The Ingredients of Trust

 

We Have to Know God!

Trusting God is learned behavior. We trust someone because we know that person. We believe whatever that person tells us is true. We have to KNOW that God is always steadfast and can always be trusted by His children.

We Must Be Patient

When we give something to God in prayer, we must be patient and wait for Him to act. I love the King James word for patient-long-suffering. In the Bible Study I attend, a gentleman said something about trust. He then said trusting involves waiting. This gentleman is correct in his thinking, To totally, absolutely trust God, we have to wait for Him to work.

We Must Believe that He Will Act on Our Requests.

Trust also involves reliance on the Lord. We cannot say we trust Him and decide to “do it our way”. When we choose to go our own way with a project or a simple action, we tell Him, as well as those around us, that we do not truly follow Him and His leading.

Now, just because we ask Him for something, He might not answer our prayer as we would like. might not think we are ready for the answer we ask. He may have something better in store for us. Maybe His answer is “Yes”, maybe it is “No”. Maybe it is “Not right now!” Whatever His answer to our petitions, He knows best and acts on our behalf.

Why Pray, How God Answers

 

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God Philippians 4:6 (NKJV)

Has anyone ever asked, “Why do you Pray?” How would you respond? Here are some reasons Jesus’ children pray.

           *We pray to tell God that we love Him.

* We pray to give thanks for what He has given us. Our homes, our transportation, our families, our health.

*When God heals us or our friends from disease.

*We pray to seek His guidance when we find ourselves facing harsh circumstances, those things we never expected to happen to us.

*We intercede in prayer for our friends or people we hear of who need guidance or comfort in t heir lives.

*When our cities and towns have had horrific crimes committed against their citizens.

God chooses to answer our prayers in His own way and in His own time. Sometimes, our requests may take a few years to be fulfilled. God has His reasons for seeming to withhold that answer. While we think that our way is best, God may have other plans for that request.

We often try to follow a format for our prayers: One that is easy to remember is the ACTS format.

Adoration-We are to tell God we love Him.

Confession-We are to tell God all that we have done that displeases Him.

Thanksgiving-We give God thanks for ALL He has done for us.

Supplications-We make requests for ourselves and those requests of others we have committed to pray                         

for.

Meditate

 

My eyes are awake through the night watches, that I may meditate on Your word. Psalm 119:148 (NKJV)

The psalmist and a lot of us have the same issue here. An inability to sleep. He uses that time to meditate on God’s word.

Sometimes, I think of words that describe God. I try to do this exercise in alphabetical order.

Other times, I think of the many things that He had done for me for which I am thankful, those things that we sometimes take for granted. My mental list includes fans and air conditioners(in the summertime), a roof that doesn’t leak, central heat (in the winter time), food for my special diet, an enclosed porch where I can sit when it is nice outside. My husband who loves me, a son who also loves me.

I have had times when a hymn plays through my head and stays for a while. Some days, that hymn is with me when I awake.

God has been very generous to us, His children.

Pray About Everything

 

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. 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 surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Phil. 4:4-7 (NKJV)

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say rejoice!

Each of us has something over which we can rejoice.

* Did you sleep well?

* Is the sun shining?

* Did you have a good breakfast?

* Is your house warm?

* Are your children/grandchildren safe from harm?

Let your gentleness be known to all men.

Gentleness is one of the fruit of the Spirit. When we can react to a circumstance gently, we show others that we belong to the Lord. Jesus was gentle when He spoke to the woman caught in adultery. He also spoke gently when he spoke to Mary and her sister Martha when their brother Lazarus had died.

The Lord is at hand.

God is near to each of His children. When we face harsh circumstances, all we have to do is ask Him to guide us through the problem. We can do this non-verbally, just by asking Him with our thoughts or through our hearts.

Be anxious for nothing,

Anxiety sometimes causes circumstances to appear more serious than they actually are.

Anxiety can also lead to serious health issues. A counselor once told me that, as humans, we sometimes have a tendency to own circumstances that are not ours. As Christians we have to decide whether the issue at hand actually belongs to us.

but in everything by prayer and supplication,

Paul tells us that we must pray about everything.

* Pray about your friends and their family circumstances.

* Pray about the issues of our nation and the nations of our world.

* Pray about your finances.

* Pray about your relationships.

* Pray about your neighborhood.

with thanksgiving,

We must thank Him for all we have, for the people in our lives. We should thank Him for the merchants in our towns and cities and those who work for them.

let your requests be made known to God;

We must remember to make those requests to God first. Sometimes, we must ask others to pray for unspoken requests. On social media, I have seen requests for prayer that said, “God knows why.”

and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding,

The peace of God is what we desire in dire situations. It is that peace that carries us through those tough times,

*When we initially deal with the loss of a loved one.

*When we go through personal illness. When we go through times of uneasiness, personal or national.

Some people go through times each day where they need the peace of God to get them through.

will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Jesus guards the hearts and minds of each of us. He stands at the door of our hearts and reminds us of His love for us and that He can stave off the attacks of the enemy that might cause us to doubt ourselves or allow us to become unduly upset over something that would cause harm to us, His children.

Mustard Seed Faith

 

brothersofthebook.com

“For I truly say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed,

you will say to this mountain, ’Move from here to there’

and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

Matthew 17:21 (ESV)

Words of Jesus.

The disciples had not been able to cast a demon out of a young boy. Jesus did it without a problem.

In our prayer lives, we sometimes do not get our requests granted as we would like. Jesus tells His disciples that their faith was small.

I am sure each of you have had times when God honored your prayer requests in a way that you knew the answer was from Him.

A Sunday school teacher I had in another church often used the expression, “Pray in faith, believing.”

*We must believe that God hears our prayers.

*We must be sure that there is nothing keeping us separated from God.

Our hearts must be clear before and after we pray.

*We must commune with Him daily.

At least daily

*We must remember to give thanks for what He has done for us.

He likes to hear that we are thankful.

* We must believe that God will answer our prayers, as He desires.

It is our job to pray. It is His job to answer as He sees fit.

At my church, we have a prayer group, called Mustard Seeds. Our numbers are down at the moment but God hears our prayers and answers them according to what is best for the circumstance.

Pray Constantly

 

Pixabay.com

Love one another with brotherly affection.

Outdo one another in showing honor.

Do not be slothful in zeal,

be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation,

be constant in prayer.

Romans 12:10-12 (ESV)

Words of Paul

The Apostle Paul wrote these words to “ all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints….” (Romans 1:7)

As God’s children, we are to treat each other as if they were our brothers and sisters. He instructs us to do this because we are all God’s children.

Paul further tells us we are to “Outdo one another in showing honor.” When we choose to do something for someone, we should do it because we are led to. We are not supposed to expect something from him or her in return.

Paul tells us we are not to be ‘slothful in zeal,” by this he means that we are not to be slow in passion or enthusiasm.¹

He next tells us to “be fervent in Spirit”.

Being fervent simply means having great depth or feeling.²

He next tells us to “serve the Lord.” Simply stated, we are to work for the Lord, our God.

Now, some of us are unable to do what we used to do for God. For me, I am able to pray and send cards to those who are ill, have lost a loved one, or try to encourage those who seem to be down.

He tells us to “Rejoice in hope,” We are to take pleasure³ in hope and all the good things God allows us to experience.

He, then tells us to “be patient in tribulation,” This is one area of my life that I have struggled with for a long time.

It’s been in recent years that I have found myself to be calm during something that could cause a person much stress. (In the past, I could be a basket case when things got to tense.)

Paul then tells us to “be constant in prayer.” Sometimes, we have to mentally send up sentence prayers to God. At other times we can receive a phone call from someone who asks us to pray for them. We can pray for that need right then. We should always be ready to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ, as well as those who need to know Jesus.

_________

1,2,and 3 are taken from Merriam-Webster Dictionary. com Accessed 4/25/2023

God’s Forgiveness

 

You Tube

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

2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV)

God Himself spoke these words to Solomon.

God tells Solomon what those who profess to believe in Him have to do in order for Him to hear their prayers, for their sins to be forgiven, and their land to be healed.

Humble themselves

Realize they are sinners. Recognize that He alone is perfect. Admit these facts to God.

Pray

Take all their concerns to Him. He is the only One who can fix them.

seek His face

Pray earnestly. Consider Fasting as a part of our prayer time.

Turn from their wicked ways

Repent. Turn away from the things that God does not like.

I will hear from heaven

We believe that God hears all prayers of His children.

will forgive their sin

God will forgive any sin that we acknowledge we have done.

and heal their land.

I believe it hurts God to see all the upheaval going on here on earth. He did not create this world so that people could fight one another. God created this world so we could love one another.

Do these words of God speak to us today? Yes, God’s words speak to each of us, His children each day as we pray to Him.

Can we learn anything from them? Yes, we can learn what we need from Him to guide us through any difficult times our lives.

Do we still have time for the results He mentions to take place in our lifetimes? Yes, if we pray in earnest to Him and listen for His voice.

Book Review: Prayer Starters

 

Christian Books.com

Talking with God About Hard Times

by Suzanne Eller

A Very Special Work

Suzanne Eller has created a very special work in this book. She has brought together 90 conditions that a Christian believer may face and helps us by sharing thoughts to guide us through prayers for those difficult times in life. These 90 prayer starters divided into three parts: Trusting God in Hard Times, Growing in Hard Places, and Freedom in Hard Places.

“Bonus Features”

She includes 12 “bonus” features. These are usually quotes from another author, insights into her life, special scripture readings and thought, or thoughts from our study we may revisit.

Why I like this book

This book has helped me realize that my worrying over an issue that seems to affect my life interferes with my relationship with God. I would recommend this book to anyone who believes they have hit a plateau in their prayer life.

I understand that the release date for Prayer Starters is October 28, 2022

I received this book, free of charge from Bethany House, division of Baker Publishing Group. All they asked of me was that I give an unbiased review.

Book Review: Going Higher with God In Prayer

 

Christianbooks.com

By A. W. Tozer

Edited by James L. Snyder

Mr. Tozer taught me how to pray in a new way. He wrote that we should seek to know God and His way of looking at the conditions that we would normally request and ask Him to act on. In other words, the dynamics of our prayer lives have to change. He tells me we need to have the eyes of God in order to understand His ways.

We need to realize that prayer should be “in harmony with ascending into the presence of God in such a way that separates us from the world.” (p.17) As we pray this should be our aim.

I received a new way of praying for the needs of those on my prayer list and for those hurt by disease or by careless words spoken in haste by others.

I would recommend this book to anyone who believes they need to find a closer connection to God through prayer.

I received this book free from the publisher, Bethany House, division of Baker Publishing. All they ask of me is that I give an honest and impartial review.

This book is available at .christianbook.com in paperback and e-Book form.

June Reflections

 

Etsy 

 

   VBS 2022

   We had Vacation Bible School for three nights the middle of the month. It was a small school, but the children seemed to enjoy the different activities. The decorations were outstanding.

             However, there was one glitch. Our Children’s Ministries Director works a full-time job at a group home. On Thursday, the residents were all sick. Friday, our Children’s Director called my best friend and said she had COVID. That night, all the adults working with the VBS pitched in and did a little extra to help. 

            I have been dealing with congestion since then.  I have had two “good days” this week.

 Husband’s Health

Jim has been dealing with a knee problem. He is going to have a TOTAL knee replacement. This did not surprise me. We were to see the surgeon but had to reschedule because he had the onset of pneumonia. .

His surgery will be in early August. Please keep us in your prayers. 

 

 A New Ministry Effort

 

In our church, we have had several people lose an adult child to death. One elderly lady lost her son last December and a month later lost her husband.

 

Some of us felt the need to begin a Bereavement Visitation Ministry. My best friend and I ordered some very well-written pamphlets to share with those we visit. Due to my being ill and some other things. We have not been able to do any visitation.

 

 Writing Efforts

 

Sometime ago, I found a forum for Christian writers. I joined the group. For some time, I chose to access it for the fellowship. I was questioning myself after I did not do well getting my book into people’s hands.

 

I recently started posting a few things I have written and have gotten positive responses from the other members.

 

From time to time, I search for a (paying) outlet for my writing. I have not been able to find one that is of the Christian genre that I feel comfortable with.

 

A Possible Blog Break

 

I will take a blog break when Jim has his surgery and during his recuperation. I don’t know how long he will be unable to get around. I will let you know more as I learn of the procedures involved.

  

April Reflections

 

Yarnchick/Patsy/ Cross Roads UMC Easter Sunday

 

Beta Reading

From time to time, I choose to test read another writer’s work. I have been reading a book, sent by PDF.

 

Review Book

I chose to get a book to review. It had been a while I forgot how much I enjoyed doing this. When the May list came out, I chose to do another one.

 

Children’s Moments Message 

It was my turn to give the Children’s Moments message on Easter Sunday. Due to my decision to connect each message to a holiday or time of year, I thought, “Perfect, I can tell them about the greeting and the response to “He is Risen.” (I write my own messages.) Again, my message was over the heads of the children who were there.

 

Women’s Circle Lesson

In May, I was scheduled to be one of the two hostesses for our women’s circle at church. I planned to do the lesson and decorations and providing the dessert. The other hostess will fix most of the food. We were going with a Mother’s Day theme.  I remembered a Bible study session I did several years ago on Hannah. I couldn’t find the book that I used back then. So, I did some research and wrote a lesson on Hannah. I tell of Hannah’s strengths while she faced her circumstance. At the end of the lesson, I ask some questions to make the ladies think about things in their lives and how they could better face the issues. That lesson can keep for another month.

 

COVID reared its ugly head.

I started to feel bad on April 22^nd. We had a trip planned for Saturday. We were going to stay overnight and come back on Sunday. We had lunch with our son and went to see Hubby’s best friend, Tom. Tom was scheduled to have a heart procedure done on the next Friday.  I went to our primary care doctor on that Monday and got tested for Influenza A, Influenza B, and for COVID. I tested positive for COVID. I had already cancelled appointments with two oncology specialists. After I got home, I cancelled my appointment for my haircut.

 

Getting Rings Resized

Last spring, I had a lumpectomy. In early December I noticed some swelling in my left arm, what they call my surgical arm. I waited until my appointment in early January and told one of my doctors about it. She determined that it was lymphedema, my lymph nodes in my upper arm were not able to process the fluid they receive.

 

I received physical therapy for about eight weeks. I have a compression sleeve and a compression glove to wear. I had to start wearing my wristwatch on my right arm.

 

When I told my husband about this compression glove, I knew I had to do something about my wedding, engagement, and anniversary rings. We decided I could wear them on my right hand. They had to be resized. I took them to a reputable jeweler in our city. It took two weeks to get them back. This was part of my birthday gift. They look brand knew.

 

April Weather

 

Our “spring” weather was on a seesaw. We had one nice day, followed by two or three dismal, gray days. On Palm Sunday, it started out with temps around 34-37 degrees. The sun shone around noon. By late afternoon, it registered 64*. But it dropped down over night. When, I see the sunshine coming in my windows, I give thanks to God. I feel better when the sun shines.

 

A Prayer Request

My best friend and a couple of other friends are wanting to embark on a special ministry to those who have lost a loved one. Since the first of 2022, we have had at least five members of our church who have gone through this. I have been doing online research for information on grief. I have also compiled a list of contact people at our local nursing homes to ask them for help. We intend on having visitation people to contact those who have been affected. One of the ladies in our church is a retired social worker who has experienced losing her husband. We would like to be able to have a few meetings with those who have been affected. Please pray for us.

His Peace

 

Sallman-Head of Christ

 

Peace, I leave with you, My peace I give you, not as the world gives you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27 (NKJV)                                                                                          

Jesus tells His disciples that he leaves them peace, His peace, not like the world offers.

 

The world’s peace is fleeting. I have described worldly peace as two boys fighting on a school playground. One boy says one thing. A second boy has to say something harsher and louder. That is just the beginning of a fist fight complete with wrestling.  No one really wins in a playground fight.

 

Jesus’s peace is lasting. It is beyond comprehension from a world’s viewpoint. I have stated before that I view the world’s peace is one that lasts until someone throws the next rock. When Jesus returns to earth, we will have lasting peace. We will have no more “cold war”, no more invasions of smaller countries, no more internal issues that divide us.

Jesus tells the disciples and us not to be troubled or afraid. That is not always possible unless you have the Lord Jesus standing with you as you go through the circumstance life has presented you.

I had an experience recently that I believe has brought me peace about a condition in our neighborhood. The house right across the street from us was abandoned.last summer. The last occupants left the yard in  a mess. When our son was home for Thanksgiving, he noticed a window on the second floor was opened.  I had called downtown to the Environmental Court and found out they had sent a letter to the registered owner and gave her until September 21, 2020 to clean up the yard. This house is a brick two story home. There is only one other brick home on our street.  

Today, I heard a knock at our front door. There was a woman who asked me about that house. I have been praying for that house ever since the last occupants left. I couldn't tell the lady at my door what she wanted to know. All I could do was suggest she contact the courthouse and ask the questions she had. But I am thankful that God has been listening to my prayers.

 

Trusting in Him Yields Peace

 

bluestoblessings.com

 

You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV)

 

I find these words comforting. They convey the core message of our search for peace.

We will find peace when we keep our focus, our eyes, on God.

 

In this world, something always presents itself before us that tries to cause worry and heartache.

 

We have God who loves us and desires the best outcome for our lives. When we look to Him when we have those issues enter our lives, He is there to bring comfort to us.

 

One of the hymns, I learned as a young adult speaks clearly to me as I compose these thoughts.

 

 Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

O soul are you weary and troubled

No light in the darkness you see

There's light for a look at the Savior

And life more abundant and free

Chorus:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus

Look full in his wonderful face

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of his glory and grace

 

His word shall not fail you he promised

Believe him and all will be well

Then go to a world that is dying

His perfect salvation to tell

Chorus: *

 

 

Each of us must practice looking to Jesus for guidance, direction, and Peace

 

*Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus lyrics © Integrity Worship Music, Integrity's Hosanna! Music, Lead worship Songs, All Essential Music, Nth Degree Songs, New Spring Publishing Inc., Mercy/vineyard Publishing

September Reflections

 

Shining Mom

 

 Surprise, Surprise

September was a surprising month. The weather was more like July than September.

I had been patiently (?) waiting for two copies of a devotional book I ordered. They finally arrived on the 29^th. I made several calls to the publisher about them.

I received a new 5G cell phone that put me on a huge learning curve. It took a while, but I believe I have learned to navigate on it. It works somewhat differently.

 

 Medical Stuff

 

I noticed something that concerned me around one of my incision marks. I had a follow-up mammogram. I was due to have one this fall anyway, we just did it early. What I was seeing was NOT a sign of disease. For this I am thankful.

 

Writing, Journaling

 

I believe I have my word for 2022 chosen. I also have my monthly themes in mind.  I will share these in my December Reflections post.

 

I am enjoying journaling thoughts about some scriptures from “The Beauty of an Uncluttered Mind” by Carla Gasser. Here is the link to my previous post. beauty of an uncluttered mind. Each of these scriptures is related to one of the Fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5.

 

 Prayer Requests

 

With all the upheaval in our world, we must pray for revival, for God’s hand of guidance on His children.

 

 There is a lot of heartache in this world beyond COVID. Hurricanes, Volcanoes erupting, Family Crises, Racial Tensions, Health Problems, Political Unrest, just to name a few.

 

Re-establishing Good Habits

 

I am struggling to return to some good habits in my life.  Also trying to establish some good habits. I must say that some of those bad habits are not because of COVID.

 

 My gift for my friend

 

My friend Anna now lives in an assisted living facility in southern Indiana. I made her a wreath for the door of her apartment. A gentleman from church and Anna’s cousin, also from church, went down to see her one Friday late last month. She called me late that afternoon and thanked me for it. She said it made her cry (Tears of happiness). At first she didn’t realize I had made it. She said it was the prettiest wreath on her floor.               

                                                 

 

A Priest Prepares

 

ezraministry.org.nz

               

                For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.  Ezra 7:10 (NKJV)

 

Ezra, a priest and a scribe in Israel prepared his heart before he began to help rebuild Israel after the first Babylonian exile.

 

What does it mean that Ezra prepared his heart? My NIV translation says it like this:” For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.”

  

  What does that tell us today? We must spend time in the Word of God in order to understand what we see happening in our nation and our world. We must also observe those commandments of God and commands that Jesus makes for us.

 

We all have something in our lives that we need to alter in order to prepare our hearts for God to work through us.

 

My Life Application Bible has a note on this verse and the ones preceding it. “He was effective because he was a well-versed student of the Law of the LORD, and he was determined to obey those laws. He taught through both his speaking and his example.” (Page 784)

 

Personally, I have developed a lot of bad habits during this COVID pandemic. I plan on doing something about them and replace them with good, godly ones.   

                  

 

The Need to Pray (Updated from 2000)

 

clipart- library.com

 I am more aware than ever of the need to pray. I am more deeply concerned about the needs of people I see out in public. I am more conscious of the struggles in the lives of special friends. I am concerned about an overall condition that I see in certain generation of our society.

 

I watched a neighborhood dispute not head for resolution of a dispute since it came to light many years ago. All I could do back then is pray for those who were involved in this, those with whom I agreed and the one with whom I did not.

 

Prayer is both a calming influence and a catalyst. It is calming because it takes my mind off the hurt and anger I might feel and allows me to think on things of God. It is a catalyst because certain prayers stir me to action. Action can be making a phone call or sending a note. Action could also mean using my time and talent for His service.

 

People of God need to be more faithful in prayer. We all are probably in need of more fervent, more honest prayer. People of God need to be more transparently His. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to show us how to improve our prayer life and how He wants us to pray for those around us.

 

If My People. . .

 

if my people, who are called by my name,

 will humble themselves and pray

 and seek my face

 and turn from their wicked ways,

then I will hear from heaven,

 and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)

These are God’s words. He spoke them at the dedication of His Temple. As I turned off the television last Wednesday morning. I just wanted to find out the latest information about two news stories in our nation. The first one story had the ending I hoped for. The second one gave me a sense of this one was going to turn into an ‘on-going’ tale that would only bring more heartache to our nation.

 

I clicked off the television, buried my head in the pillow, and cried out found myself saying, “God, please heal our land.” The next thing I knew, I found myself thinking of the above verse.

 if my people, who are called by my name,

God has aimed this message at those who bear His name. As His children and followers of Jesus Christ, His Son. He is speaking about us.

 

will humble themselves and pray

There is an order here that God expects us to follow. We are to humble ourselves first. By this, I have come to realize that we must face the reality that we are imperfect and only God is perfect. We must tell Him when we have done something He does not like.

 

and seek my face

We are to not hold back and hide from God. We are to search for Him and look into His face as we make our confessions.

and turn from their wicked ways,

God wants us to renounce our bad habits and our ways of living that do not bring glory to Him. If this seems difficult for us, we need to give that habit over to Him and let Him guide us through the process of changing our thoughts, or our habits.

 

then I will hear from heaven,

God states that He will hear our confessions and our prayers. He always hears them, no matter how long or short they happen to be.

 

and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

God forgives us when we confess our sins. That is His business. He also will heal our land. We truly need Him to heal our nation. We must do our part before He can work out our needs.

 

An added thought: I have seen several references to this scripture since this horrific event occurred. God is trying to tell us something if we would only listen.

Book Review: Warfare Prayers for Women

Bethany House Publishers

Securing God’s Victory in Your Life

                                             

By Quin Sherrer and Ruthanne Garlock

The authors have given their readers a collection of prayers that cover every aspect of life. I found one section-Praying for My Community and Nation- very timely, given the state of our nation as we try to contain the spread of the Coronavirus.

Each prayer has two scripture verses or passages that shed more light on that prayer. At the end of the book, they include The Sinner’s Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer. The authors also include a list of worship starters- a neat compilation of terms that apply to Jesus Christ to help a reader to prepare to worship Him. Also, they give us scriptures of intercession and warfare to use when we face the enemy.

I would recommend this volume to any Christian woman who finds herself wanting to pray more earnestly to God.

I received this book from the publisher, Baker Publishing Group. All they asked of me was to give an honest review. 

May Reflections

Etsy

Another month of sheltering in place. I was able to be out a few times, always wearing a mask the few times I have been out.

Being a Shepherd

I enjoy staying in touch with those people from church on my shepherd list. Most of them I text. One does not have that capability, so I call her.

Books

I am making some progress in getting back on some sort of writing activity. I have a book review ready to post. I ordered a book on writing. Write Like the Masters, by William Cane 

I ordered and finally received a Christian Writer’s Marketing Guide. I have spent some time searching through it.

I also received a copy of a book from Bethany House Publishers for me to review.

31 Days of Prayer Experience

For the month of May, I have been using a 31-Days of Prayer format. One part of the system is a printed page containing a target. Four concentric circles with terms like Thanksgiving, Wisdom, and Spiritual Insight, Forgiveness, Praise and worship, Confession of Sin, Renewal and Revival. Poor and Oppressed, World Leaders, National Government, Global Church, World Missions, Education, Current Events, Local Government, Global Church, World Missions, Local Church, Friends, Community. In the center of the target we are to pray for Home and Family. I have truly benefitted from doing this.

Also, there is a page of Scripture verses, one for each day. I have been led to journal about these verses. This exercise keeps me in practice to write something each day.

In April, I read and studies Psalm 119.

Looking Ahead

We understand that our church will be able to open on June 14. We know that our worship service will look different than before.

I have chosen not to bother the Activity Director at the nursing home to find out when they will be able to have outside people bring in readings and lessons to the residents. Likewise, I have not tried to call the retirement community. I intend to call those places early in June to see where they are in opening.

This month, my hairstylist chose to “officially retire”. She has had some health issues these past few years. Her husband had heart issues. Her dad who lives with them also has a heart condition.  She has her salon up for sale Please pray for her as she gets that salon sold and she enters a new phase of her life.