II Timothy 1:7; Philippians 4:13; Nehemiah 8:10b - "Hold On"

I woke up this morning with the words to a song Toby Mac sings going through my mind and immediately thought about some ladies going through some tough days.

So baby hold on 
Just another day or two 
I can see the clouds are 
Moving faster now 
And the sun is breaking through 
If you can hold on, 
To the one that's holding you 
There is nothing that can 
Stop this crazy love 
From breaking through

Life is not usually what we think it 'should' or 'would' be. It usually has many turns and twists we are not ready for. It is so important to have the Lord's strength to get through it. I remember when I was diagnosed with MS the Lord gave me Philippians 4:13 to hold onto. That verse has been repeated many times over the last twenty-five plus years. Last spring He gave me II Timothy 1:7 as I was driving home in a storm and continued it through this season with Doc's cancer. Saturday I was reminded of Nehemiah 8:10b. I was grateful for that reminder as I dealt with some nasty 'junk' yesterday. He knew what I needed before I ever did. For that, I am grateful. My prayers this morning are for some ladies who need that reminder...

• My friend Mel who continues to seek employment.
• Kandi, Rita, Peggy, and another friend battling cancer.
• My friend in the midst of a battle for her marriage.
• My Momma who continues to heal from her broken wrist; Val as she continues with health issues; Debbie as she recuperates from her second surgery; Ellen who continues to recuperate from her recent surgery; Billie as she continues to fight the effects of chemo; Paula and Nancy who are in therapy; Rhonda who suffers with shoulder and foot pain; Shirley who is recuperating from surgery; Rebecca's neighbor and Jill's Mom who are having chemo again for the return of cancer; Tiffany as she recuperates from foot surgery; Norma as she deals with her disease; Martha with shoulder pain and upcoming surgery; Emily and her daughter who are dealing with a sickness on the mission field; and many more. 
• My friend who deals with alcoholism.
• My friend 
• Two friends who are concerned with their grand babies mommas actions.
• Shirley and Renee who are adjusting to the loss of their husbands.

I pray these ladies will Hold On to the Lord for His strength. I pray they will know He is always there for them. Some days are tougher than others but He always sees us through. I pray He doesn't just see me through but He blesses me in the process with seeing the opportunities He puts before me. I do not want to miss even one opportunity He gives me. I desire to live with His joy in my heart. I desire for His joy to flow out of me in a way that will make others desire the same. His love flowing out of me is the way people will see Him through my words, actions, and attitude. Yesterday I asked for forgiveness for my attitude when I was dealing with 'junk'. I prayed for Him to not only forgive me but to show me what I was to do. After He revealed it to me, I felt such peace. I was so thankful for the way He spoke to me. If I were not living in His presence, I would have never heard His voice. Woo hoo! Praise His Holy Name! I am so grateful for the life I live in Him. I am so grateful for the way He speaks and I not only hear but I listen so I can walk in obedience. When I do not walk in obedience, I miss opportunities to love with His love. It is those times that sadden me greatly.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for this song that reminded me of so many who need to remember You are always there for them. Thank You for not only speaking to me yesterday but empowering me to hear Your voice. Thank You for the peace You poured out over my spirit yesterday. Father, it was a tough night with side effects from this medicine. I pray You will give me Your supernatural strength today to not just 'get through the day' but to be a blessing to You in the process. Bless my prayers for all those I prayed for this morning. Mel, Kandi, Rita, Peggy, my Momma, Debbie, Paula, Ellen, Billie, Nancy, Rhonda, Shirley, Rebecca's neighbor, Jill's Mom, Tiffany, Martha, Emily, Shirley, Renee, and so many others. Lord, may all of these dear ladies feel Your presence in their lives today. I also pray for Doc who is struggling with the idea of chemo on Wednesday. I pray You will give him peace. Thank You Jesus for being My Peace! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7 - "Resurrection Power"

The Lord woke me two times during the night to pray for pastors. I am so blessed with Saturday night prayers for men and women who are called into ministry. Last night He had me pray for pastors who are...

• dealing with cancer...my hubby and two other pastor friends
• in a building program...once again my hubby falls into this category
• living with a spouse with disease...my hubby, Scott, Steve, and a friend
• struggling in their marriage and/or family issues
• struggling with church finances
• not in the pulpit or who have just started in a new church
• dealing with intense situations within their church body
• seeking God's will to move to a different church or ministry

As I prayed, the Lord had me pray for more pastors to get to the end of themselves and realize He is the One in control. He brought to my mind the words to Resurrection Power.

Now I have resurrection power
Living on the inside
Jesus, You have given us freedom
No longer bound by sin and darkness
Living in the light of Your goodness
You have given us freedom

That I'm dressed in Your royalty
Your Holy Spirit lives in me
And I see my past has been redeemed
The new has come

There is such freedom in living in the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. II Timothy 1:7 tells us we cannot live in fear but instead we need to live in His power, love, and self-control. It is easy as a human being to make life the way 'we' want it. It is easy to make decisions based on our desires. But that type of living may lead us to hell. If we want to live for eternity with the Lord, we must live in His presence while on this earth. I use to think this was not an easy way of life but it truly is. There is no longer a need to worry over things. Instead when the Lord is in control there is freedom in knowing no matter what happens, He is there taking care of things. No matter what the outcome of such things as medical testing He already knows the answer. Woo hoo! There is no need to worry about how bills will be paid because He will provide. Not only will He provide what is needed but He gives wisdom on how to use what He gives. The more we seek Him, the more we will receive freedom from Him. Woo hoo! There is no better place to live than in His presence. There is no better way to live than His will. Woo hoo! Oh how I pray for more people, especially pastors, to begin this way of living. We must remember people are watching how we live. I do not want to be responsible for anyone going to hell. Therefore, I must be living a life worthy of heaven.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for a night of praying for pastors! Thank You for the privilege to pray for men and women who have answered the call to ministry! Father, I pray for my pastor to be filled with more of You. I pray for Doc to have more of Your wisdom and love flowing from Him. I continue to pray for a healing in his body not only from 'C' but also from all of the aches and pains he has right now. May You speak boldly through him and others who will be sharing Your Word this morning. Father, cleanse us so You can fill us. May You flow greatly from us through our words, actions, and attitude. May Your love be known through us in a new, different way. May more people come into a life filled with You today. I pray for all I prayed for during the night...Doc, Scott, Steve, and many others. Thank You Jesus for being Our Resurrection Power! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7 - "You Raise Me Up"

The day ahead reminds me of when I was growing up. On Saturday mornings early in my life we would 'go to town' to the laundromat, bank, car wash, library, put gas in the car, and get groceries. We tried to get it done as quickly as possible because we still had the house to clean when we got home. I love the memory of taking my quarter to the bank to put in my Christmas Club so I could buy gifts for family. I stretched that $12.50 to buy many gifts at the D&K store in Massillon. One year I remember buying all four of my siblings beautiful painted pictures for their homes. It's weird how I remember the check being $12.50 when it should have been $13 if I put in a quarter each week...lol. When I was a pre-teen, we moved to town and life changed. I no longer had to wait for a weekly trip to the library with a stack of books. Weather permitting, I walked there which made my life easier since I read several books a week. Today we need to 'go to town' to 'run errands' and I need to get some cleaning done. I would love to get my fall decorations out since it is now past our anniversary but I'm not sure if I will have the strength to do so. I'm physically and emotionally drained. Yesterday's appointment with the surgeon was very encouraging but at the same time very taxing emotionally. Just having the drive to Charleston can be taxing in itself. Waiting to see if the upcoming chemo will shrink the tumor, if the tumor group will have any input, etc. taxes the emotions. I must remember II Timothy 1:7 and allow God to reveal His plan for this situation. I must stand in His strength and empowerment to not allow the enemy any open door. I must bask in His rest. I must not jump to any conclusions but instead rely on God knowing everything that is ahead. How do I do all of this? By living in His presence. My Momma and Daddy are/were a great example of how to live through adversity with health problems. Sixty plus surgeries, being hit by a train, being shot, cancer multiple times...my Daddy is my Super Hero! My Momma has shown great faith since his death and continues to amaze me. As my sister Linda said not long ago, "We will get through this because we are McHenry's!" Most of all we will get through this because we are empowered by God! Woo hoo!

Dear Jesus, 

Thank You for another encouraging doctor visit for Doc! Thank You for the affirmation from the doctor that we are on the right course of treatment! Thank You for safety on the roads! Thank You for being so real to us! Father, cleanse us so You can fill us! May we be a beacon of light for You today through our words, actions, and attitude! May You be a soothing balm to those who are suffering physically, emotionally, mentally, financially, and most of our spiritually. Thank You Jesus for being Our Presence! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7 - "Build My Life"

I woke up this morning with the words too Build My Life going through my mind. This song reminds me of my purpose on this earth and how to fulfill it. 

And I will build my life upon Your love, it is a firm foundation
And I will put my trust in You alone and I will not be shaken
And I will build my life upon Your love, it is a firm foundation
And I will put my trust in You alone and I will not be shaken...

Yes! The more we build our lives on the foundation of Christ, the more He will empower us to be like Him. The more we lean into Him, the more He will fill us with His love. Being Him to others and loving on them with His love is exactly what He desires of us. As we live in this manner, He will be blessed and will bless us. This type of life is a what I call a II Timothy 1:7 type of life. Until a few months ago, I thought this Scripture was about not fearing anything. Then the Lord revealed to me it goes deeper. He empowers us with the Holy Spirit to not only trust Him instead of fearing and love with His love but also to live a life of holiness. The enemy tries to tear us down but when we live a II Timothy 1:7 life he can't take us down. He can't win. God always wins. The song continues...

Holy, there is no one like You, there is none beside You
Open up my eyes in wonder and
Show me who You are and fill me with Your heart
And lead me in Your love to those around me

Yes! God wants us to live like Him. He desires His love to pour out of us and will fill us with His love as we allow Him to. Woo hoo! All it takes is us dying to self so He can have control. He desires to be our words, actions, and attitude every day. We need to desire the same. When we do, His love will flow out of us a in a new, different way. His love will shine brightly through us. The more we trust Him, the more His love will take over in our life. Woo hoo! That is exactly what I desire. 

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for being the One I trust! Thank You for going before us today as we travel to the doctor in Charleston! Thank You for giving us what we need as we hear what he says! No matter what that is, I know You are with us. Father, cleanse us so You can fill us. I pray You will shine brightly through us today! Lord, give Doc strength in every aspect of his life. May You be greater than 'C' today for him. I pray the same for Mike, Dale, Rita, my two pastor friends, Rebecca's neighbor, Rickki's sister-in-law, and so many others. I pray for comfort for those who lost loved ones this week: Renee, Debbie, Rae Lynne, Z's family, Dorothy, the family of the two month old, and the family who lost three teens in a car accident. I pray for wisdom for those making decisions and peace as they make the decisions with You. I pray for strength for those caring for loved ones. Father, most of all I pray You will be the foundation for more people's lives. Thank You Father for being My Foundation! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7; James 1:2-4; Galatians 5:22-23; Philippians 4:13 - "Strong Enough"

We started our study on the book of James last night. Back a few years ago I had cards made up with James 1:2-4 on them. As we were talking about those verses I was reminded the only way to have joy in times of trials is to live a II Timothy 1:7 type of life. If we do not have Christ first in our life, we can't have His joy and peace. Our faith cannot go deeper if do not have Him as our Center. He cannot empower us if we do not lean into Him. We cannot receive His full wisdom if we are not living with Him as our King of Kings and Lord of Lords. I do not pray for patience because many years ago when I did I was diagnosed with MS. It was through MS that I truly learned how to be patient. But patience is a fruit of the Spirit that needs seen in me. In The Living Translation Galatians 5:22-23 reads: 

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

All of these fruit are seen through those who live a II Timothy 1:7 type of life. If we are not producing fruit, we are not living the life He has called us to. If we are not allowing His love to flow in and through us, we are not living as He desires. I strive to live such a life but I know I need to get better at it. There are times I allow circumstances or my physical issues to get the way. I know I miss opportunities He puts before me because I am too tired or distracted. The enemy loves to use such things to pull us away from God. We must not allow him such pleasure. Instead we must stand firm in our faith allowing God to work in and through us in whatever manner He desires. This week has been trying with doctor appointments and other appointments along with normal obligations. My body is retaliating in weird ways. I cannot allow it to blind my eyes to what God has for me. I must stand firm in the knowledge He is my strength and He will empower me to push through distractions. He also will provide rest as needed. I was grateful for my time of rest yesterday afternoon. I was especially grateful for it when I was up numerous times with physical issues during the night. God has always and will always provide exactly what I need. He gives me wisdom on what to do with physical issues. He lavishes me with His love as He encourages me. As I bask in His presence, He becomes more real to me every day. Woo hoo!

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace! Thank You for encouraging me to live a II Timothy 1:7 type of live so the fruit of Galatians 5:22-23 shows through me! Thank You for encouraging me to live as James 1:2-3 teaches! Thank You for Your Word that comes alive to me every day! Father, today I need to depend on Philippians 4:13 in a mighty way. I pray for Your strength to not only be my strength but also I pray for this Scripture over Doc. May You empower him to bask in Your presence and not allow C to be a distraction. I pray for blessings over his sermon as he brings it altogether. Lord, I also pray for the finances of the building rehab. I know You already know how it will all work out. I pray You will reveal Your plan to us sooner than later. Thank You Jesus for being with those who are hurting physically, mentally, emotionally, financially, and most of all spiritually. Thank You for being My Strength! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7; Proverbs 11:11 - "Yes I Will"

God directed me to Proverbs 11:11 this morning. In The Passion Translation it reads: The blessing of favor resting upon the righteous influences a city to lift it higher. In the New Living Translation it reads, Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper, but the talk of wicked tears it apart. In Matthew 5:14 Jesus describes the church as 'a city.' It is imperative for believers to not talk down the church. If we have a 'gripe' about something in the church, we need to talk with the pastor or leadership to either resolve the issue or to gain understanding about it. I think about some of the things that get posted on social media and wonder if it is tearing down the church. I don't know that a news article about a pastor that falls is good publicity for the church. Before posting on social media I try to stop and say "What would Jesus do? Would He post this? Am I being an encourager by posting it? Will it exalt the Lord?" I had a dream last night that was disturbing to my spirit. I was in a large church where the ladies were doing a special program. It was hectic at the last minute trying to get all the decorations done, fine tuning the last minute preparations, etc. I had a friend who was asked to do something she wasn't comfortable with but after being pressured into it she agreed. Then I was asked to do something no one else wanted to do. The people who asked me knew I would be capable of doing it with my personality. But I didn't want to do something just because no one else wanted to do it I told them I would pray about it and the ones asking were rude to me just as they had been rude to my friend and talked behind her back. This dream made me stop and think about a few things...

• Do I put pressure on people to do things they don't want to do?
• Do I make people think I will do anything asked of me?
• How does God feel when we are rude to others by talking about them?
• How effective are my words on building up the church?

When you live a II Timothy 1:7 type of life, nothing that comes your way is feared. If someone asks you to do something and God gives you the go ahead, you do it. You also live out His love in this type of life. That means being rude to others is not part of your life. But we all are humans and will make mistakes. That is when we must repent before the Lord so we can have a clean slate to start the day. Sometimes we say things that are taken the wrong way without even realizing it. Sometimes people hear things not said. No matter what, we must be uplifting and encouraging so people will see Jesus in us. If (not when because it will happen) people don't accept encouragement from our words, we cannot make them. But we first must make sure that is what flows from us. His love encourages. If we desire to encourage, we must first have His love. We cannot allow the enemy any open door into our life but instead must stand upon II Timothy 1:7.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for Your Word that encourages me so greatly! Thank You for Your strength for the day ahead! Thank You for Doc's encouraging appointment with the oncologist! I pray the one with the surgeon will also be encouraging. Lord, I pray for those who have had or are having surgery; those mourning the loss of loved ones; those looking for a job; those dealing with disease; and many people hurting emotionally. Most of all I pray for those who are need a spiritual healing. Father, I pray especially for a friend having a medical test this week to not allow the enemy an open door as they await test results. I pray for You to be greater than the fear he is trying to put on this dear family. Lord, cleanse me today so You can fill me to a greater capacity of Your love. I'm physically worn but I know You are here to empower me. Thank You Jesus for being My Strength! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7; Psalm 18 - "Made Me Glad"

God woke me during the night with Psalm 18:18 on my mind. Psalm 18 was written by David after a time God had saved him from his enemies. Saul had tried to destroy him but God protected him. In The Passion Translation verse eighteen reads: When I was at my weakest, my enemies attacked—but the Lord held on to me. Circumstances of life can be tough to endure but we, as believers, have the knowledge God is with us. He is there to protect us. He is there to empower us through the tough days when we rely on the Holy Spirit. We do not have to do anything alone. This week is full of doctor appointments. There is a lot of unknown involved. Will Doc restart chemo? What will the surgeon tell us? Will there still be a possibility of surgery even though the mass did not shrink? The list goes on and on with unknown answers but God is not unknown to us nor are the answers unknown to Him. We have to continue to trust and allow Him to work through this situation. We must not falter in our faith but instead must go deeper. God is holding onto us. He is strengthening us. He is empowering us through the Holy Spirit. I love what David proclaims in verse one of this translation. Lord, I passionately love you and I’m bonded to you,

for now you’ve become my power! This is exactly how I feel. I love Him so much and the desire of my heart is to share His love with others. The more I share His love, the more empowered I am to live His love. Woo hoo! I will continue to praise Him as verse forty-six says:

The Almighty is alive and conquers all!
Praise is lifted high to the unshakable God!
Towering over all, my Savior-God is worthy to be praised!

Amen! He is worthy of all our praise! No matter what we are going through in life, we need to praise Him! That may seem hard to do during tough times but it will knock the enemy down quicker than anything else. He does not like us to praise God. That is all the more reason we need to praise Him! The only way to live praising Him through the storms of life is to live in His empowerment as II Timothy 1:7 tells us. 

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for taking me to this scripture! Thank You for loving me so greatly that You prepare me for things ahead! Thank You for going before us to these appointments! Thank You for cleansing us so You can fill us up with more of You! May You be our words, actions and attitude throughout this day. May Your love flow from us in a new, different way! Father, thank You for the work being done on the church building. I pray for finances to come in for the deficit. I pray for those who are working on the building to fill Your presence there. I also pray for those who are going through 'tough' days physically as they deal with disease, surgeries, etc. May You continue to strengthen Doc in every aspect of life. I pray for John Harris' family as he has taken his last breath on this earth. Comfort them in a mighty way. Lord, empower us through these tough days. May Your strength be our strength. Thank You for our anniversary yesterday. I pray we will have many more. Thank You for being My Passion! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7 - "Blessings"

Thirty years is a long time. Some marriages don't last that long and some last even longer. I am so blessed to be Doc's wife. He is not only my husband but my best friend, pastor, leader of our home...so many things. There have been some 'tough' times in our marriage but these past few months are probably the toughest we've ever been through. Thankfully we live out a II Timothy 1:7 type of life that empowers us to lean more into God and trust Him. Our faith has grown due to the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in Doc. Yes there are still days of the 'what ifs' coming into play but thankfully the Lord empowers us to not live in them. Yesterday I saw a picture that reminded me of what I need to do.

 

I'm not sure that this picture is speaking of God's joy but that is the joy I refer to when I speak of it. Joy is a choice. The enemy does not like us to live in God's joy. He would prefer us to live in pain and agony. The only way to live in God's joy is to allow Him total control of our life. When we do, we will realize His joy no matter what is going on. It does not mean we won't have problems because we will. It does not mean we will always feel 'happy' because we won't. It means when you are watching your husband fight for his life you will have peace in your spirit. It means when you miss your family so much you cry you will feel your Heavenly Father's arms wrapped around you. It means when you don't feel like you can take another step in your physical body, you will feel His strength start at the tip of your head and go to the tip of your toes. Living this type of life does not make sense to a lot of people yet they see we are different. They see God's love pour out of us. They see His strength showing through us. Oh how we pray we are an example of what it means to live a life of surrender. We pray for more people to come into such relationship through our example. No, we are not perfect. Yes, we miss opportunities He puts before us. But the important thing is we strive to live a II Timothy 1:7 type of life. As we do, His love pours from us. That is the most important part of our life. We want to please God. We want Him to be proud of us. We desire for Him to know just how much we love Him. During these tough days with doctor appointments, chemo, etc. I must be intentional in staying close to Him. The enemy tries to put roadblocks in front of us to detour our faith. Thankfully God empowers us through the Holy Spirit to not take such detours. Saturday night as we celebrated 'us' the enemy tried to detour my joy with the 'what ifs' but I asked God to empower me to enjoy the evening and He did. We don't know if this will be our last anniversary to celebrate or not. No one knows but God knows when any of us will be taken from this earth. What we can know is God is with us and will empower with what we need to get through each day. He will take our faith deeper when we allow Him to. I'm grateful for every day God gives us together. I will live each day with a greater appreciation. I will continue to pray for God's healing in Doc's body while on this earth. I will have faith that whatever happens in our life is what God has planned. He already knows the outcome and for that I am grateful. I do not have to worry but instead just need to live in His presence and empowerment.

cDear Jesus,

Thank You for my husband! Thank You for these last thirty years of marriage and for the upcoming years! Thank You for giving Doc a heart for You! Father, cleanse us so You can fill us with more of You. Make us a beacon of light that shines brightly for You. Lord, I continue to pray for a physical healing in Doc's body and continued strength for both of us through these days. I pray You will empower us to knock the enemy down when he tries to pull us away from You. I pray for so many who are going through physical issues, family turmoil, grief from the loss of a loved one, those who are hurting emotionally, and those who are struggling financially. May You be exactly what each of them need. Thank You for being The Fulfiller of Our Needs! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7; Matthew 22:36-40 - "Dead Man Walking"

Before I went to sleep and then again each time I woke up I prayed for pastors. Saturday nights are special with these times of prayers. Sometimes God wakes me with specific ones in my prayers and other times it is for pastors in general. Last night was for one specific pastor who is no longer in the pulpit yet continues to have the desire on his heart to be living out the call God has placed on his life. God had me pray that he would realize this is just a season he is living and that he should not get too comfortable in it because he would be back in the pulpit again. He also had me pray for pastors in general to not become too comfortable in their present place of ministry. If they do not listen to Him and go the direction He directs, there will be consequences that will cause great pain. He will pour 'tough love' down over them in a way that will make them realize they are not in control but He is. This morning as I thought about the way He had me pray it made me pray for more pastors to realize the calling upon their life. I prayed for more pastors to die to self so God could work in and through them in a new, different way. I pray for pastors spouses and children to see a difference in them so they would respect them more. If we, as pastors, do not show God respect, the people around us won't either. If we do not love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:36-40), those around us won't either. We are being watched at all time by others but more importantly God is watching us. We should strive to not hurt Him with our actions, words, or attitude. Instead we should strive to please Him. We also should strive to live out a life of love for Him. As we do, others will have the desire to live the same type of life. Every time I was awake during the night and then again this morning I had the words to Dead Man Walking going through my mind. If we want for people to experience being alive in Christ, we have to share Him. If we desire for people to accept His love into their life, we have to live out His love. God calls everyone to share His love but He gives pastors a special calling on their life. He not only gives a special calling but He provides exactly what is needed to fulfill that calling. All we have to do is die to self so we can accept His empowerment to live out our calling. I desire to have people be able to sing these words...

I look for the words but cannot explain
A new kind of love ran into my veins
You are the key to all of my chains
To all that I was now I'm not a slave
Then You rescued me
And now I can breathe

I was a dead man walking
Until I was a man walking with You
I was a blind man falling
Until I felt the life You're calling me to
Pulling me out of the darkness
Pulling me out of the lies
Putting the beat in my heart again
I was a dead man walking
Until You loved this dead man walking back to life

Yes! I desire to see people rise out of sin into a life of freedom in Christ. I desire to see people not only accept Him as their Savior but to accept Him as the Lord of Lords and King of Kings of their heart. Woo hoo! The only way people will see me living in the manner He has called me to live is by me living a II Timothy 1:7 type of life. I need to stand firm in His love and empowerment. I need to not allow the enemy an open door by being fearful of anything that comes my way. Last night as we celebrated 'us' there were a couple times where the thought of 'What if this is our last anniversary to celebrate? What if Doc's cancer takes him from me? What if...' Every time those thoughts came into my mind I prayed for God to take them away. I will not live in the 'what ifs' but instead will live in what I know to be true. God. He knows the days we all have on this earth. We do not have to fret over such things. Instead we need to live each day to the fullest. If we allow the enemy to pull us down into negative thinking, he will take us deep into the pits of hell. Every moment we have on this earth is a gift and God desires for us to open that gift. He desires for all, whether we are dealing with disease or not, to live for Him. He desires us all to experience life not only while on this earth but also for eternity with Him in heaven.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the privilege to pray for pastors during the night! Thank You especially for the privilege to pray for one out of the pulpit! Thank You for the time we had together to celebrate 'us' last night! Thank You for the encouragement You gave to me when the enemy tried to pull me down! Thank You for Doc! I pray he will experience a supernatural strength as he preaches today. I pray for You to work in and through him. I continue to pray for healing in his body. Lord, I pray for us to have more anniversaries while on this earth. I pray for not only physical healing in our bodies but most importantly for Your touch on our spiritual beings. Cleanse us so You can fill us. Empower us so more people will come alive in You. I pray for Don as he installed in the Westlake Church today. May You continue to bless his ministry. I also pray for Cora as her Momma left this earth this week. Give her strength as she ministers. Lord, there are many pastors and families who continue to go through 'tough days' and need to feel Your love so very much. I pray for Steve, Peggy and their family; Shirley; two pastors who are dealing with cancer in their bodies; and so many others. Lord, be near to all. Empower all. Love on all. Thank You Jesus for being My Empowerment! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7 - "Hard Love"

Last night I dreamt about a couple for many years I have prayed for. It seems like they have struggled in their marriage from day one. In my dream, they finally seemed content in finding a happy medium where both realized if they were going to live a blessed life they were going to have to put God first instead of their own wants and desires. I would love to see this dream come true. When we take our marriage vows, we need to realize the only way life is going to work is for three to be involved. God, husband, and wife. The order needs to be that too. God must come first in all decisions. He must come first no matter what. When a couple lives in such a manner, they will realize life is not about them but Him. I'm so grateful to have such a marriage. It does not mean we always see eye-to-eye but it does mean God directs all decisions made. Monday will be our thirtieth anniversary. Woo hoo! I'm grateful for the way God leads us. I also am grateful for every day we have together. My breast cancer diagnosis three years ago and Doc's pancreatic cancer four months ago makes us appreciate life in a different way than most. No one knows when our time on this earth will be over but when you have 'C' in your life it brings reality into play a little bit more. We love to celebrate! For our twenty-fifth anniversary we did '25 things to do before our 25th'! We had so much fun! Some took some money like our cruise while others things were free like watching a sunset. The important thing was we were together celebrating us and thanking God for one another. Last fall we began '30 things to do before our 30th' but Doc's diagnosis got in the way of completing many things. We decided we were going to change it to '30 things to do for our 30th' since we need to extend it past our anniversary. We are going to be intentional in getting our thirty things accomplished. We know it will take some work with everything going on with his health but we also know we are making precious memories. No one is guaranteed life but we know God is in control of this situation and will bless us through it. We cannot live in fear but instead must continue to live a II Timothy 1:7 type of life. God did not make us to live in fear but instead He made us to live in His love and empowerment. I am determined to be the person He has called me to be, even in these tough times. I pray the same for Doc.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace! Thank You for our dear friends Ron and Elizabeth who took us out last night to celebrate us! Thank You for my husband! Thank You for the way You are the Center of our marriage! Thank You for directing our path every day! Father, cleanse me so You can fill me today with more of You! I pray for You to ooze out of me in a new, different way today. I pray You will be so close to Doc today. May He realize Your empowerment today in a mighty way. I continue to pray for a healing for him. I pray You will show through his life in a glorious way today. Father, be with couples who are struggling in their marriage. I pray they will put You first. I also pray for couples who are preparing for marriage to put You first. Thank You Jesus for being Our Center! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7; Psalm 11 - "Do It Again"

This morning God took me to Psalm 11 to ponder upon. One commentary wrote this Psalm is about a point in David's life when everything in his life seemed hopeless. This Psalm points out how we are not to despair or give up. Instead we need to continue to trust God. In The New Living Translation it begins with: I trust in the Lord for protection. This is exactly what we must do when we feel like life's circumstances are too overwhelming. God will protect us. He is there for us at all time. When things keep coming at us one after another, He is there to love on us. His Word will encourage us as we allow it. His strength is our strength as we live for Him. Right now life is overwhelming. I cannot allow the enemy an open door but instead must lean into Him. I must be more intentional in living a II Timothy 1:7 type of life. I must not give into fear of the 'what ifs' but instead must stand in the knowledge that God is greater than anything on this earth. I must continue to believe He is in the miracle making business. I have seen Him do great things and I know He can do them again. I love the encouragement the song Do It Again gives...

Walking around these walls
I thought by now they'd fall
But you have never failed me yet
Waiting for change to come Knowing the battle's won
For you have never failed me yet

He has never failed me nor will He ever fail me. My prayers may not be answered in the manner I desire but He always answers them. In verses four through seven of Psalm 11 we see how David's confidence in God never failed him. He never stopped believing God would protect Him. One commentary read that David's state of mind remained firm in his trying days. He kept a "steady confidence in God when things seem to be most adverse." David had great faith and wisdom. This came from being in relationship with God. He believed in God because He knew God and because He remembered what God had done for him in the past. It is easier said than done at times to live such a life. Doubts come into our minds. Hopelessness can take over. But we must never quit believing. We must never give up.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace! Thank You for the words from Your Word this morning that encourage me greatly! Father, life on this earth can be hard. Tough days can make for a time of questioning. I'm grateful You are here to love us through these days. I'm thankful You put things and people before us to encourage us. Lord, this morning I pray for a cleansing in my spirit. I pray You will take away anything that is between You and I. I also pray You will fill me to overflowing with more of You. I pray You will flow from me today in a new, different way. Lord, I pray for Doc to feel Your presence today in a mighty way. May You be the soothing balm he needs. May You also be his Healer today. Thank You for being My Faithfulness! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7 - "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)

Yesterday I read a prayer that went like this:

"Faith is not about asking God to stop the storm, but trusting Him to strengthen us as walk through the storm. Amen."

This prayer has so much truth in it. If life were perfect, Doc would not have pancreatic cancer. If it were perfect, we would not have any worries at all. But because of sin, life is not perfect. It won't be perfect until we are with our Heavenly Father in heaven. Until that time, we must live out our faith on this earth. We must not allow fear to take over during the storms of life but instead must allow God to empower us so our faith can go deeper through them. We must allow Him to be our Guide. I think of the song Oceans this morning...

You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand

I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise my soul will rest in your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Yes! He is there for us. All we have to do when we feel like we are being taken down by a storm is call out to Him. He may not stop the storm but He will strengthen us so we won't be taken down by it. We have a choice when the storms come. We can either give in and allow them to win or we can trust and allow God to win. I'm no quitter. My earthly Daddy taught me to fight the storms of life. He had over sixty surgeries while on this earth, beat cancer multiple times, had a broken neck from being hit by a train, survived a gun shot wound, etc. Yet he never gave up. I cherish the phone calls I would get each morning from him. They were such an encouragement. I will never forget his words when he found out I was having a tough day with my MS. He would say, "Now Sheila Babe, it's OK to be in bed but you can't stay there. You gotta get up and move so it doesn't take off." So. so true. His and my Momma's faith were/are a great example to me on how to live. I am so thankful for their examples. My faith has gone deeper over the twenty-five plus years with MS. It has gone deeper with my breast cancer diagnosis three years ago. It also has gone deeper with the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in Doc. There are definitely days I just want to go to bed and cover up my head but I know neither my earthly nor my Heavenly Daddy would approve. Therefore, I continue on. I refuse to give up. I refuse to allow the enemy an open door. I will stand grounded in my faith. I will be intentional on not only loving God but sharing His love with others. As my sister said the other day, "We are McHenry's. We'll get through it." Most importantly, we are Daughters of the King. Therefore, we are equipped for the storms that come our way. Woo hoo!

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace! Thank You for the encouragement You give! Thank You for taking my faith deeper! I know the only way for this to happen is for me to be pure in heart! Cleanse me so You fill me so I can be who You desire me to be. Father, I pray for Doc's physical, mental, emotional, and most of all spiritual being today. May You be greater than the pancreatic cancer. I pray for complete healing in his physical body. I pray You will encourage him to great lengths today. Lord, continue to heal physical bodies but most importantly I pray for a healing in spiritual bodies. As we studied last night, issues in spiritual bodies can effect a person in other aspects of life. May more people be cleansed. May more believers share You with them so they can be cleansed. Lord, continue to take our faith deeper. Thank You for being Our Faith Builder! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7; Psalm 19 - "How Great Is Our God"

This 'waiting room' we are in right now is not an easy one to be in. Waiting on the appointment with the doctor in Charleston has brought about a lot of questions. Why are we going to see him when the mass did not change in size? Why was the pain taken away if the mass did not shrink? Will the cancer spread during this time of not having chemo? Even though Doc feels better with not having the side effects of chemo he still is weak. What can make him feel better? So, so many questions. This morning the Lord took me to Psalm 19 which I read in different translations. I settled in on The Passion Translation. The first six verses are about God's story in the skies and the last eight are about God's story in the Scriptures. Verses two through four tell of how all we have to do is look around at nature and we can see God. He is always around us through His creation. I love the way Scripture is described in verses seven through fourteen...

7 God’s Word is perfect in every way; how it revives our souls!
His laws lead us to truth, and his ways change the simple into wise.
8 His teachings make us joyful and radiate his light; his precepts are so pure!
His commands, how they challenge us to keep close to his heart!
The revelation-light of his word makes my spirit shine radiant.
9 Every one of the Lord’s commands is right; following them brings cheer.
Nothing he says ever needs to be changed.
10 The rarest treasures of life are found in his truth.
That’s why I prize God’s word like others prize the finest gold.
Nothing brings the soul such sweetness as seeking his living words.
11 For they warn us, his servants, and keep us from following the wicked way,
giving a lifetime guarantee: great success to every obedient soul!
12 Without this revelation-light, how would I ever detect the waywardness of my heart?
Lord, forgive my hidden flaws whenever you find them.
13 Keep cleansing me, God, and keep me from my secret, selfish sins;
may they never rule over me!
For only then will I be free from fault and remain innocent of rebellion.
14 So may the words of my mouth, my meditation-thoughts,

and every movement of my heart be always pure and pleasing,
acceptable before your eyes, my only Redeemer, my Protector-God.

When we stay in His Word and walk in obedience to it, our life will be so enriched. His Word is where we find promise, hope, encouragement, love...the list goes on and on. While in this 'waiting room' I must stay in His Word more than ever. I must keep His promises in my heart throughout my days so the enemy will not have an open door into my life. If I don't, the enemy will have a hay day messing me up. The last verse of Psalm 19 is the way I want to live each and every day. The only way this can happen is for me to live a II Timothy 1:7 type of life. I cannot fear these days but instead must stand in His love and empowerment. As I do, I know God will bless me with fulfilling these words...

So may the words of my mouth, my meditation-thoughts,

and every movement of my heart be always pure and pleasing,
acceptable before your eyes, my only Redeemer, my Protector-God.

Woo hoo! This is the desire of my heart! I want to bless Him with my obedience. I want to love with His love in a way that will change people's lives. I want to be Him to all I meet.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the encouragement of Psalm 19! Thank You for being in this 'waiting room' with us! Thank You for loving us so greatly that You will cleanse me this morning so You can fill me with more of You! Thank You for being an encouragement to Doc today! May You speak to Him in a way that will enable Him to lean more into You. Thank You for Mom's good report with the orthopedic doctor! May You continue to be her strength. Thank You for the strength You are going to provide throughout this day! Lord, be with those hurting whether it be physically, mentally, emotionally, financially, and most of all those who are hurting spiritually. Be with Ellen to continue to lean into Your strength as she has surgery. Thank You for the time You have blessed Steve and Peggy with family these last few days. May You continue to lead them as they walk this journey. Thank You Jesus for being My Protector-God! Amen.