The Lord woke me up with the words to a song Crowder sings called All My Hope. After a tough night with little sleep I was encouraged by it.
Come on and sing All my hope is in Jesus Thank God my yesterday's gone All my sins are forgiven I've been washed by the blood
Praise His Holy Name! I am so grateful for the hope I have in Him. I also am grateful for the hope people see in me. Yesterday one of the verses we read in our sermon was I Peter 3:15-16.
Set apart the Messiah as Lord in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. However, do this with gentleness and respect. I Peter 3:15-16
I desire people to see Jesus in my life. I pray people will desire to be in relationship with Him through me. The way we lean into Him during 'tough' times can be seen. When we live out His love, we show people the hope He gives us. We have hope to live eternal life with Him when we live for Him on this earth. That is what my goal in life is and I pray others will desire the same goal.
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for being with us through a 'tough' time last night! Thank You for being our calmness in the midst of chaos! Thank You for the gentle spirits of Hospice nurses! Thank You for Doc's pain being less this morning! Thank You for the rest You are going to provide today! Thank You for our sermon yesterday! Oh how I pray people made decisions to live sanctified lives. Lord, cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with You. May You be my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts throughout this day. May my tiredness not take my focus off of You! May I stand firm on II Timothy 1:7 in the day ahead. I pray for David and Regina who need Your healing touch. May them and their families feel Your presence in a mighty way today! Thank You Jesus for being My Hope! Amen.
When Mordecei woke me at 3AM I was a surprised because he has been sleeping all night for several nights. But then I realized God knew I would need to be up out of bed to pray or I would fall back to sleep. I prayed for pastors before going to bed thinking I might not be awake enough during the night to pray. God is so good! The verses He brought to my mind in my prayers was Colossians 3:23-24.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
It is very easy in ministry to try to please everyone. The Lord gave me these verses in the first year of ministry at Willard. I was working full-time with driving an hour and fifteen minutes each way plus trying to do everything everyone wanted me to do in the church. God gave me Colossians 3:23 to write on cards and put various places such as the mirror where I did my hair in the mornings, my car, and my desk at work. He was very clear that the Only One I was to please was Him. I did not change overnight and continued to have a problem saying 'no' but I did learn to pray and ask Him before giving an answer. In Colossians 3 Paul was explaining to the Church of Colossae the way a servant was to be to their master. Matthew Henry writes of these verses:
Those who fear God, will be just and faithful when from under their master's eye, because they know they are under the eye of God. And do all with diligence, not idly and slothfully; cheerfully, not discontented at the providence of God which put them in that relation.
Yes! We need to serve God with a right heart. We need to be joyful as we walk in obedience to His will. When we are in the workplace, it is our privilege to represent God. When we are out and about, it is our privilege to represent God. When we are in our homes, it is our privilege to represent God. Plain and simple. It is our privilege to represent God.
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for Your love that covers me so greatly! Thank You for the privilege You give me every day to represent You! Thank You for last night being another Saturday night of praying for pastors! You had me pray for pastors to remember Paul's words of Colossians 3:23-24 and I did. You reminded me to pray for pastors who are in transition. Some have left vocational ministry; some have retired; and some have moved to another church. You had me pray for all of them to seek Your will and to walk in obedience to it. Once again I pray for those starting out in ministry to stay close to You so the mistakes will be fewer. I pray for hurting pastoral families to have their hearts healed and for those with prodigal children to not give up praying for them. Father, I pray for my husband/pastor Doc to have a miraculous healing in his physical body. Lord, I pray for You to be glorified through all we do. I pray You will be with us as we preach together this morning and for Your strength to be his. Lord, cleanse us so You can fill us with Your Holy Spirit. May You flow from our words, actions, attitude, and thoughts today in a new, different way. Woo hoo! May we all remember that Your love is greater than anything that comes before us and may we remember to stand upon II Timothy 1:7 in Your love and empowerment. May You be the One we choose to please! Amen.
The Lord took me to Psalm 19 this morning. I read it in different translations and settled in on The Passion Translation. David wrote this Psalm with two sections. The first six verses are entitled "God's Story in the Skies" with the remaining verses "God's Story in the Scriptures." We see God everywhere. We see Him in nature as He paints us beautiful pictures every day. David shows his appreciation for nature in this Psalm. Verses two through four read:
Each day gushes out its message to the next, night with night whispering its knowledge to all. 3 Without a sound, without a word, without a voice being heard, 4 Yet all the world can see its story. Everywhere its gospel is clearly read so all may know.
David continues describing how God is shown through His Word. He describes Scripture as: being perfect; reviving us; leading us to the truth; and giving us joy. Verse reads: The rarest treasures of life are found in His truth. That's why I prize God's word like others prize the finest gold. Woo hoo! David looked to the Scripture with reverence. We need to do the same. We will be blessed by what we receive every time we open up His Word. We will gain insight on God's will for our life. He gives us what we need in His Word to stand up against the enemy as II Timothy 1:7 proclaims. He warns us to live wearing His full armor in Ephesians 6:10-20. He reminds us we can have His joy through 'tough' days in James 1:2-3. The last two verses of Psalm 19 are key in how we need to live out our days on this earth so we can live for eternity with Him.
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.
Yes! I ask Him to cleanse me every morning as I start my day so I can walk in His will throughout the day. I do not want to miss any opportunity He puts before me to share His love. I desire to stay focused on Him no matter what my circumstances. I want to be who He has called me to be. This way of life is the best. It is why I can experience His peace in the midst of the storms of life. Woo hoo!
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for Your creation and Your Word that encourage me greatly! Thank You for the way You love on me! Thank You for another day of life with my honey! Lord, I pray today will be a day where Doc's stomach is settled and he feels Your empowerment in his spirit. I ask for clarity as he brings his sermon together and strength in his physical body. Thank You for our time with Jessica yesterday afternoon and our visit from Pastor Sam, Candy, and Zippy last night! Thank You for wrapping Your arms around us as we were disappointed in not being able to go away for a few days! Thank You for cleansing me this morning so I can stay focused on You no matter what happens in the day ahead! Thank You for going before me and being my words, actions, thoughts, and attitude throughout the day ahead! Lord, I pray for those with physical needs such as: Valerie Forrer; David Laurilla; Regina Fields; and so many others. I pray for those with financial needs to seek You. I pray especially for those with spiritual needs to walk in the path of someone who will share You with them. Lord, empower us all to be better at sharing Your love. Thank You Jesus for being My Rock! Amen.
Last night before falling asleep the Lord told me to read Psalm 79. I asked Him if I were to get up and read it then but He said to wait until morning. As I read it I felt like crying. It is a Psalm written about a time of destruction of a nation. It speaks of oppression among the people. That is what we are experiencing today in America. There is so much unrest in our world. I do not believe I have ever seen a time where people were against one another, especially those who call themselves Christians. How can one say they love God yet they treat their friends, family, neighbors, etc. with such hatred? How can one speak words of death over people when they claim to be someone who loves the Lord? It hurts my heart to see the way people are living but it really hurts to see how people who say they are following Christ to allow the enemy to play so much havoc in their life. We must stand upon II Timothy 1:7 in His empowerment and love in these dark days. If we don't stay prayed up, we will fall into the traps of the enemy. We have a decision to make. Will we live a righteous life or will we live an ungodly life? Will we choose eternal life over eternal death? We we accept the hope of Christ or will we live in the ways of the enemy? The only way to have eternal life with the Lord is to live for Him while on this earth. We, the true believers, must stand in His love and show the world what it means. We must not succumb to the ways of the enemy with our words or actions. Instead we must love with His love. That may mean keeping our mouth shut when the enemy brings nasty or hurtful words to us. It may mean 'agreeing to disagree' in some conversations. It may mean allowing God to use us to love on people who appear to be unlovable. No matter what, it means we will be blessed in the process. It is not up to us to judge others or to argue with people. The call upon our life is to love with His love so others will be in relationship with Him. There are so many hurting people in our world. Some are hurting because of their own actions while others are because of the actions of others. It does not matter the 'why'! What does matter is that we follow God's direction on loving people with His love. Verse thirteen of Psalm 79 reads in the New Living Testament:
Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will thank you forever and ever, praising your greatness from generation to generation.
Yes! This is how true believers will live their lives. They will praise Him! Life does not always go along as we would desire but we can be assured when we walk in obedience to Him our life will be exactly as He desires. We cannot allow circumstances or people to pull us into the traps of the enemy. We must stand firm in our faith no matter what happens around us. We must praise Him through the storms of life and keep sight of the goal of eternal life with Him.
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace! Thank You for loving us so greatly! Thank You for using us as Your faithful servants! Thank You for being with us yesterday and giving us the strength to carry on! Father, I pray for a better day for Doc. I pray the nausea/vomiting will not happen again today and the pain will be less. Lord, help us. Give us exactly what we need to stay focused on You. Cleanse us so You can fill us. We need Your supernatural strength to empower us. Father, I feel numb and I am physically wore out but I praise You because I know You are in control. Thank You for being with all who are going through storms both literal and figurative! I pray for those who have lost family, possessions, pets, etc. in the hurricanes, tornadoes, and wildfires to realize they still have You. I pray for those going through figurative storms to realize You are there with them. May they feel Your arms wrapped around them in a mighty way today and the days ahead. Thank You for being My Storm Calmer! Amen.
In our Bible Study last night we discussed Matthew 6:25-34. It reads in the New International Version:
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? 28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
This section is entitled "Do Not Worry" and are the words of Jesus. He is trying to get us to realize we do not need to worry or fret but instead need to trust Him to provide for us. As I think back over my childhood I have many memories of Him providing for us through others. In times of tragedy such as when my sister was murdered many people provided food, Christmas gifts, etc. for my family. I remember one time my Daddy was off work for many months for one of his many surgeries and was working at the school. The cafeteria workers, maintenance/ custodians, etc. gave up their accumulated hours so my family would not have to go without a paycheck. My memory bank is full of times God provided when times were bleak. I will never forget when Doc and Adam planned to go to Israel for Adam's graduation trip and we were short on funds. One day Doc went to the mailbox and there was a cashier check for $1000 for the trip. Just last month we had an unexpected HVAC repair that we received the money from friends BEFORE it even happened. I can say that I believe God provides because I have seen Him in practice. Does this mean I never worry? Of course not because I am human. What it does mean is that I trust Him and I do not manipulate circumstances to make things happen. It also means I know the difference between my wants and my needs. The last part of this Scripture is described by Matthew Henry in this way:
The conclusion of the whole matter is, that it is the will and command of the Lord Jesus, that by daily prayers we may get strength to bear us up under our daily troubles, and to arm us against the temptations that attend them, and then let none of these things move us. Happy are those who take the Lord for their God, and make full proof of it by trusting themselves wholly to his wise disposal. Let thy Spirit convince us of sin in the want of this disposition, and take away the worldliness of our hearts.
This is the way I desire to live every day. I trust Him. I allow Him to guide me as I pray and listen to Him. I strive to walk the road of obedience to His will. As I live this way of life my faith goes deeper and I know I do not need to worry about today or tomorrow. He is in control.
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for our study last night! Thank You for the way You speak through Your Word! Thank You for being with us through another 'tough' day and night with Doc's health! Lord, I pray for healing in his body. If that healing is not to happen on this earth, I pray for Your love and mercy to surround us. Thank You for Doug Piatt, David Kilgore, and Matthew's Mother who received great news from their cancer testing! I praise You for being their Great Physician. Father, cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. May You shine brightly through my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts today. I pray for Your supernatural strength as my physical body is so tired from yesterday and last night. I pray for Doc's oncologist appointment and last radiation treatment to go well. Lord, we need You to be so real to us in these trying days. We pray for You to pour out II Timothy 1:7 over us. Lord, I pray for those dealing with natural disasters this week to feel Your presence. I pray they will be loved on by those that love with Your love. Thank You for providing for their needs! Thank You Jesus for being Our Today and Tomorrow! Amen.
Last night before falling asleep the Lord told me to read Psalm 49 so I put my glasses back on and read it. As I did, I was reminded of Jesus' words in Matthew 6:19-21.
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal;but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal.For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." RSV
Wealth in material things is not where we need to live. It is wealth in the spiritual aspect of life that will lead us to eternal life with God. Psalm 49 describes a life that leads to hell. I don't want to see anyone go to hell. It is so important for all believers to share His love so people have the opportunity to live for eternity with the Lord instead of going to hell. A key verse of Psalm 49 is verse fifteen. It reads in the The Message: But I know the loving God will redeem my soul, raising me up from the dark power of death, taking me as his bridal partner. No one has to spend eternity in hell when they live for God. His desire is for people to live a life of obedience to His will. Sometimes we look around and see people prospering who are not following God. They seem to always have the money to do whatever they desire, good health, 'perfect' family, etc. But if they do not have God they are losing. If they do not have God, they are headed to hell for eternity. If they do not have God, their life is miserable in one way or another. The way life appears on the outside is not always the way it truly is. This morning the Lord woke me to a song Casting Crowns sings called Just Be Held. I was trying to bring the Scripture and song together in my mind and was struggling. I couldn't get the connection until I stopped, prayed, and asked God to reveal it to me. The reality of life right now is overwhelming. If the Lord does not heal Doc on this earth, his time is short. Recently we have taken some steps with finances to help me if he goes but over the years we did not make many long-term decisions. Therefore, there are many unknowns in the financial future. I can't say that I've lost sleep over this but I have thought about it a lot. The Lord has brought to my mind multiple times I Timothy 5 that tells widows will be taken care of and not forgotten by Him. Just as I have great faith during these 'tough' days I will continue that great faith no matter what lies ahead in the future. This song goes...
So when you're on your knees and answers seem so far away You're not alone, stop holding on and just be held Your world's not falling apart, it's falling into place I'm on the throne, stop holding on and just be held Just be held, just be held
If your eyes are on the storm You'll wonder if I love you still But if your eyes are on the cross You'll know I always have and I always will
And not a tear is wasted In time, you'll understand I'm painting beauty with the ashes Your life is in My hands
Your life is in My hands... Yes it is! I know God is with me today and will be with me tomorrow. I know He will guide me and empower me through the decisions that will be made no matter if He heals Doc on this earth or in heaven. As I stay focused on Him I know where I will spend eternity. I also know as I stay focused on Him I will always be making decisions based upon His will. Life is 'tough' right now with watching Doc suffer. I continue to ask God to heal him on this earth but if that is not to happen then I pray He will take him out of pain. The days may become harder before they become easier but I will continue to put my trust in Him. He is in control and will always be in control of my life. I pray He will use our situation to show others what a life sold-out to Him looks like.
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for giving me Scripture at bedtime to ponder upon and then giving me this song this morning! Thank You for loving us so greatly that You encourage us to stay focused on You! Thank You in advance for giving Doc a better day today than yesterday! Thank You in advance for going before us with multiple appointments today! Thank you for the way You continue to use us to share Your love with others! Thank You for Valerie's surgery going well! Father, may You continue to be with: David as he rehabs at home from his accident; Craig and his family as they continue to adjust to their new life; Tisha and Cory who are going through so much; my friend who is waiting to hear about a full-time job; another friend whose husband filed for divorce; the young husband/father who had emergency surgery; Rhonda's grand baby in the womb; Carletta as she makes decisions; and so many others going through 'tough' days. I continue to pray protection over those facing wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, etc. I pray protection over Paul, Bella, and Liz from the effects of the hurricanes. I praise You Father for Doug Piatt being in remission! Woo hoo! Thank You Jesus! Lord, cleanse me so You can use me. May Your words, actions, attitude, and thoughts flow from me today in a new, different way. May You be seen/heard through me today. Lord, I'm physically worn out. I pray You will empower me to stand upon Your love and empowerment as Paul wrote of in II Timothy 1:7. Thank You Jesus for being My Future! Amen.
Yesterday was a full day with the nurse coming, then the physical therapist, and then taking Doc to a radiation appointment. It was such a blessing to hear the therapist tell us what our first nurse told him about us. Jesus is definitely being seen in our walk. Praise His Holy Name! Our strength in the Lord is being witnessed and for that I am grateful. Mornings like today I feel tired in my spirit but I am thankful in knowing I do not have to 'do' today on my own strength. I also am thankful no one will be coming in today. The only appointment is radiation this afternoon. Praise God! These nights of being awake so much wear me down. The Lord woke me to these words of a song Sidewalk Prophets sing called The Words I Would Say...
Be strong in the Lord and never give up hope You're gonna do great things I already know God's got His hand on you
So don't live life in fear, forgive and forget But don't forget why you're here Take your time and pray These are the words I would say
This song was written to remind people to tell those in their life how much they mean to them. These words are a letter from God to me this morning to remind me what I need to do in these 'tough' days.
Lean into His strength
Have hope
Don't live in fear
Forgive others and forget what they have done
Remember God's purpose on my life
Pray
I need to get better at all of these things. We all do. God did not bring us to this earth to wallow in pity. He did not bring us here to be fearful. He did not bring us here to walk any other road other than the one of obedience to Him. He loves us and desires us to love Him enough to live in His presence. I am grateful for Scripture such as II Timothy 1:7 that encourages me to stand in His love and empowerment. I am grateful for Scripture such as Philippians 4:13 that encourages me to allow His strength to be mine. I am grateful for Scripture such as Isaiah 40:29 that encourages me to allow Him to be Everything He can be to me. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Woo hoo! Plain and simple. I am encouraged.
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for these words of encouragement from this song and from Your Word this morning! I am so, so weary but I am encouraged by Isaiah 40:29 in knowing You give "strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak"! Thank You for these words! Thank You for all that happened yesterday and all that will happen today! Thank You for Doc having another day of life! Father, I pray for healing in his body. I ask for relief from the headache that had him up during the night and continues. I pray for him to feel Your supernatural strength today in a new, different way. I pray for a cleansing in my spirit so I do not miss any opportunity You put before me today. May You be my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts. May You be seen/heard through me. Lord, I pray for my friend Valerie as she has another surgery. May You be felt so much by her today and the days ahead as she recuperates. I pray for those who are still recovering from surgery to remember You are their strength. My sister Linda, Kim, Larry, and others. I pray for those who are living with natural disasters in their path. Hurricanes, wild fires, tornadoes, etc. May they be loved on with Your love during these tragic times. Lord, I know You will be with us but I pray we do not have to evacuate this hurricane season. Life is so tough now and adding an evacuation on top of it would be so difficult. But if we do I know You will give me the strength to get through it. I would love to have a vacation but I sure don't want it to come that way. I would just love to have a time to make more memories with my honey...a time with no nurses, therapist, appointments ...a time with just the three of us. Thank You for the encouragement we received from cards yesterday from Linda Gossard, June Rogers, and Sandy Hatfield! Thank You for all the people praying for us! Thank You for being My Strength! Amen.
This morning the Lord woke me to the words of Mercy Me's song The Hurt & The Healer. The tears fell as my heart hurts so badly. This song was written when Bart Millard's cousin who was a firefighter was killed fighting a fire. It was a terrible time in his life. When he spoke at his cousin's funeral, he realized he was doubting what he was speaking. He wondered how he could convince the other firefighters that God was still in control when he was struggling with it himself. He wrote:
So I kept praying before I got up there with God, We don't need an encounter with you, we don't need our pathsjustto cross, but we need a full blown collision to where we just live one and the same; we're so mingled and intertwined. And I don't know if that was pain we needed, or just acknowledging that we're in the middle of it.
I hurt knowing if God does not give Doc a miraculous healing his time on earth is short. I hurt hearing him talk about how he wants to see our grand babies grow up. I hurt thinking about doing life without him. I hurt watching him be in such pain. Plain and simple. I hurt. But I also am thankful for the way God gives us times such as taking a walk last night. I'm thankful for the way He gave Doc strength to preach yesterday. There is a part of this song that is exactly where I am right now in life.
Breathe Sometimes I feel it's all that I can do Pain so deep that I can hardly move Just keep my eyes completely fixed on You Lord take hold and pull me through
So here I am What's left of me Where glory meets my suffering
Yes! My pain goes deep but I want to stay focused on Him. The desire of my heart is for Him to be glorified through me. I do not want to do anything not of Him. As we start a new week the desire of my heart is to stay focused on Him no matter what happens so He can use me for His glory. The week is full with radiation treatments, nurse and physical therapist coming to the house, etc. God will be with us every step of the way as we allow Him to be our strength. He will keep our focus as we allow Him to do so. He will be our empowerment as II Timothy 1:7 says as we knock the enemy down when he tries to put fear upon us. He will be our hope throughout this week as we continue to lean into Him. I'm singing these words this morning as a prayer for the week ahead...
Jesus come and break my fear Wake my heart and take my tears Find Your glory even here When the hurt and the healer collide
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the blessings of yesterday with Doc preaching and our walk last night! Thank You for loving us so much! Thank You for taking our tears and turning them into glory for You! Lord, cleanse us so You can fill us. May You be our words, actions, attitude, and thoughts in the day ahead. May people see/hear You through us. May You be greater than our hurts. May You shine brightly through us. Lord, I pray You will give us wisdom on who You desire us to implement search and rescue for as Doc spoke of yesterday. Keep us focused on You so we do not miss any opportunity You give us. I pray You will not allow the cancer in his body to take our focus off of You. Lord, continue to be with David and their family as they adjust to him being home. May You be greater than the obstacles that come into play in the days ahead for them. I also continue to pray for others with adjustments they have to make in their lives: Craig and his family; Wendell Kizzee's family; Steve Cecil; Patricia Davis; and many others. Lord, be greater than their hurts. Be the wisdom they need for decisions they are making. Thank You Father for being My Healer! Amen.
Saturday night has been a night of praying for pastors for quite some time. Last night was no different other than there were a lot more prayers with being awake so often with Doc. I prayed for him to have strength to preach today if that was God's will. I also prayed for him to be healed from all of this pain he is dealing with. He is one of God's servants who has a calling upon his life to preach the Gospel so lives will be changed. I don't understand the 'why' of what he is going through and may never know but I do know he loves the Lord and desires to walk in His will. If that means someone comes into relationship with God through his pain and suffering, he is fine with that. Whatever God's purpose is on his life, he is ready to fulfill it. One time God had me pray for all pastors going into the pulpit this morning. He had me pray they would be ready to preach what He gave them. He told me He was going to change some sermons today and He needed those who would be given a change at the last moment to walk in obedience. I had that experience a couple times and was exhilarated through it. Knowing I had no idea what was going to come out of my mouth was amazing. It was also amazing that I didn't remember much of what I said. I wish it would have been during times when we were taping sermons but it wasn't. He also had me pray for many pastors who are going through a time of transition. Some with moving to a different church; some retiring; and some quitting vocational ministry. My heart aches for some pastors and families who are hurting so badly. I just want to hug them and tell them everything will be alright. I wish I could be with the family of one retired pastor who is on his way to be with Jesus. I pray they are surrounded by people who will love of them with His love. I also pray for so many pastors who are dealing with COVID-19 in themselves and/or their family. I pray for healing in physical bodies from not only the virus but from other illnesses and disease. I pray for healing in emotional bodies from hurt put on pastors and their families by others. I pray for healing in mental bodies where life has become so hard to deal with that decisions are being made that aren't in God's will. I pray for healing in financial bodies where there is not enough money to cover the bills let alone put food on the table and clothes on the back. But most of all I pray for healing in spiritual bodies where Jesus is not the center of focus for pastors and/or their families. The Lord had me pray for prodigals to return and for pastors who are dealing with breaks in family relationship to seek His wisdom. So, so many things He had me pray for pastors and their families throughout the night. What a privilege He gives me to pray for others but my Saturday night prayers for pastors are so special. I know just as He has me praying for others, He also has others praying for me.
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the privilege once again to pray for pastors and their families throughout the night! Thank You for ones You brought to my mind specifically and individuals and as groups! Thank You for people who pray for us! Thank You for those who support us throughout these 'tough' days we are experiencing with the cancer in Doc's body! Thank You for cleansing us this morning so You can use us to further Your Kingdom! Lord, I don't know which one of us will be preaching this morning but You do. May You speak through us in a mighty way. May You be seen/heard through every word, action, thought, and action. May You be greater than the hurts of the hearts of every pastor as they go into the pulpit. Lord, I pray for the pastors who will be given new direction in what they are to preach. May they walk in obedience to that direction and may You be so close to them. Lord, I pray once again for: retired pastors; pastors in transition to another church or leaving vocational ministry; students who have set foot on a Christian college campus and will be called into ministry; the family of a dear pastor who is on his way to be with you for eternity; and myself and Doc as we continue to seek Your will for our life. Thank You for being My Way/Truth/Life! Amen.
The Lord took me to Psalm 11 this morning. As I read David's words I thought about how believers are being persecuted for standing up for what God instills in us. We must trust God through times of persecution. We must not allow the enemy to tear us down but instead must stand firm in our faith. David appears to be speaking to an unknown individual in this Psalm. He states his case in his first sentence when he says, I trust in the Lord for protection. That is what we must do at all time but especially when we feel attacked. He continues in verse three to say, The foundations of law and order have collapsed. What can the righteous do? Wow! That is the world we are living in today. Between the attacks on the police and the trash happening in politics we see a collapse of what God desires in this world. Even people who call themselves believersare participating in putting people into government office that kill babies in the womb. When will all of this junk stop? When will our country be the country that was built on the right beliefs? I personally don't believe it will ever go back to that. I believe the junk will continue and even worsen until the return of the Lord. The last verses of this chapter show us what will happen at that time.
But the Lord is in his holy Temple; the Lord still rules from heaven. He watches everyone closely, examining every person on earth. 5 The Lord examines both the righteous and the wicked. He hates those who love violence. 6 He will rain down blazing coals and burning sulfur on the wicked, punishing them with scorching winds. 7 For the righteous Lord loves justice. The virtuous will see his face. (NLT)
We all have a choice to make. Will will allow the enemy to pull us into the wicked ways of the world or will we stand in our faith with the Lord? Will we spend eternity in hell or in heaven? Will we stand for justice in our country or be quiet and allow the enemy to play havoc? I believe we believers need to get better at voicing our beliefs. There are too many babies in the womb being killed. There are too many people believing the lies of the enemy. There are too many people not accepting the Gospel as a way of life. All of these things could change if we believers would speak up and be bold in doing so. We must stand in His love and empowerment as II Timothy 1:7 tells us.
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace! Thank You for Your Word that encourages me greatly! Thank You for people who show us Your love by phone calls, text, bringing food like Tiffany did again last night, Chris who came over when we needed him, etc. Thank You for being with us yesterday when life was so tough with Doc being so sick! Thank You for being His strength as he went through the first radiation treatment! Lord, we both need Your supernatural empowerment through these days. Cleanse us so You can fill us with more of You. I pray You will stay close to us so we feel Your presence. I pray the same for: my friend whose husband has filed for divorce; David as he goes home from rehab; and many who are going through tough days. I pray for the tropical storms/hurricanes that are out in the Atlantic to dissipate or go out to sea. When I told Doc I wish we could go on vacation, he reminded me this is the time of year we have had an unplanned one for the last four years. That is not the kind I desire but if it is what happens I pray for Your wisdom and peace. Lord, go before me today and give me what I need to be Your obedient servant. It seems like days since him coming home from the hospital have been a blur of nurses, medication, etc. I pray we adjust to this way of life sooner than later. Lord, heal him. Thank You for being My Eternity! Amen.
What a blessing to have assurance that no matter what lies ahead in this day it will not be a surprise to God! He goes before us and paves the way. I do not know how people get through days such as what we are experiencing without that assurance. Knowing His strength is my strength is great encouragement every day. I am leaning greatly on His physical, mental, emotional, financial, and most of all spiritual strength. Praise His Holy Name for verses like Philippians 4:13 that tell me His strength is readily available for me as I allow Him to have total control of my life. I know the only way for His strength to be experienced fully is for me to stand upon II Timothy 1:7. This morning the enemy tried to tell me I couldn't 'do' what I needed to do. Praise God for being right there to remind me I do not have to 'do' anything on my own strength but can be blessed through His. He is my Strength. He is my Hope. He is my Greatest Encourager. Woo hoo! Once again this morning Even If by Mercy Me is going through my mind.
I know You're able and I know You can Save through the fire with Your mighty hand But even if You don't My hope is You alone I know the sorrow, and I know the hurt Would all go away if You'd just say the word But even if You don't My hope is You alone
God can do anything! He does everything for us that we allow Him as we walk in His will. He knows our hurts. He knows when we are struggling and He is there to give us exactly what we need. No matter what happens in the day ahead He will remain my Hope. I continue to pray for healing in Doc's body while on this earth sooner than later but I also pray if that is not in His will to heal Him in heaven with a new body that will not have cancer. No matter what/when his healing occurs I will be very intentional in living in God's will. I also will allow God to work in and through me.
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for Your Word and songs that encourage me greatly to lean more into You! Thank You for being with us through these tough days! I pray for Doc to feel Your supernatural empowerment throughout this day as he deals with pain and goes for the first radiation treatment. Lord, be greater than the obstacles before him. I pray for a cleansing in my spirit so I can walk in Your will. May You be greater than the hurts of my heart. Thank You Jesus for being My Hope! Amen.
The Lord took me to Psalm 13 this morning and directed me to pray for those who need to put this Scripture into practice. In The Message it reads:
Long enough, God—you’ve ignored me long enough. I’ve looked at the back of your head long enough. Long enough I’ve carried this ton of trouble,lived with a stomach full of pain. Long enough my arrogant enemies have looked down their noses at me.
Take a good look at me, God, my God; I want to look life in the eye,
So no enemy can get the best of me or laugh when I fall on my face.
I've thrown myself headlong into your arms---I'm celebrating your rescue.
I'm singing at the top of my lungs, I'm so full of answered prayers.
There are so many people who know God but have allowed the world to take over their relationship with Him. It breaks my heart to see people rely on themselves, others, the government, etc. instead of relying on God. But it really breaks my heart to see believers practicing such a life style. I can't even begin to imagine how God feels. Instead of people pressing into Him they blame Him for all their problems. Instead of praying for more of Him they walk away from Him. We must stand in His love and empowerment as II Timothy 1:7 tells us. When the days get tough, we must press into His strength more than ever before. Philippians 4:13 tells us we can do anything through His strength. The Scripture says, I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength. Not some but ALL. Woo hoo! What happens when we live such a life is realized in the last verses of this prayer in Psalm 13. We will celebrate! We will be seen as singing at the top of my lungs with praises to Him. Why? Because we will be so full of answered prayers. Will all our prayers be answered as we desire? Maybe not but they will be answered in the way best for us.
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for Your love and empowerment! Thank You for always being with us! Thank You for the opportunities You put before me yesterday and the ones You will give me today to show Your love to others! Thank You for instantly answering my prayers and the prayers of my prayer warriors yesterday in a difficult situation! Thank You for Doc coming home! Oh Father, how I pray for continued healing in his body and for strength to be renewed. May Your strength be his strength. I pray for You to be so close to us as we adjust to this new life we are experiencing. Lord, cleanse me so You can fill me with more of You. May You be seen/heard through me in a more intentional way than ever before. I pray for Madeline as she recuperates from surgery; my friend whose husband filed for divorce; my friend waiting to hear about a full-time job; and so many others going through difficult days. Lord, may the believers who have turned away from You realize what they need to do to experience You in the fullest. May people who don't know You be told about You and begin a life filled with You. Lord, empower all believers to get better at sharing You. Empower us all to not miss any opportunities You put before us to do so. Thank You Jesus for being My Answer To Prayer! Amen.
Yesterday was a day with the theme of HOPE! I started the day with my friend Kim sharing Philippians 1:20-21 with me. Paul's writing always encourages me but I especially love his writing to the Church of Philippi. In The Passion Translation it reads:
No matter what, I will continue to hope and passionately cling to Christ, so that he will be openly revealed through me before everyone’s eyes. So I will not be ashamed! In my life or in my death, Christ will be magnified in me.My true life is the Anointed One, and dying means gaining more of him.
Yes! These words show Paul realizing the confidence he had in his life with Christ. He knew God was in control even during the tough days he had being imprisoned. He had confidence God was always with him and no matter what happened on this earth he would spend eternity with God for eternity. He asked the people to pray for him and they did. Through those prayers and the work of the Holy Spirit his needs were met. Paul's desire was for God to be glorified through him. That is the same desire of my heart. Yesterday I was told by a doctor that he saw our deep faith in the Lord by our reaction to all that has been thrown at us. That made me so happy! I will continue to hope and passionately cling to Christ...Christ will be magnified in me. Yes! Woo hoo! Praise His Holy Name! As I live in the center of God's will, He gives me His love, hope, strength, and peace in a mighty way. He gives me His wisdom in making tough decisions and clarity to make them. He gives me everything I need and sometimes even the things I don't ask for yet He knows spoil me! Last night it was a bowl of homemade ice cream from my friend Tiffany. It made me feel so loved by my Heavenly Daddy that He would have her love me with it. It brought tears to my eyes. God loves me so much and I know is the One getting me through these tough days with such peace and stamina. It is times when people share a Scripture that He speaks life to me. My friend Bill shared from the book of Mark yesterday morning where Jesus said, When the rest of the world says there is no hope, Jesus says, they are wrong, just trust me. Yes! Hope! This morning he shared Psalm 31:24. Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord. Once again, hope! Woo hoo! I start this new day out once again with HOPE. As Doc says, 'as long as there is breathe, there is hope!'
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for Your love, mercy and grace! Thank You for the HOPE you give in such trying days! Thank You for the relief You provided for Doc yesterday and the good rest he was able to receive yesterday afternoon! Thank You for the clarity as I met with different people and made decisions yesterday! Thank You for another day of life for us to make some memories! Thank You for the way You are going to go before Doc today and give him Your supernatural strength to do what he needs to do today! I pray it is Your will for him to come home today but if not, then give us Your peace. I also pray You will continue to put people before us that speak life to us. Not just people we know but doctors, nurses, medical personnel such as the young man who transported Doc for the MRI who left the room saying he was going to be praying for us, dietary workers, palliative care ladies, etc. You have given us encouragement over and over with this hospital stay and I am so thankful for each time. Lord, we have some decisions to make and some things that need accomplished that are pretty overwhelming. I pray You will show Yourself through each of them. I also continue to pray for You to be glorified through us! I praise You for the words the doctor spoke to me about seeing You in us! I praise You for people like Kim Craigmyle, Bill Watts, Joshua and Tiffany Ellsworth, Chris Campbell and so many others who shared You with us yesterday through words or actions. I praise You for the texts, calls, and messages sent to encourage us! Once again, I know the only way to have the day ahead be what You desire is for You to cleanse me so I do not miss any opportunity You put before me. May You shine brightly through my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts today in a new, different way. Lord, I pray You will be with my friend whose husband filed for divorce and another friend as she awaits a call about a job she has waited many months for. May they both experience Your HOPE today! May we all stand in Your love and empowerment as II Timothy 1:7 encourages us to do. Thank You Jesus for being My Hope! Amen.
The Lord woke me with the words to a song Matt Maher sings called Alive & Breathing. It was no coincidence. He knew I needed the reminder that I have hope in Him no matter what happens in my little world.
Joy still comes in the morning Hope still walks with the hurting If you're still alive and breathing Praise the Lord Don't stop dancing and dreaming There's still Good News worth repeating So lift your head and keep singing Praise the Lord
It also is no coincidence that He brought the first few verses of Isaiah 61 to me a few weeks ago. He knew I needed reminded that through His Spirit I am empowered to put on a garment of praise instead of wearing one of despair through 'tough' days. It also is no coincidence He gave me II Timothy 1:7 to walk in His love and empowerment just weeks prior to the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in Doc's body. God is so good and loves me so much. Woo hoo! He loves me enough to be my supernatural strength and wisdom throughout days like yesterday. He loves me enough to provide friends to hug me and cry with me. He loves me enough to give us special times to make new memories. Plain and simple. He loves me enough and I will praise Him through another day with my honey! This song continues...
Let everything, let everything, let everything Praise the Lord In the working, in the waiting Praise the Lord In the blessing, in the breaking Praise the Lord In the dying, the rising Let it praise the Lord Let it praise the Lord Praise the Lord
Yes! I will praise Him no matter what happens today! As I do He will empower me to live the way He so desires. That is where I want to stay because I know as I do He will be right here with me encouraging me to carry on the road of obedience.
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for Your supernatural strength You provided yesterday and will provide today! Thank You for giving Doc rest yesterday afternoon! I pray he was able to get good rest overnight. I also pray You will use the patch to control his pain so I can bring him home today. Lord, be with us as we make some tough decisions. Cleanse us so we can be filled with Your supernatural wisdom, discernment, love, and strength. My human body will want to struggle today with five hours of interrupted sleep but I know You will fill me with Your strength and for that I am grateful. I also am grateful that whatever lies ahead in this day will be no surprise to You. Thank You for our time to make a new memory yesterday morning! Thank You for Sandy who was there to be a shoulder to cry on and an ear to listen! What a blessing it was when her and Will moved here! Thank You for my new friend Heather! I pray she saw/heard You through me yesterday. Lord, I pray for two families who lost loved ones yesterday. Florence Nead's family with the loss of their niece and another family. May You give them Your peace today in a mighty way. I also ask that You be very near to my friend whose marriage is crumbling. I pray for the enemy to be struck down today in her situation and for reconciliation to begin. Lord, give her discernment and Your love as she talks with her husband. May You shine brightly through her and give her hope. Praise You Father for being My Hope! Amen.
