March 1, 2016

Prayer
Happy March, Lord.  Today, I am grateful for rest and for time.  I feel better today, Lord. Thank you.  Thank you for healing, for rest, and for conversation. Lord, please help us to continue to grow, to learn, to think, and to forgive. 

-Me


Verses
Joel 2:12-14 

12 “Even now,” declares the Lord,
    “return to me with all your heart,
    with fasting and weeping and mourning.”

13 Rend your heart
    and not your garments.
Return to the Lord your God,
    for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in love,
    and he relents from sending calamity.
14 Who knows? He may turn and relent
    and leave behind a blessing—
grain offerings and drink offerings
    for the Lord your God.

Response
It's clear, Father God, that I need to return to my dailies with you.  I get off track, miss days, and don't think.  I'm doing this as intentionally as I should be.  Forgive me, Lord for that.  Thank you for pointing me in the right direction.  You are good to me.

-Me

February 29, 2016

Prayer
Dear Lord, I am just tired.  I feel depleted.  I feel empty.  I know this isn't the case.  I know that it's just today and I will bounce.  But today, today, I just want to go home and sleep.  No noise, no arguing, no talking kids, no nothing. Just quiet.  Refill me, Oh Lord, for I am weary.  

-Me


Verses
Jesus Calling by Sarah Young
Psalm 119:105  Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
John 21:22 Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?  You must follow me."
Luke 10:25-28  25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

Response
Ok, Lord.  My job is to love you.  I will focus on you.  You are my guide.  You are my strength.  You are my courage.  YOU. YOU.  Thank you, Lord, for always being beside me, even when I feel alone.

-Me

February 26, 2016

Prayer
Lord, God, thank you for all that you do in my life.  Thank you for my daughter. Thank you for intervening when I need protecting.  Thank you for your guidance.  Thank you for teaching me that I need to be in prayer, that it is WAR.  

Lord, thank you for my kid.  Please continue to grow her in you.  Please protect her today as she hangs out with a gal from her past and they take a long road trip.  Please protect them as they travel.  Please protect their conversation. Please protect their yen for things that are not good for them.  Please, Lord, influence them. Thank you helping me to trust my kid. Give my kid the words and fill her with your Holy Spirit, that she might share you with Tracy. Lord, Tracy needs you.  We all do.  Help my kid be strong and help Tracy be receptive.  Again, Lord, thank you for her. 

In addition, Lord, please help me to know how to handle my friendships.  I am hurt by some, used by others, and love deeply.... therefore am hurt deeply.  As I learned in Genesis, I need to trust in order to grow. So, I'm really trying to trust.  Thank you, Lord, for your help in that area of my life.  

-Me

Verses
Hebrews 10:24-25 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Jesus Calling by Sarah Young
Deuteronomy 29:29  The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.
Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

Response
You are so right, Lord, I should not worry.  You have things in check.  Forgive me for worrying, please.  You are a good, good Father, and I need to trust that you have it all taken care of.  Thank you for that.  Thank you for slowly teaching me that.....slowly because I am hard headed.  But, I am indeed learning because I do seek you.  And I am reading your word and listening.  Thank you for that.  Thank you for showing me how to love my kid so that she, too, can love others.... more importantly, so that she can love YOU.  God, you really are a good God.  I am so grateful for you. Thank you, Lord.

-Me

P.S. Thank you for this coming weekend!  I am so excited, Lord.  Thank you in advance for your presence.  I just love you, Lord! 

February 25, 2016

Prayer
Good morning, Lord!  It's going to be a great day.  So happy to be here today. Lord, Thank you for the things that you are doing in my life, like the movie, War Room!  What an incredible movie.  Okay, so the acting wasn't all that great.... but the message.  So powerful it changed how I want to life life. Thank you for that!  Through it, you changed my desire to fight the war.  Thank you.  Help me to focus on you and to share that with others.  

God, I ask in particular today for my you to cover my friend, N.  Bless her heart, Lord.  She is devastated right now by the choices of her daughter who is currently homeless and using drugs.  God, first I ask you to fill N with your peace, your strength.  Her heart is broken.  Second, I ask you to surround her daughter with your love, convict her daughter just as you did mine.  Fill her with a desire for more, for health, for you.  Please God.  You are the almighty God, our blessed redeemer and our healer.  YOU can do this.  We cannot.  So, please, Lord, do your thing.  

-Me

Verses
Jesus Calling by Sarah Young
Colossians 4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.  

Response
You are so right.  I need to remember to thank you in all of my prayers.  Lord, I thank you that you are teaching me to seek you so that I can then share that with others, like last night, to comfort them in their need and in their pain. Thank you, Lord, for N.  Thank you for her devotion to foster kids.  Thank you for her devotion to her grandchildren.  Thank you for her daughter.  Thank you that she has a mama who lovers her and wants only the best for her.  God, you are soooo good. I am so consistently amazed by how you intervene!!!  I just love you, Lord.  

-Me

February 23, 2016

Prayer
Good morning, Lord.  Thank you for a great time last night with the kid.  Great movie, The Risen.  Made me happy to love you.  It was rather freeing to celebrate you even in the middle of a theater.  I am so grateful to live in the US! Thank you for creating me here, with such liberties as being allowed to worship as I please wherever I please.  Too great!

Lord, today, I ask that you continue to grow the mother/daughter/friends relationship between E and me. What a blessing she is.  It's challenging maybe 5% of the time because we both come with such wounds, such baggage.  Yet, both us truly love each other.  I love being a mom.  I love being HER mom.  I no that it was/is your divine intervention that brought us together.  For all that I have experienced, I thank you because it brought us together.  Truly, it is a living testimony of Romans 8:28!  Truly!  More importantly, please also continue to grow us closer to you. Help us to keep you as our center.  Help us to keep you as our center individually and within the context of our relationship.  Give us the yen to seek you.  Give us the determination and discipline to seek you first.  

Thank you, Lord, for your divine interventions and active participation in our lives.  

-Me. 

Verses
Romans 8:28-30 
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
Micah 6:8 
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly[a] with your God.
Jesus Calling 
Psalm 89:15:  
Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O Lord.  
Hebrews 12:1-2:  
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 


Response:
Lord, thank you for always showing me how great things are and how you continue to be with us.  You are good and you continue to show us what good is and demonstrate your mercy.  Please continue to teach us, love us, and show us your mercy.  Not only that, but please teach us to demonstrate your love and your mercy. 

-Me

February 19, 2016

Prayer
Good morning, Lord.  I am so tired, but happy to be alive.  It's going to be a great day.  Thank you for another day to rise and shine and serve my kids. 

Lord, today, I would like to ask you to find a way for my auntie to have her tooth taken care of.  She's in some pain, uncomfortable, and it could get worse.  I know my dentist doesn't, but you are God and will find a way.  So, thank you in advance.

Lord, will you also love on my kid over the next little bit.  Give her strength to face her emotions and experiences, discipline to stay sober, and courage to do what needs to be done so she can face another day.  Fill me with the wisdom and compassion of your Holy Spirit that I might truly know how to minister to her. Thank you, Lord.

-Me

Verses
³⁴ “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Jesus Calling:
Exodus 3:14:  God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM.  This is what you are to say to the Israelites:  'I AM has sent me to you.'"
Habakkuk 3:17-19  Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.  The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights. 

Response
Thank you, Lord.  You are so right.  I will rejoice in just know you, in know that you are God and have it all in check.  Thank you for your reassurances.  I can rest assured that you are going to take care of my auntie and my kid. 

-Me

February 18, 2016.

Prayer
Lord, today, my students are weighing heavily on my heart.  I have a handful of 8th graders who are really involved in things that are worrisome... drugs, alcohol, sex.  They are babies, Lord.  I am so worried about them and the decisions they are making.  How can I minister to them, Lord?  Show me what to do, please. 

-Me

Verses
Matthew 5:43-45
⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor^[a] and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

Jesus Calling:
Zephaniah 3:17  The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.
Psalm 73:23-26  Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.  You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.  Whom have I in heaven but you?  And earth has nothing I desire besides you.  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Response
Father God, thank you for being with me.  With you, I can do all things.  With you, I have the strength to love on these kids of mine.  Thank you that you taught me to love even my enemies.  How much more can I love these boogers who drive me crazy?  Thank you, Lord. 

-Me

February 17, 2016

Prayer
Good morning, my great Lord.  

It's good to be alive today.  I am so grateful for my life, for the manner in which you intervene, and the learning/growing that I am experiencing.  Okay, so I'm not exactly thrilled when ALL of the learning is happening, but you are teaching me along the way and for that I am grateful.

Today, Lord, I ask that you be with my friend as you travels to work, and as she begins her new housing plans.  God, bless her, strengthen her, heal her, and protect her.  I worry about her with the people with whom she associates.  She has changed, and is much more negative than she used to be. She saddens me. I know you know to that which I refer, and that I have attempted to speak with her about such thing to no avail.  So, I ask that you bless her and protect her, for indeed her heart will eventually be hurt by this one individual who pushes people away in a mean manner.  I also ask that you bless the one individual, Lord, for she too is hurting and is a broken soul.  Strengthen both of them, Lord.  Perhaps they will be good for each other and you divined their friendship. I don't know.  I just don't want anyone to be hurt.    Thank you, Lord, that I can come to you with the expectation and assurance that you will indeed be involved. I just love that about you!  

Lord, I also ask you to bless my daughter's siblings.  You know the situations of each, the hearts and hurts as well.  God, please surround them with your love, with your people, and with opportunities for them to get clean and most importantly, to know you. 

-Me

Verses
Matthew 22:37-40
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Response
Okay, so I see that I am to love you first and foremost.  Then, in response to my requests, I am to love even the individual who pushes others away.  I'm not sure how to do that, Lord, so I ask you to give me direction.  Thank you in advance, My God.  

-Me

February 16, 2016

Prayer
Good Morning, My Lord. 

Whewwwweeee.  What a weekend.  Vancouver to help the auntie and uncle.... Tacoma to help the auntie and play cards.  Back to work now.  Lord, E and I are so grateful for the way you are teaching us to communicate.  It's hard merging to strong-headed, independent lives.....especially mother and daughter!  Yet, you are doing it.  No doubt, it is because we continue to strive to put you in the center.  Thank you for that.  Thank you for your constant reassurances.  Thank you for your scripture and the manner in which you do speak to us.  Thank you that Pastor Scott taught us to LISTEN for you.  We really are trying.  Although, we really should be doing better at making it a daily event....  and not skipping over long, busy weekends!  It's not like we can't get up a little earlier to talk with you! 

Lord, as we spent our weekend ... we came across a confusion.  We ask that you enlighten us as to what you would have us do.  Sometimes we think we are to go, while other times, we are to stay.  So, I am purposely saying.... let's wait until we have a neon sign from you.  And, yes, we have had some signs here and there.....  but I really want it NEON.... like there's no way it isn't of you. Thank you, Lord, that you have filled us with the desire to do as you would have us do..... and not rely on our own hearts to decide.  It's too big of a decision! 

Thank you, Lord, for E.  I treasure her.  It's hard sometimes, but most often, it's pretty great.  I just love that . You were right... wait upon you, for your timing is perfect. 

Thank you, Father, for the kids whom I will teach.  Thank you for the colleagues with whom I work.  Thank you for this day.  Just thank you. 

-Me

Verses
Deuteronomy 11:12-23

12 a land that the Lord your God cares for. The eyes of the Lord your God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.

13 “And if you will indeed obey my commandments that I command you today,to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, 14 he[c] will give the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the later rain, that you may gather in your grain and your wine and your oil. 15 And he will give grass in your fields for your livestock, and you shall eat and be full. 16 Take care lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them; 17 then the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you, and he will shut up the heavens, so that there will be no rain, and the land will yield no fruit, and you will perish quickly off the good land that the Lord is giving you.

18 “You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as front lets between your eyes. 19 You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 20 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, 21 that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens are above the earth. 22 For if you will be careful to do all this commandment that I command you to do, loving the Lord your God, walking in all his ways, and holding fast to him, 23 then the Lord will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations greater and mightier than you.

Zechariah 2:13

Be still before the Lord, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.”

2 Corinthians 12:9

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Isaiah 30:15

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:

“In repentance and rest is your salvation,
    in quietness and trust is your strength,
    but you would have none of it.

Response:

So, Lord, what I got from this is that we are to just sit, wait, and focus on you. Okay, that's what we'll do.  Rest in you...follow you.....  seek you...  

-Me

February 11, 2016

Prayer
Good morning, Lord.  Thank you for your answered prayer yesterday.  

Side explanation of His obvious answer:  Yesterday, my daughter and I were arguing with neither of us actually hearing each other and both determined that we were right.  I went in to my nail appointment while she stayed in the car, cried a little, vented with a friend, and then sat there.  She was ready to do almost anything because she was so frustrated.  She sat there for about 20 minutes. Then decided to pray.  No joke, right after, she receives a phone call on her old, cell phone that has no service...she uses it for music.....  The person calling offered her a job that pretty much ended our argument. 

Back to you, Lord, so again, thank you.  I'm not sure what you will have us do about the housing.... we have options I guess, but I am so grateful that you jumped in!  I'm grateful for lessons you are teaching us in communication, in flexibility, and humility.  I don't necessarily like the method... arguing with my kid... but I certainly that we are learning, growing, and discovering.  Thank you.  Lord, please continue to do so.

Thank you also for a better day yesterday.  No doubt it was because I started my day with you.  So, thank you for showing me that.  For urging me to my dailies.  Thank you for urging me to speak with you today, as well.  

-Me

Verses

Jesus Calling:

Matthew 1:23

"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" - which means "God with us."

Psalm 37:4

Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. 

Sweet Blessings calendar: 

1 John 4:13-21

¹³ This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. ¹⁴ And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. ¹⁵ If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. ¹⁶ And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. ¹⁷ This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
¹⁹ We love because he first loved us. ²⁰ Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. ²¹ And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

Response

Lord, you crack me up!  How do you do that??!!  Okay, so I know I read the wrong day from Jesus Calling (Feb. 12 instead of the 11th), and no doubt you did that on purpose!!!  I just love you.  Thank you also for allowing me to be reminded that I must live in love, and in your Spirit.  Thank you for that reminder.  The reminder that you are with me, that you are inside of me, guiding, speaking to me.  Thank you for helping me to focus on you.  Please continue to give me this urge.  I am loving our times.... our communications.  You DO speak to your people, if only we listen.  

Me 

February 10, 2016

Wow!  Just, Wow!!! Perhaps this was in response to my earlier post?  God's affirmation that He is with me and will fill me with His light!!!???!!!  So grateful my daughter told me to go look outside!  She is right!  Our God IS an artist! 

February 10, 2016

Well, yesterday was a yucky day, but today is brand new.  In yesterday's reading (see my previous post), I learned that I need to start my day with my Jesus.  So, here I am.

Prayer:
Lord, fill me with your Holy Spirit that I may be Jesus to my students and to my colleagues.  Give me your words, your compassion, and definitely your patience. So many need you, Lord, that it is overwhelming.  It is a war, of this I am sure. So many middle schoolers these days are using drugs, smoking, drinking, and having sex....  all things that I know worry you as well.  Help me to be a beacon of hope and represent your love of each individual.  I thank you, God, for each one.  I thank you for their smiles, for their trust, for their humor, and even for their attitudes.  Thank you for this calling, for I do love teaching.  Thank you for entrusting me with these little souls.  Show me what to do and give me the strength I need, the courage, and the kindness to love them as you do. 

-Me

Reading:
-from Jesus Calling by Sarah Young:
John 1:4-5  In Him was Life, and the Life was the Light of men.  And the Light shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it [put it out or absorbed it or appropriated it, and is unreceptive to it].  
Hebrews 12:3  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 

Response:
Wow!  You did it again.  How do you do that!?!?!?!  I love how you answer my prayers with scripture.  It truly is amazing.  I just love you, Lord, and am constantly amazed by your timing.  Thank you for your Word that teaches me .... help me to remember to seek you first.  My day always go better when I do!!!!!!!!!!!  Help me indeed to be the Light to those around me.  Help my not to lose heart, but to stand firm on the foundation of your strength.  God, you are so good.  Such a cliche phrase, yet oh so true!!!!!!!  You are so good to me, so responsive, and so active.  I just love you.  

-Me