Husband Encouragement Challenge - Day 1

The heart of her husband safely trusts her; so he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life. – Proverbs 31:11-12

Let us depart from the traditional application of this verse to the earthly married couple and remember a couple of other applications as well. First, the single woman with a heart that perhaps one day she will be married carries the responsibility to remember in her words, thoughts and deeds of today, the husband that the Lord may provide tomorrow. Does her life today reflect and honor to do good and not evil for the husband who may be in her future? Is she keeping herself spiritually and physically pure? Does she cave into cultural pressures to man-bash or discount the authority and responsibilities of the men around her? Is she building a character of trust-worthiness that will carry over into her marriage? Those are all things that a single woman who takes the commands of God seriously can take away with her from this verse of scripture.

Second, any daughter of the Lord is a bride of Christ Himself. Does she remember that her Heavenly Husband deserves the offerings of trustworthiness and devotion as well and more so than any earthly husband? My prayer is that is that this is a realization for each one of us.

So ladies, as we are encouraging our husbands, let us remember that this challenge is about allowing the Lord Jesus to work in OUR hearts – to change US! Even the most lost of husbands are not beyond the reach of the Lord, and what a precious instrument He would have in His hand when He possesses a godly wife, wholly submitted to Him, loving Him and obeying His commands – allowing her character to be refined and her heart molded to the likeness of her Savior! May His hand be on all of us!!

Life - My Eternal Investment Portfolio

I guess it is just one of those times where I want to sit down and be reflective. Life, overall, is pretty good. I honestly can't complain. I am so blessed to have a wonderful husband, who does so much to serve us and bless us, a man who has such a caring heart! I have a son who is amazing and keeps me on my toes! I am blessed that, despite much of the economic turmoil, my job is not yet in jeopardy. I have an amazing home business that is growing. I have a beautiful body of believers with whom I worship every Sunday and most every Wednesday. And the Lord has given me dear friends with whom I can do life!

Does this mean that life is all roses? By no means! But again...I have little to nothing to complain about!

So as I've been thinking about life and thinking about what my life would mean if it were over today...I still find that despite many of my activities and investments, I am disappointed at the measurement I see eternally.

So I count the blessings in my life and turn my thinking toward how it is that I could expand my "eternal investment portfolio". :) Go figure, but this thought process actually began when I purchased a documentary that, unknowingly to me, was about a Mormon missionary to Tonga. (I thought it was a Christian missionary.) So after seeing the way this missionary was so dedicated to the mission of spreading Mormonism (NOTE: I believe the Mormon religion to be a cult and not a true gospel of Jesus Christ.), I began to evaluate my own vigor at sharing the Truth with MY mission field. I don't need to go to Tonga or across the world to share Jesus. I asked myself if I was dedicated to sharing Him here. I was disappointed at the recollection of how many times I had shared my testimony or shared the gospel with the many people I come into contact with. So as I thought about those in my immediate area, I knew one of the things that would expand that territory would be learning Spanish. If I was to, just as the Mormons do, go door to door and share my faith, I knew that there would be many on the other side of that door that wouldn't know how to speak English very well. And if I wanted to reach them with the gospel, I would need to be able to speak at least some Spanish.

I have been excited about my nightly Spanish grammar lessons. I have online resources that help me to know whether or not my pronunciation is accurate (at least for the most part). And I have numerous library resources. I'm also very excited about picking up my bilingual bible this weekend!! It is so encouraging to have a passion kindled in my heart. I haven't been one to consider myself much of an evangelist...but I am an encourager. However, I do not believe any Christian to be exempt from sharing the gospel and making disciples of those the Lord saves! The Lord has given me a heart for my community, so while I'm learning Spanish and getting acquainted with the bilingual bible text, I will be following in Nehemiah's footsteps and engaging in prayer. Prayer as to how the Lord would have the walls of my apartment complex rebuilt...the walls of my city rebuilt...the walls of the county rebuilt...the state...and this great country.

I am amazed at how the Lord uses just one person to touch the world in so many biblical examples...I want my eternal investment portfolio to be something that leaves a legacy for my Savior. I want something to bring to His feet when I finally spend eternity with Him. I want to know that I didn't stop at minimum wages or minimal efforts. I want to know that my life truly and deeply reflected a heart for Him, a dedication to Him, and a legacy of Him!

I guess that would be my random thought process for the day...my little jaunt through the pages of the current chapter of my life...

God bless you!

Will Over The Heart

Something I strive for as a Christian is to avoid being controlled by emotions. Emotions do not rule in this heart...at least not all the time.

I admit I struggle with this more often than I would like to struggle. I find it difficult at times to keep my wits about me in the midst of welling emotions that rage beneath the surface of an otherwise calm exterior. Today was such a day.

It seemed that everything was out to annoy me, and I do mean EVERYTHING. From the oversleeping rush when I stepped out of bed, to the clothes that weren't folded, to the child that didn't think it was a good time to be obedient, to the things on the kitchen counter that no matter where I placed them, seemed to fall to the floor, to the leaking items in the refrigerator, to the medicine that was suddenly uncooperative in being cut in half for appropriate dosage, to the keys that could not be found, to the purse that was saturated with the orange drink from last night, to the .... I could go on, but I think you got the point a few phrases back...thank you for letting me vent!

In and of themselves, these trivial items are so insignificant and what does it really matter? I think it doesn't. Yet, several times I found myself going into my room, sitting on the bed and waiting for tears to come to relieve the anger I felt. I was frustrated and couldn't seem to move the frustration away from myself. I even scared my dog!

So here I am at the end of the day, thinking back over my choices. See, a while back, I realized that these "bad days" were a matter of choice. Granted, that choice was rather difficult to make today, but it was nonetheless a choice still! I regret that I failed to make the better choice sooner, but I guess "better late than never" ? ;)

Come on...laugh with me!

So by the time I left church today, I was on the upswing, and attempting to live out that choice of a better attitude and while my feelings didn't follow immediately, they did eventually follow. I think we women tend to get trapped there. When we do not see immediate emotion change, we give up on the attempt and move on to another strategy. What we can often miss is that, given some time, our emotions can catch up to our choices. Forgiveness, attitude, generosity, kindness, patience...all kinds of things we know we "ought" to "feel", are often a matter of choice that, given time, will change our feelings. But we need to give ourselves that time and go on faith that we are making those right choices even when we have yet to reap emotional rewards.

So anyway, not sure if this made much sense to anyone reading it, but wanted to put it out there anyway! Emotions do not rule unless you let them. So let's recapture and tame the fleshly heart that would stear us into chaos and remember that our will can be exerted over the feelings of the moment. No matter what situation you find yourself in!

God bless and take care!

Staying the Course

As a Christian, do you ever find yourself "backsliding"? I have not yet met any Christian who claims not to have fallen down after beginning the journey of living out that relationship with Jesus. I am no exception!

So here I am - "backslidden" and not such a happy camper about it. Busyness is my biggest weak link in the chain of staying on course. As a wife, mother, employee, friend, and seemingly dozens of other "hats" worn throughout my day, it is more than easy to get caught up in busyness. In those times, I often lose sight of my priorities in the flurry of activities and "to-do lists". I miss out on the tender stillness of time spent in real fellowship with Jesus. My relationship with Him becomes just another thing to check off my list...even in those times I put it on the top of that list. Then, is it any wonder that I find myself far from the Lord, disconnected, and thirsty for the Living Water?

While I would love to give a solution for this pervasive problem, I have none. Staying the course, for me, has meant finding myself here, trying to pinpoint where I went awry, implementing protective hedges, and trying again. No magical wand, no one scripture to memorize, no one thing to "do better"...just the realization that I need to 1) be somewhere other than where I am and 2) be someone I can only be while in fellowship with the Lord Jesus. I have thought that perhaps I was missing something in my protective hedges, but the reality is, we have an enemy that studies us far more than I think we study him and he is clever at finding holes in our armor. In the end, the way to stay out of harms way is by seeking refuge in the Lord. Dying to self, dying to the fleshly nature at war within us, is a daily transformation!

So if you and I will stop right now and think about what today really is - a day of spiritual battling - will we get up and fight or are we going to lay down and play dead? If you are anything like me, you'd rather lay down. It takes effort to do battle. It takes stamina to do battle. It takes a willingness to stay the course. Are we willing? Can we stop in our tracks, no matter how comfortable the deviation, and return to the right course? For both our sake's, I pray so!

God bless each of you and may we all stay on course today!!

Hebrews 10:19-23

Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

Being a Big Girl

I've been listening to a Mary Kay CD by Gloria Mayfield recently, and something she said has really struck me. She talked about making "Big Girl Decisions". Decisions about attitude and outlook and activities. Decisions about business, but also about life. In addition, I've been reflecting on Proberbs 31:10-31, the passage about being a wife of noble character. The proverbs 31 wife is a definitely a "big girl". But where is the application of "being a big girl"...I mean, doesn't that come with age. I'm 30, so you would think I would know how to think and act like a "big girl". But I'm beginning to think it is a little more complicated than just aging.

Proverbs 31 definitely doesn't mention anything about age...it talks about her actions, her reputation, and her attitude! And while it is a pretty "heavy" resume, I think the Lord wants us to be the kind of woman we find in proverbs 31: hardworking, confident, service-minded, charitable, wise, discerning, fearless, industrious, dignified, strong, carrying a sense of humor, and reverent. I don't see that as impossible for any women! But we will not, dare I say "cannot", exemplify any of those things without maturing beyond "little girl" attitudes and behaviors.

I can look back over my life and see where I was wounded as a little girl and it "handicapped" me growing into adulthood. When we are wounded as children, we have to recognize the hurt, deal with it and allow the Lord to heal us so that we can continue on in this life in a healthy manner. I've come to see that I'm still working on this process. Lately, I have not felt like much of a "big girl". Internally, I am throwing some serious "fits" as of late! Struggling with selfishness, pride, and all kinds of heart ugliness! :( And while I didn't recognize it at first, I am beginning to see this as the Lord pulling back some more layers in my life to reveal areas in which He longs to heal and change, restore and renew. I have to say though...I'm not really liking it. Growing up is hard to do!

I've had to make all kinds of "big girl decisions" lately. Decisions about my attitude and whether or not I'm going to let a "bad moment" become a "bad day". Decisions about whether I'm going to do the things I need to do on a daily basis or give excuses as to why I can't. Decisions about whether or not I will whine or complain. Decisions about how I care for and care about those around me. Decisions about money and time. Decisions about words. So many decisions that I have to admit, it has been rather overwhleming. But really, it's all part of my "big girl" life now. I'm not a little girl anymore (and haven't been for some time now). lol

Do you ever feel like that? Like you'd much rather throw a little girl fit than walk upright and make your big girl decision for the moment? Do you ever find yourself NOT biting your tongue and holding back those choice words that flow so easily from the dagger in your mouth to the heart of your husband, child or friend? Do you ever find yourself pouting or creating drama just because someone did something and your feelings are hurt? I think it's time we all recognize our "little girl" tendencies and grow up to be the "big girls" we really are!!

God bless you and may we all be a little more like "Big Girls" today!

The Graces of Motherhood

I've been reflecting lately on my job as a mother. I have so many blessings that have helped me as of late: my employer granting me a new schedule, tons of resources and testimonies, and most of all, the Lord Himself! All things are working together for the good of parenting my son! It's amazing to see how much he's grown. He'll be six years old at the end of this year! Six years have flown by, and I admit I am ashamed that more of those years than not, have been less than intentional when it comes to parenting (training my son up in what I know to be biblical in nature). Yet, after two and a half years of learning what it means to be intentional, I am so blessed to know I'm on the right track to really getting to the heart of parenting...leaving a Christ-centered legacy.

What does that legacy mean? It means I am to teach and train, but most of all - MODEL my relationship with Christ in front of my children. When I do that, I am investing scripture, behavior examples, and valuable life skills for my son to carry with him throughout the rest of his life. At the end of each day, I want to lay my head on the pillow knowing that I did what I could to show him what Jesus is like and how the relationship with Jesus works in the day-to-day. What an incredibly difficult and challenging job! One I could never, in a million years, get even close to right without Jesus' power driving me on every day!

The latest victory was one where Jonathan decided to throw a particularly terrible fit. I thank the Lord that I not only seemed calmed and peaceful through the whole ordeal - I actually WAS calm and peaceful through the whole ordeal!! I was able to use some recently acquired skills and tips in helping him see that he was choosing to do the wrong thing. The whole thing lasted well over an hour, but ended with my son repenting and accepting the consequences for his actions. It was truly a beautiful thing! What used to end with both of us in tears and frustration, ended with smiles and a new beginning! Not because I'm some kind of super-mom, but because God is empowering me to be intentional, consistent, and patient. The Lord has put wise people in my path and great parenting resources based on His word in my hands. But most of all, the Lord has given me grace to make it thus far!! Five and half years of tantrums. Years of tears and frustration and disappointment...feeling like a failure as a mom. And now, by grace...I'm learning and making progress.

Is it perfect? Oh my - no way!!! Is it even close? Nope! But I can see changes in my household's peace level. I see a son who is becoming more and more willing to take ownership for his actions and to say he's sorry. A son who is learning that making bad choices hurts - sin hurts!! And I love it. I love seeing the progress.

For any mom who has come to the end of herself, to the end of patience, to the end of sanity! I know that feeling. I know how discouraging it can be to feel like what you're doing isn't making a bit of difference. To think that if another day like this comes any time soon, you just won't make it and your child probably won't either! But I've learned that there is ALWAYS HOPE!! There is always more to learn, more to apply, and an abundance of strength and patience to recieve for the job at hand.

But I've also learned, that you can't do any of it without grace. Without giving yourself room to be imperfect, or heaven forbid - outright fail! Giving yourself room to mess up without being convinced that somehow your kid will be messed up for life becuase you didn't play out a particular scene with Super-Nanny flawlessness will go a long way in helping you keep your chin up, your eyes a bit drier, and your heart a little less burdened. And when you receive grace, you are so much more likely to GIVE grace! Which is a key ingredient in training our children!

Parenting is too hard a job to try to do it without grace, so please stop going that route if you are. Be the best you can be, but let God do the hard part. Just be available to Him to be used to your full, God-given parenting potential!! It's really the laws of the harvest. We reap WHAT we sow. We reap WHERE we sow. We reap MORE than we sow. We reap LATER than we sow. If you invest in your children the righteousness of Christ, you will, by promise of the Lord, be blessed. You will see more than you ever invested blossom in their lives! But patience is key...it's a long wait sometimes. Perhaps days, weeks, months or even years. But keep it all in perspective...think eternally and you will find that there is so much more joy to be had in motherhood!!

Defining Faith

2 Corinthians 5:7 "For we walk by faith, not by sight".

Faith is choosing to live as though the bible were true, regardless of circumstances, emotions or cultural trends. Do you walk by faith? Or are you making choices based on the circumstances you find yourself in, the emotions rumbling around in your heart, or are you unknowingly influenced by the culture of today? Scripture carries a stern warning for those who try to walk without faith.

Hebrews 11:6 "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

Without faith it is IMPOSSIBLE!!! to please God. God takes no pleasure in us figuring it all out and trying to make choices and live our lives based on how we feel or what we can see about our circumstances. He most certainly is not a god who takes pleasure in the "blind leading the blind" when it comes to culture. Faith is the key to living the Christian life! When we exercise faith and believe He can do the impossible, overcome the improbable, and make a way where there is none, we give Him glory without the detracting note of human ability or human contribution. He loves and commands us to walk by faith!

So that bears the question - am I walking by faith today?....are YOU walking by faith today? Are we choosing to believe the truth of scripture despite how we feel, despite the circumstances we are experiencing and despite what the world around us is saying? If not, why not? Let's start now.

His finest blessings to all of you.

~Shannon

Praise the Lord - I can "Be There"!

God has granted me favor that overflows my heart with joy! In less than a month, my son will start attending kindergarten at a public elementary school. I wanted so desperately to be able to be there for him instead of having him transported to an afterschool daycare for another couple of hours until I was finished working. And after praying for favor and being given the courage to ask my boss for the alternative schedule, I have recently been approved for that schedule!

It is so thrilling to my heart to know that I will be picking my son up when he gets out of school! I can take him - not to another place where I hand him over, again, to someone else, but take him - home. Home - where I can be there to listen to his day. Where I can be there to give him snacks and help him with his homework. Where I can be there to instill in him the skills to live life and meet the numerous challenges that await outside our home!

I am daydreaming about our table, our talks, our TIME!! There is nothing more precious to me than to know that I am being granted time with my son I had to previously give to someone or something else. Being there is such a precious gift to me! I am so grateful for the Lord's favor granted through my boss. Favor that puts me a little closer to the fullness of my hearts desire to stay at home full time and devote myself fully to the making of my home!

What a day to praise the Lord!!! I am so excited that I can - BE THERE!!!

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!