Prayer Blueprint

So I haven't written in awhile and this is wordy----

When I wanted to know how to talk to God, how to listen to God, and how to help others I was told to pray and read the Bible.. In reading Luke 11, the disciples wanted to know how to talk to God, they asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. We are a "do" society with a "microsecond" attitude. Pray. Really? I mean really? Can't we "do" something else? We all want to do more. Prayer seems, well, just way too easy and sometimes lame. I think that's because I forget (and maybe others do too) that the power isn't in the words we use or the place that we are in or whether we are kneeling, sitting, or standing----the power is in the Who we really truly believe we are praying to for intercession, forgiveness, healing, helps, thankfulness and praise.

Using Jesus' blueprint in versus 2-4 we can begin by talking to God and really dwelling on what that means. Dad, to some of us brings to mind some not-so-good thoughts. (mine was abusive) However, this Father, this Dad created the entire Universe. He created our planet and all that is needed to sustain us here. He created animals and knew that we would need companionship as well as food, clothing, shelter and exercise. He created us---humans. And gave us dominion over all. Not to destroy or use as we see fit, but to take care of---like a gardener does his garden.

Next, Jesus says pray about His name, His power, His might. If you are not sure who He is, ask a friend, read about Him in the Bible in Matthew, Mark, Luke or John, (at the Library or Barnes & Nobel with a cup of coffee)..

Talk to Him about His plans. The plans He has for our world and His purposes for those plans being carried out His way versus our own ways. (He knows past, present and future).

Speak to Him about everything going on daily---from the mundane to the crazy/wild and unexplainable! Family, friends, aquaintances, and strangers---From where are the car keys to protecting our loved ones fighting in Afghanistan, and beyond.

Seek His forgiveness for hurting others (we do this all the time, not always intentionally) with our words and/or our actions. Asking for help to forgive others, quickly, when they hurt us.

Finally, seeking His hand to lead us away from evil that is known and unknown in our world. (in the book of James trials are for our maturing and growth in Him and His ways)

When we really think about prayer, what it is, what it does, how we become closer to God through it, then we see that it is indeed so very important and then we can say with confidence, "I will be praying!" And then do pray---do it right then! We need to do it as soon as possible so that our memory doesn't fail us and the day gets away from us. Then through our day or through others if we feel the need to do something else, we can knowing that God is using His powers from our prayers and others prayers to do His will.

Experiencing Worship

In the NT worship is joy and thanksgiving to Christ for providing life for us thru His death on the cross. We are instructed to worship, but not told where to worship. We are not required to worship in certain places, saying certain things, however, worshipping with people who think about what God wants and thinks is better for us and keeps us worshipping only Him and not anyone or anything else. Worship includes prayer, praise, and study of God's Word and it must be done with a spirit and attitude of truth.

When our minds and bodies are yielded to God, everyday can be a special experience. Worshipping God requires us to not be about selfish thinking and not making our reputations be about having things or getting more that are contrary to God's instructions. We are to get rid of the shouldhaves, couldhaves, and oughttos, and view God's mercy as the motivating factor that leads us to true worship. Its been said that grace is getting what we don't deserve and mercy is not getting what we do deserve. Daily thank God for His mercy and grace as you are prompted to worship Him with the beauty of your life in 2011. Happy New Year!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Long ago, the first Roman emperor had decreed that everyone must go to their ancestral home to be a part of a census. For Joseph and Mary that meant traveling 80 miles to Bethlehem. Mary was very ready to have her baby, God's Son, born. Now, I thought that helping to push a little pinto stuck in 12 inches of snow was hard the day that my daughter was born or walking with my daughter before her first child was born just 5 miles up and down hills off the beaten path at a state park was difficult. I can't imagine what it would have been like to travel by donkey, bouncing up and down over rutted, rough dirt terrain as Mary did. Or walking it like Joseph did. Yet God thru all of this has His Plan.

Micah, an O.T. prophet had predicted that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem, meaning the "House of Bread." How appropriate that the Bread of Life should be born there! Joseph and Mary may have thought that Caesar Augustus was in charge, but, it was really God. He always has His people in place to accomplish His purposes of bringing good news.

One lesson for me and for you in this is that, huge inconveniences or even awful tragedies can have good come from them. Placing our faith in God doesn't mean to pretend about our circumstances, issues, or trials, but trust in God and His plan. Ask God to give you peace thru the chaos, thru difficult family get-togethers this holiday season, thru these tough financial times and thru all the other Godcidental interruptions. Ask that He direct your steps to making the right choices thru hard decisions so that His Plan will be accomplished, and He will be glorified.

Our Inconveniences or Our Learnings

Have you ever been busy trying to do good and it feels like everything is going wrong? No matter where you turn, what project you tackle, or who you talk to---it just all goes wrong! Sometimes I get so focused on my project, my list for the day and my own agendas, that I forget that I'm not the One in control!

When things seem to be going out of control, into major chaos, and I'm feeling like I'm falling apart----I crash! I get angry, I blame others, I start having my own little pitiful moment! (or sometimes----minutes, hours, etc...)

I'm trying to get better at these ugly moments and remember who is in control. When I remember, I ask God what He wants me to see, to understand? Ask what I am to learn right at this moment? I sometimes have to physically stop movement to just get my bearings so that I change my focus. I forget that God wants to teach me things or show me things that will lead to His purpose for me in the future. Sometimes He wants to teach others thru me and sometimes He chooses to teach me thru others.

Going thru those times are not fun! But I will say that if you and I can just picture the red "STOP!" sign in our mind and talk to Him (listen to Him) or even better---talk to God 1st in the morning, letting Him set our focus---then things do begin to get better. Chaos still ensues, but somehow knowing that He's in control will give you and I better "seeing, hearing, feeling, and thought process."

Have a great time getting ready for the Christmas holidays , but don't forget to stop, share and show "Christ more."

Isaiah 40:31 "But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. THey will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint." (NLT)

10 Blessings for Your Home

PEACE May there be peace within your walls (Ps.122:7)

JOY May the God of hope fill you with all joy (Rom. 15:13)

STRENGTH May our Lord...encourage your hearts and strengthen you (2 Thess. 2:16-17)

SUCCESS May HE give you the desire of your heart and make all yor plans succeed (Ps.20:4)

COMFORT May Your unfailing love be my comfort (Ps.119:76)

GRACE May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ...be with you (2 Cor.13:14)

FAVOR May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us. (Ps.90:17)

KINDNESS May the Lord now show you kindness (2 Sam. 2:6)

PROTECTION May Your love and Your truth always protect me (Ps.40:11)

LOVE May Your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in

You (Ps. 33:22)

(Holley Gerth---Blessings Unlimited)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL OF YOU!

Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:5

The Christian's "love muscle" is called on to have amazing elasticity and flexibility. We are to applaud people who are honored for their accomplishments, and yet be known to lose their tempers and act selfishly. We cheer on our children for great awards of good deeds at school, all the time knowing that they are going to show us major attitude and/or not listen to us or anyone in authority when they have their "issues." I'm thankful for friends and family who have seen me at my worse moments and at my better moments, and they still love me just the same.

Love covers. Where do we draw the line between showing a healthy amount of love that covers our lousy habits and ignore those wrong choices that enable a person to continue in destructive behaviors or addictions.

We all have shortcomings and inconsistencies that surface from time to time and we need to stretch to forgive others as we hope they will do for us. When our actions or words become destructive or addictive, we pray that we will not be unwise and ignore the problems of people we love and that others won't allow us to do this either?

This Thanksgiving remember the good of others and if others need your help to keep from destroying themselves or others, help them in a loving manner.

Go Against the Flow

Doesn't it seem that when someone says, "Don't ....," we always do.

In the steadiness of world economic issues, weather issues, health issues, etc...., we need someone to give our worries to. The steady stream of worries seems to build up one thought at a time, growing ever more until we think we are going to go crazy! Then we finally hear ourselves say, "Quit worrying!" When we are left on our own, we always seem to come back to our fears. However, God gives us something specific to do when we feel overwhelmed, anxious, or worried. He tells us to give everything to Him!

1)thru prayer we are to talk to Him about situations, everyday life

2)thru petitioning we are to make requests to Him as our Authority

3)thru thanksgiving we are to express all of our gratitude

None of these things needs to be done in any certain way, with any special words or actions, just talking, crying, laughing, yelling, pleading, rejoicing from our hearts. Sounds too easy, right! Not usually in the beginning, however the more that we practice, "letting go and letting God," it will get easier. God wants us to hand over our worries so that He can give us peace. The kind of peace that comes to guard our hearts, just as a sentinel watching over our hearts and our minds.

Go against the "steady" stream of negativity and give it all to God!

"A planter went out sowing his seed. Some fell along a path that was eaten by birds; some fell on the rocky ground and had no moisture; some fell among the thorns and they choked all the good plantings; and some fell on good, rich soil." Luke 8:5-8

As women we often feel responsible for those around us----friends, co-workers, parents, spouses, and especially our children. Yet, Jesus reminds us that our job is to plant the seeds in other's lives; we cannot take responsiblity for how others respond to the gospel message. It's so hard to release that sense of control, especially with our children. However, it's not your job or mine to control our children's (or friends or co-workers') choices. It is our job to be a planter in their lives---to sow and nurture the seed of God's truth in their hearts. Then we need to trust God as we wait to see what kind of crop He grows.

(True Identity, Bible for Women)

RESCUED!

Yesterday, like a lot of people around the world, I was mesmerized by the Live Stream Video of the rescue of the miners in Chile. After all of the bad news in this world of the economy, friends and family losing their jobs and their homes, so many health issues, we all needed a rescue. We all needed a worldwide rescue from our Rescuer! What an uplifting joy to feel happiness for people finding the Light, finding joy after being in such a deep darkness for so long!

Have you been there? Have been in that pit way underground for months at a time waiting for someone to help you out of that tunnel? I think that we all have been there at different times in our lives. We need to take a page out of the miners handbook about staying positive, and writing down the daily positives, seeking the joys of the moments that we have and looking to our Rescuer, our Light! The miners themselves were way more positive about their plight than their loved ones who were up here, on top, in the light.

I loved watching their joy! It was contagious! I know that my Rescuer has saved me and shone me the light so many times. I have learned the most thru those dark times (because I've never learned anything the easy way!) Some days its just being thankful that I'm breathing. Some days the 15 min. of hot coffee/tea, music, and quiet are just enough to get me thru. Other times I need to get away and have just my time with Jesus. Ladies, I know that its hard with children, but one day/one weekend away by yourself/with a friend, with Jesus will make the other days so much better! It will be better for you, for your spouse, for your children, for your friends! It will give you the energy you need to help them and others.

How do you deal with negativity? With bouts of depression and/or bad days? Share your ways to joy, and hopefully it will be contagious for all of us!

Need Restoration?

Scott and I love to go to the ocean! We love to just sit and soak up the sun, hear the waves, watch the people, watch the tides change, jump in the waves,....restore our souls. Going to the ocean allows us to relax, be still, and watch God's artistry. From the different hues of the sky and waters, to all of the species in the waters, God has designed all of this. I have this picture on my desktop and it reminds me of the 18 days I spent seeking and just listening to Him this past summer. In all honesty, I don't think that I have ever spent that much time continuously in God. How sad for me.

While Heather was a teenager, I took care of 3 young girls whose mother had died in a car accident. I realized that I couldn't take care of these four girls, help with their household, be a wife, and a full-time teacher without spending time with God everyday. It was so incredibly hard to fit everything into my day and give all that I had to each of these responsiblities, but I knew that with Him, He would guide and direct my steps. I just knew it in my Spirit. I knew that God would give me the energy and strength I needed to do what He had purposed for me.

It was hard, but, I would set my alarm for 20min. before I knew that my day was to begin, go to the living room, read my Bible, and talk to God about the day ahead. I became more purposeful in looking for what He was doing around me and sometimes thru me. I wish I could say that I did this everyday, but I didn't. However, I did do it often enough to notice that on the days that I sought Him first, my days seemed to stretch and I would have more energy. I don't know how He does this!!

My challenge to you is to just try putting Him first in your day as many times as you can for a month, take note of how your days go, and then see what God does with those days, see where and how He shows Himself. Watch for changes in yourself as you honestly seek Him. See if you feel His Spirit restoring your soul. I will be praying for each of you. God Bless!

"God looked at everything He had made, and it was very good." Genesis 1:31

The 1st chapter of the Bible is the written account of God making something "out of nothing," with the sound of His voice. After each day of creation, God stepped back, took a look at what He had done and declared it, GOOD!

When God created your family, He made you, the mother. God wants us to mirror His relationships with Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and His people. Parenting a baby to adulthood is a process that requires communication, years of hard work, prayer, persistence, and sacrifice. Thru every stage of life there are many reasons to wear "padding on our knees" while taking all of our concerns, questions, challenges, and gratefulness to Him.

Always remember that God looks at you and your family with delight and joy (Zeph. 3:17). Our challenge, is to please Him through everything that we do.

Keep in mind, too, that God chose you to reflect His glory, and He will equip you to take care of your family. Be patient and celebrate each unique member. God has created your family and declared your family----GOOD!

Moms Devotional Bible

If I Had My Child to Raise Over Again

If I had my child to raise over again,

I'd fingerpaint more and point the finger less.

I'd do less correcting and more connecting.

I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.

I would care to know less and know to care more.

I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.

I'd stop playing serious and seriously play.

I'd run through more fields and gaze at more stars.

I'd do more hugging and less tugging.

I would be firm less often, and affirm much more.

I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.

I'd teach less about the love of power,

and more about the power of love.

(Diane Loomans, The Preschooler's Busy Book)

"It's Not Fair!!"

How many times have we heard this from our children and thought it for ourselves in many situations? We feel that fairness should be a value that everyone is born with. And that we should always be on the receiving end of this important value. If one person is offered a cookie, we should all get cookies. No one should get into that front parking spot at the Mall that we have been eyeing for the past thirty seconds from across the entire lot. We always see fairness from one side---ours. When things don't go our way we claim unfairness.

We look at how other people act and make judgement calls on their hearts, their thoughts, and their lifestyles.

Fairness doesn't necessarily mean that the cookies are divided evenly. It just means that we trust God to do the dividing, because HE knows the hearts, the thoughts, the lifestyles, the finances, the angers, the joys, the hurts, and the blessings we all have. Our responsibility is to look up to God, not down on others.

The Lord Is My Pace Setter

The Lord is my pace setter...I shall not rush

He makes me stop for quiet intervals

He provides me with images of stillness which restore my serenity

He leads me in the way of efficiency through calmness of mind

And His guidance is peace

Even though I have a great many things to accomplish each day,

I will not fret, for His presence is here

His timelessness, His all importance will keep me in balance

He prepares refreshment and renewal in the midst of my activity

by annointing my mind with His oils of tranquility

Truly harmony and effectiveness shall be the fruits of my hours

for I shall walk in the pace of my Lord and dwell in His house forever.

A version of the 23rd Psalm from Japan (as posted on Living Proof ministries)

Juggling vs Balancing

Juggling---when its done with rubber balls---can be an amusing pastime. But sometimes we feel as if our life depends on our juggling skills: husband, children, money, church, school, job, friends, etc... Everything is important, everything vies for our attention. If we lose our rhythm for an instant, chaos ensues.

God doesn't call us to be jugglers. He call us to be people of balance.

Does God care about all the responsibilities we have to juggle in our daily lives? Of course. But He cares more that our lives demonstrate balance, the ability to discern what is essential and give ourselves fully to it.

Our spiritual life, our connection with God, is the solid footing that enables us to fulfill our responsiblities. We may be able to juggle a lot of things at once, but we can only hold a few things at a time.

In what ways do you think your life is out of balance? How can you make God your solid footing?

"But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed." Luke 10:40-42

Penelope J. Stokes, "Simple Words of Wisdom: 52 Virtues for Every Woman" & "First Light"

Being A Cheerleader

Be a godly example and a source of strength for your children. Love them unconditionally. Encourage them not to neglect but to exercise the gifts God has given them. Be their loudest cheerleader! Cheer them on in the race they're running both in the Lord and in their daily lives. Reward them by letting them know they are #1 in your book, no matter what. Teach them God's truths in practical ways (without preaching). Prepare them to stand on their own, and prepare yourself to eventually let them go---and trust God.

What kind of example of Christ are you to others? How can you encourage the children you know to live like Christ?

"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity." 1Timothy 4:12

Karla Dornacher, "Love in Every Room" and "First Light"

Encouraging Attitudes

Tomorrow is the beginning of another school year. As a mother and grandmother I am excited for the children going to school, experiencing new activities, meeting new friends, and learning so much! As a mother and grandmother I'm, also, very nervous for the children going to school, experiencing new activities, meeting new friends and learning so much!

The principle of a school nearby used to begin everyday over the loud-speaker system saying the Pledge of Allegiance and giving Words of Wisdom. She would always end her 2 minute speech with the following line: "Now, you can go and make this a great day.... or not! The choice is up to you!"

Attitude is a choice not a skill or a talent. We can send our children off with great a attitude :) or we can send them off with a not so great attitude. :( Our attitudes of choice can give us the courage we need to handle all kinds of daily situations positively or negatively. Our choice and their choice.

"A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit." Proverbs 15:13

Which attitude are you going to use tomorrow morning? Every morning?