Prayer list updates

Current list....

• Dustin's Job (hard work and a crazy guy)
• Our opposite schedules
• Friend's Fertility Quest
• Another friend's situation with her ex-husband
• Satisfaction and fulfillment in my job
• A co-worker's mom may have cancer, appt. on thursday (it is cancer and will be treated aggressively)
• My mom & her sanity
• My dad’s travel for work
•  My grandfather
• Our home group
• Finances
• My kids in therapy and their families
• New study: Seeking Him starting 8/22

UPDATES IN parenthesis BELOW

from 2/10

• BBBS little sis - Hannah - moving to Bham, new school, new friends (I don't know how this all turned out. She moved and I haven't heard from her.)
• Dustin's Job (He has one!!!)
• Friend's Fertility (starting the adoption process)
• Another Friend's Job (getting better, at least her paychecks aren't bouncing anymore)
• Another Friend's Marriage - unfaithful husband (they divorced and she claims she has found true love)
• Satisfaction and fulfillment in my job (see above)
• Barb's husband, Jared, 4x CABG last week (doing really well! I'm sure it's difficult to go through that at such a young age but it would have to be easier at 30 something than at 70 something!)
• Beth's mom in ICU (has been in and out of the hospital recently)
• Shane's wife - bad PET scan results (things started looking better for a little bit and now they are worse again)
• Shane's father - possible cancer (I don't know)
• Jo Jones - Battling cancer, on hospice (passed away a few weeks ago)
• Our home group (we are growing! summer has been difficult to maintain our meetings)
• Our Beth Moore Study (was fantastic!!!)
• Finances (doing really well with our savings plan and debt retirement)
• My kids in therapy (always)
• Shannon - happy/healthy pregnancy (recently gave birth to a happy, healthy baby boy - Walt)

Prayer Updates

Current list....

• BBBS little sis - Hannah - moving to Bham, new school, new friends
• Dustin's Job
• Friend's Fertility
• Another Friend's Job
• Another Friend's Marriage - unfaithful husband
• Satisfaction and fulfillment in my job
• Barb's husband, Jared, 4x CABG last week
• Beth's mom in ICU
• Shane's wife - bad PET scan results
• Shane's father - possible cancer
• Jo Jones - Battling cancer, on hospice
• All of my family members of course
• Our home group
• Our Beth Moore Study
• Finances
• My kids in therapy
• Shannon - happy/healthy pregnancy
• Christy - family issues

Updates in Purple below

SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2009

My Prayer List...

Lately it seems that I am overwhelmed with additions to my prayer list so I thought I would start blogging them as a prayer journal of sorts... Can't wait to see how God blesses and moves in these situations!

(BIL = Brother in law, SIL = Sister in law, MIL = Mother In Law)

• Dustin's job search (still searching)
• A dear friend's quest for conception (still on that journey)
• Mom & Dad - Work and Travel (ongoing)
• Jonathan (BIL) (ongoing)
• Lexy & Coleman (niece and nephew) (ongoing)
• Charlie & Amanda (BIL and SIL) (ongoing)
• Da (my granddad) - Health and Safety (ongoing)
• Laura H. & Jennifer W. - easy and safe pregnancies - Both have delivered sweet, healthy girls!
• Jo Jones - My aunt's MIL - diagnosed with inoperable liver cancer this week (still struggling)
• Several of my patients dealing with setbacks and possibilities of degenerative diseases (one of them passed away this week)
• I've been subpoenaed to appear in court and give "expert testimony" Monday morning to testify to terminate parental rights for one of my patients. Hopefully, he will then be adopted by his foster mother. (Parental rights were terminated and he's been adopted by a very loving family)
• Families and friends of lost loved ones this week! (trey burns, dusty moles, trevor howard, jimmy wagnon, and the list goes on!)
• My co-worker (for 3 more weeks) and friend Allen decided it was time for a job change. I wish him happiness and fulfillment in his new job. (answered with a big Yes!  He loves his job and we still get to hang out about once a week)
• A friend might be getting a divorce (divorced)
• Eric Reaves (our pastor) and family - for the loss of a dear friend of his - jimmy wagnon.
• Rachel's sister Jennifer moved to New Orleans recently (doing really well!)

I'm SO thankful for...

• sound body and mind - specifically the ability to swallow and speak fluently (most of the time)
• my family and friends - i hope you know how much you all mean to me
• my husband - he's just so great!
• my job - hope my boss is reading this :) j/k
• our home and life together right now
• our past and broken roads
• a refreshing desire and curiosity for God and what He's doing in my life
• God's everlasting love and faithfulness to us

Please feel free to add to this list or make your own! I'd love to hear how God is working in your life!

creative writing...

I am not a creative writer but my friend is... here's a couple of my favorites... enjoy:

I Have Faith In Who You ARE

In a world that feels so black and white

Expected to do all by our own might

Lord, let me not have faith fueled by sight.

I thank you for who you ARE!

Strengthen me when I doubt or worry

Remind me of your redemption story

Let me have faith to bring you glory

I have faith in who you ARE!

Help me remember we are set apart

Our hope in you is where we start

Let me not seek your works, but seek your heart

I seek you for who you ARE!

You are unchanging and remain the same

That miracles can be done in your name

But if the answer is "no" I will still proclaim

I praise you for who you ARE!

********************************

Hebrews 13: 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Psalm 62:2 He alone is my rock a and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

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

2 Corinthians 5:7 We live by faith, not by sight.

Psalm 117:2 For great is his love a toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD!

______________________________________________

God, I truly know

With absolute certainty

That I am not worthy

Of the patience You have with me.

Patience comes from mercy

And it all comes from You

I need to use it daily

When other's faults I view.

Help me to remember that

Only Your judgement is Divine.

How can I point at dust in her eye

When there's a plank in mine?

Do I even know the whole truth

If I talk behind their backs?

I can't judge their hearts

Only You know all the facts!

So when I start the "Bless her heart"

We're known for in the South,

Put your arm around my shoulder

And Your hand over my mouth!

________________________________________________

Take it to your Father

Why do we not remember

How much we are adored?

When we face our trials,

We should call upon the Lord!

Remember His loving kindness

Not just Divine Judgement,

God soothes and brings comfort

As our nurturing parent.

God chose us as His children

We should not be afraid.

Our names are not forgotten

On His palms they are engraved.

He leads with cords of kindness.

Feel the love that makes the tie?

Proving He is mighty to save

When He sent His Son to die.

He quiets us with His love.

Rejoicing, He will sing!

Comforting with His Spirit

With us safe beneath His wing.

Next time you're hurt or anxious

Wait to give your friend a call.

Boldly take it to the Father,

Let Him be your All in All.

Gossip

From Beth Moore - Whispers of Hope
Proverbs 11:13; 16:28; 26:20-28

Most of us readily agree that gossip is wrong, yet we love it. We crave it. We nearly fall out of our chairs leaning to hear it. We spend fortunes on magazines that publish it. We know God wants us to avoid gossip, but it pulls us like wild horses pull a wagon. Let's identify a few of those wild horses. What drives us to gossip?

• Boredom. Nothing appeals to the senses like a soap opera. Our personal lives are often in a rut. We need a little excitement and someone else's life temporarily delivers.
• Curiosity. God created us to be curious so we would seek knowledge and grow. Listening to gossip is a counterfeit of the God-given desire for knowledge.
• Jealousy. We especially enjoy gossip if it concerns someone we envy. When we allow the flesh to control us, we are more likely to enjoy hearing that someone we envy looks worse than we do. The news may even make us feel better about ourselves.
• Companionship. Misery loves company. "Well, at least I'm not the only one whose family is a mess!"
• Importance. We sometimes enjoy being considered a person in-the-know. We may attempt to impress others with how much we know.
• Misdirected "concern." Sometimes we share confidential information in the name of "concern." We all have experienced, perhaps even participated in, situations where gossip was dressed up with a hat and gloves and called a "prayer request."

Review the list of drives that fuel gossip. Determine which is the most and least powerful in your life. Reflect on the settings where you are most tempted to gossip. Stop right now and ask God to forgive you for the times you've gossiped and to keep you alert to the traps.

We've all been guilty of gossip, but what do we do about such a driven team of tongues? We can let God tame those wild horses! He can rope the horse gone wild.

• Boredom can be remolded into a passion for Christ.
• Curiosity can drive us to know Christ.
• Transformed jealousy can fuel a passion "for" others highest good.
• Our quest for miserable companionship can become our expression of mercy.
• Craving importance can push us to learn our true identity in Christ.
• Misdirected "concern" can become compassion tempered with discretion.

Does it sound too idealistic to try? Don't believe the enemy's lies! Ask God which of these are drive you to gossip and allow Him to tame them. The next time you are tempted to repeat something you've heard to an eager listener, share a blessing from God instead. Rope 'em... tame 'em... and "move 'em out."


Now a side-note from me...
I feel that you should also apply this to listening to gossip. Be ready to say, "I don't think I should hear this." or change the subject.

Also... at what point does a concern become gossip?

Prayers...

I love to be able to feel and see our prayers being answered! And on the same day!!!

Dustin has an interview today at Etowah Builders Supply for a sales job. It's not "the perfect" job but it sounds like a good opportunity and something he could really be good at. New people aren't really his favorite thing in the world but he manages. He was telling me last night that when he worked at Sam's Club in the tire department a couple of years ago, he had several people tell him he was a good salesman and that he had sold them on a particular product or tire. I think it will be good just to be exposed to meeting new people- he'll get used to it. He hated painting before he started working at the tanning bed and painted every. single. wall. - inside and out :) Now he loves painting!

My dear friend dealing with infertlity has had a very tough week and I have lifted her up in prayer everyday. Goodness knows she needs it. On Tuesday, She called her obgyn for a clomid refill. The office said she needed to take a month off...and oh, yeah...by the way your Dr. is moving to a new state this month. They referred her to ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology). It takes a while to get in so she called after she got off the phone with the Dr's office and low and behold they have an appointment Thursday! In her email she said... "i know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God has his hand all over this situation. I'm just along for the ride." This is so true.

Please take a moment today and pray for these situations. God is working here and we need to recognize that we are just along for the ride...

My Prayer List...

Lately it seems that I am overwhelmed with additions to my prayer list so I thought I would start blogging them as a prayer journal of sorts... Can't wait to see how God blesses and moves in these situations!

(BIL = Brother in law, SIL = Sister in law, MIL = Mother In Law)

• Dustin's job search
• A dear friend's quest for conception
• Mom & Dad - Work and Travel
• Jonathan (BIL)
  
• Lexy & Coleman (niece and nephew)
• Charlie & Amanda (BIL and SIL)
• Da (my granddad) - Health and Safety
• Laura H. & Jennifer W. - easy and safe pregnancies
• Jo Jones - My aunt's MIL - diagnosed with inoperable liver cancer this week
• Several of my patients dealing with setbacks and possibilities of degenerative diseases
• I've been subpoenaed to appear in court and give "expert testimony" Monday morning to testify to terminate parental rights for one of my patients. Hopefully, he will then be adopted by his foster mother.
• Families and friends of lost loved ones this week! (trey burns, dusty moles, trevor howard, jimmy wagnon, and the list goes on!)
• My co-worker (for 3 more weeks) and friend Allen decided it was time for a job change. I wish him happiness and fulfillment in his new job.
• A friend might be getting a divorce
• Eric Reaves (our pastor) and family - for the loss of a dear friend of his - jimmy wagnon.
• Rachel's sister Jennifer moved to New Orleans recently
  

Praises.... this list should be longer but it escapes me right now!

• John Swinford and his recovery - only God can do what has been done with this man!
• Allen's job change... I know he's been struggling with this decision

I'm SO thankful for...

• sound body and mind - specifically the ability to swallow and speak fluently (most of the time)
• my family and friends - i hope you know how much you all mean to me
• my husband - he's just so great!
• my job - hope my boss is reading this :) j/k
• our home and life together right now
• our past and broken roads
• a refreshing desire and curiosity for God and what He's doing in my life
• God's everlasting love and faithfulness to us

Please feel free to add to this list or make your own! I'd love to hear how God is working in your life!

Can't Sleep

It's late and I can't sleep. Prayer always helps my mind settle but I haven't been writing them down like I want to.

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your Glory, Mercy and Grace! Thank you for our church and church family. We praise you for your constant presence and provision in our lives. I ask forgiveness for sins of moodiness, gossip, addictions and selfishness. Thank you for my family and my husband. I pray that you continue to bless us and our marriage and that you strongly convict our sins against you. I pray that we strive each day to live Just As Jesus lived. I pray that you continue to reveal your kingdom and show us what we can do through you. Forgive us where we have failed to recognize or act on your will and the opportunities you have laid out for us. I pray that you reveal yourself to *shall remain nameless on this blog* and give ** the desire to seek you. I know that ** claims to not believe but I know you are bigger than that! I pray that you comfort *** and take away the desire for alcohol.
I pray for safety and health for Shannon, Scott, and soon to be new baby Jones. I ask that you pour out your blessings on their family. I also ask that you take care of **** and **** as they try to conceive this week. Place your creating hand on them and reveal your will and plan for the days ahead. Give them strength and courage to continue and give the baby "sticky feet". Thank you for being a kind and merciful God. You are beautiful my sweet, sweet song!

Amen

Encounter God... Day 2

Read Gal. 5:19 - 21 (The Message)

Dear God,
I understand that through this encounter and my prayers, I am to repent and turn away but my sinful nature pulls me back. I pray that my eyes and ears are open to all areas of temptation and that I will be more aware and convicted by these things.

I was able to share the "sin inventory" last night with D. I don't know if he will ask forgiveness for his offenses to me and to You but I pray that it raised his awareness and curiosity. I worry about his relationship with You and I want him to receive the fullness that You offer.

I fear persecution from others for trying to follow You. I hesitate or make excuses for why I am the way I am. Please cleanse me of this fear so that I would be able to openly share Your Glory...

Amen

__________________________________________
Beauty for Ashes - I need to look this song up...

Forgiveness is NOT optional. God tells us when to forgive... not IF we should. We must first forgive before we can "build trust" - They are not one in the same. I must forgive myself. I must remember that Christ died for people who hurt me too.

Heavenly Father,
I choose to forgive myself for the offense of self-hatred, this made me feel hatred for others, lonely, fear, angry, broken, hardened. I have allowed Satan to let me feel like a horrible person, unworthy of true love, unconditional love that Christ offers...