Pantylines Blog

Pat is currently working on a new book project entitled Pantylines: Are pantylines a sign of Godliness or should Christian women wear thongs? She would love your input on some "thought provoking" questions that are being asked on the blog. Check it out at http://www.pantylinesbook.blogspot.com/!

Lessons Learned Before 6:00 am

Over the last several months I have made a commitment to take better care of myself and thus have taken up jogging. You must know that while I would consider myself athletic, I have never been a runner. I can understand running after a ball, a small child, and even a good sale at the mall, BUT to run just for the sake of running is beyond me. However, about 5 times a week I head out for a jog.

I live in Florida so the vast majority of the year we have great weather. The summers are just plain HOT!!! While it's only halfway through May, we are averaging temperatures in the 80s and 90s along with Florida's famous humidity. To accommodate my jogging, I have been trying to get up early before work, before the sun rises, and before anyone else is really awake.

My apartment complex looks completely different at 5 am...even more so than it does at 9 pm (when I have been running). I have also changed my route in the last couple of weeks which when added to the morning darkness, creates a little confusion in my groggy brain that is still begging to be back in bed.

This morning I was minding my own business trying to push through the burning in my calves and the fact that it sure didn't feel any cooler when I caught something out of the corner of my eye. I had to do a double take. What I saw was the outline of an owl in the vegetable garden. A little freaked out, I picked up the pace and continued.

I weaved in and out of the different buildings trying to find my way to the trail that runs along the bay and back towards my apartment. Yesterday I never found the end, but managed to jump on several hundred yards into the trail. Today I was determined to find the end. You see I've done this numerous times, but for some reason everything looks different in the morning darkness. I ran through parts of the complex that I didn't even know existed. I was about to decide that they had just moved the entrance that I was looking for when all the sudden I saw some familiar sights and sure enough the trail appeared.

I was relaying my "tragic" morning to my roommate, she informed that the scary owl is actually fake. While she found this fact incredibly funny, I began pondering it. If there had been any amount of light in that area I would not have confused this wooden impostor for the real deal. I would have seen it for what it is...a decoration (a strange one, but that isn't the point). I would not have picked up my pace or had that startled spring in my stride. The same things goes for the darkness. Light, and amount, would have allowed me to navigate the streets and buildings with ease. I wouldn't have searched and searched for the trail.

Darkness has a power. It keeps us confused and turned around. However, the smallest amount of light can dispel the darkness. It brings clarity. It allows us to see things as they truly are. It's the same in our lives. The enemy loves it when we sit in the darkness. He can fool us into thinking things are bigger than they really are and even that things exist when in reality they don't. The key is to allow God to bring in the light and to drive out the darkness and lies.

For some reason things are always scarier in the dark. The good news is that as Christians, we have the light. Is there something in your life right now that you are dealing with that appears to be huge? Something that scares you, but God wants to deal with it? Whether it isn't as big as it feels, it's always better to bring it out into the light.

Laying Down, or standing up...the Cross Speaks

As I re watched this video I was reminded that I used to feel just like this young man.
Fighting for "women's rights".......

This display demands a response. Have you seen it?
Do you agree?

I would have responded the same way at one time
Until I understood the Cross
Until I had an aborted child represented by one of those crosses

He just doesn't understand , yet.
pat

Disturbing Video

I passed this video on to Pat and she asked me to post it on the blog. She said, "standing up or on the ground.....the Cross speaks...
It represents lost lives either way."

This occurred at the University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point.

Pictures, Pictures, and More Pictures

(I have had numerous difficulties with this post, so I apologize for any weird formatting.) I wanted to fulfill the promise of posting pictures, so without further ado and minimal commentary...

This is one of the Surrendering the Secret billboards that have been posted around the Tampa Bay Area. You can't read all the words, but it says, "Heal the Heartbreak" and then has the STS website and telephone number on it.

Kathy, Jane, Pat, and Natalie in front of the STS (Surrendering the Secret) display at the American Association of Christian Counselors Conference in Orlando, FL

Several of our staff attended the March for Life in Dallas, TX during the Heartbeat International Conference. Pat had the opportunity to share a portion of her testimony and share about STS.

Norma McCorvey (commonly known Jane Roe from the Roe v. Wade case) was able to attend the March for Life in Dallas.

A speechless Pat at the Heartbeat Conference Banquet when she was awarded the Servant Leader Award.

Snow in May? Well, in Colorado Springs at the Fully Loaded and Beth Moore Conferences (this past weekend).

Pat during one of her breakout sessions during the Fully Loaded Conference.

A group of ladies that attended Pat's sessions during Fully Loaded.

Pat "slipped" this one in when she sent me a bunch of pictures, but I decided to go ahead and post it any way. This is Mikala, Pat's 3 year-old granddaughter. You might have heard her refer to her g-girl, well, this is her!

Ministry Alive!!

Greetings Surrendered Sisters!!
I have just returned to my home from another heavenly time spent with women who are zealous, passionate, hungry for God! It was such a blessing to see so many of you pressing in to all that God has and all that He is!

I am especially encouraged to see women responding to STS in such a big way.

We are tired of carrying secrets and ready to be fully used by God in His Kingdom work!!

My last speaking/training event was held in Colorado Springs at the Lifeway "Fully Loaded" leadership event. It is held in conjunction with Beth Moore's Living Proof Live". She actually joined us for lunch! What an amazing and anointed woman of God!! It is an honor to be a tiny part of the Lifeway Women's Ministry team and oh, so much fun!!

As for my personal ministry opportunities, I had a standing room only group for my "Imagine Me, Set Free" 3 part ministry to women in crisis workshop on Thursday. On Friday, I presented 2 back to back sessions called "The Mission Field Created by Abortion". A team from Focus on the Family attended the second of those meetings. Focus has always led the Nation in the battle against abortion. They are so on board with helping the churches minister to women AND men, who have suffered from it's aftermath. I was very blessed to have them with us.

God is on a ROLL!!!!

My goal now is to have churches or women's ministry groups sponsor me and some of our training team to come to your area to help train women, ministry leaders and Christian counselors to lead Post Abortion ministry using "Surrendering the Secret".

If you would be willing to partner with us to that end, please email me directly at playton@awpm.net for more details.

I will be posting some pictures of the past few weeks of ministry later this week so come back!!

Rolling with God!
Pat

On the Road Again!

After two weeks at conferences, Pat had one week back in Florida before she headed off again. She flew out early today to be at LifeWay's "Women Reaching Women...Fully Loaded" Conference in Colorado Springs, CO. She will be leading three breakout session tomorrow (Thursday) on reaching women in crisis. Friday she has one breakout session on beginning a post-abortion ministry in the church, but will be leading it twice. Please pray for Pat that she will not only have safe travel, but that she will be rested and refreshed for her breakout sessions. The last we heard, there were 75 women registered to attend the three part session on women in crisis.

Thanks for your prayers!