“True prayer is not so much an act, but an attitude of dependancy … dependancy on God.”

I’m sure by now you know how well I hide my inmost thoughts.  :)  Well, I’m feeling sentimental about my babies today.  I was kind of shocked how long ago it seems since we introduced our girls to their new sisters.  I decided to post some pictures of those little darlings of long ago.  Do I hear a few snickers?   Just thought you might like to guess who is who.  Have fun.

 Living Christianity  is making one’s life

an exercise of humility, repentance and heavenly

affection.         William Law

Oftentimes a poor broken-hearted one bends his

 knee, but can only utter his wailing in the

language of sighs and tears.       Oswald Chambers

This is a new day.  This is another day to walk with God.  Today my desire is to let Him continue His work of purification in my life.  I am discovering that joy and pain are so closely intertwined in my walk with God that I can hardly tell the difference.  He is answering my prayers.  I am so thankful.  I only wish it would be at nobody else’s expense.  But I know that God is so big that somehow … I don’t know how, but somehow, He can use my own weakness and mistakes even in their lives.   It’s true because He is God.  Lord, You have the liberty to be Who You are, in my life, and in the life of others!

“A Good Listener:

  1. listens with with spiritual ears open, hearing and understanding the
      spirit beneath the words;
  2. listens with the heart and mind still and the mouth shut;
  3. listens with no personal agenda;
  4. listens with compassionate spiritual eyes, maintaining involved eye
      contact;
  5. listens with a compassionate heart;
  6. listens with a committed heart;
  7. listens with attentiveness;
  8. listens without judgment;
  9. listens without fear;
10. listens with faith, knowing that the Spirit of God is at work to will and
      do according to His good purpose;
11. waits patiently, quietly and prayerfully through times of silence, making
      room for the unfolding of things previously too deep and too painful to
      even know or express;
12. counts it a privilege to witness a soul in the process of transformation,
      even when it doesn’t look like it;
13. offers to explore options;
14. offers to pray when the time of tears and sharing ends;
15. consoles with words of comfort and confidence in the faithfulness of God,
      which is usually all anyone needs to hear;
16. waits to give advice until asked;
17. offers a hug;
18. recognizes that these are holy moments of eternal consequence;
19. keeps all holy moments completely confidential.”

       Created Truly In Love

                    In the depths of a mother’s womb,                       

God began His work of creation.

His hands performed the mystery;

His heart knew the plan for this one.

Every minute the purpose advanced,

As His face bent o’er the tiny being

Just a seed scarcely visible,

But expressive of all He was seeing.

In microscopic fashion He formed it,

For Himself this creation was made,

No human eye was permitted

To perceive the full plan He had laid.

For hidden deep in its interior

Were talents, visions, hope, and desires,

All precisely designed and instilled

Into the image His Presence inspired.

From His eyes shone anticipation

Which reflected from the small beating heart,

And from those same eyes trickled tears

His compassion to deeply impart.

Every detail emerged with infinite care,

As His plan unfolded into time,

He smile revealed grateful completion

Of a stunning masterpiece sublime.

Yet how from His heart burst a yearning

Toward this invention He gave;

So filled with Himself and His beauty,

Yet by sin and itself was depraved.

He knew it was all for His glory,

This life He miraculously gave

To a small human person on earth;

Yet He knew it’s end could be grave.

For the choice of destiny still lay,

Within the heart of the imprisoned,

Even tho’ God intended all for Himself,

He would never impose His decisions.

There lay the visions,  talents impoverished

By a nature not yet made like His own,

There they grew and developed intensely

With a need for deep love yet unknown.

Potential, love, passion, and desire

All fought within to win the prize

To Whom would the battle be given?

For in the child’s heart  surrender lies.

The desire for the truth is prevailing,

But shaken and uncertain remains,

And the devil creeps slowly nearer,

A measure of truth he now feigns.

Perhaps he can mix truth and error,

And disguise it with options that shine,

Just a little of error that’s “harmless”

To evolve into a lifestyle so fine.

So begins a warfare raging,

In the heart of this magnificent child,

The Master waits on silently,

His tear-filled eyes loving and mild.

He knows that His love is unchanging

He knows that His plans are fulfilled,

In the perfect creation before Him

If his heart would just willingly yield.

He knows salvation is completed

And that Love is established and True,

But He waits for the heart to surrender

And He waits for faith to shine through.

His Spirit He waits to impart

Into the heart of His child so dear,

His desires breathe the joy He’ll instill

When his son just decides to draw near.

But He waits … for He’ll never cross over

To make a choice for the one He loves.

He respects the free will of his children

Waits in silent appeal from above.

                                                                                                    E.F.W.

Probably you are very tired of hearing aspirations pour out of me … I just came upon this little crumpled piece of paper that I have saved for years.  This was written 10-15 years ago, so it has survived many moves and changes in life.  But I was overwhelmed to see how God takes us serious in our desires.  He is so faithful!  I thought maybe I would just write this all down so that the poor little beat-up piece of paper can take it’s rest finally.  I remember writing this in a moment of passionate love for the Lord.  It may seem kind of humorous, but I have to say He has me in much the same place of desire today.  May His will be done forever

”Oh, God, be Thou exalted over my possessions.  Nothing of earth’s treasures shall seem dear unto me if only Thou art glorified in my life.  Be Thou exalted over my friendships.  I am determined that Thou shalt be above all, though I must stand deserted and alone in the midst of the earth.  Be thou exalted over my reputation.  Make me ambitious to please Thee even if as a result I must sink into obscurity and my name be forgotten as a dream.  Rise, O Lord, into Thy proper place of honor, above my ambitions, above my likes and dislikes, above my family, my health, and even my life itself.  Let me decrease that Thou mayest increase.  Let me sink, that Thou mayest rise above.  Ride forth upon me as Thou didst ride into Jerusalem mounted upon the humble little beast, and let me hear the children cry to Thee, ‘Hosanna in the highest.'”