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Have you been hoping, praying, wandering in those desert places, waiting for that defining moment when you can boldly declare that you’ve received your healing? Your miracle?
Faithfully waiting for that prayer that you’ve prayed countless times over your healing, healing for a loved one, healing for a friend, healing and restoration or renewal for your marriage, healing for your children, grandchildren, salvation for a prodigal child or family member, your parents health, that circumstance or situation that never seems to be resolved, your financial situation, mending of a broken relationship or friendship? Maybe you’ve been praying for that impossible dream that you fear will never come into fruition or something that seems impossible to overcome.
Whatever it is that you’re asking of the Lord, know that none of this defines you.
Your value isn’t found in your answered or, for that matter, your unanswered prayers.
Your value is found in the person and work of Christ Jesus.
Let me clarify that in better terms to help you understand what I’m trying to convey.
Just because you pray and it seems like your prayers aren’t being answered, it doesn’t mean that your faith is weak or that you need to pray harder.
And just because your prayer does get answered does not mean that your faith is better than anyone else’s.
To further clarify, prayer is key to having a healthy relationship with God. Yes!
And having abiding faith means putting your trust in God and having confidence that He will fulfill His promises. And that we continually receive, believe, and trust that Jesus is everything we need.
However, you are not defined as unloved, forsaken, or forgotten if the answers to your prayers aren’t fulfilled or come to pass.
God loves you no matter what the outcome.
He knows what’s best for you.
Don’t lose heart.
Keep your eyes on Jesus.
And stay persistent and patient in waiting through prayer.
Remember these Scriptures …
Romans 12:12 – “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”
Ephesians 6:18 – “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.”
James 5:16 – “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.”
1 Thessalonians 5:17 – “Never stop praying.”
Are you still faithfully waiting for that unanswered prayer?
Then you are in good company.
Just remember, your value or worth aren’t determined by anything other than who Christ says that you are.
I know its hard because, as mothers, we want to make everything easier for them. It is in every mother to nurture and protect them at all cost, but sometimes they have to figure it out on their own. That is all a part of growing, learning, and maturing.
We can teach them a lot of things, but some things they have to learn on their own.
You can love them and support them, but they have to walk their own path.
Loving them sometimes means letting them figure out the hard stuff and standing on the sidelines while watching them walk away from it better equipped, more mature, and better able to handle whatever life throws their way.
I am still learning this and, believe me, its hard, but sometimes love has to give them wings to fly.
In the meantime, keep praying and trusting God.
And if you say that you trust God, wouldn’t you trust Him with your kids as well?
Lord, Hear our hearts cry! We are desperate for a healing touch from You.
We ask that You would listen to our pleas, dry our tears, and cleanse our bodies from all impurities.
Hear our prayer!
We ask for Your sustaining strength for when we are weary and weak.
Restore our frail and sickened bodies with renewal and rejuvenation.
Pour out Your healing balm of grace, love, and tender mercies of rivers overflowing into each and every crack, every broken piece, every shattered hope, every painful wound, every grief and sorrow, every part of our burned, sickened, bruised, and battered-mortal bodies, every dry and barren ground.
This is our prayer for healing.
We believe that You heal those who are suffering and sickened in mind, body, and spirit.
We believe that You are the God of the impossible.
We believe that, You God, are our High physician.
We believe in Your Miracle working power.
Immersed in Your love, Your presence, and in Your tender mercies that are new each morning, we find a renewed hope and are sustained, refreshed, and strengthened to face any challenge that may come our way.
We prayerfully wait, watch, and listen.
You cover us in Your grace and we remember Your promise in Your Holy Word, that if ask anything in Your Name, believing, You are faithful to answer.
Remember-what you do here or don’t do here on this side of heaven, as a follower of Christ Jesus; choosing not to witness to your children will have eternal consequences.
Point your children to Christ, if we don’t then the world will point them to destruction.
I know it’s hard, but don’t allow yourself to feel defeated. Keep fighting for your children. Keep seeking help from the Holy Spirit…. Who is … Jesus in You!
As we learn to lean on the Holy Spirit, He will do the work in us to help strengthen us; to help us persevere, fast, pray, and intercede on the behaves of our children.
It can seem like a losing battle, I know!
Keep faith in the Holy Spirit’s power to bring conviction to your children’s hearts, even when you’re tired and can’t see the results of your efforts. Whether saved or unsaved, the Holy Spirit is working in and on their behalf.
It might be exhausting; it might be difficult; it might be heartbreaking to witness their refusal to the truth-the truth that will redeem, cleanse, restore, renew, save, and set them free from the chains of sin and death.
You may not even realize it, but your children are watching. They see you. They hear the words you speak. They are witnesses to your faith, to the reflection you mirror as a follower of Jesus.
Continue to follow and set the example of Jesus in your daily life. Keep witnessing to them. Keep planting those seeds. Your children see your love and devotion for the one who changed you, made you whole, gave you new life, and opened your eyes to the revelation that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.
And, it is my prayer and the cry of this mother’s heart; someday, my children will want to know Him more. They will choose Him as their Lord and Savior.
The Holy Spirit will empower you to be an effective witness for Jesus Christ. The fruit of your labor will not be in vain.
The treasure that you, as a Christian parent, will leave in the hearts and minds of your children will outweigh all earthly treasures.
Leave an inheritance to your children that matters.
Lord You invite me to come To come and abide With You awhile I run to You My sacred Hiding place I run Desperate To find You Eagerly awaiting With outstretched arms You enfold me In Your grace You comfort You strengthen me In Your quiet abode I find rest My refuge In which to cling You hide me From the rising waters Save me from the turbulent waves You keep me from drowning You protect me from Trouble on all sides I am released My chains are unbound The whispers and the lies From within are silenced Painful sorrows Anguish and grief Are relinquished Hidden before You In Your dwelling Where the Temporal things are Hollowed out The cracks are Sealed up Darkness turns to light Shielded in Your love and mercy A hush spills over The noise of this world Is muted A heart quickens Ears press in Attuned to only Your voice Breathing in Breathing out Inhaling Your Glory Hidden within You Peacefully unafraid For thou art with me You are my hiding place
Christmas has always been my favorite time of year, but lately it has been hard to celebrate.
I know you’re probably thinking to yourself, “How can you feel that way about Christmas?”
For the past several years it’s become more worrisome than joyful.
And honestly, I have to admit it isn’t the picture I envision for myself or my family, especially when I think about celebrating my savior’s birth.
It’s been hard the last couple of years. With everything we have had to endure as a society and as a nation as a whole. It’s been especially hard for those of us Christian’s who are desperately trying to live by our moral and Biblical standards. It seems, at times, that we are being forced to do things that goes against our will. Things in which goes against our beliefs or that we believe to be just and right in the eyes of God. And it’s getting worse by the day. I know I’m not alone when I say that we all have felt the impact of it all.
It’s Christmastime and instead of feeling excited I’m feeling anxiety, extremely tired, worn out, and looking forward to when Christmas is over.
Christmas has become so commercialized and downright demanding that it can sometimes take the enjoyment out of celebrating.
And on top of that, financial burdens can make it difficult for everyone around the holidays.
Trying to figure out how to purchase gifts for your children at this time of year, when you don’t have the means to do so encompasses a whole lot of unwanted pressure that causes me and I am sure many others to dread this time of year.
It wasn’t always this way.
What happened?
Where did the jubilation go?
When did it become more about the gifts than about Jesus?
When did I allow my heart to become so disheartened?
Christmas is about the birth of Jesus and my heart aches that seldom the celebration is truly wrapped up in Him.
Beyond all decorations, tinsel, Christmas trees, lights, gifts, and the many to do list, where does Jesus fit in?
Has my family made room for Him?
Have I made room for Him?
Have you made room for Him?
After all, Jesus is the reason we celebrate the season, right?
Or have we quickly forgotten?
Have I allowed the pressures of life to dampen my spirit?
Unfortunately, it has, but I don’t have to let it, do I? Do we?
Most certainly not!
Then what do I do about it?
What do we do about it?
How do I (we) combat the feelings of stress, worry, anxiety and the endless amounts of pressures that are brought about during the holidays.
We keep our hearts and minds focused on Jesus.
We never let ourselves lose sight of the significance, joy and the miracle of the birth of Jesus.
When our souls are weary we continue to look to Jesus.
We continue to pray and seek His face above all others.
At Christmastime, and in every season.
May we never forget or need reminding of the extraordinary gift that we have been given.
May we never forget to Thank God, for His precious gift of Jesus. . . .
You know the story!
One Holy night, long long ago, a baby changed everything.
For unto us a Child is born. For unto us a Son is given.
… Born in a stable. … Wrapped in swaddling clothes … Placed in a manger … He was no ordinary baby … He was Immanuel — God with us
His name shall be called Wonderful Jesus
… Our Blessed Hope … Our Blessed Assurance
… The Savior of the whole entire world … The Incarnate God … The Way, the Truth and the Life … The True Vine … The Resurrection and the Life … The Mediator … The Lamb of God … The High Priest … The Good Shepherd … The Deliverer … The Redeemer … The Bread of Life … The Author & Perfecter of Our Faith … The Lord of All … The Great I Am … The Counselor … The Mighty God … The Everlasting Father … The Prince of Peace … The Word of Life … The Word of God … The Holy One … The Light of the World … The King of Kings and Lord of Lords … The One True GOD!
The story of Jesus’ birth doesn’t end there. The story of Jesus’ birth is so much more.
It’s not just a beautiful Christmas story, but the most beautiful Christmas story ever told.
From the birth of Jesus in a manger to the Star of Bethlehem, Christmas is a celebration of God becoming flesh as a gift of love.
The greatest gift of love in whom through and by Him, our Lord, Christ Jesus, would save His people from their sins.
May we be reminded of God’s indescribable gift of love — our beautiful Jesus.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t want a Christmas that is,
… hurried … worried … pressured … stressed … boxed … wrapped … packaged … weighed down by life’s demands … stripped of joy by life’s circumstances
I want a Christmas that
… wraps me in His presence … comforts me in His Hope and Love … is devoted solely to Him … exchanges anxiety and stress for joy … is focused on Him … grows closer to Him … is thankful for the gift of Scripture … celebrates the miracle of His birth … is eternally grateful for Gods unspeakable gift
I want a Christmas that rejoices in, Jesus.
I want a Christmas that whispers, His Holy Name.
I want a Christmas that reminds me of just how loved I truly am.
How loved we are all!
I want a Christmas that brings hope of a better tomorrow, through my Lord and Savior.
I want a Christmas that assures me that because of Jesus I can experience true joy even in the midst of trouble.
I want a Christmas in which to marvel in the wondrous power that took place on that Holy night, in order for God to save the entirety of the world.
Here in this season Where things feel different A rest ushers in This ‘Spiritual Winter’ Wraps the veil Nearer to the core of existence Calling out for rejuvenation, Growth, a fresh revelation And a newfound wisdom A knowledge of understanding That things change One’s very essence is tried and tested God reaches out With graceful intention Bringing nourishment To the hungry heart And quenches The dry and thirsty soul As He prepares The willing spirit for A long winters rest His grace covers And a soul finds room to pause Faithfully waiting upon Him With eager anticipation To bring a bountiful Spring Harvest.
TINA UNSELL 