Power of Prayer

Mad at God?

2010-11-28T00:23:00.004-05:00

Today I'm joining Charlotte and Ginger on Spiritual Sundays. Thanks, ladies for hosting! Click on their names for more inspiration.

I received this message last week in a newsletter I subscribe to and wanted to share it with you. I haven't posted in a long time, but kept feeling like I should post this one, perhaps there's someone out there who needs to read this.

THIS THANKSGIVING

This Thanksgiving holiday may be the only one some of us have left, or it may be the most important one some of us will ever have. Let’s make the most of it.

From the beginning, this mostly secular holiday has had a somewhat “holyday” dimension to it. After all, the Pilgrims gave thanks to God, mostly for surviving, but surely for the food they had that helped them to survive and ultimately prosper.

Taking things for granted is an occupational hazard of the human condition. It is easy to forget that all things come from God. Whatever we have is a gift from our Father, “Who art in Heaven,” and on earth, and in every heart and mind that permits him entrance.

This Thanksgiving some of us are having our own personal struggles, and it is not as easy perhaps to be thankful. Millions of people are nowhere near as well off as they once were. The lines at the local food banks and shelters are longer than they have been in recent times many places. Those of us who are able must help those less fortunate when we can. I spent one Thanksgiving homeless, roaming the streets of Los Angeles when I was younger. I can tell you it is a cold and desolate feeling.

Some of us are mad at God this Thanksgiving. I can understand that, although it doesn’t do any good to bang your head against the rock wall of Reality. Some of us don’t have what we had last year. I know dozens of people who have lost more than 40-50% of their wealth this past year. I lost my best friend this year. I know what it is to be mad at God too, although it isn’t the right thing to do, and it certainly doesn’t help. God gave us what we had to begin with.

The Prophets got mad at God at times. They got over it, and so will we.

Some people lost wives, husbands, and children this year. I can’t imagine the depths of their suffering, but I sympathize with it. I don’t have a wife or children in the normal sense. I acquired a dog ten years ago at a very dark and painful time in my life. He saved my life when he was a puppy by giving me a reason to live. Years later he saved my life from two intruders who broke into my home early one morning. He was my best friend for years. He died tragically from cancer a couple of weeks ago. He bled to death internally and died as I held him on the examination table of the veterinary clinic. He was scared and could hardly breathe as he looked into my eyes.

I was mad at God for taking the only real friend I had for many years; the only one I lived with and could be close to through many dark and troubling years. He was always the same, day in and day out. He loved me unconditionally, and every morning he greeted me as though he hadn’t seen me for years, although he slept on the same bed that I did every night of the ten years he was with me.

It’s hard to lose things, harder to lose what we love. Yet, it was God who gave us these things from the beginning. I remember that there were over 3,000 sunrises and sunsets that I spent with Sage. He loved to walk with me anyplace we went. He loved to swim more than anything else. He was a Chesapeake Bay Retriever, and it was in his genes to be that way. He was loyal and he was loving, and he is gone, but I am thankful to God for the years He gave me to live with Sage. He always slept with one back leg over my ankle, as though he wanted to keep track of me through the night. He liked to watch football games on television, and sat next to me on the sofa with one paw draped over my leg.

He would often steal my shoes or socks and race joyously through the house and prance and dance until I told him to hand them over, which he always did as though it was his highest and happiest mission in life.

Loss is hard, but sometimes it is only in loss that we realize what we’ve had, the greatness of the gift and how much it has contributed to our life. It’s easy to give thanks when everything goes well. It’s easy to love when all is comfortable. It’s the highest and best thanks and love when we can do it from a place of loss. Be thankful for what you have, and for what you had, even if it was only for a little while, for as a wise man said, “Tis better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all.”

So, this Thanksgiving let’s be thankful indeed for all we have, and for all we’ve had. It is all evidence of the love and care of God our Father.

Have a blessed and happy Thanksgiving,
Father John Corapi

Posted by Katherine

Independence Day Message

2010-07-03T20:02:00.005-04:00

I haven't participated in Spiritual Sundays in a while, but would like to share this Independence Day message today. I hope you like it.

Thanks to Charlotte and Ginger for hosting. Go here for lots more inspiration.

Independence Day Message

I have fond memories of the 4th of July going back to when I was probably only four or five years old. We remember the parades, the picnics or barbecues, and the happy gathering of families. During the American Revolution, the legal separation of the American colonies from Great Britain actually took place on July 2, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve the resolution of independence previously put forth by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia. After debate and revision Congress approved the Declaration of Independence on July 4th.

Of note is the letter John Adams, one of only two Founding Fathers who went on to become president, wrote to his wife Abigail:

…This day ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of the continent to the other, from this time forward forever more. (Adams Family Papers: An Electronic Archive. Massachusetts Historical Society)

Like so many of the Founding Fathers, Adams recognized that the day of deliverance came from the providential hand of almighty God. I am not sure about large numbers of duplicitous politicians and other so-called public servants today, whether elected or appointed.

Freedom is a great thing, and we do well to celebrate it on the 4th of July. That being said, it’s something rooted in truth, and apart from the truth there can be no authentic freedom.

If you continue in my word [truth] you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. (John 8:31-32)

An individual, a country, or a world that does not remain rooted in objective truth cannot ultimately live in freedom. If you are serious about your faith, my dear friends, I strongly recommend that you read #1730-1748 as we approach the wonderful celebration of Independence Day, or the 4th of July.

Some highlights of this reality:

1731: Freedom is the power, rooted in reason and will, to act or not to act, to do this or that, and so to perform deliberate actions on one’s own responsibility. By free will one shapes one’s own life. Human freedom is a force for growth and maturity in truth and goodness; it attains its perfection when directed toward God, our beatitude [true happiness].

1733: The more one does what is good, the freer one becomes…

One of the most common errors of all time is to confuse freedom and license. Today, frequently under the specious pretext freedom, mankind acts in a manner that is really license. We are not morally free to do whatever we choose to do. Only when rooted in truth and acting in objective truth can we hope to be free. No one has the moral right to do evil. No one has the moral right to choose to take an innocent life or to engage in actions that are out of accord with right reason or any objective standards of morality we have ever known.

The inevitable consequence of abusing freedom is losing freedom. Soon, if we do not alter our present course, the United States will no longer be the home of the brave and the land of the free. Loss of personal freedoms, one at a time, is already well underway. One day we shall awake from our moral slumber and find that we have become slaves.

We must live in truth and act in truth if we are to remain free. Abuse it and I assure you we shall lose it! Wake up America! God is not a disinterested spectator. Let’s thank God for our freedom, but let’s not sit by idly while the forces of darkness divorce freedom from truth. For, as Jesus says, “The man who sins is the slave of sin.” (John 8:34)

I’ll leave you with the motto of the United States Army Special Forces on this 4th of July:

De oppresso liber! (To free the oppressed)

Indeed, Jesus came to set the captives free. Let’s do our part for our country and our world that we might all remain free in the glorious freedom of the children of God.

God bless you,

Fr. John Corapi

Happy Easter!

2010-04-03T23:01:00.016-04:00

Thanks to Charlotte and Ginger for hosting Spiritual Sundays weekly. Go here for lots more inspiration.

I would like to extend to you best wishes for a very Happy Easter.

I give thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ for drying on the cross for us so we may have eternal life with Him forever and forever!

I'm sharing a few of my Easter decorations in our home this year.

My childhood bible with a twig cross on top. A friend made the twig cross for me.

My husband made the crown of thorns from the vine off our bouganvillia bush.
The nail was given to us at church a few years ago.

I like the shadows on this and the next few pictures

Especially the shadow from the candle below:

The picture below has the true colors

The old bible above, has been in our family almost a hundred years!

My childhood bible below:

The twig cross displayed in a cloche with thorny roses, pearls and a baby's pink bible:
This represents Jesus dying on the cross for us after leaving His words for us to live by. A bittersweet representation.

If you would like to see more of my Easter decor, go to my other blog The Yellow Rose Arbor, here.

Have a very blessed Easter.

He is Risen!!! He's Alive!!! Thank you Lord!

Katherine

The Holy Alphabet

2010-02-06T22:28:00.005-05:00

I received this alphabet by email today and wanted to share it with you. Thanks to Charlotte and Ginger for hosting Spiritual Sundays weekly. Go here for lots more inspiration.

The Holy Alphabet

A lthough things are not perfect
B ecause of trial or pain
C ontinue in thanksgiving
D o not begin to blame
E ven when the times are hard
F ierce winds are bound to blow
G od is forever able
H old on to what you know
I magine life without His love
J oy would cease to be
K eep thanking Him for all the things
L ove imparts to thee
M ove out of "Camp Complaining"
N o weapon that is known
O n earth can yield the power
P raise can do alone
Q uit looking at the future
R edeem the time at hand
S tart every day with worship
T o "thank" is a command
U ntil we see Him coming
V ictorious in the sky
W e'll run the race with gratitude
X alting God most high
Y es, there'll be good times and yes some will be bad, but...
Z ion waits in glory...where none are ever sad!

"I AM Too blessed to be stressed!" The shortest distance between a
problem and a solution is the distance between your knees and the
floor.

The one who kneels to the Lord can stand up to anything. Love
and peace be with you forever, Amen.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

We are especially thankful today for answered prayer about the heart catheterization my husband had yesterday at Mayo Clinic (Jacksonville, FL) He didn't need to have any stints and the doctors said his problem could be "fixed" with medication. He is home now! We've been praying and our pastor anointed him with oil a few weeks ago.

Praise the Lord!! Thank you Lord for answered prayer!! Thank you for being there with us!

Katherine

Devine Intervention

2010-01-09T22:28:00.001-05:00

When I came to my Power of Prayer blog with an idea of what to share I noticed the last time I posted on Spiritual Sundays the title was Detours.

My husband and I had one of those detours just recently. In December he was planning his annual skiing trip to Breckenridge, CO. For the past five years I haven’t gone with him because the last time I went I spent the week in bed with altitude sickness. He asked me to go again this time and I reluctantly agreed to go hoping I wouldn’t experience the altitude sickness again!

A friend offered to loan us his timeshare condo the first week in January. My husband contacted the company several times and had difficulty getting the confirmation papers we needed. Our friend kept telling us to ask for “Mike” he had the confirmation number, etc. Finally my husband said he wondered if all the difficulty was a sign that we shouldn’t go. In desperation, he cancelled all the plans, he was very disappointed.

Our reservations were to be Jan 3 through Jan 10 -- this week. Several things happened this week. My husband’s sister died this past Wednesday (from ovarian cancer) He also received word from his doctor that the stress test he had last week revealed he should have a heart catheterization. Something else that occurred was the new airport security that would have been a big hassle! Don’t forget all the bad weather all over the country, Colorado had bad snow storms!

We are praising God for His Divine Intervention! He goes before us to prepare the way! I’m so thankful He blocked our plans. If we had continued on with our plans, my husband could have endangered his life skiing, we would have had a lot of problems at the airports, traveling in bad weather, plus we would have had to cut the trip short and return home when his sister died. We will miss his sister, Angela, but we will see her again – in Heaven! Praise the Lord for eternal life!

My husband goes to the doctor Wednesday to discuss the stress test what steps he is to take next. Your prayers are appreciated! Charlotte, I hope we receive good news the way you did! PTL!

Thanks to Charlotte and Ginger for hosting Spiritual Sundays. Go here for more inspiration.

Katherine

Detours

2009-12-19T21:14:00.002-05:00

Thanks to Charlotte and Ginger for hosting Spiritual Sundays each week. Go here for more inspiration.

Merry Christmas!

My daughter sent me this today and I’d like to share it with you. It’s from Desiring God blog:

http://www.desiringgod.org or:

http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/2138_joseph_unplanned_detours/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DGBlog+%28DG+Blog%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

JOSEPH (Un)Planned Detours

| By: Jon Bloom | December 14, 2009

“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps” (Proverbs 16:9).

As Jesus’ earthly father, Joseph, discovered in Matthew 1-2, that’s just another way of saying that when your plans are detoured and redirected, you find out who’s really charting the course.

* * *

Nazareth. It felt good to Joseph to be back home. The same old market and the same old merchants. The same old neighbors with the same old complaints. The same old synagogue and the same old rabbi.

Oddly, though, the normalcy felt a bit strange after the unexpected adventures of the past couple of years. What an odyssey this simple Galilean carpenter had been on.

It had all started with Mary’s world-shaking pregnancy announcement that took an angel to help him believe. He had hardly stopped reeling from that news when he was hit with the census decree from Rome.

Joseph recalled the anger he had felt. Some vain emperor a world away was ordering people to go to their ancestral cities to register. As a descendent of King David, this meant for Joseph a royal 100-mile walk to Bethlehem. It seemed outrageously unjust. Not only would this disrupt his business and incur travel expenses they could not afford, but Mary would be in advanced pregnancy!

He remembered venting his exasperation to a friend who had replied, “Surely the Messiah will come soon and deliver us from these tyrants!” And then to cheer Joseph had added, “Hey, maybe you’ll see the Messiah there! You know what the prophet said,

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.” (Micah 5:2)

His friend might as well have hit Joseph on the head with a plank. All at once he saw it! Augustus in all his imperial pomp was merely a tool in the hand of God to fulfill Scripture. His anger melted into awe-filled joy. Yes, Joseph most certainly would see the Messiah in Bethlehem.

In fact, after Jesus’ incredible birth, Joseph had fully expected to make Bethlehem their new permanent home. Surely that’s what Micah meant. And he had just started to get his business going when the angel of his dreams came again, shortly after the Persian magi visited. “Flee to Egypt and remain there until I tell you.” Herod wanted to murder their baby!

Joseph had felt anger rise against Herod. And he felt a stab of fear. The Egyptian border was another 100-mile foot journey for his wife and child, mostly through desert.

But he quickly remembered. If Augustus was God’s tool, what was Herod? God had his reasons to send his Son to Egypt. So Joseph snuck his family out of town in the cover of night.

Egypt. That was one place Joseph had never expected to see, much less live in. He hadn’t had any idea how he would feed and house his family there. But he need not have worried. God provided wonderfully for them like he had all along.

And then after a few months another dream and another commission: Herod had died and he was to take the child back to Israel. Joseph assumed this meant returning to Bethlehem.

But he soon learned that Herod’s son, Archelaus, was ruling over Judea. Archelaus was a sharp chip off the cruel block. If he got wind of a Messiah in Bethlehem, no doubt another assassination would be attempted. One more angelic dream visit and it was back to Nazareth.

And who knew how long that would last…

* * *

The Holy Family’s first few years were not tranquil. They were filled with grueling travel during the hardest part of pregnancy, a birth in worse than a barn, no steady income, an assassination attempt, two desert crossings on foot with an infant, living in a foreign country, waiting on God for guidance and provisions just in the nick of time. It was difficult, expensive, time-consuming, career-delaying and full of uncertainty.

And it was God’s will.

The unplanned, inefficient detours of our lives are planned by God. They are common for disciples, and they commonly don’t make sense in the moment. But God’s ways are not our ways because our lives are about him, not about us. He is orchestrating far more than we know in every unexpected event and delay.

So when you find yourself suddenly moving in a direction you had not planned, take heart, hold tight, and trust God’s navigation.

May you have a very Merry Christmas!

Katherine

Spiritual Sundays - Veteran's Day Message

2009-11-07T20:19:00.011-05:00

Since some of you enjoyed the message by Fr. Corapi last Sunday I thought I would share the one he posted this week since it's about Veteran's Day. Fr. Corapi was a soldier in the Army, now he is a soldier for the Lord. He is also a former boxer, former millionaire, former drug addict, former alcoholic, formerly homeless, etc., the list goes on. He is a miracle, he was saved from all of the evil, and became a man of God. You can see/hear him weekly on Eternal Word Television Network. We saw him in person a few years ago when he came to our town.

Veterans' Day Message from Fr. Corapi

Every year in the United States of America we celebrate “Veterans’ Day” on November 11th, which historically marked the armistice (originally Armistice Day) ending World War I. If you are interested in the history of this American holiday, you can easily find it using Google, or any web search engine.

We should all be very thankful for the service of our veterans. Our country and the freedoms we sometimes take for granted were won by, and constantly protected by, the veterans of our Armed Forces. My grandfather served in the US Army during World War I; my father in the Navy Seabees in the South Pacific, some of my uncles served in the Marines, the Navy, and the Air Force during the Korean War. I enlisted in the Army in the late 1960s myself.

“Those who are sworn to serve their country in the armed forces are servants of the security and freedom of nations. If they carry out their duty honorably, they truly contribute to the common good of the nation and the maintenance of peace.”

It is the obligation of all of us, individuals and governments alike, to work assiduously for peace. As my Grandmother often said to me, “war is hell.” She knew as she had a husband and son that fought in both world wars, had nephews and a grandson go off to faraway places. She prayed, worried, and suffered because of war. Nonetheless, she knew, like so many of us do, that without the sacrifices of themselves and their loved ones, there would be no enduring freedom.

There is always something to be learned from the natural order that can be applied to the spiritual and moral life. One of the most common underlying misconceptions and fallacious presuppositions is that there is no evil in the world, that no one will hurt you if you just don’t hurt them. Wrong! There is evil in the world, there has been since darkness entered into Eden, and there will be until Jesus comes again in glory.

There is good and there is evil; there is truth and there are lies; there is life and there is death. Being neutral is a myth. Sitting on a fence is an accident waiting to happen. In the end you will be “for me or against me,” as Jesus says.

We are at war and “our battle is not against flesh and blood,” as St. Paul asserts in his letter to the Ephesians. A good soldier is ready to shed his blood, sweat, and tears for the cause of freedom. Jesus tells us, “I’ve come to set the captives free.” The servant is no better, no different, than his Master. The bottom line of war is victory, and this war is for an eternal prize.

We honor our veterans this week, and rightly so. Let their sacrifices for our country inspire you to even higher things. You and I are called to fight the good fight and run the race to the finish line. Performing our mission as good Catholics and Christians affects countless other souls, some we know, some we don’t. So, as St. Paul cautions us, “Don’t shadow box. Fight so as to win.” Don’t imagine there is not a moral and spiritual war either. This fight results in victory or defeat, Heaven or hell, forever.

God bless you,

Fr. John Corapi

Thank you, Ginger and Charlotte for hosting Spiritual Sundays weekly. Go here for more inspiration.

May God Bless You,

Katherine

Spiritual Sunday

2009-10-31T21:51:00.005-04:00

Thanks to Charlotte and Ginger for hosting Spiritual Sundays, go here for more inspiration.

I'm posting this on Saturday night, Halloween. I hope you don't mind that I'm posting something heavy for Spiritual Sunday. Well, to think of it all things of the Lord are "heavy" - with importance! This one is something some people don't like to think about or talk about.

We enjoy watching Fr. John Corapi on EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network) on Saturday and Sunday nights, and Mondays at 1 p.m. We have also seen him in person a few years ago when he spoke at a church here where we live. He is truly a Man of God. We receive weekly email from his website and this was part of last week's. Katherine

The Battle Between Good and Evil

As Halloween approaches, we are surrounded by themes of the occult, ghosts, demons, curses, and hauntings. Demonic and occult themes permeate the media at this time of year. Most of this material is pure fiction, yet the part that is not fiction is an acknowledgment that angels and demons exist.

One cannot understand reality if one brackets out a large portion of reality - the preternatural order (angels and demons). If you try to arrive at valid conclusions concerning reality, but have left out a good part of that reality you are engaged in an exercise in futility. So many things today can only be understood in the light of this spiritual reality. Have you ever wondered why so many apparently educated and intelligent people just don't get it, especially with respect to such life and death matters as abortion?

There is a battle that goes on in the spiritual order between the forces of God and the forces of Satan, "the adversary." This battle between cosmic good and evil, between angels and demons, has man caught in the crosshairs. Man is an active player in his own salvation. We need the help of our allies the angels. To fail to enlist their help is reckless. To fail to realize the reality of the enemy forces, the demonic legions, can be ultimately and eternally fatal.

We are at war and our battle is not against flesh and blood, as St. Paul warns us in Ephesians 6. The battle between good and evil, truth and lies, life and death involves these angelic legions - good and evil. We are soldiers in God's army, like it or not, believe it or not. We must be aware of these fundamental teachings, learn them, and live in accordance with them.

God bless you,

Fr. John Corapi

Spiritual Sunday

2009-10-24T23:52:00.003-04:00

For today's Spiritual Sunday I'm sharing one of Joel Osteen's devotional from this past week. Thank you, Ginger and Charlotte for hosting SS weekly! Go here for more inspiration from many lovely Christian people!

Katherine

In Due Season

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

"I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase and the trees of the field yield their fruit"
(Leviticus 26:4, AMP)

TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria

God has set up seasons in our lives. It's easy to get frustrated when our dreams aren't coming to pass on our timetable, but every season is not harvest season. There are plowing seasons. There are planting seasons. There are watering seasons. Sure, we would love for every season to be a time of increase left and right, good breaks here and there. But without the other seasons, we wouldn't be prepared. For example, it's during the plowing seasons that God brings issues to light that we need to deal with. He's getting us prepared for promotion.

If you're not making as much progress as you would like, the key is to not lose any ground. Don't go backwards. Hold your position. Keep a good attitude and do the right thing even when it's hard. When you do that, you are passing the test, and God promises that your due season of harvest is coming. Be encouraged because your appointed time of increase, favor, and promotion is on its way, and He will fulfill every dream and desire He's placed within your heart!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

"Father God, I bless You today. I thank You for preparing me for the blessing and promotion You have in my future. I surrender my heart, mind, will and emotions to You so that I can live as a testimony of Your work in my life. In Jesus' Name. Amen."

Pumpkins

2009-10-17T21:53:00.003-04:00

Being a Christian is like being a pumpkin.

God lifts you up, takes you in, and washes all the dirt off of you.

He opens you up, touches you deep inside and scoops out all the yucky stuff-- including the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc.

Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside you to shine for all the world to see.

I liked this enough to share with all the pumpkins in my patch.

Happy Fall, Ya’ll!

I haven't been able to participate in Spiritual Sundays in a while. Last week I posted this on my other blog and decided to share it with all of you that didn't see it. I hope it hasn't been posted before!

Thanks to Charlotte and Ginger for hosting Spiritual Sundays. Go here for more inspiration.

God Bless,

Katherine

IGBOK

2009-08-15T23:14:00.006-04:00

I haven't participated is Spiritual Sundays in a while, but have something to share that I haven't heard about before, maybe you have. David Arms - a friend shared this artist and his website with me a few weeks ago. I had never seen his paintings, or heard of him. I want to share his thoughts that I took from his website, I hope he doesn't mind. I really like the acronym IGBOK, it is easy to remember when things aren't going well.

The acronym is for "It's going to be okay."

(From http://davidarms.com/ ) It's gonna be o.k. The universal language of hope. When a child skins a knee or gets their feelings hurt; when the medical tests aren’t good; when our hearts are crushed and disappointment overwhelms; when the money is short and the job is gone; when fear rolls in like a storm and anxiety hovers like fog; when dreams die and hope seems to evaporate; when life is not going the way we thought it would – these are the words we long to hear ... and believe.

"igbok" is a fresh, provocative look at my life message - hope. Real, authentic, trustworthy and life giving hope.

Over the years I have been drawn toward a message of faith and hope, trying to convey them using everyday ordinary things in my paintings. If hope is anything, it's accessible - just like the ordinary things of life.

Similarly, it seems most of my work flows out of ordinary conversations. Lloyd Shadrach and I have been discussing the nature of faith and hope since our friendship began in 2004, and this past summer one of those conversations birthed the idea of "igbok."

We both began to connect this phrase to the promises of God and have come to believe that God's promise to fragile, fearful people when life overwhelms is quite simply..."it's gonna be o.k."

When the rain was over and God wanted Noah to understand that He would never forsake us, He made an unbreakable promise, a covenant. And guess how He signed His name? A rainbow.

I think in those six colors arced across the heavens God is saying - "it's gonna be o.k."

As you contemplate these "igbok" paintings, look for God's signature. In a few it shouts, but in most it's simply a whisper, a subtle but sure reminder that whatever is troubling you... God is with you and makes a promise only He can keep...

igbok

The only way to know that "it's gonna be o.k." is to know and believe God's promise. He made an unbreakable covenant to us that He will make all things right one day. In this life, His promises come amid the darkness where we reach out in faith.

"Ultiimately "o.k." is not about circumstances in this life which is temporal. It's really about God's promise to make everything o.k. in the life to come which is forever." — David Arms

One of his paintings has a floating lid with "the invisible hand of God" Go here to see them: http://davidarms.com/

"For me, I have to know that hand is there for me. It is that invisible hand that keeps, holds and fills me." — David Arms

A floating lid represents the hand of God - you cannot see the hand, but you can see what the hand does. He fills us with fruit not to stay contained, but to overflow all around us.

If our heads stay down, it can feel so hopeless and too much to bear. It is when we lift our eyes that we see hope." — David Arms

Fear has a way of keeping our eyes on the horizon where dark clouds gather into darkness. Hope, on the other hand, pulls our eyes upward off the horizon to see that the clouds are breaking and light pours through.

http://davidarms.com/

igbok

"it's gonna be o.k."

I love this familiar phrase because I believe it is the universal language of hope.

Think about it...

When a child skins a knee or gets their feelings hurt; when the medical tests aren't good; when our hearts are crushed and disappointment overwhelms; when the money is short and the job is gone; when fear rolls in like a storm and anxiety hovers like a fog; when dreams die and hope seems to evaporate; when life is not going the way we thought it would...

Aren't these the words we long to hear...and believe? (From http://davidarms.com/ )

Thanks to Charlotte and Ginger for hosting Spiritual Sundays, go here for more inspiration.

It's going to be o.k!

Katherine

Spiritual Sundays

2009-07-12T13:41:00.005-04:00

I haven't joined in on Spiritual Sundays in a while. Thanks to Charlotte and Ginger for hosting the SSs each week. Go here for more inspiration.

I hope this story hasn’t been used on SS before.

Today I would like to share a portion my former pastor’s book. The book is Bless and Be Blessed, How your words can make a difference, by Peter Lord. I was in Peter Lord’s Baptist church for over 20 years. Below is a story he used in one of his sermons back in the 80s, it was one of my favorites and has stuck with me through the years. I am so glad he added it to one of his books that was published a few years ago.

The Johnny Lingo Story

The Johnny Lingo Story has been made into a short move, and it has been told and retold in many publications, but it is worth telling again.

Johnny was a great trader and the richest man in all the Caribbean Islands. Besides this, he was good looking and a very eligible bachelor. All the girls wanted to marry him. In fact he could have had anyone he wanted. No one could understand why he chose Lucita.

A person with the gift of mercy would describe Lucita as plain. That would, in fact, be a very generous description. For years her father had verbally abused her. The marks of a bad self-image and low self-esteem were written all over her.

It was customary on Lucita’s island for a man to give a dowry for a wife. The dowry was always in cows. An average bride would bring three cows. Very attractive women were worth four to six cows. Lucita’s father knew he would be lucky to get two cows for Lucita, especially because he was up against the smartest trader on the island. So he decided he would ask for two cows and settle for one.

The day of the engagement was a very important day on the island. When Johnny came to ask for Lucita;s hand in marriage, the whole community gathered at the home of the bride-to-be. After the necessary introductory formalities, Lucita’s father asked Johnny what he was offering for his daughter. Without hesitation Johnny offered eight cows.

The crowd was stunned. Lucita’s father could not believe his ears. Had Johnny gone crazy or blind? Why did the smartest trader in all the islands offer eight cows for someone who could have been had for one? Lucita’s father quickly accepted Johnny’s offer.

Johnny Lingo and Lucita were married, and in a short period of time, Lucita developed into t he most beautiful woman in the islands. The townspeople were amazed at the transformation. So was Lucita’s father, who accused Johnny of cheating him. “You should have paid me ten cows,” he claimed.

What was Johnny Lingo’s secret? What did he know that could transform a person so radically? He had learned that if you treat another person as though she were what she could become, that is what she will become. Johnny wanted an eight-cow wife, so he treated Lucita like one from the beginning.

Isn’t this the way God has treated us? Despite our ugliness, our sin, he traded very highly for us? He gave his only Son for us. And now he treats us as his children. This is very hard for us to grasp and accept because of the negative world in which we live, but it illustrates the power of eulogy no matter how it is given.

At the end of each chapter is a Blessing Exercise, this is at the end of this chapter: Can you recall a time when someone spoke a good word to you that strongly impacted your life? Can you remember doing that for someone else?

Katherine

Rain

2009-05-30T23:07:00.004-04:00

Since we've had so much rain here in Florida in the past weeks I think these two messages, both by Joel Osteen, are very appropriate and food for thought.

Go here for lots more inspiration. Thanks, Charlotte and Ginger for hosting Spiritual Sundays! I've missed a few Spiritual Sundays due to vacation and we will be gone again soon.

Living in the Rain

Today's Scripture

"Just as the rain and snow descend from the skies and don't go back until they've watered the earth, making things grow and blossom…so will the words that come out My mouth not come back empty-handed. They'll do the work I sent them to do" (Isaiah 55:10-11, Message).

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria

Rain is symbolic of God's blessing, favor, and refreshing. His Word is like rain that causes us to flourish and blossom in every area of life. The scripture says we should live like a well-watered garden, vibrant and growing. We should live under God's cloud of blessing. How do we do that? In the natural, a cloud is formed when moisture vapors rise up from the earth into the atmosphere. Eventually, the moisture is so abundant that the rain begins to fall. In the same way, your praise is like the invisible vapors that rise up to heaven and form a cloud. Eventually, your praise will activate an outpouring of God's blessing, favor, and provision in your life.

Do you feel like you are in a dry season? Begin to praise and thank God that He is bringing you through to a place of refreshing. Magnify and bless Him for His goodness in your life. As you turn up your praise, God will turn up the rain and you will experience His abundant outpouring. You'll experience His blessing and provision and live as an overcomer in every area of your life.

A Prayer for Today

Heavenly Father, today I choose to bless and honor You. Thank You for this day. Thank You for giving me life. Thank you for making me new. Thank you for saving me and filling me with Your peace and joy. Rain on me today. In Jesus' name, Amen.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Living In The Rain of God's Favor

God longs for us to be like a well watered garden, flourishing, full of joy, always in blossom. Yet many times, due to situations that are happening in our lives, we don’t necessarily feel like we are in full blossom, rather we feel like we’re in a dry spell.

When this happens, instead of giving up and accepting your present circumstance as your lot in life, decide to praise God more than you ever have. In the Bible, the psalmist said, “I will keep on hoping for You to help me. I will praise You more and more.” When we decide to give God praise, something powerful and supernatural happens. Peace, joy and divine favor begin to rain down over our lives.

By praising God at all times, what happens in the natural with rain, will be the same spiritually over your lives; a cloud can only hold so much condensation, so many vapors, before it releases. In the same way, when you keep sending up praise, you keep singing, “God is good all the time,” that cloud can only hold so much before the blessings come bursting back down. When you stay full of praise, God’s blessing will begin raining down, making sure that you are always in blossom; causing you to bloom where you’re currently planted, even if you’re in a dry spell!

Thank you, Lord, for rain!

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-09T21:21:00.009-04:00

Your mother is always with you.
She's the whisper of leaves as you walk down the street,
She's the smell of certain foods you remember.
Flowers you pick, and perfume she wore.
She's the cool hand on your brow when you're not feeling well.
She's your breath in the air on a cold winter's day.
She is the sound of the rain that lulls you to sleep, the colors of a Rainbow, She is Christmas morning.
Your mother lives inside your laughter.
She is crystallized in every teardrop.
A mother shows every emotion...happiness, sadness, fear, jealousy, love, hate, anger, helplessness, excitement, joy, sorrow,...and all the while, hoping and praying that you will only know the good feelings in life.
She's the place you came from, your first home and she's the map you follow with every step you take. She's your first love, your first friend, even your first enemy, but nothing on earth can separate you…not time, not space....not even death.

Someone sent this to me and I want to share it with you. There was no author listed.

In memory of my mother who passed away January, 1991.

I hope you enjoyed my Spiritual Sunday contribution today. Go here for lots more inspiration.

Thanks, Charlotte and Ginger for hosting the Spiritual Sundays!

Have a Happy Mother's Day!

God Bless.

Katherine

P.S. - We are on vacation this week (Marco Island, FL) so I may not be online very much.

Cell phone vs. Bible

2009-05-02T22:45:00.003-04:00

Have you ever read this before?

Cell phone vs. Bible

Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone?

What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?

What if we flipped through it several time a day?

What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?

What if we used it to receive messages from the text?

What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?

What if we gave it to kids as gifts?

What if we used it when we traveled?

What if we used it in case of emergency?

This is something to make you go....hmm...where is my Bible?

Oh, and one more thing. Unlike our cell phone, we don't have to worry about our Bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill.

Makes you stop and think 'where are my priorities? And no dropped calls!

'Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.'

Trust in the Lord and *ASAP (Always Say A Prayer)

Have a blessed and wonderful day!

Katherine

Go here for more Spiritual Sunday inspiration.

A Prayer, and something to think about

2009-04-18T23:45:00.003-04:00

I haven't been able to join in Spiritual Sunday in a while. Today I'm sharing two things that were in our church bulletin.

The first is a prayer to pray before going on the internet.

Almighty and eternal God, who created us in Your image and taught us to seek after all that is good, true and beautiful, especially in the divine person of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, grant, we ask You, that during our journeys through the internet, we will direct our hands and eyes only to that which is pleasing to You and treat with charity and patience all those souls whom we encounter. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Reflection Questions for Family Discussion
1. Share a time in your life when your heart seemed like a mixture of belief and lack of faith at the same time.

2. Relate an experience that brought peace to your life in the middle of difficulties.

3. Who do you know who lives and acts as if Christ is truly alive? How does this person affect you?

Go here for more inspiration.

Good Friday

2009-04-10T00:40:00.008-04:00

This is my favorite Easter decoration. My husband made the crown of thorns from a vine on our bouganvillia bush. The old family bible is about a hundred years old.

This vignette is in a niche between our dining room and living room.

I received this nail on Easter Sunday at our church several years ago.
A message is in the nail.
This nail haunts me as I study it and visualize how the nails, which were much bigger, were hammered into Jesus' wrists and feet.
His love for us is symbolized in those nails.
He died for me, and for you.

Please click here:

http://andiesisle.com/thewayofsuffering.html

Send your tea bags!

2009-03-29T00:27:00.002-04:00

I've been hearing a lot about this and want to participate. I've heard that you can just send the tag from the tea bag, or cut the bag and take out the tea leaves and send the empty bag so it can't be mistaken for anything else.

You can read more about it here on Snopes ,
http://www.snopes.com/politics/taxes/teaparty.asp
Snopes also gives P.O. info on sizes of envelopes etc.

Here's the original message:
There's a storm abrewin'. What happens when good, responsible people keep quiet? Washington has forgotten they work for us. We don't work for them. Throwing good money after bad is NOT the answer. I am sick of the midnight, closed door sessions to come up with a plan. I am sick of Congress raking CEO's over the coals while they, themselves, have defaulted on their taxes. I am sick of the bailed out companies having lavish vacations and retreats on my dollar. I am sick of being told it is MY responsibility to rescue people that, knowingly, bought more house than they could afford. I am sick of being made to feel it is my patriotic duty to pay MORE taxes. I, like all of you, am a responsible citizen. I pay my taxes. I live on a budget and I don't ask someone else to carry the burden for poor decisions I may make. I have emailed my congressmen and senators asking them to NOT vote for the stimulus package as it was written without reading it first. No one listened. They voted for it, pork and all.

O.K. folks, here it is. You may think you are just one voice and what you think won't make a difference. Well, yes it will and YES, WE CAN!! If you are disgusted and angry with the way Washington is handling our taxes. If you are fearful of the fallout from the wreckless spending of BILLIONS to bailout and "stimulate" without accountability and responsibility then we need to become ONE, LOUD VOICE THAT CAN BE HEARD FROM EVERY CITY, TOWN, SUBURB AND HOME IN AMERICA. There is a growing protest to demand that Congress, the President and his cabinet LISTEN to us, the American Citizens. What is being done in Washington is NOT the way to handle the economic free fall.

So, here's the plan. On April 1, 2009, all Americans are asked to send a TEABAG to Washinton , D.C. You do not have to enclose a note or any other information unless you so desire. Just a TEABAG. Many cities are organizing protests. If you simply search, "New American Tea Party", several sites will come up. If you aren't the 'protester' type, simply make your one voice heard with a TEABAG. Your one voice will become a roar when joined with millions of others that feel the same way. Yes, something needs to be done but the lack of confidence as shown by the steady decline in the stock market speaks volumes.

This was not my idea. I visited the sites of the 'New American Tea Party' and an online survey showed over 90% of thousands said they would send the teabag on April 1. Why, April 1?? We want them to reach Washington by April 15. Will you do it? I will.

Send it to: President Obama 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Washington , D.C. 20500

Forward this to everyone in your address book. Visit the website below for more information about the 'New American Tea Party'. I would encourage everyone to go ahead and get the envelope ready to mail, then just drop it in the mail April 1. Can't guarantee what the postage will be by then, it is going up as we speak, but have your envelope ready. What will this cost you? A little time and a 40 something cent stamp.

What could you receive in benefits? Maybe, just maybe, our elected officials will start to listen to the people. Take out the Pork. Tell us how the money is being spent. We want TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. Remember, the money will be spent over the next 4-5 years. It is not too late.

Difficulties

2009-02-28T21:27:00.008-05:00

First I want to thank you for your prayers for me last week for my eye surgery! Everything went well, I can see a little better with this eye. I'm so thankful for modern technology and what they can do for our eyes these days! PTL! I'll have the second eye done in three weeks. I'm looking forward to having better vision in both eyes soon!

Today I'm sharing another Joel Osteen devotional. I hope it encourages you. Go here for more inspiration on Spiritual Sundays.

He Will Harden You to Difficulty

Today's Scripture
"Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice" (Isaiah 41:10, AMP).

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria
It's easy to look around at what's happening in the earth today and be tempted to feel afraid or dismayed. Circumstances may seem overwhelming. Maybe your business is struggling, maybe you lost your job, maybe you're struggling in a relationship or concerned about the economy. During times like these, it's important to remember that God has promised that He will never leave us nor forsake us. In fact, not only is He with us, He has promised to strengthen us and harden us to difficulties. That means, when tough times come, they just bounce right off of you. You don't allow your circumstances to steal your peace and joy. You have the attitude that says, "This may be a big problem, but my God is bigger!"

Keep in mind that the enemy isn't after your checkbook; he's ultimately after your peace and joy. He knows that if he can get your joy then he can get your strength. But when you stay connected to the Father through prayer and studying the Word and declare His promises over your life, you'll be hardened to difficulties and stay safe in the palm of God's hand!

A Prayer for Today
Father in heaven, thank You for Your precious promises. I renounce fear today and choose to trust that You have a plan of victory in store for me. Thank You for filling me with Your peace and joy and staying close to me all the days of my life. In Jesus' Name. Amen

Prayer and Prayer Request

2009-02-21T22:10:00.003-05:00

I need prayer. Today I'm feeling a little depressed. I've had problems with depression many years ago, and ocassionally it rears it ugly head again. I'm physically down, nothing serious, just a headache from eyedrops. I'm having my first cataract surgery Monday and I have to do two kinds of eyedrops three times a day for three days before surgery. My eyes do not like anything in them, the second a drop goes in I immediately get a headache, my whole head - eyes, teeth, nose, etc! My prayer request is for safety and protection of my eyes, and for skill for the doctor! Everyone I've talked to who has had this surgery says it is a snap! I hope I can say this! I know, I'm a big whimp!! LOL! (In three weeks I get to do all this all over again, when I have my right eye done!)

I received this prayer this week by email, and in lieu of my whining above I'm posting it as a reminder to all of us, especially me!!

Katherine

Lord,
WE THANK YOU FOR THE BLESSINGS IN OUR LIVES.
From the fullness of His grace we have all received one
blessing after another. John 1:16
WE HUMBLY GIVE THIS DAY TO YOU.
This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be
glad in it. Psalm 118:24
WE COMMIT OUR FAMILY TO YOUR KINGDOM.
As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.
Joshua 24:15
SURROUND OUR HOME AND EACH OF US WITH
YOUR PROTECTION.
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in
trouble. Psalm 46:1
GIVE US PEACE EVEN WHEN WE HAVE MUCH TO DO
AND MANY PLACES TO GO.
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. John 14:27
FILL OUR HEARTS WITH LOVE FOR YOU, EACH
OTHER, AND THOSE AROUND US.
Love one another, for love comes from God. 1 John 4:7
HELP US TO FULFILL YOUR PLANS AND MAKE A
DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD.
“For I know the plans I have for you…plans to give you
hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
OUR FAMILY IS YOURS, TODAY AND ALWAYS.
AMEN.
-by Holley Gerth
From DaySpring

Go to Charlotte's Spiritual Sundays for inspiration and to post your Spiritual Sunday.

Love Quotes

2009-02-14T22:38:00.004-05:00

Love quotes from Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Do not think that love, in order to be genuine, has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired.

Good works are links that form a chain of love.

I am not sure exactly what heaven will be like, but I don't know that when we die and it comes time for God to judge us, he will NOT ask "How many good things have you done in your life?" Rather he will ask: "How much LOVE did you put into what you did?"

I try to give to the poor people for love what the rich could get for money. No, I wouldn't touch a leper for a thousand pounds; yet I willingly cure him for the love of God.

If we want a love message to be heard, it has got to be sent out. To keep a lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil in it.

Intense love does not measure, it just gives.

Love begins by taking care of the closest ones - the ones at home.

Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand.

Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier. The success of love is in the loving - it is not in the result of loving. Of course it is natural in love to want the best for the other person, but whether it turns out that way or not does not determine the value of what we have done.

Go here for lots more inspiration!

I hope you had a wonderful Valentine's Day filled with the love of God!

Katherine

Be Not Afraid

2009-01-25T22:09:00.032-05:00

For Spiritual Sunday I'm sharing a song that was sung at our church tonight. It is one of my favorite songs and I have felt God speaking to me many times when this song has been sung.

Here are the words:

Be Not Afraid

You shall cross the barren desert
But you shall not die of thirst.
You shall wander far in safety
Thought you do not know the way.
You shall speak your words in foreign lands
And all will understand.
You shall see the face of God and live.

Be not afraid.

I go before you always.
Come, follow me,
And I will give you rest.

If you pass through raging waters in the sea,

You shall not drown.
If you walk amid the burning flames,
You shall not be harmed.
If you stand before the power of hell
And death is at your side,
Know that I am with you through it all.

Be not afraid.
I go before you always.
Come, follow me,
And I will give you rest.

Blessed are your poor,
For the kingdom shall be theirs.
Blest are you that weep and mourn,

For one day you shall laugh.
And if wicked tongues insult and hate you
All because of me,
Blessed, blessed are you!

Be not afraid.

I go before you always.
Come, follow me,
And I will give you rest.
Written by Robert Dufford

Go here to Spiritual Sundays for much more inspiration.

Katherine

A New Year's Project

2008-12-28T20:02:00.006-05:00

The following was in our church bulletin a few weeks ago. First of all, I like what she says about death, for me this is a new way of looking at death.

One of my New Year's Resolutions is to do this project to leave for my family. I plan to write it in a pretty book that has blank pages for writing life story, etc. I'll leave blank pages inbetween each subject for adding to as I think of new things to write. I'm sharing this suggestion of writing Your Testament with all of you, perhaps you may want to do one for your family.

-----------------------------------------

From our church bulletin:

During the last weeks of the year think about the end of time. The phrase “the end of time” may strike a chord of fear in us. A picture of a fearsome, prophetic looking man with a sign around his neck that says “the end is near!” You better pray harder!” is part of our popular culture.

For us, death is a friend, a gateway to hope.

St. Margaret of Colonna said on her deathbed, “I thank Thee, dear Lord, for having permitted my body to become weak and infirm, so that I could the more freely return my soul to Thee.” Death is our return to God, our birth into the fullness of life promised by Jesus Christ.
To help us enter into the mystery of the end of time, I would like to share with you a reflection exercise by the Jesuit writer Anthony de Mello, a priest who conducted workshops throughout the world on the subject of prayer and reflective living. This reflection tool helps us to write down the story of our life. Writing down our personal story is the best gift we can give to our families. (Fr. Al Esposito)

A Testament
I imagine that today I am to die.

I ask for time to be alone and write down for my friends a testament for which the points that follow could serve as chapter titles.

“To reveal myself openly and honestly takes the rawest kind of courage – (John Powell, SJ)

1. These things I have loved in life (things I tasted, looked at, smelled, heard, touched)

2. These experiences I have cherished:

3. These ideas have brought me liberation:

4. These beliefs I have outgrown:

5. These convictions I have lived by:

6. These are the things I have lived for:

7. These insights I have gained in the school of life;
( insights into God, the world, human nature, Jesus Christ, love, religion, prayer)

8. These risks I took, these dangers I courted:

9. These sufferings have seasoned me:

10. These lessons life has taught me:

11. These influences have shaped my life (persons, occupations, books, events):

12. These things I regret about my life:

13. These scripture texts have lit my path:

14. These are my life’s achievements:

15. These persons are enshrined within my heart:

16. These are my unfulfilled desires:

Choose an ending for your testament. A poem (my own or someone else’s), a prayer, a sketch or picture (from a magazine, etc.) a scripture text, or anything that would be an apt conclusion to my testament.

-----------------------------------------

Go to Charlotte's site for more Spiritual Sunday inspiration.

Katherine

Christmas: God's Grace at Work

2008-12-21T00:41:00.004-05:00

Time for Charlotte's Spiritual Sundays, go here for lots more inspiration.

Again today I'm sharing another one of Rick Warren's devotionals.

Christmas: God’s Grace at Work

by Rick Warren

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NLT)
*** *** *** ***
God says, “I will give you my grace.” What is grace? That’s when God gives you what you need, not what you deserve. Grace is when God says, “I’m going to take your problem and make it my problem.” Grace is God’s Riches given to you At Christ’s Expense.

The Bible says: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV). In other words, you can’t earn your way to heaven. You can’t work your way in. It’s just a gift.
Did you know that’s why we give gifts at Christmas? Because that’s when God gave the gift of his Son to you – by grace. We give gifts because God gave us the greatest gift at Christmas.

I know I don’t look like it today, but for three years I was a lifeguard. And every lifeguard knows you can’t save someone as long as they are trying to save themselves. If somebody is drowning and flailing around in panic, a lifeguard knows to just stay back for a few seconds and wait until they give up. Because if you try to save them while they’re trying to save themselves, they will pull you under too.

When they finally give up, they relax, you put your arm around them and just swim back to shore. It’s really quite easy.

God wants to save you. Jesus Christ wants to save you from your hurts, your habits, and your hang-ups. He wants to save you for his purpose and by his grace. But you’ve got to quit trying to do it yourself. You’ve got to relax. You need to let go and let God be God.

True Meaning of Christmas

2008-12-14T01:39:00.005-05:00

Go here for more inspiration

I'm sharing an email I received this past week.

                            TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS 

 Just a week before Christmas I had a visitor. This is how it
happened. I just finished the household chores for the night and was
preparing to go to bed, when I heard a noise in the front of the
house. I opened the door to the front room and to my surprise, Santa
himself stepped out next to the fireplace.
 
 "What are you doing?" I started to ask. The words choked up in my
throat and I saw he had tears in his eyes. His usual jolly manner was
gone. Gone was the eager, boisterous soul we all know. He then
answered me with a simple statement . . . 

 "TEACH THE CHILDREN!" I was puzzled. What did he mean? He
anticipated my question and with one quick movement brought forth a
miniature toy bag from behind the tree. As I stood bewildered, Santa
said, "Teach the children! 

 Teach them the old meaning of Christmas. The meaning that now-a-days
Christmas has forgotten. "Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out
a FIR TREE and placed it before the mantle. "Teach the children that
the pure green color of the stately fir tree remains green all year
round, depicting the everlasting hope of mankind, all the needles
point heavenward, making it a symbol of man's thoughts turning toward
heaven."  

 He again reached into his bag and pulled out a brilliant STAR.
"Teach the children that the star was the heavenly sign of promises
long ago. God promised a Savior for the world, and the star was the
sign of fulfillment of His promise." 
 
 He then reached into his bag and pulled out a CANDLE. "Teach the
children that the candle symbolizes that Christ is the light of the
world, and when we see this great light we are reminded of He who
displaces the darkness."  

 Once again he reached into his bag and removed a WREATH and placed
it on the tree. "Teach the children that the wreath symbolizes the
real nature of love. Real love never ceases. Love is one continuous
round of affection." 
 
 He then pulled from his bag an ORNAMENT of himself. "Teach the
children that I, Santa Claus, symbolize the generosity and good will
we feel during the month of December." 
 
 He then brought out a HOLLY LEAF. "Teach the children that the holly
plant represents immortality. It represents the crown of thorns worn
by our Savior. The red holly berries represent the blood shed by Him.
 
 Next he pulled from his bag a GIFT and said, "Teach the children
that God so loved the world that he gave his begotten son." Thanks be
to God for his unspeakable gift. 
 
 Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a CANDY CANE and hung
it on the tree. "Teach the children that the candy cane represents
the shepherds' crook. The crook on the staff helps to bring back
strayed sheep to the flock. The candy cane is the symbol that we are
our brother's keeper."
 
 He reached in again and pulled out an ANGEL. "Teach the children
that it was the angels that heralded in the glorious news of the
Savior's birth. The angels sang Glory to God in the highest, on earth
peace and good will toward men."
 
 Suddenly I heard a soft twinkling sound, and from his bag he pulled
out a BELL,. "Teach the children that as the lost sheep are found by
the sound of the bell, it should ring mankind to the fold. The bell
symbolizes guidance and return. 
 
 Santa looked back and was pleased. He looked back at me and I saw
that the twinkle was back in his eyes. He said, "Remember, teach the
children the true meaning of Christmas and do not put me in the
center, for I am but a humble servant of the One that is, and I bow
down to worship him, our LORD, our GOD."

A Surprise!!

2008-12-07T22:08:00.003-05:00

A large package was left on our doorstep! We weren't expecting any orders, so this was a surprise. When we opened it we found a live greenery wreath! And it is in the shape of a cross! At first we couldn't find who it was from, but finally found on the invoice that it is from our little two-year old grandson, Caden! He and his parents were just here with us for Thanksgiving. This wreath smells soooo good! It's been many years since we've had real greenery to decorate with at Christmastime.

While on the subject of surprise, I remembered another Joel Osteen devotional I read and had filed. Here it is:

God wants to Surprise You
by Joel Osteen

God wants to surprise and bless you. Just like a surprise in our every day lives from a loved ones causes much delight and joy, making us feel special, God wants to surprise us with His goodness. When we take the time to realize the small surprises that show up in our lives, this will create an attitude of faith and joy. He even wants to take what seems to be a setback or distraction in our lives, and turn it around to bless us; surprising us!

The Scripture says in Deuteronomy 28, “If we will keep God first place, if we will walk in His ways, all these blessings will overtake us.” That means you won’t be able to outrun the good things of God. One translation of the word “overtake” means “to catch by surprise.” Our Heavenly Father wants to be good to us. He wants to amaze us with His goodness. We should get up every morning with the attitude, “I can’t wait to see what God is going to do!” And you may have had some victories in the past, but you haven’t seen anything yet; God is about to super size your dreams

Faith Filled Words

2008-12-06T22:38:00.003-05:00

I receive Joel Osteen and Rick Warren's daily devotionals. I make myself take the time to read them! They are both very inspiring and uplifting to me. This is about all I have time to post on Power of Prayer these days, I hope you benefit from this.

Katherine

Speaking Faith Filled Words

by Joel Osteen

Our words have creative power. With our words we can either bless our future or we can curse our future. If we are going to see God's best unfold in our lives, we have to stay on the offensive and speak words of victory. You see, it's not enough to just think it and believe it. You have to give life to your faith by speaking it out.

When we speak God's Word, the moment His promises come out of your mouth, in the unseen realm, something happens. You may not see it for a week, a year, or even ten years, but that does not mean it's not going to happen. Too often we cancel out our promises by speaking negative words. We should be determined that we are going to watch over what comes out of our mouth. No matter how long it's taking, or how it looks, we should keep declaring favor and faith over our situations. If you'll get in the habit of declaring favor and speaking faith filled words, you're going to see negative situations turn around. Your mountains are going to turn into molehills. Hold fast the profession of your faith. Be amazed as God shows up in big ways in your life.

Let God Solve Your Problems

2008-12-03T08:25:00.003-05:00

Rick Warren's daily devotional this morning was especially good and I want to share it with you.
Katherine

Whose Battle Is It?
by Rick Warren

“But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord’s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out there tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!” 2 Chronicles 20:17 (NLT)
*** *** *** ***

In today’s passage, God is talking to King Jehoshaphat and the Israelites. They’re about to be attacked by three enemies: the Moabites, the Ammonites, and the Meunites.
Jehoshaphat had to be worried about how his people could defend themselves in such a battle, but God knew exactly what Jehoshaphat was thinking. He said, “You will not have to fight in this battle.” Now, that’s the kind of battle I like!

What God tells Jehoshaphat in this passage, and what he would remind us today, is this: “The battle is not yours; it’s mine. You don’t have to fight in it.”

In other words, it’s God’s problem. Let him solve it.

The fact is if you are God’s child, then your problems are his problems. And he’s much better at fighting your battles and solving your problems than you will ever be. Your job is to trust him to work it all out. Perhaps the reason we have so many tired, fatigued, and discouraged Christians is because we think, “It all depends on me.”

The day you resign as General Manager of the Universe, you’re going to find that it doesn’t fall apart. You can relax in faith, trusting that God is able to run things without your help.
Twice in this passage it says, “Don’t be afraid,” and “Don’t be discouraged.” When you face a seemingly impossible situation, don’t be afraid and don’t be discouraged. Has God ever lost a battle? No. He doesn’t lose battles.

There’s an important phrase in verse 17. God tells Jehoshaphat, “Take your positions and stand firm.” What does it mean to stand firm? It means to have a mental attitude of quiet confidence. It is never God’s will for you to run from a difficult situation. I’ve discovered that when I run from a difficult situation, inevitably God always brings it back around and gives me another chance.
Why?
Because God wants us to learn – and he wants to teach us through experience – that in every situation he is sufficient. He is competent and capable and he will meet our needs in that situation. Don’t be afraid; fear is the opposite of faith.

You stand firm on two things:
The character of God – He’s faithful. He does not bring us this far just to let us down. He doesn’t bring you out on a limb and then cut off the limb. Have faith in the nature andcharacter of God.
The truth of his Word – God’s Word is faithful. You can count on the promises found in the Bible.
Stand still. Remember Who the battle belongs to. Trust that he is able to deliver you. And then watch him do it!

Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., one of America's largest and best-known churches. In addition, Rick is author of the New York Times bestseller The Purpose Driven Life and The Purpose Driven Church, which was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th Century. He is also founder of Pastors.com, a global Internet community for ministers.

Thankfulness

2008-11-22T21:34:00.004-05:00

Today's Scripture
“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness” (Colossians 2:6-7 NIV).

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria
Are you overflowing with thankfulness? Is your thankfulness spilling out on to the people around you? Don’t just think your thanks, show it! Don’t let the kindness of others go unnoticed. Sometimes it’s easy to take for granted the people who are closest to us, but those are the people we should thank the most. Your family, your friends, the ones who love and support you are the ones who should feel your thankfulness the most. And notice this verse says to live in Christ and be built up in Him. When you build yourself up by studying the Word and praying in the Spirit, then the second part of the verse will just come naturally—you will be strengthened in your faith, and your heart will be filled with thankfulness. Take a step of faith today and begin to show your thankfulness to those around you. Let it overflow on to the people around you. Sow seeds of gratitude and blessing. As you do, you will reap an abundant harvest in return and live the life God has planned for you today!

A Prayer for Today
Heavenly Father, thank You for strengthening me with Your faith and love today. Help me to be a blessing to those around me and give me creative ways to let my life overflow with thankfulness. I bless You today. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
This is another of Joel Osteen's Daily Devotionals

I'll be very busy this coming week (won't we all?) My youngest daughter, Ashleigh, and her little family will be with us for Thanksgiving. Her little two-year-old boy, Caden, will be entertaining us, I can hardly wait! I'm already busy wrapping their Christmas gifts for them to take back home with them. I've also started baking and preparing foods to put in the freezer.

May you have a happy and blessed Thanksgiving.

Katherine

2008-11-19T23:42:00.003-05:00

Living In The Rain of God's Favor

God longs for us to be like a well watered garden, flourishing, full of joy, always in blossom. Yet many times, due to situations that are happening in our lives, we don’t necessarily feel like we are in full blossom, rather we feel like we’re in a dry spell.

When this happens, instead of giving up and accepting your present circumstance as your lot in life, decide to praise God more than you ever have. In the Bible, the psalmist said, “I will keep on hoping for You to help me. I will praise You more and more.” When we decide to give God praise, something powerful and supernatural happens. Peace, joy and divine favor begin to rain down over our lives.

By praising God at all times, what happens in the natural with rain, will be the same spiritually over your lives; a cloud can only hold so much condensation, so many vapors, before it releases. In the same way, when you keep sending up praise, you keep singing, “God is good all the time,” that cloud can only hold so much before the blessings come bursting back down. When you stay full of praise, God’s blessing will begin raining down, making sure that you are always in blossom; causing you to bloom where you’re currently planted, even if you’re in a dry spell!

by Joel Osteen

Not a Time to Despair

2008-11-15T23:59:00.006-05:00

My little 80-year-old Catholic friend sent me this message tonight. It gave me hope, maybe it will give you hope as well. It can help whether you are Catholic or not. It is on the Our Sunday Visitor (OSV) site, see url at end of message. Katherine

By Valerie Schmalz
'These challenges are not a time to despair'

Bishops' pro-life point man urges Catholics to take grassroots action in encouraging Obama administration and Congress to value all life.

Many Catholics were discouraged by the November election because President-elect Barack Obama and an apparent majority of the U.S. House and Senate favor unrestricted access to abortion. But Richard Doerflinger, the point man for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on the life issues, says one advantage of his 28 years working on Capitol Hill is a sense of history -- and Catholics need to re-energize for the new era.

President-elect Obama has pledged to sign a Freedom of Choice Act, and had sponsored it when he was in the Senate. Doerflinger calls that legislation "the doomsday device of the pro-abortion movement." If passed, it would overturn virtually all pro-life laws that have been passed since Roe v. Wade, he said.

"We have to be very forceful and very skillful in building opposition to that," Doerflinger said.
Our Sunday Visitor: Many Catholics prayed novenas, fasted and joined Rosary crusades because of their fears of what a President Barack Obama would mean for the few gains of the pro-life movement. What would you say to them?

Richard Doerflinger: I would say the moral truth of the pro-life position is absolutely what it always was, and Catholics should re-energize themselves to spread that witness in this new situation. We have had presidents and Congresses that were against us on the pro-life issues before, and many times we've done better than we expected but only because we picked ourselves up and continued to advocate strongly to our representatives what our position is.

OSV: What would be an example of that?

Doerflinger: We had a similar situation in 1993. Bill Clinton had been elected president; we had a Democratic House and Senate. Our margin of support on pro-life issues was actually lower in the House then than it is now. And that's the last time we confronted the prospect of the Freedom of Choice Act passing Congress and being signed into law. The Catholic Church mobilized. We sent millions of postcards to Congress against the Freedom of Choice Act, and we prevailed. So much opposition was raised to it that it was never brought to the floor, and two years after the election of Bill Clinton, you had the House switch over to Republican control, there were dozens of new pro-life members and the threat was averted. These challenges are not a time to despair. We have succeeded against great odds before.

OSV: Is there anything we know about President-elect Obama's philosophy or proposed policies that is good news from a pro-life perspective?

Doerflinger: President-elect Obama says that he cares about the downtrodden of society and, certainly, that is a central theme of Catholic social teaching. The question is whether we can convince him and members of Congress that the unborn are the most downtrodden members of society and therefore deserve their regard. Many people voted for this candidate thinking that he and his party will do more to reduce abortions through support for pregnant women. We certainly want to encourage that, and we wait to see if that is really going to be a priority of this administration. If you want to reduce abortions, you can't simultaneously promote abortion through new laws. We will have to see how he handles that contradiction as well.

OSV: It seems as though one of the things the Democratic Party has been doing is backing more conservative Democrats in areas that are more conservative so that potentially there are Democrats in Congress who would not vote for a completely pro-abortion agenda. Is that correct?

Doerflinger: That has been happening, and some of the new Democrats coming in now are pro-life Democrats. We will have to see how strongly they take that stand. But the last congressional election also brought in some new pro-life Demo-crats. So, for example, the Republican Party lost about 21 seats in the House in November, but on pro-life votes, we count a loss of 16. So, we are not going the same way as the party. That is very important, to have support on these issues in both parties. In an election year when being Republican seemed to be the ultimate stigma, I'm glad there were pro-life Democrats running. The question is, of course, what kind of pressure they will face from their own party to conform. But we will be meeting with the new pro-life members at every opportunity and encouraging them to be firm and courageous in defending life.

OSV: When it comes to the Senate, what is the situation?

Doerflinger: For reasons that I am sure political scientists can explain, the Senate does appear to be more along party lines. There are only two Democrats in the Senate who tend to vote with us on the abortion issue, Sen. Bob Casey (Pennsylvania) and Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska. But there are three pro-abortion Republicans, Sens. Arlen Specter (Pennsylvania), Susan Collins (Maine) and Olympia Snowe (Maine). We don't even know who is in the Senate. There are two seats that may not be decided until December (Minnesota and Alaska).

OSV: What would you suggest for people who would like to do something, but cannot devote their whole lives to this?

Doerflinger: There are ways to help on a grassroots level, particularly at the parish level, particularly if the bishops nationally end up doing a campaign through parishes to send the pro-life message to Congress urging Congress to hold onto current pro-life laws. Any Catholic parishioner can assist in that; can offer to be the pro-life coordinator for his or her parish; can offer to collect the petitions; can help to get our educational materials out to their fellow parishioners to inform them more about what's at stake.

Aside from that, just talking about these issues with your neighbors, writing letters to the editor of your local newspaper when editorials and letters are published is helpful, as is writing to your own members of Congress urging them to support pro-life positions. All of these are things we hope every Catholic would do.

OSV: Any other thoughts about the issue of life in the United States?

Doerflinger: Obviously, the moral issue of respect for life goes beyond legislation. We need to be helping to build a culture in which children before and after birth are given respect, in which pregnant women in the community can expect people to gather around in support when she's in need; in which abortion becomes unthinkable even in times when it [will] remain legal for a while to come. In the end we are about changing the law, but we are also about changing hearts and minds.

Key policies and legislation

Based on Richard Doerflinger's analysis of upcoming issues, here are the issues to watch:

SCHIP: Efforts to include abortion and family planning in the health insurance program for uninsured children.

Embryonic stem cell research: Bill to authorize federal funding of research using "leftover" embryos from in-vitro fertilization. An estimated 400,000 embryos are in freezers, and the Senate vote before this election was 63-34 and the bill was only stopped by a veto from President George W. Bush. Expected to take effect. The question is whether funding for human cloning will be added as well.

Hyde Amendment: For 30 years, a rider to the Labor/Health and Human Services appropriation legislation has barred use of federal funds to pay for most abortions. Similar amendments prohibit most abortions in military hospitals, and keeps abortion out of federal employee health programs.

Hyde/Weldon Conscience Protection Amendment: Forbids government discrimination against health care providers that have an objection to abortion.

Freedom of Choice Act: The Freedom of Choice Act would overturn virtually all pro-life laws that have been passed in the 35 years since Roe v. Wade.
International initiatives

Mexico City Policy: Presidential policy against funding organizations that promote abortion as family planning. President-elect Obama is expected to rescind this policy early in his presidency, as did President Bill Clinton during his tenure.

Forced Sterilization and Forced Abortion: The United States currently opposes funding organizations that support or help manage programs using forced abortion or involuntary sterilization. That will be in danger as well.

Foreign Aid: Renewed calls for diverting our foreign assistance program even more into family planning and abortion.

President's Emergency Program for AIDS Relief: This is the program that sends aid for prevention and treatment of AIDS to Africa and other needy countries. Population control enthusiasts wanted to put family planning throughout, but were blocked last year. Says Doerflinger: "We warned in some of our alerts last year that a program for preventing the children of Africa from getting AIDS should not become a program for preventing the children of Africa. This may be a renewed fight." --Valerie Schmalz is an OSV contributing editor.

Let us know what you think! Email feedback@osv.com.

Taken from:
http://www.osv.com/OSVNav/OSVNewsweeklyNovember232008/Thesechallengesarenotatimetodespair/tabid/7095/Default.aspx

Response from Dutch Sheets on the Election

2008-11-06T23:00:00.005-05:00

Dutch Sheets' response to the recent presidential election

Dear Prayer Warriors, I am forwarding a response by Dutch Sheets of the recent Presidential Elections. This is a sober account of what he believes is the ramifications of the choice we made as a nation for these elections. May this move us to more prayer, and to seeking the Lord for strategies to advance His Kingdom at this crucial hour. Blessings,Mary MedfordRegional Coordinator, Carolina Strategic Prayer Alliance

November 6, 2008 Greetings!

I feel certain that many in my stream of the Church want a statement from me concerning Tuesday's presidential election. I will be frank in my remarks but I do not, however, intend to vent anger or attack anyone. I have read several statements from friends and colleagues I respect very much. Their thoughts are well stated and, for the most part, insightful. None of them, however, seem to want to say some things that I believe need to be said. I do not claim infallibility or to have the final word, but my convictions run deep and I believe I bear a God-given responsibility to share them. Was This God's Will?

Was what happened Tuesday God's will? I am quite confident it was not. America was offered a very clear choice between moving further toward protecting the unborn or further away; between a Supreme Court that would move toward honoring God, life and morality or away from it. The stakes couldn't have been higher nor the cost greater. As a nation we put on blinders concerning Barak Obama's background, associations, beliefs and practices, and set these causes back years, possibly decades. And in doing so we took another step away from God and His plans for America, and another step toward judgment. Judgment Will Increase

This is not a fire and brimstone warning from an angry, legalistic preacher. In fact, I feel more sadness and grief than anything else. Perhaps I feel what Jesus felt as He wept for Jerusalem while announcing its judgment. I am not hoping for judgment; I am saying it is inevitable. I don't know where the unbiblical belief comes from that says a nation can live any way it pleases, can reject God and His ways-even mock Him-and not receive His judgments. Nor do I know when the belief came that it is always mean-spirited or judgmental to warn of these things. To the contrary, I believe it is our responsibility.

In warning of judgment, I am not suggesting that God is going to intentially and directly hurt people. Much judgment is simply the absence of God's protection and provision, caused by a rejection of His laws and ways. We have been experiencing some forms of judgment in America for years, but God in His incredible patience and mercy has kept us from the level we've deserved. I believe this will change to a degree and judgment will now increase:

For those in the Church who aligned themselves with pro-abortion forces, I believe judgment will result.· For leaders in the Body of Christ who refused to take a stand for fear of losing people, money, and tax-exempt status-I believe there will be a degree of judgment.· For those, both within the Church and without, who voted money over morality-a potential raise or better health insurance over the life of a baby-there will be judgment. (The irony is that this decision to base one's vote on the hopes of a better economy won't produce the hoped for result anyway.

The scriptures teach that it is righteousness which exalts a nation and that the nation is blessed whose God is the Lord.) I have heard the argument that God cares as much about social justice issues (such as poverty and racism) as He does abortion, making a vote for Obama OK. I certainly believe God puts a very high priority on caring for the poor and I, too, have wanted to see equality demonstrated through a "minority" president. But to equate having a better income or the desire for a first black president, regardless of his positions on abortion and morality, to the issue of killing 50 million babies is not justice-it is a gross distortion of justice and great deception.

I fear that we have been desensitized to this issue of abortion. I believe it kills babies and takes innocent life. I also believe it is blood sacrifice that empowers demons. Let's not forget this in our noble attempts to be kind and conciliatory.

For African Americans I can easily see how it could bring healing to have a first black president, just as it would be for Native Americans to achieve this or for women if a woman were elected president. Again, I have wanted to see justice in this way. I am only saddened that the price for this healing ended up being Barak Obama, a man that will set the cause of life and, most-likely, our God-given destiny as a nation back so drastically. (I also realize there are some who interpret any criticism of Obama as racism. Racism is so NOT what I am about nor what I live, that I will not even dignify any such accusations with a response.)

What Can We Expect? What are some of the judgments we can expect on our nation from this election? · More economic woes· More violence in an already violent nation· Disease and death (satan, who is responsible for these things will have greater inroads to our nation.)· Natural disasters (weather-tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, drought; fires; earthquakes; etc.)· Terrorism (they will fear us much less now)· War, perhaps on our own soil· Judgments relating to the Court. The stacking of the Supreme Court against the sanctity of life and God's influence on America will occur, which will in turn cause the shedding of more innocent blood, more rejection of God's laws and the stealing from us of our godly heritage-all of which will perpetuate a cycle of even more judgment.

How Did This Happen? I've been asked if this could have been averted had there been more prayer. I'm not sure. I believe there was a remnant of Christians fervently praying over these elections-I don't think there was anything more they could have done. Others, obviously, should have done more. The complacency and lack of discernment concerning our real condition in America-especially by the Church-is both appalling and horrifying.

America is in serious trouble and it seems no one wants to say it. Fewer still are willing to do anything to change it. Though I understand our reasons, we must be careful in our attempts to placate our feelings and calm our fears through religious phrases like "God is still on the throne" or "God has a plan". He was on His throne 35 years and 50 million babies ago. And He had a plan back then. The problem is, it was us. I understand our reasons for waving high the banner of God's sovereignty at times like these-it gives us hope. I will wave it, as well. But please be careful with this. Too much emphasis on God's sovereignty and we're worthless; too little and we're hopeless.

Maybe we should say, "we lost a critical battle but God will give us strategy to win the war." Then find the strategy. But still yet, since God is usually willing to work through a remnant, I thought we had enough prayer. Obviously, God decided otherwise. There comes a time when He will not forgive or bless the majority based on the prayers or actions of only a few.

America rejected God and asked for a king; I believe we now have our Saul (see 1 Samuel 8:5-7)-a man who does not have God's heart for America but his own. Like Israel in scripture, our nation believes it can turn from God and still be blessed. In His mercy and justice He will show us otherwise.

Like many, believing I had many promises and confirmations that God would "grace" us with a pro-life president in this election, I failed to consider strongly enough that all promises-even scripture-are conditional 99.9% of the time.

Though I never prophesied or made guarantees that McCain-Palin would win, failing to factor this principle in strongly enough no doubt caused me to share my optimism with others inappropriately. If this caused any harm or confusion, I apologize.

Has the fact that my prayers weren't answered shaken my faith? No. I'm a little confused and discouraged. I'm also somewhat angry at the nation in general and much of the Church. Mostly I'm grieving over the nation and what this will cost us. I am not, however, angry with God and do not question His justice.

And it is not true that we wasted our time, energy and money in our efforts anymore than it is a waste when we share the gospel with people who don't get saved. We must keep in the forefront of our thinking the fact that ultimately we are doing this for Him and that He will reward us for our faithfulness.

And who knows, perhaps He will store up all those prayers for the next battle (Revelation 5:8, 8:3-5). A friend and fellow warrior said it well, "We did 'give it our all.' I know the Lord was pleased with that. A coach wants to know one thing at the end of a heartbreaking sports loss: 'Did you leave it all on the field?' (your passion, your commitment, your strength, your courage, etc.) I know that we 'left it all on the field.' We didn't hold anything back until the game ended. Tragically, it ended in defeat.

We will rise for another day because Jesus is worthy." Where Do We Go from Here? Does this election outcome shake my faith that we can see a great awakening and ultimately reformation in America? Absolutely not (and it strengthens my resolve). We will simply get there through greater pain and loss. Even my passion to see the Supreme Court shift is not from a presupposition that there can be no spiritual awakening without it. It is simply due to my deep conviction that their decisions bring so much death, destruction, curses and judgment to America; and because our full destiny as a nation is unquestionably linked to their decisions.

So, yes, we will get an awakening and reformation; but the reality is that this reformation of the nation will reform the Supreme Court (and government, in general), not vice-versa. My faith has never been in people or a political party; my faith is in the God who works through them.

I've been asked if my feelings about Sarah Palin have changed. They have not. I believe she is an Esther, a Deborah, with a huge mantle from God for reformation. God has a great destiny for her related to this nation if she chooses to continue down this path.

So, in conclusion, we must re-group as an apostolic, praying church and advance. We must maintain an immovable faith in God, His plans for America and His mercy. And we must move beyond simply asking God for a spiritual awakening and ask Him for strategy to produce reformation, as well. I, for one, am just getting started! For God and this great nation. (by Dutch Sheets, Colorado Springs, CO)

Thank you!

2008-11-06T10:42:00.004-05:00

I am receiving wonderful comments from so many of you and I do appreciate your love and compassion, and wisdom, so much! I’m going to publish some of these comments for all to see since some may not go back to older messages to read the comments.

Thank you, Maree, for posting this comment: “We all came together to pray for the election...it didn't matter what church we went to, our weight or height or places we lived....we all came together to pray for Sarah and John.

The most important part of the whole thing was we came together to pray!!! All who believed that Jesus Christ is our saviour, died and on the third day rose from the grave and lives today....we prayed together!! We came together!!
None of us will ever be the same! I begged for forgiveness and mercy!! I was blessed!
The Lord is calling us still closer...our prayers were heard!!!

He's telling us we NEED each other...come together...lift each other up... we prayed for a greater good, our country and the people in it.
I'm trying to say..Let not your heart be troubled!! We have work to do! We are prayer warriors!!!

Check out these groups
http://www.americancongressfortruth.com/
http://www.actforamerica.org/
http://www.gop.com/
http://www.nfrw.org/

I believe we all need to get busy informing ourselves of bills being voted on and call our senators and congressman..especially the democrats...let our voices be heard! We need to put their phone numbers in speed dial..bookmark their e-mail addresses..whatever it takes. I KNOW some of you are doing this already. God Bless you Katherine!!

Good advice, Maree, I hope everybody will bookmark the sites above and keep informed of the bills being voted on.

From Shelley: Thank you for your blog about prayer. I have a prayer blog and I am glad to meet someone else with a passion for prayer. I believe that the prayers we have begun to see flow through out our nation are just the beginning of a revival if our churches don't fall back into apathy. I feel so alone sometimes and feel that there is no one else to share my burden for prayer. I am glad that I stumbled upon your blog. I hope to find more prayer warriors to communicate with. I belong to the www.teamsarah.org "Prayer Warrior" blog. It has been a blessing to connect with other prayer warriors. I hope that www.teamsarah.org continues or I can find another blog or forum to connect with others. God bless you.

----------------
From Charlotte: I know how disappointed you are. There are lots of us out there. However, I don't believe we have lost the power of prayer. God doesn't always answer our prayers the way we want. I have had a lot of prayers answered no when I thought the only logical answer was yes. Sometimes it was months or even years later that I could see why God gave that answer. I don't know what is in store for America. I do believe the end times are close and perhaps this is the way it needs to be right now. I know one thing. In the end we win. God has promised that. Hugs and blessings,

From Alice: Your blog here has been a blessing during these days leading up to the election. I feel we worked so hard, both spiritually and in actual deeds but God had other plans. Not knowing what this means has me on edge. I'm trying to rely on my faith alone but these anxious feelings keep popping into my head.

For the blog addresses of these dear friends above, go to the comments and click on their names.
From Maree: I can't tell you how many times I've depended on this verse, I'm sure you have too.
"The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."
Psalms 34:18

Thankfully, our strength and courage does not come from government...Jesus, sweet Jesus is our strength and courage when we are weak.

You did your job and did it well. Go back to having fun on your blog and rest....we will all visit you there!! Blessings!!

Thanks, also to Adrienne and Cathy and all of you who sent me encouraging scripture.
Katherine

Top Ten Predictions

2008-11-04T16:59:00.002-05:00

TOP 10 PREDICTIONS NO MATTER WHO WINS THE ELECTION

1. The Bible will still have all the answers.

2. Prayer will still work.

3. The Holy Spirit will still move.

4. God will still inhabit the praises of His people.

5. There will still be God-anointed teaching and healing.

6. There will still be singing of praise to God.

7. God will still pour out blessings upon His people.

8. There will still be room at the Cross.

9. Jesus will still love you.

10. Jesus will still save the lost.

ISN'T IT GREAT TO KNOW WHO IS REALLY IN CONTROL

Never doubt in the dark....what God shows you in the light !

Katherine

Time to Sing and Praise!

2008-11-04T12:03:00.001-05:00

This is my second post today, please read the one below, plus another one will be posted later this evening.

Praying is hard work! It not only takes time, it can take a toll on our emotions and causes fatigue! I think the enemy takes advantage of this fatigue when we are battling in prayer.

Last night I was exhausted, I went to bed earlier than usual. I guess I am still on the old time, it takes me a while to switch back after being on Daylight Savings Time.

Right before I went to bed, I had the Battle of Jericho on my mind so I looked in the bible concordance for “Battle.” I found a few other verses other than the verses in Joshua. You may want to read about these biblical battles while you are praying and fasting for our country today.

The Battle of Jericho: Joshua 6 (you may also want to read chapter 5)

The first reference on battle I found was I Samuel 17:47. I turned to it and felt the Lord was speaking to me through “the battle is the Lord’s.”

Another verse on battle in the concordance was 2 Chronicles 20:15 “The battle is not yours.” Yes, these two verses are taken out of context, but I felt the Lord was saying this to me because I was so weary and tired last night. I felt a sense of relief reading these verses. It is a spiritual battle, and the Lord uses our voices, but He is in control, and the battle is won!!

While reading 2 Chronicles 20, I had highlighted other verses that caught my eye, I want to share them with you: “Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” (verse 15b)

Verse 17 says: “You need not fight in this battle, station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf. O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the Lord is with you.”

Verse 19 says they stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel, with a very loud voice!

Verse 22 says “When they began singing and praising, the Lord set ambushes against (the enemy.) (all paraphrased)

Okay, people, let’s start singing and praising!! Sing all the praise songs you can think of!!

Sing and praise in a loud voice, pray out loud, read scripture out loud!

I have been reading many other accounts of battle in the bible today. I am listing some of them if you would like to read them.

Other battles: I Samuel17:47 (The Battle is the Lord’s)
2 Chronicles 20:15 (The battle is not yours)
I Samuel 17:20
I Chronicles 5:20
Psalm 18:39
Psalm 55:18
Psalm 140:7
Psalm 144:1
Isaiah 21:15
Jeremiah 50:22
Luke 14:31
Job 39:25

Let's all sing and praise God!!

Katherine

2008-11-04T10:13:00.002-05:00

I just received this message this morning and wish I'd had it a week or more to circulate. I hadn't planned to post a message, but will go ahead and post this since it is a confirmation that what we have been doing is right. I think most of you are familar with Dr. Charles Stanley, he has pastored a huge church in Atlanta for over 35+ years. His programs are on many TV stations almost daily, I have watched him for 25 or more years.

I also have two more messages that I will post today, one this afternoon and one tonight. I hope you will return to read them, and please read the posts below if you haven't already.

A message from Charles Stanley--
I was very dismayed when recently a member of my Church said to me with greatresignation that she was afraid Obama will take the presidency. These words camefrom someone that in the past has been a great prayer warrior. What is happeningwas my question??? Why are we Christians settling for the loss of our Christian heritage, not issuing a battle cry and falling to our knees and taking our country back? We allow ourselves to be stripped of the right to pray at school functions and in school, we have the Ten Commandments removed from government places and are told we cannot pray publicly or proclaim Christian principles, all the while providing public prayer places for Muslims. We allow Muslimmosques to operate in America funded by Saudi Arabia, and proclaimanti-American, anti-Christian threats and terrorism. What in the world is going on and why are we being so apathetic?

Why aren'twe praying? Our God is an Almighty God who is waiting patiently for us to raise our voices to heaven to stop the tide of the anti-Christian actions in our world today. Now we have a charismatic, albeit inexperienced, candidate for president that does not respect our flag and refuses to wear one on his lapel except whenit becomes politically expedient, and whose own wife and pastor that he loves profess to have strong anti-white feelings, and we sit back and say 'it is agiven, we can do nothing???' There has never been a time in 2000 years that we can do nothing, never a time that we must sit back and allow the evil in men's and women's hearts to take over our world! We should be afraid,very afraid because our apathy is leading us to perdition.

It is time for all Christian Americans to raise the battle cry and take our nation back! Maybe McCain on his own cannot defeat Obama, but our God can and He will if we take to our knees in prayer and raise a mighty cry to the heavens to 'Save us O Lord'. We have God's promises in 2 Chronicles 7:14, 'If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.' We have the power to change the course of this election and to keep a man as suspect as Barak Obama from leading our country to who knows where with his message of 'change'; a change which I fear will be away from our Christian ideals, and away from Christ, and further away from one nation under God to one nation under Allah.

We are great at passing stories and pictures around the internet but where are our prayers and prayer warriors praying to stop this tide of Barak Obama? God parted the Red Sea, Jesus was raised from the dead, and we can bring our country back to its Christian roots and stop the undermining of our country by Muslims. We can stop our country from being 'under Allah' but we must begin to pray, to pray as our country and our lives depended on it because they do. We can stop all these atrocities against God's commands that have taken root in our country through something as simple as sincere prayer, a call to God to deliver us, to forgive us our sins of apathy and to protect us from the evil that is upon us. Okay prayer warriors, here is your challenge, start those prayer chains. Getthe spiritual power working on our behalf and stop Barak Obama the proper way, by calling on our God to save us from the deception that charismatic preaching is using to lead us on the wrong path. Stop those who would take God out of our country and our government. Raise up good men to lead us and protect us.

George Bush is being buffeted because he has fought a holy war against the evils that attack us .... and we should not be surprised because a prophet is not honored in his own country. But we should not rest on our laurels and allow ourselves tobe taken further off the path of Christianity and to have God removed from our presence in our schools, courts, government and businesses.

Invite God into the fray. Ask that His power rest upon us and give us the victory. Ask him to raise up a mighty army to defend us and to protect our country as he did in days of old. Let us be victorious beginning NOW. The battle is His but we must call on Him without ceasing and unite our voices and hearts in prayer and fasting. Please pass this around to all people of prayer that you know and maybe, just maybe, a more eloquent person of prayer will write something better and more inspiring and even the rocks will shout that Jesus is Lord and our Mighty God is with us andbringing the victory for us and ultimately for Him. AMEN! (By Charles Stanley)

Truths

2008-11-03T17:23:00.004-05:00

Prayer for those voting: That each person voting will be convicted to vote for the person of righteousness, the person of God's choosing, in each elected office and in each ballot initiative. Pray for God's Presence to overshadow each person as they make their decision.

"The Spirit of the Lord will be upon him - the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord - and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears." Isaiah 11:2-3

Here are two informative videos, please click on them to view. Charlotte, At Home in Scottsdale has it on her blog and I want to share it as well: Click here It is amazing!

Kathy, Mimi's Garden, has this one on her blog, please click here to view,

or here:

http://americaschoicenow.com/

Also from Charlotte's blog:

ONLY IN AMERICA

Only in America would you find a totally biased press focus on Palin's so-called $150,000 wardrobe but totally ignore Barack Obama's spending more than $600,000,000 trying to get elected.

Only in America could Barack Obama, the leading candidate in the Presidential election, sit in a racist, radical church for more than 20 years and never hear the rantings of his lunatic Pastor, yet still be considered "brilliant" by the liberal press and public.

Only in America can a Presidential candidate (Barack Hussein Obama) SAY he is Christian, yet chose a MUSLIM name for himself as a grown man in college.

Only in America (while we remain in a contracted war with Islamic terrorism and have lost close to 10,000 lives in the war and terrorist attacks over the last 20 years) can a man even carry the name of BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA and still be considered a legitimate candidate for President.

Only in America can a man who began his political career in the home of a known domestic terrorist, (who also bombed the White House and Pentagon and says he wished he would have done more) be considered a good candidate for President because he is "articulate" and "charismatic".

Only in America can one candidate (Palin) who is the Governor of the largest state in the U.S. be called "inexperienced", but the opposing candidate for President (Obama) be called "ready for the job" with one term in the U.S. Senate.

Only in America can a leading candidate for President (Obama) promise to lower taxes for 95% of the population when only 60-70% pay taxes in the first place, yet still go unchallenged with his rhetoric and actually be believed by a portion of the voting public.

Only in America can a candidate who is favored by the Islamic states, Farrakhan, Chavez, Castro, Iran, Korea, Colombia and other terroristic nations be considered a legitimate choice for President.

Only in America can a candidate (Obama) be rated the most liberal Senator in the U.S. , claim to be "moderate" while he is running for President, and yet still go unchallenged by the so-called U.S. media.

Only in America can a radical, bigoted, hateful racist (Louis Farrakhan) who has likened White people to "the Devil" and embraces a religion which says that whites are "descendants of the devil", call Obama "the Messiah" and a "great hope" without people abandoning their support in droves.

Only in America can a Presidential candidate (Barack Obama) claim he is going to reduce the income tax (1 TAX) on people who make less than $250,000 a year, then raise 8-10 OTHER TAXES we all pay, either in direct taxes or taxes that are passed on in the increased cost of goods and services resulting from theses increased taxes, and still be considered trying to help the "middle income" families of America.

Only in America can a man who is not even constitutionally eligible to hold office be so close to winning the Presidency. Barack Obama's father was not an American and his mother was not a legal resident long enough before he was born to qualify him as eligible for the Presidency. Where is the so-called "Press" of this country?

Only in America can a man who is not eligible for selection to the FBI because of his past terrorist associations be close to winning the White House.

Fasting. Replies to questions, comments, etc.

2008-11-02T13:56:00.007-05:00

(Note: If you are looking for Spiritual Sundays, it is posted below this.)
I really do appreciate you leaving comments. A few of you are asking questions in your comments. Since some people don’t go back to the comments (I’ve been guilty of this on other blogs) I will attempt to answer the questions here.

From Kate: “I think it's good to pray! I'm wondering; however, if a certain candidate doesn't win, does that mean that God didn't answer our prayers; that He said no? Or does it mean that we didn't ask according to His Will? Or could it mean that a different candidate was indeed "God's man"?

Kate, I honestly don’t know the answer to this question. I do believe God answers all prayers, but not always the way we want. I feel like His Will would be to have a “person of righteousness” leading our country. Someone who has Christian standards and uses them as our country was founded on. On the other hand, is God angry with this country for allowing abortions, etc. Will we have to suffer because of this?? Is there a plan that was already established in the Heavens that has to do with “end times and tribulation” that includes having an unrighteous leader who allows things not of God?? (This is the scary part, if it were to be true.) This is why I feel we need the numbers in praying for a righteous leader. Do numbers help to convince God that we truly want a Godly country? I want to believe so. When I think of all the different Christian denominations who are standing together in one accord, who have the faith and are believing together for this answer, I can’t help but believe, yes, God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit hear us and will answer us!! Praise God, for His mercy, on us!

Sr. Lorraine: “Yes, I am happy to join you all in prayer. I too feel impelled by the Spirit to pray and intercede for the good outcome of this election. I feel confident that God will show his power. It is in precisely such situations as these that God loves to act. The Obama side has tons of money and the mainstream media on its side. The McCain/Palin camp is, humanly speaking, on the short end of the stick. But when McCain wins, it will be all the more evident that God is the one who moves hearts to vote for life.”

Sister Lorraine, it is wonderful that you are joining us in this prayer. Someone who devotes their life in prayer and sacrifice is a real asset to any prayer group!! Yes, the Obama side has tons of money and the liberal media, but McCain’s side has the power of prayer!!! And it will be a great witness (and lesson) for the liberals see there is a God, who honors the prayers of His Children!

Clif – I’m also so happy to see you join us here on Power of Prayer! It’s great to have a man among us, and especially a Man of God! I’m sure you can “tell us a thing or two” with advice and encouragement! I welcome your wisdom as a retired minister. Please share with us often!

Maree: “We are going on a trolley ride today to help a local Republican, Ann Northup, get her seat in congress back...she served from 1997-2007. Had her seat taken away last year by a trust fund baby. Please pray for Ann!

Okay, everybody, please add Ann Northup to your prayer list! Let’s get her back in office. Maree, please let us know the outcome.

KJ: I finally got so tired of the media voting for me that I started making phone calls at the Republican Headquarters. Prayer power! I am even planning to fast. If we will employ our spiritual weapons, we will see God move. This is no time to go to sleep, that's for sure. KJ”

KJ, this is a good thing that we should all consider. What can we do? Of course praying is the most important thing to do, but we can also add volunteering as an activity (but only if it doesn’t take away from having time to pray.) I’m thinking I would do something like that now that I’ve gotten so interested in politics (I never was before.) I have also made a promise that I am going to continue praying for the people in office. I regret that I haven’t given George W. Bush the prayer support he needed. Yes! “Employ our spiritual weapons!!” It is a spiritual battle, and the Lord needs our voices!”

Maree: We are getting a good response from Team Sarah, do you have some ideas about how to fast you could post here? Several have mentioned they have never fasted before but are opened to it.

Maree, I am not very good at fasting, I sometimes feel sick when I don’t eat, especially in the mornings (don’t know if it is low blood sugar, or what, I have always been like this.)
I have no formal training, nor have I even read any books of instruction on fasting. To me fasting is making a sacrifice, giving up something that I really like and enjoy, as a sacrifice to the Lord.
Fasting should be done with much prayer. First I pray whether I should fast, then I pray for strength to fast and keep it up. I have fasted different ways at different times. Sometimes I fast with liquids, and no solid foods – water, juice, tea (unsweetened,) broth, etc. (not something you love, since this is a sacrifice! If you love meat, you could give that up for a day or so. Once I fasted with just white rice, three times a day, nothing else. If you love ice cream, candy, or cookies and have that daily, giving them up for a day or two might be a good fast! Breaking any routine could be a good sacrifice! Recently I have thought about fasting with giving up something I really love, such as a TV program, a shopping trip, or purchase, etc. This might seem foolish to some, and I don’t know if the Lord honors these, but to some it could be a sacrifice! So if you love “Dancing With the Stars” on TV that might be a good thing to give up Monday and Tuesday nights! ;-) Or any other favorite tv show or entertainment.

Another thought -- The bible does tell us not to complain or brag about fasting, to keep it a "secret!"

If anyone else has something to add to this list, please do so! Just remember it should be something hard to do, not easy. Don’t give up spinach if you hate it!! Sister Lorraine, maybe you can help us with suggestions on fasting. Clif, you may also want to add some word of wisdom for us on this subject!

I haven’t replied to everybody’s questions and comments, if you have one you want discussed, please let us know.

Thank you all so very much! God Bless!
Katherine

Change is Coming!

2008-11-01T22:45:00.005-04:00

A Fall Prayer For Changing Times

In a time when so much is changing, surround yourself and those you love with beautiful reminders that what matters most stays the same.

Lord, there is so much happening in our world right now. In the midst of it all, it’s so good to know you’re in control, your love is never ending, and you provide for us. As the trees turn colors, and the nights grow cooler, may we be reminded that every season of our lives is a part of your loving plan. Amen. (by Holley Gerth, DaySpring Writer)

“For I know the plans I have for you” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

On the political side, we’re praying fervently for McCain’s “Change is Coming!” Obama also has a Change slogan, but we are praying, and praying hard that we won’t have to endure his kind of change!!

I’m feeling so encouraged by all the news I’m hearing about people and churches all over the nation who are praying, fasting, holding prayer vigils for a day, some up to three days! I have the faith that our Lord God is going to answer all these prayers of His Christian children crying out to Him!!

Keep praying, keep fasting, keep battling with scripture! Don’t give up! It’s a spiritual battle and the battle has already been won!!! Praise the Lord!! Thanking you, Lord Jesus, in advance! And thank You for the power of prayer you have given us!

Daniel 9:3-19

2008-10-31T23:11:00.005-04:00

We don’t have many children in our neighborhood and haven’t had any Trick or Treaters for several years now. Tonight we were invited to a concert given by the U.S. Navy Band (Washington, D.C.) We enjoyed it so much, especially the patriotic music. I was breathing election prayers even during the music! Tomorrow we will be gone all day to a day-retreat our church sponsors. I hope to pray for the election in groups. The setting is on a river in Jacksonville, and the weather is very pleasant now, so I’m looking forward to all of this.

I’m posting this suggestion for praying and fasting on Monday before the election. I can’t remember if I received this as an email, or if I copied it from someone else. If you recognize it, let me know and I will give credit where it is due.

I have just read Daniel 9:3-19, and it can reflect what has happened in our country. Please read and meditate on it. And please pray about whether you should fast and pray on Monday, November 3rd. I plan to fast at least one meal each on Monday and Tuesday.

(The “I” in this is not me:)

"I am asking every believer in Jesus Christ to set aside Monday, November 3 as a day of fasting and prayer . I would urge you to review the prayer of Daniel on behalf of his people in Dan . 9:3-19, and to pray that way for our nation. And finally, I would ask you to distribute this call to prayer as widely as possible so that the greatest number of people would lay hold of the throne of grace all at once. It may be that God will show mercy to America , that He will shed His grace on her once again. Thank you for joining in this effort. " (The author of this is unknown to me, but it is a wonderful suggestion!)

Let me know what you think about the Daniel 9:3-19 scripture selection.

Katherine

(I may not be online tomorrow)

Prayers for our friends, election, voters, etc.

2008-10-30T22:15:00.012-04:00

Comment from Lipstick Republican: "I, too, am amazed at the Christians I know who are supporting Obama. The verse that keeps coming to my mind is "O, you foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you?" Paul chastised the Galatians who had reverted to their old way of thinking. These people I love seem to have reverted to an unredeemed way of thinking, too. So I pray that the eyes of the (spiritually) blind will be opened and the ears of the (spiritually) deaf unstopped."

This is a good prayer. I believe in praying scripture, it works!

Here is the suggested way to pray from Patrick Joshua for the voters: (Note: I can't get this to change colors from blue to a lighter color. If you highlight the blue parts you can read it better.)
Praying for those voting: Pray that each person voting will be convicted to vote for the person of righteousness, the person of God's choosing, in each elected office and in each ballot initiative. PRAY FOR GOD'S PRESENCE TO OVERSHADOW EACH PERSON AS THEY MAKE THEIR DECISION.

"The Spirit of the Lord will be upon him – the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord – and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears" Isaiah 11:2-3

Those praying: Pray that God would empower intercessors and people across the nation and around the world to call out to Him day and night in extraordinary prayer during this season.

"And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a Spirit of grace and supplication." Zechariah 12:10

The Church: Pray that the Church would be fully awakened, engaged and empowered during this critical season. Pray that we would understand the urgency and importance of this election and the implications for the advancement of God's purposes in our nation and around the world.

"The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this". Isaiah 9:7

I was watching The Orlando Baptist Church and heard they are holding a prayer vigil Monday and Election Day. I sent them the Patrick Joshua prayer guide, and they called and thanked me for it! I'm trying to get it around to as many people as possible. This is from Charlotte's At Home in Scottsdale blog Click on Charlotte's name to read it. I have an excerpt from it below on Tuesday, October 28.

I can't stress these prayers enough, pray them, pray them!! I was awake until after 3 a.m. praying during the night. I couldn't sleep, so I prayed!!! I kept reading over and over these prayers by Patrick Joshua.

God answers the fervent prayers of His Children!

I just read Susan's (Penless Writer) blog today, she has a great prayer guide posted, I'm going to print it out and use it to pray. I may be up half the night again!

Katherine

Another prayer suggestion, and a prayer request

2008-10-29T13:47:00.010-04:00

Today I received two emails that I want to share with you. The first is about Obama's infomercial tonight. The second a prayer request from one of our supporters.

It is time to pray. Pray as if our country depended on it - and it does. On the 29th of October, Obama is slated to air a 30 minute infomercial/ad. It is time for Christians and all people of faith to come together. Turn off the TV. Pray to God to listen to the millions of voices in prayer to him. God can work miracles. God can intervene. God will hear our prayers. Gather your friends, neighbors, children, family, etc. and come together to pray. Pray for the curtain of deceit to be lifted and the eyes, minds and hearts of those who believe that Obama is "The One" to be opened and that they learn the truth of who Obama is before it is too late. Our combined prayers will be heard by God. John McCain and Sarah Palin will feel the strength of our intercessory prayers. This battle is God's to win - we are his prayer warriors. Please come together and pray. Our country "one nation under God" is in danger.

This is from redstate.com, and it touched me deeply with its display of faith in God' care - let's all take the lady's advice!!!

Note: He is on here in FL at 8 p.m. that's Eastern Daylight Savings Time. As Susan pointed out, it's very interesting that he scheduled this at a time when the majority of Christians go to church on Wed. nights! (See comments)

Please join me in prayer for Maree's prayer request below. Maree is one of our supporters. I think all of us have Christians friends who have the curtain of deceit over their eyes, mind, and heart to the truth of who the Lord would have us to pray for. Let's pray for all of them. Also see yesterday's post about praying for a "righteous person," and praying that those voting will be convicted to vote for the person of righteousness, the person of God's choosing. Pray for God's Presence to overshadow each person as they make their decision.

"The Spirit of the Lord will be upon him - the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord - and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decided by what he hears with his ears."

I have been praying all the scripture, and the prayers out loud, every time I think of it (which is often!!)

Prayer request from Maree:
I mentioned I have some Christian friends that will be voting for Obama. My husband made a last ditch effort yesterday ...it fell on death ears.
One of these friends insist Obama is Pro-Choice which makes it okay....I love this person, they love the Lord..I KNOW they do!
I'm not asking why, why, why?? I'm asking you to pray for this person.. or better yet.. all Christians that believe Pro Choice is the way. Thanks and as always Katherine...God bless you!!

Have you seen this?

A Great Way to Pray for the Election

2008-10-28T23:38:00.003-04:00

Charlotte posted a great message today and I've been sending it around to everybody I know. I love this way of praying! I'm posting a few of the suggestions. Please go to Charlotte's blog here, to read all of her post.

Let's pray this way too!

Excerpt from Charlotte's blog:

"Here's the pattern for prayer as we approach our election.

Prayer Guide for the Election Begins with Heart Preparation: Come into God's Presence with Worship. Thank God for his great mercy and many blessings. Ask God to extend his mercy to us and to our nation. Pray for the upcoming election.

Those running for office nationally: Instead of praying for specific candidates or political parties – Pray that the person of righteousness, the person of God's choosing, would be selected in every congressional district, every senate race and for the office of President.

"Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a disgrace to any people." Proverbs 14:34

" When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan". Proverbs 29:2

Those voting: Pray that each person voting will be convicted to vote for the person of righteousness, the person of God's choosing, in each elected office and in each ballot initiative. Pray for God's Presence to overshadow each person as they make their decision.

Those praying: Pray that God would empower intercessors and people across the nation and around the world to call out to Him day and night in extraordinary prayer during this season.

"And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a Spirit of grace and supplication." Zechariah 12:10

Our nation: Pray that God's plans and purposes for our nation would be established during this election season. Pray that we would be a nation who follows God and is a blessing to the nations of the earth.

"Your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven". Matthew 6:10"

I'm only listing a few of the suggestions. Please click here to go to Charlotte's blog At Home in Scottsdale, to read all seven suggestions. Thanks, Charlotte, for posting this for us!

Katherine

Prayer Suggestions

2008-10-27T23:01:00.005-04:00

Again I'm borrowing an exerpt from another like-minded blogger. This is from Susan, Penless Writer, go there to read the whole post, it is really good. Below are suggestions of how to pray about the election, and the conservative party. I have posted her link on my side bar, she will be posting something about the election daily this coming week.

Katherine

Exerpt:

"Here are some practical suggestions to consider:

1) Fast (a meal a day; a day a week; a Daniel fast; 3 days; 10 days; TV; etc.) and spend the time praying.

2) Agree in prayer with someone everyday for God's will to be done.

3) Form/participate in prayer groups regularly. Churches could pray everyday.

4) Take time in every gathering to pray. (Take 15 minutes in every service to pray for the elections. Turn an entire service to harp and bowl style intercession-worship and prayer combined.)

5) Join 2 or more on a conference call and pray for 15, 20, or 30 minutes.

6) Pray on the way to work (and on the way home).

7) Pray before you go to sleep.

8) Pray before church services.

9) Ask God to give you His strategy-He will!

In His grip,

Dutch Sheets Senior Pastor,

Freedom Church, Colorado Springs"

Spiritual Sundays

2008-10-25T22:47:00.009-04:00

I'm joining Charlotte's (CharlottesWebspot blog) Spiritual Sundays, go here for more inspiration.

Today I have composed a prayer from someone else's post. I plan to use this as one of my many prayers crying out to God to save our country. See below for the credits.

Dear Lord God in Heaven, save us from the deception that charismatic preaching is using to lead us on the wrong path. Stop those who take God out of our country and our government. Raise up good men to lead us and protect us.

Father, forgive us for our complacency of sitting an allowing things to happen, for not taking a stand and fighting for our rights as Christians. Please give us the strength, the courage, the wisdom, and knowledge of what you want us to do.

Dear Lord raise up a mighty army to defend us and to protect our country as you did in days of old. Let us be victorious beginning NOW! The battle is Yours. We, your children, are calling on you, in prayer and fasting! We believe you will do this! “I believe, help thou my unbelief!”

Thank you, Lord, for hearing our prayers, and answering us!! Thank you for our victory!
Amen.

The prayer above was composed from a post I read while visiting Charlotte's other blog (At Home in Scottsdale) "Time For Christians to Seriously Pray" posted on October 25. An exerpt from that post is below:

Excerpt from “Time For Christians to Seriously Pray” (go here to read all of the post Charlotte posted October 25:

Excerpt: “OK, prayer warriors, here is your challenge... Start those prayer chains. Get the spiritual power working on our behalf and stop Barak Obama the proper way, by calling on our God to save us from the deception that charismatic preaching is using to lead us on the wrong path. Stop those who would take God out of our country and our government. Raise up good men to lead us and protect us. But we should not rest on our laurels and allow ourselves to be taken further off the path of Christianity and to have God removed from our presence in our schools, courts,
government and businesses.

Invite God into the fray. Ask that His power rest upon us and give us the victory. Ask him to raise up a mighty army to defend us and to protect our country as he did in days of old. Let us be victorious beginning NOW. The battle is His but we must call on Him without ceasing and unite our voices and hearts in prayer and fasting.

Please pass this around to all people of prayer that you know and maybe, just maybe, we'll bring a victory for us and ultimately for Him. AMEN!”

If you would like to type up one of your prayers, send them to me, and I will post them here.

This is the second post I've done today, please read the post below too! Thanks!

Katherine

We Voted!

2008-10-25T14:42:00.005-04:00

Yesterday Joe and I took advantage of the early voting since we knew exactly who we wanted to vote for and who the Lord wants us to pray for, no changing our mind at the last minute! Joe has to work split shift on Tuesdays (he teaches at the college here) and we knew he wouldn't have much time to stand in line on Tuesday, November 4. I worry a little about our votes getting lost, or some weird thing happening to the early votes, you never know these days. We are praying the military votes will be counted, please join us in prayer for this, and for protection of all the votes.

Thank you to all who are fasting and praying! It would be good if more Christians made a sacrifice and fasted! Remember things other than food can be used for fasting, a favorite TV show, a shopping trip, a purchase, etc! Offer it up!

I have been wanting to post for a few days about a certain subject, but haven't had the time. I want us to join together using our power of prayer to defeat all the liberal entertainment celebrities who are using their celebrity to get votes for Obama!

Christians! We can't stand by and let these liberal celebrities determine the decision of this election!! I think everyone knows Oprah is the one responsible for Obama running for president. I watched the first Oprah show he was on and she suggested he run for president then. His reply was, "Oh, no, no, I wouldn't do that!!!" I guess she finally convinced him, and she has convinced her huge TV following to vote for him as well!

Let's pray that God will show them who is in control of this election! He is waiting to hear from His children for their requests! Let's all bombard the Gates of Heaven with our petitions for who we want for our president! I lift up my prayer requests all day long, everytime I think of it!! I have even had insomnia and pray most of the night! I know a lot of you are doing the same!

Another thing I've been doing -- I was getting so angry at all the liberal biased news people, TV talk shows, and comedy shows, some are so unkind and full of hatred (especially to Sarah Palin.) I didn't really know how to deal with this. The Holy Spirit showed me the way -- I am to pray for these liberal people! I pray for their salvation. I pray for their hearts to be touched and changed. I pray "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do!" (Luke 23:34) I've also asked for forgiveness for my feelings toward them.

Thank you for your many comments. Everybody, please take time to read the comments, there are some really good comments on each post!

Praise God for what He is doing!!

In His Name we pray!

Katherine

Our Decision

2008-10-22T00:57:00.005-04:00

My husband and I base our decision of who to vote for on the abortion issue, and other moral issues. We are both former Democrats. My husband and I have weighed all the issues and there is nothing, absolutely nothing that could balance out the lives of 50,000,000 unborn babies murdered by abortion!!! Visualize this on the scale above. This horrifies me!! And even worse is the fact that when abortion fails and the baby is still alive, they then kill it without asking the mother what to do. This is the beginning of decline in our country. Next the liberals will be killing the elderly.

I beg of you if you are considering voting liberal, please visualize the picture of 50,000 murdered babies on the scales above. Is it worth it?

I have just assumed that Christians vote conservatively. I have been wrong a few times on this, even a few of my friends, and a few family members are choosing non-Christian values in this election. This saddens me deeply. I feel it saddens our Lord as well. I honestly cannot understand how a Christian can justify voting for someone who is for abortion and partial-birth murder. It is murder, one of The Ten Commandments - Thou Shall Not Kill!! Exodus 20:13. Do they cut that out of their bibles?? Are they cafeteria Christians, who pick and choose what they want to believe in the Bible.

If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. John 14:15

I cannot be a part of anything that approves abortion.

Note: If you have had an abortion, God will forgive you, if you ask Him to. If you have asked for forgiveness, believe it, and don’t whip yourself any longer about it. I have friends who have been through this mental and emotional pain after having an abortion.

I have two posts today, I hope you will read both of them.

Military Poll

2008-10-22T00:17:00.004-04:00

Newsvine: "A poll by the Military Times newspaper group suggests that there is overwhelming support for John McCain among U.S. troops in every branch of the armed forces by a nearly 3-1 margin.

According to the poll, 68 percent of active-duty and retired servicemen and women support McCain, while 23 percent support Barack Obama. The numbers are nearly identical among officers and enlisted troops.

The Military Times, which publishes the Army Times, Navy Times, Marine Corps Times and Air Force Times, polled 80,000 subscribers from Sept 22 to Sept. 29. The non-scientific survey gathered 4,300 respondents -- all of them registered and eligible to vote.

A racial divide was immediately evident among the respondents. Nearly eight in 10 black service members chose Obama, while McCain captured 76 percent of white voters and 63 percent of Hispanic voters." from: http://basseq.newsvine.com/_news/2008/10/21/2023683-poll-suggests-us-troops-support-mccain-3-1

What I'm wondering is - all the political polls that are taken, do they include the military in their polls?? The soldiers overseas, etc. It seems to me these should bring up McCain's percentage ratings.

Move the Mountain!

2008-10-20T19:31:00.006-04:00

Last night I couldn't get to sleep so I turned on the TV to a Christian channel. The message was from Mark 11:23 - "Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, be taken up and cast into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it shall be granted him." The mountain analogy is - "an impossible situation that can't be moved." Some may feel McCain winning the election is an impossible situation. Let's claim this verse as we pray for our miracle! Notice the key words in this verse.

Below I have included more than that one scripture, so not to take it out of context. "Jesus answered saying 'Have faith in God. Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, be taken up and cast into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it shall be granted him. Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be granted you. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your transgressions. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions." Mark 11:22-26

Key words here are:
"pray,"
"ask,"
"believe,"
(what he) "says,"
(does not)"doubt," and
"forgive."

I suggest we all meditate on these key words and ask the Lord what He has to say to us through them.

ADDED NOTE: Please click on the Urgent Prayer Request on the side bar, and pray for this supporter's husband who is having emergency open heart surgery today! Now, this is one of those mountain situations! May God bless and protect him.

Encouragement

2008-10-19T22:12:00.005-04:00

I do appreciate all your kind and encouraging comments of this blog! So many of you have given me encouragement in different ways!

Our dear friend, Adrienne, at With a Grateful Heart gave me much encouragement when she sent me this link yesterday. I want to share it with all of you, I didn't know there was a Presidential Prayer Team, did you? I firmly believe if everybody would pray for President Bush instead of complaining and/or criticizing and judging, things would be much better!

Check it out:

http://www.presidentialprayerteam.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ppt_homepage

They even pray for Obama, as well!

Thank you, Adrienne! Thank you also for your support to me, and for your prayers for our country!

Katherine

Power of Prayer Blog

2008-10-18T11:56:00.000-04:00

I have decided to start another blog! This one will be on The Power of Prayer! I'm so excited about having such a good response from all of you about praying together as a group! This blog will contain copies of all the prayer messages from my Yellow Rose Arbor blog (YRA.) I will continue to post photos and messages on decorating and other fun things on my Yellow Rose Arbor blog.

I have always tried to keep my YRA blog from being controversial about politics and religion, but now feel the Lord is calling me to stand up for our country and reach out to others about my beliefs. I believe in prayer, I believe in miracles! I have been in prayer groups for the majority of my life, and I have seen prayers answered, and miracles happen! I'm a firm believer in joining together in group prayer. "Where two or three have gathered together in My name there I am in their midst." Mt. 18:20

Women can change things with prayer! Back in the 70s I read a book "What Happens When Women Pray" I put it to a test, and found the principles true. Men are also welcome to join us in prayer as well, the more the merrier!

If you are not in agreement with my beliefs, then this is not the blog for you, I suggest you move on to others that you are more compatible with. Believe me I haven't wanted to be stretched in this direction of talking about politics and religion, but I feel the Lord is leading me to do this.

Since this is such a risky subject putting myself out there for angry people to blast, therefore I will moderate all comments before publishing them. Please do not let this stop you from leaving kind messages!

I'm including the first controversial message I posted on my YRA blog on September 15, 2008 where I told about being a former Democrat, and why I changed.

I hope you enjoy this new blog and will participate with me on it. If you post something on your blog you want read by my blog followers, please let me know and I will post a link to your blog.

Thank you for your encouragement to be brave, to take a bigger step (giant step!) in this direction! I covet your prayers! There is power in prayers, especially group prayers, I need your prayer support!

I will still continue to post decorating and other fun things on my YRA blog.

Katherine

"Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in Heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst." Matthew 18:19, 20 NASB

Year of the Christian Woman

2008-10-18T11:54:00.000-04:00

Thursday on the Oprah show I learned that the feminists are calling this election time “The Year of the Woman” they say this is the year the women will vote in a liberal president! But wait, they have forgotten about all of us Christian women, shall we sit back and let them decide this for us? We can have our own Year of the Woman – The Year of the Christian Woman!! As Christians we must take a stand and pray! Let’s use our power of praying to work a miracle in this election! We can turn the polls around! We can pray in our conservative president!

Do you believe in miracles? I do. I believe in the power of prayer. Prayer can change things!

A few days ago Rhondi at Rose Colored Glasses posted this from the book “Streams in the Desert.” I agree with it, do you?

“Difficulty is the very atmosphere for a miracle – it is a miracle in it’s first stage. If it is to be a great miracle, the condition is not difficulty, but impossibility! Is your situation seemingly impossible? Then it is the perfect environment for a miracle to occur. I believe in miracles, do you?” Thank you for posting this, Rhondi.

Some are saying McCain will not win the election, the polls show him lagging behind. People are angry at the economy, and the state America is in, etc., some think a change in parties will help, but it won’t! Ladies, this is difficulty, this is a perfect atmosphere for a miracle! We as women can turn this around with prayer!! There is power in prayer, but we must take the time to pray, to storm the gates of Heaven for our miracle. We must not let the liberals take over our country the way they plan to!! We must not let the liberal celebrities and biased media decide who wins this election!

We only have 17 more days, we must get this message spread around before election day! Please copy this and forward it to every Christian woman you know! The men are also invited to pray join us in praying!

Christian ladies, please stand with us in prayer!! I have started a new blog The Power of Prayer for messages like this, please bookmark it and participate in it!

Thank you for your prayers, and God Bless You for helping!

Katherine

The Power of Prayer

2008-10-17T17:58:00.000-04:00

Note: I'm re-posting this post that was featured on my Yellow Rose Arbor blog on October 14, 2008:

This election has the world in an uproar, but we as Christians have got to seek God for the answers.

This is the scariest election we as Christians have ever faced. From the looks of the polls, the Christians are not voting Christian values. We all need to be on our knees.

Do you believe we can take God at His word? Call upon His name, then stand back and watch His wonders to behold. This scripture gives us, as Christians, ownership of this land and the ability to call upon God to heal it. I challenge you to do so. We have never been more desperate than now for God to heal our land. This election is the scariest I remember in my lifetime.
We know the power of prayer, but if we don't call upon His name, nothing will change.

JUST ONE MINUTE EACH NIGHT....

Do you believe we can take God at His word? Call upon His name, then stand back and watch His wonders to behold. His scripture gives us, as Christians, ownership of this land and the ability to call upon God to heal it. I challenge you to do so. We have never been more desperate than now for God to heal our land.

2 Chronicles 7:14 : If my people, which are called by my name shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

During WWII, there was an advisor to Churchill who organized a group of people who dropped what they were doing every night at a prescribed hour for one minute to collectively pray for the safety of England, its people and peace. This had an amazing effect as bombing stopped.

There is now a group of people organizing the same thing here in America. The United States of America and our citizens need prayer more than ever!!!

If you would like to participate: each evening at 9:00 PM Eastern Time, 8:00 PM Central , 7:00 PM Mountain, 6:00 PM Pacific, stop whatever you are doing and spend one minute praying for the safety of the United States, our troops, our citizens, for peace in the world, for wisdom and courage for our leaders, the up-coming election, and that the Bible will remain the basis for the laws governing our land and that Christianity will grow in the U.S.

If you know anyone who would like to participate, please pass this along.

Someone said if people really understood the full extent of the power we have available through prayer, we might be speechless. Our prayers are the most powerful asset we have.

Please pass this onto anyone who you think will want to join us.

If you forget to pray at this time, pray whenever you think of it!

God Bless You!!!

Thank you!

Katherine
Note added: I'm so happy so many people are responding favorably to this. Maree-atHome copied the silhouette and posted it on the side-bar of her blog. If you would like to do this too, please do!

Smiling

2008-10-17T17:49:00.000-04:00

I have a smile on my face, and gratefulness in my heart for answered prayer! Hannah moved away from FL - just what we prayed for! We had rain most of the day, but not much wind, as the storm was a little over 100 miles of us. I’m now praying for the people who may be in Hannah’s path, my daughter lives in SC, and we are praying it doesn't cause any damage there. I'm also praying about the next hurricane, Ike, which is predicted to miss FL, but could change directions! I wish I could have a big smile sewed in place like this little dolly, so I could smile through any situation, good and bad.

I enjoyed watching the GOP Convention. I really enjoyed all the speeches. I had a lot of smiles as I listened to Huckabee, Palin, Thompson, and of course John McCain. I also had tears, hearing details of his imprisonment and suffering. I will vote for McCain because of his integrity, he is a man of substance! Our children and grandchildren need a hero, a politician hero. John McCain is truly a hero, no one can deny that.

I used to be a registered Democrat, but changed years ago when the party's values and morals declined and they became so liberal. As a Christian I cannot vote for anyone who is for abortion. Because of the sixth commandment of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:13) I know the Lord forgives those who ask for forgiveness for sins, but I cannot be a part of anything that allows women to make this mistake. I know women who have had abortions and I have seen the guilt and pain they have suffered. They are close friends and I have prayed with them and walked with them through this.

I can’t smile about the way the media is so biased. I will never watch CNN again. They speak so negative and disrespectful of all Republicans. I wish we could go back to the old times when the media, and everybody, had respect for our president, our leaders, and our country. The media was respectful of presidents like F. Roosevelt, and Kennedy when they knew what was going on with them, they even protected them. I don't condone what they did, I just like the way our leaders were respected. I don’t like what has happened in our country. I’m praying for a change, yes, a change for those who are so blinded to what our Lord desires - to have their eyes opened, and their hearts changed to love and follow Him.

Katherine

New Blog!

2008-10-17T16:21:00.000-04:00

I have decided to start another blog! This one will be on The Power of Prayer! I'm so excited about having such a good response from all of you about praying together as a group! This blog will store copies of all the prayer messages from my Yellow Rose Arbor blog (YRA.)

I have always tried to keep my YRA blog from being controversial about politics and religion, but now feel the Lord is calling me to reach out to others about my beliefs. I believe in prayer, I believe in miracles! I have been in prayer groups for the majority of my life, and I have seen prayers answered, and miracles happen! I'm a firm believer in joining together in group prayer. "Where two or three have gathered together in My name there I am in their midst." Mt. 18:20

Women can change things with prayer! Back in the 70s I read a book "What Happens When Women Pray" I put it to a test, and found the principles true. Men are also welcome to join us in prayer as well, the more the merrier!

If you are not in agreement with my beliefs, then this is not the blog for you, I suggest you move on to others that you are more compatible with. Believe me I haven't wanted to be stretched in this direction of talking about politics and religion, but I feel the Lord is leading me to do this.

Since this is such a risky subject putting myself out there for angry people to blast, therefore I will moderate all comments before publishing them. Please do not let this stop you from leaving kind messages!

I'm starting out with the first message I posted on my YRA blog on September 15, 2008 where I told about being a former Democrat, and why I changed.

I hope you enjoy this new blog and will participate with me on it. If you post something on your blog you want read by my blog followers, please let me know and I will post a link to your blog.

Thank you for your encouragement to be brave, to take a bigger step (giant step!) in this direction! I covet your prayers! There is power in prayers, especially group prayers, I need your prayer support!

I will still continue to post decorating and other fun things on my YRA blog.

Katherine

"Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in Heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst." Matthew 18:19, 20 NASB