Sickness

This week, we have had the flu. 
It started with my husband.  Last Friday, he was in bed at 4pm and honestly, I am not sure he got out of bed all weekend.  Followed by Saturday, my son spiked a fever and then on Sunday my daughter was next...I knew it was going to be a long week!
 

Ironically enough, through fevers, cough, and lack of sleep,

I have really enjoyed the time just being with the kids.

It was nice to snuggle all day EVERY day this week and just take care of them.  However, despite the comfort of having the kids home more, I have been heavy in prayer all week for God's healing hand.  As a parent, you never enjoy seeing your child suffer, whether it is a simple cold or a serious illness. 

Today, as I watched the news reports and update on the Connecticut shooting, I was reminded of just how much sickness we have in the world. Saddened, a loss for words, tears streaming,

just a mom reminded of how fragile life can be...

 

Again, I am heavy in prayer for God's healing hand

for our world...full of sickness!

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3

Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
 Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Ephesians 6:13

No words

I was talking to a friend last week that informed me of a mutual friend of ours which is now battling throat cancer. She told me about how most days she can not speak and on the days she can speak, it is only a whisper. We talked about how difficult that must be and the challenge of discipling the children with no voice. I made the comment this might be a good test of my discipline ability (in other words self control in not yelling to get the kids to listen).

I have prayed for our mutual friend throughout the past week, for her healing, patience, comfort, and strength.

God has heard my prayers, I woke up this morning with a very sore throat, raw to be exact, and
NO VOICE!

I woke up thinking, praying for my friend - knowing that my voice will come back but feeling at least for one day what she must struggle with EVERY day. As I packed the kids lunches, I noticed a kindness and understanding from my kids, I prayed she would feel this same feeling from her own children. On the way to school, we always pray, but since I couldn't, the children got a chance to lead and have their voice
heard instead of mine, I prayed my friend would also find comfort in her children's words. As the children got the wiggles in the car and I became frustrated with the inability to speak loudly (yell) at them, I prayed for my friend to be filled with patience that only the Lord could provide. Then I arrived at my bible study fellowship, after explaining several times why I could not speak, I prayed for my friend to be filled with encouragement and support. It was then time to start singing hymns. At this time I realized that even though my singing
voice is a whole lot less that desirable, it was part of my worship. I smiled and mouthed the words, praying for my friend to be filled with whole hearted worship that no words could ever speak as loud as she
could feel!

God is so good at all times.

If you ever want to know how someone feels, pray for them!

Praying for the Raby's

So many are struggling right now with cancer. Please join me in prayer for this dear family to find a bone marrow match for their young son. If you are not a donor, please consider being tested to be a match, you could save lives!
http://rabyramblings.blogspot.com/2011/07/its-no-mistake.html?m=1

Hedge of Protection

This was not a planned post, it is not often that I am up at 1:45am.  However, the last few nights were different, lead by circumstance....
Two nights ago we had SEVERE thunderstorms AGAIN (this seems to be happening on a more regular basis) and a tornado touch down only one mile from our house.  We were awakened in the middle of the night by the sounds outside our window.  We had a hard time going back to sleep and debated taking the kids to sleep in the basement.  We prayed for the Lord's hedge of protection, for safety and the Lord's security over us.  It wasn't long before we were drifting back to sleep, comforted by His Word. He answers prayers in MIGHTY ways.

Tonight, we were awakened by a different storm.  

We received a call from the neighbors to inform us that they had caught an intruder on their property. We were startled to say the least. This was not the first time we had petty theft in our neighborhood. However, this was the first time someone was caught in the act. We  got up and checked everything outside.  There was no damage to ours or our neighbors' property.  The intruder had been caught in time.  I began to feel an overwhelming comfort of God's hedge of protection around us!  I pulled out God's sword of truth: 

Ephesians 6:11-20~

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Thank you Lord for not only protecting us but for planting the seed in our hearts to pray for our enemies. 



AWAKENED by the storm

I don't know about you, but I was AWAKENED last night to the sounds of a raging storm outside my window. It was 2am and all I could do was listen to the sounds of the gusting wind. I stared at the clock wishing I could go back to sleep knowing that 5am would be quickly approaching.

Isn't that just like the Lord, he AWAKENS our spirit to Him. He opens our eyes to see and opens our ears to hear.

Proverbs 20:12, 'Ears that hear and eyes that see-
the LORD has made them both'

He calls us not to fall back into our old ways but to be a new creation. He commands us to have a spirit AWAKENED to Him. We are to gather together in prayer and fellowship. 'Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming' Matthew 24:42

Will you have an AWAKENDED spirit for the Lord? Will you allow God to take control of the storms in your life? Heaven is God's throne and the earth is his footstool. If you believe this you can survive any storm!

On the last Monday of every month in 2011, various churches in Knoxville are hosting a time to gather together in prayer. It's called Prayer for Awakening. This Monday, from noon -1pm, Northstar church will host a time of prayer. This is a time to come and pray; to gather together as the body of Christ.



Patience…what does that really look like?

• Waiting for a refill after eating spicy wings

• Is it waiting in the Black Friday shopping line for over TWO hours for one item

• The months that seem to never pass between dating and the big question of “Will you marry me?”

• And then of course there is the time leading from the engagement to the wedding...

• Standing over a cold dinner waiting for your husband to get home from work, when he was suppose to be home 30 minutes ago when the dinner was actually hot

• Wondering each month if you will be pregnant, desperately wanting a child after multiple miscarriages

• Potty training (no more needs to be said about that)

• Your child’s tantrum in the middle of the store with everyone looking at you

• Anticipating the phone call from the bank for approval to close on your new home.

• Waiting at a traffic light when the person in front of you is too busy texting to pay attention and you sit through an entire green light without going anywhere.

• Betraying someone and waiting for their forgiveness, waiting for the awkward time together, not knowing what to say or do but anticipating the moment.

• Is it waiting for the phone call from your doctor to tell you the test results to know if your cancer has spread?

Patience: the capacity to endure hardship, difficulty, or inconvenience without complaint. Patience emphasizes calmness, self-control, and the willingness or ability to tolerate delay



All these situations require patience on many different levels. The common thread is how you respond given the circumstance. Are you overcome with worry, anger, bitterness, shame, or guilt? Or are you calm and filled with peace? And what fills you with peace to keep the other emotions from creeping in and taking over? Remember without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. (1Thessalonians 1:3) Knowing and accepting the unchanging nature of God provides stability and inner peace. Stress dissipates when you acknowledge your dependence on God and His ultimate control over your life and circumstance. Be anxious for nothing, but everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:6). It is only through faith in our Lord that you can be filled with peace and ultimate patience.

Do is your best, take care of the possible and leave the impossible to God, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
(1 James 1:3-4)