Pray for me-

 I recieved this text message the other morning:

     "I forgot to tell you today that on my way to work this morning I prayed that you would see yourself as God sees you;  completely scar free!"

Wow! How neat to read that first thing in the morning as I stumbled out of bed to get ready for boot camp at 4:55a. My friend had sent it at 11:13 pm the night before, long after I was asleep. The buzz of my phone didn't wake me up, like it sometimes does. And I don't always check my phone before boot camp (Though I was glad I did the morning Kel decided to stay in and I decided to go back to bed, too).That is the beauty of text messaging. Unintrusive and direct.

The message prompted a prayer of thanksgiving in response. I thanked God for this woman He has so purposely placed in my life and for her obedience in following the cue of the Holy Spirit to pray for me. Because we've all felt it, the little nudge or flash of memory of someone or some situation we know about. Often times I bet we even say a quick prayer. How often do we let the person know we have done so?

I think the logical next step is to do just that. Not for praise or reward. But to encourage and fortify those who have been prayed for. This message let me know that others are sincerely praying for me. That message gave me wise counsel 'that I would see myself as God sees me, scar free'. That message prompted me to also pray.

I encourage you to follow through on your prayers. When you feel led to pray for someone, by all means, do it. Then let that person know you prayed for them. It will make a difference. It will touch a heart.

Tried and True

Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary
Pure and holy, tried and true
With thanksgiving, I'll be a living
Sanctuary for You

This song has been running through my mind for weeks. And a week or so ago a line just struck me.....

'Tried and true'

I started thinking about different instances when I'd been tried. Quite honestly my life hasn't been too tough. There haven't been many chances for me to have to stick to something, even when it got tough. But there have been times this year when I have had to consciously make the decision to stick it out. To be tried and remain true.

I'm in the midst of such a struggle right now. I am studying Revelation in my Community Bible Study group. It is a hard study. I am learning brand new things. New charatcteristics of God. Granted, God is the same today as He was yesterday and as He'll be tomorrow, however these characteristics are new to me.

And I'm choosing to believe. To believe what I know to be true and to ask for help in believing what is new to me. There is a verse in Mark that says "I believe, help my unbelief." I am realizing that this is what it means to be tried and true. Satan would like nothing better than for me to get frustrated or mad or upset and question the very existence of God. Ive got to struggle thru this, struggle well and come out on the other side, stronger and surer than ever of my God.


Here are the rest of the words to the song. I'm not familiar with them, but I like 'em!

It is you, Lord
Who came to save
The heart and soul
Of every man
It is you Lord who knows my weakness
Who gives me strength,
With thine own hand.

Lord prepare me to be a sanctuary
Pure and Holy, tried and true
With thanksgiving I'll be a living
Sanctuary for you

Lead Me on Lord
From temptation
Purify me
From within
Fill my heart with You holy spirit
Take away all my sin

Lord prepare me to be a sanctuary
Pure and holy, tried and true
With thanksgiving, I'll be a living
Sanctuary for You