Prayer

The Lord is teaching me a lesson in prayer this week: Pray for those who persecute you. I always expect persecution from outside the church but persecution from inside the church still surprises me.

Through this experience, I am mindful of the times where I have been guilty of what I am now facing. I have gossipped. I have stuck my nose into other peoples' business and gotten some strange satisfaction in passing it on to others. I'm sure I have even "shared" my own "interpretation" of actions and events that ended up looking not so much like the truth when I was done. 

I am praying that the Lord will continue to convict me of these things. I also pray that He will convict those who are guilty of the same. Lord, please teach me to forgive others even as you have forgiven me.

The continued lessons that He brings into my life are faith building. I count it pure joy when I suffer trials of many kinds because trials produce perseverence and perseverence hope. My hope in Him is where I rest.

As a side note, I want to offer this caution: Everything you say online is suseptible to being read by someone. The photos you post can be snagged and used in a way you did not authorize or intend. Be careful what you say as not everyone has your best interest at heart.

With love to my friends and thanksgiving to my Lord,

Word of the Year update

I'm a week late. I know. My committment was to post an update on my Word of the Year on the first Monday of each month. Last Monday I took the kids into San Francisco to have lunch with Don and wander around. The big kids and I bowled and we took On the Loose to a nice playground. Footloose tempted fate and was given a talking to by the "playground patrol" who threatened to ask her to leave for going down the slide. The playground sign said that the equipment was for ages 5-12. She explained to him that she was 12. He said he didn't believe her. So, I had to step in and inform him that, yes, she is only 12. Poor guy! She is 5'8" after all and walks around in a woman's body but 12 is still convenient for us when it comes to playgrounds and kids' meals. :-)

Back to my Word of the Year---Prayer.

I really didn't know what I was getting myself into by choosing this word. Did I think that God wasn't going to use it to reveal my weaknesses or my desperate need for spiritual growth? 

What have I learned so far as I've focussed on my word? I've learned that I don't know a thing about prayer. I've learned that I've spent the last 20 years as a Christian fumbling around and not being effective. I've learned that, although I do have a tremendous amount of faith, I have not been showing that in my prayer life.

The ladies' Bible study that I attend has been studying prayer for the past few months using Andrew Murray's With Christ in the School of Prayer. At times, instead of coming away feeling uplifted and encouraged, I have found myself feeling defeated and unsure. It almost seems as if the way I've viewed prayer for all these years is so inadequate. Now that we've finished the book, I feel like I need to go through and read it again to really deal with all that's been laid before me.

What I do know...I want to have a devoted life of prayer. I want my prayers to be pleasing to the One who intercedes for me. I want my prayers to change things. I want my prayers to change me.

What I don't know...How I'm going to get there from where I am right now. 

So, I feel like a new Christian again in spite of the fact that I've been a believer for 20 years this month! I feel like I'm relearning to walk when I should be at the point where I'm soaring. I'm starting small with offering faithful prayers with the confidence that He will answer because I am abiding in Him.

I'm thankful for being pruned even though it's uncomfortable. I'm like an overgrown tree that has ceased to produce fruit because it has become unhealthy. But God is faithful and He is pruning me back to the point where I can grow again. I do look foward to the continued lessons as He walks beside me while I take baby steps. 

When I grow up, I want to be a "prayer warrior." 

And there you have it...me being real!

Our Friend

This morning in church we sang the hymn What a Friend We Have in Jesus.

What a Friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge,
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do your friends despise, forsake you?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield you;
you will find a solace there.

As I reflect on the words, I am reminded and encouraged that my fellowship in prayer is more than with the Holy God of the universe (as if that were not enough) but it is with my friend...Jesus. The one who pursued me. The one who purchased my fogiveness. The one who desires to meet me at any hour of any day no matter what my mood; no matter what I'm wearing; no matter if I've even brushed my teeth yet or not.

He's waiting. He's waiting to comfort me. He's waiting to counsel me. He's waiting to carry my burdens. He's waiting to listen to me. And...he's waiting for me to listen to Him.

It's only been a few days since I chose my "word of the year"--prayer. But, in those few days, I have spent a lot of time (relatively speaking) renewing my fellowship with Him. I'm learning to take anything to Him and I'm learning to anticipate His answers.

It promises to be a year full of growth as I draw close to Him in prayer. I'm so thankful He's waiting for me. He's waiting for you, too...

Happy New Year!

As I've been praying about what my focus should be for 2009, one word keeps coming to mind. I've thought of other words, pondered other words, considered other words but this word keeps coming back.

The word I wish to characterize my life in 2009 is prayer. It seems so simple yet it something I continually neglect and something that shows my lack of faith in God's Word and in His promises.

My ladies' Bible study has been studying prayer for the past few months and I have been challenged and stretched as I contemplate how lacking my prayer life has been. How many times have I lacked wisdom because I simply did not ask? How often does peace elude me because I do not seek God in prayer?

I want to practice praying without ceasing. I want prayer to be my first thought no matter what the circumstance. I want to lift up my husband, my children, my friends. I want each of them, each of you, to know that they are in my prayers and that I labor for them before the very throne of God.

Andrew Murray puts it this way, "Though in its beginnings prayer is so simple that the feeblest child can pray, it is at the same time the highest and holiest work to which a man can rise. Prayer is fellowship with the Unseen and Most Holy One. The powers of the eternal world have been placed at prayer's disposal."

So, at the beginning of this new year, this feeble child of God commits herself to the high and holy work of fellowship with the Most Holy One and looks forward with great anticipation to the growth that will come and the answers that will be received.

Happy New Year, friends! I would love to hear the word you have chosen!

Word of the Year for 2009

At the end of last December, I joined my friends on the message boards at Five in a Row and chose a word I hoped to characterize my life over the course of 2008. My word was *compassion*. I knew that several people in my life would need an extra measure of compassion over the course of the year.

My dad and stepmom both dealt with cancer treatment. My aging grandmother needed more help. My sister had infant twins and is raising them on her own. The Lord impressed compassion upon my heart and gave me a desire to serve these loved ones trying to meet their various needs.

Through the time I have spent showing compassion, I am the one who has been blessed. I have been blessed by the generosity of my grandma. I have been blessed by time spent with my dad and stepmom. I have been blessed to have little Finn and Lucy in my life.

As I look forward to 2009, I have a word in mind. I would like to invite you to join me in choosing a word. Ponder it for a while. On January 1st, I will tell you my word and I would love to hear yours. I plan to share how my word is changing and blessing my life on the first Monday of every month and I hope that you will share with me how your word is impacting your life.

May our lives be changed as we purpose in our hearts to make a change!