Prayer... As Vital as Air

Pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. James 5:16b

I have always been a big fan of prayer. I love to pray. It is something that I can do anytime and anywhere. If things are slow at work, I can pray and the time goes by quickly. If I am happy, I can share my joy with my best friend. If I am scared, I can give it to God and know that I don't really have anything to fear. The God of the universe is protecting me.

One of my most things to do when I pray is to pray for people that I love. During times when I feel helpless and wish that I could do more to help people I love, I know that I can take the burden to the Lord. As James tells us, our prayers are powerful and effective, because they are being heard by God himself.

Something else I am learning to do is to pray for people that I don't necessarily like. Just because I don't like them doesn't mean God doesn't love them. God loves everyone and the more I pray for them the harder it is not to be infused with God's love for them. God gives me His eyes, His heart. I am (and so are you) called to love everyone. We are all His creation. It isn't easy, but it is the right thing to do.

I could go on and on about prayer. There are so many ways to pray and it is such a vital part of a Christian's life. It is our connecting to God, our life source. There are times when we can be doing 20 other things and still praying. There are other times when we need to be more intentional, go into a special room, or kneel and block everything out and just focus on praying (and listening).

I also think it is a good idea to keep a prayer journal. Reading it through it and seeing how God answers your prayers is a good way to bolster your faith. We will not always be on the mountaintop. There will be times when we need a reminder, a boost, and seeing old prayers and knowing the outcome is a great way to do just that!

So, what are ways that you use prayer? Do you have a favorite room, or favorite verse that you love to pray?

-JLP-

All Who Wander Are Not Lost

"In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling." (Ex. 15:13 NIV)

The dog was panting in the backseat, and when she wasn't panting she was barking. I was getting more frustrated by the minute and the temperature (in the a/c controlled car as well as outside) was rising. But, I kept it because I had told my husband I would. I knew where I was, I just didn't know where my destination was. I followed the directions my DH gave me, and I even pulled out the handy GPS program on my cell phone. All to no avail.

After a couple hours of exploring the city I gave up. The dog was refusing to the drink the water I had wisely provided and she was getting on my nerves as well as getting overheated. I was wasting gas and just wasting time. I wasn't going to find the dog groomer. I tried, but it just wasn't too be.

So, we came home. As I was recovering from the stress of the morning I began to think. My walk with Christ can sometimes look like my morning. I know where I am, so I'm not lost. I know that I am safe and secure in Christ, but I don't know how to get to where I need to be. I wander aimlessly. I use tools that should help, but they turn out to be false.

I may not be a lost soul, but I'm still wandering. I'm looking for answers, for a blinking neon sign that plainly points me to where I need to be, and I get frustrated because I don't find it.

A lot of Christians are like I was today. We are wandering because we do not know where we are going. We know that Jesus loves us and that He saved us, but beyond that we are clueless. We are clueless because we are in unfamiliar territory. We do not spend enough time in His word, talking to Him, getting to know Christ that we are aimless. We are prone to wander.

Just as having my husband with me as a guide would have solved my problems and saved me from any wandering today, having God by our side and being in tune with Him will save us from wandering aimlessly through life.

CONFESSION TIME

There is nothing quite so cleansing as confession. God requires it for forgiveness, and it frees the soul and makes us feel better. Once the problem is out in the open, no longer hidden it is much less of a burden. So in the spirit of confession I have one.

All my friends know me as kind of a neat freak. I like things tidy. I have a place for everything and everything belongs in its proper place. I don't like messes or clutter. I just don't. It isn't me. I find when my home is clean and organized I'm more relaxed and easier to get along with.

Well, if you were to walk into my kitchen you would see that more dishes are waiting in the sink to be washed than are in the cupboards. It is disgusting and a mountain to tackle tomorrow evening. Yes, it is bothering me, but lately I'm just so darn tired that it hasn't gotten done, but that is an excuse. I need to put on my big girl clothing and just clean it!

What confessions do you have? What secrets are you harboring that need to be aired?

-JLP-

Attempting to Write a Psalm!

When darkness of the soul consumed me, when the Devil tried to use stress, fear and worry to consume me and drive me away, I made sure I was tucked safely in Your arms. For You alone oh Lord can deliver and protect me. It is Your name alone that causes Satan to tremble and flee. It is Your power that delivers us from trials.

I was scared and You were there. You answered my cry O Lord. You gave me peace in place of worry. You gave me strength for the journey and family to help carry the load. I will praise You, even in the darkness, for You provide the only light.

Nothing is beyond Your power. Nothing is too difficult for You to accomplish. What seems like a major hurdle to us, is just a stepping stone for You. You know the way, and You promise to guide us, we just have to listen and follow.

When life threatens to overwhelm me, when I am sinking in the quicksand of stress You are the lifeline. You teach us and guide us, and through the trial we become stronger and even more dependent upon You and Your amazingness.

Thank you Lord, for always loving, guiding, sheltering, protecting and saving us. Thank you for forgiving us, each and every time we sin. Thank you for being You.

Amen.

Psalm 3:5

“I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.” ~ Psalm 3:5

I was perusing some blogs I follow and I came across a friend's blog and she had this verse at the top of yesterday's entry, so I am going to borrow it. I don't think she will mind. I find that the more I ponder this verse the more I love it, for it encapsulates everything for me.

There is so much truth in these 13 words. The Lord is our salvation, but He also sustains us. We can lie and down rest because the Lord is in control. The verse talks about peace. Being able to sleep means that we can get to a point, because of the Lord where we have peace.

Not only do we have peace, but the Lord provides us slumber. Slumber is needed. It is a time of renewal and regeneration. But, it isn't something that lasts forever.

We wake, because we have jobs to do. God has commanded us to share His love with others. That is a hard task. People these days are so blinded by the work of evil and darkness, by complacency that showing them the light takes strength and stamina. Yet, this verse shows that God will sustain us, God will give us what we need.

Finally, the Lord is the one in charge. He gives us just what we need to go on. We may not be overflowing with energy, but we will have enough. God will carry us through, and when we feel like our strength is failing we can turn to verses like this one and remember that we rely not on ourselves, but on the Lord, it is all done through Him.

13 words, yet a life of meaning, hope and peace! Oh how I love how God works!!!

What verses have captured your heart this week?

-JLP-

Why I Write

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." "Call me Ishmael." "Four score and seven years ago..." "When in the course of human events it becomes necessary..."

As a writer I have a (not so) secret desire to pen words that people will read and recognize for centuries. It boils down to my knowledge that I am mortal, yet I want something I do to transcend mortality. I can't sing very well, my piano and violin skills leave something to be desired, and I am certainly no Michelangelo or Picasso. So, what do I have to outlive me, I have the words I create.

That is part of my motivation to write, but just part of it. Like other artists, I am compelled to write and share my thoughts. I have to get it out. Without being gross, it is like vomit- once it is there, you have to let it go, it isn't staying down.

Finally, the Lord has given me a story to tell. I do not always make the right decisions, I veer from the path and I have struggles. I've faced many dark days and even blacker nights. I've also been to the mountaintop and seen many a spectacular sunrise. It is because of this that I know God is there. I want to share this feeling, this knowledge with others.

I know God is here because I was protected, because I'm here. There have been a few occasions in my life when my life should have ended, but God said, "I'm not ready to call you home yet". I know God is here because I see Him in every part of creation, from the colors of sunrise, to the weeds, to the crazy animals He created, to the way humans are created.

I know God is here because I see Him in all the good that is in every day. Yes, we live in a hard time, and it doesn't seem to be getting better. Jobs and money are scarce, our culture is a pit of glee for Satan, and natural disasters happen all the time. Yet, there is so much good too, we just get so mired in daily life that we fail to see it.

Just as an artist has a myriad of reasons why he creates, I have a myriad of reasons why I write. I may never write immortal words, or I may (and they just may never be read), but I still do it because I have to. All this to say, I write because it is a big part of who I am. I'm a writer.

-JLP-

American Culture

Growing up I was never accused of being a workaholic. Because I LOVE to read and write I know to spend some down time, how to relax. This is a good thing, but just like everything else we need to learn to do it in moderation. Life is about moderation. Do you want to look good and be healthy? Eat in moderation- have healthy sized portions, and allow yourself a small treat now and then. Do you want to be fit? Exercise, but don't overdo it (there is such a thing as too much of a good thing).

There is only 1 thing in life that we shouldn't do in moderation, and that is our Christian walk. We should be all out, zealous for God and for sharing His gospel (good news) of salvation with the world. Our love for God should know no bounds. We need for Him should be off the charts.

I've been wondering for awhile why our culture is such a slush pit. It finally dawned on me that the answer is that we have turned from God. Such a simple answer, and one that should have come to me YEARS ago. The Christian life isn't about a bunch of "do's" and "don'ts". It is about love. God loves us and sent His Son. We in return accept this gift and demonstrate our love the best way can, our actions.

It is like anything else. The people we love we treat with respect, dignity, honesty, loyalty, trust, fairness, faith, joy, etc. We do this because we see that is how God treats us. With fewer and fewer people choosing Christ, fewer and fewer people have the example of how to live.

If we want to rescue our culture we need to go back to loving God. Love God, serve Him, and it will spread.

-JLP-

His Name is Good

"For what you have done I will always praise you in the presence of your faithful people. And I will hope in your name,for your name is good. " Psalm 52:9 NIV

I just learned that my Grandma is in the ICU 2000 miles away. Yet, as hard as it is to be here and not be able to be by her side I can still praise God. The Psalm talks about praising God no matter what. The Psalm was penned by David, during the time when King Saul was seeking David's destruction. David feared for his life, yet he still praised God for even when our circumstances are bad, God is good. We have hope because God is good.

I have even more hope than David, because I serve a risen Savior. David knew and loved God, but God had yet to send His son (in fact Jesus is a descendant of David). We now have the whole story. We can see how God was working through His chosen people. We can trace God's goodness.

So, yes, even as I pray for my Grandma and wish that I could be there. Even as I try to fight worry (God tells us not to worry, so I have to obey) I know that God is good. For all that God has done (and continues to do) I will praise Him. His name IS good. His mercy is everlasting, and His grace is all that I need.

-JLP-

Praise God!

““Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” Jeremiah 32:17 NIV

No matter what is going on, no matter how crazy the storm, no matter how confusing the times, we serve (whether we realize it or not) a living God. As the verse states, God created EVERYTHING, and the God that creates mountains, seas, monkeys and fish, creates and loves you and me. Nothing that we could ask of Him will scare Him, will threaten Him, or will be too hard for Him to handle.

This verse is such a comfort to me. When I get overwhelmed with everything that is going on, all the changes, all the responsibility, all that I want to change, I remember that I need to give it all to God. He can handle it with ease, and He will take the load, so that I can get through with grace.

Today I woke around 3am. I read for awhile, and then as the sun started to come up I sat out on our front porch and just marveled. I marveled at the beauty, at the gifts that God has given to me. God has given me a comfortable home in a safe neighborhood, family nearby, all that I need to raise my family.

God has also given me Himself. He gives me all that I need each day. He gives me more than that. He's given me strength, faith and endurance (and many other traits that I picked up through my trials). He's given me a heart for others and an ability to be in the midst of the storms and still see the joy in life. That is all Him. Praise God for those gifts!

God is such a giver, He lavishes us with gift upon gift, with blessing upon blessing. Even in the hard times, we have Him and that is all the gift we need to get through. The going may not be fun or easy, but we can make it. Praise God!

So, as I fight this wannabe migraine I can still marvel at how blessed I am, because I am child of God. And with God, all things are possible, and nothing is too difficult. I can lean on Him. Praise God!

What can you praise God for today?

-JLP-

Trimester #2

We did it! I'm not sure how I survived, but baby and I have moved into trimester #2. So far baby is healthy and I'm not really showing yet (not a bad thing!). For awhile there I didn't think I was going to survive, there was nothing left in me to throw up, yet somehow baby found stuff and out it came!

And, for those of you that are considering pregnancy I am going to be kind and warn you of some things! You will thank me. First of all, you pee all the time! Yup your baby may be the size of a tiny peanut, but already the hormones and craziness of getting pregnant means multiple trips to the water closet. And, if you don't get pregnancy sickness (I refuse to call it morning sickness, that is a lie) consider yourself lucky. For a couple of MONTHS I was throwing up all the time.

I still do a bit, but not all the time (PTL), and so far no weird cravings! Yes, I'm very excited and I love my child with all my heart. I read it stories, and I talk to baby, and I pray for baby. I am just sharing some pregnancy facts.

And, not to get too personal, but yes my sex drive has changed (and we will leave it at that). This is not all bad for our marriage, it is just life. I think that in any marriage the sex drives of both people will fluctuate. We are not static creatures. And, change keeps us on our toes and keeps life interesting.

Trimester one was a lesson, a trial, exciting, wonderful, awful, weird and so much all at once. The emotions are all over the place. Now, to see what trimester 2 brings! Hopefully more baby pictures and the answer- Baby E or Baby Z (girl or boy)!

Happy day to all!

-JLP-

PS- what was the biggest surprise to you during your first trimester?

Thy Word is a Lamp

Today we flip our calendars from June to July. We are well into the summer season, and a myriad of Americans are gearing up for all the 4th of July festivities that will be going on around the country this weekend. It is a time of celebration, of coming together, of relaxing with good food, friends and fireworks.

Amid all this hustle and bustle (a lot of work goes into relaxing!) it can be hard to make ourselves take a few minutes, but I find that I have to. I am the kind of person that loves introspection. I'm a thinker. I like to ponder things.

Lately I have been pondering life. This should come as no surprise, after all I do have a bun in the oven, and I think about our little baby, and pray for the baby. Yet, I also think about my life. I think about where I am, what I am doing, and the road I am on in this journey.

Growing up I think everyone assumed that I would be a teacher. I love kids, I'm good with kids, and I love to teach, to help young minds grasp new concepts. It is exciting to be on the discovery with them, to know that in a small way I am helping them grow, I'm showing them the way.

I even spent 4 years training to become a teacher, and I did teach for awhile (high school not elementary, so already I veered off the path I imagined for myself) and then I took a turn. I left my home state, I drove all the way across the country and I landed in Virginia, working my way through seminary and earning a degree in Pastoral Counseling.

I saw myself using this degree in many different ways. It could enhance my teaching, now that I have a better understanding of how the brain works, of the role of emotion and the psyche. Or, I could work with people that are struggling with PTSD. I especially have a heart for military families.

Right now, I'm married, pregnant and I'm a cashier. Two of the 3 things I pictured. I love my husband (he is a huge blessing from God), and I'm excited to be a mother and for us to become a family of 3. Yet, I never pictured myself cashiering, especially not with the degrees I have.

It isn't that it is a bad job, or that it is below me. Oh no! It is just that I want to do something where I REALLY help people. I want to use the gifts God gave, the degrees that He allowed to attain. I also want to be able to better provide for my family, to be able to afford to travel to see my family, to give my child a lot of what I had growing up.

I am doing my best to find the path that will get me to where I yearn to be. I know that it is close, yet the underbrush of surviving daily life right now is blocking my path, and there is a little bit of fear too. The path I am on right now is cleared, and veering into the unknown is scary, blazing a different trail, even if it is in search of a highway isn't easy, it comes with risks.

God promises to be a lamp, to light our pathway, to be our guide. That is a comfort, but what He doesn't promise is to give us an interstate at all times. It is when we are at the forks, when we are deciding to break off into the braken that we learn the most, that we see just how much we need Him.

I don't know what is in my future. Right now I don't know exactly which path to take. I do know that I need to take a step. I do know that even when I feel lost, God sees me, He sees where I am, and He sees all the possible routes, and if I remain focused on Him his light will guide me. The closer I grow to God the easier it will be to recognize His light, and not be confused by all the shadows.

Where has your journey taken you, and are you where you expected to be? What has been the biggest surprise to you as you look back on your childhood and now consider where you are as an adult?

-JLP-