How You love me!

They're one of my favorite groups and JJ and I had the opportunity to see them once again at WinterJam this year!

Sidewalk Prophets...and they're well named! They truly do take God's Word to the streets.

Being as today is Music Monday, I'd love to share their latest release and video with you!

*Please scroll down and pause player before watching video*

Their lyrics...so powerful...so true.

I am the thorn in Your crown
But You love me anyway
I am the sweat from Your brow
But You love me anyway
I am the nail in Your wrist
But You love me anyway
I am Judas’ kiss
But You love me anyway
See now, I am the man that called out from the crowd
For Your blood to be spilled on this earth shaking ground
Yes then, I turned away with this smile on my face
With this sin in my heart tried to bury Your grace
Lyrics from sidewalkprophets.com

Thank you, Jesus - you endured all that FOR ME...and still you love me! He loves US! Is that not the greatest gift you have ever received?

He was despised and rejected--a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.
Isaiah 53:3 NLT

For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16 NLT

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**Don't forget! You have all week to enter my Prayerful giveaway! For details, click here!

Prayerful

I hadn't planned on a post for today...but I received news last night that had me reaching for this, yet again:




And I knew that the time was long overdue for this post. You see, I had planned on writing up something special at least a week ago. And then this happened:


Yes, that's my Mom (with Baylor keeping her company!), sporting some of the evidence on her face of the fall she took two weeks ago. So I've been a little busy, running back and forth daily taking care of the wounds that you don't see in the picture (which are healing nicely, by the way!). Because of that, I'm a bit tardy with this, but better late than never, right?!

I've posted before about the fact that I use a prayer journal. It helps me stay focused and most importantly - it helps me remember! It's a rare day when I'm not called on to pray for someone, or that I don't think of a petition that I need to bring before the Lord or a praise for answered prayer and if I don't write it down - well, it's as good as gone from one moment to the next!

Typically, I've purchased a nice journal at the beginning of every year and it's served me fine. Until...

Around a month ago, I was at my church's Wednesday night service. I had arrived a little early and decided to spend a few minutes in the bookstore. I turned a corner and spotted these pretty covers and wandered over for a closer look and discovered that they were prayer journals! I chose two different designs - one for me and one for my friend, JJ, who had a birthday coming up several weeks later! I got to talking with the lady tending the bookstore that evening and learned that the person who designed and created the journals was a member of our church and had designed them after a Refuel class on prayer left her wanting a more streamlined approach for her own prayer journaling needs. Love that!! (Jennifer, if any of this is incorrect, blame me!)

I transitioned from my "standard" journal to my new one right away and loved it so much that I went looking for contact information...and found it: (go ahead and click...I'll wait for you to get back!!)

Integrity Graphics

Goodness! Did you just get lost in all that prayerful beauty?! I know I do every time I look at her site! And here's the best part...she's a real sweetheart! When I emailed her about how much I loved my journal and asked if I could blog about it and link to her Etsy site, I got the nicest reply!

Now, remember I mentioned sometime earlier (this week? last week? I barely remember my name at this point!) that I might have something up my sleeve? Well, you know there's no "might" with me!!

So if you'd like to have one of Jennifer's beautiful prayer journals - and c'mon, who wouldn't?! - here's how to enter my giveaway:

• Between now and next Friday, April 15, 2011 just leave me a comment as to which of her gorgeous journals you would choose for your very own! That's one entry.

• If you have a prayer request you'd like to share, please leave it as a separate comment and that will be an extra entry...and NO LIMIT on prayer requests. I'm honored to pray for you, always.

• Share a link to this post on YOUR blog and come back and leave me a separate comment that you did so and that's an extra entry.

• Leave me a separate comment and let me know if you're new to prayer journaling or if you're an old hand at it! That'll be another entry.

Oh...I mentioned that Jennifer is a sweetheart, right? What I didn't tell you is that she offered to gift one of you with a journal out of the kindness of her heart. I love that. But please know that I will be making this purchase. In fact - I am giving away 3 journals in this giveaway, and as my disclosure, I am hereby stating that these journals are being purchased by me with my own funds. And they will each be beautifully personalized however you'd like - so you might want to be thinking about that (i.e., is it for you or will you be gifting it?)!

Speaking of gifting...JJ loved hers! I chose the cover specifically with her in mind. I think it was perfect.

I can't think of a better gift for a graduate heading off to college, a new Mom, a newlywed...the possibilities are endless. And of course, YOU need one too, right?! Ladies, did you notice that she also has designs for men? Remember - Father's Day is right around the corner and wouldn't a prayer journal be a treasured gift from the children to their Daddy? And men - the same for Mother's Day!

What's that you say? You've never used a prayer journal before? Perhaps now would be the perfect opportunity to get started! I can promise you this - you have nothing to lose and everything to gain! The only cost to you is the time it takes to post a comment or two (or three)!

And Jennifer now has a brand new design - the Journal Prayer Combo in addition to her standard Prayer Journal. If you win one, choose your preference! (Jennifer, I know we talked about this concept on the phone; I think it's fabulous and I'm so glad you did it!!)

• Sometime before midnight on April 15th, I'll use this to draw 3 numbers. The posts/posters that correspond to those numbers will be the winners of the journals. Please be sure to leave me some way to contact you in your comment(s). I'll post the winning names on Monday, April 18th...God willing and the creek don't rise!

Thank you, Jennifer, for such a beautiful creation! I'm still so excited over mine...it keeps me pinpoint focused and has truly blessed my prayer life!

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

What if?

Food for thought...


*Please scroll down and pause player before watching video*

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV

The greatest teacher

My church has a double sided sign on the street...you can see it in the picture below:

And by the way, the building directly behind the sign houses our Sunday school classrooms...our worship center is way off in the distance - see it?! But they're all connected...it's a large church!

Anyway, today as I was driving by, I looked at the sign, as I always do. One of our church members lovingly changes the quotes - front and back - each week. The quote on the side I saw this afternoon was this:

"The greatest teacher is not experience, but example."

I thought how true that is and how true it is especially for us Christians trying to set a godly example for others so that they might be drawn to Christ as a hummingbird to sweet nectar!

Then I heard what song was playing on the radio and it all just came together. I LOVE when the Lord writes my blog posts for me!

*Please scroll down and pause player before watching video*

My Will by dc Talk
*Lyrics*
I'm setting the stage for the things I love
And I'm now the man I once couldn't be
And nothing on earth could now ever move me
I now have the will and the strength a man needs

It's my will, I'm not moving
'Cause if it's Your will, then nothing can shake me
And it's my will to bow and praise You
I now have the will to praise my God

Complexity haunts me for I am two men
Entrenched in a battle that I'll never win
My discipline fails me, my knowledge it fools me
But You are my shelter, all the strength that I need

It's my will, I'm not moving
'Cause if it's Your will, then nothing can shake me
And it's my will to bow and praise You
I now have the will to praise my God

I'm learning to give up the rights to myself
The bits and the pieces I've gathered as wealth
Could never compare to the joy that You bring me
The peace that You show me is the strength that I need

It's my will, I'm not moving
'Cause if it's Your will, then nothing can shake me
And it's my will to bow and praise You
I now have the will to praise my God

We've got to be children of peace
Don't you know we've got to be children of peace

And it's my will, I'm not moving
(We've got to be)
'Cause if it's Your will, then nothing can shake me
(Children of peace)

And it's my will to bow and praise You
(Don't you know we've got to be)
I now have the will to praise my God
(Children of peace)

And it's my will, I'm not moving
(We've got to be)
'Cause if it's Your will, then nothing can shake me
(Children of peace)

And it's my will to bow and praise You
(Don't you know we've got to be)
I now have the will to praise my God
(Children of peace)

It's Your will, it's Your will, not mine.
It's Your will, it's Your will
It's Your will, it's Your will, not mine.
It's Your will, it's Your will

And it's my will, I'm not moving
(We've got to be)
'Cause if it's Your will, then nothing can shake me
(Children of peace)

And it's my will to bow and praise You
(Don't you know we've got to be)
I now have the will to praise my God
(Children of peace)

Don't you know, we've got to be children of peace Don't you know, we've got to be children of peace

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Matthew 5:9 AKJV

Oh Glorious Day!

Can you believe? April already!! I'm not even going to say 'where has the time gone' because, really, what's the point?! It's gone!

Holy Week is fast approaching and I know we're all giving more thought to the final days of our Savior as He finished His work here on earth before returning to His rightful place and all He had given up for us. It's a time of such mixed feelings - incredible profound sadness at the suffering He endured on my behalf and yet indescribable JOY at His resurrection and ascension and the promise of what that holds for you and me! Oh!! Think of it!! I mean, sit for a moment and REALLY think of it!! It just takes my breath away!!

So I dare you, yes - I dare you (!) to listen to this song and not be smiling from ear to ear by the time it's finished! My hands go in the air in praise of our King when I hear the words of this song! Tell me I'm not alone!! (Come on - tell me!!)

*Please scroll down and pause player before watching video*

O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?"
1 Corinthians 15:55 NLT

Be sure to check back with me in the next few days! I want to share an exciting "find" with you...and I just may have something up my sleeve! ;) Have a blessed week!

The angel by my side

And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I'll be there.
Matthew 18:20 MSG

This is where I was last night - along with my good friend, JJ! Tell me...does it get much better this side of Heaven than to be praising and worshiping along with 10,000 brothers and sisters in Christ??!!

And through it all, I had an angel by my side. My friend JJ. She has always been a blessing in my life, but especially so since I lost my Sweet Hubby. Boy, oh boy, has she shown what she's made of! There will never be enough words in my vocabulary to tell her how grateful I am that she's in my life.

One of the artists last night was Francesca Battistelli. When she sang this song, all I could think of was how thankful I was for the "angels" in my life. And most especially the one sitting right next to me. (Who also happened to be celebrating her birthday!!) So, since it is Music Monday - I wanted to share the song with you and also put it up to thank JJ for her company last night, for her friendship all these many years and for all the ways that she has actively lived out Proverbs 17:17 in my life.

*Please scroll down and pause player before watching video*
(just a note: some of the spelling/lyrics in this video are incorrect, but...oh well!)

Happy Birthday plus one, JJ! It was a wonderful night - even better than last year's WinterJam! And God willing, I'm already looking ahead to WJ2012 with you by my side!!

A friend loves at all times, and is born, as is a brother, for adversity.
Proverbs 17:17 AMP

Just You and me

It's almost 2 a.m. and like a lot of nights - most nights - I'm awake. Praying. Tonight (this morning?) I did something a bit different. I turned on Pandora radio on my phone...just a little soft music in the background while I gathered my thoughts. Of course, as happens so often, the music became a beautiful conduit for my conversation with our Creator.

These past few days have been filled with prayer requests. Illnesses, impending death of a friend of a friend, financial struggles...and with each day I add to my journal and take these concerns to the Throne Room - seeking His grace, mercy, peace, healing - on behalf of others. Many times I just ask Him to help me know what to say (and sometimes what NOT to say as well!).

Tonight, as I was lying there just...listening...a song came on. It was perfect. A prayer unto itself. I love that. And I wanted you to know - to share it with you.

*Please scroll down and pause player before watching video.*

Goodnight. Sweet dreams. Know that you are always in my prayers.

I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him.
Psalm 62:1 NLT

Unchanged **updated 3/13/11

As we lift up and prayerfully surround all those impacted by today's horrific earthquake, tsunami and nuclear power plant radioactivity issue in Japan, as well as those affected by the subsequent tsunami in the Pacific region, let's remember that the God of yesterday, today and tomorrow is still on His throne. He is unchanged! Amen! May we see His glory shine through the dark days ahead!

*Please scroll down and pause player before watching video*

The Red Cross has set up a website to help aid in connecting loved ones. That address is www.redcross.org./safeandwell

Are you able to do a little bit to help financially? Here are just a few suggestions:

Text the letters REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation to the Red Cross or visit their website at www.redcross.org

Text the letters JAPAN to 50555 to make a $10 donation to Global Living.

Text the letters JAPAN or QUAKE to 80888 to make a $10 donation to the Salvation Army.

Text the letters TSUNAMI to 50555 to make a $10 donation to Convoy of Hope.

Text the letters WAVE to 50555 to make a $10 donation to World Relief Corp.

***I had a representative of Hope Letters make me aware of their effort to bring *HOPE* to the school children and relief workers in Japan*** Please read the following excerpt from their website:

Hope Letters is a voluntary online initiative to collect words and letters of hope aimed at a community (i.e., school children, emergency workers, or the public at large) and deliver them in their local language in a practical method. Hope Letters aims to rely on volunteers to translate messages into the language of the recipient and then use local organizations to deliver the electronic or paper messages, because Internet and computer access may not be available.

Hope Letters started on March 11, 2011 in response to the 8.9 earthquake that hit Japan and the ensuing massive devastation. from hopeletters.wordpress.com 2011

I *hope* we can ALL take a few minutes to visit their website to send messages to the children and aid workers in Japan. Amidst the devastation, think how much words of HOPE could mean to someone who may have none, or be running on close to empty...

Here is their website: http://hopeletters.wordpress.com/

And my thanks to the person who left me the comment letting me know about this wonderful work! God bless you and the volunteers making this possible!

Facebook has a Disaster Relief Page which has some suggestions as well...check it out, if you Facebook.

Let's all do *something* - we are the Body of Christ!!

There will be great earthquakes, and there will be famines and plagues in many lands, and there will be terrifying things and great miraculous signs from heaven.
Luke 21:11 NLT

Where's the sin?

Isn't it interesting how we're all so different? We're all born with our own personalities and go on to be further shaped by our upbringing and life experiences...

If we're Christian and in active fellowship with other Christians, then we're further influenced by them as well. Hopefully, the influence is sound and of a good, kind and godly nature. But...what if it isn't?

I was in this position yesterday. Listening to someone cry out about issues within their church that they knew were not biblical...knew were far from how Christ would want the Body to act on His behalf. It's painful to listen to. I'm absolutely sure it's painful to have to wrestle with. I am praying for this couple. I know that the Lord will put them where they're supposed to be - whether they're already there and will effect change from within or be it someplace else. Can I ask that you pray for them too? Names aren't important...we know that! And besides - I'm sure there are (unfortunately) more people just like them would could use prayer about this very thing. So, maybe we should just lift them all up...

And while we pray for them...I chose this song for today's Music Monday selection. This was one of the issues raised during our conversation. It's no sin to be poor. Or homeless. Or hungry. We are all called to help. We ARE His Body.

*Please scroll down and pause player before watching video*

"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.' "Then these righteous ones will reply, 'Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?' "And the King will say, 'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!'
Matthew 25:34-46 NLT

A smidge early

Okay, I know it's not Spring...yet! I'm just sooo tired of Winter - and I know I'm not the only one! But Spring will be here in just a few more weeks, my friends!

And the bees sure do make me smile! How about you?

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 NLT