Friday, January 31, 2014

Day 229 Prayer Request

Please pray I will put on love, which is the bond of perfection.

Jane (Momma to 2)

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Day 228 Prayer Request

Please pray I will bear with and forgive as Christ forgives me.

Jane (Momma to 2)

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

To Thaw


 We awoke to His magnificent beauty.

 
The limbs sparkly, and frozen still.  And we waited.

 
We witnessed His warming touch slowly melt the cold hardness. 

 
And watched His gentle breath blow the icy away.
 
Thank You dear Jesus for the beautiful picture of how You can melt away the frozen tundra of our hearts.
 
Please keep on thawing us until nothing but Your perfect LOVE remains.

 
 
 
 

Day 227 Prayer Request

Please pray for peace and God's will.

Annette (Momma to many)

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Day 226 Prayer Request

Please pray for wisdom in regards to our journey with foster to adopt.

Marie (Momma to 4)

Monday, January 27, 2014

Day 225 Prayer Request

Please pray for the right job to open up for our family.

Marie (Momma to 4)

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Loosening my grip...

 
It's been sitting still on the counter for months.  I just can't shake the meaning.  I find myself grasping - even groping, for true comprehension.
 
I so want to be wise.
 
I am wound up real tight at the moment.
 
This winding process is not always so easy.  It's difficult to keep the tension wound just right.  Too loose, and I start to spiral back downwards.  Too tight, and I suffocate myself and the little treasures all around me.
 
I am so weary in the steadying of this coiled spring.
 
Yet, with the rays warming my cheek toasty this morn, He whispered,
 
"Let go Mandi.  You can let go." 
 
Sisters, I am so ashamed that I forget He will hold onto this coil when I am so weary. 
 
What does this say about my faith?
 
If I let my guard fail, will He really keep their little twin brains from melding and concocting their next distructive adventure?
 
Will He really make sure her teeth are brushed, her hair is tamed, and her clothes are on correctly?
 
What if I relax and give my growing man-child the opportunity for adventure and fun within his school hours, instead of writing another expository essay?  Will He still provide him with the proper education?
 
 
"Yes Mandi, I will.  Trust me.  My ways are not your ways.  Surrender." 
 
Please pray for me as I reluctantly loosen my grip on this spring. 
 
I choose to trust the One who shed His blood to have relationship with me.  

Day 224 Prayer Request

Please pray that our daughter's hard heart will soften.

Ann (Momma to 6)

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Day 223 Prayer Request

Please pray for guidance for me for next year, whether I should accept a teaching job or not, and what that might entail for my family.

Danielle (Momma to 3)

Friday, January 24, 2014

Day 222 Prayer Request

Please pray I would show love and respect to my husband in an extra measure this week.

Marie (Momma to 4)

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Day 221 Prayer Request

Please pray for my marriage and for God's hands to be clearly seen.

Annette (Momma to many)

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Psalm 71:20-21



 
"You, who have shown me great and severe troubles,
Shall revive me again,
And bring me up again from the depths of the earth.
You shall increase my greatness,
And comfort me on every side."
Psalm 71:20-21

Day 220 Prayer Request

Please pray for strength.

Jane (Momma to 2)

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Dark Treasures

We never ask for the darkness
We never could
It is too much.
But because You love us
You plunge us into blackness.
We cannot see this at first
Sometimes we cry
Sometimes we curse
We stumble with our hands outstretched
trying to find the way
until we realize
that You never left us.
Our eyes adjust
We recognize the treasures
diamonds that You could only form
during the night.
 
Grace
 
 

Day 219 Prayer Request

Please pray I will put on longsuffering.

Jane (Momma to 2)

Monday, January 20, 2014

Dear Jane,

Your prayer request is crushing my pride and changing my life.  It will probably turn into about 20 requests, because one character trait is about all I can handle a day.

Thank you for giving me the blessing of praying for you.  Obviously, I need the same prayer too.

Love,

Reagan

(This will probably be on the blog. :) I am a woman of few words as of late because I have so much to hear.)



Jane's request on Jan. 7:
Hi! I always do, I am praying Colossians 3:12-18, so if you could condense that into one or two sentences?
 
 
(Sorry gals, I could not.) 

Day 218 Prayer Request

Please pray for endurance in this journey.

Reagan (Momma to 4)

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Day 217 Prayer Request

Please pray that my kids learn to deal with anger in a healthy way.

Annette (Momma to many)

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Friday, January 17, 2014

Day 215 Prayer Request

Please pray she will adjust well to her new semester school schedule.

Reagan (Momma to 4)

Thursday, January 16, 2014

I am thankful for....

...the electric pencil sharperer,
 
 
that aided in the sharpening of the bazillion pencils that needed sharpening this morning,...
 
 


...along with the electrical outlet that provided the energy,...

 
 ...and my sore fingers that God created to hold pencils.


I am thankful for the bazillion pencils that need sharpening and the overflow of prayer in my heart for the students in Jinja, Uganda who treasure only one.
 

I am thankful for the Warrior Daddy's fuzzy socks and his flannel pajama pants which warm my limbs upon the cold concrete floor,...


...and the sun shining the painted tree's reflection right next to me as I sharpen away.


I am thankful for their beautiful faces smiling large in front of me from past Christmas cards, reminding me the purpose for this mundane task.
 
 
I am thankful that He is faithful to continue to bless and teach a Momma who woke up unthankful for another day's troubles.
 
Thank You Jesus for loving me with a merciful heart. 
 
"But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness."
Psalm 86:15 
 

Day 214 Prayer Request

Please pray I will put on meekness.

Jane (Momma to 2)

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Romans 5:1-5

artwork by Grace
 
"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.  And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.  Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us."
Romans 5:1-5

Day 213 Prayer Request

Please pray I will put on humility.

Jane (Momma to 2)

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Day 212 Prayer Request

Praise Him for support and good influence for my kids.

Annette (Momma to many)

Monday, January 13, 2014

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Deuteronomy 7:13

"And He will love you and bless you and multiply you; He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your land, your grain and your new wine and your oil, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flock, in the land of which He swore to your fathers to give you."
Deuteronomy 7:13
 
 



His chesed (Hebrew) covenant love is steadfast.  His love is loyal.

Day 210 Prayer Request

Please pray that our adoptive son would learn to trust us, and accept how much we love him.

Marie (Momma to 4)

Saturday, January 11, 2014

Day 209 Prayer Request

Please pray that I will put on my compassionate heart.

Jane (Momma to 2)

Friday, January 10, 2014

Day 208 Prayer Request

Please pray for our children who are dealing with difficulties on their bus ride back from school. 

Ann (Momma to 6)

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Day 207 Prayer Request

Please pray for healing for my children.

Annette (Momma to many)

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Love

So, I haven't been writing much lately.  I am sorry.  My heart has been heavy, so heavy as of late.  Heavy with one word: Love.
 


How do I love?  I think I know, and then I know I don't. 

Confusing, I bet. 

Thus, no writing.

Instead, there has been much thinking.  I am trying to still my heart, quiet my mind.  I want to love well.  I want to love the way He so generously loves me.  I want to love perfectly.  Which is a problem, since He is refining me from this perfection flaw.  So, I find myself constantly face down, swimming from one mistake to the other.  I am fighting the enemy who is trying to steal my energy, thieve away all my hope that I can truly love well.

And this sisters, what He revealed this morn, I could not sit and ponder alone.

"Can a woman forget her nursing child,
And not have compassion on the son of her womb?
Surely they may forget,
Yet I will not forget you.
See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;
Your walls are continually before Me."
Isaiah 49:15-16

Yes, I have seen the woman abandon and not have compassion on her child.  I experience the side effects of this catastrophe each and every single day.  The pain surrounding this issue is so grand, so inexplainable. 

I don't have to type on for you.  You, you experience this too.

Yet, He will not forget me.  

He is right here, in my midst (Zeph. 3:17), and He will not forget me in this battle.  

He invites me to see, search for and truly see the inscription on the palm of His hand.


It's me, drawn perfectly, right there on the palm of His hand.  

And as if this weren't enough, He promises that my walls are His walls - I am continually before Him.  

I pray this, in every moment of my day.  Please draw near.  Please be right here next to us.  Please hold me tight.  Please love me.

His love is unfailing.

My love will fail, but His never will.  I just need to keep believing in that inscription I cannot physically see, but He promises is there.
 
  
Jesus is the Word (John 1:1).  I can trust His promise. 

In all this failing, He is good.  He will use all this striving to love, all this doubt in my heart and turn it into His beautiful grace. 

He will shine in all His love (John 1:5).

 
I am so thankful He chooses to use this broken vessel to love them.  I get to be part of their love story.  I pray they glimpse a tiny parcel of His great love for them through all this trying.  And when my trying is just not enough, I can rest knowing He is right here within my walls. 

Day 206 Prayer Request

Please pray for transition back to school today.

Danielle (Momma to 3)

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Psalm 50:1-2



"The Mighty One, God the LORD,
Has spoken and called the earth
From the rising of the sun to its going down.
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God will shine forth."
Psalm 50:1-2


 
 

Day 205 Prayer Request

Praise the Lord!  We are back on our school schedule and three beautiful girls are back in their game.  :)

Reagan (Momma to 4)

Monday, January 6, 2014

Day 204 Prayer Request

Praise Jesus for such a peaceful Christmas break!

Ann (Momma to 6)

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

 
"There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity
under the heavens:
 
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to
gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to
refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace."

Day 203 Prayer Request

Please pray for a presentation I am presenting to K-12 staff concerning adoption issues in our children.

Danielle (Momma to 3)

Saturday, January 4, 2014

Day 202 Prayer Request

Please pray for my girls to be kind with their words and gentle with their hands.

Reagan (Momma to 4)

Friday, January 3, 2014

Day 201 Prayer Request

Please pray for our family to get well from a sick bug.

Danielle (Momma to 3)

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Day 200 Prayer Request

Please pray for my sick grandma in rehab now for clots in lungs and an enlarged heart.

Danielle (Momma to 3)

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Happy 2014

Well, I didn't get it all done.  Not even close. 

And the enemy would like to dance right now over me sneering his excitment in my failures.

But, He lives here.  He resides right here in the center of this heart, and I. am. one. protected. girl.

You see, I am a dreamer, and a goal-setter.  So new year resolutions are welcome challenges, opportunities for growth.  But, they are always my personal goals.  And my reality is that I live with little goal-blockers.

The beauty of this chosen life is that if I will be still enough to see, each and every one of my failures - goals blocked - is His victory as I surrender one more time to His calling, lay down myself, and watch as He reveals something new and glorious about Himself.

I love Jesus. 

He is so wonderful, so good, so willing to teach the teachable heart.

Happy 2014!  May your new year bring you fresh and new opportunities to know Him more intimately, and experience His voluminous love.


"Do not remember the former things,
Nor consider the things of old.
Behold, I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
I will even make a road in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert."
Isaiah 43:18-19


Day 199 Prayer Request

Please pray with me as I thank God for my family and for the healing He will do in the new year.

Annette (Momma to many)