Went to church this morning.
Good and bad decision. I decided this after the first song began blaring in my head.
Imagine you are Ariel from Little Mermaid, thrust back to life under the sea -- yet you are still a human.
That's my situation right now. I am getting sound in my ear, but it all sounds like it is "Under the Sea." When the choir began to sing this morning, I wanted to cry from the cacophony of sound rattling around in my head.
Thankfully Libbyline came and joined us, which caused us to find a seat further back. In addition, we sat next to a friend who is a doctor.
That miracle man suggested I put some cotton in my ear for protection/insulation from the sound. No cotton handy, but a clean piece of white tissue did the trick. I was able to tolerate, no, enjoy the rest of the service and hear God speak through the songs and the sermon. What a powerful day of God showing up!
That was only the beginning.
After that we headed for a family lunch and then I proceeded to collapse in bed for a much-needed respite.
DP woke me up in time to let the bed wrinkles subside somewhat from my face while we got ready to go to an unexpected treat he'd discovered while on a jaunt with the kids yesterday.
We had the pleasure of sitting under the ministry and music of Shaun Groves tonight at a local college event. We thoroughly enjoyed his concert and had a chance to talk with him afterwards about our sponsorship of Juana through Compassion.
If you haven't gone to his site as a result of all Shannon has shared via her trip to Uganda with Shaun and a number of others, please head on over and check out some of his archives regarding his work with Compassion. God is changing lives, and He is using Shaun as a messenger to do so. Pray with him and for him if you feel led. We sure do.
So, I am feeling about 75% better than I did all last week.
I am still easily tired and really looking forward to getting back on dry land in the hearing department, but God is so good. I certainly cannot complain when I would rather praise Him for all He has done for me.
So, I will praise Him for:
- removing my fever
- stopping the ooze
- making the "bum stick" worth the pain
- plenty of rest
- the care of my precious family
- yogurt and other soft foods that help me avoid frightening eating experiences
- clearing my sinuses & any other dormant infection that might have been hiding inside me
- the ability to laugh at my cirumstances
- holding me close through it all
On His Adventure~
Pam
Labels: compassion, gratitude, happies, healing, illness, prayer
I know y'all don't come here to listen to me gripe or whine. I know you won't come back if I spend too much time bemoaning the place I find myself. So, I'm not going to drag on with a "woe is me" attitude.
I am trying to take today moment by moment, but I am so tired, so weary and weepy today.
The tears are threatening to spill over at every turn. I slept poorly and find the energy that soared over a very productive weekend to be utterly depleted as I begin a new week of homeschooling and the other tasks of life.
Visions of climbing back into bed revisit my thoughts over and over. Though I know that is wishful thinking with the three children I am entrusted to educate in some fashion today.
Yet, in the midst of my own weary journey I look out and about me. There I find others whose situations are polar different from mine. One in particular requires your attention.
Please pray for this precious family. I have been following them and praying diligently since the day before their sweet daughter, Copeland, arrived Sept. 18. Sarah shared their need for prayer, and I have been praying. I encourage you to do the same.
That's one thing I love about blogging and the availability of the internet. I cannot stay focused on myself for long. For when I get tunnel vision and begin to have a pity party, I need only look at this or this or this and be aware of how small I am and how big God is.
May we all remember His power and strength today. Please be praying, and if you think of it pray for me, too.
***FYI: If you haven't watched the video in yesterday's post, scroll on down now. Go on! It's a goodie : )
Labels: blogging, pity party, prayer, truth
Prayer is powerful and one step of faith can change everything. Take your step . . . now!
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April 18, 2007
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Just one step of faith, that's all it took. Just one step of faith.
Yesterday my cell phone rang in the middle of the day. It was my daughter Laura. Nothing unusual about that.
What was unusual about the call was that my normally upbeat, positive daughter (a senior, just a month away from graduating from college) was down, and in a "funk."
All because of the Virginia Tech massacre on Monday morning.
She wanted to do something.
As we talked, I read Laura a portion of the words from President Bush's address at the special service held at Virginia Tech on the day after the shootings. In his message the President quoted Romans 12:21:
"These sources of strength are also in the faith that sustains so many of us. Across the town of Blacksburg and in towns all across America, houses of worship from every faith have opened their doors and have lifted you up in prayer. People who have never met you are praying for you; they're praying for your friends who have fallen and who are injured. There's a power in these prayers, real power. In times like this, we can find comfort in the grace and guidance of a loving God. As the Scriptures tell us, ‘Don't be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.'"
In our conversation I encouraged Laura to turn her grief heavenward and pray for those who have been impacted by evil.
Then I re-read Romans 12:21 to her: "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Laura replied, "But I'm just a college student, what could I do? I live off campus. I'm not in a dorm or sorority house on campus. What can I do?"
Reflecting on Laura's response, I think that most of us feel that way … I'm just a dad … or a mom … what can I do? The enemy of our souls loves it when we think this way. Doubt gives way to unbelief and ultimately results in paralysis. I'm reminded of British statesman Edmund Burke's warning, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
But a follower of Jesus Christ is more than "just" a college student, a dad, a mom. God made us to be children of the King who are empowered by Him to push back against the forces of evil that seek to destroy us and take away our hope.
The Scripture gives us resolute purpose: "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
I then challenged Laura to take the lead with a few student leaders on campus to join with her and organize a campus-wide prayer meeting Thursday for the Virginia Tech students, faculty and families.
There was silence on the phone.
After a few moments, my adventuresome, "go for it" daughter, Laura, declared, "I got it! I'm on it! I'll do it!"
I had a few more words of encouragement and we said goodbye. I concluded by asking her to keep me posted on what was going on.
Ten minutes later I was in a meeting and my cell phone rang. It was Laura. She had contacted her friend Ben, a fired-up Christ follower, as well as student leaders of various campus ministries. They all were "on it!" The campus-wide prayer meeting was scheduled at an outdoor amphitheater on campus for Thursday at 7 p.m. I told her how excited I was for her and the other students.
I jumped back in to my meeting and another ten minutes later the phone rang again. This time Laura told me that she had just sent the following e-mail to 12 student leaders on campuses across the country who are participating in an internship with her at The Falls Church in Falls Church, Va., beginning this fall:
All across the country students are feeling sad about the loss of life at Virginia Tech, and also thinking that it could have been me. I know I have thought that a couple of times while on campus today. I know that all of us have been and are praying for the students and families of Virginia Tech. I have called several of my friends and we are getting together on Thursday night at 7:00 to have a time of prayer for the students, families, faculty, and everyone that has been affected because of this tragedy. I just wanted to throw this out there to see if you all would get together with your friends and fellow students, on your campus and pray together on Thursday. Our God is powerful and He can and will turn this evil into good!
I responded with a "Wow" and told Laura, "You go, girl!"
In the midst of all this, I thought of my friend and comrade, Mark Gauthier, the national director of the Campus Ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ. So I wrote him and shared with him what Laura and students were doing on her campus.
Mark was pumped! So pumped that last night he sent an e-mail out to four thousand full time staff and student leaders on more than a thousand campuses here in the U.S. and even more in over 100 countries of the world.
By 8 a.m. today, Mark's inbox had over 200 responses from campus leaders all over the world, saying they will be calling for a campus-wide Call to Prayer for Virginia Tech. In fact, I was just told that the e-mails are streaming in so fast they can't keep up. Spiritually and virally, this thing has taken off with responses from London, East Asia, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and even North Africa (where three Virginia Tech grads lead the ministry). Many more will join.
Another group of college students who use Facebook online have responded by establishing a Facebook group to pray for Virginia Tech. Somehow mother's groups and churches have received the e-mail and they are calling for prayer. And another e-mail was sent to the leaders of other national campus ministry groups (Navigators, Intervarsity, Impact, etc.) inviting them to lead and call their students to prayer tomorrow. Bill Pugh, national director of Athletes in Action, has written his leaders on several hundred campuses and many of those will be rallying students on their campus to pray.
I started forwarding e-mails to Laura this morning from all over the world and I just got off the phone with her. I told her how proud I was of her for taking one step of faith and saying "I'll do it!" I told her that her step of faith helped create something much bigger than anything we would have imagined. All she could say was "Wow! God is indeed powerful."
Wow, indeed.
As I write this, I am about to go into the studio to tell the story on our broadcast tomorrow and challenge several hundred thousand moms and dad, husbands and wives, and singles to join with us. I also decided to send this letter out to you, along with more than 165,000 stakeholders in FamilyLife all around the world, encouraging you and your family to join in the Call to Prayer. And take a step of faith and challenge at least one other person to do the same:
- Pray for the families and friends of students who were killed—that they would turn to God for His comfort and strength. Four of the students were involved with Campus Crusade at Virginia Tech.
- Pray for the survivors of the shootings who witnessed the horrors of that day. Pray for God's grace and comfort.
- Pray for wisdom for the Campus Crusade staff and other campus ministers and pastors as they seek to counsel and love the hurting students.
Find information about the tragedy and updates on how you can pray at Campus Crusade for Christ’s website dedicated to the tragedy at Virginia Tech. If you have any children in college, call and challenge them to organize a Call to Prayer for Virginia Tech tomorrow. Send them this e-mail. They'll know how to get more information on Facebook.
And if you are unable to get a group together to pray, just pray where you are. Prayer is portable—you can join the movement tomorrow at lunch or at the dinner table with your family. But pray.
"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
Dennis
***Update*** AGAIN!!! -- So far the total of your giving to help Heather and her family is at $8,986.00 as of 10pm Central time. Woo Hoo!! Y'all are incredible, and I know Heather is most grateful for everyone's gifts. Go here and read her response to all the lovin' and generosity. Go today! Go today to BooMama's! Don't forget. You can make a difference for an entire family. You can make a difference for more than that. You can make a difference in the direction of many a person's life, just by taking part in something bigger than yourself.
Nothing crosses my mind right now without going through the "Heather" lens. All that I've been doing since the middle of last week has been viewed with Heather in mind. I mentioned her in a prayer request last week, and in the days since I have been praying for her each time God brings her to mind--which is frequently.
Go here to read up on the details of her situation. Read today's entry. I pray you'll be blessed. I know I was inspired and encouraged . . . all at a time when I have expected nothing from Heather. I go to encourage her, let her know I am continuing to pray, and I come away with a blessing from her faith in our loving and powerful God.
You'll notice the lovely button adorning this post. Click on it, or go to BooMama's for the details, but suffice it to say that you will have an opportunity to be a part of blessing Heather, her husband, Mark, and their family this Wednesday. BooMama is hosting the showering of love April 18, and you can be a part by joining all of us to defray some of the enormous costs facing this dear family during this tragic and difficult time. Give as little as $1 or give a lot, or simply assure Heather of your continued prayers.
Thanks y'all! I know I can count on all of you who grace this blogland to pray and to rally around this precious family!
UPDATE~~~ You can also join in a contest to benefit Heather as well, by heading over to Beth's at I Should Be Folding Laundry. She has a great idea going, and you'll be glad you ran on over! Linking arms with others all over the internet . . . we can surely have an impact.
****Prayer Request****
~~~~Wanted to update y'all on the reason for the Urgent Prayer request last week. Destiny's funeral was held Saturday. Unfortunately we were not aware of the fact until after its completion. So, my husband was not able to attend. When my DP returned to school Monday he had several opportunities to discuss some things with his students: Destiny, suicide, the importance of getting in touch with someone if you need to talk, and how life is valuable.
My DP, like many others vocalized, wondered what he could have done to help prevent Destiny's final outcome. He, like many others, wondered what he missed, if anything. None of us will know this side of heaven. Yet, I continue to pray for that family, for the middle school age brother, the three-year-old sister, and the parents who will never hold their daughter again in their arms. I pray for their salvation. I pray for comfort. I pray especially for a freedom one day from the pain of a loss so immense.
Thank you for your prayers! You are all so incredible.
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Now for the Thanks . . .
1. Free Gifts -- I won this at Boomama's place, and I absolutely love it! I'd write a review about it, but both Boo and GiBee have done such a wonderful job that I feel like I'd just be redundant in my effusive praise. Goodness knows I'm in no need of redundancy. My life is unexciting enough!
2. Baskets -- I am in an unusual mode of wanting to get organized, so I have a stack of baskets I found at a popular discount establishment awaiting my rusty organizing skills in order to make my crafting area more functional. I might take a picture of it and post it on a Wednesday once I actually make it "work for me."
3. Jammie Day -- Yes, my children are not toddlers anymore, but sometimes you just need one of these. I joined in the fun, and I so needed it too.
4. Memorizing Scripture to Music -- I forgot how much I enjoy this. We replaced a copy of this for our kids as an addition to an Easter basket this year. I love both of the "Hide 'Em In Your Heart" volumes.
5. Church -- I can honestly say for the first time since we moved last July that I am truly thankful for the body of believers in which we've been placed. I hesitate to add, I am beginning to (gasp) feel a bit at home here!
6. Choir -- For the first time since my single days, I am joining the choir. I've been part of a small worship team over the years, but I've not sung in a group this large since 1993. Next week is my first rehearsal, and I am a bit nervous . . . feels like the voice is a bit rusty. It is "make a joyful noise, isn't it?"
7. Cuddling -- My JD Green is the master at this, and I started my day yesterday with my little one snuggled up against my side giggling while his daddy tried to be outraged as he left the house for work. My little man makes me feel so special sometimes.
8. Hope -- Just when I thought our adoption journey may never have a beginning, let alone an end with our daughter in our arms -- God brings a multitude of reasons across my path to give me a renewed sense of hope and encouragement that one day our turn will come. I will NOT lose heart!
9. Library -- a place I find quiet, peace, and my favorite of all . . . lots of books! We thoroughly enjoyed our experience there yesterday. Thanks, too, to our new friend, Miss Jeanne.
10. Pain-free moments -- few and far between though they may be lately, I am grateful for every, single one that allows me to accomplish the tasks set before me each and every day. Jesus knows my pain, and He gives me reprieve as He sees fit. I am utterly grateful to Him for all He provides.
Please share your blessings with someone today. I would dearly love to know how God has blessed you, but if you don't feel like writing them down -- go tell someone and bless them in the process of sharing your own blessings! God is good ALL the time . . .
Labels: prayer, thanks tank
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