Give To Him a Call . . .

"Now where did I put my cell phone?"  This morning I was anxiously looking all over the house and  couldn't find it anywhere?  I usually panic when I lose it, because that is my lifeline to communicate with my friends and family and what would I do if I had an emergency?  I carry it by my side all day long, for fear that I might miss a call!  After exhausting my search I asked my husband to call me, so that I would hear the ring and locate it.  He laughed when I answered the phone and said, "Hello this is your crazy wife!"  I had plugged it into the wall to re-charge.  Wouldn't you have guessed that this would have been the first place I would look?      

                                                                     Philippians 4:6-7
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

When I find myself being anxious, I must ask God in prayer, to give me a call so that I can find my way back to Him.  He is my true lifeline to peace.  Often I need to ask Him for direction in my life or help in emergency.  The greatest benefit is the fellowship we spend together.  Each morning my soul needs to be plugged into God and re-charged.  He must be by my side all day long, because I never want to miss an important message from Him. 
Call me crazy but it's true!
                                                                       Morning Prayer
Dear Lord,
    You give to my heart such peace, knowing that You are always by my side and available to hear my calls.  What would I ever do without You?  I love you Lord.  Amen ~ 

   

Prayer For Cold Food . . .

After shopping for hours my sister and I needed some food to boost our energy, so we made a quick drive-through Burger King for french fries.  They were fresh out of the fryer and they smelled so good!  Karen reached in the bag and grabbed a hot fry and said, "Deb, let's pray."  So . . .  I began to pray and I thanked God for my sister and our time together and our shopping success and safe travels, etc. etc. etc.  She finally said, "Debbie!!  My fries are getting cold!"  Well excuse me sister!  Ha! Ha!  Later in the day, she hesitated to let me pray over the next meal.  Imagine? 

My daughter Kelly had prepared salads for our lunch and she asked me if I would like to pray.  As I was praying I was so moved, that I began to get misty and when I said, "Amen" she said, "Mom it's only a salad!"  And we both just laughed. 

                                                                 Ephesians 5:20
Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Tomorrow as we gather around our Thanksgiving Table, I hope that we will be so captivated with our thankful prayers to the Lord for all His blessings to us, that our food gets cold!   After all, it's not just about the food. . .

                                                                  Morning Prayer
Dear Lord,
    Tomorrow, may our hearts be consumed with thankfulness  to You and Your goodness to us.  Amen ~  

A Thanksgiving Table . . .

My daughter is very busy making all her plans and preparations for our family Thanksgiving Holiday.  She will have a lovely table all prepared with nice linens and of course handmade place cards with each of our names.  She will have beautiful centerpieces of fresh flowers and candles.  The kitchen island will be loaded down with the most delicious foods and her homemade pies are just out of this world!  We will have more to eat than what we can possibly consume!  So much to be thankful for.

                                                                       Psalm 23:5-6
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.  

A true Thanksgiving Table is set for only two.  The Lord has prepared a table for each of us and He waits daily for us to come and dine with Him.  When we accept His invitation, we will find our name inscribed upon His hand.  The fragrance of His love and the light He brings to our soul, is truly captivating!  His daily bread is more than what we can possibly consume and we understand that He has blessed abundantly above all that we could ever fully express our thankfulness for.   

                                                                       Morning Prayer
Dear Lord,
     I pray that each of us will accept Your invitation to sit with You at Your Thanksgiving Table.  We have so much to thank You for . . .   Amen ~   

Over The Bridge . . .

This weekend we wanted to be with our family, so we made reservations at a Hotel in Lake Havasu. The map indicated that it was located just West of Hwy. 95 on McCulloch Blvd.  Sounds pretty simple until you try to find this place!  We finally humbled ourselves and called our son telling him, "We can't find the Hotel!"  In order to get there, we had to follow John in his car.  We did not know that in order to go West on McCulloch, we had to go East and then head West again and cross over the London Bridge.  He told us, "Dad, there is no way you would have found this place on your own." 

                                                                 John 14:6
              Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life;
              no man cometh unto the Father but by me.

Someday we all want to go to Heaven and be with the Father.  We imagine in our mind that we know how to get there.  We may think it's pretty simple to just live a good life and be a good person,  but God knew we could never get to Him on our own merit.  So He sent His son, Jesus Christ, to be a bridge that we may cross over to be with the Father for all of eternity.  If we humble ourselves and cry out to Jesus Christ, He will show us the way.  Jesus told us, "There is no way to the Father but by Me."

                                                                Morning Prayer
Dear Jesus,
     You not only became the bridge for me to see the Father, but You have also invited me to walk with You on my journey to the other side.  You knew from the very beginning that I was terribly lost and needed direction and You alone have paid the price that someday I will see You face to face.  Thank you Jesus!  Amen ~ 

My Favorite Dwelling Place. . .

My favorite place to dwell is in a small community, nestled up close to the White Tank Mountains called Verrado.  Most of the homes have front porches, different styles of architecture and the streets are all lined with trees and grass.  Our "Main Street" has a grocery market, drug store, bank, pizza place and of course, an ice cream shoppe!  We are located twenty five miles west of downtown Phoenix.  There is such a sense of community here and the residents are so warm and friendly.  I love, love, love the quiet, peaceful atmosphere.  The crime rate in Verrado is next to zero and you will rarely hear any sirens.  You might see Mule Deer crossing the street or hear the coyotes crying at night or perhaps a few scorpions, but it's such a safe and lovely place to dwell.  I never want to move away from Verrado.

                                                                        Psalm 91:1-6, 9-11
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."  If you make the Most High your dwelling - even the Lord, who is my refuge - then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.  For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;

My other favorite place to dwell is in the shelter of the Most High God.   I love to rest in Him, knowing that I am covered with His wings of protection.  I just love the quiet peace that He brings to my soul.  I relish knowing that I am a part of His community of believers and I'm surrounded with loving people.  He gives to me eyes to see His beauty all around me in this beautiful world He has created.  He is my favorite dwelling place . . . a safe and lovely place to dwell.   

                                                                         1 John 4:13
Hereby know we that we dwell in Him, and He in us because He hath given us of His Spirit.

                                                                         Morning Prayer
Dear Lord,
     You are my favorite dwelling place and I never want to move away from You.  Amen

With Great Expectation!

I'm heading out the door this morning to meet my daughter, Katie at her doctor's office.  She is "expecting" a baby boy in December.  Even though she has had many moments of suffering, I have watched her with great expectation of becoming a Mother.  I have been blessed to see the ultra sound pictures of his little face.  The images are not super clear and at times hard to see, but I love him just the same and I know he is beautiful!  Little "Lucas" has not arrived as of yet, but he is still in our midst!  I can't hardly wait to see him.  The Mother of expectation is patience.

                                                                      John 16:16-22
In all truth I tell you, you will be weeping and wailing while the world will rejoice; you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy.  A woman in childbirth suffers, because her time has come; but when she has given birth to the child she forgets the suffering in her joy that a human being has been born into the world.  So it is with you; you are sad now, but I shall see you again, and your hearts will be full of joy, and that joy no one shall take from you."

I also am expecting just any day now, the return of Jesus Christ.  My days can often be filled with sorrow and suffering, but there will come a day, when my heart will be turned into joy!  I will see him face to face and I will know Him just as much as He knows me!  Even though Jesus has not arrived yet, He is still in my midst and I enjoy His presence in my life every single day.  Waiting patiently in great expectation is the foundation of a life in Christ.   

                                                              Morning Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus,
    Thank You for the promise of Your return for us!  With great expectation I know we will have joy unspeakable on that day!  Until then, I will enjoy Your presence in my life.  Amen

Gift of Love . . .

My daughter's baby shower was coming up and even though I had purchased several lovely gifts for the baby, I knew I needed to give a gift of love. . .  I prayed and asked the Lord to lead me and as always He answered my prayer.  On Sunday at her shower, I gave  Katie a frame that says,  "Grandma" on the front and on the back I glued a recorder with my voice singing the lullabye that I used to sing to her.  Wow!  I will never forget the look on her face and the tears that just flowed when she pushed the button and heard her Mommy's voice singing. . .

    "Go to sleep my baby,
       close your pretty eyes,
         Mr. Moon is peepin 
            way up in the sky.
         Mr. Moon is peepin
             to see if you are sleepin.
      Go to sleep my baby,
        close your pretty eyes."
          
                         Love is truly the greatest gift that a Mother can give to her child. 
                         Love touches a place in a heart that nothing else can come near.

                                                          Colossians 3:14
             And above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness.

                                                          Morning Prayer
Dear Lord,
     You take such delight in revealing to each of us, creative ways to express love to one another.  You gave to us the most beautiful example of love by sending Your son,  Jesus Christ to reflect Your love.  Lord, help me today to seek ways to express love.  Amen    

His Gracious Work

Dear Lord,
    We can say anything with our lips but do we really mean it?  Often times we don't truly know ourselves.  We like to think we have faith and trust in You, but only the tests we face will reveal the truth.  You don't test us to condemn us but to reveal either our flesh or our faith.  If we pass a test in faith, it's only because of Your gracious work in our hearts.  

                                                     James 1:2-7
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything..

I will trust You . . . .

                                                                Morning Prayer
Dear Lord,
    In our trials, Lord, you are doing and completing your work.  Your work is in our hearts teaching us your lessons of love, forgiveness, patience, kindness, goodness, meekness and self control.  You are purifying us!  We often ask that you remove the trial from us and question why you don't?  Perhaps your work is not completed as of yet.  I will trust you in the trial and I will trust your timing as well.  How Lord, can our minds possibly conceive of the work you are doing on our behalf?  Today, I will give you thanks.  Amen

                                                               1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Be joyful always; pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.