I would be getting paid after all. The pastors were very excited and I was at peace.

So I stayed another three weeks! The first week was running around setting up the prayer room. During that week my grandfather was in the hospital because of a fall. In a few days we knew that he was not going to make it and sadly he passed away. The funeral was scheduled for the last Sunday of the conference. I was so overwhelmed that God had kept me in the country just long enough to be with my family at this important time. I was able to support them and be supported. If I had gone back to the US a week before this happened there is no way I could have afforded to return. I would have been heartbroken.

The room was full of people praying.

I finished curating the beautiful Prayer Room. Our aim was to have the conference covered by continuous 24 hour prayer. Soon youth pastors and leaders were streaming in from 11 different countries for the conference. Speakers were flying in from the US. That Friday night I got up on stage and talked about the power of prayer and asked if anyone would like to pray through the night and sign up for a one hour slot. If they wanted a spot they had to come to the front and write down their name. I had people racing to the front to sign up for 2am. It was incredible. The prayer room was full most of the time with up to 12 people praying at 4am in the morning! They were blown away by how a simply decorated room could hold such a powerful presence of God. They also loved the unique prayer stations and how they found it easy to pray for long periods of time in these new and creative ways.

On Sunday I flew to Sydney for the funeral of my grandfather who almost made it to 100. I was able to be there for my family, a few in particular, who were very distraught. The funeral service was actually lots of fun and a happy celebration of his life and love for God. I remember my four year old nephew commenting at the graveside, when my brother told him Grandpa was going to be with Jesus in heaven someday soon, "but that is the wrong way!" It is beyond our comprehension, but I believe as the Bible teaches us, that death is like a deep sleep (Ecc 9:5), we await the resurrection of Jesus' second coming, which to the dead will be the very next thing they see! My grandpa will then be raised to go to heaven with Jesus!

Drawing Prayers.

On their way back to Townsville after the funeral, my brother and nephew, and father and aunt all came to experience the prayer room which was such a blessing to me. But the enormous spiritual warfare was evident as I was being picked up from the airport a tire blew out on our car, and two other leaders from the camp had to leave because of immediate family members passing away. But God won out in the end in miraculous ways. He showed his glory, he showed his love and his compassion. On the last day someone put an envelope in my hands and it contained $1000 cash. I cried as I hadn't even taken the time to pray for the money, I had just believed it would be provided.

My nephew Ethan saying 'I love you' to Jesus.

The Prayer Room was a wonderful experience for so many and the idea of 24-7 prayer and interactive Prayer Rooms spread to many more countries. I was so grateful to God for this opportunity to do more creative prayer ministry, for the free tickets and the opportunity to see my grandfather for the last time. God delayed my leaving so I would not be heartbroken. He allowed me to bless my family. He showed me that he is not only taking care of my body, my food, clothing and housing needs but he is taking care of my heart.

He knows exactly what we need in this life. He knows us inside out. We just have to trust him. Listen to him, follow him and let him hold us in his arms.

Psalm 17:8 "Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings."

I am planning to do it all again at Move With The Power III in Brisbane, Australia on August 12-16, 2011. These international conferences only happen once every four years! If you would like to be a financial sponsor please contact me. I also need extensive prayer covering as I make the transition to move back to Australia after seven challenging yet wonderful years in full time ministry in the United States.

For more photos see my facebook photo album Move With The Power II. Click here.

An Angel Saved My Seat!

On the way to the airport I was thinking of calling my mentor and spiritual director, Jodie Howell. I really needed my mom and she was as close as I could get in Orlando. Sadly she had not had time to see my while I was visiting and for some reason I didn't make that phone call even though my heart ached for the hug of some comforting words.

I made it to the airport just in time. Boarding had commenced when I arrived at the gate but there was no reason to stress further as it was a very full flight and would take a while to get everyone seated. I was already about as stressed as someone can be. I had experienced some trauma and had lost some sleep, weight and my short term memory in the process. I was sort of in a state of shock and happy to be going home to Chattanooga. Allegiant Air has 'open seating' and I happened to have z64, so I was the last person on the plane to choose from the few remaining seats. What happened next is nothing less than a miracle.

Walking toward the back of the plane I saw one overhead locker still open with room for my laptop. As I got closer I saw an empty middle seat and pointed to it and said with excited authority 'that must be my seat' and as I looked at the person next to the window I said incredulously, 'next to Jodie! Jodie?' I was in shock with a huge smile on my face.

As I sat down in that seat I felt like I was the victim of a loving set up - like a surprise birthday party with all your family and friends invited. I thought all the angels were standing around proudly laughing at their great efforts to pull off the surprise blessing of a lifetime. I actually felt as I sat in the chair, a sense that an angel had been sitting there holding the seat open just for me. A warm sensation of peace enveloped me. This was now a sacred space, a sacred meeting, divinely appointed. If Jodie had sat anywhere else in the plane I would not have known she was even there.

We embraced each other and talked non stop for the entire flight about her finishing theology school and me starting my masters and moving to Seattle where some of her family lives, our ministries, our purpose and what the next season was going to be like, we talked of family, heartaches and shared the goodness of God.

My friend Ame dropped her off at her destination and she gave me a blessing which was very encouraging. Of all the people in the world I needed to spend time with right then, it was my mother. And Jodie is more than a mother. She is a mentor and spiritual director. She is wise and she knows me. She believes in me and see's my worth and value. Most of all she believes what God is doing through me. She loves me and I love her. I thank God so much for giving me this treasured gift. It is one of the sweetest, most miraculous and restorative gifts I have ever been given in my whole life.

God knows me better than anyone.

Floods, Hurricanes and Earthquakes. When tragedy strikes. How do we cope?

Tragedy is going to happen to us, sooner or later. So when it does, what will we do? This blog describes briefly the floods and category 5 hurricane recently hitting my family in Australia and the catastrophic Christchurch earthquake (with some links for pictures)...and my first experience with a Tornado last week. The second half of the blog helps us question if we are actually ready for these 'times of trouble', it encourages us to see how God will help us embrace the tragedy in our lives and to expect even greater challenges ahead. It also asks the question... "When people pray for the soon return of Jesus, do they really know what they are praying for?"

South Bank Beach in the
city center of Brisbane by
the river. It all flooded!

In January I watched my beautiful city, flood. It was devastating. A city so perfect, so clean, so fun, with bike paths, gardens and even a beach overlooking the city skyscrapers next to the winding Brisbane river. In the U.S. I struggled to find news or information. To be so far away from my homeland and feel so helpless is a feeling we have all felt at some time. Memories of 911 flashed through my mind. 

Queensland had been drowned with rain for the last month or two - the wettest season in 100 years. La Nina they said, causing drastic changes to the weather patterns. Last year had been a drought (the last ten years on and off) bringing with it, water restrictions of four minute showers. Everyone just lived with that. But now the dams were at 160% capacity and climbing. The rains had flooded the large towns at the top of Queensland and it seemed to be slowly coming down the coast. Three quarters of the state, an area the size of France and Germany, was under water. Then the flash flooding started, water gushing with such enormous force a whole town was swept away without warning. People were trapped and missing. Terrifying beyond words. 

The Biggest Miracle of my life --- Mars Hill Graduate School!

The biggest miracle of my life is about to happen.

This summer, while building a permanent prayer room at a church in Indiana, a lot of people kept suggesting  I should do my Masters. My spirit stirred within me as a mentor suggested if I wanted to teach people more I needed to learn more… But where to study and what to study?

I wanted to do theology, to learn more about God, but as a women I realized that would leave me with the same career prospects as I have now! Full time ministry supported by donations because I do not have a call to be a pastor of a church. But I do have a calling to ministry - to see people healed and develop a powerful and intimate relationship with God. So the idea of Psychology - a large part of my undergraduate degree - planted itself in my mind. Could I, as a broken human being be used by God to help heal others?

Then came an email from Darchelle. "You have to come to Mars Hill Graduate School - you will not enjoy any other university as much as this one - in Seattle." A seminary - teaching theology AND Psychology. Sounded like a perfect match. So I went to visit for three weeks, to spend time soaking in the culture of the school, to hear the hearts of the professors and see the results played out in the lives of graduates as their ingenuity and fresh approaches to social justice impacted the community around them.

I went to classes and realized that the mission of the school was to transform YOU as a student. Not to give you a lot of knowledge to store in your mind to use later but to rework you into a more 'in touch' human being able to hold your own story so you can gently hold the stories of others. I fell in love. With this beautiful school on the harbor, close to the Seattle Space Needle. I love the core values of the school,  exploring the interplay between text, soul and culture.

(To read the rest of the story of the miracle, how God protected us from crashing, being taught by Rob Bell and how I am about to take the biggest risk of my life CLICK BELOW or KEEP READING.)

Financial Miracles

A little while ago, I was confronted about the reality of my life, until I burst into tears. My friend who is a financial adviser finally gave me three options that I had to make a choice from.

Option 1. Go back to Australia and find employment.

Option 2. Marry a rich man.

Option 3. Continue to do ministry allowing the Lord to move on donors hearts to give regularly in support.

The reason I burst into tears was because I really don't like thinking about money but I finally knew I needed to rise above my fears and face making some changes at the crossroads I then stood. Each of these three options above involve something about money and I realize that even though I do a ministry with no focus on making money - I do have to spend money to eat, to travel, to do ministry, to have health insurance and to live in this world of economics. Some people would think it a complete miracle that I can live on so little without a need to spend money. And living on around $200 a month has worked so far because I have no debt, only a few bills and have no need of buying any possessions, because I live out of a suitcase. So over the years in ministry I have been intrigued to learn about God's finances and God's miracles.

I have been learning the difference between being a full time volunteer (who gives of their excesses) and a full time church worker (who gets a full wage)and a full time disciple/minister (who is funded through the Body of Christ). I fall into the last category in my independent prayer ministry going from church to church and country to country. I have worked as all three at various times and have seen how differently one is perceived in each category and what is expected of you and how you are treated. Let me tell you it has been very hard to live a life like a disciple. Various opinions emerge because not many people can comprehend what it is like to live like this. Some think you do not need money, people assume women prayer warriors and ministry volunteers should give happily to the church for free and sometimes I feel some would rather me get a job to provide for myself which would mean I would have to quit this ministry. I understand the deep protestant work ethic we have been raised with. That is why it has taken me six months to get up the courage to put out this newsletter, but hopefully it will be an interesting teaching from a different perspective.

Like this Mother Hen we can be Sheltered under Gods Wings

Time after time I read in the Bible about an early church who supported many who became disciples to minister to the Body of Christ (1 John). I read about the Levites who were completely taken care of financially by the other tribes even in retirement. And I read over and over about how God will take care of our every little need, even the desires of our hearts. I have been so blessed to see these miracles first hand so I know it is possible. God will never let me go hungry. In fact I believe that he will send manna from heaven if we ever get desperate. I love to see how he is blessing and sustaining the work of missionaries and full time ministers around the world through the contributions from the Body of Christ. His economy is very different to ours. But he expects us to live with open hands, to give generously so there is a domino effect of blessing when the money passes through the Body of Christ. Even with my small income I sponsor a child in Nepal and a female Chinese underground minister through Voice of the Martyrs. I love to hear the stories of what is happening to transform other lives because of my small part.

God lead me to recently read the book by Roger Steer - "George Muller - Delighted in God". It is such a powerful book, speaking on marriage, conflict in the church and trusting in God. I highly recommend it. My heart yearns to 'delight in God' every moment of every day, what peace that speaks of and total trust in all things...

Witchcraft and Satanism in Malawi November 2009

I knew something big to do with spiritual warfare would happen on this trip after the training I received in Hawaii! But I had no expectations. I had no idea what I was going to do while in Malawi but trusted God had a plan. A friend Tania had invited me on this trip so with minimal preparation we found ourselves privileged and blessed to be experiencing real life in Africa. I was allowing the Holy Spirit to lead as I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I was supposed to be here.

Day 1: It is so hot, we are driving past villages and every house seems to have a mud brick works in their front yard! The landscape has some trees and the brown dirt is being hoed into ridges in preparation for the rainy season which could be here in a few weeks, with this comes the growing of corn maize and, unfortunately Malaria. Every house has white corn meal drying on mats outside which I had seen from the airplane and wondered about. This is the staple food - Nsema - we eat with our hands. As we pass each village there is usually a well with women and children lined up with brightly colored containers to carry back to their homes on their heads. We stop briefly at Lake Malawi and see a hippopotamus.

Week 1: We are here for three weeks and the village know we have come to pray for them so there are a lot of requests! House after house we hear the tragedy and heartache of different families and their needs. This little village of Ekwendeni near Muzuzu has it's problems with drunks and prostitution, some of the men take another wife secretly - even the Christian men - which causes untold problems within the families. Life is very hard for the women if they do not have a husband, as they are harassed by other men and find it very difficult to survive. They work so hard, walking up to 15 km to find firewood once a week, with the water also carried on their heads. The electricity and water get turned off at random times. We bathe out of a bucket. The houses are simple and clean, people walk everywhere, there are very few cars. Everything is done by hand. The children run around in tattered clothes and some have extended bellies. The weather has been so hot and there is so much dust. One day we all suffered from dehydration so that even our local interpreter Peter ended up in hospital - I am drinking 5 liters of boiled water a day.

We started by praying for a young man who was the son of a Presbyterian Reverend. The young man was rebelling and stealing, drinking, smoking, etc. The pastor gave him a challenge and he repented with tears. He gathered all the inappropriate items in his house and he burned them. It was beautiful to see the reconciliation and forgiveness between mother and father and son. He then came and joined our Bible worker team for a while. The second family we prayed for had five children, two of his children were taken by witches at night and reported being turned into animals. Soon all the neighbor children were gathered into the house also praying for repentance. It is not their choice to be taken and they do not like it.

A witch lives only a few doors up the road. The witches often demand that the children curse or kill their parents and are punished if they do not. One of the children admitted to cursing the father and he could no longer walk properly. So many people seem to be under a spiritual curse here. We pray for hundreds of people. Day after day. I write a prayer list out in my diary for each person. I also ask God for specific texts for each person and He is giving me texts that describe why they are sick and what to pray for with lots of promises to encourage. Each person is so grateful and find Bibles afterward to study these scriptures.

For three weeks a local evangelist Golden Lapani and a team of dedicated Bible workers are running a Jesus campaign. There are songs, classes for the children and families, the Jesus Movie is a great hit in their local language and then Golden speaks powerful messages, seven nights a week. Some of the people were asking if it could go for another month! We have put on events for the orphans, and widows giving out food, soap and toothbrushes. One family chose to stop brewing beer and broke all their pots. During the day Tania and I go out with the Bible workers and pray for people in their homes, then each night we pray for people at the meetings. This has been a powerful time of spiritual warfare with many muslims coming to the meetings and enjoying them.

I am shocked to find that 90% of the children under 10 in Ekwendeni are taken by witches every night. Even the children of Christians. They are afraid to go home to sleep each night. Some of the local church leaders of different denominations are not really aware of the situation or do not believe in witchcraft and wonder why we keep praying for people involved in witchcraft and satanism. I think the same thing happens in America. A lot of Christians don't believe in voodoo or spells or curses or demonic activity. The truth is we do not have to be afraid of it because demons run and every curse can be broken with Jesus' name. There is spiritual warfare in every country in the world. A friend from Florida had a history of demons coming to him at night sometimes trying to choke him. He was a Christian. Unfortunately no one had taught him how to pray in this situation and the power that was available to him.

The next few weeks were challenging with spiritual attacks on my health but we still saw the most incredible answers to prayer. Every time we prayed for children they would no longer have witches come and take them during the night. We broke a lot of curses off families that had a history of involvement in witchcraft or sexual immorality that had opened doors to demonic activity. We anointed people for healing and their houses. The most powerful thing I was involved in was teaching the children how to pray in the name of Jesus - to say 'No. In the name of Jesus Christ - GO AWAY! I am covered by the blood of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit lives in me, God's angels are protecting me and Jesus is my friend!'

Week Three: Yesterday a lady walking on the road near our evangelistic meeting was killed by a falling tree. She was on her way to a funeral after having attended another funeral. Such a tragedy... So much blood has been spilled in this town. Many people have abortions, affairs, second marriages, prostitution, HIV, diseases, many visit witch doctors for healing that make scars, people put curses on each other, many are involved in satanism or witchcraft and drink blood. There is a lot of poverty here and a lot of demonic bondage, witchcraft and cursings.

I can see clearly the attempt by the devil to pollute and destroy the Blood Covenant here. We continued to encourage people to pray that the many witches living in the village would be either converted or leave. If the people keep praying we will see a transformation in their spiritual lives, their physical lives and even the ground would be changed. "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 I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place." 2 Chron 7.14

One day the pastor brought Tapiwa who was an Adventist Christian to us to continue praying for. She was an 18 year old girl who had been heavily involved in satanism. She had killed her 16 year old brother who had just received a scholarship to a school in Japan. For the last few months she could not talk, or swallow properly or move her body. She was locked up inside. Her eyes were piercing and she looked very dark yet we knew that she wanted to be free. She repented and broke off the curses over her life and God gave me these texts for her: Ez 16.53-63, 2 Chron 21.12-15, Psalm 49.13-17, Ez 33.15-16, Hab 1.5, Luke 11.13 and Is 35. The second session she was smiling, had more movements, her thoughts were clearer and she was singing and brighter. When she was baptized she ran out of the font. Her mother and father were also baptized and they report a complete transformation in her life, Praise God.

One night we anointed so many people, I could not count. A few people were healed immediately. On the last day about 60 people were baptized and I taught over a hundred children how to pray against the witches. It was an incredible three weeks of ministry. I saw the value in praying for people and teaching them how to pray. Discernment is the most valuable tool we can teach people. I believe that real discipleship continues after the famous preacher and foreigners go home and the meetings stop. It was such an incredible time to teach our interpreter Peter how to pray. His passion and dedication is amazing. I called him on the phone a couple of months after we left and he said that there have been more people healed returning to work, but some of the children were taken and whipped by the witches for repenting. He reports that every time he teaches a child how to pray powerfully in Jesus name, the witches do not come back. He also said that one witch has left the village. Please keep praying for the freedom of Ekwendeni. If you would like a prayer list please email me.

It took me many years before I understood the need for a proper understanding of the Blood Covenant. I didn't quite understand why blood was used as a sign of God's love and power, why circumcision was a symbol then and not now, why people married more than one wife in the Old Covenant but the New Covenant it was just one and how marriage vows today are a parallel with the Hebrew Blood Covenant. Basically I did not understand why Jesus had to die or why his blood was so important. If you would like to know more information about the Blood Covenant or breaking curses through prayer please contact me or see my website:

www.BlissfulMinistries.com or sign up for free Bible Studies.

If you would like to see pictures or stories of more adventures go to:

Pictures or Facebook

Whats Coming Up?

Nicki has just been interviewed on a worldwide radio station called Crossroads which will be aired on Feb 10 at 9am and 11pm USA Central time. If you do not have the radio then you can listen here on-line. It is an hour long!

Nicki is also needing to raise support for 2010. She continues to live her life as a disciple, listening to God's voice and following him to the ends of the earth sharing the gospel and setting people free through prayer. She needs the help of the Body of Christ to do this as she lives only on donations. Would you be willing to sponsor her $20 a month? Her US Tax 2009 Income: $4000 including cash donations.

Her next mission trip is to India and to different churches in the USA to help change their culture of prayer.

She is currently writing a book titled: A Pocket Guide for Travelers - Everything I wished I Knew Before My First Mission Trip. It mixes travel tips and cultural awareness with discipleship guides. It challenges the way mission trips are currently done and calls for Biblical discipleship to be the way we evangelize overseas.

A similar report from a YWAM Discipleship School in Nigeria. The team courageously prayed for and disarmed 900 Taliban-trained militants armed with the latest weapons. One leaders testimony reveals: "My job was to kidnap white people." He smiled. But he said, "I wasn't rehabilitated, I was transformed by the power of God." Prayer can change countries! Click here for full story.

I look forward to the coming adventures of 2010 and I pray you do too! Have a life changing year, drawing closer to God every day, listening to his voice and being abundantly blessed by a God who adores you.

Nicki Carleton
I Believe!

The picture above is of me and Rajab at our open air meeting in Ekwendeni. Rajab stole my heart. He was a tiny boy with an extended stomach and he was always hungry. He was seven years old but the size of a five year old. He was a Muslim but loved Jesus. When the Jesus Movie was playing the scene where Jesus died, he exclaimed, 'but don't worry it's going to be OK because Jesus wakes up!'

* Please pray for Ethiopia in a horrifying situation similar to 1984. Starvation is facing 6.4 million people after a drought wiped out the harvest. www.cbmus.org
* January 2010 is Slavery and Human Traficking Prevention Month. Pray how you can help bring justice into our world. Stop the Traffik.

Farewell to Hawaii

My journey in Hawaii has come to a close. What an incredible four months of sharing God's passion for prayer with so many beautiful people. I have made wonderful friends here and thank each one for the Aloha spirit and will miss the smiles, the ohana and the white sand and turquoise waters.

I want to thank especially Lt Chaplain Mark Hughes who allowed me to use his house and car while I was on the island and he was on deployment. Without this incredibly generous sacrifice there is no way I would have been able to stay and do so much ministry. I am so grateful. I found my way here because of the Seibel’s encouragement and hospitality and am overwhelmed to have been so blessed.

It will be a joy to leave knowing that God is taking me on a new adventure and has things to accomplish through me in different places around the world. Sometimes I feel a bit guilty because I enjoy traveling, seeing beauty and doing new things so much but God knows what makes me happy and gives me the desires of my heart as I follow after him - other people have stability and jobs and family but luckily I am able to travel and do some random unique work that other people may not be able or want to do so I happily oblige... I love being a pilgrim, a missionary, a disciple.

I would ask that you continue to pray for me as the Spirit may prompt you in the next few months. My ministry usually involves an incredible amount of spiritual warfare but as I enter into new territories I know that it will increase. Here is my mission:

Sharing the gospel with the remote Tarahumarra People in the Copper Canyon Mexico .

Flying back to my base in Chattanooga Tenneesee to establish a permanent prayer room in the Collegedale Church .

Flying to Ireland , where I will be going to UK, France and Amsterdam working with 24-7 Prayer Boiler Rooms as they build prayer rooms in schools, and visiting the international gathering of the www.24-7Prayer.com leaders. I may also be putting on some interactive worship events at Newbold and Cologne colleges.

I will be helping to host a Women's Retreat, Mission and Safari in Kenya in October - if you or others would like to attend this incredible opportunity in Masai Mara please contact me.

Then I have been invited to go to Malawi for a three week evangelistic event for prayer and sharing the love of God.

How do I know God is my guide? My little miracle story...

The day I was to book my ticket to Europe I asked God, “Do you really want me to go to Europe it feels so selfish... is this what you want me to do?” I have been wanting to go to a 24-7 prayer gathering for two years now to find encouragement with other people in full time faith ministry like me that build prayer rooms and change the culture of prayer all over the world. So I asked God to speak to me and give me a sign as a confirmation. I asked him to guide me as I opened my Bible. I asked him to make the first text I looked at an encouragement to book my ticket.

Here's where me eye fell to the instant I opened my Bible.

Paul's Plan to Visit Rome

²³But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to see you, ²⁴I plan to do so when I go to Spain . I hope to visit you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while. ²⁵Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the saints there. ²⁶For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem . ²⁷They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews' spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings. ²⁸So after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this fruit, I will go to Spain and visit you on the way. ²⁹I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ.

³⁰I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. ³¹Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there, ³²so that by God's will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed. ³³The God of peace be with you all. Amen. Romans 15.23-33

As the tears fell I realized that I had God’s blessing and that his desire was to travel with me and we would enjoy doing this ministry together. I always thought I was working for God. At the same time I also knew that my ministry was 100% God and 0% me. I knew that his Holy Spirit was the one that inspired and produced all the ideas and gave me the strength to do it. Now I was seeing it from a different angle ~ I was assisting God on his mission and he enjoyed my company! I love this revelation of God’s heart and hope that you are encouraged too by this. I know without a shadow of a doubt that I will be protected and guided and comforted, that all my needs will be supplied. I also look forward to some incredible times of ministry where I will be surprised by God. My faith has been increased as I know that it is all completely within God’s will. Great things happen with great faith and a Great God.

This is not the first time God has confirmed his will in such a razzle-dazzle way. Be encouraged to seek the heart and will of God. To hear his voice and confirm it so you are living and breathing the will of God.

Be blessed on the journey.

Nicola Carleton (Nicki Carleton - facebook)

i Believe!

Blissful Ministries

407-873-2809

If you would like to make a tax deductible donation in support of this ministry please email me!

PHOTOS: Different prayer rooms in Hawaii

Praise the LORD, all you servants of the LORD who minister by night in the house of the LORD.

Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the LORD.

May the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth, bless you from Zion.

A song of ascents. Psalm 134

Fear Did Not Survive.

Fear is darkness, fear is evil, heavy like chains and as real as a demon. Fear stretches out its tenticles and keeps joy far away. Joy is gentle, like a butterfly alighting on a fragrant garden flower and is easily scared. But joys home is the heart and it should build its nest in our spirit, comfortable and safe and part of the strength of our character. It should shine out of our eyes and linger in our smile, be part of every action and the infused in our memories.

For many years I was ruled by fear. Too many years. The only safe place was a bathroom where the door could be locked and I would be safe from the world and people. Social Anxiety Disorder is what it was called... I wish I had known about that at the time because I may have been able to do something about it.

My life was ruled by fear. It stopped me from growing, from learning, from talking to people, from shopping, from being in public. Today, my life and my character have been influenced by this illness. It seemed like I didn't talk to a boy till I was 19 and I still dislike shopping to this day. Some would say this was a good thing. In some ways it was but I wouldn't mind having some fun memories of my mother and me shopping for a new outfit! Treasured memories... Do you have treasured memories from childhood or haunted memories? Most of us, if we look at the statistics have had things happen in our lives that will change us forever. Events that occured that traumatised us, that scarred us, that will need some good therapy and some good anger and processing to get over! And healing comes....

Healing came to me in the form of a Doctor. Doctor John. Having Social Anxiety Disorder was difficult and I found it extremely distressing to be in the presence of any person of authority, be it the hairdressor or a salesman. So when I found a doctor that heard my heart and prescribed books to read I knew I had found a safe place for my healing. I remember he told me to read "The Road Less Travelled" and "The Prophet" by Khalil Ghibran. It is my favorite book to this day. The next step was that he gave me some anti-anxiety antidepressants and my life changed forever. From the moment I took them my fear went away and I experienced the feeling of happiness for the very first time.

Most people would never understand the ginormity of simply having or not having the feeling of happiness. It seems like such a everyday sort of 'whatever' emotion to have. But when you have not had it for 21 years it certainly floors you like a knockout punch! As I lay reeling on the floor looking up at the world from this new perspective I saw the colors, I saw the brilliance of the sun, the coolness of the grass, smelled the fragrance of the flowers and wanted to dance with the butterflies. I saw myself differently. I started to live.

Walking the streets of London where I moved to shortly after that, I remember reaching my arms out with my head lifted high saying loudly - "I belong here, I have the right to be here, this world doesn't scare me any more, I will no longer be ruled by fear, I am free, I am happy, here I come world so get ready!" I began to gain independence, started the journey of believing in myself, of feeling worthy of having a relationship with God and deserving love, happiness and joy.

The absence of fear is an interesting thing. After taking the pills - I was on a very small dose yet it made a huge difference in my serratonin levels. I had a real chemical imbalance - as much as I still hate taking any sort of medication, I know that sometimes it is without question the answer for healing. It made such a remarkable difference in my thinking......I remember being in Blackpool UK, riding a rollercoaster proported as the highest in the world but because I had no fear it was not very exciting... I realised a little fear keeps the excitement and tension to make these things fun. Interesting...

So that was many years ago and I have not needed any medication for almost as long. I believe it was my miracle of healing. God helped me find a doctor that I still go to not only for medical treatment but for just a chat. He is my hero. He saved my life. I will be eternally grateful. The pills brought me healing. Time brought me healing. Therapy brought me healing. Spiritual Directors and the Holy Spirit brought me spiritual healing.

Anxiety and worry and fear have lost their grasp over my life. I cast off those chains and believe that God will hold me through every battle I face. Spiritual warfare will come, tragedy will strike, the deceiver will lie and torment but I cannot give in and release the precious gift of joy. Hold it close, treasure it, nurture it. Through it we see into the supernatural world. Our spirits can dance with God's. It is such a gift.

Some texts on JOY.

You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. Psalm 16.11

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. Psalm 28.7

You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy. Psalm 30.11

And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. Acts 15.32

Be joyful always. 1 Thess 5.16

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. James 1.1-3

To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence with fault and with great joy - to the only God our Saviour by glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen Jude 1.24

A prayer for you: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen Romans 15.13