8 days/7 nights, Round trip from Chattanooga to Memphis
September 3-10, 2006

Historian Guides: Virginia Morton and Sara Bartlett

Rediscover the bygone era of the Golden Age of Steamboatin’ on the magnificent Mississippi Queen. You’ll be surrounded by towering mountains and picturesque farmland as you traverse the pristine Tennessee and Mississippi rivers from Chattanooga to Memphis. A variety of optional shore tours await you including the Huntsville, Alabama Space Center or the 1863 Battle of Day’s Gap while docked at Decatur, Alabama. From Savannah, Tennessee you can tour the famed Shiloh Battlefield while Cape Girardeau, Missouri offers a “Trail of Tears Tour” explaining the sad migration of the Cherokee Indians. Stroll the historic streets of Paducah, Kentucky and visit the Tillman Museum and Greek revival homes.

This is not an ocean cruise with hundreds of passengers, but a cruise with an intimate feeling of staying in the home of a friend or relative. The onboard service is impeccable, the food is to die for, and the nightly entertainment is superb. Don’t miss this opportunity to tranquilly drift through history and America’s heartland. Sit back, relax, make new friends, and you’ll find yourself relaxing more and more as each day goes by.

The Civil War divided families, separated spouses and lovers, and spawned many an affair. This cruise will center on the human side of the war by highlighting several captivating love stories. It will be led by two impressively qualified historian guides—Virginia Morton and Sara Bartlett.

Virginia Morton’s acclaimed novel, Marching Through Culpeper, chronicles the lives of the citizens of that Virginia community throughout the war and exhibits a wealth of intensive research. A popular speaker and tour guide, she led HistoryAmerica’s Petticoat Power tour in 2004. You’ll be enthralled with Mrs. Morton’s entertaining stories of her real life heroes and heroines:

  “Unconquerable Love: Confederate Scout Frank Stringfellow and Emma Green”
Burning love inspired 21-year-old Frank Stringfellow to undertake perilous missions into Union-occupied Alexandria, Virginia to court his sweetheart, Emma Green. Not only did he gather valuable intelligence for the Confederacy, but he persevered through a 6-year courtship to ultimately get Emma to the altar. His amusing antics, disguises, and hair-raising adventures prove love conquers all.

  
  “A Triangle: A. P. Hill, Ellen Marcy, and George McClellan”
What happens when former West Point roommates and best friends, southerner A.P. Hill and northerner George McClellan, both fall in love with Ellen Marcy—the toast of Washington, D. C.? Hill wins her heart but her parents strongly favor McClellan. Does father know best, and can the West Point friendship survive? 
Sara Bartlett is nationally known as an actress, historian, public speaker and musician. Her latest voice and music work can be heard on the audio book, Rose Greenhow’s Excerpts from My Imprisonment and the First Year of Abolition Rule in Washington. She is the writer of the film, Nurse Militant, about Clara Barton’s Civil War years and the documentary, First Word Home: Clara Barton and the Office of Missing Soldiers. She will bring history alive on the cruise while portraying Clara Barton:

  “The Untold Story: Clara Barton and Col. John Elwell.”
When Clara Barton arrived at the Union encampment on Hilton Head Island in the spring of 1863, Col. John Elwell was recovering from a riding accident. At midlife, nurse Barton discovered a man who appreciated her keen intellect. Hear in her own words, the touching and poignant story of her affair with a married officer on this tropical island paradise.

  
  Tea with Clara Barton
Join Virginia and Sara for tea in the elegant Victorian parlor when Clara Barton will share her wartime reminiscences and a few favorite songs. In order to capture the ambiance of the era, participants are invited to wear period outfits. 
HistoryAmerica Tour participants will enjoy a get acquainted cocktail party plus an elegant Victorian Tea. Become a part of the HistoryAmerica family as you experience the ultimate travel experience with fellow history lovers.

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It is common knowledge that Confederate General “Stonewall” Jackson was a devout Christian. But his founding of a “Colored Sabbath School” and the legacy he left in the African-American community is seldom mentioned.

• Determined that blacks, both slave and free, should be taught to read the Bible, Jackson organized his “Colored Sabbath School” in 1855 and taught the classes himself.

• Jackson became personally involved in many students lives. He prayed for them on a regular basis and they admired, respected and loved him.

• Many joined him on Sunday nights for his family devotions and prayed around the Jackson’s dining room table. Since nighttime gatherings of slaves were unlawful, Jackson gained permission from slave owners and his pastor for these prayer meetings.

• After the battle of First Manassas, the townspeople of Lexington eagerly awaited news. When a letter from Jackson arrived to his pastor, all gathered. It contained a $50 check for the Colored School with an apology for the delay after a fatiguing day’s service.

• At Jackson’s funeral in Lexington, his devoted African-American cook, Jim Lewis, had the honor of leading Little Sorrel. Scores of his Sunday School students mourned. Margaret Junkin Preston wrote, “There were not many more sincere mourners at his grave that these very people, whom he had done so much to teach the way of life.”

• The first donation for the statue of Jackson that stands on his grave came from Lexington’s “negro Baptist Church,” whose pastor had been Jackson’s student.

• The African-American Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in Roanoke, Va. today contains a beautiful Jackson Memorial stained glass window. The founding pastor had been a member of Jackson’s class.

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Furthermore, credibility in the academic world is coming. This past semester Dr. David Aiken, professor of English at the College of Charleston and the Citadel, assigned Marching Through Culpeper and Gone with the Wind to his students. In a newspaper article he said, “In a way, her (Morton’s ) book does for Culpeper what Gone with the Wind did for Atlanta. It gives us a chance to understand the point of view of Southerners.” (Click here to read full article.)

And through the kindness and creativity of my good friend Dr. Randy Peck, I have been blessed with a new interactive website www.marchingthroughculpeper.com. I invite you to watch my video on the homepage, explore the site, and post comments on my blog.

Many of you know that I have been collaborating with two screenplay writers on an adaptation of Marching Through Culpeper for a miniseries. Thank you to those who have prayed and sent messages of encouragement. Keep in mind that this script is being written on speculation and then we must then market it. We are nearing completion of the two-hour pilot and I will be updating you on this project in future newsletters.

I hope you history buffs will enjoy my “Hidden History” facts and suggested books, which will be archived on my blog.

I have many inspiring stories to share with you about my literary journey, the amazing friends I’ve made along the way, and my phenomenal movie prayer team. So please hang in there with me and invite a friend. I love hearing from you, so send me an email.

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By Catherine Amos

Published by the Culpeper Star-Exponent: April 27, 2008

Local independent author Virginia Morton has sold more than 10,000 copies of her novel, “Marching Through Culpeper.”

To put that in context, the average book in America sells about 500 copies, according to “Publisher’s Weekly” magazine in 2006, and fiction is considered successful if it sells 5,000 copies.

In 2000, Morton self-published the first edition of her work of historical fiction, set in Culpeper during the Civil War. She credits her readers for spreading the praise about her book and broadening its reach in the last eight years.

“My readers are phenomenal,” Morton said. “I’ve really been blessed; word of mouth is really the best publicity. It’s hard to get attention that I’ve sold 10,000, which is an extremely rare achievement for an independent book from an unknown author.”

Her novel is not only getting attention from local history buffs, but has gained scholarly interest from universities in Arkansas and South Carolina. David Aiken, an English professor at the College of Charleston and The Citadel, is using “Marching” in two of his classes in conjunction with Margaret Mitchell’s “Gone With the Wind.”

“In a way, her book does for Culpeper what ‘Gone With the Wind’ did for Atlanta,” Aiken said. “It gives us a chance to understand the point of view of Southerners.”

Morton said a friend of hers gave the book to Aiken, who assigned it to his students after reading it himself.

“I said, ‘my, this is good,’ ” Aiken said. “It’s very carefully researched; very historical. She’s trying very hard to see some kind of reconciliation between the North and the South.”

Aiken said his students were responding very well to “Marching.” His classes focus on southern literature and he said he had no idea Culpeper was so involved in the Civil War before reading Morton’s book.

“I was absolutely thrilled because they’re reading it along with ‘Gone With the Wind,” Morton said. “It’s all been great to get that kind of credibility. What author doesn’t dream to have their book used in a college literature class?”

Now a successful author, Morton said she was not sure about printing the first 500 copies in 2000, worried that she would not break even. Ten thousand copies later, she said she felt as if she had only touched the tip of the iceberg.

In addition to giving private tours of downtown Culpeper — she has led 4,500 people through its streets to date — Morton is working with two other writers to transform “Marching” into a two-hour miniseries. She said she hoped to pitch it to HBO.

“I would love to have the whole community praying for this,” she said. “I want to give back to the community and (a miniseries) would have an enormous impact on Culpeper.”

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How much better to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver. (Proverbs 16:16)
 
Are you rearing your kids in a home or a hotel?
How do I get my kid to help around the home more?
Story
 
My devotional on April 8 mentioned how Jerry  Graham’s Daily Gram titled “The Big Mo” led me to the outstanding video message by Darcy & Tim Kimmel titled “Godly Advice to Get the Romance Back in Your Marriage.” Tim is President of Family Matters. The tail end of the Kimmel’s GodTube video mentioned www.iquestions.com.
 
Yesterday morning I was pasting notes from the past two weeks into my spiritual journal. While doing that, I came across the link to www.iquestions.com and decided to visit that website. I was impressed immediately and decided to click on “10 Terrific Tips for Raising Great Kids.” There I discovered 10 short, outstanding videos about raising great kids.
 
In the first video titled “Foster Good Work Ethics,” Kevin Leman shares some profound life lessons for raising responsible kids. He begins, “Here’s the question of the day: Are you rearing your kids in a home or a hotel? You know, most people rear their kids in hotels. What do I mean by that? They give them room service, food service, and very little is expected of them. Kids need to contribute to the home. They need to give back to the home. Every child from the time they are 3 and up can contribute to the family.
 
Kevin goes on to ask, “What can a 3 year old do?” Then he gives some concrete examples. Later, Kevin explains “As kids get older, they need to have bigger and bigger responsibilities. The idea is make sure the kids understand this principle that no member of the family is more important than the family. Everyone pitches in.”
 
Be blessed and bless your children and grandchildren by watching the video at today’s Link of the Day and sharing that with others. 
Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, thank You for the iquestions.com website and the 10 outstanding videos teaching simple principles to raising great kids. Help parents and grandparents who read this message and watch the video to apply these principles in raising and mentoring their own children and grandchildren. Thank You Jesus. Amen and hallelujah!
Link of the Day
10 Terrific Tips for Raising Great Kids - click on “Foster Good Work Ethics” 
 
Blessings to apply Kevin’s principles to raise responsible kids!
 
Dr. Randy Peck
“Blessed to be a blessing”

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Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. (Matthew 6:33 & 34, The Message, Eugene H. Peterson)

If you knew today was you last day on earth … how then would you live?
What would you do more of? Less of?
What would you make sure to say to your loved ones?
What would you do or not do?
What would you “let go” because it really doesn’t matter in the big picture?

Today marks the six year anniversary of 9-11, when four planes flown by terrorists destroyed the two World Trade Center towers, severely damaged the Pentagon, and claimed innocent lives on the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania. Probably none of the victims that dreadful morning suspected it would be their last ever on earth.

How many lives are lost unexpectedly every day? For how many would life never be the same? Sudden death; it keeps happening.

Since July 3, I have been participating in a weekly prayer conference call with a small group of people around the nation praying for Virginia Morton’s book “Marching Through Culpeper” (MTC) to be made into a mini-series and a major motion picture. We believe God is going to use this movie to heal the heart of America.

During our prayer call on August 14, Virginia prayed for Butch Mills. She thanked God for how excited he was about Rick Heeren’s teaching about reaching entire cities for Jesus. We have prayed for him each week since.

On August 30, tragedy struck. Butch while he was working on a sewer line in a trench in Culpeper. The ground collapsed all around him and he was buried up to his neck in concrete and rubble for more than five hours before being rescued and flown by helicopter to the University of Virginia Medical Center. He broke every rib, his scapula, sternum and clavicle. He has a punctured lung and bruises to his kidneys and heart. He has multiple fractures to the area around one eye and sinus and to his right shoulder. He remains in critical condition on a ventilator.

I barely even know Butch, but I know he’s sold out to Jesus. Carter Mills, Butch’s son, is the star kicker on the Culpeper High School football team and a good friend of my son. Julie Brooks, his niece, did her first triathlon in Culpeper this summer and now is a superstar triathlete. Jonathan Brooks, Butch’s nephew, is a local chiropractor who sent me an email asking me to pray for Butch shortly after his accident.

Our whole community is rallying around this champion for Christ. He is much loved by many, many folks in Culpeper. Our local newspaper has had 11 front page articles about Butch in the last 12 days. Tonight, the Culpeper United Methodist Church is hosting a candlelight prayer vigil to pray for Butch’s healing. This begins at 7:30 PM at Comet Stadium, the former stadium used by the Culpeper High School football team.

Even if you are not able to attend the prayer vigil, please join us in praying for God to completely heal Butch. Thank you.

Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, we don’t know why bad things happen to good people, but we do know that You are a master at taking things meant for evil and turning them into great things that bring You glory and draw people to You. In unity with every one of my readers and many people in Culpeper, we ask You to touch Butch with Your healing hand and make him well. Make his life a testimony of Your goodness, greatness, and saving power. Stir the hearts of everyone who comes to tonight’s prayer vigil to live each day as if it’s our last on earth - for You. Thank You Jesus. We love and adore You. Amen.

Links of the Day
Newspaper articles about Butch + outstanding from Jeff & Jill Williams [see below]

Photos from the Sept 11 prayer vigil for Butch Mills

Blessings to live each day as if it’s your last - for Jesus!

• Area soccer team going for the goal on Mills’ behalf (Sep 11)
• Vigil being held for man rescued from sinkhole (Sep 11)
• OUR VIEW: Heroes can be found all around us
• Mills’ status worsens (Sep
• CCHS star kicker continues with team (Sep
• Conditions of men hurt remain same (Sep 7)
• Man rescued from sinkhole improving (Sep 5)
• Contractor still in critical condition (Sep 4)
• Contractor remains in critical condition (Sep 2)
• Contractor’s condition upgraded (Sep 1)
• Man freed from sinkhole (Aug 30)

——————————————————————————–

From: Nancy Palmer
Sent: Monday, September 10, 2007 11:35 AM
Subject: Prayer vigil for Butch

Candlelight Prayer Vigil

My apologies if you receive this twice. Many were returned as undeliverable.

Some of you may not be aware that a loved member of our church, Butch Mills, was the man trapped in a trench that caved-in last week here in Culpeper, Virginia. He is in severe condition at UVA Medical Center in Charlottesville with pneumonia. He suffered every rib broken, broken scapula, sternum and clavical. He has a punctured lung and bruises to his kidneys and heart. He has multiple fractures to the area around one eye and sinus and to his right shoulder.

A candlelight prayer vigil will be held tomorrow evening, Sept. 11, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. at Floyd T. Binns Middle School Comet Stadium. Please bring a candle.

If you are not able to attend, please lift a prayer for healing to his lungs and cure for pneumonia. He is much loved by many, many folks in the community.

Nancy Palmer,
Director of Adult Ministries
Culpeper United Methodist Church

for Pastor Randy Orndorff

——————————————————————————–

From: Jill Williams
Sent: Monday, September 10, 2007 10:28 PM
Subject: Daily Grace and Truth - My Last Day on Earth - 09-11-07

The morning was clear but muggy, quiet and inviting for a walk and talk. Jill and I crested the hill less than a mile from our house and suddenly came upon a horrible crash scene. Several cars, a van and a truck entirely blocked five lanes of traffic. About ten emergency vehicles were parked to block traffic with flashing lights, and several more wailing sirens approached. How many lives had been lost? For how many would life never be the same? Sudden death; it keeps happening.

Six years ago today thousands of Americans died unexpectedly when the Twin Towers collapsed after assault by terrorists. Thousands of talented, loving and beloved people perished. Their stories are familiar, their last words and their last deeds celebrated. In the blink of an eye many knew the end would soon approach. How many had regrets for how they’d lived their last days on earth?

Gospel singer, Stephen Curtis Chapman, wrote a song* prompted by observation of a funeral procession. After pulling to the side of the road, and bowing to pray for the bereaved of the departed, the thought that wouldn’t recede was that it would one day be him; perhaps even that same day. “If this should be my last day on this earth, how then should I live?”

Jesus urged his followers to live one day at a time, fully investing themselves in those things that mattered most:

Matthew 6:33 & 34 - Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. (The Message, Eugene H. Peterson)

If you knew today was you last day on earth . . . how then would you live?
What would you do more of? Less of?
What would you make sure to say to your loved ones?
What would you do or not do?
What would you “let go” because it really doesn’t matter in the big picture?

Just as those who naively ascended the Twin Towers September 11, 2001 didn’t know that it was their last day, neither do we. So how will we live?

Prayer
Lord, thank you for liberating us to live fully in the moment as if it were our last. This is a profound and simple truth and freeing to “full life.” Would you provide the courage to act or speak, or to refrain from acting or speaking with this reality at the forefront of our minds? That what we say or do may be our last words or deed and to make them count for best, for your best, for the best of those you have given us to love and serve. Amen.

* “Last Day on Earth,” by Stephen Curtis Chapman

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What does it mean to you to be alert and ready?
What does it mean to you that the time is now?

I share today’s message because I believe it contains a prophetic word for each of us. I’ve mentioned before that each Tuesday afternoon Virginia Morton facilitates a prayer conference for Marching Through Culpeper and that our team is praying and working to have this Civil War novel turned into a TV mini-series and major motion picture to heal deep wounds of our nation.

I’ve also mentioned before that each week Virginia begins our prayer call by sharing a key word and relevant scriptures. On April 15, Virginia told our team the two key words the LORD gave her for that meeting were “alert” and “ready.” Virginia told us we need to be alert and ready. She explained that the dictionary says “alert” means being watchful and vigilantly ready. She then went on to share these 5 scriptures:

1 Cor 16:13 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.

Col 4:2 Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;

1 Peter 5:8-9 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.

John 4:34-35 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!”

Luke 12:37,38,40 “Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants… Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

Virginia then began praying. First Virginia praised and thanked God, which is the protocol for entering His presence. Then she prayed, “Father, we want to be spiritually alert for what You are sending us each day. The time is now. We are not going to continue to wait for the harvest. Rather, we are going to listen to what Jesus tells us, namely that the harvest is ready.”

Virginia’s message resonated very positively with my spirit and the spirits of everyone else on the phone call. It spurred me into action and in the next two days I had my web team design a new website and blog for Marching Through Culpeper to help Virginia communicate her messages to the world. The time is now.

Later in our call, Bob Sims told our team “The root of all awakening is the family.” He commented about my devotional sent earlier that morning about American Idol titled “Shout to the LORD.” Bob said when we use the arts (e.g. music, movies, paintings, books, etc) to share about Jesus, young people will listen. They won’t listen to just our words or talking. Bob prayed that the LORD will bring the generations back together. Shortly after that, Kay Dunkley shared some phenomenal stories of how God is using her to unite 3 generations of a very influential family with its original pre-Civil War home near Virginia Tech.

Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, we praise You as the God of vigilance, not missing anything that’s going on. Thank You for Your warning to be alert and ready. Help each of us to understand and apply that to our lives. May we step into action as You reveal Your next steps to us. Thank You Jesus. Amen.

Link of the Day
www.PrayCulpeper.org: A Light to the World - major updates to this website were made this past weekend, including new content, photo gallery, and blog

Blessings to be alert and ready for what God is about to do!

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And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.” (Malachi 4:6)

In what ways are you noticing God turning the hearts of fathers toward their children and the hearts of children to their fathers?

God is doing something incredible in the culture of America. He is offering hope. During our weekly Marching Through Culpeper prayer conference call on April 8, Bob Sims talked about the Fatherhood of God. He mentioned that the very last verse of the Old Testament (Malachi 4:6) speaks of God returning the hears to the fathers to their children and vise versa.

On Sunday night April 13, CNN hosted the “Compassion Forum” with live interviews of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama at Messiah College in Pennsylvania. Hillary and Barack were both asked very personal and specific questions about their faith.

Yesterday morning (April 14) I read an email from Virginia Morton about American Idol with a link to a YouTube video that blew me out of the water - in a good way. This stood in sharp contrast to the email I read minutes before about the thefts that took place at Gold’s Gym last week.

The victim of the theft stated, “Last night I was at gold’s gym when my purse was stolen out of my car. They busted in my window and stole it from behind the front seat. They got all my credit cards, my ID, a nice camera and a checkbook. My car wasn’t the only one broken into. Another women’s purse was stolen, and she was only at the gym for 5 minutes. The police said they broke into 3 cars at Powell right after Golds.” My wife and I belong to Gold’s Gym and their parking lot is well lit with lots of people going in and out.

The encouraging email Virginia forwarded to me came from Bob Sims, one of our prayer partners on our weekly Marching Through Culpeper prayer conference calls. Bob shared “This is a sign that the American public is accepting our message in the arts. This is really moving.” Bob’s email went on to say,

“This doesn’t happen often. American Idol opened the show last night (April 10, 2008) with an encore of Shout To the Lord. Evidently it is the number ONE download from the night before.

And here is some background on the song for you. American Idols performed Darlene Zschech’s “Shout to the Lord” on “Idol Gives Back.”

Bloggers and TV writers are buzzing about the grand finale performance of Idol Gives Back, which was predicted to be one of the most watched television programs of the year. According to those in the audience, the show’s grand finale, which was taped on Sunday at Los Angeles’ Kodak Theatre, has the eight American Idol finalists performing “Shout to the Lord,” the contemporary classic hymn written by Hillsong/Integrity’s Darlene Zschech.”

Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, I’m in awe of what You are doing. Thank You for this encouragement and hope. Thank You for the love of God manifested by the eight American Idol finalists performing “Shout to the Lord.” Thank You for the bold stand that American Idol took in opening their TV show with this song. Bless the socks off of everyone who made this possible. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.

Link of the Day
Top 8 finishers in American Idol sing “Shout to the Lord” - YouTube video

Please Turn on Javascript

Blessings to shout to the LORD and praise our King!

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“Present your case,” says the LORD. “Bring forth your strong reasons,” says the King of Jacob. (Isaiah 41:21).

How much momentum do you have?
What simple steps can you take to gain more?

On March 24, Dr. Jerry Graham sent a Daily Gram titled “The Big Mo” talking about momentum and its importance to a leader. That message really resonated strongly with my spirit. I’ll share more about that tomorrow. But for now, I want to share a personal and current story about momentum.

Since August 2007, Virginia Morton has been hosting a Marching Through Culpeper prayer conference call nearly every Tuesday afternoon. Each week, about 5-7 people from 3-4 states participate. Our team of eagles believes that God is lining up the people, resources, and circumstances to make a TV mini-series and major motion picture from Virginia’s Civil War novel and that He will use that to heal longstanding differences between the North and the South and between blacks and whites.

Virginia does an outstanding job preparing for and facilitating these prayer calls. Typically, she begins each call by sharing a single word and corresponding scripture to guide our prayers for that day. Yesterday, Virginia’s word was “case” and these were the two scriptures she shared:

Isaiah 41:21 - “Present your case,” says the LORD. “Bring forth your strong reasons,” says the King of Jacob.

Isaiah 43:25-26 - “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins. Put Me in remembrance; Let us contend together; State your case, that you may be acquitted.

Virginia told our prayer team that Bob Sims has told her repeatedly over the past few months that the LORD told him to tell Virginia, “Present your case.” I wasn’t even aware those words were in the Bible. Bob wasn’t either. The Holy Spirit simply gave them to Bob to share with Virginia. Those words “Present your case” spoke very strongly to each person on the phone call, including me. They drove me into action.

Near the end of our prayer call, Burt Swardstrom asked what I’ve been doing. I shared about the prayer the Holy Spirit gave me on Sunday morning March 30, “Who is my target audience.” I then shared about my conflict between the Leadership Summit III and the Smith Mountain Lake Triathlon in early May and how Julia told me I should go to New York City to personally meet Dan Stratton and Lance Wallnau. Virginia and Bob Sims quickly agreed this was right for me. Bob told me he has been listening a lot to Lance recently because of his teaching of the Seven Mountains and what Bob saw and experienced in Germany. Bob told me my target audience is the mind molders at the top of the Seven Mountains.

At 8 PM yesterday evening, I hosted my third webinar titled “UNCOMMON Internet Marketing Seminar.” This was my first webinar in the evening. I saw fruit from that in less than 2 hours that will impact much of Central America. At 9 PM, I participated in the webcast hosted by Dan Stratton and Lance Wallnau about the Leader Summit in NYC on May 1-3. That was awesome.

Then this morning, I participated in my very first prayer conference call for the Provision Network, facilitated by Dan Stratton. That was incredible. About 50-75 people from 20 or so states participated. The prayers and unity were wonderful. My spirit is jumping for joy.

Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, I praise You as the God who has presented Your case clearly for the divinity of Jesus Christ. I praise You as the God of momentum. One day of favor from You can be worth more than a lifetime of labor. I pray for UNCOMMON boldness, that each person reading this message will be strong and of good courage as You commanded Joshua before he led the people of Israel into the promised land. May they present their cases for Jesus Christ in love and truth. Thank You Jesus. Amen and hallelujah!

Link of the Day
The Seven Mountains - seven spheres of influence that make up the mind molders that control nations

Blessings to present your case in your God-given sphere of influence!

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I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1)

What is the legacy of General Stonewall Jackson?
How is that still impacting Virginia and America today?

In the past few months I have become fascinated with the spiritual legacy of General Stonewall Jackson and the impact he has had and continues to still have on Virginia. When Dutch Sheets and Chuck Pierce spoke at the 50 State Tour gathering in March 2004, they declared that Virginia is the “covenant root state.” Based upon it’s rich Christian heritage, Virginia was acknowledged to have governmental authority, not just for the United States, but for the world.

According to David C. McCullough, “History is who we are and why we are the way we are.” One of the many blessings of being a close friend of Virginia Morton is that she has taught me much about Civil War history as well as the history of Culpeper and Virginia. A few months ago, I watched a DVD that Virginia loaned to me about the faith of Generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. Without a doubt, they were spiritual giants of the Civil War.

In her email on March 28, Virginia Morton shared, “God is truly bringing truth to light pertaining to Confederate history. Thanks to Burt (Swardstrom) and the MasterMedia newsletter, I learned of the 48-minute documentary “Still Standing: The Stonewall Jackson Story.” I then contacted Rick Williams, author of “Stonewall Jackson: The Black Man’s Friend.” The friends of Cedar Mountain Battlefield will be showing the film April 4 and Rick will be here to introduce it. We were blessed with two excellent articles in today’s newspaper which I think you will find fascinating.” [See today’s Link of the Day to read those.]

If you live nearby, you are invited to come to St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Culpeper Virginia at 7 PM on Friday April 4 to meet Rick Williams and watch the 40 minute documentary film “Still Standing: The Stonewall Jackson Story.”

On March 27, Robert Hartzell, founder of Fountains of Life, told me about Arthur Burk, founder of Plumbline Ministries. Robert shared that Arthur has had community transformation on his heart since 1978 and works with a lot of businessmen. Arthur believes that the spiritual gifts discussed in Romans 12 apply not only to people, but to businesses, cities, and even nations. When Arthur visits a community, he emphasizes celebrating the gifting and calling of that community rather than pointing out what’s wrong.

Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, I praise You as the God of history, the God who makes history, writes history, and uses history in Your perfect plan. Thank You for the rich spiritual heritage left by General Stonewall Jackson. Thank You for using Rick Williams to uncover part of that. Thank You that Rick is coming to Culpeper on April 4. Bless his visit and all those who meet him. Prepare the heart and minds of those who attend the April 4 gathering to understand the significance of Jackson’s life and legacy for this day and time. Thank You Jesus. Amen.

Link of the Day
Links to newspaper articles about Rick Williams and Stonewall Jackson

Blessings to understand and apply the significance of history in healing wounds of the past!

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