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Prayer topics
Automotive Miracles
Shut Up to Faith
Thank You For Breaking Me
Thank You for the Cross
I'm Going to Do Good Today Mistakes

Automotive Miracles
Date: August 24, 2003

Lord, You know that on the way to church we stopped at ___ to drop something off, and oil smoke was just pouring from off the engine. I checked under the hood. There was so much oil seeping out, and I said maybe we should phone ___ and ask to borrow their truck. My daughter retorted, "Aren't you going to church? Don't you believe that God will take care of us?" That really struck me, and shut me up! Because I have been talking so often about trusting God for things, and it has bugged her quite a bit, as she seems to have been feeling that God has let her down. So I did deserve that retort. I take it, Lord, as coming from You; in fact, I believe it came from You. After driving for a couple minutes, my daughter, who was driving, looked at me in the rear view mirror (I was in the back seat) and caught me anxiously looking at the hood area for signs of smoke. "What are you looking at, Mom?" she asked. I mumbled, "Nothing," but I was worrying and not trusting You. Please forgive me, Lord. But it was a good thing that happened, because I was caught and embarrassed, and it forced me to sit back and try to relax and not worry - and trust You. I know that I have been really worried with the thought of an engine fire, especially if we had to pull over and it started a grass fire on the side of the road in this terribly dry time. Anyway, I think that the car is handling long drives better than short ones. There is a lot more smoke on short trips, maybe because of the stopping and starting. So I am going to cut back on all short trips so as to do "my share" to keep the car going. But Lord, it is bad enough - the car loses power on up hill grades and stalls if it sits idling or coasting slow for too long - that only You can keep it going at least till we have finished moving, or until You provide alternative transportation.

Lord, You know this has really turned into a thorn issue for me. In a way, many people would say it's no big deal, and that I should just borrow or rent a car, but Lord, I can't afford renting or buying a car right now, and You know I need to get into town every day this week for appointments and work. Thank You, Lord, for using this little crisis to really test my faith and trust in You, the One who works automotives miracles - Yes, You do! Hallelujah. Thank You! I Praise You!

.........

Lord God, when I arrive at seasons of gloom and solitude, please help me to put on strength and hopefulness like a robe. Help me to find You; reveal Yourself to me in those moments, dear God. In Jesus' name, amen.

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Shut Up to Faith
Date: August 25, 2003

In a sense, today is the beginning (or at least big transition time) for the new life that You have for me in Penticton. Wow! Give me strength, dear Lord; give me guidance; fill me with Your Spirit. Use me, dear Lord, for Your glory and Your purposes, not for my own glory or purposes. Help me keep my eyes fastened on Jesus every moment, dear Father God, by the power of Your Holy Spirit. Infill me, overflow me this day. In Jesus' name, amen. Adventure with God!

Dear Lord God! Once again, this day's devotional, written so long ago, was meant for me today. In immediate terms first, in terms of little troubles like the things I have to do and the condition of the car (which, by the way, is A-1 since You are taking care of it. Amen! It is "working together for good" to me because I do love You, dear God, and I am called according to Your purpose. "You know my heart, You know the thought's I'm thinking, the trials that I daily must go through; And when I'm up, or when I'm almost sinking, No matter when, I'll always trust in You! Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to Thee, How great Thou art, How great Thou art; Then sings my soul, My Saviour God to Thee, How great Thou Art, How great Thou art!"). And in the long term, today's devotional is also for me, because today is truly the beginning of the rest of my earthly life (and this life is just the cover and title page, as CS Lewis puts it, of the real world, of eternal life in Your presence, in relationship face-to-face with You, my Creator, Saviour, God! my true love, my purpose! Glory, glory, glory to You, my God and Father, my Saviour Jesus, my guide and comforter Holy Spirit, blessed Three-in-One). Lord God, please help me understand, know, trust. Amen! You know my thoughts and my heart. Guide me by Your Spirit. Thank You. Amen.

Oh Lord, it is truly the desire of my heart that "many besides myself will receive great light and blessing because I was shut up to faith" - that my very momentary troubles will result in great glory to You and the growth and development of Your kingdom and Your body, the Church. Amen and amen.

.........

"Father God in the Driver's Seat"

Dear Heavenly Father, Do You have a special word for me today? It's a beginning day, Lord, and I want You at the helm. Drive the car for me! Direct all my steps! Amen.

... My beloved child, I am with you always, even to the ends of the earth. Listen carefully for My still small voice. I am always revealing myself to you in so many ways, in every step of our journey together. Take tight hold of My hand. I will never let you go. I will guide and protect you. I will provide for all your needs. I will be in the driver's seat, figuratively and literally. I will care for all your transportation needs. Do not fear. Sit on My lap. Put your hands on My hands and your feet on My feet. Let Me do the driving while you learn from Me. We will reach the goal safely together. Fear not, I am with you. I will lead you and guide you. I will never let you go. You are mine, bought with a great price. You are right to trust in Me. I will never fail you. You are my little precious child. I hold you in My arms and protect you in the cleft of My rock. Relax.

I do all this for the sake of Jesus, My beloved Son, and your Lord and Saviour and Christ.

Blessings from Father God.

... Thank You, Lord. I needed that!

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Thank You For Breaking Me
Date: August 27, 2003

Dear Lord Jesus, Heavenly Father, Holy Spirit, my Lord and my God! In some ways the past few years have been for me a period of comparative solitude, removed from much of the activity of the world, and shut up in a sense with my little family, as my children, my husband and I have gone through struggles. But praise God, the storm clouds are lifting and the sun is streaming in, and I'm just taking it day by day, rejoicing to walk in my Father's will. I am having some opportunities to move out into the world and into the church. Oh dear God, please use me to reach others for You. Hallelujah. Amen.

"A broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise." (Psalm 51). Break me, Lord (though it scares me to ask it). And thank You for the breaking You have already done.

Dear Lord, You know how I struggled all night with my old "demons" and habits of fear and imagining unpleasant scenarios and such. You know about what is going on with my children. I am so ashamed to admit my lack of trust in You. Please forgive me, Lord. Create in my a clean heart. Thank You for Your love all through my worries, and for listening to my anxious prayers and answering them instead of punishing me. Oh, You are so faithful and loving and merciful! Thank You for Your word which is memorized in my heart. What a blessed heritage all those years of church and church activities have been. What a blessing to have been brought up in a Christian family and environment. Thank You that You have already forgiven me for my past, when I chose not to respond to Your love and Your call, and walked astray from Your great salvation. Dear God, please, please forgive me for my fears of the past night, restore me, and all this day sustain me by the power and indwelling and filling and overflowing of Your Holy Spirit. Thank You. Amen.

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Thank You For the Cross
Date: August 29, 2003

Thank You, Lord, for the cross. The cross Your Son died on for my sins and salvation - and the cross of suffering - and maturity - that I am beginning to understand that I am honoured to carry for You. Praise Your name. Glory to God. Hallelujah!

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I'm Going To Do Good Today Mistakes
Date: August 30, 2003

Thank You for this fresh new day, dear Lord. Your mercies are indeed new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness!

Yesterday at work I determined that I was going to do really well. Maybe my big problem was forgetting it's the Lord's job, not mine, and forgetting to ask Him for help and strength and guidance. Because then I kept forgetting little thngs, and I was rushing around, and suddenly I was so hot, and dizzy, and shaking, and almost fainting, and I felt like I was going to throw up. And I realized I was dehydrated - and I think I tightened my cap too much and cut off my head circulation, too. And I don't think I ate enough either. So I had to sip water and really slow down for about an hour or so, which was really embarrasing to me. But oh, thank You Lord for answering my "crisis prayer" and helping me to realize what was wrong and how to deal with it and feel better.

So later I bought a water bottle. I also bought a couple pens that hang around my neck on a string. They both have pretty designs, and each one has a wonderful verse to remind me all day that this job is from You, Lord, and for You Lord, to glorify You each and every day. No more "I'm going to do good today" mistakes. The verses: "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the belief of things not yet seen (Heb 11:1)" and "With God all things are possible."

Thank You, Lord. Even the other pen, a smiley-face design, is appropriate, reminding me to keep smiling, and to find my joy in You, Lord, and be thankful to You for Your provision of this job. What an excellent, awesome God!

....

The car seems to be running quite well. Far better than I expected! The long highway drives don't seem to bother it, but it does get smoky on the start-and-go, around-town short trips. I have always been thanking God for my "miracle cars", but what is really, fully true is that we have a miracle God. Yes! Praise God. Thank You, Lord, so much, for all Your provisions.

Still waiting - with anticipation now, after finally getting mostly past worry - to see what kind of adventure You have planned for the actual move and for the first days of school. What a mighty God we serve! What an adventure! Lord, I want to ride every moment of life's seas with You at the helm. All I need to know is the port at the end. You choose the route and the adventures, stormy or peaceful, scary or fun. Hallelujah!

.......

"Knowledge With Love and Humility"

"Knowledge puffs up but love edifies. (1 Cor 8)." Oh Lord, let me always live my whole life by Your greatest commandent. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength; and thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

Lord, I am responsible, not only for my own spiritual growth and maturity, but for every other believer's. Help me to do nothing that will cause my brother or sister to stumble. Thank You, Lord, for the wonderful growing knowledge You have granted me. But oh, dear Lord, help me never let it get in front of loving You and others. Keep me humble, Lord. May I never become arrogant, puffed up, prideful, damaging my own walk with You - sinning! - and damaging my brother's or sister's spiritual walk. Help me instead to use this gift of increasing knowledge, to teach others that they, too, may grow up into ever increasing likeness of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

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