The internet, social media, and blogging have provided opportunities to “meet” some wonderful people. Author Debbie Kitterman is one of the lovely people God brought across my path. I recently had the blessing of being on the launch team of her first book, The Gift of Prophetic Encouragement. The book is encouraging, refreshing, eye-opening and needed by us all.

Here in Debbie’s own words is a glimpse into why she wrote the book.

One Word Can Make a Difference
By: Debbie Kitterman

For once it felt good to blend in with the crowd. I didn’t have any ministry responsibilities. No obligations. No one except my family knew who I was. No one would be making demands of my time. No one knew I was a pastor or a ministry leader. I was just another visitor enjoying a Sunday morning worship service as a guest, and it felt good.

As worship ended, I turned around to pick my phone and the bulletin off the seats, so I could sit down. As I did, three young people sitting in the row behind me caught my attention. I smiled at them and one of the young women acknowledge me and smiled back. I settled in my chair and waited for the service to transition. It was a rather large church and as they were passing the offering baskets I started to look at my phone. Then I had this word pop into my head: “Nepal.”

Huh, I thought this is weird, why in the world is “Nepal” popping into my mind at a time like this? I could have just shrugged it off as the strangest, most random thought ever, or I could step out in faith and ask God if He is trying to tell me something. By now I know when God is nudging and honestly this in not a thought I would have on my own, so it must be God trying to get my attention.

1 Samuel 3 tells the story of when young Samuel hears a voice that sounds familiar to him and three times he runs to the priest. Three times the priest sends Him away not understanding that God is calling out to Samuel. God is waiting for Samuel to respond in faith and acknowledge Him. When Samuel does respond to God, God delivers a message directly to Samuel.

Have you ever had a thought that you knew didn’t or couldn’t come from you? I call those God thoughts. They are times when God bumps up against our lives, so He can give us something encouraging for others. This is exactly what happened this day.

Truthfully, I knew Nepal was a country, but I had no idea where it was actually located. I grabbed my phone and searched to discover its location and then asked “So, what am I supposed to do with this information?” I felt prompted that it was for one of the young people sitting behind me, but that was all. There was nothing else, no other words, or information, just the inkling that I was supposed to ask one of them if Nepal meant something to them.

I waited until service was over and I turned around and ask the group to wait a minute. I looked at the three twenty-something adults, a very tall young man, a beautiful African American woman, and blonde haired blue eyed woman. I wasn’t sure who it was for, so I said, “this may sound strange but after worship I felt like the Lord nudged my heart and wanted me to share an encouraging word with you. The only thing I know is that Nepal means something special to one of you. In fact something about it weighs heavy on your heart.” I went on to explain that I didn’t know much about Nepal, and I confessed to researching it on my phone during offering. I was shocked with the blonde-haired woman looked at me with wide eyes and said, “it’s me. I have a friend in Nepal and I pray for her every day. She has been heavy on my heart this past week.”

As we spoke, the Lord gave me some other words of prophetic encouragement to share with her and also the other two young people with her. She left church that day with joy in her heart and her burden for her friend a little lighter than when she entered. The other two also received encouragement, but their stories are for another day and another blog post.

This is why I wrote the book.

There are many people around us that have heavy hearts and God wants us to be available to step out in faith and speak words of life, comfort and encouragement to others.

The book clears away the confusion about the prophetic gift today, pastor and ministry leader Debbie Kitterman reveals the good news about the gift of prophecy in this practical, powerful book: We are all prophetic because we all have direct access to God. Prophecy is an ordinary part of the Christian life. In fact, it is God’s way for us to encourage and strengthen the Body of Christ.

So, open your ears to hear God and break out of your comfort zone to deliver His messages to those who need them most. Act now””His words can’t wait!

Debbie Kitterman is a natural born encourager who is on fire for God. She is passionate about equipping individuals, so they can go deeper in the relationship with God, reach their God – potential and claim their Kingdom inheritance. Debbie is a wife, mother, author, pastor, speaker and the founder of “Dare 2 Hear,” a ministry that trains individuals to hear the voice of God. She travels to churches internationally and is the founder and teacher of d2htraining.com, an online course designed to equip the believer in releasing God’s heart. Her writing and teachings inspire faith and build bridges for people to believe and expect the impossible. She is also an ordained Foursquare pastor, currently serving with her husband, John, as senior pastor of Restoration Church in Lacey, Washington. Learn more at: www.debbiekitterman.com

You can follow Debbie Kitterman in these places:
Blog: http://debbiekitterman.com/blog/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/debbie.kitterman
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Dare2Hear

Thank you, Debbie, for sharing your words with us all. Prophetic Encouragement is full of powerful testimonies and practical application. This book is sure to help many break out of their comfort zones and into embracing a lifestyle of encouraging others — just as Jesus did. The book releases today and you can grab a copy HERE .

*Chosen Books provided me with a pre-release copy of this book to review for which I am most grateful. It was my joy and honor as this book is sure to bless many as it did me.

Today I am joining … Trekking Thru the Week and Unite and #RaRaLInkup and Grace Full Tuesday and Tell His Story and Booknificent Thursday .