Strange

Is it strange, Lord, that the prospect of prayer seems daunting?  In much the same way as a to-do list can be so intimidating that I cannot even do one thing, sometimes considering prayer has the same effect.  "I'm not doing the most important thing" or "I have so much to pray about; how am I to choose what is most effective?"

So, most times, even if I do pray, I feel that it is, and I am, inadequate.  Teach me to pray, Jesus! "Our Father"...ah, great place to start.  Father!  Not by first birth, but by being born again, by second birth.  Some would say by adoption.  In my Facebook feed today, a woman who has adopted a girl from China wrote about "Gotcha Day."  What a great title for a special occasion.  You "got" me.  For better or for worse, maybe more truly for better AND for worse.  I can be a difficult "child."

Well, one thing I definitely want to pray about is the killing of my Christian brothers (not too many sisters are making the news) by ISIS.  It chills my heart and makes me cry out in distress.  Lord, is there nothing that can stop them?  (I almost wrote "these maniacs?")  They truly believe that they are bringing about faithfulness to ... Allah?  God?  A better way of life?  How deluded!  Or are we Westerners more deluded by our comfortable and tolerant lives, and philosophies, and social culture?  There are times, I admit, that I respect the moral code that Muslims embrace--that is, until I read about their taking heathen women as sex slaves.  Where does that fit in?  Or how does killing "people of the Cross" further Islam?  Somehow, they believe that purging the world of "infidels" is honoring to the god of their religion.  To me, honestly and in the privacy of this journal, it sounds like the god of their religion is a god who celebrates death and violence and power, not life and love and welcome.

So, dear Father, have mercy on Your other children who are in the way of harm and who are still attempting to remain faithful in the face of this threatening persecution.  When I think ....

(Hubby came home suddenly and I didn't finish this post!)

One Yes, One Not Yet

Ahh, dear God, I am anxious.  It is hard to wait for Your response about Amy's job.  My heart wants Messiah for a number of (what I think are) good reasons.  :)  Some of those good reasons have to do with family relationships: her sister Julie's proximity in Philadelphia, her grandmother's desire to have her as close as possible (the other options are South Carolina and Iowa), and her father's similar desire to have her close.  I am trying to be open-minded and open-handed about Your will.  I don't know how well I am succeeding.  So, what do I really want to ask You?

• May Your will be done, first, last, and in between.
• Would You see fit to have her at Messiah?  She reported that it is, perhaps, the "best" of the schools insofar as student development, residential life, and institutional health are concerned.  She also reported, however, that there will be more discipline problems there than at the other two schools.
• We value family relationships!  At least on my side of the family, and also, if to a slightly lesser degree, on George's.  For my mother's sake, would You answer her prayer for Amy to be in Pennsylvania?  I don't know whether Grandma would get down to PA, but it would certainly be easier for Amy to come "home" for holidays and breaks to bless her grandmother.
• You know that I sometimes worry about Julie's lack of Christian fellowship.  Having Amy only two hours away, and having the possibility of their spending some time together, would be one way that Julie could be in touch with a strong and Godly and amazing woman--her sister.  So, for Julie's sake, would You put Amy at Messiah?

I would be all right traveling to and visiting Iowa.  :)  Anderson in South Carolina is not as healthy a school as the other two colleges/universities, but I wondered about its proximity to Atlanta.

No matter what, dear God, thank You for the encouragement that these on-campus interviews have been to my daughter.  We surrender to Your will and Your calling on her life.  In Jesus's name~~Amen.

PS  The "one yes" is Julie's apartment lease.  Thank You!  I am relieved.

One More Hour

I have craved these alone times, Lord.  I don't want them to last forever; I just need one day every so often, maybe monthly, when I don't have someone -- read "husband" -- looking over my shoulder.  I need the time alone to write, pray, be honest, and be randomly productive.  :) 


Prayer for Julie's apartment search: near success!  I don't want to give up praying, because the inked signature is not on the contract yet.  Lord, please guard that apartment for Julie.  It sounds perfect, especially since both she and we are impressed by it.  :)  And please provide everything she needs to live there.  It is going to take a fair amount of effort no matter where she moves.

Prayer for Amy's job search: two down, one to go.  Please lead her and guide her in the path that You have charted for her.  Give her discernment about the right place for her, where she can be best used by You, without regard for the distance.  We will handle that by Your provision and grace!  Provide her with wisdom and with everything that she will need to make her home there.

Lord, I ask all of this in Your name, for the Father's glory, and in the power and heart of the Holy Spirit~~Amen!