John 17

     In the beautiful words of Jesus in John 17, He has prayed for Himself to be glorified, He has prayed for His disciples and followers still in the world to be protected and to have His joy. Now, He prays for you and for me!

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in us so that the world may believe You have sent Me.” John 17:20-21

     We have believed the message of Christ and for that reason alone, we are made one with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We are united as members of the body of Christ for eternity. Let this message flow from you to the suffering world around us. May the world believe!

Amen

John 17

     Jesus speaks to His Father in heaven in the 17^th Chapter of John. In His words, He reminds us He and the Father are one. And He prays for His disciples and His followers.

I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to You, Holy Father. Protect them by the power of Your name, the name You gave Me, so that they may be one as we are one.

I am coming to You now, but I say these things while I am sstill in the world, so that they may have the full measure of My joy within them. John 17:11 and 13

     Do you have the joy of the Lord within you? I pray that for you. His joy is like nothing else in this world. Nothing compares to Him and His love. Not only do we have His love and deep spiritual joy, but we have His name to protect us. His name is above all names.

Therefore, God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name. Philippians 2:9

     I cringe when I hear the name of Jesus spoken as a curse word or spoken lightly. His is the name above all names, a name to be revered and spoken in the highest regard, the name of our Savior. Use it to honor Him and to protect you and your family.

Jesus,

Your name is above all others and Your joy makes us complete until we are with You in heaven.

Amen

Jesus Prays

     The book of John is filled with so much of the life and love of Jesus, the profound and deep truth that Jesus was there before the foundations of the earth, one with God, and born a man. He is the Word of God come to life in the flesh (John 1)

     I want to focus on John 17 this week. I simply love this chapter and never tire of reading the touching prayers of Christ Himself shortly before His death. Did you know He prayed for you? He still intercedes for us. He is our mediator, the One who brought us to His Father, the One who died for us and will bring us home to heaven. One with God. One with us. And Jesus prays:

“And now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world began. I have revealed You to those whom You gave Me out of the world. They were Yours. You gave them to Me and they have obeyed Your Word.  John 17:5-6

     Jesus is thankful for you and for me. We will see in the coming days how He prays for us. He longs to be with us face-to-face. At the time He spoke these prayers, He understands His time on earth is short. His agony on the cross is very close and He also understands He will soon be back with the Father.

     Through Jesus, we know and see God. We are His. Now and always.

Jesus,

We praise You for these beautiful words that speak of Your heart for us. You are now in full glory awaiting the time we will alal be together. Keep us one in Spirit and in truth.

Amen

The Great Romans 8

On this Memorial Day I leave you with the final verses of Romans 8. Find confidence in Christ today and recognize that absolutely nothing can ever separate you from His everlasting love.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future-nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Romans 8:37-39

The Great Romans 8

As believers, we have been called to God’s purposes. No matter what we suffer, no matter the circumstances we are experiencing, no matter the turmoil in the world around us, we are His. Feel His strength today. He is using your life for good! Memorize this verse. During the tough times, we need to keep this close, understanding the purposes of God are beyond our earthly lives, beyond our sight, beyond this world.

And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

     It is not always easy to see good through suffering, but somehow, God brings it to pass. God is for us!

What then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31

Father,

You are working Your purposes in our lives and on this earth. One day everything will be redeemed.  You are for us. You love us and will work everything out for good.

In Jesus name,

Amen

The Great Romans 8

     Are there times you just don’t know how to pray? And are there times, you feel another person’s burden and understand the need to pray for them?  Are there times you feel the need to speak with someone, or to do something that makes you uncomfortable, but you understand it is from God?

     All of the scenarios above are gifts of the Holy Spirit. He prays for us when we don’t know how to pray. He prompts us when someone is in need and gives us the right words, the perfect timing, the gift of carrying the burden of another. These two verses are two of my favorites. Listen to the work of the Spirit within you!

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance to the will of God. Romans 8:26-27

     These powerful words of Scripture give such comfort. God understands our hearts better than we do and the Spirit will work in our lives so that our lives will match up to the will of God! Imagine that! Trust Him, as we discussed yesterday, as your daddy. Trust the Spirit to intercede for you, sometimes in groans too deep for words. What a gift we have for our lives and for our lives to matter.

Lord,

Thank You for Your Holy Spirit, our teacher, our guide, our intercessor, both for our own hearts and for the life of others. Keep of mindful in prayer of what the Spirit desires to do for us and with us.

In Jesus name,

Amen

The Great Romans 8

     Are there times you long for eternity, for a forever with Jesus, with no more pain and suffering, no more sin? I long for that day, more and more, the older I get. In the meantime, we thank God for the breath of life, understanding He has purpose for us as long as we live!

     Did you know that all of God’s creation is groaning along with us as we await the full redemption of heaven and earth? God told us about the changes in the earth as His coming draws ever nearer, including the increase in earthquakes, storms and evil. You can feel the stirrings of creation and in our own hearts as we anticipate His return, hear His footsteps drawing near.  

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. Romans 8:22-23

 Read through Romans 8:18-21 for more about the fall of creation. You can also read about the redeemed earth in Isaiah 11.

Lord,

We know the earth is groaning, as we are, for Your return. One day the new heaven and the new earth will stand forever, as we share glory with You in our resurrected bodies. What anticipation we have in our hearts as we await the day. Use us in our short time on earth.

Amen

The Great Romans 8

     As believers, we have the very Spirit of God living within us, sealed forever and ever. (Ephesians 1:13) We are God’s children and we can go to Him as to a loving Father.

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again. Rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by this, we cry, “Abba, Father.” Romans 8:14-15

     Remember this when you are afraid or unsettled. The term, “Abba,” can be translated as “daddy.” Such an intimate and loving term. We can run to Him as little children in need of a loving daddy. The Holy Spirit testifies to us that we are children. Thank Him today.

Father, “Daddy,”

How we love You and all that You have done and continue to do for us. Lead us into peace, knowing that you are watching out for us as though You are our daddy, our papa, our caregiver.

In Jesus name,

Amen

The Great Romans 8

     This week we will delve into what has been called the greatest chapter in the Bible, Romans 8. When people ask about beginning to read the Bible I send them first to the book of John to soak in the love of Christ and after that, to the book of Romans, the clearest message of doctrine to the church.

     Romans 8 has such beautiful words of comfort and hope for us, from living by the Spirit, to the freedom and love we have in Christ. Read through the entire chapter when you have time and read it slowly, taking in each valuable verse to add to your deepening faith.

     God’s perfect law was impossible to keep because of our sin. Through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, when we believe, we are covered by His blood and set free from God’s judgment. The first two verses of Romans 8 remind us of that free gift!

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:1-2

     We are set free through Christ. God sees us through the lens of the one perfect man. He sees us as children of the Almighty God because of His Son. We no longer live under condemnation and wrath. We are free!  Let the truth set you free today. We have the Spirit who gives us life.

Father,

We thank You for these powerful words. Jesus paid the price for us and set us free. Let the freedom shine through us as we live by the Spirit, moving more and more into the image of Christ.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Favorites

     Look to the spiritual first. Look for the love, before the stuff, the trip, the house, the car, the money. Over and over again, in the Bible we are told to fix our eyes and our hearts on things above. Everything we see, hear, touch, taste and smell is temporary. Love and Jesus and our souls are eternal.  I leave you with some of my favorite verses and a list of others to look up at your leisure. I know you have many of your own favorites within your heart.

Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, for what we see is temporary and what is unseen is eternal.  2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Seek comfort when we are weary: Matthew 11;28

When you need His strength: Philippians 4:13 & 2 Corinthians 12:9

When you don’t understand: Proverbs 3:5-6

The Holy Spirit understands when we don’t know how to pray: Romans 8:26-27

 Nothing can separate you from the love of Christ: Romans 8:38-39W

When we yearn to please God with our words and our actions: Psalm 19:14

Praise the Lord!: Psalm 145:8=10

Just believe: Romans 10:9

     My favorites could go on all day. Praise Him. Pray to Him. Plead with Him. Petition Him.

He is faithful. Fix your eyes on Jesus.

Amen!

Favorites

     Our daughter, Lauren, has had a strong faith in Jesus since she was a very young girl. Prayer has always come naturally to her and her faith has remained steadfast over the years. Her favorite verse sums up all that God is, was and will be to her.

Surely God is my salvation. I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord Himself is my strength and my defense. He has become my salvation. Isaiah 12:2

     Trust In God’s strength and not your own today. Let Him be your Savior, the truth in the midst of chaos, the strength in doubt, the defense against fear. He is our salvation, now and forevermore.

Lord,

You are all things to us. This verse gives us so much to rely on in our day-to-day lives. Give us the faith of a young child, with open trust and love.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Favorites

     Many of the verses I have memorized come to my heart again and again as I journey through life. Do you have verses to comfort, to guide, to remind you of God’s love, to worship, to intercede for a friend of loved one? Scripture is alive and powerful. Speak it out loud. Read it over and over. Learn from Genesis to Revelation. Believe every word. All of God’s promises have and will come to pass.

     I have shared these verses over and over again with others and they mean a lot to me and our daughter, Angela. When anxiety strikes in the night, these words have comforted us and we rely on God’s Word to ease our panic.

     He understands and He brings peace back to our minds and our hearts. Rely on these words as you face worries and doubt.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

     The peace that transcends all understanding, guarding our hearts and our minds. I can use that today. How about you?

Jesus,

We come to You with the worries in life. We bring our requests to the throne room, with thanksgiving, knowing that You are working it all out. Guard our heart and minds today.

Amen

Favorites

     My cousin, Jim spent some very difficult years in Vietnam. My uncle, Paul, and my aunt, Mary Ellen, (about to celebrate 70 years of marriage!) are strong Christians. While Jim was overseas, they prayed Psalm 91 over him more than once each day. This Psalm is a Psalm of protection. Pray this over your loved ones when they face difficult times.

Whoever 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.” Surely He will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge. His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you say, The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. They will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not sstrike your foot against a stone. You will tred on the lion and the cobra. You will trample the great lion and the serpent. “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, I will rescue him. I will protect him, for he acknowledges My name. He will call on Me and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” Psalm 91

Father,

We take refuge in You and we acknowledge the mighty name of Jesus. Honor us and protect us. You are faithful and You are our protector.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Favorites

     Like you, I have my favorites in life. My favorite husband, my favorite ice cream, my favorite time of the year. When it comes to Scripture, I could never choose just one! Come to think of it, I feel the same way about ice cream flavors!

     I have been reminiscing this week about the various people I have met through ministry and the wisdom and valuable lessons I have learned. This week I want to share some favorite Scriptures and the stories behind them. I bet you have a few of your own.

     I trained to become a one-on-one care minister in 1994 and became a Stephen Minister after 50 hours of training. When I met my first care receiver, I barely knew one Scripture from another. God knew that and paired me up with a delightful woman. She remained peaceful and joy-filled until her death 2 years later.

     Somehow, as she lay in her hospice bed, she continued to put others first. For a whole year she lay there, in her dining room, bird feeder hung just outside the window with various angel ornaments hung and strung around her.

     The Scripture verses she memorized and counted on, day after day, come from Psalm 121. I am sure you have heard it.

I lift up my eyes to the hills-from where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip-He who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you-the Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun will not harm you by day nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm-He will watch over your life. The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Psalm 121

     Such precious words. I can still hear her repeating them and anticipating her arrival in heaven. She called me the night before she died. Her voice clear and calm as always. “It won’t be long now,” she said. “But don’t worry about me. I won’t be gone, I will be at a party with Jesus. I love you.”

Father,

Help us to take these words of Yours into our hearts. You are with us both now and forevermore.Thank you for sharing this wonderful woman with me, I anticipate the party with both of you one day

In Jesus name,

Amen

The Paradoxical Jesus

     Death is life. Faith, not sight. A yoke of rest. Strength from weakness. The world of Jesus causes us to look through spiritual eyes, to trust His power, to give ourselves to Him to use for His glory. What a gift!

     He reminds us it is better to give than to receive. Talk about counter-cultural. What about me? What about what I want? I work hard. I deserve it. Sound familiar? We all think this way in our human frailties. But Christ teaches us the more we give, the more blessings return to us.

     The blessings may not look like the blessings of the world., but they warm the heart, give peace to the soul and are more precious than gold and silver.

In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus Himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35

     Sacrificial love is a concept impossible to fathom, until we see what Jesus did for us. We want things to be even. I give. You give. I deserve more, but we don’t. We didn’t deserve the agony of the cross to save us, but He went willingly.

     Listen to what He is asking you to do and go willingly for Him, with His strength, with His rest, with His power, with His love.

Lord,

Teach us Your ways as we seek to give more than we receive. You promise us blessings beyond this world, the best kind of blessing always comes directly from You.

In Jesus name,

Amen

The Paradoxical Jesus

     Jesus shows who He is through our weaknesses. Doesn’t make sense, does it? The testimonies of the faithful are filled with the glories of Jesus through dire times. The comfort when we mourn. The faith through disabilities and sickness. The trust when we don’t see an answer.

     We can’t explain it, but the purpose of our lives is to bring glory to God, to share His love, to witness for Him, to be His ambassadors in a mad world.

We are, therefore, Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. 2 Corinthians 5:20a

     Will you speak of Christ through the difficult times? Will your faith shine throughout your life? Let His strength guide you and give you confidence in Him. He is sufficient

But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses , so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

Father,

Give us Your strength and power at our weakest moments and we have many. You are sufficient for this day.

In Jesus name,

Amen

The Paradoxical Jesus

     Life with Jesus is spiritual and profound. Understanding His teachings takes the Holy Spirit. When we try to understand the Bible before accepting Christ as Savior, it can sound foolish or perplexing. Allow the Holy Spirit to bring truth into your life through His Word. He is our teacher, guide and interpretor.

     Did you know Jesus tells us to take His yoke upon us to find rest? A yoke at the time Jesus walked the earth was made out of wood with openings for the heads of two ox. The burden becomes light when shared.

     Jesus shares our burdens. He lightens the load and He brings peace and rest for our souls. There will be burdens to carry, but with the yoke of Christ upon us, we find rest in the storm.

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. Matthew 11:29-30

     Are you weary and burdened? Run to Jesus and find rest for your soul.

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

Jesus,

We need You to give us rest in our busy, daily lives. Remind us to take your yoke upon us and to return to You over and over again.

Amen

The Paradoxical Jesus

For we live by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7

     Another paradox from the Bible? Can we really learn to travel through the world through faith? Can we see through spiritual eyes rather than through worldly eyes?

     Jesus allows us to see the big picture, to have an eternal perspective, to go deeper, to see beyond, to see through. We see with His eyes of love and grace. We see a hurting world with His tears. All we want is for others to know Him, and to live by faith, to share the Gospel.

     If we completely trust Jesus with our lives, He can work through us and bring good through our circumstances. Listen to this promise!

And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him  who have been called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

     If you have Jesus as Savior, you have been called for His purpose. He works good through the most difficult times, through our weakest moments, through our fear, through it all. Believe He is working good in you and through you today.

     Believe and trust your spiritual eyes. Jesus will show you the true blessings beyond this world and into the heavenly realms.

Jesus,

Thank You for showing us deep truths beyond what we see. Help us to walk with faith today and to see with Your eyes, as we move beyong this world.

Am

The Paradoxical Jesus

     As we surrender our lives to Jesus, He brings new life. His death gives life, and as we die to ourselves, we can live through Him. What a paradox!  Here are the words of Jesus:

For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Mark 8:35-36

     Have you accepted Christ? As we continue to live spiritually with Jesus, we begin to die to ourselves and our worldly desires and long to be more like Him. Dying to ourselves is not easy and in the book of Galatians you can read all about the battle between flesh and spirit.

     Christ gives life through death.

Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with Him, we will also live with Him. 2 Timothy 2:11

     And life with Him is filled with everything that matters.  Death is life! Do not be envious of those who appear to have it all in this world. Jesus tells us to be in the world, not of the world. We are His and we can rejoice!

They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. John 17:15

Lord,

We long to live through You. Give us the wisdom to follow the Holy Spirit, to listen to Your voice, to follow in Your ways. With You, we can die to live.

Amen

My Best Friend's Dad

   

     My best friend’s dad passed away this week. Memories are tugging at my heart and at my ripe old age of 62, the memories go way back, back to when Shelly and I were just two years old, the very beginning of our friendship.

     Our neighborhood was jam-packed with kids from the baby boom generation. We flitted back and forth throughout our days, feeling safe and secure and Shelly’s house was like a home base for me, thanks to her parents, Dorothy and Ivy.

     To be honest I was a bit afraid of Ivy as a youngster. Back then, the dads were respected and somewhat feared. And maybe that was ok. We learned right from wrong. We just needed one stern look to straighten up, to do the right thing.

     Ivy had a strong will, a working-man’s life and a great love for his wife, children, and grandchildren. You could just tell, in so many ways, how much he loved his Dorothy. Even when he was driving, she would stretch her arm across the back of the seats and rub his shoulder. He usually did pretty much what Dorothy asked, whether going shopping with her to endless shops and malls, to bringing us what we needed at sleepovers, or welcoming the aunts, uncles and cousins at all hours of the day and night.

     I was lucky enough to be a part of it all, getting to know all of the wonderful cousins, hanging around in Granite Falls and Montevideo, where Dorothy and Ivy grew up, respectively.

     In the early years, Dorothy and Ivy were there for me, especially after my dad died when I was just 14.  Ivy helped to give me driving lessons. Can you imagine Shelly and me both trying to learn how to drive? I don’t remember too many stern looks or yells. He was patient with us, even though, to this day I don’t think either one of us could change a tire (another lesson he insisted we learn how to do).

     Nancy and Shelly, you took good care of your dad over these last years. I know with everything Shelly went through, Nancy had much of the responsibility for those years and Shelly has told me how grateful she is to her sister.

     He loved visits from the grandkids, and Ryan and Noy, Derek and anna, Lindsey and Scott, Courtney and Brittany and now little Harrison, he was so proud of all of you. What a gift you gave him in family.

     I miss being with all of you this morning and I bet Ivy and Dorothy are in heaven, reminiscing with Steve and their parents and waiting for all of us to one day, soon, be reunited. Ivy was ready to go. He had the opportunity to see most of his loved ones recently and he died in peace and comfort at the great age of 88.

     Outwardly all of us will age and grow weak, but inwardly we can be strong, knowing Jesus is waiting for all of us to come home. Fix your eyes on Him.

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary and what is unseen is eternal.  2 Corinthians 4:18:

Father,

We are grateful for the life of Ivert Green. He and his wife touched many lives, including many here at Lake Nokomis Heights Church. Let them be an example to us to do good, to respect others and to give unconditionally.

In Jesus name,

Amen

See you Monday. Enjoy the weekend and be grateful for every moment God gives us with the people you love.

Storytime/Older Women

     God instructs the older women of faith to mentor the younger women. I have been so blessed to be a “younger” woman in the faith for the last thirty years. The role models and the women of faith surrounding me for all of these years are many and varied in their testimonies and in their love.

     The common these in all of their lives is a love for Christ. I pray I can be a loving force in the younger women in my life. We are called to do just that. Many of these women have become some of my best friends and surrogate moms. I also had a fantastic mother-in-law.

     My mom died the day after my wedding. The day remains bitter-sweet in my mind. One of the happiest days of my life as I vowed my eternal love to my husband and, at the same, time, knowing I was saying my earthly goodbyes to my loving mom and best friend.

     Rather than our planned honeymoon, we planned a funeral. The day of the funeral was just the type of day mom loved most, sunny and 70’s. As we stood at the gravesite with just the family, my mother-in-law took hold of my hand and said, “Now I have two daughters.”

     It still brings tears to my eyes. The perfect words at a difficult moment. And I was lucky to have her as another mom for the next twenty-five years. Become a mentor to those around you. If you are still young, look to older women of faith.

     The journey of life brings wisdom and with Jesus, the wisdom comes with great blessings.

Likewise teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children. Titus 2:3-4

Jesus,

We ask to be good role models, to represent You in the way we live, to teach the younger women of faith what is good, to be kind and patient. Keep us in Your care.

Amen

I did not realize as I wrote this last week that the blog would be on my 31st anniversary! So blessed to be in love with my wonderful husband after 31 years!

Storytime/Faith of a Child

     Have you received Jesus as Savior? I pray you have. It is my greatest desire to share His salvation with others. Each one of us will have an opportunity to decide at some point in our lives. And God’s timing is perfect. He knows when our hearts will be open to Him.

     I was in my thirties before I truly received His free gift of eternal life and the abundant life on earth. He continues to grow me in faith and I love watching how He continually works in our family and in our friends.

     Our youngest daughter, Lauren, understood the love of Christ at avery young age. At age 4 she asked me to put my hands on her tummy and pray to Jesus for her tummy ache to go away! I had never prayed with her like this before and I can’t remember a time throughout her 27 years that she has lost faith in Jesus.

    At Disneyworld when she was 7, it began to rain. We wanted to take the raft over to Tom Sawyer’s Island, but the skies did not look promising. Lauren said, “Jesus knows how much we want to do this. Let’s just pray for the rain to stoo.” We did and it did. The confident prayer of a child, and the loving answer from a loving God.

     Do you have such stories? How and when did you first meet Jesus? We are taking care of our 3-month old grandchild, the child of our daughter, Lauren. She and her husband sing songs to him about Jesus, read him Bible stories and we pray he, too, will know the love of our amazing God at a young age.

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. Matthew 10:14

Jesus,

We thank You for the faith of young children. Remind us to come to You as children of the Most-High God.

Amen