This answer to prayer has a name...

Brian and I like to call the way we parent...intentional parenting. One very tangible way we did this was by praying for our children. As they grew we had several things we prayed for...there was the immediate needs, the spiritual issues, and of course future things. One of the biggest future things we would pray for is their spouses. Obviously when they were little we had no idea who those spouses would be; yet that didn't detour us from praying.

As our daughters grew into women, God sent their spouses to them and we began praying for them by name. What a joy to watch God answer our prayers for them with such Godly men.

A little over a year ago...October 2012...we began to see that God was perhaps answering this prayer for a spouse in a our son's life. I will never forget the call, the day I found out my little boy was twitterpatted! He had only been gone a little over a month and I would frequently start out the phone calls from him with one question...do you have a girlfriend yet. I never actually expected him to say yes...not so soon after arriving on campus. Well, this time when I asked the question there was a pause on his end and I knew what was coming next. He told us about this girl named Brittany he had met over the summer working at camp. They began dating soon afterwards, but it was long distance as Caleb was in Texas and Brittany was in Minnesota. That was a long school year for them. We noticed a sudden increase in his texts and cell phone minutes!

 

It has been fun watching these two get to know each other and develop a strong relationship. Caleb has been intentional in honoring God with how he treats Britt. He wrote his own resolution and had Brian and I sign it. He framed a copy and keeps it in his dorm room to remind him of what those resolutions are.

After a summer of working together at camp again and a fall of attending college just minutes apart, their relationship has grown even more. They are no longer in the infatuation phase. In fact, they are actually now in the engaged phase! Yes, that's right my little boy is getting married. He proposed to Brittany just a few days ago and she said yes!! So God answered our prayer for a spouse for our son and that answer is named Brittany.

We are of course thrilled for them and excited to watch as God unfolds His plans for their future. I have to admit its a little surreal thinking about my son...my little boy...getting down on one knee and proposing. This boy who at one time only had eyes for his mommy, this little boy who declared in high school girls have too much drama, this little boy who is now a man...he's in love! My new prayer is that I would not be a Marie Barone (Everybody Loves Raymond) type of mother-in-law; but rather that I will be one who welcomes Brittany in as a daughter. I recently ran across the term daughter of my heart; that is what Brittany is to me.

I don't always enjoy the fact that my kids are grown and out of the house...some days it is extremely hard having an empty nest; but I do enjoy watching them grow and follow Jesus. I treasure watching God answer our prayers in their lives. What an amazing privilege God has given Brian and I to have a front row seat to their lives!!! 

A new reason to pray....

My blog is titled The Things I Ponder; and let me tell you for the past week I have been pondering something amazing! Last Monday morning I received a phone call from my daughter Ashley. This was no ordinary phone call, this phone call was about 8 days overdue. It was the phone call to inform me that she was in fact in labor. It may have been 5 am, but I was wide awake! Immediately I began praying for my daughter as the reality of the situation dawned on me...wow, there are no words.

So, as I said we prayed. This little one gave us lot of time to pray. Later that morning came a text from Ashley, they were going home to labor until things got more intense. Evening came, still at home, still in labor.  2:00 am...another text...going back to birthing center. 5:00 am transferred to hospital to better monitor baby...dilated to 3. The longer this labor went, the more people we had praying for Ashley. Finally just three hours before the new year (and my birthday) we get the call that we had been waiting for all day. Hearing my son-in-law announce it's a girl was the most surreal moment ever. 40+ hours of labor finally over, a new little life has entered the world. I was now a grandma to a precious little bundle. Her name is Elizabeth Mae, we call her Ellie. She is perfect. She is beautiful.

For 5 days now, I have been head over heals in love with this little girl. I haven't even met her yet and my love for her is deep. I keep imagining the moment my husband and I get to hold her (just a few short days away)...tears well up just thinking about it. Every time we are sent a picture of Ellie we stop and just stare in awe.

Today in worship as we were singing about His great name, I thought of Ellie. A new prayer for me will be for her to one day proclaim His great name! What an opportunity we have to pray for this little one, to once again see Jesus through a child's eyes.  I found this verse today that intrigues me for Ellie.  I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. 2 Timothy 1:5.  As I read this verse I substituted it to read like this. "I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Brenda and in your mother Ashley and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also." I pray that Ellie will become a woman of strong faith, that her faith would be greater than mine or Ashley's; that Jesus would be her rock, her strength, her everything. 

So, at times I may spoil this little one with gifts and kisses and hugs; but I truly believe the best gift I can give her is to be a grandma who prays! And that is what I'm going to do!!!

And here is this precious face that has so captivated my heart...

39,484,800 seconds...but who's counting??

39,484,800 seconds
658,080 minutes
10,968 hours
457 days  

1 year, 3 months

Time flies when you are having fun! It is so hard to believe that Brian and I have lived in Minnesota for 15 months. In the past week I have been reflecting a lot on our time here in Roseau. I love how God works, and it is so fun pausing to reflect on how He is in fact working. 

July of 2012 was such a month of ups and downs. We knew without a doubt that we were moving exactly where God wanted us. This knowledge might have helped take some of the sting out of the goodbyes we face, but they were still hard. Iowa was our home, we had deep roots there and pulling them up hurt. 

I looked ahead to our move with some excitement and some anticipation. What did God have in store for me? My life was changing in so many ways, I felt at times my identity was being attacked. No longer would I have the exact same ministry, no longer would the same faces greet me at church, no longer would I be homeschooling a child (empty nest came at the same time as the move), no longer would I be wearing red and black and cheering on the Bulldogs, and no longer would any of my children be on the court for me to cheer on. It was just a lot of change. 

Thankfully God and I had spent lots of time together before the move. He and I talked through some of this change. I knew going in that there would be some tough times, I knew that there would be tears. That did help some as I plunged ahead into a tough year. 

 Before I continue, you need to know that the year also had many, many highlights. We had a wedding, two announcements of grandbabies, our son transferred up north to go to school, Brian and I celebrated 25 years of marriage, our new church family has truly become our family and there are  more things than I can even mention. 

The tough part was more internal, more heart issues that God and I had to work through. I needed time to grieve what I left behind. I intentional said to no to opportunities that I would have jumped on before. I saw this move as God's way of changing my ministry focus. I saw this new town and new church as a way to discover if God wanted something different from me. I did however say yes to a few ministry opportunities, but only after much prayer. I am so glad I did! It turns out those two little yes answers are changing my world and my focus and my heart. 

When our children were home I saw them as my main ministry. I invested in them with gusto. We only have our kids for a such short time that I wanted them to be prepared for life after high school. During that time my ministry focus outside the home was techy type stuff, I LOVED what I did. Being an introvert, I found it easy to be a behind the scenes girl. 

Now my children are grown. My ministry to them still exists, but it is not hands on. It is more prayer support, which I count as such a privilege. However, God is showing me that He still wants me to have a hands on ministry with actual people. (not just with a computer!). Enter in those two times I said yes last year, and you have my new ministry focus. The fact that this ministry leaves me refreshed and energized is how I know that God is in it, and much to my surprise some of the things that energized me in the past now drain me. (Isn't it fun how God works.)

What is this ministry that has me so excited? It is simply called Play and Pray. Young moms come to my house to pray and fellowship, their kids go to our church to play. I love the discussion times with these women, they are so authentic. God has given me a love for these young moms, and I am so excited to see how God works! I love praying with and for these woman. I count it an honor to come beside them and encourage them as they focus on their ministry of motherhood!

For 39,484,800 seconds I have been looking for my next behind the scenes ministry and God was tricky. He pulled out from behind a computer to my own living room filled with moms(and a few babies) and said here, this is what I want from you. Invest in them!! Now to pray I can do just that!!!

Two down...one to go...

One week ago today, our daughter Abby married Josh. It was a very special day, filled with so much joy, lots of smiles and some tears mixed in as well. Abby glowed the whole day...it was a day she had prayed for...the day she became Josh's wife.

My heart is full as I think of the day and how special it was. The wedding was outside on a lake in Wisconsin. Thankfully the rain held off until after the wedding, we of course were a bit nervous as we could hear thunder during the wedding! (We had an emergency umbrella up front for the bride and groom...just in case!). 

My husband performed the ceremony, I have no idea how he was able to that for a second daughter! He did a great job and made the day even more special. His object lesson for them was a violin. He told Josh how valuable a Stradivarius violin is; he then told him that Abby is far more valuable than that. He gave them a bow from a violin keep in their home as a reminder of that and he attached his four main points to the bow as well. The four points all start with the letter L which is the first letter of Josh and Abby's last name.

Lord...God is to be number one 

Love...next is their love to each other

 Legacy...as they raise their children they would leave a Godly legacy

Labor...that they would work for the Lord and follow His calling

The day began with prayer, the bride and groom were prayer over individually before the wedding, they were prayed over during the wedding and for us the day ended with prayer. I know Brian and I will continue to pray for them; as will Josh's family. God has big plans for these two and I feel privileged to get to uphold them in prayer!

In just a short time Abby and Josh will be having their first big adventure as husband and wife. They will be spending five weeks this summer in Haiti at an orphanage called The Ruuska Village. What an amazing opportunity for a married couple to get to spend the first summer of marriage serving God! I am excited to watch all the plans God has for these two unfold!

Following is a slide show of pictures from that day. The song playing is the song Abby walked down the aisle to; it is Beloved by Tenth Avenue North.

This video is the surprise dance that Josh and Abby did at the reception.

This is the back or our car...it got decorated at the wedding as well! Watch out Caleb!!!!

Won't you pray for them???

Today is the National Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.  

Please pray!

Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow

 prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you 

yourselves were suffering.

Hebrews 13:3 

God showed up!!

Don't you just love it when God shows up and exceeds your expectations! I know I do. You would also think by now I should know that God is in the business of blowing my socks off with what He can do.

This past weekend I went to a prayer retreat. God started working on my heart before I even got there...so I knew something big was coming! And the way God worked, was not the way I expected. He knew what I needed more than I did!!

This empty nest this has been rocking my world lately. I think for awhile after we moved Brian and I were operating on adrenaline. Well, as you know eventually adrenaline runs out! I spent the first few months just pouring myself into making our house an inviting home. In all our past moves I have had the house to where I wanted it in a matter of weeks...never months. But each of those other moves, I had kids who needed for the house to feel familiar and like home. This time, the kids weren't here, so I took my time. To be honest I think I did that so that I would have something to distract me from the fact that this fall our homeschool no longer had students. I decided to keep busy and deal with that "later".

Well, "later" came and with it came the tears and sadness again. All these emotions arrived just in time for the prayer retreat! My newest saying is that I wonder what I want to be when my kids grow up. So, I figured this weekend God would give me that answer! He didn't! But He gave me something even better...peace!

This prayer retreat was so amazing. We were given lots of time to study and pray on our own. We were given some direction, but we were also told it was our prayer retreat to do with what we needed done. And God knew what I needed!

There is so much God and I talked about this weekend, but Saturday afternoon is where He really worked. We were given the assignment to get outside and find something in nature to bring back and share how God used it to speak to us. There are these amazing benches at Trout Lake Camps that have Bible verses on them. Who knew a bench with a Bible verse could be so powerful?! Well, they were for me, and I didn't even find them all. I found the ones God knew I needed to find! Numbers 6:24-25...the Lord bless and keep you...Romans 15:13...may the God of peace fill you with all joy and peace...Psalm 105:4...look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always...

The way God used these particular verses was to tell me I need to seek him, I need to trust Him, I need to lean on Him for answers. The word, always, in the last verse got me...I need to make seeking Him more a part of my life. In seeking Him, studying His word, worshiping constantly through my day, then He will show me my purpose and what He wants me to do in this new phase of my life. He also showed me that there are ministry opportunities already before me that I need to embrace. But, also that it is Him that I truly need to embrace.

In the midst of this amazing experience I found my nature object lesson to share with the group.

This leaf is huge!

 It is a big leaf and the change in my life is big. Just as this leaf has a hole, I too have a hole...one that is there because my day to day job of mom has changed. Spring is coming, and the tree that lost this leaf will have fresh green leaves. My life is undergoing a season of fall and winter, but spring is coming. The new leaves on that tree will not have holes in them...they will be whole. God will fill the hole in my life...but only God can fill that hole. I have to let Him. I can't just jump into a ton of activities thinking they will be the answer...because they won't.

The bench I next found had this verse...Psalm 149:3...Let them praise His name with dancing! As God works on my heart to prepare me for the next season of my life, my heart is dancing and praising Him. I am waiting with great anticipation to see how He grows me in this season!! Growth occurs in the valley...so I am primed for growth!!!

Our time of singing praise to the Lord were powerful as well...this is the cross I focused on during those times of amazing praise and worship.

Praying for my hubby...a privilege

I have always known it was important to pray for Brian. When we were first married, my prayers were a bit immature and most of the time pretty selfish. They began mostly with this phrase...Lord please change Brian's (fill in the blank). When I was first learning to live with the man, I seemed to notice all sorts of things that I thought God needed to work on! I have since learned that my prayers need to be less selfish, especially about the small things. My prayers for him have become much less about his annoying little habits (yes, we all have those!) and more about Christ working in him.  I now see praying for him as a privilege and a joy. 

Today, as I was reading Colossians, I ran across one of those prayers for him. I love it when something I have marked in my Bible years ago triggers me to pray today! This prayer seems appropriate as Brian starts his new ministry in just over a month. Some of my favorite ways to pray for my hubby are by taking scripture and praying it for him. That really helps me keep the focus of prayers on God working in Brian and me not going down a list of things I'd like to see changed! And the best part is the more I pray for him, the less I think about changing him!!!

Colossians 1:9-12

 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking

God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.  And 

 we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,  being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully  giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.

Father, as we prepare for a move, I pray for Brian. I pray for you to fill him with the knowledge of your will. Lord, we believe it is your will that we make this move and we are so excited about it. As he begins pastoring a new church, continue to make your will known to him.  May his life reflect you, may it be worthy of you. May Brian's words and actions be pleasing to you. Lord I pray for his works to produce good fruit, may he continue to grow in the knowledge of you. Lord, strengthen him daily with your power, not his own, give him patience and endurance when needed. Thank you Father for all you have done and will continue to do in and through Brian's life.
In Jesus Name I pray!


How about you? Have you prayed for you spouse lately? Chances are he needs prayer! We all do. It will draw the two of you closer!

IDOP...

Sunday, November 13th is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.

In March my daughter Abby and I were blessed to get to attend a regional conference for the Voice of the Martyrs. Walking into the building we were met with a wall of martyrs. What  a sobering way to begin our journey, with a solemn reminder of why we were there.

The verse engraved along the bottom says:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12:1

Every 5 Minutes a Christian is killed for his faith!
There is not enough room on the VOM wall of martyrs for every name.  Daily the list grows longer. 


What can you do?
PRAY
Not just on November 13th, but daily. 


This video contains several ways to be praying for the Persecuted Church, it also contains statistics that literally made me cry as I watched this video. I am thankful that I am not in a country where my faith puts my life in danger everyday. I wonder if I would be strong enough to withstand all that the persecuted church does. These Christians are true examples of living out faith. May we not only pray for them, but be inspired by them as well!

Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. Hebrews 13:3

Here are some websites that give even more information on the Persecuted Church.

Voice of the Martyrs

One with Them

INcontext Ministries

Just an ordinary woman...or am I?

I am just an ordinary woman. There isn't anything "special" about me. I haven't held a "real" job in about 21 years, I"ll never be America's Got Talent,  I'm not athletic, I live in a small town in the Midwest, I have three kids, one husband and two cats. On the outside I truly am just an ordinary woman...BUT...if you look more closely you will see I am extraordinary.

How could I make such a claim? I am extraordinary because of Jesus! I have the ability to tap into His strength.  All I have to do is humble myself, seek His face and call on His name. Prayer makes me extraordinary. This is something we all have access to...it is the easiest, yet sometimes the hardest thing for us to do. We may think oh that's not the important...I don't want to bother God with that...or we may think that's too big...not even God can help me now.

If my people, who are called by my name, 

will humble themselves and pray 

and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, 

then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin 

and will heal their land. 

2 Chronicles 7:14

When we call on Jesus...all things are possible. He cares about what we care about! I have a friend who recently wanted to visit her grandmother, but did not have enough money for the flight. Instead of giving up...she gave it to God...God answered! She received an envelope from someone at church with $300 inside, no name just a simple note. She had enough for the plane ticket with money to spare. God heard her prayer and made the impossible...possible.

For nothing is impossible with God.

Luke 1:37

How about you? 

Are you ready to become extraordinary? 

Fall on your knees in prayer. 

Call on Jesus. 

He can and will do amazing things!!

Word Filled Wednesday...Teach me your ways...

 

It's senior picture time, whether I'm ready for it or not, I have a senior, he's actually my last senior. My husband and I have prayed for him ever since the day we discovered we were expecting. Our prayer is that he will walk in the ways of the Lord, that he will walk in the truth, that he will praise the Lord and glorify His name forever! 

Teach me your way, O LORD,
   and I will walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart,
   that I may fear your name.
 I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart;
   I will glorify your name forever. 

Psalm 86:11-12

 

If God had tech support...

"Hello...welcome to XYZ Computer Company. Your call will be answered shortly, please enter your account number to speed up your hold time, estimated hold time 3 minutes."

Beep, Beep, Beep goes the phone as I enter in the 6 digits, and then after 6 minutes I get a person. He asks all kinds of questions about what the problem is, I do all the things to my computer he tells me to; to no avail. Sigh...

"I'm sorry ma'am, this problem requires a call to the ABC Computer Company, here's their number."

"Hello, you have reached the ABC Computer Company, if your problem is with technical support, please dial 1....ok, if you know the name of your operating system please say it now...ok, please give me your phone number." All this and then I get a real person, who asks for all the information I just gave! He realizes he needs to connect me to tech support. (I thought this guy was tech support!) "Please hold while I figure out how long you are going to need to hold." 5 minutes later..."Your hold time will be 3 minutes."

The 3rd person I talk to tells me he has to take control of my computer to find the problem. So I sit back and watch him take control and fix the problem!! Total time on my part 90 minutes!

Probably not a good idea to call tech support on a Monday morning, but I had a lot of time to think while on hold. I decided I am so glad that God does not use technology when it comes to listening to our prayers, problems, tears, and praises. When I need "tech support" from God all I have to do is start talking and He's there. Imagine if God had a phone tree for us to go to with our prayers. "Dial 1 for prayer requests, 2 for praises, 3 for flare prayers..." That would be so frustrating!

Then I also got to thinking about the way my computer got fixed. I turned complete control over my computer over to a total stranger. Why? Because I figured he had all the right answers and could fix my computer. I just sat there and watched as he opened and closed programs and fixed the problem. How often do we trust God with total control of our lives? We may "call" Him up and ask for His help, but do we turn over control to Him? Complete control? After all, isn't God smarter than a guy from tech support? Doesn't He know exactly what we need?

So I'm thankful that God does not use an automated answering system for my prayers and I need to give Him the controls! He knows more than me and He hasn't steered me wrong yet! The only time I crash is when I try and take over the controls again!!

Cleaning...

This morning, I found myself home alone and thought I would do a little cleaning. Just needed to do some straightening and vacuuming. I thought all I needed was 15 minutes and this place will be looking even better. Well, I was wrong, my house had a deeper issue...cat hair and dust bunnies...everywhere! So what started out as a light cleaning became a serious cleaning. I cleaned under couches, tables, chairs, even the refrigerator. I scrubbed counters, cupboards and I dusted up high, down low, and everything in between.

How often do we go through life thinking we have everything together? Yet, all it takes is a little bit of cleaning and we find "dust bunnies".  For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. Luke 8:17

 So what is the key to finding what is hidden in us? We need to pray, pray, pray. Pray for God to reveal to us those areas that need cleaned out. This scripture needs to be our prayer; Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Psalm 139:23.

Just remember, there is always some cleaning that needs to be done! Be ready to get on your knees and do some spiritual cleansing!

Lost Sunglasses...Lost Sheep...

I have a problem...a serious one. I lose things all the time, especially sunglasses. I don't know why, but keeping track of eye-ware is not a strength of mine. I tend to buy fairly cheap ones as its only a matter of time before I'm buying a new pair. Last summer I found a pair that just fit me right, this pair I wasn't going to lose...WRONG! I was so sad about this pair; I looked everywhere, but to no avail...until last week. Our printer died and when my husband moved it, there they were covered in dust! How they got there, I have no idea, but they are now back on my head (for now).

This illustration got me thinking about how God responds to lost things. He doesn't just look for a few days and then go out and buy a replacement...God keeps pursuing the lost.

Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. Luke 15:2-7

God doesn't give up, he continues to pursue! So if God doesn't give up on the lost, should we? Should we just write someone off because they are unsaved or have lost their way? No, we need to continue to pray, we need to look for opportunities. Who knows...one day God may put this lost person on His shoulders and proclaim; "Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep."

Pray...

In 1 Thessalonians 5:17 we are told to pray continually. For the most part I know many of us are good at praying for the big stuff; health, kids, marriages, finances, salvation, our friends. We even pray often for these things, but I feel there is a prayer category that we often forget...our pastors.

In Ephesians Paul is writing to the church in Ephesus. In Ephesians 6:19 he says these words: "Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel." How often during the course of a week do we stop and pray for our pastors? I'm married to a pastor, so you think I would know better. I struggle to remember to pray specifically for him and the other two pastors on staff. I don't always think to pray Ephesians 6:19 for them. They minister daily on the front lines. They meet with people often who need to have the mystery of the gospel explained to them. Pastors need prayer more than just 5 minutes before the sermon on Sunday morning. We need to be lifting up the men that God has put in leadership at our churches. My husband is the Family Life Pastor, so his time preaching from the pulpit is limited. However, he teaches Sunday School and works in Children's Church most weeks, he still has an audience and still needs prayer that he can present the Gospel to those entrusted to him. Think about your church and the pastor(s) on staff there. What hats do these men wear in your church, how do they minister; for every area you can think of, there is an opportunity for prayer.

"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around 

like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." 

1 Peter 5:8. 

Satan is a crafty one. He knows that since pastors are on the front lines, they are the ones that make the best targets. I can attest to this, pastors and their families face spiritual battles, life is not always easy for ministry families! If Satan can knock down a pastor in any way, he can prevent the Church from doing its job. Let's not let Satan win this battle. Pray for these men who willingly serve God and the Church so sacrificially.

Answered prayers are awesome...

In 1989, Brian and I found out we were pregnant with our first child. We were so excited and throughout the pregnancy prayed for a healthy baby. Then on January 23, 1990 our Ashley was born and the praying started immediately. She had some health complications and was in the NICU for 24 hours. Once they fixed her problems (collapsed lung) she was fine. That was a huge answer to prayer.

Brian and I of course continued to pray for her, the main prayer was that she would come to know Christ at a young age. On September 5th, 1993 that prayer was answered and it was at a young age! Her first prayer as a Christian was for her baby sister to become a Christian too. One year and 6 days later, Ashley led Abby to the Lord. We were surprised by that one and didn't believe it at first. We should know better than to question yet another prayer answered.

We prayed that not just Ashley but her brother and sister would grow in the Lord and make their faith their own. Today all three are walking with the Lord! It is exciting to see Jesus living in them and working through them. Another prayer answered.

We prayed for so many thing over the years, and God has been faithful in answering almost all of those prayers. One of our longest running prayers for Ashley has been for her future spouse. We have prayed for him as long as we've been praying for Ashley. We continue to pray for him, but now we can pray for him by name...Larry.
 

May 30, 2011 our daughter became engaged!!

We are of course thrilled and so thankful to God. Larry is an answer to our prayers. He loves our daughter, we love him and most importantly, He loves Jesus! In just one short year, these two will become man and wife. Our job will not end there... Brian and I will continue praying for them and praise God for the answers along the way!!

Prayer has been the backbone of my relationship with God; I can't imagine life without prayer. Brian and I may not pray together daily (we try); but prayer has been a strong foundation of our marriage and parenting. It is our praying (not parenting) that has resulted in 3 pretty amazing kids. Even if one of our children were not walking with the Lord right now, we would keep on praying and trusting and believing that one day God would answer our prayers for them. As parents we truly feel prayer is the MOST important thing we can do for our children.

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. 

Proverbs 22:6

A valuable resource for praying for your kids:

 Stormie has a whole series of The Power of a Praying...you name it she helps you pray for it! I strongly recommend you look into investing in these books and most importantly investing in prayer!!

National Day of Prayer...

 

 May 5, 2011 is the National Day of Prayer. This got me thinking, When was our first National Day of Prayer? So I did a bit of research and discovered, our nation regarded prayer as important pretty much from the beginning. The date was July 20, 1775, the day was set aside as the National Day of Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer of the Second Continental Congress. This proclamation did not come from the church, but from the men leading our country at the time. They knew they needed God's help to get through the war and to build a new nation. The last line in the proclamation reads this way: 

And it is recommended to Christians, of all denominations, to assemble for public worship, and to abstain from servile labour and recreations on said day.

This shows me they were serious about prayer and understood the importance of praying together as a nation and for our nation. They did this to the extent of urging people to put aside the whole day for prayer and fasting. There were several more great leaders of our country who called for National Days of Prayer, including Washington and Lincoln. In 1952, President Truman signed a law that would give the country a National Day of Prayer every year.  

So this Thursday is once again the National Day of Prayer. I urge you to get involved. Here is a link that lists several ways you can get involved: 

http://nationaldayofprayer.org/about/get-involved/

I encourage to find an event in your area, if you can't find an event its not too late to organize one for your church, family or friends. You can also just pray by yourself. The key is to pray! Pray because:

A Mighty Fortress is our God!

Prayer...

Almost ten years ago our family set out on a great adventure that is still impacting us to this day. We began what we called The Goliath Project. We named it that because it was bigger than us and we felt like we were the five smooth stones setting off to make a difference. The Goliath Project was simply a prayer trip; our family traveled to the 48 continental states and prayed in or near the capitol of each state.

Soon after this trip began we encountered 9/11. We were in California at the time, it was a day we will never forget. The unknown of what this meant for our country and for us filled our minds. "What if there isn't enough gas for us to get home?" "What if there is another attack?" "Will we be safe on the road, in all these government buildings?"

These questions only lasted a day or two. It was then that a verse from Esther, "for such a time as this," took on new meaning to us. We needed to be praying for our country. Our country was hungry and desperate for prayer. So we continued on, praying through the fall of 2001 and then again the spring of 2002.

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this? 

Esther 4:14

Fast forward to 2011, our country still needs prayer, it is still a Goliath sized project. Lately God has put so many things on my heart to pray for; sometimes I get overwhelmed with the enormity of it all. But I just keep trusting God and praying to Him, that is what I am called to do.

I am called to pray for my husband, that he would be the man God wants him to be.

I pray for my children, that they would continue to follow God's will in their lives and make a difference in the lives of those around them.

I feel called to pray for the unborn, that they would be allowed to live. I pray for those in a crisis pregnancy, that they would not resort to abortion, but choose life.

I pray for the persecuted church, as I wrote in my last post, these brothers and sisters need us as intercessors for them.

I pray for all the hurting marriages and families out there, Satan is having his way right now, and it makes me mad. I pray for husbands and wives to lean on God and allow Him to heal their relationships.

I am called to pray not only for my church, but The Church. That we would be God's hands and feet, that we would be an Acts 1:8 church!

There are many more things I am called to pray for, but currently this is my top list. The enormity of the problems in this world can be overwhelming. It can seem like Satan is winning, but then I remember as Paul Harvey would say...the rest of the story...and God wins!!

I think we are all living now "for such a time as this." Will you join me in praying for the many needs in our world? of our country? of your town? of your church? of your neighborhood? of your family? Join me in praying that another Great Awakening would happen in this country. If not us, then who? If not now, then when? Join me in continuing the  Goliath Project!!

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 

2 Chronicles 7:14