In June of 2008, the Word of the Lord came to the prophet (Dr. Billye Brim) saying, ONE THING will save America and it’s NOT the election.  It’s an AWAKENING to GOD!  ONE THING will save Israel, and it’s NOT the election.  It’s an AWAKENING to GOD!
Since that time, MUCH prayer has been offered to this end – a GREAT AWAKENING.  Everywhere we turn now there is talk of this – in the church and in the streets.  So much prayer has been offered on this issue that it cannot “NOT” happen.  It will surely come to pass.  We should all understand that America is about experience the greatest awakening it has ever seen.  But it is not just an awakening.  It is must be an awakening to GOD.
In July of this year, the Word of the Lord came unto me, saying, “They are awake!  Now they will listen.  They are taking off their night clothes and putting on their day clothes.”
Romans 13:11-12 - And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.  The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
Over the years much has been said by many great men and women of God about a great awakening in America.  And it is true.  But IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO BE AWAKE.  It must be an AWAKENING TO GOD.
Throughout the Age of Grace, believers have been tasked with prayer for laborers into the harvest (Matthew 9:37-38).  This we must still do, but now is not the time to simply pray.  NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT.  Every believer must fill his mouth with prayer, yes, not just for laborers into the harvest.  We must also, with every breath we breathe, declare, “HERE AM I LORD, SEND ME!”
They are awake!  Now, they’ll listen!  They will listen!  They will listen! 
And the Lord would say unto you, “Who will declare?  Who will declare?  Who will declare Me before men?” 
Does it not say in My Word: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.  How then shall they call on him in whom they have now believed?  And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?  And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent?... (Roman 10:13-15a)?
Isaiah 60:1-5 - Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.  For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.  And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.  Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.  Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.
 They are awake.  Now they will listen.   ~   Here am I, Lord.  Send me!
 ~ Denise L Shaw
September 25, 2020

by Denise L Shaw

Recently, on a spring cleaning adventure, I had opportunity to clean out my dresser drawers which are filled with as many memories as clothing items – maybe more. Tucked away in the backside of a rarely-used drawer was found a stack of handkerchiefs. I laundered and folded each one, and oh the memories that flooded my soul.

My grandmother was born in 1911, 13 years before the invention of “Kleenex.” This means she was raised in a manner that taught young women the finer graces of ladies handkerchiefs. Even though, as an adult, she always had a box of giant Kleenex available in her home, her handbag was always populated with a supply of handkerchiefs. Store-bought Kleenex was considered a luxury on the farm. Very rarely did she use them.

In this stack of now-paper-thin sheets of cotton are some of the most beautiful handworks of needlework and embroidery one could possibly imagine. Grandpa’s sister, Great-Aunt Bessie was a master at the old-fashioned art of tatting. And her handiwork graces many of the pieces in the pile.

I addressed my grandmother by various titles in my lifetime. When I was very young, she was “Grandma” or “Grandma Kelley.” When I was a teen, we called her “Gram.” When she became a great-grandmother, my mother became “Grandma” and her name changed to “Granny.” But for me, there was only one Grandma. Her name was Lola. She was my father’s mother. My mother’s mother, died three months before my second birthday. I have no memory of her. So Grandma Kelley, Gram, Granny became very dear to me.

Why do I share these things? Because if I don’t they will be lost. I want my grandchildren to know that women used to carry handkerchiefs. My Grandma Kelley used them regularly. She washed them in an old ringer-type washer (and before that, on a scrub-board by hand), hung them to dry and then would press them (iron them with an iron) – every last one of them – even my Grandpa’s big red work hankies. No one ever dreamed of a day when pocket packages of “Kleenex” would replace such an important part of every woman’s wardrobe.

The type of event determined the type of handkerchief. If it was fancy and hardly ever used, it was probably reserved for use at a wedding, funeral or special church event. If there was no special embroidery on it, perhaps a simple print, it was for everyday use. The fancier the handkerchief, the fancier the woman carrying it or the event she was attending. They were as much a status symbol as they were practical. God forbid that anyone would ever really blow her nose on one.

She always kept one in her purse for me, especially if we were going to church. Most of them were simple prints, because I would indeed blow my nose. For really special occasions, she would have one for me with purple violets embroidered upon it. It was too pretty to use. I adored her for making me feel so special as to have one just for me.

I will add that on my wedding day in 1988, I carried a handkerchief tucked inside the left cuff of the sleeve of my bridal gown. It had belonged to Grandma Freeman (the one I never knew). And for those who were there, we’ll all remember: I used it!