It was Good Friday.
In the past, it wouldn't have been a big deal to me. I used to think that observing Good Friday was just for really religious people and that maybe it had something to do with Lent.
Yeah, I was clueless.
Turns out that Good Friday happened about five days after the day that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey.
The King of Kings on a humble, four-legged work animal. His idea. Not in a Cadillac Escalade with darkened windows and a huge motorcade--but in a Ford Fiesta.
The streets were packed--cheering crowds, street vendors hawking Jesus T-shirts, dancing disciples and crazed followers.
After all, this was the guy that was gonna save them from those hardcore Romans.
"You rock, JESUS!!"
"You're the Man--THE MESSIAH!!!"
Somehow, the message that Jesus was not an earthly king got missed.
Fast forward to Friday.
Crowds gone. Disciples split. Jesus' approval ratings drastically dropped.
Suddenly the guy that promised to have Jesus' back no matter what was saying, "Dude. I totally do NOT know that cat."
If that weren't bad enough, one of Jesus' tight circle of friends sold Him out for the equivalence of a set of gold teeth.
A flashy grill to betray the Prince of Peace.
But even the sell-out was part of God's plan.
It led to Calvary--the place where Jesus died.
On the cross.
For us.
Good Friday is only good because Jesus took our sentence of death and went to the electric chair in our place.
God is good but He is also just. He has to be, otherwise we wouldn't need Jesus.
Jesus not only endured having His arms pulled tight on a wooden torture device, but He had the bear the sin of the world--all of the mental illness, the cruel thoughts, the guilt, the heaviness.
All this while having no way to hoist Himself up to minimize the agony of having His body torn apart from the inside out because His feet were nailed together
Suffocating slowly...lungs no doubt filling up with fluid.
Jesus was literally SACRIFICED like an Old Testament lamb for our selfishness, lies, addictions, greed, pride, laziness and lack of compassion for our neighbor.
Our sin.
We are like the condemned man, sitting on death row, waiting for our execution date.
But Jesus came in like a DA and took care of our rap sheet.
Jesus told the judge to set us free--that He would sit in jail and take on our sentence in our behalf.
So, that's why I celebrate Good Friday now.
It would be rude not to.
That brings me to Alijah.
It was testimony night at that Good Friday service and somewhere in the middle of some amazing stories of God's love came Alijah.
16 years old. Been going to church for three years with his mom.
Just along for the ride.
Not really into it.
Then something sunk in. It may have had something to do with his small group leader, Kim. Her heart for teenagers may have struck a nerve with Alijah.
It doesn't matter, because whatever happened saved Alijah's life.
A month ago, this beautiful, tall child of the most High King believed (for a second) a lie.
That he was better off dead.
That the pain of this life was too much to bear.
And that's where he really met Jesus.
And the lie was over. Alijah heard the TRUTH.
Alijah was ALIVE at the GOOD FRIDAY service-- testifying that JESUS is his LORD and SAVIOR.
He had tears in his eyes.
And so did we.
There was agreement in that moment.
We all loved Alijah and we KNEW that Jesus loved him.
And us.
If you're struggling with the lie that you're not worthy of Jesus' love, say this out loud based on John 3:16:
For God so loved ME that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Heartbreak
A dear, sweet, troubled friend is missing.
My heart aches.
Bright, shining, beautiful and broken she is.
It might be too late.
But she knew Jesus.
Two gorgeous kids.
Missing their mom, no doubt.
Their hearts had steeled a bit, never knowing exactly what was going to happen.
Doesn't take away from their pain.
It's in my throat.
The pain goes down from there.
Alcoholism is impossible to fathom.
Unless you have it.
It wraps itself around you like a viper.
Do vipers wrap?
Maybe pythons are better metaphors.
But she knew Jesus.
If she's gone, she's with Him.
If she's still here, He's with her.
The pain is lifting.
Maybe now I can go to sleep.
Maybe now I can cry.
Maybe now the pain will lessen.
Just enough.
My heart aches.
Bright, shining, beautiful and broken she is.
It might be too late.
But she knew Jesus.
Two gorgeous kids.
Missing their mom, no doubt.
Their hearts had steeled a bit, never knowing exactly what was going to happen.
Doesn't take away from their pain.
It's in my throat.
The pain goes down from there.
Alcoholism is impossible to fathom.
Unless you have it.
It wraps itself around you like a viper.
Do vipers wrap?
Maybe pythons are better metaphors.
But she knew Jesus.
If she's gone, she's with Him.
If she's still here, He's with her.
The pain is lifting.
Maybe now I can go to sleep.
Maybe now I can cry.
Maybe now the pain will lessen.
Just enough.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Cutting--The Enemy's Counterfeit Covenant (Written quickly, without edits, for young people)
OK, check this out.
A while back I wrote about how the enemy aka the devil (that short, nasty, greasy dude that likes to cause mayhem) has been suggesting that people cut on themselves since way back in the day. Like, around Jesus' time. In fact, in the gospels, there's a story about a guy who's fully possessed to the point of running around cutting himself with sharp stones. Once Jesus cast out the demon within this cat, the cutting stopped.
Crazy right?
OK, so yesterday, I was in Bible study and we were talking about how God used various forms of cutting to form covenants, or holy agreements, between God and man. Circumcision, animal sacrifice, etc. were used to solidify our connection with God. Ultimately, Jesus shed His own blood on the cross to pay for our sins.
It hit me then...AGAIN.
The devil took something sacred and holy and turned it into something harmful and deadly. Something that traps thousands of teenagers each year.
Think about it. The enemy suggests lies.
"You're worthless, no one likes you, you might as well slice yourself up. You're ugly anyway."
The total OPPOSITE of what God says about you.
Say this out loud, based on Psalm 139:
A while back I wrote about how the enemy aka the devil (that short, nasty, greasy dude that likes to cause mayhem) has been suggesting that people cut on themselves since way back in the day. Like, around Jesus' time. In fact, in the gospels, there's a story about a guy who's fully possessed to the point of running around cutting himself with sharp stones. Once Jesus cast out the demon within this cat, the cutting stopped.
Crazy right?
OK, so yesterday, I was in Bible study and we were talking about how God used various forms of cutting to form covenants, or holy agreements, between God and man. Circumcision, animal sacrifice, etc. were used to solidify our connection with God. Ultimately, Jesus shed His own blood on the cross to pay for our sins.
It hit me then...AGAIN.
The devil took something sacred and holy and turned it into something harmful and deadly. Something that traps thousands of teenagers each year.
Think about it. The enemy suggests lies.
"You're worthless, no one likes you, you might as well slice yourself up. You're ugly anyway."
The total OPPOSITE of what God says about you.
Say this out loud, based on Psalm 139:
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
POST SCRIPT:
Just after writing this short, unedited blog, I read Joseph Prince's Daily Devotional for Tuesday, March 26, 2013 and it coincidentally had a piece on CUTTING and COVENANTS!!! Here it is:
POST SCRIPT:
Just after writing this short, unedited blog, I read Joseph Prince's Daily Devotional for Tuesday, March 26, 2013 and it coincidentally had a piece on CUTTING and COVENANTS!!! Here it is:
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Slamming Caffeine
Don't let anything get in the way of your view.
Seriously, if you have a driver's license, you know that there is nothing more annoying than some huge flat nasty bug on your windshield. It's annoying, it's gross and it can actually be a hazard. A dead bug can be an obstruction to seeing the road ahead clearly.
Most of us get so, forgive the pun, but "bugged" by the mess that we find the nearest gas station and sponge the junk off.
So why do we hold onto the bugs that block the windshield of life?
If you love a great cup of coffee, that you'll appreciate my heaven on earth scene...rain softly coming down, a city by the ocean (Seattle, San Francisco, Carmel..you get the picture), friendly baristas, fragrant beans roasting pleasantly, fresh roasted coffee just waiting to be ground into most benevolent of brews....Huge comfy chairs, once-read newspapers left behind, the sound of quiet conversations in the background with the occasional excitement of reunited friends...the aroma of fresh baked pastries...traffic bustling outside with cars and people and dogs and bread trucks.
See? I literally get lulled into this fantasy land when I think about coffee. I lose all grasp of reality.
Here's the flip side of that beautiful moment: Imagine being introduced to a certain type of instant coffee that tastes better than fresh brewed coffee and waking up early in the morning in eager anticipation of being able to act as your own barista in your own home. No more drive-thru lines, no more $5 lattes.
NIRVANA.
The only problem with this picture is that in my case I have a very sensitive gut and what with my in-home access to my favorite beverage, I consumed far too much of the stuff. Soon, I was doubled over in pain (it seriously felt like the insides of my esophagus and stomach were being ripped apart with a razor). The nutty part? I was (for a couple of weeks anyway) willing to sacrifice comfort for more of my golden brown elixir, until finally I couldn't take it anymore.
I begged God for help.
"Help me, God. No more, I can't take it anymore. I'm clearly insane. This stuff has become like heroin to me and I can't put it down." (What the heck? Seriously, what is WRONG with me?)
God answered my prayer and QUICK. No hangovers, no headaches...the very next day it was like He had wrapped me in soft, puffy clouds and gave me clarity to see. I had peace and appreciation for all that was around me. The pink cherry blossoms, the green green grass, my son's beautiful smile. It occurred to me that I had been in self will.
That would be the exact opposite of God's will.
It's been a few days now and I occasionally find myself having an internal battle about whether or not I could maybe just maybe have a traditional Starbucks latte because after all, I'm so tired and could really use that kickstart. The thing is that so far (cause trust me, I'm praying in between those crazy thoughts) I don't want to trade in a "jump" for the peace and joy and serenity that I've found.
It may seem stupid to be addicted to coffee, but some of us seem to have that kind of personality. Whether it's Facebook or the Housewives franchise or gossip or alcohol or coffee, some of us have the propensity that act like that bug on a windshield--we are splat up against the very thing that it keeping us from seeing what God wants to see--that our life is good and beautiful and enough.
We cling to the things that dirty up our windshield. We can't see clearly, we have an obstacle to get around but yet we are hesitant to stop by the gas station to clean it up.
And the real zinger? It's only after we've cleaned up the mess that we see what we've been missing.
Seriously, if you have a driver's license, you know that there is nothing more annoying than some huge flat nasty bug on your windshield. It's annoying, it's gross and it can actually be a hazard. A dead bug can be an obstruction to seeing the road ahead clearly.
Most of us get so, forgive the pun, but "bugged" by the mess that we find the nearest gas station and sponge the junk off.
So why do we hold onto the bugs that block the windshield of life?
If you love a great cup of coffee, that you'll appreciate my heaven on earth scene...rain softly coming down, a city by the ocean (Seattle, San Francisco, Carmel..you get the picture), friendly baristas, fragrant beans roasting pleasantly, fresh roasted coffee just waiting to be ground into most benevolent of brews....Huge comfy chairs, once-read newspapers left behind, the sound of quiet conversations in the background with the occasional excitement of reunited friends...the aroma of fresh baked pastries...traffic bustling outside with cars and people and dogs and bread trucks.
See? I literally get lulled into this fantasy land when I think about coffee. I lose all grasp of reality.
Here's the flip side of that beautiful moment: Imagine being introduced to a certain type of instant coffee that tastes better than fresh brewed coffee and waking up early in the morning in eager anticipation of being able to act as your own barista in your own home. No more drive-thru lines, no more $5 lattes.
NIRVANA.
The only problem with this picture is that in my case I have a very sensitive gut and what with my in-home access to my favorite beverage, I consumed far too much of the stuff. Soon, I was doubled over in pain (it seriously felt like the insides of my esophagus and stomach were being ripped apart with a razor). The nutty part? I was (for a couple of weeks anyway) willing to sacrifice comfort for more of my golden brown elixir, until finally I couldn't take it anymore.
I begged God for help.
"Help me, God. No more, I can't take it anymore. I'm clearly insane. This stuff has become like heroin to me and I can't put it down." (What the heck? Seriously, what is WRONG with me?)
God answered my prayer and QUICK. No hangovers, no headaches...the very next day it was like He had wrapped me in soft, puffy clouds and gave me clarity to see. I had peace and appreciation for all that was around me. The pink cherry blossoms, the green green grass, my son's beautiful smile. It occurred to me that I had been in self will.
That would be the exact opposite of God's will.
It's been a few days now and I occasionally find myself having an internal battle about whether or not I could maybe just maybe have a traditional Starbucks latte because after all, I'm so tired and could really use that kickstart. The thing is that so far (cause trust me, I'm praying in between those crazy thoughts) I don't want to trade in a "jump" for the peace and joy and serenity that I've found.
It may seem stupid to be addicted to coffee, but some of us seem to have that kind of personality. Whether it's Facebook or the Housewives franchise or gossip or alcohol or coffee, some of us have the propensity that act like that bug on a windshield--we are splat up against the very thing that it keeping us from seeing what God wants to see--that our life is good and beautiful and enough.
We cling to the things that dirty up our windshield. We can't see clearly, we have an obstacle to get around but yet we are hesitant to stop by the gas station to clean it up.
And the real zinger? It's only after we've cleaned up the mess that we see what we've been missing.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
HAIR (and attitude) by JESUS
Are your Mom and Dad are too busy bringing home the bacon to help you figure out how to make your hair look good in the morning, let alone help you navigate through life?
If you are in a situation where your parents are too clueless, busy, checked out or clocked in to pay attention to you, you've got to know that there's a way out of your hair dilemma, loneliness, confusion or personal drama.
First of all, let's get it straight. Whether you know it or not, you're part of HUGE, loving family. Your family is so big, that it's impossible to know everyone in it!! It's sort of a GANG.
If you know anything about gangs, you know that normally, you've got to be "jumped" into a gang to be a part of it. That tends to involve violence, terror and intimidation by the members of the existing gang.
Here's the GREAT news!!!!! God has already taken care of the "jumping"!!! If you've accepted the LOVE of Jesus in your life, God sent His son Jesus to get jumped for you!!! By dying a sinner's death on the cross, He took our punishment!!! The flogging, whipping, piercing and bleeding??!! That was the PRICE HE paid for our membership in HIS GANG!!!
Nice!
OK, thats great, but your parents are still not as available as you'd like.
Let's focus on Jesus for now and leave your parents for later.
It sounds cliche, but Jesus HAS A PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE!!!! AND IT ROCKS!!
I'm guessing that your thing is to do well in school, make lots of friends and look cute in the halls. As long as your hair looks good and your clothes make sense, you're happy.
Now take that plan (and there's nothing wrong with it, by the way) and put it up against Jesus' plan. He wants you to do well in school--and to really discover what drives you; what motivates you. He wants to stir your heart for something amazing!! AND to excite you about finding a way to serve others in a way that is unique to you. It could be volunteering in an animal shelter or going to build houses in Mexico or helping inner city kids in your area!!
There are NO LIMITS to what GOD can do in your life!! The cool thing is that you don't even KNOW what could unfold as you submit your will to HIM!!! (I'm so excited for you, I can hardly contain myself!!)
And friends? Not only does Jesus want you to have friends, but to extend that friendship to others. Especially to those whom everybody else seems to ignore or disregard (the handicapped, the goth crowd, the nerds, the outcasts, the loners...the ones that eat lunch by themselves..). When you reach out to others, you're extending HIS LOVE...and guess what? When you extend HIS LOVE, you get MORE OF IT YOURSELF!!! It's kind of like a "pay it forward" kind of deal!!
Your friendships will start to be deeper and more meaningful. You'll attract trustworthy, amazing people into your life that will inspire you to be the best you possible!!
And your hair? Of course, Jesus wants you to feel confident, but that assurance should really come from the inside!! With Jesus as the center of your life, you're going to have an inner confidence that will radiate outwards. Have you ever noticed that if you're counting on your hair to look good in order to have a good day, that your mood will fluctuate depending on the 'do? When we're Jesus-centered, we can laugh at ourselves if we don't look perfect, realizing that all of that doesn't really matter!! Your true friends will love you no matter what your hair looks like!
So back to your parents. They're busy. You can't change that, but what you can change is your attitude.
Get up a little bit earlier each day and spend time reading the Bible. Even just a chapter.
And, if you want, say a prayer. Something simple like, "God, increase my love for Jesus. Let me see the world, my family and friends through Your eyes today."
Remember, GOD LOOKS AT OUR HEARTS, NOT OUR LOOKS:
1 Samuel 16:7 says (MSG): But God told Samuel, “Looks aren’t everything. Don’t be impressed with his looks and stature. I’ve already eliminated him. God judges persons differently than humans do. Men and women look at the face; God looks into the heart.”
Monday, December 10, 2012
Chocolate Chip Cookies from Heaven
I bet you're really good at something.
That's some serious LOVE, isn't it?
Maybe it's playing sports or texting super fast or cleaning your room or whittling a piece of balsa wood into an amazing four-poster bed.
I make these off the hook, melt in your mouth, really crazy good chocolate chip cookies.
There have been times when hoards of people (OK so maybe not hoards, maybe its closer to one kid on a skateboard) will follow me around at parties, begging for the recipe or at the very least more cookies to stuff in their pockets for later consumption.
One hazy morning found me baking up a very special batch of these cookies for a new friend--a friend that I wanted to impress with my cookie baking skills. I knew that these would be a huge hit, not only for her, for but for her entire household. (Can you sense the humility here? It's borderline embarrassing.)
Fresh out of the oven, I zip-locked the gourmet goodies and carefully put them in a gift bag, ready for delivery.
It was her birthday after all. Man, was she in for a treat!! (And yeah, I fully realize that the horn-blowing is reaching maximum overload, but please indulge my profound big-headedness for just a moment.)
One problem though. When I asked for a good time to drop them off, I never heard back from her.
A day went by and nothing. And the special part? The part I'm not proud of?
I got mad.
How dare she IGNORE my prize-winning treats of joy? How dare she blow me off? Didn't she know what she was passing up??
Not only my sweet delicacies, but my FRIENDSHIP!! (Insert sarcasm here. I can be a tad (ha!) overdramatic. Not to mention self-centered.)
I was so upset that I PRAYED. On my knees, bag of cookies in hand.
"God?? What do I do?"
"Give them to Lisa."
"Lisa? Who's Lisa?"
"At Starbucks. Give them to Lisa."
Shocking. God was aware of my daily sojourn to my neighborhood Starbucks.
And so off I went with the cookies.
"Is there a Lisa that works here?" I asked in between making sure that there were plenty of Splendas in my soy latte.
If there was ANY question that God was involved in this transaction, that notion was IMMEDIATELY dismissed upon hearing the barista's response.
"Lisa? Yes, there is a Lisa here, but she has cancer and she's off right now for chemotherapy."
BAM.
Tears. Chills. Yelling about Jesus right there in Starbucks.
The God of the Universe. The Guy that created sharks and sailboats and sunrises and gravity took time out of His busy schedule to make sure that one of His daughters knew that He was with her in the midst of her pain.
Wow.
Tears. Chills. Yelling about Jesus right there in Starbucks.
The God of the Universe. The Guy that created sharks and sailboats and sunrises and gravity took time out of His busy schedule to make sure that one of His daughters knew that He was with her in the midst of her pain.
Wow.
That's some serious LOVE, isn't it?
Going through something? God hasn't forgotten you. He sees you, He loves you and He is right by your side.
Say out loud, based on Isaiah 41:10:
'I will not fear, for God is with me; I will not anxiously look about, for He is my God. God will strengthen me, surely He will help me. Surely He will uphold me with His righteous right hand.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Thank you God FOR everything!!! Most powerful prayer on the planet!
Way before I really knew Jesus or had any experience with the Holy Spirit, I was in one of those predicaments that so many women find themselves in when we rely on our own highest thought to direct our own lives.
Or lowest thought.
Against my better gut judgment, I said "yes" to moving in with a guy that I had been dating. Completely selfish and self-centered and having zero idea of Christ-like love or sacrifice, I literally drove this guy to drink. I'm not kidding. He'd come home later and later until finally one day, he didn't come home.
So there I was, crying my eyes out for what seemed like days, when a dear friend came over with some Christian tapes, lunch and a sympathetic ear.
If you ever want to make a huge impression on anyone in pain, bring them food. I'm serious. That makes an impact.
She was different and all she said about that was that she had rededicated her life to Christ.
Hmmm.
Long story short, she left me with the tapes and I started listening to one in particular called Prison to Praise.
Changed. My. Life.
The premise of the tapes was based on 1 Thessolonians 5:16-18(NIV) which says:
"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus,"
and Ephesians 5:20(NIV) which says,
"always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
The author, Merlin Carothers, spoke of being instructed by the Holy Spirit to give thanks not just in all things, but FOR all things, for this is the will of God for His plan for salvation.
There are stories in Prison to Praise that speak of parents thanking God that their daughter was dancing in a strip joint, praising Him that this was all part of His plan for her salvation. Soon after they started praying in this way, a believer walked into the seedy dance bar and offered her the gift of salvation. She accepted Jesus and is now serving Him in a mighty way.
Another story details a soldier who wanted to quit smoking and couldn't find the will power on his own. After praying that specific prayer, every time he started to smoke, he'd throw up violently until his desire to smoke soon disappeared.
In my own life, I've prayed that prayer over incredibly difficult circumstances within my family and I've literally seen the people involved drop their argument and come crying back to each other begging forgiveness.
I've prayed "thank you God for..." when my husband and I've had a disagreement and have seen miraculous things unfold; things that have created a newfound understanding between us where before there was nothing but argument and dissension.
All from thanking God FOR the situation.
A friend shared this story,
"My teenage son was addicted to methamphetamine and pornography and would disappear for days at a time. For years, I would pray that God would make him stop using. We sent him to rehab after rehab and nothing worked. Within days of release, he'd be back at his dealer's house getting high again. We were out of options and ready to give up. Someone suggested that we thank God for his meth addiction; that it was all part of God's plan for our son's salvation. At first, it was hard to pray that way, but we realized that God knew what He was doing. Days after we prayed and thanked God for Mike's meth addiction, we received a phone call from Mike's best childhood friend telling us that Mike was there on his couch, sobbing. Mike got on the phone with us, and between choked back tears, told us that he had been using speed and in the midst of getting high, he was suddenly struck sober. He said that all of a sudden, he was aware that he was killing himself. He said it was almost like he was watching himself destroying himself with a needle and he was horrified and disgusted. He broke the rig in half, flushed the drugs and called his friend to pick him up. Mike is now serving the Lord in our church's youth group and has been clean for two years. He loves Jesus with his whole heart and he still loves snowboarding, playing bass guitar and reading spy novels. He's still Mike, bur he's not bound by drugs and pornography anymore. It was like our thanking God for Mike's drug problem released God's power in a miraculous way."
God wants to meet our needs. We don't have to beg Him, we just have to praise Him.
Say out loud, "Thank you, God, for __________; it's all part of your divine plan for my (or someone else's) salvation."
Or lowest thought.
Against my better gut judgment, I said "yes" to moving in with a guy that I had been dating. Completely selfish and self-centered and having zero idea of Christ-like love or sacrifice, I literally drove this guy to drink. I'm not kidding. He'd come home later and later until finally one day, he didn't come home.
So there I was, crying my eyes out for what seemed like days, when a dear friend came over with some Christian tapes, lunch and a sympathetic ear.
If you ever want to make a huge impression on anyone in pain, bring them food. I'm serious. That makes an impact.
She was different and all she said about that was that she had rededicated her life to Christ.
Hmmm.
Long story short, she left me with the tapes and I started listening to one in particular called Prison to Praise.
Changed. My. Life.
The premise of the tapes was based on 1 Thessolonians 5:16-18(NIV) which says:
"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus,"
and Ephesians 5:20(NIV) which says,
"always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
The author, Merlin Carothers, spoke of being instructed by the Holy Spirit to give thanks not just in all things, but FOR all things, for this is the will of God for His plan for salvation.
There are stories in Prison to Praise that speak of parents thanking God that their daughter was dancing in a strip joint, praising Him that this was all part of His plan for her salvation. Soon after they started praying in this way, a believer walked into the seedy dance bar and offered her the gift of salvation. She accepted Jesus and is now serving Him in a mighty way.
Another story details a soldier who wanted to quit smoking and couldn't find the will power on his own. After praying that specific prayer, every time he started to smoke, he'd throw up violently until his desire to smoke soon disappeared.
In my own life, I've prayed that prayer over incredibly difficult circumstances within my family and I've literally seen the people involved drop their argument and come crying back to each other begging forgiveness.
I've prayed "thank you God for..." when my husband and I've had a disagreement and have seen miraculous things unfold; things that have created a newfound understanding between us where before there was nothing but argument and dissension.
All from thanking God FOR the situation.
A friend shared this story,
"My teenage son was addicted to methamphetamine and pornography and would disappear for days at a time. For years, I would pray that God would make him stop using. We sent him to rehab after rehab and nothing worked. Within days of release, he'd be back at his dealer's house getting high again. We were out of options and ready to give up. Someone suggested that we thank God for his meth addiction; that it was all part of God's plan for our son's salvation. At first, it was hard to pray that way, but we realized that God knew what He was doing. Days after we prayed and thanked God for Mike's meth addiction, we received a phone call from Mike's best childhood friend telling us that Mike was there on his couch, sobbing. Mike got on the phone with us, and between choked back tears, told us that he had been using speed and in the midst of getting high, he was suddenly struck sober. He said that all of a sudden, he was aware that he was killing himself. He said it was almost like he was watching himself destroying himself with a needle and he was horrified and disgusted. He broke the rig in half, flushed the drugs and called his friend to pick him up. Mike is now serving the Lord in our church's youth group and has been clean for two years. He loves Jesus with his whole heart and he still loves snowboarding, playing bass guitar and reading spy novels. He's still Mike, bur he's not bound by drugs and pornography anymore. It was like our thanking God for Mike's drug problem released God's power in a miraculous way."
God wants to meet our needs. We don't have to beg Him, we just have to praise Him.
Say out loud, "Thank you, God, for __________; it's all part of your divine plan for my (or someone else's) salvation."
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