lamentations

Lamentations 3:25-26 “The Lord is GOOD to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who SEEKS Him; it is good to WAIT QUIETLY for the salvations of the Lord…”

Today i pray for those who are waiting. I pray you have the endurance to withstand the quiet, the patience, the strength as life crushes in and you wait for His rescue…

Lamentations 3:28-29 “Let him sit alone in silence, for the Lord has laid it on him. Let him bury his face in the dust – there may yet be hope…”

i pray that those who surround you in your quiet will help and not discourage… i pray that in the most unbearable moments you will have the fortitude to sit in the silence and know that the Lord has laid it there for the building of your character…

Lamentations 3:31-32 “For men are not cast off by the Lord forever. Though He brings grief, He will show compassion, so great is His unfailing love. For He does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men.”

Let that wash over you…it bears repeating!

“FOR MEN ARE NOT CAST OFF BY THE LORD FOREVER!”

You are not being cast off! He is working in your life and the lives of those surrounding you, even when you can’t feel it!

“THO HE BRINGS GRIEF, HE SHOWS COMPASSION, SO GREAT IS HIS UNFAILING LOVE!”

His compassion, His unfailing love is ON IT’S WAY! Wait for it!

“FOR HE DOES NOT WILLINGLY BRING AFFLICTION OR GRIEF TO THE CHILDREN OF MEN!”

We live in a sin-filled, destructive world, where values are compromised every day and love has monetary value. God does not WILLINGLY bring affliction or grief in your life, but He will use it to build you, to grow you, to infuse your life with His character so that you may pour into the next person that comes into your life and shows His unfailing love thru you.

Today i pray that His compassion and unfailing love shine bright in YOUR LIFE! 

jump

Joining with LisaJo Baker for FMF today. Today’s word is jump.

Want to know how Five Minute Friday got started? Checkout the back story over here.


1. Write for 5 minutes flat on the prompt: “Jump” with no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.

2. Link back here and invite others to join in.

3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to please visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments.

Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community.

Jump

right in

right where you are

All that keeps running thru my head with this word is the 1980’s song. I am new to this idea of writing. It has never been one that i was labeled as “good at”. English was a class that i struggled at. i loved books, but was never good enough at what teachers expected to have it be my “best subject” or even a subject that didn’t take effort. Last year, i jumped right in, was inspired to write a little note. Thinking about all the people that need prayer every day, wanting to begin the process of tearing down the pride associated with praying, and wanting to learn more about the different areas of popular website developing, here is where i landed.

i am learning to jump right in where i am each day. Some days are harder than others. Life gets busy. There are so many things in this world to pray for, so many people in our lives that are struggling.

So today, i am jumping right in, before life lays a smack down on the day… Today i am praying for each one of you. i pray that you will have the energy to jump right in where you are, to lay aside what didn’t get done yesterday and just embrace today. i pray that you will feel joy and peace and love and friendship in the most unlikely places. i pray for each one of you on this beautiful Friday morning.

Psalm 116:1-2

I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy.

Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!

imahappster

When living in a state of unknown, it is hard not to allow fear to run your life or isolate you from the ones who love you. It is a battle of the will. Do not allow fear to hold captive and isolate from others.

So Wednesday afternoon, we went on a little adventure to encourage and make others smile. I love The Happsters and the way they have decided to embrace changing the world one smile at a time.

“Through random acts of happiness and Happster events throughout the world, we make the world a happier place.” ~The Happsters

Just a little note left for someone can touch their heart and brighten their day. My youngest son and I grabbed 5 Trader Joe’s bags, 5 printed Happy Notes from The Happsters website with a short prayer written inside, and headed out to find 5 windshields to put them on. Our prayer is that those who received them would take joy in knowing that someone was praying for them today and that little bag made them smile.

Making others happy tends to make you happy too.

It put smiles on our faces to do this little thing.

What can you do to make someone smile today?

graduating

This week i saw a child that i’ve known most his life. He is an adventurous child that inclines toward excitement. He has always been full of life and has an undeniable gift for leadership. He was there on my first day that i began attempting to monitor children on a playground – a job i did not feel equipped for, but needed in order to allow my children to continue in their paid education. He quickly showed me that there was lots of fun to be had in this crazy job. At times, trouble seemed to be his best friend, but when chastised was quickly led to remorse. He was not a child that wanted to behave badly, but loved excitement too much to pass up any adventure no matter the consequences. He has always had a following – others would do anything to be a part of his world. He is one who was born to lead. Although i do not see this child near as much as i used to, i’m sure that his adventures have followed him all through his high school career. He is very close to graduating high school and well on his way to manhood. He has many men of God in his life and no matter which path he chooses, i’m positive that he will become the man that God has intended him to be.

today i pray for this child that is rapidly becoming a young man. i pray for the choices he has made, the choices he makes, and the choices to come. i pray that the each decision he makes will be a learning experience that grows and stretches him. i pray that he remembers those who are watching, following, learning from his examples and picks his steps accordingly. i pray that the grand decisions he makes will be teaching experiences, that he would grow with each person that he meets. i pray that he would not feel condemned, but know that his God has reaches out, holds him safely, loves him dearly, and watches over him with every step.

Today is a day to pray for those children who are becoming adults in this crazy world. Yes, that corny song is true: the children are our future. Think about that one kid who is graduating into adult-hood and pray for them today. It will make a difference in your life and theirs.

Habakkuk

1:2-4 How long, O Lord, must I call for help?

But you do not listen!

“Violence is everywhere!” I cry,

but you do not come to save.

Must I forever see these evil deeds?

Why must I watch all this misery?

Wherever I look,

I see destruction and violence.

I am surrounded by people

who love to argue and fight.

The law has become paralyzed,

and there is no justice in the courts.

The wicked far outnumber the righteous,

so that justice has become perverted.

We cry out for You, Lord, in this unpredictable time. So many cry for answers in an evil world. They have been crying out to You for thousands of years. The answers are not the ones that we look for. The answer might be that the world is filled with evil and the only rescue is turning to You in our time of distress. In times of trouble, many will cry out. God is not callused to our pain, to our hurt, to our troubles. He is a compassionate God who will comfort when you cry to Him. He is a loving Savior that rescues us from the darkness and brings evil into the light. He is a concerned Father that beckons us to return.

3:2 I have heard all about you, Lord.
I am filled with awe by your amazing works.
In this time of our deep need, help us again as you did in years gone by.
And in your anger, remember your mercy.

Today i pray that many will cry out to the One who loves, the One who saves, the One who rescues. Today i pray for comfort, peace, faith, answers.

consider

James 1:2-3 Consider it pure joy my brothers & sisters whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

consider…  ACKNOWLEDGE!

think about. ponder. seek. SEARCH DILIGENTLY!

turn over every stone & look in every crevasse for the joy, for the blessing, for the growth, for the strengthening of your faith, of your relationships.

The word that James uses is the Greek Word: ἡγέομαι

We translate the Greek to “consider”, but I believe James meant it much more powerfully, actively, passionately. He was passionate about his brother, his Lord, his God. James knew that during trials, people are much more focused on their problems, their circumstances. James, of all people, knew what trials were. He knew that although trials might crush physically, that all trials would end at some point. Life ebbs & flows like the tide. Our faith is strengthened when we are in positions of weakness. Focus is crucial at this point. If the focus is completely on the situation at hand, we will be crushed.

BUT! If the focus is on the joy of God, the great joy, we will break free of the lie. Searching for each small blessing breaks the bonds of fear.

In our current trial, we are growing closer as a family, our faith is being renewed and growing deeper and stronger with God, we are praying for persistently, we are learning prayer in a new way, we are learning perseverance, diligence, endurance. These things cannot be given, they must be taught.

James 1:4 But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

Today i pray for the strength to endure the trial, the patience to mature to completion, fortitude that we would lack for nothing that God would desire to build into our lives, and the Godly people to surround us as we go thru this fire. Today i pray for wisdom because i know that You, God, give to all generously and without reproach. i am asking in faith, without doubt that You will provide wisdom to all who ask. i pray that You strengthen each one as they board up and get ready for the storm. i pray for every one who perseveres under trial awaiting the crown of life that You have promised to each one who loves You.

defeated

I SURRENDER!
I QUIT!
done…finished…broken

There are days where the immediate problems and worries of life weigh so heavily that you feel crushed under the pressure. These are the days where fasting comes naturally. The body has no appetite. The knees are weak and collapse in prayer throughout the day. The pressure is so great. The fear grips the chest like a vise.

I wonder if these are the days that God is forming the diamond in us. He sees so much more than we are able.

Surrendering doesn’t mean resting, idle, stagnant. It is one of the hardest things anybody ever does. It is a deliberate, active, physically exhausting act that takes every ounce of energy in the body and soul to let go. It is why so many do not surrender to Him until they have lost everything they hold on to so tightly. If we force ourselves to let go before the moment of losing everything, He can work in so many miraculous ways.

These are the days that we must not succumb to the lie. These are the days that we must not isolate ourselves. These are the days when we must physically attempt to peel our hands from the things we hold on to so tightly, the things that we think life will not go on without, our security. These are the days that we must cry out from the depth of our soul…

God, my God, where have you gone? Why are you so far off?
Day by day I cry out to you,
Night by night and still I hear nothing

You are enthroned as the holy one
The praise of our fathers, the hope of our sons
You have been known, Lord, to rescue us.
So why are you so far off?

Lord be my strength, Lord be my song.
Lord be my shelter. Be not far off.

{Justin McRoberts, Grace Must Wound: Be Not Far Off (Psalm 22)}

iTunes link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/grace-must-wound…/id89427283

Today i prayed for those in the final stages of the race, those who are crushed and do not think they can take it one more day. Today i pray that You would give them strength to get thru the next minute, the next hour, the next day. Today i pray that You, the God of the Universe – the Maker of Everything – the God who Loves, would surround each one with Your unfailing, unmatchable peace, love, comfort. Today i pray You would bring along those who will help hold the burden for a minute more, that you would give security in an insecure world and safety and protection.

This world has no hope without the One who gave it life and we cannot go on without the One who sustains us each day. So today i prayed for hope in the midst of defeat…