Do It Again, Lord

Dear Lord,

We're still hoping we'll wake up. We're still hoping we'll open a sleepy eye and think, What a horrible dream.

But we won't, will we, Father? What we saw was not a dream. Planes did gouge towers. Flames did consume our fortress. People did perish. It was no dream and, dear Father, we are sad.

There is a ballet dancer who will no longer dance and a doctor who will no longer heal. A church has lost her priest, a classroom is minus a teacher. Cora ran a food pantry. Paige was a counselor and Dana, dearest Father, Dana was only three years old. (Who held her in those final moments?)

We are sad, Father. For as the innocent are buried, our innocence is buried as well. We thought we were safe. Perhaps we should have known better. But we didn't.

And so we come to you. We don't ask you for help; we beg you for it. We don't request it; we implore it. We know what you can do. We've read the accounts. We've pondered the stories and now we plead, Do it again, Lord. Do it again.

Remember Joseph? You rescued him from the pit. You can do the same for us. Do it again, Lord.

Remember the Hebrews in Egypt? You protected their children from the angel of death. We have children, too, Lord. Do it again.

And Sarah? Remember her prayers? You heard them. Joshua? Remember his fears? You inspired him. The women at the tomb? You resurrected their hope. The doubts of Thomas? You took them away. Do it again, Lord. Do it again.

You changed Daniel from a captive into a king's counselor. You took Peter the fisherman and made him Peter an apostle. Because of you, David went from leading sheep to leading armies. Do it again, Lord, for we need counselors today, Lord. We need apostles. We need leaders. Do it again, dear Lord.

Most of all, do again what you did at Calvary. What we saw here on that Tuesday, you saw there on that Friday. Innocence slaughtered. Goodness murdered. Mothers weeping. Evil dancing. Just as the ash fell on our children, the darkness fell on your Son. Just as our towers were shattered, the very Tower of Eternity was pierced.

And by dusk, heaven's sweetest song was silent, buried behind a rock.

But you did not waver, O Lord. You did not waver. After three days in a dark hole, you rolled the rock and rumbled the earth and turned the darkest Friday into the brightest Sunday. Do it again, Lord. Grant us a September Easter.

We thank you, dear Father, for these hours of unity. Disaster has done what discussion could not. Doctrinal fences have fallen. Republicans are standing with Democrats. Skin colors have been covered by the ash of burning buildings. We thank you for these hours of unity.

And we thank you for these hours of prayer. The Enemy sought to bring us to our knees and succeeded. He had no idea, however, that we would kneel before you. And he has no idea what you can do.

Let your mercy be upon our President, Vice President, and their families. Grant to those who lead us wisdom beyond their years and experience. Have mercy upon the souls who have departed and the wounded who remain. Give us grace that we might forgive and faith that we might believe.

And look kindly upon your church. For two thousand years you've used her to heal a hurting world.

Do it again, Lord. Do it again.

Through Christ, Amen.

As written by Max Lucado for America Prays, a national prayer vigil held Saturday, September 14, 2001. Permission to copy not only granted but encouraged.

The Prayer Americans Refuse To Pray

Pastor Francis Chan of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, CA.

Tomorrow Is A Big Day - Update!!!!

Update: My mom just heard from Bethany and McKenzie is out of surgery (see below for details). Everything apparently went as planned and McKenzie did very well. She had her cleft lip repaired and parts of her nose redone. I can't wait to see her. As soon as I have pics, I will post them. (I'm assuming there will be bandages on her and it could be a few days before we actually see her).

I can't thank you enough for your prayers. They mean everything to us.

Heather

Tomorrow is huge for our family. Tomorrow Amanda turns 14. To say that I am shocked is an understatement. It goes by so quickly. I'm incredibly proud of the young woman she has turned into. She is loving, caring and unselfish. I'm thankful for her and the love she shows us everyday. Her sense of humor is the best and she keeps us laughing at her antics.

We also have something else that is huge happening tomorrow. McKenzie is having her cleft lip repaired. They warned us prior to her birth that even though they are doing a necessary surgery that parents often go through a grieving process because their child's looks are drastically changing. We all fell in love with her "as is". Bethany just cannot wait for this to be over. Please be praying that McKenzie does as well as she did last time. It's a 6 hour surgery. Bethany's husband has asked that the family stay home so we will not be with them during this difficult time. To say that everyone needs prayers is an understatement. If all goes as planned they will be home on Wednesday.

My Teapot is Not a Treasure, and a Few Other Things

Reese will be here anytime, at least that is my guess. I haven't heard anything since about 6:00 p.m. last night and I'm assuming that no news is good news. She is going to be stuck at the chaos of my house, which actually should be fun. I hope we can be a good distraction for her as she is helping her sister through this ordeal.

I am also hoping that even though my teapot is not a treasure that she will be able to drink out of it :) I think I better clean it before she gets here though, that looks like dust! I thought I would show you guys a few of my walls that are finished. I gave you a little preview on this post.

Here is my castle wall:


This is a close up of one of the castle ruins we got to explore while I was in Germany visiting Reese. It's called Manderscheid and it's amazing.
This is a door that was across this little courtyard from Reese's house. I instantly fell in love with this door and always knew I wanted to do something with it. When I first blew it up my hubby thought I was crazy, now he really loves it. So do I!

Here is our Home Is Where Your Story Beings Wall. It has all the special people on it that are helping shape my kids' lives, and a few that have shaped mine and Dan's lives as well. I am so thrilled with how this turned out. Now, when I get those little special snapshots, I can just go switch out a few pics and keep it constantly changing.

Please be praying for Reese when she gets here. Please pray for health, for strength, peace and wisdom. I know she deeply appreciates your prayers and support.

Please Pray For Jolene

I went to church with Jolene when she was on active duty with the Air Force and stationed at the same base Tim was at. We weren't really close, but I always liked her and felt a connection with her when we had babies around the same time. We've kept in contact through Facebook and our family blogs.

Which is how I came to find out that a seemingly benign lump she found in her breast has turned out to be cancer. I'm in shock over it. Jolene is my age, a young mom. I can't imagine what thoughts must be racing through her mind.

She wrote to me that her boys are on her mind, and her attitude is spectacular- she states with fervor that she will win, not the cancer.

Please keep Jolene in your prayers. Visit her blog here.

Also, ladies, please do breast exams. Honestly, I never do, but I'm going to start. I think I'm even going to request a mammogram. I got an email recently from another friend I met in Germany who has two sisters with breast cancer and she was strongly urging her friends to "FEEL YOUR BOOBIES GIRLS, this is serious." Heather and I laughed about that sentence- while acknowledging the serious nature of the urging. But even that didn't get me thinking like Jolene's news.

A New Definition of Ministry

I used to want to be "in ministry". As a kid I thought it would be nice to be a pastor's wife; my grandpa was a Southern Baptist minister and liked the idea of carrying that on, even if I wasn't Baptist! Early in our relationship, Tim and I thought we'd be youth pastors. Time and circumstances eventually changed our minds.

Now my idea of being in ministry has changed. What used to be a title and a job description has become everyday life, reaching out to those around me with the love of Christ. Pastors and those in "official" ministry positions have important and valued places, but sometimes the tough work is best accomplished at the kitchen table- whether you're a pastor, a pastor's wife or a homemaker. As a minister in the field, I have fewer meetings to take up my true ministry time and less planning to do. I'm not concerned with budgets or memberships, sermon preparation or appropriate Sunday attire. What does concern me is the young single mother that God put on my heart at Ian's school. I've started chatting with her, giving her rides when I can and praying for her.

My time in Germany was my personal wilderness experience and now I find myself in a new world and with new ideas of what I'm here for. In the short months since I've begun to see my whole life as fully God's and my daily breath to be used for His glory, it amazes me who I've come in contact with. Lonely new immigrants, single moms, women in difficult marriages, women with emotional issues, women who have lost a mom/dad in the time I've known them. These are all opportunities to share Christ, to be the hands of Jesus in a real way.

We all tend to say we want to do whatever He asks-- but do we mean it? Do you really believe that God has engineered your circumstances to allow you to love someone in a unique way? Look again at your neighbors, your coworkers, the people you go to church with, the cashier at the grocery store; are they your ministry? Does the love of Christ shine through you in a way that blesses them? Have you delved into their lives and seen their needs, how they hurt? Isn't our God big enough for them? Doesn't He live in you? Do you believe God, that he is all they need?

The circumstances of a saint’s life are ordained of God. In the life of a saint there is no such thing as chance. God by His providence brings you into circumstances that you can’t understand at all, but the Spirit of God understands. God brings you to places, among people, and into certain conditions to accomplish a definite purpose through the intercession of the Spirit in you. Never put yourself in front of your circumstances and say, "I’m going to be my own providence here; I will watch this closely, or protect myself from that." All your circumstances are in the hand of God, and therefore you don’t ever have to think they are unnatural or unique. Your part in intercessory prayer is not to agonize over how to intercede, but to use the everyday circumstances and people God puts around you by His providence to bring them before His throne, and to allow the Spirit in you the opportunity to intercede for them. In this way God is going to touch the whole world with His saints.

Am I making the Holy Spirit’s work difficult by being vague and unsure, or by trying to do His work for Him? I must do the human side of intercession— utilizing the circumstances in which I find myself and the people who surround me. I must keep my conscious life as a sacred place for the Holy Spirit. Then as I lift different ones to God through prayer, the Holy Spirit intercedes for them.

Your intercessions can never be mine, and my intercessions can never be yours, ". . . but the Spirit Himself makes intercession" in each of our lives (Romans 8:26). And without that intercession, the lives of others would be left in poverty and in ruin.

~Oswald Chambers

After sanctification, it is difficult to state what your purpose in life is, because God has moved you into His purpose through the Holy Spirit. He is using you now for His purposes throughout the world as He used His Son for the purpose of our salvation. If you seek great things for yourself, thinking, "God has called me for this and for that," you barricade God from using you. As long as you maintain your own personal interests and ambitions, you cannot be completely aligned or identified with God’s interests. This can only be accomplished by giving up all of your personal plans once and for all, and by allowing God to take you directly into His purpose for the world. Your understanding of your ways must also be surrendered, because they are now the ways of the Lord.

I must learn that the purpose of my life belongs to God, not me. God is using me from His great personal perspective, and all He asks of me is that I trust Him. I should never say, "Lord, this causes me such heartache." To talk that way makes me a stumbling block. When I stop telling God what I want, He can freely work His will in me without any hindrance. He can crush me, exalt me, or do anything else He chooses. He simply asks me to have absolute faith in Him and His goodness. Self-pity is of the devil, and if I wallow in it I cannot be used by God for His purpose in the world. Doing this creates for me my own cozy "world within the world," and God will not be allowed to move me from it because of my fear of being "frost-bitten."

~Oswald Chambers

Cheers!

Urgent Need: Please Pray For Heather and Her Family

On Saturday evening there was a fire in Heather's house. They believe it was started due to faulty wiring in the house. Most of the family was home and they were all able to get out. I'm praising God right now that no one was hurt!

The back room of their house is where the fire broke out (I believe) and that room is "gutted". The bathroom has suffered severe damage and the rest of the house is black with smoke damage. Here's the miracle: they recently purchased a pellet stove and the pellets were in the back room. They have been told that the reason the whole house didn't burn down is because the fire was occupied with consuming the pellets and didn't have time to turn on the rest of the house.

I spoke to her briefly last night and she said they were in a hotel and everything in the future was up in the air: where to stay, how much of their house and possessions could be saved, how long it would take to get back into their house. I can't even imagine the jolt this would have on a person and a family emotionally, physically, practically. The one thing she was very clear on: God kept them safe and he was still with them and taking care of them. I'm sure she and Dan will need to that continued assurance as the realities of their new situation unfold.

She won't be on the computer, at least for today. I'm not sure when her life will settle down to any semblance of normalcy, but I'm praying it's soon.

When I called this morning to get her permission to share this on the blog, I spoke with Amanda because Heather has lost her voice. She doesn't know why, but thinks it could be from all the smoke she was exposed to. Not like she needed another obstacle...

Please pray for them. They need a long-term place to stay and places for their animals (all of which were saved). They need resources, ideas, friends, holy provision and peace in the midst of all of this, and the kids need peace and a new sense of security. The youngest was at home at the time of the fire and is traumatized. Sisters, our Heather needs us to petition our Heavenly Father for her and her family! Please feel free to leave her comments here as well. I'm sure she'll check in as soon as she can.

Bless you.

Safely Home and Shunning Apathy

I'm sitting here at my desk tapping my fingertips against my chin as I try to think where to start. When a gal encounters something that changes her life, it's hard to summarize that in a short post.

First, I read Red Letters by Tom Davis. Step one of an unknown number away from the life I've known.

Second, I read It's Not About Me by Max Lucado. Step 2.

Third, reading through blogs and websites about orphaned children, African and Russian AIDS victims, I sensed a sad shame coming to me over the Western Church's mostly apathetic response.

Fourth, Lora suggested the book Safely Home by Randy Alcorn. I read about it on the internet and then bought it on eBay. I spent approximately a quarter of the book crying. It opened my eyes to the suffering of the Christians in China and how the Church is flourishing under heavy persecution. As for the writing, I was relieved to find it's not dry and flat like too many Christian authors' books. I've only ever completed a handful of Christian novels because I usually put them down in frustration after little more than a chapter. Alcorn kept my attention with ease.

I know the enemy of my soul would rather I not think about anything beyond my own trivial problems. He must spend loads of energy on keeping Christians apathetic and I think that the only reason my eyes have been opened is by a direct moving of the Holy Spirit in my life. He doesn't move in vain and I'm interested in what the future holds. What might an American homemaker living in England do to change the world and challenge the church? Only The Lord can say.

If you don't feel a tugging in your spirit to look into the suffering of the Church and the millions of poor and dying around the world, I challenge you to pray for God to reveal it to you. Read Red Letters and Safely Home, spend some time on websites such as Eternal Perspective Ministries, Children's HopeChest, 5 for 50, Prisoner Alert, Tom Davis' blog, Randy Alcorn's blog, Compassion International, the Bags for Darfur blog, Voice of the Martyrs (and their volumes of resources) and Bibles Unbound (I'm very excited to check that one out!). I'm sure there are many, many more resources available as well. While you educate yourself, pray that God lights a fire in your heart for the suffering.

Certainly, the most effective and obvious thing anyone of us can do is pray.

Bless you.

A Reminder

Twice yesterday while doing some shopping I heard the song Cinderella on the radio, and then it dawned on me, it was June 21st. Exactly one month since Steven Curtis Chapman and his family lost their little Maria. I almost cried right there. For some reason, I feel a deep sense of loss for their family. SCC has always been one of my favorite singers, and I think his family is an amazing role model for those of us who would love to adopt.

When I heard the song, I also realized how much his family needs our prayers right now. They are having to learn a new normal in their lives without their Maria. I can never understand even an ounce of their pain, but our family has lost a child and I can say that I needed the love and prayers of my friends and family. One month out, six months out, one year out and now, three years out, when someone tells me they are praying for our family or that they had a thought of James the other day it makes me feel so incredibly loved and not so alone when the sadness settles in.

I urge you to pray for the Chapmans. If you are interested in reading about how they are doing, one of his managers is keeping a blog and you can read about it here. It's important that we don't forget. We, as Christians, are responsible for lifting each other up in prayer.

Some Ramblings and a Prayer Request

This week has been C-R-A-Z-Y! Last Wednesday was McKenna's sixth birthday, and then Monday was Amanda's 13th! This poor mama cried the entire day. Poor Amanda, she took it well. Everyone thought I was upset about feeling old. I'm not sure what that's all about, but I certainly wasn't crying about that. I'm not sure where the time went, or how Amanda got to be 13. She's such a great girl. Of course, we have our moments, but overall, I could not ask for a better girl. She's respectful, understanding, compassionate and kind. I am so lucky to be her mom.

Here is another crazy story for you! A few weeks ago we talked to a guy about putting in a new fence, but never gave the go ahead. Dan woke up the other day and said "That's so strange, I had a dream that I ran a few errands and when I got home that fencing guy had ripped out our fence". I took the kids to school, he went to run errands. He called me a few hours later and said "Uh, you remember my dream? They ripped out our fence!". Yep, the guy showed up, assuming we wanted the fence, and took it out. Dan's brother in law, a pastor, had these words of advice "Next time God gives you a dream like that, act on it before your fence gets ripped out" LOL! Everything has worked out and we love our new fence.

And now the prayer request. I have been thinking for about 4 weeks now that I needed to ask for prayer on this. I don't even know where to start. On May 15, 2003, a beautiful baby boy was born into our family. Little James. I have written a little about James here and there. He is my nephew. When James was 3 months old he was diagnosed with a genetic disorder called Menkes. We didn't know about this disorder. I had a baby brother who passed away at the age of 5 months. We always thought he had died of other causes. Menkes is so rare, that it was unheard of in 1979. We were told James would not live out the year. He would never walk, never talk, be mentally retarded. The list goes on and on. The doctors were wrong about a lot of things. James never walked, but he talked in his own way. He did live out the year, in fact, he lived to be 19 months. He was a blessing, and continues to be one every day.

The prayer request is this. Menkes is an X Chromosome disorder. It is passed from the mother to the son. If you are a carrier of this disease, you have a 50% chance of your son having this disease. There is no cure. My other sister is 11 weeks pregnant, and she too is a carrier of this terrible disease. Her and her husband decided to try and have one child on their own. They understand the risk. Today my sister went and took a special test. Tomorrow we find out what the baby is. If it's a girl, they will quit the test, the baby will not be born with Menkes. If it is a boy, they will let us know and then in 2 weeks we will find out if the baby is healthy or not. It's important to know if the baby has Menkes prior to birth because there are some medications out there that help the quality of life.

Tonight at my bible study we looked a little at this verse. Isaiah 54:10. "Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken, nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the Lord, who has compassion on you.

My prayer is that whatever lies ahead, that His covenant of peace will not be removed from our family, especially my sister.

Thank you for your prayers. As soon as I hear tomorrow what the tests say, I will do an update on the blog.

-Heather

Please Pray For The Chapmans

Please pray for the family of Steven Curtis Chapman. His daughter Maria was killed in a tragic accident yesterday. For the story click here.

"Father, there's nothing I can say or do to relieve this family of their pain. But you can be with them. May they feel your presence in the midst of their suffering. Please minister to the teenage son, take away the guilt he may feel. Be in their home right now. I ask that your grace cover them and your compassion surround them. In Jesus' name, Amen."

China

My heart is breaking for the people of China. It staggers my imagination that 12,000 people are reported dead with many more expected. The loss is too big for me to grasp.

I would like to donate money to help the victims, but I'm not sure which agency to give to. Mercy Corps came up in my search. Does anyone know anything about them, or have any other ideas of how to help?

I urge all to pray for the Chinese people, as well as for the Burmese who have just experienced the devastating cyclone. I can't be there in person, but my God can.

~Reese

Perspective

This picture haunted me in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. It appeared online in the days prior to the hurricane making landfall. As most people were fleeing New Orleans, this man was among the ones who stayed behind and faced down the storm. Here he was, exulting in the signs that a monstrous storm was coming to devastate a region with its ferocity. I have often wondered if he made it through.

How many times in my life have I been warned by friends, family, and the Holy Spirit to avoid the storm of...whatever it might be... but I chose to face down the storm that inevitably comes with sin? How my sin blinds me to the truth! In those moments, I must look to God like the man in this picture.

Lord save me from myself.

# # #

Have you ever been walking along, minding your own business- or better yet, minding The Lord's business- on a bright sunny day, when all of a sudden the skies darken, the thunder clashes, and the rain batters you relentlessly? After days or weeks of this, you cry out "My God! Why have you forsaken me?" You hear nothing in return. You wrestle with yourself over why this is happening. Wasn't I following God? Haven't I been hearing His voice? What have I done wrong?

For me, one of those storms is pain. I have a chronic condition in my neck that flares up and dogs me relentlessly. I pray. I cry. I lash out. I whimper. I get depressed. I start to worry about what the future hold. I turn all my thoughts and emotions inward.

And God whispers "Turn your efforts outward, toward I AM."

Praise Him in the storm.

Lift your eyes up to the hills. Where does your help come from? It comes from God, the maker of heaven and earth. (Psalm 121)

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

I want God's grace tattooed on my heart, so that in the midst of the storm, I can raise my hands and exult in the God who will never leave me.

# # #

Do you think this guy is actually planning to stick it out in New Orleans? I tend to be a little suspicious of the media, so I wonder if it was a planned photo op, something along the lines of this photo:

Before those men walked between the boat and the camera, viewers were being led to believe that the news anchor was actually floating in untold depths of water. Kind of makes you doubt the truthfulness of the media, doesn't it?!

On the other hand, isn't that a cell phone on the shirtless man's belt? If he planned to survive, wouldn't he have second thoughts about subjecting it to a torrential downpour? Where's his shirt? Does he have a place to stay while he rides out the storm? Does he have a supply of food and water?

For whatever questions a photo may answer, there are many more questions raised. I love that quirky beauty in photography.

~Reese

Audrey

I was coming to the computer to post about another book give away here at Kicking It In Crazyville but instead I am going redirect you to the Smith family again.

My heart is broken for them this evening as I read the news that their little one has gone to Heaven. I am so thankful that they were blessed to spend a few precious hours with Audrey.

Please continue to pray for this family.

I will post the book tomorrow.

-Heather