Prayers

If all mankind had been righteous and only one man a sinner, Christ would have come to endure the same cross for this one man. He so loves every individual.

ST. AUGUSTINE

Hello to all of my Christian Brothers and Sisters,

I have been absent here lately and I must apologize for that. I was not really in a good place with my walk in the Lord's light. I recently undertook a journey both inward and outward to re-orient myself towards the path that Jesus would have me walk.  I will post a little of that as the words come to me.

KIR, Your recovery gladdens my soul. Continue your impressive work here as you always have as God sends you more healing.

You have all been in my Prayer's and I hope you all have been well. 

My daughter had come to visit for a week and after she left I went alone to the Desert for the weekend. These are some of my studies in the word and my observations concerning them. In no way is this anyofficial interpretation of God's word, it is merely some observations I have made.

And he brought him forth abroad,
and said, Look now toward
heaven, and tell the stars, if
thou be able to number them:
and he said unto him, So shall thy seed
be. 
(Gen 15:5)

I imagine a night much like this past Saturday being the occasion for this conversation between God and Abraham.
 I am then struck by the thought that not only is this prophecy physically true in me (My Dad's Mother's maiden name
 was Rothstein!) but that I have been given the truly awesome chance to be a spiritual  fulfillment of God's promise to
 Abraham as well! For wasn't that really the Saviors mission? To allow those not literally descended from Abraham to
 partake in Abraham's covenant with God? It struck me then that I have an awesome chance but also a frightening
responsibility! Now that I have knowledge of and insight into these things I can no longer claim that I didn't know of
my duties to God!
I Got down onto my knees on that ridge in the Desert and wept and cried out to God that I was very
 angry with him because I believed he had given me far too much to deal with! I had a little tantrum and finally it was
like there was a  voice saying to me "Your suffering has not been in vain and is only a 10th that mine was! You have
also been blessed greatly!" And I realized that that was true as well and that enabled me to pour out to the Lord Jesus
 my Gratitude at all the miraculous things he has given to me. From the very life I still have left and to the very special
gift of watching my children grow up and become good Human beings! I have wonderful friends and advisors and a
Family that loves me and supports my efforts at positive change! This was the beginning of my ongoing progress
towards gratitude and humility.

As Csf says, It's just my 2 cents worth.

To my two sisters in Christ, KIR and Razor. It is such a blessing to see you, and to see how you both are enduring! You both are an inspiration! I pray that the both of you continue to heal where healing is needed. Let us all remember, (For we Walk by Faith and not by sight) "2 Corinthians 5:7".

And to each and everyone, may you all be blessed, and may our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ watch over and protect you in his blood from all hurt, harm and danger. Amen!

Love to you all!

KIR, I love some Rich Mullins, I have Crones Disease and when it flairs up really bad and I cannot get out of bed his song "Hold Me Jesus" comes to my soul and I start praising God with it. God is so awesome! I can actually feel the Holy Sprit wrap me in his love and I am put to sleep! That is just one thing that makes Jesus such an awesome savior.

Mr. Clutch, I continue to pray for your Cats return.

Lord, I come to you today and lift up everyone on this thread. Lord, I praise you and declare you King of Kings and Lord of Lords! Thank you for your neverending Love and Grace! In Jesus Christ name I pray. Amen!

Good morning all and may the Lord make His face to shine upon you all today!

Cblue, awesome writing.  We all need to be committed to our 'quiet time' with the Lord and as your writing shows, He will speak to us the messages we need to hear.  God is the 'still, small voice' and I'm sure it is harder for me to hear Him if I never eliminate the 'noise' in my life (although not everyone needs to go to the desert, but it's great you have that beauty and stillness available to you!)  Keep it up.

Dawn, my sister, you are always an encouragement!  Good to see you.  Indeed, we walk by faith and not by sight--I wished I had a Teletubby kind of view screen into my own abdomen so I could tell what was going wrong with me (yes, it is supposed to be a silly wish from a controll freak!), but thank God, we cannot see and control everything and thus must put faith in something/someone, and I choose God, the Lord of Creation.  I am fearfully and wonderfully made and HE is the one who sees into and ahead of what befalls each of us.  Who better to rely on?  Some put their trust in princes and others in chariots, but I will rely on the Lord, my God. 

RazorG, you have the same taste as Anita and I!!!  I sang to myself in the ICU "Hold Me Jesus" over and over, along with "In the Presence of Jehovah" to stay quiet.  For those of you who may not know the song, here is part of it:

"Sometimes my life just don't make sense at all
When the mountains seem so big, and my faith just seems so small,
So hold me Jesus, 'cause I'm shaking like a leaf
You have been King of my glory, won't You be my Prince of Peace."

"And I wake up in the night and feel the dark
It's so hot inside my soul, I swear there must be blisters on my heart
So hold me Jesus, 'cause I'm shaking like a leaf
You have been King of my glory, won't You be my Prince of Peace."

"Surrender don't come natural to me
I'd rather fight You for something I don't really want
Than take what You give that I need
And I've beat my head against so many walls
I'm falling down, I'm falling on my knees."

"And the Salvation Army Band's playing this hymn
And Your faith rings out so deep it makes my resistence seem so thin
So hold me Jesus, 'cause I'm shaking like a leaf
You have been King of my glory, won't You be my Prince of Peace."
--the late Rich Mullins

I bolded a line that describes quite literally how I felt physically during this trial, like I was burning up.  Jesus indeed held me close throughout.  "I will never leave you or forsake you."  He is true to His word, for He cannot be anything but true!

Dear loving Savior, I thank You for Your love and comfort, for Your sacrifice given willingly that I would never deserve.  Teach me to live like You, in a way pleasing and honoring to You, for You alone are worthy of praise.  Teach me to rely on You, on Your guidance and teachings and on Your presence and promises.  I love You, my Lord, and I need to love and trust and honor You more.  Make me what You would have me to be, to Your glory, Amen.

KIR, I love the song "In The Presence of Johoviah" also! Be blessed KIR and Godspeed in your recovery. Thanks for sharing the lyrics to HMJ. What a great song!

Your brother in Christ,

RazorbackG