What to say... What to say...

FerVent...
 
Page 1 - I was sucked in...  Where I have been?  In this book,  a willing captive in scripture and in study of prayer.  Building my battle plan...

It isn't your ordinary book - it's not meant to sit on the shelf and it's not for casual reading.  This is meant to be used and put into action... And I cannot keep it to myself.  So, I am giving away two copies...
 
Enter to win a copy of FerVent by Priscilla Shirer and a copy of Prayers & Answers (a prayer journal). 
 
"Serious, Specific and Strategic" prayers need to be written down, prayed over, re-read and counted on for answers.  I hope you like Fervent as must as I do... And create your own Battle Plan!
 
Enter Here to Win!!!  Give away open to US residents only, must be 18 or older to enter.  Give away closes Friday, November 6, 2015. Winner will be notified via email and winner must respond within 24 hours or another winner will be chosen.  Books will be mailed out within 24 hours.

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I never knew that... never had heard that passage until the morning of the mother and son hike.  To think, I wasn't going to go.  I went to bed with the intention of letting him down.  There is so much going on, so many things to do and not enough hours in the day to do it. 

Our home remains a construction zone and progress stalls.  There's also a continuous battle I wage with the laundry pile and this week the dishes have taken to their own assault.  I count the hours I am home, rather than working and it's just not enough.  There's that word again, enough. 

When the blue paper came home in his backpack last year I had the time but not the ability.  I was still recovering from my ankle surgery and crutches were the only thing getting me around.  I was still in PT twice a week and as much as I knew I was disappointing my son he understood.  And... there was always next year. 

365 days later another blue flyer makes its way home...  Mother and Son Hike...  this year we have Saturday soccer games, I thought I was home free...  we have a team which counts on him, surely he'd never want to miss...  But, to my surprise, he quietly reminds me that the hike is once a year and there are plenty of players and games -- only one day a year to hike with his mom.

I have no excuse, none at all...  my to do list needed to make room for this day, whatever it brought.  Something had to be crossed off my list but this hike was not it.  
 
We got up and headed out of the house in no time at all... a quick breakfast along the way and we were at the trailhead before we knew it.  Joining about 20 other mommas and their boys we started out on an easy path to the dam.  Our desert is flirting with fall and the breeze in the air was welcomed for the start.  We'd kept up well until we had to break to tie some laces and get out our water. 

We fell a little behind and my son wanted to make sure we kept up... "Hey mom, lets jog together!"  he said to me... this momma doesn't jog anymore... lazy fear grips me so I just don't attempt it... he accepted my pathetic excuse...  but I wanted to give him what he wanted... I wanted to be a momma who said yes to him today.  He jogged ahead... and when he looked back... I was jogging on his heels.  It's a smile and a moment I will carry with me forever... He said, "Hey mom, see, I knew you could do it.  Way to go!" and I thanked him for his love and encouragement. 

We went off by ourselves and found a shady spot, we pulled out the devotional prepared for our quiet time together.  It started off with rules... rules for hiking, staying on the path, observing nature for dangerous creatures, being sure of where we place our steps.  Prepared, aware, staying safe and it morphed into something more...

Parallel to our hiking rules was God's perfect plan for his people.  He carves out the days before us and He asks us not to fret over yesterday or worry about tomorrow but staying on the path He has paved and lit up for us. 

One of the questions was, "How do we know we have stayed on God's path?" and my son says, "Well, we follow the puffy clouds and the fire in the night."  I was surprised at his response... I thought he had completely missed the point... I said... well... "I don't think that's what they are getting at here and besides, I don't think we follow clouds or fire... that's just not biblical.... 

Who's saying yes it is?  You are correct my friend... I just didn't know it. 

I challenged him and he told me I would find it in Exodus. 

Blown away by that kid. 

And that boy was right... I found that scripture and more...

God didn't lead them the quick and easy way, he spared them from something He didn't think they could handle, something that might have gotten them off track because He knew their hearts... and instead He took them by day and by night... revealing the path by cloud and illuminating fire. 

How I wish it were always that simple to see where He wants me to go.  Countless times I have said, if only I had a sky writer and a burning bush, then I would go the way He's asked me to.

And... even more for my children. As God shows me who and whose they are... I want even more for them... their paths straight and illuminated.  I desire for them to know they are within the Father's will and never stray to far from Him or His guidance. 

Dear Lord,
Thank you for giving us this blessedly beautiful day.  I praise you for giving me this wonderful boy to raise. For entrusting him to me and allowing me to be his Momma.  I pray for him and his heart.  I pray you watch over him all the days of his life, I pray that you never allow him to stray too far from you.  I pray he grows up mighty and strong for your army.  I pray he chases after you and for you all the days of his life.  Lord, this is my prayer for my son... a prayer I have prayed since the day you gave him life.  I leave this daily prayer with you and consider it fulfilled.  Thank you for your sovereignty, your mercy and your grace.  Amen.

Lord, I am needing you right now, coming to you with prayer right now. Heavenly Father, precious Father. I bow down low, low to lift my voice Lord. I have been prayer over prayer today for your daughters. Hurting over the loss of someone loved and dear, tired and worn from giving too much, for letting go when letting go seems too hard. Prayers for later in life arrangements when medicine and doctors are ignored and all the tests fail. Lord... Your daughters are so tired. Your daughters are beat down in this world. The enemy means to keep us beat and worn and tired.

For them all, I intervene and ask that you would raise them up. Raise them up and give them strength, comfort, energy and a voice. Do not allow us to be silenced and ineffective. Provide each one of us our "people" who encourage, uplift and carry away. We, your collective hands and feet, praise you for your loving grace, your mercy and your plan for our day.

You... You... God are our Abba Father, strengthener, provider, comfort and friend. The path we are on had been meticulously laid out to the last detail by your great design before our first breath.

Give us our fill today so we may rise... Look at the day before us and say... Today... I am tired and worn and beat down BUT God has planted me in this spot and I will not back down from the day... I will carry on my mission placed before me with confident grace that is in Christ Jesus!

Amen!

I read in my quiet time this week about the loaves and the fishes, feeding 5,000. We've all read this biblical account. How not enough turned into more than enough, everyone ate their fill. How Jesus looked as His disciples and told them, "to feed these people." They rationalized and reasoned the cost and came up short, came up unable to meet the needs. But one boy... One "faith like a child" boy... Lent his loaves and fishes to a God who does more than we adults can hope or ask; and the small, out of the box, faith like a child's offering was multiplied ... To God be the glory...

But that wasn't the days lesson for me... Nope! My lesson revealed itself in the before and the after...

Before reading about the loaves and the fishes... Before seeing God break bread and multiply... Reading His words in the "before"... Let's rest...

Mark 6:30-31 (msg)
The apostles then rendezvoused with Jesus and reported on all they had done and tot Jesus said, "Come off by yourselves let's take a break and get a little rest."

They... They were going to steal away and get some rest... Some solitude, well deserved I am sure. They were going to get to steal away with our God... How amazing, how blessed... The very thought brings me peace... But....

Mark 6:32-34 (msg)
So they got in the boat and went off to remote place by themselves. Someone saw them going and word got around. From the surrounding towns people went out on foot, running, and got their head of them. When Jesus arrived he saw a huge crowd. At the sight of them, His heart broke – like sheep with no Shepherd they were. He went right to work teaching them.

But... Their work was not done... There are always more who are hurting, who need a little bit of Jesus more than they did, than we do.

So they got to work... Teaching... Feeding and filling. Jesus then dismisses them all... The people and His Diciples and He goes away to pray...

Mark 6:45-46 (msg)
As soon as the meal was finished, Jesus insisted his disciples get in the boat and going across to Bethsaida while He dismissed the congregation. After sending them off, he climbed a mountain to pray.

My wow moment...

Mark 6:47-49 (msg)
Late at night, the boat was far out at sea; Jesus was still by himself on land. He could see his men struggling with oars, and the wind having come against them. At about 4 o'clock in the morning, Jesus came towards them, walking on the sea. He intended to go right by them. But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and screamed, scared out of their wits.


He could see them struggling but intended to walk by them. Does this seem like the same man who's heart broke for the people a few paragraphs before? Does this reflect his character?

I can imagine the sight they must have been, arguing about what to do -- their oars in the water and the boat not moving... Perhaps spinning around, paddling in vein... Taking on water... And yet... He sees them, goes to them... Intending to pass them by.

We find out why...

Mark 6:50-52 (msg)
Jesus was quick to comfort them: "Courage! It's me. Don't be afraid." As soon as he climbed into the boat, the wind died down. They were stunned, shaking their heads, wondering what's going on. They didn't understand what he had done at supper. None of this had penetrated their hearts yet.

How often are we blessed with God's goodness, seeing miracles... Relying on Him to answer our prayers and meet our basic needs and when the storms of this life blow... We forget that he has every detail written and done.

Courage! Dear sister... There is still work to be done... And we are not doing it alone!