Prayer - #16 Lord, my weakness YOU carried....

It is Christmas 'eve'.  In many hearts - today brings such hurt.
If today was your 'anniversary' and now you are divorced or in that process - today may bring hurt.
If a loved one has recently made their entrance to heaven - today could bring memories and sadness.
Or if you just feel hopeless and forgotten - this prayer is for you!

Lord God -- You created us and we are for Your purpose - in a sense - we are married to You.
Today as Your word says, You make mercies NEW each morning - but I am thinking that there are many hurting and can't see the NEW mercies.
Lord, my heart feels for them this morning - ONLY You can fill that void or comfort that hurt.
Lord I pray that today -  that they might not look on the hurt or be reminded of the pain - but that they would think and ponder about YOU today Lord -- how Mary and Joseph were traveling and as it got dark, they knew they had to find shelter.
Lord, I pray that they think about trying to find that shelter and how YOU answered that simple prayer to find a spot - even in a manger.
Lord, I pray they will think about ALL that Mary and Joseph probably felt - wonder, anxiety, and maybe the all knowing feeling that they were witness to God's son....

Lord, I pray that they will take the time today - to really focus on You, to thank you for WHAT they can be grateful for and what is good right now.
Lord, I pray they will SEEK you and believe that with You - they can do all things.
Lord, I pray for the families that I have been holding up to You in prayer --God it seems like these prayers are 'not' working -- but I KNOW You are. 

Lord - comfort like only You can.  Lord, I pray they enjoy YOU instead of their hurt today --- help them to do that......and if the pain is JUST too hard --- then,  I pray they would read Your word and remember what You did.  Amen.  

Isaiah 53. 4-6

Yet it was our weaknesses he carried: it was our sorrows that weighted him down.  And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment fro his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins.  He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God's path to follow our own. yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.

Thank you Jesus -- for being our covering.
Lord God -- I am humbled.
Michelle

Jeff & Cheryl Scruggs - IAmSecond.com (Full Version) Prayer #15

Prayers for a Marriage -- #11, 12, and 13 -- touchy post

I have not posted for 3 days -- perhaps God wanted my 'faithing until you feel it'  or 'faking it till you feel it baby'  to SINK in a few more hearts......but I have been praying.

 However, for  these past three days -  God has given me a special 'mini-' week with my brother and husband and we have been RIDING Harley bikes - over 900+ miles in 3 days...


But I have been a praying.  Lots.  Tears too.  There is a present ACHE in my heart and gut this morning for a family that is not THAT close to us - but yet, very close.

Yesterday I was 'hit' with the news of a couple that are separating.  It is a small town.   Very small.  Hash tag --- GEEZE  it is a small town where everyone seems to know each other's business.

I know God has commissioned me to be in 40 days of prayer for HIS institution of Marriage.... and as this post came together in my head-- with the Holy Spirit penning it -- I thought about all the attacks on Marriage these past few days -- the Phil Robertson stuff, there is a loved one within my own family that won't be at Christmas this year because she does not want to be with family that won't 'accept' her, and within one of the three  families that I have been calling out to God to intervene -- there has been new turmoil as well.   The news of this other couple was a shock.

It is such a small town.  Bren and I spoke quite frankly yesterday about WHAT people probably said or thought when they heard the rumor about us. And then when or if it was ever confirmed - what did they think?   We laughed a bit, cause I would get women coming to me and wanting info - and he had men come to him as well...but, Thank God - HE had me sort of 'hushed'.   And well, Bren was already hushed - he has been quiet for so long - why would he begin to 'tell' now....?
We DID laugh about that - really, praise God we can laugh now.
We also talked about a LOT of feelings and emotions and stuff and within the hurt of that - there was healing.  ( that can be another blog )

But, as I said, people probably formed opinions  and I am pretty sure that many 'chose' sides between the two of us.  It is natural -- those closest to me, probably saw what I did and how I was and probably wanted to 'kick his ass'...Being honest and transparent - but truthful here.

I wanted to do the same for a time.   ( butt kicking ) And I know there were men and women that approached him and tried to get 'dirt' on me....to justify how something could separate us.  It is just natural -- as humans we want answers to justify and to explain.

We were never really close to any couples -- just a few and I am so sure they had their own situations - "how do I speak to her and not to him?"  ...or  "how can we help both of them? ".  I know instantly within the first few weeks of our separation, the enemy began to play SUCH tricks on my mind where I would not even want to be out in public for fear that I may see him speaking or talking to one of 'my friends' and I just knew he was going to betray me even more......

   And I know there had to be people that wanted to just TELL us a thing or two - but, God kept them away.

 God did have the RIGHT people all set in place and new people HE would bring into our healing -- that prayed and helped and encouraged.    Looking back now, both Brendan and I want to be those people to other couples when God commissions it.

Not to dwell on the Phil Robertson thing...but sin is sin.  'We' put levels on it.  I have blogged about this  before and stated...my 'idolatry' ..... my 'arrogant pride'.... my 'lust'....and my own SIN was JUST as sinful in God's eye's as my husband's betrayal and infidelity.   And sexual sin - sex outside of marriage...and sex with another man's wife...is sin...and sex with my brother is sin...sex with another woman is sin...sex with an animal is sin.....sex with myself - using things to manipulate and get me excited is sin...

Why wouldn't the enemy use sex to steal, kill, and destroy ....it states that in the bible.

Jesus said, 'go and sin no more'.

But --  this post is not for those opinions or a debate on sexual choices  -- back to marriages.....

One of the greatest lessons I have learned is that God can't be explained and I don't have to try and justify HIS actions  -- I have to trust HIM.

I trust God today -- I trust that GOD is big enough to have the RIGHT people around that family right now and minister to both her and him and their children.

 I trust God is big enough that he is speaking to both parties involved.

 I trust God enough to pray earnestly for them and claim -- with God this family can be restored.  But I also trust God enough to know that....if this family does not reunite - and the marriage does dissolve...HE can still bring beauty out of the ashes and redeem her ...redeem him....and restore their children -- it will take time.

And I trust that God is holding their hearts -- if they SEEK Him.  In the meantime, I will continue to pray.

Today's prayer is a short one - I've elaborated enough -- but one week after my 'earthquake' shattered our home, I got a prayer from one of those people GOD spoke to -- to be a part of our healing.  And she sent me that prayer via Facebook - so I do have a soft spot for Facebook - it can be used of HIS glory -- but....

I want to share that prayer - as it is taped in my bible and I go to it often - as an Ebenezer stone - it is something that I remember -- and it is perfect for today.  I will leave our names in it -- but our names can be replaced with YOUR names...if this prayer suits you today.

Or if you are the couple that separated .....or  if you know them - maybe this will give you the courage to speak into their lives... I am humbled God that YOU can make a way and I trust you - Michelle

 PS
This prayer became life words....prophetic -- HE has put a new love between us.  What the enemy tried to destroy - God fixed.  God won.  Our marriage was raised from the DEAD......it was hard work - but good work.  I DO want that for every marriage -- HE can restore - anything......God I pray THAT couple will SEEK Him!

Dear Michelle,
The Lord has placed you and your family squarely and heavily on my heart.  HE wants me to tell you a couple of things.  ( I try to do what I 'm told-though I often fail. Deep Breath...) His message to you..
Michelle - You are an awesome spirit -being of magnificent worth as a person.  Your are fearfully and wonderfully made.  KEEP your eyes upon Me: for I am your strength and your shied.  As with David, because you wait patiently on Me, I hear your cries my child.  I am lifting you out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire: i am raising you up and will set your feet upon a Rock and give you a firm place to stand.  I am putting a new song in your mouth, a hymn of praise to Me. Many will see and fear and put their trust in Me.  ( Psalm 40. 1-3) My beautiful daughter I am using you.
My friend you are a light in the midst of overwhelming darkness, and I encourage you to stay the course. Keep your eyes on HIM!  My Lord, I pray YOUR will be odne. May Your LOVE conquer this marriage. May Your LOVE be the only compound that binds this marriage.  Father, Your are  Love, and I pray You place Yourself between Michelle and Brendan. I praise You Father for Your faithfulness to Your childrne. In the name of Jesus my Lord and Savior I  pray.
Your Daughter, Shelley

Prayers for a Healthy Marriage #9 - for her dream....

This prayer can be for 'him' too...but today I am focusing on the women.
God wants to remind us - HE is strong. And HE created His daughters to be strong!
With God's word as our SWORD - there is nothing the enemy can do to knock us off course in prayer for our men.  BUT....we can be swayed if we don't hunker down and stick to it.

I was caught off guard.
However, I quickly figured out what to do -- well, maybe not quickly...I faltered a lot  and I kept taking our problems back away from HIS cross and finally -- after much time and continued hurt - I got to a place where I just could not 'deal' with anything anymore and I believe at that moment - I was finally broken and willing to do whatever it took .....to wait and to be a vigilant prayer warrior for my marriage.

I had to believe in something that I did not see.
I had to have faith and trust God.
That is really HARD to comprehend as I have mentioned this before - I really thought I had it figured out and I really did believe I trusted God - but I only trusted Him as much as I could at that time.

God wanted me at a higher level with Him -- He wants to use me.  He is using me.

So this prayer is for the women  who are trying to hang in there -- they are praying for something they don't see....they want their marriage, and want God to do a great work within their husbands.

Lord God, I pray they will dream...I pray they will dream big enough to fight.  God I pray that the women /wife reading this is broken enough to place ALL pride aside and place anything that is hindering her relationship with YOU....aside...God I pray she will confess it and deal with it - as nothing can be between her and you....And then Lord.....I know  You have already placed a dream and a desire within her heart and her head.....she knows what she would like.  She wants a man that longs to be close to You.  She wants a man that lives within his bible and seeks and searches Your Words.  And then Lord....he will be that man that will love her - unconditionally.  Lord, then he can be the one that will meet the needs, comfort the broken heart and....rear the children as a team ..with her.
She needs him Lord -- the children need him...so, I pray Lord that they won't give up...that they will fight past what the 'see' and just believe that IT can be possible....Oh God, I sit here today as I know, I gave you a list of what I wanted....and by God --  You have fulfilled most of those 'wishes'...but only after You did a work on a heart....for the heart work first....open the eyes, speak to him - amen.  

Prayers for a Healthy Marriage - #8

I found this today -- it is a devotional written by Shirley Dobson.  I trust her -- she is a mentor.  Google her if you don't believe me....

Lord God...that the marriages I am praying for - maybe today there will be HOPE....Lord God, that one of them who has not been feeling the 'love' ...would ...and that all of them would seek your word and gather HOPE from you - amen.  

I pray this devotional/story will bless you like it did me!  

 - humbled, michelle   

Words of Hope

“In his word I put my hope.” Psalm 130:5
Like anyone else, I have days when discouragement seems to get the better of me. At such times I try to remember that the Lord has provided me with a source of continuing inspiration and hope. To tap into that source I need simply to open the pages of my Bible, God’s letter of hope to me.
I’m reminded of a story about an elderly woman who had lost her husband, George, some years earlier in an automobile accident. Theirs had been a long and happy marriage, and she missed him terribly. When she suffered a broken leg, she felt more confined and alone than ever. One particularly blue day, she found herself longing once again for her husband’s company. She sat in her living room and began to weep. “Dear God,” she prayed, “please give me the strength to get through this hour.”
Get your Bible, a quiet voice inside her said. But her Bible was in the bedroom, and, with her leg in a cast, she thought it would be too hard to retrieve. Then she remembered a small travel Bible on a nearby bookshelf. She reached for it and turned the pages to find a favorite Scripture.
Suddenly a letter fell into her lap. She carefully unfolded the yellowed pages. It was a love letter from George. In it, he expressed his deep affection for her. His words of comfort went straight to her lonely heart.
In the back pages of the Bible she found more notes from George. He had written them in the hospital while awaiting an operation, apparently fearing he would not return home. After he recovered, the notes were forgotten.
That woman spent the rest of the afternoon basking in the company of her husband’s letters and in the certainty that the Lord cared for her.
When you’re feeling short on hope in your marriage, ask yourself if you’ve spent enough time lately reading your “mail” from God. Jeremiah wrote, “When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight” (Jeremiah 15:16). As we go about our days, we can draw on the same delight… if we’ll just read the Bible for a few minutes and wait for His Word to meet our need.
God loves you with infinite compassion and tenderness. He knows just what you need and when you need it. In the pages of Scripture, you’ll find example after example of His wisdom, comfort, and love— all meant for you. It’s the kind of “mail” that will really make your day!
- Shirley M Dobson

Prayers for a Healthy marriage -- #7 - Putting God first.

Lord God....I am asking you today to speak to each of the wives and husbands that are on my mind....that may read this blog prayer, and for myself...
Lord God, I pray that we will ALL be still to hear your voice and allow YOU to fill our hearts with life and peace.
Lord God, may you be first...not our marriage...not our problems...not our heartache...but YOU -
Lord God, may we worship you and not our spouses or problems...
Lord God, I know you desire to walk with me -- but too often we are too busy to listen and walk slowly with you - God, I pray for each one that reads this today -- that they will make a point of walking slower and listening more intently....
Lord God, I pray that each person within these marriages will submit wholeheartedly to YOU the Lord - the living God.
Lord God - that each of these people....individually will put YOU first and make YOU their first love....and submit to You and your lead and that YOU may be their highest priority.
Lord God, as these couples work on issues....speak to each other.....and move forward...and as a few of them learn that YOU can redeem them....I pray peace and joy over their circumstance...may they find you in the quietness of their thoughts -- and may they STAY there.
Lord God, I pray they will put You first - amen.  

This morning I was reminded that - GOD wins and HE has a great plan -- HE designed marriage and HE designed it well......HE fully wants everyone to enjoy the fruits and benefits of a healthy marriage - God my desire is that this focus and these prayers will encourage just ONE couple -- to persist!  

Humbled....michelle 

Prayers for a marriage - one in particular -- #6

God can do the impossible.  I do believe it.
This is personal.  Back on 10-16-10 I sat in church  -- thrilled because I had just met John James from the Newsboys....thrilled that one of my 'Christian music giants'....was here in Okeechobee.

I mean - little Okeechobee?  Really?

I MADE Brendan take me to their concert in Ft. Pierce in April of 1991 - it was one of the first times I had a sitter for Taylor -she was only a month or two old....

But, I remember literally dragging him to that concert.  We had to sit through two other bands first and our ears were blasted -- it was LOUD, but finally  the Newsboys came out.  And they sang the song -- the one that got me hooked on Newsboys -- "Shine".

That was the only song I knew - but, I could sing it word for word!  Besides Steven Curtis Chapman and Michael  W. Smith, and Petra - there were not too many ROCK and ROLL Christian Bands.

Anyway -- I LOVED their songs and got their music...and sang it all the time.

Little did I know, that one day -- 19+ years later  - my Pastor would tell me--- I 'know' John James....He was the other 1/2 of the original Newsboys founders....he and Peter Fuller.

Anyway -- small world...yep!  Needless to say - I have heard him give his testimony, I have laughed and even fellow-shipped and eaten  with him.  I consider him my friend now....but let me go back to 10-16-10...

ON that day, I was a broken women, and he gave his testimony and he spoke of his wife and how she helped him  through God and prayer .....to realize that God had a plan for him.  You need to hear him tell it--- but that day, I heard EVERY word he said about his wife and I prayed ...God...could my husband  think that way about me one day -- ???  Could he???

He expressed his love and devotion for her and I bought his testimony CD and I have listened to her tell of what God told her and how she was persistent in praying for her husband....while he was deceived.

That was my prayer.

Today, sadly, - even though John fought hard....he is now divorced.  And he is in the process of being healed.  How does one wife...who loved him so much ....7-9 years ago....now believe that  he is not God's best for her?  How does she believe that?    I will get those answers in heaven. 

It can be turned around so quickly...how does a man, after 15+ years...all of a sudden give up? 

However...I realize.... I have been in a place where I was almost giving up -- sometimes giving up is the easier thing to do.  And...Lord...that is OK...as YOU KNOW our hearts and in the end....I don't have to account for anyone but myself.    Forgive me Lord...

My heart ached today again not only for John....but for other couples within my circle of life.
But.....my God is faithful and I am just saying....A LOT can happen so today, it is with  YOU Lord, in mind...it is with those 'couples'  in mind...I am praying for all of those that think...they are 'not' in love anymore.....

 Would you allow God....Allow HIM to really work on your heart?? ....amen.

Lord....for ALL of those women and men who have heard their spouse say, " I am no longer in love with you ".....Oh God...I know that hurt...but I know how YOU can restore and revive....
GOD I pray they will pray this prayer with me -- FIX it Lord...change it...and HOLD me until You open their eyes....I want my marriage....a piece of paper is only a piece of paper -- if it be YOUR will....FIX and restore what the enemy has taken ...what the enemy has deceived...AMEN.    

 

Lord, for the ones who just can't HOLD on any longer -- may they see Your glory as they are obedient to You and what You have asked them to do.  Let them know that they know...when they face You, You and she or he will agree ..."I did everything possible Lord"....  Lord, for the ones who have crossed over and made the commitment  to recommit and begin again - protect those marriages and bring them a body of believers that will support this journey.  

 

In all circumstances...give peace.  Undeniable peace.  

 

Lord, for the marriage that is just 'sitting'....either the husband or wife are just sitting and not moving...not being obedient...not living a life worth of his or her calling...or living a life of mediocracy.....Lord, OPEN their eyes, may they WANT YOU so badly Lord!  

 

Give us hope and bring the 'good news' to many!   Lord, I pray for John - unsure of where he is at the moment - but I  know - he is sharing your message of faith and hope.  Bless him Lord.  Bless his ex-wife and children....   Lord, continue to watch over me, my marriage and my children -- may we always give encouragement

My Wedding Day with my immediate family! 

and testimony of  YOUR great faithfulness and redemption. Amen.