A Journey of God's Faithfulness

• Stellan is home on new medication.
• Ian and Alec’s papers are OUT!
• I had a job interview today. 

As my kids remind me why did God answer some of our prayers and not others?  Don’t we question God all of the time?  I know that I do and most of the time I think that I know better.  If only I could have enough money to buy two new cars, clothes, furniture, house, and the list goes on and on.  Would I really rely on God if everything went my way all of the time?  Would I be content?  Would my faith grow?  I know that I would miss all that God has instore for me for something that I thought was better at the time.  Thank you Jesus for answered prayers and unanswered ones as well.  You are soverign.  Please reign in my life today!

     Today I want to encourage you to keep praying.  I know that we promise our friends we will pray for them and get disappointed the minute God doesn’t seem to answer or respond the way we had envisioned.  Unfortunately, it is common to give up or sadly, not even begin to petition God on their behalf.  

     I read a lot of different blogs and all of them have one thing in common.  They ask for prayer.  Sometimes I get discouraged about what God doesn’t seem to be doing and wonder if my little prayer will do any good.  Especially if  my request seems to go unanswered for more than a year and it appears that God is not budging on Ian and Alec’s behalf. 

    I share prayer requests with my kids about children like Kate,and Stellan who need their prayers.  It is discouraing to learn about their situations but at other times it is easy to forget to rejoice when God does answer our prayers.  It comes across as finally I deserve some answers over here.  It is as if I am God and he needs to act on my timetable.   The truth is that God can say no and should say no if  he is really Lord over my life.  Deep in my heart I must make a choice to believe that God has a bigger plan than I can even comprehend.  All situations are being worked out for His good.  In my Bible reading today was this quote that encouraged me in light of my frustrations on praying.  May it renew a new sense and urgency to pray for others! 

 ”Prayer can move mountains.  It can change human hearts, families, neighborhoods, cities, and nations.  It’s the ultimate source of power because it is, in reality, the power of Almighty God. Prayer can do what political action cannot, what education cannot, what military might cannot, and what planning committees cannot.  All these are impotent by comparison. By prayer the kingdom of God is built, and by prayer the kingdom of Satan is destroyed.  Where there is no prayer, there are no great works, and there is no building of the kingdom.  Where there is much prayer and fervent prayer, there are great gains for the kingdom.  God’s rule is established, His power is directed, His will is done, society is transformed, lost persons are saved, and saints are enabled to ’stand against the devil’s schemes’ (Eph 6:11).  If that isn’t enough to compel us to ‘devote [ourselves] to prayer’ and ‘always [wrestle] in prayer’ (Col. 4:2, 12), I don’t know what is!”  Alving J. Vander Griend, “Your Prayers Matter, ” Disicpleship Journal

Today I ask you to devote yourself to prayer.   Do not only tell someone you will pray for them but do it, trusting in God to intercede on their behalf.

Kayla has been learning about the early colonists in North Carolina.  Here is a log cabin that she made to represent the ones that the early settlers might have built. 

Joshua learned about patterns in math and the Inca Indians of South America who discovered gold and silver.  They decorated everything with gold and silver including the walls of their homes. 

Kayla and Joshua are in chess club.  It is a monthly activity provided by our library.  This is their first time attending.  I actually learned how to play the game along with them.  The teacher even sends homemork to them via email.  They are looking forward to playing again next month.   

My husband bought me a sewing machine a year ago as a special birthday gift.  This machine embroiders and I had a difficult time trying to get it to embroider.  It is a neat feature and I wanted to be able to make gifts for others.  I was finally able to make a friend of mine a baby burp cloth.  My friends little girl was born early she was due in September.  It is a blessing to see how God answered our prayers, Evelyn was able to come home from the hospital in August and they are already bringing her to church. 

Kayla is reading a bedtime story to Joshua. 

Mom took too long to come up and tuck Joshua into bed soooo…

 he knew that his big sister would read to him. 

When I came upstairs look what I found! 

Too sweet, Dad was able to quickly get a picture before they knew he was taking it. 

Posing for the camera! 

What better way to entertain ourselves when Mother isn’t feeling well and has made it perfectly clear that we need to let her rest!  Kayla and Joshua worked all morning on their domino creation and then wanted Dad to see it when he came home from work.  Can you tell they had a lot of fun?

God will make a way

A dear friend would say this phrase over and over again.  Now my husband and I will say it to remind each other to keep believing that God will provide.  My faith is incredibly strong when God is blessing me but when things don’t go my way I cry out to God and say, “Don’t you love me anymore? Did you forget about me?”  The truth is that if my life worked out the way I wanted then I wouldn’t need God at all.  True faith sees beyond current circumstances and trusts that God will make a way.  So for anyone who needs a little more faith in your walk today I wanted you to read this song.  Sing it in your heart until you believe.      

God will make a way
Where there seems to be no way
He works in ways we cannot see
He will make a way for me
He will be my guide
Hold me closely to His side
With love and strength
For each new day
He will make a way
He will make a way

By a roadway in the wilderness
He’ll lead me
And rivers in the desert will I see
Heaven and earth will fade
But His Word will still remain
He will do something new today

A Birthday Prayer:

Dear God,

In life we walk across many bridges,

May we cross the bridges that reach the lost with your love and truth,

May we burn the bridges that look back to a past we cannot change,

Surround Steve with your love,

Guide him to be used ALL for You,

Bring many Blessings upon him.

In Jesus Name,

Amen.

33 Memories:

1. PCB Commuter Lounge
2. Free Dinner at Boston Market
3. Myst
4. Ocean City, NJ
5. Cross Necklace
6. Sand in the Eyes
7. Chinese
8. Bushkill Falls, PA
9. South Street, Philadelphia, PA
10. Barnes and Noble Cafe
11. Traveling to Kutztown, PA
12. Walnut Street Theatre
13. Funerals
14. Disney World, Orlando, FL
15. Carrabba’s Italian Grill
16. Kayla Michelle
17. Graduation
18. Shanendoah, VA
19. Hockessin, DE
20. Jupiter, FL
21. Bed and Breakfast Ocean City, NJ
22. Our First House Pike Creek, DE
23. Wilmington Riverfront
24. Kahunaville “The Jungle”
25. Joshua Stephen
26. Teaching 5th and 6th grade Sunday School Class
27. Distance Learning Liberty University
28. Frontier Town, Ocean City, MD
29. Candidate Orientation
30. FIM
31. Missionaries to JAPAN
32. Baptist Bible College and Seminary in Clarks Summit, PA
33. WOL 2008 Schroon Lake, NY 

God has blessed us this week with hot weather.  Here are Kayla and Joshua chilling out.