Category: Prayer

Without Wrinkle

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“25 For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her 26 to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.27 He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault.” Ephesians 5:25-27 (NLT)

This Saturday a neighbor’s son is getting married. A few weeks ago, I offered a helping hand in anything that might be needed. Having put together things for a wedding, I know the lists can be long and towards the end of the planning you find you may be a few hands short of help.

My neighbor graciously took me up on the offer in the form of pressing some tablecloths. She didn’t give me many, but since I do love to iron, I was excited to be able to help out.

I love ironing. There are few tasks around the home that give instant gratification. Cleaning toilets, washing windows and ironing. You do a bit of work and you see instant results. It’s wonderful.

I also know that even in the little things my Lord teaches me things. I did pray over the tablecloths. I prayed for the people who would be sitting at the tables. I prayed for the bride and groom, for their life together, for being used of the Lord as a couple, for the parents who are gaining a family member to love.

Also, as I was pressing out wrinkles, I felt the Lord speak to me. As I looked at a bunched up wrinkled mass in the middle of one cloth, I heard, this is what you looked like when you first accepted Me into your life. I paused ironing to look at the jumble of wrinkles, wondering how this was like me.

The Lord continued, that although I had asked Him to be my Lord and Savior, I still had a bunch of stuff attached to my life. Compassionately, through the years, my Lord has taken His spiritual iron and has slowly and evenly pressed me. Each wrinkle, as it has disappeared has given me freedom, or joy, or redemption, or peace,or healing. Each time a new wrinkle appears, I know our Lord is there, being merciful and loving toward me.

The ironing went fast for me, partly because I love to iron, but mostly because I was able to talk with my Lord and like the Good Shepherd He is, He gently spoke to me, knowing His voice is the One I long to hear and learn from.

Wednesday Night WOW

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Each Wednesday night our church has a service. It is a precious time of fellowship with the people who come. A different person teaches weekly, so each week is a delight and a discovery. I love this time together.

Tonight as we were getting ready to drive to the church I mentioned to Dale that I thought I would rather just put on my jammies and head to bed. I felt cold and tired and done with the day. I should have known better.

The woman who taught tonight opened with a bang and kept going. To say my heart was blessed is an understatement.

She opened with how the Lord talked to her, she merely said, He called me by name. Just in that statement I could have gone home refreshed. Our Lord does call us by name. He knows each of us intimately and He knows our name. He has called me Cathi numerous times and I smile. He has called me Mary and somehow it sounds endearing and intimate. My name from His lips is beautiful. It strips away all the angst I have with my first name. To hear Him call me by my name is at once reassuring and safe.

This woman went on to say that after calling her by name, our Lord spoke to her and urged her to use her time well. I know these aren’t her exact words, but, this is what seeped deeply into me. Use my time well. Do I do that? Sometimes, but sometimes not. She urged those in the sanctuary to ask the Lord for divine appointments, you know when you run into someone and somehow the conversation turns toward heaven and you know the Lord is in the middle of the conversation.

After she finished there was a discussion time and I continued to be moved by the words spoken by others around me. Our pastor encouraged us to not think of our lives as insignificant. That hit me directly in my heart. I have always viewed and relayed to others that my life, my words on a page are not major, that I, in the midst of all the more educated and seasoned writers am pretty tiny. I have yearned to do great things for my Savior. I long to reach so many with words of encouragement and words of salvation in our Lord.

Pastor continued saying that we are not insignificant, because we are living now, in one of the hardest and darkest times in the world. I was reminded how in the book of Esther, her uncle Mordecai requested that she go to her husband, the king and ask for deliverance for her people, the Jews. She hesitated and her uncle said this to her, “13 Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. 14 If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” Esther 4:13 (NLT)

When we were chosen to be alive for this time in the world, it was for a time and a purpose. We may not understand what the purpose is, but God, who calls us by name, knows.

I walked out of church this evening with tears in my eyes and joy in my heart. No matter how small and insignificant I may feel, the Lord has a purpose for me, that perhaps I AM here for such a time as this.

“Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’” Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV)

I am going to ask the Lord how to wisely use my time that I am here, ask for those divine appointments, those conversations where our Lord joins in.

After all, He knows my name. He knows your name also.

Pain

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I have many friends who are currently experiencing some sort of pain. Emotional, physical, mentally, and grief.

I would like in each case to just pray and see it all go away. POOF! It’s gone. But, the Lord does not work that way.

I saw a meme today about changing the past, but if you do that, you do not learn the lessons given through our previous experiences.

Our Lord has a purpose and a plan for our lives. We don’t always understand. We question and we wonder.

But God…

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” Psalm 34:18 (NLT)

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT)

“O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. 2 You know when I sit down or stand up.
    You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. 3 You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. 4 You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. 5 You go before me and follow me.
    You place your hand of blessing on my head.” Psalm 139: 1-5 (NLT)

My Sweet Girl

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“Children’s children are the crown of old men, And the glory of children is their father.” Proverbs 17:6 (NKJV)

Dale and I are blessed to have two grandchildren, two bonus grandchildren and two bonus great grandchildren. Each one bring us joy and laughter.

Today, our granddaughter turns eight. Little Miss came as a surprise to us. She is always filled with surprises. Her middle name was given in honor of her aunt, our youngest. Like her namesake, she comes up with the wildest things. Also like her parents, she is full of the energy of them. She is blessed with a history and genetics that provide gasps and more gray hair for me. I love that about her.

My daughter did not want to give birth on Halloween. She was adamant about that. She vowed that she would hold off until November. I smiled and asked if she talked that over with the Lord. She now often quotes that we make our plans and the Lord laughs at them.

Our Little Miss came at just the perfect time. Her life has been ordered of the Lord. She is our pumpkin. Her zest for life astonishes me. Her caring and kindness oozes from her. Yes, I am bragging a bit, grandparents are allowed to do this.

So, precious one, have an awesome birthday. May you always have a zeal to meet and conquer whatever is before you. May you greet each challenge with the boldness of your Daddy. May you love unconditionally like your Mommy. Most of all may you continue to love your Creator who blessed us with you.

Peaceful

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“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” John 14:27 (NLT)

The past few weeks I have had several conversations with people going through difficult times.

Each person is experiencing a time that would like to rob you of any joy, peace or knowledge of the Lord.

I have tried to be a good listener and to respond how I think the Lord would have me respond. What I have concluded is this world is not pleasant. Yes, the scenery and artistry of God is present everywhere in this world, but, living here is filled with troubles.

Each of us experience things that can tear our heart out. Sickness, cancer, death, isolation and loneliness can drive us to the brink of wondering where our God is and if he is actually listening or caring about us personally.

It is easy to look at the situation looming towards us. It is easy to say that there is no possible way that God could be in the midst of things. It can be easy to look at the world and what it holds and be disillusioned. Personally, I have done this. I have lost joy before, I have questioned and yelled at God.

What I learned is that God is big enough to yell at Him. He can take it. He, like the loving Father He is will allow us to scream, holler, yell, roll on the floor, pitch a fit, kick and fuss. He allows our tantrums, and again, like the good Father He is, He will gently pick us up and hold us.

The situations may not have passed, but He is watching over us. It could be days, weeks, months or years later and we look back and marvel that the Lord was in the midst of that season. Ever faithful, ever watching, ever caring.

Today was a day that would have liked to rob several people of their peace, it was an unsettling day. But, God. He was in the middle of it all. He was not distant. He was not taking a nap. He was not ignoring cries from hearts. He was in the center, watching and supporting.

This morning a young man in our church ran through the gates of Heaven and into the arms of a waiting Savior. As he rushed into Heaven, I know he was greeted by our Lord, His arms wide open and waiting to hug this man. He met him and greeted him with a “Welcome Home Son, I have been anxiously waiting for you.”

“Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10b (NKJV)

This scripture has run through my mind this afternoon. The joy of our Lord is my strength. I do have the joy of the Lord. He gives it in abundance.

We may want to falter, and hesitate, and give up. Between the peace of God so freely given, and the joy of the Lord, which is our strength, there is nothing we cannot conquer. So, I will continue to have difficult conversations with friends. I will continue to pray how to respond. Most importantly, I will pray for them.

Prayer of Gratitude

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Father, I thank You. You have blessed my life in ways that were unimaginable. You bless this earth with abundance.

The weather is under Your word. Father, please be with those who are suffering still from the effects of the hurricane. Supply what they need for their lives, for their homes, for their families. Let them see what all You are doing. Bless the workers who have given up time to be a help during this time.

For our country dear Lord, You established this glorious country. You have guided leaders to follow after You and You alone. Allow the vision of our Founding Fathers to be established once more in the hearts of Your people.

Oh Lord, How I praise You! The earth sings of Your glory. The sun shines brightly, illuminating the artistry of Your right hand. Revive our eyes to see the beauty of your palette. Let us rejoice in Your creation.

Today, especially, as we enter our houses of worship, let us hear Your word and respond. I am so thankful for all of this Lord. I am grateful for this life You have given me, Amen.

Looking at the Same Things

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“They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:23 (NKJV)

I have found out from living in various places that you can become accustomed to a place.

Growing up in Oil City, PA, I took for granted the Allegheny River and Oil Creek flowing through our town. The hills and the change of seasons were things that just happened, like clock work. They had always been there, so they would always be there.

When I married and moved to VA, I was amazed at seeing the Atlantic daily. I was in awe of the vastness of the ocean. It was an adventure, but I missed the hills of Oil City. I missed knowing where everything was. I missed home.

Eventually we left Virginia and moved to Japan. A foreign country with such a vast history was fascinating to me. The noise, the crowds, the trains, the language and the writing, each so unique and incredible to me. We eventually moved to our permanent quarters which looked out to Mt Fuji in the distance. I thought I would never tire of seeing this sight. Yet, after a few weeks I would open my blinds and continue on my day. Yes, we lived on a plateau overlooking Sagami Bay with Fuji looming behind that, but, it was home and life went on.

A few years later, we moved to the coast of Maine. Again, magnificence out our door. Lobster boats, the rock bound coast that challenged the Atlantic ocean in a different way than Virginia. The absolute cold and snow, the boundless beauty of this area. It was breathtaking and yet, during the summer I would be frustrated with tourist as they slowly made their way around the loop road. I would sigh, and say, yes, those are rocks, those are waves crashing, but I am on my way to the base, keep moving. I was accustomed to the sights.

I did the same with the view from our house in San Diego. The Coronado bridge, the bay, Point Loma, the sunsets painted by our Lord. Yet, it was home, dishes were done, meals cooked, laundry done.

It finally occurred to me that although sights capture your attention and are new when you first arrive, they become commonplace when you see them daily.

I thought of this today as I drove home from the store. The leaves on the trees lining a driveway for a farm shined brightly in the cold sunlight. It caught my attention and I asked forgiveness for taking such a beautiful view for granted.

Each day with our Lord is new. Each day is filled with fresh mercy and grace and forgiveness. How sad that our Creator wakes the world up, each place painted in a new way for a new day and we just drive down a road thinking about something entirely different.

This world was created for us. For our habitation, for our enjoyment, for our adventures and we grouse about so much.

Lord, let me see each day with Your eyes. Refresh my sight to see Your glory. Amen.

Refrigerators and Dreams

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“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 (NLT)

Today was our day for our monthly Costco trip. Because of this, today I cleaned out my refrigerator, which sadly, I have neglected for a couple of weeks.

As I opened the fridge, I went for anything expired. Milk, lemonade, we are not huge milk drinkers, so that is a usual toss for us. The lemonade was pushed to the back and forgotten. It was past it’s prime, let’s say. Next the wilted celery was tossed, and bits and pieces of some other vegetables. After this, leftovers.

Cleaning the refrigerator is a job no one likes. I try to keep mine up to date, and use everything that is put in there.

As I tossed things I thought to myself, oh yeh, I was going to make this, or use this for (fill in the blanks). We all do this. We put things leftover from dinners, pledging to ourselves that we will make soup, or make a hash, but that we will promise to use what is left.

When I took my trash out to the can, it occurred to me that we do the same with our dreams. We feel prompted to do something or make something or bless someone. After the initial excitement, dreams are pushed to the back. Sometimes they are forgotten or just put on hold.

Often, out of fear, our dreams stagnate and evaporate into a distant thought. How sad this is. I believe that our Lord places within us dreams for our future, for our present and for our ministry. We initially have a rush of thoughts and plans only to panic and place those ideas into the back dusty closet of our hearts and minds.

Our Lord tells us in His word several times, to be courageous, to be strong, and to trust that He is going to be with us each step of the way. He will not leave us, He will walk along side of us, leading and directing us. He promises this. Lean on Him for He will give us strength and courage.

At the beginning of this year I revived a dream to write a book. This has been a year for me of roadblocks. Thinking about it, every couple of months I have faced a challenge. I sometimes get a thought to toss that dream back into the closet. Fortunately, I have a group of women who have committed to be there for me. To challenge me, to encourage me, to pray for me. I cherish these women. Because of them, that dream is as fresh today as it was in January when I retrieved it from that dark closet of my heart. I had hoped to have it roughly finished by November. Although that is not going to happen, I know that it will be done. I am facing my fears of inadequacy and seeing the hand of my Savior reaching towards me to continue this journey.

What journey have you been afraid to start? “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.  Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you.  I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 (NLT)

Join me in my journey of seeing dreams being fulfilled.

Flying Towards a Reflection

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“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” Matthew 6:25-27 (NLT)

This morning I was in the kitchen and out of the corner of my eye I saw something hit the window. I stopped what I was doing and looked out the window. What I saw confirmed what I thought, a bird had flown into the window.

As I looked outside I saw the bird laying on the ground, it’s talons twitching and then stopping. My heart sank.

I finished what I was doing and went outside to check on the bird. It lay motionless on the ground. I was hoping there was something I could have done. Figuring it might just be passed out, I prayed asking the Lord to restore this bird.

I looked at the window and saw the reflection of the sky and the trees on the opposite side of the driveway. It actually looked like it was part of the sky. The poor bird thought it was going to continue flying freely in the air. Instead, it hit the reflection in the window.

I know that birds have shorter life spans and the circle of life, and so on, but I felt so bad for this little creature. I finished up my chores inside and walked out the door to do my morning walk. I glanced on the ground, thinking that I would somehow at least bury this bird.

The bird was gone. I looked everywhere. No bird. The bird recovered from it’s shock and flew away without my notice.

How often do we look at a reflection of something we want, or somewhere we think we should go? Often times we are looking at a reflection, not the real thing. I thought of all the times I thought I needed something and saw a reflection only to reach out and grasp it and hitting what it was reflected on.

I return to the scripture above in Matthew. I may worry and fret and ponder about the next few days, weeks, months. But our Lord, knows exactly what is going to happen. He is there in my tomorrows. Today I had a tangible lesson. I saw a bird hurling itself into a reflection. It was stunned. It lay on the ground with the wind knocked out of it. But, our Lord cares for the birds of the air, how much more is He going to care for us?

External Scars

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We all carry scars on our body. I have several. One is where I fell on a sickle cut branch and broke a stick off in my leg. It ended up circling around my leg and coming out the same hole it went in. But, that’s another story.

Another scar is from when I slipped in a parking lot area and fell on a spike laying on the side of the road.

Later on I received a scar after cutting some bread and cut my finger instead.

Yes, we all carry scars. Each scar has a story behind it. Some of the stories make you grimace and some are just wonderfully funny stories. Scars show a life well lived.

External scars can be talked about for the most part. They are noticeable and can become conversation starters.

There is another type of scar though. These scars are the ones not seen. Looking at a person you can never tell what internal scars they have. Broken hearts are not readily visible, nor are trauma scars, emotional scars, scars from grief or scars of rejection. Each of us also carry those scars. It’s just that we hide them, tucked away in our inner being.

What if those internal scars revealed themselves? Somehow showing the slight bump or thinner skin like the ones I talked about? How would we deal with them?

I have heard that I have great insight. Ha! I think any insight I may have is first of all, from the Lord. Secondly, any insight comes from internal scars that I carry with me. Sometimes it is referred to as the school of hard knocks, I personally refer to it as life.

One of my favorite scriptures is Psalm 139:14, “14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.” (NKJV)

Each one of us was created in our Mother’s womb. Carefully knit together by the hand of God. He lovingly created our lives, knowing that the form developing in the womb would one day be scarred, internally and externally. It’s not what He desires, but, we are in this world. We fall down, we get hurt, people hurt us. With each bump and bruise we recover, but we are not the same.

Some external wounds take time to heal, and leave a reminder of what happened. Some internal wounds do the same, taking a season to heal and leaving a tender area in us. Since the internal wounds are hidden, they sometimes are never fully healed.

Isaiah 53:3-5 talks about our Lord and how He came to heal us, externally and internally. “He was despised and rejected—  a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. 4 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! 5 But he was pierced for our rebellion,
crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.” (NLT)

Sometimes it’s easier to believe that outer injuries can be easily taken to the Lord. It’s easier to say, I believe, and wait to see a healing done to our bodies. It’s the internal that we keep hidden that is harder to believe for. We hide that broken heart, that broken spirit, the trauma, the emotional abuse, it’s not something we can talk about. Nonetheless, we need to take that to our Lord. His stripes that He bore for us, heal our entire person, inside and out.

I encourage you, if there is something in the recesses of your heart that is hard on you, take that first little step and let our Lord look at it. He can and will heal you.

“He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.” Psalm 147:3 (NLT)