Prayer

So as I have expressed in the past, the Lord has been working on me in the area of prayer. And I wanted to share some things that He has put on my heart.

For me, it started with 1 Samuel 12:23 "As for me, far be if from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right." Okay...kind of strange I thought given that Samuel is admonishing Israel to turn back to the Lord. In the middle of him telling them to serve Him and stop going after "useless idols"...in the midst of Samuel exhorting them to take courage in God Almighty, he says this bit about himself not sinning against the Lord by failing to pray for the people. I thought, "Wow, God you really do take this prayer thing seriously." But why?

So I began to allow the Lord to speak. Psalm 51:6 says "Surely you desire truth in the inner parts. You teach me wisdom in the inmost place." And Psalm 119:105 says, "Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light for my path." The Lord wanted to put a truth in my heart to teach me wisdom. He was going to give me His word to direct my feet along His path for my life. And it led me to Deuteronomy 4:7 "What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him?"

The purpose of prayer is INTIMACY. God demonstrates cover to cover in the bible how much he desperately longs to have a deep and meaningful relationship with His creation. Prayer is the means by which He does it. Prayer is the two-way street of communication with the Holy God we serve.

So then God showed me in Genesis 30, verses 1 and 22 the answer to prayer for Rachel. Rachel in verse 1 doesn't even cry out to the Lord directly, but complains to her husband that she will "die" if she doesn't have a child. She even goes as far as to take matters into her own hands and gives her handmaiden to her husband in order to have some form of lineage through the servant girl. But in verse 22 it says that God remembered Rachel, he LISTENED to her and opened her womb. GOD LISTENED to her. He heard her heart's cry regardless of where she directed it.

Then God showed me in Exodus 2:23-25 "During that long period, the kind of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. God HEARD their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. So God looked on the Israelites and WAS CONCERNED about them." (emphasis mine) So not only does God listen to our prayers, God CARES!!!

Then turning over to Matthew chapter 20:30-34, we have Jesus' encounter with two blind men. They shout out to him despite the crowd trying to subdue them and they persist. Jesus in verse 32 stops and calls to them. They make their plea and in verse 34 it says, "Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him."
So God listens, God cares, and GOD RESPONDS!!! Now, granted, he doesn't always respond with a yes to our prayers. Sometimes, like with Paul or Jesus even, our Father says no. But I don't want you to miss that GOD RESPONDS!!

And all this because God is about relationship. He is about INTIMATE relationships! Our communication with the Lord is about enhancing the intimacy in the relationship we share with our Father through Jesus Christ. Within the realm of relationship, exciting things happen!!! That is because the POWER experienced by prayer is CHANGE!!!

Let's look at the things that CHANGE because of prayer.

First, our thoughts and emotions change because of prayer. Philippians 4:6-7 is noted usually in response to worry or being anxious. It says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understqanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." Let's pull out two commands here. One is a negative - DO NOT be anxious. The other positive - DO PRAY and PETITION. Why? Because God needs to know what we want? NO! Because God wants to grow closer to us and give us peace that guards our hearts and minds. We gain peace by trust. Prayer is a sign of our trust in the Lord to be who He says He is.

Next, let's look at how prayer changes our PRIORITIES. Psalm 5:3 says "In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation." Psalm 63:6 says "On my bed, I remember you, I think of you through the watches of the night." And there are so many other Psalms that talk about prayer throughout the day. The bible commands us to pray without ceasing. By obeying the word, we experience the power of CHANGED PRIORITIES. Where perhaps other things used to take precedence, an intimate relationship is built by making the Lord our 1 morning and night and everything in between!
With changed thoughts and emotions and changed priorities comes CHANGED BEHAVIOR. Our attitude is changed, Philippians 2:5-8, into the likeness of Christ and we begin to model just as Christ modeled for us, humility to the point of death, even death on a cross. The psalms also talk about our speech, (Psalm 49:3, Psalm 35:28) and how that changes. Ultimately, out of an intimate, love relationship, we obey the Lord. Just as Jesus said in John 14, "If you love me, you will obey what I command."

I love the entire chapter of John 17.

Jesus Prays for Himself

1After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

Jesus Prays for His Disciples

6"I have revealed you[a] to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one. 12While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. 13"I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17Sanctify[b] them by the truth; your word is truth. 18As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

Jesus Prays for All Believers

20"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 24"Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. 25"Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."

Here I find the PROMISE of prayer.

In verses 19 and 25-26 we see the promise of SANCTIFICATION because of our relationship with Jesus Christ. That sanctification is for believers who have an established relationship with our Father through Jesus Christ. But when the PURPOSE of prayer is sought - INTIMACY, and the POWER of prayer is experienced - CHANGE, then the PROMISE becomes a reality - SANCTIFICATION. We become more like Christ because he is in us and we are in Him.

In summary, Matthew 6:5-8 says

5"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

9"This, then, is how you should pray:
" 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
10your kingdom come, your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
11Give us today our daily bread.
12Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.'

We cannot expect to understand the purpose of prayer if we are superficial (praying aloud like the hypocrits on the street corners). We CAN expect to have God respond and reward when we are intent on meeting with Him and Him alone (what is done in secret). And when we pray, we are to 1) Acknowledge who God is (Mt 6:9) 2) Submit ourselves to His will (Mt 6:10) 3) Trust in His response and 4) Follow His lead. God LISTENS, God CARES, God RESPONDS because He longs for us to have an intimate relationship with Him that CHANGES who we are and in the end, it brings Him glory, of which He is well deserving!

I hope this will encourage you not just to pray, to experience prayer on a whole new level. To understand it is more than just doing away with worry or avoiding sin by NOT praying. I hope you will engage in prayer because it is the lifeline by which you experience the relationship you have with your eternal Father. And may prayer take on a whole new depth! After all, "What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him?" Deuteronomy 4:7

Blessings to each of you - Shannon

Put on Love

In Colossians 3, verses 12 through 14, it says "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." For someone like me....someone who struggles with a critical heart...this is a "critical" verse. :) By that I mean, a verse that moves my heart from death to life.

Growing up, I felt like I would never measure up. I was an overachiever whose worst fear was failure. Yet, knowing that I could never succeed fully, I simply sought after as few people as possible knowing what a loser I was. That was faulty thinking. Those were lies that this verse erradicates. I am not a failure or a loser. I am God's chosen daughter, holy and dearly loved. So what kind of response does that warrant from me? This verse commands me to clothe myself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Things that I cannot clothe myself with apart from Jesus Christ.

I am really struggling right now with this command. I want to obey, but my heart is wicked and stubborn and the flesh is warring against my spirit. So I am begging for the Lord to intervene. I want to be compassionate, kind, humble, gentle and patience. I want to walk closely with the Lord. I want to die to my old ways and not allow the flesh to take over what the spirit owns now. How I wish when we became Christians that this war between spirit and flesh would cease. But the Lord knows how much better it is that we battle instead.

And it goes on to a struggle with forgiveness as well. This struggle probably causes the most angst. For the Lord forgives those that forgive. And how can I call myself a Christian, one who has received a full and undeserved pardon for every evil and tresspass I have ever committed and yet, be one that withholds grace from another? Simply put, I cannot.

So I am praying that my thoughts on this verse...my feeble willingness to think this truth over the lies of the past...will bring forth actions that speak these characteristics of Christ. And I pray that over time, the Lord would mold my heart to follow after these things. I pray the Lord would help me to no longer be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of my mind. That I would truly indeed - put on love!

The Simple Life by A Demon Possessed Man

Mark 5:1-20
“They came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gerasenes. When He got out of the boat, immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met Him, and he had his dwelling among the tombs. And no one was able to bind him anymore, even with a chain; because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him and the shackles broken in pieces, and no one was strong enough to subdue him. Constantly, night and day, he was screaming among the tombs and in the mountains, and gashing himself with stones.

Seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran up and bowed down before Him; and shouting with a loud voice, he said, "What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God, do not torment me!" For He had been saying to him, "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!" And He was asking him, "What is your name?" And he said to Him, "My name is Legion; for we are many." And he began to implore Him earnestly not to send them out of the country. Now there was a large herd of swine feeding nearby on the mountain. The demons implored Him, saying, "Send us into the swine so that we may enter them."

Jesus gave them permission. And coming out, the unclean spirits entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, about two thousand of them; and they were drowned in the sea. Their herdsmen ran away and reported it in the city and in the country. And the people came to see what it was that had happened. They came to Jesus and observed the man who had been demon-possessed sitting down, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the "legion"; and they became frightened. Those who had seen it described to them how it had happened to the demon-possessed man, and all about the swine. And they began to implore Him to leave their region.

As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed was imploring Him that he might accompany Him. And He did not let him, but He said to him, "Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you." And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.”

Did you read all of that? If not, please go back and do so now.

Now, let’s look at what this passage is about. This is one of the most amazing passages. We learn so much in such a short read!!

First, what do we have? We have a man possessed by a legion of demons (v2). He is isolated and alone (v2 and 3). He is hated and people are so terrified by him that they have physically chained him time and again (v4). He is a tormented man in absolute anguish and physical pain (v5).

Next, let’s look at the events.
- Jesus comes on the scene.
- Demons bow.
- Jesus identifies the evil.
- Evil grovels.
- Jesus casts out evil and restores righteousness.

We may not think we have anything in common with a man possessed by a legion of demons, but if you look over that list of events, I think you’ll find, as I did, a common ground. It is the plan of salvation! When Jesus comes on the scene of our lives, we are acutely aware of our lowly status. We become aware of our sin problem. That sin problem is what chains us, what causes us torment and anguish and angst in this world! Humility is the right response to a true acknowledgement of Christ! What is His response to humility? Psalm 149: 4 says, “For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation.” And so he did for this man.

But how does salvation and restoration come to us? First we must allow Jesus to identify the evil. Jesus asked the name of the demon within the man. He identified the whole of the problem. Then evil grovels with Jesus to not be cast out of the country but to be cast into pigs. And though evil believes it has been granted mercy by being cast into pigs, Jesus drowns the whole lot of them. Evil is destroyed!!! So it is when WE receive salvation and restoration. Jesus identifies our sin – the depravity of our souls. We may struggle against the truth and try to justify our sins by moving it “out of the way” as the demons sought to be cast into the pigs. But ultimately, Jesus still has victory!! He will conquer evil. You can either allow him to conquer it and raise you to life, as he did with this man. Or you can be as the demon and cast unto the lake in death, as he did with the demon-possessed pigs!

Just a note here. There is section here, right after Jesus casts the pigs out, details how negatively the witnesses responded. They told the man what they saw happen to him and urged him to leave the region. I just want to say that sometimes when God is at work in our lives, onlookers may or may not understand and sometimes, as is the case here, they may be frightened to the point they don't want you hanging around. Major life change can be scary for anyone and for the onlooker that realizes Jesus' work to be contagious...he or she may run or want you to run in the opposite direction! This conversion, this event was radical. Sometimes being radical for Jesus warrants negative (sometimes VERY negative) attention.

But let's keep going to best part! If you choose life – there is more this passage offers!! The man, now free of his chains both physical and spiritual, longed to go with Jesus. That is an attitude of gratitude and dependency. How many times have you longed to leave the world behind you and be with Jesus? Yet, how does Jesus respond this time? He denies the request and gives the man His purpose for his life. The very same purpose he has given you and me. “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.” When he did, the people were “amazed”!!! (Sidenote again - these people were amazed...some people get scared and want you gone, others are amazed! I guess you'll have to leave the response up to the Lord!) But doesn't this piece remind you of the great commission we find in Matthew 28?

What a simple command. Go and tell them. He didn’t say go to seminary, get trained and be a preacher. He didn’t say sit in bible study classes for the next year at your church so you can tell your neighbor about Jesus. He didn’t say develop a creative and culturally relevant plan. He simply said go and tell your people what Jesus has done for you and how He had mercy on you.

Do you do that? Do you keep it simple enough that when you meet someone, you tell them what Jesus has done for you? Do you even realize all that Jesus has done for you? Does it cause you to bow low and, in an attitude of gratitude, surrender everything you have? Are you even excited enough about your own salvation that you WANT to tell others?

If not, then I pray Psalm 51:12 for you ‘Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me.’

This was an incredible read for me. I hope you will read and meditate on this passage and take its message to heart for yourself. May we all learn to keep it simple! May the gospel be our lives and our message regardless of where we find ourselves! Peace!

My Next 30 Years

So if you didn't know...today is my birthday! I have now had 30 years of life, which is awesome! And it is good to take time each year, but especially at significant "mile markers" to take stock of your life and your purpose! So I thought I would jot down some random things I've been thinking about as I knew my birthday was approaching.

First, the last three decades of my life, I have to say are riddled with good and bad things. I guess that is true of any person's life, but I can look back and see so much time that seemed wasted on the world rather than invested for the Lord. I know that all my days were planned and ordained by God before even the foundation of the earth was formed. I think this thought of backward looking need be entertained only long enough to motivate the forward looking. What I mean by that is that if I see "wasted" time in my history, let's not repeat it and make...as the country song goes...my next 30 years...count for something more eternally signficant!

Second, present time would cause some anguish over the age factor. I like 30! Perhaps I should feel old, but instead, I feel more like I'm coming into an age that fits me better than my 20's ever did. I think three decades have been an investment the Lord has made in growing wisdom and maturity that I couldn't have had otherwise. Like those things that are better aged (wine, cheese, trees, etc) I think life grows more beautiful with the passing years. I love the experiences of each season. The season of learning who my real Father was...how sweet it is to know Him! The season of learning to trust Him through obedience (not sure this season has an end though! ) The seasons of singleness, motherhood and now marriage. The seasons of friendships and spritual growth. The wonders of living!! Life is amazing. And if there is another day on the calendar for me after 30 years...I have another 24 hours of wonder to behold! Prayerfully I will make each moment count!

So lastly...what will life hold beyond my 30th birthday? I am sure I do not know! However, with each day, I know it will be a sweeter time with Jesus. With each day, I know it will be more investment in my husband and my son and any other children the Lord may grant us! I know it will mean continued intentionality in sharing my faith and loving the people God brings into my life. I also know it will need to mean dying to my pride, my selfishness, my desires, and oh....my will!!

This season of my life has been taking shape by the most powerful verse that resides in my heart right now: Philippians 1:20-21, I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exhalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. How I want that to be the message of my life!! But it means sacrifice. It means not being so spoiled and self-centered! It means getting out of the comfort zone life and just being American has meant for me.

I am not sure where you are, but I'm at a great point in my life. A point that I have determined to LIVE! and LIVE as Christ. 30 years behind me...perhaps another day ahead...maybe 30 more years. Whatever life brings, I love it and will live it! What about you?

Battle of the Wills

Although I have not ever completed reading James Dobson’s book The Strong Willed Child, I am certain I have a strong willed child! I receive almost daily confirmation of this assessment. Today was no different.

It started off as a pretty normal day. Morning routine, school routine and pick up routine all seemed to be in order. However, I needed to make a stop at Wal-Mart for a couple of things. Let me interject into this part of the story that previously (Monday to be exact), I have given my son his allowance. It has gone from an occasional dollar or two here and there to a regular, once a week allowance of five dollars. That is a lot for a 5 year old, I know. But a dollar doesn’t buy much of anything and at least with $5, he can get something each week or save for something he really wants in a short period of time. The idea is simply to get him to start learning about money. So back on track we go at the point of entering Wal-Mart.

Now Jonathan already knows exactly what he wants to spend his money on. He wants a light saber…the star wars kind. He already has three that he can play with from Christmas last year, but he wants a new one. So after the few things I needed to get, we head to the toy section. Jonathan hones in on the light sabers as if they had a homing beacon and announces that he has found his toy. One problem…

The toy costs more than $5.

As a parent, I am thinking this is a perfect teaching opportunity. I am going to help Jonathan understand what it means to save and work toward a goal. As a child, Jonathan sees only one thing…a light saber and he wants it now.

What I thought would be a “teachable moment” turned into (and please understand I am not in the slightest exaggerating) an hour long fit on the floors of Wal-Mart. First, my son threw himself on the floor in front of the display of star wars items. I thought it would be short-lived and so I began to walk away. At which point, my son did follow me. Only to plop himself down again two isles over. After I left him on the floor throwing the beginning of this fit, he decided to go back to the star wars isle. Then, I picked his very heavy 75+ lbs up and put him in the cart.

I proceeded to the check out, weaving my cart through crowds of onlookers enjoying the spectacle taking place in my shopping cart. The noise level was ridiculous. My red-faced, visibly distraught son, was bouncing up and down in the cart, screaming at the top of his lungs that he wanted out and he wanted his light saber. At the check out stand, I had had enough. He was about to fall out of the cart and hurt himself, so I did what I thought any sensible mom would do. I left my items in the cart at the check out stand, picked up my son and headed for the car, intending to go home and straighten this mess out in a forum less public.

I made it to the front of the store.

I did mention this kid weighs over 75 pounds right?

So I about lost my grip on him near the front door and put him down. He was still hollering, but what happened next was worse! He ran for it!

Through the masses, my short, stout little boy made a mad dash for the clothing section. His bright yellow shirt immediately blending in with the vast array of spring clothing just as brightly colored!

Good grief!! Now where did he go?

Thankfully, I found him perched under a clothing rack. I pulled him out and the next 30 minutes were a physical struggle of restraint. I couldn’t let the kid run around freely in Wal-Mart, but I sure did draw more of those spectators as I sat on the floor in the middle of the women’s clothing section with a little boy locked under my legs and arms as he continued to scream like no other and fight as if his life depended on it. I drew a myriad of looks from concerned, to condemning, to the few but so gracious moms that drew near to say “hang in there” and “you can do it, mom” “don’t give up”. Those who attempted to get through Jonathan's screaming were laughable though! They thought a complete stranger just might have an effect on him. I wish that were the case!!!

Just when I thought my arms and legs could no longer take the abuse of the struggling little monster that has replaced my son, he began to calm down. I sat still and held his profusely sweaty and hot little body as he continued to catch his own breath. I did my best to wipe the beads of sweat that drenched his face and shirt. I spoke gently and lovingly to help him regain his composure. Just when I thought we were on our way to ending the tirade, Jonathan got up and made a dash further into the store to the men’s clothing isles.

Again?

When I found him, I warned him that this had gone on too long and that we were leaving the store. If he chose to continue running and disobeying, I was going to have to spank him. At this point, I had spent 30 plus minutes avoiding the spanking thing…but I had nothing left in my parental arsenal of consequences for this wild and knowingly disobedient behavior. Now, I was desperate enough to either call my husband away from work or call the police. (yes, I’m quite serious). However, three or four rounds with the spanking and finally my son, albeit crying and still not going all that quietly, was marching toward the door.

My emotional and physical strength completely gone, I put him on the bench near the front of the store and sat down to catch my own breath. What a wrestling match!! He continued whining and crying and still testing me. He said he was thirsty and wanted juice. I told him he could have water. When I (again) did not give in, I think it FINALLY clicked with him that I had won the battle of the wills.

Oh my goodness!

An hour of torture in the middle of Wal-Mart and he finally conceded that I was worthy to be his mother! He walked as nicely as could be to the check register where we found my cart still sitting with my items in it. We got a bottle of water for him to drink and he didn’t even put up much of a fight when I told him no when asked if he could have a toy car found in the register isle. (Darn those advertisers and their impulse buy displays!!)

Walking to the car, I couldn’t believe we had seriously spent the last hour doing what we had done. I wondered if round three would start when we went home and I had Jonathan return the $5 I had given him, which was still sitting in an envelope in his dresser drawer. To my surprise and to his credit, Jonathan remembered exactly what I said at Wal-Mart about his behavior and what would happen to his money and he gave it back without a fuss!

THANK YOU, LORD!!

After that, our night was pretty uneventful, but I have to say…I’m tired and am going to bed VERY SOON!!!

Before I wrap it up, let me tell you a couple of things I learned in this situation. One, our children are never too old to test our boundaries as parents, no matter how firm we think they have already been laid. We can either be parents at the cost of our dignity, pride, image and patience, or we can hurt our children by redrawing what used to be safe boundaries they only intended to test and not really move. By not conceding the case with my son, he understood there are still boundaries, there are still consequences for behavior, and there are still things mommy will not tolerate regardless of how much he pleads! Two, I learned that parenting is tough! A lesson I seem to have to learn daily. I would have liked to think the days of these kinds of fits were over at the age of five. I hate that it took such a horrid display in a public setting to get through to my son. However, as his mom, there are no forbidden territories that I will avoid if it means showing him he is loved and that there is safety in the rules he experiences! If that means physically and emotionally exhausting circumstances, then so be it! That is in my job description.

For those of you out there that are parents…I hope this is one of those times when you can feel like I did when those moms came by my horrendous display and said “Hang in there”. I am sure you experience times when your frustration is off the charts and your patience has run out and your body doesn’t want to fight for the role of parent anymore. But I want to tell you, “hang in there”. You CAN do it! Now, if you have an angel that does no wrong, please do us both a favor and avoid leaving such a comment in this blog!

Blessings to everyone!
~Shannon

A Good Word

I receive these daily devotional type messages via email and this one especially touche my heart, so I thought I would share it with you...Be blessed ~ Shannon

June 9, 2008
Liberating Truth
ODB RADIO: Listen Now DownloadREAD: Ephesians 1:3-10
He made us accepted in the Beloved. —Ephesians 1:6

An unmarried missionary had been disparaging herself. She was unhappy with her life in general, but she was especially displeased with what she felt was her low level of spiritual growth.

One morning she looked searchingly at herself in the mirror. Then, very slowly, she said, “God, I thank You that I am myself and can never be anybody else.”

That was her moment of liberating self-acceptance. She realized that by God’s design she was an absolutely unique person, a Christ-redeemed human being who could never be replaced or duplicated.

Do you condemn yourself because you aren’t as spiritual as you think you ought to be? Do you see yourself as a second-rate disciple, lacking the gifts and graces possessed by fellow believers who seem to be models of prayer, witness, and service? We can rise above the mood of self-rejection and enjoy grateful self-acceptance when we put our lives into the nail-pierced hands of Jesus. “In Him we have redemption through His blood, [and] the forgiveness of sins” (Eph. 1:7). We are accepted and chosen by Him (vv.4-6).

If the Lord has accepted us, surely we can accept ourselves! That’s the liberating truth. — Vernon C. Grounds

All praise to the Lamb, accepted I am,Through faith in the Savior’s adorable name;In Him I confide, His blood is applied;For me He hath suffered, for me He hath died. —Wesley

Accepting Jesus’ free gift of salvation frees us to accept ourselves.

Experiencing God

Today was an incredible day!! After an awesome time of learning in God's word and worshipping Him with other believers, I experienced God today in a way that thrilled my heart!!

I love helping people! My favorite way is through spiritual encouragement! But I really love to help people in whatever way there is to help them. I often am uncertain if I am hearing the Lord correctly on what I should or should not do, but in the end, I usually give it my best and hope that I did exactly what the Lord wanted me to do, the way He wanted me to do it. God has, over the years, brought so many different people from so many different places and circumstances. It has amazed me.

Today an opportunity came to help a person. I had something I thought I needed to do first, and did that. And in the midst of doing so, it seemed like I had lost my opportunity. I was pretty upset at first and began praying. I prayed that the opportunity had not been lost. I asked the Lord to forgive me for not responding more urgently to this need. I asked Him to please not let this opportunity escape, but that if it had because of my timing, then I asked Him to send another along in my place to meet the need I saw. No sooner had I finished the prayer, the Lord showed me that this opportunity had not passed and I was able to help!

I went through a small group study a while back on Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby. It was an incredible study and really changed the way I view my purpose in life. And what happened today was one of those moments I treasure. I saw a need...I saw the Lord at work and I asked to join Him! I wanted to be a part of His work and He let me in!! He welcomed me into His work and blessed me beyond measure!!

I tell you that there is no greater joy for me than to be used by the Lord for His work!! I love it, I love it, I love it!!!! :)

So I hope today or at least this week, you will also be blessed to see the Lord at work and join with Him. I pray that your heart will be bent in His direction and your will submitted to Him! I pray that your cup will overflow with His love for you and for those around you! Be blessed and bless others!

I think I know what He's up to...

I'm excited, scared, anxious, gleeful and a host of other emotions difficult to articulate! But I think I'm starting to see a bit of what has been going on with me lately. See, I've been in this rut (per my previous blog), and it has been difficult to get out of it. As a matter of fact, I'm still not out of it. However, the spiritual warfare surrounding me is beginning to become clearer to me. I have been feeling depressed. Not a usual thing for me, but sometimes, if it isn't some obvious sin in my life causing me to be downcast, depression usually signals something spiritually important is about to happen. Now, there always seems to be sin in my life of one kind or another that I'm realizing or struggling with, but last night I caught a glimpse of something spiritually important! Which is the cause for great excitement and glee!

Yesterday, the Lord gave me an incredible divine appointment, but let me give you some background on the development of this whole thing first. Since I moved into this particular apartment, my heart has been to begin building relationships with my neighbors. Last year, I realized that I had been isolated in my "church" cocoon and had not intentionally built relationships with anyone outside of the "believer capsule". What kind of Christian did the Lord want me to be? - I asked myself. Not the kind that sat, soaked and soured for sure!! So I began a prayer ministry. It wasn't very effective in my opinion, but then, I'm not sure I spent enough time preparing - being prepared myself spiritually that is. But nonetheless, there is a prayer box in our apartment office and I get prayer requests randomly from different residents and pray for them.

I also got more intentional about my actions. I made it a point to talk to neighbors, smile and greet people I met. My neighbors are friendly and sweet, and I have had some great opportunities to have conversations and encourage a couple of the women who live near me. It's been awesome! The whole point was to reach out and let the people of this apartment complex know that I cared and that Jesus cared. I wanted to be the kind of Christian that God lifts up in the bible - Paul, David, Abraham, Peter, etc. I wanted my light to so shine that the world would see my good works and praise my Father in heaven! Oh how I want people to see who Jesus really is! And if I can show them just a little of what I have been given...I just don't understand a person who would reject it! It is TOO sweet and wonderful!

So some intentionality and some prayer have begun to lay the building blocks of these relationships. Which has been awesome! Then yesterday, I made an unusual stop at my apartment complex office to do some paperwork, and a neighbor I have talked to a couple of times was there and needed a ride somewhere. I was glad to take her and we spent the majority of the evening talking about all kinds of things and talking about spiritual matters too. It was great to get to know her a bit!

But the best part of all, is that this timing in her life is one of great spiritual turmoil and the Lord gave me the grace to come in and be a help to her! I cannot express how much joy I feel when the Lord uses me in the lives of other people. The joy was all the more because it was one of the neighbors the Lord has put on my heart! Over this past year or so, God has changed my heart, given me purpose, and is now doing the next thing in His plan!

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE HOW THAT WORKS!!! God said, "For I know the plans I have for you...plans not to harm you, but to prosper you, to give you a hope and a future!!" He also said, "Ask and I will give you the nations". Oh how small my faith that I asked only for my apartment complex! But how faithful He is to begin giving it!

So there is the latest chapter in my life! I am still struggling with the heart condition and the attitude. So please pray, if you would, for the Lord to reveal to me any sin in my life that needs to be dealt with, and pray for a repentant heart on my part, and that the Lord would be glorified in all that I think, say and do!!

Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you! Psalm 63:3

Stealing My Joy

I have managed to put down my armor somehow, folks! And in the meantime, the enemy has come and stolen my joy. My attitude has been sour the last couple of days. It's all I can do to keep my tongue from lashing out with sarcasm, bitterness, and hateful words at the people around me...especially those closest to me! I absolutely hate it!

I haven't quite figured out how to get out of this little rut I'm in. I know that our thoughts control our feelings and behaviors, but where to start in that process is a bit overwhelming.

Do you ever feel that way? Like you know what the problem is, but you're not sure that you can and want to go through the hard work of fixing whatever it is? That is kind of how I feel right now. I think I know where the problem is and what I might do to fix it, but I seem apathetic and tired, and therefore, I don't really know that I want to invest in the solution. But then again, there goes that thought process....

I know I must seem like I'm rambling, and for that I'm sorry. I just feel so frustrated with the state I'm in right now.

Anyway, I just wanted to vent a bit. For those of you that read it, there is a part 2 on the prayer blog coming up. I've had a few issues writing it out. I've been studying the numerous passages on prayer and I want to share so much I've been learning with you...but there is something in the way. As soon as I solve the attitude/heart issue I've been having, I have a feeling that the words for the blog will be forthcoming!

So I hope each of you is having a wonderful and blessed week! The Lord has certainly shown me mercy this week!

Write again soon!!

Shannon

Against the Darkness

I thought I would share this little scribble with you. I think all of us struggle sometimes in our relationships with unbelievers. Sometimes it is really easy to relate and be friends. Other times, the relationship is trying and difficult. I wrote this about a particular person in my life that the Lord has put here to minister to and to learn from. I know my character is being shaped by the relationship. This writing is my heart's cry against what feels like a dark, unmovable wall. I thought I would share it in hopes that you would be comforted in knowing others have the same struggle you do. Otherwise, I guess this is just me putting my feelings down on paper!

AGAINST THE DARKNESS
His presence in our lives, unmovable.
His broken promises, hurtful.
His lack of faith, contradictory.
His life of chaos, destructive.
His dishonest speech, predictable.
His inner mind, unknowable.
His heart - seemingly unreachable.
My heart hurts.
My mind twists in knots.
My frustration exceeds known limits.
My compassion dwindles.
My patience thins.
My love waivers.
My wisdom fails.
Give me your view of him.
Give me your love for him.
Give me patience and faith for two.
Give me perseverance.
Give him your grace.
Give him open eyes.
Give him a new way.
Please bridge the gap between heaven and hell
and help me to fight against the darkness
you have allowed in our lives.
May You have glory in Your victory!!