Weeping

I just got done reading through our prayer requests from Church and find myself overwhelmed with what people are walking through. I have no great answers as to why we go through painful moments in life...but I know that we don't have to go through it alone.
I'll never forget a wonderful lady who influenced my walk with Jesus in profound ways. Her name was Marion Sorely. She is what I consider a "saint"! To look at her was to see Jesus! She was diagnosed with cancer and the kind of cancer she had ate away her face. She would come to Church and little by little the disease destroyed her very skin and cells...leaving gaping holes. Marion NEVER stopped praising Jesus...NEVER. I cannot begin to image the physical pain that she experienced...but I am forever changed by witnessing her unwavering love and trust for and in her Savior!
Jesus knows pain, He knows sorrow...He wept when there was loss. He tells us that in this world WE WILL have trouble, but to be of GOOD CHEER for He has overcome the world (John 16:33). I love what Isaiah says in chapter 43:2-3...when we pass through the waters He will be with us, when we pass through the rivers they will not sweep over us, when we walk through the fire we will not be burned...For He is the Lord our God...He is with us...always!!!!
Well, okay...those are the thoughts rolling around in this tiny brain tonight~I pray that you know the Love and Strength and Grace and Peace and Faithfulness of Jesus...if you don't...well the Word of God tells us that to any of us who will put our trust in Jesus...believe who He says He is...turn from our wicked ways and surrender our hearts to follow Him...we can KNOW these things about our Savior with CONFIDENCE!!! So what's holding you back?

Okay, so we were just praying with our Abbie Joy, she is 4 and FULL of life! We sometimes do an "echo prayer" this is where I pray and she echo's what I say...well she was being just a "wee" bit stubborn and so I said "Lord, please break my stubborn will" (you won't find this in parenting 101) she paused and said "what does that mean" to which I replied "it means you want to be obedient" she said confidently "No I don't!" than smiled...

Whoa Nelly...I laughed and thought how is that not like me...Paul reminds us that we struggle with what is right and wrong, the things we KNOW we should do we don't and the things we know we SHOULDN'T do we do...

This year more than ever, I long to grow in holiness, to be more like Jesus, to allow my children to see choices made that are pleasing to God, not choices that are full of questions as to why....simple things like what movies I see, what television we watch...alcohol is not in our home...but helping my kids see the reason why it is not...
I really want to hear my Savior say to me WELL DONE MY GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT...I fear I have many bruises to show for all of the times I fall flat on my face in this day to day life...I want my children to know that when the make the decision to follow Jesus, it's serious! Matthew 7:13-14 says: (and this is Jesus talking)..."Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
I don't know about you, but as we live out this walk with Jesus, I pray that people see a very "human" being full of flaws but a "human" who is saved by grace and not content to live a tolerant life or walk...I don't want to be stagnant...I really do want people to see something different..(okay, we ALL know I'm different :0)...but I don't want to go with the flow just to go...

Wow, who knew such a simple bed time prayer would stir up so many thoughts ;D