Hello. Goodbye. & I'll Be Praying for You.

Tears were flowing freely.  I handed her a few more tissues hoping her state of vulnerability was not embarrassing to her.  I wanted her to feel safe to share with me.

We talked for some time, and then as we were leaving I uttered, "I'll be praying for you."  Eyes red and swollen from her tears, she forced a smile and quietly responded, "Thank You."

As I walked to my car questions came to my heart.  "Will you pray for her?  I mean, seriously, will you pray?"  Of course initially I convinced myself I would, but those questions continued to linger and challenge me through my week.  

Have you noticed?

To offer to pray for someone seems to be as much a formality as any other greeting.  Listen...

Hello.  Goodbye.  I'll be praying for you.  See you next week. 

God challenged me some time ago with this and I have worked to change it since.

I realized that I was not taking the words I spoke to someone seriously.  And when I did speak, my promise to pray for them was not necessarily one of true intentions.  It was often a polite form of greeting.

Taking the Offer to Pray Seriously

I realized that when I offer to pray, someone is counting on that.  And when I offer to pray, and don't follow through, I have not kept my word.

Ways to Pray for Others

1.  Ask to pray with them in the moment.  Ask them how you can best pray and then do so, right then and there.

2.  Commit to pray as they come to mind.  Ask God to bring them to mind throughout your days.  As He is faithful to do so, stop right then and offer a prayer.

3.  Put their name in a location you will see.  I write names in my prayer journal.  Under a person's name I write their specific needs.  I have also been known to carry names on index cards and place them in my car.  As moments allow, prayers can also be lifted then.

4.  Ask for specific ways to pray.  Contact those you are praying for and ask how you can be praying.  This helps to see answers to the things that you have been focusing on, and gives new ways to keep prayers for them current.


Are you intentional and sincere in your offers to pray, or do you offer as a polite form of greeting? 

What ways have you found and implemented that make your offers to pray a reality?
  

Thanksgiving of Today

May the thankfulness expressed in our day today be just an extension of what our hearts are learning to recognize and express in increasing measure every other day of the year.

Wishing You the Happiest of Thanksgivings!

Returning for Thanksgiving Alone

A new concept came to me a few weeks ago. One that I had never really considered before, but one that I actually became quite excited about.

For the last year and a half I served on the committee for our ladies retreat for the district of our church.  I was also asked to lead the music for the weekend, which included four services.

I did not take either of these responsibilities lightly, but instead spent much time in prayer and fasting leading up to the event.  I wanted to be sure my heart was surrendered, having given God the weekend to do His thing.

To say He showed up beyond what I could have dreamed is an understatement.  What an awesome experience to be a part of that weekend and watch Him work.

And then the challenge to my heart came.

So often in the past I have prayed with focused intent.  After the prayed for moment had passed or an answer came, a prayer or two of thanks would be offered and then it seemed I was on to the next thing.

This time was different.  I was challenged that if I had spent so much time and focused effort pleading and beseeching God to show up, why would I not also spend focused time in gratitude thanking Him for the way He answered?

And so I did.  I carved out a block of time to get alone by myself. 

During that time I was reminded of the leper who came back to thank Jesus.

Luke 17:15-16 (NIV) "One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.  He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him..."

After considering this leper, I realized how often I am like the other nine that continue on.

How much more I need to be like this one.  The one who took the time to come back.  The one who recognized the full impact of what had truly happened and who deserved the credit.  The praise. The glory.

And so... I took the time to come back to the many thoughts and moments that had surrounded this one weekend for the past year and a half.  To ponder all that happened.  And then to rejoice, praise, and give thanks for the way God revealed Himself.

I recognized the outcome was nothing of myself and I couldn't move forward without pausing, throwing myself at His feet and giving full recognition to Him for what HE alone had done.

Looking back, this intentional time I spent in returning for thanksgiving alone was the best way I have spent a morning in quite some time. 

After something prayed for has passed or been resolved, have you considered intentionally returning for thanksgiving alone?

In This Wait

Do you ever go through a time in life where just a song or two seems to almost scream out and put into words the thoughts that your heart can't seem to pull together?

This has been one of those songs for me in most recent days.  I find myself listening to it over, and over, and over.

We are, once again, on a "battle ground" of sorts as we wait for test results from a specialist.

For those who have followed the story of our family for any length of time, you know that this is not a new experience for us, just a new potential road to walk.

Waiting.

It has given me time to reflect.  To remember.  To be reminded.

And in the waiting I find myself encouraged as I listen to these words.

Regardless of the final news we receive, the truth will remain...

We will not walk alone.
Every step we will be breathing in His grace.
We will be held in His perfect peace.
Evermore we'll be breathing out His praise.

He is Faithful.

Always... Faithful.



Never Once
By Matt Redman

Verse 1
Standing on this mountaintop
Looking just how far we've come
Knowing that for every step
You were with us

Verse 2
Kneeling on this battle ground
Seeing just how much You've done
Knowing every victory
Was Your power in us

Pre-Chorus
Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say

Chorus
Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Repeat Verse 2
Repeat Pre-Chorus
Repeat Chorus

You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Bridge
Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Never once did we ever walk alone
Carried by Your constant grace
Held within Your perfect peace
Never once, no, we never walk alone

Repeat Chorus

Every step we are breathing in Your grace
Evermore we'll be breathing out Your praise
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Overcoming Fear with Thanksgiving

I have found myself challenged for some time to learn thanksgiving and gratitude at a deeper level.  To just say the words seems like it would be so simplistic, so basic to live out.

However, I am finding that it is taking some time to learn this as a natural way of life.  Not necessarily so difficult when things are going well.  There is so much to be thankful for then.

But what about when moments are more difficult?  Or what of those moments that are even instilled and overflowing with fear?

Not so long ago I had an opportunity to put it into real life practice.

We were out taking a family hike.  When ready to head back, our oldest wanted to take a different trail... by himself.  Both he and my husband were convinced it would only be a short time before the two trails looped back around and joined each other.

The idea of the adventure was gripping my fifteen year old son in his eagerness to venture off for this short jaunt on his own.  And so we agreed, convinced we would soon meet up once again.

That is not how it turned out.

It didn't take long for us to realize that our paths would not meet up with his.  We were veering down the side of the great hill we had climbed in a different direction than we had projected.  We chose not to back track assuming that the trails would both dump out at the bottom in the same location.

Again, we were wrong.

Soon we realized that we were lost.  I was not so concerned for us.  My hubby, myself, our girl and the little guy were all together.  There was no fear in that.  But what about our oldest?  Where was he?  Had he found his way down?  Was he lost too?

Fear began to seize my heart.  My imaginations began to run wild.  Visions of what "might be" began to cloud out any sense of rational thinking.

This was my chance.  The challenge of giving thanks came to mind.  Yes, even in this situation as I felt my heart rate increase by the minute and found my mind racing in fear.

Thankfulness?  In this?  What was there to be thankful for?  And as I prayed, out of sheer determination of will my list started...

Lord,

*  I'm thankful that he has the backpack with the granola bars and bottles of water.
*  I'm thankful that he has the dog with him.
*  I'm thankful that he has done this hike before.
*  I'm thankful that it is beautiful weather for a hike.
*  I'm thankful that he is healthy and in good physical shape.
*  I'm thankful that we have a cell phone.  Once we are again in some type of coverage we can call for help.
*  I'm thankful that we have watched many survival type shows and have done a lot of camping.  At least he knows basic survival tips.
*  I'm thankful that the rest of us are still together with only one being separated.
* I'm thankful that You, God, know where he is, even if I don't.
* I'm thankful....

And on it went, coming up with every thankful thought I could given the situation.

As my thankful list grew, my heart noticeably began to calm.  My panicked thoughts began to turn to the good in this situation rather than all of the frightening "what if's".  My pace settled in and my goal became to just get down to cell coverage.  To think of a realistic plan rather than be caught up in a panicked frenzy.

After some time we did reach cell phone coverage.  We called and arranged for family to go to the base of where we started our hike and had parked our car.

If he had made it down, we knew he should have been there by now.  We had already agreed that if they called back saying he wasn't there, our next call would be to emergency services as the sun was setting and night was quickly falling.

Not long after we made the first call, we received a call and my thankful list found itself increasing in great abundance as we learned the news that both he and the dog were sitting by our car... waiting.

As our walk continued to find exactly where we were and get back to our son and our car, my heart soared in thankfulness to a God who not only kept us all safe that day, but taught me a life changing lesson about overcoming fear with thanksgiving.

I Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT) "Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus."

When was the last time you offered thanksgiving in what seemed the most unlikely of circumstances?  Have you ever tried it?

Something to consider...

Been That Long...

WOW! Has it really been that long since I've had time to linger here?  In some ways it seems like only yesterday, and in others it seems that it has been forever.

Have you ever had time pass like that?

I have now returned to work full time being blessed to have my hubby managing things on the home front.  The more that weeks pass, the more convinced we are that this was the right thing based on what the children are encountering and the time it is freely allowing my husband to be involved.

Though the right thing, it doesn't make it an easier transition.  I have found it taking energy, intentional planning, and willingness to navigate this new learning curve of our schedules.

I will not say that the schedule appears to be settling.  Recent days have shown me that just as I think that is happening, life throws a curve and once again moments speed by with time to notice requiring intentional focus and purpose.

However, I will say that I have not permanently left this place.  And I will say that my heart misses moments to chat, ponder, reflect, and consider while lingering here.

So many thoughts, encouragement, and challenge I am ready to pour out into this place.  Now if only for a moment or two to get them into words...