II Timothy 1:7 - "With Lifted Hands"

These last few days have been 'different' with not being able to type. Even writing was challenging so my time with Jesus was not the same but praise His Holy Name for being with me. My first thought when I woke up in the middle of the night with severe pain in my neck was fear of another cervical surgery. I thought about how I've been having numbness in my right arm and had flashbacks from previous issues. But then He pulled me up into His lap and comforted me. He encouraged me to stand upon II Timothy 1:7 just as I have been doing throughout the last seven months with the cancer in Doc's pancreas. He told me to not claim cervical issues but to claim restored health. That is exactly what I am doing! He is my Great Physician! He is with me no matter what lies ahead. Woo hoo! As Adam worked on me, I prayed for healing in not only my body but in all he does massages on. When I woke up yesterday with less issues, I praised God for using him to help me. As I drove home, I praised Him for enabling me to do so. It was so awesome to be home. We loved seeing our family and friends but after eight days of being gone we were so ready to climb into our own bed. I can't wait to get into my own shower! It is amazing how we can become so attached to such things. Sleeping ten hours in our own bed was wonderful! Finally, back into a king size bed...woo hoo! We get so set in our ways. LOL. As I was driving yesterday the words to one of my favorite songs went repeatedly through my mind.

With every heartbeat in my chest
Lord I surrender all that I have
The days yet to come
The days in the past
I'm giving you all I am
With lifted hands

Yes! I surrender everything to Him! I know whether I am here or somewhere else He is with me, loving on me, encouraging me, and empowering me. Woo hoo! While away I was surprised with an apology from someone who hurt me years ago. After going through therapy I had forgiven them even though they had never apologized. I'm not sure what is happening in their life but I told them I accepted their apology and I pray God is working in them. I wanted to say some things but God quickly stopped me. I guess the things I had on my mind weren't necessary or maybe they were not time appropriate. The apology was not so much for me but for them. There was a reason it happened and I pray God was in the center of that reason. I pray 2020 will be a different year for them and they find God. I know I could never have lived through what I did without God in my life. As I look to 2020 I think about how we cannot have 20-20 perfect vision unless we are focused on the Perfect One. Sometimes people need glasses to have 20-20 vision. The only glasses needed in our spiritual lives are His. When we see as He sees, we then have 20-20 vision. As we have His vision He will direct us to where He desires us to be, doing what He desires of us. I am so grateful for the relationship I have with God but I desire more of Him to consume me. I desire more of His love to ooze out of me. The only way for that to happen is to have 20-20 vision. I must be 'prayed up' and ready at all time to walk where He desires me to go, speak what He desires me to say, and love with His unconditional love. I'm so thankful I am where I am in my spiritual life but I can never be 'happy' with staying here. I need more of Him and the way for that to be accomplished is to surrender my life to Him every single moment of every single day. My physical body is tired and worn but my spiritual body is on fire. I may feel like an old lady physically but praise His Holy Name I feel like a teenage girl giddy in my love for Him in my spiritual body.

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace! Thank You for protecting us from so many wrecks that we saw on our trip! Thank You for providing strength for both of us to drive 1925 miles! Thank You for our time with family and friends! Thank You for us getting to spend Christmas with the grand babies at Christmastime instead of February! Thank You for the apology I received! I pray they will find You in 2020. Thank You for Dr. Monheim who fixed Doc's two broken teeth on Christmas Eve day! Thank You for filling my emotional tank over these last eight days! Thank You for Doc feeling stronger! There are so many things to be thankful for in life. I praise Your Holy Name for the healing that is happening in my neck. I ask for that to continue along with healing in Doc's body. Thank You for giving me Your perfect vision to go through every day as You cleanse my spirit and fill it with more of You! Thank You for being My Perfect One! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7 - "Happy Birthday Jesus"

I will never tire of hearing "Grandma Sheila!" Spending time with Ben's family twice in three months has spoiled me to pieces! Hearing "Grandma Sheila, you give the best gifts!" every year warms my heart. They are definitely not the most expensive gifts nor are there lots but they are given from the heart. In October when I asked them what they wanted for Christmas, I listened and shopped accordingly. Seeing the look on their faces as they pulled out the items in their stockings was priceless. They know the drill because the three oldest ones returned their stocking to me right away. They know they will be filled again next year! Watching them eat their 'ham balls' is also such fun. They do love to eat. It was so funny yesterday after we sang 'Happy Birthday' to their Daddy and he pretended he was going to eat the whole cheesecake. I thought Mr. Beckett was going to bust. Needless to say, everyone had a piece. Singing "Happy Birthday Jesus" with Miss Evelyn and Miss Annabel was another special treat. Making their ornaments for our tree was so much fun. Seeing them gather around Doc to watch funny videos was priceless. There were so many memories made that filled my tank. I will reflect back on them over the coming months and feel so blessed. When we were leaving, Mr. Beckett said something about we won't see you until next year and my heart broke. I need more trips in my future to see them. I just need to figure out a way to make some extra money to make those trips happen. There are many things on my prayer list for the coming year. I am praying for restoration in Doc's health; more time with family; a deeper walk with the Lord; and healing in some emotional hurts in my life. I will continue to stand upon II Timothy 1:7 knowing He will empower me to not just get through whatever 2020 has in store for me but for Him to be glorified through them.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You seems so inadequate for the way I feel about yesterday! You blessed me in abundance with Ben's family! Thank You for loving me so greatly that You answer prayers! Thank You for giving me breath today! Thank You for giving Doc more strength! Thank You for the blessings ahead in this day as we gather with Paul's family and then Doc's family. Thank You for cleansing me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You! Thank You for being my words, actions, and attitude throughout the day that is ahead! Thank You for my time with my friend June yesterday morning as we talked and prayed together! Thank You for our visit with Melanie last night. I pray You will go before her as she continues to interview and open the right door for her new position. May You continue to be both of these dear lady's strength. I also pray for another friend who asked prayer for the day ahead. Thank You Father for being My Gift and Gift Giver! Amen!

II Timothy 1:7 - "Great Are You Lord"

Thirty-five years ago my 'baby' boy was born! Wow! And now here he is with five 'babies' of his own! It is so hard to believe all he has accomplished! College graduate, ordained Nazarene pastor, godly husband and father...the list goes on and on. I am one proud Momma. I love his heart for God and for people. I love his compassionate spirit. I love the way God is leading him and most of all the way he and Emily are willing to follow God. Seeing their children growing up in a godly home is such a blessing. Watching the children interact with one another is a pure joy. You can see God being lived out in all their lives. That does not mean life is always a bed of roses but when the 'thorns' show themselves God is their strength to get through the 'tough' times. Ben was raised with having a non-profit organization being run out of our home. He knew what it was like to do for others even at times when you didn't have for yourself. It is no surprise to me that he is working in a non-profit. His pastoral experience has given him great knowledge for the position he is in. It has given him a better understanding of people and how to love on them with God's love. I am so grateful Ben knows and lives out the knowledge that God's strength is our strength. His love is our love to share. As we trust in Him, He will empower us to do what He has called us to do. I believe II Timothy 1:7 is lived out by Ben and Emily just as it is in our lives. We do not have to fear any of the 'thorns' that come into our lives. Instead we can stand in the knowledge that God is always with us, pruning us so we can grow deeper in our faith. He is always there for our strength to not just get through the 'tough' days but for Him to be glorified through them. God started Ben's life off with what could have been some very 'tough' days with a healing in the womb from an open spine. He then healed him from rheumatoid arthritis as a teen. Those were times of great encouragement to me. They were times when my faith was greatly strengthened. I am so blessed to know my 'baby' loves the Lord and is following Him. Woo hoo!

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the blessings from yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! I am so excited to get to spend time with Ben and his family today. I can't even remember the last time I was with him on his birthday. Woo hoo! Thank You Jesus for working the plans out for this to happen! Thank You for me feeling better so I can enjoy this day! I pray Doc will wake up feeling stronger. I pray for healing in his body. Lord, the 'thorns' he is dealing with are so 'prickly' and are tearing him apart. May You be the soothing balm he needs in this day. Father, I pray for a cleansing in my spirit so I can be who You have called me to be while on this earth. I pray for You to ooze out of me in a new, different way today. Lord, may You put opportunities before me today for Your love to show to all I meet. May You be greater than me. Thank You Jesus for being The One to Bless Me! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7 - "Different Kind of Christmas"

Merry Christmas! Those two words can bring on so many emotions. This morning I am praying for those who...

• are experiencing their first Christmas without their spouse, child, etc. on this earth.
• are experiencing what appears to be their last Christmas on this earth due to illness/disease.
• are alone yet have family that could be with them if they would have chosen to be.
• are alone with no family left on this earth.
• have gone through a divorce this year and experiencing a whole different kind of Christmas.
• are not in relationship with the Lord so do not know the true meaning of the season.
• have a prodigal child.

So much hurt. So many people with deep seeded hurts in their spirits. So many opportunities for believers to love on people with God's love. My prayer is for more people to experience His love in the days ahead. I pray for people to allow Him to heal their hurts. Some hurts will always be there but they do not have to so raw that every time they come into our minds the tears come. Some situations won't change until the Lord is in the middle of them. Some people will continue to cause hurt until the enemy is out of the situation. But God is greater than anything the enemy puts in our path. He is greater than the hurts of this world. He is the Only One who can turn this day into a Merry Christmas. All we have to do is accept Him into our heart and allow Him to be the King of Kings and Lord of Lords of our life. We must stand upon II Timothy 1:7 without fear being allowed to stop us from loving Him and His love flowing in and through us. Then, and only then, will we be able to experience a Merry Christmas. We cannot live in the past but instead must allow Him to empower us to live in this day that is ahead. The 'way it use to be' may not be any longer and that's ok when God is there to love us through the change. The 'way I would like it to be' may not be the way God desires and we must accept it. We may never know what people are going through and we need to be more aware of situations and how to allow God to love them through us. My heart is breaking this morning for so many. I pray they will have people with them today who will love on them with Jesus' love so their lives will be changed forever.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! Thank You for visits with friends, Doc's dentist appointment, me getting an antibiotic, and so many other blessings! Thank You for the sleep/rest we got last night! I pray for continued healing in my body. I also pray for continued healing in Doc with the cancer situation. I pray You will fill him up with energy and take away his fatigue. Lord, may You cleanse us so You can fill us so You will ooze out of us in a new, different way. May people see/hear You instead of us today. Thank You Jesus for being Our Merry Christmas! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7; Proverbs 3:5-6; James 1:2-4 - "Confidence"

'Why do bad things happen to good people?' I was pondering that question last night as I went to bed. Why has Doc broken two teeth in the last few days while eating soft things? Why did the family who went to China to pick up their newly adopted son have him die before they could bring him home? Why are there so many people dealing with cancer, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's...the list goes on and on? Why are there children living without enough food in their bellies? Why are there lonely people in this world who feels like no one loves them? There is an assortment of reasons for these situations but the one that came to me this morning is James 1:2-3. Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. James words don't make sense to many but for people who live in God's presence they do make sense. The harder a trial, the deeper faith will go when we allow God to work in and through us. The longer a trial, the more our trust in God will become greater. Proverbs 3:5-6 reads, Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him and He will set your path straight. Woo hoo! Trust is key in living for Jesus. Taking my faith deeper in Him is important in my life. The only way for this to be accomplished is by standing on II Timothy 1:7. I do not have to fear anything that comes my way. Instead I can be empowered by Him through it. Woo hoo! I do not have to worry about if this will be Doc's last Christmas on this earth. Instead I can stand in the knowledge that whatever happens, God is with us. I do not have to worry about what the bill at the dentist is going to be this afternoon because God has always and will always provide exactly what is needed. There is such a peace in living in His presence. That peace is what God wants all to experience. Sometimes it takes getting out of His way to have such an experience. Sometimes it takes saying 'yes' when we aren't sure what that means. Sometimes it means trusting with a blind faith because the answers as to how a situation will end are not there. No matter what, God is always there to carry us through. We can have Confidence in that. God will use our circumstances to build our faith. He will use our situations to draw us closer to Him, when we allow Him.

So give me faith like Daniel in the lion's den
Give me hope like Moses in the wilderness
Give me a heart like David, Lord be my defense
So I can face my giants with confidence

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the words of encouragement this morning from Your Word! Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! Father, I pray for Your supernatural empowerment over Doc's physical body today. I ask that You give Him Your strength in a mighty way so that he doesn't feel so bad. I pray for his appointment with the dentist to go well and we would have favor with the bill. Lord, cleanse my spirit so You can fill me with more of Your Holy Spirit. May people see/hear You instead of me today. May You ooze out of me in a new, different way. Thank You Jesus for being My Confidence! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7; Philippians 4:13 - "Good Good Father"

Yesterday was a day full of so many blessings Doc didn't feel very good yet he was able to go to church. Thankfully I was already scheduled to preach so all he was responsible for was communion. Having our largest amount of people at church was exciting! Having the opportunity to share what the Lord gave me in the middle of the night to preach was super exciting. "From the cradle...to the grave...and beyond!" He laid it on my heart to preach about how He did ministry His entire life. The desire of His heart is for us to do the same. Saying 'yes' even when it doesn't make sense or when in our human flesh we don't want to is such a blessing. Living in His presence is a blessing. Knowing you are walking in obedience to His voice is a blessing. My days are full of blessings. Seeing four accidents with one having a fatality was a blessing in the way God protected us on the many miles we traveled. It also was a blessing to have the opportunity to pray for those involved, EMS and police personnel, coroner, etc. God is so good! He is so quick to bless us! Today I am physically drained but I know God is my strength. I know all I have to do is stand upon II Timothy 1:7 and Philippians 4:13 and His strength will be my strength. All I have to do is lean into Him and allow Him to give me what I need to not just get through this day but for Him to be glorified through it. Woo hoo! I am one blessed lady! Yesterday getting hugs from the children at church filled my tank to overflowing. God knew Saturday was a 'tough' day and needed some emotional filling. He knew I needed to hear words of encouragement and He provided. He knew I needed to feel the prayers of people and I did. He is such a "Good, Good Father"! Woo hoo!

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! Thank You for loving me so greatly! Thank You for those who came to church yesterday and encouraged me! Thank You for the safe trip we had and for protecting us from the accidents we saw! Father, I pray for Doc to be filled with Your strength today. I pray He will feel Your empowerment. Thank You for providing a dentist appointment tomorrow! I pray they can do something to give him relief from his pain. Lord, I also pray You will cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of Your Holy Spirit. May You be my words, actions, and attitude throughout this day! Thank You for being My "Good, Good Father"! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7 - "Blessings"

I love to pray for pastors. God laid it on my heart many years ago to do so. I think He did so to encourage my spirit. He knew He was going to call me into ministry and when He did I would realize there would be people praying for me. Personally, I love when people tell me they are praying for me. When people tell me they are praying for me as a pastor, it is a special joy.It reiterates that I am not alone in this life. There are times that as a pastor one can feel all alone. When life in the ministry becomes overwhelming, it can be tough. When the enemy keeps throwing darts, one can feel like they have no choice but to give into him. But that is never the right choice. We all must stand up against the enemy and not allow Him to have His way in our lives. We must start everyday by putting on the full armor of God so we are ready for whatever comes our way. It is then, and only then, we can stand in His empowerment we are told of in II Timothy 1:7. God did not make us to live as wimps. It takes strength to live in His empowerment. It takes loving with His love and allowing His Holy Spirit to work in and through us. Some pastors have yet to learn this way of life. How can they expect their people to live as the Lord desires if they don't themselves? It is impossible. Nothing is impossible with God. That is a concept many pastors need to grasp and live by. Today is a day where many churches will be filled more so than ever before. It is a day where people will come to see family in programs. It is a day where people will go to church 'because they are suppose to on Christmas.' It is a day of great potential for changes in lives. God is giving us opportunities to do so. Now all we have to do is be ready and willing to allow Him to not only put opportunities before us but to grasp those opportunities and turn them into blessings. Oh how I pray for pastors to do just that. I pray for myself to do just that.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! Thank You for loving me so greatly! Thank You for getting Doc through yesterday! I pray he will feel better today and be able to function more normally than yesterday. I pray for myself as I preach today to not only be filled by Your Holy Spirit but for Your love to ooze out of me in a new, different way! I pray for Your words, actions, and attitude to be mine today! Cleanse me so You can fill me so this will be so. Lord, be with the family whose newly adopted little guy died just days after they adopted him. I pray for Your comfort as they travel home. I also pray for Pastor Craig Wrench as he is moved back home to the states. I pray You will continue to preform miracles in his life. Lord, may You continue to guide us all on this journey of life, especially those in ministry. Thank You for being My Heavenly Father! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7; Joshua 24:15 - "As For Me and My House"

Last night hearing one of the teen boys call our home 'cozy' made me laugh. It just seemed like a 'strange' comment coming from a teen boy. I thought about how I pray for people to feel God's love when they come into our home and realized that's one way 'cozy' can be described. When I think of the word 'cozy', I think about feeling comfortable. Sometimes small places are called 'cozy' and our home sure isn't very big but it's big enough! When I think of 'cozy' I am reminded of having a warm, fuzzy feeling in my spirit. The way I get that is to live in God's presence. So, yes, our home can be considered 'cozy' with God's love oozing out of all the walls. We strive to have godly things watched on the TV, godly music playing, etc. Many hours of prayer are spent daily in our home. There is a methuselah on the front door and a Hebrew blessing hanging by the back door. There is Scripture on the walls and He is proclaimed out of our mouths. We stand upon Joshua 24:15b, As for me and my house we will serve the Lord. In the NET Bible the word 'worship' is used in place of 'serve.' I like that! As I worship Him, I am showing Him love. My 24/7 worship shows Him I love Him all the time not just when it is convenient for me or when I have time for Him. He is the One to bless me with time. He is the One who gives me breath each day to be able to live for Him in the way He desires. I do not have to fear not being good enough for Him. I do not have to fear messing up in my efforts. I do not have to fear what others will think about me. All I have to do is stand upon II Timothy 1:7 and be empowered by Him. As I allow Him to be in control over my life, He will bless me in abundance with more of His love. My home may not be the largest or the most well decorated but that is not what matters. It may not be the tidiest or have the freshest paint but what it does have is His love filling it up to overflowing so it is one of the coziest homes around! 

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the fun time last night with the teens! Thank You for giving Doc strength to participate! Thank You for my friend Amy taking me out to breakfast yesterday and my time with my friend Marion! Thank You for the day ahead where I don't have to leave my home for anything! Thank You for Mordecei seeming to feel better! Thank You for easing my pain so I could go back to sleep for a couple more hours! Thank You for loving me so greatly! Thank You for the opportunities ahead in this day for Your love to ooze out of me! Father, for that to happen I need You to cleanse my spirit so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. May Your words, actions, and attitude flow from me today in a new, different way! Thank You for being The One I Serve! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7; Philippians 4:13 - "Your Love Defends Me"

Change is something most humans do not embrace well. In fact, sometimes we go 'kicking and screaming' when we have to change. This morning when my laptop wouldn't turn on my first thought was boy whatever God is going to give me this morning must be something the enemy doesn't want anyone to read. My second thought was I sure hope whatever is wrong with it is something Doc can fix. And here I am now using his laptop. It's not something I enjoy doing because it is so different. It is a change for me. It is challenging and not something I 'needed' in my day. How many times do things get in our way? How many times are the things that get in our way put there by the enemy or put there by the Lord? How many of the things that detour our day are little and how many are big? No matter what they are, we do not have to fear but instead can live in His strength. We do not have to fret over the 'what ifs' of situations but instead bask in His presence and allow Him to work in and through us. II Timothy 1:7 tells us that God did not create us to be afraid but instead created us to stand in His empowerment every day of our life. He did not create us to 'go back to bed and cover up our head' when the 'tough' days come. He created us to lean into Him on such days and know His strength is ours. These last few days have seemed to be tougher than our new 'normal' with me being fatigued and frustrated. It seems like frustration kicks in with MS fatigue. I have felt like I couldn't continue doing what was on the calendar so I had to remove some things and rearrange some other things. I am grateful God has muzzled my mouth a few times when I normally would say things that did not glorify Him. I also am grateful for His rest in my spirit. He continues to remind me that He created me to stand upon II Timothy 1:7. The reminder of Philippians 4:13 is also close to my thoughts. The important thing for me to remember with both of these Scriptures is that in order to live with His strength in the fullest capacity I must live with Him in me to the fullest capacity. That means I must live in His presence. I must live with His love ready to ooze out of me at all time. Woo hoo! Today is a new day. I know what is on the schedule but I don't know what all He has in store for me. I pray I do not miss any opportunity He puts before me. I want to make Him so proud of me today in the way His love oozes out of me. I pray for more believers to get to the point in their life where He does this. I pray for those who have not accepted Him into their heart to do so. There are so many hurting people in the world today. God does not take away all of the 'junk' this world puts on us. Instead He uses it to grow our faith and increase our trust in Him. What He does do is love us through the 'tough' days with an unconditional love that even when we don't do what He desires He still loves us. Oh how I pray for more people to realize such love.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace! Thank You for the way You unconditionally love me! Thank You for the promises I find in II Timothy 1:7 and Philippians 4:13! Thank You for answering my prayers with Doc having an 'ok' day yesterday; Emma and Dale being discharged from the hospital; and Dean showing signs of improvement. Father, I pray comfort for the families of the teens killed in the last week as they go through services. I pray Your strength for them along with all their friends and family. I also pray for those who need to feel Your strength with this holiday season as they go through it without loved ones. Some are for the first time and others it has been years. No matter what the time, it is hard to experience. I pray for those who are alone to have someone be with them that will show Your love to them. Lord, I also pray Doc can get my laptop fixed. Lord, cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of Your love. I pray I do not miss any opportunity You have for me today. May You be my words, actions, and attitude throughout this day. Thank You Jesus for being My Fullest Capacity! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7 - "I Can Only Imagine"

"God, when will this end?!?!?" was the words out of my mouth as the tears flowed last night. Another friend diagnosed with cancer. Her family has been through so much this year and now this. I know the answer to my question is when life is no longer on this earth. When Jesus' returns for us, there will be no more sickness. We will all have new bodies. Woo hoo! I can't imagine what that will be like but I'm so, so ready for it. Of course, not everyone is ready to meet Him. That is why we are still here. He needs all of His people to share His love with those who are not in relationship with Him. He needs more people living out a life of surrender to Him. The more who do, the more people will come into relationship with Him. Woo hoo! We need to love with His love and pour ourselves into people until He returns. He will give us the strength to take the opportunities He puts before us. He will give us wisdom and words to say what He needs us to say. He will give us unconditional love for people, even those who do not want to accept it. He will give us a right attitude and right actions even when we are not 'feeling' like doing what He asks of us. Plain and simple. He will provide everything we need to do His will. We do not have to fear but instead need to stand upon II Timothy 1:7 in His empowerment. My prayer list is so long with physical needs but I need to concentrate on the spiritual needs of people. This morning I am praying God will use people's circumstances to draw them closer to Him. I am praying He will use the tears that are falling to heal the hurt I am feeling with people on my prayer list.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the privilege to pray for people! Thank You for the way You have people ask me to pray for them! I am one blessed lady! Lord, cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. Fill me up to where the Holy Spirit is oozing out of me today in a new, different way. Father, I pray Doc has a 'typical' day after chemo with energy. I pray against side effects causing him to have a week like last week. Empower him Lord. Strengthen him physically, mentally, emotionally, financially, and most of all spiritually. Lord, I pray the same for my friend who was just given the news of breast cancer. May Your strength be her and her family's strength. Lord, I pray she will feel Your presence as she sees the doctor today. I pray the same for Dale as he awaits being discharged and Emma with her health issues. Lord, continue to be with Steve, June, Renee, Shirley, Jim, Pattie, and Patty as they draw closer to their first Christmas without their spouse. I pray the family of the 17 year old girl killed in the accident this week and the 17 year old boy murdered last week will also feel Your presence in their lives. Lord, this world has some nasty things happening in it. May Your peace be felt...may Your love be spread...may Your joy be found. Thank You Jesus for being My Peace, Love and Joy! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7 - "He Is With Us"

The Christmas season is hard to get through with the 'extras' on the calendar in 'normal' times. When you add-in somethings such as pancreatic cancer, it gets even harder. I'm so tired of trying to keep up with everything on the calendar and going through 'tough' days with Doc. I'm physically, mentally, and emotionally drained. Last night when Sandy asked how we were doing I let it pour out. I apologized afterward but then I thought about how God put her into my life for a reason. He had her ask last night for a reason. Why? Because He knows what I need before I even realize the need. He knows I feel like I'm falling apart emotionally. He knows my frustration with trying to hold everything together and missing doing some things. He knows my desire to have normalcy in our life right now. He knows I need reminded that I need to stand upon II Timothy 1:7 to be empowered by the Holy Spirit to not just get through these days but for Him to be glorified through them. Plain and simple. He knows. I am so grateful for that knowledge. I also am grateful He does not see me as having a weak faith but instead sees me as digging deeper into my faith as I trust Him through these 'tough' days. I am grateful for the way He guides me through them. I am grateful for His voice that I hear and strive to walk in obedience to. I am grateful for the people He puts in my path to encourage me. Last night with the children and teens was a great encouragement. Seeing them get excited about 'shopping' from the items Carrie and I gathered was awesome. Watching them pick out items that were 'perfect' for their moms and dads was priceless. Then watching them sitting and listening to Doc read the Christmas story was the icing on the cake! Even though I was stressed over other circumstances I was blessed through our time together. God knew what I needed and He provided. Woo hoo!

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! Thank You for our time with the children and teens last night! Thank You for giving Doc strength to ride along on the van and then read the Christmas story to the group! Thank You for Ms Carrie and Chris; Ms Rhonda; Ms Sherri; and Joshua for helping last night! Thank You for giving wisdom for us to get the paperwork that was needed done for the church building! Thank You in advance for giving Doc what he needs for today's chemo! Lord, I pray against side effects. I pray this week will not be as 'bad' as last week. Empower him Father with Your supernatural strength. Once again, I beg of You to heal Him sooner than later while he is on this earth. Lord, I pray for a cleansing in my spirit so You can fill me to overflowing with Your Holy Spirit. I pray for people to see/hear You instead of me today in my words, actions, and attitude. I also pray for the family of those killed in the car accident last night. I pray for people to surround them with Your love. I also pray Dale's infection will be healed so he can be released to go home; Emma will be well enough to be released to go home; and Craig will continue to make progress and be able to go home. Lord, thank You for being the Great Physician that can do way more than any doctor on this earth. Thank You for being My One to Know! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7; Revelation 21:23; Isaiah 60:19-20; Romans 8:14-16 - "Alive in Me"

I was thinking last night about a question a six year old boy asked me Sunday morning. As soon as he walked in the door he came running up the aisle with a hug for me and a question. "Ms. Sheila, why is heaven always light?" I can remember a day where I would have said, "Mr. Bradley, that is a Pastor Doc question. You will have to ask him." But that was not my response. I said, "Mr. Bradley, heaven is always light because God is light. His presence is there so it never gets dark." This boy's questions go deep and sometimes the answers given are not enough but thankfully this one was. He is struggling with the concept of the Trinity. Sometimes he will say things like 'Jesus did this or that' and then ask me if it was Jesus or God. He is one smart cookie and I am blessed to be in his life. I'm not sure what he was told or read that prompted this question. If he were an adult, he might have followed up with something about it getting dark here but we are told to live in God's presence. I was thinking about as we live in His presence we live in His figurative light. Maybe Mr. Bradley had heard about Revelation 21:23 where the new Jerusalem is described. In The Passion Translation it reads: The city has no need for the sun or moon to shine, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. This Scripture is referenced to Isaiah 60:19-20 where God is called our unfailing light...everlasting light...glory! In verse twenty it speaks about your days of sadness will be over! We do not have to live in sin. Jesus' death on the cross took care of our sins. As we allow Him complete access of our live, His Holy Spirit will fill us up to overflowing with His love so He can ooze out of us. I love Paul's words in Romans 8:14-16:

14 The mature children of God are those who are moved by the impulses of the Holy Spirit. 15 And you did not receive the “spirit of religious duty,” leading you back into the fear of never being good enough. But you have received the “Spirit of full acceptance,” enfolding you into the family of God. And you will never feel orphaned, for as he rises up within us, our spirits join him in saying the words of tender affection, “Beloved Father!” 16 For the Holy Spirit makes God’s fatherhood real to us as he whispers into our innermost being, “You are God’s beloved child!” 

Woo hoo! I am His beloved! I love living a life where I am led by the Spirit. Every day is a new day with new adventures. Every opportunity put before me is one I do not want to miss. I never want to get back to the place where I do not hear His voice. I am grateful for the knowledge that as I live for Him on this earth, I will live with Him in heaven. I am grateful the Lord encourages me to stand upon II Timothy 1:7 throughout every day.

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for Your love that showers me with 'God moments' such as Mr. Bradley's question! Thank You for Your Word that answers our questions! Thank You for the way You use Your Word to take us deeper in our knowledge of You! Lord, cleanse me so You can fill me with more of Your Holy Spirit. Use me today to be a beacon of light to all I meet. May You be my words, actions, and attitude throughout this day. Father, I am physically, mentally, and emotionally tired. I need Your strength in a mighty way. I don't want to just get through this day but I desire for You to be glorified through it. I come to You once again begging for healing in Doc's body sooner than later while on this earth. The 'tough' days seem to be more often than not. Father, if there is something we need to learn and are missing, I pray for revelation. Most of all I pray for Your presence to be so real to us today along with others who are struggling. There are so many on my prayer list that need healing in their physical and emotional bodies but Father most of all I am praying for those who need healing in their spiritual bodies. I pray You will put people before them who will be You to them and show them the Way. Thank You Jesus for being My Light! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7; Luke 18:16 - "O Come All Ye Faithful"

Yesterday was full of blessings from start to finish. On the way to church Doc told me he wanted me to stay in with the children during his sermon. My mind went all over the place. 'What?!?!? You are just telling me now?!?!? My lesson is not conducive to this!' I'm sure thankful God kept my mouth shut and none of those thoughts came out of my mouth! As we were leaving for church God told me to get some stickers and extra paper. Boy am I glad I listened because that is what saved me. We had four children yesterday which was amazing. Two of them are 'easy' and will color quietly; one is a special needs little guy with no verbal skills other than yelling/whining; and the fourth is a two or three year old little girl who has only been to church a couple times. I had two of them with me leading worship and then three of them sang an impromptu song for offering. After I did a blessing over them I explained we were going to sit up front while Pastor Doc preached. Everyone was in agreement and soon they were gathered around me sitting on the floor with crayons, papers, stickers, and paper ornaments to color. While the other three worked on their projects our special needs guy climbed up on my lap and I quietly sang to him. His yelling stopped and I could feel him melt in my arms. He stayed there for most of the time and the others quietly worked on their projects. Why I ever doubted God that it would work was beyond me. I felt so blessed. At the same time this was going on I realized my husband was standing up preaching. Wow, God! He has not stood to preach in months! After him being in bed since his treatment Wednesday this was a miracle in itself! It also was a miracle that I was able to get everything accomplished for yesterday's Open House. Another miracle was Doc being able to participate in the Open House after resting between church and people coming. We had thirty-six friends celebrate life with us in our home. Some were from church and some were neighbors. I love bringing our two worlds together. What a blessing when I saw Betty bringing in our ninety-six year old neighbor Grammy. She doesn't get out much anymore but she sure enjoyed the party. Krista helping me get last minute things accomplished; Jim coming to my rescue with toothpicks; Kathy and Roger bringing crab dip/crackers; Pastor Brenda bringing fruit and a cake; Tiffany helping during the party...all of these things were blessings. The support we get from our neighbors is overwhelming at times and once again is such a blessing. I always try to invite new neighbors to the Open House so they can meet others. Yesterday our new neighbor Bob came and had a great time meeting others. Will and Sandy who recently moved from West Virginia came and met new people. I love to connect people together. When we are connected, we can share God's love in different ways. We can live life with one another on a different level. When I climbed into bed last night, I was so tired but I felt so blessed. God reminded me that the reason He can accomplish what He does in me is because I stand upon II Timothy 1:7. I do not fear the unknown but instead allow Him to work in and through me. I strive to walk in obedience to Him. I not only hear His voice but I desire to fulfill the desires of His heart.

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! Thank You for loving me so greatly! Thank You for giving Doc Your supernatural strength yesterday! I pray he will have a 'good' day today and feel Your strength. Thank You for the way You orchestrated yesterday's service with the children! Thank You for Your words from Luke 18:16: “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God." Thank You for the words spoken over us by Pastor Brenda yesterday! May You bless her ministry in abundance and continue to guide her and Jeff. Thank You for all our friends who came to our Open House. I love bringing our two worlds together. Thank You for the words of encouragement by many but especially by our neighbor Bill. Father, You are so, so good to us. I pray we make You proud in the way we live out life on this earth. I so look forward to living life with You in heaven. Lord, cleanse me so You can fill me today overflowing with Your love. May all who I come in contact with see/hear You instead of me. Thank You Jesus for being The One To Bless Me! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7 - "The Answer"

Throughout the day yesterday I prayed for Steve who had Peggy's memorial service which he spoke at. Yesterday evening when I found our Patty's husband died I prayed for her. Both of them are pastors who have loved their spouses with Jesus' love through illnesses. Throughout the night when I was awake I prayed for Pastor Tom from Hillsboro, Ohio. A man who had murdered a lady and taken a child broke into their church and committed suicide after a stand-off with police. The actions of one man affect lives of many. The family of the woman who was killed; the child who thankfully was found ok; the man who did the horrible acts; the police who worked the call; the pastor and people of the church where services are cancelled for today...the list goes on and on. In a mess such as this, there is only one answer and that is God. When there are no answers for the 'whys?' on this earth, God is the Answer. He is the One who can give peace in chaos. He is the One who will give wisdom when making 'tough' decisions. He is the One to love us through 'tough' times. God desires to be the strength and empowerment all pastors have when they go into the pulpit this morning. He desires to be heard instead of the pastor as the words flow from their mouths. Many pastors will have opportunity to speak today to ones who are not normally in church. The Christmas season brings people out who do not normally attend. Some churches will be filled today due to a children's program. I remember one such Sunday when I saw a young couple in the audience at our program. I made sure to get to them afterward to introduce myself and ask who they were there to see in the program. They did not know one person there. They were on their way to another church to see a program and the family called telling them they were sick just as they were passing our church so they came in. That couple became great leaders in the church working with all ages over the years. That is why it is so important for visitors to feel loved. I pray for pastors to realize this and to make strides to have people in place to talk to visitors, give them church information if appropriate, etc. I pray for pastors themselves to make personal contact with visitors if not that day at least in the first few days after their visit. Letters are fine but personal contact makes a world of difference. I also prayed during the night for my pastor who has had some tough days since chemo this week. I prayed he not only would feel better and be able to preach but he would be healed sooner than later while on this earth. I prayed for him to remember God desires all of us to live out II Timothy 1:7. I prayed for all pastors to realize the importance of this verse in their lives. We do not have to fear anything but instead live out His empowerment through His love so we can love on others as He desires. 

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for giving me the opportunity to pray for pastors throughout the night! Thank You for the way You are going to answer my prayers! Thank You for being with Steve and Patricia yesterday with the loss of their spouses! Father, I pray for the wife of the 87 year old Pastor from Georgia who while holding her hand and praying after their Hanging of the Greens service Sunday took his last breath on this earth. They did life together for over sixty years and today will be her first Sunday without him. I pray Your comfort for her. Lord, there seems to be so many deaths of late. This season of the year is busy for pastors and when you throw in a funeral or two in the mix life can become more chaotic. I pray for Your peace over all pastors but especially over Brad who had two services yesterday. I pray Your peace over my pastor, Doc, who I pray will have a 'normal' day today. I pray for a cleansing in my spirit so You can fill me with more of Your Holy Spirit. May You be my words, actions, and attitude throughout this day in a new, different way. I pray more pastors will desire to live this type of life with You. Thank You Jesus for being My Answer! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7; John 14:1-4 - "Somewhere In Your Silent Night"

Deaths bring on so many emotions but it seems like when there is a death around a holiday the emotions are more intense. Getting a call from a sobbing teen yesterday morning about her friend who was shot and killed brought many tears. I didn't have answers but I had prayers. When one suddenly dies, it seems harder than when you've grieved through a disease of a loved one and they die. You have time to prepare yourself the best you can as you care for them. This morning I think of four services that are today for people who dealt with disease. I am praying for Steve and his family with Peggy's death. She was a godly woman who knew she was going to spend eternity with her Heavenly Father. That gives comfort but there still will be a great hole in their family. I also am praying for Lydia as she goes through her Daddy's service today. She has watched him suffer for many years. It is hard to lose your Daddy but as a teen it is especially hard. I am praying for Mickey with his father's service and Robo's family with his service. So many people have lost loved ones over this last year. This Christmas will be their first without their loved one. The emotions will be raw and there will be days that will be hard to get through. Those who are in relationship with God will have His strength. It's the ones who are not in relationship with Him that I pray for the most. I do not know how people get through life without Him. My heart breaks for those who do not communicate with Him. It breaks for those who do not know the promise of eternity for them or their loved ones. The first few verses of John 14 give great comfort...

Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.

Believing in God does not bring our loved ones back but it does give us the strength to carry on when they leave this earth. I stand upon II Timothy 1:7 daily to live as He desires of me in His love and empowerment. He has called me to love with His love and I strive to walk in obedience to Him. Even though it's been six years since my Daddy left this earth the emotions are still raw at times. I miss him greatly. Some days the tears fall quickly when I think of Him. Would I want him back on this earth? Not with the cancer in his body. He had suffered a long time but is now healed in Jesus' name! Our last Christmas with him was hard as we gathered for a meal at the church and then went to the house to celebrate with him family by family. We knew it was our last with him so we made as many memories as we could. We were blessed with that time. My heart is breaking this morning with the Momma of the 17 year old that was killed yesterday. She had no time to prepare herself. The families of the officers that have been killed over the last few weeks had no time to prepare. I think of June and her family with Karl's accident. They had no time other than the few days after the accident before he died. Many have no time to prepare themselves for the loss of a loved one yet we all have time to prepare ourselves for eternity. When we accept Jesus in our heart, we are preparing ourselves for not only life on this earth but for eternal life. We need to all live like it is our last day on this earth. We need to not put off doing what God asks of us but instead live out the desires of His heart for us daily. We should not put off what we can do today. When I was diagnosed with MS, I learned I cannot do everything, everyone wants me to do. God stopped me in my tracks to open my eyes to seeing what I do needs to be done in His strength. Over the last few years my eyes have been opened more to seeing the desires of His heart are what I need to strive to do. When I love with His love, He will empower me to do His will. He will open doors to new adventures I would never imagined. Moving to South Carolina and living so close to the water was a dream but now it is a reality. It seems like I rarely get to the beach any more but every day I leave the house I pass over water. Every time I go to town I cross a bridge or two. God blesses me in abundance with the beauty of nature. I don't know how long I will be in this place but as long as I am I will praise God for where He has me. I praise Him for every day He loves on me by giving me opportunities to love on others with His love.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! Father, I beg You to give Doc a better day physically and emotionally. I pray for a healing in him to happen sooner than later while on this earth. I pray against the side effects of the chemo. Lord, may You work a miracle in him. Father, I pray for Steve, Lydia, Mickey, Robo and their families as they go through services today for their loved ones. I pray continued strength for June and Angie who had services this week for loved ones. I also pray for the mother of the 17 year old who was killed yesterday. I pray Your peace to be over each one. Lord, be with Jim, Renee, Shirley, Peggy, and Pattie who are going through their first Christmas without their spouse. Father, I know there are many more who need to feel Your strength through the holidays with the loss of loved ones. May You be a comfort to all but most of all may You be real to all so they will be in relationship with You. Thank You Jesus for being My Comfort! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7; Psalm 9; Romans 8 - "Battles"

The Lord took me to Psalm 9 this morning. I read it in different translations and settled in on The Passion Translation. This Psalm was believed to be written by David after he killed Goliath. He was just a young man yet not only accomplished slaying the giant but also wrote such a wonderful Psalm. Wow, God! Verse one shows how we are to live every day.

Lord, I will worship you with extended hands
as my whole heart explodes with praise!
I will tell everyone everywhere about your wonderful works
and how your marvelous miracles exceed expectations!

Yes! We are to worship Him, praise Him, and tell others about Him. He performs miracles every day in our lives whether we see them or not. When we wake up breathing, that is a miracle. Every time we are on the roads without an accident, that is a miracle. Sometimes having food in the house or gas in the car is a miracle. We can look around and see His miraculous ways all around us. We also can look around and see people who need to know Him. We were put on this earth to love with His love so more people would love Him. There are people who try to tear our faith apart but when we live in God's presence that is not possible. When the enemy comes knocking, all we have to do is worship God and he will run away. Verse three tells us, They stumble and perish before Your presence. John Wesley said, "The best of all is, God is with us." Romans 8 tells us how to live life in His Spirit. We are conquerors when we live such a life. The chapter ends in the New International Version with:

31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;
    we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Woo hoo! I can conquer anything that comes my way with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. I do not have to fight on my own when I am living in God's presence. I am never alone with God in my life. Sometimes I feel alone and am grateful for the way He wraps His arms around me and encourages me. Sometimes He encourages me by answering prayers. Sometimes it is through words or actions of others. Sometimes it is through what He accomplishes through me. No matter what, He encourages me to keep on keepin' on. He encourages me to remember that nothing can separate me from His love. He encourages me daily to stand upon His empowerment and love that Paul speaks of in II Timothy 1:7.

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! Thank You for the physical strength to accomplish what was accomplished yesterday! Thank You for loving me through my emotional melt-down last night! Thank You for being with Doc on one of his worst days with after effects of chemo! Thank You for my time with my friend Carrie yesterday! Thank You for loving me so much! Father, may You cleanse me so You can fill me with more of You today so people will see/hear You instead of me. May my words, actions, and attitude be Your throughout this day. May I not lose my focus from You. I do not want to miss any opportunity You put before me. Father, I pray for You to ooze out of me in a new, different way. I pray for protection from the enemy throughout this day as he tries to tear me down. I pray for physical, mental, emotional, financial, and most of all spiritual strength today. I pray the same for Steve, June, Mikey, and many others with their recent loses of loved ones. I ask that You put people before: those who are feeling alone; those struggling financially and do not have gifts for their family for Christmas or even food; and those dealing with the loss of a loved one whether it be through death, divorce, or a prodigal. Father, I've dealt with such things and it's hard but You loved me through tough times and I know You will do the same for all when we allow You. Every time I go to the grocery store I am thankful for what You provide. I remember times where there wasn't enough money to stretch for all that was needed but You always provided. I'm thankful for people who loved us through such times. I will never forget when Cathy brought us groceries at the time of my MS diagnosis; many people who provided meals, groceries, or gift cards throughout the years when we were going through difficult times; and unexpected money in the mail. You have always provided exactly what we needed and for that I am grateful. When the enemy comes knocking, I do not have to be afraid because of Your love and empowerment. Thank You for that! Thank You Jesus for being My Battle Conqueror! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7; Psalm 91 - "The Way"

God had me awake a couple times during the night praying. There just seems to be so many people going through 'tough' days... 

• Many with the flu and some deaths from it.
• Families with recent deaths: June, Robo's, Steve, Mikey.
• Those dealing with illnesses or accidents: Doc, Mike, Dale, Rita, Mark, Baby Finn, Little Richie, Little Natalie, Kandi, my two pastor friends, Craig, my Momma's neighbor, Mick, Carol, one who the doctors have no answers for, one with back issues, and many others.
• Those going through their first holiday season without their spouse: Jim, Pattie, Renee, Shirley.
• A friend who has been without a job for a few months.
• A friend who is having a breast biopsy today.
• Baby Weston who was born early.
• Mr. Fran who is struggling with weakness.
• My friend whose wife is an alcoholic.
• My pastor friend whose marriage is falling apart.
• Two families in turmoil.
• Another pastor friend who is seeking God's will to get back into the pulpit.

Those who are believers know they can depend upon God. I do not know how people live without Him in their life. The only way I get through my days is to continually communicate with Him. I stand upon II Timothy 1:7 every day. I know for me to live in the way He desires I must be empowered by His Holy Spirit. To be empowered by His Holy Spirit I must not only ask Him into my heart but allow Him to fully cleanse me so I can not only hear His voice but walk in obedience to it. My heart breaks for so many people. I rejoice with those who have walked through a dark valley and are now on the other side. But once again I think of those who aren't in relationship Christ or have fallen away from Him. The tears are falling for lost souls. It's hard to pray for 'whatever it takes' to get them to come to Christ yet when you think of where they are headed that prayer falls off the lips. I know I need to get better at sharing His love. I need to be bolder with asking people how their heart is. God put me where He has me to be a beacon of light for Him. I need to shine brighter than ever before. Sometimes it becomes difficult due to circumstances but I cannot allow my circumstances to take my focus off of Him. I need to be more intentional in living for eternal life with Christ. Psalm 91 reads:

1-13 You who sit down in the High God’s presence,
    spend the night in Shaddai’s shadow,
Say this: “God, you’re my refuge.
    I trust in you and I’m safe!”
That’s right—he rescues you from hidden traps,
    shields you from deadly hazards.
His huge outstretched arms protect you—
    under them you’re perfectly safe;
    his arms fend off all harm.
Fear nothing—not wild wolves in the night,
    not flying arrows in the day,
Not disease that prowls through the darkness,
    not disaster that erupts at high noon.
Even though others succumb all around,
    drop like flies right and left,
    no harm will even graze you.
You’ll stand untouched, watch it all from a distance,
    watch the wicked turn into corpses.
Yes, because God’s your refuge,
    the High God your very own home,
Evil can’t get close to you,
    harm can’t get through the door.
He ordered his angels
    to guard you wherever you go.
If you stumble, they’ll catch you;
    their job is to keep you from falling.
You’ll walk unharmed among lions and snakes,
    and kick young lions and serpents from the path.

14-16 “If you’ll hold on to me for dear life,” says God,
    “I’ll get you out of any trouble.
I’ll give you the best of care
    if you’ll only get to know and trust me.
Call me and I’ll answer, be at your side in bad times;
    I’ll rescue you, then throw you a party.
I’ll give you a long life,
    give you a long drink of salvation!”

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for loving me so much that You wake me in the middle of the night to pray for others! Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace! Thank You for using me to be a prayer warrior! Thank You for reminding me of Psalm 91 during my nighttime prayer! Thank You for being with the ones I prayed for during the night. June; Robo's family; Steve; Mikey; Doc; Mike; Dale; Rita; Mark; Baby Finn; Little Richie; Little Natalie; Kandi; my two pastor friends; Craig; Mick; my Momma's neighbor; Carol; one who the doctors have no answers; one with back issues; Jim; Pattie; Renee; Shirley; a friend without work; another friend who is having a breast biopsy today; Baby Weston; Mr Fran; a friend whose wife is an alcoholic; one whose marriage is falling apart; two families in turmoil; a pastor seeking God's will to get back into the pulpit. May each one of them and/or their family read and ponder upon Psalm 91. Father, I pray for a cleansing in my spirit so You can fill me with more of You. I pray for my focus to be sharper today so I do not miss any opportunity You put before me. I also pray for a better day for Doc today than yesterday with the chemo side effects. Lord, I beg You to heal him sooner than later while he is on this earth. This is the hardest thing I've ever gone through. Take my faith deeper, Lord. Thank You for being My Way, Truth, and Life! Amen.