Tag Archives: prayer

June 27, 2011 · 5:00 am

Right This Minute.

Right this minute.

I know a woman bed-ridden with a cancer that is trying to consume her body.  And, it wrecks me.

Right this minute.

I know a woman who is putting every single ounce of trust into her Savior as she comforts her two daughters who probably don’t understand why their father has walked out.  And, it wrecks me.

Right this minute.

I know a man who is caring for a wife who has been diagnosed with a rare form of dementia while struggling to keep his business afloat.  And, it wrecks me.

Right this minute.

I know a woman who doesn’t comprehend her value and is selling out to lies that she will never be good enough.  And, it wrecks me.

I know every single one of these people.

And, these things are happening.  Right this minute.

And, it wrecks me.

It wrecks me until I remember…..

The Roman Centurion who asked Jesus to heal his servant, and Jesus just spoke the words, and He was healed.

And, I remember that God will be a father to the fatherless, and He will redeem everything that is lost.

I remember that all things are possible with the One who provides for us and never leaves us and goes with us all the way to the end.  And, the end is always glorious.

I remember that I am the arms and feet of Christ, and I can love with His amazing love so that person hurting sees only God lifting her up, holding her in His arms, until she knows how He loves her from the inside out.

You see, nothing….NOTHING is beyond repair.  Nothing is beyond redemption.  Nothing is beyond the MIRACLE.

And, I won’t stop praying.  I won’t stop serving.  I won’t stop fighting for people.

Because, I am a WARRIOR.

And, He is KING.  In whom ALL things are POSSIBLE. 

Right.  This.  Minute.

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April 5, 2011 · 8:02 pm

The Truth About Resentment.

Truth is.

I’ve had one million things to write about.

Truth is.

I’ve taken zero time to write anything.

It’s easy to get out of a daily routine.  A routine of exercise.  A routine of going to church on Sundays.  A routine of weekly date nights.  A routine of family devotions. 

A routine of writing.  Okay, and so a routine of exercise. 

And, I almost didn’t write this post.  I just knew I needed to.  I knew I needed to write down how I had this moment tonight where I found myself beginning to feel resentful.  Resentful for having so little time to myself.  Resentful that I am the one who picks up behind little people.  And, ahem, big people.  Resentful that my day is usually consumed with doing things for other people.

Resentful.

So, I prayed.

And, as quickly as that resentment came pulsing through my veins, it left.  Really.  It did.  I realized that usually when resentment begins creeping into my life, it is the direct result of me failing to spend time alone with my Father.  My Friend.  I can spend a large portion of my day studying scriptures and researching words like “faith.”  It’s all head knowledge.  Granted a lot of it goes directly to my heart, and that’s all good.  But it’s not relational.  Not in the way He wants and not in the way I need.  And, it’s that relational part that keeps me in check.  Well, it keeps my attitude in check.  If you don’t believe me, ask Kris Takle. 

Or not.

And, the truth is.

My life is not my own anyway. 

So, what could I possibly be resentful about?

Now, my resentment has turned into gratitude.  Gratitude for a Father who doesn’t let me stay in a crappy state of mind.  Gratitude for a Friend who will let me vent, but then speak truth into my life seconds later. 

Because, He loves me.  And, the only appropriate response is to love Him right back. 

With time spent with Him.

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January 19, 2011 · 5:00 am

The Pastor.

We picked up our wings.  That’s code for there is some football game thing, and I need food to bear through it.  Sorry, Falcons fans.  No.  Really.  Sorry.  Anyhoo, a very good friend of mine (who is also my hair stylist which is code for VERY good friend) sent me a text to pray for her baby boy.  Poor thing had slipped out of his big sister’s hands, hit his noggin’, and scared his momma to pieces.  ‘Cause we mommas are good at getting scared to pieces.

I called her back immediately and prayed with her over the phone.  Then, I knew I couldn’t just sit and wait on her to call me back from the Emergency Room.  And, after I told Dad what was going on, he got all, “Um, I’m there pastor, I need to be there.”  So, off we went together.

I watched Dad pray for this sweet, baby boy.  Then, as we were leaving, I watched him pray for someone else. 

It was an elderly lady waiting to be checked after a fall.

“Has anyone prayed for you?”  He asked her.

“No, sir,” she told him.

So, he prayed.

As we drove away, Dad said something to me that has stayed with me.

“One of the greatest joys of being a pastor and doing what I do is getting to pray for people.”

I’ve never heard Dad say, one of the greatest joys of being a pastor is growing the largest church.  Although, I know that changed lives matter to him. 

But, I know that people matter to him most. 

I left that hospital with a full heart and a holy perspective on what it means to be a pastor. 

I hope I still say after 35 years in ministry, I GET to pray for people.

As for the sweet, baby boy?  He is just fine.  And, that scared momma?  Well, I don’t even think she noticed the Falcons lost.

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May 24, 2010 · 9:09 pm

Who Knows What the Tide Will Bring.

Kris and I watch the movie Cast Away most every time it comes on television.  I’m not sure why.  There is practically little to no dialogue during the first half of the movie.  Come to think of it… Maybe, we like there is little to no dialogue.  Once you have three children, silence is bliss.

Anyway, we were watching recently and I heard Tom Hanks’ character say:

“I have to keep breathing.  Because, tomorrow the sun will rise, and who knows what the tide will bring.”

Many have inquired about my little surgery and biopsies and whathaveyou.  It was all good, friends.  All good.  I was never really fearful, but there is always an awareness of the fragility of life when our lives are stopped head on with major interruptions and more doctor’s appointments that we care to attend to. 

But, I am a wife.  I am a mother.  And, most importantly, I am a follower of Christ.  I have continue to walk in truth.  I have to keep pressing toward the mark no matter what is staring me in the face. 

While our current situation may look grim or seem hopeless, we have to keep breathing.  We have to keep praying.  We have to keep trusting in our Father who loves us more than we can fathom.  Because, tomorrow the sun will rise, and who knows what God will do.

Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.  Psalm 30:5

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April 22, 2010 · 6:00 am

The Warrior.

(Lynn with her sweet grandchildren)

She’s one of the greatest women of God I’ve ever known.

She loves her family the way I imagine God called all mothers and daughters to love their families.

She loves the local the church and never misses a day in His courts unless necessary.

She loves her friends, and her thoughtfulness is always evident.

I honestly don’t know many more selfless human beings than Lynn Chambers.

I really don’t know how I would have pressed through my difficult times without her encouragement.

And, I don’t know a greater prayer warrior than she.

But, I do know that she loves with a love that must melt the heart of God.

She is my prayer warrior.

And, she’s probably yours.

Happy Birthday Lynn Chambers.  I love you more than I could ever express.  Thank you for believing in the power of prayer.  It’s an honor to call you friend.

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March 13, 2010 · 8:14 am

Sweetly Broken.

Pregnancy means waking up to pee every hour on the hour.  When I woke up at 4:00 am, I just couldn’t drift back off into sleepy town.  It happens often these days.  It’s usually because of my athlete in training or my mind running ramped of things I need to accomplish.  Then, there are times I just wake up and pray.  I pray for my children.  I pray for Kris.  I pray for people in need of healing.  I just pray.

It’s easy, especially in this stage of my journey carrying a child, to become self-focused.  I still read scriptures.  I’m still very aware of God’s presence in my life.  But, I can still focus much too much on wanting this baby-carrying journey to end.  So, when God centers me again, I want to fall down at the cross and thank Him for it.  He does it for me often.  He did it again at 4:00 am.

I made a little delivery room playlist on my iPod.  The first song on that playlist is Jeremy Riddle’s “Sweetly Broken.”  I haven’t been able to get these lyrics out of my head since my little wake-up call:

At the cross You beckon me
You draw me gently to my knees, and I am
Lost for words, so lost in love,
I’m sweetly broken, wholly surrendered

I’m so thankful for a Father who continues to beckon me, even when I become self-consumed.  I’m so thankful that He allows me to surrender my stuff to Him – sometimes the same stuff more than once or ten times.  I’m so thankful I’m in love with Him. 

And, that He first loved me.

Sweetly broken.  That’s me today.

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March 9, 2010 · 8:55 am

Aunt Kate Talks With Unknown Teeth.

I know alla y’all know Big Mama by now.  Do you remember her 94 year old sister, Kate?  Here she is.

Well, Aunt Kate fell and broke her sweet, little hip.  She is having surgery this morning.  According to my momma, she has not lost her ability to “talk up a storm.”  As a matter of fact, when the good doctor asked her if her teeth belonged to her, she cleverly pointed to a couple that did.  Then, added while pointing to other various teeth, “Now, I don’t know who that one belongs to, or that one, or that one….”

There is only one Aunt Kate.  And, one Big Mama.  I love them both.

Say a prayer for Aunt Kate today.  And, pray for Big Mama who will endure her endless gabbing.  Because, she will not leave her side.

Love y’all.  Mean it.

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February 16, 2010 · 6:12 am

When Nagging Doesn’t Work…And, It Never Does.

Yesterday, my good friend, Cindy Beall, posted “Shut Up And Pray” revealing the power of praying for your spouse…..versus the not so easily received nagging by your spouse.  It was good stuff.

There are times when issues need to be discussed.  And, a long time ago, I posted “Conversations That Work,” a few lessons I’ve learned in how to communicate with my spouse. 

But, not all issues really need to be confronted.  Because, sometimes, those issues are our issues….not theirs.  So, when we address “our stuff” with our spouse, it will usually come out in the form of nagging.  I don’t always zip it, lock it, and put it in my pocket like I should.  But, I really try. 

One evening, a couple of weeks ago, I was just frustrated with Kris.  (He doesn’t even know it….except, now he does, IF HE READS MY BLOG TODAY.  Not bitter.)  I made the very difficult decision of not saying a word.  I went to bed….

AND, I PRAYED FOR HIM.

I didn’t even pray, “Lord, show him he needs to do this or that.”  Instead, I prayed blessings over his life.  I prayed that God would bless him in everything he does and touches.  That He would give him peace wherever there is no peace.  That any stress in his life that wasn’t from God, He would gently remove from his life.

Blessings.  That’s what I prayed.

The next morning, I woke up to a different man.  Or, perhaps, I woke up to a different me?  I had a brand new perspective and an even greater love for Kris. 

Our words are powerful.  Our prayers make a difference in BOTH of our lives. 

Bless your husband by praying for him.  It works much better than nagging.  I promise.

She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.  Proverbs 31:12

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December 7, 2009 · 6:00 am

Deeper Still.

What do you get when you have Kay Arthur, Beth Moore, and Priscilla Shirer all in one room together?  Well, certainly not a lack of knowledge of the Bible. 

Lord. Have. Mercy.

I enjoyed a great weekend with a few my BS’ers, er, Bible Study gals, at the Deeper Still conference in OKC.  We had intended on eating a nice dinner in Bricktown prior to the event on Friday, but by the time we parked, time was a tickin’.  Call me spoiled, but concession nachos and cheese are not my idea of a satisfying meal.  A Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cake maybe.  But, not nachos.  When we were crossing the street downtown, my friend, Deleise, said, “I smell steak, and it makes me sad.”  I suddenly had a strange feeling come over me that we must be sisters. 

Deleise and I have a lot in common.  She is a reallllly good cook, and I reallllly love good food.   

Anyhoo, back to Deeper Still. 

Kay Arthur taught the book of Hebrews Friday night.  The WHOLE book of Hebrews.  So, if y’all have any questions on Hebrews, feel free to call me.  I’ll tell you to call Kay Arthur. 

I was most excited to hear Beth Moore until Mrs. Priscilla took the stage.  I triple heart her.  She said a whole lotta goodness, but I especially loved this statement:

“Whether God chooses to do something is a question of His sovereignty, not His ability.”

I always think of Job when I think of the sovereignty of God.  You know, the whole “where were you” speech.  But key in it all is to never stop praying.

Let’s say that again.

Never stop praying.

Don’t grow weary in praying for that thing you keep praying for.  Even when it seems God is not answering.  Or even hearing ya.  Heavens, how long did Elijah pray for rain?  I can’t remember for sure, you’ll have to ask my daddy or Kay Arthur, but I know it was a long time.

Just remember, He can do anything.

And, what concerns you concerns Him.  You can put God in a box.  But your box will not limit Him.  It will just limit your awareness of Him.

He’s bigger than your problem.

And, He is able.

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September 10, 2009 · 6:00 am

How Fragile We Are.

Angela, a friend of mine, posted this on Facebook yesterday:

“Had a young client today age 9 who has cancer, and I had to shave her head.  She will get her wig from Locks of Love within 4 months.  I have thought about her since she left.  It makes you stop and thank God for a healthy child.”

It makes me stop and consider how consumed I can become with things that, at the end of the day, really aren’t so significant. 

How even when one of my children are home sick with a cold, my life stops and centers on him or her. 

How even in our weakness, He is still so very present, and so very strong.

How precious.

How fragile.

How sweet.

Life really is.

Can we all just take a moment out of our day and pray for a little girl most of us have never met?

Father, we lift up this young girl to You.  You know her name.  You even know the number of hairs on her precious, little head.  Touch her body.  Heal her.  Comfort her.  Restore to her health.  In Your Name that is above ALL Names.

Amen.

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