Do You Keep a Journal?

Why Keep a Prayer Journal?

Any inexpensive notebook will work great as a journal.

Any inexpensive notebook will work great as a journal.

For years I have kept a prayer journal and I have listed specific prayers and specific people to remember while praying. I think it’s important and it’s nice to be able to go back and see where and how prayers have been answered.  I had kind of gotten out of the habit of journaling and keeping up with those prayer lists.

 I have recently recommitted to journaling.  (There are some instagram friends that I think deserve some credit for my recommitment to journaling;  Rachel Schmoyer, Sarah Bramme @thiswifelife, Heather Kaufman @hmkstories, two of these ladies are writers and have reminded me of the importance of writing and Sarah reminded me that I should be praying for my husband daily). I think it’s important that we remember to pray for others daily and not just ourselves.  And I for one, sometimes need to be reminded!  We all get busy and consumed with our own lives, but God commands us to: 

 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.  Galations 6:2 

 Keeping a prayer journal and writing down all of those people that you promise to pray for ensures that you will actually remember to pray for them and it’s one way to help to fulfill God’s command to carry each other’s burdens.  Don’t just give those requests lip service; I think it’s easy to tell people on social media that you will pray for them and then just forget about it.  Journaling is an easy way to remind yourself.  If they are personal friends or neighbors in your area, you can do even more to ease their burdens such as:

 Cooking a meal for them

Babysitting or taking their kids to a practice or an appointment

Washing a load of clothes for them

Running an errand for them

Inviting them over for coffee and listening and be a friend (show that you care)

 There are all sorts of inexpensive ways that you can help to carry one another’s burdens, but I truly believe it begins with prayer and journaling is just my way of keeping up with that prayer list. Start your own prayer journal today!


Be a Doer

Get Started Today

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Ecclesiates 11

I had a difficult time putting pen to paper when it came writing a devotional for this week.  Everything I read in the Bible applied directly to me and I was all over the place, (which means it should be easy to come up with several ideas for future devotionals because there are a lot of areas in my life that need work).  I finally decided to share one of my immediate concerns with you.

I decided to retire at the end of the school year in June.  I loved my job, but I drove a far distance, had to get up at 5 am everyday and I was just tired.  I have some things that I would like to do, dreams I would like to chase and hobbies that I would like to pursue.  One of my fears about retirement is that I seem to be able to waste a whole day and not accomplish much, so I have started trying to keep a day planner and actually plan out my days and get some of my want to's penciled in and scheduled on my calendar.  I am trying to make productivity a habit. I am also trying to make reading my Bible a habit and writing these short devotions helps.  I know that I need to get up fairly early in the morning and get my day started and I have scriptural proof!  

I've been reading in Ecclesiates and there it was in verse 11.  I think God is telling me to get up every morning and get started; chase my dreams, make plans, schedule classes and trips!  I know I can't be the only one that struggles with actually getting started.  He wants us to spend time in The Word and spend time with Him.

Start today by getting up early and reading Ecclesiates 11 and spending some time with Him and then make a plan and get busy!

The secret of getting started is getting started.
— Mark Twain

Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, and whether both will do equally well. Light is sweet, and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.    Ecclesiates 11:6-7

 

Trust in Him

My son loves for me to tell this story; he was 5 years old and we had an appointment at the Texas Medical Center near the Houston Zoo. We had friends with us because after the appointment we were going to spend the day at the zoo. We were two moms from a small town and 4 young children, (moms know how stressful it can be going to a big metropolitan area with 1 baby, 2 toddlers and 1 five year old). We had to drive into the city and park in a parking garage.  After the appointment we were in the elevator heading back to the parking garage when I realized that I had no idea what level we had parked on (and this was before cell phones did anything other than make emergency phone calls, so no taking a picture of your parking spot).  I looked at my friend and asked “Do you know what level we parked on?”  She did not, but my 5 year old son piped up and said, “We parked on level 5 next to a Ford Explorer.” My friend and I both looked at each other and I thought, “Do I really trust a 5 year old to guide us?” I kind of figured that I didn’t really have anything other ideas, he was the only one with any clue where to start looking for the car.  We rode the elevator to level 5, got out and there was the car, right next to a Ford Explorer.  I reluctantly trusted a 5 year, but he was right!

 

I think sometimes we kind of treat God the same way, instead of trusting God we only follow His guidance and direction when we have no other options and He is our last resort.  We reluctantly trust Him when we know that He has never failed us. God should be our first resort and not our last.  He wants us to trust in Him and seek Him.  God will never steer us in the wrong direction, but we have to seek His wisdom.

Seek God's wisdom in your daily life starting today and trust Him!

Psalms 9:10

Those who know your name trust in you,
for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.

 

 

 

All Things Work Together for Good

Romans 8:26-28

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We all deal with troubles and challenges each day and sometimes those challenges don’t get resolved overnight.  This has been a rather challenging few months in our family. Last September my husband developed a blood clot and was diagnosed with a blood disorder and then in November my 77 year old mother fell and broke her neck, due to her age and other health factors the best option was for her to stay in a neck brace and give it time to heal.  

My mom went from being totally independent to totally dependent; for several months she had to move in with us.  She is now back in her own house and pretty independent again; she can’t drive and she does have some limitations, but she is so much more independent than she was in the beginning. 

These things have affected my whole family and I know at times it has been difficult for each one of us, but being believers, we know that we are supposed to trust God to give us what we need to handle these situations and to grow from our struggles. 

God has reminded me of His word in Romans 8:26 -28 that tells us that even in our weakness when we don’t know how to pray or what to ask for, that we have the Spirit that intercedes for us.  There have been many times in my life where I have put this to the test.  I have felt helpless and despair and I knew I needed God’s help, but I couldn’t really come up with the words to pray.  I truly believe all we have to do is say “God help me” or call His name and the Spirit will intercede for us when needed. 

In the last several months I have put this to the test once again and God has been faithful. Here we are 9 months later and we can all see light at the end of this challenging tunnel.  My husband is doing well and my mom finds out this week if she can finally take that neck brace off for good and begin some therapy to get stronger and get back to being 100% independent. 

Romans 8:28  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

That doesn’t mean that everything is easy and fun, but it does mean that He will take care of us and grow us through the difficulties in life if we only call out to him.  This week when you face challenges just remember God’s promises in Romans 8:26-28 and call out to him.  He will give you what you need!