Tag Archives: prayer

“Just One Drop”

Today is my 10 year anniversary of  Faithrises on WordPress, and in celebrating this, here’s a story that I posted  several years ago, back in 2012. I love to think back on this story. It reminds me of God’s miracle working power, and how He hears and answers when we pray. I hope that it will be a blessing for you today too! 

My youngest sister was getting married, and the wedding took place just before I was scheduled to have surgery. It was a beautiful wedding, and one of the special moments was watching my sister’s soon-to-be mother in law, walk down the aisle to be seated. She entered gingerly, because she had been very ill, and had traveled a long way in order to attend. I’m not sure what her illness was but you could see in her eyes the love that she had for her son, and how determined she was to be a part of this very special day. She leaned heavily on the arm of the usher who was escorting her in, and slowly made it to her seat. After the wedding, I had a chance to sit and talk with her.

It was my very first time meeting her, so I introduced myself and told her that I was so glad that she was able to come. I asked her how she was feeling and she told me a little about her condition. She mentioned how the Lord had blessed her, and that without Him she couldn’t have made it. She spoke of some sort of blood disorder, I’m not sure of the details, but what she said next would have a great impact on me. She said that she prayed that Jesus would bless her with  “just one drop of His blood”, because she knew that by His stripes we were healed. “Just one drop” she said, and she would be fine. I told her about my upcoming surgery and, being a woman of great faith, she encouraged me, and told me to trust in the sacrifice that Jesus has already paid for us.

The day of surgery arrived and I got up early to spend some time in prayer. I rehearsed in my mind all of the verses which had given me peace as this day approached, then I asked the Lord for something specific… I was told that there was a good chance that I would lose a lot of blood during this surgery, and my doctor told me that I’d have to make an appointment to donate my own blood at the blood bank in advance, as a precaution, in case I needed a blood transfusion during the surgery.  But I didn’t want to have a blood transfusion, so I prayed. I remembered the testimony and I prayed,” Lord, I ask that You would bless me with “ just one drop of Your blood”, so that I would not have to have a blood transfusion.”

After this I felt very calm and at peace.

We left for the hospital that morning and as we drove along, our two children, now 10 and 8 years old, were in the backseat. Although it was morning, it was still dark out and the kids were a little sleepy. Their faces were sad and solemn.  They didn’t want me to have surgery and were very  worried. I started happily singing praise worship songs and they listened in. Their faces brightened slightly, but they couldn’t bring themselves to sing along with me. I felt their love and concern for me, it warmed my heart, and I understood.

The surgery went well. I awakened to see all of my family, including my mom gazing down at me. I was still a little groggy, but so relieved and happy that the surgery was all over!  The next morning the doctor came in and said that there were actually 18 tumors that needed to be removed instead, of the 2 or 3 that he had anticipated, and that I had lost a lot of blood.   “Eighteen tumors?” I said. “No wonder I was in so much pain!” Then he said that although I had lost a great deal of blood, he decided not to give me a transfusion right then, and decided instead to watch me and wait until morning. He went on to say with some excitement and surprise that my blood count was now actually back up to normal! It was a miracle. I didn’t need more blood after all. I thought to myself,  “Thank you Jesus!” because I hadn’t mentioned to my family or my doctor that I really didn’t want a blood transfusion in the first place. This prayer was just  between me and the Lord, and He did it!

“Just one drop”…Just like I asked! It’s like the Scripture says:

“Ask, and it shall be given to you. Seek, and you shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it shall be opened.“ – Matthew 7:7-8 TLV

The Lord had given me just what I prayed for!  Quietly, I closed my eyes, exhaled, and felt a great big smile, deep down inside. :)

With Thanksgiving

“O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms.

For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

In His hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is His also.

The sea is His… He made it: and His Hands formed the dry land.

O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.”

Psalm 95:1-6

The Peace of God

Be anxious for nothing, but in all things by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

Happiness!

“Prayer is a privilege, and praise is a holiday.”

– Charles Spurgeon

There Is No Peace In “Mindfulness”

“So letting your sinful nature control your mind, leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.” – Romans 8:6

“There will be no peace in any soul until it is willing to obey the voice of God.”

– D.L. Moody

“Jesus is The Prince of Peace.” – Isaiah 9:6

“May the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way…”

– 2 Thessalonians 3:16

When My People Pray

white and pink cherry blossom

“When My people, over whom My Name is called,

humble themselves and pray

and seek My face and turn from their evil ways,

then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin

and will heal their land.”

– 2 Chronicles 7:14

“The Lord Bless You and Keep You”

white candle on silver candle holder

“The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make His face to shine upon you

And be gracious unto you.

The Lord lift up His countenance upon you

And give you peace.”

 

– Numbers 6:24-26

 

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“Every Single One”

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“The righteous cry out and ADONAI hears,

and delivers them from all their troubles.

ADONAI is close to the brokenhearted

and saves those crushed in spirit.

Many are the distresses of the righteous,

but ADONAI delivers them out of them all.”

Psalms 34:18-19

Choose To Trust

cash coins money pattern

Every penny bears the reminder,  “In God We Trust” but for Job it was personal.

Job said, ” Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” – Job 15:13

Meaning, “Even if He kills me, I will die trusting in Him.” Proof of the trust in God that was rooted in Job.

No matter what. I choose to trust.

Trust in God.

 

“When My Knees Hit The Ground”

 

love heart romantic romance

My heart beating, My soul breathing,

I found my life when I laid it down.

Upward falling, spirit soaring

I touch the sky when my knees hit the ground.

What treasure waits within Your scars.

The gift of freedom gold can’t buy.

I bought the world and sold my heart.

You traded heaven to have me again.

My heart beating, My soul breathing,

I found my life when I laid it down.

Upward falling, spirit soaring

I touched the sky when my knees hit the ground.

Find me here at Your feet again.

Everything I am, reaching out, I surrender.

Come sweep me up in Your love again,

And my soul will dance,

On the wings of forever.

Upward falling, spirit soaring,

I touch the sky when my knees hit the ground.

 

From “Touch The Sky“ -by Hillsong

And The High Place I’ll Bring Down

white and gray concrete brick wall

I will make the darkness light before you,
What is wrong I’ll make it right before you,
All your battles I will fight before you,
And the high place I’ll bring down.

When you walk by the way I’ll lead you,
On the fatness of the land I’ll feed you,
And a mansion in the sky I’ll deed you,
And the high place I’ll bring down.

With an everlasting love I’ll love you,
Though with trials deep and sore I’ll prove you,
But there’s nothing that can hurt or move you,
And the high place I’ll bring down.

Although satan in his rage would tear you,
And with all his scheming ways would snare you,
Even down to your old age I’ll bear you,
And the high place I’ll bring down.

I will make the darkness light before you,
I will make the crooked straight before you,
I will spread My wings protecting o’er you,
“And the high place I’ll bring down.”

Charles P. Jones

“…I will make the darkness light before them.”  Isaiah 42:16

Slip Away

macro photography of yellow flowers during sunset

“Yet, He would often slip away into the wilderness and pray.”

-Luke 5:16

Only a Prayer Away

I asked the Lord to comfort me

When things weren’t going my way,

He said to me, “I’ll comfort you,

And lift your cares away.”

I asked the Lord to walk with me,

When darkness was all that I knew

He said to me, “Never be afraid,

For I will see you through.”

I didn’t ask for riches,

He gave me wealth untold,

The moon, the stars, the sun the sky,

And gave me eyes to behold.

I thank the Lord for everything,

And I count my blessings each day,

He came to me when I needed Him,

I only had to pray,

And He’ll come to you

If you ask Him to,

He’ only a prayer away.

“I Asked the Lord”- Hymn by

Duncan & Lange

Power of Prayer & Fasting: My Story

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“…This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting...”  Matthew 17:21

 I was praying for a miracle, and there were many times that I would get discouraged, and sometimes even depressed, because it seemed like nothing was happening…

There were only a few people during that time, that I could talk to, who actually believed with me, encouraged me, and listened patiently.   My grandmother was one of these people. She was the first one to pray for me when the doctors  said that I would never be able to have a baby.

She told me, way back then, at the beginning of my journey, that I would be a mother, and she laid her hands on my tummy and prayed for me. She had great faith. I often called her during my lowest times and she would say to me,

“God will do it. He is faithful and there is nothing too hard for Him.”

She told me that what I needed to do, was to pray and fast. She told me to always pray and fast whenever I could. Not just once, but periodically, along with my prayers, as I waited for God to do as He promised.

When the struggle and the waiting became the most unbearable, I remembered my grandmother’s words and followed her advice, and even though she passed away, during the 10 year period of praying for my third little miracle, and had gone home to be with Jesus, her sweet voice remained in my heart, always reminding me of the power and importance of prayer and fasting.

Sometimes when we’ve been praying for something for a very long time, it feels like an uphill battle…

It’s a fight, yes, but,  II Corinthians 10:4 says that, ” … the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty, through God to the pulling down of strongholds.”  Prayer and fasting are two of those mighty weapons…

Armed with the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, we press through the battle with prayer and fasting, trusting Jesus for the victory and a miracle realized.

Thanks for Everything

” LORD, I thank You for everything in my life;

the good, the bad, the easy, the hard, the joys, and the pain,

I thank You for all of it.”

“In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

First Thessalonians 5:18

Perfect Timing

“To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven.”

“A time to be born, and a time to die;

A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to kill, and a time to heal;

A time to break down, and a time to build up;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh;

A time to mourn, and a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;

A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to get, and a time to lose;

A time to keep, and a time to cast away;

A time to rend, and a time to sew;

A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

A time to love, and a time to hate;

A time of war, and a time of peace.”

Ecclesiastes, 3:1-8

Just Ask

“They don’t have anymore wine.” she said, asking Him to do something about it. “Woman, what does this have to do with you or I?” was His reply.

She turned to the servers and said, “Do whatever He tells you to do.”

They filled the jars with water as He instructed, and took them to the headwaiter, who after tasting it, shouted with excitement to the bridegroom, “…You’ve saved the best wine for last!”

It was the first miracle performed by Jesus, at Mary’s request, turning water into wine during a wedding in Cana; and what was the outcome?

The servants, the wedding guests, the bridegroom, and the disciples, were all astonished and drawn to Him.

“Jesus did this. He revealed His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.” -John 2:11

And all because she just asked. Got a problem? Ask the Lord to do something about it!

Here it is in a nutshell;

“… Anything you ask in My Name I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”

– John 14:13

The Hat Rack

Here’s a “post from the past” at my daughter’s request. Blessings! – Faith

Once, when we were visiting a new church for the first time,  an elderly lady came up to us and invited us to her house for dinner. We gladly accepted, and followed her home after service.  As we sat in her living room, we had a very pleasant conversation, and got  to know a little more about each other. She was a long-standing member of her church,  and well-loved by the congregation.  Although she was elderly, she was vibrant and enthusiastic, and very happy to talk about how much she loved the Lord, and all that He had done for her. She enthusiastically shared some of her many testimonies, and I  talked a little about my faith experience.  I mentioned how our two children, a son and a daughter, toddlers at the time, had been miracle babies, because I was told that I would never conceive, and even so, I was still praying and believing God for another baby.

She looked at me, with a smile in her eyes, and said, “You see that hat rack over there on the wall?” I answered, “Yes.” she said, “Whenever the Lord does something for me, I imagine that I’m hanging a hat on a hat rack…and every time he answers I just keep adding a new hat.  And the next time I find myself frustrated about something that I’m praying for, I  just take a look at that hat rack, and see all those hats hanging there, and I’m reminded of all the prayers that God has answered, (some that I may have even forgotten), and I am encouraged that He did it before and He’ll do it again.”

I really appreciated this example and made an effort to apply it in my own life. In fact the Lord did answer my prayer and blessed me miraculously with another sweet baby girl!

When I think back on this example, it reminds me of what young David said to King Saul, when he volunteered to fight Goliath…

“David said… The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine…” I Samuel 17:37

You see, the lion and the bear were hanging on David’s hat rack!!! He just took a look back, and was fully persuaded, that God would do it again. :)

“Has it been awhile since you took a look at your own hat rack?”

Surely God has blessed you and answered your prayers in the past, and hey, there’s always room for another hat, so

Just take a look back, have faith,  and,  like David, be fully persuaded that God will do it again!

A Clean Heart

Image result for clean heart

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from Your presence; and take not Your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation; and sustain me with a willing spirit.”

Psalm 51:1-12

Power in Simplicity

 

“The ordinary acts we practice, every day at home, are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest.”

-Thomas Moore

Stand By Me

When the storms of life are raging,
Stand by me
When the storms of life are raging,
Stand by me
When the world is tossing me
Like a ship upon the sea
Thou Who rulest wind and water,
Stand by me

Charles Albert Tindley

The Good Shepherd

Yes, though I walk

Through the valley

Of the shadow of death

You are with me

Your rod and Your staff

They comfort me.

Psalm 23:4

 

Do Good

“Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can,

to all the souls you can, in every place you can,

at all the times you can, with all the zeal you can,

as long as ever you can.”

John Wesley

“For the love of Christ constrains us…”

2 Corinthians 5:14

He Was Wounded, We Are Healed

“He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5

“Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.”

Thomas Moore

Can a Mother Forget?

Image result for mother and baby nursing silhouette

Sometimes when we’ve been praying for something for a very long time, we begin to lose heart, and wonder if the answer will ever come. I know exactly how that feels. I remember praying and praying for God to work a miracle in my life, and sometimes, I felt that God had forgotten about me and my situation. Of course we know that God sees us always, and knows everything about our lives, but still, it is true of us as humans, that we sometimes think that our situation may not be as urgent to God as we would like for it to be.

This is so not true!

At one of my lowest points, the LORD gave me a verse which comforted me and reassured me, and to this day, this verse is very near and dear to my heart. In Isaiah 49:15-16, the Lord says, “Can a mother forget her nursing child?… Yes, she might, but I have not forgotten you… I have you engraved on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.”  This is how I understood what He was saying to me through this verse:

1. “Can a mother forget her nursing child?” – Naturally, the answer to this question would be a resounding, “No.”  We all know how attached a mother is to her newborn baby, and so we understand the significance of this question. But…

2. “Yes, she might,” – Although it would seem impossible for a mother to forget or abandon her newborn child, it has happened, as unbelievable as it would seem, sadly, it has been the case for some mothers. But…

3. “I have not forgotten you” – God is saying that His love and care for us is even greater than a mother’s love. Infinitely greater. How so?…

4. “I have you engraved on the palms of my hands” – Here, I pictured the palms of my Savior’s Hands, which still bear the nail scars, pierced for me… And then…

5. “Your walls are continually before me.” – My situation and the circumstances that surround me, are continually before Him!… Oh, Glory to God!!

Here it is in a nutshell…

God loves you, more than you can imagine, He has not forgotten you, and  your situation is continually, always, before Him.

Hold on.  :)

In The Boat With Us

As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples,Image result for stormy sea

“Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.”

So they took Jesus in the boat and started out,

And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea,

Insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves:

But Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat…

 His disciples came to Him, and awoke Him, saying,

Lord,… “Carest thou not that we perish?”

And He saith unto them,

Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?

Then He arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea;

And there was a great calm.

But the men marveled, saying,

What manner of man is this,

That even the winds and the sea obey Him!”

Matthew 8:25 and Mark 4:38

-As we “cross to the other side”, through the storms and trials of life,

Jesus cares.

He is “in the boat” with us.

He cares

and He will calm the sea.”

Quietly Waiting

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“Let all that I am

wait quietly before God,

for my expectation

is from Him.”

Psalm 62:5

O God, Our Help

“O God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come,
our shelter from the stormy blast,
and our eternal home,” -Isaac Watts

Image result for psalm 46 1

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

Psalm 46:1

Through Trials

“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet.

Only through experiences of trial and suffering

Can the soul be strengthened,

Vision cleared,

ambition inspired,

and success achieved.”

Helen Keller

“In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33

With Thanksgiving

“O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms.

For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In His hand are the deep places of the earth:

the strength of the hills is His also.

The sea is His, and He made it: and His Hands formed the dry land. O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.”

Psalm 95:1-6

Bold

Proverbs 28:1 says,  “… the righteous are bold as a lion.”  and in Hebrews 4:16 we’re told to come boldly before God’s throne in prayer. This is what Caleb did.

You can read about Caleb in Joshua chapter 14 verses 7-14 , and interestingly enough, the name Caleb means “bold”. Here’s his story…

Caleb was 85 years old when the Israelites reached the promised land. He was one of only two men who had survived the 40 year wanderings in the desert. After being freed from slavery in Egypt, he and Joshua were chosen by Moses to spy out the land that God had promised them. There were 12 men in all, one for each tribe. When they returned from their travels, 10 of the spies were terrified, and reported that it would be impossible to defeat these cities because they considered themselves and  their own people to be too small in comparison.  But Joshua and Caleb believed that God had led them to this good land and had faith that He would give them the victory.

The people believed the 10 spies. God was angry with them and because of their unbelief, they would have to spend the next 40 years walking around the desert until they all died off, leaving only their children and grandchildren to be the ones who would inherit the promised land. But God honored the faith of Caleb and Joshua.

Joshua became the leader of his people after the death of Moses, leading them into the promised land, dividing the Jordan River, and marching onto victory in the battle of Jericho. Caleb now 85 years old had remained strong in faith, and courageous in battle. In the face of battle over the land that Moses had promised would be his inheritance, Caleb boldly responded, saying:

“… the LORD hath kept me alive, as He said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake His word to Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now lo, I am now eighty-five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: As my strength was then, even so is my strength now… Now therefore give me this mountain,… the LORD will be with me, then I will be able to drive (the inhabitants) out, as the LORD said…Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb.”

He got what he wanted. Caleb was bold in his faith as a young man, and even as an old man. He knew that there was nothing too big to ask God for, and his boldness is evidence of that faith.

By faith, we are the righteousness of God in Christ, and “the righteous are as bold as a lion.”

On Life’s Path

“Preserve me, O God: for in You do I put my trust…

I will bless the LORD, who has given me counsel: my heart also instructs me

in the night seasons.

I have set the LORD always before me: because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices: my flesh also shall rest in hope…

You will show me the path of life:

In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.”

 Psalm 16

Turbulence

Image result for airplane

A few days ago, a friend of mine encouraged me with these words…

She said, “When a pilot is flying and sees turbulence ahead, he approaches it head on. He does not go around it, over it, or under it; he goes right through it. The pilot can’t see beyond the limited view of his cockpit, so he must rely totally on the instrument panel for guidance. He goes right through the turbulence, difficult as it may be, and presses through until he reaches the beautiful clear sky on the other side.”

This life, as we know, can bring us to turbulent times that cannot be avoided. We’d rather go around them, but we must press through. As we rely on and put our complete trust in the LORD, even when it gets rocky, He will lead us through to the beautiful clear skies on the other side.

A Time of Reckoning

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time, are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Romans 8:18

To reckon, is to establish by counting or calculation, and today, as I struggle with  pain and limitations as I recover from surgery, I am reminded that, in calculating the number of difficulties and painful events that have occurred in my life, I am encouraged and inspired to think of what God has in store for those who love Him, those who are called according to his purpose. Paul, in reckoning all of his pain and suffering, just lays it out there for us in II Corinthians 11:24-27; “… five times received I forty stripes save one. I was beaten three times with rods, stoned once, three times I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by my own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, (that’s me today, lol ), in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.”

I don’t suppose that many of us can say that we’ve suffered to this extent, and I’m in no way trying to belittle anyone else’s experience, yet Paul kept moving forward and I’m so glad that he did because during these tremendous hardships, He wrote most of the epistles of the New Testament. Most of them from prison. In light of all of this, and considering the hardships that we may be facing, we too can reckon that none of it compares to the glory that shall be revealed in us, as we, like Paul, keep moving forward and looking up…

God is Faithful

faithful

Anticipation

“My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him.”

Psalm 62:5

In The Silence

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“You, LORD, hear the desire of the afflicted; You encourage them, and You listen to their cry,”

Psalm 10:17

“And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry…

And I am come down to deliver them.”

Exodus 3:7-8

Fountain of Every Blessing

  • Image result for living water Come, thou Fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing Thy grace; streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise. Teach me some melodious sonnet, sung by flaming tongues above. Praise the mount!I’m fixed upon it, mount of Thy redeeming love. Here I raise mine Ebenezer; hither by Thy help I’m come; and I hope, by Thy good pleasure, safely to arrive at home. Jesus sought me when a stranger, wandering from the fold of God; He, to rescue me from danger, interposed His precious blood. O to grace how great a debtor daily I’m constrained to be! Let thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to Thee. Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love; here’s my heart, LORD,take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above.
  • -Robert Robinson

When Hope is Frail and Candles Dim

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Oh, that I might have my request,

that God would grant what I hope for,

“What strength do I have, that I should still hope?

What prospects, that I should be patient?

I have been allotted months of futility,

and nights of misery have been assigned to me.

When I lie down I think, ‘How long before I get up?’

The night drags on, and I toss and turn until dawn.

“My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,

and they come to an end without hope.

Remember, O God, that my life is but a breath;

my eyes will never see happiness again.

Job 6:8, 6:11, 7:4-7

Rescued

Image result for hand reaching in to rescue from waves

I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore,
Very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more,
But the Master of the sea, heard my despairing cry,
From the waters lifted me, now safe am I.

Love lifted me. Love lifted me.
When nothing else could help
Love lifted me!

James Rowe

En Route

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“Forget yesterday.

Don’t worry about tomorrow.

Trust God today.”

Trust in God

To trust in God means that He is our confidence; our minds are at rest, as we rely on His word, His integrity, His veracity, His faithfulness, and His unfailing love.

We don’t often hear stories about King Hezekiah, but he is one of my favorite examples of trusting in God. II Kings 18:5, says that Hezekiah trusted God like no other king before or after him.. What a wonderful way to be remembered, as someone who truly trusted in God. In the face of danger, at the threat of war from Sennacherib, king of Assyria, and even after the prophet Isaiah warned him that he would soon die, Hezekiah prayed to God, trusted Him to hear and answer, and God delivered him every time!

King Hezekiah’s sincere, unshakable, trust in God, serves as a great encouragement and example for us today, as we face life’s trials and difficulties. Like him, we too can be assured, that God cares, He hears our prayers,He sees our tears, and will not fail to deliver us, as we place our trust in Him.

Deep Clean

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“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from Your presence; and take not Your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore unto me the joy of Your salvation; and uphold me with Your free Spirit.

Psalm 51:1-12

New Morning, New Mercies

“This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope.”

“It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.

They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness.

The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in Him.

The LORD is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him.

It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.”

Lamentations 3: 21- 26

You Know Better Than I

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I put up a fight
And told You how to help me
And just when I had given up
The truth is coming clear

You know…Better Than I
You know…The way
I’ve let go…the need to know why
‘Cause You know Better Than I

If this has been a test
I cannot see the reason
But maybe not knowing
Is part of getting thru

I tried to do what’s best,

and faith has made it easy 

I see the best thing I can do

Is put my faith in You, for

You know…Better Than I
You know…The way
I’ve let go…the need to know why
‘Cause You know Better Than I.

Joy Williams

I Will Rise

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“Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy.

Though I have fallen— I will arise.

Though I sit in darkness. The Lord is my light.”

Micah 7:8

Please Consider…

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“Consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary in your souls and lose heart.”

Hebrews 12:3

For the Broken Heart

“He heals the broken in heart and binds up their wounds…

Great is our Lord, and of great power;

His understanding is infinite.”

Psalm 147: 3,5

The Microwave Treatment

Sometimes it’s hard to wait when you’re praying for something special to happen, and I know what that feels like…

Once, while I was waiting for my miracle, I had a dream. It had been about 6 months since I had surgery and I was growing more and more impatient about having a baby. I thought I’d get pregnant right away. But that’s not what happened.

One night, I had a very interesting dream

There were two parts to this dream. First, I dreamt that we were visiting some friends for dinner and as the men talked in the living room, I sat in the kitchen while the food was being prepared. I was shocked to see that my friend was spooning raw, runny, red, hamburger meat, into taco shells and placing them in the microwave to be cooked. “YUCK!” I thought to myself, and when she had finished cooking, she topped them with all the trimmings, but I just couldn’t bring myself to eat any, because I saw the way that they were prepared with raw meat, and this really grossed me out!

In the second part of my dream, I was in a meat shop, and I was trying to buy a beef roast which was turning slowly on a spit. I was in a hurry, and I told the man cooking the meat that I had been waiting a long time, and was ready to go. He looked at me and said “I’m sorry ma’am but it’s not ready yet. I said  “Are you sure? It looks like it’s done.” then he pulled out a long sharp-pointed thing, and pierced through the meat, and all of this red, runny, gook came pouring out. He was right. The meat was not ready… It was as if both parts of the dream had the same meaning.

When I woke up, I thought that maybe this dream had something to do with my healing from surgery, and  how  I was not yet healed up enough on the inside.

A few days later, I was sitting in the park, watching  my son and daughter at soccer practice, when I saw a friend from church. She asked me how I was recovering from the surgery.  I told her that I was doing fine, but that I was really ready to have another baby, “After all”, I said “I’m 35 years old!”…She was nearly 50, and told me that I was still young enough to have another baby.  “God’s timing is perfect… Just be patient!..I had my last baby when I was 40 years old. ” she said. I smiled, shrugged my shoulders, and said, “But I’ve been waiting so long already.”  Then she said, ” Faith, you just had surgery… You need time to heal.”  She laughed and said jokingly, .. “What you want is the Microwave Treatment!!”

When she said this, I knew that it was a confirmation of the dream that I’d had a few days earlier… “The Microwave Treatment”… It was true! I didn’t want to wait any longer.. I wanted my miracle,and I wanted it now! This instant… In fact, I wanted it yesterday!!

I was reminded by this incident, that God is in control, and I accepted that He knows best. I would just have to be patient and wait…

Three years later, I realized my miracle, and was expecting our little girl.

“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage…”

Psalm 27:14

Precious

“Look at the birds of the air;

They do not sow or reap or store away in barns,

And yet your heavenly Father feeds them.

Are you not much more valuable than they?

Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing?

And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.

But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 

Fear you not therefore,

You are of more value than many sparrows.”

Matthew 6:26 , 10:29-31

To Those Who Stand and Wait…

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“When I consider how my light is spent

Before half my days, In this dark world and wide

And that one Talent which is death to hide,

Lodged with me useless, though my Soul more bent

To serve therewith my Maker, and present

My true account, least He returning chide,

Doth God exact day-labor, light denied

I fondly ask; But patience to prevent

That murmur, soon replies, God doth not need

Either man’s work or his own gifts, who best

Bear His mild yoke, they serve Him best, His State

Is Kingly. Thousands at His bidding speed

And post o’re Land and Ocean without rest;

They also serve who only stand and wait.”

“On His Blindness” by John Milton 1608-1674

Perfect Timing

“As for God, His way is perfect:” Psalm 18:30

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“There is a time for everything:” Ecclesiastes 3:1

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God’s timing is perfect!

Simple But True

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“The ordinary acts we practice every day at home

are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest.”

-Thomas Moore

Our Help, Our Hope, Our Home

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O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.

Isaac Watts

In Due Time, In Due Season

“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you

in due time…”  I Peter 5:6

 

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”  Galatians 6:9

“Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.”  Leviticus 26:4

How Long?

O LORD, how long will You forget me? Forever?

How long will You look the other way?

How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul,

With sorrow in my heart every day?

How long will my enemy have the upper hand?

Turn and answer me, O LORD my God!

Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die.

Don’t let my enemies gloat, saying, “We have defeated him!”

Don’t let them rejoice at my downfall.

,,,I trust in Your unfailing love.

I will rejoice because You have rescued me.

I will sing to the LORD because

He is good to me.”

Psalm 13

Monday Motivation

“Lord, when I feel that what I’m doing is insignificant and unimportant,

Help me to remember that everything I do is significant and important in Your eyes,

Because You love me,

And  You put me here, and

No one else can do what I am doing in exactly the way I do it.”

― Brennan Manning

Waiting

Sometimes it’s hard to wait but…

“Waiting is a sign of patience and true love.”

♥

“…as it is written, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love Him.”

I Corinthians 2:9

“For since the beginning of the world no one has heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither has the eye seen, O God, beside thee,what He has prepared for those who wait for Him.”

Isaiah 64:4

Gracious Guidance

“…Therefore will the LORD wait, that He may be gracious unto you,

Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying,

This is the way, walk in it,

when you turn to the right hand, and when you turn to the left.”

Isaiah 30:18-21

The Path to Peace

 O God, our Heavenly Father, 
Give me the grace to accept  the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things that I can,
And the Wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time, 
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
Taking, as Jesus did, This sinful world as it is, 
Not as I would have it,
Trusting that You will make all things right,
If I surrender to Your will,
So that I may be reasonably happy
In this life,
And supremely happy
With You forever in the next…  Amen
 Reinhold Niebuhr

Temple Cleansed

This is holy week, and as I thought about of how Jesus cleansed the temple,  I started thinking about how, once we commit our lives to Christ, our bodies become the temple of the Holy Spirit.

In Psalm 51:1, David prays;

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me…”

He asked the LORD to come in and cleanse his temple, (“Create in me a clean heart”), and once his temple, was cleansed, he wanted the LORD to renew a right spirit within him.

This week, as I remember the events leading up to the crucifixion, I reflect on how Christ “cleansed the temple”, and how, because of His love, and by His blood, we too can be made clean, and by His Holy Spirit,  a right spirit is renewed within us.

 

Hang in There


“By perseverance the snail reached the ark.”
Charles Spurgeon

Overwhelmed

“Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer…”

“When my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the Rock

That is higher than I.

For Thou hast been a shelter for me,

and a strong tower from the enemy.

I will abide in Thy tabernacle for ever:

I will trust in the covert of Thy wings…

Selah.”

Psalm 62:1-4

The Hat Rack

Many years ago, one Sunday morning, we were visiting a new church for the first time, when an elderly lady came up to us and invited us to her house for dinner. We gladly accepted, and followed her home after service.  As we sat in her living room, we had a very pleasant conversation, and got  to know a little more about each other. She was a long-standing member of her church,  and well-loved by the congregation.  Although she was elderly, she was vibrant and enthusiastic, and very happy to talk about how much she loved the Lord, and all that He had done for her. She enthusiastically shared some of her many testimonies, and I talked a little bit about my faith experience.  I mentioned how our two children, a son and a daughter, who were very small at the time, had been miracle babies, because I was told that I would never conceive, but I was still praying and believing God for another baby.

She looked at me, with a smile in her eyes, and said, “You see that hat rack over there on the wall?” I answered, “Yes.” she said, “Whenever the Lord does something for me, I imagine that I’m hanging a hat on a hat rack…and every time he answers I just keep adding a new hat.  And the next time I find myself frustrated about something that I’m praying for, I  just take a look at that hat rack, and see all those hats hanging there, and I’m reminded of all the prayers that God has answered, (some that I may have even forgotten), and I am encouraged that he did it before and he’ll do it again.”

I really appreciated this example and made an effort to apply it in my own life. In fact the Lord did answer my prayer and blessed me miraculously with another sweet baby girl!

When I think back on this example, it reminds me of what young David said to King Saul, when he volunteered to fight Goliath…

“David said… The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine…” I Samuel 17:37

The lion and the bear were hanging on David’s hat rack!!! He just took a look back, and was fully persuaded, that God would do it again. :)

“Has it been awhile since you took a look at your own hat rack?”

Surely God has blessed you and answered your prayers in the past…

Just take a look back and,  like David, be fully persuaded that God will do it again!

St. Patrick’s Day

The true story of St. Patrick’s Day, is about a simple man of prayer, perseverance, faith, and  a genuine concern for others. I  really like this story, and I hope that you will too! ♣

Patrick, whose real name was Maewyn Succat, was not Irish, but English. He was born to a wealthy Christian family,  and as an early teen, he was kidnapped and taken to Ireland to become a slave. His name was changed to Patrick. As a slave in Ireland, he witnessed the pagan practices of the Irish, but remained true to his Christian faith, and it is said that he prayed up to a 100 times a day.

One day Maewyn escaped and took the long journey back to his home in England. After many years,  he developed a deep desire to return to Ireland as a missionary. He taught the people about God and advised them not trust in pagan superstitions. He used the three leafed clover, the shamrock, to explain the Trinity,” Three in One”, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Patrick introduced Christianity to Ireland, and after 30 years of evangelism, he died on March 17,  461 AD. After his death he became known as St. Patrick and March 17th has been named a holiday in honor of him.

  St. Patrick’s Day is about the faith and sacrifice of a man who shared his faith, and the love of God, with a nation…

and for that we remember him today!

Rest Assured

To trust in God means that He is our confidence; our minds are at rest, as we rely on His word, His integrity, His veracity, His faithfulness, and His unfailing love.

We don’t often hear stories about King Hezekiah, but he is one of my favorite examples of trusting in God. II Kings 18:5, says that Hezekiah trusted God like no other king before or after him.. What a wonderful way to be remembered, as someone who truly trusted in God. In the face of danger, at the threat of war from Sennacherib, king of Assyria, and even after the prophet Isaiah warned him that he would soon die, Hezekiah prayed to God, trusted Him to hear and answer, and God delivered him every time!

King Hezekiah’s sincere, unshakable, trust in God, serves as a great encouragement and example for us today, as we face life’s trials and difficulties. Like him, we too can be assured, that God cares, He hears our prayers,He sees our tears, and will not fail to deliver us, as we place our trust in Him.

Waiting on God

“Truly my soul waits upon God: from Him comes my salvation.

He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.

How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence.

They only consult to cast Him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.

My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him.

He only is my rock and my salvation: He is my defence; I shall not be moved.

In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.

Trust in Him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before Him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.

Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.

Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.

God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.

Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.”

Psalm 62

Crazy Faith

There was a time when, my family, friends, and neighbors would have thought that “Crazy Faith” would be a perfect title for my autobiography! :)

I know that this is true, because once, when I was in the final months of my pregnancy, (you know, the pregnancy that I prayed 10 years for), I overheard someone talking to a neighbor, saying; “We all thought that Faith was losing her mind!… While she was struggling with her health and praying for another baby, her mother and sister would call and say, “We’re really concerned about Faith..”  They thought that I was going crazy!!! I had never known this before, so when I heard it, I laughed, and said, “That’s OK… They thought that Noah was crazy too, but it sure did rain didn’t it? So, I’m in good company!”

It all began 15 years earlier, when I read Luke 8:48,  “Daughter, your faith has made you whole…”, and from that moment on,  there was no turning back for me… I believed it.

Of course, I myself, don’t think it’s “crazy”, but lots of people might consider it crazy to believe for something that seems impossible. Reading those words as a young 24-year-old, and believing that God had spoken to my heart, “fueled” me to move forward in faith, convinced and certain, that God would bless me, despite my physical circumstances.

Is there something that you would like for God to do for you, but you think that it’s impossible, or not important enough, or too big, to ask for?..  Ephesians 3:20 says that God is “…able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,..”  The power at work in us includes our faith!  Many times when Jesus healed someone, he said, “according to your faith be it unto you”, or “your faith has made you whole.”

Even if it makes you look “crazy” to those around you, or, if it’s just a secret request that you haven’t mentioned to anyone else, ask God what you will, and believe with “crazy” or unexplainable faith that, “with God… nothing is impossible.”

Smiles and Blessings,

Faith ♥

Weapons of War

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds…”

II Corinthians 10:4

The Living God

“…He is the living God, … steadfast for ever, … His kingdom  shall never be destroyed, …His dominion shall be even unto the end.

He delivers and rescues, and He works signs and wonders in heaven and in earth.”

Daniel 6:26-27

Can a Mother Forget?

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Sometimes when we’ve been praying for something for a very long time, we begin to lose heart, and wonder if the answer will ever come. I know exactly how that feels. I remember praying and praying for God to work a miracle in my life, and sometimes, I felt that God had forgotten about me and my situation. Of course we know that God sees us always, and knows everything about our lives, but still, it is true of us as humans, that we sometimes think that our situation may not be as urgent to God as we would like for it to be.

This is so not true!

At one of my lowest points, the LORD gave me a verse which comforted me and reassured me, and to this day, this verse is very near and dear to my heart. In Isaiah 49:15-16, the Lord says, “Can a mother forget her nursing child?… Yes, she might, but I have not forgotten you… I have you engraved on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.”  This is how I understood what He was saying to me through this verse:

1. “Can a mother forget her nursing child?” – Naturally, the answer to this question would be a resounding, “No.”  We all know how attached a mother is to her newborn baby, and so we understand the significance of this question. But…

2. “Yes, she might,” – Although it would seem impossible for a mother to forget or abandon her newborn child, it has happened, as unbelievable as it would seem, sadly, it has been the case for some mothers. But…

3. “I have not forgotten you” – God is saying that His love and care for us is even greater than a mother’s love. Infinitely greater. How so?…

4. “I have you engraved on the palms of my hands” – Here, I pictured the palms of my Savior’s Hands, which still bear the nail scars, pierced for me… And then…

5. “Your walls are continually before me.” – My situation and the circumstances that surround me, are continually before Him!… Oh, Glory to God!!

Here it is in a nutshell…

God loves you, more than you can imagine, He has not forgotten you, and  your situation is continually, always, before Him.

Hold on.  :)

Just You Wait!

“Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard,

neither have entered into the heart of man,

the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”

I Corinthians 2:9

When You Don’t Understand

“When you  can’t see God’s plan,

And you don’t understand,

Trust in His word…

Hold tight to His Hand.”

-Faithrises

Not Forgotten

“How long will you forget me, O LORD? forever? how long will you hide your face from me?

How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;

Lest my enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.

But I have trusted in your mercy; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.

I will sing unto the LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with me.”

Psalm 13

Our Father

Our Father, which art in heaven,hallowed be thy name;

Thy kingdom come;thy will be done;on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.And forgive us our trespasses,

As we forgive those who trespass against us.

Lead us not into temptation;

But deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.

Amen.

God of Angel Armies

I know who goes before me
I know who stands behind
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side

The one who reigns forever
He is a friend of mine
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side

You hear me when I call, You are my morning song
Though darkness fills the night, It cannot hide the light

You crush the enemy, Underneath my feet
You are my sword and shield, Though troubles linger still

Whom shall I fear?

My strength is in Your name, For You alone can save
You will deliver me, Yours is the victory

I know who goes before me, I know who stands behind
The God of angel armies, Is always by my side

The one who reigns forever, He is a friend of mine
The God of angel armies, Is always by my side

And nothing formed against me shall stand
You hold the whole world in Your hands
I’m holding on to Your promises… You are faithful.

I know who goes before me, I know who stands behind
The God of angel armies, Is always by my side

The one who reigns forever, He is a friend of mine
The God of angel armies, Is always by my side

The God of angel armies, Is always by my side.

From Chris Tomlin’s “Whom Shall I Fear”

About My Future

It’s Bright!

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD,

“plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope and a future.”

Jeremiah 29:11

Now Faith Is

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen…

By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of  the king’s commandment. By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;

Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a time; Esteeming the reproach of the Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he looked for the recompense of the reward.

By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king:

for he endured, as seeing Him who is invisible.

Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest He that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

By faith they passed through the Red sea as on dry land: which the Egyptians attempting to do were drowned.

By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.”

Hebrews 11:1, 23-30

Quiet Strength

“In quietness and confidence is your strength.”  Isaiah 30:15

“Wait For It”

“Good things are coming, and the best is yet to come! We have God’s Word on it!”

“My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him.”

Psalm 62:5

Growing Pains

“The pain you feel today, is the strength you feel tomorrow.

For every challenge encountered  is an opportunity for growth.”

Unknown

Spring Cleaning

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”

 “Search me, O God, and know my heart:

try me and know my thoughts…”

Psalm 51:10, 139:23

 

My Rock

“The LORD is my Rock, my fortress and my deliverer…”

“He gives power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increases strength”

Psalm 18:2 and Isaiah 40:29

The Microwave Treatment

Sometimes it’s hard to wait when you’re praying for something special to happen, and I know what that feels like…

Once, while I was waiting for my miracle, I had a dream. It had been about 6 months since I had surgery and I was growing more and more impatient about having a baby. I thought I’d get pregnant right away. But that’s not what happened.

One night, I had a very interesting dream

There were two parts to this dream. First, I dreamt that we were visiting some friends for dinner and as the men talked in the living room, I sat in the kitchen while the food was being prepared. I was shocked to see that my friend was spooning raw, runny, red, hamburger meat, into taco shells and placing them in the microwave to be cooked. “YUCK!” I thought to myself, and when she had finished cooking, she topped them with all the trimmings, but I just couldn’t bring myself to eat any, because I saw the way that they were prepared with raw meat, and this really grossed me out!

In the second part of my dream, I was in a meat shop, and I was trying to buy a beef roast which was turning slowly on a spit. I was in a hurry, and I told the man cooking the meat that I had been waiting a long time, and was ready to go. He looked at me and said “I’m sorry ma’am but it’s not ready yet. I said  “Are you sure? It looks like it’s done.” then he pulled out a long sharp-pointed thing, and pierced through the meat, and all of this red, runny, gook came pouring out. He was right. The meat was not ready… It was as if both parts of the dream had the same meaning.

When I woke up, I thought that maybe this dream had something to do with my healing from surgery, and  how  I was not yet healed up enough on the inside.

A few days later, I was sitting in the park, watching  my son and daughter at soccer practice, when I saw a friend from church. She asked me how I was recovering from the surgery.  I told her that I was doing fine, but that I was really ready to have another baby, “After all”, I said “I’m 35 years old!”…She was nearly 50, and told me that I was still young enough to have another baby.  “God’s timing is perfect… Just be patient!..I had my last baby when I was 40 years old. ” she said. I smiled, shrugged my shoulders, and said, “But I’ve been waiting so long already.”  Then she said, ” Faith, you just had surgery… You need time to heal.”  She laughed and said jokingly, .. “What you want is the Microwave Treatment!!”

When she said this, I knew that it was a confirmation of the dream that I’d had a few days earlier… “The Microwave Treatment”… It was true! I didn’t want to wait any longer.. I wanted my miracle,and I wanted it now! This instant… In fact, I wanted it yesterday!!

I was reminded by this incident, that God is in control, and I accepted that He knows best. I would just have to be patient and wait…

Three years later, I realized my miracle, and was expecting our little girl.

“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage…”

Psalm 27:14

The Hat Rack

Years ago,we were visiting a new church for the first time, and an elderly lady came up to us and invited us to her house for dinner, following the service. We gladly accepted her invitation, and followed her home.  As we sat in her living room, we shared in a very pleasant conversation, getting to know a little more about each other.. She was a long-standing member at her church and was well-loved by her church family.  Although it was very apparent that she was elderly, her speech and expressions were vibrant, and she was very happy to talk about how much she loved the Lord, and how much He had done for her, as she enthusiastically shared some of her many testimonies.  I talked a little about my own faith experience, and  I mentioned how our two children, a baby and a toddler at the time, were miracle babies, and that I was believing God for another one.

She looked at me, with a smile in her eyes, and said, “You see that hat rack over there on the wall?” I answered, “Yes.” she said, “Whenever the Lord does something for me, I imagine that I’m hanging a hat on a hat rack…and everytime He answers I just keep adding a new hat.  And the next time I find myself frustrated about something that I’m praying for, I  just take a look at that hat rack, and I see all those hats hanging there, and I’m reminded of all the prayers that God has answered, some that I may have even forgotten, and I am encouraged that He did it before and He’ll do it again.” I really appreciated this example and made an effort to apply it in my own life. In fact, God did answer my prayer, and miraculously blessed us with another sweet baby girl!

Now, when I think back on this example, it reminds me of what young David said to King Saul, when he volunteered to fight Goliath…

“David said… The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine…” I Samuel 17:37

The lion and the bear were hanging on David’s hat rack!!! He just took a look back, and was fully persuaded, that God would do it again. :)

Has it been a while since you’ve taken a look at your own hat rack?

Surely God has blessed you and answered your prayers in the past… Just take a look back, and like David be fully persuaded that God will do it again.

Showers of Blessing

“….And I will cause the shower to come down…, there shall be showers of blessing.”

Ezekiel 34:26

Emergency Contact

–

One morning, as I sat in the waiting room at my doctors office, I heard the receptionist ask an elderly man for his information as he signed in for his appointment. It was very quiet, as we were among the first few patients of the day.  She proceeded to ask all of the usual questions and then she asked. “Emergency contact?” to which he mumbled an inaudible response. She repeated the question very loudly, “Who is your emergency contact?” And he replied, “No one.”  “NO ONE AT ALL?!” she said, still speaking loud enough for all of us to hear. “No one” he replied softly. My heart sank for this man…

How sad that there was no one to be contacted in the event that something bad would happen to him.

I dropped my head and began to think about not having anyone to call, when you really needed them, and I thought about what a blessing it is to have loved ones who care. Almost immediately I thought of how much the LORD loves and cares for us, and how even if there is no one we can call in the case of an emergency, or in times of loneliness, He is always there. He always cares. And when we think that we have no one, we are never alone.

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” and

“… He has said, I will never leave thee,

nor forsake thee.”

♥

Psalm 46:1 and Hebrews 13:5

Quiet Place

“Come ye yourselves apart into a quiet place,

and rest a while…”

Mark 6:31

Surrender

“God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with Him.”

Jim Elliot

I Shall Arise

Image result for when i sit in darkness the lord will be a light to me

“… I will look unto the LORD;

I will wait for the God of my salvation:

my God will hear me.

Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy:

when I fall, I shall arise;

when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.”

Micah 7:7-8

No Worries Mate!

As they say in Australia, “No worries Mate!” and here’s the Bible version…

“Be anxious for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:6

I’m Sorry!

“Confess your faults one to another,and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

      James 5:16

From the Beginning

“For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knows right well.

My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God!

How great is the sum of them!”

Psalm 139:13-17

Prayer and Fasting

“…If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say unto this mountain, Remove from here to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.”

“But this kind goes not out but by prayer and fasting.”

Matthew 17:20-21

Snow

“Come now, and let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow…”

Isaiah 1:18

For All My Life

life

“For you are my hope, O Lord GOD: you are my trust from my youth.

By you have I been upheld from birth: you are he that took me out of my mother’s womb: my praise shall be continually of you.

I am as a wonder unto many; but you are my strong refuge.

Let my mouth be filled with your praise and with your honor all the day.

Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength fails.

…I will hope continually, and will yet praise you more and more.

My mouth shall show forth your righteousness and your salvation all the day;

for I know not the limits thereof.

I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of your righteousness, even of yours only.

O God, you have taught me from my youth: and to this day have I declared your wondrous works.

Now also when I am old and gray headed, O God, forsake me not; until I have showed your strength unto this generation,

and your power to every one that is to come.”

From Psalm 71

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Heavenly Father, on Thanksgiving Day

We bow our hearts to You and pray.
We give You thanks for all You’ve done
Especially for the gift of Jesus, Your Son.
For beauty in nature, Your glory we see
For joy and health, friends and family,
For daily provision, Your mercy and care
These are the blessings You graciously share.
So today we offer this response of praise
With a promise to follow You all of our days.

–Mary Fairchild

Faithful Forgiving Father

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

 “And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father,

Jesus Christ the Righteous.”

I John 1:9 and 2:1

Squeaky Clean

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”

Psalm 51:10

The Secret Place

He that dwells  in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flies by day;

Nor for the pestilence that walks in darkness; nor for the destruction that wastes at noonday.

A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

For He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

Psalm 91

From Mourning to Dancing

” Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness. To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.”

Psalm 30:11-12

Hurricane Sandy

“When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll…” – Strafford

Praying for those who are affected by this storm, that power will be restored, people are rescued, rescuers are kept safe, and that all will be well soon. 

What a Friend

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.

Joseph Scriven (1857)

Double for Your Trouble

It’s Throwback Thursday and here’s a blessing times two just for you! :)

There isn’t anything that we go through, that hasn’t first been permitted by God. This may be a little hard to accept sometimes, but it’s true, and in the end we’ll see that it was only allowed for our good… But there’s more. When it’s all over, the Lord often blesses you in such a way, that you receive “Double for your Trouble”, and sometimes even more!

Remember when the LORD told Abraham, way back in the beginning before Sarah was even pregnant, that he would be the father of a huge nation and this nation would be slaves in a foreign land, and that they would be there for over 400 years, but He would deliver them with a mighty Hand and they would come out with great substance?( Meaning they would come out with great riches.) Well 400 years of slavery is a long time for people to spend working for no pay, and the bible says that the morning after the first Passover, the Egyptians just started giving the Hebrews anything they wanted and they “spoiled” the Egyptians. Psalm 105:37 says, “He brought them forth also (out of Egypt), with silver and gold.”  And we all know the story of Job who, after he had so tremendously suffered, received twice as much of all that he had before.

Think about it. Hasn’t God brought you out of trouble and then blessed you? It could be that He blessed you monetarily, or restored your health, or blessed your family, or even blessed you with wisdom, in preparation for the blessings yet to come. In Isaiah 61:7, the LORD says, ” For your shame you shall have double...” and if God says it, that settles it! So if you’re going through a rough time right now, be encouraged…

You’re gonna be blessed Double for your Trouble!

Go On…

“Sometimes I feel like I can’t go on.Then I look  to God and realize that because He is with me,

I can.”

“Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, neither be afraid…., for the LORD thy God, He it is that goes with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” Deuteronomy 31:6

“… for He has said, ‘I will never leave you, nor forsake you,”

 Hebrews 13:5-6

Hope, Joy, and Peace

 “The hope of the righteous brings joy.”  

Proverbs 10:28

 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace…”

Romans 15:13

Seasons of Life

Through the different seasons
In life that we go through,
God still walks there with us
Through good and bad times too

We don’t need to stop
And ponder why we’re here,
We just need to trust in God
That He won’t leave us there

It is but for a season
That we are in this place,
We need not sit and question it
Just receive His loving grace

Don’t look around at others,
They can’t give you what you need
Let’s turn our eyes toward heaven

“Lord we put our trust in Thee”

Hard times that you are facing,
The Lord will see you through
To bring you to a better place
That He has planned for you

We may only call on Him
When going through bad times,
But when things are going well,
He’s seldom on our minds

But even in the good times,
We need to look to Him,
Let’s not become complacent
Or let our love grow dim

Just trust Him in the times ahead
Even when you do not know
That He is there beside you,
For He does love you so.

© By M.S.Lowndes

A Balm in Gilead

“Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there?”

*”There is a balm in Gilead
To make the wounded whole
There is a balm in Gilead
To heal the sin-sick soul”

Jeremiah 8:22

*Lyrics- African-American Spiritual

Election

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”  John 15:16 ♥

Seize The Day

Today is a gift. That’s why it’s called “the present!”

“Lord… teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”

Psalm 90:12

Just One Drop

It’s Throwback Thursday and here’s a story that I posted  several months ago. I love to think back on this story, and I hope that it will be a blessing, as I share it with you today!

My youngest sister was getting married, and the wedding took place just before I was scheduled to have surgery. It was a beautiful wedding, and one of the special moments was watching my sister’s soon-to-be mother in law, walk down the aisle to be seated. She entered gingerly, because she had been very ill, and had traveled a long way in order to attend. I’m not sure what her illness was but you could see in her eyes the love that she had for her son, and how determined she was to be a part of this very special day. She leaned heavily on the arm of the usher who was escorting her in, and slowly made it to her seat. After the wedding, I had a chance to sit and talk with her.

It was my very first time meeting her, so I introduced myself and told her that I was so glad that she was able to come. I asked her how she was feeling and she told me a little about her condition. She mentioned how the Lord had blessed her, and that without Him she couldn’t have made it. She spoke of some sort of blood disorder, I’m not sure of the details, but what she said next would have a great impact on me. She said that she prayed that Jesus would bless her with” just one drop of His blood”, because she knew that by His stripes we were healed. “Just one drop” she said, and she would be fine. I told her about my upcoming surgery and, being a woman of great faith, she encouraged me, and told me to trust in the sacrifice that Jesus has already paid for us.

The day of surgery arrived and I got up early to spent some time in prayer. I rehearsed in my mind all of the verses which had given me peace as this day approached,  and I asked the Lord for something specific… I knew that there was a good chance that I would lose a lot of blood during this surgery, and my doctor had ordered me to donate my own blood in advance as he was prepared to give me a blood transfusion, but I didn’t want to have a blood transfusion, so this is what I prayed,” Lord, I ask that You would bless me with just one drop of Your blood, so that I would not have to have a blood transfusion.”  After this I felt very calm and at peace. We left for the hospital.

My children didn’t want me to have surgery and were very  worried. As we drove to the hospital, I started happily singing praise worship songs and they listened in. Their faces brightened slightly, but they couldn’t bring themselves to sing along with me. I felt their love and concern for me, it warmed my heart, and I understood.

The surgery went well. I awakened to see my family all looking down at me in anticipation, I smiled and thought that this was kind of funny. I was also relieved and happy that the surgery was over!  The doctor came in and said that there were 18 tumors instead of 2 or 3, and that I had lost a lot of blood.   “Eighteen tumors?” I said. “No wonder I was in so much pain!” Then he said that although I had lost a lot of blood, he decided not to give me a transfusion, but waited until afterwards to see if it was still necessary. He said that my blood count was now back up, so I didn’t need one after all… I thought to myself “Thank you Jesus!” because I hadn’t mentioned to my family or my doctor that I didn’t want  a transfusion. This was just  between me and the Lord, and He did it! Just like I asked.

I exhaled, and felt a great big smile, deep down inside… :)