Prayer Request For My Son

Would you please pray for my son today?

My Baby Boy, he's 12, is going in for an MRI today. He's pretty nervous. So am I. Would you please add him to your prayer list? Maybe you could pray for us both?

For the last two months my Baby Boy has had problems with his leg. It's been very painful and we thought he injured it in the pool over the summer, but they can't find anything wrong. They thought he may have dislocated his hip but after x-rays they found it was normal.

After a visit to his pediatrician (twice), the chiropractor, and the orthopedic surgeon... we still don't know what the problem is. He is in pain every day. He can't run or play like he used to because his leg is always hurting him. He doesn't have the range of motion that he should have and his leg is weak. It's even been hard for him to fall asleep at night because he can't get comfortable.

I know we serve a living, loving, healing God! Would you please bring my son before Him today? Maybe even pass this request along to any prayer chain you may belong to? There is power in prayer!

Thank you so much! Your prayers are appreciated.  I'll be praying for you today as well.

God bless and have a great day! :)

The Power of a Praying Wife Devotional by Stormie Omartian

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Stormie Omartian

and the book:

The Power of a Praying® Wife Devotional: New Ways to Pray for Yourself, Your Husband, and Your Marriage

Harvest House Publishers (August 1, 2011)

***Special thanks to Karri James of Harvest House Publishers for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Stormie Omartian is the bestselling author (more than 13 million books sold) of The Power of a Praying® series, which includes The Power of Praying® for Your Adult Children, The Power of a Praying® Wife, The Power of a Praying® Husband, and The Power of Prayer™ to Change Your Marriage. Her many other books include Just Enough Light for the Step I’m On, The Prayer That Changes Everything®, The Power of a Praying® Woman, and The Power of Praying® Through the Bible. Stormie and her husband, Michael, have been married more than 37 years and are the parents of two adult children.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

New from bestselling author Stormie Omartian is a book close to her own heart—The Power of a Praying® Wife Devotional. Following up on the insights and prayers of The Power of a Praying® Wife (more than 3.5 million books sold) 100 brand-new devotions, prayers, and supporting Scriptures offer a praying wife fresh ways to pray for her husband, herself, and her marriage.

These easy-to-read devotions will increase any wife’s understanding, strength, and peace, as well as provide her with perspective on the situations and challenges she faces. And each prayer will help both husbands and wives be more attuned to the Holy Spirit so they can do what’s right without allowing negative emotions or unclear thinking to get in the way.

A must-have for anyone wanting God’s best for this most important relationship.








Product Details:

List Price: $14.99
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers (August 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0736926925
ISBN-13: 978-0736926928

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

When I Desire Greater Persistence in Prayer

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing,
in everything give thanks;
for this is the will of God in
Christ Jesus for you.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

As a wife, you need the kind of prayer habit that doesn’t give up or allow discouragement to get in the way, but instead persists and keeps on praying and asking.

When God told Abraham He intended to determine if Sodom was deserving of destruction, Abraham then interceded, praying on behalf of however many righteous people might be there. He asked God if He would destroy Sodom if fifty righteous people were found there, and the Lord said He would not. Abraham then asked if He would destroy the city if forty-five righteous people were found there, then forty people, then thirty, then twenty. Each time Abraham asked, God said He would not destroy it for that many people. Finally Abraham said, “Suppose ten should be found there?” And God said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of ten” (Genesis 18:32). As it turned out, only four righteous people were there, so God destroyed it. But Abraham had stopped asking at ten.

We need the kind of persistence in prayer that causes us to continue asking as Abraham did. Too often we stop short. Perhaps Abraham stopped asking because he couldn’t imagine that there wouldn’t be at least ten righteous people in Sodom. Or perhaps by then God had proved His point and revealed His intentions. God knew the city was wicked enough to destroy, but He saved the four righteous people—which were Lot, his wife, and their two daughters (Genesis 19:29).

Your prayers are powerful to save too. So keep asking and continue seeking, and don’t ask for crumbs when God wants to give you the banquet. When it comes to praying for you and your husband and your marriage, ask God to help you persist in prayer for even what may seem impossible. Ask for your marriage to not only be saved, but to be good. Ask for it to not only be good, but to be great. God doesn’t say “No” to what is His will. If your husband has a strong will that refuses to submit to God’s will, persist in praying that God’s will wins out.


My Prayer to God

Lord, I pray You would help me to be persistent in prayer—to ask and keep asking for what I believe is Your will. I know anything less than love, selflessness, kindness, peace, and generosity of soul is not Your will in my relationship with my husband. Help me to persist in praying for nothing less than the high standard You have for our marriage. Give me a vision of how You want me to pray. Show me the way You want our marriage to be and help me to pray accordingly so that it becomes all that.

I know I cannot force my husband’s will to be anything other than what it is, but You can touch his heart and turn it toward You. I pray You would do that. May he welcome Your Lordship in his life. Help me to pray consistently and passionately, and to persevere no matter what is happening. I thank You in advance for the great things You are going to do in both of us and in our marriage.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

My Review

The "Power of a Praying..." series is a true blessing. I have almost every book that Stormie Omartian has written, and they have transformed my prayer life.

The Power of a Praying Wife Devotional is going to be a favorite. It has all that the other books offer, yet it comes in quick devotions. Each chapter/devotion has a scripture, and short teaching or story, and is followed by a prayer for that topic. Easy to use and understand. It also includes prayers for us, the wives, as we are diligent in praying for our husbands. It's a great book that will be used for years to come.

Thanks for reading and God bless!  :)

Back to School ... Pray!

Guest PostBy Carla McDougal

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.

Deuteronomy 6:5,7

Excitement’s in the air! Anticipation rises. It’s that time of year when the kids go back to school.

Who can forget watching your child go to "big school" for the first time? I remember those bittersweet moments as each of my four children kissed me good-bye. I always knew that day would arrive, but nothing prepared me for the moment.

Elementary school seemed to fly by and almost overnight they were in junior high and then high school. And in a blink of an eye, they were off to college. Where did the years go?

I learned early on that when my children were away from home, praying for them comforted me. By turning them over to God I experienced a calm peace. Year after year my prayers intensified, yet remained the same…

• Elementary School – Will he make a friend? Will he eat all his lunch, or just the cookies and chips? God help him to love You with all his heart.

• Junior/Senior High –Will he make the right friends? Is he paying attention to the teacher? God, help him love You with all his soul.

• College - Will he make some forever friends? Is he making the right life decisions? God, help him to love You with all his strength.

Just as our children face challenges, we as moms face our own set of challenges…

• To pray over our children no matter where they are in life.

• To be on our knees for those God entrusted to us.

• To ultimately pray for each child to love Jesus with all his heart, soul, and mind!

• Finally, to let them know we are praying for them each day! What a blessing it is to pray for our children.

I ask you to take advantage of this new season too. Do you need a fresh start? Where are you in your relationship with God? In my Bible study, Reflecting Him – Living for Jesus and Loving It, I encourage you to find Jesus in your everyday activities. He is there for us 24 hours a day, and He wants to hear our everyday prayers!

CARLA MCDOUGAL is founder of Reflective Life Ministries headquartered in the Houston, Texas area. Her true passion for her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, shines brightly, whether she is speaking or writing. She shares experiences from her own life to encourage women to live every day for Him. God is sending Carla around the world to speak to women from all walks of life—those living in the best of circumstances to those who have hit rock bottom.

 

Carla’s book, Reflecting Him: Living for Jesus and Loving It, is a 10-week study that encourages you to open your eyes to God’s daily life lessons. The more you ask God to be in your life, the more you will recognize His hand on everything you do. For more information on a growing number of products from Reflective Life Ministries, and to see about booking Carla for an event or interview, go to http://www.reflectivelifeministries.org/.

This article content is provided free of charge by the author through Kathy Carlton Willis Communications. You are welcome to place this article on your site or in your publication as long as 1) it’s used in its entirety, 2) the full bio is also used, and 3) you previously request permission through KCWC at russ@kathycarltonwillis.com.

All other standard copyrights apply.

'Evan Almighty' Prayer

I don't know how many times my kids and I have watched Evan Almighty together, and we were just watching it again last week. If you haven't seen it, it's the modern day version of Noah And The Ark. It's a fun family movie.

 

This is my favorite part...

 

Such a simple revelation, isn't it? My life would be so much easier if I could remember that!  :)


Thanks for reading and God bless!
Mary Ann :)

Laughing and Mocking and Jokes. Oh, My!

If you're reading this then you are probably aware that the world isn't ending today. Did you even think it would? Some did. And my heart breaks for them.

I know there has been a lot of joking and laughing about this whole mess. But I have to wonder... should there be? Especially by those who call themselves christians?

You see.... these people bought into a lie. Wholeheartedly. They allowed themselves to be deceived. To me, that is a sad thing.

Can you imagine what these people are thinking today? What choices they might have made while thinking today would be their last? Not to mention all they will have to endure at the hands of those who knew they held this belief... and they were wrong. I would be devastated. I'm sure many of them are as well.

Would you pray for Harold Camping and all of his followers today? They need our prayers now more than ever. They need Jesus. He can restore them. Please pray that they run to the arms of our loving Savior and receive the forgiveness He has to offer. That they would be motivated to seek His face and read His Word... and know it. I pray that this event (or lack of it) today will open their eyes and they will know the truth.

"If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

~John 8:31-32

It is so important that we keep our eyes on Jesus... and Him alone. When we begin to trust in man, we put ourselves at risk. We put our eternity at risk.

Are all men going to lead you astray? Certainly not. But how will you ever know if you aren't seeking God for yourself.... reading His Word, PRAYING and following Him.

And while we're at it... let's pray for one another that we will not be deceived. Lies are coming at us faster than we can keep track. Let''s stay in God's Word, pray for one another, and encourage others to do the same.


Thanks for reading and God bless!
Mary Ann :)

The Lord's Prayer

A couple of weeks ago, my kids brought home their weekly handout from their class at church. Usually they have a memory verse each week, but this time they had to learn The Lord's Prayer. I thought that was great since I try to learn along with them.

We had a whole week to learn this and I thought I had the advantage over them because I could just sing that old 60's version by that singing nun. Anyone remember that?

Well, the week went by pretty quickly and we had put our memorizing aside day after day until... Saturday. We went over and over The Lord's Prayer. Saying it out loud, saying it together. I even looked up the video for that old song on YouTube. I thought there was no hope. None for me and my son anyway.

My Baby Girl, who's only 7, memorized it right away and was the only one who could recite it the next morning at church. And she was the youngest!... in her class AND at home. I think she has this photographic memory or something. And with the promise of a pizza party when everyone in their class memorized it, my Baby Boy learned it by the next Sunday.

Me? I finally got it. No pizza though, and I still mess up a line here or there. But when I don't know the right words, I have my kids to remind me. They are so excited to learn and memorize the Bible. We now know the Ten Commandments, The Lord's Prayer, and we are working on the books of the Bible.

We also attended a class at our church last week before service. My kids have to sit in with me and I thought they would be bored, but they sat there looking up the verses in their own Bibles. They love to learn. It's such a joy to watch my kids grow in the Lord!

So, in case you're like us and never learned The Lord's Prayer.... here's your chance.

The Lord's Prayer
Luke 11: 2-4

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy Kingdom come,

thy will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory,

for ever and ever.

Amen

Hide God's Word in your heart!

~Psalm 119:11 

It's a lamp unto your feet, and a light unto your path.

~Psalm 119: 105

Thanks for reading and God bless!
Mary Ann :)

A Prayer For Tom

I have a wonderful blogging friend named Tom. Just a few weeks ago he lost his precious wife, who went home to be with the Lord, and now this week... he found out that his oldest son, only 37, has died.
Would you please pray for Tom today? Lift him up before the Lord? He needs our prayers. He is a strong christian man and I know He will trust God through all of this... yet his heart is broken. We are called to bear one another's burdens, and this is a truly difficult burden to bear. He needs our prayers. Will you please come along side Tom and share this load?

Tom... the Lord is with you. I know your heart is breaking... and there aren't any healing words to say. But please know that you are loved by God, and many who know you and are praying for you and your family at this time. We're standing with you and lifting you before the Lord.

"The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."

~ Psalm 34:18 

God Answers Prayer... And Sometimes Really Fast!

 This really blessed me, so I had to re-tell it...

A couple of days ago, my son drove to the auto parts store to get a part for his new car. On his way home he stopped by 7-11 to get a soda.... he even called me to see if I wanted anything (of course I did!). Wasn't that nice? Anyway...

After he'd been home for a short while, he realized he didn't have his wallet and there was a big hole in his pocket. He searched the whole house, inside his car, in the front yard, the street... everywhere. It was nowhere to be found. Finally, he decided he should go back to 7-11 and check to see if someone turned it in. You can hope, right?

Nope. Not there. Not in the parking lot either.

It wasn't so much the money he had lost, but that his Health Card and TAM Card were in his wallet. He's starting a new job next week and wouldn't have time to get the cards replaced beforehand. Not to mention all the trouble that could arise from someone obtaining your Driver's License, Social Security #, and  bank card.

Now, I was praying he would find his wallet. I prayed it was in some spot that was just overlooked and one of us would see it. Sometimes it helps to have a fresh pair of eyes looking with you.

Didn't happen. And we looked everywhere!

I felt so bad! I told him the first thing he should do is cancel his debit card. Can't buy anything if the card doesn't work.

So then I prayed...  "Lord, convict the person who picked it up... touch their heart that they would return it to him and not keep it. Please Lord! And thank you! In Jesus' name, Amen."

Well, about 15 minutes later... as my son was upstairs, talking to the bank on his cell, someone knocks at the door. I told my daughter to see who it was. The neighbor kids had been knocking all morning.  "Make sure you look out the window first!", I told her.

As soon as she said "I don't know who it is!", I knew it was the answer to prayer! I ran to the door and opened it to find a man I didn't know asking for my son. I excitedly yelled up the stairs for him to come down (realizing I was yelling in this poor man's face... I apologized.)

The man obviously knew I was curious (and excited) and held up my son's wallet for me to see. "Oh, my gosh!!! Yay!" I screamed. My son came down the stairs with a big smile and a look of great relief on his face. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" was all we could say. I told him he was a such a blessing and we gave him a small token of our appreciation. He said we didn't need to give him anything... but I wish we could have given more.

It's a wonderful thing to see God answer a prayer so precisely and so quickly. There is no doubt in my mind that God hears us and cares about the things that concern us... no matter how big or how small. He has proved it over and over again in my life! This is just the answer to one of many... and each is a blessing.

And I will NOT forget the man who returned my son's wallet! What an awesome thing to do. Not many people would go out of their way to do that. We live a few blocks away from where it was lost. He could have kept it, put it in the mail, or turned it in. Either way would have meant a lot of unnecessary trouble and concern for my son. I really appreciate what he did. It speaks well of his character. I pray God will bless this man.

I wish I would have opened the door and said "You have my son's wallet, don't you? I prayed God would send you here!" Now wouldn't that have been a great witness? I hope one day to have that kind of boldness.

Don't ever assume that your prayer is too big or too small for God. Have the boldness to bring all your requests before Him... and just see what He will do!

"You do not have, because you do not ask God"

(James 4:2b).

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

~Philippians 4:6 

Thanks for reading and God bless!
Mary Ann :)

Prayer Request... For My Mom

If ever you need prayer... just ask me. I'll pray now and tomorrow and whenever I think about it. I'll write your name down so I don't forget. I'll pass it along to prayer chains, turn in a prayer card at church, and post your name on my Prayer Wall. I'll do my very best to pray for you and keep my word.

Why?

Because I know prayer works. I know God hears us. And I know He answers. He is faithful.

It's so important to be covered in prayer. I pray for my family every day. Whenever they come to mind... wherever they are. I know He hears me.

Then why is it so hard for me to ask others for prayer?

Bringing our requests before God is an awesome privilege. I know this. Being in agreement with others is powerful. Standing in the gap for others is a wonderful thing.

Yet... I don't feel as if my needs are as important as others' may be. I feel like I'm just complaining. Like everyone else's requests are so serious or major... that my asking someone to pray about my 'little' worries is a sign of weakness.

But that, I know, is a deception. So... I'm just going to put it out there.

By the time this posts, I will be on my way to the surgery center with my mom. She is going in for her 4th surgery for a Basal cell carcinoma that was left untreated for too long. It's the most common form of skin cancer. It isn't life threatening... but, can be disfiguring. She has been in surgery twice to remove it completely. The result of that is the removal of almost 1/2 of her nose.

Her last surgery was the first in a series of reconstructive surgeries. They are performing skin-grafts to create a 'flap' to cover her nose and may have to use cartilage from her ear. She has been such a trooper through all of this. She is feisty... I know that keeps her going.

She has had bandages on her face for over 3 months now. She doesn't want to go anywhere because she thinks everyone is staring at her. Her cheeks are so chapped from all the tape and band-aids that it gets painful. The surgery tomorrow is going to require a longer recovery time and the entire process may go on through the summer. Hopefully not longer.

She also has hearing loss, Meniere's disease, and emphysema from second hand smoke. Not to mention her eyesight isn't what it used to be. I know the Lord could heal her of it all if He chooses.

Would you please pray for my mother? She is 77 years old. She's tiny, petite, fragile... yet still strong enough to move her furniture around all by herself when she wants to. :)  Please pray for a quick recovery and that the Lord would bless the doctors to do the best job possible.

Thanks so much for interceding. God bless!
Mary Ann :)

Prayer Wall

At the back of our church is a wall we call the Prayer Wall. On it are photos of people who would like to be prayed for. Anyone can have their picture taken after service or bring in a picture if they'd like, and have it posted on the wall. Then, each week as part of the service, the pastor leads us in prayer for everyone on the wall.

I believe prayer is powerful! I want to pray for people, pray for needs, pray for healing, marriages, finances... whatever it is, it needs to be covered in prayer. I've seen God work! I know He hears us! He loves us and He wants us to bring our needs before Him.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ~Philippians 4:6

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. ~Luke 18:1

...pray continually ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:17

I have made a Prayer Wall here on my blog. It's nothing spectacular. Believe me, I wanted it to be. But I felt the Lord was urging me to put it up now. Not wait until I thought it was good enough. He doesn't care what my page looks like... only that I'm obedient to Him. It's more important that we intercede for one another than it is for people to 'Oooo' and 'Ahhh' at my page. (Maybe I'll fix it up later...?)

Whenever people visit, I hope they will take the time to pray for those listed. I promise I will do the same. We all need someone praying for us.... interceding and standing in the gap. Let's lift each other up!

If you'd like to add or be added to the Prayer Wall, please send a quick note with the first names of those to be added to amomwithablog@yahoo.com or, use my contact page.

I will only publish first names for privacy reasons. That's ok... God knows everything about us already... He's just waiting for us to come to Him.


Thanks for reading and God bless! Mary Ann :)