Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

A New Year

Father, as we say goodbye to 2012 and move in to 2013, help us to leave the past behind us, only taking the lessons we have learned. Help us to trust you in the coming year, focusing on what you have for us each day and not getting wrapped up in the future. We pray for your grace and favor for ourselves and our family and friends. Next December, let us look back and say that we followed Jesus more closely through the year. Amen

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A PRAYER TO START THE YEAR




"A new year is unfolding—like a blossom with petals curled tightly concealing the beauty within.

Lord, let this year be filled with the things that are truly good—with the comfort of warmth in our relationships, with the strength to help those who need our help and the humility and openness to accept help from others.

As we make our resolutions for the year ahead, let us go forward with great hope that all things can be possible—with Your help and guidance."






Amen

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A Prayer for Safety

Dear Lord God,

I come at the risk of being redundant and bring before you once again the friends and family of the two firefighters killed and other two injured in this week's West Webster shootings. We are still a community in shock and sorrow. Our hotels will be filled with out of town firemen this weekend, come to honor their fallen brothers. Thank you, Father, for the generosity of those in this community and beyond who have given monetarily to pay for rooms and food.

I pray comfort for hurting families; mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, a wife and her children. The pain cuts deep, especially when death comes suddenly, violently, and senselessly. There are no answers as to why, not really, only the painful awareness evil has reared it's ugly head once again.

I ask your protection on roads that are wet, icy, or snow covered, and a reprieve for our tired and grieving first responders. I pray that those who lost homes and possessions int he fire will have their needs met in miraculous ways, and that You would guide Your people to step in where You lead. I pray that You would bring beauty out of ashes and work salvation in hearts and lives.

And, Lord, this incident has brought into the news once again  another Webster tragedy; last year's fatal fire. I pray Your peace and comfort for that family who will face scrutinizing news coverage as the arsonist goes to trial in January. Their pain is mine as I hurt for my friends. Please be near, dear Lord.

Amen

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believing...

"And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask
in prayer, believing, ye shall receive"
(Matthew 21:22)

Amen

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HIS GREATEST GIFT





Colossians 3:17 ~ " And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him."

Dear Lord, I pray that this Christmas I will see opportunities to give a gift in "Jesus Name".  Thanks you so much for your wonderful gift of Jesus.  A baby born to save a world.  Lord open the eyes of the spiritual blind, that they can receive your gift today.  I love you.  Amen.

Seize the divine moment and look for someone to bless in Jesus Name today and every day.  Isn't that the way our dear Savior would want us to live.

**The picture is a Christmas card I received this year.


Amen

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A Christmas Prayer

The day of joy returns, Father in Heaven,
and crowns another year with peace and good will.

Help us rightly to remember the birth of Jesus,
that we may share in the song of the angels,
the gladness of the shepherds, and the worship of the wise men.

Close the doors of hate and open the doors of love all over the world.

Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting.

Deliver us from evil, by the blessing that Christ brings,
and teach us to be merry with clean hearts.

May the Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children,

And the Christmas evening bring us to our bed with grateful
thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus' sake.

Amen
... a prayer of Robert Louis Stevenson

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faith

"So then faith cometh by hearing
and hearing by the Word of God"
(Romans 10:17)

~~~~

If we desire to build our faith, we must be reading the Word of God. A strong faith goes hand in hand with the mighty power of prayer. The Word tells us many times that the faith of those in need of healing is what made them well and whole. If we are to obtain this kind of strong faith, it is imperative that we devour the holy scriptures so we can know the power of the One who breathed them out. 

Ask the Holy Spirit today to teach you the Word, show you His will and help you live out the Word of God.

Faith is the key.



Amen

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Advent: Third Week

Jesus, as Israel waited in anticipation for you to come, so we wait. We anticipate your return to completely set all things right and restore your creation. As we wait, help us to be active as we pray for your kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. Let that kingdom come in our day-to-day as we follow you, until that day it comes fully. Amen

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A PRAYER FOR THE GRIEVING


.

With the tragedy of the killing of all those darling little children in Sandy Hook Elementary I wanted to share this picture and prayer.


Dear Jesus, you loved and blessed the small children when you were on this earth, and said they were the picture of the kingdom of heaven.  Now you are holding many of them in your arms.  Please let those parents know their little children are safe in your arms and happy in Your presence.  Father comfort all those who grieve so deeply tonight.  Only you can heal the broken hearted, and get those parents and loved ones through this.  We love and trust You.  Amen


 My watercolor of the little girl praying is from a photograph I saw in a Samaritan's Purse Brochure for Operation Shoe Box...sending shoe boxes to Children around the World and at home to show God love and mercy and make a child happy at Christmas







Amen

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Prayer for the Families of Newtown

Lord, we come to You as a nation in shock and mourning for those who were killed yesterday in Newtown, Connecticut. Words escape us and we have no context to understand the pain of the families that are suffering and in need of comfort. Please visit them with gentleness and compassion as they mourn this great loss.

Give these strength and courage to live life vigorously again and to not be afraid of stranger or friend. Turn their despair into hope, hate into love and anger into joy.

Lord we pray for Your mercy and compassion on our nation. We live in troubled times, and the answers to our problems are not simple or easy. Send Your Spirit upon us to strengthen our resolve to root out the violence, hate, and fear in our country. Create in us hearts of courage, grace us with the ability to stand against the violence of our day: the violence in ourselves, our homes, streets and communities. In your name we pray. Amen


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Two Steps Back

Oh Lord, I am at a loss. Is there no way to mend this relationship with our son that does not include groveling at his feet and cow-towing to his demands? Will he never return to the man he was just three years ago when he appeared to be following You? Will he always be angry and accusing? Must we walk away? Oh, Lord God! Please help me know what to do, and please protect my little grandchildren and sweet daughter in law in all of this. And somehow, Father, work something to the good as we trust You to use this sad situation to love and encourage someone else.
Amen

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prayer is essential


Prayer is essential in the lives of Christians. It is our lifeline. It is personal and intimate conversation with our Lord and Savior. It is the way we build a close relationship with God. 

Prayer is about worship. It is about thanksgiving. It is about praising our God and Father for who He is. Prayer is communion with the One who is all power and all strength. 

Prayer is more than asking for things. Prayer is about pouring ourselves to our Master and giving Him the honor and glory that He deserves. When we focus on His glory and His righteousness and His worthiness, our prayers become a form of worship and we receive much more than any tangible reward. We receive His presence in our lives. And that is more than enough.

"But we will give ourselves continually to prayer,
and to the ministry of the Word"
(Acts 6:4)


Amen

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Advent: Second Week

Almighty God,
give us such a vision of your purpose
and such an assurance of  your love and power,
that we may ever hold fast the hope
which is in Jesus Christ our Lord
who is alive with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God now and for ever.
Amen

Bosco Peters

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While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth.  And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.  (Luke 2:6-7)

"I am always struck by the simplicity of that description.  This remarkable event is so understated, so matter-of-fact, that you could almost miss it if you blinked.  So much is left unsaid that you are compelled to read it again ...and again.

A veil of silence is pulled over the young woman as she agonizes through childbirth.  The shouts of joy are left unrecorded as Joseph, apparently serving as Mary's midwife, delivers the baby and hands Him to His mother."

(Above excerpt taken from Windows on Christmas by Bill Crowder)

Dear Lord, we will never be able to fully understand the miracle that happened that night...we don't need to know the details in that stable...what is so remarkable, is your gift of salvation on the cross is given numerous details, and that detail of Your cry IT IS FINISHED accomplished the purpose of the night in the stable. Thanks you Jesus...for Your Birth, for Your Life, for Your Death, for Your Resurrection....for MY salvation. I love you. Amen




Amen

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The Grail Prayer

Lord Jesus,
I give you my hands to do your work
I give you my feet to go your way
I give you my eyes to see as you do
I give you my tongue to speak your words
I give you my mind that you may think in me
I give you my spirit that you may pray in me

Above all,
I give you my heart that you may love in me your Father and all mankind
I give you my whole self that you may grow in me

So that it is you Lord Jesus who live and work and pray in me

Amen

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Advent: First Week

Everlasting God,
in whom we live and move and have our being:
You have made us for yourself,
so that our hearts are restless
Until they rest in you.

Augustine of Hippo

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SOME CHRISTMAS THOUGHTS AND BLESSING




A Christmas Blessing
 
May God grant you the light of Christmas, which is faith,
The warmth of Christmas, which is love,
The radiance of Christmas, which is purity,
The righteousness of Christmas, which is truth,
The ALL of Christmas, which is
CHRIST!       ~Wilda English
 
"Fill me with joy in your presence"  Psalm 16:11
 
The holiest of all holidays are those
kept by ourselves in silence and apart,
the secret anniversaries of the heart,
when the full tide of feeling overflows.
                                                         ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
 
After all, Christmas-living is the best kind of Christmas-giving.
~Henry Van Dyke





Amen

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Thanks

Father, we give you thanks for the many blessings you give us. We thank you for each day that we live, for the air that we breath. We thank you for friends and family. We thank you for your grace and love to us, and for your salvation. We thank you for the ways you have taught us and the things you have brought us through. In the midst of our day-to-day, help us to be grateful for what you give us.  Amen

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~ ~ ~ LIKE A TREE ~ ~ ~




... He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields if fruit in season and who leaf does not wither.  Whatever he does prospers.  ...For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.  (Psalms 1:3,6)

Dear Lord, I want to be that tree planted by Your streams of Living Water.  Lord help me to bear fruit by the way I live my daily life.  If there is a season I don't see fruit, help me to remain faithful.  Thank you for watching over me, and some day there will be justice for those that reject you Son and and Love!  Lord I'm so grateful for your refreshment in my life, for steams of living water that cools my soul, and gives me strength to go on.   I love You.  Amen.








Amen



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Help us to spread your fragrance ...

Dear Jesus,

Help us to spread your fragrance everywhere we go,
flood our souls with your Spirit and life.

Penetrate and possess our whole being so utterly
that our lives may only be a radiance of yours.

Shine through us and be so in us that every soul
we come in contact with may feel your presence in our soul.

Let them look up and see no longer us but only Jesus.

Stay with us and then we shall begin to shine as you shine,
so to shine as to be light to others.

The light, O Jesus, will be all from you.
None of it will be ours.
It will be your shining on others through us.

Let us thus praise you in the way you love best
by shining on those around us.

Let us preach you without preaching not by words,
but by our example by the catching force the
sympathetic influence of what we do the evident
fullness of the love our hearts bear to you.

Amen
...a prayer of Mother Teresa

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Thank You

Dear Lord,
Thank you. Thank you for the breath of life. Thank you for eyes to see, ears to hear, and the insight to know it all comes from You. Thank you for winter, spring, summer, and fall. Thank you for putting me in an area that experiences all four seasons in great beauty. Thank you for a fire in the wood stove on cold winter nights, and a fan overhead on sweltering summer afternoons. Thank you for the everyday days and boring moments. Thank you for holidays and special occasions full of noise and excitement. Thank you for times of healing, and thank you for times of pain and sorrow too. Thank you for music, and thank you for silence. Thank you for today and for tomorrow too.
Amen

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thankful that He is our HOPE



Thank you sweet Lord, that you are our HOPE. And for that,
we are eternally grateful and thankful. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~

"In everything, give thanks..."
1 Thessalonians 5:18


Amen

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Request

Please pray for my son Josh, and his wife Alicia. She had a miscarriage Saturday afternoon. Our hearts are broken for them. Pray for comfort, grace and trust. Thank you.

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DOORS- OPEN AND CLOSED



Dear Lord, there are so many doors in life.  So many choices have to be made daily.  I pray today that you will open doors that will bring me closer to You and Your will for my life, and close all doors that would lead me away from You. 

Lord for our children and grandchildren I pray.  Open their spiritual eyes to see the doors that will lead to a relationship with you, and ears to hear You voice.  Amen.

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock...."  (Rev. 3:20)

Picture of doors taken in Boise ID


Amen

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open your mouth wide

Too often we neglect the awesome privilege of prayer in our lives. We tend to forget that He desires for us to commune with Him. He desires for us to fling our hearts open wide to Him. He wants us to spend time on our faces crying out to Him.

 When we bow before a holy God and pour our hearts out to Him, we open ourselves up to a HUGE revelation of His Spirit. When we cry out to Him in thanksgiving and praise and petition, He is ready to do some amazing things in our spiritual lives. Our God is just waiting for us to open up the lines of communication with Him. He wants us to want Him.

I challenge you to get prostrate before our sweet Savior and let your deepest longings be known to Him. Pour out. Cry out. Tell Him the intimacies of your heart and allow Him to do a mighty work in you. Get on your face in eager expectation of what He will reveal to your heart and spirit. He will never fail you. He will never leave you wanting. He will always supply just what you need.

"I am the LORD thy God, which brought
thee out of the land of Egypt; open thy mouth wide,
and I will fill it"
(Psalm 84:10)

Open your mouth wide today and let God fill it up with His goodness.

Amen

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Prayer for Unity

Father, help your children to understand that our unity is in Christ alone, not in denomination, social class, or political party. Help us to realize that our mission is to make disciples of Jesus and spread your grace and love. Amen

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A Prayer for Veterans Day






A Prayer for Veterans Day
Father, we could never thank our military men and women enough for their courageous service and sacrifice to our country and its people. Yet today we lift up our voices to express gratefulness and honor to these military troops both from the past and present. Show us ways in our communities, churches, and families to thank and love them better. Keep and protect these heroes and their families, in the powerful name of Jesus.


Amen

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If my people...

"If my people, which are called by my name, 
will humbles themselves and pray......"

2 Chronicles 7:14





Amen

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Joy

Father, help us to find our joy in you. Whether things are going well, or we are experiencing trials, help us remember that we are part of a Kingdom that is already but not yet, that "everything sad is becoming untrue." Amen

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Thankful for 75 years


Dear Lord, I am so thankful for this dear man, husband of 51 years, and love of my life.  You know his family history, that his grandfather, father, brother and nephew all died before 50 with heart attacks.  Yet, in your grace and mercy, you have let my dearest, and your servant celebrate 75 years, 50 of those in ministry.  You sustained him through bypasses, stints and pacemakers, and you hold him in the palm of your hand.  Today, I give you thanks for letting me be his wife, and share in the years of ministry.  Your goodness overwhelms me.  I love you.  Amen.

Happy Birthday Darling!!!


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Prayers for Storm Recovery

Twenty people have died recently as a hurricane swept through Staten Island, New York. I grew up there and still have relatives in that place who survived the storm but do not have power in their homes. So I ask you to join me in this prayer, offered by a Jewish group, for that island, the Jersey shore where I once lived and for all those who were and are affected by this awful storm.

We pray that those who suffer find comfort through their faith in You and through the loving kindness of those emergency workers and volunteers who have come to their aid.

We pray that those who have lost so much have the fortitude to rebuild their lives. Let us seek out ways to help them build their tents anew and make of them, once again, havens of healing and hospitality. May all who have been battered by this storm discover many hearts and hands open to them. None of us stands alone in times of trouble.

Blessed are You, Lord God. You are the Source of our strength.


Amen

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The Storm

Dear Lord God,

It's been an incredibly difficult week for so many. There are those who have lost everything to the wind and sea, those who are struggling to find normalcy in life once again, and those who have lost loved ones to the storm. I think of the crew and family members of the HMS Bounty this day and lift them before Your throne.
 There are no answers as to why. I pray for the mother whose two small sons were swept from her arms by the waves. There are no words to comfort her or her husband. I pray for those who have lost their homes and every earthly possession. I pray Your peace and comfort not only during the storm, but in the aftermath as well.

Amen

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His strength

"It is God who gives me strength and makes my way perfect" Psalm 18:32 Thank you,Lord, for being our strength. We lift up our thanks and our requests to your Throne in humility and awe of your power. According to your divine will touch each person and each need. We give you all praise and glory in Jesus name.

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Father we pray for those in the path of the storms. We pray for protection and for wisdom. We pray that you would strengthen and comfort them, and that you would bring healing and restoration where it is needed. We pray that your Church would rise up to love your love to those in need because of these storms. Amen

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LAY DOWN THE TRACK



"Our prayers lay the track down by which God's power can come.  Like a mighty locomotive, his power is irresistible, but it cannot reach us without rails."  Watchman Nee (1903-1972)

Every soul we long to reach,
Every heart we hope to reach.
Everywhere we share His peace,
Is only by His grace.

Every loving word we say.
Every tear we wipe away.
Every sorrow turned to praise
Is only by His grace.

Grace alone
Which God supplies,
Strength unknown
He will provide,
Christ is us
Our Cornerstone,
We will go forth in grace alone.

Grace Alone ~ Scott Wesley Brown & Jeff Nelson (1998)

picture from googleimages.com

Amen

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wait patiently


"Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him"
(Psalm 37:7)

Faith often requires patience. God uses this time of waiting to build us up in our dependence upon Him, our trust in His Sovereignty and our steadfastness in the Truth of His Word. We choose to place our lives in His hands and trust that what He purposes for us is right. We need to learn to sit still before Him and pour out our hearts to Him and then wait for Him to move. He is so good.



Amen

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Abba, Father, we thank you for your marvelous grace. You love us with an everlasting love and your mercies are new every day. We are your beloved children, and you give us all good things. We love you. Amen

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HEAVY LOAD


"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest..."  Matthew 11:28

This morning my heart is heavy and I'm dealing with a burden that will take only the grace of God to lift. 

Dear Lord, I bow low before you asking that you will deal graciously with me and show me how to deal with this heavy burden.  I ask that all involved can have your healing grace.  You are the only one who can lift burdens and heal hearts.  I love you and I'm trusting You and Only You for the answers.  Amen.

Image from googleimages.com




Amen

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Praying Psalm 19

The heavens declare your glory O God, and the sky above proclaims your handiwork. I praise you for the wonders of your creation.. words cannot express the awe I feel when I ponder the beauty of a rose.. you do all things well.

Your words are perfect O Lord.. they revive my soul.. your testimony is trustworthy.. it is perfect.. it gives wisdom to the simple.. your precepts are right.. they make my heart rejoice because they are pure.

The fear of the Lord is clean.. and cleansing to my soul.. you are awesome forever O Lord!

Your rules are true and righteous altogether. They are more to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults and keep me from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Amen


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Prayer for Friends

Dear Lord God,
Thank you for autumn, the golden time of year. I am blessed by the sights, sounds, and smells of this glorious season.
Today I bring my friends E and R before your throne and pray your grace and mercy over their lives. I pray strength and healing for E, protection over her life, and clarity of thought and actions. I ask strength and encouragement for her mother R as she continues to watch her daughter struggle through life. Please, Father, wrap Your loving arms around my friends this night and grant them peace.
Amen

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what is prayer?


"The value of persistent prayer is NOT that God
will hear us, but that we will finally hear God" 
--W. McGill
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What is prayer? 

It is our amazing gift for communication with the Lord.
It is the way we can be "face-to-face" with our God. 

It is a privilege. It is powerful. 

Prayer time should be filled with passion and sweet anticipation of hearing Him speak.

We should long to enter into the sacredness of prayer with our Savior. It should compel us to fall on our faces before Him in humility seeking to commune with the Creator of all.

Prayer.  Our time to just bask in the presence of Jesus. What an honor. What an unbelievable and precious gift He has given us. 

Oh, Lord, help us to never take for granted the amazing and wonderful power and privilege of prayer. Help us to seek your face daily so we can listen to what you have to say to us. You are the best and so worthy of our time. May we reverence you with all the honor that is so due you.



Amen

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"To my God a heart of flame,
To my fellow man a heart of love,
To myself a heart of steel."
(St Augustine of Hippo)

Amen

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Prayers for Safety




When this prayer is published, my dearest and I will be in Idaho visiting with a cousin.  Anytime we travel, and this year we have done more than any other time in one year, we always say prayer for safety and God's will in our travels.

We took care of Don's Aunt for 8 months before she passed away, and her daughter and sil have sent us tickets to Idaho to visit them.

Dear Lord, I know we are not the only people traveling this week, so many in so many places, near or far away.  Lord we pray for your guardian angels to wrap their wings around us and keep us safe.  We know that nothing can touch us without first going through your divine filter, so Lord, we pray that in You will we will be accepting of anything you allow.  Father, thank you that last week, you protected me in my "fender bender" and also the other lady involved in the mishap.  You are Good, You are Gracious, You are Holy!  I love you.  Amen.

*picture of Idaho from googleimages.com



Amen








 
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prayer of faith.


"And the prayer of FAITH shall save
the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up;
if he have committed sins, they shall
be forgiven Him"
(James 5:15)



Amen

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Dear Father of mankind, make me the human channel, so far as in me lies, through which Thy divine love and pity may reach he hearts and lives of a few of those who are nearest to me.

Lord, today I would remember before Thee all my human brothers and sisters who need Thy help.  Especially this morning I think
of those who are faced by great temptations;
of those who are faced by tasks too great for their powers;
of those who stand in any valley of decision;
of those who are in debt or poverty;
of those who are suffering the consequences of misdeeds long ago repented of;
of those who, by reason of early surroundings, have never had a fair chance in life;
of all the family circles broken by death;
of all missionaries of the Kingdom of Heaven in faraway corners of the earth;
of those who lift high the lamp of truth in lonely places;
of....and.....and....and.

Hear our prayer dear Father, Hear our prayer.   We love you.  Amen


*Taken from "A Diary of Private Prayer" by John Baillie (1940) Professor of Divinity in the University of Edinbough and Principal of New College, Chaplain to Queen in Scotland.



Amen

 
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I am the Lord


"Behold, I am the LORD, the God
of all flesh; is there any thing too hard for me?"
(Jeremiah 32:27)


Amen

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Monday Prayer

Abba, it's Monday. Another weekend has come and gone, and another work week has begun. Some of us are refreshed, some are weary. Some look forward to the week ahead, while others face it with dread. There are those who feel your presence and blessing, and there are those who wonder where you are. Bless each one of us where we are. Lift us up, encourage us, and strengthen our faith as we face what lies ahead of us. Amen

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"Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!

For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor?

Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again?

For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.  To Him be the glory forever and ever.  Amen

Romans 11:33-36

TODAY IS THE DAY THE LORD HAS MADE...LET US REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT!!!










Amen

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A Prayer of Thanks

Dear Father,
September has been a month of many emotions, some leaving me feeling raw and vulnerable, and others making this time of year a little bit sweeter. Thank you, Lord, for the gift of my earthy father's parting this life three years ago. It was so hard to have him leave us, but we knew he was going to be with You and that made the parting easier. It's true that our sorrow is not without hope. And this year we have someone new to be thankful for, a sweet baby boy whose middle name comes from his great grandpa. As his grandpa struggled to leave us three years ago, this little one fought to arrive. He is here now, healthy and thriving once again, a sweet gift from the Father in Heaven. The tears of September this year are sweet.
Amen

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prayer - it is everything

"Be careful for nothing; but in everything
by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made
known to God"
(Philippians 4:6)

"And the peace of God, which passeth
all understanding, shall keep your hearts
and minds through Christ Jesus"
(Philippians 4:7)

~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer is everything. It is our lifeline. It is the way we communicate with our Lord. It is our healing and our comfort. It is our peace. It is our life.

When we fall on our faces in humility before our Sovereign Lord, we enter into the Holy of Holies and into His Presence. We enter into the sacredness of one-on-one communication with our Savior. 

Prayer is the beginning of our growth. It is the progression of our growth and it is the ending of our spiritual growth. Prayer is everything.


Amen

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Change of Season

Father, thank you for the change of season from summer to autumn. Thank you for the beauty of the leaves as they change color, for the smells of wood fires, for the tastes of the different foods, and for the coolness of the days. As life comes out of the decay and death we see in nature, we rejoice in knowing that you bring life and restoration to us.  Amen

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THE LORD WANTS TO BLESS AMERICA





Deuteronomy 28:1,2,13,14

"If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on the earth.  All thee blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you  obey your God.  ...The Lord will make you the head, not the tail if you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top , never at the bottom.  Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them."

Dear Heavenly Father, how You yearn to bless Your people.  You pour You grace upon us when we humble ourselves before You: grace upon grace to meet our every need: victory, destiny, dignity, sanity, prosperity and spiritual vitality in response to Your loving-kindness we grateful offer our loving obedience.  Oh God help us to do this.  Amen;

America ~ wake up...there is time if we will do what you requested of your people in the Old Testament....humble ourselves, and follow your commands..put YOU first in our life and in our Nation.






Amen

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Prayer for Refugees

My friend Danny is ministering to refugees in Syria and emailed me this image of refugees in Turkey. Please join me in this (UN Refugee Agency) prayer for Danny and those he is ministering to.

Compassionate God, make your loving presence felt to refugees, torn from home, family and everything familiar. Warm, especially, the hearts of the young, the old, and the most vulnerable among them. Help them know that you accompany them as you accompanied Jesus, Mary, and Joseph in their exile to Egypt. Lead refugees to a new home and a new hope, as you led the Holy Family to their new home in Nazareth. Open our hearts to receive them as our sisters and brothers in whose face we see your son, Jesus.

Amen   

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O gracious and holy Father,
give us wisdom to perceive you,
diligence to seek you,
patience to wait for you, 
eyes to behold you,
a heart to meditate upon you,
and a life to proclaim you,
through the power of the Spirit
of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

Benedict of Nursia
Amen

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A personal expression of Psalm 23 is written by Linda Dillow in her book "Calm my Anxious Heart".

The Lord is my peace. I shall not live in anxiety. He puts me under his wing of comfort and calms my spirit within me. He takes all my anxieties on Himself and helps me to focus on Him. Yes, though I walk through a time of grave uncertainties and fierce anxieties, I will not fret ~~ for You are my peace. Your Word and Your presence calm me now. You hold my uncertainties in the palm of your hand. You soothe my anxious mind ~~ You smooth my wrinkled brow. Surely serenity and trust in You shall fill me all the days of my life. And I shall keep my mind stayed on you forever.
This is my prayer today with all the unrest all over the World.  Will you join me?



Amen

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Nothing too hard for our God



I am so thankful that our God can do anything. There is nothing too hard for Him. There is no problem too hard. No sickness too much. No mountain too high and no valley too deep. Wherever we are in our journey, He is there. Walking right beside us and holding our hands. Cradling us in His arms and allowing us to feel His presence. He is so good.

Our God is faithful. In all things. His Word is true and we can hold tight to it and we can know that there is NOTHING too hard for our God. Praise you Jesus!

"Ah LORD God! Behold, thou hast made the heaven
and the earth by thy great power and stretched out
arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee"
(Jeremiah 32:17)

Amen

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Grace

Father, we are thankful for your grace and mercy. You have set your love on us and made us your children. We fear no condemnation because you have set us free from the power of sin and guilt. Your heart is good to us, and we can trust that everything you do is for our good. Amen

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Dear Lord, Thank you so very much for answered prayers... For the healing touch you put on my brother Hal, and his wonderful recovery.  For the calm and peace you have given Sue and Dave waiting for an important decision on his health issues.  For Pastor Jon, who will be back in the pulpit today, sharing God's Word.  You are awesome, you are faithful, you are such a prayer answering God.  How we love and adore You.  Amen



Amen

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Labor Day Prayer

Father, those of us who have jobs thank you for your provision. We pray for those who are without work. Provide for them as they look for employment, and guide them to a job that uses their talents and brings them fulfillment. Amen

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Three personal prayers I'm sharing so you can lift these dear people up in your prayers too.

Dear Lord, thank you so much for bringing my brother, Hal, through a difficult surgery.  Thank you that all the infected areas have been successfully removed.  Lord thank you that he is out of ICU and on the way a full recovery.  Lord, if the pathology shows cancer, please let the chemo be speedy and complete.  You are such a gracious God, and your mercy endures forever.

Lord, I being before you our dear friends Sue and Dave as he awaits treatment for a blockage.  You know everything about Dave's body and I know you are already working on this problem and the remedy.  Thank you for doctors that have the wisdom and knowledge to take care of these kinds of blockages.  Be with Sue, and calm her heart as she awaits the plans for Dave.

Heavenly Father, I pray for our Pastor Jon who has been down in his back for several weeks, and unable to get relief from the pain.  Thank you for the tests he is undergoing, and Lord I pray for results that will bring him comfort and relief from the pain, and bring You glory.  Thank you that my dearest, Pastor Don will be able to fill in for him tomorrow, and bring a message of Your love and serve Communion.

For all this we give thanks in the name of names, Jesus Christ the Holy One.  We love and adore You.  Amen
Amen

* The picture is a stained glass window in a little church we visited in Yreka, CA on our trip to see my brother.

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just pray...

"And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the LORD will 
raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven"
(James 5:15)




Amen

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Father, we pray for those who have been affected by Hurricane Isaac. Watch over those who have lost their homes, and provide for them. Bless those still in its path. Protect them and provide for them. Amen

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God's Great Faithfulness

Lamentations 3:22-24 (NLT)
The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
    His mercies never cease.
23 Great is his faithfulness;
    his mercies begin afresh each morning.
24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance;
    therefore, I will hope in him!”
Amen

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 We are visiting our daughter and sil in Brookings OR. What a beautiful place to showcase God's Creation.

Today, Lord, I'm so thankful for the safety you give us while traveling. Today I pray for everyone on the road traveling back home from vacations. Guide and protect and on this Sunday while folks are on the road....give a sense of your love and protection. Thank you for your traveling guardian angels. We love you.  Amen.



Amen

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anyone among you sick?


"Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? 
Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let
them call the elders of the church to pray over them
and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord.

And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person 
well. The Lord will raise them up. If they have
 sinned, they will be forgiven"

(James 5:13-15)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you sweet Lord for the power of prayer. Thank you that you hear our petitions and that you care for the things that trouble us. You tend to our wounds and our hurts with the sweetness of your healing spirit. And for that we are so grateful. Thank you for the ability to lift our voices to you. We are so thankful that when we offer a prayer in faith, your Word says we can experience healing. You are so worthy of all our praise and all our honor and all glory goes to you. 

Amen

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Prayer for the Week

From Scot McKnight

Grant to us, Lord, we pray, the spirit to think and do always those things that are right, that we, who cannot exist without you, may by you be enabled to live according to your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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Worship is the lifestyle of a grateful heart.  To worship is to respond, to respond to a Lover who always loves and always draws near.  What is my response to the One who has given all?  I can only bow before Him every day ~
I bow my knees.
I bow my words.
I bow my attitude.
I bow my work.
I bow my times of waiting.
I bow my pain.
I bow my will.
I bow ONLY to HIM.

Lord help me to daily to bow in these ways.  I love you.  Amen


I'm reading a book by Linda Dillow, called "Satisfy My Thirsty Soul."  This is an excerpt from it.







Amen

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Prayer for the School Year

Father, bless the students who are beginning another school year. Give them wisdom and strength as they learn. Bless the teachers as they instruct and as they serve as examples to their students. Bless the parents as they let their children go, whether for the first year of preschool or the final year of college. Amen

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Game On for Kelli

Kelli is One of the first friends I made in the Blogosphere. She is shortly joining her husband overseas to support him as he serves America in the military. This thirty something young believer has had many devastating health trials as of late. Many times I have cried in prayer for her. Please join me in praying for Kelli as you read what she has shared lately ...

Yesterday: Praying friends, I would so appreciate your prayers today. This rheumatic disease is really ravaging me. The pain is tremendous in my spine and pelvis, and it's now messing with my hands, and rib cage too. I've got so much to do before I leave in a few days, and 18 hours of flying ahead, which will be... challenging with these pain levels. Any and all prayers are welcome.

Last Weekend: I've dreaded posting this, because they aren't the results we wanted, and I know you've all been praying so much for me. I don't want you to be discouraged!

So, the not so good news first: all my scans came back positive. The disease the doctors feared I might have has indeed set in, and is wrapping my Sacroiliac joints and pelvis.

Now for the good news, and as I see it, there's a long list:

1.) We've caught it early. We are going to hit it very, very hard with drugs and try to drive it into remission.

2.) If I hadn't gone blind, I wouldn't have had these tests, and wouldn't have discovered this disease was silently eating away my future. I would have assumed it was just pain from my past spine surgery and not been checked out until it was too late to do anything. Thank God for blindness at the right time :P

3.) My eye specialist noticed a slight improvement in my eye today, and believes my body is fighting back, despite everything. He believes there is still hope to see the vision improve.

4.) One of the top experts in rheumatic disease in the Middle East has his office five minutes away from the apartment Dennis just contracted in our deployment country.

5.) My eye specialist provided me a list of not one, but four specialists with his same credentials, most US-trained, who have offices in our deployment country.

6.) All of us have some kind of ticking time bomb in our bodies. We'll all die of something. For some it may be heart disease, for others cancer, or liver disease, or whatever. Most people get hit with their time bomb when they're in their fifties or sixties and don't have as much energy to fight. But I have the luxury of attacking my disease NOW, when I'm young. And you better believe I am going to put up one H-E-double-holy-sticks fight against this thing. This disease has been attacking me, but it doesn't know the meaning of the word siege. It will :D

Anyway, thank you all, so much for your prayers. Now we know. Now I fight. Game on.

Amen
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we know He hears

When we lift up our voices in prayer to our very mighty and powerful God, we should do so with eager expectancy. We know that our God hears our every petition. He hears our cry and he cares. We can have the sweet assurance that nothing we are going through goes unnoticed by our Lord. He cares about the smallest details of our lives and those things that matter to us matter to Him even more. So whenever we hit our faces in prayer, we can be certain that He already knows what we are going through and that He is just waiting for us to voice it to Him so He can begin ministering to our hearts and souls. 

We may not always get the answer that our flesh desires, but we always get the answer that will lead to the greatest glory in our lives. God is faithful and we can trust and believe that the answer to our prayers will always be what is best for us. 

So lift your voice to God and expect that He will begin a mighty work in your life. 

"I call on the LORD in my distress, and he answers me"
(Psalm 120:1)

~~~~

"I lift up  my eyes to the mountains - where does my help
come from? My help comes from the LORD, the
Maker of Heaven and earth"
(Psalm 121:1-2)



Amen

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Father, thank you that you hear the groanings of our heart when we can't express our prayers in words, or even when we don't feel like praying. Holy Spirit, thank you for your help in our infirmities when we can't even groan. Help us to trust you. Amen

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"One good deed is worthy more than a thousand brilliant theories.  Don't wait for greater opportunities for a different kind of work.  Just do the things you find to do day by day.

Do it promptly.  Don't waste your life thinking about what you intend to do tomorrow.  No one ever served God by doing things tomorrow.  If we honor Christ and are blessed, it is with the things we do today."  Charles Hadden Spurgeon (1834-1892)

Lord, give me an opportunity today, to do a good deed, to share your love, to right a wrong, to lift some one up.  Let me seize the opportunity was gusto for YOU!  Amen

Amen

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no such thing as impossible with God

We are so blessed that we serve a God who can do the impossible. We serve a God who IS the impossible! He heals, He restores, He calms and He comforts. There is nothing that is beyond His control. There is nothing that He can't do. We can face any situation because we know that our precious Lord will be right there with us. He is our everything. 

"For with God nothing shall 
be impossible"
(Luke 1:37)

~~~

'And Jesus, looking upon them saith,
'With men, it is impossible, but
not with God; for with God 
all things are possible"'
(Mark 10:27)

Amen

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