What Nerve!!!

Greetings,

We all have something very beautiful and amazing in common: MOMS!  As we prepare to celebrate Mother's Day this weekend, let's look at one fabulous, inspiring mom from the Bible.

Hannah desperately longed for a baby, but she could not get pregnant. It was heartbreaking, and to make matters worse, another woman, who had the blessing of children, "taunted her cruelly" because of it (I guess mean girls have always been a problem).  And - surprise surprise - her husband didn't understand her either. He was so clueless he asked her, "Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?” 

Hannah did the wisest, most powerful thing she could do.

"Crushed in soul, Hannah prayed to God and cried and cried - inconsolably. ‘Oh, God...take a good, hard look at my pain, go into action for me by giving me a son, I’ll give him completely, unreservedly to you. I’ll set him apart for a life of holy discipline’" (Samuel 1:11-12).

Hannah prayed a desperate, no-holds-barred, anguished plea, which was also a mighty invitation.

“GO INTO ACTION FOR ME!”

That's bold.  Specks of dust us telling Almighty God to take a good, hard look at our suffering and then demanding He do something about it? What nerve!

But that's precisely the kind of "nerve" God responds to.

By the time we get to verse 20 in this same chapter we read, "Before the year was out, Hannah had conceived and given birth to a son. She named him Samuel, explaining, 'I asked God for him.'”

This phrase, "before the year was out," really touches my heart and fills me with hope.  I have several prayer requests that I would love to see answered before the end of the year.

Do you? 

Then let's pray! 

PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank You for moms. Some of our moms are in Your tender care, and we are grateful we will see them again. For those moms here on earth, bless them with long healthy lives. We also praise You for the bold language of the Bible; GO INTO ACTION FOR US.  I especially need to see Your power displayed in this area of my life _________________________, and may You grant my request before the year is out. In Jesus' name, AMEN~

A Praying Mom~

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord.  "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope" (Jeremiah 29:11).

Greetings,

The verse above is one of my all-time favorites because part of God's good and hope-filled plan for my life was to give me a praying mom.

I think of her often - especially this time of the year - and of all the things she could have left me when she went home to heaven, nothing is more precious or more valuable to me than knowing she prayed for me.  

Every single day she asked the Lord for His blessings, guidance, healing, protection, forgiveness, wisdom, and moral clarity to overflow in my life.  

If you had or have a praying mother, praise the Lord for that incomparable gift.  If you didn't or don't, then pick up the mantle! Be part of that good and hope-filled plan God has for you and your family.  There is nothing you could do that is more beneficial or powerful for your family. And there is no greater legacy you could leave behind.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank You for moms. We also thank You for opening our eyes to the importance of prayer.  We want to be part of Your good plans, so we pray for those we love and ask You to send mighty blessings. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

God's Greeting Card

Greetings,

I have been in a purging mood lately, so this past week I tackled a crate filled with every Mother’s Day, Birthday, Anniversary, Valentine’s Day, and Thank You card that I have accumulated for the past 30 years.  It was a pleasant trip down memory lane, and also bitter-sweet reading some of the messages that my now-grown children wrote when they were little. 

“Mommy, you’re the best.”

“Thank you for making my favorite lunch every day.”

“I promise to cuddle for 20 minutes.”

All that reminiscing made me think about what God would write to me if He were to give me a card: “Dear Yenise, I know the plans I have for you – plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).

Those are some of the best words ever written in the Bible and a powerful promise for all God’s children.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank You that Your plans for my life are good.  You are willing to provide a hope-filled future, and I receive it.  In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

A Praying Mother ~

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord.  "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

Greetings,

The verse above is one of my all-time favorites because part of God's good and hope-filled plan for my life was to give me a praying mother.

I think of her often  -  especially around this time of the year  -  and of all the things she could have left me when she went home to heaven, nothing is more precious or more valuable to me than knowing she prayed for me every single day.  

She asked the Lord daily for His blessings, guidance, healing, protection, forgiveness, wisdom, and moral clarity to infuse every part of my being. 

If you had or have a praying mother, praise the Lord for that incomparable gift.  If you didn't or don't, then pick up the mantle, if you haven't already, and be part of that good plan God has for you and your family.  There is nothing you could do that is more beneficial or powerful and no greater legacy you could leave behind.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Thank You for moms. We also thank You for opening our eyes to the importance of prayer.  We want to be part of Your good plans, so we lift up the children we love before Your throne and pray down a blessing right now.  Meet us and our families at the point of our need.  You have every single thing that is necessary to get our lives moving and staying in the right direction.  In Jesus' name, AMEN.

A Praying Mother

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord.  "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

Greetings,

The verse above is one of my all-time favorites because part of God's good and hope-filled plan for my life was to give me a praying mother.

I think of her often  -  especially around this time of the year  -  and of all the things she could have left me when she went home to heaven, nothing is more precious or more valuable to me than knowing she prayed for me every single day.  

She asked the Lord daily for His blessings, guidance, healing, protection, forgiveness, wisdom, and moral clarity to infuse every part of my being. 

If you had or have a praying mother, praise the Lord for that incomparable gift.  If you didn't or don't, then pick up the mantle, if you haven't already, and be part of that good plan God has for you and your family.  There is nothing you could do that is more beneficial or powerful and no greater legacy you could leave behind.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Thank You for moms. We also thank You for opening our eyes to the importance of prayer.  We want to be part of Your good plans, so we lift up our children before Your throne and pray down a blessing right now.  Meet us and our families at the point of our need.  You have every single thing that is necessary to get our lives moving and staying in the right direction.  In Jesus' name, AMEN.

What Nerve!

Thursday greetings~

Today I am revising a DEVO originally published a few years ago.  May the Lord bless your soul as you read.

***

We all have something very beautiful and amazing in common: MOMS!  As we prepare to celebrate Mother's Day this weekend, let's take a look at one fabulous, inspiring mom from the Bible whose name is Hannah.

Hannah desperately longed for a baby, but she could not get pregnant. It was heartbreaking, and to make matters worse, another woman, who had the blessing of children, "taunted her cruelly" because of it ( I guess mean girls have always been a problem).  And, surprise surprise, her own husband didn't understand her. He was so thoughtful that in 1 Samuel 1:8 he actually asks her, "Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?” 

Hannah did the wisest, most powerful thing she could do.

I Samuel 1:11-12, "Crushed in soul, Hannah prayed to God and cried and cried - inconsolably. 'Oh, God...take a good, hard look at my pain, go into action for me by giving me a son, I’ll give him completely, unreservedly to you. I’ll set him apart for a life of holy discipline.'"

Hannah prayed...And from what the verse above says, it was a desperate, no holds barred, anguished plea; it was also a mighty invitation.

GO INTO ACTION FOR ME!

That's kind of bold.  Little ole us telling Almighty God to take a good, hard look at our suffering and then demanding He do something about it? What nerve!

But that's precisely the kind of "nerve" God responds to.

By the time we get to verse 20 in this same chapter we read, "Before the year was out, Hannah had conceived and given birth to a son. She named him Samuel, explaining, 'I asked God for him.'”

This phrase, "before the year was out," really touches my heart and fills me with hope.  I have several prayer requests that I would love to see answered before the end of the year.

Do you? 

Then let's pray! 

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Thank You for moms. Some of our moms are in Your tender care, and we are grateful we will see them again. For those moms here on earth, bless them with long healthy lives. We also praise You for the bold language of the Bible; GO INTO ACTION FOR US.  I especially need to see Your power displayed in this area of my life _________________________, and may You grant my request before the year is out. In Jesus' name, AMEN~

You Have No Idea What Fun Is...

A post Mother’s Day greeting to all~

Who’s the most creative person you know or ever heard of?  So many folks come to mind.  Shakespeare, Churchill, DaVinci?  Sometimes, I read a book and am amazed at the author’s brilliance and wit.  Or I will watch a movie and marvel at the special effects and think about the genius mind behind it.  Other times it blows me away at how far technology has come in my lifetime; I never thought I would use my cell phone to make calls and take pictures and pay bills.    

And yet…1 Corinthians 2:9 “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined the things that God has prepared for those who love Him.”

So many super minds out there and not one has enough creativity or imagination to fully explain the things God has prepared for us.   

When my children were little they slept with me in my bed.  I loved that so much; they were so yummy.  And even when they outgrew this arrangement – Hormone was four when he requested his own bed – every year on Mother’s Day, my kids still join me for a quick picture and hug in bed.   It’s the one thing I want for myself every year.  And in case you are wondering, my in-law children are on board with this nonsense and promptly joined me yesterday for a pic of this tradition.   

And while we organizing ourselves for the picture, I was laughing at how silly and odd and funny the whole thing was, and God whispered to my heart right then and there: “Yenisita, You have no idea what fun is.  You just wait.”  

Since He and I have an agreement that I am going to share whatever He whispers to me, God knew I would say this to all of you today. 

So, if you had a great day yesterday, AMEN!  But there is something even better headed your way. 

And if your day stunk, say AMEN! anyway because one of these days, your day will never ever stink again.

My mother-in-law’s mom passed away this past December, so hers was a day of mixed emotion.  Later as she and I talked, we both agreed that mixed emotions will one day be replaced with something better than we can ever imagine!

PRAYER:  Dear Lord, We thank You for all the beautiful blessings we have on earth. Life is a precious gift, and we want to live with joy, health, peace, and protection.  We also thank You that nothing can compare with the amazing indescribable things You have for us.  Help us focus on the better days ahead.  In Jesus’ name, AMEN~