Prayer Day 11, 12 & 13

January 11
Lord, I thank You for Your mercy and that Your mercies are new every morning when I wake up.  Thank You that Your are faithful to love me unconditionally.  Help me to remember that because of Your mercy and love, I have all I need and I can refuse to feel anxiety about the present or future.  I just need to pray about them.
Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.  They are new every morning: great is Your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23

January 12
Lord, receive my soul and help me to have a vision for the future.  Take anything out of my mind and my life that is not of You.  Enable me to be faithful to You and Your ways and to live a life based on the truth of Your word.  Help me to never lie to myself and to others and compromise the life You have for me.
My soul melts from heaviness; strengthen me according to Your word.  Remove from me the way of lying, and grant me Your law of graciously.
Psalm 119:28-29

January 13
Lord, I thank You that You hear my prayers, my praise and my thanksgiving to You.  Thank You that I can make the desires of my heart known to You and You will hear and answer.  I lift up to Your everything that concerns me today and ask that You would make it all work out for my greatest good.  I am grateful and because of You I don't have to be anxious about anything.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
Philippians 4:6

Prayer Day 8, 9 & 10

January 8
Lord, I put my hope in You.  I refuse to look to another thing or other people to give me purpose, fulfillment and peace.  I confess any anxiety I have as a lack of trust in Your ability to sustain me.  I submit my life to You and put all my expectations in Your goodness, power and love.  Help me to pray about everything and trust You in ever part of my life.
My soul waits silently for God alone, for my expectations is from Him.
Psalm 62:5

January 9
Lord, thank You that whenever my heart is heavy, I can call on You and You will hear me.  I know that if You hear my voice, You will answer my prayers.  Therefore, I will not allow the enemy of my soul to bring me down with thoughts that make me anxious, sad or depressed.  I will come to You instead.
Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity; for the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping.
Psalm 6:8

January 10
Lord, I know that sometimes I worry about things, and You have said I don't need to be anxious about anything but rather to pray about everything.  I life up to You my situation and the things that trouble me most.  Take away the burden of them from me and help me see them from Your perspective.  Thank You for Your word that says You will perfect the things that concern me.  I put all my trust and confidence in You.
The Lord will perfect that which concerns me.
Psalm 138:8

~ * ~ Holy smokes ~ * ~  Let me just start with that.  Today is only Tuesday and I must admit I have been put through the ringer emotionally.  I am dealing with a situation that brings me great stress and as much as I try to set it aside or think I've set it aside there is a new added pressure that has occurred almost daily.  I feel week and start reverting back to a me I am not proud of.  I have struggled and I have cried but my heart makes no excuse and knows I must give it to God to move forward.  As I type these prayers it's as if they were written just for me.  I know they spoke to me and helped me so hopefully they are doing the same for someone else out there.  

** PLEASE NOTE**  The prayers are not written by me.  They are from a daily reflection book that was given to me as a gift this past Christmas.  I just feel moved to share and help others if I can.  Don't want to take credit for something that is not mine.

21 Days Of Fasting

Harvest Church invited the congregation to join in on a great way to kick off 2012. 

We will begin fasting on Monday, January 9th and join together in believing for the SUPER NATURAL favor of God for 21 days and the remainder of 2012.  A book came highly recommended to read called "The Fasting Edge" by Jentzen Franklin.

 

I have never done this personally and am learning as I go.  I've always wanted to understand more about fasting so I am humbled and looking forward to this journey.  What I have come to understand so far is fasting and prayer are a way of helping you to sever addictions.  I liked in the book when it referred to fasting as " the spiritual DRANO that unclogs the flow of the living water in our soul."  It also said that fasting does not just pertain to what you put in your stomach, but what you feed your soul and spirit as well.  I found this LINK helpful.

So I am sitting here thinking, I don't have addictions like the book talks about.  I am not addicted to drugs, alcohol, tobacco...... On a funny note I may be addicted to Starbucks.  Does that count?  Maybe I can use my addiction to cakes or cookies?  I am not making light of this by any means.  I am just thinking.  I want this to be life changing and meaningful.  I want to grow stronger in my faith.  Stronger in my personal relationship with God.  I think it's a great opportunity to learn my strength on different levels.  Seeing how that is my focus this year (One Little Word, I posted about this a couple days ago).  My prayers and areas of focus will be restoring areas of my marriage ~ direction and guidence when dealing with family issues.  I am positive it will go deeper and beyond just those two areas.

If fasting should break the routine then I think my fast will include the following:

NO FAST FOOD!!!!  Meals will be prepared in our home daily.  Regardless of events that are taking place in our life right now (baseball practice starts this week and we have basketball Thursday & Saturdays) I also want to make it a point to sit at our table to eat dinner.  We too often are "on the run" and some of us eat in the living room, one might be at the table and sadly even in the bedroom (while boys are into a video game).  So, to answer my question earlier regarding Starbucks, I am omitting that from my usual daily routine.  NO McDonald's, NO All American Pizza, NO Braums, NO Chili's.  NO Canton's (oh my!)  YOU GET THE CONCEPT.  This is VERY different for us and our normal routines. 

NO COKE or SWEET TEA!!!!  COKE, now that was a serious addiction of mine a couple years ago.  Like I had to have some daily and several times daily.  Now I can go days without it but when I do have some Coke it's like my body requires it.  It's stupid, I know.  Sweet tea is something I know I am addicted to and drink EVERY DAY.  It is usually in a Route 44 Sonic cup (with extra extra ice) that I carry all day or Red Diamond plastic bottle like a water bottle.  It is my water!  As I type this it sounds so trivial and SAD. 



Prayer Day 6 & 7

January 6
Lord, in the night when I feel anxious about things and I'm tired and overwhelmed with all that I face, it's then that I long for Your presence more than ever.  My soul seeks Your Holy Spirit, my Comforter, to comfort me.  Help me to stay in Your presence both day and night so I can sense Your freedom from worry at all times.
With my soul I have desired You in the night, yes, by my spirit within me I will seek You early.
Isaiah 26:9

January 7
Lord, I confess that sometimes I get anxious about whether my needs will be met.  Whether I will always have a home to live in and food to eat.  Whether I will be able to provide for the family members You have given me to care for.  Lord, take away all anxiety and help me to have peace.  Help me to no longer worry about the future because I have released it into Your hands.
Do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.
Luke 12:29

MY PERSONAL PRAYER:
Dear Lord,  I come to you asking please send peace to my family.  As you know we need your help getting through this season.  I pray you take each of us by the hand and guide us.  Our son struggles with more than most could understand.  He has been places we have not.  Seen things we have not.  He has encountered things that have changed him but I know his heart and I pray he starts feeling the urge to be that person he deep down longs to be.  I pray you help him in releasing his anger.  His life is about to change again and I pray you show him your desired path.  He requires your guidance, as we all do and I have faith in your direction.  I pray strength be given to my family as we face the future.  May we all learn and grow from this season we are in.  My heart thanks you for blessing us with the time we were given to spend together as family these past few weeks.   ~AMEN

One Little Word

Some of you know about ONE LITTLE WORD.  I came across it and found it intriguing a couple years back on an Ali Edwards blog.  Let me just say I fell head over heels for the idea and decided to adapt the concept in my life. She usually has a worksheet and a list of words for you to draw inspiration from.  I enjoy reading the meanings and examples other people have come up with.  It's 100% your word and needs to be something that moves you!  I like to have jewelry made that I wear as a constant reminder of MY one little word.  If you are a reader make a bookmark with your word.  Use one in your favorite book and your bible.  Put it on your bathroom mirror.  Just make it about YOU and what it takes to achieve YOUR word to the fullest! 

My word in 2010 was FORGIVENESS.
It was a time for me to let go of the past.  A past that had been holding me down for too long.  I knew  giving Forgiveness would allow me move on to bigger and better things that maybe I didn't think I was worthy of.  My goal was to lift a burden I had carried/struggled with for years.  I held grudges and that alone made me a weaker and bitter person.  You can't be bitter and be happy.  I turned to food for comfort in those moments of weakness and neglected things I should not have.  Learning to let go and start Forgiving myself led to the forgiveness of others.  It's a freeing feeling words alone are not able to express.  Not easily obtainable but worth the effort it requires.  I mean who doesn't want to feel this kind of peace??

My word for 2011 was BLESSED.
No doubt the perfect word for last year.  Regardless of obstacles and hurdles in my path I was able to learn to see just how blessed I was and am.  Confused?  What I am saying is it took a lot to finally understand I am blessed and I am worthy.  You learn from your situations as well as circumstance(s).  I may not have it all in the eyes of others.  It may not be the best of the best but I do know I am Blessed to have my freedom to worship my God.  Blessed to have a husband that is a provider to his family.  Blessed to have handsome & healthy boys.  Blessed to have found a church I call my home.  Blessed with the opportunities to see just how far I've come.  *just to name a few of my blessings*  Here is the piece of sterling silver I had made last year.

My word for 2012 is STRENGTH.
I do this instead of setting resolutions that can be limited.  Strength is physical, emotional and mental.  This word will run pretty deep with me.  Call it a gut feeling if you will.  I have been told several times over the last three or so years what a "strong" person I am.  Please know I am NOT talking myself up.  I am simply stating it's NOT what I've felt on the inside.  I can wear a smile, grin & bear it or fake it till I make it with the best of them.  I desire more than that and I deserve more.   I'm not just talking push-up and lots of treadmill time.  It's about about standing Strong in more than just my physical appearance or physical health but also Strength in my faith, marriage, family, and friendships.  I want to be Strong in resolve.  Strong in standing up for what is right and best for my family.  Strong in my decision making.  I will learn to draw my Strength in knowing who I am, what I am capable of and be secure in being that person!  I might push some limits, struggle with personal trials and even fail at times but I will not give up because real Strength will be MINE in 2012. 

Prayers Day 1-5

I was given a gift from a girlfriend this Christmas that I feel will be THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING!!  It's a daily reflection book called Prayers for Emotional Wholeness by Stormie Omartian.  A small package FULL OF POWER!  I feel moved to share as I read them.  I fully plan to read daily but may not be able to blog daily.  I know life gets busy and often we neglect things that mean something to us.  As a way of following through I may not post these daily but rather a few days at a time.  Then give my opinion or let you know how it affects me in a current situation or maybe share how it can work in my life to better myself.  Hopefully I share something that can make a difference in your life as well.

January 1
God's purpose for our lives is to make us whole- which is the way He created us to be- and then to work through us for His glory as we surrender our lives to Him.  Emotional wholeness means living without negative emotions and having peace about who you are and where your life is headed.  When we pray to God, we are spending time in His presence.  And in His presence is where we find healing from the pain of our past.  Prayer draws us closer to God, where we can get a vision from our future and better understand our purpose.

January 2
Lord, I thank you for Your Word because it is good and it gives me life.  It puts joy in my heart every time I read it.  I pray that Your Word in me will fill my heart with Your love and peace and cause all anxiety, depression and other dark clouds to blow away from me like ashes in the wind.  I ask that you would take away any sadness in my heart and set me completely free from all negative emotions.
Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad.
Proverbs 12:25

January 3
Lord, help me to not feel anxious about my future or getting my needs met.  Help me to trust that You have brought me this far and that You will bring me the rest of the way.  Help me to not worry about things but to take my concern to You in prayer instead and leave them in Your hands.
I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on.  Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
Matthew 6:25

January 4
Dear Lord, because I am Your child, I don't have to be weighed down with anxiety.  Because Your Spirit lives in me, I have the power to rise above the things that trouble me.  Because I love You and Your ways, my life can be renewed every day.  Today I pray that You will take away all anxiety, sadness and depression and renew my mind and emotions.
Unless Your law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction.  I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have given me life.
Psalm 119:92-93

January 5
Lord, I pray that Your would take away any sadness I feel and evaporate all depression or oppression that hangs heavily over me.  I want to experience Your joy in my soul at all times.  I want to feel the lightness of heart I know You have for me.  Thank You for bearing my sorrow so I don't have to carry it myself.  Help me to experience Your peace that passes all understanding.
Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God and afflicted.
Isaiah 53:4

After typing this and rereading these prayers I think to myself, WOW!  When you can't seem to find the right words just pray.  Even if you can't speak and find yourself sitting in silence thinking of HIM, He knows where your HEART is....  He knows what your needs are.  He knows what you are thinking and what's hurting you.  GIVE IT TO GOD!  It's biblical folks and He is the only one that can guide you to where you are meant to be.  Once you let go and let Him you can feel a change begin in your life.  Read these prayers out loud if that helps you.  Write your favorite down and pray it daily if you wish.  Just because these are intended to be read on a specific day does not mean you don't have those particular feelings on different days or even some on a daily basis.  Something else I have done is put them in my phone as memos or type yourself a daily message (like a reminder or to-do) that pops up like an alarm on your phone or computer.  It helps you to set aside time for yourself, reflect and PRAY!!  This year I pray that I become more attentive to my spiritual needs.  What I mean by that is instead of getting to where I feel like I can't take much more I'll find reasons to be thankful and grateful in the current situation.  Carry no additional baggage or stress yet understand I am in this season for a reason.  Easier said than done but with Him on my side who can stand against me??

Wayne Leon DeMeritt "Pat"

Wayne Leon DeMeritt "Pat"

August 12, 1919 ~ December 25, 2011

My family and I suffered a great loss on Christmas morning.  It hurts so much feeling like such a huge piece of my heart is now missing.  The fact he is no longer in pain brings me peace.  I take with me many wonderful memories and for that I am grateful.  I love you Pat.  I will miss that smile, those beautiful blue eyes and most of all your touch.  You were a loving and compassionate Grandfather to me and even better Great Grandfather to my boys.  I can never thank you enough for that.

God saw you getting tired.

And a cure was not to be.

So, He put His arms around you

and whispered, "come to me".

With tearful eyes we watched you

and saw you fade away.

Although we loved you dearly,

we could not make you stay.

A golden heart stopped beating

and hard working hands laid to rest.

God broke ourh earts to prove to us

He only takes the best!