At the Cafe today.....

Are you a "WINDSHIELD STALKER"?

Do you even know what one is???????

OK, be honest.....do you look in people's windshields as they drive by?

Join me over at the Cafe today to read more!

"I'm too BUSY!"

Were you "Inspired" yesterday? I was SO BLESSED by this conference yesterday, both in speaking and also listening to other fantastic teachers (and especially the BEST teacher- the Holy Spirit!). This conference is so FULL of His Spirit! If you are not attending, please consider getting the MP3 downloads and listening. Yesterday was AMAZING... and we still have the rest of the week to go!





I will be attending today.....



Well, as always with speaking, I have SO MUCH TO SAY :) and not always enough time to say it! So, I thought I would post this week additional thoughts and devotions on this topic of "Don't Waste Your Life!" Today I wanted to share a story about BUSYNESS....and HOW we cut some things from our full calendars.....


From "Don't Waste Your Life":

Once, I was telling a friend about this message. I’ll never forget what she said, “Are you going to tell me HOW to not be so busy, or just that I shouldn’t be? Because I already know that!”

I can relate to her frustration. Sometimes we get caught up in the "busyness trap," and we don't see a way out! We know we are not feeling at peace, but don't know how to slow down. Sometimes we are looking for a "magic formula" or some "secret."


Ladies, I wish I had a "secret" to tell you. There is no "magic formula." We all know in our hearts what we need to do, but we struggle with doing it!


Today, we try to do it all and have it all and we keep adding more and more to our busy lives. We don’t want to tell anyone NO and feel guilty when we do. And, sometimes, we don’t want to let go of activities because those things are tied to our identity. We find approval and self-worth by doing all of these things and doing them WELL. How many times when you ask someone, “How are you”? They answer with “I’m so busy.”

Often we can’t let go of commitments and activities because they all are GOOD
things. Sometimes, though, we must let go of GOOD things because they are not God’s best for us, or because it is not the right season of doing it. God may have placed a desire in our hearts to do something, but we may be jumping ahead of His timing.

I heard some sound advice from Rick Warren (Purpose Driven Life) once- anytime you add a new activity to your life, you need to take something away. I know, I know, it sounds too simple. He says, “If you are serious about fulfilling your purpose in life, you have to make space for God in your life. If you’re going to make space for God, you’re going to have to cut some stuff out- some good stuff.”


Then, your next question is HOW?! How do I remove "stuff?"The first thing we need to begin doing is PRAYING about what God's will is for our lives. Now, we are really good at doing this when some big catastrophe comes up, or we have to make a huge decision, but we forget about the "little" things. Maybe we just don't want to "bother" God with the "trivial" stuff.

Or, maybe we really don't want God's input into our activities because deep down we know He will tell us to let go of some things. Or….Maybe we have just never thought about before!



How many times do I pray about my activities AND my kids' activities? Now, I am pretty good about praying for God's will in my own activities (learned that the hard way but, with my kids, I sometimes just barrel ahead, signing them up for a bunch of things.....

because, my goodness, if the girls don't dance, they will be deprived, or if Andrew doesn't play football, well, ALL boys play football. And, if you don't play soccer, you can't live in America!

God has really been dealing with me in this area over the last few years and it has been so LIBERATING! (Both for me and for the kids!)


It started one spring when both girls were in dance and Andrew was busy with scouts and basketball. The girls were also playing soccer.


A typical Saturday was two soccer games and a basketball game before noon. Well, the girls were supposed to get dance recital pictures taken, (different times) and Andrew had to do an activity for scouting. I was freaking out, wondering how I was going to pull all of this off, because they were at different times.

The Holy Spirit spoke directly in my heart, "Tracy, you don't HAVE to get the dance picture! You'll take plenty of your own pictures. They just had soccer pictures done and Spring school pictures. Just because it is written on someone's calendar, it doesn't mean you HAVE TO DO IT!"

Freedom!!!!!!!!!!!

I never realized until that moment that I didn't have to do these things!

I don't have to go to that meeting, just because they are having it? I don't have to sign the kids up for this, even though "everybody" else is?!

How liberating that was for me!

Jesus promises that His burden is light.

Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

If we are not experiencing peace, then something is wrong. Isaiah says, “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” If God has truly called you to everything you are doing, then He will equip you to handle it all!


Philippians says, “I can do all things through God who strengthens me!” But, we sometimes abuse this verse and keep adding more and more while quoting it!

Seek God and ask Him what you should be doing with your time.

Lord, help me to seek You in area of my life. If my life is out of balance, show me where to cut things. Father, make my priorities YOUR priorities. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.


See you at "A Woman Inspired"!

When you pray...

When you pray, go away by yourself, all alone, and shut the door behind you and pray to your Father secretly, and your Father, who knows your secrets, will reward you.

-Matthew 6:6 TLB

Would you please take a few minutes TODAY, get alone with the Lord and pour out your heart before Him? I love that He already knows my secrets, but He wants me to share them with Him.

Have you ever shared secrets with a best friend.....and gotten hurt when you did?

Don't worry. God won't tell your secrets. He won't stop being your friend when He "finds out." He won't scorn you and condemn you. He will forgive you. He will help you. He will refresh you. He will take away your shame.

Spend some one-on-one time with your Father, sharing the secrets of your heart.

He will reward you. He promises that in verse 6.

God is a God who ANSWERS prayer.

Father God, thank You for loving me. Thank You that You listen to me. Thank You that You take away my shame. I am so thankful that I can share my secrets with You. Bless You, Jesus. It is in Your Name I pray.

Don't Worry!

"Don't Worry 'bout a thing...Cause every little thing will be all right..."
-Bob Marley from the song, "Three Little Birds"


I love this song from Bob Marley and as I walked this morning, it kept rolling around in my mind. How easy it is for me to get caught in the trap of worry. There is so much to do- the house to be cleaned, laundry, go to the post office, get ready for Aaron's birthday party with all of his little friends, get the monthly bills done.....

Andrew has strep throat. It is easy for me to get caught in worry about the health of the family. Will we all come down with it? Do I have time to go to the doctor?

And, it is all of these "little things"! Thankfully, I am not walking through a great, difficult trial right now. It is just all of the little, mundane, nit-picky little things that are nagging at me....

Yes, I can get caught in worry....

But Jesus said, "Therefore, I tell you, do not worry
about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"

God takes care of the birds. If He loves and cares for these simple creatures, won't He provide everything I need today? Won't He provide the time I need to take care of my family, my home? Won't He help me to prioritize my time? My worrying WON'T add any minutes to my busy day, but God can supernaturally help me accomplish all that HE CALLS ME TO DO (notice I said what HE CALLS ME TO DO)! After all, didn't He stop the sun for Joshua so that the battle would be won?

Jesus continued, "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown in the fire, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat, what shall we drink, what shall we wear?' For unbelievers run after these things, and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough of worry of its own."

I don't need to worry about all of these "little things." When I first seek His Kingdom, when I get down on my knees, surrendering my time and my day and my details- the "little things," He is working it all out. If He takes such good care of the birds and the flowers, how much more will He take care of ME- His treasured possession, the apple of His eye, made in His image??????

The enemy would like for us to take our eyes off of the King, caught in a trap of worry, feeling depressed, fatigued, worn out, stressed out- but God says, "Let me take care of it!" Or, as Bob Marley says, "Don't worry about a thing...cause every LITTLE thing is gonna be all right..."

"Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, it empties today of its
strength.

-Corrie Ten Boom

Father God, thank you that you care for me. Thank you that I am precious to you. Thank you that you will give me everything I need! Today, I will "be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present my requests to you." Thank you God for your loving kindness and care. I present my laundry, my chores, Andrew's strep throat, my family's health, Aaron's birthday party to you (all of YOUR "little" burdens). Thank you that you are taking care of it all. In Jesus' precious name I pray. Amen.

Please pray!

Please pray for Abby! Click here for an update.

What are YOU learning?

This week, as I prepare to speak at a women's conference on Saturday, I am going to post a section of my talk on "prayer." I wrote the message, "A Transformation of the Heart," about five years ago. In preparing, God led me to revise it, writing a bible study to accompany the talk. It is amazing the NEW things God teaches you each year. I didn't agree with some of the things I formally did. As I matured and grew in the Word and my knowledge of Him, some of my thoughts matured as well! The theme verses of the talk are Psalm 37:4-7.

Here is a portion of the talk on PRAYER:

Let’s go back to our key verse, “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.” For me, that is the hardest part of prayer- being STILL and waiting for Him patiently. It’s hard for me to be still for anything. And PATIENTLY WAIT? I NEED MY ANSWERS NOW! But, if we are always are talking and never listening, God can’t speak and be heard BY us.

One way that God talks to us is through his Word, the Bible. We must search out his will for our lives by reading it. If you want to pray, but don’t know where to start, take heart. Romans 8:26 says, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints (that means you and me), in accordance with God’s will.”

There are times when I feel lonely or sad or depressed. I’m not sure why, or even if there is something wrong. Those are the times that I continually go back to that scripture and ask the Spirit to intercede for me, to pray for me because God knows my heart better than I know my heart. He created my heart. God knows what I need and what I desire, even before I do. The Spirit will search your heart and reveal to you what you need to pray.

There are often times that God calls to us. He wants US to seek Him out- to go to Him. He wants a relationship with us. We are programmed at birth to need him. God has placed eternity in our hearts and we have a space within our hearts that only God can fill. I am reminded of college life when I would get so lonely and homesick at times I would call home just to hear the sound of my mom’s voice. I physically felt a longing, a yearning. That is how we are with God because we are His creation. Our souls yearn for God and there is a yearning inside of us to grow close to our Creator. David says in Psalm 63, “O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.”

Unfortunately, in today’s “me-centered” impatient society, we tend to fill this desire, this longing, with a “quick fix,” a chocolate brownie, a shopping spree, a margarita, TV shows, or gossiping on the phone. We think these worldly pursuits will fill us up, make us feel better, and quench the thirst we are experiencing. These invitations look so appealing. The world claims we will experience fulfillment and satisfaction. And, we want instant gratification. We don’t want to wait for God. We don’t want to be still and be patient.

We want to control our lives, to take care of ourselves, and pamper ourselves. We don’t like this uncomfortable feeling of denying ourselves and allowing our spirits to feel pain, longing, or loneliness. We think it is WRONG if we are feeling any pain or sorrow, and we try to fix it immediately with our own ways. So, instead of going to God, opening the Bible, going to the Lord in prayer, we try to fill ourselves- this yearning, this need by ourselves- or with the world’s methods. These methods will always leave us feeling dissatisfied, longing for more.

Jesus offers us such a better way! While talking to the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4), Jesus talks about “living water.” He points out the “world’s water”- the water of the well, and says, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again.” Isn’t that true of our “water?” Food, exercise, TV, possessions, or praise from man never satisfies us. We continually want more and more until our desire becomes insatiable, sometimes consuming us. Jesus tells the woman at the well, “But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The spring is inside you waiting to be tapped into. In order to fill up on this water, we have to get quit before the Lord in prayer. That is the hard part- being still!

But, we don’t want to be still. We can’t get off of our cell phones long enough to be still. Have you ever stood in line at Blockbuster or Target, just watching and listening? People everywhere in caught up in their own private conversation on cell phones. We are so afraid of being alone and being still, we can’t even grocery shop without talking on the phone! The Lord says, “Be still and know that I am God.” We must patiently wait for the Lord. We need to give ourselves to the Lord, be still, and quietly wait for him.

In Hosea, God says, “Therefore, I am going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her.” God is talking to you! He wants to speak tenderly to you. But, why does He need to lead us to the desert before He can speak to us? We are so distracted and caught up in the world. God needs to get us alone, away from telephones and commitments, away from the busyness of life. Then, He can speak and be heard.

We need to be still before the Lord so that we can hear Him! God wants YOU. He wants a relationship, a living, breathing, relationship with you and prayer is the way to that relationship. Does this seem too hard? Deuteronomy 30:11 tells us how easy having that relationship is, “Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, ‘Who will ascend into Heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so that we obey it?’ No, the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart so that you may obey it.”

You may think that you have to be a minister or this magnificent person to pray. You may think you have to use lofty, eloquent words. You may not quite be sure HOW God wants you to pray. You may think there is a set of rules or a magic formula to prayer. You cry out,

“Father, should I pray in the morning or in the night?
Should I pray in the darkness or in the light?
Should my eyes be open or should they be closed?
Should my prayers be spontaneous, or they should be posed?
Can I sit? Or should I be on my knees?
Which is the way in which you would be pleased?
And He said, ‘My child, I love you. This is true.
It does not matter how, just that you do.
Come before me and be still, with heart open wide,
Ready to listen and be by my side.”

Praying is just a relationship with God- loving Him and going to Him for everything. God is our Abba, Father, our God, our Creator. There isn’t a right way or a wrong way to pray. We need a natural relationship with God. Praying shouldn't’ be difficult. It shouldn’t be something we only do for a few minutes on Sunday morning. It shouldn’t be a chore or an inconvenience. Prayer should be a JOY- we are communicating with The Most High God! We GET this opportunity to grow closer to our Father, to develop a relationship with our Creator.

If you need help getting started, start by reading the book of Psalms in the Old Testament in the Bible. These are beautiful songs and prayers, many written by David, “a man after God’s own heart.” They are full of praise and thanksgiving.

Psalm 66 sings, “Shout with joy to God, all the earth! Sing the glory of His name; make His praise glorious!" Say to God, “How awesome are Your deeds! So great is Your power that Your enemies cringe before You. All the earth bows down to You; they sing praise to You, they sing praise to Your name.” Psalm 89 praises, “I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make Your faithfulness known through all generations. I will declare that Your love stands firm forever, that You established Your faithfulness in Heaven itself.” And, I love to pray Psalm 100, “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.”

In many psalms, David is suffering. Sometimes he is innocently being chased and other times experiencing pain after sinning. He says to God, “You lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the muck and mire.” Who hasn’t felt that? When we aren’t sure what words to pray, Psalms offers so many cries to the Lord. Psalm 102 laments, “Hear my prayer, O Lord; let my cry for help come to You. Do not hide Your face from me when I am in distress. Turn Your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly. For my days vanish like smoke; my bones burn like glowing embers. My heart is blighted and withered like grass; I forget to eat my food.” Human emotion hasn’t changed over time. We can relate to the authors of the Bible. We feel what they have felt. Praying scripture is so powerful and so helpful when we are at a loss of what to say in our prayers. Scripture can help us “get a handle” on the words to pray.

There are times we feel betrayed, persecute, or unfairly accused. David felt this as he ran away from King Saul for many years. Often, he would have to run for his life, hiding in caves. Sometimes, we also feel persecuted or harassed unjustly. Psalms offers prayers for these emotions, too. David cries out in Psalm 109, “O God, whom I praise, do not remain silent, for wicked and deceitful men have opened their mouths against me; they have spoken against me with lying tongues. With words of hatred they surround me; they attack me without cause.” David finishes his prayer twenty verses later by again praising the Lord. He prays, “With my mouth I greatly extol the Lord; in the great throng I will praise Him. For He stands at the right hand of the needy one, to save his life from those who condemn him.”

In Psalm 140, David prays, “Rescue me, O Lord, from evil men; protect me from men of violence.” Even when David was hiding in a cave, he put His trust in the Lord, saying in Psalm 142, “I cry out to You, O Lord; I say, ‘You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.’ Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need.” David goes to the Lord in times of need, in times of sadness, in times of desperation, in times of joy and jubilation. David always praises the Lord, no matter what trial he is facing. His prayers begin and end with praising the Lord. They are great examples for us during our own personal prayer time.
And I love Psalm 104, “I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. May my meditation be pleasing to Him, as I rejoice in the Lord.”

What are distractions in your life that draw you away from God?

Prayer
Father, help me to pray. “May the meditations of my heart and the words of my heart be pleasing to You, O God.” You know my heart and my needs and desires. Give me a heart, Lord that hungers and thirsts for You. Bring me into a deep relationship with You. I know the best way to do that is through prayer. Help me to pray. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen

Please visit Gina at Chats with an Old Lady for more thoughts on what we are learning!

Miracle Monday

Last week I began a series of miracles in the life of my mom. I told how she was healed of childhood polio, and even when doctors had little hope of her walking again, God answered the prayers of a little girl. When they came to fit her for leg braces, she surprised nurses because they found her riding her bike!

Today I would like to continue by sharing another story from her childhood. When she was a young teenager, a furnace exploded in her face. Not only did she live, but she has no scarring!

Shirley was babysitting one cold evening in the winter. Back then you had to "bank the furnace" or put coal in the furnace. When she opened the furnace door, it exploded in her face. The flames lept out and her sweater caught fire. Mom put it out with hands. Her hands were burned badly. But, much worse, were the burns to her face.

Back then, doctors said never to put cold water on a burn, but warm. But, in the panic of the moment, she put cold water on it.

She was in the hospital for weeks. Her face was bandaged. She didn't know what she would look like when the bandages came off. The nurses came in to put ointment on face.

Mom prayed for no scarring. She hated being in hospital…she said it was lonely. But....she was able to spend her time talking to God....asking for His help.

When the bandages came off...there was no scarring. Today, she is the most beautiful woman I know.

Please visit Beth for more praise of miracles!

Be Still.....

Prayers for President Bush and President Obama

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and
thanksgiving be made for everyone- for kings and all those in
authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all
godliness and holiness.- 1Timothy 2:1-2

Today, as we prepare for transition in our country, we offer up prayers for our President and our incoming President-elect.

Father God, we praise You and thank You for Your goodness and mercy. Thank You that Your Hand is over our country. Thank You that we are able to worship You freely.

Lord, we lift up President Bush and Laura to You. Lord, I pray for rest and comfort for them both. Lord, grant them peace. Father, I pray that You close mouths of unkind, hurtful words. Father, instead, I pray You would draw words of encouragement and kindness to him. Forgive any mistakes he made and help him to forgive himself. Lord, I pray a spirit of truth over his "legacy." Stop any lies about him and his presidency. Lord, You say, "It is mine to avenge." I pray that You would avenge any wrongdoing that has been done against him. Lord, bring justice.

Lord, I lift up President Obama to You. I lift up Michelle and the girls. I pray for blessing and safety. Bless his coming in and going out. I pray that he would seek You. Make him into a mighty man of God, seeking You above all else. Lord, draw us as a nation of Believers to be on our knees for this family. Lord, pour out wisdom and discernment on this man. Lord, I pray that You would convict him of sinful thoughts, attitudes, beliefs. Lord, I pray for the unborn. Open this President's eyes to the horror of abortion. Lord, change his mind, soften his heart. Lord, I pray against any pride. Let him not be "wise in his own eyes." May he seek wise counsel. Lord, I pray that You would bring GODLY mentors around him. Holy Spirit, whisper to him. Lord, may President Obama be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Give him a spirit of obedience. Lord, I pray that President Obama would "trust in the Lord with all of his heart and lean NOT upon HIS OWN understanding. I pray that in ALL his ways (all decisions in every area) he would acknowledge You (surrender and submit) and You will make his paths straight- You will direct his steps.

In the mighty name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

"If there are any tears shed in heaven, they will be over the fact that we prayed so little. Heaven is full of answers to prayer for which no one ever bothered to ask."- Billy Graham

Would you commit to pray with me daily for our new president, his family, and our country?

Miracle Monday....the Power of Prayer and Polio

Welcome back to Miracle Monday! It has been so LONG since I have joined in. One thing that has been on my heart for months is to write about my mom. She really is a walking miracle. So, I have decided to share her incredible journey on Miracle Mondays. As I continue to blog about Mom and her life, you, too, will see how God has been over her life, performing great miracles and showering her with His love. My mom has been an inspiration to me, and I pray that she will be to you as well.

So many people "chalk up" miracles to mere coincidence, missing out on God's amazing provision, sovereignty, and mercy. But, my mommy always said, "Everything happens for a reason." We never credited anything to "coincidence". Mom always told me that we don't always understand God, but we always trust Him.

Shirley was born in Streator, Illinois in 1937, in the midst of a very scary time in our country.

Back in the first part of the 20th century, polio was a horrible epidemic that killed children or left them paralyzed. Most of the time, when parents heard the dreaded word, "polio," it usually meant a "death sentence", or a changed life forever.

"I remember waking up in the middle of the night having to go to the bathroom,
but I couldn't move. I called for my dad to help me. I went to
bed just fine.... Dad was crying. He took me to the hospital. I was
scared. It was polio."

My mom was 6 years old when she contracted polio.

This was terrifying because so many children my mom knew and across the country were dying of polio or infantile paralysis . Didn’t know what caused it. It happened to lots of people at a time. If the children survived, it usually meant that they would live in an iron lung or be paralyzed, never to walk again freely. Some would be able to walk with the help of leg braces, but would not be able to run, ride a bike, or live a normal life as a child.

"I remember living in the hospital with polio in the iron lung for
warmth. It was scary. Only my head stuck out. A nurse
stayed with me during the day and my mom at night. The nurse took fluid out of
spine every day. I was so weak."

My mom talked to God when she was in the hospital. She prayed for better health. "Childish" prayers simply asking God to help her...to make her well.
When mom went home from the hospital, she couldn't walk. She was paralyzed from her neck to her toes. She couldn't feel anything. She couldn't feed herself. She was like that at least a year....Mom can't remember all of the details.

Mom prayed.

"God, please give me strength to walk again."

My mom's grandma and Aunt Emma would pray over her.

Shirley remembers having to relearn the easiest "baby milestones", crawling and pulling herself up. She remembers falling down a lot.

Shirley continued to pray . She made up her mind she wasn’t going to be paralyzed.

The nurses and doctors said there was no hope. They said she would need leg braces to be able to walk. They said she would never be able to ride her beloved biclycle again.

So, when the Springfield nurses drove the 2 hours to Streator to fit mom for braces....she was out riding her bicycle in the driveway.

My mom, very slowly, with the Hand of God leading her, learned how to walk again.

It was a MIRACLE.

Please visit Beth at a Mom's Life to read about more miracles.

What's on Your Mind '09- God in the Ordinary

Karen from Surviving Motherhood is hosting a blog carnival. The topic is seeing God in the ordinary day to day. Wow! There are so many times I see God's Hand in my life daily, how can I begin to share them? I believe when we seek God with all of our hearts, we will see Him in the ordinary. He is always there...His fingerprints are all over our lives. We just need to begin to slow down enough to see Him and BELIEVE!

Here is the info for you to ponder:

What's on Your Mind '09? is a new blog carnival which Shane at Heart Reflections began to challenge writers and encourage conversation. I am pleased to play hostess this week!So what's today's topic of conversation?

We have all heard from God when we read our Bibles, listened to sermons at church, or gone to Bible study, right? But is God limited to our “spiritual” activities? Or does He show Himself in the middle of our everyday activities, too? Share about a time when God spoke to your heart in the midst of the ordinary.

Here's my story:

Several years ago, I owned a children’s birthday party business, Party Pros, in which I planned creative, themed birthday parties. I would “do”the entire party- the invitations, goody bags, entertainment, and even an elaborate cake. I had a Pirate Party, a Dinosaur Party, a Little Mermaid Party, and the ever popular Cinderella Party.

This party was so cute! Lots of little girls dressed up, I did their hair and makeup, an invitation comes for the ball, the girls take a carriage ride, and we dance at the lovely ball. To make the girls into princesses, they make crowns and put on “gowns”- dresses cut from pink tablecloths. This party was every little girl’s “dream come true.”

Well, my business had gotten very popular and I had over extended what I could do. But, I loved doing these parties and could never turn down any parent's request. Summer months tended to be very busy, and one week I had a Thursday evening, Friday evening, and Saturday morning party scheduled.

As you can imagine, the planning and preparation is time consuming for these parties, and I had committed to too many parties so close together. So, on Friday evening, after I finished a Pirate Party, and was very tired, I began finishing the preparations for the very large Cinderella party I had planned for the next MORNING. At 11:00 PM, I began cutting 18 dresses for the little girls. After about 7 dresses, I ran out of pink tablecloth.

What was I going to do now? The pink gowns were a crucial part of the party. I knew Wal-Mart, which was open 24 hours, didn’t have pink tablecloth. The party stores where I usually found the pink tablecloth didn’t open the next morning until 10:00 and I had to be at the party for set up by 9:00.

The situation seemed hopeless. I cried out to the Lord, “God, I am so tired. I‘m so sorry- I confess, Lord, I procrastinated, and should have had this done before now. Please help me, God! I don’t know what to do! I really want the party to be perfect for this little girl. I want to do a good job for her. I know God that with You all things are possible. I trust You and know You will work this all out.”

I went to bed not knowing how God would help me, but feeling peace that He would. But, I still felt the need to control how God was going to help. So, I planned to leave early in the morning, stop at a drugstore on the way to the party to purchase ANY tablecloth, and arrive early enough to cut the remaining dresses. In my mind, I thought God’s plan would be to provide pink tablecloths at the drugstore, or some kind of tablecloth that wouldn’t disappoint the birthday girl. In the “natural,” I couldn’t see how God could help my predicament. I wasn’t expecting a miracle!

In the morning, I continued to pray. I stopped at the drugstore and purchased tablecloth, which was the ugliest floral I had ever seen. It was either the floral or black. Thinking ugly floral was better than nothing, I grabbed it and hurried off to the party.

I refused to lose faith, and continued to pray. I cried out again to God for his help. I said, “God, I have to give this to you! I know you will take care of me. I don’t know how, this seems so impossible.” In my mind, I thought God would help me cut the ugly floral tablecloths before the party began, and that the birthday girl and her mom wouldn’t be disappointed in them. I continued praying on the way to the party.

When I arrived, the mom was waiting at the door. She had an idea for the party and was hoping I would use it. This mother had been a dancer and had beautiful dance costumes that she had worn during her performances. She thought it would be very special if her daughter and her daughter’s friends would wear these costumes instead of my tablecloth gowns.

She had wanted to ask me since she booked the party, but didn’t want to offend me. Sheepishly, she asked, “Would you mind?” I was speechless.

But, this was a large party, and would there really be enough costumes for all 18 girls? Would she have THAT many? The mother and I began counting the dresses one by one and there were exactly 18 beautiful sequined glamorous gowns.

What an answered prayer- a miracle! I knew God was speaking directly to me, wooing me and whispering love songs in my ear. I have to tell you it was an awesome party and I wept and sang the whole way home. God took such care of me. He had given me the desires of my heart and saved me in such a way that I knew it could only have been him! I had limited God in my mind of what He could do, but He was so much bigger than any of my wildest dreams. Like God parting the Red Sea to reveal His glory, He had allowed the mother to delay requesting that I use her gowns so that I would understand the way His hand saved me. If I had planned on using them, I would not have heard His tender love song and seen the way He is willing to save me.

Please post your own example of God in the ordinary and stop over to Karen's to link it. Let's make 2009 a year of EXPECTING to see God in the ordinary and telling everyone about it!

Eight days of Prayer for our Country

“If my people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face,
and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven,
and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
-II Chronicles 7: 14

I found this online and was interested. It spoke to me!

Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

I am writing to you today with heaviness deep within my soul for the people of our nation. My
heart has grown disturbed by the shadows of darkness which lurk in every nook and corner of our country. The cloak of wickedness is causing death and destruction to the very foundation upon which our great nation was built.

America was founded by our forefathers as “one nation under God”. So why are so many trying to take God out? The evidence of this is everywhere! Violence has increased, marriages are crumbling, our children stray from their family and faith, abortions continue in staggering numbers, and the name of God is mocked rather than reverenced. Sadly, the church echoes with complaints and complacency rather than fervor, zeal, and passion in serving the Lord. We as a nation have become comfortable. Our wealth and prosperity has poisoned us along with the accelerating busyness of our day…no time to rest, no time to eat, no time for family, no time for church, no time for prayer, no time for God!

Yet in the midst of these dark shadows across our land, there is still a thread of God’s grace…a
redeeming light through the act of one solitary man…Jesus! He is the hope of true freedom and
we as believers in Christ are also a light! God does not need any of us to fulfill His plan. He is
sovereign over all and chooses to use us. As children of the light for such a time as this, we must
humble ourselves as servants of the Lord and through His direction join in fervent prayer together for our nation to have an outpouring of the Spirit of God across this land.

The Lord has placed upon my heart a vision of churches across our country joining together in
concerted prayer for our nation and the upcoming election. My hope is to unite fifty churches, one in every state, in a “Concert of Prayer for the Nation”. This would start on Sunday, Nov. 2nd at 6 pm and continue with a 24 hour prayer vigil leading up to Election Day. The way this plays out in your church is up to you and your leadership. The way this plays out in our nation is up to
how seriously we take this message and unify together to stand up and pray for “such a time as
this”. We would love to have your congregation join in this combined effort to bring about a
revival for our country!

Please let me know if your church would be willing to participate in this network of
congregations joining together for a “Concert of Prayer for the Nation” by e-mailing
info@peopleunitedinprayer.org . Also, you can find this information posted on
www.peopleunitedinprayer.org.

Please feel free to pass the word along. Thank you!
For His Glory and the Advancement of His Kingdom,
Sonya Naugle with the support of the Pastoral Staff and Elders at Fleetwood Bible Church

http://www.peopleunitedinprayer.org/

Answered Prayer!!!!

Thanks for your prayers!

My computer power cord was beeping and I couldn't use the computer. (Anyone know what that's about???) Now it is OK.

Brian fixed washing machine last night after work! Shoe laces (I didn't wash shoes!) clogging the drain......

Thanks, God!

Hello? Hello? Hello???????

Please come over to Laced with Grace today to read about "dropped calls" and God!

Mercy

Father, I cry out for our country. Father, You are the Father of comfort and the God of all compassion. Please pour out Your comfort, compassion, love, and peace to all of the people suffering in our country. From these hurricanes to the the train disaster. Lord, this has been a trying year for so many with natural disasters....tornadoes, flooding, hurricanes. I know many may be wondering where You are. I know some are blaming You and hating You in their hearts. I know some are questioning if You are real. Lord, have mercy on us. Have compassion and patience. Lord, fall a fresh on these weary hearts. Fill them with Your love, Your forgiveness. Fill us, Lord with the peace that passes all understanding. And, Lord, may we, as Your Church, as Your hands and feet, spread Your love and Your presence to the hurting. May we bring comfort. May we walk out our faith by being that helping hand, that loving tongue. Help us a country, Lord, turn back to You. In Christ's precious Name I pray. In the name above all Names. By the Name and by His sacrifice may Your grace fall on the United States.

Floods in Iowa- please pray for us!

You may have seen the terrible floods in the news yesterday and today. Here is picture from my community. The story can be read here.

Please be praying for these communities. We have been ravaged these past few weeks with dangerous weather- tornadoes, wind, flash flooding, and now a 500 year flood. You may wonder what a "500 year" flood is. The chances that the town will flood are 1/2 of 1%, or a chance of a flood is about once in 5oo years. Many of these communities are still reeling from the F5 tornado. An F5 is the worst possible tornado. Many towns and the downtown areas of cities near the Cedar River are being evacuated.

Please pray for God's mercy. The forecast is for more rain. I know with God, all things are possible and He is mightier than any weather forecaster. Please pray that the rains pass us by. Please pray for all of the hundreds of people who have lost homes all ready- praying for their comfort and a strengthening of their faith. Please pray for the safety of people and especially all of the volunteers desperately trying to help. Lord, help us come together as a Church, reminding the world that Jesus said we would have trouble in this world, but to take heart because Jesus has overcome the world. Help us, Lord, to be Jesus "with skin on" to all of the hurting people. Lord, help us to be united together, one body and one voice. Help us to be salt and light in these times of trial. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

Mama, can we pray?

"Mama, can we pray?"

My heart was racing, my fingers shaking as I held my still sleeping five year old Aaron. I had been praying constantly in my mind since my husband awoke me in the middle of the night, hurrying me to get the kids down into the basement. He had stayed up and was watching the weather and the threat of tornadoes nearby. When the news station said a tornado was about 35 miles west of us, Brian had gotten me up out of my restless, half-dozing, half-listening state of sleep. I ran and got Abigail out of her crib and starting running towards the basement. On my way, the tornado sirens began screaming. I ran down to the basement with Abigail. I was so grateful when I saw her infant car carrier sitting on the floor.

I quickly strapped in Abigail and ran upstairs to help Brian wake up the other four kids. He was holding a sleeping Aaron and yelling at the older kids. As the wind kicked up, we lost our sense of calm and the only objective was to get to the basement as quickly as possible.

Andrew, eyes half-closed, ran past me straight to the basement. I took Aaron from Brian and ran downstairs as he shook the girls awake. When the girls heard the sirens, they too, sleepily but quickly ran down to the basement.

It was so strange to feel the air as we ran from the upstairs to the main level to the basement. The air was so hot and thick, you felt like you could cut it with a knife. The difference in air temperature from the basement and main level had to be at least 20 degrees.

With sleeping bags spread out, everyone safely snuggled in, Ashley's frightened voice whispered, "Mama, can we pray?"

Thank You, Lord, that my sweet children look to You as their Rock, their Shelter when the storms come, their Refuge. Thank You for Your hand of protection. Thank You for Your hedge of protection around us last night.

Iowa was hit by 27 tornadoes last night (watching the news, Minnesota, Texas, Kansas, and Oklahoma were also hit severely). There are towns that have lost lives and homes. Two counties have been declared disaster areas with the tornadoes leveling the whole town. Please pray for these communities as they begin the clean-up today.

Psalm 91

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most
High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and
my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

.....You will fear not the terror of night,
nor the arrows that fly by day,

nor the pestilence that stalks in the
darkness.....

If you make the Most High your dwelling-even
the LORD, who is my refuge-

then no harm will befall you, no disaster
will come near your tent.

For He will command His angels concerning
you to guard you in all your ways;

they will lift you up in their hands, so
that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

...."Because he loves me," says the
LORD,

"I will rescue him; I will protect him, for
he acknowledges my name.

He will call upon me, and I will answer
him;

I will be with him in trouble,

I will deliver him and honor him.

With long life will I satisfy him and show
him My salvation."

Today, on Memorial Day, please pray for the families of the men and women so bravely serving their countries all over the world. Pray for the families who have lost loved ones protecting freedom and honor.

I need your prayer today!

Father God, AAAAHHHHHH, help me! I got up late!!! It is 7 AM and NOT 5 AM. I don't have time to get in the Word or spend as much time in prayer as I'd like. I have such a busy day. My parents are coming......for the weekend! I need to finish laundry and clean the house, prepare their room. Lord, it is POURING down rain- both outside and in my heart and mind... Please calm me down and calm the weather down. I pray for their safety on the road. I know it can be scary to drive in thunderstorm like it is. Father, I pray for a hedge of protection around them. Lord, I pray that Your angels would surround their car. Lord, please help me accomplish all that I need to today. I know they are not coming to see my house, but I want it to be nice.....wow, now it's hail.... Father, calm me, fill me with Your peace. I surrender it all to You today. I surrender ME~ my heart, my thoughts, my time. I surrender my chores. Lord, I give myself anew to You today. Yesterday a friend who was so down and frustrated asked me "how I did it." She said it seemed like nothing bothered me- that I was calm all the time. I told her that was definitely NOT true, but that I needed You every moment every day to be at peace. Lord, I choose to do that now. I am not going to stress out. I am not going to "lose it" and start ranting and raving. I am going to choose to trust You. Lord, You are glorious. You are good. You are awesome Creator. Lord, You are so amazing and so AWESOME and so sweet that when Joshua needed more daylight, You stopped the sun in the sky! Lord, You are Creator of time. I trust You with my time today. Whew, the rain is calming~ both outside and in my heart. I love You Lord. I love You. I love You. In Jesus' precious name I pray.

Please Join in Prayer with Me

Will you please join with me to pray for this family?

This is Lori's request for her family:

Family with 5 small children faces possibility of losing our home. Husbands construction business is failing. Please pray:
-our children maintain a feeling of safety and security
-our marriage
-husband finds favor with those needing work
-husband embraces role of spiritual and financial leader
-that we maintain an attitude of thankfulness despite the outcome
-financial miracle as God sees fit
I hope you can continue to pray for us for the next 30 days, even though I’m sure there are many other people to pray for!

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by
prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to the Lord. Then the peace that passes understanding with keep and guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.- Philippians 4:6-7

Miracle Monday

I love to pray. When I am praying, talking to God, I feel so close to Him. I believe God has called me to be an Intercessor, so whenever someone comes to my mind, I lift her/him in prayer. I pray for the country. I pray for my neighbors. I get several emails asking me to pray for people's concerns, and I keep a long list of concerns I pray for daily. Did I say I love to pray?

Well, I also lead a women's bible study. After our weekly study, we lift up one another's concerns and pray for each other. As the leader, I listen and write down each woman's request as she shares. The strangest thing was, I often would NOT share my own concerns. I would diligently write down and we would pray for our concerns together as a group. Then, we committed to pray over these concerns during the week. But, for my own needs, I consistently would bear them alone or pray over them with my prayer partner. I wouldn't share them with the group.

This was about three to four years ago and Aaron was one. When he was born, his tear ducts were closed, so he would get "goopy eyes" frequently. Whenever he had a cold, it would go into his eye and have a runny eye. People would often assume he had "pink eye," but I would assure them that he had a closed tear duct and this was "normal" for his eye. Our doctor said most kids grew out of this by the time they were 15 months old, so we would watch and wait.

Time went on and Aaron's eye did NOT get any better. Our doctor sent us to an eye doctor when he didn't grow out of it by the time he turned one. The eye doctor said we would wait until Aaron was 15 months old, but if the tear duct didn't open, Aaron would have to have surgery. We continued going every few weeks to check, but the duct remained closed. Finally, the doctor said we wait two more weeks and if the duct wasn't open (and it looked like it was NOT going to open on its own now!) we would schedule the surgery.

Not what a mother wants to hear. No matter how "routine" or simple a surgery is, a mother would much rather that her baby would not have to go through it!

Well, the night before the appointment was my bible study. As I was taking prayer requests for everyone else, God spoke to my heart, "Tracy, you prayer for everyone else. Why don't you pray for yourself? Why don't you pray for your own needs? Pray for Aaron."

Boy! I was convicted. I shared this with my group and we prayed for Aaron. I knew they would also be praying for him the next day during the time of the appointment.

When Brian and I took Aaron the next day, we really expected that we would be setting up the surgery appointment. Actually, that was what the doctor thought, too. While waiting, I again said a prayer for God to open Aaron's tear ducts. When the doctor came in, he began telling us about the surgery, preparing us. As he began to check Aaron's eyes, more of a formality, really, he stopped talking. He then told us that Aaron's tear ducts had opened! He was astounded! He couldn't believe it!

I could believe it! God had miraculously healed Aaron AND reminded me that I needed to pray over my needs! It was wonderful that I prayed for others, but that I needed to FIRST pray for my needs and the needs of my family.

God is so good!

Philippians 4:6, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to the Lord."

Please go over to a Mom's Life http://beth-amomslife.blogspot.com/ to read all of the amazing ways God is working in people's lives! God is good and there are miracles all around when we open our eyes to see them.