Thank you

Dear Ones,

Thank you for lifting up our Aunt Bev. We are seeing and hearing great and encouraging things -- including the enemy's attacks. Oh he is cunning, that one. I love that we're keeping him busy. And that he is defeated!! But keep praying, please. John's parents head home tomorrow morning (Sunday) very early. It's about a 13 hour drive.

My sister Jayme has written again. You would be blessed to read it.

Thank you again for your prayers, friends. Keep 'em comin'.

xo

Holding onto Hope

This is Hope. What a fitting name for a time such as this...

Hope belongs to John's parents and we are taking care of Hope this week. They are in South Carolina this week to see Dad's sister. Aunt Bev has pancreatic cancer. She was diagnosed just a few short months ago and it has overtaken her body. We are heart-sick. She's only 56.

We are resting in the knowledge that God is all-knowing and all-powerful. He is able to do all things -- even above what we can ask or imagine. So we are asking for a complete healing. Even as Hospice has come. Even though it would be easier to give up hope. Even though the doctors say there's only days, maybe weeks.... Yet He is able. Do we believe it?

Will you join my family in interceding for this precious one and for her family?

James 5:13-18
¹³Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. ¹⁴Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. ¹⁶Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. ¹⁷Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. ¹⁸ Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.

John's sister, Jayme, wrote a beautiful piece about Aunt Bev the other day. I invite you to read it.

And thank you for praying with us.... we never pray alone.

Praying God's Word

Prayer has had a profound affect on my life. My mother prayed for me. My mother-in-law prayed for me before she knew who I was. I was taught at a young age to seek God through prayer. And He has shown me over and over and over that He listens and He answers.

I pray for my children's present and for their future. But admittedly, I often don't know what to pray or how to pray. Praying scripture has helped me so often. And God's words are so much more affective than my own.

And as an added bonus, when I'm praying God's words, I get to listen as I'm praying. I learn to pray for the things that God really wants for us. I think that's pretty amazing.

For her spiritual protection:
Do not remove Madelyn from the pressures and trials of this world, but protect her from the evil one. Remind her that she belongs to you, not to the world. (John 17:14-15)

For her to promote God's Kingdom:
Let Chloe become blameless and pure, a child of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, and let Chloe shine like a star in the universe as she holds out the word of life. (Phil. 2:15-16)

For her emotional well-being:
Do not let Madelyn be enslaved by her emotions. Christ has set her free, so let her stand firm, refusing to let herself be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Gal. 5:1)

For her relationships:
Shape Chloe into a friend who loves at all times. (Proverbs 17:17)

For her purpose:
Fulfill your purpose for Madelyn; do not abandon the work of your hands. (Psalm 138:8)

For her future:
Do not allow Chloe to be yoked together with an unbelieving spouse. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? Rather, let her be drawn to a man who calls you God, who is counted among your people. (2 Cor. 6:14-17)

It is such a privilege to be their mother. And such a responsibility. How good is our God to not leave us on our own to figure this crazy life out?! He gives us everything we need and holds us as we go.

One of my favorite resources for praying God's word, after the Bible, is Praying the Scriptures for Your Children, by Jodie Berndt.

This will become my new scarf

I enjoyed a wonderfully full day today. Part of which I spent with my mom shopping for yarn and fabric and other such enjoyable things.
There were so many sweet details to this day that it really deserves a long post...but the day isn't finished even now. I'm just breaking away for a few minutes to post this photo...
...but I must tell you one thing. I saw the same stranger 5 different times today. The first time I saw him, he was stopping at the side of the road to help a lady who was stuck in the snow. The second time he had caught up to me on the same road and hurried past. The third was an hour and a half later after my haircut. He got out of his car at the grocery store in the row just one over from where I had just parked. That's when God had my attention. I said a prayer for him. Then I saw him two more times inside the store - a very big store with a lot of Saturday shoppers hurrying about. And I was not looking for this man. Weird. I prayed for him all the way home. God must have brought him to my attention for some reason, right? I'll probably never know why....but I'm grateful for the privilege to pray for him.

Pray for Monica

On my sidebar I've placed an image and a link to my friend Monica's blog. She faces surgery tomorrow followed by chemo, being diagnosed with cancer only a month ago. Please pray for her full recovery and healing. And for her sweet family.
Thank you, friends.

Today's prayer

"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of your glorious riches you will strengthen me with power through your Spirit in my inner being so that Jesus may dwell in my heart through faith. And I pray as I am rooted and established in love that you would give me the power to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ--that I may know this love that surpasses knowledge, that I will be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Eph. 3:14-21

He is never surprised

There were some very unfortunate situations today in several of my dear ones' lives. A funeral, an emergency surgery, illness, and the list goes on. I don't mean this to sound glib so I hesitate....but God was not surprised by any of it. He prepared in advance everything those loved ones would need to face those troubles.
And He answered our prayers.....though we can't see the end yet. Though there is still uncertainty, I know He answered, because He has already begun to reveal what good He had in mind.
These are not my stories to share.....so I can't fill you in. But it can still be a great reminder to you that NO MATTER WHAT (you can fill in your "what" here) - He cares about the details and He is NEVER surprised. Trust in Him, Dear One. He will never leave you or forsake you.
I pray that when it is my story, I will be able to say the same with confidence.

Grandpa

Please pray for John's Grandpa.

From Jeny's blog (my dear sister-in-law):
"On another note, my Grandpa suddenly deteriorated over the weekend and is under going a battery of tests today. He may have had a stroke. He had Grandma just moved in with my parents in January and were just getting into a comfortable routine. We don't really know what lies ahead, but it seems to be happening a lot sooner than any of us expected."

And this is the update, from just a bit ago:
"After tests, the professionals were able to confirm what we already suspected: Grandpa suffered a substantial stroke, stealing the vision from his right eye and leaving his right side strong but unable to be controlled. His mental facalties are compromised, but he can still speak. He went home with Mom and Grandma this afternoon, the professionals pleased with his home care. On the brighter side, Mom requested and received a B12 shot for him and said that within twenty minutes he was a bit more alert."

Thank you for praying, dear ones.

Morning Prayer for Lent

The Call to Prayer The LORD is King; let the people tremble;* he is enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth shake.
Psalm 99:1
The Request for Presence Be seated on your lofty throne, O Most High;* O LORD, judge the nations.
Psalm 7:8
The Greeting Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the nations,* that we may give thanks to your holy Name and glory in your praise.
Psalm 106:47
The Refrain for the Morning Lessons Let all the earth fear the LORD;* let all who dwell in the world stand in awe of him.
Psalm 33:8
A Reading Jesus taught us, saying: "So when you give alms, do not have it trumpeted before you; this is what the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win human admiration. In truth I tell you, they have had their reward. But when you give alms, your left hand must not know what your right is doing; your almsgiving must be secret, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you."
Matthew 6:2-4
The Refrain Let all the earth fear the LORD;* let all who dwell in the world stand in awe of him.
The Morning Psalm	The Just Shall Not Put Their Hands to Evil
Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion,* which cannot be moved, but stands fast for ever. The hills stand about Jerusalem;* so does the LORD stand round about his people, from this time forth for evermore. The scepter of the wicked shall not hold sway over the land allotted to the just,* so that the just shall not put their hands to evil.
Psalm 125:1-3
The Refrain Let all the earth fear the LORD;* let all who dwell in the world stand in awe of him.
The Small Verse "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.
Revelation 1:8
The Lord's Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be your Name. May your kingdom come, and your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; for yours are the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
The Prayer Appointed for the Week Set me free, O God, from the bondage of my sins, and give me the liberty of that abundant life which you have made known to me in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Concluding Prayer of the Church Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.

Praying for Diligence

"When you pray for your children to learn things like diligence and self-control, you are asking God to give them attributes that are absolutely essential to their future happiness and success." -J. Berndt
Father, prepare their minds for action. Let them be self-controlled, with their hope set fully on the grace to be given them when Jesus Christ is revealed. (1 Peter 1:13)