Prayer Monday 9/26

Big Bro left about seven this morning to head to his new home in Ohio.  We had a nice breakfast send off, and we are all (as a family) anticipating great things for him in a new place.  He's making a home and a life for himself, and I think that's fantastic.

But we'll miss him.  He's such a constant, steadfast person.  And we become comfortable with what we know.

Please pray for him as he makes adjustments.  Pray for my STBSIL as she makes her way without him for the next few weeks.

We're still praying for confirmation regarding a church.  We didn't go this morning because we were up fairly early to say goodbye to Big Bro, and Favorite had to work today.  So it was a better idea to catch some sleep before a family dinner with his family.  Next Sunday will be a different ballgame.

Pray for our family.  Changes abound, ya'll.  And while we're happy for so many of them, there's an element of fear that accompanies a lot of change all at once.  We would certainly covet your prayers for peace in so many different ways.

Prayer Monday 9/19

*Note To New Readers: Prayer Monday is NOT a closed group. Participate by sharing some of your requests on your blog and linking to this list. Then, read, say a quick prayer and comment on each participant's blog. We could all use a little encouragement and a lot of prayer.*

Favorite and I visited another church on Sunday.  A friend of ours actually attends this church, and we decided to give it a shot because it is a multi-ethnic church and Kevin has made such a great home there.

It was definitely a different experience for us.  Nothing like what we're used to, but I came away from that service with one thing firmly planted in my mind:  those people love Jesus.  They do.  Unabashedly.  Unapologetically.  And that relationship gives them a genuine love for other people.

Everyone was joyful.  It was easy to tell that they really believed in what they were doing.  I spent most of the service holding back tears because God's presence was palpable.  I just kept wondering:  how long has it been?

We're going back next Sunday because we had to leave the service early so Favorite could get to work.  Then we're going to revisit the church we went to last Sunday so we can make a final decision.  I'll be honest.  It's going to be a tough decision.  We would appreciate your prayers as we try to follow God's leading.  We also covet your prayers for our former home church.

Big Bro is spending his last week at home.  He leaves next Sunday for the next chapter in his life.  Pray for STBSIL since she will be staying here until after the wedding.  Favorite and I know how hard it is to be apart, and this will be something new for them.  Also, Big Bro will be starting his job--you know, the one you all prayed for :)

God's hand is heavy on our lives right now.  I know that's always the case, but sometimes it's easier to feel.  This is one of those times.  It's clear these things have been orchestrated by the Almighty and we want to glorify Him for His goodness.  We'd like to see Him continue moving in several other situations, too.

I appreciate your prayers for us :)



Prayer Monday 9/12

 

I'll be back later today to post something else, but I forgot to schedule this last night and I wanted to get this up and running for those who participate.  

Today, my brother and STBSIL fly to Ohio to find a place to live.  God has clearly ordered their steps to this point, and we believe He will continue to do so as they try to find a new residence.  All I ask is that you pray peace in their hearts and a sense of "this-is-it" when they find their new home...oh, and that it will feel like coming home when they step in the door.

I feel like there are some really cool turn-arounds going on in my Christian journey.  I'll try to post later tonight to give you a quick update and post some pictures of the first wedding shower :)

For now, link up.  

Prayer Monday 8/29

*Note To New Readers: Prayer Monday is NOT a closed group. Participate by sharing some of your requests on your blog and linking to this list. Then, read, say a quick prayer and comment on each participant's blog. We could all use a little encouragement and a lot of prayer.*

 

"We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans" (Romans 8:26).

I don't know how to tell you what I need, but I know my life isn't as in tune as it should be.  I want to be OK with God's plan for my life, but there are moments when I struggle with desires I honestly have wished would just go away if they aren't part of His plan for me.

I struggle with being overjoyed at His provision and upset that provision can be a game-changer.

I miss my closeness to Him. 

And you?  Where are you?

Prayer Monday 8/22

The students could write about three separate topics:

The hardest thing I've ever done...

When I was a discipline problem...

If you really knew me...

She wrote about the hardest thing she's ever done:  remove pride from her life.  Her father explained that this would be one of the most difficult lessons she would ever learn, but if she would learn it young, her relationship with God would have proper perspective.  After all, God opposes the proud, but He gives grace to the humble.

I sat at my desk and read her paper with awe.  She's half my age, but I'm pretty sure she's exactly what I want to be when I grow up.

That pride lesson is one that God won't seem to overlook in my life.  I've been reminded that I'm not my own.  I've been reminded that He opposes the proud.  But somewhere in the back of my mind, I've dealt with a crazy nagging that pushes me to believe that I deserve what other people have.  I grapple with the concept of taking turns like we're all still on the playground waiting to slide.

But in the funniest of places, God pushes on my consciousness and reminds me to lean not on my own understanding.  He reminds me that there is no condemnation for those of us who are in Christ and that He has a plan, not for harm, but for a prosperous future.

There is a sense of peace in a tender Savior who finally places one hand over ours and says, "OK.  Now trust Me."  We finally hit a release valve and know, that even when things aren't different, things are going to be different.

Pray for that sense of peace for my husband and I as we make decisions for the future.

(And praise to God for His provision for my Big Brother and STBSIL!)

Link Up.

Prayer Monday, 8/1/2011

*Note To New Readers: Prayer Monday is NOT a closed group. Participate by sharing some of your requests on your blog and linking to this list. Then, read, say a quick prayer and comment on each participant's blog. We could all use a little encouragement and a lot of prayer.*

First of all, there will be no Prayer Monday next week--not a formal post anyway.  Favorite and I are going on vacation, and I have no idea what the internet situation will be in Florida.  Plus, I don't want to tie myself to a specific posting schedule if it doesn't work out.  Thanks for understanding.

Favorite and I have spent a lot of time contemplating the situations in our collective life.  We struggle to make decisions, because we don't want to make the wrong ones...all the while realizing that not making a decision can be just as wrong.

We are looking into the possibility of a new church.  This is difficult for a number of reasons--not the least of which is finding a church we fit.  But there are other considerations on the table:

1.  We have some pretty deep connections to a few people at our current church.  It's difficult to consider leaving those people; although, staying for a few people isn't really the right reason to stay, either.

2.  Familiarity.  Pretend it doesn't matter all you want.  I know different.

3.  Service.  I've been singing praise and worship with the same girls for the last 11 years.  Praise and worship does something for me that nothing else does, and I believe God called me to that ministry because He wanted to humble me.  Eleven years later, I would still cry through every single song we sing.  It draws my heart and fills me the way nothing else has been able to.  That ministry allowed me to open myself enough to allow God in through the chinks when I was intent on blocking Him entirely.  I needed that ministry.  I don't even know how to tell you what it's done for my life in Christ.

4.  Women's Bible Study.  Clearly, I would be leaving this behind, and that hurts me for similar reasons as Praise and Worship.  Unfortunately, this ministry has caused controversy of late, and I'm tired of being treated like a subversive person when I'm simply trying to follow something I felt God laid on my heart.

This decision isn't completely about me, though.  Favorites needs are obviously a consideration, and, after much discussion, we know that it may be necessary to consider a place that allows both of us to worship and grow.

This is hard, though.  I'm scared.  I've never been a church hopper, and I certainly don't intend to become one now.  All of these things are what make this decision extremely difficult.  Do we?  Don't we?  are still questions we are navigating.  Pray for us.  Gracious Jeebus...pray for us.

And, if you would, my brother still hasn't heard from this new job.  Pray that God would open/close doors as Ronnie and Sheena move into this new stage of life.

Thanks for reading my ramblings.  Link up.

Prayer Monday 7/25/2011

*Note To New Readers: Prayer Monday is NOT a closed group. Participate by sharing some of your requests on your blog and linking to this list. Then, read, say a quick prayer and comment on each participant's blog. We could all use a little encouragement and a lot of prayer.*

I don't have a lot to say this week.  My brother is waiting to hear back from a job that would be a very big deal for he and Sheena, his fiancee.  Please pray for God's direction in their lives at this point in time.

Link Up.

Prayer Monday 7/18/2011

*Note To New Readers:  Prayer Monday is NOT a closed group.  Participate by sharing some of your requests on your blog and linking to this list.  Then, read, say a quick prayer and comment on each participant's blog.  We could all use a little encouragement and a lot of prayer.*

I am a much better conversationalist than I am blogger...which is odd considering my anti-social tendencies.  But that's close to what I wanted to talk a little about tonight.

Condemnation.

Life is hard under a microscope, and few people who feel they can't do anything right will try.  You're going to have to trust me on this one.

Unfortunately, many of us have grown accustomed to treating our walk with Christ like a laundry list of do nots--then we crucify other people for committing those same acts all while requesting grace for ourselves.

I am no exception.  And it breaks my heart to say that.  I find it difficult to attend the church I'm in (and have been since childhood) because of the amount of condemnation I feel from many of the people there, but I often condemn people instead of bringing them to the fold and allowing God to make the transformation.

Understand that this doesn't mean you never make your thoughts known, but when you do, you have to be very careful about how you approach others.  If there is no condemnation in Christ (and there isn't.  Check Romans), then neither is it our job to condemn people.  And that, ladies and gentlemen, can be a difficult road to navigate.

So I need your prayers on that front.  I certainly struggle with condemnation, and with separating myself from others--generally due to some profound issues of acceptance within myself.  So I'd appreciate your prayers there, too.  And for my Favorite.  Always for him.

I'm praying for you.  Even when it's been a crappy week and prayer is the last thing on my mind.  I appreciate your prayers for me.

Link Up.

(PS.  I'm using linky tools for the first time--and probably from now on.  Feel free to tell me how you like it.  I can edit the type of linky list I use--once I figure out what I'm doing.)

Prayer Monday, 7/11

I've been thinking a lot about something Paul says in the New Testament:  "For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it" (Romans 7:19-20).

There are a lot of things I don't want, and there's nothing more frustrating than finding myself doing those things anyway.

I hate it.  Hate it.  And I don't know how to ask you to pray for it.  But I know you're creative so I'm trusting in your prayer creativity.  I don't want to be a mean person.  I don't want to be bitter.  I don't want a thousand other things.  Pray for those things.

I am also praying for several cancer-related situations that have my heart really concerned.  Also, my brother has a job interview this week so I'd like that you would pray God's will for him.

And please keep praying for my Favorite.  Always pray for him.

Prayer matters, right?

Notice for Prayer Monday--7/4/2011

I thought about this for a while, and even though I need your prayers this week, I'm going to cancel Prayer Monday for 7/4/2011.

First of all, few of us will likely be near computers because it's the fourth of July (and my birthday).

Secondly, I think it's always better to encourage people to be near their families and actually BE Christ as opposed to talking about Him.

So that's what we're going to do.  But, if you happen to have a prayer request you need someone to pray over, email me:  cryshsmn@aol.com.  I will pray for you this week.

And I'll try to update the birthday festivities at some point this week.

Prayer Monday 6/26

I mentioned last week that I was going to start Get Out of That Pit by Beth Moore.  Here are a couple of things I feel you should know: 

1.  The book is short.  Each chapter is really short.
2.  It's written in an extremely relational style so it doesn't become overly encumbering.
3.  It is written for people who are already Christians--not those looking to come to Christ.

In one part of the book, Beth recounts how her husband, Keith, has said, "I wonder what kind of person I would be if I wouldn't have gone through all of this stuff."  Beth said the Holy Spirit spoke through her when she responded, "Honey...You're a much neater person healed than you would have been well" (44).

I don't think that response means we seek out sin just so Jesus can heal us.  Instead, I think it calls us to recognize the healing He has wrought in our lives through some horrendous circumstances--sometimes ones of our own making.  It's a recognition of who He is, and who we are as a result.

Mostly, this book is blessing me because I need to be reminded that I haven't been forgotten--that God is right here and He WILL be glorified.

This week I wish you would pray that for Favorite and me.  I want God to be glorified in my life.  I want Him to draw me closer to Him and push me into a deeper relationship with Him.  I want to talk openly about what He is to me--even when I'm not purposefully pushing myself to talk about Him.  I want Him to give me a heart for ministry--for people.  And I need a heart that is tender and compassionate without losing an ability to offer tough love when necessary.

Whew.  That's a lot to pray, but I appreciate your tenacity in prayer.  I'm praying for you.

Just A Note

Prayer Monday isn't a closed group, and I pray over each and every prayer request posted.  Feel free to participate if you wish.

I thought about closing the group down, but I think it's a call to authenticity in my life.  So participants or not, I'll keep posting every week. 

Prayer Monday 6/20

I love quotes, but when it comes to Christian living, I've never been one to offer some saying and expect that it will fix all of life's problems.  So you can imagine that what I'm about to say was a bit shocking to me, too.

I read something on pinterest this week that caught my attention:  "What if the blessings we have today are only the things we thanked God for yesterday?"  Again, I'm not one to base my entire existence on one flip statement, but since God has been speaking to me about praising Him (and discipline.  Always discipline.  It's the neverending lesson), this caught my attention.

I know God is good, but I don't often enough tell people how good He has been to me.  He gave me salvation, and continues to teach me--even when my spirit is less than teachable.

He's drawing my family to Himself.  And He always does it with sincerity and patience.

He knits congregations back together and gives each person participating purpose.  He has fulfilled needs in my life in natural and supernatural ways.

And I know He's going to continue to meet my needs.  He's teaching me to bring things to Him.  Sometimes the simplest requests seem a bit asinine, and yet He answers:  like a prayer for grass.  Praise God, it's starting to grow!

He's growing Himself in my heart.  I'm still asking for Him to heal my body and draw Favorite and I closer to Him.  Please continue to pray those things for us. 

This week I'm starting Get Out of that Pit by Beth Moore.  I'll probably provide updates as I get going, because I know there are continuous pitfalls in my life I need to learn to give over to Christ.  But I honestly want to praise Him for how far I feel we've come in the last few months.

And thanks to you for being a part of that.

Prayer Monday 6/13

I am not very free with praise.  Criticism?  Completely and totally open.  Instruction?  Begging for you to need it.  But praise?  Doesn't blip on the radar very often.

Today was beautiful, though.  We spent almost the entire church service praising God for who He is.  For the fact that He is good.  For belief in what He will do.  It just reminded me that this is what obedience does for me.  It puts me in place with God so I can recognize Him for who He is.  I can recognize where I belong in relationship to Him.

I want to continue in my obedience to Him.  This is what I've been asking you to pray for me, and this week has been difficult.  Like I've said before, I want to DO something here.  I have difficulty with the fact that all things come by His hand.  I want to act.  I don't like sitting.  But there has been a sense of peace in the obedience.  And I want that peace to continue.  But I'm also asking that He'll act.  I've been reminding Him that His word says that if we ask, it will be given unto us.  So I'm asking.  And asking.  And asking.  And I'm believing.  And I'm remaining obedient.

Even though I have days where I struggle with that obedience.  Please, please pray for my heart and for a miracle.  Things only come by His hand.  I know that.  And my only hope comes from Him.

Prayer Monday 6/6

I want to get into the habit of purposefully praising God--not just for what He has done, but for who He is.  So, ya'll, I need to tell you how good He is.  He's answering prayer in my life.  He's continuing to meet with me--even when I get a little too busy to make ample time for Him.  He's still calling me to obedience.  He's teaching me about authority.  But He's been so...tangible? lately. 

We just finished our last week of Bible study.  I'm going to miss it.  Those women have been a lifeline for me.  I can't even begin to tell you how deeply I've struggled over the last year; I can't tell you how very much I needed to sit in a group of women and cry and ask questions about how to honor Him through hurt.  I also can't tell you how many different ways God met me in my exact need.

I'm still praying several things:  for continued obedience, namely.  I want to walk in the center of His will.  I want to maintain a teachable spirit and seek Him first in my life.  I'm still praying for His touch on my body.  I believe He is healing me, but I don't know what that will mean for my future.  I just want to honor His calling--and if that means maintaining no action as of now, I want to be at peace in that obedience.  I'm still praying for Favorite and his heart and for a few friends and family members who are going through tough times right now.  I don't want to dishonor anyone by sharing things they want to remain private, and a few of them post their own requests so there's no need for me to butt in.

I will share this:  Tara, who normally participates in Prayer Monday, will be making her trek back home with her new daughter, Macy, on Thursday.  Pray for her safety in travel and her newest family member.  Sometimes the best piece of encouragement you can have is to know that someone is thinking of you.

Don't forget to leave comments.  A little encouragement and a lot of prayer go a long way :)

Prayer Monday 5/30

I'm going to change the rules in the game a little bit.  I think it might be easier to pray for one another if we do two things:
     1.  Share where you are and what's going on with you (i.e. prayer requests).
     2.  Visit each participant's page and pray for them in that moment and leave a comment.

We can do these things in leiu of writing an actual prayer, and I wonder if it won't make us more purposeful in praying for one another.

Currently, I'm in a place where God is calling me to obedience.  I'm a "do it m'self" girl by nature so you can imagine that this is a difficult place for me.  But I don't believe God puts us in positions if it isn't for our own well being.  I know He is teaching me and protecting me. 

This doesn't mean I've been successfully obedient this entire time.  Thankfully, I'm seeing God's grace in a way I don't think I've ever seen it before.  I also received a reminder during study this week that God rewards obedience.

But you can pray that God would draw my heart to Him during this season.  I want to know I'm doing what HE'S ASKING me to do.  Please pray that my heart would be open to hearing Him.  I'm expecting Him to be big during this time, because I'm clearly going to need his intervention.  I'm also asking Him to draw my heart to scripture and prayer.  I'm getting ready to have a lot of free time so I'm going to make every effort to commit the beginning of the day to these things.

While it may sound weird to you, one of the things I feel God is asking me to do is trust Him as my only hope--not medicine.  Please don't take that the wrong way, because I'm a complete and total believer in God's ability to heal through medicine.  I'm just positive He told me that enough is enough.  That said, I will need to commit myself to very specific eating habits and exercise habits over the course of this summer.  I need your prayers for my will power.  I know an occasional cheat is acceptable, but my body doesn't process a whole list of foods the way it's supposed to; therefore, I need to be mindful--and I need your prayers to believe that  it matters.  This is part of my obedience to Him.

I know He's moving, girls.  I've already seen evidence--in my life and the lives of others.  But that's not enough for me anymore.  I want more of Him.  And I want Him to push me to an intimacy I used to know.

I'm praying for you.

Prayer Monday, 5/23

My heart is really just broken right now.  I don't feel at liberty to share everything with you, but suffice it to say I witnessed some very ugly things this evening and I'm hurt by those things.  If I have ever needed people to come together and pray for God's Will to be accomplished in a big way, I need that now.

With everything in you, I need you to pray that God would guard the hearts of people who were witnesses to what took place.  We need God to move in a mighty way--offering direction, healing, conviction and unity.  We certainly need God to ward off any sense of bitterness, hatred, disgust or evil.

I do not want to see good, godly people allow anything to come between themselves and their Creator.  I don't want bitterness to take root and weed out the things God is accomplishing.

And girls, don't be mistaken.  My God is moving.  He is moving in my life, and I'm seeing evidence that He is moving in the lives of others.  Our Bible Study this evening was proof positive.

I'm still asking you to pray this for me:  pray that my heart would break with the things that also break God's heart. You can pray that I would just be inexplicably drawn to Him. I want desperately to be drawn to my knees before Him and to confess honestly what's in my life. I want that desperation to be met in Him alone, but I'm also ready for the aching to be over. I need to know that I'm in the center of His will--that my thinking is right and that will lead to right action. I need for my mouth to stay out of the way. And, apparently, I need to stop trying to find comfort in something other than Him.

And I'm asking that you intercede for my husband and my family.

Seek Him fervently.  He is moving.

Prayer Monday 5/16

My posts lately have been a little less than sunny.  I hate that, because I don't really feel like that's a well-rounded view of who I am, but there is a certain amount of "contemplative" in my life these days.

That's probably sugar coating it.  Maybe I've spent too long sugar coating it.  Maybe I haven't talked about the things I'm really struggling with because I'm afraid to admit to the people who do read that I am struggling.  It's gotten easier to talk about the loss Favorite and I have faced, and I think it's acceptable to feel grief over that situation.  But I am not just feeling a little bit of grief.  I am in a deep, deep season of grieving.  I am in a season of struggling.  I am in a season of trying to listen for God and feeling like I just can't hear Him.

There is no way to explain this season of grieving accurately.  It's not just for the baby--though, that's certainly a factor.  It's for the way things might have been and for the way they are.  It's for the hurt I see that seems to be unresolved.  It's for the flippant attitudes about suffering and the perceived inability to stand up in a church service and say, "I love Jesus, but this sucks and I'm really hurting." 

In this season, I've laid down relationships and hopes.  And both of those things hurt...particularly when you feel lonely as a result. 

So if you want to pray for me this week, you can pray that my heart would break with the things that also break God's heart.  You can pray that I would just be inexplicably drawn to Him.  I want desperately to be drawn to my knees before Him and to confess honestly what's in my life.  I want that desperation to be met in Him alone, but I'm also ready for the aching to be over.  I need to know that I'm in the center of His will--that my thinking is right and that will lead to right action.  I need for my mouth to stay out of the way.  And, apparently, I need to stop trying to find comfort in something other than Him.

I'm not going to pray because that whole groaning thing?  Yeah, that's me right now.

But tell me what I can pray for you.  Seems I'll be spending plenty of time on my knees anyway.

Prayer Monday 5/9

I'm so sorry that this isn't getting up until this morning.  I will likely come back and edit my prayer requests later today, but for now, I just wanted to make sure that you all had something to link to if you participate.

We're hoping to get our internet problem fixed by the end of the week. Until then, my blog is rather neglected ;(

This week is going to be fairly crazy at school.  It's the last week for the seniors (which doesn't really affect me), but I also have to make sure to come up with things to keep the sophomores busy for the next 2 weeks or so...  Unfortunately, I'm venturing into new territory because the Title I students never moved this quickly.  Pray that God will inspire my lesson plans!

Link Up!  I have been praying for each of you.

Prayer Monday 5/2

Yesterday, as I read all of the prayer requests on Kelly's Day of Prayer Post, my heart broke for all of the hurt in the world.  It may be something we know deep down, but I think that it is easy to forget how many people are truly suffering due to circumstances in their lives.  I read each request and did my best to take them in my heart and put them in God's hands.  That's what I wanted for so many of these people--for them to know the healing power of being held.

If you take the opportunity to read these requests, I sure hope it won't be a "put my life in perspective" activity for you.  I think you can appreciate the hurt of others and pray for those requests, but that doesn't mean your hurt or pain is minimized.  It simply means there are others who may share your boat.

There are people praying for salvation, those hurt by flooding and tornados, women who have dealt with infertility or lost young children, families dealing with cancer, people desperate to heal the pain of loneliness.  And, unfortunately, that is just the tip of the iceburg.  I would certainly never want to minimize those situations or spout spiritual platitudes, but I do honestly pray that when comfort feels like the last thing on earth available, people know without a shadow of doubt they are being held.  I pray for the blessing of hope.

Prayer Requests
*  My family--I know it may sound strange, but our dog is likely in the last stages of his cancer.  My mother has just asked us to pray that he die so she doesn't have to go through putting him down.  Dogs become a part of the family and we've had Wicket for 12 years...so it's just a sad time for them.

*  Victims of the flooding as it continues to rain.  Kate and Sheena, who generally participate here, are certainly being affected as their schools have let out due to the fact that many students just can't get there.  It's likely Sheena may not be back in before the end of the school year.  It's really that bad.  People have lost homes, belongings, and it continues to pour here.  Please pray God's hand would intervene.  And pray this disaster would at least draw us together as a community.

*  My Favorite.

*  I'd appreciate it if you would still pray for my body.  There are many things that are looking up these days, and I finally showed a pretty decent weight loss after two weeks of no carbs.  I'm praying those two weeks were a "hard reset" for my body, and now that I can add back "good" carbs, I will continue to lose weight so everything works correctly.

*  I have some dear friends who are going through a private situation.  Please pray for their comfort and healing.

Father,
So much hurt.  Sometimes I don't know how to pray for people because there is so much hurt in this world.  We want to trust you and depend on You when times are unsure.  I just pray You would draw us.  Give a deep love for You and Your Word.  Pull our hearts to study scripture and know You deeply.  In times like these, help us find the hope and help You have promised.  We will trust You for what You can provide, Lord.  We are believing You.  You are our hope and our salvation.  Whom shall we fear?

Amen.

Link Up.