joy journal

i'm a person that really gets into journaling and always have. i think that's why i enjoy blogging so much...it's just a more contemporary way of journaling. over the years i've kept personal journals, devotional journals, even prayer journals. i read about starting a "joy journal" and thought what an excellent idea that would be to pass along. you don't need much, maybe a pad of paper next to your desk, your bed or kitchen counter. then you can start recording daily blessings that God brings your way. everything from the small "miracles" to the large. in the article i read it suggested at the end of the week having a private praise service between you and God...thanking Him for His presence and power at work in your life.

just this morning i started a list. here is what i have so far from the hours of 5:30AM-10:00AM:

* My husband and I were blessed with another day of life
* I had a beautiful morning to walk and talk with the Lord
* I was blessed listening to music this morning that encouraged my heart
* The tire on my car was fixed easily
* I arrived safely at work
* I found my missing house & mailbox keys
* I was blessed by my calendar saying & verse today, "As a follower of Christ, be an
extension of God's love today". ~John 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches.

we have so many blessings that occur during our 24 hour day. do we take the time to notice them? do we stop and thank the Lord for those blessings? i know when i experience a large blessing in my life, i'm usually quick to thank God. but i often forget about those little blessings. this journal will help me see all that God has poured out on me each and every day. i hope you will consider taking the time to write down the joys in your life and stopping to thank the one that blessed you with them...God.

feel free to leave a comment with a small or large miracle you have experienced today. we can thank the Lord together!

this is a video that brought great joy to my heart yesterday. hopefully it does the same for you!

what is going on with our teachers?

i was shocked last night when i heard a story on the news about a 5 year old autistic boy who was "voted out of his class"! apparently due to the child's autism he had some behavioral issues in class. because of this, the teacher put the kindergartner in front of his classmates and asked the kids to tell the boy what they didn't like about him. then she had the class vote on whether or not the boy should stay in the classroom. no child or person for that matter should be treated in such a way. read the whole story here.

i awoke this morning to yet another story of a 5 year old who was being verbally abused by his teacher. the young boy complained to his parents and the parents had their son take a tape recorder into the classroom so the teacher could be recorded. on the recording the teacher is caught calling the child "pathetic". what kind of person would call a 5 year old pathetic? click here to read this article.

how can we stop this from happening again?

book report: "To Fly Again"

I recently finished To Fly Again by Gracia Burnham. Here is a short biography found on her website.

For 17 years she and Martin served with New Tribes Mission in the Philippines where Martin was a jungle pilot delivering mail, supplies and encouragement to other missionaries and transporting sick and injured patients to medical facilities. Gracia served in various roles supporting the aviation program and also home-schooled their children--all of which were born in the Philippines.

While celebrating their 18th wedding anniversary at Dos Palmas Resort off Palawan Island, the Burnhams were kidnapped on May 27, 2001, by the Abu Sayyaf Group, a militant group of Muslims. They seized several more guests and took them to Basilan Island, an ASG stronghold.

In the ensuing months some of the hostages were killed, but most were set free. From November 2001, only the Burnhams and one other hostage remained in captivity.

During their 376 days of captivity, they faced near starvation, constant exhaustion, frequent gun battles, coldhearted murder-and intense soul-searching about a God who sometimes seemed to have forgotten them.

On June 7, 2002, in a firefight between the Philippine military and the Abu Sayyaf Group, Martin was killed. Gracia was wounded, but was freed.

This book is excellent. The subtitle is "Surviving the Tailspins of Life". She definitely has survived a major tailspin in her life when she and her husband were held hostage. She shares great perspective on how to view the situations we are faced with in life. One chapter talks about worry. She shares a story of Martin Luther:

"One morning, when he was blue and discouraged his wife appeared (clothed) in black. At Luther's inquiry as to what the mourning meant, she replied, "Haven't you heard? God is dead." Luther saw the absurdity-and so should you. God lives-so will you!"
One dictionary definition of worry is "to torment oneself with disturbing thoughts." The active verb form is interesting, isn't it? Worry is something we do to ourselves. We initiate the worrying. We torment ourselves. What we start, we can also stop. The antidote to worry, as everyone who has ever read the familiar Philippians 4:6-7 knows, is to run to the Lord. "Don't worry about anything instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace..."

What a testimony Gracia has. She was kidnapped and held hostage by terrorists and yet she and her husband were able to praise God through it all. Most of us will never face a situation like the Burnhams. I know we can't even imagine what they went through, but do you think you would react the same way? In our daily lives we do have the opportunity to show God's love to the unlovely. I pray we take the opportunities to show and share the love that God has poured out on us.

when good things happen to bad people

how many times have we been discouraged when we see an unworthy or "bad" person gain something good? how many times have we questioned God and wondered "why would you bless this person and not me?" i know i'm guilty of that. there are things in my life that i take to the Lord daily. i ask for His direction and will to be accomplished not mine. i still have desires and dreams that i hope He will bless me with. as i struggle through these things with God i see others who aren't walking with Him receive "blessings". i know that they aren't true blessings because God is not in it but it's hard not to look at it that way. and i question God's choice. i read this article this morning and it hit the spot on this topic. here's an excerpt. you can click on the title for the full article.

When Good Things Happen to Bad People
Elizabeth Cody Newenhuyse

I can't figure out why people who seem to live only for their selfish pleasures become multimillionaires—while some of my most faithful Christian friends live one paycheck away from homelessness. I'm confounded when people who engage in shady business practices never get caught—they only get richer; when people who lie and lust and gossip seem to go on their merry way.

Life isn't fair. I know bad things happen to good people. But it really bothers me when good things happen to bad people—or at least people who don't seem especially worthy.

When I read my Bible, here's the message I get: Because I've been saved by grace—meaning unmerited favor—my primary task is to become more Christlike through the work of his Spirit in me. As one of God's adopted children, he holds me to a higher standard, and it's a daily, humbling challenge to live up to that standard. In fact, it's often when I'm feeling proud of myself, thinking, Hey, God, look at me! What a good servant I am!, that God shoots off some reminder of my foolishness and dependence on him. When we're tempted to think of ourselves as worthy, Romans 3:23 provides a pithy corrective: All have sinned. None is "worthy" except God alone.

So whenever I whine about the good fortune undeserving people seem to be blessed with while I muddle along, I'm being less like Christ. I've been helped by Oswald Chambers' no-nonsense observation: "Never waste your time looking for justice; if you do, you will soon put yourself in bandages and give way to self-pity. Our business is to see that no one suffers from our injustice."

When we speak of "good things" happening to bad people, we often mean material reward, achievement, worldly success. But God has given each of us so much! We can acknowledge that intellectually, but there are times when we all feel decidedly empty-handed. My friend Vicki says she's been working on this in her own life: "I'm least happy with myself when I pay too much attention to what others have. It's almost as if dwelling on others' good things diminishes what God's given me."

So maybe we don't live in a rambling farmhouse on two acres, like the place I've admired just a few blocks away. I've been blessed with wonderful friends, and I love opening my modest home to those friends. Besides, the things of the world rust and decay. We have a much greater Treasure.

like mentioned in this article, as a Christian my primary focus needs to be on how to be more like Christ. not worrying about the injustices all around me...that makes me less like Christ. the Bible says, "ALL HAVE SINNED". sin is sin and we all do it. it's only because of God's GRACE that He lavishes me with all that i have and that is all i need....that is His blessing.

Heavenly Father,
As I walk through my day may Your Holy Spirit remind me that when circumstances are shaky around me, You remain my Rock and my soul can find refuge in You. When my mind is tempted to focus on the things that steal peace from my heart and mind, may Your Spirit whisper to my soul that You are my strength, my shelter and my resting place. You are the one who daily bears my burdens and is near to those who are crushed in spirit, sustaining them with unexplainable peace in the face of hardship.
You are my Peace.

remembering...

it's Memorial Day. it's a time when families gather and bbq. friends get together and swim or go to the beach. it's a time when people focus on their 3 days off. as an Army spouse (retired), i can't help but stop and think of the brave men and women who have given their lives for our freedom and for those who continue to serve and defend our country every day. i am so proud of my husband for serving honorably in the Army for 22 years. he is a patriot. each and every Memorial Day, we as a nation stop and thank those who have served and are currently serving. but how many of us really do that? how many of us forgo the picnic or the party to go to a veteran's hospital or a cemetery? how many of us call those we know who are currently serving or have served before and say "thank you for protecting my freedoms"? it is nice to have a 3 day weekend but let's not forget what it's all about. let's not forget those who don't have the luxury of having a holiday weekend because they are in a war zone. let's not forget that our military men and women are defending the freedoms that we take so easily for granted...you can have an opinion and share it because of those who guard your freedom to do so.

thank you to all the Soldiers, Marines and Airmen for your sacrifice to our country. thank you to all the spouses and family members...you have the toughest job in the military.


In Flanders Fields
By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead.
Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

tragedy for the chapman family

christian music singer, steven curtis chapman, and his family experienced a heartache this week. his 5 year old daughter, maria, was killed by a car in their driveway. she was one of three girls adopted by the chapman's from china. the chapman's have three biological children as well. click here for the full story.

steven curtis chapman wrote a beautiful song called "cinderella". it's about his girls. check out the video to hear the song and the story behind the song.



visit steven curtis chapman's website.

i don't like the dirt!

I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.
Jeremiah 29:11 The Message

A little girl walking in a garden saw a particularly beautiful flower and promptly picked it because she felt it was too pretty to be in the dirt. She then took the flower home and rinsed the dirt off with water. Shortly thereafter, the flower wilted and died. When the owner of that garden saw what the little girl had done, he exclaimed, "You have destroyed my finest plant!" "I'm sorry, but I didn't like it in all that dirt," said the girl. The gardener responded by saying, "I chose that spot and mixed the soil because I knew that only there could it grow to be a beautiful flower."

Sometimes we become like that little girl, fixated on the dirt of our life instead of seeing the beauty and growth that will emerge in time. But once we have experienced seeing the hand of God in our life, we have assurance that we can trust Him in His sovereignty. So, if it feels like nothing good will ever come out of what you are going through, be patient and steadfast, knowing that God "plans to give you a hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11).
By: David Jeremiah www.turningpointonline.org

i love the example of the little girl. she thought what she was doing was right and would help the beautiful flower but in the end only the expert knew what was best for that flower in order for it to thrive and grow. i am like that little girl so often. i think i know what is best for me and i do everything in my own power to make it so. only to discover later that i haven't succeeded in my plans because i don't have the means to make it happen. if i only looked to the "expert", God. He has a plan for each of us and His plan is the best, dirt and all.

God, could you please hurry?

i think one of my worst qualities is patience. God's timing is always perfect. who am i to try and do things in my time? “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” ~Ecclesiastes 3: 11 (NIV)

here is a devotional i received this morning:

Those of us that have lived in rural areas know that tractors on the road are a fact of life. However, just because they are a fact of life doesn’t make them any less irritating if you’re in a hurry! I followed a tractor down one of our narrow two-lane roads recently. At one point I completely lost my patience for its pace and started yelling (unheard—thank goodness), “Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!” It didn’t speed up the tractor at all.

How many times have I approached God’s timing the same way? And it never hurries Him up either.

I admit God often does not operate at a pace that pleases me, and I want Him to hurry, hurry, hurry! I’m thinking Sarah, Abraham’s wife, felt the same way. After waiting 10 years for a baby that God had promised Abraham (read Genesis 12-21 for the complete story), Sarah decided to “help” God. Surely 10 years was too long for anybody to wait. So Sarah gave her maidservant Hagar to her husband, and the two of them had a child. Soon the two women were at odds. Talk about a soap-opera! Finally, fifteen years later, the child promised by God to Abraham and Sarah was born. God was not late. His timing was perfect. It was Sarah who was in a hurry and rushing things, but she found out that there was a price to pay for manipulating her circumstances.

I know Sarah and I are not alone in our desire for God to hurry up. I once heard it said that we are people with gods on our wrists.

In Isaiah 55:9, God says, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (NIV) God’s timing is part of His ways. I may be tapping my watch, but He is never late. He may seem slow, but He is always right on time.

Has God made a promise to you that is slow in coming? Has He planted a dream in your heart that has yet to come to fruition? Don’t give up hope! God is faithful, and you can rely on His perfect timing. Fix your eyes on Him and enjoy the journey to your destination. There are things to be learned along the way that will enhance the joy of a promise fulfilled. By: Amy Carroll www.proverbs31.org

Dear Lord, sometimes I don’t understand your timing. It’s often very hard to wait, but I trust You. I want to rely on Your ways and Your timing. Help me to learn what I need to learn as I wait. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

some like it hot

i found this article in the yuma sun today. let me tell ya, walking outside in 114 degree weather is hot...the fact that it's a dry heat does make a difference but it still feels like you're walking into an oven!

The high temperature is expected to reach 111 to 112 degrees today, Tom Kines, Accu-Weather meteorologist said, well above the norm for this time of year.

The high temperatures are caused by a strong ridge of a high pressure over the area that will rapidly thin out on Wednesday and allow cooler air to come in, Kines added.

Accu-Weather predicts high temperatures of 111-112 degrees will be reached by 4 p.m. with temperatures cooling to 99 degrees by 8 p.m. The humidity is expected to be 25 percent with visibility 10 miles today.

There will not be much of a breeze today. Winds from the southwest of 10 to 20 miles per hour are expected on Tuesday with possible gusts of 30 mph or more on Wednesday, Kines said.

"The good news is, there will be a break in the heat coming mid-week, if not Wednesday then Thursday," Kines said.

Temperatures are expected to drop to the mid-90s later in the week and on Friday and Saturday temperatures are expected to dip into the 80s, about 10 to 15 degrees below normal for this time of the year, he said.

BY WILLIAM ROLLER, SUN STAFF WRITER

i think the heat miser is sending too much heat our way...i wish snow miser would send some relief!

when life hands you disappointments, where do you turn?

every morning i try to take a walk before it gets too hot. usually it's around 5:30AM. it's a beautiful time of morning when the sun is just coming up over the mountains. i look to them as if i'm looking at God in the heavens. for me, it's a time to pray and worship first thing in the morning. often times it's very emotional for me and i've found myself crying as i walk! i love this time in the morning with the Lord. friday morning as i was walking i heard God clearly tell me to lift up my head...to look toward heaven. i am a child of the King and my head should be held high! that was so powerful to me. friday evening i was faced with a major disappointment and even through the grief and pain i remembered what God had told me that morning...i needed to lift my head and look to Him...He is the only one who can carry me through a rough time. there is a song by Yolanda Adams called "Still I Rise". it's a beautiful song with powerful words of encouragement. when we are faced with struggles, we can still rise above it all with God's help.

"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help?
My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and Earth."
~Psalm 121

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."
~ Romans 8:28

"But He knows the way I take; When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold."
~ Job 23:10

first work week

i survived my first week at the new job. it went well. i'm glad it's part time for now. the people i work with are very friendly and have welcomed me warmly. i'm currently working on creating a newsletter for the church family. i'm really enjoying using my creativity to come up with something effective.

i am employed

it happened! after 6 months of looking and applying for jobs all over, i finally was offered a job today. i was hired as a part time church secretary at the church we've been attending. i'm really looking forward to starting and getting myself involved. it's been a long time coming and i know it happened in God's good timing. i waited and waited and trusted that He would make things happen. i am very encouraged to see God's handiwork in my life.

remembering a friend

Sixteen years ago today, someone i loved left this world. i can't believe that time has passed so quickly. i remember i was on my way home from the mother daughter banquet at church and i was going to go home, change and then head to the hospital to see her. i got home and one of my parents took me into the dreaded living room (that is where all bad news seemed to be delivered). they told me she was gone. to hear that news was unbelievable. i couldn't even comprehend at age 17 how someone you have known for so many years could just be gone in a moment. i have so many wonderful and happy memories of her...going on vacations together, spending time at each others houses, shopping at the mall, taking tennis lessons, playing ping pong, driving around in the car thinking we're cool...i loved her...i still do. i miss her terribly. today i remember the impact sheryl has made in my life.

our desert landscape

i decided to drive around yesterday and take pictures of lovely things in our neighborhood. everything has been blooming for a while now but i'm not sure how much longer it will last. here is some of the beauty that surrounds us.

have you ever cried in an interview?

why, yes i have! i did today. i had an interview at the church we've been attending. i applied for the position of "church secretary". a lot of emotion has been filling my heart & soul for the past 6 or so months and a lot of it came to head today in my interview.

i've had a relationship with Jesus for a long time now but it has been more real to me now than ever. it's been a challenge moving away from home and starting over again in a new town where you don't know anyone. i've been searching for a job for over 6 months and have been frustrated from the lack of response. i finally decided to hand this over to someone who has control...someone who is already in charge and knows my future...Jesus. i know He will make all things work together for good and i know that He only wants the best for me (and for all of us). it's hard to trust when we don't know what's going to happen. i've had people ask me "how do you trust?", "how do you have faith?", "how do you apply those things?" for me, i get up every day and talk to God. i tell Him that my life, my day are in His hands...I give them to Him. it's a daily process of a focus on Christ. not only that but it's the Bible. i read it. i read the truths that He has given us. i believe those truths and i stand on His promises. i've learned so much about myself the last several months. a relationship with God doesn't happen over night. it doesn't happen in a couple of years. it is something that has to be cultivated and practiced every day and takes a lifetime. but it's a relationship. think about the relationships we have in life...friends, family, co-workers, etc. we invest our time by talking to these people, going shopping with a friend, going to concerts, spending time going out to dinner or having them over for a cook out, even going on vacations. God wants the same from us. He wants to spend time with us, getting to know us and sharing His best with us.

so why did i cry in my interview?

one simple question:

"how would you describe your relationship with God?"

are you on the list?

i receive a couple different devotionals via email every morning. the one i'm going to post today had such a poignant message, i had to share it.

One List by Tracie Miles at www.proverbs31.org


“He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.” Revelation 3:5 (KJV)


Devotion:

A crowd of girls were frantically searching the list, squealing with happiness when they found their name on the new team roster. It was a happy scene, but one which abruptly ended. One girl was left standing, peering through the names on the list over and over, but her name could not be found. No matter how badly she wanted to be on the team, and despite all her hard work, her name was not on the list. The scene quickly turned to one of sorrow, as sympathetic hugs and tears were offered from the same girls who were jumping with joy just minutes before. One list… many names… one name missing.

Seeing the hurt and pain of this young girl brought tears to my eyes. I wanted to say something to comfort her, but no words seemed sufficient. I remembered how painful it was to want something so desperately, but know that I had no power to change the outcome. God spoke to my heart in the midst of that scene, and I began thinking about all the people whose lives had come to an end, who had stood face to face before the Almighty God as he flipped through the book of life, only to realize that their name was not on the list. They may have tried to remind the Father of all the hard work they had done, all the good deeds they had performed, all the people they had helped. They desperately yearned to walk through the pearly gates, but no longer had the power to change the outcome. Their window of opportunity to accept Jesus Christ as the One and only Savior had passed. One list… many names… one name missing.

Revelation 20:15 says, “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” This verse is not meant to scare people into accepting Jesus, but instead to share two very important facts: First, we must recognize our need for Jesus today. Life is full of joy and happiness; hurt and pain; disappointments and fear. We need a heavenly Father to hold our hand, guide us down the right paths, and comfort us when we are hurting. Second, knowing that life is short and unpredictable, God wants us to understand that Jesus is the only way into heaven. Once our earthly life is over, we will each be faced with the consequences of our earthly decisions, and at that time, we will have no power to change the outcome.

But today, you still have the power to decide where your soul will spend eternity. Today is your window of opportunity to accept Jesus into your heart, and praise Him for who He is. Today could be the day that the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within you, and your heart is forever changed. Today could be the day that you not only gain eternal life with Jesus, but a joyful and fulfilling life on earth through the grace and love of Christ. Today could be the day that your name is forever written into the holy pages of the book of life. One list… many names… and when your time comes, you could be assured that the Father would see your name.

If you know Jesus as your Savior today, your name is already recorded in the book of life. But is your friend’s name there? Your co-worker? Boss? Mother-in-law? Sister? Mother? Husband? Enemy? Would God find their names in the book of life if they were to come face to face with Him today? Jesus can provide the courage you need to reach out to them. Will it be easy? No. Will it be worth it? Absolutely! You could be the one God wants to work through to lead them into the arms of Jesus. You could be the one to rejoice with them as their names are written in the book of life by the holy Hand that gives life. One list … many names … is one name missing?

book report: "A Table in the Presence"

I just finished reading this book by Lt. Carey H. Cash, Chaplain with the U.S. Marines. It was excellent! It detailed the experience of a battalion of Marines as they went into Iraq at the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom. They faced extremely difficult battles with very few casualties. It was amazing to see how God's hand was with them every step of the way, protecting them from the evil one. This is a passage that gave me goose bumps.

"For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways" (Psalm 91:11) - that has breathed courage and faith into warriors for thousands of years. I could never have imagined how many men had been clinging to that promise when the rounds started flying on April 10, 2003. But they believe it. And the angels were there. All day I listened to the stories...countless others recalled that they saw waves of RPGs screaming straight for them, shot from point-blank range. Yet, at the last second, the missiles curved wildly, as if they had been batted away in midair. Sailing completely around the AAV's, the RPGs struck buildings that were teeming with enemy gunmen. PFC Timothy Pawloski recalled an RPG that was heading straight for him. The missile was coming so fast that Pawloski didn't even have time to close him eyes or duck for cover. At the last second, when it was only feet from where he was standing, it suddenly jerked upward and to the left. As if it were being pulled by an unseen rope, it split a tree wide open instead of striking the frightened young man".

Can I just say that the visual I get from this passage are angels surrounding these vehicles. I can envision the angels stopping the RPGs in midair and throwing them elsewhere to protect these Marines. It's quite a visual! As Christians we know there is a great spiritual battle that surrounds us every day. Satan and his demons want to kill and destroy as many as they can and they do; however, in the end, God will be victorious over all! The group of Marines in this book saw that there was a "greater power", "God", "someone watching out for them"...many believed in Christ after their lives were saved from terrible battles. There was only one explanation why they were still alive...God!

escape, transform, rejuvenate...we did it all!

what a wonderful time we had at the spa today! we went and signed in and they ushered us into the waiting room. you could smell soothing scents and hear relaxing music. we sat and waited. art was a bit hesitant and wasn't quite sure what to make of it all. our masseuses came and got us and took us to our couple's room. i ended up getting a hot stone massage and art got a basic massage. it was amazing. afterward art was feeling pretty good. i knew he would like it if he just tried it! i think i actually heard him say that he might try it again...so we'll see. we were instructed to come home and relax the rest of the day, so that's what we're doing. it feels good to pamper yourself every now and then. we send our thanks to all of you who voted for our story. without you we wouldn't have had this special opportunity!

couple's massage day!

so today we are going to enjoy a couple's massage. we won this spa day package from a local contest. we had to write our love story and then people voted on who they thought had the best. it was not a well organized contest, but we won! art isn't that big into being pampered so i told him as long as we did the massage, i would be happy. after all, the gift cards are just that....i can use them for any service! so this will be art's first massage. it will be interesting to see how it goes! i'm really looking forward to it especially since i didn't sleep well last night. lotus day spa, here we come!

is prayer your steering wheel or spare tire?

"When we pray, it is far more important to pray with a sense of the greatness of God than with a sense of the greatness of the problem."

--Evangeline Blood

Some people pray just to pray and some people pray to know God. --Andrew Murray

I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had absolutely no other place to go.

-- Abraham Lincoln


Pray often, for prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge for Satan

--John Bunyan


Is the Son of God praying in me, or am I dictating to Him?....Prayer is not simply getting things from God, that is a most initial form of prayer; prayer is getting into perfect communion with God. If the Son of God is formed in us by regeneration, He will press forward in front of our common sense and change our attitude to the things about which we pray.

--Oswald Chambers


How often have we prayed something like, "O Lord, be with cousin Billy now in a special way"? Have we stopped to consider what it is we're requesting? Imagine that you are a parent who is preparing to leave your children with a babysitter. Would you dream of saying, "O Betsy, I ask you now that you would be with my children in a special way?" No way. You would say, "Betsy, the kids need to be in bed by 9 pm. They can have one snack before their baths, and please make sure they finish their homework. You can reach us at this number if there's any problem. Any questions before we go?" We are very specific with our requests and instructions for our babysitters. We want them to know specifics. It should be no different with prayer.

--David Jeremiah


When a Christian shuns fellowship with other Christians, the devil smiles. When he stops studying the Bible, the devil laughs. When he stops praying, the devil shouts for joy.

--Corrie Ten Boom


In prayer it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart.

-- John Bunyan


"Every great movement of God can be traced to a kneeling figure."

--D.L. Moody


The devil is not terribly frightened of our human efforts and credentials. But he knows his kingdom will be damaged when we begin to lift up our hearts to God.

-- Jim Cymbala


Satan laughs at our toiling, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray.

-- The Kneeling Christian