Dear Heavenly Father, as I look back on this past year, I see so many times where you revealed yourself, protected me and my loved ones, kept your promises, and provided for my needs.
I know you are the Alpha and the Omega, so not only are you the One who Begins a good work in me, but You also are the One who wishes to finish a good work in me. Lord, I pray if I've kept you out of any area of my life, or if my selfish desires have stood in the way of your will, I now give you permission to enter, grow and change all areas of my life, in order for you to complete the good work you started in me.
Father, I pray for patience while waiting for you to answer my prayers and your plans to be revealed. I pray for a more sensitive heart, that I would feel pity, and grace, and forgiveness towards others in the coming year. I also ask for your provision on my household. You are a father who knows how to give good gifts to your children. I thank you that through Jesus' sacrifice, I am now counted among your children. I ask you to provide for my material needs in order that I would not be distracted by them, and can focus on trust and peace in you, instead. I pray that you'd help me to use the gifts, abilities and talents you've given me in the new year for your glory and to lift up the body of believers, as well as reach out to those who maybe haven't learned to follow Christ yet.
Bless the work of my hands, the words of my mouth, and the thoughts I have. May they learn to be under your authority for both my benefit and your glory.
I end this prayer with thanks and praise and worship and honor to you Heavenly Father. Thank you for all you've already done, and for allowing me the opportunity to present my requests to you, and to have the confidence to entrust it all to you in the New Year.
In Jesus Name,
Amen.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Friday, December 28, 2007
Christmas Miracle Number Two!!!
The same night our "Christmas Angel" came anonymously, my husband also returned home with unbelievable news: two of the older women at his work had already gone out and bought gifts for our family! They didn't do it for everyone, and there's no reason they should've picked us, but they did. I can only guess that God called them to do this and they responded to His nudgings.
They bought our family toys, sports balls, grocery gift cards, cash gift cards, gifts for our home, and even an old-fashioned curved walking stick like pictures of St. Nick's from an earlier era, complete with a red ribbon and jingle bells on it.
I can never say enough how much God provides, and He rewards our efforts, and He cares about our desires - in many cases, He put them there.
So as we enter the New Year, just remember to trust Him for all your needs, trust Him with your family, your provision, your safety, your health and your heart. He loves you like no other!
God Bless You.
They bought our family toys, sports balls, grocery gift cards, cash gift cards, gifts for our home, and even an old-fashioned curved walking stick like pictures of St. Nick's from an earlier era, complete with a red ribbon and jingle bells on it.
I can never say enough how much God provides, and He rewards our efforts, and He cares about our desires - in many cases, He put them there.
So as we enter the New Year, just remember to trust Him for all your needs, trust Him with your family, your provision, your safety, your health and your heart. He loves you like no other!
God Bless You.
A Christmas Angel - Miracles DO still happen!
(Dec.23rd): Just yesterday I was thinking, "how are we going to pay the mortgage, and the kids need clothes, and it's going to be our smallest Christmas ever." But, I'm always the first to stand up in front of a crowd and tell them not to worry about financial hardship - God will provide, somehow.
Money really DOES fall from the sky when God's involved, and others allow Him to speak through them. Here's what happened:
It was about 6:30 pm (give or take) Sunday night. There was a loud knock at our metal screen door. I was sitting right by the door, so I was there to open the door within 2 or 3 seconds. No one was there. I went to turn on our motion-sensitive light, but it wasn't working. I went to open the screen door and noticed there were 2 packages on the ground with our family's name on them, and an envelope. I thought, "how nice, someone thought of us" and I opened the card hoping it was a letter signed by the generous giver. I opened the envelope and in it was $500 in cash and a $500 gift card from Target!!! I couldn't believe it! I ran to the patio to look for a person, or car leaving, or something - but no one was there. It was in less than 60 seconds! I went in the patio door and by the time I got in the house, my husband came home in the front door. I asked him if he saw anyone out there and he said there was no one out there. We won't open the gifts til it's time, but I believe if God blesses you, you give Him all the credit. So I'm doing that with this entry (and we both emailed everyone on our email lists), and if you happen to know who may have had a part in this, please, pass on our thanks, and our love, and our true, true appreciation for such a remarkable and timely gift. We now can pay our mortgage, get the things we need, and our kids will have a great Christmas. We love all of you.
May you be blessed and encouraged by this,
Money really DOES fall from the sky when God's involved, and others allow Him to speak through them. Here's what happened:
It was about 6:30 pm (give or take) Sunday night. There was a loud knock at our metal screen door. I was sitting right by the door, so I was there to open the door within 2 or 3 seconds. No one was there. I went to turn on our motion-sensitive light, but it wasn't working. I went to open the screen door and noticed there were 2 packages on the ground with our family's name on them, and an envelope. I thought, "how nice, someone thought of us" and I opened the card hoping it was a letter signed by the generous giver. I opened the envelope and in it was $500 in cash and a $500 gift card from Target!!! I couldn't believe it! I ran to the patio to look for a person, or car leaving, or something - but no one was there. It was in less than 60 seconds! I went in the patio door and by the time I got in the house, my husband came home in the front door. I asked him if he saw anyone out there and he said there was no one out there. We won't open the gifts til it's time, but I believe if God blesses you, you give Him all the credit. So I'm doing that with this entry (and we both emailed everyone on our email lists), and if you happen to know who may have had a part in this, please, pass on our thanks, and our love, and our true, true appreciation for such a remarkable and timely gift. We now can pay our mortgage, get the things we need, and our kids will have a great Christmas. We love all of you.
May you be blessed and encouraged by this,
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Captivating
A few years ago I went through the book and workbook called Captivating by Stasi (and husband John) Eldridge. It's the "hers" book that compliments Wild at Heart for "him".
I first went through it right after a major heartache - and it definitely shows in my answers in the workbook.
I'd like to think I'm older and wiser now, closer to God than before, more aware of all He created me to be. Still, I find myself re-living the same hurt feelings as I read through the book, but at least now, the feelings seem more distant. Last time, they were raw, exposed.
I think I'm gearing up for another challenge, a positive change, an opportunity to be great by God's power and direction - if He so chooses. I plan on being a good listener, student and willing to follow Him to the ends of the earth, if need be.
I need to be swept up in an adventure. My life has seemed so boring for the last few years. I'm ready for whatever God has planned because it's HIS plan, and according to Jeremiah 29:11, He knows the plans he has for me, not plans to harm me, but plans to prosper me. In His Name I trust.
I first went through it right after a major heartache - and it definitely shows in my answers in the workbook.
I'd like to think I'm older and wiser now, closer to God than before, more aware of all He created me to be. Still, I find myself re-living the same hurt feelings as I read through the book, but at least now, the feelings seem more distant. Last time, they were raw, exposed.
I think I'm gearing up for another challenge, a positive change, an opportunity to be great by God's power and direction - if He so chooses. I plan on being a good listener, student and willing to follow Him to the ends of the earth, if need be.
I need to be swept up in an adventure. My life has seemed so boring for the last few years. I'm ready for whatever God has planned because it's HIS plan, and according to Jeremiah 29:11, He knows the plans he has for me, not plans to harm me, but plans to prosper me. In His Name I trust.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Blue Like Jazz
I just finished reading a book my dear friend loaned to me. It's called Blue Like Jazz, and it's written by Donald Miller. What a great book! It's about a regular guy, living his life, trying to figure out what Christianity is. He knows it's supposed to be different from "religion", he tries to figure out what God wants from us, what our role is, and who Jesus is.
The book reads quick - even with my busy schedule I was done in just a few days. It's written like diary or journal entries, so no section is too long, great if you only have a few minutes here and there to read.
I "get" what Christianity is, I know I'm saved, I understand what it means to be a Christ-follower, I feel that God the Father is 100% my "Dad", in every way possible. I appreciate His gift of Jesus, I appreciate the sacrifice Jesus made for us, I understand what an atoning sacrifice is, but I still struggle with what type of relationship I'm supposed to have with Jesus. Let me explain:
If God is my father and he says not to pray to anyone but him, why do so many Christians pray to Jesus directly? I feel like it's wrong when I do it. I pray to God, but ask through Jesus, in Jesus' name, not on my own merit or right. I see Jesus as a mentor, and a friend, but I really long for the romance, the falling in love with Jesus that I hear and sing about. I long for the passion of who Jesus is, and how deep his love for me really is, to sink in. I want that heart-stirring emotion.
I live my life very logically, with very little emotion, everything in black & white - so I'd like my Spiritual life to be so much more.
The book reads quick - even with my busy schedule I was done in just a few days. It's written like diary or journal entries, so no section is too long, great if you only have a few minutes here and there to read.
I "get" what Christianity is, I know I'm saved, I understand what it means to be a Christ-follower, I feel that God the Father is 100% my "Dad", in every way possible. I appreciate His gift of Jesus, I appreciate the sacrifice Jesus made for us, I understand what an atoning sacrifice is, but I still struggle with what type of relationship I'm supposed to have with Jesus. Let me explain:
If God is my father and he says not to pray to anyone but him, why do so many Christians pray to Jesus directly? I feel like it's wrong when I do it. I pray to God, but ask through Jesus, in Jesus' name, not on my own merit or right. I see Jesus as a mentor, and a friend, but I really long for the romance, the falling in love with Jesus that I hear and sing about. I long for the passion of who Jesus is, and how deep his love for me really is, to sink in. I want that heart-stirring emotion.
I live my life very logically, with very little emotion, everything in black & white - so I'd like my Spiritual life to be so much more.
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