30 Days in August is a brutally honest, transparent, and wonderfully written example of ministry preparation. Laura describes the process of leaving all, trusting God, and allowing God to use shameful areas in her past to make her a better equipped minister of God's grace. On letting go. "The company had been important to me during my times of need - my times of famine. But while the company's relationship with me had not changed, my relationships with the company had. For the company, I was dispensable but for me the company had become indispensable. What was once a stronghold for safety and financial security had now become a prison, a shackle to inhibit the pursuit of what God was calling me to." On trusting God.

"Suddenly I felt the car vibrate, and I was startled from what I now admit was a micro sleep. I had visions of the car plunging into a deep ravine, and I abruptly jerked the steering wheel to the right. The car responded to the force of my actions spinning into a 180 degree turn before overturning and skating on the hood in the opposite direction to which we had been travelling. My initial thoughts were, "Oh no, now I've wrecked the man's car." "I was surprised that I had time to think but it all seemed to be happening in slow motion. "I know we'll be ok, I know we'll be ok." The momentum of the car expired and it slowly came to a stop. I breathed deeply still gripping the steering wheel tightly.

Then I looked over to the passenger seat. Brett? He was still asleep. Or.oh no! Fear overtook me, and I began to call his name anxiously, all the while praying in my spirit that he was OK. "God, please, don¹t let him be dead, please God." On ministry preparation. "I know the difference now. I can talk about my boys without feeling any shame.

Two new unofficial birth certificates are part of my cherished personal documents - an unexpected surprise at the end of the retreat. Strangely enough there is no closure but an openness and willingness to share with others. Satan's weapons had been emptied of their ammunition. His accusations now boomerang from the boldness I now have to seek out others among the pews to experience this magnificent liberty - freedom to live and freedom to function in their greatest capacity in the body of Christ.".