Praying for my Kids, Snails and S'mores

I've been so convicted over the last few months about praying for my children. Of course I've always prayed for them to be saved when they understood, and to follow God all their days. I've prayed for them in the here and now--please God, PLEASE, help them to obey today--but I haven't really prayed for specifics in their future lives, much to my shame.
 The great thing about the Christian life is that God is so forgiving of our shortcomings and he gently guides and leads us along. At the age of 20 I became a Mom and it's been a roller coaster ever since, a daily, weekly, yearly learning experience.

 I never parented before 2007 and even though I thought I knew a lot about raising kids being the oldest of 9, I knew nothing. Nothing. I knew logistics. I knew the general Biblical principles of raising kids, how to train them and love them, but now I have 3 very big teachers: my own kids. Each one is different and unique, needs to be disciplined, loved and cared for in the way that best speaks to their love language and personality.
 That is why I realized (or God spoke in his still, small voice) that I needed to pray for their specific personalities concerning their futures.

 For instance, Joe Joe has been loud from the minute he came into this world. He let out a piercing wail when the nurse took him away from me to clean him up after he was born, and he's been talking, yelling, laughing and joking around very loudly ever since. He's the life of the party. He loves to be funny, he speaks unashamedly to strangers, telling them whatever comes to mind (which can be really embarrassing at this stage!). So I've started praying that God would use that for him--that he would tell others about God and not be ashamed, that he would proclaim God's Word to all who will hear, that he would win many souls to Him because of his bold witness.

I do the same with my other two, praying that God would use their specific personalities and good characteristics for his honor and glory.

The past few weeks have been full of adventures. Eating under a tent in the living room, catching snails and watching and waiting for them to come out of their shells, s'mores on a Saturday night after working on the yard all day and lots and lots of playing the beautiful sunshine.

I have a very special post coming later this week. Can't wait to share!

Nathan's Baby Dedication

Last Sunday, we had a special baby dedication for all the babies around 18 months old and younger. It was the first "formal" dedication that any of our children have attended at our church. Even though we have given all of our children to God to use them how he sees fit, it was exciting to do it publicly with our Pastor praying over them!

We're so thankful that God has let us "borrow" each of our children for the time being. I don't know how long we'll have them but I pray that we'll be the best parents we can be in preparing them for what the Lord has for them when they are older!

Answered Prayer and The Beverly Hillbillies

Yesterday we started the long journey home after a wonderful month of vacation, and I was very nervous about how it would go. Morning sickness is still going strong and since Joe is under 2, he's still a lap child. The thought of him climbing all over me while I felt like I was going to barf wasn't really the best thought. I've also been getting very motion sick from the morning sickness, so everything combined was scaring me. I prayed and asked my friends to pray and what a surprise--the Lord answered our prayers! He worked it out so that we had 3 seats on each flight so that Joe could sit by himself and we had room to spread out. The kids were SO good--hilarious, really and made me laugh the entire time. We landed a half hour early and Nate wasn't there yet, so I got me, 2 kids, a double stroller and 5 suitcases outside by myself to wait for him. We were quite a sight! (Think Jed Clampett and family ;)

When I walked outside--or rather stumbled with all our stuff-- I thought I must have been crazy to leave that gorgeous East Coast weather for this, but when I saw my handsome husband drive up I remembered the reason that I came back home. ;) We are all happily reunited and glad to be home--and counting down the days until our next visit!

The kids and I before our last flight took off--Joe Joe was really happier than he looks ;)

A Prayer Request

Most of you who have followed this blog for any time know about my friend Jessica. She has had Ulcerative Colitis for about 5 years now. In July 2008 she lost a little baby girl at 26.5 weeks pregnant and has not been able to conceive again since then. There hasn't been any good news about her health since then and it's only gotten worse. She has started a blog to post health updates and I would like to ask you all to read it and comment please to encourage her. Of course, the most important thing is to pray for her! She's only 25 and it's such a young age to go through so much. Please click here to read her updates and give her a little encouragement! Thank you all so much!

Please Pray!!!

Please read this story here to find out the horrible things that are happening to these boys/girls homes that have been helping troubled kids for years. Your prayers are truly needed for all of those involved in this! Let's fight the forces of Satan by coming to the throne and finding grace to help in time of need!

The Hephzibah House is another that has been attacked and they are already trying to pass legislation to shut down all homes in that state.

These kids are so much better off in the environment and programs that these homes offer. They need to stay up and running!

FEEL FREE TO POST THIS ON YOUR BLOG ALSO! WE NEED TO GET THE WORD OUT TO CHRISTIANS ACROSS AMERICA AND THE WORLD!

Please comment if you are praying!

Saying Goodbye

Today we said goodbye to our brother Adam for a long time. He leaves for Iraq in November for about 9 months. It was hard knowing that it could be the last time that we see him, although no one likes to think about that. Please pray for his safety, and especially for him to stay strong and be a good testimony to those around him. You all have been there for us when we were going through hard times with him, and I thank you so much for that! God really does answer prayer!

The 4 guys: Robby, Danny, Adam and Nate (Rob was trying not to squint :)

I miss him so much!

Prayer Request!

This Sunday is Anniversary Sunday at our church. The gospel will be preached in the morning service, and afterwards there will be a prime rib dinner for all the adults. During the service and afterwards when the parents are eating, the kids will be in classes, eating their own meal, and playing games with prizes, etc. It's a really big day here, so I ask you to pray for a few things:

1) The people that have been invited would come
2) Many souls would be saved

I've invited the people I babysit for, piano students and a friend at the gym. I pray that they will come and be able to hear the gospel, and I hope that you will pray with us!

Pastor Thompson Update

Most of you know that our Pastor has been deathly ill for a few years now with a rare genetic disease. It attacks the kidneys and liver and causes his body not to absorb any protein. So he's been "wasting" for a while now. He only weighs 110 pounds. It is truly amazing that he is still alive, but it's obvious that he is holding on for something!
He's been living a Los Cruses, NM, since January. The hospitals there can give him the specific protein medication that he needs and he has a special doctor treating his case. Here he never got care like that, so they have to stay there basically to keep him alive. He's been on and off dialysis several times now.
At this point, he has shingles which are causing him intense pain. He is totally bed ridden now, and he may shuffle to his chair in his living room once in a while. After that it's back to bed. For weeks has not been able to counsel or talk to anyone except for one of his sons. He hasn't even talked to my FIL who is the assistant Pastor. It seems clear that he is going home soon, but yet we've said that so many times.
At this point, it's hard to know what to pray. Do you pray for god to just take him home? He cannot do what he lives for and loves--preach--and he's living away from all of his family, grandchildren and church family. His wife is also going through the separation of her children and grandchildren since she is there with him. It seems that if the Lord was going to heal him he would have done it by now, but perhaps he has some purpose planned that we cannot see.

Please pray that the Holy Spirit would intercede for us as we do not know what to pray, and for us as a church without our Pastor for 8 months now and for comfort for his family.

Graduated to Glory

Most of you know Bro. Dave Hance. He was received into Heaven on Tuesday morning after a battle with cancer.
We all knew him as a Street Preacher and loving to talk :). He was great on the streets--I listened to him many times, especially on Beale Street. He asked many thought provoking questions, usually had a smile, and always remained calm. He was a great man of God and many people looked up to him. I will always remember him as a hero of the faith, a man not ashamed of what he believed in.
Please pray for his wife, Kelly, and son, Michael. He graduates from High School this week, so that will be a hard time.
Right now he is sitting at the feet of Jesus. No more pain, just worshiping his Lord and casting crowns at his feet. It will take him a while to do that because I am sure he has manycrowns up there that were waiting for him. He is meeting those who were saved from his ministry that he never knew about. Hard for me to fathom...but it makes me pretty jealous! Even so come, Lord Jesus.

Pastor T. Update

Pastor Thompson has incredibly improved. He has more energy than he has in years, he says, and is pacing the halls of the hospital trying to get rid the energy! Right now the hospital will not release him until he has a portable dialysis machine, so that is a huge issue of prayer. He needs a certain kind and they are very expensive. He will need someone to sponsor him and buy it for him. He was hoping to be able to finance it but it sounds like he won't be able to do that.
He is not nearly fully recovered and unless there is a miracle, he never will be. He will have to be on dialysis for the rest of his life. His kidneys are totally shut down right now.
Thank you all so much for your prayers, and please continue praying. At this point he weighs 124 pounds and has lost all his muscle mass so it will be a long road for him to be able to gain weight and build muscle again.
Again, thanks so much for your prayers! They work!