Thursday, October 29, 2009

Hey, Girls in the Sisterhood!

Let's chat some more about prayer.
There's something really awesome I want you
to think about.

It's found in Daniel chapter 10.
This is way after the lion's den escapade.
And after his three best friends
were thrown into the fiery furnace.

The book of Daniel is almost finished
at this point—just two more chapters.

But in chapter 10:4, we see Daniel beginning
to pray and fast for his people in Jerusalem.

You see, Daniel had been taken captive
several years before and is living in Persia.
(That's modern-day Iran.)

But his homeland is Jerusalem. And he's deeply
burdened for his friends and family back home.

Some of you have experienced such a burden,
haven't you? Your heart sometimes breaks for
your loved ones that you want to help.

We're told in the Book of Ezra (1:1) that King
Cyrus gave permission for all the captives to
leave and go back to their homes.

So why is Daniel still in Persia?
Why hasn't he left and gone back home?
Why is he still in a heathen court?
Hmmm.
Must be because God has made it crystal-clear
to him that there's still a job for Daniel to do.
So Daniel remains faithful to God and stays in
this heathen land.

But we see in verse 4 that he's praying fervently
for his people in Jerusalem.

He's been fasting for more than three weeks.
He's eaten very little food—probably rice and
some bread and juice to sustain him—and the scripture
says, "I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over."

In other words, probably no cologne, no nice soaps,
no hair gel. None of the extras. This shows me Daniel's
attitude: "It's not about me. How I look right now isn't
important. What IS important is that I lift my people
in prayer."

What commitment, huh?!

And THEN through the rest of the chapter we get to
eavesdrop on a conversation Daniel has with an angel!

And I love the message this angel gives him.
"Daniel, I know you've been praying for 24 days now.
Maybe you thought your prayers hadn't gotten through.
But actually, as soon as you uttered the first word
on the first day of your prayer and fast vigil, your prayer
got God's attention. It didn't take 24 days to get through,
Daniel. He heard it immediately."

Cool, huh?
Sometimes we think it takes forever for God to hear
our prayers. But He actually hears them as soon as we pray!

OK.
But it gets even more exciting!

The angel tells Daniel that at the very moment
he first began this prayer vigil, his prayer reached
God and God dispatched this very angel
to give Daniel an important message.

Really?
If God dispatched the angel
as soon as Daniel prayed,
why has nothing happened for 24 days?
Sheesh!
That's a long time to keep praying, huh?

If you'll keep eavesdropping on the conversation,
you'll discover the answer.

"Daniel, I was SENT HERE TO YOU as soon
as you prayed. God didn't delay. But wow,
Daniel, you don't have a clue what's going
on in the heavenlies!

"I was on my way to you so I could give
you God's response, and suddenly I got
caught up in a fierce battle with the demon
who hovers over the whole country of Persia!

"Daniel! It was such intense spiritual warfare
that God had to dispatch the angel Michael to
come relieve me from the fight so I could get
here to you!"

The rest of the book of Daniel (chapters 11-12)
is the message from God about things that will
take place in the end times.

But . . . did you get it?
Sometimes we wonder why God hasn't answered
us yet . . . but we have no clue how much spiritual
warfare is happening on our behalf.

Daniel had no idea that God had already dispatched
an angel on his behalf, but he continued to faithfully pray.

What if he'd stopped praying?
I think the angel would have simply continued his battle.
But because of Daniel's ferventness in prayer . . .
because he kept praying and praying and praying,
God intervened again and dispatched Michael
to intervene in the spiritual battle so Daniel
could get the message God wanted him to have!

Don't grow weary in praying.
God always answers your prayers.
Not always in your timing.
Not always the way you want Him to.
But your prayers are always answered.

We simply have no clue what's really
happening in the heavenlies.

I love you, Girls!
Susie Shellenberger

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

SUSIE Mag interns, Lindsey Rodman and Katie Hargrave (with Obie) at Susie's house working on the magazine.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Hey, Girls in the Sisterhood!

I want to remind you of how important 
your prayers are to God.

Do you realize that as soon as you utter
His name, you're walking right into 
the Throne room of the Kingdom of heaven?

He doesn't use call-forwarding.
He doesn't need caller-I.D.
And His line is never busy.

As soon as you say His name,
His attention is acutely focused
ON YOU!

God will always answer your prayers.
It may not be in the time you want them answered.
And it may not be the way you want them answered.
But He ALWAYS answers.

Sometimes His answer is yes.
Sometimes His answer is no.
Sometimes His answer is not yet.
But He always answers!

Let me know your thoughts on this.
I'm not finished.
But I want to give you some time
to chew on this.
Then I'll be back in a few days
to share something really
exciting from God's Word
about prayer.

I love you!
Susie
PS: If you haven't yet signed up for
the online global sisterhood . . .
DO IT NOW!
Go to susiemag.com and get
signed in and start communicating
with teen girls from around the world.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Hi, Girls!

I hope you're enjoying the online sisterhood.
Will you help me pray about something?

I need my sisterhood to join me in asking God
to send me a mom of one of our readers
who would volunteer her time 
to monitor our sisterhood postings.

See, I don't want anyone to be able to put something
on there that could negatively influence another reader.

But because I have to crank out the magazine,
I don't have time to monitor it.

So I'd love to find a mom of one of our readers—
someone with really high standards—
someone with high morality whom I can trust
not to let anything go online that I wouldn't approve.

So please help me pray, OK?

Thanks!
I knew I could count on the sisterhood!
I love you, Girls!

Susie Shellenberger, Editor

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Hey, Girls!
It's here. The online global sisterhood is now launching.
Have you signed up yet?
If you haven't, go to
susiemag.com
and get signed in NOW.
It's a ton of fun.

And if you're on Facebook,
ask Obie Shellenberger
to be your friend.
He has his own FB page now.

Love you!
Susie Shellenberger

Thursday, October 1, 2009



Hey, Girls!

I want to introduce my new interns to you: Lindsey Rodman from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and Katie Hargrave from Dallas Baptist University in Dallas, Texas. They’re really excited about helping me take SUSIE Magazine from 40 pages to 80 pages and into stores, so they’ve hit the ground running with new articles and stuff you’ll enjoy.What they’re MOST excited about, though, is YOU! That’s right. They love teen girls and want to connect with you in a “big sis” type of way. So welcome them aboard and help me introduce them to your friends.


Love you!


Susie Shellenberger